Chapter 810: Teaching the Fist
If it weren't for a business matter to discuss, Chen Ping'an wouldn't have troubled the cultivators at Colorful Sparrow Manor by visiting Peach Blossom Ferry. Delaying their robe forging meant delaying revenue for Falling Mountain. You could clash with anyone, but not with money.
Colorful Sparrow Manor was located within the Water-Prey Kingdom of the Lake and Marsh Water Kingdom. The Water-Prey Kingdom, including its capital, had all its prefectures and cities built on islands. Colorful Sparrow Manor itself sat at the confluence of a vast lake and a grand creek. The creek was called Peach Blossom Water, and above Peach Blossom Ferry, white clouds hung suspended year-round, encircling the green mountain where the manor stood like a snow-white crown. Mountains embraced waters, white clouds lingered, and peach blossoms bloomed everywhere—a scene of breathtaking beauty.
Mi Yu had once "cultivated" here for many years and was rumored to have racked up quite a few romantic debts. Had that damaged Falling Mountain's reputation?
Chen Ping'an silently took note. Once he returned to Falling Mountain, he would have a good talk with the grand sword immortal Mi.
At the foot of the mountain, Colorful Sparrow Manor ran a tea stall that had always had sluggish business because the tea prices were too high. Passing cultivators at Peach Blossom Ferry preferred to wander through the peach grove instead.
After Chen Ping'an and his group took their seats, he gave his name to the female cultivator from Colorful Sparrow Manor. When she heard that the young mountain master of Falling Mountain had personally come to Peach Blossom Ferry, she dared not show any neglect. She immediately sent a paper kite to the ancestral hall to relay the message. After all, the female cultivators of Colorful Sparrow Manor knew full well that although Falling Mountain in Bottle Gourd Continent had only established its sect a few years ago, it was filthy rich. Moreover, it had now become a full-fledged sect.
Colorful Sparrow Manor owed its current prosperity to the "ancestral" robe that Falling Mountain had provided. That robe had enabled the manor to spread its branches, have descendants aplenty, and use this treasure basin to establish business ties with the Great Li Dynasty. Within just twenty years, Colorful Sparrow Manor had risen rapidly, joining the ranks of first-class mountain peaks in Northern Jujube Continent. If it weren't for the manor's ancestral rule of only accepting female cultivators—which kept their disciple numbers small—they could even have competed for the title of a full-scale sect.
The law-enforcing elder, Wu Qun, soon arrived by wind-riding. Upon meeting, she first apologized to Chen Ping'an because the manor lord, Sun Qing, had taken her direct disciple, Liu Guibao, on a training trip. Sun Qing claimed it was to protect her disciple's path, but it was really just an excuse to make an extra trip to Taihui Sword Sect.
According to mountain rules, when a sect leader like Chen Ping'an paid a visit—especially the hidden backer of Colorful Sparrow Manor—Sun Qing was required to be present.
Even if Falling Mountain hadn't sent a flying-sword message in advance, the manor was still at fault for the breach of etiquette.
No one knew Falling Mountain's depth better than Colorful Sparrow Manor. In two words: utterly unreasonable.
After Sun Qing returned to her sect with Liu Guibao after attending the ceremony, she had joked privately with Wu Qun, "Here, no matter how hard you look, you can't find a single land immortal. In Falling Mountain, even some Nascent Soul cultivators don't dare speak loudly. It seems that if you're not a land immortal, you'd be embarrassed to greet anyone outside."
Wu Qun had been stunned speechless when she heard the guest list for the founding ceremony from Sun Qing. It made absolutely no sense.
Now, Wu Qun saw the woman in a snow-white robe with a long sword case on her back.
Ning Yao gave her standard introduction: "Ning Yao, sword cultivator."
Wu Qun clasped her fists in greeting and laughed heartily, "Wu Qun, law-enforcing elder of Colorful Sparrow Manor's ancestral hall. 'Wu' meaning to cease hostilities, 'Qun' meaning mountain lord."
Wait a moment!
Sword cultivator? Ning Yao?
It couldn't be that Ning Yao from the Sword Qi Great Wall, could it?!
It wasn't until Manor Lord Sun Qing attended that ceremony that she learned the "Yu Mi" who had been idling around Colorful Sparrow Manor every day was actually a Jade Purity realm sword immortal—and even in Falling Mountain, he didn't qualify as the chief guest elder. His real name was Mi Yu, and he was from the Sword Qi Great Wall! His elder brother, Mi Hu, was even a great sword immortal with outstanding military merits.
Could there be such a coincidence in the world? Chen Ping'an was indeed remarkable, but Wu Qun couldn't believe he had Ning Yao following him around.
Besides, Ning Yao had gone to the fifth world with Ascending Flying City. With the Confucian Temple's rules over there, how could she come to the Grand World?
By wielding her sword and flying up?
This was the difference between a mountain-peak sect in the Grand World and a second-rate immortal force. Moreover, Colorful Sparrow Manor had no sword cultivators and had never been to the Sword Qi Great Wall. Add to that the ban on landscape gazettes for so many years, and Wu Qun still didn't know just how much authority the young mountain master of Falling Mountain, now drinking tea here, had once wielded in the Spring Banners Studio of Inverted-Hanging Mountain.
Still, Wu Qun clung to a sliver of hope. What if it really was her? She probed, "Miss Ning's hometown is?"
Ning Yao said, "The Sword Qi Great Wall."
Wu Qun's face instantly flushed bright red.
Northern Jujube Continent, among the nine continents of the Grand World, had the best relationship with the Sword Qi Great Wall—no contest.
So the cultivators here, even if not sword cultivators, knew a great deal about the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Wu Qun personally brewed tea to entertain her guests. Her heart surged with excitement, unable to calm for a long time. Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
The tea leaves were a specialty from the back mountain of Colorful Sparrow Manor, called Small Xuanbi. There were only twelve old tea trees. Colorful rare birds plucked the leaves, which were then stir-fried into cakes using secret methods, making them extremely precious.
Wu Qun couldn't help but sneak glances at Ning Yao.
Ning Yao! It really was the legendary Ning Yao!
Nowadays, among the major mountain peaks of Northern Jujube Continent, there were all sorts of guesses and talk—all of them convinced that Ning Yao would become the foremost person of that brand-new world.
And the key point was that Ning Yao was a woman. When Wu Qun usually drank and had tea with Manor Lord Sun Qing and Liu Guibao, of course they chatted about Ning Yao a lot! Especially the proud Liu Guibao, who admired Ning Yao deeply.
When it came to swordsmanship, you couldn't bypass Ning Yao.
Just like in the Grand World, whenever pure martial artists were mentioned, you couldn't avoid Pei Bei and his disciple Cao Ci.
Xiao Mili took the teacup with both hands, said "Thank you," then whispered to the short gourd beside her, "Drink slowly. Can't gulp it down."
The white-haired boy looked stunned. "There's such a rule to drinking tea? Xiao Mili, which obscure book did you read that in?"
Xiao Mili, holding the cup with both hands, lowered her head and took a sip. She nodded slightly in satisfaction—the taste was excellent—then turned and grinned, "Self-taught, ha!"
Chen Ping'an held his teacup, gently rotating it. His eyes narrowed with a smile as cool breezes brushed by. His mood was pleasant. Outside the tea stall's waterside pavilion, the lake was like a mirror. Countless peach blossoms lined the lake and creek, layer upon layer climbing up the mountain. The flower colors ranged from deep to pale, like a charming woman applying makeup of varying intensity.
Since Chen Ping'an had business to discuss, Ning Yao finished her tea and excused herself to Wu Qun. She let Pei Qian, who had been to Colorful Sparrow Manor before, lead the way. They were going to the Heavenly Garment Workshop to see the "weaving girls" of Colorful Sparrow Manor weave their robes.
When Ning Yao was present, Wu Qun was nervous. When Ning Yao left, Wu Qun felt reluctant to see her go.
Wu Qun asked telepathically, "Mountain Lord Chen, may I ask about Sword Immortal Ning's realm?"
Chen Ping'an smiled slightly. "Temporarily at the Flying Ascension realm."
Wu Qun poured herself a full cup of tea, raised her head, and drank it all in one gulp. For serving guests in the tea stall today, she had suffered a huge loss. When Manor Lord Sun Qing and Liu Guibao returned to the mountain, she would just say she had tea with Ning Yao? That fell a bit short—far from having drunk wine at the same table as Ning Yao.
The white-haired boy stayed behind, vowing to lend the old ancestor a hand.
Chen Ping'an didn't think she was bragging. When it came to forging robes, this heart demon of Wu Shuangjiang's dao partner was a top-tier expert.
Chen Ping'an got straight to the point. "Before coming here, I participated in a Confucian Temple council. The robes from Colorful Sparrow Manor have already been filed in the Confucian Temple archives, provisionally placed on the supplementary list. If it works out, it'll be a huge deal. Cultivators from the Merchant, Artificer, and Ji Ran schools will continue to evaluate the matter. Regardless of the final outcome, Falling Mountain and the Great Li will both receive a message from the Confucian Temple. I hope that one day in the future, we'll have the chance to congratulate Colorful Sparrow Manor."
Chen Ping'an took out a booklet—a hand-copied version of the forging secret methods from Gold and Jade City. The dao formulas had been given by the Desolate Wilderness Peach Pavilion. He pushed it gently across the table to Wu Qun and smiled. "The quality of the robes can continue to be improved. When you get back, have Colorful Sparrow Manor quickly draw up a list of the celestial materials and earthly treasures needed for forging the robes—the more detailed, the better. I'll help search for suitable immortal mountain peaks across Northern Jujube Continent."
The white-haired boy transmitted mentally, "Hidden Officer Ancestor, can I take a look?"
After receiving Chen Ping'an's permission, she stood up, stood on tiptoe, and leaned over the table to grab the booklet. She flipped through it, then shook her wrist. From the distant Peach Blossom Creek, wisps of refined water fortune condensed into a jade-green brush. A few peach blossoms drifted across the lake and creek, landing on the table. The tip of the brush lightly touched the peach blossoms like dipping into ink, and on the booklet, she added "vermilion comments"—tiny characters in regular script, here a line of dao formulas, there a few suggestions. The blank spaces on the pages were densely filled, doubling the booklet's textual content.
Wu Qun's mind trembled violently at the sight.
An immortal's writing brush, with ethereal dao aura!
Wu Qun couldn't help but ask telepathically, "Mountain Lord, this senior is?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "A newly accepted handyman disciple of Falling Mountain. She'll first mind the shop at Riding Dragon Alley. If she passes the test, she'll be registered on the Jise Peak roster."
Wu Qun assumed this senior's identity was not to be disclosed and that Chen Ping'an was joking with her.
The white-haired boy lifted her head, her eyes showing a multicolored, shimmering glassy hue. "Senior," my foot. Did this stinking woman know how to speak?
Chen Ping'an bent two fingers and gave her a knock on the head.
The white-haired boy had no choice but to withdraw her secret technique for patrolling the mind. If it weren't for the Hidden Officer Ancestor being here, she could have investigated Wu Qun's ancestors all the way back—completely unnoticed. She dipped the brush again in ink, making the deep red of the peach blossom petals on the table fade a bit. As she diligently wrote, she bargained with the Hidden Officer Ancestor. "Finding omissions and filling gaps—count it as a merit."
Chen Ping'an said with a squinting smile, "Earlier, you accidentally said 'lose money,' which was noted down. Will that be offset against your merits over at Pei Qian's, or will they be tallied separately?"
The white-haired boy sighed mournfully and chose to offset merits against demerits.
"At this Confucian Temple council, the Spiritual Treasure Armor from your Northern Jujube Continent's Three-Lang Temple and the Old Monarch Alley robes have both been officially selected."
Chen Ping'an gave Wu Qun a rough rundown of some council insider details. For example, regarding ferry boats, the Confucian Temple's proposed plan divided them into very detailed three, six, and nine grades. Huge mountain-sized ferries, highly lethal sword boats, and fast-flowing rosy-cloud boats had all been officially adopted by the Confucian Temple. Soon, all over the Grand World, construction would begin on seven types of ferry boats, including the sword boats.
As for the matter of robes, it was a similar situation. The robes from Colorful Sparrow Manor were at a disadvantage in terms of price, so even though the suggestion came from Song Changjing of the Great Li—who carried much more weight than ordinary monarchs or cultivators—the Confucian Temple had only provisionally listed them as candidates.
When it came to crafting, the mountain techniques of Northern Jujube Continent were actually quite outstanding. The Spiritual Treasure Armor from Three-Lang Temple, the sword immortal imitation swords from Hatred Sword Mountain, the tricolor cassocks from Buddha Light Temple, and the crane-feather cloaks from the Great Source's Imperial Oversight Bureau—if you set aside quality and only looked at sales volume, the Old Monarch Alley robes monopolized by Qionglin Sect dominated the entire continent. Especially the Yingran Robe and the Great Review Armor—one was reserved for fifth-realm cultivators, the other for emperors and monarchs of secular dynasties—they didn't go for volume. Before obtaining the forging secrets for the Gold and Jade City robes, Colorful Sparrow Manor's robe techniques weren't actually top-notch.
The white-haired boy waved her sleeve. The jade-green brush in her hand and the several pale red, nearly white peach petals on the table scattered into the water. She made a gesture of sinking qi into her dantian. "Great success!"
Chen Ping'an quickly flipped through the booklet and handed it back to Wu Qun. He warned, "This booklet must be kept safe. When Manor Lord Sun Qing returns, only send a copy to the Great Li Song family. They will mail it to the Confucian Temple. That will increase the chance of Colorful Sparrow Manor's robes 'filling the vacancy.' Once the Confucian Temple gives the nod, Colorful Sparrow Manor's robe production will be at least two thousand pieces to start. Moreover, robes are consumables. Once the Colorful Sparrow Manor robes are proven on the battlefield—and even stand out from over ten types of robes—there will be a steady stream of orders. Most importantly, the robes from Colorful Sparrow Manor will gain fame throughout the Grand World, and future business can smoothly expand to the Central Earth and Baibai Continent."
Wu Qun's mind reeled. This was something she wouldn't even dare dream about.
But Chen Ping'an started pouring cold water. "You at Colorful Sparrow Manor, besides immediately speeding up the matter of accepting disciples, also need an upper-fifth-realm guest elder or consultant. A tall tree catches the wind; great wealth attracts thieves. You must be extremely careful."
Wu Qun said helplessly, "Who wouldn't want that? Our manor lord had good plans—she dreamed of forming a dao partnership with Mr. Liu so she could kill two birds with one stone: have her own marriage and a mountain gate guest elder. But Mr. Liu wouldn't agree. What can we do? As for Pima Sect, asking for an honorary guest elder isn't hard, but getting some old master to reside here permanently is too unrealistic."
Still, the fact that Sun Qing liked Taihui Sword Sect's Liu Jinglong was known across the continent. In itself, that served as a protective charm for Colorful Sparrow Manor.
If anyone provoked Colorful Sparrow Manor without reason, Liu Jinglong—with his temperament of loving to reason things out—would definitely come down the mountain with his sword. Not because of romantic feelings, but just to reason.
But when Colorful Sparrow Manor's business became big enough to make people drool, this layer of protection might no longer hold.
Wu Qun smiled bitterly. "Mountain Lord Chen, you can't treat Falling Mountain's disregard for upper-fifth-realm cultivators as the same standard for us here at Colorful Sparrow Manor."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, then said, "This matter, I'll try to think of something for you. But I can't guarantee success."
If someone could permanently reside at Colorful Sparrow Manor, that would be best, but it wasn't absolutely necessary.
For instance, if the Stopping Realm martial artist Wang Fusu put out the word that he was Colorful Sparrow Manor's chief guest elder, then anyone with designs would have to weigh the matter carefully.
After all, Wang Fusu's punches were famously thrown based on his mood.
Besides that, the mountain lord of Lion Peak, whom he had dealt with before, would also be a suitable candidate.
But whether these two old seniors would agree was hard to say. In any case, he could try. If he ran into repeated rejections, he would go to Lingyuan Gong Shen Lin and Dragon Pavilion Marquis Li Yuan for help. Owing one favor was the same as owing two.
As for the Pool State Immortal Master Zhu Quan, she had made a trip to the parent sect of Pima Sect in the Central Earth Continent. After returning, she stepped down from the sect leader position, leaving the top seat temporarily vacant. She didn't even want to attend ancestral hall meetings anymore. She was waiting for Du Wensi to emerge from seclusion, break through to the Jade Purity realm, and then let the steady Du Wensi take over.
It was said that inside the ancestral hall, Zhu Quan laughed loudly and openly declared, "I'm free of office, so I can cut down whoever I want now."
However, Chen Ping'an was actually a bit intimidated by both Zhu Quan and Baibai Continent's Xie Songhua—he couldn't even out-talk them in risqué banter.
Wu Qun stood up solemnly, clasped her fists in thanks, and was in such a good mood that she spoke less guardedly. She laughed, "If I didn't know that Mountain Lord Chen was a gentleman of upright character and pure dao heart, I would for the first time make an exception and have a few Colorful Sparrow Manor disciples bring wine here to drink with you!"
Chen Ping'an's face darkened.
The white-haired boy found Wu Qun a bit more agreeable.
Wu Qun sat back down and said, "Falling Mountain helped Cloud City build a private ferry. I heard Spring Dew Garden wasn't too happy about that?"
She had heard that Spring Dew Garden cultivators had been clamoring for Falling Mountain to relocate the ferry site to a vassal mountain of Spring Dew Garden. That huge sum of immortal money being thrown at a little Cloud City would just go down the drain.
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Insatiable greed—nothing strange. If not for a few arguments within Spring Dew Garden's ancestral hall, Falling Mountain would have no further dealings with them from now on."
Wu Qun smiled. "I'm not fanning the flames here."
After a pause, Wu Qun burst into laughter. "Okay, I admit it—I'm a bit gleeful."
The white-haired boy had been sitting obediently beside the Hidden Officer Ancestor. She glanced at this woman. Not pretty, but not bad-tempered.
Wu Qun asked with a smile, "Mountain Lord Chen has already been to Spring Dew Garden?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "But I only saw Senior Lin."
Wu Qun was greatly surprised. At first, she thought the young mountain lord was acting out of youthful pride and impulsiveness. But after thinking it over carefully, she grew increasingly astonished.
Finally, she looked at Chen Ping'an with strange eyes. How could someone so young be so perceptive of human hearts?
But then again, only someone like that could become such a young sect leader.
Wu Qun asked, "Is Luan Luan's cultivation going smoothly?"
Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile. "Her aptitude is very good, so I'm worried about delaying her future."
Wu Qun shook her head and clicked her tongue. "That's really asking for a beating."
Zhao Shuxia had become Chen Ping'an's direct disciple, and Zhao Luan had also been registered on Jise Peak's roster at Falling Mountain, so she hadn't returned to Colorful Sparrow Manor to cultivate but stayed at Falling Mountain.
Chen Ping'an had just found an unregistered master for her—the extradimensional heavenly demon beside him.
Looking out at the distant peach blossoms, Chen Ping'an recalled that during his early travels, he had passed a peach grove with Wei Xianluo and Lu Baixiang. An old cook had been inspired by the scene and made up a few random lines, getting laughed at by Pei Qian for ages.
But in Chen Ping'an's opinion, Zhu Lian's casual words were actually quite interesting.
"Lovely deep red and light red, emerald green dress charming, frequent stealing glances, what's the meaning? Because you planted the peach blossoms, you're in my heart."
Chen Ping'an thought of Zhu Lian's true face when he took off his mask and couldn't help cursing inwardly.
Wei Bo, Mi Yu—these types—even Cao Ci and Fu Jin—none of them could compare to the old cook.
He remembered Pei Qian once hearing the old cook say that when he was young, he had some stories out in the martial world.
Little Charcoal had laughed so hard his stomach hurt, one hand on his belly, the other slapping the table, shouting, "Old Cook, you're killing me!"
Actually, Chen Ping'an had laughed quite a bit back then too.
Before leaving, Wu Qun gave him a few jars of Small Xuanbi tea. She said that regarding the pricing of the latest robes, Falling Mountain and Chen Ping'an could rest assured—they would only break even.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "No need to deliberately aim for just breaking even. Since it's business, even if dealing with the Confucian Temple, you still have to make money. We'll just earn a little less."
Wu Qun shook her head. "On this matter, I don't need to discuss it with the manor lord. For any robes that the Confucian Temple wants, Colorful Sparrow Manor won't earn a single snow coin."
None of the Colorful Sparrow Manor cultivators had ever been to the Sword Qi Great Wall.
If they had a chance to do this once, then in the future when Wu Qun went to the ancestral hall to offer incense to successive ancestors, she would feel extra at ease.
Chen Ping'an teased, "Then how is Falling Mountain supposed to handle this? Follow Colorful Sparrow Manor's lead and not make money?"
Wu Qun was momentarily speechless.
Chen Ping'an clasped his fists and smiled. "Then it's settled."
Finally, the law-enforcing female cultivator looked at the couple standing side by side—a pair of celestial mates. She smiled at Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao and said, "May you have a child soon."
Ning Yao was clearly caught off guard. She hesitated for a moment, then ultimately said nothing. Neither nodding nor shaking her head felt right.
Chen Ping'an smiled lightly, as if he had heard it, yet also as if he hadn't.
But he immediately decided that regarding the matter of Colorful Sparrow Manor's guest elder and consultant—that was minor. Leave it to me. Elder Wu just had to wait for good news.
Leaving Peach Blossom Ferry, they arrived at Cloud City. The city lord, Shen Zhenze, along with Xu Xingjiu and Zhao Qingwan—now dao partners—were all inside the city.
They took a ferry boat to leave Cloud City and went to check out the nearby immortal ferry. Falling Mountain had put up the money, and Cloud City had provided the land and labor. The scale wasn't large—even slightly smaller than Colorful Sparrow Manor's Peach Blossom Ferry.
Still, being able to own a private ferry was itself a display of a mountain immortal manor's depth, just like whether a major sect had the ability to establish a lower sect.
Chen Ping'an said he needed to rush on immediately, so Shen Zhenze didn't insist on keeping them. If it had only been Chen Ping'an, he would have dragged him for a drink no matter what. But with the young mountain lord now accompanied by a woman named Ning Yao, Shen Zhenze didn't dare.
Back in that familiar thoroughfare packed with shops and peddler stalls, Ning Yao and the others went off to browse while Chen Ping'an walked shoulder to shoulder with Xu Xingjiu.
Chen Ping'an tucked his hands into his sleeves and said with a squinting smile, "Xingjiu, since you've got nothing better to do, how about you come with me to find Liu Jinglong for a drink?"
Xu Xingjiu looked awkward. "Better not go."
Nowadays, the origin of Mr. Liu's string of nicknames—he and Sword Immortal Liu seemed to be the chief culprits.
It wasn't just "Land dragon loves to drink, invincible in drink Liu Sword Immortal" anymore. Zhu Quan from Pima Sect had contributed "Liu Jinglong really has a good capacity—doesn't even know what liquor is." Old Grandmaster Wang Fusu had thrown in "Liu Sect Master ascends at the drinking table." And Li Cai, a female sword immortal from Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, had said, "His capacity isn't as good as they say—only two or three Li Cai's worth." Anyway, any mountain peak that had good relations with Taihui Sword Sect and whose members enjoyed drinking—whenever they went there, they wouldn't let Liu Jinglong off the hook. Even if they didn't drink, they would find a chance to tease him.
Xu Xingjiu felt that if he were in Mr. Liu's shoes, even with the best temper, he'd be cursing up a storm. Anyone who came looking to drink would get cursed out—one at a time, two in pairs.
Chen Ping'an asked softly, "Is she doing alright now?"
Because last time at the ceremony, Xu Xingjiu and Huan Yun had gone to Falling Mountain together, but his dao partner Zhao Qingwan hadn't shown up. That was why Chen Ping'an was a bit worried.
Xu Xingjiu nodded with a smile, then straightened his robe and made a deep bow to Chen Ping'an in thanks.
Everything was beyond words.
At the foot of the mountain, the year's end; on the mountain, the heart's barrier. Both were hard to cross. The barrier of emotion was hard to cross, and the heart's barrier was hard to cross.
Once you got past it, things were fine.
Chen Ping'an sighed in relief and patted Xu Xingjiu's arm. "Don't be so polite. No need."
Xu Xingjiu straightened up and asked quietly, "Mr. Chen, about Spring Dew Garden?"
Chen Ping'an said, "It's already been resolved. The one who tied the bell must untie it. Since the problem isn't on Falling Mountain's side, they need to solve it themselves."
Nowadays, many troubles for Chen Ping'an were just that—troubles, no longer problems.
His visit to Spring Dew Garden, meeting only Lin Cui'e alone, was making a point without needing to waste a single word on the other Spring Dew Garden cultivators.
The mountain master of Falling Mountain, a sect leader of Bottle Gourd Continent, was still a junior in the old woman's eyes. Beyond that, if Spring Dew Garden wanted to continue business dealings, they had better behave and correct their mistakes.
He hadn't even gone to Jade Jade Cliff or the Ant Shop—he had clearly drawn a line with Spring Dew Garden, making a strict separation between public and private.
If they were willing to change, as for how, Spring Dew Garden would have to figure out the measure themselves!
What, cut off business with Falling Mountain altogether? Falling Mountain couldn't care less. Spring Dew Garden would soon discover a truth: Not only the Pima Sect that surfaced to mediate, but also Colorful Sparrow Manor, Cloud City, and then Taihui Sword Sect, the Great Source Dynasty's Imperial Oversight Bureau, Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, Water Dragon Sect, the two River Lords and Marquises... all would become Falling Mountain's allies in Northern Jujube Continent. Falling Mountain didn't need to deliberately target Spring Dew Garden—the cultivators of Spring Dew Garden would feel uneasy on their own.
It was Chen Ping'an and Falling Mountain that had gathered this cross-continent money path, helping to smooth over the various joints in Bottle Gourd Continent. This involved the Great Li Song family, Cloaked Cloud Mountain, Dong Shuijing, Guan Yiran, and the Fan and Sun families of Old Dragon City... after all that, Spring Dew Garden had no reason to squeeze money relentlessly, thinking only of grabbing all the advantages. In this world, those who didn't follow reason couldn't bully those who did.
Of course, with the Confucian Temple's lifting of the ban on landscape gazettes, soon all the mountain cultivators in the Grand World would know who he was.
Not just the young mountain master of Falling Mountain.
But linking the title of Hidden Officer with the name Chen Ping'an might take a bit longer.
So Chen Ping'an had to finish this trip to Northern Jujube Continent as quickly as possible.
Then return immediately to Bottle Gourd Continent and join Liu Xianyang in challenging Sunny Slope Mountain.
Chen Ping'an said, "Xingjiu, I won't stay here. I'm in a hurry to move on."
Xu Xingjiu smiled and clasped his fists. "I wish Mr. Chen a smooth journey."
Chen Ping'an returned the salute with a smile. "May your cultivation go smoothly, and may you be happy and fulfilled."
---
At the new Flower Spirit evaluation in All Blossoms Paradise, the Balsam Flower Spirit hadn't fallen to a ninth-rank, first-rank level; instead, she had held her previous rank. Although she hadn't been promoted, the young flower spirit was overjoyed enough that she secretly hung a portrait on the wall of her boudoir. She planned to burn incense in reverence on the first and fifteenth of every month, thanking the azure-robed sword immortal for his "life-saving" grace.
She began to look forward to Mr. Chen's next visit to the paradise.
There was also a girl who looked even younger than the Balsam Flower Spirit—the Plantain Flower Spirit Lady of the paradise. She held a cute little plantain fan, gently fanning herself, and asked her sister Ruifeng if she had seen that Ah Liang.
When it came to flower-themed poetry, she had the fewest. So her divine position was very low—the girl didn't even have many other names.
The Balsam Flower Spirit said she hadn't seen him, but she had heard that Ah Liang was very imposing—he had captured a Flying Ascension realm grand cultivator with the dao name Qingbi, and with a whoosh, they disappeared, heading straight for the Sword Qi Great Wall. The plantain-fan-wielding girl's eyes sparkled at the story.
The old Jade Purity sword cultivator Yu Yue, as the chief guest elder of the Mi Yun Xie family, was duty-bound to escort that noble young master back to Baibai Continent. But upon reaching the family's immortal ferry, Yu Yue immediately set off alone, taking a cross-continent ferry to the northernmost first-line ferry of Bottle Gourd Continent.
He was going to the Falling Mountain of the young Hidden Officer to select a disciple! Success or failure depended on his connection with that future direct disciple. If it didn't work this time, he would just make a few more trips.
When it came to selecting sword cultivator seeds, who in the world had the qualifications to compare with that Hidden Officer?
After boarding the boat, there was a knock on the door. It turned out to be that young master of the Xie family, who had sneaked over. The young man said he wanted to travel to the northern peak of the continent, Cloaked Cloud Mountain, having heard there was a Night Banquet there, which was always organized very interestingly.
In the Shao Yuan Dynasty, there was a martial artist of the Far Roaming realm who had accidentally lost an arm, named Tong Jing.
Now, back in his hometown's martial world, Tong Jing would tell everyone at the drinking table that he was the one who had exchanged fists with the young Hidden Officer!
And that it was right near the Confucian Temple—a proper, serious fist-fighting exchange!
He would shake that shoulder with the limp arm. "Just this little injury. Of course, to be fair, it's because the Hidden Officer didn't go hard on me."
"You don't know the Hidden Officer? Never heard the title? Ah. He's the sword cultivator with the highest official rank on the Sword Qi Great Wall. This azure-robed sword immortal is very young—only in his forties now."
"Still don't know? He's the Stopping Realm grandmaster who beat Ma Quxian down in realm with a few punches and made Cao Ci go to the Merit Forest to ask for a fist fight!"
Someone would ask, "This Hidden Officer—how good is his fist technique?"
"Excellent, how else? He just stands there without moving, and his fist intent is as vast as Mount Sumeru. Anyone opposing him naturally feels like an ant at the foot of the mountain, looking up at the sky!"
"So when I threw those few punches, I really risked my life."
"So the Hidden Officer didn't kill me—understand? That's a form of mutual respect among pure martial artists. True, the realms are far apart, but the Hidden Officer sees me as a fellow traveler in the dao. Of course, the one who reaches the summit first is the elder. He's the senior, I'm the junior. Saying this, my conscience is clear. I am sincerely convinced and won over by this young Hidden Officer. In the future on the martial road, anyone who says half a disrespectful word about the Hidden Officer—hah."
"Sorry! That means they'll be exchanging fists with this Tong fellow."
Xu Ruo followed the Mohist elder to that ferry. Even though the elder had left to attend the Confucian Temple council, the city was still growing on its own.
Even Xu Ruo himself, as a Mohist disciple, had only one feeling upon witnessing this city in person: breathtaking.
An old true man escorted Yu Yangshui and the young emperor to the Xuanmi Dynasty, then shrank the earth and rivers to reach a return-to-ruin entrance. Soon he appeared in the Desolate Wilderness, traveling tens of thousands of miles without meeting anyone worth fighting. Finally, he caught someone who seemed high in realm. On closer look, dammit, it wasn't a Flying Ascension great demon. The old true man unfolded a map—hey, seemed like a rather famous mountain peak, said to have been quite active in the previous fighting over Tongye Continent.
So the old true man employed fire and water techniques.
For a thousand miles in every direction, great waters were in the sky, and great fires covered the earth. Water formed the canopy, fire the ground.
The old true man stroked his beard and nodded, muttering to himself, "Still vigorous in old age. My techniques are passable."
After a moment of silence, Fire Dragon True Man muttered to himself, "A bit too much force, perhaps?"
Fire Dragon True Man answered his own question, "If you're not going to put on a show when fighting, why fight at all?"
On the martial road of Northern Jujube Continent, there was a furtive masked traveler. After scouting the location, under the cover of night, he vaulted over the wall, agile as a rabbit rising and a falcon swooping. He crashed into the room, a flash of blade, one strike successful—he dispatched the bandit—then flitted away like a finch.
In his years walking the martial world, he had always imitated that good-natured senior. He had given himself a pseudonym, Du Haoshi—'Du' from Du Yu, 'Haoshi' meaning 'good deeds' without leaving his name.
Every time he acted, he assessed the situation and acted within his means. After finishing, he would run, as if afraid anyone would know who he was.
This beautiful world: clear skies here, rain there; flowers unmoving here, wind blowing elsewhere.
During their northward journey by wind, Chen Ping'an's group occasionally stopped to rest. Sometimes on the mountain, sometimes off, the sights they saw varied with time and place.
There were towering mountains stretching hundreds of miles, dense with spiritual energy, mists rising and swirling. The temple at the peak shimmered golden in the night sky, like a great lantern suspended between heaven and earth.
There were travelers in roadside inns meeting the plum rain, lotus-scented breezes carrying the sorrow of parting. There were great riversides where government offices organized Yellow Records Rituals to pray for blessings and ward off disasters. At sunrise, the morning clouds were brilliant, and a group of cultivators moved with the clouds. Among them were boys and girls, loudly reciting their sect's dao formulas along with their elder masters, vowing to capture the three corpses, burn the ghost caves, and seize the six thieves to break the demon palaces.
There were quarrymen who, after days of scorching sun, saw the pits reveal stone as the water receded. Under supervision by government officials, the beautiful stones quarried from the old pits were carefully wrapped in straw. According to age-old custom, everyone crouched at the entrance of the old pit and waited until sunset before they could carry the old pit stones down the mountain. Regardless of age, the quarrymen—their skin blackened and shiny from the sun—gathered together, chatting in dialect about family affairs. Those with some money at home, or those who were poor but had more promising children, talked more and louder.
They arrived at Prostrate Peak.
Zhang Shanfeng still looked about the same age as before, but living well on the mountain—no longer having to leave his hometown alone and wander destitute—he no longer looked so poor and bedraggled.
The white-haired boy kept looking around. So this was the cultivation place of that Fire Dragon True Man?
When she learned that the woman was Ning Yao, Zhang Shanfeng made a Daoist hand gesture and smiled. "Hello, Miss Ning. I am Zhang Shanfeng, currently without a dao name yet."
Ning Yao smiled. "Greetings, True Man Zhang."
Zhang Shanfeng was mortified.
Chen Ping'an chuckled. "The old true man said you're already an earth immortal!"
Zhang Shanfeng looked stunned. "Did my master misspeak, or did you mishear? I just reached the Observing Sea realm."
Chen Ping'an smiled slightly. "Then do you know what realm I'm in right now?"
Zhang Shanfeng probed, "Immortal realm? Could it be Flying Ascension?"
Chen Ping'an looked a bit deflated. "Not yet."
Zhang Shanfeng burst out laughing. "You little—trying to compete with me? You're still too green."
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Come on. I'll learn boxing from you."
Zhang Shanfeng sighed. "Stop messing around."
Chen Ping'an's expression turned serious. "I'm not joking. During those years on the Sword Qi Great Wall, I kept learning your punches. But no matter how I practiced, it never seemed right. I couldn't for the life of me bring out that... fist intent you had back then."
Zhang Shanfeng said in exasperation, "Still saying you're not messing around? I'm just a cultivator doing random moves—what 'fist intent' could I have?"
Chen Ping'an held back, then couldn't help it. "Random moves?! Hah?!"
Damn it. Did you know how many punches I stubbornly, gritting my teeth, slowly practiced on the city wall—and still couldn't make that fist intent take hold?
Zhang Shanfeng shook his Daoist robe and grinned. "No way around it. When it comes to practicing fists, you have to be favored by the ancestor."
Chen Ping'an flicked his sleeve, stretched out his hand, and said, "Come on, let's spar. Exchange some moves."
Zhang Shanfeng jumped back, stretched his arm, and shook out a blade-wielding stance. "I got Brother Xu's true blade technique! Because you have poor martial arts aptitude, Brother Xu didn't bother teaching you back then. Afraid it would hurt your feelings, he just kept it from you."
Chen Ping'an twitched the corner of his mouth. "Then I have to thank you two."
The white-haired boy admired this little Daoist from Prostrate Peak immensely. He really knew his place in the world.
Xiao Mili gently tugged at Pei Qian's sleeve and whispered, "True Man Zhang's blade technique sounds so strong."
Pei Qian nodded solemnly.
Ning Yao laughed.
It was rare to see Chen Ping'an like this.
She had heard that at the wine shop on the Sword Qi Great Wall, he might let loose a bit, crack a few risqué jokes, and often get rounds of applause.
Guo Zhujiu, that informant, seemed to have bribed a few little informants, so Ning Yao actually knew a lot about what went on at the wine shop—even the arcane knowledge of how narrow the long bench was.
But every time she went there, Chen Ping'an would start acting all proper.
So later, she stopped going to the wine shop, to avoid making him uncomfortable while drinking with others.
Afterward, Zhang Shanfeng led the group on a tour of several peaks, including Finger Abode Peak.
The evening clouds were like brocade. The heavens weren't stingy—they gave this gift to the mortal world for free.
Chen Ping'an walked with Zhang Shanfeng and said, "I went to see Brother Xu at the Immortal Travel County."
Zhang Shanfeng smiled. "I got there before you."
They both knew that Xu Yuanxia was getting old, but neither brought it up.
It was as if mentioning him would make that big-bearded wandering knight of the old days, with his straight back, even older.
Zhang Shanfeng was about to go north with a senior brother to attend a ceremony at a sect belonging to one of his master's old friends, so he wouldn't accompany Chen Ping'an to Taihui Sword Sect.
But they agreed that as soon as Zhang Shanfeng returned from the north, he would immediately travel south to Bottle Gourd Continent to visit Falling Mountain, then go with Chen Ping'an to Immortal Travel County for a drink.
That day, on the bluestone square of Prostrate Peak, one taught the fist, the other learned the fist.
An Observing Sea realm practitioner was teaching the fist. A Stopping Realm martial artist was the student.
The white-haired boy stared intently at the scene, silent for a long while before murmuring, "Scary. What a grand vision."
Ning Yao asked, "Even you can't learn it?"
The white-haired boy, for the first time without joking, shook his head. "Learning the form is meaningless. So I can't learn it either, because it requires the practitioner's heart to match the dao."
She heard Zhang Shanfeng say that his hometown had a great mountain called Wudang.
A fine name. Wudang Mountain, Zhang Shanfeng.
The whole lineage, one peak towering alone.
Zhang Shanfeng withdrew his fist and asked, "Did you get it? That's enough, right?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Show me the fist once more."
Zhang Shanfeng said impatiently, "Chen Ping'an, you're learning hammer fists!"
With so many people watching the show, did he have to keep making a fool of himself?
Quite a few little Dao boys from Prostrate Peak were squatting on the steps like a row of sparrows, cheering, "Grandmaster's fist technique is unparalleled, martial arts invincible!"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "I'm not joking."
Zhang Shanfeng had no choice but to steel himself and perform another set of his self-created fist techniques.
Chen Ping'an suddenly withdrew his fist and stood still. He smiled. "Now I understand. But you still need to show the fist one more time."