Chapter 853: The Guessed Wrong Answer
The moment the Old Temple Master left, Cui Dongshan immediately picked up a white jade scroll handle on the table, breathed on it, and carefully wiped it with his snow-white sleeve. One of life's greatest pleasures is not only a false alarm but also an unexpected windfall.
Don't assume that just because the Old Temple Master was amiable—lounging at the mountain gate, sitting there drinking tea and cracking melon seeds—that he was an easy person to deal with.
Across the several worlds, among the Fourteen Realm grand cultivators, there were a few that no one wanted to provoke. But the White (Bai) was a scholar; the Old Blind Man had always been too lazy to bother with matters outside the mountains. Curse all you want, just don't let the Old Blind Man hear it face to face.
And that monk known as "Chicken Soup Monk," Shen Qing, was truly a Buddhist dragon-elephant with a "compassionate heart that is the Buddha's heart." Only this stinky Daoist from the Donghai Guan was the most unpredictable in his actions.
From beginning to end, the Old Temple Master did not say a single extra word to Sui Youbian.
Sui Youbian had originally wanted to take this opportunity to ask more about her master (先生), but when the moment came, the words were on the tip of her tongue, yet she could never open her mouth.
In fact, Jiang Shangzhen had already told her many inside stories about the Yunku Blessed Land: about that pole-poling Ni Yuanzan—how he killed mosquitoes in the Jiang-Huai region, why he went missing back then, why he was thrown out of the Lotus Flower Blessed Land by the Old Temple Master, how he spent a leisurely time as a traveler in a foreign land, how a three-legged golden toad appeared on his shoulder, what Ni Yuanzan was scheming, and his connection to the Golden Summit Temple. Jiang Shangzhen concealed nothing. The reason Jiang Shangzhen was so easy to talk to with Sui Youbian was simple: both were under the command of Luopo Mountain, and when two members of the same family talk, they don't speak double-talk. But if it were purely about a True Mirror Sect lineage swordsman and the old patriarch of the Jade Gui Sect, Jiang Shangzhen's reputation and reviews had always been stable.
Zhu Lian, for his part, did not rub salt into her wounds. As they say, Heaven does not disappoint those who endure hardships. Alas, infatuated hearts are always troubled by the ruthless.
Those long-awaited reunions after separation—the more untouched the mountains and rivers, the more the changes in people and circumstances tear at the heart.
Sui Youbian's expression darkened. Instead of flying away from Luopo Mountain on her sword to return to her thatched hut for cultivation, she climbed the stone steps, apparently heading to the mountain peak to enjoy the view.
Zhu Lian picked up the other scroll handle. It looked like white jade, crystal-clear and lustrous, but actually, upon closer inspection, it was made of horn.
The two scroll handles for mounting a wall hanging were a matter of some knowledge. If they were upper and lower handles, they were called "Heaven and Earth mounts." If it was a hand scroll spread left and right, they were called "Sun and Moon mounts." The Old Temple Master's Dao diagram was special. Speaking only of the scroll handles, they were definitely of the Sun and Moon mount type, because the Five Sacred Mountains True Form Diagram carried its own Heaven and Earth mount.
Thus, a Dao diagram encompasses Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon, stars spreading out in their ranks.
Cui Dongshan held one of the scroll handles, laughing. "Whether this item is buried in a residence, pasted on a door to secure the home and suppress evil, or sealed with talismans and worn as a scroll on the body, for a Qi refiner to travel across mountains and rivers is almost like being both the mountain lord of the Five Sacred Mountains and the god of the great rivers. It naturally possesses both mountain and water divine powers and has countless miraculous applications. Compared to Wu Shuangjiang's couplet that can't be moved once hung, the Old Temple Master's Dao diagram is more flexible."
The Dao book and the painting scroll were combined into one, thus becoming a celestial soldier.
Zhu Lian asked casually, "Once refined successfully, with the scroll handles closed, can an Earth Immortal cultivator hold this item and travel far, climbing mountains and entering waters?"
The scroll handles should be light in material to avoid damaging the painting, so common households used wooden handles. Scholarly families and the wealthy used gold and jade. In mountain immortal mansions, tastes were picky; they also used thousand-year ganoderma or celadon and doucai porcelain handles. Generally speaking, horn handles were prone to insect damage, and unrolling them often brought dampness. But this pair of horn scroll handles was extremely likely a relic from an ancient fellow Daoist cultivator of the Old Temple Master's era—a rare and extremely precious find.
The key point was that the scroll handle in Zhu Lian's hand was inscribed with the ink seal characters "Water Register" (水箓), and the words "Examine and penalize the Three Realms, seal and appoint mountains and peaks, investigate and clarify merits and faults, assess and decide blessings and sins." Additionally, it had over a hundred Earth Immortal names written in tiny regular script. The handle in Cui Dongshan's hand bore the cinnabar characters "Mountain Talisman" (山符), with clouds and mists rising, and the words "Heaven grants the register, never any flood, summon gods and penalize ghosts, rescue and save living beings." It was also painted with over a hundred mountain god images, like a diagram of deities and true beings making a pilgrimage.
Cui Dongshan shook his head. "No, that's not possible. It must be a cultivator of the upper five realms. Otherwise, they might not even be able to lift it, let alone take it on a long journey."
Controlling a heavy treasure of celestial soldier rank had always been a significant challenge for major sects.
Cui Dongshan said with a grin, "If this were the Old Temple Master's lifebound object, then we at Luopo Mountain would really strike it rich."
Offensive items were often just for show, mostly used for deterrence. Under normal circumstances, there was little use for them. But if they could nurture and stabilize the qi and luck of a region's mountains and waters while continuously gathering heaven and earth spiritual energy, it would create a pattern of destiny where the land grows more spiritual and the people more outstanding.
Cui Dongshan let out a sigh. "What a pity. After all, it's an object from a previous dynasty, surviving by chance into this dynasty. One dynasty, one set of ministers. It can no longer command the host of immortals."
Zhu Lian smiled. "Eighty percent full is just right."
Cui Dongshan looked at it more and more, finding endless subtleties, and exclaimed in wonder, "But if Master (先生) were willing to part with it, taking it on a trip to Nine Capitals Mountain of the Haihai Continent, he could probably trade it directly for a Grand Supreme Supporter position. As long as Master is willing to name a price, the Nine Capitals Mountain side would definitely sell everything they own, even if it means racking up a mountain of debt, they'd still be willing to buy it."
Cui Dongshan said with emotion, "Our family's foundation is no longer thin."
The newly acquired Dao diagram from the Old Temple Master, plus the couplet previously gifted by Wu Shuangjiang.
The former could be placed in the Ancestral Hall on Jise Peak; the latter would be hung at the main gate of the Ancestral Hall of the branch sect on Tongye Continent.
With these two mountain-suppressing treasures, Luopo Mountain and the future branch sect would truly possess the immortal aura and confidence of a first-class sect.
Additionally, there were the two calligraphy scrolls that Old Scholar had obtained from Su Zi and Liu Qi—the Flower Blooming Post and the Seeking Drunkenness Post—both filled with abundant Dao qi and containing literary fortune.
Both gifts in times of need and adornments to an already fine state.
From now on, once Luopo Mountain truly spreads its branches and leaves, it would likely produce many scholarly seeds.
Cui Dongshan turned around and shouted to Mi Li, "Right Guardian, after the Night Ferry incident, you've accomplished another great feat!"
Back at Night Ferry, Chen Ping'an and his group had been ambushed by Wu Shuangjiang. The outcome was good, but the process was extremely dangerous. Afterward, if it hadn't been for Mi Li's cleverness, given Wu Shuangjiang's indifferent nature and the fact that he had already given away one scroll (the "At That Time Post"), he wouldn't have parted with a mountain-suppressing treasure of celestial soldier rank.
That "At That Time Post" is now hung on the first floor of Chen Ping'an's bamboo building. The two seals stamped on the calligraphy had already lost all their Dao charm, exchanged for the cultivation of that otherworldly demon. One character, one realm. Only one engraved signature remained on the scroll—"My heart is like the blue lotus color in the world"—still wondrous.
Mi Li was confused, too dazed even to jump for joy. She scratched her head and asked, "What?! How come I'm making merit again?"
Cui Dongshan put both scroll handles into his sleeve, preparing to fuse them with the Dao book into one. He could multitask, so it didn't delay his chat with Mi Li. "Later, little senior brother will tell Senior Sister to make sure this merit is recorded."
Mi Li stood up, ran to the table, and asked curiously, "Did the old Daoist master give us something really valuable?"
Zhu Lian smiled and nodded. "Very valuable. The two scroll handles are quite old. If it were just the painting..."
Mi Li was radiant with joy. "Haha, the old senior is an old Daoist master, and the old thing he gave is really valuable!"
The little girl in black clothes didn't just stay happy. She looked toward the mountain path, scratched her face, and said softly, "I don't know when he'll visit again. The old Daoist master had a really good temper."
Even Cui Dongshan was at a loss for words. Whether this Old Temple Master of the East Sea had a good temper or not was widely recognized among the mountaintops.
Mi Li withdrew her gaze, leaned on the table, and giggled. "Old cook, I've made merit again. When good man mountain lord and the others come back from the capital, you'll cook something special for us. It has to be better than the best. Don't you know? Can't you?"
Mi Li didn't even ask how great the merit was, as if her little head couldn't conceive of such things.
Zhu Lian smiled and nodded. "No problem."
In fact, back at Night Ferry, Wu Shuangjiang had also given a set of scholarly stationery to Zhou Mi Li. All were items Wu Shuangjiang carried with him. And that Palace Master of Suichu Palace was famously picky even in the Azure Underworld—one could imagine the quality. Three magical treasures, priceless, each with its own use.
When they returned to Luopo Mountain, Mi Li immediately gave them all away without a second thought. The "Seven-Treasure Clay," said to be worth an ounce of fine rain tea per ounce of clay, she gave to Sister Nuan Shu.
The ancient inkstone inscribed with "Immortal Cavern" and adorned with a pair of miniature chi dragons, she gave to Jing Qing. As for the cyan bamboo brush pen, engraved with the small seal script "Bamboo in the breast, green for ten thousand miles," Mi Li gave it to that Wei Mountain Lord, who was so poor he had to hold a night banquet to beg for red envelopes to live on.
Cui Dongshan exhaled. "Done!"
Zhu Lian was surprised. "That fast?"
Cui Dongshan grinned. "Not as fast as Brother Dafeng flips through those immortal paintings—just a few pages and he's done."
Anyway, Zheng Dafeng wasn't around, so he could say whatever.
Zhu Lian smiled slyly. "Still a young man with a bottom that can bake a pancake. If it were Wei Mountain Lord, he could definitely flip to the end."
Wei Po wasn't around either.
Fortunately, Mi Li hadn't heard any of this. She was busy drafting a menu for the old cook, imagining a table full of dishes, not knowing where to start with her chopsticks. The more she thought about it, the more her mouth watered. She quickly wiped her mouth.
Cui Dongshan took out the complete Dao diagram with the attached scroll handles, gently placed it on the table, and laughed. "Indeed, the Old Temple Master's Dao arts reach the heavens, unmatched under heaven!"
After refinement, the Dao diagram was wreathed in purple qi, with clouds rising, as if the table itself were a Dao realm of heaven and earth. One could faintly see the sun and moon revolving in a wondrous sight.
Above the mountains, the sky had no second sun; among the myriad trees, there was a single moon.
In the heart lakes of Cui Dongshan and Zhu Lian, the Old Temple Master's cold voice sounded: "Echoing others."
Cui Dongshan formed Dao hand seals with both hands, chanted silently in his heart, and the Dao book on the table vanished in an instant. The next moment, the entire territory of Luopo Mountain was blanketed in purple qi.
Wei Po, teleporting through mountains and rivers, immediately arrived from Piyun Mountain at the table on Luopo Mountain. His mind shook, and he used his mountain lord's innate divine ability to look around. As far as his vision reached, he felt as if he were in a sea of purple clouds. At the same time, he sensed an oppressive aura of the Great Dao, which made even the Northern Peak Grand Mountain Lord uncomfortable. And this pressure grew heavier. Wei Po said wryly, "In the future, will I have to appear only at the edge of Luopo Mountain's territory and walk here on foot?"
A Grand Mountain Lord, unable to move freely on his own territory, forced to walk—this would probably be even more laughable than the joke about the Night Banquet.
Cui Dongshan laughed. "Don't worry. I'll set up a mountain gate on both the mountain and down below, ensuring that Wei Mountain Lord can come and go freely."
The higher the realm of foreign mountain and water gods or cultivators, the more uncomfortable they would feel. Earth Immortal-level Qi refiners might notice it, but they wouldn't be as hampered as Wei Po. And this Dao book couldn't be kept spread out all the time, or the outflow of Dao qi would exceed the self-gathering and replenishment of heaven and earth spiritual energy and mountain-water fate, leading to a deficit.
Wei Po didn't mind it much. He sat down and asked, "What happened?"
"Just now, the Old Temple Master of the East Sea was sitting in Brother Wei's seat."
Cui Dongshan flicked his snow-white sleeve and grinned. "As for the inside story, I won't say much. Better not to know. As the Buddhists say, 'If you deliberate, it's like white clouds ten thousand miles away.'"
Wei Po silently stood up and changed seats.
At the peak of Piyun Mountain, the Old Temple Master squinted, saw that the Wei fellow was sensible, and then quietly departed.
Cui Dongshan said, "Since the sky is about to change, we should prepare for the rainy season and make plans early."
Wei Po was not an outsider, so as long as it didn't involve those ethereal Great Dao fortunes, nothing was off-limits.
Zhu Lian nodded. "One should not have a harmful heart, but one must not lack a defensive mind."
Earlier, Chen Ping'an had targeted the swordsman Pei Min, a Flying Ascension Realm swordsman. Later, in the Night Ferry battle, he faced someone like Wu Shuangjiang, a Fourteen Realm cultivator.
Now it seemed such preparations were more than necessary.
Distant enemies: Zou Zi, swordsman Pei Min, and swordsman Liu Cai.
Closer: Bai Chang, the great swordsman from Northern Juzhou who fell short of success, and the hidden forces behind Han Yushu and others.
The martial world was treacherous, clouded and undulating, with inscrutable hearts. Often, making friends meant making enemies.
Cui Dongshan said, "The only thing lacking now is Master's (先生) realm."
The most lethal offensive object on Luopo Mountain was at the summit.
The mountain god Song Yuzhang had been transferred by the Great Li imperial court to Qidun Mountain to open a new mountain god shrine. The original site of the mountain god temple on Luopo Mountain's summit was left unchanged, not demolished or rebuilt, just with the plaque removed. Earlier, Cui Dongshan had set up a golden Thunder Pond restriction along the white jade railing, enshrining the scroll of sword immortals from the Sword Qi Great Wall. That scroll had originally come from the Sword Worship Pavilion of Daoxuan Mountain, and later the Grand Old Sword Immortal gave it to Chen Ping'an.
On the Sword Qi Great Wall, those sword immortals in the form of heroic spirits had accompanied the young Hidden Officer for many years, fought together, and protected half of the remaining Sword Qi Great Wall.
Additionally, Luopo Mountain had a sword formation derived from the Taiping Mountain of Tongye Continent. It hadn't been set up yet but could serve as a supplement in the future.
Zhu Lian said, "Given the young master's temperament, he will definitely return that scroll of sword immortals to Flying Ascension City."
Cui Dongshan laughed. "Don't worry. Given the master's wife's temperament, she definitely won't accept it. And in the long run, having the scroll at Luopo Mountain is a sure-win, no-loss deal for Flying Ascension City."
Mi Li nodded. "Rest assured, rest assured. Our good man mountain lord always listens to the mountain lord's wife, whether it's big or small matters."
Zhu Lian shook his head and laughed. "Wrong. When it comes to truly big matters, Miss Ning still listens to the young master."
Mi Li thought for a moment. "Seems like it."
Cui Dongshan smiled. "Even without that sword immortal formation diagram, on Bao-Ping Continent, as long as Luopo Mountain doesn't go looking for trouble, others should be burning incense in gratitude."
He took out a jade bamboo folding fan and fanned himself lightly. On one side was written "Conquer with virtue," on the other "If not convinced, beat to death."
Wei Po said, "I've already spread the word that Luopo Mountain isn't accepting disciples. But it seems it hasn't worked well. The effect is minimal. In the future, more and more people will come here."
Cui Dongshan fanned Mi Li and laughed. "Normal. Through a foggy window, everyone is curious. Whether they can ultimately ascend the mountain will depend on fate. Melon seeds from Mi Li—can anyone just crack them? No, not possible."
Mi Li sat on the long bench, swinging her little feet, the breeze on her face. She tugged at her cloth shoulder bag and laughed.
Wei Po asked with a smile, "Mi Li, have you decided yet? What gift do you want in return?"
The cyan bamboo brush that Mi Li gave to Wei Po was of great significance. He wouldn't exchange it even for a semi-immortal soldier.
Chen Lingjun had earlier escorted Mi Li to Piyun Mountain and now often wandered around the bamboo grove, even in summer and autumn, claiming to look for bamboo shoots to dig.
Mi Li shook her head. "No need, no need. Don't stand on ceremony, Wei Mountain Lord. You're being too polite."
Wei Po stood up, patted Mi Li's head, and took his leave.
Mi Li went back to her small bamboo chair to keep watch at the gate, letting the old cook and the big white goose continue discussing serious matters.
Cui Dongshan put his hands in his sleeves. "The Old Temple Master seems to have singled you out for special regard."
Zhu Lian dismissed it with a smile.
It was said Lu Chen had five dreams, each with an incomprehensible Dao manifestation, including the Dao Sect's White Bone Immortal and the Confucian scholar Zheng Huan.
There were also the mysterious Seven Phenomena of the Heart: Wooden Chicken, Toon Tree, Mole, Kun-Peng, Yellow Bird, Yuan-Chu, and Butterfly.
Among them, Yu Zhenyi from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, the first to successfully cultivate immortality, was that wooden chicken (dumbfounded).
Of the four figures from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land paintings, although they were all considered true pure martial artists by the definitions of the Bright World, each had their own emphasis. Sui Youbian, with heavy obsession, directly abandoned martial arts to practice Dao and become a sword cultivator. Wei Xian never aimed to reach the pinnacle of martial arts; he preferred the battlefield and... officialdom—the highest office.
Heaven knows whether this fellow, who claimed to be a bottomless drinker, would later just claim a territory, say on the shattered Tongye Continent, and become an emperor all over again.
Compared to Sui Youbian and Wei Xian, Lu Baixiang seemed the least ambitious.
As for Zhu Lian, in others' eyes, he was the most unambitious.
Cui Dongshan closed the folding fan, looked up at the sky, and said, "Oh, Jade Capital."
Zhu Lian asked, "That 'general' the Old Temple Master mentioned earlier? The first half was easy to guess. But the second half?"
"On earth, there is no more Chen Qingdu; who can open the Tuo Yue Mountain with a sword?"
Cui Dongshan shook his head. "Heaven knows."
Zhu Lian glanced at the sky and smiled. "Let's not discuss these troublesome matters. Tonight, we only drink to talk of wind and moon."
Daylight as paper, night as ink, the world grinds the ink, and matters of the heart become characters.
Cui Dongshan brought out two jugs of wine, tossed one to Zhu Lian, and they drank separately.
Zhu Lian drank.
Must I be Lu Chen?
Could Lu Chen not be me?
—
Chen Lingjun returned to Qilong Lane, went straight to Brother Jia, asked for a jug of wine, poured a large bowl, and downed it in one gulp.
Chen Lingjun sat cross-legged on the long bench, lowering his voice. "Brother Jia, you don't know—I met three foreigners today!"
Old Immortal Jia asked, "Did you fight? Did you get the upper hand? Need me to help you settle the score? When it comes to the art of speech, if we brothers convince people with reason, there's no one we can't convince."
Chen Lingjun hesitated, then gave up the idea of leaking heavenly secrets. First, this matter wasn't suitable for showing off; second, as the Sage had said, whenever it involved those key words, he couldn't speak them, even if he tried to dance around it. It just wouldn't work. Chen Lingjun sighed; it was a bit regrettable. He wiped his forehead, and his hand came away with fresh sweat. Old Immortal Jia was shocked and directly uttered a Jianghu code: "Troublesome foe?" Chen Lingjun smiled bitterly, just mentioning a bowl. Earlier, they'd sat on the ground to discuss the Dao? The three religions' patriarchs seemed to be standing in the street at the time.
Thinking of this, Chen Lingjun broke into a sweat. He had to change the subject. "Chief Zhou isn't on the mountain. It's a bit lonely."
That guy had money, wit, leisure, had read books, could drink, and could boast.
Just from Jiang Shangzhen's line, "For prodigies like Lingjun Di and me to still need to cultivate hard—wouldn't that be bullying?" Chen Lingjun was willing to look up to this Chief Supporter. They were kindred spirits!
Moreover, Jiang Shangzhen could talk a mile a minute at the drinking table, full of flavor, better than any appetizer.
"A hundred uses, a scholar is useless; the most difficult is a scholar down on his luck. A prodigal who turns back is more precious than gold; the most pitiable is a prodigal with white hair."
What does it matter about flowery, dense, seductive fields, warblers singing and swallows dancing in rouge caves... actually, the flowery language didn't matter. The key was that Jiang Shangzhen patted his chest and promised that later, when they reached the Yunku Blessed Land, he would arrange things. The three brothers would charge into the "Hero's Grave"!
Who would have thought that on a little Qilong Lane, there were heroes like Brother Jingqing and Old Immortal Jia?
So Jiang Shangzhen followed suit, saying that Qilong Lane must be a geomantic treasure land. He followed the example of the Discipline Elder, Changming, and bought three more houses on Qilong Lane for a hefty sum.
Having money wasn't the skill; being willing to spend it was. Jiang Shangzhen was much more generous and grand than that Discipline Elder. He said that the scramble for fame and profit beyond food and clothing was always trivial like a fly's head or a snail's horn, meaningless. So at the drinking table, this Chief Zhou casually tossed three keys to the blind old Daoist, saying they were brothers. For Brother Jia and his two disciples to help warm the house and add liveliness, he wouldn't talk about money, lest it hurt brotherly feelings.
Old Immortal Jia drank until his face glowed red, full of righteous indignation, accepted the keys, waved his hand, and said that talking about money between brothers was vulgar.
That very day, the blind old Daoist scurried off happily with his two disciples to move into the new house. Inside, the furnishings and decorations were costly. It was estimated that even the generals, ministers, and high officials of the Great Li capital had no more than this.
Wearing a snow-white robe, the Discipline Elder of Luopo Mountain stood at the doorway.
Chen Lingjun immediately put his feet down from the bench and shouted, "Sister Changming!"
Old Immortal Jia immediately put down his wine bowl, instinctively lifted his buttocks. Seeing that Lingjun Di hadn't stood up, he didn't lower his buttocks either. He hovered his buttocks uncomfortably, bending slightly. Whether the woman could see this or not, he didn't care. Where did his late-in-life blessings come from? Besides the mountain lord's keen eyes, who had singled him out from the vast sea of people—this old hero with a spine of integrity—it was also due to this sincerity in treating others, which perfectly matched Luopo Mountain's great Dao. When he saw a superior, he first made himself small. The old immortal smiled and said, "The Discipline Elder honors my humble abode with her noble presence. Truly, the wicker door has something to celebrate; the humble cottage shines with radiance. Only, I have no good wine to entertain. If Discipline Elder Changming doesn't mind..."
Changming squinted and smiled. "I mind."
Old Immortal Jia immediately turned his words, "The Discipline Elder is quick with words, making things easy for others."
Changming said, "Pay close attention to the matter of blocking the way."
Old Immortal Jia said solemnly, "That is my duty! Tomorrow, I, poor Daoist, will personally go out."
Before, Luopo Mountain hadn't called upon him, just letting his disciple Zhao Denggao handle it. That's why Old Immortal Jia held back. But when it came to the skill of dealing with people, Jia Sheng thought he could rank at least in the top five on Luopo Mountain. He received his salary monthly from Luopo Mountain. Just taking money without doing anything? Jia Sheng had no burden about that at all. But that elusive big white goose and this Discipline Elder Changming, who always greeted everyone with a smile? It just didn't allow him to lie around and enjoy his blessings every day.
With the lifting of the ban on Bright World's mountain-water gazettes and that Mirror-Flower-Water-Moon event at Zhengyang Mountain, people from all over were pouring into Luopo Mountain from every direction of the continent's mountains and rivers.
As a result, all the inns in Longzhou were packed to capacity.
Of course, most people came just for the excitement, not necessarily seeking anything. For example, various registered immortal masters; the Northern Peak Piyun Mountain itself was a tourist attraction. Now with the sudden rise of Luopo Mountain, plus the local mountain and water gods in Longzhou holding high positions on the continent's mountain-water registers, it was believed that Luopo Mountain would soon face a noisy scene with visitors as numerous as fish crossing a river.
Qi refiners admiring sword immortals, martial artists roaming the martial world looking to learn boxing from martial arts masters, and certainly many mountain fairies wanting to open Mirror-Flower-Water-Moon sessions at the gate of Luopo Mountain. Among them were martial arts masters from various countries wanting to spar with Pei Qian.
Of course, none of them came to win a boxing match—just to exchange pointers and seek advice. On a continent, martial artists were as common as cow's hair, but Pei Qian was one of the Four Great Grandmasters in the martial arts reviews. Fighting her with the intention to win? Were they crazy? Go ask the demon cultivators on the battlefield of the secondary capital whom Pei Qian had punched into bloom—would they agree?
Because earlier, during the ferry meeting, Chen Ping'an said that Luopo Mountain would not accept disciples for at least the next twenty years.
This led to one more thing: someone needed to be responsible for blocking the way at Luopo Mountain, informing all foreigners of this, and especially stopping them from climbing the mountain without permission or treating Luopo Mountain as a sightseeing spot.
There were only two roads to Luopo Mountain: besides the mountain path from Huaihuang County, there was another extending from Hongzhu Town and Qidun Mountain. For now, those responsible for blocking the way included, in the open, Yun Zi, Bai Xuan, Zhao Shuxia, and Jia Sheng's disciple Zhao Denggao. Doing this kind of work counted as a form of training. In the shadows were Discipline Elder Changming and sword cultivator Cui Wei, to prevent accidents. Bai Xuan was purely joining in for the fun, since Pei Qian happened to be off the mountain recently.
Bai Xuan had become quite familiar with the Left Guardian of Qilong Lane. He often crouched on the ground and asked, "Do you eat? That kind?"
As for any hero who declared he wanted to spar with Pei Qian, Bai Xuan planned to record every single one meticulously in a book—name, alias, hometown, martial arts realm...
Chen Lingjun, for once, didn't get involved in this. Nuan Shu and Mi Li were both surprised. Chen Lingjun naturally put on the air of a lofty person. Damn it, with such a mix of fish and dragons, who knew if there was some higher-up in there who could knock him out with one punch? In this vast martial world, you can't always meet kind-hearted brothers like Bai Mang or Chen Qingliu. The world outside was hard to navigate; being brave wasn't enough. On the path of cultivation, people were either runaway wild horses or pigs that had broken out of their pens—each one more arrogant than the last.
Today, they had a big table of food, bustling with noise.
Same unbreakable rule: if Chen Ping'an wasn't on the mountain, the main seat—the long bench—was left empty, reserved for the mountain lord.
Those present: Zhu Lian, Cui Dongshan, Mi Yu, Chen Nuanshu, Mi Li, Chen Lingjun, Zhang Jiazhen.
And Bai Xuan, who liked to come freeload.
Wei Wenlong rarely showed his face. Not because this Golden Core guest was an immortal who no longer needed to eat grains, nor because this God of Wealth of Luopo Mountain was eccentric, but because he was obsessed with bookkeeping. Each ledger was like a wife to him.
As for Zhao Shuxia and Zhao Denggao, they walked back to town every day, taking turns keeping the night watch on the road. One was the mountain lord's direct disciple, the other a nominal worshipper. The two were now very close. They were a completely different style from Chen Lingjun and Bai Xuan.
At the table, Chen Lingjun was holding back mischief. "Old cook, I heard that when you were young, you were the most handsome man in the whole ten miles and eight villages?"
Zhu Lian chewed each bite slowly and carefully, whether rice or vegetables. "Just barely not ugly."
Chen Lingjun grinned. "Then why are you still a bachelor? Were your standards too high back then, dazzled by too many choices, unable to find a satisfactory girl, and ended up like Brother Dafeng?"
Zhu Lian smiled. "Forgot you're older than me?"
Chen Lingjun was stumped.
Mi Li put her palm to her mouth and quietly asked Sister Nuan Shu, "How old is Jing Qing?"
The pink-skirted girl glanced at the boy in blue, shook her head, and whispered, "Never asked. Don't know."
Chen Lingjun slammed the table. "Silly girl, you're coveting my looks, caught red-handed! Haha..."
The result was a slap on the back of his head from Mi Yu.
Chen Lingjun bowed his head and shoveled rice into his mouth. This Great Swordsman Mi beside him was absolutely not to be provoked. He felt a bit downcast.
Cui Wei was a Nascent Soul sword cultivator from the Sword Qi Great Wall. Yet before Mi Yu, he was like a grandson before his grandfather. Chen Lingjun had sensed something was off before, and later heard from well-informed Brother Jia about that "Mi Yaosi" (Mi Who Cuts in Half) legend, plus some battles from the Old Dragon City. Hearing it made Chen Lingjun's liver tremble, so scared that he didn't dare go to Mi Yu to talk brotherly for several days.
Zhu Lian glanced at Zhang Jiazhen.
He spoke little, but there was often a smile in his eyes.
When he came, he was a young boy.
Now he was a young man old enough to grow a beard.
Standing next to Jiang Qu, who was the same age, they looked ten years apart.
Jiang Shangzhen had actually privately approached him, saying that as the Chief Supporter, he could spend some money to let him cultivate. If lucky, in this life he had hope of breaking into the middle five realms' Cavern Dwelling realm, then stop there. Even if luck was average, reaching the fourth or fifth realm as a Qi refiner, living for about two jiazi (120 years), was still possible. If he felt uneasy, he could treat it as a loan, slowly repaying with his Luopo Mountain salary.
But Zhang Jiazhen still didn't agree. He had his own plans. In the end, unexpectedly, he asked Chief Zhou a few questions.
Two jiazi of time—maybe one jiazi had to be devoted to intensive cultivation. A cultivator's mountain-dwelling years, dealing with the change of heat and cold, the cycle of seasons, is completely different from a mortal's perspective. A casual quiet meditation retreat could consume several days or even months. Zhang Jiazhen stayed by Mr. Wei's side, soaking up knowledge daily. Even just learning a bit of surface knowledge, he could roughly estimate that account.
Moreover, there was another account he couldn't muddle through. There were substance and form. Why would Jiang Shangzhen help him? Naturally, it was for Mr. Chen's sake. Beyond the money, the expenditure was on Mr. Chen's personal favor.
Perhaps Sect Master Jiang was indeed wealthy and generous and didn't care at all. But Zhang Jiazhen himself had to take it seriously.
Mr. Wei didn't like to speak of principles, but on the first day he brought Zhang Jiazhen in, he gave him a heartfelt talk: "Our profession of bookkeeping requires, above all, not intelligence but honesty and a good conscience."
Jiang Shangzhen, before leaving the mountain for the Barren Wild World, found Zhu Lian and said with a smile, "The mountain lord has found a treasure."
This did not mean that having a Zhang Jiazhen at Luopo Mountain could earn a few more immortal money, but that with a Zhang Jiazhen, Luopo Mountain would feel more like Luopo Mountain.
Because what Zhang Jiazhen asked Jiang Shangzhen was whether he could, in the future, become a kind of existence similar to a mountain spirit or mountain god, staying in the mountains for a long time.
He wanted to do as many small, within-his-power things as possible.
If it weren't possible, he'd let fate take its course. If it were possible, he would start saving from that very day. If money wasn't enough, he would definitely borrow from Chief Zhou, without any embarrassment.
At that time, they had been walking together in the night. Jiang Shangzhen looked at the young man with bright eyes, no longer the poor little accountant boy from the Sword Qi Great Wall. It seemed he was saying, Master Chen brought me from my hometown to this place. Then I will do my utmost not to let Master Chen down. That is a matter of course, and not the least bit hard.
Jiang Shangzhen handed him a jug of wine. Zhang Jiazhen said he still had to go back and look over some ledgers, so he wouldn't drink. Jiang Shangzhen laughed and said a little wouldn't hurt; it could even refresh him. Zhang Jiazhen then accepted the wine.
Zhang Jiazhen returned to his room, reading ledgers by lamplight, not drinking, just clicking the abacus. Occasionally, when truly tired, he rubbed his brows, glanced at the wine jug on the table, suppressed a smile, and muttered to himself, "Zhang Jiazhen, you're pretty awesome now. This is wine personally gifted by Sect Master Jiang!"
Little did he know that Sect Master Jiang was sitting on the wall, arms crossed, squinting and smiling, without wine in hand, as if drinking fine spirits.
It was time for Luopo Mountain to hold its own Mirror-Flower-Water-Moon event.
Zhu Lian laughed. "When the young master returns home, we'll discuss the Mirror-Flower-Water-Moon matter. Which mountain peak to host it on, who will do what—all needs careful discussion."
Bai Xuan snorted. "Discuss my foot. Just have Great Swordsman Mi stand over there. The whole Bao-Ping Continent's fairies will swoon, and immortal money will come pouring in."
Mi Yu swished his chopsticks. "Still far from the mountain lord."
Bai Xuan rolled his eyes. "Said I could compare with the Hidden Official? You're just making irrelevant comparisons with me here."
Mi Yu maintained a smile and placed a bite of food on Bai Xuan's plate. "You talk so well, eat more."
Bai Xuan sneered. "What, learning from Pei Qian, holding a grudge?"
Cui Dongshan chuckled.
Bai Xuan quickly put a bite on Cui Dongshan's plate and asked curiously, "Besides the Hidden Official, is there anyone Pei Qian is actually afraid of?"
Cui Dongshan said, "Yes, Guo Zhujiu."
Bai Xuan was stunned for a while. Of course he had heard of that Guo Zhujiu from his homeland—a very famous existence. She had even entered the Summer Palace and become a sword cultivator of the Hidden Official lineage.
After the meal, Nuan Shu and Mi Li helped clear the dishes, but in the end, the old cook did it alone, not letting the two girls help. He tied on an apron and washed up alone in the kitchen.
Zhu Lian cleaned up, took off his apron, walked out of the kitchen, and smiled.
Everyone is the author of their own life's story. At the same time, looking at others is like turning pages in a book.
Perhaps the world regards us as very light, but we regard ourselves as too heavy.
—
A ferry slowly entered the capital region of Great Li. Two cultivators of the Earthly Branch lineage, Song Xu and Yu Yu, flew aboard on the wind.
Song Jixin put down the book in his hand, walked out of the room, and came to the bow of the ship.
Song Xu cupped his hands. "Great Li Supporter Song Xu, boards the ferry to pay respects to the Prince."
Yu Yu cupped her hands and smiled. "Yu Yu pays respects to the Prince."
Song Jixin smiled. "Is this putting on an official-business face?"
Song Xu said helplessly, "Nephew pays respects to the Imperial Uncle."
Song Jixin said, "As long as I take off this princely robe, I'm just a commoner from Huaihuang County sightseeing in the capital. You don't need to be nervous."
Song Xu shook his head, still insisting, "Imperial Uncle, this move still won't work."
Song Jixin turned to look at the girl born into the Yu family of the Pillar of State, smiled, and said, "Find yourself some wine to drink. Whatever you can find is yours."
In his early years at the princely residence, Song Jixin wasn't unfamiliar with this group of ten from the Earthly Branch lineage. He didn't draw them in nor keep them at a distance; he knew when to stop.
Yu Yu clapped her fist into her palm, her face full of joy. This Imperial Uncle Song Xu was truly a first-rate generous man. It was a pity he hadn't married yet. Who knew which woman would be lucky enough in the future?
Since she had the prince's command, she immediately went to rummage through boxes and cabinets.
Song Jixin turned to a cultivator attached to the princely residence and said, "Order them to stop the ferry here for now. No rush to travel."
The cultivator nodded and left silently.
Song Jixin leaned on the railing. Song Xu stood respectfully at his side.
A prince and a prince—together they looked down at the Song clan's mountains and rivers beneath the ferry.
Song Jixin asked casually, "This time we meet, you seem more mature. Have you thought it through?"
Song Xu nodded.
Song Jixin didn't dwell on it. Even within a single family, when there are many people, the head of the family—just like when looking at children—will have varying degrees of favoritism, big and small.
What is favoritism? It's when, during the same rain, the water on your own field is less than others.
Some consolations from others, even if well-intentioned, like "It's okay, it'll get better," feel like the listener must drink a large pot of bitter water alone, while the speaker adds a bit of sugar water to their own mouth. Afterwards, it only makes it feel more bitter.
Now in court and among the common people, the current Emperor's civil and military achievements were regarded as the greatest among all the Great Li Song emperors.
Song Jixin smiled. "It's good that you've figured it out yourself. I brought you a gift—two inkstones. They're imitations, said to have been dispersed from the old Zhu Ying imperial family. Not worth many immortal coins."
Those two antique inkstones imitated the Thirty-Six Cavern Heavens Inkstone and the Seventy-Two Blessed Lands Inkstone. Both were housed in zitan wood boxes inlaid with jade, accompanied by brocade inkstone pouches, in a chaoshou style with clerical-script inscriptions. Their backs had thirty-six and seventy-two stone eyes respectively, formed into eye pillars. Just as Song Jixin said, they weren't worth much; they just brought good omens and meanings. Since Song Xu was determined to cultivate in peace and become a mountain immortal, this gift from his imperial uncle was very fitting. If Song Xu hadn't thought it through, it could also serve as a gentle reminder.
Song Jixin asked casually, "You've already met Chen Ping'an?"
Song Xu smiled bitterly. "Suffered a lot. Can't beat him in fighting, can't outsmart him either."
Song Jixin, as the elder, was a bit unkind. Instead of comforting his nephew, he didn't hide his schadenfreude. He lightly patted the railing, squinted, and laughed. "Not surprising."
Song Xu asked curiously, "Imperial Uncle, you were neighbors with that Mr. Chen for many years. It seems your relationship is... complicated?"
Song Jixin nodded. "It's a long story. Didn't become close friends, but luckily didn't become enemies either. A word of advice: if there's no real need, don't provoke Chen Ping'an. Ordinary people who aren't well-fed will be satisfied with a meal. Chen Ping'an is a bit different. Every time he stands by a abyss and envies the fish, he immediately withdraws to knit a net. Getting the fish is not as good as learning to fish. He learns slower than Liu Xianyang, but more steadily. Perhaps because he learns slowly, he cherishes it more. He likes the new but doesn't dislike the old. Someone like that, if he's an enemy, is actually very terrifying."
Song Xu vigorously rubbed his face. "Indeed. Mr. Chen's tactics and techniques are endless. His spells and divine abilities are varied—it's simply unbelievable."
Another guest arrived on the ferry.
It was Zhao Yao, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
Song Xu was the junior; Zhao Yao was an old friend from the same town and school.
This Emperor certainly had a sense of proportion.
Song Jixin waved and smiled. "Zhao Mowgli, long time no see."
When will we meet again? In a year of plenty, amid clouds and waters.
Zhao Yao made a deep bow, then asked, "How about a game of chess? Talk while we play?"
Song Jixin smiled. "No chess. Now that you're a cultivated mountain immortal with comprehensive thoughts and abundant divine sense, I'd definitely lose. I won't give you a chance to get back at me."
Zhao Yao suddenly said, "Song Jixin, I didn't misjudge you. You are truly remarkable."
Since childhood, Zhao Yao of the wealthy Fulujie clan had admired Song Jixin immensely.
When the two studied together under Mr. Qi, whether at chess or reading and interpreting meanings, Song Jixin was always a notch above Zhao Yao.
So Zhao Yao's attitude toward Song Jixin of the Niping Lane was somewhat similar to Chen Ping'an's view of Liu Xianyang.
Song Jixin patted Zhao Yao's shoulder, squinting and smiling. "Are you praising me, or praising your own good judgment? You've really improved—you talk better than you did as a kid."
Zhao Yao laughed heartily. "Kill two birds with one stone, everyone happy!"
Song Xu was a bit surprised.
Although Zhao Yao, as a young official in the central government, was indeed kind and personable, with an excellent reputation in the Great Li court, his only drawback was that he lacked the background of passing the imperial exams, and he hadn't established himself on the battlefield either.
A carp leaping over the dragon gate. A golden-haired cave. A wild fox Zen.
But Song Xu always felt that Zhao Yao was an extremely proud cultivator.
Like a lone cloud or wild crane that only paused to rest in the temple of officialdom, and one day would soar through the azure sky.
Now in the Great Li court and among the people, everyone was curious: Prince Song Mu and Zhao Yao of the Ministry of Rites—did they count as direct disciples of the Sage's lineage?
Song Jixin teased, "You've already seen your Uncle Chen? How did it go?"
Zhao Yao smiled. "Not bad, quite harmonious."
Leaving Zhou Haijing's temporary residence on that shabby lane, Chen Ping'an took one unsteady step, lifted his foot heavily and stamped the ground, then took the next step, which was much easier.
He raised one hand, slightly unfamiliar, but instantly gathered the remnants of the Dao charm.
Was this "self" left in the Bright World also a Fourteen Realm?!
So just with this simple stomping motion, to the Great Li capital, it was a tremendous upheaval in the weather.
Chen Ping'an glanced toward the direction of the Imperial Observatory. They must have sensed it already. And of course, that imitation Jade Capital in the secondary capital.
The Imperial Observatory of the Great Li capital was a heavily guarded forbidden area. It was said the level of security was second only to the palace city and the imperial tombs.
Not many people. All the officials and clerks from various departments combined numbered less than two hundred.
Among the many Great Li government offices, it was the most shrouded in mystery, never showing its hand.
Most positions were passed down through generations, children inheriting fathers' careers. All Observatory personnel could not change to other official posts. When vacancies occurred, they were filled by internal promotion. Unless by special imperial decree, they could not be easily promoted, demoted, or retire. So it was an iron rice bowl that could not be lost—two meanings: no outsiders competed for it, but one could not let it go either.
Although every Observatory official lived within the Great Li capital, they were effectively isolated from the outside world. They had almost no contact with outsiders. Each time they went out, they needed layers of approval and reporting from within the Observatory and the Ministry of Rites. The special permits for each trip were destroyed and re-filed after use. Those inside dared not befriend or attach themselves to officials; outside officials dared not deal with the Observatory. Any slight overstepping could easily cost one their official cap—and their head along with it.
Chen Ping'an walked slowly through an alley.
The same grain feeds a hundred kinds of people.
Seeing this vast world seems to be like blind men touching an elephant for everyone.
Different perspectives, different angles, lead to vastly different results.
A pure martial artist's vision sees all tangible objects clearly down to the finest detail. A cultivator can even faintly see the flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy, plus the gods' art of qi observation.
As Chen Ping'an's thoughts rose and fell, heaven and earth seemed to undergo subtle changes. The closer he got to the direction of the Sword Qi Great Wall, or rather the Barren Wild World, the faster the borrowed realm from Lu Chen diminished. It seemed that the same person could have a primary and secondary distinction.
That made sense.
If he, with his Fourteen Realm cultivation's supreme Dao arts, rushed to the Barren Wild World, it would be like having two extra Fourteen Realms.
Had the Ritual Sage, back at the "Man Echoes Cloud" building, agreed to the Sage's suggestion to "try one more time"? Had he already seen this step along the river of time, both upstream and downstream?
Then did the Ritual Sage hope that he would take this opportunity to do something?
If the Ritual Sage was acting casually without purpose, then Chen Ping'an, with this Dao art, could do many things. For instance, return to his hometown of Luopo Mountain, or pay the price of "falling in realm" to travel to Northern Juzhou or Tongye Continent.
A powerful thought suddenly arose in Chen Ping'an.
One step took him out of the Great Li capital, and he appeared directly in the back courtyard of the Yang Family Medicine Shop.
There he saw Daoist boy.
Dao Ancestor laughed and asked, "Since childhood, you've been alone, watching over the stars of all generations. Is it hard?"