Chapter 886: A Favor to Ask
Xiaomo led Xianwei together toward that fortune-telling stall. In Xianwei's eyes, the stall seemed rather shabby—just a table and a bamboo slip container, not even an upright banner proclaiming something like "Iron Tongue, Divine Judgment." This Cao Mo might be an Immortal Master, but when it came to worldly experience, he wasn't seasoned enough. Oh well, since he now considered himself to be hanging around with Cao Mo, he'd just teach him a trick or two for free.
But Xianwei was also puzzled and couldn't help asking, "Xiaomo, why didn't Cao Mo accept that Immortal's Money in the end? If I'm not mistaken, wasn't that a Snowflake Coin used by mountain immortals as common currency?"
Did mountain immortals all treat money like it was nothing?
Xiaomo said, "Good fortune is hard to part with. Only those who can part with good fortune are true masters."
Xianwei took that as just another saying. Those bookish principles that didn't amount to a hill of beans—if he compiled them into a volume, he could fill several baskets. But in the end, wasn't his pocket still cleaner than his face?
Seeing that Cao Mo was about to put away the bamboo slip container on the table, Xianwei immediately got anxious. Wrapping up the stall already? You can't be so sloppy and careless when it comes to earning money!
Xianwei plopped down on the long bench, took the slip container from Chen Ping'an's hands, shook the bamboo tube vigorously, and let a bamboo slip fall out. He stared at it intently, then launched into a monologue, seemingly conversing with the blue-robed Daoist Immortal Master. His expression shifted from surprise to alarm, sometimes frowning, sometimes nodding, occasionally asking a question. Finally, his face flushed red, and he raised his voice, exclaiming excitedly, "Immortal Master, this slip is incredibly accurate! A divine man, Immortal Master is truly a divine man!" Xianwei stood up, performed a proper Daoist bow, then reached into his sleeve and pulled out a gold ingot, placing it heavily on the table. "Please, Immortal Master, teach me the method to break this curse..."
Xiaomo stood to the side, watching this fool make a spectacle of himself. Xiaomo had nothing to say; he could only pretend not to know this person.
In fact, Chen Ping'an hadn't said a word the whole time. Now, looking at Xianwei's eager face, then glancing down at the gold ingot on the table, Chen Ping'an rubbed his brow. A headache.
This wasn't some market street; it was a Immortal Family ferry crossing. With your cheap tricks and poor acting, you can't fool anyone.
You, Xianwei, are at least a half-baked Qi refiner. Yet after all this northern travel, eating in the wind and sleeping in the dew, having a meal of meat and wine like it's New Year's, you've only managed to save up one gold ingot. You really can't blame anyone else.
A grown man like you, in terms of maturity and skill, you're even worse than Pei Qian was when she was little.
And now you're dragging me into this, making me look like a charlatan and a swindler.
Sure enough, the passersby near the fortune-telling stall—whether they were registered Immortal Masters, wilderness cultivators, or seasoned veterans of the rivers and lakes—were all looking at Xianwei like he was an idiot.
Just how desperate for money were these two swindlers, that they had to come to Gauze Crossing to put on this act? They must be so broke they can't even afford to open their rice jar, that they're this reckless? It's like setting up a fortune-telling stall at the gate of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Dragon-Tiger Mountain, or playing street chess beneath the Colorful Clouds of White Emperor City—how much money can you make that way?
Chen Ping'an lifted his chin. Xianwei also noticed that the nearby pedestrians were deliberately keeping their distance from the stall. He had no choice but to sheepishly put away the gold ingot. He didn't even dare to store it with the bundle in the house's side room, afraid it would be stolen by thieves, leaving him with no one to complain to. He had to carry it on his person to feel at ease. Chen Ping'an tucked the bamboo slip container, which he had hastily made the night before, into his sleeve, then reminded Xianwei that he could get up now. Chen Ping'an slapped the table, waved his sleeve, and the table and bench scattered into nothing, leaving empty space.
Xianwei stared in stunned amazement. Was this the Immortal art of creating something from nothing? Could he learn from Cao Mo how to turn stone into gold?
The three of them left the ferry crossing and returned to the capital along a broad official road. Xianwei sighed all the way. They were walking again.
Chen Ping'an glanced at the hairpin in Xianwei's bun and asked via heart-to-heart voice, "Xiaomo, what do you think of this Xianwei now? What's his situation?"
Assuming this fake Daoist named Nian Jing, styled Xianwei, was indeed the first "Daoist" in the human world, then according to the secret archives of the Summer Resort, this "Daoist," bearing immense fortune, had already fallen in that battle to ascend to heaven. That was beyond doubt, because when Chen Ping'an returned to Haoran, he asked the Ritual Sage, who personally said that this senior had indeed perished, both body and Dao extinguished.
After this Daoist, who had great merit in the human world, died in battle, even that Daoist hairpin was lost in the human world. It was eventually picked up by the founding female ancestor of Immortal Hairpin City, Gui Lingxiang, who then embarked on the path of cultivation. She possessed the Radiant Light Paradise, yet focused single-mindedly, attempting to build an Immortal Hairpin City that reached the heavens.
Generally speaking, this Daoist was probably something like a reincarnation through a severed body. And this Xianwei beside Chen Ping'an now was most likely some remnant soul of that Daoist.
A divine being from the old Heavenly Court's former departments could reincarnate through pure divinity. This "true body" was like falling into a long slumber. Whether it lodged in a human or demon cultivator's body, the decay and death of the flesh did not diminish or increase the divinity by even a hair. The problem was that Xianwei was a Daoist cultivator, not a divine being. Logically speaking, starting from that "severed body" ten thousand years ago, each reincarnation saw the old soul continuously scatter, constantly replenished by new souls. The longer the time, the more the loss, making later Xianweis increasingly unlike the earliest Daoist.
Unless.
Unless that Daoist, over ten thousand years, had actually only undergone a handful of reincarnations—perhaps even just one?!
Xiaomo felt a bit embarrassed. "In this matter, Xiaomo dares not say anything reckless. Young Master is asking a blind man for directions."
When it came to matters of reincarnation for cultivators, Xiaomo was a complete outsider. Because ten thousand years ago, whether human or demon cultivators, life and death were mostly confined to a single lifetime.
In terms of magical techniques, ten thousand years later and ten thousand years earlier, the overall heights were roughly similar, the gap not too large.
But if we talk about the current variety and complexity of Qi refiners—just in terms of quantity and breadth, not pure killing power or lofty Daoist methods—compared to ten thousand years ago, there are indeed tens of thousands more techniques.
Chen Ping'an nodded. It was fine. Just put this matter aside for now.
It wasn't worth using those vicious methods of capturing and interrogating souls just to confirm Xianwei's identity and realm. Chen Ping'an was neither willing nor dared to do such a thing.
Moreover, if Xianwei was indeed deeply connected to that Daoist, or was deliberately hiding his talent—perhaps to seek revenge for Immortal Hairpin City—given Chen Ping'an's current methods, he really wouldn't be of much use.
But Chen Ping'an believed this possibility was small. It would be judging a gentleman's heart with a petty man's mind. After all, the other party was a Dao-obtainer who risked his own life and death to open a path for humanity to ascend to heaven.
Or perhaps the other party had used some inconceivable secret method to deceive heaven by deceiving himself? Fooling everyone for ten thousand years?
Additionally, Chen Ping'an had to worry whether this was a scheme of that Zouzi, or somehow connected to Zouzi.
If we just go by Xianwei's own account, when he was young, thanks to deep fortune and serendipity, plus a family ancestral grave emitting green smoke, he picked up a fragmentary immortal text and started abandoning literature to cultivate immortality.
So now Xianwei doesn't even know the division of realms in the mountains. He can only rely on those strange tales to understand some of the glory of "earthly immortals."
Currently, Xianwei is at the Willow Tendon Realm of the Lower Five Realms, also known as the Retaining Person Realm. Moreover, he probably has no master, no clear guidance from any teacher, no life-bound objects. His understanding of cultivation is half-baked, and he is utterly ignorant of how to manipulate spiritual energy to perform techniques.
This fake Daoist, who has been swindling all along, is a veteran of the rivers and lakes. He has seen plenty of "immortal jumps" (con games), swindled others, and been swindled himself. The worst time was when he first left home. A scholar meeting soldiers—on that desolate wilderness, he encountered a band of mountain bandits. Because Xianwei could read and write and spoke elegantly, he was captured and forced to serve as a dog-head strategist and bookkeeper for several months. He got by decently. When he escaped down the mountain, a plaque had been added to the main hall, inscribed in Xianwei's own hand with four large characters: "Heaven Rewards Diligence."
Actually, the person best suited to unravel this mystery in the entire world was the one who had once striven to prove he was not the Dao Ancestor: the City Lord of White Emperor City.
A saying once circulated among the mountain peaks of Haoran. At that time, Zheng Juzhong had not yet entered the Fourteen Realm, and Senior Brother Cui Chan was still the chief disciple of the Literary Sage. They had just played the Ten Games of Colorful Clouds.
Shallow talent and insight, do not study Embracing the Immortal.
Not supremely intelligent, do not study Embroidery Tiger.
Chen Ping'an, for no particular reason, recalled a saying and said, "Cui Dongshan once made an analogy: Being born as a human is like carving wood into a boat. Later reincarnation, the soul disperses, dismantling the east wall to repair the west wall, patching and mending. Over a long time, how do you distinguish the new boat from the old one? Are they the same or not?"
Xiaomo immediately habitually searched the lake of his heart for books and asked, "Young Master, does this belong to the school of sophistry, involving 'correcting the names of things'?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Like my teacher. Although he generally had a poor opinion of the sophists, thinking their studies easily devolved into sophistry, he still regretted the current decline of the sophist school. He said that sophistry should not flourish, but it absolutely cannot disappear entirely."
Xiaomo hesitated for a moment, then honestly said, "I do not advise Young Master to keep Xianwei by his side. It would be better to hand this man over to the Literary Temple directly."
Too many uncertainties. If anything unexpected happened, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Handing him over to the Central Earth Literary Temple for disposal would obviously be safer.
Chen Ping'an patiently explained, "First, I'm already used to handling this kind of thing. Moreover, the joy of cultivation lies not only in breaking through realms and climbing higher, but also in the unknown, in solving mysteries. Finally, and most crucially, I don't think pushing Xianwei away from my side can avoid anything. It might very well backfire. What seems far away is often close at hand; what seems close at hand might actually be far away."
Xiaomo smiled. "My heart is narrow. Far inferior to Young Master's broad-mindedness."
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Then let's drink more. Heaven and earth are not as big as a wine bowl."
Xianwei raised his hand to his brow, peering into the distance. There seemed to be a wineshop with a flag hanging by the roadside. The wine bugs in his stomach started staging a rebellion, and he quickly asked, "Cao Immortal Master, are you hungry?"
Over at Xiaomo's place, Xianwei called Cao Mo by name directly.
But in front of Chen Ping'an, Xianwei was more careful. He adjusted his behavior according to the person.
Chen Ping'an glanced at that small wineshop. The content on the flag was written with a bit of immortal aura: "Dismount, look back, a thousand ages, one flavor, stay."
He had noticed it when they came. It was a place that sold fake alcohol, black-hearted beyond measure. As long as it was a famous Immortal family brew from the mountains, they had it all—not just the wine of Eternal Spring Palace, the Crow's Cry Wine from the Letter Bamboo Lake, but even the Osmanthus Brew from Old Dragon City. Probably because the wine prices were too cheap, quite a few people were actually buying there.
One dared to sell, the other dared to drink.
Xianwei was indeed craving that wine. Besides, early this morning, Xiaomo had dragged him to that household to paste talismans. Now with an empty stomach, he continued to urge Cao Immortal Master to sit in the wineshop for a while, saying that at such a mixed ferry crossing, they might just encounter a strange person or extraordinary talent. If they hit it off, wouldn't that be a piece of Immortal fortune? Xianwei chattered non-stop as he walked, until Chen Ping'an dismissed the idea with a single sentence: "No problem drinking and eating, but you're treating."
Xianwei immediately changed the subject. "Cao Immortal Master, are those things in the books—sweet wine and golden nectar, immortal brews, mountain immortal fruits—real? Like those 'Intersecting Pear and Fire Date,' or 'Thousand-Year Ganoderma Mixed with Rice,' 'Ten-Thousand-Year Mountain Ginseng Stewed with Old Duck.' Have you tasted any of them, Cao Immortal Master? How do they taste?"
Chen Ping'an was annoyed just listening. In his life, whether on the rivers and lakes or in the mountains, when it came to expenses for clothing, food, housing, and travel, he had rarely been generous.
Seeing that Cao Immortal Master's expression was displeased, Xianwei immediately stopped talking. He glanced at the flag and said, "It's written in such an immortal style. Generally speaking, there must be immortals drinking immortal brews here. Missed the chance. What a shame."
Chen Ping'an ignored him.
Last night, Ning Yao told Chen Ping'an, who was flipping through books in the Ren Yun Yi Yun Tower, that her seclusion would soon end, at most two more days.
Chen Ping'an told her not to rush. A day or two didn't matter.
And just recently, he had received a flying sword message from Luopo Mountain. Tomorrow, he might need to attend a wedding banquet in the capital.
Xiaomo patted Xianwei on the shoulder.
Xianwei asked suspiciously, "Xiaomo, what's the matter?"
Xiaomo said with a smile, "Just walk properly. Talking is tiring."
Xianwei sighed. When a man is poor, his ambitions are short. Even a servant can teach him how to behave.
As Chen Ping'an passed the wineshop, he suddenly stopped, turned, and walked straight in. Inside, there was a man in white, sitting alone at a table, drinking.
Xianwei had actually hit the mark with his words.
Zheng Juzhong raised his wine bowl and smiled. "What a coincidence."
Chen Ping'an walked to the table, bowed to Zheng Juzhong, and called out "Mr. Zheng." He then sat down silently. On the table were three empty wine bowls. Zheng Juzhong had obviously been waiting for Chen Ping'an's party to pass by the wineshop.
Chen Ping'an was certain that the Zheng Juzhong in his eyes and the man in white in the eyes of the other wine shop patrons were two different people.
Without Zheng Juzhong saying anything, the riddle in Chen Ping'an's heart was half-solved.
Chen Ping'an didn't think he was worth Zheng Juzhong's wait. It must be because of this Xianwei beside him.
Xianwei sat down grandly, but Xiaomo, after helping pour the wine, stood behind Chen Ping'an.
Because the other party hadn't used any illusion on him, Xiaomo knew the identity of the man before him at a glance.
Although he had only been following Chen Ping'an to the Haoran World for a short time, Xiaomo had made it a priority to gather some mountain gossip, memorizing the names of that small handful of the most formidable fighters in Haoran—all of them, of course, at the peak of the Flying Ascension Realm.
Zheng Juzhong glanced at Xianwei at the same table and said, "Using a hairpin to stir wine, in an instant the hairpin is consumed, like a man grinding ink. Body and name both extinguished, yet flowing through the ages."
Xianwei was amused. Good heavens. When it came to spouting this kind of pretentious nonsense, he might not be able to outdo Cao Immortal Master, but he wasn't afraid of this guy!
Twirling his wine bowl with two fingers, without even needing to prepare a speech or draft in his head, the young Daoist began spouting serious nonsense. Gently swirling the wine bowl, he sniffed it and said with a smile, "A foot of Dao, a yard of demon. A life full of hardships; what can one do but sigh?"
Chen Ping'an felt his eyelids twitch.
Zheng Juzhong laughed. "Fine words and virtuous deeds. Congratulations."
Xianwei whined, "Born with a fate like sailing a boat on dry land. What can I do? Should I rebel against heaven?"
In short, his sole principle was to shock people with his words however he could.
Zheng Juzhong smiled, stood up, and just like that, walked away.
He left a Minor Heat Coin on the table as payment for the wine.
Zheng Juzhong only spoke three words to Chen Ping'an via heart voice: "Don't take it seriously."
That was probably the way to deal with Xianwei.
Chen Ping'an replied via heart voice, "Thank you for your instruction, Mr. Zheng."
After Zheng Juzhong left the wineshop, Chen Ping'an pocketed the Minor Heat Coin and called to the shopkeeper, "Let's settle the bill first."
Xianwei was baffled. "Cao Immortal Master, who was that guy? He talked pretty unreliably, but at least he was decent enough to leave money for the wine."
Chen Ping'an still couldn't be bothered to acknowledge this guy. He just gave the wineshop keeper a Snowflake Coin and started drinking from the pot on the table, labeled as Eternal Spring Palace Immortal Brew.
Chen Ping'an told Xiaomo to sit and drink, then took a sip himself and asked via heart voice, "Xiaomo, those four flying swords of yours?"
Earlier, when they first met Xianwei at the inn, Xiaomo had summoned four flying swords.
Xiaomo held nothing back, saying directly, "Three of the flying swords are mainly for offense, and one assists in cultivation, but now it's become quite useless. The four flying swords never had names. In the future, you might need to name them, Young Master. Of the first three, one is my favorite because it can pull a celestial star down to earth. If I ever have to duel someone to the death, success or failure hinges on this one move. The other two are quite mediocre. One can imitate the lifebound divine ability of another's flying sword, but unfortunately, it can't sustain this for long and will drop in rank, reducing its killing power significantly. Better than nothing, I suppose. The other flying sword can temporarily create a prison to detain a cultivator's soul. Still, it's a deviant path, not the proper way of swordsmanship. So in my early days of dueling, I didn't like using these flying swords. Too flashy, not practical."
"The last flying sword was extremely beneficial for cultivation in the early stages. It allowed me to climb realms quite rapidly. Of course, compared to Young Master's unstoppable momentum, it's nothing. This sword allows me to absorb vast amounts of spiritual energy from heaven and earth without any Qi refining, until the area within a thousand miles becomes what current Qi refiners call a 'Lawless Land.' Then I can put away the sword and go cultivate elsewhere. Later, when I reached the Earth Immortal realm—what they now call the Immortal realm—this sword became largely meaningless, hence the 'useless' part."
"In the future, when I'm by Young Master's side, if I encounter sword immortal seedlings that catch my eye, I'll also take on a few direct disciples, teaching them swordsmanship diligently, until I find a suitable candidate to be my final disciple. If their Dao heart is tough enough, I'll separate this lifebound flying sword and give it to that promising disciple."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Xiaomo, don't just talk. Drink more wine."
Xiaomo's expression was somewhat wistful. "Young Master, in our Luopo Mountain, is there a suitable candidate now? If there happens to be such a sword immortal seedling on the mountain, I won't have to go to so much trouble. I can just find a final disciple directly."
This wasn't a joke.
Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine, waved his hand in refusal, and said, "Don't be so frivolous. Take your time."
Seeing that Xianwei seemed a bit dazed, Chen Ping'an asked, "What's wrong?"
Xianwei patted his stomach and said pitifully, "The wine just quenches my thirst, but I'm still hungry."
He hadn't expected this wineshop to only sell alcohol, not food. And the shopkeeper was just a man, completely different from the books, where it was always a plump, jade-white wine-selling woman with curves that seemed ready to pop out.
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Once we get to the capital, I'll have Xiaomo buy you some breakfast."
Xianwei frowned. "Still more than ten miles to go. Cao Immortal Master, with my pace, walking back slowly, won't that delay your important business?"
Chen Ping'an just smiled and turned to look outside the wineshop—people coming and going, passersby in a hurry.
Things to go with the wine: moonlight, beauty, ribald talk.
Hometown, longing, dreams.
Chen Ping'an waited for Xianwei to finish his wine slowly. The three left the shop. Xianwei dawdled, dreading the long walk ahead. Fortunately, Cao Immortal Master was considerate enough to turn off the official road, heading to a shallow shore of reeds. He had Xiaomo grab Xianwei by the shoulder, while Chen Ping'an himself used the Water Cloud Body to return to the capital together.
The three arrived at a small Daoist temple with a facade that didn't at all indicate its status.
Xianwei was gnawing on two sesame cakes Xiaomo had bought for him, pressed together, stuffed with dried pickled vegetables and minced meat. Delicious, and filling.
Chen Ping'an stood with his hands in his sleeves on the street outside this capital Daoist Registry Office, seeming in no hurry to go in and visit.
Seeing that his young master hadn't moved, Xiaomo stepped forward a bit, bent down, and looked at the stone tablet standing by the steps. The person who erected the tablet was the current Daoist leader of the Great Li Dynasty's Chongxu Bureau. According to the inscription, he had a long list of titles: "Three Grotto Disciple, Leading Capital Senior Daoist, Chongxu Hall Master, from She County, Wu Lingjing."
Previously, when passing by here with Ning Yao, Chen Ping'an had wondered who this Wu Lingjing was, how he could hold the title of "Senior Daoist" and oversee dozens of Daoists in the Great Li court, effectively drawing a clear line with the Divine Edict Sect. Later, when he looked up archives at the capital's Imperial Observatory, he learned that this was the middle-aged Daoist from the White Cloud Temple in the Green Luan Kingdom. According to current Great Li officialdom, the reason this man had risen to prominence overnight and presided over the Chongxu Bureau's affairs was the strong recommendation of the Ministry of Rites' Senior Minister Liu from the secondary capital. Fellow townsmen, after all. Chickens and dogs ascending to heaven—it made sense.
Not just the Chongxu Bureau, but also the white-robed monk from the Great Li Translation Bureau, who had obtained the title of Tripitaka Master, a Buddhist dragon-elephant, also hailed from the Green Luan Kingdom, from the White Water Temple.
Xianwei said indistinctly, "Cao Immortal Master, what are we doing here?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Just wandering."
Xianwei asked again, "Then why don't we go inside?"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Have to wait until you finish eating first."
Xianwei said "oh," not knowing at all what kind of place the "Capital Daoist Registry Office" on the plaque was. He just thought that such an unimpressive little temple, with its small gate, couldn't even scare him, a fake Daoist.
Xianwei finished eating, clapped his hands, and said, "Let's go, take a look."
The gatekeeper of the small temple was a young Daoist boy. Chen Ping'an introduced himself as a friend of Dao Registrar Ge Ling, here to have a cup of tea.
Hearing that he was a friend of Dao Registrar Ge, the boy let them in. Otherwise, the temple did not receive ordinary visitors.
The Capital Daoist soon came to greet them in person. He was an old cultivator at the Golden Core realm, holding a horsetail whisk. He performed a Daoist bow and said respectfully, "I greet Mountain Lord Chen."
Chen Ping'an returned the bow with a clasped hand and said with a smile, "Sorry for the intrusion."
The old Daoist smiled back. "Not at all. Lord Chen's visit is an honor for the Registry Academy."
He led the three to sit in a room and had the temple's Daoists serve tea to the distinguished guests.
The old Daoist asked softly, "I heard that Lord Chen cultivated at the Sword Qi Great Wall for many years. During that time, did you ever discuss the Dao or exchange learning with the Sage of the White Jade Capital who guarded the sky curtain?"
He meant the City Lord of the Divine Thunder City in the White Jade Capital's Five Towers and Twelve Cities.
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I only saw him from afar. I had no interaction with that old immortal."
It was actually a matter of regret.
In the future, when traveling through the Azure Underworld, he would definitely visit Divine Thunder City as a guest—just a literal visit.
As for the Purple Mist Tower and the like, that was another matter.
The old Daoist nodded. After Chen Ping'an had drunk his tea and asked if he could walk around the temple, the old man smiled and said, "Of course. Lord Chen, feel free to wander and look."
Chen Ping'an led Xiaomo and Xianwei out of the room. The old Daoist stood at the door for a moment, then went about his own business.
Chen Ping'an came to a ancient cypress tree.
Xianwei asked curiously, "Xiaomo, what kind of official is the Capital Daoist?"
Xiaomo said, "The Daoist who manages all the Daoists in the Great Li capital."
"That's a big official!"
Xianwei was startled. His mind raced, and he tentatively asked, "Xiaomo, can you ask Cao Mo to help me get a Daoist certificate?"
Xiaomo shook his head. "Go tell Young Master about it yourself."
Suddenly, a few clear stone chime sounds.
Chen Ping'an came to his senses, gathered his thoughts, and said, "Let's go."
Before leaving the temple, Chen Ping'an found the Capital Daoist. He discovered that besides Ge Ling, several other Dao registrars from the capital—including those in charge of litigation, green prayers, and seals—were all waiting in the old Daoist's office, apparently waiting for Sword Immortal Chen to show up. Chen Ping'an pretended not to notice these registrars' curious gazes, smiled, and took his leave.
Afterward, he took Xiaomo and Xianwei to the Chongxu Bureau. Because it was a translation site and a newly built official hall commissioned by the Great Li, it appeared much more imposing than that ancient temple. So Xianwei walked the whole way nervously, hardly daring to breathe. Xiaomo teased him, "Do you need me to put in a word with Young Master?" Xianwei caught the sarcasm, grinned, and replied, "Xiaomo, does your family have a bamboo grove?" Xiaomo was a bit confused and didn't know how to answer.
In the end, Chen Ping'an took off his cloth shoes and sat on a wooden corridor outside a meditation room. Xiaomo pulled Xianwei to sit on the steps.
Chen Ping'an placed his hands folded on his abdomen and began to rest with his eyes closed.
The method of settling the mind. The method of the mendicant. Observing precepts and practicing austerities.
There was an old saying in his hometown: "Farming on a stone cliff."
It was used to describe a poor man's hardship and diligence, to an exaggerated degree.
For some reason, the first time Chen Ping'an encountered the Buddhist public case of "grinding a brick to make a mirror" in a book, he inexplicably thought of this hometown proverb.
A person, since each has their own peaceful home, also has their own places of anxiety, where they wander and cannot escape.
Senior Brother Cui Chan might have been that attic in his home where the ladder was removed, only a small window offering a view of the stars shining, wind and rain, a brilliant Milky Way, heavy snowfall, a lone moon.
Or maybe it was after leaving home, outside a school window in a foreign land, watching a poor, struggling teacher passionately teaching the sages' knowledge to children.
A Liang might have been that desolate graveyard in the wilderness.
Wei Bo might have been, a thousand years ago, that woman who went into the water to salvage fragments of a golden body.
The Woman in a Wedding Dress might have been, on that mountain road in the night, a scholar loudly reciting the sages' books to bolster his courage.
Always lingering.
The more someone wants a clear black and white, the more they want to distinguish right from wrong, the more they suffer.
Unbeknownst to him, the evening drum sounded. Chen Ping'an still kept his eyes closed and said, "Xiaomo, you and Xianwei can go back to the residence first."
Xiaomo said softly, "It's fine. We'll wait for Young Master."
As for Xianwei, he had already eaten a vegetarian meal at the Translation Bureau. Heaven and earth are big, but eating is the biggest. Face and such can wait. Although sitting here all day did make him feel a bit bored, compared to the hardships of those years traveling north, it was actually much better. He considered it as reminiscing about the bitter and appreciating the sweet.
Later, when Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and looked up, the moon was already at the heart of the sky.
Bright moon, tall building, solitary shadow. Moonlight like water, water like the sky. Gathered in the hand, but not filling it.
Chen Ping'an withdrew his gaze and glanced at Xiaomo and Xianwei on the steps. Xiaomo was still sitting upright on the steps. As for Xianwei, he was quite skilled: he could fall asleep sitting up, and was now snoring like thunder.
Chen Ping'an got up, walked to the steps, and put on his shoes.
Xiaomo was about to reach out and wake Xianwei, but Chen Ping'an said softly, "It's fine. Let him sleep a while longer."
After sitting for about half an hour, Chen Ping'an slapped Xianwei's head. He said to Xiaomo, "Hit people early."
Xianwei rubbed his eyes and asked drowsily, "What time is it?"
His next question was whether they should grab a midnight snack.
Chen Ping'an led them out of the Translation Bureau and actually took Xianwei to find a late-night snack stall.
---
In the Longzhou region, about to be renamed Chuzhou, the old grandmaster Yu Hong and his party took the Sweet Spring ferry boat of Eternal Spring Palace, disembarked at Ox Horn Ferry, first arrived at the Red Candle Town where three rivers converged, then took a detour to the Water God Temple of the Jade Liquid River.
In the deep stillness of the night, Yu Hong visited the Water God Temple.
One continent's landscape, a fourth-rank water god.
The divine position of this Jade Liquid River Water God Lady was quite high.
At this Water God Temple, the temple attendant had been changed a few years ago. She wasn't a clever person. Pilgrims and devotees came to burn incense and make wishes in an endless stream. This woman could be said to be decent in dealing with people, but when it came to managing relationships with the big donors, her skills were mediocre. She had even made a few mistakes, causing several big donors to transfer to Embroidery River and Chongdan River. Yet the Water God Lady Li Qingzhu had never been moved, as if she had decided this woman was the best candidate for temple attendant.
Yu Hong identified himself and said with a smile that there was no need to trouble the Water God Lady; they could go to the Water Mansion themselves. But that temple attendant woman, utterly ignorant of social graces, actually did just that. She only used a talisman to part the water and open the way, then produced a carriage talisman unique to the Water Mansion. When entering the water, it became real. Yu Hong smiled, didn't mind, and took the lead in boarding the carriage. His direct disciple Huang Mei looked quite displeased.
The immortal carriage traveled through the water and soon arrived at the Water Mansion's main gate. The temple attendant woman reported to the gatekeeper.
Li Qingzhu soon came out in person to welcome Yu Hong, a top-ranking offering of the Great Li and a Ninth Realm Martial Artist.
Moreover, in her early years, she had had a fleeting romantic affair with one of Yu Hong's direct disciples, which had caused quite a stir in the mountains.
Yu Hong acutely noticed that this Water God Lady seemed to always carry a hint of worry between her brows.
In fact, in recent years, Li Qingzhu's greatest wish was to seek peace and stability.
Unimaginable that a genuine river water god had, several times, disguised herself and gone to burn incense at the Mountain Lord Temple of Piyun Mountain and the Water God Temple of Iron Fu River...
In the Great Li capital, the Bian family held a wedding banquet.
Lin Shouyi had come to the capital this time specifically to attend the wedding of Shi Jiachun's eldest son.
The last time he met his old classmate Shi Jiachun was many years ago, when they reunited in their hometown, Huaihuang Town.
Hard to imagine that back then, Shi Jiachun's son was still a child, and now he was getting married.
At that reunion, Shi Jiachun had only missed her best childhood friend Li Baoping.
This time, only Lin Shouyi was present. Li Baoping and Li Huai were not there. Dong Shuijing had other urgent matters and couldn't come to the capital, though he had someone deliver a staggering amount of money as a gift.
The key was the person Dong Shuijing had entrusted. He was even more intimidating. Hanging a wine gourd at his waist, reeking of alcohol, he swaggered in. He didn't even announce his name, only saying he was delivering a red envelope on behalf of his friend Dong Shuijing.
Fortunately, someone from the Bian family had sharp eyes and recognized his identity. Apart from that lazy, aristocratic air typical of capital playboys, most of the credit went to that wine gourd. In the entire Great Li court, this man was the only one allowed to bring a wine gourd into the government office.
But he just left the red envelope and went away. No one dared to stop him.
Because this man was "Wine Ghost" Cao Gengxin, who had transferred from the position of Supervisor of Longzhou to the Right Vice Minister of Public Works in the secondary capital, and then to the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel in the capital, the eldest legitimate grandson of the Pillar State Cao family. Regardless of Cao Gengxin's reputation in Great Li officialdom, or how unreliable he was as a person and an official, he was a genuine third-rank capital official of Great Li.
And his second uncle was Regional Inspector Cao Ping.
When the Bian family and the bride's family got the news, they rushed out to chase after that "Wine Immortal Cao." Unexpectedly, though he staggered along, his steps were not slow. At a street corner, he vanished. It seemed that on the way, he lightly bumped into a woman's shoulder, stepped back, bowed in apology, and smiled brilliantly. The woman, seeing that the man was handsome, probably thought she hadn't lost out too much, scolded him with a laugh, and let it go.
Besides Cao Gengxin's appearance, Zhao Yao, who served as Vice Minister of Justice, also sent someone with a red envelope due to his busy schedule. This made both the Bian family and the in-laws feel very honored.
Shi Jiachun's husband, Bian Wenmao, came from a noble but not especially illustrious family in the Great Li capital. However, Bian Wenmao had served in the Hanlin Academy, considered the "cradle of prime ministers," in his early years. So although his current official hat wasn't big, he was still a top-tier pure official. Thus, the Bian family's residential offering was a Patriarch Hall elder of Eternal Spring Palace.
Lin Shouyi was a learned worthy of the Cliff Academy of the Great Sui, and later became the temple attendant of the Great River Temple in the Great Li secondary capital. Even earlier, in the two capitals of Great Li and Great Sui, Lin Shouyi had already been a much-talked-about figure, a typical case of early fame. He was a child prodigy at Cliff Academy in scholarship, though he didn't take the imperial examinations. On the path of cultivation, he advanced aggressively.
Lin Shouyi declined the Bian family's invitation and didn't sit at the head table.
He sat at a table with a group of mountain immortals.
At the head table, the highest-ranking official was a Vice Minister of Public Works of Great Li, invited by the in-laws.
Additionally, there was the Tanhua (third-ranked scholar) Yang Shuang, very young, and Wang Qinruo, one of the fifteen second-class Jinshi.
Both could be considered juniors in the Great Li Hanlin Academy, but Bian Wenmao dared not put on any senior official airs with them.
There was also Fu Yu, who had just been transferred back to the capital from his post as Prefect of Baoxi Commandery. He took the initiative to chat with Lin Shouyi a few times.
Lin Shouyi, a scholarly seed native to Great Li, was also an inconspicuous Nascent Soul cultivator!
The old woman who was the Bian family's offering was at the Dragon Gate realm. Although her realm wasn't high, she was still a member of the Eternal Spring Palace's Patriarch Hall. When Eternal Spring Palace disciples went down the mountain for training, she often served as their protector and leader, never making a mistake. Except for that "Yu Mi," which still made the old woman shudder.
Additionally, she brought four registered Eternal Spring Palace cultivators, all young female cultivators: Zhongnan, Chu Mengjiao, Lin Caifu, and Han Biya.
The highest seniority was Zhongnan; even the old woman had to call her "Great Aunt." As for Chu Mengjiao and Han Biya, they were from official families in the Great Li capital. Their families had no connection with the Bian family.
Zhongnan kept glancing at Lin Shouyi.
Chu Mengjiao kept stealing looks at the Tanhua, renowned in the capital.
Lin Caifu kept looking at Wang Qinruo, one of the newly promoted "Maolin Scholars." Because of the talisman he had given her, she felt a slight strange sensation, as if fate had tied a thread between them.
The elegant and handsome Tanhua Yang, the talented and brilliant Maolin Wang.
For the female cultivators of Eternal Spring Palace, choosing a beloved man as a Dao partner and growing old together was an unavoidable part of cultivation. It didn't matter whether the chosen Dao partner was a mountain person or not.
Only Han Biya focused on eating the food. She had to eat back the money she had contributed as a wedding gift!
Lin Shouyi was puzzled. Why did that young woman from Eternal Spring Palace keep looking at him? Did he know her? He had no recollection.
Of course, he didn't remember. Their first meeting was when Lin Shouyi first left home on a long journey. At Red Candle Town, one on the shore, one on a boat. They were both just boys and girls at the time.
At this wedding banquet, Lin Shouyi stayed until the very end. Almost all the guests had left. Shi Jiachun was still a bit childish. Ignoring her son and daughter-in-law, she came alone to sit with Lin Shouyi. Smiling, she teased him, "Aren't you jealous, Lin Shouyi? My son is already married. And you're still a bachelor. Thank goodness you're a mountain immortal, or they'd have to add an 'old' to that. What, are you waiting until my grandson gets married, and you're still alone, coming here to drink wedding wine?"
Lin Shouyi smiled and said nothing.
A hand patted his shoulder. Lin Shouyi turned to look and saw that guy. He said with exasperation, "Even wedding wine you avoid? That's not right."
The woman looked at the man in the blue long gown. She blurted out, "Chen Ping'an?!"
Shi Jiachun hadn't seen Chen Ping'an in over twenty years.
Yet somehow, she recognized him at a glance.
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded, handing over a red envelope. "Don't think it's too little. The gift is light, but the sentiment is heavy."
Unexpectedly, Shi Jiachun opened the red envelope right away. Her eyes widened. The old money-grubber grinned widely. Two... Minor Heat Coins!
The last time Shi Jiachun returned to her hometown, she still hadn't seen Chen Ping'an. She had some vague rumors. Besides taking over the two shops of the Shi family on Qilong Lane, Chen Ping'an had also bought several mountain peaks to the west, becoming a big landowner, a local rich man. He was on the rise. But she heard that Chen Ping'an seemed to be away from home most of the year, always busy traveling around. He was close with the Great Mountain Lord of Piyun Mountain, Wei Bo, and had latched onto a big backer that ordinary people could hardly imagine. With that, it was hard not to make money.
Good.
Good people have good rewards.
Shi Jiachun's memories of Chen Ping'an were a bit fuzzy, but one thing stood out: he was reliable.
However, she never mentioned a word of these things, even to her husband.
Chen Ping'an sat down on a chair next to Lin Shouyi. Shi Jiachun laughed heartily, pocketed the red envelope generously, went to get a pot of wine and two cups, handed one to Chen Ping'an, sat beside him, and first filled his cup. She couldn't resist teasing, "I still have a daughter waiting to be married! Before I host the next wedding banquet, I'll definitely send you an invitation. The gift money, follow today's standard! But don't forget, like Lin Shouyi said, you can't skip the wedding wine."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "No problem. As long as I'm not away on a long journey, I'll definitely come."
Shi Jiachun asked with a sly smile, "Are you married or not?"
Finding a Dao partner among mountain immortals was much harder than men and women marrying in the mortal world.
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded. "The betrothal letter has been sent. Not officially married yet, but soon."
Shi Jiachun glanced sideways at Lin Shouyi and clicked her tongue. Look at Chen Ping'an, then look at yourself.
Lin Shouyi took a sip of his wine gloomily.
Suddenly, Lin Shouyi turned his head toward the entrance.
Two congratulatory guests arrived whom he absolutely did not expect.
The Great Li Emperor Song He and Empress Yu Mian.
Shi Jiachun was still muttering to herself, "Who's that? Such a big show. My husband and both families are sweating bullets."
What was there to fear? Anyway, Chen Ping'an was here.
Lin Shouyi had already stood up. He coughed lightly and said quietly to Shi Jiachun, "It's the Emperor and Empress."
Shi Jiachun rolled her eyes at Lin Shouyi. Telling jokes now?
But she still hurriedly stood up.
Even if the Bian family were a Pillar State surname, could a child's wedding bring the Emperor himself? What was she dreaming about?
But when she looked beside her, Chen Ping'an hadn't gotten up yet. He was busy drinking.
Chen Ping'an put down his cup.
Lin Shouyi had already taken Shi Jiachun to another table. Bian Wenmao staggered over to his wife, tightly gripping her hand. Only at this moment did Shi Jiachun dare to believe that Lin Shouyi hadn't been joking.
Silence fell.
The Emperor Song He walked to the table, bowed deeply, and said, "Song He greets Mr. Chen."
Chen Ping'an stood up and asked with a smile, "Is something the matter?"
The Emperor said, "I humbly request that Mr. Chen serve as the Great Li National Teacher."