Chapter 896: Sun and Moon Both Like Duckweed on Water

Chapter 896: Sun and Moon Both Like Duckweed on Water

(My apologies, I'm two hours late in uploading this chapter. A 28,000-word massive chapter.)

A torrential downpour. At noon, the sky was dark, the road muddy and slick, with splashing mud everywhere.

There was a suspension bridge spanning the river. The waves beneath the bridge were tumultuous. The ancient bridge's iron chains and wooden planks swayed violently in the wind and rain, almost flipping over.

A group of people walked along the riverbank under umbrellas. Among them was a green-clothed blade bearer, accompanied by a woman in yellow.

Behind them followed a young man and woman. The man was graceful and handsome, while the woman wore her hair in a topknot.

There were also two men who looked like attendants, one elderly and one young, wearing yellow hats and green shoes, carrying green bamboo staffs, walking at the very back.

Raindrops, as large as soybeans, pounded on the oilpaper umbrellas, crackling and popping.

In the distance, a faint speck of light flickered like a firefly.

Chen Ping'an glanced at the wind-tossed suspension bridge over the river and asked, "That Immortal Chart first appeared in this very Chi Lin River?"

Ye Yunyun nodded and said solemnly, "Exactly here."

At dawn today, Ye Yunyun suddenly sought out Chen Ping'an and got straight to the point, asking him for a favor. Since she and Jin Ding Temple's Du Hanling couldn't catch the thief red-handed, they wanted to see if they could follow the trail to find a reason for her and Du Hanling to go up the mountain and ask for a duel.

This mountain sovereign of Tongye Province dared to be her "momentary Dao companion"? Ye Yunyun wanted to weigh just how much Dao magic that sneaky Jin Ding Temple cultivator actually had. As for whether Du Hanling was currently at the Nascent Soul stage or had secretly advanced to Jade Purity, a single duel with her would reveal the truth. Then she would see just how heavy those "golden branches and jade leaves" of the Golden Summit's immortal bones were when they were dismantled.

Ye Yunyun wasn't crazy. She wouldn't delve into the so-called "Supporting a Phoenix to Ascend Method" of that wall-facing chart anymore. It had already been sealed away in Pu Mountain's secret treasury.

Since owing one favor was the same as owing two, Ye Yunyun decided to drag Chen Ping'an along to the Chi Lin River to investigate and see if he could help her find any overlooked clues.

He agreed to accompany her down the mountain.

Truly worthy of being Embroidery Tiger's junior disciple; his thinking was meticulous. Even as mountain sovereigns, the gap between them was significant. Comparing people was frustrating. Such scheming and calculations were better left to scholars. Last night in the pavilion, the young mountain sovereign had only glanced at the immortal chart a few times to see through the layers of obfuscation and reveal the celestial secrets to her in just a few words.

Ye Yunyun began to explain in detail the chain of custody for the immortal chart. "The chart changed hands many times, but I actually obtained it at a small mountain ferry called Green Dress Ferry, located within Yuan Kingdom, bordering our current Xianyuan Kingdom. A few years ago, I heard that near the newly restored Yuan Kingdom's border, a great demon was hiding in the mountains and accidentally exposed some clues. Xue Huaixian rushed over there. According to intelligence from Dafu Academy, the demon was suspected to be a Nascent Soul ghost cultivator. I was worried it might be hiding its true realm, and that the Academy's 'junzi' would just be going to his death. Xue Huai couldn't save him, so I went down the mountain alone again. I spent over ten days there searching the mountains but found nothing."

"During that time, I happened to pass by Green Dress Ferry, which Pu Mountain had leased out years ago. There was a Lower Five Realms wild cultivator, an old man with a young boy, selling things by the roadside. I casually glanced over—all worthless trinkets. Among them was a beautifully crafted golden box, decent quality, barely good enough for storage. I planned to give it to Ye Xuanji. The old cultivator saw me pause and started boasting, saying it was an antique from the Yuan Kingdom palace, a desk ornament from the emperor's study. A genuine antique, from within the palace, no doubt. And having been so close to the Yuan emperors for centuries, it had absorbed royal aura. He raised two hands and asked for ten copper coins, then, worried I'd find it too expensive, said eight would do. He insisted the price couldn't go any lower."

Hearing this, Cao Qinglang was puzzled. A palace-made golden box for only ten copper coins? He turned to look at Pei Qian, who was well-versed in the jargon of the martial world and the mountain realm.

Pei Qian chuckled and explained, "Peddlers have their own jargon. 'Ten coins' actually means ten snowflake coins. If someone doesn't understand that, the peddler can fleece them royally."

Chen Ping'an asked, "That immortal chart just happened to be inside this golden box from the Yuan Kingdom palace treasury?"

Ye Yunyun said angrily, "That's the problem. The box was empty at the time, so I thought I'd gotten a fantastic deal. After I paid eight snowflake coins for it, the wild cultivator seemed to remember something and asked if I knew anything about calligraphy and paintings. He said he had another treasure, even better quality, absolutely a genuine Yuan Kingdom heirloom. The old man raised his hand and swore that if it was a fake, he'd be struck by lightning. I didn't take it seriously, just said I'd take a look. Then the dull-looking boy with him casually rummaged through a hemp sack at his feet, pulled out the immortal chart scroll, and tossed it onto the stall."

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "An old man and a boy playing a double act. A proper peddler."

Ye Yunyun pretended not to hear the ribbing and continued, "As soon as I touched the scroll, I knew it was extraordinary. My Dao heart rippled, a sign of a cultivator seizing a Dao opportunity. When I unrolled it a bit, I barely managed to calm myself. At the time, I mistakenly thought it was a 'blessing'—a mysterious reward for having recently reached the Jade Purity realm. So, without hesitation, I paid another ten snowflake coins for the immortal chart. Once the deal was done, I hadn't taken more than a few steps from the stall when I saw the old man and the boy packing up and running away. I thought it was funny back then. Now I know I was the fool."

"After obtaining the chart, I thought I was careful enough. I secretly went to the Yuan Kingdom imperial archives. The old one was in ruins, a new one had been built after the war, so many secret documents had been scattered. In the new archives' storeroom, I found a pile of similar camphorwood golden boxes. Naturally, they weren't the 'emperor's desk ornaments' that peddler had claimed. Then I continued checking the records and indeed found an entry about that ancient painting. It was real, with clear text records. It had come three hundred years ago from a quarry administration on the banks of the Chi Lin River in Ruan Kingdom. A quarryman had accidentally fished an iron box from the riverbed. Though it contained no fine stones, the administration didn't dare hide it. That year, the iron box and the painting, along with a shipment of beautiful stones dredged from the river, were all sent to the capital as tribute. The Yuan Kingdom emperor of that generation wasn't impressed with the painting. He looked it over and quickly gave it to the archives for storage. The iron box, recorded as having 'water charts painted on all six sides,' had long since disappeared. I still wasn't entirely reassured, so I personally came to the Chi Lin River. I parted the waters and explored six hundred miles of the riverbed, including several tributaries, hoping to find some immortal mansion ruins. But I found nothing unusual at the time."

Precisely because the peddler's words were proven false, Ye Yunyun took the matter even more seriously.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Thieves in imperial archives are common. And they're always refined thieves, hard to guard against because they're family."

Looking at the churning, muddy waters of the Chi Lin River, Chen Ping'an inexplicably thought of the Dragon Whisker River back home. Shortly after he had left his hometown, countless people had rushed there, almost every family carrying baskets to search the riverbed for treasures—the very snake gall stones that had once been considered mere children's playthings. But the townsfolk had been too late, finding very little.

It was probably the early bird that catches the worm.

So last night in the Pu Mountain pavilion, when Chen Ping'an told Ye Yunyun, "Mountain news is immortal money," he had been sincere.

Earlier, while flying here, the well-traveled Xue Huai had told Chen Ping'an and the others about this Chi Lin River. Since ancient times, it had never had a water god or river earl. However, the river was rich in beautiful stones. They sounded like clear chimes and had the color of jade. Their colors varied, with blue-green being common, but red was the best. The stone grains resembled red carp scales, making them extremely famous. Large ones could be used as feng shui stones for wealthy families, while small ones could be desk ornaments for scholars. Thus, in Yuan Kingdom history, quarry administrations had been intermittently established along the river to mine stones and fill the national treasury.

Whenever the court lifted the water closure period for a dismantled administration, skilled swimmers would secretly enter the riverbed to mine stones. The wealth of Green Dress Ferry largely came from this. But merchants pursuing profit employed endless means of forgery and splicing. They would deliberately "carve mountains" into skinny, leaky shapes—stones with holes that doubled the price, creating gold from nothing. This was the same logic as deliberately pruning plum trees into sickly, official forms, which sold for far more than wild plum trees. Over time, the locals of Yuan Kingdom and some surrounding cultivators tacitly accepted this. After all, it was just a way to cheat those rich but foolish outsiders.

Pu Mountain's Cloud Grass Hall disciples, talented and elegant, almost all had one or two pieces of beautifully carved desk ornaments made from these stones. They certainly wouldn't be fakes.

The clan prefectures and commanderies in the central part of Tongye Province were ranked into six grades: fine grain, rich fertile, and first, second, third, fourth. Tongye Province was also the most isolationist among the nine provinces of the Haoran World. It had too many fertile lands, abundant produce, vast plains, lands of fish and rice, and countless geomantic locations with abundant spiritual energy. Otherwise, although Tongye Province had few sects back then, each was a major immortal family with deep foundations. Yet, in the end, it didn't have a single cross-continental ferry.

The mountain immortal families, along with the imperial clans, marquises, princes, and princesses of the mortal world, were incredibly wealthy, possessing both mountains and seas.

Pu Mountain, with its chest full of mountain deeds, was a perfect example. However, those "exclaves" of Pu Mountain were legitimately obtained. Successive patriarchs had purchased them at extremely low prices using solid immortal money or incense friendships.

Chen Ping'an suddenly asked, "Since it's said to be hundreds of years old, rivers changing course is a common occurrence. When Mountain Sovereign Ye explored this Chi Lin River in search of immortals, did you ask the local people or thoroughly search Yuan Kingdom's historical geomantic charts and local prefecture and county records?"

Ye Yunyun remained silent, looking extremely embarrassed.

At the time, she had been in a hurry and hadn't thought that far.

To alleviate the yellow-robed Yun's embarrassment, Chen Ping'an proactively changed the subject: "Regarding that iron box in the imperial archives' secret records, besides saying it had water charts on all six sides, were there any more written records?"

Ye Yunyun immediately nodded. "Yes. On the six sides, besides the water charts, there were two ancient seal characters each: Undulating, Winding, Turbid, Rippling, Deep, Shallow."

Chen Ping'an had no choice but to say something against his conscience: "Mountain Sovereign Ye is still very meticulous."

Ye Yunyun smiled weakly. His kind words sounded more like an insult.

But Chen Ping'an couldn't help asking one more question: "Did the new imperial archives archive room in Yuan Kingdom make rubbings or tracings of those six water charts?"

Logically, the imperial archives would definitely have related rubbings, and they wouldn't be far from the storeroom.

So, Mountain Sovereign Ye continued to remain silent.

Why did she feel like a child in a private school facing a teacher checking homework?

Chen Ping'an was a bit helpless.

Oh well, it was a mess anyway. Since things had come to this, there was no use saying more.

Pei Qian, thinking to herself, figured she could at most have thought of looking for the rubbings, like Ye Yunyun, at best. That was because she wanted to take all the treasures for herself. For example, she definitely wouldn't have thought of the river tributary changing course.

Xue Huai, on the other hand, was filled with emotion. It truly was as the old saying went: "When comparing goods, you discard them; when comparing people, you die." The Cloud Grass Hall still lacked a true pillar. Otherwise, relying solely on his master to support the facade would inevitably lead to oversights. If his Pu Mountain could have a young swordsman immortal as meticulous as this sitting on the mountain top, they could probably rest easy.

Xue Fu-zi covertly glanced at his master, then at the green-clothed swordsman immortal with the stacked blades at his waist. Hmm? Did his master have a chance, so that he could call someone... "Master's Master"?

But he wondered if Sword Immortal Chen currently had a Dao companion on the mountain. However, given Chen Ping'an's realm, status, and demeanor, he surely wouldn't lack female admirers, both on and off the mountain. Otherwise, he wouldn't have become close friends with Jiang Shangzhen.

Chen Ping'an had no idea what Xue Huai was thinking. He just turned and started a casual conversation. "Before coming to Pu Mountain, I read a book of strange tales. Besides the story of the East Sea woman and the Qing Hong Lord, it also told the travel story of a Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain. How much of the book is true and how much is false?"

Xue Huai shook his head and said, "Hard to tell truth from falsehood. No evidence to check. You could only rely on some hearsay to try to find traces of those immortal sites, but it was like searching for a needle in a haystack, with no results."

Legend has it that thousands of years ago, when a Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain traveled through Tongye Province, he encountered a branch of the Great River Ancient Dragon Palace. There was a cave with over a dozen terrestrial calamity dragons causing havoc, stirring up wind and waves, causing endless floods. This Celestial Master, who hadn't yet attained the Way and was a noble of the Master's Residence, fought a battle of wits and courage with those rampaging flood dragons. He divided and conquered, killing most of them. He used a peach wood sword to pin one flood dragon to a cliff, cut off its tail, refined it into a section of green bamboo sword, suppressed the mountain range as a binding dragon rope, and issued a Celestial Master's decree, ordering it not to leave the mountain for a thousand years. Another flood dragon fled everywhere. Cornered, it was driven by the Celestial Master into a local Daoist temple. It had no choice but to transform into a door knocker, promising the Master to protect the temple for three hundred years.

Finally, the Celestial Master personally dug an ancient well, forged an iron tree beside it, and suppressed the leading calamity dragon within.

Then the Master went to the Great River Dragon Palace to question the old dragon for dereliction of duty in failing to teach his kind.

The old dragon loudly protested his innocence and had no choice but to plead with the Dragon Lord who governed the entire East Sea waters. It was said that this dispute over mountains and waters eventually reached the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth.

The stories of the Haoran World were numerous. The novels covered a vast array of subjects, writing about the bizarre, legends, public cases, romantic tales, fox spirits, ghost marriages, divine anomalies, wandering immortals, and meetings with true beings...

Chen Ping'an smiled. "If Fu-zi Xue gets the chance in the future, he might try his luck in Daquan Dynasty. Start with the imperial archives or the Ministry of Rites and see if you can borrow or access files."

Xue Huai nodded. "I'll follow Mountain Sovereign Chen's advice. If I accidentally find clues and locate the main site of that Great River Dragon Palace, I'll notify Mountain Sovereign Chen immediately. We'll enter the dragon palace to search for treasures together. Afterwards, all proceeds will be split between Luo Po Mountain and Pu Mountain, forty-sixty."

Ye Yunyun said dismissively, "Xue Huai, what beautiful dreams are you having? Times have changed. The Haoran World now has a new Four Seas Water Lord. Even if such a site miraculously reappears, it should rightfully belong to that true dragon in Bottle Gourd Province. Do you dare to embezzle treasures from the dragon palace? Aren't you afraid she'll come ashore from the East Sea to hold you accountable? If words fail, won't she just flood Pu Mountain?"

Saying this, Ye Yunyun asked curiously, "Mountain Sovereign Chen, I heard that true dragon's cultivation site is the Li Zhu Cave Heaven where your Luo Po Mountain is located. So, isn't she your neighbor, just a stone's throw away?"

Chen Ping'an was honest. "Yes, a neighbor."

Ye Yunyun pressed further. "I also heard that this new East Sea Water Lord has already reached the Ascension realm. Are you familiar with her, Mountain Sovereign Chen?"

After parting at the pavilion last night, Ye Yunyun hadn't just been sulking. She had busily caught up on the mountain and water gazettes. She had even gone down the mountain to the Kou Xuan Canal's Water God Temple and the Qing Hong Water Lord's Mansion at the river mouth, demanding a large stack of gazettes related to Bottle Gourd Province, especially Luo Po Mountain. Not reading them was one thing; reading them was a shock. She discovered that the small cave heaven, which had shattered and fallen to the rank of a blessed land, had unexpectedly produced so many "young geniuses." Besides the true dragon, the only true dragon in the world at the Ascension realm, there were Luo Po Mountain's Chen Ping'an, Dragon Spring Sword Sect's Liu Xianyang, Ma Kuxuan, one of the ten young candidates for the younger generation across multiple worlds, and a certain disciple of Bai Di City's Zheng Juzhong, who had the Dao name "Can Ran" and the nickname "Madman"...

Chen Ping'an had no choice but to say, "Just a neighbor next door."

Ye Yunyun didn't quite understand. For a cultivator on the mountain, even a thousand miles away, wasn't that still "next door"?

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Literally."

Ye Yunyun saw that he seemed unwilling to talk more about that true dragon, so she thought of another interesting topic and casually asked, "Mountain Sovereign Chen, how many times have you attended the Night Travel Banquet of your North Peak Pi Yun Mountain?"

Chen Ping'an was extremely embarrassed. "Not once."

Ye Yunyun was a bit puzzled. How did she feel like she had accidentally turned the tables and gotten back at him?

In the heavy rain, the group followed the faint light. It turned out to be a tea stall on the riverbank. Business was slow; no customers were sheltering from the rain. Inside, there was only an old woman with a girl who looked like her granddaughter. They sat around a brazier chatting, watching the rainstorm outside. The stove was warm, heating a pot of yellow wine to ward off the cold. The girl looked fourteen or fifteen, poorly dressed, but with fair skin and a pretty face, her movements graceful.

Chen Ping'an stopped at the entrance, turned around, and shook the rain off his clothes outside.

The group put away their oilpaper umbrellas.

Except for Xiao Mo.

Seeing these uninvited guests, the old woman was very surprised but quickly got up to welcome them, asking how many bowls of hot tea they wanted.

Ye Yunyun smiled and said one bowl for each person first. After confirming there was indeed business, the girl stood up, took a few steps, glanced back sideways. She seemed to see something, then lowered her head and smiled.

The old woman and her granddaughter served tea to the table and then sat back by the brazier. The old woman laughed. "This is just 'old fish blowing bubbles,' nothing for you guests to be alarmed about."

The success of the tea stall depended on the day. If there was a temple fair in the county town or during holidays, some villagers going to and from the market might stop for a bowl of tea soup.

The old woman spoke in the kingdom's official language, but with a heavy local accent. Unlike Bottle Gourd Province, where the Great Li official language was the provincial standard, traveling through Tongye Province could be difficult in remote counties unless the local language was close. Tongye Province's provincial standards were arguably the most nominal among the nine provinces. Often, each kingdom used its own official language. After the great war, only the Daquan Dynasty spared no effort in promoting both the provincial standard and the Central Earth Divine Continent's Haoran standard language, incorporating it into their assessment of officials. This top-down approach meant that within a few years, from the capital to the local levels, led by officials, both standard languages were quickly mastered.

Ye Yunyun helped translate for Chen Ping'an.

The old woman looked at the green-clothed man sitting beside the yellow-clothed woman and asked with a smile, "Madam, are you accompanying your husband to see the sights here?"

They seemed quite a good match.

Ye Yunyun was a bit helpless. She didn't bother translating that. She shook her head and said, "He's just a friend."

The old woman laughed. "What a pity."

Following Chen Ping'an's silent prompt, Ye Yunyun simply repeated his words to the old woman, translating, "Old lady, do you know if there are any previously dried-up rivers or streams upstream or downstream of this Chi Lin River? Or anything unusual now?"

The old woman smiled. "To answer Madam's question, I've never heard of any rivers without water. But there are often ghosts haunting this riverbank, fond of luring people into the water during the day to find a substitute for death. Not just us locals, even passing immortal masters have no way to deal with it. The county officials come every year to hire people for rituals. I've been running this tea stall for many years and have seen some Daoists and monks. Whether they are the legendary immortal masters, I wouldn't dare to ask."

Xiao Mo entered the tea stall and sat beside Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an had ordered an extra bowl of hot tea and handed it to Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo took the tea bowl and pulled a few pebbles from his sleeve, gently placing them on the table.

Chen Ping'an picked up a red pebble. The patterns were indeed like layers of red fish scales.

Pei Qian used voice transmission to ask, "Master, do these riverbed pebbles look a bit like the snake gall stones from Dragon Whisker River?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Similar, but much lower quality. It's possible that a descendant of a flood dragon has been hiding here cultivating for a long time, unconsciously converting some of the heaven and earth's spiritual energy into dragon aura. Over thousands of years, the riverbed pebbles have been steeped in that charm and dragon energy, like a cultivator forming a golden core. Or... someone deliberately shed old scales, turning them into these red gemstones suitable for refining into immortal materials. It's like greeting someone from afar, a distant shout saying, 'Don't forget this place.'"

Chen Ping'an didn't use voice transmission or telepathy. "If the legends in the books are true, and a Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain passed by here and left traces of subduing demons, then perhaps those remnants of the flood dragon, whose crime didn't warrant death, have imprisoned themselves here under a suspended sentence, not daring to leave the bounds set by a Celestial Master's decree. They have to lie low for thousands of years, patiently awaiting a decree from the Celestial Master's residence."

He spoke as if casually, but his words carried meaning.

The old woman looked at the green-clothed blade bearer.

Chen Ping'an happened to turn his head and smile at her.

But the old woman looked at Ye Yunyun, pointed at the pot of yellow wine, and asked, "Madam, would you like some wine? It's warmer for the stomach than tea. Home-brewed. Can be sold here too, but it's not cheap. Twenty copper coins a pot."

Ye Yunyun looked at Chen Ping'an.

Prompted by Xiao Mo's telepathic message, Chen Ping'an nodded at Ye Yunyun. Then, gripping the pebble in his palm, he stood up, walked directly to the brazier, and crouched down. He placed the pebble into the charcoal, as if roasting a sweet potato, warming himself by the fire. He lowered his head, rubbed his hands together, and smiled. "The heavens are not cooperating; wind and rain are raging. Even amidst great waves, I am unafraid and unworried."

It turned out that Xiao Mo had taken a closer look and recognized this place. By coincidence, it was an ancient Engagement Shop.

The one performing the enchantment wasn't the old woman, but the girl beside her. She had just resumed an old practice and revealed a flaw to Xiao Mo. Otherwise, they would have missed it again.

Ancient Engagement Shops oversaw the marriage records of the world, consulting the moon to check books. Depending on different fated relationships, they would tie threads to the ankles, wrists, or hearts of men and women.

The old Heavenly Court had a Department of Fated Marriages, managed by various lunar mistresses. Each governed a jurisdiction with a varying number of Engagement Shops.

Ten thousand years later, returning to the mortal world, Xiao Mo had never before encountered such an Engagement Shop, even after scouring mountain gazettes and mortal books. He hadn't even seen the ancient term used.

The idea of the Old Man Under the Moon tying red threads or checking the marriage record was common, but this was different. Mortal marriages were determined by reincarnation and were immutable.

The old woman's Daoist roots were unremarkable. She was just an aged, old hornless dragon. She had probably acquired her opportunity and status halfway, hence setting up this Engagement Shop.

Back then, in the mortal world, Xiao Mo would have deigned to give her a glance.

Generally, she wouldn't have dared to look at him, for fear of being mistaken for challenging him to a duel.

Even the water and land true dragons holding the Heavenly Court's Rain Conducting Talismans, ten thousand years ago, would have immediately made way upon seeing him.

Back then, Xiao Mo enjoyed traveling the world alone. Perhaps because of his striking attire, he was easily recognizable.

He was a swordsman who could chat and brew wine with Bi Xiao Cave Master. His temperament needed no guess.

Chen Ping'an raised his head and looked at the young girl who had moved her stool to sit beside the old woman. He stood up, lifted his foot, and smiled. "Little girl, you can't just casually tie fated threads. Please remove them."

The girl looked blank, cute, and naive.

Chen Ping'an brought his two fingers together. With a casual, light swipe near his foot, he cut the invisible red thread that was tying him and Ye Yunyun by the ankles.

The girl's almond-shaped eyes narrowed sharply.

According to her master, he was undoubtedly a mountain swordsman immortal!

He hadn't even used a divine weapon or his true sword. He had effortlessly cut her fated thread like a knife through tofu. That meant he had to be at the immortal realm.

The old woman stared blankly at the green-clothed "blade bearer." She sighed, patted the girl's head, and motioned for her not to be afraid. Knowing that things probably wouldn't end well today, she lowered her head and laughed. From her sleeve, she pulled out a curved purple glass shard. She pinched the corner of her clothes and gently wiped it. The material was like glass but not glass, and the craftsmanship was incredibly fine, beyond what mortal artisans could achieve.

The old woman looked up, her voice returning to its original, hoarse tone. "I never expected to encounter such a young terrestrial sword immortal in a place so far from the ancient Shu Kingdom."

Chen Ping'an ignored her. He just put his hands in his sleeves, glanced at the object in her hand, and found it fascinating.

Dragon palace plants Ganoderma, plowing yields purple glass.

The texture was clear and pure, almost like the secret creations of Bai Di City's Glass Pavilion. In the Central Earth Divine Continent, this object had another wonderful use. It was most suitable for refining into a tool for viewing distant objects. For some elderly mortal ministers nearing blindness, or high-ranking officials who had damaged their eyesight young, it could restore their vision to youth. Additionally, the imperial astronomical observatories of the various Central Earth kingdoms possessed a secret object made by the Yin Yang School's Lu clan. It was said that even mortal eyes could use it to see stars as clearly as objects in front of them. Viewing the stars in the sky was as clear and distinct as a deity looking down upon the mountains and rivers of the world.

Chen Ping'an crouched down again, warming his hands by the fire. He smiled and asked, "That iron box with water charts from the riverbed—was it a relic from some dragon palace, a cherished old treasure of yours, old lady? Three hundred years ago, who fished it out and sent it to the Yuan Kingdom palace?"

The old woman looked at the green-clothed swordsman immortal with his gentle expression and laughed. "If the sword immortal can help me remove one talisman, today I will tell you everything I know. Otherwise..."

She shook her head. "Otherwise, even if you are a mountain swordsman immortal, you really wouldn't dare to kill me."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "A talisman personally written by a Celestial Master from the Master's Residence is indeed both a restriction and a life-saving charm."

The old woman looked at Pu Mountain's Ye Yunyun, then back at the green-clothed man before her, who spoke with an authentic Tongye Province accent. She sincerely praised him, "Young master, your insight is truly remarkable. You are well-versed in ancient tales and secrets."

Three thousand years ago, during the campaign to slay dragons, the descendants of flood dragons and countless water tribes throughout the world were halted at the Nascent Soul stage. They could not advance further. At most, they could turn into flood dragons by traveling rivers, but they dared not travel through waterways to transform into true dragons.

There were no more transformations from fish to dragon in the world.

Now, the mountains and rivers were unsealed. The water tribes of the world had received a general amnesty. They gathered at the Dragon Gate at Bai Di City, swimming upstream. As long as they successfully leaped over the Dragon Gate and entered the Yellow River Small Cave Heaven, they could obtain the Confucian Temple's official recognition.

Unfortunately, there was no longer a Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain to come here and remove the restrictive talisman, filled with majestic heavenly power, for her.

It seemed they had completely forgotten about this matter.

Ye Yunyun took a sip of her tea and felt frustrated.

Outside the tea stall, the heavy rain suddenly stopped.

A purple-robed Daoist walked in.

The old Daoist's current identity was the Nation-Protecting Celestial Master of Liang Kingdom.

He was a non-clan Grand Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain, Liang Shuang.

The old woman looked at the old Celestial Master, who was filled with a dense purple aura of Daoist power. She recognized him. It was so familiar. Although he wasn't that young Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain from so long ago, she had finally waited for a Celestial Master from the Master's Residence. Her expression was dazed for a moment. Then, abruptly, her voice turned shrill. Her ten fingers hooked like claws, pressing hard against her withered cheeks. She half-smiled, half-cried, looking insane. Almost begging, her voice trembling, she pleaded, "I beg the Celestial Master to remove the talisman. Please, Celestial Master, show mercy. I know I was wrong..."

The old Celestial Master stood with his hands behind his back, completely ignoring the grief-stricken old woman. He just laughed and said, "In this world, learning to do good deeds is not a simple matter. If you also want to finish what you started well, it's even harder."

Liang Shuang came to the brazier, gently pressed down on Chen Ping'an's shoulder as the young man was about to stand, and crouched down with him. The old Celestial Master picked up the steaming hot yellow wine and drank it in one gulp. He pinched a glowing red charcoal, wiped the corner of his mouth, and casually tossed the empty wine pot behind him into the Chi Lin River.

The old Celestial Master continued as if he had just been interrupted, saying, "Just like my congenial young friend Chen here. He is also young and impulsive, prone to overestimating himself. He has been reckless and self-sacrificing several times at a young age. He barely survived, and to outsiders, it's just a matter of good luck. But he knows the true taste of it. The bitterness and sweetness are his alone to savor. Outsiders can't understand."

Chen Ping'an took out two pots of homemade fermented glutinous rice wine and placed them in the charcoal.

The old Celestial Master waited for the wine to warm up and casually asked, "Young friend Chen, since you're so fond of reading miscellaneous books, do you have any favorite tales? Don't tell me. Let me guess. Do you include Wen Qi's works? If so, is it that one by Wen Feiqing? Hmm?"

"Celestial Master, your ability to read people is unparalleled."

Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly and nodded. "Among my three favorite novels, indeed, there is that 'Dou Yi'."

In fact, when he had used aliases in the past, among a large basket of backup names, this rarely used name, Dou Yi, had once been tied with Cao Mo. He planned to use this alias when traveling through the Central Earth Divine Continent with Liu Jinglong in the future.

The old Celestial Master asked, "What is the most exquisite part of this tale?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "The young Dou Yi once planted trees in silence for five years. I imagine that the true taste of this is known only to the character in the book. I'm afraid even Wen Feiqing couldn't fully empathize."

The old Celestial Master tossed the charcoal into the basin, clapped his hands, and laughed loudly. "Indeed! There is a good reason why I find Young Friend Chen so congenial!"

As Celestial Master Liang Shuang's yin spirit, all emotions were unrestrained.

Everyone in the tea stall was baffled by the conversation.

Cao Qinglang, Xiao Mo, and Pu Mountain's Xue Huai, all scholars, had certainly heard of the "Wen Feiqing" who was hailed as the master of the subtle and restrained lyric poetry style. But they didn't know Wen Qi had written any widely circulated novels.

The old Celestial Master then looked up at the old woman, who was already prostrate on the ground. "Begging for something? Is it useful?"

He chuckled. "And you don't need to beg anymore. I didn't drink your wine for nothing."

The old woman was overjoyed to discover that the Celestial Master's talisman on her had unknowingly dissipated into thin air.

The old Celestial Master warned, "Don't kowtow. Be careful not to shorten my lifespan. If I get angry, I'll stick a new talisman on you. Get up quickly. This was always a matter of inviting fortune or disaster yourself, like opening the door to welcome guests. It wasn't about begging or not begging."

The old woman sat on the stool, looked at the green-clothed sword immortal, and said seriously, "Reporting to the Sword Immortal. Back then, a young Daoist traveling here bought that iron box from me. I saw he was a Daoist from Tai Ping Mountain. He even showed me the founding hall's jade token. I verified its authenticity and agreed to the deal. But I must make it clear to Sword Immortal Chen that the iron box was actually empty at the time."

Chen Ping'an understood in his heart. It was that person who, together with the sword-carrying old ape, had caused the internal strife in Tai Ping Mountain. He had hidden extremely well, secretly, and had once been a legitimate heir of Tai Ping Mountain.

He was one of the great demons of the Barren Wilderness world long hidden in Tongye Province. Twists and turns, in the end, still pointed back to Zhou Mi's schemes.

It seemed Zhou Mi had indeed set his sights on Pu Mountain.

The old woman looked at the expressionless Sword Immortal Chen, her heart uneasy. She subconsciously hugged the girl beside her. "She is my only disciple. The hasty tying of the red thread earlier was also instigated by me from behind the scenes. I beg the old Celestial Master and Sword Immortal Chen to punish me, but please don't implicate her."

Chen Ping'an nodded, stood up, silently said something to the old Celestial Master and Xue Huai respectively, then walked out of the tea stall together with them.

At the riverbank, Chen Ping'an stopped, turned to look at the perplexed Xue Huai of Pu Mountain, and said with narrowed eyes, "You can come out now. Since the old Celestial Master is here, I think there's no need to hide, is there?"

Jiang Shangzhen's prediction was absolutely correct.

Within Pu Mountain's Cloud Grass Hall, there was indeed a planted agent.

It was this distant journey martial artist, who had the best reputation in Pu Mountain and whom Ye Yunyun trusted the most among her direct disciples: "Xue Huai."

The purple-robed Celestial Master stroked his beard and smiled. It was just a sneaky Jade Purity ghost creature residing in the martial artist's soul. Under his nose, trying to hide? What nonsense.

Did it bully me for not being at the Fourteen Realms?

In an instant, without giving that Jade Purity demon ghost creature a chance to cause trouble, the old Celestial Master had already "searched the mountain" and returned. Between his two fingers, he pinched a soul the size of a mustard seed.

Xue Huai felt his head splitting, pain like a knife twisting. He raised his hands, but Chen Ping'an quickly reached out and grabbed Xue Huai's arm, helping him stabilize the pure true qi within him, preventing it from wreaking havoc like a flood in his inner world and damaging his physical foundation.

After a moment, Xue Huai, drenched in sweat, smiled bitterly. "Mountain Sovereign Chen, have I been tricked without knowing it?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "It was a targeted scheme from the beginning. Besides, it's a top-five realm ghost creature skilled in soul confusion spells. Fu-zi Xue, you don't need to blame yourself too much."

Actually, Chen Ping'an was just guessing, but not entirely without reason. The people and things that are often overlooked are usually those closest to the light.

Anyway, Chen Ping'an was very familiar with this kind of thing.

So, the candidates in Pu Mountain who could succeed Ye Yunyun were limited to a handful. Besides Xue Huai, who, although his seniority wasn't high, had great prestige, there was also Pu Mountain's Disciplinary Master Tan Rong, and the one in charge of the founding hall's treasury, Ye Yunyun's elder brother. That was why, at the mountain gate, Chen Ping'an had deliberately talked about the topic of metals and stones. It was to chat more with this old Nascent Soul cultivator, giving Xiao Mo a chance to observe more secretly.

Someone had to be smarter than the bad guys. Only then could more good people have good outcomes, allowing more good people to do good deeds without worrying about the consequences.

Xue Huai seemed to want to say something but hesitated. In the end, he just nodded silently and cupped his fists.

Chen Ping'an had to return the gesture.

The old Celestial Master laughed. "Great Grandmaster Xue, go back to the tea stall first. I'll chat a bit more with my young friend Chen."

Xue Huai said nothing, just bowed deeply to the purple-robed Daoist, who was clearly more than just a nation-protecting Celestial Master of Liang Kingdom, expressing his thanks. After straightening up, he turned and strode away.

After Xue Huai returned to the tea stall, the old Celestial Master and Chen Ping'an slowly walked along the riverbank after the rain.

"In today's world, the path is divided: half for humans, half for ghosts."

"Heh, slaying demons, destroying true monsters, subduing and conquering. Celestial Masters and lords of the realm do it effortlessly. It's just relying on their realm and Dao magic, like a strongman in the market. So-called differences between yin and yang, the different paths of the light and the dark, are just matters that, once a Dao-achiever opens their celestial eye, they can see at a glance. Unfortunately, the demonic hearts of men can never be fully vanquished, nor the endless petty schemes eliminated."

The old Celestial Master sighed, stroked his beard, and fell silent.

"Difficult, difficult—as hard as ascending to heaven. Easy, easy—as easy as turning over one's hand."

Chen Ping'an laughed and took over the conversation. "Even if human strength is destined to be exhausted, one must first exhaust human effort before listening to the mandate of heaven. It's just about doing one thing at a time, contributing one bit of strength at hand."

The old Celestial Master stroked his beard and nodded. "Yes, that's it."

He was ready to return to his Daoist temple in Liang Kingdom. Before leaving, he smiled and said, "Let us encourage each other."

He was referring to the work of mending the old mountains and rivers of Tongye Province. The old Celestial Master himself would be staying here for many more years. They would have plenty of opportunities to interact in the future.

Chen Ping'an said solemnly, "Let us encourage each other."

The old man finally said with a smile, "Earlier, outside that mountain god shrine, in order to test the depth of your Dao heart, I had to talk nonsense. Just take it as a joke, boy. Don't hold a grudge."

The young man said firmly, "Celestial Master, rest assured. I am the least vengeful person!"

Back at the tea stall, Chen Ping'an found that the two pots of hometown fermented glutinous rice wine had warmed up nicely, but the old Celestial Master had left without drinking. So he picked them up and shared them with everyone, including the old woman and the girl.

The old woman was beaming with joy, almost ecstatic. She sat by the brazier, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. When she saw Chen Ping'an, drinking the fermented rice wine, she repeatedly called him her benefactor.

The girl beside her widened her eyes, holding the wine bowl without drinking, just staring at the green-clothed sword immortal with great curiosity.

It seemed the scenery in her eyes was better than the wine.

Ye Yunyun also felt much more relaxed. Although she still hadn't obtained solid evidence from the Chi Lin River to challenge Du Hanling to a duel, at least the strange disaster that could have caused internal strife in Pu Mountain, which was tied to her disciple Xue Huai, had been averted. This made Ye Yunyun, who was usually cold and aloof, appear somewhat delighted, her face blooming like a flower.

When Chen Ping'an stood up to leave, the old woman hurriedly stood up with him, curtsying and saying with tears of gratitude, "Sword Immortal Chen, for this liberation, for regaining my freedom, I have no way to repay you. Great kindness needs no words of thanks..."

Chen Ping'an thought, since you said great kindness needs no words of thanks, what more can I say?

He had originally wanted to ask the old woman about the beautiful stones in the river, which Xiao Mo had mentioned were quite numerous. Could they perhaps conduct a fair business transaction?

But on second thought, it was probably better than that girl who worked as the Engagement Shop's manager, suddenly saying those misleading lines from the books: "Young master, your great kindness, I, this little woman, shall repay by offering myself to you."

Just as the green-clothed sword immortal was about to turn and leave, the girl suddenly blinked at him.

Chen Ping'an turned around with lightning speed, glaring fiercely at the girl whose wrist was subtly twisting. He warned her telepathically, "Miss, please don't repay kindness with enmity!"

The girl looked innocent, belched, and covered her mouth with a laugh.

---

After leaving the tea stall, Chen Ping'an didn't return to Pu Mountain. Instead, on a whim, he took a slight detour and made his way to a water domain called "Lin River." His Wind Kite ferry, crossing three provinces' mountains and rivers, traveled through Tongye Province from north to south, passing in order: Qingjing Mountain's Qinghu Palace, his own Xiandu Mountain, Lingbi Mountain's Yeyun Ferry, Daquan Dynasty's Taoye Ferry, a ten-thousand-mile-long river with many tributaries, and finally Yuguizong and the southernmost Qushan Ferry.

Including Bottle Gourd Province and North Juzhou Province, the ferry stopped at five ports each, totaling seventeen immortal ferry ports.

The group hovered in the white clouds, carried by the wind. Chen Ping'an looked down at the great river below, near its source. On the land, the skeleton of an immortal ferry port had already been built, of course, by someone else.

This ten-thousand-mile river, connected to the West Sea, had long been targeted by multiple forces. They all recognized this place as a potential treasure trove. In the vast surrounding area, there wasn't even a single Nascent Soul cultivator worthy of the name, let alone a sect or a sect candidate. Only a few Golden Core earth immortals were busy being national guardians or founding their own schools.

Consequently, five or six immortal forces, quite far from their own mountains, in collaboration with recently restored or newly established mortal dynasties and their vassals—one side providing money, the other providing manpower and expertise—or several immortal sects with historical ties allying, had gradually begun building their own ferry ports on both banks. They invited cultivators skilled in water magic to help, either using their innate talents or setting up formations, to gather and concentrate the long river's water transportation energy, preventing it from dispersing, while competing with other forces for the surrounding heaven and earth's spiritual energy.

It was a straightforward principle: those eating from the same bowl on the same table—whoever eats more, the other eats less; whoever gets full, the other goes hungry.

Chen Ping'an continued along the great river, heading towards the middle reaches. Soon, he arrived at his destination.

According to Cui Dongshan, after various forces had schemed and even fought several battles, both overtly and covertly, only three factions had managed to establish themselves: at the river's source, its mouth, and in the middle. The rest had gradually, either voluntarily or involuntarily, withdrawn.

What remained was an abandoned half-finished riverside port. Everything that could be dismantled and taken away had already been moved. Only the shell of a port remained, with its foundation already laid. These earthworks were nothing to sneeze at. Just the task of ramming the earth consumed immense manpower and resources. The vibration from a ferry touching down, if the port wasn't sturdy enough, would immediately create a massive sinkhole. So, the original owner of this port had lost a huge amount of immortal money. Not confident in making a profit, they had pulled out in time.

Building a mountain port was like using a mountain of gold and silver to fill a huge lake. It was a high-risk venture, a huge gamble.

Besides the massive construction, setting up mountain and water formations, and creating docking bays, there was the enormous expense of gathering the spiritual energy of the mountains and waters. Otherwise, which ferry would be foolish enough to stop there and pay for an energy refill? And even if the port were built, if few ferries ever visited, it would never recover its costs. The immortal money would have been thrown away, and it would even drag down the sect like a noose. A magical artifact that was a chicken rib could be sold off cheaply, but who would be foolish enough to take over a broken mountain port like this?

Furthermore, any new ferry port was a threat to neighboring immortal ports, akin to a battle for the Dao.

Because the number of ferries was generally stable. A new port would take a share from the same pie.

Chen Ping'an looked down at the great river below.

This was the third immortal ferry port for his mountain, after Ox Horn Ferry and Yeyun Ferry.

In the eyes of outsiders, this brand-new-looking "ruin" of a port had been snatched up for free by an unknown cultivator from a very shameless sect.

Not long ago, a white-clothed youth had set up a stall there to welcome all challengers. A table, three bowls of wine. He announced to the world: three punches, three attack spells. For swordsmen, only two sword strikes, because three would be too much.

Anyway, I have no money, only a worthless life.

If you kill me with three moves or two swords, count to ten. If I haven't gotten up, this port is yours.

So, a port a thousand li away had hired a Golden Body martial arts grandmaster to come and throw some punches.

The handsome youth with a mole between his eyebrows gave all the watching cultivators a huge surprise.

It wasn't that the youth was a wolf in sheep's clothing, possessing incredible magical abilities. On the contrary, after being punched, he was sent flying backwards dozens of feet, rolling on the ground. He lay there for a long time, barely getting up. Trembling, he raised one arm, as if to say, "Wait, let me catch my breath first. I'll be up in a moment. I definitely can..."

After the Golden Body martial artist threw his punch, he stood there dumbfounded for a long time, not attacking again. He had, of course, come for a real duel; he had been paid a deposit of immortal money by the cultivator from the neighboring port. But he really didn't want to cause a death. Nowadays, the Dafu Academy had strict rules. If a registered cultivator died in a mortal dispute, it had to be immediately reported to the Academy. He had hated reading since childhood and naturally didn't want to go to Dafu Academy to settle a reading debt.

When the young man staggered to his feet, patted his chest, and said, "Come again!" he promptly spat out a mouthful of blood and nearly lay back down to rest.

So, the martial artist's second punch was pulled back a bit. Even so, it sent the white-clothed youth spinning through the air before he crashed heavily to the ground.

The martial artist was baffled. He was sure his punch hadn't had any spinning force or fist aura.

For the third punch, the martial artist gritted his teeth and increased his strength. After all, if the youth could still stand after the third punch, he would have made the trip for nothing, missing out on half the immortal money.

After this punch, the poor youth tried to get up with his hands on the ground several times. Each time, he spat blood and collapsed heavily, barely alive. Finally, lying face down on the ground, he tremblingly raised one hand and gave a thumbs up, as if to say... "Good punch"?

This made the Golden Body martial artist feel quite guilty.

In the end, when the count was almost at nine, the young man managed to sit up, then staggered to his feet.

The martial artist quickly helped him up. He supported him—or rather, dragged him—to the wine stall. The martial artist himself drank three bowls of wine, cupped his fists in farewell, and said he was sorry. As for the remaining half of the immortal money he could only collect if he won the duel, this Golden Body martial artist didn't even think about it. "Whatever," he thought. "I can't bring myself to be that ruthless."

That very day, the force building the ferry port at the Lin River's source quickly dispatched an old cultivator stuck at the Golden Core bottleneck. He brought two innate magical treasures and combined them with attack spells, which were quite lethal.

Almost instantly, after a barrage of three spells, the white-clothed youth lay in a big pit, his clothes in tatters, foaming at the mouth, convulsing.

But before the count of ten was finished, he struggled to his feet. Like a drunken man, he staggered back to the table. The old Golden Core cultivator failed. He just snorted coldly, didn't drink, and flew away.

Within less than an hour, the port at the river's mouth sent a Golden Core swordsman. He flew over on his sword.

This fight was even more inexplicable. It was like throwing a meat bun at a dog. Somehow, the Golden Core swordsman seemed to have just exchanged a few words telepathically with the youth and immediately flipped his allegiance. After collecting a large deposit, he didn't renege. Instead, he faced the great river, summoned his true flying sword, and struck the empty air three times. Then he was done.

Not only that, but that damned Golden Core swordsman actually took over the youth's stall. He announced a change of rules: challenges of fists, swords, or Dao magic were still welcome, but he would return three sword strikes.

After that, who would dare to court trouble?

This Golden Core swordsman, a Tongye Province native who had always been a wild cultivator, was over a hundred years old, six cycles of sixty years, and his name was Tao Ran.

Now, he was just fishing by the river, occasionally catching an old softshell turtle to make a stew. He had brought seven or eight kinds of seasonings with him. He never mistreated himself.

Chen Ping'an landed early by the riverbank and walked towards the crude stall.

In the distance, the swordsman was dragging a fishing net towards the stall. A few fish were jumping in the net.

He wondered how good this sword immortal's culinary skills were.

The reason Chen Ping'an had come here, besides the port, involved a secret matter. Someone would establish a new kingdom near this port—not a restoration, but a founding. Though, strictly speaking, it could be considered a restoration.

The Xiandu Mountain's Qingping Sword Sect, its future Lower Sect's founding hall registered disciple, Nascent Soul swordsman Shao Pixian, would help his servant girl Meng Long. He would give her the surname Dugu, changing her name to Dugu Menglong. He himself would remain behind the scenes, intending to allow the Dugu clan of the former Zhu Ying dynasty in Bottle Gourd Province, which was destined to never be restored, to establish a new kingdom in Tongye Province and rebuild the ancestral temple. This could be considered a continuation of the dynasty's legacy, while also appropriately distancing it from the old country in Bottle Gourd Province.

All of this, of course, was authorized and supported by Cui Dongshan.

Given the personality of Central Peak Mountain Lord Jin Qing, he would surely... once again bow respectfully to the south from his own mountain.

The Golden Core sword immortal reached the stall, dropped the net on the ground, pointed at the three bowls of wine on the table, and said in a stilted, awkward provincial standard language to the group approaching from the riverbank, "I am now a temporary, unregistered guest elder of Xiandu Mountain."

Sword Immortal Tao Ran first declared his identity, then pointed his finger at the three wine bowls on the table and said, "As a notice, the rules have changed. Each side takes three moves."

As for where Xiandu Mountain was, this Golden Core swordsman, who was an unregistered guest elder, actually didn't know exactly. He only knew it was to the north, and the temporary person in charge was that white-clothed young man, surname Cui.

The reason he had "switched sides"?

First, he had been wounded in the war some years ago, his sword heart almost shattered, his Dao heart in pieces. He was basically a Golden Core in name only, a paper tiger.

He didn't want to serve in an official capacity. He would never do that. He couldn't stand the hypocrisy of the bureaucracy.

Otherwise, even in his reduced state, Tao Ran was still a Golden Core swordsman. He wouldn't be out here earning such disgraceful immortal money, doing these errands of taking money to solve problems.

But coming here, he really couldn't beat the opponent. The strength disparity was clear. That fellow who looked like a youth was actually a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Second, that person had promised that once he officially became a guest elder of Xiandu Mountain, he would receive a treasure of high magical artifact grade, which could be used to mend his sword heart and nurture his soul.

Of course, he didn't take such empty promises seriously. One good thing about wild cultivators was knowing when to back down.

But there was also a small additional incentive that truly moved him. It had nothing to do with money. That person named Cui said he knew a few swordsmen from the Sword Qi Great Wall and could later help arrange an introduction.

Tao Ran was half-convinced, but mostly skeptical.

Because if his memory was correct, the only swordsman from Tongye Province who had ever gone to the Sword Qi Great Wall for training was a swordsman named Wang Shizi.

Like himself, he was a despised wild cultivator. He had gone to the Sword Qi Great Wall at the Golden Core stage.

Although he went as a Golden Core and returned as a Golden Core, the fact that he dared to go alone to the Sword Qi Great Wall and was willing to be on the battlefield was enough for Tao Ran to sincerely admire him.

But that guy must have had a screw loose, going to Tongye Sect to become an ancestral hall offering, transforming from a martial world hero into a mountain world lackey. Tao Ran considered it a case of his misjudgment.

Tao Ran's current predicament was also self-inflicted. He had killed a Golden Core demon cub, and that was with the demon being arrogant. But he was quickly severely wounded by a Nascent Soul old demon's attendant. His true flying sword had been damaged in that battle, a miserable sight. Fixing it would be a bottomless money pit. Back then, when the war was raging everywhere, weren't all battlefields a one-sided slaughter?

Countless capital cities, secondary capitals, prefectures, and cities were overrun by the demon army. This sword immortal, a wild cultivator, had held back. It's none of my business.

In the end, it was because of a small incident. He must have had a screw loose too. Anyway, he couldn't hold back anymore.

There is no way to endure certain hardships without learning a lesson. He had been like this his whole life. He couldn't change.

Unexpectedly, the only one who seemed like a real man was Jiang Shangzhen, the one he had disliked the most.

Did he need a reason to curse Jiang Shangzhen? No.

Besides, there were several good reasons. For example, two female immortals he had admired in his early years had been seduced by the same pig.

As the head of the Jiang clan in the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land, Tao Ran could curse Jiang Shangzhen freely and feel good about it. It was just that his own realm was low, and he couldn't beat him, otherwise, he would have done it to his face.

But when it came to Jiang Shangzhen's actions as the old sect leader of Yuguizong, Tao Ran couldn't bring himself to curse.

So, before leaving the port, that Immortal Master Cui had boasted a ridiculous lie to him.

He said that once he became a registered guest elder of Xiandu Mountain, even if he cursed Jiang Shangzhen to his face, it would be fine. And he would smile.

So now, Tao Ran was alone here, watching over someone's property. By that logic, he was just a watchdog, only slightly better than Wang Shizi. But since Xiandu Mountain had no reputation at all, it had to be better than Tongye Sect.

As for when the actual construction of this port would begin, Immortal Master Cui said it would have to wait until next year. "Those bastards," he had said, "want to compete with me for business? What a joke. Wait, I'll just annex them."

The white-clothed youth had shaken his snow-white sleeves, made a grand gesture, and drawn a large circle, saying that by then, this place would be the scene of the kingdom's eastern and western ports.

"I'll get used to it," Tao Ran thought. "He's a guy who talks about ferries non-stop."

Fortunately, his Nascent Soul cultivation was genuine.

Chen Ping'an said telepathically with a smile, "We are all from Xiandu Mountain."

Tao Ran was taken aback. Half of his own people?

Hearing that they were from Xiandu Mountain, Tao Ran became a bit curious. This was the first person from Xiandu Mountain he had met besides Immortal Master Cui. But he didn't seem like a cultivator, more like a pure martial artist?

But he looked more normal and serious than that Immortal Master Cui.

Could he be a disciple or grand-disciple of the old Cui Nascent Soul?

After all, on the mountain, the younger a cultivator looked, the higher their realm and the older they actually were.

The man smiled and introduced himself, "My surname is Chen, given name Ping'an. I am Cui Dongshan's teacher."

"Great," Tao Ran thought. "Another unreliable talker."

A teacher of a Nascent Soul old immortal?

Couldn't he choose a more plausible title, like master or Dao tutor?

Why didn't he just say he was that Chen Ping'an from Bottle Gourd Province?

Damn it, he really wanted to grab these arrogant top realm young sword immortals by the head and ask them how they got their realms!

Tiny Bottle Gourd Province, a small place. In just sixty years, three sword prodigies had emerged: Wei Jin of Wind and Snow Temple, Liu Xianyang of Dragon Spring Sword Sect, and Chen Ping'an of Luo Po Mountain. All three had reached the Jade Purity stage around the age of forty.

In his two cycles of sixty years, these young sword immortals were still playing in the mud in diapers.

The green-clothed man in front of him had two narrow knives hanging from his waist.

Either he was a pure martial artist, or these two knives were magical blades forged by a mountain immortal.

Chen Ping'an sat at the table, picked up a bowl of wine, took a sip, and smiled. "I heard from my student that your name is Tao Ran, and you're a Golden Core sword immortal."

Tao Ran crouched nearby, busy stewing the fish. He said impatiently, "I'm just at the Golden Core stage. What kind of sword immortal is that?"

Chen Ping'an laughed and asked, "May I ask how your true flying sword was damaged?"

Tao Ran said sarcastically, "Would you answer that question if you were in my shoes?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded. "Fair enough. We'll have a chance to drink more in the future. You can tell me when you're willing."

Tao Ran sneered. "Don't give me that. I don't know you. I'm just here to earn a meal at your Xiandu Mountain. I don't see myself getting along with a swaggering pure martial artist."

Chen Ping'an shrugged it off and turned to look at the great river.

According to that Xu Fu-zi's explanation of characters, "old locust tree ignites fire, congealed fat becomes phosphorus."

Seeing that the man seemed to be waiting for a free meal of stewed fish, the sword immortal's expression grew even more displeased. He frowned and said, "It's one thing to scrounge for a drink, but don't expect a free meal."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Sword Immortal Tao doesn't seem like a wild cultivator at all."

Tao Ran blackened. He turned his head and said, "Can you shut up?"

Chen Ping'an raised his wine bowl. Of course.

Xiao Mo laughed and asked, "Sword Immortal Tao, would you like me to help?"

Tao Ran said impatiently, "Get lost."

Xiao Mo smiled and nodded. He also raised his wine bowl like his master. Okay.

Tao Ran sized up this group from the corner of his eye. Annoying, but their temperaments were passable.

If they went back and complained to Master Cui, giving him a hard time, go ahead and gossip behind his back. He could just quit being a damned guest elder.

In the end, Tao Ran, who had cooked the meal, squatted not far away eating by himself.

Chen Ping'an put down his empty wine bowl and said, "Sword Immortal Tao, you used a bit too little ginger and a bit too much cinnamon."

Tao Ran grinned. Interesting. That was a pleasant thing to say.

Chen Ping'an didn't plan to wait here for the coincidental meeting of Shao Pixian and Meng Long.

He stood up to leave and laughed. "Next time at Xiandu Mountain, I'll treat you to a proper stewed fish."

Tao Ran rolled his eyes.

Seeing that the man who called himself Chen Ping'an was leaving without any fuss, the sword immortal hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Which Chen Ping'an? Don't tell me it's the one from Luo Po Mountain in Bottle Gourd Province?"

To his surprise, the green-clothed blade bearer turned and smiled, nodded, and said, "If nothing unexpected happened, that would be me."

Tao Ran was speechless. He twitched the corner of his mouth, turned his head, and spat.

In a flash, the group had turned into rainbows and disappeared.

---

Returning north, they made a stop in Daquan Dynasty, specifically at Taoye Ferry in the capital region. They checked into the immortal inn called Peach Spring Resort.

It cost Chen Ping'an two small summer coins, and that was for renting the two smallest houses, only slightly better than single rooms.

Inside the inn, there were some talisman beauties from the old Shu Yi Lou, which had long been purchased by cultivators outside Yu Zhi Gang. They were now one of Peach Spring Resort's signature attractions.

According to rumors from the Prefect Yao Xianzhi, the behind-the-scenes owner of this Peach Spring Resort was one of the beauties on the Rougeburn List's secondary review, and her ranking was not low.

When guests checked out, Peach Spring Resort would give them a complimentary gift box containing a peach charm, a few peach blossom letter papers, and a peach blossom fan. Together, they were worth maybe a dozen snowflake coins, but the significance was immense. Having spent big money to stay at Peach Spring Resort, one couldn't exactly boast about it openly—that would be tacky. But when traveling, one could wear a peach charm, hold a peach blossom fan, or write on the peach blossom paper when sending a flying sword message to friends.

Outsiders would see it and understand.

They knew the person had stayed at Peach Spring Resort. They were rich.

If one stayed in a standalone house, they also received two miniature peach wood swords, which had more uses. They could be used as exquisite fan pendants for the peach blossom fan, or female cultivators could use them as hairpins.

For example, that Young Master Yu Wen on the Pei River pleasure boat was that kind of rich person.

In Bottle Gourd Province, you had to drink the fermented wine from Changchun Temple. In Tongye Province, you had to stay at Peach Spring Resort.

That was the way to do real business.

The reason Chen Ping'an was spending so freely was that he had asked Cui Dongshan to arrange a secret meeting with someone.

The chief offering of Jin Ding Temple, Lu Ying.

Lu Ying had mistaken him for the Barren Wilderness co-owner, Fei Ran.

This old Nascent Soul cultivator, who mastered a kind of useless "ancient divine path physiognomy technique," was also a talent.

He could compete with Cloud Miao of Nine True Immortal Lodge.

One was firmly convinced that he was the lord of Bai Di City, the only one awake while the world was drunk.

The other was adamant that Chen Ping'an was the incarnation of Fei Ran from the Barren Wilderness world.

Both were mountain world talents hard to find even with a lantern. In Chen Ping'an's mind, they were only slightly inferior to that diligent, genius spy master of Zheng Yang Mountain.

Chen Ping'an looked at the freshly published Central Earth gazette and sighed.

Did the Shan Hai Sect in the Central Earth Divine Continent have a grudge against him?

Truly worthy of being Peach Spring Resort, it was better informed than some sect candidate mountains.

That made sense. Which Tongye Province native cultivator had the spare money and time to collect Central Earth gazettes? At best, they paid attention to Bottle Gourd Province and North Juzhou Province's mountain news.

Besides, everyone knew Tongye Province's current reputation. Why would they pay for abuse?

He turned to look at a few local mountain gazettes. The most extensive coverage was on the Rougeburn List from the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land's Flower God Mountain. It was divided into a main review and a secondary review.

First the main, then the secondary. The women listed included Daquan Dynasty's female emperor Yao Jinzhi, White Dragon Grotto's master Xu Qingzhu, and Han Jiangshu, the daughter of the Wan Yao Sect's sect leader in the San Shan Blessed Land.

On the secondary review were Linghu Jiaoyu from Small Long Qiu, a female officiant from Jin Ding Temple, a commandery princess from the Yu dynasty, and a female chivalrous wanderer from the martial world.

The women who unfortunately missed the main review probably didn't care themselves. It was their admirers who would spare no expense, trying to get the woman of their hearts a top ranking in the secondary review.

For example, one mountain gazette had a special article about a romantic affair.

There was a new dynasty, fairly restored. A young gentleman from the Ministry of Revenue was incredibly bold. As a mere fifth-rank official, he dared to embezzle three million taels of silver from the national treasury, converting it all into immortal money and throwing it at the Flower God Mountain of the Jiang clan's Cloud Grotto Blessed Land!

For this, he not only lost his official position but nearly lost his head. The "nearly" was because his family had sold everything. His father, the Minister of Punishments, who had him late in life, had borrowed money from friends and owed credit at banks. He had used every possible method and incurred every possible debt, barely covering most of the embezzlement.

The young man, meanwhile, took a few attendants, rode a carriage, and wore a self-carved seal at his waist with the three-character seal script, "A Marqui's Household."

"This place won't keep me; there's plenty of other places will. I'm off to see the sights and waters."

Cui Dongshan had told Chen Ping'an about this amusing story while they were climbing Qingping Peak. He said he had caught a good show when he had a moment to spare.

It turned out that the young man's father had tried desperately to stop him. His face was livid, his lips quivering, in the study he smashed his teacup, and kept calling him an unworthy son, a rebellious son, a wicked son!

Having a rebuke didn't hurt the ears. The young man still left the capital. Of course, he wasn't going to seek out the female immortal he admired. He wouldn't even meet her.

The money donation was for fair play. This was what was known as a "celebrity's elegant demeanor."

Pursuing fleeting pleasure would be low-class. That was not the way of a romantic lead of my generation.

Besides, with his looks—taking after his father, not his mother—he was honestly rather plain. He would probably be refused at the door if he visited the female immortal. Better not bother. He'd rather keep a good memory.

But shortly after leaving the capital, he happily returned, not only making up for the treasury deficit but also getting a promotion to Vice Minister of Public Works.

It turned out that on the road, he had met a kindred spirit. The other person called himself Zhou, a wanderer from Bottle Gourd Province, a half-baked cultivator of negligible realm, his Dao name being "Crumbled True Lord." He said he had recently arrived in Tongye Province and was immediately stunned upon witnessing such a feat. It completely changed his impression of the entire province. He left behind three immortal coins of a kind never seen before. When the young man returned to the capital and inquired, he learned they were the legendary, most valuable Rain Grain Coins!

That Brother Zhou also left a letter, its words earnest. A friend wouldn't say such things. Twenty years, how lacking in judgment must one be, how much of a fool must one think someone is, to praise his looks? This letter was different. It advised him to be a good official and make a great career in the government. Since he wasn't greedy for money, he might as well be a clean and good official. Living off one's ancestors' merit, enjoying life—who couldn't do that? As long as you were born into a good family, did you need to learn to enjoy yourself? Did you need someone to teach you how to spend money lavishly? But the kind of work that involves enduring hardships—if you managed to do that well, then you would truly be a top-notch, dandy young master...

The young man was completely captivated. It was far more effective than his father's nagging for over twenty years.

Serving as a pure and idle Minister of Rites meant nothing. If he wanted to truly benefit the people, he had to be a Director of the Ministry of Public Works. So his father started calling him an unworthy son and a rebellious son all over again.

When he actually went to work at the Ministry of Public Works, he realized that if he didn't secretly take bribes, life was so austere. The workload was heavy. Plus, in a moment of impulsiveness, he took on extra tasks, traveling to local prefectures, eating and sleeping in the open, getting blisters on his lips, calluses on his hands and feet. Every day he was so tired he fell asleep immediately. Who had time to think about women? He was so exhausted he didn't even have erotic dreams anymore. The young man felt that over twenty years of good living had been repaid with interest.

When he returned to the capital, his father, who had been waiting anxiously at the door for a long time, hurried back to the study when he saw the carriage arriving. He sat upright. When the old man saw his son, who had only been gone a month but looked so much thinner, he didn't smash the teacup again. He was silent for a long time. When he finally spoke, it was again the familiar refrain: unworthy son, rebellious son...

Actually, the young man was extremely bitter. During this trip back to the capital, he had intended to give up. Going to the Ministry of Rites, or back to the Ministry of Revenue, even as a mere director, was fine. Being Vice Minister of Public Works was truly not a job for a human.

But after one morning court session, the young Vice Minister looked at his father in the distance. The old man was already white-haired and stooped, but he was full of energy, laughing and talking in a loud voice with his colleagues.

The young Vice Minister silently told himself that he had to stick it out at the Ministry of Public Works for at least another year or so...

It showed that while Sect Leader Cui was busy, he also found time to be idle.

When Chen Ping'an had spoken those heartfelt words to Liang Shuang earlier, "The parasol tree truly refuses to wither and fall; a few leaves still rustle in the wind," he was referring not only to the young swordsmen of Tongye Sect but also to young people like this one in the mortal world.

A house in Peach Spring Resort.

Someone was currently extremely anxious.

When the other person didn't come, it was like a sword hanging over his head, about to fall but not yet falling. But when the other person really came, he didn't know how to handle himself. He always felt that in a battle of wits, he was no match.

So, alone, pacing restlessly, the old cultivator groaned and sighed.

Again, it was a silent, mysterious approach.

Someone appeared behind Lu Ying and gently placed a hand on the old Nascent Soul's shoulder. "Chief Lu, we meet again."

At the door, leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed, was a young woman with her hair in a topknot.

The person behind him smiled. "Chief Lu, you seem so unsettled. Could it be that you're planning to take my head to curry favor with the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth?"

Lu Ying was so startled he jumped up and smiled bitterly. "Sword Immortal Fei Ran, please stop frightening me. I am a wild cultivator by origin, not as bold as a registered immortal."

Lu Ying immediately realized he had misspoken. He slapped himself hard, changed his address, and said obsequiously, "Greetings, Guest Elder Cao."

Chen Ping'an pulled up a chair and sat opposite Lu Ying. He raised his palm and pressed down twice, then crossed his legs. He took out a dry tobacco pipe and a tobacco pouch. With practiced ease, he began to smoke, the spark dotting the embers.

Lu Ying cautiously asked, "Guest Elder Cao, is there something you wish to instruct me about?"

The last time they met, this person had listed a string of identities: a second-rank offering of the Jiang clan's Cloud Grotto, a second-rank guest elder of Yuguizong's Nine Chess Peak, and a third-rank guest elder of Shen Zhuan Peak's founding hall. There was only one name: Cao Mo.

But today, meeting again, aside from the two narrow knives at his waist, he was also smoking a dry pipe.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Chief Lu, on this long journey down the mountain, did you choose to leave at noon?"

Lu Ying's face flushed with embarrassment.

The last time, it was the woman at the door who had helped him decipher the hidden meaning in the words. Otherwise, something would have happened sooner or later.

Chen Ping'an asked, "No superfluous actions, I hope?"

Although the words were obscure, Lu Ying immediately understood the intent. The old Nascent Soul, not to boast, considered his temperament and prudence to be somewhat better than his Nascent Soul realm. Although he had stood up, he was already bowing deeply. The old cultivator said carefully, "Guest Elder Cao, please rest assured one hundred percent. There will be no redundant actions at all. At Jin Ding Temple, I've seen everything a chief offering should see, and I haven't said a word I shouldn't have said."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Sit down and talk."

Telling a smart person a certain truth would only make them suspicious and doubtful. It was far more effective to let the smart person figure out a truth on their own.

Lu Ying obeyed and sat down, but he was as uncomfortable as sitting on pins and needles.

Earth immortals from wild cultivator backgrounds, even if only at the Golden Core stage, had weathered countless storms. Their Dao hearts were tough, and their willpower was extraordinary. Perhaps they were even better than some registered cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage.

Fortunately, the other person soon got to the point. "When will your Du Guan Zhu reach the Jade Purity realm? Or has he already reached it?"

Lu Ying asked doubtfully, "In reply to Guest Elder Cao's question, when I returned to Jin Ding Temple, Du Hanling showed no signs of going into seclusion."

The breakthrough from Nascent Soul to Jade Purity wouldn't be a small matter.

Unexpectedly, the person, whom he believed to be Fei Ran, directly nodded. "He is probably already at the Jade Purity stage."

Lu Ying thought it over and felt a deep admiration. Truly worthy of the Barren Wilderness co-owner, Fei Ran—bold, unorthodox, yet still undiscovered by the Confucian Temple!

Lu Ying, ignoring the shock in his heart, hurriedly tried to make amends. "Before coming down the mountain, I had a drink with Yin Miaofeng. I didn't let anything slip. But judging by appearances and some subtle signs in the temple's treasury, his disciple, Shao Yuanran, is very likely to enter seclusion soon. And he has a good chance of reaching the Nascent Soul stage."

Yin Miaofeng's master was the one with the Dao name "Bao Zhen Dao Ren," Yin Miaofeng.

Both master and disciple had once been imperial offerings of the Daquan Dynasty, responsible for overseeing the Yao family's border troops for the Liu dynasty.

Chen Ping'an nodded. Suddenly, he squinted and asked, "Are you sure there were no superfluous actions? Chief Lu, I feel like you're setting a trap for me."

Lu Ying suppressed his Dao heart's turmoil, shoved one hand into his sleeve, and clenched a jade pendant. He telepathically said, "Academy Head Cheng, the net should be cast now, while the iron is hot?!"

Xiao Mo, sitting in the courtyard, couldn't help but laugh. As his master had predicted, this person was still salvageable.

For Lu Ying, once the matter was exposed and things went wrong, he would be colluding with the Barren Wilderness world! Not to mention the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth—the academies and schools nowadays were very different