Chapter 912: Such a Sword Inquiry
The three of them left Martial Champion City, and immediately whistles sounded from all over the city walls.
So what if Ning Yao was there? Wasn't the Second Manager still around?
On Sword Qi Great Wall, who didn't know that outside the Ning Estate, Ning Yao still gave the Second Manager face? As for what happened inside the Ning Estate—whether the Second Manager knelt on a washboard—that was none of our damn business.
While riding the wind, Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Let's go check out Immortal Suppression Lake first."
Nowadays Ascension City had two immortal ferry ports: the Summer Resort Ferry within the northernmost Summer Resort City, and the Soul Maze Ferry built on Immortal Suppression Lake at the foot of Purple Mansion Mountain, where Deng Liang cultivated. One north, one south, perfectly handling trade in both directions.
Summer Resort Palace, Summer Resort City, Summer Resort Ferry...
When it came to naming things, it was pretty effortless.
Ning Yao said with a straight face, "I didn't come up with particularly good names either."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "If there are too many good names, it's indeed hard to choose."
Ning Yao glanced at Xiao Mo.
Xiao Mo immediately explained, "Madam, the reason the Young Master didn't go directly to Ascension City is that, because he bears the true names of great demons and is separated from the half-city wall where he merged with the Dao by an entire world, he is naturally repelled by the invisible Dao resonance of Ascension City's territory. It even regards him as a potential threat, difficult to gauge as friend or foe. If the Young Master rashly enters Ascension City, it would be mistaken for a sword inquiry."
Xiao Mo pressed down on his hat and said guiltily, "This matter is also my fault—my origins, combined with accompanying the Young Master here, practically confirm his identity as a great demon."
Ning Yao listened, utterly confused.
Could an Ascension Realm—like some cultivator—awaken and generate intelligence?
Like the sword spirit of the immortal sword "Innocence" in her sword case behind her back?
But as an Ascension Realm cultivator herself, why didn't she know about this?
Chen Ping'an then explained: just like the Pear Blossom Cavern Heaven in his hometown, which once nurtured a tiny golden incense figure that was hidden in the locust-wood sword case behind his back and ultimately handed over to Old Man Yang. Such mountain and river spiritual phenomena were similar to a cultivator's nascent soul—in the early stages of gestation, intelligence was not yet awakened, they were ignorant and had a big temper, and it was hard to distinguish friend from foe. A land nurtures its people; the incense figure of Ascension City would naturally have an even bigger temper.
Chen Ping'an said, "Chen Ji should be the only one aware of this. He deliberately didn't tell you, presumably for his own reasons."
At first, Chen Ping'an had harbored some hope. Even if Ascension City truly had such an opportunity, in just over ten years, it was unlikely to awaken so quickly; it was probably still in a deep slumber. Besides, he carried the hidden official jade token, which could to some extent identify his identity. But even after he took out the token and hung it at his waist, the effect was limited. Previously, as soon as he and Xiao Mo got close to Ascension City, it felt like facing a Divine Awakening realm martial grandmaster—vaguely, it seemed to reason with Chen Ping'an.
"Please stop. If you dare approach, it means a fist fight."
This meant that if Chen Ping'an forced his way into Ascension City, it would be equivalent to a sword inquiry.
With Xiao Mo by his side, entering Ascension City was no problem, but how could Chen Ping'an bear to consume even a trace of Ascension City's "intelligence"?
So Chen Ping'an planned to get familiar with the surrounding areas of Ascension City first, then go find Ning Yao. Moreover, he had to announce himself outside the city, explain clearly, and find a way to ensure he wouldn't harm that ethereal incense figure of Ascension City before entering.
This also allowed him, from an outsider's perspective, to choose three spots and see if he could find any subtle flaws to fix in Ascension City. He would visit the Martial Champion City of the Executioner's lineage, the Summer Resort City of the Hidden Official's lineage, and the Soul Maze Ferry of the Spring Treasury's lineage.
Ning Yao suddenly understood. No wonder she had sensed something was off earlier. That was why she had taken her sword into the sky to patrol and quickly spotted Xiao Mo's figure.
Ning Yao asked softly, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
If she had known, she wouldn't have appeared directly at the Martial Champion City gate. She might have already disrupted some of his plans.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Once I break through to Jade Pure Realm again, it'll be much better. If I ever reach Immortal Realm, then coming to Ascension City will be no problem at all."
As a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, it was hard to truly suppress those true names of great demons, especially now that the Desolate Wilderness had a batch of ancient cultivators roughly the same "Dao age" as Xiao Mo. Among them were three great demons whose true names had been sewn by the clothes-mending woman, Nian Xin, into Chen Ping'an.
Xiao Mo smiled. "In a few days, it will be the Beginning of Spring in the Righteous Qi World. And the Young Master has just recovered to Nascent Soul Realm. Normally, he should stay in the Immortal Capital Mountain Dao Ground to further stabilize his realm. So this trip to travel through the Multicolor World was a spur-of-the-moment decision by the Young Master, and I couldn't dissuade him."
Thanks to the ancient Rain Prayer inscription on the Buried River Stele, forming the golden core and breaking through to Nascent Soul were already second nature to Chen Ping'an.
Ning Yao glanced at Chen Ping'an. Such a perfectly coordinated double act—had you two rehearsed before coming?
Chen Ping'an said innocently, "Heaven is my witness."
Ning Yao asked, "Is it a good thing? Any special precautions or hidden drawbacks?"
Chen Ping'an clapped his fist into his palm, his eyes bright, and nodded with a smile. "Of course it's a good thing. And not just a good thing—a huge one. No side effects, not even any 'greater benefits than drawbacks.' It's purely beneficial—a massive Dao fortune that even the White Jade Capital Daoists would beg for!"
Being so repelled by Ascension City was indeed a tricky matter for Chen Ping'an, but for the entire city, it was an extraordinary good thing.
Because it meant that Ascension City had not only truly integrated into the Multicolor World but had even received the recognition of this world's Great Dao, obtaining a certain "Heaven's Favor."
Unlike White Jade Capital and the Western Buddhist Sect—where only cultivators could cross the gate into the Multicolor World—the sword cultivators of Ascension City had brought an entire city with them, forcibly cutting through the river of time and "flying their sword" here.
To illustrate the rarity of this Heavenly gift: if a Ascension Realm great cultivator tried to sneak in, it would trigger some kind of heavenly anomaly.
Ning Yao, as long as she was in the city at the time, would immediately sense something wrong.
This mysterious city-protecting formation was essentially tailored specifically for all Fourteen Realm and Ascension Realm great cultivators.
And it consumed no spiritual energy from Ascension City, not even half a celestial coin.
Arriving at Immortal Suppression Lake, they descended together. Chen Ping'an crouched by the shore, cupped water in one hand, condensing it into a green water orb. He carefully examined the depth and flow of the water fortune within, thread by thread. With the other hand, he scooped up a handful of the world's qi, where clarity and turbidity mixed like mist swirling around his fingertips.
The most crucial aspect of building an immortal ferry port was "water and land geography." Even an ordinary ferry in a riverside dynasty needed a deep-water harbor to determine a ship's draft. Having managed a series of immortal ferries, including his own Ox Horn Ferry, Chen Ping'an was at least half an expert. He let go of his hands, looked around, and saw that the ferry port showed no signs of fine carving—it was extremely crude.
That was actually correct: set the general direction, build the framework, keep everything practical. As long as the ferry could dock and depart, that was enough.
For now, Ascension City was far from the stage of striving for perfection in every aspect. That was a consideration at least a hundred years in the future.
A sword light cut through the night sky and landed at the foot of the mountain. Deng Liang raised his fists high and called out, "Greetings, Hidden Official!"
Seeing the figure in blue, Deng Liang was in high spirits. This fellow had finally returned.
There were some things Deng Liang truly needed to vent to the man before him.
Ascension City had a tangled web of relationships, as reflected in several recent discussions in the Patriarch Hall.
Take the Summer Resort Palace, for example. It wasn't that Ning Yao, the acting Hidden Official, was hard to negotiate with—she was too easy. It was always a simple yes or no, never dragging things out.
But Deng Liang, accustomed to the atmosphere of the old Summer Resort Palace, felt something was missing.
Ning Yao was the number one under heaven. Her realm was too high; on the path of cultivation, she left everyone far behind, like a towering tree whose shade covered the entire city. Even figures like Dong Budei, deep down, never truly regarded Ning Yao as a pure Hidden Official. Some of her ideas—like sword techniques, cultivation, or delivering sword strikes on the battlefield—were straightforward and direct.
In the old Summer Resort Palace, from Chen Ping'an to the Sword Immortal Chou Miao, then to Lin Junbi and Dong Budei, and all the sword cultivators of the Hidden Official lineage, they complemented each other perfectly. No matter their different personalities or origins—whether native or foreign sword cultivators—when a matter was put on the table for discussion, everyone would not only solve the immediate problem but also find the root cause, resolving three or four related matters, or even everything on the same thread.
Moreover, Deng Liang, away from home for many years, also wanted to learn from the Hidden Official about the recent situation of Nine Capitals Mountain.
Chen Ping'an returned the salute with cupped fists and smiled. "Greetings, Chief Deng."
Together they ascended Purple Mansion Mountain, which had once been an ancient ruin. At the summit, Chen Ping'an crouched in front of a stone stele.
Deng Liang crouched beside him and said frankly, "Don't blame me for using public office for private gain. This opportunity, even if I have to snatch it, I will get my hands on it."
Chen Ping'an clicked his tongue. "That doesn't sound right—like a jar of spoiled wine. It sounds like you've betrayed the Hidden Official lineage and defected to the Executioner's side."
He cursed, directing his ire at the head of the Executioner lineage: "That dog Qi Shou, poaching talent from our Summer Resort Palace! And I thought of him as a good brother."
Deng Liang let it go in one ear and out the other.
Qi Shou had really had bad luck. Back in the day, when guarding the city wall, he ran into Chen Ping'an, and they've been at each other's throats ever since. Later, during their time stationed at the city wall, Qi Shou happened to be neighbors with Chen Ping'an and Cheng Quan.
There were a few old sword cultivators on Sword Qi Great Wall who were famously fearless. Cheng Quan was certainly one—having fallen in realm, he never held back his words around the old sword immortal Qi Tingji, nicknamed "Qiu Shang Lu" (Rise Together), who owned the flying sword "Bing Jie" (Soldier's Release).
Chen Ping'an continued studying the stele inscription. The text was short, but the meaning was deep. Moreover, the top, body, and base of the stele all contained knowledge that could help later generations with dating.
Before leaving Ascension City, he planned to make a rubbing here and take it back to Liu Jinglong for research. He had all the tools in a Within Reach item; it would take at most a quarter-hour.
Chen Ping'an handed over a jar of wine—a hundred-flower brew from Aunt Feng.
Deng Liang recognized it and caught the jar. "Is it?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "You guessed right."
Deng Liang cradled the jar and immediately stretched out his hand again. "Give me another one. I'll drink one and save one. Later, you can help me send it to the Nine Capitals Mountain Patriarch Hall. It'll be very useful."
Chen Ping'an knocked Deng Liang's hand away with his elbow and laughed. "Being a Chief Offering makes your face thicker. Fine, I've already set aside two jars of hundred-flower brew. When I travel to Snowy Continent in the future, I'll send them to Nine Capitals Mountain in your name."
Deng Liang had entered Ascension City in the sixth year of Jiachun, almost a year later than Zheng Dafeng.
Deng Liang's gift to Ascension City was not light: a large batch of mountain resources unique to Nine Capitals Mountain—sixty jars of secret-brewed New Year's Wine, three hundred Demon-Expelling Talismans known as Green Vein Golden Script, and eight hundred jin of immortal rice called Heavy Thought Rice. In Chen Ping'an's view, while the wine and talismans were extras, the rice seeds were truly a delivery of much-needed supplies. Now, near Purple Mansion Mountain and in Martial Champion City, this immortal rice was already being widely cultivated.
Many ideas aligned effortlessly.
The only problem was Ascension City's current singular focus on expansion. The Patriarch Hall hadn't rejected Chief Offering Deng Liang's suggestions, but they could only be temporarily shelved or not given enough attention.
That was normal—there were simply too many things to do, too many threads to untangle.
In truth, the sword cultivators of the three lineages had done very well.
Chen Ping'an declined Deng Liang's invitation to his residence for a few drinks. These days, Deng Liang had taken on two formal disciples and a group of nominal disciples, clearly determined to establish a subordinate sect for Nine Capitals Mountain here.
Riding the wind away from Purple Mansion Mountain, Ning Yao spoke to Chen Ping'an through heart-to-heart communication. Chen Ping'an immediately told Xiao Mo to go to Ascension City first, then summoned a "Cage Sparrow."
Ning Yao's face flushed slightly. She took off her Dharma robe, Gold Nectar, and removed her sword case, handing both to Chen Ping'an. They were like a very special travel document, helping him enter Ascension City.
Chen Ping'an blinked, and Ning Yao was already wearing a standard-issue Dharma robe from the old Clothing Workshop.
Ning Yao said, "Don't slack off on cultivation."
Chen Ping'an smiled as he put on the Gold Nectar robe and held the sword case.
Ning Yao said, "I'm not joking."
If love lasts long, need it court day and night? Especially for mountain cultivators who truly hope to live long and see eternity—a few decades really weren't much.
Chen Ping'an put away the Cage Sparrow and nodded. "Recently at Immortal Capital Mountain, I've been cultivating more diligently than ever before—almost like when I first started learning the Mountain-Crushing Fist."
Ning Yao nodded. "When we get home, I'm going into seclusion. But if there's anything, just knock—it won't disturb my cultivation."
That statement was uniquely Ning Yao.
Chen Ping'an asked, puzzled, "Why seclusion again?"
As far as he knew, since meeting Ning Yao, she had only gone into seclusion twice. The last time was not long ago, in the Greater Li capital, when she needed to stabilize her Ascension Realm first layer.
Ning Yao glanced at him, seeming to want to say something but holding back.
Chen Ping'an grew more curious. "What's wrong?"
Ning Yao communicated through heart-to-heart: "I need to make early preparations for breaking through to the Fourteen Realms. I have a path, but there are about two or three thresholds to cross."
Chen Ping'an wiped his face and said nothing.
Xiao Mo should hear this. He had cultivated for ten thousand years and still hadn't truly found the path to becoming a Fourteen Realm pure sword cultivator. Shouldn't you be ashamed, Xiao Mo?
The corner of Ning Yao's mouth lifted, then quickly suppressed.
Heh.
She had heard someone once declared at Tuo Yue Mountain, in front of the great demon Yuan Xiong, "If I were your age, you wouldn't even see my sword."
The two of them rode the wind slowly. Xiao Mo had been hiding in the sky above Ascension City's border, waiting for a long time.
Compared to Chen Ping'an, who bore the true names of great demons, Ascension City was less wary and hostile toward Xiao Mo. That was somewhat related to Xiao Mo's sword technique lineage being too "orthodox."
After all, strictly speaking—leaving aside Dao roots and only discussing Dao lineage transmission—Xiao Mo might even be considered a brother disciple of the old great sword immortal Chen Qingdu.
Ning Yao led the two of them down into the practice ground of her home, then went off to seclude herself. The man was already very familiar with the place.
Chen Ping'an had already returned the sword case to Ning Yao.
A vast Ning Estate.
Seemed even more empty and quiet.
Missing two elderly figures, missing a Dragon-Slaying Cliff.
Chen Ping'an's courtyard was clean and tidy. The bedding on the bed was neatly folded, with no musty smell—probably aired out regularly.
In the room across the way, a table was piled high with some blank seals that hadn't been carved in time, along with a few booklets of poetic phrases copied from various books. If Fatty Yan's silk shop business had lasted a few more months, there might have been a three-hundred-sword-immortal seal collection.
Back then, Dong Budai had asked the Second Manager—who was doing a booming seal-making business—for three book-collecting seals for herself and two close friends, the other two female sword cultivators being Situ Longqiu and Guan Mei.
Dong Budai was generous, directly giving Chen Ping'an a large piece of precious immortal material called Frostfall Jade, weighing seven or eight catties—a priceless heavenly treasure even in the Righteous Qi World.
According to the agreement, the leftover "scraps" from the three seals would be the Second Manager's wages.
Chen Ping'an carved those scraps into twelve tiny blank seals, using the fifteen flying swords as "carving knives." One private seal cost one Small Heat coin, no bargaining.
Among them was a book-collecting seal with the bottom inscription "Observe Dao, Observe Dao, Observe Dao." But whose hands it fell into remained a mystery.
If it had ended up in the Righteous Qi World, some connoisseurs who followed the Hundred Sword Immortal Seal Collection and the Two Hundred Sword Immortal Seals Collection to verify authenticity—like Tan Rong, the head of Pushen Cloud Grass Hall—would probably spend a Grain Rain coin without a second thought to buy it.
Chen Ping'an twisted the lampwick with two fingers, instantly lighting a lamp on the table. He sat down, spread open a booklet, and asked with a smile, "Xiao Mo, take a look. Any particular seal characters you want? I can give you one."
Xiao Mo sat nearby, took the booklet, and flipped through it page by page. He stopped and smiled. "Young Master, this phrase."
Chen Ping'an glanced at the characters on the page: "A clear and free spirit, like a great sword unsheathed." Oh, Xiao Mo had good taste—knew how to pick.
Chin slightly raised, Chen Ping'an pulled a brand-new carving knife from his sleeve. During his free time cultivating at Immortal Capital Mountain, he had crafted and refined it himself. "Picking your own seal—this treatment isn't common."
Xiao Mo stood up, selected a blank seal that was the tallest, like a solitary peak among the crowd, and handed it to Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an rolled up his sleeves, rubbed his hands, and blew on them. A return to an old trade—he wondered if he had gotten rusty. He did a few arm stretches. Since it was for Xiao Mo, not a money-making deal, he needed to put some heart into it.
As Chen Ping'an bent over the table carving, only the rustling sound of his work filled the room.
When he finished carving, he pinched the seal with two fingers. After carving a few lines of impromptu side inscription, he raised it slightly and gently blew off the seal crumbs. Xiao Mo said softly, "Young Master, in Martial Champion City and Tuoyue City, I haven't noticed anything unusual."
Chen Ping'an just hummed softly and continued carving.
Earlier at Martial Champion City, as soon as Ning Yao appeared, Chen Ping'an had told Xiao Mo to send his yin spirit far away, while his yang spirit manifested in Tuoyue City to observe the shifts in the cultivators' heartstrings.
Like an invisible, hastily made seal.
But at this moment, sitting quietly by the table, Xiao Mu's true form knew that the Young Master did not do this willingly but had no choice.
And this sudden trip far away—the Young Master wasn't truly worried about the vibrant Ascension City; he was worried about Ning Yao.
As for the reason, the Young Master had only given a strange analogy but didn't elaborate.
He only said it was a troublesome puzzle—one where both the riddle and the answer were given.
It was related to the disciple that the Taoist nun Huang Ting of Taiping Mountain had accepted in this world.
Currently, besides Ning Yao, there was another guest in the Ning Estate—not a native of Ascension City, but a descendant of refugees from Tongye Continent. To be precise, offspring of those who had sought refuge in the Multicolor World.
A young girl, born in the Multicolor World.
Thus, however many years it was now in Jiachun, that was her age.
She was the only disciple Huang Ting had taken here. Her surname was Feng, given name Yuanxiao. Since she was born on the Lantern Festival of the first year of Jiachun, her parents had named her that.
Huang Ting hadn't brought her to the Righteous Qi World but entrusted her to Ning Yao's care, and the girl stayed at the Ning Estate in Ascension City.
Chen Ping'an initially thought she might be a girl like Chai Wu, with monstrously good cultivation aptitude.
But Ning Yao said the girl's aptitude was ordinary—very ordinary—though she was honest, simple, and endearing. If she hadn't encountered the auspicious Huang Ting, she likely wouldn't have stepped onto the path of cultivation.
But precisely because of that, Chen Ping'an felt uneasy.
Cultivation geniuses came in different types.
Ning Yao was one extreme.
Another type was like Tongye Continent's Huang Ting, the former He Xiaoliang of the Divine Oath Sect, and Xu Yuan, known as the "Juvenile Jiang Ziya" of the Central Earth Divine Land.
Xiao Mo suddenly said, "Earlier, I didn't agree to go to Fuyao Continent with the Young Master. If you're angry, scold me."
Chen Ping'an had once discussed with Xiao Mo about making a trip to the Fuyao Continent's mineral veins to rendezvous with several Righteous Qi sword immortals.
Xiao Mo didn't agree. Since he was the Young Master's death warrior, there was no reason to leave the Immortal Capital Mountain area. He had to stay by his side at all times.
If anything happened to the Young Master's cultivation, Xiao Mo would die a hundred deaths without atonement.
That was why Xiao Mo, who was usually easygoing, had refused Chen Ping'an's request for the first time.
"Of course, I was a bit frustrated that you refused, but I'm definitely not angry."
Under the lamplight, the Young Master's expression was gentle, like a warm breeze. He shook his head slightly and smiled. "Xiao Mo, believe me, everyone should have their own life. A good life, roughly speaking, is one where we can take responsibility for ourselves. Right?"
Xiao Mo smiled. "The Young Master's reasoning is always correct."
Chen Ping'an said nothing more. After finishing the seal, he took a deep breath, stretched, and asked with a smile, "Xiao Mo, want a late-night snack? I'll cook myself—try my handiwork?"
Xiao Mo nodded sincerely. "I've been looking forward to it."
"Wait a moment."
Chen Ping'an stood up, went to the kitchen as if he knew his way around, and took out ingredients he had prepared earlier: eggs, green peppers, spring onions, garlic, etc. He rolled up his sleeves, tied on an apron, set up the cutting board, arranged the bowls and dishes, and sorted everything. Xiao Mo watched from the kitchen doorway and found it a pleasing sight. Soon, Chen Ping'an fried two large bowls of egg-fried rice and carried them to the table in the main hall. He sat opposite Xiao Mo, and they ate.
Chen Ping'an put down his chopsticks and saw that Xiao Mo was still eating slowly. He told Xiao Mo to take his time. After a moment of hesitation, Chen Ping'an asked, "Xiao Mo, back in the Desolate Wilderness, did you ever encounter any particularly strange Daoists?"
Xiao Mo swallowed a mouthful of rice and asked, puzzled, "Young Master, do you mean the later Desolate Wilderness, not the world under the old Heavenly Court?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "The later Desolate Wilderness."
Xiao Mo shook his head. "I was severely injured back then, left a few Dao lineages in the Desolate Wilderness, then went to lie low at Haocai Mingyue, and never encountered anything strange."
For Xiao Mo to call a Daoist or matter "strange," it wouldn't be just any Ascension Realm cultivator revered by later generations.
It would have to be someone like Immortal Wei, the "Daoist with a wooden hairpin."
Even among the old throne great demons, if Yang Zhi hadn't been saved by Zhu Yan, Xiao Mo would have killed him back then.
The reason for the conflict was simple: Yang Zhi had mocked Xiao Mo, saying his sword technique was "unorthodox" and not as pure as that of human sword cultivators like Chen Qingdu and Yuan Xiang. It wasn't even said to Xiao Mo's face, but the rumor spread, and Xiao Mo overheard it during his travels. That led to the sword inquiry and pursuit.
What could he do? Bai Ze himself had ordered it. He had to go. If he didn't, Bai Ze would make a move. In ancient times, the peak Daoists from the demon race, no matter how good-tempered, weren't really that good-tempered.
Besides, Xiao Mo and the others were severely wounded at the time. Even uninjured, they couldn't beat that Old Man Bai, who rarely acted but, when he did, shook heaven and earth.
Otherwise, none of Xiao Mo's peers would have chosen to sleep for "healing." That kind of "seclusion" was a long "hibernation" where you might never wake up—a true "big sleep, little death."
Xiao Mo asked cautiously, "Young Master, is it because of Ascension City's rejection that you thought of something?"
Chen Ping'an hummed in affirmation, without any concealment. He told Xiao Mo what was on his mind: "I suspect that every world has some kind of greatest supression. That's why the three sect patriarchs each traveled far this time. It's very possible that one very important matter is to debate the Dao with that existence."
Xiao Mo smiled. "So the Young Master is still worried about Madam."
The so-called puzzle referred to that girl named Feng Yuanxiao?
As for the three sect patriarchs—whatever they thought or did—Xiao Mo didn't really care. He was just a Ascension Realm sword cultivator, not even at Fourteen Realms. He wouldn't get involved.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Call it preparing for the worst. But this kind of situation isn't strictly good or bad. Both sides rise with the times. To be precise, they are mutual supressions, not a friend-or-foe relationship."
Because in the Merit Grove, Chen Ping'an had heard a story from his teacher, an old one. The teacher said that when the Ultimate Sage traveled the world in his youth, he once passed a river where he met an old fisherman ferrying boats. They debated the Dao, each holding their own view, and neither convinced the other.
In the end, the Ultimate Sage didn't cross the river, and the fisherman poled his boat away alone.
This seemingly minor old matter had no written record in the Wen Temple.
But it was described in an allegory fabricated by Lu Chen, as if the Third Patriarch of White Jade Capital had witnessed it himself.
The teacher would never deliberately mention such old history to his closed-door disciple in front of the scripture student Xi Ping.
And at the time, the student Xi Ping did have a strange expression, which helped confirm Chen Ping'an's thoughts.
For example, in the Desolate Wilderness, Chen Ping'an speculated that Fei Ran might be the one suppressing the Desolate Wilderness Old Ancestor.
But it couldn't be ruled out that there was an even older, more hidden existence, and Fei Ran, who had become the Desolate Wilderness's co-lord, was merely mutually suppressing that existence.
If the latter, then this enlightened being of the Desolate Wilderness was a bit younger than the Old Desolate Wilderness Ancestor, Bai Ze, and Xiao Mo.
Because the true Dao age of this being would be exactly the same as the Desolate Wilderness itself, and it would share the same lifespan as the entire world.
This enlightened being, truly "born of heaven and earth," would share the world's lifespan: born on the same day, month, and year, and die on the same day, month, and year.
And this "Daoist," who could almost be regarded as the incarnation of a world's fortune, would have a very complex and subtle relationship with the number one cultivator of that world.
If their Daos diverged, it would be a very dangerous Dao struggle.
If their Daos aligned, they could become true Dao friends.
Xiao Mo said, "If it were in the Desolate Wilderness, regardless of whether the girl's identity could be confirmed, she would already be dead by now—no, worse than dead. She would be imprisoned under strict secret methods, with her three souls and seven spirits stripped, leaving only one soul and one spirit, allowing her to reincarnate to avoid overcorrection and excessive backlash from the world's Dao. The rest would be imprisoned in the four corners of the world. Her fate would be like the 'joint beheading' of the Military Ancestor."
Chen Ping'an said, "Then let each cultivate and meet at the mountain peak."
Xiao Mo smiled. "Meeting the Young Master and Madam—that girl is truly lucky."
After that, Chen Ping'an walked out of the courtyard alone, strolling leisurely under the star-filled sky.
He unconsciously reached the estate's gate and sat in the small gatekeeper's room.
Life is impermanent. People meet and parts.
The night passed uneventfully.
At dawn, an old Golden Core cultivator came along the street outside the gate. To his pleasant surprise, he saw the Second Manager in the gatekeeper's room, so he didn't even need to knock. He immediately beamed.
"Second Manager! Trading ledger-keeper for gatekeeper? Standing guard? What's the deal—as soon as you return to Sword Qi Great Wall, this is your treatment? Want me to go have a word with Ning Yao? This is too much. Spread the word, and it'll damage the Hidden Official's dignity."
The Second Manager often drank at his own tavern and ended up locked out. Some old sword cultivators swore that our poor Second Manager, returning home late, would knock in vain, not daring to force his way in or even climb the wall. He'd just have to lie down on the doorstep and make do until morning.
The Second Manager walked out of the gatekeeper's room, leaned against the doorway, hands in sleeves, smiling.
Seeing the situation turn, the old cultivator hurriedly ran up the steps, tossing a jug of wine. The Second Manager slapped it back. "Old Song, what are you doing drinking soul-reviving liquor so early in the morning? Haven't you had enough of your bamboo wife all night?"
Mm, it really was the Second Manager. No mistaking it.
Anyone else couldn't match that tone.
Even the acting manager could be flamboyant, but it was different from the Second Manager.
They sat down on the steps outside the door. This Old Song was, of course, one of the former wine shills.
He was an old Golden Core of Sword Qi Great Wall, once a cultivator in the Dan Workshop, also helped record battle merits. He loved wine and gambling. His wine manners were terrible—once drunk, he'd be all snot and tears. His gambling skill was worse, and his luck even worse: he always lost. Calling him "Old Golden Core" didn't mean he was that old in age. Before forming his golden core, he was a fairly talented sword cultivator. When young, though not a top genius, he was a standout of his generation. At the tavern, he'd boast about his youthful good looks, saying even Wu Chengpei and Mi Yu would have to concede defeat.
Many Nascent Soul sword cultivators of advanced age, when drinking at the tavern, also liked to call him Old Song.
"Hidden Official, how long do you plan to stay?"
"Short on money again?"
"We're talking feelings here, why bring up money?"
"Old Song, you're at least a Golden Core. Couldn't you get a position in the Executioner's lineage?"
"No. The Ascension City Patriarch Hall doesn't want me, and I don't have the face to sit there. Your Summer Resort Palace doesn't accept me either. I'd like to go, but I have no connections. Too high for some, too low for others, so I just drift along. You know how I feel about someone like Qi Shou—a noble young master from a big family—it always rubs me the wrong way. Chen Sanqiu back then got his fair share of drinks from me. I managed to get a job at Old Scale City that has some profit, at least I don't have to kowtow to anyone. But as soon as a bit of spare cash comes in, I hand it all over to your tavern: at the start of the month, two pots of Azure Spirit Mountain wine; mid-month, Bamboo Sea Cavern Heaven wine; end of the month, Mute Lake wine; and the month's gone. Nowadays, those little brats, even if they're sword cultivators, don't even consider themselves sword immortal seedlings. They're low-realm but have their eyes on their foreheads. When they see me, Old Song, they don't even invite me for a drink."
"In the past, kids in diapers would call me Old Song on the road."
"It's different now. I can't quite say how, but it feels different."
Saying that, Old Song couldn't help but take a drink of his sulking wine.
"Second Manager, isn't it bad?"
"Right now it's a good thing. Whether it'll be good later is hard to say."
"Then why don't you do something about it?"
"Some things just have to be taken step by step. Otherwise, in the end, it's all 'if only this, if only that'—a messy account full of grievances."
"Second Manager, don't give me that vague nonsense. You're finally back; you can't just... how does that saying go?"
"Stand by and watch?"
"No, not that fancy."
"It's a saying from my hometown: 'Stand on the bank and watch the floodwaters?'"
"That's the one. But it sounds better in your dialect."
"Running over to block my door this early—not just to show off that you're still single, are you?"
"I miss the Second Manager, that's all."
"Old Song, in the future, when you and Feng Qi and the others come to drink at the tavern, you can be allowed to buy on credit. I'll let Zheng Dafeng know. But don't spread the word, or the shop won't be able to do business."
"Now that's what I'm talking about."
"What are you thinking? It's only credit, not free!"
"I know, I know."
"You know nothing. Credit in mid-month, pay back at the start of the month."
"As long as I can get credit, even if I know nothing, that's fine. It's not about the money—it's about face! Exclusive! Second Manager, how about a deal? Don't let my friends get credit. They have money now. Let only me have credit. What do you think? Their acting is still poor—they've almost slipped up a few times. They've been called wine shills for a while now. Not like me; hardly anyone knows our relationship."
"Old Song, it's no wonder you've remained single all these years and been called worse than a dog by your friends."
"Hardly surprising compared to the Second Manager. I admit it."
"..."
"Second Manager, why aren't you scolding me back? Don't be like that. It makes me nervous."
Old Song's real name—aside from his old friends—many of the young ones in Ascension City probably didn't know. They just followed along, calling him Old Song.
But his name was actually very nice: Song Youwei.
In the old Righteous Qi World, no one cared about the life or death of sword cultivators on Sword Qi Great Wall.
Nowadays, the Righteous Qi World always thinks that the sword cultivators of Sword Qi Great Wall are all supremely lethal and bountiful in merits.
That's not true.
In the history of Sword Qi Great Wall, there were many, many sword cultivators like Song Youwei—drinking without true pleasure, winning money without real joy.
The problem lay in their natal flying swords.
For instance, Song Youwei actually had two natal flying swords and was a Golden Core sword cultivator. By rights, he shouldn't have been bad. One sword was named "Dragon Vein," the other "Gilding." The former... the latter could only be used on the battlefield to give trapped sword cultivators a life-saving Dharma robe equivalent in rank to a magic treasure.
So before forming his golden core, due to that "Gilding" flying sword, Song Youwei fell in realm twice. He had completely no hope of reaching Nascent Soul in this life.
Song Youwei was still better off. At least he had fought outside the city. There were sword cultivators whose natal flying sword was named "Weaver Girl," who spent almost their entire lives in the clothing workshop, having only gone to the city wall when young. There were those whose natal flying sword's innate divine ability was only related to forging, so they could only hole up in the sword workshop, rarely seeing the light of day, with almost no friends.
Even worse, some sword cultivators had natal flying swords with divine abilities that were like jokes, making people cry and laugh. If they went to the battlefield, they'd be like sword cultivators without flying swords, having only the realm but having to use ordinary swords from the workshop to fight.
Take the nine children Chen Ping'an brought back to his hometown. If the Sword Qi Great Wall had fought for a few more decades, Bai Xuan would have become like many sword cultivators in history: once he reached the middle five realms, he'd be a "one-fight-only" sword cultivator. Yao Xiaoyan, even with three natal flying swords, on the battlefield of Sword Qi Great Wall—aside from family-commissioned sword masters—it was almost impossible to specially assign a Dao guardian for her. There was no need.
And the old Nascent Soul at the tavern who inexplicably wrote poetry back then—his natal flying sword was named "Door God," completely without edge. If used on the battlefield, its sword light was so slow it was ridiculed as ants moving house. So it could only be used to nurture the golden core and primordial spirit, occasionally helping other sword cultivators guard the Dao during seclusion.
Hence the saying: "Nascent Soul in the city, Golden Core outside."
Were they sword cultivators?
Of course, they all were.
But did the sword cultivators of Sword Qi Great Wall acknowledge them? Some might, some might not.
If relations were poor, a casual "Have you been to the battlefield? How many merits?" would be enough.
How could one answer?
The drunkards of Sword Qi Great Wall might not have really liked drinking so much; it was just that if they didn't drink, what else was there to do?
The old sword cultivator seemed to sense that the Second Manager was in a bad mood, so he patted Chen Ping'an on the shoulder and comforted him, "Second Manager, don't brood. Being like a bachelor without being one—it's something you get used to. You know my character, Old Song, I'm famously tight-lipped. I won't go blabbing."
Chen Ping'an cursed, "Damn it, I'm feeling sorry for your two broken flying swords!"
Ah, why was he getting worked up?
Sure enough, scholars liked to turn their backs on people.
The old sword cultivator laughed heartily.
Drinking the Second Manager's wine, being scolded by the Second Manager, watching the Second Manager's fists—all excellent.
In all these years the young Hidden Official had been away from Ascension City, whether those who liked or disliked the Second Manager, both sides had been lonely.
---
It was during the Minor Snow period after winter this year that Liu Jinglong received a flying sword message from Liu Zhiqing, inviting him to join in a sword inquiry against Qionglin Sect.
They agreed to meet at the territory of Qionglin Sect's vassal sect.
But after leaving Pienran Peak, Liu Jinglong dismissed his disciple Baishou and went alone by sword, telling Baishou to arrive at the ferry on the agreed date.
So he arrived three days earlier than Baishou and Liu Zhiqing, quietly reaching the ferry under Mo Long Sect's jurisdiction. Liu Jinglong changed into a Daoist robe and checked into an immortal guesthouse called Fallen Flower Studio.
Under a heavy curtain of night, in a torrential rain, Liu Jinglong held an umbrella and walked a thin, emaciated youth back to the guesthouse, casting an illusion technique. With one hand holding the umbrella and the other gently pressing the youth's arm, they walked together.
At the guesthouse, they verified the youth's mountain and river lineage identity, registered it, and opened a new room for the wandering Daoist's direct disciple.
Liu Jinglong gave the youth two porcelain bottles of ointment and pills—one for external application, one for oral intake. He carefully explained the medication method twice. After the youth said he remembered, Liu Jinglong told him to rest assured and recover, as he himself was staying next door.
The youth, feeling as if reborn, asked tremblingly, "May I ask the immortal master's honorific title?"
Liu Jinglong smiled. "Taihui Sword Sect, Liu Jinglong."
At that moment, thunder boomed outside, startling the youth who had been tortured in Mo Long Sect's mountain prison. His face was full of disbelief as he muttered, repeatedly murmuring, "Taihui Sword Sect, Sect Master Liu, Sword Immortal Liu..."
Liu Jinglong bent down, picked up the oil-paper umbrella leaning against the corner of the wall, and before leaving the room, asked, "Shan Teng, do you hate those lineage-registered immortal masters?"
The youth's expression darkened, his lips pressed tightly. He wanted to nod but dared not; he wanted to shake his head but was unwilling.
Liu Jinglong said, "Return good for good, and what for evil? It would be strange if you didn't hate them. But revenge can't be rushed."
The youth, named Shan Teng, had been dead-eyed, but now some light returned. He looked up at the great sword immortal, who was different from what he had imagined, and summoned the courage to ask, "Can I really take revenge?"
Liu Jinglong smiled. "You must take revenge."
Before gently closing the door, Liu Jinglong explained with a smile, "Shan Teng, you'll see Du Yu soon."
Shan Teng suddenly understood, but then found it absurd. He asked cautiously, "Sect Master Liu, is Brother Du your... friend?"
Liu Jinglong shook his head. "I didn't know Du Yu before. But Du Yu has a friend who is my friend. I believe Du Yu and I will become friends too."
The youth next door slept lightly, awakened twice by thunder and lightning. Shan Teng sat up, sweating profusely, his face pale. He looked around, a bit dazed, unsure if he was dreaming. How could Brother Du know someone as lofty as Sword Immortal Liu? And how could Sect Master Liu personally rescue him from Mo Long Sect?
Liu Jinglong, sitting cross-legged on the bed in meditation, merely glanced out the window.
Soon the rain stopped, and the sky fell silent.
After that, Baishou, the senior disciple, entered the guesthouse almost simultaneously with Liu Zhiqing's group—all, of course, using pseudonyms and illusions.
Taihui Sword Sect: current Sect Master Liu Jinglong, Pienran Peak Master Baishou.
Gold Crow Palace: Liu Zhiqing; Floating Duckweed Sword Lake: Rong Chang, Sui Jingcheng, Chen Li, Gao Youqing.
Ghost Axe Palace: military cultivator Du Yu, and the spirit youth named Shan Teng.
Liu Jinglong smiled and introduced himself to Du Yu: "Hello, I'm Liu Jinglong. Like Sword Immortals Liu and Rong, I'm a friend of Chen Ping'an."
Du Yu swallowed his saliva. Aside from thanking him, he didn't know what to say.
Seeing the unharmed youth, Baishou inwardly admired his master's methods. Look—once the man surnamed Liu stepped in, everything was fine. But Baishou muttered under his breath, "Hey, Liu, you're too reckless. Sure, getting there first and saving the person is good, but then you just stay under Mo Long Sect's nose? Do you actually believe that 'the most dangerous place is the safest place' from the martial arts novels? If you ask me, Liu, you're still not as experienced and thorough as my brother Chen."
Liu Jinglong just chatted with Liu Zhiqing and Rong Chang, ignoring his outspoken senior disciple. If he had the guts, he could keep talking like that when they got to Immortal Capital Mountain.
The dispirited youth, seeing Du Yu, immediately red-eyed and choked up, cried, "Brother Du!"
When they had met by chance, Shan Teng had felt the man was straightforward, funny, and they hit it off immediately. Brother Du liked to call himself "Du the Good."
Only after the ordeal did the youth learn that his name was Du Yu, a lineage-registered cultivator of Ghost Axe Palace.
The youth had always thought Brother Du was just a wandering wild cultivator, broke, not getting anywhere in the mountains, liking to play the hero—couldn't even be a good wild cultivator.
Du Yu grabbed the youth's arm and said with a trembling smile, "As long as you're alive, that's fine. It's okay."
For some reason, seeing Sect Master Liu felt the same as being around Senior Chen Ping'an—even walking through a mountain of blades or a dragon's den and tiger's cave, you could still... be yourself.
Du Yu gently patted the youth's shoulder, making Shan Teng wince. Du Yu hid the guilt in his eyes, grinning carelessly, "Such a small frame, can't withstand the wind and rain. If it were me, I'd be hopping around by now."
Liu Jinglong then briefly explained the situation to everyone. He said succinctly that he had found the youth, Shan Teng, in a prison under Mo Long Sect, rescued him, and used a secret talisman he had devised to swap appearances, so Mo Long Sect hadn't noticed anything amiss yet—otherwise, there would have been an uproar.
For Liu Jinglong, the so-called heavy security and dense restrictions were just three illusory mountain and river barriers, plus an Nascent Soul cultivator on guard. It was like walking into an empty space.
As for that old Nascent Soul—he was, of course, Fan Qiao's Dao guardian, the secondary guest elder of Qionglin Sect. Such a small business of Mo Long Sect wasn't enough for an old Nascent Soul immortal to waste his time here. Passing by earlier, he looked like a very cleanliness-obsessed old immortal, complaining endlessly while drinking with two female Mo Long Sect cultivators. And the substitute talisman Liu Jinglong left behind was no ordinary puppet talisman. Otherwise, the old Nascent Soul wasn't stupid; he made daily rounds of the prison and would have noticed the ruse.
Liu Jinglong smiled. "After bringing Shan Teng out, I visited Fan Qiao twice. Quite surprising—he's a Golden Core who deliberately hid his sword cultivation background. He only recently formed his golden core, so this trip was probably just for leisure."
Fan Qiao was a direct descendant of Qionglin Sect's Patriarch Hall, a favored disciple of the Law-Keeping Patriarch.
He wasn't even sixty yet, a very young Golden Core earth immortal. Rumored to be proficient in talismans and formations, having refined the five elements' natal objects.
Thus, he was a talisman cultivator with limitless Dao prospects.
Rong Chang teased, "And he's also a sword cultivator? That doesn't seem like Qionglin Sect's style. Looks like they have high hopes for him, hiding it so carefully—worried about a sword inquiry?"
Liu Zhiqing breathed a sigh of relief. At Gold Crow Palace, he had told Du Yu plainly: before seeing the youth, no one could guarantee his safety.
Since Du Yu had first come to him, Liu Zhiqing politely thanked Liu Jinglong and started digging in his sleeve—looking for wine, naturally.
Liu Jinglong quickly reached out to stop Liu Zhiqing's arm and smiled. "Even if I hadn't acted, you would have made it in time, because..."
He paused and turned to the youth. "May I say it?"
The youth beamed. "Mr. Liu, say whatever you like. It's nothing shameful."
Shan Teng felt it was better to call Sect Master Liu "Mr. Liu." Mr. Liu had great learning; in these two days together, there was almost nothing Mr. Liu didn't know.
Liu Jinglong continued, "Shan Teng is from Shan Creek. Historically, the area was rich in vines, best for papermaking. It used to be the official paper for government documents in several surrounding countries—durable, moth-resistant for a hundred years. Especially the gold-veined paper, which even immortal masters used for correspondence. But two hundred years ago, the water level of Shan Creek suddenly dropped, nearly drying up. The ancient vines on both banks gradually withered. Due to the shortage of raw materials, Shan paper disappeared for many years. Local immortal masters, limited by their realms, couldn't find the cause and lost this source of income. Actually, it was because Shan Teng received some heavenly fortune, unconsciously protected by the local qi. During his transformation, he absorbed the pure qi of the mountains and rivers, like a cultivator in seclusion, naturally sealing off the area to avoid attracting covetous eyes."
"After Shan Teng completed his transformation, the area naturally returned to its original state, and the ancient vines flourished even more than before—a kind of Dao reciprocation. Shan Teng, being simple and honest, was reluctant to leave immediately. His intentions were good, but this attracted the attention of Mo Long Sect cultivators. They discovered that if they cut the vines to make paper and added a few immortal herbs, the paper quality was excellent. It might sell well across an entire continent's immortal prefectures. So they saw Shan Teng as a cash cow and offered him to Fan Qiao. That's why Shan Teng suffered this calamity, and why Fan Qiao was so determined to have him. Despite all the trouble, he secretly kept Shan Teng alive, waiting for him to submit. Shan Teng had made Fan Qiao swear to spare Du Yu and Ghost Axe Palace in exchange for returning to Shan Creek. But Fan Qiao found the matter too shameful, unwilling even to fake an oath to deceive Shan Teng, thinking that capturing Du Yu would settle everything and force Shan Teng to cooperate. As for Ghost Axe Palace, I've already stationed a sword cultivator from our Taihui Sect, waiting for Qionglin Sect cultivators to come and demand explanations."
Liu Jinglong narrated in detail, meticulously.
No one thought Sect Master Liu was being long-winded.
Chen Li silently noted the name Fan Qiao, the lineage-registered cultivator of Qionglin Sect. Heh, a Golden Core sword cultivator in his fifties—truly a genius. After all, forming his golden core was only about thirty years slower than her!
Good people often do good deeds for no reason; smart people do bad things with clear goals and clear logic.
Chen Li looked at the youth and said softly with a smile, "Shan Teng, according to your local county records, I heard that among Shan papers, there's a long-lost type called Pounded Ice Paper, even better than the gold-veined paper. Could I reserve a hundred knives of that paper from you in the future?"
The youth said shyly, "As much as you want!"
Gao Youqing asked quietly, "Chen Li, how do you know all this?"
Chen Li glanced sideways. "What do you think?"
Gao Youqing smiled—he had asked a stupid question. He couldn't blame Chen Li for being impatient.
Besides cultivation, Chen Li had spent years at Floating Duckweed Sword Lake not only poring over sect archives but also pleading with senior brothers and sisters to help collect and compile historical mountain and river gazettes, dynasty official archives, and local county records from Beiju Continent.
When not practicing swords, she was reading.
Chen Li didn't find it tedious; her days as a cultivator were like those of an old person.
Of the over twenty sword immortal seedlings who stayed in the Righteous Qi World to cultivate.
Even Xie Songhua, who would say "my two disciples are the best in the world," had to admit: when it came to talent, aptitude, nature, and fortune combined, Chen Li—even on Sword Qi Great Wall, among the youngest generation of sword cultivators after Qi Shou and Pang Yuanji—deserved to be called "leading."
So Chen Li not staying on Sword Qi Great Wall, not following Ascension City to the new world, was a considerable regret for Ascension City itself. Even now, old people often brought it up, their words full of melancholy; otherwise, Chen Li would surely have a seat in Ascension City's Patriarch Hall.
But Chen Li had followed Li Cai to Beiju Continent—not bad, either.
Her sword, Dark Slumber, was once the relic of a private residence of a sword immortal, and the previous owner happened to be a rogue sword immortal from Beiju Continent.
As for Chen Li's natal flying sword, "Wake and Sleep," its divine ability was mysterious. The Summer Resort Palace ranked it as "B-top" grade, and it was said that the Hidden Official had deliberately lowered its grade.
Too bad she hadn't been able to go to the Summer Resort Palace and be influenced by the young Hidden Official. Otherwise, her nickname "Little Hidden Official" would be even more fitting.
Rong Chang asked, "So, are we heading to Qionglin Sect?"
Chen Li said, "Brother Rong, let's stay one or two more days. There are too many of us; it's too conspicuous. Besides, Qionglin Sect's Patriarch Hall won't grow legs and run away."
Du Yu was already nearly numb.
He had seen everything.
Good Senior, how did he know so many friends in the mountains?
Only now, near the ferry, did he learn that this amiable Brother Rong was actually the senior disciple of Sword Immortal Li Cai of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake.
I'm probably the most useless among Sword Immortal Chen's friends? No need for 'probably'—definitely.
"Qionglin Sect with sleeves full of wind; invincible Jade Pure under heaven."
Qionglin Sect of Beiju Continent was famous throughout the world, known as "the sect that has been subjected to the most sword inquiries" among sect-level sects.
In history, sword inquiries of various sizes numbered over a hundred.
But many so-called sword inquiries were just a flash of sword light from afar, slamming into Qionglin Sect's mountain and river grand formation.
Only nine struck the Patriarch Hall, and three of those actually shattered it—including one by Ji Yue, the sword immortal of Ape Cry Mountain.
Qionglin Sect had always stood firm.
No wonder Qionglin Sect's Sect Master Lou Miao had the audacity to declare to an entire continent's sword cultivators, "I will fight an entire continent with one sect! Sword immortals are but floating clouds to me!"
Whether Lou Miao actually said that, or someone said it on his behalf—did it matter? It didn't.
Anyway, rumor had it that even the venerable Fire Dragon True Lord, when walking on Hundred Fountain Mountain in his early years, would stroke his beard and nod, earnestly praising, "So strong."
Qionglin Sect was rich.
Not just rich, but genuinely wealthy.
Take the Sharpening Stone Mountain, where cultivators often signed death oaths to fight. Nearby was Hundred Fountain Mountain, which benefited from its proximity—the best place for spectators. As large as a small country's mountain, Qionglin Sect not only bought the entire mountain but also opened over a thousand immortal cave estates there, for rent only, not sale. A bit like the Cloud Cavern Paradise of Jade Turtle Sect. Money flowed in steadily, thread by thread, with each celestial coin landing in Qionglin Sect's pocket. Individually, the amounts weren't eye-catching, but accumulated, they were huge. And the longer the lease, the more expensive.
Basically, most notable sects and cultivators in Beiju Continent had one or two private residences on Hundred Fountain Mountain.
Many wild cultivators too.
No names needed, no need to report origins to Qionglin Sect. Just an alias and a pouch of sufficient celestial coins got you two jade tokens for climbing the mountain and opening doors. The resident cultivators of Qionglin Sect only recognized the tokens, not the people.
Furthermore, with a thousand years of management, the spiritual energy on Hundred Fountain Mountain was so abundant, and the mountain-protecting grand formation so robust, that it could rival the five sacred mountains of a major continent.
And fearing sword inquiries that might cut off profits, the best geomantic sites—most suitable for cultivation—were given free of charge to some old immortal masters. So on the mountain, several old immortal masters were always stationed in their estates, needing only to block any unpredictable sword inquiries during their cultivation period, maybe ten, maybe twenty years at most.
Qionglin Sect's Lou Miao, Zhixuan Peak's Yuan Lingdian, Erlang Temple's Yuan Yang—these three Jade Pure cultivators of our Beiju Continent could casually beat an Immortal from the Central Earth Divine Land.
This was "universally acknowledged across the continent."
It was said that Jiang Shangzhen first proposed it, and it quickly spread across Beiju Continent. That dog thief Jiang finally said something human for once.
Liu Jinglong said, "For the sword inquiry, we don't need many people. Zhiqing, Sword Immortal Rong, and I are enough. The rest of you stay at Qionglin Sect's Copper Coin Ferry. Don't follow us up the mountain."
Baishou rolled his eyes. "Just say we're low-realm dead weight."
Liu Zhiqing and Rong Chang had already started drinking. Liu Jinglong looked the other way—probably because he looked down on both their drinking capacities.
Sect Master Liu's drinking capacity—how bottomless it was—was known not only in Beiju Continent but on Sword Qi Great Wall as well.
In this matter, Liu Zhiqing of Gold Crow Palace, Li Cai of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake, the old wretch Wang Fusu, and Xu Xingjiu of Cloud City—each had their credit.
As for the chief culprit, he was busy establishing a subordinate sect back in Tongye Continent.
Chen Li hesitated.
Liu Jinglong smiled and asked, "Chen Li, any suggestions?"
Chen Li smiled sheepishly. "I'll just say a few things."
She waved her sleeve, and a misty haze appeared, eventually forming a geographical map of Qionglin Sect's territory. She pointed at the mountainside of the ancestral mountain. "Sect Master Liu, I have a guess. Starting from this Spring Gushing Pavilion, halfway up this Qionglin Sect ancestral mountain, I think it's a maze formation. This White Snake Path near the Patriarch Hall is another mountain and river formation. So when sword cultivators from outside have come to inquire over the years, even if their sword light appears to break through the mountain and river restrictions and land on the Patriarch Hall, even to the point of smashing it, it's all in vain."
"Qionglin Sect had that saying, 'paper-thin mountain formations, ever-changing Patriarch Halls.' They'd rebuild a new one within two months. In my opinion, it's not just that Qionglin Sect is wealthy and well-practiced—though they certainly have the money—but that it doesn't fit the character of Qionglin Sect's cultivators. So it's highly likely that the Patriarch Hall seen by outsiders is just a high-level illusion, with the real body being a 'snail shell' Dao ground. The sword light only shatters a shell."
"So for you, Sect Master Liu, if you just want face, you could do as past sword cultivators did: stand near the summit and deliver a few blows from afar, making Qionglin Sect lose face. But if you want a real sword inquiry, you not only have to ascend the mountain but also be careful of the mountain and river illusions past the Spring Gushing Pavilion. Same goes for walking the White Snake Path. As my master says, sneaking near the Patriarch Hall without being noticed is actually very difficult."
Liu Jinglong smiled and nodded. Truly the Little Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall.
Chen Li had guessed seven or eight parts right.
Based on a fragmented map pieced together from here and there, reaching those conclusions was already impressive.
Then he looked at his own senior disciple, who was secretly drinking. Liu Jinglong felt somewhat helpless. If he liked drinking so much, he could have a good brotherly drink with someone at Immortal Capital Mountain.
Gao Youqing listened intently. Though Chen Li never had a good expression for her, she was used to it. Her master said Chen Li was cold on the outside but warm inside.
Du Yu was deeply impressed. This little sword immortal, seemingly young, had very seasoned worldly experience.
Chen Li asked tentatively, "Sect Master Liu, could I not announce my name and secretly have a sword inquiry with Fan Qiao?"
Liu Jinglong nodded. "After you've had your sword inquiry with Fan Qiao, I can make sure the news doesn't reach Qionglin Sect for a while. As someone would say, for a sword that can be inquired or not inquired..."
Chen Li immediately understood and smiled, finishing, "We sword cultivators, first inquire, then talk!"
Liu Jinglong reminded, "Provided you can escape after the fight, and try to leave no trace. Also, don't kill him. There'll be plenty of chances later."
Chen Li said solemnly, "Understood."
Liu Jinglong suddenly asked with a smile, "Chen Li, if I remember correctly, this is your first sword inquiry in the Righteous Qi World. Choosing Fan Qiao—doesn't it feel awkward?"
Chen Li shook her head. "What's awkward about it? As long as I don't outrank him, any sword inquiry is the same."
Our Hidden Official could even wear women's clothes to fight on the battlefield, all graceful and charming, shouting coquettishly without feeling the least bit awkward.
Thinking of that, Chen Li felt the Hidden Official was truly a lofty peak, unreachable in this lifetime. She only hoped that on her path up the mountain, she could vaguely see the blue-robed figure of the Hidden Official in the distance.
Chen Li suddenly closed her eyes and summoned her flying sword, letting it roam to a nearby natal acupoint. A grain-sized portion of her mind immersed itself there.
A moment later, she opened her eyes. The sword inquiry was done.
Her natal flying sword, "Wake and Sleep": awake is wake, asleep is sleep.
Chen Li hadn't been ruthless—she only poked a few small holes in Fan Qiao.
Because she was far from having fully mastering this flying sword's refinement.
Later that night, Fan Qiao suffered another sword inquiry.
Both times, he blinked and a sword cultivator with an indistinct face and form appeared before him without warning, poking him a few more times. Fan Qiao had no power to resist.
And the old Nascent Soul Dao guardian couldn't even see the sword cultivator.
Forget Fan Qiao—even the old Nascent Soul was scared out of his wits.
Which upper-five-realm sword immortal, holding a grudge against Qionglin Sect, had the nerve to haunt a junior Golden Core like this?!
As for the two flying sword messages sent from Mo Long Sect to Qionglin Sect, they both silently ended up in Liu Jinglong's sleeve. They would be sent to Qionglin Sect's ancestral mountain a bit later.
Afterward, the group set out for Qionglin Sect.
Chen Li and the others stayed at Copper Coin Ferry.
Liu Jinglong, Liu Zhiqing, and Rong Chang headed for Qionglin Sect's ancestral mountain. Outsiders on a tour had to stop at the Spring Gushing Pavilion halfway up.
But simply ascending the mountain was already a lesson.
Because Liu Zhiqing and Rong Chang were surprised to see, through the blurry mist, that there seemed to be three more people walking on a path beside them, growing farther and farther away from "themselves."
What a Qionglin Sect—they had practically spent enough money to build two ancestral mountains that were almost equally real and illusory.
On the true ancestral mountain's divine path, Liu Jinglong took the lead with talismans in hand, each step drawing a talisman. Liu Zhiqing and Rong Chang walked as if through a talisman formation.
Liu Jinglong only paused briefly at the Spring Gushing Pavilion and some spot on the White Snake Path, then continued his "stroll" with the other two.
Soon they arrived outside the Patriarch Hall.
Rong Chang couldn't help but ask through heart-to-heart, "Is this the place?"
Liu Jinglong spoke aloud with a smile, "No need for heart-to-heart—the Qionglin Sect cultivators can't hear us."
Liu Zhiqing asked an off-topic question, "Liu Jinglong, tell me honestly: against a non-sword-cultivator immortal, how many swords would you need to deliver?"
Liu Jinglong smiled. "Hard to say. I've never fought an immortal."
Liu Zhiqing was momentarily speechless.
Liu Jinglong said, "For this sword inquiry, we shouldn't disturb the grass too much. Chen Ping'an will visit Qionglin Sect himself on his next trip to Beiju Continent—he has personal business to discuss. So after we chop down this Patriarch Hall, we withdraw. No sword inquiry with Qionglin Sect cultivators."
Liu Zhiqing laughed angrily. "What kind of sword inquiry is that? The hall just sits there for us to chop, like woodcutters cutting firewood!"
Liu Jinglong shrugged helplessly. "Blame me?"
Rong Chang burst out laughing. Sword Immortal Liu was being too fussy. He himself didn't mind at all. He immediately summoned his natal flying sword and slashed wildly at the Patriarch Hall.
Liu Zhiqing had no choice but to follow.
Liu Jinglong didn't draw his sword. With one hand behind his back, he raised the other, pointing and leaving a talisman. Then he pointed at the ground, leaving two talismans and two sentences.
"Three feet above the head, there are gods."
"I'll come back for another sword inquiry."
The three sword cultivators returned the way they came.
Liu Jinglong stopped Liu Zhiqing and Rong Chang. The next moment, their forms overlapped with the "three" at the Spring Gushing Pavilion. Quite a few cultivators were there, gathered to admire the view.
Then came a thunderous crash, heart-stopping, like thunder in the ears. But the cultivators looked around, bewildered. The entire Qionglin Sect ancestral mountain and nearby peaks showed no signs of anything amiss. Where had the noise come from?
Liu Jinglong, Liu Zhiqing, and Rong Chang mingled with the crowd on the mountain path and walked down the mountain leisurely.
They lingered at Copper Coin Ferry for two more days before taking a slow ferry to the central Ji River, passing through the capital of Dayuan Dynasty and the Water Dragon Cavern Heaven before parting ways.
Liu Jinglong took his disciple Baishou aboard the Kite Ferry. Du Yu and Shan Teng temporarily followed Rong Chang's group to Floating Duckweed Sword Lake. Liu Zhiqing would travel along the great river.
On the ferry, Baishou and Bai Xuan were old acquaintances, chatting happily, along with the second steward Jia Sheng.
Following Chen Ping'an's instructions in the letter, Liu Jinglong found the girl named Chai Wu. He took out two talisman papers and placed them on the table, telling Chai Wu to learn to draw talismans as he did.
Chai Wu did it meticulously, just copying the pattern mechanically.
Bai Xuan laughed heartily.
This little grass-and-wood girl was just doodling.
Xiao Mili sat nearby, gently clapping for Chai Wu.
Liu Jinglong glanced at the spiritual light in one talisman's core and knew the situation. He asked with a smile, "Chai Wu, do you want to learn talisman drawing? As long as it doesn't interfere with your main cultivation, it's an extra skill."
Chai Wu nodded. "If Sect Master Liu is willing to teach, I'm happy to learn. But my aptitude for cultivation isn't very good."
Liu Jinglong couldn't help but ask, "Why do you think your cultivation aptitude isn't good?"
Chai Wu looked embarrassed, shook her head, and didn't speak.
Mountain Master Chen had taught her twice in person and then didn't bother with her anymore, leaving it to Mr. Xiao Mo.
It didn't matter. On the ferry, she freeloaded food and drink—half a catty of wine a day, and it was the kind of immortal wine that only mountain immortals could afford. The taste, compared to inferior wine from the tavern, wasn't like drinking a knife, but the aftertaste lingered. So she had to have a conscience and remember Mountain Master Chen's kindness.
Besides, Guardian Zhou, though usually muddle-headed, was actually quite sharp. She had an excellent memory.
Up and down, inside and out of Fallen Mountain, the Right Guardian remembered everything.
So what Zhou Mili knew was essentially what Mountain Master Chen knew.
The Kite Ferry sailed south across the sea, about to enter Baoping Continent's land.
That night, Liu Jinglong stood at the prow with Mi Yu. Xiao Mili didn't continue her night patrol, not wanting to disturb the important talk between the Rice Wine and Mr. Liu.
In her own room, she leaned over the table, counting her fingers. When would they pass by Fallen Mountain? When would they reach Immortal Capital Mountain?
After Mi Yu left, Liu Jinglong stood alone by the railing, remembering something Chen Ping'an had repeatedly emphasized in the letter.
The key point was that the secret letter also had a unique prohibition Liu Jinglong had taught Chen Ping'an. In the "second letter," he reminded Liu Jinglong to break into Immortal Realm quietly, without making a big announcement. If possible, don't even mention it within the Patriarch Hall. Especially be careful of the great sword immortal Bai Shang to the north. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Taihui Sword Sect's sword cultivators, but the speaker means no harm, while the listener takes it to heart. Your natal flying sword is just too special. Next time you go into seclusion to try for Ascension Realm, I'll come to Taihui Sword Sect to guard the pass for you...
If you were a native sword cultivator of Sword Qi Great Wall, on the Summer Resort Palace's records, you'd definitely be "A-top" rank!
As for Chen Ping'an's own two natal flying swords, Cage Sparrow and Well Bottom Moon, they were only A-bottom and A-middle.
Of course, the rank of a sword cultivator's flying sword could improve—it wasn't fixed.
Liu Jinglong smiled to himself and murmured, "He's even more long-winded than I am."
His flying sword's innate divine ability was "Rules."
Right now, wherever Liu Jinglong looked, it was the realm of rules.
When the Kite Ferry passed over Changchun Palace's ferry, Liu Jinglong quietly disembarked by sword to go to the Greater Li capital. At an immortal guesthouse, he met Han Zhoujin and announced his name.
Han Zhoujin caught Sect Master Liu completely off guard.
Liu Jinglong had to repeatedly explain to her, "I don't drink."
Finally, at the ferry, when Liu Jinglong re-boarded the Kite, he looked murderous, as if he was about to start a sword inquiry with someone.