# Chapter 915: On the Ridge
Yang Ningsheng's face was flushed red from having his neck squeezed tight. He could only vigorously slap the arm of the person behind him, hoping his attacker would show mercy. They were all strangers who didn't know each other, so why resort to violence?
The white-robed youth seemed to have quite a temper. Not only did he not loosen his grip, but he instead sank his qi into his dantian, shifted his stance slightly, and pulled Brother Mumao's body backward until his back was nearly parallel to the ground.
Yang Ningsheng was truly getting dizzy. He struggled to speak: "Good Man brother, control him, quickly control him. Don't just watch me die here. Your student has innate divine strength, his strikes are too heavy..."
One could see a youthful face, a red mole between the eyebrows, and a face full of killing intent. The white-robed youth turned his head to look at Zheng Dafeng, bent his knees slightly into a half-squat, first gave a vicious twist with his hand that made Yang Ningsheng roll his eyes back, didn't bother checking whether he was alive or dead, and just grinned brightly: "Brother Dafeng!"
Zheng Dafeng smiled: "Haven't seen you in years, Brother Cui is still a dashing young lad."
When it came to friendships, Zheng Dafeng naturally had closer ties with Old Cook and Wei Shanjun. The three of them were all somewhat wary of this big white goose; they could only be described as neither distant nor particularly close.
Zheng Dafeng asked: "What brings you here?"
Cui Dongshan grinned, revealing his teeth. The mountain man had his own brilliant schemes.
Chen Ping'an reminded: "Dongshan, that's about enough. If you keep this up, Brother Mumao is going to play dead, then come looking for me to reimburse him for medical expenses."
Only then did Cui Dongshan release his arm and help Brother Mumao stand up. The latter rubbed his neck with one hand, coughing nonstop. Cui Dongshan helped pat his back, smiling slyly: "My fault, I was too enthusiastic. I've been longing to meet Brother Mumao for so long, and I just couldn't control myself when we finally met. Brother Mumao won't hold a grudge, will he?"
Yang Ningsheng laughed awkwardly: "No, no."
In the eyes of qi refiners and ordinary scholars, these were two completely different worlds.
Once a qi refiner began climbing the path of cultivation, they would see a brand new heaven and earth.
A sudden clarity would dawn, as if opening a heavenly eye. The surrounding people and objects would become crystal clear. The trembling of eyelashes, the fine needle-holes in clothing as large as fishing net mesh, the trembling amplitude of crow's feet when women spoke—all visible. The gaps in the powder they applied on their faces would appear like crisscrossing field ridges.
Nearby footsteps, even every breath and heartbeat, would sound like thunder in the ears of cultivators.
So every qi refiner, at the beginning of their cultivation, needed to adapt to this earth-shattering change.
Additionally, all techniques and divine abilities, as well as sword cultivators' flying swords, would more or less create some ripples of qi.
For cultivators, perceiving these minute traces was like an ordinary person sitting by the water when someone throws a stone into it. The splashes and ripples that spread out were just like the spiritual qi ripples between heaven and earth.
So someone approaching the wine table without being detected had already greatly surprised Yang Ningsheng. That he could be ambushed, have his neck seized, and be rendered completely helpless—that was even more terrifying.
This was the Five Colors World, where upper fifth realm cultivators could be counted on one's fingers, not the Northern Juzhou Continent where great dragons and serpents lurked everywhere.
What use was this Nascent Soul realm of mine?!
At the wine table, Chen Ping'an, Zheng Dafeng, Cui Dongshan, and Yang Ningsheng each occupied one long bench. But Cui Dongshan shamelessly squeezed onto the same bench as Brother Mumao, bumping shoulders with him and grinning cheekily: "Brother Mumao, your little brother here knows a bit about physiognomy. I can tell your luck is excellent. You're in a great season where both fortune and fate are flourishing. Coming here, you must have made a big haul. Why don't we brothers be open with each other, spread out our goods, and have a proper vendor's stall for bartering?"
Yang Ningsheng said sheepishly: "To tell the truth, I'm ashamed..."
Cui Dongshan lifted his feet, twisted his body, stood up, and with lightning speed, once again viciously seized Brother Mumao's neck.
Yang Ningsheng immediately said: "Not that ashamed, actually. I've made some small gains. A vendor's stall works perfectly fine! How could it not!"
Damn it, no wonder he was a student brought up by Good Man brother. He'd almost surpassed his teacher. Turning hostile was faster than flipping through a book. Back in the Ghost Valley, Good Man brother had never been so unprincipled in his conduct.
Chen Ping'an paid no attention to Cui Dongshan's absurd behavior. He just raised his wine bowl, clinked it with Zheng Dafeng's, and each drank. He was treating this commotion as an appetizer for their drinks.
Evil people needed to be dealt with by those even more evil. As the saying went, brine curdles bean curd—everything has its natural counterpart.
Cui Dongshan sat back in his original position: "No rush to set up the stall. Let's get the drinking done properly first."
His Master didn't really like talking about his own travels. Occasionally when he brought up some landscape stories, he would gloss over them in just a few sentences. But this Brother Mumao—Master had actually spoken quite a bit about him.
Moreover, when talking about that black-robed scholar, Master's face carried quite a bit of laughter.
Back in the early years in Northern Jizhou, Chen Ping'an had once reunited with Jiang Shangzhen. The latter had leaked heavenly secrets. That Yang Ningsheng from the Thundercloud Palace, hailed as the "Little Heavenly Lord," was a genuine born Dao seed. He intended to perform the extremely dangerous act of slaying the Three Corpses, gathering his evil thoughts into a single mustard seed of the mind, then cutting it out. This way, when Yang Ningsheng later broke through his bottleneck from Nascent Soul to Jade Foundation, the hindrances of heart demons and mental barriers would be much smaller.
The act of slaying the Three Corpses was considered a unique path to heaven within the Daoist tradition. The Buddhist tradition also had the method of subduing the heart-monkey and will-horse, achieving the same effect through different means.
Chen Ping'an had witnessed both personally. Besides Yang Ningsheng, he had also encountered a white-robed monk in a desolate wilderness who had carved a cave dwelling into a cliff face and had been keeping company with a heart-monkey for many years.
As for the black-robed scholar claiming he had fought alongside Chen Ping'an and split profits with him—that wasn't entirely false. The two of them had schemed against each other throughout Ghost Valley, engaging in mutual deception and calculation, and had each gained something in the end. Yang Ningsheng had obtained that "quite valuable" golden ray fish from the old dragon's lair. And "quite valuable" was an appraisal that came from Jiang Shangzhen's own mouth.
For something that even Jiang Shangzhen considered valuable, it must truly be worth a fortune, mustn't it?
So when it came to this account, Chen Ping'an had remembered it clearly even after all these years. So in the end, after all that hard work, he had still made a modest profit, while Brother Mumao had quietly pocketed the lion's share?
Yang Ningsheng saw that the white-robed youth surnamed Cui had pulled a jade-bamboo folding fan from his sleeve. With two fingers, he twisted it open with a *smack*. Four characters were written on it: "Virtue Commands Submission."
Could it be that he had encountered a kindred spirit?
"Brother Mumao, your little brother here has a unique secret technique that can help you break free from Yang Ningsheng's control. Otherwise, you might seem free and at ease, but in the end, you'll inevitably be working for someone else's benefit. Cultivation is arduous, and the result would be just like a dish on the table—for what?"
Cui Dongshan's face was full of sincerity as he spoke earnestly: "Why not let us brothers do a big business deal together? How about it? This kind of vendor's stall is one of a kind in the entire world. You must treasure this opportunity—after this village, there won't be any more shops."
Yang Ningsheng smiled and shook his head: "Why try to deceive me, Brother Cui? Even a great sword immortal like Bai Chang could cut through red threads of marital fate, but they couldn't cut through this kind of karmic thread that draws one along the Great Path."
Cui Dongshan shook his fan vigorously and sneered: "Every profession has its specialty. Who does Bai Chang think she is?"
Yang Mumao turned to look at Chen Ping'an, puzzled: "Good Man brother, is this Immortal Master Cui really your student, and not the teacher who led you onto the path of cultivation?"
Chen Ping'an smiled: "He's my student."
Cui Dongshan twisted his fan around, showing the other side to Yang Ningsheng.
On it was written: "Refuse and Die."
Yang Ningsheng caught sight of those four large characters, leaned back in exaggerated panic, and quickly cupped his hands: "No wonder I felt an instant connection with Fellow Daoist Cui. After just a few words, you've spoken my heart. Yang Mumao's foundation for standing in the world and his principles for dealing with others are all contained in the eight characters on both sides of Fellow Daoist Cui's fan."
Cui Dongshan took out a small celadon dish from his sleeve, shook his sleeve, and a few pieces of dried peach preserved fruit fell out. He looked at his Master.
Chen Ping'an shook his head, so Cui Dongshan picked up a piece of preserved fruit and put it in his mouth, then pushed the dish to Zheng Dafeng, speaking indistinctly: "Brother Dafeng, have a taste. It's quite a rare delicacy. It'll be hard to come by in the future."
Zheng Dafeng didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed a piece of preserved fruit and put it in his mouth. As soon as he chewed, he immediately understood the craftsmanship, clicking his tongue in wonder: "Excellent skill."
Chen Ping'an picked up the dish and handed it to Yang Ningsheng, who carefully picked up a piece of preserved fruit with two fingers. It appeared to be made from dried peach. Chen Ping'an then placed the dish back in front of Zheng Dafeng before casually asking: "Brother Mumao, what are your plans from here?"
Yang Ningsheng chewed slowly and deliberately. Suddenly his eyes lit up with excitement. One of his soul and two of his spirit components felt like parched ground receiving a long-awaited rain. The benefits were immense—it was like swallowing and refining an entire cauldron of miraculous elixirs. He glanced at the small dish from the corner of his eye. There were still three pieces of preserved fruit left. He spoke: "I'll continue wandering. Since I came from the south, I plan to go north and see if I can encounter some wise and talented enlightened ruler who might hire me as a national preceptor or something. Next time Good Man brother passes through, I'll play host and provide a most generous reception!"
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Yang Ningsheng asked: "Good Man brother, after I finish setting up my stall with Fellow Daoist Cui, I'll really be on my way."
Chen Ping'an just nodded again.
Seeing that Good Man brother was unmoved, Yang Ningsheng had to steel himself and ask: "Won't you really invite me into the Summer Retreat Palace? Who knows, maybe if I get a rush of blood to the head, I might just stay. Even if I'm not a sword cultivator, I could always serve as a guest elder. It would give me a chance to contribute what little I can to Soaring Ascension City and the Hidden Official lineage."
Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine, chuckling: "The Summer Retreat Palace is a small temple. It wouldn't be able to accommodate a man of unparalleled strategy like Brother Mumao. A forced melon isn't sweet. I don't think there's any need to keep you."
"Not sweet? How could it not be sweet? For delicacies like these preserved fruits on the table, if one could eat them two or three times a year, even a forcibly pried bitter melon would be sweet as honey. Besides, Good Man brother knows me well. When I'm away from home, I'm most capable of enduring hardship. If I become a guest elder of the Summer Retreat Palace, you wouldn't even need to pay me a salary."
Yang Ningsheng forcibly swallowed the preserved fruit that had been quickly chewed in his mouth, secretly circulated his small world's spiritual qi to guide it to several of his natal qi palaces for "storage," then reached toward the dish for another piece. But Cui Dongshan closed his fan and struck the back of his hand heavily, making Yang Ningsheng withdraw his hand in embarrassment.
"Why go far when there's something right in front of you, Brother Mumao? Refusing a ready-made bargain right there for the taking—how can you call yourself a vendor?"
Cui Dongshan fanned a cool breeze, smiling faintly: "If I'm not mistaken, you've been to the north, become a Guardian True Person, acquired your own territory, propped up a puppet emperor, and when everything is ready except the east wind, you plan to seek out either the Elegant Minister Yao Qing or some direct disciple of National Preceptor Bai Ou, to quietly make a deal with the Azure Mountain Dynasty of the Azure Firmament World, each getting what they need? You're looking for self-preservation, and the Azure Spirit Dynasty can gain a large exclave along with several vassal immortal mansions. Given Brother Mumao's current fortune, I'd say your chances are still quite good."
Yang Ningsheng's expression turned serious, and he remained silent.
Cui Dongshan pressed his advantage: "But there are still many years until the next gate opening. Brother Mumao's Nascent Soul realm journey appears smooth and steady, yet since you met me today, you might meet someone else tomorrow. And since meeting me is an excellent thing, meeting someone else next time would, by all logic, be precarious. Let me state upfront—this isn't me cursing you, Brother Mumao!"
Chen Ping'an let Cui Dongshan continue his persuasive speech.
Cui Dongshan repeatedly said that the black-robed scholar had excellent fortune, which was actually the truth. If his luck had been slightly worse, as one of the Three Corpses that Yang Ningsheng had slashed away, he should have dissolved into smoke and scattered long ago.
This was also the reason why, when Chen Ping'an parted ways with the black-robed scholar back then, he had felt a sadness that "once we part, we'll never meet again."
Yang Ningsheng smiled and looked at Chen Ping'an: "Good Man brother, I still trust you more. Why don't you give me a straight answer—does this Fellow Daoist Cui truly have a method that benefits both sides?"
Chen Ping'an nodded: "He does. But it's still not a permanent solution. However, I can guarantee that Brother Mumao won't need to seek out that 'Yao Yaxiang,' and can still increase his Dao attainment by several hundred years. I think that should be manageable. During this time, how you deal with Yang Ningsheng, whether you can break through to the Jade Foundation realm or even become an Immortal, and whether you can later find the key to untie this dead knot—all of that will depend on Brother Mumao's own fate and fortune."
Yang Ningsheng seemed to have swallowed a calming pill. He clapped his hands in admiration: "As expected, Good Man brother's deals are fair and honest, cheating neither old nor young."
Putting aside everything else, this Good Man brother had plenty of defensive caution but absolutely no intention of actively harming others. If that wasn't being a good man, what was?
This Brother Mumao before him, who possessed one soul and two spirits of Yang Ningsheng, had come to the Five Colors World to train precisely because Yang Ningsheng had unexpectedly chosen a higher and more distant Great Path.
Seeking treasures and picking up bargains, breaking through cultivation realms—these were all smokescreens. The true pursuit worthy of being called "Great Path prospects" was to establish relations with the Azure Spirit Dynasty's prime minister, Yao Qing, and when the gate reopened, to go to the Azure Firmament World and pay respects to that "Elegant Minister" Yao Qing, whose Dao arts penetrated the mysteries of heaven.
This matter was both a decree from Yang Ningsheng's true self, which "Brother Mumao" as one of the Three Corpses could not disobey, and also a form of self-rescue for the black-robed scholar.
Because if the plan failed, Yang Ningsheng could only take a step back, retrieve, refine, and merge with "Yang Mumao" as one of the Three Corpses, restoring himself to the complete Yang Ningsheng.
If the black-robed scholar couldn't come to an agreement with Yao Qing and returned empty-handed, Yang Ningsheng had the means to ensure that "Brother Mumao" would cease to exist in the mortal world.
Chen Ping'an suddenly asked: "Has the real Yang Ningsheng already entered the Five Colors World through the Indus Continent, and then secretly gone to the Azure Firmament World?"
The black-robed scholar's expression darkened. He raised his wine bowl and took a big gulp, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes were dim and unclear as he stared at the shallow ripples in the wine within the bowl: "It's obvious. My only retreat has long been blocked by that fellow. Given Yang Ningsheng's disposition, how could he leave me unchecked and let me, the bad seed he despises most, defect to the White Jade Capital? If nothing unexpected happens, he's already somewhere in the five cities and twelve towers of the White Jade Capital, beginning to study the Dao."
He looked up and smiled freely, holding the white bowl in his palm and shaking it gently: "No matter how good the wine, it's still only in one bowl. But there's nothing to regret. In the end, it's still good wine."
Cui Dongshan sighed: "Yao Qing might be feasible, but Yang Ningsheng might not be. In terms of talent, aptitude, and blessings, the Little Heavenly Lord of Northern Juzhou is still somewhat inferior to Yao Qing's heaven-endowed gifts. Of course, if Brother Mumao thinks I'm being alarmist, I won't stop you."
The Daoist method of slaying the Three Corpses to attain the Dao was both profound and perilous. Not everyone could succeed. Throughout history, many Daoist masters who had taken this path had failed in the end, leaving behind severe consequences.
Even if successful, for the Daoist himself, the benefits were certainly enormous. But for the Three Corpses, it often meant the destruction of their bodies and the extinction of their Dao, a fate akin to being refined as a natal object before returning to soul and spirit. A single human lifetime was as short as autumn grass.
But in Daoist history, there were a few exceptions that could be counted on one's fingers. In the Azure Firmament World's Azure Spirit Dynasty—where a wave of "Five Mausoleum Youths" had emerged—the prime minister Yao Qing, whose Dao title was "Guardian of the Tombs," had accomplished a remarkable feat. This Daoist master, who was often invited to the White Jade Capital's Jade Emperor City to lecture and transmit the Dao, had not only slashed away his Three Corpses but had also brought forth three additional "Corpse-Emancipated Immortals," all registered among the immortals. One person with three Dharma bodies, cultivating together, their Great Paths closely connected yet not interfering with each other. Beyond the Yin Spirit and Yang Spirit external bodies, Yao Qing had gained an additional "Great Path companion" consisting of one Immortal and two Jade Foundation cultivators who had emerged from the Three Corpses. They were similar to ghost immortals but not identical.
And Yao Qing himself, the "original body," was a peak Flying Ascension realm cultivator.
Chen Ping'an asked: "That elder brother of yours, Yang Ningzhen—is he planning to reach the mountain summit realm here in the Five Colors World, then go find Bai Ou and ask her to help him train his fists?"
Yang Ningsheng shook his head with a smile: "I'm not sure about that. My elder brother's thoughts are always so unconstrained that outsiders find them hard to fathom."
The national preceptor of the Azure Spirit Dynasty, Bai Ou, was a female Pure Martial Artist. She carried a hand halberd named "Iron Chamber" at her waist. She was the third-ranked martial artist in the Azure Firmament World, unquestionably at the Ruin-Probing level of the Pinnacle Realm.
Yang Ningsheng seemed to have finally made up his mind: "I'll take this deal! Even if there's still a bit of lingering attachment, it's still better than being a puppet on strings. This way, I'll be free and he'll be at ease. Yang Ningsheng can cultivate the Great Path without distraction in the White Jade Capital. For me, Yang Mumao, and for him, Yang Ningsheng, in the long run, it's all for the best."
Xiao Mo had been staying inside the shop, carefully examining the wooden plaques on the wall.
Cui Dongshan waved his hand vigorously: "Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, come quickly."
Xiao Mo walked out of the shop quickly, asking with a smile: "Does Mr. Cui need something?"
Cui Dongshan smiled and asked: "Xiao Mo, can you see that clearly prioritized karmic thread?"
Xiao Mo glanced at the black-robed scholar and nodded: "I can see it. This long thread of purple-gold Dao aura extends all the way to the canopy, forming what early Daoists called a 'line of sky' with someone in another world."
Generally speaking, Xiao Mo never actively probed others' heartstrings, regardless of their realm or lineage.
There was no need.
In the ancient era, many deities who had fallen to the mortal world for various reasons were permitted by the old Heavenly Court to walk the earth in a state of atonement.
This was the origin of some earthly immortals re-ascending to heaven.
A long line hung from heaven, pulling at the earth.
This was the so-called "Heaven's net is vast and wide, nothing escapes it." Small fish could swim freely within it, but "big fish" who had cultivated Dao arts and built up power would find it difficult to break free until death.
Later, when the young master severed the connection between heaven and earth, it was largely due to this matter.
The sage used his own Great Path to separate heaven and earth. And the price this Rites Sage paid was that he could not ascend to the fifteenth realm.
It wasn't that he couldn't, but that he was unwilling.
In the ancient era, because of this celestial phenomenon, a small group of Daoists who had experienced sudden enlightenment accidentally discovered certain orderly cycles of Dao art circulation. Over time, this evolved into various Dao lineages, including the Qi Observers.
Cui Dongshan asked: "Can it be cut?"
Xiao Mo nodded: "Now that 'Heaven doesn't interfere,' I can completely sever this long line. Besides, even in bygone days, I had done such things before. I can guarantee it will be done without any harm. If this Fellow Daoist Yang is ruthless enough to pay the price of dropping several realms to buy his freedom, I can help scrape out that half-mustard seed of a Dao seed from his Dao heart. Then either keep it to return to the original owner someday—settling accounts cleanly—or be even more ruthless and let me shatter the Dao seed with a sword strike, ruining that person's Great Path prospects. Neither option is a problem."
Chen Ping'an squinted and smiled: "Brother Mumao, what do you say?"
The black-robed scholar rubbed his hands together and smiled: "Just temporarily severing the karmic thread is enough. As the old saying goes, 'Leave some room for others, and you'll have an easier time meeting again.'"
Chen Ping'an nodded: "Makes sense."
So our Brother Mumao began to concentrate and hold his breath, mentally preparing himself for the possibility of his human body's small world shattering like mountains and rivers breaking apart. Several natal objects that Yang Ningsheng had left him were already poised and waiting in various qi palaces, gathering Dao aura from all directions like troops assembling for an emergency, all rushing to a most critical "capital region," standing on guard to avoid accidentally dropping realms and damaging the foundation of his Great Path.
But that fellow whom Fellow Daoist Cui called "Xiao Mo" simply walked up to him, spread his five fingers above his head, twisted his wrist as if lightly pulling something, and then was done.
The black-robed scholar waited patiently for a moment, saw that Xiao Mo had already sat down on an empty bench, and only then tentatively asked, utterly bewildered: "That's it?"
This yellow-hatted, blue-robed young cultivator—did he think he was a Flying Ascension realm sword cultivator?
Damn it! Good Man brother, you weren't repeating old tricks, colluding to set a trap and swindle me again, were you?
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Why not take a good look at the atmosphere of your own personal world, especially examine the movement of that half a mustard seed of Dao seed. Whether it's real or fake will be clear at a glance."
Cui Dongshan quickly came behind Xiao Mo, raised his elbows, and began massaging Mr. Xiao Mo's shoulders: "Hard work, too hard work! This strike must have consumed immeasurable effort!"
Xiao Mo wanted to say it wasn't hard work, just a simple gesture, but he held back and didn't mention it. That was actually the harder part.
After a moment, the black-robed scholar's playful expression vanished completely. His face was solemn as he asked Chen Ping'an: "How should I repay you?"
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Next time you pass some treasured land, remember to play host, Minister Yang."
The black-robed scholar raised one hand, palm open, and promised: "Before the gate reopens, if I truly become the Guardian True Person of some new dynasty, I'll find ways to gift Soaring Ascension City a population of five hundred thousand."
Cui Dongshan looked at his Master, his eyes questioning whether this deal was profitable. If they weren't making money, he would step in and have a nice rolling-on-the-ground argument with Brother Mumao.
Chen Ping'an nodded, indicating they had made a profit. "You two can have your vendor stall later."
The black-robed scholar's expression showed relief, as if a boulder pressing on his Dao heart had been removed. His Dao heart instantly became a few points clearer, and he vaguely touched upon a breakthrough opportunity, like bamboo shoots peeling away to reveal the form of a wild green bamboo. Suppressing the joy in his heart, he said with a complex expression: "From today onward, I am truly Yang Mumao."
Indeed, every time he met Good Man brother, good things happened.
If there weren't outsiders present, he would have thrown his arm around Good Man brother's shoulders and sincerely said, "Good Man brother, you are truly my lucky general!"
Chen Ping'an raised his wine bowl and said: "Brother Mumao, this time I've actively taken on trouble. So when we meet again in the martial world, don't make me do the work of mending the fold after losing the sheep."
Yang Mumao laughed loudly: "How can one not cherish good fortune?"
Zheng Dafeng smiled and raised his bowl: "Then let everyone at the table drink to the fullest."
After drinking a bowl of wine, Chen Ping'an asked: "Has Shu Zhongshu been to Soaring Ascension City?"
Yang Mumao shook his head: "No. With his style, everyone here would have known about it long ago. Shu Zhongshu is vastly different from us two brothers. A child from a prestigious family, both pampered and noble. When he's out and about, he has all sorts of fussy requirements."
"Besides, that fellow is just lazy and hates moving. He's got good fate. When it comes to cultivation, comparing people only makes you mad. One night when we were drinking, he said he was planning to break into the Jade Foundation realm. By the next day, he'd casually broken into it. Yang Mumao couldn't even determine whether Shu Zhongshu had accumulated his strength over time or had just suddenly felt like doing it."
In truth, mountain cultivators across several worlds all knew that whether it was the top ten young talents or the slightly inferior backup ten, anyone on those lists had promising Great Paths ahead of them.
As long as they weren't too arrogant on the path of cultivation or got carried away with success, they wouldn't encounter any major accidents. They could be considered "Flying Ascension candidates" as sure as the sun rises.
Like Ning Yao and Fei Ran—they were already at the Flying Ascension realm, and both were sword cultivators.
One was the number one person in the Five Colors World, the other was the Lord of the Barren Wasteland.
If they were Pure Martial Artists, they would both have hope of reaching the Ruin-Probing level of the Pinnacle Realm, and even the opportunity to strive for the legendary "With this fist intent, I am a deity" level of "Divine Arrival."
Chen Ping'an asked casually: "How does he feel about Soaring Ascension City?"
Yang Mumao answered without hesitation: "Very good! Couldn't be better. The reason Shu Zhongshu originally came to the Five Colors World was that he resented his parents for not allowing him to travel to Sword Qi Great Wall back then. Shu Nanyuan certainly didn't dare to let him go, so he had never been to Sword Qi Great Wall. Shu Zhongshu considered this the greatest regret of his life. Shu Nanyuan felt extremely guilty about this, so he concealed it from his Dao partner and secretly let his only son leave the mountain."
Chen Ping'an asked with confusion: "He's a sword cultivator?"
Yang Mumao nodded: "He is indeed a sword cultivator."
Because Shu Zhongshu had already exchanged sword strokes with a group of offending cultivators at the border of the Transcendent Platform, and hadn't killed them all, the fact that Shu Zhongshu was a sword cultivator was no longer a secret.
Moreover, Shu Zhongshu had two natal flying swords. One was called "Three Hots"—once unleashed, the sun blazed fiercely, the earth was scorched, and spiritual qi steamed for a hundred miles. The other was called "Plum Rain Season," which was the complete opposite in its divine ability—torrential rain poured down, heaven and earth were dark and gloomy, and the rainwater carried extremely heavy killing aura. A qi refiner caught within would feel like being trapped in an ancient battlefield site filled with yin winds.
However, the quality of these two flying swords was not yet enough to form their own small worlds.
Chen Ping'an glanced at Xiao Mo.
Xiao Mo nodded. It was sincere words.
Chen Ping'an continued asking: "Can you send a message to Shu Zhongshu? Would the Transcendent Platform be willing to form a pact of alliance with Soaring Ascension City?"
Yang Mumao thought for a moment: "That's hard to say. Shu Zhongshu is really too lazy. Even if he has a very favorable impression of Soaring Ascension City, he might not be willing to do anything like forming alliances."
"Shu Zhongshu has had a habit since childhood: whenever he takes the initiative to do something, he pursues some kind of extreme perfection. Then he's not lazy at all."
"If he truly became an ally with Soaring Ascension City, he might take the initiative to request becoming a resident elder here. He knows he can't be the chief elder, so he'd settle for being the second-in-command."
"I'd say within a year, everyone in the three lineages of Punishment Officials, Hidden Officials, and Spring Treasury would be annoyed to death by him."
"Extreme perfection?"
Chen Ping'an asked with confusion: "Give me an example?"
Yang Mumao said: "Like memorizing the Daoist Canon."
Chen Ping'an asked in surprise: "All of it?"
Yang Mumao nodded: "All of it!"
Chen Ping'an listened as if hearing tales from heaven, half-believing: "Three Caves, Four Supplements, and twelve categories, totaling over twelve hundred scrolls. Although there are many versions, the smallest would still have tens of millions of characters, right?"
Yang Mumao nodded: "Exactly. He even chose the version with the most characters. Although he had a photographic memory since childhood and could read ten lines at a glance, Shu Zhongshu's mother nearly died from heartache back then. And after memorizing about a third of it, Shu Zhongshu did get a bit of a 'headache.' He was just starting his cultivation back then, not at a high realm—only a lower fifth realm cultivator. Shu Nanyuan broke his usual pattern and put on the fatherly posture, forbidding him from continuing to memorize, threatening to apply family discipline and make him sleep on the floor in the ancestral hall. So Shu Zhongshu switched to focusing on cultivation for half a year, soon broke into the middle fifth realm, and only then continued memorizing. In the end, he memorized it all. Now he can recite it backward without a single mistake."
Cui Dongshan clicked his tongue in wonder: "Promising."
Zheng Dafeng rubbed his chin, sighing: "The young people these days are all lively and fierce, one after another."
Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly. He understood. Shu Zhongshu also had a bit of an obsessive-compulsive personality, similar to Liu Mao at the Yellow Flower Temple.
Yang Mumao showed an expression of considerable envy: "It's said that that Talisman-Excelling Immortal once passed through the Land of Flowing Xia, stopped at the Heavenly Corner Cave Heaven, and saw the young Shu Zhongshu just beginning to memorize texts. He developed a fondness for the talent and wanted to accept him. But Shu Zhongshu's mother couldn't bear to let her son become a Daoist. Moreover, in that woman's view, the intention Yu Xuan revealed at the time was only to accept Shu Zhongshu as a direct disciple, not a closed-door disciple. Since Shu Zhongshu was an only son, he would certainly inherit the Heavenly Corner Cave Heaven in the future. So the apprenticeship never happened."
Becoming a direct disciple of Yu Xuan—even if not a closed-door disciple—such fortune was indeed enviable beyond measure.
Yang Mumao chuckled: "Besides, the reason Shu Zhongshu hasn't come to Soaring Ascension City is that he has some messy quirks and rules. He said that Soaring Ascension City contains a Hidden Official's Summer Retreat Palace whose name doesn't quite match his own name, so it's not suitable for him to visit here."
Chen Ping'an waved his hand: "I'm not getting involved in your vendor stall. I don't have any money on me."
So Cui Dongshan led Yang Mumao bustling into the shop. They crouched behind the counter and began bartering. When one had too many treasures, some were bound to be leftovers.
In less than half an incense stick's time, the two had their arms around each other's shoulders as they left the shop and returned to the wine table. One wanted to pour wine for the other, the other said "let me do it." They were more affectionate than brothers.
After drinking about one jar of wine, Yang Mumao was just slightly tipsy. He stood up and took his leave, heading north. Since he no longer needed to seek out the Elegant Minister Yao Qing, he would settle down in the north in peace.
Chen Ping'an took the lead in walking through the streets and alleys, escorting Yang Mumao to the north outside the city walls. Cui Dongshan and Xiao Mo followed behind. Since they were on foot, they encountered many acquaintances of the Second Shopkeeper along the way, and Chen Ping'an would stop to chat with each one.
Yang Mumao made a Daoist hand gesture: "Seeing off a friend a thousand miles must eventually end. Good Man brother, you can stop here."
Chen Ping'an stopped walking, cupped his hands in farewell, and smiled: "Take care, and may you be safe on your journey."
From beginning to end, Yang Mumao never asked about Xiao Mo's identity. But at the very end, he separately made a Daoist hand gesture to Xiao Mo, saying solemnly: "A great kindness needs no words of thanks. This junior will surely remember it in his heart. The mountains are high and the rivers are long. There will always be an opportunity to repay Mr. Xiao Mo."
Chen Ping'an explained on his behalf: "Brother Mumao's implied meaning is, with such a good leg to cling to, once isn't enough, is it?"
Yang Mumao was also a rogue who didn't deny it, laughing heartily: "The one who knows me best is Good Man brother."
Xiao Mo smiled and said: "Since Fellow Daoist Yang is a friend of my master, then he is also a friend of mine, Xiao Mo. If we're fortunate enough to meet again in the future, no matter where you are, if Fellow Daoist Yang needs help, feel free to speak without hesitation."
This black-robed scholar's heartstrings were quite interesting. When reunited with his master after a long separation, there was indeed some quite sincere feeling of closeness. But this person deliberately didn't say it out loud.
And his master seemed to have some indescribable high regard for this person as well.
Perhaps this was the so-called admiration for each other's talents? Thinking back to bygone days, there were very few fellow Daoists in the entire world who could give Xiao Mo such a feeling. The cave lord of the Falling Treasure Beach, Bi Xiao, could count as one.
All words were superfluous. A shared smile was enough for mutual understanding.
Yang Mumao stared blankly at the yellow-hatted "youth" sword cultivator, couldn't help asking: "May I ask, senior, what realm are you in?"
Xiao Mo was forthright: "Not the fourteenth realm."
Outside the fourteenth realm, one's own realm depended on the realm of the person being challenged with a sword.
Cui Dongshan was greatly amused.
Yang Mumao roughly understood. At the very least, he was an Immortal realm sword cultivator. There was a high possibility that this was truly a hidden Flying Ascension realm sword cultivator. Could it be that great sword immortal left behind by the old one as a protector for the final Hidden Official? Was he the Punishment Official of Sword Qi Great Wall, who hadn't shown his face for many years? Or the more hidden Sacrificial Official? Well, why think about all this? Yang Mumao gathered his thoughts and sighed with emotion: "This trip wasn't wasted. First, meeting an old acquaintance in a foreign land, then making two new friends. It truly refreshes the mind and pleases the heart."
Chen Ping'an used his heart voice to say: "The feeling of 'I am not me' is not pleasant. So my help today—you don't need to overthink it."
Yang Mumao asked cautiously: "Is Good Man brother reminding me to 'not overthink,' or to 'not fail to think'?"
Chen Ping'an put his hands in his sleeves, smiled and said: "Then consider it as me making a pun."
Yang Mumao hesitated for a moment, then asked: "That Hundred-Eyed Gluttonous Beast Dharma Robe of mine—who is wearing it now?"
That Dharma robe wasn't of high quality, but it held hidden secrets. If properly refined, its quality could be continuously upgraded. It had once been a heavy treasure in the Chongxuan Bureau's treasury of the Great Source Dynasty. Otherwise, Yang Ningsheng wouldn't have chosen to wear that Dharma robe when he went out to travel to Skeleton Beach.
Chen Ping'an reached out of his sleeve and patted Brother Mumao's shoulder: "You haven't had that much to drink. Say a few less drunken words, and be careful not to sprain your ankle while flying through the wind."
Yang Mumao burst into laughter. His form turned into a cloud of black smoke, and in an instant, he drifted away to the north.
Watching Yang Mumao disappear for several hundred miles, Chen Ping'an turned around and walked back into Soaring Ascension City, saying: "Dongshan, that thatched cottage had best be returned to the Xuan Du Temple."
This time, Chen Ping'an's impromptu decision to come to Soaring Ascension City was, of course, primarily because he missed Ning Yao. Additionally, before leaving the Five Colors World, Chen Ping'an had originally planned to go find Cui Dongshan.
After all, the lower sect that Cui Dongshan had first wanted to establish was right here in this Five Colors World.
Over at the Merit Grove, Old Scholar had once given Chen Ping'an an address, with clear directions. It wasn't too easy to find due to the many landscape miasma barriers, but it wasn't as difficult as searching for a needle in the ocean either.
He said that Chen Ping'an, as his closed-door disciple, should find time to go take a look there. Old Scholar had spoken with great righteousness at the time: Since your master and Bai Ye are sworn brothers and close friends, then of course you are Bai Ye's junior. It's your duty to sweep the courtyard for your elder—you can't shirk from it.
Cui Dongshan nodded: "Of course. I was just relaxing there to avoid being intercepted by the White Jade Capital. I won't stay long. As soon as the Xuan Du Temple Daoists come to take over, I'll leave without a second word."
Master and student looked at each other and smiled knowingly.
Given Master Sun's temperament, wouldn't he have to reciprocate the favor?
Liang Shuang, the outer-surname Great Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, had once asked Cui Dongshan where his Yang Spirit external body was.
Cui Dongshan hadn't hidden it. He said it was at Bai Ye's cultivation site, helping to manage that abandoned thatched cottage.
Bai Ye had once built a thatched cottage in a strategic location within the Five Colors World as a temporary cultivation spot.
A peach tree, with roots extending a hundred miles deep, was one of the top ten great Dao opportunities in the Five Colors World.
When Bai Ye had traveled together with Old Scholar to the newly established world, Bai Ye wielded his sword, never ceasing to strike, splitting heaven and earth. Bai Ye had received an immeasurable amount of creation merit.
But that Dao field wasn't something Bai Ye wanted for himself. He intended to give it to the Xuan Du Temple as a way to repay Master Sun for the kindness of lending him a sword. As for one of the four immortal swords, "Tai Bai," according to Bai Ye's earliest plan, he would also give the peach tree and thatched cottage to the Xuan Du Temple. But later, unexpected events occurred, and Bai Ye returned to the Righteous Qi World, alone, wielding his sword to go to the Fuyang Continent.
Being unable to return the immortal sword became a knot in Bai Ye's heart.
Fortunately, after reincarnation, a child wearing a tiger-head hat was taken by Old Scholar to the Xuan Du Temple for cultivation.
Before that, Old Scholar had taken the time to make a trip to the thatched cottage and happened to find Bai Ye not at home. Old Scholar was so frugal and thrifty that he picked up all the fallen peach blossom petals under the tree, cleaned them thoroughly, and packed them in a large bag. These were best used for brewing wine. Younger brother Bai Ye loved wine but wasn't good at brewing it, so Old Scholar had no choice but to put in the effort himself. As for the leftover peach blossom petals after brewing, they could be used to have the White Paper Blessed Land make several dozen peach blossom letter papers.
And beside the peach tree, those "Heaven's Soil" that were recorded as such in the Confucian Temple's old almanac—Old Scholar hadn't taken too little of that either. The ground near the thatched cottage had probably sunk by about an inch or two.
Actually, these weren't a big deal. Bai Ye returned to the Dao field, saw it, and probably just pretended not to have noticed. But Old Scholar hadn't even spared the peach tree's branches. He had snapped off several dozen peach twigs.
So when Bai Ye returned to the thatched cottage, he had a special "farewell strike" delivered just for Old Scholar.
Chen Ping'an asked curiously: "Did you come to Soaring Ascension City using the Three Mountains Talisman?"
Cui Dongshan nodded eagerly: "As expected, nothing escapes Master's eyes."
His Yang Spirit external body had casually fabricated an identity as a wild mountain hermit back then, swaggering from the Indus Continent into the Five Colors World.
He had left the Righteous Qi World around the same time as that lone seedling of the Fuyu Sect and Yang Ningzhen, who had disguised himself as "Yang Hengxing."
At that time, the gatekeeper of the Indus Continent was his own Left Uncle Master. What, you don't like it? You go find one too.
After entering the newly praised world, Cui Dongshan began traveling alone until he finally found a strategic location where a lower sect could be established. The water luck was rich, the clouds and mists were spectacular. Cui Dongshan fell in love at first sight. He set up several layers of formations, claimed several hundred square miles of landscape as his own, and named a small hilltop "Eastern Mountain."
When he had nothing to do, Cui Dongshan also painted two scrolls, which he named "Mustard Seed" and "Mountains and Rivers."
Relying on his memory, one scroll was dozens of feet long, depicting a magnificent landscape of a million miles, yet he named it "Mustard Seed."
But the other scroll, though it was just a dot of ink, Cui Dongshan named it "Mountains and Rivers."
Cui Dongshan scratched his face, expressing regret: "After arriving here, your student acted as a matchmaker for several pairs of cultivators, bringing them together. Of course, I needed those men and women to be sincere enough. But despite all that, I still failed to create this world's first Dao couple. I was just one step too late—truly just one step too late—and I had to watch that blessing slip through my fingers."
Chen Ping'an shook his head and said: "It's definitely more than just you 'appearing to be' one step behind. The White Jade Capital in the east, and the experts hidden among the refugees from Fuyang Continent and Indus Continent, all made similar attempts. And they were destined to fail as well. The Heavenly Mind cannot be fathomed; human calculations cannot outdo Heaven's reckonings. As long as you had the intention, you would always be one step behind. This matter has no solution. Don't underestimate this world's Great Path. You can only rely on the inscrutable heavenly will to make its own judgments. Dongshan, don't do such things in the future. They'll be tallied as debts, and they'll have to be repaid."
Chen Ping'an looked up at the sky and murmured: "Heavenly will cannot be defied. That's not something one says idly."
Cui Dongshan nodded: "If it weren't for that, I would have followed my heart, first selected the site for the lower sect, then immediately returned south. Among those refugees migrating from the Indus Continent, I would have picked out one or two who carried dragon qi, cast a wide net, and performed acts of supporting the dragon for a few who had the qualifications to be mortal rulers. It's precisely because I hit a wall trying to artificially create Dao partners that I no longer dare to deliberately pursue that first 'human Dao merit.'"
Chen Ping'an smiled and turned around to comfort him: "Sometimes, doing nothing at all, just letting things take their natural course and following the flow, might actually bring unexpected surprises."
Cui Dongshan smiled: "I'll listen to my Master."
Heaven and earth were just born.
Like a young child gradually awakening.
A brand new world, full of wonders and marvels, with opportunities springing up everywhere.
The first mountain ancestral hall to hang portraits, establish spirit tablets, and offer incense was acquired by Soaring Ascension City.
Thus, all sword cultivators of Soaring Ascension City, when they went out to travel, could receive a form of invisible protection.
If it weren't for this Dao blessing, among those "strange" and rampant landscape secret realms, the casualties among Soaring Ascension City's sword cultivators would probably have been several times higher.
The first Jade Foundation realm in the Five Colors World, the first Immortal realm, the first Flying Ascension realm.
And the world's number one person recognized by the Five Colors World's Dao.
All of these were Ning Yao, who had broken through realms with unstoppable momentum.
Additionally, Ning Yao was a sword cultivator, and she received extra gifts for that.
Plus, she was the first cultivator to slay a "strange" being.
Who could contend with her?
So even if a fourteenth realm cultivator from another world dared to trespass into the Five Colors World, if Ning Yao challenged them with her sword, they might never return.
Cui Dongshan asked: "Regarding collecting gold essence coins, has Master made any progress? Any developments?"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly: "I'm really worried about that."
For a sword cultivator's natal flying sword to improve its quality, there were only two paths. One was to temper the flying sword—sharpening the sword's edge on a Dragon-Slaying Platform, for instance, was a shortcut. The other path was even harder: to discover more natal divine abilities. Chen Ping'an's "Caged Sparrow" and the earlier "Moon at the Well's Bottom," through his battle with the Ten Thousand Yao Sect's Immortal Han Yushu and later the Tuoyue Mountain campaign, had elevated the latter's quality by a notch, resulting in the current "Moon in the Well." And by borrowing Lu Chen's fourteenth realm Dao arts, Chen Ping'an had once successfully split his sword into hundreds of thousands of flying swords. After some rough deductions, he believed that in the future, when "Moon at the Well's Mouth" was refined to its peak, relying on his own sufficiently high sword Dao realm, he could probably support up to a million flying swords in one go.
Additionally, before this, at the Xiandu Mountain's cave heaven Dao field, Chen Ping'an had been attempting to use the many flying swords of "Moon in the Well" to manifest a "truth" from his heart-appearance Great Path.
This meant that the refinement of "Moon in the Well" now had a final direction: one way was to increase the number of flying swords, and another was to find a second divine ability for "Moon in the Well." So beneath Chen Ping'an's feet, there was now a path that had emerged from nothing.
Only "Caged Sparrow" had remained stagnant.
But during his seclusion, Chen Ping'an had a hypothesis that he couldn't really test yet. The reason was simple: he didn't have enough money.
And this kind of "sword forging" might be a bottomless pit.
It wasn't that he lacked the three types of immortal money, but rather gold essence coins—or tracing back to the source, what he lacked was the golden body fragments of mountain and river deities, or the shattered crystal golden bodies of great cultivators who had undergone corpse emancipation and departed from the world.
The latter were hard to come by. When Du Mao had failed in his "ascension," even the God Accord Sect's Qi Zhen had personally made a move to fight over one piece of crystal fragment.
The former was relatively easier, but only "relatively." In truth, in the current Righteous Qi World, what dynasty didn't want the golden body fragments of various deities? What major sect didn't want to buy them? What ordinary cultivator could truly get their hands on them?
Because what Chen Ping'an wanted was to truly elevate that "Caged Sparrow"—which had already formed its own small world—to a state of "no flaws in the Great Dao cycle."
This required Chen Ping'an to forge a complete River of Time within "Caged Sparrow"!
In this realm, who wasn't a caged sparrow?
That Liu Cai, who still hid half his cards—that fellow had two flying swords specifically designed to counter Chen Ping'an's two natal flying swords. Let him come and try again then!
Even if he didn't come looking for me, I would go looking for him.
Cui Dongshan smiled: "Law Enforcement Elder Changming is not an outsider."
Chen Ping'an nodded: "I won't stand on ceremony with Changming."
Cui Dongshan suppressed his laughter: "But I'm afraid Fellow Daoist Changming might give away everything at once, and Master would still be worried."
Chen Ping'an said self-deprecatingly: "If news of this kind of worry gets out, I'd probably get beaten up."
Cui Dongshan asked: "What about the Great Li Song clan?"
Chen Ping'an said: "Of course I'll ask them too, but I need to find the right opportunity. Otherwise, they'll overcharge me. It's not like I'm that Brother Gao from our Spring Treasury who loves to be overcharged when he goes knocking on doors."
Cui Dongshan lowered his voice: "And what about Master's wife's side?"
Chen Ping'an felt even more helpless and said nothing.
When it came to "strange" beings in this world, Ning Yao had killed more than just one. Besides that ancient twelve high-ranked one, there were others.
It wasn't that Chen Ping'an was being pretentious, but for some reason, he always felt something wasn't quite right.
Then there were the Bai'ai Continent and the Liuxia Continent. These two continents hadn't been affected by the war at all. Their mountains and rivers were stable, and all their native landscape deities were intact. This meant that all the golden body fragments held by great cultivators and major sects were available for trade—provided the price was right and high enough. Also, there were the Liu clan of Bai'ai Continent, the vendor stall he'd dealt with at Yuanyang Islet, the Heavenly Corner Cave Heaven where Shu Zhongshu came from, the sect where Immortal Cong Qian belonged—this female immortal was herself the master of the Song'ai Blessed Land—plus the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land, and that Flying Ascension realm old cultivator who was a good friend of the Old Dragon Beard Immortal of the Grand Dragon Pool... These people or mountain sects were rumored to have varying amounts of stock. The key was that gold essence coins and golden body fragments weren't indispensable items to them; they were at most held for the right price, or they were looking for buyers, depending on fate.
Cui Dongshan sighed: "If it weren't for the mending of mountains and rivers, your lower sect's Indus Continent would be the best source of golden body fragments, and you could bargain freely."
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Better not even think about that."
Cui Dongshan asked: "When does Master return to Xiandu Mountain?"
Chen Ping'an said helplessly: "Tonight."
Cui Dongshan seemed to want to say something but held back.
Chen Ping'an said: "You guessed right. I plan to go take a look at that parasol tree before the Beginning of Spring."
In the Righteous Qi World, there were nine towering suppression towers. Only two sites held more symbolic meaning than practical use. One of them was the Demon-Suppressing Tower on the Indus Continent. It was similar to the "White Zepole-Suppressing Tower"—essentially a decoration, just a surface-level gesture by scholars.
But this Demon-Suppressing Tower had something unusual about it. It wasn't any architectural structure but an ancient parasol tree of immeasurable age and infinite Dao attainment. Legend had it that this ancient tree was so old, its existence in the world so long, that it was even older than the three religious patriarchs. Simply put, its age was greater than that of the first cultivator in the mortal world. Hence, even Senior Brother Jun Qian had once said that when he was young and fond of traveling, he had seen this towering tree.
Possibly—just possibly—the only one who could suppress this was the old abbot of the Guan Dao Temple in the Eastern Sea.
And during the great war, the old abbot had indeed shown no care for the Barren Wasteland World. Instead, he had given out that iron ring personally refined by the Dao Ancestor to help the Righteous Qi World protect the parasol tree, ensuring it was never defiled by Wen Hai Zhou Mi.
Cui Dongshan seemed to want to say something but stopped.
It was clear he still wasn't at ease with Master's choice.
This surprised Xiao Mo quite a bit. Master was just going to take a look at a parasol tree—why, in Sect Master Cui's view, did it seem like going into a dragon's den, a tiger's lair, a sea of blades, or a mountain of fire?
Chen Ping'an smiled: "Mine is about human effort overcoming fate—how can it be the same as what you did?"
Cui Dongshan's expression was somewhat dejected.
Xiao Mo found it even stranger.
Afterward, Chen Ping'an didn't directly return to the wine shop. Instead, he changed his mind and led the two of them flying over Soaring Ascension City on the wind. They reached the boundary of Purple Mansion Mountain, descended, and stood by the ridge of a rice paddy. In the paddy field, the heavy thought rice given by Deng Liang was planted. For now, limited by the soil, it could only yield one crop per year. It required very high standards for soil and water and was difficult to cultivate, but later, when the land became more fertile, it could produce two crops per year.
A young farming qi refiner immediately arrived, his eyes full of alertness, asking: "Who are you? Don't you know the rules?"
The green-robed man smiled and said: "My name is Chen Ping'an."
The man froze on the spot. After recovering, he asked softly: "Will Lord Hidden Official stay long?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head: "I'll leave soon."
The man said urgently: "Lord Hidden Official, don't leave in a hurry. Wait for me to get paper and brush. Please don't rush off."
Chen Ping'an was bewildered.
Soon, the young cultivator, who had followed his master to Soaring Ascension City to make a living, came back with a brush dipped in ink and two seal-impression books. Emboldened, he asked: "Lord Hidden Official, could you write your name? If you could add a word of blessing, that would be even better!"
Chen Ping'an looked extremely embarrassed. It seemed like the first time he had done something like this.
He wasn't a literary giant like Su Zi or Liu Qi, renowned throughout the world.
The young cultivator's face was full of hopeful expectation. Chen Ping'an had no choice but to take the impression books and brush, write his name on the pages of the Hundred Sword Immortals Impression Book and the Two Hundred Sword Immortals Impression Book, and added a line of dedication to each. After blowing the ink dry, he handed them back to the young cultivator. Unexpectedly, the other man's face turned red, and instead of eagerly taking them, he braced himself and tentatively asked: "Lord Hidden Official, could you also add the date?"
Chen Ping'an smiled and wrote down the date, adding four more words at the end: "By the paddy ridge."
In truth, Chen Ping'an, who appeared to be smiling, was even more embarrassed than this blushing young cultivator.
He made up his mind: he absolutely wouldn't do this kind of thing again.
The young man, holding the brush and embracing the impression books, repeatedly thanked the approachable Lord Hidden Official.
Watching the farming cultivator leave joyfully, Cui Dongshan crouched on the ridge, chewing on a blade of grass in his mouth.
Chen Ping'an sat down beside him, grabbed a handful of soil, and clenched it in his palm, smiling: "Alright, stop moping. It's not such a big deal."
Cui Dongshan was still worried. He said softly: "Master, the merit you've painstakingly accumulated—are you just going to give it all up?"
Given Master's temperament, if he truly went to that parasol tree, he would definitely do that thing. And once he did, not only would he earn no merit, but he would even lose all the battle merits recorded in the Confucian Temple's merit book.
Chen Ping'an looked straight ahead, his expression calm: "I'll try to keep a little. I'll need it next time I come here. If I really can't, then so be it."
Cui Dongshan chewed on the blade of grass and asked: "If that's the case, you'll be stuck in a quagmire. What about Master's cultivation?"
Chen Ping'an countered: "Isn't this cultivation?"
Cui Dongshan was speechless.
Xiao Mo listened to the master and student speaking in riddles. When he heard Cui Dongshan mention Master's cultivation, he couldn't help but ask: "Cui Dongshan, could you explain it to me?"
Cui Dongshan sighed: "The year star circles the sun once, twelve years make one cycle."
Xiao Mo was even more confused.
Cui Dongshan had to explain in detail: "Back when the Indus Continent fell, mountains and rivers sank, rites and music collapsed. Under the intentional pressure and guidance of the Barren Wasteland military tents, countless ugly aspects of human nature and countless rebellious behaviors appeared. The number of people and events was incalculable. Let's just talk about the children born during that time. How did they come into being? Were their biological parents truly husband and wife? No. Whether you count from the day the Barren Wasteland World occupied the Indus Continent, or recalculate after the demon race withdrew from the Righteous Qi World, whether it's already been one cycle or not yet a cycle, does it make any difference? These children were fated by destiny to have this calamity. No one could avoid it."
"Now, if the Indus Continent were still the territory of the Barren Wasteland World, we wouldn't need to talk about it. The origins of these children wouldn't seem strange in the eyes of Barren Wasteland cultivators. But in the eyes of today's Righteous Qi World, they will be heretics. They are a kind of baseborn that people might find too dirty to even curse. These children seem to have been born into this world carrying sin by nature. They shouldn't have come, but they came anyway. Even if these children can endure the pointing fingers of others in the years to come, withstand all kinds of bone-deep curses, and dodge numerous man-made disasters, they won't be able to dodge 'Heaven's calamity.' Because even if they manage to grow up by chance, they will never be accepted by the restored orthodox mountain-and-river qi of the Indus Continent. Let alone cultivation—just living might be a hardship. They might not necessarily die, might not necessarily perish early, but in this life, they will definitely suffer, suffer a lot. Perhaps their lives will always feel like a living death. Unprovoked suffering, inexplicable calamities, heaven-ordained misfortune."
"They say that if Heaven brings disaster, it can be forgiven; if one brings it on themselves, they can't live with it. But these children—it's not like they had any choice."
"But if no one intervenes, cycle after cycle, after sixty years pass, it's like a patch of wild grass on the mountain—it passes, and that's it."
Cui Dongshan lay back on the ground and stopped speaking.
Xiao Mo sat cross-legged and turned to look.
Chen Ping'an sat on the ridge.
Xiao Mo didn't hear any grand speeches.
The green-robed man just said one sentence softly:
"I think this isn't right."