Chapter 932: I Am the Host (Part 2)

Chapter 932: I Am the Host (Part 2)

Chen Ping'an did not step across the threshold into the Sword Scold Hall. After all, it was the ancestral hall of the Ziyang Prefecture. He turned around and said with a smile, "Let's go take a look around the kitchen and broaden our horizons."

Inside, the hanging portraits of the ancestors included one in the center—Wu Yi, wearing a Daoist robe and treading on cloud shoes. The portraits of successive prefecture masters were arranged to the left and right in order.

And over at Mount Heavenly Immortal, inside the ancestral hall of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect, a portrait of Chen Ping'an would also be hung in the center.

As Qing Tong moved, he turned his head and glanced at the plaque. Sword Scold Hall?

In books, warriors or chivalrous heroes often had that scene where they "reached out, pressed their sword, and scolded aloud," and so on.

But for a sect like Ziyang Prefecture, which didn't even have a single sword cultivator, how could it have the nerve to use such a hall name? This was a clear case of virtue not matching one's position.

However, it was apparent that this Wu Yi, whose Dao name was Dongling, seemed to have inherited a portion of the water transport legacy left behind by that ten-thousand-year-old ancient dragon. As for the rest, the headmaster of the Dafu Academy, Cheng, had likely given it to the Cold Food River Water God.

The New Year's Eve feast at Ziyang Prefecture was held in the Snow Vast Hall, which had originally been used to entertain honored guests.

After all, among the larger mountain abodes, few actually held proper New Year's Eve dinners.

Most registered cultivators were either out traveling, in seclusion for cultivation, or attending various ceremonial events.

Near the Snow Vast Hall was a long row of kitchens, divided into rooms for delicacies from land and sea, wines and fruits, and so on. The maidservants serving as cooks came and went like fish darting through water.

Wealthy families with deep foundations always emphasized that food should be refined and cuisine should be meticulous. Those who were even more particular put effort into the simpler mountain fare.

The Fallen Mountain Estate had Zhu Lian as its steward, a man who feared nothing more than trouble. He took care of everything, big and small, inside and outside, so no one else ever had to worry about anything.

Every year—not every month—Zhu Lian would collect his salary of a Snowflake Coin on schedule, aiming to eventually save up a Small Heat Coin.

Standing outside a kitchen, Chen Ping'an glanced at a few exquisite food boxes and teased, "According to our old cook, some so-called time-honored restaurants are only maintaining the skill level of a newcomer."

Back in the Book-Seeing Lake at Pondwater City, Chen Ping'an had tasted the flavor of Bamboo Branch Crab. That was the first time in his life he had properly played host and invited guests to a meal.

Such occasions were rare. The most recent one was in the capital of Great Li, by the Calamus River, where he invited Guan Yiran and Jing Kuan for a drink—of course, not a pleasure party in a brothel. Now, Jing Kuan had left the capital to serve as the prefect of Baoxi Commandery in Xinzhou.

Qing Tong asked, "Old cook? You mean that noble son from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, Zhu Lian?"

Chen Ping'an countered, "Have you seen Zhu Lian's true face?"

Qing Tong nodded. "I'm no stranger to the Lotus Flower Blessed Land. I often go there to relax, so of course, I've seen Zhu Lian."

And he didn't dare look too much.

Because the Demon-Suppressing Tower and the Observing Dao Abbey were neighbors, Qing Tong had glimpsed Zhu Lian from afar twice. What a... remarkable man. And of course, that guy was also very good-looking.

Once was when Zhu Lian was young, going on a spring outing in the outskirts of the capital. The other was when Zhu Lian was a young man, traveling the jianghu alone with his sword.

In tales of the strange and legends of the jianghu, there were often clichéd plots of women falling in love with a stranger at first sight. Don't doubt it—Zhu Lian, without even speaking, relying solely on his face, incurred countless debts of love.

A dashing noble son, standing tall and gazing into the distance, leaning against a railing, just twisting a strand of hair at his temple with two fingers—it seemed enough to twist the hearts of all the women watching.

It was as if if he were devoted to one person, whether they were married or not, whether it was an unattainable longing or growing old together, deep affection was like making an enemy—if not dead, it wouldn't end.

How many white-haired old women in the jianghu, decrepit with age, at the end of their lives still wished to see Sir Zhu, yet were too ashamed to meet him.

Qing Tong teased, "When will your Fallen Mountain Estate hold a 'Flowers in the Mirror, Moon on the Water' show? If Zhu Lian is willing to restore his true appearance, I'll definitely support it. I guarantee at least one Grain Rain Coin per show."

Of the four people Chen Ping'an brought out from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land scroll, the three of them—Wei Xian—didn't hide their true forms and showed themselves as they were. Only Zhu Lian changed his appearance, becoming a stooped old man with a mouth full of vulgar talk.

Back then, Chen Ping'an was kept in the dark, but Qing Tong found it extremely amusing.

Chen Ping'an chuckled, "Really? I can negotiate with Zhu Lian to open a private show just for you, Fellow Daoist Qing Tong. It's agreed—just one Grain Rain Coin, and I guarantee you can see Zhu Lian every day until you're satisfied."

Qing Tong didn't respond.

Qing Tong was a well-traveled, accomplished cultivator, but he had never seen a handsome man like Zhu Lian. Even women praised as "beauties to rival kingdoms" would probably feel ashamed of themselves.

Beautiful people—turns out, it wasn't a term exclusive to women.

The beauty of a youth: clear as the wind and bright as the moon, thoughts without guile.

The handsome elegance of a young man: peerless at that time, an exiled immortal.

But don't think Zhu Lian was just an empty, good-looking cushion. Later, Yu Zhenyi and his ilk, so-called summit-reachers who became the number one in the world, only did so because the Lotus Flower Blessed Land was that small.

And Zhu Lian, who transformed from a noble son of a wealthy family into the pillar of a nation turning the tide, and then into a martial madman who united the jianghu, he became the undisputed number one in the world—also because the Lotus Flower Blessed Land was only that big.

It seemed the result was the same, but the circumstances of both sides were completely different.

Chen Ping'an suddenly transmitted his thoughts: "The old abbey master's method of merging with the Dao—is it similar to the Great Way of 'when the world is at peace, the years are bountiful'?"

Qing Tong asked back, "Are you referring to the Grand Bountiful Year, Hidden Officer?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Just a guess."

It really was just a casual guess, because just now Qing Tong had mentioned Xiao Mo brewing wine at Fallen Treasure Shoal, and Xiao Mo's identity in later generations had the phrase "heaven-sent blessings."

Coupled with the old abbey master's true form and certain actions during that war—his stance seemed a bit wavering, but without too obvious a tilt. Overall, he was still on the side of the Grand Void World. The old abbey master hadn't chosen to side with the Desolate Wilderness World just because of his own Dao's origin. As for the matter of brewing wine in the human world, it had always been something that only happened in peaceful times. People in chaotic times were worse than peaceful dogs; who had the leisure and energy to brew wine? Moreover, throughout various dynasties, there were often varying degrees of prohibition. As for the so-called heroes in books who casually ordered a few catties of beef in taverns and restaurants, that was actually unrealistic.

A series of seemingly distant clues, pieced together intermittently, made Chen Ping'an's heart stir. He quickly began searching through the books in the library within his mind lake. He finally found an ancient, anonymous "saying": broken threads still linking—it was a latent thread not easily noticed.

Chen Ping'an slowly said, "When the seasons are harmonious and the years are abundant, there is much millet and much rice. There are also tall granaries, with millions and billions of grains. They make wine and sweet liquor, to offer blessings to all, and to harmonize the hundred rites."

Qing Tong remained calm and silent. Perhaps feeling that this manner was inappropriate, as if tacitly agreeing, he immediately added, "Lord Hidden Officer truly has extraordinary ideas."

Chen Ping'an glanced sideways. No matter what the final truth was, Qing Tong's general guess probably wouldn't escape this thread.

Did this mean that in times of peace and prosperity, the old abbey master of the Observing Dao Abbey in the Eastern Sea would have very high combat power? But if it were a time of chaos, his Dao cultivation would decline, and his offensive killing power would weaken accordingly?

Qing Tong found it quite annoying.

In the old days, at the Eastern Sea Observing Dao Abbey, the old abbey master personally sundried corn in the corridors and spread golden grains on the drying ground. That fire-tending little Daoist boy, who had his eyes on the sky and always carried a large gourd on his back, didn't even qualify to participate in these tasks. And that Yang Sword Gourd, one of the ancestor's personally planted gourd vines, was named "Measure." When ordinary cultivators heard this name, they would immediately think of the saying "the sea cannot be measured by a dipper." Actually, it wasn't that mystical. To be precise, it was profoundly mysterious—or perhaps returning to simplicity? It was truly just using a measure for objects.

And what in the world most required measuring by a dipper? Wasn't it the grain harvested year after year?

Chen Ping'an walked toward the Snow Vast Hall. Ripples appeared around him, as if stepping out of a mirror, revealing his form. He said to Qing Tong, "You don't need to conceal your form anymore."

Throughout the entire Ziyang Prefecture, only Wu Yi, who was at the Nascent Soul stage, could sense that aura. She abandoned Huang Chu and rushed over with murderous intent, only to freeze on the spot.

She never expected this person to come knocking on her door.

Later, when Chen Ping'an made that proposal, Wu Yi didn't need to think much. Without any hesitation, she agreed on the spot.

Not to mention that she could earn that precious karma for free—even if there weren't such a tremendous gift, Wu Yi would still nod and help light a Water Incense.

Because the path her father had pointed out to her was inseparable from Chen Ping'an, and it was closely tied to Yu Lu, the deposed crown prince of the Lu dynasty. Yu Lu and Chen Ping'an were old friends, with half a share of schoolmate ties. As for how her father could be certain that Yu Lu, this "idle" surviving subject of a fallen kingdom, would settle in Tongye Continent to restore the Lu dynasty—Wu Yi wasn't interested.

Wu Yi asked Chen Ping'an to wait a moment. She quickly went to the Sword Scold Hall, opened a secret restriction, and retrieved a mountain-top treasure from the secret chamber.

As for that female cultivator wearing a bamboo hat with a veil, since Chen Ping'an didn't introduce her identity, Wu Yi didn't ask.

Returning to the carved and painted corridor, Wu Yi handed Chen Ping'an a small wooden box.

The box was carved with images of divine officials, flood dragons, female immortals, phoenixes, ancient true persons riding tortoises and qilins.

This item was the guardian treasure of Ziyang Prefecture. Successive prefecture masters couldn't even get a glimpse of it.

Wu Yi had originally planned to give it to a future sword immortal seed she would accept as her direct disciple. After the disciple formed a golden core, it would serve as a belated acceptance gift and a congratulatory gift.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not here to freeload. What are you doing?"

"Inside is an extremely rare ancient sword core."

Wu Yi misunderstood, thinking he looked down on this meeting gift. She suppressed her temper and explained patiently, "It was a gift from my father when I entered the Cave Abode stage."

Of course, the most important thing was that at the time, her father had a full stomach and was in a good mood, so he bestowed this heavy treasure.

Qing Tong casually glanced at the wooden box. Hearing Wu Yi say "extremely rare," behind the veil, Qing Tong twitched the corner of his mouth. Low cultivation, but not a small mouth.

However, when Wu Yi silently chanted a Daoist incantation and wiped away the layers of restrictions on the miniature sword box with two fingers, sword aura immediately overflowed, and purple qi rose.

Qing Tong was slightly surprised. It was indeed a valuable item.

A long string of purple-gold characters shimmered with treasure light. Among them was a line: "Facing the wall for a thousand years, no one knows; the Three Pure Ones only need a clay body."

As the several secret methods and restrictions set by Cheng Longzhou were opened by Wu Yi, the characters immediately melted like snow and scattered instantly. Even Wu Yi was caught off guard and couldn't gather them in time.

It was obvious that Wu Yi had received her father's reminder and was opening all the restrictions for the first time.

Chen Ping'an rolled up his sleeve and collected all the character's Dao resonance into his sleeve.

Wu Yi felt a bit regretful. Her tone lowered a few notches. "I heard from my father that this sword core comes from the Western Sacred Mountain of the Central Earth in ancient times. It was personally refined by a certain Realized Immortal. Originally, it was meant to be the guardian treasure of a secondary mountain of the Western Sacred Mountain."

Generally speaking, what current cultivators call the "ancient era" refers to the period ten thousand years before the "remote antiquity," starting with the division of the world into four parts. For instance, the Grand Void World established the Confucian Temple, and it ended with the dragon-slaying campaign and "no more true dragons in the world." This is the broad definition of the ancient era. Of course, some push it back another three or four thousand years, taking a certain undocumented upheaval as a hidden node, which is a narrower definition.

Chen Ping'an still didn't take the sword box. He said softly, "I've heard of it. In ancient times, the Western Sacred Mountain governed the smelting and casting of the five metals and also managed the affairs of feathered creatures and birds."

In those days, according to the rites established by the Rites Sage, the Son of Heaven sacrificed to the famous mountains and great rivers of the world. The Five Sacred Mountains were regarded as the Three Dukes, and the great rivers were considered feudal lords.

But the true master of the Five Sacred Mountains was not the mountain lord. At that time, the grand mountain lord was more like an assistant official. The one being assisted was the "Realized Immortal," and the Five Sacred Mountains were the governing seats of those Realized Immortals. This group of Realized Immortals each had their own duties and held high positions. For example, the governing seat at the Southern Sacred Mountain had two or three Realized Immortals, one chief and two deputies, who respectively managed the celestial phenomena and divisions of the world, as well as the affairs of aquatic creatures, fish, and dragons. The most notable duty of the Western Sacred Mountain was, of course, "smelting and casting," which was somewhat similar to the Ministry of Works in later dynasties.

So-called Realized Immortal governing seats were truly "Land Immortals" in the real sense—their permanent Daoist grounds in the human world.

Of course, the term "Land Immortal" back then hadn't been as debased as in later generations; it carried considerable prestige. It wasn't used to describe Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators. It was more like the "Earth Immortals" in the eyes of Xiao Mo and Qing Tong during the remote antiquity.

Wu Yi gritted her teeth and pushed the sword box forward again. She said solemnly, "It's not a free gift. In the future, if someone restores the kingdom on Tongye Continent, I plan to assist him. At that time, I may need a few good words from Lord Chen on my behalf."

Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Is this the perfect plan passed on to you by Headmaster Cheng?"

Wu Yi nodded.

Chen Ping'an took the sword box, lowered his head, lifted a sleeve, and gently placed it inside. When he looked up, he said, "If it's just this matter, you might end up at a loss."

Wu Yi smiled and dismissed it.

Her father hadn't told her to give a gift at the first meeting. Firstly, Wu Yi had indeed underestimated the weight of this sword box. Secondly, her allegiance to Yu Lu was, for the latter, a timely help in his hour of need. So after all, Wu Yi wanted to build a personal friendship and bond with the Fallen Mountain Estate, especially with this Hidden Officer. Because in the study of the Dafu Academy earlier, her father had said a meaningful sentence, reminding Wu Yi not to think that once she reached Tongye Continent, she wouldn't have to deal with Lord Chen. The mountains were high and the rivers long; the two of them might meet frequently.

Chen Ping'an said, "Then consider it an advance congratulatory gift for the establishment of our Fallen Mountain Estate's subsidiary sect."

After the dragon-slaying campaign, descendants of the flood dragon lineage—water immortals—if they could complete a river walk and transform into flood dragons, that was already considered achieving the Dao. Only these flood dragons could change their appearance and, in various identities, enter the ranks of the court. They complemented the geomantic destiny of a country, forming a mutually beneficial long-term deal. It wasn't just one side benefiting; it was equivalent to stealing a monarch's dragon qi and secretly encroaching on the "state destiny." In the histories of various nations on the Grand Void Continent's nine continents, occasionally, some imperial seals would inexplicably develop cracks, which was a precursor to the state destiny ending.

The reason it was "occasionally" was, of course, because the seventy-two academies were watching over the mountains and rivers of the nine continents.

Once discovered, if any descendant of the flood dragon dared to cause such mischief, gentlemen and worthies could execute it on the spot.

On the other hand, Wu Yi's father, Cheng Longzhou, had served as the Vice Minister of Rites in the Huangting Kingdom in his early years. For this ten-thousand-year-old ancient flood dragon, it might have been just a diversion while traveling in the human world, but for the Huangting Kingdom's national destiny and mountain-river fortune, it was greatly beneficial.

For a flood dragon that had achieved the Dao and entered officialdom, the only trouble and aftereffect was that when the kingdom fell, it would be implicated, facing something like a heavenly tribulation.

This led to even an ancient flood dragon at the Nascent Soul stage like Cheng Longzhou not daring to leave his Daoist ground easily and enter the world to assist a human king.

Because according to the historical evolution of the Grand Void World, for various large dynasties and small kingdoms, invisibly, there was often a calamity every three hundred years.

Only some descendants of flood dragons stuck at the Dragon Gate stage and destined not to break through the bottleneck for a long time would choose a newly established court as an opportunity to break through. Forget about the calamity two or three hundred years later; form a golden core first with this, then talk about everything else. After becoming a Golden Core cultivator, one could endure that heavenly tribulation.

But Wu Yi was shocked beyond words by the mention of a "subsidiary sect." The Fallen Mountain Estate being promoted to a sect didn't surprise Wu Yi too much, but to say it was establishing a subsidiary sect nonstop—looking through the ten thousand years of the Grand Void World, how many were there? Fewer, perhaps, than the legendary fourteen-stage cultivators?

"The subsidiary sect is on Tongye Continent."

Chen Ping'an continued, "It seems we've become neighbors again, Fellow Daoist Wu."

Having said that, Chen Ping'an glanced at Qing Tong again.

Fellow Daoist Qing Tong, put your hand on your heart and tell me—isn't that coincidental?

Qing Tong had already resigned himself.

Chen Ping'an walked side by side with Wu Yi, but it seemed more like Chen Ping'an was leading the way to some place. He said, "I'm not sure whether Yu Lu will restore the kingdom. If that day truly comes, I will certainly help make an introduction. Apart from that, there is another option. Would Fellow Daoist Wu consider it?"

Wu Yi smiled. "Let's hear it."

Chen Ping'an then transmitted a message about a certain woman from the Dugu clan who would soon establish a kingdom and ascend the throne on Tongye Continent by the Lin River.

Wu Yi was extremely tempted. Rather than waiting for Yu Lu to restore the kingdom on Tongye Continent, wouldn't it be better to settle for a safe bet?

Or could she possibly... serve as the national teacher for two kingdoms?!

But Wu Yi said, "I'll think it over."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Such a big matter requires careful consideration."

Qing Tong transmitted, "This Wu Yi still has poor eyesight. The truly precious part of this sword core is that it's an unclaimed item easy to refine."

Not to mention it could be used directly; in terms of difficulty, compared to a sword cultivator seed nurturing a lifebound flying sword, the difference was like clouds and mud.

If given to a qi refiner who wasn't originally a sword cultivator, the difficulty was still considerable. But if given to a sword immortal seed who was already a sword cultivator, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

Chen Ping'an nodded. "I deeply understand this."

Originally, Qing Tong wanted to say, "A gentleman doesn't take what others cherish. Are you just going to pocket this sword core?" intending to annoy the young Hidden Officer. But after weighing the situation, he felt he shouldn't provoke this person, so he changed his tune: "Meeting without recognition, being in a treasure mountain without knowing it—ultimately, the affinity wasn't there; it's like drawing water with a bamboo basket."

Chen Ping'an said, "I deeply understand that as well."

For example, that Zou Zi.

And also a certain young sword cultivator who seemed to have become a "mortal enemy" without ever meeting face to face.

During the time Chen Ping'an was attending the Confucian Temple council, over at Mandarin Duck Shoal, there was a young man who made a living by copying scriptures for others. In his spare time, he often went fishing there.

This person was the sword cultivator Liu Cai, whom Chen Ping'an had always wanted to find. He was also one of the ten young men of several worlds.

Liu Cai alone possessed two Yang Sword Gourds, named "Heartfelt" and "Immediately." The flying sword nurtured by "Heartfelt" was the sharpest, while that nurtured by "Immediately" was the fastest.

And Liu Cai, like Chen Ping'an, had two lifebound flying swords. One, "Blue Fall," was hailed as "one sword breaks ten thousand swords."

The second lifebound flying sword, "White Colt," could even ignore the constraints of the River of Time.

Liu Cai used the sword gourd "Heartfelt" to nurture the flying sword "Blue Fall" and "Immediately" to nurture "White Colt." This was truly a match made in heaven by some unseen force.

Not only was it custom-made for Liu Cai, but wasn't it also a custom-made setup against Chen Ping'an?

Because it clearly aimed to counter, restrain, and suppress the two lifebound flying swords Chen Ping'an had when he first became a sword cultivator: "Caged Sparrow" and "Moon at the Bottom of the Well."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Does this sword core have a name?"

Wu Yi nodded. "I heard from my father that it's called 'Mud Pill.'"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "That's quite a grand name."

Wu Yi said sourly, "Lord Chen, please don't rub salt in my wound."

The three of them—host and guests—wound their way around until they neared a secluded courtyard. Chen Ping'an didn't knock on the door. He just stopped, as if waiting for something.

Not only did he not probe into what was happening inside the house, but he even helped block the heavenly secrets for the two parties drinking tea inside that room, to the point that Qing Tong couldn't investigate the commotion within that courtyard.

Chen Ping'an tucked his hands into his sleeves and smiled. "Ziyang Prefecture's hospitality is as good as ever."

Wu Yi pretended not to hear the hidden barbs in the young Hidden Officer's words. She leaned against a corridor pillar, crossed her arms, and snorted. "If our Ziyang Prefecture had vacated a large mansion for Lady Xiao to stay in, she probably wouldn't have had a single peaceful night. How could she be as leisurely as she is now, brewing famous spring water and tasting fine tea?"

Qing Tong clicked his tongue in wonder. A mere Nascent Soul water dragon, yet her tone was no less haughty than a true dragon.

But it was strange. Qing Tong noticed that Chen Ping'an didn't seem annoyed at all. Instead, he nodded with a smile and agreed, "True."

Qing Tong couldn't help but be curious. What kind of sacred being could make Chen Ping'an treat them so exceptionally?

Was it that Water God lady of the White Stork River, famous far and wide for her beauty? Or that sixth-level martial artist who was a dime a dozen?

Probably the latter.

It seemed that that Hidden Officer by his side had some peculiar quirks. Guessing the opposite always yielded the answer.

Inside the small courtyard house, the tea aroma was pleasant. Xiao Luan recalled past events with deep emotion. The twists of fate were truly ingenious.

Regarding that "benefactor" who had seemingly come out of nowhere, the last time Xiao Luan left Ziyang Prefecture, she had been utterly confused.

At that time, the Water God lady couldn't understand how a young martial artist, who had been so respectful to Sun Dengxian, could make the founding master of Ziyang Prefecture regard him so highly, eventually changing his mind and reluctantly letting her off.

Thus, Xiao Luan had tentatively asked Sun Dengxian about Chen Ping'an's background: his master, his sect, his hometown?

A noble scion from Great Li's court who liked to travel and enjoy the scenery—a member of a wealthy clan only slightly inferior to the Grand Pillar State's surname?

Actually, when Xiao Luan asked, she had a bit of resentment in her heart. Why didn't you, Sun Dengxian, reveal such an extraordinary connection earlier?

Sun Dengxian had been helpless at the time. He truly hadn't known anything; it wasn't that he had intentionally hidden it from Lady Xiao.

That night at the manor, while accompanying Xiao Luan to the banquet in the Snow Vast Hall, Sun Dengxian happened to run into that group of people. If Chen Ping'an hadn't taken the initiative to explain the reason, he wouldn't have recognized them at all. After all, their first meeting had been on the mountain path in front of the broken temple on Centipede Ridge, but back then, the other party had only been a young lad, accompanied by a green-clad child and a pink-skirted little girl—odd and clever. Sun Dengxian, an old hand in the jianghu, could tell at a glance the origins of those two little ones. He casually reminded the young lad as a trivial matter. How could he have known that what he said and forgot would make the other party remember it so fondly for years?

If it weren't for those two children who looked like "scholars and maids" being too conspicuous, giving Sun Dengxian a vague impression, he wouldn't have remembered the young lad's face at all.

Thus, when they met again, it turned out that he could even help the White Stork River turn misfortune into fortune.

At that banquet fraught with hidden danger, Chen Ping'an not only helped block the toasts but also made Ziyang Prefecture put aside past grievances. After that, the relationship between the White Stork River and Ziyang Prefecture had eased somewhat, at least on the surface, though the Iron Scroll River God Gao Niang had been less sarcastic in his words over the years.

Sun Dengxian had drunk his fill of tea when he suddenly noticed the Water God lady across from him had a strange look in her eyes, staring at him.

Sun Dengxian asked in confusion, "Lady Xiao?"

Xiao Luan stifled a laugh and made a gesture of raising her hand and slapping it down heavily.

Sun Dengxian was even more bewildered. Was she playing charades with him?

Xiao Luan pursed her lips and smiled, not continuing to keep him in suspense. She said, "If I remember correctly, back then you did this gesture, and then you said to him, 'Good lad, you've made a name for yourself! Now you can come to the Purple Qi Prefecture to eat and drink.'"

Sun Dengxian was embarrassed and could only utter a weak "Ignorance is no crime."

When they met again, one party kept calling him "Sir Sun."

As for the "sir" part, Sun Dengxian felt that he was at least a few years older, so he hadn't taken it seriously at the time.

In the old days, at the Pearldrop Cave Heaven, in Longquan County, Huaihuang City, the young mountain master of the Fallen Mountain Estate, together with the sword immortal Liu Xianyang of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, had gone to challenge Zhengyang Mountain.

Then came that landscape gazette from the Central Earth Divine Continent. First, he became the final Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Then, he alone defended half a city wall. Eventually, as the Hidden Officer, he led four peak sword immortals deep into the heart of the Desolate Wilderness, together challenging the Tuoyue Mountain.

One shock after another.

Sun Dengxian was nearly sixty, but still hale and hearty, with graying temples, though his face didn't look even fifty. This was thanks to his early military career. In the Huangting Kingdom, there had been no war. As a general with no battles to fight, Sun Dengxian had no complaints. However, later, when Huangting surrendered without a fight, betraying its alliance with the Sui clan of the Great Sui and defecting to the Song clan of Great Li, Sun Dengxian was so angry that he resigned from his official post and took to slaying demons and monsters. But then, because the fox spirit he had captured turned out to be—through twists and turns, changing her appearance—the consort by the emperor's side, he was furious again and utterly disheartened. Just then, Xiao Luan warmly recruited him, so he joined the White Stork River Water Mansion as a half-idle rich man.

Thinking back to those days.

"My surname is Chen, given name Ping'an. Sir Sun, just call me Chen Ping'an."

"Fine, I'll call you Chen Ping'an."

Recalling the past.

Drinking tea as if it were wine.

If it had been wine, he might have shed tears.

Xiao Luan said softly, "Sir Sun, I can tell that Lord Chen has genuine admiration for you."

Back then, he wasn't one to casually say polite words to just anyone.

Xiao Luan thought she at least had that much discernment.

A true person doesn't show their true face, like a high official riding a poor horse—rich and noble without flaunting it.

Sun Dengxian smiled. "That was back then. Who knows if we can still chat when we meet now."

Xiao Luan hesitated, then said with a hint of grievance, "Then why haven't you ever visited the Fallen Mountain Estate? I told you to go. The Water Mansion won't require you to do anything. Just drop by during holidays or festivals, drink a few cups with that young Hidden Officer, and chat about some jianghu anecdotes."

Whether hinting or directly stating, Xiao Luan had tried, but her chief retainer of the Water Mansion just wouldn't agree, never explaining why—stubborn to the core.

Sun Dengxian smiled but still didn't explain.

The Water God lady was ultimately not a person of the jianghu; it was hard to talk true jianghu talk with her.

To go and drink wine with someone was about social etiquette.

That kind of wine, even if it were immortal brew, couldn't make one drunk. Its flavor wasn't as good as a pot of ordinary street liquor from a chance encounter.

There were already so many clever people in the world; Sun Dengxian wouldn't be missed as one more.

Xiao Luan had only mentioned it in passing and wouldn't really make Sun Dengxian curry favor with that young Hidden Officer for her sake or for the White Stork River Water Mansion.

But Xiao Luan had an unspeakable secret. Every time she thought of it, she wished she could dig a hole and crawl in.

This matter could even be considered leverage in Wu Yi's hands.

Sun Dengxian took his leave from the Water God lady and left the house, planning to practice his stances in the courtyard to stretch his limbs.

He actually lived in a side room of that courtyard.

A lone man and a lone woman—improper contact between the sexes? If they hadn't been placed in the same room, that was already considered good hospitality by Ziyang Prefecture.

Just then, a knock came at the courtyard gate.

Sun Dengxian went to open the door and was momentarily stunned. Not only had Wu Yi come in person, but beside Wu Yi stood a young man in a green long gown, with an elegant, scholarly air and a full Daoist aura.

Xiao Luan had also quickly walked out of the house. Her long, autumn-water-like eyes flashed with a hint of shyness, but she quickly recovered.

The man cupped his hands in greeting and said with a brilliant smile, "Sir Sun, Lady Xiao, we meet again."

Sun Dengxian was only a retainer of the River God's Mansion, while Xiao Luan was the true Water God. But this person, intentionally or not, placed Sun Dengxian first and Xiao Luan second.

Xiao Luan wouldn't dare mind such a triviality. She quickly curtsied, performing a "ten thousand blessings" gesture, and said softly, "Xiao Luan of the White Stork River greets Mr. Chen!"

Only then did Sun Dengxian clasp his fists and say with a hearty laugh, "Sun pays respects to Lord Chen."

Wu Yi curled her lips. This Xiao Luan was truly lucky. It seemed she always managed to bump into this guy next to him. Was this woman "not arriving early but arriving at the right time"?

But Wu Yi had to admit that the Xiao Luan before her was truly a great beauty who could "move people, stir hearts, and captivate gazes."

Even a woman would find her pitiable and lovely.

No wonder in the Huangting Kingdom, there were so many tales praising her, with lines like "On the river, there is a goddess, wearing a purple lotus scarf. Lotus-thread shoes on her feet, walking on waves without stirring dust."

Hmph. Poems like that—who knew if Xiao Luan had written them herself and then found someone to ghostwrite?

Wu Yi looked at Xiao Luan and asked directly, "Lady Xiao, tell me, what do you want from me?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "You two talk. Sir Sun and I will have our drink."

Sun Dengxian looked troubled. He hadn't brought any wine, and there was none prepared in the courtyard. But Chen Ping'an helped him out: "I have two jugs of self-brewed wine from the Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven with me."

Inside Sun Dengxian's room, they poured two large bowls of wine. Sun Dengxian actually didn't know what to say. Chen Ping'an asked if Sun Dengxian had ever traveled to Sui'an County. With this start, the conversation opened up. Soon, two bowls of wine were consumed. Chen Ping'an even took off his cloth shoes, sat cross-legged on the chair, and Sun Dengxian followed suit. His whole body relaxed. An old hand of the jianghu, once he wasn't so tense, was quite talkative. The young Hidden Officer no longer needed to find topics; Sun Dengxian took the initiative to talk about an interesting incident, asking if Lord Chen remembered the others from Centipede Ridge back then. Chen Ping'an smiled and said he did. Sun Dengxian wiped his mouth and laughed, saying that whenever those old fellows gathered, they always talked about Lord Chen. He himself hadn't had the face to say he knew you, and occasionally when he chimed in, someone would retort, "Did the young Hidden Officer tell you that?" or "Were you there at the time?"

Sun Dengxian easily flushed when drinking. His face was already red, though he was only mildly tipsy. He asked, "Can I ask you something?"

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Is Sir Sun wanting to ask about Cao Ci's fist techniques?"

Sun Dengxian asked, "Am I touching a sore spot?"

"What's there to say about that? I just lost four consecutive matches to Cao Ci in fist fights."

Chen Ping'an raised his wine bowl and lightly clinked it with Sun Dengxian's. They each took a big gulp, wiping their mouths with the backs of their hands. "Cao Ci's fist technique is like heaven-made art. Every move seems to be foreknown. He's very strong. I truly can't beat him."

But Chen Ping'an quickly added, "Of course, it's temporary. That fight in the Merit Forest was already much better than my three fights on the Sword Qi Great Wall city wall, where I had no chance to fight back."

Sun Dengxian asked doubtfully, "How did Lord Chen learn his fists?"

Chen Ping'an thought carefully and said, "In my early years, I had a wise master who taught me and fed me punches. I could also endure hardship. And over the years, I've never slackened off. If my later identity as a sword cultivator was the path to the summit, then my earlier martial arts training and fist practice were the foundation. Both are indispensable."

Sun Dengxian smiled and asked, "What made you think of brewing your own wine?"

Chen Ping'an joked, "To make money. I've been poor since I was young. Without some money in hand, I feel panicked. A poor man's money is like the sweat on his palms. Don't work, and it's gone; work hard, and it's still gone."

He took a sip of wine and continued, "Of course, I'm not short of money now. But making money is a bit like drinking—it's easy to get addicted. At most, I often remind myself: don't earn money that goes against your conscience, avoid ill-gotten gains—you can't keep them anyway. And once you have some money, you must seek peace of mind. Because I heard from the elders in my hometown that saving money for descendants isn't necessarily a blessing. If they can't hold onto it, they can't hold it. Only by doing good and accumulating virtue, leaving blessings for descendants, can they not avoid receiving them. The most important thing is the old saying: every family has a field called the 'Field of Blessings.' In this field, wisdom roots easily grow. So leaving a Field of Blessings for descendants is better than anything—better than money, even better than books."

Sun Dengxian nodded. "Unfortunately, many people no longer think that way now. They are obsessed with the idea that if you're not ruthless, you can't make big money."

Chen Ping'an hesitated. "But I have to admit that many times, it seems to be true. Ruthless people do live more glamorously."

Sun Dengxian sighed.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "It's fine. At worst, each of us walks our own broad road or single-plank bridge. Each eats their own meal, drinks their own wine. Besides, both you and I, Sir Sun, are martial artists. Our hands aren't only for holding bowls to eat and drink."

Sun Dengxian raised his wine bowl and smiled. "True. Cheers."

Chen Ping'an raised his bowl as well. "Next time Sir Sun visits my Fallen Mountain Estate, I'll cook a few dishes to go with the wine myself."

Sun Dengxian laughed. "With that promise, it's already the best dish to go with wine."

Earlier, the phrase "a poor man's money is the sweat in his palms" finally convinced Sun Dengxian that this young Lord Chen wasn't from a wealthy family—he had truly come from poverty.

Meeting Sun Dengxian and his group back then was like a validation for Chen Ping'an, giving him a peace of mind: "I am right to walk the jianghu so cautiously."

On a larger scale, it proved that in this unfamiliar world so different from his hometown, his cautious words and actions were correct.

But these inner thoughts, Chen Ping'an had never mentioned to anyone. Today, meeting Sir Sun, even though he wasn't drunk yet, he couldn't bring them up for now.

It was like a kind of Dao verification that combined self-proof and external proof.

---

In the corridor.

The Foremost Sage smiled. "Exposed so quickly, eh."

The method of merging with the Dao of the Cave Lord of Azure Sky, who held a high seniority in the Daoist tradition, was certainly not limited to this. It was more complex than Chen Ping'an's guess.

It involved the prayer of the heavenly times, the binding of the earthly advantages, and the actions of human harmony. Yet it could fuse all three into one, making it a very interesting path.

In the early days, after the "world" was divided into four worlds, many "young" fourteen-stage and Flight-Summit grand cultivators were naturally curious about that "early bird" old abbey master—what kind of path was his? And why didn't he stay in the Desolate Wilderness World but instead went to the Grand Void World as an anomaly?

The grand cultivators pondered this for hundreds or thousands of years and could only reach the step Chen Ping'an had taken.

Lü Yan said, "The widespread circulation of later books has, to some extent, given Chen Ping'an an advantage."

The Foremost Sage sighed. "Is it so hard to admit that a young junior has a quick mind?"

And that "sigh" seemed to have the exact same tone as the old scholar's. But considering the seniority and age of both sides, it was probably the Literary Sage who had learned from that example and had grasped the essence?

Lü Yan shook his head and smiled. "I have no intention of underestimating Chen Ping'an. Earlier in that inn by Handan Road, I already thought highly of him."

The Foremost Sage insisted, "You do."

Lü Yan felt helpless. "Foremost Sage, teacher for ten thousand generations, please don't trouble a Daoist like me."

The Foremost Sage asked with a smile, "Do you think Chen Ping'an has guessed Lu Sheng's identity?"

Lü Yan replied, "Hard to say."

The Foremost Sage said, "That ancient sword core, though not a peerless treasure through the ages, can still be called 'not ordinary.' Pure Yang Fellow Daoist, do you think Chen Ping'an will refine it himself or give it away?"

Lü Yan said, "Biting off more than one can chew. He'll probably give it away."

The Foremost Sage smiled. "Bite the vegetable root, endure every hardship, be bound by nothing, and everything is possible."

Lü Yan sighed with emotion. "Cultivators are the most selfish."

But without selfishness, how could one seek the Dao, cultivate immortality, and become an immortal?

The greatest desire was longevity, then immortality, and finally living as long as heaven and earth.

The Foremost Sage said, "Ah, is Pure Yang Fellow Daoist scolding himself, scolding me, or both?"

Lü Yan shook his head. "Just speaking casually. About to travel far, it's inevitable to feel melancholy."

The green mountains and white clouds of my hometown, the small bridges and flowing waters—waiting for the wanderer from afar to return home.

It seemed that when dawn broke and the dream ended, one would "open one's eyes and hear" the cries of flower sellers rising everywhere.

Lü Yan's Dao heart was extremely tough; he soon restrained this faint melancholy. He was also quite curious about something. "That female sword cultivator from the Desolate Wilderness who goes by the alias Bai Jing—is her swordsmanship a cut above Fellow Daoist Xiao Mo's?"

The Foremost Sage nodded. "Indeed. She's a quite fierce woman, very skilled in swordsmanship. But Xiao Mo also finds it very troublesome. Facing this persistent entanglement, he can't really turn a sparring match into a life-and-death fight with Bai Jing. Or else, if Xiao Mo gets annoyed and unleashes one of his lifebound flying swords, even Bai Jing would be afraid. As for that chase back then, if it came to a true death match, Yang Zhi and Zhu Yan would have been the ones to suffer more. Of the three Flight-Summit cultivators, two died and one was injured. There was no escape. In the Desolate Wilderness, Zhu Yan's severe injury was tantamount to death."

"As a sword attendant protecting those people, Xiao Mo could certainly do the job well, but he was most fitting as a 'death warrior.'"

"So it's said that a certain senior's eye for choosing people has always been good, from ancient times to the present."

However, the sword cultivator Bai Jing was somewhat similar to Xiao Xun of the Sword Qi Great Wall. She preferred an extremely pure, unbound freedom.

Back then, Chen Qingdu couldn't control Xiao Xun even on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and now that Bai Ze had returned to the Desolate Wilderness World, he might not be able to control Bai Jing either.

It wasn't exactly "couldn't control," but more of a respect, or a kind of understanding from an elder toward a junior.

The heavens are high and the earth is vast—go, and be free.