Chapter 933: I Am the Host (3)

Chapter 933: I Am the Host (3)

Outside the courtyard gate.
Xiao Luan stood trembling beside Wu Yi, not knowing who that woman in the green robe and wide-brimmed hat was.
Could she be the legendary female sword immortal Ning Yao? But the female cultivator before her was not wearing a sword or carrying a sword case. Besides, if it were really Ning Yao, why would she hide her face like this?
Ning Yao leaving the Five-Colors World and appearing in the Great Li capital had already spread quietly within the official circles of mountains and rivers, yet it seemed Bottle Gourd Continent had reached an unspoken understanding—no mountain, no river gazette dared to write about this matter.
After hearing Xiao Luan's heartfelt words, Wu Yi frowned slightly, with no thought of "family troubles not to be aired outside," and said directly, "My younger brother never told me about this."
"The Han Shi River's register rank is merely equivalent to the Jade Liquid River near the Red Candle Town. If he wants to fill the vacancy at Iron Talisman River, my brother would need to jump two ranks. That's pure wishful thinking."
"Xiao Luan, why don't you scheme for Ye Qingzhu's water god position at Jade Liquid River? That's only one rank up. Just go find Mountain Lord Chen. He's so familiar with Sun Dengxian that he'd definitely give you that face."
Xiao Luan shook her head vigorously. This was absolutely not feasible. Absolutely not.
You, Wu Yi, are the culprit! If it weren't for you forcing me to do that shameless deed back then, how would I dare not seek out Mountain Lord Chen?
Wu Yi suddenly understood and chuckled, "Blame me, I really am the matchmaker who forced this match."
Xiao Luan's pretty face reddened, and she bit her lips.
Wu Yi said, "Since I dug the pit, I'll fill it. Before I leave Purple Sun Mansion, I'll make a trip to the Han Shi River Water Mansion to see what he's really planning. In any case, I'll do my best to find you a substantive position—either a promotion for you or a lucrative transfer at the same rank. But whether it succeeds or not, I make no guarantees. Wait for my news within a month."
Xiao Luan breathed a sigh of relief and sincerely thanked this Cave Spirit Ancestor, promising that when the matter was accomplished, she would wholeheartedly recommend the Iron Treaty River's Gao Niang to be promoted to White Crane River Water God.
Wu Yi's expression shifted slightly, somewhat surprised. She suddenly changed her tone and asked, "If I can convince the Yellow Court Kingdom's emperor and negotiate with the Great Li Ministry of Rites to include the several hundred li of Iron Treaty River waters outside Purple Sun Mansion into your White Crane River Water Mansion's jurisdiction, and I also suggest to both courts that White Crane River god position be promoted one rank—would you be willing?"
Xiao Luan's eyes lit up. Such a wonderful thing? Willing? How could she not be willing?!
Xiao Luan asked quietly, "But what about River God Gao?"
Wu Yi said impatiently, "I have other arrangements for him. I definitely won't shortchange him."
She sneered inwardly. Just like that banquet back then, some people still like to meddle. The only remarkable thing is that they clearly steal the spotlight yet don't make one feel they've overstepped.
Speaking of this operation, Purple Sun Mansion was a huge beneficiary. It didn't require Wu Yi to call in favors; actually, it was Luopo Mountain that would handle the negotiations with the Yellow Court Kingdom and the Great Li Ministry of Rites. All these twists and turns were probably still secretly driven by that Northern Peak Wei Mountain Lord, who seemed to be sharing a pair of trousers with Luopo Mountain.
Thus, White Crane River would essentially annex the Iron Treaty River. In the future, there would definitely be exchanges of courtesy with Purple Sun Mansion. And Gao Niang also got a good deal—a windfall from heaven. Just now, when Wu Yi heard Chen Ping'an reveal the heavenly secret, the Great Li court would soon issue an edict to its vassal, the Yellow Court Kingdom. In Yunzhou, a new great river would appear, officially enshrined and established with a temple. Its source water was called Wuxi. After Gao Niang resigned from his post at Iron Treaty River, he could immediately go there to assume the position of river god, rebuild the temple, recast the golden body, and enjoy incense offerings. That fellow Huang Chu of Purple Sun Mansion had good luck here—first his own departure, and now he had two additional river gods, each promoted one rank, as powerful allies!
After finishing the business, Wu Yi looked at the woman in the wide-brimmed hat, whose depth of Dao she couldn't discern, and asked, "Are you a registered cultivator of Luopo Mountain?"
Qing Tong's cool voice seeped through the gauze of the wide-brimmed hat like flowing water, "Unfortunately, I come from Indus Leaf Continent. I'm just an unknown nobody."
Before leaving Purple Sun Mansion, Chen Ping'an gave Wu Yi a personal copy of a calligraphy piece as a return gift.
As for the original, Chen Ping'an had long intended it as a family heirloom—one of the calligraphy scrolls he had traded from a young county captain with wine back in the day.
Chen Ping'an couldn't even bear to use it for "practicing characters" and had always treasured it in his bamboo tower.
The content of the calligraphy was simple—just two sentences: "If you hold my scroll and face the water, fear not that each character will transform into a dragon and swim away. If you hold my scroll and travel at night, you shall make every ghost and goblin lose their hiding place."
There were two leisure seals: "Young Dragon's Vigorous Spirit" and "Lean Dragon's Plump Spirit."
Wu Yi received this scroll. Though it wasn't the original, she still showed a rare genuine smile and broke protocol to perform the Wanfu bow to the young Hidden Officer.
Then Chen Ping'an took Qing Tong to the southeastern region of Bottle Gourd Continent.
In the Blue Luan Kingdom, there was a river god's temple occupying about ten acres. The temple keeper had a knack for business and was very shrewd. Charges for wall inscriptions varied by "location."
And after the inscriptions, the temple would strictly guard and protect them, saying that preserving them for a few hundred years was definitely not a problem.
In the covered corridor of the fourth courtyard, on the wall, besides the calligraphy of Old Secretary Liu of Lion Garden, there were three different handwritings on a nearby white wall.
Visiting old haunts, Chen Ping'an clasped his hands behind his back and looked at the inscriptions on the wall, squinting and smiling.
Pei Qian's inscription: The first horizontal stroke was crooked. She had earnestly written four characters: "Heaven and Earth Unite Qi."
At the end, she wrote: "Pei Qian and her master came here."
Seeing those four words, Qing Tong rarely felt a bit guilty.
Because in a transformed painting realm, Chen Ping'an had a conversation with the Pure Yang Daoist.
Lu Yan had said at the time: "Spirit unites with the Great Void, the Dao connects beyond heaven and earth. Qi attains the five elements' subtlety, sun and moon are within a square inch."
It seemed to perfectly combine into the four characters "Heaven and Earth Unite Qi."
Zhu Lian had written a magnificent essay in cursive script—over a hundred characters, using dry brush and light ink, in one breath, like dragons and snakes flying.
Chen Ping'an's writing was standard regular script, neat and proper.
Qing Tong lifted the brim of her hat, looked up at the two long sentences on the wall, silently read them to herself, then asked, "Did you write this?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Just something I felt and expressed."
Qing Tong said, "This river god temple will surely benefit greatly."
Chen Ping'an did not go to the main hall of the river god temple. Instead, he took out three water incense sticks from his sleeve, lit them, and smoke curled up slowly, rising.
Probably unwilling to disturb the river god here, Chen Ping'an intentionally isolated a small realm. Only after the incense sticks burned out did he leave the temple with Qing Tong.
They concealed their forms, walking along the riverbank. Qing Tong asked, "Are we going to a few more places?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "You haven't consumed any of your merit, yet you get to follow me on a sightseeing trip. You don't even need to spend a single copper coin for travel expenses. Isn't that enough? Flying Ascension realm traveling between continents has a lot of rules."
Qing Tong chuckled. "True."
After a moment of hesitation, Qing Tong asked, "Why haven't you ever asked me if I know about that swordsman Liu Cai?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "That deal is far too unprofitable."
Qing Tong looked puzzled. "What kind of deal is this?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Either something good or something bad. The likelihood may be fifty-fifty. If it's good, it's fine. But if it's bad, I'd fall right into Zouzi's trap. Tell me, is that a loss?"
Qing Tong laughed. "Is that how you calculate things?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's the only way I can calculate it."
Qing Tong, fortunately, was the type that wouldn't move far; otherwise, if she encountered cultivators of the same realm, especially wild cultivators who had reached Flying Ascension, she'd be in a world of trouble.
If one erroneous thought arises, then all hundred actions seem wrong. Guarding against it is like crossing the sea on an inflated bladder—don't allow a single needle's puncture. Saving others is saving oneself.
If you wish for ten thousand virtues to be perfect, to be without shame from start to finish, cultivating it is like a precious tree entering the clouds—it requires the support of many trees. Entering the mountains is leaving the mountains.
Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "Someone once said that a person has two ages: one is living in their own world, the other is living in others' worlds. The former is the nominal age, the latter is the actual age."
Qing Tong frowned. "Don't talk so mysteriously. Give an example."
Chen Ping'an said, "Let's give one distant example and one recent example. You, Qing Tong, have lived for over ten thousand plus a few thousand years, right? Do you think you understand this world outside yourself better than Zouzi? The breadth, length, and density of your Dao heart—clearly, you can't compare to Zouzi. And then our Right Protector: Little Rice Grain spent so many years at Mute Girl Lake, and she'll spend even more time at our Luopo Mountain in the future. Her mind is much simpler than many at Luopo Mountain."
Some people, like Chen Ping'an himself and his student Cui Dongshan, seem to carve bottomless wells or pools in their own hearts.
Qing Tong reluctantly admitted this point, but suddenly said, "Did you get the order wrong for the distant and recent examples?"
She and Chen Ping'an were right in front of each other, while that Right Protector of Luopo Mountain was far away, beyond the horizon.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Figure it out yourself."
Qing Tong asked offhandedly, "Who is this 'someone'?"
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Far away beyond the horizon, close right before your eyes."
Qing Tong became increasingly curious about that little water monster from Mute Girl Lake, who was quite famous.
Chen Ping'an warned, "Let me put the bad words first. It's not a big deal if you're rude to me—I have a good temper and don't hold grudges. But in the future, if you ever meet Little Rice Grain and dare to be rude to our Right Protector, I won't even need to make a move."
Offend no one, but especially don't offend Warm Tree and Little Rice Grain at our Luopo Mountain.
Don't talk to me about realms or anything.
Qing Tong asked, "Does that little water monster have powerful backing?"
Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile, his expression softening. "Little Rice Grain is very fierce even around my senior brother Zuo You. She even led Senior Lord Jun Qian on patrols. She's offered tea to Old Temple Master and served melon seeds to a certain Fourteen Realm cultivator. If it weren't for Little Rice Grain blocking those two seniors for me, I'd have suffered no small amount. Tell me, does she have backing or not?"
Qing Tong tentatively asked, "Is it because she has significant connections?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head, clicking his tongue. "If you went to Luopo Mountain, you'd definitely suffer from 'unacclimatization.'"
Qing Tong was completely baffled.
Chen Ping'an said, "Time to move on."
Qing Tong responded with an "oh" and looked around. Unfortunately, at this moment, there was wind but no moon.
The moon in the sky, the moon on earth, the moon on the shoulder of a student carrying a backpack, the moon in the eyes of one leaning on a balustrade in the highlands—shattered again and round when carried in a bamboo basket.
The wind among the mountains, the wind by the waterside, the wind under the feet of one traveling far on a flying sword, the wind that turns pages in the study of sages—wind-blown duckweed has its moments of meeting.

Above the great river near the Great Li subsidiary capital in central Bottle Gourd Continent.
There stood an imitation White Jade Capital, built at enormous cost by the Great Li dynasty in collaboration with the Mohist school.
Qing Tong was actually quite curious: didn't the true master of the Green Obscurity World care about this?
But then she thought: Daoist Number Two's Mountain Character Seal had fallen into the Heroic World, and the Literary Temple hadn't seemed to care either, had it?
Qing Tong whispered, "Should I wait outside for you?"
If a cultivator targeted by this imitation White Jade Capital had poor escape techniques, rumor had it that this building could sever a Flying Ascension cultivator.
Moreover, this place was one of that Embroidered Tiger's inspirations.
To be honest, Qing Tong didn't have to be too wary of the young Hidden Officer, but facing the long-renowned Cui Chan—even though there was no longer any Embroidered Tiger in the world—Qing Tong still dared not act rashly on this Bottle Gourd Continent's map.
That was someone who could go head-to-head with Wenhai Zhou Mi and not fall at all.
Earlier, when Cui Chan was still the senior disciple of Wen Sheng, he had traveled with the old scholar to Lotus Flower Blessed Land.
Qing Tong had witnessed that man's extraordinary brilliance firsthand.
If she were to entertain Cui Chan at the Demon Subduing Tower, Qing Tong felt that, even with Zouzi's instructions, she would absolutely not dare scheme against Cui Chan.
Besides, who knows who would end up scheming against whom?
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Come up the building with me."
Qing Tong hesitated.
Lord Hidden Officer, don't cross the river and burn the bridge, remove the ladder after I climb up.
Are you tricking me inside just to shut the door and kill me?
Chen Ping'an said impatiently, "You're only good at acting tough in your own home, aren't you?"
Qing Tong was silent. So, I'm even worse off than a Sixth Realm martial artist from the Yellow Court Kingdom?
She had no choice but to follow Chen Ping'an, stepping on the void and ascending the building. At the highest tower, they met an old cultivator who guarded this place.
The old man was tall, with a high crown and broad sash, lean-featured, with cold eyes that made him seem somewhat unapproachable.
When Qing Tong saw him, her Dao heart shook. She immediately removed her wide-brimmed hat and disguise, bowed deeply in greeting, and rose without saying a word.
Because she had already recognized who he was.
He was not a sage of the Literary Temple, and even before the Supreme Saint and Young Master Confucius, he could completely disregard face.
No wonder the Great Li dynasty was so tough with the Literary Temple.
But didn't everyone say this man had long since perished, body and Dao?
The old man merely nodded to Qing Tong in acknowledgment, then turned to Chen Ping'an and said, "Once or twice is fine, but three times is too many."
First, Ning Yao from the Five-Colors World. Then, Qing Tong from Indus Leaf Continent.
If you add that swordsman Mo Sheng as an attendant...
Now when you go out traveling, if you don't have a Flying Ascension cultivator by your side, are you ashamed to leave the house?
Seeing that Chen Ping'an seemed about to explain something, the old man shook his head. "I don't ask the reasons; I only look at the results."
Once was for Wen Sheng's sake—a long-awaited inquiry into the Dao, where victory or defeat was secondary. Just like someone fond of drink indulging in a cup of wine, or drinking at the same table with a kindred spirit—who drinks more or less doesn't matter.
Another time was for Cui Chan's sake, or more precisely, for the sake of this pair of master and disciple.
Before the great war began, the old scholar had come to him and borrowed some books.
Aside from "Heaven's Questions," which he didn't give to the old scholar, "Mountain Spirits," "Crossing the River," "Lord of the East," and "Calling Back the Soul"—four chapters—were all given to him.
But more important than this was a scheme jointly crafted by the old man and Cui Chan: to create a "unique" heavenly timing for Bottle Gourd Continent.
It was equivalent to establishing an additional twenty-four solar terms for an entire continent's mountains and rivers.
Thinking of this, the old man's expression softened a bit. He asked, "Do you know why you awakened in the Cavern of Creation on Reed Flower Island in the sea, and not on Sword Qi Great Wall?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "This junior has never understood this matter and humbly begs the elder to dispel my confusion."
The old man did not beat around the bush and said directly, "A reference point was needed. The threshold for this is extremely high, requiring this object to be 'utterly still,' like an anchor sinking to the bottom."
"It had to be like the first ruler under heaven, the first scale—through thousands of years, the length and weight must not suffer the slightest loss."
"Think about it: where could the Great Li National Master, the Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan, or even the entire Bottle Gourd Continent, find such an object?"
The old man pointed at Chen Ping'an. "It was you, your little junior. It was the half of Sword Qi Great Wall with which you had merged your Dao."
Chen Ping'an was stunned.
The old man revealed the celestial secret: "After the great war, the remnant Dao resonance of the Bottle Gourd Continent's heavenly timing still existed. If you hadn't slept in the Cavern of Creation and had returned to Bottle Gourd Continent a few years earlier, it would absolutely not have been a good thing for you or for Bottle Gourd Continent."
Cui Chan was truly ruthless. Inside this imitation White Jade Capital, there had once been a conversation. The old man asked Cui Chan, "It's a matter of great importance—won't you inform Chen Ping'an?" Cui Chan responded with a line, saying, "Is it so easy to be the last disciple of the Wen Sheng lineage? This kind of duty—whether Chen Ping'an knows the process is completely unimportant. The only thing that matters is the result."
The old man smiled. "Remember when you left Letter Bamboo Lake, walking north alone, and you dried bamboo slips on a mountaintop, and I asked you for some?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "We agreed on twenty-four bamboo slips, but in the end, the elder still took almost thirty. Your skill at bargaining and fishing in troubled waters is something this junior cannot match."
Qing Tong nearly couldn't hold back. You, Chen Ping'an, may be the legitimate direct disciple of the Wen Sheng lineage, but how are you talking to this elder? Be a little more polite!
In truth, there had always been a saying in the Heroic World: half of the world's talents are in the Confucian Literary Temple; half of the Literary Temple's talents are in the Second Sage's lineage.
But in Qing Tong's opinion, don't offend the direct disciples of the Wen Sheng lineage.
Chen Ping'an asked, "May I ask the elder to light a stick of Water Incense?"
The old man laughed and asked, "You tell me: what would I need with Literary Temple merit?"
Chen Ping'an was speechless.
The old man didn't mention one thing: back then, at the mountain top parting, the young accountant on horseback had dozed off, half asleep.
He didn't know that the old man, who had swindled and stolen quite a few bamboo slips, had led the horse for him, and had even had a casual conversation that seemed like an inquiry into his heart.
The old man recalled a thought from the young man at the time:
"Don't argue, don't argue. I really don't have the energy. If I had eaten four cheap meat buns from Green Parasol City, then maybe I could give it a try."
So the old man teased, "Could chilled pig's head meat be used as stuffing for buns?"
Chen Ping'an didn't drag it out either. He made a deep bow and took his leave. "Sorry to have disturbed the elder. We'll be on our way now."
Unexpectedly, the old man said warmly, "Oh, by the way, the matter of reshaping the twenty-four solar terms comes with no small amount of merit—truly not small. And you might not know this, it hasn't been recorded in the Literary Temple's merit ledger. Your senior brother Cui Chan effectively saved that asset for you. As for me, I'm just a custodian. To light this Water Incense, I can do it, but you'll have nothing to do with that merit. This deal—will you take it or not?"
Qing Tong, ignoring propriety, immediately sent a mind voice to warn Chen Ping'an: "Don't take it! Don't act impulsively! It's too much of a loss! What's more, the merit was left for you by Cui Chan. Given this elder's age and seniority, he wouldn't possibly embezzle it. Come back another time with some method and ask for it..."
The old man seemed to detect Qing Tong's thoughts. He shook his head. "Unfortunately, Cui Chan and I had an agreement. Though this merit belongs to Chen Ping'an, how he gets it back and in what manner depends on me, not Chen Ping'an."
Qing Tong was momentarily at a loss. How could people bully others like this?
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, then nodded. "Deal!"
The old man was even more direct. As soon as Chen Ping'an agreed, he waved his sleeve and returned that vast merit to Heaven and Earth, not even limiting it to just Bottle Gourd Continent's mountains and rivers.
Then the old man shook his sleeves, clasped his hands behind his back, and smiled. "Do you regret it?"
Qing Tong didn't know if Chen Ping'an regretted it, but she certainly regretted it on his behalf.
Such a huge amount of Heavenly and Earthly merit—practically a whole page in the Literary Temple's merit ledger, written in bold colors!
How many dealings with mountain and river spirits could that have settled?
Chen Ping'an put on a straight face. "Not really."
The old man laughed. "The deal is done, so I won't see you out."
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "Elder, don't forget to transfer half of the merit to the Ascension City of the Five-Colors World. I only merged with half of Sword Qi Great Wall; the half of Sword Qi Great Wall isn't mine."
"Of course."
Only at this moment did the old man's expression become kind, without the slightest concealment of his admiration. "Truly worthy of being Cui Chan and Qi Jingchun's little junior."
Qing Tong was dumbfounded again.
The two talking didn't find it tiring, but she, just eavesdropping, was exhausted.
The old man actually shook his sleeves, bowed, and saluted the young man.
Chen Ping'an straightened his clothes and returned the bow.
Chen Ping'an had come on the fifth day of the fifth month.
And this old man had left on the fifth day of the fifth month.
They met at Letter Bamboo Lake.
The figures of the masters and sages had gradually faded into the distance along the road.
But one figure that had once looked upon those figures would likewise become a figure in the eyes of younger people.
After the old man straightened, he patted Chen Ping'an's shoulder. His expression was kind, like a family elder seeing a young junior making good progress. He said softly, "Good family upbringing."
Chen Ping'an stood up straight, his lips moved slightly, but in the end, he said nothing. He just had bright eyes and nodded silently.

By the parasol tree.
Sitting cross-legged, Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
Xiao Mo immediately withdrew that sword-qi-filled ethereal Dharma manifestation and asked softly, "Young master, are you alright?"
Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile. "It went quite smoothly."
Senior brother Cui Chan had once "borrowed characters."
One of them, "mountain," the master had mentioned at Merit Forest—it was the life character of the Grand Sacrificialist of the Book of Rites Academy.
Then where was the character "water"?
Though the master had never brought it up, Chen Ping'an had long understood.
Of course, it belonged to this old senior who had his Dao field at Letter Bamboo Lake and had written "Heaven's Questions."
So that stick of "heart incense" from him would be the most efficacious stick of Water Incense in Heaven and Earth.
Actually, both the elder and the junior understood each other tacitly.
But he didn't need to explain this to Qing Tong.
Qing Tong immediately withdrew her Yang Spirit Incarnation, restored her true body, and stretched lazily. "Merit accomplished! Finally we can call it a day!"
Chen Ping'an smiled faintly. "We're not done yet."
Qing Tong fell back onto the ground. Actually, she had mentally prepared for this. Mountains and waters go together. There was no reason Chen Ping'an would only deal with water gods and ignore the mountain gods.
Qing Tong stared blankly at the sky, her eyes plaintive, complaining, "Doesn't this count as 'resolve once and for all'?"
Chen Ping'an stood up, interlacing his fingers and stretching his limbs. "We can rest a moment."
With nothing else to do, Chen Ping'an faced the parasol tree and walked backward.
The bright moon hung in the parasol tree; the wind blew through the ancient trees like rain on a sunny day; the moon shone on the sandy flats like frost on a summer night.
Seeing that the young master was in a good mood, Xiao Mo was slightly more cordial toward Qing Tong.
Chen Ping'an continued walking backward slowly, smiling. "Earlier I met Yang Zhi and heard something: that Bai Jing, who has many Daoist names, likes you."
Given that Qing Tong had been quite loyal in the imitation White Jade Capital tower, Chen Ping'an wouldn't play the informer.
Xiao Mo looked embarrassed, his head aching like a winnowing basket as if the past was too shameful to recall.
Chen Ping'an tucked his hands into his sleeves and teased, "What's there to be embarrassed about? You should learn from the old cook, Mi Da Sword Immortal, Chief Zhou, and the like."
Xiao Mo shook his head. "Mr. Zhu once said, 'Only the infatuated are the most romantic,' and it struck me like a sudden awakening. When it comes to matters of love between men and women, there's no one better to learn from than the young master."
Qing Tong suddenly realized something: could this be the family culture of Luopo Mountain?
Chen Ping'an began practicing his backward stepping stakes. He slid his hands out of his sleeves and made sword fingers. "Earlier, at the Purple Sun Mansion in the Yellow Court Kingdom, I acquired a high-rank sword pellet, carefully refined by a certain ancient West March True Immortal. Take a look first and see if it's suitable for you. If it is, take it; if not, who do you think it would be most appropriate to give it to? Oh, the sword pellet is called 'Nirvana Pellet.'"
Between Luopo Mountain and Immortal Capital Mountain, there seemed to be so many who could refine this sword pellet.
So Chen Ping'an was finding it difficult.
To be honest, Chen Ping'an had a selfish bias: he personally leaned toward his disciple Guo Ninth Wine.
But he wasn't sure if it was suitable yet, so he was glad to have Xiao Mo help examine it. He'd decide later.
Now in the Heroic World, when people think of Chen Ping'an on Sword Qi Great Wall, they mostly think of the Hidden Officer title, the tavern, the no-trouble talisman, Ning Yao, the summer resort palace...
But in truth, regardless of outcomes, only Chen Ping'an knew the ups and downs of those years—a bitterness that wasn't worth sharing.
So Chen Ping'an was very grateful to the little girl who had beaten a drum on the wall to encourage him in those days.
He would miss the squabbling between Guo Ninth Wine and Pei Qian.
As he spoke, the miniature sword case flew out from Chen Ping'an's sleeve, along with a string of golden characters.
Xiao Mo caught the sword case and those treasure talismans, glanced at the characters, and didn't look further. He nodded. "Let me take a look at the sword pellet first."
What was inside the case called a sword pellet was essentially a slender streak of pitch-black sword light.
Xiao Mo pinched the sword light between two fingers, examined it carefully for a moment, then looked up. "Young master, this is useless to me. It's not suitable. For now, it would best be given to a young sword cultivator lacking an earth element lifebound object. Although cultivators who aren't sword cultivators can also refine it into a lifebound object, becoming something like a half-sword cultivator, similar to yourself in the early years, it is nevertheless quite dangerous. It is extremely difficult to reach the realm of spiritual resonance where the Dao heart and sword heart align. Refining this sword pellet isn't purely sword refining—it's more like inheriting a sparsely followed Dao tradition. The person refining the sword might also need to visit the cave abode of that True Immortal's residence. This means the cultivator's aptitude isn't the most important factor; opportunity is the first."
Chen Ping'an said, "Then we can take our time."
Xiao Mo said, "I'll keep the sword case for the young master."
If any accident happened, he could handle it.
Chen Ping'an didn't refuse and continued his backward walking stakes.
Qing Tong sent a mental voice stealthily: "Chen Ping'an, that Bai Jing? She is one of the few sword immortals, like Xiao Mo—a Flying Ascension peak perfection sword immortal! If you could make Xiao Mo lure her here, with one side losing and the other gaining, it would be another credit in the Literary Temple's merit ledger!"
Chen Ping'an glared angrily, lowering his voice. "Rubbish!"
But he quickly composed himself. "Thanks for the good intentions, but don't give wild ideas anymore."
Qing Tong remained silent.
Chen Ping'an explained via mental voice: "Do you think Mr. Bai will stand idly by and let Xiao Mo go meet Bai Jing? If Xiao Mo goes to the Wilderness Heaven, one misstep, and he might not even make it back to the Heroic World."
Qing Tong belatedly felt a chill in her heart.
The terror of Bai Ze... Qing Tong dared not think too much.
Chen Ping'an said softly, "Try to plan for the worst in everything; be fully prepared and think thoroughly. After that, everything can be regarded as a slight turn for the better."
Qing Tong pondered for a moment. "That seems to make some sense."

At the railing.
Lu Yan said, "It seems Fellow Daoist Qing Tong still doesn't understand. This was a rare opportunity for protection and teaching of the Dao."
The Supreme Saint nodded with a smile. "We'll just have to wait and see when our Fellow Daoist Qing Tong's spirit will be awakened."
Lu Yan asked, "That dissipated merit in the imitation White Jade Capital was no small amount. Will the Literary Temple do anything afterward?"
The Supreme Saint shook his head. "Of course, they won't compensate Chen Ping'an extra. Zouzi's saying, 'Eating at the same table, each holds their own bowl,' is crude but not crude."
Lu Yan nodded. At the end of the day, Chen Ping'an was still a Confucian scholar from the literary tradition. This journey through dreams, though called a trade, was still the act of a scholar.
The tall old man stroked his beard and smiled gently. "Those who know me say my heart is worried; those who don't know me ask what I'm looking for."
Lu Yan suddenly said, "If my memory serves me right, Chen Ping'an hasn't even become a Worthy yet, has he? Hasn't Wen Sheng said anything?"
The Supreme Saint laughed heartily. "When it comes to protecting his own, no one in the Literary Temple is more clever than the old scholar. Just wait. One day, the old scholar won't be able to hold back, and he'll put on a look of earnest advice, trotting out a basketful of reasoning. Others can't argue with him, find it annoying to listen to, but have to listen anyway."
Lu Yan smiled knowingly. "It's a pity I've never been to the Literary Temple's council meetings."
The Supreme Saint said, "That's easy! Let me mention it to the Ritual Saint. How about we place Fellow Daoist Lu Yan right next to the old scholar?"
Lu Yan shook his head. "Better not."

Chen Ping'an stopped walking, took one step back to his original spot, and sat down again. "Let's continue."
Qing Tong groaned. "What a toiling life."
Xiao Mo smiled. "What did you just say, Fellow Daoist Qing Tong? I didn't hear clearly. Say it again."
Qing Tong's face stiffened. "Nothing."
Chen Ping'an closed his eyes and placed his hands on his abdomen.
Once again, I invite you all to enter dreams with me.
Borrow with you the myriad mountains.
Wandering thoughts through the Six Classics, the spirit crossing seas, knotting thoughts in mountains and peaks—I am the host.