Chapter 959: One Foot Across Seven Realms

Chapter 959: One Foot Across Seven Realms

A single green robe instantly swept out of the Ancestral Hall, like a green waterfall cascading from the peak of Green Duckweed Peak down to the mountain gate.

Cui Dongshan, while cracking melon seeds, laughed and said, "Let's postpone the meeting for a bit, just a little while. We'll have some tea first."

Pei Qian originally wanted to follow her master to the mountain gate to welcome Li Baoping, but the great white goose smiled and shook his head at her.

For Qiu Du, Tao Ran, and the others who had recently joined the Ancestral Hall, as well as guest elders like Ye Yunyun, it was naturally very strange. They wondered what kind of revered figure was worth Mountain Lord Chen making such a grand commotion, as if the most important matters could be temporarily set aside. Without a second word, he headed straight for the foot of the mountain, not even willing to waste a moment to say a word in the Ancestral Hall. This was hardly Chen Ping'an's usual style.

Cui Dongshan's eyes suddenly lit up. "Senior Sister, I know who the greatest contributor to our Fallen Mountain's gate style is!"

Pei Qian glared at him. "Don't drag Sister Baoping into this!"

Among the younger generation of Fallen Mountain, either they feared Cui Dongshan or they feared Pei Qian.

But children like Bai Xuan, who had joined Fallen Mountain very late, probably weren't too clear that both the great white goose and Pei Qian would act differently around that certain someone.

Cui Dongshan had once had that person stamp a seal on his head. Pei Qian, who as a child could fool several old constables into circles, had also willingly become that person's little follower, often copying books together. As for Li Huai, back when he studied at the town's village school, even his underpants had been thrown up into a tree, leaving him crying with a face full of tears and snot, and crucially, he didn't hold a grudge against that person.

At the mountain gate, Chen Ping'an landed lightly, his smile radiant.

Li Baoping grinned. "Little Master, happy New Year!"

The woman in the red cotton-padded jacket, holding a green bamboo staff, wearing the narrow saber "Xiangfu" and a snow-white gourd of wine at her waist, was tall and slender—a grown young lady.

Chen Ping'an glanced at the sword-nurturing gourd. Li Baoping said with a hint of embarrassment, "Little Master, I don't drink often. Occasionally, when I get tired of reading, I take a sip to refresh myself, calling on the wine bug to fight the sleep bug. I win more than I lose!"

Chen Ping'an chuckled softly. "What's that? Your little master is almost a drunkard himself. Come, let me take you up the mountain for a stroll. Today happens to be the sect's celebration. We'll sit in the Ancestral Hall for a while first. I still have some matters to discuss. Consider this making up for the ceremony you missed. The mountain we're standing on is called Immortal Capital Mountain. The two beside it are Cloud Steam Mountain and Chou Mou Mountain, all names given by your Senior Brother Cui."

Li Baoping nodded vigorously, then pointed at the sect's plaque. "Green Duckweed Sword Sect—the name is especially good. 'Wind is born from the earth, rising from the tips of duckweed.' It means both 'the blue coming from the indigo but being bluer than it' and 'a single leaf of duckweed returning to the sea; no matter where, we shall meet again.' The connotations are numerous and beautiful. For Senior Brother Cui to come up with such a good name, it must have been a challenge. I bet he flipped through a dictionary until he stumbled upon it by luck."

Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "This sect name was chosen by your little master himself."

Li Baoping's beautiful, lively eyes narrowed into crescent moons. She deliberately sighed. "Sigh, not surprising at all."

Chen Ping'an was about to reach out and help lead the horse, but Li Baoping quickly shook her head. "It doesn't need to go up the mountain. Let it stay at the foot. Today is Little Master's sect celebration. It just ate its fill. If it poops halfway, I'd have to trouble Little Master to find a broom and dustpan. That wouldn't look good."

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. "It's no big deal."

Li Baoping lifted her green bamboo staff and waved it grandly. "Go play on your own."

The horse's hooves clattered, heading in the direction of the Falling Treasure Shoal to drink water.

Inside the Ancestral Hall, Cui Dongshan had been tilting his head and pricking his ears as if listening. Hearing this, he grinned at Pei Qian. "What do you say? Convinced or not?"

Chen Ping'an led Li Baoping slowly up the mountain path, climbing the steps one by one.

When that woman in the red cotton-padded jacket suddenly appeared, Yu Pan Shui at the top of Green Duckweed Peak was startled. This was no ordinary "shrinking the earth" technique. "Brother Ju Bao, could this young lady have crossed continents directly? My cultivation is shallow, so I'm just watching the excitement. Brother Ju Bao, you're high in realm. Care to assess?"

Liu Ju Bao's reaction was somewhat strange. He just gazed at the scene on Wu Cao Peak of Cloud Steam Mountain, seemingly blind to the woman leading the horse at the mountain's foot, and completely ignoring his friend's question.

Yu Pan Shui muttered to himself, "But if it's truly cross-continent travel, can she even bring a horse? Even the legendary 'lifting the house and ascending' doesn't have this kind of celestial phenomenon. To be able to carry the landscape qi of the Central Continent Earth... odd indeed. How is it that I also detect some Dao qi from Central Continent's Ear of Grain Mountain? In the world today, who could snatch food from the mouth of Mountain Lord Zhou You under such circumstances? I've heard it so often my ears are calloused. This Mountain Lord Zhou, with his divine title 'Great Jiao,' has never been one for a good temper."

In the Haoran World, landscape gods who possessed a "divine title" were few and far between. According to the latest laws of the Confucian Temple, only the Five Sacred Mountains of the Central Continent and the Four Seas Water Lords currently enjoyed this honor.

Liu Youzhou said via heart-to-heart communication, "It seems to be Li Baoping from Cliff Academy. I heard she, along with Qi Du's old temple priest Lin Shouyi and the virtuous man Li Huai, are all direct disciples of that Mr. Qi. Li Baoping has loved wearing red clothes since she was a child. Besides her studies, she most enjoys traveling alone. Not long ago, she passed an examination at the Ritual and Music Academy and is now a Confucian Gentleman. Li Baoping once had a debate with Yuan Pang of Hengqu Academy. I borrowed a Mirror Flower and Water Moon recording from a friend in the mountains, but I couldn't understand what they were arguing about. By seniority, the Hidden Officer can indeed be considered her little master. Since Li Baoping is a second-generation disciple of the Sage of Literature, and the Sage has always had a good relationship with Ear of Grain Mountain, could it be that Mountain Lord Zhou You personally sent her here?"

Yu Pan Shui suddenly understood. "Ah, it's her. So that's the case. No wonder, no wonder."

Liu Ju Bao still didn't take the bait. Zhou You could indeed send someone to another continent, but the commotion would never be this small. If it were truly a divine ability of Ear of Grain Mountain, then according to Master Three Mountains and Nine Marquises' earliest definition of techniques, combined with Li Baoping's current realm and cultivation, for her to cross continents, Zhou You would need to use several ancient divine abilities at once: moving mountains and shifting scenes, communicating with the dark, fixing the body and sitting in fire to calm the soul, borrowing the wind, treading water, and divine travel. When Li Baoping's feet hit the ground, the entire Immortal Capital Mountain domain would shake. Moreover, the price paid by Ear of Grain Mountain would be considerable, inevitably consuming part of its Dao qi. But given Zhou You's style, this famous Great Jiao Divine Lord was universally recognized as impartial. No matter how good his relationship with the Literary Sage lineage, he wouldn't be so partial as to abuse public office for private gain.

Obviously, there was another expert. Just this one move could be considered the work of a Fourteen Realm cultivator.

That was why Liu Ju Bao deliberately pretended to see nothing. Among the Haoran World, there were only a few Fourteen Realm cultivators. On the Tongye Continent, there had previously been the Bixiao Cave Lord of Falling Treasure Shoal from the Eastern Sea Guan Dao Temple, who had now gone to the Green Myrtle World to establish a Dao field. Because of the old temple master's own Dao integration method, if that war had continued, the old master would have been forced to share the "heaven's time, earth's advantage, and human harmony" of the Desolate Barbarian World. The more chaotic the world, the more his cultivation would decline. If Baoping couldn't be held, perhaps it would be hard for the old master to extricate himself. He couldn't let Zhou Mi, a junior from the mountains, ride on his head, could he?

A monk nicknamed "Chicken Soup Monk," by the name of Shen Qing, had also gone to the Western Buddha Land, possibly to secretly initiate a fourth Dharma protection.

The old blind man stayed put in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. Bai Ye was in the Xuan Du Temple. As for the dragon-slayer who had returned to the Fourteen Realm, he was always a lone cloud and wild crane.

It was highly possible that the Haoran World already had a new, deeply hidden Fourteen Realm cultivator, or that one would soon emerge.

Some things had to be pretended not to know.

Yu Pan Shui's realm wasn't high—just a Jade Perfection Realm—but he had good eyesight. He couldn't be unaware of this. Moreover, given the origin of the Li Zhu Cave Heaven incident back then, with Yu Pan Shui's relationship with the Embroidery Tiger, he couldn't be considered a complete outsider.

Yu Pan Shui glanced at Liu Ju Bao, the God of Wealth of the Ai Ai Continent, who was keeping quiet as a gourd. He clicked his tongue. "As expected of Brother Ju Bao. You handle people and affairs with flawless attention to detail. No wonder you make more money than I do—much, much more."

Fatty Yu had always been curious: could Brother Ju Bao's path to Dao integration be through making money? For example, earning half the immortal money of the Haoran World? But that didn't seem right either. Liu Ju Bao's skill at making money was indeed number one in the world, but when it came to spending, he was no less lavish. However, it didn't quite seem like Liu Ju Bao was trying to use spending to earn merits on the Confucian Temple's merit book. In fact, Yu Pan Shui had always felt he couldn't see through this person beside him. The longer he spent with Liu Ju Bao, the more he felt a strange discomfort, like looking at flowers through a mist. Even with Cui Chan (the Embroidery Tiger) or Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City, the so-called "can't see through" was just that their brains were too good and their chess skills too high. But in the end, some threads were still relatively clear. For instance, Cui Chan could commit acts that the world would consider heretical, like betraying his master and ancestor, and could rebel against the Literary Sage lineage. But Cui Chan would never give up the identity of a scholar in his heart. As for Zheng Juzhong, even though he bore the title of the world's number one demonic giant, his thoughts were extremely high, far, and deep. But deep down, Zheng Juzhong still gave Yu Pan Shui a feeling of being a pure, refined Confucian. Of course, it might be that Zheng Juzhong deliberately let him feel that illusion.

Liu Ju Bao, on the other hand, was different. He was the hardest for Yu Pan Shui to fathom. Yu Pan Shui simply couldn't figure out what Liu Ju Bao really wanted. It seemed as if some biggest "truth" was being covered up by Liu Ju Bao's "fact" of making money.

Liu Ju Bao smiled calmly. "Time reveals a person's heart. When the world truly becomes peaceful, you'll know what I use all that money for."

Be careful when making money, generous when spending. Whether much or little, let your wealth come and go through the front door—that's the essence of a family's gate style. Make money, but don't neglect accumulating virtue.

Otherwise, if you walk too many night roads and accumulate too much ill-gotten wealth, things will go wrong, and it will also harm your descendants. In this world, money is hard to earn, and ancestral blessings are even harder to accumulate.

Yu Pan Shui sighed with emotion. "There are plenty of people who know how to make money, but very few who truly know how to spend it."

When you're poor and destitute, making some irregular money to start your fortune is understandable. Once you're rich, you have to earn money through the proper channels.

Otherwise, virtue and position won't match. Sitting on a mountain of gold and silver, fortune and misfortune can change in a single night. What's money? 'The fields of our predecessors, later generations will harvest.'

It's probably like what Cui Chan said back then.

Big money is brought from the previous life; books are read for the next life.

Liu Ju Bao watched the two people who had already begun climbing the mountain and said, "Let's go check out the Banished Immortal Peak over there."

On the mountain path, Li Baoping said, "Little Master, don't keep them waiting at the Ancestral Hall. Business matters are important."

Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile. Li Baiping then began to climb the steps swiftly, with Chen Ping'an leisurely following beside her.

When they reached the Ancestral Hall on Green Duckweed Peak, Little Rice already had a chair prepared. Following Cui Dongshan's suggestion, the chair had been placed between Good Man Mountain Lord and Pei Qian.

Rules and etiquette could be set aside for now.

Li Baoping first bowed to everyone, announcing her name: "Li Baoping, a disciple of Cliff Academy."

She glanced at the position of her chair and shook her head at Little Master. Chen Ping'an then moved the chair back a little, but not so far that she was isolated in the back row. This way, Li Baoping was both observing the ceremony and considered family.

Pei Qian smiled and called out, "Sister Baoping," helping to pour a bowl of tea.

Little Rice wiped the sweat from her forehead, mustered her courage, and took out a pile of melon seeds as big as a small mountain from her cotton cloth satchel, placing them in front of Li Baoping. She whispered, "Mountain Lord, Sister Baoping, my name is Zhou Mili. I used to be the Right Guardian of Qilong Lane. Now I'm the Vice Helmsman of the Qilong Lane branch under the Dragon Spring Commandery Headquarters."

Pei Qian wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it.

Li Baoping was taken aback for a moment, but quickly smiled and said, "Keep up the good work."

If the black-clothed little girl hadn't brought it up today, Li Baoping would have almost forgotten about the General Headquarters Alliance Leader token she had long ago given to Pei Qian.

Once Chen Ping'an took his seat, the Ancestral Hall continued its meeting.

The first matter was Cui Dongshan establishing rules for the Green Duckweed Sword Sect. In the future, when the Ancestral Hall accepted new members, every chair added to the Green Duckweed Peak Ancestral Hall would have a high threshold.

Cultivators had to be at least Nascent Soul; among them, sword cultivators must be Golden Core; martial artists had to be at the Far Traveling Realm.

And it wasn't enough to just cross that line to earn a seat; they also had to be judged by their records on the merit roll.

The second matter was the arrangement of their respective Dao fields.

Chief Offerer Mi Yu, direct disciple He Gu, whose natal flying sword was "Flying Come Peak," would build his Dao field on Cloud Top Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain.

Disciplinary Master Cui Wei, disciple Yu Xie Hui, whose natal flying sword was "Broken Word Order," would build his Dao field on Heaven's Edge Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, at the Immortal's Palm.

Sui You Bian, disciple Cheng Zhao Lu. Dao field on Banished Immortal Peak, the second peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, at the Sweeping Flower Terrace.

Golden Core realm sword cultivator Tao Ran, Dao field on Cinnabar Sand Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain.

These four members of the Ancestral Hall were all sword cultivators, so their Dao fields were all located on Immortal Capital Mountain, the ancestral mountain of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect.

Cui Dongshan laughed. "Sword Immortal Tao, for now, none of you should hold peak opening ceremonies. Later, when you break through to the Nascent Soul realm, we'll make it up to you properly, Sword Immortal Tao, and throw a grand celebration."

Tao Ran nodded silently, no objections.

As for reaching the Nascent Soul realm, a mere dream. Not having a specialized Golden Core peak opening ceremony was for the best, saving him the embarrassment of disgracing Immortal Capital Mountain.

Cui Dongshan shook his sleeves, and mist rose from the floor of the Ancestral Hall, forming a landscape map showing the two auxiliary mountains, Cloud Steam Mountain and Chou Mou Mountain.

Various peaks had different vermilion characters floating above them, marking the names of the peaks.

Cui Dongshan said, "Teacher Zhong, besides keeping your residence on Secret Snow Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, I suggest you move the place where you handle affairs to Cloud Steam Mountain. This Cloud Steam Mountain, I will serve as its first mountain lord. The main peak, Wu Cao Peak, is also my Dao field. Teacher Zhong, don't feel like you're living under someone else's roof. Also, Teacher Zhong, you should start taking on a few disciples. Besides that, there's one more matter I need to trouble you with. I plan to start construction soon and establish a private academy on Chou Mou Mountain. I'd like to invite Teacher Zhong to be its first headmaster."

Zhong Qiu laughed. "No problem."

Cui Dongshan asked, "Senior Sister, do you plan to open your own peak on Immortal Capital Mountain, or on Cloud Steam Mountain?"

Pei Qian said without hesitation, "On Cloud Steam Mountain."

She glanced at the map and continued, "I'll build a thatched hut near the fishing pavilion at Green Bamboo Stream."

Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "The Drunken Peak over on Cloud Steam Mountain—assign it to me."

Pei Qian pursed her lips tightly.

In a certain sense, both master and disciple had learned boxing from the same person.

And that old man, who stayed for years on the second floor of the bamboo building, had a boxing technique called "Cloud Steam Great Marsh Style."

So whether it was Pei Qian choosing the fishing pavilion on Cloud Steam Mountain, or Chen Ping'an actively requesting to occupy Drunken Peak, it was a silent understanding between this master and disciple.

Cui Dongshan smiled slightly. "Let Cao Qinglang serve as the first peak lord of Scenic Star Peak on Chou Mou Mountain. Golden Core realm, opening a peak as per precedent doesn't break the rules. As for the first mountain lord of Chou Mou Mountain, we'll leave it vacant for now."

"Wu Gou, Xiao Man Ying, your Dao fields will be located by the Cloud Ladder Trail on Chou Mou Mountain. For building your residences later, you may deploy talisman laborers as you see fit."

"Daoist Qing Tong, your Dao field is on Spreading Wings Flat of Chou Mou Mountain. This peak is second only to Wu Cao Peak in height, and the scenery is quite good. How does that sound?"

Qing Tong smiled and nodded, cupping his fist. "I thank Sect Leader Cui in advance."

As a guest elder, even one like Huang Ting, the chief guest elder, was unable by precedent to open an independent peak or occupy a mountain. At most, they could have a residence in the mountains. However, a registered offerer of a celestial mansion or sect was different.

Besides Qing Tong's Spreading Wings Flat, the old dragon Qiu Du was assigned by Cui Dongshan to the Whirling Dance Peak of Chou Mou Mountain, which was also the source of water for that mountain.

Obviously, Cui Dongshan's vision was: sword cultivators on the ancestral mountain's peaks practicing their swords; pure martial artists on Cloud Steam Mountain; qi cultivators who weren't sword cultivators on Chou Mou Mountain cultivating the Dao.

The old woman braced herself and said, "Mountain Lord Chen, I'm not strictly Hu Chu Ling's master in the formal sense. Could she become your disciple?"

For this old former mentor of Dragon Palace, her own cultivation achievements were far less important than Chu Chu's smooth progress in cultivation and having a proper good master, a big backer.

The reason Qiu Du was so anxious naturally involved the "seniority" that mountain cultivators often valued most. If Chu Chu could truly become Chen Ping'an's direct disciple, it would put her on the same seniority level as Cui Dongshan. Wasn't that a meteoric rise? So the old woman had even prepared a kind of life-and-death vow, ready to offer it if Chen Ping'an didn't completely close off the possibility. Such a thing was no joke.

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "First, I'm about to go into seclusion. When I come out, I'll be traveling far away. If Hu Chu Ling becomes my disciple, I might not even be able to see her for a long time, let alone teach her anything. Besides, what I can offer is only swordsmanship and martial arts, neither of which suits Hu Chu Ling. As for talismans, I barely know the basics. But if Hu Chu Ling truly wants to learn and is capable, I can promise you this, Offerer Qiu: whenever I'm at Green Duckweed Sword Sect, if Hu Chu Ling has questions about talismans, she can come to me, and I'll teach her everything I know. Actually, regarding Hu Chu Ling's apprenticeship, there's no need to look far."

Cui Dongshan immediately smiled. "Offerer Qiu, if you don't mind, I can be Hu Chu Ling's Dao transmitter on the Green Duckweed Peak Ancestral Hall registry."

Chen Ping'an explained with a smile, "Cui Dongshan is an Immortal realm cultivator. Besides martial arts being an exception—which is the only weak point of our Sect Leader Cui—he is stronger than me, his master, in almost every aspect. If Hu Chu Ling becomes his disciple, she might just drop a bit in seniority within the mountain. But compared to becoming my disciple, following Cui Dongshan in cultivating the Dao, in the long run, Hu Chu Ling will gain more practical benefits."

Although Qiu Du felt a small regret, Chu Chu suddenly becoming Cui Dongshan's direct disciple was still a tremendous boon. It just went from the best to the second best, and the old woman was very content.

Especially when Chen Ping'an personally stated that Cui Dongshan was an Immortal realm cultivator, Qiu Du was filled with emotion. A mountain hiding such hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with such unfathomable depth—this was it.

Besides, Chen Ping'an had made a personal promise to teach Hu Chu Ling talismans. Qiu Du dared not push further. Moreover, the young Hidden Officer's demeanor was gentle, but his words were direct—for example, he had spoken openly about the matter of "seniority." So the old woman, realizing she would be thick-headed not to be sensible, immediately stood up and thanked Mountain Lord Chen and Sect Leader Cui respectively. After sitting down, she hesitated for a moment, then said with a face full of guilt and honesty, "I've lived in the countryside for so long, with a heavy selfish heart. This petty scheming of mine has made you all laugh."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Granny Qiu, please don't say that. You've helped our Green Duckweed Sword Sect Ancestral Hall's meeting get off to a good start."

Qiu Du was baffled. "Good start"? What did that mean? But seeing how everyone seemed to find the young Hidden Officer's words very natural and reasonable,

Old Immortal Jia immediately chimed in, "Calm and collected, speaking your own mind. Offerer Qiu dared to openly admit her selfishness; I think it's not selfish at all."

Little Rice, who had been frowning with her two sparse eyebrows, finally understood when Old Immortal Jia explained it that way. She clapped her hands in applause.

Because the topic the old woman had brought up happened to touch on the third matter: Sect Leader Cui was preparing to take on disciples.

Cui Dongshan laughed. "Hu Chu Ling, Jiang Qu, Xie Xie, Cui Hua Sheng, and Zhao Luan will all become my direct disciples, recorded on the Green Duckweed Peak Golden Jade Registry. As for who will be the eldest disciple, there's no rush. We'll decide later."

Chen Ping'an asked in confusion, "Zhao Luan?"

Leaving aside Cui Hua Sheng—the girl whom Cui Dongshan had personally lured to Qilong Lane, his long-lost "little sister"—and even Xie Xie becoming Cui Dongshan's disciple, Chen Ping'an had no objection. As for Jiang Qu, as the first real talisman cultivator of Fallen Mountain, it was indeed a good thing for him to become Cui Dongshan's direct disciple. But Zhao Luan? Chen Ping'an was a bit exasperated. Green Duckweed Sword Sect was Fallen Mountain's subordinate sect. Was Cui Dongshan going to keep poaching talent with his little hoe, endlessly?!

Because at the last Fallen Mountain sect celebration, besides Zhao Shu Xia becoming a direct disciple of Mountain Lord Chen Ping'an in one go, Zhao Luan, though not yet Chen Ping'an's personal disciple, had already become a registered cultivator of Fallen Mountain's Ji Se Peak. Furthermore, Zhao Luan now had an unregistered master: the white-haired child of Qilong Lane, the outer celestial demon who had used the alias "Shuang Jiang" in the Sword Qi Great Wall prison. Now, at the Grass Head Shop, he seemed to consider himself Fallen Mountain's only miscellaneous disciple. Far from feeling ashamed, he seemed quite proud. But as the saying goes, no coincidence is impossible. Chen Ping'an clearly remembered that back in the prison, this outer celestial demon had once laughingly said, "A small grass does not value itself; it has already cast the error of leaving the mountain."

Small grass leaves the mountain—Grass Head Shop?

For a qi cultivator to have two or even several Dao transmitters was not uncommon in the mountains. However, the record on the Ancestral Hall's Golden Jade Registry, concerning the affiliation of the Dao lineage, was still singular. "Recognizing the ancestor and returning to the clan" was of utmost importance for a cultivator. Just like in the Green Myrtle World, the Dao official's first teacher determined his Dao lineage for life.

Cui Dongshan said with a sly grin, "Master, Zhao Luan's cultivation aptitude is so good. Staying at Fallen Mountain, it seems there isn't much she can learn."

Chang Ming smiled. "I wouldn't say that."

Wei Wen Long said, "Sect Leader Cui, that statement is inappropriate."

Old Immortal Jia, after pondering for a moment, spoke words that did not offend either the main sect or the subordinate sect, yet sounded sincere: "I've always treated Zhao Luan as my own granddaughter all these years. If she goes to Immortal Capital Mountain to cultivate, my heart will be unwilling. Selfishness—truly, it's my selfishness."

Qiu Du smiled knowingly at this, her mood lightening a bit. The old woman cast a kind look at the blind but insightful Daoist old immortal.

Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes. Damn it, that old Jia could even use this chance to curry favor with Qiu Du?

Old Immortal Jia, you're good. You might as well go to that private academy on Cloud Steam Mountain and teach a subject on worldly wisdom.

Because of the objection, regarding who would formally be Zhao Luan's master, they would follow Fallen Mountain's old rule: first ask Zhao Luan herself.

Afterwards, they discussed candidates for protector offerers of Green Duckweed Sword Sect. Cui Dongshan said he would take care of it soon.

For now, the only formal allies bound by covenant with Green Duckweed Sword Sect were Pu Mountain, Tai Ping Mountain, and the Da Quan Dynasty.

As for the Jade Gui Sect, of course, that still depended on the master's personal decision.

---

By the shore of a large lake in Kui Prefecture, there was a massive immortal ferry port called Wine Money Crossing.

Clouds drifted gracefully, lotus leaves and water chestnut waves arose, fish and crabs tumbled among the reeds and rushes, sleeping ducks occupied the ponds and marshes, startled but then pairing up again.

At the bustling immortal ferry port, a man with a burly build, hunched over with his hands tucked into his sleeves, quietly approached a young cultivator who looked like he had money to spare. He whispered, "Need a dharma robe?"

The young man's expression shifted slightly. He asked via heart-to-heart communication, "What's the origin? New goods? Or an old dharma robe? How many layers of newness?"

In fact, such shady dealings weren't uncommon in the mountains. These were goods of unknown origin and dubious provenance, but the prices were much cheaper.

The man raised his chin and said, "Look right here. If you see anything you like, tell me. The price is the same for everything: two 'small summer' coins."

The young cultivator was utterly stunned by this statement.

The man said, "Beauty, jewels, and the emperor's seal—all come from under the yellow sand. Why ask about origins? No matter whose body it was stripped from, when you wear it, it's all the same. Tonight, you pick a place. We'll exchange goods for money. I guarantee I'll erase all the restrictions on the dharma robe. If you're not at ease, find an expert to appraise it. I don't have many taboos in business; I just want both buyer and seller to feel secure."

The young cultivator snapped angrily, "Are you out of your mind? Get lost!"

The man sighed. "No deal doesn't mean no friendship. Why hurl insults?"

The man moved away, apparently to find his next customer.

In a small county town on the border of Kui Prefecture and Qi Prefecture, an outsider, said to be a strange being, had arrived. He wore a fox-skin coat and a fox-fur hat. He had a burly build, like a soldier, and spoke with a northern accent.

This man was accompanied by three attendants, all qi cultivators. They possessed neither the Dao official status of any nation's court nor the mountain landscape registration of any mountain celestial mansion—only their ancestral hometown, names, and the seals of the local government offices. The county office examined their travel permits, which were densely stamped, and found it strange but didn't pay much attention. Since they had passed through so many places, they likely weren't the type of malicious persons using immortal arts to cause trouble.

The group found lodging in a vacant house within the town, rumored to be a haunted residence often frequented by ghosts. The yamen officials couldn't be bothered, and even the night watchmen dared not go near. They could live there if they wanted.

Inside the house, weeds grew wild, and the window paper was full of holes, letting in the wind.

On the table inside, besides stacks of medical books, it was piled high with bamboo tubes cut to various lengths, all with holes.

In the small courtyard, a large water vat held a few fish caught not long ago, waiting to be cooked.

Within the small residence, the three half-attendants, half-Daoist companions—two men and one woman, all cultivators—had been picked up along the way by Qing Ling, who kept them by his side.

Their realms were not low: two Golden Core and one Dragon Gate. Originally, they each had their own Dao fields in their hometown of Yong Prefecture. They didn't dare say they ruled the roost, but at least they had a few Dao official friends in the court. But this journey had been tense, to say the least. After all, it was cross-prefecture travel. Earlier, when passing through Ru Prefecture, they hadn't even dared to enter the Golden Dynasty itself, always feeling that any martial artist they met on the road could knock them dead with a punch.

This was all the fault of that strange man who liked to wear flowers in his hair. He had given them a fake set of travel permits each. In fact, the three of them had originally had legitimate identities; there was no need to change. But their Daoist friend Qing Ling insisted they adopt new identities. His reason was that he found their previous names and Dao titles too petty and not auspicious enough. For a qi cultivator, choosing a Dao title was like a second birth. So on this journey, carrying fake identities while swindling their way through the world with Qing Ling, how could they not be nervous?

Back in their hometown of Yong Prefecture, they had heard of a strange man in a certain commandery. He behaved bizarrely, always wearing three flowers on his head. No one knew his name. He could write poetry, all with a celestial meaning.

Sometimes he wore splendid red brocade robes and engaged in lofty discourse with high-ranking immortals; other times he dressed in rags, mingling in the marketplace and befriending beggars. He was most fond of saying strange things that no one could understand.

"Both hands wish to cover the sparrow in the bottle; four feet only fear the snake in the well. Toad-light shines all day on the murky thoroughfare; full eyes of yellow sprout reveal..."

Unexpectedly, they had encountered such a fellow, and now they were all grasshoppers on the same string, living by the old saying: "It's easy to board a pirate ship, but hard to get off."

The three companions suffering together inside the house included a woman with a slender, snow-white neck. Her Dao field was on Mian Yang Lake in Yong Prefecture. This female cultivator, originally of the spirit race, now had the Dao name "Spring Society."

Another was a short man in brocade clothes, whose body seemed to grow sideways. He came from Green Grass Lake in Long Yang County, Yong Prefecture, but fancied himself a romantic figure. He now went by the name Wu Xie and had once styled himself "No Gut Gentleman."

The last was a slender man with the Dao name "Autumn Night." According to Daoist Qing Ling, this name signified "dark night, bright moon; a recluse stands in the moonlight in a thin robe."

He had inexplicably received this brand-new Dao name. He came from a place in ancient Yong Prefecture known for producing strange snakes. However, this area had many snake-catchers, so very few had achieved the Dao through refining their forms. As for transforming into a river-dragon and walking the rivers, that was even more of a luxury. Among snake-catchers, the most famous in history was, of course, the woman who had entered Xuan Du Temple to cultivate immortal arts at a young age, Wang Sun, whose Dao name was "Empty Mountain." She was one of the current ten greatest in the world.

But the three of them—one goose, one snake, and one crab—still didn't know the true identity of their Daoist friend Qing Ling.

However, he had separately taught them a Daoist scripture. Before passing on the Dao, he had a similar set of self-aggrandizing and frightening speeches.

"This book shall only be secretly transmitted to those with affinity."

"Whoever dares to leak the contents of this book shall be punished by becoming a ghost, their entire clan cursed."

With such a big talk, the three of them each practiced according to the Daoist scripture, but it seemed to have no effect.

Qing Ling then earnestly told them, "Persist for a long time; just keep at it unremittingly. Heaven will not fail those who persevere. You will gradually enter a wonderful state."

These three Daoist friends, who had to swallow their bitter experiences in silence, were now studying a heavy, anonymous book. It was said to be a labor of love personally compiled by the old temple master of Xuan Du Temple. That was the widespread rumor, but unfortunately, Elder Sun never acknowledged having written it.

It was an essential item for mountain and wild cultivators walking the rivers and lakes, to seek good fortune and avoid disaster.

It was said that in the Haoran World, there was a "Mountain Search Map," and thus this book was also known as the "Under Water Book." It was sold at almost every immortal ferry port, and the price wasn't high—just two or three "snowflake" coins.

Concise, with clear entries, categorized and classified, it contained many mature and prudent words of golden jade, and also introduced the customs of the fourteen prefectures of the world.

It described the style of those behemoth celestial mansions and Daoist temples, which old bastards were lecherous and wicked, which little bastards were rotten from the top down, which could be reasoned with if you stopped, and which were untouchable and needed to be avoided. If you couldn't avoid them and truly encountered trouble, just admit your mistakes and don't cling to your own reasoning...

There were also many short stories, like strange tales and anecdotes, especially well-written, making for absorbing reading.

No wonder the widely connected Temple Master Sun deserved the praise of "perfect merit."

The three mountain and wild cultivators of spirit race origin were discussing scholarship, nitpicking over words, and discussing what they should say if they ever had the good fortune to meet Elder Sun. The old temple master, rumored to be most kind and amiable to juniors in the mountains, should they call him "virtuous and esteemed" or "Dao-high and virtuous" or "venerable in years and virtue"?

The three fellow townsmen and Daoist friends each held their own opinions, each with their own reasoning. One said that Elder Sun was famous, so "virtuous and esteemed" was most appropriate. Another said that since the old temple master was a Daoist, the word "Dao" should be included. The third said that "venerable in years" meant living long, which was itself the greatest praise.

The old temple master hadn't hurried to knock on the door. He stood outside the house, stroking his beard and smiling. Hearing people praise him to his face was often insincere flattery, but praise behind his back was mostly genuine.

Yan Zhuo listened outside the door to the three Daoist friends' debate and felt that their path underfoot had widened.

He just wondered if the three of them, when they actually met the old temple master beside him, would recognize him. Probably not.

In the Green Myrtle World, except for a very few prefectures, for reasons unknown, from the court to the sects, the public use of Mirror Flower and Water Moon by Daoist temples had been forbidden since ancient times.

No Gut Gentleman suddenly raised his head and said in a deep voice, "Daoist friend, stop right there. In broad daylight, how dare you trespass into a private residence!"

Did they think two Golden Core and one Dragon Gate were vegetarians?

Did they think this was their own home?

A venerable old Daoist appeared at the door, accompanied by a young fat man and two young gentlemen, noisily crossing the threshold.

Seeing that the old Daoist still stepped directly over the threshold and entered the house, casually picking up a handwritten medical book, the first page of the preface was quite scholarly. It claimed: "In the world today, physicians often like to use the 'kingly way' to cure diseases. Unfortunately, they do not know that the kingly way is dry and violent. If medicines are used carelessly, they may instead add other ailments. Therefore, I discard the kingly way and purely use the 'hegemonic way' to treat. I take the spirit of all medicines and discard their substance, leaving only the light, clear qi. Thus, it is all benefit and no harm."

Knowing the true identity of the book's compiler, Elder Sun didn't think the author had confused "kingly" and "hegemonic."

Wu Xie, having failed to stop him, couldn't help muttering under his breath, "Can't you understand human speech?"

Yan Zhuo began to anticipate the scene of this Daoist friend sweeping floors in Xuan Du Temple.

The old Daoist put down the book and glanced at Wu Xie. He was clearly a man who liked to show off his elegance, with a bunch of jade pendants and sachets hanging from his waist. The old Daoist joked, "Little brother, running a stall like a 'bundle peddler'? Your old Daoist here can introduce you to a like-minded friend later."

If he weren't away from home and the book full of golden jade advice wasn't on the table, Wu Xie would have cursed back, at the very least saying, "Do you want me to send you to see your ancestors?"

"Bamboo, no matter the length, can be played as a flute; you just need to carve holes according to the material. The three of you were chosen by him as promising materials. You're quite lucky."

Elder Sun casually picked up a section of bamboo tube, weighed it, and asked idly, "Where's that flower-wearing woman who brought you here to stay?"

After all, that Dragon Master was a Dao-completer who had twice reached the Ascension Realm. If he intentionally hid his traces, finding him was a bit troublesome.

And Sun Huai Zhong hadn't bothered to put in that effort.

The three looked at each other, somewhat suspicious. Could it be that Qing Ling, who was half-teacher, half-Daoist friend, was actually a female cultivator?

If it were a man, no matter how rough his appearance, even with flowers in his hair, he could at least pass as an eccentric. But if it were a woman... she was truly quite ugly.

Spring Society asked cautiously, "Venerable Daoist, are you asking about the whereabouts of Daoist friend Qing Ling?"

Elder Sun nodded. "Just here to catch up with an old acquaintance."

Her face showed a troubled expression. She was afraid that the other party might be a vengeful enemy come knocking, and also afraid that if she revealed his whereabouts, Qing Ling might hold a grudge against her, causing her trouble for nothing.

When she stole a glance at her two fellow Daoists, they were both playing deaf and dumb, adopting a posture of "none of my business."

Spring Society had no choice but to brace herself and ask, "Venerable Daoist, since you're visiting to catch up with Daoist friend Qing Ling, could you state your identity and Dao name?"

The old Daoist laughed. "No."

Wu Xie was thoroughly annoyed, but still restrained himself, muttering under his breath, "Can't tell good from bad. Watch out, you'll end up friendless."

Elder Sun glanced at the window and smiled. "A dog can't change its nature of eating shit. Always thinking of a beautiful woman tapping at the window—it's either a fox or a ghost."

Anyone with half a brain knew that whenever this fellow encountered such a tempting prospect of "dying under flowers, being a ghost is also romantic," he would shout, "Make way, let me handle it!"

Many elderly cultivators were two different people when they were young versus when they were old.

But that Dragon Master was a rare exception: always steadfast in his infatuation, just liking to pretend to be a philanderer, as if afraid others might think he was devoted.

And this "others" was really only one person—the one he was infatuated with.

Elder Sun sighed inwardly. Long Xin Pu, this guy, was actually quite pitiful. So he said, "Your old Daoist comes from the Xuan Du Temple in neighboring Qi Prefecture."

Spring Society was stunned at the words. Autumn Night was skeptical.

Only Wu Xie shouted angrily, then chided his two companions, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up! Let's kowtow to the old immortal together!"

Yan Zhuo winced. Just hearing the name of Xuan Du Temple was enough for such an exaggerated reaction.

Elder Sun waved his hand. "Forget it. You're not Daoists of Xuan Du Temple. Fellow travelers on the road are all Daoist friends. What kind of etiquette is it for you to kowtow to someone for no reason?"

Autumn Night suddenly asked, "Venerable Daoist, have you ever heard of Immortal Hong Ping, who was assigned to the 'Grinding Head' post in the main temple of Xuan Du Temple? I heard that a few years ago, he was promoted to become the head of a Daoist temple in a country in Qi Prefecture."

Elder Sun laughed and shook his head. "Who? Never heard of him. The temple is a bit big. I might not have met this Immortal Hong, who is from the Grinding Head lineage. But I can find him later and ask him how he ended up wandering to Yong Prefecture and how he got familiar with you, Daoist friend."

A Daoist temple had a division into "three capitals, five masters, eight major deacons, and eighteen heads." These fellows each managed a large group of Dao officials under them.

And Xuan Du Temple was a leading giant temple in the world. Adding the hundred-plus large and small temples outside the main temple, within the entire Qi Prefecture, those belonging to the Xuan Du Temple lineage and holding official Daoist certificates numbered nearly a hundred thousand. Most Dao officials might never have seen the old temple master in their lives.

Moreover, even for the Ancestral Hall meetings of Xuan Du Temple, the old temple master didn't attend every time. Showing up for two or three out of ten meetings was already considered good.

Autumn Night's expression changed slightly. He forced a smile and said, "Venerable Daoist, don't take it seriously. I was just making things up. There's no Immortal Hong from the Grinding Head lineage of Xuan Du Temple's main temple. How could a qi cultivator of my background be worthy of being associated with a Dao official of Xuan Du Temple?"

Yan Zhuo was a bit worried about this fellow's fate.

There was a widely circulated saying in the Green Myrtle World, specifically used to admonish those who liked to speak only half the truth. It wasn't just circulating among Dao officials of various prefectures; even in the markets and alleys of countries, it was known to women and children.

"The last person who spoke only half the words is now sprinkling water and sweeping floors inside Xuan Du Temple."

After all, Elder Sun of the Great Xuan Du Temple had high Daoist skills, but he was quite petty.

Whoever deliberately played coy with this old temple master, daring to speak only half the truth, would, with one misstep, receive an invitation to visit Xuan Du Temple. And they couldn't refuse.

As for the so-called "invitation," the old temple master would simply knock you out with a slap. When you woke up, you'd be lying in a strange room, with a bucket, rag, broom, and dustpan placed beside your feet.

Elder Sun stroked his beard and laughed. "When did Dao officials of Xuan Du Temple become so unattainable? I didn't know. I, your old Daoist, think it's very good that this Immortal Hong, who was externally promoted to be the head of a temple, is indeed familiar with you, Daoist friend. I think he's more than qualified to be a temple master, or a National Guardian True Sovereign of some small country."

Yan Zhuo immediately understood: that Immortal Hong had caught the old temple master's eye.

Because when the old temple master said he would go see him, he definitely would.

Elder Sun took out three talisman seals made by Xuan Du Temple's secret method and gently placed them on the table. "I've enjoyed our conversation with you three Daoist friends. Consider these a meeting gift. Don't refuse them."

Spring Society and Autumn Night exchanged glances. Neither dared to take the purple-gold talisman seal, which was entwined with sword qi and Dao qi.

Only Wu Xie, bold and unafraid of death, timidly and carefully picked up the talisman seal, made a Daoist salutation, and thanked the old Daoist.

Elder Sun laughed. "The book on the table—you've read it in vain. Today, you're lucky you met me. In the future, remember to be careful. Don't be so covetous of money, or you might fall into a trap."

Spring Society suddenly asked, "Venerable Daoist, why do all talismans of the various Daoist traditions like to affix a Real Person's Dharma Seal?"

In the Green Myrtle World, a talisman and a seal, though different by a single character, were as different as clouds and mud.

It was said that the latter allowed the wearer to go up mountains and enter water without any prohibitions, to intimidate harmful beings, causing all evil spirits to keep their distance, and to reach the heavens and communicate with divine beings.

Elder Sun laughed. "The reason is simple. The various Daoist talismans like to emphasize that all ghosts and gods in the world are subject to the seal, while the talisman is held in the hand of a judge. The Real Person or Immortal Lord is like an official in a yamen; the judge within the yamen is like a clerk. Therefore, without a Real Person, a judge cannot make talismans. Without the imprint of a Real Person's seal, a judge's talismans... can still be used, but they won't be very efficacious. Otherwise, talismans from other worlds wouldn't all be fakes. They just aren't very responsive. In simple terms, they lack power and don't hurt when they hit. As for why there are also great talismans in other worlds, apart from the Heavenly Master Mansion of Mount Longhu, which stands alone, those talismans are like the 'Ultimate Gate' of talismans. But in fact, a secret seal passed down by Master Three Mountains and Nine Marquises is even more ancient and profound in its Daoist origins than the Green City of the Great Jade Capital's First Leader or the Lingbao City of Pang Ding. It can even be said to surpass them."

The three were startled by this talk. They had certainly heard of the Heavenly Master Mansion of Mount Longhu and the "Ultimate Gate" of talismans in the Haoran World.

Had they just met someone with an even bigger mouth than Qing Ling?

Venerable Daoist, you casually mention Green City and Lingbao City, and especially dare to call the old city lord Pang Ding by his name without any fear of being struck by lightning?

Elder Sun laughed. "Now, can you tell me where your Daoist friend Qing Ling is wandering?"

Wu Xie said, "Venerable Qing Ling might be at Gu Pu Lake right now, busy fishing. I hear the perch there is the most delicious."

Elder Sun nodded, said thanks, and pointed to the book on the table. "Books like this don't need to be taken too seriously. You can read them and then throw them away."

Spring Society shook her head. "Elder Sun, this is a good book."

Especially some of the very short strange tales, just over a hundred characters, were quite interesting.

Elder Sun laughed, not agreeing. "That's because you haven't read truly good books yet. When you've read more, you'll know that your current passion is nothing but misplaced affection, a waste of time."

Wu Xie cautiously reminded him, "Venerable Daoist, be careful with your words. I heard that the author of this book... like you, Venerable Daoist, also comes from Xuan Du Temple."

Elder Sun smiled. "So what if we readers curse the writers a bit? That's giving them face. They should know better than to be ungrateful."

"What annoys me most are those who write short stories and like to show off their skills—flashy but not solid. Especially those who write long-winded narratives. Not only do they ramble like foot bindings, but they're also annoying and lack crispness. When it's time to write boldly and satisfyingly, they twist the pen and write about irrelevant things. That's called 'idling.' To put it bluntly, it's using a stirring stick as chopsticks, diluting good wine with water. Cursing them a few times is being lenient."

"If I'm not happy with a book I read, I'll just grab the author, take him to Xuan Du Temple, and holding a brick, stare at him every day, making him write properly, write with heart, write through the night. I've done this... a few times. Of course, believe it or not."

The ancients said: "To annotate an ancient book and pass the torch is a great merit for ten thousand generations. To write a new book, using literature to convey the Dao, is a great undertaking for a thousand autumns."

What is a truly good book?

When you read it, at the joyful parts, you feel the lingering fragrance in your mouth, or you want to drink a few sips of wine.

At the heart-wrenching parts, it feels like a nail is driven into your heart. After closing the book, it's hard to catch your breath.

At the resonant parts, you feel an instant kinship with a certain character or a certain sentence, as if they have been waiting for you in the mountains of books.

'Our words are waiting for me.'

By the shore of Gu Pu Lake, the man who had been busy at Wine Money Crossing for half a day without securing a customer returned to the lakeside. He still had a flower in his hair, picked up his fishing rod, and continued to fish.

Business was hard; money was hard to earn. Making a living was truly difficult.

When he saw the three people appear out of nowhere, the man with a flower in his hair immediately stood up, beaming. "Temple Master Sun, it's been many years! You still look so hale and hearty, with an immortal's bearing. I wonder what realm you're in now? Why don't you tell me and scare me a bit?"

Elder Sun laughed coldly, lifting one foot. "Seven realms."

The man looked at the old temple master's raised foot, then at his other foot, and sighed deeply in his heart. He really is at the Fourteen Realm now.