Chapter 971: Not Unfamiliar
Heavy snow covered the mountains, the ground white and the wind cold. Within Dense Snow Peak, the sound of tree branches breaking could be heard from time to time, like shattering jade.
On Immortal Capital Mountain, apart from the sect master Cui Dongshan, the only one who could freely enter and leave the minor cave heaven training grounds was the Right Protector of the Upper Sect Fallen Mountain, Zhou Milli!
Even the chief offerer Mi Yu and the law keeper Cui Wei—who were also the masters of two sword immortal seedlings—had to file reports and register if they wanted to enter the training grounds.
Early this morning, Bai Xuan was holding his purple clay teapot, still brewing himself a cup of goji berry tea. Although he had been tricked by Jingqing, he had gotten used to it after drinking it for a while. Now Bai Xuan tilted his head back and gulped down a big mouthful of goji berry tea, then said to Milli, who was sitting across the table: "Right Protector, I'm suffering in my heart."
"When it comes to tea drinking, I'm an experienced expert," Milli immediately said. "Then drink the wild mountain tea hand-roasted by Old Cook. It's bitter first, then sweet. That's called returning sweetness!"
Bai Xuan sighed with an air of world-weary maturity. "That's not the same thing at all, Right Protector. Your insight is still a bit lacking. Later, I'll have Brother Jia teach you how to talk."
That girl Chai Wu was already at the Jade Pure realm, and recently she had been worrying Old Bai to death. He was so worried that drinking tea felt like drinking wine. That kid Chai Wu, how hard and diligently must she cultivate to suddenly jump to the Upper Five Realms? Hard work, hard work. With average talent, she could only make up for it with diligence.
Milli scratched her face, stood up, picked up the golden carrying pole and the mountain-traveling staff from the table, and said she was going to find Chai Wu to play.
Nowadays, Chai Wu was relatively free. The big white goose had told her to slow down her cultivation.
Bai Xuan waved his hand weakly. "Go ahead. Remember to bring a message to Chai Wu for me. She's at the Jade Pure realm now, that's a good thing. Since we're all friends, forget about congratulatory gifts—that's just pretentious. Later, I'll help come up with a few dao titles for her, each with immortal aura, domineering aura, or awesome aura. When she goes down the mountain for training in the future, she can just pick one to use."
Milli agreed and ran all the way to Chai Wu's house.
Milli had already prepared the wine jug and bowl. Half a catty of wine a day for Chai Wu meant just two bowls.
Chai Wu liked to look at the wine bubbles, smell the wine aroma, swirl the bowl, squint and smile, then raise her hand, lift the bowl, tilt her head back, drink half a bowl, wipe her mouth, nod—all in one smooth motion.
Milli always felt that Chai Wu treated drinking wine much more seriously and attentively than cultivation.
Earlier, Chai Wu said she was at the Jade Pure realm, the eleventh realm, while the Right Protector was at the Cave Dwelling realm, the sixth realm. So if they added their realms together, averaged them, and then rounded off, it would be like both of them were at the ninth realm.
For no reason, she became a Golden Core Earth Immortal—nice, nice! Chai Wu's arithmetic was so amazing!
If she weren't a bookkeeper, it would be a waste of talent.
Nowadays, Bai Xuan and the other sword cultivators didn't gather often. Their time in seclusion had clearly become longer.
Like this morning, Milli only ran into Bai Xuan. Sun Chunwang and the others were all in seclusion.
It was like the same river of time, but different people "wading" through it had different feelings and experiences—fast and slow, light and heavy all differed.
Chai Wu once whispered to Milli in private, asking if others would have thoughts now that she had suddenly reached the Jade Pure realm.
At that time, Milli didn't hesitate at all. "Yes, of course they do! For example, when Bai Xuan first heard the news, he was completely stunned, muttering to himself, saying how could there be someone more talented than him. Finally, he figured it out, slapped his fist into his palm, looked up at the sky and laughed—right, Chai Wu isn't a sword cultivator, so it's perfectly normal for her to cultivate faster. Sun Chunwang cultivates even harder now, Cheng Zhaolu practices his fists more diligently, and He Gu and Yu Xiehui have started calling each other trash! Bai Xuan told them that next time they drink with you, an Upper Five Realms immortal, they have to kneel on the ground... Ha, Chai Wu, Bai Xuan was joking, don't take it seriously. He Gu wasn't convinced at the time, his face red. Bai Xuan gave him a sidelong glance—see, I'll show you—then Bai Xuan said, 'I, a genius, am leading the way by kneeling. What are you two mediocre talents unconvinced about?' Yu Xiehui just snorted coldly, and He Gu was so angry he laughed..."
Milli's report to Chai Wu was vivid and lifelike.
The informant of Fallen Mountain, indeed, lived up to her reputation.
"Patrolling the mountain! Chai Wu, I'll come find you again next time."
Actually, they hadn't chatted much today. Milli soon got up to leave, but she left a Snowflake Coin on the table.
It was the Right Protector's usual custom on Fallen Mountain. Chai Wu was used to it. Taking advantage of Milli lowering her head to hoist the golden carrying pole on her shoulder, Chai Wu twisted her wrist, flicked her sleeve, and the Snowflake Coin on the table slipped into her sleeve. She replaced it with another Snowflake Coin and then crushed the one that belonged to her. When Milli looked up and saw this, she grinned, nodded, and left—off to patrol the mountain.
Chai Wu picked up the wine bowl again and swirled it gently. The ripples in the bowl were so beautiful that she couldn't bear to drink the last half of it.
As for Bai Xuan saying he was going to come up with a dao title for her, Chai Wu just felt like drinking more wine. Half a catty wasn't nearly enough.
Earlier, Milli had told her that after some very careful speculation and deduction, she had arrived at a precise conclusion: because Milli came here as a guest, every time they opened the training ground door, some spiritual energy would leak out and accidentally drift outside to Dense Snow Peak. So Milli couldn't come see them too often. And when she did come, she had to make up for the lost spiritual energy. Depending on how long she stayed, she would leave one to three Snowflake Coins. Otherwise, it would be taking advantage of public resources for personal gain. It wouldn't sound good if word got out—after all, she was from Fallen Mountain, and she had to pay attention to her image in the lower sect.
But Milli only quietly told Chai Wu about this, and Chai Wu said she would keep it a secret.
Milli remembered the first time she and Chai Wu had a great chat. She turned her head, frowned, counted on her fingers, and looked miserable. She took out three Snowflake Coins from her cloth satchel, sniffled, and gently placed them on the table.
Saving a little money was really, really hard.
Not long after Zhou Milli left, Sect Master Cui and Mi Yu both appeared at Chai Wu's table.
Chai Wu was full of curiosity, but didn't know how to ask properly, so she simply kept silent.
Cui Dongshan bent down, stacked the three Snowflake Coins together, leaned on the table, and said with a grin: "Every time we open the training ground door, the loss of spiritual energy does require spirit coins—but not Snowflake Coins. They're Grain Rain Coins."
Mi Yu said with displeasure: "With the mountain-protecting formation in place, any spiritual energy leaking out here can't escape the boundaries of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect at all. Sect Master Cui, you're really not being fair, even scamming Milli's money!"
If it were a scam targeting Milli's Snowflake Coins, Mi Yu would have already fallen out with Cui Dongshan on the spot. Fighting aside, Mi Yu would definitely file a complaint with the Hidden Official.
This kind of student really needed to be disciplined.
Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes. "I'm just helping the Right Protector save money. If Master finds out about this, none of the three of us will get away."
Mi Yu laughed angrily. "Sect Master Cui, please be clear. What does this have to do with me or Chai Wu? If you want someone to take the fall, go find... Bai Xuan!"
Cui Dongshan reached out, his palm pressing against the Snowflake Coins on the table, and said with a smile: "Chai Wu, on your future cultivation path, don't lose the big for the small."
Chai Wu nodded.
Actually, she didn't need reminders like this. She wasn't a heartless fool. Zhou Milli was so good to her—from now on, Chai Wu would only be even better to Zhou Milli.
After Milli learned that Chai Wu had reached the Jade Pure realm, why did she keep coming over to visit, besides that first congratulatory visit? Wasn't it because she was worried that Bai Xuan and the others might have thoughts about it? That they might become distant from Sun Chunwang and the others?
Cui Dongshan hummed in acknowledgment. This child truly had great spiritual roots—she must have read a lot in her past life. Conversing with her was effortless.
Cui Dongshan stood up: "Alright, enough nonsense. Chai Wu, since you've already taken a step to the heavens, take a few days to relax. Read those miscellaneous books I gave you—sword manuals, dao techniques, talismans and formations, all of them first. Then you can continue cultivating properly and keep up the good work. When you become an immortal one day, you can call up any friends who can come out and go down the mountain to play. The sky is high and wide, the clouds broad, the earth thick, the rivers long—a beautiful and endless sight."
Leading Mi Yu out of the training ground, Cui Dongshan stood at the cave heaven entrance and smiled: "Chief Mi, watching Milli pay out of her own pocket hurts your heart. But besides not stopping her, don't even think about finding some lame excuse to make up those Snowflake Coins for her."
Mi Yu asked doubtfully: "Why is that?"
Cui Dongshan patted Mi Yu's shoulder. "Chief Mi, what's wrong with you? You're even more troublesome to talk to than when I chatted with that little girl Chai Wu."
Mi Yu smiled. "I'm all ears. I'd be glad to hear the details."
Cui Dongshan closed the door and looked at the little black-clad girl walking boldly down the steps of Dense Snow Peak in the distance: "Milli has secretly felt guilty for so many years, always thinking she hasn't been able to help others or do anything for them."
Mi Yu opened his mouth as if to speak but stopped.
Milli had already done so much. Mi Yu even sincerely felt that this little girl, serving as the Right Protector of Fallen Mountain, was the one who most looked after people's hearts—or at least one of them.
This little girl, who patrolled the mountain every day and always had sunflower seeds in her pocket, was helping the Hidden Official and Fallen Mountain take care of the tiny, grain-sized details of people's hearts.
Cui Dongshan shook his head. "I know what you want to say. But that's just what we think. What I really care about is what Milli herself thinks."
Mi Yu was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into a bright smile. He slapped Cui Dongshan heavily on the shoulder. "Sect Master Cui truly is the Hidden Official's proud student!"
"Mi Yu, would you like to hear some family talk behind closed doors?"
"Please, go ahead."
"I'm asking you to be prepared to draw your sword one day, even if it means being expelled from the Green Duckweed Sword Sect."
"Strangely, I feel both worried and expectant about that."
That meant if Mi Yu ever drew his sword with full force, when he was at the Immortal realm, he would sword-cut an Immortal. If he reached the Ascension realm in the future, he would sword-cut an Ascension realm.
On the Sword Qi Great Wall, the Earth Immortal realm Mi Lanyao and the Jade Pure realm Mi Xiuhua were actually two different people.
In the Haoran World, Chief Mi of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect and Sword Immortal Mi, whose name had been removed from the ancestral hall on Green Duckweed Peak, would also be two different people.
Cui Dongshan snickered. "This is just a precaution. It's not very likely that such a day will actually come."
He reminded Mi Yu solemnly: "No matter how much you drink in the future, don't let it slip to my master."
Mi Yu laughed. "I'm not stupid."
Cui Dongshan looked at Mi Yu.
Mi Yu looked a bit awkward, dropped his smile, and said helplessly: "Compared to the Hidden Official and Sect Master Cui, I am indeed a fool."
Cui Dongshan suddenly lowered his voice: "Chief Mi, let's discuss something. A small matter—truly a piece of cake for you. No beating around the bush—I just want to know when you'll take the initiative to catch up with those immortal sisters from the various continents of Haoran and rekindle those old friendships?"
Mi Yu's head ached at this, and he gave a dry laugh: "That wouldn't be good, would it?"
If the Hidden Official ever heard about such a thing, his position as chief wouldn't be secure. Not having the position was fine, but losing it after getting it would be embarrassing.
Cui Dongshan rubbed his chin. "Then let's find a compromise. For example... start a Mirror Flower Water Moon? If guests come to Tongye Continent to enjoy the scenery and then take the initiative to visit Sword Immortal Mi, we can't exactly stop them, can we?"
Mi Yu also rubbed his chin. "An upright man has nothing to fear. It's just catching up. No need to feel guilty."
The two exchanged a glance that said it all.
Cui Dongshan put his hands behind his head. "Mi Yu, actually, in my opinion, the person truly most suitable to be the second sect master isn't Cao Qinglang—it's you."
"It's not that Cao Qinglang wouldn't be good, but to be the best, one should experience two completely different styles of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect and then take the position as the third sect master. That would be the right timing."
"Tell that to the Hidden Official. He's not the type to refuse advice."
"I wouldn't dare say that now. Being scolded would be the least of it. I wouldn't be surprised to get a beating."
Mi Yu said with schadenfreude: "That's true. The Hidden Official is in a bad mood right now."
After a moment of silence, Cui Dongshan gazed at the Green Shirt Ferry surrounded by three mountains and murmured to himself:
"Do you know what a truly peaceful era means?"
"It means many people believe that good people are rewarded."
"Heh, only fools believe that. But strangely, some people really do."
Saying this, Cui Dongshan suddenly shook his robes, his wide sleeves billowing with wind. He pointed to the distant mountains, his brows and eyes raised: "Mi Yu, let's work together to make more such people appear in this Tongye Continent."
Mi Yu, moved by Cui Dongshan's rare sincerity, felt his dao heart stirred. He said solemnly: "I look forward to it!"
But Cui Dongshan quickly returned to normal. He pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve: "Chief Mi, talking is easy. Don't just watch—actually do something. Here, I have a list. Take a look. These are all women who have been to the Sword Qi Great Wall and met Chief Mi. I'm worried that when guests come, you might not even remember their names, sects, or dao titles. 'Review the old to know the new,' as they say."
Mi Yu gently pushed away Cui Dongshan's hand.
Cui Dongshan handed it over again.
Mi Yu pushed it away again.
Cui Dongshan got annoyed.
Mi Yu had to be honest: "I remember them all. How could I forget? How could I not think of them longingly?"
Cui Dongshan put away the list and spat: "No wonder Master wanted you, Old Cook, and Chief Zhou to help keep an eye on things in the future, to make sure the senior sister isn't deceived by a wandering scoundrel with deep cultivation like you."
Mi Yu smiled: "As long as it's one professional looking at another, I just need a few glances and a few words to know what the other party is made of—their general style of walking among flowers, their depth of cultivation."
Cui Dongshan clicked his tongue: "Look at you, so capable."
Mi Yu held a strand of hair at his temple with two fingers and squinted with a smile: "In my life, only three things are worth mentioning: killing demons at the Earth Immortal realm, guarding the gate at the Spring Pennant Studio, and getting drunk while admiring beauties."
Cui Dongshan nodded: "Later, fix yourself up properly. Get yourself a full outfit—a snow-white dharma robe, a longsword, a jade hairpin, a sword-nourishing gourd hanging from your waist, and a folding fan..."
Mi Yu said helplessly: "Being so flashy is actually a burden. It might trick naïve young girls, but it won't fool truly discerning beauties."
Cui Dongshan sneered: "Trick?"
"Trick her into walking into the tip of my heart. Who's tricking who is hard to say."
Hearing this, Cui Dongshan couldn't take it anymore. He jumped up and started raining punches and kicks on Mi Yu. Mi Yu protected his face and stepped aside slightly.
Cui Dongshan stopped. Damn it, this guy really deserved a beating. Xiao Mo was better. Xiao Mo was good.
Mi Yu shook his sleeves and said seriously: "Sect Master Cui, youth is fleeting. Let each strive on their own path."
Cui Dongshan was surprised: "Chief Mi, you've got something after all. A true genius!"
Mi Yu laughed heartily: "In scholarship, I only learned a bit from the Hidden Official. It just so happens I'm compiling a book of collected couplets lately—putting what I've learned to immediate use."
Cui Dongshan put his hands in his sleeves, raised a hand to shield his forehead, and smiled: "I invite you to look—a grand building built on flat ground is never completed in a single day."
The current Green Shirt Ferry was just the embryonic form of a immortal ferry. Apart from the dock, only a small building had been built for registering passenger travel permits and issuing boarding jade tokens. The temporary workers there were the old woman Qiu Du and the young girl Hu Chuling. This little girl, nicknamed Cucu, was already a direct disciple of Sect Master Cui Dongshan. In the mountains, that could indeed be considered a heaven-sent opportunity.
Following the old tradition passed down from Fallen Mountain, a table was set up at the entrance. It was actually specially prepared by Cui Dongshan for Zhou Milli to use as a rest stop during her daily mountain patrol. In truth, the Green Duckweed Sword Sect was still not well-known, and they hadn't signed contracts with various mountain peaks and ferries on Tongye Continent. Since there were no ferries, naturally no cultivators stopped here. The table was just a decoration. But Zhou Milli would sit here for about an hour every day, chatting with Old Madam Qiu and Sister Cucu. Due to her dao roots, the old woman felt a natural affinity for this little Cave Dwelling realm water monster from the Mute Lake on Beiju Continent.
But today, after leaving the cave heaven training ground, Zhou Milli patrolled the mountain all the way to outside this building. She placed the golden carrying pole and green bamboo staff on the table, boiled a pot of water herself without troubling Madam Qiu, and brewed three bowls of tea. She handed one each to the old woman and Sister Cucu, then took her own bowl and sat alone on the long bench outside, her legs dangling and gently swinging. Good tea, good tea! The tea leaves hand-roasted by Old Cook were excellent, and her tea-brewing skill was even more refined—perfect complement!
Zhou Milli chewed a tea leaf and rubbed her eyes. Were there really visitors? In the distance, two people came—a young man carrying a bamboo basket on his back, and a chubby one who looked like a servant, with a bag slung across his shoulder, travel-worn, like two itinerant merchants who had been sleeping in the open.
Back in her hometown by Mute Lake, Zhou Milli had seen many such people. A feeling of closeness immediately arose in her heart. Her little face and her two faint, slightly yellow eyebrows seemed to brim with joy.
She quickly put down her tea bowl, took down the golden carrying pole and green bamboo staff from the table, leaned them against the long bench, and hurried forward. But she didn't run too far from the building. She stopped, gently tugged the strap of her cloth satchel, and said in a childish voice: "Two honored guests, where do you come from and where are you going? This place is called Green Shirt Ferry, part of the Green Duckweed Sword Sect territory. I apologize to you, guests. The ferry was established not long ago, and there are no ferry boats for long-distance travel yet."
The young man carrying the bamboo basket looked at the little water monster with the cloth satchel slung across her body. His expression softened, and he said softly: "My name is Zhang Zhi. I'm a traveling merchant who has traveled far and wide. I'm just here to look around, not to take a ferry for a long journey. Does your sect have any mountain or water taboos that outsiders should be aware of?"
Zhou Milli shook her head and laughed: "Since you are guests, there are no taboos."
Actually, as soon as the words left her mouth, Milli regretted them. She blamed herself for being unfamiliar with the business. She only came here to patrol the mountain. The rules and taboos of the ferry—she had to ask Madam Qiu and Sister Cucu. Oh no, oh no, how to fix this, what to do... The little black-clad girl furrowed her two faint little eyebrows, feeling distressed. After exchanging pleasantries with the two out-of-towners, she would quickly find Madam Qiu to get reinforcements.
Zhang Zhi smiled: "Little immortal master, would you mind if we rest here for a while?"
Zhou Milli nodded vigorously, imitating Sister Nuannuan by giving a slight bow: "Please."
As they walked toward the table, the chubby attendant beside Zhang Zhi introduced himself with a smile: "Little immortal master, my name is Wu Shou. The 'shou' means thin. My dao title is Lingjiao. The 'ling' means ethereal, not the water chestnut."
Zhou Milli quickly replied: "Great immortal master, my name is Zhou Milli. The 'milli' as in a grain of rice in a bowl—the kind you can eat."
Wu Shou smiled and nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Dense Snow Peak and communicated mentally: "Master, Pang Chao is watching from the mountain. But it seems he won't come down to see you."
Zhang Zhi answered mentally: "There's nothing to talk about even if we met. It's better this way, to avoid awkwardness. Wu Shou, if we get to see that young Hidden Official, don't bring up old matters. That would be unpleasant. Don't make us look like we're here to collect a debt."
This Wu Shou beside him was once the head of the traveling merchants in Baoping Continent. He actually had some connection to Fallen Mountain. The first traveling merchant at Oxhorn Ferry was someone Wu Shou had helped the Great Li Song Clan set up. But Wu Shou was too timid and lacked vision—or perhaps he only focused on visible profits. After just a few years of business, he withdrew his people early and closed up shop, leaving behind only an empty shell. This ended up benefiting Fallen Mountain, which later took over Oxhorn Mountain along with the Northern Mountain Wei Bo. With the mountain itself belonging to them, they naturally took over the immortal buildings as well. But over the years, Fallen Mountain had never really made the ferry business there thrive. At first, the sect was too poor and had nothing to offer. Later, they opened a southeast shipping route from Beiju Continent, and business was just starting to pick up when the war began. The entire Oxhorn Ferry was requisitioned by the Great Li military, and commercial operations were completely shelved. In recent years, the situation had improved, but they still lacked a capable leader to manage the finances. Living in seclusion and cultivating was a world apart from doing business.
Because Wu Shou had taken it upon himself to pull out most of the traveling merchants from Baoping Continent, this matter had caused some friction with the Great Li Song Clan. After that, the traveling merchants effectively lost their foothold in Baoping Continent. As long as the Great Li Song Clan didn't change their stance, the traveling merchants dared not resume business there. Even south of Qi Ferry, where countries had been restored, the traveling merchants still didn't dare to provoke this trouble.
First the "Embroidered Tiger" had come, and now the Hidden Official—and these two were even fellow disciples from the same master.
After Zhou Milli saw the two merchants sit down, she asked: "Mr. Zhang, Immortal Master Wu, would you like some tea?"
Wu Shou glanced at the tea bowls on the table. The tea leaves and the water used for boiling were not refined—coarse tea indeed. He shook his head and smiled: "No need."
But Zhang Zhi said: "If it's not too much trouble, Immortal Master Zhou, I'd like a bowl of hot tea."
Zhou Milli immediately stood up and laughed: "Sure! Mr. Zhang, please wait a moment."
Wu Shou thought to himself: "This little water monster seems rather dim-witted too. Doesn't seem like a disguise. She's only at the Cave Dwelling realm. Is she really the Right Protector of Fallen Mountain? Could she serve as a mountain-protecting offerer? Aren't they afraid outsiders will laugh?"
Zhang Zhi frowned slightly.
A white rainbow streaked close to the ground and landed abruptly. It sat down on a long bench and shouted: "Right Protector, don't forget to count two bowls for me and my master!"
Besides that, a figure in blue robes stood behind Wu Shou, one hand resting on the fat man's shoulder: "My Zhou Milli serves as the Right Protector of Fallen Mountain. You, an outsider, have an objection?"
It was Chen Ping'an and Cui Dongshan, who had been leisurely returning to Immortal Capital Mountain.
Wu Shou was stunned. Hadn't he been speaking mentally?
How was he overheard?
Just as Wu Shou was about to react, he felt the hand on his shoulder press down. The flow of spiritual energy within his entire personal heaven instantly stagnated, like a river freezing.
The man continued with a smile: "I'm asking you a question."
Zhang Zhi cupped his fists: "Mountain Master Chen, Wu Shou spoke without thinking and offended you. I'll apologize on his behalf..."
Chen Ping'an looked sideways at the founding master of the traveling merchants, directly interrupting Zhang Zhi: "This is the Green Duckweed Sword Sect. You can't help him here."
Cui Dongshan tightened his face, holding back his laughter. Good, good, good. This Zhang Zhi was truly his good brother. And Wu Shou was a man of iron bones too. To dare say such things about Milli at Green Shirt Ferry—they deserved to have their heads smashed.
Look, his master was usually so good-tempered and always respectful to seniors. Even he got angry this time. Serves them right. The last thing they should have done was speak ill of their Milli.
Chen Ping'an put one hand behind his back, kept the other on Wu Shou's shoulder, leaned forward, bent down, and said with a smile: "If you keep playing deaf and dumb, I'll have to show you out."
Wu Shou quivered: "Forgive me, Hidden Official, forgive me. It was an unintentional remark. I was out of my mind. My brain went fuzzy."
Milli and Hu Chuling brought over three bowls of tea.
Cucu gently placed two bowls on the table. Milli handed one to Zhang Zhi. She grinned at the good mountain master. This Mr. Zhang was an outsider, so proper etiquette was necessary—she offered it with both hands.
Chen Ping'an squinted and smiled, nodding slightly. He understood.
Cui Dongshan said with a smile: "Right Protector, you and Cucu should go back inside the building. It's cold out here, not as warm as indoors."
Zhou Milli frowned. A big water monster like her, afraid of the cold? What a joke! But a flash of insight came to her. Right, the good mountain master had to discuss serious business—big deals!
Chen Ping'an patted Wu Shou's shoulder and sat down on the remaining long bench.
Just now, the big white goose had seen his master stand up and started wiping the bench beside him with his sleeve. All for nothing.
Chen Ping'an came straight to the point and said two sentences.
"Mr. Zhang, after you finish your tea, you can leave. As for the traveling merchants reopening in Baoping Continent—no discussion."
"Even if the Great Li court agrees, even if Emperor Song He himself approves, it still won't count. I said no, and that's final."
Zhang Zhi's smile remained unchanged. He took a sip of tea.
Wu Shou said bitterly: "Mountain Master Chen, are you going to make enemies of the entire traveling merchants just because of my reckless words?"
Zhang Zhi smiled faintly: "Don't drag my traveling merchants into your personal grudges."
Wu Shou's heart tightened. He nodded vigorously: "I've spoken wrongly again."
This was a real lesson in the foul temper of sword cultivators!
Cui Dongshan sighed mournfully: "Zhang Zhi, Zhang Zhi, you really brought a living ancestor with you. There was a perfectly good opportunity—a village hidden by willows and flowers brightening. And you messed it up like this, adding frost to snow. Now you've lost business in two continents at once. If I were you, I'd have already slapped myself twice and then slapped Ancestor Wu a few times."
Zhou Milli stood guard at the door of the building, ready to refill anyone's tea whenever they finished their bowl.
She couldn't hear what was being discussed at the table clearly, and she wouldn't eavesdrop anyway. Probably the big white goose was showing off some magical technique again. Look, the big white goose was winking at her. Sigh, now that he was a sect master, he still didn't act properly.
And look at the good mountain master, chatting and laughing with people. Probably this business that came knocking was as good as done!
Another sword cultivator descended as a rainbow and landed beside the table. Cui Dongshan, always one to enjoy a good show, sniffled and said with a plaintive look: "Chief Mi, this Ancestor Wu here just cursed our Milli, saying she wasn't very bright."
Mi Yu had been wearing a smile, but his face instantly darkened at this. He stared at the dumbfounded... Ancestor Wu. "Oh? That's the realm of a Nascent Soul with the boldness of an Ascension. After we're done here, find yourself a spot and dig a hole."
Zhou Milli saw Mi Yu and quietly raised her hand, making a "come here" gesture. "Yu Mi, Yu Mi, come here, come here. The good mountain master is discussing business with people. You and I aren't the type for this. Let's not get involved."
Mi Yu's expression changed again, his eyes turning tender. He walked toward the door, turning his head to glance at Zhang Zhi and Wu Shou. Zhang Zhi was fine, still calm and composed. Wu Shou felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Zhang Zhi finished his tea, turned around, and raised the white bowl in his hand with a smile.
Zhou Milli quickly grabbed the kettle from the brazier, ran to the table, took the bowl, filled it about seventy to eighty percent full, and handed it back to Mr. Zhang. Zhang Zhi thanked the little girl again and said with a smile: "Next time you brew tea for guests, pay attention to the water source. I don't mind—I'm used to sleeping in the open. As long as it quenches my thirst, it's good tea. But many immortal masters on the mountains have picky tongues. They can taste the quality with one sip. Even if they don't say it, they'll grumble in their hearts—just putting up with it. From now on, for brewing tea, it's better to draw water from a mountain spring. If I remember correctly, among the three old mountain ranges, there are good water sources."
Such a rule for drinking tea? Was that really true? Zhou Milli looked at the good mountain master. Chen Ping'an nodded. The little black-clad girl immediately beamed and thanked Mr. Zhang: "I've learned something!"
Zhang Zhi took a sip of tea and laughed: "Fallen Mountain is truly different."
He held the tea bowl with both hands and smiled: "Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Zhang Zhi. I'm from a family of woodcutters in Luoyang. I broke the ancestral precepts of the ancestral hall, so I was removed from the family register. I do small business down the mountain—gradually accumulating small gains. Not as grand as Mr. Fan's far-reaching plans or the wealth of the God of Wealth Liu. Beside me is Wu Shou, dao title Lingjiao, former head of the traveling merchant branch in Baoping Continent. Wu Shou only ever looked at abacuses and ledgers, never looked up at the bigger picture. His only contribution was accidentally leaving those buildings at Oxhorn Ferry, which now belong to Fallen Mountain. That's a stroke of luck. Over the years, among traveling merchant colleagues from various continents, only this matter lets Wu Shou speak with his back straight and boast a bit without drafting a script."
Wu Shou's face was full of bitterness.
His master rarely spoke to people like this, and earlier he had specifically warned him not to mention the matter of Oxhorn Ferry.
But Zhang Zhi's last few words were not entirely insincere polite talk. Wu Shou often boasted to his colleagues about this, just slightly altering the facts—saying how he and the young Hidden Official had met back then, how they hit it off, how they called each other brothers. At that time, Chen Ping'an was just a young kiln worker, but Wu Shou, with his keen eye, saw at a glance that he was no ordinary person. Over drinks, he declared, "I see you are no fish in a pond," and even Chen Ping'an didn't believe it at the time. He just raised his cup and drank a big bowl... After telling the story many times, Wu Shou almost believed it himself.
Don't think such crude tactics are ridiculous. In the business world, they might actually turn into real money.
Chen Ping'an said: "On Tongye Continent, I have no say."
Zhang Zhi was visibly relieved.
Wu Shou lowered his head and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
As for whether this was just putting on a show, he had to swallow the bitterness like a mute eating bitter herbs.
Zhang Zhi was also a straightforward man and asked directly: "May I ask Mr. Chen, besides your Green Duckweed Sword Sect, how many influential powers are there on Tongye Continent?"
Cui Dongshan swirled his white bowl. "Such well-informed news. Did the Jade Scepter Sect or the Ministry of Revenue of the Great Spring Kingdom leak word?"
Chen Ping'an finished his tea and laughed: "The one in charge now is Cui Dongshan. You two talk among yourselves."
He got up to take his leave and walked toward the building door. Chen Ping'an patted Milli's head and laughed: "No need to keep refilling the tea."
Mi Yu crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, keeping his eyes fixed on Wu Shou.
Chen Ping'an said with displeasure: "What are you doing? Can killing with a look really work? I didn't know sword immortals were so awesome."
Mi Yu smiled awkwardly.
Entering the building, Chen Ping'an greeted Qiu Du and Hu Chuling with a smile, sat down by a brazier inside, and stretched out his hands to warm them. After a moment's hesitation, he said: "Milli, just now someone thought... well, let's just say they said something not very nice, and I happened to overhear it."
Milli moved her little stool closer to the good mountain master, shielded her mouth with her hand, and lowered her voice: "It wasn't Mr. Zhang, was it?"
Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile. "It was that fat man named Wu Shou. Mr. Zhang still likes you very much."
Milli's brows immediately lifted. "Haha, I guessed right! I knew it wasn't Mr. Zhang!"
The little black-clad girl shook her head, her shoulders bobbing, looking quite happy, as if whatever Wu Shou thought had already been ignored by her.
She was just basking in happiness.
It was like when she often sat alone on the cliff of Fallen Mountain to look at the scenery. Unhappy things drifted away with the clouds; happy things stayed like birds perched on a branch.
Chen Ping'an almost couldn't help standing up. This time, it was Mi Yu's turn to panic. He coughed and said: "Hidden Official, if it's really necessary, I'll handle it."
Zhou Milli reached out and gently tugged the good mountain master's sleeve, shook her head, and grinned, as if to say: At our own home, how could we be unhappy?
The little girl scratched her face and started whispering again to the good mountain master, saying how she and Pei Qian would also secretly call Sister Cen a fool.
Chen Ping'an laughed and rubbed Milli's head. "What did the Right Protector say? I didn't hear it. I don't know. I don't remember."
Zhou Milli: "Ha!"
Good mountain master: "Haha."
Zhou Milli: "Hahaha!"
Good mountain master: "You win."
Mi Yu watched the Hidden Official, sighing deeply. If only the Hidden Official weren't so indifferent to romance—otherwise, even if he and Chief Zhou worked together, they wouldn't be a match.
Chen Ping'an turned his head and cursed: "Get lost."
Mi Yu was taken aback. Strange—how did the Hidden Official hear his thoughts?
---
On Fallen Mountain, at a dining table, sat Zhu Lian, Chen Nuannuan, and the sable-hatted girl who used the alias Xie Gou.
Xie Gou sighed: "Master Zhu, I thought that with the Hidden Official's abilities, your Fallen Mountain would have thousands of people."
Dozens of sword cultivators, a few hundred qi refiners, thousands of pure martial artists, plus some outer disciples, servants, and maids—the young Hidden Official could command them to go wherever he pointed. They would go to the Great Li capital to show off their power and take a stroll whenever they felt like it.
She never expected there to be so few people on Fallen Mountain.
Xiao Mo was really something—unwilling to put in any effort. Probably still lazy.
Among their group of old immortals, she and Xiao Mo, plus that unnamed one who hadn't even thought of a name, were all decent. But they were all loners. That Li Gou, with all his treasures, and that big-chested woman also didn't like crowds. But the others, like Wang Youwu, would definitely establish their own sects again. Hmph, their look—lacking killing power, they made up for it with treasures; lacking skill, they had plenty of underlings.
Zhu Lian laughed: "Actually, there's also the Lotus Root Blessed Land. Including that, there are many more people."
Xie Gou didn't hide her disdain. She grabbed a big mouthful of food with her chopsticks and said indistinctly: "Can those even count as people? All put together, can they match a Jade Pure realm?"
Chen Nuannuan heard this and silently lowered her head, chewing her rice.
Zhu Lian's smile remained unchanged: "Different lands nurture different people. Everyone has their own fate. But no matter what, fate is fate."
Xie Gou said "oh" carelessly, eating quickly and perfunctorily adding: "Reasonable, reasonable."
Later, Nuannuan cleared away the dishes and went to the kitchen.
Zhu Lian reminded her with a smile: "Miss Xie, don't test people's hearts so casually in the future."
"Our Fallen Mountain doesn't have many rules, but the few we have—whether it's family or guests—everyone should pay a little attention."
"Miss Xie is new here, so I need to make this clear."
Xie Gou belched, grinned, and said: "Got it. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Guests follow the host's convenience. I understand the principle!"
She stood up and walked out of the house. "Taking a walk. A hundred steps after a meal, live to be ninety-nine—scratch that, live to be ninety-nine thousand!"
Zhu Lian shook his head and said nothing more.
Pretending to understand when you don't isn't scary. What's scary is understanding but pretending not to.
In the end, this Bai Jing, who had only come looking for Xiao Mo, still didn't think Fallen Mountain was truly formidable. So apart from Xiao Mo, nothing here was worth her genuine attention.
Even the daoist gatekeeper Xianwei. In Bai Jing's eyes, maybe he only counted as half?
After Xie Gou walked out of the residence, she curled her lip. It was a pity—no matter how knowledgeable Master Zhu was, he was still a scholar with too many rules.
Then Xie Gou began to stroll around the various peaks of Fallen Mountain. For example, she went to the bamboo building. While the pink-skirted little girl was cleaning the first floor, she nonchalantly stepped over the threshold and went in to take a look. Nuannuan, who was busy at the time, just stopped her work and waited until Miss Xie had left the building. In the end, Nuannuan said nothing. Xie Gou also went to the back mountain, sat on a rooftop, and watched two young people practicing their fists below. When the two sensed the uninvited guest on the roof, they immediately stopped their walking stance and looked up at the sable-hatted girl with confusion. Xie Gou just reached out her hand, signaling for them to continue their practice as if she didn't exist.
Xie Gou wandered like this for a few days. She went to the mountaintop, leaned on the railing in a daze, and also took a turn around the square outside the ancestral hall on Clear Color Peak.
One evening at dusk, Xianwei was about to clock out on time.
Xianwei usually went to Old Cook's place on the mountain to freeload meals, but occasionally he would cook for himself—call it self-reliance and abundance.
Mainly, Xianwei felt that going back and forth to Master Zhu's place was a bit troublesome and wasted time reading. What kind of scholar would a scholar be if he didn't read enough books?!
Xianwei usually kept watch until the hour of Xu, then would pick up his bamboo chair and head home to Brother Zheng Dafeng's house. He never slacked off, but he never stayed a moment longer either. After all, Fallen Mountain didn't have many outside guests nowadays.
An inch of time is an inch of gold. Reading one more book—even flipping through a few more pages—was an increase in knowledge!
Today, as Xianwei was about to put away his bamboo chair, he saw the sable-hatted girl walking down the mountain, looking unhappy.
Xianwei put his hands in his sleeves, stood still, and planned to chat with this little girl for a bit before going home to continue reading.
When she got near the mountain gate, he greeted her with a smile and asked: "Are you learning fist techniques from Miss Cen?"
Xie Gou strolled all the way to the foot of the mountain, rubbed her sable hat, and shook her head: "Learning what fist techniques? I don't know what happened. I might have accidentally said something wrong. Anyway, I angered Master Zhu. He basically kicked me off the mountain and sent me to work at a shop in Qilong Lane."
Xianwei was greatly surprised. Master Zhu was such a good-tempered person. What kind of disaster had Miss Xie created, what kind of demon had she summoned, to make Master Zhu feel so displeased?
Xianwei hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help asking: "Miss Xie, on our mountain, words are usually not taboo. What exactly happened? I can help you review the situation, find the flaw. At worst, I'll go up the mountain with you to apologize to Old Cook, admit your mistake, and you can stay on the mountain."
Xie Gou stared blankly at this "fake daoist" in his cotton daoist robe.
Apart from that wooden hairpin on his head, this guy really didn't look like a daoist at all.
If that elusive Wang Youwu found out, and Xiao Mo wasn't on the mountain, wouldn't this guy end up dead with a crunch?
Xianwei laughed: "Miss Xie, what's so hard about admitting a mistake? Don't feel like you're losing face. It's not worth it."
Xie Gou blinked.
Was this guy an idiot?
Among her and Xiao Mo's group of roughly the same dao age and seniority—aside from the top three in killing power and defense—the other old trash, by ordinary cultivators' calculations, weren't that trash either.
Each had their own specialties. For example, Wang Youwu, with the dao title "Mountain Lord," had the most miscellaneous techniques. He was good at survival, escape, lurking, and ambush. The reason he carried a sword was that he was also a half-baked sword cultivator. Although he was extremely impure, having snatched two flying swords mid-forging by robbery, his swordsmanship could barely be called swordsmanship.
Moreover, Wang Youwu's dao title wasn't given for nothing. "Mountain Lord" didn't mean that the old thing could sit in the mountains like a Confucian, Buddhist, or Daoist sage ruling the world. It had to do with "human harmony" down the mountain. To put it simply, the worse the times and the more people couldn't survive down the mountain, the higher Wang Youwu's cultivation would be. As the books now said, "harsh governance is fiercer than tigers." So Wang Youwu had an innate advantage over the few others who had awakened. Earlier, when he went to see Bai Ze, the old man deliberately kept a straight face, but he was secretly delighted all the way.
If Wang Youwu had awakened earlier and quietly hidden himself in the Haoran World, carefully chosen a secluded training ground—like the war-torn Fuyang Continent—he might have accidentally reached the fourteenth realm. Because the key to his dao union lay in the meaning of his dao title.
But Xie Gou always felt that this old thing, who was willing to learn everything but mastered nothing, didn't deserve the excellent dao title "Mountain Lord."
Guan Yi was similar. If she had followed the Barbarian A-Jia Account early on and rushed to the Haoran World battlefield, cleaning up the mess at every brutal battlefield and eating her way through, she might have been more useful than that "Bai Ying."
In the end, it was all because Master Bai Ze liked to be muddle-headed about important matters. He returned to the Barbarian World too late and woke them up too late.
That fellow who now used the alias Hu Tu was probably deliberately disgusting Bai Ze. No wonder Bai Ze's gaze lingered on Hu Tu the longest when he saw them.
Trying to be clever with Master Bai Ze was asking for death. It was only because the Barbarian World currently lacked top-tier combat power that he wasn't dead yet.
That young master back then was famously reasonable and good-tempered. Bai Ze was similar—easygoing. But the problem was, when these two were unreasonable and bad-tempered, how terrifying they could be—Bai Jing had witnessed it firsthand.
Xie Gou laughed heartily: "Knowing a mistake and being able to correct it is a great virtue. Such a simple principle—how could I not understand?"
Xianwei gave a forced smile, but he couldn't help grumbling to himself: This little girl didn't seem like an honest person. Understanding? Yeah, right.
Xie Gou walked along the mountain path toward the small town.
Xianwei picked up his bamboo chair and headed to the house, planning to compile Brother Zheng Dafeng's "marginal annotations" into a separate volume. Later, when his position was promoted and he no longer had to work as a gatekeeper—basking in the sun and wind, working hard—he would leave some treasures for his successor. Starting from Zheng Dafeng, then himself, and onward through generations—planting trees for future generations to enjoy the shade—that would be a fine story.
---
Spring had arrived. Rain fell over the mountains, making the greenery drip with freshness.
In the early morning, Xianwei was huddled in his bamboo chair, dozing off. Half-asleep, he seemed to hear someone calling "Daoist Xianwei." He forced his eyelids open and saw a familiar face—yellow hat, green shoes. It turned out to be Mr. Xiao Mo back. Xianwei quickly sat up straight and lightly patted his cheeks, embarrassed: "Stayed up late reading. Easy to get sleepy."
Xiao Mo smiled: "This is the season for spring drowsiness. You've been working hard, Daoist Xianwei. Starting tomorrow, I'll keep watch for a few days. You just focus on getting your energy back..."
Xianwei waved his hands frantically: "No, no. I wouldn't dare let Mr. Xiao Mo be the gatekeeper. That would be improper. I appreciate your kindness, but I promise I can manage both gatekeeping and reading."
Xiao Mo sat down on the bamboo chair beside him and let out a long breath.
Xianwei asked: "Mr. Xiao Mo, didn't Mountain Master Chen come back with you?"
Xiao Mo forced a smile and said: "The young master has some business on Tongye Continent. He'll be back a bit later."
Xianwei felt something was off and asked tentatively: "Is something on your mind?"
Xiao Mo thought for a moment, then said: "I have to go see someone. I don't really want to, but I can't avoid it. So I'm a bit worried."
This Bai Jing, who kept pestering him, could probably be considered Xiao Mo's only nemesis.
Xianwei nodded. Everyone had their troubles—that was normal. He didn't think he could offer any advice. He rested his hands on his knees, patted them gently, and after a long silence, hummed a folk song from his hometown.
Over mountains, over rivers, wind in one watch, snow in another. Near roads bring sorrow, far roads bring care. South one note, north another.
Thoughts linger, regrets linger, river flows, stream flows. Dreams hard to fulfill, feelings hard to settle. Eastern mountains green, western mountains green.
---
A new shop assistant had been added to the New Year's Gift Shop. Acting manager Shi Rou naturally had no objections—it was just a matter of adding another set of chopsticks and a bowl.
Little Mute wasn't too happy about it. No need to think—another freeloader had arrived.
But after just one day together, this strangely named girl made Zhou Junchen look at her with new respect and goodwill.
When it came to making money, she was even more dedicated than Zhou Junchen. Xie Gou first borrowed the accumulated account books from Shi Rou over the years, calculated a daily silver income figure, and then got straight to the point: from now on, the shop would settle accounts with her clearly. Any income exceeding that figure—fifty percent would go to her. Shi Rou didn't care. Zhou Junchen felt they couldn't lose on this deal, so the motion passed. Then Xie Gou started "blocking doors"—any customer heading to the neighboring Thatched Head Shop would be dragged by her to come check out the New Year's Gift Shop. And from Zhou Junchen's perspective, she seemed ready to plaster announcements all over the walls of Huaihuang County. Xie Gou also discussed some ideas with them, saying that at Oxhorn Ferry, they could set up a sign to attract customers for the shop's pastries. Since Oxhorn Ferry was Fallen Mountain's own territory, on the wooden board they could write the shop's exact address in the small town, list which pastries were available, and mention that they had been tasted and praised by a certain sword immortal, a certain sect master, a certain kingdom's emperor... For example, Ruan Qiong of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, current sect master Liu Xianyang, Qi Zhen of the Divine Proclamation Sect, Great Li prince Song Jixin, former Iron Talisman River god Yang Hua—pick ten famous names total. Anyway, whoever was famous on Baoping Continent would be honored to be on the list. Who cared if they had actually eaten the pastries? At worst, if someone came to complain, they could apologize and change the board—or actually, no need to change it, just erase a name...
Shi Rou was dumbfounded by this business philosophy. Zhou Junchen's eyes, however, lit up. If Shi Rou hadn't stopped him, Little Mute would have already gone to the backyard to find a board and prepare ink.
Little Mute had seen people who were aggressive about making money, but he had never seen anyone so shameless about it. As this woman named Xie Gou put it: "People can't just give up making money for the sake of face."
Little Mute immediately felt reassured. He rarely smiled around outsiders, but now he did.
After they got familiar, Xie Gou accompanied the child in reading books today. Zhou Junchen liked books of strange tales. Xie Gou was different—she preferred romance stories about talented scholars and beautiful ladies. As she flipped through a book, she asked Little Mute: "Zhou Junchen, you're the Hidden Official's only disciple's disciple now. And you spend all year toiling away here for pocket change? Isn't that a bit miserable? Don't you feel wronged?"
On the Barbarian World side, if you were the direct disciple or grand-disciple of a founding ancestor, you'd cause trouble at home or abroad. If you didn't stir up some mischief, you'd lose face in the mountains.
The child grinned: "I'm not close with Chen Ping'an. Over the years, I've only seen him a few times and barely exchanged a few words. I don't take this whole 'grand-disciple' thing seriously, and neither does he."
Xie Gou nodded: "Ambitious."
The sable-hatted girl suddenly closed her book, wiped her mouth, and chuckled.
Zhou Junchen found it a bit creepy. It was like a lecher walking down the street and spotting a beauty.
Xie Gou came out from behind the counter, adjusted her sable hat, poked her head out the door, and looked at the figure walking out of Qilong Lane—yellow hat, green shoes, green bamboo staff. Hey, handsome!
Xiao Mo didn't stop. He squinted and spoke mentally: "Bai Jing, what are you doing here in the Haoran World?"
Xie Gou scrunched her face. Miserable. What a disaster. This way of speaking from Xiao Mo was no different from those heartless men in the books who broke their vows under the moon and flowers.
Xiao Mo walked slowly forward. "Stop pretending. Is it fun?"
Xie Gou said "oh," stretched, and hopped over the threshold, standing in the middle of Qilong Lane. She said bluntly: "Was it that existence's idea to make Chen Ping'an your death servant?"
Xiao Mo nodded.
Xie Gou said angrily: "Then do you know that if Chen Ping'an had carved a different character on the city wall—if instead of 'Ping' (duckweed) he had carved 'Ping' (peace) or 'Qing' (clear)—what would your fate have been?"
Xiao Mo nodded again.
When the Sword Holder had found him, she had clearly stated this.
Challenge the sword? Xiao Mo neither dared nor was willing. After all, the vast majority of his swordsmanship was inherited from one of these ancient supreme beings.
Run?
He couldn't escape.
Xie Gou shook her head. "You're not the person I knew anymore."
Xiao Mo sneered: "Bai Jing, we were never close."
The Bai Jing of the past—her true self—had not been the young girl she appeared to be now.
She had been extremely beautiful, full of wildness.
Xie Gou asked with a smile: "Find a place to have some drinks?"
After sleeping for ten thousand years and waking up, she found that the combat power of the world's top cultivators hadn't changed much. But the art of winemaking had definitely improved a lot.
At the Wine Spring Sect, besides a few signature wines, she had drunk her fill of more than thirty of the most famous immortal wines from the Barbarian World. It had been very satisfying.
Xiao Mo shook his head: "Drinking leads to trouble. Let's walk these steps of Qilong Lane to the top. If we can reach an agreement, that's best. If not, you and I will go overseas."
Qi refiners could drink like ordinary people if they wanted. If they wanted to get truly drunk, they had their methods. As for how long they wanted to sleep after a big drunk, that was up to them. They could set the waking time in advance. Great cultivators could even use this to nourish their spirit. Being drunk for a few years or decades wasn't unusual.
Xie Gou pouted: "Chen Ping'an isn't here anyway. What trouble could drinking cause?"
Xiao Mo's face was expressionless.
Xie Gou stamped her foot, flailing her hands like a child throwing a tantrum: "I just didn't call him 'Young Master Chen'! Are you going to kill me for that, over an outsider?"
Call him young master? Call him "master of a lord"? Hah!
Xie Gou had been on Fallen Mountain for so long and hadn't even seen the man's face. What airs! Did he think he was Bai Ze or the Little Master?
Xie Gou said bluntly: "Chen Ping'an deliberately left you to meet me alone. This kind of person, this kind of temperament—I don't like it. You following him—I'm not at ease."
"According to the books here, this is called 'the son of a thousand gold does not sit under the eaves.' Indeed, 'a long road knows a horse's strength, time reveals a person's heart.' On the Sword Qi Great Wall, he dared to show his face, earn some battle merits, build a reputation. In the end, it was because he trusted that Chen Qingdu was sitting on the city wall, ready to protect his life. Look, now he's shown his hand. He's afraid I'll kill him. He's worried you can't protect him."
Xiao Mo said: "The young master was going to meet someone temporarily, someone very important. Bai Jing can't compare to that person at all."
Xie Gou asked doubtfully: "Who? Is there such a figure on Tongye Continent?"
If she remembered correctly, Tongye Continent's top combat power was far inferior to Beiju Continent and Southern Continent.
The two walked up the steps together. Xiao Mo said: "It's none of your business."
Xie Gou said: "Really not drinking?"
Xiao Mo hesitated for a moment: "We can drink at the Thatched Head Shop here on Qilong Lane. It's our own place. Old Immortal Jia has wine there. I'll say a word to him later and borrow a few jugs. Old Immortal Jia won't mind. I don't even need to pay him back later."
Xie Gou rolled her eyes.
So annoying! Even drinking had so many rules. Look how proud he was. Did this count as having made something of himself?
Where was the Xiao Mo who once roamed the world alone with his sword? The Xiao Mo who brewed wine with the Master of Bixiao Cave at Fallen Treasure Shoal? The sword cultivator who once almost killed Yangzhi?!
Xie Gou wrinkled her nose, as if to say: Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, you've changed like this—I'm heartbroken.
Xiao Mo ignored her and turned to walk straight toward the Thatched Head Shop.
Xie Mo suddenly lunged at him like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, but Xiao Mo held her head down: "Bai Jing!"
In that instant, both Xiao Mo and Bai Jing's dao hearts trembled. The two Ascension realm sword cultivators almost simultaneously turned to look at the highest point of Qilong Lane.
Someone was sitting there, with a tall white-robed woman standing beside him, her hands resting on a sword, smiling faintly as she looked down at Bai Jing and Xiao Mo.
And the gentle-eyed man smiled: "You two go ahead. Pretend we're not here."