Chapter 992: Invitation Letter

Chapter 992: Invitation Letter

At the tail end of the first month, another snow fell within Chuzhou territory, but it wasn't heavy, mixed with rain. After the snow, the sky cleared. The mountains were all green, except for Piyun Mountain, which was half green and half white.

It was like a secluded beauty wearing a fox fur coat over a green skirt, or like a lofty scholar well-versed in classics, standing apart from the ordinary.

On this day, during the deep night of the Lotus Root Blessed Land, in the twilight of the Haoran World, Golden Core cultivator Gao Jun and Golden Body martial artist Zhong Qian were guests at Luopo Mountain. However, they were arranged to stay in different residences and had not yet met each other.

In the deep silence of the night, Gao Jun was unwilling to breathe and absorb the mountain's spiritual energy here. Taking without asking always carried the suspicion of theft. Since she couldn't cultivate with peace of mind, she went out alone, climbing the steps to the summit of Jiling Peak. There, Gao Jun saw a fellow traveler who had also ascended to enjoy the moonlight. This person was sitting on the railing, holding a wine cup, with a celadon-glazed jade spring wine bottle placed beside him, and a package of sauced meat spread out, drinking and savoring alone.

Gao Jun didn't recognize him, but he immediately recognized the sect leader of Hushan Sect. The woman wore an apricot-yellow Daoist robe, beautiful as an autumn pond, standing gracefully like a lotus flower.

The sturdy young man was quite surprised and asked, "Sect Leader Gao, how come you're here too?"

Gao Jun asked doubtfully, "Who are you?"

Hearing the dialect of their hometown was like drinking warm wine.

The stalwart man replied with a bashful expression, "My name is Zhong Qian, an unknown nobody from the Northern Jin Kingdom. It would be strange if Sect Leader Gao recognized me."

He had never been to Hushan Sect, but in the study of a noble family in the Northern Jin Kingdom, he had seen a portrait of Gao Jun. The real person was even more beautiful.

Gao Jun suddenly understood, clasped her hands in a Daoist salute, and said, "Greetings, Grandmaster Zhong."

Zhong Qian quickly put down his wine cup, cupped his fists in return, and said, "Pleased to meet you."

Since they weren't well acquainted, this being their first meeting, and neither being talkative, there was a moment of silence.

In the mountain wind and bright moonlight, fellow townspeople met in a foreign land, each harboring their own melancholy, with endless thoughts.

Gao Jun had followed Chen Ping'an out of the Lotus Root Blessed Land. Arriving for the first time, setting foot on Luopo Mountain—the real Luopo Mountain was quite different from the "celestial immortal mansion" she had imagined earlier, with its jade towers and phoenixes singing. When she reached Jise Peak, apart from sensing the far richer spiritual energy compared to Hushan Sect, the scenery itself was neither magical nor bizarre, seeming about the same as Hushan Sect.

Zhong Qian broke the silence first, "I was brought here by a strange old man and a woman named Pei Xiang. Who brought Sect Leader Gao here?"

Gao Jun replied, "The master of this mountain, Sword Immortal Chen Ping'an."

Zhong Qian laughed self-deprecatingly, "As expected, Sect Leader Gao's face carries more weight."

The old man who claimed to have an irreconcilable hatred for Zhu Lian claimed to be the steward of Luopo Mountain. As for that seductive woman named Pei Xiang, she seemed to be a guest elder.

Zhong Qian said, "I heard that tomorrow morning on Jise Peak, there will be an ancestral hall assembly."

Gao Jun nodded, "Sword Immortal Chen invited me to sit in on the assembly."

She had wanted to decline, but considering her current status, not just as the sect leader of Hushan Sect, she agreed.

This time, Gao Jun had voluntarily proposed leaving the blessed land, her original intention being to learn more about people and affairs "beyond the heavens." To understand Luopo Mountain and the Haoran World faster and more intuitively, was there a better shortcut than participating in an ancestral hall assembly?

Zhong Qian smiled, "I'll also be attending, because I agreed to become a nominal guest elder of Luopo Mountain."

Gao Jun hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Grandmaster Zhong, do you not plan to return to your hometown?"

Zhong Qian nodded, "I won't go back. I'm different from Sect Leader Gao. Any place with wine is the same to me. As for hometown or not, I never really had any thoughts about it since I was young. I hear that there are hundreds or thousands of types of immortal wines here, but they're a bit expensive, requiring those kinds of mountain immortal money. I haven't seen any of those yet. Becoming a nominal guest elder means a monthly salary. Besides, I hear that at Luopo Mountain, there are martial arts to learn. For example, Chongqiu, the national preceptor of Nanyuan Kingdom, is now a person of Luopo Mountain. I plan to learn boxing techniques from him in the future. It would be best if I could apprentice and gain some true inheritance."

Reputation precedes a person. Among the gathering of world experts in the capital of Nanyuan Kingdom back then, the demon cult's supreme leader Ding Ying was unpredictable—who dared to get close? Hushan Sect's Yu Zhenyi was ethereal and unattainable. As for the knife sharpeners Liu Zong and Tang Tieyi, although they each had the demeanor of grandmasters, they were also marred by mixed reputations. So in the eyes of younger martial artists, none were as revered and approachable as that "Cultural Saint, Martial Grandmaster" Master Chong.

In a courtyard halfway up the mountain, Pei Xiang was using the divine ability of viewing mountains and rivers to carefully observe the words and actions of those two outsiders on the peak.

Zhu Lian lay on a wicker chair, hands folded on his abdomen, eyes closed in meditation. He didn't stop Pei Xiang from this behavior that went against martial ethics.

The conversation of the two on the peak came clearly to their ears.

Pei Xiang asked, "Yan Fang, do you think Gao Jun is good-looking?"

With no outsiders, she still habitually called Zhu Lian by the alias Yan Fang, the name he had used when secretly poaching talents in Qingfeng City.

Zhu Lian smiled slightly, "Different flowers for different eyes. In the eyes of Hushan Sect disciples, Gao Jun is naturally the most moving woman in the world. If they could get a taste of her fragrance, they'd be willing to die beneath the flowers."

Pei Xiang snorted contemptuously, "She's not that beautiful. Her appearance is inferior to Hongxia's."

Zhu Lian turned his head to glance at Pei Xiang's hand. Seeing Zhong Qian eating sauced meat with wine, he smiled. The flavors of home were all in the taste.

In fact, in Zhu Lian's view, Zhong Qian, who now claimed to have no attachment to his hometown, would often miss it in the future. On the other hand, Gao Jun, the day she decided to leave the Lotus Root Blessed Land, would do so resolutely, and afterward, her cultivation would rarely be tinged with melancholy.

Pei Xiang asked, "Will there be more and more 'two golds' from the blessed land in the future?"

Zhu Lian nodded, "That goes without saying. What's truly worth paying attention to is how many Earth Immortal cultivators and Refining Aperture martial artists will appear in each sixty-year cycle."

The old cook rubbed his hands, breathed on them, "The snow melts, the spring wind thaws, and big fish and small fish burst through the ice."

Pei Xiang whispered, "Yan Fang, now that you've returned to your hometown..."

Zhu Lian chuckled, "Apart from being your coachman, what other thoughts could I have?"

In the Haoran World, caves and blessed lands were actually no different—just the rich eating the poor, and officials eating the rich. The poor ate dirt, immortals ate mortals. In the end, eating and being eaten, all turn to dust.

Awake from dreams or not, everything turns to emptiness in the end.

Pei Xiang asked, "What do you think of the different choices made by Gao Jun and Zhong Qian?"

Zhu Lain said lazily, "Birds don't know the beauty of the wilds, fluttering and circling in small courtyards."

Pei Xiang thought it over and frowned, "Don't be cryptic. Do you mean Gao Jun is unwilling to leave the blessed land, preferring to be the head of a chicken rather than the tail of a phoenix? Is her vision too narrow, and she made the wrong choice? Or that Zhong Qian settling in Luopo Mountain is like walking from the wilds into a courtyard? From a grandmaster who could have become the world's best, he's just become a mediocre martial artist here, neither high nor low?"

Zhu Lian opened his eyes, gently shaking his head, "As I said, different flowers for different eyes. The same person makes different choices; different people make the same choice. Two flowers bloom, each on a separate branch."

Pei Xiang rolled her eyes coquettishly, "You have the most crooked reasoning."

Zhu Lian chuckled, "Pity the Nascent Soul who doesn't read books."

Pei Xiang raised an eyebrow, "The erotic art albums from the Fox Kingdom have always sold very well. They were once a source of income for Qingfeng City second only to talisman beauties. Now, they're piling up in the Fox Kingdom's secret vaults. Isn't that just turning money away?"

Zhu Lian rubbed his forehead, sighing, "Our Luopo Mountain wouldn't dare touch such money-making paths. If you have the guts, bring it up at tomorrow's Jise Peak assembly. I wouldn't dare."

Pei Xiang suggested, "Now that we have a subordinate sect, Chief Zhou has a Cloud Cave Blessed Land at Tongye Sect. That blessed land has the Flower God Mountain Beauty Ranking. We can sell it as a package to Chief Zhou. This income can be my private money. You help contact the Cloud Cave Blessed Land, negotiate the price, and help sell. Then we split the profits later. Doesn't that add a steady stream of income?"

Zhu Lian didn't say whether it was feasible, just asked, "In the Fox Kingdom, do you have disciples or descendants who might form a golden core?"

Pei Xiang nodded, "So there are more and more places that need money. Although I've saved up some family assets, with annual expenses exceeding income, it's not sustainable in the long run."

Zhu Lian smiled, "To be honest, if you want to make quick money without considering the long term, you have to take the crooked path."

The old cook clearly caught the fox queen's subtext. She was complaining in a roundabout way. Mentioning the sale of erotic art albums was just a pretext.

Since moving from the Xu family's Qingfeng City to the Lotus Root Blessed Land, the Fox Kingdom had been like a closed country, cut off from the outside world, especially from the Qi refiners who used to visit the Fox Kingdom as a tourist destination and a place of pleasure. Many mid-five realm fox spirits who held real power lost their side incomes. Although Pei Xiang and her trusted confidants were in charge, it wasn't yet to the point of widespread complaints, but in the long run, hearts and minds would waver. The undercurrents would eventually turn into an uncontrollable flood. Moreover, fox spirits were not like cultivators, nor even like wild spirits that had opened their apertures and taken shape. They were long accustomed to the bustling, glamorous world. Suddenly closing the doors for solitary cultivation made the Fox Kingdom feel like a slightly larger meditation ground. Although the Luopo Mountain and the Fox Kingdom had a written agreement about fox spirits seeking the Dao, as long as a fox Qi refiner had hope of reaching the Cave Dwelling realm, they could go out alone to travel in the four kingdoms of the blessed land and experience human love.

Pei Xiang said cautiously, "Rooting the Fox Kingdom in the blessed land has nearly doubled the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If converted into immortal money, Luopo Mountain has already treated the Fox Kingdom generously."

Zhu Lian interlaced his fingers, tapping his thumbs together, and smiled, "Such matters are our duty, no need to dwell on them, or it will seem distant."

Pei Xiang suddenly tensed up.

Zhu Lian slowly said, "The fox clan loves excitement by nature, but Luopo Mountain is a quiet place. This contradiction is temporarily irreconcilable, which naturally affects the relationship between the Fox Kingdom and the blessed land. If it were another mountain sect, owning a treasure trove like the Fox Kingdom that could generate endless wealth with minimal effort, they would never ask the Fox Kingdom to close its doors. After all, you don't fight against money. They would just allocate a territory for you within the blessed land, covering a thousand miles. Then the Fox Kingdom could open its gates, and whatever methods you use to make money, we at Luopo Mountain would just collect taxes from every fox Qi refiner, lying down to collect money. You'd be happy, we'd be happy too—why not?"

So the young master has discussed this with me more than once, trying to find a compromise. One that doesn't interfere with the normal development of the four kingdoms in the blessed land, yet allows the sentient beings of the Fox Kingdom not to feel their lives are too hard. Hmm, the young master used the term 'too hard.' I laughed at the time and said they have food and clothing, cultivation is faster, and they no longer have to be treated like madams and prostitutes by Qi refiners who only come to take off their pants. What's so hard about that? At most, it's 'too lonely.' But the young master insisted that 'too hard' was more appropriate. The transition from a noisy life to a quiet one is also a kind of hardship. It's like the mentality of an old official who retires. Even if they still wear fine clothes and eat well, and can stroll leisurely under the forest, the change from bustling traffic to a deserted door brings a different kind of bitterness.

"Because it was a private conversation with no outsiders, I spoke without caution when the young master brought this up. I said that if you want to take care of everything perfectly, it becomes as hard as ascending to heaven, tying your hands and feet, making everything difficult. But if you don't overthink it, making things simple becomes the simplest thing. For example, allow the Fox Kingdom to open its doors early. Then Luopo Mountain, following the example of National Preacher Cui Zhan who erected steles on the mountains, can give you some iron rules. Deliberately stand by and watch for a few years or a decade. Then Luopo Mountain can settle accounts with evidence and laws. Those who violate the rules and break the laws in the Fox Kingdom, kill those who should be killed, imprison those who should be imprisoned. To put it bluntly, by doing this, you'd even have a source for fox fur talismans. The current price of a fox fur talisman in Bao Ping Continent—how high has it been hyped? Wouldn't that make you more money than selling a few erotic art albums?"

"The young master said to wait a bit longer. He wants to wait until the people of the four kingdoms in the blessed land gradually get used to the fact that there are immortals riding clouds and demons and spirits walking among humans. When you appear then, even in large numbers, they'll be used to it. Mortals get accustomed to immortals and strange things, and from the separation of the living and the dead to cohabitation of humans and spirits, both sides will develop a rudimentary 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do' attitude. At the same time, while you seem to have closed the mountain, Luopo Mountain coerces the fox Qi refiners to focus on cultivation for three to five decades. When they go out later, with higher cultivation realms, starting from groups of two or three, to eventually going out alone, there will be fewer accidents during this period."

"In the end, the young master treats every one of you fox clan members as living, breathing people. Do you think he's unaware that my proposed plan is more beneficial than harmful? But in the young master's view, the 'harm' could mean the loss of several or dozens of fox clan lives. That's a harm that can be remedied by the three words 'wait and see,' which will definitely yield a smaller short-term profit."

"Simply put, the young master cares more about your Fox Kingdom than you, the fox queen."

Pei Xiang let out a faint sigh, "The mountain master is thoughtful."

Zhu Lian said calmly, "Favors should go from light to strong; if they go from strong to light, they become enmity. Punishments should be from strict to lenient; if lenient first and then strict, they will resent the harshness."

"So choosing Tongye Continent for the subordinate sect, with Cui Dongshan as the first sect leader instead of Cao Qinglang, and then the young master returning to Luopo Mountain to cultivate—I might be the happiest person, bar none."

Zhu Lian was silent for a moment, then looked up at the night sky and smiled, "The more hope we place in this world, the more kindness we give, whether the world returns kindness or returns malice, the more we will care, the more we will suffer."

"If you feel that none of it matters, that's probably a form of cultivation."

Zhu Lian raised his hand, reached out, and made a fist, "There are only two kinds of strong people in the world."

"What I have obtained from this world. Either with ambition and fierce spirit, a dignified air, taking by the proper way, leaving a name in history; or by clever seizure and outright robbery, fiercely fighting for wealth and fame. If difficulty comes from me, I do not find it difficult; who dares to raise it?"

Zhu Lian raised his other hand and waved it lightly outward.

"What I have paid for this world. In poverty, I cultivate myself alone, my name not prominent but my heart immortal; then light a lamp and read again. In prosperity, I benefit all under heaven, wishing to achieve earth-shattering accomplishments, inviting hardship upon myself, slowly stepping on thin ice."

Finally, Zhu Lian stared blankly at the sky and said a strange phrase.

"Young master, master, young master... Lending is like giving, collecting is like begging."

The ancestral hall assembly of Jise Peak was set for the hour of Si (9-11 AM).

Today at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the square was indeed a bit quieter than before, thanks to Cui Dongshan.

Only Mountain Master Chen Ping'an, Head Steward Zhu Lian, Disciplinary Elder Changming, and Treasury Master Wei Wenlong were present.

Also right protector Zhou Mili, Chen Nuanshu, Chen Lingjun, Xiaomo, Guo Zhujiu, and Pei Xiang.

Plus the mountain lord Wei Bo, who was widely considered to be in the same boat as Luopo Mountain.

The uninvited Xie Gou and the white-haired boy known by alias Konghou were also present, standing by Guo Zhujiu, with the latter yawning.

Also not summoned to today's assembly were gatekeeper Xian Wei—though Daoist Xian Wei had never been recorded on Luopo Mountain's roster—and Zhao Shuxia, who was still practicing boxing in the bamboo building.

Also Zhao Luan, Cen Yuanji, Zhang Jiazhen, Changming's direct disciple Nalan Yudie, Konghou's disciple Yao Xiaoyan, Shi Rou of the Qilong Alley Yashi Shop, Zhou Junchen, the Caotou Shop's Zhao Denggao, and Tian Jiuer.

Chen Ping'an first introduced Gao Jun and Zhong Qian, then introduced the Luopo Mountain members to them one by one.

Both Gao Jun and Zhong Qian appeared somewhat nervous, as this was their first time personally seeing these "immortals ranked among the celestial ranks" from the blessed land's strange tales books.

The disciplinary patriarch of Luopo Mountain turned out to be a woman, Changming—whether it was her name or Dao title—very tall, slender, and habitually smiling with narrowed eyes.

The divine being in a white robe with a gold ring earring, Northern Sacred Mountain Lord Wei Bo, welcomed Gao Jun and Zhong Qian to visit Piyun Mountain.

The black-clad little girl with two faint yellowish eyebrows and a slanted cloth bag was the protective shrine maiden of Luopo Mountain. The pink-skirted girl with gentle features gave the two guests a polite bow.

The blue-clad child who liked to flick his sleeves while walking was named Chen Lingjun, Dao title Jingqing. He seemed to want to say something but ultimately just nodded stiffly without asking about their cultivation levels.

The young man in a yellow hat and green shoes had a gentle expression with a slight smile. According to Mountain Master Chen's introduction, Xiaomo was a "sword cultivator." Beside him followed a sable-hatted girl with flushed cheeks.

A white-haired child holding a book, though an outer disciple handyman, called himself the historian of Luopo Mountain, so he was allowed to attend today and record the assembly proceedings.

The last person introduced was the girl with a hand-copied inkstone hanging at her waist, named Guo Zhujiu, Chen Ping'an's direct disciple.

Afterward, when the auspicious time arrived, everyone filed into the ancestral hall under Chen Ping'an's lead. Gao Jun keenly noticed that there didn't seem to be any order; everyone was very casual. Disciplinary Elder Changming and Mountain Lord Wei walked at the back, while the white-haired boy, a handyman disciple, stayed close to Chen Ping'an. The sable-hatted girl with the... casual name stopped at the door, waved goodbye to Xiaomo, saying she'd wait obediently outside. But Chen Ping'an said she could sit in on the assembly. Xie Gou immediately adjusted her sable hat and straightened her clothes. Gao Jun only felt a sense of ceremony from this girl, probably because Xie Gou's cultivation level was low and her seniority shallow?

However, inside the ancestral hall, the seating arrangements still had rules, which gave Gao Jun some insight.

Chen Nuanshu fetched the incense tube. Chen Ping'an led the incense offering, then everyone took their seats. Since Gao Jun and Zhong Qian were still outsiders, they didn't need to offer incense to the three portraits.

Gao Jun found her seat near Wei Bo, opposite Xie Gou, who was sitting primly with a solemn expression.

Zhong Qian sat beside Zhu Lian and Pei Xiang.

The black-clad little girl looked eagerly at Disciplinary Elder Changming, who smiled gently and nodded with narrowed eyes.

Then Zhou Mili opened her cloth bag and started handing out melon seeds. Chen Lingjun helped Nuanshu serve tea, actively handed a cup to Wei Bo, grinning widely, calling him "Brother Wei" repeatedly, saying "Hard work, hard work."

When the backer isn't around, Mountain Lord Wei is a brother.

The first item of business was to make up for Guo Zhujiu's apprenticeship ceremony and roster registration.

According to Chen Ping'an's wishes, a cup of apprenticeship tea would suffice. But after Guo Zhujiu handed over the tea, without a word, she knelt and kowtowed, making a loud thumping sound.

Nuanshu and Zhou Mili had already brought tables and chairs, prepared brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Chen Ping'an personally wrote Guo Zhujiu's name and birthplace on the roster.

The second item was to announce Zhong Qian as a nominal guest elder of Luopo Mountain. This time, Disciplinary Elder Changming sat at the table, responsible for recording the name.

Next, Chen Ping'an proposed that Konghou serve as the cultivator for compiling the mountain's annals. According to mountain rules, this meant Konghou would automatically fall under Changming's disciplinary lineage.

So Chen Ping'an added a question, asking if Konghou was willing.

The white-haired boy looked as if he'd been hit with a dull blow, his face full of reluctance. If he agreed carelessly, it would mean working under Changming. How could he, as a master, face his disciple Yao Xiaoyan after leaving the ancestral hall?

Changming smiled with narrowed eyes.

Chen Ping'an turned and asked with a smile, "Treasury Master Wei, your opinion?"

"Whether following old mountain customs or making an exception for Daoist Konghou, I have no objections."

Wei Wenlong also looked helpless. Ever since his master had visited Luopo Mountain, the Hidden Officer had been addressing him as "Treasury Master Wei" at every meeting.

Chen Ping'an looked at Disciplinary Elder Changming. She smiled, "It's fine if Daoist Konghou is happy. It doesn't matter to me whether he joins the disciplinary lineage or not."

The white-haired boy thought to himself, "Not joining the disciplinary lineage makes me happy, yes, but I'm also worried." Few people knew that even Pei Qian had said that the most unprovokable person on Luopo Mountain was this perpetually smiling disciplinary elder.

"Since there are no additional thoughts, Konghou doesn't need to join the disciplinary lineage."

Chen Ping'an didn't continue to pressure Konghou. After all, Konghou had given him a boxing manual; exchanging it for a historian position wasn't too much.

The third item was about Luopo Mountain preparing to purchase new surrounding peaks.

The Longquan Sword Sect had completely withdrawn from Chuzhou territory. Several peaks had been moved away by Mountain Lord Wei Bo using his innate divine ability, leaving behind a huge, as-yet-unnamed lake.

In the assembly hall, clouds rose, and a landscape painting of the western mountains appeared on the ground.

Zhong Qian felt his eyes wide open—you could do this kind of thing?

Gao Jun's eyes lit up, and she quickly pondered. It seemed her own Hushan Sect and the Songlai Kingdom court, which already had many Qi refiners, could also adopt this method?

Chen Lingjun, while cracking melon seeds, stared at Piyun Mountain and laughed foolishly to himself. If only I had enough money, I'd buy that brother Wei's mountain too.

Wei Bo, holding a teacup, smiled at the foolishly happy Elder Chen.

Chen Lingjun noticed Mountain Lord Wei's gaze, immediately stopped cracking seeds, and shifted his gaze away from Piyun Mountain.

Wei Wenlong glanced at the Hidden Officer. Chen Ping'an nodded slightly. Only then did Wei Wenlong stand, walk into the clouds, and begin introducing the historical origins, spiritual energy foundations, and various mountain treasures of nearly sixty peaks. For each peak, except for a very few special peaks like Dragonback Mountain that had absolutely no possibility of purchase, there was a general valuation. The purchasing methods weren't complicated. First, Luopo Mountain could buy directly with immortal money, with prices negotiable as long as the other party was willing to sell. Second, trade goods for land—if the price differed from the other party's expectations, Luopo Mountain would use various heavenly treasures, spiritual tools, and magical artifacts to make up the difference. Last, let the other party name their price, and Luopo Mountain would weigh the pros and cons and consider whether to proceed. The only principle for all three methods was that even if the deal didn't go through, goodwill remained. No forcing, no peaks that Luopo Mountain absolutely had to acquire. After this, Wei Wenlong began reporting the treasury's holdings—this was why he had asked the Hidden Officer's opinion earlier via mental voice; it involved confidential matters, and Hushan Sect's Gao Jun was ultimately an outsider, so it couldn't be easily disclosed.

Currently, Luopo Mountain's income came mainly from three trade routes. The first financial route personally built by Chen Ping'an was primarily in the northern Beiju Continent, including Hagu Beach's Pima Sect, Chunlu Garden, Caique Manor, and Yunshang City, covering the entire southeastern part of Beiju Continent's shipping route, like an arc, plus a batch of sea immortal mansion islands. Among these, the dharma robes woven by Caique Manor were the most stable and considerable income. The Dali court of Bao Ping Continent and various mountain and water gods from Beiju Continent were the main buyers. The second horizontal trade route mainly followed the Ji River, including Floating Duck Sword Lake, Dragon Palace Cave Heaven, with later additions of Lingyuan Gong Shen Lin and Longting Hou Li Yuan, plus the Chongxuan Office's Xiaoyao Palace of a Great Yuan Dynasty. The third route included the Red Candle Town's Three Rivers Region, Dong Shuijing, Old Dragon City's Fan family, and Sun Jiashu. Additionally, there were docking fees from various immortal ferries at the Niujiao Mountain Ferry Crossing. Income from the ferry's bag carriers and the two shops in Qilong Alley could be ignored for now. Then there was the Lotus Root Blessed Land, which was on the cusp of top-tier rank, including a Fox Kingdom that was once the most important financial source for Qingfeng City's Xu family. The treasures that Luopo Mountain picked from the Lotus Root Blessed Land, born with the times, were currently few in number.

With the Qingping Sword Sect as a subordinate sect, according to the Haoran World's old customs, the Qingping Sword Sect needed to pay at least twenty to thirty percent of its income regularly to Luopo Mountain.

For example, the Inkstone Mountain in the Jiang family's Cloud Cave Blessed Land: Qingping Sword Sect split fifty-fifty with the Jiang family. Although Luopo Mountain and Qingping Sword Sect were a superior-subordinate relationship, brothers still had to settle accounts clearly.

Without these money-making "financial routes," Emperor Song He wouldn't have been so sincere in inviting Chen Ping'an to be the Dali national preceptor.

At the root of it all, cultivation level, fame, and status came down to the word "realization."

The depth of a nation's foundation—its cavalry, education, civil and martial achievements—still fell on the word "money."

Zhong Qian was especially uninterested in these matters, but Gao Jun silently memorized the names of those immortal mansions.

In the middle of discussing purchasing peaks, Changming suddenly spoke with a full smile, "May I say something off-topic? Mountain master, regarding the transfer of six hundred golden essence copper coins from the treasury, can we put it on the agenda now?"

Chen Ping'an had a wry smile.

"It's simple: the mountain master has a use for these golden essence copper coins stored in the treasury."

Changming continued, "If the mountain master still feels it might be suspected of using public funds for private gain and feels uneasy, then let's open it up for discussion today. Let's hear everyone's thoughts. If, besides the mountain master, no one has objections, then the mountain master can only make a unilateral decision. Only by overriding all objections can we 'discuss in detail' at the next ancestral hall assembly."

Earlier, on the wind kite ship heading to Tongye Continent, right after Chen Ping'an returned from the Colorful World with Xiaomo to Haoran, he had proactively mentioned this to Changming. Because forging the natal flying sword "Well Moon" required building a well-ordered river of time. According to Chen Ping'an's estimate at the time, with the golden essence copper coins Ning Yao had gifted him from the Colorful World, building a preliminary river of time wouldn't be a problem. The problem was that Chen Ping'an's "sword forging" was a bottomless pit that even mountains of gold could not fill. Moreover, the other two types of immortal money were meaningless; only golden essence copper coins would work. At the time, Changming had convinced Chen Ping'an, though he said he wouldn't stand on ceremony with her and would discuss it in detail after returning to Xiandu Mountain. But when the Qingping Sword Sect was established and the first ancestral hall assembly was held, Chen Ping'an never brought it up. Since it was at the subordinate sect, Changming, as the superior sect's disciplinary elder, couldn't raise the issue in the subordinate sect's ancestral hall, so she had to wait patiently.

Chen Lingjun was slightly surprised. Daoist Changming was no longer calling their master "young master"? Why had she switched to "Mountain Master"? And why did it feel like... murderous intent?!

Zhu Lian immediately lowered his head to drink tea, adopting an attitude of non-interference. If everyone says yes, then yes; if everyone says no, then no. He was just a steward and cook, insignificant. Let them act as if he didn't exist.

Wei Bo shook his robe, crossed his legs, and cracked melon seeds. This speech by Daoist Changming was quite something to chew on, more stimulating than tea.

Changming smiled, "Of course, according to the rule the mountain master established early on, any money or treasure that enters the treasury, regardless of who wants to use it, must be approved by the assembly. The mountain master is no exception."

Chen Lingjun looked deeply thoughtful, puzzled, "Is there such a rule? I don't remember that."

Xiaomo laughed, "I've never heard of it either."

Xie Gou quickly chimed in, "Xiaomo is right!"

A book said a very reasonable principle: when a woman is outside, she must support her man.

If she had understood this earlier, she wouldn't have suffered such a great loss. Otherwise, by now, she and Xiaomo would not only be Dao companions, they'd probably have a bunch of kids.

Chen Ping'an glared, "Xiaomo, Xie Gou, when did you climb the mountain? Nonsense."

Xiaomo didn't dare argue with the young master, so he smiled at Xiao Mili. Xiao Mili immediately understood, then had a flash of inspiration, coughed a few times, "New historian, do you remember this matter?"

The white-haired boy immediately pretended to take out that booklet from his sleeve, "Allow me to check carefully. Please wait a moment. Hard evidence, black on white, never lies."

Chen Ping'an said impatiently, "Alright, alright. I never planned to stand on ceremony with Changming about this. I'll use at least half of the six hundred golden essence copper coins in the treasury."

Changming immediately corrected, "Mountain master, how can you say you're standing on ceremony with me? That's completely off the mark. I wouldn't dare take that responsibility."

Wei Wenlong smiled, "Those two batches of golden essence copper coins were directly and indirectly earned by the mountain master himself. So regarding their use, I have no objection."

Only then did Zhu Lian nod softly, "No objection."

Wei Bo helped finalize it, "So someone is just being overly sensitive."

Gao Jun and Zhong Qian looked at each other in bewilderment. Were all the registered cultivators of Luopo Mountain this bold? Wasn't this practically ganging up on the mountain master Chen Ping'an? Even though they all had his best interests at heart, their words were so unrestrained?

In truth, this was because Gao Jun and Zhong Qian hadn't yet gotten used to local customs. Otherwise, if Chief Zhou, Pei Qian, Cui Dongshan, Zheng Dafeng, Great Sword Immortal Mi, Old Immortal Jia, and other stalwart backbones were all present—the scene would be something else.

Hearing Wei Bo's comment, Xie Gou immediately showed more respect for the Northern Sacred Mountain Lord. Good, very good. He had backbone and integrity, dared to speak the truth—a true man!

Guo Zhujiu was eager to try, asking, "Master, do you need me to take them all on one by one? I think it'll be challenging, but not a big problem!"

The sable-hatted girl and the white-haired boy exchanged a glance, each nodding. If Alliance Leader Guo said so, they'd just have to follow.

Chen Ping'an rubbed his forehead. He hoped some of the atmosphere from the summer palace wouldn't be brought to Luopo Mountain. He waved his hand at Guo Zhujiu, took a sip of tea, gently put down the cup, "Then it's settled. I'll take out three hundred golden essence copper coins today. The remaining half, the treasury can consider as reserved for me."

Changming said in a mental voice with a smile, "Young master, it's unavoidable. Please forgive me. For today's matter, please talk to Xiao Mili, and whatever you do, don't let Pei Qian hear about it."

Chen Lingjun's mental voice was very straightforward, "Master, should I join forces with Guo Zhujiu to repel the enemy? But honestly, Changming and the others do have good intentions. It's this Mountain Lord Wei who's the most excessive. If you don't stop me, I'll disregard brotherly bonds and start cursing him out?"

Zhu Lian used sound condensation to speak, "Young master, this trend must not be allowed to grow. If this continues, everyone will rebel. What kind of order is that? Daoist Changming's actions today were not proper. Especially Mountain Lord Wei, an outsider, making snide remarks and being sarcastic. I don't know who taught him such bad habits. Very improper."

Chen Ping'an ignored them all and let Treasury Master Wei continue the previous agenda.

But in an instant, Chen Ping'an and Wei Bo, Xie Gou and Xiaomo, almost simultaneously turned their heads to look westward.

A message-flying sword came from west to east, swiftly entering Chuzhou territory, about to land in the Jise Peak sword room.

Chen Ping'an reached out and caught the flying sword. After reading the confidential letter from the Liyi School Palace, he felt both joy and relief.

The confidential letter was essentially an invitation from his senior brother Mao Xiaodong, who served as the Liyi School Palace's Secretary. The first half was an official document from Mao Xiaodong on behalf of the Liyi School Palace, inviting Chen Ping'an to sit in on a Three Teachings Debate. The second half read more like a "family letter" between fellow disciples. It said that the participants for the Three Teachings Debate had already been decided and wouldn't change. There were nine Buddha sons from the Western Buddhist Kingdom and nine Dao seeds from the Qingming World. Among these, two were rather unusual. One was Zhang Fenghai, who was supposed to be imprisoned in the Yanxia Cave of Yuzhu Palace in Baiyujing. But according to Baiyujing's wishes, Zhang Fenghai was no longer a Dao officer of Yushu City and had even lost his registered identity in Baiyujing. The other was Zhou Li, the bookkeeper of Qingxuan Sect, which was the superior sect of Bao Ping Continent's Shengao Sect.

On the Confucian Temple side, they also sent nine participants. After seeing three of the names, Chen Ping'an felt both happy and relieved. The latter was Hengqu Academy's young mountain leader, Yuan Pang. The first two were the Confucian scholar Li Xisheng and the gentleman of Sui Dynasty's Shanya Academy, Li Baoping.

Mao Xiaodong also said that according to Saint Li's wishes, the Confucian Temple allowed his junior brother to bring one more person to sit in on this Three Teachings Debate.

At the end of the letter, Mao Xiaodong said that this invitation didn't need to be taken too seriously. Since he was only sitting in, not participating in the debate, he could go or not.

Mao Xiaodong's wording in the letter was euphemistic but clearly expressed a tendency. Chen Ping'an could understand Senior Brother Mao's good intentions. Historically, the Three Teachings Debates had been extremely dangerous for participants. As for those sitting in, if their cultivation was insufficient and their realm too low, yet they became too engrossed, it was easy to feel as if they were right there, affecting their Dao heart—essentially a form of "scattering the Dao."

The reason Chen Ping'an wasn't too worried about Li Baoping was, first, her elder brother Li Xisheng was participating in the debate, which itself was a form of Dao protection. Second, Chen Ping'an had personally experienced Li Baoping's scholarly skills during the Confucian Temple discussions. Most importantly, whether it was his master, Senior Brother Cui Chan, or Zuo You, they all had great confidence in Little Baoping. After all, she was a little girl in a red padded jacket who, as a child, copied a mountain of books just to skip class.

At the Confucian Temple, an old scholar stood with his hands behind his back, a tall school secretary beside him. The old scholar asked with a smile, "Xiaodong, what did the letter say?"

Mao Xiaodong, although he had changed his Dao lineage, was always honest with his teacher. So he recounted the letter's contents exactly. The more the old scholar listened, the angrier he got, frowning deeply. Unable to hold back, seeing no one around, he jumped up and slapped Mao Xiaodong's head. "What do you mean 'can go or not'? Do you have so little confidence in your junior brother?!"

Mao Xiaodong had to explain, "Junior brother is just like you, Master—too studious and prone to splitting hairs. The Three Teachings Debate involves profound subtleties from each side. I'm worried junior brother might exhaust himself too much, which wouldn't be good."

The old scholar hmmed, "That's a fair statement. Xiaodong, you're still experienced. It was wrong of me to blame you. You're not feeling wronged, are you?"

Mao Xiaodong said sincerely, "You teach well, Master. Even if I only learn a fraction, it benefits me for life. So why would I feel wronged? As long as you're not wronged, that's fine."

The old scholar stroked his beard and smiled. This was where senior brothers fell short compared to junior brothers. Even if it wasn't flattery, it sounded like it.

Mao Xiaodong murmured, "True grievance is the kind that makes you not know whether to shed tears."

The old scholar stretched out his arm and gently patted Mao Xiaodong's shoulder.

At Luopo Mountain, Chen Ping'an walked to the mountain gate and stood behind a bamboo chair. The gatekeeper Xian Wei was reading a book, occasionally licking his fingers to turn pages, thoroughly engrossed, sometimes flipping back.

Chen Ping'an coughed. Daoist Xian Wei was startled and threw the book to the ground with lightning speed. "Brother Dafeng, I never thought you were this kind of person, with a book like this!"

A hunched man appeared out of thin air in the courtyard, just in time to see this. He shouted angrily, "This old cook is causing trouble, putting this kind of book in someone else's home."

Chen Ping'an's face lit up with surprise, and he asked with a smile, "How come you're back?"

Zheng Dafeng laughed, "I missed home."