Before boarding the Treasure-Swallowing Whale bound for Tongye Continent, Chen Ping’an made a special trip to the market outside the Incense Offering Pavilion. He bought an incense container filled with eighty-one sticks of specially-made Three Purities Incense from Upside-Down Mountain. The fragrance was refreshing, perfect for revering deities or calming the mind. However, the price wasn’t cheap; one Minor Heat Coin, equivalent to a hundred Snowflake Coins.

He splurged because Chen Ping’an remembered that his own Fallen Phoenix Mountain had a mountain god temple. If friends were to visit in the future, offering them this incense would be a thoughtful gesture. A sincere guest, a god enjoying fine incense – it would be a splendid thing.

Besides the incense container from the Incense Offering Pavilion and the two treasures he had purchased at great expense from the Spirit Mushroom Hall, Chen Ping’an also bought a set of “Sword Immortal Paintings” copied by the renowned artist of the Poshuo Continent from a shop outside the Sword Reverence Pavilion. The set contained five large scrolls, each depicting twenty sword immortals. Each sword immortal was only an inch tall on the painting, yet they were vividly lifelike, ethereal and transcendent.

The original version of the “Sword Immortal Paintings” was a masterpiece created by a painter patriarch after witnessing the battles at the Great Wall of Sword Qi. Since then, it had been copied countless times.

The Sword Reverence Pavilion housed too many sword immortals. This set, known as the Stone Canal Edition of “Sword Immortal Paintings,” was merely a selection of a hundred, chosen according to the artist’s personal preferences. The shop had several versions, with varying prices, but the Stone Canal Edition was the most expensive. After careful comparison, Chen Ping’an found that the sword immortals depicted in this edition resonated with him the most, so he gritted his teeth and bought it.

This expense was considerable, totaling fifty Minor Heat Coins.

The shopkeeper, beaming from ear to ear, was unsure if he was happy to have found a sucker or genuinely thought Chen Ping’an had good taste. He shared some interesting anecdotes about the “Sword Immortal Paintings,” saying that several sword cultivators in the world had unintentionally acquired fragments of early copies of the paintings and had then comprehended the true meaning of the sword immortals depicted on their respective fragments, ascending to immortality and becoming renowned Land Sword Immortals.

Chen Ping’an planned to give this set of “Sword Immortal Paintings” to Sage Ruan Qiong as a congratulatory gift. When he left his hometown of Dragon Spring County, Ruan Shifu (Master Ruan) hadn’t yet held the ceremony to establish his sect. It should have been completed by now. Fifty Minor Heat Coins were certainly insignificant to Ruan Qiong, but it was at least something brought from Upside-Down Mountain to Great Li Dragon Spring, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, giving it a touch of sincere intentions behind a modest gift.

Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse.

As Chen Ping’an walked towards the Incense Offering Dock, several beautiful female cultivators glanced at him, and then glanced back again. Not just a fleeting glance, but a second, lingering look.

Chen Ping’an’s journey to Tongye Continent to seek the Dao was more weighty than his trip to Upside-Down Mountain to deliver the sword. After confirming that the young female cultivators had no malicious intent, he stopped dwelling on it.

The Incense Offering Dock was larger than the Catch and Release Dock, but Chen Ping’an, with his boarding jade pendant hanging from his waist, didn’t see the inevitably massive Treasure-Swallowing Whale. Instead, he saw a Mountain-Sea Turtle with pavilions and towers built on its shell, a giant carriage pulled by Blue Luan Cranes, and something recorded in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” unique to Floating Mulberry Continent: a small, verdant mountain peak.

He didn’t know if it was a Flying-Hither Mountain or a Flying-Yon Peak. Legend had it that the mountain roots formed by the concentration of spiritual energy in such peaks were a great tonic for the dragons of the world. When ancient terrestrial great dragons transformed into dragons by traversing rivers, after choosing a large river leading to the sea, they would also ask people to move Flying-Hither Mountains and Flying-Yon Peaks to the riverbank, to be able to eat in time and prevent exhaustion and depletion of their life force.

Chen Ping’an was just beginning to learn the Great Elegant Language of the Central Earth Divine Continent. Asking for directions was destined to be like a chicken talking to a duck. If all else failed, he would have to take out his bamboo slips and carve characters to ask for directions.

Fortunately, Chen Ping’an found a few passengers wearing the same style of ferry tokens, and quietly followed them. After walking for a while, they soon arrived at a bustling place. Chen Ping’an breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his left shoulder. Chen Ping’an immediately turned to look to his right, and saw a familiar face. The person, seeing that Chen Ping’an hadn’t fallen for it, seemed somewhat bored and lazily said, “What, are you also going to the Spirit Medium Sect of Tongye Continent? What a coincidence! Could it be that you have designs on me? Craving my beauty?”

Accusing the accuser first?

Chen Ping’an didn’t have particularly good or bad feelings towards this person.

This beautiful man with pearl hairpins, a pink dress, and colorful ribbons around his waist…

If meeting on the Cinnamon Island ship from Old Dragon City to Upside-Down Mountain was fate, then going from Upside-Down Mountain to the Spirit Medium Sect on the same day was likely a calculated scheme.

This Land surnamed disciple, who had once been kicked out of the Incense Offering Pavilion by a junior gatekeeper, clearly also saw Chen Ping’an’s wariness. He patted the boarding jade token issued by the Treasure-Swallowing Whale hanging from his waist and laughed, “As you suspected, I’m going to the Spirit Medium Sect this time to lie in wait, especially for you.”

What kind of frankness was this?

Chen Ping’an was a little confused, but he was determined in his heart to stay away from this person.

This fellow not only looked like a peerless beauty, but also had a clear and melodious voice, making it hard to distinguish between male and female. From his words and actions when they “accidentally” toured the Catch and Release Pavilion together, he was clearly someone with a lively personality who didn’t act according to common sense. Although Chen Ping’an didn’t dislike this person’s attire, personality, and preferences, he also didn’t want anyone to disrupt his peaceful life.

The person, claiming to be Lu Tai, clasped his hands behind his back, intertwined his fingers, tilted his chin slightly, squinted at Chen Ping’an, his posture delicate, even more charming than a woman, and said softly, “Whether you believe it or not, I have to tell you the truth. My name is Lu Tai, Land of Lu, Tai of Yangtai. I am a member of the Lu clan of the Central Earth Divine Continent, and I’m not well-received in the family, so I ran out to travel the world. I’ve been to five of the nine continents of the Vast World. Originally, I wasn’t planning to go to Tongye Continent, but now I’m really short on money, so I’m thinking of finding a good person who can let me freeload and doesn’t covet my beauty. I think you’re the one. Anyway, I already owe you one Grain Rain Coin, so I don’t mind owing you another one. Maybe when I get to Tongye Continent, I’ll step on dog poop and be able to pay you back, and maybe even earn enough for the fare back home.”

Seeing that Chen Ping’an was expressionless, and clearly didn’t believe his nonsense, Lu Tai sighed.
He sighed, “Alright, to be frank, I hail from the Yin-Yang School, proficient in divination and fortune-telling. It’s true I’m short on coin, but false that I can’t earn it. However, after owing you a ‘Grain Rain’ coin, I cast a divination for myself. It foretold a ‘Eastern Journey Devouring Treasure, Catalpa Leaf Bestowing Nobility,’ a most auspicious omen. The meaning is rather straightforward, but to avoid any unforeseen events, I’ve waited here for a full fortnight. That’s the ‘waiting for the rabbit’ I mentioned earlier. When I finally saw you, I knew that this trip to the Catalpa Leaf Continent, blessed by our ancestors, was one I couldn’t miss, lest I be struck by heavenly lightning!”

Chen Ping’an didn’t resort to harsh words, nor did he display the slightest impatience. Instead, he inquired with a negotiating and amicable tone, “Young Master Lu, it’s your prerogative to seek fortune in the Catalpa Leaf Continent based on your auspicious divination. I certainly won’t stop you, nor could I. But could we perhaps travel separately? If Young Master Lu is in dire need of funds, I can lend you some ‘Lesser Heat’ coins…”

He suddenly interrupted Chen Ping’an, his tone and expression naturally charming, “What ‘Young Master Lu’? To avoid unnecessary trouble, just call me ‘Miss Lu.’ Otherwise, the way people look at me will be rather…peculiar.”

Chen Ping’an’s scalp tingled.

*Since you mind how others look at you, why don’t you consider how I see you?*

Lu Tai actually began to plead, “Chen Ping’an, please, be a dear? Give me a ride? I can swear to the heavens that if I harbor any ill intentions towards you, may I be struck by five thunderbolts, thrown into Thunder Marsh for a bath, suppressed beneath Mount Sui, imprisoned in the Dragon Palace’s furnace in the deep sea, exiled to a desolate and uninhabited secret realm…”

While spouting such nonsense, he even extended a hand, more slender and fair than a woman’s, attempting to grab Chen Ping’an’s arm.

Chen Ping’an broke out in goosebumps. Disregarding all pretense of politeness, he slapped away Lu Tai’s hand, righteously declaring, “Young Master…Miss Lu, please conduct yourself with propriety!”

Lu Tai sheepishly withdrew his hand, standing there, biting his lip, his eyes filled with resentment and on the verge of tears.

Chen Ping’an turned to leave.

Lu Tai followed like a shadow. Chen Ping’an stopped, and he stopped. Chen Ping’an turned his head, and he turned his head. He produced a delicate little bronze mirror from who knows where, his fingers twirling an open rouge box, resembling a beauty in her boudoir, applying makeup before her mirror.

This scene, witnessed by Chen Ping’an, who thought he knew him fairly well, sent shivers down his spine. However, many male cultivators nearby were captivated, their eyes sparkling. Some older, more accomplished Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators, even though they saw through Lu Tai’s illusion and knew he was a man, still gazed at him with fervent desire.

On the path of cultivation, the pursuit of longevity knows no boundaries.

Lu Tai resembled a pitiable, abandoned wife, not daring to complain about her unfaithful husband, only daring to follow him with such reluctant attachment.

The surrounding gazes were filled with amusement.

Chen Ping’an had never experienced such a nauseating situation before. He was filled with anger, yet he was helpless against this Lu Tai.

As people continuously vanished into thin air ahead of the ferry, Chen Ping’an realized that the boarding point for the Treasure Swallowing Whale was the embroidered tapestry laid on the ground. When purchasing the ferry tokens, there were three options: “Cloud on Peak,” “Enchanting Garden,” and “Azure Lake,” with varying prices. Chen Ping’an had chosen the middle option, “Azure Lake.” Now, looking at the three tapestries, the scenes were vastly different: one with misty clouds and a solitary peak, one with vast azure waters and lakeside houses scattered like stars, and one with a garden pavilion filled with flowers.

The “Miss Lu” behind him timidly explained, “One can’t board from the Treasure Swallowing Whale’s mouth, right? This Treasure Swallowing Whale is very large, the best in the Golden Armor Continent. Within its body, there are four small secret realms, three of which have been transformed into residences for passengers. The Treasure Swallowing Whale in Old Dragon City only has one secret realm. Compared to this, it’s simply pathetic. These three tapestries are actually three extremely high-grade Shrinking Earth Talismans, which can help passengers directly reach the three destinations.”

Chen Ping’an finally understood.

The comprehensive and all-encompassing immortal book, the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, contained detailed records of secret realms. After seeing it, Chen Ping’an, because it involved blessed lands and was even related to the Li Zhu Grotto-heaven, paid particular attention and even sought out the young innkeeper of the Stork Inn to inquire about knowledge not found in the book.

People born and raised in the Upside-Down Mountain, regardless of their cultivation level or family background, often spoke with great confidence and broad knowledge, mentioning Saints, Heavenly Sovereigns, and Earth Immortals with no hesitation. However, the variety and breadth of their experiences were indeed superior to anywhere outside the Upside-Down Mountain.

The young innkeeper didn’t usually like to talk much, but perhaps he regarded Chen Ping’an as a distinguished guest, and he rarely had such a pleasant conversation.

Many blessed lands that had naturally aged and decayed or been destroyed by external forces often left behind fragments of land of varying sizes, lost to the world, hence they were called secret realms. In fact, the shop selling Oblivion Wine in the Upside-Down Mountain was precisely the last remaining fragment of the Yellow Millet Blessed Land.

The various opportunities of cultivators were often inseparable from secret realms. Secret realms could both enhance fortune and provide aid in times of need. It could be said that the existence of secret realms, large and small, filled cultivators with anticipation and hope. Almost half of the rogue cultivators who rose to prominence owed their success to the gains from secret realms.

Accidentally stumbling into an unoccupied secret realm, be it an idyllic paradise of plant essence, a miasma-filled barbaric land, or a cave where immortals had dissolved their bodies, those with good fortune could soar to great heights, while those with bad luck might die of old age within, or suffer a violent death, their possessions becoming the opportunities of later generations.

Chen Ping’an was eager to know if any secret realms remained in the world after the Li Zhu Grotto-heaven shattered and fell.

He could ask Wei Bo later.

At this moment, Chen Ping’an walked towards the tapestry leading to Azure Lake on the Treasure Swallowing Whale. Lu Tai sighed and quickened his pace, moving coyly to block Chen Ping’an’s path, extending his hand and saying, “I was originally going to Azure Lake as well. Since you dislike me so much, then I won’t bother you anymore. I can change my residence, add some money, and find someone to exchange with me to go to the renowned Enchanting Garden. Let’s part ways here, Chen Ping’an. You said earlier that you could lend me some ‘Lesser Heat’ coins, do you still mean it? Otherwise, I won’t be able to go to the Enchanting Garden…”

A pitiful man, no matter how you look at it, is just awkward.

Chen Ping’an directly took out a large handful of “Lesser Heat” coins, moving closer and quickly handing them to Lu Tai.
As long as this person ceased to harass him, allowing him to properly practice his fist techniques and swordplay along the way, Chen Ping’an was willing to spend the money.

After receiving the Midsummer Coin, Lu Tai blankly stared at Chen Ping’an, her autumn water-like eyes filled with unspoken grievances. Finally, she turned away in dejection, most likely to find someone to discuss changing her residence.

When Chen Ping’an stepped onto that strange, space-shrinking talisman, he saw Lu Tai’s jubilant face. She winked at him, raising the newly acquired jade token in her hand, upon which the two characters “Azure Waters” were inscribed.

It turned out that Lu Tai’s purse was truly shallow, a verifiable fact. That’s why she could only afford the cheapest Cloud Peak jade token, then bombarded him with a torrent of flowery, deceptive words. And Chen Ping’an gave her a handful of Midsummer Coins…

Lu Tai’s footsteps were light and nimble as she playfully approached Chen Ping’an’s patch of lichen, a smug look upon her face, her beauty becoming even more radiant.

Before his figure vanished, Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but curse at that “girl,” calling her a damned scoundrel.