It was indeed that woman surnamed Fan. At first glance, her attire was simple and elegant, but upon closer inspection, one would discover the auspicious Ruyi water-cloud patterns embroidered on her garments. Bathed in the moonlight and city lights, they shimmered faintly, revealing a splendor and grace that were truly unmatched.

However, she seemed to be wearing a disguise, only retaining five or six parts of her original beauty, lest she cause too much of a stir in this bustling marketplace.

She continued to stare intently at Chen Pingan. Chen Pingan set down his chopsticks and had to ask, “Do you need something from me?”

She suddenly reached out and rubbed her forehead, looking around with a furrowed brow.

At the neighboring table, some diners had gotten into an argument, cursing and shouting, slamming the table, and glaring. They were angrily pointing at each other’s noses, hurling insults like “Your family is nothing but old hags and lowborn whores! I’ll give you one more chance. If you dare spout any more nonsense, I’ll open a brothel in your house!”

The argument was delivered with a thick South Garden capital accent, both unpleasant and chaotic.

The woman lightly massaged her temples with a fingertip, then regained her composure. Using the martial artist’s technique of sound transmission, her eyes filled with curiosity and longing as she asked, “This young master, could you be… a banished immortal?”

Chen Pingan chuckled and shook his head. “I’m just a traveler from afar, touring the South Garden Kingdom. I’m not the banished immortal you speak of.”

The woman seemed somewhat disappointed and apologized, “Forgive me for the intrusion, young master.”

Chen Pingan waved his hand. “It’s nothing.”

She hesitated for a moment, then cautioned, “The South Garden capital has been rather turbulent lately. With your exceptional bearing, young master, you might easily attract unwanted attention. I hope you’ll take extra care.”

Chen Pingan bowed with clasped hands. “Thank you, Miss Fan.”

Fan Wan’er was not one to be long-winded. She left the bustling night market. Some local ruffians tried to take advantage, but she always managed to evade them, like a fish darting through weeds and rocks. Chen Pingan found this puzzling. According to the old man in the bamboo building, the key to a martial artist’s talent lies in their ability to cultivate the most profound fist intent from the most rudimentary stances. This was one of the reasons he had chosen Chen Pingan.

However, the old man surnamed Cui, being too proud to admit it, wouldn’t acknowledge that the “Earthshaking Fist” actually had many merits. Chen Pingan simply didn’t want to expose him.

This strange woman, whom he had never met before but who had approached him twice, was likely the famous Fan Wan’er, based on the conversation between the old man surnamed Ding and Crow and the Flowery Young Master Zhou Shi. In his hometown of Treasure Bottle Continent, she would be comparable to the Divine Inscription Sect’s Daoist priestess He Xiaoliang.

Fan Wan’er clearly had a hint of “approaching the Dao,” so why did her martial arts cultivation seem to be weighed down by a massive boulder, preventing her from progressing?

One’s aura could be concealed, could return to simplicity, but after spending enough time together, the inner spirit would be revealed. The rhythm of each breath, the grace of every movement, would often betray the secrets of Heaven.

Earlier, when the old man surnamed Ding, wearing a silver lotus crown, nonchalantly stepped into the White River Temple’s main hall, Chen Pingan had immediately sensed the anomalies in the world.

Chen Pingan had emerged from the Pearly Cave Heaven, after all. He had seen his fair share of peak figures. Anyone who could impress Chen Pingan as “quite formidable” was naturally not simple. The one who sparred with him in the bamboo building on Fallen Mountain had been a tenth-realm martial artist at his peak, and the one who sparred with swords on Osmanthus Island was, at the very least, an old Golden Core cultivator.

After Fan Wan’er’s figure disappeared, Chen Pingan thought for a moment and also left the bustling marketplace.

The South Garden capital was divided into eighty-one large and small wards, with a layout similar to many dynasties and vassal states Chen Pingan had passed through. This city, renowned as the best in the world, was characterized by noble northerners, impoverished southerners, martial easterners, and literary westerners. The White River Temple was located in the western district, where many mid-level officials and wealthy merchants had their residences, with meticulous craftsmanship visible everywhere.

At this moment, Chen Pingan was walking on a stone arch bridge. In the stillness of the night, Chen Pingan lightly jumped onto the railing and walked to the top of the arch. He gazed at the small river flowing beneath him, with a water-taming beast standing below, shaped like a dragon, a common sight.

Many prosperous cities in Treasure Bottle Continent had these water-taming beasts on their railings or archways to suppress water spirits. However, Chen Pingan couldn’t detect even a trace of residual spiritual energy in this ancient water-taming beast, as if it were merely a decorative ornament.

While Chen Pingan was gazing at the water in a daze, the fairy Fan Wan’er, from Mirror Heart Pavilion, encountered the Crown Prince of the South Garden Kingdom, Wei Yan, who should have been returning to the palace.

Although of noble lineage, this man was a deeply hidden young expert. His martial arts mentor was an old-generation grandmaster who had fled from the northern frontier to the South Garden Kingdom. As Wei Yan had said, he was among the few people in the world closest to the Ten Great Experts. Crown Prince Wei Yan’s master had an irreconcilable feud with the Hanging Flower Gate, one of the three sects of the Demonic Sect. Therefore, this highly respected Crown Prince was regarded by both Lake Mountain Sect and Mirror Heart Pavilion as a righteous figure, with the hope of becoming the next generation of martial arts leaders. Mirror Heart Pavilion even intended to support him as the next ruler of the South Garden Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the Demonic Sect’s Crow secretly supported Wei Yan’s younger brother, Wei Chong. The two were constantly scheming and framing each other, vying for favor with the old Emperor of South Garden Kingdom, a rivalry that had been ongoing for five or six years.

Fan Wan’er and Wei Yan strolled through the quiet night. Wei Yan said softly, “Fairy Fan, you don’t need to hide the fact that you wanted to meet that person from me. He was able to hide in the main hall of the White River Temple without being detected, so he is definitely not a common ruffian. What if he is a member of the Demonic Sect? What would happen to you?”

Fan Wan’er didn’t want the future Emperor of South Garden Kingdom to harbor any resentment, so she smiled and said, “Your Highness, who do you think is the most skilled martial artist among us ten, if we include myself, the Demonic Sect’s Crow, Spring Tide Palace’s Flowery Young Master Zhou Shi, and the other six young experts of similar age, who are considered to be echoing the Ten Great Experts of the world?”

Wei Yan had long been aware of this. Besides having a good master and being the Crown Prince of the kingdom, his intelligence network covered the world. Even though he had never ventured into the martial world, he was already intimately familiar with its secrets. Without hesitation, Wei Yan recounted, “It’s hard to say who is the best, but the top three are already decided. In a life-and-death battle, once they meet on a narrow road, whoever is better at seizing the momentum, the timing, the location, and the people, whoever occupies more of these, will win.”
Speaking of which, Wei Yan glanced behind the woman. For tonight’s outing, Fan Wan’er hadn’t brought any weapons. He smiled and said, “Fairy Fan is proficient in the Mirror Heart Pavilion, the Lakeside Mountain Sect, and the long-lost White Ape Sword-Carrying Technique. With the knowledge of three Sage lineages combined and assimilated, she can certainly be ranked among the top three. My master has sincerely praised the Fairy, saying that whether or not she carries a sword is the difference between two Fan Wan’ers.”

Fan Wan’er smiled and replied, “Your Highness overpraises me.”

Wei Yan placed one hand behind his back and lightly tapped the jade belt at his waist with the fingers of his other hand. “That Crow child from the Demon Sect, when she first entered the capital, was so arrogant and proud that she dared to go to the National Preceptor’s residence and even took a blow from him. To survive wounded but not dead, everyone thought it was just luck, but Father and I have discussed it. The National Preceptor once said that that little girl possesses martial arts talent so high that she could be considered the Lu Fang among women.”

“The last person should be that Feng Qingbai, whose origins are unknown. He appeared out of nowhere over the last decade or so. His background, his sect – nothing can be traced. He enjoys wandering the land and constantly challenging various experts and grandmasters. All that’s known is that he’s improving rapidly. Looking at the opponents he chooses, you’ll find that he’s grown from an amateur who barely knew a few basic moves to a first-rate master in a mere decade.”

Having said all this, Wei Yan turned his head and asked, “Fairy Fan, among the remaining seven, is there anyone else hiding even deeper?”

Fan Wan’er stood with her hands behind her back, walking on a quiet, deserted bridge, near the railing, repeatedly patting the heads of the small stone crouching lions carved on top. She shook her head and said, “Even if there is, at least I and the Mirror Heart Pavilion don’t know about it.”

Wei Yan’s smile was warm and gentle. He hadn’t expected Fairy Fan to have such a playful side. For a moment, he stared at her moist, alluring eyes, lost in thought.

A man with a lower eye only looks at a woman’s face, a man with a mid-range eye looks at her figure, and a man with a higher eye looks at her spirit and essence.

What’s more, Fan Wan’er possesses all three, each of them being the most enchanting in the world.

How could the proud and discerning Crown Prince of Southern Garden not be moved? A graceful lady is the pursuit of a noble gentleman. Wei Yan’s admiration for her, whether in his words or his gaze, was neither nakedly bold nor deliberately hidden without a trace.

Wei Yan stopped walking, then quickened his pace to walk alongside her, wanting to reach out and hold her slender, fair hand, but he lacked the courage.

Fan Wan’er stopped walking, turned to the side, gazed into the distance, her eyebrows furrowed with worry, and slowly said, “The reason I brought this up is to talk about a strange thing I’ve never been able to understand.”

Wei Yan asked curiously, “Tell me about it.”

Fan Wan’er rubbed her brow. Wei Yan asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Did that white-robed swordsman use some insidious trick?”

She shook her head with a smile. “Your Highness, have you ever heard of ‘Banished Immortals’ from your master?”

Wei Yan laughed and said, “My master is a crude martial artist. He doesn’t care about such things. The old fellow dislikes literary figures the most, always saying they’re a bunch of impotent women. When I was learning martial arts with him, if I spoke even a little too elegantly, I would get beaten. So, I can only admire the graceful demeanor of the Banished Immortals from poetry.”

Since Wei Yan had no leads, Fan Wan’er was unwilling to say more about it. Changing the subject, her eyes were distant, and she murmured, “Your Highness, have you ever had the feeling that when we experience something, or pass through a place, or meet someone, we feel a sense of familiarity?”

Wei Yan nodded. “Yes, of course.”

The Crown Prince found it interesting and asked with a smile, “Does Fairy Fan also believe in the Buddhist concept of reincarnation?”

Fan Wan’er shook her head.

On Mount Guniu outside the capital, seven or eight people stood that night, among them Yu Zhenyi of Lakeside Mountain Sect, whose complexion was like that of a child, looking solemnly at the outline of the capital in the night.

A slovenly man, reeking of alcohol, even pawned his sword to the wife of a wine shop, named Lu Fang.

The National Preceptor of Southern Garden, Zhong Qiu, was a lean man with a stern expression and an elegant demeanor. It was hard to imagine that he would be the best martial artist under heaven.

The remaining person…

Yu Zhenyi’s voice was as childish and clear as his appearance, as he slowly opened his mouth and said, “Besides Old Devil Ding, Zhou Fei of the Spring Tide Palace, and the wandering knight Feng Feng, and Tong Qingqing of the Mirror Heart Pavilion, these four are set. We may have to kill one more.”

Lu Fang mocked himself, “Could it be me?”

Zhong Qiu gave him a cold glance.

Lu Fang spread his hands and said helplessly, “Can’t even make a joke?”

Besides these three of the four grandmasters, there were also some figures on the mountaintop who definitely shouldn’t have been there.

But without exception, they were either one of the top ten masters on the list, or a martial arts grandmaster like Wei Yan’s master.

Tonight, Mount Guniu, and the capital of Southern Garden in the days to come, were destined to disregard the lines between good and evil.

Yu Zhenyi stared intently at a certain place in the capital, and whispered, “Lu Fang, you and your friend, first solve the biggest accident. Whether you join forces to kill or kill alone, I don’t care, but you must succeed. Within three days, bring that person’s head here. All the items on his body, as usual, belong to the one who kills him.”

Lu Fang scratched the back of his head and sighed.

Someone in the distance laughed sinisterly, eager to try.

Chen Pingan didn’t return to the mansion. Like a wandering ghost, he wandered alone through the capital, during which he sneaked into the library of a scholarly family and casually browsed the books.

Before dawn, he quietly left again, and eavesdropped on the lectures of the scholars at the Imperial College, until noon when the sun was high, before walking back to the Zhuangyuan Lane, deliberately avoiding the mansion related to the old man surnamed Ding and Zhou Shi, the flower-wearing gallant.

There were several narrow and small bookstores in Zhuangyuan Lane. Besides selling books, they also sold some stationery supplies that could not be called exquisite desk offerings, crude and simple, but fortunately the prices were not high. After all, the buyers here were all poor scholars who came to the capital to take the imperial examination. Chen Pingan bought a few landscape travelogues with casual writing from a shop. He certainly wouldn’t read them in the near future, but he just wanted to add more books to his Falling Mountain collection.

When Chen Pingan walked back to the alley where he lived, the delicate little boy had just returned from class. The two walked together in the alley. The child seemed to have something difficult to say, holding back for a long time but embarrassed to say it.
Chen Ping’an feigned ignorance and returned to the residence. Dinner was shared with the family, as agreed upon when renting the place – the family would provide an extra set of chopsticks and bowl for thirty copper coins a day. The old woman had vowed that every meal would include fish and meat, but in reality, Chen Ping’an was often out, either leaving early and returning late, missing mealtimes, or simply disappearing for extended periods. The old woman was delighted by this.

Today, the meal was rather meager. The old woman smiled apologetically, saying, “Why didn’t you let me know earlier, Master Chen? I would have prepared better ingredients.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “As long as I can fill my stomach.”

The old woman then inquired about tomorrow’s plans. Upon learning that Chen Ping’an would be away again, she sighed, lamenting how busy he was, making it so difficult to share a simple home-cooked meal. She added that her daughter-in-law’s cooking was quite good, perhaps not exceptional, but certainly appetizing.

The woman, who had been quietly shoveling rice into her mouth, barely daring to pick at the vegetables, glanced up and offered a shy smile. It was rare for her mother-in-law to praise her.

After finishing his meal, Chen Ping’an carried a small stool to the street corner where the child’s grandfather often played chess. It was a rare patch of blue flagstone pavement. Generations of people had lived there, watching the comings and goings, chatting with neighbors about everyday life, finding it a great way to pass the time. If a wealthy young master galloped by on horseback, or a renowned courtesan sauntered past, the entire street would light up.

Chen Ping’an sat not far from the chessboard, where a large crowd had gathered. He suddenly noticed that the child had also brought a stool and sat beside him.

Having already removed the “sword aura” and placed it inside the house, it was inappropriate to be carrying a sword while enjoying the evening cool in the marketplace. He carried the gourd, but left the more obedient flying sword Fifteen behind in the courtyard to prevent it from being stolen. The capital of the Nan Yuan Kingdom was currently turbulent, a place where dragons hid and tigers crouched. Soon, everyone would likely be making their move.

Sensing the child’s unease, Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “Something on your mind?”

The child, having attended the village school and learned some rudimentary etiquette, lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Master Chen.”

Chen Ping’an softly asked, “For what?”

Sitting on the low stool, the child clenched his fists tightly on his knees, avoiding Chen Ping’an’s gaze. “My mother often rummages through your things when you’re not home, Master Chen.”

Chen Ping’an was taken aback. He had assumed it was the sharp-tongued old woman who frequently “visited” his room, sifting through his belongings. He hadn’t expected it to be the child’s seemingly honest mother.

The child’s mood grew heavier. “Later, when you were away for a long time, Mother secretly took the books you left on the table and gave them to me. I couldn’t resist and secretly read them. I know it was wrong.”

Chen Ping’an had almost uttered a casual “It’s alright,” but quickly swallowed the words, changing them to, “It *is* wrong.”

While wandering the capital, one day at a bustling temple fair, he had seen a wealthy and refined mother and daughter, followed by a group of sharp-eyed guards. The five or six-year-old child noticed a pretty young woman selecting items at a stall and ran over to tug at her sleeve. The child meant no harm, merely seeking to attract her attention. The young woman initially ignored the child, but the child, being born of a noble family, grew irritated at being ignored and increased the force of his tugging. The young woman, becoming annoyed but also understanding, didn’t argue with the innocent child and looked towards the child’s mother standing nearby. The mother then called the child back, preventing further mischief.

If the scene had ended there, Chen Ping’an would have simply observed it and moved on.

However, the refined woman said something that had lingered in Chen Ping’an’s mind, yet he couldn’t quite grasp the root of it.

The woman, clearly raised in a wealthy household, instructed her child, “Look, the *jie-jie* is getting angry. Stop being naughty.”

At first glance, there was nothing wrong. The woman’s demeanor was graceful, her gaze towards her son was loving, and her attitude towards the young woman was not malicious.

Only now, chatting casually with this child, did Chen Ping’an understand the reason.

It was similar to, yet different from, the tragic incident involving Senior Song Yushao of the Shuishui Kingdom.

The woman’s way of educating her child was wrong.

Did the young woman *need* to be angry before the child should stop his behavior?

Compared to the Jianghu tragedy of Senior Song Yushao, this “minor incident” in the marketplace seemed too insignificant to make a big deal out of. To dwell on it endlessly would surely make one seem unreasonable. Perhaps the woman would feel as though one were being petty, taking advantage of her family’s name. Maybe even the young woman wouldn’t appreciate it.

Chen Ping’an took out the bamboo slip, looking at both ends, his gaze constantly shifting towards the middle.

Many marks had already been carved onto it.

Chen Ping’an held the bamboo slip, like a ruler, with the index fingers of both hands, suspended in the air. He turned to the anxious child and smiled, “Your mother’s actions were certainly wrong. You knowing it’s wrong, but continuing to do it, is also not quite right. However, after understanding this, you must also realize that things in the world are of varying importance. Besides right and wrong, besides matters of great principle, one must ultimately consider human relationships. For example, why did your mother do this? Wasn’t it because she wanted you to study more, to become a *tong sheng*, a *xiu cai*, a *ju ren* sir, or even pass the *jin shi* examination? Is your hard-working mother doing this for glory or wealth, for her to dress well and eat well? I think not. It’s simply because she wants you to have a good future, right? If you understand why your mother did something wrong, you can choose not to dwell on it. You know her faults and her good intentions towards you. Now it’s your turn. You’ve read books, learned the teachings of the sages, and understand propriety. So, if time were to rewind and you had another chance, what would you do?”

The child had listened attentively, understanding Chen Ping’an’s simplified explanation. After careful consideration, he said, “I should silently return the books my mother stole to Master Chen’s room, and then openly ask to borrow them from you. Is that right?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “I can only say that, in my eyes, that would be the right thing to do. With others, you might have to think about it a bit more.”
The little boy hopped with joy, “Young Master Chen, then you won’t blame my mother, right?”

Chen Ping’an ruffled the little head, “Some mistakes can be made up for and repaid. You’ve already done so.”

The little boy nodded vigorously, “So the teacher told us, ‘To acknowledge one’s errors and amend them is paramount’!”

Chen Ping’an, who rarely spoke a few words even when fighting to the death with others, had actually said so much to a child today, which surprised even himself. However, his state of mind became even calmer. He felt that even if he were to practice stances and swordplay right now, there would be no problem.

Chen Ping’an put away the bamboo slip and returned it to his sleeve. He simply decided to say a few more words.

“Eating every day is for survival.”

“Under the premise of having enough food and clothing, studying and discussing principles isn’t necessarily for becoming a sage, but to live a better life. Of course, it may not actually be better, but the classic teachings of Confucian sages and the invaluable words of gentlemen and virtuous people through the ages, at the very least, provide us with a ‘least wrong’ possibility, telling us that life can be lived in this way, in a way that makes people feel at ease.”

The child said, confused, “Young Master Chen, I don’t understand some of these things.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “There are many things that I haven’t figured out completely, just like building a house. I only have a few pillars, and it’s far from being able to provide shelter from the wind and rain. So you don’t have to take it seriously. It doesn’t matter whether you understand it or not. If you have any questions you can’t figure out in the future, you can ask the schoolteacher more.”

The child smiled and stood up, carrying the small bench. After bowing to Chen Ping’an, he said he was going home to copy books and write, as the teacher was very strict and would punish him with a ruler if he slacked off even a little.

Chen Ping’an waved his hand with a smile, “Go on.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t turn around and said, “Throw away the stone in your hand.”

A childish voice sounded from behind, saying “Oh,” followed by the sound of a stone falling to the ground. It seemed the stone was quite large.

A thin little girl clapped her hands and swaggered to Chen Ping’an’s side, squatting down and asking, “Can I borrow the stool?”

Chen Ping’an ignored her, took out his gourd for nurturing swords, and began to drink.

The little girl asked again, “You’re so rich, can you give me some money? Didn’t you just say that you have to eat every day to avoid starving to death?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t look at her and asked instead, “How did you find me here?”

Their conversation was disjointed and irrelevant.

The little girl said pitifully, “I know you don’t lack money. Giving me a few taels of silver wouldn’t hurt you, but I could buy a lot of dry cakes and meat buns. Every winter, many old beggars in the capital freeze to death. I have to put in a lot of effort to tear off their tattered clothes. Look, this one I’m wearing now is how I got it. If I had money, I could definitely get through it.”

Chen Ping’an still didn’t look at her, “This one is definitely so good. But what about the one you wore last time? Was it the clothes that little girl secretly took out and gave to you? Why aren’t you wearing it today, just to see me?”

The little girl seemed innocent and completely didn’t understand Chen Ping’an’s implied meaning. She said with a charming smile, “In the hot summer, clothes that are more ragged are cooler. I’m generally reluctant to wear the one she gave me. I’ll take it out in the winter. It’s especially warm to wear.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly stood up and glanced at the ends of the street on both sides. However, he spoke to the squatting little girl, “Go stand against the wall. No matter what happens next, don’t make a sound.”

The little girl was quick-witted and was secretly observing Chen Ping’an at all times. Therefore, she glanced at Chen Ping’an’s line of sight early on. Then, muttering and complaining, she got up and was about to run to the wall to take refuge when she suddenly heard the man say, “Take the bench with you.”

She was unwilling, “Why should I help you carry it? Are you my long-lost illegitimate father?”

Chen Ping’an said directly, “Ten coppers.”

“Okay, Daddy!” On the little girl’s dark face, a smile immediately bloomed. She picked up the small bench and ran.

(End of this chapter)