The old crone, the caretaker of the Buried River Water God Temple, was a confidante of the local prefectural governor. Besides the governor’s recommendation, she had spent a good portion of her family fortune to grease the wheels at the Mirage City Ministry of Rites, all to secure such a lucrative position. Countless Qi refiners were green with envy. The old crone had previously accused the water demon at the Azure Void Prefecture through the means of burning incense to appeal to the high gods. Now, without any prompting from the Water God herself, she quieted down, completely abandoning any thoughts of revenge. She dared not, absolutely dared not.

A young gentleman from Great Fu Academy could kill her with a fart.

Why had the Great Spring Dynasty been thriving for decades, vaguely holding the position of leader of the states in central Tongye Continent?

Besides the emperor’s wise leadership and the abundance of talented civil and military officials, everyone knew that it was because there was a gentleman residing in Mirage City. Traditional powerhouses like Northern Jin and Southern Qi didn’t even have a single academy sage anymore.

The academy gentleman before them, so young, was in itself a tremendous deterrent.

Obtaining the top score in the imperial examinations after years of hard work in one’s thirties or forties was vastly different from a child prodigy achieving the same feat in one fell swoop.

The old crone and the old cultivator who had returned to the shore were like two errant students waiting for the master’s ruler to come down.

They, the old immortals in the eyes of the common people, had a very ordinary relationship with Azure Void Prefecture. They knew that the Water God looked down on them from the bottom of her heart. Only out of consideration for the prefectural governor and the imperial court’s reputation did the goddess turn a blind eye to their money-making schemes. As long as they didn’t go too far, she wouldn’t bother with their Water God Temple.

However, tonight was proving to be difficult.

Because the Water God and the temple were no longer their protective talismans.

Zhong Kui sternly rebuked, “One is the caretaker responsible for the temple’s incense, and the other is the Great Spring Dynasty’s resident cultivator in this prefecture. Neither of you possesses even a shred of compassion. Without investigating the situation, you immediately resort to bullying with your influence. No wonder there are so many water ghosts under this Buried River. Besides the great demon’s harm, you two are equally culpable!”

The old crone and the old cultivator were pale with fright. The golden words spoken by an academy instructor after “rectifying his attire” carried the weight of ten thousand catties. This was no exaggeration.

The short woman said in a low voice, “The rampant water ghosts in the Buried River are mainly my fault.”

Zhong Kui waved his sleeve, not giving the Water God any face. “Two separate matters! These two hold such important responsibilities, yet they only think about saving effort in everything, unwilling to ask even half a question, unwilling to think even a little. How negligent! They are not wealthy layabouts enjoying their fortunes. In their positions, they must strive for the good of the people. Here, their every action affects the mountains and rivers’ destiny of the imperial court!”

The two were on the verge of having their livers and gallbladders burst.

Judging by this situation, the matter had already been elevated to the level of national righteousness. If the young gentleman invoked the academy’s principles, wouldn’t the two of them be doomed?

The old crone was the first to kneel and beg for forgiveness, spouting words about never committing such offenses again.

The old cultivator also bowed and said that he was ashamed to have betrayed the imperial court’s trust and would certainly work diligently in the future.

Zhong Kui coldly snorted, “Considering that this is your first offense, the Water God will decide your punishment.”

The two quickly rose to thank him and then apologized to the Water God.

Zhong Kui found the two truly an eyesore and rebuked them with a wave of his sleeve, “Quickly return to the temple to reflect on your mistakes. Stop making yourselves a laughingstock here!”

The two left in a fluster.

Zhong Kui turned to the short woman and said solemnly, “As the Water God of the Buried River, receiving the people’s worship, you should at least manage your subordinates and not always focus on that river demon. The matter of divine incense is not just about fighting and killing. If the incense-burning people are sincere, even if there is only one incense stick a year, the incense fire is not considered broken. But if everyone in your jurisdiction is driven by greed, coming here to burn incense only to demand things, without much sincerity towards you, what can you do? Hundreds of years of incense, incense mist filling the sky. Even late at night, there are still hundreds of people waiting outside to enter the temple to burn incense. The momentum is greater than even the literary temple and the City God Pavilion of Mirage City. The true quantity and weight of the incense, how many catties there are each day, ordinary people don’t know, the temple caretaker doesn’t know, but you, as the Water God of the Buried River, how can you not know? If not for the existence of the Inspiration Goddess Hall, helping you attract a large number of sincere women’s incense offerings, you would have been leveled by that demon of unusual talent, your Water God Temple razed to the ground, and Azure Void Prefecture trampled underfoot long ago!”

The short woman was unusually sheepish and ashamed.

Zhong Kui said no more.

Chen Pingan’s heart-lake was calm. During his two journeys through the Vast World, others mentioned Master Qi and the Literary Sage Old Mister only three times.

Shen Wen, the City God of Colored Garment Country in Treasure Bottle Continent, and the old Daoist from Lotus Root Blessed Land mentioned the order of things. Then there was the Water Goddess before him, who had become a … admirer of the Literary Sage Old Mister after reading his books. Not just admiration, but almost obsession. Chen Pingan did not dare say that the Old Mister’s learning was only matched by the most holy teacher. Cui Dongshan once said that his old mentor’s learning reached the heavens, like the sun in the sky to the world’s scholars, but he never compared him with any of the sages enshrined in the temples.

Moreover, requesting a copy of a Confucian classic from Great Fu Academy to enshrine in the temple concerned the very foundation of a deity’s golden body, and involved the ascent of a mountain and water deity’s residence, something they could only dream of.

Chen Pingan was shocked, puzzled, and sincerely happy about the short woman’s decision.

It was as if in the vast sea of humanity, he had finally found a kindred spirit.

Zhong Kui said to Chen Pingan, “Do you know why my reasoning works? It’s not just about the two slaps, or even my identity as a gentleman.”

Chen Pingan was indeed curious and sincerely asked, “How so?”

Zhong Kui said with a generous expression, “It is the merit of our Confucian academies, using generations of sages’ books to educate people for thousands upon thousands of years. The seventy-two academies stand firm in the nine continents, causing people, both above and below the mountains, to feel awe. If the academy instructors only relied on force everywhere, people would obey in appearance but not in their hearts, and only accumulate deep-seated problems. I, Zhong Kui, am merely enjoying the shade of the trees planted by my predecessors.”

Chen Pingan found it somewhat strange.

Zhong Kui’s current words and actions were vastly different from his usual behavior.

Of course, Zhong Kui’s reasoning was flawless.

Zhong Kui rolled his eyes a few times, struck a pose of listening intently, and laughed, “The old fogey finally left. Hopefully, tonight’s storm has been dealt with by me, turning disaster into blessing, hahaha. Perhaps next time I return to the academy, the old codger will even give me a few words of praise.”

Chen Pingan was speechless. This was the Zhong Kui he knew.

The Buried River Water Goddess was completely dumbfounded and almost suspected that his gentleman’s status was a fake.
Zhong Kui patted his belly, “That bowl of noodles you mentioned has stirred up a craving. Shall we head to your Biyou Mansion for a late-night snack?”

Chen Ping’an frowned. “There are plenty of night stalls not far from here.”

Chen Ping’an was no longer the naive youth he once was. The statue of the Old Scholar, the Sage of Literature, had not only been removed from the Temple of Literature but also smashed to pieces. His books were banned and destroyed throughout the entire Blessed Land. Back then, in the Nine Continents, the seventy-two academies either had their mountain lords personally oversee the matter or, at the very least, a virtuous scholar in charge, ensuring that the local governments carried out the order without fail.

Once he became involved with the Buried River Water God Temple, the Great Spring Dynasty, and the Great Fu Academy, he could easily be manipulated by those with ulterior motives, potentially harming himself and others.

The literary lineage dispute had already been settled. There was no need to argue about it, especially now. Why? Because the Sages had already exhausted all the arguments.

The petite Water God Goddess seemed to have changed her mind, now actively inviting the two to her Biyou Mansion. She chuckled, “The stalls outside the temple can’t compare to the late-night fare at my Biyou Mansion. Come, come, I happen to have a jar of century-old vintage wine to entertain my distinguished guests.”

She was thinking of using the virtuous scholar’s status to bask in reflected glory, hoping to suppress the persistent requests of the two Liu Clan retainers outside Biyou Mansion.

She was smug, thinking her scheme was no less clever than that of the river demon.

The more she thought about it, the happier she became, giggling foolishly.

Chen Ping’an felt somewhat helpless. The Water God Goddess was being too honest. Wasn’t it obvious that the food at her Biyou Mansion wasn’t exactly appetizing? At least wait until you’ve lured them into the mansion before celebrating your cleverness.

Zhong Kui feigned ignorance, turning a blind eye to her antics. He pulled Chen Ping’an along, simply stating that he wanted to see if the century-old窖藏酒 could compare to the five-year-old plum wine at the inn.

Since his appearance at the Water God Temple tonight was no longer concealable, and with Zhong Kui already scolding the old temple caretaker, the petite woman simply let go of all restraint. She reached out towards the Buried River, and the river water surged wildly, erupting into a pillar of water. As it soared towards the shore, it transformed into a lifelike yellow dragon, hundreds of feet long. Arriving outside the temple on the mountain, the dragon obediently bowed its head. The Buried River Water God leaped onto the dragon’s head, and Zhong Kui, pulling Chen Ping’an along, soared up as well, standing between the yellow dragon’s neck.

The dragon twisted its body and, after returning to the Buried River from the shore, swiftly swam downstream towards the Biyou Mansion.

The common people waiting on the shore to offer incense and pray witnessed the Water God Goddess’s heroic bearing and divine power. One by one, they prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing. Upon rising, their faces were filled with joy, deeply feeling that their trip was well worth it. To witness the Water God Goddess manifesting her power was indeed a great blessing!

The three rode upon the river water-formed dragon, and soon arrived at the Biyou Mansion, nestled amongst the silent, secluded mountains. Though seemingly far from the river, the mansion was actually connected to the water veins beneath, located at the center of a formation that could gather the essence of the Buried River and absorb the incense luck of the entire Buried River region. This was the foundation upon which the Buried River Water God stood. The golden statue in the temple was merely an external manifestation.

The pair of Daoist master and disciple from the Golden Summit Temple, Baozhen Daoren Yin Miaofeng and his disciple Shao Yuanran, besides being turned away by the Water God Goddess, had also enjoyed a late-night meal. The old steward had instructed the cook to prepare some exquisite and delicious dishes, along with two jars of fine wine, to entertain the two Great Spring retainers who had vowed not to leave until they saw the Water God Goddess. The old steward felt somewhat guilty, as the two guests who had come from afar were extremely mild-mannered. They neither forced their way into the mansion nor uttered any harsh words. The old Baozhen Daoist simply smiled and asked for this late-night meal, greatly moving the old steward who had feared being attacked at the gate.

The dragon transformed back into a stream, quickly disappearing into the ground outside the mansion.

Zhong Kui understood, glancing at the petite woman beside him. The Water God Goddess chuckled dryly, pretending to be foolish and ignorant.

The master and disciple saw Zhong Kui and immediately rose to greet him, descending the steps and giving a Daoist salute, announcing their names.

Although they hadn’t personally witnessed Zhong Kui using his Yin and Yang souls to leave the inn and teach the two princes a lesson, Yin Miaofeng had long heard of Zhong Kui’s name, which was as loud as thunder to his ears. They were the first to discover that whenever the Yao Clan’s iron cavalry engaged in fierce battles on the border, a disheveled 青衫 scholar would appear in the distance, watching the battles from afar, never interfering, and quietly departing after the battles concluded. Afterwards, whenever another battle erupted elsewhere, the same figure would quietly appear.

Yin Miaofeng then used his status as a retainer to inquire about this matter from Mirage City, but no one could trace the person’s origins. Later, with the help of his master’s Golden Summit Temple, he learned that Zhong Kui was the youngest virtuous scholar in the history of the Great Fu Academy, a sage at twelve, a scholar at eighteen, and at twenty, he was awarded the prefix “Righteous” to his title of scholar. To receive the title of “Righteous,” it wasn’t something a mountain lord of an academy could decide. It required the personal verification of the Sage of the lineage to which the scholar belonged, as well as the approval of several Sages who had statues in the Temple of Literature.

Because every Righteous Scholar was also hailed as a quasi-Sage.

The reputation of the Great Fu Academy was not as great as the other two located at the northern and southern ends of the Tongye Continent. However, within the Confucian circles of the continent, and in the eyes of the Sect-Level Immortal abodes, Zhong Kui, as a scholar born and raised in the Tongye Continent, was highly regarded by various forces and local immortals. In order to secure this Righteous Scholar to be stationed in their country, the most powerful dynasties in the Tongye Continent were making every effort to befriend the Great Fu Academy.

Even the abbot of the Golden Summit Temple would likely treat Scholar Zhong Kui as an equal if they met on the mountain, so Yin Miaofeng and Shao Yuanran dared not show the slightest disrespect.

Shao Yuanran sensed that his master, Baozhen Daoren, was even deliberately respectful and ingratiating towards Zhong Kui.

This genius cultivator from the Golden Summit Temple felt somewhat uncomfortable, but he didn’t show it.

Yin Miaofeng had no choice but to adopt such a low posture.

The matter of Biyou Mansion being promoted was at a critical juncture. Zhong Kui, as the prized disciple of the Great Fu Academy’s mountain lord, might play a decisive role. At that time, he would not only complete Mirage City’s secret mission but also help the Great Spring Dynasty win over a future Confucian Sage who was already a certainty. Then, his most valued disciple, Shao Yuanran, would have a backer beyond the Golden Summit Temple in the future.

Zhong Kui had naturally seen this pair of worldly Daoists long ago, and more than once. His impression of them wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either. Otherwise, he would have greeted them already.
After Yin Miaofeng explained the purpose of their nighttime visit to the Biyou Manor, Zhong Kui found the River Deity of the Buried River acting aloof and uninvolved, which was both amusing and infuriating. However, he had come to the Buried River precisely for this matter, and the river demon’s bribery of Mirage City was no simple matter, already offending his sensibilities. Thus, he simply told Yin Miaofeng, “The matter of the Biyou Manor offering books will be handled by me, persuading the River Deity. You can confidently report back to Mirage City, though your wording can be flexible. If it succeeds, you’ll have credit; if it fails, you won’t suffer any blame. As for why I’m helping you this time, there are reasons, but you need not speculate.”

Yin Miaofeng thanked him profusely and departed with his disciple, Shao Yuanran.

The old steward led the way, guiding their River Deity and the young guest who seemed to have an even greater background toward the main hall of the manor.

Chen Ping’an walked beside Zhong Kui, taking in the scenery of the Biyou Manor. The screen wall was painted with a vivid scene of the River Deity Temple and the flowing Buried River, with incense smoke curling, mist rising, and the river water surging, even emitting the sound of rushing water.

Only the River Deity could see Chen Ping’an’s spirit form; the Taoist master and disciple were unable to perceive it. This was because Chen Ping’an was within the River Deity’s territory, the ancestral temple and Biyou Manor. As for the river demon and water ghosts, the former, as long as it was in the rivers and lakes, possessed profound cultivation. Especially in this Buried River, which it had chosen to travel, it had already gained abilities close to those of the River Deity, so it could see him. As for the shallow water ghosts, they were more like drunkards who “smelled the aroma,” naturally attracted.

They arrived at a brightly lit hall where the candles were as thick as arms. On the table was still the bowl of stir-fried eel noodles.

Chen Ping’an stared at the “large bowl,” speechless with astonishment.

Zhong Kui’s expression remained unchanged as he plopped down at the table, smiling at the River Deity, “Bring me a serving as well, but no need for such a large bowl, a small dish will do.”

She nodded and then looked at Chen Ping’an, “Does this young master want some midnight snack?”

A spirit form, unlike a cultivator’s outer body, the Yang spirit, could not consume human food, only nourishing itself with the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth.

Chen Ping’an smiled and shook his head, declining.

One River Deity and one Gentleman, at the same table, each eating eel noodles from their basin and bowl.

In Chen Ping’an’s mind, Zhong Kui’s voice echoed, “This River Deity is skilled at refining weapons, having somehow obtained an ancient inheritance, using the rain-summoning poem on the stone tablet as a weapon-refining incantation. It is said that the quality of this incantation is very high, belonging to the Daoist foundation of a certain celestial in the upper five realms. Therefore, some people are very concerned, but due to their reputation, they can only slowly plan to acquire it.”

As Zhong Kui said, the River Deity of the Buried River had refined a total of nine weapons, two of which had reached the level of magical treasures. In the process of fighting with the river demon, she had damaged three of them. Those were her winning cards in suppressing the river demon for over two hundred years, but her weapon collection was truly a bit excessive.

When worldly women went on outings, they changed their makeup and clothes; this River Deity of the Buried River, when inspecting her territory, chose her weapons based on her mood.

After eating their midnight snack, the River Deity spoke frankly with Zhong Kui, “May I trouble the Gentleman for a straight answer? If I insist on keeping that book from Literary Saint, will Great Fu Academy find some pretext to destroy my Biyou Manor? Or deliberately make things difficult for the Liu family of Great Quan, so that one day they’ll be attacked and annihilated by Northern Jin and Southern Qi?”

Chen Ping’an looked at her with new respect.

Zhong Kui shook his head and laughed, “Great Fu Academy wouldn’t be so unreasonable. At most, the Biyou Manor would ruin its own future. No matter how much merit you and the Great Quan Dynasty accumulate, you’ll never have any hope of ascending to the status of a Palace. You must understand this. Whether it’s because you feel deep down that the Biyou Palace was improperly obtained or because you truly admire the morality and writings of that Literary Saint, you have rejected the kindness of Great Fu Academy. From then on, the Academy will keep a record of this in its archives. In the future, even if you perform great deeds that benefit the people and the nation, you will still only be able to hang the plaque of the Biyou Manor. If you feel the Academy is unfair at that time, you might as well reflect on your choice today.”

She nodded, “I will remember. I will definitely not blame Great Fu Academy at that time. One good turn deserves another. In truth, it was I who offended the majesty of Great Fu Academy.”

Zhong Kui sneered, “You know that, do you?”

The tiny Biyou Manor of a small River Deity dared to refuse the conferment of Great Fu Academy. In the eyes of the other three academies of Tongye Continent, wasn’t that the greatest joke?

These seemingly lighthearted “pronouncements” by Zhong Kui carried great pressure and risk.

Scholars valued face the most. Perhaps suffering a great loss was not a big deal, but if they were publicly slapped in the face, they would likely resort to murderous words.

Therefore, Zhong Kui’s words tonight were the greatest protective charm for the Biyou Manor and the River Deity Temple of the Buried River.

After all, Zhong Kui was the undisputed successor to the position of Mountain Master of Great Fu Academy, and some even rumored that Zhong Kui had the potential to become the Grand Minister of some Academy in his lifetime.

She gave an awkward smile, “Would you like another bowl of noodles?”

Zhong Kui clicked his tongue and said, “One bowl of noodles to protect the Biyou Manor, one bowl of noodles to protect the Great Quan Dynasty. River Deity, you’ve certainly made a good calculation.”

Although Zhong Kui’s words were harsh, he still asked for another bowl of noodles because they were truly delicious. She also had two jars of fine wine brought up, the aroma of which was intoxicating, surpassing most of the wines Chen Ping’an had tasted, except for the Yellow Millet Dream Wine of the Upside Down Mountain, perhaps only the Osmanthus Wine could compare. However, drinking wine and eating noodles was not something he could partake in.

Before drinking, the River Deity repeatedly said that this century-old brew should not be drunk in excess, that each person should have no more than three large white bowls. Too much, and even immortals would become intoxicated.

Then, Chen Ping’an saw Zhong Kui and her each drink four large bowls, emptying one jar of wine completely, leaving not a drop. The River Deity even had a servant bring another jar to the table.

Thus, Chen Ping’an witnessed two drunks with terrible drinking habits.

Zhong Kui wailed, calling out to his Ninth Mistress.

The River Deity spoke loudly with slurred words, occasionally slapping the table to boost her momentum. She now had one foot on the chair, her thumb pointing at herself, asking Zhong Kui, whom she had just recognized as a brother, “What do you rely on in the Jianghu?!”

Zhong Kui was still muttering about his Ninth Mistress.

So she answered herself, “Guts! The spine must be straight, the fists must be hard, and one must be frank in their words and deeds! Brother Zhong Kui, I think you’re a good person, responsible, like a true man! I recognize you as my brother, and from now on, you can count on me in the face of danger!”

Chen Ping’an sat idly by, feeling bored.
He figured that if the green-clad lad, the Water Serpent of the Yu River, were here, he’d probably declare it was all about friendship and loyalty, thumping his chest with enough force to shake the heavens.

Zhong Kui pointed a finger across the table, far from the Water Goddess’s seat, his drunken eyes glazed over. “Isn’t mingling in the pugilistic world the domain of martial artists? You’re a Water God… or rather, it seems fitting for a Water God to claim to be from the Jianghu. Alright, I concede your point, but honor can’t fill an empty stomach…”

The Water Goddess raised an eyebrow, gulping down a large mouthful of wine, her words slurred. “I usually have plenty to eat! Full all the time, braised snake meat, stir-fried eel noodles, my chef is said to have cooked for the emperors of old, his skills are unparalleled, so…honor is still important!”

Zhong Kui shook his head, “Your honor is none of my concern, I only want Jiu Niang…”

Chen Pingan stood up, intending to go to the main hall entrance to enjoy the scenery.

Unable to partake of the fine wine so close at hand, he found it rather vexing.

Just then, Zhong Kui straightened up with a start, a sudden jolt running through him. His green robe rippled, and all traces of alcohol vanished from his presence.

The Water Goddess, however, slammed her head onto the table with a thud, her head lolling to the side as she fell into a deep slumber.

Chen Pingan turned to look.

He saw only a figure of medium height, wearing a scholar’s robe, their back to him.

Zhong Kui bowed respectfully, “Disciple Zhong Kui, greets Master.”

The man’s voice was deep and resonant, he spoke slowly, “A handyman disciple from the outer sect of the Fuju Sect, inadvertently stumbled upon a colossal disaster some time ago. The news was relayed to the academy, but before we could finish our plans, the perpetrator seemed to sense something amiss. It was a Great Demon of the Upper Five Realms, who destroyed half of the Fuju Sect’s mountain gate. Two Jade Purity Realm cultivators from the Fuju Sect were killed and wounded. The Great Demon was severely injured and attempted to flee to the West Sea, fortunately, it was intercepted by the Lord of the Taiping Mountain. However, the demons that Taiping Mountain had suppressed in the well for thousands of years, escaped during that time. The central part of the Tongye Continent is in turmoil.”

Zhong Kui’s expression turned grave. “Master, what should I do?”

The man scoffed, “Certainly not drown your sorrows in drink in the dead of night.”

Zhong Kui lowered his head. “Disciple knows his mistake.”

The man sighed. “Before dawn, set off for Taiping Mountain. All academy disciples will have to follow the Taiping Mountain Taoists’ orders and must not act independently based on your academy status. Do you understand?!”

Zhong Kui nodded. “Understood.”

Zhong Kui hesitated, wanting to say something but not knowing how to start.

The Confucian scholar, who was likely the master of Dafu Academy, shook his head. “Only cultivators of the Upper Five Realms are qualified to besiege that Great Demon.”

Zhong Kui was silent.

The Confucian scholar finally said, “Zhong Kui, you must be careful. In this disaster, anyone could face mortality. Even I am not exempt.”

Zhong Kui nodded, suddenly realizing something. “Fox Town?”

The Confucian Sage hesitated for a moment. “It can be put aside for now.”

A complex look flickered across Zhong Kui’s face.

The sage’s projection that had come to the Green Ripple Mansion vanished instantly.

Chen Pingan stood by the entrance, stunned.

Fuju Sect, Taiping Mountain.

Both were sects in the Tongye Continent that Chen Pingan happened to be somewhat familiar with, especially the Mirror Heart Studio Immortal in Lotus Flower Paradise, whose true identity was a female Taoist named Huang Ting from Taiping Mountain.

What was most perplexing was that the Great Demon had actually caused the immortal couple from Fuju Sect to suffer one death and one injury?

Zhong Kui stood up and looked at Chen Pingan.

Chen Pingan was confused. “What’s wrong?”

Zhong Kui smiled wryly. “I might have a difficult request.”

Chen Pingan immediately understood Zhong Kui’s thoughts. “It’s the Little Snow Awl?”

Then Chen Pingan shook his head.

Zhong Kui’s expression dimmed, but he felt it was reasonable.

Chen Pingan laughed. “I can’t give it to you, but I can lend it to you.”

Zhong Kui asked, “Really?! Have you thought this through? This battle will be extremely dangerous, even my Master might perish, are you not afraid that lending me the Little Snow Awl, might help me write with divine assistance, but it could be destroyed on the battlefield one day? Are you not afraid that even if I, Zhong Kui, don’t die, I’ll simply refuse to return it afterward?”

Chen Pingan blinked and held up four fingers.

Zhong Kui laughed heartily. “Understood, follow your conscience.”

Chen Pingan suddenly thought of a problem, “You want my true body to come to this Green Ripple Mansion? Three hundred miles of waterway will take quite a bit of time. Why don’t you, Zhong Kui, just go to the riverside near the post station to retrieve the Little Snow Awl yourself?”

Zhong Kui pondered. “I can have the Water Goddess bring your true body here, it’ll be quick. There are some things I need to do in this Green Ripple Mansion that are not suitable for outsiders to see.”

As Zhong Kui spoke, he walked to the table and tapped it with his fingers. “Water Goddess, still pretending to be asleep?”

She smiled as she sat up, leaving the table. “I’ll go pick up this young master’s true body right away. But I’ll trouble the young master to jump into the Bury River after I count to ten.”

The Water Goddess began to count aloud while her figure elongated as she traveled to the Bury River section near the Green Ripple Mansion to “fish for people”. This was a unique supernatural power of a deity.

After counting to ten, Chen Pingan smacked his forehead, feeling rather helpless.

A moment later, the Water Goddess not only brought back Chen Pingan’s true body, but also a little tag-along, soaked to the bone.

Zhong Kui laughed heartily.

Chen Pingan asked, “How will my Yin Soul return?”

Zhong Kui waved his sleeve, creating a gentle breeze, lightly blowing Chen Pingan’s Yin Soul into his true body, reminding him, “Before you can have a Yang Soul to protect you, don’t easily let your Yin Soul roam at night in the future.”

Chen Pingan exhaled, taking the Little Snow Awl from his pocket dimension and handing it to Zhong Kui.

After receiving the Little Snow Awl, Zhong Kui asked, “How will I return it to you in the future?”

Chen Pingan smiled. “You can send the Little Snow Awl to the Great Li Dynasty, Dragon Spring County, Fallen Phoenix Mountain, Chen Pingan.”

Zhong Kui nodded, his expression strange, increasingly strange.

Unable to hold back any longer, Zhong Kui asked, “Don’t tell me you actually know Mr. Qi of the Cliff Academy? I know quite a few things about the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven.”

Chen Pingan neither nodded nor shook his head.

The Water Goddess took a sip of wine to calm her nerves, then cautiously asked, “Then do you know Mr. Qi’s teacher?”

Chen Pingan scratched his head, pulling out the Sword Nurturing Gourd and started drinking.

It seemed that drinking was also taught by Old Mister?

At that time, the old scholar carried a certain teenager on his back, the old man was patting the teenager’s head, yelling for the young lad to drink.