Chen Ping’an, leading Pei Qian and the others, quickly located the Fan family at the Guihua Island ferry. Last time, it was the Golden Core old sword cultivator Ma Zhi who drove the carriage, Fan Er who saw them off, and Chen Ping’an directly boarded the Guihua Island, so he didn’t have much contact with the Fan family disciples at the ferry. However, after Chen Ping’an announced his name, the Fan family steward seemed to hear incredibly good news, asked Chen Ping’an to wait a moment, immediately went to send a message back to Old Dragon City, and soon summoned several plainly decorated carriages, personally escorting Chen Ping’an and his party onto the carriages, his respectful demeanor leaving Chen Ping’an utterly bewildered.

As a pivotal hub connecting the Precious Bottle Continent and the Tongye Continent, Old Dragon City’s prosperity even surpassed that of a grand dynasty’s capital. It possessed two immortal ferries and six transcontinental ships belonging to Old Dragon City’s five major families, with the ferry located on this isolated island, some thirty-odd miles from Old Dragon City. When Chen Ping’an first came to Old Dragon City, the ferry was located on the west side of Old Dragon City, and entering the city required traversing an astonishing three-hundred-mile-long street, which was all the ancestral property of the Sun family. The family head, Sun Jiashu, was a young man who almost became a friend and almost became an enemy, and Chen Ping’an still found it difficult to let go.

Chen Ping’an and Pei Qian shared a carriage. Pei Qian, after floating in the sky for so long on a building ship lifted by cyan bird-spirits, finally had her feet on solid ground. Moreover, having arrived in Chen Ping’an’s hometown, she was quite excited and lifted the curtain, curious about the scenery outside.

Lu Baixiang and Sui Youbian began a game of Go inside their carriage, while Wei Xian and Zhu Lian, sharing the same space, were one dozing off with his eyes closed and the other staring wide-eyed at an old book.

From the Fan family steward’s attitude, Chen Ping’an sensed something was amiss and began to sort out his thoughts. He, Chen Ping’an, was definitely not a very important person. When he left Old Dragon City, he was merely a fourth-realm martial artist who had just broken through a bottleneck at the Sun family’s ancestral residence. The people he knew were just Fan Er, Sun Jiashu, with whom he had long parted ways, Zheng Dafeng of the Dust Medicine Shop, and Fu Nanhua, with whom he had formed a deadly feud in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven but hadn’t met in Old Dragon City – a mere handful.

At that time, Old Dragon City was shrouded in a pervasive celebratory atmosphere because the Fu family was about to marry a direct daughter of the Yunlin Jiang family. More precisely, a direct daughter of the Yunlin Jiang family was to be “dowried” to the Fu family. The marriage alliance was with Fu Nanhua, the young city lord whom Chen Ping’an had almost stabbed to death along with Cai Jinjian.

The term “dowried” was quite telling. Even the Fu family, who were wealthy beyond measure in the continent, did not feel it was inappropriate.

Wealth and nobility, wealth was not necessarily noble, but nobility was inevitably wealthy. The latter implied an orderly succession, a deep foundation, and support that only existed in the cloud-shrouded heights.

Of course, for families like the Jiang family of Yu Gui Sect in Tongye Continent, or even the Liu family of Aiyai Continent, who were so rich that spending money was more difficult than earning it, it was a different matter.

The Yunlin Jiang family was one of the earliest central earth powerhouses to migrate to the Precious Bottle Continent. Their residence was located on the southeastern coast, with the front gate facing the sea. The divine path of the gate extended over thirty miles into the sea, ultimately using a pair of enormous natural reefs as the gate, hailed as “Encompassing the Eastern Sea,” a famous spectacle across several continents.

During the time when Confucianism was first becoming the orthodoxy, the Sage of Rites personally established the elaborate rituals and rules of the Boundless World. Among the Jiang family’s ancestors were several “Great Prayer Scribes” with extraordinary status, who, in the “Grand Rituals of Spring Officials,” were one of the six Celestial Officials along with the Great Historian and the Great Steward, responsible for all prayers and blessings for emperors and monarchs.

At that time, the entire Old Dragon City was speculating about the dowry of that Jiang family’s direct daughter, wondering if it would be a semi-immortal weapon.

However, for Chen Ping’an, such excitement, with which he had at most only a distant connection, was merely something to talk about over drinks with Zheng Dafeng and Fan Er. He was neither a native of Old Dragon City nor involved in these continental power struggles, so he didn’t feel much. Even if Fu Nanhua married a woman of noble status, so what? Even if this enemy, whose cultivation realm was inferior to his elder brother Fu Donghai and elder sister Fu Chunhua, was fortunate enough to become the city lord of Old Dragon City… that would really be a bit of a bother for Chen Ping’an. It would mean that Fan Er, or even the entire Fan family, might be implicated.

But for all the difficulties, one could think and ponder more, but one must not be overly worried or fearful, otherwise, one would only be disrupting one’s own formation.

Chen Ping’an understood this point clearly.

After about half an hour, the carriage slowly stopped before entering the city. Chen Ping’an bent down and lifted the curtain, immediately seeing a familiar figure. He jumped out of the carriage, waving vigorously with a smile. It was still so sunny and bright. Chen Ping’an, slightly relieved, got out of the carriage, raised his palm high, and slapped hands heavily with the newcomer. It was Fan Er, no longer a rosy-lipped and fair-skinned boy, but a handsome young man. However, wherever Fan Er went, he still carried his unique sunshine, unchanged.

Fan Er shook his hand, grinning, “Chen Ping’an, did you feel the power of my palm? Saying it might scare you, but I’m now also a fourth-realm martial artist! But it doesn’t matter, among all the fourth-realm martial artists in the world, you’re first, and I’m second, that’s the best!”

Also a fourth-realm martial artist? Also?

Pei Qian and the other five, who followed Chen Ping’an out of the carriage, were all somewhat surprised.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Impressive, impressive.”

Fan Er circled around Chen Ping’an, “Why aren’t you wearing straw sandals anymore? I almost didn’t recognize you.”

He then reached out to compare heights, and Fan Er became a little discouraged, “You’re quite a bit taller than me now.”

Fan Er furtively took out a bulging money bag from his sleeve, then opened one hand to Chen Ping’an, winking hard.

According to their last agreement, Chen Ping’an needed to fire a piece of porcelain for him as a gift, it didn’t matter if it was ugly, as long as it was made by Chen Ping’an himself, so that Fan Er could show off to his friends.

Chen Ping’an quickly told Fan Er to hide the money bag and then whispered, “You mean the porcelain I promised to give you? I haven’t made it yet. Once I get to Old Dragon City, I need to buy some porcelain-making tools and find suitable clay. Do you think it’s that simple?”

“Alright, we’ll talk about it when we get to Old Dragon City. Fine work takes time, I’ll help you find clay when the time comes.”

Fan Er wasn’t disappointed either, secretly hiding away his own private money bag, all worldly gold ingots. The Fan family rules were still strict. No matter how much the upper and lower ranks doted on him, Fan Er, they wouldn’t give him even a single celestial coin. So he had agreed to treat Chen Ping’an to a drink at a courtesan’s establishment. In the past two years, Fan Er had spared no effort in flattering the elders of his family. Last Spring Festival, Fan Er wished he could visit every Fan family member’s home, going door to door, just to painstakingly save up this fortune.

Fan Er suddenly said, “Let’s talk in the carriage, let’s go to my place.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, had Pei Qian return to her original carriage, and followed Fan Er into the carriage.
After the two settled into the carriage, Chen Ping’an inquired, “Trouble brewing?”

Only this carriage could shield them from prying eyes.

Fan Er nodded, “No sooner had you departed than Old Dragon City witnessed a sea change.”

Chen Ping’an retrieved his gourd, offering it to Fan Er. “Speak slowly, no need to rush.”

Fan Er grinned, accepting the ginger-infused wine gourd, shaking it playfully. “Just a small sip, a gentleman’s solitude… Ah, this is fine wine indeed, different from my family’s Osmanthus brew, each with its own unique charm. That first taste barely counts, just a little more…”

Chen Ping’an sat cross-legged, smiling at his peer.

No matter what bad news awaited him.

Seeing Fan Er as the same old Fan Er was the best news he could receive.

Fan Er took “three small sips” of the Tongye Continent’s fine wine from the gourd, finally returning it to Chen Ping’an. He then slowly began, “You must already know of the Five Great Clans of Old Dragon City. In terms of actual strength, it’s Fu, Sun, Fang, Hou, and Ding. However, our Fan Clan has always been allied with the Fu Clan, and the Fu Clan can take on the other four combined. Plus, the Fu Clan owns a Cinnamon Isle. So, some people like to remove one of the Fang, Hou, and Ding, and toss the Fan Clan in to take its place. The Sun Clan has a Nascent Soul ancestor sitting in their ancestral home, and their business has a stellar reputation, so no one questions their place.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Fan Er placed his hands on his knees, relaying the inner workings and upheavals of Old Dragon City over the past two years to Chen Ping’an in detail.

“Whether it’s the Five or Six Great Clans of Old Dragon City, the Fu Clan never intended to be completely dominant. We all coexisted peacefully, and although there were conflicts, they didn’t escalate into open hostility until last year.”

“City Lord Fu Qi is a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal, and he wields four and a half Immortal Artifacts. The Fu Clan is strange; even Golden Core cultivators can control those Immortal weapons, and there’s an ancestor hidden behind the scenes.”

“Sun Jiasu, the Sun Clan Head, isn’t known for his cultivation, but the Sun Clan Ancestral Home alone has a Nascent Soul ancestor and three Golden Core guardians. One of those guardians recently renewed his century-long contract. In Old Dragon City, he and Chu Yang, the Fu Clan’s Chief Guardian who cultivates near the Ascension Platform, are seen as the most likely Golden Core cultivators to reach Nascent Soul.”

“The Fang Clan doesn’t have a Nascent Soul cultivator, but they have two Seventh Realm Martial Dao Grandmasters and an Eighth Realm Golden Core swordsman. In the Southern Domain of Treasure Bottle Continent, whether in the dynasty or in the Jianghu, they’re deeply rooted and not to be underestimated.”

“The Hou Clan relies on their family’s prodigal son scholar to gain foothold in Old Dragon City. They were originally the weakest, but that Hou Clan sage, who never returns home for ancestral ceremonies, suddenly became a Confucian gentleman of the Lakeside Academy last spring. The Hou Clan was quite prominent during the first half of last year. The Hou Clan nearly lost the ferry route along the Walking Dragon River, but after that gentleman arrived, the Fang Clan willingly returned the territory they had already swallowed, and even compensated the Hou Clan handsomely. Most of the Immortal sects supported by the Hou family are nothing but opportunists.”

“The Ding Clan’s situation is similar to the Hou Clan. They also rely on an ‘outsider’ to maintain their reputation. The Hou Clan has a gentleman who is heartbroken by his family, while the Ding Clan relies on a woman whom they initially looked down upon, who has surprisingly forged connections with the Tongye Sect. That direct disciple, or rather, that woman, truly cherishes the old ties, unlike the Lakeside gentleman who is determined to ignore his family. Last year, that man actually returned to Old Dragon City with his wife, and he had several Golden Core cultivators as escorts.”

Fan Er stretched out his hand. “Thirsty.”

Chen Ping’an tossed the gourd to him. “Just keep the gourd. Your back and forth is starting to annoy me.”

Fan Er didn’t stand on ceremony, taking a small sip of the wine and continued, “But after that, two things happened that turned Old Dragon City upside down. One you can guess, the other you’ll never see coming.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “The Jiang Clan’s daughter marrying Fu Nanhua is one of them. I can guess that.”

Fan Er nodded. “The dowry that woman brought was beyond imagination. Her teaching nanny is a legendary Nascent Soul swordsman, who came to Fu Clan with her. Besides that, the dowry also included…”

Here, Fan Er sighed, taking another sip of wine. “An infant Jiaolong that traveled from Jiang Clan all the way from beneath the ocean to Old Dragon City. Although it’s only at Golden Core level, such an ancient descendant can be treated as Nascent Soul in some cases.”

Chen Ping’an said, “In that case, the Fu Clan has the complete foundation to unify Old Dragon City. They certainly have the momentum.”

But Chen Ping’an quickly frowned. “Even with the help of that Yunlin Jiang Clan’s dowry, and with your Fan Clan as allies, wouldn’t the price be too high for the Fu Clan to swallow the entire Old Dragon City? The Sun, Hou, Fang, and Ding clans will definitely be forced to band together. Once a war starts, the battles of the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Immortals will not only destroy much of Old Dragon City, but the Fu Clan will also feel the pain.”

Fan Er said with a wry smile, “So, in this tense situation where no one has the ‘righteousness’ to act, something unexpected happened.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “How so?”

Fan Er scratched his head. “It’s related to the Dust Shop, to Mr. Zheng, and therefore to our Fan Clan.”

Chen Ping’an waited for him to elaborate.

Fan Er this time tilted his head back and took a big gulp of wine, wiped his mouth, and said softly, “Not long after you left, a girl in the shop was defiled by a direct descendant of the Fang Clan, and she died.”

Chen Ping’an remained silent.
Fan Er slowly said, “After hearing the news, an elder in our Fan family, who manages the ancestral hall and genealogy, hurriedly went to tell Mr. Zheng about the situation. My father, along with others, waited in the ancestral hall for news from Dust Apothecary. When that elder returned to the ancestral hall, he looked relaxed and said that Mr. Zheng didn’t seem to take it too seriously. My father believed him, but my aunt secretly reminded my father that things weren’t that simple. She told him to pay more attention, help Mr. Zheng peel back the layers, and see if someone was plotting behind the scenes. If someone was targeting the Fan family or Mr. Zheng, we had to plan ahead for the former, and couldn’t stand idly by for the latter. But my father was unwilling to make a fuss, saying that now the four major surnames outside the Fu family had begun to ally, and if the Fan family came forward at this time, it would easily be seen as a pawn of the Fu family. Maybe it would attract the hostility of the four major surnames, or even be directly treated as an easy target, so we couldn’t act rashly. I went to my father once, and then I was confined in the ancestral hall for a whole month. I tasted that bag of soil that I never had the chance to use under the bed, you really lied, it can’t be eaten.”

Chen Ping’an saw that Fan Er still wanted to drink, so he reached out and snatched the wine gourd. “You’ve already had a few sips. Drowning your sorrows in alcohol is just nonsense, don’t believe it.”

Fan Er nodded, reached out and rubbed his cheeks, “I tried to sneak out of the ancestral hall a few times, but I was stopped every time. After a month, I heard that there was no movement from Dust Apothecary. How could I believe it? So I personally went to the shop. Mr. Zheng was sitting at the door smoking a dry pipe. When he saw me, he greeted me with a smile. I was so stupid at the time, chatting with Mr. Zheng about this and that. Seeing that Mr. Zheng didn’t seem to take that ‘small matter’ to heart at all, I was actually a little angry when I left.”

Fan Er said miserably, “I know that in the eyes of many people, even my very respected father, it was a small matter to him, a truly small matter. Old Dragon City, what is there that money can’t solve? Even the reasons everyone gave, I couldn’t find any fault with them. But in my heart, I never felt that it was a small matter.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Fan Er, you are right, it was never a small matter.”

Fan Er had been holding it in for so long, and finally someone told him in person that it wasn’t a small matter.

This young man, who once had eyes so clear in Dust Apothecary that Chen Ping’an envied him, let out a heavy breath and squeezed out a smile at Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an took back the wine gourd, but didn’t drink. In fact, after boarding the Heavenly Peak Ferry, he drank very little, only occasionally having a few drinks with Wei Xian and Lu Baixiang.

He asked, “What happened later?”

Fan Er’s smile grew a little, “Later, Mr. Zheng really didn’t let me down. Having such a Dao propagator is the greatest honor of my life!”

Fan Er then became a little sad, “It’s just that after Mr. Zheng took action against the Fang family, I was confined within the family, unable to leave the gate. I could only learn about Mr. Zheng’s actions through fragmented news.”

Fan Er’s eyes brightened again, “I heard that after Mr. Zheng understood the whole story, on the day of Lichun last year, in broad daylight! He went to the gate of the Fang family mansion, smashed the gate with one punch, and went straight in, saying only one sentence, ‘Those below the Golden Core stage, scram!’ The Fang family was initially furious, and two Dragon Gate realm cultivators took the lead in showing up, but were knocked down by Mr. Zheng with two punches and passed out. Then a seventh-realm martial artist, who happened to be stationed at the mansion, strode out and said he wanted to learn a thing or two. Mr. Zheng knocked him down with one punch, killing him on the spot! After that, the culprit was brought out by the Fang family’s head, who said that as long as he was left alive, everything else would be at Mr. Zheng’s disposal, breaking his hands and feet, and the Fang family would not stop him. At that time, the Fang family’s head was accompanied by that Golden Core old swordsman, who was the Fang family’s mainstay. My Mr. Zheng didn’t even look at the Fang family’s head or that little bastard, but just hooked his finger at the Golden Core swordsman. In the end… he still knocked him down with one punch!”

Fan Er reached out a hand, “Wine!”

He spoke heroically.

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to hand over the wine gourd.

Fan Er took a big gulp of wine, “The Fang family doesn’t have any Nascent Soul cultivators. The Golden Core old swordsman was unwilling to admit defeat, and even sacrificed his natal flying sword, but it was directly smashed by Mr. Zheng! But strangely, Mr. Zheng didn’t kill that little bastard on the spot. He left a sentence and left, then went directly to the Fu family and named Fu Donghai to come out and take a punch from him. It was not until that moment that Old Dragon City understood that this accident was carefully arranged by Fu Qi’s eldest son, Fu Donghai. Fu Donghai was naturally more deserving of death than that truly evil bastard, but his courage was indeed much greater than the Fang’s. He actually opened the door and went out to take a punch from Mr. Zheng, but unfortunately, he relied on an ancestral Old Dragon Rain-Making Pendant to save his life, and was rescued by an old woman with an unfamiliar face.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “It should be the teaching granny from the Yunlin Jiang family.”

Fu Donghai’s move killed two birds with one stone. It could both alienate the relationship between Zheng Dafeng and the Fan family, and hope to push the Fan family out, forcing the Fan family to start a war first with the four major surnames who were banding together.

It’s just that Fu Donghai probably never thought that Zheng Dafeng had a Zhao surname Yin spirit from Yang Old Man’s “small temple” in the Lizhu Paradise, who was proficient in soul-seizing and interrogation, concealment and lurking, and other secrets, who would follow the clues and find him, the well-hidden mastermind.

Fan Er was a little sentimental, and no longer drank, just holding the wine gourd, and whispered, “At that time, the Fu family was at its peak in Old Dragon City. First, the head of the family, Fu Qi, bought a new half-immortal weapon from another continent, and then the direct daughter of the Yunlin Jiang family married into the family. Even if the Fu family didn’t want face and was willing to settle things down, how could the Jiang family let their direct daughter become a laughingstock of a continent just after getting married? So that Nascent Soul old woman appeared and forcibly saved the half-dead Fu Donghai, but she didn’t take action herself, only telling Mr. Zheng that if he had the ability, he could finish fighting the Fu family’s men, and then come and fight her.”

Fan Er leaned against the carriage wall, hugged the back of his head with both hands, “Afterwards, I heard my father say that the Jiang family old woman’s Nascent Soul realm was very complete, and she was probably only a little away from the upper five realms. It was very likely that Fu Qi, the city lord who held a half-immortal weapon, could only fight her to a draw.”
He looked at Chen Ping’an, “At first, I always thought Master Zheng was a seventh-realm martial artist, that seemed more likely. Later, I thought he might be an eighth-realm martial artist, but only after that battle did I realize he was a ninth-realm, pinnacle Grandmaster. The Fu family quickly brought out Chu Yang from the Ascending Dragon Platform, that cultivator hailed as the Golden Core number one of Old Dragon City, even better at fighting than that Golden Core old sword cultivator of the Fang family. It’s said that outside the Fu family’s gates, Master Zheng finally stopped felling opponents with a single punch.”

Fan Er held up a hand, raising three fingers, “One punch to repel Chu Yang, two punches to seriously injure him! Who would have thought Chu Yang would gain from misfortune, successfully entering the nascent soul realm. Yet, he was still felled by Master Zheng’s third punch!”

Chen Ping’an took a sip of wine.

Fan Er’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, “That night, our Fan family erupted in chaos. Many elders kept repeating the phrase ‘what’s done is done.’ Even if my father regretted it in his heart, he still felt that it was too late to apologize to Master Zheng. In the ancestral hall, they all advised my father to simply rely on the Fu family. Since the Fu family was so powerful, it was best to go with the flow. As long as the alliance of the remaining four great clans was broken, even if the Fan family suffered a great loss, without a hundred years of recuperation, the position of the second-largest clan in Old Dragon City would be ours. My aunt, my own mother, and my sister Fan Junmao weren’t qualified to enter the ancestral hall. No matter what I, Fan Er, said, it was useless. Seeing me prattling on, my father probably got impatient and asked me who was the head of the family. What could I say?”

Chen Ping’an asked, “What was the final conclusion reached in the Fan clan’s ancestral hall? To harden your hearts, abandon Zheng Dafeng, who was courting death, rely on the Fu family who had tricked you, and launch an attack on the four great clans?”

Fan Er’s eyes were vacant, “That’s how it should have been, but then things suddenly changed. My father told everyone to reconsider. No one knew the reason why. I asked my aunt and mother, but they couldn’t explain my father’s thoughts.”

Fan Er continued, “After being defeated by three punches, Chu Yang returned to the Ascending Dragon Platform to recuperate. He didn’t pester Master Zheng. However, the Fu family, having lost so much face in front of everyone, couldn’t let it go. So after Fu Donghai and the chief enshrinement Chu Yang, the third person stepped forward. It was Fu Yang, a nascent soul realm old ancestor holding a Fu family ancestral semi-immortal weapon. Because it happened at the Fu family’s doorstep, and a semi-immortal weapon appeared, the Fu family’s Qi refiners joined forces to shield the battlefield. All that was known was that when Master Zheng walked out, he was covered in blood. He walked alone on the street, raised his arm, and gave the Fu family behind him the middle finger.”

Fan Er said softly, “On that very day, the Sun family betrayed their word and defected to the Fu family. The insignificant Fang family contacted the Hou family and chose to nominate the Ding family as their leader. And the backbone of the Ding family was clearly that descendant disciple of the Tongye Sect with a mysterious background. In fact, soon after, a ferry from the Tongye Sect docked. There weren’t many people, only two disembarked. But after that, the alliance of the three clans, led by the Ding family, was even more confident than when the Sun family was still in it.”

Tongye Sect.

The number one family on the mountains of Tongye Continent.

Located at opposite ends of Tongye Continent, one north and one south, with the Jade Gui Sect where Jiang Shangzhen was, but the Tongye Sect was clearly superior.

According to Jiang Shangzhen, if it wasn’t for Zuo You’s sword when the three of them intercepted and hunted down the Great Demon of the Fuzhi Sect, it would have been one of the Tongye Sect’s ancestral masters who took the Great Demon’s life with their treasure.

Chen Ping’an had a rough understanding of the volatile situation in Old Dragon City.

Zheng Dafeng’s unexpected “unreasonable move” had far-reaching consequences, greatly accelerating the changing situation in Old Dragon City.

It caused the major clans, to put it nicely, to come to the surface, or to put it harshly, to reveal their true colors.

Zheng Dafeng was now an enemy of the entire city.

All for a young girl working in a medicine shop.

Chen Ping’an took a final sip of his wine.

Fan Er said with a bitter smile, “Of course, the Fu family wouldn’t let it go. The Fu family head, Fu Qi, personally stepped forward and made a half-year appointment with Master Zheng. They will fight at the Ascending Dragon Platform at the beginning of this winter. But just before the battle, that Tongye Sect disciple who had been living in seclusion in the Ding family personally went to the Greydust Medicine Shop. What happened behind closed doors is unknown to outsiders. Whether it was to win him over or to threaten him, in any case, Master Zheng fought someone again, right on the street outside the Greydust Medicine Shop. Some say Master Zheng fought three opponents alone, some say it was a one-on-one duel. In any case, he was seriously injured again. So Fu Qi announced to the Greydust Medicine Shop that the battle would be postponed to the end of the year, a fair fight on the Ascending Dragon Platform, until death! It’s only a few days away…”

Fan Er sat hugging his knees, unable to say another word.

He lifted the curtain to look outside, they were about to enter the outer city gates of Old Dragon City.

Chen Ping’an fastened his sword gourd and said to Fan Er, “I understand the general situation. Drop us off. It’s not appropriate for me to go to your Fan family right now.”

Fan Er was furious and about to refuse, but Chen Ping’an smiled, “Don’t be stupid. Doing foolish things like eating dirt to satisfy hunger, once is enough. That’s not how friends act. It’ll end up with you being unfilial and me being unjust. It’s pointless.”

Chen Ping’an reached out and gently patted his chest, “Whether Fan Er is Zheng Dafeng’s disciple or not, that’s right here. Whether Fan Er is Chen Ping’an’s friend, that’s also right here.”

Before Fan Er could say anything, Chen Ping’an had already gotten up and bent over to lift the curtain, “Stop the carriage.”

Fan Er was about to get up as well, but Chen Ping’an had already bent over and walked out, smiling before letting go of the curtain, “Don’t see me off, it’s like you’re sending me off to my death. I’m just going to sit for a while at the Greydust Medicine Shop. It’s not what you think. The world is so chaotic, there are injustices everywhere. I, Chen Ping’an, can’t handle everything. I just wanted to meet Zheng Dafeng, the Master Zheng you keep talking about who ‘fells opponents with a single punch.'”

Fan Er glared, “Don’t forget about the porcelain, and we agreed to go and drink flower wine together…”

Chen Ping’an had already jumped off the carriage.

Fan Er lay in the carriage in a daze.

He drank wine and saw his best friend, but Fan Er still felt uneasy.

After Chen Ping’an got out of the carriage, Pei Qian and the others had no choice but to leave the carriage as well.

Watching the Fan family’s carriage team enter the city first, Pei Qian asked cautiously, “What’s wrong? Is that guy unwilling to spend money and doesn’t want to give us free room and board? He doesn’t seem like that kind of person.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Don’t talk nonsense. We’re going to find someone else first.”
Having paid the fee to pass through the outer city gates, another toll was required to enter the inner city.

Surely, the Dustpan Apothecary should cover this expense?

Chen Ping’an knew the way to the Dustpan Apothecary and had a good memory. However, Old Dragon City was simply too vast. By the time Chen Ping’an reached the alley and street corner where the apothecary was located, it was already nearing dusk.

Leading the five people behind him into the small alley, they saw a slovenly man sitting on a small stool in front of the shop, puffing on a long-stemmed pipe just like his master.

Zheng Dafeng choked on a mouthful of smoke, coughing for a while before chuckling, “Well, well, look who it is! A rare guest.”

Chen Ping’an looked at the still-carefree man, not saying anything. He glanced at the shop, now empty and devoid of any feminine voices, and plopped down on the doorstep, asking, “Is the apothecary hiring?”

Zheng Dafeng retorted, “We don’t have the money to hire anyone.”

Chen Ping’an continued as if talking to himself, “Lend me forty Grain Rain Coins, and I’ll work as your shop assistant. And it’s a loan, not a gift.”

Zheng Dafeng stared at Chen Ping’an with a dumbfounded expression, “What? Did you advance in cultivation and get a new set of clothes, and now you think you can use Grain Rain Coins like copper coins? Get lost, I’m not in the mood to listen to your jokes.”

Zheng Dafeng suddenly raised his head, looking at Sui Youbian, who was carrying the Infatuation Sword, and said seriously, “However, if this young lady is willing to stay at our shop, that’s a different story. We’ll cover her food, drinks, and lodging. As for her monthly salary, we’ll owe it to her for now!”

Sui Youbian stood in the alley, completely unmoved by the slovenly man’s advances. Her face didn’t even show the slightest change in emotion.

Chen Ping’an waved his hand at Pei Qian, pointing to the inside of the shop, “We’ll be staying here. Go put down your luggage and choose a room for yourself.”

Pei Qian, holding her Walking Mountain Staff, cheered. She first took out her favorite Demon Suppressing Talisman from her sleeve and stuck it to her forehead. She had been exhausted from walking in Old Dragon City earlier and had long wanted to use this talisman to “increase her internal energy.” Now, her wish had finally come true.

Wei Xian and the other three silently stepped over the threshold one after another.

Zheng Dafeng said helplessly, “My dear Chen, do you really not know what the situation is in Old Dragon City right now, or do you think you’ve gained some skill and are here to play the hero in my dilapidated shop?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “Guess.”

Zheng Dafeng looked at Chen Ping’an as if he were seeing him for the first time, staring for a long while before turning his head and continuing to puff on his pipe, saying vaguely, “Alright, stay if you want. The old man has bet quite a bit on you; I don’t think I’ll let you die so early. At worst, I’ll have Brother Zhao keep an eye on you. Anyway, Old Zhao can’t interfere with the Ascension Platform.”

A Yin spirit appeared in the shadows of the alley, saying to Chen Ping’an, “Don’t get involved. Zheng Dafeng and I might both die at the Ascension Platform.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t immediately give an answer, looking at Zheng Dafeng’s profile and asking, “What’s going on?”

Zheng Dafeng puffed on his pipe, smacking his lips, “Don’t think too highly of me. It’s just that it concerns the Great Dao, so I have no choice but to act. Back then, I couldn’t break through the ninth realm bottleneck no matter what I did. You, that so-called Protector of the Dao, only contributed half of the effort. The other half was thanks to a book by a little girl. It contained the ‘Sincerity Chapter.’ I stole it from her, and when she found out, I had to say I was just borrowing it. Later, I accidentally shattered it. When I finally broke through, I thought about buying a new copy. It cost over forty copper coins, and I was too stingy at the time. I procrastinated for a few days, and then I never had the chance to return it.”

Zheng Dafeng’s face was gloomy, shrouded in smoke, “Back then, I only owed you, Chen Ping’an, five copper coins. Now I owe that little girl so much money. Do you think I can just sit still? I have to do something, right? Besides, if it weren’t for me, she could have married someone in another two or three years. Even if her life was poor, it would still be better than not having a poor life at all. It’s better to live badly than to die. I, Zheng Dafeng, have always done that myself. Moreover, she can’t even be considered ‘dead.’ Old Zhao finally helped her gather her soul. That silly girl didn’t say anything, just begged me to take care of her parents and younger brother, crying and saying she didn’t blame me.”

The Zhao-surnamed Yin spirit said indifferently, “She said she liked you, that she had tainted her body in this life and didn’t dare to think about it. She wondered if she would have the chance to meet you, Zheng Dafeng, in the next life, and if she would still like you, but with more courage.”

Zheng Dafeng suddenly raised his head.

A majestic and unparalleled Gang energy filled the entire alley.

Zheng Dafeng said in a deep voice, “Get out!”

The Yin spirit didn’t mind, slowly dissipating.

“Here.”

Chen Ping’an tossed a porcelain bottle to Zheng Dafeng.

However, Zheng Dafeng allowed the porcelain bottle to pass by him, rolling onto the ground.

Chen Ping’an got up to pick up the bottle of Sitting and Forgetting Pills, standing in front of Zheng Dafeng and handing it to him, “These are pills used by Nascent Soul Earth Immortals from Tongye Continent to nourish their spirits. There are six pills. Eat as many as you can, Zheng Dafeng. If you die on the Ascension Platform, I’ll ask Old Yang for money later. If you don’t die, then you owe me.”

Zheng Dafeng raised his head, frowning and saying, “Chen Ping’an, what exactly do you want to do? What does this have to do with you?”

Chen Ping’an kept bending over, handing him the porcelain bottle, “Do you think I, this mud-legged fellow from Mud Bottle Alley, have worked so hard to practice boxing and swordplay, enduring a lot of hardships? Before, it was to keep myself alive. Now that you’ve said it, I’m presentable now. What do you think I’m after?”

Zheng Dafeng said indifferently, “How the hell would I know what you’re after? I, Zheng Dafeng, already told you in the apothecary last time, I’ve never been on the same path as you, Chen Ping’an.”

“This matter has nothing to do with me, but I also have a reason to stay here.”

Chen Ping’an remained in the same posture, asking, “Do you want to hear it in a more refined way, or in a more mud-legged way?”

Zheng Dafeng ignored him.

Chen Ping’an said to himself, “What can relieve worries in life? Only wine and money. Small injustices in the world can be resolved by spending money on wine. For great injustices in the world, I still have a sword and a fist.”

Chen Ping’an grinned, “I learned these from books. According to me, Chen Ping’an, a mud-legged fellow, it’s just that I’m already so annoyed, so let’s just kill them! Otherwise, why would I practice swordplay and boxing for fun?!”