Leaving the Lion Garden’s lane, passing a small lake with lush reeds, a turn would lead onto the official road to the Qingluan Kingdom’s capital. But emerging from the reeds, they saw a bumpy ox cart approaching from the official road. The narrow, uneven path sent the cart bouncing, nearly throwing the green-robed man in the back, who was being tossed about like a sack of grain. Driving the cart was a boyish servant, likely spurred on by his master, his youthful impatience and unskilled handling sending the ox bolting onto the path. Little did they expect a group to emerge from the Lion Garden’s reeds, led by a skipping, staff-wielding girl. A collision would surely cause a mishap!

The boyish servant panicked, and the green-robed man grew anxious, one flailing wildly, the other shouting warnings. Peiqian widened her eyes, watching the swaying ox cart, with its two befuddled passengers, careen straight into the reedy lake.

Peiqian had already sidestepped, standing amidst a thicket of reeds. Even if the cart had continued straight, it wouldn’t have hit her.

What was this, an early morning swim? Were they perhaps celestial beings? Could the ox pull the cart across the water with ease, radiating an ethereal aura? She herself had ridden a bovine earth beast once, incredibly stable navigating mountains and streams.

But this scene seemed different. A pair, one large, one small, yelled wildly before plunging into the water with a splash, vanishing from sight.

Peiqian moved, peering down the path of crushed reeds where the ox cart had entered the water.

Peiqian stroked her chin, lost in thought. She had heard that immortals carried water-repelling pearls, allowing them to traverse deep waters as if on solid ground, capturing dragons with ease.

Zhu Lian and Shi Rou dashed forward to rescue the people and the ox.

Chen Ping’an tugged on Peiqian’s ear. “I told you to watch the road.”

Peiqian stood on tiptoe, begging for mercy, explaining, “How could I know? That ox cart wouldn’t stay straight, weaving like a drunkard, leading itself into the ditch! Ouch, ouch, ouch… Master, I really gave way… And ox carts are usually slow, Master, you’ve seen them. But this one was so powerful, it was practically flying…”

Chen Ping’an released her, letting her stand properly. Peiqian winced, gently rubbing her ear. It really hurt.

Indeed, Zhu Lian was a jinx. He had told her not to get carried away.

Chen Ping’an breathed a slight sigh of relief. Zhu Lian and Shi Rou quickly pulled the master and servant, ox and cart, ashore.

The boy, shaken, sat on the reeds flattened by the cart, wailing loudly.

The ox, once ashore, shook itself, its tail slapping the boy’s head, silencing his cries.

The green-robed man, around thirty, looked younger. After being rescued, he bowed in thanks to Shi Rou.

Chen Ping’an approached, cupping his fists in apology.

The green-robed man was mortified, bowing repeatedly.

Finally, wiping the water from his face, his eyes lit up. He asked Chen Ping’an, “Are you the one who saved Master Chen of the Lion Garden with the female Daoist cultivator?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, tentatively asking, “Is that Magistrate Liu?”

The green-robed man laughed heartily. “I am Liu Qingfeng, the elder brother of Liu Qingshan.”

Liu Qingfeng, the eldest son of Vice Minister Liu, now serving as a local magistrate, couldn’t be said to be soaring through the ranks, but his career was going smoothly.

However, with his father, Liu Jingting, rising steadily in the officialdom and gaining renown, Liu Qingfeng seemed rather mediocre. Liu Jingting had nearly reached the rank of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites by this age. Liu Jingting was also recognized as a literary leader, the head of the nation’s scholars. Looking at his eldest son, Liu Qingfeng, it was no wonder some sighed, “A tiger father begets a dog son.”

It should be known that Liu Jingting would surely receive the court’s highest posthumous title after his death, a certainty. Whether the word after “Wen” would be “Zheng” (righteous), “Zhong” (loyal), or the slightly inferior “Gong” (respectful) or “Cheng” (accomplished), were all possibilities. The former two required imperial decree, not to be decided by ministers alone. Before, the court thought the former more likely, but after the lameness of the second son Liu Qingshan, they greatly lowered expectations, thinking even “Wen Zhong” was unlikely, let alone the rare “Wen Zheng” in Qingluan Kingdom’s history.

Chen Ping’an called out, “Peiqian.”

Peiqian, as if released from an immortal’s immobilizing spell, rushed to Chen Ping’an’s side, bowing to Liu Qingfeng and the boyish servant, loudly recounting her misdeeds.

In her heart, Peiqian didn’t feel she was much to blame, even resenting Liu Qingfeng’s incompetence. But with her master angry, what could she do? Even if it meant opening her treasure chest and handing out silver as compensation, Peiqian would obediently comply.

Liu Qingfeng quickly spoke up for Peiqian, making her feel better. She thought this magistrate was quite sensible.

Of course, he tried to invite Chen Ping’an to return to the Lion Garden, but when Chen Ping’an said he was going to the capital to try to catch the tail end of the Buddhist-Daoist debate, Liu Qingfeng was too embarrassed to press further.

Chen Ping’an first helped Liu Qingfeng repair the ox cart, then they bid farewell and continued on their respective journeys.

After merging onto the official road, Zhu Lian chuckled. “I think Liu Qingfeng, the Lion Garden’s old Vice Minister’s eldest son, has more potential as an official than his brother Liu Qingshan.”

Chen Ping’an remained noncommittal.

Liu Qingshan was more scholarly, possessed greater talent, and was a true gentleman. The elder brother Liu Qingfeng seemed less sharp, almost without edges.

But Chen Ping’an thought both brothers were the kind of scholars the world needed, nothing more. As for who would achieve more in the future, ultimately, weren’t they both members of the Lion Garden family?

Chen Ping’an asked, “Peiqian, do you know what the most admirable thing about Magistrate Liu is?”

Peiqian blurted out, “That even after becoming an official, he’s still good-tempered and not arrogant?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “It’s that he acted from the heart, willing to put himself in danger to give way to you.”
Pei Qian made an “oh” sound, seeming to understand but not quite, “Master, I’ll write it down first, like how I aired the books and bamboo slips in the Lion Garden the other day, under the blazing sun, turning them over every now and then.”

Chen Ping’an hummed in agreement, rubbed her head, and said nothing more.

Zhu Lian chuckled, “Young Master, will I have the opportunity to spar with you in the future?”

Chen Ping’an agreed without hesitation, “Of course.”

Zhu Lian then turned to look at Pei Qian, “See, this is acting from the heart. You must know that the way ordinary martial artists spar, just touching lightly and letting go, is of no benefit. To be effective, this old servant must show his true skills, and when I show my true skills, the fists will carry a killing intent, and the body will be filled with murderous aura. But what if this old servant had a plan, harboring a secret killing intent? The Young Master still trusts this old servant, and that is what it means to act from the heart…”

Pei Qian still seemed to understand but not quite, pondering for a moment, “Old Chef, after you finish flipping through the books in the Lion Garden every day, you mutter to yourself, saying you feel uneasy without money in your pocket. You even said that if you missed those wonderful books in the capital, especially those ‘spring palace paintings’ from Qingluan Country, it would be a pity to return empty-handed from a treasure mountain… Tell me honestly, do you want to trick my Master out of his silver to buy books and those… those other paintings?”

Zhu Lian looked embarrassed, wringing his hands without saying a word.

Chen Ping’an decisively declared, “Sparring is fine, but no silver!”

Zhu Lian grew anxious, “Young Master, we made money on this trip to the Lion Garden! Although this old servant didn’t do much, the sun and moon bear witness, my loyalty is unquestionable!”

Chen Ping’an said to Pei Qian, “You tell him.”

Pei Qian cleared her throat and shouted loudly, “No silver! Silver that enters my Master’s pocket is no longer silver!”

Shi Rou, walking at the very back, sighed inwardly.

“Look,” she thought, “old habits die hard. These three are at it again.”

Liu Qingfeng had been incessantly nagged by his page boy all the way back. Liu Qingfeng didn’t retort, nor did he use his status to suppress the boy. Both were drenched and riding in an ox cart towards the Lion Garden. As the page boy passed the rocky cliff and ancient tree, and saw the familiar outline of the Lion Garden, his resentment vanished immediately. He had grown up here, and held a deep affection for Zhao Ya, his childhood sweetheart…

The Qing generation, the old Vice Minister Liu Jingting’s five children, in order from eldest to youngest, were named “Feng, Ya, Shan, Qing, Yu.” (Wind, Elegance, Mountain, Azure, Jade).

After changing into a clean set of clothes, Liu Qingfeng went straight to his younger brother’s study. The page boy said the Old Master was already waiting there.

The three sat down.

Liu Jingting, seeing Liu Qingfeng, breathed a sigh of relief. This feeling of release was no less than witnessing the capture of a demon.

Perhaps no one could imagine, neither Chen Ping’an nor Liu Boqi, nor even most people in the Lion Garden, knew that the true backbone of the Lion Garden was not Liu Jingting, the head of the family, but Liu Qingfeng, whose official rank was low and whose talent was ordinary. Liu Boqi had eavesdropped on the three drinking, but his attention was drawn to Liu Qingshan, failing to truly understand the meaning of that gathering. This shift in mindset among the father and sons, gradual and natural, was not something Liu Qingfeng deliberately planned. The eldest son, Liu Qingfeng, highly pragmatic and advocating meritorious service, had long served as Liu Jingting’s advisor, akin to a guest official. Because Liu Qingshan, apart from traveling and taking imperial exams, stayed in the Lion Garden to study, Liu Qingfeng, on the other hand, had accompanied his father in the capital while Liu Jingting served as an official. Therefore, he had been involved in Liu Jingting’s political affairs much earlier than Liu Qingshan, and was more familiar with the changing tides of the Qingluan court.

Liu Qingfeng smiled, “I have carefully read the letter that Father sent to the county office.”

Liu Qingshan, noticing his elder brother smiling at him, felt uneasy.

Liu Qingfeng suddenly burst into laughter.

Liu Qingshan’s face flushed slightly, “Elder Brother!”

Liu Jingting sighed, “If I had listened to your advice earlier about the Willow Tree Goddess, and spoken openly with her sooner, perhaps our relationship wouldn’t be so strained now.”

Liu Qingfeng comforted him, “Father, whether it is for people or for deities receiving incense, their temperament is the root of everything. It is not something we can change with a few words of sincerity. Fortunately, the Willow Tree Goddess shares the fate of the Lion Garden’s Liu family. This disaster can be seen as a warning to her, a blessing in disguise. This is all thanks to that chivalrous Master Chen, and that female Daoist whom Qingshan knows… surnamed Liu, what was her name?”

Liu Qingshan became angry, “Liu Boqi! Elder Brother, are you going to stop?!”

Liu Qingfeng put away his smile and asked seriously, “Do you truly love her?”

Liu Qingshan was embarrassed and looked around.

Liu Jingting hesitated, then said helplessly, “That female Daoist is ultimately a cultivator of the mountains. When it comes to the Lion Garden, we can’t express enough gratitude. But when it comes to your brother’s lifelong happiness, alas, it’s a tangled mess.”

As the old Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites of Qingluan, he was not unfamiliar with immortals within the country’s borders or passing through. Moreover, the Tang Emperor had always been strong, so he, as the Vice Minister, had always held his head high when facing registered immortals and wild cultivators.

However, even an honest official finds it difficult to settle family affairs.

Liu Qingfeng gave his father a look to indicate that he understood, and said to Liu Qingshan, “Qingshan, I believe in you. If you love her, you love her sincerely. Appearance, background, character, you have carefully considered all of these. I also trust your judgment. As your elder brother, I won’t talk about these things, nor will I interfere in your affairs. Let’s assume that this female Daoist Master named Liu Boqi from another continent may marry into our Lion Garden and become Qingshan’s lawfully wedded wife. Then we need to consider two things. First, Liu Boqi is a cultivator, so we won’t expect her to deal with mundane matters. But does she truly want to cultivate in the Lion Garden, and treat Qingshan as a husband, or will she, after a long time, rely on her status as a mountain immortal and always be superior to Liu Qingshan, even interfering in the Lion Garden’s family affairs?”

“Second, Qingshan, has she revealed anything that hints at you cultivating immortality with her? Asking you to abandon all your books of sages, leave the Lion Garden, and go out of the world to climb the mountains?”
The affections of men and women in this world often begin with a sense of utter perfection and captivating charm, like this Lion Grove, nestled amidst verdant hills and shimmering waters, a veritable paradise on earth. For generations, the Liu family has revered the Willow Tree Matriarch of this land. But when adversity strikes, how does that reverence hold up? If the Willow Tree Matriarch weren’t rooted so firmly, she would likely have abandoned Lion Grove long ago, fleeing to safety. The seven generations of benevolent deeds and burning incense of the Liu clan culminated in the harsh words spoken by the Willow Tree Matriarch within the ancestral hall, before so many ancestral tablets. How utterly hurtful! Therefore, Qingshan, I do not forbid you from being with Liu Boqi, but I hope you understand that the world above and the world below are different realms. A family of scholars and the path of cultivators are two different states of affairs. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. After marriage, will Liu Boqi yield to you, or will you, Liu Qingshan, submit to her? Have you considered this? And having considered it, have you truly thought it through?

Indeed, Liu Boqi has rendered a great service to Lion Grove, not only subduing demons and saving our Liu family from the brink of collapse, but also generously providing vast sums of immortal coins to settle our debts. However, Qingshan, you must understand that the Liu family does not wish to shirk this debt. From your father to me, your elder brother, and the entire Lion Grove, we do not expect you, Liu Qingshan, to bear the burden alone. If the Liu family of this generation cannot repay the debt, then we will do so in two generations, or three. As long as Liu Boqi is willing to wait, we are willing to continue repaying.

Liu Qingfeng sighed, “Don’t blame me for being so mercenary and judging a gentleman by my own petty standards. It is only that if we think more today, we will have fewer worries tomorrow. Above all else, I hope you, Qingshan, will live well. At the same time, I have my own selfish desires. As the elder brother, I confess that I lack the ability to uphold the Liu family’s scholarship and traditions. I still need you to inherit them.”

Liu Qingshan rose, his shoulder tilting slightly due to his lame leg. With a carefree expression, he bowed and said, “I will go and inquire about this matter.”

A complex emotion flickered across Liu Qingfeng’s eyes before disappearing. He said softly, “There are many immortals in this world, Qingshan. Rest assured, you can be healed. I, your brother, can guarantee it.”

Liu Qingshan simply took it as his brother’s consolation and left with a smile.

Liu Jingting, however, possessed the sharp eyes of one who had cultivated himself in the bureaucracy. He was keenly aware of his eldest son’s temperament, which was unusually calm and broad-minded, far surpassing ordinary men. Thus, the old Vice Minister Liu’s expression subtly changed.

After Liu Qingshan left the study and closed the door, Liu Qingfeng looked weary and smiled, “I happened to encounter that Chen Ping’an on the way here.”

Liu Jingting suppressed the tremor in his heart and chuckled, “What do you think of him?”

Liu Qingfeng nodded, “An extremely rare mountain person, yet he seems more like a proper scholar from a noble clan.”

Liu Jingting laughed, “Indeed.”

Liu Qingfeng hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.

Liu Jingting stood up and placed his hand on his eldest son’s shoulder. “We are family, so there is no need to be coy. Qingshan will understand your good intentions in the future. To be honest, I, as your father, don’t think you’re right, but I don’t think you’re wrong either.”

Liu Qingfeng’s expression darkened.

Liu Jingting said, “Go see Qingqing. She is close to Qingshan but respects you, so some words are best spoken by you.”

Liu Qingfeng nodded, “I will sit for a while, then first pay my respects to the two teachers before going to the embroidery tower.”

Liu Jingting sighed, “As it should be.”

The old Vice Minister left the study first.

Liu Qingfeng sat alone in the chair, turning his head to look at the couplet:

*With brush, a thousand armies arrayed, with verse, ten thousand steeds in charge. Establish virtue, matching past and present, store books, to teach descendants.*

These words were not written by Liu Qingshan, the master of the study, but by his elder brother, Liu Qingfeng, as a gift to Liu Qingshan on the day of his coming-of-age ceremony.

Liu Qingfeng’s expression was bleak as he walked out of the study to pay his respects to the old tutor Fu Sheng and the middle-aged scholar Liu. The former was not at the academy, so Liu Qingfeng discussed some academic questions with the latter before taking his leave to find his younger sister, Liu Qingqing, at the embroidery tower.

After Liu Qingfeng left, the old tutor Fu Sheng appeared out of thin air.

The middle-aged scholar asked, “Teacher, is Liu Qingfeng right or wrong to drag Liu Qingshan into the vortex of the three religions’ conflict in Qingluan Kingdom?”

Fu Sheng smiled, “Didn’t someone say, ‘Yesterday’s deeds die with yesterday, today’s deeds are born with today’? What is right or wrong today may not be so in the future. It still depends on the person. Besides, this is the Liu family’s affair. I also want to take this opportunity to see how much of the sages’ books Liu Qingfeng has truly absorbed. A scholar’s integrity can only be forged through hardship.”

The middle-aged scholar was helpless. The teacher was using Buddhist teachings to judge the actions of a Confucian disciple, which was improper. However, the teacher held an esteemed position in the orthodox Confucian temple of the Central Earth, and he knew that the teacher’s vision extended far beyond. Unless Liu Qingfeng deviated from the path, the teacher would not intervene. If Liu Qingfeng had not stood up in the ancestral hall and refuted the Willow Tree Matriarch, then Liu Qingfeng would only know that the two teachers had stayed in Lion Grove for so many years and then one day returned to their hometowns, never to be heard from again.

In truth, all opportunities in this world are like this, differing only in size. The various schools of thought and the celestial immortals of the mountains all have their own ways of accepting disciples, and their points of entry vary, but the nature is the same. It still depends on whether the person being tested can seize the opportunity. The Taoist immortals especially favor this approach, which is even more arduous and complex than Fu Sheng’s passive observation. Honor and disgrace, separation and death, the affection between father and son, husband and wife, many attachments, and many temptations may all need to be tested. Some famous disciple selection processes in history have even taken extremely long periods, involving reincarnation and trials in blessed lands.

Spectacular and awe-inspiring.

Fu Sheng suddenly said, “In fact, Liu Qingfeng is suitable to be your direct disciple.”

The middle-aged scholar shook his head, “I know that this man has a good heart and lofty aspirations, and he is also capable of handling tedious tasks. It’s a pity that he is not the right person to inherit my small lineage of learning.”

Fu Sheng smiled and remained silent.

He did not elaborate.

The teacher imparts knowledge to the disciple.

Is it truly as simple as the disciple listening attentively to the teacher’s teachings?

Can the disciple truly not find gaps in the teacher’s knowledge and make improvements?

However, these things cannot be said by outsiders. One must realize them oneself.

The Most Sage Teacher once worried that the higher the learning and status of Confucian sages, the further their divine positions would move away from the human world. What would happen to the human world then?
The Sage of Rituals, the Sub-Sage, and he, Fu Sheng—or rather, Fu Sheng—along with the two Deputy Masters of the Confucian School, each offered their own responses.

Yet, the brow of the Most Sage Teacher remained furrowed.

Later, there emerged the Old Scholar of the Humble Alley, a figure of extraordinary brilliance.

That era was truly resplendent.

During the two Trials of the Three Teachings, those exceptionally talented Buddhist Sons and Daoist Seeds from the Buddhist and Daoist factions resolutely switched their allegiance to the Confucian School. And there were more than just a few.

Once, a young immortal from White Jade Capital, participating in the debates, posed a question: “Since you Confucianists advocate the inherent goodness of human nature, since everyone is already fundamentally virtuous, then where lies the merit of your Confucian teachings?”

The middle-aged Confucian scholar suddenly asked: “If Liu Qingshan were to travel far with the Daoist Priestess of the Sword Room, Liu Boqi, would they eventually become husband and wife?”

The old master, Fu Sheng, or rather, the Confucian Great Sage Fu Sheng, laughed and said: “What’s wrong with that? The sectarian biases of the Three Teachings are merely about being meticulous in academics.”

The middle-aged Confucian scholar still had doubts.

The old master nodded and said: “Liu Qingfeng has roughly guessed our identities. Because Lion Garden has a way out, there will be a Literary Fortune wager between Liu Qingfeng and the Embroidered Tiger of Da Li.”

The middle-aged Confucian scholar snorted coldly.

The old master sighed and said: “If there had been a few more Cui Chan and Liu Qingshan among the disciples of the Old Scholar back then, we wouldn’t have lost… perhaps we would still lose, but at least not so miserably.”

Liu Qingfeng stood beneath the embroidered pavilion, asking the maid, Zhao Ya, to invite his younger sister, Liu Qingqing, downstairs.

Zhao Ya was somewhat troubled.

These past few days, after learning the general truth, the young lady had been heartbroken. Especially after knowing that her second brother, Liu Qingshan, had become crippled because of her, she even had thoughts of ending her life. If she hadn’t discovered it quickly and cleared away all the scissors and such, Lion Garden would have been filled with grief instead of joy. So, she had been accompanying her day and night, never leaving her side. The young lady had become even more haggard than during the disaster, so thin that she was practically skin and bones.

Liu Qingfeng said calmly: “Go and call her downstairs.”

Zhao Ya shuddered and immediately turned to run upstairs.

Liu Qingqing walked hesitantly downstairs, not even daring to let Zhao Ya support her.

Liu Qingfeng glanced at this younger sister of his, without saying a word.

Liu Qingqing lowered her head, feeling apprehensive.

Since childhood, she had feared this elder brother who was clearly not as outstanding as Liu Qingshan in every way.

Liu Qingfeng softened his tone, “The sky won’t fall. I’ll accompany you for a walk.”

Half an hour later, Zhao Ya stood anxiously on the embroidered pavilion, craning her neck in anticipation.

She noticed that when her young lady returned, there were still tear stains on her face, but it seemed that she had resolved her inner conflict.

Lifting her skirt, Liu Qingqing ascended the embroidered pavilion, Zhao Ya followed behind, utterly bewildered.

Liu Qingqing suddenly asked with a smile: “Ya’er, will you accompany me to cultivate on the mountain?”

Zhao Ya was stunned, looking at her young lady who was no longer lifeless, she nodded.

Liu Qingfeng walked alone in Lion Garden.

When a paragon of Confucianism cultivates his learning to the highest and most profound level, he cannot do so.

Since he, Liu Qingfeng, had taken that step, then his life was destined to wallow in the mud.

Liu Qingfeng felt sorrow in his heart, indescribable.

Which scholar wouldn’t wish to immerse himself in scholarly research in his study, creating immortal moral essays?

Which scholar wouldn’t wish to have disciples all over the world, revered as a leader of culture, a champion of the literati?

Which scholar wouldn’t wish to be incorruptible, to rectify the source of the Confucian lineage, and to break new ground?

But the most difficult officials to remain pure must still exist, and someone must still deal with the trivial matters, haggling over every penny for the common people.

Fortunately, it is said that when scholarly learning reaches its peak, one can achieve both learning and accomplishment.

Liu Qingfeng turned his head by a small bridge and flowing water, and saw Liu Qingshan and that Daoist priestess walking side by side.

In the end, it was Liu Qingshan who walked alone towards Liu Qingfeng, smiling and said: “I want to travel far with Liu Boqi to Treasure Bottle Continent, I want to visit Guanhu Academy, as well as that Dasui Cliff Academy, and the newly built academy in Longquan County, the northernmost part of Da Li.”

Liu Qingfeng asked with a smile: “Have you thought it over? If you have, remember to say hello to the two gentlemen first, and see what they think.”

Liu Qingshan hummed, “Liu Boqi said that my leg can be healed, but I don’t think there’s any hurry. Otherwise, I’ll owe her another favor, and if that time comes…”

Liu Qingfeng joked: “If you’re a family, you don’t have to be so calculative.”

Liu Qingshan turned to leave.

Liu Qingfeng suddenly stopped this younger brother, and said: “I thank you on behalf of the Liu family ancestors and all the scholars of Green Luan Kingdom. The pure Confucian style of the Liu family has not diminished over the years, and the scholars of Green Luan Kingdom can hold their heads high and be proud.”

Liu Qingshan asked in confusion: “Why is that? Brother, what are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

Liu Qingfeng helped Liu Qingshan tidy up his clothes and smiled: “Silly boy, don’t worry about these things, just focus on your studies, and strive to become a Confucian sage in the future, bringing glory to our Liu family.”

Liu Qingshan joked: “Brother, are you becoming foolish from being an official? You’re only a county magistrate now, what will happen when you become a Vice Minister, a Minister?”

Liu Qingfeng smiled: “We’ll see what happens.”

Liu Qingfeng asked: “When you go to say goodbye to the two gentlemen, can I flirt with Liu Boqi? Don’t worry, just a few words.”

Liu Qingshan nodded: “What’s wrong with that?”

Liu Qingshan went to tell Liu Boqi, and Liu Boqi agreed. When Liu Qingshan went to find Old Master Fu and Mr. Liu.

Liu Qingfeng took Liu Boqi to the Liu family ancestral hall.

Along the way, Liu Qingfeng did not say a word.

Liu Boqi was unprecedentedly apprehensive.

Of course, mainly after falling in love with Liu Qingshan at first sight, and then getting along with Liu Qingfeng Liu Jingting, she always felt that she was one generation lower in seniority.

But Liu Boqi also had a strange intuition that this Liu Qingfeng might not be simple.

Liu Qingfeng stopped outside the ancestral hall and asked: “Liu Boqi, if my younger brother Liu Qingshan only has the short lifespan of an ordinary teacher, what would you do?”

Liu Boqi replied: “I am now a Land Immortal, and it will not be difficult to reach the Upper Five Realms in the future, so I am willing to delay a hundred years for Liu Qingshan.”

Liu Qingfeng asked again, “Then if Liu Qingshan has a bright future, aspires to our Confucian three immortalities, and has the hope of achieving it, what should you do?”

Liu Boqi replied: “I will follow my husband wherever he goes. Anyone who dares to ruin my husband Liu Boqi’s great path must first ask if my saber, Jing Shen, and my natal saber armor will agree or not.”

Liu Qingfeng shook his head.

Liu Boqi frowned, “Then what do you want me to do?”
Liu Qingfeng softly spoke, “A great matter approaches, especially those decisions of life and death. I hope, sister-in-law, you can consider matters from Liu Qingshan’s perspective. Do not let your first thought be, ‘I, Liu Boqi, think this is what’s best for Liu Qingshan, so I shall do it for him.’ The Great Dao is rugged, and conflict is unavoidable. But since you yourself said that you would follow a chicken if you married a chicken, a dog if you married a dog, then I hope you can truly understand what Liu Qingshan desires and seeks. So I will speak plainly with you now, that in the future, you will inevitably suffer some grievances, even great ones.”

Liu Boqi originally felt awkward hearing “sister-in-law,” but after hearing the words that followed, she was filled with heartfelt admiration. She smiled brightly and said, “Rest assured, these words have convinced me, heart and soul! I am a stubborn person, but I can still tell good words from bad!”

Liu Qingfeng felt a burden lifted and smiled, “My younger brother has excellent taste.”

Liu Boqi extended her palm towards the ancestral hall, “You are a celestial being from the mountain, three bows to our Liu clan’s ancestral hall will suffice.”

Liu Boqi followed through.

However, she discovered that Liu Qingfeng also bowed three times from afar.

Liu Boqi’s mood became somewhat heavy.

Liu Qingfeng softly said, “If there are no unforeseen events, I will soon be removed from the Liu clan’s genealogy. At that time, I will no longer be Liu Qingshan’s elder brother. When that time comes, if Liu Qingshan receives a letter from home and wants to abandon his journey, no matter whether you are in Bao Pingzhou or the Central Plains, if he insists on returning to Lion Garden to question me, you must stop him and protect him so that he can continue his travels across the myriad miles.”

Although Liu Boqi did not know the reason behind it, she still nodded, and then smiled wryly, “You want me to play the villain so quickly? You certainly don’t treat me like an outsider.”

Liu Qingfeng changed the subject, “I heard you gave the Willow Tree Matriarch a good thrashing?”

Liu Boqi began to feel guilty.

Liu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes and smiled: “When I was very young, I wanted to do that. I thought I needed another seven or eight years to accomplish it, so I have to thank you.”

Only at this moment did Liu Boqi truly begin to accept the “Liu clan’s family style.”

In the distance, Liu Qingshan limped towards the ancestral hall.

Discovering that his elder brother and beloved woman were conversing happily, and knowing that as long as his elder brother nodded, the marriage between him and Liu Boqi would be secure, Liu Qingshan smiled. This still-young scholar felt that there were no more difficulties in the world.

Chen Ping’an and his party smoothly entered the capital city of Qingluan Kingdom.

This was, after Old Dragon City, another place that gave people a sense of bustling prosperity.

Chen Ping’an ultimately gave Zhu Lian some gold, silver, and white items, allowing him to purchase those paintings and calligraphy that Shi Rou deeply detested.

Chen Ping’an himself also found a century-old shop and bought some exquisite Xuan paper worth only a penny each.

Before entering the city, Chen Ping’an had emptied the bamboo chest in a secluded place, placing all the items into the shrunken dimension.

Cui Dongshan had previously mentioned the inside story of the debate at the Hundred Flowers Courtyard Inn, which included the obscure White Cloud Temple in Qingluan Kingdom, so Chen Ping’an deliberately avoided it.

He felt that his good luck had been used up in Lion Garden, so he mustn’t be too ostentatious and proactively enter the sights of the Yunlin Jiang clan and the Qingluan Kingdom’s Tang imperial family.

While feasting in a bustling restaurant, the diners from the capital were chatting about the nearing-end-yet-not-truly-finished Buddhist-Taoist debate, excitedly and animatedly. Whether they were devout to Buddha or leaned towards Dao, their words revealed an undeniable sense of pride as citizens of the Qingluan Kingdom. In fact, this was one of the manifestations of a country’s strength and destiny.

Chen Ping’an had seen this in some places before, such as on the Great Li border army scouts in the wind and snow, on the common people of the Great Sui capital, on the girl in the carriage in Old Dragon City, and even on Upside-Down Mountain.

Several nearby tables were talking about a wonderful event that had just happened in the capital, which was widely circulated.

Chen Ping’an listened, and when Pei Qian saw that Chen Ping’an was listening attentively, she finally let go of the remaining half of the delicious roast chicken, pricking up her ears to listen.

Zhu Lian secretly extended his chopsticks, wanting to take a chicken leg into his bowl, but Pei Qian, with quick eyes and hands, blocked it with her chopsticks. The old man and the young girl glared at each other, their chopsticks flying. When Chen Ping’an picked up food, they would cease their competition, and when Chen Ping’an lowered his head to eat, Pei Qian and Zhu Lian would begin to compete again.

Chen Ping’an was too lazy to pay attention to this pair of living treasures, but was curious about the seemingly accidental exchange.

It turned out that yesterday, the capital had a heavy rain. A scholar entering the capital was sheltering from the rain under the eaves, while a monk was holding an umbrella in the rain.

Thus, there was a wonderful dialogue, the content of which was not much, but the meaning was profound, allowing the diners near Chen Ping’an to deduce countless mysteries.

At that time, the scholar asked the monk if he could give him a ride to avoid the rain. The monk said that he was in the rain, while the scholar was under the eaves in a rain-free place, so there was no need for him to be ferried. The scholar then walked out from under the eaves and stood in the rain. The monk then shouted loudly, “Go find your own umbrella!” In the end, the scholar was distraught and returned to the eaves.

Most of the diners were amazed at the Zen master’s profound Buddhist teachings, saying that this was great compassion, true Buddhism. Because even though the scholar was also in the rain, the reason why the monk was not getting wet was because he had an umbrella in his hand, and that umbrella meant the Buddha-dharma of universal salvation for all living beings. What the scholar truly needed was not for the Zen master to ferry him, but because he lacked the Buddha-dharma of self-salvation in his heart, so he was awakened by a shout.

It was really difficult to grab a chicken leg from under Pei Qian’s nose, so Zhu Lian switched to pouring himself a bowl of chicken soup. After taking a sip, he curled his lip and said, “The taste is not so good.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “You are a scholar at heart, so naturally you think the taste is ordinary.”

Zhu Lian nodded, “That’s right. Toiling hard is not rewarding. If it were the young master or the Liu brothers, they would obediently take out an umbrella, shield the scholar from the wind and rain, and give him a ride home. Maybe they would step into a puddle along the way, or the scholar’s shoulders would get wet from the rain, and the scholar wouldn’t even remember their kindness. If it were a stinky Taoist priest, I guess none of these things would happen. He wouldn’t even look at the eaves and would just walk away.”

Chen Ping’an thought for a while and asked with a smile, “If after the shout, the Zen master then lent the umbrella to the scholar, walking together through the wind and rain, what would the taste of this bowl of chicken soup be like?”

Zhu Lian shook the chicken soup in his bowl and smiled, “It might be much better.”

Shi Rou understood.

Pei Qian was confused, and she was also busy gnawing on chicken legs.

Chen Ping’an smiled at Pei Qian, “Don’t just eat chicken legs, eat more rice.”
Pei Qian nodded vigorously, leaning back slightly, sticking out his round belly, beaming with pride, “Master, I haven’t missed a single bite!”

This Buddhist-Taoist debate in the capital of Qingluan Kingdom was actually filled with many strange occurrences.

Some monks smashed Buddhist statues and burned them as firewood, while others brazenly drank and ate meat in the marketplace, shouting the phrase “Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha remains in the heart,” which was truly thought-provoking and inevitably led to contemplation.

On the other hand, the Taoists of Qingluan Kingdom rarely took any shocking actions or made outrageous remarks. They were gentle and mild, and it was said that the deities and immortals of major renowned Taoist temples were gradually losing ground in the debate between the two doctrines.

In particular, the case of the high monk of Baisui Temple in the south of the capital killing a cat seemed initially to be a breakthrough for the Taoist immortals to attack the Buddhists, but the esteemed and virtuous monks seemed to have anticipated this, and with a solemn exposition, they refuted the Taoists into silence.

Chen Ping An simply took those rumors with a grain of salt.

After lunch, he took Pei Qian and the others out to stroll the streets.

He bought a pair of celadon-glazed porcelain chess jars. The shape was relatively large compared to ordinary jars, but exquisitely refined and skillfully crafted, which was quite rare. The shopkeeper claimed that these items were once made in very small quantities for the imperial use of the Yunxiao Kingdom court, which was likely true.

Chen Ping An came from a porcelain-making background, so he had an eye for such things. The key was that the chess jars had lids, and were not later additions, which made them worth the price. The shop asked for fifty taels of silver for the pair of jars, and Chen Ping An paid it willingly.

He also bought Pei Qian a small hand-held gourd, elegantly called “Gold in the Grass,” which was extremely small but in excellent condition. Back on the wall of the Lion Garden, the female Taoist Liu Boqi used a similar small gourd to collect the true form of that slug demon.

Of course, this yellow-skinned gourd was just an ordinary secular item for people to play with.

Chen Ping An took a liking to it at first glance, and seeing Pei Qian also staring at it intently, he bought it.

Because in Pei Qian’s mind, wandering the martial world probably meant being like her master Chen Ping An, with something to hold wine and drink from.

This small yellow-skinned gourd, which looked extremely expensive, seemed to Pei Qian to be just the right age for her. Of course, Pei Qian didn’t dare to ask for it, but seeing Chen Ping An proactively buy it, she immediately smiled from ear to ear, carefully holding it in her hands, and shouting that there would be wine to drink.

As a result, she was smacked on the head, causing her to squat down on the spot. Although her head hurt, Pei Qian was very happy.

At Baisui Temple, the white-robed monk sat by the long-sealed well, muttering, “We lost, we lost. It’s not that the Buddhist Dharma lost, but that we lost.”

The young monk was full of tears, looking into the distance, “If the world learns from me, it will be like entering a demon’s den. I was wrong, I was wrong.”

At Baiyun Temple in the capital, an elderly woman was scolding a middle-aged abbot for not helping her find her child’s kite. The middle-aged abbot hid far away as a young Taoist boy went crying to find his master, the abbot. The boy sadly said, “Master, shouldn’t we just chop down those trees? People from the neighborhood constantly scold us. The visitors are scared away. If this keeps up, we will have no offerings, and we will starve. Master will no longer be able to buy those books.”

Of course, the middle-aged abbot would not cut down those ancient trees, but the little disciple was crying so sadly that he had no choice but to comfort him with kind words, taking the little Taoist boy’s hand to his study. Sniffling, the little Taoist boy of Baiyun Temple, well-versed in the ways of the world, soon recovered his childlike innocence after being saddened. He was one of the lucky ones. Some of his older fellow disciples had even been scratched in the face by fierce women complaining about the loud morning bells and evening drums. Anyway, every time the Taoist disciples went out, they were like rats crossing the street. They were used to it. The abbot-master said that this was cultivation. In the sweltering summer, everyone was too hot to sleep, and the master would also be unable to sleep, running out of the house to fan himself with them under the big trees, enjoying the cool air. He would ask the master why, as Taoist cultivators who performed so many rituals and ceremonies, shouldn’t their hearts naturally be calm and cool? Why were they still hot?

The master couldn’t explain it either, just smiled.

The little Taoist boy would then angrily snatch the fan from the master’s hand, but fortunately, the abbot-master never got angry.

At that moment, after settling down his little disciple after the rain had cleared, the middle-aged Taoist took out a book of Confucian primers for the child to read.

The middle-aged abbot continued to flip through the book of Legalist teachings on the table.

Earlier, he had seen the sentence, “Governing is like bathing; even if there are hairs to be discarded, one must do it.”

He then began to annotate it, or rather, to write down his reading心得 again, because the pages were already covered with writing, leaving no room for another needle. He had to take out the cheapest paper to write on, so that he could clip it into the book after he was done.

The little Taoist boy didn’t like reading very much. He used to like the abbot-master telling him stories from the books, so he put down the book and walked to his master’s side. Seeing his master writing with flying strokes, writing things he couldn’t understand, he stood on tiptoe, looked at the open book, and turned to look at his master. The little Taoist boy asked curiously, “Master, what are you writing?”

The middle-aged abbot put down the brush in his hand and placed it on his homemade wooden brush rest, smiling, “I re-read a saying from the Legalists, and I felt something in my heart, so I wrote something down, so that I can reflect on it next time I flip to it, so that I can know what I thought yesterday, and then verify what I think tomorrow. After repeated honing, knowledge can be transformed from the books of the sages of the various schools of thought into our own knowledge.”

The little Taoist boy said “Oh” but still seemed a little unhappy, asking, “Master, we don’t want to cut down the trees, and we’re still disliked by the neighbors. We are disliked and hated, it seems like everything we do is wrong. When will this kind of situation end? My fellow disciples and I are so pitiful.”

The middle-aged abbot’s expression was kind, smiling apologetically, “Don’t blame the neighbors. If you have any resentment, then blame the master. Because the master… still doesn’t know.”

The little Taoist boy scratched his head. The Taoists of Baiyun Temple all wore square scarves, not the lotus, fish tail, or hibiscus Daoist crowns. The little Taoist boy looked at his master expectantly, “Then when will Master know the answer to the solution?”

Although the “knowing” that the master and disciple were talking about was a hundred thousand miles apart, the middle-aged abbot still sighed, patiently saying, “Still don’t know.”

The little Taoist boy suddenly smiled, patting his master’s arm, “Master, don’t rush, we’re not in a rush. Do you want me to rub your arms for you?”

The middle-aged Taoist finished annotating that sentence, thought for a while, and took out a Buddhist classic from the table, which recorded nearly a hundred Buddhist cases, but he didn’t rush to open it. He suddenly laughed, “The Buddha should be more worried than I am. If the Buddha is not worried, what am I worried about?”

The little Taoist boy suddenly said softly, “Oh, right, Master, my fellow disciple said that the rice pot is running low.”
The middle-aged Abbot nodded slowly, saying, “Understood.”

The young Daoist acolyte rolled his eyes.

His master always said this, but in the end, didn’t their White Cloud Temple always have to rob Peter to pay Paul, just barely scraping by?

Just then, the young acolyte suddenly noticed something strange. It seemed like a gust of golden wind, pure and refreshing, drifted in from outside the window, flipping open the books on his Master Abbot’s desk, and then it was as if the entire room had been turned upside down.

The young acolyte blinked hard, realizing it must have been a trick of the light.

Only his Master had closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep, dozing off. His Master must have been too tired from reading, the young acolyte thought, as he tiptoed out of the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Chen Ping’an raised his head, gazing towards a certain direction.

Pei Qian asked, “What is it?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Nothing at all.”