Unknowingly, summer transitioned into autumn.

After this period of nurturing and diligent practice, Chen Pingan found the Qi reservoirs where he housed his Natal Treasures brimming with spiritual energy.

Regarding cultivation in both martial arts and Qi refinement, Chen Pingan tried his best to avoid favoring one over the other excessively. However, as he truly became a Qi Refiner, now needing to dedicate at least four hours each day to breathing exercises and circulating Qi, Chen Pingan became increasingly aware of the impending bottleneck. Someday, upon becoming a pure martial artist of the seventh realm and then ascending to the middle five realms of Qi Refinement, he would need to make another choice.

One day, Mao Xiaodong jested, “When you were cultivating in Cui Dongshan’s courtyard, I didn’t see you sparing any thought for the academy’s spiritual energy. Why were you so reluctant to absorb even a bit of spiritual energy at the summit of Eastern Flower Mountain? Weren’t you being overly fastidious?”

Chen Pingan replied, “Once the grand principles are upheld, one can then discuss adapting to local customs and the commonalities of human nature. Cui Dongshan, thank you, Lin Shouyi, in this courtyard, all can absorb spiritual energy based on their realms, and the academy tacitly approves it as faultless. Then, naturally, so can I. This is perhaps like… Eastern Flower Mountain outside the courtyard is the Great Harmony of the world, while this courtyard becomes a state, a territory, a small world. Without violating my conscience or the tenets of Confucian propriety, I am… free.”

Chen Pingan spoke haltingly, often pausing to ponder before continuing.

Mao Xiaodong nodded.

It seemed that his well-intentioned words when Chen Pingan was refining his Natal Treasures atop Eastern Flower Mountain had not been spoken in vain.

Mao Xiaodong then asked, “The tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind; the greatest person will be envied by many. What is the principle behind this saying?”

Chen Pingan replied, “The original intention should be to caution gentlemen to understand the art of concealing one’s talents and adapting to a world that is not so ideal. As for why it is not ideal, I cannot say. I only feel it is far removed from the world envisioned by Confucianism. As for the reason, I cannot fathom it. Moreover, I think there is a problem with this saying. It easily leads people astray, making them afraid to stand out from the crowd, afraid to excel. This, in turn, makes many feel that cutting down outstanding trees and envying great people is something everyone does. Since everyone does it, then my doing it is in accordance with convention, and the law does not punish the masses. But once one delves into the matter, it seems to clash with what I said about adapting to local customs. Although one can actually differentiate it, varying according to the time, place, and person, and then clarify the boundaries, I still find it troublesome. I probably haven’t found the root method.”

This time, Chen Pingan still spoke hesitantly. Thus, he couldn’t resist asking curiously, “These so-called golden words that are revered by the world – I don’t deny that they can indeed avert much hardship, just as I often use them for self-reflection – but can they truly be recognized as ‘rules’ by Confucian sages?”

Mao Xiaodong laughed heartily but offered no answer.

He then changed the subject, “A white horse is not a horse. What do you think of this?”

Chen Pingan replied, “Cui Dongshan once spoke of this, saying that it was because the sages were not perfect when they first created characters, and the Great Dao was inevitably incomplete, resulting in an ‘obstacle of writing’ unknowingly brought to the world. As time passed, more and more characters were created, and what was once a difficult problem is now easily solved. A white horse is naturally a type of horse, but a white horse is not equivalent to all horses. Alas, the ancients could only circle around and around that word ‘not’. According to Cui Dongshan, this is also called a ‘vein obstacle.’ Without understanding this discipline, no matter how many characters there are, it is useless. For example, if someone says something correct, and another person uses another correct thing to refute the previous correct thing, others, upon hearing it, and unwilling to delve deeper and dissect it carefully, will subconsciously feel that the former is wrong. This is committing a vein obstacle. There are also many generalizations and confusions of order, all due to a lack of understanding of the context. Cui Dongshan was quite indignant about this, saying that scholars, even virtuous gentlemen and sages, cannot escape this calamity. He even said that the most important thing for everyone in the world to learn in their youth is this discipline. This is the foundation of life, more useful than any high or low principle. Cui Dongshan even said that at least half of the writings of the various philosophers and sages are ‘unclear.’ Only with an understanding of this discipline does one have the qualification to comprehend the fundamental knowledge of the Supreme Sage and the Sage of Rites. Otherwise, ordinary scholars, despite seemingly studying the books of sages diligently, will ultimately only build a castle in the air. At most, it is just a White Emperor City floating among colorful clouds, unsubstantial.”

After carefully considering it, Mao Xiaodong smiled, “It’s not all that little rascal’s venting. It still has some flavor.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “Cui Dongshan is willing to speak, and I just listen. After all, Old Master Wen Sheng once said to me to think about everything more, which is always good, even if the final conclusion is still negation. But that seemingly extra loop of thought is not a wasted journey.”

Mao Xiaodong clapped and laughed, “The Master is brilliant!”

Then, Mao Xiaodong looked expectant, hoping that this little junior brother would at least have some enlightenment.

Chen Pingan suppressed a smile, understanding. He said, “Next time if I can see Old Master Wen Sheng, I will chat more about the Head of Mao Mountain.”

Mao Xiaodong said softly, “Remember, remember, don’t be subtle. My Master doesn’t like that. For example, I said this phrase ‘The Master is brilliant.’ When you see him, just repeat it exactly as it is, even if you embellish it, it doesn’t matter. But you must never be circuitous.”

Chen Pingan said he would remember.

Finally, Mao Xiaodong gave Chen Pingan a flying sword message from Mount Pi Yun in Longquan County, Dali.

Mao Xiaodong left.

Some of those currently managing the Cliff Academy are wavering, and he needs to appease them.

Chatting with Chen Pingan from time to time is both to put on the airs of a senior brother and to take a break from his busy schedule. Of course, it also fulfills the senior brother’s responsibility of plugging any gaps in Chen Pingan’s state of mind.

Chen Pingan opened it and saw the familiar handwriting of Wei Bo, the Northern Mountain God.

Previously, Chen Pingan had sent Wei Bo a letter, inquiring about the matter of the mountains in the west being sold off cheaply.

Chen Pingan held a natural trust for Wei Bo, this earliest and only surviving Mountain God of the Divine Water Kingdom.
Wei Bo wrote in his letter to Chen Ping An that a total of nine mountain peaks, including the Xu family of Qingfeng City, were looking for new owners. Ruan Qiong, the Li family of Fulujie, and others had each taken over some, and two remained. If Chen Ping An was interested, he could help negotiate the price. Wei Bo also suggested that although the remaining two were leftovers, it would still be a good deal for Chen Ping An to buy them. He also complained about why Chen Ping An hadn’t written sooner, as he could have devoured Niujiao Mountain. Even if Chen Ping An didn’t have enough immortal money, Wei Bo could cover it and they could split Niujiao Mountain. Niujiao Mountain had a Baofu Zhai, which was practically giving away a Xianjia ferry!

Chen Ping An read the letter again to ensure he hadn’t missed any hidden subtleties before storing it in his mustard seed.

The mountains west of Longquan County were indeed full of spiritual energy, no less than the top Xianjia residences of Baoping Continent. However, the mountain and water fortune was severely divided, and the territory was too small. For those Xianjia sects with hundreds or even thousands of li of territory, those individual Longquan mountain peaks, mostly only ten-odd li in circumference, were difficult to develop. Of course, they were more than enough to support a Jindan Earth Immortal.

Chen Ping An thought that buying a mountain was feasible.

He went to Mao Xiaodong’s study, picked up a brush, and wrote a letter asking Wei Bo to negotiate a price.

He had Pei Qian deliver it to an old scholar in the academy who specialized in such matters.

Sitting in the antique study, Chen Ping An recalled a recent casual conversation where Cui Dongshan had casually mentioned the Buddhist-Taoist debate in the Qingluan Kingdom. Previously, he had mentioned to Chen Ping An that there weren’t many “serious” books about the Hundred Schools of Thought, so he casually suggested that Chen Ping An could find those few Buddhist and Taoist classics in the academy’s library.

Chen Ping An hesitated for a moment, then left the study. After waiting for Lin Shouyi to finish his Qi refining, he dragged him to the library.

On the way, Lin Shouyi smiled and asked, “Haven’t figured out the answer to that matter yet?”

Chen Ping An was taken aback, then remembered what Lin Shouyi had said about gratitude during his first visit to him at the academy.

Chen Ping An smiled wryly, “I really can’t guess. I’m very curious, so don’t play riddles with me. If you don’t tell me, I’ll definitely ask you directly before I leave the academy.”

Lin Shouyi smiled and said, “Do you remember that time when the mountain road was muddy and Li Huai was rolling around on the ground, annoying everyone?”

Chen Ping An thought for a moment, “I vaguely remember. Later, I promised to make a book box for Li Huai as well, and he stopped crying and making trouble. Otherwise, I don’t think we would have been able to travel. But in recent years, Li Huai has become much more sensible.”

Lin Shouyi asked, “Do you remember what you said to me at the time?”

Chen Ping An hesitated.

Lin Shouyi smiled, “I know you definitely remember.”

Chen Ping An sighed, “You really took such a small matter to heart?”

Lin Shouyi nodded, “At the time, I was the most out of place. Li Bao Ping called you Little Shishu, Li Huai was closest to you, and even A Liang liked to chat and joke with them. Zhu Lu and Zhu He were father and daughter. Only I, Lin Shouyi, seemed out of place. Although I acted like I didn’t care, how could I not feel even a little lost? So, for a long time, I wondered if I shouldn’t have gone to the Sui Dynasty with you to study.”

Lin Shouyi, the usually stern jade of cultivation in the academy, had a warm smile as he talked about these things. “Then you squatted on the muddy road and turned to say two sentences to me, ‘Make one for you too?’ ‘It’s just a simple favor anyway’.”

Lin Shouyi walked slowly, “So I agreed at the time.”

Chen Ping An laughed, “I didn’t think much about it at the time. I just thought that if I didn’t say that, you definitely wouldn’t want it. But if I made a book box for Li Huai and you were the only one without one, I was worried that you would become distant from Little Bao Ping and Li Huai. To be honest, at that time, I considered your feelings, but more than that, I thought that you, Lin Shouyi, were the oldest of the three, and your temperament was stable. Later, when we got to the academy and I had to leave, I thought that you could take care of them more.”

Lin Shouyi nodded, “I actually understood these things on the road, but one thing I do well is that I won’t feel resentful if someone is kinder to others than they are to me.”

Lin Shouyi smiled more, “Later, on the ferry across the river, you made the small book box for Li Huai first. Naturally, my box became the last one you made. So naturally, the bamboo box that you, Chen Ping An, were most skilled at making became the best one. At that time, I realized that Chen Ping An doesn’t talk much, but he’s actually a good guy. So when Li Huai was bullied at the academy, although I didn’t contribute much, I didn’t hide. You know, at that time, I clearly saw my path of cultivation. So I bet all my future, prepared for the worst, and was willing to be crippled, have my path of cultivation cut off, and continue to be an illegitimate child despised by my parents for the rest of my life, but I still had to first become someone that you, Chen Ping An, wouldn’t look down on.”

Chen Ping An nodded, “I’ll remember these things in my heart.”

Lin Shouyi smiled, “So after the Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator assassinated the small courtyard, you, Chen Ping An, came to the courtyard and deliberately sat next to me, Lin Shouyi. I knew, and you, Chen Ping An, also knew that, except for Li Huai, who was a bit lacking, even Pei Qian, everyone in the courtyard knew why you specifically sat next to me. You were afraid that I would start cultivating early and be arrogant, but could only watch from beginning to end in that battle, so I would definitely feel lost. You were afraid that I, Lin Shouyi, would drift further and further away from you, right?”

Chen Ping An stopped, not denying these things, and asked with a smile, “Then do you know what I’m most grateful to you for? Now it’s your turn to guess.”

Lin Shouyi shook his head directly, “I’m a very stubborn person and don’t think too much about other things. That’s a world of difference between me and you, Chen Ping An. I definitely can’t guess.”

Chen Ping An didn’t keep him in suspense and said, “You once told me that not all parents in the world are like my parents, Chen Ping An.”

Lin Shouyi was a little puzzled.

Chen Ping An raised his fist, extended a finger, and smiled, “First of all, I’m very happy that you, Lin Shouyi, are willing to say such things, which means you consider me a friend. After all, your identity has always been your biggest hang-up.”
Chen Ping’an extended a second finger, “I’ve always kept that sentence firmly in mind. To the point that my journey to Lotus Flower Paradise and my ability to reach this point with Pei Qian are all thanks to that one phrase.”

Chen Ping’an finally held up a third finger, “Moreover, after hearing those words, I felt like… a pauper who suddenly discovered they were the heir to a vast fortune! Thinking of that, whenever I met peers who were wealthier, like Fan Er, who later became a friend, or Liu Youzhou of Mount Ai’ai, who never became a friend, I never felt self-conscious about being richer or poorer than them.”

Lin Shouyi smiled, then stated the obvious, “I bet Song Jixin resents you for that the most.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Chen Ping’an stopped in front of the library, looking up at the towering building, “Lin Shouyi, I’m very happy, especially happy, that you value and cherish my small act of kindness so much.”

Lin Shouyi replied, “In this world, even good people like to demand too much of other good people, so you should also cherish a friend like me.”

Chen Ping’an laughed, “I will!”

Lin Shouyi asked, “So, if you give me something, I don’t need to be too scrupulous about whether or not I reciprocate in the future, right?”

Chen Ping’an waved his hand magnanimously, throwing an arm around Lin Shouyi’s shoulder, “Don’t even think about it!”

Lin Shouyi subtly used his strength to push Chen Ping’an away, straightened his clothes, and complained, “If the female students of the academy saw that, I’d probably lose a few admirers. It’s not like I’m interested in them, but I don’t dislike their admiration either.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “From what I’ve seen at the academy over the years, you, Lin Shouyi, are the most sneaky and have changed the most.”

Lin Shouyi and Chen Ping’an exchanged a look, both thinking of someone, and then inexplicably burst into hearty laughter.

This was probably the unspoken understanding between friends.

The two fellow townsmen, chatting and laughing, strode into the library together.

Countless principles and truths within the books were waiting for them to peruse and extract.

Back at the Bamboo Lodge on Mount Luopo, the boy in green robes had just finished a farewell dinner with a friend at the town’s restaurant.

The girl in the pink dress sat on a small bamboo chair, cracking melon seeds. Noticing that he seemed a bit listless, she asked, “Didn’t you have a good time drinking with your River Deity brother from the Huangting Kingdom? Or was the wine too expensive?”

The boy in green robes plopped down onto the bamboo chair next to her, propping his chin in his hands, “Matters of the Jianghu are things you wouldn’t understand.”

The girl in the pink dress reached over and poured him some melon seeds, which the boy in green robes didn’t refuse.

The aforementioned River Deity of Yujiang from the Huangting Kingdom had successfully obtained an invaluable “Peace and Tranquility” talisman through the boy in green robes.

Then, with the permission document from the Ministry of Rites of the Huangting Kingdom’s court, he left his jurisdiction, crossed the border of Great Li, and paid a visit to Mount Luopo.

The boy in green robes had taken his closest Jianghu brother to see many places. The girl in the pink dress guessed that this fellow had boasted quite a bit in front of that River Deity.

After cracking the melon seeds, the boy in green robes let out a mournful sigh, scratching his head and cheeks in frustration, then suddenly calmed down. He straightened his legs, devoid of energy, slumped against the bamboo chair, and slowly said, “River Gods and Deities are categorized into different grades. While drinking, my brother said that on his way here, he saw the highest-ranking River God of the Iron Talisman River and was very envious. He wanted me to say a few good words to the Great Li court to incorporate some tributary rivers into his Yujiang jurisdiction.”

“Did he give you any ‘divine money’ to grease the wheels?”

“Nope.”

The girl in the pink dress gave him a strange look.

The boy in green robes glared at her, annoyed, “It’s not that my brother is stingy. He said himself that it’s inappropriate to talk about money matters between brothers. I think that makes sense. I’m just worried about which temple I should go to and which Buddha I should burn incense for. As you know, that Wei Bo guy has always disliked me. Last time I looked for him, he kept making excuses and showed no loyalty or affection whatsoever. The mountain god with the golden head on our mountaintop doesn’t have much sway. I’ve run into a wall with County Governor Wu Yuan and that Magistrate Yuan before. But that Xu Ruo, the swordsman who gave us each a ‘Peace and Tranquility’ talisman, I think he might be helpful. It’s just that I can’t find him.”

The girl in the pink dress cracked melon seeds and asked quietly, “Even if you find the temple, do you have the money for offerings?”

The boy in green robes was a bit lacking in confidence, “That Xu Ruo might not ask me for money. You see how good Xu Ruo’s relationship is with our Master, would he have the heart to take my money? If it really doesn’t work, I’ll just owe him first and borrow money from Master to pay Xu Ruo later. That should be okay, right?”

The girl in the pink dress rarely got angry, and she said in a rage, “What’s wrong with you?! Why are you always thinking about Master’s money?”

The boy in green robes muttered, “A single coin can stump a hero. What’s so strange about that? Everyone has their down-on-their-luck moments. Besides, our mountain is called Mount Luopo (Downfallen Mountain). We have to blame Master for choosing such a mountain, the name is inauspicious.”

The girl in the pink dress became even angrier, “You’re blaming Master for this? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs?!”

If it had been about anything else, and she had dared to speak to him like that, the boy in green robes would have flown into a rage long ago, but today, the boy in green robes didn’t even feel like getting angry, he couldn’t muster the energy.

Just then, Wei Bo, who had rarely visited Mount Luopo in the past year, appeared on the road, walking slowly.

The boy in green robes jumped up, dashed over, and said with utmost flattery, “Great God Wei, why did you find the time to visit my humble abode today? Are you tired from walking? Would you like to sit on the bamboo chair? I can massage your shoulders and legs for you, old man?”

Wei Bo reached out and pressed down on the fellow’s head, “Go cool off somewhere.”

The boy in green robes grabbed onto one of Wei Bo’s sleeves with both hands, but Wei Bo dragged him towards the pond behind the bamboo lodge.

The girl in the pink dress shook her head, feeling that he was truly embarrassing their Master.

Wei Bo squatted by the small pond with clear water. The golden lotus seed had already begun to sprout.

The boy in green robes squatted next to him, “Old Immortal Wei, can I discuss something with you?”
Wei Bo gazed intently at the extraordinarily precious seed, a “relic” of the Daoist patriarch Lu Chen in this world, after all. This was the very source that allowed the Divine Water Kingdom to linger on, its fate not yet entirely extinguished, despite the long years since its demise. It was also the reason why Wei Bo had set his sights on Yang Hua, the righteous god of the Iron Talisman River. As the last vestige of the Divine Water Kingdom’s deities, Wei Bo’s escape from the great calamity of yesteryear, his survival until he rose to become the righteous god of the Northern Mountain of the Great Li Dynasty, was undoubtedly ordained by fate. Of course, Wei Bo’s own patience and forbearance were also crucial; heaven helps those who help themselves.

Wei Bo’s tone was indifferent, directly shattering the little blue-clad boy’s wishful thinking. “That River God of Yu River regards you as a fool, and you are so happy to play the fool?”

The blue-clad boy stood up indignantly. After taking a few steps, he turned his head to see Wei Bo with his back to him. He unleashed a flurry of wild kicks and punches at the offensive back before hurrying away.

Before Wei Bo finally departed from Fallen Phoenix Mountain, he smiled at the two little fellows sitting on the bamboo chair. “Your Old Master will be back soon.”

Wei Bo strode away.

The pink-skirted girl was ecstatic, but for some reason, she turned her head to find the blue-clad boy, who should have been just as surprised and happy as she was, sitting blankly on the bamboo chair, a dazed look on his face.

She asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

The blue-clad boy murmured, “You’re already so simple-minded, yet Wei Bo still called me a fool. Do you think our Old Master will be disappointed when he sees us this time?”

The pink-skirted girl stood up angrily, no longer paying attention to the ungrateful fellow. She picked up a bucket of water and a rag, and began to carefully scrub the bamboo building.

The blue-clad boy hunched over, resting his chin in his hands. He had once envisioned a scene: when his sworn brother, the Yu River God, came to Fallen Phoenix Mountain as a guest, he would be able to sit beside them and drink with a clear conscience, watching Chen Ping An and his brother, kindred spirits, toasting and exchanging pleasantries. He would be so proud. After the feast, he could boast to Chen Ping An about his past exploits in the Jianghu, how glorious he had been in the Yu River area, as they returned to Fallen Phoenix Mountain together.

But now, it seemed a little difficult.

The blue-clad boy felt a little dejected. He looked down at the melon seed shells on the ground. There seemed to be a few stragglers. Bored, the blue-clad boy picked them up and ate them, as if they tasted even better than usual.

The pink-skirted girl, who was wiping the steps of the bamboo building, happened to witness this scene and asked in surprise, “Have you become so poor? Did you give all your family fortune to your Yu River God brother?”

The blue-clad boy’s mood had improved a lot. He rolled his eyes at her. “I’m not stupid. Don’t I know to save a little bit for a wife? I don’t want to become an old bachelor like Old Cui! You don’t know the value of money when you’re young, and you’ll be single when you’re old. I’ll have to tell Old Master this when he gets home, so he doesn’t keep acting like a charitable benefactor…”

*Bang!*

The blue-clad boy flew off the cliff.

The pink-skirted girl was used to it and didn’t worry about his safety.

A blue serpent suddenly appeared, riding the clouds and mist, then climbed up the cliff face, transforming back into the blue-clad boy. He swaggered toward the bamboo building. “Truth hurts, no wonder loyal ministers and brave generals rarely have good endings…”

*Bang!*

The blue-clad boy flew out again.

When he returned to the mountaintop for the second time, he saw an old man in a Confucian robe but barefoot standing on the second floor of the bamboo building. The blue-clad boy immediately shouted, “Old Cui, I didn’t say anything this time!”

He was still beaten and sent plunging down the cliff.

The pink-skirted girl was wiping the railings on the second floor, a little puzzled.

The old man surnamed Cui smiled. “Itchy skin needs a beating to learn a lesson.”

The pink-skirted girl couldn’t argue, so she didn’t plead for the blue-clad boy anymore.

On the mountain path of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, the blue-clad boy cursed and ran all the way up the mountain.

On that isolated island overseas, near the Central Earth Divine Continent…

The Confucian-robed man refused another visitor that day, giving an academy grand sacrificer of the Asian Sage lineage the cold shoulder.

If it had been before, even if the Confucian-robed man was unwilling to “open the door,” he would still show his face. This time, he didn’t even bother to appear.

The academy grand sacrificer had to leave in disappointment, inevitably feeling apprehensive in his heart.

He didn’t know why the scholar was so unapproachable this time.

The Confucian-robed man had been standing in the thatched hut where Zhao Yao had lived, the path to the mountain of books.

He stood in one spot, flipping through a randomly selected Confucian book. The Confucian sage who wrote this book had his literary lineage cut off because he died young without warning in the river of time, and his disciples failed to truly grasp the essence of his literary lineage. In less than a century, his literary fortune and incense offerings were cut off.

He put down the book, walked out of the thatched hut, came to the top of the mountain, and continued to gaze at the vast sea.

How did Zhao Yao get here in the first place? It was because of the protection of a wisp of residual soul.

Otherwise, even a non-lineage Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain and an academy grand sacrificer had to knock on the door to enter. How could Zhao Yao drift with the waves and arrive here by such a coincidence?

He retracted his gaze and looked towards the cliff edge. Zhao Yao had wanted to step out from there.

Of course, he didn’t care.

It was just that a middle-aged Confucian scholar with frost at his temples was winking at him.

That was when he spoke up and dissuaded Zhao Yao.

After Zhao Yao left the island, he had a conversation with the Confucian scholar who had brought Zhao Yao here.

He asked, “If you care so much, why don’t you show yourself to him?”

The man replied, “Zhao Yao is still young. If he sees me, he will only feel more guilty. Some knots need to be untied by himself. He will understand sooner or later after walking a longer road.”

He asked, “Then aren’t you, Qi Jingchun, afraid that Zhao Yao will never know your thoughts until he dies? Zhao Yao has good aptitude. It’s not difficult for him to establish a sect in the Central Earth Divine Continent. You stripped your own natal character from those literary fortunes, hiding only the purest天地浩然之气 in the wooden dragon paperweight, waiting for the day when Zhao Yao’s state of mind experiences a withered tree reviving in spring, but aren’t you afraid that Zhao Yao will weave clothes for another literary lineage, or even the Daoist school?”

Qi Jingchun replied, “It doesn’t matter, it’s enough for my student to be alive. Whether or not he inherits my literary lineage is not as important as Zhao Yao being able to study and seek knowledge peacefully for the rest of his life.”

He sighed. “Qi Jingchun, it’s a pity for you.”

Qi Jingchun just smiled and said nothing at the time.
At this moment, this scholar from the Central Earth, who had once split open the Yellow River Cave Heaven with a single sword strike, felt that he had lost another kindred spirit in life.

Cloud Glow Mountain, Treasure Bottle Continent.

Having already occupied a mountain peak residence on his own, Cai Jinjian was sitting alone in meditation today. After opening her eyes, she rose and walked to the viewing platform with a wide view.

The Cai Immortal, who had been advancing triumphantly on the path of cultivation and whose temperament had become increasingly aloof, seemed to recall some past events, and a smile appeared on her face.

Years ago, a scholar whom she admired and respected the most had done something that she found earth-shattering when he gave her the first painting of the River of Time.

That Mr. Qi, whom she regarded as a celestial being of profound knowledge, without any flaws, actually asked her like a student consulting a teacher, sincerely asking her: “If you send this painting to the Sword Qi Great Wall, will it be gilding the lily? Will it be unaesthetic?”

Cai Jinjian still remembered her feelings at that time as clearly as a nascent soul cultivator facing a tribulation, utterly thunderstruck.

Seeing her dazed expression, Mr. Qi smiled and said, “In matters of love between men and women, I have mastered six of the seven orifices, understanding nothing about the last one.”

Cai Jinjian straightened her face, trying hard to hold back.

Qi Jingchun said helplessly, “Laugh if you want to.”

In the end, Cai Jinjian did not laugh. Deep down, she felt a little sad, gazing at Mr. Qi with infatuation. After regaining her senses, Cai Jinjian gave her answer, “If there is no love, doing these things may not be useful. Whether it is gilding the lily or not does not matter. If there is already some affection, seeing these things might deepen that affection.”

At that time, after hearing Cai Jinjian’s words, Mr. Qi seemed to have a great weight lifted from his shoulders and smiled instantly.

Mr. Qi’s smile at that time made Cai Jinjian realize that even with such profound knowledge, this man was still human.

Cai Jinjian leaned on the railing, her eyes narrowed with a smile. She was clearly looking into the distance, but the magnificent scenery outside the viewing platform was not in her eyes at all.

Secretly loving such a man, even knowing that he would not love her, Cai Jinjian felt that it was the most wonderful thing.

On the path of cultivation, whether it be for a hundred or a thousand years, Cai Jinjian was willing to think of him in quiet, lonely moments when no one else was around.

Central Treasure Bottle Continent, a celestial ferry connected to the southern border of the Vermilion Luster Dynasty.

Liu Qingshan bought a large jug of wine and sat by the river, drinking one large gulp after another.

Liu Boqi knew that this day would come sooner or later, but she did not expect it to come sooner than she imagined.

First, there was a conflict with a Qi Refiner, which was only a minor matter. Then came even worse news about the farce in the Azure Luan Kingdom.

She snatched the wine jug from Liu Qingshan’s hand and said in a deep voice, “I have hardly read any books and cannot speak great truths. You are a scholar, so you may not listen to me, but no matter what, I want you to know one thing!”

Liu Boqi, this female Daoist of the Blade Workshop, held the wine jug in one hand and pressed the evil god blade at her waist with the other, her expression sharp and resolute. “There are countless people in the world who are both stupid and evil, and it has nothing to do with how many books they have read. When they encounter even a little bit of good people and things, they hate it so much that their teeth itch, wanting to either possess it or destroy it. In the future, if you want to reason with such people, go ahead. But if you can’t reason with them in the end, I will speak.”

Liu Qingshan just kept shaking his head, shaking his head vigorously. “I understand all of this, I just want to know why my elder brother would do such a thing. As a son, I want to talk to my most respected elder brother about reason, what should I do? I know that I am inferior to my elder brother in every aspect, I just want to go home and talk to him about this, is that okay?”

Liu Boqi shook her head for once. She always yielded to Liu Qingfeng in everything, but she did not accommodate him on this matter. “Don’t talk about this. Just bear it.”

Liu Qingshan murmured, “Why?”

Liu Boqi said, “I don’t understand the reasons and principles of this matter, and I don’t want to speak nonsense just to enlighten you. But I know that your elder brother is only in more pain than you right now. If you want to rub salt in his wounds to feel better, then go ahead, I won’t stop you, but I will look down on you. So it turns out that Liu Qingshan is such a worthless good-for-nothing. With a heart smaller than a woman’s!”

Liu Qingshan looked blank.

Liu Boqi was a little uneasy and asked directly, “Did I say too much?”

Liu Qingshan stared at her blankly for a long time, then suddenly smiled, tears and snot running down his face as he wiped them away messily.

“It’s okay.”

Only then did Liu Boqi return the wine jug to Liu Qingshan. “You can drink now.”

Liu Qingshan was not polite and took the wine jug, gulping down the wine.

He drank until he collapsed by the river and vomited.

Liu Boqi gently patted his back. “If you want to drink more, I’ll buy you some more.”

Liu Qingshan shook his head gently.

Finally, Liu Boqi, under the gaze of the crowd, carried Liu Qingshan on her back and walked down the street.

On a road outside a county town in the Azure Luan Kingdom, after a heavy rain, the road was muddy and full of puddles.

A carriage driven by an old servant of the county government slowed down, and after a moment, it sped up again, rushing towards the county town.

Wang Yifu, who was sitting in the carriage with the County Magistrate Liu, glanced at Liu Qingfeng, who was closing his eyes to rest.

Wang Yifu was one of the two people secretly dispatched by the National Preceptor Cui Chan to enter the Azure Luan Kingdom. He was now nominally the County Commandant, but in reality, he was Liu Qingfeng’s martial secretary, preventing any assassinations.

From this, it could be seen how much Cui Chan valued this small county magistrate in a small country.

Wang Yifu knew that behind the carriage, on the road, there were several women and children walking with difficulty.

Wang Yifu also closed his eyes.

This former general of the Ru Dynasty was finally beginning to look forward to what high position this civil official of the Azure Luan Kingdom could reach in the Great Li court in the future.

Northern border of the Vermilion Luster Dynasty.

Chaos abounds.

On a mountain road, several pedigree immortals from small sects, concealing their identities and posing as wild mountain cultivators, had long been eyeing a convoy of officials fleeing south.

Ma Kuxuan happened to encounter them. One of the Qi Refiners was grabbing a beautifully dressed woman by the hair, dragging her out of the carriage, saying that he wanted to taste the flavor of the Prefect’s wife.

Ma Kuxuan initially did not intend to interfere and continued on his way. As a result, he was blocked by a Qi Refiner. Ma Kuxuan then killed one and a half of them with two punches. The last one fled in panic, and Ma Kuxuan ignored him.
The pitiful Qi Refining cultivator, barely clinging to life, was pinned to the ground by Ma Kuxuan’s foot on his chest. Ma Kuxuan smiled faintly, “Is this how you play the villain? If you’re going to be a villain, at least have some discernment. Do I really need to teach you this?”

Ma Kuxuan’s foot pierced through the man’s chest.

Ma Kuxuan continued on his journey.

Unexpectedly, among the relatives of the disheveled woman, a young man, feeling deeply humiliated, angrily questioned Ma Kuxuan why he hadn’t killed the last one, wasn’t this nurturing a future threat?

Ma Kuxuan simply punched the young man to death, then passed through the deathly silent caravan, leaving only a single sentence, “A fool’s folly is more deserving of death than a villain’s evil.”

After he left, a military strategist cultivator from True Martial Mountain appeared, frowning and saying, “That ignorant youth didn’t deserve to die.”

Ma Kuxuan laughed, “Originally, everyone was going to die. Shouldn’t you be thanking me for a rare act of chivalry?”

The woman wailed over her son’s corpse, filled with hatred and fear for the ruthless, mad young man.

The Celestial Sect closest to the Great Li capital, the Evergreen Palace.

Security was tight.

Prince Song He and his mother stood on the mountain peak, smiling and asking, “Is Imperial Uncle plotting to usurp the throne?”

Song He quickly shook his head, saying, “But is it necessary to be so complicated? Couldn’t he just stage an assassination? The Sui’s death squads, remnants of the Lu Dynasty, wouldn’t any of them do? Mother, I reckon that right now, not just the Great Li border army, but even many in the imperial court are urging Imperial Uncle to ascend the throne. Those who favor me and Mother are mostly civil officials, not much use.”

The Great Li woman, stripped of all power, smiled faintly, “He’er, don’t underestimate your Imperial Uncle so much. He has grander ambitions; he doesn’t care for a mere dragon throne.”

Song He didn’t quite believe it.

Whether or not he cared for it was one thing. In the mortal realm, who would dislike the feel of a dragon throne beneath their backside?

The woman consoled him, “The hearts of the people in the Great Li court and countryside can be swayed.”

Song He turned his head, “The hearts of the people? Mother, haven’t you always said that they are ignorant and insignificant ants?”

The woman covered her mouth and giggled, “Such words are fine for us mother and son to discuss in private, but in other settings, remember, if you know it, keep it to yourself and never speak it aloud. Later, when you become the supreme ruler of a continent, you must also learn to play dumb. Be the same with that wise and martial Imperial Uncle, and with the entire court.”

Song He asked, “Then what about the cultivators of the mountains?”

The woman hesitated.

Song He said, “Actually, I’ve never understood why Father has always been at odds with those immortals. If I were a Qi Refining cultivator, especially at a higher realm, who would want to be restrained by a mortal ruler? If I truly become emperor in the future, if I change the established national policies, do you think more Celestial Sects would flock to me, surrounding my dragon throne? Maybe I could use this to gradually checkmate the Imperial Preceptor and Imperial Uncle?”

The petite yet exquisitely charming palace-dressed woman sighed, “He’er, don’t ever say such foolish things again. It’s best not to even think about them.”

Song He acknowledged with an “Oh,” “Alright, I’ll listen to Mother.”

The woman smiled sweetly.

This was what Song He was most endearing for—obedient and attentive, so mother and son were of one mind in everything.

As for the other one.

She deliberately avoided thinking about it too much.

Dragon Spring Sword Sect.

Ruan Xiu stood in her courtyard, eating pastries bought from Riding Dragon Lane.

Inside the courtyard, chicks had grown into hens, which had then hatched another brood. The hens and chicks multiplied.

The sentient, enlightened earth dog showed signs of establishing itself as a local tyrant, running wild in the western mountains. Fortunately, having tasted hardship before, it didn’t dare to be too presumptuous. When it saw people in the marketplace, it would obediently tuck its tail.

Ruan Xiu finished the pastries, folded her embroidered handkerchief, and clapped her hands.

She soared into the air.

Arriving at the cliff face with the four characters “Heaven Opens Divine Beauty” carved by an unknown hand, she began to descend from the summit.

Reaching the bottom of the cliff, she returned the same way.

This day, Chen Pingan took Li Baoping and Pei Qian to stroll around the Great Sui capital.

Cui Dongshan stood in his study, glancing at the casually stacked Immortal scrolls and then at the books Chen Pingan had borrowed from the library.

On the desk were Chen Pingan’s carving knife and several bamboo slips, left there to facilitate copying passages from the books, not yet put away.

Cui Dongshan felt a little happy.

Li Baoping, Pei Qian, and Li Huai treated this place as their own.

Didn’t Chen Pingan show signs of doing the same?

But today, Cui Dongshan’s mood was somewhat less cheerful, for no particular reason, which frustrated him even more.

He had done everything he could, openly and secretly.

Yet it still seemed very difficult.

So he left the study and went to the green bamboo corridor, sitting cross-legged with his palm against the floor, smiling slightly, “Little fellow, come out.”

With a sudden flick of Cui Dongshan’s sleeve.

A little fellow was pulled out, dizzy and disoriented.

The lotus-shaped little person, realizing it was Cui Dongshan, tried to escape back underground.

But it found that no matter how much it jumped, it couldn’t manage it. It then tried to run out of the corridor and into the courtyard.

Only to seem to crash into a wall, falling back into the corridor.

Cui Dongshan laughed heartily, “Little idiot.”

The lotus-shaped little person sat on the ground, drooping its head.

Cui Dongshan looked at it.

And remembered himself.

Back when he was studying, accompanying a poor, pedantic old scholar in a yet-to-prosper poor alley. Back then, although he couldn’t be considered a great figure, he was already a Qi Refining cultivator. If the old scholar hadn’t established so many tedious rules from the start, how could they have been so miserable? They couldn’t even get enough to eat? Then, one day, he wanted to earn some money. As for whether he would be expelled from the sect by the old scholar as agreed, he couldn’t care less; a living person couldn’t be suffocated by urine! But when he returned with a large bag of silver, the old scholar said two things with a blank expression. One was that from now on, they were no longer master and disciple. The second was that he hoped that wherever that silver came from, it would be returned there, because that silver was his disciple’s ill-gotten wealth. But after that, whether Cui Chan wanted to swindle and cheat or rob and pillage, he, the old scholar, couldn’t teach even his eldest disciple well, so he couldn’t interfere and didn’t have that much ability.

At that time, the young Cui Chan, like this lotus-shaped little person now, was sullen, head bowed, not saying a word.

Perhaps the mindset was different, but the pitiable appearance was exactly the same.
Cui Dongshan remembered the young Cui Chan. He didn’t cry or beg the Old Scholar not to banish him from the sect, only uttering two sentences. “The silver, I can return it. But I hope you’ll leave me one or two ingots; I already owe half a year’s tuition, so consider it settled.” The second sentence was Cui Chan telling the Old Scholar, “Take this bit of silver and buy some decent writing brushes. You cling to those bald, discarded shafts, and even if you have some learning in your belly, how can you possibly write an article?”

That day, the Old Scholar made Cui Chan wait in the impoverished, bare-walled house.

The Old Scholar walked out of the house, secretly sighing in the alleyway. Finally, he shamelessly borrowed some money from a neighbor, enduring a torrent of abuse from the shrew who already despised his poverty, a string of sarcastic and insulting words. The Old Scholar didn’t retort, only smiling apologetically. He spent all the money to buy half a roasted chicken wrapped in oiled paper, swaggering back to the house, never again mentioning banishing Cui Chan. He simply invited Cui Chan to sit down and eat the chicken.

The two sat facing each other at the tattered table. After eating for a while, Cui Chan asked the Old Scholar why he wasn’t eating.

The Old Scholar said he had a toothache and couldn’t eat greasy food.

The young Cui Chan continued to eat, head bowed, asking the Old Scholar, “Did you borrow the money to buy writing brushes?”

The Old Scholar patted his belly and said, “It’s all here. It’s not going anywhere. What does it matter if I write later? I can write even more articles in one go!”

The young Cui Chan knew that the poor, scholarly Old Scholar, spouting such bold words, was hiding the rumbling of his empty stomach.

Finally, the Old Scholar softly said, “Little Chan, this half a roasted chicken, whether it’s your teacher or you, we can only buy it with money. But the useless learning in your teacher’s belly, you can take it all, as much as you can. It doesn’t cost any money, although it probably isn’t worth much either. As long as we scholars don’t starve to death for even a single day, we must still uphold principles for that day.”

In truth, that day was the first time Cui Chan truly left the lineage of the Sage of Culture, albeit for a brief moment of less than an hour.

Only his later junior brothers, Zuo You and Qi Jingchun, and all the Cultural Sage’s disciples, both formal and informal, never knew about this.

Cui Chan didn’t speak of it, and neither did the Old Scholar.

Today, Cui Dongshan tapped the Lotus Child’s head with his finger, smiling, “I’m going to tell you something serious, something related to my teacher. Do you want to listen?”

The little one hesitated for a long time, then nodded.

Cui Dongshan slowly said, “My teacher has a mountain, called Fallen Phoenix Mountain. There’s a pond there, with a golden lotus seed within. It’s very likely to be your opportunity for enlightenment. For example, to become the first spirit on Treasure Bottle Continent to break through the Nascent Soul bottleneck and enter the Upper Five Realms. At that time, Fallen Phoenix Mountain will also benefit greatly, able to stabilize and condense a large amount of spiritual energy and opportunities through you. In cultivation, some critical junctures are first come, first served. If you’re late, you won’t even get a chance to squat in the latrine.”

The Lotus Child blinked, then raised its arm, clenching its fist, perhaps to encourage itself?

Cui Dongshan shook his head. “But I have one request for you. In the future, on some day when my teacher isn’t by your side, and someone tells you these things, and you feel particularly useless, feeling that you should do something for my teacher…”

Cui Dongshan said in a deep voice, “Don’t do it!”

The Lotus Child looked even more confused.

Cui Dongshan pointed to his chest, then pointed to the little one, smiling, “You are my teacher’s paradise on earth.”

The little one tilted its head, indicating that it didn’t understand.

Cui Dongshan turned his head, looking towards the heights. “In you, he sees the most beautiful scene in this world, or at least one of them. How should I put it? You’re like a flower blossoming from all the hardships my teacher suffered in his youth. Seeing you, the teacher will feel at ease. It turns out that he’s not alone in this world; there are other fools like him, exactly the same. And they’re so lucky that they met. Even if one day, my teacher changes because of this complex world, because of this and that helplessness, then if you haven’t changed, the teacher can still feel slightly more at ease, change less, change slower.”

Cui Dongshan withdrew his gaze. “But if you do as I say, you will lose a great opportunity.”

The Lotus Child vigorously shook its head.

As if to say it didn’t matter.

Cui Dongshan smiled brightly, leaned forward, and held out his little finger. “Then let’s make a pinky promise.”

The Lotus Child, with only one arm, raised that arm and made a pinky promise with Cui Dongshan, their finger sizes vastly different, making it quite amusing.

Cui Dongshan kept his back bent, smiling, “Unchanging for a hundred years, um, if possible, unchanged for a thousand years, ten thousand years.”

The little one nodded vigorously.

Cui Dongshan suddenly became fierce, saying, “If you ever go back on your word, I’ll beat you to death, put you on the chopping block, chop you into eight pieces, boil you in soup, add scallions and garlic, sprinkle with oil and salt…”

Halfway through, Cui Dongshan chuckled himself, making a face. As if not satisfied, he stretched out both hands, opened his mouth, and pressed against his nose, making a grotesque face.

The Lotus Child giggled, simply lying on the ground, waving its arms and legs.

Cui Dongshan also laughed heartily.

In the long years that followed.

Fallen Phoenix Mountain always had such a little spirit.

It was carefree, innocent, and pure.

No matter how high Chen Ping An’s achievements were in the future, every time he returned home from a long journey, he would spend time alone with the little one, simply chatting and sharing his feelings.