Today, the waters around Green Gorge Isle in the Book Brief Lake were tranquil, the lake surface like a mirror. The surrounding vassal isles, large and small, were draped in emerald peaks, with the occasional cry of a crane from a celestial abode. Now and then, a streak of iridescent light would flash across the distant sky, accompanied by the faint rumble of thunder.

A delightful landscape, worthy of immortal dwellings.

Senior Disciple Tian Hujun, clad in a crimson silk half-sleeved arm-shirt embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns in gold thread, walked gracefully, carrying a stack of documents towards a building near the entrance of Green Gorge Isle. Every cultivator she encountered on her path yielded and paid respects to this beautiful female cultivator.

Tian Hujun never responded in any way.

She was now a figure of immense power and influence on Green Gorge Isle. In recent years, the island’s strength had surged, and Tian Hujun, following her master Liu Zhimao and junior brother Gu Can, had waged countless wars. These relentless, bloody conflicts not only honed her cultivation but also yielded immense rewards. Coupled with Liu Zhimao’s generous bestowals, Tian Hujun successfully ascended to the realm of Golden Core Earth Immortal last autumn. Green Gorge Isle held a grand banquet to celebrate Tian Hujun’s advancement, welcoming her as an immortal being.

Tian Hujun arrived at the door of the building, knocked, and entered. She saw the young man sitting behind the desk, looking up at her.

The young man wore a hairpin in his hair and a long cyan robe. Beside him on the desk was a vermilion gourd. Having visited this place many times, Tian Hujun, now a Golden Core Earth Immortal, could discern subtle clues. The gourd was no ordinary object; it had likely been enchanted by a great master to conceal its true nature. Anything an accomplished cultivator would bother to disguise in such a manner was undoubtedly a genuine, high-grade magical treasure, perhaps a Sword Nourishing Gourd.

Tian Hujun had had a private conversation with her master, Liu Zhimao, about the gourd. Liu Zhimao’s answer confirmed Tian Hujun’s suspicion: it was indeed a high-grade Sword Nourishing Gourd.

However, what truly made Tian Hujun’s heart pound was not the Sword Nourishing Gourd being used as a wine vessel by the young man but the long sword left in the room next to junior brother Gu Can’s residence. Liu Zhimao had declared that it was an untamed, semi-divine weapon.

Liu Zhimao had instructed Tian Hujun to restrain all the cultivators of Green Gorge Isle during this period, at least until Chen Pingan left Book Brief Lake, and to avoid acting as capriciously as they usually did.

It was the first time Tian Hujun had sensed a kind of unfamiliar “restraint” from her master, Liu Zhimao.

Entering the room, the young man had already risen and proactively cleared a space on the desk.

Tian Hujun gently placed the stack of long-sealed documents on the desk with an apologetic tone. “Mr. Chen, this is the third batch of confidential files found in the Incense Hall of Green Gorge Isle. The Incense Hall has long been neglected, accustomed to a life of ease without regard for discipline. As a result, some of the documents have been poorly preserved and heavily damaged by insects. Mr. Chen, I am truly sorry.”

Chen Pingan waved his hand. “I hope that Celestial Master Tian will not punish the Incense Hall for this. Celestial Master Tian and the Incense Hall of Green Gorge Isle are already helping me. What do you think, Celestial Master Tian?”

Tian Hujun had originally intended to thoroughly discipline the three managers of the Incense Hall, but after seeing Chen Pingan’s expression and eyes, she immediately dismissed the idea. She then considered whether to privately teach them a lesson. The Book Brief Lake was currently peaceful on the surface, and the cultivators of Green Gorge Isle, accustomed to the bloody storms of previous years, were becoming bored and restless. Tian Hujun had risen from an insignificant senior disciple under the River Severing True Lord, once deemed by a visiting Yin-Yang master as having no hope of becoming an Earth Immortal, to wielding great power. She had even seized a captured Brow Immortal Isle as her own, the equivalent of a fiefdom granted by a king. The River Severing True Lord’s clear reward and punishment system was the foundation of Liu Zhimao’s ability to create Green Gorge Isle’s dominant position in the Book Brief Lake. Liu Zhimao was not stingy in bestowing rewards upon “meritorious subjects.” Newcomers or those who pledged allegiance were given equal treatment in the Ancestral Hall of Green Gorge Isle, as long as they dared to fight, kill, and risk their lives for the island.

Chen Pingan said, “I may need to speak with the Incense Hall manager later to ask some questions. Please trouble Celestial Master Tian to pass on the message.”

Tian Hujun felt a chill in her heart and immediately said with a smile, “Mr. Chen is too kind. This is my duty and the honor of the Incense Hall.”

Chen Pingan remained silent. Seeing that Tian Hujun seemed to have no intention of leaving, he had to ask softly, “Does Celestial Master Tian have anything to discuss?”

Tian Hujun cautiously chose her words and prepared her reply in her mind. “My master instructed me to ask Mr. Chen whether you will be participating in the upcoming election of the Jianghu Lord at Palace Willow Isle in the Book Brief Lake?”

Chen Pingan said, “This is a great opportunity that Green Gorge Isle has worked hard to achieve, and it is also your own affair in the Book Brief Lake. Naturally, I will not interfere. However, I will watch the excitement from here.”

Tian Hujun felt relieved. This response from the accountant, Chen Pingan, who baffled most of the Green Gorge Isle cultivators, was satisfactory. She should be able to give this report to her master, Liu Zhimao.

Chen Pingan walked around the desk and escorted Tian Hujun to the door.

Although it was the same routine every time, Tian Hujun felt a sense of being flattered. After she walked away, she pondered to herself, the accountant Chen Pingan, the man was still the same, but perhaps it was because she now knew about the Sword Nourishing Gourd and the semi-divine weapon?

Chen Pingan returned to his desk and began to read through the files from the Incense Hall.

Name, origin, date of birth, lineage, relatives, and family.

Many of the names had already been crossed out with vermilion ink, according to the old rules of the Green Gorge Isle Incense Hall, which was called “deleting the file.”

Whenever Chen Pingan saw a name he was looking for, he wrote it down in a blank book, along with their place of birth and the positions they had held on Green Gorge Isle. The thickness of the Incense Hall files for each Green Gorge Isle cultivator or handyman was directly related to their cultivation level. The higher the cultivation, the more detailed the record. The lower the cultivation, the simpler the record, often just their name and origin, less than ten words in total.

And there were many dead people who had never even appeared in the Incense Hall files. They died, and not even a name remained.
Next, Chen Ping’an, besides going to the Incense Offering Hall to inquire about the reputation and general perception of those people whose names he had noted down, also had to follow the vine, asking the various cultivators, mansion stewards, and flirtatious maids of Green Gorge Island about those names, recording them one by one in his book. Perhaps during this process, he would need to trouble some influential figures in key positions on Green Gorge Island, just like he had troubled Tian Hu Jun to deal with the Incense Offering Hall. Otherwise, the current Chen Ping’an, while not needing to expend too much mental energy on this matter, would waste too much time on the comings and goings.

On the way for Tian Hu Jun to report this matter to Liu Zhimao, she happened to encounter her junior brother, Gu Can, who was wearing a robe made from the molted skin of a Flood Dragon.

As for the other junior brothers and sisters, including Qin Que and Chao Zhe, as well as the ten enshrined guest elders residing on the twelve major islands, including Green Gorge, Brow Immortal, and Plain Scale, these confidants and capable subordinates of Green Gorge Island, with the approaching alliance meeting on Palace Willow Island, the upper echelons of Green Gorge Island were outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense. They needed to use the guise of the Intercepting River True Lord, acting as persuaders, much like strategists, running around everywhere, seeking alliances, using both conspiracies and overt strategies to the utmost.

Gu Can, seeing Tian Hu Jun, still had the appearance of a young peasant with his hands tucked into the sleeves of his dark cyan python robe, smiling slyly, said, “Senior Sister, you’re going to see Chen Ping’an again? I must kindly remind Senior Sister not to have any improper thoughts, thinking of offering yourself as a bed warmer, and one day climbing into Chen Ping’an’s bed, to taste the pleasure of me calling you ‘Sister-in-law.’ Otherwise, when I finish calling you Sister-in-law, I won’t care about any fellow disciple affection.”

Tian Hu Jun said with a wry smile, “Junior Brother, I’m not infatuated. Besides, does Mr. Chen have eyes for someone with my willow-catkin appearance?”

Gu Can was somewhat pleased, “Of course, Chen Ping’an has high standards. He didn’t even look at a girl named Zhi Gui next door back then. I’m very gratified that Senior Sister has such self-awareness.”

When chatting with Gu Can, Tian Hu Jun would subtly lower her position, so that Gu Can didn’t need to look up or raise his gaze. Over time, this became natural.

Gu Can continued, “Also, regarding the matter of the flirtatious maids, you must help me keep it a secret. If others let it slip, it’s their stupidity, they’re courting death. But Senior Sister is such a clever person with a seven-aperture exquisite heart, if there’s a mishap, I’ll have to suspect that Senior Sister has ulterior motives. At that time, Master couldn’t protect Senior Brother back then, and now he can’t protect Senior Sister either. I know that Third Senior Sister, who is naturally foxy and loves to sneak into other people’s beds, isn’t too close to Senior Sister. If her cultivation talent wasn’t so utterly unbearable, maybe we would have to call her Master’s wife now.”

Tian Hu Jun’s smile stiffened, “Doesn’t Junior Brother know Senior Sister’s character?”

Gu Can nodded, “Precisely because I know, I have to remind Senior Sister. Otherwise, one day, for a morsel of food from Master’s teeth, you’ll lose your life here. Senior Sister may not regret it, but I, as your junior brother who has been taken care of by Senior Sister for so many years, will feel heartbroken.”

Tian Hu Jun smiled bitterly, “I’ve remembered.”

Gu Can stretched out a hand and gently patted Tian Hu Jun’s cheek, “Go on, Master is waiting for your news.”

After Tian Hu Jun left.

Gu Can turned to the little loach and said, “It’s not a good idea to keep calling you Little Loach. Let’s go, I’ll go to Chen Ping’an to get you a name.”

The little loach squirmed shyly.

Gu Can laughed, “It’s not your true name, what’s there to be afraid or embarrassed about?”

On the way to that room, Gu Can frowned and asked, “That night, the commotion in Chen Ping’an’s room, was it really just a Qi deviation as he said?”

The little loach shook its head. As a Nascent Soul cultivator, it now looked down on the Qi refining of middle-five realm cultivators, and could see things clearly, “It’s definitely not that simple, only slightly better than cultivation deviation. The specific reason is hard to say. Chen Ping’an is a pure martial artist at heart, and he’s also rebuilding the Bridge of Longevity, which is different from us, so I can’t see the truth. But Chen Ping’an was seriously injured that night. Master also saw it, not only in his physical body and spirit, but also in his state of mind…”

The little loach dared not continue.

Gu Can stopped, silent.

His whole person exuded a suffocating aura.

This notorious little demon king of Book Brief Lake didn’t reach this point relying only on the little loach and Liu Zhimao.

Gu Can said with a bitter smile, “Then tell me, how to remedy it?”

The little loach, with its youthful appearance and snow-white skin, scratched its head, “Chen Ping’an himself didn’t say anything. Master shouldn’t add embellishments, right? Doesn’t Master often laugh at those ants trapped in a beast fight, saying that the more they do, the more mistakes they make?”

Gu Can nodded, “That makes sense.”

Arriving at Chen Ping’an’s small room, Gu Can pulled up a small stool and sat on the threshold, smiling and telling Chen Ping’an the purpose of his visit, wanting to help give the little loach a name, one that didn’t involve the true name of worldly demons and Flood Dragons.

Chen Ping’an put down his pen, looked up, and thought for a moment, “Let’s call it Tan Xue (Charcoal Snow), charcoal and snow in the same stove, close and intimate, especially precious.”

Gu Can nodded vigorously and said to the little loach with a smile, “How about it?!”

The little loach said shyly, “It’s too refined, I haven’t read any books, will people laugh at me?”

Gu Can sneered, “If anyone dares to laugh at your real name, I’ll…”

Gu Can quickly shut his mouth and secretly turned his head.

He found that Chen Ping’an had already picked up his pen again and continued to write with his head down.

Gu Can basked in the warm autumn sun for a while, feeling lazy and extremely comfortable, almost dozing off.

Sitting on the small stool, even if the sky fell, there was Chen Ping’an sitting behind him, at the desk. Gu Can wasn’t afraid.

Gu Can stretched lazily, turned his head and asked, “My mother said she’s cooking dinner, making a more authentic home-cooked meal than last time, are you free?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Thank Auntie for me, and tell her I’ll be there when it’s time for dinner. Also, tell Auntie that I won’t be drinking.”

Gu Can smiled happily, “Alright! I’m busy then.”
As Gu Can placed the small stool back in the corner, Chen Pingan suddenly said, “Tell Lord Tianhu that I wish to collect the local chronicles of Shujian Lake. Aside from the treasured books on each island, it may also involve Chishui City near Shujian Lake, and even the farther prefectural and county records. I will cover all expenses, no matter how much immortal money it takes. Remind her that when making the final offer, she should include the off-the-books premium, including the manpower and resources of Qingxia Island. Let’s do business as business. I believe Shujian Lake is no stranger to this.”

Gu Can laughed, “A small matter! Now, Qingxia and the other twelve islands support a large group of cunning fellows who only know how to wave flags and do nothing useful. It’s good to send them out to do some proper work.”

Chen Pingan looked at Gu Can.

Gu Can thought for a moment, “I’ll make it clear beforehand that we’re doing business as business, and we won’t dare to use Qingxia Island’s name to engage in forced buying and selling or reckless behavior.”

Chen Pingan said, “If something unexpected still happens, tell me immediately, and I will handle it myself.”

Gu Can smiled brightly, “Rest assured, there will absolutely be no accidents. This is Qingxia Island, this is Shujian Lake. There are many rules, and there are also many people who like to break them. But everyone knows the price to pay for breaking the rules; they’re crystal clear on that.”

Gu Can left the Qingxia Island mountain gate with Xiao Niqiu.

Gu Can suddenly said, “Xiao Niqiu, why do I feel like Chen Pingan’s last look was strange? Were you panicking a little just now?”

Xiao Niqiu said timidly, “A little.”

Gu Can swaggered, “I knew it. Chen Pingan is suitable for staying in our Shujian Lake. With him around, I’m only afraid of him, but I can truly be fearless. Who benefits more from this deal? Of course, it’s me.”

Xiao Niqiu smiled shyly, “Tanxue thinks you’re right.”

Gu Can turned his head, seeing Xiao Niqiu lowering her head and twisting the corner of her clothes. Gu Can scolded with a laugh, “You shameless little wench. You were just saying it was too refined, and now you’re eagerly using your name?”

Gu Can suddenly looked crestfallen, “But Xiao Niqiu, we need to be careful recently. We can’t be as violent as before. Don’t think Chen Pingan has become an accountant; he’s always watching us.”

Xiao Niqiu patted her stomach, “Not hungry for now.”

Gu Can rolled his eyes, “You just ate that Jindan cultivator. Who do you want me to catch for you if you say you’re hungry again? My master?”

Xiao Niqiu’s eyes shone.

Gu Can grinned, clasped his hands in his sleeves, and looked up, “Xiao Niqiu, I’m happy. Even happier than a satisfying kill.”

Xiao Niqiu followed suit, having recently learned to “be honest,” “Before being hungry, if Master is happy, I am also very happy.”

Gu Can asked, “What exactly do you think Chen Pingan is up to?”

Xiao Niqiu shook her head, “I don’t dare to get close to Chen Pingan and his desk. I don’t like thinking about things. I don’t know.”

Gu Can sighed, “Whatever. As long as I can see Chen Pingan every day, what more could I ask for?”

Inside a tall building in Chishui City.

Cui Dongshan had recently started to stand up and often paced inside the golden thunder pool.

On the other hand, Cui Chan began to meditate and occasionally received flying sword transmissions of the highest grade, requiring him to personally handle some military and political matters related to the overall situation of Dali.

Cui Dongshan stood at the edge of the circle, looking down at two paintings. One depicted Gu Can and his maid, Xiao Niqiu, in their words and actions, and the other showed the interior of the accountant Chen Pingan’s room.

Cui Dongshan began to comment on Gu Can, “Those with protruding bones die young, those with exposed bones have no foundation, those with transverse bones have fierce qi, those with bones like gold and stone have extremely hard fates. Hey, you old bastard, do you think that if Gu Can leaves Lizhu Cave and never sees Chen Pingan again, is it possible for him to rely on himself to become the second cultivator in Baoping Continent after Liu Laocheng of Fengwei Ferry to reach the upper five realms?”

Cui Chan opened his eyes and nodded, “Extremely likely. Gu Can is like a fish in water in chaotic times.”

Cui Dongshan smiled, “Old bastard, what do you say now? Although my teacher’s vitality is greatly damaged, harming the very foundation of his Great Dao, this impasse is not as dead as it could be. Are you even more disappointed than my teacher? Haha, you painstakingly arranged four tribulations, but my teacher directly conceded on the matter of his original heart in the third tribulation. Since he insists in his heart that Gu Can’s actions are still wrong, and he cannot kill Gu Can with a single blow, nor can he abandon Gu Can, he first passes the hurdle of his original heart. Resolutely, he shattered the second natal treasure that he had finally refined. Taking this opportunity, not only did he make your first two tribulations a joke, but my teacher was also able to make another cut and delimitation, choosing the narrowest path without forks. For the time being, he put aside affection and law, not haggling over law and reason, but began to trace the origin and, while thinking about the ins and outs, my teacher began to try to step out of his own ‘flawless’ circle for the first time. It was like breaking through a barrier, no longer drawing a prison based on reason, but began to enter the vast world, wherever his mind can reach, there is nowhere he cannot go!”

Cui Chan answered irrelevantly, “I heard that you have now picked up the art of calculation that we discarded back then and started to study the channels and obstacles?”

Cui Dongshan smiled and said, “A little achievement, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning. It can’t compare to the grand plan you are scheming.”

Cui Chan sneered, “Say what you want to say. What’s the point of holding it in? Do you think I would beg you to tell me those newly realized profound principles?”

Cui Dongshan rubbed his hands, “Since the old bastard is asking me in disguise, then I will… just tell you one interesting thing. I believe you will be curious too. I ask you, Old Cui Bastard, don’t you want to know how my teacher passed the test of his future father-in-law and mother-in-law during that trip to the Upside-Down Mountain? I can give you a hint; it has a little bit to do with Gu Can.”
Cui Chan said calmly, “Back in the bamboo building on Fallen Phoenix Mountain, Grandpa mentioned that Chen Ping’an’s greatest danger in Inverted Peak Mountain and the Great Wall of Sword Qi lies in his ability to break through two realms in one breath, directly ascending to the peak of the sixth realm in martial arts. Chen Ping’an, being such a cunning individual, must have considered this. Judging from the current signs, Chen Ping’an can control his fist intent so freely. The encounters in Lotus Root Paradise might not be enough; it’s more likely during that father-in-law’s test of his son-in-law. Ah, yes, there’s a Yellow Millet Wine shop in Inverted Peak Mountain. Drinking the wine makes one forget their worries. Chen Ping’an should have reached the sixth realm there. How he did it and how he returned to his original realm are not important, as the vast world is full of wonders, and there’s an ancestor of mixed schools selling wine for many years. Even if Chen Ping’an ascended to become an Earth Immortal overnight, I wouldn’t be surprised. So, how did Chen Ping’an pass the test? It’s simple. Two great sword immortals, Dao companions from the Great Wall of Sword Qi, pretended to be passersby and deliberately provoked Chen Ping’an in the Yellow Millet Paradise wine shop, causing him to become hot-blooded and disregard his martial arts future, breaking through realms in desperation to speak justice for his beloved girl’s parents.”

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “You old turtle, you’re still sharp. But be careful with your words in the future. My teacher isn’t ‘cunning’; he’s just thoughtful, gaining wisdom from everything. He’s worlds apart from the two of us, who are naturally full of mischief.”

Cui Chan sneered, “I bet everyone at the Great Wall of Sword Qi thinks Chen Ping’an is unworthy of Ning Yao.”

Cui Dongshan was puzzled, “Old turtle, what’s wrong with you? Why are you saying good things about my teacher? Are you thinking of surrendering and splitting the difference? If that’s what you want, it’s not impossible. Then we’ll call it a draw?”

Cui Chan continued to himself, “He was willing to sacrifice his martial arts future to pass the Inverted Peak Mountain test. If he’s unwilling to stay for Gu Can now, how is Chen Ping’an qualified to be in this game? How many clever people have we seen who are unwilling to give up something today, thinking they’ll have more to give up tomorrow?”

Cui Dongshan became increasingly confused, “Cui Chan, you’re praising my teacher again? Are you losing your mind? Don’t do this. If you really have to go crazy, wait until the big event is over. Then, at worst, I’ll put a small food bowl outside the bamboo building on Fallen Phoenix Mountain for you…”

Cui Chan pointed to the room with the painting and turned to look at Cui Dongshan, his lips curling into a cold smile. “How did I tell you before? The fourth difficulty is difficult because of countless difficulties. Do you know that the fourth difficulty has just begun? The more effort Chen Ping’an puts in now, the more mental obstacles he will have later. By then, I reckon you’ll be begging me to surrender and split the difference, worrying about whether Chen Ping’an has completely gone mad.”

Cui Dongshan no longer pretended to be relaxed like before. He sat back down and said slowly, “Temporary victory lies in strength, eternal victory lies in reason.”

Cui Chan smiled, “What if this ‘temporary’ lasts for decades, a hundred years? That’s a lifetime for a mortal scholar. What will you do, and what will Chen Ping’an do?”

Cui Dongshan frowned. “You should learn from my teacher and know how to be kind to humanity. And I, Cui Dongshan, am one of humanity, so stop being so aggressive here.”

Cui Chan smiled slightly, “Ruan Xiu and her group have entered the game. Liu Laocheng, the master of Gongliu Island, who has been almost forgotten by Shujian Lake, is also about to enter the game. Maybe, arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time.”

Cui Dongshan shook his head and swayed back and forth. “I can’t hear you, I can’t hear you, you’re just talking nonsense.”

Cui Chan said slowly, “This is the price of reasoning. He gave away a loach that was bound to become a nascent soul in Mud Bottle Alley for nothing, lost Qi Jingchun’s Mountain Talisman in Flood Dragon Ditch, and was almost stabbed to death by Du Mao with a sword in Old Dragon City. It seems that your teacher hasn’t suffered enough, the price isn’t high enough. It doesn’t matter; this time in Shujian Lake, he can eat until he’s stuffed to death.”

Cui Dongshan remained seated, swaying back and forth. “I can’t hear you, I can’t hear you, you old turtle’s nonsense is the worst.”

Cui Chan turned his head to look at this “young Cui Chan”. “If you have the chance to go to Fallen Phoenix Mountain in the future, remember to be nice to Grandpa. If I were Grandpa, I would have beaten you to death long ago for being such a disgrace.”

Cui Dongshan not only shook his butt but also began to wave his two snow-white sleeves.

Cui Chan muttered to himself, “Is he trying to force himself to death?”

As Chen Ping’an put down his brush, he suddenly noticed the sunlight outside.

After thinking for a moment, he walked out of the house and began to dry the bamboo slips.

Many of the bamboo slips were inscribed on both sides, not because there wasn’t enough bamboo. After traveling thousands of miles, he naturally encountered bamboo forests along the way.

It’s just that after reading many books at the time, he discovered many truths. Even though the three teachings and hundreds of schools of thought had different literary traditions, some of the paired sentences on a single bamboo slip still felt “close”. Different literary traditions within Confucianism still felt like direct descendants. The three teachings felt like close neighbors. The three teachings and the other schools of thought felt like casual friends in the martial world or distant relatives who hadn’t been in contact for many years?

As Chen Ping’an dried the bamboo slips, he picked up one of them. On the front was a Confucian saying: “Things have roots and branches, and affairs have beginnings and ends. Knowing what comes first and what comes later is approaching the Dao.”

On the back was the Daoist saying: “Heaven and earth have great beauty but do not speak; the four seasons have clear laws but do not discuss; all things have their principles but do not explain.”

However, this bamboo slip was special. After reading Buddhist scriptures, Chen Ping’an used a carving knife to engrave a smaller Buddhist saying on the side of the bamboo slip: “The wonderful principles of the Buddhas are not related to words.”

One bamboo slip had “The superior man devotes himself to the fundamental; when the root is established, the Dao grows” inscribed on the front, and the Buddhist saying “There is no fixed Dharma; the Tathagata can speak of it” on the back.

After picking it up, he recited it silently and gently put it down.

Chen Ping’an picked up another bamboo slip: “Dharma is equal, without high or low,” and “People have north and south, but Buddha-nature has no north or south,” while the back read, “Rulers, subjects, superiors, inferiors, nobles, and commoners all follow the Dharma.”

Finally, Chen Ping’an picked up a bamboo slip. The front read, “There is no sorrow greater than the death of the heart; the death of the body is secondary.” The back read, “When one is impoverished, one must change; change leads to progress; progress leads to permanence.”

The autumn air was crisp, and the sun shone brightly.

Chen Ping’an dried all the bamboo slips and squatted in the blank space that seemed to be the center, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking around.

He squatted like this until the setting sun slanted on the mountain, then Chen Ping’an began to collect the bamboo slips one by one, placing them into his spatial object.

Let’s put all these principles from the books aside for now.
The truth lies in books, but living life exists outside their pages.

This principle was one Chen Ping’an already understood before the destruction and fall of the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven. Moreover, it wasn’t gleaned from a book, but diligently listened to from someone’s earnest explanation.

Chen Ping’an had just finished putting away all the bamboo scrolls when he saw Gu Can approaching with Little Loach, waving at him.

Chen Ping’an closed the door of his dwelling and walked towards Gu Can, heading together towards that palatial residence rivaling the homes of princes.

Two portraits of door gods were pasted on the main gate.

Chen Ping’an looked at them, murmuring in his heart, “They can block ghosts, but they can’t stop people.”

Gu Can asked, “What’s wrong?”

He then complained, “You just had to move to that place near the mountain gate. You can’t even hang up proper door gods, how pathetic.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Let’s go eat.”

Arriving at the dining table, they discovered that Gu Can’s mother had already poured wine for both Chen Ping’an and Gu Can.

Little Loach sat beside Gu Can. It didn’t really like eating the food, but it enjoyed sitting there, accompanying the mother and son as they ate, making it feel more human.

Gu Can had actually agreed with his mother not to drink tonight, so he was a little worried that Chen Ping’an might be angry.

But he saw Chen Ping’an already raising his wine cup, toasting to his aunt. Not only that, but he poured himself a cup, took a sip, and began to eat.

Throughout the meal, the woman mostly chatted about trivial and interesting things from the past in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven. Chen Ping’an didn’t remain silent the entire time either, occasionally mentioning the bustling atmosphere of Longquan County nowadays.

It was a harmonious scene.

After Gu Can finished a cup of wine, he felt as though he could drink a thousand pounds without getting drunk.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ping’an poured cold water on him. “You’re still young. Even though you’re a Qi Refiner now, Wu Ti Wine can still benefit your cultivation, so you should drink less. If you’re really happy, just have three cups.”

Gu Can made a face and nodded in agreement.

The woman covered her mouth and smiled.

If Chen Ping’an could manage her son Gu Can more in these harmless little matters, she would be very happy to see it.

Especially after Little Loach inadvertently mentioned the “I Cherish and Cultivate My Noble Spirit” jade pendant, the woman thought about it alone for half the night, feeling it was a good thing. At the very least, it could make Liu Zhimao wary. As long as Chen Ping’an had the power to protect himself, it would at least mean he wouldn’t be a burden to her son Gu Can, right? As for those twisting rights and wrongs, she found them annoying to listen to, and didn’t think that Chen Ping’an would deliberately harm Gu Can. As long as Chen Ping’an didn’t try to do good deeds that backfired, and wasn’t the type to act without thinking, she would let Chen Ping’an stay on Qingxia Island.

After dinner, Chen Ping’an began his usual solitary stroll along the lakeside path of Qingxia Island.

Walking and stopping, without any particular destination.

Occasionally, he would encounter some Qingxia Island cultivators, mostly young, low-ranking Qi Refiners below the fifth realm. As for those servants and maids, they naturally wouldn’t dare to leave their respective residences without permission.

Upon seeing Chen Ping’an, they would all call him “Mister Chen,” because they simply didn’t know the background of this young man. They only heard that he was a distinguished guest personally invited to Qingxia Island by Gu Can. Moreover, Gu Can would go to that house near the mountain gate every day to sit for a while and chat with this guest, which was an incredibly rare and surprising event.

However, when that accountant became amiable to everyone, it instead made him harder to fathom, diminishing the sense of awe towards him.

Could he be a mere showpiece? Perhaps a fellow villager of Gu the Little Devil from Great Li? Or perhaps a junior relative of that madam’s family?

Chen Ping’an walked along the quiet road and stopped.

Two people were standing before him: Chao Zhe, one of Gu Can’s fellow disciples, and Lu Caisang, whom Gu Can regarded with some favor. He was a handsome young man dressed in white, seemingly in his early thirties, but his temperament and appearance were still those of a youth. He must have entered the Cave Mansion Realm when he was only a teenager, allowing him to maintain the appearance of a child. This indicated that the rare old Nascent Soul cultivator of Shujian Lake had good foresight in taking Lu Caisang as his secluded disciple.

Lu Caisang brushed past the already-stopped Chao Zhe and strode forward, his face gloomy. “Are you Chen Ping’an? I advise you to meddle less in Can Can’s affairs in the future!”

Chen Ping’an asked directly, “Or else what?”

Lu Caisang was slightly stunned, just about to speak.

Chen Ping’an’s gaze had already passed over Lu Caisang, looking at Chao Zhe, who considered himself an outsider. After hesitating for a moment, he said something strange: “Forget it, don’t let it happen again.”

Chao Zhe hesitated to speak.

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “No need to explain, I know. I just don’t want to listen.”

Lu Caisang looked at the haggard young man with a gloomy expression, and sneered, “What big words, is Can Can lending you courage?”

Chen Ping’an, seemingly a sickly person, stretched out an arm horizontally.

Chao Zhe instinctively wanted to retreat, but he was unwilling to show weakness in front of Lu Caisang, an outsider to Qingxia Island, so he forced himself to remain calm.

The world was silent.

Lu Caisang laughed loudly, “What are you doing?”

Chen Ping’an frowned, muttering to himself, “You’re not coming? Think carefully.”

As his words settled.

A golden thread shot up from Gu Can’s residence in an instant. The golden thread continued to stretch, and finally, a long sword hovered above the young man’s palm.

Even though the flying sword was already one inch above his palm, still and unmoving.

The golden line left behind by the flying sword’s trajectory.

Had not dissipated.

Lu Caisang narrowed his eyes.

His heart was filled with shock.

Chen Ping’an asked, “According to the rules of Shujian Lake, can the two of you be considered dead?”

Chen Ping’an glanced at the faintly humming, semi-immortal grade Sword Immortal, and said calmly, “Go back. Next time it’s drawn, it will satisfy you.”

The “Sword Immortal” flashed and disappeared, and the golden thread, thousands of feet long, finally vanished.

Lu Caisang still stood in place, unwilling to back down.

Chao Zhe had already stepped aside, standing to the side.

Chen Ping’an glanced at Lu Caisang, who had a look of facing death as if going home, but surprisingly, he smiled, “Gu Can probably really considers you a friend.”

After saying that, Chen Ping’an actually turned and left, returning to his dwelling.

Deep down, Lu Caisang, who was somewhat fearful, turned his head to look at Chao Zhe, who was covered in cold sweat. Lu Caisang still remained defiant, asking, “Is this guy’s brain damaged?”

Chao Zhe didn’t dare to say a word.

You damn Lu Caisang can run back to your master’s place to hide, but once I provoke this unassuming Sword Immortal plague god, where can I run?
Chen Pingan returned to the dwelling, igniting the lamp upon the table.

Successively, local gazetteers from various locales within Shujian Lake were delivered, intermingled with ancestral hall genealogies from numerous islands. Tian Hujun’s swift delivery was easily explained: these were war spoils seized from Qingxia Island, and among the least valuable. Had Chen Pingan not inquired, they would have been incinerated as worthless paper. Qingxia Island’s eleven tributary isles had each seen their ancestral flames extinguished by that pair of master and disciple.

Each scroll required meticulous examination, each entry demanding careful transcription.

Thereafter, more exhaustive inquiries would be necessary, transcending the mere scratching of pens upon paper.

Yet, Chen Pingan found no insurmountable difficulty in this task. Firstly, he was adept at the art of patient, incremental effort, merely substituting the discipline of fist practice with this new endeavor. Secondly, if he recoiled at the initial hurdle, he would have long since retreated in the face of adversity.

In the dead of night, the full moon hung high above the window, its clear radiance bathing the world. Chen Pingan laid down his brush, massaged his wrist, and stepped outside, pacing in circles as a form of respite.

Three letters had already been dispatched: to Piyun Mountain in Longquan County, Taiping Mountain in Tongye Continent, and the Fan family in Old Dragon City.

He anticipated no swift response by flying sword.

Chen Pingan felt no urgency, nor could he force the matter.

He had traversed countless mountains and rivers, step by painstaking step. The swift passage of flying swords was indeed far faster.

Abruptly, Chen Pingan departed from his circuitous path, passing the mountain gate of Qingxia Island towards the ferry landing.

He stood upon the shore, crouched down, and scooped up a handful of water, washing his face. Lifting his head, he gazed into the distance.

For reasons unknown, in that moment, as Chen Pingan regarded Shujian Lake – infamous and commonplace within Treasure Bottle Continent – a forgotten, unsought verse surfaced in his mind:

The spirit of heroes pervades the heavens and earth, their awe-inspiring presence enduring for millennia.