That day, someone from the sword chamber came to Chen Ping’an’s residence to inform him that another foreign flying sword had arrived at Azure Gorge Island. Chen Ping’an quickly left his house.

As expected, it was a reply from Zhong Kui.

Sure enough, upon reaching the sword chamber, which received flying sword messages from all directions, Chen Ping’an received a secret letter from Mount Taiping. Unfortunately, Zhong Kui wrote that he was currently dealing with urgent matters. Like pulling out a radish and bringing up mud, demonic activity was rampant in various places at the foot of Mount Tongye. Although not as dangerous as before, it was even more disgusting. Truly, there was no end to the demons and monsters being slain. He couldn’t free himself for the time being, but he would come as soon as he had any spare time. However, he hoped Chen Ping’an wouldn’t hold his breath, as Zhong Kui was destined to be unable to leave Mount Tongye in the near future.

Chen Ping’an was somewhat worried. After all, Zhong Kui had not only been stripped of his gentlemanly title by the academy but had also become a ghost. If he encountered a Nascent Soul demon, without the academy’s status, he would lose his greatest protective charm.

After worrying, Chen Ping’an put away the secret letter, walked out of the sword chamber, and began to grumble, inwardly scolding Zhong Kui for being unrighteous. The letter was full of news similar to the Shu Jian Lake bulletins, such as Yao Jinzhi’s selection into the palace, the exciting ups and downs of the three Great Spring Dynasty princes, the Water God of Buried River being blessed with immense fortune, and the Biyou Mansion successfully being promoted to the Biyou Water God Palace. He mentioned a lot of things, but he didn’t even write down a single technique for summoning ghosts or resurrecting spirits.

Not long after Chen Ping’an left the sword chamber, Island Lord Liu Zhimao unexpectedly arrived, causing the sword chamber cultivators to fall silent one by one. This was an unimaginable rarity for them. The Intercepting River True Monarch had almost never entered this sword chamber. Firstly, this Nascent Soul Island Lord had his own immortal high-grade small sword mound for receiving and sending flying swords, which was more discreet and convenient. Secondly, Liu Zhimao lived a secluded life on Azure Gorge Island. Apart from occasionally going to Chun Ting Mansion where Gu Can was, only his direct disciple Tian Hujun and the island lords of tributary islands had the opportunity to meet Liu Zhimao.

Liu Zhimao stood with his hands behind his back, bending over and carefully gazing at the Mount Taiping message flying sword, still absorbing spiritual energy in a “trough” on the sword chamber rack. He seemed to be confirming the authenticity of the words “Mount Taiping.”

In Treasure Bottle Continent, every message flying sword from a large immortal family would openly inscribe its own sect’s name with a unique secret technique. This was a huge deterrent in itself. In Treasure Bottle Continent, sects such as the Divine Edict Sect, the Wind and Snow Temple, and the True Martial Mountain would do so. In addition, the Wind and Thunder Garden, which produced the unparalleled genius Li Tuanjing, also did the same and could convince others. Half of the Wind and Thunder Garden’s message flying swords were even personally inscribed with the words “Wind and Thunder” by Li Tuanjing, the undisputed Nascent Soul number one in Treasure Bottle Continent, using his natal flying sword’s tip.

It was just that, according to legend, Li Tuanjing had already dismembered his body to pass on his legacy, and the Wind and Thunder Garden was now managed by the two young people, Huang He and Liu Baqiao. Coupled with the unstoppable rise of their nemesis, the Orthodox Yang Mountain, even though Huang He was extremely remarkable and Liu Baqiao also had a promising future, was the Wind and Thunder Garden without Li Tuanjing still the Wind and Thunder Garden? Its momentum was indeed not as great as before. Now, the mountain cultivators of Treasure Bottle Continent were speculating about when Huang He, the new garden owner who had amazed everyone at the Wind and Snow Temple’s Immortal Platform, would truly be able to shoulder the responsibility.

As long as they encountered a flying sword with its name inscribed, a small number of rogue cultivators who dared to intercept flying swords in private would generally release the flying sword as soon as they saw the name. They would never dare to break the restrictions without authorization, lest they bring about a murderous disaster.

Other mountain immortal families were very tacit and didn’t have the face to do such a thing. Over at Dragon Spring Sword Sect, Earth Immortal Dong Gu had once suggested to Ruan Qiong that since they were now a sect-level mountain gate, whether they should inscribe words on their message flying swords. Ruan Qiong, who was usually stern but rarely showed his disciples any leniency, turned pale at the time, scaring Dong Gu into withdrawing his words. Ruan Qiong then mocked himself, “A sect without even a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, what kind of sect-level mountain gate is that?”

The person in charge of the sword chamber mustered his courage and said softly, “Island Lord, this flying sword is not only inscribed with the three words ‘Mount Taiping,’ but there are also words engraved on the other side of the sword body.”

Liu Zhimao hummed and extended a finger, gently flicking it. The flying sword, suspended in the sword trough, gently turned over, revealing the three words “Ancestral Hall.”

Liu Zhimao narrowed his eyes and sighed in his heart. It seemed that the accountant had met a very remarkable person in Mount Tongye.

Previously, Liu Zhimao had taken the initiative to put aside his airs and personally visited to apologize. He and Chen Ping’an had spoken frankly. Originally, Liu Zhimao was somewhat skeptical of Chen Ping’an’s statement that the Great Li owed him something. He still didn’t completely believe it now, but he believed it a little more, and his doubts naturally lessened.

A message flying sword from the Ancestral Hall of Mount Taiping, the third largest immortal family in Mount Tongye.

In the Nine Continents, on the smallest Treasure Bottle Continent, it was roughly equivalent to a Lotus Hall flying sword from the hand of Heavenly Sovereign Qi Zhen of the Divine Edict Sect.

It was still quite intimidating.

Liu Laocheng of Palace Willow Island, who no longer paid much attention to Shu Jian Lake, might not care. However, Liu Zhimao, whose role as the Lord of Shu Jian Lake was still so bumpy, had to carefully consider it.

A cross-continental flying sword, traveling back and forth, consumed a lot of spiritual energy and was very expensive.

The managing cultivators of the Azure Gorge Island sword chamber specially discussed this matter. Besides the fact that the “Mount Taiping” matter had to be reported to Tian Hujun, they also had to decide whether to “casually mention” the matter of the few Minor Heat coins. After some deliberation, the group gritted their teeth and decided not to trouble Tian Hujun with such a trivial matter. In the end, the sword chamber staff chipped in to cover the cost of the Minor Heat coins, sharing the worries and overcoming the difficulties together for Azure Gorge Island.

Liu Zhimao withdrew his gaze and turned to ask, “Did Mr. Chen say anything about the spirit stones consumed by this flying sword in the sword chamber?”

The person in charge of the sword chamber shook his head and said, “No, it seems Mr. Chen doesn’t quite understand the sword chamber rules.”

Liu Zhimao asked with a smile, “Then did you hint at Mr. Chen? It wouldn’t hurt to explain the rules, or else the sword chamber will inevitably lose money in the future.”

The person in charge was horrified and immediately replied, “The sword chamber made absolutely no hints!”

Liu Zhimao muttered to himself, “This Mr. Chen is becoming more and more comfortable with us on Azure Gorge Island. Well, that’s actually a good thing.”

Liu Zhimao asked again, “In the past two days, Mr. Chen sent two more letters to his hometown from here?”
The man in charge nodded, “All messages are being sent via flying sword to Dragon Spring Prefecture. However, there’s a slight difference: one goes to Pīyún Mountain, the other to Lùopò Mountain.”

Liu Zhimao suddenly asked, “What do you all think of this Mister Chen? Is he easy to deal with?”

The sword chamber attendants exchanged glances. Liu Zhimao waved his hand, “Forget it. You wouldn’t even reach that stage.”

Liu Zhimao strode out, directly leaving the sword chamber filled with chaotic sword energies, and returned to his own Hengbo Mansion.

Tian Hujun, who had personally reported the news to him earlier, was still standing there. Liu Zhimao said, “Find him according to Chen Ping’an’s request. No matter how much manpower and resources it costs, treat it as the top priority for Green Gorge Island recently. Remember not to make a big show of it. Just get it done quietly and bring the person back to Green Gorge Island. Chen Ping’an is smart enough, and we’re not dealing with Spring Court Prefecture. There’s no need for you to gild the lily.”

Tian Hujun nodded in acknowledgment, without uttering a word of unnecessary chatter. Her master had never liked that. A whole string of flattering words was never as good as a single small accomplishment recorded in the book of merits. That’s what her master would look at.

Liu Zhimao chuckled, “Today, the sword chamber has actually done a good deed. The four, including the man in charge, are considered intelligent. Go to the secret files and erase the records of their embezzlement over the past century. Just consider those forty-odd Grain Rain coins they earned in violation of the rules as extra rewards for their hard work, even if they didn’t have any actual merits.”

Tian Hujun nodded. According to the established strategy her master had devised, after becoming a lord of the Jianghu world, there would be a grand reward ceremony for meritorious officials and a demonstration of power to warn others, a two-pronged approach, some on the surface, some under the table. However, with the current situation changing and the addition of Liu Laocheng from Palace Willow Island, the former was no longer appropriate and had to be delayed until the situation became clearer. However, some unappreciative people were stirring up trouble, which meant that the latter would be intensified. Anyone who dared to tempt fate at this time would face retribution and be dealt with harshly in these turbulent times. People could actually die.

Tian Hujun quietly left Hengbo Mansion.

Returning to her own Su Lin Island, which was where she had established her mansion, she was greeted by a throng of beauties, who all flattered her, their celestial immortal “ancestor,” some with a bit of sincerity, but most with false intentions.

Tian Hujun felt neither fondness nor aversion towards them. Earning a living in the Shujian Lake required such behavior. Otherwise, one would either be a beast of burden for others for life, or worse, slowly starve to death.

She first instructed two trusted elders who had moved with her to Su Lin Island to inform the Green Gorge Island Fishing Office, which was the most experienced in handling such matters, and two vassal islands with whom she had a good private relationship, to cooperate in handling the matter that Chen Ping’an had proposed and Liu Zhimao had ordered.

She walked alone through a secret passage several miles long, quietly arriving at the secret chamber she used for cultivating, located within the belly of Su Lin Island beneath the mansion. The deeper she went, the denser the water energy, which was a manifestation of the gathered spiritual essence. The so-called secret chamber was simply a chair placed next to an underground river. The entire underground area had a faint, ghostly green color, a manifestation of the water energy. Moreover, the walls above the secret chamber also emitted threads of moon-white light, which flowed into the mouths of the dragons carved on the chair.

When Tian Hujun sat on the dilapidated old dragon chair, she took a deep breath, her face filled with contentment. She gripped the armrests of the chair, and dragon energy and water spiritual energy continuously seeped into her palms, madly pouring into her innate energy repositories. The spiritual energy surged, honing her Dao practice.

Tian Hujun’s face contorted, showing both pain and pleasure.

Her body was drenched in fragrant sweat.

An hour later, Tian Hujun opened her eyes and heavily exhaled a mouthful of foul air. With a gentle wave of her sleeve, the foul air flowed along the underground river into Shujian Lake, preventing it from contaminating and eroding the precious spiritual fortune of the area.

Tian Hujun was slightly tired, but more than that, she was satisfied. The path of cultivation was fraught with hardship, causing great fear, but the pleasure it brought far surpassed the carnal desires and joys of love between men and women. Therefore, the oaths of eternal love and unwavering devotion between men and women were mere tickles to the middle-five realm Qi practitioners, especially the earth immortals. However, there were always exceptions. If the Grand Dao itself involved that emotional hurdle, even Nascent Soul cultivators would be covered in mud, overwhelmed, and unable to transcend.

The best example of this was Li Tuanjing of Thunderclap Garden.

With his talent that could be described as incredibly gifted when it came to cultivation, he should have been among the top five realm Sword Immortals even earlier than Wei Jin of Snowwind Temple.

Once he entered the Jade Purity realm, crossing that natural chasm, the Immortal realm might even be within Li Tuanjing’s grasp.

Who would then be the true number one local cultivator of Treasure Bottle Continent?

Would a twelfth-realm Sword Cultivator be qualified?

It should be noted that the current leader of Treasure Bottle Continent cultivators, Daoist Heavenly Sovereign Qi Zhen, had only just recently entered the Immortal realm.

But Li Tuanjing, such a charismatic figure who occupied the sword Dao fortune of an entire continent, just happened to be unable to overcome the hurdle that even the likes of Tian Hujun wouldn’t care much about.

The Grand Dao was unpredictable, nothing more than this.

Tian Hujun collected her thoughts and began to carefully consider her future.

The scenery on the Grand Dao was infinitely beautiful, but she couldn’t just look at the magnificent scenery of others. She should also become a scenery that others envied. That was the right path.

When she thought of her younger brother who was lying ill in bed.

Tian Hujun’s mood was complicated.

After standing up, she instantly shook off the sweat and stains from her clothes.

She took a few steps forward and stood on the bank of the underground river, lost in thought.

Between Liu Zhimao and Gu Can, this pair of master and disciple, Tian Hujun’s emotional inclination was actually more towards the younger brother, Gu Can, than towards the master, who was deeply scheming and would kill anyone for the sake of the Grand Dao, and would kill them in such a mysterious way that they wouldn’t even know the reason until their death. That was the scariest thing.

On the other hand, although Gu Can was unruly, he was not really good at doing business, but as long as Tian Hujun persisted, she could easily put in one effort and receive an unexpected joy of two rewards. The younger brother was still a child, capable of dealing with those seemingly intricate but superficial forces, but he had not yet truly understood the fundamental veins hidden beneath the Shujian Lake water. That was the true rule of Shujian Lake. Gu Can didn’t know how to use people, only how to kill people. He didn’t know how to be steady and conservative, only how to advance blindly. In the end, it was not a long-term plan.

Therefore, reason told Tian Hujun that she could bet heavily on Gu Can, but she could never go bankrupt to support Gu Can. He liked to take risks too much.
She, Tian Hu Jun, was nowhere near capable of crossing blades with her master, Liu Zhi Mao. In all likelihood, she would never see that day.

Tian Hu Jun felt a pang of regret. Regret that Gu Can, in the span of three short years, had managed to conquer a small kingdom, yet hadn’t considered how to defend it once he sat upon the throne. She could have patiently taught him, imparted the wisdom she had painstakingly accumulated over two centuries. But Gu Can had risen too quickly, leaving Liu Zhi Mao and the entire Book Brief Lake caught off guard. Why would Gu Can ever listen to Tian Hu Jun’s counsel? Perhaps, given a few decades, Gu Can, with his superior talent, disposition, and aptitude, could have truly matured, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his master, Liu Zhi Mao.

Alas, Liu Lao Cheng had arrived.

He had instantly reduced Gu Can and his slippery loach back to their original, unremarkable forms.

History spoke of the nobility of warlords, their possession of land and arms, the power of life and death.

Yet, one couldn’t ignore the fact that Book Brief Lake was but a corner of Treasure Bottle Continent, now facing an unprecedented new era, rife with both immense danger and untold opportunity.

Whether it was the Great Li Iron Cavalry or the Crimson Canopy Dynasty, whoever ultimately became the overlord of Book Brief Lake desired a “regional king” capable of effectively controlling the situation. Failure to do so meant replacement, a mere flick of the wrist deciding life and death.

Tian Hu Jun never believed that her junior brother, Gu Can, had performed poorly. In fact, Gu Can’s achievements had filled her with both apprehension and respect. It was just that his accomplishments seemed…insufficient, and the tides of fate waited for no one.

Now, the sweeping tide was upon them. What was to be done?

Tian Hu Jun suddenly remembered that young accountant who resided at the foot of the mountain.

Could he slightly impede the flood that threatened to engulf Book Brief Lake and Azure Grotto Isle? Could he truly salvage the situation?

Tian Hu Jun shook her head.

Too difficult.

Chen Ping An returned to his room, settling behind his desk, where the documents he had collected and organized were ready.

The spirits and wraiths he had managed to gather were provisionally arranged with Yu Hui of Crescent Hook Isle and the Yin-Yang cultivators of Jade Bottle Isle. Ma Yuan Zhi of Crimson String Manor hadn’t yet agreed to sell, but he had promised to gather and filter the ghostly objects, awaiting Chen Ping An’s success in a certain matter. Once that was achieved, Crimson String Manor would offer all the prepared entities, at the agreed-upon price. However, as Chen Ping An’s encounters with Liu Chong Run of Pearl Hairpin Isle grew increasingly fruitless, it seemed that the ghost cultivator Ma Yuan Zhi was also becoming discouraged, his stance softening. He was considering a concession, willing to hand over half of the spirits accumulated in his Soul Summoning Banner and wellspring as a deposit, provided Chen Ping An could persuade Liu Chong Run to visit Azure Grotto Isle.

The letter Chen Ping An had sent to Wei Bo of Cloud Cloak Mountain primarily inquired about purchasing a mountain, along with a few other minor requests for Wei Bo’s assistance.

The letter sent home to Fallen Phoenix Mountain told Zhu Lian not to worry, assuring him that Chen Ping An was in no danger in Book Brief Lake and that there was no need for him to come. He also asked Zhu Lian to inform Pei Qian to stay safe in Dragon Spring County, but not to forget to invite the green-clad boy and pink-skirted girl to keep vigil at the old residence in Mud Bottle Alley on New Year’s Eve. If they felt cold, they should buy some better charcoal in town and light a brazier. After midnight, if they were truly sleepy, they could go to sleep. But the next day, they must remember to put up the Spring Festival couplets and the “Fortune” character. They absolutely should not spend money to buy them, as the Elder Cui on the second floor of the bamboo building had exquisite calligraphy skills. He should write them. There was still plenty of unused red paper from last year, and the pink-skirted girl knew where it was stored. Finally, he instructed Pei Qian not to be too reckless when setting off firecrackers at the old residence in Mud Bottle Alley on New Year’s Day. The courtyards and alleys there were small and narrow, so she should not set off too many. If she wasn’t satisfied, she could return to Fallen Phoenix Mountain, where she could set off as many as she liked. If she found it too much trouble to chop bamboo and make firecrackers, she could buy them at the shops in town. She shouldn’t be too frugal with this money. As for the New Year red envelopes, even though he, Chen Ping An, wasn’t home, they would still be given. On the first or second day of the New Year, his friend, the Mountain God Wei Bo, would appear, and everyone would receive one. But when asking for the red envelopes, everyone was to say something auspicious, and they were not to be impolite to Mister Wei.

Chen Ping An picked up a small awl-like brush with a purple bamboo shaft from the wooden brush holder, gently breathing on it, but paused, frowning, feeling more guilt than pain.

The brush holder on the desk was a simple one he had made himself. The brush was a gift from the island lord of Purple Bamboo Isle. Chen Ping An had boldly asked for three stalks of purple bamboo, and the island lord, being a generous man, had also given him two brushes specially made on Purple Bamboo Isle. They were naturally of the finest quality, with purple bamboo shafts and tips with small, transparent awns, extremely mysterious. It was the island lord’s secret, not passed down to others. Even a Qi Refiner below the fifth realm, with a gentle breath of spiritual energy, could write as if the brush was full of ink, the ink fragrant, and the paper naturally resistant to insects for a hundred years. Hence, this “Lake Bamboo Brush” was sold far and wide, even reaching the Crimson Canopy Dynasty’s mountains and valleys. It was a prized desk ornament for high-ranking officials and nobles. Even if it wasn’t used for writing, simply hanging it on the brush holder would please the owner.

Chen Ping An had brazenly accepted it at the time, asking for two small, sharp-tipped brushes perfect for writing small, neat characters.

They were similar to the Little Snow Awl that Li Xi Sheng had gifted him, with the same exquisite craftsmanship. Breathing upon it created ink. If the breath was too full of spiritual energy, one only needed to

place the brush on a brush rest or hang it on a brush holder to prevent any “ink” from dripping. If it was too little, one only needed to breathe gently again. It was very convenient. Moreover, if the natal acupoints had elemental attributes, the ink would even have different colors, which was extremely

useful, and therefore a favorite among female cultivators who exchanged letters.

Chen Ping An hadn’t practiced his fist techniques or cultivated his Qi for a long time. With the great battle against Liu Lao Cheng, his body was slowly recovering. However, it was only at this moment that he realized that the spiritual energy in his two natal Qi reservoirs had been depleted to this extent. The acupoint where the golden literary courage resided was now scarred and broken. Needless to say, during that night, to wield that sword immortal, it was akin to draining the pond to catch fish, burning the forest to hunt game, which had also greatly affected the “Water Mansion” where the green-clad figures gathered. The impact was even greater than Chen Ping An had anticipated, to the point that the Water Mansion was truly devoid of a single drop of spiritual energy.
Chen Ping’an, without the slightest hesitation, stood up and, using the ordinary ferryboat known to almost the entire Jianjian Lake, made a trip to Su Lin Island to pay respects to Lord Tian Hu.

The estate manager replied with apologies, saying that the island lord was in seclusion and it was unknown when he would emerge. He dared not disturb him without authorization, but if there was truly an urgent matter, he would inform the island lord for Master Chen’s sake, even if it meant severe punishment afterward.

Breaking seclusion halfway through was a grave taboo for cultivators.

Chen Ping’an, far from being a naive fledgling unfamiliar with the ways of the world, quickly smiled and told the old cultivator, whose face was full of “heroic self-sacrifice,” that there was no urgent matter. He had simply visited Su Lin Island several times without having the chance to sit down and chat with Lord Tian properly. He had troubled Lord Tian a great deal recently, and today he had some free time to come to the island and express his gratitude. There was no need to disturb the island lord’s cultivation.

The estate manager cultivator breathed a sigh of relief. Just as Chen Ping’an was about to leave, he suddenly smiled and asked, “I heard that your estate has a treasured collection of Girl Tea from Cao’e Island, which is occasionally brought out to entertain guests. Now that I’m here, could I trouble you to drink a cup to moisten my throat before I leave? If Lord Tian is angry afterward, please tell him that I pestered you relentlessly, declaring that I wouldn’t leave without tea, forcing you to spend some money.”

The old cultivator’s smile widened from ear to ear. He hurriedly led the accountant into the estate and soon presented a pot of Cao’e Island Girl Tea, naturally infused with water essence.

Chen Ping’an drank the tea and chatted idly with the old cultivator.

They talked very happily.

After Chen Ping’an took his leave, the old cultivator personally escorted him all the way to the Su Lin Island ferry, waving goodbye to the accountant vigorously.

On the way back to the estate, the old cultivator walked with his head held high, his face radiant with joy despite the cold winter.

He had gained a great deal of face today.

After leaving Su Lin Island, Chen Ping’an did not return to Qingxia Island but instead went to Zhuchai Island.

A pot of Cao’e Island tea, beneficial as it was to the water mansion’s spiritual energy, was merely a drop in the bucket. He still needed to purchase some secretly concocted pills with a rich concentration of water energy.

Since Lord Tian Hu was in seclusion, he could only seek out Liu Chongrun.

Rumor had it that Liu Chongrun, after the fall of his kingdom, had secretly taken many good items from the dynasty’s secret treasury. More importantly, Chen Ping’an trusted no one else in Jianjian Lake.

After chatting with Ma Yuanzhi of Zhu Xian Estate and sorting through the history and relationships of Jianjian Lake, he found that this Liu Chongrun of Zhuchai Island was the type of cultivator who conducted business fairly, without any known wrongdoing for over two hundred years.

If Liu Chongrun, being of imperial lineage, was naturally skilled at concealment, having revealed nothing for two centuries, and if there was an even more powerful figure behind the scenes, able to miraculously predict his impromptu decision to purchase pills from Liu Chongrun today, Chen Ping’an would admit defeat.

Today, Liu Chongrun still did not personally receive him.

This was normal, presumably because she was truly tired of the accountant’s clumsy matchmaking attempts.

On the previous two occasions when Chen Ping’an stopped his boat and went ashore, Liu Chongrun had already grown weary of showing her face and had dispatched an exceptionally beautiful direct disciple to “intercept” him at the ferry. He couldn’t remember her name, because the Zhuchai Island’s style of doing things, both above and below, was relatively clean and self-respecting in Jianjian Lake, which was rare. In contrast, Yunyu Island, also populated by female cultivators, was ridiculed by the male cultivators of Jianjian Lake as a “brothel island.” The reputations of the two islands were worlds apart. When Chen Ping’an had landed here before, it was only to obtain some information from Island Lord Liu Chongrun. He did not want any interaction with any other cultivator on Zhuchai Island.

It was not because Chen Ping’an was arrogant or conceited, but because he knew that his every word and action in Jianjian Lake would bring about unpredictable consequences. Even good ones were just icing on the cake, but bad ones could bring disaster and even death.

Once someone was deeply trapped in a predicament, inevitably heading downhill, it was easy to become disoriented, caught between a rock and a hard place, leaving one feeling lost and confused.

At this moment, in addition to carefully considering his own interests and weighing the ways to break free, if he could also consider the people around him, it might not necessarily solve the problem, but it wouldn’t make matters worse.

Chen Ping’an explained his purpose.

The beautiful female cultivator with an extraordinary aura smiled and asked, “Master Chen, are you really not here to be a matchmaker for that ghost cultivator this time?”

Chen Ping’an nodded and assured her, “I really am not.”

She was somewhat annoyed and stamped her foot lightly, complaining, “Master Chen made me lose ten snowflake coins!”

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “If I say ‘you deserve it,’ will I still be able to see your Island Lord master?”

The young female cultivator reluctantly said, “You may.”

Chen Ping’an then said, “You deserve it.”

Many Zhuchai Island female cultivators, mostly Liu Chongrun’s direct disciples or talented girls who had recently arrived on the island and were generally young, snickered from afar.

The young female cultivator said crossly, “Master Chen, can you go to the Baoguang Pavilion on the mountain peak yourself?”

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly and said, “I can.”

After passing through the mountain gate, she left Chen Ping’an to his own devices and ran off to the side room of the mountain gate to whisper with her junior sisters.