Iron Rune River Water God, Yang Hua, betrayed no anger, yet the scrutinizing glint in her golden eyes was quite unrestrained, as she once more sized up the young swordsman before her.

Night was deep, and Yang Hua, as a deity, manifested in her divine form, a layer of golden light shimmering around her simple, elegant gown, making her already outstanding beauty even more radiant, the moon hanging over the river like an ornament for this female river god.

In contrast, the young man opposite her was far from possessing such an “otherworldly” air.

Yang Hua had once scrutinized Chen Ping’an in a similar fashion, back when he was a straw-sandaled youth, and she had only discerned a poverty-stricken aura and a faint hint of martial intent.

At this moment, apart from a few external objects, she seemed to perceive nothing. There was the gourd for nurturing swords, chosen by Wei Bo, hanging from his waist; a simple, azure robe that barely qualified as a magical garment; and, most importantly, the sword behind Chen Ping’an.

Yang Hua had always been exceedingly confident in her swordsmanship, and the golden-eared longsword she cradled was no ordinary weapon, nearly worthy of being placed in that imitation White Jade Capital.

That she could see nothing through him was troubling.

Of course, for Yang Hua, this was precisely the reason to draw her sword.

Without warning, a gust of mountain wind and mist rippled between the two, and Wei Bo, clad in white robes and wearing a golden earring, appeared, smiling faintly. “With the Sage Ruan absent, the rules still stand. Please, don’t make things difficult for me.”

Wei Bo’s arrival immediately eclipsed Yang Hua’s dazzling presence.

Yang Hua’s gaze remained fixed, her eyes only on the young swordsman who frequently traveled abroad. She stated, “As long as a life-and-death pact is signed, it will be within the rules.”

Chen Ping’an slowly replied, “It’s a pity that your mistress doesn’t seem like someone who enjoys adhering to rules.”

A hint of anger finally surfaced on Yang Hua’s face. The honor of her mistress was her own. The Lady had bestowed upon her the gift of life and, later, the grace of instruction. Otherwise, at the Lady’s word, she wouldn’t have abandoned all worldly possessions and, at the risk of death, endured the agonizing ordeal of wasting away to become the Water God of the Iron Rune River. Even though deep down, she had words she wished to one day speak to the Lady herself, how dare an outsider criticize the Lady’s ways? A lowly wretch from Mud Bottle Lane, suddenly rich, had become too proud!

Wei Bo seemed somewhat surprised, but he quickly composed himself, displaying even more shamelessness than the two facing off. “As long as I’m here, you won’t be able to fight. Are you willing to end up attacking air, your sword strikes missing their mark, making yourselves a laughingstock? If so, feel free to begin.”

Chen Ping’an smiled at Wei Bo. “I didn’t intend to discuss anything with her. In that case, I’ll leave first. Send me to Pei Qian’s side.”

Wei Bo nodded.

Yang Hua interjected, “Chen Ping’an, why not trouble Mountain God Wei to send you directly to the Bamboo Lodge on Fallen Peak? Hiding under the nose of an old martial arts grandmaster would be even safer. I certainly wouldn’t dare chase you there.”

Chen Ping’an retorted, “What’s this? Could it be that you’ve taken a liking to me? Are you going to pester me endlessly?”

Yang Hua’s face was like ice, a dense aura of water swirling around her. She was, after all, a river goddess, and the Iron Rune River, originally deep and still, nearly silent, suddenly began to boil, with faint thunder rumbling beneath the surface.

Wei Bo was greatly troubled. Without a word, he swiftly activated his innate divine power, quickly sending Chen Ping’an to Riding Dragon Lane.

Otherwise, he feared that even he, together with the Sage Ruan Qiong, might not be able to restrain these two headstrong individuals.

Only then did Yang Hua slightly shift her gaze, fixing it upon the mountain deity whose temperament was becoming increasingly “detached from the world.” Her eyes were icy cold, devoid of any respect.

Wei Bo smiled wryly. “Being caught between two sides is never pleasant. Why did I even bother to come here?”

Yang Hua directly asked, “Years ago, when you and Xu Ruo passed through this place riding monsters, you looked at me with a strange expression. Why was that?”

Wei Bo chuckled. “Don’t forget, although I was merely the Earth God of Chessboard Mound back then, I had once served as a Mountain God of a kingdom. Naturally, I could tell that your divine form was of a very high grade, quite unusual. I couldn’t help but glance at you a few more times.”

Yang Hua shook her head. “You’re lying.”

Wei Bo didn’t dwell on the topic. He smiled softly. “Care to take a stroll with me?”

Wei Bo took the lead, walking a few steps before turning his head. “Mortals have to navigate officialdom, and we immortals have to deal with incense offerings. Don’t we all have to follow some rules? Ruan Qiong is clearly absent, so why did Chen Ping’an choose to walk back to town instead of flying on his sword, which would have been much easier?”

Only then did Yang Hua begin to walk, one mountain and one water deity, walking one after the other along the banks of the Iron Rune River, which was gradually calming down.

Wei Bo clasped his hands behind his back and said slowly, “If I’m not mistaken, you stopped Chen Ping’an simply out of competitiveness. At its core, you’re still reluctant to part with your identity as a swordsman in the human realm. Your divine form hasn’t yet stabilized, and your intake of incense offerings is still shallow, not enough to allow you to distance yourself from the Flower Embroidery, Jade Nectar, and Tranquil Ripple River Gods, who are of comparable rank. So, your provocation of Chen Ping’an was actually for a very pure purpose: simply to spar, without relying on your superior realm. If that’s the case, and it’s such a simple matter, why couldn’t you just speak properly? Do you really think Chen Ping’an wouldn’t dare kill you? Believe me, even if Chen Ping’an killed you, you would have died in vain. Perhaps the first person to speak favorably of Chen Ping’an would be the Lady in the palace who wants to mend fences.”

Yang Hua remained silent.

Mountains are higher than water. This is common knowledge throughout the Great Canopy world.

The rank and divine position of the Five Sacred Mountains of a kingdom are higher than those of any water god.

However, Yang Hua clearly held little respect for Wei Bo.

Wei Bo didn’t mind, as if he were talking to himself. “How close is the distance between one thought and another? As soon as you have a thought, someone thousands of miles away will sense it, connecting the Azure Heavens and the Yellow Springs. But sometimes, how far is the distance between one thought and another?”

Yang Hua stopped, coldly laughing. “I’m in no mood to listen to your veiled remarks. As long as it pertains to the duties of the Iron Rune River Water God, I will not slack off in the slightest. If you want to flaunt the airs of the Northern Mountain God, you’ve come to the wrong person. If you want to suppress me and the Iron Rune River, just like you suppressed Fallen Peak’s Mountain God Song, feel free. I’ll accept your challenge.”

Wei Bo turned his head and smiled. “It would be better to replace the word ‘mood’ with ‘skill,’ which would make it sound more tactful. The implication would not be stubbornness and disrespect to your superior, but rather that you are unfamiliar with the world, which is somewhat excusable.”

He paused before continuing, “These words of yours, about shaping your divine form and drawing upon the essence of incense, in my ears, only sound like that you do not comprehend the world. However, you’re still pardonable to an extent.”
Yang Hua halted her steps, “Have you finished lecturing?”

Wei Bo nodded, his smile captivating, “Tonight, let’s end it here. I’ll be seeking you out for more heart-to-heart conversations in the future.”

Yang Hua’s expression darkened.

Wei Bo raised a finger to his lips, “Try your best not to speak hurtful words already on the tip of your tongue. Remember this.”

As expected of someone who once served as a close attendant to the Grand Li empress, Yang Hua not only didn’t restrain herself but directly stated, “Are you truly unaware of how some high-ranking Grand Li native deities, such as several old mountain spirits and those closer to the capital, speak of you behind your back? I didn’t believe it before, but after seeing you tonight, I realize you, Wei Bo, are indeed a shrewd opportunist…”

Wei Bo waved his hand with a smile, “Just because others say something, does that make it so? Do you truly believe yourselves to be sages with heavenly decrees in your mouths, celestial monarchs whose words become prophecy? Then is it true what Chen Ping’an said earlier, that you fancy him and that’s why you’re relentlessly pursuing him?”

Wei Bo lowered his hand, “Don’t try to provoke me in this way, hoping we’ll sever ties and never see each other again, so you can have your peace. The times I chat with you in the future will be infrequent and purposeful, never delaying your cultivation.”

Yang Hua was helpless, still burning with anger, and couldn’t help but sneer, “You’re so obsequious towards that Chen Ping’an, aren’t you ashamed? Do you know how many mountain and water deities, both native to Grand Li and its vassals, who are unaware of the truth, or have only heard rumors, are secretly laughing at you?”

Wei Bo made a childish gesture, using his thumb and forefinger to stretch his cheeks upwards into a smile, “As long as they show me a cheerful face when they meet me, that’s enough. I have no interest in knowing what they say or think behind my back.”

Yang Hua twitched her lips and stood with her sword in hand, clearly disbelieving Wei Bo’s words.

Wei Bo sighed, “Although you suffered some hardships when you achieved the golden body of a deity, once you experience the ups and downs I’ve had, you’ll understand that these common human emotions are just that – common human emotions.”

Wei Bo concluded, “The Great Dao is long, cultivation is difficult, think carefully before encountering people and events. The success or failure of worldly affairs ultimately boils down to dealing with people.”

Yang Hua retorted sharply, “If you love preaching so much, why don’t you just go to Linlu Academy or the Chen Clan School and become a teacher?”

Wei Bo suddenly tilted his head and asked with a smile, “Is it that reasonable words, spoken properly, are never truly reasonable? Are they just impossible for you to hear?”

Yang Hua knew something was amiss.

Wei Bo raised his hands and gently shook his sleeves, causing them to billow like two snowflakes, a wondrous sight.

The essence of incense from the Jiang God Temple and the essence of water from the Iron Talisman River each coalesced into golden and emerald-green orbs, which Wei Bo gathered into his sleeves.

Wei Bo strode away.

Yang Hua stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. Was the North Mountain God, who always seemed so composed, finally enraged? Was this a tantrum born of embarrassment?

Unexpectedly, the white-robed god stopped without ceasing his stride, and turned his head, explaining with a smile, “I’m not angry, truly. May a dog bite me if I lie.”

Chen Ping’an gently knocked on the door of the Lucky Coin Shop in Riding Dragon Lane.

Since Wei Bo had brought him here, it meant Pei Qian must be spending the night here.

It wasn’t surprising. Pei Qian didn’t like interacting with Cui Cheng. Where could she find the liveliness of this town on the desolate Fallen Mountain with so few people? Her own shop had pastries, and a stick of candied hawthorns was just a short walk away. Chen Ping’an never said anything about it. As long as she continued to transcribe books and wasn’t too unruly, he let her do as she pleased. Besides, Pei Qian was indeed attentive to the shop’s business on weekdays. He just didn’t know what Pei Qian was thinking about attending the academy.

Shi Rou opened the door. Even Yin spirits weren’t entirely free from the need for rest. It was simply the opposite of living people, resting during the day and going out at night. Moreover, even the slumber that benefited their souls often only required three or two hours. It was said that the souls of Yin spirits were far more refined than those of living people. After all, the gales and the sun beating down on the earth were both hardships and a form of invisible cultivation.

Shi Rou smiled, “Young Master, you’re back.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Is Pei Qian sleeping here?”

Shi Rou softly said, “She finished transcribing books with Miss Li from Fortune Street, put out the lamp, and chatted for a long time before falling asleep. She went to Chessboard Hill a few days ago and was stung badly by wasps. Even after getting herbs from the Yang family’s shop and applying them, she still has trouble falling asleep.”

As they closed the shop door together, Shi Rou asked, “Shall I wake them up?”

Shi Rou was somewhat troubled. Although there were three rooms in the backyard of the Lucky Coin Shop, the main room was occupied by Pei Qian and Li Baoping. One side room was filled with goods, leaving only one room that was nominally Shi Rou’s residence. It was filled with many private items bought from the city, things she couldn’t show to others. There was no way around it, she was currently dwelling in the remains of a male immortal, and there was rouge and powder on the table. Even she occasionally felt awkward. That mischievous girl Pei Qian had even deliberately given her a bronze mirror as a gift.

Chen Ping’an lowered his voice, “No need. I’ll just sit in the courtyard for the night, consider it practicing my stance. Tell me about the recent situation in Dragon Spring County later.”

Under the eaves near Shi Rou’s side room, one person sat, one stood. Shi Rou moved a long bench for Chen Ping’an to sit on, there were chairs, but she didn’t sit down.

Shi Rou spoke of the Night Parade Banquet and the happenings on Fallen Mountain.

The students of Cliffside Academy continued their northern tour, first going to the Grand Li capital to visit the old site of the academy, and then continuing north until they reached the northernmost coast of Treasure Bottle洲. However, Li Baoping had used some reason to persuade the academy’s sage, Mao Xiaodong, to stay in town. Shi Rou guessed that Li Baoping’s ancestors must have pleaded with Master Mao.

Liu Qingshan and Liu Boqi had already left Dragon Spring County. Before leaving, this couple of immortals, who had traveled half the continent hand in hand, made a special trip to drink with Zhu Lian and become sworn siblings.

Chen Ping’an was stunned when he heard this. Liu Qingshan didn’t seem like the type to chop chicken heads and burn yellow paper, he wasn’t like his first disciple.

Shi Rou laughed, revealing the truth. It turned out that Liu Boqi had recognized Zhu Lian as her elder brother, saying that Zhu Lian must make a trip to Azure Luan Country to attend her and Liu Qingshan’s wedding banquet.

Chen Ping’an rubbed his temples. What was going on?

In addition, there were several important matters.
Shi Rou didn’t elaborate much, still hoping that Chen Ping’an could chat with Zhu Lian. She had to admit that Zhu Lian was steady in his work, regardless of the task’s size, but his foul mouth was annoying, and his eyes made her, a female ghost, feel creeped out.

One matter was that Liu Chongrun of Pearl Hairpin Island in Book Brief Lake had not come in person but had sent a trusted disciple, carrying gifts to visit Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Wei Bo had even taken the initiative to show his face, scaring the young woman, who was only at the Cave Dwelling Realm, so much that she became somewhat incoherent.

Another was that the River Warden of Imperial Court River and the White Egret River had successively visited Fallen Phoenix Mountain, with Zhu Lian and Zheng Dafeng responsible for receiving them.

After listening to Shi Rou’s orderly account of the numerous trivial matters, Chen Ping’an pointed to the main room and asked with a smile, “How are those two rascals’ faces?”

Shi Rou was taken aback, then said helplessly, “Pei Qian is naughty enough, but I didn’t expect Miss Li to let Pei Qian run wild too. Young Master, you don’t know, when I saw their pitiful appearances in the shop, I felt almost the same as that girl from Pearl Hairpin Island. But they themselves seemed to be enjoying it. They even made a pact to master their martial arts and venture into the dragon’s pool and tiger’s den together next time.”

Chen Ping’an was both amused and exasperated.

For some reason, Shi Rou seemed more at ease after settling down in the shop than she was at Fallen Phoenix Mountain. She even teased Chen Ping’an, “Young Master, did you bring gifts for someone again on this trip?”

Chen Ping’an hummed in acknowledgement. With a flick of his wrist, he took out the three small items he had bought at the Earth Dragon Mountain ferry and handed the red glaze shallow bowl and the eave tile inkstone to Shi Rou. He held the pair of seals, made by a master engraver from a southeastern country, to his ear, tapped them gently, and listened to the crisp sound, tilting his head and smiling, “Three things, costing twelve snowflakes coins. If you like any of them, you can choose one, and I’ll tell Pei Qian later that I only bought two.”

Shi Rou glanced at the endearing red glaze shallow bowl several times but shook her head, “Forget it.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Gifts are usually given in pairs, and odd numbers are not auspicious. I’m leaving on a long journey soon and won’t be back for a while. Just consider it a red envelope for the upcoming Spring Festival.”

Shi Rou gently held up the red glaze shallow bowl in her palm, “So, this one?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, reminding her, “Don’t let it slip later. That little girl likes to keep accounts. She doesn’t dare to nag me, but you’ll inevitably be nagged by her for several years.”

Shi Rou put away the small bowl and handed the “Eternal Blessing” eave tile inkstone back to Chen Ping’an.

Shi Rou asked in confusion, “Young Master, do you like giving gifts that much?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “You may not know, but since I was a child, I’ve always loved earning money and saving it. Back then, I painstakingly saved copper coins one by one. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep at night, so I would pick up the small pottery jar and shake it gently. The sound of a small jar of copper coins clinking, you’ve probably never heard it, right? Later, when Zheng Dafeng was still guarding the gate on the east side of town, I made a deal with him: for every letter I delivered to the townspeople, I would earn a copper coin. Every time I went to Zheng Dafeng to pick up letters, I wished Zheng Dafeng would just throw me a big basket, but in the end, I didn’t earn many. Later, because of some things that happened, I left my hometown.”

Shi Rou shook her head with a smile.

Chen Ping’an folded his hands in his sleeves and leaned forward, “It’s not that I have money now and have become extravagant. It’s not like that. It’s just that the reason I was so greedy for money back then was so that one day, I wouldn’t have to haggle over petty things and wouldn’t have to be constrained every time I had to spend money. For example, when offering sacrifices to my parents’ graves, I could buy better items. During the New Year, I wouldn’t be unable to afford Spring Festival couplets and could only go to the gate of the neighboring courtyard and take a few more glances at the couplets, pretending that my own home had them too. That kind of habitual financial strain and the joy in hardship might seem very naive to anyone who saw it.”

Shi Rou didn’t know how to respond.

Chen Ping’an was silent for a moment, thought about it, “Some words may be a bit of a mood killer, but since I’m leaving Dragon Spring County soon, just humor me and listen to a few sentences. Anyway, after hearing them, you probably won’t bother me for at least three years.”

Shi Rou smiled, “Young Master, please speak.”

Chen Ping’an pointed to Shi Rou, “This immortal remains of yours, I never felt that you gained a great advantage. But blessings under the heavens, once they pass through the door, like feng shui turning around, mostly cannot be retained. Since you have accepted this opportunity, first of all, don’t hold any grudges in your heart. Being able to hold onto it steadily is the real skill. Of course, whether you believe it or not, whether you think I’m deliberately saying things to curry favor, I have to say that I don’t expect you, Shi Rou, to rely on these remains to do anything for Fallen Phoenix Mountain in the future. I just hope that whether you, Shi Rou, are at Fallen Phoenix Mountain or in this small shop in Riding Dragon Lane, you can get along well with everyone and not always feel out of place, thinking that it’s other people’s problem. You have to learn to adapt to local customs. Of course, this is not easy. It’s a work of patience like dripping water wearing through stone, but isn’t that how we live? Right?”

Shi Rou pondered for a moment, “What Young Master said is sincere and kind. I will think about it more.”

Chen Ping’an put away the pair of seals and the eave tile inkstone, took down the Sword Nourishing Gourd and drank some wine, “Have you noticed that at Fallen Phoenix Mountain, or rather at the ancestral home in Mud Bottle Lane, there are so many people now, with different identities and realms, but the closeness of relationships is not determined by this. The reason I’m saying this to you, Shi Rou, is not to make you become the kind of person I have in mind, but to not want you to feel wronged in your heart. Feeling wronged is real, but you’ve misunderstood the truth.”

Shi Rou asked, “Chen Ping’an, if there are more people at Fallen Phoenix Mountain in the future, will you talk to everyone so candidly every time?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “If I really have my own mountain sect in the future, with dozens or hundreds of people, I definitely won’t be able to take care of everyone at that time. But it doesn’t matter, I have you all. And I always feel that principles don’t necessarily have to be spoken. If you stand upright and have a good mindset, you and Zhu Lian, Zheng Dafeng, and the others, each of you has your own unique qualities, and naturally, you will have principles…”

Chen Ping’an suddenly raised his arm and extended his hand, “It’s like the spring breeze enters the night silently, moisturizing things without sound. It’s better than me, someone who doesn’t even count as a scholar, droning on and on.”

Shi Rou gazed at the young man’s profile. She was speechless.
After that, Chen Ping’an began practicing the Sword Furnace Piling stance, and Shi Rou returned to her room.

Wei Bo appeared under the eaves, smiling, “You go ahead with your work. I can wait.”

Half an hour later, Chen Ping’an finally opened his eyes and sighed, “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Wei Bo asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “Actually, when I ascended to Gongliu Island in the past, I met the Upper Fifth Realm cultivator Liu Laocheng and heard him speak about his experiences with inner demons. I had already realized that my state of mind had been prematurely forced. Later, Senior Cui also said that in the Mind Inquiry Bureau of Shujian Lake, I should have been a Golden Core cultivator, or even a Nascent Soul cultivator, to have experienced such an introspective examination. The biggest trouble is that after my Natal Porcelain shattered back then, my state of mind also fell apart. The travels, the things I saw and heard, the knowledge I gained, and the epiphanies I had along the way, although they were piecing things together, were still far from rebuilding a Bridge of Longevity that could withstand wind and rain. As a result, on Qingxia Island, I shattered my literary courage, adding fuel to the fire. Although I finally convinced myself in Shujian Lake, there were many burdens on my shoulders in the process of convincing myself. The crux of the problem is that there was a fundamental conflict between events and principles. This matter has nothing to do with Shujian Lake; it’s just a personal matter.”

Chen Ping’an took a sip of wine, this time genuinely using alcohol to drown his sorrows, “I once firmly believed that the more principles I knew, the faster my fists and swords would be, and they would become faster and faster.”

Chen Ping’an murmured, “But as I understand more and more about the complexity of this world and the uncertainty of good and evil in people’s hearts, I wholeheartedly hope that before I strike, I must look at a person’s line, or several lines, and think about as many possibilities as possible, the best and the worst. Then, I can use swordsmanship to cut and define the situation. Only in this way can I achieve what I consider to be error-free. Only then can I strike quickly.”

Chen Ping’an said to himself, “But what if something happens suddenly, and I have to immediately distinguish right from wrong, life and death, and I cannot use sequential reasoning to slowly examine people’s hearts and the truth? What do I do?”

Wei Bo nodded, “The more correct the principles in this world are, the heavier they become. As a pure martial artist, you are weaving a cocoon to trap yourself. Because you know very well, clearly and plainly, that you… are not happy. Think back to when you, Chen Ping’an, were at your poorest, your state of mind was the most relaxed. Because at that time, you were absolutely certain that the principles you had to uphold were just a few, so you could endure what you could, and if you couldn’t, you would fight desperately. Therefore, whether facing Cai Jinjian, Fu Nanhua, or later fighting the Mountain-Moving Ape of Zhengyang Mountain and Ma Kuxuan of Xinghua Alley, you would deliver every ounce of your fist intent, with a clear conscience, pure fist intent, and disregard for life and death, ‘Let me strike first’.”

Chen Ping’an said in a deep voice, “That’s right!”

Wei Bo leaned against the corridor pillar, “So you want to take a trip to the Northern Ju Lu Continent, hoping for freedom and unrestrainedness, hoping that the sword cultivators and Jianghu martial artists there truly don’t like to reason, but only act arrogantly. This is the solution you figured out after leaving Shujian Lake. But when you left Luo Po Mountain, revisited old places, and looked at the world with a different perspective, you found that you yourself wavered, believing that even in the Northern Ju Lu Continent, you would still be indecisive. Because in the end, people are still people, and they will have their own joys and sorrows. Pitiful people will have hateful aspects, and hateful people will have pitiful aspects. No matter how big the world is, people’s hearts are all the same.”

Chen Ping’an was silent and took a big gulp of wine.

Wei Bo said softly, “It seems like another unsolvable dead end. Either become another Chen Ping’an, or you can only stagger forward, practicing fists and swords. Even if you can ascend with your cultivation level, you are destined to not be able to achieve the kind of ‘fastest’ you have in mind.”

Wei Bo changed the subject, “Do you suddenly feel like no matter how far you go or how much you see, there is always something wrong with this world, but you can’t put your finger on it, so you can only hold it in? And this small question seems like drinking doesn’t help, and you can’t even talk to anyone about it.”

Chen Ping’an’s eyes widened. Wei Bo’s words hit the nail on the head!

Wei Bo remained in the same lazy posture, looking up at the bright moon, “In one’s heart, there must be the sun and the moon.”

Wei Bo squinted and smiled, “Indispensable.”

Chen Ping’an fell into deep thought.

Wei Bo turned his head and laughed, “Since the general direction is correct, what’s there to fear if it’s just difficult? Are you, Chen Ping’an, afraid of hardship? What’s this? After being completely penniless back then, and suddenly having hope in life, you started to have the burden of a strong person? You might as well examine yourself in the dumbest way. First, reasoning is never a bad thing. Reasoning well is even more rare. Second, now that you feel that reasoning is hindering your punches and swords, don’t doubt that your ‘first’ is wrong. It only means that you are not doing well enough, that the reasoning is not thorough enough, and that your current punches and swords are still not fast enough.”

Chen Ping’an’s eyes brightened a little, but he said with a wry smile, “Easier said than done.”

Wei Bo spread his hands, “That’s your business, it has nothing to do with me.”

Chen Ping’an smiled with relief, “Listening to your words is better than reading for ten years.”

Wei Bo tutted, “No wonder you are the Mountain Lord of Horse-Patting Mountain.”

Chen Ping’an laughed heartily, “Is that how you see Luo Po Mountain too?”

Chen Ping’an quickly suppressed his laughter, lest he disturb the people in the main room.

Wei Bo suddenly said, “Regarding the matter of Gu Can’s father’s promotion, the Dali Dynasty is actually arguing fiercely. The position isn’t high, and the Ministry of Rites initially wanted to promote this Prefecture Lord Yin God to a Prefecture City God, but the two Lord Shangzhu States, Yuan and Cao, naturally wouldn’t agree. So the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Revenue, for the first time ever, joined forces to deal with the Ministry of Rites. Now, there’s been another change. Lord Guan’s Ministry of Personnel has also joined in the fray. Who would have thought that a small Prefecture City God would involve such a big vortex in the imperial court, with forces from all sides entering the game. Obviously, no one wants that Prince and the State Preceptor Cui Chan, plus at most the Consort in the palace, to finish discussing things with just the three of them.”

Chen Ping’an patted the long bench under his butt and tentatively asked, “For that vacant…”