In the past, the western mountains were sparsely populated, frequented only by charcoal burners and kiln workers digging clay. Now, immortal abodes occupied the mountaintops, and even Niujiao Mountain had become an immortal ferry crossing. Chen Pingan had seen local children from the town squatting on the walls, bowls in hand, countless times, gazing up and waiting for the ferry to pass. Each time they were lucky enough to catch a glimpse, they would cheer and jump for joy.

On this return journey to Fallen Mountain, Chen Pingan and Pei Qian encountered a caravan of immortal masters heading to Yidai Peak.

Establishing a foothold and building a cave dwelling here had a slight drawback: Ruan Qiong had established a rule forbidding any cultivator from recklessly flying around. However, as time passed, Ruan Qiong, after establishing the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, was no longer just a sage sitting in meditation. He needed to expand and engage in social interactions as the sect’s patriarch. He began to slightly relax the restrictions, allowing Dong Gu, a Golden Core Earth Immortal disciple, to be responsible for selecting a few routes for flight. Then, he would request several miniature iron sword-shaped “passes” from the Dragon Spring Sword Sect. With these, one could freely enter and exit the Li Zhu Blessed Land. However, among the dozen or so immortal forces currently remaining in Longquan County, very few had obtained the small iron sword. It wasn’t that the Dragon Spring Sword Sect was arrogant; it was just that the sword caster wasn’t Ruan Qiong, nor his direct disciples, but Ruan Qiong’s only daughter, the young lady Xiu Xiu. Her sword-casting speed was extremely slow, dragging on and on. She could barely forge one sword a year. Who would dare to visit and urge her? Even if they had the audacity, they might not have the courage. Now, a rumor was circulating on the mountain that in recent years, the elite Dali sticky-note agents personally led by the Ministry of Rites’ Secretary of the Department of Evaluations went south to Shujian Lake to “reason.” Xiu Xiu almost single-handedly resolved everything.

The immortal sect that initially took out gold and copper coins to select the site of Yidai Peak had its ancestral hall located in the Mengliang Kingdom, where Yunxia Mountain was located. It was at the bottom of the second-rate forces on the Baoping Continent. When the Dali iron cavalry’s situation was unfavorable, it wasn’t that this sect didn’t want to move, but that they couldn’t bear to lose the divine money spent on opening up the mansion, unwilling to let it go to waste. Moreover, an old patriarch of the ancestral hall, the only remaining Golden Core Earth Immortal, was now cultivating in a thatched hut on Yidai Peak, accompanied by only a dozen or so disciples and some servants. This old cultivator had a strained relationship with the mountain lord. The sect’s move was intended to get rid of this stubborn ancestor, so he wouldn’t act high and mighty in the ancestral hall, scowling and glaring, making the younger generation uncomfortable.

Chen Pingan didn’t walk quickly, but the carriage wasn’t slow. He led Pei Qian to yield the road. Unexpectedly, the caravan also stopped.

The caravan consisted of two carriages and twenty-odd people. Only three were true immortals with records on Yidai Peak. The rest were all servants and guards of the peak.

A young cultivator and two beautiful female cultivators stepped out of the carriages. One of the female cultivators held a lazy, curled-up young white fox.

The young cultivator was one of the direct disciples of the old patriarch of Yidai Peak. He approached Chen Pingan and proactively greeted him with a smile: “Mountain Lord Chen, I am Song Yuan of Yidai Peak. When my master took me to visit Fallen Mountain before, I stood in the back, so Mountain Lord Chen might not remember me.”

His words were tactful without being slick, very well-spoken.

Chen Pingan actually recognized Song Yuan. His memory was good, and he was never one to be arrogant. He could even remember Cui Ying from Qingfu Lane back then, let alone a direct disciple of a Golden Core Earth Immortal from a neighboring mountain. In fact, on the day the Yidai Peak Earth Immortal visited Fallen Mountain, Song Yuan wasn’t standing in the back at all. His senior brothers and sisters were the ones standing in the rear, while Song Yuan stood beside his master. After all, he was a secluded disciple and the most favored. Emperors also loved their youngest sons; it was the same principle.

Chen Pingan cupped his fist in return and asked with a smile, “Little Immortal Master Song, are you returning from out of town?”

Song Yuan was a little surprised. There was a Martial Uncle on Yidai Peak also surnamed Song, so the Fallen Mountain Lord’s casual address of “Little Immortal Master Song” was very deliberate and significant.

Song Yuan nodded and said, “My Junior Sister Liu and I just returned from attending a ceremony in Yunxia Mountain. A friend of ours who was also at the ceremony heard that our Li Zhu Blessed Land is a rare place of spiritual beauty in the continent. He wanted to travel around our Longquan County, so he returned with Junior Sister Liu and me.”

Song Yuan subtly took two small steps back and extended his hands toward the two young female cultivators. “Let me introduce them to Mountain Lord Chen. This is Junior Sister Liu, my master’s most doted-on granddaughter. Mountain Lord Chen, you can call her Runyun. This is Fairy Zhou from Qingmei Temple in Nantang Lake, who is Junior Sister Liu’s best friend. We just came from the Chen Clan Academy and plan to visit the Linlu Academy on Piyun Mountain before returning to Yidai Peak.”

Chen Pingan addressed them as Miss Liu and Fairy Zhou, then smiled and said, “Then I won’t delay Little Immortal Master Song on your journey.”

Song Yuan smiled and nodded, not deliberately engaging in further pleasantries. Relationships weren’t built like that. Most cultivators who reached the middle five realms on the mountainside were detached and unwilling to get involved in too many worldly affairs. Since Chen Pingan didn’t proactively invite them to Fallen Mountain, Song Yuan wouldn’t make the offer, even though Song Yuan knew that the Fairy Zhou from Qingmei Temple was giving him a look. Song Yuan just pretended not to see it.

Throughout this journey north, this fairy, who had greatly benefited Qingmei Temple in Nantang Lake through the “Mirror Flower, Water Moon” affair, was very persistent, unwilling to miss any chance to cultivate connections or appreciate scenic beauty. Almost every time she arrived at an immortal residence or a landscape of outstanding beauty, Fairy Zhou would use Qingmei Temple’s secret method to “capture” a picture and then “embed” her captivating figure in it. During festivals, she could send these to familiar patrons who were wealthy and willing to spend a fortune for her. Song Yuan had been accompanying her, feeling rather depressed. However, since Fairy Zhou had always been close to Junior Sister Liu, and Junior Sister Liu endlessly yearned for her own Yidai Peak to one day open the “Mirror Flower, Water Moon” restrictions and learn from this resourceful Sister Zhou, Song Yuan didn’t say much. The master doted on this granddaughter very much, but he was unwilling to agree to this matter, saying that a woman dressed up in gaudy clothes, showing her face in public, and constantly striking poses for a bunch of lecherous rogues was outrageous. Yidai Peak didn’t lack this bit of immortal money, so he firmly forbade it.

That Fairy Zhou, unwilling to let Chen Pingan leave, smoothed her hair at her temples, her eyes sparkling, and said, “Mountain Lord Chen, I’ve heard Senior Brother Song mention you many times. Senior Brother Song admires you greatly and says that Mountain Lord Chen is now one of the wealthiest landowners in Li Zhu Blessed Land. I wonder if it would be intrusive if Runyun and I were to visit Fallen Mountain?”

Song Yuan felt a chill run down his spine and gave a wry smile.
In truth, he had cautioned this Plum Blossom Convent’s Fairy Zhou more than once. Here in the Carp Pearl Blessed Land, unlike other immortal cultivation strongholds, the situation was complex, with intertwined roots and numerous deities. Utmost caution in word and deed was essential. It seemed Fairy Zhou hadn’t heeded his words at all, perhaps even becoming more spirited and eager to test the waters. Alas, Fairy Zhou, Dragon Spring County of the Great Li was not as simple as she imagined.

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly at Song Yuan, signaling the young Immortal Master Song not to overthink it. Then, he addressed the Plum Blossom Convent fairy, “Unfortunately, I will soon be leaving the mountain, which may disappoint Fairy Zhou. Next time I return to the Steadfast Heart Mountain, I will certainly invite Fairy Zhou and Miss Liu to visit.”

Liu Runyun of Garment Belt Peak was about to speak when Song Yuan discreetly tugged her sleeve.

Fairy Zhou bit her lip, “Is that so? Then I wonder when Mountain Master Chen will return home, so Qionglin can prepare accordingly.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and chuckled, “It’s truly difficult to say for now.”

The graceful and slender Fairy of Plum Blossom Convent performed a Wanfu curtsy. Straightening her delicate waist, she said in a charming and gentle voice, “It is a pleasure to meet Mountain Master Chen. You are welcome to visit Plum Blossom Convent of South Pond Lake next time. Qionglin will personally guide Mountain Master Chen to admire the plum blossoms. Our Plum Blossom Convent’s ‘Thatched Cottage Plum Orchard, Spring at its Thickest’ has a long-standing reputation. It will certainly not disappoint Mountain Master Chen.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Very well, if I have the opportunity to pass by, I will certainly trouble Plum Blossom Convent.”

Zhou Qionglin noticed the dark-skinned girl holding a hiking staff and smiled, “Hello, little girl.”

Pei Qian pointed to her still swollen cheeks, looking simple and foolish, “I’m not doing so well.”

Zhou Qionglin was about to attempt to circle around this rather unlikable little girl when Chen Ping’an had already taken Pei Qian’s hand to bid farewell and depart.

Liu Runyun seemed to want to stand up for her Elder Sister Zhou, but Song Yuan not only did not let go, but instead directly grabbed her wrist. Slightly pained, Liu Runyun was extremely surprised and finally refrained from speaking.

Although she had grown up under her grandfather’s protection, carefree and with a naive temperament, lacking in worldly scheming, Liu Runyun was still a proper register-holding Immortal Master. Even if she had not yet reached the Cave Heaven realm, she was not truly foolish.

The caravan slowly passed by, and only after driving a long distance did the coachman, who had received prior instructions, dare to speed up his horse.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Zhou Qionglin looked at the large and small figures walking on the side of the road. However, the two were only focused on hurrying along, leaving her feeling somewhat helpless. She, who was skilled in the eighteen martial arts of bewitching men’s hearts, had actually encountered a blind man who did not understand romance.

Song Yuan sat alone in the front carriage compartment, sighing incessantly.

This Fairy Zhou was truly not an easy person to deal with. When she returned to Garment Belt Peak, she would have to speak privately with her master to prevent Runyun from being led astray.

On the road, after Pei Qian huffed and puffed through a set of Mad Demon Swordplay, she asked with a beaming smile, “Master, guess which one of those three I found the most pleasing to the eye?”

Chen Ping’an casually replied, “Liu Runyun of Garment Belt Peak?”

Pei Qian shook her head, “Give Master two more chances to guess.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Like Master, is it Song Yuan?”

Unexpectedly, Pei Qian still shook her head like a rattle drum, “Guess again, guess again!”

Chen Ping’an was somewhat puzzled, “Why is it Zhou Qionglin?”

Chen Ping’an could not say he disliked the scheming Zhou Qionglin, but he certainly did not like her either.

Mainly, her way of currying favor was too inappropriate. It was easy to cause trouble for Song Yuan. If it aroused resentment, Zhou Qionglin could return to Plum Blossom Convent of South Pond Lake and continue to be her fairy, but Song Yuan, her half-friend, and Garment Belt Peak, where Song Yuan resided, could not escape. This point was the key reason why Chen Ping’an was unwilling to give Zhou Qionglin any face.

Pei Qian held out a hand and gently waved it, indicating that she wanted to say something private to her master.

Chen Ping’an smiled and bent down. Pei Qian placed a hand over her mouth and whispered to him, “That Fairy Zhou, although she looks foxy, of course, she is definitely far less beautiful than Female Crown Sister and Yao Jinzhi. But, Master, I’m telling you, I saw that inside her heart, there live many, many poor little people in tattered clothes, just like I was back then, skinny and about to starve to death. And she, she is very sad, facing an empty large rice bowl, not daring to look at them.”

Chen Ping’an’s heart trembled. He suddenly looked up, but the caravan had already gone far away. Chen Ping’an muttered a sentence that the fairy had said earlier, “Is that so?”

Chen Ping’an walked slowly.

Pei Qian waved her hiking staff, somewhat puzzled, and raised her head, “Master, are you not happy? Did I say something wrong?”

Pei Qian thought for a moment and quickly came up with a remedy. She opened her mouth wide and then shook her head, making a gluttonous appearance, “Okay, Master, I’ve already eaten the words back into my stomach, Master, quickly cheer up!”

Chen Ping’an smiled brightly and gently pressed down on Pei Qian’s head, shaking her whole body from side to side, “After Master leaves Steadfast Heart Mountain, you go to Garment Belt Peak and find that Elder Sister Zhou, and tell her to invite her to Steadfast Heart Mountain as a guest. But if Elder Sister Zhou asks you to help visit Dragon Spring Sword Sect or something like that, don’t agree. Just say that you are a child and cannot make decisions. Your own mountain, you can go wherever you want. If there are some things that you are not sure about, go ask Zhu Lian.”
Pei Qian chirped, “Don’t worry, Master! I’m very smooth in dealing with people now. The New Year’s shop has earned more than ten taels of silver this month compared to usual! Fourteen taels and three qian of silver! How many baskets of snow-white steamed buns can that buy in Nanyuan Kingdom? Right? Master, let me tell you something else. Since I earned so much money, I was afraid that Senior Sister Shi Rou would get greedy. I even discussed it with her, saying we could secretly hide the money, like a maiden’s private savings. No one would know! Unexpectedly, Senior Sister Shi Rou said she needed to think about it. She thought for so many days that I was almost getting anxious. It wasn’t until two days before you came home, Master, that she finally said we shouldn’t. Alas, that Shi Rou! Luckily, she didn’t agree; otherwise, she would have tasted my Mad Demon Swordplay. But since she still has some conscience, I used my own money to buy her a bronze mirror. I hope she won’t forget her roots and look in the mirror every day. Haha, Master, just imagine, when Senior Sister Shi Rou looks in the mirror, she’ll see an old geezer who’s not Shi Rou…”

Pei Qian, like a little sparrow, flitted around Chen Ping An, chattering incessantly.

Chen Ping An rubbed his forehead, not wanting to speak.

He really didn’t know who was teasing whom at the New Year’s shop, and it seemed neither was getting the upper hand.

“Why didn’t Master invite Zhou Qionglin himself? Never mind, if I, the eldest disciple of Master, personally take action, she should feel honored and important!”

“I only acknowledge her hidden acts of kindness, not her lack of prudence in managing relationships, so Master can’t show his face. Otherwise, in Dragon Spring County, if she visits Fallen Treasure Mountain and mistakenly thinks that all mountains are like ours, with her way of doing things, she might have smooth sailing at Green Plum Temple, but sooner or later, she’ll run into trouble and suffer here. Those immortal masters who can buy mountain peaks here won’t care about the South Pond Lake Green Plum Temple if conflicts arise. In the end, won’t we be the ones who harmed her?”

“Master, you’re talking in circles. I study hard and like to think seriously, but now my head hurts.”

“Then don’t think about it. Just listen.”

“But it’s not good to let things go in one ear and out the other. Old Chef Zhu always says I’m slow to understand, and he likes to say I’m not growing taller or smarter. Master, don’t believe him!”

“Don’t speak ill of others behind their backs.”

“Okay, I understand.”

“Actually, it’s not that you can’t say anything, as long as it’s without malice. That’s true innocent talk. The reason Master seems unapproachable is that I’m afraid you’re too young and it will become a habit, and you won’t be able to correct it later.”

“But if I don’t know it’s malicious, but it actually is malicious, and I do something wrong or bad, what should I do?”

“Your master is here.”

Arriving at Fallen Treasure Mountain, Zheng Dafeng was still busy overseeing the construction and didn’t bother to acknowledge Chen Ping An, the mountain owner.

In Zhu Lian’s residence, the walls were already covered with paintings, all in the style of portraits of beautiful women.

Surprisingly, they were all depictions of female deities from the Northern Mountain Range, lifelike and very vivid, with more than a dozen different hairstyles.

Chen Ping An hesitated for a long time before asking, “Didn’t Cen Yuanji say you’re acting inappropriately for your age?”

Zhu Lian smiled, “The little girl only praised me as a master of painting.”

At that moment, Chen Ping An held his bamboo hat, speechless.

The three of them went to the bamboo building together.

Zhu Lian asked, “Did the young master just leave like that?”

Chen Ping An nodded, “That intercontinental ferry will arrive at Ox Horn Mountain in the next few days.”

The hunched Zhu Lian rubbed his chin, smiling without saying a word.

Chen Ping An was puzzled, “What’s the meaning of that? Speak plainly.”

Zhu Lian scratched his head, “It’s nothing. I just suddenly remembered the partridge’s song in our deep mountains, a time of parting, and felt a bit sentimental.”

Chen Ping An was confused.

Zhu Lian said he was going to check on Cen Yuanji’s fist practice and left.

Chen Ping An arrived at the bamboo building and didn’t rush to go upstairs. He sat on the stone bench by the cliff. Pei Qian quickly rushed over with the pink-skirted girl named Chen Chujian.

Chen Ping An skillfully reached out and grabbed a handful of melon seeds.

Chen Chujian was the incarnation of the literary luck fire python and had actually read a lot of books, so Chen Ping An couldn’t help but ask, “What do ancient poems and literary works say about the partridge?”

Chen Chujian quickly stopped eating melon seeds, sat up straight, and spoke at length about the poems and essays about the partridge,娓娓道来(speaking in a slow and deliberate manner), listening to Pei Qian nodding off. She quickly ate more melon seeds to stay awake.

Chen Ping An felt that he still hadn’t truly understood Zhu Lian’s meaning. Most of it was similar to “hearing the partridge in the deep mountains,” expressing the pain of parting. However, Chen Ping An was too lazy to think too much about it, as he would be going upstairs later and was more worried about himself.

The little girl suddenly smiled, “There’s also a saying, ‘The stream is turbulent, the ridge is steep, brother, you can’t go!'”

Pei Qian had a flash of inspiration, “Oh, Old Chef is talking about Sister Xiu Xiu!”

Chen Ping An put down the remaining melon seeds in his hand, silently stood up, and went to the second floor. Being beaten with fists was quite good.