Falling Dragon Mountain, as one of the loftiest peaks in the Verdant Pearl Paradise, was naturally an unparalleled location for moon-gazing.

Clad in white robes, Cui Dongshan gently closed the bamboo door of the first floor. As the immortal youth with his handsome visage stood still, it was truly a sight of returning moonlight and white clouds.

Cui Dongshan tiptoed to the second floor. The elder, Cui Cheng, had already stepped onto the veranda, the moonlight washing over the railings like water. Cui Dongshan called out, “Grandfather,” and the old man smiled and nodded.

The grandfather and grandson stood there, the elder with his hands clasped behind his back, and Cui Dongshan leaning against the railing, his large sleeves dangling outside.

Cui Cheng was unwilling to chat much with Cui Chan, but towards this “Cui Dongshan,” a soul split in half, Cui Cheng felt a greater affinity, perhaps due to the resonance with his memories.

Cui Cheng asked, “Why did you run back?”

Cui Dongshan softly replied, “Wandering and meandering outside, I just felt it was uninteresting. Reaching the boundary of Lakeside Academy, I thought of meeting those teachers, but it would be like talking to ducks, so I felt annoyed and sneaked back.”

Cui Cheng smiled, “Since you are doing great deeds that align with your heart, you must have perseverance and not always think about whether it’s interesting or not.”

Cui Dongshan used his chin as a rag, wiping back and forth on the railing, “I know.”

Cui Cheng asked, “Leaving tonight then?”

Cui Dongshan nodded, “Business is still business. That old turtle likes to be serious, a bet is a bet. Now that I have chosen to bow my head to him, I naturally won’t delay his grand undertaking. I’ll be diligent and honest, just like when I was a child handing in homework to the private tutor.”

Cui Cheng didn’t say much. The old man didn’t feel qualified to point fingers at them. Back then, he had lectured too much with his pedantic ways, instilled too many rigid principles, and liked to put on airs, which was why the little rascal had run away from home in a fit of pique, traveling far away to the Middle Earth Divine Continent, acknowledging a poor, pedantic old scholar as his teacher. All this was beyond the old man’s expectations. Initially, every time Cui Chan sent a letter home asking for money, the old man was both annoyed and heartbroken. The dignified grandson of the Cui Clan was studying in a humble alley. How much great knowledge could he learn? Even if he were to swallow his pride and ask the family for such a small amount of silver each month, could it even buy a few books of sages? Even if he didn’t eat or drink for a year, could he gather a slightly decent set of scholar’s tools? Of course, the old man only realized much later that the old scholar’s knowledge had reached an illustrious, sun-like height.

Cui Cheng said, “Cui Chan just spoke with Chen Pingan, he should have covered everything.”

Cui Dongshan hummed in agreement, not surprised. Cui Chan saw him through and through. In fact, Cui Dongshan viewed Cui Chan the same way, there was practically no difference, after all, they were once one person.

Cui Dongshan turned his head, “Or should I leave a little later?”

Cui Cheng laughed, “Whether you leave later or earlier, could I stop you? Apart from locking you in the attic to study when you were a child, afterwards, when have you ever listened to your grandfather’s words?”

Cui Dongshan said, “This time, I’ll listen to grandfather.”

Cui Cheng said, “Alright, if he complains later, you can push the blame onto me.”

Cui Dongshan beamed, skillfully climbing onto the railing, flipping over and landing on the ground floor. He swaggered towards the houses of Zhu Lian, first going to Pei Qian’s courtyard, making a series of strange noises, rolling his eyes, sticking out his tongue, and brandishing his claws, scaring the groggy Pei Qian into a jolt. With lightning speed, she took out a yellow talisman, stuck it on her forehead, then without even putting on her shoes, she grabbed her mountain-traveling staff and sprinted towards the windowsill, blindly performing a set of Mad Demon Swordplay, shouting nonsense, “Leave now! I’ll spare your life!”

Cui Dongshan roared, “If you break my teacher’s window, you’re paying for it!”

Pei Qian froze on the spot, extending two fingers, gently pressing the talisman on her forehead to prevent it from falling. If it was a demon deliberately transforming into Cui Dongshan, she absolutely couldn’t lower her guard. She tentatively asked, “Who am I?”

Cui Dongshan smiled and said, “Eldest Senior Sister, of course.”

Pei Qian breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed to be the real Cui Dongshan. She happily ran to the windowsill, tiptoed, and curiously asked, “Why are you here again?”

Cui Dongshan retorted, “Is it your business?”

Pei Qian removed the talisman and put it in her sleeve, ran to open the door, but when she looked, Cui Dongshan had vanished. After searching around, she still couldn’t find him. Then, she looked up and saw a white-clothed figure hanging upside down from the eaves, scaring Pei Qian so much that she fell to the ground. Tears were already welling up in her eyes, and she was about to start wailing, but Cui Dongshan, like an icicle hanging from the eaves in the heavy snow, was poked off by Pei Qian’s mountain-traveling staff. Cui Dongshan slid down from the eaves in an upside-down posture, his head hitting the ground with a thud, and then he fell straight onto the ground. Seeing this, Pei Qian burst into laughter, her heart full of grievance instantly vanishing like smoke.

Cui Dongshan got up, shaking his snow-white sleeves, and casually asked, “Where’s that ungrateful wench?”

Pei Qian cautiously said, “Sister Shi Rou is busy with business at the New Year’s Shop now, helping me earn money. Even if she doesn’t have merit, she has worked hard. You’re not allowed to bully her again, or I’ll tell Master.”

Cui Dongshan scoffed, “Tell tales? Your master is my teacher, he’s obviously closer to me. When I knew the teacher, you didn’t even know where you were playing in the mud.”

Pei Qian didn’t want to be inferior to him on this matter, thought for a moment, “Master brought me a big pile of gifts when he traveled to the Combing Stream Country, so many that I can’t even count them all. Do you have that? Even if you do, can you have more than me?”

Cui Dongshan laughed, “Are you comparing possessions with me, known as the Grandfather of Many Treasures in the martial world?”

Pei Qian earnestly said, “We don’t count our own, we only compare what our respective masters and teachers gave us.”

Cui Dongshan spread his hands, “It’s not shameful to lose to Eldest Senior Sister.”

Pei Qian nodded, “Those who know the times are heroes.”

Cui Dongshan stretched out a finger and poked Pei Qian’s forehead, “You just keep spouting nonsense, infuriating all those ancient sages.”

Pei Qian slapped Cui Dongshan’s dog paw away, timidly said, “Presumptuous.”

Cui Dongshan was amused. Such a great word, used so unheroically by the little black charcoal.

Cui Dongshan began to walk out of the courtyard, “Let’s go, let’s go play with Pighead.”

Pei Qian was no longer sleepy, happily following behind Cui Dongshan, telling him about her feat of poking a hornet’s nest with Little Treasure Bottle. Cui Dongshan asked, “It’s fine if you’re naughty, but you also implicated Little Treasure Bottle, didn’t the teacher beat you?”

Pei Qian rolled her eyes, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Cui Dongshan sighed, “My teacher really treats you like his own daughter.”
Pei Qian was beaming with joy, thinking the Great White Goose was much more eloquent than the old chef.

As for the Great White Goose, it was a nickname Pei Qian had secretly given to Cui Dongshan, a secret she had only shared with her most “discreet” friend, Bao Ping.

Passing by a residence, the muffled sounds of someone practicing footwork and striking fists echoed from within the walls.

Cui Dongshan, as light as a feather, ascended with each step, standing atop the wall. He saw a slender and beautiful young woman practicing her master’s signature Six-Step Stance. Pei Qian leaned her walking stick against the wall, took a few steps back, and with a soaring leap, stepped onto the stick, grasping the top of the wall with both hands. With a slight exertion of her arms, she successfully popped her head over. Cui Dongshan, rubbing his face, muttered, “That fist is truly an eyesore.”

Pei Qian lowered her voice and said, “Cen Yuanji isn’t a bad person, just a bit dense.”

Cui Dongshan nodded, “I can see that.”

Cen Yuanji was, after all, a martial arts prodigy discovered by Zhu Lian, a woman with the potential to reach the Golden Body realm. It was only in a place like Luopo Mountain, teeming with ghosts, monsters, gods, and immortals, that she seemed so ordinary. Otherwise, if she were placed in a country like Shushui or Caiyi, once she reached the seventh realm, she would be a veritable Grandmaster. In those shallow waters of the martial world, she would be like a python thrashing in a pond, causing a massive commotion.

However, Cen Yuanji had just been practicing her fist techniques, and it was already quite difficult for her to fully immerse herself in the process. It wasn’t until she took a short break and stopped her stance that she heard the whispers from atop the wall. She instantly turned, took a step back, and assumed a fighting posture, raising her head and shouting, “Who’s there?!”

When she saw the head of the handsome “young man,” she frowned. Where did this stranger who looked like a banished immortal come from? Seeing Pei Qian grinning beside him, Cen Yuanji finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Cui Dongshan rested his elbows on the wall and asked, “Are you the pig-head… no, Zhu Lian’s chosen disciple of Luopo Mountain?”

Cen Yuanji didn’t answer, looking at Pei Qian instead.

Pei Qian introduced him with a smile, “Oh, he’s called Cui Dongshan. He’s my master’s student, so we’re of the same generation.”

Cen Yuanji began to ponder.

The young mountain lord’s student?

Could this beautiful young man, who seemed so refined, be a fool? Why would he choose that good-for-nothing to be his teacher? All he does all year long is wander around, acting as a hands-off manager. He only occasionally returns to the mountain, and when he does, he’s either busy with frivolous social engagements or, as she had personally witnessed, drinking and acting crazy late at night. What could you possibly learn from that guy? That guy must have lost his mind to become a teacher. Is he that desperate for money?

Cen Yuanji sighed inwardly, her gaze towards the handsome young man filled with pity.

Cui Dongshan said softly, “She’s genuinely simple-minded, not pretending.”

Pei Qian responded with an “uh-huh,” “I didn’t lie to you, did I?”

The two heads, one large and one small, disappeared from the top of the wall almost simultaneously, with perfect synchronicity.

Cen Yuanji didn’t hear clearly and didn’t bother to dwell on it. Anyway, there were plenty of strange people and strange things on Luopo Mountain.

Cui Dongshan didn’t go to see Zhu Lian. Instead, he took Pei Qian to the peak of Luopo Mountain, stomped his foot, and roared, “Are you not coming out?”

The Mountain God of Luopo Mountain, Song Yuzhang, hastily revealed his true form. Facing this “young man” whose true identity he had known for many years, Song Yuzhang bowed deeply outside the ancestral hall, but did not address him by any title.

Cui Dongshan’s face was gloomy, his whole body exuding a murderous aura. He strode forward, while Song Yuzhang remained in place.

Seeing that the situation was not good, was Cui Dongshan about to cause trouble again? She hurriedly followed Cui Dongshan, whispering, “Talk nicely. A close neighbor is better than a distant relative. In the end, it’ll be Master who has a hard time.”

Cui Dongshan sighed and stood before the composed Mountain God of Luopo Mountain, asking, “You’ve become a bureaucratic zombie. You finally become a mountain god, and you’re still so uninspired?”

Although Song Yuzhang respected “State Preceptor Cui Chan,” he had a clear conscience about his own conduct and would not be the slightest bit timid. He slowly said, “Capable officials are not lacking in Dali, and never lacked since the overthrown Lu Dynasty, to the desperately surviving Great Sui Gao Clan, and the opportunistic vassal states like the Yellow Court Kingdom?”

Cui Dongshan asked, “Then let me ask you, whether as an official or a mountain god, you were placed in these positions by the Dali Song Clan, are you pursuing the self-fulfillment of morality, or are you wholeheartedly serving the country and its people?”

Song Yuzhang asked, “State Preceptor, wouldn’t you allow your subject to pursue both?”

Cui Dongshan waved his sleeve impatiently and said, “I can’t be bothered arguing with you.”

Song Yuzhang bowed respectfully and meticulously, returning his golden body to the clay statue and proactively “closing the door,” temporarily abandoning his patrol of Luopo Mountain.

Cui Dongshan took Pei Qian for a casual stroll on the mountain peak. Pei Qian asked curiously, “Why are you angry?”

“Who’s angry? I never get angry at fools. I only worry that I’m not smart enough.”

Cui Dongshan shook his head, spreading his hands to gesture, “Everyone has their own way of life, knowledge, principles, sayings, experiences, and so on. All of these together are used to build a house for oneself. Some are small, like the small houses in Mud Bottle Lane and Apricot Flower Lane. Some are large, like the mansions in Peach Leaf Lane and Fortune Street. Nowadays, there are the immortal abodes on the mountains, and even the imperial palaces of the mortal world, the White Emperor City of the Central Earth Continent, and the Jade Capital of the Azure Heavens. Besides size, there is also the stability. Being big but unstable is like a castle in the air, even inferior to a small but solid house. It can’t withstand wind and rain. When hardship comes, it collapses. Besides this, it also depends on the number of doors and windows. If there are many and they are often open, one can quickly receive the scenery outside. If there are few and they are always closed, it means that a person is very stubborn, easily fixated, and lives a very self-centered life.”

Pei Qian nodded, “I like looking at houses of all sizes, so I understand what you’re saying. That mountain god who isn’t afraid of you is clearly someone with a closed mind, stubborn and inflexible.”

Cui Dongshan turned his head, glanced at Pei Qian’s eyes, and smiled, “Not bad, you’re quite sharp.”

Pei Qian crossed her arms and held her walking stick, “Of course, I’m about to go to the academy to study.”
Young Master Cui chuckled, “Then I must remind you of something. A house has limited space. If you fill it with this, you won’t have room for that. Why do so many scholars become bookworms, lost in their studies? It’s because they read too much on one particular path. Every book they read further obscures the windows and doors of their perception. So, in the end, they can’t see the world clearly. In the blink of an eye, their hair turns white, and they’re still scratching their heads, wondering why, after reading so many books, they live worse than dogs. In the end, they can only comfort themselves with, ‘The world is deteriorating; it’s not my fault.'”

Pei Qian looked around, seeing no one, and whispered, “I’m going to the school so that Master can be at ease when he travels far away. I’m not really going to study; why bother reading and getting a headache?”

Cui Dongshan blinked, then burst into laughter, dashing down the mountain. “I’m going to tell on you!”

Pei Qian was stunned, then on the verge of tears, and started sprinting madly after the big white goose.

Cui Dongshan suddenly stopped, standing at the foot of a flight of stairs, turning back. He saw a little girl with a face smudged black with dirt, so eager to catch up that she didn’t care if she fell. She pushed off from the mountaintop with one foot, leaping high into the air, like that straw sandal-wearing youth from Clay Jug Lane, soaring like a falcon over a ravine.

Cui Dongshan smiled faintly, “Master, Student, Disciple. It turns out that the three of us are the same, so afraid of growing up, yet forced to grow up.”

Suddenly, someone slapped the back of Cui Dongshan’s head. The uninvited guest said with amusement, “Bullying Pei Qian again.”

Before the words faded, a figure in green robes, having swiftly arrived from the bamboo building of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, lightly touched the ground with his toes and darted forward, scooping up Pei Qian and setting her down. Cui Dongshan smiled, bowing low. “Student was wrong.”

Pei Qian wiped her face, smearing sweat everywhere. Her eyes darted around, and she began to speak up for Cui Dongshan. “Master, I was just playing with him. We didn’t really say anything.”

Cui Dongshan nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice. “Yes, yes, yes.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Do you two believe that yourselves?”

Pei Qian and Cui Dongshan said in unison, “Yes!”

Chen Ping’an didn’t pry, knowing it was just foolishness.

The three of them descended the mountain together.

Master and student, Shifu and disciple.

Green robes, white clothes, and a little black face.