Along the verdant and secluded algae creek, aquatic plants grew densely, swaying with the water like beckoning hands of water ghosts.

Many strange tales in the marketplace and literary notes spoke of water ghosts seeking a substitute to escape their watery fate, a path of reciprocal vengeance.

However, once separated by the boundary of Yin and Yang, life and death, ordinary drowned ghosts were not cultivators possessing myriad arts. How could there be such simple means of deliverance? Ghosts harming the living was true, but self-salvation was false, merely the exaggerated tales of scholars.

Leaving the Water God Temple, Chen Ping’an, dragging the still-unconscious Lady of the Algae Creek, sped towards Azure Ripple Lake. Du Yu, still adorned in the divine armor of Sweet Dew, followed closely, riding the wind. Having spent time with this senior, Du Yu had become increasingly perceptive. He inquired whether it was necessary to remove the eye-catching Sweet Dew Armor to avoid alerting their enemies.

Chen Ping’an simply stated it was unnecessary.

Du Yu felt somewhat relieved.

However, the next words sent his heart leaping into his throat. The senior calmly said, “At the shores of Azure Ripple Lake, a great battle may ensue. When that time comes, you need do nothing. Simply treat it as gambling your life once more. Stand aside and play dumb. In any case, things cannot get any worse for you. Perhaps you might even recoup some of your losses.”

Du Yu chuckled. “Rest assured, while I may not be of great assistance to you, senior, I promise not to be a hindrance.”

Chen Ping’an smiled noncommittally.

Du Yu glanced at the Algae Creek Lady, feeling as if he were living in another world, filled with endless emotions. His parents always said that the Great Cultivators’ arts were profound. Be it the Yellow Halberd City Lord or the Patriarch of the Precious Cavern Immortal Realm, all those with backing and strongholds always acted with discernible patterns, making things easier to negotiate. Therefore, they were not necessarily frightening. What was truly terrifying was the phrase “the impermanence of the world,” for its ethereal nature made it impossible to grasp.

Du Yu used to disregard such things, treating such grand and abstract principles as mere background noise.

Thus, this night’s journey around Azure Ripple Lake felt more thrilling than all his previous travels combined. At this moment, Du Yu was too tired to think. He would not ask questions. Whatever this senior said, so be it. The schemes of those at the mountain’s peak were beyond his comprehension. Rather than making wild guesses, it was better to leave it to fate.

This enigmatic stranger from afar had one redeeming quality: authenticity.

Therefore, he answered every question along the way. Du Yu simply decided to throw caution to the wind and speak his mind. Rather than feigning foolishness or trying to be clever, it was better to be honest in his words and actions. After all, this senior had surely seen through his true self.

Chen Ping’an seemed to recall something. He tossed the Algae Creek Lady onto the ground, abruptly halting his steps, but did not awaken her.

Du Yu, lost in reverie, had inadvertently overtaken the blue-robed man by several dozen paces. Hastily riding the wind, he turned back, surveyed his surroundings, and gripped the hilt of his saber. “Senior, is there an ambush? Shall I scout ahead?”

“With the Azure Ripple Lake Lord and the Precious Cavern Immortal Realm Patriarch, whose cultivations are so profound, what need have they for ambushing you and me? They would merely establish a formation by the lake, chilling you to the bone with a single glance.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and asked Du Yu a question: “Among the dozen or so nations within the Silver Screen Country, where the number of cultivators is not insignificant, does no one desire to venture further afield, to explore and see more? For example, the Bone Coast to the south or the Great Origin Dynasty in the center?”

Du Yu shook his head. “I cannot speak for other cultivators, but within our Ghost Axe Palace, from the very first day of cultivating, a ancestral precept has been passed down, roughly advising descendants not to travel far lightly, but to focus on cultivating at home. My parents often tell their disciples that our land possesses the most abundant spiritual energy, a rare paradise. Should we attract the envy of impoverished cultivators from elsewhere, it would bring misfortune. But I do not entirely believe this. Therefore, over the years of traveling the Jianghu…”

Here, Du Yu hesitated, halting his words.

Chen Ping’an said, “You have honestly answered my question. As for the rest, you may speak or remain silent. I have little interest in your paltry Jianghu stories.”

Du Yu immediately understood. He took a few steps, approached the senior, and lowered his voice. “This is a strange matter. My parents are quite doting on me, but whenever I mention this topic, they become very reticent, saying that some things are better left unknown. Naturally, I dare not be presumptuous. So, I devised a compromise, using the opportunity of traveling the Jianghu to venture slightly further afield, each time stopping just short of the edge, and explored in all directions. Eventually, I did manage to discern something.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled. “You seem to have tasted quite a few flavors in the Jianghu.”

Du Yu grinned. “My childish games cannot compare to your senior’s wind-riding across continents, a carefree journey on the Great Dao, traversing ten thousand li in a single stride.”

Du Yu continued, “I eventually discovered that the borderlines of the dozen or so nations seemed to possess an invisible chasm, where the spiritual energy was particularly thin, as if a celestial being living amidst the clouds in the nine heavens had drawn a circle on the mortal realm’s map, both sheltering us and preventing foreign cultivators from barging in and causing havoc, instilling fear in those who dare to overstep.”

Chen Ping’an softly said, “Similar to Cui Dongshan’s method of drawing a lightning pond with his flying sword? To what end?”

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment, but unable to find a clear answer, he shelved the thought.

However, if it was truly related to the appearance of the anomalous treasure from Driving Carriage City, and was a subtle, far-reaching connection, then he would need to be more cautious.

Therefore, the upcoming trip to Azure Ripple Lake, if negotiations truly failed and the worst-case scenario transpired, he could not simply focus on unleashing his full power for the sake of personal satisfaction and exhaust his resources.

The sword immortal hidden at his back must remain his trump card.

The flying sword Fifteen within the Sword Nurturing Gourd had appeared at the Water Immortal Shrine. The maidservant would surely portray him as a “sword immortal.” Therefore, he could use it depending on the circumstances, but he needed to instruct Fifteen to initially fly more slowly when leaving the gourd once the battle began.

As for the walnut beads in his hand and the three talismans from the Great Origin Dynasty’s Cloud Soaring Palace, in seemingly “urgent and perilous” moments, he could select one or two to showcase under this… moonlight.

As for his martial artist realm and the resilience of his physique, it was best to keep it concealed at the peak of the Fifth Realm.
Earlier, within the Water God Temple of the Algae Creek’s Master, the deliberate punches aimed at both the Creek Master and He Lu were a feint, a seemingly “all-out, no holds barred” display meant to reveal true strength while masking true intentions.

Some things, no matter how well hidden, might not work. Isn’t it only natural for people to imagine the worst-case scenario? Why would Chen Pingan be the only one with such a habit? Therefore, it’s better to let the enemy “see it for themselves.”

Carefully considering every possibility, meticulously thinking and rethinking each matter.

Wandering alone across thousands of miles of rivers and lakes.

Chen Pingan has always walked this path.

It’s just that today he practices his fists more often and carries more protective items.

He has transformed from a barefoot, mud-caked youth into a young man in white robes with a jade hairpin, and now into a traveler in a bamboo hat and green shirt with a walking stick.

What flying sword and Thunder Pond drawing…

Du Yu pretended not to hear anything, much less understand.

Just like how this senior casually made the empty wine jug disappear into thin air, most likely storing it in the “Pocket Tomb” that his parents often talked about with longing in their eyes.

Du Yu pretended not to see it either.

Chen Pingan used his walking stick to strike the Algae Creek Master’s forehead, waking her up.

This Algae Creek Master was indeed more cunning than the Water Immortal Shrine’s goddess from before. Collapsed on the ground, showing no sign of getting up, she softly said, “Offending the Great Immortal Master is this servant’s unforgivable crime. This servant will never forget the Great Immortal Master’s kindness in sparing my life.”

Chen Pingan bluntly said, “I want to kill your Lake Lord and smash his Dragon Palace lair. You will lead the way.”

The Creek Master’s wife, dressed in luxurious clothing and with delicate makeup, remained composed. “Does the Great Immortal Master have a feud with the Lake Lord? Could there be some misunderstanding?”

Chen Pingan frowned. “Enough nonsense. Get up and lead the way.”

The Palace-dressed woman regained some of her previous graceful demeanor from within the Water God Temple, slowly rising and giving a charming and graceful bow.

Unexpectedly, the green-clad guest with the bamboo hat kicked her away.

She bit her lip and didn’t say a word, just silently getting up.

The Creek Master’s wife hated this bastard rogue cultivator with a passion, along with that unlucky Ghost Axe Palace military cultivator.

However, if she didn’t have the ability to observe people and assess situations, she wouldn’t have reached her current position.

A drowned water ghost who died by being thrown into the river in a pig cage, step by step reaching where she is today, even pushing the Peony Creek Master to abandon the shrine and move the golden statue into the lake, becoming siblings with the Lake Lord’s three river gods. She didn’t rely on her golden statue cultivation, or on the incense offerings of the mortal world.

She feigned fear, trembling as she asked, “Does the Great Immortal Master wish to swim underwater or travel by wind on the shore?”

Chen Pingan said, “Walk on the shore.”

Although the Creek Master’s wife was surprised, she didn’t dare to disobey this eccentric person with a sinister nature, and had to walk slowly ahead with an affected manner.

Rogue cultivators in this world are all base born.

When they reached the boundary between the Algae Creek canal and the Azure Culmen Lake, it would be the time when this person kneeled and kowtowed, and was still buried in the fish’s belly.

However, she couldn’t help but feel suspicious. Why were the profoundly skilled Immortal Yan Qing and the favored son of Yellow Ax City, He Lu, both nowhere to be seen?

Sure enough, these so-called cloud-dwelling immortals and forest-spring gods were all hypocrites, hard-hearted as iron, and not good people at all.

Du Yu thought it was very interesting.

Earlier in the Water God Shrine, this Creek Master’s wife fainted, missing out on the good show.

If she had seen that scene, this little river hag would probably not be brewing any bad schemes in her belly right now.

Chen Pingan remembered a certain maid beside the Peony Creek Master, then looked at the Algae Creek Master in front of him, turning to Du Yu and smiling, “Brother Du Yu, truly, one sees character in the face of death.”

Du Yu quickly braced himself and called him Brother Chen, then said, “Just some random nonsense I made up.”

Chen Pingan said nothing more.

Du Yu followed him in silence, just slowly walking.

As for what the senior said about killing the Lake Lord and smashing the Dragon Palace, Du Yu didn’t believe it. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe the senior had such unparalleled power, but… it didn’t fit the senior’s business sense.

In the Water God Shrine, the senior pierced He Lu’s neck with a chop of the hand, the latter having no power to resist, directly smashing through the roof ridge.

From this, it could be seen that the reason why Immortal Yan Qing could still stand until the end, not lying on the ground like He Lu, or having her head buried in the ground like the Algae Creek Master, was it because the senior cherished beauty? Naturally not. As for the real reason, Du Yu couldn’t guess. Du Yu just didn’t know why, but he always felt that this immensely powerful senior, towards beautiful women, whether cultivators or deities, once he chose to strike, he was truly ruthless.

Chen Pingan casually asked, “Earlier in the shrine, Yan Qing held her sword but didn’t draw it, instead intending to retreat, knowing she was no match for me, wanting to go to Azure Culmen Lake to seek reinforcements. Du Yu, tell me, what was in the deepest part of her heart? Was it more about getting herself out of danger, protecting herself more, or saving He Lu more?”

Du Yu smiled. “Yan Qing did the right thing, taking care of both self-preservation and saving others. I believe that even if He Lu saw it, he wouldn’t have any resentment. If put in the same situation, He Lu would probably make the same choice. It’s just that in the rivers and lakes, in similar situations, many heroes, even knowing it’s the enemy’s trap, still charge in to die, laughable but true, admirable… sometimes.”

Chen Pingan pondered for a moment, seemingly understanding, nodding and saying, “Birds of a feather flock together, He Lu and Yan Qing can live in harmony with the Great Way, with a telepathic understanding.”

The Algae Creek Master, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation all along, sneered inwardly.

Trying to trick me?

You, a bastard rogue cultivator who calls Du Yu your brother, dare to say something about Yan Qing knowing she was no match for you?

But the Creek Master’s wife felt a slight palpitation in her heart. What if, what if it was true?

After all, the fact that she was as weak as a stray dog or a clay chicken in front of this rogue cultivator was undeniable.

Never mind, take it one step at a time. As long as she reached Azure Culmen Lake, everything would become clear. If the sky fell, the Lake Lord and the Azure Jewel Celestial Realm Patriarch would bear the burden.

She really didn’t believe that anyone could withstand the joint attack of those two immortals. This person would be skinned and have his sinews drawn, his soul captured to light water lamps. By then, she would definitely ask the Lake Lord to get her a strand of his soul, and put it in her own Water God Shrine!

Chen Pingan glanced at the Algae Creek Master in front of him, “Why is this kind of person, like an old madame from a brothel, so successful in Azure Culmen Lake?”
Du Yu tentatively probed, “Perhaps only by acting like this can one get ahead, right?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Brother Du Yu, you’ve actually spoken a human truth for once.”

Du Yu held back, but ultimately couldn’t help it, bursting into laughter, the first time he’d felt so carefree and content tonight.

Seeing him getting carried away, Chen Ping’an twitched his lips, “Is it that funny?”

Du Yu seemed to have his neck grabbed, immediately shutting his mouth and silencing himself.

Chen Ping’an remained silent for a long time, then asked, “If you were that scholar, what would you do? Let’s divide it into three scenarios. First, if you were fortunate enough to escape Suijia City and seek refuge with a respected elder, what would your choice be? Second, if you passed the imperial examinations with flying colors and were listed on the roll of honor, entering the Hanlin Academy of the Silver Screen Kingdom, what then? Third, if you became renowned and had a bright future ahead of you, sent out as an official to your old territory, only to be discovered by the City God Temple, plunging you into a certain death situation.”

Du Yu grinned.

This time, however, Chen Ping’an didn’t want him to speak bluntly, but said, “Truly put yourself in his shoes and think it over carefully. Don’t rush to answer me.”

Forced to yield under the eaves, Du Yu seriously pondered for a long time, slowly saying, “First, if I had the chance to know that there are people above people and that cultivators exist in this world, I would strive to cultivate immortal arts and try to embark on the path of cultivation. If that didn’t work, I would study hard, obtain an official position, and take the same path as that scholar. Of course, I would seek revenge, but first and foremost, I must survive. The better I live, the greater the opportunity for revenge. Second, if I had realized beforehand that the City God Temple was involved, I would be even more cautious. I wouldn’t rise to a high-ranking official in the Six Ministries of the Silver Screen Kingdom, and I would never leave the capital lightly or return to Suijia City easily, aiming for a single, fatal strike. If I hadn’t known the depth of the involvement beforehand and was still kept in the dark, I might have been similar to that scholar, feeling that as a prefect of a prefecture, virtually a governor of one region, and a promising young man with the Emperor’s favor, dealing with some roving bandits, even an old case, would certainly be more than enough. Third, as long as I could survive, I would do whatever the City God wanted me to do. I would never choose death over life.”

Chen Ping’an said, “So, it’s still very difficult for us to truly put ourselves in someone else’s shoes.”

Du Yu looked somewhat ashamed.

He must have been thinking too simplistically. After all, this senior beside him was a true towering figure, and his view of worldly affairs would truly be worthy of the term “profound.”

After this, Chen Ping’an no longer spoke.

Du Yu was delighted, feeling much more relaxed.

His brain had never worked so fast or been so strained in his entire life as it had been tonight.

Compared to the Shaoxi Canal water near the Water Immortal Temple earlier, the Zao Canal was wider and deeper. Over hundreds of years, many large villages that were originally built along the Shaoxi Canal gradually began to move to this canal with better water flow. Over time, the incense offerings to the Shaoxi Canal Water Immortal Temple naturally withered. It’s no wonder that the Greenswater Manor behind them could be built so luxuriously. Divine bodies rely on incense offerings, while earthen mansions rely on silver.

The Shaoxi Canal Master, who had already fled back to the Dragon Palace at the bottom of the lake, lost to this colleague walking ahead of Chen Ping’an in every aspect. Otherwise, the Azure Ripple Lake Lord wouldn’t have asked the Zao Canal Master to handle that secret letter and bestowed upon him the Lake Lord’s divine token, allowing him to leave the Zao Canal’s jurisdiction, cross mountains and waters, and go to the capital to smooth things over. Du Yu knew the Azure Ripple Lake’s deities inside and out. According to this Ghost Axe Palace military cultivator, the Azure Ripple Lake Dragon Palace was a brothel on a mountain, specifically used by the Lake Lord to win over wealthy and idle noble youths from other places. And where did those famously beautiful Dragon Palace maids come from? Naturally, it was from the other three rivers and one canal besides the almost abandoned Zao Canal. Floods and droughts were rampant, and in the early years, a passing immortal master taught a method to resolve this, requiring the selection of a virgin maiden of sixteen to be thrown into the water as an offering. During times of severe drought, local officials would go to the Lake Lord’s temple in the city to pray for rain, which was quite effective. Afterwards, when rain fell, a maiden would also need to be thrown into the water to repay the Lake Lord’s kindness.

Du Yu said that all these schemes were the work of the Zao Canal Master.

She would often disguise herself as a woman, like an official making unannounced visits, secretly touring the Azure Ripple Lake’s jurisdiction, seeking out young girls from the common people with good cultivation aptitude and beautiful appearances. When they reached adolescence, the three rivers and two canals would suddenly experience heavy rainfall, floods, or she would use magic to drive away rain clouds, causing a thousand miles of drought. Following these centuries-old traditions, the local governments had long become familiar with the routine. The matter of throwing maidens into the water was something that even the common people had accepted. Over time, they became accustomed to one person suffering so that all beings could benefit from favorable weather, and even treated it as a joyous occasion, making a great fuss. Each time, the selected girl would be dressed in a wedding gown, adorned beautifully. As for the girl’s family, they would receive a generous sum of silver, and the old folks in the city streets would say that after the girl was thrown into the water, she would soon be taken back to the underwater Dragon Palace by the Lake Lord, where she could become a carefree immortal, well-fed, well-clothed, and adorned with gold and jade. It was truly a great blessing.

The connections with the noble youths in the capital and local areas, the specific welcoming and sending off, were also personally handled by this Water God Lady. She was a well-rounded individual, so she was deeply valued by the Lake Lord. However, there was one thing that she couldn’t compare to with the Shaoxi Canal Master, who was of equal rank. The latter was a minister who had served from the very beginning. Before the Azure Ripple Lake Lord was officially recognized by the Silver Screen Kingdom, she had already been by the Lake Lord’s side.

Earlier, when they came to the Zao Canal Temple, Du Yu spoke of these things, and he still admired the Canal Master’s wife, who was said to be even more graceful and luxurious than the queen or concubines of a kingdom. He said that she was a deity who knew how to use her brain. It was a bit unfair to her that she was still just a small river goddess. If he were the Azure Ripple Lake Lord, he would have helped her plot for a river god position long ago. As for a river god, forget it. There were no large rivers within this Silver Screen Kingdom. A clever woman couldn’t make bread without flour. It seemed that most of the country’s water transport was occupied by the Azure Ripple Lake.

They were less than ten miles away from Azure Ripple Lake.

But Chen Ping’an stopped in his tracks.

The Zao Canal Master hesitated for a moment and followed suit.

She turned her head, her almond-shaped eyes naturally glistening with mist. She looked seemingly puzzled, pitiful, and hesitant to ask, but in reality, she was sneering inwardly. Why did he stop? He had been so confident earlier, did he now realize the danger ahead?

Du Yu had already made up his mind that he would just watch the show. This was what the senior himself had said.

Chen Ping’an turned around and looked.

It was actually that Yan Qing who had followed them.
He Lu did not follow closely. It was also possible that she was hiding far away. This young Daoist genius should be good at both escaping and concealing techniques.

It’s just that her constitution is a bit weak.

Otherwise, Chen Ping’an would find it more troublesome.

A young female cultivator from the Emerald Canopy Grotto-Heaven, dressed in white robes and wearing a delicate golden crown, floated along with the wind. Compared to Du Yu beside her, it was undeniable that whether male or female, cultivators who were more handsome or beautiful had a more pleasing appearance when soaring through the air.

Du Yu noticed the senior taking a glance at him, seeming to feel pity?

What, was the senior going to send him to the Azure Reed Lake to set traps alone again?

Senior, you promised to watch the fun on the sidelines! Your words are law. It wouldn’t be good to go back on your word now, would it?

Chen Ping’an said, “Yan Qing is chasing after us.”

Du Yu followed his gaze and, sure enough, a small white dot appeared at the edge of their vision. Du Yu was stunned and said, “This Fairy Yan can’t be crazy, can she? She insists on defying fate and wants to have a showdown with Senior… with Brother Chen?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Some people’s thoughts are beyond my comprehension.”

The Algae Stream Water Lord felt reassured.

Once Fairy Yan Qing arrived, even if she hadn’t reached the edge of Azure Reed Lake yet, he should be relatively safe.

Although he didn’t know why they hadn’t fought to the death in his own shrine, the fact that Fairy Yan Qing was relentlessly following them meant that if this rogue cultivator dared to attack again, it would be a complete break between them. Fighting in the Greenwater Mansion might have unexpected consequences, but here, just a few steps away from Azure Reed Lake, what kind of trouble could a crude rogue cultivator and a ghost craftsman cultivator who only knew how to please the Emerald Canopy Grotto-Heaven’s Second Patriarch stir up?

Holding a sheathed short sword, Yan Qing gracefully descended, only a dozen steps away from the bamboo-hatted, blue-robed guest. Furthermore, she continued to advance slowly.

The Algae Stream Water Lord, who believed he had some ability to perceive subtleties, felt even more delighted. Look, Fairy Yan Qing really didn’t take this person seriously. Even knowing that he was skilled in close combat, she remained completely unconcerned.

Du Yu looked at this famous young fairy. It was said that she and He Lu were dragons among men, a match made in heaven.

Regardless of how envious he was in the past, he had to admit that seeing her tonight, not to mention He Lu, Fairy Yan Qing was truly beautiful.

This made Du Yu feel somewhat uncomfortable.

A delicacy that was just out of reach was more disgusting than being forced to eat a mouthful of hot shit.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Is there anything else?”

Her expression was cold and aloof as she continued to walk forward, her gaze resolute. Her Daoist heart, carefully cultivated, had clearly calmed and returned to its clear state.

Chen Ping’an raised his walking stick and pointed it at the fairy, whose appearance and temperament were almost flawless. “You can stop now.”

Yan Qing did not insist on moving forward and stopped.

Du Yu secretly sniffed the air. As expected of a fairy reputed to have a congenital Daoist physique, the subtle orchid fragrance she possessed was unheard of in the mortal world.

Yan Qing said, “He kindly advised you. Why did you have to resort to such cruelty against him?”

The Algae Stream Water Lady, who was originally leisurely, twitched at the corner of her mouth.

Cruelty?

Cultivators of higher and lower realms, and the large and small deities residing near mountains and rivers, were not truly foolish.

The Water Lord Lady glanced at the Algae Stream water nearby, wanting to use her divine power to transform into mist and escape.

With a flick of his wrist, Chen Ping’an, facing away from Du Yu and the Algae Stream Water Lord, sent the walking stick flying backward. It struck the Water Lord Lady’s forehead, and the heavy blow made her see stars and stagger.

The walking stick returned to its original path and was once again grasped by Chen Ping’an. “Yan Qing, did you enjoy drinking tea at the Algae Stream Water Lord’s shrine tonight? Was it tasty?”

Although young, Yan Qing was a beautiful and insightful piece of jade. She heard the sarcasm in his words and said calmly, “If the tea is good, then it’s tasty. When, where, and with whom one drinks tea are all external matters. A cultivator’s heart is pure, even when immersed in mud, it remains untainted.”

Chen Ping’an waved his hand, not wanting to waste his breath on her.

Yan Qing said, “You may proceed to the Azure Reed Lake Dragon Palace. We will each travel our own path on the Great Dao. I will not take any additional actions.”

Chen Ping’an turned around and signaled the Algae Stream Water Lord, who was still rubbing her forehead, to continue leading the way.

Yan Qing followed behind them.

Chen Ping’an didn’t mind.

After a moment, Yan Qing kept staring at the long sword on the back of the blue-robed guest. She asked again, “Are you a sword cultivator deliberately traveling the world as a martial artist?”

Unfortunately, the man remained silent.

Du Yu chuckled, his steps light. It was intoxicating to have Fairy Yan Qing eat his dust behind him.

After traveling about another mile, Yan Qing asked again, “Why are you so intent on inquiring about a past event in the mortal world? Could it be a crucial clue to obtaining that treasured artifact?”

Still, there was no answer.

Yan Qing maintained her composure and asked, “What is your name? Since you are an expert, you shouldn’t hide your identity, should you?”

Du Yu couldn’t resist the urge to tease Fairy Yan Qing. He walked and turned his head, smiling. “I wouldn’t dare hide it from Fairy Yan. My brother here is named Chen Haoren. Although he is a rogue cultivator, he has the most chivalrous heart. He travels the world with his sword, and he will meddle in any injustice in the mortal world. I have known Brother Chen for many years. We initially met in the Jianghu, where we didn’t know each other, and we fought. After the fight, I admired Brother Haoren’s cultivation and character immensely. Every time I am alone late at night, I must ask myself, why is there such a remarkable man in the world?! What virtue do I, Du Yu, possess to have the good fortune to know him?”

Chen Ping’an still turned a deaf ear.

Yan Qing glanced at the hopeless Du Yu and said with a cold smile, “You have known each other in the Jianghu for many years? Was it in the Algae Stream Water Lord’s shrine? Perhaps you were beaten in the head there tonight and are talking nonsense now?”

Du Yu laughed heartily, not taking it to heart.

Yan Qing’s eyes were icy. “We are only a few steps away from Azure Reed Lake. Although the Second Patriarch of my Emerald Canopy Grotto-Heaven did not come down the mountain this time, if she later finds out that you, Du Yu, are fortunate enough to know such a rogue cultivator friend, time will pass slowly on the mountain. The foreign monk will leave, but the temple will remain. Are you not afraid of misfortune coming from your mouth and disaster entering through your words?”

I’m a hero who’s wandered back to the land of the living from the gates of hell twice, what do I have to fear from you. Not only did Du Yu not retreat, but he also glared at Yan Qing’s small mouth and then smiled and said nothing.
Yan Qing smiled faintly, “Ghost Axe Palace, Du Yu, is it? I’ll remember you and your sect.”

Du Yu felt a little guilty.

Chen Pingan turned to Du Yu and laughed, “Brother Du Yu, you need to change this bad habit of being carried away. Immortal maidens on the mountain are not like white-haired Jianghu heroines, they have long memories.”

Du Yu nodded like a chick pecking at rice, “Brother Chen’s instruction is like a golden rule, like gifting me ten thousand gold coins. I will definitely guard this fortune in the future.”

They had already gambled with their lives.

Might as well make another big gamble.

As long as this senior can escape from Cangyun Lake safely tonight, regardless of whether they become enemies or not, anyone who wants to move against him in the future will have to consider his relationship with this “unaffiliated friend” whom he shared life and death with.

He and his sect, Ghost Axe Palace, naturally cannot move, but as long as the senior doesn’t die in Cangyun Lake, no cultivator on the mountain is a fool. They won’t easily become bait on a fishing hook, becoming the nail that sticks out.

Only at this moment did Du Yu belatedly realize why the senior said at first that perhaps this trip to Cangyun Lake would allow him to earn back some capital.

Of course, it was still extremely dangerous, and the consequences were endless.

However, on the path of cultivation, apart from rare existences like Yan Qing and He Lu, who else can enjoy a life of luxury? Hadn’t he, Du Yu, encountered several life-threatening situations while roaming the mortal realm?

Therefore, this little girl Yan Qing, compared to this senior who has lived for hundreds or even thousands of years, is still a bit shallow. Her narrow vision cannot yet foster a dragon.

After this, Yan Qing stopped speaking, only silently following behind the group.

They approached the shores of Cangyun Lake.

The scenery suddenly opened up.

Worthy of being the largest body of water in the Silver Screen Kingdom.

Tonight was a full moon.

The emerald waves stretched for miles, the water shimmered, and the moonlight and water complemented each other perfectly.

Since it was the entrance to the Zaoqi Canal, a ferry crossing was built here, but this waterway was exclusively used by the Canal Master of Zaoqi to receive distinguished guests from the capital. She did not allow commoners to set foot here.

Standing at the ferry, a gentle breeze caressed his face. Chen Pingan used his walking stick as a support, looked into the distance, and asked, “Du Yu, you said the two Canal Masters of Zaoqi and Shaoqi, including you, if I accidentally killed a hundred of you with one punch, how many would be innocent?”

Du Yu blinked. This question was really difficult to answer, and he didn’t dare to speak rashly.

After all, Cangyun Lake was right in front of them.

Yan Qing’s threatening words were not just empty threats. The rules of the mountain were like this, the same for generations.

The Canal Master of Zaoqi, seeing that Cangyun Lake seemed calm, was anxiously burning. After hearing the unaffiliated cultivator ask this question, she finally began to panic.

If there were a regret pill in this world, she would buy several pounds and swallow them all in one gulp.

If she had been slightly more polite and appeased that bastard unaffiliated cultivator a few words earlier in the Water God Temple, it wouldn’t have escalated to this life-and-death situation.

In any case, in the shrine, this unaffiliated cultivator came to her territory, first invited Du Yu inside to greet him, and then he himself walked in. The words he spoke, which sounded ridiculous and annoying at the time, now seemed to be… somewhat reasonable?

Yan Qing suddenly said, “It’s best not to vent your anger here with indiscriminate killing. It’s meaningless.”

Chen Pingan slowly walked forward, stood beside the Canal Master of Zaoqi, the two of them seemingly standing shoulder to shoulder, admiring the lake view together.

Chen Pingan leaned on his walking stick with both hands and asked softly, “Those young girls who were sent to the Lake Lord as maids and concubines like tribute, were there any who were unwilling, vowing to die rather than submit, and then were blackmailed by you with their families and relatives, and then tearfully put on their wedding dresses? Were there any of their parents who were heartbroken and died of depression? Were there any young men who grew up with them, wanting to avenge them, and then were crushed to death by you with a single finger? Answer honestly, were there any? As long as there’s one, it’s a yes.”

The Canal Master of Zaoqi trembled all over, biting her lip tightly.

Chen Pingan asked, “Will you change? Can you make amends? Will Cangyun Lake change?”

The Canal Master of Zaoqi nodded vigorously, on the verge of tears, “As long as the Great Immortal Master speaks, this servant will definitely turn over a new leaf…”

But the guy wearing the bamboo hat simply said, “I didn’t ask you. I know the answer.”

Just as the Canal Master of Zaoqi was about to buckle at the knees and beg for mercy.

She suddenly turned her head to look at Cangyun Lake, her eyes shining with excitement, her heart filled with joy.

She immediately straightened her back.

Du Yu shrank his neck and swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

A tall man wearing a dragon robe, with a face like jade and a crown on his head, appeared on the surface of Cangyun Lake, as if surrounded by stars. There were the Water Gods of the Three Rivers, as well as the Canal Master of Shaoqi with a face full of glee, and dozens of large and small dragon palace civil and military officials, their aura imposing. Further behind, there were hundreds of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, arranging their troops and performing their duties.

Among them, there were a small group of immortal cultivators with extraordinary bearing, closest to the middle-aged man.

Even more, there was a robust old woman whose stature was no less than the dragon-robed man, wearing a golden crown similar to Yan Qing’s, only with a richer precious light, shining brightly under the moonlight.

Behind the old woman stood more than ten cultivators with long breaths and bodies overflowing with brilliance.

It was none other than Lake Lord of Cangyun Lake, Yin Hou, and the founder of Baodong Immortal Realm, Fan Weiran, who joined hands and left the dragon palace banquet to meet the so-called foreign swordsman that the Canal Master of Shaoqi had mentioned.

One was one of the two greatest “Crossing-the-River Dragons” in the territory of a dozen countries.

One was the most powerful local tyrant in the Silver Screen Kingdom.

The two were originally enjoying a pleasant conversation at the luxurious feast filled with countless delicacies and intoxicating immortal wines.

Until the disheveled Canal Master of Shaoqi arrived, uttering words that ruined the mood.

She said that a powerful person of unknown origin had arrived at the Water Immortal Temple, and casually killed Du Yu of Ghost Axe Palace, and even threatened to flatten the Cangyun Lake Dragon Palace, abducting dragon women as playthings, and even said that the immortal masters of Baodong Immortal Realm were nothing, and if they dared to interfere, he would kill them all.

The Lake Lord Yin Hou, who had been in charge of thousands of miles of water transport for a thousand years, was not an idiot. He knew the Canal Master of Shaoqi’s deceptive nature. He immediately slapped the Canal Master of Shaoqi with a sleeve, causing her golden body to tremble violently, and she fell to the ground, rolling and wailing. Only then did the Canal Master of Shaoqi, who was more likely to spoil things than accomplish anything, dare not exaggerate and told the story of what happened at the ancestral hall in detail.
The Qi Refinement cultivators from the Immortal Abode of Bao Tong only saw it as a boisterous spectacle to enliven their drinks. As for the so-called Sword Immortal, naturally, no one believed it. It was said that a maidservant by the side of the Zao Xi Canal Master had witnessed with her own eyes a miniature flying sword emerging from a wine pot. But the words of a lowly servant girl were hardly credible. The founder of the Bao Tong Immortal Abode, Fan Weiran, remained silent throughout.

The sordid affair at the City God Temple of Sui Jia City had been heard of years ago, though it hadn’t been taken to heart at the time. Only later, when signs of a rare treasure appearing in the world emerged, did she begin to investigate the matter. The general course of events, the causes and effects, were now understood.

Two Bao Tong Immortal Abode cultivators sent down the mountain to handle the matter had even clashed with a group of local Immortals from the Silver Screen Kingdom who had the same idea, confronting the descendants of the original letter recipient in the old capital.

Naturally, the locals suffered and retreated in disgrace.

Fan Weiran frowned. “Qing丫头?” (Qing丫头 is a familiar and affectionate way to call a young girl named Qing, here likely referring to晏清)

晏清, standing near the ferry crossing, smiled faintly. “Ancestral Founder, rest assured, it’s nothing of consequence.”

Lake Lord Yin Hou narrowed his eyes.

Truly, she was a peerless beauty capable of toppling kingdoms. If he were fortunate enough to share a night of pleasure with her, it would increase his cultivation by at least a century.

Alas, Bao Tong Immortal Abode cherished her like a jewel. This delicate晏清, this tender morsel, was Fan Weiran’s heart and soul; Cangyun Lake dared not touch her.

He’d heard that晏清 and He Lu of Huangyue City were deeply in love. But judging from晏清’s bearing and aura, thankfully, He Lu had yet to possess her.

Lake Lord Yin Hou quietly swallowed a mouthful of dragon saliva.

Back at the ferry crossing,

The Zao Xi Canal Master could no longer concern herself with anything else. She leaped towards Cangyun Lake, crying out, “Lake Lord, save me!”

Yin Hou heard this and laughed loudly. “Is there a need for saving?”

The next moment,

The Lake Lord Yin Hou, who possessed the dignified bearing of a human emperor, flew into a rage.

Just as the trusted Canal Master was about to touch the surface of the lake with her feet, the green-robed, bamboo-hatted traveler at the ferry crossing reached out and grabbed her. The Zao Xi Canal Master flew backward to the ferry bank. The man seized her head with his five fingers, and with a single squeeze, a Water God’s golden body abruptly burst forth from within the venerable woman’s flesh and bones in countless strands of faint golden light. In an instant, a Water God’s golden form was forcefully dragged out of the dignified woman’s shell.

The two were separated.

The palace-clad woman’s body collapsed limply to the ground.

The Zao Xi Canal Master, forced to reveal her golden form, emitted a heart-wrenching wail of despair.

Her hands beat desperately at the blue-shirted sword-carrying young man’s arm.

Before the eyes of Cangyun Lake Lord and Fan Weiran, the man abruptly increased his force. The golden form’s head shattered with a bang. The golden form transformed into glittering golden motes, ceaselessly dissipating on the ferry. In the end, she was only a river goddess. Not even a fragment of the golden body the size of a fingernail could be condensed.

The man said indifferently, “There’s no need for saving.”

Du Yu looked up at the moon, pretending to be a fool.

I see nothing, I see nothing at all.

The degree of disturbance within晏清’s heart was greater than before in the Zao Canal Woman’s water god temple. It was as if the ocean had been turned upside down, as if her heart’s mirror had been struck by a fist.

Fan Weiran twitched the corner of her mouth, a fleeting expression.

Now you, Cangyun Lake Lord, have lost face in front of everyone, both your own people and outsiders. You, Yin Hou, will have no choice but to launch a major attack.

As Yin Hou’s heart trembled with rage, as the overlord of Cangyun Lake, a true mountain and river deity who controlled all water transportation, the lake’s surface near the ferry crossing began to surge with waves. The sound of waves crashing against the shore rose and fell.

Then the green-robed guest, whose actions were startling and earth-shattering, spoke a phrase that was surely a jest. “Want to hear reason?”

The man looked at the Cangyun Lake Lord, then at Fan Weiran, whose expression was playful. He finally answered himself, “Looks like you don’t. I like it.”

A deathly silence descended upon the world, while the moonlight remained eternally silent.

Du Yu only felt a surge of heroism in his heart. Damn, if I could have this kind of spirit one day, it would be worth dying for! Of course, it would be best to be beaten half to death, leaving at least half a life to come back and do this again!

Damn it, so heroes could be like this? What did my small-time antics in the pugilistic world even amount to?

晏清’s mood was agitated and her expression was complex.

She gazed at that retreating back.

It was as if a tiny mustard seed stood alone between the vastness of heaven and earth. He didn’t seem like a wild cultivator, much less an orthodox immortal master from the mountains. Instead, he seemed like a true wanderer, carrying his sword and traveling the mountains and rivers. He even seemed… a little lonely?

晏清 was annoyed by this inexplicable thought and quickly calmed her mind, silently chanting immortal formulas.

Then she saw the man first take off the bamboo chest and gently place it at his feet, then take off the bamboo hat and place it on the bamboo chest.

He thrust the walking staff into the ground, inserting a small section into the ferry crossing.

Then he slowly began to roll up one sleeve.

After standing still, he was simply carrying his sword and hanging a wine gourd.

Finally, the man looked towards Cangyun Lake and said slowly, “No need to be polite, come at me together. Let’s see if my fists are harder or your magical treasures are more numerous. If I flee today, I won’t be called Chen Good Samaritan.”

Du Yu’s face was full of tangled emotion.

It would be better if the words were only half-spoken. The words before were so exciting, but the last sentence was unnecessary, right? Senior expert, that’s increasing the enemy’s morale and decreasing our own prestige.

But soon Du Yu realized he was overthinking it.

Senior expert would never disappoint.

Because what he said didn’t matter at all.

It was what he did that mattered.

The blue-robed figure carrying a sword and a wine gourd, before the Cangyun Lake Lord had even uttered half a threatening word, had already stomped half of the ferry crossing into a crumbling heap, and rushed away with a booming sound.

The surging water on the shore receded along with it.

A river god wearing blue armor and holding a long saber rushed forward to meet the enemy.

Only a single fist landed with a loud bang.

Together with the armor, flesh, and golden body, it was shattered on the spot.