A young woman, returning from across the continent to her ancestral home, departed the Ferry of Oxhorn Mountain. She walked out of the great mountains, heading towards the town where the Huaihuang County Magistracy was located. Passing the small, earthen mound of True Pearl Mountain, she glanced at it several times before entering the town. First, she went to her old family home, not far from True Pearl Mountain. Back then, a wretched beast from True Yang Mountain had trampled upon its roof, forcing her family of four to move in with relatives. She still remembered her mother’s constant complaining about the cost of the subsequent repairs. She pulled out her house key, fetched two buckets of water from the nearby well, and meticulously cleaned the house inside and out. Only then did she lock the door and head to the desolate Yang’s Apothecary. Business was slow, and only two apprentices remained: a young boy named Shi Lingshan and his senior, Su Dian, who managed the apothecary.

Shi Lingshan was dozing at the counter, while Su Dian sat on a long bench, quietly practicing her breathing techniques. After breaking through the Third Realm bottleneck, she received the assessment from her martial brother, Zheng Dafeng: “The bottle shatters, thunderous torrents burst forth, an iron cavalry cleaves the formation.” He said it was quite remarkable, beneficial to elevating the quality of her heroic spirit in the future. He even advised her, after reaching the Fifth Realm, to take a trip to the ancient battlefield ruins to temper her soul, which would be twice as effective, especially for her subsequent Sixth Realm cultivation. However, Su Dian felt little joy, only a deep sense of loss, because she knew very well that the Third Realm bottleneck, while a great obstacle, was also a great opportunity. The word she craved most – “strongest” – was ultimately out of her reach. She could only place her hopes on the current Fourth Realm.

This caused Su Dian, already fiercely competitive, to become even more silent and reserved. Her martial arts practice was almost fanatical, divided into three types: daytime practice, nighttime practice, and dream practice, with the last being the most mysterious. The first two were most effective under the scorching sun and the full moon, respectively. Dream practice involved lighting three incense sticks every night before sleep, allowing her to enter all sorts of strange and bizarre dreams, either engaging in fierce duels, being trapped on battlefields, dying instantly, or struggling to survive. After dream practice, Su Dian not only did not feel tired the next day, but she would always wake up refreshed at dawn, never delaying her daytime and nighttime practices.

Shi Lingshan appeared to be dozing, but he was also diligently cultivating. The young boy’s cultivation method was simpler than his senior sister Su Dian’s, called “Water.”

He walked within the river of time, tempering his body and soul.

Su Dian did not know her master’s true identity, let alone his cultivation realm. However, Su Dian was certain of one thing: her and her junior brother’s cultivation paths were definitely extraordinary. Now, many immortals roamed Huaihuang County, and numerous spirits and demons from the western mountains appeared in human form. Local townspeople or Lu Clan convicts were constantly being accepted as disciples by cultivators. Su Dian guessed that, apart from the Dragon Spring Sword Sect of the Sage Ruan Qiong, no one could compare to her and her junior brother.

Su Dian opened her eyes and looked at the stranger outside the door. Shi Lingshan, still draped across the counter, continued to breathe deeply, unmoving.

Su Dian came from a half-servant, half-apprentice background at the Dragon Kiln, which meant she was basically a manual laborer. Firing porcelain at the Dragon Kiln was the most important event in the town since ancient times, and they produced official porcelain for the Dali Song Dynasty, belonging to the imperial household. Su Dian, nicknamed Rouge, had only managed to get a job there through her uncle’s connections, but the actual porcelain-firing process had many taboos and rules. As a woman, she could only do manual labor such as chopping firewood, burning charcoal, and carrying clay. Every time the kiln was opened, she was not allowed to approach the kiln openings, or she would be expelled.

Therefore, Su Dian was not familiar with the local residents of the town. As for her junior brother, Shi Lingshan, he was from a well-to-do family in Peach Leaf Lane, accustomed to only playing with neighbors and peers from wealthy families on Fortune and Prosperity Street. He was also unfamiliar with the slums like Mud Bottle Lane and Apricot Blossom Lane, at most being familiar with Riding Dragon Lane, where the general stores were clustered.

The slender young woman looked at Su Dian and said softly with a smile, “Are you Su Dian?”

Su Dian had a good impression of this guest. She looked delicate and gentle, like the rouge and powder her uncle used to talk about when he was alive.

Su Dian nodded and got up, saying, “Are you here to get medicine?”

The young woman shook her head. “I’m looking for someone. My father used to be an apprentice here, and my younger brother is called Li Huai. He often came here to play when he was little. Have you heard of him?”

Su Dian’s expression changed slightly.

Li Huai? Was that the scholar boy who seemed to have eaten a hundred bear hearts and leopard galls?

How could such a boisterous boy have such a gentle sister? The woman in front of her resembled a willow branch in spring, with a pleasant voice and a kind face. She wasn’t the type of beauty that made men fall in love at first sight, but she was pleasing to the eye. She was the kind of woman that even a beautiful woman like Su Dian would find beautiful.

Su Dian asked softly, “Are you looking for my master?”

The woman nodded with a smile.

Su Dian felt a little awkward.

Just then, Old Man Yang appeared at the doorway between the shop and the backyard, using his pipe to lift the curtain, and said with a smile, “You’ve arrived. Come in.”

Li Liu walked into the backyard.

Old Man Yang sat on the steps, continuing to puff out smoke, and the woman casually picked a bench to sit on.

Old Man Yang said, “About the new blessed land you’ve taken on Falling Phoenix Mountain, say what needs to be said, no need to hold back. It seems to involve a lot, but it’s actually just your job according to the rules. Those big shots, they have that kind of tolerance. Your current identities, they’re shackles, but they’re useful too.”

Li Liu nodded. “Zheng Dafeng asked me to come, it’s not just about this, is it?”

Old Man Yang hummed. “Ruan Qiong just came to me as well, it’s also related to the blessed cave. You can explain them together. The things are still with me. After you’ve been to Falling Phoenix Mountain, go to Divine Show Mountain as well.”

Li Liu’s eyes were deep.

Old Man Yang smiled. “Even the Dao is gone, what’s the point of arguing about the Great Dao? Isn’t it a joke? Those old grievances between you and her, I think you should let them go. But I guess neither of you will listen to advice, otherwise… never mind, it’s all old history, no need to bring it up. If you really want to hold grudges, it’s not the time now.”

One, a leader of the martial world.

One, a fire god sitting high above.

It’s just that the Great Dao collapsed, the mountains and rivers changed, each with a different identity, but the golden body remains.

As for why he, the most senior and powerful convict in the world, could still survive until today.

You’d have to ask three people, two gods.
Those two deities, one decreed why sword cultivators, despite possessing the greatest destructive power, found it exceedingly difficult to ascend to the legendary Fourteenth Realm. The other determined why all martial arts paths in the world were dead ends, and also why the strategist branch of Qi Refiners was almost completely free from karmic entanglement.

Li Liu suddenly said, “I don’t think it will succeed.”

Old Man Yang sneered, “Who would have thought those ants would reach the summit? Would succeed?”

Li Liu was silent.

Indeed, as Old Man Yang said.

When it came to reckoning, everyone had been guilty of something.

Old Man Yang tapped the ground with his smoking pipe, shaking out a small, cloud-shrouded temple, which tumbled on the ground and finally settled.

A tiny incense figurine ran out, desperately dragging two “large plaques,” which were actually a jade tablet and a seal.

Li Liu glanced at the two objects and smiled, “Liu Xianyang, who was borrowed by the Chen Clan of refined scholars for thirty years, will definitely enter the Dragon Spring Sword Sect?”

Old Man Yang said, “Ruan Qiong thinks the possibility of Liu Xianyang returning is small, but in fact, the opportunity is still quite significant.”

The incense figurine scurried to Li Liu’s feet.

Li Liu picked up the keys to the two Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands.

She wasn’t particularly interested.

Just shattered old lands.

She was different from Ruan Xiu, Li Er, Zheng Dafeng, and Fan Junmao.

As for the Sage Zhou Ju of Lakeside Academy, Sun Jiashu of Old Dragon City, and the little girl Cui from that small sect in the Cave Immortal Realm of Northern Ju Continent, they were even less comparable to her.

The Eight Goddesses of the Mural City in Skull Beach had left behind the painting-like immortal estate for the Hemp-Clad Sect, also a shattered land. It could even be considered one of Li Liu’s summer retreats, so the Rain-Making Goddess among them would become uneasy upon seeing Li Liu, feeling like a low-level official in a mundane dynasty meeting a high-ranking celestial official from the Ministry of Personnel. This was not the Rain-Making Goddess’s misconception, for such was the way of the world. The Eight Goddesses of the Mural City roughly held the same responsibilities as the Supervising Secretaries of the Six Departments in a human court, but it was only a similarity. In reality, the Eight Goddesses had even greater authority, as they could patrol the heavens and earth, restraining, supervising, and impeaching the various departments of deities, holding low positions but wielding great power.

Li Liu’s greatest difference from the others who were being led step-by-step onto that ancient path by Old Man Yang was that she didn’t need to be enlightened, for she was born with knowledge. Many immortal families with “Sect” in their names needed to expend a large amount of their mountain’s resources to find the reincarnation of their founding ancestor after the ancestor dissolved and departed. For example, the old ancestor who revived the Tongye Sect had people go down the mountain to find his mother. However, even if they found her, she might not remember her previous life. On the path of cultivation, good innate aptitude did not necessarily mean one could return to the peak.

After casually putting away the jade tablet and seal, Li Liu pondered for a moment and sighed, “You still don’t want us two to dredge up old grudges.”

One Chen Ping’an wasn’t enough, so add Li Huai. If that wasn’t stable enough, then add Liu Xianyang.

A deeply hidden struggle between water and fire was being temporarily waged by Chen Ping’an replacing her, Li Liu, to compete with Ruan Xiu. Because the person who should have received the “Loach” opportunity back then was Chen Ping’an, not Gu Can. Why did Ruan Xiu favor Chen Ping’an? It might be becoming increasingly complicated now, but in the beginning, it wasn’t simply Chen Ping’an’s clear mind that made Ruan Xiu feel clean. It was that Ruan Xiu, upon seeing Chen Ping’an, was like a gourmet craving the most delicious food in the world, unable to take her eyes off him.

Li Huai, her brother, Li Liu’s, and also a disciple of Qi Jingchun, by chance, Chen Ping’an had served as Li Huai’s protector. If she, Li Liu, wanted to dredge up old grudges with Ruan Xiu, she would first need to kill Chen Ping’an, who was naturally attuned to water, and take over that Great Dao. However, Li Huai would never allow such a thing to happen. And Li Liu truly didn’t want to hurt Li Huai.

But that still wasn’t stable enough.

So Old Man Yang wanted to add some reasonable possibilities for Liu Xianyang to return to the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, such as a Grotto-Heaven not counted among the thirty-six, complementing Liu Xianyang’s ancestral sword manual.

With Chen Ping’an and Liu Xianyang, the relationship between Fallen Phoenix Mountain and the Dragon Spring Sword Sect would only become closer.

Old Man Yang didn’t deny anything, his eyes cold, “Everyone has been guilty, but you two are especially guilty!”

Li Liu neither feared nor felt guilt, looking up at the sky, “Perhaps.”

Old Man Yang suddenly said, “Although for you, all kinds of mud will dissipate with a shake of your sleeves, you still need to be careful. Otherwise, one day, insignificant mud, like the ink stains seeping into a seal, will cause you great suffering.”

Li Liu shook her head, “There’s no need to say these words to me, I know what I’m doing.”

Then Li Liu smiled gracefully, looking at the old man.

Old Man Yang chuckled, seemingly finding an excuse for himself, “After sitting in a cage for ten thousand years, am I not allowed to find some amusement to relieve boredom?”

Li Liu held back a laugh, “My father is fine, after all, he needs to leave some martial fortune for Treasure Bottle Continent, but my mother didn’t actually need to go to Northern Ju Continent.”

Old Man Yang was silent, his expression not good.

Thinking of that shrew who seemed to eat several pounds of arsenic every day, he was in no mood.

A god-forsaken thing, fly droppings in an incense burner, he’d rather not look at it.

Li Huai and his mother, unlike his father Li Er and sister Li Liu, were not on the same path. That mother and son were just ordinary people. Of course, Li Huai was a person, but he was definitely not ordinary.

There was no such thing as a little brat whose luck was so good that he seemed to have dung lining up to be stepped on. Huang Ting of Mount Taiping in Tongye Continent and He Xiaoliang of the Divine Proclamation Sect were each reputed to have the most blessed fate in a continent, but compared to Li Huai’s invincible dog-shit luck, the latter seemed even more incomprehensible. Huang Ting and He Xiaoliang still needed to consider how to grasp their blessed fate firmly, lest fortune turn into misfortune. Did Li Huai need to? He was the kind of person whose blessed fate actively gathered around him, perhaps even worrying that things were a bit heavy and not good-looking.

So Old Man Yang could give Li Huai more as an exception, and it could be completely unrelated to business transactions. After all, the old man truly liked this little rascal.

The years passed slowly in Luminous Pearl Grotto-Heaven. Few people could enter the backyard of the Yang family’s apothecary, and a child like Li Huai was rare.

As for the woman, it was precisely because she was too ordinary and mediocre that the old man was too lazy to care. Otherwise, what if it were Xie Shi of Peach Leaf Lane or Cao Xi of Mud Bottle Lane from earlier years? Would they even be able to leave Luminous Pearl Grotto-Heaven?
Old Yang was silent for a moment, then said, “Chen Pingan has begun to quietly investigate the matter of his Natal Porcelain. He’s being very discreet, not leaving a single trace.”

Li Liu didn’t feel much about this. She knew some of the inside story, a complex web of connections among the mountain sects. Of course, Yang’s Pharmacy couldn’t completely distance itself, but they had acted according to the rules, not deliberately targeting Chen Pingan. They had merely shared the spoils with the Song Clan of Great Li. The creation of Natal Porcelain had originally been Old Yang’s extraordinary skill. It could even be said that the rise of the Great Li Dynasty was thanks to this transaction from the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven. Therefore, Old Yang’s praise of the young Cui regarding the soul was the highest recognition possible. Aside from Old Yang, the only other person in the world with such mastery was Cui, Cui Dongshan. The Ma couple living in Apricot Blossom Lane, who had the ability to control the Dragon Kiln, were Ma Kuxuan’s parents, and they were deeply involved in the matter of Chen Pingan’s broken Natal Porcelain. The old woman Ma Lanhua, who had been promoted from River Hag to River God but still didn’t have a golden statue or receive incense offerings, was vicious. However, on this matter, she had a rare moment of conscience and even tried to stop her son and daughter-in-law, but the couple were blinded by greed, and the old woman failed. Ma Kuxuan had once woken up in the middle of the night, knowing some of the truth, which was why he paid special attention to Chen Pingan, this once foolish prodigy.

The Great Li Empress Dowager, and the late Emperor, acted for Song Jixin and the Great Li nation.

National Preceptor Cui took advantage of the situation to play a game of chess with Qi Jingchun. Looking at the results alone, Cui had indeed made a godlike move.

As for who bought Chen Pingan’s Natal Porcelain back then and why it was broken, and how much immortal money the Great Li Song Clan compensated the buyer, Li Liu didn’t know and didn’t want to delve into these irrelevant matters. Generally speaking, the price of a child born in Mud Bottle Lane for porcelain gambling wouldn’t be too low, because Mud Bottle Lane had produced a Sword Immortal, Cao Xi, who guarded a majestic town tower in South Jambudvipa. This came with a premium. However, it wouldn’t be too high either, because Mud Bottle Lane had already produced a Cao Xi. So, the late Emperor of the Song Clan and the Great Li court and the buyer probably didn’t take it too seriously back then. But with Chen Pingan’s progress to this day, it’s hard to say. The other party might not be able to resist digging up old debts and finding various reasons to argue with the new Great Li Emperor. After all, according to common sense, Chen Pingan’s Natal Porcelain was broken, yet he still achieved today’s glory. If it hadn’t been broken and had been taken out of the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven and cultivated with care, wouldn’t he be a guaranteed Upper Five Realms cultivator? So, the compensation paid by the Great Li court back then was definitely unfair. Of course, if the buyer was from a treasure continent immortal family, they probably wouldn’t dare to speak up now, only grumbling in their hearts. But if they were from an immortal family from another continent, especially those behemoth sect-level immortal families, especially if they were from Northern Ju Jambudvipa, the Great Li’s new Emperor, whose foundation was not yet stable, would have to pay his father’s debts.

Li Liu suddenly said, “Chen Pingan is a very reasonable person.”

Li Liu added, “But Chen Pingan is also a very terrifying person at the same time.”

Old Yang smiled, “To be evaluated like that by you, it means Chen Pingan hasn’t been slacking off all these years.”

Li Liu frowned, “Once Chen Pingan figures out the details, the first enemy will be close to Fallen Mountain and Mud Bottle Lane.”

The first would be the Ma family in Apricot Blossom Lane.

The second would be the Great Li Song Clan imperial family.

And Ma Kuxuan was clearly a bet that the old man valued highly.

The old man scoffed, “If Ma Kuxuan is killed by someone of the same age whose Natal Porcelain was broken, it would be like saving me the trouble of betting on him in the future. I should thank Chen Pingan.”

Li Liu sighed.

This was the old man’s business acumen.

Old Yang smiled, “That Daoist Sect Leader actually spoke a lot of great truths early on. I just don’t know if Chen Pingan has understood them. For example, those who do good deeds are not necessarily good people. Those who do bad deeds are not necessarily bad people.”

Old Yang looked up at the sky, “Do you know why the Buddhist faith doesn’t seem to care much about the survival and trend of the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven?”

Li Liu remained silent.

Old Yang answered himself, “Suppose the Dharma Ending Age arrives, who do you think will be the most miserable among the three religions and hundreds of schools of thought?”

Li Liu said, “Daoism. Once there is no path to ascension and no spiritual energy, all cultivation methods in the world will become useless skills. Daoism’s situation will be the most difficult. The lofty and detached non-action of Daoism may become useless inaction. For Daoism, this may be the earliest arrival of another separation of heaven and earth, gods and men. On the other hand, Confucianism and Buddhism can still pass on the flame, transmitting the Dao for thousands of years. It’s just that the light of the flame will be much dimmer than before.”

Old Yang nodded, “That’s why Dao Leader is anxious. That’s why Dao the Third personally protects his eldest brother, taking a trip to the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven and working as a fortune teller, keeping a close eye on Qi Jingchun.”

Li Liu asked, “Why doesn’t Mr. Qi use the hairpin that his teacher gave him?”

Old Yang said, “That’s the key object of the stinky Daoist priest of the old temple. The old scholar certainly had good intentions. At first, even I couldn’t see the origin of that hairpin. Qi Jingchun probably didn’t notice it at first either. Later, it was when Qi Jingchun resisted the heavenly tribulation that the strangeness of the hairpin was slightly revealed. Of course, the stinky Daoist priest also had the intention of disgusting Dao Ancestor. It’s just a pity that Qi Jingchun was unwilling to fall from one chessboard into another. He would rather die than cut off all the threads.”

Old Yang revealed a hint of reminiscence, “Back then, it was people like that who overturned our world.”

The old man smiled, “Don’t think that the world is a mess now. In fact, when real disaster strikes, there will still be many such people who will stand up. This is the educational achievement of Confucianism. Who always likes to say that the common people are ignorant? It’s the people on the mountain, and the scholars. In fact, doing good without even knowing it’s good, and knowing that one is doing evil, that’s where the real power of Confucianism lies. Children raising the elderly, parents teaching their children, rulers and subjects, teachers and students, friends and family, neighbors in the street.

The Confucian world is like porcelain firing, learning permeates the world, the most viscous, although porcelain is fragile, the nature of the soil is endless.”
The old man pondered, “Earlier, that brat Li Huai sent some books to the shop. I came across a line: ‘The chill permeates mountain bones, vegetation withers and hardens.’ What do you think? Doesn’t it hold great meaning? Why would someone like the spiteful woman with a treacherous heart, Ma Lan-hua from Apricot Blossom Lane, still try to obstruct her son and daughter-in-law from seeking wealth through wrongdoing? This is the complexity of human nature. It’s the unwritten rules of Confucianism that restrain the hearts of people. Many truths are already ingrained in the hearts of people in the Vast World.”

Li Liu curiously asked, “What kind of scholarship did Mr. Qi pursue during his sixty years in the Hidden-Pearl Grotto-Heaven?”

Old Yang said, “He perused the teachings of the Three Schools and the myriad philosophical schools, naturally. Qi Jingchun’s reading could be described as ‘exhaustive and comprehensive.’ However, in private, he focused on three specific disciplines: divination and calculation, meridian pathways, and laws.”

Li Liu sighed.

*What hardship for a mere scholar?*

Old Yang took out some tobacco.

Li Liu smiled knowingly at the sight.

It must have been a gift from his younger brother, Li Huai.

The reason was simple: the tobacco looked cheap.

After some casual conversation,

Li Liu stood up and vanished in a flash. He had changed his mind and would go to Divine Splendor Mountain first, then to Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

On the precipice of Divine Splendor Mountain, from top to bottom, were inscribed four immense characters: “Heaven Opens Divine Splendor.”

A woman in azure robes with a braided ponytail sat atop the first horizontal stroke of the character “Heaven,” like sitting on a celestial balustrade, overlooking the mortal realm.

She was slowly eating pastries.

Even after Li Liu appeared beside her, Ruan Xiu did not turn her head.

Li Liu squatted on the ground, gazing into the distance, and casually tossed the two items over.

Ruan Xiu caught them effortlessly and put away her pastry and kerchief.

Li Liu said, “A Grotto-Heaven, the Water-Rice Grotto-Heaven. A Blessed Land, the Mist-and-Clouds Blessed Land. Slightly inferior to the Ten Great Grotto-Heavens and Thirty-Six Lesser Grotto-Heavens. The Blessed Land is a ready-made, medium-grade one, neither good nor bad. With some investment, there’s hope to elevate it to a high-grade Blessed Land. However, there’s no one in the Blessed Land, only spirits of the mountains and marshes, and floral and plant sprites. The old man doesn’t like interacting with people, as you know. As agreed, the old man will ask you to do two things in the future. Then, you decide whether or not to do them, and how to do them, according to your own inclinations.”

Ruan Xiu opened her hand and looked down.

There was a jade token and a seal engraved with “Not a Blue Dragon as Water Warden, Land becomes ditches, water makes fields” – This signified the Water-Rice Grotto-Heaven, also known as the Green Sprout Grotto-Heaven.

There was a seal, with the side inscription engraved with “Years pass quickly in the mortal world, Mist and Clouds abound in this land” – This signified the Mist-and-Clouds Blessed Land.

Blessed Lands depend on the earth and its inhabitants, and on natural treasures. Grotto-Heavens depend on cultivation and attainment of the Dao.

This was the literal meaning of “the difference between Heaven and Earth.”

Of course, the best scenario would be a sect that possessed both a Grotto-Heaven and a Blessed Land. For example, the Divine Edict Sect possessed a Clear Pool Blessed Land, along with a Lesser Grotto-Heaven, although it didn’t rank among the Thirty-Six like the Hidden-Pearl Grotto-Heaven or Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven. Its quality was lacking. But a Lesser Grotto-Heaven was still a Lesser Grotto-Heaven. Compared to ordinary, spirit-rich Feng Shui treasures, besides having more spiritual energy, the key was that it possessed many more mysteries, such as the aura of the Great Dao, and some golden objects that had been washed and accumulated by the long flow of the river of time. A tiny grain of it could illuminate an entire room.

That Water-Rice Grotto-Heaven also had some of the wonder of reflections in a mirror and flowers in the water, making it somewhat suitable for Liu Xianyang’s dream sword practice.

In fact, the old man had an even more suitable Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land for that sword manual.

But it wasn’t the right time to bring them out yet.

When doing business with people, never be too eager to give things away, or you won’t be able to sell them at a high price.

Ruan Xiu frowned and asked, “No fire-elemental shards or secret realms?”

Li Liu said, “Even if the old man had them, he wouldn’t give them to you. If you dared to accept them, your father would send them back. I wouldn’t make an extra trip for something like that.”

Ruan Xiu nodded and said, “Thank you.”

Li Liu didn’t respond.

Ruan Xiu took out the pastry wrapped in the embroidered handkerchief again. “Want to eat some?”

Li Liu hesitated for a moment, then picked up a piece of pastry and put it in his mouth.

Ruan Xiu smiled sweetly, looking somewhat happy, and then said, “Before I beat you to death in the future, you can have another bite.”

Li Liu laughed and said, “I eat the pastry, you eat me. Either way, it’s you who’s eating. That’s a good deal.”

Ruan Xiu put away the pastry and smiled as she looked into the distance. “But maybe it’s me who’ll be eaten by you. I think it’s quite good like this, without so many restrictions. Eat when you want.”

Boiling rivers and burning the sea, all things can be eaten.

Ruan Xiu asked, “I don’t remember the past. Who won the last time we fought?”

Li Liu said calmly, “We both lost.”

Li Liu asked, “Those twelve nominal disciples of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect clearly have spies planted by others. Why are you deliberately turning a blind eye?”

Ruan Xiu looked blankly and said, “Someone released a few ants into the chicken coop. Do I need to care?”

Li Liu laughed.

*Poor ants.*

Xie Ling was probably the most pitiful of them all.

Ruan Xiu asked seemingly casually, “Didn’t you run into any acquaintances in the Northern Reaches?”

Li Liu said, “We brushed past each other in a place called Ghost Valley in the Bone Beach. I didn’t deliberately go say hello. We’ll meet at Lion Peak eventually anyway.”

Ruan Xiu oh-ed, “Then you’re not very good at social interaction.”

Li Liu scoffed, “Want to fight at that Mist-and-Clouds Blessed Land?”

“No, I’ll obviously lose, and it’s a money-losing deal. Fighting back and forth will dissipate the spiritual energy of the Blessed Land and cause casualties among the greater demons. It’s pointless.”

Ruan Xiu shook her head and said, “With your temper, the fact that I didn’t beat you to death back then shows that my temper was really good before.”

Li Liu leaned back and rested his hands behind his head. “It was remarkably good.”

Ruan Xiu glanced upward. Two people were traveling on the wind towards the south.

She glanced at them and didn’t bother to pay attention.

A man arrived at the Ox Horn Mountain ferry on his own ferry, accompanied by a maid named Ya’er.

The two directly rode the wind towards Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

He had the sword token forged by the Dragon Spring Sword Sect. He had bought it from a local immortal residence on his last visit to Fallen Phoenix Mountain. It was now hanging from his waist.

He couldn’t do something like buying and selling at the original price based on his status. It had nothing to do with righteousness or the lack thereof. It was just that…

They refused to sell even when the price was doubled, then tripled…

Then they readily agreed to sell. Even so, it was just one Grain Rain Coin.

They descended near the foot of the mountain.

He shouted loudly, “Brother Dafeng!”

A hunched man who had been sunbathing on a bench at the gate of the house immediately got up and ran over, warmly saying, “Oh my, Brother Zhou Fatty is here!”
Beside Jiang Shangzhen stood a breathtakingly beautiful young woman, none other than Ya’er, brought out from the Lotus Blossom Blessed Land.

Seeing her, Zheng Dafeng sighed, “Drowning in beauty, ah.”

Jiang Shangzhen asked, “Can I ascend the mountain?”

Zheng Dafeng nodded. “Of course, but recently, our Fallen Phoenix Mountain has been a bit strapped for cash, so we have a new mountain rule: to pass the gate and climb the mountain, one must pay a small fee. Since it’s Brother Zhou Fei, I’ll be shameless and bend the rules for you. Brother Zhou Fei, just give what you see fit. Anyway, given your status, you’re practically half-family, almost becoming a enshrined guest of Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Just give what you see fit.”

Jiang Shangzhen chuckled and took out a Valley Rain Coin, placing it in Zheng Dafeng’s hand.

Zheng Dafeng tucked it into his sleeve. “Absolutely not, absolutely not, this is far too much.”

Ya’er looked at the shameless, hunched old man, her extremely sharp mind somewhat unable to comprehend the situation.

Zheng Dafeng accompanied Jiang Shangzhen up the mountain, asking, “What brings you here this time?”

Jiang Shangzhen smiled. “I’ve come to express my gratitude to your Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Now, my Shujian Lake has an additional Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator serving as a enshrined guest, all thanks to your Mountain Lord. Furthermore, I heard that Mountain God Wei is hosting the second Nightly Sojourn Feast. I’ve missed both times, and I feel terrible, my heart itching with regret. So I must make a trip in person to offer my thanks and apologies.”

The emergence of a new sect in Shujian Lake, named the True Realm Sect, was a widely known event on Treasure Bottle Continent.

If the clamor of war across the continent weren’t so loud, this would surely be a topic of discussion among the mountain cultivators for a long time.

The True Realm Sect was a sub-sect of the Jade Decree Sect, currently the premier immortal family sect in Tongye Continent.

The chief enshrined guest was Liu Laocheng, the only rogue cultivator above the fifth realm in Treasure Bottle Continent.

Other enshrined guests included Liu Zhimao, the River Intercepting True Monarch from Qingxia Island.

And a group of powerful cultivators who had traveled from the Jade Decree Sect to settle in Shujian Lake.

Now, a female sword immortal from the Northern Culmination Continent, Li Cai, had been added as a recorded enshrined guest.

The sect’s fame was tremendous.

For a time, gazes from all over Treasure Bottle Continent turned towards the Divine Edict Sect.

Many were curious whether the local overlord and the newcomer would clash openly. Under-the-table power struggles weren’t as exciting as a life-and-death battle between powerful cultivators.

The Divine Edict Sect’s Sect Master, Qi Zhen, was a Celestial Lord with a twelfth realm cultivation, and had also received an immortal weapon from the Daoist Patriarch. Furthermore, the Divine Edict Sect also had an upper sect in the Central Earth Continent as its backing. Qi Zhen’s junior brother seemed to hold an important position in the upper sect.

However, according to the conjectures of Treasure Bottle Continent cultivators, the True Realm Sect would definitely expand its territory cautiously in the coming centuries.

The Great Li Song Clan would not allow a sect too big to fail to appear out of nowhere in Treasure Bottle Continent.

In fact, the True Realm Sect did abide by the rules. Even when dealing with the numerous islands of Shujian Lake, aside from the early bloody iron-fisted rule, where those who obeyed prospered and those who resisted perished, things had become more stable and moderate. Some sufficiently intelligent cultivators and islands had gained something, finding that after Liu Zhimao’s reorganization, not counting the constraints of the sect rules, their individual island’s strength and wealth had actually increased. And the most interesting thing was that Treasure Bottle Continent’s most lawless and mixed gathering place for rogue cultivators seemed to have miraculously transformed overnight into registered immortal masters of a sect.

During this period, Pearl Hairpin Island attempted to move out of Shujian Lake. The True Realm Sect specially allocated several islands with continuous mountains and rivers, but had not yet decided their ownership. A certain powerful cultivator of the True Realm Sect suddenly went into seclusion and disappeared, but these were all minor matters.

Zhu Lian received Jiang Shangzhen, and they had a pleasant conversation.

Jiang Shangzhen took out two invaluable magical treasures as a mountain-visiting gift to make up for missing the two Nightly Sojourn Feasts, asking Zhu Lian to pass them on to Wei Bo of Cloud Drape Mountain.

In addition, Jiang Shangzhen had initially prepared two immortal treasures as a thank-you gift to the young Mountain Lord of Fallen Phoenix Mountain for winning a Jade Purity Realm enshrined guest for the True Realm Sect.

Zhu Lian said that a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator was a sword immortal, and what’s more, a sword immortal from the Northern Culmination Continent. Brother Zhou Fei only giving two was inappropriate, three would be more reasonable.

Jiang Shangzhen, who was sitting on a stone stool in the small courtyard at the time, slapped his thigh and said that he had forgotten about this, a mistake on his part, and immediately took out… two more.

Ya’er couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

After leaving the Lotus Blossom Blessed Land, she had seen Jiang Shangzhen’s seemingly overbearing but actually calculating methods within the Jade Decree Sect, and had also followed Jiang Shangzhen to the Cloud Cave Blessed Land. She had even witnessed Jiang Shangzhen’s cold ruthlessness, killing those earth immortals of the blessed land who refused to obey, as easily as twisting the necks of a few chicks, without batting an eye. Finally, after arriving in Shujian Lake, although Jiang Shangzhen had never specifically issued orders, seemingly acting as a carefree shopkeeper who didn’t care about anything, Ya’er, who was familiar with the operation of a large sect due to her origin in the Demonic Sect, had seen the intangible imprint of Jiang Shangzhen’s way of conducting himself.

Therefore, she was even more puzzled. Was that young banished immortal named Chen worth Jiang Shangzhen treating him so seriously? Besides, Chen Ping’an wasn’t even on his own mountain now.

Ya’er was no longer the frog in the well from the Lotus Blossom Blessed Land.

She had seen the highest scenery in the entire Tongye Continent.

Zheng Dafeng grinned when he saw them.

Well then.

Grey Mist Mountain, Vermilion Sand Mountain, Azure Sunset Peak, Pincer Fish Back.

The four supporting talismans for Fallen Phoenix Mountain’s four subordinate mountains were all here.

And the cleverest thing about this Brother Zhou Fei was that these four talismans of decent quality could be used as auxiliary tools in the future. In other words, as long as Fallen Phoenix Mountain found more suitable immortal treasures to suppress the mountains and rivers of those peaks, the current act of sending charcoal in the snow would automatically turn into adding flowers to brocade.

Of course, the reason why the methods of this True Realm Sect Master could be so clever was due to a crucial prerequisite.

He was rich!

But that was normal. That Cloud Cave Blessed Land was a good place that even those cultivators from the Central Earth Continent, whose eyes grew on top of their heads, would flock to.

It was also the main source of income for the entire Jade Decree Sect.

So Zhu Lian was slaughtering a pig, slaughtering Zhou Fei’s pig.

One was willing to hit, and the other was willing to be hit, everyone was happy. It was estimated that this warm-hearted Brother Zhou Fei would even complain that the knife Zhu Lian used to bleed him wasn’t enough or fast enough.

Since they had arrived at Flattery Mountain… Fallen Phoenix Mountain, the two sides naturally had to compete in their Daoist skills.
Having arrived at Fallen Phoenix Mountain with assured confidence, Jiang Shangzhen was once again forced to concede defeat.

It was all because Zhu Lian possessed a trump card: Pei Qian, Chen Ping’an’s eldest disciple, and her pronouncement of “realm doubled.”

One sentence sealed the deal.

Jiang Shangzhen submitted.

Crow, standing aside, felt incredibly awkward.

Finally, the two parties began discussing serious matters.

Crow was exceptionally reserved.

The gaze of the hunchbacked man made her feel utterly uncomfortable.

Yet, whenever their eyes met, there was nothing malicious in his expression.

This left her feeling helpless.

Crow resolved to never visit Fallen Phoenix Mountain again.

“I want twenty percent of the Lotus Root Blessed Land’s profits, with no time limit – permanently,” Jiang Shangzhen stated.

Extending two fingers, he continued, “My conditions are as follows: First, True Realm Sect will loan Fallen Phoenix Mountain one thousand Valley Rain Coins. Upon achieving the status of a mid-grade blessed land, we will lend another two thousand. And upon becoming a top-grade blessed land, we will provide three thousand more. All without interest. However, Chen Ping’an and Fallen Phoenix Mountain must repay these three loans within one hundred years, five hundred years, and one thousand years respectively. Otherwise, there will be additional costs. Whether the repayment is in coins or through service, we can discuss it later. Second, I will transfer personnel from Cloud Grotto Blessed Land to Lotus Root Blessed Land to assist Fallen Phoenix Mountain in managing its various affairs. Third, I will offer six islands along the border of Book Brief Lake, not as a lease, but as a direct gift to Fallen Phoenix Mountain.”

Zhu Lian smiled silently.

Jiang Shangzhen remained unhurried.

Suddenly, Zhu Lian spoke, “Currently, immortal coins are most valuable, and people are least valuable. However, in the long run, that may change. Brother Zhou Fei’s Cloud Grotto Blessed Land is vast and abundant, undoubtedly impressive. Our Lotus Root Blessed Land’s territory is far smaller. But in terms of people, the Southern Garden Kingdom has twenty million, and the other three kingdoms, including Pine Whisper Kingdom, have a combined forty million. That’s not a small number.”

Jiang Shangzhen shook his head and with a wave of his sleeve, immediately created a small separate world, slowly saying, “Such words might convince our old Sect Master Xun if spoken to an outsider. Unfortunately, I happen to be a banished immortal who emerged from Lotus Flower Blessed Land. I can roughly guess what that old Taoist priest did. Outside the Southern Garden Kingdom, the souls of the people and the land itself in those kingdoms, including Pine Whisper Kingdom, are extremely diluted and sparse, almost negligible. They can only rely on the solid foundation of the Southern Garden Kingdom to share and compensate. Therefore, everything outside the Southern Garden Kingdom is currently worthless, utterly worthless. We can only wait patiently. In the long term, they will become increasingly valuable. That’s why I insist on the word ‘permanently’.”

Zhu Lian neither admitted nor denied it, and smiled, “Twenty percent, with permanent benefits, is a bit much.”

However, he now thought highly of his brother Zhou Fei.

This was using human calculation to guess heavenly calculation; guessing correctly was a skill that had to be acknowledged.

At the same time, Jiang Shangzhen held a similar view.

Zhu Lian was betting on the general trend to lower the price.

The key was that he had guessed correctly.

Jiang Shangzhen dispelled the small world, stood up, and said, “I’ll go take a walk. When you have a definite answer, I’ll leave Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Anyway, Book Brief Lake is the same whether I’m there or not.”

Jiang Shangzhen, with Crow in tow, rode the wind towards the capital city of Dragon Province, formerly the Dragon Spring Prefecture city.

He planned to find a few companions of similar age for the child he had brought from the Northern Entire Reed Continent to Book Brief Lake.

His servant girl, Crow, was clearly too old and too dull.

Zheng Dafeng noticed Zhu Lian’s gaze.

Zheng Dafeng smiled, “The expert I invited should arrive soon. They can help us negotiate a better price with Jiang Shangzhen.”

As soon as he said it, it happened.

A young woman gracefully landed in the courtyard.

Zheng Dafeng laughed, “Little Willow Branch, you’ve blossomed into a beautiful sight. Truly captivating!”

Li Liu smiled, “Uncle Zheng, hello.”

Zhu Lian didn’t bother with pleasantries and directly discussed the Lotus Root Blessed Land with the unfamiliar woman, explaining the details and the four-kingdom situation in great detail.

As for her identity and background, Zhu Lian didn’t care. Zheng Dafeng, the gatekeeper of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, would handle that.

Li Liu didn’t keep them in suspense, she had Zhu Lian summon Wei Bo, open the parasol tree umbrella, and walked into the old Lotus Flower Blessed Land with Zhu Lian.

A far-traveling martial artist, and a great cultivator who casually entered the nascent soul realm, together overlooking the mountains and rivers of the blessed land.

Li Liu twitched her lips, “No wonder you dare to run to the Azure Underworld to fight, your magic has improved quite a bit, old bull nose.”

Zhu Lian sat cross-legged, ignoring her.

Li Liu pointed to the land beneath her feet and slowly said, “The changes to this blessed land, according to what was said in the early years, are ‘mountains and rivers changing color’. The land outside the Southern Garden Kingdom was created by your old god with great divine power to form a shape similar to a blank-paper blessed land with the meaning of an incense-fire cave heaven. In short, all the mountains, rivers, plants, trees, and all sentient beings outside the Southern Garden Kingdom are like blank paper. They can live, but they have ‘no meaning’, which means that these paper figures, no matter how sincere they are, cannot produce even a bit of incense-fire essence when they pray to Buddha or ask for gods. However, it does not delay their reincarnation in the new blessed land. As long as the new blessed land has more and more spiritual energy and the Southern Garden Kingdom’s incense-fire becomes more and more prosperous, all the paper pieces will become thicker and heavier, eventually becoming no different from ordinary people, and may even have the qualifications to cultivate the Tao and become mountain and river gods.”

Zhu Lian said calmly, “From a brilliant colored scroll, it has become a fine-lined sketch.”

Li Liu smiled, “That’s right.”

Li Liu concentrated and looked around.