At the Dragon Palace Grotto Heaven’s city gates, a commotion arose because the gates were shut after a young couple entered.

Even the Water Dragon Sect cultivators guarding the gates, who specialized in water-based arts, couldn’t detect the golden motes that darted out from the many inscribed plaques. They floated to the ground, gathering like fireflies to form a youth in a tall hat and flowing robes. He strode into the city as the gates closed. The bewildered gatekeepers immediately sent a flying sword message to the Northern Sect’s ancestral hall; such an anomaly hadn’t occurred in millennia.

Soon after Chen Ping’an descended the white jade steps, the youth appeared beside Li Liu. He prostrated in ancient fashion, his words archaic and difficult to understand, his voice raspy and old, incongruous with his appearance.

Li Liu remained seated, gazing at the figure walking down the mountain. Apparently finding the youth annoying, she flicked her hand, sending him sliding a dozen feet away.

The youth straightened, showing no resentment at the dismissal. He glanced at the small figure nearing the city gates and whispered, “To be so favored by the Great Dao, especially with water affinity…truly remarkable.”

He dared not directly observe the white jade steps, assuming the young, green-robed swordsman was one of her pawns.

Li Liu said indifferently, “Li Yuan, of the three shrines of the Ji River, your middle shrine’s incense is far less than the upper shrine of the Grand Source Dynasty’s Xuan Mystic Bureau.”

The strange youth called Li Yuan replied with shame, “I have failed in my duty, deserving death ten thousand times over.”

The Ji River, stretching east to west across the Northern俱蘆洲洲, once had three shrines. The lower shrine had long since crumbled, the middle shrine was refined into the Water Dragon Sect’s ancestral hall, and the upper shrine was controlled by the Xuan Mystic Bureau’s Cloud Canopy Palace, under the Yang family.

Li Liu had once met Yang Ningzhen in the Bone Beach Ghost Valley, saying things that Yang Ningzhen found unbelievable yet undeniable. Yang Ningzhen, the eldest son of the Cloud Canopy Palace’s Yang family, the “Little Celestial Monarch” Yang Ningxing’s brother, had entered the ranks of the Northern俱蘆洲洲’s top ten young talents as a pure martial artist under a false name. However, in the battle at Jewel Mirror Mountain, facing Li Liu, who had only recently returned to the path of cultivation, Yang Ningzhen, while not completely helpless, had no chance of victory.

Li Liu asked, “Failed in your duty? Is guarding the incense of this small shrine such a monumental task?”

Li Yuan was speechless.

His golden eyes dimmed, making him appear even older.

This ancient deity, possessing the face of a youth but the weary air of ages, was one of the only two remaining Water Wardens of the Ji River. His age likely surpassed even the founding ancestor of the Water Dragon Sect.

In the Grand Azure World, a Water Warden was an ancient office, not entirely lost but little known, usually the guardian of a major river shrine. The Central Earth Confucian Temple paid them little attention, leaving them to their own devices. Thus, with each Water Warden’s golden statue crumbling, the world lost another.

These beings were neither bound by secular dynasties nor closely associated with immortal sects.

However, in the Azure Abyss World, governed by Taoists, the Water Warden was a prominent and well-established deity. A single great river had only one Water Warden, whose status far exceeded that of river gods or lake spirits, even surpassing the Five Mountain Gods of various dynasties.

The Water Dragon Sect appeared to have refined the Ji River shrine, using it as a foundation to establish itself and resist the unruly sword cultivators of the Northern俱蘆洲洲, but the truth was far more complex.

Li Yuan, facing this woman of the most esteemed status, felt like a lowly clerk in the imperial court, fortunate to be granted an audience with a central official. How could he not be respectful and cautious?

To be reprimanded was itself a great favor.

Of the entire Water Dragon Sect, only he, Li Yuan, the humble Water Warden, and the successive sect leaders, passing down the secret orally, knew her true identity.

The jade tablet with the Chi Dragon design seemed to be a tablet issued by the Water Dragon Sect to enshrined elders, direct disciples, and honored guests. In truth, it was the ancestor of all subsequent tablets, painstakingly replicated from the one she held in her hand. The Water Dragon Sect cultivators at the city gates couldn’t distinguish the difference, but Li Yuan could see it clearly. Therefore, even though the woman’s face had changed, her current identity was different, Li Yuan had rushed over with all possible speed.

Li Liu suddenly smiled.

That fellow villager, whom she had never met or spoken to in the Luminous Pearl Grotto Heaven, had sensed the signs the moment Water Warden Li Yuan appeared. However, he hadn’t turned around to look, simply continuing his descent.

As a result, Li Yuan, being so lacking in tact, had not immediately lifted the restrictions, and so he would remain at the city gate.

Li Liu mused, “Very well, let Chen Ping’an stay here for a few days. It will allow him to calm his heart.”

This was the first time Li Liu had directly addressed Li Yuan. “Li Yuan, do you have any places inside that are rich in spiritual energy and relatively quiet? If so, use them to entertain our honored guest. If not, have someone clear out a space.”

Li Yuan nodded. “We do.”

Even if they didn’t, they would now.

A person whom she addressed as “Mr.,” and he, Li Yuan, was the gatekeeper of Dragon Palace Grotto Heaven, concurrently the incense envoy of the Ji River’s middle shrine. If he weren’t afraid of causing too much commotion, he would have cleared the area entirely.

Who cared if the Water Dragon Sect was holding a Jade Daoist gathering or a Water Official ritual? Or if it angered the Earth Immortals cultivating in their humble thatched huts within the small grotto heaven?

Li Liu said, “Don’t reveal this to the Water Dragon Sect yet. Just say that it is the descendant of an old friend come to visit. If you have a better explanation, you can use it. Just don’t let anyone disturb Mr. Chen’s cultivation here.”

Li Yuan cupped his fist in salute. “As you command!”

Li Liu stood up and stepped to the city gates. “Mr. Chen, it would be a shame to pass by one of the thirty-six lesser grotto heavens without entering. The Dragon Palace Grotto Heaven has accumulated many heavenly treasures, especially those of water and wood affinity. Although they are expensive, their quality is superb. If Mr. Chen sees anything he likes, he can use this jade tablet to charge up to a hundred Grain Rain coins to the Water Dragon Sect, payable in sixty years.”

Li Liu wasn’t telling the whole truth.

Charge it?

This Dragon Palace Grotto Heaven, which helped the Water Dragon Sect, the Xuan Mystic Bureau’s Yang family, and Floating Duckweed Sword Lake earn so much money, was once one of her summer palaces. Moreover, if Li Liu ever decided to reclaim it, no matter how skilled the Water Dragon Sect’s successive ancestors were at refining it, no matter how well their carefully constructed landscape formations could resist sword immortal attacks, to Li Liu,
What meaning could it possibly hold? Besides, the founding ancestor of the Water Dragon Sect, how did he, a mortal scholar of mediocre talent, embark on the path of cultivation? And how, through a series of fortuitous encounters, did he ascend step by step to the heavens? Don’t the successive Sect Leaders have some inkling about this?

So, who is extending credit to whom? It’s self-evident.

Chen Ping’an now feels a chill run down his spine whenever he hears the words “Grain Rain Coin.”

Li Liu was in no hurry to take back the jade token, and continued, “As long as Mr. Chen’s heart is not at peace, no matter how far he travels, he is, in reality, still running around in circles.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Alright, then I’ll have to trouble Miss Li.”

Li Liu shook her head and smiled. “Mr. Chen need not be so polite. Li Huai has been thinking of Mr. Chen for many years. Every time there was correspondence between Mountain Cliff Academy and Lion Peak, Li Huai would mention Mr. Chen. This immense favor, encompassing both the imparting of knowledge and the safeguarding of one’s path, Li Liu would never dare forget.”

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “Miss Li is much more courteous than I am.”

This was the truth. Back then, taking care of Li Huai on his journey to the Great Sui Academy was merely fulfilling a promise. Moreover, Li Huai, aside from being a bit mischievous, did not cause Chen Ping’an much worry or effort.

Of course, Li Huai’s mouth as a child was truly coated with honey and arsenic. Especially his ability to bully those close to him was unparalleled. But in the end, he was still a child with a pure and kind heart, unable to hold grudges and remembering the good others had done for him.

Chen Ping’an looked up, but the strange young man was nowhere to be seen.

Li Liu explained, “That person is the local gatekeeper.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Similar to Zheng Dafeng?”

Li Liu smiled. “The responsibilities are somewhat similar, but compared to Uncle Zheng, they are worlds apart.”

He recalled the past, when his younger brother Li Huai was still a child, Zheng Dafeng would often carry Li Huai to Yang’s shop.

Li Huai would cry out that he couldn’t hold it in anymore, Zheng Dafeng would run like the wind, urging him to hold it in a little longer like a true hero, and relieve himself in the backyard of the shop.

Regardless of whether Li Huai managed to hold it in or not, in the end, the two of them, one big and one small, would always visit the New Year’s money shop on Riding Dragon Lane to buy pastries.

Li Liu, over the long years, had seen many cultivators who were quiet and serene, untouched by worldly dust, with hearts as pure as glass, detached from earthly matters.

But only in Jade Dew Heaven, in this lifetime, had she seen so many “true people” who had nothing to do with cultivation realm. A small place with grand character, Li Liu often found herself thinking about it.

The two walked side by side, climbing higher again.

It seemed that after discussing important matters, there was nothing more to say for the sake of small talk.

Chen Ping’an was overthinking things, making it difficult for him to speak. He worried that an accident would cause Li Liu unnecessary trouble.

Li Liu, on the other hand, rarely thought much about things, taking everything in stride.

Inside the ancestral hall of the Water Dragon Sect, north of the Ji River, after receiving the flying sword message from the entrance of the Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven, most of the sixteen chairs were already occupied. The remaining empty chairs belonged to the great cultivators of the sect who were traveling abroad. Except for one Nascent Soul cultivator who had been in secluded cultivation for many years, everyone else had arrived for the emergency meeting.

Inside the ancestral hall was Sun Jie, the current Sect Leader of the Water Dragon Sect and the one who imparted the Dao to the Golden Core cultivator, Bai Bi.

There was also Wu Lingting, the mentor of the Northern Pavilion Kingdom’s Young Marquis, Zhan Qing. However, as a Nascent Soul offering with shallow qualifications and of rogue cultivator origin, his seat was located near the back.

Wu Lingting had been in a terrible mood recently. His only disciple, Zhan Qing, had disappeared into thin air, with no sign of life or death. It was simply absurd.

If it hadn’t been for Huan Yun, a talisman master from the mountain with a good reputation, who helped Bai Bi prove the cause of the incident, that Zhan Qing’s mysterious disappearance and uncertain fate had no direct connection to her, Wu Lingting would have stormed the Water Dragon Sect’s ancestral hall and directly questioned Sun Jie. So, at this moment, Wu Lingting was suppressing a bellyful of anger, his face extremely gloomy. Zhan Qing was a disciple he valued greatly. For rogue cultivators, especially Earth Immortal rogue cultivators, accepting direct disciples was of greater significance than orthodox immortal masters. It was seen as a rogue cultivator giving up half their life, risking danger in exchange for the continuation of their incense.

After all, rogue cultivators harming rogue cultivators, even masters killing disciples or disciples killing masters, was not uncommon. In contrast, orthodox immortal masters who possessed an ancestral hall almost never dared to commit such an outrageous act.

The gate of the Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven closed on its own.

This was, of course, no small matter.

Sect Leader Sun Jie immediately summoned all the members of the ancestral hall.

Back then, the Sword Immortal had lurked for many years, stealing the treasure that suppressed the Grotto-Heaven and successfully escaping the Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven. The process, from the loss to the recovery of the treasure that secured the sect, was extremely tragic.

Among the dozen or so seats in the Water Dragon Sect’s ancestral hall, the chair on the left was always occupied by the successive Sect Leaders, while the chair on the right was almost never seen occupied.

This rule had been passed down for as long as the Water Dragon Sect’s ancestral hall had existed, and it was unshakeable.

Whenever any offering or guest elder of the Water Dragon Sect inquired about this matter, the Water Dragon Sect cultivators would remain tight-lipped.

The situation was simple.

Sun Jie explained it in a few words.

But everyone in the ancestral hall looked solemn.

First, a strange woman showed a token of offering, entered the city, and ascended the white jade steps. Then, the city gate closed, the heavens and earth were separated, and cultivators tried to investigate but failed.

Shao Jingzhi, the Jade Purity Realm female cultivator from the South Branch of the Water Dragon Sect, who looked like a young woman with a graceful bearing, slowly opened her mouth and said, “Sect Leader, why don’t I immediately go to the Cloud Sea at the Grotto-Heaven ferry and wait for them to appear?”

Sun Jie frowned. “Besides that, what we really need to consider now is whether or not to place the entire Grotto-Heaven under martial law. Once we choose to do so, it will inevitably cause unrest and affect this year’s Golden Dojo and the Water God’s Calamity Relief Dharma Assembly afterward. Our Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven has always been known for its stability. With two consecutive grand events, not to mention our mountain friends from the Water Dragon Sect, there are also the participation of many emperors and generals from the Great Yuan Dynasty and others. A single misstep could give the Bureau of Celestial Affairs and the Floating Duckweed Sword Lake a handle to use against us.”

Wu Lingting sneered, “Those pampered and short-lived ghosts from the mortal realm, their abilities are small, but each of them is delicate and tender.”

An old woman with a dragon-headed cane in her hands, eyes closed, half-dead and dozing off, sat next to Shao Jingzhi. Clearly, she was from the South Branch. At this moment, the old woman opened a sliver of her eyelids, slightly turned her head to look at Sect Leader Sun Jie, and rasped, “Nephew Sun, if you ask me, why not let Jingzhi take the sect’s treasure? If they are unruly elements, kill them cleanly.

I refuse to believe that anyone can stir up much trouble in our Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven.”
Wu Lingting sat across from her, harboring a measure of admiration for this old woman. Like him, she was a Yuan Ying cultivator, yet she seemed to find fault with everyone in the Water Dragon Sect. Relying on her seniority, she addressed Sect Master Sun Jie as “Nephew Sun,” while her terms for Shao Jingzhi of the Southern Branch were laced with an unsettling intimacy.

Fortunately, Sun Jie possessed a magnanimous spirit. Had Wu Lingting been in the Sect Master’s seat, he would have slapped that old crone’s face into oblivion long ago.

Just as Sun Jie was about to speak, golden motes appeared on the opposite chair, coalescing into a young man with a withered spirit.

It was none other than Li Yuan, the Water Deity of the Ji River.

Li Yuan bowed to Sun Jie, observing the proper decorum.

Sun Jie stood up and returned the bow, without revealing the deity’s identity.

The old woman suddenly opened her eyes, her voice trembling. “Li Lang? Is that you, Li Lang?”

Li Yuan, filled with sorrow, glanced at the white-haired crone, but remained silent.

The old woman’s eyes reddened. No longer leaning on her dragon-head cane, she gently propped it against the chair, placed her hands on her lap, smoothed her robes, and gazed down at her withered fingers, murmuring, “Li Lang, your grace remains. Alas, I am old, too old. I yearned for this meeting, waited until my hair turned white, only to realize that seeing you is worse than never seeing you at all.”

Wu Lingting’s face bore a playful expression.

What was this?

A dashing young man and a withered old woman, entangled in a past romance?

That would truly be a tale from bygone eras.

That’s what makes the mountains interesting; bizarre occurrences are never surprising. As long as cultivators have the leisure to join in the fun, there’s always a spectacle to be found.

Li Yuan communicated with Sun Jie telepathically, cutting straight to the chase: “Sect Master, descendants of an old friend have arrived. The jade token was a gift from my earlier days. I merely revealed myself to reminisce. Unwilling to be disturbed, I employed a minor artifice, causing the Water Dragon Sect to convene at the Ancestral Hall. It was my fault and I am willing to accept the Water Dragon Sect’s ancestral law punishment.”

Sun Jie replied with a smile: “Water Deity, you are too kind. Since it is a visit from the offspring of an old friend, it is simply the forging of new bonds, a good thing for you, Water Deity Li, and for our Water Dragon Sect. Esteemed guests, would you like to lodge in my estate within the cavern-heaven’s main city?”

Li Yuan laughed: “I would not want to trouble the sect master. I will take them to the Floating Water Island.”

Sun Jie nodded: “If you have any needs later, Water Deity, please feel free to speak.”

Li Yuan rose, cupped his fist in apology to the assembled elders: “I have troubled you fellow Daoists, and disturbed your cultivation. I will be sure to compensate you in the future.”

After speaking, Li Yuan transformed into golden motes, vanishing in an instant.

To come and go so freely within a sect’s Ancestral Hall was a display of power in itself.

In the Immortal sects of this world, any enshrined ancestor or guest elder was expected to enter and exit the gates on foot, just like commoners entering a temple.

Coupled with the position of his seat and the Southern Branch Elder’s loss of composure, everyone, including Shao Jingzhi, understood the significance of the situation.

Therefore, when Sun Jie said with a smile, “A false alarm, you may all disperse,” no one voiced any complaints.

Who knew if that elusive “young man” was the vengeful type?

The seemingly affable elders of the Ancestral Hall were often the most troublesome.

Sun Jie was the last to leave the Ancestral Hall, with Shao Jingzhi waiting quietly outside.

After the others had scattered, flying away on their swords, Sun Jie smiled: “You guessed correctly, it was Li Yuan, the Water Deity of the Ji River, a close friend of our Water Dragon Sect’s founding ancestor.”

Shao Jingzhi’s expression was downcast.

To put it bluntly, this place they call Water Dragon Sect Ancestral Hall, where cultivators sit on a seat, were all in an awkward position of relying on others, including Sect Master Sun Jie and herself!

Sun Jie remarked casually: “We should remember our roots.”

Shao Jingzhi’s face stiffened, and she nodded.

Sun Jie smiled: “Founding a sect is difficult, maintaining it is even harder. Jingzhi, some things, I am willing to overlook those struggles. After all, wealth should not leave our home, but if anyone oversteps their bounds, even though I, Sun Jie, am said to be the most incompetent Water Dragon Sect Master, I am still a Sect Master who has pored over the ancestral laws. I have to deal with it.”

Shao Jingzhi’s face grew increasingly unpleasant. She took flight, crossing the Great River and returning directly to the south bank.

Sun Jie had clearly used the Water Deity of the Ji River to warn her, Shao Jingzhi, and the entire Southern Branch.

Sun Jie did not use any magic, but closed the gates of the Ancestral Hall with his own hands, and slowly walked down the mountain.

A sect had countless matters to attend to.

Making it difficult to steal even a moment of leisure.

For example, earlier, Wu Lingting was quite discontented, so Sun Jie promised the Water Deity would allow Wu Lingting to be the first to recruit unregistered disciples for the next three Ancestral Hall selections.

Wu Lingting was also a troublesome person and asked directly what would happen if he happened to fancy a good seed that Shao Jingzhi’s side had secretly set their sights on.

Sun Jie replied to the rogue cultivator with “The Southern Branch is also part of the Water Dragon Sect.”

Only then was Wu Lingting slightly satisfied.

But in fact, promises were easy to make, but not easy to keep. One wrong move, and it could lead to conflict with Shao Jingzhi’s Southern Branch, causing animosity between the two sides.

The Water Dragon Sect’s formation of a North-South confrontation was not something that happened overnight, and it had its advantages and disadvantages. The successive sect masters had both suppressed and guided it. It was not all a hidden danger, but many disciples of the Northern Branch naturally believed that it was because Sect Master Sun Jie was not majestic enough that the Southern Branch south of the Great River had grown stronger.

Hence Sun Jie’s reminder to Shao Jingzhi today.

Li Yuan’s figure was hidden in the clouds above the cavern-heaven, sitting cross-legged, looking down at the green snails in the jade plate.

Mountain life is close to the clouds and water, a hundred thousand years in the blink of an eye.

A white-haired old woman, known for her eccentric temperament in the Water Dragon Sect, stood on the peak of her mountain, gazing up at the sea of clouds, lost in thought, with a gentle expression. No one knew what this elderly mountain woman was looking at.

Li Yuan did not look at her.

He only vaguely remembered that many, many years ago, there was a solitary and introverted little girl, not cute at all, who liked to wander on the water at night alone, carrying a large handful of pebbles, smashing the moon in the water again and again.

Chen Ping An turned his head and saw that the city gate had been opened, and tourists were finally walking up the white jade steps.
Having ascended the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, Chen Ping’an and Li Liu reached the summit. It was a white jade platform spanning over ten acres. The ground was carved with coiled dragon patterns, sixteen in total, resembling a horizontal white jade dragon disc. However, it differed greatly from the auspicious aura of earthly dragon discs. The twelve seated dragons carved on the ground were all bound by iron chains, and blades were embedded in their bodies. The dragons seemed to writhe in pain.

Chen Ping’an carefully walked between the gaps in the coiled dragon patterns, while Li Liu showed no restraint, stepping on the bodies and heads of the dragons, laughing, “These beneath Master Chen’s feet are all criminals and traitors of the old era. They are no longer authentic true dragons. We can walk without taboo.”

In ancient times, true dragons were in charge of the clouds and rain throughout the realm. They could accumulate merit through this duty, receiving orderly promotions and rewards. Of course, there were also punishments for dereliction of duty, often involving drawing tendons and flaying skin at the Dragon Execution Platform, cutting off dragon claws and heads, detaining the true form and primordial spirit. Those who were severely derelict and deserved capital punishment would be thrown into the water. Those whose crimes did not warrant death were merely stripped of their identity. Their blood stained the waters and mountains, leading to the emergence of numerous descendants of true dragons.

Chen Ping’an softly asked, “Are they still alive?”

Li Liu said, “Most couldn’t withstand the erosion of the long river of time and are completely dead. There are still a few barely alive. The dragon disc on the ground is both their prison and a form of protection. Once the blessed land shatters, they cannot escape death. Therefore, they are considered the guardians of the Water Dragon Sect. When facing a formidable enemy, after obtaining the token and decree from the Ancestral Hall, they can temporarily break free for a moment to participate in the battle. They are quite loyal. The Water Dragon Sect has always treated them well, adding some essence of water energy to the dragon disc every year to help these old dragons, reduced to their original forms, to survive.”

Chen Ping’an grew increasingly curious about Li Liu’s vast knowledge.

However, it was not appropriate to ask too much about such things.

Everyone has their own privacy and secrets. If they are truly friends, and the other party is willing to reveal them, it is a sign of trust. The listener must be worthy of that trust, keep the secret, and should not feel that as friends, they can arbitrarily pry, let alone use an old friend’s secrets to gain the friendship of a new acquaintance.

Therefore, some people seem to have friends everywhere, capable of drinking with people everywhere, as if life is one endless banquet. But when life presents a difficulty, they find it hard to overcome, and once away from the table, they have no friends at all, and can only resent the fickleness of the world. This is the reason.

Without sincerity in making friends, how can one gain sincerity? Cunning people rarely have friends in times of trouble, and this is especially true.

Li Liu seemed to see through Chen Ping’an’s thoughts and openly said, “There’s a reason why my parents and I wanted to move to Northern Ju-lu Continent. Compared to other continents, the environment here is more suitable for my cultivation. My father wants to continue breaking through his realm. Staying in Treasure Bottle Continent offers almost no hope. It’s difficult here too, but at least there’s a chance.”

The size of a continent often determines the number of cultivators in the upper five realms. Northern Ju-lu Continent is vast and abundant, with spiritual energy far surpassing Treasure Bottle Continent. Therefore, the number of cultivators in the upper five realms is far greater than in Treasure Bottle Continent.

However, the number of martial artists at the peak realm, especially the Stopping realm, is not significantly different.

Including Gu, who recently perished alongside Ji Yue, there were only three Stopping Realm martial artists native to Northern Ju-lu Continent.

Treasure Bottle Continent, the smallest of the nine continents, also has three: Li Liu’s father, Li Er; the feudal lord Song Changjing; and Cui Cheng of Fallen Mountain.

Now that Gu is dead, it is an opportunity for all martial artists in Northern Ju-lu Continent to share the continent’s martial fortune. As for how much each can obtain, it naturally depends on their abilities.

This is the basis of the saying “Martial artists of the Refinement God Realm die in their country, Stopping Realm martial artists die in their continent.”

Li Liu suddenly asked, “Master Chen, have you been to mountain and water mystic realms similar to small worlds before?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I recently journeyed through an unrecorded ancient relic.”

Li Liu said, “No wonder. After Gu’s death, martial fortune scattered, but one concentrated portion contained a subtle and profound aspect. It seemed to contain a wisp of Gu’s obsession, lingering for about half a month in the areas of North Pavilion and Water Cloud Kingdom before slowly dissipating. It must have been unable to find Master Chen. If you had received this gift, the possibility of successfully reaching the Golden Body Realm from the strongest Sixth Realm would have been much greater. Even if a martial artist of the same realm from Golden Armor Continent continued to increase their martial intent, it shouldn’t have had a significant impact on Master Chen. Now, it’s a bit difficult to predict. If the other party continues to improve their martial arts, but Master Chen stagnates, and if the other party breaks through before Master Chen can overcome his own bottleneck and reach the Seventh Realm, you would lose that opportunity.”

Chen Ping’an understood in his heart.

It was because he had practiced the Mountain-Shaking Fist for many years and received three punches of guidance from Senior Gu.

So even as an outsider, Senior Gu was still willing to bestow a portion of martial fortune upon him.

Missing Gu’s legacy was, of course, regrettable, but there was no regret.

Chen Ping’an held the Green Bamboo Walking Stick in one hand and gently clenched his fist with the other, saying, “It doesn’t matter. Senior Gu was a native of Northern Ju-lu Continent. It’s only right that his martial fortune remains for the martial artists of this continent. I can only practice my fist more diligently to live up to Senior Gu’s expectations.”

For Chen Ping’an, the gift came in two forms: he failed to receive the martial fortune, but he must firmly grasp the sentiment.

Being able to distinguish right from wrong and make choices without letting gains and losses disturb one’s state of mind when truly sacrificing one’s own interests is the true principle.

Li Liu smiled, “Master Chen’s ability to think this way shows that Gu had good judgment. My younger brother, Li Huai, isn’t bad either.”

Chen Ping’an always felt that something was off when talking to Li Liu, but it seemed natural and as it should be.

Thinking about the customs and people of his hometown, he wasn’t surprised anymore. Just the Mud Bottle Lane where his ancestral home was located had the Sword Immortal Cao Xi from Southern So娑 Continent and Gu Can from Book-Roll Lake, and of course, Chen Ping’an himself.

Tourists gradually ascended the platform. Chen Ping’an and Li Liu stopped talking.

When there were sixteen people, sixteen white dragons formed from clouds and mist appeared simultaneously in all directions of the platform. Their heads approached the platform, each cloud sea dragon resembling a ferry.

Li Liu said, “Sixteen people at a time can ride the dragons separately, ignoring the restrictions of the small blessed land and smoothly entering the Dragon Palace Blessed Land. It’s also a gimmick of the Water Dragon Sect.”

Li Liu took the lead and walked onto the head of a dragon.

Chen Ping’an followed suit, lifting his foot and stepping onto the head of the cloud-mist white dragon, gently standing firm.
Someone had just tried to jump the line to the high platform, attempting to seize precedence, when a faint figure of a divine being in azure robes materialized above. The figure uttered, “Below lies a pit, filled with the corpses of those who fought to cross. Life and death, matters great and small, weigh them yourselves.”

Perhaps only Chen Ping’an noticed that the azure-robed deity stood furthest from Li Liu.

The sixteen white flood dragons formed from water essence began to slowly ascend. Just as they were about to pierce through the dense sea of clouds, allowing the passengers a glimpse of a speck of golden light suspended in the firmament, they suddenly plummeted without warning.

The surroundings were shrouded in misty clouds.

Li Liu, piloting the dragon beneath her feet, approached Chen Ping’an and smiled, “That speck of golden light above is a nascent sun formed from the essence of incense offerings from the Ji Du shrines. It’s also one of the Water Dragon Sect’s cornerstones, but its progress is slow because they lack the proper method. The embryo is crude beyond compare, having gone astray from the start. At the current rate of incense accumulation, even ten thousand years wouldn’t suffice for the Water Dragon Sect. The possibility of the Water Dragon Sect cultivators creating their own sun and moon in the Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven is even smaller than snatching the pair of suns and moons from the shoulders of the Confucian Chen Chun’an.”

Chen Ping’an looked up, seeing only the cloud sea stretching endlessly above and below, without a trace of that golden speck.

Chen Ping’an muttered to himself, “If I were a Water Dragon Sect cultivator, I would make the same choice. I would be willing to accumulate incense offerings forever, even for just that one glimmer of light.”

Li Liu said, “Mr. Chen, cultivation is different from the martial path. It’s not that persistence isn’t important, but if cultivators only focus on that, it won’t work. Even if Qi refiners live long lives, they can’t endure countless years of solitary meditation in the mountains.”

Chen Ping’an nodded and smiled, “I’ll remember that.”

About an incense stick’s worth of time later, the cloud-mist dragon shuddered gently, its four claws touching the ground. The surrounding clouds dissipated, and everyone’s vision suddenly cleared.

Chen Ping’an found himself standing above a sea of clouds.

Looking down, he saw a magnificent city built on a massive island, resembling a dynasty’s capital. Around the city, verdant mountains coiled, with treasures gleaming.

Outside the island city, there were other islands of varying sizes, each with ancient buildings perched on the mountains or beside the water, like stars surrounding the moon, guarding the capital at the center of heaven and earth.

The azure waves stretched for thousands of miles, boundless and vast.

Above the sea of clouds, verdant talisman boats hovered, some as small as awning boats, others as large as multistoried warships.

Water Warden Li Yuan stood not far away.

Li Liu led Chen Ping’an towards the youth whom even the direct descendants of the Water Dragon Sect’s Ancestral Hall did not recognize.

Li Yuan guided them towards a multistoried boat. After boarding, without any action or any visible cultivator operating it, the boat set off on its own.

Li Yuan said softly, “Fushan Island is rich in water-essence spiritual energy and has been unoccupied for a hundred years. Mr. Chen can reside there for cultivation, and it’s not far from the old site of the traveling palace. It’s only half an hour away by talisman boat.”

Li Liu nodded. “Thank you for the trouble.”

Li Yuan felt uneasy and restless.

Li Yuan cautiously asked, “Should I arrange some nimble-fingered maids for Fushui Island?”

Li Liu said, “Why ask me? Ask Mr. Chen.”

Li Yuan immediately turned and inquired of Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “You’ve already been too kind. No need for such trouble.”

Li Yuan said nothing more.

Above the sea of clouds stood a slightly out-of-place tall building. A Water Dragon Sect Nascent Soul cultivator stationed there saw the dragon-shaped jade pendants at the waists of the young woman and the youth, and withdrew his probing gaze.

However, he couldn’t help but feel suspicious. He recognized almost all the Water Dragon Sect’s enshrined guests and retainers. Why were these two unfamiliar faces? Could they be related to the Chongxuan Bureau or Floating Duckweed Sword Lake?

As long as those two jade pendants were genuine, the old Nascent Soul guarding the sea of clouds would not cause trouble or create problems where none existed.

The multistoried boat sped away like a flying sword, not to the Fushui Island ferry, but directly to a vacant immortal mansion’s plaza. The plaque above the residence read “Dragon Duke Resting Clouds.”

As the three of them stepped onto the ground, the mansion gates slowly opened.

Li Yuan explained, “Fushui Island was once the cultivation ground of an old enshrined guest of the Water Dragon Sect. He passed away after dissolving his immortal form a century ago. His disciples were unremarkable. One Golden Core cultivator secretly sold Fushui Island back to the Water Dragon Sect in order to forcibly break through to the next realm. After he luckily became a Nascent Soul cultivator, he traveled to other continents. His remaining fellow disciples had no choice but to move out of the Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven.”

The three of them crossed the threshold together. Li Yuan said, “Besides this cultivation mansion, Fushui Island has four scenic spots: the Water-Plunging Pool, the Yongle Mountain Stone Caves, the Iron Workshop Ruins, and the Ascended Princess Stele. The island is uninhabited and unclaimed, so Mr. Chen can feel free to explore during his cultivation breaks.”

Finally, Li Yuan took off the jade pendant from his waist. One side was carved with an image of a soaring dragon, and the other side had the ancient seal characters “Jun Qing Yu Xiang.” He handed it to Chen Ping’an. “Mr. Chen, this is the key to the Fushui Island’s landscape formation. There’s no need to refine it. Just wear it on your person, and you can control the formation. Nascent Soul cultivators cannot probe the island mansion, and if Jade Purity cultivators secretly observe this place, they will also trigger the formation’s ripples.”

Li Liu seemed satisfied.

This place was clearly Li Yuan’s private residence.

As for the past events of the Water Dragon Sect’s enshrined guest dissolving his immortal form and the disciples’ internal strife, Li Liu naturally didn’t care.

Whether it was true or false, what did it have to do with her?

Chen Ping’an did not decline and thanked him before accepting the heavy jade pendant, hanging it on one side of his waist along with the Water Dragon Sect’s “Rest” wooden token from the bridge crossing.

Only at this moment did Li Liu take off her own jade pendant, inscribed with the four characters “Three Feet of Sweet Rain,” and hand it to Chen Ping’an with a smile. “Mr. Chen, consider this as helping my younger brother repay some of his debt.”

Her unspoken meaning was that it didn’t need to be repaid.

This scene made Water Warden Li Yuan’s eyelids twitch uncontrollably.

If it were him, he would probably kneel to receive the decree and express his gratitude.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “This gift is too great. It must be repaid.”

Li Liu didn’t say anything, only handing the jade pendant to Chen Ping’an.

Li Yuan didn’t even dare to look too closely, respectfully bidding farewell and leaving.

Thus, Chen Ping’an now had three pendants hanging on his waist.

Li Liu and Chen Ping’an walked together in the mansion, planning to stay briefly before leaving this summer palace with nothing to reminisce about.

When she left, how would Chen Ping’an repay? Did Li Yuan have the guts to temporarily receive and keep that jade pendant?

Such a small Ji Du Water Warden, wasn’t he afraid of being drowned?

How many Fire Gods had been refined and killed by the great fire in the past?
The Water Gods of all realms above and below, throughout the rivers and lakes, how many hadn’t she vanquished with her floods? None were spared.

Chen Ping’an retrieved a statue of a Yuanjun goddess from his pouch and smiled, “Miss Li, I had originally planned to give this to Li Huai when I next saw him, but it seems you’ll have to help me deliver it now.”

Li Liu’s gaze softened instantly, transforming her back into the simple girl who used to fetch water from the ancient well in their hometown, gentle and yielding like the willow branches, never showing a hint of edge.

She accepted the small gift, waved it in the air, and playfully remarked, “See, I’m different from Mr. Chen. I accept generous gifts without the slightest hesitation, and with a clear conscience.”

Chen Ping’an felt a bit more relaxed and chuckled, “I need to learn from Miss Li.”

Li Liu looked at the young man with the amiable smile and couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion.

Back when her younger brother, Li Huai, had set out on his journey, he had seemed like the most ordinary student in the school, far from the likes of Li Bao Ping, Lin Shouyi, Yu Lu, and Xie Xie.

Throughout his studies in the Great Sui, Chen Ping’an had always treated Li Huai with a commonplace sincerity.

Later, even after her father, Li Er, had made his appearance, Chen Ping’an’s attitude towards Li Huai remained unchanged – utterly normal.

And now, even with her, Li Liu, revealing herself within the Water Dragon Sect, it was still the same.

‘You are Li Huai’s sister, Li Er’s daughter. No matter your cultivation level or your opportunities, I, Chen Ping’an, will do my best to avoid causing you trouble. Knowing that you’re doing well is enough for me.’

Treat others with kindness, and be strict with oneself.

That was the mark of a true scholar. If not a true master today, he would be one in the future.

So, Li Liu smiled and said, “Lest Mr. Chen thinks I only bring bad news, there are two things I must congratulate Mr. Chen on.”

Chen Ping’an’s eyes lit up. Could it be that the Lotus Root Blessed Land wouldn’t require two or three thousand Grain Rain Coins, and that Fallen Phoenix Mountain had overestimated the cost?

Li Liu said, “That sword of yours, it is already a Celestial Weapon.”

Chen Ping’an was stunned.

He knew that the magic robe, Golden Glaze, acquired from the Dragon Flood Ravine, could be advanced to the rank of a Celestial Weapon by feeding it a large amount of refined gold coins. However, he lacked the means to do so and had never been able to make it a reality.

But how had this Sword Immortal suddenly gone from being a Semi-Celestial Weapon to a legendary Celestial Weapon?

Li Liu revealed the truth with a single sentence: “The sword possesses a thread of righteous qi and a fragment of pure Daoist intent.”

Chen Ping’an fell into deep thought. The latter was understandable, as the Sword Immortal had refined the shattered sword qi given by Sun Daoren.

But the righteous qi… what was the reason for that?

Li Liu didn’t elaborate, “Also, Mr. Chen can stay on Fushui Island without any worries and freely draw upon the surrounding water essence. The Water Dragon Palace won’t mind this slight loss, as it is rightfully Fushui Island’s share.”

“There is also a piece of news that isn’t exactly good news: having that boy named Li Yuan help send a letter to Fallen Phoenix Mountain on Treasure Bottle Continent will leave no trace.”

Li Liu paused. “I’ll take a tour of the main city of the Dragon Palace.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Miss Li, before you leave the Water Dragon Sect, please let me know so that I can return the jade token.”

Li Liu couldn’t help but chuckle.

Chen Ping’an also smiled wryly, realizing that he had guessed Miss Li’s little scheme correctly.

Li Liu nodded, “Alright, I’ll come to Fushui Island before I leave.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t press her to stay.

Li Liu transformed into a rainbow of light and departed, leaving no ripple of spiritual energy in the world.

It was an aura of wind mastery indistinguishable from that of the Sword Immortal Li Cai.

Chen Ping’an wandered around the residence alone, searching for a secluded spot suitable for cultivation. He planned to get a general overview before visiting the Water-Plunging Pool and the Ascension Stele.

Li Liu silently soared into the sky on the wind, then landed near the residence before heading toward the sea of clouds.

She considered that she had already kept her promise.

In the sea of clouds, the Water Guardian Li Yuan stood respectfully with his hands clasped.

Li Liu asked, “How is the ancestral hall of the Water Dragon Sect?”

Li Yuan succinctly replied, “All is well.”

Li Liu smiled. “Li Yuan, all you have left is your hard labor.”

Li Yuan smiled brightly.

Li Liu asked, “What is your relationship with that old crone?”

While within the Dragon Palace’s grotto-heaven, Li Liu’s abilities surpassed even those of the Sages of all realms.

Li Yuan shook his head and sighed, “I regret scaring a young girl by pretending to be a water ghost back then.”

Li Liu lost interest and instructed Li Yuan to keep a closer watch on Mr. Chen’s cultivation. Then, she casually opened the sky and entered a part of the Ji River that bordered the minor grotto-heaven, instantly vanishing thousands of miles away, more stealthily than any Immortal’s earth-shrinking technique.

Any river, lake, or sea in the world was Li Liu’s domain.

In truth, Li Liu was perhaps the most qualified person in the world to meddle in Chen Ping’an’s water mansion affairs, but she had simply refrained from saying anything.

Chen Ping’an first chose a place to cultivate, then strolled around to view the scenic spots and historical sites. He then returned to the residence, took out six green bricks from the Taoist temple, placed them on the ground, and began to practice his stance and fist techniques.

He hung the Sword Immortal on the wall beforehand, and leaned the Walking Mountain Staff against the wall.

After finishing his boxing practice, Chen Ping’an went to a study to write a letter. He discussed the Lotus Root Blessed Land with Zhu Lian, along with many trivial matters. At the end of the letter, he told Zhu Lian that he would wait at the Dragon Palace in the Water Dragon Sect for a reply from Fallen Phoenix Mountain before continuing his journey. He honestly told Zhu Lian in the letter that his Wandering Knapsack Shop, which had traveled through half of the Northern Ju Lu Continent, did have some surplus, but if Fallen Phoenix Mountain could borrow money, without any hidden dangers or future worries, and make up for the shortfall in time, then he would not sell his possessions cheaply for the time being. If there was still a shortfall, there was no need to hide it, and he would try to run the Knapsack Shop again in the Dragon Palace, and have the Spring Dew Garden’s Ant Shop clear out its inventory, to make up for a few Grain Rain Coins.

After putting down his pen, Chen Ping’an wasn’t in a hurry to ask the young man named Li Yuan to help send the letter to Fallen Phoenix Mountain.