A ferry bound for the Central Peak region of the fallen Zhu Ying Dynasty made a stop at a dock called Blightcloud.

Two men and a woman quietly disembarked.

Wei Bo stood on the observation deck of the ferry’s upper level, watching the three figures depart.

As they approached the Zhu Ying Dynasty, it was like leaving his own territory and entering someone else’s. Wei Bo’s perception of Piercing Cloud Mountain diminished greatly. Once they reached the new Central Peak of Great Li, he would be even more suppressed by the natural forces there. This was an unwritten rule that all mountain and water deities had to abide by. A mountain god wading through water, or a water god climbing a mountain, would find themselves constrained. Even a mountain monarch leaving their own domain to visit a fellow monarch couldn’t escape this principle.

However, even so, it wouldn’t be a significant problem.

After all, Wei Bo was now the first mountain monarch above the fifth realm in the history of Treasure Bottle Continent. Even if that discourteous Central Peak Monarch was equivalent to a Jade Purity realm, they weren’t a true deity above the fifth realm.

This departure from the Northern Peak region was justifiable, both in official and personal terms. Even if the Great Li court wasn’t exactly delighted, they were willing to turn a blind eye.

Wei Bo’s introducer within the Great Li court was the Moist Wanderer, Xu Ruo.

Wei Bo had left Chess Board Mountain with Xu Ruo, and went to Piercing Cloud Mountain.

Zhu Lian, with his hunched figure, was empty-handed.

Lu Baixiang, tall and slender, carried the narrow blade, Halting Snow.

On the dock, Liu Chongrun couldn’t help but say to Zhu Lian, who was walking beside him, “Mr. Zhu, finding the Water Palace Dragon Boat isn’t difficult. The Water Palace is relatively easy to handle, being a fully refined artifact from ancient immortals. I possess the secret technique to unlock this immortal treasure. Once collected, the Water Palace will be no bigger than a carriage and can be transported on a ferry. But that Dragon Boat has only been refined to a minor extent. If we want to bring it back to Dragon Spring County, we’ll have to spend some immortal coins and use the Dragon Boat as a ferry, parading it through the streets.”

Zhu Lian chuckled, “It doesn’t matter. The Great Li cavalry will have someone specifically escort us and secure the treasure. Afterwards, we’ll ride the Dragon Boat back to Fallen Phoenix Mountain, and we’ll face no obstacles.”

Liu Chongrun forced a bitter smile, “Mr. Zhu isn’t joking, is he?”

Zhu Lian said with a straight face, “Island Master Liu is the master of a sect and a Golden Core Earth Immortal capable of riding the clouds. I’m just a useless old man, how would I dare to be presumptuous?”

Liu Chongrun felt that he could only take things one step at a time.

The Water Palace Dragon Boat had always been a source of anxiety for Liu Chongrun.

Who to give it to was a difficult question. Even if he managed to give it away, accidentally giving it to the wrong person would result in a disastrous ending for Jade Hairpin Island for the next century, and whether they could even protect the ancestral hall was uncertain.

Before doing business with Fallen Phoenix Mountain, in order to continue to stand in Bamboo Scroll Lake without being annexed by the True Realm Sect as a vassal island, Liu Chongrun had weighed the pros and cons and revealed the matter of the Water Palace to the True Realm Sect. Jade Hairpin Island was forced to bow its head, and Liu Chongrun considered it a way to avoid disaster by spending money. The True Realm Sect, as the lower sect of Jade Regalia Sect, the leading force in Tongye Continent, did not harbor any malicious intentions. Jade Hairpin Island was not only able to preserve its ancestral hall, but also obtained a Peace Talisman issued by the Great Li Ministry of Punishments to mountain cultivators. This was the first time Liu Chongrun did not personally visit Fallen Phoenix Mountain, but instead sent several direct disciples of Jade Hairpin Island who were somewhat familiar with Chen Pingan.

However, the subsequent development of events exceeded expectations. For some unknown reason, the True Realm Sect actually gave up on seizing the Water Palace. Not only that, but the Peace Talisman was not taken back from Jade Hairpin Island. For this reason, Liu Chongrun cautiously made a trip to Palace Willow Island, but of course, he did not see the elusive Sect Master Jiang, but only saw the Chief Offering of the True Realm Sect, Liu Laocheng. Liu Laocheng said that this was the Sect Master’s intention, and told Liu Chongrun to rest assured that the Peace Talisman would not be a burden. Liu Laocheng dismissed Liu Chongrun with a few words.

When leaving Palace Willow Island, could he rest assured? Liu Chongrun was not reassured at all.

But there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t force the True Realm Sect to accept the Water Palace.

Therefore, Liu Chongrun finally decided to move to Dragon Spring County and personally visit Fallen Phoenix Mountain as a guest, choosing Crayfish Ridge as the location. When he mentioned the secret matter to Fallen Phoenix Mountain, Liu Chongrun did not deliberately hide the news that the True Realm Sect had learned of the Water Palace Dragon Boat, and also mentioned the True Realm Sect’s decision. Steward Zhu Lian smiled strangely at the time, and also told Island Master Liu to rest assured. Zhu Lian also guaranteed that even if Fallen Phoenix Mountain did not excavate the treasure, at least this news would never be leaked to anyone, so that Jade Hairpin Island cultivators would not carry heavy treasures and cause trouble.

Liu Chongrun still didn’t dare to rest assured.

Now, truly embarking on the treasure hunt in his homeland, Liu Chongrun was filled with mixed emotions. If it weren’t for the reappearance of the Water Palace Dragon Boat, Liu Chongrun would probably never have set foot on this heartbreaking land again in his life.

Liu Chongrun had no hesitation about what to do with the Water Palace Dragon Boat.

The Water Palace was the foundation of a sect, a natural immortal cave, a combination of an ancestral hall, a place for Earth Immortals to cultivate, and a landscape formation. Placed in the water-rich Bamboo Scroll Lake, even an Earth Immortal would covet it. It was enough to support a Nascent Soul cultivator in establishing a base for cultivation. Therefore, the True Realm Sect immediately gave Liu Chongrun a Peace Talisman worth a lot of money as a sign of sincerity.

Although the huge Dragon Boat was not enough to cross continents, it was enough to transport a large amount of goods to and from a continent. For the small Jade Hairpin Island, it was a burden. For the ambitious Fallen Phoenix Mountain, it solved an urgent need.

While Liu Chongrun’s thoughts were wandering, Lu Baixiang was secretly conversing with Zhu Lian using the martial artist’s method of sound transmission. Lu Baixiang asked with a smile, “Even if you successfully retrieve the Dragon Boat, you still have to run around to various places, won’t it delay your cultivation? As a face of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, you can no longer be the reckless martial arts madman, wouldn’t you be unhappy every day?”

Zhu Lian replied with a smile, “Being busy every day makes me very happy.”

Lu Baixiang said, “If you, Zhu Lian, have any ulterior motives, even if Chen Pingan lets you go out of nostalgia, I will kill you with my own hands if things are exposed.”

Zhu Lian said, “You won’t have that opportunity.”

Lu Baixiang asked, “Are you saying that I’m destined not to be able to kill you, or that you are truly well-behaved in Fallen Phoenix Mountain?”

Zhu Lian retorted, “How could the Sect Master Lu, a figure of great talent and wisdom, the Lu Baixiang in the history of Lotus Root Blessed Land, who has always been decisive in killing, become so fussy?”

Lu Baixiang stopped talking.

In that world, Lu Baixiang was the predecessor, and Zhu Lian was the successor.
Zhu Lian chuckled, “As expected, only my young master truly understands me. Cui Dongshan barely makes the cut, and you three fellow villagers are even further off.”

Lu Baixiang smiled noncommittally, his palm gently caressing the hilt of his narrow saber.

Zhu Lian glanced at Lu Baixiang’s subtle movement. “Believe it or not, you can’t even draw your blade now?”

Lu Baixiang laughed, “Not really.”

Zhu Lian said, “How about a sparring match sometime?”

Lu Baixiang shook his head. “Let’s hold off for now, maybe in a few years.”

Zhu Lian chuckled, “I’m just worried that Headmaster Lu, living so far from the capital, might get too comfortable in this backwater and become ignorant of the vastness of the world.”

Lu Baixiang turned to look at Zhu Lian.

Zhu Lian met his gaze. “Lu Baixiang, there’s no such thing as an immortal’s paradise for cultivators. You’ve arrived in a vast world filled with demons, ghosts, and immortals, especially in recent years. Haven’t you been keeping your blade close at all times? What is it? With your Dharma blade in hand, do you think you own the world? Why not just follow Sui Youbian’s path and pursue immortality directly? Wouldn’t that be better?”

Lu Baixiang frowned. “Do you need to be constantly vigilant and ready to fight, hiding away on Fallen Phoenix Mountain? How can you compare yourself to me?”

Zhu Lian scoffed, “Practicing martial arts is your own business. Don’t ask me. I can give you any answer you want, pleasant or harsh. But the truth? You need to ask yourself.”

Lu Baixiang sighed, “It’s a bit troublesome.”

Zhu Lian smiled. “In a small place, good talent and fortune can mask certain flaws. But in a larger world, they become apparent. Among the four of us in the painting, I only find you slightly more pleasing. So, let’s keep the flattering words to a minimum.”

Lu Baixiang nodded, seeming to take the words to heart.

Although Liu Chongrun didn’t fully understand their exchange, she was shaken by the fleeting killing intent that Lu Baixiang had revealed, an intent that even made her, a Golden Core Earth Immortal, feel a shiver of fear.

And who was Lu Baixiang? Merely a name on the Fallen Phoenix Mountain’s ancestral hall registry.

Liu Chongrun felt a pang of melancholy. When would Pearl Hairpin Island become a truly stable immortal sect, one that didn’t have to be subservient to others or rent a mountain?

Was it truly a wise choice to leave Shujian Lake with all the direct disciples, leaving behind only an empty ancestral hall, and settle in Longquan County, establishing their residence on the back of a cheyu fish?

Liu Chongrun didn’t know the answer.

At that moment, all Liu Chongrun knew was that Zhu Lian and Lu Baixiang, who were standing nearby, were both first-rate martial arts grandmasters. In any dynasty of Baoping Continent’s history, they would be honored guests of emperors and generals, not to be slighted. Their formidable strength was one reason, but more importantly, as martial artists in the Refinement of Spirit realm, they were connected to a nation’s martial prowess, no less important than the Mountain and Water Gods who consolidated a region’s fortunes, perhaps even more so.

However, Liu Chongrun couldn’t quite determine which realm Zhu Lian and Lu Baixiang had reached in martial arts, nor could she know who was stronger between them, as she hadn’t yet had the chance to witness their true abilities.

Her impression of Zhu Lian was primarily as the chief steward of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, always smiling and welcoming. In their few interactions, besides his impeccable manners and business acumen, Liu Chongrun didn’t really know much about him. It seemed that the more she met him, the more enigmatic he became.

Lu Baixiang, on the other hand, clearly seemed like someone not to be trifled with. His aura was imposing, which anyone could see.

Liu Chongrun realized that Fallen Phoenix Mountain seemed to harbor many hidden secrets. Whenever she had the opportunity to interact with them, one after another would emerge, dazzling her.

Wei Bo, the North Mountain Lord of Dali, was a frequent visitor to Fallen Phoenix Mountain. That hunchbacked man with shifty eyes showed no respect towards Wei Bo.

The shopkeeper surnamed Shi at the Lucky Money Shop in Riding Dragon Lane had a peculiar appearance, with a hint of Yin energy, making it impossible for Liu Chongrun to discern the depth of his cultivation.

Chen Ruchu, Chen Lingjun, and Zhou Mili, the three demonic entities, especially the young boy in blue, seemed to be approaching the bottleneck of the Dragon Gate realm. Once he attained the Golden Core realm, a Golden Core demon of the Jiaolong lineage would be unmatched by ordinary Golden Core cultivators, practically on par with a nascent soul cultivator. However, Chen Lingjun seemed to be the least favored on Fallen Phoenix Mountain, and he didn’t seem to mind being neglected. If this had been Shujian Lake, he would have already rebelled, right?

Liu Chongrun occasionally wondered if the young mountain master was trying to reach the heavens in one step, transforming the previously unknown Fallen Phoenix Mountain of Longquan County into a sect worthy of the title “Zong,” competing with the Sword Sect of Saint Ruan Qiong for dominance?

Wasn’t that a bit too ambitious?

After all, Fallen Phoenix Mountain had more martial artists than cultivators, and she didn’t see anyone who had the potential to reach the Upper Five Realms.

In contrast, the Longquan Sword Sect, adjacent to Fallen Phoenix Mountain, despite having a small number of cultivators even with the disciples they had taken in, excluding Saint Ruan Qiong himself, Dong Gu had already reached the Golden Core realm. As for Ruan Qiong’s only daughter, Ruan Xiu, Liu Chongrun, being from Shujian Lake, had once witnessed the strange phenomenon on the island one night from afar. With a “Peace and Tranquility” talisman in her possession, she had heard some mysterious rumors that Ruan Xiu, along with a white-clothed youth of unknown origins, had jointly pursued and killed an old nascent soul sword cultivator from the Zhu Ying Dynasty, which was simply astounding.

Moreover, “One mountain cannot accommodate two Golden Cores; allies from afar, enemies from close by” was an unwritten rule among cultivators.

Even though Longquan County’s territory wasn’t small and its spiritual energy was abundant, it still couldn’t support two thriving Zong-level immortal families.

Despite never having been to an immortal ferry before, Zhu Lian seemed very familiar with the route. He led Liu Chongrun and Lu Baixiang away from the miasmic cloud ferry. Liu Chongrun immediately saw a squadron of elite cavalry, not many in number, only twenty-odd riders.

However, they instantly made Liu Chongrun feel apprehensive.

The leading three riders were, in the center, a young man who was travel-worn, with a calm expression. He wasn’t wearing armor, but he had a Dali-style war blade hanging at his waist.

Next to him, a handsome young nobleman in black robes was perched on his horse, yawning, with a pair of long and short swords hanging at his waist.

On the other side, there was a stout man.

Liu Chongrun felt that aside from the general in the center, the other two were very dangerous.

As for the Dali elite cavalry, Liu Chongrun, being a deposed princess who had ruled from behind the curtain for many years, managing the affairs of state, was naturally an expert and immediately recognized the cavalry’s fierce fighting prowess.
The elite iron cavalry of Great Li were not only willing to die valiantly on the battlefield, but also exuded a sense of orderly discipline. These were all traces of the National Preceptor Cui’s meticulous training.

Zhu Lian looked up at the dark-skinned man and rubbed his hands, smiling, “Isn’t this our Military Herald Wei, esteemed sir!”

The man addressed as Military Herald Wei remained unmoved.

The young man in the center turned his head and smiled, “Brother Wei, who is this old senior?”

The man replied in a measured tone, “Surname is Zhu, given name Lian. An old acquaintance from my hometown, a martial arts fanatic. Currently at the Distant Roaming Realm, working as a steward in Dragon Spring County.”

The young man was somewhat surprised.

An Eighth Realm Grandmaster?

Why had he never heard of it? He knew all the local martial artists in Great Li at the Distant Roaming Realm, because they usually joined the battlefield and almost never stayed in the pugilistic world.

As for Eighth Realm Qi Refiners, he didn’t care to hear about them.

He was born into a top-tier military lineage in Great Li, on Orchid Street in the capital city, where military families were as numerous as clouds. He had no fondness for cultivators, only a natural affinity for martial artists, whether on the battlefield or in the pugilistic world.

His ancestors had carved out the empire and their family fortune for the Great Li dynasty and their own family with their fists and blades.

He, Liu Xunmei, was the same. He, like his good friend Guan Yiran, despised those parasites in Carefree Lane who lived off the merits of their ancestors. The name Liu Xunmei was personally given to him by Old Man Guan.

Many wastrels from Carefree Lane and Orchid Street were beyond help. With their fathers’ arrangements, they made money in government offices, helped local magnates connect with each other, or introduced mountain immortals to serve as offerings to allied families. They had endless banquets and drinking parties all year round. These people were big shots in the capital’s officialdom and at banquets, with celestial female cultivators as maids and mountain immortals as bodyguards. But what would happen if they went to Orchid Street? Wouldn’t they all shrink their necks and speak softly?

Liu Xunmei dismounted and cupped his fist at Zhu Lian with a smile, “Liu Xunmei greets Senior Zhu!”

Zhu Lian quickly returned the gesture, smiling, “General Liu is young and promising, full of confidence when offering incense to his ancestors in the ancestral hall.”

Liu Xunmei laughed, not feeling that the other party was being disrespectful by mentioning ancestral incense.

The commander dismounted, and Wei Xian followed suit. The rest of the elite cavalry dismounted as well.

Only the young black-robed swordsman with phoenix eyes continued to squat on horseback, nodding and clicking his tongue, “A very powerful Wind Riding Realm. Wei Xian, your hometown produces talent. In this regard, it resembles our Mud Bottle Lane.”

Sword Cultivator Cao Jun.

Cao Jun was a native of South Jambudvipa, but his ancestor, Cao Xi, was from Mud Bottle Lane in Jade Dew Heaven.

Lu Baixiang, who had been walking behind Zhu Lian and Liu Chongrun, stood side by side with Zhu Lian.

Wei Xian nodded at Lu Baixiang, and Lu Baixiang returned the nod with a smile.

After leaving Cui Dongshan, Wei Xian joined the Great Li army and became a military cultivator for the Great Li iron cavalry. Relying on one dangerous battle after another, he was temporarily serving as a squad leader, waiting for the Ministry of War’s documents to arrive. Once Wei Xian obtained the title of Military Herald, he would be immediately promoted to standard leader. Of course, if Wei Xian was willing to personally lead troops into battle, he could be promoted on the spot to a sixth-rank military general, leading an “old” battalion of over a thousand soldiers.

Great Li’s squad leaders were probably the most valuable squad leaders in the entire Vast World. They could meet all military generals below the third-rank general on the road without having to salute. If they were in the mood, they could cup their fists, but if they didn’t want to, they could ignore them.

Wei Xian had now obtained the sixth rank among the twelve military titles of the Great Li iron cavalry, the Military Herald starting with the character “wu” (武, military). The first five military titles were generally awarded to military generals who had made outstanding achievements on the battlefield. The Great Li dynasty, which had established the country by military force, had always given the title of “Pillar of the State” to the first rank, but the extremely revered title of Pillar of the State was not necessarily only awarded to military personnel.

Cao Jun had always been Wei Xian’s direct superior, in charge of all the military cultivators of a Great Li ten-thousand-strong iron cavalry through military merits. Although Wei Xian was only a squad leader, he was somewhat similar to Cao Jun’s assistant official. According to Cao Jun’s lazy nature, he preferred not to use his brain if he could avoid it, so he liked to leave troublesome matters such as deploying troops to the obscure Wei Xian. Wei Xian was said to be a military strategist, but he was more like a pure martial artist. At first, there were some criticisms, with some feeling that this guy was a retainer of some big shot in the Ministry of War, and that he had cheekily came to sponge off military merits after the war. However, after a few battles, the rumors disappeared. The reason was simple: the military cultivators who fought side by side with Wei Xian, who should have died, had all survived.

The Great Li elite cavalry had prepared horses, and everyone rode together to the location where the treasure was hidden, not too far from the Cloud of Miasma Ferry, about two hundred miles away. The Water Palace Dragon Boat was buried at the bottom of a river, with extremely hidden passages. Only Liu Chongrun knew how to break many mountain and river restrictions. Otherwise, even if the treasure vault was found, unless the roots of the water veins were destroyed, there was no way to enter the secret realm. But if they did so, the Water Palace Dragon Boat would be destroyed along with it.

When Liu Chongrun learned that this young cavalry general, Liu Xunmei, was actually a fourth-rank military general in Great Li before the age of thirty, he was even more shocked.

On the one hand, he was surprised by his meteoric rise in his career. Great Li military generals had to have military merits as a foundation. This was an iron rule. The descendants of military families who were born under the shade of their ancestors might have a higher starting point, but there was a limit. On the other hand, he was surprised by the official connections of Fallen Mountain. The one who appeared was the military general Liu Xunmei, so the one who nodded and agreed to this matter must be a high-ranking and powerful general. Even if it wasn’t Cao Ping or Su Gaoshan, who had already been conferred as Inspectors, it should be a prominent military general in Great Li who was second only to the two of them.

In fact, not only Liu Chongrun couldn’t figure it out, but even Liu Xunmei himself was confused. This time, he led the team on the orders of a confidant of General Cao Ping. There were also two Green Ripple Pavilion spies interspersed in the cavalry, monitoring the army all the way, seemingly not watching whether the three of them were acting according to the rules, but watching whether Liu Xunmei would create extra problems.

This was very interesting. Could it be that the newly appointed Inspector Cao Ping had extraordinary influence and wanted to collude with a big shot in the Green Ripple Pavilion to enrich himself? Then Cao…
General Cao choosing to hide behind the scenes, dispatching a trusted confidant to handle this matter personally? If he truly dared to be so reckless, shouldn’t he replace Liu Xunmei with another loyal subordinate general? If Liu Xunmei felt this violated the Dali military code, he would definitely report it to the imperial court, even if Cao Ping secretly assassinated him to silence him. How would one clean up the mess? The Liu family of Chier Street is not a household that Cao Ping can simply dispose of. The key is that this action breaks the rules. For hundreds of years, the Dali civil and military officials, regardless of their family traditions, methods, or character, have ultimately been accustomed to upholding regulations in major matters.

To be held accountable by the imperial court, to have that beloved confidant general beheaded as a scapegoat? This doesn’t seem like General Cao’s style.

But to say that someone is so powerful that even Cao Ping must obey their orders, causing a patrolling envoy equivalent to a pillar of the court to personally plot, Liu Xunmei couldn’t believe it. Could it be the Grand Preceptor’s intention?

For a mountain and river secret treasure with someone to guide the way, is it necessary to be so secretive?

The Dali iron cavalry has marched south all the way, and the collected mountain objects have piled up like a mountain. Thousands of mountain and river shrines have been banned and destroyed, all operating according to Dali’s established rules.

Is this one exception necessary?

Liu Xunmei was filled with curiosity.

And he hoped to live long enough to know the answer.

Liu Xunmei and Liu Chongrun rode side by side, discussing the route.

Wei Xian and Lu Baixiang followed closely behind, chatting about the past.

Lu Baixiang was probably the easiest to get along with on the surface among the four in the picture scroll, able to chat with anyone.

The other three could barely speak to each other.

Zhu Lian unexpectedly hung back at the rear of the riding formation with Cao Jun, chatting happily, calling each other brothers, talking about everything. Of course, two old men would inevitably talk about women.

No matter what you, Cao Jun, say, if my answers, Zhu Lian, don’t resonate with you, Cao Jun, then I, this old cook, am not skilled enough and cannot cater to people’s tastes.

What he said made Cao Jun’s eyes light up, and he even wanted to leave the army and become an honored guest on Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Li Xisheng, with his book boy Cui Ci, left Lion Peak and returned to a state city in Qinghao Kingdom. Qinghao Kingdom was a remote small country in the Northern Ju Continent, but not a vassal state of any major power.

Inside the state city, Li Xisheng bought a small residence on a street called Dongxian Street, across from a Chen family, a well-to-do household, not a wealthy and powerful family in the capital. There was someone of Li Xisheng’s age, whose name coincidentally had the character “Bao” in it, named Chen Baozhou, an idle scholar without any imperial examination achievements. His skills in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting were not vulgar. Li Xisheng often traveled with this person, but they didn’t go far.

Li Xisheng had come to the Northern Ju Continent from Baoping Continent, traveling north all the way, and then stopped here. He had also used some connections to find a lowly position in the political office of a state academy. Before going to the Qingliang Sect, Li Xisheng had to pass by the “Opening Heavenly Fortune” archway at the entrance of the political office every day. The political office had twelve courtyards, not small.

The academic director greatly appreciated Li Xisheng, thinking that this young outsider was quite knowledgeable. Of course, the academic director was a famously incorruptible and upright official. The fact that he could suddenly be promoted from a lowly government office to the central court as the Vice Minister of Rites naturally involved some extra “knowledge.” Once, while drinking with Li Xisheng, he used alcohol to relieve his sorrows, and Li Xisheng gave him those “secrets,” secretly left behind, secretly collected by the academic director.

The next day, Li Xisheng became a clerk in the academic director’s office.

Cui Ci initially felt as if struck by lightning. Why would his upright gentleman of a teacher do such a thing? How could a scholar act so mercenary?

Li Xisheng didn’t explain anything to Cui Ci.

This time returning to the state city, Li Xisheng’s position at the academic director’s office was already gone. They gave a casual reason and dismissed Li Xisheng from his position as a clerk.

Li Xisheng didn’t care.

On the way, Cui Ci asked his teacher how long they would stay in Qinghao Kingdom this time. Li Xisheng replied that it would be a long time, at least thirty or forty years.

Cui Ci was initially a little panicked, fearing it would be hundreds of years, but hearing that it would only be a short thirty or forty years, he felt relieved.

After all, he and his teacher were no longer ordinary mortals down the mountain.

As for Cui Ci himself, whenever he thought of his origins, he always felt lingering sorrow. However, whenever he worried about this matter, the young man would no longer worry, because he had that worry.

This day, Li Xisheng unfolded a painting again, looking at the mirror flowers and water moon.

Cui Ci knew his teacher’s habit and burned incense early on the side. In fact, Li Xisheng didn’t have this affectation, but Cui Ci liked to do these things, so he didn’t stop him.

On the painting, an old master was sitting and discussing Dao. The old master was a virtuous man of the Yufu Academy. Initially, Cui Ci listened attentively a few times, but later he found it truly boring and tedious. Every time he lectured and taught, he only talked about one principle, and then repeated it over and over again, twisting and turning, just talking about the various small principles of this big principle. Cui Ci felt it was very uninteresting. Anyone who had read a few days of books would understand these principles, right? Did the old master need to explain them so minutely?

No wonder later, when his teacher took him to visit the streets filled with bookstores near Fushui Academy, he learned that the old master was ridiculed as an old insect searching for chapters and extracting phrases. The old master was also regarded as the most untalented virtuous man in the academy. Later, regarding the matter of teaching, the Confucian students studying at the academy couldn’t stand it, so the old master arranged this errand for the academy, responsible for the academy’s mirror flowers and water moon, lecturing to the mountain cultivators. Not only did the academy know that this was just a formality, but it was estimated that even the old master himself knew very well that no one would listen to his nonsense. However, he still lectured for thirty years. The old master enjoyed the leisure. Sometimes, he would bring a few of his favorite books, notes, and calligraphy, selecting one sentence and lecturing freely according to his mood.

Cui Ci had heard a lot of old stories about the old master in the streets near Yufu Academy, which were filled with bookstores. It was said that he had obtained the title of virtuous man by sheer luck, and it had nothing to do with his knowledge. Initially, there were various clever people who became fellow poets and lyricists with the then not-so-old master. The scholarly circles of various countries and major local academies all cordially invited him to lecture and teach. In the end, even the practice of betting on the underdog in officialdom lost interest. The old man’s calligraphy works, fan inscriptions, couplets, etc., could be easily obtained in the early days.
They were once sold for a thousand taels of silver, then hundreds, then less than a hundred. Now, nobody would buy them even for ten taels. You couldn’t even give them away!

But Cui Ci noticed that his teacher, without fail, attended every single lecture given by this old scholar, even during the time when the Clear Ripple Sect was lecturing to the nine disciples of Sect Master He. He would still watch the mirrored-flower-and-moon projection from the Fish Trap Academy.

In the painting, the old scholar was sitting upright in his unchanging position. He cleared his throat, picked up a newly acquired book – a travel journal filled with landscape descriptions – and quickly announced its title. Then, the old scholar got straight to the point, explaining the profoundness of the line, “A small stove first kindles in a rustic village, peach blossoms fall in a temple.” He pondered where the beauty lies, and why the words “rustic village” and “temple” were somewhat clumsy. The old scholar blushed slightly, looking unnatural, and held the travel journal high, as if wanting everyone to see the title clearly.

Cui Ci looked helpless. “Teacher, is this old scholar starving? Why is he advertising for the bookstore?”

Li Xisheng smiled. “This is the first time; he’s never done this before. Probably an old friend asked him, and he couldn’t refuse.”

Cui Ci slumped onto the table, sighing. “To be a virtuous man to this extent, he really should be ashamed.”

Cui Ci chuckled. “But at least today, the old scholar isn’t talking about those empty principles. That’s good. Otherwise, I guarantee I’d be dozing off within an incense stick’s time.”

Li Xisheng listened to the old scholar in the painting expounding on poetry. He asked, “Who says that knowledge must be useful to be good knowledge?”

Cui Ci thought he’d misheard. “Teacher?”

Li Xisheng kept his gaze fixed on the painting, listening to the old scholar’s words. He smiled at Cui Ci and said, “Cui Ci, let me ask you a small question. One tael per catty, two different weights. How much do they weigh in total?”

Cui Ci was even more puzzled. Was this even a question?

Li Xisheng continued, “Who set the rules for these two weights? In the earliest days, who held the scales and the steelyard? Will there be even the slightest deviation ten thousand years ago, or ten thousand years hence? And if there’s even a hair’s breadth of error, what impact will that have on the workings of the world?”

Cui Ci pondered for a moment, and his head began to throb.

Li Xisheng said slowly, “Some extremely pure forms of knowledge seem very far removed from the human world, but that doesn’t mean they’re useless. There must be someone to pursue these seemingly useless studies. Can my talking to you help you earn a single copper coin? Or advance your cultivation even a bit?”

Cui Ci shook his head. “Not really.”

Li Xisheng looked at the aging scholar in the painting with a touch of sadness. He averted his gaze, turned to the “inhuman” youth made of broken porcelain, and said, “Refining spiritual energy, transforming it for one’s own use, ascending step by step, attaining eternal life – that is the path of cultivation. Our Confucianism takes moral principles and scholarly writings, feeds them back into the mortal world. That is Confucian edification. ‘A gentle breeze steals into the night, silently moistening all things’ – that is the supreme realm of knowledge.”

Li Xisheng paused, looking at the curling incense smoke above the censer. He continued, “To gather in, is to achieve harmony with the heavens and earth, to attain eternal life. To release, is the loneliness of the ancient sages, leaving only their writings for thousands of years. True Confucian disciples never seek only eternal life.”

The old scholar was getting old after all. As he spoke, he grew weary. Usually, his lecture would last for an hour, with an extra half-hour of rambling.

Today, barely half an hour had passed before he lost the energy and spirit to continue. The old scholar looked sad, staring straight ahead, muttering to himself, “I actually know… no one is listening. No one is listening to what I’m saying.”

The old man said softly, “Twenty years ago, when I listened to the Mountain Lord, every so often, there would be a slight increase in the aura of ‘snow money’. Ten years ago, it became rare. Whenever I heard that someone was willing to spend money on my paltry knowledge, I would find someone to go drinking with…”

At this point, the old man forced a smile and grabbed the travel journal. “It was the old fellow who printed this book to make money. In the blink of an eye, the wine wasn’t even finished, and we’re both old.”

“In recent years, I haven’t even been able to earn a single piece of snow money for the academy with this bit of knowledge. My conscience is uneasy.”

The old man looked desolate, put down the book, and suddenly chuckled in anger. “Old Qian, you old scoundrel, I know you’re watching! You’re afraid I won’t help you sell your books, aren’t you?! Damn it, put your legs down, you can eat and drink first. Remember to leave some so that I can enjoy them a little when I leave the academy.”

The old man stood up and bowed. “This lecture is the last time I will embarrass myself in the academy. It’s better that no one is listening, so as not to waste money. It’s not easy to cultivate on the mountain. This knowledge that I’ve been lecturing about for thirty years is really useless. Look at me, like this, do I look like a scholar, a learned man? Even I don’t think so.”

The old scholar was about to put away the mirrored-flower-and-moon projection. He only had the title of a virtuous man of the academy, but he wasn’t a cultivator. He couldn’t summon wind and rain with a wave of his hand.

Just then, Li Xisheng of the Green Artemisia Kingdom gently tossed down a Grain Rain Coin, stood up, and bowed respectfully. “Scholar Li Xisheng, has benefited greatly, and thanks you, Teacher.”

The old scholar froze in place, stunned for a long time, his eyes welling with tears. He waved his hand and said, “I don’t deserve it, I don’t deserve it.”

Then, the old man was a little embarrassed, mistaking it for someone throwing down a Lesser Heat Coin. He whispered, “Don’t buy that travel journal, it’s not worth it. The price is dead expensive, not worth it at all! Even with divine immortal money, you shouldn’t squander it like this. The two things of cultivating oneself and managing one’s family, seemingly big, should actually be started from small things…”

Habitually about to spout those grand principles, the old scholar suddenly closed his mouth, looking dejected and self-deprecating. “I won’t say it, I won’t say it.”

Suddenly, another person threw down a Grain Rain Coin, saying loudly, “Liu Jinglong, has been listening to your teachings for thirty years, and thanks you, Teacher. Coming out of seclusion this time, I finally didn’t miss Teacher’s last lecture!”

Not only was the old scholar thunderstruck, but even Cui Ci couldn’t help but ask, “Teacher, is that the young Sword Immortal Liu Jinglong of the Taiwei Sword Sect?”

Li Xisheng smiled and nodded.

The old scholar was overcome with emotion. Finally, he straightened his clothes, straightened his back, and smiled. “Be sure to come find me for a drink sometime! I am no lo”The academy is not far, easy to find. Just ask for the ‘foot-binding teacher’, and you’ll surely find me. Then, I’ll complain about why you didn’t reveal your identity sooner, so I could have some face in the academy.”

Suddenly, a third person didn’t throw money, but their voice echoed, “The lectures were the worst this time, but you’re quite the book salesman. Why not open your own bookstore? I, Zhou Mi, would be happy to buy a few.”

The old master lowered his voice, tentatively asking, “Mountain Lord Zhou?”

The person chuckled, “Who else? In Northern Ju Lu Continent, who else can say ‘I, Zhou Mi’ with such confidence?”

The old teacher quickly ran off to close a spread-open book of sages, not wanting the three to see his embarrassment.

Old scholars still care about their reputation.

It was just when Mountain Lord Wei Bo was leaving Pi Yun Mountain.

A caravan of carriages, a whole family relocating, was departing from Huai Huang Town in Dragon Spring County.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t afford to take the Immortal ferry at Ox Horn Mountain, but someone hadn’t nodded in agreement. This greatly disappointed a woman who controlled the family’s finances. She had never ridden an Immortal ferry in her life.

Unfortunately, her son didn’t agree, so she, as the mother, had no choice but to comply.

The Ma family of Apricot Blossom Lane had been quiet ever since the old matriarch died and her grandson soon left the town, their ancestral home remaining empty. The matriarch’s sons and daughters-in-law had moved out of the old house long ago. The Ma family was wealthy, but they didn’t flaunt it, much like Lin Shouyi’s father, who worked as a clerk in the kiln supervisory office, had power but didn’t display it, giving the impression of an insignificant official. The two families were similar in that regard.

The Ma couple, having moved out of Apricot Blossom Lane years ago, hadn’t purchased property in Fortune and Prosperity Street or Peach Leaf Lane. Now, they had quietly sold their ancestral dragon kiln to the Xu family of Qingfeng City for a sky-high price.

Then, under their son’s arrangement, they were moving the entire family to the territory of True Martial Mountain, one of the ancestral homes of military strategists. They would settle there for generations to come. The woman wasn’t particularly willing, and her husband wasn’t enthusiastic either. They would have preferred to settle in the Great Li capital, but their son had spoken, and they, as parents, had to obey. After all, their son was no longer the simpleton of Apricot Blossom Lane. He was Ma Kuxuan, the most outstanding cultivation genius in Treasure Bottle Continent, who had even slain two Golden Core sword cultivators from the Zhu Ying Dynasty, known for their fighting prowess.

The woman lifted the carriage curtain and saw a rider outside, a young woman who was unbelievably beautiful. She was now her son’s maidservant, and her son had given her the name “Shudian.”

The woman found it amusing. Only this matter made her feel like her son was still the same old simpleton.

He was still sulking.

In the past, there were rumors in Mud Bottle Lane that Song Jixin was the illegitimate son of the supervisory official, and he had a maidservant named Zhigui.

According to her mother-in-law, her son had always liked that Zhigui.

The woman riding alongside the carriage noticed the woman’s gaze, and initially intended to ignore it.

However, the young man riding at the front of the team turned and looked back, his gaze cold.

She was frightened into silence and immediately turned to look at the carriage curtain, softly asking, “Madam, do you need to stop and rest?”

The woman smiled and shook her head, slowly lowering the curtain.

The young woman named Shudian glanced at the back of the young man riding ahead. Her heart was filled with sorrow, but she dared not show it.

Years ago, she, along with the Xu family and son from Qingfeng City, and the Moving Mountain Ape from Zhengyang Mountain, had entered the Li Zhu Grotto Heaven, all seeking opportunities. In the end, she was the most miserable, gaining no good fortune and incurring a great disaster, a true family annihilation. Her grandfather, the master of the Tide Cavalry, had initially yielded after the unstoppable Great Li army conquered the country. He relinquished his military power but retained an official position in the court and was allowed to retire to his hometown. But then this young man appeared.

Upon his glorious return, the accompanying guards dispatched by the court, along with her grandfather’s personal guards, over a hundred men, were all killed, their bodies scattered everywhere.

She and the old man knelt on the ground.

Ma Kuxuan stood between the two kneeling figures, placing his hands on their heads, saying that two heads were not enough to repay the debt, even if the entire Tide Cavalry was wiped out.

Ma Kuxuan asked the old man what should be done.

The old man began to kowtow, begging Ma Kuxuan to spare his granddaughter and take his life instead.

After a lifetime of military service, with countless merits, he never imagined he would end up like this. The woman knelt beside him, numb.

Ma Kuxuan then pressed down with his palm, leaving a gruesome, limp corpse on the ground.

In the end, Ma Kuxuan did not kill her. He kept her by his side, bestowing upon her the name Shudian, without a surname.

The distraught Shudian eventually followed Ma Kuxuan to Dragon Spring County.

Along the way, the young man, who killed at will, upon returning to his hometown, first went not to Apricot Blossom Lane, nor to his parents’ residence, but to the banks of the Dragon Whisker River, to the waterfall where the Dragon Whisker River met the Iron Talisman River. Then Shudian saw the appearance of a Sword-Holding God, the foremost water deity of the Great Li, named Yanghua.

Ma Kuxuan squatted at the boundary between the rivers, lightly tossing stones into the water, and smiled at the high-ranking Great Li deity, “I know you are a maidservant by the Empress Dowager’s side. I am merely the grandson of a river god under your command. In principle, I should pay you some respect, but I heard you were not very polite to my grandmother. Then you must be careful. In this world, whether you are a cultivator or a ghost, debts must be repaid. When I return next time to visit my grandmother, if you still haven’t repaid the debt and dare to boss around this Dragon Whisker River, then I will imprison your golden statue on True Martial Mountain and refine it day by day. For every bit of incense essence that is destroyed, I will feed you the same amount. I will make you repay it for a thousand years. Even if I, Ma Kuxuan, am dead, as long as True Martial Mountain still stands, you will suffer for a thousand years. If it’s even a day short, I, Ma Kuxuan, will lose.”

Water God Yanghua scoffed.

Ma Kuxuan added, “Since you can become a righteous god of the great river, you are naturally not afraid of suffering. It doesn’t matter. You are ultimately a woman, and your humanity is still there. Some habits are hard to get rid of. I will capture some lewd shrine gods or mountain sprites every few years, and…”