The two reunited amidst verdant mountains and clear waters, no longer the youth and little girl of yesteryear.

Hearing Li Bao Ping’s loud greeting, Chen Ping An smiled and nodded, teasing, “You can drink now? No need to hide it, your Junior Uncle is also a lush.”

Li Bao Ping’s smile was radiant as she replied, “I’m an old maid now!”

Chen Ping An was speechless.

Usually, Li Bao Ping would have said something like, “I’m an adult now, I can drink.”

Only at this moment did Chen Ping An remember that Li Bao Ping and Li Huai were no longer young.

But he couldn’t help it, he always liked to think of them as children. In fact, according to the customs of his hometown, the group of travelers should have been married long ago, and their children might already be apprentices in the kiln.

Now, Li Bao Ping only needed to slightly raise her eyes to see her Junior Uncle. She blinked and said, “It’s good, Junior Uncle is exactly as I imagined, so even if you hadn’t greeted me, I would have recognized you at a glance!”

Chen Ping An reached out and patted Li Bao Ping’s head, laughing, “In your Junior Uncle’s eyes, apart from being taller, you haven’t changed much.”

It was as if she was still the little girl in red, panting as she ran through the streets of her hometown, carrying a locust tree branch on her shoulder.

Thinking this, Chen Ping An didn’t feel so sentimental, so he quietly abandoned the idea of taking out his gourd to drink.

When he was fourteen, and only little Bao Ping accompanied him on his travels, Chen Ping An would occasionally wonder if the little girl would get tired from walking so far. She never complained, not even once.

Chen Ping An couldn’t help but smile, his face full of joy that he couldn’t conceal. He took out a small bamboo chair from his pocket dimension and handed it to Li Bao Ping. They sat together by the water, Chen Ping An re-baited his hook and skillfully cast his line again, turning his head and saying, “There are more fishing rods.”

Li Bao Ping sat beside him, gently shaking her head, then lifted her two feet, tapping her shoes together, “I’ll just watch Junior Uncle fish. I’ll freeload, lazy people have lazy blessings.”

Near Chen Ping An’s green bamboo chair, a fishing basket was tied with a rope and submerged in the water, held down by a large stone. Li Bao Ping got up and squatted by the water’s edge, pulling the bamboo basket out of the water. She found it full of fish, all golden carp unique to the Mandarin Duck Isle. These golden carp weren’t related to the aquatic spirits, but they looked pleasing to the eye. With scallions, ginger, and garlic, whether steamed or braised, they would definitely be delicious. Junior Uncle’s cooking skills were excellent.

Li Bao Ping shook the fishing basket in her hand, secretly swallowing her saliva, and asked in a low voice, “Junior Uncle, did you bring the seasonings for cooking fish?”

Chen Ping An nodded and smiled, “Of course, pots, pans, ladles, rice wine, spicy sauce, soy sauce, salt, vinegar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, scallions, and garlic, everything is there. When it comes to cooking, Junior Uncle has only lost once in his life, and I must get my revenge.”

Li Bao Ping grinned, understanding. It was when they were in the Huang Ting Kingdom, and they were invited to the mansion of a retired official. Everyone gobbled up the food at the table, especially Li Huai, who had no conscience, complaining that Junior Uncle’s food was bland and constantly grumbling that Junior Uncle couldn’t catch big fish. “The size of a palm, you call that a fish? Look at the fish head on the table, it’s bigger than your whole fish! And look at this big plate, this soup…”

Junior Uncle was unusually sulky that time.

Thinking of this old story, Li Bao Ping suddenly felt that Li Huai was so annoying when he was a kid. Should she settle accounts with him this time?

Li Bao Ping put the fishing basket back into the water and asked softly, “My brother is also traveling here now, has Junior Uncle seen him?”

Chen Ping An replied in his heart, “Not yet, I haven’t been here for many days. I’ve been staying in the Merit Forest, with the teacher and senior brothers, then I went to the Wenjin Ferry in Pan Shui County. I just saw A Liang and Li Huai, and then without paying attention, I was dragged to attend a meeting. During the meeting, I secretly asked Senior Brother Mao, and I heard you were in Ao Tou Mountain. I just came here to fish not long ago, I was originally planning to fish for another hour or two, then go find you.”

Chen Ping An unconsciously spoke in great detail.

Perhaps it was because with Li Bao Ping, he, as the Junior Uncle, was used to being this way.

In fact, Chen Ping An planned to take advantage of this rare opportunity to attend the meeting to do many things. For example, visit the Fire Dragon True Man of Crawling Peak to thank Yuan Ling Dian of Pointing Finger Peak for the gift they gave him at the ceremony last time.

He also needed to take the initiative to visit and personally find the Yu family head, also to thank him. Yu Pan Shui had once given Pei Qian a bamboo yellow paper-cutting knife, a priceless pocket dimension treasure. In addition, Yu Pan Shui, the Supreme Emperor of the Xuan Mi Dynasty, had financial traces, both deep and shallow, in Bao Ping Continent and Tong Ye Continent. Cui Dong Shan said that this Yu beauty and the Treasure Basin of Ai Ai Continent were both generous old friends. In that case, many things could be discussed, and it was better to open up early and draw clear boundaries, which would save a lot of trouble compared to last-minute efforts.

Old Yao had once said, “It’s better to run a few more errands on the first and fifteenth of the month than to burn incense when something happens. Walking long distances usually makes it easier to get through the year.”

Hearing that Madam Gui was also here now, Chen Ping An planned to ask about She Yue, to help Liu Xian Yang finalize something, and maybe he could drink wedding wine soon. As for helping to organize the wedding, no one should argue with him, Chen Ping An. Listening to gossip was a hometown custom that couldn’t be lost.

He also had to use a way that the other was familiar with, to speak the same logic to a grandmaster of martial arts, from the Great End Dynasty.

But compared to little Bao Ping, these big and small things could all be put aside.

Chen Ping An suddenly raised his rod, leaning forward, stretching out his arm, the bamboo rod and fishing line curving into an arc. Then he began to carefully reel in the fish, his body swaying on the small bamboo chair.

Immortals fishing by the water was the same as cultivators drinking at the table.

Using spells and divine powers would be very unromantic. In the words of Zhang Tiao Xia, the most famous fisherman in the world and a martial artist at the peak, “If you have such great abilities, why not use mountain spells to move rivers? The entire river is yours, what are a few hundred or thousand catties of fish? Are you going to fill up your pocket dimension and sell them to make money? Do you own a restaurant or a fish market?”
Li Baoping watched the tug-of-war match intently, saying casually, “I traveled with Mr. Mao from the Great Wall of Swords all the way here. I was always by Sister Yu’s side before, but she has more and more matters to attend to, busy with receiving guests and handling affairs every day, so I bid her farewell.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, then suddenly asked with a smile, “How is the chess skill of that Grandmaster Jiang from the Shao Yuan Dynasty? Can he win against the City Lord of White Emperor City?”

Chen Ping’an had long heard of Jiang Longxiang’s reputation. Back in the Summer Retreat Palace, he often asked Lin Junbi about this man’s legendary deeds.

Chen Ping’an knew that Jiang Longxiang was recognized as a prodigy in his youth and that his chess fame had spread far and wide. After going to the capital, he defeated one Imperial Chess Player each year. After seven years, he was hailed as the second-best in Shao Yuan, second only to the National Preceptor Chao Pu. Later, a young man named Zhou Dongjiang appeared in a vassal state of the Shao Yuan Dynasty. By age, Zhou Dongjiang was two generations younger than Jiang Longxiang. Arrogant and ambitious, Zhou Dongjiang believed that before reaching the age of twenty, he had already reached the level of “two moves down,” meaning that Jiang Longxiang would only give him a two-move handicap, and then the outcome would be uncertain. However, Jiang Longxiang insisted that this junior’s chess skill was still at the “three moves down” level. Ultimately, the two agreed to a match at Kuai Zai Pavilion, resulting in the “Kuai Zai Pavilion Chess Manual.” Although it was a handicap match, the two sides exerted all their energy and skill, creating a miraculous game that contemporaries called “Jiang Dragon, Zhou Tiger.”

This famed Grandmaster Jiang, who shook half the continent, probably still doesn’t know that the young Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Swords has long admired him.

Li Baoping chuckled, “Anyway, he dragged Lin Junbi along to hold the ring, just refusing to play against Lin Junbi. Later, when Fu Jin really ascended the mountain, he quickly yielded his seat to Yu Qingqing, disappearing without a trace, not even watching from the sidelines. After Fu Jin left, he reappeared, helping Yu Qingqing review the game, pointing out ‘This is wonderful, ah, this is immortal, ah, this is unreasonable, inappropriate, ah!’ Judging by the sound of it, not to mention White Emperor City, even if City Lord Zheng personally ascended the mountain, he could draw.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Otherwise, what do you think? Our Grandmaster Jiang in his hometown of the Shao Yuan capital defeated one Imperial Chess Player each year for seven years straight, without a single defeat. That was all a display of his chess strength. It requires precise assessment of chess skill, careful selection of opponents, and enough audacity. Outside the chessboard, he is even more of a master among masters. Then he quickly finds wine to drink, messes up his hair, and under the public gaze, declines the emperor’s bestowed title of Imperial Chess Player, feigning madness. How heroic, what integrity! If I were the Emperor of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, I would directly send him a golden plaque with the inscription ‘Shoulders Responsibility with Iron.'”

Li Baoping nodded, “Then I’ll add a couplet: ‘On the chessboard, a dragon’s walk and a tiger’s pace; in officialdom, flowing clouds and flowing water.’ And add a horizontal inscription: ‘Invincible Under Heaven.'”

The upper, middle, and lower parts are all complete.

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “If Junior Master Uncle didn’t guess wrong, when Grandmaster Jiang was reviewing the game with Yu Qingqing, there must have been a few people around him, responsible for acting surprised and amazed.”

Li Baoping laughed heartily, “Of course, not surprising at all.”

While chatting leisurely, they fished. Finally, Chen Ping’an successfully reeled in a green carp weighing over twenty pounds to the shore. The fish basket was a bit small. Since today’s catch was sufficient, Chen Ping’an didn’t want to catch more. Besides, green carp meat is ordinary and not particularly delicious, but it’s thick and has few bones, making it more suitable for smoked or pickled fish. Chen Ping’an squatted by the shore, skillfully removed the hook, gently supported the carp’s back, waited a moment, and then released it. The large green carp, startled by the light and choking on water, suddenly flicked its tail, splashing a spray of water, and quickly went to deeper water.

Chen Ping’an looked up and smiled at Li Baoping, as if saying, “See, that’s the big fish Li Huai has been dreaming about.”

Li Baoping raised both hands, giving a thumbs-up with each.

Chen Ping’an sat back in his bamboo chair and said with a smile, “How about we take a trip to Ao Tou Mountain?”

Li Baoping’s eyes lit up. “Slip on masks and strike with a club?”

Chen Ping’an complained, “How could a scholar do such a thing? It’s just that the mountain road is difficult to travel at night. If someone stumbles, we won’t be able to support them, and our good intentions might turn into something bad.”

Li Baoping said seriously, “Yes, yes.”

Then she struck her palm with her fist, saying, “Then I have to change my clothes, to do good deeds anonymously.”

Actually, when she met Elder Brother Li Xisheng back then, he said that she no longer needed to follow the family rule of wearing red clothes.

However, Li Baoping never thought about changing them. Some habits, once changed, will always feel strange.

Children who grew up in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven were originally the least sensitive to the matter of leaving their hometown. Anyway, they would spend their whole lives in that place, not even talking about accepting fate or not. Generations had been like this. Born there, it seemed like their whole life had been completed. They walked, but didn’t walk far. Every Qingming Festival, families would visit the graves, with a piece of fatty meat, a piece of rice cake, and a piece of tofu, all placed on a white porcelain plate. The elderly, the young adults, and the children could complete the mountain path to each tomb in at most an hour or two. If they met on the mountain paths, the elders would exchange a few words with each other, and the children would even joke and play. At each tomb, the elders would tell their children about the ancestor lying in the tomb. Some impatient adults simply wouldn’t say anything, put down the plate, pressed the red paper with a stone, offered incense, and casually mumbled a few words. Many poor young men were too lazy to ask their ancestors to bless them with wealth. Anyway, they asked every year and remained poor every year. Since asking was useless, they would pick up the plate, urge their children to finish kowtowing, and then take them to the next tomb. If it happened to be raining during Qingming, the mountain roads would be muddy and difficult to walk, and they might even have to stop their children from kneeling and kowtowing at the tomb, getting their clothes and pants dirty, which would be a hassle for the women at home to wash.

Once, the furthest separation in the children’s minds was when their grandfathers and fathers went to the dragon kiln outside the small town to burn porcelain, or went to the mountains to chop wood and burn charcoal, and they wouldn’t see them often. Closer than that was when their mothers went to work as cooks or embroiderers in the wealthy families of Fulu Street and Taoye Lane. Closer still was when school ended each day and they went home with their classmates, when the smoke from the cooking fires bid farewell to the day, and when the oil lamp in their homes went out at night, bidding farewell to the day.

Birth, aging, illness, and death all happened in their hometown. After attending one happy event and one funeral after another, crying and laughing, a person’s life was considered settled and rested after attending the last one.

Until the grotto-heaven fell to the ground, took root, and became a blessed land, once the gate opened, separations began to increase.
The old folks in town weren’t doing too badly, merely susceptible to the persuasions of their younger kin. They sold their ancestral homes, received a hefty sum, and moved to the prefecture city to settle down. Young men with newfound capital found themselves in a stroke of luck, either starting businesses and venturing far from home, or spending their days at wine-soaked banquets and gambling tables, never home. They never knew how to earn money anyway, for them, wealth was a windfall. And when it came to spending money, they needed no guidance, everyone had a knack for it.

Around twenty years, a generation later, the money that everyone assumed would last several lifetimes seemed to have vanished overnight. The ancestral craft of firing kilns was long abandoned, as if it had been returned in full to the old master of the dragon kiln. In the past, everyone was poor, accustomed to hardship, never feeling particularly wretched, because there were always those poorer than them. When harvests were poor, or there were mishaps in the dragon kiln, or too many defective products, someone would inevitably be so poor they couldn’t make ends meet, forced to borrow rice from relatives and neighbors. But once they had tasted the good life, truly understood the allure of the world, it made hardship all the more unbearable.

Often, the quality of the porcelain fired in a dragon kiln was up to fate once the saggars were placed in the furnace. No matter how experienced the master, no matter how carefully they watched the flames, they couldn’t guarantee the quality or the quantity of finished products. That’s why there’s the old saying, “Heaven governs, Earth governs, man doesn’t govern.”

It was as if the porcelain mountain of their hometown was the lives of many.

Chen Ping’an subconsciously reached for his wine flask, only to realize that he wasn’t wearing his gourd.

Li Bao Ping asked curiously, “Little Martial Uncle, why aren’t you carrying your sword? I saw you heading towards the Merit Forest earlier, and you seemed to have a sword on your back. Although there was a veil concealing it, I recognized you at a glance. When I was traveling in the Sword Qi Great Wall, Mister Mao secretly told me that the most prized of swords, the Immortal Sword Tai Bai, had been divided into four parts in the Grand Wind Continent, and one piece went to the Sword Qi Great Wall. Mister Mao wasn’t too sure, but Li Huai said he could guess with his butt that it must be looking for Little Martial Uncle.”

Chen Ping’an hummed in acknowledgement, saying, “Little Martial Uncle obtained that tip of the Tai Bai Sword and reforged it into a longsword. That was the one I was carrying earlier. However, Little Martial Uncle’s true body isn’t here at the moment, he’s attending another important meeting, so he’s not carrying his sword. As for what’s going on with Little Martial Uncle right now, it’s a bit of a blur.”

Unless you’re a cultivator in the Ascension Realm, don’t even think about casually probing Chen Ping’an’s thoughts.

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “If I were Senior Brother Mao, I’d test Li Huai with a few difficult questions from books, and when that fellow couldn’t answer, I’d say, ‘Thinking with your head is no match for your butt, huh?'”

Li Bao Ping nodded vigorously, “Mister Mao did exactly that. Li Huai’s got thick skin anyway, he doesn’t care.”

Then Li Bao Ping said, “It’s good that Little Martial Uncle isn’t carrying his sword. Otherwise, it would be awkward sitting down, and he’d have to take it off and place it across his lap. But if he did that, it would be troublesome to fish, he couldn’t hold it all the time. And placing the sword on the ground would be even more inappropriate.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, it was still the familiar little Bao Ping.

She always had many odd ideas and strange questions.

Many things that outsiders cared deeply about, she would just “oh.” But many things that others didn’t care about at all, she would have many “ah?”

Years ago, during their travels, Little Bao Ping once asked him, if there was only one true moon in the sky, how many false moons were there in the world, counting those in rivers, wells, and water vats.

Chen Ping’an could only say that he didn’t know. Little Bao Ping kept asking when Little Martial Uncle would know the answer. The answer, of course, was still unknown.

Once, Chen Ping’an was sitting by a campfire on night watch, and Little Bao Ping pointed to the river not far away and said, if three people were standing along a very long river, upstream, midstream, and downstream respectively, how many moons could they see in the water in total? Surely Little Martial Uncle knew the answer to that.

Chen Ping’an thought about it for a long time but couldn’t give an answer. The little girl in red sat nearby, leaning against a small bamboo box, arms crossed, shaking her head and sighing. Little Martial Uncle was a bit slow, but he was the Little Martial Uncle she had carefully chosen, so what could she do?

Chen Ping’an had been paying attention to the movements on both sides.

Birds of a feather flock together.

One group of anglers were the sons of wealthy families from the foot of the mountain, the other group were Daoist Immortal Masters from the mountain sects.

The two groups chatted and exchanged ideas freely, without much caution. They weren’t discussing secrets, so they didn’t use silent heart-speech like Chen Ping’an and Li Bao Ping.

Being brought here by family elders or sect founders meant that their identities were certainly not simple. They were all outstanding disciples of prestigious clans or direct descendants of major sects.

These days, encountering a cultivator below the fifth realm on the road was much harder than encountering immortals above the fifth realm.

Before Li Bao Ping appeared, both sides clearly had no interest in Chen Ping’an, probably mistaking this angler who wasn’t qualified to attend the discussion for a not-so-outstanding scion of a noble family, or a sect disciple who had left his master’s side.

Through the uninhibited chatter, Chen Ping’an roughly determined their identities.

On the left, were the Xie Clan of Cloudy Continent, the Qiu Clan of Flowing Glow Continent, and the Immortal Haze Zhu Clan of the Shao Yuan Dynasty. They were mainly from these three families, all thousand-year-old aristocratic families with hereditary titles.

For example, the Xie Clan, in addition to being officials for generations, was also very wealthy, but because there was a Liu Clan that was rich beyond compare, they seemed less remarkable.

Old Senior Song Yu Shao had said that one of the regrets of his life was not having visited Yu Prefecture in Flowing Glow Continent, because he heard that the hotpot there was the best in the world.

However, Old Senior Song also said that it was better not to have gone, because if he had gone to Yu Prefecture, anything he ate at home would taste bland in comparison, which would be upsetting. So he simply didn’t go to Yu Prefecture, leaving it as a longing.

Therefore, Chen Ping’an had a particularly deep impression of Yu Prefecture.

These young men and women of noble birth had set out small, low tables, filled with spiritual Immortal fruits. They had laid out cool mats on the ground, with maids helping to set up stoves and brew tea. There were also noble young masters reclining with wine cups, reciting poetry. They did all sorts of things, except for actually trying to fish.

On the right, there was a female sword cultivator from the Eyebrow Mountain Sword Sect. Judging by her looks, she shouldn’t be over a hundred years old, and she was a Golden Core sword cultivator with remarkable bearing.
It was said that the mountain gate possessed the wondrous phenomenon of Dragon Whisker Clouds, hanging down like waterfalls, resembling a dragon’s whiskers. There was also an Upside-down Jade Peak, standing tall beside a lake, its colors reflected in the water, truly a celestial domain where reality resided in the water and illusion on the shore, exceedingly peculiar. Climbing the mountain was akin to entering water, the scenery seen by cultivators was the lake’s reflection.

Chen Ping’an glanced at her a few more times.

Mainly because this female sword cultivator had a delicate and exquisite inkstone hanging from her waist, its inscription in running script, carved with a widely circulated poem praising swords.

Because of the inkstone, Chen Ping’an was reminded of his disciple Guo Zhujiu. Guo Zhujiu seemed to be the only one who could make Pei Qian feel frustrated, a rare feat, just ask Bai Shou of Pianran Peak.

There was also a fairy from Plum Blossom Hermitage, with a treasure-spitting mink perched on her shoulder. This little creature was not only a natural money storage, but also, after eating money, could truly generate wealth, a rare find.

Plum Blossom Hermitage boasted the magnificent scenery of “ten thousand acres of plum blossoms flying like snow.” The rouge and powder of Plum Blossom Hermitage were popular throughout the various continents of Haoran, well-received both on and off the mountain.

A young master from Lotus City, a grand sect in the northern Golden Armor Continent, his sect’s city was built on a huge lotus leaf. The lotus bloomed once every three hundred years, and each bloom lasted a hundred years. Every time the lotus was in full bloom, it formed a natural city-protecting formation that feared not even a sword immortal’s flying sword. Legend had it that this lotus plant was from the Dao Ancestor’s Lotus Small Grotto Heaven. As for how it was passed down to Lotus City, opinions varied. One of the most mysterious stories was that the Dao Ancestor plucked the lotus, and for some unknown reason, threw it into the Haoran World.

Another, relatively more believable, story was that after lending his sword to the most successful person in the world, Old Master Sun of the Great Mysterious Capital Temple drank with him, becoming thoroughly drunk. The old immortal who traveled the Haoran World, with his heaven-reaching Dao techniques, took out a seed of purple-gold lotus. He watered it with the wine in his cup, and in an instant, a lotus emerged from the water, gracefully upright, then suddenly bloomed, as large as a mountain.

There was a flower-wearing young man who liked to look at people sideways, many changes in his thoughts reflected in the curve of his mouth.

It was said that in the dynasty of the Zhuolu Song clan, from emperors and nobles to peddlers and commoners, the court and the public alike were fond of wearing flowers.

Entering the mountain to cultivate, after reaching a high vantage point, as long as one was attentive, one would increasingly discover that the people around them were either people they had met or heard of.

Was it useful? It seemed to lack significant meaning. Because the vast majority of people would pass by each other, perhaps never to meet again, merely passersby on the road of life. Like the martial artist Huang Shi from the Immortal Mansion ruins, the little fox in the mountains outside Jing Prefecture of the Mei You Kingdom, the youth from the dog meat shop in the Shi Hao Kingdom, Sun Dengxian, whom Chen Ping’an sincerely addressed as “Hero.”

Was it useless? Not necessarily. Perhaps among the crowd, there were those similar to Song Lanchiao on Yangguan Road, Liu Zhimao on the narrow mountain path, willing to give way so that both could pass, or Ma Kuxuan on the one-person-only bridge.

Or perhaps, solely because of Chen Ping’an’s appearance, the old scholar Wang Yuanzhang on the night-voyaging boat, and the sword immortal Fu Lingqing, the sect leader of the Tongye Sect, who were once destined to be mortal enemies, could still seemingly meet from afar.

As for the alluring Madame Rouge, who had seen him from afar and turned away without a greeting, Chen Ping’an would simply pretend not to notice.

That was fine, because Madame Rouge seemed to be accompanied by a young flower deity from a Hundred Flowers Blessed Land. Otherwise, what could they say if they met, “The weather is nice today, have you eaten?”

When Li Baoping appeared.

Both sides began to whisper, discussing animatedly.

A guest elder of the Xie clan, sitting cross-legged on a futon, focusing his mind and breathing, was an old jade-pure realm sword immortal. Earlier, when the old man had seen the red-clothed girl, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “What a cultivator’s gem! The sun shining brightly in the sky, surrounded by clouds and mist, jade essence and golden form, mind and spirit in harmony, close to the Dao.”

The old man did not use telepathy for these words.

A talented member of the Qiu clan hesitated, “Seems to be that Li Baoping from the Cliffside Academy.”

Because Li Baoping had had a debate with Yuan Pang, and plus, the scholars from the Cliffside Academy of Baoping Continent were indeed quite conspicuous in the Rites Academy.

A plump young woman glanced casually at the green-robed man who was comically reeling in a fish, and smiled, “Since she calls him Little Martial Uncle and he’s from Baoping Continent, is he a virtuous gentleman from the Cliffside Academy? Otherwise, the Yunlin Jiang clan has no such person.”

Song Changjing of the Great Li Dynasty, the Yunlin Jiang clan, and the Divine Decree Sect.

From the entire Baoping Continent, only these three groups came to the Confucian Temple. Song Changjing of Great Li was alone. This martial artist, rumored to have reached the eleventh realm, was already famous throughout the world.

The Divine Decree Sect was a Daoist sect, everyone wearing Daoist robes and fish-tail crowns.

As for the green-robed man possessing a spatial artifact, there was nothing to be surprised about.

What was strange was that inside the spatial artifact, there were actually two small chairs made of ordinary green bamboo.

In the end, Chen Ping’an paid more attention to the flower-wearing young master.

Not because his own Chief Zhou had an illegitimate son nicknamed “Flower-Wearing Lad” in the Lotus Root Flower Blessed Land.

But because this guy’s gaze towards Li Baoping was improper. For example, those young masters from wealthy families, when they saw Li Baoping earlier, were also amazed, but they would never be as subtle and furtive as this person, as if they had already begun to plot and plan in their hearts, ready to act at any moment.

Chen Ping’an silently kept the account in his heart.

The love of beauty is in everyone’s heart, this is human nature. There’s nothing wrong with taking a few more glances when you see a beautiful woman. In the sword aura Great Wall’s wine shops, the scenes of staring openly at passing women were countless. Not to mention gazes, there were often the whistling sounds of bachelors, one after another. But such gazes weren’t from sword cultivators with truly malicious intentions, but rather like the beer foam floating in the bowl, gone with one gulp. But some gazes, like the slug in the Lion Garden of Green Luan Kingdom, were sticky and greasy. Moreover, people with such gazes often searched for prey in their own territory, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Chen Ping’an continued to quietly sense the aura ripples of the flower-wearing man.

Li Baoping was silent for a long time, and whispered, “Little Martial Uncle, I wasn’t present for the ancestral hall incense offerings at Fallen Mountain twice, I’m sorry.”
Chen Ping’an waved his hand gently, saying, “It’s nothing, what’s there to it? Your Junior Uncle has already reserved reading spots for you at Luopo Mountain and Zhaodu Ridge. Yu Lu and Xie Xie immediately chose Zhaodu Ridge, claiming two residences without any hesitation. But let me tell you a secret, actually, there are two spots on Weixia Peak and Yuanmu Peak that have truly extraordinary scenery and are incredibly secluded. Your Junior Uncle has deliberately kept it a secret and no one is in a hurry to build residences there, because I’ve secretly set them aside for you. Later, I’ll take you to see them, and once you choose one, I’ll have a residence and a study built. Weixia Peak is better for watching the sunrise and sunset, but the sea of clouds at Yuanmu Peak is even slightly better than Luopo Mountain. On clear days, you can even see the lake near Huanghu Mountain, a spectacle of swirling, drifting beauty. So, I suggest you choose Yuanmu Peak. I also plan to pave all the mountain paths of Yuanmu Peak with long strips of bluestone, lined with bamboo fences. Along the way, it will pass a towering cliff, with an ancient pine tree at least a thousand years old, its branches intertwined with vines clinging to the cliff face, winding like a giant salamander. When the time comes, I’ll invite a master to carve inscriptions on the cliff. It would be best if we could get Su Zi and Liu Qi to inscribe their calligraphy, but that will be difficult, as it’s not as simple as asking for a calligraphy scroll. We would need to have those two seniors as guests at Luopo Mountain. If that doesn’t work, your Junior Uncle will have to ask your two senior masters to step in. In short, Yuanmu Peak is a particularly suitable place for scholarly pursuits, with a refreshing, bracing wind that rustles through the study’s wind chimes, which sounds quite nice, don’t you think? When you’re tired of reading, you can step out of your study and gaze at the distant scenery. Over the years, during my travels, I’ve bought many books for you. Just at the Qu Shan Ferry on the southernmost edge of Tongye Continent, I bought quite a few, a large sack full, weighing over a hundred pounds, all valuable books that have been dispersed from the houses of prestigious clans.”

Junior Uncle said so much in one breath, and Li Baoping listened carefully, her beautiful eyes narrowed into crescent moons.

Li Baoping asked, “Did Junior Uncle ever celebrate his birthday during those years at the Sword Qi Great Wall?”

Chen Ping’an was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and smiled, “Not that I forgot, but I just didn’t have time for it. I really didn’t.”

Back in his hometown, Chen Ping’an never had the habit of celebrating birthdays.

Neither did Liu Xianyang, considering it troublesome and affected. Only Little Snotnose could have a meal of fish and meat at home on his birthday. And one or two days before Gu Can’s birthday, Chen Ping’an would drag Liu Xianyang out for a trip into the mountains and streams.

Chen Ping’an changed the subject, “Cui Dongshan mentioned that young Jiang Taigong, Xu Bai, right? Your Junior Uncle met him earlier at a meeting.”

In fact, Chen Ping’an had asked a lot about Li Baoping after returning home twice, so he knew a lot. How she was studying at the academy all these years, how she had visited Fox Country, how she had met Pei Qian at the Yu Clan in Middle Earth Divine Continent, even when he was at the Merit Forest, Chen Ping’an didn’t forget to ask the Master about Little Baoping, such as the details of her debate with Yuan Pang. For this, Chen Ping’an specially looked through a lot of the Confucian Temple’s library during those two days at the Merit Forest, the result being that Chen Ping’an, as Li Baoping’s Junior Uncle, couldn’t help much with their debate.

Li Baoping sighed, “He’s a pest. My brother taught him a lesson once, and he calmed down a bit.”

Chen Ping’an suppressed a smile and nodded, “Only a candidate for the top ten youngsters? He’s really not worthy of our Little Baoping, not even close.”

Li Baoping rolled her eyes, leaned back in her bamboo chair, and refused to mention Xu Bai any further.

She was the only one among the group of children who went on a study tour that year who was practicing Confucianism in a step-by-step manner.

As for asking Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie about immortal techniques, and asking Yu Lu about fist and foot skills, Li Baoping seemed to be only interested.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Have you been bullied on your travels these years?”

Li Baoping shook her head.

“Nope.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Your Junior Uncle’s swordsmanship is still very ordinary, but hiking and wading are all physical work, so my fist and foot skills are still passable. I can’t beat a Flying Ascendant Realm, but I can still take on an Immortal Realm.”

“I remember now, there was one!”

Li Baoping suddenly slapped her chair and turned to smile at her Junior Uncle, “It was near Qingfeng City’s Fox Country, I did encounter one. Gu Can was there too, he was very righteous, it was quite unexpected.”

Chen Ping’an asked in confusion, “How so?”

Li Baoping was about to talk about this topic, blinked her eyes, and said telepathically, “My brother is here.”

Chen Ping’an turned to look, and it turned out that Li Xisheng had arrived.

Moreover, Chen Ping’an did not detect the slightest trace of Li Xisheng’s telepathic communication with Li Baoping.

This was a good thing.

The two of them stood up from their bamboo chairs at the same time, and Li Baoping smiled, “Junior Uncle, there are acquaintances.”

Chen Ping’an smiled without speaking.

The group slowly walked towards them, including Li Baoping’s older brother, Li Xisheng, and Zhou Li, who came to the upper sect of Middle Earth from the Divine Decree Sect.

Madam Gui, followed by an old boatman, said to be old because of his age, but he looked like a wooden-faced middle-aged man.

He Xiaoliang, the Sect Master of Qingliang Sect, and Gao Jianfu, a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Divine Decree Sect. The golden boy and jade girl of the Divine Decree Sect back then, the two of them appeared together at the Li Zhu Cave Heaven.

Apart from Zhou Li, Chen Ping’an knew everyone else, and they were all familiar.

As they approached, Chen Ping’an bowed to Li Xisheng and then smiled and called out, “Auntie Gui.”

Madam Gui nodded with a smile.

Chen Ping’an clasped his fists at Zhou Li, “Greetings, Mr. Zhou.”

It was said that this person would be the next Sect Master of the Azure Profound Sect, and the Azure Profound Sect’s reputation and foundation in Middle Earth Divine Continent were only slightly inferior to the mountain where the Talisman Profound was located and the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master’s Mansion. The main reason was that the current Sect Master of the Azure Profound Sect had been in seclusion for too long, as long as six hundred years. And as the upper sect of the Divine Decree Sect in Middle Earth, its “Orthodox” lineage was the White Jade Capital Great Headmaster lineage, another Taoist mystery that outsiders could not understand.

For some reason, Zhou Li had not participated in the several meetings of the Confucian Temple.

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment, but still addressed him as Mr.

Zhou Li smiled and returned a Taoist salute to Chen Ping’an, saying telepathically, “I have long heard of the name of the Hidden Official, I am fortunate to meet you today.”

He Xiaoliang smiled, “Chen Ping’an.”

When she spoke, she only said his name.

However, while speaking, He Xiaoliang used immortal magic to isolate a small world.

Accidental overkill? Or deliberate?
Chen Ping’an said, “Sect Leader He.”

He simply acknowledged her identity.

The old boatman nodded and muttered to himself, “This little rascal of yours is finally showing some promise. I had a good eye back then, or else I’d have to give you a proper scolding today.”

Madam Gui turned her head.

The old boatman immediately shut his mouth.

This Gu Qingsong, or rather, Immortal Raft, had been absent from the Central Earth Divine Continent for a long time. Unexpectedly, his reappearance in the world didn’t disappoint. In Panxi County, he once again rose to fame in a single battle of words, scolding Zheng Juzhong, Han Qiaose, Liu Chicheng, and Fu Jin thoroughly.

He didn’t engage in any Daoist sparring, but only a war of words, as if he had swept away the entire White Emperor City in one go.

The key was that Gu Qingsong was still able to leave in high spirits. Even with Han Qiaose and Liu Chicheng appearing at the gate, the old boatman remained unscathed and retreated completely.

Chen Ping’an and this old boatman had not only met on Osmanthus Island back then but also had a conversation.

At that time, Chen Ping’an, who was still a young boy, almost imparted some knowledge to the old boatman.

Even after Chen Ping’an understood the old boatman’s identity as the unacknowledged disciple of Lu Chen, Chen Ping’an still didn’t harbor any ill feelings. He distinguished between right and wrong and was clear about his gratitude and grudges.

Li Xisheng smiled and said, “Let’s continue our walk. We won’t disturb your fishing.”

Intentionally or unintentionally, Li Xisheng only spoke to Little Treasure Bottle through their hearts.

The group departed.

Chen Ping’an and Li Baoping continued to sit back in their chairs.

Li Xisheng walked far away, shaking his head. “Well, having a little martial uncle means you’ve forgotten your brother. Little Treasure Bottle didn’t even turn her head once!”

He Xiaoliang turned her head and looked at the blue-robed man sitting on the bamboo chair. There was an indescribable smile in her eyes.

Gao Jianfu, who was beside her, was dejected and wanted to drink, but it seemed like he had already been drinking.

Looking at the blue sky and white clouds, a heartbroken person awakens in a drunken dream.

Gu Qingsong carefully called out an affectionate name, “Gui.”

The ever-dignified Madam Gui replied with a single word, “Scram.”

Finally, they were talking, weren’t they? Gu Qingsong was even a little flattered. He shuffled his feet, rubbed his hands, and replied with a laugh, “Alrighty.”

The reason why Gu Qingsong had said a few kind words earlier, apart from Madam Gui being by his side, was that he indeed regretted it deeply. He shouldn’t have said “Don’t ruin my great Dao” to that young boy back then. Instead, he should have sincerely and humbly sought advice from that young boy on matters of love between men and women. Otherwise, how could a mud-legged brat, who wasn’t even that handsome, have been able to abduct Ning Yao at such a young age? Therefore, Gu Qingsong’s earlier words were intended to lay the groundwork first, so that he could find Chen Ping’an privately later. He would even buy him drinks and call him Brother Chen.

Li Xisheng asked with a mental smile, “How is it?”

Zhou Li replied with a smile, “Few words avoid idle chatter, and quiet cultivation can prolong life. Moreover, the remarkable thing is that in interactions with people, one doesn’t care for fleeting pleasures but avoids prolonged aversion.”

Further away at Mandarin Duck Isle, the girl nicknamed Ruifeng’er couldn’t help but ask again, “Sister Tuoyan, who is that person? Why do you seem so afraid of him? You clearly know him, so why are you avoiding him?”

A little further away from the blue-robed figure, Madam Tuoyan said with a smile, “Afraid of him? What a joke.”

The girl suddenly realized, “Sister Tuoyan, could it be that you like him?!”

Madam Tuoyan was dumbfounded and quickly reached out to cover the silly girl’s mouth, “Don’t talk nonsense!”

If that guy heard it, she would have to compensate him with at least another Plum Blossom Garden.

Like him? Wouldn’t that be equivalent to asking for a fight, both with fists and swords, with that black-hearted, smiling Hidden Official?

A moment of carelessness, and she would truly be beaten to death or scammed to death by him.

By the river, Chen Ping’an caught another golden carp and put it into the fish basket.

Both sides cast glances at him.

Of course, it wasn’t out of greed for the carp.

But both groups were just taking this opportunity to size up the young man in blue robes once more.

He took the initiative to address Madam Gui as “Aunt Gui.”

And he was praised by the famous Gu Qingsong, “Kid, you’re promising. I didn’t misjudge you, so I won’t lecture you.”

Clearly, it was the tone of an elder on the mountain speaking to a younger member of the family.

It seemed that he also knew He Xiaoliang from the Northern Ju Lu Continent, addressing her as Sect Leader He.

If they weren’t mistaken, He Xiaoliang seemed to have a smile?

It was different from the rumors in the early Mountain and Water Gazette.

He Xiaoliang was the direct disciple of the Third Headmaster of Jade Capital City and a celestial being who could establish her own sect in the Northern Ju Lu Continent.

Of course, He Xiaoliang was indeed extremely beautiful.

Moreover, it was said that she was single-minded in her pursuit of the Dao and had no interest in romantic love. Even Xu Xuan, the only disciple of the great Sword Immortal Bai Shang from the Northern Ju Lu Continent, was infatuated with her, but He Xiaoliang, feeling annoyed by his constant pursuit, directly attacked him and seriously injured him. She didn’t give Bai Shang any face at all, which ultimately led to a deadly feud between the two sects. Bai Shang even seemed to have declared that He Xiaoliang would never reach the Ascension Realm in this lifetime?

Whether male or female, everyone would take another look at He Xiaoliang. The men, after taking another look, felt that her temperament was otherworldly, with a sense of being independent from the world. Forming a Daoist partnership on the mountain with such a woman would truly be better than being paired mandarin ducks or immortals. The women, after taking another look, probably wanted to see if He Xiaoliang’s beauty would diminish even slightly?

In any case, both groups couldn’t help but think more highly of the young angler.

After all, he was able to know so many great cultivators.

Li Baoping said, “Little Martial Uncle, Sister He seems to have the same youthful appearance as when we first met. Perhaps… even more beautiful?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “I didn’t notice.”

He just inexplicably thought of the women on his Fallen Mountain, such as Cen Yuanji, who diligently practiced stances, and Yuan Bao, who was sharp and ambitious. In fact, these two female martial artists were not young anymore and still hadn’t married. Women, after all, never have to worry about marriage. Even if they have one or two more crow’s feet, it still wouldn’t prevent them from being liked by men. Moreover, what kind of feng shui did his own mountain have? None of the men or women were ugly or deformed. Zhu Lian, Jiang Shangzhen, Mi Yu, Cui Dongshan, Cao Qinglang, Yuan Lai… and that was without counting Wei Shanjun and those guest ministers. Swordplay, boxing, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, grooming, what couldn’t they talk about, what weren’t they good at? It was just that he, the mountain master, was too concerned with his reputation when it came to making money. Otherwise, once Mirror Flower Water Moon was activated, wouldn’t the Immortal Money of the Treasure Bottle Continent flood into Fallen Mountain like a dam breaking?
Female martial artists, once they reach the Qi Refining realm, can not only temper their physique but also nourish their souls. Although they may not possess the same age-defying abilities as Qi Refiners who have reached the middle five realms, the effects are still significant. When they reach the Golden Body realm, they will receive an additional benefit. That Huang Yi Yun from Pu Shan in Tongye Continent, she must be quite old, right? Yet, doesn’t she appear quite youthful now?

However, on their own mountain, Yuan Lai has long been fond of Cen Yuanji, and Yuanbao secretly admires Cao Qinglang. Chen Ping’an has already heard about it during this homecoming.

In fact, even Xiaomi Li has noticed it. She secretly tattled to the kind-hearted Mountain Master that whenever Cao Qinglang is around, that big Yuanbao speaks particularly fiercely, with a very loud voice, and deliberately avoids looking at Cao Qinglang. Who is she fooling? Her eyes may not look, but her heart is filled with Cao Qinglang.

So now, is Yuanbao the only one who mistakenly believes that her affection is a secret known only to herself?

Li Baoping asked with a smile, “Little Martial Uncle, are you thinking about something happy?”

Chen Ping’an nodded and said, “Thinking about earning money for the mountain.”

Li Baoping recalled something, “I heard that there’s a large ‘Package Zhai’ above Yuanyang Isle, and its business seems to be quite good. Little Martial Uncle, if you have time, you can go take a look.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “If I have time, I will. Hmm, we should bring Li Huai along.”

Chen Ping’an immediately retrieved a yellow paper talisman from his sleeve, wiped the talisman’s core, and a flash of spiritual light appeared. Chen Ping’an silently recited a phrase in his heart, and the talisman transformed into a small yellow paper crane, fluttering away.

It was going to Pan Shui County to find Li Huai, asking him to come to Yuanyang Isle to meet up.

The old man sitting cross-legged on the futon opened his eyes again. Seeing the messenger yellow crane flying away, he let out a surprised “Eh.” He was clearly astonished that it wasn’t a Golden Body realm martial artist, but a talisman cultivator with the aura of an Earth Immortal?

Could it be a disciple of the Ye clan from Pu Shan in Tongye Continent?

The playboy from a wealthy family, lounging and drinking, raised his head and drained a cup of wine. Good heavens, he was struck by poetic inspiration, laughing and reciting a poem loudly.

“A yellow crane’s cry beyond the tower,
Fishing rod and wine dispel the day’s despair.
Immortal brew melts the mountain’s haze,
One feels light as a feather, ascending to the heavens.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly felt that writing doggerel poems should be minimized. Indeed, the speaker is happy, but the listener is distressed.

Li Baoping…

Chen Ping’an spoke to the flower-adorned man with his mind, “Have you looked enough?”

The man was slightly surprised, hesitated for a moment, and said with a smile, “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

Chen Ping’an said, “I advise you to control your eyes and honestly rein in your heart. Walking on the mountain, one is judged by both actions and intentions.”

The man raised a finger and gently plucked the flower pinned in his hair. It was a gift from a Flower Deity of a Hundred Flowers Blessed Land, of course, not because of his own charm, but because of his master’s ancestor.

Chen Ping’an stopped speaking.

The man actually leaned back and stared straight at the red-clothed woman who had captured his heart at first sight. If only she didn’t have the identity of a scholar from the academy…

He maintained that posture and asked the blue-robed guest with a smile, “What? Just a few glances, and you want to fight? Who are you?”

Chen Ping’an turned his head with a smile.

The man raised a hand and gently patted his neck, laughing loudly with his mind, “Come, come, throw a talisman here, I’ll sincerely beg you, how about that?”

An ignorant outsider, merely acquainted with that Madam Gui and Gu Qingsong, and at most, able to exchange a few words with Zhou Li and He Xiaoliang. Does he really think he can walk sideways in the Central Earth Divine Continent?

Li Baoping asked, “Little Martial Uncle, what’s wrong?”

Chen Ping’an put down his fishing rod and said with a smile, “Someone is asking me to hit him, I was almost scared to death.”

He wasn’t calculated to death by Zhou Mi of the Wen Hai, wasn’t slashed to death by the Sword Cultivator Dragon Lord, but he never expected to encounter such a top expert here.

Li Baoping blinked her eyes, “Grew up eating arsenic, huh?”

Chen Ping’an smiled without saying anything.

All his words with Li Baoping were spoken aloud, not with his mind.

So both groups of people heard it.

The flower-adorned man sneered and stretched lazily.

Then, a flying sword meant to save someone was caught by the blue-robed figure with both hands and casually thrown into the water. A blocking technique was grabbed by the blue-robed figure, and the creation of his palm gathered into a ball.

As for the flower-adorned man, he was grabbed by the neck from behind by the blue-robed guest, lifted high, and thrown out with force. The latter’s figure sped like lightning, directly towards the opposite bank of the great river, tumbling and skipping across the water.

The blue-robed figure was even more elusive, shrinking the mountains and rivers without any ripples of Qi, instantly appearing on the opposite bank, stepping on the flower-adorned man’s neck with one foot, and kicking him again. He skipped across the water again, returning to the original position, without the slightest deviation.