The night passed uneventfully.

With Xiao Mo standing guard, it was difficult for anything to happen.

It was like when Chen Ping An and Xiao Mo had travelled to Qingyuan County, working as bodyguards for a few days. The martial arts disciples escorting the goods were worried about drinking alcohol and being robbed by bandits. But in reality, there was a flying-realm sword cultivator, a martial artist at the pinnacle of their art, and Yuan Lingdian of Zhi Xuan Peak, whose killing power was recognized as comparable to immortals, all hidden in the shadows. Not to mention Qingyuan County, a small nation, even in any corner of the world, such an escort would be considered… if someone still dared to attack, it wouldn’t be robbery, but as someone from the Summer Abode might say, “a small token of appreciation, a head delivered from a thousand miles away.”

Chen Ping An closed his eyes, concentrating his mind into a tiny mustard seed, tidying up the broken mountains and rivers within his personal microcosm.

Pei Qian stood on the cliff, practicing the Hushan Fist stance, half-asleep, nurturing her fist intent.

As the sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, Chen Ping An suddenly suggested they ascend to the heavens to observe the vast ocean and watch the sunrise. Despite his diminished realm, Chen Ping An was still a true martial artist at the pinnacle.

Only Cao Qinglang, temporarily still a Dragon Gate realm cultivator, couldn’t ascend high enough with his wind manipulation. Xiao Mo grabbed him by the shoulder, bringing him along to the Tongye Continent’s firmament.

The great sun rose from the sea, instantly ascending into the heavens, its light blazing brightly, chasing away the stars and the remnant moon. The continent’s territory, from east to west, as if by decree, saw ten thousand mountains ignite like fire.

After enjoying the scenery, upon returning to the mountain peak, Chen Ping An noticed an anomaly in the distance. A clear aura gave rise to auspicious signs, about two thousand miles away in terms of mountains and rivers. The activity there was considerable. A mountain peak had clouds gathered like a canopy, a sign that the land was nurturing a heavenly treasure. Whether it was a celestial material born in accordance with the seasons, or a spiritual treasure nurtured by the mountains and rivers’ Qi, it was at least of a magic item grade. Otherwise, it couldn’t manifest such a testament to the world’s resonance.

However, such auspicious signs wouldn’t last long. After all, relative to those heaven-sent treasures that had nurtured a glimmer of divine spirit, while it was an opportunity to achieve enlightenment, such a leak of secrets would also be a calamity.

Ultimately, the distance was too great. With Chen Ping An’s current cultivation, he couldn’t use the divine ability of “Palming Mountains and Rivers.” So, he had to ask Xiao Mo to do it for him.

Xiao Mo glanced at the mountain peak a few times and said, “There’s a withered, lightning-struck ancient tree. A Ganoderma mushroom grows askew on it. A foot-long juvenile horned dragon is coiled around the dead tree, helping to gather spiritual energy to prevent its dissipation. But its cultivation is still shallow, and it can’t conceal this heavenly secret. In a few years, it could successfully transform its form. But right now, it seems to be protecting the Ganoderma mushroom, which is about to open its spiritual intelligence. Beside it, there’s a centipede demon that has already transformed into human form, dressed in black, with the face of a young man. It’s probably coveting the spiritual object. It’s leading a group of mountain monsters and ghosts, and is… barely considered to be forming an array, but it doesn’t dare to get close to the little horned dragon, and is waiting for an opportunity.”

“Not far away, about seven or eight hundred miles, there’s also a lewd shrine on the mountain that doesn’t seem to have been officially recognized by the court. The miasma is quite heavy. It should be that the centipede has proclaimed itself mountain god and claimed the mountain as its domain.”

“At the foot of the mountain, there’s also a group of armored soldiers stationed. Inside are three middle fifth realm Qi Refiners.”

“On a mountain road leading to the shrine, there’s a Taoist priest wearing a purple robe. He looks like a Golden Core cultivator.”

“Further away, that carriage we encountered earlier has clearly noticed the anomaly here. The Prefecture Lord’s wife, who lifted the curtain with a book, is heading towards that lewd mountain god shrine.”

Chen Ping An looked around and said, “If it were the Tongye Continent of the past, this commotion would probably have attracted dozens of Earth Immortals.”

Times were different now. Any Golden Core Earth Immortal, who wouldn’t have been worth mentioning in the past, was now considered a local strongman in the Tongye Continent.

The new Mountain Lord of Da Fu Academy, whose true name was Cheng Longzhou, was once the Deputy Head of the Linlu Academy in Dali’s Piyun Mountain. His Daoist roots were an ancient ten-thousand-year-old Jiao dragon within the Huang Ting realm.

After taking office, he did something that required all the mountain spirits and monsters north of Da Fu Academy to actively report to the neighboring court or directly to the academy within ten years, clearly stating their pseudonym, place of cultivation, and the extent of their long-term residence. They were not allowed to travel far without permission. This seemingly inhumane act was actually equivalent to Da Fu Academy issuing them a talisman, valid for ten years.

Because during this period, neither the registered immortals of the mountains nor the Qi Refiners traveling here from other places could casually provoke or arrest these demon cultivators. The local demon cultivators recorded by the various ministries of rites and Da Fu Academy would therefore not become targets for monks who abused or “accidentally killed” them for merit. If there was a dispute, regardless of its size, the gentlemen and virtuous men of the academy would go to the various ministries of justice to jointly hear the case and pursue it to the end.

This was probably an intentional arrangement by the Wenmiao Temple, so that Cheng Longzhou could be qualified to serve as the Mountain Lord of one of the Confucian seventy-two academies, and also to be in charge of Da Fu Academy located in the central Tongye Continent.

Xiao Mo tentatively asked, “Young Master, regarding the treasure in the mountain, not to mention the little horned dragon that’s using the most stupid method to absorb the true meaning of lightning, but considering the Ganoderma mushroom growing on the lightning-struck wood as a place of enlightenment, would it be considered what the Haoran Mountain calls a ‘heaven-given object’?”

Chen Ping An said, “It’s already considered half-owned.”

Then Chen Ping An smiled, “But according to the general rules of the mountains, intervening is possible. Before the treasure leaves its place of birth, outsiders can step in to block it. It doesn’t count as breaking the rules of the mountains. It’s considered ‘finders keepers,’ or rather, ‘the most skilled gets it.’ That’s called ‘contending.’ But if it’s already been taken away by a cultivator, then stepping in is ‘robbing,’ which is taboo.”

Cao Qinglang said, “There are still many registered cultivators who travel outside, obtain similar opportunities, carry valuable treasures, and return to their sect. They are always careful and cautious. Even when they finally get close to their mountain gate, they still die suddenly, losing both their lives and their treasures. Either there are no clues, or those with clues are mostly framed by the mountains intentionally. In the end, the mountain wild cultivators, who are the most suspected, become increasingly unwelcome, looking at each other with animosity. Clearly, both sides are mountain cultivators, but they are at odds with each other. How can they be considered comrades?”

Chen Ping An said, “We can go over there and watch from afar first. A strong dragon can’t suppress a local snake. As for what to do later, we’ll see what happens.”
During their travels in the Far Reaches, Pei Qian explained, “Master, this area borders the Great Liang Kingdom. The old emperor is advanced in years and fell ill while fleeing during the wars. It’s said that he was left with only two or three attendants at the end, which caused him to develop a root illness. After the restoration of the kingdom, he couldn’t be cured for a long time and has been bedridden for years. So he allowed the crown prince to oversee the country. Then, from who knows where, he found a Daoist priest who claimed to be able to ingest celestial elixirs and refine golden pills, maintaining a youthful appearance with white hair and a child’s face. He’s supposedly extremely long-lived, having witnessed several dynasties. He can recall events from five or six hundred years ago with perfect clarity. The Daoist also brought a beautiful female disciple with him, who claimed to have a karmic connection with the current emperor. To repay a past life’s kindness and fulfill a long-cherished wish, she invited her master down the mountain to assist and help the Great Liang Kingdom overcome its difficulties, so she can achieve perfect merit and return to the celestial ranks.”

“This Daoist of unknown origin was quickly revered by the Liang emperor as the Guardian True Man. With a single edict, he ordered the various departments of the court and local officials to collect celestial herbs from the Five Peaks and famous mountains to refine immortality pills and elixirs. Officials could be promoted, and commoners could get rich. Last time I passed through here, the entire country was filled with people searching the mountains. Some local officials, in order to complete their tasks, either purchased them from other countries at a high price or went to a celestial ferry to buy goods. Those who had no connections had to fake thousand-year-old spiritual mushrooms and ten-thousand-year-old ginseng. I heard some rumors that the Liang Kingdom’s crown prince, who is overseeing the country, is at odds with this powerful Guardian True Man.”

“When I passed through this Liang Kingdom, I worried that this pair, who occupied high positions in the imperial court, might be a pair of savage demon race cultivators who hadn’t escaped from Tongye Continent in time. So I went to the capital’s Daoist temple and the imperial palace. I saw that woman. She was beautiful, a veritable femme fatale, but she didn’t seem like an evil person. All she did was mope around all day. As for that suddenly wealthy Guardian True Man, I saw that his realm was not high, roughly a Golden Core cultivator from the mountains. It should be the purple-robed Daoist Master Mo mentioned just now.”

“Although the nationwide search for medicinal herbs was exhausting and wasteful, that Daoist also did some practical things, collecting corpses from all over the country and establishing charitable cemeteries, and then having large and small Daoist temples open their doors to receive spirits, allowing people to help coffins return home. I glanced at the Guardian True Man’s inner nature but couldn’t determine whether he was good or bad, so in the end, I didn’t interfere and continued my southward journey, planning to stop and observe for a few more days on my return north. But later, at the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land, I met Master.”

Chen Ping’an nodded in approval, “Thoughtful and cautious. Very good.”

His senior disciple had the air of an experienced veteran.

Pei Qian grinned.

Cao Qinglang suddenly said, “Master, in fact, Senior Sister also took the time to write a travelogue. She recorded her experiences along the way in Tongye Continent in detail, but for some reason, the experiences in the Great Liang Kingdom were not mentioned at all.”

Pei Qian glared at him.

Wasn’t she worried that she hadn’t handled this matter skillfully enough and that Master would find out and scold her?

Chen Ping’an hit the nail on the head, “Did he pay you?”

Cao Qinglang smiled without saying a word.

Pei Qian was furious, but she didn’t show it on her face. She just glared at him sideways.

Okay, wait until Cao Mutou enters the Golden Core realm. Don’t blame me for being too light during our fellow disciples’ sparring sessions.

Seeing Pei Qian’s long-lost signature glare, Cao Qinglang was indeed a little frightened. But after all, he wasn’t Bai Shou of the Taihui Sword Sect, so Cao Qinglang didn’t sweat on his forehead.

Chen Ping’an patted his proud student on the shoulder and said sternly, “Accusing someone behind their back is not acceptable.”

Cao Qinglang nodded, “I understand.”

Master’s unspoken meaning was not to accuse someone to their face.

Little Mo smiled knowingly.

Pei Qian asked, “Master, should we go and see that purple-robed Daoist?”

The Guardian True Man who occupies the vital position in the Great Liang Kingdom, whether he is pretending to be a god or not, Master will know with one look. At most, with a few words, he will definitely know.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and smiled, “No hurry. Let’s first see how this Guardian True Man interacts with the Prefecture Lord. Don’t worry, Master will definitely protect the cultivation place where Little Qiu and Lingzhi depend on each other, and strive not to let outsiders disturb their subsequent enlightenment and transformation.”

The world is strange. Human race cultivates, but humans are no longer human. Demons and monsters, on the contrary, are closer to humans.

Pei Qian nodded.

Traveling with Master is reassuring.

The mountains and rivers all seem more amiable and lovely.

During the years when Master was not in his home world,

Pei Qian had traveled through Treasure Bottle Continent, Northern Entirely-Lú Continent, Aiai Continent, Central Earth Divine Continent, Golden Armor Continent, Southern Sophora Continent, and Tongye Continent.

Of the nine continents of the Great Universal, only Floating Cloud Continent and Flowing Haze Continent had not been visited.

According to Old Chef, even her junior brother, who had only visited five continents, had not traveled as much as her.

Most of the time, she was alone.

Unknowingly, she had changed from a little darkie into a graceful young girl, and then into the young woman she is today.

The same person through mountains and rivers.

She had seen many mountain and water spirits, monsters, and all kinds of strange things besides the bustling markets.

A beautiful water ghost, half-lying in the water, seemed to be using the water surface as a mirror, dressing up in front of the mirror, with a head of black hair swaying like seaweed.

In the remote mountain forests, there was a mountain spirit proficient in ancient seal characters and diagrams, who had transformed for a thousand years and was skilled in swordsmanship. It swooped down from the mountain peak to its mansion halfway up the mountain, its figure and sword light like a white training, hanging on the green cliffs.

Seeing that the other party’s expression was unkind, probably because it felt that someone had trespassed on its home and was in a bad mood, Pei Qian, who was just passing by, apologized and planned to leave. However, the other party was relentless and blocked the road several times with his sword. Since no one would know about this chance encounter, Pei Qian rewarded him with a set of Mad Demon Swordplay. Unexpectedly, even though she suppressed her cultivation by two realms, she still defeated him.

The two sides could not understand each other’s words, but after the other party was defeated, he was not angry but happy, and his face was full of amazement, looking very sincere. His skin was acceptable.

It scratched its head and gesticulated wildly, but still couldn’t explain clearly. In the end, it offered the ancient sword in its hand with both hands, probably wanting the female sword immortal to teach this superior sword technique. As a reward, it could give her the sword. But Pei Qian ignored it and left on the wind.
That Mad Demon Swordplay was just something she played around with as a kid. He had the audacity to learn it, but Pei Qian couldn’t bring herself to teach it.

In a certain temple, all five hundred Arhats in the Arhat Hall had been destroyed in the fires of war.

The temple was currently raising money to find skilled craftsmen to rebuild the Arhat statues, a process known as “gilding the body,” which actually involved applying gold leaf. Devotees who contributed could have their names recorded in the merit ledger and inscribed on a stele. Pei Qian took out all the gold and silver she had, but used her master’s name.

She also offered a lotus lamp and chose a red paper to place beneath it, on which was written an auspicious phrase that Pei Qian had immediately liked.

And that day happened to be the fifth day of the fifth month of that year.

Later, Pei Qian even forced herself to become sworn sisters with a Mountain God Mother, met a City God whose drinking capacity rivaled that of Old Wei, and one moonlit night, a Land God and a River Hag were caught canoodling, only to find a fisherman sitting by the water, who complained that Pei Qian was an eyesore. There was also a Mountain Lord of a small kingdom, adorned in purple robes and jade belt, inspecting his domain with a magnificent and awe-inspiring entourage.

All in all, the bizarre and wondrous sights kept Pei Qian from feeling bored on her solitary journey across the land, but they didn’t make it particularly interesting either.

After much thought, Pei Qian only had one simple observation.

So-so. Just like that.

Together, they rode the wind to that mountain peak. Then, Chen Ping’an chose a secluded spot neither too close nor too far away, and had Xiao Mo use his Palm-Sized World divine ability, while simultaneously unrolling three landscape paintings.

A purple-robed Daoist with a face like polished jade was walking slowly along the mountain path. He reached the entrance of the dilapidated mountain god shrine, carrying a fist-sized stone he had picked up by the roadside. He walked to the empty shrine, squatted at the doorway, and casually placed the stone on the threshold.

“This poor Daoist’s method of suppression, I must say…”

The purple-robed Daoist looked at the ordinary stone, which resembled a mountain peak towering above a mountain range. After pondering and racking his brains, he finally came up with a relatively satisfactory wording: “It’s truly remarkable.”

Then, this National Guardian Real Person, wearing a golden crown, sat idly on the steps outside the door, as if waiting with the stone for the return of the shrine’s master.

The few neighboring countries around Daliang no longer had any immortal mountain peaks. And that Mountain God Mother who had fortunately survived the chaos, would soon be promoted to a National Mountain Lord, an enviable position with no competition.

“Ancient tales speak of the elixir of immortality, which, when consumed, allows one to ascend to the heavens as an immortal. These words are most alluring. Mountains rise majestic, waters flow endless, winds blow fiercely, clouds drift aimlessly. One may wear out iron shoes searching in vain. Amidst the misty haze, there is nowhere to be found. Robes widen, belts loosen, thousands and thousands of mountains. If a Daoist is obsessed and unenlightened, the thousands and thousands of mountains become even higher and deeper, with demonic obstacles arising everywhere. One only seeks the crowing of a rooster, to awaken the heavenly beings from their slumber… Still lacking a concluding line, how can it be both rhyming and spiritually resonant?”

The purple-robed Daoist slapped his knee. He had it! “The sun sets, clouds obscure the moon, stars are sparse, night deepens. We Golden Core cultivators, with a single Golden Core, have ten thousand truths flocking to us. A single spark of spiritual light illuminates rivers and mountains with ten thousand blossoms. If I am not a Celestial Immortal, who is?!”

The purple-robed Daoist self-satisfiedly nodded, clapped his hands, and laughed. “Wonderful!”

He took out a small wine gourd from his sleeve, extremely small, probably holding at most three or four liang of wine. Taking a sip, the purple-robed Daoist looked up and sighed. “Words speak not of medicine, cultivation seeks not immortality. Three feet above your head, there are gods. This poor Daoist does not believe in ascending to heaven in broad daylight.”

Finally, after a long silence, he raised the small wine gourd high and murmured, “Back then, I dismounted my horse and climbed the mountain to drink your wine. Now, I only see the clear sky, but not you.”

With a smack, the purple-robed Daoist received a slap on the back of his head, his head tilted to the side, and blood immediately flowed from all seven orifices. Then, with a thud, his entire body collapsed to the ground.

Just like that?

On Chen Ping’an’s side, a “carriage” that was as fast as lightning seemed to have received an order from the Mountain Lord Mother, temporarily changing its route and heading straight for Chen Ping’an’s group.

Two maids lifted the curtain, and a woman of extraordinary height slowly stepped out of the four-poster bed. She was one zhang and three chi tall. Although her height was unusually tall, her skin was as white as snow, her figure was well-proportioned, and her beauty was rich, distant, virtuous, and genuine.

This Mountain Lord Mother had willow eyebrows and almond eyes, a cold expression, and a natural air of authority.

Xiao Mo thought of a description of beauty from a book: light makeup and thin clothes, the appearance of a celestial being.

She held the rolled-up seal manual in her hand, and walked gracefully. She wore an ancient crystal disc hanging from her waist, with a red woven knot. Only new things were made to look old, while old things looked new.

She named the four-poster bed, which served as a ferry for her travels, the “Planting Flowers and Reading Books Place.” In addition to many books, there were many decorative wall vases hanging on the inner walls of the carriage, each with a single flower.

She stopped ten zhang away from Chen Ping’an’s group and asked, “Are you Immortal Masters here to seek treasures?”

She did not use the term “snatching treasures.”

Mountain cultivators had always valued Dao and disdained those below the mountain, looking down on kings and nobles.

And as a Mountain Lord, she was considered half a person in officialdom. Moreover, her carriage had left the border of her own country and was now within the territory of Daliang, which meant she had left her own mountains and waters, and her cultivation would be greatly reduced.

Chen Ping’an cupped his fists and said, “Greetings, Mountain Lord Mother. We are just passing by.”

Not every great Mountain God who can build a residence in addition to a shrine is qualified to have such a display when going out.

Currently, the Jinhuang Mountain God Manor in the Daquan Dynasty and the Songzhen Lake Water Lord Mansion were like this, similar to the opening of a Gold Core Earth Immortal’s peak.

As for the Burial River Water Mansion after it was promoted to Biyou Palace, its name on the Golden Jade Register was even higher. As a Water God Mother, she no longer needed to pay attention to the mountain and water taboos of “mountain gods do not go down to the water, water gods do not go up the mountain.” She could even swagger to the mountains of a country to be a guest.

Hearing that they were just passing by, the Mountain God Mother certainly did not believe it. Who wouldn’t be tempted by this once-in-a-century immortal opportunity?

She actually didn’t know how to deal with this group of unfamiliar immortal masters. If she could obtain that “Earth Treasure” from the hands of the cultivators and the National Guardian Real Person of Daliang, take it back to her Mountain God Manor, and then properly cultivate the already-enlightened Ganoderma lucidum, it would be mutually beneficial, both sides would benefit from the Great Dao, and she could even hire the young Qilin who was about to succeed in refining its form as a guest elder. That would, of course, be the best result, but now it seemed unlikely.

Chen Ping’an instantly noticed the unusual aura near the mountain god shrine, and felt a bit curious and puzzled. He looked at Xiao Mo beside him.

Pei Qian did the same, but the first thing she did was turn to look at her master.
She cast a sidelong glance at Cao Qinglang. This blockhead, Cao, what else could he do? Hmph, a Dragon Gate realm cultivator about to form his Golden Core, just standing there like a wooden stake.

“Just now, I wanted to draw my sword to save him, but that Daoist in purple, intentionally or unintentionally, glanced at me before he was ambushed.”

Xiao Mo immediately explained telepathically, “The one who ambushed him was a Jade Pure realm demon cultivator, undoubtedly from the Wild Lands.”

Chen Pingan smiled and nodded, saying, “Borrowing the skin of a ‘Golden Core’ cultivator allows him to better conceal his identity, and he also gets a National Guardian title for free, completely changing his appearance, allowing him to appear in public. It’s a win-win situation.”

Pei Qian was a little confused, and using sound transmission, she asked, “Master, what about that phenomenon? Why didn’t that demon cultivator strike earlier? And that National Guardian, allowing the demon to occupy his nest, what’s his motive?”

Chen Pingan explained, “That demon cultivator created a deliberate smokescreen. If he hadn’t encountered that reclusive expert from the Daoist sect, it wouldn’t have been so superfluous. Currently, all the forces in Tongye Continent, led by the three academies, are carefully ‘searching the mountains’ in the open and in secret, to prevent any demons from slipping through the net, and at least ensure that no Upper Fifth Realm demons are hiding anywhere. To give an example, a mountain-sized sword vessel rains down flying swords upon the earth. If the people on the ground cannot withstand the flying swords, and only try to evade them, it will still be very dangerous. So, the simplest and most effective way to protect oneself is to find a crater where a flying sword landed and hide well. Regardless of what happens to the little dragon and spirit fungus on that mountain, and who ultimately obtains them, once that auspicious phenomenon dissipates and the spiritual energy in the mountain is completely exhausted, turning it into a barren land that even Lower Fifth Realm Qi cultivators would disdain, then no one will ever pay attention to this mountain again. From this, it can be seen that this Jade Pure realm demon did put some thought into it, but unfortunately, he encountered that ‘Golden Core’ realm Daoist, and things backfired. If I’m not mistaken, that National Guardian who’s good at hiding his abilities was after him from the very beginning.”

What Chen Pingan feared now was that the unidentified Daoist in purple had ulterior motives, much like Wu Shuangjiang on the night ship, a diviner who, relying on divination and deduction, had been waiting there, ready to ambush him when he passed by and “meddled” in the mountain.

However, Chen Pingan couldn’t figure out one thing. If he really wanted to scheme against him, why did he have to warn Xiao Mo with a look beforehand? Even if he realized that Xiao Mo was not easy to deal with and changed his mind, intending to leave each other alone, he could have simply retreated down the mountain, or found a way to scare away the Jade Pure realm demon cultivator lurking nearby. Either way would have been safer than pretending to be dead.

The aura ripple in front of the mountain shrine door in the distance was fleeting. Even the Lady of the Prefecture didn’t notice anything.

Xiao Mo felt a little guilty.

It was her mistake that she failed to see through the purple-clothed Daoist’s true level.

Chen Pingan smiled and comforted her, “Don’t blame yourself. There are many strange people and things in the world; this is just one more. If we can’t avoid some accidents, we’ll just have to deal with them as they come.”

Xiao Mo nodded.

Actually, more comforting than words was the instinctive look自家公子 gave her earlier.

When it happened suddenly, it wasn’t shock, blame, or questioning, but curiosity, trust, and reassurance.

Chen Pingan frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and soon smiled, “Since this Great Liang country’s host is opening its doors to welcome guests, it seems we have no reason not to enter. Let’s go and take a look.”

At the entrance of the shrine, a hunched old man narrowed his eyes, examining the corpse on the ground. After confirming that there were no flaws, he spoke in slightly awkward Tongye Continent dialect, “Good fellow, the tone was louder than the heavens just now, almost scaring me to death. Fortunately, I know a little bit of deduction arts and cast a temporary divination.”

Walking around the corpse, the old man nodded frequently, saying, “It’s indeed a good vessel. It wasn’t in vain that I risked everything to do this. In this way, I can finally stop hiding here and go out to the mountains for some carefree fun.”

The old man finally made up his mind, forming a hand seal. His body turned into a wisp of ethereal green smoke, seeping into the purple-clothed Daoist’s seven orifices. Suddenly, the old man’s figure disappeared. The purple-clothed Daoist’s body straightened up, and he stood up abruptly, his movements stiff. He slowly turned his neck, then raised his hands, shaking his Daoist robe sleeves. His eyes turned pitch black, but soon returned to normal. He cleared his throat and mimicked the Daoist gesture, laughing and saying, “Greetings, fellow Daoists, may the blessings of boundless heaven be upon you.”

Then, the “purple-clothed Daoist’s” face contorted as if in great pain, and he muttered to himself, “I am neither a Daoist from the White Jade Capital nor a disciple of the Three Caves. Following the Daoist orthodoxy and the rules of the mountain is not suitable for saying ‘May the blessings of boundless heaven be upon you.’ Of course, I am the guest and you are the host, and the host should follow the guest’s preferences, as long as you are happy.”

A body was like a prison.

The wisps of green smoke transformed from the demon cultivator’s soul at the seven apertures of the face could not “escape the cave” even slightly.

After a moment, the green smoke disappeared. The purple-clothed Daoist clicked his tongue in wonder, “What an unexpected bonus. Relying on a mysterious natal treasure, the Jade Pure realm actually possesses the killing power of an immortal. I am truly… my Daoist arts are not low, quite not low.”

Seeing the group of four arriving, the purple-clothed Daoist looked at Pei Qian and smiled, “My expedient methods, though not ultimate, can still benefit all living beings if used well.”

A Daoist who became a National Guardian spoke in Buddhist terms.

The mysterious Daoist with hidden talents squinted and said, “To be frank, my newly accepted disciple indeed has a past life karma with that Liang Country emperor that needs to be resolved. Of course, Miss Zheng has already met her.”

“Miss Zheng, young as she is, unleashed fierce fists on the Jinjia Continent battlefield. I have long heard of it and admire her greatly. As for exchanging punches with Cao Ci four times in a row, she became famous throughout the world. Even if I covered my ears with both hands, I wouldn’t be able to avoid hearing about it.”

Pei Qian remained silent.

As if finally noticing the man in the blue robe, the purple-clothed Daoist looked him over and over again before realizing, “This Ground Immortal Sword Immortal whose realm fluctuates… could it be the renowned Chen Mountain Lord of Falling Phoenix Mountain, the master of our Miss Zheng?”
Chen Ping’an neither clasped his fist in salute, nor bowed, nor kowtowed. He simply maintained a calm expression and smiled, “Since Senior summoned me, I dared not disobey.”

This must be a reclusive grandmaster.

No matter how Chen Ping’an speculated, even with the wildest of imaginations, he couldn’t guess the person’s identity.

The purple-robed Daoist seemed to see through Chen Ping’an’s thoughts and waved his hand, saying, “A true master hides their abilities, revealing them is not the way of a master. The real reclusive grandmasters are those you wouldn’t recognize even if you met them. It could be the curtain-rolling servant girl beside Lady Fǔjūn, or perhaps some armored soldier at the foot of that distant mountain. In any case, I am definitely not a true grandmaster. Mountain Master Chen is far too kind, I cannot accept such praise.”

Chen Ping’an smiled without a word, as if a junior listening attentively to the teachings of a senior on the mountain peak.

The purple-robed Daoist sighed, “As expected of the master of a sect, such a good temper. As expected of someone who has seen grand occasions in foreign lands, such composure. I’ve always said, good fate is not as reliable as a tough fate. Even the best of fates cannot last forever, but a tough fate allows one to continuously ascend, with only occasional differences in the speed of one’s steps. It is said that people have soaring ambitions and unwavering determination, but without a bit of luck, they still cannot achieve self-realization. So, I wonder, as a closed-door disciple of the lineage of the Sage of Literature, what unique insights does Mountain Master Chen have on this matter of luck?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Blessings from heaven first open one’s wisdom. It is the most inconspicuous, yet the most important.”

The purple-robed Daoist’s eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and laughed, “Some impromptu doggerel, written in one stroke, without regard for meaning or word choice, yet its subtlety is exceptionally good.”

After a few coughs, the purple-robed Daoist pondered for a moment before speaking, “I am a straightforward person, and I never beat around the bush. There are two sentences of nonsense that I hope won’t become prophecies, but I don’t know if I should say them or not.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Whether to say them or not is up to Senior.”

On the way here, Chen Ping’an had taken out a mountain walking staff from his miniature world.

The purple-robed Daoist glanced at the green bamboo staff in Chen Ping’an’s hand, “If you don’t cut when you should, you will suffer from the chaos. If you don’t subdue when you should, you will suffer the consequences. Building a mountain nine fathoms high can collapse with a single basket of earth. One wrong move can lose the entire game.”

Chen Ping’an gripped the mountain walking staff in his hand and nodded, “I am enlightened.”

Xiao Mo had been smiling ever since he appeared.

It wasn’t until he heard these sentences, which he considered to be well-deserved nonsense, that Xiao Mo slowly put away the smile on his face.

Those “chicken rib” flying swords that had already been separated had previously been named “Kindling” by his young master.

Xiao Mo had asked twice more, imploring Chen Ping’an to help name the remaining three natal flying swords as well.

Thus, the one Xiao Mo favored the most, which could pull an ancient star to the ground, was named “Lotus Silk” by the young master, symbolizing unbroken connections.

The flying sword that could imitate the divine abilities of others was named “Authentic Work.”

Finally, the one that could detain the souls of cultivators was named “Drunken Land.”

Very good, perhaps today he could have a joyful and unrestrained battle with a grand cultivator at the very peak of the Vast Sky.

As for the other party’s name, whether they were a Daoist, where they came from, and which sect’s patriarch they were, he would simply fight with all his might later.

One sword inquiry would reveal all.

“Stop!”

The purple-robed Daoist waved his hand vigorously, saying with a serious face, “I am a lazy person who doesn’t seek advancement. It’s not worth it for this senior and Mountain Master Chen to join forces for a sword inquiry. Destroying thousands of mountains and rivers is unnecessary.”

He wasn’t surprised by the high realm and heavy killing intent of that fellow in the yellow hat and blue shirt.

Rather, it was the young sword cultivator’s “holding the staff as if gripping a sword” that surprised him quite a bit.

He almost mistakenly thought that he had seen things, and that the Last Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Swords, had not actually fallen in realm, but had instead broken through?

It seemed not.

Fortunately not.

Otherwise, the Great Wall of Swords’ Hidden Official’s attainments in the way of the sword would inevitably be a bit disappointing.

This purple-robed Daoist began to ramble, as if sensing the unfavorable situation, he switched to chatting about trivial matters to get closer.

“We cultivators, when out and about, want to live long and prosper. Being kind to others is the first priority. Blindly fighting and killing is harmful to the harmony of heaven. Being unforgiving to others is being unforgiving to oneself. Turning a sunny path into a single-plank bridge, why bother?”

“Mountain Master Chen’s choice of location for the lower sect has now been finalized. Does the lower sect have a name? If not, I can help.”

“To be honest, I’m quite knowledgeable when it comes to naming things, much more so than my Daoist techniques.”

Chen Ping’an was extremely patient, listening to this mountain peak senior’s rambling chatter.

He merely pressed his palm against the mountain walking staff and made a fist with his other hand at his abdomen.

The purple-robed Daoist suddenly asked a question that was completely off-topic, “I wonder, Mountain Master Chen, how do you view the actions of that female cultivator from Jade Mushroom Ridge?”

Chen Ping’an said, “The culprit who destroyed her sect committed a great wrong against her own sect, against her hometown of Tongye Continent, and against the Vast Sky.”

“And then? There wouldn’t be no ‘and then’ or ‘but,’ would there?”

The purple-robed Daoist asked with a smile, “The old scholar imparted everything he had, carefully taught his prized disciple, there can’t be no follow-up, can there?”

Chen Ping’an originally wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

The purple-robed Daoist shook his head and waved his hand, “Go down the mountain.”

A double entendre.

What a pity about the previous “fortunately.”

The old scholar only took in such a closed-door disciple?

The Great Wall of Swords’ Old Sword Immortal let such a person be the Hidden Official? He insisted on not using Worry Seed?

What, did Chen Qingdu take a liking to the existence behind this young man?

When did Chen Qingdu and the Great Wall of Swords become so mercenary?

The purple-robed Daoist was worried that if he looked at the young man a few more times, he would not be able to resist initiating a sword inquiry first.

Sitting back on the steps, the purple-robed Daoist took out the small wine gourd again, took a sip, and said, “Chen Ping’an, you don’t need to think too much. The person I’m waiting for here isn’t you, it’s a friend of yours. It’s just that you have good luck in making friends, but the other party’s taste in friends can only be considered average.”

Chen Ping’an turned his head and asked, “Are you waiting for Zhang Shanfeng?”

The purple-robed Daoist chuckled, “Indeed, you are a clever person.”

And then? There was nothing more for him.

Chen Ping’an turned around, put away the mountain walking staff into his miniature world, clasped his hands in salute and bowed, “Junior greets Celestial Master Liang.”

In the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master’s Residence, both the yellow and purple dignitaries are surnamed Zhao.
Since time immemorial, only one exception existed: the outsider Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain. Take the previous one, the Fire Dragon True Man of Crouching Peak, for example.

The purple-robed Daoist remained impassive, as if deaf to the world.

This old True Man, returned to simplicity, adept at preserving his youth, could only sigh. This journey down the mountain was utterly dull from start to finish, today being no exception.

The old True Man shook his head, lamenting the Embroidered Tiger, pitying Qi Jingchun, regretting the decline of the lineage of the Literary Sage.

The purple-robed Daoist glanced at the ground, lightly stamped his foot, and sighed. He had no choice but to suppress his temper and speak another word to that young man, “Manage the sect well. Not for the sake of your Literary Sage lineage, nor for the grand scheme of the Azure Billow World, but for your own sake.”

Chen Ping’an, with his back to the Dragon Tiger Mountain outsider Grand Celestial Master, whose surname he only knew as Liang, nodded and continued down the mountain.

Xiao Mo’s face was grim.

Cao Qinglang gently shook his head at the Candlelight Senior, indicating that everything was alright.

In truth, the old True Man sitting on the steps originally wanted to ask Chen Ping’an, how he viewed this Tongye Continent.

But that was on the condition that the latter answered the first question.

The war, though won, had exacted a heavy price from the Azure Billow World. The devastation was equivalent to half the land of four and a half continents, a wretched and heartbreaking sight.

Yet, Fuyu Continent lost with its spine straight. Even Jinjia Continent, despite the existence of Wan Yan Lao Jing, the Ascendant Realm cultivator who betrayed the Azure Billow World, still maintained a good reputation on the mountain.

Nanposuo Continent also had Chen Chun’an. Moreover, the continent’s mountains and rivers, especially the coastal front, had fought admirably.

Only this Tongye Continent, from the mountain peaks to the valleys below, seemed to have its humanity and hearts utterly corrupted.

This continent, fortunate not to have completely sunk into the sea, was now a desolate land. The mountains and rivers resembled a wild ghost sitting in its old garden, utterly forlorn.

The old True Man rubbed his chin, gazing at the receding figure in azure robes, then looked up at the sky, recalling something. “Why not reclaim the head of the first disciple of Great Ancestor Tuoyue?”

Chen Ping’an replied with a voice in his heart, “He is a sword cultivator.”

The old True Man exclaimed in surprise and chuckled, “A fine pretext, ingenious. Could it be precisely to deal with questions like this? This kind of reputation-seeking method is truly miraculous. The youth of today are truly remarkable. Or is it that Old Master Xiu taught him well?”

Chen Ping’an turned his head and said, “As a junior, I will give the senior one final reminder: Enough is enough.”

The old True Man clicked his tongue. “Oh ho? So you are a young man with a bit of temper after all. What, finally abandoning the pretense of a virtuous gentleman? Does this count as revealing your true colors? Or is it a far-sighted plan, already worried that I might spread word of you, a scholar with a deep and scheming mind, too afraid to retort even half a word to a Dragon Tiger Mountain outsider Grand Celestial Master? So you must temporarily remedy the situation, pretending in front of me?”

Layer upon layer, each sentence struck at the heart.

Chen Ping’an turned around, looked at the old True Man, and said to Pei Qian and Cao Qinglang, “You two leave immediately, as far away as possible, riding the wind.”

Pei Qian hesitated.

Cao Qinglang said, “Pei Qian, let’s go.”

Pei Qian remembered the “questioning of fists” on the second floor of the bamboo building that his master had held earlier and no longer hesitated.

The old True Man smiled and stood up, stretching lazily to loosen his muscles. “Then let me experience the three natal flying swords of a peak Ascendant Realm sword cultivator, as well as the swordplay of a final generation Hidden Official and the lightness or weight of the fists of a Boundary Realm martial artist?

If I can’t beat you, I’ll just run. It’s not like it’s the first time.”

Xiao Mo secretly spoke to the old True Man, “Let’s make it clear beforehand: Are we deciding victory or defeat, or life and death?”

This time, Xiao Mo didn’t even consult his young master; he didn’t intend to discuss this matter.

He just sensed that this old True Man seemed to have suffered serious injuries, his Dao heart incomplete.

If a fight truly broke out, Xiao Mo would never allow his young master to participate.

He had to fulfill the promises he had made to the swordplay transmitter and the Literary Sage.

At that moment, a white-robed youth, covered in dust, arrived, bent over, gasping for breath, standing on the roof of the mountain shrine, and shouted angrily, “Liang, have you gone mad?! You couldn’t beat that somebody-or-other on this trip to Tongye Continent, so you’re taking it out on my teacher?!”

The old True Man turned to look at Cui Dongshan, who had rushed over. “That doesn’t make sense. I had already shielded the heavenly secrets beforehand. This little bastard shouldn’t have been able to block my path.”

Chen Ping’an was taken aback upon hearing this.

Cui Dongshan was furious. “Did that dogshit answer even need to be asked? If you old codger had just spoken properly, would my teacher have remained silent?!”

It turned out that, in his early years, this old True Man, who was of extremely high generation and had a long Daoist age, neither established a sect nor accepted disciples. He lived alone in the mountains for millennia, until he felt a spiritual resonance and began to descend the mountain. Adding to that an old acquaintance from many years ago, he was invited to serve as the outsider Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain. Zhao Tianlai was worried that granting Zhang Shanfeng the title of “hereditary” outsider Celestial Master would force premature growth, which would be detrimental to the young man’s Daoist cultivation, and gently refused the Fire Dragon True Man’s suggestion. Moreover, Dragon Tiger Mountain, in that chaotic world, truly needed a powerful outsider who could be “used immediately.”

In any case, one who eats another’s food speaks softly, and one who receives another’s gifts is obligated to comply. He had to steel himself and travel far, making early plans. The result? Very unsuccessful. He was so ashamed that he hid here, afraid to return to the Central Earth Divine Continent, especially Dragon Tiger Mountain. Of course, he also needed to recuperate, so in recent centuries, he had to resign himself to his fate, preferring stillness to activity.

He was once a close friend of an old Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain. They had once traveled to the outer heavens together with the Sage of Rites.

They had traveled together and fought side by side. Unexpectedly, only one returned.

“That which saddens the soul is only farewell.”

Ironically, this time, his attempt to sneak into Tongye Continent and assassinate someone failed to degrade them even half a realm, and he himself suffered severe injuries, completely giving up the idea of entering the Fourteenth Realm. He had no choice but to stay in Tongye Continent to recuperate for a few years before returning home.

The Dragon Tiger Mountain outsider Grand Celestial Master’s target for assassination was none other than the literary titan of the Savage Desolate World, Zhou Mi!

The old True Man turned his head and asked, “The answer is?”

Chen Ping’an said, “It is humanity.”

“So it is.”

The old True Man sighed, then repeated the two words in a deep voice, “So it is!”
That Jade Peak ancestress, who酿下 (brewed) such a grievous error, her fleeting moment of compassion cannot be entirely ignored. Not that this sliver of humanity can atone for the transgression, far from it. Later generations must constantly use it as a cautionary tale, lest they repeat the mistake in similar circumstances. But the crux of the matter lies in this: if outsiders, mere observers, overlook that momentary glimmer of human kindness, it could very well become a cataclysm for any cultivator aspiring to reach the summit, even to ascend to the heavens.

Otherwise, the Old Real Person truly wouldn’t be so “nitpicking” with a closed-door disciple of an old scholar.

If it were merely a case of personal dislike, he could simply avert his gaze.

At the end of the day, it’s the fear of that one-in-ten-thousand possibility.

For instance, like what Master Zou worried about, a Fifteenth Realm swordsman appearing in the mortal realm?!

And what if this person, in reality, is no longer entirely human?

And a further, even more improbable, possibility: what if this person is completely unaware of it?!

The Old Real Person’s aura underwent a sudden shift, becoming solemn once more. He asked earnestly, “Chen Ping’an, I must once again rely on my age and experience to ask a question, even if it seems obvious. What do you think of this Tongye Continent beneath our feet?”

Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Ping’an replied, “The wutong tree refuses to yield to decay, its remaining leaves rustling in the wind with vitality.”

The Old Real Person was stunned for a long moment, finally managing to stammer, “That’s exactly what I was thinking! The very same words, not a single character off!”

Cui Dongshan plopped down on the rooftop, patting his cheeks and chuckling derisively, “Hey, you surnamed Liang, let me ask you an even simpler question: what’s this thing called?”

Chen Ping’an glared, “How can you speak to a senior like that?”

Cui Dongshan immediately leaped off the roof and tiptoed to massage the Old Real Person’s shoulders. “Venerable Heavenly Master Liang, how about you and I pull off a grand scheme while Zhao Tianlai is away from Dragon Tiger Mountain? Like helping you shed that ‘outsider’ label?”

The Old Real Person jumped back in fright. “You little rascal, don’t spout nonsense!”

The Old Real Person beckoned again, “Mountain Master Chen, come, come, bring along Brother Cui. Let’s have some wine together. This old Daoist needs to apologize to you and calm my nerves.”

Chen Ping’an asked Xiao Mo to call back Pei Qian and Cao Qinglang, then walked toward the doorway, sitting on the steps with the Old Real Person.

Xiao Mo sat beside Cui Dongshan.

The Old Real Person vigorously shook his wine gourd, then tucked it into his sleeve. Unfortunately, it was empty.

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to offer him a flask of wine.

The Old Real Person suppressed his smile and sighed again, for some unknown reason, a touch of melancholy in his eyes. It was likely that he was thinking of those deceased friends of old. He took a swig of wine, wiped his mouth, and gazed into the distance, softly saying, “The more hope one is given on the path of life, and the more unwilling one is to let those people down, the more arduous that person’s journey will be.”

Chen Ping’an turned sideways, raised the wine flask in his hand, and spoke words that surprised the Old Real Person once more, leaving the old man speechless and obediently drinking his wine.

The old man had expected an answer along the lines of “finding joy in hardship,” but the young man beside him instead said, “Real words from a Real Person, perfect for washing down wine.”