The Shanshui Gazette of the Green Pod Sword Sect was placed on Yunzheng Mountain, temporarily managed by Zhong Qiu.

As for the Mirror Flower, Water Moon array, Cui Dongshan placed it on Choumu Mountain, rather than the ancestral mountain with the best scenery, or Yunzheng Mountain, which was closest to the ferry.

Unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable, Immortal Capital Mountain was a place for sword cultivators to practice swordsmanship, and Yunzheng Mountain was where martial artists learned their fist techniques. Both were very pure.

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “Master Zhong, you are an accountant. Why don’t you flip through the ledgers, so that the ancestral masters of the upper sect, including my teacher, can have a good idea of the numbers.”

“Say it out loud, let everyone have some fun.”

A sect celebration was different from the opening ceremony of a common Golden Core cultivator. Those who came to offer congratulations were often wealthy sects of the “Zong” level. They were often generous, and the gifts were of considerable value.

The dynasties and states near the sect, as well as the vassal sects and immortal abodes, along with various mountain and water deities, would grit their teeth and offer a gift that was not embarrassing, just to save face. This was also the dilemma of the Lou Mountain Yellow Millet Sect and Cloud Glow Mountain in the Treasure Bottle Continent, as neighbors. Attending too many ceremonies meant only giving and not receiving, which was equivalent to voluntarily sending money to Cloud Glow Mountain. They became like vassal mountains, feeling aggrieved, losing face, and hurting their treasury.

Some immortal sects, especially the unscrupulous ones, would even arrange for someone to “call out” the names, directly announcing the contents of the gifts. How many immortal coins were given, what natural treasures and rare treasures were offered, were all revealed in broad daylight, openly publicized during the celebration. For example… the prostrate Peak of the White Algae Continent, because Real Man Fire Dragon was extremely skilled at accepting disciples, often held celebrations. It was rumored that after each celebration, the highly respected Real Man Fire Dragon would often personally see off the guests down the mountain, with a kind expression, asking the other party, “Has your family encountered any difficulties recently?”

Zhong Qiu nodded with a smile, and took out a ledger from his sleeve, “Since the Green Pod Sword Sect issued the first invitation to this sect celebration, until today, the recent period, Dense Snow Peak has been filled with distinguished guests like clouds. Excluding the Liu father and son from White Algae Continent, and Mr. Yu from the Profound Secret Dynasty, who are visiting today without prior notice and without accommodation arranged, the expenses of welcoming and sending off the other thirty-two distinguished guests, plus the tea and melon seeds in the Ancestral Hall today, total seven hundred and twenty taels and six qian of silver.”

Huang Ting was alright, she had been an observer at various ceremonies of Peaceful Mountain in the past, just like what Tao Jianxian had said earlier, she only needed to sit and doze off.

However, Huang Ting, blessed with good fortune, no longer needed to worry about immortal coins on her path of cultivation, but she still knew what “seven hundred and twenty taels of silver” meant.

Ye Yunyun, on the other hand, was the head of the Cloud Grass Hall of Pu Mountain. Even though this Yellow Robe Yun liked to leave the administrative affairs to Tan Rong and Xue Huai to manage entirely, without specific handling, she still had to review and approve them. Therefore, Ye Yunyun was extremely clear about the expenses of holding a ceremony for an immortal abode. Arranging accommodation for guests, the immortal wine and tea for daily hospitality, the carefully cultivated melons and fruits of farmer cultivators, were a large sum of money every day. Then there was the holding of Mirror Flower, Water Moon arrays, which consumed the sect’s spiritual energy. It required smashing money to create landscape scenes. In addition, the visiting cultivators couldn’t be thrown into a “barren land” with thin spiritual energy when they arrived at Pu Mountain, as that would delay their cultivation. This required the Cloud Grass Hall to pre-crush a large pile of snowflake money and “irrigate” the spiritual energy in various immortal residences and snail-shell dojos, creating a series of scenic places conducive to cultivation. As they say on the mountain, a breath of an Earth Immortal cultivator is worth immortal coins, which is not a joke, it’s all money. In addition, they had to prepare some gifts for the guests to take down the mountain after the celebration, which required the mountain’s accounting treasury to purchase some unique and elegant gifts from the local dynasty or other immortal abodes in advance… The expenses of a visit, from beginning to end, add up to an astronomical sum of immortal coins. Once you really pay attention to the sect’s face, deducting the gift income, there may even be a deficit.

But the Green Pod Sword Sect was doing well, spending only seven hundred taels of silver, less than one snowflake coin!

Chen Ping’an kept a straight face, and that six qian of silver, how did Master Zhong calculate it? That was a bit too much.

Wei Wenlong was full of emotion. They were both accountants, and he had learned a lot. Master Zhong didn’t act, but when he did, he surprised everyone.

As expected of the former national preceptor of the South Garden Kingdom in the Old Lotus Root Blessed Land, he was meticulous. Wei Wenlong admitted his inferiority, and next time when the Fallen Phoenix Mountain had an opening ceremony, he must improve even further.

Zhong Qiu turned the first page of the ledger. Next was the gift income of this celebration.

On the side of the Great Spring Dynasty, Minister of Rites Li Xiling arrived at Dense Snow Peak later than Old General Yao Zhen and Prefect Yao Xianzhi. In addition to the eighty Grain Rain Coins he carried with him, Emperor Yao Jinzhi of the Great Spring Dynasty also actively promised the Green Pod Sword Sect that in the future, the Great Spring Dynasty would immediately send any sword cultivator seeds discovered within the territory and its vassal states to Immortal Capital Mountain for cultivation. The money needed for sword cultivation would be the responsibility of the Great Spring Ministry of Revenue. If Immortal Capital Mountain was willing to accept the sword cultivators as personal disciples of the various peaks, that would be the best. If they felt it was unsuitable, they would let them return to the Great Spring Dynasty. However, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Spring Dynasty made one, and only one, request: that these sword cultivators from Immortal Capital Mountain must go down the mountain to serve as royal bodyguards of the Great Spring Dynasty, or as military monks of the border army, for a minimum of sixty years after they achieved success in cultivation.

As the younger brother of the Emperor of the Great Spring, Yao Xianzhi, who is now the Prefect of Mirage City, actually learned about this matter for the first time.

He finally understood why he had a chair in the Ancestral Hall of Green Pod Peak. In addition to his personal friendship with Mr. Chen, in the future, as these sword cultivators from the Great Spring Dynasty entered the Green Pod Sword Sect one after another, would he be their patron?
Chen Pingan chuckled inwardly, teasing, “Little one, you still have time to regret it. The Azure Canopy Sword Sect and the Great Spring Dynasty are allies. There will always be a seat reserved for you in the Ancestral Hall. It’s the same whoever sits there. If you find it troublesome, are thin-skinned, and worried about not being able to handle the position, I can help you discuss it with Cui Dongshan. In a few years, let your Emperor recommend someone else. If you don’t mind the trouble, just sit there confidently. Anyway, I’m just the Master of the Fallen Mountain, not the Sect Master of the Azure Canopy Sword Sect. In the future, when disagreements arise, you can argue however you want, without being afraid of Sect Master Cui. I can at least guarantee one thing, you can argue with anyone here, no matter how fiercely, without worrying about falling out. There will definitely be a lot of trivial matters in the future, but there will be no worries.”

Yao Xianzhi transmitted his voice in a line, jesting, “Mr. Chen, if someone else were to sit in my seat, how would they dare to cause a ruckus? Sitting here, they definitely wouldn’t dare to breathe loudly, let alone argue with anyone based on reason. I reckon occasionally representing Great Spring at these meetings, they would be destined to sit here as wooden figures, just doing whatever Sect Master Cui says. That won’t do, absolutely not. Besides, I’m also familiar with Miss Pei. Just like Mr. Chen said, we can argue fiercely behind closed doors, but once the door is open, we’re still family.”

Yao Xianzhi glanced at the only hanging portrait in the Ancestral Hall.

Who would dare make a scene here?

Sect Master Cui Dongshan is an Immortal. One must know that before that great battle, the old Sect Master of the Jade Decree Sect, Xun Yuan, was also in the Immortal Realm.

Moreover, the current Chief Enshrinement, Mi Yu, is an Immortal Realm sword cultivator, and even the Mi Lan-yao from the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Furthermore, Mr. Chen has already made his meaning very clear. He is the Ancestral Founder of the Upper Sect, and also Sect Master Cui’s teacher. Added to that is the karmic bond between Mr. Chen and Great Spring. Many times, even without Mr. Chen speaking, it is a kind of invisible favoritism towards the Great Spring Dynasty.

Zhong Qiu continued, “Tan Rong, the Law Enforcement Master of Pu Mountain, offered two land deeds as congratulatory gifts upon ascending the mountain. They are two enclaves relatively far from Pu Mountain and closest to Immortal Capital Mountain. According to the most conservative estimate, they are worth at least five to six hundred Valley Rain Coins. They can completely serve as the dojos for Golden Core cultivators to establish their peaks. As for whether they can be developed into two smaller Immortal Ferry crossings, further detailed investigation is still needed.”

Ye Yunyun smiled, “Tan Rong consulted me about this matter beforehand. According to my personal opinion, actually taking out one land deed would have been enough, but Tan Rong and Xue Huai both felt it was inappropriate. They used the reason of ‘good things come in pairs’. I was about to say something at the time, but Tan Rong started to put on an act of ‘if Mountain Master you say another half a word of nonsense, I’ll resign as Law Enforcement Master’ to threaten me. Helpless, I let him go. Anyway, Pu Mountain has always relied on them to make money, they don’t feel the pinch, it’s not up to me to interfere.”

Jia Sheng sighed, “This humble Taoist didn’t dare to say anything presumptuous before, worried that I was a frog in a well, with limited knowledge. Hearing Mountain Master Ye’s sincere words, I can finally be completely certain of one thing, Pu Mountain’s atmosphere is naturally close to our Fallen Mountain and Azure Canopy Sword Sect. Therefore, our alliance is truly a natural and divinely ordained match.”

If the “good words” stopped there, he wouldn’t be the Old Immortal Jia who was about to start teaching at a private academy.

“This humble Taoist is not good at speaking, and when I do speak, it is straightforward and without any consideration for appearances. I didn’t know much about Pu Mountain’s Cloud Grass Hall before, and only thought that Mountain Master Ye was the only one, the pillar who single-handedly shouldered all the burdens. Now I know that Pu Mountain has many responsible people, and is not lacking in heroes. I have said a few sincere words that were offensive, and I hope Mountain Master Ye will forgive me.”

The discussion hall was silent.

It seems that every time Old Immortal Jia speaks, he has a unique aura.

Ye Yunyun had no choice but to clasp her fists and smile, “You flatter me.”

Zhong Qiu turned a page and smiled, “The Jade Decree Sect’s congratulatory gift is eight hundred Valley Rain Coins.”

Chen Pingan couldn’t help but ask, “How much?”

“Valley Rain Coins, eight hundred.”

Zhong Qiu said, “In addition, the Young Master Jiang Heng of the Cloud Cave Blessed Land verbally promised something. However, there is no written contract. Their Blessed Land will hand over all the revenue from Yellow Crane Shoal and Inkstone Mountain to our Azure Canopy Sword Sect within five hundred years, as a congratulatory gift from the Jiang clan, and it has nothing to do with the Jade Decree Sect. According to Young Master Jiang, this resolution was passed in the Jiang clan’s ancestral hall before his father went down the mountain to travel, and no one had any objections.”

Xiao Mo felt a bit inferior. This Chief Disciple of the Fallen Mountain, whom he had only heard of but never met, was truly magnanimous.

Old True Man Liang Shuang, Yuan Ling Hall of Pointing Mystery Peak, Liu Jinglong of the Taihui Sword Sect, and Great Sword Immortal Xu Xie of Golden Armor Continent all gave gifts worth a few Valley Rain Coins or less, which is actually the norm for those observing the ceremony on the mountain.

Among them, Iron Tree Mountain, Immortal Guo Ran, was extremely courteous and took out two privately treasured magic treasures as congratulatory gifts, one on behalf of Iron Tree Mountain and one as his personal congratulations.

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “It’s a pity that our Wei Hailiang isn’t on the mountain, otherwise Sect Master Liu wouldn’t be able to claim to have unmatched drinking capacity.”

Pei Qian didn’t speak.

She knew best how Wei Hailiang got that nickname.

Among the four people in the Lotus Root Flower Blessed Land painting, the closest to Pei Qian, besides Zhu Lian, was Wei Xian, who “claimed to have excellent drinking capacity, but then fell over after one cup”.

This was still because Pei Qian spent a long time with the Old Chef after arriving at Fallen Mountain. To tell the truth, the Charcoal Little Girl was closest to Wei Xian back then.

Moreover, when they left the Lotus Root Flower Blessed Land and traveled together to Tongye Continent, Wei Xian took Pei Qian out for strolls the most often. One couldn’t say that they always returned with their arms full, after all, Wei Xian was also poor at that time, with not much money in his pocket, but he made sure that the little girl ate until her belly was round and she kept burping along the way.

Therefore, Pei Qian also has a different attitude towards the direct disciple that Wei Xian accepted, the little girl Chai Wu. In fact, the Immortal wine that Chai Wu drinks now is all paid for by Pei Qian out of her own pocket.

Then there was Qiu Du. Because the old woman was first a guest at the ceremony and then became an Enshrinement of the Ancestral Hall, she secretly went to the Old Dragon Palace ruins, but under the eyes of the new East Sea Water Ruler, Wang Zhu, she trembled with fear and walked on thin ice. She took out a small portion of the Old Dragon Palace’s treasures. Besides the three treasured items at the bottom of the box, which this Old Dragon Palace teaching Granny would use as a dowry for Cu Cu in the future, she took out everything else. Qiu Du didn’t even leave one piece for herself.
After Cui Dongshan’s discerning eye, the estimated value was six hundred Valley Rain Coins.

This also revealed the immense wealth and considerable financial resources of a Grand Canal Dragon Palace in the past.

Qing Tong had previously taken the initiative to find Cui Dongshan, along with a “咫尺物” (a miniature world artifact), mostly rare books and some secret treasures. If one were to disregard a few important treasures from the mountain, it would be roughly equivalent to one-tenth of the old collection of the Demon Suppressing Tower.

Therefore, according to Cui Dongshan, Zhong Qiu directly quoted a figure just now: Qing Tong’s congratulatory gift is one thousand two hundred Valley Rain Coins.

Cui Dongshan suddenly said, “Master, Yu Jin’s side claims to be willing to offer fifty percent of his family fortune as a congratulatory gift.”

This was thanks to Zhong Kui’s previous mediation, which was equivalent to helping Fatty Gu Su come to “collect debts.” Otherwise, Cui Dongshan and Xiao Mo would either resolutely deny that such a thing had ever happened, or simply say that they had never been to sea.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “You are the sect master of the lower sect, why ask me about such lower sect affairs? If you really want me to say something, fifty percent is too much. Thirty or forty percent would be enough.”

Cui Dongshan said, “Understood!”

Finally, there were Liu Jubao and Yu Pan Shui, these two “local tycoons,” who did not disappoint at all. Their generosity could be described as extraordinary. One gift was a large ferry ship named “Tong Yin.” Although it was a joint gift from the Liu Clan of Ai’ai Continent and the Xuanmi Dynasty, and the “Tong Yin” ferry ship was not as expensive and astronomical as a Wind Kite (跨洲渡船, intercontinental ship), its rank was no lower than that of the Ink Dragon Boat of the Fallen Mountain. Therefore, its route could encompass half of the mountains and rivers of Tongye Continent. Moreover, its cargo capacity was even greater than that of the Dragon Boat, which was originally an ornamental building ship. For the Qingping Sword Sect, this was like having someone hand you a pillow when you were falling asleep, because high-grade ferry ships were extremely scarce in the current Great Landscape, and even if you had money, you couldn’t buy them. As long as you had this kind of ferry ship, you possessed a cornucopia of wealth.

Cui Dongshan glanced at Pei Qian and said cautiously, “In addition to this ‘Tong Yin’ ferry ship, both Liu Jubao and Yu Pan Shui hope that Senior Apprentice Sister can serve as a nominal guest elder of the Liu Clan of Ai’ai Continent and the Xuanmi Dynasty. It would be even better if Senior Apprentice Sister is willing to be a venerated guest elder (供奉, gòngfèng). As long as Senior Apprentice Sister nods, both sides are willing to give six hundred and four hundred Valley Rain Coins respectively in one go. If it is that venerated guest elder, the number of Valley Rain Coins will be doubled directly. Moreover, they both promise that it is only a nominal ‘nominal’ guest elder or venerated guest elder, and Senior Apprentice Sister will not have to attend any family ancestral halls or the capital council of the Xuanmi Dynasty in the future. Senior Apprentice Sister only needs to show her face in Ai’ai Continent or the Xuanmi Dynasty at most once every hundred years.”

Chen Ping’an was speechless.

The Liu Clan was truly rich to an outrageous degree.

Without guessing, the Tong Yin ferry ship was the Liu Clan’s property, and had nothing to do with Yu Pan Shui, not even a copper coin’s worth. Perhaps even the “one thousand” Valley Rain Coins used to invite Pei Qian to be a nominal guest elder were paid out of Liu Jubao’s own pocket. That’s what it’s like to have the “richest” wealthy friend in the world.

Chen Ping’an even wanted to privately ask those two, “Are you still accepting Limit martial artists?”

It should be said that Liu Jubao and Yu Pan Shui, as extremely pragmatic businessmen, of course, they were not just throwing money away, but had certain selfish motives. The good relationship between Sword Immortal Xu Xie and Pei Qian was clear evidence of this.

Back in Golden Armor Continent, “Zheng Qian” had saved many mountain cultivators and dynasty generals on the battlefield. This taciturn female martial artist was young and punched fiercely. Although her battle achievements were not as great as Cao Ci’s, for some reason, all the natives of Golden Armor Continent discovered a strange thing: it seemed that Zheng Qian had an irreconcilable hatred with the wild demon race. In the battlefields from south to north, she was more cruel in her punches than Cao Ci and Yu Juanfu, who were also pure martial artists. Many times, Zheng Qian was simply deliberately torturing demon cultivators. She often delivered a punch that shattered half of the opponent’s body on the spot, or deliberately shattered half of the demon cultivator’s head. In particular, several demon Earth Immortal Sword Cultivators were “specially set aside” by Zheng Qian for torture. Once, a young sword cultivator who was rumored to have gone to half of the Sword Qi Great Wall to refine his sword was unfortunately found by Zheng Qian, and Pei Qian “uprooted” his head with one hand. At that time, a nascent soul demon cultivator who was a guardian was split in half on the spot by Pei Qian, who used her palm to clear the way, enduring a magic spell without retreating but advancing. The female grandmaster, already covered in blood, simply passed through.

On the battlefield of Golden Armor Continent, everyone from registered cultivators to soldiers at the foot of the mountain had grudges and were burdened with deep-seated blood feuds. There was no retreat, so everyone was seeking revenge.

However, in the eyes of the natives of Golden Armor Continent on the battlefield, the revenge that Zheng Qian helped to avenge was undoubtedly the most satisfying, without exception.

But in fact, Pei Qian, a martial artist from another village, punched so fiercely in Golden Armor Continent, almost to the point of being perverted, purely as a kind of silent venting of anger.

It’s all because of you wild beasts that my master can’t return home.

According to Cui Dongshan’s humorous saying, nowadays in Golden Armor Continent, whenever they mention the Master, they will say, “Oh, so he is the master of that Grandmaster Zheng.”

Therefore, it is hard to say if the Master and Senior Apprentice Sister go to other places together, but in Golden Armor Continent, Senior Apprentice Sister is definitely more popular.

In short, if the Liu Clan of Ai’ai Continent does business in Golden Armor Continent in the future, having Pei Qian as a nominal venerated guest elder and guest elder of a certain mountain for the first time is an extremely valuable golden signboard.

Pei Qian said, “Okay, it’s no problem to be a venerated guest elder. But the Valley Rain Coins, the Qingping Sword Sect and the Fallen Mountain will split them in half.”

In fact, Sword Immortal Xu Xie had already mentioned this matter to her before, but she did not directly agree or refuse, only saying that she had to ask the Master.

Cui Dongshan was about to nod frantically, but Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “Keep this divine immortal money for yourself.”

Pei Qian smiled shyly and said, “Master, what would I, who practices martial arts and learns boxing, do with so much divine immortal money?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Master has the final say.”

Pei Qian said “oh.”

Listen to Master.

Earlier, when building the ferry crossing, while the Master was not around, Cui Dongshan had asked Pei Qian a question.

Back then in Golden Armor Continent, did Senior Apprentice Sister have no intention of returning to Fallen Mountain?

Pei Qian was silent for a long time, only drinking wine. Cui Dongshan insisted that Senior Apprentice Sister give an answer, and Pei Qian gave the true thought in her heart.

As long as the Master does not return to Fallen Mountain, Fallen Mountain will not be her home.
Her unspoken meaning was that with Master gone, her home was gone.

However, Cui Dongshan had never dared to say these words to Mister.

He feared being resented by Senior Sister, and even more so, feared Mister’s heartache.

Cui Dongshan clapped his hands. “Next is the second ceremony. Let’s rest for half an hour.”

Because there was also the Qingping Sword Sect’s Golden Jade Register writing ceremony.

Chen Ping’an and Li Bao Ping walked out of the main hall, not heading directly to the plaza outside the Ancestral Hall gate. They sat on the steps outside the door.

Cui Dongshan took Pei Qian to find those two nouveau riche.

Cao Qinglang and Xiao Mi Li, and of course, Old Immortal Jia, were busy inside the Ancestral Hall, rearranging the chairs.

There would be a table, with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone placed on it. The first person to hold the brush would write the name, origin, and lineage of Cui Dongshan, the first Sect Master of the Qingping Sword Sect, on the first page of the Qingping Peak Ancestral Hall register.

This person was naturally Chen Ping’an.

Then, Changming, as the Upper Sect’s Law Enforcement Ancestor, would inscribe the name of Cui Wei, the Lower Sect’s Law Enforcer, on the register.

After that, Cui Wei would sit down and be responsible for writing the names of all the cultivators included in the Qingping Sword Sect’s register: Mi Yu, Zhong Qiu, Cao Qinglang…

Afterward, there would be the apprenticeship ceremony. Cui Dongshan would accept Hu Chuling and Jiang Qu as disciples.

Cui Wei would accept Yu Xiehui as a disciple. Mi Yu would accept He Gu as a direct disciple, and Sui Youbian would accept Cheng Chaolu as a disciple, and so on.

Once they had drunk the apprenticeship tea and the disciples had kowtowed, they would be formally recognized as master and disciples of the mountain.

Among the second-generation disciples of the Upper and Lower Sects, as direct disciples of Chen Ping’an, the Mountain Lord, there were Cui Dongshan, Pei Qian, Cao Qinglang, Zhao Shuxia, and Guo Zhujiu.

Zhu Lian brought Cen Yuanji up the mountain, Lu Baixiang’s two disciples, Yuanbao and Yuanlai, Wei Xian’s disciple, Chai Wu, and Jia Sheng’s two disciples, Zhao Denggao and Tian Jiuer.

Then, besides Sun Chunwang, Ning Yao’s unofficial disciple, there were the remaining six sword immortal seedlings, including Bai Xuan.

And among the third-generation disciples, there was Pei Qian’s eldest disciple, the little mute from the Lucky Money Shop in Riding Dragon Lane, whose real name was Zhou Junchen.

And Jiang Qu and Hu Chuling, Xie Xie who were about to become Cui Dongshan’s direct disciples, and the others.

According to the mountain’s seniority, these few would have to respectfully address Chen Ping’an as Grandmaster in the future.

Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “How did you manage to arrive here just today?”

Li Bao Ping said, “I was traveling earlier, and I made it to the entrance of Sui Mountain in the Central Earth. I had already prepared my speech. After going up the mountain, I planned to discuss the possibility of me making a rubbing of the inscription with the etiquette department of the Mountain Lord’s Palace. As it turns out, it was just so coincidental. I was wondering why I heard a series of drum sounds in the middle of the night near the border of Sui Mountain. By the time I traveled at night and arrived at the foot of the mountain, dawn had just broken. As a result, Mountain Lord Zhou personally showed up. Besides saying that the rubbing matter was no problem, he also told me the reason for the drum sounds, saying that Little Master Uncle had left the Seasonal Courtyard on Sui Mountain last night. If I had entered the Central Sacred Land earlier last night, he could have helped me send a greeting to Little Master Uncle. I estimated the time, and it seemed I was off by less than one joss stick’s time. Anxious, I called my brother. Dragged into it, my brother was bowing and apologizing to Mountain Lord Zhou. After that, my brother didn’t immediately let me go, but helped me calculate the exact time of the celebration here with Little Master Uncle. I had no choice but to be patient and accompany my brother in making the rubbing.”

Chen Ping’an laughed, “You must have gotten it mixed up. Who was accompanying whom in making the rubbing?”

Li Bao Ping laughed heartily.

Chen Ping’an said, “I blame myself for leaving too hastily.”

Li Bao Ping said, “My brother said that it’s not advisable for him to show his face here for the time being. He plans to first take a trip to the Western Buddha Country. After returning, he might first visit White Emperor City as a guest before coming to reminisce and drink with Little Master Uncle.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

He only hoped that in that White Emperor City, the two sides would only be playing chess and wouldn’t start fighting.

After all, if things were to be investigated, he would not be able to escape responsibility.

Seeing the slightly furrowed brows of Little Master Uncle, Li Bao Ping suddenly smiled and said, “My brother said that his trip to White Emperor City has nothing to do with Little Master Uncle. He told you not to overthink it.”

Chen Ping’an was silent for a moment, then folded his hands in his sleeves and said softly, “There will always be some people who make us want to become like them.”

Li Bao Ping said, “Little Master Uncle has always been that kind of person.”

Chen Ping’an took out the Sword Nourishing Gourd and shook it. “Don’t drink too much.”

Only then did Li Bao Ping take off her own Sword Nourishing Gourd and gently clink it against Little Master Uncle’s wine gourd, each taking a sip.

Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “Do you want to travel around Tongye Continent? Little Master Uncle can accompany you.”

Li Bao Ping blinked her eyes. “My brother said that I can’t disturb Little Master Uncle’s cultivation before he returns. When he said that, my brother looked very serious and fierce.”

Chen Ping’an held back a laugh. “How fierce could he be?”

Li Bao Ping put on a stern face and began to imitate her elder brother Li Xisheng’s expression and tone. “Bao Ping, you really have to listen to your brother this time. Don’t look around. You’re not talking, right? Then you have to nod. Alright, alright, I’ll take that as your agreement.”

Pei Qian and Cui Dongshan quickly entered the gate and sat together on the steps. Cui Dongshan sat next to Mister, and Pei Qian sat next to Sister Bao Ping. Li Bao Ping touched Pei Qian’s head and said, “You’ve grown up. A girl who is too good is also worried about getting married.” Pei Qian smiled and squinted, “Then I won’t get married.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “After the second ceremony, can we use a compromise to bring Jade Tablet Sect into the Great Canal excavation?”

“Just treat it as a joint test to decide whether or not the two sides will form an alliance. But if we really do this, won’t the Jade Tablet Sect feel like we’re taking an inch after being given a foot?”

“I’m really not good at dealing with this kind of interest exchanges between major sects. Dongshan, do you think it’s appropriate?”

Cui Dongshan smiled. “Mister, there’s something you might have misjudged.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “What do you mean?”

Cui Dongshan said, “In this Tongye Continent, we don’t have to belittle ourselves. Now, the only mountain forces that truly have a say are actually just two. The one that needs to read other people’s faces is not our Qingping Sword Sect, but their Jade Tablet Sect. If the other party feels that we are just being arrogant and putting on airs because we haven’t immediately agreed to the alliance, then, ha, that’s really their Jade Tablet Sect overestimating themselves and underestimating our Qingping Sword Sect.”
“I believe Sir’s suggestion is perfectly measured. Zhang Fenggu and the others should be content to participate in deliberations within our Qingping Peak Ancestral Hall as outsiders. How can it be considered a hardship? It’s clearly a reciprocation, giving them a significant stepping stone.”

“Therefore, I say Sir is still too lenient.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “That statement is very sword cultivator-esque.”

If put another way, it’s very much in the style of strategists like Cui Chan.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

Having already reminded the visiting guests beforehand, everyone quickly regrouped at the Qingping Peak plaza.

Tao Ran approached Mi Yu and the nominal offering from the superior sect, whose Daoist title was Xizhu (Happy Candle), named Mosheng (Unfamiliar). He wore a yellow hat and green shoes, carrying a green bamboo staff. Accompanying Chief Mi, they leaned against the cliffside railing, chatting idly.

Mi Yu straightened up, smiling amiably, “Sword Immortal Tao, do you seek me? What instructions do you have?”

Earlier, the Hidden Official had walked with Tao Ran to attend the celebration. The conversation they shared on the mountain path had almost caused Mi Yu to kneel before the upright and dignified Sword Immortal Tao.