The pavilion, adorned with the plaque of “Timeless Autumn” and the simple couplet of “Dream” and “Awakening,” faded behind Lu Chen as he descended the stone steps, casting a final glance over his shoulder.

*When will I grace this place again?* he wondered.

“Tell me,” he said, turning to his companion, “did you know Old Yao, the master craftsman from our kiln, back when you were still reading fortunes?”

“I had my suspicions, Taoist friend,” came the reply. “Divining in the Hidden Pearl Grotto is a treacherous endeavor, fraught with the risk of unintended consequences.”

“And what of Master Qi? Did he know?”

“Qi Jingchun spent sixty years within those walls, bearing the mantle of a sage. I wager he was aware long ago. Reflecting on the matter now, especially after my journey along the River of Time, I find myself surprised.”

The calamitous tribulation, centuries in the making, intertwined with the fate of every soul in the town, was inevitable. It could not be averted. Yet, who would step forward to untangle such a Gordian knot? Aside from the Confucian Qi Jingchun, there was also Old Yao, a figure of hidden origin from the Western Buddhist Kingdoms.

Qi Jingchun’s initial plan to leave the Hidden Pearl Grotto with Zhao Yao suggested one of two possibilities: either he knew of the impending doom and could depart with a clear conscience, or he was resigned to the inevitable, masking his true intentions. Perhaps the answer lay in the four characters adorning the Crab Workshop: “Duty Above All?”

Lu Chen saw it as a masterful play, one in which he, his brother Yu Dou, and all of Jade Capital had been thoroughly outmaneuvered by Old Yao.

He accepted the defeat with grace. He was simply outmatched and would stand tall to accept the result.

As he admitted to himself, he had been too presumptuous. His understanding of dreams and the human heart was insufficient, his initial confidence a mere delusion. He had underestimated the depths of the Hidden Pearl Grotto and the intricate web of fate that bound it.

“Does the Temple regard the old Qi Jingchun as they later regarded Master Bai’s journey to the Swaying Continent?” Lu Chen mused.

“Indeed, a kindred spirit,” replied his companion, “hence the Junior Sage’s sigh of lament.”

“It seems the true danger arose with Master Qi’s second natal word. Is the Great Way of Jade Capital truly so limited?”

“That is a question that would never see a clear answer.”

During his travels, the boy from Mud Bottle Lane had never sought out a Confucian academy, a grand Taoist temple, or a resplendent Buddhist monastery.

His first exception was the Heart Reflection Temple in the Lotus Bloom Paradise, where he would casually chat with the old monk, sharing everyday stories. Later, he attended his first mountain ceremony at the Golden Cassia Pavilion in the Azure Phoenix Kingdom. Outside of the Cliffside Academy founded by Qi Jingchun himself, he would only participate in the central earth Temple’s parliamentary affairs as the Hidden Official.

Before that, the barefoot boy was like a frog at the bottom of a well, seeing only the reflected moon, or the sky the size of the well’s opening.

“Why, then, are you willing to entrust the brilliant moon of the Barren Lands to your brother Yu Dou for a century in the Azure Heavens?”

“They are separate matters. Would not Yu Dou willingly lend his sword to Master Bai across the realms?”

“When someone was visiting Jade Capital, they said a strange, pointless thing to me. They said that while Brother Yu Dou governed Jade Capital, the wheels crushed countless roadside flowers but the driver thought nothing of it. I still don’t understand what he was talking about? Not that I do not understand the words themselves but who was that person talking about?”

“It is a ghost who was scared of ghosts and then not scared anymore, and whether they ended up scared again or not does not matter at all.”

Thus, Chen Ping An and Lu Chen continued their conversation, returning to the courtyard as if nothing had happened, their calm demeanor concealing the truth from the blue-robed child and the tender Taoist.

Before leaving the mountain, Chen Ping An offered a gift to the Ancestral Hall of the Yellow Millet Sect, celebrating the success of the young Golden Core cultivator:

An arrow, etched with cloud runes and bearing the characters “Fleeting Time,” hailing from the Jade Tablet City of the Barren Lands’ Cloud Pattern Dynasty, its karmic ties severed by Chen Ping An’s fourteenth-realm mastery.

A far greater value than two Rain Grain coins.

Earlier, he had presented Emperor Huang Cong with a gift to commemorate the restoration of the Dream Millet Kingdom:

A bar of scarlet ink, inscribed with three golden words: “Cherish Like Gold.”

He also gifted the young emperor a bamboo writing brush, etched with “Eternal Verdancy,” crafted in secret at the North Peak Mountain Lord’s manor on Cloud Cloak Mountain.

Legend held that the bamboo came from the Emerald God Mountain’s green bamboo in the central earth Bamboo Sea Paradise, making it exceedingly rare. Some in the North Peak territory had meticulously recorded every banquet hosted by Mountain Lord Wei Bo, and he never gifted more than ten bamboo brushes.

Ni Yuanzan planned to stay longer in the Dream Millet Kingdom than expected, before returning to the Jiang Clan’s Cloud Burrow Paradise.

Of course, this was to deliver the Golden Core. As for the recipient, Ni Yuanzan had his reasons; the old abbot had left a clue.

This, however, need not be shared with outsiders.

As for Chen Ping An and Lu Chen, if the two could deduce the affair, even with an old abbot helping, and act without fear or concerns of the consequences, it would be outside the concerns of Lu Sheng.

Upon learning of Ni Yuanzan’s extended stay, Chen Ping An seized the opportunity, suggesting that the master serve as an honorary guest elder of the Yellow Millet Sect.

Ni Yuanzan readily agreed, musing, “I trust that Mountain Lord Chen will speak well of me to the Jiang family head and the Cloud Burrow Paradise.”

Chen Ping An nodded. “I believe it will not be a problem. I will personally pen a letter to the Jiang Clan ancestral hall.”

Furthermore, Chen Ping An left a handwritten “Taoist Scripture” for Lou Shan, entrusting Ni Yuanzan to deliver it to Gao Zhen.

“A mountain senior once cultivated here, and has left this book for a destined soul.”

Whether it would come to fruition, Chen Ping An could not say. Fate was fickle.

After chatting with Guo Zhujiu for a time, Chen Ping An prepared to leave Lou Shan and return to the Tung Tree Sect.

Lu Chen squatted beneath the eaves, grinning at the blue-robed child.

Chen Lingjun hid behind his teacher, telling himself to think of nothing.

The young emperor found Gao Zhen, sincerely thanking and apologizing to the sect leader before departing Lou Shan.

The West Peak Mountain Lord of Mount Song, and the Wangyue River Water God, Nalan Yuzhi, were responsible for escorting the emperor back to the capital.

For the young emperor, this journey to the mountain was a stroke of good fortune.

Since Chen Lingjun would serve as a royal guardian of the Dream Millet Kingdom, he would soon need to travel to the capital to take up his post.

Moreover, he would now be registered and recorded at the Great Hidden Academy.

Gao Zhen and the ancestral hall of Lou Shan were overjoyed to hear that a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator was willing to serve as an honorary guest elder.

As for the “Taoist Scripture,” Gao Zhen understood the significance and did not intend to publicize it, but simply placed it in a corner of the library, awaiting a destined soul.

Gao Zhen spoke earnestly with the young Hidden Official, “Master Chen need not go to such lengths. This opportunity was right under our noses, yet we have missed it for years. Regardless of whether Master Chen or Li Huai secretly takes the book, I can say that I, Gao Zhen, would never harbor any resentment.”

Chen Ping An smiled. “It is because Sect Leader Gao can speak such words that I entrusted you with this book, and believe that one day, someone from the Yellow Millet Sect will receive this fortune.”

Gao Zhen did not mince words, but sighed, “If everyone could cultivate in such a way, the mountain would truly be a mountain.”

The young Taoist named Lu Fu nodded vigorously. “That is truly the case.”

At the same time, the young Taoist reached out and pressed down on the head of the blue-robed child beside him, forcing him to nod along.

The blue-robed child grinned, bearing with it.

He would settle scores after Sect Leader Lu had returned to the Azure Heavens.

New Year’s Eve, Fallen Peak.

Before the New Year’s feast, Warm Tree had been busy all day. At the crack of dawn, the pink-skirted girl began cleaning all the houses on Fallen Peak. Afterward, she took a bamboo basket and went down the mountain with Old Mister Zhu. At the gate, Warm Tree first greeted Immortal Wei before attaching the Dragon Spring Sword Sect’s sword talisman to her waist, then rode the wind to town. Besides the old house in Mud Bottle Lane, Warm Tree had to go to the house in the east of town. Since Mister Zheng had gone traveling, the house had been empty for a long time. Moreover, since Liu Xianyang was not at home this year, taking Sister Yu to the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, Liu Xianyang had given the keys to Warm Tree. After doing all that with Old Mister Zhu, it was afternoon, so she helped the Master visit the graves. Inside the bamboo basket, besides incense, there was also a white porcelain plate with tofu, meat, and sticky rice cakes, all prepared by Old Mister Zhu. Although it was the custom for women not to visit graves in the Master’s hometown, Old Mister Zhu said that it was alright. When Pei Qian and Little Rice Grains were on the mountain, they were always inseparable and would busy themselves together. This year, they were at the Immortal Capital Mountain of the Tung Tree Continent.

Then, she went back to Mud Bottle Lane to put up New Year’s couplets and the characters for spring and fortune.

After gaining the Master’s permission, Warm Tree also replaced the old fortune characters and couplets on the house next door with new ones.

Then, she rode the wind with Old Mister Zhu back up the mountain. Old Mister Zhu put on his apron and got busy in the kitchen.

Tomorrow would be the first day of the New Year. According to the custom in the Master’s hometown, every family would stand up a broom and do nothing all day, because they would be busy all year.

The Fox Country Master, Pei Xiang, and the water serpent, Hong Xia, were invited to Fallen Peak by Zhu Lian before dinner.

The new doorkeeper, Immortal Wei, who worked rain or shine, also went up the mountain to freeload.

*No one else can take this post from me, and it does not matter if it is a celestial king. I am here to stay.*

*Have a little conscience. You are all sword immortals, martial arts masters, or even gods. Do you have the gall to take the post of the doorkeeper from me?!*

*Someone, if you have the guts, come and face me. I will… find Mountain Master Chen to resolve this.*

Immortal Wei went up the mountain early. While the Old Cook made the New Year’s Eve dinner, Immortal Wei helped Little Warm Tree hang the New Year’s couplets.

Immortal Wei was happy to help with the simple task.

*I, Immortal Wei, am discerning and can tell how important Little Warm Tree is to Mountain Master Chen.*

*Moreover, Little Warm Tree comes to the gate often, bringing food and snacks. One food box is full, the other is empty.*

*Have some humanity, Daoist Wei.*

*I thought my life would be a constant struggle, being a freeloader with my tail between my legs, but this place is not bad at all. Now, it is my time to shine. Anyone who bullies Warm Tree is my enemy!*

Immortal Wei was about to cry when he heard the pink-skirted girl say.

“This year is a good year. I hope next year will be even better! I know it will!”

Zhu Lian also called Cao’s young pair from the mountain. They had been here long enough, so they were not as reserved as before.

Cen Yuanji went back to her own home in the city. Zhu Lian did not call the people in Riding Dragon Alley.

Shi Rou treated her shop as a home. Pei Qian’s first disciple, the mute, did not like the mountain and would eat New Year’s Eve dinner with the shop next door, Cui Huasheng, and the white-haired child named Konghou.

After New Year’s Eve dinner, Zhu Lian and Warm Tree cleaned up the dishes. Pei Xiang wanted to help, but Zhu Lian stared at her and she stopped.

Then, it was time to stay up all night.

In town, some of the elders had died or moved away, and not many people had the custom of a midnight snack.

Little Warm Tree would be in the bamboo building to stay up. She would not be alone, though. The pink-skirted girl sat by the fire, and the lotus little man sat on her head as they read books together.

Immortal Wei left, staying up as he read his books.

Zheng Dafeng had left behind a mountain of books. Immortal Wei could not help but say that the Great Wind Brother was a role model.

Hong Xia went to Yellow Lake Mountain to stay up with Yun Zi.

In Zhu Lian’s courtyard, there was an old blanket on the reclining chair.

Zhu Lian sat next to it, holding a hand warmer and watching Pei Xiang, who laid comfortably on the chair.

Pei Xiang laid comfortably with her hands stacked together, smiling. “I never thought I would eat New Year’s Eve dinner with someone and stay up all night.”

Zhu Lian said with a smile, “When something new becomes old and continues, it is something unimaginable.”

Pei Xiang turned her head to the side and rested her cheek on her hands. “Since there is no one around, can I see it?”

She was ignored. So she said, “I promise I will not touch it. I just want to see it.”

Zhu Lian said, “Are you whoring me out?”

Pei Xiang glared. “What did you say? You are making me sick. No one is as sick as you.”

Zhu Lian laughed.

Pei Xiang said softly, “Yan Fang, can you tell me a story?”

Zhu Lian said, “Here we go again?”

Pei Xiang complained, “Can you say something serious?”

“Serious? That is the Ancestor’s intention to come West. All the Buddhist masters for ten thousand years only had one scripture.”

Zhu Lian thought about it. “Pei Xiang, you know that the first ancestor of the Chan sect in the Boundless World was the twenty-eighth in the Western Buddhist lands. You look confused, so you do not know. I read a novel once that seemed to admire Buddhism but actually belittled it. It was about a monk who went to the Western Buddhist lands to seek the true scripture. He went through many calamities and was given a scripture with no words by the first and second Chan ancestors. The monk then used his valuables to exchange for the ‘true scripture.’ I was young then and wanted to find the author and beat him. But, later, I found out that there was more to it than that. What if the monk was in the right to think that it was better for everyone to become a Buddha instead of just one? Most people need steps and bridges to walk on, and this led to the battle for the sixth ancestor position, which split into the sudden enlightenment and gradual enlightenment sects. In the Boundless World, there is an old temple called ‘Equal Treatment to All.'”

Pei Xiang was entranced.

Zhu Lian said, “All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, or a shadow. They are like dew or lightning; thus they should be regarded.”

Pei Xiang smiled. “I know that.”

Zhu Lian said, “We have only heard it. We do not know it.”

Pei Xiang said, “You decide.”

Zhu Lian held his hand warmer. “What flower grows underground?”

Pei Xiang thought about it.

Zhu Lian said, “A peanut.”

Pei Xiang did not know what to say.

Zhu Lian said, “Little Rice Grains is awesome.”

“What is a human joy that is not pleasing to the eye?”

Zhu Lian said, “Sleeping in.”

After crossing the continent, Zhou Milu, Chai Wu, Bai Xuan, and Sun Chunwang were friends.

Bai Xuan said that Sun Chunwang would only smile near Pei Qian.

Little Rice Grains patrolled Fallen Peak twice a day.

In Immortal Capital Mountain, Little Rice Grains went to the ferry twice a day, but she went around the ferry instead of patrolling the mountain.

The little girl did not board the ferry but amused herself near it, eating sunflower seeds, building a tower, and playing hopscotch.

Bai Xuan often accompanied Little Rice Grains to the ferry, but complained, “Immortal Mi is on home ground, so what are you worried about? Besides the big white goose and Pei Qian, there are Fruit Ran, Ye Yuyun, and Huang Ting here. Who can fight with them? Who would come to Immortal Capital Mountain and get beat up?”

Little Rice Grains just grinned and did not say anything.

Later, Little Rice Grains said, “It is easy to do good but not receive praise.”

Bai Xuan said, “Since when has the right protector become so worldly?”

Little Rice Grains said that Warm Tree had said that.

Bai Xuan said, “Since you are in a hurry to go to the ferry, why are you not riding the wind?”

Little Rice Grains said, “Riding the wind is for looking at the mountain, not patrolling it.”

Bai Xuan thought for a long time and could not argue.

Today, Bai Xuan rode the wind to the ferry after practicing his swordsmanship and sat on the railing with Little Rice Grains. When the sun had set, Bai Xuan said, “When are you going back to the mountain?”

The big white goose wanted to have New Year’s Eve dinner if the Hidden Official came back, or else they would skip it.

Little Rice Grains scratched her face and said, “I am going back later.”

Bai Xuan said, “I am going back to practice my swordsmanship. Are you not scared to go back alone?”

Little Rice Grains laughed.

Bai Xuan rode his sword back to the mountain.

On the Secret Snow Peak, Immortal Ran and Huang Ting felt a sword intent coming from the ferry.

The two masters were surprised that Mi Yu was at such a high level.

Mi Yu walked out and saw Little Rice Grains.

Mi Yu smiled and went over to her. “Little patrol, why are you still patrolling so late?”

Little Rice Grains went over and said, “I was about to go back to the mountain. If you had come later, you would have only seen me on the mountain.”

Mi Yu said, “I see.”

Seeing the little girl wanting to ask but being afraid, Mi Yu smiled. “I have broken through.”

Little Rice Grains raised her thumbs. “Awesome!”

The two slowly walked towards Immortal Capital Mountain.

Mi Yu said, “Do you know that everyone likes you?”

Little Rice Grains said, “Of course.”

Mi Yu nodded.

Little Rice Grains said, “But it is hard to be liked, so you must cherish it. You cannot brag about it. It should be kept in your heart. When you are sad, it will make you happy.”

Mi Yu said, “The Hidden Official cannot say that.”

Little Rice Grains said, “Pei Qian always says that I am a flatterer.”

Mi Yu knew that Little Rice Grains had been waiting outside.

Mi Yu hoped that she would be there when he got back.

It was rare in the Boundless World.

It was even rarer in his hometown where dead sword cultivators had no graves.

Moreover, Little Rice Grains was waiting for Yu Mi, not the sword cultivator.

Mi Yu squatted and said, “Thank you.”

Little Rice Grains said, “Why are you thanking me? I was about to get angry.”

Little Rice Grains glared. “I am fierce when I am angry! Even the good mountain master is scared!”

Little Rice Grains said, “Yu Mi, I want to thank you too.”

“Why?”

“You have to keep it a secret.”

“I promise I won’t tell the Hidden Official.”

“I used to be Pei Qian’s door god, but she never smiled at me like you did.”

Little Rice Grains said, “I am not saying Pei Qian is bad. She is great in every way. She is not as good as you in this little way. Everyone will call you Great Sword Immortal now.”

Mi Yu was speechless.

He wanted to find a good girl, marry her, and have a Little Rice Grains of his own.

On the Secret Snow Peak, a boy in white robes was sitting on the railing.

There were many wooden tablets hanging from the eaves, filled with names of poems.

A ferry from the Dream Millet Kingdom slowly rose into the air. In the past, the Yellow Millet Sect had a private ferry, but now, it belonged to the Cloud Glow Mountain.

The Emperor was signing documents in a room.

Nalan Yuzhi said, “Sect Leader Gao would be a minister if he was in the government.”

The Song Mountain Lord glared at her for bothering the Emperor.

Huang Cong put down his pen and said, “It is tiring.”

Nalan Yuzhi said, “What do you think of the Hidden Official?”

Huang Cong smiled. “I am conflicted. When he is talking seriously, I feel hot, but when he is chatting casually, I feel warm.”

Nalan Yuzhi said, “He seemed scared of me?”

The Song Mountain Lord said, “You are something else.”

Huang Cong laughed. “Chen is righteous.”

The Song Mountain Lord said, “Should I have the Ministry of Justice investigate Lu Fu? I think he is too absurd. He is not…”

Nalan Yuzhi said, “Like a proper person.”

The Song Mountain Lord nodded. “But he does not seem bad. After all, he was there with the Hidden Official.”

Huang Cong said, “There is no need to make things more complicated. He is just passing by.”

Nalan Yuzhi laughed. “How could Chen have such an unreliable friend?”

“I don’t think they are friends.”

Huang Cong regretted, “I should have had Chen write the phrase for the New Year’s.”

Nalan Yuzhi said, “It is not too late.”

Huang Cong said, “That is not appropriate.”

The Song Mountain Lord said, “Why are you looking at me?”

Huang Cong said, “I think you and Chen get along the best.”

The Song Mountain Lord smiled.

Huang Cong said, “How is my flattery?”

Nalan Yuzhi said, “You are the Emperor. Why are you flattering a mountain lord?”

Huang Cong nodded. “The only people I need to flatter are the people.”

Someone was looking into the room, holding a piece of paper and wearing a lotus cap.

The young Taoist smiled. “I have the phrase for the New Year’s, although it is not in Chen’s handwriting. However, Chen learned his writing from me, so it is the same as if it was written by Chen.”

The Song Mountain Lord wanted to rebuke the Taoist.

Nalan Yuzhi was amused.

Huang Cong stood up and greeted, “Huang Cong of Dream Millet greets Sect Leader Lu!”

Lu Chen said, “You are smart. You can understand.”

The Song Mountain Lord was composed, but Nalan Yuzhi turned pale.

Lu Chen put the paper on the table.

The words were a blessing:

May the weather be kind, the crops be plentiful, the world be peaceful, and the nation be prosperous.

Lu Chen took the young emperor to the bow.

Huang Cong said, “Do you need anything?”

Lu Chen said, “What if I wanted you to deal with Chen Ping An? Whether you succeed or not, I will give you riches.”

Huang Cong shook his head.

Lu Chen said, “What if it allowed the people of Dream Millet to live in peace for hundreds of years?”

Huang Cong still shook his head.

Lu Chen said, “I was just saying.”

Huang Cong was sweating.

Lu Chen said, “Go find Cao Rong. Tell him that Lu Chen ordered him to take care of Dream Millet for three hundred years.”

Huang Cong did not speak.

Lu Chen said, “Just do it.”

Huang Cong said, “Thank you.”

Lu Chen said, “When I was young, I had flowers falling with me. Now, I have mountains and rivers with me. What will happen in the future?”

Surrounding the world, the sparrow cannot escape.

The mountain man is innocent.

A beauty gave me a golden sword.

The sword intent of the Great Wall is near.

I entered the lotus, viewing the Dao.

I am drawing circles for myself.

I see the moon in my heart.

Learning is a night journey.

The sword cultivator patches the sky, and the gods select officials.

Watching others’ lives like reading a book, what will happen next?

Lu Chen took out some wine and looked to the south and then another place, saying, “We were dreaming together. We will both leave now.”

Lu Chen looked at the central region of the Tung Tree Continent and broke the barrier of the Boundless World, going to the White Jade Capital and looking around. He stretched and said, “Renewing and discarding old things.”