Here’s the rewritten content in a fantasy style, aiming for standard English and maintaining the original’s essence:

Lu Chen, his eyes gleaming with inner mirth, gazed upon the mortal before him as he offered his divinations. “Ah, Master Chen, I trust you encountered my errant brother beyond the Azure Vault? The matter of the *Script of Alchemic Truths*, and its transfer, did it find its way into your discourse?” He chuckled softly. “If settled, it spares me the burden of messenger.”

Chen Ping’an, with a flourish, piled a generous serving of pickled pork and bamboo shoots onto his plate. He nodded. “It was discussed. On my next sojourn to the Verdant Leaf Continent, I shall deliver it to Mount Taiping.”

The *Script of Alchemic Truths* was more than a mere collection of potent and orthodox sigils. Cui Dongshan, in a moment of impious revelation, had spoken of the book’s very pages as unparalleled in their ability to hold and channel arcane power.

Furthermore, the hand-written annotations of Li Xisheng, numbering over twelve hundred characters, possessed within them the potential to fuel a “Word-Forging,” capable of sustaining a vast *luotian* ritual – a celestial offering to twelve hundred enshrined deities. Either the nascent Falling Mountain or the Blue Reed Sword Sect could easily weave it into a formidable protective array. To the discerning eyes of ascendant cultivators, it would surely be deemed…remarkable. However, Chen Ping’an had his own designs. He planned to present the enchanted text and the protective formation as a double gift, a congratulatory offering to the Yellow Court at their formal celebration. It would, in part, repay the ancient Sky Lord’s generosity in gifting Mount Taiping the blueprints for a sword-infused array. After all, the faith and lineage of Mount Taiping in Verdant Leaf Continent stemmed directly from the lineage of Kou Mingyi, the Grand Preceptor of Jade Clarity’s White Jade Capital.

Lu Chen shifted his gaze. “Lady Pei, a query. Have those two children formally sworn allegiance and accepted discipleship under my brother?”

Earlier, Pei Qian had only mentioned that Li Xisheng intended to keep them close for cultivation. Whether they would adhere to the old ways or adopt a new master and lineage was a matter of grave importance.

In the southern reaches of Verdant Leaf, the two cultivators of Verdant Radiance Mountain, Miao Jia and He Zhou, were a pair of formidable talents. One had just ascended to the Cave Dwelling realm, now deemed a Brow Painter, while the other, merely a Fourth Realm swordsman, possessed a unique sword art capable of momentarily holding Zhong Kui and his retinue at bay. Such a feat seemed impossible, considering the strength of Zhong Kui, a man of the Unmoving Fist! And of course there was the reduced ghost immortal Yu Jin, once a being of the Soaring Ascent. Lu Chen, however, was certain that while the pair could restrain them, any true intent to kill would be folly. The divine protection granted by Pei Qian’s Unmoving Fist would make approaching her with such malice a fatal endeavor.

In any case, the sister and brother, hailing from a humble sect, had been blessed with immense fortune. It seemed the old adage held true: “A fated art will find its master, and a mortal illness, if it fails to claim you, shall lead to a physician.”

Li Xisheng was also accompanied by a “porcelain” page named Cui Ci, a youth whose understanding of sorrow belied his years.

Pei Qian paused in her meal, shaking her head. “It seems they have not formally taken him as master, at least not yet. Their long-term plans remain unknown to me.”

Lu Chen nodded with a smile. “I thank you, Lady Pei.”

Pei Qian replied, “You are too kind, Leader Lu. You are an old acquaintance of my Master. I shall answer any question you may have with utmost honesty.”

Lu Chen offered a nervous smile. The more polite and respectful Pei Qian was, the more uneasy he felt.

“Old acquaintance,” a term of subtle ambiguity. Liu Xianyang and Dong Shuiying were old friends of her master, as was Ma Kuxuan of Apricot Blossom Lane, but in a different way.

Presently, Lu Chen held a list of names – those mortals most likely to one day visit the White Jade Capital alongside Chen Ping’an.

From Falling Mountain alone came Cui Dongshan; the yōkai Little Mo, whose true name was “Spider”; Bai Jing, with a strong chance of attaining the Fourteenth Realm; the extraplanar demon, once the consort of Wu Shuangjiang; the swordsman Mi Yu, now an immortal… among their friends were Liu Xianyang of Dragon Spring Sword Sect and Qi Jinglong of Grand Crest Sword Sect… and if Pei Qian were added, the section of pure martial artist would expand. Every martial artist worthy enough to seek Dao at White Jade Capital must begin at the tenth realm at minimum.

In Lu Chen’s eyes, regardless of their ultimate martial attainments, Lin Jiangxian from Raven Mountain, Xin Ku from Leap Month Peak, Cao Ci, and Pei Qian were those with a natural gift for martial arts.

Chen Ping’an, the white lotus teacher, were indeed a cut below the martial artists.

Chen Ping’an, feigning ignorance of the subtle exchange between Pei Qian and Lu Chen, inquired, “Are there many sects similar to the Joyous Union Sect in Azure Vault?”

Lu Chen nodded. “Countless. Far more than in Serenity. The path of serpents coiling upon mountains is quite common, while walking the waters is rare.”

As for “Daoist Consort Mountains,” such as Fallen Kite Mountain and Wisteria Mountain, Chen Ping’an had first encountered them during his travels through the Northern Continent. On a ferry, he had passed by Golden Light Peak and Moonlit Mountain, the former home to a flock of elusive Golden-Backed Geese, and the latter, a haven for giant toads. He had heard tales of their “Ancestors” following Li Xisheng in his cultivation.

Chen Ping’an hesitated. “Among the Twelve Earthly Branches of Great Li, a female ghost named Gai Yan manages the Immortal Inn in the capital. As a Brow Painter, she could be considered an elder to Miao Jia.”

Lu Chen understood. “I shall speak of this to my brother. Perhaps Miao Jia, as an informal disciple, may have a chance to visit the Great Li capital.”

The scholar Li Xisheng was not yet the Grand Preceptor of the White Jade Capital. While he could impart his refined alchemic arts, the intricacies of Brow Painting would remain a mystery to him. Gai Yan, though not of high realm, was a painter cultivated by the nation of Striped Tiger, her vision undoubtedly vast. She possessed within her grasp several profound texts.

Lu Chen was curious and hopeful; How many informal disciples would the Grand Preceptor bring with him when returning to White Jade Capital?

At Pink Dust Pavilion, the wine had been subtly altered, but the food was safe. In Pei Qian’s sight, each hall was filled with wisps of pink, and a swarm of insects, tiny as mosquitoes, flew about the hall, dragging trails behind them like threads pulled from fabric. The creature’s speed was almost unperceptible, and her vision marked Bai Mao’s head completely swaddled in pink.

Pei Qian asked her master of the creatures, but not even the spirits nor Bai Mao could perceive the danger.

Lu Chen offered the answer. It was an old form of art, where vinegar was made with enchanted craftsmanship, and inscribed with the kanji “Yew”. The vinegar would spawn vinegar bugs, that would “turn over the vinegar jar” in those who ate it. But that was only the first step, the vinegar bugs would then be dipped in ink, and the dream of a love sick girl would then be used to create the final product.

To break such an enchantment, a simple herb and pine needle would suffice. However, none but the most learned of masters would carry these items.

Chen Ping’an asked of this art, and if she was a corpse of lust, the “Ten Abominations” of the earth.

Lu Chen shook his head, and said the fiends would have taken a different route, and killed more guests.

The event proceeded, and two maids, one of ample figure and the other petite, were seated next to Lu Chen, where he did his usual fortune telling. He touched the former maid, as if to count the moons upon her fingernails, and then looked over her hand, where there was a kanji for earth. He spoke of the days and hours, when the maid could find her true calling in the path of the moon.

Pei Qian glanced at her master, who said all of the words were true. If Jiang Qu were without Chan Ping’an’s knowledge of talismans, he would be no different from the poor performer. There was no doubt that those such as the maids who had a path, could never have the luck to walk it.

Bai Mao offered some dried loquat, as it was written to be nourishing, and named with the eye of the dragon. Lu Chen hastily ingested the berries, and said the maids would have some fortune tonight, where they would find themselves at a crossroads.

One maid grew pale, lamenting her fate. The other laughed, and mocked the fortune teller for not sticking to one method.

Lu Chen, chastised, then began to speak of money, of the ability for it to commune with the gods, and act as a bridge between the spirits. He said that unearned wealth could not placate disaster. To avoid such a fate, there were “yellow notes”.

One girl spoke of those with money, and who would determine the right money from ill-gotten. Lu Chen spoke of the City Gods, and then began to compliment the girls. Bai Mao then inquired about the man’s knowledge of officialdom.

Lu Chen was lost for words, and Bai Mao spoke of him needing to read more books. The hall proceeded with debauchery, as the lords grew too drunk for themselves, and the girls would prod.

Pei Qian asked of when Zhao Fuyang would make his move, and Chen Ping’an spoke of his plan to trap all who were within that hall. Bai Mao’s perception of time would also slow, which would further aid the plan.

Lu Chen then asked of the tree at the foot of the mountain, and the maids said they did not know.

The Daoist then spoke of the tree, and called it an acacia, which brought joy and took away sorrow. The other maid then spoke of the tree’s lack of bloom, to which Lu Chen sadly remarked about wasted effort.

Lu Chen spoke of the diners as food, with some deserving of their fate, and some less so. Chen Ping’an inquired as to the nature of the Acacia, and if it was a manifestation between the mortal and supernatural. Such a manifestation was a blessing. Lu Chen then said that Zhao Fuyang had multiple ways to ascend the mountains, as such was his foundation. Bai Mao asked of sorrow, and Lu Chen said that the word meant “relieve the small”.

At that moment the walls broke, and worms poured forth like ants, where they consumed the hanging cloths. The scholar tried to read his way out, and thought of the words “With me as one, I can defeat seven”.

Lu Chen spoke of the worms, and said they were centipedes, and Zhao Fuyang was infested with them. Bai Mao spoke of the Daoist, and how their understanding of the worms was far greater than his.

The Maid smiled that one knew too little, and one knew too much. Ashamed, the daoist then said he was far lesser than Master Lu Chen.

Pei Qian tugged at the master’s shirt. Chen Ping’an poured a drink for Lu Chen, who tried to refuse. The master persisted, so the fortune teller drank, and said “Though distant, the sun still shines. I will commune with the Dao”. He swirled the drink, as he tried to predict who would wield the most power.

——

The ancestral founder of the Zhang clan of Heavenly Grain Prefecture, old but of burly build, sat in the guise of a commoner upon the crag, where water and man met. He looked upon the landscape, dotted with graves, and thought of the horrors that might occur at the mountain. He was at odds with the elders, who feared the sect, as it may cause the family to collapse. But he was bolstered, as his grand daughter would succeed him.

The man asked if the marriage would commence, and she said it should. The man then pulled out a treat. There were rumors that Zhao Fuyang would change his ways, but he denied them. He hoped that he was not too aggressive, but the sage assured him it would be easy.

The founder grew suspicious of the deal with the other mountain, as so many cases had shown mountain snakes to tear down all the halls, and how the deal was a trap. The sage assured him it would be so. The sage then said that Zhao could not progress, as it was too soon for his inner demon to awaken, and the founder spoke of how those of high talent were scarce.

Zhao Fuyang was in denial, as he saw a path to the golden peak.

The daughter then reiterated that there could be any way that Zhao would achieve Nirvana. She pointed at the tree, which must bloom. But the sage affirmed that the founder would never break his shell and the couple had no way to avoid their fate.

The founder then lamented how no-one knew where the twist may appear, where the sage reassured the family. But it was all a feint to cause suspicion.

The founder praised the sage, who joked about death. The daughter was irked, and said they were quarreling as children. The other lords watched from afar, and looked at those who took advantage of the land.

As it was the sage affirmed that all matters were at hand, and the sage was the first to note that others were coming.

The founder packed away his tools, as he thought of the rules he would have to abide by. Quickly five riders appeared, where they introduced themselves. Ni Qin was presented to the leaders, who asked if the girl had any family she wished to protect, as the mountain was about to be besieged. She spoke of others with her who would fare well, and they respected her. She looked at the group and was reminded that she had finally found salvation, and that they were all made the same.

The founder then asked how the sage detested Zhao. They would not touch the mountain, and there was worry of ascension. The sage said they had hung the images of gods, and he had attempted to place the founder of the white temple. With fury, he condemned those who would wear the uniform but not follow the rules.

—-

In a hall, the masters convened with the lake spirit, and spoke of the tragedy that had befallen them. She said that this was the perfect time to establish an alliance, where they could offer their strength in a time of distress. The master thanked the spirit, and smiled.

She looked down upon her peers, and said that Zhao would need to balance the elements, and the water would be perfect for their craft. They were also expendable, and were nothing but tools for the journey. She praised the master, as it would appear that the match would be fulfilled. The master, however, had a worried look.

Her maid appeared to be drinking, but had purged the alcohol so that she would remain sober. With careful calculation, the army was advancing on the mountain.

Inside a cart, the royal contemplated, and spoke of taking responsibility to his younger brother. As he took note, a master said that a foot becomes a kingdom. He said that they should cherish the natural and the talented.

At the cliff, the others were there. Zhou, and Liu, with the returning Chen at their side. It was as the group had remembered, and Chen asked of how the others saw Zhao. Liu gave a simple answer: “Wicked, and cunning.”

Chen then said they would all soon be slain. Chen then said that it could all be a mistake. The group grew weary, as he posed a question of what it would mean to be a sage.

He then gave a talisman to the ghouls to ensure their safe passage back. The girl insisted that it wasn’t necessary. He dismissed the claim and said he would be happier if the girl just smiled. Finally, the ghouls departed.

The girl thanked Chen and asked if anything would come of their meeting, but Chen said no. Chen was too busy for such matters, but she would make sure to return.

As they left, Liu teased the girl, saying that she would soon fall in love. But the girl said, “There’s still another life to be had.”

In the air, a ship flew by, carrying the goddess from the temple. With her were monks who would act to assist. One monk affirmed that he had wanted to achieve Nirvana, and the goddess said they were fools to think the two were tied. They must be vigilant and take the opportunity to serve the gods. Chen spoke of this.

Then she asked how Chen had seen her actions. He said, “Actions can speak louder than words.”