From the swirling embrace of the cloud sea, two figures descended with an ethereal grace upon a mountain ridge overlooking the slender Eyebrow River. One was a boy clad in verdant robes, hands clasped behind his back, the other adorned with a yellow cap, green shoes, and bearing a bamboo staff of the same vibrant hue.

Chen Lingjun, his brow furrowed with worry, urgently inquired, “Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, what news do you bring?”

It transpired that moments earlier, all had been well in Fallen Peak. The inhabitants were gathered merrily around Old Cook Zhu’s courtyard, listening to the tales spun by the jovial Da Feng.

Suddenly, Xiao Mo announced that a disturbance had arisen at the village schoolhouse. The young master’s aura, it seemed, had abruptly vanished.

Such an event was deemed nigh impossible. Though Chen Pingan intentionally concealed his inner strength and martial intent within the schoolhouse, appearing as an ordinary man, he was still a warrior of the highest caliber. Even in slumber, he existed in a state of mystical protection, akin to divine guardianship. How could he simply vanish? Furthermore, everyone in Fallen Peak was well aware that their lord was teaching at the schoolhouse, and under ordinary circumstances, he would not reveal his true identity.

Thus, Xiao Mo had sought to investigate, with Chen Lingjun accompanying him to ascertain the truth.

Xiao Mo chuckled, “All is well. Master Lu accompanied the young master on a sojourn to the Dragon Palace ruins.”

Upon hearing that it was Lu Chen, the venerable Sect Leader of Jade White Capital, Chen Lingjun breathed a sigh of relief, though a new anxiety dawned.

If he had his way, Chen Lingjun would never again cross paths with that “needs to find a healer to examine his head” Lu the Third.

When it came to unwavering loyalty to their lord, Chen Lingjun believed that only Xiao Mo could truly rival him within the entirety of Fallen Peak.

Therefore, hearing Xiao Mo’s assurance that all was well, Chen Lingjun felt his worries dissipate. It was a simple truth: what Xiao Mo deemed trivial might not be so for Chen Lingjun, who had yet to ascend to the Upper Five Realms, but if Xiao Mo declared that there was no cause for alarm, then there was assuredly none.

Of course, Xiao Mo’s seniority was less profound than his own. After all, he had arrived at the mountain later, by more than a year or two.

Seeing their lord and Master Lu returning along the rural path in the distance, Xiao Mo prepared to discreetly return to Fallen Peak. Having ventured out for once, Chen Lingjun had no intention of returning so soon. He bid Xiao Mo farewell, leaving him to watch over the area, confident that even if Lu Chen possessed the gall of a dog, he would not dare to cause any mischief with Chen Lingjun present.

After a moment of consideration, Xiao Mo departed alone for Fallen Peak, urging Chen Lingjun to exercise caution and to call upon him should anything arise.

Had anyone else uttered such presumptuous words, Chen Lingjun would have been incensed, ready to argue and retort. Caution? What caution was needed? In the realm of North Peak, who would dare provoke Chen, who was only relatively unknown because he decided to cultivate inner peace? Did they think he was not a Nascent Soul cultivator to be reckoned with? But because it was Xiao Mo who said it, Chen Lingjun chose to endure.

On the mountain, Chen Lingjun always seemed busy, though none truly knew the nature of his tasks. Perhaps even the boy in green himself did not know.

With Xiao Mo gone, Chen Lingjun hitched up his sleeves and ambled down the mountain.

As per his prior agreement with his lord, Chen Lingjun did not seek to approach the schoolhouse or the Dragon Palace ruins. After descending the mountain, he simply wandered aimlessly. After the passing of roughly half an hour, he arrived at a stone bridge. By the river stood an ancient plum tree, a relic of centuries past. Chen Lingjun noticed a stranger nearby, accompanied by a servant boy, a zither in tow and a donkey trailing behind.

Visiting plum blossoms by moonlight near a stream – how refined. Yet Chen Lingjun, observing the man’s breathing, realized he was a Qi cultivator, not merely a man of letters. As for the level of his cultivation, Chen Lingjun could not discern it. He thus decided to take another path.

Unexpectedly, the scholarly man turned and smiled. “A most pleasant surprise! Never did I imagine encountering a fellow cultivator in such a remote countryside. May I inquire as to your Daoist name?”

Chen Lingjun, hearing this, did not turn around. Instead, he raised his hand, waving it dismissively behind him towards the approaching man, “Unfamiliar. Do not attempt to feign camaraderie. Let us go our separate ways.”

The boy, serving as a book carrier and zither-bearer, transmitted a message through the mind, “Master, he is…”

Before the boy could finish, he saw his master cast a sharp, commanding look at him, so frightening that the boy dared not to continue, even in his thoughts.

*Who he is, do I need you to tell me?*

The scholar was filled with a stifled rage, for what could mental whispers possibly achieve against a mountain cultivator?!

*Has the millennia spent cultivating at Green Palace Mountain taught you nothing, you worthless waste?*

The “scholar” immediately regretted bringing his prized disciple to greet that mountain elder.

He was none other than Jing Hao, the foremost cultivator of Flowing Radiance Continent, known by the Daoist title “Green Palace Guardian.”

Earlier, when he was congratulating Yu Xuan on successfully merging with the Dao, he met the Literary Sage. Jing Hao decided to come here to see Chen Ping An. It was better to resolve the feud sooner rather than later.

As a transcendent cultivator, Jing Hao did not dare to go straight to the county of Pagoda Tree nor to intrude upon Fallen Peak after returning to the Vast from beyond the heavens and arriving in Treasure Bottle Continent.

As for his disciple, Jing Hao still managed to hide his age. The disciple, at the Jade Purity Realm, was one of the candidates to succeed him. Recently, he was tasked to secretly gather information about “Little Dragon King of Fallen Peak” within the Great Li Dynasty. Now it seemed that he had not only accomplished nothing, but also that his cultivation was as bad as his character. He was completely hopeless.

Jing Hao thought for a moment, then decided to take a risk. He decided to leave his disciple behind and catch up to the boy in green.

For some reason, Chen Lingjun, who was on such good terms with Immortal Chen, seemed to be only a Nascent Soul water dragon.

Chen Lingjun stopped and turned around, outwardly calm but inwardly anxious.

*Surely, I won’t get beaten to death on my way to somewhere new.*

*It’s alright, as long as I can withstand a few blows, Xiao Mo will surely arrive. Besides, my lord is nearby, and this is Wei Shanjun’s territory. I have no reason to be afraid.* Suddenly, he became calm and self-assured, dusted his sleeves, and clasped his hands behind his back, curious about the man’s intent.

Jing Hao cupped his hands in greeting and smiled. “Fellow Daoist, I am a traveler from a place called Divergent Mountains, a small and insignificant sect of which you may not have heard. This is my first time traveling the lands of Great Li. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Chen Lingjun cupped his hands loosely and shook them a few times, responding politely, “A pleasure.”

Jing Hao inquired with a smile, “Are you also enjoying the scenery of Eyebrow River, or are you perhaps a…free immortal, unbound by worldly affairs and sects?”

*Free immortal sounds much better than wild mountain cultivator.*

Divergent Mountains was a vassal territory of Green Palace Mountain. In Flowing Radiance Continent, it was a well-established second-rate sect. But outside Flowing Radiance Continent, it was unremarkable.

Chen Lingjun, upon hearing “Divergent Mountains,” looked blank, with no discernible fluctuation in his aura.

Chen Lingjun chuckled. “Divergent Mountains, the mountain in the south. I’ve heard of it. A land of talented individuals.”

Chen Lingjun knew about all the mountains and sects in his North Peak. But he had no idea about the sects south of the Treasure Bottle Continent. And he wasn’t particularly interested either.

Regardless of Jing Hao’s experience, he was unsure of how to respond.

The boy, listening from under the plum tree near the bridge, was speechless. *Are you sure you’re not lying?*

Jing Hao had to consider every word before speaking.

But as they talked, he realized that the boy in green, who had only ever been seen at Imperial River and Fallen Peak, was nothing more than a charlatan.

Jing Hao had no choice but to follow the conversation, going wherever it led. He said that he was once a scholar, but it did not work out for him. It was by chance that he managed to cultivate the Dao. Now, he and Chen Lingjun were in a similar state of mind. Cultivators are meant to be detached from the world, untroubled by fame and glory. Emperors cannot entice them. If a cultivator entered the world, he could shock nations. But if the Dao was not for him, he would simply drift across the world, abandoned like a worn-out shoe. What did material possessions matter? The rich of the mortal world cannot relinquish their riches. Surely the poor are not afraid of losing their poverty?

Chen Lingjun couldn’t find a way to interject, so he simply nodded.

*Fancy words and sour nonsense. Did he eat too much pickled cabbage today?*

Not willing to be outdone, Chen Lingjun spoke after the man paused to breathe, “You have some knowledge and insight. But it is too vague and detached from reality.”

Jing Hao was certain that this person was only a Nascent Soul cultivator. And… he definitely had not read many books.

As they walked and talked for roughly two miles, Jing Hao glanced to the side. *Oh, here comes someone with slightly higher cultivation… a dragon? And a swordsman?*

Moonlight peeked through the trees, illuminating the figures clearly.

A young cultivator in white robes stood in the forest, watching Jing Hao and Chen Lingjun from afar.

Chen Lingjun finally noticed and looked at the cold-looking young man in the forest.

*Why do I keep seeing people in white? First White Goose, now Nephew Zheng. I hate white robes.*

Fortunately, Xiao Mo’s warm voice echoed in Chen Lingjun’s mind, “I came as soon as he started speaking. I can tell that he’s strong, probably a Transcendent from another continent.”

“But it’s alright. If he has bad intentions, I’ll bring him to Fallen Peak for a few days.”

“As for the sword cultivator in the mountain, he came from the Dragon Palace ruins. I don’t think we need to worry about his strength or his swordsmanship.”

*Xiao Mo, thank you.*

Chen Lingjun stood up straight, filled with courage!

Aside from the boy in green, Jing Hao did not care about Fallen Peak. In fact, he did not think that there was anything in the Treasure Bottle Continent that could make him wary, not even Wei Bo from Cloak Cloud Mountain.

So Jing Hao looked sideways and smiled, “Regardless of why you are taking a detour and why you have chosen to reveal yourself here, I don’t care what you want. Just don’t try to get close to me and my friend. We are not the same kind.”

The old dragon son who was trapped in the Dragon Palace discovered that the formation disappeared out of thin air. After hesitating for a long time, he slowly left the deep pool. He did not suffer from any backlash. After seeing the light of day, he burst into tears. Then he realized that some insignificant cultivators had invaded his Dragon Palace. Remembering the two unfathomable Qi cultivators, he suppressed the urge to act. The Dragon Palace was small compared to his pursuit of the Dao. He secretly left the ruins and used Dual Observation of Mountains and Rivers with his natal water magic to see Cloak Cloud Mountain. He had not remembered the mountain being there. He originally wanted to go to Fallen Peak, but he decided to play it safe. Then he saw three Qi cultivators under his nose, especially the scholar, whose power was unfathomable.

The boy in green and the “boy” carrying the zither were not to be underestimated. One was at the Nascent Soul Realm, and the other was at the Jade Purity Realm.

*Were those two speaking the truth? Is it true that anyone you meet on the road nowadays is at least an Earth Immortal?*

He had just managed to regain a bit of confidence from those insignificant cultivators. But that confidence disappeared in an instant.

Suppressing his fear, he cupped his hands and said, “My name is Bai Deng. I am known as ‘Fidgety Lord’.”

Jing Hao smiled approvingly. “Fidgety Lord. Very fitting. Especially for someone with your origins.”

A young Daoist wearing a lotus crown suddenly appeared behind Chen Lingjun. He rested his arms on the boy’s head and exclaimed in surprise, “Wow, if it isn’t the best of the best from Flowing Radiance Continent, Immortal Jing Hao. What are you doing in Treasure Bottle Continent? How refined.”

Jing Hao was stunned.

*Not only is Chen Lingjun friendly with Immortal Chen, but he is also acquainted with Sect Leader Lu of Jade White Capital?!*

Chen Lingjun felt wronged and wiped his face. *There’s no need to spit everywhere.*

Lu Chen waved towards the mountaintop. “Old Mo.”

Old Mo smiled and came over.

Jing Hao was dumbfounded. *I couldn’t sense Sect Leader Lu’s presence, but there was another expert nearby?!*

Bai Deng decided to return to his old home. The outside world was too dangerous.

Knowing that Xiao Mo was nearby and actually seeing him were two different things.

Chen Lingjun smacked Lu Chen’s hand and warned, “Hey, what are you doing?”

Lu Chen remained still and said, “You don’t know, do you? Xiao Mo and I met long ago. We’re old friends.”

Old Mo smiled and nodded slightly, acknowledging Lu Chen’s words.

Chen Lingjun crossed his arms. “I won’t bother with you.”

Lu Chen looked back at the mountaintop and waved. “That’s Miss Xie, right? Over here. You and Xiao Mo are a match made in heaven. I’ll definitely drink at your wedding.”

A girl wearing a sable hat stood on a tree branch at the top of the mountain and smiled. “We’re not even together yet.”

Lu Chen sighed like an old scholar. “Don’t say that, Miss Xie. You two are a perfect match!”

*You’re only dreaming.*

Xie Gou was too uneducated to understand the meaning of Lu Chen’s words. She smiled and nodded at Lu Chen. She looked at Xiao Mo and said softly, “I’ll go back first. I’ll wait for you for supper.”

Master Zhu said that she needed to give her man face outside. At home, she could do whatever she wanted.

Lu Chen suppressed a laugh. “Old Mo, you have good fortune.”

Old Mo said helplessly, “I guess so.”

Lu Chen patted the boy’s head and teased, “Old Chen, do you know who Jing Hao is, the Green Palace Guardian?”

Chen Lingjun still had his arms crossed. *Do you think I’m an idiot? Of course I know who he is. It’s just that he doesn’t know me.*

Bai Xuan, who drank goji berry tea everyday at a young age, wrote the Heroes’ Chronicle. And Chen Lingjun wrote a book called, “Bystanders’ Records”.

He listed all the mountain figures that he could pass by but shouldn’t know. Finally, Chen Lingjun compiled a manual for his travels.

It included Jing Hao from Flowing Radiance Continent. According to the mountain newspapers, he knew a lot of techniques and was very influential.

He had not expected the man pretending to be a scholar to be the unattainable Jing Hao. Tonight’s meeting was truly by chance.

Chen Lingjun felt relieved. He had chatted with Immortal Jing for a long time, and they could barely be considered acquainted. Wouldn’t that be another protection for when he traveled to Flowing Radiance Continent in the future?

At least the cultivators from Green Palace Mountain would give him some face, right? Chen Lingjun would never have to act like that crazy thunder cultivator. It was better to pretend that he did not recognize the Green Palace Mountain cultivators on the road. Otherwise, he would probably be seen as bragging and cause even more problems.

He wondered what Jing Hao was thinking. But the jade purity “boy” standing under the plum tree was completely dumbfounded.

The young Daoist’s words were extremely casual towards his master.

How did so many extraordinary figures suddenly appear in such a small place? Who was Sect Leader Lu of Jade White Capital? Who was Xiao Mo? And who was the girl wearing the sable hat?

Lu Chen grinned. “Old Chen, are you going to visit Green Palace Mountain the next time you pass Flowing Radiance Continent and chat with Immortal Jing at the table?”

Chen Lingjun smiled wryly. “Definitely.”

Jing Hao was flustered and said subconsciously, “Of course.”

Both of them were embarrassed, and they could sense each other’s embarrassment.

The main thing was that they did not know why the other was embarrassed.

Lu Chen said with a smile, “Like old friends at first sight. That’s what you call like old friends at first sight.”

At Eyebrow River, there was another emergency report. Gao Niang, the River God, who had enjoyed some alcohol at the village school, went to investigate.

Sure enough, another empty wine jug was floating on the surface. The River God’s subordinates and soldiers, who had previously witnessed the power of these treasures, were smarter this time and did not touch the jug.

The River God carefully picked it up and shook it a few times. Gao Niang was confused. Unlike the previous jug, this one was not special.

But the officers did not care about that. They cheered and claimed that their River God had obtained two treasures in one day. Was this not a miracle?!

The River God calmly put the jug away and gestured for his subordinates to calm down and be discreet.

At Fallen Peak’s Sword Worship Terrace, the sleepless White-Haired Child was trying to become friends with Alliance Master Guo.

As the first registrar of Fallen Peak, the White-Haired Child was eager to form an alliance with Xie Gou and Alliance Master Guo.

The girl and the White-Haired Child sat on a tree branch, swinging their legs. Before coming here, they made over-the-bridge noodles.

Guo Zhujiu was burping as she imparted her own experience.

Both branches were filled with empty clay pots. The taste was average, but it was not the ingredients’ fault, but theirs.

“When you encounter a problem, don’t panic.”

The White-Haired Child nodded vigorously and rolled his eyes.

Then Guo Zhujiu’s next sentence caught the White-Haired Child’s attention, “Run!”

The White-Haired Child’s eyes lit up. He clapped and urged Guo Zhujiu, “Alliance Master Guo, as you know, I have many strengths, but the best one is that I don’t suck up to people. I really like you, Alliance Master Guo. It’s a waste that you’re not our alliance master.”

Guo Zhujiu asked in confusion, “Do you have a problem with Senior Sister Pei?”

The White-Haired Child shook his head. “I swear, I don’t!”

Guo Zhujiu was silent for a moment. “Do you think that pretending to be happy everyday will make you actually happy one day?”

The White-Haired Child looked gloomy and curled his lips.

*Life is a long and winding road. Events are like dreams that leave no trace. I wanted to become an official, but I was useless.*

The White-Haired Child put his hands behind his head, melancholy.

Guo Zhujiu reached out and pressed the White-Haired Child’s head, nodding it. “You can.”

————

At Fallen Peak, many people gathered in a small courtyard, all very relaxed.

When Chief Zhou Fei built his private residence, he wanted it to be as luxurious as possible. He wanted it to be paved with jade and filled with immortal energy, almost like an untouchable palace.

But here, the courtyard was just flattened dirt.

In the past, a female cultivator from Tongye Continent, as famous as Jiang Shangzhen, visited and liked the courtyard.

Jiang Shangzhen could not figure it out.

Zhu Lian said he only gave her a hand-copied Daoist scripture, and the female cultivator read it.

That was Old Cook’s hospitality.

Chief Zhou stood under the eaves and quickly realized what the courtyard represented. He was very impressed.

*A Daoist book and a rattan chair. That’s it.*

Tonight, a lot of people were gathered. They were mostly listening to Zheng Da Feng talk about the Five-Colored World.

Zheng Da Feng had a talent for humor. Everything he said was funny and made people smile.

Old Cook’s comments made it even more interesting.

The audience included Daoist Xian Wei, Chen Lingjun, warrior Zhong Qian, Xie Gou, Fox Country Lord Pei Xiang, and Lake Mountain Sect’s Sect Master Gao Jun.

Zheng Da Feng had already left with Xian Wei.

Xiao Mo and Chen Lingjun had gone to Eyebrow River, and Xie Gou had followed them in secret. She asked Master Zhu to prepare a supper for when she and Xiao Mo returned.

Zhu Lian agreed with a smile. Since he was free and Pei Xiang had asked him, Zhu Lian lied in his chair and talked about some interesting topics.

“Cultivation is not just in the mountains. It is always about the people around you.”

“Marriage is fate, a bad fate or a good fate. The worst fate is when a couple torments each other and refuses to separate. They harbor resentment and take it to the next life. A middling fate is when a couple lives together unhappily, always feeling like they are in debt to each other. A slightly better fate is when a couple separates without much hatred. A good fate is when a couple helps each other and grows old together. So-called cultivation is simply about putting yourself in other’s shoes and turning a bad fate into a good one, continuing it to the next life. Regardless of their next life, they would feel happy upon meeting.”

Pei Xiang giggled. “But there are relationships other than romance and marriage.”

Zhu Lian rested his hands on his belly and patted his left hand. “Between parents and children, it is debt. Children either come to collect debt or pay it off.”

“If children come to collect debt, parents need to pay it off as soon as possible. That’s why you see good parents having an unfilial son. If children come to pay off debt, parents should treasure them and not squander them.”

“That’s why some poor families benefit from their child’s existence. This is how they repay their debt.”

“Do you think that every couple knows how to be parents? They don’t. It’s their first time, and they are unprepared. They cry and laugh.

The warrior Zhong Qian, sitting alone on a bench, asked in a deep voice, “Master Zhu, what do we do?”

“Don’t suffer in silence. Be more patient with each other. And be willing to admit your mistakes.”

“Especially for those who are good and kind, you need to control your emotions. Don’t be temperamental. Otherwise, you will suffer.”

“They say anger comes without a reason, but all of our grievances accumulate little by little. We need to acknowledge them.”

“We think too much and do too little. How can we reap what we sow?”

“If we do too much and think too little, how can we protect our kindness?”

“We need to not think that we are trying our best.”

“But don’t be afraid. All the anger is warm. As long as you let others know, and don’t bottle it up, and as long as you don’t burn people’s hearts, and as long as you know the other’s thoughts and not the right and wrong, then you can be happy.”

“There’s a small tip. Don’t dwell on things with your family, especially your children. You can’t reason with children. Certain things should just be done, such as greeting elders and apologizing for your mistakes. And parents should not apologize for their children.”

Gao Jun could not resist asking, “Master Zhu, shouldn’t we just dwell on the things in general?”

“It’s a tip. If everyone knows, there’s nothing to say.”

Zhu Lian laughed. “When we want to criticize our family, we are already emotional. Is it useful to say harsh words? It might be, but it might make things worse. It’s no longer about the thing itself. We start to find reasons for our rights and deny other’s rights. Can we really ‘dwell on the things’?”

“Men like reason, and women like feelings. If a man doesn’t understand the woman’s feelings, he can’t explain his own reasons.”

“If they only argue, they will find each other impossible to communicate with. They will be forced to be together, and they will silently suffer.”

“We misunderstand the world because of the words, ‘I think’.”

Gao Jun nodded slightly.

The girl returned to Fallen Peak, listening with great interest. She sat down on a bamboo chair and said, “Master Zhu, you are insightful.”

Zhu Lian smiled. “Men need to think more.”

Xie Gou nodded. Master Zhu was right.

If Fallen Peak was a good place, then Zhu Lian had half the credit!

Zhu Lian said, “Everyone is lazy, so I think it’s hard to have a good life with the easy words. The good words are the uncomfortable words.”

“So if you only hear the good words and forget the others, it’s better to not listen at all.”

Xie Gou smiled awkwardly.

“Master Zhu is truly extraordinary.”

Xiao Mo returned with a smile.

Zhu Lian said rudely, “Old Mo, what are you smiling at? Are you an idiot?”

Xiao Mo was impartial.

Xiao Mo stopped smiling but still smiled.

Xie Gou blinked. Today, Xiao Mo was tender and handsome.

Zhu Lian looked up and said after a moment of silence, “Lu Chen, do you think so?”

Lu Chen, who was sitting on the wall, smiled and said, “There’s a small problem. People can’t do the things that they say.”

“If so, are those things bad?”

“I guess you’re right.”

Zhu Lian spat at the ground. “Thief!”

Lu Chen laughed. “You’re scolding yourself.”

Lu Chen jumped down and walked to the chair, lying down like Zhu Lian. “It’s been a long time. Let’s talk.”

Zhu Lian sat on the stairs and asked, “What do you want to talk about?”

Lu Chen closed his eyes with a smile.

Zhu Lian looked up.

Billions of dreams rose in the night like lanterns.

————

Under the eaves, the old scholar lied on the rattan chair. Chen Ping An sat beside him, waving a fan.

Zhao Shuxia and Ningji sat on the other side.

The old scholar asked with a smile, “Ningji, did you understand what I said?”

Ningji shook his head. “Ancestor, I didn’t understand much.”

The old scholar laughed. “It’s alright. Let your teacher explain it.”

Chen Ping An smiled and explained it in an easy way.

Ningji remembered both explanations. When he did not understand something, he would ask his teacher. Chen Ping An would explain it again.

The old man listened and fell asleep again.

Zhao Shuxia and Ningji went to the kitchen to sleep.

Only Chen Ping An remained, silently accompanying his teacher.

There were traces of children playing in the square.

Childhood was a game, where the square was home, and the outside world was out there.