From the Jewel-Vessel Continent, south of the Great Dike, lay the Kingdom of Azure Apricots.

A youth, clad in straw sandals and bearing a sword upon his back, stood at the edge of the bustling theater square, devouring a steaming flatbread. His gaze was fixed not upon the elaborately adorned actress on stage, but upon the woodcutter’s son, whom he had known since childhood.

As twilight descended upon the Jade Decree Kingdom’s capital, within a mansion rumored to be haunted—though only by a playful, non-malevolent spirit—a Daoist priest, finally at leisure after a day of labors, sat by lamplight reading, two dishes of “under-the-book” snacks upon his table. This 吴镝,吴dí, (Wú dí) a Daoist of some renown for his fortune-telling stall, was engrossed in *Exploitation of the Works of Nature*, selectively reading passages that pleased him. He lingered over the chapters on *Ceramics* and *Forging*, intoning aloud from the preface, “Among all things…”

A hauntingly beautiful voice, undeniably chilling, echoed from beyond the window. “Then why do you read it with such fervor?”

The Daoist, unfazed, retorted, “I am a self-ordained priest; what use have I for the books of scholars vying for imperial favor?”

A ghostly figure in crimson silk, once a palace attendant charged with presenting the empress’s pomegranate skirts, wearied of the discourse. She reached a pale finger to tap at the windowpane, requesting the Daoist to instead read the tantalizing chapter on *Fermentation*. The miserly priest held the book fast, demanding payment. Displeased, the spirit floated away, her feet never touching the ground.

From a nearby temple came the gentle toll of twilight drums. A middle-aged scribe paused in his copying of scripture, stretching his weary hand. He glanced out the open door. A crumbling spiderweb danced in the breeze, stirring a forgotten passage from a scholar’s notebook: “All that stirs and breathes contains the seed of enlightenment.”

Within a minor kingdom’s Ministry of Secrets, a perpetual borrower—a roof-lurker by trade—perched upon a high beam, observing an official concluding his duties. The man donned a heavy cotton coat over his robes and began to browse the rare books. After glancing about and finding himself alone save for the gatekeeper, who was paid to sound a warning cough should anyone approach, the official tucked three volumes within his coat. Seeming to reconsider, for the padded coat would hardly appear seemly if his treasure was not to be exposed, he reluctantly returned one tome to its place. He tiptoed from the dilapidated library. As the gatekeeper secured the door, the official cast a wistful glance back, resolving that when he held high office, he would secure funds for the library’s renovation and demand unwavering vigilance from its keepers, lest these precious texts be spirited away by book thieves year after year.

A young Daoist priest found himself face to face with a rugged Jiang Hu swordsman with a large beard and a sword at his side beside a mountain stream.

“A pleasure to find you,” said 余时务(Yú Shíwù) with a serene smile.

The bearded hero, posing as 陈仙(Chen Xian), splashed water on his face, squinting in amusement. “Leaving behind the righteous gates of 真武山(Zhenwu Mountain), and a future of unbridled power in the land of the Jewel-Vessel Continent, why wade into such murky waters?”

余时务(Yú Shíwù) sighed with a worried look. “Master Chen, truth be told, your formation is indeed ingenious, and I may presume to breach it. I will not stop you from claiming your vengeance upon 马苦玄(Mǎ Kǔxuán). But I can deprive you of an advantage, buying him a chance at survival.”

陈平安(Chen Pingan) smiled. “Setting aside the question of what the 马氏(Ma Shi) family will say or if 马苦玄(Mǎ Kǔxuán) seeks his own doom, tell me how you expect to escape after you break the formation?”

余时务(Yú Shíwù) was silent for a moment, “if Master Chen is willing to spare 马苦玄(Mǎ Kǔxuán), I am willing to offer you much of my fortune in fine gold, and ancient Daoist scrolls.”

陈平安(Chen Pingan) stood up, looking down at 余时务(Yú Shíwù). “you, one of the elders of his sect, are being miserly indeed. Is 马苦玄(Mǎ Kǔxuán) of such little worth?”

余时务(Yú Shíwù) was silent.

陈平安(Chen Pingan) continued. “whether you break the formation or not depends on whether you seek your own death, and whether you can breach it depends on my skill in the art of the talisman. However, neither of those matters in the grand scheme. I have always held high regard for 真武山(Zhenwu Mountain) and 风雪庙(Fengxue Temple), two great pillars of the armies. Thus I give you a word of advice, 余时务(Yú Shíwù), consider all things, good and bad, before acting. I have said my piece.”

The 金丹(Jindan) immortal, a bearded swordsman, gestured at 余时务(Yú Shíwù). “Whether you break the formation or not, tonight, I will first strike the small, and then seek a duel with the large.”

余时务(Yú Shíwù) was doubtful. “You plan to involve my sect?”

陈平安(Chen Pingan) chuckled. “You thought I was a proper scholar of the Confucian academy? I am sorry to disappoint you.”

The expression on 余时务(Yú Shíwù)’s face was complex and, after determining that there was no artifice in the swordsman’s words, he sighed heavily and asked, “May I at least try to dissuade 马苦玄(Mǎ Kǔxuán) from his path?”

陈平安(Chen Pingan) nodded, “there is nothing stopping you, for it is said that even immortals cannot dissuade a man determined to die. You may walk to the Jade Decree capital, but let it be known that if you reveal any of my hand, the debt will be paid by both you and your sect.”

余时务(Yú Shíwù) bowed as per Daoist custom, giving his thanks. In an instant, the Daoist vanished.

As a talisman projection of “The Watcher”, near the temple of the mountain god of 叠叶山(Dieye Mountain) he carved into a cliff face: “叠叶与高节，俱从毫末生。(Dié yè yǔ gāojié, jù cóng háo mò shēng)”

Then, as his will drove him, he found the young emperor of 松籁国(Songlai Kingdom), 黄冕(Huang Mian), and with him, he spoke his answer, which was only two words: “中间。(zhōngjiān)”

At the headwaters of a waterway governed by 水神(water god) 宋检(Song Jian), he bent down, placing a single green pearl within, where it hung suspended and slowly spinning in the flowing stream.

Finally, he returned to 大木观(Da Mu Monastery) by 秋气湖(Qiuqi Lake), moving a chair to sit once more where he had attended the meeting, pondering over the issue, whether it was 乌江(Wujiang), 袁黄(Yuan Huang), or the rogue cultivator with the 捆仙绳(Kūnxian Rope).

In 青冥(Qingming) under heaven, at 玄都观(Xuandu Monastery),

白也(Bai Ye) appeared in the peach grove but could not find 王孙(Wangsun). Instead, he sought out 晏琢(Yan Zhuo).

However, he could find out little. 晏琢(Yan Zhuo) only said that he and 王孙(Wangsun) saw the master off at the gate.

The old master gave only two instructions:

“晏胖子(Yàn Pàngzi)，while you are stealing peach wine and making bookmarks out of peach leaves, do not forget to practice your sword.”

“Sister, remember to cherish the spring blossoms next year.”

At 大潮宗(Da Chao Sect), the late-stage 飞升境(Flying Ascension Realm) ghost 徐隽(Xu Jun) reread the books on his desk, for to read a book with a new heart, and with the eye of experience is to read a new book.

The phrase, “时为帝者也(Shí wèi dì zhě yě)” from the poem “徐无鬼(Xu Wu Gui)” by 陆沉(Lu Chen) shook徐隽(Xu Jun) to his very core.

In the 青神(Qingshen) Dynasty, a promising female swordsman, 傅玄介(Fu Xuanjie), sat on a mat beneath the eaves, flanked by two old masters.

The old priest asked telepathically: “小陌(Xiao Mo), do you know why I insist that you remain here for some time?”

小陌(Xiao Mo) nodded, “so that I might take the sword of this dynasty as my own.”

The old priest squinted. “You do not wish it? I am ready to make 白也(Bai Ye) return to 玄都观(Xuandu Monastery) if need be, and ask that you remain here until the end of this time.”

傅玄介(Fu Xuanjie) could feel the weight of the world pressing down on her, smothering her like a fish on land.

‘What now, are my friends betraying me?’

小陌(Xiao Mo) answered, “I do not wish it.”

The old priest was angry and said in a harsh voice. “Friend! Have you considered your decision? This could be your only chance in this lifetime to reach the fourteenth realm!”

小陌(Xiao Mo) asked in response. “And if it is?”

傅玄介(Fu Xuanjie) felt as though her scalp would fall off.

Although she could not hear the words of her forebears, she knew that at this level of power, a simple sneeze could cause her to burst into nothingness.

The old priest laughed coldly. “Friend, you are not the same person! It seems that living around 陈平安(Chen Pingan) for too long has filled you with useless kindness!”

With a wave of his hand, the old priest conjured a picture in the sky, showing a refugee camp in the Lotus Land. “See here, this youth has hidden himself here for a long time. Although he comes from the 重光(Chongguang) branch of the wilderness, he is a prodigy in the art of talisman. He is of a low state, only 元婴(Yuanying), but he has learned some mutually supporting and evil techniques. While usual pests can be contained, he has tampered with the recent engravings in the books, so how can the 姜氏(Jiang Shi) siblings be wary? Once he succeeds, he only needs a little of 陈平安(Chen Pingan)’s hair, blood, or skin, and he can blame 陈平安(Chen Pingan). Then 30,000 refugees would be doomed. If not, then once the millions of refugees return to their homes, and 陈平安(Chen Pingan) does not slip, this youth can make those sins fall on a travelling Fox. At least half of that sin would land on 落魄山(Luopo Mountain)!”

It is said that 甲申帐(Jiashen Tent) cannot be provoked, for they have five sword immortals. Of these, 12滩(12 Tan) is the disciple of the great demon 仰止(Yang Zhi), 竹篋(Zhu Qie) is 刘叉(Liu Cha)’s only disciple, 流白(Liu Bai) is 文海(Wenhai)周密(Zhou Mi)’s true disciple, 雨四(Yu Si) is called “young master” by 绯妃(Fei Fei), 离真(Li Zhen) is the closed-door disciple of the great ancestor of 托月山(Tuoyue Mountain), and even 斐然(Fei Ran) was there.

However, this youth from the Lotus Land is from 癸酉帐(Guiyou Tent), a place where the orthodox is abandoned and the heretical prevails.

Of the sixty tents, 甲子帐(Jiazi Tent) is first. The others are occupied by 王座(thrones) and 飞升境(Flying Ascension Realm) cultivators.

Of those who were upon the ships, 绯妃(Fei Fei) sat in 癸亥帐(Guihai Tent), and 袁首(Yuan Shou) of 搬山(Ban Shan) sat in 己酉帐(Jiyou Tent).

It is said that 己未帐(Jiwei Tent) had 剑仙(sword immortal) 绶臣(Shou Chen), and the best of the younger generation 赊月(She Yue), who never had time for such nonsense.

Only 癸酉帐(Guiyou Tent) had no great demon or mighty deeds.

But this tent was the one to leave certain cultivators behind, and even now, these nails have yet to be pried from the land.

小陌(Xiao Mo) asked skeptically. “Are you threatening me to stay in 青冥(Qingming) under heaven?”

The old priest laughed. “Why not?”

小陌(Xiao Mo) glanced at the Lotus Land and said, “death is not my concern, and those layers of cause and effect may be severed by the sword.”

The old priest stroked his beard. “Truly, do you trust 陈平安(Chen Pingan) to such an extent?”

小陌(Xiao Mo) nodded.

The old priest was silent.

小陌(Xiao Mo) was unfazed.

The old priest smiled and pulled out a rolled up scroll from his sleeve. “Truly, there is nothing that can be hidden from you. The Reverend Sun has a request for you and I. Whether you decide to open it is up to you. I believe his meaning will be clear. But what is after ‘I invite you?'”

小陌(Xiao Mo) opened the scroll to find those four words: “更高更远。(gèng gāo gèng yuǎn)”

In the center of the 桐叶(Tongye) Continent, in a quiet cave, with a man and two women by the fire, the frail girl asked with a frown, “What’s wrong?”

The man, blood flowing freely from all of his orifices cursed, “If only I knew!”

A precious replacement talisman had broken somehow, and recently, his resolve has been unsteady. Of course, it has always been known that the youth was not to be trifled with, and what he had done to the other was meant to make the man feel disgust.

However, what was more harrowing were two unusual feelings. The first was of a rushing river, but what made it worse was that he knew it could be avoided with luck.

The second feeling was far more terrifying; an ambush from a hidden snake.

The girl asked, “Do not implicate me. 温(Wen) is a ruthless man and acts in a way unlike a scholar.”

The man smiled, “We cannot afford to fall into his hands, and especially you. Perhaps I can prepare for you a talisman so that you may die as an immortal, and if you are lucky, you may drag 温(Wen) down with you.”

The girl continued to wash her blade with her own blood and said, “Provoke me once more, and I will demand a duel.”

In the distant past, at a place named 犀渚矶观水台(Xizhu Ji Guan Shui Tai) of 冤句派(Yuanju Sect), 斐然(Fei Ran) met with his senior 切韵(Qie Yun), 雨四(Yu Si), and the petite 豆蔻(Dou Kou), who, as 切韵(Qie Yun) put it, was the culprit behind the fall of 玉芝岗(Yuzhi Gang) and 冤句派(Yuanju Sect), leaving none alive. And so, 切韵(Qie Yun) called her “little great-grandmother” and begged that she not kill needlessly.

It was not that 切韵(Qie Yun) was kindhearted, but that he wanted to collect the faces of female cultivators.

Thus the girl promised only to behead the women for 切韵(Qie Yun) and that he would not be bothered by the men.

Although she carries a blade and kills with it, she is a swordswoman with a sword named 厉鬼(Li Gui) that can absorb hatred. It is because her art does not contain “fear” that she is not a swordsman of the top five, or an immortal.

The beautiful woman hastily made peace, “we three die if we lose any member, so why bicker?”

Yet, she could not help but lament, “If only I had known to take what I could get, like the youth. 青壤(Qing Rang), it is your fault.”

The man laughed, “It is only because your determination is lacking. Why blame it on others? It is such things that prevent you from reaching the top five.”

For demons, the path is not always clear.

The woman named 仙藻(Xian Zao) was from 广寒城(Guanghan City) and could call 绯妃(Fei Fei) a grand ancestor if she wished, but dared not.

The girl jeered, “Rain Four would not even look at the two of you.”

仙藻(Xian Zao) lamented again and again and then chewed on a bit of burning firewood. After a long silence, she asked, “Were we not courting death when we provoked that youth?”

The girl said flatly, “Then we must be even more careful. We only need to disgust him. However, once we face him, the three of us combined would not be enough to stop him.”

仙藻(Xian Zao) nodded her head. 离真(Li Zhen), a disciple of 托月山(Tuoyue Mountain) died long ago.

There was also the sword cultivator of 甲申帐(Jiashen Tent), who attempted to ambush 陈平安(Chen Pingan). The fate of all of that is known to all.

“The scholars are truly cunning and far more vile than the typical villians.”

The man laughed. “Fortune favors the bold. So long as we return home, we will be handsomely rewarded.”

The girl did not speak and replaced her bloodied blade in its sheath.

Staying behind was the correct decision.

But, not long ago, heaven changed and the woman’s art was made ineffective. Her rise was now far less certain.

‘If worse comes to worse’, she glanced at her comrades.

The man chuckled. “Can you kill me? Does the higher realm matter?”

He raised his chin, “She seems to be hard to kill.”

仙藻(Xian Zao) had once said to 雨四(Yu Si) “So many deaths make me tired,” and it was not just for show.

To reach this point, one needs true power.

仙藻(Xian Zao) curiously asked, “青壤(Qing Rang), who taught you the dao?”

The man laughed. “Do not ask where a hero comes from or who they are!”

The girl said, “I have never understood how that youth can carve words or what his realm would be hundreds of years from now.”

As 仙藻(Xian Zao) smiled, the man lunged and grabbed her head before her words came.

The girl said, “Deserved.”

In the wilderness, a brother and sister walked on a deserted road while the brother asked his sister, 流白(Liu Bai), about their master’s lessons.

As for the woman 春宵(Chun Xiao) who has lost her zodiac, the matter is of little consequence, so long as she is in the wilderness.

For reasons unknown, 郑居中(Zheng Juzhong) did not stop his disciple 顾璨(Gu Can) from bringing her to 浩然(Haoran).

Trailing behind them was a handsome middle-aged sword cultivator.

He was a pawn that 周密(Zhou Mi) had planted long ago for the wilderness.

The sword cultivator was named 宗垣(Zong Yuan), also known as 董三更(Dong Sangeng), one of the two swordsman said to be able to stand next to the old master.

Of the immortals who had died at the Wall over the past millenia, 宗垣(Zong Yuan) was the name that stood out.

流白(Liu Bai) lowered her head and put her hands to her mouth to speak. “Our teacher once walked us through this place. If I recall correctly, there is a village ten li ahead.”

周清高(Zhou Qinggao) asked, “Is there significance?”

流白(Liu Bai) shook her head. “It is just a landscape. However, all of us felt joy from our teacher. It is said that it may have been as joyous as when our teacher created the “水云文(Shui Yun Wen)”, consisting of 60,000 characters.”

贾生(Jia Sheng) was the realm known to all of the seas of knowledge, 文海(Wen Hai)周密(Zhou Mi).

He would teach and cultivate all. He said that all who carried a sword should stand among the stars of the academy.

甲申帐(Jiashen Tent) 木屐(Mu Ji) was the only exception.

The demon 白莹(Bai Ying) once inquired about her, but back then, did not know of herself.

Those who left with teacher 周密(Zhou Mi) were all swordsmen such as 采瀅(Cai Ying), 同玄(Tong Xuan), 桐荫(Tong Yin), 鱼藻(Yu Zao).

Those who remained were the eldest 绶臣(Shou Chen), swordswoman 流白(Liu Bai), and 周清高(Zhou Qinggao), also known as 木屐(Mu Ji).

According to teacher’s law, all of the unnamed disciples would be allowed to pick a name once the Great Wall was breached.

Between 绶臣(Shou Chen) and 周清高(Zhou Qinggao), 周密(Zhou Mi) had many disciples of great note.

周清高(Zhou Qinggao), 绶臣(Shou Chen), and 流白(Liu Bai) did not gather their brothers, for their teacher had a purpose.

Walking through the night, they passed earth and mud. In the distance, the lights might have been fireflies or spirits of the dead.

文海(Wen Hai)周密(Zhou Mi) had traveled the wilderness with 绶臣(Shou Chen) and 流白(Liu Bai) before the war.

流白(Liu Bai) softly said, “Teacher saw a light and walked forth, staff in hand. Moved, he wrote a poem that loosely translated says, ‘Late wanderers tread with their cane, and spirits congregate at the tombs. Villagers sleep deep as the path winds on. A light from a window shows someone mending clothes.’ The poem has no title. We students did not dare to ask.”

Their teacher’s staff was made of solid bamboo. Old men may use it as a cane, and those who could climb the mountains would use it as a walking stick.

“After all these years, we still do not know what lies in our teacher’s heart.”

The sword cultivator 宗垣(Zong Yuan) finally spoke. “It is just the ramblings of a scholar. He only blames the world for not being as great as him and hates the fools in it. Do not feel content to be a student, for your teacher only hides his ways.”

“He only had some hope left in himself, and disappointment for everything else.”

“周密(Zhou Mi) was going to change the world by himself. The first step would be to rise to the heavens, and the second step would be to confront the three masters. The third step would be to return to the earth and rise again.”

In the wilderness of mountains,

On their way here, 谢狗(Xie Gou) stood at the prow of the boat and screamed, as 老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) dragged them along.

狐魅(Humei) 韦太真(Wei Taizhen), who had been on good terms with 谢姑娘(Xie Guniang) decided to keep her distance.

As they passed 雨龙宗(Yulong Sect), 谢狗(Xie Gou) vaguely said that she was the second seat of 落魄山(Luopo Mountain) and that her master would visit soon and to prepare wine.

谢狗(Xie Gou) squatted on the mountain. Behind her were ramshackle houses. 老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) had a place, but did not know how to enjoy it.

韦太真(Wei Taizhen) knew little of the wilderness, but felt that the landscape was great. But she did not know that this place was once a part of the wilderness.

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) stood next to the girl and asked, “Why roam about the earth?”

谢狗(Xie Gou) said, “You are just an amateur with love. I cannot say anything to you.”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “It is just unrequited.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) said, “You would not know.”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) twitched his lips.

谢狗(Xie Gou) looked at the dried-up toes in their sandals and sighed, “之祠(Zhi Ci), what are you thinking? Turning yourself into a bag of bones. Honestly, if it was just looks, you beat those 剑仙(sword immortal) 陈清都(Chen Qingdu)’s, they are not worthy of holding your sandals. Nowadays, there is one, who in appearance, beats even you.”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) laughed. “Then it is a pity if they are not prostituting.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) screamed and said, “Old blind man, do not say such things to a young girl.”

“Many heroes are misled by love.”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) sighed. “Now, even 剑仙(sword immortal) 白景(Bai Jing) cannot avoid it.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) asked, “Do I not have the chance to meet 周密(Zhou Mi) face-to-face?”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) was silent for a moment. “He is one of the few to come across in millions. It cannot be so easy.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) asked, “What about 宗垣(Zong Yuan)?”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “Only his sword heart remains. He is more of a sword. He is like those four immortals who have turned into men. Only, it is not the same.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) extended a palm. “之祠(Zhi Ci), pour some drinks for the guest.”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) chuckled and moved a withered arm to open his pants.

“I have no wine, but I have urine.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) cursed. “Alright, alright! I am afraid of you. Just because you are a higher realm!”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) sneered. “You want to reach the fourteenth realm? If 白景(Bai Jing) can do it, I will chop off my tool and put it in wine for you.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) stood up. “What? I am only half a step away! How can I not?”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “All cultivators steal from heaven. If they are not skilled enough, they are known as 飞升境(Flying Ascension Realm). The bold are known as the fourteenth.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) frowned. “You have been pulling nonsense! What good are vague words?! Tell me what is happening!”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “Then to take what you borrowed, and borrow again, are the words of the fourteenth. You are among the ten best talents I have seen, along with 宗垣(Zong Yuan) and 白也(Bai Ye). It is because of this talent that 宗垣(Zong Yuan)’s fate was at the Great Wall, and 白也(Bai Ye) could not become an immortal. However, for you, you got involved with the wilderness and was sent to sleep by 白泽(Bai Ze). If not for that, you would have died. 白泽(Bai Ze) was saving you.

谢狗(Xie Gou) asked, “Does it have anything to do with my plight?”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) sighed. “It is not good to have a cultivator of great talent. All must pay. To be a fourteenth, is to pay for it all.”

谢狗(Xie Gou) asked, “What of 小陌(Xiao Mo)?”

“The two of them, a pair made after ten thousand years, must have one that is a pure sword immortal!”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) was disgusted and spat on the ground before leaving.

Inside, his disciple had made a hotpot. 老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) asked, “Do you want to add dog meat to the pot?”

李槐(Li Huai) shuddered and cursed. “Now I have no appetite!”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “What other delicacies do you want?”

李槐(Li Huai) said, “No need. I have plenty to eat.”

God knows if his master would not grab a demon to cook.

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) nodded and sat. “Let us eat.”

李槐(Li Huai) called, “谢姑娘(Xie Guniang), let us eat hotpot!”

谢狗(Xie Gou) sat on the cliffs and waved you all to eat.

韦太真(Wei Taizhen) ate carefully and found that her master and 老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) were squatting on benches.

李槐(Li Huai) asked, “Old blind man, 陈平安(Chen Pingan) is only 元婴境(Yuanying Realm). Is it bad to fall in realm?”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “Falling in realm is not scary. But the process to reaching the top is.”

韦太真(Wei Taizhen) was more confused.

李槐(Li Huai) bluntly asked, “Will 陈平安(Chen Pingan) ever reach the top five?”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) nodded. “Delicious.”

李槐(Li Huai) placed some food in the old man’s bowl.

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) said, “Li Huai, back in your home town, there were many great opportunities. You just took the best one. As for 马苦玄(Mǎ Kǔxuán), 刘羡阳(Liu Xianyang), 顾璨(Gu Can), and 宋集薪(Song Jixin), their advantages were not that great. In fact, those that now seem to be nothing, such as that child of 卢(Lu) and some of the maids, also had opportunity.”

Do not forget that those eyes were taken by this old man.

李槐(Li Huai) laughed. “I like this path, so why would I want to change it? I like how it is, for it is mine.”

“Good, worthy of being my first and last disciple! I will give you a fist technique that you do not need to learn.”

“That is enough! We are no longer family! Old blind man! You eat on the floor!”

“Alright, alright! To eat is the most important thing!”

“Old blind man, I have wine! Shall we have some?”

“That is good!”

老瞎子(Lao Xiazi) sipped his wine and said, “It is going to rain.”

“There was once a scholar near her, standing there and babbling to himself.”

“I will seek things not yet done. I will vow to not leave my peers. I shall decide for mankind. I am named 周密(Zhou Mi).”

The four paths, 天目(Tianmu)，黥迹(Qingji)，神乡(Shenxiang)，and 日坠(Rizhui)，and the three ports 秉烛(Bingzhu)，走马(Zouma)，and 地脉(Dimai)，the 文庙(Wenmiao) have created the gateways between the realms.

The three ports lay in the north of the Great Wall and the four paths in the south.

符箓于玄(Fulu Yu Xuan)，裴杯(Pei Bei)，火龙真(Huo Long Zhen)人和白裳(Bai Chang) sit in the area. Because 白裳(Bai Chang) needs to close himself, he has returned to 北俱芦洲(Beiju Luzhou).

Because于玄(Yu Xuan) sits outside, those of 浩然(Haoran) are slowly taking their place, one of which is the sword immortal 魏晋(Wei Jin) of 风雪庙(Fengxue Temple). In addition, there are names like 王屋(Wang Wu) and 徐獬(Xu Xie), all masters that came of age after the war. In fact, 徐獬(Xu Xie) has been given the title of “徐君(Xu Jun).”

魏晋(Wei Jin) was gifted a sword manual by the old sword immortal, transcribed by 宗垣(Zong Yuan).

However, it was not until many years after, when he had returned to the Great Wall that he claimed 宗垣(Zong Yuan)’s sword of which he never understood.

傅噤(Fu Jin), Zheng Juzhong’s first disciple, personally came to invite 魏晋(Wei Jin) to his sect.

魏晋(Wei Jin) refused.

傅噤(Fu Jin) sighed and drank his bowl of wine.

Not long ago, he had invited 吴殳(Wu Shu) of 桐叶(Tongye) to his sect.

傅噤(Fu Jin) was determined to gather all into one sect.

魏晋(Wei Jin) smiled. “Drink it, but do not break it. I just made those bowls.”

傅噤(Fu Jin) said, “I will find another sword cultivator then.”

魏晋(Wei Jin) asked, “Is it 徐君(Xu Jun)?”

傅噤(Fu Jin) nodded. “You, he, and I, are young.”

魏晋(Wei Jin) said, “That is easy to understand.”

傅噤(Fu Jin) asked a strange question, “Wei Jin, what are the names of those you wish to avoid?”

魏晋(Wei Jin) shook his head. “There are none.”

傅噤(Fu Jin) said, “You must have one! Tell me while we drink!”

魏晋(Wei Jin) said, “You go first?”

“I have only my master. I would never dare challenge him.”

傅噤(Fu Jin) finished his drink. “One for one! Your turn.”

魏晋(Wei Jin) sadly drank.

傅噤(Fu Jin) scoffed. “That does not count!”

“Are you so in love? Even to the point of ignoring the red string?”

魏晋(Wei Jin) was silent.

傅噤(Fu Jin) poured another and said. “Wu Fu Cao Ci.”

魏晋(Wei Jin) nodded. “I concur.”

傅噤(Fu Jin) slammed the table. “Give me something real!”

魏晋(Wei Jin) pointed north.

傅噤(Fu Jin) smiled, “You are giving me a riddle?”

魏晋(Wei Jin) rattled the bowl and said. “Chen Pingan.”

傅噤(Fu Jin) stood. “That was worth it.”

Mountains upon mountains and water in the sky. Hosts and guests change in dreams.

Truth and lies. If there is no direction, how can one know this?

陈平安(Chen Pingan) understood the minds of Lu Chen and Zheng Juzhong.

And so, he said, “Friends, take care!” for both his present friends and those yet to come.

顾璨(Gu Can) asked, “What is wrong?”

For cultivators rarely dream.

陈平安(Chen Pingan) said, “I took a nap in the bamboo house and had a nightmare.”

刘羡阳(Liu Xianyang) laughed. “What sort of dream was it? Tell us of its strangeness!”

“If you’re caught in one of those, I can go into your dream to assist.”

陈平安(Chen Pingan) rubbed his forehead. “I do not remember the start. It was patchy. I knew I was dreaming, but it was like being paralyzed. Then the dreams shifted and went on. Without your shout, the dream would have continued. The first thing I remember was going home as a child to my parents. However, the house was not from the alley. Then I picked up a key and saw my neighbors. The town was changed and very different from the truth. I ate dinner and the earth rained upon me. Then, I was in a new house that was many stories high. I knew it was in the alley because I could see the peach