In the heart of mist-shrouded peaks, amidst a riot of wildflowers, a figure in white robes crafted spirits from the mountain’s bounty. When the blue-robed Chen Ping’an arrived, he unceremoniously claimed a bowl of the rice wine, stood his ground, and took a draught, his gaze settling upon the woman shackled here, a barbarian sorceress. He found, with a gleam in his eye, that she was a jack-of-all-trades, a master of none. “A fortunate find, indeed,” he murmured, deeming it fitting to address her as “Daoist.” “Tell us, Daoist, weave your tale of trials and tribulations, so we may have something worthy to savor with our drink.”

The woman could neither hide nor obfuscate, for the two figures, one standing, one seated – a study in azure and white – saw into the very core of her being. It was as if the mountain itself was a lens, magnifying her life for their scrutiny. At the peak, a phantom show began to unfold – scenes from her past flitting across the air. Vivid events played out in vibrant, lifelike colors, fading into grayscale sketches where memories dimmed, and swirling into chaotic blurs where truth and recollection were intertwined. It was revealed that “Xu Jiaoqie” was merely a guise, her true name Xiao Xing, her Daoist title Youren, and her beloved master called her “Little Broth”. Her true form was that of a primeval, undocumented bird, one that delighted in skimming the skies with fiery trails. Hence, her mastery of fire magic. Upon assuming human form, she donned a翠綠羽衣, a robe fashioned from her shed feathers, christened “Great Visage” by a traveling Daoist.

The white-robed 心魔 gloated, “A wretched bird, indeed! This carefully orchestrated misfortune, years in the brewing, nearly saw Xiao Xing triumph.”

Chen Ping’an, a golden glint in his eyes behind玉簪, smiled serenely. “A 元婴 cultivator, loyal to the Fallen Mountain through meticulously crafted memories, coupled with a garment of near-immortal quality. Add to that the artistry of the brow-painter and seamstress, plus the forbidden lore of a蠻荒奉祀郎… truly, a deal of such profit is a rare boon.”

The 心魔 scoffed, “Such underhanded tactics are only effective against those weaker in cultivation, nothing to boast of.”

The azure-clad Chen Ping’an sipped his wine, his gaze sharp and playful as he fixed it on the woman, whose face was now the color of ash. “The Great Visage, combined with the brow-painter’s skin, the seamstress’s innards, and our meticulous control over the details… wouldn’t that make her a perfect mimic for anyone below Ascension? And how fortuitous! Just as we slumber, a pillow arrives. The disappearance of万瑶宗韩玉树 has dragged on far too long. Soon, even the late宗主’s remains, held by姜尚真, won’t be enough to quell suspicion. The 三山福地 will sense something amiss. But, if Xiao Xing, with her talent for mimicry, were to visit 天目山書院 and play a role for副山長溫煜, perhaps that would appease the万瑶宗祖师堂? Or, dare we be even bolder? Send Xiao Xing to 三山福地, a cuckoo in the nest? A 死士 is a 死士, no matter where they meet their end.”

Xiao Xing was a prodigy, learning with unnatural speed and ease. Before she was even sixty years old, her宗門 had exhausted its capacity to teach her. She ventured forth, wandering the world, gathering apocryphal tales and forgotten lore, with a particular passion for the intricacies of the蠻荒水雲文, for she aspired to pen a definitive lexicon of the barbarian world. As war erupted, Xiao Xing, barely a century old and on the cusp of the 元婴 stage, was conscripted by托月山. Escape was impossible, and even her宗門’s efforts to pay her way out proved futile. Her first taste of war nearly saw her fall from her cultivation due to宁姚’s stray剑气. It’s likely 宁姚 remains unaware of her existence.

The white-robed 心魔 crossed his arms, smiling wryly. “Poor Xiao Xing! Her elaborate scheme for vengeance, her disregard for life and Dao, all for naught. Her nemesis is unaware of her existence, unworthy even of being remembered. And so, she turns her wrath elsewhere, for she knows in her heart that revenge against 宁姚, the undisputed foremost in the world, is impossible. She has no hope against a true Ascension realm sword cultivator.”

The azure-robed drinker, however, looked upon her with admiration. “Xiao Xing has chosen a path most shrewd and swift, killing two birds with one stone. Had she not been exposed, her next seclusion at the 元婴 bottleneck would have shielded her from the inevitable: the invincible 心魔 that is 宁姚.”

The white-robed 心魔 smiled faintly. “A 元婴 at one hundred years… mere talent?”

The azure-robed drinker sighed. “Speak not such nonsense! She is a prodigy, without question.”

Xiao Xing’s life lay bare, like a naked woman appraised by lecherous eyes.

The vision then shifted, showing Xiao Xing landing on 桐葉洲 with the癸酉帐. Nursing her wounds and consumed by hatred for 宁姚, she scoured the libraries and archives of 桐葉洲, seeking ancient and rare tomes. She was acquainted with a “maiden” who wielded a sword disguised as a knife – her dear friend 豆蔻, whose natal sword was named “厲鬼.” 豆蔻 unleashed carnage upon 桐葉洲 and was elevated to 元婴 in a foreign land. Before 桐葉洲 was swallowed by war, they parted ways, 豆蔻 vanished. Xiao Xing used a secret skill, inherited from her master, to conceal her cultivation, disguising herself as a mortal and joining the refugees seeking sanctuary in the Lotus Blossom Paradise. Her abilities as a奉祀郎, akin to the Imperial Observatory’s diviners, allowed her to discern a connection between the Lotus Blossom Paradise and the Fallen Mountain. Waiting for the opportune moment, she realized that Chen Ping’an was 宁姚’s Daoist partner, and she could not reach the Ascended City in the Five Color World. Thus, she decided that, with all her skills, she would cause Chen Ping’an to suffer a grave injury, to disrupt his Dao. She believed this would unseat 宁姚 more than anything else. When Chen Ping’an called her a 死士, he spoke the truth, for Xiao Xing had no intention of returning home alive. She would sacrifice her life to halt the final Hidden Lineage Officer’s ascent, to make 宁姚 regret her action, to ensure she remembered the name Xiao Xing. Was there a more beautiful act of vengeance than this?!

The white-robed 心魔 sighed. “Truly, fortunes turn when they reach their nadir. By pulling but a loose thread, we have stumbled upon unexpected treasure.”

The azure-robed drinker, as if an ancient spirit, pure and unblemished, declared, “Sword Cultivator 豆蔻, good. I will remember you.”

As he spoke, Xiao Xing’s life unspooled like a river flowing backward, pages turning in reverse. The azure-robed figure reached out and traced the image of the sword-wielding maiden, then tucked it into his sleeve. If she was one of the masterminds behind the chaos in 桐葉洲, then this was of great interest. He could take care of everything at once, thus saving a lot of time and effort, even capturing the elusive 金丹符箓 cultivator.

The final visions revealed her schemes within the Paradise. She had opened a bookstore, employing workers day and night to print books – mostly erotic tales and stories of scholars and beauties – selling them at a loss. Xiao Xing had even brought with her several desiccated瘟神 corpses, for she was also a skilled alchemist and physician.

“A true prodigy,” he proclaimed, setting down his empty bowl. “No wonder 托月山 ordered her to come to 浩然 as a 元婴 cultivator! I am curious as to who first convinced Xiao Xing to enter the Lotus Blossom Paradise. I can’t believe you sensed the opportunity yourself. It must have been someone of great stature, whose words you simply confirmed through your own abilities before committing to this 死士 plan.”

Xiao Xing stared blankly.

It was not feigned.

The azure-robed figure clapped his hands. “斐然? 周清高? Or did both wretched birds visit Xiao Xing together?”

Upon hearing those names, Xiao Xing began to tremble, her mind and soul stretched and pulled a thousand times over, as if sifting through the deepest recesses of her memory, searching for grains of gold. It was a torturous process, and the white-robed 心魔 warned that she would soon be an idiot if it continued. The azure-robed figure scoffed, stating that Qi the old sword immortal had said it best: “Young people should pay more attention in their next lives.”

Hatred, vengeance, rivalry – none of this mattered. He would let them wield whatever methods they wished to, victory being granted to the most capable.

But who dared to insult 宁姚?

Sure enough, from an obscure orifice of Xiao Xing’s being, hidden and sealed memories were retrieved. The masterminds were none other than斐然和周清高, persistent shadows of the past.

斐然, wielding a flying sword and secret art, severed her Dao trace, making her believe that entering the Lotus Blossom Paradise and exacting revenge through Chen Ping’an and 宁姚 was her own idea. “Daoist Youren,”斐然 murmured, “Forgive the erasure of these memories, but it is necessary. You will not recall our meeting, nor need to remember this encounter. Perhaps someday… but let us hope you never have the chance to remember this day.”

周清高’s lips moved silently, forming words in the 大骊 official dialect. “Hidden Lineage Official Chen, I still hope Xiao Xing remembers this someday. I look forward to reviewing things with you in 蠻荒.”

The white-robed 心魔 chuckled. “Those two are more attentive to you than any lovesick maiden. I suspect that斐兄 would give up his throne as ruler of the world, if you would just leave 浩然. 周老弟 would happily serve as your vanguard.”

The azure-robed drinker ignored him, gently swirling the white bowl in his hand. “Having witnessed Xiao Xing’s poignant tale, and emptied my bowl, it is now my turn to host. I shall repay you with a bowl of wine, and weave you a tale of mountains and waters.”

Xiao Xing shrieked, “No!”

Moments later, in the brothel,姜尚真 was witness to a scene that sent chills down his spine. The barbarian woman, whose eyes had glazed over, now snapped awake as if from a deep sleep. Shaking her head, she looked at Chen Ping’an with golden eyes and spoke as her first sentence: “山主, allow me to search for that beast of a demon?”

姜尚真 was dumbstruck.

How had he done it?

A 元婴 cultivator manipulating another 元婴 cultivator?

Cultivators were known for their strong wills, yet this was a 天仙! Even for the most powerful cultivator, to alter the memories of a cultivator with such a different cultivation stage was no easy task! Without being two to three realms stronger, it was impossible to succeed! Moreover, these powerful cultivators had to possess various secret methods in order to have a chance to succeed! How to “scrape” the cultivator’s memories, severing all the complex vessels and branches, was the first hurdle. Next, how to fill in the memories, filling the blank spaces and harmonizing them with the existing heart state, seamlessly and naturally, all of it in accordance with reason, was a higher hurdle! Otherwise, if the cultivator’s Dao Heart, born from nature, faintly sensed anything amiss, the result would be a cataclysmic catastrophe within the cultivator’s personal microcosm! The cultivator would either become an idiot with his heart and soul burned to ashes, or would very easily become possessed! This was a sort of instinctive resistance, and no one would hesitate to self-destruct, destroying both jade and stone together! The barbarian woman before him, who dared to enter the Lotus Blossom Paradise, was one whose Dao Heart could be imagined to be extremely strong!

姜尚真 knew that he could not pull off such a feat. Even the 飞升境 Xun the Elder was unlikely to be able to do it.

Chen Ping’an looked up at the second floor railing and smiled: “Zhou Senior, then I will take my leave.”

姜尚真 was speechless.

Following 山主’s gaze, the woman turned her head to look at the gray-haired blue-robed scholar and turned around to clasp her fist, then with flying eyebrows, smiled as she introduced herself with a heartfelt voice: “My name is Xu Jiaoqie and I am an unregistered disciple of Old Deaf from the Great Wall of Sword Qi. With the Hidden Lineage Official’s instructions, I was the first to leave my hometown and secretly infiltrated 桐葉洲. Actually, this is the second time I have met Zhou Senior, but due to my identity as a spy, and to prevent 蠻荒 死士 from causing trouble, I did not actively greet Zhou Senior.”

姜尚真 looked awkward: “Okay, okay, it’s been tough.”

Just before leaving, Chen Ping’an said with a heartfelt voice: “Zhou Senior, soon one of my clones will look for you, and he will take you and Xu Jiaoqie to a well. The well is a foreshadowing left by the Old Daoist priest, and if nothing unexpected occurs, you may take this route into the Mirage City of the Great Fountain Dynasty. If this is a mutual route similar to Return to Ruins, you will be able to return to the Paradise, and if it’s one-way, I will have to trouble Zhou Senior to visit Fish Scale Ferry in Cloud Rock Country to preside over the situation. Then, please also hand over a letter to Wen Yu. I have a request, and if Wen Yu agrees to it, then Xu Jiaoqie will need to use the仙蛻 of Han Yushu. If Wen Yu feels it is inappropriate, then forget it. Do not force it.”

Normally, 姜尚真 would not have refused this affair of a beautiful woman traveling with him through the rivers and lakes. It would have seemed that he was a hard worker who didn’t understand fun.

But at the moment, 姜尚真 was spooked by Xu Jiaoqie, who was even more frightening than a ghost. But as the chief provider, there was no reason to refuse going to the Mirage City and Fish Scale Ferry. And when the white-robed Chen Ping’an disappeared into thin air, Xu Jiaoqie, who had clearly been instructed by 山主, clasped her fist to Zhou Senior. The slender woman with a dignified aura and a gentle gaze as if seeing a lover, meant that 姜尚真 knew she was using some sort of bewitching and unorthodox secret skill. Thus, to everyone, she looked like a new bride, and everyone she met would be seduced.

As one of the clones, with a viewing Daoist mind, after leaving the sect of the Xiao Xing符箓 puppet and walking in all four directions of the Lotus Root Paradise, he had found four local sword cultivators who had just been born and used logic and emotion to successfully persuade two of them, who were willing to go “outside” to see the scenery. Chen Ping’an and them then had a gentlemen’s agreement. They would go wherever they wanted to, and whether they wanted to return home, it would be up to them. However, before making their decision, they had to go to Fallen Mountain or the Fox Country to say hello.

One of them was a young maiden from a large family in the capital county of the South Yuan Country, and she was obsessed with border poems and sword immortals from books. Her wish had come true, and her dream had come true. Just before she was about to go out, a bright red short sword fell from her palm.

The other was a great bearded chivalrous man riding a donkey and carrying a sword. He had been drinking loudly on the donkey’s back, shaking and burping, and a dark sword pill came out.

The woman was named Mai Qing, and she was worried about a marriage arranged by her parents. Thus, she was happy to go out for fun, and she left behind a letter before sneaking out.

The chivalrous man was called Ge Shu Longshang, and his family had been generals for generations. He had been a border general of the previous dynasty of the North Jin Country, but he had a bad relationship with the new Emperor Tang Tieyi, so he simply resigned and traveled far away.

Before, one of them had been riding a donkey, and the other had been beside him, manipulating the wind. They had been very compatible, talking about how to change the current situation of learning, extinction, and the loss of Dao among the countries.

On the way, they asked and answered.

Can a white bowl and wooden basin really create a world and contain thousands of miles of rivers and mountains within a square inch?

It can.

Can tortoise shells, yarrow grass, and pieces of tile and stone really tell fortunes, and can they determine the fate of people through calculations?

Not necessarily.

Perhaps because she was shy, the woman, who was full of questions, only asked one.

How many enlightened people like Chen sword immortal were there outside? Could they be counted on one hand?

There were lands beyond the heavens, and men beyond men. There were not many or few land immortals.

As for the woman in the grasslands outside the border and the young Daoist priest from the Thousand Autumn Temple in Yuezhou, Songlai Country, they politely refused the “Chen sword immortal’s” kindness, and they chose to stay in their hometown.

One of them asked if the young master was married, and the other asked if he was a Daoist.

They simply did not have much to say to each other.

The Paradise View Daoist Chen Ping’an clone used a celestial skill and sent the woman and chivalrous man to this place, handing them over to 姜尚真. He then returned to the sky.

It turned out that during this trip, 姜某人 would really be surrounded by beauties, and Shanzhu understood him.

As a result, when Mai Qing heard that the other party was named Zhou Fei, she was so scared that her face turned pale, and her beauty paled as well. Zhou Fei of Spring Tide Palace?! What was the difference between that Chen sword immortal and a black-hearted merchant who abducts women?

姜尚真 had prepared what to say, and he said normally while smiling as he explained that he just happened to have the same name as Zhou Fei. In fact, he had a great and irreconcilable hatred for the thief Zhou from Spring Tide Palace, so he deliberately changed his name to Zhou Fei in order to lure him out, so that he could fight him to the death. Looking at the sad but resolute face of the blue-robed man, the naïve woman believed him. The great bearded chivalrous man, on the other hand, frowned slightly, wondering if he had been conned.

姜尚真 took out a talisman boat and carried them all to the location of the well that Chen Ping’an had pointed out. Mai Qing reached out and crushed the white clouds beside the boat, seemingly casually asking if there were many Daoist cultivators like Chen sword immortal outside. Jiang Shangzhen replied, “There are many half-baked cultivators like me. Not to mention geniuses, I can’t even be called above average. There are many of them outside. But there are very, very few romantic figures like Chen sword immortal.” Mai Qing remained impassive, but she was sneering inwardly. “See, men’s words are all lies.”

Xu Jiaoqie sat upright and said with a heartfelt voice: “Can this junior ask a presumptuous question, how did Jianxian Jiang enter Fallen Mountain and become the chief provider?”

姜尚真 felt his scalp tingle, and he wanted to ask back how the girl had become like this. He gave a perfunctory answer: “ShanZhu and I were friends at first sight.”

When they arrived at the unremarkable well in the countryside, a verdant sycamore leaf was suspended above the well.

Ge Shu Longshang took out his wine pot, took a sip of wine, and his life was drifting, indeed with the feeling of fallen leaves falling from a building.

姜尚真 put away the talisman boat and jumped into the well first. Without needing 姜尚真’s reminder, Xu Jiaoqie narrowed her eyes and focused her mind, clearly to take the rear.

Ge Shu Longshang put away the wine pot and without any hesitation, jumped in. He felt dizzy, and it was as if he had fallen into an ethereal realm. All he could see were seven-colored fireflies that were flying fast. After looking at it for a while, the sword cultivator, whose foundation was not bad, began to vomit. He felt as if he was vomiting bile, and when his feet landed on the ground, the man was staggering, but he saw that the Zhou Fei, who had a depressed face, had already untied his hair and was wiping the dirt on his head. Ge Shu Longshang smiled awkwardly, and Zhou Fei smiled. Then, the great bearded chivalrous man was suddenly struck on the head and his eyes were seeing stars, and he fell to the ground. The woman who was sitting on him stood up in a hurry, and just as she was about to apologize, she bent over. Ge Shu Longshang was worthy of being a martial general who had been through many battles, and he dodged the “hidden weapons” with a skillful roll. 姜尚真 then felt somewhat regretful. Xu Jiaoqie landed lightly and reached out to gently pat Mai Qing’s back.

The capital of Great Fountain, Mirage City, had arrived.

Here, guarding the small courtyard well was a lay Daoist priest with a family. He had once been a relegated immortal who had gone to the Lotus Root Paradise to experience the world, and after being thrown out of the View Daoist temple by the Old View Daoist priest, he had obtained an edict and was guarding the door. The Old View Daoist priest told him that he did not need to care about anything, and just had to wait here, but if the people who ran out of the well were to kill him, he could not complain, and had to blame his fate. As for when he could regain his freedom, he would know when the time came.

Since he was free anyway, the young Daoist priest with a jade-like face married a wife and had children here. He had also taken in a few concubines, marrying a virtuous woman and taking in beautiful women. They got along well and called each other sisters. Anyway, they were free, so they fought on rainy days, and they fought on snowy days. He was worthy of being a Daoist priest who specialized in sexual arts. He had never lost, and since the bed was harmonious and everyone was treated fairly, the wives and concubines naturally did not have to fight for favor.

The young Daoist priest was holding a horsetail whisk and carefully stood under the eaves, not daring to get close to the well. He said in confusion: “Is it the old sect master Jiang?”

姜尚真 smiled: “How do you recognize me?”

The Daoist, who had a way with youth, hesitated. One of his elders in the sect had been poisoned by the thief Jiang and had returned to the sect after suffering a great emotional injury. It was rumored that she often drew a portrait of the unfaithful man and threw it into the fire, burning the thief Jiang to ashes and still not feeling relieved. Then, she would draw another one and have her maid throw the drawing into the common latrine pit. When the Daoist was young, he had squatted in the latrine one time, and when he looked down, he had almost been scared out of his wits.

The Daoist did not dare to tell the truth, and he said dejectedly: “This junior is Liu Xun, Daoist name Yushan. I greatly admire the old sect master Jiang.”

姜尚真 hurried to stand in front of the two women and pretended to be surprised: “You are Liu Yushan, so you are a big lecher?”

刘愻, who had been accused first, felt helpless and said: “This junior is just cultivating the unorthodox left side of the Yellow Old Red Seal, and this supreme art is a Daoist practice in bed. I have no evil desires, and the union of men and women, the supplement of yin and yang, I believe, the old sect master Jiang can understand.”

姜尚真 coldly snorted a few times and said in a serious tone: “How can I understand? I don’t understand, and I don’t accept it!”

刘愻 then changed the subject. “Old sect master Jiang, what are your arrangements next? Does this junior have a chance to contribute?”

Other than having him lead the way and sneak into the palace to the emperor’s dragon bed, everything else was fine.

After all, a genuine 元婴 Daoist priest had some weight in the current Great Fountain Dynasty and 桐葉洲.

姜尚真 asked: “Can we return to the Lotus Root Paradise through this well?”

刘愻 shook his head: “I’ve tried it, and it definitely can’t be done.”

姜尚真 looked around. The heavy rain had stopped, and he looked up at the sky. The rain had stopped, and the sky was clear and blue.

姜尚真 was also afraid that this infamous scoundrel would scare the two young maidens, so he re-summoned the talisman boat and went straight to Fish Scale Ferry in Cloud Rock Country to hand over the letter to Wen Yu.

When the talisman boat went through the clouds and went further away, Liu Xun stood there the entire time. After a long time, he spat softly. What a scum. Thief Jiang, you have the nerve to strike first and accuse me of being a lecher.

Just as Liu Xun was about to turn around, a willow leaf appeared in the courtyard. As if drunk, it swayed and came to Liu Xun, and finally stopped at the center of his eyebrows.

“The wild crane has no grain, and the world is wide. Why do you have to imitate the literati’s pretentious behavior, and the same line looks down on the other?”

“You hurt my heart, so I’m going to hurt your great Dao.”

Liu Xun hurriedly bowed and apologized repeatedly.

On the way to Cloud Rock Country, it was as if another heavy rain had arrived on schedule. Jiang Shangzhen estimated that it meant three days of rain and one day of rest, and that the cycle would end after three times?

姜尚真 had no hope for this Daoist lecture from the three ancestors. He was just watching because it was none of his business. After all, Jiang Shangzhen did not recognize the foundation of the three teachings.

Even though the heavens were raining, it had nothing to do with him.

It did not fit his personality to regret missing this great opportunity. But to say that he had no regrets was a lie. If he had known earlier, he would have read a few more Daoist classics.

姜尚真 was now more curious about whether Chen Ping’an could gain something from this rain. He thought that it would be impolite to ask ShanZhu directly, and he was afraid that he would be ruining something. Thus, he asked Cui Dongshan, and Cui Dongshan’s reaction was very strange, saying that the teacher had gone to extremes in order to break through. There were only two situations: either he would master everything and smelt it into one, and be able to gain a lot, or they would cancel each other out and be exhausted. There was no third possibility in the middle.

Without clouds, it was raining, and the world was dark. The talisman boat was like a fish swimming in the air, and Ge Shu Longshang and Mai Qing both had their eyes opened. The talisman boat was like an invisible oil-paper umbrella.

For thousands of years, there had been many sad people in the world.

If the heavens were sentimental, the wind would move the heart, and tears would fall.

姜尚真 took out a pot of wine and a few porcelain cups. Xu Jiaoqie said that she never drank alcohol, fearing that it would affect her work. Ge Shu Longshang was a drunkard who would lose half his life if he did not drink for a day, so naturally he would not be polite with Zhou Fei, the brother who had a deadly feud with the lecher Zhou from Spring Tide Palace. He took the flower god cup, and Jiang Shangzhen helped him fill a cup of celestial wine. The great bearded man tilted his head and drank it all in one gulp. He complained that it was not enough, so he simply asked Zhou Fei for a jar of wine. He drank and drank, loudly praising it, and he put the wine jar at his feet. With one hand holding the cup, he was singing loudly with the other hand hitting the railing. Mai Qing had never drank alcohol in her life. She just felt that since she had left home to travel the world, it would be a bit inappropriate if she did not drink alcohol. As a result, she did not know how heavy the alcohol was, and she poured a big mouthful, choking the girl so badly that her face instantly turned red. The second time, she only dared to take a small sip, and she found the taste of the alcohol. Jiang Shangzhen laughed and praised her. “Miss Qing Qing is truly a born daughter of the rivers and lakes.”

姜尚真 took out a stack of fake passes from his sleeves and gave two books to Ge Shu Longshang and Mai Qing each, and explained: “When traveling through the mountains and rivers, you need a pass. In the past, cultivators did not need to be so particular. They could travel anywhere, but now 桐葉洲 is very strict. If cultivators do not have a proper identity, it is easy to go to the academy to have tea and read books. I have taken the liberty of writing your real names on your passes. You can fill in the remaining book with the aliases you have thought of. Don’t worry, the seals of the various governments and passes on the two books are all real.”

Mai Qing opened the pass, which was a long list of folds. She admired the official seals of different fonts and styles and praised: “They are dazzling and extremely beautiful.”

The woman was determined to collect one hundred pass seals in the future.

Ge Shu Longshang smiled: “Old sect master Jiang is truly an old player.”

Jiang Shangzhen understood his words and smiled: “My real name is Jiang Shangzhen, and I used to be the head of a sect. I am somewhat famous in 桐葉洲, but I was unable to please everyone in the sect, so I wisely resigned and let someone more suitable take over. That’s why the lay Daoist priest who was guarding the well called me ‘old sect master’. Daoist Yushan is scolding me in a roundabout way. It is fate that we are in the same boat. In the future, you can call me Daoist Jiang, Brother Jiang, or Big Brother Jiang.”

姜尚真 shifted his gaze and asked with a smile: “Miss Xu, are you going to use your real name Xu Jiaoqie on this trip to 桐葉洲?”

Xu Jiaoqie smiled and said: “I want to learn from the Hidden Lineage Official, who often changes his aliases when traveling the world. I will use Luo Wan.”

She did not even know why she was so fond of the name “Luo Wan.” The thought occurred to her naturally, as if a person walking on the shore suddenly saw a fish leaping out of the water.

Every time she mentioned the Hidden Lineage Official, the woman’s eyes were full of admiration.

姜尚真 handed over a pass and smiled: “Luo Wan is a very fitting name.”

The material was exquisite, the warp and weft crisscrossed. The magnificence of Luo Wan was extremely seductive. The weaver’s craftsmanship could be called ingenious.

姜尚真 asked with a heartfelt voice: “Miss Xu, has Chen ShanZhu told you the inside story of this trip to Cloud Rock Country?”

韩玉树’s celestial body was in Jiang Shangzhen’s hands, and it had been used twice in the 蠻荒 world, leaving a glimpse in the eyes of others.

Luo Wan nodded: “The Hidden Lineage Official told me to disguise myself as that Han celestial and take a trip to the Sky Eye Academy to prove my innocence. I must act well with the Headmaster Wen and strive to give the Three Mountain Paradise a reassuring pill.”

姜尚真 lazily leaned on the boat rail, pinched the neck of the wine pot with two fingers, and shook it gently. He sighed for no reason, “Heaven is going to rain and my mother is going to marry.”

In the Mirage City of the Great Fountain Dynasty, in addition to the snow scene of the Lapis Lazuli Realm, which was recognized by both the mountain and the mountain of 桐葉洲, there were also 100,000 peonies, which were magnificent and unrivaled in the world.

There were also guests at Liu Xun’s residence.

A white-clothed young man with a mole between his eyebrows and a green jade hairpin in his hair. Beside him was a Confucian youth with a white jade hairpin in his hair.

Both jade hairpins were given to them by their teacher, and they were carefully carved. Each had an eight-character inscription in small print.

Cui Dongshan’s inscription was: “Crimson railing jade paper, new as if untouched.”

Cao Qinglang’s inscription was: “When looking at him, he is stern, and when approaching him, he is gentle.”

Now that his teacher had personally caught the deeply hidden Xiao Xing, the Paradise was truly at peace. Cui Dongshan had already negotiated the price with the cultivators in the Paradise.

Eight out of ten were willing to bring their fellow disciples and descendants back to their hometown of 桐葉洲. As for the one or two who chose to stay, it was not that they did not want to return to their homeland, but Cui Dongshan had opened some of the formations and restrictions, allowing them to personally experience what it meant to have an abundance of spiritual energy in a top-grade Paradise. As a result, those who left and those who stayed had to pay.

Those who did not have enough money had to owe it first, and they could pay it back slowly in the future. Those who went to 桐葉洲 were guaranteed by the Green Ping Sword Sect that they would not be urged to pay back the debt within a hundred years, and the interest rate was not high. There was no need to rush to pay it off.

The price was calculated according to the number of people. There was a price for each one, those with higher cultivation levels and those who were closely related to the sect leader. If the price was too low, wouldn’t it be disrespecting their future achievements? Could these chosen ones tolerate this insult?

As for the fleeing refugees and husbands, they did not talk about money. If Cui Dongshan dared to open his mouth with such a conscience, he would have to worry about his legs being broken by his teacher.

Cui Dongshan was still doing things quickly. Since there was this extra passage between the Lotus Root Paradise and the Great Fountain Dynasty, there was no point in wasting it. On this matter, he and his teacher had the same idea. The Old View Daoist priest would definitely not leave this road for long, and he might take it back at any time. While Xiao Mo was now with the Old View Daoist priest, hurry and have the foreign cultivators in the Lotus Root Paradise leave as soon as possible. In this way, the matter of moving the umbrella would be easier.

Otherwise, with Chen Ping’an’s consistent style, he would have had Xiao Mo or Jiang Shangzhen and Cui Dongshan bring the umbrella back to 桐葉洲. After all, moving the entire Paradise, especially one that now had the Great and Small Five Mountains and a complete Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, would be more difficult than moving an ordinary celestial mountain. Moreover, during the trip, this oil-paper umbrella, which could not be placed in the natal qi mansion with celestial means, would cause an unpredictable disaster to the living beings in the Paradise if there were any “turbulence” or “shocks,” not to mention damage.

Therefore, Chen Ping’an could not help but be cautious and careful.

When Xiao Mo returned to Fallen Mountain from the Azure Abyss Heaven, it was estimated that Xie Gou could also return to the Vast Righteousness Heaven from the Ten Thousand Mountains, just to give them a chance to be alone.

As for whether Xiao Mo could remain a virgin and whether Xie Gou could cook the rice, haha, it was up to them.

Liu Xun sensed the movement in the well courtyard and hurried over. Either no one came, making him wait here for a year after year, or everyone came here in droves. Had they made an appointment?

Although he was restricted by his duties and status, and was not allowed to leave the capital for a moment, Liu Xun was, after all, an old 元婴 immortal and was still well-informed. He knew a lot about the changes in the outside world through the purchase of landscapes and official reports, so he immediately recognized the identity of the white-clothed youth. Cui Dongshan, the first sect leader of the Green Ping Sword Sect, and the young Hidden Lineage Official’s disciple from the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Liu Xun did not dare to be careless and reported his identity to the two uninvited guests again.