Here’s a fantasy-style rewrite of the content provided, aiming for standard English and a more evocative tone:

**Part 1**

Having disembarked, Ning Yao set her course directly for the Five Colors Realm. Chen Ping’an spoke of an imminent journey to Ascension City. She merely nodded, offering no words. Chen Ping’an then promised a longer stay this time, but still, Ning Yao remained silent, only reaching up to straighten his collar, a fleeting gesture fraught with unspoken sentiment.

**Part 2**

Liu Xianyang, nearing the boundaries of the Western Peak, felt a pang of homesickness so acute it could not wait for the mooring of the night-faring ship. Abandoning the vessel, he took to his sword, soaring toward the Northern Peak. A flash of defiance, the Sword Immortal deliberately kept close to the sea’s surface, his blade cleaving through the waves. As the dawn broke, the ocean became a shimmering expanse of liquid gold. Liu Xianyang looked up, a soft sigh escaping his lips, for he found himself recalling words he’d once spoken; words she had repeated. Casting off the wistful thoughts, Liu Xianyang spurred his blade onward, leaving the gilded ocean for the embrace of the verdant hills.

**Part 3**

From afar, the mountain’s archway came into view. There, in the sun’s bold gaze, sat a young Daoist, a simple wooden hairpin adorning his head. Perched on a bamboo chair, he held aloft a crudely printed Daoist text, using it to shield his eyes from the harsh sunlight.

It was not out of stinginess or neglect on the part of Fallen Hearth. They had merely acknowledged he was not recorded in the ledgers, for a doorkeeper unworthy of being trusted with true immortal texts.

The Celestial Warden felt it was his own fault he could not decipher the secrets contained in true manuals. However, he never returned them. Instead, they were left lying on the table, as though if he could not grasp the meaning within the pages, perhaps he could be reminded of his own aspirations.

It was, instead, during his wayfaring journeys, from the “con men” that he bought cheap “manuals” from, that he picked up on bits of wisdom.

It was from these that he was able to impart knowledge to his disciple, Lin Feijing. There was no knowledge he was hiding. The apprentice would try to grasp his master’s words, and would spend days thinking, only coming away with an inkling of wisdom. The apprentice would then seek out his master and tell him about his revelation.

The Celestial Warden would pretend to act like a master, but he knew his apprentice was slow.

He could not rely on his apprentice. He would have to rely on himself.

Chen Lingjun had once mocked him, saying that it was like only drinking fake liquor, and that he was too poor to be drinking the liquor of the immortals.

The young Daoist was happy enough with his lot.

After his apprentice made him tea, the Celestial Warden tried to save enough coin to give him a proper gift. So he hardened his heart and asked Wei B for permission to help out at the next Night Sojourn banquet.

The divine lord of Wei looked upon his request dumbstruck and did not say anything.

The Celestial Warden thought he was joking, so he said never mind.

What the Celestial Warden never saw was the lord sweating bullets.

What if there was a Night Sojourn and the young Daoist showed up to “help” out and speak his mind? Wei B immediately left to go to the office of Protocol, and also called several important individuals for a meeting. It was there he told them to look out for the Daoist from Fallen Hearth, and to immediately “send” him out, but with the proper formalities. Every single one of the high-ranking officials present looked at each other in bewilderment.

**Part 4**

Nearing the mountain gate, Jiang She suddenly declared, “Five Words, we shall not take the main path, the Celestial Road of Collected Spirits. We shall go around the back.”

Xie Gou sneered, “Afraid?”

Jiang She retorted, “My neck aches. Bowing is difficult. Is that reason enough?”

Xie Gou laughed. “What shame is there in a Daoist greeting? Besides, there are no witnesses.”

Jiang She shook his head.

He held no reverence for the founders of the three teachings, but was, indeed, in conflict with them. Should they meet, it would be as equals. But for the first Daoist in the world, Jiang She could not help but admire him.

“I’ll take a look,” Five Words said with a smile. “I need to see what he’s up to. If you can’t do it, don’t go. I can bow for you.”

After a bit of thought, Xie Gou used his mind to try and persuade him: “Why don’t you guys stay? That way I can have a friend. What’s the point in having honor? If you stay here, you’ll see that positions and fame mean nothing. That’s why I’ve been saying things to Jiang She, to help you! That’s called tactics. When I say these things, the mountain lord and Pei Qian won’t be able to say anything. And when you go to the mountain, you can be like Xiaomi or Pei Qian, and not study. There will always be a reason not to go down the mountain!”

Five Words took the arm of the fur-hatted girl, feeling moved. “It’s good. After 10,000 years, you’re still the Bai Jing I know. But it seems you’re even better now.”

Pei Qian grew up here.

Jiang She always picked at everything, saying that she was never properly taught because he liked to be out and about.

Xie Gou looked up to the archway, a serious look on his face. “Here, one side is strong and unstoppable, the other is retreating and weak. The former, however, does not seek to destroy the latter. Instead, it offers its hand. Do you know what the two sides are?”

Five Words chuckled. “I can’t guess. Why don’t you just tell me the answer?”

Xie Gou said with a chuckle, “Guess.”

The lord of the Fallen Hearth did not put on a big show when arriving at his gate.

The young Daoist simply got up and put his book in his sleeves.

Jiang She saw a young girl training. After seeing them, she did not speed up. Jiang She nodded. Although her martial arts may not be great, she didn’t seem to care what Chen Ping’an, Bai Jing, and Xiao Mo thought. What a treasure.

Soon, the white-haired child burst out. The teleportation technique was easy to learn. The historian who was holding a pen shook out his robes, which caused a dust storm. He had lost his powers, so he was no longer able to collect intelligence like he used to. However, breaking through was not something to be rushed!

The white-haired child ran to the founder and asked him, “Who are they? Should I write them down? I can’t tell what their powers are.”

Chen Ping’an had a hard time answering that question.

He used his mind to say, “Don’t bother. I’ll tell you about it later. Just go to the bamboo building for now.”

The white-haired child said, “You busy with your thing. I’ll take a shower, change, freshen up with incense, and then eat at the old cook’s.”

Chen Ping’an did not bother arguing. “Where’s Xiaomi?”

The white-haired child said, “She’s with Guo, dressing up as female heroes. She’s the right protector, and has a lot to manage. And her bodyguard has to be there as well.”

Jiang She clucked his tongue. Even without powers, her eyes could still see. How could a demonic being turn into a human?

The white-haired child put the pen away and put his hands on his hips. “Doggy, I’m number two now. You gotta move back.”

Xie Gou said, “What are you talking about? You’re not in the ledgers. You can’t just give it to yourself.”

The white-haired child glared. “How dare you speak to the number two like that!”

Xie Gou hesitated. Did this child steal the ancestral home?

The Celestial Warden was just about to greet the strangers.

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “Don’t bother.”

The Celestial Warden hesitated, but still bowed.

At that moment, the gentle-faced women did a strange bow.

The man next to her cupped his hands and said something weird: “Long time, no see.”

The Celestial Warden was lost, and simply returned the bow.

A child wearing green robes flew down and saw the strangers. Chen Lingjun asked the white goose through his mind, “Who are they? How strong are they?”

Cui Dongshan said with a smile, “Pei Qian’s relatives. Just visiting. How strong? Well…”

Chen Lingjun sighed and said, “They’re family. No need to bring it up.”

Cui Dongshan chuckled. “The guy is named Jiang, and he’s been around for a long time.”

“I know more than you think.”

The green robed child ran up to them, looked up at the man’s size, and said, “Brother Jiang, I won’t call you a fellow Daoist. You’re still going strong! You look so young. Those muscles look amazing.”

“Even though I’m short, I’m very close with Pei Qian.

“Brother Jiang, treat this mountain like it’s your own home. You can even live with me. My place is empty. Or the steward can find you a place. Do you drink? If so, we’ll be having a drink tomorrow. And if your wife doesn’t let you, you can just make something up. If anything happens, I’ll take the fall, Just say that the drunkard Qing you are in charge of it.”

Chen Lingjun winked at Pei Qian, telling her that he would be taking care of her uncle.

Pei Qian rolled her eyes.

Jiang She, not saying a word, glanced at the lord of the Fallen Hearth.

Chen Ping’an ignored him.

Jiang She gave in.

Jiang Shangzhen could get a scolding from Jiang She, but Chen Lingjun could not, because he was so polite.

After passing through the archway, they began to climb the mountain. Jiang She said, “After we get to the top, we’ll take a look and leave.”

Chen Ping’an said it was up to him.

Pei Qian said that she had to find Guo and Xiaomi. Chen Ping’an nodded.

On the way, Chen Lingjun made a run for it after being asked about what he and the old Daoist said at the old ancestral hall when the Daoist founder came down.

At the top, they stood next to a railing. The sight of Jiang She made the atmosphere very stuffy.

Five Words broke the silence: “We’re happy that we have two daughters. We met her at one of our old friends’ place. She has a good personality. That’s why we’re happy. But when we first met her, she wasn’t like that. That’s why Jiang She likes Pei Qian more. Both daughters are great, but there are still differences. There’s nothing like a child being like their parents. But Jiang She never says these things to anyone. He doesn’t want me to talk about these things with you guys. That’s why I didn’t tell you guys on the night ship.

“She needed to kill the right demon, and not the “Pei Qian” of now, but the earlier daughter.

“I guess she thought that her demon was that she was too weak.”

The woman’s eyes turned red, and she saluted Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an said, “Why don’t you explain this to Pei Qian?”

The woman shook her head. “I can never say it.”

Xie Gou frowned. “They always behaved well.”

Five Words shook her head. “That’s for strangers. She’s always hard to control when she’s with us. We’re always busy, and can’t control her. We just figured that if her powers were strong enough, she’d be able to protect herself.

Chen Ping’an said, “She has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. When I took her out of the land of the lotus, we tested each other. It gave me a headache.”

He remembered when he was traveling in the continent of the Paulownia leaf. Chen Ping’an was often making sarcastic remarks. One time, the dark child dragged a huge fish out of the water. It was holding onto her arm, and she slammed it to the shore. The dark child stared him down. “Who are you calling a freeloader?”

“But now is different. If Jiang She still cared about his pride, and didn’t dare come to the Fallen Hearth, then I wouldn’t mention this. But if that’s how it’s going to be, then he should listen.”

The silent Jiang She didn’t dare to say anything.

Chen Ping’an, pulling a face, walked to the north of the mountain.

Jiang She silently followed.

After a moment of silence, Jiang She said, “Do not be someone who wins 99 battles and loses the 100th. Be someone who can lose 99 times and win the last battle. The battlefield is like this, martial arts is like this, and life is like this.”

Chen Ping’an, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, said, “Tsk tsk tsk.”

Jiang She looked far to the Gray Mound Mountain and said, “I refuse to believe that in this age of smart people, someone is willing to throw away their destiny, their feud, just to protect someone who isn’t even her biological daughter!”

Chen Ping’an kept saying, “Tsk tsk tsk.”

Jiang She, enraged, snapped his gaze back and shouted, “Chen Ping’an, stop that!”

“I opened up to you, and you’re just being a jerk about it.”

“Fine, you took my daughter away. I, Jiang She, am not qualified to speak about this. But if you mistreat Pei Qian and force her into marrying someone, I’m coming back! You may be the leader of the Fallen Hearth, but do you really think I can’t take that back?!”

Just as Jiang She was about to head to the ancestral home.

A voice, quiet, but like thunder, spoke in the man’s ears.

Jiang She looked at Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an had turned around.

Earlier, Chen Ping’an had spoken with Tong Wenchang about some matters of the Yu Xuan kingdom.

Tong Wenchang felt that he and the young founder were well acquainted. He felt like he understood Chen Ping’an. But for some reason, after going to the sea, the young founder was like a new person. When he sat outside the imperial meeting and had a smoke, he felt like the young founder was reasonable. But during the chat, the young founder looked pleasant, but Tong Wenchang had a weird feeling, that Chen Ping’an, or the new Great Li leader, was going to be unreasonable!

Chen Ping’an was walking along the back of the mountain. Wei B was waiting at a gazebo with a long name. “Give me a date. The emperor has told the Misty Peak Mountain that he will be going to the Fallen Hearth, and will stay there for a few days.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled. “Help me give a message to Song. Tell him that I’ll be visiting the kingdom in the next few days.”

Wei B laughed. “Can I repeat that word for word?”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Wei B laughed out loud.

Cui Dongshan led Jiang She and Five Words to the old cook, saying that they would be having dinner here.

Cui Dongshan then went off to talk with the chronicler.

Jiang She and the woman were confused, but sat down on the bamboo chairs and talked to the old man who was sitting on the chair and fanning himself. Jiang She was in a good mood. He felt like this caretaker, who called himself “Zhu,” was a good person.

Jiang She did not hide who he was. The cook nodded and said something that made Jiang She want to drink.

“Senior, you have an undying and passionate heart. You wish to warm the world, and for that, you’re a great hero.”

The woman received an answer that caused her to wonder why Bai Jing’s comment on what side was being outnumbered was answered with “Love” and “Sadness”.

Should they stay on the mountain longer?