The manor, though called a three-courtyard residence, sprawled across the land like a princely demesne. Winged eaves adorned its palace-style roofs, tiled with jade-green glazed ceramics, and the main hall stretched seven bays wide.

Having gained entry to the Grand Tutor’s estate, Chen Ping An was led to the eastern wing of the third courtyard, a side hall used for counsel and hosting guests. He shifted two chairs, placing them face-to-face, and they sat, each regarding the other.

They reversed their roles, guest and host. In days past, Green Gorge Isle had been unreachable; now Chen Ping An had finally set foot upon it. Now, the Grand Tutor’s residence was a fortress hard to breach, yet Liu Laocheng found himself seated within.

Liu Laocheng had already employed an illusion, donning a spare magus robe to conceal the horrifying wounds beneath, and was channeling the art of water to mask the reek of his own blood.

His disarray was considerable. Not since ascending to the Upper Five Realms had he suffered such indignities.

Xie Gou, in tow, entered the hall. Forgoing a seat, she strode to a towering bookshelf and plucked a volume, feigning to peruse its pages.

Chen Ping An signaled with his eyes for her to depart. Xie Gou, with utmost gravity, declared, “Should this knave harbor malice and strike to kill, I shall serve as a shield for the Grand Tutor.”

Liu Laocheng’s eyelids twitched ever so slightly.

Chen Ping An waved his hand dismissively. Xie Gou reluctantly slipped the tome into her sleeve – seemingly a secret record from the Imperial Observatory of the Great Li capital, a precious, unobtainable volume. Chen Ping An glared, and Xie Gou placed the book back upon the shelf.

Once Xie Gou had departed, Chen Ping An smoothed his azure scholar’s robe, crossed one leg over the other, and announced, “Island Lord Liu, make yourself at home. We have a quarter of an hour for idle chatter.”

Liu Laocheng remained silent, hand pressed to his chest. The dagger of the weasel-hatted girl had pierced him several times in the back. Though “external wounds” and not immediately fatal, they had wounded both his Yin and Yang spirits. One more strike, and his very foundation would be jeopardized, threatening not merely a single fall in rank, but a precipitous descent.

Thus, it seemed the second-seat steward of the Fallen Mountain, Xie Gou, backing the Fourteenth Realm Xiao Mo, possessed a higher cultivation than Liu Laocheng had anticipated from a peak Ascendant Realm swordsman.

First, the battle against Liu Tui’s Yang-Spirit Doppelganger, then the pursuit by Liu Tui’s true form, followed by Xie Gou’s assault… all the cultivation Liu Laocheng had painstakingly accumulated since reaching the Immortal Realm had been squandered. The trump cards he had saved for desperate measures had nearly been exhausted. To say he wasn’t aggrieved would be a lie, especially since his heart truly ached.

During his flight, Liu Laocheng had realized the trap laid for him had been the independent work of the Jiang Clan Patriarch of Cloud Grotto Paradise, not orchestrated by Chen Ping An.

“Do not sour the relationship with Gao Mian,” Liu Laocheng stated.

“Of course,” Chen Ping An replied.

For a moment, Liu Laocheng knew not how to begin. He slumped against the chair back, a survivor of a near-death experience, feeling as though he had returned from another world.

Chen Ping An did not seem to intend his death. Perhaps Jiang Shangzhen had merely sought to test him, to drive down the price and gain the largest advantage. Yet, Liu Tui, the mad dog of Heavenly Melody Village, truly wished to slay him. If, near the Temple of the Flower Goddess, Liu Tui had still considered the extent of Liu Laocheng’s power, in the capital’s heartlands, he had revealed his true form, forging a death feud between them.

Liu Tui was indeed remarkable. During their struggle in the capital, the River Dragon from Fuyu Continent exuded an icy, ruthless Taoist aura. Devoid of the caution and calculations of a registered cultivator, he cared nothing for the reputation or dignity of a continent’s lord. In short, his intention was to kill Liu Laocheng!

Having been tricked twice by Liu Laocheng, Liu Tui would never forgive him. Liu Laocheng felt neither resentment nor anger. He neither feared Liu Tui, resolving to live a life of trembling fear, nor did he hate Jiang Shangzhen. He was, after all, no saint himself.

Jiang Shangzhen’s nature was unpredictable and multifaceted. As Chief Steward of the Fallen Mountain, Former Sect Master of Jade Rule Sect, and Jiang Clan Patriarch of Cloud Woods, Jiang Shangzhen would speak differently and act differently.

As for Xie Gou’s attack, perhaps it was akin to a child in a common household, kicking a table leg in a fit of pique?

Had she truly sought his death with her sword, Liu Laocheng would have surrendered to his fate.

Liu Laocheng produced a porcelain vial from his sleeve, poured several immortal pills into his palm, and swallowed them with a hearty chew.

For a rogue cultivator of his ilk, surviving such a tempest was not a cause for despondency, but a reason for exhilaration! He craved a solitary, celebratory drink!

Chen Ping An knew the situation near the Temple of the Flower Goddess intimately. Not only was he now Ascendant Realm, but with Song Yunjian holding court at the Grand Tutor’s residence, the entire capital lay bare before him, more effective than any Mountain-Gazing Divine Art. Yet, he had not intervened in Liu Tui’s attack, only allowing Xiao Mo or Xie Gou to act at the crucial moment. The Book Brief Lake may be Liu Laocheng’s, but the Great Li capital was not his.

Liu Laocheng silently channeled his Qi, employing secret techniques to mend the landscapes of his body and heal his flesh. Beneath the two robes, muscle and sinew writhed, flesh growing upon bone at a visible pace.

Seeing Liu Laocheng make no move to speak, Chen Ping An broached the topic. “Not only will the True Realm Sect be replaced in Book Brief Lake, but so will the current Lake Lord. However, Jiang Shangzhen has acted with undue haste.”

To call Jiang Shangzhen’s actions reckless would be unjust. He wished to strike while the iron was hot, while the newly Ascendant Chen Ping An still carried the qi of Treasure Bottle Continent. Decisions made now, affecting the Great Li court or the Fallen Mountain, anything deeply connected to Chen Ping An, would achieve the greatest success. This golden opportunity was fleeting. If missed, the same decision made even tomorrow would be less effective. Jiang Shangzhen was a businessman. While he might spend money freely, he held a firm grip on how to earn it.

Mortals could not perceive the ethereal currents of national fortune, but great cultivators could sense them instinctively.

Liu Laocheng, hastily restoring his power, had arrived at the Grand Tutor’s residence and blocked Liu Tui from the capital’s array, earning himself a temporary reprieve. Once he left, however, his fate was uncertain. Whether he could even leave the Great Li capital was questionable.

Chen Ping An chuckled. “Your temper has flared as well. You might have heard Jiang Shangzhen out, to discover where he intended to relegate you.”

“This does not seem to be your usual style.”

“Furthermore, to be suspicious in broad daylight is the mark of a guilty conscience. If your heart holds no demons, why fear the dark?”

Hearing this, Liu Laocheng hesitated, then explained. “Employing a heretical method mimicking Confucian Life-Bound Characters, the two Temple of Literature and Martial Arts spirits I summoned cannot be sustained for long. The moment I saw Jiang Shangzhen, I employed this divine art. I had neither the mood nor the courage to waste time with idle words. I feared he knew my situation and my temper, and was deliberately stalling.”

Chen Ping An nodded, refraining from probing into the “Life-Bound Character” art. He shifted the topic. “Might I inquire as to the origins of those imitation Zhang Suojian talismans?”

Liu Laocheng replied, “I have a disciple, Jiang Yun, a bastard child of the Cloud Woods Jiang Clan. You must remember him. He possesses an original Zhang Suojian talisman, and I have studied it assiduously for decades, finally managing a crude imitation.”

Chen Ping An said, “Island Lord Liu’s achievements in the Way of Talismans cannot be called exceptional.”

Liu Laocheng’s lips curled in a bitter smile. After a moment’s silence, he asked, “Will you not ask how I managed to replicate the Life-Bound Character Divine Art? Not to boast, but however closely you may observe, attempting to steal it will prove futile.”

Chen Ping An said, “That would be to shame you.”

After a pause, he added with a smile, “Nor shall I engage in such a transaction.”

To forcibly seize a trump card from Liu Laocheng within the Grand Tutor’s residence would be to shame the former Lord of Book Brief Lake. But should he offer it willingly in exchange for a protective talisman, he would be denied.

Liu Laocheng turned to gaze at the peach blossoms and golden-crowned Taoist priest in the courtyard, and said softly, “Believe it or not, my last words outside were sincere.”

He recalled the young accountant from Green Gorge Isle, only able to board and leave Willow Palace Island alive because he carried a jade token inscribed with “I nurture vast and righteous qi.”

Chen Ping An nodded. “I believe you. But I maintain, we are both culpable.”

Liu Laocheng scoffed, despite his deep cunning, fortuitous circumstances, and rapid advancement, he was at the core, just a scholar.

Rong Yu, standing at the study door, softly announced, “Xiao Pu of the Bamboo Basket Hall has arrived, Grand Tutor.”

Chen Ping An nodded. “Tell her to wait a moment.”

Liu Laocheng asked, “Give me a straight answer. How do you intend to dispose of me?”

Chen Ping An replied, “Return to your Book Brief Lake and remain there for now.”

Liu Laocheng frowned. “That is a straight answer?”

Chen Ping An countered, “Then let me rephrase: by the hour of the Dog tomorrow, Liu Laocheng must arrive at Willow Palace Island to await orders. Is that a straight answer?”

Liu Laocheng was momentarily speechless.

Chen Ping An continued, “I have only formed a vague notion. Wait patiently; rest assured, you will not wait long.”

Liu Laocheng sighed. He could scarcely imagine the state of affairs when the man before him next set foot on Book Brief Lake.

Chen Ping An turned to gaze out at the courtyard, saying with quiet detachment, “Each looks to his own corner, rarely beholding the thoroughfare.”

Chen Ping An rose, and Liu Laocheng followed suit, even though Chen Ping An had revealed nothing.

Chen Ping An smiled. “Island Lord Liu, are you not concerned about your return journey?”

He implied: Would Liu Laocheng not humble himself and ask him to accompany him to the gates of the Grand Tutor’s residence, or even escort him back to the Temple of the Flower Goddess?

For instance, Liu Tui, amassing Yin and Yang spirits, might waylay him upon leaving the capital. Or, too afraid to face Liu Tui outside the city, he might be captured by Cui Dongshan and Jiang Shangzhen, who would then extort his secrets.

Liu Laocheng retorted with a smile, “You truly hold a grudge, damn you.”

Chen Ping An stepped across the threshold first. Liu Laocheng followed him out, cupping his hands in farewell. Chen Ping An merely folded his hands within his sleeves and nodded.

Liu Laocheng strode down the steps, only to be struck a blow to the back of his head, sending him staggering.

Liu Laocheng turned back in astonishment, then understanding dawned. This was true grudge-holding!

Years ago, Liu Laocheng had slapped Chen Ping An on the head.

After that, amidst the vastness of the world and the undulating waters, a solitary boat carried two specks of life. A gaunt young man in a padded coat poled the craft, while Liu Laocheng enjoyed the scenic tour, allowing the former to borrow his prestige. The boat paused in the lake’s center, where they fished, produced their humble tools, and stewed the five palm-sized winter carp. Moments before sworn enemies, they now drank wine and laughed together in the boat.

Chen Ping An said, “When I return to Book Brief Lake, I shall repay Island Lord Liu with a winter carp.”

Liu Laocheng’s heart settled. “What of Jiang Shangzhen and Cui Dongshan?”

Chen Ping An smiled faintly. “My word is law.”

Liu Laocheng persisted, “And Liu Tui?”

Chen Ping An said, “Still, my word is law.”

Back inside, Rong Yu soon brought Xiao Pu, clad in a plain cloth dress and wooden hairpin like a commoner, to the hall.

Of the three branches of the Vindicators, besides the main branch, there was the West Mountain Sword Hermits led by Liu Taozhi. The Emerald Robe Assassins’ position of魁梧 had been vacant for years, with Xiao Pu, who governed the Bamboo Basket Hall, unable to fill the vacancy. The Menders remained a mystery.

Xiao Pu said, “The roster has already been given to Rong Yu.”

Chen Ping An asked, seemingly in jest, “No omissions?”

Xiao Pu, about to make an assurance, hesitated, then amended, “I shall contact the main branch once more to cross-reference our secret records, lest there be any misunderstandings.”

Chen Ping An cut to the chase. “I will permit you to enter Treasure Bottle Continent, but with two conditions.”

Xiao Pu, with renewed attention, said, “Grand Tutor, please speak your mind.”

Chen Ping An said, “First, your activities must be confined to the area south of the Great Du. Second, you must maintain contact with the Great Li Ministry of Justice, with confidential talks, for instance, every three years.”

Xiao Pu grinned wryly, pondering for a moment, then said, “I shall report both matters to the main branch together. Will the Grand Tutor await my news?”

Chen Ping An nodded. “Hall Master Xiao, can you give me a definitive answer by the hour of the Rooster?”

Xiao Pu said, “I can.”

Chen Ping An smiled and asked, “And the recompense?”

Xiao Pu countered, “Is the Grand Tutor’s second condition not a recompense in itself?”

Chen Ping An nodded. “Indeed it is. And then?”

Xiao Pu sighed helplessly. “It seems I must report three matters to the main branch so soon.”

Chen Ping An said, “It seems you are not accustomed to conducting business.”

Xiao Pu felt as if she were being led by the nose, and a touch of irritation surfaced.

Chen Ping An spoke slowly. “Let us establish the rules beforehand. You have only one chance to make an offer. If it pleases me, the matter is settled. We will maintain an unaggressive relationship overall, benefiting each other when profitable, and parting when not, with a clean slate. We will speak of neither morality nor the fate of the realm. But if your price is unsatisfactory, do not seek further negotiations.”

“You are busy, and I am no idler.”

“You are intimately familiar with me, while I still see you through a fog. If the Vindicators believe my price is too high and that they can bypass the Great Li Dynasty and settle to the south, where the Great Li Dynasty has no legitimate jurisdiction, and thus insist on surreptitiously extending their reach to the southern Treasure Bottle Continent, and if the Vindicator Main Branch believes they can take this dispute to the Central Plain Temple of Literature without losing face, then we shall… see?”

Xiao Pu said with a wry smile, “Had I known, I would have sent Senior Brother Liu to negotiate with you. He is more eloquent and thick-skinned.”

Chen Ping An rubbed his forehead. “Also? Again?” You have been plotting this all along.

Xiao Pu tentatively asked, “Truly, you will grant us no second chance to make an offer?”

Chen Ping An said, “I will. Feel free to set prices a hundred or two times by the sea on Treasure Bottle Continent, and see which location has better feng shui.”

Rather than feeling threatened, Xiao Pu found the words amusing. She laughed heartily and gave a thumbs up. “A straightforward man!”

Chen Ping An clapped softly and asked with a smile, “Does the Jade Proclamation Kingdom’s Taoist temple need the Great Li’s help to safeguard it? We cannot offer great assistance, but small favors are within our reach.”

Xiao Pu nearly blurted out, “The Great Li Dynasty, especially you, the young Hidden Official, how is it that you cannot offer great assistance?”

Xiao Pu, of the Bamboo Basket Hall, departed to communicate with her main branch, and took her leave from the Grand Tutor’s residence. The Phoenix Blossom Goddess also paid a separate visit, bearing a gift for the young Grand Tutor, whose tastes were simple.

She had not anticipated that Flower Mistress Qi would entrust her with such an important task. Earlier, walking along the solemn Thousand-Pace Corridor, Wu Cai’s palms had grown slick with sweat from nerves.

After all, it was the clever schemes of officials of the Great Li Dynasty’s departments that enabled it to withstand the barbarian hordes.

The Great Li Song Clan had once held an entire continent, an unprecedented feat in the history of the Vast Expanse.

Upon arriving at the Grand Tutor’s residence, Wu Cai followed a beautiful elder sister named Rong Yu, passing through courtyard after courtyard. The young Flower Goddess’s eyes were filled with curiosity. This was where Chen Sword Immortal held his office!

Inside a hairpin-shaped dimensional artifact were twelve sets of twelve-month Qinghua Wucai Flower Goddess cups, and three sets of the even more precious Hundred-Flower Cups.

Wu Cai lowered her voice and said, “Chen Sword Immortal, I just remembered, Flower Mistress seemed to forget to mention whether this dimensional artifact was to be taken back with us. What do you think?”

Chen Ping An jested, “I seem to recall Flower Goddess Wu arriving empty-handed, carrying bags large and small, panting from the exertion. The Grand Tutor’s residence found your sincerity sufficient.”

Wu Cai was stunned, and gave a thumbs up. The weasel-hatted girl by the door chimed in with a laugh, “Top-notch!”

Xie Gou volunteered to take on a task from Rong Yu, that of seeing guests out. Upon hearing that Wu Cai was a seventh-rank, Three-Lives Flower Goddess, she exclaimed in shock, “That’s high!” Wu Cai, “Oh, is it?”

The weasel-hatted girl raised two thumbs. “It must be high, so strong!” Wu Cai blushed, only asking the one who called herself Gouzi to lower one of her thumbs, saying, “I am only averagely strong.”

Chen Ping An smiled and returned to the hall, instructing Rong Yu to bring him files regarding Long Spring Palace. He finished reading a large stack of secret records just past the third hour of the snake.

The celebration over, Song Yushao and the others left the capital. It seemed the old man had drunk many kinds of wine in his life, but he could never stomach a flagon of “troubling others.”

Besides the Qingliang Sect’s He Xiaoliang and her disciple, there was another group of cultivators from the Northern Ju Continent also “observing the ceremony.”

They were clearly not lacking in funds, lodging at the most famous celestial inn in the Great Li capital. Not the largest, but certainly with the best reputation. Foreign cultivators often came, drawn by its fame. It would be an exaggeration to say that they left disappointed, but the inn was viewed positively as it followed transparent and legitimate business practices that only targeted wealthy outsiders, with an unspoken understanding of not exploiting local residents. However, the inn would subtly remind local cultivators that its high prices might not be a cost-effective option, suggesting they could save money elsewhere. The innkeepers, being beautiful young women with soft voices and sincere eyes, would appeal to the sensibilities of some local cultivators, who would leave the inn exclaiming, “it was bloody expensive!”

The innkeepers would naturally treat the cultivators from the Northern Ju Continent as local residents. As they had Floating Water Sword Lake credentials, the innkeepers secretly consulted the third innkeeper, who suggested a 50% discount. However, the party of visiting cultivators declined the offer.

This group consisted of Sect Master Li Cai’s inner circle and the disciples Rong Chang, Sui Jingcheng, Chen Li, and Gao Youqing. In addition, it included the outsider, Ghost Ax Palace’s Du Yu.

Rong Chang worried that their trip would be fruitless.

Li Cai rebuked him. “Does the Great Li Song Clan not realize their need for someone like the Hidden Official as Grand Tutor? They would sooner pick you, Rong Sword Immortal? This is a rare opportunity. We can’t miss out on this event to form connections.”

Rong Chang did not dare to argue. Seeing that his master had no intention of leaving, Rong Chang inquired about the situation. Li Cai explained that if the Hidden Official was not selected, then she would be giving face to an outsider, which was unlucky.

Rong Chang could only echo her sentiments.

The trip was indeed worthwhile. It was rumored that the innkeepers had a line to the heavens, as they were able to erect temporary high rises. The innkeepers explicitly told their customers who had spent money to ascend to the top of the buildings that they would immediately remove the buildings after the ceremony. They also noted that they were not forcing anyone to spend money to reach a higher vantage point to view the ceremony.

The officials in the capital began to talk about this.

One time, during an internal meeting with the Cao Clan, Cao Gengxin’s father asked him, “Do you need money that badly?!”

Cao Gengxin was taken aback because he knew that his father had the power to send letters via a flying sword to Fallen Mountain and Chen Shan primarily dealt with him.

Today, an unkempt man was bored, so he went to the Dong Banchen Inn to view the scenery.

Another swordsman, who was about to visit the Tongye Continent and only passing through the Great Li capital, also happened to be at the inn. The two of them crossed paths at the inn.

One of them was a Taoist priest named Gao Jianfu, who was one of the candidates to be the next Sect Master of the Shingao Sect. The other was a swordsman named Xu Xuan, who was the only disciple of the Ascendant swordsman named Bai Shang.

The two of them found each other to be complex individuals with similarities, yet they could not relate to each other.

Xu Xuan spoke first. “Coward.”

Gao Jianfu ridiculed him, “Brute!”

The two of them were not viewing the celebration of the Grand Tutor. They instead waited until a group of nuns left the city and they went to the other building.

Rong Chang laughed and asked, “We have all heard and seen this grand occasion. Will any of us see the new Grand Tutor of the Great Li? It all depends on who has the most influence.”

He remembered meeting Chen Ping An the first time at the inn at his hometown. He remembered Chen Ping An as being a simple, honest man.

Gao Youqing shouted, “The Hidden Official is so mighty!”

The Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi has returned home.

Chen Li said, “The Hidden Official deserves this.”

This was an endless feat that had been accomplished as a silent man.

Gao Youqing was afraid of Chen Li, so he said nothing more.

Chen Li acted like an adult and was very careful when doing things. His own master, Li Cai, would also ask Chen Li about the proper course of action.

Du Yu slapped himself in the face.

Rong Chang asked him, “Du Fellow Daoist, what are you doing?”

Du Yu smiled awkwardly and answered, “I am afraid that I am dreaming.”

Several years ago, Du Yu bought a copy of the Swordsman Seal and found a seal that said, “Allow Three Moves.”

He had guessed about the identities of great swordsmen or sect leaders, but he found out it was him.

On the streets, Fu Nanhua, Cai Jinjian, and Huang Zhonghou were walking with their own thoughts.

Old Dragon City and Cloudglow Mountain were on good terms, which was why Fu Nanhua and Cai Jinjian were touring Liuzhu’s Grotto Heaven together, starting from Mud Bottle Lane. After leaving the small town, they each found their own opportunities. Fu Nanhua first married the daughter of the Yunlin Jiang Clan and became the City Lord of the Old Dragon City.

Cai Jinjian was also a Nascent Soul and the Peak Lord of the Green Juniper Peak. Huang Zhonghou, being a Golden Core, got the opportunity to become the new Mountain Lord. There was talk about Cai Jinjian being in the right in mountain, because Huang Zhonghou had become Mountain Lord, which was because he saw two fellows. One of them was a devious young priest, while the other was an honest drunk.

Fu Nanhua asked, “What do you think?”

Cai Jinjian smiled and answered, “It’s alright.”

She had seen Chen Ping An at her dojo at the Green Juniper Peak.

The barbarian horde had occupied Tongye Continent and then traveled over the sea to occupy the Treasure Bottle Continent. The fighting was heavy, and the Old Dragon City was razed. After the battle, the Fu Clan and other clans had not asked the Great Li Dynasty for help.

The Old Dragon City was a secret at the southernmost part of the Treasure Bottle Continent. It had a close relationship with the Great Li, especially with the old capital.

The Song Dynasty had not been to the Old Dragon City. It was a known secret that the Old Dragon City was not the Great Li, but it was better.

Huang Zhonghou brought wine and wanted to give it to the person who helped them find love, but their positions were so different that it would be hard to meet.

Fu Nanhua muttered, “Past accomplishments are now jokes. Past embarrassing moments are now good stories.”

Cui Chan had been using logic to overcome his anger.

It was unknown what Chen Ping An would do.

At the Grand Tutor Mansion, Chen Ping An set his affairs aside and viewed his Master Cui Chan’s study.

When he had returned to the Great Li, he had been pondering about the future.

Song Yunjian turned his head and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Chen Ping An calmed down and stretched.

Cui Chan was a generous person who provided more than what was expected.

Thus, his Master would also provide for him. He had to solve that riddle himself to seek the answer.

If Chen Ping An found that answer, it would be a surprise.