Backtracking, Cai Jinjian moved, yet the moment her foot landed, she knew something was amiss.

More unbearable than stepping in dog dung was doing so and being seen. More tragic still was having the observer announce, “You’ve truly stepped in it.”

Cai Jinjian was no shallow woman, nor a delicate young mistress unable to endure hardship. As one of the numerous offspring of the Cloudglow Mountain Lord, her emergence as the ultimate champion spoke volumes. Cloudglow Mountain, comprised of eighteen peaks, large and small, was shrouded in mist year-round. It produced Cloudroot Stone, a vital ingredient in the alchemical elixirs of the Taoist Dan Ding sect, renowned for its “flawless purity.” Consequently, the people of Cloudglow Mountain prized cleanliness and elegance, most harboring a touch of fastidiousness. Had the town not been so important, Cai Jinjian would never have set foot here, let alone walked through Mudbottle Lane, a place rife with chicken and dog droppings. Most mortifying of all, upon arrival, they, the once lofty immortals, were like stranded fish, abruptly bereft of all support. Their families, occupying blessed grotto heavens, the profound cultivation that could move mountains, overturn seas, and ride the wind, the mystic treasures that could subdue demons, vanquish evil, and command spirits, all were gone.

And so, Cai Jinjian stepped in dog dung.

Fu Nanhua initially found it amusing: the spotless Cloudglow Mountain Cai Immortal, a bootful of sticky, smelly dog excrement. Who would believe it?

But the next moment, Fu Nanhua sternly called out, “Cai Jinjian, halt!”

Standing atop the mud wall, Song Jixin’s pupils constricted, clutching the carved dragon green jade in his palm.

Within the lane, Cai Jinjian seemed to teleport before Chen Pingan. Her hand, as translucent as mutton-fat jade, moved with lightning speed, aiming at the grass-shoe boy’s crown. At Fu Nanhua’s shouted warning, she abruptly stopped, gently raising her hand, then softly patting him. After this act, akin to an elder’s doting affection, she bent down, gazing into the boy’s eyes, which were like a clear, bottomless spring. Cai Jinjian could almost see her own reflection there. Alas, her mood was foul, and she said with a forced smile, “Little one, I know you deliberately slowed down your speech.”

Fu Nanhua sighed in relief. Had Cai Jinjian truly dared to kill someone here, she would likely have been expelled from the town, making all of Cloudglow Mountain a laughingstock.

His face darkened, and in refined Mandarin, he reminded her, “Cai Jinjian, think before you act. If you continue to be so impulsive, I think it necessary to abandon our alliance. I won’t let you ruin everything.”

Her back to the young master of Old Dragon City, Cai Jinjian rapidly chanted under her breath, “Superior beings see the Buddha quickly, inferior beings see the Buddha slowly… Truly, there is a Pure Land; truly, there is a lotus pond…”

She swiftly turned, offering Fu Nanhua an apologetic smile. “I was remiss. I assure you, nothing like this will happen again.”

Fu Nanhua sneered, “Are you certain?”

Cai Jinjian dismissed his words with a smile, offering no further assurances. She turned back to the grass-shoe boy, and in the common Mandarin dialect, spoke to herself, “My Cloudglow Mountain stems from one of the five Buddhist sects, emphasizing the taming of the restless mind and tethering of the willful spirit. Yet, before coming here, I never understood what these truly were. The elders never wished to force my growth, allowing me to explore on my own. Unexpectedly, today in your Mudbottle Lane, I stepped in a pile of dog dung and glimpsed a hint…”

Chen Pingan interjected, “Esteemed elder sister, you stepped in dog dung quite some time ago. Why haven’t you scraped it off?”

The immortal woman, who had felt herself entering a state of Buddhist serenity, shattered instantly upon hearing his words, falling back into the mundane world, her face turning ashen. But Fu Nanhua’s warning still echoed in her ears, and she could only vent her frustration by poking the grass-shoe boy’s forehead with a finger. She glared and said, “At such a young age, has no one taught you that a volatile temper leads to an early death, and harshness diminishes one’s blessings?!”

Chen Pingan, thick-skinned, paid no mind. He merely looked toward Song Jixin, not speaking.

The latter jumped up and cursed, “Chen Pingan, why are you looking at me? What bad luck!”

Fu Nanhua was surprised to find that he felt somewhat displeased even before entering Song Jixin’s courtyard. He made no effort to conceal his mockery. “Cai Jinjian! How amusing. There is someone in this world who would delay the path to immortality for a pile of dog dung.”

Cai Jinjian, uncharacteristically, did not become angry. She gave the unassuming, lean boy a deep look, then turned to leave.

Suddenly, the boy behind her said softly, “Elder sister, your eyelashes are long.”

Did this vulgar, worldly ant dare to tease an immortal goddess?

Cai Jinjian exploded in rage, whirling around.

She was determined to teach this seemingly simple but actually cunning village bumpkin a lesson, even if it meant sacrificing some of her good fortune. Though Cai Jinjian and the others were confined here, like prisoners in a cage, bound hand and foot, unable to wield their arts or treasures, the benefits of her childhood cultivation, like entering the hall and improving her body in return, constantly tempered her bones. While the effect was insignificant compared to those who focused on martial cultivation, it was still enough to deal with a boy who wallowed in the muddy streets. With a casual palm strike, she could tamper with certain vital acupoints, planting the seeds of illness, shortening his lifespan with ease.

But in the dimly lit lane, she only saw a dark, tanned face and a pair of bright eyes.

A bright moon rising from the sea.

Cai Jinjian’s eyes first lit up, then filled with a hint of feminine pity. Finally, those feelings faded from her phoenix eyes, and her smile grew brighter as realization dawned.

Slaying the inner demon was an opportunity.

The Cloudglow Mountain sect, which drew near the Buddha and moved away from the Way, had always adhered to one principle since its founder, Cloudglow Old Immortal: each arising and ceasing was a tribulation.

Of course, there were no set rules, numbers, or patterns to this tribulation. Everything required the individual to solve the puzzle and break the impasse.

Such as Cai Jinjian at this moment.

She believed she had found the restless mind that needed to be suppressed and vanquished: the seemingly innocent, yet obstructing, boy.

And so, she raised her hand again, covering the boy’s chest and pressing down lightly. All of this was done with flowing ease, as fast as lightning. Even though the boy consciously retreated half a step, he was no match for the tall woman’s speed.

Fu Nanhua stared intently at the alluring, curvaceous back. His heart held not a trace of romantic yearning, but murderous intent so thick it nearly solidified into a heart of stone. He deliberately masked his murderous intent, loudly exclaiming in anger, “You already gave him a lifelong ailment with a flick of your finger! That punishment was enough! Why are you still doing this, Cai Jinjian? Have you lost your mind? Are you truly willing to risk everything, even the opportunity for the Great Way, for a worthless wretch?!”

Cai Jinjian ignored him. Fu Nanhua lowered his voice, reverting to the demeanor of an elegant scion of a noble family, and clicked his tongue. “The dignified Cai Jinjian of Cloudglow Mountain, arguing over every little thing with a street boy. Aren’t you ashamed to be seen like this?”

Cai Jinjian turned around, smiling. “This alley truly has a connection with me. Who knew it would allow me to find such an opportunity? It may be small, but even mosquito meat is still meat. A good omen indeed. I have even more faith in that boy named Gu Can now!”

Fu Nanhua was stunned.

Could this woman truly have gained some enlightenment?

Cai Jinjian lifted her foot, seeing the disgusting filth. She chuckled. “Truly, I am walking in dog luck.”

Song Jixin’s face was dark and uncertain, revealing no hint of his thoughts.

The overlooked maidservant Zhi Gui stood in place, silent. For a moment, two pairs of pale golden pupils flashed in her eyes – one eye, two pupils.

Fu Nanhua faintly sensed something, and abruptly turned, quickly looking around. He noticed nothing amiss, and after scrutinizing the young maidservant, found nothing out of place. He could only assume this discomfort was caused by Cai Jinjian’s actions, which had drawn the gaze of the Sage in the town.

Cai Jinjian felt refreshed. The many stifled thoughts that had accumulated before now flowed freely, like a burst dam.

More than a small opportunity?

If not for the fact that the impoverished Cloudglow Mountain truly needed a “heavy immortal artifact” of sufficient weight to suppress the constantly leaking mountain gate’s aura, and that she needed it to solidify her position as the next Mountain Lord, Cai Jinjian would have wanted to leave immediately, returning to Cloudglow Mountain to seclude herself for a decade or two.

Cai Jinjian walked toward Fu Nanhua’s humble alley maidservant.

The boy behind her asked, “Did you do something to me?”

Cai Jinjian didn’t even turn her head. “Little one, you’re overthinking it.”

The boy fell silent.

Cai Jinjian smiled back. “You’ll be dead in half a year at most.”

The boy paused.

She smiled sweetly. “Just kidding, elder sister is teasing you!”

Chen Pingan grinned.

Cai Jinjian and Fu Nanhua had the same thought at the same time.

A frog at the bottom of a well, an ant under a mountain.

Song Jixin, who had been watching the show from the wall, rubbed his temples, a look of rare seriousness on his face.

Even though Zhi Gui had already taken the strange sister to find Gu Can, and the young fellow who tossed money around like water had entered his courtyard,

The clever Song Jixin remained there in a daze. In the eyes of the peerless young master, there was a thin boy standing in Mudbottle Lane, looking at the tall woman’s back for a while before quickly turning his gaze away, heading toward his own courtyard gate. But the wooden gate remained unopened for a long time.

Song Jixin hated this feeling. This fellow, usually inconspicuous, was like a stone in an outhouse, an eyesore if left alone, dirty if removed.

He didn’t even hear what Fu Nanhua behind him was saying.

The young master of Old Dragon City had to repeat himself. “Song Jixin, do you know that there are people in this world who are different from you?”

Song Jixin finally snapped out of his thoughts, turning to continue squatting and looking down at the elegant, richly dressed Fu Nanhua. He said calmly, “I know.”

Fu Nanhua nodded, pleased. “We can be considered half-Taoist friends.”

Song Jixin glanced at the neighboring courtyard gate, somewhat absentmindedly, inappropriately.

Fu Nanhua spoke frankly, “Then I’ll be blunt. Whatever you have, as long as you’re willing to name a price, I’ll sell all I own to buy it!”

Song Jixin was puzzled. “I can tell that your family status is higher than that woman’s. Since she can treat that guy next door that way, why are you so willing to…”

Fu Nanhua took over the sentence. “Treat me as an equal?”

Song Jixin nodded, praising, “You’re quick on the uptake. It’s easy talking to you.”

Fu Nanhua didn’t care about the boy’s condescension, whether it was his position or his arrogant tone.

Unlike Cai Jinjian, who viewed the grass-shoe boy as a lowly ant, Fu Nanhua felt a sense of closeness to Song Jixin, and had always felt a sense of reverence for the Mudbottle Lane area, which he couldn’t explain.

So Fu Nanhua truly regarded the boy before him as a fellow traveler on the Great Way.

On this path, the further one walked, the more illusory and meaningless status, gender, and age became.

Song Jixin jumped down from the courtyard wall and said in a low voice, “Let’s talk inside.”

Fu Nanhua nodded, “Alright.”

As Song Jixin stepped across the threshold, he asked casually, “Just asking, what’s your relationship with that woman who looks so fertile?”

Fu Nanhua replied without hesitation, “We’re temporarily working together, but we’re not on the same path.”

Song Jixin replied with an “oh” and said something inexplicable, “You guys are too wishy-washy. There’s no decisiveness at all. I used to hear that the world outside is full of gods and demons, strange and bizarre, but as long as you’re a cultivator, shouldn’t you eliminate the roots of your grievances to prevent future troubles?”

Fu Nanhua, after all, was a scion of an immortal family who had grown up in Old Dragon City and seen many storms. Hearing these words, he didn’t show any emotion on his face.

He asked with a smile, “Do you have a grudge with him?”

The boy widened his eyes, pretending to be surprised. “What are you talking about?”

Seeing that the man before him didn’t believe him at all, Song Jixin retracted his exaggerated expression and sat down in a chair in the hall first, gesturing for Fu Nanhua to sit down as well. Then he said seriously, “I’ve been neighbors with Chen Pingan next door, who lost his parents when he was very young, for so many years. We’ve never had a fight, believe it or not.”

Fu Nanhua understood the boy’s hidden meaning in an instant.

The boy next door was alone, without support, rootless.

If he died, he died. No one would investigate.

The young master of Old Dragon City didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He suddenly realized that the disturbance in this alley was somewhat absurd and comical.

The poor boy next door, one could say, had attracted disaster and would die because he deliberately concealed Song Jixin’s address.

And just now, this boy, who seemed to have come from a wealthy family, wanted to kill someone, again and again.

Fu Nanhua couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion. No wonder *Shi Zi* said, “The cubs of tigers and leopards, though still unskilled, already have the spirit to devour oxen.”

————

In Gu Can’s courtyard, the child had been locked in a room by his mother. The woman and the old man who called himself “True Lord” were sitting face to face.

The old man put away his palm, with its crisscrossing lines. He smiled and said, “The situation is set.”

The woman asked in puzzlement, “May I ask what the Immortal Master did just now to make that Chen Pingan…”

At this point, she noticed the old man’s eyes suddenly flashing with sharpness, scaring her into shutting up.

The old man looked toward the courtyard gate, gently flicking his sleeve, creating a gust of wind that swirled and lingered in the small courtyard. Only then did the old man say, “Someone of my status, venturing into this place, the deeper I am, the more I find myself in a situation where I’m struggling to save myself. Although I can’t say that I’m completely unable to protect myself at the moment, the longer it goes on, the more… hmm, as that young Song Jixin said, ‘wishy-washy’, only to end up covered in karma. Fortunately, that person is hated by both heaven and earth. Even though he has already stepped back a big step, he is still unable to maintain his integrity and cannot escape his doom. It’s a pity, ah, the situation which was originally hoped to enjoy the incense of thousands of autumns turned sharply and became tragically unwatchable… Taking advantage of this opportunity, I can make some plans for your son, to see if I can not only end the life of that boy, but also cut off the clues for some future saints and immortals, so as to avoid any troubles. So that my newly accepted disciple can ride the wind and thunder on his future path to immortality, and finally transform into a dragon…”

The woman sat aside, hearing snippets and breaking out in a cold sweat.

The old man asked with a smile, “Isn’t it strange? Someone who should be eating and drinking dew and ignoring worldly affairs, why does he cultivate his mind and end up cultivating such a city and a malicious aura? No better than you, an ignorant village woman with a shallow view?”

The woman quickly lowered her head and trembled, “I would never dare to think that!”

The old man dismissed it with a smile, quietly waiting for Cai Jinjian of Cloudglow Mountain to knock on the door.

On the path of cultivation, techniques are boundless, supernatural powers are infinite. Principles have sizes, and the Way has highs and lows.

Cai Jinjian may see you as ants, but isn’t this True Lord seeing her and Fu Nanhua as ants as well?

Why bother reasoning with the ants beneath your feet?