Chen Ping’an sat up and turned to look. Wei Bo had arrived from Pi Yun Mountain, dressed in a long, snow-white robe, with a golden earring dangling from his ear.

No wonder Pi Yun Mountain had the most female officials among the Five Sacred Mountains of the Treasure Bottle Continent.

Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “Is Zheng Dafeng’s alcohol tolerance that bad now? Mountain Lord Wei hasn’t had enough to drink yet? Are you here for a second round with me?”

Zheng Dafeng was probably too drunk to return to his residence on Luopo Mountain and had simply found a place to sleep at the Mountain Lord’s Mansion.

Wei Bo rubbed his temples, explaining how mixing drinks could easily lead to intoxication. “I have two matters, one official and one personal. If it weren’t for official business, I wouldn’t have bothered Mountain Lord’s cultivation in the middle of the night.”

Chen Ping’an asked doubtfully, “Official business between you and me?”

Wei Bo was exasperated and said, “General Cao Wu of Yu Province has something to discuss with you. According to the Great Li military regulations, he can directly contact me with a secret military talisman. He is currently a guest in the Ritual Department of the Mountain Lord’s Mansion and will probably come to Luopo Mountain after having tea.”

Chen Ping’an found it strange. “Yu Province isn’t far from our Chu Province. Generals of a province are usually equipped with private ferries. Why bother the Mountain Lord’s Mansion? Besides, if Cao Wu has truly urgent military affairs, the Crown Prince Mountain God of your Northern Sacred Mountain is near the General’s Mansion. He could have directly delivered him to the gates of Luopo Mountain. Why take such a roundabout way? Is General Cao trying to use Mountain Lord Wei’s name to pressure me?”

Wei Bo chuckled. “I’m just helping to deliver the message tonight. Cao Wu was worried you’d find a reason to decline, saying he just visited the logging yard of Hong Province’s Yuzhang County and met the newly appointed Lin Zhengcheng.”

The Northern Sacred Mountain Lord’s Mansion had records of Cao Wu’s true identity. Cao Wu’s real name was Xu Mao, the former “lance-bearing poet” of the Stone Millet Kingdom. When the Great Li cavalry marched south to attack the old Vermilion Glow Dynasty, the Stone Millet Kingdom, as one of its primary vassals, stood firm. To delay the Great Li cavalry, the two countries engaged in a fierce battle. Cao Wu was deemed responsible for failing to protect his lord, resulting in the sudden death of Prince Han Jingxin. He had no choice but to seek refuge with Su Gaoshan, the Great Li Patrol Envoy, initially securing a position as a scout leader. Over the years, he gradually rose to become a general of Yu Province through his military exploits. He also married a direct descendant of the Shang Pillar Kingdom Yuan clan. Cao Wu enjoyed a good reputation in both the border army and officialdom.

Chen Ping’an frowned slightly. “Then I’ll go with you to the Ritual Department and take the initiative to meet this visiting General of Yu Province.”

Wei Bo smiled. “Giving him that much face?”

Chen Ping’an said with a straight face, “There are only a few province generals in the entire Great Li Dynasty these days, and they’re practically like local magistrates!”

There were only two possibilities why Cao Wu hadn’t gone to the Wild Desolate Lands: either he was stuck in a dead-end position, his path to advancement in the Great Li bureaucracy blocked, or he had gained the emperor’s favor. Emperor Song He considered him a future candidate to head the Ministry of War, gradually detaching him from the Great Li border army system. Cao Wu only needed to accumulate experience and connections in the provinces, and he might have the opportunity to become the person the Shang Pillar Kingdom Yuan clan would push to the central government.

Following Wei Bo, Chen Ping’an arrived at Pi Yun Mountain and met the General of Yu Province, who was drinking tea in an elegant courtyard. A female official was burning incense and brewing tea beside him.

Chen Ping’an clasped his fist and said with a smile, “General Cao, it’s been almost twenty years since we parted in the snow!”

Cao Wu had already risen to greet him, clasping his fist in return with a hearty laugh. “Cao Wu, General of Yu Province, formerly Xu Mao of the Stone Millet Kingdom, greets Mountain Lord Chen. Many years have passed, Mountain Lord Chen…”

Wei Bo, as the host, smiled and told the Ritual Department official in charge of brewing tea and serving guests to take a break, personally attending to the two distinguished guests. The female official, originating from the Jiang River Righteous God of the old Northern Sacred Mountain territory of Great Li, was somewhat disappointed. She gave the young Hidden Official, whom she was meeting for the first time, a graceful curtsy and slowly departed. Pi Yun and Luopo Mountains were so close, and the Mountain Lord was known throughout the province to have a close relationship with the Hidden Official. However, for some reason, the Hidden Official rarely visited Pi Yun Mountain, a matter that many officials in her Ritual Department deeply regretted. She had even repeatedly “petitioned” the Mountain Lord to invite the young Hidden Official to sit in the Ritual Department, but Wei Bo always skirted the issue.

After Chen Ping’an took his seat, he received a teacup from Wei Bo and asked, “May I ask what brings Brother Xu here tonight?”

Xu Mao said, “His Majesty the Emperor is about to make a secret southern tour, during which he will reside at the logging yard of Yuzhang County. As the General of Yu Province, concurrently in charge of Hong Province’s military affairs, I must ensure His Majesty’s safety during this trip. However, the accompanying cultivators in the General’s Mansion are mostly young and lack experience. The experienced accompanying cultivators have all been transferred to the battlefields of the Wild Desolate Lands. Therefore, I worry that we may not be able to handle any unforeseen circumstances properly. I boldly request Mountain Lord Chen to make a trip to the logging yard of Hong Province’s Yuzhang County.”

Chen Ping’an answered indirectly, “Regarding this matter, what did Court Director Lin say? Does he have any suggestions?”

Xu Mao said, “Court Director Lin also believes that his logging yard, limited by its own responsibilities and personnel configuration, is relatively difficult to take care of all aspects, and requires the General’s Mansion of Yu Province to put in more effort.”

This was typical bureaucratic speak, ambiguous and vague. It seemed like nothing was said, yet everything was implied.

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded. “I understand. Please give me a definite date later, Brother Xu. Even if I cannot personally go to Yuzhang County, I will have the sword cultivators in the mountain secretly protect him. After all, this involves state secrets, and I only have a low-ranking ‘Peaceful and Safe’ token issued by the Great Li Ministry of War. In principle, Luopo Mountain and I cannot participate in this matter without an order from the Ministry of Justice. Therefore, Brother Xu can jointly inform the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Sacrificial Rites of the Ministry of Rites with the Mountain Lord’s Mansion to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Only with a definite reply from the imperial court can I arrange personnel and itinerary early.”

The General of Yu Province was immediately relieved, raising his cup with both hands. “Xu Mao uses tea in place of wine to thank Mountain Lord Chen!”

Chen Ping’an also finished his cup of tea and chatted with Xu Mao about the recent situation of the Stone Millet Kingdom. Xu Mao soon took his leave.

After escorting the General of Yu Province to the door, Wei Bo used his Mountain Lord divine power to allow Xu Mao to shrink the land and rivers, returning directly to the secret room of the General’s Mansion.
Wei Bo smiled, “It’s quite obvious that General Cao intends to use you as a favor. After all, in the current Treasure Bottle洲, there aren’t many who can command the Hidden Official. Whether you personally visit Hongzhou’s Yuzhang Prefecture or not, even if just one or two members of the Fallen Mountain lineage show up, His Majesty the Emperor will surely look at General Cao in a new light. I’m more curious about how Cao Wu chatted with Lin Zhengcheng. Do you want me to sound him out? To prevent Cao Wu from taking advantage of you.”

Chen Pingan shook his head and said, “Forget it, I was already hesitant about whether to make a trip to Yuzhang Prefecture.”

Without Chen Pingan needing to ask, Wei Bo spoke about the so-called private matter, “Zheng Dafeng said he now has three choices. Stay at Fallen Mountain, not as a gatekeeper, find a tributary mountain and teach martial arts in the future. Or, go to Tongye洲 to mess around with Cui Dongshan. The third choice is to go to Qi Du, but to make that happen, we would need to jointly recommend him, so he’s in a bit of a bind.”

Chen Pingan raged, “Is that guy’s brain filled with water?!”

You, Zheng Dafeng, a pure martial artist, want to go to a Great Estuary and become a Great Estuary Marquis?!

Indeed, in the Central Treasure Bottle洲, there are now Marquis Changchun Yang Hua and Earl Linli Cao Yong, but they still lack a water deity with the title of “Duke”.

To bring about this matter, no matter who fills the vacancy, the Great Li Dynasty naturally has the right to recommend. Although it still needs the approval of the Literary Temple, it’s just a formality. This is very different from Treasure Bottle洲 wanting to add a Sect-Character Immortal Mansion, because this Great Estuary was dug out by the Great Li Dynasty itself. The Literary Temple won’t interfere with the Song Clan of Great Li on this matter. As for this high-ranking and powerful, yet unresolved, position of Great Estuary Deity, it’s no exaggeration to say that all forces are fighting tooth and nail for it. So, if Zheng Dafeng really intends to go to Qi Du to “pick up the scraps,” besides needing Wei Bo’s help as a go-between, the one who can truly decide the matter is Chen Pingan, who refused to serve as the Great Li National Preceptor.

Wei Bo leaned against the doorframe, helplessly saying, “I scolded him like that too, but he said it was Master’s idea, what could I say? You know that Zheng Dafeng respects his teacher the most.”

Chen Pingan took a deep breath.

Wei Bo glanced at Chen Pingan’s gloomy expression and smiled, “Why are you so agitated? You cultivators seek longevity, and we brave spirits achieve divine status, isn’t it a similar path to the same destination?”

Earlier, when drinking at the Music Bureau, Zheng Dafeng, with blurry eyes, wiped his mouth and smiled, saying that if he could really become such a high official, and Mount Piyun could keep up, wouldn’t it be a blooming of both mountains and waters? Good brothers indeed share both fortune and misfortune, and both have the opportunity to possess divine titles.

Chen Pingan shook his head and said, “Zheng Dafeng is different from you.”

If it were just a simple good thing, merely requiring the expenditure of favors, Chen Pingan naturally wouldn’t hesitate. Even if Fallen Mountain needed to make some exchanges of benefits with the Song Clan of Great Li, it would be a small matter for Zheng Dafeng’s sake. The problem is that Zheng Dafeng’s path to this divine path is extremely complex and has far-reaching effects. One can’t even say whether he’s “repeating the same mistakes” or not. The key is that Chen Pingan still doesn’t know if Zheng Dafeng remembers “those past events.” In short, in Chen Pingan’s view, this matter can be “waited and seen.” After all, a brand new Great Estuary will appear in Tongye洲. If Zheng Dafeng really wants to seek a divine position, there won’t be a situation where “there’s no place to arrange things in this world” in the future.

Chen Pingan asked, “What does Zheng Dafeng himself think? When drinking with you, did he reveal any inclination in his words?”

Wei Bo smiled, “My bad for not making it clear. It’s not as bad as you think. Our Brother Dafeng had already started planning the twenty departments of his own Water Mansion at the wine table, considering which female mountain and water spirits who haven’t been filled to invite. He asked me to make a list for him, saying that it absolutely couldn’t be inferior to Mount Piyun.”

Chen Pingan felt stifled and couldn’t help but curse.

Whether he was cursing Zheng Dafeng for being carefree or cursing Wei Bo for “reporting false intelligence.”

“Enjoy the wine today, worry about tomorrow’s troubles tomorrow.”

Wei Bo smiled slightly, “Mountain Master Chen is busy with affairs and rarely visits our Mount Piyun. Now that you’re here, we must take this opportunity to enjoy a few drinks tonight.”

Chen Pingan said, “With our relationship, why drink alcohol? The friendship of gentlemen is as light as water!”

In contrast, when Zheng Dafeng climbed the mountain earlier, he was constantly hinting to Mountain Lord Wei about the wine and dishes for tonight, asking for some meat dishes, and not making it too bland.

However, Wei Bo pretended not to understand Zheng Dafeng’s hints. Fortunately, Zheng Dafeng didn’t complain about drinking vegetarian wine in the end.

Wei Bo reached out and grabbed Mountain Master Chen’s arm, pulling him back into the room to sit down again. Then he snapped his fingers, and soon palace-dressed female officials with tinkling jade pendants walked into the room, bringing wine and dishes. There were as many as three female officials responsible for carrying the food boxes, could it be the kind where only a few bites can finish a plate? Otherwise, for just the two of them drinking together, why would there be such a big fuss? Moreover, when they arranged the wine utensils and placed the dishes, their movements were particularly gentle, their eyes gazing and their beautiful eyes twinkling.

Chen Pingan smiled and said with a mental voice, “Mountain Lord Wei, isn’t this repaying kindness with enmity?”

Wei Bo smiled, “To condemn someone, one can always find a pretext.”

Presumably, his Ritual Department wouldn’t complain about being too busy with paperwork for the next six months.

Next time Mountain Master Chen visits the Mountain Lord’s Mansion, can the drinking location be moved to the Supervisory Department?

After they all retreated from the room, Wei Bo was too lazy to urge him to drink. He picked up a piece of spring bamboo shoot from the Yan Du Xian soup, chewed slowly, and asked, “The Five Sacred Mountains of Treasure Bottle洲, having a chance to be ‘Enfeoffed as Gods,’ is that your intention?”

Chen Pingan took a sip of wine, “What are you thinking? I’m not even a worthy scholar of the academy, how can I be so powerful?”

Wei Bo said, “But according to news from Middle Earth洲, it seems that your teacher personally put forward this suggestion. The Academy of Rites is also very persistent. Minister Mao even gave a very detailed plan, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of the matter. Among the three Vice and Headmasters of the Literary Temple, one agreed, one opposed, and one has not yet expressed an opinion. Therefore, the Literary Temple still needs to hold a formal meeting, which all the Heads of the Seventy-Two Academies need to attend, to finalize the final result of this matter. On the surface, the possibility of passing is still very high.”
Chen Ping’an nodded, “Since Mount Sui and the other mountains of the Central Earth Divine Continent already possess divine titles, then this matter at least conforms to the rules of propriety. It’s possible that after everything is settled, your divine positions on the Water and Land Register of the Confucian Temple will likely remain unchanged. After all, none of the other seven continents currently have a Great Mountain Lord. In recent years, the Confucian Temple has restarted the grand rites of sealing the great rivers, coupled with the Land Water Transport Master and the establishment of the Four Seas Dragon Kings, as well as the water god escort missions, which can help water gods earn merit. Surely the mountain gods of the lands must have some opinions. If I were in their position, I would also grumble a bit. If five ‘divine titles’ are bestowed upon the mountain lords of Treasure Bottle Continent, it would be a cost-effective matter for the Confucian Temple, both stabilizing the fate of the mountains and rivers of Treasure Bottle Continent and appeasing the mountain god lineage of the world, preventing the Confucian Temple from being too biased towards water gods. In this way, the many mountain gods of other continents will still have hope, essentially creating an additional path to promotion. A win-win-win situation, why not?”

Wei Bo smiled and teased, “The head of Mao Shan being transferred to become a Supervisor of the Rites Academy is truly a masterful move.”

Chen Ping’an grumbled, “What nonsense are you spouting? This is called integrity and impartiality, acting in accordance with public interest. Stop trying to profit and complain at the same time.”

Wei Bo said, “Regarding that gift, next time you go to the Five Colors World, remember to thank Ning Yao for me.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I will definitely convey it.”

Wei Bo tentatively said, “Judging from Zheng Dafeng’s tone, it seems you’re also in urgent need of Golden Essence Copper Coins right now. Cloud-Draped Mountain still has a stockpile of seventy or eighty Golden Essence Copper Coins. Originally, I planned to slowly accumulate a fortune, relying on the Great Li’s offerings and salary, little by little, accumulating for several hundred or a thousand years. Maybe then I would have a chance at prosperity. But now that I don’t need them anymore, why don’t you take them?”

Chen Ping’an waved his hand, “I don’t care for your little bits of beryllium copper scrap.”

Wei Bo immediately held up his cup with both hands, “Mountain Master is generous, I must offer a toast.”

Good heavens, so you were waiting for me to say that, Chen Ping’an waved his hand, “Stop dilly-dallying, pour three consecutive cups first, to show your sincerity.”

Wei Bo indeed drank three cups of wine in a row, hiccuped, and joked, “According to the current customs of Chu Prefecture, for weddings, two banquets must be held, one in Ascending City, and if there isn’t enough space in Fallen Phoenix Mountain, our Mountain Lord’s Manor can help make room.”

Chen Ping’an gave Wei Bo a thumbs up, took off his cloth shoes, rolled up his sleeves, showing that he intended to compete with Mountain Lord Wei at the drinking table, and with a “slurp,” drained a cup of wine.

Wei Bo suddenly said, “Lin Shouyi has been in seclusion for some time, over at the Evergreen Palace. According to recent signs from the Northern Mountain’s earth veins, he and Xie Ling of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect are very likely to advance to the Jade Purity Realm around the same time. Yuan Huajing and the other four are currently helping Lin Shouyi guard his seclusion.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Since I promised Xu Mao to make a trip to Yu Zhang County, then shall we go to the Evergreen Palace first?”

Wei Bo said unhappily, “What does it have to do with me? You going to the Evergreen Palace, they’ll welcome you with open arms. Whether I’m there or not is completely unimportant.”

Chen Ping’an held out his hand, “Give it back.”

Ning Yao liked to read Chen Ping’an’s travel journals, and said that this good habit should be maintained.

On his own mountain, Little Rice Grain is an informant, and moreover, the White-Haired Boy is now responsible for compiling the Chronicle, so it’s impossible to hide anything.

Just thinking about traveling to the Central Earth Divine Continent in the future and also having to go to the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land, Chen Ping’an felt a headache coming on.

It’s like how Chen Ping’an still hasn’t been to the Fox Kingdom in his own blessed land even now.

Wei Bo laughed heartily, “Then I shall reluctantly accompany you on a trip to the Evergreen Palace.”

Green horses outside the willows, red sleeves by the water, flowing robes and jade pendants, colorful skirts and sashes, everywhere莺莺燕燕, orioles and swallows.

It’s as if the female officials of his Mountain Lord’s Manor, whether they were old mountain and water spirits or mountain demonesses, they were almost all curious about this young Hidden Official shrouded in mist and clouds.

Wei Bo smiled, “I find it strange, Ning Yao is such a generous woman, yet you are so meticulous in these matters. Isn’t that rather suspicious, a case of protesting too much?”

Chen Ping’an sneered, “Is this a case of a little mountain god showing off his spatial manipulation to a Great Mountain Lord?”

When it comes to the logic of love between men and women and the knowledge within and outside the books, I can’t beat Zhu Lian and Chief Zhou, or Grand Sword Immortal Mi, those lowlifes, but beating you Wei Bo, Xiao Mo, and Immortal Wei is completely effortless. Even if you all combined, I could handle you with one hand.

Wei Bo was speechless, his face full of helplessness. He should have known not to arrange this wine party for the Department of Rites.

Drink, drink.

Temporarily rely on the wine cup to lift my spirits.

Chen Ping’an finished the wine in his cup and waved his hand, “Drinking like this is boring, just smacking your lips. Hurry up and change the wine cups to large white bowls!”

Outside the water pavilion of the Evergreen Palace, on a path where flowers and birds intertwined, came a woman whose beauty was far inferior to Zhou Haijing and Gai Yan, accompanied by a female cultivator of maidenly appearance, the latter carrying a plate of fruit.

The woman’s name was Song Yu, the Supreme Elder of the Evergreen Palace, and the girl was her direct disciple, named Zhong Nan.

The entire Treasure Bottle Continent often didn’t understand why the Great Li Song Dynasty valued their Chief Offering Ruan Qiong so much, and why they treated the Evergreen Palace, which was still only one of the sect’s candidates, so generously, feeling it was a bit of an overreaction. For example, no matter how nostalgic the Song family was, with the Great Li Dynasty’s current national power and foundation, they should have replaced him with a Chief Offering who was at least an immortal, or even an Ascension Realm cultivator, as the face of the nation.

Song Yu’s Daoist name was “Linyou,” and she was the cultivator with the highest realm and seniority within the Evergreen Palace. She was also the closed-door disciple of the Evergreen Palace’s founder.

The current Palace Master was only this female cultivator’s grand-disciple.

Song Yu was a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator with a very long Daoist age, skilled in maintaining her youthful appearance, but her looks were only average.
Due to the lavish favor and respect shown by the Song Clan of Great Li to the Evergreen Palace, rumors abounded that the Song Clan’s ability to rise from a mere vassal state of the initial Lu Dynasty, gradually ascending amidst internal strife and external threats, and ultimately annexing its suzerain state to become the hegemon of the Northern Aquarius Continent, was due to the behind-the-scenes efforts of Song Yu, who shared the imperial surname, and the Evergreen Palace she founded. It was said that through her mediation, responsible for speaking favorably of the Song Clan to the Lu Dynasty emperors, the Great Li Song Clan was able to await the emergence of the revitalization ministers, Yuan and Cao. Then, a hundred years ago, they finally welcomed the Embroidered Tiger to serve as the Great Li national preceptor, and later, invited the military strategist and sage, Ruan Qiong, to serve as the chief retainer…

As Song Yu personally arrived, Yuan Huajing moved to the steps north of the waterside pavilion and greeted her with a respectful bow.

It was likely that the Evergreen Palace cultivators had sensed the earlier commotion and, fearing an accident, had to trouble the Supreme Elder to personally come and investigate.

Song Yu had actually noticed the abnormality of the glazed tiles on the roof of the waterside pavilion long ago. After receiving the report yesterday, she had deliberately delayed her arrival. Such minor disturbances and financial losses were insignificant. Rushing over at the slightest sign of trouble would have made her Evergreen Palace seem too petty. Remaining composed, she smiled and said, “Thank you for your hard work.”

Gai Yan accepted the fruit plate with a radiant smile. “Not at all, it’s our duty. The scenery here is quite pleasant, pleasing to both the eye and the spirit.”

As the proprietor of the Immortal Inn in the capital, she was determined to turn over a new leaf and improve the inn’s business. Like this waterside pavilion, aptly named “Yesterday’s Fault,” it seemed tailor-made for her. Zhou Haijing, that old woman, was harsh with her words, but occasionally she would say something sensible.

The young girl, following the usual practice, retrieved six jars of Evergreen Palace’s wine from the spatial artifact bestowed by her master.

Gai Yan was secretly delighted, having obtained five more jars. As for the jar belonging to Zhou Haijing, forget it. That old hag was a money-grubber who shamelessly wanted to swindle those jars of wine from Yuan Huajing and the others.

Zhou Haijing leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, and smiled. “After all, we have duties to fulfill, and drinking might easily lead to mistakes. Besides, the calligraphy and paintings in the waterside pavilion are all excellent. It is said that when life is difficult, one only needs to borrow the carefree writings of the ancients to read, and the mind can be transcended and the brow can be broadened. There is no need to drown one’s sorrows in wine. Therefore, we appreciate your kindness, but please don’t send wine again, Immortal Master Song.”

Gai Yan angrily rebuked in her mind, “Zhou Haijing! Are you lacking in virtue? Aren’t you a money-grubber? Why use such a self-destructive tactic?”

Zhou Haijing grinned. “One jar versus five jars, you make big money, I make small money, and I’m not happy. So if you don’t earn a single coin, I’ll consider it a big profit.”

Song Yu was clearly a little surprised to hear Zhou Haijing acting so impartially, but she was, after all, an experienced old Nascent Soul cultivator. She smiled and said, “Sect Leader Zhou is right, but the way of hospitality must still be observed. In the future, we will still send wine. If you are worried about it affecting the gate’s protection, just leave it there. Drink it or not, use your discretion. Even if you save it and take it away after finishing your work, it’s still a small token of our Evergreen Palace’s appreciation.”

Gai Yan had just breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Zhou Haijing’s voice transmission, “Did you hear that? Did you learn anything? You wealthy Gai, if you had even one tenth of Song Yu’s skill in dealing with people, not much, just one tenth would be enough, your Immortal Inn’s business wouldn’t be so desolate.”

Song Yu only strolled and chatted with Yuan Huajing along the lakeside path. She had an excellent relationship with the Supreme Pillar State Yuan Clan, with a deep and long-standing connection that could be traced back to their distant ancestor, Yuan Xie.

Therefore, Yuan Huajing held Song Yu in great respect.

It was only after the Liju Grotto-Heaven opened that the descendants of the Supreme Pillar State Yuan Clan learned that there was a true Yuan family ancestral home in Erlang Lane in that small town. This added another volume to the Yuan Clan’s verifiable genealogy, which was a common problem for many ancient aristocratic families. It was not easy to determine the founding lord and ancestor of the family. Most of the powerful families in each continent regarded the one who received the “heavenly favor” of the monarch as their ancestor. After all, families like the Yunlin Jiang Clan, with such an orderly succession, were rare throughout the entire Vast Expanse.

Song Yu sighed softly. “When my master failed to break through the bottleneck to reach the Jade Purity realm and passed away through dissolution, she left behind a posthumous edict, roughly meaning that we should follow the rules, have no distracting thoughts, cultivate with simplicity, and ‘preserve simplicity.'”

Actually, Song Yu deliberately omitted two words: after preserving simplicity, there was still “as one.”

Yuan Huajing said, “The Evergreen Palace’s success today is entirely due to the willingness of later generations of cultivators to strictly follow the teachings of the founding ancestor.”

In fact, the Yuan Clan also had similar family mottoes and maxims. The Heavenly Water Zhao Clan and other Supreme Pillar State surnames were similar in this regard.

It was difficult for a family to establish achievements and careers, but it was even more difficult for blessings to be prolonged. If one wanted to escape “The grace of the gentleman lasts for three generations, but is cut off in five,” and transform from a noble family into an aristocratic family, and then maintain long-term vitality, whether looking through historical records or around the officialdom, it seemed that there needed to be rules and propriety that silently influenced future generations. Seemingly intangible, it was actually indispensable, and over time, it became a family tradition.

The female cultivator named “Zhongnan,” because of her lack of eloquence, was left alone by her master at the waterside pavilion. She seemed very uneasy, wanting to fulfill her duty as a host but not knowing how to start, resulting in a somewhat cold atmosphere.

The girl’s appearance could only be described as delicate, not a great beauty.

Her original name was Yishan, so she was often affectionately called “Clothes.” Because she was of humble origin, from a boat family in Red Candle Town, and had not yet received an amnesty from the Great Li Dynasty, she was forced to abandon her surname after ascending the mountain to cultivate. Eventually, she was renamed “Zhongnan” on the Evergreen Palace register. Rumor had it that when the Great Li Empress Dowager was recuperating in the Evergreen Palace as the Empress Consort, she was extremely fond of this girl and planned to bestow a surname and change her name to “Songnan,” removing the “Zhong” character, taking the imperial surname Song and the “Nan” from the Empress Dowager’s name “Nanzan,” when the girl reached the Golden Core realm.

However, it was also said that she might be granted the surname Nan and named Song. In this way, the Empress Dowager Nanzan, who came from Yuzhang County in Hong Prefecture, would be adopting the girl into her clan’s genealogy.

Regardless of which option, it would be a great honor for a girl of humble, rural origin.
Luckily, with Gai Yan helping to warm things up, he chatted with her about this and that, and invited her to stay at his inn whenever she passed through the capital in the future, offering a discount.

Zhou Haijing couldn’t help but interject, “Discount? What kind of discount? Eleven percent off?”

The youth Gouqie, resting his walking stick horizontally across his knees, grinned.

Although Zhou Haijing was annoying, his occasional remarks felt familiar and close to the youth, because his tone was a bit like that of Mister Chen.

Sui Lin was a master of Yin-Yang, fate, and astronomy, a Five Elements scholar, so his perspective on Changchun Palace was the most “informed.”

Legend has it that the founder of Changchun Palace came from a family of Yuzhou fishermen. She had no clear lineage, rising from humble beginnings to establish Changchun Palace.

Therefore, the hallmark of Changchun Palace, on the surface, was geomancy, but inside, it was an extremely profound Five Thunders Righteous Method, and it was said to have no connection with the Thunder Methods of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

According to Master Xu of Zhaoling, the dragon is the leader of scaled creatures, possessing both light and darkness, ascending to the sky during the vernal equinox to bring wind and rain, and diving into the depths during the autumnal equinox to nourish its true spirit.

Previously, Cui Dongshan had taken Jiang Shangzhen and his long-lost “younger sister” Cui Huasheng to Bailu Ferry on Zhengyang Mountain. The white-clad youth, squatting on the shore, recited a poem with mountain origins, but it was not widely circulated, seeming somewhat obscure. Later generations occasionally heard of it and could only guess that it was related to a wandering Daoist from Baoping Continent, the founding emperor of the Lu Dynasty, and the founder of Changchun Palace. The content of the poem was like a prophecy, mostly mysterious words: “The Emperor resides in Zhen, the Dragon’s Virtue governs Spring,” “Immortals roam Changchun Palace, not riding clouds but riding white dragons,” “The South Sea rises green, brewing the elixir of immortality.”

Sui Lin had, of course, heard of this song-like poem, so this time, while protecting Lin Shouyi’s seclusion, he took the opportunity to carefully examine the terrain of Changchun Palace.

Zhou Haijing focused his voice into a line, whispering, “It is said that Song Yu and the Qin Clan ancestor of Fengxue Temple’s Salamander Gulch lineage were old acquaintances in their youth, with quite a story? In Baoping Continent, your information is the most accurate, is this true or false?”

Gai Yan said irritably, “False! Someone who practices martial arts has nothing better to do than worry about these messy rumors of the mountains, no wonder you lost to Yu Hong.”

Zhou Haijing grinned, not arguing with this Golden Core Realm female ghost. A martial arts grandmaster like Yu Hong could defeat a lone Gai Yan with ease.

Zhong Nan was not good at interacting with people, she simply stood on the corridor, looking at that mountain peak.

The first meeting between the girl and Lin Shouyi was like a chance encounter.

She only felt that the young man in the green robe on the shore was clean and refined, and when he was in the bustling, decadent Red Candle Town, he was like a spring leaf floating on a muddy water surface.

Zhong Nan wore a Longquan Sword Sect’s official seal sword talisman on her waist, because it was a gift from her teacher and she liked it, she had always carried it with her as an ornament.

Moreover, she had secretly traveled to the old Northern Mountain, not as a formal experience, but more like a leisurely stroll.

In any case, it was close to her sect and in the capital area, and then on a mountain road, she accidentally encountered a muddy little girl holding an umbrella and a girl with a ponytail in a green robe.

They walked together for a while, and the ponytail girl, who never revealed her name, even taught Zhong Nan an obscure fire-based Daoist incantation. Zhong Nan never dared to practice it lightly, after all, Changchun Palace was a Xianjia sect based on water and thunder methods, and she didn’t dare to hide it from her master. Song Yu didn’t say much after hearing the incantation, only telling her disciple to study this rootless fire-based Daoist incantation after reaching the Dragon Gate Realm.

Above the mountain peak across the lake, the clear sky faintly echoed with thunder.

It was undoubtedly a sign of Lin Shouyi’s imminent breakthrough.

There was no Heavenly Tribulation, nor anything particularly… boring.

A moment later, a man in a scholar’s robe walked out of the cave. With each breath, fine golden lightning hung like dragons and snakes from the walls of the mountain near Lin Shouyi’s face.

Song Yu and her disciple Zhong Nan, along with Yuan Huajing and two others, immediately flew to the opposite bank.

Song Yu made a hand seal and saluted, smiling, “Congratulations, Daoist Lin.”

Lin Shouyi returned the salute to this Supreme Elder of Changchun Palace.

Lin Shouyi and Song Yu met for the first time many years ago in that Red Candle Town, one on a painted boat, the other on the shore. Although Song Yu was older and held a high position on the mountain, she was witty and not rigid. She had seen at a glance that Lin Shouyi was an excellent material for cultivation, and had jokingly pretended to be a true mountain immortal, mentioning the “Five Thunders Righteous Method,” showing off her Xian master demeanor with “not so plain” words.

Back then, Lin Shouyi had obtained a *Yun Shang Langlang Shu* (Book of the Clouds) on Qidun Mountain, and had just dabbled in thunder methods. The contents of the Daoist book were difficult to understand, and the young man, who had not been away from home for long, did not understand the true weight of the words “Five Thunders Righteous Method.”

On the waterside pavilion, two mysterious outsiders had taken over.

Chen Ping’an leaned against a pillar, hands in his sleeves, tapping the ground with his toe, smiling, “To be honest, it’s all thanks to the secret manual you gave away?”

Wei Bo, lounging languidly, sat on the beauty’s couch, leaning his hands on the railing, crossing his legs, and laughing, “I dare not take the credit.”

Back then on Qidun Mountain, a swordsman claiming to have watertight sword skills had led those young men and women in “dividing the spoils.”

The scene at the time, according to the little girl in the red padded jacket, was that even Lin Shouyi ran fast. As it turned out, Lin Shouyi was the first to choose a treasure, the delicate youth who spoke the least and had the most thoughts in his mind, selecting the *Yun Shang Langlang Shu* bound with golden silk threads. While studying at the academy, Lin Shouyi had followed an instructor from the Great Sui Dynasty to view thunderclouds in the Great Sui Northern Mountain region. In a Xianjia cave mansion called Shenxiao Mountain, he cultivated for several months, and the instructor had given him a thunder-collecting pot.
In his younger days, when Chen Pingan returned to his hometown, he once climbed a mountain with the girl sporting pigtails. Recalling that Lin Shouyi was the first among them to embark on the path of cultivation, and moreover, cultivated the formidable Thunder Arts, Chen Pingan sought guidance from Ruan Xiu regarding the intricacies of Thunder Arts cultivation. She shared some hearsay, which Chen Pingan meticulously recorded and later gifted to Lin Shouyi. Chen Pingan’s intention wasn’t to find omissions, but to inspire Lin Shouyi.

Later, Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City secretly visited Huaihuang County, locating the Dragon-Slaying One’s remnant soul dwelling within the spiritual abode of a blind Daoist. He then accepted Gu Can as his disciple.

During his stay, Zheng Juzhong exchanged an item with Lin Shouyi for a ‘family heirloom’ mountain-searching map that Chen Pingan had obtained from the blind Daoist Jia Sheng and gifted to Lin Shouyi. The item was a copy of “Cloud Top Azure Book,” which Zheng Juzhong himself had completed.

It turned out that this “Cloud Top Azure Book” originated from White Emperor City in the Central Earth. Zheng Juzhong had once consulted with Dragon Tiger Mountain, and generally, when Zheng Juzhong sparred in Daoist arts, his opponent couldn’t hide anything. Indeed, Zheng Juzhong soon wrote the “Cloud Top Azure Book.” The key was that after Dragon Tiger Mountain “borrowed” the book from White Emperor City, the high-ranking Yellow and Purple figures were speechless. They knew that the other party had drawn upon and learned their Five Thunders Orthodox Arts, but no matter how they scrutinized the “Cloud Top Azure Book,” they only felt a strange, awkward sensation. The Daoist text felt off, every word and line felt subtly connected to the secret Thunder Arts of Dragon Tiger Mountain. Yet, if they were to pursue the matter, Zheng Juzhong had his own logic. Perhaps Dragon Tiger Mountain could even draw inspiration from it.

However, the version Lin Shouyi possessed was incomplete, like the upper volume, suitable only for cultivators in the Lower Five Stages. Zheng Juzhong helped complete the middle and lower volumes for the Middle and Upper Five Stages. Finally, Cui Dongshan filled the three-volume Thunder Arts text with his annotations and insights, which made Lin Shouyi’s cultivation not only swift and unstoppable but also nearly free of any barriers or bottlenecks.

Chen Pingan inquired, “The Great Dao foundation of that old scholar from Cliff Academy?”

Wei Bo nodded and smiled, “Just as you guessed, it’s a clone of the old coachman from Dali Capital, the senior Shen Dao who almost sparred with you. He clearly had an eye on Lin Shouyi’s cultivation aptitude long ago.”

Among the younger generation of the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven, Lin Shouyi, Ma Kuxuan, and Xie Ling were unlike Chen Pingan, Liu Xianyang, and Gu Can, as they experienced extraordinary smooth sailing. From the moment they stepped onto the path of cultivation until they reached the Upper Five Stages, they encountered almost no obstacles, let alone dangerous battles. In a word, they were blessed.

Chen Pingan asked again, “Have you heard of the *Supreme Profound Collection*? It’s also a very high-ranking Thunder Arts secret manual.”

Wei Bo quickly searched his memory and shook his head, “Never heard of it.”

There was a line at the end of a Journeying Immortal poem, “I only wish the master would glance this way, and ask about the Profound beyond the Profound.”

And the “Cloud Top Azure Book,” left in Treasure Bottle Continent, ended up in Lin Shouyi’s hands.

In the Northern Ju Lu Continent, there existed another “Supreme Profound Collection,” which eventually belonged to Sui Jingcheng of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake.

The last time Lin Shouyi attended the Fallen Phoenix Mountain ceremony with Dong Shuijing, Chen Pingan mentioned a secret matter, reminding Lin Shouyi that he could visit the Northern Ju Lu Continent when he had the chance, to visit the Prostrate Peak of the Soaring Cloud Sect and Floating Duckweed Sword Lake. Sui Jingcheng also had a three-volume Daoist text, also on Thunder Arts, called the “Supreme Profound Collection.” If they had a chance, Lin Shouyi and Sui Jingcheng could exchange Daoist texts, which was not uncommon in the mountains. Some sects with good relations would even gift and exchange copies of their valuable Daoist texts to enrich their own foundations. Exchanging items for items and books for books was common.

Like a complement to the “Supreme Profound Collection,” Sui Jingcheng also possessed three seemingly “identical” golden hairpins.

Whenever the hairpins struck each other, they would ripple with halos of light, containing extremely subtle Thunder Arts truths.

The three hairpins were engraved with four-character inscriptions: Spiritual Essence Purity, Literature and Kindness Divine Firmament, Supreme Haze Commanding Ghosts.

This Thunder Arts Daoist text was also divided into three volumes. The only difference between this one and the “Cloud Top Azure Book” was that the first volume of the former only expounded on the principles of the Great Dao. A cultivator with only this volume was almost useless. It was like the five-thousand-word Daoist scripture passed down by the Dao Ancestor, known and readable by everyone in the world, but how many ordinary mortals have been able to cultivate and embark on the path of cultivation solely based on this scripture? However, Sui Jingcheng, through repeated readings of the first volume and her own tinkering, had read out a cultivator at the Second Stage bottleneck. No wonder her senior brother Rong Chang felt that Sui Jingcheng, who had returned to the sect after many years, was simply a peerless genius beyond his reach.

The Five Thunders Orthodox Arts were known as the head of all arts for a reason.

Back then, Chen Pingan always felt that Sui Jingcheng’s Daoist text seemed to be waiting for Lin Shouyi.

So when Zheng Dafeng returned to Fallen Phoenix Mountain this time and revealed the answer to that riddle to Chen Pingan, the answer was both unexpected and reasonable.

A cultivator should have a firm Dao heart, embracing simplicity and holding steadfastly to one’s original intention.

An enlightened person embodies their own world, with a clear and tranquil inner landscape.

Chen Pingan said, “Let’s go.”

Wei Bo asked in confusion, “Aren’t you going to see Lin Shouyi?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “If Mountain Lord Wei had prepared two congratulatory gifts in advance, I would go see him.”

Wei Bo immediately stood up, glanced at the figure on the opposite shore of the lake, smiled, nodded, and left Changchun Palace quietly with Chen Pingan.

As Wei Bo expected, almost simultaneously with Lin Shouyi’s breakthrough, Xie Ling of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect successfully refined that exquisite pagoda, becoming the newest Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator in Treasure Bottle Continent.
Deep within the earth veins of Yu Province, just as Song Xu and the other four cultivators of the Earthly Branch lineage were about to acquire the secret treasure, they encountered a rosy-cheeked girl in a sable hat. She spoke with a manic air, claiming the treasure was an old possession she had hidden here. She warned that anyone who dared to snatch it from her would face dire consequences. Although she portrayed herself as a fragile, gentle maiden, she threatened to call for reinforcements – her husband, who was famously devoted and doting, and would surely beat them to a pulp without a second thought.

Seeing that the group was clearly intimidated, the sable-hatted girl nodded in self-satisfaction. Then, she gestured towards the floating treasure, layered with ancient restrictions. “Good thing I arrived in time! If you fools had broken the restrictions, the consequences would have been catastrophic. Probably half of Treasure Bottle Continent would have collapsed. Don’t believe me? Ha! The Silver River is lofty, the Great Fire blazes, dragons and serpents rise from the land, the Great Dao rides the wind, the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers add to the grandeur, and the heavens and earth are gathered into a Treasure Bottle. Sounds impressive, right? Learned, isn’t it? I just made it up, but that’s roughly the gist of it. That earth-shattering battle of water and fire from long ago is something you little ones, who aren’t even Earth Immortals yet, can’t meddle with! You don’t know the immensity of the heavens and the thickness of the earth!”

While spouting nonsense, she called out, “Little Mo, Little Mo, are you there?”

Xie Gou looked around, realizing Little Mo really hadn’t come. Her heart instantly warmed with affection.