A land shapes its people. Across the vast Nine Provinces, as time flows and eras shift, each place develops its own objects of power and protection, like the millennia-old Wutong tree in Tongye Isle.

The same holds true for Treasure Bottle Isle, its continental map resembling a water bottle.

Deep within the earth’s veins lies a heavily restricted realm of Great Void, boundless and desolate. Within it, suspended in the air, a square iron box covered in ancient seals stands between two opposing forces. Beneath the box, a crude wooden tray acts as a simple support, holding the iron box aloft.

Xie Gou sat cross-legged within this Great Void realm, arms crossed, a look of approval on her face. With an air of aged wisdom, she said, “To break through two layers of mountain-and-river restrictions and shatter three more with magic treasures and brute force… you’ve already achieved a considerable feat. Isn’t there a story about visiting a friend on a snowy night? You can come in high spirits and leave satisfied. Look, it’s snowing, a heavy snowfall of goose feathers.”

As she spoke of snow, it began to fall.

With friend and foe yet distinguished, Song Xu warned the other five through mental communication to not act rashly.

Facing a great cultivator who could conceal their aura and follow them all the way here, they dared not be careless. The five cultivators of the Earthly Branch lineage were on high alert. Yu Yu, bearing the “Dog” character token at her waist, clasped her hands together to form a hand seal, radiating precious light. Ancient cloud-patterned seals covered the palms and backs of her hands. Beside her shoulder, a miniature, ancient sword immortal appeared as an Yin Spirit. The tiny figure wore a hibiscus daoist coronet, was adorned in scarlet robes, and had white jade beads sewn into the seams of his garment.

Han Zhoujin, the “Horse” character formation master, without incantation or hand seals, conjured a scarlet mountain and land, a celestial palace emanating purple mists, with spiritual treasures chanting praise like heavenly music.

The young monk, clad in simple linen robes and bearing the “Dragon” character token, formed a dharma seal with his hands, opening one eye and closing the other. Behind his closed eye, a thunder pool formed, and beneath his feet appeared a lotus pond.

Xie Gou clicked her tongue in amazement. “Using the skills of a seamstress to overstep boundaries, daring to command the heroic spirit of an ancient sword immortal, and refining a domain once governed by an ancient immortal… the young monk’s mindful contemplation, linking Yin and Yang, the underworld with just a blink… a Buddhist adept, learning even the Thunderclap Righteous Method of the stinky Daoists! Each of you is remarkable, talented, truly outstanding young talents!”

Yu Yu said through mental communication, “Hurry up and divine something, test the waters. See what kind of background she has. If we can’t win, we retreat! We can always call for reinforcements later.”

Unable to determine the true age of this mink-hat-wearing young woman, her cultivation was certainly at the Upper Five Realms, and an unregistered cultivator by the Great Li Ministry of Punishments, at that. This was strange. Could she be a foreign cultivator who had just infiltrated Treasure Bottle Isle?

The young monk clasped his hands together and chanted, “May the Buddha protect us today, so that even if there are surprises, there will be no danger, and everyone will be safe and sound. I will donate incense money to the temple later, not as a transaction, but just as a token of appreciation.”

The uninvited guest with rouge on her cheeks seemed to have heard their mental conversation and grinned. “Little Daoist, don’t bother with divination. It’s a waste of energy. We’re all family anyway. We’re all relatives, one way or another, so there’s definitely no need to fight.”

The young monk clasped his hands together again, muttering, “May the Buddha protect us.”

They had kicked another iron plate, encountered another reclusive expert.

They should have consulted the almanac before leaving the house.

Yu Yu smiled and said, “Relatives? Family? How so? Senior must be joking.”

Xie Gou smiled slightly. “Believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

Noticing the strangeness of Daoist Ge Ling, Yu Yu asked with confusion, “Just a divination… it’s normal to cough up blood, but why did you close your eyes? Eh? Why are you tearing up?”

Ge Ling blinked, his eyes bloodshot, and said helplessly, “It’s very strange, like a great sun right in front of my face. I couldn’t bear to look at it.”

Yu Yu said with a bitter face, “Great, so it’s going to be a simple slaughter?”

Ge Ling nodded with a wry smile.

The other party was very likely a Celestial Immortal.

Now that Zhou Haijing, the Peak Realm Martial Artist, had filled the last gap, if all twelve of them were present, they would have had a chance to fight. Unfortunately, the six Yuanhua Realm cultivators were at Changchun Palace and had not accompanied them on this treasure hunt.

Xie Gou sighed. “This is the result of not listening to advice. Not listening to the elders leads to regret right before your eyes. The old sayings are always accurate.”

“We can’t contact Yuanhua Realm for the time being, and Mr. Chen isn’t here either. What do we do?”

The young woman stomped her foot. “Are we really going to have to drink?!”

Earlier, at the inn of Gai Yan, Mr. Chen had “imparted the Dao” to each of them, eliminating hidden dangers to prevent inner demons in their future cultivation. Only when it came to Yu Yu did Chen Pingan give her three words: Drink more alcohol.

Their small faction was led by the sword cultivator Song Xu. The strategist and advisor was the seemingly careless Yu Yu.

Xie Gou leisurely pointed to the box. “I advise you, again and again, don’t open this iron box. One wrong move, and you’ll be turned into melting snow, body and soul. Don’t underestimate this just because it seems like a minor trick. This kind of disintegration into ash is very real. Even a Ascension Realm great cultivator, or those few powerful ancient beings who can find their way to Fengdu, won’t be able to save you. If you can’t handle what’s inside the box, it will fall to the ground, first shattering the wooden board that has lost its formation support, like an iron block smashing thin paper. It will then tunnel through the land of Treasure Bottle Isle, plunging into the mountain roots deep in the sea. The water will boil, turning the entire Treasure Bottle Isle into a steamer. The beings of the continent will suffer tremendously. Your cultivation isn’t high enough to handle it.”

Luckily, she had arrived early. If she had been a step later, and these youngsters had taken the box, then the true ownership of this item would have been a confused and messy account.

Furthermore, Xie Gou really didn’t think they could take the iron box away. Her words just now were not entirely alarmist. The newly born Golden Crow confined within the box was an ancient species, an extremely rare type of fire essence, and naturally untamed. Once it was freed from its restraints, these cultivators would have no means to clean up the mess. The Golden Crow would truly smash through the earth of Treasure Bottle Isle, leaving a gaping “earthly flaw,” then disappear without a trace, escaping into the outer void. Capturing it then would be harder than ascending to heaven.

Song Xu twisted his wrist, and a bottle-shaped treasure appeared in his hand. “We are not entirely unprepared. This junior has an object to receive the exotic treasure within the box.”
This object was given to Song Xu by Yuan, a member of the Directorate of Astronomy, and it was excavated from a newly discovered blessed land by the Great Li Dynasty.

The discovery of the blessed land, the acquisition of the treasure within, and then the “Golden Crow” being drawn to this Yu Zhou earth vein conduit box, are all interlinked. All of this is thanks to Yuan Tianfeng’s profound deductions and meticulous calculations.

Heaven confronting Earth, the Earth God wielding a water jug, the well pulley turning rapidly, the water jug making no sound, and the fiery tree bearing low branches.

Xie Gou squinted her eyes, a hint of surprise on her face. Not bad, a truly pointed treasure. It seems they have a powerful figure backing them.

If it were the Bai Jing of yesteryear, she wouldn’t care about anything else. Upon seeing an old artifact from the Fire Temple that had fallen to earth, which already bore the brand of her Dao, Bai Jing would have simply cleaved open the iron box with a single sword strike and captured the nascent Golden Crow into her sleeve, regardless of whether it would cause the earth veins of an entire continent to tremble. But this time, she left Luo Po Mountain, and Xiao Mo trusted her so much that he didn’t even follow her to “monitor” her, which gave Xie Gou a little more patience.

Xie Gou rubbed her chin, feeling a little conflicted. If she wanted to prove that this fallen sun belonged to someone, she would have to draw her sword and cleave open the box to convince everyone.

And these ignorant youngsters clearly coveted this Golden Crow. If this were in the barbaric world, it would be simple. Killing a few ants who weren’t even above the fifth realm wouldn’t take much effort, at most three sword strikes.

Firstly, she didn’t want to cause trouble in the Great Bright World, and secondly, she didn’t want to betray Xiao Mo’s trust. After thinking it over, Xie Gou had to go against her usual style and offer a compromise that didn’t fit her usual methods, “Let’s just consider it a trade. I’ll give you a treasure of Immortal Soldier quality, so you won’t have made the trip for nothing, and you’ll have something to report back.”

Song Xu shook his head and said, “Even if Senior offers more Immortal Soldiers, we will not agree. It’s not that this junior is being greedy or trying to bargain, it’s just that this item is of great importance to our Great Li Dynasty, and it’s indispensable.”

Xie Gou stood up, grinning, and said, “I think you still don’t understand the situation, which is why you think you have a choice. What do you think?”

Yu Yu said in a mental voice, “Should we invoke Mr. Chen’s name to scare them?”

After the upheaval in the Great Li capital, the cultivators of the Earthly Branches have reached a consensus:

When in doubt, seek Mr. Chen.

The Great Li Dynasty has just found a new blessed land of unknown origin. The strangest thing about it is that this blessed land has a moon but no sun, and its Dao is incomplete. Therefore, it urgently needs this ancient fallen sun to fill the void.

“I told you a long time ago that we’re related. Otherwise, why do you think I’m wasting so much breath? If it weren’t for this relationship, with my temper, ha.”

Xie Gou shook her wrist, “My Dao companion is Xiao Mo, who follows Chen Ping’an. His Daoist name is Xi Zhu, and his given name is Mo Sheng. He’s been to the Great Li capital palace. You must have studied his resume thoroughly. He’s much more handsome than Chen Ping’an.”

Xie Gou crossed her arms and smiled, “As for me, I just gave myself a new name, Mei Hua. My original name is Xie Gou, not very pleasant, haha.”

Isn’t there a line in a poem: “In the south of the city, Xiao Mo meets spring again, seeing only the plum blossoms, not the person.”

Xie Gou declared for the last time, “It’s useless even if you go to Chen Ping’an to reason about this matter. This thing is mine, and it will stay mine. If you keep nagging me, don’t blame me for getting nasty.”

Xie Gou certainly wouldn’t kill anyone, as that would make things difficult for Xiao Mo.

Just as Xie Gou was about to deliver her first sword strike, a Confucian scholar in a scholar’s robe appeared out of nowhere in this Tai Xu realm.

Layers of restrictions seemed to be non-existent to him. This scholar entered as if into an uninhabited place.

He looked like a scholar, but he had a strong Buddhist aura that made Xie Gou feel as if it were rushing toward her.

Could this person have just returned from the Western Paradise?

Song Xu and his group were even more shocked. How could it be Li Xisheng from the Li family in Fortune Street of Li Zhu Cave Heaven?

In fact, they were already surprised to learn that Li Xisheng was invited to participate in the Three Teachings Debate.

Among the younger generation in Li Zhu Cave Heaven, Li Xisheng was a very inconspicuous figure. Regarding this person, the Great Li Ministry of Justice’s files only contained a few simple entries, two of which were that he had once fought with the foreign swordsman Cao Jun in Mud Bottle Lane. Li Xisheng had also once painted talismans on the bamboo building on Luo Po Mountain. However, the outcome of that fight and the effectiveness of painting talismans on bamboo were not recorded.

“Fortunately, I arrived in time.”

Supporting each other, Li Xisheng looked at the two groups of people who had arrived earlier than him and smiled, “This thing is connected to my younger sister’s Dao. Whether Senior relies on her superb swordsmanship to forcibly open the iron box, or you use the ancient bottle personally imitated by Yuan of the Directorate of Astronomy to contain the sun, I don’t think it’s very stable. Before that, I’m afraid we need to make a separation.”

Xie Gou grinned and said, “Judging by your tone, you’re confident that you can do it safely?”

Li Xisheng nodded and said, “I know a few tricks with talismans that might come in handy.”

Xie Gou started giggling stupidly and adjusted her sable hat. This time, she was truly a little angry.

She couldn’t stand people showing off in front of her. Competing with her in Daoist talent?

Li Xisheng explained with a smile, “Senior, please don’t misunderstand. I’m just here to guarantee that I have no covetous thoughts towards this thing. After I open the box and tame the Golden Crow, so that it doesn’t run around and cause a continental tremor, you can all sit down and discuss the ownership of this thing.”

Song Xu took the initiative to show his goodwill to Li Xisheng, “Song Xu, I have met Mr. Li.”

The girl grinned and introduced herself, “Yu Yu of the Ma Fen Yu clan.”

“Ge Ling, from Jurong, currently serving as a registrar in the capital.”

“Lu Hui, a scholar from the old mountain cliff.”

“Han Zhoujin, from Qingtan Blessed Land.”

The little monk put his hands together and said shyly, “Hou Jue, from the Capital Translation Bureau. Not yet fully ordained.”

Li Xisheng bowed to everyone and returned the greeting, smiling, “Li Xisheng from Longquan County, is Li Baoping’s older brother.”

Xie Gou tentatively asked, “How long have you been back here from the Western Paradise? A month, or a few days?”

Li Xisheng said in a mental voice, “I just rushed here from Huoxia Temple in She County.”

If he hadn’t sensed the abnormality here, Li Xisheng wouldn’t have returned to the Great Bright World so quickly, and the first thing he would have done upon returning to the Great Bright World would have been to go to White Emperor City.

Xie Gou was skeptical about this.

Did he think he was a fourteenth realm cultivator?
After leaving the Changchun Palace, Lin Shouyi first followed Yuan Huajing and the other six to the capital. In truth, he didn’t need to personally register his advancement to the Jade Pure realm at the Ministry of Justice. However, Lin Shouyi had always maintained good relations with the Great Li Dynasty; otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to become the temple warden of the Qi Du Temple. Lin Shouyi’s meticulous adherence to rules and impeccable conduct as a gentleman was widely acknowledged, earning him an excellent reputation within the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice. During his “roll call” at the Ministry of Justice, he received congratulations from all sides.

Afterwards, Lin Shouyi rode the wind to the Hongzhou Logging Bureau.

The Logging Bureau was currently idle. Lin Zhengcheng sat in the desolate office. Officials were not allowed to drink during duty hours, so the table only held a few dishes of salted peanuts and other snacks meant to accompany wine. Upon seeing Lin Shouyi, the man said nothing, simply tossing a peanut into his mouth and chewing it slowly.

Lin Shouyi took out several jars of Changchun Palace Immortal Brew from his sleeve, placing them on the table. He said they were a gift from the Supreme Elder Song Yu. If his father ever wanted to drink this kind of wine in the future, he only needed to inform Changchun Palace, and it would be delivered directly to the Logging Bureau, with the cost charged to Lin Shouyi’s account.

Lin Zhengcheng glanced at the rare immortal brew, now difficult to obtain even on the Treasure Bottle Continent, and was unimpressed. “You find it too expensive to drink yourself and have no one to gift it to, so you bring it back.”

Lin Shouyi smiled, “I heard that your former superior at the Jingcheng Dispatch Office, Fu Hu, is now the magistrate of Pingnan County. You can give it to him.”

Lin Zhengcheng considered this and didn’t refuse. Fu Hu’s transfer to an official position as the head of a major county was, of course, due to him speaking to the two directors of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War and the Qingli Department of the Ministry of Rites. He hadn’t directly helped to solicit the position, only said a few good words for Fu Hu. The Great Li Dynasty understood the hint and smoothly granted Fu Hu a substantive position, a first-class promotion within the realm of lateral transfers.

Speaking of the art of judging people, Lin Zhengcheng was undoubtedly highly skilled; otherwise, how could he have been the gatekeeper of the Li Zhu Cave Heaven?

Lin Zhengcheng raised his chin towards the door. Lin Shouyi understood immediately that his father was preparing for a small drink, and with a flick of his sleeve, the door closed.

Lin Zhengcheng frowned slightly. Lin Shouyi’s expression immediately became awkward.

Lin Zhengcheng didn’t bother with any moralizing. He lightly tapped the table with a finger, and Lin Shouyi began to take out wine cups, proactively pouring the wine.

Lin Zhengcheng took a sip of the wine, savoring it for a moment, and said, “You’re in the Jade Pure realm now, which means you’ve crossed a major threshold. You’re in your forties, no longer young. If you lived in the mortal world and had married early, you might even have a granddaughter. Some things should be laid bare.”

Lin Shouyi drank to embolden himself and laughed, “Father, don’t vaguely say ‘in your forties’! Do you even know my specific age?”

Lin Zhengcheng thought for a moment and asked, “Are you older than Chen Ping’an by how many years?”

Lin Shouyi felt deeply wronged. So his father only remembered Chen Ping’an’s age and not his own son’s! He forced a smile and said, “Father, am I really your biological son?!”

Lin Zhengcheng said calmly, “You’ll have to ask your mother about that. My word isn’t reliable.”

Lin Shouyi was speechless and picked up a peanut, tossing it into his mouth as he began to drink in silence.

Lin Zhengcheng pushed a dish of dried bamboo shoots from his side towards Lin Shouyi’s, saying, “Lu Chen came to see me here at the end of last year and talked about some old, stale matters. He believes that I caused you to lose a great opportunity, leading to many benefits that should have belonged to you being transferred to Chen Ping’an. Lu Chen’s nonsense can’t be entirely believed, but it can’t be completely ignored either. Listen to half of it, perhaps.”

Lin Shouyi asked, “Father, can you explain in detail?”

Lin Zhengcheng took a swig of wine and waved his hand, indicating that he would pour his own drink. He then told Lin Shouyi about some old history and inside information.

Lin Shouyi thought carefully. “Even if I had known about such a heaven-betting…gambling table, I definitely couldn’t have competed with Chen Ping’an, because I lack perseverance. Apart from reading and cultivating on my own, I’m too lazy about everything else and have no ambition. Besides, knowing these things beforehand—unless I guessed them myself—would be the same as directly losing my qualification and automatically leaving the table. So, Father, you don’t need to overthink it or develop any regrets because of it. I think my current life is the best.”

“Moreover, matters of fate and opportunity are incredibly complex and unpredictable, especially when we delve into cultivation. A river of time has countless reverse flows, backflows, and tributaries. What was wrong yesterday is right today, what is wrong today is right tomorrow, and then it turns wrong again. There are too many things like that.”

“Ultimately, this contest that we, of our generation, were kept in the dark about, is based on individual abilities. We must accept victory or defeat.”

“Seeking outside of the heart will ultimately lead nowhere.”

Looking at Lin Shouyi’s clear eyes and dignified bearing, Lin Zhengcheng rarely showed a hint of gentleness on his face towards his son, but it quickly disappeared. He asked, “What did you say to Chen Ping’an?”

Lin Shouyi said, “I asked him to come here to pay his respects during the New Year.”

Mountain Lord Chen, you’re quite the trickster!

Lin Zhengcheng raised his head, his brows furrowing.

Seeing his father’s brooding expression, Lin Shouyi instinctively felt intimidated. This showed how deeply the father’s authority was ingrained in him. Lin Shouyi thought for a moment and, steeling himself, said, “I told Chen Ping’an in the letter that he ‘could’ come here to pay his respects during the New Year. I think that with Chen Ping’an’s outstanding intelligence, that single phrase is enough to explain the matter.”

Lin Zhengcheng smiled without humor. ” ‘Could’, not ‘must’? You scholars are very skilled at choosing your words and constructing sentences.”

So Lin Zhengcheng proactively raised his wine cup. “How can I not toast the seed of a scholar? If you go take the imperial examination and become the top scorer, I’ll personally set off firecrackers at the gate.”

Lin Shouyi raised his wine cup, lowering it even further, and gently clinked it against his father’s. Before drinking, he said with a sense of grievance, “Father, can you please not talk like that in the future?”

Lin Zhengcheng took a sip of wine. “Is this a father teaching his son how to conduct himself?”

Lin Shouyi was silent again. He poured himself a cup of wine and drained it in one gulp.

Lin Zhengcheng said, “I wasn’t joking about you participating in the Great Li Dynasty’s imperial examination. A top scorer in his forties isn’t considered old. Even if you don’t become the top scorer, being among the top three in the first tier, or even in the second tier, would be fine.”
Lin Shouyi asked, puzzled, “Father, you’re not usually one for officialdom, so why are you so eager to hang a ‘Presented Jinshi’ plaque in the family shrine now that I’m involved?”

“When there’s surplus grain at home, even the pigs get their fill. A family with many books raises virtuous descendants, and learning is a blessing.”

Lin Zhengcheng said, “I only wish my own dull son a life free from illness and disaster, reaching the ranks of high officials, enjoying great wealth and a long life.”

The weather gradually turned mild.

Magnolia blossoms bloomed in the courtyard outside the door.

Amidst the constant restoration and establishment of new kingdoms in the southern Jewel Navigation Continent, from the fragmented territory of the old Great Frost Dynasty, a new Cloud Firmament Dynasty rose. It occupied nearly half of the old lands and rivers, becoming one of the most powerful nations in the south of the continent. The only shortcoming was that the Cloud Firmament Hong Clan failed to win over Immortal Lord Cao Rong’s Spirit Flight Temple.

The current temple master, with the Daoist name “Dongting,” opened a battlefield relic outside the temple, on the border between two kingdoms, as a dojo. Rumor had it that this Daoist True Lord excelled in incantations, cultivated the Six Jia Supreme Path, and, wielding a blue jade talisman, could command spectral soldiers as laborers at his whim.

On the northeastern border of the Cloud Firmament Dynasty, there was a range of towering mountains rarely visited by humans. From ancient times, no cultivators had established cave dwellings there. Hu Feng and Wu Tijing, two young swordsmen who found each other kindred spirits, officially established their sect there.

The so-called ceremony consisted of setting off a few strings of firecrackers and laying out a table of wine and dishes.

But even this patch of land with thin spiritual energy, this barely-suitable mountain peak for a dojo, was visited by a group of geomancers from the Cloud Firmament Hong Clan. They declared that this place was one of the sources of a river officially recognized by the imperial court. Since they were establishing a sect here, they were required, as per regulations, to accompany them to the capital and register their names, origins, and lineage with the Ministry of Rites. The court would then verify their identities and qualifications before they could formally establish the sect. Furthermore, they would have to pay “rent” to the court every year… In short, they rattled off a long list of red tape, almost provoking Wu Tijing to draw his sword.

However, upon hearing that Hu Feng was from Longquan County in Chuzhou of the Great Li Dynasty, the attitude of the Hong Clan court and local officials immediately shifted one hundred and eighty degrees.

Not only did they stop pestering Hu Feng, but they also proactively inquired whether the two visiting Immortal Masters needed them to have the nearby prefectural and county offices post notices and issue a mountain ban, to prevent commoners like woodcutters and medicine gatherers from mistakenly entering the area and disturbing the cultivation of the two Immortal Masters.

Afterward, an official from the Ministry of Rites paid a special visit, accompanied by an elderly cultivator who had once traveled in the old Dragon Province region. He chatted with Hu Feng for a few words, carefully phrasing his questions, but in reality, he was verifying Hu Feng’s Great Li identity. Seeing that Hu Feng’s descriptions of his hometown and customs were accurate, he dared not ask further questions and quickly returned to report to the court.

At the foot of the mountain, watching the other party leave, Wu Tijing asked, “Aren’t they making things difficult for themselves? Why don’t they just ask Great Li Chuzhou directly, whether there’s a Hu Feng in Second Lane or not? A letter would be enough to confirm such a small matter.”

Hu Feng shook his head and said, “They wouldn’t dare to trouble the Great Li court for such a trivial matter. Besides, the southern countries of the Jewel Navigation Continent are most afraid of the Great Li Ministry of Justice’s Embroidered Uniform Guards coming to their door.”

Wu Tijing laughed, “Judging by their attitude, the Cloud Firmament Hong Clan would like nothing more than to enshrine you. Listening to the implications in their words, we could become imperial court offerings if we agreed? Is a Great Li identity that valuable?”

Hu Feng said calmly, “It’s only been the case for the last few decades. It wasn’t like this before. In the past, the Immortal Masters on the mountains and the scholars below were very obsequious towards the Lu Clan Dynasty and the Great Sui Gao Clan. Even after the Great Li iron cavalry swallowed the Lu Clan Dynasty, there were still many literati and elegant scholars who admired other countries, liked to bootlick, and were always picking faults with the domestic situation. In Dong Shui Jing’s words, they were people kneeling down and saying tough things, people who could stand up but preferred to speak while kneeling.”

“Didn’t Cui Chan do anything about it when he was the national preceptor? How vexing.”

Wu Tijing found it quite interesting. “Is it much better now?”

“National Preceptor Cui was very knowledgeable and had a lot of affairs to handle, so he probably couldn’t take care of these things, or maybe he was just too lazy to care. Perhaps in the depths of his heart, National Preceptor Cui never regarded them as scholars.”

Hu Feng nodded. “These literati have all changed their tune now, competing in intelligence and wit. How can us common folk compare to these people who have studied books?”

Resuming their ascent of the mountain, the two swordsmen chatted as they walked. Hu Feng, who wore simple hemp clothes and straw sandals year-round, was stocky, and although he was already in his forties, he looked like a youth in his twenties. However, he generally appeared to lack spiritual energy, with a dull expression and vacant eyes.

However, Wu Tijing, whose true age was less than twenty, was handsome and possessed the bearing of an Immortal Master. He wore a green magic robe, a purple jade crown, and a white jade belt.

Because Hu Feng was worried that he would reveal his whereabouts and attract unnecessary trouble, he had Wu Tijing use an alias, to prevent the Righteous Sun Mountain from tracing them.

One was in the Dragon Gate Realm, and the other was in the Golden Core Realm. Both concealed their identities as swordsmen.

Although with their realms, they could walk unhindered in this Cloud Firmament Dynasty where even the national preceptor was only in the Nascent Soul Realm, it was always best to be careful.

There were many old sayings in the small town, such as “walk too many night roads and you’ll always meet a ghost,” and “a person down on their luck might turn around one day and find gold in a pile of manure.”

Wu Tijing was an extremely confident, almost arrogant, person. Hu Feng, on the other hand, was gentle and soft-spoken.

Now that there were only two people in the sect, one would be the sect master, and the other would be the enforcer of the rules.

As they chatted, they talked about sect matters. Today, Hu Feng was being like a gossiping old woman, nagging that when Wu Tijing left Righteous Sun Mountain, he should have brought some Immortal Coins. He shouldn’t have left so empty-handed, as if he were being kicked out penniless, without even a money pouch.

Wu Tijing was getting annoyed and raised his voice, “Hu Feng, aren’t you being annoying? Why do you always bring up this matter!”

Hu Feng completely ignored Wu Tijing’s sudden outburst and continued slowly, “It’s hard for a clever woman to cook without rice, and one coin can stump a hero. Do I need to say more about the current situation of our sect?”

The sect master continued, “Anyway, in the future, if our sect ever has a registered cultivator like you who doesn’t want to stay, I’ll definitely give him a money pouch, with at least a few Grain Rain coins.”
Wu Ti Jing, cradling his head in his hands, lamented, “Inside the blessed cave, treasures lie scattered everywhere! If we just plucked a few to sell, we’d have everything we need. Why must we be two penniless fools staring blankly at each other like this?”

Hu Feng shook his head. “I made a rule for myself. Nothing from within the cicada’s shell can ever be taken out, not even a thread.”

Hu Feng turned and offered, “If you like, the cicada’s shell is yours. But you must promise me, before you ascend to the Fifth Realm, you’ll abide by this rule.”

Wu Ti Jing waved his hand, declining. Receiving a Dragon-Slaying Stone from Hu Feng already made this genius swordsman feel uneasy. He jested, “Hu Feng, wouldn’t you say you’re being a generous pauper?”

Hu Feng was undoubtedly sincere in offering a blessed cave, not some test of character. However, Wu Ti Jing would certainly not accept it; he disliked owing favors.

Hu Feng’s ancestral home was located in Erlang Lane. Now, the entire Treasure Bottle Continent marvels at Mud Bottle Lane, hailing it as a hidden dragon’s golden dojo. Yet, in truth, Apricot Blossom Lane and Erlang Lane are no less remarkable. It seems only Fortune and Prosperity Street and Peach Leaf Lane have so far produced the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhao Yao, and Xie Ling of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect.

Since childhood, Hu Feng followed his grandfather, who ran a celebration shop, through the streets, helping to mend pots and sharpen knives.

Later, when the Li Zhu Blessed Cave descended, changing the landscape, Hu Feng, along with the townspeople, rushed to Dragon Beard River in a chaotic throng. There, he picked up eight beautiful stones and sold them to two families in Fortune and Prosperity Street and Peach Leaf Lane, earning a substantial sum. With some of the money, he bought several residences in the state capital. Before leaving his hometown, he entrusted Dong Shui Jing to rent them out for him.

He entrusted another portion of the silver to Dong Shui Jing, seeing it as a partnership. If they lost money, it would be as if it had been thrown into a pond. If they earned money, it would become the capital for the next venture. As for what business Dong Shui Jing would pursue, Hu Feng didn’t care.

The two had known each other since they were very young, but they couldn’t be considered friends at first.

He and Dong Shui Jing were both from humble backgrounds in the small town, only slightly better off because they had elders to rely on. Back then, they both enjoyed scouring the Old Porcelain Mountain, often running into each other. Dong Shui Jing liked to select fragments of porcelain with writing on them, while Hu Feng preferred those with pictures. In the early years, neither spoke to the other. Later, Dong Shui Jing took the initiative, and the two children clicked. They developed a tacit understanding. Before sunset each day, after leaving Porcelain Mountain, they would gather and barter with each other, resulting in greater gains for both.

Whenever Hu Feng thinks back on it now, he can’t help but admire Dong Shui Jing’s business acumen. Some talents, it seems, are innate, requiring no instruction.

Every year on the second day of the second month, Grandpa would take Hu Feng to the Immortal’s Tomb to kowtow.

After leaving his hometown, on this day, Hu Feng would also face the direction of his hometown and offer three sticks of incense from afar.

This was something Grandpa instructed him to do, and Hu Feng dared not forget.

Wu Ti Jing asked, “Have you thought about how to repay Li Huai?”

Hu Feng shook his head. “Not yet.”

Wu Ti Jing suddenly said, “How about contacting Dong Shui Jing?”

Hu Feng asked, puzzled, “Aren’t you always saying never to ask for help?”

If it weren’t for considering Wu Ti Jing’s pride and feelings, Hu Feng would have actually considered it. They were from the same hometown, knew each other well, and had done business together since they were young, so they trusted each other.

Wu Ti Jing laughed, “I’m an unparalleled, peerless genius of the sword, but I don’t have the Midas touch. Without money, my words carry no weight. No matter how loud I shout, no one will listen. I’m not stupid; how could I not understand such basic principles? Besides, it’s just partnering in business; it’s not like I’m begging for help.”

Hu Feng smiled, not exposing the truth. It was that Wu Ti Jing, after becoming the Law Enforcer, wanted the sect to look a bit more presentable, but discovered that without money, it was truly impossible.

A sect couldn’t just have a few thatched huts.

Hu Feng could certainly use his skills to build a decent-looking residence, but the problem was, wouldn’t it be even more ridiculous for the two of them cultivators to live in a house than in a thatched hut?

Wu Ti Jing glanced at the bamboo flute hanging from Hu Feng’s waist. “Did your grandfather leave that to you?”

Hu Feng shook his head. “Grandpa asked for it for me a long time ago.”

In the Grand Li capital, Zhao Yao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was hosting a banquet for several former classmates from Cliff Academy by the Calamus River, which had now been renamed Spring Mountain Academy.

At the Cliff Academy of the Great Sui, a meeting was convened. Besides the three headmasters and deputy headmasters, there were also several virtuous gentlemen. Li Huai was able to attend, though he felt somewhat uneasy.

On the banks of the Phosphorus River in Tongye Continent, Yu Lu resumed his original name and joined forces with his classmate, Xie Xie, to establish a nation and restore their homeland.

In the Yunzhou and Yanzhou prefectures, another village school was established, and the teacher was a stranger named Chen.

This year, the flowers of Spring Mountain bloom like fire.