As dawn painted the sky with its first light, the Taoist, soon to be packing his meager belongings, began his bizarre routine.

Wielding a peach wood sword, he paced according to some arcane pattern, chanting loudly from a “Taoist verse” of dubious origin.

“Hear my words, for in primordial times there was the Great Void, where sun and moon embraced, enriching mountains and rivers. Refine a golden elixir without flaw, without flaw, without flaw, let land dragons and serpents clash!”

The Taoist swept his leg in a wide arc, stirring up fallen leaves, then struck a crane stance, extending his sword, its tip coming to rest against a single leaf.

“Light and heavy, impure and pure, yin and yang aligned, heaven high, earth thick, embodying spirit. A spark ignites like a candle, blooming across the sky like a constellation. Act with haste as decreed, gather heaven and earth within one sleeve!”

He spun the sword, flicked his sleeve, and twisted his body, pointing the sword skyward, attempting to sweep the leaf into his sleeve. His momentum failing him, the leaf pirouetted, falling short of his grasp. Undeterred, the Taoist leaped, executed a high kick, and with two fingers mimicking a sword, pointed elsewhere.

“Keep wine, women, wealth, and anger at bay, let cloud-friends and rain-companions be your sun and moon, accumulate pure yang and hidden virtue, turn the celestial gears and earthly axis, immortal wine and nectar, a wind-riding Immortal Master, come specially to your aid!”

Xue Ruyi remained speechless for a long while, suddenly feeling a tinge of pity for this Taoist, who seemed to be acting out after a drink too many.

Yesterday, his snobbish behavior towards the boy delivering the painting hinted at some underlying hardship.

She sighed, “Stop this charade. I won’t chase you from the manor.”

The Taoist finally ceased his movements, placing one hand behind his back, and with the other, forming a sword-spell with two fingers before him, snorting coldly.

Xue Ruyi immediately bristled. Was he trying to push his luck? Did he truly believe she was begging him to stay?

The middle-aged Taoist sheathed the peach wood sword, carelessly tossing it toward the dirt. He intended a dramatic sword-planting maneuver, but his strength, or perhaps the angle, was off. The wooden sword struck the soil, wobbled, and ultimately fell flat.

A sliver of doubt remained in Xue Ruyi’s heart. “Can you truly create those Three Sovereigns Talismans?”

Last night, she had inquired of Judge Hong and Ji Xiaoping, both high officials of the City God Temple, but they had shaken their heads, claiming such talismans were unheard of.

Judge Hong had ultimately suggested that perhaps the talisman masters on the mountain peaks held secret traditions, and only those in the Upper Five Realms could possibly succeed. Otherwise, even the most skilled talisman cultivator, even a terrestrial immortal, couldn’t hope to create talismans of such power.

The Taoist shook his head, pointing to the fallen peach wood sword. “I can draw talismans, but the likelihood of success is slim. Even if I could successfully connect yin and yang via the talismans, bypassing the City God Temple’s lords, gaining passage through the underworld would be extremely difficult. To put it bluntly, it’s akin to using the previous dynasty’s imperial sword to execute an official of this dynasty.”

Xue Ruyi’s eyebrows instantly arched in anger. He was a fraud, just as she suspected.

The Taoist quickly added, “But I have a good friend, remarkable indeed, possessing great mystical power, capable of speaking laws into being, with an effect no different from wielding the Three Sovereigns Talismans.”

Xue Ruyi scoffed. “Blustering without end? You know such mountain friends?”

“Infinite Life, Heavenly Venerable.”

The Taoist formed a hand seal. “Not a fabrication. I have several exceptionally skilled characters among my mountain friends.”

Xue Ruyi pressed, “For example?”

The Taoist said, “If the opportunity arises, I’ll introduce Miss Xue to a friend named Zhong.”

Xue Ruyi was puzzled. “His position? Is he a registered cultivator from some immortal abode?”

The Taoist laughed. “You’ll know when you meet him. His position is unimportant. Heroes care not for origins, and champions are not defined by their past.”

Seeing that the Taoist wasn’t joking, Xue Ruyi had new questions. “You truly want to help that boy? What do you gain?”

The Taoist said, “What the two eyes see is the world.”

Xue Ruyi was bewildered. “What does that mean?”

The Taoist had to explain, “A wise man once said, we cultivators, within our means, helping one person before our eyes is to help all people in the world.”

Having spent so much time recently conversing with Zheng Juzhong and Li Xisheng during his journey, he found his patience wearing thin when engaging in casual conversation with others.

Xue Ruyi was silent for a moment. “Who said that?”

The Taoist smiled. “Far in the heavens, yet close at hand.”

Xue Ruyi’s face darkened.

The Taoist said, “I believe Miss Xue has discerned that the boy is currently ‘thin of fate’ due to his troubled life, his destiny ravaged by numerous calamities. Therefore, anything given to him by outsiders – wealth, anything else – he may not be able to bear, easily turning blessings into misfortune. Ordinary folk helping the impoverished is harmless, a good deed to accumulate hidden virtue and blessings, but cultivators forming a connection with commoners is like a vast lake flowing into a small stream. If the latter’s fate is thick, like a stream with wide banks, able to withstand the influx, then it is what the mountain calls an immortal affinity. But if his fate is thin, like a surging flood overflowing its banks, it will damage his roots and yang energy, what is known as being unworthy of the blessing. This principle must be understood and approached with caution. Fortunately, the thickness of fate, the increase or decrease of fortune, is not immutable. In my view, the boy is one whose fate is thin but whose blessings are ample. Simply put, he will have good fortune in his later years, owing nothing to heaven, ashamed of nothing on earth, not enriching himself by taking from others, nor debasing himself by submitting to others for wealth. This is the reason I said ‘Heaven helps those who help themselves’ yesterday.”

Xue Ruyi nodded, but in truth, she couldn’t discern the thickness or thinness of the boy’s fate. She was merely a ghost, neither a qi-gazing diviner nor an official of the City God Temple. How could she comprehend such profound and mysterious principles?

She hesitated. “What about me and Zhang Hou?”

The Taoist smiled. “Zhang Hou has the protection of his ancestors, and he himself is a ‘person within a green gauze cage.’ For Miss Xue to bestow upon him an immortal affinity, Zhang Hou is capable of bearing it.”

She asked, “Truly without any repercussions?”

After all, she was a ghost, while the boy was a denizen of the mortal realm.

The Taoist said, “Is yin and yang solely confined to geography, and not within the heart? Miss Xue, you mustn’t confuse the order, putting the cart before the horse.”

Xue Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief.

For the first time, she realized this charlatan Taoist might actually possess some genuine skill.

The Taoist asked, “Miss Xue, given your cultivation, since you are unafraid of scorching sun or violent gales, why do you linger here, unwilling to depart?”
For a small, out-of-the-way nation like the Jade Promulgation Kingdom, a cultivator of the Ocean Gazing Realm could easily find a spiritually rich location, establish a sect, and flourish.

Although Xue Ruyi was a spectral entity, her close ties with both the Capital City God of the Jade Promulgation Kingdom and the Judge of Yin and Yang suggested she possessed no small amount of merit. In truth, her best option would be to find a dragon vein, build a shrine, sculpt a golden statue, and be officially recognized by the imperial court as a Mountain Deity.

Xue Ruyi vaguely explained, “It started with a bet, imitating the ancients who wrote poems on red leaves. Someone unknowingly picked it up, and I made a vow with him in a temple.”

Year after year, the precious fan lay idle, failing to live up to the bright moon and clear breeze. Spring departed, autumn arrived, and the desolate cicada chirped, choked with unspoken words. The wild geese flew past, the moon like a hook.

The Daoist hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words as he probed, “Miss Xue, are you proficient in the study of texts?”

Xue Ruyi chuckled, “Passably so. I’m quite interested in textual criticism. When I have nothing to do, I read many works of past masters. Why? Do you have a difficult ancient text you need help punctuating?”

She had no fear of discussing textual criticism; Xue Ruyi considered herself a veritable expert.

This involved the young Zhang Hou next door. He treasured a calligraphic work passed down from his ancestors, thirty-six characters in total, unsigned, yet praised by Judge Hong as “Thirty-Six Lustrous Pearls.”

This calligraphy was the foundation of the young man’s Dao, but unfortunately, Zhang Hou’s talent was average, and his progress slow. He was only a Second Realm cultivator.

These thirty-six characters could be roughly divided into two sentences, both rather obscure, requiring considerable skill in textual criticism.

She used her interpretation of the sentences to explain their profound meaning to Zhang Hou, and based on the superior guiding technique hidden within the thirty-six characters, helped him embark on the path of cultivation.

The Daoist smiled. “When I was young, I heard a friend, a half-elder, speak of the relationship between characters, words, sentences, and meaning. He said every word that formed a sentence had weight. I simply listened and remembered it then, without much feeling. Later, I discovered that the Sage of Literature had written ‘The Rectification of Names,’ in which it was written, ‘A name is heard and its essence understood, that is the use of a name. Gathered and formed into writing, that is the elegance of a name. To obtain both use and elegance is to be truly wise.’ When I saw this, I suddenly understood.”

Xue Ruyi, with a look of satisfaction, pointed to the peach wood sword on the ground. “Enough nonsense! Stop showing off your knowledge. Hurry up and write it down with the sword as a brush, and I’ll help you punctuate it.”

Chen Pingan felt a little downcast, unsure how to begin. The calligraphy that Xue Ruyi and the youth held so dear wasn’t complicated; it contained only thirty-six characters, indeed concealing an ancient guiding technique. Chen Pingan only glanced at it and, observing its Dao intent, noticed some connection to one of the Three Mountains and the ritual system of the Confucian Temple. Naturally, he wouldn’t covet this “Daoist scripture” of treasured quality, but the problem was that Xue Ruyi, this half-baked textual critic, punctuated the calligraphy for Zhang Hou, not entirely wrong, but certainly with errors. In mountain Daoist scriptures, a single character’s difference could lead to a complete departure from the true meaning. Otherwise, why would there be “One-Character Masters” among Qi Refiners?

Fortunately, the content and Daoist secrets contained within the calligraphy were extremely pure and benevolent. If it were a heretical scripture of some other sect, and Zhang Hou cultivated according to Xue Ruyi’s guidance, he might have long gone astray and suffered a Qi deviation. Although Zhang Hou’s talent was ordinary, not a cultivation genius, and it would be extremely difficult for him to reach the Cave Mansion Realm in the future, the fact that he had only reached the Second Realm of Qi Refining after cultivating this guiding technique since childhood under Xue Ruyi’s instruction was telling.

Chen Pingan thought for a moment, then decided to speak frankly, even if it meant being driven out as a suspicious character. “Miss Xue, Zheng Zhong, the Minister of Agriculture Zheng, was certainly a highly skilled scholar of the classics, but in the history of Confucianism, in the study of textual criticism, many details are debatable. For example, some of his punctuations were criticized word by word by a Confucian sage with the same surname Zheng. So if Miss Xue simply copies Zheng Zhong’s method of punctuation…”

Xue Ruyi’s eyes gleamed. “You’ve seen the calligraphy?”

Chen Pingan nodded. “I’ve seen it. I also know there’s a guiding technique hidden within.”

Xue Ruyi remained silent.

“With the wooden clapper, regulate the fire-restricted affairs of the mortal world, clear the way in palaces and temples, then hold the candle eastward towards the sea, westward to the flowing sands, northward and southward, its teachings reaching all corners of the world.”

Chen Pingan reached out, wielded the peach wood sword, and began writing the thirty-six characters on the ground, helping her punctuate them and explaining in detail why he did so.

“Zheng Zhong divided the first eighteen characters into three sentences, but reading ‘fire’ and ‘restricted’ separately makes no sense. The writings of the Sage of Rites frequently mention ‘regulating fire restrictions’ as a continuous phrase. If we follow Zheng Zhong’s interpretation, the duties of the ancient Palace Official are too broad. Therefore, Zheng Zhong’s textual criticism was directly criticized by another sage as ‘unreasonable.’ ‘Unreasonable’ means nonsense, a serious criticism for a scholar.”

“As for the last eighteen characters, there has always been controversy within the Confucian Temple, argued for hundreds of years. But according to… the view of the Sage of Literature, Master Xu, the Sage of Characters, should be correct in his interpretation of ‘Ji’ and ‘Qi.’ ‘Ji’ means ‘and,’ also ‘the sun gradually appearing,’ describing the slanting of sunlight. ‘Qi’ means ‘until,’ straight movement. Therefore, a more reasonable punctuation is ‘eastward to the sea, westward to the flowing sands, northward and southward, its teachings reaching all corners of the world.’ The implied meaning is ‘wherever sunlight shines, its teachings shall be carried out.'”

“Therefore, the guiding technique of Zhang Hou, in which the top of one of the head’s apertures is opened to lead in sunlight as a fire-method, sun-refining technique, seemingly pursuing the majestic appearance of the sun at its zenith, and guiding sunlight in a straight line, directly shining on the crown of his head at noon, connecting the external scene with the internal scene, is wrong in both the aperture and the path of sunlight. Cultivating in this orderly manner may not lead to Qi deviation, but it is not the right path. The reason is simple: consider human dwellings. Unless it is a courtyard with four waters flowing inward, no house has an open roof that allows the sun to directly shine on the crown, how can it shield from wind and rain…”

Xue Ruyi sometimes frowned, sometimes looked enlightened.

This “fake Daoist” who eloquently offered such insights was none other than Wu Di, or Chen Jianxian, simply one of Chen Pingan’s avatars.

Earlier, Chen Pingan used the art of talismans to split his divine consciousness and attach it to talisman puppets, scattering them like stars across Treasure Bottle洲.
In the Jade Declaration Kingdom’s capital, a false “Daoist” not only sets up a stall but also researches the esoteric Daoist rituals secretly passed down by the Grand Celestial Master of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, despite not being a direct descendant. Due to the calligraphy copybook, he followed the whims of fate and began an in-depth study of textual criticism.

In Yu Province, a “Chen Ping An,” masquerading as a Buddhist layman, entered a Vinaya (Discipline) Buddhist temple to study the precepts, especially exerting great effort on the *Four-Part Vinaya*. The essence and purpose of the Vinaya school lie in the single word “precept,” which is further divided into “cessation” and “performance.” Cessation means abstaining from all evil, blocking the doors to wickedness. Performance means practicing all good deeds, cultivating the doors to virtue. This is why the “Chen Ping An” here had previously written that Buddhist saying.

Within the territory of Green Apricot Kingdom, a wandering Qi Refiner spends his days in the Immortal Inn reading military texts. When he ventures out, he carries a Luo Pan (compass) to seek dragon veins and pinpoint auspicious burial spots, also cultivating the arts of Yin-Yang and Five Elements.

Near Righteous Sun Mountain, in a place called Jade Cutting Mountain Bamboo Branch Sect, a disciple named Chen Jiu acts as a receptionist in the outer gate, deeply investigating the foundations of the farmer and merchant families using mathematical calculations.

Xue Ruyi looked at the thirty-six characters on the ground, raised her head, and asked, “Who exactly are you?”

Chen Ping An smiled and said, “In this mortal realm, who isn’t a ‘Daoist’ in their own way?”

Xue Ruyi lowered her head again, looking at the re-punctuated thirty-six characters. The more she pondered, the more profound meaning she found. Without a doubt, this punctuation was the correct interpretation!

When Xue Ruyi raised her head again, the middle-aged Daoist had already walked away with his peach wood sword. She asked, “Going to set up your stall?”

Chen Ping An turned his head and smiled, “This humble Daoist is most adept at discerning words and observing expressions. I’ll proactively pack up and scram.”

Xue Ruyi shook her head, “You don’t rent the house from me. Whether you stay or not, it’s not up to me.”

The middle-aged Daoist let out a sound of realization, “That’s right, we’re all just guests, one new and one old.”

Xue Ruyi hesitated, “Can Daoist Chen impart the most appropriate methods for opening a mansion of vital energy and refining with fire?”

The Daoist shook his head, “Zhang Hou only focuses on studying the words of the sages. This humble Daoist is too unrefined to teach him superior Immortal techniques.”

Xue Ruyi was a little anxious, “Why are you still holding a grudge?”

The Daoist smiled, “Clear accounts make a fine man, distinct love and hate make a true hero. How can one be a Daoist without some temper and integrity?”

Xue Ruyi extended her hand, “I’ll buy the talismans you were peddling to me before.”

The Daoist exclaimed in surprise, quickly raising his sleeve and walking towards her, “This poor Daoist always felt that Young Master Zhang had extraordinary talent! With these talismans, he’ll have divine assistance!”

This year’s false spring chill was particularly pronounced. In late February, there was even a heavy snowfall.

In Qingling Kingdom’s Jingyang Prefecture, there has been a custom of drinking early morning wine since ancient times.

After the snow melted, even those who were shivering, not only men but also women, called upon their friends and acquaintances. The aroma of meat and wine permeated the markets and alleys.

Within Jingyang Prefecture, there is an ancient Immortal sect called the Jade Cutting Mountain Bamboo Branch Sect, a subsidiary sect of the sword Immortal-filled Righteous Sun Mountain.

Beside a stream where the ice had just thawed, with flowing water gurgling, a middle-aged man in a cotton robe and deerskin boots hurried along the muddy road, slapping the stone chips and dust off his body. Seeing an old man with a dark face in the distance, he quickly took three steps and turned them into two to approach him.

The old man said sternly, “Chen Jiu! What’s going on with you? The guest of honor has already arrived, and you’re nowhere to be seen. Do I have to come here to pick you up? Are you putting on airs as if Young Master Xiahou invited you to drink?!”

The man said aggrievedly, “Uncle Bai, I even left fifteen minutes early.”

The old man, called Uncle Bai, angrily said, “You agreed to drink early morning wine at mid-Sishi, and you expect Young Master Xiahou to arrive on time? Leaving fifteen minutes early isn’t enough! You should have arrived at least half an hour early. If you don’t even understand this basic etiquette, how can you be a receptionist!”

The man bowed his head and hunched his shoulders, blowing on his hands to warm them. “Outer gate receptionist, outer gate receptionist. Uncle Bai, calm down, I’ll treat you to a pot of pine resin wine later.”

The old man glared, “Don’t let it happen again!”

The man nodded vigorously, “I guarantee, I guarantee, it won’t happen again!”

The old man hesitated, speaking in his heart, “What kind of temper does Young Master Xiahou have? Even if you haven’t experienced it firsthand, you should have heard about it. He can be quite reckless. If this drinking session is ruined by you, and a good thing turns into a bad thing, won’t he turn around and blame me?”

The man rubbed his hands and laughed, “If Young Master Xiahou holds a grudge over such a small matter, he won’t blame Uncle Bai. My conscience hasn’t been eaten by a dog.”

The old man glanced at the chips of stone on the man’s shoulder. Clearly, this kid had been personally digging in the mine to find ore again. The old man remained expressionless, but his eyes softened slightly, though he still snorted, “You’re an outer gate receptionist with nothing to lose. You don’t have to worry about suffering Young Master Xiahou’s wrath. At worst, you can just pack up and leave. If this place doesn’t want you, there will be other places that do. But if I’m implicated by you, how can I leave? Can I carry the entire Jade Cutting Mountain and run away? Don’t let me run into you then, or I’ll curse you every time I see you.”

This is what is called having a cold face but a warm heart.

There are always some old people who deliberately say things that are unpleasant to hear but make sense, as if afraid others will think well of them.

The man seemed like a rogue, grinning as he massaged the old man’s shoulders, “Uncle Bai is an old immortal. Carrying Jade Cutting Mountain is still a breeze for you, right?”

The old man shook his shoulder, knocking off the cotton-robed man’s hands, and scolded, “You’re a receptionist at least. Save up some money and buy a decent magic robe. Look at you, you’re such a pauper!”

The man laughed, “What’s the difference between wearing a few magic robes or not? Besides, the really rich people on the mountain all look like me. Wearing a magic robe would seem ostentatious.”

“How much money do you have? And you dare to talk about the really rich people? Have you even seen one?”

“Uncle Bai, when I become rich one day, I’ll wear seven or eight magic robes and parade through the streets.”

“Are you wearing magic robes or selling magic robes?”

“I’ll wear and sell at the same time. Uncle Bai, my business acumen is not bad, right?”

Uncle Bai said, “Chen Jiu, the matter of rebuilding the sect cannot be rushed. The task is arduous and the road is long. You still need to read more gazettes and search for those senior masters and fellow disciples first. Otherwise, without the ancestral hall spirit tablets and portrait genealogies, you won’t have proper legitimacy. Whether it’s restoring the kingdom or establishing a new dynasty, why would they be willing to hand over such a large Immortal mansion to you, a fourth-realm Qi Refiner? Even if the new ruler is generous and willing to return the original site, could you even protect the family business?”
Since the entire southern part of Treasure Bottle Continent was initially occupied by the barbaric demon races, countless mountain gates and cultivators migrated north, crossing the Great Gully into the northern regions. Even now, various landscape gazettes in Treasure Bottle Continent still see many southern immortal abodes and mountain sects recruiting old subordinates or enlisting new recruits, attempting to restore their former glory. Alternatively, the ancestral halls may have relocated, far from the original locations, requiring landscape gazettes to remind those long-lost lineage cultivators of the new addresses of their mountain gates, specifying which country and territory they are located in.

Chen Jiu nodded, “If it truly doesn’t work, and I can’t find any elders from my sect, I’ll seek out Headmaster Guo, ask her to help me rebuild the mountain gate, and then sign a mountain alliance with her. That way, the Bamboo Branch Sect will at least have disciples venturing down the mountain.”

Bai Bo chuckled, “Wishful thinking!”

The Bamboo Branch Sect’s earliest ancestral hall was established on the summit of Cutting Jade Mountain. A site of the ancestral hall still exists, but it was relocated elsewhere during the tenure of the second-generation mountain master, as constant excavation of a mountain peak, gradually diminishing the earth and stones, was deemed an ominous omen. It was because of Cutting Jade Mountain, this treasure trove, that there was a quarry named Wild Stream, which produced jade that could be used for inkstones or carved into various valuable jade artifacts and jade mountains. The jade naturally contained wisps of spiritual energy, with spiritual veins resembling stone marrow watercourses. Although the content was not high, it was considered extremely rare on the mountain, especially the large jade stones, which were placed in courtyards as feng shui stones, almost a standard feature of the aristocratic families in Azure Spirit Kingdom.

However, the Bamboo Branch Sect never dared to hoard such rare and unrepeatable large stones, and would always offer them to the Orthodox Sun Mountain, where a certain peak would resell them at a high price to officials and dignitaries.

The founding patriarch of the Bamboo Branch Sect excelled in geography and geomancy, possessing discerning eyes. He signed a contract with the imperial court early on, purchasing the entire Cutting Jade Mountain and the surrounding mountain ranges at an extremely low price. As the Bamboo Branch Sect cultivators dug deeper, they essentially possessed a mountain of treasure. The Orthodox Sun Mountain belatedly realized that such a priceless jade mine was hidden right under their noses. However, the Bamboo Branch Sect had already signed the land deed with the imperial court at the time, and it was too late to regret. The Orthodox Sun Mountain did not resort to such ruthless measures as extermination, but instead dispatched a Sword Immortal from the ancestral hall to form an alliance with the Bamboo Branch Sect. In name it was an alliance, but in reality, the latter became a vassal sect of the Orthodox Sun Mountain.

The current headmaster, Guo Hui-feng, is a Golden Core female cultivator.

Because the Bamboo Branch Sect’s founding patriarch signed the contract with the previous dynasty, when the founding emperor of Azure Spirit Kingdom ascended the throne two hundred years ago, the Bamboo Branch Sect and Cutting Jade Mountain faced an impending crisis.

It is said that she sat within a grand formation on Cutting Jade Mountain, making it clear that if the Orthodox Sun Mountain Sword Immortal dared to seize the ancestral property of Cutting Jade Mountain, she would destroy everything, ensuring that no one—Orthodox Sun Mountain, Azure Spirit Kingdom, or Bamboo Branch Sect—would ever obtain the mine.

The determination of this female headmaster is evident.

Chen Pingan smiled, he was finally about to meet that extraordinary talent from Water Dragon Peak, who had worked so hard.

As the mountain master, he rarely spoke of other mountain peaks or cultivators when he was at the Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

But this person was definitely an exception.

Not only Little Rice Grain, but even Warm Tree and Shi Rou, the shopkeeper of Riding Dragon Lane, had heard of this person.

This extraordinary talent would never have imagined that he had such high “prestige” in the Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

According to Old Chef, it was tasteless to drink without mentioning a few of Xia Hou’s heroic deeds at the table.

This widely known “extraordinary talent,” named Xia Hou Zhan, was the esteemed disciple of Old Ancestor Yan from Water Dragon Peak. He was responsible for intelligence affairs at Orthodox Sun Mountain. For twenty years, he had diligently and conscientiously collected information, not daring to slack off in the slightest. The most important intelligence line was monitoring Chen Pingan and Liu Xianyang in Huaihuang County, Old Dragon Province. To this end, Xia Hou’s several trusted and capable subordinates had established relationships, shallow or deep, with the Embroidered Flower, Jade Dew, and Chongdan Three Rivers Water Mansion near Red Candle Town, pouring a lot of immortal money into the pockets of those water mansion clerks who claimed to have connections everywhere.

However, this Xia Hou never used underhanded tactics. Of course, he really didn’t dare to act rashly. After all, the backing behind that Fallen Phoenix Mountain was the Northern Peak Cloud-Shrouded Mountain. It was said that the young mountain master, who came from humble beginnings, had always been the Mountain Lord Wei Bo’s chosen accountant, responsible for laundering the Mountain Lord’s many gray incomes through a Two-Mountain shared Ox Horn Ferry, turning them into clean immortal money that secretly flowed into the Mountain Lord’s treasury every year.

As for Liu Xianyang, he had left his hometown early to study at the Scholarly Chen Clan in Saha Continent for many years. As a result, he became extremely lucky and transformed into the direct disciple of Ruan Qiong of Dragon Spring Sword Sect, who was also the Chief Imperial Protector of the Great Li Dynasty.

With support from either the Northern Peak Mountain Lord or Chief Ruan of the Great Li, how could Xia Hou dare to act recklessly?

Once the sect celebration that shook the continent ended, Xia Hou had “achieved complete success.”

Chen Jiu suddenly said, “Bai Bo, I have a favor to ask. If that Sword Immortal Xia Hou asks, can you say that this meal was paid for by me, even if I had to put on a brave face and pretend to be rich?”

Bai Bo said, “Three pots of pine resin wine.”

Originally, Cutting Jade Mountain had to regularly reconcile accounts with Xia Hou Zhan, so this meal was a public expense of the Bamboo Branch Sect, and Bai Ni didn’t have to pay for it himself.

“Two pots!”

“Deal.”

In Cutting Jade Mountain, there was a private restaurant owned by the Bamboo Branch Sect that was not open to the public, located on the banks of Scattering Flower Beach, where a banquet was currently being held.

The host was the current mining officer in charge of the Cutting Jade Mountain quarry, an old man named Bai Ni, a cultivator from the Bamboo Branch Sect’s ancestral hall. The sect’s cultivators were accustomed to calling the old man Uncle Bai.

There was only one guest, a distinguished person from the Orthodox Sun Mountain, a Sword Immortal, not too young but certainly not old, named Xia Hou Zhan.

Accompanying them were a man and a woman, Chen Jiu, an outer sect receptionist, and Liang Yuping, a female cultivator with the Daoist name “Banana Leaf.”

The female cultivator’s “hairpin” was a small and exquisite banana leaf fan.

As for the man, there was nothing much to say about him. He was just an outer sect receptionist, ordinary in appearance, low in cultivation, and with a common identity.

She didn’t know how she had heard the news, but she had taken the initiative to request to attend the banquet, and Bai Bo didn’t want to stop her.

Liang Yuping was a top disciple of the Cock’s Foot Mountain lineage. It was highly likely that she would be the next peak master.
Chicken Foot Mountain, too, was a lineage passed down from the previous Sect Leader. In truth, the Bamboo Branch Sect was internally divided into two factions. The cultivators of Jade Cutting Mountain were unwilling to overly rely on Orthodox Sun Mountain, while those of Chicken Foot Mountain were dead set on seeking refuge there. Previously, they had been all smiles with Autumn Order Mountain, but now they had switched to currying favor with Full Moon Peak.

The subordinate relationships within the mountain were of three types. The first was a clearly defined upper and lower mountain relationship, where the lower mountain cultivators had to have their lineage recorded in the auxiliary register of the upper mountain’s ancestral hall. Naturally, their status was lower and it was extremely difficult to break free from the upper mountain’s control. The second was a vassal sect, a subordinate immortal mansion required to offer regular tribute of money and resources to the sovereign sect. The relationship between the Bamboo Branch Sect and Orthodox Sun Mountain was of this type. The third was a mountain alliance, where the strength of the two sides was vastly different, but the weaker side was not required to pay tribute, like the Fallen Mountain and the Pearl Hairpin Island of Turtleback Mountain.

The tavern was two stories tall, with a large room on the second floor that had always been used to entertain esteemed guests from Orthodox Sun Mountain.

Butler Bai led a man named Chen Jiu (Old Chen) up the stairs. In the corridor, Liang Yuping was already standing at the door, elegant and graceful, with a string of priceless coiled pearl bracelets on her alabaster wrist.

The female cultivator appeared to be about thirty years old, with a slender figure and a mole at the corner of her mouth.

The Dharma robe she was wearing today had clearly been carefully chosen, accentuating her slenderness and highlighting her curves.

Liang Yuping noticed Bai Ni, who held the actual power over the mine, and lightly complained, “Butler Bai, how could you keep Young Master Xiahou waiting so long? If I were Young Master Xiahou and had even a hint of temper, I would have left long ago. Instead, Young Master Xiahou was the one who advised me not to be anxious.”

The female cultivator’s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and Butler Bai, in the Cave Realm in the corridor, heard it clearly. The Xiahou Sword Immortal in the Dragon Gate Realm inside the room must have heard it even more clearly.

Butler Bai chuckled softly, “This is the benefit of having Yuping in charge of hospitality.”

The female cultivator’s frown turned into a smile.

Entering the room, Butler Bai cupped his hands in apology. Young Master Xiahou put down the conical bamboo hat in his hand, stood up, and said with a smile that there was no need to be so formal.

Butler Bai asked, “Sword Immortal Xiahou, shall I have the dishes served?”

Xiahou Zan nodded and smiled, “Naturally, I am at your disposal. Anyway, I am carefree these days. What does it matter if I wait a little longer? Besides, Fellow Daoist ‘Banana Leaf’ brews excellent tea. This pre-Qingming tea, plucked from the old tea tree of Scattered Flower Shoal, has a decent flavor.”

Butler Bai cast a sidelong glance at the relieved concierge.

*Are you an idiot?*

*Can’t you hear the implicit blame?*

Butler Bai repeatedly clasped his fists and pleaded for forgiveness, “I was remiss in my duties. I will first drink three cups of punishment wine later.”

“Respect the elders, Butler Bai. If you keep saying such empty words, you will truly be treating me like an outsider.”

“Dare not, dare not.”

The female cultivator began to smooth things over, “Young Master Xiahou, today we have a main dish, Drunken Shrimp. Our tavern spent a great deal of effort to buy eighteen ‘Silvers’ to make a platter. We only managed to get them because our Bamboo Branch Sect has a friendly relationship with a Great Li transport official.”

It was as if she had bought them with her own money.

Butler Bai didn’t care about having his credit stolen.

Xiahou Zan smiled, “‘Silver,’ also known as River Dragon, right? I had the fortune to eat a few, two fingers long, thanks to my master in the past.”

The female cultivator’s face instantly turned extremely awkward.

Bai Ni also felt a headache coming on. Just because Liang Yuping thought it was rare, why did she have to show off to a Water Dragon Peak sword immortal? Water Dragon Peak cultivated both swordplay and water arts, so its disciples were surely no strangers to aquatic delicacies.

It turned out that there was an underground river in Treasure Bottle Continent, known as the Walking Dragon Road. Immortal vessels traveled back and forth, and the river contained a unique and strange river shrimp, pure white in color, born to absorb the essence of the river’s fortune. In the north of the river, countries like Combing Water Country called it “River Dragon,” while in the south it was affectionately known as “Silver.” A River Dragon the length of a finger was considered a top-grade rare river delicacy. If a River Dragon lived for a hundred years, it could grow to be two fingers long. Nowadays, a one-finger-long River Dragon could sell for one Snowflake Coin, and even then, it was hard to come by. You couldn’t buy one unless you had some connections with the Great Li Transport Agency or the Marquis House of Old Dragon City.

Xiahou Zan casually asked, “Which transport official is it?”

Butler Bai said, “It’s a transport official named Huang.”

“What rank is he?”

“It seems he is from the fifth rank.”

Xiahou Zan nodded, “Then he must be a subordinate officer under Transport Commissioner Yu.”

In the past, such mountain delicacies were all directly pre-ordered by a senior brother from Water Dragon Peak who managed the finances, from the Great Li Canal Transport General Commissioner, Yu Shanfang. However, this Yu had a high and mighty attitude. It was said that he had a very close relationship with a member of the Great Li Upright Pillar State Guan family, and only then did he get such a lucrative position.

Chen Pingan smiled.

Speaking of it, Yu Shanfang, the Transport Commissioner of the Great Li Transport Agency who currently manages the Walking Dragon Road route, was an old acquaintance and drinking buddy because of Guan Yiran. Yu Shanfang had poor alcohol tolerance and even worse drinking etiquette. If you said he was faking being drunk, he would crawl under the table as soon as he got drunk. If you said he was really drunk, he would go under the table to touch the boots of the female cultivator, Qi Qi.

Back then, when the Great Li court established a new office specifically to oversee and manage the continent’s ferry routes, immortal piers, and the transportation of mountain resources, the chief official’s rank was the proper third rank, only one rank lower than the Minister of Revenue. The Guan family obtained three positions in this office. Originally, Guan Yiran was going to take the position with the lowest rank, and he had even persuaded Yu Shanfang to join him in working for the newly established canal transport office, with the intention of having Yu Shanfang join forces with a new friend named Dong Shuijing. The latter would earn money honestly, and the former would smoothly get promoted.

As a result, Yu Shanfang reluctantly took office, but Guan Yiran, that bastard who spoke like he was farting, actually threw up his hands and ran off to become the director of the great river.

Now, Yu Shanfang, as one of the transport commissioners, was primarily responsible for the long Walking Dragon Road that ran north-south in Treasure Bottle Continent.

As for the Marquis House of Old Dragon City, which had been involved in the Walking Dragon Road business even earlier, it had once occupied half of the route. After the Great Li court intervened, the Marquis House could only obediently retreat behind the scenes and eat some scraps.

The current Great Li Canal Transport General Office was located on the banks of the River Ji, not in the Great Li’s secondary capital, Luo Jing, and was close to the Marquis of Everlasting Spring’s Water Mansion.

The chief official, known as the “Canal Commander,” had been promoted from the third rank to the associate second rank, and the two assistant officials had also been promoted to the proper third rank. According to the rules, the Canal Transport General was not subject to the control of the ministries and directly reported to the emperor, and could submit exclusive memorials.
In the past two decades, Yu Shanfang’s official career has flourished. Having started at a considerable advantage, being one of the earliest veterans of the newly established bureau, he can now be considered a regional grandee with real power. The original thirty mountain waterways were reduced to seventeen after the Great Li Dynasty retreated north of the Great Gully. The Song Dynasty court then dismissed a portion of the overseeing officials and their associated assistants, most of whom were either promoted or transferred to local prefectures and counties. Among the remaining overseers was Yu Shanfang, a fourth-rank official. Crucially, the Dragon-Walking Route under his full jurisdiction extends to the Comb-Water Kingdom in the central part of a continent. Consequently, it stands as the sole waterway reaching into the southern territories of Treasure Bottle Continent. It is evident to even the dimmest minds that Overseer Yu’s authority extends far beyond the mere oversight of the Dragon-Walking Route. Along the waterway, the various kingdoms and immortal abodes, who still regard themselves as tributary states to the Great Li Dynasty even after the return of the southern mountains and rivers of Treasure Bottle Continent, likely owe some credit to Yu Shanfang. As to the true extent of his contributions, it shall become clear in due time, gauged by the height of his future official post when he is transferred elsewhere.