Chen Ping’an settled back down, and overheard Lu Chen and Zheng Dafeng engaging in idle chatter.

“Brother Dafeng, if you were to reside within the Confucian school, your Daoist power would be no less than that of the two Sect Leaders, Dong and Han.”

“If you truly believe that, you should proclaim it at the entrance of the Central Earth Literary Temple to show your sincerity. Dare you?”

“Confucian rules are too numerous. Brother Dafeng, would you be willing to take a prestigious position in a certain region of the Azure Billow Heaven? This humble Daoist is willing to strongly recommend you. You can choose freely, within or without White Jade Capital.”

“That woman from my continent has a temperament far too fierce, and she’s a bit too old. I might not be able to handle her. Zhaoge already has a Daoist partner; if I remember correctly, they’ve already held a wedding banquet. The Two Capitals Mountain and Great Tide Sect are now allied through marriage. To intrude as a third party would be improper, lest Xu Juan suffer heartache and be unable to recover. Could it be Senior Sister Zhu Xuan’s Fish Talisman Dynasty?! Or perhaps Little Sister Bai Ou’s Azure Spirit Dynasty?”

As they chatted, the two men moved to a long bench and began to whisper conspiratorially, indicating a past friendship of no small measure.

Chen Ping’an was about to rise when Lu Chen hastily produced a tin canister adorned with intricate inscriptions, bearing the signature of the Flowing Jade Pavilion. He replaced the tea leaves for the Mountain Master and Zheng Dafeng, adding hot water, and said, “Try this Cloud Tea from Mount Kuanglu. This humble Daoist spent a great deal of effort to steal this little bit. The price was not small. Now, a stele has been erected at the entrance of my mountain specifically for this humble Daoist. We are all cultivators, so why is the animosity so high over a few catties of tea leaves? Chen Ping’an, what are your plans? If we happen to be going the same way, we can travel together, so it won’t be too dull.”

Chen Ping’an changed the subject, asking, “Zhang Fenghai of Jade Pivot City, has he left the Misty Cloud Grotto of the Town Mountain Palace?”

Lu Chen nodded. “He will participate in the Three Teachings Debate. White Jade Capital made an exception for him. However, this kid has a fiery temper, and a stubborn streak. He has already left the White Jade Capital Daoist register, even discarding his Jade Pivot City Daoist document. Those two city lord senior brothers, who have always treated him like half a son, are both happy and angry. Unable to find their junior brother Zhang Fenghai, they resort to bullying the weak, only knowing how to vent their anger on this humble Daoist, using me as a punching bag. They made a scene at South China City. Do they really think this humble Daoist is a pushover? Who doesn’t know how to hurl abuse? This humble Daoist ran a stall in Locust Yellow County for ten years!”

Because Lu Chen mentioned hurling abuse, Chen Ping’an asked, “Cheng Quan?”

Back on the city wall, the two old sword cultivators, Cheng Quan and Zhao Geyi, greatly admired the Second Shopkeeper, unrelated to his sword skill. The young Hidden Official, an outsider, simply completely overwhelmed them in their own area of expertise.

Lu Chen laughed. “He and Nalan Shaowei are now using the Reclining Dragon Stone in the Water Central Palace of Year-End Palace as a sword cultivation training ground, doing quite well. Year-End Palace is renowned for its xenophobia and protectiveness. In the future, when they travel, they can walk unhindered across the Fourteen Continents. As for Dong Black Charcoal and Yan Fatty and the others, you don’t need to worry about them. To put it bluntly, as long as Punisher Hao Su sits there, they’ll only be bullying others.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Lu Chen suddenly whispered, “The three hundred gold essence copper coins you owe Yu Xuan, this humble Daoist has some savings. I can’t bear to see a friend in debt, it makes me uncomfortable. So, I’ve already covered it for your Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Between our friendship, a little money, don’t mention it again!”

Chen Ping’an sneered.

Lu Chen said sheepishly, “Alright, I’ll be honest with you. Actually, it was this humble Daoist who sweet-talked the Old Immortal Yu, using a lot of persuasion, to help Fallen Phoenix Mountain get rid of the debt.”

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly. “Daoist Master Lu, besides liking to meddle, you’re also quite skilled at taking credit.”

Lu Chen asked in confusion, “Did the Old Master Scholar already tell you about this?”

Chen Ping’an frowned. “What do you mean?”

Lu Chen’s face turned awkward, and he had to honestly explain the reason. “Before this humble Daoist left White Jade Capital to come to Vastness, this humble Daoist did make a trip to the Extraterrestrial Star River and had a pleasant conversation with Yu Xuan. The Old Immortal took the initiative to mention the three hundred gold essence copper coins, saying that the Old Master Scholar had a discussion with him, providing much insight into the Great Dao. He has thin skin, and compared to that, the gold essence copper coins are nothing. Consider it even. ‘A little money, don’t mention it again,’ this humble Daoist was just passing on Yu Xuan’s message. He also said that the next time Mountain Master Chen visits Central Earth Divine Continent, even if he, Yu Xuan, is not in the sect, you can directly borrow three or five… five or six hundred gold essence copper coins from the Gold-Filling Peak. He has already notified the two direct disciples in charge of money at Orthodox Sect and Upper Sect. When Mountain Master Chen asks, the money will be available.”

When he said “three or five,” seeing that Chen Ping’an’s expression seemed off, Lu Chen instantly understood and immediately changed his words, directly increasing the number to five or six hundred.

This burden, this humble Daoist is righteous and willing to stab myself for a brother! This humble Daoist will bear it!

Lu Chen tentatively asked, “The six doppelgangers, limited by the grade of the talisman paper, their realms seem to be not that high, do you really not need this humble Daoist to help protect you?”

“No need to discuss it.”

Chen Ping’an rose and took his leave, silently climbing the mountain alone.

If Lu Chen was not lying, then Fallen Phoenix Mountain’s Spring Residence would have three hundred extra gold essence copper coins out of thin air. If they were all refined, although it would not improve the grade of the flying sword “Wellhead Moon”, the number of flying swords that could be split would significantly increase.

Afterwards, the trip to Yu Continent, besides seeing His Majesty the Emperor of Great Li, was to find out how much of a surplus of gold essence copper coins remains in the Great Li national treasury.

Of course, he also needed to go to the Yuzhang County logging yard. After confirming that Lin Shouyi’s father was not involved in that past grievance, the feeling of relief Chen Ping’an felt could not be explained to outsiders.

This year, on the day of the Qingming Festival, in the capital of Yu Xuan Kingdom, if Ma Kuxuan wanted to stop him, he could try.

Regardless of whether it would involve True Martial Mountain or the West Mountain Lord’s Mansion of Treasure Bottle Continent, it didn’t matter.

Then there was the matter at Ox Horn Mountain. Chen Ping’an had promised Zhang Caiqin and Hong Yangbo that he would attend the Qingxing Kingdom’s ceremony in the middle of the year.

As for the matter of opening the great canal in Tung Leaf Continent, Chen Ping’an had already decided to wash his hands of it and hand it over to Cui Dongshan and the Azure Ripple Sword Sect to negotiate with all parties.

Previously, in the extraterrestrial realm, Chen Ping’an confirmed one thing: the Literary Temple was indeed going to officially enshrine the Five Mountains of Treasure Bottle Continent. Wei Bo, Jin Qing, and the other five mountain lords were about to be granted divine titles.

As for the Three Teachings Debate, Chen Ping’an was still hesitant about whether to participate as a spectator. If he participated, should he bring Immortal Wei?

The top priority, of course, was to return to the Jade Purity Realm.
Later, he traveled the Vast World with Liu the Wine Immortal. Originally, the Liu family of Aiai Continent and Pei A’xiang’s Thunder God Temple were places they always visited, but now Chen Ping’an was too lazy to go to the Liu family. Their relationship wasn’t that close; he was just an honorary guest.

At the entrance, as soon as the Mountain Master left, Xiao Mo and Xie Gou appeared.

Lu Chen looked at the mink-hatted girl. The girl curled her fingers and pointed to her eyes, signaling the young Daoist with the lotus crown to keep his wandering eyes in check.

Lu Chen said in his mind, “The rise and fall of all things are natural, and the old is always surpassed by the new. But, Miss Xie, you seek to steal the heavens and attain Dao with this? In my humble opinion, it will be exceedingly difficult.”

Xie Gou grinned, “Man proposes, heaven disposes.”

Then, Xie Gou said pitifully, “Xiao Mo, this Daoist is secretly flirting with me. His thoughts were quite lewd just now.”

Zheng Dafeng immediately raised his white bowl, “I can vouch for Daoist Lu’s character with my own head. It’s exactly the kind of thing he’d do.”

Xiao Mo smiled, clearly not taking it seriously, “Master Zheng, don’t joke. I trust Daoist Lu.”

Lu Chen gave Master Xiao Mo a thumbs-up and took a sip of tea to calm his nerves, “Besides, reciting Buddha with a vulgar mouth is better than cursing with a pure one.”

Xie Gou sneered, “You, a Daoist, know how to be vegetarian and chant Buddhist scriptures?”

Lu Chen nodded, “When I encounter difficulties and insurmountable obstacles, I always silently recite in my heart, ‘May the Buddha protect me, Amitabha.'”

Xie Gou was somewhat doubtful. Was this Daoist really Lu Chen, the Third Sect Leader of White Jade Capital?

Was he hard to kill? How hard?

Lu Chen turned his gaze towards Fallen Peak.

On the mountain, there was a stooped old man, whom Pei Qian described as “the best fighter in the kitchen, and the best cook among martial artists,” smiling at the foot of the mountain.

Separated, one knows not how far,
Drunk, one forgets the path they are on.

The world was silent, except for the faint sound of pages turning from the bamboo chair near the mountain gate.

Inside the two-story bamboo house, Chen Ping’an continued to “copy books.”

Beside the heart lake where Chen Ping’an’s main body resided, dozens of people were standing, such as Xiahou Zan and Liang Yuping. Their postures and expressions slowly changed, like flowing water. Their clothing and adornments were meticulously detailed. Even if a great cultivator focused their attention, even the slightest tear in the robes would be consistent with the “Dao.” Since they were all real objects that had been repeatedly washed by the river of time, there were naturally no flaws. And every word they had spoken floated in the air, like a flock of birds circling a high mountain, lingering and refusing to leave.

Fallen Peak and Green Myrtle Sword Sect.

The upper sect had the Lotus Blossom Blessed Land of Gathering Spirit Peak, and the lower sect had the Evergreen Grotto Heaven of Dense Snow Peak.

Within the grotto-heaven, there was a mountain named Red Pine, naturally because there were many ancient pines on the mountain. According to Cui Dongshan’s explanation, it was because the previous owner was pure and ascetic, and disliked noise, so he used an extremely clever “mountain-sealing” technique, which prevented any awakened plant spirits from appearing in the mountain to this day. Of course, this restriction had now been lifted by Cui Dongshan. He believed that before long, ancient pine spirits would gradually awaken in the mountain, but the difficulty of awakening, especially for plants, was not small.

Yu Xiehui and He Gu, who had originally practiced swordplay in thatched huts in this mountain, had now gone out to travel and attend to important matters, saying that they could contribute their meager strength to the excavation of the Great Canal.

Only Chai Wu, Bai Xuan, Sun Chunwang, and Cheng Chaolu were left.

Chai Wu had reached the Jade Purity Realm and was now the most idle of them all.

Bai Xuan and the others had rarely gathered together today during a break from sword practice.

Chai Wu had noticed the gathering and had come over to join in the fun.

Seeing the little girl holding a wine pot, Bai Xuan bowed with clasped fists, “Oh my, isn’t this Immortal ‘You Na’! What wind has blown you, old one, here? Your esteemed presence brings luster to our humble abode. This junior’s realm is low and my family is poor. We have no wine in our humble home. Please forgive me for the poor hospitality! Cheng, little cook, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and kowtow a few times to our Immortal ‘You Na’ and apologize…”

Sun Chunwang, sitting beside him, glanced at Bai Xuan, who was full of sarcastic remarks. He was always like this, never ending. It was fortunate that Chai Wu had a good temper. If it were her, she wouldn’t indulge Bai Xuan.

Bai Xuan was actually just feeling annoyed in his heart, indulging in some verbal satisfaction. He wasn’t truly jealous of Chai Wu, and it wasn’t like he couldn’t stand her doing well. It wasn’t that bad.

What kind of person did he, Grandmaster Bai, who was single-mindedly focused on attaining Dao and ascending to immortality, think he was?!

It was just that ever since Chai Wu had reached the Jade Purity Realm, Bai Xuan felt that he had completely lost his chance to be related to the word “genius” in this lifetime.

After all, even with Chen Li, who was known as “Little Hidden Official,” Bai Xuan didn’t feel that the gap between them was that great. With a little more effort, he could surpass the other party’s realm.

As a result, Chai Wu directly jumped from the three Qi Refining Realms of the Willow Sinew Realm to the Jade Purity Realm. What was Grandmaster Bai supposed to do now?

Was he supposed to harden his heart and have the Hidden Official slash him a few times, first cutting him back from the Cave Mansion Realm to the three realms? The problem was that even so, he, Grandmaster Bai, would just be following behind the “grass and wood” girl, imitating her every move. Wouldn’t he still be losing to her in terms of momentum?

Feeling bored, Bai Xuan took out a booklet from his sleeve and placed it on the table. He treated it with great seriousness, rubbed his hands, and then slowly opened this Book of Heroes.

On the first page was Qiu Zhi, the swordsman from Nine Yi Peak, whom he had just met not long ago. A good brother.

No wonder the Hidden Official always liked to go on long journeys and travel the world. It seemed that friends were made this way. They didn’t fall from the sky; they depended on fate and had to be found and befriended.

Bai Xuan turned his head and said, “Little cook, you also learn fist…”

Cheng Chaolu immediately shook his head like a rattle drum, saying decisively, “I’ll pass. My aptitude for learning fist is too poor. I’m not good enough, so I won’t make up the numbers!”

Considering that they were from the same hometown, Bai Xuan continued to persuade him, “Little cook, why be so self-deprecating? Even just shouting a few words from the side would be good.”

Bai Xuan saw that the fat man was still shaking his head.

Forget it, forget it. It didn’t matter if Cheng Chaolu wasn’t there. He was the same kind of person as Bai Shou from Fluttering Peak, completely lacking courage and being a coward.

Especially Bai Shou, it was fortunate that they both had the same surname, Bai. All the children of the Bai family were heroes. Next time they met, he would have to persuade him to change his surname.

The northeastern border of Yunxiao Dynasty, in the southern part of Treasure Bottle Continent,

A young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, followed by a young female Daoist holding a whisk, stopped at the foot of a mountain.

The female Daoist smiled and said, “Shui Jing, why did your friend choose such a place with thin spiritual energy to establish his sect?”
Dong Shuijing remarked, “He’s been like this since he was a child, disliking bustling crowds, wishing nobody knew him, only liking to quietly make money.”

The master of this mountain, a Sect Leader and a Law Enforcer, descended the mountain together to greet their distinguished guests.

On the way down, Wu Tijing joked, “No one visits the Three Treasures Hall without a purpose. Headmaster Hu, you have to be careful, lest you be tricked and still count the money for them.”

Hu Feng said, “In matters of money, Dong Shuijing is similar to you, not greedy. He can be trusted.”

Hu Feng only had one and a half friends in his life. Wu Tijing was one, and Dong Shuijing, his fellow villager at the foot of the mountain, was half.

Wu Tijing raised his chin, “That Daoist nun beside Dong Shuijing has an extraordinary aura.”

Hu Feng said, “If I’m not mistaken, she’s the current Palace Master of the Spirit Flight Palace.”

As expected, after the two parties met, Dong Shuijing introduced the female Daoist accompanying him, Huang Li, the current Palace Master of the Spirit Flight Palace, with the Daoist name “Dongting”.

Previously, it was the Spirit Flight Temple of the old White Frost Dynasty. It was conquered by the Great Li iron cavalry all the way south, and the dynasty was destroyed. Now it has become the Cloud Firmament Dynasty, with a slightly smaller territory.

Not long ago, the Spirit Flight Temple was also promoted to a palace, but it is not within the territory of the Cloud Firmament Dynasty.

Or rather, it is precisely because of the existence of this Daoist temple, and her serving as the nation’s Guardian True Master, that the Cloud Firmament Dynasty could not swallow up this small country.

Rumor has it that this Jade Perfection realm female Daoist is extremely skilled in Azure Chapter Prayers, cultivates the Six Jia Ascending Dao, can invite gods to descend, command myriad ghosts, and drive Yin soldiers.

She has opened up an ancient battlefield with a large number of Yin soldiers outside the borders of the two countries, as her second Daoist sanctum, which is now extremely powerful, causing the Cloud Firmament Dynasty a headache.

Dong Shuijing’s first business partner was actually Hu Feng.

In that old Dragon Prefecture and new Chu Prefecture, Dong Shuijing had the nickname “Dong Half-City.” Hu Feng contributed a lot to his rise to prominence.

Upon meeting, Dong Shuijing didn’t engage in any polite greetings, but went straight to the point, “Hu Feng, do you remember the amount of principal you gave me, and our profit-sharing agreement at the time?”

Hu Feng nodded.

Born into poverty, and not the kind to be extravagant and not treat money like money. So, although Hu Feng wasn’t particularly concerned about this sum of money, he certainly remembered the accounts clearly, just too lazy to urge.

The two groups ascended the mountain together, chatting as they walked.

At that time, Hu Feng had found eight snake gallstones of excellent quality in the Dragon Beard River. He sold them to the Li family on Fortune Street and an old man in Peach Leaf Lane. Hu Feng, although young, was experienced, and divided the snake gallstones equally between the two sides, offending neither, and received two large stacks of silver notes. Hu Feng then spent only a small portion of the silver to buy an entire street of houses in the state city, obtaining more than thirty land deeds from the yamen’s household affairs department. At that time, the houses in the state city were still at a very low price, and in addition, the Great Li Dynasty intentionally “filled” the old Dragon Prefecture from Hong Prefecture, Yun Prefecture, and other places. In order to encourage wealthy merchants and people from other states to immigrate here, many policies of the Dragon Prefecture government were uniquely beneficial to the people. Hu Feng gave all the rest of his family fortune to Dong Shuijing to manage, as a share in the business. In addition, because he often followed his grandfather through the streets and alleys when he was young, Hu Feng had collected a large pile of “junk,” mostly inconspicuous objects such as bronze mirrors and ancient coins. All of these were given to Dong Shuijing to help sell. Hu Feng didn’t ask about whether they were sold at a high or low price. Anyway, Dong Shuijing was only responsible for doing business. It didn’t matter if it was all lost. If there was a profit, the two sides would share it.

In those days, Dong Shuijing sold these “junk goods” at a high price, converting them into snowflake coins. Hu Feng’s two sums of immortal money accounted for almost 30% of Dong Shuijing’s family fortune.

Dong Shuijing smiled, “Now there are two options. First, we dissolve the partnership, and you take back your principal and dividends. Second, the principal continues to be kept, and you first receive the first dividend. Later, I will have someone deliver it to your door every year. If you find it troublesome, every ten years, every sixty years, is fine.”

Hu Feng said without hesitation, “The second option. Once every ten years is fine.”

Wu Tijing casually asked, “If Headmaster Hu chooses the first option, how many Valley Rain coins can he get?”

Hu Feng was also a little curious. A few dozen? That’s too little. A hundred, several hundred?

Anyway, as long as there are more than one hundred Valley Rain coins, then the sect can easily overcome the difficulties it faces.

Dong Shuijing smiled and reported a number.

Two thousand two hundred Valley Rain coins.

Hu Feng mistakenly thought he had misheard.

Wu Tijing only had one feeling: Could it be that making money is such an easy thing? Brother Dong, take me with you in the future?

Dong Shuijing took out a square-inch object from his sleeve, a folding fan that was closed. “Inside are two hundred Valley Rain coins. As for this square-inch object, consider it a congratulatory gift to Headmaster Hu and Law Enforcer Wu for establishing a sect. This fan has no restrictions. Opening it is opening a door. ‘Fan’ is homophonous with ‘good fortune’, so consider it a good omen, hoping that our cooperation can be a slow-flowing stream, long-lasting.”

Hu Feng was not pretentious and directly accepted the folding fan.

Wu Tijing’s impression of Dong Shuijing improved even more. He was indeed a straightforward person.

Hu Feng rarely made a joke, “If I had known I could make money like this, I wouldn’t have spent money to buy those state city houses back then.”

Dong Shuijing teased, “According to the current profit-sharing, you spent almost one Valley Rain coin as a snowflake coin back then.”

Speaking of this, Dong Shuijing raised his thumb, “As expected of someone who’s going to be a Sect Leader, showing off his lavish style when he was young.”

Dong Shuijing asked, “Hu Feng, are you willing to sell those broken porcelain pieces you picked up in Old Porcelain Mountain back then?”

Hu Feng shook his head.

Then Hu Feng added with a smile, “If you had said this first, without mentioning the dividend, I would have gritted my teeth and sold it.”

Dong Shuijing smiled, “Doing business with others might be like this, but with you, I won’t play these flashy tricks. The friendship of fellow villagers still needs to be valued.”

Hu Feng also laughed along, the friendship of fellow villagers. Perhaps many people would find it ridiculous to hear that, but Hu Feng wouldn’t. Dong Shuijing did care, and Hu Feng sincerely believed it.

Dong Shuijing said directly, “Then let’s discuss another matter. I want to buy that Cicada Sloughing Grotto-Heaven from you.”

Although it has been missing for a long time, this Grotto-Heaven has always been ranked among the thirty-six Lesser Grotto-Heavens.

Hu Feng shook his head.

As for how Dong Shuijing knew that this Grotto-Heaven was in his hands, Hu Feng didn’t want to ask too much. He also believed that Dong Shuijing had no ill intentions.

Some people seem to be born to be trusted by others.
Actually, Hu Feng looked at Dong Shuijing in this way, and Dong Shuijing and Wu Tijing also looked at him, Hu Feng, in the same way.

Otherwise, ordinary Qi Refiners would have already become suspicious, and among the wild cultivators of mountains and marshes, it is estimated that they would have already begun to plot how to kill and silence them.

Wu Tijing glanced at the female Daoist next to Dong Shuijing.

Huang Li responded to the young sword cultivator with a smile.

Dong Shuijing laughed: “Don’t rush to refuse, listen to my asking price first. First, I offer ten thousand Valley Rain Coins to buy the Cicada Slough Grotto-Heaven.”

“Second, to be precise, I am only buying the ownership of the Cicada Slough Grotto-Heaven. Within six hundred years, I will not interfere with your right to use it. Even if you empty out the natural treasures within the grotto-heaven, I won’t care. Even if only an empty shell remains, it’s fine. After six hundred years, I will take back this grotto-heaven. Of course, if you think the deadline is too short, we can talk about it. Eight hundred years is also acceptable.”

“Third, of course, I don’t have that much cash on hand. After all, ten thousand Valley Rain Coins is not a small amount. So, I’ll pay in three installments. The first installment, three thousand Valley Rain Coins, I can give you now. The second installment, four thousand, will be paid in one hundred years. The third installment, the remaining amount, will be paid in three hundred years. These four hundred years will be considered overdue payments, and the interest will be calculated separately. What do you think?”

Wu Tijing was amazed. No matter how little he cared about money, he was shocked by Dong Shuijing’s extravagance. He couldn’t help but elbow Hu Feng in the ribs. Wu Tijing was too lazy to use telepathy and said directly: “Hu Feng, I think we can talk!”

Let alone eight hundred years, even six hundred years, based on his and Hu Feng’s cultivation aptitude, even without touching those Sword Immortal remains, couldn’t they still learn something from the sword intent?

Hu Feng shook his head and said, “I’m not discussing this.”

Dong Shuijing was unwilling to force the issue and laughed: “It’s okay. If you change your mind one day, remember to look for me first. You can agree to that, right?”

Hu Feng nodded and said, “That’s no problem.”

Before the group had even reached the two adjacent thatched huts halfway up the mountain, Dong Shuijing stopped and cupped his hands in farewell: “I’m heading back. Palace Master Huang still has a mountain of affairs to handle. Hu Feng, to be honest, I can’t even bear to look. Even someone as unconcerned as I am thinks your sect is too shabby. Just say, my old wonton shop was probably better than this.”

Hu Feng laughed: “When you come here next time, it will definitely be different.”

Dong Shuijing finished his business and left without even taking a sip of water, taking the female Daoist Huang Li down the mountain with him. At the foot of the mountain, she summoned a talisman boat and soared into the clouds.

He came and went in a hurry, decisive and efficient.

Wu Tijing rarely acknowledged someone, “This Dong Shuijing is a decent fellow.”

Hu Feng nodded, “My grandfather once said that shrewdness, intelligence, and wisdom are three different realms. He also said that a person born with wisdom roots is easily contaminated by the mundane world, but as long as they have wisdom roots, they can more easily ‘change their mind’ and ‘turn back’. Back then, when Grandpa went to Old Porcelain Mountain to find me, he looked at Dong Shuijing’s face and said at first glance that he would definitely be someone who would never lack money in the future, and his greatest ability would be making a fortune and being able to keep it.”

“Actually, Dong Shuijing stopped reading a long time ago. He made his fortune by opening a wonton shop and selling glutinous rice wine.”

“Before that, I even advised him to stay with that Mr. Qi and study, but Dong Shuijing was very determined, saying that he couldn’t read as well as Lin Shouyi anyway, so he might as well make money earlier.”

Wu Tijing laughed: “It’s obvious that Huang Li of the Spirit Flight Palace is very polite to Dong Shuijing.”

As the direct disciple of Immortal Sovereign Cao Rong and the successor of the Spirit Flight Palace, according to the Daoist lineage, she is a grand-disciple of the Third Master of White Jade Capital, Lu Chen.

To have such a female immortal of the Daoist sect, who has both a powerful backing and a high cultivation level, accompanying him up the mountain like an attendant…

From this, it can be seen that Dong Shuijing is truly flourishing.

In the turbulent sea of clouds, on the talisman boat, the female Daoist asked with a smile: “Shuijing, are you really not coming with me to the Golden Immortal Hermitage on Pure and Wonderful Peak?”

Dong Shuijing shook his head and said: “I am going to Miao Mountain.”

“A traveling knife sharpener is always busy.”

“The person is busy, but the heart is not.”

Within the territory of Dayu, on the Yuzhou border, beside the Jingxi River, there is an ancient temple whose incense can only be considered average. Although it is a thousand-year-old temple, it belongs to the Vinaya School of Buddhism, which emphasizes strict discipline, so even on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, there are not many pilgrims.

This is still in recent years, after the Dayu Dynasty began to build temples and promote Buddhism in various places. Before that, the temple must have been in a dismal situation with only a thread of incense remaining.

But if it were in the Central Earth Continent or the Flourishing Glow Continent, where Buddhism is prosperous, the temple’s lofty status as the number one mountain of the Vinaya School in the Treasure Bottle Continent would have attracted a great deal of incense.

He remembered when he was young, when he went into the mountains with Master Yao to find suitable porcelain clay, the old man once muttered to himself, “A tree dies when it’s moved, but a person thrives. Clay moved to a new location becomes Buddha.”

An elderly scholar with frosty temples, seemingly in his seventies, with a gaunt face, had been staying there for many days, often consulting the head monk on the teachings of the Vinaya School, especially the “Four-Part Vinaya.”

It is said that the founding master of this temple once served as the abbot of a famous temple in the Central Earth Continent and also participated in the translation work of a Tripitaka Master.

Previously, when Chen Ping’an retracted his mind, this “layman” was unwilling to show himself in the temple, so he immediately cast an earth escape spell, found a wild mountain cave, and “sloughed” into a paper talisman. When Chen Ping’an redistributed his mind, he quietly returned to the temple, passed through the mountain gate, entered the guest room, and lit a lamp to copy scriptures.

Today at noon, dark clouds gathered, and a heavy rain was about to fall. For a time, the daylight was as dark as night.

The Confucian scholar with a wooden hairpin in his hair sat on a futon in the corridor, holding a string of prayer beads, gently twisting them.

Having been in this ancient temple for several months, the scholar had no servant or attendant following him, only some luggage, clothes, and books, everything was kept simple.
Within the temple, a vast collection of texts lay, though alas, many were tattered and worm-eaten. Before the Great Hall of the Hero, a small pond shimmered, home to dozens of golden carp and crucian, their scales aglow. According to the mountain’s chronicles, immortal lords and extraordinary figures of old had once kept several miniature dragons in this very pond. Each was barely a foot long, with serpentine heads and four claws. Pilgrims from nearby villages, from their youthful days to the twilight of their lives, would gaze upon the pond during their visits, never witnessing the dragons grow or die of old age. It was whispered that unscrupulous thieves from distant lands, drawn by rumors, had infiltrated the temple under the cover of night, attempting to capture these small dragons, imprisoning them in water bottles. Yet, each time, the dragons would escape midway, returning to the temple pond, the bottles’ seals seemingly immaterial to them. Alas, after a torrential downpour, the dragons ascended skyward on the clouds, vanishing without a trace. The golden carp and crucian that now inhabit the pond are said to have been transformed from their initial dark hues to gold by the lingering dragon aura. Immersed in the temple’s chants and resonating with the morning bells and evening drums, they sought enlightenment and the chance to ascend into human form.

The scholar in his Confucian robes was a generous patron. The temple monks, initially impressed by his refined speech and pure capital accent, suspected him to be a man of high standing, perhaps even nobility. They frequently sought his company, subtly probing his background. However, after the scholar repeatedly insisted he was not from an official family, the monks’ respectful demeanor gradually waned, replaced by a growing air of aloofness. Only a young novice remained convinced the scholar was a wealthy merchant. He often inquired about events in distant states and counties and regularly invited the scholar to ascend the mountain for its scenic views. Atop the mountain, a cliff face frequently gave rise to white clouds, a vast expanse, solid as jade, like a sea of snowy mushrooms, only the mountain standing resolute. The young novice would simply knock on the scholar’s window and announce, “The clouds rise.” The scholar would then don his straw sandals, take up two walking sticks crafted from bamboo roots dug from the mountain’s rear, offering one to the novice. Light and clean, they would ascend together. As mist swirled around them, it was unclear whether the mountain was rising into the clouds, or the clouds were descending to embrace the mountain.