The pair, Chen Ping’an and Lu Chen, walked shoulder to shoulder through the narrow lane of the quiet village. Their footfalls, the rustle of a thousand-layered cloth soles and cotton shoes, sounded like leaves falling on a still autumn day.

As they passed a humble dwelling, a courtyard hound, startled by their approach, erupted in furious barks. Soon, a chorus of canine cries echoed through the village, only to quickly fade into a quiet hum once more.

Lu Chen, leaning against a crumbling wall, mimicked the dogs’ howls. He raised his hand as if to throw a stone, and the courtyard dog whimpered, tucking its tail between its legs in fear.

Dusting off his sleeves, Lu Chen hurried to catch up with Chen Ping’an, who had paused at the lane’s end. Rubbing his hands together, he remarked, “While it is human nature to guard against hunger and thieves, surely you don’t suspect this humble Daoist and the Mountain Lord Chen? It truly is unnecessary. Don’t you think so, Chen Ping’an?”

Chen Ping’an replied dryly, “Grand Master Lu is welcome to flatter himself, but please leave me out of it.”

Lu Chen, with a sudden grin, quipped, “In this world, one dog barks at a shadow, and a hundred echo the sound.”

Chen Ping’an nodded in agreement. “And among men, one speaks a falsehood, and a thousand spread it as truth.”

Lu Chen clapped his hands in delight. “Excellent! This should be inscribed upon a wooden couplet, black characters on gold, and hung in my Hall of Thousand Swords! We shall sign it with our names, for the amusement of future scholars.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled. “If you are willing to lose face, I have no objection.”

Lu Chen sighed, rubbing his hands together. “A night traveler cannot prevent the malice of men, nor silence the barking of dogs.”

Chen Ping’an, ignoring the jest, spoke of other matters. “Within the borders of Yu Province, upon the mountain where the Temple of Discipline stands, there dwells a Mountain Spirit. For years, he has listened to the chimes of dawn and dusk, yet remains unable to take human form. I would be most grateful if Grand Master Lu could offer some guidance.”

Lu Chen readily agreed, raising his hand. “A trivial matter, no more than this.”

A simple deed, requiring little effort.

Leaving the village, they stepped onto the broad road that connected three hamlets. Lu Chen stood by the water’s edge, gazing at his reflection in the stream. He sighed, as one examining oneself in a mirror. *Is that truly me? Is that my true face?*

Chen Ping’an’s earlier remark about “editing books” had struck a deep chord within Lu Chen, despite his exaggerated reaction at the time. It resonated with a truth he had been avoiding.

But therein lay a great danger: Later scholars, in their eagerness, often mistook carefully edited versions for the original texts, leading to a slow distortion of meaning that, over time, drifted miles from the author’s intent.

For those who walked the path of cultivation, the pursuit of enlightenment was nothing more than seeking “the reason why,” finding their way through darkness, where the scenery before them mirrored the landscape within.

Lu Chen, tinged with a touch of melancholy, spoke softly. “I met with Grand Master Sun’s junior, and his apprentice as well. After our conversation, I realized that their understanding of the Dao clashed with that of the officials of Jade Capital.”

Chen Ping’an knelt by the roadside, tossing pebbles into the stream. “Is it that the officials of Jade Capital believe the Dao is one of high art, of profound magic? While that Xuan Capital master and his apprentice, think the Dao is a road, something commonplace?”

Lu Chen hummed in agreement, unsurprised that Chen Ping’an had divined the truth. After a moment’s silence, he rubbed his face. “Let things be as they are. I shall not trouble myself with such matters.”

Even if the heavens were to fall, his elder brother Yu Dou, who had seen much of the world, would bear the burden.

Chen Ping’an rose to his feet, and the pair continued toward the lowest village. Lu Chen, with a boastful grin, declared, “In the Painting of Fleeting Time, Ning Ji twice considered changing his mind, not to be your student, but to follow me to Jade Capital. Tonight, you, not I, shall be the one whom Ning Ji vows to repay for your kindness!”

Chen Ping’an inquired, “Was one of those times when Ning Ji learned of his origins, and feared bringing trouble to me?”

Lu Chen nodded.

Perhaps there was a particular kind of self-inflicted suffering, born of a relentless desire to put oneself in another’s shoes, to consider their feelings before one’s own.

As Chen Ping’an had guessed, after Lu Chen revealed the truth to Ning Ji, the poor boy was filled with fear. His face paled as he realized he was nothing more than a harbinger of misfortune. Wherever he went, he brought trouble. Daoist Wu Di, Scholar Chen Ji, all would suffer greatly if they took him as their student, far better it would be to burden Lu Chen of Jade Capital who was better equipped to…bear the weight.

Frustrated, Lu Chen had decided to explain everything, revealing to Ning Ji the full scope of Chen Ping’an’s many identities, to the relief of the boy who realized that his teacher, so young, already possessed great power.

Enraged by this outcome, Lu Chen had strode from the painting of time, taking the boy on a whirlwind tour of three continents, introducing him to a dozen important figures: Pei Qian, Chen Ping’an’s first student, the River-Cutting True Lord of Scroll Lake, several old sword immortals from the Zheng Yang Mountain, the River Goddess of Jade Dew River who was determined to relocate her temple, a ghostly bride, a young dragon who had gained sentience after devouring a serpent’s gall, a dragon affiliated with the Yunlin Jiang Clan and even the Broken Lord returning to his homeland in the Northern Reed Continent.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “And the second time Ning Ji wavered, was it after learning my true nature? Did he then see me as a sort of enemy?”

Lu Chen shook his head. “Though Ning Ji is inexperienced, his perceptions are keen, simple but not naive. Such character is born of both nature and nurture, like a herb brewed from raw ingredients.”

A man’s character could be like a palace of endless courtyards, shadows and light mixing together.

Brilliant talent, sharp and shining, was like a pagoda, while a hatred for evil was like a shrine to the City God. Openness was like a pavilion, allowing air to flow freely through its walls.

Depression, like a bottomless well, dark and inescapable, isolating a man from the world.

Lu Chen held back one thought. Some men were destined to earn certain fortunes. Chen Ping’an and Ning Ji, master and disciple, were the same.

Chen Ping’an did not press the matter. Instead, he asked, “Why did Ning Ji ultimately decide to become my student?”

Lu Chen hesitated. “Promise me that we can discuss this calmly, without resorting to violence. Especially… hitting someone in the face.”

Chen Yin Guan’s boxing style was crude, famous for striking faces. Since the Great Hall conflict, his reputation had spread, heard far and wide. Perhaps the Daoists in the Azure Heaven were puzzled by his strange martial arts, but those in the Rainbow Heaven or Barren Continent knew that his methods were not as shocking as they first seemed.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Between friends, we can discuss anything without anger. Besides, you are the better fighter.”

Without that second line, Lu Chen might have been convinced.

Lu Chen moved away from Chen Ping’an before saying, “I showed Ning Ji your true face.”

In the village schoolhouse, Master Chen Ji taught from the Classic of Filial Piety. One of its opening lines stated that the body and hair come from one’s parents, and should not be harmed.

When Chen Ping’an explained this verse, Lu Chen touched the boy’s brow, opening his heavenly eye, allowing Ning Ji to see Chen Ping’an’s true face.

Neither human nor ghost, Chen Ping’an could not regain a normal appearance until he reached the realm of immortality.

Chen Ping’an laughed. “No matter. It is no great matter if Ning Ji has seen it.”

Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. “After all, it is your personal matter. I felt I should inform you.”

But Lu Chen only spoke half the truth.

The true reason Ning Ji chose to follow Chen Ping’an was that Lu Chen had taken him to see those who “avoided” Chen Ping’an. He also showed him the people and events Chen Ping’an had trouble facing, especially those whose values aligned with Chen Ping’an’s own. “Repay kindness with kindness, repay malice with justice.”

This offered the poor boy great relief.

But Ning Ji’s thoughts and experiences, that journey of the heart, were all returned to Lu Chen, like the boy was returning the “memories” to the Grand Master.

Reaching the lowest village, Lu Chen suggested, “Shall we visit the ruins of the Dragon Palace? We’ll go quietly, return quietly, just to enjoy the scenery. It won’t bother anyone.”

Chen Ping’an agreed. “Very well.”

For many years, Chen Ping’an had kept the habit of writing travel logs.

With a single step, the pair found themselves within the clear waters and green hills of the Dragon Palace realm. Outside, it was night, but here, it was bright daylight, though the sun was hidden. Several tall mountains were crowned with ancient steles. Two peaks stood facing each other, one with steles reading “Root of Clouds” and “Foot of Rain,” and another with the inscriptions “Clouds Gather and Scatter Like Flowers Bloom and Fall” and “Rain Shines on Golden Mountain.”

Despite the grandeur, Lu Chen did not lead Chen Ping’an to the tallest peak. Instead, he led him to the foot of an unremarkable hill, and smiled. “Long ago, I passed this place, climbed this hill, but disturbed no one. I sensed even then it was a place blessed for attaining immortality and enlightenment.”

Halfway up the hill, they came to a still, deep pool. Lu Chen pointed to the mirrored surface. “This is the true entrance to the Dragon Palace. The Great Li Dynasty remains ignorant, even now. Unless you inform them, it might take decades, centuries, even until they change their name, before the last Emperor of the Great Li, the Song family, realizes that he and his ancestors were sitting on a treasure mountain, clutching at straws.”

“Times have changed. When the local Dragon Lord was first banished, his dragon energy remained strong. Whenever a storm approached, white clouds would gather around the hill, like a conical hat, and the surrounding kingdoms would use this as an omen. During droughts, the local people would come here to pray for rain, and if they saw a lizard crawl out of the pool and onto the shore, they knew the rain would follow. During floods, they would pray for the rain to cease, and if a snake entered the water, the rain would stop.”

“Every year, on the sixth day of the sixth month, when the common people aired their clothes and the scholars their books, the Dragon Robe was also said to be aired. If they came here on that day, and counted the number of snakes and lizards ‘basking’ on the shore, they could foretell the rain for the coming year, and prepare accordingly.”

Lu Chen grinned. “Would you like to explore this Dragon Palace?”

Since ancient times, throughout the land, any dragon who achieved enlightenment, especially those who could establish a palace, would hoard worldly treasures. This could be considered a secret treasury, a hidden stash.

Lu Chen did not wish to insult the astrologers and geomancers of the Great Li Dynasty, but the ancient Shu region was famous for sword immortals who liked to forge and sacrifice dragons. The Dragon Lords who stood their ground here were not to be trifled with. Unless Chen Ping’an revealed his power, the Emperors would not be able to open this palace, and could risk disturbing the earth’s energy. A disaster would occur, and the populace killed.

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “I think not.”

As scholars, they valued propriety.

They did not arrive with the Dragon Palace in mind. Otherwise, Chen Ping’an could have opened the palace himself, with or without the assistance of Xiaomo and Xie Gou.

Lu Chen suggested, “If we find anything, shall we split it evenly?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head again.

Lu Chen offered, “Seventy-thirty. You get seventy.”

Chen Ping’an said firmly, “Let’s go!”

They had to learn from Mountain Lord Wei’s techniques.

Lu Chen stood by the pool, raised two fingers, closed his eyes, and began to chant an incantation.

The water began to stir, and upon the surface of the ancient pool, a grand, vermillion gate adorned with rows of rivets emerged. Outside stood a white jade stele and a hitching post. The stele warned that commoners should halt, and those bearing invitations must dismount and enter on foot, and immortal guests must leave their swords outside, forbidden from flying within. Those who entered without permission would be forgiven if they kowtowed and left immediately.

Lu Chen laughed. “The owner of this temple has quite a mouth.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Can you see inside?”

Lu Chen shook his head. “Where is the fun in exploring if you already know the scenery?”

Chen Ping’an corrected, “We are not visiting immortals. We seek treasure.”

Lu Chen smiled. “It’s all the same. We have traveled together across the land, even to the Barren Continent and Mount Tuoyue. What is there to fear? Even misfortune may bring joy.”

Chen Ping’an was speechless. Lu Chen’s reasoning made a certain amount of sense.

As they stepped inside, they were met with a blinding white light, a storm of swords.

Chen Ping’an stopped, unmoved.

He sensed the aura of a sword cultivator at least in the upper five realms.

But with Grand Master Lu by his side, Chen Ping’an remained unconcerned.

Lu Chen looked like a simpleton.

The sword light vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The killing intent remained, chilling the bones. Lu Chen shivered and rubbed his eyes. In the distance, they saw a barefoot man with disheveled hair, handsome as jade, holding a wine cup as he reclined upon a dragon throne. He seemed both puzzled and disappointed by their arrival. Were these uninvited guests truly so lacking in skill? Had they merely stumbled upon the place?

The handsome man, wearing a crown and dragon robes, asked calmly, “What year is it in the world outside?”

The young Daoist stammered, “What is he saying?”

The man in green replied cautiously, “It seems to be a dialect of ancient Shu. I don’t quite understand.”

“We’re in trouble. What do we do?”

“Perhaps you should kowtow to him.”

“Would that be proper?”

“Why not? Politeness never hurts.”

“I fear it might backfire.”

The man on the throne, who had withdrawn his torrential sword aura at the last moment, remained reclining, studying the pair. He could see their inner landscapes, their realms of cultivation.

He ignored their whispered conversation, and shook the wine in his cup. “If you cannot understand my words, do you not recognize the writing on the stele outside?”

Chen Ping’an feigned ignorance. But he was speaking to Lu Chen with the language of thought. It was not the skill of cultivators. No ripples in the lake of his heart occurred. It was merely he and Lu Chen sharing an idea. Just as the Dao reinforced these ideas. Each thought flickered beneath the surface of their hearts like a fleeting fish, unseen by those on the shore.

“Is he the owner of the palace? A sword immortal born of a water dragon?”

Very few dragons in the human realm could achieve enlightenment. It was even rarer for them to become sword cultivators.

“It is difficult to say whether he is the true owner, or simply a squatter. But he is definitely a sword cultivator, stuck at the Jade Purity realm for many years. His background is complex. It seems he is also the spirit of a long-dead man, somehow able to transform dragon energy into pure yang. Ah, it must be the work of that pure yang Daoist!”

Lu Yan, the Daoist known as Pure Yang, had wandered the earth before journeying to the Azure Heaven, leaving many wonders in his wake, though few had been recorded.

For example, Lu Yan had taught the fire arts to the old dragons of the Sun Palace, stepped on a carp to journey from Caishi River to the sea, and ridden a wooden crane into the Azure Heaven.

Chen Ping’an was surprised to find a stalled Jade Purity sword cultivator hidden away. Had he hidden here to avoid the dragon slayers?

“It doesn’t matter. What great fish can come from a well? What great tree can grow on a hill? This is only a Dragon Palace, after all. The sword arts cannot be too high. Strange, but not too strange. Ha. This cup. I’ve seen it before. This trip was worth it!”

“A gentleman does not take what belongs to others. I would advise you to refrain from this action.”

During the Sword Qi Great Wall there was a total of five Wine Spring Cups. Sun Juyuan, Yan Ming, and Qi Tingji, had one each. All those fond of the drink prized them highly.

Since there was already a sword cultivator training here, Chen Ping’an had no interest in exploring the treasure.

But the ghost sword cultivator spoke words that stayed Chen Ping’an from leaving.

“Are you a scholar from the Confucian Temple? Our Confucian teachings begin with understanding righteousness, and the search for one’s inner light. If there is ‘Higher Learning,’ then there is ‘Lower Learning.’ In learning, the shape, sound, and meaning of each word cannot be ignored. Since you are able to enter here, you are not a common scholar. Why do you play the fool before me? Do you take me for an idiot?”

Lu Chen quickly distanced himself. “Senior, surely you can tell I am a Daoist.”

The man sat up, twirling the priceless wine cup. He leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. “Little Daoist, now you can understand human speech?”

Lu Chen was suddenly flustered.

Chen Ping’an admired his performance.

The man asked, “Does the Dragon Gate to the Yellow River Cave Heaven still stand?”

Lu Chen nodded vigorously. “Of course! It is by the shores of that ancient burial mound, near the isolated city and the towering mountain, beside the White Emperor City among the rainbow clouds.”

The man scoffed. “Rainbow clouds hang upon the sacred mound, and the Daoist is lost in dust.”

Chen Ping’an was hearing this tale for the first time, and Lu Chen helpedfully explained, “The White Emperor City was built upon an ancient battlefield, a tall mound called the Sacred Mound, where the clouds seemed to hang like leaves. In ancient times, Daoist immortals would build huts there, seeking some elusive chance. It is said that my master admired the moon there, filling the place with Daoist energy. But many Daoists went there seeking enlightenment, and none succeeded. Some died, leaving their bodies behind. Others became piles of bones. Later, Li Bai split open the Yellow River, creating a waterfall, and Zheng Juyong absorbed that energy for himself.”

Chen Ping’an understood. That was why Zheng Juyong had asked that question.

Lu Chen bowed. “May I ask the name of the Senior?”

The man smiled. “I am called ‘Impetuous Lord.’ Does the name live on in your world?”

Lu Chen nodded. “From this day forth, the name ‘Impetuous Lord’ shall spread far and wide!”

The Impetuous Lord laughed, his expression desolate. He waved his hand. “Take whatever treasure you can carry, but no more than three items. Choose wisely. And don’t fight over them. I prefer peace and quiet, so take your disputes outside.”

Any normal person would have been overwhelmed by gratitude.

But this was no ordinary duo.

The Daoist was staring at the wine cup.

The scholar was eyeing the dragon throne.

The Impetuous Lord laughed. “Do not be greedy. I will give you an hour to search for treasures.”

Chen Ping’an was puzzled. Why was he being so accommodating?

Lu Chen explained that the sword immortal had advanced by using external objects. His possessions had become burdens. This palace was his haven, his paradise, but also a prison. The more they took, the less he was weighed down. But the sword immortal would never dare act too obvious or they would suspect him and refuse to take the gifts, so he restricted them to three items.

Chen Ping’an guessed that the sword immortal had refined almost everything?

There was almost nothing left.

Could this be considered a kind of transformation?

Perhaps, but a crude one, that could not withstand close scrutiny.

Since he wanted to escape, was he being kind by not using his powers to turn them into puppets?

He must suspect their true power, and feared they were being protected by a high Daoist who kept their power hidden. Of course, any cultivator imprisoned for so long would have lost his mind, and would have attacked.

It seemed the name Impetuous Lord was fitting.

Perhaps Pure Yang had given him the name.

The Impetuous Lord looked up at the sky, a complex expression on his face. “Year after year, nothing changes. I have accepted my fate. I have abandoned myself to a life of drunkenness and sleep. I can only hope that Heaven will forgive me.”

Lu Chen said with a smile, “Your problem is that you are too narrow-minded, the Southern man cannot see the North.”

Lu Chen spoke to a senior in the same way a senior would speak to a junior.

The Impetuous Lord smiled. “Daoists these days have no fear.”

Lu Chen stared at the dragon and sighed. The parents were so sad! He set up a cultivation site!

The volume of resources within this site had been carefully calculated to extend the life of the host, but not so far as to allow the host to reach the immortality.

Lu Chen paused. It makes sense! Cultivation and farming are the same. Do the work and do not ask about the harvest!

The Impetuous Lord looked on with a zealous gleam. “Set your minds at ease. Collect your loot. As recompense, tell me, are there any newly rebuilt Dragon Palaces in the GuShu region.”

The man in green nodded.

The young Daoist shook his head.

The Impetuous Lord slammed the arm of the throne with his palm, and scoffed.

The two stared at each other, and began to berate each other using their eyes. You are not all there, are you! Did you get hit in the head as a kid!

The young Daoist was enraged, and decided to do it on the spur of the moment. He shouted and stood on one leg, as he pointed at the man on the throne. “Are you any more than an earth immortal dragon? What am I supposed to do with you! I have seen scarier things, and I shall fight you! Evil dragon! Today I, using thunder magics, shall defeat you.”

The Daoist and the dragon began to exchange blows, and the fight was flashy but not dangerous.

Chen Ping’an had moved out of the way to watch the battle, so that he would not get caught in the “cross fire”.

The Impetuous Lord began to laugh. “Well, this is something new! To be fooled by a Dragon Gate Cultivator! I will see how it goes!”

The Daoist’s legs began to shake, but he shouted, “It’s not a defeat if you don’t surrender! Impetuous Lord, you are skilled!”

“I have no desire to take anything, but the Iron Talisman Water Prefecture doesn’t have a Water God, so I propose that in three hundred years I bring you to the Cyan-Green Heaven, and after seven hundred years I will take you back. To the dragon it will also be a protective talisman, because Chen Immortal, who only came out of his mountain recently, would want to take your soul. If you wait here then either your soul or your flesh will dissipate, and the dragon palace would become a haunted house! If you want to stop it you must let us strike the first blow, or go with Xiao Mo and kill the dragon so that its soul will not attack those around it. It will be like the time Wei Ba forced it down.

An ordinary man would ask if this was a fair trade,

Chen Ping’an said nothing. He could accept the terms.

The Impetuous Lord asked, “I wonder which Immortal Palace you serve? And who are your masters?”

Lu Chen shook his head and smiled. “I’m not that high. What about a deacon? Do you think I have enough qualifications to be one of the inner circle? My mountain is called the Fallen Mountain, and is not far from here, you would know this, and my friend here’s qualifications are about the same as my own.

The Dragon Throne was surprised, Are these two only Outer Disciples!

Lu Chen turned to Chen Ping’an. “For the mountain that bears our name, is that among the top two?”

Chen Ping’an approached Lu Chen and laughed, “Just barely, like the bottom among the two top or the top among the top three.”

Lu Chen laughed and said, “May I ask your name?”

The Dragon Throne hesitated for a moment before saying, “Bai Deng.”

Chen Ping’an said, “I will not lie, it has been three thousand years since the Dragon Slaying began.”

Lu Chen agreed, “And we passed through the rain on the mountain, it must be fair weather now.”

Bai Deng sat back down on the throne, both crying and smiling. “Three thousand years? Is this really three thousand years?”

Chen Ping’an laughed. “It must have been tough for you, staying here for three thousand years.”

Bai Deng replied, “The ancestors passed down a book, and the truth is amazing. It says, eyes on eyes, ears on ears, heart on heart.”

Lu Chen laughed.

Chen Ping’an knew he was on to something, and he wrote down this truth.

Bai Deng began to wave his hand, and gave them an order to depart, but it was silent.

Lu Chen waved goodbye, with a beautiful smile. “Bye bye, Impetuous Lord. We will see each other again, some day.”

Outside of the palace, Lu Chen said with a smile, “I spoke to the Mountain Lord. I was able to reach and enlighten him. He is now successfully taking shape.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Thank you.”

“Between friends, there is no need to stand on ceremony.”

Lu Chen felt guilty. “It seems there were no spoils. We came all this way for nothing.”

Chen Ping’an laughed it off.

Lu Chen cradled the back of his head, as he began to head down the mountain and looked again towards the lake. “What do you say we head back to the academy?”

It seemed that shop in the Qi Sword Great Wall made a lot of money, in addition to what it got by sitting in the bank. It was a great place for ink, printing, and paper.

But every Xian-level coin that it made was secretly given away again. The money was supposed to be used for the soldiers back in the Qi Sword Great Wall.

As such, it must have been Chen Ping’an’s intent to use his earnings.

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Back we go.”

For some reason, though, neither of them moved.

For a moment the two of them were silent before speaking in unison.

“I think I know why you picked the name Chen Zhi.”

“Lu Chen, are you really a sword cultivator?”

Again, the two were silent.

Lu Chen was the first to open his mouth, laughing as he asked, “Chen Ping’an, if, and it’s only an if, I was a sword cultivator, what name would you pick for my sword?”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Qiu Hao?”

Lu Chen began to write a section on swords in his house, and he named his place “Hall of Thousand Swords.”

The master promoted his book, “All Things Are Equal”, and said: “The most important thing in the universe is the tip of the Qiu Hao.”

Lu Chen’s eyes sparkled, as he smacked the palm of his hand. “That’s right! That’s the one!”