The two descended the mountain on foot. Without warning, a drizzle began to fall. Lu Chen smiled, conjuring two oiled-paper umbrellas and asking if Chen Ping’an needed a raincoat. Chen Ping’an shook his head, took an umbrella, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly descended the mountain. He proactively asked Lu Chen for a flagon of wine. The two walked and drank, truly “rushing through the mountain rain with wine.” They held their umbrellas, left the Dragon Palace Ruins, and returned to the rural path leading to the village school. Chen Ping’an put away his umbrella and said, “Whether or not one possesses a flying sword, whether or not one can become a Sword Cultivator, the crux lies with Zhu Lian?”

Lu Chen vigorously shook the raindrops off his umbrella, laughing, “Don’t see through and say through, saying through means no friends.”

Chen Ping’an looked at his cloth shoes, soaked with rainwater and stained with mud. He pondered for a moment, sighed, then looked up and smiled, “I call this a forthright friend.”

There’s no need to doubt Lu Chen’s wisdom and abilities. His profound Dao and myriad techniques are recognized by all. Had he been born seven thousand years earlier, he would undoubtedly have been among the Ten Heroes of the Primordial World.

In a way, Chen Ping’an’s use of talisman clones this time, to temper his cultivation and forge as many teachings from the Three Schools and Hundred Families as possible into a single furnace, ultimately paving the way for the caged bird and the moon in the well to combine and form the embryonic form of three thousand small worlds, is a form of imitation of “knowing when to stop.” For example, the Sword Spirit, or rather, the Sword Wielder, had previously revealed a heavenly secret, saying that Lu Chen might be secretly practicing boxing, attempting to reach the pinnacle of martial arts. This was one of the clues that led Chen Ping’an to this conjecture by the water’s edge. Since he was just guessing anyway, he might as well be bold and imagine that the gradually serious Headmaster Lu Chen was impressive, even more impressive, perhaps even… the most impressive being in the human realm in the future.

Lu Chen raised his closed umbrella, as if holding a sword, and made a sweeping arc. He said frankly, “Whether or not becoming a Sword Cultivator is entirely a good thing, for my own cultivation, the consequences are endless. It is a stupid act that restricts one’s path. For Lu Chen to transform from a Daoist aspiring to the fifteenth realm, from emptiness to practicality, and become a pure Sword Cultivator, it must be out of necessity. The Third Headmaster of the White Jade Capital must elevate his battle prowess by a level to resort to such a move, a helpless measure.”

Speaking of which, Lu Chen turned to look at Chen Ping’an with a smile, “Don’t be nervous, it has little to do with you. It’s all historical baggage that has never been completely resolved.”

Every family has its difficult scriptures, and every world is like this.

“Daoist Lu has put in much painstaking effort, it can also be considered a pre-emptive measure.”

After giving this fair assessment, Chen Ping’an paused and said, “Explaining principles without examples is the same as not speaking. For example?”

Lu Chen held the umbrella, poking the ground as he walked, somewhat like the young Liu Xianyang back then. He said slowly, “For example, the celestial timing has changed, and the White Jade Capital is on the verge of collapse, the Daoist orthodoxy of a world is in imminent danger. Or, for example, the developments in the Azure Heaven Realm, my Senior Brother has no choice but to stand against half of the world, alone and weak. The invincible Senior Brother Yu actually faces a danger to his life, as if the incense of the White Jade Capital, which can last for hundreds of generations, might be cut off. No matter what, I must transform from an observer into a comrade-in-arms with Senior Brother Yu.”

“To be qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with Senior Brother Yu, to face the tide of the world together, this poor Daoist only has two choices. Either I step into the pseudo-fifteenth realm in one leap, deterring the heroes of the world, forcing the Azure Heaven Realm to abandon any futile and unwinnable attempts.”

“Or I slap myself in the face, causing the great Dao that I have cultivated for three thousand years to be wasted, the Five Dreams and Seven Hearts, all the hard work in the end, like drawing water with a bamboo basket, only choosing one path of the sword to ascend, infinitely close to the fifteenth realm, yet infinitely far away from it. What could not be done in the past three thousand years, but had a glimmer of hope, may not be possible in the next six thousand years. This poor Daoist can only act willfully, taking over the authority of the Headmaster to rule the world from Senior Brother Yu, with no more hundred-year limitations, allowing me to sit in the White Jade Capital for a long time. The final situation will be similar to the Great Sword Immortal of the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

“To stop killing with killing, no matter who it is, death for violating the rules.”

In this way, the human realm will no longer have the Lu Chen of the past.

The Bai Ye would also no longer need to visit South China City proactively.

Having said all this in one breath, Lu Chen casually threw the empty wine flask into the stream. “Just thinking about it is troubling, not thinking about it is even worse, it can only get worse.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, comforting him, “A single measure of rice nourishes a hundred kinds of people, a dog gets the blame for three years of managing a household, let alone ruling a world for a hundred years.”

Lu Chen’s expression became strange. It turned out that before in the White Jade Capital, he, this junior brother, had used similar reasoning to comfort Senior Brother Yu, and had received a sidelong glance in return. Senior Brother Yu clearly did not appreciate it.

Chen Ping’an asked, “The half of the world you mentioned earlier, is it the half of the Azure Heaven Realm outside the White Jade Capital, or does it include the White Jade Capital itself?”

Lu Chen laughed heartily, “Perhaps both are possible.”

The “little Daoist boy” Jiang Yunsheng of the Divine Firmament City, the “Little Yu Dou” Zhang Fenghai of the Jade Pivot City, and others, they can all be considered native-born Daoist officials of the White Jade Capital. The different lineages, cultivation paths, and mental journeys they exhibit, the “accidental” appearances of each of them, are actually a kind of inevitability.

The aftereffects of Lu Chen lending Chen Ping’an a body of the fourteenth realm of Daoist magic back then have gradually become apparent, like a forced growth, causing Chen Ping’an to temporarily obtain a realm that did not belong to him, wielding a sword in the Savage Desolation as a fourteenth realm cultivator, and viewing the mountains and rivers of the Treasure Bottle Continent as if observing the lines on his palm from the height of a fourteenth realm cultivator. When the realm is returned, there will be a kind of gap, like a poor child suddenly becoming rich, or like a rich child’s family falling into decline again. If it is not properly resolved, Chen Ping’an will one day… become disillusioned with the world.

Therefore, Lu Chen’s return to the Radiant Sun this time, in addition to searching for Ning Ji, which is an official matter, has a personal motive, which is to see Chen Ping’an’s current state of mind. If he has the opportunity, he will give Chen Ping’an a few reminders. If Chen Ping’an is willing, Lu Chen will also help him check for omissions and make up for deficiencies.

This is why Lu Chen is Lu Chen, and there can only be one Lu Chen in the human realm.

And Chen Ping’an did not disappoint Lu Chen. Seven manifested and two hidden, a total of nine talisman clones, scattered throughout the continent, either in the city markets or at the foot of the mountains, at most halfway up the mountains.

This is Chen Ping’an’s way of making amends, making sure to deepen his impression of the human realm and the mundane world before reaching the Upper Five Realms.

Of course, there is also an unknown, intentional and unconsciously hidden intention of Chen Ping’an. Lu Chen has roughly guessed by the Ancient Pool why Chen Ping’an has worked so hard to “deceive himself” and then deceive the heavens.

As the location of the true body, Chen Ping’an uses the pseudonym “Chen Ji” here.
Actually, Lu Chen had noticed subtle clues when he was drinking with Gao Niang, the River God of the Slender Eyebrow River. It was just that Chen Ping’an himself didn’t take it seriously, and Gao Niang merely treated it as a way to curry favor.

Many words are spoken without intention, but heard with care. Then there are some words that are spoken with intention, but heard without heed.

For example, “Now but a memory, future readers will feel the same,” and also, “Always a long-term spectator, never allowed to participate.”

Lu Chen looked at Chen Ping’an and patted him on the shoulder, “In some things, you are far better than I am.”

Therefore, Lu Chen was willing to pretend not to know about this matter, to see through without revealing.

Only because Chen Ping’an at this moment was destined not to understand these matters, Lu Chen changed the subject and continued, “Since you cannot possess a Yin God, you settle for the next best thing, establishing the Big Dipper Star Formation, dividing your essence into nine. You absolutely don’t need to belittle yourself and see it as a clumsy imitation of my Five Dreams Seven Hearts Phase. How old are you? To have achieved such skill is quite remarkable.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Daoist Lu’s method of self-praise is even more remarkable.”

Lu Chen asked, “May I be so bold as to ask why you failed in your two previous attempts to break through?”

In the private Daoist sanctum within the Everlasting Spring Cave Heaven of Dense Snow Peak, Chen Ping’an had twice failed to ascend to the Jade Pure Realm, so the third time, he was exceedingly cautious, and no amount of care was too much.

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment, but still frankly described the rough process and outcome of his two closed-door cultivations, “The first time I secluded myself, I encountered a large number of inner demons, which was very different from the past experiences of Nascent Soul cultivators that I knew. However, these inner demons were also too fragile. Although they seemed to create perilous situations, and I experienced some difficulties, killing them one by one was all just a false alarm, so I detected a trace of something amiss. Therefore, I stopped short at the threshold of the Jade Pure Realm, afraid to take that step, fearing there was a huge trap. Before the second seclusion, I made a series of targeted arrangements, thinking I was foolproof, but the situation within that realm was different again. No specific inner demon manifested at all, and the world was vast and empty, with only me alone. Then I realized my memory had problems, I couldn’t remember many people and many things, and I forgot a little with every step I took. If I stopped in place, the river of time would also stagnate, without the slightest change. When I stepped back, I would remember one more person or one more thing. Going forward meant forgetting. Since it was a seclusion to break through, I couldn’t just keep going in circles like a ghost trapped in the same place, walking aimlessly for who knows how long or how far. Finally, a not-so-wide but insurmountable river appeared. On the other side of the river, there seemed to be faceless people staring at me. I knew they all recognized me, even the most important people in my life, but I just couldn’t remember them. The more I tried to remember them, the wider the river became. The scariest thing was when I turned around and found that the people beside me, who had originally had clear features, were also becoming blurred. My Dao Heart didn’t collapse because of this, but became even more firm. It seemed that in the dark, through countless meticulous calculations and reasoning, I finally made a decision to choose the lesser of two evils. But intuition also told me that the correctness of this decision, rationally speaking, was a cultivation path that… did not go straight to the Great Dao as I had expected. It could also reach great heights, even the summit, but it would be two… of me, two versions of myself, two Chen Ping’ans.”

Chen Ping’an, who rarely sighed, couldn’t help but let out a long sigh after speaking these innermost thoughts.

Lu Chen smiled, “After withdrawing from such a strange state of mind, do you feel like you were making unnecessary trouble?”

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “I thought about it for a long time in the Daoist sanctum, but I couldn’t find an answer. When I walked out of the sanctum, I was forced to cut off these thoughts to avoid affecting my daily life.”

Lu Chen stretched out his arm, held his “longsword,” and gently stirred the roadside vegetation, digressing for a moment before revealing a crucial secret, “I used an external object in Jade Capital to deduce something. It turns out that it was right that you didn’t open the Immortal Painting in the hands of Ye Yunyun from Cloud Grass Hall of Pu Mountain. Because it contains a fake Qi Jingchun, who is…”

Lu Chen pointed to the sky, “It’s Qi Jingchun as imagined by *that guy*. If you open the painting in Tongye Continent and encounter this Qi Jingchun, you will be in big trouble. This trouble isn’t just about hindering you and keeping you stuck at the first level of a terrestrial immortal, but on the contrary, it can help you break through a similarly false inner demon, enter the Jade Pure Realm smoothly within the Green Ripple Sword Sect’s Daoist sanctum, and even break through the Immortal Realm and enter the Ascension Realm with unstoppable momentum. This is like forcing growth, using the Dao Heart of a Qi Practitioner to nourish and strengthen your divine nature. The result of this action is somewhat similar to me abandoning the Five Dreams Seven Hearts Phase to exchange for a pure swordsman. It seems like a great thing in the short term, but it will cause endless troubles in the long run.”

Chen Ping’an’s mind was filled with horror.

After saying these words, Lu Chen couldn’t help but curse, reaching out to wipe his nose, and it turned out he was having a nosebleed. Lu Chen looked up, gently rubbing his nose to stop the bleeding. He was completely letting loose now, cursing and yelling, cursing Zhou Mi as a haunting and relentless dog. Zhou Mi, if you have the ability, come to the human world and fight this Daoist! You are a bastard, relying on an ancient Heavenly Court as your Daoist sanctum, what kind of skill is it to bully a Lu Chen whose Yin God and Yang God have not yet returned to their positions…

Chen Ping’an turned to look at Lu Chen. Lu Chen waved his hand, smiling and said, “It’s okay, after all, we are far apart. That dog Zhou Mi can’t exert his full strength, it’s just equivalent to a full-force strike from a peak fourteenth-realm cultivator, it’s nothing, it doesn’t hurt at all…”

Chen Ping’an was silent for a moment and reminded, “Daoist Lu, you are having another nosebleed, wipe it off.”

Lu Chen awkwardly wiped away the nosebleed again, continuing to mutter to himself, cursing like a shrew in the streets, cursing Zhou Mi to have a son without an anus, to be struck by lightning while walking on the road, to die and not be able to afford a coffin…

Chen Ping’an was just about to speak.

Lu Chen instantly transformed from a sickly appearance to being vigorous and full of energy, “What are you thinking? If the Lu Chen in your state of mind is changed into Zhou Mi, it would be too early. Where would you get the chance to win? On the battlefield, blindly acting on impulse can only lead to giving away heads and giving away battle merits. Don’t ever do such a thing. You were once the Hidden Official, surely I don’t need to tell you about such an obvious principle.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “How is your injury?”
Lu Chen swaggered, “Even if our relationship is excellent, even if we’re friends, we brothers will inevitably have a Daoist duel in the future. How could I let you know the depth of my ability to withstand a beating so early?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Since Daoist Lu says so, then I’ll believe it.”

Lu Chen nodded vigorously, “Don’t worry about anyone but me. I’ll boast about it right here, today!”

Having entered Chen Ping’an’s state of mind, Lu Chen had even faced that entity directly.

He clearly understood the key to Chen Ping’an’s self-imposed confinement. The formation of those book cities and book mountains was secondary. The crucial element was the network of blank, empty, crisscrossing “barriers.” Because each line was a “forgetting” deliberately created by Chen Ping’an.

Because of this, Lu Chen knew why Chen Ping’an had failed twice in his attempts to return to the Jade Purity Realm.

Lu Chen had once said an unintentional remark: all newly formed habits are a form of forgetting, a betrayal of oneself.

Moreover, Chen Ping’an’s “inner demon” was a deeper layer. To fight it, Chen Ping’an needed to actively forget the beautiful people and events in his life.

This inner demon could be said to be as light as a feather. As long as Chen Ping’an was willing to take that step, he could easily overcome this hurdle, like water flowing into a prepared channel.

But could Chen Ping’an do it?

Perhaps this was the true troublesome and terrifying aspect of the inner demon that cultivators needed to face.

Just like when Zou Zi was setting up his stall in Apricot Blossom Lane, that candied hawthorn skewer that was given away for free was fine for all the children in the Li Zhu Grotto-heaven to eat, except for that orphan from Mud Bottle Lane.

In short, we might be able to walk out of a Book Scroll Lake filled with hardship, but we might not be able to walk out of a Fallen Phoenix Mountain filled with beauty.

We should turn our backs on unbearable memories, and with each step we take in life, we should not look back, so that we can eventually walk further and further away until we are completely relieved.

Lu Chen suddenly said, “Who among ordinary mortals dares to say for sure whether it will rain or not tomorrow? When going out, how many people carry an umbrella with them every time?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I’ve already figured it out.”

The sudden mountain rain in the Dragon Palace ruins was naturally deliberately caused by Lu Chen.

In the Great Li capital, when Chen Ping’an went to find the female martial arts grandmaster Zhou Haijing in the alley, he was also wearing cloth shoes. When Chen Ping’an went back and forth, the cloth shoes on his feet did not get dirty.

Therefore, Zhou Haijing, who was as meticulous as hair, misunderstood him and regarded Chen Ping’an as the kind of mountain cultivator in her impression, who either came down the mountain to temper himself from a high position or was just playing in the mortal realm.

In Lu Chen’s opinion, Chen Ping’an only needed to keep a pair of cloth shoes unused and carefully treasured, and that would be enough.

As for the other cloth shoes, he should wear them when he needed to, regardless of whether it was sunny or rainy, he should wear them outside and walk on the roads and paths. If they got dirty, they got dirty, and he should wash them. Being too precious would go against the original intention of the person who gave the cloth shoes.

Lu Chen smiled, “If all the beauty in our hearts becomes a burden, then what is the meaning of beauty? If so, then we must have done something wrong.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I’ve just discovered that Daoist Lu is a master of reasoning.”

Lu Chen laughed, “You’re just finding out now?”

After that, they chatted casually as they walked.

They talked about the three types of immortal coins on the mountain that condensed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which were once the scattered corpses of gods in the river of time that then condensed into tangible objects.

The establishment of a lower sect for Fallen Phoenix Mountain was imperative. In Lu Chen’s view, having a Green Ripple Sword Sect in Tongye Continent was not hasty at all, but rather the timing was just right. Otherwise, if everyone was crowded on Fallen Phoenix Mountain, even if there were indeed a few affiliated mountain peaks, just Little Mo and Bai Jing, even if they didn’t absorb the local spiritual energy, you and I both knew that great cultivators were still great cultivators. Even if they didn’t move at all and didn’t plunder a single bit of spiritual energy, their influence on the mountains, rivers, and Qi was still extremely considerable and far-reaching. If Fallen Phoenix Mountain did not separate out a lower sect, then with Cui Dongshan and Mi Yu staying on the mountain, it would be too bloated and too dominant, which would invisibly weaken the luck of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, even of Jade Crown Mountain and the entire Northern Mountain region.

He missed certain people very much.

Missing someone was a drunken land that didn’t need wine. The only way to leave this drunken land was to drink.

Young people were full of vigor and dared to deny many of the world’s absurdities.

The breadth of mind and tolerance of some old gentlemen had been opened up by history and suffering. Therefore, in the face of all kinds of young people, these old men were willing to say good things and give affirmation to the words and deeds of young people.

Lu Chen suddenly asked, “Whether or not there’s Yuan Huajing, you would have gone to that Vinaya Sect temple anyway, perhaps just changing your identity, eating vegetarian meals, transcribing scriptures, and occasionally following the young monks to climb the mountain with a staff to watch the clouds rise, right?”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Lu Chen said, “But without Yuan Huajing’s impromptu descent from the mountain and his frank conversation with you, without his reminder, you might not have known that allusion no matter how many scriptures you transcribed there, and you wouldn’t have known that the temple contained a seal that was a copy of the waist stone used by the Sixth Patriarch to pound rice back then.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Of course.”

Lu Chen smiled, “This is Buddhist affinity.”

Chen Ping’an asked doubtfully, “What do you want to illustrate?”

Lu Chen said, “The Arhats of Buddhism, the Sixteen Attendants, are constantly residing in the mortal world to protect the righteous Dharma.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Daoist Lu, stop beating around the bush.”

Lu Chen said, “The Bamboo Branch Sect has two mountain peaks. Now, the Jade Cutting Mountain lineage is in power. In fact, the ancestral mountain was originally Chicken Foot Mountain. Historically, there was once an Arhat who constantly resided in the world. As for the reason for the Buddhist Dharma, the history is long and there is no evidence to verify. I also don’t have the opportunity to ask in person, so I can only make some reasonable conjectures. For example, among the Eight Legions of Buddhism, there are the Naga. In the ancient Shu region, there were many Jiaolong, more than in any other world, without exception.”

“Your senior brother Jun Qian. And Chen Qingliu, who caused the Dragon Slaying Campaign, Zheng’s teacher who imparted the Dao, the current Great Immortal Chen, who has returned to the Fourteenth Realm, his place of cultivation is Green Palace Mountain in Flowing Glow Continent, but his place of proving the Dao is in Treasure Bottle Continent. And his path to becoming a Fourteenth Realm sword cultivator is similar to making a vow in Buddhism.”

“The Cicada Molting Grotto-heaven that Cui Dongshan has been thinking about but has been unable to find, the remains of sword immortals and many Jiaolong bones inside, the karma has not failed.”
In the past, every dragon kiln within the Longquan Prefecture had a seasoned master craftsman overseeing its operation. Chen Ping’an’s kiln was managed by the old man Yao.

Buddhists say that this Saha world is a fiery dwelling for everyone.

“Among the sea and land dragon kings under the ancient Heavenly Court, who were responsible for cloud-seeding and rainmaking, their primary superiors were the two Rain Masters.”

“In your hometown, there’s a kiln worker named Su Han. His niece, who later became one of old man Yang’s boxing disciples, is Su Dian, nicknamed Rouge. Old man Yang only taught boxing; he never imparted immortal arts or Taoist magic.”

Chen Ping’an finally spoke, nodding, “Understood.”

In the eyes of the apothecary, old man Yang, only a pure martial artist had a chance to blaze a true path to divinity after ten thousand years.

This was a road that was only a step away from success ten thousand years ago, but since the Primordial Ancestor of the Military School failed to reach the summit, it was still a brand-new path after all this time.

The ancient female Rain Master, reincarnated in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, was named Su Han, a man ridiculed for being effeminate.

Fate plays tricks; unknowingly, the Rain Master burns fire.

The dragon kilns in his hometown all claimed that their millennial kiln fires were continuous. However, the kiln where Chen Ping’an and Liu Xianyang worked ultimately went out due to Su Han’s negligence. This led to a series of twists and turns; a storm was brewing, and the world grew dark. Eventually, the clouds parted, and a Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven emerged, granting all the young people of the town their own futures.

Chen Ping’an and Lu Chen slowly walked back towards the village school. Zhao Shuxia and Ning Ji were still awake, which was to be expected; it would be strange if they could sleep.

The old scholar was still sleeping inside the house. Lu Chen prepared to take his leave; he had drunk his wine and eaten his midnight snack. Lingering any longer would be a bit intrusive.

Lu Chen took off the black cloth pouch from his waist and handed it to Ning Ji, smiling, “This is a memento of an old friend. It’s useless in this poor Taoist’s hands, just gathering dust, a waste of resources. Ning Ji, you like to gather herbs in the mountains, so I’ll give it to you. If you encounter any dangerous situations in the future, and there’s no one to help you or protect you, you can use this to save yourself. Remember the code we agreed on earlier? Shake this green pouch and call out the name. As for how to save people in the future, on the road of learning, while climbing mountains, don’t rush; take it one step at a time.”

The boy was still naive, not rushing to accept the farewell gift, his face full of doubt. “Master Lu, what code?”

Lu Chen grinned, forcibly stuffing the green pouch into Ning Ji’s hands, and patted Ning Ji on the shoulder. “It’s that three-character name, related to our… personal friendship. I told you once before; think about it carefully.”

Ning Ji pondered for a moment, seeming to recall the name: “Little Master”? Although Ning Ji knew nothing about Confucian rules or mountain cultivation, his intuition told him that this might be inappropriate. So, the boy subconsciously turned to look at Chen Ping’an.

Although Chen Ping’an didn’t understand the situation, he trusted the boy’s character and Lu Chen, smiling, “With Taoist Lu, you don’t need to be so rigid; you can be more casual.”

This was also Ning Ji’s own destiny. As a teacher, imparting knowledge, teaching skills, and resolving doubts, one shouldn’t think it good to make students and disciples into copies of oneself; that would be a great taboo.

Before this, Lu Chen had also given Ning Ji a pair of seals, one with “Opening a Book is Beneficial” and the other with “Ning Ji Read This.”

Including the green pouch, the most significant gift was still that seemingly ethereal title, “Little Master.”

This was also a kind of exception for Lu Chen, an acceptance of responsibility, indicating that he hadn’t entirely handed over Ning Ji, who had already offered the tea of apprenticeship, to Chen Ping’an. This meant that, with this relationship, Lu Chen would share some of the karma, whether good or bad, of Ning Ji’s future actions.

Lu Chen smiled, “Don’t worry about Yongjia County in the capital of the Yu Xuan Kingdom; your grandfather will have good fortune in his later years.”

“Ning Ji, before we part, this poor Taoist wants to say a few polite words to you: For those seeking knowledge, the focus is on ambition, not recognition; for Taoists, the focus is on the Dao, not techniques.”

“For newly initiated Qi refiners who have just begun mountain cultivation, the first step is to cultivate the Inner Landscape Scripture. ‘Inner’ refers to the heart, and ‘landscape’ refers to images. External images are the images of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, clouds, mist, rain, snow, and all things outside the human body, which is a small world. Internal images are the images of flesh, blood, tendons, bones, organs, souls, and spirits inside one’s own skin. The heart dwells within the body, contemplating and visualizing, deploying divine plans. The mysteries within are difficult to explain in words; you will need to experience them yourself in detail in the future.”

“It’s good for a young man to have lofty ambitions, chivalrous spirit, and write elegant prose, but remember one thing: If a person lacks magnanimity, if their heart has no room for others, in the end, it is only selfish impulse and trivial skill. I’m afraid they will only narrow the path beneath their feet.”

The former is Taoist secret, the latter is Confucian principle.

It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish. For a young man studying and practicing, setting ambitions is the first priority.

“The so-called transmission of the Dao: the master leads you through the door, but cultivation is up to the individual. The so-called protection of the Dao: it’s like taking someone to a temple to burn incense. Once you enter the mountain gate, the incense still has to be burned by yourself, the blessings have to be sought by yourself.”

Lu Chen pointed to the mountain not far from the school, saying seriously, “After seeing this mountain, if you find the scenery very beautiful, and then you see Pi Yun Mountain and find it even better, that’s good. But if you start to think that this mountain is not so good anymore, is that really good?”

Lu Chen coughed. “What this poor Taoist means is that you can’t see how good Mr. Chen is and then think that this poor Taoist is bad in every way.”

Chen Ping’an was very supportive, smiling, “Ning Ji, don’t appreciate Taoist Lu’s godlike grace, where Dao and technique are perfectly aligned, and then despise your own teacher’s shallow learning.”

Ning Ji smiled shyly.

Lu Chen asked with a smile, “Do you know what the first talisman in the human world was?”

Ning Ji was at a loss.

Unlike Ning Ji, his little apprentice, Zhao Shuxia, had been influenced by what he had seen and heard at Luo Po Mountain and had also traveled the mountains and rivers of the two continents. So, Zhao Shuxia began to frown in thought.

Lu Chen smiled, “It’s far away in the horizon, but close at hand; this poor Taoist has clearly given the answer.”

Ning Ji was even more puzzled.

Zhao Shuxia remained silent.

Chen Ping’an had actually guessed the answer.

He had only guessed before, but now that Lu Chen had asked this question, Chen Ping’an was certain.

Lu Chen’s answer was difficult to guess, but it was also simple: “Sound.”

For example, the Confucian sage’s words containing heavenly decrees, the Taoist master’s words becoming law, and the Buddhist secret mantras.
One of Chen Ping’an’s talisman avatars, the aged Confucian scholar copying scriptures in the Law Sect temple within Yu Province, would be invited by the young novice monk to the mountain cliffside pavilion whenever clouds arose.

Each time this “Chen Ping’an” watched the sea of clouds at Gathering Immortal Cliff, he would strike an odd pose and utter a string of syllables.

Lu Chen smiled and flicked his sleeves, snapping his fingers crisply.

In Ning Ji and Zhao Shuxia’s field of vision, the subtle patterns in the air rose and fell, like a rippling watercolor painting.

Why is the threshold for talisman cultivators so high?

The reason is simple. The “Taoists” most suitable for drawing talismans from the beginning should have been pure martial artists walking the path of physical ascension to divinity.

Seamlessly executed.

“Ning Ji, in the future, when you are by your teacher’s side, you can study the art of numerology more.”

Lu Chen put away that anomaly and suggested with a smile, “The various schools of thought are a grand sight, but the numerologists among them spend a great deal of effort on paper. Unfortunately, their situation is similar to that of the merchants, and they are regarded as base and trivial pursuits, which is definitely wrong.”

In the art of numerology, among the direct disciples of the Literary Sage lineage, perhaps everyone except Chen Ping’an is a master.

Cui Chan and Qi Jingchun are the kind of people who can see the answer at a glance.

They can even “solve problems” or even “create problems” for this world.

In addition, Senior Brother Zuo You and Senior Brother Jun Qian are just slightly inferior. With Senior Brother Cui Chan and Junior Brother Qi Jingchun shining brightly within the orthodox lineage, they seem insignificant and unremarkable.

As for Chen Ping’an, he often read numerological works during his leisure time in the Summer Palace, which is why Chen Ping’an later took a different view of that prince in Mirage City’s Yellow Flower Temple.

In the Sword Qi Great Wall, Guo Zhujiu, who later became Chen Ping’an’s disciple as she wished, often spread out those numerological books, pointing and muttering to herself, “You’re good at calculating, but I’ll deal with you later.” On the other hand, Lin Junbi, Cao Gun, and a few other foreign sword cultivators were clever people who used numerology to solve problems as a pastime, and they liked to set questions for each other to stump others. The only sword cultivator who could support the local sword cultivators and regain face was the Sword Immortal Sorrow Seed.

Lu Chen turned to look at the young martial artist, “With patience and a wise teacher, this poor Taoist believes you can surely achieve greatness late in life.”

Zhao Shuxia was stunned, and breaking etiquette, cupped his hands in thanks to Lu Sect Leader, who seemed to have suddenly uttered a “prophecy.”

In fact, Zhao Shuxia didn’t think much about how far his martial arts achievements could go in the future.

Earlier, in the bamboo building on the second floor of Fallen Mountain, Zhao Shuxia became Chen Ping’an’s closed-door disciple in the way of the fist.

However, this kind of identity belongs to a kind of internal appointment within his own sect and cannot be shown on the Golden Jade Register of Fallen Mountain, a bit like the relationship between official history and private history books.

Of course, it’s not to say that Chen Ping’an cannot teach others the fist after accepting Zhao Shuxia as a closed-door disciple, but the title has been decided. In the future, those who learn the fist from Chen Ping’an, such as Ning Ji, will truly only be learning the fist.

Cultivators on the mountain, especially those who have been famous for a long time, taking in closed-door disciples is a top priority besides their own cultivation.

Just like the martial artists in the mundane world, when they get old and want to wash their hands of the world and completely retire from the martial arts world, they will definitely hold a grand event.

Looking at the entire Vast Expanse, historically, there have been cases where great cultivators accepted closed-door disciples, but later saw a cultivator with excellent talent and temporarily regretted it. However, the three of them, master and disciples, would often become laughing stocks on the mountain.

If it is a pure martial artist, reaching the age of forty is naturally not young.

However, Chen Ping’an is not only a martial artist but also a sword cultivator, so he is still very young. Presumably, the possibility of Ning Ji becoming Chen Ping’an’s closed-door disciple is not high.

Lu Chen said for no reason, “Ning Ji, when you have completed your studies in the future, you will always have a day to return home to worship your ancestors. Then this poor Taoist will tell you some elementary knowledge related to it. In the way of geography and geomancy, not to mention the scenery on the top of the mountain, just say that in the middle of the mountain, it is roughly divided into two schools. One method of choosing a house site purely takes the five elements and eight trigrams to determine the principles of generation and restraint. The other focuses on the situation, tracing its origin, stopping at its location, to orient the position, matching the dragon, cave, sand, and water. In the eyes of the form school, mountains are like plants and trees, with trunks and branches, receiving the aura of mountains and rivers, like a fire mirror shining on the sun, and withered bones can bring blessings to descendants. Is it credible that auspicious land brings good fortune?”

Lu Chen asked and answered himself, “It is not to be fully believed, but it is not to be completely disbelieved.”

Ning Ji had a complex expression, wanting to say something but stopping, finally nodding and carefully putting away the cloth bag, as if thanking the young man and Taoist Lu for these free learnings.

Although it was only a short rest, at most half an hour, the old scholar seemed to have had a good sleep, refreshed and beaming. The short old man walked to the doorway with a smile on his face, arms bent at the elbows, constantly turning, and joked, “Sect Leader Lu has so much knowledge, how did you end up doing the work of copying books verbatim? If I remember correctly, this content comes from a scholar’s reading notes? What’s it called?”

Chen Ping’an replied with a smile, “It comes from the burial technique chapter of that book *Gai Yu Cong Kao*, which is relatively obscure, and there are not many copies printed by booksellers.”

Lu Chen didn’t feel embarrassed either. When it comes to the thickness of the skin, if the old scholar is the best in the world, A Liang is second, how could this poor Taoist not be ranked third?

The old scholar stepped out of the threshold, seemingly in a great mood for conversation, and said slowly to the young man, “Even if the grace of a noble man ends after five generations, sages still only advise people to do good, and sages regard wealth and blessings as very ordinary things. They are not afraid that later generations will be virtuous and poor, but only that their descendants will be unvirtuous and wealthy. Vulgar people only regard wealth as a blessing, not knowing that cherishing blessings is a blessing. How shallow.”

“Therefore, the sage does not discuss matters beyond the six directions. Petty skills may be worth observing, but pursuing them too far may lead to confusion, so a noble man does not engage in them.”

“Therefore, there are hundreds and thousands of books on feng shui and land surveying, and many texts are passed down, which are originally clumsy secrets. The noble man only discusses self-cultivation and does not talk about land surveying. Choosing a burial place is originally a matter of self-cultivation. Otherwise, why do not the powerful clans and aristocratic families of ancient and modern times, and the gods on the mountain, all obtain auspicious land, and their blessings extend for thousands or ten thousand years? Why do they also have common misfortunes, and may even have greater disasters than ordinary people, often bringing disaster to the entire family?”
“Calamities are the affair of the heavens. Governance and chaos concern the fate of a nation. Hidden blessings stem from the merits of our ancestors. Creating karma, whether good or evil, is the business of humanity. Supposing that one region nurtures its people, then the waxing and waning of heavenly fortune will shift according to the actions of those people, in turn influencing the lay of the land. Stepping back for a moment, consider hundreds upon thousands of books on physiognomy and geomancy. There is a single saying among them that greatly benefits the world and the hearts of men: ‘A blessed land and auspicious ancestral grave will surely protect those later generations who sincerely sweep and offer sacrifices.’ Those dissolute, wealthy sons and impoverished, rogue-like men who neglect to make offerings throughout the year, even when they visit the graves, do so perfunctorily. Imagine, if the departed truly possessed knowledge beneath the springs, if the ancestors were truly spiritually aware, upon seeing such a sight, would their hearts not be chilled?”

“Taking a further step back, both the dwellings of the living and the burial grounds of the dead possess true and tangible knowledge, worthy of careful study. Recognizing that the blessings of descendants can be cultivated through the merits of ancestors and sheltered by the Feng Shui of the ancestral grave, what then requires attention? The future generations must not suffer due to the construction of cities and roads, nor the plowing of fields, nor be seized by powerful clans. One need not seek solely for prosperity, but should avoid the icy cold of mountain valleys and the calamities of floods and ant infestations. Simultaneously, one must avoid the ‘five arrow’ formations. Locations too far from home, hundreds of miles away, ultimately make annual sacrifices difficult. Being located beside a powerful clan makes one susceptible to forceful acquisition. Communal land of the clan, mass burials on old mountains, where the landowner demands exorbitant prices, and auspicious lands that already have owners – all of these must be avoided. Conversely, what you do not wish for yourself, do not inflict upon others. In the future, if you achieve prosperity, do not make things difficult for others.”

“Generally speaking, if one is not an expert, when selecting a burial ground, one need only seek clarity in the aura and spaciousness in the layout, without rigidly adhering to celestial stars and earthly trigrams. Turn away from the ominous and embrace the auspicious, and one shall naturally be without calamity, residing in peace.”

“When Heaven and Earth unite, sweet dew descends. When the Yang energy rises in unison, the essence of the earth stirs. Spring planting and autumn harvest, summer heat and winter cold – the four seasons revolve, each with its own principle. Man dwells within them, and thus his actions are governed.”

“Whether it be cultivating oneself in life or selecting a resting place after death, I have a most foolish secret, just eight words.”

At this point, the old scholar stroked his beard and smiled, as if deliberately selling a secret, trusting that both his closed-door disciple and the erudite Headmaster Lu could guess those eight words.

Lu Chen smiled and said, “Live honestly, sleep peacefully.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Seek fairness, find a wide path.”