Chen Ping’an stood in the alley outside his ancestral home, glancing at the neighboring houses on either side.

Xiao Mo understood his intention, asking, “Young Master, is a fragment of your natal porcelain hidden nearby?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, smiling, “The question is whether it’s in the house on the left or the house on the right.”

Hidden cleverly, truly it was far away yet close at hand.

On the border of Hongzhou, a team stopped at a post station. Being officials “on official duty,” the station naturally arranged accommodations for them according to regulations. Everything proceeded in an orderly and well-organized manner. The dozen or so officials dismounted and settled into the humble station. If someone familiar with officialdom were staying, they would know the guest rooms were assigned according to rank, from highest to lowest. If the rooms were full, there was no cutting in line. However, having a good meal was not a problem. The station chief could use his own money to hire a cook to prepare a lavish feast; this was not considered a violation. The best laws of the land were not merely strict but also reasonable, a point emphasized repeatedly by the Imperial Preceptor, Cui Chan.

Inside the official lodging, Emperor Song He ran his hand across a table, then lifted it, finding no dust. He moved to the windowsill, gently wiping it, and found it equally clean. He smiled, “Lord Guan once questioned Master, saying that you managed big affairs well, which was commendable, but you concerned yourself too much with small details, which was inappropriate. Didn’t you trust the Six Ministries?”

Song He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together lightly. “As it turns out, those ‘small matters’ that Master meticulously pondered and adjusted, Master managed very well. The benefits appeared gradually over time, becoming more potent as time passed.”

The Embroidered Tiger, Cui Chan, was not only the Grand Preceptor of Great Li but also Song He’s teacher. To some extent, Wu Yuan and the Emperor were like fellow disciples in the same literary lineage.

However, their branch of disciples was unrelated to the lineage of the Sage of Literature.

Yu Mian lowered his voice, asking curiously, “Your Majesty, you haven’t said how the Grand Preceptor answered Lord Guan back then?”

Song He smiled slightly, “I remember Master simply replied, ‘I trust your good intentions and starting point, but I don’t trust your methods and resilience.’ That one sentence left Lord Guan speechless.”

Beside the post station’s stables, an old coachman watched the young Daoist sitting on the fence.

The old man felt a sense of helplessness. Just as he was about to speak, the Daoist wearing a lotus crown made a gesture of wiping his mouth with his finger, signaling him to be silent.

Lu Chen, with his hands resting on the fence, laughed, “Put your heart at ease. I’m not here to reminisce with you. I’m looking for someone else.”

The old man hesitated for a moment, then made a guess.

Lu Chen immediately gave a thumbs up, then cupped his fist and shook it, “Senior is indeed the top dog of the Thunder Department’s Bureau of Judgement! Junior is filled with admiration.”

The old man laughed, “It would be best if Headmaster Lu took her away. Just consider it a little fun for that Chen fellow. In the future, two people from the same hometown meeting again in a foreign land, old enemies meeting, all the more intriguing.”

Lu Chen had set up a fortune-telling stall in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven for over a decade; they were all familiar with each other.

Poor Lu Wei, still an immortal realm cultivator of the Yin-Yang School, painstakingly planned and calculated, but he couldn’t even sense his own ancestor was right under his nose.

Lu Chen complained, “We agreed not to chat, Senior. What’s going on?”

The old man laughed heartily, “Headmaster Lu is a very reasonable person; he won’t mind these things.”

Lu Chen’s eyes were filled with resentment, “So you all bully those who are easy to talk to, right?”

The old man shook his head. “Ten years in a small town are but a flick of the wrist for cultivators. Headmaster Lu and I can be considered to have parted on good terms. Her arrival won’t delay Headmaster Lu’s reminiscences.”

The old man left.

A father and daughter led their horses over.

Lu Chen shifted his rear, dropping to the ground. He waved enthusiastically at the father and daughter, calling out eagerly, “Here, here!”

Of course, he had used some minor illusion to make himself look less young, which, according to A Liang, made him have the vicissitudes of a mature man!

Zhu He felt that the “middle-aged Daoist” with a smiling face looked a bit familiar.

The Daoist quickly gestured a few times, finally making the motion of shaking a divination tube, and laughed, “Remember now? It’s me, the one who had a stall on the main street of Huaihuang County!”

Zhu He’s face lit up with surprise, “Daoist Lu?!”

Zhu Lu had actually recognized him at first glance; she was just pretending not to recognize this fortune-telling Daoist.

The father and daughter had both visited his stall in the small town, one wanting to know when his daughter’s luck would change, the other to calculate his prospects for marriage.

Lu Chen laughed, “You’re called Zhu He, right? Brother Zhu, this humble Daoist has a friend who asked me to ask you a question.”

Although Zhu He was a bit confused, he still laughed heartily, “Daoist Lu, please ask.”

Lu Chen smiled slightly, “He wants to know one thing: on that journey away from the small town, how exactly did you make Chen Ping’an think you were a master? My friend said this question has puzzled him for many years.”

Zhu He was completely bewildered. What was going on? How had he become a master, and what did it have to do with this Daoist Lu’s friend?

Zhu Lu’s face darkened.

She crossed her arms, subconsciously adopting a defensive posture, wanting to see what this fortune teller, who had left her with a bad impression back then, was up to.

Within the Weaving Bureau, Zhu He was nominally the second-in-command, second only to Master Weaver Li. Zhu He managed a large group of clerks and artisans, including officials and master craftsmen, helping the chief official oversee the specific weaving affairs. His current position was somewhat similar to that of Lin Zhengcheng, the assistant official of the Kiln Supervision Office in his hometown. Therefore, Zhu He was actually in a relaxed state of retirement.

His daughter Zhu Lu was quite different. All the money and grain, officialdom and literati club activities within the state were secretly recorded. The personnel under her command were truly “eating imperial grain” but not through the Ministry of Revenue. The secret memorial that the Weaving Bureau submitted to the Imperial Study in the capital regularly came from her hand, with Weaving Officer Li Baozhen only responsible for polishing it.

Lu Chen leaned against the fence, smiling as he looked at them.

Zhu He, nearing sixty, had tempered his body in the Golden Body realm for many years and hoped to reach the Distant Wanderer realm. Zhu Lu had just become a sixth-realm martial artist this year.
Had I not intervened, following the path laid out by their Young Master, or rather, the predetermined course of her life, once Zhu He reached the Grandmaster Realm of Distant Wanderings, he would have transferred to a local military position, bringing honor to his ancestors. Of course, if Zhu He only followed his heart, he would have preferred to go south, to a small country outside the Great Li, to establish a sect and teach martial arts. As for Zhu Lu, she would break through realms step by step, and then one day, she would die of old age at the Distant Wandering Realm, resenting her fate and feeling constantly frustrated.

On the road of her life, there would always be two figures ahead. One was a beloved person who seemed within reach but could never be obtained, her Young Master, Li Baozhen.

The other was an unattainable figure in a blue robe, the same age as her from Mud Bottle Lane, seemingly always wearing straw sandals, with dark skin, holding a woodcutter’s knife, forever the peasant he always was.

Zhu Lu felt uneasy under the Taoist’s gaze, her hair standing on end.

Lu Chen smiled and asked, “Miss Zhu, have you ever heard of a saying, ‘The Zhu and Chen families are forever inseparable’?”

Zhu Lu, with a stiff expression, shook her head.

Lu Chen smiled slightly, “This is an idiom from the Azure Billow Heaven, not widely circulated, only known to everyone in Zhulu County, Youzhou. So it’s strange that you haven’t heard of it.”

Zhu He was utterly confused. Was the Taoist Lu mistaken?

So, it’s strange? Shouldn’t the ending be “not strange” instead?

Lu Chen said slowly, “In terms of origin and early start, you are actually better than Changmei’er from Peach Leaf Lane, Xie Ling, the Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator from the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, and Hu Feng, whose grandfather owns a happiness shop in a small town but is actually the co-owner of the world’s marriage store, Cai Daohuang, better than many, many of your peers in the small town, much better. So Zhu Lu, you have been blaming yourself for bad luck and resenting your fate all these years, but that’s not true, it’s a big mistake.”

“Because to some extent, although you were born in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, you are a very important and powerful outsider, because you don’t even need any backing, your backing is your previous life, is yourself.”

“You even entered the small town earlier than this Taoist, reincarnating early into the Li family of Fortune Street, just so that one day, things would come naturally, and then you would push the boat along the water, um, this saying is good, just push the boat along the water, to protect your family’s Young Master, Li Xisheng, for a while. In this process, you will constantly grow, ascending very quickly. For example, Ma Kuxuan, Liu Xianyang, and the others, how fast they have broken through realms in recent years, you will only be faster.”

Lu Chen raised his fingers together, “This Taoist can swear, if there is one word of falsehood, may I be struck by lightning!”

The old coachman, who once sat in the Thunder Department’s Clearance Division, really had no way to deal with this Third Headmaster of White Jade Capital.

Actually, in the Azure Billow Heaven, there is a not-so-widespread idiom called “The Harmony of Zhu and Chen,” and another less common saying, “The Zhu and Chen families are forever inseparable.”

Because in terms of origin, Lu Chen didn’t say a word of falsehood today. Even in the eyes of the old coachman, Zhu Lu had an excellent “background.” One could even say that among the younger generation of the small town, as long as one put aside the small group of Ruan Xiu, Li Liu, and Li Xisheng, she was the undisputed leader. She was indeed better than Xie Ling of Peach Leaf Lane, Hu Feng of the Happiness Shop, because Zhu Lu belonged to half a Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven “outsider.”

As for opportunities, they were given to her early on.

Even Chen Ping’an might not be clear yet, but the old coachman, Aunt Feng, and the old antiques like Lu Wei, the young people they talked about the most in their spare time included Zhu Lu.

They were all guessing her origins. Although it was shrouded in clouds, this itself was very telling. If her background wasn’t significant, why would it be so hazy, making them all feel like they were looking at flowers in the fog?

It was just because she was born into the Li family of Fortune Street, first there was Li Xisheng who “substituted a peach for a plum,” and then Headmaster Lu Chen entered the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, so no one dared to act rashly. In other words, no one could bear the karmic burden of Taoism.

Zhu He’s expression was complicated.

Zhu Lu clenched her teeth, grinding them together. She clenched her fists tightly, the veins on the back of her hands bulging.

“Youzhou of the Azure Billow Heaven, you can think of it as a continent of the Glorious World, like…”

The Taoist stomped his foot, “Our current Treasure Bottle Continent, actually this analogy is not very accurate.”

Lu Chen pointed north, “It should be the larger Northern Majestic Continent, because Youzhou in the Azure Billow Heaven is a first-class large continent.”

“Within Youzhou, two places are most famous. One is the Huayang Palace in the Earth Lung Mountains, Taoist Gao Gu, who is now ranked eighth in the Azure Billow Heaven.”

“The other is the ancient battlefield of Zhulu County.”

“And your previous life was a local Taoist official there. And the biggest thing your previous self accomplished was turning Zhulu County into a battlefield ruin. The last Taoist official who fought you was this Gao Gu, who was forced to leave the mountain. In terms of being aggressive, you have always been a master among masters.”

Zhu He gently grabbed Zhu Lu’s arm, signaling her not to be afraid.

Zhu Lu was expressionless, staring straight at the Taoist, spitting out words from between her teeth, “Who… the… hell… are… you?!”

Lu Chen just said to himself, “Let me give you another example. There was once a gambling table. Some people only had a few copper coins as stakes, some had a few taels of silver, but you, you were carrying a sack of gold and silver ingots.”

“As a result, with a crash, you bet on the wrong thing and quickly gambled it all away, losing everything.”

“According to the development of a certain thread, you will first meet Li Huai, experience some things, and then travel to the Northern Majestic Continent with Li Xisheng. You will also get a dagger engraved with ‘Zhulu,’ and this is just one of the many opportunities you deserve.”

“Think carefully, when you were young, when you left Fortune Street, did you meet a boy with a round head and big eyes, possibly still wearing open-crotch pants? Um, you saw him later, but you still didn’t like him, you couldn’t like him no matter what.”

“Yes, you must have been by Li Baozhen’s side earlier.”

“I guess that in the Li family mansion, you must have repeatedly weighed the pros and cons, experiencing a battle between heaven and man, and finally chose the Second Young Master, who was more favored by the matriarch, rather than the Eldest Young Master. Maybe it’s because Li Xisheng’s name didn’t have the word ‘Bao’ in it.”
“Because this is your tribulation.”

“Many of the lessons we learn in this life come from the books we read in our previous life. Of course, the books inside and outside the book are all books. So the books we read in this life are not only for this moment but also for our next life.”

“In your past life, you were simply too clever. You accumulated so much intelligence that, at a certain moment, it blossomed and bore fruit, causing you to lose sight of the bigger picture. You missed a chance to merge with the Dao that should have been yours, and ultimately made a grave mistake. It was only thanks to the Great Headmaster of White Jade Capital pleading on your behalf, and helping you rectify your errors, that you were spared death. Therefore, this life is a chance to start anew, to make amends, or to… follow the same path as before.”

“See, you’re just too smart, so smart that you lack wisdom. Now you’re probably resenting me for not guiding you sooner, for standing idly by?”

“Do you realize how old you were when I started hawking wares in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven? Did you think a person’s nature, once set, could be so easily changed? Otherwise, why would there be the old saying, ‘It’s easier to move mountains than to change a man’s character’?”

“Besides, I have no kinship with you. Am I your father?”

“You still prefer to blame others, never looking for problems within yourself. Even if I had entered the small town ten years earlier… perhaps it might have worked. But my abilities are limited. Did you think entering the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven was as easy as saying it? Or that I could help you just because you asked? Besides, we humans must encounter difficulties and suffer hardships before we can truly reflect, make resolutions, and seek blessings for ourselves. Relying on encountering a benefactor on the road is a mindset you must abandon.”

“Li Baozhen’s Confucian texts surely contain the saying, ‘If you do not succeed, look within yourself. If you are upright, the world will follow.’ Moreover, doesn’t your hometown crab workshop have the four words ‘Seek Not Outwardly’ inscribed above it?”

Lu Chen shifted his gaze and smiled. “Zhu He, Zhu He, you are good in every way—honest, kind-hearted. But there’s one thing you need to change: your habit of apologizing for others. Change that in the future. It’s never too late to mend the fold after the sheep are lost. Maybe, perhaps, probably.”

An aged man, still filled with guilt towards the boy from years ago, genuinely happy for the achievements of the Mud-Bottle Lane youth, yet unable to reveal his true emotions to his daughter. He’s had it hard all these years.

Lu Chen rested his hands on the railing, lightly patting it, and looked into the distance.

What is a gambling table?

What you reject, someone else will embrace.

Zhu Lu asked, “Who are you?”

Lu Chen smiled. “My surname is Lu. Think big, think high.”

Zhu Lu, oblivious, was in floods of tears.

Lu Chen chuckled. “Miss Zhu, no need to cry so sadly. It’s never too late to mend the fold after the sheep are lost. Otherwise, why would I seek you out? Did you think I would only tell you the truth just to make you regret it? I am a significant figure on the mountain, very busy!”

The old coachman spat.

He is one of the foremost cultivators in several realms, that’s not an issue, but you Lu Chen are busy?

“Life is a journey, each step like reading, composing, and writing. Every stroke must be careful, earnest, and unhurried.”

Lu Chen raised one foot, lightly twisting his toes on the ground. “It is said that one can tell how a person will be at three years old, but in reality, it’s just that each person has their own skill in writing, their own pace. Generally, while unrelated to character or intelligence, one can still observe their blessings and accomplishments. Moreover, if one is truly dedicated, a fool can learn from the wise, and the wise can use foolish methods. As your hometown saying goes, when skill is at the door, you won’t be easily dismissed. Gradual achievements will create a new and astonishing world, capable of shocking others.”

Lu Chen straightened up, stretched, and laughed. “Someone once said it well: ‘The winds and waves are fierce, but the weeds stand tall.’ There’s no other way, only this. You, me, him, and her, let us all encourage each other.”

“Alright, alright, stop looking at me like you want to devour me. I’ll give you one more choice and opportunity: bid a proper farewell to your father, and then follow me… back home.”

“Zhu Lu, I’ve been so frank with you. Let’s get the ugly truth out in the open. If you still can’t cherish this, then I can only sigh and sigh!”

Lu Chen raised a sleeve and waved it languidly. “Do you know what this is? I advise you, it’s best never to know in this life.”

Having traveled together for this journey, Empress Dowager Nan Zan found that she enjoyed chatting with Yu Yu, so she pulled the girl into the room. As she proactively poured water, Yu Yu asked a question that perhaps only she could ask. Tilting her head back as if holding a cup, she whispered, “Your Majesty, do you have Changchun Palace rice wine? The journey has been tiring. I’m a bit weary. A little drink to refresh myself, so I can chat with Your Majesty properly!”

“Temporarily relying on wine to invigorate the spirit, we might as well use bowls to drink!”

Nan Zan nodded with a smile, took out two gourds of immortal wine from her sleeve, and then cast a forbidden spell to prevent eavesdropping. She lightly clinked bowls with the girl and drank it all in one go. The woman proactively revealed some of the inside story of the last time she hosted a banquet for “Chen Hidden Official.” Of course, it was all a process modified by the Empress Dowager, mixing truth and falsehood, making it difficult to distinguish. For example, she said that she was extremely sincere and offered Chen Pingan a very high “price” at the time. The Song clan of Great Li was willing to do its best to provide manpower, material resources, and financial resources to help him cultivate all the way to the bottleneck of the Ascension Realm…

As Nan Zan spoke, her eyes reddened, and there were faint tears in her eyes. She took a sip of wine, reached out her palm, lightly brushed over the table, and murmured, “Yu Yu, tell me, even with all this, why couldn’t we reach an agreement?”

During the previous face-to-face meeting with Chen Pingan, she verbally claimed to be a Golden Core, but in reality, she was a Nascent Soul. However, Chen Pingan saw through her level at a glance.

Yu Yu dared to speak the truth. “Your Majesty, don’t be angry when you hear this. Seriously, you shouldn’t have talked like that. When dealing with businessmen, talk about money and business. When dealing with scholars, talk about the principles of sages. Once the relationship is familiar, then find an opportunity to talk about sentiment with the businessmen, and do business with scholars.”

Nan Zan was stunned, then looked up and laughed. “Seems reasonable.”
Yu Yu cautiously inquired, “Your Majesty, has Master Yin Guan done anything improper to you?”

That fellow, he can be agreeable when he wants to be, but when he doesn’t…forget it, I don’t want to think about it, I dare not think about it, so I won’t.

Nan Zan chatted idly with Yu Yu for a long time, each finishing a jar of wine. As a result, she was tricked by the little girl out of two more jars of “good things come in pairs” Changchun Palace immortal brew. Only then did Yu Yu leave the room in high spirits.

Nan Zan sat alone in the room, looking around, her heart filled with resentment. She pinched the white bowl with two fingers, raised it high, and was about to slam it heavily on the table.

But after thinking about it, Nan Zan gently put it down. There was no need to get angry with a white bowl.

She subconsciously leaned back, almost falling to the ground, only then remembering that the seat was just a long bench, not the chair she had been accustomed to for many years.

Infuriated, the woman waved her sleeve vigorously, smashing the white bowl against the wall. She then sighed dejectedly, manipulating the white bowl, which was about to shatter, back onto the table.

Staring blankly at the empty bowl, the more the woman thought about it, the more frustrated she became, her chest heaving with anger.

At that time, she was certain that he wouldn’t dare to commit violence in the capital. How could a closed-door disciple of a Literary Saint act rebelliously? More importantly, if he had any sense and brains, how could he bear to see the thriving foundation of the Great Li Dynasty, especially the achievements created by his senior brother Cui Chan, ruined in the hands of his junior brother, Chen Ping’an?

As a result, Nan Zan’s head was chopped off by him. If she hadn’t immediately used a secret “family heirloom” technique of the Lu clan…

Thinking of this, Nan Zan couldn’t help but rub her forehead, then reach out her palm and gently stroke her neck.

This fellow, who had been treading on dog droppings all his life, became suddenly rich and forgot himself! He dared to enter the palace with just a young attendant wearing a yellow hat and blue shoes. The person who led the way at the time was none other than Lu Wei, who claimed to be half a fellow villager of Chen Ping’an. This old ancestor, along with Nan Zan, whose real name was Lu Jiang, and Lu Tai, all came from the Lu clan’s main branch. That man named Chen not only lit a lamp charm for her but also offered incense to Lu Wei. After chopping off Nan Zan’s head, he pressed her head down, forcing her to kowtow like pounding garlic, and finally simply overturned the table.

The reason Nan Zan had taken the initiative to ask to leave the capital with the emperor this time was not for sightseeing but for two private matters, both of which revolved around that Chen Ping’an.

One was to confirm with Chen Ping’an whether there were any more Spiritual Rhinoceros Beads left in the rosary in her hand.

The second was that she wanted to know if she could break away from the Yin Yang School Lu clan of the Central Earth and completely sever ties with that behemoth that made her feel lingering fear.

Just like when the old coachman was teased by Madam Feng near the Fire God Temple, suggesting that if nothing else worked, he should admit defeat and try to please Chen Ping’an, exposing Lu Wei’s secrets. The old coachman was tempted, but he dismissed the idea, feeling that even provoking a swordsman was better than making an enemy of a fortune teller. Provoking a swordsman might just mean taking a few sword cuts, and if you could endure it, it would be over. But making an enemy of a Yin Yang School cultivator, especially the Lu clan of the Central Earth, was not a matter of one or two lifetimes. The old coachman was so wary of the Yin Yang School, let alone Nan Zan, who was just a pawn on the chessboard.

But for some reason, ever since Lu Wei returned to the family, he seemed to have completely forgotten about her, “Lu Jiang.”

Today, Nan Zan wore a plain green bamboo hairpin in her hair.

Yu Yu had noticed it but didn’t delve into it, simply assuming it was Her Majesty’s whim, after all, it looked very elegant.

Earlier in the palace, she had not, and dared not, deceive that sophisticated young Yin Guan.

She had indeed secretly returned that shard of her natal porcelain to the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven.

Just as Nan Zan’s expression was changing and her thoughts were running wild, a strange voice suddenly rang in her ears.

“How does it feel for a mere clerk of the weaving bureau, who could only eat dust behind carriages, to suddenly be able to sit on equal footing with the Empress Dowager of the Great Li Dynasty?”

Nan Zan slowly raised her head and saw a young Taoist wearing a lotus crown. As for the woman beside the Taoist, her surname seemed to be Zhu? Was she a maidservant of the weaving official Li Baozhen?

She didn’t even glance at her.

The woman was only momentarily stunned, quickly returning to normal, then her eyes filled with tears, and she quickly got up, retreated again and again, stood still, and then suddenly knelt down and kowtowed, making loud thumping sounds.

She had just been thinking about breaking away from “Lu Jiang,” but now she had no such thoughts at all, her face wet with tears, crying out, “Lu Jiang greets the ancestor!”

Lu Chen jumped sideways, reaching out his palm, “No, please don’t recognize me as your ancestor, I’m already deeply in debt.”

Except for Lu Tai, that child, whose divine secrets were clear, his words were witty, and he was also quite filial, there were really not many who could truly put this old ancestor at ease.

Whenever something happened, they liked to offer incense and kowtow to the ancestor. Ancestor, I’m in trouble, can I kowtow to you? Does it work? Since it doesn’t work anyway, who can blame whom?

Lu Jiang turned a deaf ear, only kowtowing vigorously.

Lu Chen moved a long bench and sat down, crossing his legs, and said with a smile, “Alright, what’s the point of kowtowing without any sincerity? Do you really think the ancestors hanging on the wall are all dead?”

Lu Jiang still didn’t listen, only kowtowing, probably to show her sincerity, her forehead already red and swollen.

Lu Chen patted his knee and said, “I’m afraid of you, get up, I won’t let you kowtow for nothing. As a reward, I will say hello to Lu Shen, and from now on, the name Lu Jiang will be crossed out from the Lu clan’s genealogy. I’ll count to three, and if you don’t get up, I’ll leave, as if I didn’t come here today. As for thinking about getting close to me through Lu Jiang, Nan Zan, you be careful you’re daydreaming, and in the end, you’ll be drawing water with a bamboo basket. One, two…”

Nan Zan quickly stood up.

Lu Chen asked with a smile, “I didn’t want to come here in the first place, but there’s something I’m really curious about, tell me, where did you order Yanghua to put that shard of natal porcelain?”

Nan Zan didn’t dare to hide anything, still with a crying voice, slightly trembling, “Replying to Ancestor… Sect Leader Lu, I had Yanghua secretly put that piece of natal porcelain next to Chen Ping’an’s ancestral home in Mud Bottle Alley?”

“Oh?”

Lu Chen’s eyes lit up, smiling from ear to ear, “Next door, left or right?”

Nan Zan said, “It’s in Song Mu’s study drawer, sandwiched inside a primary school textbook.”
Lu Chen seemed a little disappointed, pursed his lips, and stood up, “Let’s head back, let’s head back.”

Nan Zan hesitated.

Lu Chen raised a finger, tapped his eye, and smiled, “Nan Zan, I’ll give you an extra piece of advice. Don’t curse Chen Ping’an in your heart anymore, he can actually hear it, he’s just too lazy to bother.”

Nan Zan was instantly struck by lightning.

She was truly panicked now.

When it came to memory and forbearance, especially holding grudges, that guy had definitely impressed Nan Zan.

Lu Chen laughed heartily, “You actually believed it?”

Nan Zan was bewildered.

Lu Chen nodded to himself, “It’s okay to believe it.”

“Not believing it might lead to suffering, but believing it won’t cause any loss and might even bring benefits, so why not believe it?”

Lu Chen kicked the long bench back to its original position, “The most difficult knowledge in the world is like navigating a boat at night.”

Taking Zhu Lu, he ignored the wall and walked straight out. Lu Chen folded his hands in his sleeves, “This poor Daoist doesn’t quite agree with that.”

“In my opinion, the most difficult thing is bending over to pick up money from the ground.”

“It’s clearly within reach, almost no one wants to pick it up, and they’re unwilling to put it in their own pockets. This world, which should be full of wealthy people and hidden dragons, is truly bizarre.”

“Daoist friend, do you know what the implication is of copper coins all over the ground?”

Zhu Lu had a flash of inspiration, and his face darkened, murmuring, “Reason.”

“That’s not wrong to say either.”

Lu Chen laughed, “So you knew.”

The heavens have granted us the opportunity to make mistakes.

“Walking slowly, with conflicting intentions. Let’s go back, let’s go back.”

Lu Chen stretched lazily, “A mountain Daoist reports news of plum blossoms.”

In the capital of Qingxing Kingdom, there was a quiet Taoist temple with ancient cypress trees, its gates deserted, as if no one ever came to burn incense.

Cheng Qian was, after all, only a Protectorate True Man, not an Imperial Preceptor. Living in seclusion here, far from the turmoil of officialdom, was extremely suitable.

Wen Zizai had been recuperating in the Taoist temple these days.

Old True Man Cheng, who looked like a child, bathed and changed clothes today, went to the Ancestral Hall, and lit three incense sticks. Purple smoke curled upwards, and a woman emerged from a painting, the Palace Master of Lingfei Palace, the Ancestral Master of Dongting.

Together they walked out of the Ancestral Hall. Cheng Qian told the Xiangjun Ancestral Master the recent situation in detail. It turned out that recently a troublemaker had suddenly appeared, and it seemed that they wanted to compete with Lingfei Temple for the Hehuan Mountain territory.

Apart from the Qingxing Kingdom’s Emperor Liu, the monarchs of the other two countries around Hehuan Mountain had shown signs of changing their minds.

Cheng Qian said, “A group of three people is currently in the capital’s imperial palace, discussing the purchase of the mountain with His Majesty. A message from the palace informs the Taoist temple of this matter.”

Xiangjun asked in confusion, “What is their background? Didn’t they leak any information beforehand?”

As for developing Hehuan Mountain as a private Daoist retreat and Lingfei Temple’s descent from the mountain, Xiangjun was not annoyed by the other party’s interception, but more curious.

Cheng Qian explained, “In the previous two instances, this group acted even more secretly, impenetrable, and they directly approached the Emperor for secret discussions face-to-face. This time it seems that they intentionally let the Taoist temple know, so I was able to notify the Palace Master. One man and two women, outsiders, all used illusion techniques. It’s clear that the other party offered a very high price, otherwise, the two emperors would not risk offending us to earn this hot potato.”

Arriving at an elegant courtyard, Wen Zizai was waiting here, reaching out to tease a koi in a water tank. This martial arts grandmaster, who had been somewhat listless recently, sneered, “They have some nerve, knowing that this is a business deal for our Lingfei Palace. As long as they’re not deaf, they should have heard that Ancestral Master Cao had previously shown up in the Hehuan Mountain area, yet they dare to be so flamboyant, openly competing with us for territory. I wonder why?”

Xiangjun ignored him, and Cheng Qian didn’t mind either. Wen Zizai had been in a bad mood recently, and there was a reason for it. Although Cheng Qian didn’t know about the spar outside the Fenwan Manor, Wen Zizai had been “moved” here by Xingzi of the Golden Immortal Convent to recuperate. He was not lightly injured, but not too seriously either. He had not damaged the foundation of the Great Dao. Taking elixirs and medicinal meals, and recuperating for a few months was unavoidable. Only one thing made Cheng Qian pay attention. It seemed that Wen Zizai had tried to sit in meditation and focus his mind to refine Qi several times during this period, but to no avail. After many times, he became emotionally irritable.

Inside the house, there was a chess set and some old chess manuals. Two jars of chess pieces, both meticulously polished from black and white pebbles from mountain streams, were made of the most common materials, but with great care.

Xiangjun took off her shoes outside the house, stepped into the bamboo mat-covered room, sat on one side of the chessboard, and extended her hand in invitation, “Cheng Qian, let’s play a game.”

Cheng Qian sat down and smiled, “I shall accept your kind invitation.”

Wen Zizai didn’t take off his shoes either, sitting by the door, facing away from the two players, absent-minded, with his brows furrowed and an extremely gloomy expression.

If he were not in someone else’s Taoist temple, Wen Zizai would have already cursed loudly and even resorted to drinking. Using the strength of the alcohol, he would ride the wind to a secluded mountain wilderness and smash countless mountain peaks.

It was only because he had been suffering unspeakably recently. Every time he closed his eyes and practiced Daoist exercises, slightly concentrating, the face of that woman would appear in his mind. Her slightly sarcastic expression, especially her contradictory gaze that was both fiery and cold, forced Wen Zizai to withdraw a Mustard Seed Mind every time he just started to sit in meditation, causing the speed of his recovery to be slower than he expected by more than a day or two.

A young Daoist priest wearing a golden flower crown walked lightly, his movements flowing like water, and arrived gracefully. He stopped at the door, not looking into the courtyard, gave a salute, and said respectfully, “Abbot, guests have arrived, three people, one woman and two men, all Qi Refiners. This disciple can’t see their cultivation. They claim to have a business deal to discuss with the Abbot.”

Cheng Qian held a chess piece between his fingers in mid-air, looked at Ancestral Master Xiangjun, and she nodded.

Cheng Qian gently placed the piece on the chessboard, his voice clear, and said, “Bring them here.”
The listless Wen Zixi suddenly perked up, listening intently to the sounds around him. Judging from the footsteps and breathing, they didn’t seem like accomplished cultivators. Could they be wealthy bumpkins, naive fools who, being so far from the mountain peak, dared to disregard the newly established Lingfei Palace? Soon, Wen Zixi saw the figures of the three individuals. The one leading them was a young man in Confucian robes, with a jade hairpin in his hair, a pleasant smile, and a decent demeanor. To his left was a woman resembling a village peasant, while the one on his right caught Wen Zixi’s attention. Her hair was styled in a beautiful bun, her figure graceful, and she wore a high-quality emerald green magic robe. Her slender waist seemed almost too delicate to bear the weight of the immortal garb.

Xiang Jun merely glanced at them and knew they were not to be trifled with – veritable dragons crossing the river.

Just the young female cultivator’s emerald green robe alone, Xiang Jun had only seen depicted in ancient Daoist texts. It was the “Dou Shuai Palace Zhuyi,” an extremely extravagant and difficult to forge item.

According to the books, this immortal robe, reputed to be “brushed once every hundred years,” only appeared in the ancient times when land immortals each had their own domains. It was said to help practitioners connect with the river of time, witnessing the ebb and flow of epochs. Now, hardly any female cultivators wore them anymore.

Since Cheng Qian, this local strongman, might not be able to suppress them, Xiang Jun, as the sect’s elder, didn’t bother probing them. Placing the chess piece back in the jar, she smiled and said, “Lingfei Palace, Xiang Jun, Daoist name Dongting. And you are?”

The leading young man had a warm expression, bowing and saying, “White Emperor City, Gu Can. Greetings, Ancestor Xiang Jun, True Man Cheng, Grandmaster Wen.”

The handmaiden beside him, her eyes shimmering, silently performed a Wanfu salute, a gesture brimming with grace and charm.

Only the plain-looking village woman remained motionless.

Wen Zixi thought he had misheard, “You’re Gu Can?!”

The esteemed disciple of Zheng Juzhong from White Emperor City? What was he doing coming here to acquire such an inauspicious, desolate place? As for Gu Can’s origins from the Lizhu Grotto Heaven of the Great Li Dynasty, Wen Zixi had long heard of it. Gu Can’s actions in Shujian Lake when he was young were widely known throughout Baoping Continent, thanks to a certain travelogue. What, was this a case of a prodigal son returning home?

Gu Can bowed and, straightening up, smiled and nodded, “I am.”

Wen Zixi clicked his tongue, “You even recognize me?”

Gu Can nodded, “There are many rumors in the world. It’s hard not to hear them.”

Wen Zixi was puzzled, “You don’t seem arrogant. Why do they call you a ‘madman’?”

Gu Can smiled, “It would be good if Grandmaster Wen still felt that way after our discussion today.”

Wen Zixi burst into laughter, giving Gu Can a thumbs up, “Finally showing a little of that madman’s spirit.”

Xiang Jun didn’t stop Wen Zixi from chatting with Gu Can. Understanding the other party’s character as much as possible through their words and actions was no bad thing.

Since he was indeed Gu Can, his identity confirmed, then the earlier questions were answered. In the vast world, the direct disciple of Mr. Zheng from White Emperor City didn’t need to show much respect to Lingfei Palace.

Gu Can glanced at the chessboard in the room and said, “I wouldn’t dare delay Ancestor Xiang Jun and True Man Cheng’s game. I’ll get straight to the point.”

Xiang Jun smiled and nodded, “Please speak.”

Gu Can stood calmly in the courtyard, and slowly said, “Since Ancestor Xiang Jun and Lingfei Palace have only reached a preliminary agreement with the Liu family of Qingxing Kingdom and others, and have not yet signed a formal contract, I still have a chance. Business is all about mutual willingness, and the highest bidder wins.”

“Furthermore, I am determined to acquire that Hehuan Mountain territory. There’s no question of artificially raising prices. Anyway, every time you bid, I’ll just offer one more Guyu coin.”

“So, if you’re angry, you can keep bidding and let me waste money. Stop bidding whenever you feel satisfied.”

Xiang Jun frowned slightly.

Cheng Qian’s expression turned displeased. Did Gu Can really think he was his teacher, Mr. Zheng? To speak so presumptuously?

Wen Zixi was amused by his arrogance, and spoke first, “Since when is the honor of Lingfei Palace only worth one Guyu coin?”

Gu Can said, “Grandmaster Wen, you should just focus on healing your injuries.”

The implication was that Wen Zixi was not qualified to interfere in their discussion.

The handmaiden beside him, using the alias Lingyan and the Daoist name Chunxiao, covered her mouth and giggled.

People who read books, using veiled language and sarcasm, were so sharp-tongued?

Hearing the charming laughter, Wen Zixi’s gaze shifted to Lingyan, the handmaiden.

Instantly, Wen Zixi’s vision blurred, his mind wavered, and his Dao heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cave. His Qi circulation was disrupted, and his face flushed red. Fortunately, he quickly recovered, but his forehead was covered in fine sweat.

Gu Can glanced at Lingyan’s “face” at the moment. He narrowed his eyes, withdrew his gaze, and said with a playful expression, using his heart’s voice, “Ancestor Xiang Jun, an cultivator of Wen Zixi’s talent would be carefully nurtured by any sect. The mountain winds are strong, and the roads are treacherous. One careless slip, and he could easily perish.”

Xiang Jun said with a calm expression, “Are you threatening me?”

Gu Can shook his head, “I’m just stating facts, reasoning, and pointing out a possibility.”

“Besides, as long as neither of us calls for backup or runs to our teachers, do you think I need to waste my breath on you? This is just business, a contest of wealth. By coming here today, I’ve already given face to Lingfei Palace and Cao Tianjun.”

“Hehuan Mountain, little Shujian Lake? If it were still Shujian Lake, I’d draw up a life-or-death pact, and I’d snap the heads off all of you.”

Han Qiaose, the highest in cultivation and a renowned great cultivator from White Emperor City, could hear both sides’ conversations. She clicked her tongue in wonder and couldn’t help asking Lingyan with her heart’s voice, “Didn’t we agree to have a good talk with that Xiang Jun? Why the sudden change of heart? Gu Can doesn’t even seem like Gu Can anymore.”
Lingyan chuckled sweetly, “Master seemed to see someone he knows through that Wen Zixi’s careful eyes, and that person is closely related to someone else. That’s why you’re angry, really angry. Of course, this is related to that fierce battle you fought with us in the desolate wilderness, and then foolishly fighting a second round with Cao Ci, aggravating your injuries and inevitably destabilizing your Dao heart. Furthermore, advancing from the Jade Pure Realm to the Immortal Realm is a ‘seeking truth’ journey of the heart, making the connection even stronger.”

Han Qiaose teased, “You little hussy, you understand Gu Can so well?”

Lingyan giggled, “Don’t make it sound so bad. I might even have to call you ‘elder sister’ in the future. Don’t worry, you can be the mistress, and I can be the maid.”

Han Qiaose moved to Lingyan’s side, pinched her smooth, white neck, and shook her. “You little vixen, can’t you watch your mouth? Spouting nonsense, are you using your backside to defecate?”

In an instant, an oppressive aura, thick as substance, filled the courtyard.

Lingyan shrank her neck and repeatedly begged for forgiveness.

Cheng Qian was somewhat shocked.

They’re having internal strife already?

As expected of cultivators who came from White Emperor City.

Gu Can said, “Attend to serious matters.”

Han Qiaose released her fingers, and Lingyan rubbed her neck, timidly saying, “Master, it’s not my fault, it’s your martial aunt bullying me.”

Wen Zixi was in a daze, his soul absent.

Cheng Qian’s face paled upon hearing this.

Gu Can’s martial aunt, isn’t that the junior martial sister of Mr. Zheng of White Emperor City, the Immortal Han Qiaose?!

On the mountain, the threshold for whether a Qi cultivator of a certain realm can be considered outstanding is quite simple: can they be regarded as a sword cultivator?

The founder of the Spirit Flight Palace, the Daoist Celestial Lord Cao Rong, of course, fell into this category. And so did Han Qiaose of White Emperor City.

There was an unconfirmed rumor on the mountain that Han Qiaose had once vowed to cultivate twelve kinds of great Dao techniques, and each path she chose was a daunting mountain road that even registered cultivators of White Emperor City hesitated to tread. Regardless of whether the rumor was true or false, there was a consensus that Han Qiaose would definitely ascend to the Ascension Realm.

Xiang Jun smiled and said, “The Hehuan Mountain territory is yours. Daoist friend Gu doesn’t need to spend that Grain Rain Coin.”

Gu Can was slightly surprised. After hesitating for a moment, he took out a Grain Rain Coin from his sleeve, pinched it between his fingers, and walked straight into the house. Without touching the ground, he squatted beside the chess game, picked up a chess piece from Cheng Qian’s chess container, placed it on the board, then put the Grain Rain Coin on the edge of the chessboard. He looked up and smiled, “Consider this Gu Can owing your Spirit Flight Palace a favor. Whether you use this favor or not, I’ll keep it in mind. The Great Dao is lofty and distant, and the affairs of the world are impermanent. Whether it’s Celestial Lord Cao, who has long aspired to ascend, or Ancestor Xiang Jun, who will likely cultivate and prove the Dao in the Jade Capital, or even Wen Zixi, whose suitability as the next Palace Master is still up in the air, mountains and rivers meet, and there will always be opportunities to meet again.”

Gu Can paused for a moment and asked with a smile, “Do you need this junior to do the honors and crush this Grain Rain Coin, so you can avert your eyes and avoid the trouble?”

Xiang Jun’s smile remained unchanged. She shook her head and said, “No need. Just leave it. As you said, whether I go to White Emperor City in the future or you go to the Jade Capital, I believe there will always be opportunities to meet again.”

Gu Can’s eyes were as hot as two fire cages, staring straight at this female Daoist with the Daoist name Dongting.

Xiang Jun subconsciously shifted her gaze, as if avoiding his sharp edge.

However, before she could express anything, Gu Can had already stood up with a smile, walked out of the courtyard, turned around and bowed, “This junior was rude and offended you greatly.”

After leaving the Daoist temple, Han Qiaose asked, “Little Can, have you decided to establish your sect here?”

Gu Can shook his head and said, “I haven’t decided yet. Anyway, it’s just buying a piece of land, it’s not a big expense.”

Han Qiaose asked with a smile, “Oh?”

Gu Can said, exasperated, “That’s not what I meant, what are you thinking?”

Han Qiaose didn’t really care about these matters of romance; she was just a little distressed for Gu Can.

Back then, when Gu Can retreated to advance from the Nascent Soul Realm to the Jade Pure Realm, Han Qiaose was the one protecting him.

He had failed once, but what made Han Qiaose even more heartbroken was when she opened the door and saw the gaunt youth, his face covered in tears and snot.

As for what Gu Can’s inner demon was, Han Qiaose had already guessed.

At that time, the youth was sitting cross-legged on the futon, his fists clenched and resting on his knees, lost and murmuring to himself.

“I don’t like these… principles. I just can’t beat them, so I have to bow my head and admit defeat.”

“I am me, Gu Can is always Gu Can. I can correct my mistakes, but I refuse to admit I was wrong to you. I’m not wrong!”

“You know, I’ve never lied to you… I’ve never changed, it’s you who have changed.”

Han Qiaose didn’t know how to comfort people. She could only stand at the door, watching the heartbroken young man, like a wild beast hiding in a dark corner, licking its wounds alone.

Then, her senior brother Zheng Juzhong appeared at the door. Han Qiaose gritted her teeth and wanted her senior brother to lend a hand to help Gu Can overcome this difficulty and cross this Dao heart tribulation.