Guided by the wise and steady pace of mountain turtles native to Chessboard Peak, whose strength far surpassed any mule or donkey, the party swiftly traversed the rugged terrain. They soon reached the mountain’s edge. Twenty leagues south lay the descending post road, which led directly into Scarlet Candle Town. Though the northern post road had been rendered impassable by the sudden descent of the Emerald Pearl Grotto, Chen Ping’an and his companions cautiously chose to avoid alarming any woodcutters, hunters, or traveling merchants with the sight of three enormous turtles.

The group rested atop a small hill, where Li Huai, filled with anticipation, craned his neck. He loathed the young land spirit, yet A-Liang had promised treasures for all from the Hall of Horizontal Jewels. Li Huai eagerly looked forward to flaunting his bounty before his sister, Li Liu.

The land spirit of Chessboard Peak arrived punctually, foregoing his usual talent for instantaneous travel. He strode purposefully up the hill, his white robes billowing like twin clouds rising with him. Even the maidservant Zhu Lu, hardened as she was, could not deny that his appearance alone justified the description “fair of face and figure” found in books.

Behind the handsome spirit followed A-Liang’s white donkey and the Li family’s horses. By what enchantment the land spirit had managed to keep pace, while ensuring the beasts showed no signs of fatigue, remained a mystery.

Wei Bo, an ancient being of many centuries, cradled a long wooden box in his arms. He first bowed respectfully to the bamboo-hatted wanderer, who returned the gesture with a nod.

The politically astute local deity and the seemingly irreverent swordsman, in that moment, gave off an air of uncanny similarity.

Their paths aligned on the Great Way.

Wei Bo presented the box, crafted from some unknown crimson wood, to A-Liang. Li Huai eagerly reached out to touch it, his palm warming at the contact. The texture reminded him of the finest silk, the pride of a cloth merchant’s shop in Riding Dragon Lane. He recalled touching a beautiful, flower-embroidered brocade the previous year, when he, his mother, and sister had gone to buy fabric for new clothes, only to be unceremoniously ejected by the irate shopkeeper.

Li Huai looked up and asked, “A-Liang, can I have the box after you’ve divided the treasures inside?”

A-Liang retorted, “Who do you think you are?”

Li Huai earnestly replied, “If you marry my sister, I’ll be your brother-in-law.”

A-Liang slapped him upside the head. “That’s *younger* brother-in-law!”

The boy protested, “I don’t want to be a younger brother-in-law. I want to be an older brother-in-law. Younger brothers-in-law are the worst!”

A-Liang turned to Wei Bo and asked, “Is the box valuable?”

Wei Bo chuckled nervously, “It’s alright, just an object made from honey-yellow submerged wood, buried in the earth for many years. It doesn’t rot, but rather becomes fragrant, and its color has changed from yellow to red. The wood itself is not worth much, but it is rather uncommon.”

A-Liang looked down at the boy, whose face was alight with hope. “Since it’s not worth much, you can have it.”

Li Huai lunged for the box, only to receive another painful slap from A-Liang. “Trying to hoard it all for yourself?”

A-Liang surveyed the group, beckoned them closer, then squatted and opened the honey-yellow box. He proclaimed loudly, “Chen Ping’an, Little Treasure Bottle, Lin Shouyi, Zhu He, Zhu Lu, come over here! Let’s divide the spoils! First come, first served! No other rules, except that each person can only take one item from the Hall of a Hundred Treasures. Whatever you get is what you get, no regrets!”

Chen Ping’an glanced at the young land spirit, who, sensing the boy’s gaze, asked with a hint of confusion, “Aren’t you going to compete for a chance at good fortune?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Let them go first.”

Chen Ping’an needed to discuss something with the young land spirit – the black serpent’s settlement on Fallen Phoenix Mountain, and Wei Bo’s departure from this territory to Dragon Spring County. On the way back, A-Liang had spoken at length about the traditions of mountain and water deities, explaining that they could not easily leave the lands designated to them by the imperial court. This was similar to the rules prohibiting princes of different fiefdoms from meeting. Any deity who broke these rules would be censured, have their offerings reduced, or even be stripped of their divine status. Many throughout history had suffered even worse fates; their golden statues dragged from their shrines, beaten, or even smashed to pieces.

Thus, when Wei Bo offered to personally escort the black serpent to Fallen Phoenix Mountain and build a bamboo house for it, Chen Ping’an accepted the offer, but did not wish Wei Bo to risk punishment. The boy previously lacked a deep understanding of the connection between divine offerings, landscape, and dynastic fortune. A-Liang’s vague, cryptic explanations did little to help, but Li Treasure Bottle offered an analogy. She said that offerings were like the Dragon Beard Creek outside town, and everyone would fight over the limited water to irrigate their fields.

Li Treasure Bottle raced over to Chen Ping’an. “Little Grand-Uncle, why aren’t you getting a treasure? Even Lin Shouyi is running like the wind, and Li Huai is trying to climb right into the Hall of a Hundred Treasures!”

Chen Ping’an casually replied, “It’s fine, I’ll choose last.”

Li Treasure Bottle spun around and bolted toward A-Liang, shoving Li Huai’s head out of the way and pushing Lin Shouyi aside.

Li Huai complained, “Li Treasure Bottle, you’re bullying me!”

Li Treasure Bottle retorted righteously, “I’m picking something for my Little Grand-Uncle!”

Li Huai, thinking of the small bamboo chest he craved, sighed, “Then go ahead and pick.”

Lin Shouyi, unbothered by being pushed, pointed to a rolled-up, yellowed tome, bound with golden thread, within the Hall of a Hundred Treasures. The title, written in cloud script, was just visible. “I choose this Taoist text, ‘Cloud Song Book’. I just want this, I won’t take anything else.”

Li Huai leaned forward, peering past Li Treasure Bottle. “Shouyi, why don’t you choose that knife? It’s so beautiful. If it was me, I’d pick that.”

Lin Shouyi struggled to tear his gaze from the long, narrow blade. “I’m not cut out to be a martial artist, and I don’t like swords or blades.”

Li Huai, realizing that Lin Shouyi would not change his mind, tried to persuade Li Treasure Bottle. “That knife is clearly an unparalleled divine weapon! It could cut hair blown against it, and maybe even chop right through the iron chains of the town well. Li Treasure Bottle, don’t you want it? Besides, doesn’t your Little Grand-Uncle need a good weapon? This blade would be perfect for him. Or, even just to clear a path through the mountains. Much better than a broken wood axe, right?”

Even hidden within its white sheath, the elegant curve of the blade was breathtaking.

A-Liang smiled and drew the sword.

Its sharpness was undeniable; the blade was like a streak of white light lingering in the mortal realm.

The blade was unadorned, save for natural纹路, like Taoist immortals painstakingly carving auspicious cloud symbols.

A-Liang raised an eyebrow in surprise. He tapped the blade with his finger, and instead of a dull thrum, a clear, melodious vibration rang out. A-Liang listened for a moment and nodded. “Not bad. It must be the ‘Auspicious Symbol’ blade.”

A-Liang sheathed the sword and handed it to the girl, smiling. “Take it, this blade suits you. Later, find a gourd for nurturing swords, and hang this Auspicious Symbol blade on one side, and the gourd on the other. Find a tall horse, wear red robes, and roam the world alone, drinking and riding. Everyone will love you.”

A-Liang laughed heartily. “Who wouldn’t love a girl like that?”

Li Treasure Bottle stared blankly at the weighty blade in her hands.

Zhu He squatted nearby. Zhu Lu had initially refused to come, declaring that she did not want any handouts, but her father silenced her with a stern look and dragged her here. It was the first time she had seen her father angry, and she was frightened. However, she stubbornly refused to squat like Zhu He, and instead stood stiffly, her face cold.

Li Huai, taking advantage of Li Treasure Bottle’s distraction, snatched up a painted wooden puppet, exquisitely crafted and lifelike.

This was the object that had captivated him at first sight.

Lin Shouyi gently picked up the rolled-up Taoist book, and a rare expression of joy crossed the usually reserved boy’s face.

Zhu He chose a book and a sealed pill, and then, with a look of astonishment, raised his head to look at the bamboo-hatted wanderer. The wanderer smiled. “Coincidentally, the very things you and your daughter need? Don’t thank me. Thank Wei Bo and that serpent. Their wealth, accumulated over millennia, is substantial. They can afford to offer a martial arts manual from a celestial abode and a unique pill from True Martial Mountain.”

Zhu He, holding the pill in his palm, asked with a trembling voice, “A-Liang Senior, is this truly a ‘Hero’s Gall’?”

A-Liang ignored the ecstatic Zhu He and looked up as Chen Ping’an and Wei Bo approached. The young land spirit glanced at the lone pale-gold seed remaining in the Hall of a Hundred Treasures, and at the blade in Li Treasure Bottle’s hands. His expression was calm, but when he saw the books and pills held by the others, he looked at the bamboo-hatted wanderer with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. The wanderer ignored him, and smiled at Chen Ping’an. “This is all that’s left, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered if you came earlier or later. You would’ve ended up with this lotus seed anyway.”

Seeing the solitary pale-gold lotus seed, Chen Ping’an squatted and smiled as he picked it up and slipped it into his sleeve.

Li Treasure Bottle said softly, “Little Grand-Uncle, I’ll trade you. A-Liang said this blade is really good…”

The girl immediately stopped speaking, her face a picture of regret. She clearly shouldn’t have said the last part. As expected, Chen Ping’an patted her head. “If it’s good, then keep it. Little Grand-Uncle doesn’t practice swordsmanship. A wood axe is good enough for clearing the way in the mountains.”

A-Liang teased, “That’s right, Chen Ping’an is a swordsman. Carrying a blade is unsuitable.”

Chen Ping’an retorted, “Then why do you use a bamboo blade?”

A-Liang shamelessly replied, “What’s it to you?”

Li Huai said softly, “A-Liang, the box is mine, right?”

A-Liang asked, “What do you want the box for? Do you even have that many treasures to put in it?”

Li Huai retorted, “What’s it to you?”

Everyone had gained something, even the young land spirit Wei Bo and the black serpent, with the exception of the white python, whose head was blasted to bits and its body devoured.

Chen Ping’an received a slightly shriveled, pale-gold lotus seed, the size of his thumb. Li Treasure Bottle gained the sword named Auspicious Symbol, though she was somewhat dejected, leaning it against her small bookcase with a hint of disgust. Following her Little Grand-Uncle’s advice, she wrapped the blade from head to toe in a piece of cotton cloth, concealing it completely.

Li Huai received the painted wooden puppet and the honey-yellow box. The puppet temporarily “lodged” in Li Treasure Bottle’s bookcase. Before putting it in the box, the boy reluctantly promised that he would find the puppet a new home once he had his own bookcase. Lin Shouyi carefully stored the book, “Cloud Song Book”.

Zhu Lu reluctantly accepted the celestial manual, “Purple Qi Book”.

Zhu He, a steady man, smiled without pause. It wasn’t about the money, but instead about the hero pill that he could not buy. This pill would help the user condense their scattered souls, forming a stable “house” for their spirit to reside in. While not an Qi practitioner, it was equally important to a martial practitioner in the fifth realm. It was life saving.

A-Liang asked softly, “How did your chat with the land spirit go?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Very well. I gave him that bag of items.”

A-Liang clicked his tongue. “You don’t hold back, do you? I was just making conversation. Besides, from a business perspective, you should have made it a transaction. Given the wealth of that black serpent, it would have happily given you a truly valuable item.”

Chen Ping’an replied, “I understand the principles of keeping the gains, and planting and reaping.”

A-Liang nodded, adjusted his bamboo hat. “We’ll be at Scarlet Candle Town soon.”

Then the man licked his lips. “Newly brewed apricot blossom wine, rouge-painted boats… I, A-Liang, am coming back!”

At A-Liang’s constant mention of Scarlet Candle Town, Chen Ping’an had a sudden foreboding.

Wei Bo watched the group descend the mountain, sighed, and tapped his toes, leaping onto the back of a mountain turtle. He sat cross-legged. After a few dozen leagues, the black serpent, its belly bulging, matched its pace.

Wei Bo chuckled and tossed it a bag, which landed on the serpent’s path. The black serpent carefully lowered its head, sniffed at it, and, seeing nothing unusual, turned its head to look at the immortal on the mountain turtle.

The handsome land spirit smiled. “A housewarming gift from that boy.”

The black serpent, with claws sprouting from its belly, hesitated, then used its teeth to tear open the bag. Dozens of serpent gallstones, collected by the boy from Dragon Beard Creek, rolled out. After close inspection, its eyes blazed with anticipation. It slowly flicked its tongue and tentatively picked up a stone.

The young land spirit chuckled and continued forward.

The black serpent roared into the heavens.

Even the young land spirit was envious. “It’s said that this item is almost extinct, except in the Emerald Pearl Grotto. It’s from a Jiaolong, eating the essence of the tendons and scales.”

Near Scarlet Candle Town, the white donkey stepped onto the blue flagstone post road, its hooves clacking crisply. A-Liang did not hold the reins; the donkey followed behind on its own. A-Liang, hearing the roar, smiled. “Looks like it was useful after all.”

Chen Ping’an said softly, “I kept the most valuable gallstone. I didn’t want to give it away.”

A-Liang laughed. “You sly dog.”

At the back of the group, Zhu He whispered to his daughter. “Store the ‘Purple Qi Book’. This book can take you to the fifth realm! With that Hero’s Gall, you can stand in the sixth realm!”

The girl was shocked. “Father, what about you if I take the pill?”

Zhu He laughed. “I’m still young, my spirit is restored, and maybe I can reach new heights.”

The girl smiled, “Keep the pill. I’m only at the second realm.”

Zhu He laughed, “Just consider it your dowry.”

The girl blushed. “Father!”

Zhu He waved his hand, “I won’t say anymore.”

During twilight, A-Liang stood on his toes.

“Chen Ping’an, you’re going to lend me a gold ingot.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “A-Liang, are you short of money?”

A-Liang grinned. “I’ve been shamed by Li Huai and Zhu Lu, and I need to experience having someone be nice to me for once.”

Chen Ping’an said, “I’ll give you a gold ingot.”

A-Liang patted the boy’s shoulder. “You can receive a gold ingot from a miser like you!”

Chen Ping’an turned.

Chen Ping’an smiled at the girl. “I’ll buy two strings of candied gourds.

Li Treasure Bottle asked, “Little Grand-Uncle! Buy little candied gourds!”