In a realm where azure waves kissed the heavens, nestled a paradise of mortal wonder.

Within a vast lake, a thousand isles bloomed like emeralds scattered upon a jade platter.

Near “Ancestor Mountain,” the heart of the lake where the Grand Wood Monastery and the Lake Lord’s Shrine stood, lay two islands of differing size, close enough to exchange whispers across the water.

The larger, Jade Hairpin Isle, hosted a tapestry of palaces and pavilions, row upon row. As the Lake Lord’s palace favored solitude, shunning unwelcome guests from the sacred Ancestor Mountain, Jade Hairpin Isle served as the Autumn Qi Lake’s reception hall. The monarchs of the four kingdoms lodged here, alongside mountain and river deities of amiable accord with the Autumn Qi Lake. These beings maintained a delicate balance, neither shunning nor embracing the mortal courts, yet all understood the tenuous nature of the truce. The kingdoms, veiled or overt, engaged in a silent struggle to claim dominion. While cultivators could dance on the winds and deities could retreat into secluded halls, their dojos and shrines, anchors to the earth’s spiritual energies and beneficiaries of mortal incense, remained firmly rooted. And the incense, fueled by the devotion of the common folk, was subject to the whims of the ruling power. A determined court could easily starve an unapproved shrine by controlling passage along vital roads.

Nearby, Snail Curl Isle was designated by the Grand Wood Monastery to accommodate independent spirits, rogue cultivators, and the rising stars of the martial world – masters whose fame had blossomed in the last two decades.

Those denied access to these islands knew their place. They lowered their voices, for in the eyes of Autumn Qi Lake, they were considered unworthy.

Upon Jade Hairpin Isle, a rare reunion unfolded. Old friends, free of ancient grudges, gathered for a convivial feast.

The host was Tang Tieyi, the new emperor of the Northern Jin Kingdom, a usurper who bore the blade “Alchemist,” a mountain treasure of immense power, at his waist.

Cheng Yuanshan, once dubbed “Arm Saint,” had survived the chaos of his time through cowardice, achieving longevity where others had perished. He missed a celestial opportunity by failing to mount the city walls. In secret, he submitted to Yu Zhenyi, a cultivator of immortal arts, and was granted a portion of the promised celestial grace.

Zhou Shuzhen, formerly the Southern Yuan Empress Dowager and mistress of the Hall of Reverence, had turned to cultivating celestial Qi-refining techniques, shedding the frivolous pursuits of her past. Having abdicated her role as mistress, she dedicated herself to the Dao.

Unlike other cultivators, who could cherry-pick from an unparalleled library rumored to hold even immortal texts, Zhou Shuzhen classified and enshrined the “useless” tomes once deemed ridiculous by the Hall of Reverence on the highest floor, protected by a mountain-and-water barrier, a newfound array learned from an ancient scroll.

These martial grandmasters of yesteryear were now, in all appearances, cultivators of the Cavity Realm.

Yet, despite their efforts to conceal their true strength, they paled in comparison to Wei Liang, the Southern Yuan Emperor Emeritus, who had reached the pinnacle of the Dragon Gate Realm.

This gathering at Autumn Qi Lake marked their first encounter in years. They set aside rank and old grievances, united by their shared transformation into cultivators. A wave of melancholy swept over them as they reflected on fallen comrades, seniors of a bygone era.

Here, the mountain paths lacked defined names; only two milestones were universally recognized. The first was the cultivator’s ability to store spiritual energy within their personal microcosm.

The second, unique to the Lake Mountain Sect’s Gao Jun, was the power to achieve the otherworldly feat of separating their spirit from their body, venturing forth in ethereal form as whispered about in ghost stories.

Amidst wine and scenery, their discourse circled around the demon Ding Ying, the young Sword Immortal Chen Pingan, Zhou Fei of the Spring Tide Palace, Lu Fang of Bird’s Eye Peak, and the elusive Martial Madman of old.

Cheng Yuanshan chuckled, “As a youth, I scorned Zhu Lian’s theories on spearmanship. He insisted that ancient masters focused on the lower body, grounding themselves in the ‘stance,’ and that true skill was often unrefined, like a spear thrusting along a single line, devoid of flourish. I dismissed it as vulgar, but practice revealed its truth – boring, utterly boring!”

Yet, times had changed. The world had undergone a profound transformation, and martial arts were now but a truncated path with limited potential. Without the pursuit of immortality, what chance did a mortal have at longevity?

An aged warrior with a blade resting upon his knees interjected, “With a face like his, who cares if his skills are pleasing to the eye? Zhu Lian could roll in mud, and women would still find him handsome.”

Tang Tieyi nodded in agreement, “I envy him greatly.”

Rumor held that the Northern Jin’s Dragon Martial General had once sought the hand of the Southern Yuan princess, only to be rejected. Could it be that she deemed him too old, despite his undeniable comeliness?

Wu Que, his beard now streaked with silver, was a renowned swordsman of Tang Tieyi’s generation, though slightly older. He was younger, however, than Yu Zhenyi and Zhong Qiu. He had missed the Southern Yuan spectacle, having been detained by unresolved matters in his homeland, a regret he carried to this day.

With the dawn of strange phenomena, the human realm had sprouted gods and demons. Wu Que had slain a troublesome ghost. Through various means, he had acquired mountain scrolls, but while he recognized the individual characters, their arrangement defied comprehension.

He toiled in vain at breathing exercises and lunar rituals, realizing he lacked the innate aptitude for immortality. Reluctantly, he returned to the disciplined path of martial arts. Fortunately, others had proven that martial arts, when pursued to their utmost potential, possessed power and efficacy comparable to the vaunted Qi cultivators.

Wu Que scoffed, “Where is that fop Zhong Qian?”

The upstart, risen from obscurity, had stumbled upon incredible fortune, forging a path abandoned by the likes of Tang Tieyi and becoming a grandmaster. It was said that even demons fled from him in the night.

Zhou Shuzhen rolled her eyes, her voice laced with honey, “You should have dealt a decisive blow when you had the chance. Now, he might just toy with you like a child.”

Wu Que grimaced, caressing his sword hilt, “I never regarded that eunuch as a threat. It was a minor squabble between him and my disciples. As his senior, I saw no need to take his life. A simple lesson and some pointers were enough. Now, if Zhong Qian were to greet me as ‘master,’ I would accept it.”

Beyond this gathering, the martial world buzzed with countless rankings, from the Four Grand Masters to the Ten Great Warriors, separate lists for swordsmen, swordsmen, and spear wielders. Only the lists issued by the Hall of Reverence commanded respect, one for martial masters, the other for celestial abodes.

Cheng Yuanshan raised his cup and gestured toward the distant peak of the neighboring isle, “Mistress Zhou, enlighten me. Who is this Jiang Shenzi, this masked youngster who hides his origins? Where did this strange creature spring from? I hear that your upcoming martial assessment places him high, contending for the top three alongside Wu Que and that blade-wielding Wu Jiang, second only to Zhong Qian.”

Zhou Shuzhen chuckled, “Ah, him? A being of ghostly origin. His true age defies calculation. Jiang Shenzi is an obstinate soul, a wandering spirit who should be cultivating unorthodox arts, yet he stubbornly clings to martial training. How foolish!

“Years ago, he discovered our Hall of Reverence. He prostrated himself, weeping, begging for martial manuals. He was persistent and would not be turned away. When asked why, he would only say he sought vengeance, refusing to elaborate.

“Pitying his plight, and deeming him unlikely to cause widespread harm, I instructed a disciple to give him three manuals – fist techniques, swordsmanship, and an introductory guide to Qi-refining for spectral beings. They were not exceptional, we made that clear, yet he was overcome with gratitude. Clutching the books, he prostrated himself before the Hall, then departed.”

Wu Que stared in disbelief, glancing at Snail Curl Isle. “Jiang Shenzi is a ghost? And Wu Jiang, is he also a creature of the wilds?”

As fellow blade wielders, they naturally sought to determine their respective places. Wu Jiang, the young swordsman, had maintained an unblemished record for over a decade.

Zhou Shuzhen shook her head. “Wu Jiang is flesh and blood. His sword lineage is a mystery, but we have some leads, some conjectures… it involves someone…”

She pointed skyward, then fell silent.

Wu Que frowned. “A disciple of Old Immortal Yu?”

The Lake Mountain Sect divided its talents – celestial arts for Gao Jun, martial arts for Wu Jiang. A fair arrangement, in the end, from the Old Ancestor Yu.

Zhou Shuzhen shook her head, her expression complex. “It is the other one.”

Wu Que and Cheng Yuanshan instantly understood. It was the strange figure, the “Yu Immortal”‘s longtime rival. After Ding Ying’s demise, this figure had gathered the remnants of the demonic cult, rebuilding it into a force of terrifying scale, both overtly and covertly. It was said that even commoners, when venturing into the world, claimed association with the cult to avoid trouble.

The “youth” possessed such peculiar characteristics, yet he could still contend with Yu Zhenyi, the first to cultivate immortal arts.

“You Yu Zhenyi, cultivating in the mountains, are bullying us martial artists! Where is your shame?”

Though the words were bold, his actions were even more shameless, employing an array of spells and celestial powers.

Otherwise, how could their duels cause mountains to crumble and rivers to change course?

A game.

It was as if everything that others craved was easily obtained by him, then discarded as worthless trinkets.

Truly, there was no more “jaded” figure in the world. Geniuses like Ding Ying and Yu Zhenyi?

Heroes who drank deep and womanized? Tyrants who sought to conquer all under the heavens? Similar, but not quite.

Rumor had it that if he had truly desired to rule the world, Wei Liang and Tang Tieyi could have simply yielded their thrones and awaited their fates.

Zhou Shuzhen dared not speak his name.

He had visited the Hall of Reverence, more than once. The precise number was unknown, for if he wished to remain undetected, she would be unaware.

During his first visit, he sought books for a youth.

On another occasion, as she organized the rare books in the Hall’s forbidden upper level, she found the beautiful youth in white robes seated upon a meditation mat, hovering in mid-air, with a luminous pearl above his head, “swimming” between the shelves. Upon spotting her, he removed the pearl, praising her ageless beauty, before tossing it to her, saying he had selected some books and that they would cover the fee.

Summoning her courage, she asked, “Leader Lu, can I truly cultivate immortality?”

The youth smiled and nodded. “With your talent and understanding, of course! Be patient. You possess a treasure trove of books. Your timing and harmony with others may be slightly inferior to Gao Jun, but you are far superior to that girl in terms of earthly advantages. What do you fear?”

He rose, his white robes fluttering, a snow-white whisk appearing in his hand. His otherworldly air made him appear like a deity from a ghost story.

“I am Lu Tai. Surely, your Hall of Reverence knows of me?”

Zhou Shuzhen nodded stiffly.

He had introduced himself during his previous visit, being remarkably candid. Her memory was not so poor.

“I have a dog named Lu Chen. Do you know of him?”

Zhou Shuzhen shook her head blankly.

Lu Tai suddenly snapped, “Idiot! Put away your blade! You are scaring Mistress Zhou!”

“Disciple, your name is… admirable. Tao Xieyang, your blade will never follow the straight path. I told you not to use the sword, but you were stubborn.

“Mistress Zhou, I need no introduction for this one. He is our cult’s second-in-command, famous enough to make righteous men tremble. Tao Xieyang hopes to seize my good fortune, emulating Ding Ying’s assassination of Zhu Lian. By killing Yu Zhenyi, he hopes to usurp his martial prowess. He will soon be a Warrior of Distant Journey. What, you have not heard of it? It is when a martial artist can fly, incredible, no? It is also known as Overturning the Earth. It is a true Grandmaster of the Martial Arts. He is far from it. Tao Xieyang is a nobody who could be killed with a slap.”

Zhou Shuzhen felt a cold chill at the back of her neck.

She tensed, drenched in sweat, daring not to turn. As the blade moved away, she remained on edge, as if she had brushed against the gates of death.

Lu Tai chuckled, “Mistress Zhou, be brave. Turn around and familiarize yourself with them. With me here, they won’t dare to misbehave.”

Reluctantly, Zhou Shuzhen turned.

A man leaned against a bookshelf, his hand resting on his sword. He grinned, “Tao Xieyang, incompetent and misguided. A disappointment to the master.”

A young man holding a book looked up, smiling. “Huan Yin, seventh-realm warrior, Qi cultivator in the Middle Five Realms. Alas, I am a swordsman, and therefore disliked by Master.”

Further off, by the window, a man in purple robes turned, bowing in the Daoist manner. “Huang Shang, Daoist of the Southern Yuan Kingdom. Greetings, Mistress Zhou.”

Lu Tai landed, his mat coming to rest beneath him, and said, “Huang Shang is my direct disciple. He is a Golden Core cultivator, considered a terrestrial immortal! They are all useless.

“These three are worthless disciples. Always wanting to kill Yu Zhenyi. What a shame!

“Gifts are required of guests. Huang Shang, leave two talismans. Tao Xieyang, kill the spies in the Hall. Huan Yin, share a Qi refining technique with Mistress Zhou.

“I give Mistress Zhou a Daoist mat of high quality, and congratulate her on reaching the Cavity Realm.”

Lu Tai grabbed her arm, saying “Let us visit your residence. You look beautiful, and will learn fast.”

Zhou Shuzhen was insulted. She hit him, the head of the man falling off, the feeling all too real.

Another man bumped into her and slapped her behind, laughing. “I leave an offering of you forgetting most of this, but remembering what is important.”

Zhou Shuzhen sighed, what a memory!

She asked Tang Tieyi, “Gao met with you three yesterday, didn’t she?”

Tang Tieyi smiled, “Let us not speak of it.”

Zhou Shuzhen looked in her cup.

She had not cultivated in many years, so her understanding of the Dao was shallow.

But…

If the day came,

She would kill to protect her home.

The realm belonged to them.

It must be done!

Zhou Shuzhen finished her wine, looking at her home.

On the nearby Snail Curl Isle, the younger martial artists avoided Tang Tieyi and the elders.

Each side wished to avoid the other.

Jiang Shenzi wore his mask and carried a package.

He was not invited by Gao, but had a home on the Isle.

However, it was on the mountainside. Further up the mountain, an invitation-only feast was for Daoists.

The host was a girl with budding antlers, wearing imperial robes and a white jade belt. She looked towards Jade Hairpin Isle, where the imperial energies were strong.

An old woman with a cup sat on the ground, looking reserved, while a scholar stood behind her, clutching a horsetail whisk. He was the City God of Nanyuan.

The feast had been set upon a mat, the corners of which were held down by stone weights.

By the mat, boys and girls served wine.

Two guests were from the Lake Mountain Sect.

A Taoist was late to the feast, and apologized for his absence, saying he had just come from the Wood Temple. He drank three cups of wine, and nobody knew who he was. The girl was about to punish him, when he laughed, bowed, and exited the feast.

He left the mat and walked down the mountain, where he said, “There is no new without the old. There is no old without the new. I am drunk.”

The old woman asked, “Was he a wandering Daoist?”

The girl sneered, “He was a fraud.”

The monk Taozhe said, “I do not know how strong he is, but he is over a thousand years old.”

He was calling him an ancient ghost, but he was not strong.

Taozhe was the oldest person in the land, but his strength was average.

The girl laughed, “Taoist friend, come back!”

The man came back and laughed, “I do not remember my name, so I call myself ‘Iron Mouth’. I am not good at fighting, but I am a skilled geomancer.”

A nun laughed, “Are you the scammer who was beaten by Wu Jiang? Are you the man that Zhong Qian wants to half-kill?”

The monk said, “It is difficult to pretend to be a scammer.”

The girl was about to act, but the monk said, “I said I was not good at fighting!”

He was being honest.

The monk looked at the group and said, “Cooperate with me, and we will win.”

Suddenly, he looked sad, tears in his eyes, and said, “The flowers wither and fall.”

But the people felt as if he was sincere, and had seen their family fall apart.

The monk dried his eyes and said, “I will protect Heaven, and convince you all.”

There were golden eyes, and the monk looked away.

He did not know who he was.

But he soon saw the story of this world, like a man opening a book.

Yet the book never ended, and four new books were created.

He saw Lu Fang turning to the Buddha and saw a man opening his own sect.

When Gao returned to her sect, she saw a Taoist in the stars.

She had previously heard, “Why are you sad? What is the point of hurry?”

“Who are you?”

She only heard a sigh.

He knew her thoughts, and tried to convince her to stay in the mountains.

“I know what is small. I know what is big. You are almost perfect.”

“I cannot. I will not change. I will die proving this route is good, or bad.”

Hearing her reply, he left.

On the mat, the monk said that he would protect heaven.

Suddenly, he turned and saw a man in white, with gold eyes.

The man smiled, “I am coming down the mountain. You are going up. Let’s go together.”

The monk slowed down.

The man said, “Why look back?”

He touched the monk’s head and turned it to look forward.

“You have crossed the line. I will show you why you were wrong.”

The monk said, “Who are you?”

The man said, “I am nobody. You can wander the pages of the book.”

The monk sighed, “You are Chen Ping An.”

The man sighed and said, “I failed.”

You are Chen Ping An.

Was it him, or was Chen Ping An you?

The “Chen Ping An” looked out at the realm.

The powers of the man were too great for the realm.

It was almost dawn, and Chen Ping An returned to the fox village, travelling with the fairy ship that belonged to Pei Xiang.

Pei Xiang had an invitation from the Lake Mountain Sect.

The people with her were Chen, Zhang, Xie, and Guo.

They traveled to a land of lush green and jade.

The monk was respectful, but the warriors wondered what a fox village was.

Maybe it was a village of demons?

Chen asked, “There are many people here.”

It was said there were thirty, and that there would be fifty attendants. Now, there were two hundred foreigners. The land was busy, reminding Chen of old times.

Six realm warriors were asked. However, the monks were still the stronger group.

Pei Xiang said, “You cannot blame Gao for this. She said to keep this a secret, but people are gossiping.”

Xie laughed, “Remind? It’s a hint. She wants more benefit for her land. If we help, everyone will know she fought for this. If we win, she wins. It cannot be lost.”

Zhang smiled, Gao was too easygoing in her mountain.

Pei Xiang shot a look at Chen, thinking this might have been a show of Chen’s power.

Chen smiled, “It is fine. If Gao did not do this, she would be selfish, which would be disappointing.”

Hearing this, Xie changed his tune, and said, “This is dangerous, and she is standing up for us. She is worthy.”

Guo patted him, “You did well.”

Chen asked Zhang, “Why do you know all this?”

Chen said, “Some mistakes cannot be avoided. Managing a land requires patience and understanding. “What happens if everyone pursues immortality or power? What if they all turn to evil?”

“It cannot be too strict. You need to allow things to happen. Instead, you should focus on the people. You need to give people hope and help them to be better.”

“You have to be careful. People need to be in control.”

Zhang said, “We helped too much.”

Chen smiled and said, “What is a perfect action? Old Guan is testing us. Are we strong enough?”

“In short, Old Guan is seeing if Chen Ping An and his world will turn into a heaven.”

Hearing this, Zhang was shocked.

She said, “Why is Old Guan doing this to you?”

Chen looked at his shoes and shook his head. “This isn’t a targeted attack. It just means that I have to work hard. If I say something, I have to stand by it.”

Zhang said, “You will not be like that, right?”

“Things might happen. However, it is important to try to do it well. Only in trying can we succeed.”

After a moment, Chen said, “Things do not always go as planned. If you believe in what you do, you can hope.”

Zhang hesitated, “The first disappointment is okay?”

Chen nodded.

Chen suddenly said, “There is one thing I want to tell you, Pei Xiang. One of my friends heard that there will be a strong fox demon. I might protect her one day.”

Chen will bestow the name “Pure White” on her.

Pei Xiang said, “This person has good luck. Does this mean she will take my position?”

Chen was at a loss.

Pei Xiang would be a good ruler.

Xie smiled, “Mistress Pei Xiang, you may wear a mask, but you are kind!”

Pei Xiang was not pleased.

Chen said, “There will always be bad guys and good guys. What about you?”

Xie smiled, “Be a bad guy? That is my area!”

If he succeeded, he would have to sit next to Zhang.

Guo patted Xie, and said, “You will be defeated.”

Xie grinned.

Chen looked at the mountain and said, “You guys go on. I will visit the temple later.”

Guo asked, “Master?”

Chen said, “I am going to be a bad guy.”

Xie tried to say something, but was cut off by Guo.

—-

Qing Ming. A Daoist was washing his hair while Wang looked at him.

She was sad.

She asked, “Must you go?”

There was no reply.

She asked, “Can’t you wait until I reach the 14th realm?”

The man laughed, “It is only a matter of time. It does not matter when I leave. I am not worried.”

Wang said, “I could light a lamp to sustain your life.”

The man laughed, “You are a senior, but I am the leader. You will listen to me.”

Wang looked at the world.

The monk washed his hair and said, “The world is good.”

After a pause, the monk added, “But it can be better.”

There was a poor temple in the mountains. A boy went to an old man’s room.

The old man looked at the boy and said nothing.

The boy asked, “What are you reading?”

The old man said, “The more you read, the more you understand.”

The boy said, “Old man, rub my shoulders for me.”

The old man said, “What is it?”

The boy said, “What treasures do you have?”

The old man laughed, “Look for yourself. They are yours if you find them.”

The boy said, “How am I supposed to get a wife when we are so poor?”

The old man said, “You can work it out.”

The boy said, “You are lewd.”

The old man slapped the boy, “You have no respect.”

The man was the opposite of Chen Cong.

The boy asked, “What do you want me to be?”

The old man smiled, “Just be.”

The boy said, “Will I disappoint you?”

The old man said, “I will not be disappointed. You are good.”

The boy asked, “How old are you?”

The old man said, “I am not going to die.”

The boy said, “Live a long time!”

The boy asked, “Do you need tea?”

The old man waved the boy over to slap him.

The boy laughed and asked, “What is right and what is wrong?”

The old man laughed, “It is a matter of perspective.”

The boy frowned, “Should I save the world or clean the house?”

The old man said, “I would clean the house.”

The boy laughed and said, “You do not have to do it.”

The old man chased him.

The boy ran out of the room, and laughed.

The old man said, “You little brat!”

It was going to rain soon.