Chen Ping’an’s shoulders sank, his breath freezing. The wisp of sword energy about to leave his Qi Sea was like an arrow on a string, unavoidable. But after being abruptly patted on the shoulder, it was like a great serpent emerging from the mountains, only to encounter a river dragon blocking its path. The previously unstoppable momentum was naturally halted, temporarily choosing to remain still.

“Hold on, hold on,” a man in a bamboo hat stood beside Chen Ping’an, embracing the boy’s shoulders, grinning. “A loving family, killing each other, what kind of behavior is that?”

Chen Ping’an looked up, the elusive bamboo-hatted man smiling at him, “Trust me, I’m Ah Liang.”

Chen Ping’an sighed, “I’ll listen to you for now.”

Ah Liang merely glanced at Zhu He, not even bothering to look at the girl Zhu Lu, and said lazily, “Such precious sword energy, using it to kill a Zhu He is too wasteful. You’d be heartbroken, and I’d feel the same. Besides… never mind, let’s not say such spoilsport words. In short, Ah Liang’s conscience wouldn’t allow it. Consider this ‘Eighteen Stops’ method of circulating Qi as compensation.”

Chen Ping’an was about to retract his fingers when Ah Liang released his grip on the boy’s shoulder, took a step back, and shook his head, laughing. “That posture lacks the demeanor of a master. I’ll teach you a powerful one.”

“Stand firm!” The bamboo-hatted man shouted softly, then bent his finger, tapping Chen Ping’an’s shoulder first, before moving his hand like lightning, tapping the boy’s chest seven or eight times. At the same time, he used a superior immortal technique compared to focused sound transmission, directly stirring up ripples on the boy’s heart lake, causing a series of heart sounds to resonate, “Remember the origin of this Qi within your body, remember the names of all Qi Seas and the routes of circulation. Qi is like a dragon vein, extending from the ancestor of all mountains, Lin Chong. This is the best Qi Sea in the world for nurturing swords. This is the first stop. Quickly pass through the Three Mountains and Six Passes, reaching the Fuji acupoint for the second stop. Then, rapidly sweep through the Six Caves and Nine Palaces, reaching the Pure Yang Palace, making this the third pause… This is the final stop, a total of eighteen stops. These acupoints and Qi Seas are different from current descriptions, and are the precious fruits of countless ancient sword cultivators overcoming obstacles and paying a heavy price. Remember them well!”

Ah Liang asked finally, “Did you remember clearly?”

Sweat trickled down Chen Ping’an’s forehead, “I remembered about seventy or eighty percent.”

Ah Liang laughed, “That’s almost enough. Later, if you hit a wall, don’t be afraid, this is the path every sword cultivator must take. Once you’re familiar with the route, you can try to circulate your Qi slowly, which is the most interesting part of the Eighteen Stops. Hmm, this is something I, Ah Liang, figured out. Some people admired it immensely, praising me repeatedly, saying that this alone has elevated the level of swordplay a lot, haha, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly felt that this so-called Eighteen Stops was probably no better than the Mountain-Shaking Fist manual.

Ah Liang seemed to see through the boy’s thoughts, and said with a straight face, “Do I look like a liar who speaks nonsense? Ah Liang has never known what bragging is in his life!”

Zhu He’s mind had barely managed to pull itself out of the mire, but his limbs were even stiffer than before. Moving meant death. This was the only thought in Zhu He’s mind. This was the intangible deterrence brought by that bamboo-hatted man.

When that fellow with the green knife and gourd is your friend, you feel like he doesn’t look like a master at all.

But when that fellow becomes an enemy on the opposite side, Zhu He was so frightened that he was drenched in cold sweat, truly on the verge of losing his soul.

Far away, Zhu He had already lost his mind, while the nearby Zhu Lu only heard Chen Ping’an talking to himself.

Ah Liang told Chen Ping’an again through heart sound, “The boat has already passed ten thousand mountains, and Qi circulation of a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand miles in an instant is very good, but it would be even better if you could achieve slow circulation, like a mountain accumulating soil for a hundred years without showing any increase in height, a sea accumulating water for a thousand years without the water level rising at all! In the future, when you circulate Qi, you can focus on practicing this path, so that you can circulate it automatically even when you are sleeping.”

Chen Ping’an asked doubtfully, “How do I know if I’m circulating this Eighteen Stops after I fall asleep?”

Ah Liang crossed his arms and smiled, “When you reach the end of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise. The answer will come to you naturally at that time.”

Ah Liang plopped down on the long chair, but as soon as he sat down, his expression changed slightly.

Chen Ping’an covered his forehead.

Ah Liang subtly lifted his buttocks, brushed off the candied hawthorns that were standing on his butt, moved to another spot, and sat down. He stretched his hands out on the railing, took a heavy breath, and finally looked directly at Zhu Lu for the first time, “You and your father, in addition to returning the hero’s courage from Zhenwu Mountain and the *Purple Qi Book*, you also need to take out the stack of talismans inherited from the Li family. But these talismans can only save one of you. Zhu Lu, I’ll let you choose now, do you want to leave Pillow Station alive, or your father?”

Before Zhu Lu could speak, Zhu He had already said in a deep voice, “I beg Senior Ah Liang to let Zhu Lu leave. I am willing to commit suicide as atonement, without even dirtying Senior’s bamboo knife.”

Ah Liang only looked at Zhu Lu with a smile, ignoring Zhu He, who had already taken out pills and yellow paper talismans, “Zhu Lu, who do you want to live?”

The girl was already crying like a fountain, only covering her mouth tightly with her hand, afraid to cry out loud.

The other hand was clenched tightly behind her back, her nails piercing her palm, covered in blood.

Zhu He knelt heavily on the distant corridor, kowtowing and trembling, “Senior Ah Liang!”

Ah Liang looked at Chen Ping’an and asked, “What do you think? How about letting them both go? If you’re afraid of Zhu He’s revenge, I can cripple his martial arts cultivation. If you’re worried about accidents, I can just break Zhu He’s longevity bridge, and Zhu Lu’s too, if necessary.”

The boy didn’t look at Zhu He, only at Zhu Lu, “I said, you must die.”

Zhu He suddenly raised his head, roaring, “Chen Ping’an, Zhu Lu is still a child!”

The boy, who had been relatively calm, inexplicably turned pale with anger after hearing these words.

The straw-sandal-wearing boy took several swift steps forward, about to smash Zhu Lu’s chest with a punch. At this time, her Qi was disordered, no better than the frail physique of an ordinary girl. But for some reason, after throwing the punch, it involuntarily turned into a slap, its trajectory tilted upwards, and a slap slammed hard on Zhu Lu’s cheek.

Ah Liang pressed the boy’s shoulder again, “That’s enough.”

Ah Liang laughed softly, “Some punishments are crueler than death.”
Chen Pingan sat back on the long bench, lost in thought. He knew nothing of what Ah Liang did with the father and daughter afterward, how they left Pillow Post, where they went, or who they met.

The boy suddenly looked up and asked, “Ah Liang, is there any wine?”

Ah Liang laughed. “Wine is plentiful. My little gourd can hold a thousand catties, but I must tell you one thing: never drink when you’re sad. You’ll only become a drunken bum. You can drink during joyous times, and perhaps you’ll become a wine immortal.”

Outside the gate of Pillow Post.

Lin Shouyi stood alone on the street. The boy didn’t know why Ah Liang had left him outside, saying he was waiting for someone to appear, and that he himself would decide whether to cross the threshold of the post.

Even though he was bored, the boy stood as straight as a lone pine on a mountain peak, his back ramrod straight.

Using the large red lantern hanging at the entrance of Pillow Post, the boy took out the Daoist scripture, *Cloud Top Library*, from his chest and began to browse the abstruse, difficult-to-understand words.

But whenever he read something insightful or grasped a bit of true meaning, it was like the sky clearing after a rain, parting the clouds to reveal the blue sky, filling the boy with joy. This heartfelt happiness, born from his harsh upbringing and cold nature, he did not want to share with anyone.

The boy never hesitated to assume the worst of the world and its people.

A woman of ordinary appearance walked over from the distance. Looking at the boy, the woman’s eyes showed amazement, and she exclaimed, “Truly, a good seed for cultivation.”

The woman stopped seven or eight steps away from the boy and smiled. “Hello, Lin Shouyi. We’ve met before by the water. I was on the painted boat, you were on the shore. My true identity is that of a Supreme Elder of the Great Li’s Evergreen Palace. Not to boast, but I am truly a mountain immortal in the eyes of ordinary people, the real deal. I can summon wind and rain with a wave of my sleeve, and shake the earth with a stomp of my foot. I especially excel in the Five Thunder Righteous Method, able to obliterate demons and evil spirits with a palm…”

Finishing her words, the woman chuckled to herself and waved her hand. “No, no, this wording is too embarrassing. I need to have someone change it to something more plain.”

The boy nodded. “I believe you.”

The woman laughed. “Although I don’t know what your father wrote in that letter, nor do I understand what Ah Liang is thinking, but since he knew I was following you and left you outside the post, then I think it’s worth trying to persuade you to return to the Great Li capital with me, say goodbye to your parents, and then go to Evergreen Palace to cultivate Daoist magic.”

Lin Shouyi’s expression was indifferent. “My father wants me to stay obediently in Red Candle Town, and then a great master will take me to the Great Li capital. Otherwise, if I die outside for no good reason, he won’t help me collect my corpse. Because a dead person isn’t worth the travel expenses. My father mentioned that prices are very high in the Great Li capital these days, and the family’s expenses are great.”

The woman sighed. “Your father’s words are a bit harsh, but isn’t that the truth?”

The corners of the boy’s mouth were full of mockery.

The woman hesitated for a moment, then extended her hand to the boy, her expression solemn. “Although you may think it’s too childish, not mysterious enough, and lacking the dramatic twists and turns of opportunity and trials, I still want to tell you, Lin Shouyi, take one step forward, and you will walk onto the Bridge of Immortality.”

The boy put away the Daoist book, returned it to his chest, and shook his head. “Thank you for the Immortal’s kindness. I have no control over what family I was born into, or what my name is. But I know what path I should take.”

“What a pity.”

The woman could only sigh, not wanting to force the issue. “Lin Shouyi, then we’ll meet again someday. I hope you won’t regret it then.”

The boy bowed respectfully. “Lin Shouyi respectfully sees off the Immortal.”

The woman vanished in a flash.

In the corridor of the inn.

Chen Pingan and Ah Liang were sitting opposite each other on the long bench in the corridor.

Chen Pingan asked softly, “Ah Liang, are you leaving?”

Ah Liang nodded.

He lifted the little gourd and took a sip of wine.

It was obvious he was thinking of something sad, so his previous words about not drinking when sad were just polite words from the hat-wearing man.

Ah Liang stared blankly at the boy opposite him, at the clean eyes of Chen Pingan before him, just like the eyes he had seen so many years ago.

*Ah Liang, I’ve thought it over. Studying is useless and annoying! I, Qi Jingchun, want to venture into the Jianghu with you, I want to seek pleasure and vengeance, drink the strongest wine, wield the fastest sword, and ride the best horse. Hmm, I’ve prepared the money, a dozen taels of silver! If it’s not enough, I can go back and borrow some more from my teacher. My teacher is very understanding, he told me that if I really don’t want to study, I can go out and travel. The great rivers and mountains are all knowledge.*

The blue-robed scholar, his nose and face bruised, had eyes that were clear and determined.

Near the academy gate, an old scholar was hiding and afraid to be seen, only showing his head, winking vigorously at Ah Liang. Seeing that Ah Liang ignored him, he simply moved a few steps sideways, walked to the threshold, rolled up his sleeves, and posed as if he would risk his life to stop Ah Liang from abducting his student.

*Go, go, go, you haven’t even grown your feathers yet, always talking big. When you grow your feathers, I’ll take you to see the outside world.*

*Ah Liang, it’s a deal, I’ll wait for you.*

Finally, Ah Liang turned his back to the boy, holding the sword hilt in one hand, knocking it casually against his shoulder, and raising his arm in the other, clenching his fist, and bidding farewell to the boy.

The wandering swordsman Ah Liang waved goodbye to the young man longing for the Jianghu.

After this farewell, there would be no reunion.

Finally, the man turned his head and saw that the old man had taken the boy’s hand, and the two were walking back to the academy together.

One old and one young, chatting.

*Jingchun, I forgot to ask earlier, who beat you up?*

*The one surnamed Zuo.*

*Ah? Him, he’s so heavy-handed, I’ll go talk to him later, a gentleman uses words, not violence. But why did you fight? Did he get angry because he couldn’t argue with you?*

*No.*
After losing the debate, he was willing to concede defeat, but he deliberately said that no matter how much I study, I’ll never surpass you in scholarship, Master. I think that’s ridiculous! Your knowledge is vast, Master, but you fall asleep as soon as you open a book these days, often dozing off while reading. I’m still young, and one day I’ll read more than you… But he kept muttering, daring me to surpass you in knowledge by tomorrow. That’s why I couldn’t stand it and threw the first punch. I accept that I couldn’t beat him, and I didn’t complain to you about it earlier, right? A scholar has to have that much integrity. You’re not so good in that regard, Master. If you win an argument but lose a fight, you only talk about how learned you are and how unprecedented the debate was. If you lose an argument but win a fight, you only talk about how earth-shattering the fight was…

Master, Master, why are you twisting my ear? Ow, ow, ow… A gentleman uses words, not fists!

What gentleman! I am a sage!

Seeing this scene, the man finally turned and left with a flourish.

In those long and arduous years, sometimes the man would sit on that Great Wall, drinking wine alone, listening to the rumors that drifted from the Upside-Down Mountain. Not one of them was good news; they were all damn bad omens. The man would regret not taking that boy with him back then, and would resent the old man for not even taking care of his favorite disciple.

At this moment, looking at the young man in front of him, A-Liang suddenly smiled. “I once told a boy about your age, ‘Believe me, you’ll be more successful in studying than practicing swordsmanship.’ Now I think I should also tell you, ‘Believe me, you’ll be more successful in practicing swordsmanship than practicing fist fighting.'”

Under the bamboo hat, A-Liang’s face was squeezed into a smile, his eyes crinkling, his smile bright, like the warm winter sun.

But Chen Pingan had never seen A-Liang so sad.