The Profound Capital Monastery seemed as it always had. The sounds of jade chimes marking Taoist lessons rose and fell, the morning and evening bells still resonated, the peach blossoms remained, and cultivation was still cultivation.

Those Taoists who had been serving in the Profound Capital Monastery had all returned to their own homes, their moods varied. Some, stepping out of the monastery gates, immediately took to the winds or shortened distances, eager to return to their own immortal abodes to be Patriarchs, or to major dynasties to be National Preceptors or Protecting Immortals. Some, feeling that the vegetarian meals in the monastery were truly inedible, rushed straight to the nearest wine shop to reward their stomachs and satisfy their cravings. Some unhurriedly went to the immortal ferry to purchase local reports, brushed off bad luck with willow branches, and changed into new Taoist robes. There were also those who stood outside the gate, silently bowing to the Profound Capital Monastery in farewell.

Some Taoists who were previously strangers had made enemies here, and there would inevitably be reckonings in the future. Some, however, had become inseparable friends. Only one young Taoist, who called himself Taoist Sou, refused to leave and continued to serve as an odd-jobber here.

A beautiful young woman with a very low seniority in the Profound Capital Monastery, carrying two Taoist books under her arm, walked through the carved and painted corridors. Outside was a white jade square, with ancient trees reaching towards the sky, their shade like flowing water. She looked at the Taoist holding a broom, staring blankly at the sky. She truly couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t leave when he could. Did he really enjoy eating prison food? The vegetarian meals at their own monastery were famously bland.

This young female Taoist was the little girl from back then, whom the old Monastery Master had hoped would grow up beautiful so that the Head Cultivator Lu would actively marry into the Profound Capital Monastery.

Of course, as she grew older and gained more experience in the Tao, she knew that the head perched on the wall, wearing a lotus crown, and whistling, the Head Cultivator of White Jade Capital, naturally had no thoughts of marrying into the family.

Pei Ji, one of Yao Qing’s “Three Corpses,” an immortal-level Taoist official, had caused trouble for the Profound Capital Monastery. So back then, Taoist Sun had troubled him to stay at the Profound Capital Monastery to clean the latrines.

Taoist Sou, who no longer used the name “Pei Ji,” was extremely familiar with the younger Taoist children who had not yet reached the stage of dispensing with grain. Although the young-looking Taoist never smiled all day, the children loved to visit his room, flip through books, or play hide-and-seek. The Taoist children might be young and have shallow cultivation, but they were extremely sensitive to the emotional expressions of adults. Therefore, this Taoist Sou had a good reputation in the Profound Capital Monastery, at least he was very popular with children.

Today, a distinguished guest visited the monastery, Yao Qing of the Azure God Dynasty.

Yao Qing was already in the Fourteenth Realm. Logically, someone of appropriate status should have received such a guest, but the one responsible for appearing to receive the guest was not the temporary Monastery Master, Wang Sun, who was not in seclusion, nor was it the Steward Taoist. It was just the chubby Yan, with a peach wood hairpin in his hair and wearing the standard Profound Capital Monastery Taoist robe, with the title of Receptionist of the Profound Capital Monastery.

Yao Qing smiled and asked, “Receptionist Yan, before I see Pei Ji, may I see Mr. Bai?”

Yan Ming looked troubled and said, “If your Excellency doesn’t mind being turned away, I can lead your Excellency over there to try your luck.”

Speaking of this, Yan Ming came up with a compromise, “Otherwise, shall I inform him on your behalf?”

Yao Qing shook his head and smiled, “Never mind then, it’s not good to make Receptionist Yan run errands for nothing.”

Yan Ming smiled, “Your Excellency is being too polite. I dare not say much else, but at least during my temporary tenure as Receptionist, your Excellency can completely treat the Profound Capital Monastery as your own home. In the past, old Sun… Monastery Master Sun rarely commented on other Taoists, only a select few like your Excellency received a few good words.”

Yao Qing smiled knowingly. These words, Receptionist Yan, you dare to say, but I dare not believe.

Wasn’t it Monastery Master Sun, who upheld justice and “only spoke fair words in his life,” who called the Head Cultivator Lu the “Little Ya Xiang of White Jade Capital”?

Yan Ming led Yao Qing to find Taoist Sou, and then excused himself to leave.

Yao Qing asked, “Do you know why only you were left behind and not dealt with?”

Pei Ji just swept the floor, gathering fallen leaves into a dustpan.

Yao Qing smiled slightly, “It’s not because you’re hiding in the Profound Capital Monastery that I wouldn’t dare to visit. It’s true that Monastery Master Sun is very protective of his own, but you, Taoist Sou, are not a registered Taoist of this monastery. When it concerns the fundamental Great Dao of Yao Qing, it’s another family’s business. Monastery Master Sun, whether privately or publicly, will not stop me from taking you back to the Azure God Dynasty, Taoist Tao Xiao, am I right?”

Pei Ji’s Taoist name was “Tao Xiao.”

The peach was solid and did not fall from the tree in winter, hanging dry like an owl’s head on a stake, killing all ghosts.

Pei Ji remained silent.

Yao Qing said, “It is indeed regrettable that Xu Jun of the Great Tide Sect got there first and occupied the path of ghost cultivation.”

Pei Ji finally spoke, “Then why did you help him guard the formation?”

Yao Qing said, “That’s why I should help him guard the formation.”

Pei Ji said, “Do you really want to kill Xu Jun, who is in the Fourteenth Realm? Do you really want to choose to rely on White Jade Capital?”

Yao Qing said, “Not necessarily.”

This time, Yao Qing also brought National Preceptor Bai Ou and sword cultivator Fu Xuanjie, two women, as guests to the Profound Capital Monastery.

Chen Ping’an’s decision on behalf of Pei Qian was so simple that it didn’t seem like a decision at all, just four words, “Talk about it later.”

The old scholar said he had to return to the Confucian Temple. Vice-Minister Mao Xiaodong’s official position was still too low to handle things.

Today’s heavy words, kind words, angry words, strange words, polite words, hurtful words, no matter who said them, they would all fall upon Pei Qian’s heart.

So it was better not to say a single word.

As for when “later” would be, it was naturally uncertain.

The old scholar smiled, “Jiang She, walk with me?”

Jiang She nodded, stood up, and walked out of the room with the old scholar.

Wu Yan called out to Bai Jing, and of course Xie Gou was reluctant, but she couldn’t resist the woman and was dragged away by force.

Ning Yao said she was going to the Southern Vulture Continent, and she took Pei Qian with her to the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect.

Chen Ping’an rearranged the chairs in the room, gathered them together casually, and stood at the doorway with his hands in his sleeves, “Come in and chat.”

Regarding this Lingxi City, Chen Ping’an had never had any thought of taking possession of it. Instead, he had always wanted to open a shop in Tiaomu City.

Liu Xianyang and Cui Dongshan high-fived.

Looking at his Young Master, Xiao Mo’s expression was guilty, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Cui Dongshan patted Xiao Mo on the shoulder and said with a chuckle, “Mr. Xiao Mo, you almost unleashed that natal flying sword with the greatest killing power, right? You were being impulsive. Jiang, the Deputy Mountain Master, and I were both startled. I guess the old scholar was also plucking his beard and worrying at that time. Should he stop it, he would feel uncomfortable. If he didn’t stop it, the Confucian Temple would probably have to hold its discussions on the Night Voyage Boat by now.”

Xiao Mo did not deny it. If Jiang She truly dared to pull the fire star down to the mortal world, then he would pull that natal star and block it.

Before that, he had been unable to find the exact whereabouts of the Young Master. It was only when the celestial phenomena changed continuously that he found an opportunity to draw his sword.

How could there be a death warrior like him in the world?

In the end, it was Liu Xianyang who stopped him, saying a few harsh words, and only then did Xiao Mo not hand over his sword.

The chairs were arranged in a circle, and they all sat down. Cui Dongshan was the first to break the silence, and he asked softly, “Are you really going to give away your Shi Niang’s Jinli Dharma Robe?”

It wasn’t that he was reluctant to part with the Immortal Soldier ranked Jinli Dharma Robe, but this Dharma Robe was both a token of affection and one of the betrothal gifts the Mister gave to the Ning Manor.

Chen Ping’an lowered his head, rubbing his face with both hands, his eyes dark and unclear, and he said softly, “Just consider it paying off a debt, it needs to be cleared.”

He could only help Lu Shen this much.

Chen Ping’an lowered his head and glanced at his wrist, which still had a red thread tied around it, but he had cast an illusion. Ning Yao had already broken this red thread, but Chen Ping’an had kept it.

Back then, it was the young Taoist pushing a cart, setting up a stall to tell fortunes, who came all the way to Mud Bottle Alley, and only then did Chen Ping’an open his door.

If it weren’t for Lu Shen’s “meddling,” he might still have met Ning Yao, but it would have been difficult to have those experiences.

One of Lu Shen’s heart phases was a yellow and purple noble from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion, who had dissolved his body and passed away on a deserted island overseas, leaving behind an immortal shell and the Jinli Dharma Robe, which fell into the Flood Dragon Gully.

In the battle of Flood Dragon Gully, Chen Ping’an wrote a talisman, “Lu Shen’s Decree.”

And before the battle of slaying the dragon, Lu Shen had a great karma with the dragon girl who had the anecdote of “mugwort burning on the forehead.”

Now, Lu Shen was in the depths of the Savage Desolation, which was equivalent to forcibly pressing the pseudo-Fifteenth Realm extraterrestrial demon from White Jade Capital’s Heaven beyond Heaven onto the earth.

After refining the extraterrestrial demon, Lu Shen “submerged” it.

The deeper he became involved with this world, the more difficult it would be for him, and the less he would be submerged. The possibility of the extraterrestrial demon escaping would be greater.

Liu Xianyang rested his sword on his knees and said with a casual smile, “Do your best and leave the rest to fate, don’t overthink. When you are truly busy, worry the most. When you are truly idle, let go of your worries. At this moment, you should be the most at ease.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I know the reasoning.”

Liu Xianyang said with a chuckle, “I find it strange, you were the most taciturn back then, not saying much all day. Where did you get so much reasoning later? On your long journeys, you didn’t pick up money, you only picked up reasoning?”

Chen Ping’an nodded and smiled, “Reasoning is much easier to pick up than money.”

Liu Xianyang leaned back, resting his hands on the armrests of the chair, and kicked Chen Ping’an, saying irritably, “It’s everywhere, first come, first served, no refunds, right? Since you’re so fond of money, you fought with Jiang She, why didn’t you get anything good? What reasoning did you pick up?”

Chen Ping’an reached out and patted his robe, not annoyed.

Xiao Mo admired Sect Master Liu even more. As the old scholar said in his heart, as long as Liu Xianyang was by his side, his Young Master’s sky would not fall.

Cui Dongshan turned his head and shouted towards the corridor, “Deputy Mountain Master Jiang, we agreed, you have to earn more money in the future! You can’t sigh at the thought of money anymore.”

Jiang Shangzhen was sulking and listless, lying on the corridor feigning death. The fighting spirit to earn money that he had before was completely gone now, for good reason. He wasn’t going to provoke Yu Xuan or Liu Jubao. Chief Zhou was like a resentful woman, lying on the ground sighing.

It turned out that Cui Dongshan and the others had ganged up on him. Sect Master Cui had previously vowed that he would strongly recommend his good brother for a promotion to Deputy Mountain Master, both for love and reason, but he didn’t say whether it was the Deputy Mountain Master of Fallen Mountain or the Ancestral Mountain of Azure Plains Sword Sect!

Jiang Shangzhen had never expected Sect Master Cui’s tactics of poaching to be so unscrupulous.

No wonder Xie Gou was so diligent. If he became the Deputy Mountain Master of Azure Plains Sword Sect, the position of Chief Enshrinement would also be vacant.

Since he couldn’t be the Deputy Mountain Master of Fallen Mountain, should he try to compensate?

Just as Jiang She sent the old scholar away and came to the corridor, he sat on the long bench, arms crossed, looking sideways at the guy whose Taoist name was rumored to have collapsed.

Jiang Shangzhen sat up, and with a thick skin, tentatively asked, “Senior, you said before that you would personally give me a great opportunity, does that still count?”

Jiang She said with a half-smile, “Didn’t I say no refunds after the deadline? Could it be that True Lord Collapse doesn’t understand human language?”

Jiang Shangzhen lost the battle but not the spirit, and he said with a chuckle, “You’re the one who collapsed.”

Jiang She, however, didn’t care. He stared at Jiang Shangzhen with a complex expression and said with emotion, “Looks like, really looks like.”

Jiang Shangzhen was creeped out by the stare, and even more chilled by these words. His mind raced. What, was he the reincarnation of this fellow’s illegitimate son?

Then how should his seniority with Pei Qian be calculated? Half-siblings?!

Jiang Shangzhen’s Dao heart instantly became unstable. Pei Qian wouldn’t acknowledge it, and neither would he!

Jiang She seemed to change the subject and said, “Have you, boy, heard of the deeds of the two ancestors of the Military School?”

Jiang Shangzhen shook his head and said, “What’s the point of bothering with these distant matters?”

Jiang She sneered, “What follows ‘distant’? Close at hand!”

Jiang Shangzhen felt both relieved and apprehensive upon hearing this, and he said in shock, “Me?!”

Jiang She asked, “If you were Jiang She, among the first few things you would do after coming out of the mountains, would you look for the whereabouts of the two ancestors of the Military School? See if you can discard past grievances and work together for a great cause?”

“Guess again, who was the person who suggested to me to listen to the meaning of the three ancestors, first legitimately occupy a world, grandly establish a sect and call myself an ancestor, and then secretly plan a great undertaking?”

“And why did I, Jiang, only favor you and want to personally give you an opportunity?”

“That fight, it’s easy to understand why Ning Yao had strong killing intent, but what about you? Why do you always want to root out the trouble and eliminate future worries?”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shangzhen was dumbfounded. The more he listened, the more reasonable it seemed.

Jiang Shangzhen was on high alert. What younger brother Cui said was right, Patriarch Jiang’s pancake-making skill was number one in the world! He had to be careful.

Jiang She said, “Earlier, Mr. Zheng and I were walking and talking about this matter. He revealed a lot of heavenly secrets for me. Unless they are Taoists of the ‘Wan’ generation, they will feel unfamiliar with this second ancestor of the Military School. She has always been ambitious, but unfortunately, she ended up similar to me, both reaching the point of being ‘jointly killed.’ However, she is slightly better off, with one of her souls occupying the physical body, maintaining a little spiritual light and true nature, as the primary. The remaining three souls and six spirits are secondary, scattered into nine blessed lands in the Vast Desolation and Azure Nether. In the Vast Desolation, the Confucian Temple and the Military School ancestral courts of each continent are responsible for jointly guarding her, recording each life’s ‘experience’ in a register. Over in the Azure Nether, White Jade Capital’s City and Tower are watching even more closely.”

Jiang She sneered, “One of them is your close friend, the sword cultivator Lu Fang from Tongye Continent, Bird’s Eye Peak in Lotus Flower Blessed Land, hehe, Bird’s Eye Peak, old habits die hard, he still likes to look down from above.”

“Then there’s Hao Su, the penal official whose blessed land ascension caused the mountains and rivers to shatter.”

“The small Flask Bottle Continent, but it has two Military School ancestral courts, simply because the Wind and Snow Temple needs to monitor the high sword talisman from the Shen Gao Sect’s Clear Pool Blessed Land. Another one is currently working in the Dali Dynasty, with a position that is neither too high nor too low in power, a Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites’ Clean Affairs Department personally selected by Cui Chan.”

“A human monarch in Furao Continent, wearing that great frost armor, is said to have gone to the Five-Colored World now. Oh, this fellow is the same as you, fond of strong wine and beautiful women.”

“In Middle-earth Divine Continent, your Vast Desolation’s former number one in martial arts, Zhang Tiaoxia. He is afraid of death and clung to life, so he changed careers and became a Qi Cultivator, with the Taoist name ‘Long Bo’.”

“Over in the Azure Nether, the number one person on the mountains of Ruzhou, someone named Zhu, real name Zhu Dazhuang, this fellow is also a lecher, isn’t it a coincidence? He has many Taoist names and aliases, the latest one is ‘Green Duckweed’, Jiang Shangzhen, why do you think the ‘latest’ Taoist name is this? Guess?”

Jiang Shangzhen grumbled, “What’s so hard to guess? It comes from ‘Feeling nothing in this heart, the little fish jumps out of the green duckweed’. This undisputed eleventh realm of the Azure Nether obviously… woke up, knowing his Great Dao roots.”

Jiang She nodded, “Indeed not foolish.”

According to Zheng Juzhong, Lu Shen only knew about these seven.

In addition, there were two escapees who had slipped out of sight due to the “Heavenly Change.”

Jiang She continued, “There is also the Azure God Dynasty in Bingzhou, the sword cultivator Fu Xuanjie. In this life, she is still a very young woman.”

Jiang Shangzhen’s spirits instantly lifted, “Oh?”

Jiang She smiled, “Now there’s only one left. They all say Chief Zhou is rich and powerful, is it because he has some kind of blessed land?”

Jiang Shangzhen’s eyes were dull, what a sin.

Jiang She said, “That’s right, the last one is Yan Guo, the ritual official of the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Jiang Shangzhen was completely confused, “What? Who?”

Jiang She smiled, “That ‘Master Lin’ in the Azure Nether, who has just reached the eleventh realm in martial arts.”

Jiang Shangzhen’s eyes were full of resentment, are you so idle, are you using me for entertainment? Since you can’t beat or scold Mountain Master Chen, you bully honest people?

Jiang She slowly said, “It’s called fate that Hao Su hid in the Sword Qi Great Wall as a decorative penal official.”

“Yan Guo finding Zhang Tiaoxia, on the surface, was a sparring match at sea, but Zhang Tiaoxia soon switched to cultivation, which was also a long-term plan.”

“Cui Chan personally appointed the Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites’ Clean Affairs Department. Shen Gao Sect dispatched High Sword Talisman and He Xiaoliang to Lizhu Cave Heaven to collect Military School suppression artifacts.”

“Wu Shuangjiang secretly sneaked into the Five-Colored World, serving as a teacher in Ascension City, one of his goals being that poor fellow wearing the great frost armor.”

“Yan Guo, who changed his name to Xie Xin’en in Lizhu Cave Heaven and then changed his name to Lin Jiangxian in the Azure Nether, is a good friend with someone named Zhu whose Taoist name is ‘Green Duckweed’ in the same continent. First, there are two avatars in Flask Bottle Continent, who are fellow practitioners. Second, it is better for martial artists to become gods than to let Qi Cultivators rule the world for tens of thousands of years. Only then did Azure Boy Celestial Master and Xie Xin’en have the name of master and disciple. Third, as the ritual official of the Sword Qi Great Wall, Lin Jiangxian is naturally quite proficient in deducing celestial timings, and is likely waiting for the next ‘Heavenly Change’ in the Azure Nether to fish in troubled waters. This is called killing three birds with one stone.”

“Why do you think Zheng Juzhong wanted to go see that Ya Xiang Yao Qing? The meaning is in the wine, and in the scenery.”

“Which of these avatars is easy to deal with? Who is willing to live under others’ roofs and work for others? Who doesn’t want to seize power? Even if they cannot successfully usurp the throne and become the new ancestor of the Military School, devouring all the other ‘selves.’ They always have to pursue the Great Dao freedom of ‘I am me’.”

Jiang She laughed heartily. The phrase “Looks like, really looks like” was an inside story he heard during his last trip to the Azure Nether, and he was just using it now.

Jiang Shangzhen muttered, “So Patriarch Jiang, you’re not just a brute force guy.”

Jiang She was deflated.

Jiang Shangzhen struck his fist against his palm, “Good, that’s good. I still have a chance with that fairy Fu whom I haven’t met yet.”

Jiang She, however, said, “Lu Tai is troubled by a surname, Cui Dongshan is troubled by who he is studying for, Jiang Shangzhen is troubled by the phrase ‘This feeling can be reminisced’, Zheng Dafeng is troubled by not knowing where to go. Their apparent cynicism and deliberately absurd words and deeds are actually like a mute eating bitter gourds, unable to speak of their suffering, and even more afraid of being pitied by others, so your lives have been very awkward.”

“Who says it isn’t?”

Jiang Shangzhen lay back down, “Knowing you are a chess piece, can you leave the chessboard? Knowing you are a fish in the pond, can you get ashore?”

“Do you know what I think of the human world after watching it for ten thousand years from outside the heavens?”

Jiang She asked and answered himself, “It’s a mass grave.”

Jiang Shangzhen frowned and remained silent.

Jiang She clasped his hands behind his head and smiled, “One body is one body, the world is still the world. Having nothing is being light, that’s well said. As for the human world, is it a great dream about to wake up, still engaging in trivial matters, or is it… never mind, you young people, keep busy.”

Jiang Shangzhen was surprised, “Patriarch Jiang is quite talented.”

Jiang She mocked himself, “Otherwise, how could I make pancakes for you?”

Jiang Shangzhen said in a low voice, “Patriarch Jiang, do you have any female Taoist friends you are familiar with in the Azure Nether? I’m most afraid of honey traps, and I also want to eat some fine grain.”

Jiang She cursed, “I’m talking grandly about heaven and earth and the common people with you, and you’re talking about honey traps?”

Jiang Shangzhen said aggrievedly, “And you’re impatient.”

After a long silence, Jiang She said, “We plan to go to the Western Buddhist Kingdom.”

Jiang Shangzhen nodded, “That’s good.”

Jiang She smiled, “You bet a lot on that undefeated match?”

Jiang Shangzhen said, “Just so-so, I don’t have much money anyway.”

Jiang She said, “After Lin Jiangxian and Xie Shiji, it is estimated that two more are about to reach the eleventh realm, one in the Savage Desolation and one in the Vast Desolation.”

Jiang Shangzhen was puzzled, “Is it possible that the martial arts scene, like the three ancestors, after Patriarch Jiang’s collapse, the peak Grandmasters can just charge upwards with great effort?”

Jiang She glared, “Get lost.”

Jiang Shangzhen stood up, “Are you still talking about first come, first served?”

Jiang She said, “When you enter the house, remember to remind Chen Ping’an that Wu Shuangjiang is not a martial artist after all. The one who takes the name only gets half of it.”

Jiang Shangzhen asked, “It’s rare to hear a good word, why doesn’t Patriarch Jiang say it himself?”

Jiang She reached out and beckoned, “Come, come, come closer, we are kindred spirits, let’s chat more.”

Jiang Shangzhen ran to the house and told them about this. Chen Ping’an thought for a moment and told them to each split off a bit of their mind and come to a vast area, stopping in mid-air. Chen Ping’an had already reminded them not to land on the mountain.

A new mountain peak with no one on it.

Xiao Mo instantly understood and said, “Fortunately, I didn’t hand over my sword.”

Cui Dongshan said, “In the short term, it doesn’t mean much, but in the long run, it has profound significance?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “Actually, it means a lot.”

Jiang Shangzhen asked, “Could this mountain be the entire fire star?”

Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes and said, “What are you thinking? Jiang She has nothing left, he can’t give anything even if he wants to.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Even if it had both name and reality and could be given away, besides Wu Shuangjiang, who would dare to take it?”

Cui Dongshan said, “Mister, you are climbing the mountain yourself, should we outsiders all withdraw?”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Climbing the mountain alone, he reached the peak.

A figure appeared first. He smiled and said, “We finally meet, Hidden Official Chen.”

Chen Ping’an clasped his hands and said, “Greetings, Ritual Official Yan Guo.”