They met atop the mountain, exchanged identities, and each sized up the other.

This Elder Lin, the newly appointed foremost martial artist in the human world, resembled more a learned and refined scholar, his divine brilliance so deeply concealed it had reached a state of perfect integration.

If Jiang She’s aura was that of a solitary mountain in the human realm, the demeanor of Elder “Lin” of Crow Mountain was like silent, flowing water.

This last Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall was truly young. Chen Qingdou’s discerning eye remained as sharp as ever, skilled at finding hidden gems.

It was many years earlier than expected, and he hadn’t anticipated the meeting place to be here.

Lin Jiangxian smiled, “New Mountain Peak? Did the Hidden Official, as the host, employ an illusion?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I feared the new crop of Throne holders would learn of this in advance. Then, returning the courtesy to the Wild Desolation later wouldn’t be much of a surprise.”

Lin Jiangxian burst into laughter, “That makes sense.”

The Sacrifice Official and Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall meeting, what was their biggest common topic? Of course, it was that Wild Desolation world.

Chen Ping’an could clearly feel the other’s kindness and closeness.

Perhaps this was the so-called meeting with a smile and an instant understanding.

At this moment, near the mountain peak, by a cliff edge, ripples appeared. A chilling sound, like tearing silk, emerged from the mountain’s grand dao barrier. A hand forcefully pried open layer after layer of restrictions. A woman with a wooden expression slowly emerged, revealing a sturdy physique. When she stood firm, the large door behind her closed itself. Throughout this, Chen Ping’an had intended to set up more secret arts and restrictions, but Lin Jiangxian said it was fine, and seeing her might be for the best.

The tall woman introduced herself, “Xie Shiji, maidservant of the Azure Master. Arrived uninvited, forgive my intrusion.”

An eleventh realm martial artist showing up to apologize was indeed a novel experience.

Xie Shiji tugged at the corners of her mouth, perhaps trying to make her expression appear softer, with a hint of a smile, an apologetic attitude. “Due to my identity as a Yin Spirit, it was inconvenient to make a move against Jiang She, who holds the position of Wood Master. From beginning to end, I could only stand by. Fortunately, with the help of the Hidden Official, we reached an utterly clean conclusion. I must offer my thanks in person; that is the proper etiquette. After I thank Hidden Official Chen, I will say two more things and then depart.”

Chen Ping’an said nothing polite, waiting for her next words.

Xie Shiji said, “If in the future Hidden Official Chen has a grand dao conflict with my master, I will not repay the favor. I will still strike with my fists.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Understood.”

Xie Shiji continued with her second sentence, “Apart from that, Hidden Official Chen can command me to kill twice, whoever it may be, it doesn’t matter.”

Though Chen Ping’an didn’t ask, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled as to why there were two opportunities.

Xie Shiji grinned, “Before my master attained the Dao, she often said, ‘In this world, there are only single bad deeds, never good deeds that don’t come in pairs.'”

Chen Ping’an smiled knowingly, “It seems I should repeat that saying several times when I encounter trouble in the future.”

The usually taciturn Xie Shiji uncharacteristically wanted to say a few more words to someone. She cupped her fists and said, “I will take my leave now. I wish the Hidden Official great fortune, a happy marriage, and many children.”

There was no hint of jest in her words. She considered herself simple-minded, not well-read, and saying these few auspicious words already made her feel strained.

Chen Ping’an smiled brightly, cupping his fists, “I also wish Grandmaster Xie’s martial path…”

Lin Jiangxian coughed, reminding Hidden Official Chen that times were different now. Casual talk about cultivating on the mountain was without taboo, but speaking of martial path fortunes on this particular mountain required caution.

Chen Ping’an paused slightly, but still wished Xie Shiji’s martial path prosperity.

Xie Shiji said, “We are kindred spirits, add another time.”

Perhaps as Xian Cha said, young people were still thin-skinned. Chen Ping’an said, “If Grandmaster Xie can kill a fifth-tier demon race in the Wild Desolation, that counts as one time.”

Xie Shiji frowned, “Truly?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Truly.”

Xie Shiji said, “Then there are only two times left.”

Dispelling a speck of her consciousness, Xie Shiji left the mountain peak directly, returning to a demon sect deep within the Wild Desolation.

She stood amidst the ruins of a former ancestral hall, her foot resting on the head of a demon cultivator who had died with eyes wide open, unable to reveal his true form. She added a little pressure, and the head exploded on the spot.

The entire immortal mansion, a sect that she had completely cleared out, was strewn with demon corpses like ridges, piled high with white bones, blood flowing down the mountain like streams.

Beside her stood a gaunt old man in a green robe, his hands clasped behind his back, saying calmly, “How was the chat?”

Xie Shiji said, “Not bad. Although he was severely injured, he is weak in body but full of qi, his divine will complete. He will definitely establish himself firmly on that mountain peak.”

Chen Qingliu didn’t pay much attention to who stood on that mountain peak or the title of the new ancestor of the human martial path. He chuckled, “These beasts, they’ve clearly been to the Vast Expanse world, yet they haven’t even heard of the Daoist title ‘Azure Master’.”

Xie Shiji nodded, “They deserve to die.”

Chen Qingliu said, “Did Senior Sister ever cross paths with her when they were both in the Lotus world?”

Xie Shiji shook her head, “During my travels, I never heard of her.”

Chen Qingliu said, “Let’s move to a place with more spiritual energy. I refuse to believe that in such a vast Wild Desolation, no one has heard the words ‘Azure Master’.”

Xie Shiji grinned, “After visiting a few more mountains, the entire Wild Desolation should know Master’s Daoist title.”

Chen Qingliu smiled and no longer addressed her as Senior Sister, “Big傻.” (This is a slightly complex term to translate directly in Xianxia context, implying ‘simple-minded’ or ‘straightforward’ but not necessarily foolish. “Big Simpleton” or “Big Straightforward One” might capture some of it, but keeping it as “Big傻” preserves the nuance. Given the context of her self-introduction and the Master’s quote, it implies a lack of complex thought or deceit).

Both Xie Shiji and Lin Jiangxian had reached the eleventh realm. Coming here to “greet” the new master of the mountain peak was somewhat akin to a provincial official reporting to the capital in the officialdom.

Of course, whether Chen Ping’an met them depended solely on his mood.

Lin Jiangxian said, “How shall we arrange this place? The old rules?”

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment and said, “The figures of Lin Jiangxian and Xie Shiji will remain on the mountain peak for a long time.”

As he spoke, two figures stood erect on the mountain peak.

But even as Chen Ping’an spoke, three more martial artists reached the eleventh realm of martial arts almost simultaneously near the mountain peak. Their figures condensed on the peak, each with a speck of Mustard Seed Consciousness.

In the Wild Desolation world, a female martial artist, one of the new Throne-holding Great Demons. Her appearance was exquisite, her skin fair, her lips extremely crimson, and she had no eyebrows.

Her gaze wandered for a while, eventually noticing the abnormality on the mountain peak. It was like looking through a wall; both sides were “facing each other.”

In the Azure Netherworld, the martial artist from Leap Month Peak, XinkU. He had no intention of exploring further and quickly withdrew his consciousness, leaving the area.

In the Vast Expanse world, in the Great Duan Dynasty of the Central Divine Continent, the National Preceptor Pei Bei, sword at her side. She wasn’t looking for anyone. She walked to the cliff edge and gazed into the distance, merely enjoying the view for a while.

They each left the mountain peak, their manifested martial figures showing slight differences in height. Only Lin Jiangxian’s was noticeably taller than his peers.

Unlike the clear victory and unclear life-and-death battles between Fourteenth Realm cultivators, even among those who had all reached the Eleventh Realm of Martial Arts, if they were to truly engage in a fistfight, completely unleashing their full power without holding back, the outcome would still be without suspense: the one with the higher fists lived, the one with the lower fists died.

From the first realm of martial arts to the mountain peak realm, plus the three layers of the Limit Realm: Flourishing Qi, Returning to Truth, and Divine Arrival, a circle of twelve martial artists’ figures appeared on the mountain peak. They represented the strongest individuals at each realm and layer of the current human martial path.

Vast Expanse world, Azure Netherworld, Lotus world, Wild Desolation world, Five Colors world, each with its martial artists, ascending to this peak with the title of “Strongest.”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but chuckle, for he saw two familiar faces.

Cao Ci, at the first layer of the Limit Realm: Divine Arrival, and his eldest disciple, Pei Qian, at the first layer of Returning to Truth.

In addition, there was the face of a sixth-realm martial artist, who looked somewhat familiar; it was the young woman from the Summer Resort Palace in the Five Colors world.

The positions for those with lower martial realms changed quite rapidly. Each time a martial artist’s appearance and figure were replaced, it signified a change in the strongest martial artist of a particular realm in the human world.

Even someone as strong as Lin Jiangxian still couldn’t see the grand dao scenery in Chen Ping’an’s field of vision.

Threads, countless threads of varying thickness on the human earth, like rising incense smoke, found the human martial artists with a trace of pure vital energy. Their fortunes all condensed above their respective worlds, forming a vast and dense sea of martial fortune clouds, golden currents shining brightly. Furthermore, five rivers of martial fortune originated from the sea of clouds and reached this place beyond the heavens. It turned out that this high mountain they stood upon was formed by the accumulation of martial fortune. Every martial artist who broke through to the “Strongest” at a particular realm received a gift: martial fortune returned to the human world, a stream descending from their own martial fortune cloud sea, and the other four worlds each contributed a stream as well, vast and profound, like a “congratulation.” This grand dao cycle continued without end.

However, outside this circle of twelve individuals, there were another twelve positions corresponding to the realms.

These positions symbolized the highest achievements at each realm and layer of the new human martial path, “since the beginning of time.”

For example, the Returning to Truth first-layer martial artist in both the inner and outer circles was Pei Qian. If she were to break through to the Divine Arrival first-layer, and in the future another martial artist in the Returning to Truth first-layer reached a height in martial arts surpassing Pei Qian, that person’s image would replace hers. Chen Ping’an glanced at the height of the two “Cao Ci” figures, wondering if anyone could surpass them in the future? Probably unlikely.

Martial artists in the three body-refining realms broke through most frequently, so the rise and fall of martial fortune was naturally more frequent. In the same realm, the martial artists in the inner and outer circles were already different people. For pure martial artists in the Qi Refining and Spirit Refining grand realms, the situation was much more stable.

Chen Ping’an recorded each of those “appearances” in a notebook. Coming back to his senses, he asked, “How long can Elder Lin stay?”

Lin Jiangxian smiled, “A total of one stick of incense’s worth of time. We can still chat for a bit.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Su Dian arrived at Crow Mountain, is her martial arts training going smoothly there?”

Lin Jiangxian said, “It’s alright. Her foundation is good, and her spirit isn’t low. The problem is she lacks a few fistfights where life and death hang in the balance.”

If calculated by the seniority of the Yang Family Medicine Shop, Su Dian was Lin Jiangxian’s junior sister.

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment, then said, “Tell her not to overthink things, just focus on learning martial arts.”

The last time Chen Ping’an voluntarily went to the Yang Family Medicine Shop, he originally intended to explain things clearly to Su Dian, but he didn’t expect that she had already gone to the Azure Netherworld.

Su Dian’s uncle was Su Han, the kiln worker who had worked and earned money with Chen Ping’an at the same dragon kiln in the early years.

The Su Dian in Chen Ping’an’s memory was still that little dark-skinned girl with a small face and seemingly huge eyes, thin as a bamboo pole. In the early years, when he occasionally saw her at the kiln entrance, he always felt that the little girl might be blown away by a gust of wind. The dragon kiln had many traditions and customs passed down through generations of firing porcelain, many old rules. For example, they disliked women being near the kiln. That she could do some odd jobs there was probably because, firstly, she was young, and secondly, it seemed Su Han had to plead with the kiln master, Master Yao, for a long time. Moreover, at that time, Liu Xianyang was with Master Yao and also put in a good word, roughly saying that it was unlucky for women to be near the kiln fire, but it was festive for a little girl to starve to death there? Can’t our kiln even spare a few steamed buns? It’s no big deal, her food expenses will be deducted from my wages every month… These were all things Su Han mentioned to Chen Ping’an while recovering from his injuries, lying on his sickbed, just making conversation. However, at that time, besides being grateful, Su Han’s greater feeling was probably a kind of showing off. It’s true that you and Liu Xianyang are friends, but Liu Xianyang also looks out for me. You’re the recognized jinx of the town, like a plague god, and I’m the disliked sissy at the kiln. Neither of us should look down on the other… The last time, on the Liu Xia boat returning from Fuyao Continent, Chen Ping’an mentioned this matter, but Liu Xianyang was forgetful and looked bewildered, not remembering it at all.

Lin Jiangxian smiled, “Some things, what you and I say doesn’t count. High realm doesn’t work.”

How those who are grateful repay favors, or how those who harbor resentment seek revenge, doesn’t matter whether others understand or accept it.

Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “Is Jiang Shangzhen the vessel for the soul dominated by the Second Ancestor of the military strategists?”

The First Ancestor of the military strategists was Jiang She. The current person in charge of the ancestral court also had the surname Jiang, and was known as Jiang Taigong.

Furthermore, Jiang She had been talking nonsense in the courtyard just now, scaring Jiang Shangzhen into mentioning this matter as soon as he entered the house.

Lin Jiangxian burst into laughter, shaking his head. “It’s definitely not Jiang Shangzhen. She’s been hiding in a certain Grotto-heaven, not daring to act rashly. I met her once, but we didn’t come to an agreement. The conversation wasn’t pleasant.”

Chen Ping’an also breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Jiangxian asked, “Do you ever feel like the Yin and Yang of the grand dao, the boundless creation, the turning of heaven and earth, are all revolving around you?”

Chen Ping’an’s eyes lit up. “Does Elder Lin also often have this illusion?”

Lin Jiangxian smiled, “Why is it an ‘illusion’?”

This Elder Lin squatted down, scooped up some soil, and said softly, “The soil on the claw is the soil of the great earth. How many ‘people’ beyond the heavens, after countless tribulations, can become us in our human form and walk on this ancestral land. How can one look down on oneself, how can one look down on others?”

Walking down the mountain together, Lin Jiangxian spoke about the recent situation in the fourteen states of Azure Netherworld. Five states had already begun to refuse to recognize White Jade Capital as orthodox. Just three of the ten great dynasties had even publicly set up altars, compiled their own lists of Daoist titles, and issued them to the Daoists who had received the teachings. However, Youzhou seemed strange, with no movement yet. The Crimson Gold Dynasty in Ruzhou, where Lin Jiangxian was located, along with more than a dozen vassal states, were also about to “rise up” and issue their own teachings soon. Half of the territory of a state was about to change color.

At the foot of the mountain, Lin Jiangxian smiled, “See you in Ruzhou.”

At Fallen Peak, after a lively late-night snack, Mi Li, with a full belly, didn’t want to sleep yet and ran off to the bamboo building to play. She found the short, white-haired dwarf sitting by the stone table. Mi Li rushed over, put some melon seeds on the table, and the Fallen Peak record keeper lamented, saying that from now on, even her farts would stink. Mi Li frowned tightly, truly unable to understand the deep meaning of the record keeper’s words. The white-haired child suddenly flopped onto the table, pounding on it with her hands, screaming that she couldn’t live anymore, that this life was unbearable. Mi Li reached out and pressed down on that head, originally intending to tell the record keeper to calm down and not panic when encountering problems… but she was startled. Mi Li grabbed a handful of white hair and lifted it gently. The white-haired child yelped in pain, grimacing, and looked up with wide eyes, asking what she was doing.

Mi Li quickly released her hand and asked in a hushed voice, “What’s wrong?”

The white-haired child sighed, “It’s just a trick of ‘great change of living person.’ From today onwards, I’m no longer in the Ascension Realm. I’m a genuine piece of trash. How will I wave the flag and shout for the Hidden Official ancestor in the future? Thinking about this, my heart aches so much…”

Clutching her chest, she rolled her eyes and flopped backwards onto the ground with a thud.

Mi Li was stunned, her mouth agape. Just as she was about to go see what was wrong and was about to call the old chef, Divine Sovereign Wei, and the others… Unexpectedly, the white-haired child quickly stood up on her own, patted the dust off herself, sat back down, and continued to sigh, though she didn’t forget to crack melon seeds.

Mi Li’s eyebrows were furrowed with worry.

The white-haired child said, “Mi Li, what realm are you in now?”

Mi Li said, “Cave Mansion Realm. It doesn’t grow any taller.”

The white-haired child immediately became radiant, shaking her head and wagging her tail, her face full of pride. “Then I’m two realms lower than you!”

Mi Li hesitated for a moment. Seeing her翹尾巴(翹尾巴 roughly translates to ‘wagging tail’, implying smugness or showing off. “Wagging her tail” fits the context), she felt she should be a sincere friend and shielded her mouth with her hand, “Listening to Doggy, you’ve been removed from Alliance Master Guo’s registry.”

The white-haired child’s expression froze, but she quickly scoffed, “Alliance Master Guo didn’t handle this well. She’s unpopular and won’t achieve dominance. If this place doesn’t keep me, there are other places that will…”

However, the back of her head was suddenly pressed down by someone, her face pressed against the stone table. The white-haired child cupped her fists and held them high. “Your humble servant is loyal and righteous, witnessable by the sun and moon. I am willing to serve as your mount and go through fire and water. I only ask Alliance Master for mercy outside the law and another chance!”

Guo Zhujiu released her hand and said, cracking melon seeds, “We’ll go to the Azure Netherworld together in the future. You’ll return to the Sui Chu Palace in human form.”

The white-haired child reached out to grab the melon seeds, muttering, “I was already timid before, and now I’m even more scared.”

Guo Zhujiu slapped her paw away and eyed her askance, “Then you still dare to disgust my master repeatedly?”

The white-haired child said guiltily, “Heaven knows, that’s called flattering and fawning. How could it disgust the Hidden Official ancestor?”

If not for my contrast, your words would seem insincere. Otherwise, the atmosphere of the entire Fallen Peak would be worrying.

Mi Li oh-hoed beside them, realizing that she also knew that was called flattering.

It turned out that Lu Chen had refined that pseudo-fifteenth realm extraterrestrial demon, Liu Xiang had ascended Fallen Peak and personally “conferred” the Daoist title Konghou to the white-haired child, and then Wu Shuangjiang had secretly severed the karma.

Due to a combination of circumstances, the white-haired child, an extraterrestrial demon, was truly “greatly changed into a living person.”

The white-haired child glanced at Guo Zhujiu and smiled, “Don’t worry, the Hidden Official ancestor’s magic power is boundless, his fist techniques are superb, his swordsmanship is extraordinary, and his martial arts are unparalleled. He will definitely overcome the danger. ‘Mountains and rivers end, seeming to have no path, but willows darken and flowers bloom in another village’…”

Mi Li nervously reminded her, “Why don’t you learn your lesson? Be careful, Alliance Master Guo might give you another demerit… Forget it, the words are good words, genuinely meant, right, Alliance Master Guo?”

Guo Zhujiu nodded and smiled, “Restore your registry status immediately and sit in the second seat.”

The white-haired child quickly turned her head and spat out the melon seed shells, stood up quickly, and said, “I’m here. I won’t say a single unnecessary word. I just need to show Alliance Master Guo my attitude…”

Guo Zhujiu simply ignored her.

Mi Li silently applauded.

As the white-haired child spoke, she also felt she had gone a little too far. She walked to the cliff edge, put her hands on her hips, and looked up at the bright moon in the sky.

In the world, how many seemingly relaxed, forced smiles and jokes contain the efforts of people drowning in the muddy swamp of their hearts, coming up for air.

Yet, in some muddy hearts, a lotus flower can suddenly bloom.

The green-clothed boy wandered over and saw the white-haired child’s back. He gasped, as if he had drunk wine and hit a nerve. He cautiously approached the stone table and couldn’t help but say in shock, “Fellow Daoist Konghou, I always thought you were a girl. Could it be that you have a handle? Could it be that Wei Night-Rover is strolling below and happened to pass by?”

Alas, alas, the green-clothed boy pressed his face against the tabletop. Who had the audacity to casually press down on the head of Ancestor Jingqing? It’s truly challenging a fearsome force… Oh dear, Divine Sovereign Wei is here, haha, Fellow Daoist Meizheng is also here. Let’s go, I’ll lead the way. Let the old chef show off his skills in the kitchen again!

Xuan Du Temple.

Yao Qing said with a calm expression, “If Xu Jun’s path does not deviate, then his grand dao will be long-lasting, and no one can kill him. If Xu Jun himself strays, it should be his destined tribulation.”

Pei Ji held a broom and asked, “Haven’t you clearly completed your three thousand merits? Why are you still fixated on the matter of ‘collecting corpses’ and ‘killing ghosts’?”

Qingshen Dynasty in Bingzhou was under the jurisdiction of Qingcui City of White Jade Capital. Yao Qing was known as Yazhi Xiang (雅相), with the courtesy name Zimei (資美), and the Daoist title “Shou Ling” (守陵, meaning ‘Guardian of the Tomb’).

With a thousand years of Dao age and having served as chief minister for three dynasties, he had a long list of official titles and positions, too many to introduce in less than a hundred characters.

Yao Qing often went to Qingcui City in White Jade Capital to preach and teach. When he attained Ascension, Yao Qing followed the path of severing three corpses. However, unlike the usual Daoist method of severing three corpses, the three liberated immortals severed by Yao Qing, although unable to refine an external Yang Spirit body, did have Yin Spirits. Pei Ji was one of the three corpses.

Yao Qing said, “Entering the Fourteenth Realm is the true beginning of my grand dao. It is because I know myself that I left you behind to supervise and record my merits and demerits. Therefore, there is no need to worry that I am here to ‘collect corpses.’ On the contrary, if you can one day attain the Dao through the act of a liberated immortal and ascend in broad daylight, then I will sincerely address you as a fellow Daoist. If Xu Jun gives you an opportunity in the future, then seize it; that is where your opportunity to align with the Dao lies. If Xu Jun’s grand dao is righteous, do not act wickedly or harbor evil thoughts; I will hold you accountable.”

Pei Ji was silent for a long time and said, “Yao Qing’s ability to align with the Dao is something I wholeheartedly accept.”

Fatty Yan ran over, bowed, and reported good news to Yao Qing. “Yazhi Xiang, Mr. Bai has personally invited you to visit.”

Yao Qing’s expression remained as usual. He bowed to Yan Ming and asked him to lead the way, but his heart was not at ease. This was because he had a feeling of connection with heaven and man. In the peach grove, besides Bai Ye, there was another person waiting for him, surnamed Zheng.

Yao Qing naturally wanted to meet this great魔道(demonic path/sect) figure from the Vast Expanse world, but his desire to meet Zheng Juzhong was very different from the other party taking the initiative to find him.

Two other women were also allowed to enter the peach grove: National Preceptor Bai Ou, a Limit Realm martial artist. She wore a short halberd at her waist, named “Iron Chamber.”

She had actually sensed the mystical signs brought by that “great amnesty,” but her mastery in the Divine Arrival first-layer was insufficient, so she was destined to be unable to visit.

Beside Bai Ou was Fu Xuanjie, the young sword cultivator on whom Qingshan Dynasty and Yazhi Xiang Yao Qing placed high hopes.

Previously, the Cave Master of碧霄(Azure Radiance) and a sword immortal who called himself Xiao Mo had visited the capital of the Qingshen Dynasty and taught sword techniques to Fu Xuanjie.

Bai Ou gathered her voice into a line, whispering with a smile, “I heard Senior Azure Radiance gave you a seal?”

Fu Xuanjie’s smile was awkward. She casually made up an excuse, saying inwardly, “One should not refuse a gift from an elder.”

Bai Ou also found it difficult to press further. In fact, two sets of seal impressions published and sold by Xuan Du Temple had recently been available in various states. Fu Xuanjie naturally wouldn’t miss them, as the price of the seal impressions wasn’t expensive anyway. The last time, benefiting from the old abbot, she and Mr. Xiao Mo witnessed the discussion of the great wood concept in the Lotus Root Blessed Land together. Most importantly, it was the impression of a seal on the Sword Immortal’s seal impressions that most captivated the heart of Fu Xuanjie, a sword cultivator.

The side inscription was that sentence: “The place of generous death, the land of revenge. The sword cultivators here live like duckweed but do not sink.”

The bottom inscription were the four words “Pure Sword Cultivator.”

So she asked the Cave Master of Azure Radiance to help her ask the Hidden Official to engrave a library seal, and the content of the side and bottom inscriptions was modeled after this seal.

But the problem was that the seal sent by the old abbot had “Fu Xuanjie of Azure Netherworld and Chen Ping’an of Vast Expanse world born in the same year, month, and day” on the bottom inscription.

Thinking of this, her face turned a little red. Could it be that this young Hidden Official wasn’t afraid of his wife? But the problem was, he hadn’t even met her. Was he so hypocritical, and so promiscuous? If so, were the stories of romance written in that travelogue of landscapes true?

It would be truly awkward to meet next time.

A bright, colorful moon hung high in the sky. At the entrance of the Guandao Temple, the newly recruited mountain guardian and enshrined, Gu He, held an iron staff, acting as the door god.

At Gu He’s feet was the temple master’s eldest disciple, Wang Yuan, squatting on the steps, his hands tucked into his sleeves, still wearing that old cotton Daoist robe that had been washed white. The short Daoist priest with a poor and shabby appearance often overlooked the earth and mountains of the human world from here, the rivers winding like ropes, and the碧玉(emerald/jade) one being the Little Four Continents.

His great task completed, having refined a furnace of pills for his master, the young Daoist boy fanned himself with a whisk and came to the temple entrance, feeling that his junior brother Wang Yuan was truly a strange person. The scenery was beautiful, but after seeing it so much, it was just that. Wang Yuan, however, never tired of looking at it. He could even eat a meal and hold his bowl here for a long time, looking.

Gu He smiled, “Fellow Daoist Jin Jing.”

Xun Lanling paid him no mind.

Every time Gu He saw Fellow Daoist Jin Jing, there was a complex sense of guilt in his eyes.

This made the young Daoist boy feel a little uneasy.

Xun Lanling sat beside the thin Daoist priest and found that his junior brother was looking at Qizhou, yes, where Xuan Du Temple was located. Xun Lanling learned a secret from his master. Daoist Sun of Xuan Du Temple had once greatly deceived Wang Yuan, making him believe that he was his own ancestor. For this, the old Daoist even specially fabricated a Wang family genealogy…

Xun Lanling casually said, “The person is gone, what are you still looking at?”

Wang Yuan remained silent.

The old abbot also came to the entrance at some point and sat on the steps with them, patting the head of the fire-tending boy. “Take it easy, don’t bring up what shouldn’t be mentioned.”

Most people were fierce in their words and expressions. A few were fierce in their eyes and in their bones.

Wang Yuan smiled and explained, “We are fellow disciples, I won’t hold a grudge.”

Xun Lanling’s Dao heart instantly chilled by half.

The old abbot smiled, “His magnanimity is like his master’s.”

A speck of Mustard Seed Consciousness left that mountain and returned to the night sailing ship’s courtyard. Chen Ping’an immediately held his breath, concentrated, and observed his own small world within.

He saw in the darkness a towering vortex column suspended between heaven and earth, like a land tornado, slowly moving in a chaotic expanse, as if propping up the boundless chaos of the grand dao void.

All the natal objects he had refined on his life’s journey, from his hometown and from foreign lands, were gone, all within that vortex.

The rest were alright. But he shouldn’t have, absolutely shouldn’t have, even those pair of Mountain Sea Seals were not spared. Despite his utmost reluctance, he still couldn’t keep them.

Sitting cross-legged in a desolate void, like a dark room that would remain so for thousands of years, not a single aperture open, forever without light.

Chen Ping’an muttered to himself for a long time, then sighed heavily. He propped his hands on his knees and was about to stand up, “Hey, I’m truly useless.”

Just at this moment, a pinpoint of light suddenly flashed in the sky.

Chen Ping’an abruptly looked up.

A fire dragon soared into the air, pulling out an incredibly brilliant golden thread between heaven and earth.

As if in the boundless, endless chaos, a golden, radiant eye opened.

On the huge head of the fire dragon stood a small bald monk wearing a golden kasaya, with a bag slung across his shoulder, looking dusty and disheveled. In the town’s dialect, he stomped his feet and cursed incessantly, “Chen Ping’an, you keep screwing things up, huh?! If you’ve got the guts, keep screwing up hard, I’ll screw your grandpa!”