As he walked and observed, Jiang She felt that the Embroidered Tiger had some genuine talent, a shame it was born ten thousand years too late, truly regrettable.

After leaving Chuzhou territory, he and his Dao partner wandered to Dali’s auxiliary capital. Without entering the city, they walked along the banks of the Great Channel. Jiang She chuckled and lamented, “Pei Qian’s martial arts aptitude is truly exceptional. It’s clear that Cui Cheng’s boxing instruction at the Bamboo House is also quite good. If it were Chen Ping’an teaching and sparring, ha, it’s questionable whether Pei Qian would even be in the Far Traveler realm by now.”

Wu Yan’s face was full of indignation, “Are you never going to stop? Did a dog eat your conscience?!”

Jiang She said, “I’m just speaking the truth, not saying anything bad about him.”

He spoke only of Pei Qian’s early struggles with the Sword Qi Eighteen Stops, encountering obstacles at the third stop. If it were Chen Ping’an, he would definitely have stagnated, not daring to act rashly. But Pei Qian didn’t care at all, believing that if one path was blocked, another would open. With a wild idea, she forged a new path for circulating Sword Qi and actually succeeded.

Jiang She planned to wander all the way to Old Dragon City at the southernmost tip of the continent. He heard that on the ninth day of the first lunar month, Old Dragon City had a custom called “Heavenly Duke’s Birthday,” where they set up three tables of different heights, burned tall incense sticks, and prayed to Heaven for blessings. After that, he would take a trip to Osmanthus Island. That small courtyard, also known as “Toad Palace,” had been gifted by Chen Ping’an to Pei Qian. As for Madam Gui, she was actually an old acquaintance of their couple. During this time, they could also visit the East Sea Dragon King’s palace.

Wu Yan said, “Shouldn’t we do something?”

Jiang She said, “The person suppressing bad luck at Fallen Leaf Mountain is that fellow with the wooden hairpin. I can’t possibly do anything to him.”

Wu Yan frowned, “Stop spouting nonsense, talk seriously.”

Jiang She said, “Leaving aside Zhong Qian, didn’t I guide Cen Yuanyi in some boxing techniques? And that young man named Cao Yin on the back mountain.”

Wu Yan laughed with exasperation, “What a great destiny! You, surnamed Jiang, still think you’re the first ancestor of the military strategists?”

Jiang She said helplessly, “That kid is a money grubber, so should I go to皑皑洲 and, from the Liu family’s treasury, get the ancestral money embodiment of the Snowflake Money, making it a double blessing, and tie up the other one as well? Send them to Fallen Leaf Mountain, but the question is, dare I send them, and dare he accept them?”

The Fallen Leaf Mountain Law Enforcement Chief, Changming, had the Dao name Lingchun. And Jiqing, the maid beside the sword cultivator Du Shanyin. They were all such mystical existences.

The woman seemed to ponder for a moment, then whispered, “I think it’s feasible.”

Jiang She rubbed his temples, regretting bringing up the matter.

The woman pressed, “What do you think?”

Jiang She said self-deprecatingly, “Liu Jubao isn’t lacking anything, what kind of pie can I draw for him to eat?”

The woman covered her mouth and chuckled, “Finally admitting it.”

A group from Lotus Root Blessed Land set out for tempering, boarding a trans-continental ferry from the Liu family of Mule and Horse River in Beimao Continent at Fish Scale Ferry. After crossing the vast, boundless sea, they finally saw land and arrived at Old Dragon City, known as a den of extravagance. They could disembark and explore for two hours. At the various shops, they only needed to mention the Liu family’s name and show their ferry jade token to receive an 80% discount on all expenses. The ferry guaranteed that if any Old Dragon City merchant dared to secretly raise prices before discounting, once discovered, the Liu family of Mule and Horse River would compensate ten times over.

They found a restaurant at the ferry terminal displaying a “Delicacies” banner. With money in their pockets, they ordered food and drinks without a care. After being seated, they heard that Fan Junmao, the Mountain Spirit of the nearby Southern Peak, with the divine title “Cuiwei,” was about to host a night banquet. They noticed several immortal-like figures at other tables, seemingly drowning their sorrows in wine, all wearing bitter smiles but not daring to complain. At most, a celestial being would whisper, “These Mountain Spirits are killing me.”

Old Dragon City had dedicated ferries and talismans boats that could go directly to the Southern Peak ferry terminal, and the ride cost no snowflake money.

In Sun Wanyan’s eyes, there was always a strange expression, as if they knew it was a pirate ship but had to board it anyway.

When settling the bill, the Delicacies restaurant, which was ubiquitous in Baoping Continent, surprisingly gave them a 50% discount.

Sun Wanyan found it interesting and asked the manager why.

The manager explained that it was a rule set by the owner: distinguished guests from Beimao Continent would receive a 50% discount on all food and drinks in the restaurant.

Luo Fumei, seemingly a novice in the world of official cultivators, innocent and naive, asked the manager, “With a 50% discount, can the restaurant still make a profit?”

The manager smiled without answering.

Luo Fumei immediately understood. The profits of this Delicacies restaurant were frighteningly high. It seemed that the guests from Baoping Continent were just plump pigs lining up to be slaughtered.

Previously, they had “escorted” the celestial beings and descendants of former kings who had stayed in the Lotus Root Blessed Land for many years back to their hometown, Tongye Continent.

Chief Zhou put it well: a mix of men and women traveling together could add splendor to the beautiful landscape.

The female cultivator Sun Wanyan, Dao name Lingfu, was the first talisman cultivator in the history of the blessed land. She was currently studying two immortal talisman books: one was a private collection gifted by Sect Master Cui of the Azure Water Sword Sect, and the other was bought from Zhou Fei on credit.

Many cultivation bottlenecks and path obscurations that were previously incomprehensible became clear just by reading the books. Sun Wanyan couldn’t help but lament that having stayed in the blessed land for so long, she had truly been a frog in a well. If she had the opportunity in the future, she would definitely visit Talisman Peak in Middle Earth Divine Continent. Even though she knew their threshold was high and she would likely be turned away, she would still stand at the mountain gate and gaze upon it before returning, considering it a worthwhile trip.

Luo Fumei of the Fox Kingdom was purely looking for an excuse to join the fun. Having stayed in the sealed-off Fox Kingdom in the blessed land for a long time, she felt quite bored. Luo Fumei did not yet know that she would soon undergo tempering in Dali’s Ministry of Justice and would immediately possess the worry-free offering token that all cultivators on the continent dreamed of.

The others were all martial artists: He Qizhou, a martial arts grandmaster from Jiangzhou, Songlai Kingdom; Cao Ni, a scholarly and martial swordsman, already a Golden Body realm martial artist; Yuan Huang, a roaming swordsman with a touch of “homesickness near the hometown”; and Wu Jiang, a rough-and-tumble saber user.

Yuan Huang’s trip to Fallen Leaf Mountain was incredibly sincere. He had only one thought: to become a disciple of Sword Immortal Chen, the preacher from Great Wood View, and learn martial arts. It would be best to have a master-disciple relationship, but it didn’t matter if he didn’t. He didn’t dare to ask for more, only that Sword Immortal Chen truly imparted his boxing techniques.

As for the other two sword cultivators who were born in the Lotus Root Blessed Land, Mai Qing, who was unmarried but accustomed to reading martial arts novels, and Ge Shulongshang, the big-bearded man who rode a donkey outside the Great Wall seeking poetry, were supposed to go north to Baoping Continent with them and enter Fallen Leaf Mountain together. However, they were intercepted by a secret letter and were taken directly to the Azure Water Sword Sect from Fish Scale Ferry in the capital of Yunyan Kingdom. The Sect Master wrote personally, stating unequivocally in the letter that although they were a subsidiary sect of Fallen Leaf Mountain and could not compare in terms of Daoist principles or seniority, they had one thing to be proud of: a large number of Sword Immortals… Ge Shulongshang and Mai Qing, as junior sword cultivators who had just cultivated their life-bound flying swords, were naturally moved by the contents of the secret letter.

So Xu Jiaoqie took responsibility for protecting the Dao and accompanied them to visit the Azure Water Sword Sect, where Sword Immortals were as numerous as clouds.

At the immortal ferry terminal of Caizhi Mountain, the Crown Prince Mountain of the Southern Peak, the trans-continental ferry made a brief stop and happened to encounter the Fengjian ferry, which was also heading north and docking there. They returned their jade tokens, as it was ultimately a trans-continental ferry belonging to “their own.” The manager of the Mule and Horse River Liu family’s ferry, upon hearing that they were transferring to the Fengjian ferry, actually refunded half of the ferry fee. Sun Wanyan found it interesting again. The manager only said with a smile, “It’s just business, always maintaining capital while providing convenience to others.”

Beimao Continent, a good place! No wonder Baoping Continent cultivators now couldn’t stand hearing the three words “Tongye Continent,” but whenever Beimao Continent was mentioned, they would smile and say that the relationship between the two continents was harmonious, like the marriage between two rural villages at the foot of the mountain, a relationship that should involve reciprocal courtesy.

In fact, Sun Wanyan and her group were not short of money; they were quite well-off.

Because that Zhou Fei, who claimed to have an irreconcilable enmity with Zhou Fei of Spring Tide Palace, gave them a bag of immortal coins upon parting.

He said it was for travel expenses, and when traveling outside, they should not be wronged by the word “money.” He, Zhou Fei, happened to have a small family fortune and was best at befriending eccentric people and martial artists, and he hated seeing a hero defeated by lack of money.

That bag of immortal coins was called Guyu Money.

Previously, Wu Jiang absolutely refused to believe that a so-called Guyu Money could actually be exchanged for so much gold and silver.

Afterward, at the immortal inn at Fish Scale Ferry, he actually exchanged a Guyu Money for ten Xiao Shu Money, which in turn was equivalent to five bags totaling one hundred Snowflake Money. Moreover, the immortal money on the mountain was now worth more. For example, an unworn Snowflake Money could easily be exchanged for a thousand taels of silver and was even rumored to have an premium of twenty taels of silver.

The young hero Wu Jiang, who had never been wealthy in his life, instantly his eyes widened with regret. He shouldn’t have cursed that brother Zhou Fei all the way. What did it matter if he stole a few glances at Sun Wanyan? He was unmarried, she was unmarried, and they were both currently single, without Dao partners or spouses. Why should he meddle in other people’s business and break up a loving couple? Next time they met, forget warmly calling him “Brother Zhou” a few times, he would acknowledge him as his ancestor.

Successfully boarding the Fengjian ferry, Wu Jiang sidled up to Sun Wanyan and began to make amends, “Sister Lingfu, I actually think Zhou Fei is a pretty good person. He talks big, but he’s upright at heart. You’re both Dao cultivators who practice immortal arts on the mountain, so you should ignore the words and the outward appearance and look at that clear Dao heart, right?”

Sun Wanyan sneered, “You mean you think Zhou Fei’s money is good, right?”

What blood feud with Zhou Fei of Spring Tide Palace, deliberately using the alias Zhou Fei to roam the martial world, wanting to lure him out, wishing he could skin him, pluck his tendons, eat his flesh, and drink his blood every day… Was he trying to fool a fool? He could fool Wu Jiang, who was only after money, and the naive Mai Qing, but try fooling me? No way.

Wu Jiang couldn’t very well pretend he didn’t like money, so he had to say, “Sister Lingfu, rumors in the martial world are always a mix of truth and falsehood, and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Like me, I have the title of a member of the Demonic Sect, but I often act righteously, never bullying the good. In recent years, I’ve broken the legs of enough ‘flower thieves’ to count on both hands, and half of them were disciples of righteous path figures. What was the result? They crawled back to their respective sects and cried to their masters and elders, then started slinging mud, saying everywhere that I was the one who harmed innocent women and was a wall-climbing thief, leading to a warrant for my arrest by the authorities.”

In his heart, however, he was calculating whether the wealthy Zhou Fei, who had many enemies, needed a few paid escorts and bodyguards or guards for his compound to ensure his safety.

Sun Wanyan nodded; Wu Jiang’s words were indeed true.

He Qizhou suddenly asked, “When you reach Fallen Leaf Mountain, will you go back?”

Cao Ni smiled, “Anyway, I’m definitely going back home. But before that, I want to have a boxing match with Zhong Qian, who is said to be practicing boxing day and night on the mountain, striving for a breakthrough, to see the gap between myself and the number one martial artist in my hometown, whether it has narrowed or widened.”

Zhou Fei said that Zhong Qian, after arriving on the mountain, wanted to improve further and become the first Grandmaster in the blessed land to reach the Far Traveler realm so she could return home in glory. So she became ruthless, practicing boxing day and night to the point of neglecting food and sleep, and no matter how much others tried to persuade her, they couldn’t stop her.

Yuan Huang said, “I might emulate Grandmaster Zhong and stay on the mountain to practice martial arts and boxing.”

Wu Jiang tapped his saber handle a few times with his palm, full of vigor, “A martial artist from the rivers and lakes makes his home wherever he goes.”

Luo Fumei was the most indifferent. The Fox Kingdom was originally in the hands of the Xu family in Qingfeng City and was a veritable treasure trove of wealth, but later it moved to Lotus Root Blessed Land and was sealed off, which made it deserted. Her idea was very simple: first become the Law Enforcement Ancestor of the Fox Kingdom, enter the eyes of that Sword Immortal Chen, and then find another way out. It would be best to work at Fallen Leaf Mountain, but going to Azure Water Sword Sect would also be very good.

The sea of clouds looked like cotton blossoms, the green mountains on the ground were as small as anthills, and the roads were winding like threads.

A broad channel divided Baoping Continent into north and south.

Huge ferries occasionally passed through heavy black clouds, where lightning intertwined as if a deity was unleashing thunder and demanding the ferry to detour immediately. When the ferry suddenly leaped out of the sea of clouds, above was a sky-obscuring sea of clouds, tinged with golden edges, and below was also a sea of clouds, pure white. The ship was like a pedestrian slowly walking in a covered walkway. During this time, one could see glimpses of green poking through the white, emerging from the clouds. The mountains were miniature like bonsai, presumably the peaks of the great mountains in those kingdoms that were higher than the sea of clouds. All sorts of beautiful scenery, such as these, were indescribable and too numerous to take in.

Finally, they arrived.

The legendary Fallen Leaf Mountain.

It was said that in history, Wei Xian, the founding emperor of Nanyuan Kingdom, who sent people everywhere to visit immortals, and Sui Youbian, who attempted to ascend with his sword but met a tragic end, had both been here… registered and listed among the celestial beings.

The Fengjian ferry docked at Niujiao Ferry. They all disembarked and waited for the person responsible for guiding them up the mountain. It was a man named Zheng Dafeng and a strange-looking young man named Wen Zaixi.

They claimed to be boxing instructors from Yingyu Peak on Tiaoyu Mountain, one official and one temporary reserve.

Wen Zaixi, who wore a sword talisman at his waist, took out a folded paper talisman from his sleeve and casually tossed it into the air. It immediately transformed into an immortal talisman boat with glowing characters on its hull and wisps of green mist rising from its bottom. It settled close to the ground at the ferry terminal, surrounded by swirling clouds and mist. Everyone boarded. As the helmsman, Wen Zaixi, flicked his sleeve, the talisman boat, carved from a single piece of white jade, suddenly soared into the air, moving like lightning and leaving a trail of fireflies in the sky.

The talisman boat skirted Mount Huimeng, passed through a sea of clouds between Fallen Leaf Mountain and Tiandu Peak, and slowly landed on the road at the mountain gate.

Wen Zaixi said they had arrived. When everyone stood up, their boots passed through the bottom of the boat and lightly touched the ground. The green mist instantly dispersed. Wen Zaixi made a hand seal, and the talisman boat, as if receiving an order, transformed back into a folded paper, which flashed with light and disappeared into the sleeve of his robe.

In the past, before coming here to learn boxing, Wen Zaixi had really enjoyed these kinds of antics, like sticking a “money” or “immortal” character on his forehead.

Now, this desire had faded. He no longer felt moved by the beautiful women of the mortal world.

This kind of performance, trying to show off his mountain-dwelling immortality, made Wen Zaixi feel extremely bored. If Zheng Dafeng hadn’t insisted on dragging him to Niujiao Ferry to receive guests, saying that the sword talismans weren’t enough to distribute and were borrowed, and they couldn’t possibly walk with a large group of guests all the way to the gate of Fallen Leaf Mountain, Wen Zaixi thought that since he still had a “reserve” status, he should make a small contribution so he could continue teaching boxing at Yingyu Peak on Tiaoyu Mountain and listening to lectures and learning about the Dao at Huaying Peak.

When they reached the training ground on Yingyu Peak, they realized that there were only eight young men and women learning boxing there, but there were quite a few boxing instructors: Grand Instructor Zheng Dafeng, Second Instructor Cen Yuanyi, reserve instructor Wen Zaixi, as well as Mountain Lord Chen and Pei Qian, the old cook, Zhong Qian, a white-haired child who served as the editor at Fallen Leaf Mountain, who would occasionally come here to give some pointers, but they didn’t come often.

Wasn’t it the case that there were almost more people teaching boxing than practicing it?

Wen Zaixi knew that Zheng Dafeng was talking nonsense, but he couldn’t expose him on the spot.

Yuan Huang and the others also saw their fellow townsman, Zhong Qian, the number one martial artist in their hometown, walk into the training ground, chest out and patting her stomach. A martial arts fanatic who was said to train so hard on this mountain that she wished there were twenty hours in a day?

Wu Jiang squatted on the edge of the training ground and muttered, “Martial arts geniuses, are they that cheap?”

During their journey, it was either ferries traversing the sea of clouds or immortal ferry terminals with all sorts of strange things. They saw so many divine beings that they didn’t feel much about it. However, they hadn’t seen many top-notch martial artists, Grandmasters, in Tongye Continent. As a result, when they arrived at Tiaoyu Mountain, they saw a whole bunch of them. The young men and women were all geniuses, all with boxing intent and condensed True Qi.

Sun Wanyan and Luo Fumei went to Huaying Peak. The former stood outside a window and listened to a Daoist priest who happened to be speaking about the knowledge of talismans.

Later, not interested in this, she wandered around and met an extremely beautiful woman with the Dao name Meizheng, who had built a hermitage by the stream.

Luo Fumei was not shy and chatted with her casually. The graceful figures of the two beauties, the chirping of birds and the sound of human voices were all within the emerald green.

That Zhou Hu seemingly casually asked a question, “What is meant by ‘patching up cracks, Five Heavens and Five Humans’?”

Luo Fumei was stunned. Why would such a grand question be asked of her, a fellow Daoist? It should be asked of the Hidden Official.

Having finally secured his position as chief, Jiang Shangzhen said he was preparing to go to True Realm Sect to clear his head and relax.

Zhu Lian asked him to check on Zeng Ye’s recent situation as a favor, and Jiang Shangzhen readily agreed.

Floating to Niujiao Ferry, Jiang Shangzhen found a lump of pure white squatting near a wooden sign by the roadside.

Cui Dongshan stood up, turned his head, and smiled, “I’ll walk the trip to Shujian Lake with you. The journey is long, so you won’t be lonely.”

Jiang Shangzhen asked with a smile, “Sect Master Cui, I’m going to True Realm Sect to flaunt my wealth. What are you going to do?”

Cui Dongshan flicked his sleeve and complained, “You’re being distant, why are you calling me Sect Master Cui?”

Jiang Shangzhen, who almost became the Deputy Mountain Lord, smiled cheerfully.

Cui Dongshan also knew that he had acted improperly in this matter and immediately changed the subject, “After thinking about it for a long time and spending a lot of mental effort, I finally came up with a conjecture. I think Jiang She didn’t tell the truth, or he misjudged. In fact, you might truly be connected to one of the souls of the Second Ancestor of Military Strategists, but she used a rather clever illusion, like splitting one soul in half. Jiang Shangzhen of Yunku Blessed Land takes one half, and ‘Zhu Lu’ of Fulian Street in Lizhu Cave Heaven takes the other half. Wouldn’t that deceive the heavens?”

Jiang Shangzhen was dumbfounded. You, the Great White Goose, are spouting a bit too much nonsense, aren’t you?

“Deceiving you? Think about it, her previous incarnation was extraordinary. The mountain-top discussion with Gao Gu back then, what happened? It directly created a Zhuolu ruin! So her coming here was both an opportunity for her to make amends given by White Jade Capital and her initial purpose was to protect someone’s Dao for a while. As for the true body of her previous incarnation, I guess she also had her own plans, such as seeing if there was a chance to connect with ‘you’ here in Haoran Continent, especially you? Since the plan didn’t work out, White Jade Capital had no choice but to transfer her back. Now, this young woman Zhu Lu is about to ‘return to her position’ as Wood Lord? How about it, doesn’t it make sense?”

Jiang Shangzhen’s expression became serious.

“Let’s go back to you. First, you met my husband in Lotus Blossom Blessed Land of the Guandao Temple. After leaving the blessed land, you soon met the idiotic man surnamed Zuo on the sea. After that, you quickly became familiar with my husband? Why not go back further? How did you meet Lu Fang, one of the seven spirits, and become close friends? Just by appearance? Furthermore, in Beimao Continent, an outsider Golden Core realm cultivator, you’ve been incredibly successful. How many times have you escaped death? Once is true ability, twice is good luck, three times is inherited virtue from ancestors, four times is a tough life, five or six times? Doesn’t this count as ‘there is a will in the unseen world’? It’s clear someone is protecting you, isn’t it? Ten thousand years ago, she chose to assist Jiang She and become the second in command of the Military Strategists. Ten thousand years later, at Fallen Leaf Mountain, you became the chief offering early on? Do you still remember what I asked you when we reunited in Tongye Continent, ‘Is Jiang Shangzhen still Jiang Shangzhen’?! If I’m not mistaken, has my husband also asked you similar questions?”

Jiang Shangzhen was increasingly frightened, not daring to care about being a deputy mountain lord or not. With a mournful face, he anxiously used his spiritual sense to say, “Brother Cui, don’t scare me! If we keep talking like this, I won’t be myself either! We’re brothers who’ve been through life and death together, give me a straight answer!”

Cui Dongshan sneered, “You’re not calling me Sect Master Cui now?”

Jiang Shangzhen breathed a sigh of relief.

Unexpectedly, Cui Dongshan pointed to his head, “This is managed by ourselves, relying entirely on ‘memory is reality,’ so everything is conceivable.”

Cui Dongshan then pointed to his chest, “But here, it’s not certain who is in charge. As the old saying goes, ‘driven by an evil spirit,’ if you doubt, there is nothing, if you believe, there is something?”

Jiang Shangzhen felt his heart was about to leap into his throat.

Cui Dongshan’s expression was solemn and he said, “Why do you think I deliberately tricked you into going to Azure Water Sword Sect? Besides the fact that I am an expert in the soul path, anyone who plays this trick with me has to consider whether their cultivation is high enough to reach the heavens, and also…”

Jiang Shangzhen cautiously asked, “And also what?”

Cui Dongshan straightened his face and said in a strained voice, “And also what Chief Zhou himself said, ‘You hurt my heart, and I will hurt your Great Dao.'”

Jiang Shangzhen was caught between tears and laughter. This sentence was indeed a joke he had told the Daoist Liu Xuan earlier in “Water Well Mouth” in Tongye Continent.

Cui Dongshan said seriously, “I’m not deliberately trying to scare you, there is a slim possibility. But don’t worry, even if it’s one in ten thousand, as long as I’m here, Jiang Shangzhen, who is the chief of Fallen Leaf Mountain, will at least have freedom in all his future choices.”

Jiang Shangzhen smiled, “Before, I listened with half-belief and didn’t take it seriously, but this last sentence, Jiang Shangzhen takes it seriously.”

Cui Dongshan raised his hand, and Jiang Shangzhen lightly slapped it.

Cui Dongshan suddenly covered his mouth with his hand, “Actually, I was just lying to you. Only I suffered in Tongye Continent, and I’m feeling unhappy…”

Jiang Shangzhen reached out and wrapped his arm around his neck, dragging him forcefully towards the ferry.

This trip to Shujian Lake, in addition to showing his face at the Five Islands Sect to support Zeng Ye, Jiang Shangzhen also wanted to give a magic treasure to Zhou Caizhen, who was like his own daughter. He made it a custom to bring gifts every time he visited her at True Realm Sect.

Then there was Guo Chunxi, whom he had encouraged to “ascend the mountain to seek immortality.” He was once the eldest disciple of Xu Yuanxia in Xianyou County, not very skilled in his studies, but somehow he ascended the mountain and became an immortal, and his seniority in True Realm Sect was not low.

Li Furong, as the Law Enforcement Chief of a sect, always valued this direct disciple of hers whose progress was as slow as a tortoise.

Having risen from the second seat to Law Enforcement Chief, she and Sect Master Liu Laocheng and Chief Offering Liu Zhimao had a major advantage: she was from the official lineage of the superior sect, Yugui Sect. When True Realm Sect was first established at Shujian Lake, she was one of the first batch of Patriarch Hall elders. Since then, she has assisted three successive sect masters: Jiang Shangzhen, Wei Ying, and Liu Laocheng. With her contributions, seniority, and current Jade Purity realm cultivation, promoting to the superior sect would likely not cause any gossip.

In addition, Li Furong was also a registered guest minister of that Fallen Leaf Mountain.

At first, she was somewhat hesitant and wanted to avoid suspicion, but ultimately she feared the capricious old Sect Master Jiang. After all, a local official is better than a faraway one. Being on record with the superior sect was better than Jiang Shangzhen making things difficult for her in True Realm Sect.

Many difficult situations in the world unexpectedly turned into fortunate discoveries.

A group of female cultivators from Pearl Hairpin Island on Aoyu Back, including Liu Xi, Guan Qing, and Bai Que, who were direct disciples of Island Master Liu Chongrun, as well as more than ten junior official female cultivators, also had to take a ferry to Shujian Lake. Over the years, Bai Que and the others had indirectly told their master Liu Chongrun that they wanted to go back to Pearl Hairpin Island to see. This time, Liu Chongrun finally allowed them to “take a break,” but she repeatedly told them not to be ostentatious on the way, and when they arrived at Shujian Lake, they should also keep a low profile and definitely return quietly. If they encountered wicked people and had no other choice, they should say they were acquainted with Jiang Shangzhen. If that still didn’t work and they encountered those fearless ruffians, they should put aside their dignity and say directly that they were followers of that Hidden Official Chen from Fallen Leaf Mountain… Just make it up yourselves!

By coincidence, they happened to be on the same ferry as Chief Zhou.

Jiang Shangzhen greeted the beautiful girls warmly and agreed to have a good meal together later at the Delicacies restaurant on the ferry.

In the Heaven-grade room, standing on the viewing platform, Jiang Shangzhen asked, “Is this preparation for the Mountain Lord to change his identity and go to Shujian Lake again?”

Cui Dongshan leaned on the railing and said, “Perhaps we will all have to go to Shujian Lake again, perhaps.”

A strategy of “delay” might also lead to a matter being left unresolved.

A strategy of “endurance” might also see the matter turn a new page.

Shujian Lake, Sulu Island, received an unexpected visitor. His official pass name was Huanghuashen, he had no Dao name, and he claimed to be a registered offering of the Fuyao Sect.

In fact, he was once a Jade Purity realm rogue cultivator from Fuyao Continent, extremely famous for his unruly nature and skill in sneak attacks. Now under Gu Can, according to the agreement, he must privately follow the etiquette of a disciple.

Regardless of his realm cultivation or sectarian identity, Tian Hujun, who had not yet reached the Nascent Soul stage, did not dare to be negligent.

When they met again, Gu Can returned to Shujian Lake and she promised Gu Can that she would look after the Five Islands Sect on his behalf, which essentially meant Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi.

Gu Can told her to do one or two things that would provide aid in times of need, and not to do things that were just adding to the glory. He also said that someone would remind Zeng Ye, so there was no need to be redundant.

Tian Hujun admitted that she had never understood Gu Can in her life.

For example, why would he fight with Cao Ci, who had already reached the first layer of the Divine realm, and get seriously injured as a result.

Huanghuashen, just by his appearance and demeanor, was no different from the terrestrial immortal in those monster novels, almost like a painting character carved according to the text. He wore a jade crown, his eyes were bright, he wore a Daoist robe, straw sandals on his feet, and held a deer tail in his hand, his demeanor was stern.

“The Sect Master knows that with your aptitude and comprehension, coupled with Liu Zhimao’s unwillingness to teach you everything, you absolutely cannot reach the Nascent Soul stage within thirty to fifty years. He was worried that your realm was too low and would delay the matter we agreed upon, which is why I came to Sulu Island.”

Huanghuashen took out a secret manual from his sleeve and gently tossed it to Tian Hujun, who was sitting on a futon opposite him. “In Fuyao Sect, I’m just an idle person with nothing to do. The Sect Master asked me to make a trip to Sulu Island and bestow upon you an opportunity. Keep the book well and study it carefully in the near future. If you have any doubts, come and ask me. One question, one gold essence copper coin. This is to save you from disturbing my clear cultivation whenever you have nothing to do. The matter of paying for answers is my own decision. If you, fellow Daoist, are dissatisfied and hold a grudge, and have hindrances in your thoughts that impede your cultivation, you can certainly write to the Sect Master to complain. As for the outcome, you and I will each bear the consequences based on our abilities.”

Tian Hujun’s scalp tingled. She took the secret manual with both hands and quickly glanced at the golden characters on the cover. It was fine before she looked, but as soon as she did, something changed. Her mind seemed to be tightly grasped by the golden characters, and she involuntarily drifted and fell towards the cover. Terrified, Tian Hujun quickly circulated her Qi and tried her best to stabilize her Dao heart. Only then could she finally shift her gaze away from the golden characters.

Huanghuashen’s eyes showed a sarcastic look. This woman’s Dao heart was like rotten wood, truly incapable of being sculpted.

How did Gu Can end up with such a mediocre “senior sister”?

Tian Hujun could only deliberately ignore his mocking gaze and tentatively asked, “May I ask, senior, if it can be converted to Guyu Money?”

Currently, those few types of gold essence copper coins were extremely rare and difficult to come by. Tian Hujun was not even sure if she could obtain a few.

“Of course not.”

Huanghuashen extended his hand, and seeing her confused expression, he withdrew it and had to patiently explain, “Fellow Daoist Tian already owes me one gold essence copper coin.”

Tian Hujun was stunned.

Huanghuashen seemed to be talking to himself, “I really can’t understand how such a small Shujian Lake can make people so sad.”

Besides Sect Master Gu Can, there was also the Law Enforcement Ancestor Zhong Su, whose name was either crossed out and became a taboo, or covered with yellow paper, trying to conceal the obvious.

Tian Hujun’s face changed slightly, but she didn’t dare to say anything more.

Crow Mountain, Lin Jiangxian told Su Dian some stories.

Someone named Zhu twisted his wrist, took out a pot of wine, and drank it himself. The stories with wine had a unique flavor.

Back then, Jiguan Yan Guo secretly left Sword Qi Great Wall and went to Upside Down Mountain, staying at the newly opened Stork Pavilion Inn. Yan Guo had a drink with the young innkeeper who used the alias Bai Luo. All the people in this inn, from the innkeeper to the staff, were the most capable cultivators of the Year-End Palace. “Ostensibly,” they were all searching for that extra-territorial celestial demon who was hiding everywhere, and the only clue was the narrow saber “Zhan Kan.”

After that, Yan Guo had a fight with Zhang Tiaoxia, who was known as the number one martial artist in Haoran Continent at that time, on the sea. He had been to Tongye Continent and recorded his observations along the way, writing a rough but artistic travelogue of mountains and rivers. Finally, he went north to Baoping Continent, entered Lizhu Cave Heaven, found the Green Boy Heavenly Lord at the Yang Family Pharmacy, and became his disciple. His already superb martial arts reached a higher level. When he arrived in Qingming Heaven, he transformed and became “Master Lin” of Crow Mountain in the Chijin Dynasty.

He was disliked by the martial artist Xingku of Leap Month Peak. This was a natural rejection of outsiders by the local power.

Later, Lu Tai had a similar experience, but Lin Jiangxian’s realm was higher. Although Xingku felt that this number one martial artist in the world was impeccable in his words, deeds, demeanor, and cultivation, he still inwardly disliked this person. The root cause was that he “knew” that this river-crossing dragon, Lin Jiangxian, was still too strong, no matter how much he concealed his aura and strength. His intuition told Xingku that Lin Jiangxian would have a significant impact on Qingming Heaven.

It was not advisable to confront the Military Strategist Ancestral Court of Haoran Continent head-on, so they sought another path in Qingming Heaven.

Thus, there was Crow Mountain in Ruzhou, and there was “Master Lin,” who took four direct disciples: Zhao Hechong, Qi Huajian, Zong Xuequan, and Song Yue, two at the Pinnacle realm and two at the Mountain Top realm.

It was one thing for him to be the number one in the world, but to take disciples and teach boxing with such a situation, who could others complain to?

Lin Jiangxian said, “Martial arts and神通术法 (supernatural powers and spell techniques) are actually from the same source but flow differently. The reason why later generations appear to have a stance of keeping to themselves is merely a superficial phenomenon. The human body is most suitable for cultivation, which is common knowledge on the mountain. Otherwise, the spirits of mountains and lakes wouldn’t work so hard to transform into human form, it’s not just because the human appearance is the most beautiful. Now, the reason why alchemist’s spiritual energy and martial artist’s true energy are incompatible is the best choice that has evolved over ten thousand years.”

Su Dian nodded, thinking of the Puyun Herbal Hall in Tongye Continent, where all boxing postures came from diagrams. In history, there had been many “two golds,” who were both Golden Core Earth Immortals and Golden Body realm martial artists. However, their ultimate achievements were not very high.

Someone named Zhu chuckled and said, “So martial artists can also draw talismans with pure true energy.”

Su Dian nodded, “I’ve heard Brother Zheng mention this. Mountain Lord Chen is good at this.”

Someone named Zhu lifted his chin towards Master Lin, “He’s even better, I guess.”

Lin Jiangxian smiled, “To make the two rivers converge, like a ‘dragon coupling,’ you need to reach the eleventh realm within two or three hundred years.”

Someone named Zhu rolled his eyes. It was something he dared not even think about. He estimated that even if he dared to think about it, he would feel disheartened. How could he link the age of two or three hundred years with the martial arts realm of the eleventh realm? Was he supposed to tell himself that no one had been able to do it in ten thousand years, but he could? That was too much of a gamble.

Of course, it doesn’t seem to be necessarily the case now. At least, the Master Lin in front of him can certainly be considered an exception. As for how many others there are, he believed it would soon become clear. Pinnacle realm martial artists are not like enlightened individuals; they cannot hide. Perhaps there are new Fourteenth Realm cultivators who can hide until they are old, until they are considered “old,” but an Eleventh Realm martial artist will never hide.

Lin Jiangxian said, “The reason why sword cultivators are troublesome, besides their style of action, is always due to their high killing power. The principle here is very simple. The life-bound supernatural power of a flying sword is the most direct divine endowment. The supernatural powers in the world, when unleashed by Dao cultivators, are ultimately not as unhindered as those of deities. As for the grounding spells from ten thousand years ago, almost all require Daoist priests to improve them, but the Way of the Sword is different. The sword wielder is one of the Five Supremes of the ancient Heavenly Court, and the Thunder Department, which holds immense authority, is still only one of the Twelve High Positions. For example, in the mortal court below, officials like the Sixth Department Supervising Secretaries, while not high in rank, no official dares to underestimate them. In the imperial examination system, there are sponsoring teachers and examining teachers, and there is a difference from those personally appointed by the emperor.”

Su Dian’s expression was awkward and he said, “Master Lin, I don’t understand officialdom at all.”

Lin Jiangxian took out a talisman from his sleeve and handed it to Su Dian, “Study this carefully, it may be beneficial. This talisman uses a sword technique as its core, and within it lies a lineage of ancient sword Dao. The Wan Yao Sect knows what it is but not why it is, so the benefit is not much.”

Earlier on his “down the mountain” journey, the young Hidden Official had drawn this talisman.

It was said to be a Five Peaks Talisman obtained from Three Mountains Blessed Land, very different from the Five Peaks Talismans widely circulated in later generations.

In ancient times, the four lineages of the Sword Dao inherited from Heaven in the human world had clear lines of succession and continuous incense.

The lineage of Chen Qingdu of Sword Qi Great Wall, the lineage of Xuandu Temple in Qingming Heaven, the lineage of the Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain in Haoran Continent, and the lineage of the monk Jiang Xiu.

If these lineages of the Sword Dao were the undisputed “prominent schools,” there were also a few “hidden schools” that, for various reasons, were unable to flourish and display their strength.

Lin Jiangxian looked towards White Jade Capital and said, “Someone named Zhu, why do you say that Yu Dou is always quite lenient towards martial artists compared to the internal and external Dao officials of White Jade Capital?”

Someone named Zhu shook his head, “I’m too lazy to think about this kind of question; just thinking about it feels awkward.”

Su Dian couldn’t understand one thing, “Since Master Lin also admits that Sect Master Yu’s governance of the world is completely selfless, why would the world rebel?”

Lin Jiangxian was silent for a long time.

Su Dian also knew that his question was extremely difficult for anyone to give an “accurate,” especially a “correct,” answer.

A matter of great significance.

Lin Jiangxian answered with a question, “Since in your hometown, the dragon kiln stipulated that women were not allowed to approach, and this old tradition, this strict rule, has been followed by generations of people, without the need for the Kiln Affairs Supervision Bureau to issue laws, and the master kiln workers, official kiln workers, and apprentices all comply. Why were you still allowed to work there as a helper back then, earning a living and not starving?”

Su Dian thought for a moment, but to no avail. He shook his head. He was indeed not good at contemplating these principles, and it had been that way since he was a child.

“Principles can kill without a blade, but they can also save people. Principles can kill oneself, but they can also save oneself. It is always easy to act with principles as a facade. In a world where being a good person comes at a price, who can do anything?”

Lin Jiangxian smiled, “Right and wrong are difficult to say clearly now. Often ‘not strong enough’ is wrong, and ‘good but not good enough’ is also wrong.”

Someone named Zhu tilted his head back, lifted the wine pot, and washed his face with the remaining wine.

Xiao Mo returned to Guandao Temple in Qingming Heaven from Year-End Palace, had another drink with Fellow Daoist Bixiao, and then returned to Fallen Leaf Mountain.

He went straight to the capital of Dali.

He brought back two pieces of news.

First, at Year-End Palace, Wu Shuangjiang, who “usurped the throne” and “stole the name,” immediately began building a brand-new Martial Temple Ancestral Court.

Qingshen Dynasty of Bingzhou publicly announced the establishment of private talisman altars. Hongnong Yang Family of Youzhou followed suit. The same was true in Ruzhou.

Now, in the eyes of those enlightened individuals at the mountain top who were skilled in observing aura, half of the fourteen states of Qingming Heaven changed color.

The Fourteenth Realm cultivator, Elegant Appearance Yao Qing, voluntarily entered that Martial Temple, occupied the second highest position, and became a Military Strategist cultivator. At the same time, he obtained a purple sword light and a dragon vein materialized from the Great Dao.

Yao Qing thus advanced a step further, reaching the pseudo-Fifteenth Realm, but no heavenly tribulation descended.

Second, it was a heavenly secret revealed by the Cave Lord Bixiao.

After the dispersion of the Dao of the Three Teachings Ancestors, the first pseudo-Fifteenth Realm in Qingming Heaven was not Lu Chen, but Yu Dou, who had refined the entire Jade Capital Mountain. However, it seemed he was tricked by Master Zou. Xingku of Leap Month Peak, who symbolized the Great Dao, traveled across the world to the wilderness, causing Lu Chen to bear two “heavenly dislikes” simultaneously, one overt and one hidden. Now, Yu Dou’s true body could not leave the confines of White Jade Capital. At most, his Yin spirit could travel afar. Therefore, Yao Qing, who was in the same realm, revealed his Dharma form and stood in the human world, confronting him from a distance.

State Preceptor’s Residence.

After Xiao Mo finished speaking, Xie Gounan, who had just returned from Qiu Kingdom, unusually didn’t pester him, but just sat with him on the steps outside the study.

Chen Ping’an walked out of the study and strolled in the courtyard, holding a travelogue written by an envoy of a vassal state of the former Lu Dynasty. It was one of the books on his senior brother Cui Chan’s study desk, and the writing was surprisingly… beautiful. The book had folded pages, where the envoy recorded his journey on the way to pay tribute and have an audience. He met a Li Kingdom scholar who happened to be traveling with him, and they hit it off, talking by candlelight all night, drinking wine, with a plate of peanuts, discussing everything under the sun, both human affairs and mountain affairs.

Rong Yu came out of the study, holding a large stack of books, her head swimming.

Fu Qing almost simultaneously walked into the courtyard and said softly, “State Preceptor, Handan has already prepared everything.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Fu Qing went to relay the order.

Chen Ping’an stood under the tree, holding the rolled-up book in one hand, and touched the jade hairpin on his head.

Peach blossoms seek the sword cultivator, smiling in the spring breeze without speaking.