Chen Ping’an glanced at the twilight outside the window, the clouds layered like fish scales, and the setting sun was like painted gold.
When the sun set completely, taking the last ray of twilight with it, the bright moon, like a lingering lover of the human world, would write its enchanting moonlit prose, like a love letter, on the lonely mountains, in the bustling cities, in wine cups and bowls, and in the eyes of wanderers far from home.
Gao Yehou, the God of Wealth from Ascension City, personally came to visit, inquiring about his sister’s recent situation, and only incidentally discussed some matters concerning the Spring Palace.
Ning Yao disliked getting involved in these affairs, so she left the room. Gao Yehou was still worried that the next time he opened the door, if Gao Youqing brought back a little scamp from Beiju Luzhou, someone he found utterly displeasing no matter how he looked, wouldn’t that be a disaster? Therefore, Gao Yehou repeatedly asked Chen Ping’an to help him keep an eye on things. If it were truly that Chen Li, that would also be acceptable, and Gao Yehou would recognize this brother-in-law.
Chen Ping’an merely said he would help keep an eye on things, and also said that matters of love between men and women had no logic to them. This one sentence made Gao Yehou directly ask if he had any wine there for a little drink. Chen Ping’an retorted, asking if Master Gao didn’t even know to bring a gift when visiting, and still had the audacity to ask for wine? Ah, do you think this is a wine shop? You are Gao Youqing’s brother, and I am not Little Hidden Official Chen Li’s brother, so there’s no need for me to claim kinship with you. If we were truly on good terms, why wouldn’t your Spring Palace lineage help out the Summer Palace more? The Dao of Heaven diminishes the abundant and supplements the insufficient. The penal official lineage is full of local tyrants, extracting money without shedding blood. All they have is money. Now look at our Hidden Official lineage…
As soon as the grumbling Gao Yehou left, Qi Shou arrived at the Ning residence. Chen Ping’an walked with this penal official adult in the training ground. Qi Shou asked why his old ancestor hadn’t entered Ascension City with him. Were there any particular rules or taboos involved? Chen Ping’an said perhaps Old Sword Immortal Qi felt that he wasn’t doing a good job as a penal official.
Qi Shou felt quite frustrated and muttered, “Old news, aren’t you going to let it go?”
Back in Sword Qi Great Wall, the Qi family had greatly desired a marriage alliance with the Ning family. Among the younger generation, Qi Shou was indeed outstanding, a top talent that emerged in significant years along with Pang Yuanji and Chen Sanqiu. Of course, the Qi family had been coveting the Ning family’s small mountain-like Dragon Slaying Platform for years, saying that no amount of bride price was too much, simply because the rumor was that this “small mountain” was Ning Yao’s dowry. But everyone knew very well, even without talking about the Ning family’s “return gift,” what it would mean for a family if someone could truly marry Ning Yao.
So when a foreign Chen-surname boy who didn’t know where he came from swaggered over, went to the city wall, and turned out to be just an insignificant martial artist, not even a sword cultivator, the entire Sword Qi Great Wall was bewildered and couldn’t help but wonder. Who is this kid? Surname Chen? What’s his relationship with Great Sword Immortal?
Chen Ping’an changed the subject and asked, “What was the price of those talismans you bought from Xie Gou?”
Qi Shou said, “There’s a discount for bulk purchases. Each Three Mountains Talisman cost me one Gu Yu coin. I haven’t saved much private money over the years. I plan to borrow some more from my family and friends. I’ve already made an appointment with Xie Gou. No matter how many Gu Yu coins I can raise, we’ll do another deal before she leaves Ascension City. I can give her an IOU. Xie Gou also said that you, as the mountain master, did a similar business with me before, so she won’t haggle with me.”
Chen Ping’an’s eyelids twitched slightly, but his expression remained normal. He clasped his hands in his sleeves and said while walking, “The price is fair. This talisman is practically custom-made to complement your two natal flying swords. It should be more than enough to deal with an immortal who is not a sword cultivator.”
Those most ordinary talisman papers were bought by Xie Gou from shops in the market streets of Da Li Capital. Three taels of silver could buy a large stack, and that’s what they called a real discount for bulk purchases.
Qi Shou said, “Thanks.”
Chen Ping’an was rarely feeling a bit guilty, “Between us, who are you thanking? Don’t be so polite with me.”
He thought for a moment and said, “If I remember correctly, based only on the archives I’ve reviewed before, there are about twenty-something people in Ascension City who need and can use this kind of talisman? Almost all of them are serving penal officials or candidate sword cultivators. Let’s say thirty people. When you do business with Xie Gou later, have her give you sixty talismans for free, two for each person, one to test the effect and one for future battles. You decide how to distribute them and when to give them. In short, you can use them to build relationships.”
Qi Shou was slightly surprised and said, “I misunderstood you earlier. I take back what I said.”
Chen Ping’an nodded.
Cheating Qi Shou out of money was his duty. If Chen Ping’an so much as frowned, he would have been a bag of burdens for years in vain. But cheating him so harshly, like Xie Gou did, still made Chen Ping’an feel a bit bad. It was only natural for drawing talismans to consume a cultivator’s spiritual energy. Xie Gou’s spiritual energy expenditure for each counterfeit Three Mountains Talisman was nowhere near a Xiao Shu coin. Of course, having said that, Qi Shou wasn’t stupid. He was willing to pay one Gu Yu coin for a talisman because he could still make a profit. In the art of talismans, Qi Shou had been very attentive over the years, seeking to suddenly raise the instantaneous killing power by one realm with the combination of two or three talisman formations and the natal divine abilities of his flying swords, killing enemies unexpectedly.
After walking a few steps, he instantly realized something. Chen Ping’an laughed angrily and said, “Penal Official Qi, I’m being sincere with you, and you should tell me the truth too. Did that scoundrel Deng Liang teach you some secret technique?!”
Qi Shou smiled and said, “I can’t do something that sells out a friend.”
Chen Ping’an let out a chuckle and said, “He deserves to lose to Chen Sanqiu.”
Qi Shou said, “Can he really bring eighteen people?”
Chen Ping’an said, “Waiting for news from the Wen Temple. I estimate it’s unlikely.”
In fact, the Central Earth Wen Temple had already received news from the two saints guarding the sky screen.
This matter was inserted into a series of established agendas, but it didn’t take much time. A resolution was reached in a few words, and they quickly moved on to the next item. The general process was that a certain Scribe of the Academy surnamed Mao once again spoke first, saying that such a small matter, and not excessive, there was no reason for the Wen Temple not to agree.
Old Scholar twisted his beard and said it might not be appropriate, as Chen Ping’an wasn’t even a gentleman or a sage of the Academy. Mao Xiaodong then said they could discuss this matter with them when he became the Imperial Advisor of Da Li. He estimated that his tone would be much harsher then. One unspoken meaning was that their Wen Temple hadn’t given Chen Ping’an any title, while Mao Xiaodong reminded them that there were currently 1.7 million Da Li border troops in the Savage World.
An old scholar surnamed Li was too lazy to beat around the bush with them. Eighteen sword cultivators enter the Colorful World, and eighteen leave. It balances out!
Qi Shou casually asked, “I met Gao Yehou on the way. He seemed to be in a bad mood?”
Chen Ping’an said with a troubled look, “Master Gao said he wanted to join forces with the Hidden Official lineage to prevent the Penal Official lineage from being too arrogant. I didn’t agree, saying that such a thing was too ungentlemanly. Master Gao was so angry that he slammed the table and glared, scolding me as someone not worth planning with. Are we supposed to just watch Old Sword Immortal Qi become the city lord and see the entire Ascension City become surnamed Qi? What can I say?”
Qi Shou burst into laughter, naturally not believing these nonsense, but finding it amusing to hear.
Perhaps Chen Ping’an himself felt he was overacting and sighed, “Brother Qi is not easy to fool anymore.”
Earlier, when Gao Yehou saw two exquisite Sword Nurturing Gourds on the table, he felt envious and eager. He endured and endured, but ultimately couldn’t resist, and took the initiative to inquire about the price and origin.
They were the high-grade Sword Nurturing Gourds “Qingcheng Mountain” and “Chaochen Palace” that Chen Ping’an had obtained from the Sword Room in the secret vault of Da Li.
Chen Ping’an used this as a starting point to discuss the idea of helping the Da Li Dynasty and Ascension City do a mutually beneficial business.
The first step was to assume that the Wen Temple agreed. Among the eighteen sword cultivators he would bring back from Ascension City, a portion would become Ascension City’s new “private swords.” If the private swords who were far from home were not well cared for in the past Sword Qi Great Wall, then the first batch of private swords from Ascension City could rely on the entire Da Li Dynasty.
The Da Li Dynasty would provide them with the greatest convenience, such as gifting each person a Sword Nurturing Gourd and a sum of immortal money.
This batch of private swords would be dispersed to various continents. Their current cultivation level didn’t need to be too high, but they must have business acumen and be sharp-minded.
The second step was that after establishing their sects and schools, they would secretly forge alliances with reputable sects in Haoran, such as the Floating Duckweed Sword Lake in Beiju Luzhou, the Rain Dragon Sect on the Sea, and the Tian Yao Village in Fuyaozhou, each according to their proximity. The third step was to plan ahead, act from within and without, and together face the next big test when the Colorful World’s gate opened.
Chen Ping’an stopped and said telepathically, “Old Sword Immortal Qi aims for the Fourteenth Realm. Being the city lord is just a new path to try to merge with the Dao. You yourself should know who the final city lord will be in the future, Qi Shou. As long as Ascension City can continue and grow, whether it’s me or Zhang Gong, many of us don’t really mind what Ascension City’s surname is. Therefore, by the same logic, I hope that one day in the future, when the third city lord needs to be selected, Qi Shou will also have this magnanimity and think back to how we talked today, at this time and place.”
Qi Shou nodded and said, “Blunt words!”
Chen Ping’an reached out of his sleeve, shook his fist, and joked, “If it weren’t for your years of hard work and dedication as a penal official, which everyone can see, and for which no one can find fault, you wouldn’t be allowed through this door today.”
Qi Shou saw something clenched in Chen Ping’an’s hand, his eyes lit up, and he knowingly asked, “This is?”
Chen Ping’an said, “A hand piece, for focusing the mind.”
It really wasn’t Chen Ping’an deliberately holding out for a better price. This item was most suitable for calming the mind and concentrating thoughts, and it could indeed to some extent tame the restless mind.
Qi Shou asked directly, “Selling?”
Chen Ping’an said, “Not selling.”
A total of thirty-six pieces of shattered glazed glass.
During the distribution, Zheng Juzhong was the sharpest and took the largest piece. Wu Shuangjiang chose seven or eight medium-sized pieces of shattered glazed glass.
The rest were left to Chen Ping’an, who had the most in terms of both quantity and overall weight.
Cultivators devour immortal money. Mountain and water spirits devour human incense. But their paths of cultivation are clearly demarcated, each going their own way, except for the object of shattered glazed glass, which everyone would covet.
No matter if you are an enlightened one, with an immaculate golden body and a flawless Dao body. If you want to increase the distance your Yin God can travel when separating from the body, or the toughness of your Yang God’s external body, and whether it can support a higher and more condensed Dharma form.
This item is a shortcut.
Qi Shou was still unwilling to give up, “The price can be negotiated.”
Chen Ping’an withdrew his hand back into his sleeve and said, “If you had it, I would say the same thing.”
After some idle small talk, in the twilight, he saw off the penal official adult. Chen Ping’an stood at the door and, on a whim, decided to go to the wine shop.
With Ning Yao’s earlier consent, Xie Gou was allowed to enter the study. Xiao Mo was worried and accompanied her. Inside the room were over six thousand books, almost no literary paraphernalia, and no study name plaque. There was a sword rack holding over a dozen old swords, mostly broken standard long swords from Sword Qi Great Wall, and also a few personal swords of decent quality, presumably relics of the Ning family sword cultivators from yesteryear.
Xie Gou was looking for books to read. Xiao Mo was appreciating a long scroll painting of mountains and rivers hanging on the wall, a typical immortal-family item, with clear depictions of the four seasons. At this moment, the painting seemed to be depicting the plum rain season, with ink flowing heavily, the sky dark and heavy, and rain pouring down. There was a small boat floating along the current, drifting east and west, turning north and south at will. When the rain stopped and the sky cleared, along the way, amidst the green mountains and clear waters, large patches of bright red azaleas bloomed, like a raging fire.
Scholars and gentlemen held scrolls and flipped through books at home as if traveling while sitting.
Xie Gou held up a few books and said, “Xiao Mo, these official Sword Qi Great Wall printing house editions of Daoist texts, are they what collectors call so-called unique copies? I’ve discovered that most of the books are just for display, as new as if they were just bought. Only the shelves here, with about thirty books, have been read more. The rough-edged paper is curled. It seems like they were specially compiled by Sword Qi Great Wall for lower-realm cultivators.”
Xiao Mo was about to remind her not to take anything and to not have any crooked ideas.
Ning Yao appeared in the corridor, came to the doorway, and explained with a smile, “This study was arranged by my father himself when my mother was pregnant with me. He put a lot of thought into what kind of books to read at what age, and how tall I would be at a certain age so I could just reach for them. As a result, by the time I learned to read and write, I found out I wasn’t a reading person at all. I absolutely couldn’t sit still and would run out at the first opportunity, rather than reading. I’d rather learn boxing from Grandma Bai.”
Ning Yao entered the room, her expression gentle. She raised her chin towards the bookshelf near Xie Gou and said, “The books in that bookshelf compartment, similar to the introductory books from Chen Ping’an’s side, were what my mother made me read and memorize every day when I first learned to read. Memorizing was actually easy. I got so annoyed by being nagged that one day I closed the door, sat cross-legged on a chair, first memorized a dictionary, and then used sword energy to retrieve and flip through the books, reading all of them.”
Just as it is difficult for many people to imagine the ancient sword cultivator Bai Jing when they see the貂帽少女 (Diao Mao Shao Nu, Sable-hatted girl), always feeling that the two are unrelated.
It was also difficult for Xie Gou to imagine Ning Yao as a child, a little girl being urged by a woman to read and memorize every day? Sitting alone angrily cross-legged on a chair, having a tantrum with those books?
For Ning Yao, reading was always a matter of just having a brief look.
Unlike Chen Ping’an, who would devour a book as soon as he bought it, leaving nothing behind, making book excerpts, and carving bamboo slips. He also came up with many methods for reading, and proudly told her about what it meant to be from a scholarly family, which meant having secrets to learning, family rules and scholarship for reading. For example, if the same name appeared in three to five books, he would follow the clues, calling it visiting houses and climbing relatives. Or killing in a humble alley, with a knife at the throat, reading certain books requires a ruthless heart, while flipping through others requires a calm mind. Which books are for entertainment, like depicting certain mountains and rivers, and are enough to just see once. And which books are for understanding the profound, requiring one to enter the inner halls, to read the book and imagine the person, to face that person directly as in a secret study talk, to be accustomed to pitting two books with opposing political views or different cultural traditions from history against each other, to see their relative strengths, to discern similarities and differences, and to single out a particular line, such as the circulation of silver down the mountain, tracing the entirety of a certain matter for hundreds, even thousands of years through seventy or eighty books…
Xie Gou grinned and said, “I heard that Madam Mountain Master ran away from home back then to meet our Mountain Master?”
Ning Yao nodded and said, “I passed through the Hanging Mountain, first went to the nearest Southern Po Suo Continent, traveled through the Central Earth Divine Continent and Northern Ju Lu Continent, and then went to Bottle Gourd Continent, entering the Li Zhu Cave Heaven.”
She pointed to the long scroll painting and smiled, “After looking at it for a long time, I naturally became more curious about the customs and human feelings in Haoran. When I was a child, I would stare at the changing scenery on the painting, the waxing and waning of the moon, and four words would always pop into my mind, ‘How is that possible?’ After meeting Die Zhang and the others, I often came here to enjoy the scenery with them.”
Xie Gou cautiously asked, “At the entrance of that small town, one outside the door and one inside, did you fall in love at first sight with our Mountain Master?”
Ning Yao blushed slightly and said vaguely, “He was thin and dark back then. Who would take a second look?”
Xie Gou was truly audacious and relentlessly pursued, “Since you didn’t fall in love at first sight, why did you like him, and when did you like him? There must be a reason, right? It’s easy to understand why the Mountain Master liked Madam Mountain Master. A bumpkin saw a pretty girl and couldn’t take his eyes off her the more he looked. But for Madam Mountain Master to like the Mountain Master, I just can’t figure it out.”
Xiao Mo deliberately frowned slightly, seemingly complaining about Xie Gou’s spoiling the mood, but in fact, he was also curious about this matter, otherwise, he would have already spoken to stop her.
Xie Gou lowered her voice and tentatively said, “Could it be true what the sword cultivators here say, that our Mountain Master cannot be judged by his appearance, and he was skilled in sweet talk and had many tricks when he was young, so good women fear persistent suitors?”
Ning Yao thought for a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed, “I was simple-minded.”
At this time, cooking smoke curled up in the city. Shops lined both sides of the street, cloth shops, grocery stores selling firewood, rice, oil, and salt, incense and candle shops, etc. Of course, the most numerous were large and small restaurants. Children with open-crotch pants were called home for dinner in groups by the loud voices of their elders. Women were nursing babies while watching their shops, turning sideways. The kites in the sky were also pulled back to the ground. Boys and girls of similar age walked casually on the street together. The boy applied what he had just learned, explaining the meaning of “three thousand li for distant relatives, five hundred years for close relatives.” The girl smiled with narrowed eyes; she didn’t know if she was listening.
Over the years, people have been continuously brought into Ascension City, and the permanent population has reached nearly 500,000. Without war, especially when everyone knows there won’t be war anymore, people’s spirits are better, and the atmosphere of Ascension City will be very different. Marriages and childbirth have become top priorities, and consequently, many new customs have emerged.
In the past, opening the gate to accept refugees from Fuyaozhou and Juluzhou was like throwing two stones into a pond for the vast territory of the Colorful World.
Today, half of the members of the Ascension City Patriarch Hall were absent. The reason they did not participate in the discussion was that they had opened up a northern route for escorting people.
According to intelligence reports, in the east, several large sects such as Baiyujing, Suichu Palace, and Xuandu Abbey had long been preparing to receive a large number of mortals entering the realm and had already built a considerable number of cross-continental ferries, but they were delayed by civil unrest.
A brand new world brings an unprecedented scene of the world, and people are much more valuable than immortal money.
Nowadays, in Ascension City, many businesses and trades are jobs and industries that were absolutely not seen in the Sword Qi Great Wall in the past.
The slight ripples in the Dao heart of cultivators are occasionally dotted with the livelihood of ordinary people’s three meals a day.
Ascension City began to build ancestral halls, compile family genealogies, purchase New Year’s goods, hold Lantern Festivals on the Lantern Festival, offer food to hungry ghosts on the Zhongyuan Festival, and treat the Winter Solstice like the New Year.
Chen Ping’an chose a relatively secluded route and saw a man sitting at his doorstep drinking in solitude. The house was not big, and he was an acquaintance. He exclaimed, “The sun is gone, why is Sword Immortal He still sunning his shell here like a soft-shelled turtle?”
The Middle Fifth Realm sword cultivator named He Shan, upon hearing the familiar voice and content, got up quickly, stretched his neck, his eyes shifting, and rubbed his hands, saying, “Second Shopkeeper has come to visit on his own initiative? Hey, what virtue and ability do I have? Eh, why are you empty-handed?”
Chen Ping’an walked over with a smile and put his arm around his neck, “Sword Immortal He, you have a good son. He’s definitely your biological son at first glance. I recognized him at the monument in the north. He speaks very nicely, just like you. He truly deserves to be from the same sect as Gu Jianlong.”
Thinking of Ah Liang, though not as handsome as jade, he was tall and strong. If you asked how tall, he would be ten feet tall when he jumped.
And then there was the Hidden Official, a natural talent with divine boxing skills. He was blocked by a female martial artist on the street, and guess what? He was knocked down with one punch!
He Shan patted the Second Shopkeeper’s arm and smiled, “Come and sit inside the house. My wife is a good cook. How about an early supper?”
Chen Ping’an let go and asked in a low voice, “What’s going on? Did you get caught red-handed messing around outside by your wife?”
He Shan rolled his eyes and said, “Don’t talk nonsense. If my wife hears it, she’ll really become suspicious. My appearance, Second Shopkeeper, you know. In the Sword Qi Great Wall back then, there weren’t many people who could beat me, only Wu Chengpei and Mi Xiuhua. It’s no wonder your wife has always been worried all these years.”
Chen Ping’an sat on the steps, and He Shan followed suit, “sitting down.” Chen Ping’an handed him a pot of wine. He Shan took a gulp and said, “Good wine!”
In fact, Chen Ping’an knew He Shan’s character. His wife was not a cultivator. For a Middle Fifth Realm sword cultivator like He Shan, ten years was nothing in the blink of an eye. Even after another thirty or forty years, He Shan would still look much the same as he did today, but his wife could deceive herself, while the mirror would not lie. Many local sword cultivators in the Sword Qi Great Wall in the past, as long as their partners were not sword cultivators, had a similar hurdle to overcome.
He Shan asked curiously, “Second Shopkeeper, where did you learn all those strange sayings?”
He Shan rubbed his chin and said, “Born with extraordinary talent, self-taught? Or influenced by your surroundings and learning by analogy?”
Chen Ping’an asked, “Are you going to take the exam?”
He Shan was puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Chen Ping’an was too lazy to explain. He chatted with him for a few words and then took his leave, saying to save that supper.
He Shan returned to the house and went to the kitchen. His wife was busy with dinner. She smelled the wine and frowned slightly, turning to ask, “Who were you drinking horse pee with outside again?”
He Shan smiled, “The Second Shopkeeper just happened to pass by. I said I had quit drinking, but he insisted on treating me, so I had to have a little drink with him.”
His wife was surprised and couldn’t help but complain a few times. She rubbed her hands and was about to rush out, but He Shan stopped her and said, “The Second Shopkeeper left long ago.”
His wife smoothed the hair at her temples and sighed, “Hidden Official Chen came to our doorstep. Why didn’t you invite him in for a meal and a good drink? It’s not like I would stop you. How much kindness do we owe him? We don’t know how to treat people at all. Not to mention the money we won by betting back then, which saved us a lot of trouble asking for favors for our son’s sword practice. Just talking about Wukui City, you? What can a measly Guan Hai Realm do?”
He Shan smiled and said, “I have a lot of prestige in Wukui City. Our son just doesn’t tell you, but he’s very happy in his heart.”
His wife rolled her eyes.
He Shan held back a smile and said, “Just as luck would have it, the Second Shopkeeper passed by the north earlier and saw our son. The two of them even chatted. So when I saw him today, the Second Shopkeeper immediately asked me if he was my biological son, saying he didn’t look like me, and also asked if your wife had some stories when she was young… You hear? It made me so angry. He still wants me to treat him to dinner? No way!”
His wife couldn’t help but laugh. Unconsciously, her eyebrows relaxed, and she said, “It seems you weren’t bragging. Hidden Official Chen really has a good relationship with you, that’s why he would say such nonsense to you. You’re no good either, turning around and selling out the Hidden Official.”
He Shan burst into laughter.
The custom of squatting by the roadside to drink, which has continued from the Sword Qi Great Wall to the present Ascension City, is all thanks to that wine shop.
Initially, the wine shop’s business was simply too good. The street was only so big, and putting too many tables blocked the way. The few alleys near the wine shop required taking a long detour, otherwise, they couldn’t possibly walk between two wine tables. Back then, Die Zhang discussed with Chen Ping’an. She felt that they should either open another wine shop or earn less money. No matter how patient the customers waiting for a table were, those who were drinking would also feel uncomfortable. In the long run, both those with seats and those without would not enjoy their drinks.
The Second Shopkeeper at that time was holding a wine bowl, standing at the door, and after a few shakes, he casually came up with a method.
Si Tu Jiyu from Flowing Haze Continent and Liu Xu, the young master of Mule Horse River, were the first to squat by the roadside to drink, and they began to say that the drinking atmosphere in the Haoran world was bad. No matter how they drank, it was always about cultivation realms, master-disciple relationships, surnames, identities, and money. It was truly meaningless.
Gradually, even if there were a few empty seats at the wine tables, they preferred to gather by the roadside. The higher the cultivation level of the local sword cultivators, the more they liked to squat by the roadside to drink. They left the benches and seats to those inexperienced youngsters, and of course, to the female sword cultivators who came in groups.
The wine shop was closed for the day, but the tables and chairs outside the door, and the couplets on the wall, were still there.
Chen Ping’an took out the key and opened the door. He leaned against the counter, looking at the no-incident牌 (pái, plaque) on the wall.
Chief Shopkeeper Die Zhang had not shown her face for a long time, and Deputy Shopkeeper Zheng Dafeng had also returned to Bottle Gourd Continent. In addition, there were many matters in Ascension City, with clear division of labor for everyone. As long as one was a sword cultivator, they almost had something to do. The wine shop’s business naturally wasn’t as good as before.
Moreover, in the past few years, when sword cultivators came here for a drink, it was like drinking a pot of wine called “tomorrow” in advance.
So their alcohol tolerance and drinking etiquette seemed very good.
Chen Ping’an took a wine bowl and sat by the table outside the door.
Sword cultivators from Sword Qi Great Wall did not have Dao names.
Only names and cultivation realms.
It seemed that their “names” were decided in their past lives, and their “cultivation realms” were the result of this life’s journey.
In addition, at most, they had nicknames. For example, Qi Tingji’s “Qi on the Road” and Mi Yu’s “Mi Intercepting Waist.”
Or certain “nicknames” or ways of referring to them, such as Dong Sangeng’s “Little Dong,” Chen Ping’an’s Second Shopkeeper, and Lu Zhi’s Alluring Beauty.
Sword cultivators kept arriving here from their homes or vassal cities with various reasons and excuses.
“Second Shopkeeper, kicked out again? Were you being clumsy? No matter, then I’ll drink my fill with you today using only thirty percent of my power.”
“Second Shopkeeper, recently I’ve fallen for a very beautiful girl. I’m saving up money for a wife. Let’s get this game going. Don’t delay my marrying her.”
“Oh my, how rare. Hidden Official Adult is personally hosting guests. I knew it! I shouldn’t have left Ascension City back then. Without me, the wine shop’s business can’t pick up… Hidden Official Adult, for today’s drink, please do me a favor and put it on tab.”
“Liu surnamed one, you’re a Golden Core Realm. Why are you snatching the table from a Dragon Gate Realm like me? Go squat by the roadside and drink.”
This was likely the first time Chen Ping’an had set foot on the land of Southern Po Suo Continent.
This was probably also the last time Qi Tingji participated in the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect Patriarch Hall discussion.
Chief Consort Lu Zhi, Chief Guest Elder Tuo Yan, and Shao Yunyan, who was in charge of both discipline and treasury,
Wu Manyan, He Qiushi, Huang Long, the three fellow disciples naturally walked together.
Among the Eighteen Sword Cultivators of the Sword Qi, only these three could temporarily participate in the Patriarch Hall discussion.
Shao Yunyan said telepathically with a smile, “A rare guest. What big business is the Hidden Official here to discuss this time? What’s the profit like?”
Tuo Yan felt a bit of anticipation. Doing business with the young Hidden Official was quite reassuring, a golden signboard that guarantees profit without loss.
Xie Gou lowered her head and grinned, good question! What’s the profit like? What’s there to talk about dividends?
Chen Ping’an looked a bit awkward, unable to answer for a moment, and just mumbled, “You’ll know later.”
Ning Yao had just been to the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect not long ago. Lu Zhi said telepathically with a smile, “My disciple heard that Chen Ping’an was here, so she found a clumsy excuse to hide in the Hanging Bow Blessed Land.”
Ning Yao said, “There’s no need to feel awkward about meeting. However, the Golden Wine Dharma Robe I gave her last time needs to be…”
Lu Zhi was puzzled, “Is there something special about it?”
Ning Yao nodded and said, “Yes, but it doesn’t matter. Let him solve it.”
Lu Zhi clicked her tongue repeatedly.
Among the Upper Fifth Realm consorts and guest elders who were mostly private swords, there was Ling Xun, from the Savage Demon Race, a Jade Pure Realm sword cultivator. She came here with her partner Guo Du. There was also Mei Kan’s disciple, Mei Dandang, also from the Savage World, but he was in the Immortal Realm.
They had already met Ning Yao, who had just reached the Fourteenth Realm, on the city wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall ruins.
Meeting Chen Ping’an was their first time.
However, their attention was more focused on the two “Wan”辈 (bèi, generation) ancient Daoists.
The sable-hatted girl and the young man holding a mountain-walking staff were of demon origin, but their hometown might not be the Savage World.
They entered the Patriarch Hall together. Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao, Xiao Mo and Xie Gou, temporarily sat on one side.
Qi Tingji’s opening remarks today were quite direct, “Everyone, I apologize. There’s no need to wait until the end of today’s discussion. From now on, Qi Tingji is no longer the Sect Master of Dragon Elephant Sword Sect.”
“The successor is Mountain Master Chen Ping’an from Luopo Mountain, our former Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall.”
“The Southern Po Suo Continent’s Dragon Elephant Sword Sect and the Tongye Continent’s Green Ping Sword Sect will temporarily be considered subsidiary sects of Luopo Mountain. Later, when another sect is established, Luopo Mountain will be the ancestral court, Green Ping Sword Sect will be promoted to the Upper Sect, and Dragon Elephant Sword Sect will be the orthodox sect.”
The hall was silent, with everyone looking at each other.
Qi Tingji stood up, carried his chair towards Chen Ping’an, and smiled, “If you have any objections, you can raise them directly with Mountain Master Chen. From now on, I will be observing.”
Chen Ping’an had no choice but to move himself and the chair to Qi Tingji’s previous position.
Images were hung in the Patriarch Hall. Chen Qingdu, Dragon Lord, Guan Zhao.
In the future, two more will be added, Qi Tingji, Chen Ping’an.
Unable to hold back after all, Zhusu was the first to speak. This female private sword laughed angrily, “Good on you, Qi Tingji, Great Sect Master Qi! You turned around and sold us all out? At what price, if you please tell us!”
Huang Ling took a big gulp of wine and clicked his tongue, “If we had known this earlier, why did we have to be the ungrateful villains?”
Since being scolded one by one by that old boatman last time, they were much more particular about their speech now.
Before, they had no concept of “speech techniques.” They had heard some stories about Chen Ping’an being in charge of the Summer Palace, but at that time, they didn’t take it seriously. It wasn’t until they experienced Gu Qingsong’s “natal divine ability” that they realized speaking was really similar to sword techniques, with a vast difference in realm.
Ling Xun and Mei Dandang, due to both being from the Savage World, felt naturally closer to the unfamiliar Bai Jing.
They heard that the unfamiliar person only reached the Fourteenth Realm after joining Luopo Mountain? Is it truly a treasure land that can help one merge with the Dao?
Bai Jing was also the Deputy Chief Consort of Luopo Mountain.
Xie Gou smiled at Ling Xun and said telepathically, “Isn’t this marrying into a family and following your husband wherever he goes?”
Ling Xun smiled and didn’t say anything.
Xiao Mo immediately corrected, “This is called husband and wife singing in harmony.”
Chen Ping’an did not sit down immediately. He stood in silence for a moment, then smiled and said, “I have a virtue, which is self-awareness. Therefore, I am very clear that the reason you haven’t fallen out with me on the spot or simply left is because Ning Yao is present. The reason you are all here is very simple, because of the words ‘Sword Qi Great Wall,’ and because you are nostalgic and loyal.”
Shao Yunyan nodded upon hearing this. This was called appealing to emotion.
Tuo Yan’s mood was incredibly complex. Alright, after all the twists and turns, she still ended up in the Hidden Official’s hands?
“Also, the two thugs I brought are also very important.”
“When I was young and walked the pugilistic world alone, I feared heaven, feared earth, feared ghosts and revered gods. What I feared most were the words ‘trouble’. I just took a trip to the south of the Colorful World. Besides Xiao Mo and Gouzi, two of my own consorts, I also had Old Sword Immortal Qi accompanying me. This kind of entourage and grandeur, to be honest, I can’t help but laugh when I think about it, and I can’t help but mutter to myself, I’ve made it, Chen Ping’an.”
Tuo Yan heard the meaning behind his words. It was explaining with reason.
“Dragon Elephant Sword Sect was established by Qi Tingji. A hundred or a thousand years from now, this will not change. In the future, whether it’s the mountain records or the sect genealogy, it will be clearly written that Qi Tingji is the founding ancestor, and Chen Ping’an is only the second-generation sect master. I can give you a promise now that everything in Dragon Elephant Sword Sect will remain as before. At least within sixty years, Luopo Mountain will not interfere in any of your affairs.”
“Even if you are dissatisfied at this moment, I hope you will not rush to leave. Watch for a few more years, and then decide whether to stay or go.”
Tuo Yan was also moved upon hearing this. The young Hidden Official was very sincere in treating people.
Gao Shuang and Huang Ling, the two Immortal Realm private swords from Sword Qi Great Wall, exchanged glances and both nodded.
Qi Tingji stood up and extended a hand, signaling the new sect master to sit down.
Chen Ping’an sat down with a smile.
Qi Tingji smiled and said, “As a half-outsider who hasn’t left the Patriarch Hall yet, I have something to ask.”
“I sincerely ask everyone to follow Hidden Official Chen on a trip to the Capital of Da Li in Bottle Gourd Continent.”
“Let the Haoran world see what is Sword Qi Great Wall, and what it means to have sword immortals like clouds.”