On Jise Peak of Luopo Mountain, a lazy man rose, donning his robe. Familiar with the routine, he plucked a toothpick from a bamboo tube on the table and placed it in his mouth. Stepping outside, the sky was a blaze of glory, the great sun having risen clear and high.

Someone was already waiting in the courtyard. Besides Zheng Dafeng and Wen Zaixi, who were teaching boxing on Tiaoyu Mountain, there was also a young Daoist priest with a wooden hairpin in his hair and a solemn-faced young boy in green. They were all waiting for Zhong Qian.

Zhong Qian’s gaze swept across their faces. He moved first, leading the way. This Golden Body Realm martial artist exuded a unique, silent aura, summed up in four words: “Follow the big brother!”

Wen Zaixi and the other meal companions silently followed the energetic, steady-footed, and more composed “big brother,” heading towards the old cook’s place. They vowed to eat their fill today and leave not a single scrap in the bowls and plates!

Since they had entered Luopo Mountain, they were provided with three meals a day. However, Zhong Qian’s high prestige stemmed from his ability to secure a daily midnight snack for everyone.

The group grew larger. Millet and the white-haired boy, who had just finished patrolling the mountain, also became the tail end of this group. Nuan Shu, who rose at dawn every day to sweep the courtyard, also finished her tasks and walked towards them.

Chen Lingjun quietly asked, “Compiler, what happened with those blinding sword lights that went to the Sword Worship Platform? Tell me about it. If they are powerful, I’ll go investigate.”

The white-haired boy said, “They seem to be Sword Immortals from the Sword Qi Great Wall. Before, they were with Old Sword Immortal Qi, and now they are with our Mountain Lord.”

Chen Lingjun suddenly understood, “Then they are family. The Mountain Lord is not on the mountain. After breakfast, I’ll go over there to host the distinguished guests.”

A large group of Sword Immortals, having attended the Dali celebration, temporarily stayed at the Sword Worship Platform.

Due to the heavenly anomaly that occurred in Dali’s capital, Xie Gou, Xiao Mo, and Ning Yao had all returned the way they came.

When they had temporarily learned that Chen Pingan had achieved Ascended status, the young Hidden Official had to cross two worlds. At that time, they were all somewhat unwilling to head directly to the Luopo Mountain territory.

What, go to the Pure Brightness Realm to enjoy the scenery of White Jade Capital? An unexpected delight, truly an unexpected delight. After attending the Dali celebration, was such a good thing waiting for them?!

Gao Shuang and his ilk, who loved to watch a good show, were eager to follow the young Hidden Official as guests to the Pure Brightness Realm. Would they go from watching a show to becoming the show in the eyes of others? Gao Shuang and his group of sword cultivators were afraid? For ten thousand years, in the dictionary of the Sword Qi Great Wall sword cultivators, there were “life” and “death,” “loss” and “win,” “glory” and “shame.” It seemed there really were no words like “fear” and “cowardice.”

Mei Dandang was even more spirited. As a native monster race of the Savage Desolation, since ancient times, one couldn’t say there hadn’t been great demons who secretly infiltrated the Pure Brightness, but it was truly unheard of for any monster race sword cultivator to openly set foot in the Pure Brightness Realm and approach the White Jade Capital standing in the center of the world. What if he could be the first person from the Savage Desolation?

Not to mention Lu Zhi’s eyes lighting up, even the astute Qi Tingji had the idea of an impromptu long journey.

It was Xie Gou who persuaded Xiao Mo and Ning Yao to stay, and then Ning Yao who persuaded the other sword cultivators.

Qi Tingji’s considerations were certainly the most long-term. If both Ning Yao and Xiao Mo, two Fourteenth Realm sword cultivators, had followed, they would have unhesitatingly journeyed to the Pure Brightness Realm on their swords together, without even needing Chen Pingan to say anything. If a major fight broke out with White Jade Capital at that time, completely tearing off the facade, it would mean that several sects, including Luopo Mountain, and even the entire Dali Dynasty, would from that moment onwards be considered to have clashed with White Jade Capital. If this were the case, the choice of the Ascended City in the Five Colors Realm would be even clearer! Once the sword cultivators of the Ascended City chose to make the first move, the fate of the White Jade Capital forces in the Five Colors Realm was imaginable. These Dao officials would either completely abandon their territory and urgently find a way back to White Jade Capital in the Pure Brightness Realm, or not a single Dao official would be able to leave. With the Sui Chu Palace, Xuandu Temple, Dipu Mountain, and a host of other top Daoist sects surrounding them, eyeing them like tigers, could the title of a minor disciple of a Dao Ancestor from Daoshi Shanqing really bear the brunt?

It was as if Chen Pingan had thrown a huge problem at White Jade Capital: can you bear it?! If you can’t, then nobody is scaring anybody, let’s fight.

Qi Tingji suddenly sent a distant message to Ning Yao, who was already in the capital, through heart-to-heart communication, “If a fight breaks out over at White Jade Capital, it’s simple. You and Xiao Mo lead the way, and we’ll follow. We’ll all fight without restraint and cause a big ruckus in White Jade Capital.”

“But if there is no fight and the Hidden Official and Xie Gou return safely, remember to remind him to be mindful of the hidden lines on White Jade Capital’s side. People like Jiang and Pang are by no means arrogant or easily subdued. Perhaps when the Pearl Cave Heaven shattered and fell to the ground, they had already seized the opportunity to lay the groundwork in the Baoping Continent. For example, I have always suspected that Huang Zhen’s rise was being manipulated from behind the scenes. Just the appearance of the Yin-Yang Fish descendant, and it just so happened to fall into Huang Zhen’s hands. This kind of opportunity, Huang Zhen’s偶然 (accidental chance), might be someone’s必然 (inevitable outcome).”

“In any case, before I go to the Savage Desolation, a few of us should meet privately and discuss whether we can find one or two dangerous undercurrents. Even if we can’t find any clues for the time being, we should be prepared to guard against them.”

At that time, Ning Yao was strolling on the streets of Dali’s capital. Hearing Qi Tingji’s reminder, she immediately agreed.

The Sword Worship Platform consisted of thatched huts, appearing somewhat simple. Before coming to Luopo Mountain, the unofficial sword cultivators were inevitably concerned about whether the children’s sword cultivation grounds would be too full of Immortal aura, with exquisite buildings, carved beams and painted pillars, living in luxury far exceeding human kings. They worried that the children were too young and would forget their homeland after a few years in a foreign land, and that their desire to compete for external possessions would outweigh their pure drive to refine their swords. However, when they saw this scene, with rows of thatched huts, a few small bamboo chairs placed under the eaves, a section of a dead old pine trunk used as a long bench, and only stone tables and benches in the open space… they felt a pang of heartache.

Their homeland, the homeland of these elders, saw the sun rise high above the city walls, with a vast sea of white clouds below their feet.

Here and now, the sun was warm and the ground was soft. Not far away, a stream gurgled, and green mountains and thatched huts were nestled among the white clouds.

They looked for a long time, and it seemed okay.

Then they saw a child holding a purple clay pot, standing by the stone table, staring blankly at them.

The child rubbed his eyes, unable to believe it. How did Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi both come?

If you added Old Deafie, who was currently teaching classes at Tiaoyu Mountain, there would be three of the top ten sword immortals from the city wall back in the day!

Zhu Su smiled and asked, “What’s your name?”

The child was not shy at all. He took a sip of tea, smacked his lips, and said in an old-fashioned manner, “Bai Xuan, the ‘Bai’ from Bai Ye, and the ‘Xuan’ from Yu Xuan. What about you, Elder Sister?”

Zhu Su said, “The ‘Zhu’ from bamboo, and the ‘Su’ from plain. My name is Zhu Su.”

Bai Xuan directly asked a question that brought up a sensitive topic, “Then what’s your relationship with that traitor Zhu’an?”

Zhu Su said, “Relative.”

Bai Xuan nodded, “Misfortune for the family.”

Zhu Su was momentarily speechless.

Gao Shuang, Huang Ling, and a few other sword cultivators almost burst out laughing. Having listened to this conversation, they felt that this kid Bai Xuan was quite similar to them; they were all good material for being single.

Zhu Su was not angry. She asked curiously, “After coming here, who did you acknowledge as your master?”

Bai Xuan said, “I already have a master, so I didn’t take another one. Mi Xiuhua and Cui Paishi have been eyeing me for a long time, but unfortunately, they are not destined to be my masters.”

In giving nicknames, Bai Xuan was extremely talented, no less skilled than Master Cao in naming.

Mi Yu glared, “Brat, give Comptroller Cui a different nickname.”

Bai Xuan slowly said, “Okay, okay, okay. Cui Dandai (Cui Bold) , how’s that?”

Mi Yu was furious. This new nickname was even worse than Cui Paishi (Cui Fearful). It was truly stabbing a sword into Cui Wei’s heart.

Only to hear the Sect Master Cui of the Green Plover Sword Sect let out a surprised sound. Bai Xuan immediately spoke, “Everyone has their own aspirations, no need to force it. Comptroller Cui is currently assisting Sect Master Cui in the subordinate sect… Oh dear, I just realized you’re both named Cui. You’re actually from the same family! Good, what a coincidence, excellent. It seems Comptroller Cui will definitely have many opportunities to achieve great things in the future. I believe that one day…”

Cui Dongshan grabbed Bai Xuan’s ear and pulled it up. Bai Xuan tilted his head, stood on his tiptoes, and shouted, “It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Sect Master Cui, there are so many people here, give me some face.”

Zhu Su had carefully observed the entire panorama of the western mountains while riding her sword earlier. In the Dali Imperial Palace, she had to make way for the Hidden Official’s grand Dao, so Zhu Su had to choose a location for her secluded cultivation retreat. Whether she could break through would depend on this. After much thought, there seemed to be a lake that had no cultivation ground or immortal mansion established, which looked quite pleasing to the eye. Why not build a thatched hut there?

Zhu Su asked, “What kind of tea?”

Bai Xuan said, “Goji berry tea.”

Zhu Su mistakenly thought she had misheard, “What?”

Bai Xuan rubbed his ear, raised a finger, and drew two characters in the air: “Gou Qi” (Goji berry).

Zhu Su was a sword cultivator, and a woman. Her deliberate chat with Bai Xuan had some subtle intentions. The children’s eyes and aura would speak, and they were the hardest to deceive.

At the entrance of a thatched hut, a flat-faced little girl with lifeless eyes stood still. She was not good at interacting with people and disliked overly lively scenes. She hesitated to speak several times. Finally, she couldn’t help but ask Lu Zhi with heart-to-heart communication, “Lu Zhi, didn’t the Mountain Lord’s wife come along?”

In the Sword Qi Great Wall, where Daoist titles were not popular, it was always correct to call sword cultivators by their names. Calling them “Sword Immortal” could easily lead to a conflict.

Lu Zhi smiled and said, “The Hidden Official has achieved Ascended status in Dali’s capital and is also going to the Pure Brightness Realm. Your master was worried and returned to the capital.”

Ning Yao had entrusted her to take care of Sun Chunwang at the Dragon Tablet in the Imperial Palace earlier. Lu Zhi personally saw this little girl and truly liked her.

Sun Chunwang shook her head, “The Mountain Lord’s wife is not yet my master. She thinks my talent is a bit lacking, my character is not firm enough, and my understanding of the sword Dao is still too shallow and superficial.”

Lu Zhi couldn’t help but laugh, “Did Ning Yao tell you this herself?”

Sun Chunwang still shook her head, “The Mountain Lord’s wife didn’t say these things, but I saw these facts in her eyes.”

Lu Zhi said, “Comparing your talent with Ning Yao is seeking hardship. Why don’t you compare your 厚脸皮 (thick skin) with the Hidden Official?”

Sun Chunwang said, “Master Cao’s skin is not thick. Back then, on a small boat on the sea, Master Cao squatted at the stern, with his back to us. He could even eat a bowl of rice with tears.”

Lu Zhi was puzzled, “Master Cao?”

Sun Chunwang explained, “Master Cao Mo, the alias of His Excellency the Hidden Official in the jianghu.”

Using an alias, covering one’s face, regressing in realm, pretending to be a grandson to become a grandfather, being ruthless in a real fight, swift with the sword, able to take a beating and also escape… These were all said to be Master Cao’s un传之秘 (untransmitted secrets) for traversing the jianghu.

The more Lu Zhi looked at Sun Chunwang, the more she liked her. The little girl’s eyes were indifferent, her tone was calm, her face was expressionless, and her state of mind was peaceful. Everything seemed cool and detached, quite like herself.

Lu Zhi joked, “Why don’t you take me as your master? Ning Yao will eventually return to the Five Colors Realm. That’s several decades of time. Although my realm is not as high as Ning Yao’s, my ability to teach disciples swordsmanship is not necessarily worse than hers.”

Sun Chunwang shook her head, “Lu Zhi has no worries in her heart. She seeks death to achieve inscription. The Mountain Lord’s wife has Master Cao in her heart, so she has always wanted to live and become stronger. I am timid, afraid of pain, hardship, and especially death, so I want to learn swordsmanship from Ning Yao. If I acknowledge you as my master, my swordsmanship will definitely improve quickly, but I am afraid I won’t live long unless I don’t travel outside unless I am a Sword Immortal. But hiding in the mountains for a long time like this is boring. A sword heart cannot be confined by mountain waterways and cultivation grounds.”

Lu Zhi was surprised, “Who told you these things?”

Sun Chunwang said, “I figured it out myself by thinking idly. Besides practicing swordsmanship, I also read books. Because Master Cao always said that the best thing in the world, spending the least amount of money and making the most money, is reading. I’m not very interested in making money, but not taking advantage of a good deal is foolish.”

Lu Zhi nodded. The little girl was really to her liking. Before taking disciples, Lu Zhi had no thought of being anyone’s master. After having a founding disciple, did everyone she met seem like a potential direct disciple?

Sun Chunwang looked at the unfamiliar sword cultivators from her hometown. When they arrived here, they began to whisper and look around… Suddenly, an inexplicable fire rose in the little girl’s heart.

Earlier, she had heard Chen Lingjun and Bai Xuan chatting and joking, and they had mentioned a group of unofficial sword cultivators who chose the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect in the Southern娑婆 Continent and were unwilling to go to the Green Plover Sword Sect. She had always just listened and not spoken. Bai Xuan had sided with Master Cao back then, and Chen Lingjun was indifferent to this, even trying to persuade Bai Xuan. At that time, Sun Chunwang hadn’t echoed anything. Good, now they had come to their doorstep. What were they doing, trying to put on airs with Master Cao? Or were they afraid that Master Cao wasn’t paying enough attention to them, and having found a loophole, they wanted to criticize Master Cao?

Sun Chunwang took a few steps forward, her eyes sharp and cold, “We are all doing very well, you don’t need to worry about us. Guests are just guests.”

“We just happened to be born in the Sword Qi Great Wall. Other than that, we have no relation. With Master Cao taking care of us, you can rest assured if you want to, and if you don’t want to, then just bottle it up.”

“Master Cao has a good temper, perhaps he won’t be angry no matter what you say. But I would advise you not to come here to the Sword Worship Platform and complain. If we hear it, I’m sorry, we won’t appreciate it.”

Hearing this, Bai Xuan sucked in a cold breath. How did the dead fish eyes say everything that was on her mind? She was usually a闷葫芦 (silent person), but she didn’t hesitate at the critical moment. He gave a thumbs-up.

The little girl’s face flushed red. Was it amazing to be from the homeland? Everyone in the world has a place of origin and a hometown. Master Cao is our family! It’s not your turn to criticize him!

Others thought that Master Cao’s becoming the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall was a great achievement, and any sacrifice was worth it. How could you, how could you?

When you arrived in the Hao Ran world, how could you not come and see Master Cao sooner? Even if you had explicitly said that you wouldn’t join Luopo Mountain or the Green Plover Sword Sect’s register, wasn’t it difficult just to say a word of hardship to Master Cao?

It was Master Cao who took them across the sea in a boat, boarded that immortal ferry with them, and landed on Tongye Island together.

During the journey through the mountains and waters of a foreign land, when they were occasionally bored, he would suggest playing the game of eagle catching chicks together. When the man played the role of the mother hen protecting the chicks, he always appeared so flustered. When he played the role of the eagle, it always took him a long time to catch anyone. Sun Chunwang disliked chatting with people the most, thinking that the most awkward thing in the world was making conversation when there was nothing to talk about. Master Cao always found opportunities to talk to them, so she often wondered why a grown man, who was not yet married or had children, could have such good patience.

Sun Chunwang took a deep breath and instantly calmed her mind. The surging lake of her heart became still and mirror-like in an instant, “From now on, we will each refine our swords!”

You are seniors, older in age, and higher in realm. Then let’s see how our respective realms and swordsmanship compare in one or two hundred years.

Bai Xuan picked up the teapot, “I’ll drink one to show my agreement.”

Gao Shuang, Jin Gao, and the rest of the unofficial sword cultivators were in a complicated mood. They felt like they had been lectured by the little girl and didn’t know how to refute.

Qi Tingji smiled, “My fault.”

Sun Chunwang snorted.

Cui Dongshan said with a grin, “Sun Chunwang, Old Sword Immortal Qi’s entire Dragon Elephant Sword Sect now belongs to our Luopo Mountain! The people standing here today at the Sword Worship Platform are all family!”

Sun Chunwang was stunned. Bai Xuan, who had just taken a large gulp of tea, choked and coughed incessantly. But Sun Chunwang didn’t regret it. She went straight back to her thatched hut and began to refine her sword.

The door of the thatched hut was not closed. Bai Xuan stood at the entrance. He didn’t call her by her nickname, but spoke with heart-to-heart communication, “Sun Chunwang, I think what you said today was really cool. You’ve become prettier.”

Sun Chunwang said angrily, “You pervert.”

Bai Xuan felt wronged. A hero might lose in battle but not in spirit. He gave up and went along with her topic, “Hey, from now on I’ll call you Sun媳妇 (Sun Wife), wife, haha.”

Cui Dongshan grabbed the back of this silly kid’s collar and dragged him back, laughing and scolding, “Little brat, don’t get beaten a hundred times just for a joke.”

Shielding his mouth with one hand, the big white goose said to the person inside the hut, “Sun Chunwang, Bai Xuan really likes you. Think about it, why does he always deliberately target you? Isn’t it because he wants to talk to you more?”

Bai Xuan saw that Sun Chunwang showed signs of drawing her sword to cut someone. He immediately closed his eyes, tilted his head, and pretended to be dead. That’s it, that’s it. Big Daddy Bai’s reputation for a lifetime was ruined.

Ling Xun softly sighed, “Only now do I realize how good His Excellency the Hidden Official is at taking care of children.”

Guo Du smiled and said, “That’s a good thing. If we have children in the future, we can acknowledge the Hidden Official as our teacher and become his private disciples?”

Ling Xun’s face flushed slightly, and she gently pinched his arm.

Old Deafie learned that Qi Tingji and the others had arrived. In class, he let those barely passable cultivation embryos refine their Qi on their own and quickly rushed to the Sword Worship Platform on the wind.

Bai Xuan, Sun Chunwang, and the others were too young to recognize the unofficial sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall, but Old Deafie was familiar with them. Even if they hadn’t chatted, they had met several times.

Old Deafie cupped his hands and exchanged polite greetings with them, using somewhat affected but pleasant-sounding language. The sword cultivators were puzzled. When did Old Deafie become so talkative?

Could it be that Luopo Mountain was not only a place for cultivation but also taught people how to talk?

Gan Yiban, the revered Gan, who had repeatedly claimed to be unsuited to the environment of Luopo Mountain and its sect’s ways when he was with his disciple Youyu, now felt that he had grasped some tricks.

Guo Du had not yet seen the figure of the sable hat girl and was worried about the young Hidden Official’s situation in the Pure Brightness Realm. He was also quite anxious, simply because Bai Jing had asked Ling Xun to visit her once she arrived at Luopo Mountain.

Ling Xun felt her Dao companion’s state of mind and asked with heart-to-heart communication, “Can I not see her?”

Guo Du chuckled angrily and said, “It’s nothing to be afraid of Sword Cultivator Bai Jing, I am afraid too, but what’s there to be afraid of Assistant Xie Gou? The marvel of creation, the matter of opportunity, if you don’t take what Heaven gives, you will suffer from it. Don’t hide!”

Ling Xun said, “Your fear is different from mine. You don’t know certain rumors. Even the great demons in the Savage Desolation who specialize in chewing on cultivators’ true bodies as Dao nourishment seem to want to light an incense stick whenever her name is mentioned. Before I met you, I once encountered an Immortal Realm demon who was cruel and violent, but claimed that he had only learned some superficial knowledge from that senior Bai Jing and had luckily obtained a partial scripture. If he had the chance to be personally taught, he would have been in the Ascended Realm long ago.”

The name of a person casts a shadow.

Ordinary cultivators in the Savage Desolation no longer had the chance to come into contact with some of the prominent names and Daoist titles from ancient history. Only those with good Dao traditions, high-level sect elders, or strong personal cultivation, and extensive knowledge had the opportunity to learn about those unknown secrets. Moreover, many of these stories were passed down by word of mouth, and the truth was not guaranteed. The ancient great demons awakened by Old Master Baize were actually not very familiar to the Savage Desolation when they first appeared, or even completely unaware of them. For example, Xiao Mo’s reputation was not very big because the few Daoist lineages he had passed down in the Savage Desolation in his early years had almost all withered.

But Bai Jing was different. The reason was simple: her name was infamous. In ancient times, every transfer of her Daoist title was a thrilling story.

Even if she wasn’t the founder of later wild cultivation, she should be one of the patriarchs.

Fierce aura, overwhelming strength, insidious methods, coupled with extremely high talent and rapid realm advancement, meant that most of the Dao lineages of the ancient Daoists she targeted were completely severed with the change of Daoist titles. However, some Dao lineages that were already quite flourishing and widely spread back then did not disperse completely due to the demise of an old patriarch’s Daoist title. Thus, the stories about “Bai Jing” were passed down from generation to generation, becoming more and more… bizarre.

Imagine a mortal scholar walking alone in the dark, misty wilderness at night. Suddenly, the mist clears, and he encounters a colossal creature like a mountain. What would he feel upon meeting its gaze?

That was a suffocating sense of oppression, which Hao Ran cultivators rarely encountered, but almost all Savage Desolation demons had experienced it firsthand.

Seeing that she was still hesitant, Guo Du had to say, “Even if you don’t trust Bai Jing, you should at least trust the Hidden Official.”

Ling Xun then nodded.

Mei Kan reminded him with heart-to-heart communication, “What are you waiting for? Offer to help Zhu Su guard her retreat.”

Mei Dandang said helplessly, “What kind of place is Luopo Mountain? What kind of guard does it need? Besides, it’s a foregone conclusion that Zhu Su will successfully break through.”

Mei Kan was even more helpless, “An un悟 (unenlightened) blockhead.”

Mei Dandang was the most helpless.

In fact, Mei Dandang also knew that many sword cultivators thought his master was a woman whose shrewdness was written all over her face. But to Mei Dandang, what did it matter?

He had already gotten a “定心丸” (reassurance) from the young Hidden Official, allowing him to switch to Master Xiao Mo. After that, he and his master Mei Kan would be… Dao friends.

A young boy in green, controlling a white cloud with his innate water technique, hurriedly went to the Sword Worship Platform. Seeing the misty phenomenon caused by the magnificent sword intent from afar, he quickly turned back and returned.

Dali’s capital was bustling with people. On the crowded streets, Chen Pingan saw no one else in his eyes.

He smiled and took the candied hawthorn from Ning Yao’s hand, walking side by side with her.

Xiao Mo had long since tactfully slowed down and followed them from a distance.

Ning Yao mentioned Qi Tingji’s reminder. Chen Pingan nodded and said, “That makes a lot of sense.”

Ning Yao asked, “Your method of ascension, your path of merging with the Dao, seems to have no experience to draw upon. Aren’t you going back to Fuyao Peak to go into seclusion for a while to stabilize your realm?”

Chen Pingan chewed a candied hawthorn, saying indistinctly, “I definitely need a period of secluded cultivation that is not short and cannot be interrupted, but I really can’t get away for the time being. It’s not like being on Luopo Mountain, where I can be a hands-off manager with a clear conscience. How many officials in the Dali Dynasty are staring at me right now? I just showed up after attending the celebration, I can’t just disappear from the morning court the next day.”

Ning Yao said, “That’s true.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “Besides, in a few days is the wedding of Liu Xianyang and She Yue. We are both going to be bridesmaids and groomsmen. After all this is done, I’ll go into serious seclusion.”

Ning Yao asked, “How exactly is the calculation of 天时地利人和 (favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony) done?”

She was certain that Chen Pingan had not merged with the Dao of geographical advantage alone.

Chen Pingan thought for a moment and said, “It can barely be considered a combination of favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony.”

Ning Yao frowned slightly.

If favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony were all intertwined in the Ascension map of a person in the Dali Dynasty, it would be much harder to extricate oneself in the future than for Chen Pingan to go into seclusion on Luopo Mountain now.

If the national destiny of Dali continued to rise, and Chen Pingan later resigned as the National Preceptor, it would be considered in line with the Dao of “功遂身退” (achieving success and then retiring), belonging to a good separation after achieving perfection.

However, if the national power of Dali declined while under Chen Pingan’s leadership, then Chen Pingan’s future Ascended Realm would inevitably be greatly affected. If Chen Pingan had already entered the Fourteenth Realm at that time, it would be alright; the loss of Dao power and cultivation might not cause him to regress in realm. If he remained stagnant in the Ascended Realm, no matter if he was at the peak of the Ascended Realm, or even just half a step away from the Fourteenth Realm, he would have a lot of suffering to endure.

Ning Yao didn’t know what she could do to help him. She had finished the candied hawthorn. Holding the bamboo skewer with two fingers, she idly swayed it.

Chen Pingan gnawed on a candied hawthorn, chewing it slowly, and said slowly, “There’s nothing I can do. Before, I weighed the pros and cons and finally came to a conclusion: since I am destined to be unable to become a truly pure sword cultivator, being extremely impure is also the only option that is closest to the word ‘pure’?”

Chen Pingan smiled and said, “I’m not in a hurry, and you don’t have to worry. The reason is simple: I am still young.”

The three words “still young” represented the greatest hope.

For some reason, Ning Yao lightly poked his shoulder with the bamboo skewer. Seeing him turn his head with a smile, she felt childish and was about to throw away the bamboo skewer.

Chen Pingan, with a candied hawthorn in his mouth, snatched the bamboo skewer from her hand, held it up high, and pretended to be surprised, “Miss, are you looking for marriage? Eh, a bad omen?”

Ning Yao deliberately ignored the bad omen. With her hands clasped behind her back, fingers intertwined, she said, “Pretending to be a Daoist priest, setting up a fortune-telling stall to cheat people out of money, you’re addicted.”

Chen Pingan quickly ate the last candied hawthorn, then picked up his own bamboo skewer and looked closely, “Eh, how is my draw an auspicious omen?!”

He put both bamboo skewers into his sleeve, quickened his pace, walked in front of Ning Yao, turned around and walked backward, smiling, “Miss Ning, you need to think carefully whether you want to be together with that Mr. Chen forever and grow old together.”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and said, “Smooth talker.”

A man nearby mistakenly thought Chen Pingan was a hooligan harassing a beautiful woman. Just as he was about to ask, “Miss, do you need my help to teach this rogue a lesson?”

He was circled by Xiao Mo’s arm and dragged to a nearby alley for a talk.

Ning Yao looked at that face. The straw sandal boy with dark skin once had a pair of very bright and clear eyes.

He thought.

Ning Yao meeting Chen Pingan was a bad omen. Chen Pingan meeting Ning Yao was an auspicious omen.

But she felt.

It wasn’t like that. In fact, it was just the opposite.

If she hadn’t met him, he definitely wouldn’t have lived his life in such turmoil and hardship for so many years. The higher his realm, the heavier the invisible basket he carried, and it seemed it would always be this way.

Ning Yao stood in place, her eyes red-rimmed.

Chen Pingan clearly didn’t expect Ning Yao to react like this. He quickly stopped, feeling a little flustered, and scratched his head. His eyes were full of guilt.

Ning Yao quickly walked forward, turned around, and linked her arm with his, leaning against him, and walked back the way they came.

“Chen Pingan, even if it makes you very tired, you must always like Ning Yao.”

“First, I shouldn’t have made you cry. Second, it’s wrong for Ning Yao to think that way. Finally, Chen Pingan loves Ning Yao for ten thousand years!”

In a nearby alley, two heads, one tall and one short, simultaneously peeked out. One wore a yellow hat and the other a sable hat.

Xie Gou muttered, “Ho, I’m finally sure. The Mountain Lord’s wife isn’t simple-minded. Back then, she was clearly fooled by the Mountain Lord’s sweet talk.”

Xiao Mo, for once, didn’t side with his Young Master. He nodded and let out an “嗯” (mm).

One Luopo Mountain now had two sword Dao sects in two continents. It was hard to say when the third subordinate sect would appear.

In the mountain, there were old monsters with tens of thousands of years of Dao age, like Xiao Mo and Xie Gou, and there were also little monsters like Chai Wu.

The sword cultivation talents of Bai Xuan and Sun Chunwang were actually quite good, but they were overshadowed by Chai Wu’s overly dazzling brilliance.

At the peak of Jise Peak, one could see very far on a clear day.

Instead of going to the Sword Worship Platform, Pei Qian brought Chai Wu here to drink. They sat together on the railing and indeed had a lot to talk about. Among the four figures in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land painting, Pei Qian had the best relationship with Wei Xian when she was young. Of course, Wei Xian was also the most agreeable to Pei Qian. Whenever he had free time, he would take Pei Qian to wander around the streets, eating delicious food and drinking spicy drinks. The little black charcoal’s thoughts were always wild and imaginative, while Wei Xian’s words were always like clods of earth. The big one and the small one, however, found each other agreeable.

Pei Qian smiled and asked, “Do you have any worries, like whether you’ll get along with Sun Chunwang, Bai Xuan, and the others?”

Chai Wu shook her head, “I only worry that my realm is just a facade, and I’m afraid that if I go outside and meet a Earth Immortal who is not a sword cultivator, I’ll be badly beaten.”

Pei Qian nodded, “You need to find a suitable senior to practice with.”

Pei Qian held a bowl in one hand and shook the wine gourd she had privately kept for many years in the other. She asked, “Do you know why my master tried to transmit the Dao to you several times?”

Chai Wu looked a little confused. The little girl had never thought about this question.

Pei Qian said, “Although my master likes to say that he has a bad habit of being a good teacher, in fact, when it comes to transmitting the Dao, teaching lessons, and resolving doubts, my master has always been extremely careful, never forcing himself or demanding of others.”

Chai Wu thought for a moment, “I know the answer.”

Pei Qian rubbed her head and said softly, “It seems we are all very similar.”

Chai Wu’s eyes turned red, she sniffled, and tilted her head back, draining the bowl.

Childhood is our shadow. It follows closely in a low place for a long time. Occasionally, turning around and looking back at life, we will see it, silent, watching us, who cannot be ourselves.

Zhu Lian arrived here at some point, leaning against the railing. Next to him stood Zhong Yiban, who was holding a toothpick in his mouth.

After eating a hearty breakfast earlier, the old cook said he wanted to talk to Zhong Qian outside alone for a few words. At that time, Zheng Dafeng and the others felt a murderous aura and wanted to escort Zhong Yiban.

Zhong Qian, however, waved his hand, signaling them not to panic, it was a small matter. He had sparred with that fellow surnamed Jiang. What kind of storm hadn’t he seen? The tradition of having a midnight snack in Luopo Mountain must continue, even if the Heavenly King Laozi came. Stepping out of the courtyard, he followed behind Zhu Lian, turning into the divine road steps, climbing the mountain together in silence. The old cook wore cloth shoes and had his hands clasped behind his back, remaining silent throughout. Zhong Qian finally couldn’t help but speak first, saying that it was alright for the old cook to beat him up, he would never fight back, but the midnight snack must still be available in the future, and when hitting, don’t hit the face… Hearing Zhong Qian’s increasingly guilty rambling, Zhu Lian finally smiled and told Zhong Qian to look after them during their journey, not talking about responsibility or conscience, just as a favor for a few midnight snacks.

At that time, Zhong Qian was stunned. Afterwards, this martial artist who was called a sissy in his hometown, neither made a firm promise nor beat his chest with heroic words. He only said that when they returned to the mountain in the future, the old cook must prepare several jars of good wine for him. If he, Zhong Qian, couldn’t drink it, it would be left for Jing Qing and the others. Zhu Lian waved his hand, telling him to say fewer unlucky words.

Upon reaching the mountaintop, he happened to overhear Pei Qian’s question. Zhong Qian gathered his voice into a thread and whispered, “Old cook, is it because our Mountain Lord has a unique eye and saw early on that Chai Wu was a promising talent, so he developed a love for talent?”

Zhu Lian smiled and said, “Then are you a promising talent?”

Zhong Qian said, “Definitely not.”

Zhu Lian said, “You can be.”

Zhong Qian was silent for a moment and said, “Old cook, I don’t know how I got to where I am today, and I dare not let others have expectations of me. So what they say is right, I’m just a sissy.”

Zhu Lian walked ahead, shaking his head, and smiled, “Sissy? What the hell do you know about sissies? Those who fawn and bow down and speak softly to power, who only make things difficult for the weaker for a lifetime, are sissies. Zhong Qian, ask yourself, you have the nerve to call yourself a sissy, are you worthy?”

Zhong Qian rubbed his chin, “Old cook, how do you manage to curse people while praising them? Teach me.”

Not long ago, he had heard a literary term from a junior from his hometown named Yuan Huang.

The inspiration of talent is like orioles and sparrows dancing on branches, like wild geese stepping on snow. The accumulation of knowledge is like the migration of migratory birds, like the confluence of rivers.

Zhong Qian felt that Zhu Lian was worthy of this evaluation. However, back when the old cook was young, he was truly as handsome as rumored. Perhaps it didn’t matter what his talent and literature were like?

That face of his was the best love letter, wasn’t it?

Damn it, it was really irritating, the more he thought about it, the more irritating it became.

Zhu Lian said to himself, “Those who strive forcefully have aspirations. This is a very powerful statement. Only when a person has aspirations and perseverance can they achieve earth-shaking and generous accomplishments.”

“Some people do not resent the world’s cruelty and injustice towards them for a long time. On the contrary, when they grow up, they will give more and greater kindness and gentleness to others.”

“They have a common name called ‘good people’. Of course, others will also call them ‘fools’.”

Zhong Qian looked at the thin, hunched old man walking ahead. He hesitated for a moment and asked, “Old cook, are the stories about you back home, those mysterious ones, all true?”

Zhu Lian smiled, “Moon in the water, flowers in the mist, ephemeral affairs, a boat in the sea of bitterness, a pitiful person drifting freely, what is true and what is false?”

Zhong Qian said, “Old cook, you know I don’t read much. When you start talking in literary terms, I’m lost.”

Zhu Lian said, “Food is the heaven of the people. Knowing that the midnight snack, which rewards the five internal organs, is real is enough.”

They walked over to where Pei Qian and the others were. Zhong Qian, still with a toothpick in his mouth, leaned on the railing and looked into the distance. He didn’t throw away the toothpick but put it into his sleeve.

An idea suddenly came to Zhong Qian.

Having this mountain in the human world was truly an auspicious omen.

Pei Qian turned her head and asked, “Old cook, don’t you want to go out and travel with Millet and the others?”

Zhu Lian smiled, “I have a method of ‘臥游’ (lying and traveling). My feet are planted, and I look at the human world.”

Pei Qian said in a huff, “Sourer than pickled vegetables.”

The old cook slapped his thigh and happily trotted down the mountain. He had to quickly go to the backyard to check the quality of those pickled vegetable jars.

Daoist Immortal Wei gently patted his stomach, let out a few burps, and walked down the mountain alone.

Regarding whether Brother Zhong would be cursed or beaten by the old cook, whether he would be bruised and limping, and whether there would be a midnight snack from today onwards… Zheng Dafeng, Wen Zaixi, and the others had their bets. Immortal Wei took out a few pieces of broken silver from his sleeve, held them loosely in his cupped hands, shook them vigorously, muttering that small gambling was good for entertainment, and finally placed his bet with them.

The wind rose outside Luopo Mountain, passing by the winding river like a thread, the green mountains like mounds from afar, blowing over layers of fields, stirring the feathers of birds, and coming to this mountain as a guest. The clear breeze flowed from the mountain gate to the mountaintop, carrying a scent of wild flowers and trees.

A young Daoist priest wearing a green Daoist robe walked against the wind, descending the steps, his sleeves fluttering like auspicious clouds.

The young Daoist priest stopped, extended a finger, and gently adjusted the wooden hairpin in his hair bun.

In the entire human world, countless green mountains seemed to flicker and sway as if in a mirage, following the adjusted wooden hairpin, about to return to their proper positions along with the earth.