The tapestry of existence is a grand feast, where souls gather and depart in an unending cycle. Some sup on delicacies, while others gnaw on bones of hardship. Some, sated, linger at the table, while others watch with hungry eyes. A few are denied even a stool, forced to stand, bowl in hand, as they partake. Some clutch empty bowls, their hunger a constant companion, while others find their small bowls miraculously refilled. On this cosmic table, lives are dramas: grand entrances, eloquent monologues, poignant exits, some choking with surfeit, others starving, some collapsing in drunken stupor, others vanishing without a word.

Having bid farewell to the insufferable Chunchu Taoist and his acolyte Huangshang, Liang Shuang left the manor, restoring its serene quietude, inhabited only by the ancient friendship of Gao Mian and Liu Laocheng.

For while a commoner at the tavern table is tolerable, the intrusion of an outsider is not.

Unburdened by the presence of others, Gao Mian spoke plainly: “Attain enlightenment and ascend, old friend, and all shall be resolved! Every problem shall vanish, every danger will dissipate. Chen Pingan is the Hidden Lord, and you, my dearest companion of years past. I favor neither, but state the truth. Only a strong hammer can forge iron. Should Liu Laocheng ascend to the celestial realms, even the Great Li Dynasty and the Jade Tablet Sect shall bow before your might.”

A curse nearly escaped Liu Laocheng’s lips, but he choked it down with a swig of wine, his frustration simmering. “Do you think I *wish* to remain tethered to this mortal coil?”

Before reaching the realm of Jade Perfection, Liu Laocheng’s progress had been steady, his foundations solid. Yet, in a handful of years, he had risen through the upper five realms to become a celestial, a pace swift indeed.

Gao Mian chuckled, for true friends are meant to tease and amuse. Life, after all, is often devoid of meaning, a true void.

Wiping the mirth from his face, Gao Mian looked heavenward, a memory stirring in his soul. “Though I am of lesser cultivation than you, I understand better the nature of ‘talent.'”

“To pursue the Tao with great talent is to scale the mountain swiftly, so swiftly that one sees few familiar faces, all left far behind.

“But even with such boon, the ascent from halfway upwards remains unchanged, save perhaps even harder than before. One only begins to feel the change near the peak, when surrounded by formidable foes, each a prodigy in their own right. Only then does one realize that talent alone may not suffice.”

At this, Liu Laocheng conceded, “In the end, our talents are insufficient, not truly exceptional.”

Gao Mian agreed, “Chunchu Taoist is an example. Stagnant in Jade Perfection for ages, unable to break the bottleneck. Despair turned to utter hopelessness. The sword cultivators of the Great Wall of Swords harbor a particular obsession with becoming ‘celestials.’ Chunchu Taoist, in particular, yearned to venture into the Vast Expanse. He believed that without the oppressive weight of his homeland’s Tao, his form could lighten, breaking the chains, and ascend to the heavens. This desire became a raging flood, and so the Great Wall lost a sword cultivator, and the Vast Expanse gained the insufferable Taoist.”

“Once, a friend down the mountain began crafting porcelain past middle age. In his youth, he could plant rice without a speck of mud on his skin. During idle moments, he would sculpt tiny, lifelike animals from the earth. By fifty, he had become the master of his craft…”

Gao Mian paused, raising a thumb. “That is true talent.”

Liu Laocheng’s thoughts turned to Li Tuanjing, alas.

Gao Mian’s face grew somber. “Years ago, upon Inverted Mountain, I vowed that once I became a celestial, I would return home and slay demons. Yet, all these years have passed, and I remain but a Jade Perfection, deluding myself with an assumed name.”

Liu Laocheng said, “Life is precious above all. To cling to it, even cowardly, is understandable.”

Gao Mian raised his cup, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Speaking with you is akin to sharing horse piss.”

Liu Laocheng’s situation was delicate. Without a strong patron in the Upper Sect, and ignored by Jiang Shangzhen, his True Realm Sect, caught between the two continents, felt like an isolated fiefdom. Although situated within the Great Li Dynasty, and recently graced with a court-sanctioned Lake Lord, True Realm Sect’s expansion had been slow. Yet, when pressed, the Upper Sect could find no serious fault with Liu Laocheng’s governance.

Perhaps it was Liu Laocheng’s origins that truly unsettled the Jade Tablet Sect. While wilderness cultivators were as numerous as stars in the night sky, those of the Book-Scroll Lake carried a particularly tarnished reputation.

And Liu Laocheng was their de facto leader.

In the ancestral halls of Godseal Peak, the Jade Tablet Sect held its traditional councils. With Jiang Shangzhen far away, someone was always needed for censure, and Liu Laocheng often filled that role. Whispers abounded: Jiang Shangzhen and Wei Ying, both former masters of True Realm Sect, had ascended to leadership of the Upper Sect. By that logic, would Liu Laocheng be the next Sect Master of Jade Tablet? Even more insidious murmurings existed, for Liu Laocheng possessed a few “new friends” within the Jade Tablet Sect, willing to whisper secrets in his ear.

As leader of a Lower Sect, the steps upward were few, and well-guarded. Could he become the Lawmaster of the Upper Sect? Would the Jade Tablet Sect risk the whispers and derision of the mountain?

Gao Mian set down his cup. “I shall wander through Glazed Tile Alley, seeking a few worthwhile scrolls. Tomorrow I depart. Trouble yourself no more for me, drink and speak with whom you please.”

Liu Laocheng nodded, realization dawning. He finally understood why Gao Mian had sought a place to rest in the Great Li capital.

Gao Mian hailed from the Great Wall of Swords, while Chen Pingan was its last Hidden Lord. Chen Pingan had sought Gao Mian in Village Makeup Ferry, and Gao Mian came to Great Li to witness the celebration. A gesture of courtesy, perhaps, but something more!

The Book-Scroll Lake was a knot in the young National Preceptor Chen Pingan’s heart. A nascent soul fears inner demons, and a mortal longing for ascension fears the slightest flaw in their Taoist heart.

One day, Chen Pingan would surely untangle that knot, bringing closure to his connection to the Book-Scroll Lake.

Gao Mian believed Liu Laocheng could not escape that fate. He had come to offer a word to Chen Pingan, to say to the young sword saint, the National Preceptor, “Liu Laocheng is my friend.”

It was not Gao Mian’s way, it was not his nature, yet he had come nonetheless.

To meet the young Hidden Lord while hailing from the city walls of the Southern Wastelands, or from the Inverted Mountain in the direction of the Vast Expanse, are entirely different experiences.

Liu Laocheng could not utter a word of thanks, but swallowed his wine, the burning liquid descending to his belly.

The serving maid, still pondering the value of the talisman, heard the knock on the brass rings once more. She sighed and hurried to the door.

She marveled at the change. Usually, the courtyard was as desolate as a desert, but today, guests arrived unbidden. Even commoners did not pay this many visits during the New Year.

She opened the gate to find a man of exceptional beauty, clad in a simple blue robe and cloth shoes. He bowed and said, “My name is Zhou Shou, my Taoist name is Protector of Flowers. I am a wilderness cultivator who once received aid from Willow Palace Island in Book-Scroll Lake. I have come to pay my respects to the venerable Liu Laocheng and the esteemed Gao Laobangzhu. I would be grateful if you would announce my arrival.”

Jiang Shangzhen, ever eager for excitement, followed Xiao Mo back towards the capital.

“So, this is how deals are done,” he mused. “A lesson learned.”

The maid hesitated, for she had never heard anyone proclaim himself a wilderness cultivator from the Book-Scroll Lake. Twenty or thirty years ago, a proper cultivator from a righteous sect would have slain such a creature without hesitation.

But times had changed. The Book-Scroll Lake was now filled with all sorts, but wilderness cultivators were rare to find. Dismissing her initial aversion, the maid led him into the courtyard. She frowned, glancing back to see the refined man gazing around with wide-eyed wonder, like a peasant gawking at the emperor’s palace. Perhaps she had misjudged him?

She turned back to see Liu Laocheng standing nearby. She composed herself, ready to speak, but Liu Laocheng waved her away, indicating that she was no longer needed.

The maid retreated to her post, resuming her study of the talisman.

Jiang Shangzhen sauntered through the residence, hands clasped behind his back, while Liu Laocheng trailed behind like a servant. “Ah, yes,” Jiang Shangzhen said, “using sect funds to indulge in such pleasures. Wei, the great sword immortal, would not be pleased.”

Liu Laocheng merely smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Chen Pingan was going to cleanse Book-Scroll Lake, a notion now clear to all. Was he to be made an example?

What could not be settled if Liu Laocheng’s head were presented to the lake, alongside the skulls of Liu Zhimao and his ilk?

Yet, for Jiang Shangzhen, the former leader of True Realm Sect, to slay its current leader, was a cruel jest.

A killing intent flooded Liu Laocheng’s heart, but as a celestial, he masked it perfectly.

Catching sight of the indolent Gao Mian, who remained seated, Jiang Shangzhen cupped his fists in greeting. “Hearing of you is not as good as seeing you. Truly, Laobangzhu Gao, whose arse is one with his chair, your reputation is well-deserved.”

Gao Mian remained seated, squinting at the notorious wastrel. Of the three eastern continents of the Vast Expanse, Jiang Shangzhen was least despised in Treasure Bottle Continent, due to his association with the Fallen Mountain.

Before settling into his seat, Jiang Shangzhen said earnestly, “You misunderstand me. My heart burns with passion.”

Gao Mian recoiled. “You make me retch.”

Liu Laocheng dared not echo the sentiment.

He knew well Jiang Shangzhen’s deeds in True Realm Sect. What of the defector from the Tung Leaf Sect? Liu Laocheng had been complicit in the man’s demise.

Jiang Shangzhen smiled. “My greatest talent lies in easing the troubles of others.”

If they held him in such low regard, then let them see him live up to his reputation. It would save them the trouble of worrying about his status as a member of the Upper Five, or the former sect leader.

Gao Mian nodded. The man had a certain skill.

Jiang Shangzhen before and after becoming the Jade Tablet sectmaster were as different as night and day.

Had he not understood Gao Mian’s true purpose, Liu Laocheng would have assumed that Jiang Shangzhen had come for Gao Mian. The identities of Gao Mian and Chunchu Taoist were now clear, and it would have made sense for Jiang Shangzhen, as the chief patron of Fallen Mountain, to have come to “reminisce” with Chen Pingan. Now, Liu Laocheng sought only to spirit Gao Mian away from this nest of vipers.

Jiang Shangzhen dismissed Gao Mian with a wave. “Laobangzhu, may I borrow your esteemed presence? I have sect matters to discuss with Sect Master Liu. Personal matters, best kept from outsiders. Forgive me.”

Gao Mian rose. “Speak freely.”

Old masters, all respected the old ways. Whether from principle, or habit, they guarded jealously that tiny patch of land, they called honor.

Once Gao Mian had left the courtyard, Jiang Shangzhen grinned. “Brother Liu, no need to be tense. Are you afraid I’ll suddenly turn on you? I am no longer the head of the Upper Sect. If I were to arbitrarily slay the head of a Lower Sect, the ancestral halls of Godseal Peak would have my head. And where would that leave Cloud Cavern Fortune? What would happen to my sect affiliations?”

Liu Laocheng remained silent, his nerves taut. While relieved that Gao Mian was gone, he clung to a glimmer of hope that Jiang Shangzhen’s arrival was unrelated to Chen Pingan.

But what pressing matter would Jiang Shangzhen have with him? In the days of Book-Scroll Lake, they had rarely crossed paths.

Was Jade Tablet’s Jiang going to launch a coup against Wei Ying? Was a retired Emperor seeking to reclaim his throne?

If so, Liu Laocheng was interested. If it failed, they would flee together. If it succeeded, they would divide the spoils, with Jiang Shangzhen ruling the Jade Tablet Sect, and Liu Laocheng claiming the True Realm Sect.

That was the true heart of the wilderness cultivator.

Jiang Shangzhen chuckled. “Unlike you, I am not alone, unburdened by earthly ties. The people of Cloud Cavern Fortune depend on me to earn their living. They seek only a peaceful life, not fortune won by risking their heads. Forgive me, Immortal Liu. Your grand expectations are dashed.”

Liu Laocheng rubbed his chin. “A pity.”

With Jiang Shangzhen, there was no need for pretense.

Jiang Shangzhen said with a smile, “Brother Liu, I intend to gnash my teeth, and change my name. Why not follow my example? Spend a little, wash away the grime, and strut in a new identity.”

Not a fool, Liu Laocheng pondered these words, but remained puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Jiang Shangzhen adjusted his blue robe, crossed his legs, and said, “Cloud Cavern Fortune will no longer bear the name of Jiang, but Wei. Yet the Jiang clansmen shall still receive their dividends, enjoying their riches.”

Liu Laocheng remained lost in the fog. “What is the exchange?”

Jiang Shangzhen said, “In return, True Realm Sect of the Book-Scroll Lake must bear the name of Jiang. Perhaps its name will be changed as well.”

Liu Laocheng’s expression did not flicker, but he said no more.

Jiang Shangzhen said, “If I am not mistaken, you will soon be driven from True Realm Sect. Or, to put it more politely, a tree dies if moved, but a man thrives. Another place will take you.”

If True Realm Sect had once tolerated Liu Laocheng, the Book-Scroll Lake would soon find no place for him at all.

Liu Laocheng stared directly at Jiang Shangzhen. “Dare I ask, Chief Zhou, where am I to go?”

All this circling, and it all boiled down to stripping Liu Laocheng of his position in True Realm Sect? And done by his own resignation, so Jade Tablet could not be blamed.

Jiang Shangzhen said, “Trust me, I am not jesting. Liu Laocheng remaining in the Book-Scroll Lake is a road to ruin. It shall end in either the death of the flesh, or the death of the Taoist heart. Immortals are common, but ascension is a pearl of inestimable value.”

Liu Laocheng said calmly, “I am not easily frightened.”

His meaning was clear: he cared not where Jiang Shangzhen intended to send him. He was not a three-year-old to be deceived by such nonsense.

Jiang Shangzhen sighed, a look of regret on his face. “How unfortunate. This is not going well.”

A head peeked over the wall, laughing. “It’s breaking down.”

A youth with a vermillion mark on his brow leaped over the wall, landing gracefully. He spread his hands wide, wobbling. “Steady!”

Jiang Shangzhen faced the boy, raising a hand to his throat, making a slashing motion.

His meaning was obvious: if they could not reach an agreement, then they would have to kill him.

The youth, seemingly slow of wit, blinked. “Breaking down the True Lord? What does that mean? We are all virtuous here. We don’t understand.”

A pair of immortal treasures, one a sword cultivator who could slay demons beneath the very noses of the Demon Monarch, the other resembling a cornucopia of wonders.

Liu Laocheng remained seated, twirling his cup, the wine rippling within like a whirlpool.

He had never engaged in a losing venture. He had a few tricks up his sleeve, of course. If he was trapped in an inescapable death spiral, he would drag at least one of them down with him.

Well then. The battlefield was the Great Li capital. The celebrations had just ended. It was not yet noon, and the day was far from over.

Jiang Shangzhen and Cui Dongshan were not mere immortals, but paragons of the human realm, their wisdom, cultivation, and resources unequaled.

But was Liu Laocheng the weakest of immortals?

Upon the wall, a somber youth appeared, the Yang spirit of Liu Tui. His arrival was so silent, so subtle, that one could sense the spirit of ascension, the blending of the Tao with heaven and earth.

Though of higher cultivation, Liu Tui spoke with ruthless abandon. “I kill him. You clear up after. Don’t drag Heaven’s Whisper Village into it. I don’t want to end up like Yang QianGu, confined to the Confucian Temple. Liu Laocheng is tough. You two back me up. If word gets out, it has nothing to do with me.”

Cui Dongshan leapt onto the fish tank, applauding. “Spoken and done with such decisiveness! Clearly, wilderness cultivators are best dealt with by their own kind.”

“One ascent and two immortals.”

Liu Laocheng sneered. “How humiliating.”

Liu Tui glared down at Liu Laocheng. “The things that I hate the most is a weakling with an big mouth. So, I’ll be sure to teach him a lesson.”

The reason Chen Pingan had not sent Xiao Mo or Bai Jing to slay Liu Laocheng, and Chen Pingan’s past with Book-Scroll Lake, were matters of indifference to Liu Tui. To pay homage to a new master, must one not offer a token of fealty?

Cui Dongshan raised a thumb. “Sect Master Liu speaks with such boldness. He’s never bowed to anyone.”

Nearby was the Temple of Flowers. First, the Flower Goddesses gathered. Then, strange phenomena arose. Jiang Shangzhen sighed. “Our Mountain Lord is as chivalrous as ever.”

On one side, blossoming splendor. On the other, bristling tension. Separated by a wall, a world between life and death, the joys and sorrows of humanity remained forever disconnected.

Gao Mian returned, casting a glance into the courtyard and uttering a word of truth: “Consider it cleansing your hands. Let no one claim I tainted the honor of a good deed.”

Merely a golden core, Gao Mian had heard not a word of their conversation. But his experience was still sharp.

Cui Dongshan rubbed his brow, grinning. “Never. I am the favorite student of our mountain lord, who is from your Great Wall of Swords. Even if Laobangzhu Gao were a golden core, even were he just a cripple, to strike him down would be an act that my heart and soul would not allow.”

Jiang Shangzhen smirked. “Friendship runs deep, pity your homeland is empty. What must the old saying be, beauty outside the wall is better.”

Cui Dongshan sighed, complaining, “Those words are quite harsh.”

Liu Tui, high above, sneered. “So that’s what is. No wonder Chen Yin-guan had to make an extra trip to Village Makeup Ferry. So, it was to meet with one of the same homeland.”

Gao Mian’s expression dimmed, for he could not refute the truth.

Without a word, Liu Laocheng sent his sleeve forth, knocking Gao Mian back to his seat, where he fell into unconsciousness, as if carried by a great wind to the front courtyard, lost in drunken dream.

With a tap of his cup, the wine drained away, forming a barrier of protection around the old golden core.

In the coming battle, there would be no mercy. It could not be at the expense of his old friend.

Liu Tui asked telepathically, “Cui, Zhou, is he acting, or is that his true nature?”

Jiang Shangzhen replied with a smile, “Liu Laocheng has few friends. Gao Mian is one of them. That was no performance for our benefit.”

Liu Tui nodded. “Then I shall grant him a swift end.”

Cui Dongshan frowned. “You two make us seem like the villains.”

Liu Tui had to admit that being with Chen Pingan caused immense anxiety. With these two fools, however, it was relaxing.

Cui Dongshan clapped his hands, an action that might have signaled either Liu Tui’s attack, or Liu Laocheng’s demise. “Let’s get to work!”

In the Book-Scroll Lake, wilderness cultivators, regardless of cultivation or lineage, were always required to bring one or two specialized skills to the table.

For example, Liu Zhimao’s cultivation technique, “Jie Jiang Zhen Jing,” was something he trained on many occasions on Blue Gorge Isle. There were times when Liu Laocheng wanted to offer guidance.

Suddenly, the goldfish in Cui Dongshan’s fish tank leapt into the air, causing the world to shift and change. Cui Dongshan lowered his sleeves, gazing around at a small realm.

The fish, once only finger-length, had become behemoths, able to shoulder mountains and swim in oceans. Their whiskers shimmered with golden light.

Jiang Shangzhen found himself within the same illusion. His feet touched the surface of the water, and ripples spread outward. In the distance, four talismans hung above four islands, like twisted Yu Xuan Talismans. With the foundation of the average cultivator from Treasure Bottle continent, especially a cultivator from Book-Scroll Lake, they could not be bought. Unless it was a disciple of Godseal Sect or Cloud Forest Jiang, could those talismans even be viewed. Were the talismans fake?

The four counterfeit Sword Sealing talismans were composed of various materials, and showed differences of craft. The intent that the talismans contained also differed. Jiang Shangzhen had seen the true writing of Liu Laocheng, and in his eyes, the talismans were without a doubt made by Liu Laocheng. The creation of the talismans confirmed that Liu Laocheng was skilled with talisman.

Jiang Shangzhen was in no hurry to escape the formation. He raised two fingers, pulling a willow leaf from a key chakra within his body. With the aid of countless spiritual coins and secret techniques, it now appeared to be a complete leaf. He held the leaf to his mouth, giving it a shake, as he called, “Cui boy, can you hear me?”

“I can’t hear you. Zhou brother, can you hear me?”

“I can’t hear you either.”

“What a coincidence. We’re so close, we’re practically telepathic.”

“Liu Tui only sent his Yang spirit to deal with Liu Laocheng. Is that enough? Liu Laocheng is the first wilderness cultivator of the Upper Five in Treasure Bottle in thousands of years. He is protected by luck. Fighting someone like him is tricky. He could end up getting hurt, and falling back to normal.”

“Fortune? Have you forgotten that Liu Tui helped Fufeng Continent? His fortune is limited in Treasure Bottle, and Liu Laocheng’s fortune is aided. Both are around the same.”

“I really like Liu Tui. If Gu Can fights him for the seat of continent lord, who will we help?”

Throughout Mount Fufeng, whether high or low, the only custom was fighting. The cultivators of the Five Middling of Tung Leaf were all gone, while the cultivators of Fufeng were almost all killed.

“Simple, we put money on both sides. We can’t leave all our eggs in one basket. You help Liu Tui, I help Gu Can.”

“I thank you.”

Almost at the same time, they broke free of the illusion. Liu Tui’s Yang spirit sat alone at the table, drinking wine. After stifling it for a while, he could not stand it anymore, and spat blood into his cup.

His entire arm was coal. Even lifting the cup caused ashes to fall. Liu Tui did not like how he looked, but he really could not stand the shame.

Jiang Shangzhen asked in puzzlement, “Where’s Liu Laocheng? Was he turned to dust?”

Liu Tui’s expression turned vile. “He’s at the edge of the capital. My true body has already caught up. Don’t worry. He won’t get away.”

No matter how strange the ways of the mountain cultivators may be, Liu Tui can deal with them. There was nothing he lacked.

It was just that Liu Laocheng had deliberately created a situation where it was better to be shattered than be completed, offering an intrinsic item that was bound to level the Temple of Flowers. What about deaths or injuries? How could he, Liu Laocheng, when his life was about to end, care about anything other than causing some kind of trouble for Liu Tui?

Thus, Liu Tui had to turn offense into defense. In just that passing moment, Liu Laocheng seized his chance. With a similar technique to standing decay, coupled with shrinking ground, he had escaped with both his body and soul.

Cui Dongshan sensed a mystical Taoist rhythm, and with a flick of his sleeve, he condensed the remnant rhythm into golden light. With a twist of his fingers, the golden light burst into strands of righteous Qi. Cui Dongshan was surprised. “This can be done? Good fellow, he has the ability to learn from Confucian sages, and copy two intrinsic words. What a genius, Liu Laocheng is a true genius! I must beg for the secret.”

Liu Tui nodded, as he drank the cup of scarlet blood. “He was trying to deconstruct the characters, then combine them into the intrinsic characters. They were too simple to use, and caused two gold armored spirits to appear. He really was careless to be tricked like that.”

As he said that, Liu Tui swallowed the blood welling into his mouth, “In a bit, I’ll tear him up alive.”

Liu Tui looked at them, “This is my personal matter. Don’t try to stop me.”

Jiang Shangzhen laughed, saying nothing.

Cui Dongshan said with a smile, “And if we want to stop you?”

Liu Tui narrowed his eyes. “Then our friendship is over, but our alliance will continue.”

Just then, Liu Tui’s expression changed. He cursed, as Liu Laocheng, after having tanked a technique, did not run anywhere else, but ran towards the National Preceptor Manor.

Covered in blood, Liu Laocheng sat at the entrance of the manor. Even the atmosphere that was so sharp, caused the immortal master to be uneasy. Still, in a calm tone, he was able to say, “If you are going to kill me, have the National Preceptor do it.”

“If I’m going to die, let it be with some sort of honor.”

“Chen Pingan, I know your true body is here!”

The capital was closed, as countless formations were activated, and the true form of Liu Tui could not follow Liu Laocheng into the city.

Cui Dongshan said softly, “It has broken down.”

Jiang Shangzhen rubbed his chin. Liu Laocheng was worth killing now.

A youth with a yellow hat and blue shoes waved at the soldiers of Great Li and said, “You can all retreat now.”

How would they dare let their guard down?

But the next moment, a girl pulled Liu Laocheng up, and with a short sword, stabbed Liu Laocheng from the back.

The girl pulled out the short sword, and stabbed again and again. Before long, Liu Laocheng was heavily wounded, and she dropped him.

Liu Laocheng wanted to get up, and above his head a storm was brewing. In an instant, all the sword intent slammed into Liu Laocheng.

Cloud rings, Heaven fall.

Xiao Mo said, “Enough.”

Xie, the demon, smacked his lips.

Xiao Mo said, “Don’t quit in the middle.”

Xie nodded.

Having already traded his imperial robes for plain ones, the man walked out of the manor. “Islandmaster Liu, what’s going on?”

Liu Laocheng struggled to sit up, facing the man on the steps.

After the National Preceptor arrived, the soldiers retreated.

Hearing a title that he hadn’t heard in a long time, Liu Laocheng sighed. “Chen Accountant, you can kill me if you want, why do you have to humiliate me?”

Upon hearing that, Xie was displeased. Humiliate him?

Xiao Mo was left with no other choice but to grab his arm. Unable to break free, the girl squirmed, “Stomp you out!”

Chen Pingan asked, “Is the National Preceptor Manor easier to find than Willow Palace Isle?”

Liu Laocheng used a question for a reply. “Is Willow Palace Isle easy to enter, is the National Preceptor Manor easy to enter?”

Chen Pingan nodded. “You’re right.”

His body wrecked, Liu Laocheng steadied himself, as he said, “If fate can turn, I don’t want to feel it.”

Chen Pingan said, “It has to be based on who it is. You, Liu, rose from islandmaster to sectmaster instantly, and it’s hard to get rid of that. You and I are both to blame.”

Liu Laocheng was enraged, as he cursed, “What does Book-Scroll Lake have to do with you?”

Xie stopped.

Xiao Mo praised, “He must be the best of Book-Scroll Lake.”

Back in the courtyard, Cui Dongshan had carried Gao Laobangzhu back.

Cui Dongshan sighed. “The chapter on Liu Laocheng in Book-Scroll has closed. Gao Mian, you should go too.”

Gao Mian drank an entire bottle of wine. Then, he bowed before leaving.

Cui Dongshan shouted, “Gao Laobangzhu.”

Gao Mian turned, as the boy said nothing more than a greeting.

At that moment, the cloud lifted, and he left.

Looking at the old man, Jiang Shangzhen sighed. As they departed, Cui Dongshan called him Gao Laobangzhu, likely meaning that Gao Mian, at least on Treasure Bottle, was good. Jiang Shangzhen then remembered Xun, and the fact that he left with all his secrets and worries.

Cui Dongshan said, “I, Cui, would be more than happy to help Brother Liu!”

“It has all been a false alarm, you may be relieved. Though it was a hard fought journey, it all comes to an end!”

“Find out what happens next time!”

Cui Dongshan stood on the fish tank, reading as he punched and strolled. What a miracle that a person like that hasn’t gotten beaten up.

Liu Tui said, “To put it nicely, you don’t have to own everything, like a fiefdom. If the people are too mixed, it is easy to cause problems. Since Chen swordmaster has the ambition, he won’t stop after his ascent. So you have to keep an eye out. Things can’t be perfect in this world. A surplus is as dangerous as a deficit, and always try to be a bit behind.”

Jiang Shangzhen nodded, “High praise.”

Cui Dongshan said, “Indeed.”

The existence of Green Vine Sword Sect on Tung Leaf and Long Face Elephant Sect on Southern are both good things. However, what can the third sect bring?

Falling Mountain already possessed two sword lineages and would soon possess a third present sect. Whether it was Incorrigible Taoist’s Oblique Sealing Palace of Golden Armor Continent, or True Realm Sect led by Jiang, there was something.

Liu Tui said, “Liu Laocheng is still worth something.”

Jiang Shangzhen laughed, “They’re all people like us.

Wearing that same old face and putting forth that long tone, he sang, “Immortality and Longevity, I still only long to be married!”

————

Not long ago, by a waxberry tree.

There was a traveling Taoist.

The Taoist was extraordinary, as he wore jade clothing and carried a horsehair whip.

By his side, a girl was with him. Her face was normal, but her body was good.

She was the spirit of Yellow Flowers, and Tian.

Yellow was here hoping to meet, while Tian was his former classmate. Ironically, Yellow could now be called Tian’s former classmate.

The reason she had to call Can her teacher was simple.

Any wilderness cultivator that could reach Jade was nothing to scoff at.

Outside the teachings and techniques of the great sects, there were things that couldn’t be said. For example, Jiang had compiled countless works, all filled with what he had learned and experienced.

There were plenty of sect disciples who studied this.

And it was really useful.

Tian had no ambition. Even in Book-Scroll Lake, she had stayed quiet and kept to herself. Her field was Meixian Isle. Her master thought she would never accomplish anything. All she did was listen.

An old friend of her master’s once said, ‘You are a natural disciple to a proper sect, you were just born in the wrong place!’

This scared her as she was scared of being caught.

Earlier on, Yellow had given her a tome. The priceless technique had no cost, but to ask a question, it would cost one gold coin.

Cultivation requires a certain temperament.

There were some great masters who chose to be reclusive in their caves.

Some great masters enjoyed friends, enjoyed drinking, and enjoyed being around others.

There was a certain test, and that was helping friends during tribulation.

In fact, many people, even if they were a hundred percent sure of passing, would want a friend to help them, as fate is hard to determine. If the person helping closed his eyes, he would be shunned by everyone, as it betrayed a life.

Yellow looked up at the tree. “When I was young, my parents told me to get the branches.”

Having said that, Yellow raised his hand, “I really hate waxberry.”

“They can be used for oil and candles. I saw a saying, said to grow hair.”

“So later I went to the mountain. I took the name ‘waxberry.'”

Tian took courage, as he asked, “How did you and Can get together?”

Yellow mocked himself, “Can hunted me for two years. It’s like he had some disorder. In addition to hunting me, he asked me to admit my mistakes. Every time I did, he called it insincere. So, I just gave up. I am better with him than against him. I can rest now.

“It’s all risky. If that can happen, sleeping wouldn’t happen, and having dinner can only be half of it.”

“I really admire you. The Can you admire, and the Can that I admire aren’t the same. I am always getting hurt. He’s good though. His methods all get better. Later Can does not rely on the Bai emperor sect alone. He is always working for the world.”

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t bow before him, and beg for my life!

Tian agreed.

From the waxberry tree, a grim youth appeared.

It was the true form of Liu hunting Liu.

The youth looked, asking, “Did you see Lord Liu?”

Yellow took a few steps back. “I have never seen him.”

Liu laughed. “So, you’re here to reminisce.”

Before Yellow could answer, Liu was already gone, as he shouted, “Running?”

Three women were walking through the streets of the capital, where there were many makeup shops.

Xiao from Bamboo Basket, Gongsun from the National Preceptor Manor, and Jian, of Great Li.

From the looks of it, Gongsun wasn’t very pretty, but she had a broken face.

There were men who looked at her, who felt like they wanted to protect, and also rape her.

Gongsun was fat, but she was a girl, and was confused, and always shy, and gave off the sense that the person was weak.

From Xiao to Gongsun to Jian, all three were not very pretty. To be pretty would mean being hard to hide, and was to be seen.

So, they choose to forgotten, to be ignored. Not like the new maid that stays with Hua.

Without warning, a killing intent rose. Gongsun felt it, and went pale.

On the other hand, Jian reacted perfectly.

Jian’s reaction was exactly as Xiao expected, and looked at Gongsun, and shook his head. “You’re just an average