The carriage that Gao Xuan gifted arrived late, reaching Chen Ping’an in the deep dusk. The driver was the pale, beardless old eunuch who had once accompanied the Sui Dynasty prince to the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven and had met Chen Ping’an twice. However, unlike Gao Xuan’s fervent enthusiasm, the old man’s expression was cold. After handing over the carriage, he returned to the capital on foot. The old eunuch glanced back at Cui Chan, who was busy admiring the stallion, marveling at its magnificence, completely oblivious to the old man’s scrutinizing gaze.

Cui Chan hopped onto the carriage, taking the initiative to act as the coachman. He waved at Chen Ping’an, saying, “Master, the carriage hasn’t been tampered with. Let’s get on the road safely.”

Cui Chan slapped himself, “What ‘get on the road’? Too ominous. Let’s hurry on our journey.”

Chen Ping’an looked around. The sky was dim, and due to the curfew in the capital, the official road, which was bustling during the day, seemed desolate.

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “I just want to practice my [Zou Zhuang 走樁] stance. You just drive the carriage, just not too fast, and I can keep up.”

Cui Chan knew Chen Ping’an’s stubborn nature and didn’t waste any more words. He slowly drove the carriage forward, took a sip of wine, and sang loudly, “A hundred things to do, a thousand things to worry about, but in the end, ten thousand things come to naught. What a fine autumn day! Ah, what a fine autumn day!”

Chen Ping’an silently followed behind the carriage, continuously repeating the six steps of the [Han Shan Quan 撼山拳] boxing manual’s Zou Zhuang. The two aspects of walking the stance [Zou Zhuang] and establishing the stance [Li Zhuang] were already deeply ingrained in his mind.

For most of the night, Cui Chan kept rambling nonsense, quoting Confucian classics, reciting poems and songs, a hodgepodge of things, his mouth never stopping.

Finally, he even started singing “I have a little donkey, I never ride it.” Hearing this, Chen Ping’an, who had persisted for almost an hour, exhaled a breath of turbid air, stopped his Zou Zhuang, and said, “I’ll get in the carriage and rest for a while.”

After getting into the carriage and placing his bamboo basket in the carriage compartment, Chen Ping’an noticed a pile of bottles and jars stacked up in the corner, but the light was too dim to make out what they were. Cui Chan, driving the carriage, chuckled, “There are a few jars of good wine, Daoist [Lian Qi 煉氣] and healing pills, even rouge and powder. This Gao Xuan is quite amusing. Honestly, putting aside the issue of enemy camps, Gao Xuan is more… ‘respectful and attentive to scholars’ than your friend Song Jixin’s younger brother, who was once my disciple?”

Chen Ping’an sat behind Cui Chan, sideways with his legs dangling outside the carriage, and shook his head, “Song Jixin was never my friend.”

Cui Chan retorted, “Then Song Jixin, who is now named Song Mu, will be heartbroken. Before he left Mud Bottle Alley, Qi Jingchun gave Zhao Yao a ‘Welcoming Spring to the World’ seal, and to Song Jixin he gave six books: three miscellaneous books, *Precise Calculations* [Jing Wei 精微] on mathematics, *Peach and Plum* [Tao Li 桃李] on chess, and *Mountain and Sea Strategies* [Shan Hai Ce 山海策], a collection of prose; and three elementary textbooks chosen by Qi Jingchun, *Rites and Music* [Li Yue 禮樂], *Selected Masterpieces* [Guan Zhi 觀止], and *Elementary Learning* [Xiao Xue 小學]. Song Jixin, regarding his attitude towards you, Master, it’s very complicated. He probably wanted to feel at peace, so when he left, he left the last three books on the table in the house, intending to give them to you, Chen Ping’an. But the complexity of the human heart lies in the fact that Song Jixin knew very well that even if you found the house key that had been thrown into your yard, you would never secretly take the books. Yet, it didn’t stop Song Jixin from easing his conscience a little. Master, isn’t this guy very clever?”

Cui Chan revealed a lot of unknown secrets, but there was one thing he didn’t say.

He suspected that the matter of the books was something Qi Jingchun had foreseen long ago, that Song Jixin would look down on those three elementary textbooks and would choose to leave them for Chen Ping’an.

In the past, Cui Chan believed himself to be far superior to Qi Jingchun in matters of chess, scheming, and calculating hearts. Looking back now, he realized he was completely wrong.

Chen Ping’an said softly, “Song Jixin has always been clever.”

Cui Chan asked curiously, “Is your relationship with him so strained because he tricked you into breaking your oath?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t speak.

Cui Chan chuckled, “Don’t blame me for being nosy, and I’m not deliberately trying to exonerate Song Jixin. I’m just telling you a fact, regardless of right or wrong, Song Jixin has his reasons in this matter. The truth is simple: Song Jixin eats well, dresses well, and lives well, everything is better than you, Master. Later, he even had a maid to take care of him, excelling in reading, chess, and calligraphy. But the more it was like this, the bigger his knot in his heart would become.”

Chen Ping’an finally spoke, “At that time, he was mistaken for the illegitimate son of the supervising official and was constantly criticized by the neighbors. Many people cursed him harshly behind his back.”

Cui Chan nodded, “So, Song Jixin would look at a guy like you every day and think, ‘Why is it that you, Chen Ping’an, a poor, almost starving peasant, can at least have parents, while I, Song Jixin, have nothing? I don’t even know my mother’s surname or name!'”

Cui Chan shook his head, “The most unbearable thing for Song Jixin was that you, Master, despite your tragic background, seemed to live every day happier than him in the eyes of his neighbor Song Jixin, eating your fill and falling asleep, waking up and working after you’d slept enough. This would simply make Song Jixin restless and uncomfortable. So, because he was uncomfortable, he wanted you to be uncomfortable. He knew what you cared about most and wanted you to lose it.”

Chen Ping’an remembered that rainy night in Mud Bottle Alley, the first time he had wanted to kill someone. He had almost strangled Song Jixin to death against the wall.

Liu Xianyang, who had run away with him from the kiln, might have been hiding in the distance and accidentally witnessed that scene. That was why Liu Xianyang didn’t dare to talk to him much for a month afterward, which had depressed Chen Ping’an for a long time.

Cui Chan sighed to himself, “Some childlike natures, when involved in matters, are both terrifying and ridiculous, both hateful and pitiable. Because it’s not only children who have childlike natures, many high-ranking figures can also be childishly unreasonable in some major matters.”

Chen Ping’an naturally assumed the [Jian Lu Zhuang 劍爐樁] stance, the Sword Furnace Stance, without actually practicing. He said calmly, “Of course I hated Song Jixin for this matter, but the thing that truly made me dislike Song Jixin wasn’t this.”

Cui Chan was very curious and couldn’t help but turn his head to ask, “How so?”

Chen Ping’an slowly said, “The time Liu Xianyang was almost beaten to death, Song Jixin actually squatted on the wall, adding fuel to the fire, wishing Liu Xianyang was beaten to death. That kind of person is very… terrifying.”

Cui Chan fell silent.
Chen Ping’an raised his head and gazed into the distance, “There’s a saying in our hometown dialect, ‘It’s easy to watch someone carrying a pole and think it’s not tiring.’ I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, but if someone, just because they think it’s fun, deliberately adds stones to the person’s burden, how can you befriend such a person?”

Cui Chan playfully remarked, “Song Jixin didn’t add stones to the burden on your shoulders. In fact, Song Jixin might, deep down, really want to be your friend, because he’s smart enough and knows who he should befriend. For example, he might look down on Zhao Yao, who isn’t as smart as him, but he’ll still try to get close and build a relationship.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “I don’t like people like that.”

Cui Chan unexpectedly spoke a truth, a word from his conscience, “A person like you, there will be many who won’t like you in the future.”

Chen Ping’an laughed, “Why would I need so many people to like me? I’m content with one person being full, the whole family not worrying. I don’t want anything from others anyway.”

Cui Chan turned around and gave Chen Ping’an a thumbs-up, “Sir, you’re like a towering cliff, unyielding because you’re without desire! I, your student, admire you, admire you!”

Chen Ping’an softly said, “I know you’re trying to get something out of me, trying to explore things I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. Saying these things has made me feel much better.”

Cui Chan chuckled, “Sir, you’re seemingly foolish but actually wise, and I’m seemingly wise but actually foolish. If we learn from each other and join forces in the future, we’ll definitely be invincible under Heaven!”

Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “You know A-Liang, right? That part about the old donkey, A-Liang used to hum it.”

Cui Chan’s expression subtly changed, and he gave a hum in affirmation, “I’ve known him for a long time, even longer than Qi Jingchun. Much longer than the likes of Ma Zhan and Mao Xiaodong. When I was with the old man, drowning my sorrows in wine, they were probably still playing in the mud.”

The moon was bright, the stars were sparse, and a gentle breeze caressed the face.

The white-robed youth with a mole between his eyebrows, his handsome and flawless face, showed a hint of melancholy as he smiled wryly, “After I left my hometown, I also traveled far and wide to seek knowledge, just much further than you. Because I was arrogant, I finally lost face badly. In the end, out of spite, I became a disciple of the Old Scholar. At that time, the Old Scholar wasn’t famous, and his knowledge was even considered heretical, so I was his first disciple.”

“The one surnamed Zuo, Qi Jingchun, these people gradually entered the Old Man’s tutelage. There weren’t actually many direct disciples. The Old Scholar was the kind of person who wanted to explain everything in detail. When imparting knowledge, a simple principle that could be explained in a few words, he could talk about for a whole day. He simply didn’t have the energy to take in too many close disciples. There were more registered disciples. As for those who shamelessly called themselves ‘running dogs of the Literary Saint,’ they were numerous, like carps crossing the river, countless.”

“And A-Liang, he knew the Old Scholar even earlier than I did. At first, A-Liang came to beat up the Old Scholar. Who is the Old Scholar? His mouth is incredibly sharp. The triennial debates between Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism are the most dangerous things under Heaven, without exception! How many Buddha-sons and Taoist embryos have fallen into heterodox paths because of it, becoming pitiful heretics within their respective orthodoxies? Their former glory, their later misery, utterly tragic. Before I betrayed my teacher, I confidently put forward my own viewpoint, wasn’t it also wanting to help… I won’t talk about this, a hero doesn’t dwell on past achievements. The truth is that only the Old Scholar participated in two consecutive debates in history, and he even won both times. Forget it, forget it, Sir, you don’t need to know this for now. Anyway, the Old Scholar back then, tsk tsk, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was one of a kind under Heaven. That kind of peerless demeanor that was praised as ‘a school of one’s own, a bright moon in the sky’ is something that non-scholars can never appreciate. Otherwise, do you think the old man, with just a pitiful Xiucai title, would be invited into the Temple of Literature to be enshrined? And constantly moving his position forward and upward? The little country where the Old Scholar lived later almost wanted to enshrine him as the ‘Ancestor of Top Scholars’, but the Old Scholar stubbornly refused, holding back his bad intentions. You think?”

“In short, the old guy, after going back and forth, confused A-Liang. The two enemies became the best drinking buddies. The Old Scholar’s status became higher and higher, A-Liang’s cultivation became higher and higher. The two complemented each other, and their relationship was always very good. A-Liang was closest to me, Qi Jingchun, and the one surnamed Zuo. A-Liang went through a lot for the three of us, especially for Qi Jingchun and the one surnamed Zuo, fighting so fiercely that the Heavens turned upside down, truly magnificent!”

Speaking of this, Cui Chan smiled knowingly, “Every time A-Liang returned to us, he would start boasting, something like, ‘Cleaning up the messes for you three brats is so fierce, I, A-Liang, am truly fierce,’ something like, ‘You don’t know, today I went to a sect to slaughter everyone, and those immortals all hated that their cultivation wasn’t high enough, otherwise they would definitely devour me, A-Liang, alive. Alas, it’s the hardest to bear the grace of beauty, you’re all young, you wouldn’t understand’.”

Cui Chan took a sip of wine, “A-Liang has one good point, he never brags, unlike us scholars.”

Cui Chan spoke so much in one breath, and finally, with his back to Chen Ping’an, he smiled and said, “Alright, just like you, I feel much better in my heart.”

Chen Ping’an had already closed his eyes and was silently practicing the Sword Furnace Stance, but it was obvious that the boy listened carefully to every word, not missing a single one.

Cui Chan’s expression was calm, “Having an open chat doesn’t prevent me from still being a bad guy and you from still being a good guy.”

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes, “I’m going down to continue practicing the walking stance.”

Cui Chan laughed loudly, “Alright!”

After Chen Ping’an jumped off the carriage, he continued to silently walk the stance quickly.

Cui Chan slowly restrained his smile, reached out and finished the last sip of wine in the wine pot, and was unusually absent-minded, murmuring, “Chen Ping’an, do you think a person like you isn’t scary?”

A voice rang out from behind the carriage, “I heard that.”

Cui Chan laughed heartily, “Mr. has good hearing, worthy of being a once-in-a-thousand-years, once-in-a-century martial arts prodigy, uniting the martial world and becoming invincible under Heaven in the future, it’s just around the corner!”

The straw sandal-wearing boy retorted unhappily, “I thank you ah.”

On the way back home, they were still walking over mountains and crossing waters.

That carriage had already been sold, along with the horse. Cui Chan sold it for a high price of one thousand five hundred taels, and then bought himself an exquisite book chest, putting all the valuable things from the carriage into it.

Compared to his previous journey of seeking knowledge, Chen Ping’an could have more free time to practice the Mountain-Shaking Fist, and use his diligent efforts to hone the Qi Circulation method of the Eighteen Stops.
Unless it was heavy rain, Chen Ping’an’s walking the Zhuang would be especially slow, as if he were still practicing martial arts with Li Bao Ping and Li Huai.

A white-clad youth would stand beside him, following him in practicing martial arts, executing them more smoothly and gracefully, with an immortal’s bearing. Whenever they encountered high mountains and great rivers, Cui Chan would loudly recite the classics of sages, and although Chen Ping’an did not speak aloud, he would subconsciously follow along in his heart.

The two no longer spoke true heart-to-heart words as they did on the official road outside the Sui Dynasty capital that night. More often than not, they were silent throughout the day. Cui Chan would occasionally leave Chen Ping’an’s sight without a sound, returning with varying moods, and Chen Ping’an never questioned it.

And so, in the unhurried rhythm of the carriage wheels, the nominal master and disciple entered winter from autumn in a commonplace manner.

The route was very different from the one they took when they came, chosen by Cui Chan, to which Chen Ping’an had no objection.

The two also happened to witness some bizarre and strange anecdotes, either observing from afar or being personally involved, which still made Chen Ping’an, who had journeyed from Da Li to Da Sui, feel bewildered.

At a large lake in the east of Da Sui, the two were traveling at night, under the moonlight. In the distance, they saw a group of ethereal immortals flying through the air, each holding a huge iron chain. Finally, the lake water shook violently, causing waves to surge into the sky. The immortals were actually lifting a huge rock from the bottom of the lake, as large as a mountain peak, forcibly pulling it out of the lake and transporting it to their own sect in the air.

Cui Chan explained that between mountains and rivers, there are many things where spiritual energy converges. Once the immortal forces on the mountains discover these things, they always like to use magical powers to seize them and move them back into their sects and gangs, regarding them as forbidden fruits to help suppress the mountain and river Qi Luck. Cui Chan also said with a smile that the immortal force was still somewhat conscientious, choosing to act at night and being willing to spend money, purchasing expensive refined iron chains. If it were a common immortal force, they would not care about these things at all, and would just buy a large number of cheap iron chains. As for whether the mountain peak would fall to the ground midway, causing harm to mortals, the local government would not dare to care, unless it was smashed into a large city and could not be concealed. In the end, it would most likely be the immortal force paying some token compensation.

In the majestic mountains and ridges at the junction of Da Sui and Huang Ting Country, Chen Ping’an saw a large group of fish resembling crucian carp, migrating along the mountain road in a mighty manner, not hindered by being covered in mud.

Cui Chan said that those were “over-mountain crucian carp”, which could survive out of water for half a month. The over-mountain crucian carp have extremely high requirements for the quality of lake water. Once the water quality of their old habitat deteriorates, they cannot survive, and they will immediately take the initiative to move. The more abundant the spiritual energy of the water source, the better the reproduction of the over-mountain crucian carp. Moreover, among every ten thousand of them, a spiritual creature with a golden body will be born. Therefore, the mountain forces are generally willing to raise this creature, in order to judge the situation by observing small signs and accurately determine the situation of the spiritual energy dissipation of the sect’s residence.

Then, within a prosperous state city of Huang Ting Country, in the downtown area, two young sword cultivators were actually riding flying swords, no more than half a zhang off the ground, swiftly shuttling through the crowd, as if they were competing to see who had better sword control skills, completely disregarding the chaos among the people on the street. Some ordinary people who could not avoid them were directly injured by the sharp flying swords and fell to the ground groaning in pain.

When the sword-riding cultivators passed near Chen Ping’an, an old woman staggered and fell in fright, dodging twice, and just happened to collide with the sword cultivator whose route had deviated. The young sword cultivator, unwilling to lose to his close companion behind him, saw that if he stopped suddenly, he would be overtaken. His face filled with anger, he simply accelerated and rushed forward.

If Chen Ping’an had not pulled the old woman away, she would probably have been stabbed to death on the spot.

Not only was the sword cultivator not grateful, but he even turned his head and glared fiercely at Chen Ping’an.

The two sword cultivators, high above, one in front and one behind, just flashed past.

The ordinary people in the state city were terrified by this, but no one wanted to pursue the matter. Even if they cursed, they only dared to lower their voices.

Cui Chan, who was standing by with his hands in his sleeves, said casually, “If it were other Qi Refiners who have not yet reached the Middle Five Realms, they would still be afraid to be so reckless in a state city of a country, because sword cultivators are the most valuable and rare among Qi Refiners.”

After the grateful old woman left in a panic, Chen Ping’an turned to look in the direction where the two sword cultivators had left, and did not withdraw his gaze for a long time.

Cui Chan said indifferently: “You can’t manage everything, and what can you do even if you do manage? Chase after them and kill those two sword cultivators? They haven’t killed anyone from beginning to end. Or reason with them, earnestly admonishing them not to mess around like this in the future? Taking a step back, if your fists are hard enough, forcing them to agree verbally, what can you do after you leave and they continue as before? Isn’t that upsetting? I think it’s very upsetting.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “I only have this much ability, I won’t chase after them.”

“I was hoping that sir would join in the fun. I, as a student, have been eating and drinking along the way, feeling guilty. At least let me help sir solve your problems.”

Cui Chan said these unpleasant sarcastic words, and seeing that his teacher did not respond, he asked with a smile, probing to the bottom: “What about when you have enough ability in the future?”

Chen Ping’an carried the large bamboo basket and continued on his way: “Then I’ll talk about it when that day comes.”

Cui Chan quickly followed, smiling and asking: “Sir, which day is that?”

Chen Ping’an replied: “Anyway, it’s not tomorrow.”

Cui Chan followed behind him, “It would be great if it were the day after tomorrow, I, as a student, would have face.”

Chen Ping’an looked up at the sky and suddenly remembered that when he returned to his hometown, it would be almost New Year’s, so he thought about buying some Spring Festival couplets early. It seemed that there were not many of these things in their Hong Zhu Town, Da Li.

Just at this moment, Cui Chan also looked up, but towards a tall building. He let out a “Huh?” and the corners of his mouth turned up, “Oh ho, this is interesting.”

Cui Chan turned his head and smiled, “Sir, we must join in this fun! Let’s make it clear in advance, if sir is unwilling to go, I’ll go by myself, and sir can wait for me at the city gate.”

Without a word, Chen Ping’an walked towards the city gate, leaving behind a sentence, “If you haven’t come out before the night curfew, I’ll travel on my own.”

Cui Chan’s face looked sad: “Sir is so heartless.”

Chen Ping’an turned his back to Cui Chan, raised his arm, and extended a middle finger.

Cui Chan immediately changed his expression and waved goodbye to Chen Ping’an, “Sir is becoming more and more humorous, I, as a student, have made great contributions!”

Chen Ping’an retracted his middle finger and clenched his fist.

Cui Chan quickly cupped his hands and said: “Sir, walk slowly!”
(End of this chapter) 8)

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