The fortress stood tall, nestled amongst verdant mountains and clear waters. Above the main gate, almost imperceptible unless closely scrutinized, were two ancient, yellow paper talismans, their cinnabar inscriptions faded with time. Chen Ping’an, already blessed with keen eyesight and a meticulous nature, immediately noticed these subtle wards. He glanced at Lu Tai, who was engrossed in chatting with the woman, Huan Shu, about the martial arts happenings of the Chenxiang Kingdom. Chen Ping’an quietly committed the talismans’ patterns to memory.

Of the myriad talismans in the world, encompassing diverse schools of thought, only three were recognized as the orthodox lineage. The Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master’s Mansion of the Central Earth Divine Continent was one. The other two were the Spiritual Treasure Sect of the Southern Saha Continent and the Tongye Sect of Tongye Continent, the very land Chen Ping’an now stood upon.

Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai, the two uninvited guests, were accommodated in a secluded courtyard on the eastern side of Flying Eagle Fortress by the steward, He Ya. He Ya personally led them to their lodgings.

The siblings, Huan Chang and Huan Shu, bid them farewell, suggesting they rest and recuperate for the day. They invited Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai to a welcoming banquet in the main building the following evening, hoping they would attend punctually.

The central bluestone path of Flying Eagle Fortress led directly to the main building. The other streets and alleys crisscrossed, the dirt lanes evoking memories of Chen Ping’an’s hometown, Mud Bottle Lane and Apricot Blossom Lane. The residents were descendants of families who had lived in Flying Eagle Fortress for generations. However, unlike the dung-filled Mud Bottle Lane, these alleys were clean and tidy. Almost every household had planted peach, plum, or apricot trees. Children ran and played, brandishing small bamboo swords and wooden knives, mimicking combat, or riding bamboo sticks, shouting “Giddy up, giddy up!” When they saw the old steward, He Ya, they were not afraid. They stopped, addressed him as “Teacher He,” and performed a respectful bow before rushing off again, their innocent laughter echoing through the alleys.

After settling Lu Tai and Chen Ping’an, the scholarly old steward quickly went to the top floor of the main building to see the Fortress Lord of Flying Eagle Fortress, Huan Yang.

Huan Yang was a handsome man with a face like jade. Although no longer young, his temples were already lightly frosted, this only added to his charm. Ultimately, good looks are always an advantage, regardless of gender; unattractiveness is often a sin.

Huan Yang sat on an antique Arhat couch, gesturing for He Ya to sit. The old steward glanced at his muddy boots, smiling and shaking his head. He pulled up a chair and sat beside him.

Huan Yang frowned. “Uncle He, why did you bring two outsiders into Flying Eagle Fortress? Are they related to the Immortal Masters from the mountains to the west?”

He Ya said helplessly, “Whether they are related is hard to say for now. By the time we arrived, all sounds had ceased. I assume the great battle had ended, and those immortals and demons had retreated. I secretly left two people there to look for clues, but they found nothing. It must be that the victor used immortal magic to obscure the secrets of heaven.”

Huan Yang smiled wryly. “If those two young men were truly the legendary Immortal Masters, that would be good. But the worldly expert I asked for help from through connections is almost a month late. I sent a secret message asking why the expert was so delayed. I just received a reply from my close friend in the capital. He scolded me soundly in his letter, saying that the lofty immortals on the mountains are rarely seen, even by ministers and dukes in the capital. He was already incredibly fortunate to pass on my request and have the immortal agree to help. If I push my luck, I might anger the immortal, and the good deed might turn into a disaster.”

Huan Yang looked worried and asked softly, “Uncle He, you are an experienced veteran. You know something about the mountains. What do you think we should do? Are we just going to keep waiting? Strange things have been happening in the fortress these past few years. If one or two more incidents occur, we won’t be able to hide it anymore. People will panic. What should we do?”

He Ya said decisively, “What your friend in the capital says is true. The immortals on the mountains are focused on pursuing the Dao. Their temperaments are unpredictable. We ordinary people cannot fathom them. We can only wait patiently.”

Huan Yang sighed, picked up a wine pot, and took a small sip of Flying Eagle Fortress’s homemade sorghum liquor. “Then we will wait. But Flying Eagle Fortress really cannot afford to delay. If it weren’t for this, why would I have you risk going into the mountains to seek out that cultivator? I was hoping that by chance, we would meet a high-ranking expert who knows immortal arts, and use him as a last resort to help Flying Eagle Fortress solve its troubles. Even if we lost all our family wealth, it would be worth it.”

He Ya hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words. “The reason I invited those two into Flying Eagle Fortress is because I think that although they are young, they might be disciples of some mountain sect who are traveling the world to gain experience. On the way here, I carefully observed their breathing, footsteps, and appearance. The white-robed youth carrying the sword is probably a retainer. As for the young master, he is clearly not an ordinary mortal. His temperament is too good, really too good.”

Huan Yang stroked his beard and laughed. “No wonder Shu’er is sticking by his side. It seems she took a liking to him at first sight. Not bad, not bad. She has good taste, just like my daughter.”

The old man was reminded of many past events in the martial world because of the appearance of that young man in green robes. He laughed and said, “When I followed the old Fortress Lord, I only saw a few people with a similar aura. One is the current Privy Councilor Liu in the capital. Back then, he was just a playboy who indulged in wine and women, but his essence was clearly restrained. It was just a means of self-defilement to deceive the world.”

“Then there was Dou Zizhi, who showed his brilliance as soon as he emerged. In fact, not many people were optimistic about Dou Zizhi at that time. They only thought he was an ordinary genius and not particularly outstanding. But the old Fortress Lord was certain that Dou Zizhi would dominate the Chenxiang Kingdom’s martial world for at least thirty years. The old Fortress Lord’s vision was unique.”

“The last person, I don’t know his name or origin. At the time, the old Fortress Lord and I climbed a mountain to watch the sunrise. When we reached the top, we found a man in white clothes practicing breathing exercises. When he noticed us, he smiled and nodded to us, then vanished in a flash, never to be seen again. You must know that it was the top of a mountain thousands of feet high. How else could he have gone down the mountain except by divine power over the wind or an immortal flying on a sword?”

The old man sighed, but he was also animated.

But in the end, he was still somewhat disappointed.

Their martial world was so big, with many sects, conflicts between good and evil, life and death, honor and disgrace, and martial heroes who valued righteousness above all else.

In the end, was it just a small puddle in the eyes of some people?
To cross over was merely a matter of lifting a foot for them. Yet, they were too lazy to even lift a toe. But if they did, a single step could send ripples through the water, turning the tranquil martial world into a tempestuous sea?

Huan Yang found this amusing. Imperceptibly, the melancholy in his heart eased a bit. He chuckled and asked, “Uncle He, why haven’t you talked about these things before?”

The old man chuckled self-deprecatingly, “What’s the point of talking about old glories? A true hero doesn’t boast of past deeds. Besides, this old He has been a good-for-nothing his entire life. The Old Fortress Master, who shattered the spirit guardian statue with a single strike, now that’s a true hero. I just carried his baggage and led his horse. I hope to live a few more years and help the Young Fortress Master with his wedding. That would be enough for this old man.”

Huan Yang sighed, “Can immortals truly attain eternal life?”

The old man smiled, “When the immortal friend of the Fortress Master arrives, why not ask him then?”

Lu Tai was quite pleased with this courtyard. Located at the end of a small alley, the environment was quiet, and the walls of the courtyard were covered with creeping fig.

Then, Lu Tai raised his head and waved with a smile towards the distant eaves. Up on the roof ridge, a Flying Eagle Fortress disciple, panting heavily, ducked down and ran to report to Steward He. His movements had already been noticed, and staying any longer might lead to misunderstandings and potentially cause trouble.

Chen Ping An sat on a stone stool and softly said, “I feel like this place is a bit odd.”

Lu Tai didn’t take it seriously and casually said, “Don’t worry, I’m just finding a comfortable place to rest and recuperate. I absolutely won’t cause trouble, as long as trouble doesn’t come looking for me. Whatever happens outside this courtyard, I don’t care.”

Chen Ping An remembered the two ancient talismans on the Flying Eagle Fortress gate. He raised a finger and, mimicking their form, drew a talisman in the air, asking, “Do you know what kind of talismans these are?”

Lu Tai went inside to find tea sets. Since they were lodging here, they had to adapt to local customs. Neither of them had brought luggage, so they couldn’t just conjure things out of thin air. Without much rummaging, Lu Tai found a set of tea implements and then grabbed a small bucket, preparing to go out and fetch water. He told Chen Ping An that he had passed a well with interesting characteristics. Well water was generally considered the lowest grade for brewing tea, but the water there had an excellent quality. Perhaps it would bring unexpected surprises.

As for the talismans, Lu Tai bluntly stated that he couldn’t possibly recognize every talisman in the world. The two on the gate had unclear patterns, possibly a minor work from a talisman sect in Tongye Continent. In any case, the talisman core was not of high grade, and the spiritual energy had long dissipated. Only the ignorant brutes of the Flying Eagle Fortress would foolishly treat them as treasures, probably just for peace of mind.

Chen Ping An always felt a faint aura of yin lingering around the Flying Eagle Fortress, refusing to dissipate. However, compared to the billowing black smoke and monstrous malevolence after the evil cultivator broke the pottery jar, it was insignificant.

Lu Tai returned with the empty bucket.

Chen Ping An asked, “What, the well water isn’t suitable for brewing tea?”

Lu Tai curled his lip. “The feng shui of the Flying Eagle Fortress has obviously been tampered with. The well water is unusually yin. Not only is it unsuitable for brewing tea, but even for boiling water and cooking, ordinary folks with insufficient yang energy would encounter problems over time. But it’s not a big deal. I guess the number of girls born in the last decade or two must be much higher than boys. If it continues, yin will overwhelm yang.”

Chen Ping An frowned, silent.

Lu Tai smiled and asked, “Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

Chen Ping An glanced at him, “Forget about martial world grievances. We don’t know what’s going on, are we helping people or harming them?”

Lu Tai laughed, “That puts my mind at ease. I was afraid you’d get a burst of chivalry and try to right every wrong you see.”

Chen Ping An said irritably, “I don’t have a sword.”

Lu Tai dropped the bucket to the side, clasped his hands behind his back, and sized up Chen Ping An with interest, tsking, “Oh, Chen Ping An, you’re getting better. You can even tell jokes now.”

Chen Ping An dismissed it with a smile.

He began practicing the six-step stance in the courtyard.

Lu Tai sat on the steps, looked up at the sky, and gently waved his bamboo fan. “It’s going to rain.”

In the twilight, a torrential downpour arrived as expected.

Dripping and pattering, falling on the stone table in the courtyard, in the alley, in the space between heaven and earth.

Chen Ping An wore the Golden Decree Dharma Robe, so he didn’t have to worry about getting cold or even about his clothes getting soaked. He continued to practice his fist techniques. The feeling of suddenly shattering a ball of rain with each punch was captivating.

Lu Tai, to avoid the rain, had already sat down by the doorway. Although the autumn wind and rain made the weather cool, he was still waving his fan, either lost in thought or occasionally glancing at Chen Ping An’s fist techniques.

Lu Tai saw Chen Ping An switch from practicing fist techniques to practicing swordplay, still using the strange form of holding an imaginary sword.

Lu Tai laughed, “The ancients always saw rain as the union of heaven and earth, the mingling of yin and yang. The ancients’ ideas are truly interesting. I wonder how future generations will view us.”

Chen Ping An didn’t say anything. Lu Tai often acted mysteriously like this; there was no need to pay attention.

That night, the lights in Lu Tai’s room were already out, and he was asleep.

Chen Ping An, as usual, stayed up late reading, flipping through the “Classic of Mountains and Seas.”

Outside the window, the rain was still pouring down, such heavy rain was rare.

Chen Ping An’s ears twitched slightly. He faintly heard the sound of children chasing and playing in the alley outside the courtyard, fleeting.

A moment later, Chen Ping An had just turned a page of his book when he heard a subtle female voice outside, like weeping.

Chen Ping An remained unmoved. Then came a series of old man’s coughs, gradually fading away.

It should be known that this courtyard was located at the end of the alley, a dead end.

Chen Ping An closed the book in his hand, picked up the Sword Nourishing Gourd on the table, and walked out of the room, drinking as he went. After opening the door, suddenly, it seemed like the rain in the world had turned into blood.

In the blink of an eye, everything returned to normal. Except for the coldness of the weather, the courtyard was surrounded by mist, and there was nothing unusual.

Chen Ping An moved a chair and sat outside the threshold, slightly releasing his aura. The pure boxing intent, with its divine brilliance contained within, slowly flowed through his entire body, gently blocking the oncoming rain a few feet away.

A series of insistent finger-tapping sounds came from the courtyard gate.

Chen Ping An was about to get up to open the door.

The tapping suddenly stopped.

After this happened several times, Chen Ping An simply ignored it and began practicing the Sword Furnace Stance.

About an incense stick’s worth of time later, the heavy rain gradually stopped, turning into a continuous drizzle.

A chilling scratching sound came from the courtyard gate.
Chen Ping’an opened his eyes and sighed. He retrieved a yellow paper talisman depicting a pagoda meant to suppress demons from his sleeve. Standing up, he slowly approached the courtyard gate.

The yellow paper talisman at his fingertip shone brilliantly, emitting a golden light like a dazzling sun tearing through the night.

Lu Tai suddenly opened the door, yawning, and said, “Hurry and put that away. You might accidentally scare the ghosts and specters to death.”

Chen Ping’an ignored the lame joke.

He was about to open the door, intending to throw the talisman into the alley regardless of the consequences before anything else.

Lu Tai cautioned, “Don’t alert the enemy.”

Chen Ping’an considered it, but still walked directly to the courtyard gate. After removing the bolt, a gloomy atmosphere pervaded the air. The muddy alley outside, though seemingly empty, was filled with whispers, drifting everywhere. Uneven footprints appeared on the ground in their wake.

Chen Ping’an turned around and stuck the talisman on the gate.

Before entering, he turned to look. He saw two figures, one large and one small, walking in the rain in the distance of the alley. Both were dressed in plain white linen robes. The child did not turn around, but “twisted” its entire head, making eye contact with Chen Ping’an, splitting its mouth into a silent grin.

First, set a small goal, for example, 1 second: