Pei Qian said she wanted to go to the main gate to see the screen wall. The incense smoke from the temple would drift there, carrying fragrant scents. The water flowed, and the sounds were so interesting.

The Water Goddess waved her hand, summoning a lovely young maiden to take Pei Qian to enjoy the scenery.

Remembering that a Confucian sage from another lineage had just left, Chen Ping’an put down his wine gourd and said, “My hometown, Longquan County, was originally the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven. Mr. Qi used to be a teacher at the private school. It’s just that I was too poor to attend school when I was little, but my next-door neighbor was Mr. Qi’s student and often mentioned him. I’ve certainly seen Mr. Qi, though, since the town was so small.”

Zhong Kui returned to the table, smiling as he poured himself a cup of wine. He certainly believed and didn’t quite believe Chen Ping’an’s words. A young, pure martial artist possessed a gourd for nurturing swords, two natal flying swords, and could even perform Yin Spirit Night Travels. Even if the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and Chen Ping’an had his own good fortune, Zhong Kui refused to believe that Chen Ping’an had only “seen” Qi Jingchun.

But since Chen Ping’an was holding back, Zhong Kui wouldn’t press him. Although the learning of the Literary Sage had been banned by major academies, it wasn’t a big deal for private libraries to secretly collect some of his works.

It wouldn’t matter if he knew Qi Jingchun, or even attended that private school. As long as Chen Ping’an wasn’t a direct disciple inheriting Qi Jingchun’s lineage and learning, there wouldn’t be any trouble. Even if he was, within the territory of Da Fu Academy in Tongye Continent, it wouldn’t matter, with Zhong Kui and his teacher there.

But it was hard to say in the two academies at the northern and southern ends of the continent.

The Water Goddess’s eyes lit up, and she leaned over the table, eagerly asking, “Have you seen the Literary Sage, old man? Is he a particularly refined and elegant old man, with a tall crown and wide sleeves, carrying a breeze? Is he both stern and gentle, and can you tell at a glance that he’s a worldly expert with unparalleled knowledge, with an aura like those hermits in paintings?”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to say against his will, “I have not seen him.”

The Water Goddess’s eyes showed both regret and pity, the former for herself and the latter for Chen Ping’an. She slumped back into her seat, took a big gulp of wine, wiped her mouth, and sighed, “That’s truly a regret in life. You’ve never seen such an old gentleman. You should try to see him in the future, or your life won’t be complete.”

Chen Ping’an smiled helplessly, “Alright, I’ll try.”

She remembered something, “Have you seen a fellow named Cui Chan, a bastard of a first disciple who betrayed his master? And that sword immortal with divine swordplay, whose name is particularly domineering, called Zuo You? It’s said that his swordplay is unparalleled in the world. And the likes of Mao Xiaodong… The Literary Sage has so many disciples, you must have seen one of them, right?”

Chen Ping’an raised his wine pot, “Regret, regret, let’s drink, let’s drink.”

The Water Goddess slammed the table, her face full of resentment, “Drink my ass! What’s wrong with you?! If I were born and raised in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, the most important thing after leaving my hometown would be to seek out the Literary Sage. If I couldn’t break into the Merit Grove of the academy, I would at least go and curse Cui Chan, witness Zuo You’s swordplay, and play chess with Mao Xiaodong…”

Chen Ping’an echoed, “Makes sense, makes sense.”

Water Goddess

Zhong Kui suppressed a laugh, “Curse Cui Chan? Water Goddess, I’m not looking down on you, but even if that Great Li Grand Preceptor’s cultivation base has supposedly fallen greatly, he could still crush your golden body with two fingers.”

The Water Goddess argued confidently, “Would he hear me if I cursed him a few times outside the capital of Great Li?”

Zhong Kui rolled his eyes, “Then he really wouldn’t hear you.”

The three of them drank their wine in silence.

The atmosphere gradually became heavy.

The great demon lurking near the Fuzhi Sect, after being exposed, suddenly attacked. It actually caused the death of one and serious injury of the other of the jade purity realm daoist couple, who were skilled in combined attacks. The battlefield was still on the Fuzhi Sect’s mountain. Even though that great demon had the advantage of innate physical strength, its realm must be at least the twelfth realm.

A great demon in the immortal realm, who should have become famous long ago, had been silently hiding in the central Tongye Continent for countless years? Neither the Fuzhi Sect nor the academy noticed it at all? And coincidentally, when the leader of Taiping Mountain went to intercept it from entering the sea, the Taiping Mountain’s prison for suppressing demons suddenly opened, allowing them to escape in all directions?

In addition, the primordial treasures and celestial weapons of the three continents, Bosuo, Tongye, and Fuyao, had appeared one after another, attracting countless cultivators to fight and kill each other.

The Water Goddess asked cautiously, “May I be so bold as to ask, is your Mountain Master not afraid of perishing when he leaves the academy and personally fights the great demons?”

Zhong Kui laughed in anger, “Can’t you think a little better of my teacher? Besides, anyone in the world can ask this, except for you, Water Goddess. In the past two hundred years, how many fights have you actively had with that great demon after leaving Biyou Manor and the Water God Temple?”

The Water Goddess took a sip of wine, “That’s different. I’m just a small Water Goddess, but your teacher comes from a certain sage’s residence in the Confucian Temple…”

Zhong Kui squinted, “Is that the principle you learned from the books of the Literary Sage?”

The Water Goddess became angry out of shame. It was okay to scold her for being shallow in person, but involving the Literary Sage was absolutely not allowed. She slammed the table and stood up, “Zhong Kui, if you keep talking sarcastically, spit out the noodles and wine!”

Zhong Kui took a sip of wine, “I’m drinking your wine.”

He took another sip, “I drank again, it’s really delicious.”

The Water Goddess was so angry that her face turned pale and she trembled all over.

Chen Ping’an said softly, “There’s an archway in my hometown, with a plaque that says ‘Refusing to Yield to Ren.’ That’s probably why Mr. Zhong Kui made this choice. Earlier, Zhong Kui said why the Vast Expanse World is willing to abide by the rules established by Confucianism. Mr. Zhong Kui’s actions today, regardless of his final life or death, at least the three of us here, not to mention Zhong Kui, who is already a student, will find the academic style of Da Fu Academy admirable. If I have children in the future, and they travel around the world, I will definitely make them visit Tongye Continent and Da Fu Academy.”

Zhong Kui nodded and raised his wine bowl to Chen Ping’an as a toast.

The Water Goddess hummed in agreement and also toasted Chen Ping’an with a bowl of wine.

There is no banquet in the world that does not end.

Zhong Kui put down his wine bowl, ready to finish the last thing, and then leave this Biyou Manor in the Buried River.
Pei Qian scampered to the threshold of the hall, cupping her hands as if holding water, her face alight with joy, and loudly exclaimed to Chen Ping’an, presenting her treasure, “I scooped up a handful of water from the spirit wall, wanna take a look?”

She lowered her arms, her fingers interlocked, indeed holding a pool of azure water.

Chen Ping’an glanced at it, “Put it back.”

Pei Qian responded with an “Oh,” and happily skipped back the way she came, followed by the maidservant who covered her mouth and giggled.

The Water God Lady found the little girl amusing and chuckled, “Just a handful of essence from the Burial River, hardly worth a few Immortal Coins. Young Master didn’t need to ask her to put it back.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, offering no specific explanation.

Zhong Kui also carried a miniature artifact, a small and exquisite bronze paperweight in the shape of a mythical beast called a Xie Zhi.

He retrieved the small snow cone, engraved with the four characters “Divine Hand at Work,” and three sheets of golden talisman paper, the background adorned with faint seal script.

Chen Ping’an, unversed in such matters, only found them slightly different from his own golden talismans. However, the Water God Lady, an expert in such papers, exclaimed in surprise, “Wind and Thunder Paper? And these are Dragon Claw Seal, Jade Sinew Seal, and Lingzhi Seal respectively! These are quite valuable! When my Azure Ripple Mansion was first established, the Great Spring Dynasty only gifted us one sheet of Dragon Claw Seal Wind and Thunder Paper!”

Seeing Chen Ping’an’s composed expression, as if unaware of the rarity of the paper, the Water God Lady explained, “Talismans drawn on this type of paper are most effective in exorcising ghosts. Even Golden Core and Nascent Soul stage Earth Immortals hold them dear. They are incredibly expensive; a cultivator below the Golden Core stage would likely have to empty their entire savings to purchase three sheets of this quality.”

Chen Ping’an was not ignorant of the merits of golden talismans. During the battle formation campaign in the Combing Stream Kingdom, while accompanying the Old Sword Saint Song Yu Shao in piercing through enemy lines, a royal court retainer had summoned a golden-armored divine warrior by offering a golden talisman, thereby hindering Chen Ping’an’s assault. Chen Ping’an had witnessed the pitiful state of the old man, trembling with regret after throwing the talisman.

“Even Mount Taiping is no longer peaceful. One can only imagine how chaotic the central Tung Leaf Continent is. Wandering the martial world without a few protective talismans is simply unacceptable.”

Zhong Kui placed the three talisman papers on the wine table. Holding the small snow cone, he spoke softly before drawing the talismans, “Chen Ping’an, friends are friends, but monetary matters should be kept clear. I’ll help you draw three talismans. These Heaven, Earth, and Human Trio Soldier Talismans possess a potent killing aura, perfect for suppressing evil spirits and slaying ghosts. They are a set of my own creation, individually powerful enough to deter Golden Core realm specters. Even a Nascent Soul realm Ghost King, facing the combined might of all three, might be seriously injured if the timing is right. Consider it interest for borrowing the small snow cone.”

Chen Ping’an patted his shoulder and smiled, “If they’re that valuable, then you can borrow the small snow cone for a few more days.”

Zhong Kui shrugged off Chen Ping’an’s hand, rolling his eyes. “I’m not that familiar with you.”

The Water God Lady clicked her tongue, utterly unable to discern the nature of their relationship. One was willing to lend a high-grade magical artifact, and the other was willing to give away three sheets of Wind and Thunder Paper.

Zhong Kui, much like when writing Spring Festival couplets at the inn, began to act ostentatiously. He held the brush in one hand, suspended in the air, preparing to draw the talisman, while the other hand shook his sleeve, raising it high. “As the Sage said, ‘Read ten thousand volumes, and the pen moves as if guided by spirits.’ Water God Lady, bring the wine!”

The Water God Lady fetched him a bowl of wine.

Chen Ping’an cautioned, “Don’t get carried away. Focus on drawing the talisman. If it goes wrong and loses its efficacy, you’ll be conjuring another sheet of Wind and Thunder Paper for me. You said it yourself, friends are friends, but monetary matters should be kept clear.”

Zhong Kui sullenly put down the bowl of celebratory wine. Chen Ping’an then said, “I was just joking with you.”

Zhong Kui wore a mournful expression.

The Water God Lady admired the young gentleman, the Night Wanderer, even more.

‘You truly don’t take the gentlemen of the academy seriously, do you?’

Zhong Kui gulped down a large mouthful of wine, then burped. An incredible scene unfolded as wisps of snow-white spiritual energy, resembling the vast and righteous energy accumulated by a scholar’s reading, were exhaled by Zhong Kui. These wisps of righteous energy coiled around the tip of the small snow cone, and Zhong Kui’s talisman drawing style was even more unorthodox. He didn’t “touch” the paper with the brush, but instead recited a line of poetry, “Jade token bids farewell to the phoenix tower, iron cavalry encircles the dragon city.”

Then, with a gentle flick of his wrist, a large string of figures, each the size of a grain of rice, “fell” from the tip of the brush.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be mounted generals clad in silver armor, over a hundred strong, swiftly arranging their troops on the Wind and Thunder Talisman Paper, each halting their horse in place.

Zhong Kui, holding the brush in his right hand, pointed at the talisman paper with two fingers of his left, and intoned, “Freeze!”

The silver-armored riders instantly dissolved, merging into the golden talisman paper.

In that instant, it transformed into a talisman.

The next two were drawn in a similar fashion, deserving the praise of “ghosts and spirits at his command.”

The Water God Lady was filled with admiration. As expected of a quasi-sage from the Great Fu Academy. Leaving aside his moral principles and literary skills, his talisman-drawing skill alone was enough to make a Jade Purity realm Talisman Master applaud in amazement.

Zhong Kui handed the three talismans to Chen Ping’an, “The Three Talents Soldier Talismans, completed.”

Chen Ping’an carefully accepted the talismans, smiling as he asked, “Drawing three talismans, are you tired?”

Zhong Kui patted his stomach and scoffed, “A minor matter! My belly is full of strategies, holding ten thousand armored soldiers. Three talismans are nothing… nothing?”

Zhong Kui was stunned, for he saw that Chen Ping’an, after storing away the three talismans, took out three more talismans. The one on top was also made of golden material, but it wasn’t Wind and Thunder Paper with ancient seal script patterns. It seemed even older.

Chen Ping’an gently placed them on the table, smiling warmly. “Since you’re not tired, then help me draw three more, preferably one thunder magic talisman, one guiding talisman, capable of breaking through the illusions in landscapes and terrains, and one talisman that can imprison the natal flying swords of sword cultivators, like that Water Well Talisman.”

The Water God Lady was filled with doubt. This out-of-town young master was truly exceptionally wealthy.

Zhong Kui wiped the sweat from his forehead and lamented, “Fine, fine, might as well see a good deed through to the end, three more it is.”

After a moment of thought, having made up his mind, Zhong Kui said in a low voice, “I’ll respectively draw for you a ‘Master Law’ Five Thunder Talisman, a specialty of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Masters. Thunder magic is ranked at the top of all magic, and while the thunder magic lineage is complex, Dragon Tiger Mountain is the orthodox and master law. My teacher once traveled to Dragon Tiger Mountain several times and met the Grand Celestial Master once. I happened to learn a Five Thunder Talisman, Five Dragons Holding Pearls, containing thunder and lightning, its energy soaring into the void…”

He noticed that Chen Ping’an’s gaze was odd.
Zhong Kui yelped, his face etched with suffering. “Couldn’t you let me rest a bit before making me write? I exhausted myself crafting three high-grade talismans! Who knew you’d pull out three such exquisite talisman papers? If I’d known, I would have feigned weakness!”

Chen Pingan smiled and took a seat. “Enjoy your wine, calm your spirit, and then draw. I won’t rush you.”

Only then did Zhong Kui breathe a sigh of relief, gulping down a mouthful of wine. He carefully separated the topmost golden talisman paper, placing it squarely before him.

A miniature snow cone, hovering a foot above the paper, crackled with lightning. Within that small space, bolts of purple and white, the very essence of celestial might, crackled and danced.

The Water Goddess felt a shiver of dread.

After completing the imposing Five Dragons Holding Pearl Lightning Talisman, Zhong Kui then crafted a Barrier-Breaking Talisman.

He then collapsed into a chair, staring blankly at the final talisman paper, its hue a vibrant green.

Understanding dawned on Chen Pingan. He reached for the paper, chuckling. “Forget it. No need to frighten you further. The first two talismans are enough.”

Zhong Kui’s expression turned solemn. He seized Chen Pingan’s arm, his fingers grasping the green talisman paper. “This talisman, I *must* draw. But I need to carefully compose myself, focus every ounce of my being. If I err, even if you, Chen Pingan, don’t punish me, I will berate myself!”

Chen Pingan inquired, “Can it be done?”

Zhong Kui countered, “What’s this ‘can it be done’? Of course, it can be done! It’s just that drawing an ordinary Water Well Talisman, one that only confines and imprisons the flying swords of cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm, would be a waste of such precious materials.”

Chen Pingan praised, “Zhong Kui, your talent for drawing talismans far surpasses mine.”

Zhong Kui sighed, “You’re a pure martial artist! You telling me your talisman skills are inferior… Do you think that makes me happy?”

Chen Pingan fell silent, momentarily speechless. After a pause, he ceased disturbing Zhong Kui’s recuperation, his cultivation of the righteous qi within his heart.

However, a decision had already taken root within him.

Zhong Kui took a deep breath, addressing the Water Goddess, “Send all the spirits within the Azure Abyss Mansion outside its boundaries. Once I’ve successfully drawn the talisman, they can return.”

Though she knew not why, she obeyed, employing the unique techniques and divine powers of both the Buried River Water Goddess and the Azure Abyss Lord, instantly “banishing” all stewards, maids, and servants from the mansion.

Zhong Kui stood firm, one hand clasped behind his back, the other holding the miniature snow cone. His sleeves billowed with gusts of pure wind.

In an instant, the Azure Abyss Mansion began to tremble, the underground waterways surged and crashed.

The Water Goddess struggled to breathe, retreating as far as possible from the scholar, still feeling intense discomfort. Only when she fled the main hall did she find some relief.

She bit her lip, her gaze distant.

This scholar named Zhong Kui was far more than just a Confucian gentleman!

As Zhong Kui lowered his brush, he softly chanted, “Draw the sword, cleanse the rivers! The mountains crumble, the seas boil!”

Once the talisman was complete, the talisman core, normally hidden within the design, manifested! It was a white-robed Sword Immortal, barely an inch tall, hovering above the paper, gracefully wielding its sword. Sword qi flowed, swift as lightning.

Zhong Kui’s face was pale. He put away the miniature snow cone, gulping down a mouthful of wine. Though utterly exhausted, his face was radiant with a smile. “This talisman, I created myself! It’s my most prized creation, named the Sword-Suppressing Talisman. Using the vast sword intent of an ancient Sword Immortal, it overwhelms all natal flying swords below the fifth realm! The talisman paper is exceptional, and my drawing is perfect. Unlike that Water Well Talisman, which only temporarily traps a flying sword, this Sword-Suppressing Talisman directly deprives a Golden Core realm cultivator of their natal weapon! Nascent Soul realm swordsmen can’t be imprisoned for long, they’ll eventually break free. Remember this: Never reveal this talisman to outsiders. My master warned me, the Sword-Suppressing Talisman is unconventional, far too effective against swordsmen, it could easily cause trouble.”

Chen Pingan felt a pang of guilt. “You’ve worked hard.”

Zhong Kui waved his hand, smiling. He used his heart-voice to speak with Chen Pingan. “This talisman paper is from a holy sage’s own manuscript, imbued with his fundamental understanding! Do you know how rare that is? Even my master, when leaving the Central Continent, only carried three such treasures! He used one during the sea crossing, and another upon reaching the Maple Leaf Continent. Now only one remains, his most cherished possession! Even I can only look, not touch! So, if it were just golden talisman paper, the power of this Sword-Suppressing Talisman would decrease significantly, only able to trap a Golden Core sword cultivator’s natal sword for, at most, the time it takes an incense stick to burn.”

Zhong Kui exclaimed with pleasure, then resumed his drinking.

With a flick of his wrist, Chen Pingan quietly offered Zhong Kui another talisman paper.

Zhong Kui was dumbstruck, his eyes wide. “Are you insane? If you didn’t know its value, I’d let it go, but having explained its rarity, you treat it so casually? Take it back!”

Chen Pingan, without a word, released his fingers, letting the green talisman paper float downwards. Zhong Kui had no choice but to catch it, quickly stowing it away in his sleeve.

Chen Pingan raised his Sword-Nurturing Gourd high, gently smiling. “I wish you success on your Peace Mountain journey, vanquishing demons and monsters, returning in triumph.”

Zhong Kui hesitated, ultimately saying nothing. He silently raised his wine bowl, gently tapping it against Chen Pingan’s Sword-Nurturing Gourd, each taking a large gulp.

Finishing the wine in his bowl, Zhong Kui stood up. “I’m leaving.”

Chen Pingan cupped his fist in farewell.

Zhong Kui turned to depart.

Chen Pingan reminded him, “Aren’t you going to ask the Water Goddess for a jar of fine wine?”

Zhong Kui’s eyes brightened. He gave Chen Pingan a thumbs up.

The Water Goddess was a woman of heroic spirit, naturally not stingy. She brought two jars, but Zhong Kui left one behind, giving it to Chen Pingan. Chen Pingan didn’t refuse, his guest house plum wine having already run out. He slowly poured the Azure Abyss Mansion’s century-old brew into his Sword-Nurturing Gourd.

Clutching the jar of wine, Zhong Kui vanished in a flash, soaring into the sky. He reached the banks of the Buried River, about to cross, when he abruptly stopped. He had seen his master’s Yin spirit, seemingly waiting for him on the shore.

Zhong Kui quickly hid the jar of wine behind his back.

The Mountain Lord of the Great Auxiliary Academy, a middle-aged man with a wooden expression, slowly walked along the banks of the Buried River. Zhong Kui followed behind him.
In the vast world, there are seventy-two academies, each led by a headmaster, their cultivation levels varying greatly. The most powerful among them might reach the lofty Immortal Realm, while some, like Mao Xiaodong of the new Cliff Academy of the Great Sui Dynasty, only possess the Yuan Ying Realm. However, a headmaster guarding an academy, even at the Yuan Ying Realm, could rival a Jade Purity Realm cultivator, a level of power that none dared underestimate.

This scholar from a certain Sage’s residence held a cultivation level neither high nor low among the academy headmasters, the Jade Purity Realm. But within the Great Fuyu Academy, it was akin to the Immortal Realm.

However, this time, as he journeyed westward towards the coastline beyond the Fuling Sect to hunt down that great demon, having left the academy, he was merely a Jade Purity Realm cultivator.

The headmaster gently said, “It’s highly likely that the opponent has hidden trump cards. Thus, I don’t want you to shrink back in fear, but to plan your actions carefully. Even when subduing demons and monsters around Mount Taiping, you must not let your guard down.”

Zhong Kui nodded, “Disciple understands.”

The headmaster stopped, extended a hand, a cyan talisman floating on his palm, “Keep this to protect yourself.”

Zhong Kui didn’t reach out to take it, “Teacher, just now by the river, did you not use your divine abilities to investigate the Bi You Estate?”

The headmaster gently chided, “Earlier, by the riverbank, you rashly summoned underworld ghost soldiers. As the headmaster of the Great Fuyu Academy, it is my duty to investigate! You were merely interacting with friends in the Bi You Estate, so naturally, I would not intrude! If I weren’t in front of outsiders, unable to give you this talisman, my Yin Spirit would have left long ago.”

Zhong Kui laughed, “Teacher’s words are as pure as orchids, your virtues as lofty as mountains and as enduring as rivers. Disciple is enlightened!”

The headmaster didn’t mind, “Why don’t you accept it?”

Zhong Kui could only be honest, “Besides that writing brush I have a fondness for, that friend also gave me a cyan talisman, made of the same material as yours.”

The headmaster frowned, then retracted the talisman, seemingly displeased, and asked, “Why did you accept such a valuable item so readily?”

Zhong Kui was speechless, thinking for a moment, “I don’t know why, but it felt like accepting it was the right thing to do. Please punish me, Teacher.”

The headmaster was silent for a moment, “That jar of fine wine from the Bi You Estate, you don’t need to hide it away. Since you’ve made a good friend, isn’t it worth a drink? Remember, you can drink, but you must not delay your journey to Mount Taiping, and… don’t let it happen again.”

Zhong Kui scratched his head, wondering if his teacher was possessed.

His teacher’s rigidity was well-known, always adhering to rules and regulations, acting with propriety in all things, a close friend of the Mountaintop Academy headmaster in Ju Lu Continent, who, when he moved, caused mountains to crumble and earth to shatter.

In the blink of an eye, this Night Wandering Yin Spirit returned to its true body, far away.

The headmaster felt somewhat melancholic.

Watching his disciple Zhong Kui’s interactions with that young man, he couldn’t help but recall his own youth, when he and many other descendants of Sage residences, wealthy clans, and sects, all felt a degree of envy towards someone surnamed Qi.

Because that person who called himself A Liang, was the one they all admired the most.

He liked to say, “Little Qi is my friend. Anyone who dares to bully him, I’ll beat their ancestor’s coffin lid until it can’t stay closed.”

In the Bi You Estate, after Zhong Kui left, the Water Goddess’ first words were shocking, “I know you’ve met Old Master Wen Sheng, and it wasn’t just a fleeting encounter, a chance meeting!”

Chen Ping An remained unmoved, “How come I don’t know that myself?”

The Water Goddess sneered, “Still pretending? Zhong Kui doesn’t recognize your identity, can’t discern the lineage of your scholarship because he doesn’t belong to Old Master Wen Sheng, Qi Jingchun’s lineage of scholars. Who am I? I’ve read all of Old Master Wen Sheng’s works, word for word, countless times. The two Three Teachings Debates that Old Master Wen Sheng participated in, how magnificent they were, I know them all! A belly full of poetry and books naturally radiates elegance, the aura differs depending on what books you read. Who am I? At least a River-burying Water Goddess, the art of observing aura is my specialty!”

Looking at the adamant Water Goddess, Chen Ping An asked with a smile, “So?”

She instantly deflated, her momentum gone, “You really haven’t met Old Master Wen Sheng?”

Chen Ping An nodded, “I have.”

The Water Goddess collapsed on the table, her eyes filled with sorrow, then suddenly jumped up, “You have?!”

Chen Ping An raised a finger, signaling to speak softly.

The Water Goddess stared dazedly at this young man who truly knew Old Master Wen Sheng, “Oh my, how can there be such a handsome young man in the world?”

Perhaps after getting him drunk… should I become sworn brothers with him? That way, wouldn’t I be connected to Old Master Wen Sheng in some small way?

She wiped her mouth, grinning foolishly, thinking that her plan was indeed unparalleled, worthy of someone who had read so many books by Wen Sheng, the books were not read in vain, definitely would not embarrass Old Master Wen Sheng.

Chen Ping An somewhat regretted admitting that he knew the Wen Sheng old scholar.