After the Water Goddess finished speaking, she waited for a long time, but no response came. Looking down, she couldn’t help but smile wryly. The young scholar had already fallen asleep sitting there, only a faint snore audible.

She smiled knowingly. This young scholar’s ease and peace of mind might seem unrefined, but in her eyes, it was no less impressive than the “killing one man every ten steps, leaving no trace for a thousand miles” heroes of the human world.

The Buried River Water Goddess pondered for a moment, about to carry Chen Ping’an to a refined guest room in her manor, but Pei Qian, as if facing a formidable enemy, quickly stood guard beside Chen Ping’an and asked, “What are you going to do?”

The Water Goddess rolled her eyes and said, “Are you expecting him to sleep here until the sun is high in the sky? He needs a comfortable bed to lie on. Otherwise, what kind of hospitality does my Azure Wanderer’s Abode offer?”

Pei Qian nodded and said, “Oh, then be careful and don’t wake up my dad.”

At the same time, Pei Qian carefully rehung the sword-nourishing gourd on Chen Ping’an’s waist.

If this wine gourd were lost, she estimated that she would either be beaten or scolded to death by Chen Ping’an.

There was no helping it. In Chen Ping’an’s eyes, she was the least valuable.

The Water Goddess didn’t quibble with the little girl’s form of address. She could naturally see at a glance that the young scholar Chen and the little girl were definitely not blood-related. As for why the two of them were traveling the world together, it was probably fate. The gathering and scattering of destinies, their coming and going, were the most wondrous and ineffable things. Just like from tonight until this morning, who could have imagined that Chen Ping’an’s first visit to the Azure Wanderer’s Abode would bring her such a great opportunity? It should be known that the path of the gods almost entirely relied on the accumulation of incense over time. Compared to Qi practitioners and pure martial artists, it was even harder to improve. Just imagine, the advancement of mountain and river deities, besides imperial edicts and emperors decreeing the elevation of a deity’s position with the national fortune, could only be achieved bit by bit, by collecting the essence of incense from devout believers and sincere worshippers in the temples, a mere copper coin, ounce, or pound at a time.

The Water Goddess moved gently, carrying this young man, whose appreciation of wine was the best in the world, on her back. He wasn’t heavy, and she didn’t use any divine powers to shrink the distance to the courtyard. Instead, she carried Chen Ping’an, walking step by step. This was an unprecedented display of patience for the impulsive Buried River Water Goddess. She was very curious how such a young man could have so much knowledge in his belly. How could he be regarded as the heir to the literary lineage by the Literary Saint and Qi Jingchun? At that time, he must have still been a youth?

If he truly attained enlightenment as a youth, then what a fortunate background and extraordinary talent he must have possessed! Could he be one of those legendary reincarnated deities, a prodigy born with knowledge?

However, thinking about it, she felt it wasn’t right. The Literary Saint had seen countless geniuses; he wouldn’t be as vulgar as her.

Pei Qian walked beside the Water Goddess, constantly looking up at her expression. Seeing that the mistress of the manor was smiling rather strangely, the little girl finally couldn’t help but ask, “You wouldn’t happen to be in love with my dad, would you?”

The Water Goddess shook her head and said softly, “No, I neither like him, nor do I think I’m worthy of him. If I had to choose a scholar in the world to be my husband, I would probably prefer that slovenly gentleman. Marrying such a man would allow one to live a comfortable life. Someone like Master Chen, however, is difficult.”

If she fell in love with Chen Ping’an, Pei Qian would be angry. But when she heard the Buried River Water Goddess say that she didn’t like him, she became even angrier, blurting out, “Are you blind?!”

The Water Goddess turned her head to look at the pouting little girl and smiled, “Oh ho, does that mean all the women in the world have to like Chen Ping’an to not be considered blind?”

Pei Qian snorted, wearing a haughty expression that said, “You women are short-sighted and lack knowledge. I’m not going to waste my breath on you.”

The Water Goddess was already in a good mood. Seeing Pei Qian’s expression, she laughed even harder. Feeling that she was being looked down upon, Pei Qian became even more furious, “What are you laughing at? My dad is your benefactor, and I’m his daughter. I’m your little benefactor. Show some respect!”

The Water Goddess slowed her pace and softly asked, “How about I give you a thank-you gift?”

Pei Qian’s eyes lit up, but they quickly dimmed. She said weakly, “Forget it. You can give it to Chen Ping’an yourself. I don’t dare to accept gifts randomly. Otherwise, when he wakes up, he’ll definitely complain that I’m ill-mannered and don’t know etiquette. Why should I waste my good intentions on an ungrateful person? Don’t you think so?”

The Water Goddess couldn’t help but smile. She finally managed to suppress her laughter and said seriously, “It’s okay. I have valuable things to give to Chen Ping’an. Since you’re ‘Chen Ping’an’s daughter,’ as a sort of elder, giving you some gifts upon our first meeting is not excessive, even if you secretly hide them and don’t let Chen Ping’an find out. Besides, you won’t use them to do evil. Chen Ping’an will at most scold you a few times afterward. It won’t hurt you, so what are you afraid of?”

Pei Qian was slightly tempted, but she quickly scoffed, “How do you know I won’t do bad things? I’m very bad. If I get some extremely powerful immortal treasure or learn some amazing divine magic, I’ll kill anyone I don’t like at first sight! Chen Ping’an won’t be able to stop me! But if Chen Ping’an can’t beat me then, I’ll take care of his reputation and only kill, kill, kill when I’m alone. I’ll be even quicker at killing than that old villain surnamed Zhu and that ugly woman named ‘Right’ who always has a scowling face, just like I usually eat when I’m hungry. In the blink of an eye, I’ll ask Chen Ping’an to get me another big bowl of white rice!”

The little girl became more and more cheerful as she spoke.

Her words shocked the Water Goddess.

Only at this moment did she realize what kind of little monster Chen Ping’an had brought with him.

She spoke of killing as if it were eating, and not in the way that ignorant children like to make chilling remarks.

The Water Goddess’s expression changed, and she carefully observed Pei Qian again.

Pei Qian suddenly angrily said, “You Water Goddess are really malicious and repay kindness with hatred! Are you deliberately trying to trick me, single-mindedly wanting Chen Ping’an to see me make a big mistake and kick me out, so you can take the opportunity to play the good person and take me in, making me a tea-pouring and water-fetching maid in this Azure Wanderer’s Abode?”

The Water Goddess remained silent, carrying the sleeping Chen Ping’an on her back while looking down at the dark and petite little girl.

She deliberately made her expression cold, both intentionally concealing and slightly revealing her thoughts, and asked with a smile, “Is that how you see me?”

As expected, Pei Qian immediately took a step back and said with a forced smile, “Water Goddess, I was just joking with you.”

The Water Goddess understood.
This young girl, radiant with the very essence of metal, undoubtedly possesses an extraordinary background, and one can scarcely hope to truly master her disposition.

For some inexplicable reason, the Water God remembered when Pei Qian had offered up water to Chen Ping’an, and with a simple word from him, the little girl immediately returned to where she had retrieved the water essence, seemingly of her own volition, without the slightest hint of disobedience.

The Water God finally began to piece together some clues.

Then, inwardly, she praised the young man behind her.

Pei Qian chuckled. “You were trying to scare me just now.”

The Water God felt somewhat helpless. Did this little girl truly possess such keen intuition, capable of discerning the ebb and flow of people’s hearts? How exhausting it must be to spend every moment with her?

She led Chen Ping’an to the most elegant detached courtyard within the Biyou Mansion. The courtyard gate and the room door opened on their own. She placed him on the bed, adorned with luxurious bedding. Pei Qian shooed her away, helped Chen Ping’an take off his boots, and then tucked him in with a blanket. Only then did she plop down on the edge of the bed, glaring at the Water God, who smiled and said, “You have your own place to sleep. I’ll take you there now.”

Pei Qian vigorously shook her head. “I have to keep watch for my Dad, to guard against bad guys.”

The Water God playfully chided, “Alright, stop trying to flatter him. Chen Ping’an is already fast asleep.”

Pei Qian was skeptical. She looked back at Chen Ping’an, and only then did she get up, grinning. “Then take me to nap for a while. I’m so sleepy. But remember to let me know the moment my Dad wakes up. We need to hurry and catch up with the main group. We agreed to join them after dawn, and my Dad always keeps his word.”

The Water God was utterly defeated by this precocious little imp. After leading Pei Qian out of the room, she asked curiously, “Main group? What’s going on?”

Pei Qian hesitated for a moment, then roughly explained the situation with Yao Family’s caravan.

The Water God nodded. “No problem. You two sleep soundly for two hours. When the time comes, I’ll send you to the upper reaches of the Burial River in an instant, just like last night.”

Only then was Pei Qian reassured. She followed the extremely wealthy, short, and stout woman to her accommodations, located in a nearby courtyard. While she picked and chose, expressing her dislike outwardly, in her heart, she was consumed with envy. She thought to herself that when she had plenty of silver in the future, she would definitely have such a big house, such a rich and grand room, and she would pave the floor with gold and silver, and then cover the walls with yellow paper talismans.

After settling Chen Ping’an and the clever little girl,

The Water God walked to the outside of the Biyou Mansion gate in one step, looking up at the plaque, lost in thought.

With another backward step, she instantly arrived at the Water God Temple, where her golden statue was enshrined. It was about a quarter of an hour before the doors opened to welcome worshippers. She strode into the main hall.

Earlier, when she had formed her Golden Core, the resulting celestial phenomenon had caused hundreds of worshippers outside to prostrate themselves in utter sincerity. She, from the distant Biyou Mansion, had also felt a sense of connection, gaining some understanding of the power of divine incense.

The clay statue on the altar in the main hall had returned to its original appearance, no longer radiating divine light and illuminating the Burial River. The statue was only about 40-50% similar to her actual appearance. Moreover, the statue of the goddess had a graceful figure, flowing sleeves, and dynamic lines, like a divine being draped in celestial garments, with a sense of wind blowing through the walls.

She always felt that it wasn’t her at all, that it overly embellished her appearance. However, these were the rules for mountain and water deities and temple statues. The very first temple keeper, a woman, had been rescued by her from drowning. After that, she had devoted herself wholeheartedly, abandoning her worldly wealth and status, and serving as the temple keeper for fifty years, slowly transforming from a young woman into an old woman with white hair. Because she lacked the aptitude for cultivation, she only lived to the age of eighty before passing away. It was this temple keeper who diligently traveled around, helping her gather believers, opening porridge shops year after year to relieve the people. On her deathbed, the old woman held the Water God’s hand, as smooth and beautiful as mutton-fat jade, and hoarsely smiled, saying that the goddess was still so beautiful, but the golden statue was still lacking in craftsmanship, failing to capture even a fraction of her beauty, and that she, the temple keeper, had not done a good job. Finally, the old woman, with tears in her eyes, asked the Water God a question, only four words: “Has it dissipated?”

Before the Water God could give an answer, the old woman had already passed away.

That temple keeper, who was devout until her death, was not initially a good person in the eyes of the world. When she was young, her husband was a merchant who often went out on business. Unable to bear the loneliness, she had seduced another man. After the affair was exposed, she conspired with a rogue to kill her husband, then successfully remarried, seizing all of her former husband’s property and bullying his relatives. After enjoying a few years of happiness, she was abandoned by her fickle husband during an outing and beaten half to death before being thrown into the Burial River.

That was when she was rescued by her, who at that time was just a minor water god of an illicit shrine on the Burial River.

The Water God had never been able to understand these things.

It was not until she read the literary sage’s essays on morality, which stated that human nature is inherently evil, and that education guides it towards goodness, that the Burial River Water God had an epiphany.

As the Water God of the Burial River, she could see into people’s hearts through the incense offered. Originally, she had deeply resented the ugliness of the human heart, and even rejected the wafting incense, always feeling that each time she granted someone’s wish, she would accumulate more karmic burdens. After that, her state of mind began to change. She ruled the waters of the Burial River with power, deterring evil thoughts. At the same time, she joined hands with several city gods along the river to manifest miracles and spared no effort in using her divine powers to pray for rain for the imperial court, even at the cost of weakening her cultivation and dimming her golden statue, striving to be responsive to every request, regardless of whether the incense represented good intentions or greed, at least ensuring that she was free from guilt.

However, after hundreds of years, patience eventually wore thin. She began to visit the Water God Temple less and less, preferring to stay in the Biyou Mansion, which was closed to guests, focusing on refining weapons one after another with the immortal formula, to pass the monotonous and boring life of a deity. There was also a more important secret: the ancient inheritance not only allowed one to refine weapons, but also to refine the waters of the Burial River, and even the incense of the human world, truly a great immortal divine power that allowed one to master all things.
Originally, I thought that little girl named Pei Qian, with her karmic connection to this place and exceptional aptitude, might be divinely ordained to inherit my divine seat and supreme Daoist teachings. Alas, it seems that is not the case. Thus, I can only wait again. The inheritance of a divine seat is much like an immortal cultivator accepting a disciple; it is never a trivial matter. A single misstep can spell disaster not only for the disciple, but also implicate the master, leading to their demise. Or, one might end up nurturing an ungrateful wretch, a rebel who defies morality and betrays their teacher and ancestor.

Take, for example, the revered Sage Master Wen, whom she admired most. How vast and profound was his knowledge? Yet, didn’t he still produce a Cui Chan?

The morning light streamed through the windows into the main hall, and the Water Goddess retracted her gaze, letting out a soft sigh.

The old shrine keeper stood at the doorway, her wrinkled face awash with tears of excitement and joy. This was truly joyous tidings of great importance.

With the Water Goddess’s elevation in divine rank, everyone associated with the Burial River Water Goddess Temple would naturally ascend to a higher plane. From now on, not only would that river demon have to tuck its tail between its legs, no longer daring to cause trouble, but also the prefectural governor, the city lord, and all the local magistrates would likely adopt a more respectful demeanor. Even that arrogant governor, who considered himself a benefactor, would probably treat her with more courtesy in the future.

The old shrine keeper cautiously asked, “Your Ladyship, the City God, the local Earth God, and some of the minor river deities near the Burial River have all come to offer their congratulations. Knowing your Ladyship’s temperament, they dare not disturb Biyou Mansion. They have prepared generous gifts and are waiting outside the temple. Will you see them or not? If your Ladyship is weary, I can help you decline on your behalf. They wouldn’t dare say anything.”

The Water Goddess said calmly, “I have some time. See them. Protecting the fortune of this region’s mountains and rivers, and educating the ninety thousand people under our jurisdiction, cannot be accomplished by our Water Goddess Temple alone. We need to work together.”

The old woman was astonished, wondering why the lazy Water Goddess had changed her ways. But it was a good thing, after all, and she immediately turned to carry out her orders.

As long as the Water Goddess was willing to put in some effort and attract the local mountain and water deities, the Burial River Water Goddess Temple would surely be able to command widespread response, becoming the undisputed first among the springs’ water gods!

Since the death of the first female shrine keeper, the Burial River Water Goddess Temple had seen one replacement after another, yet she had never developed any real affection for them. They came and went, lived and died, just like that.

At this moment, the Water Goddess, alone, seemed to be speaking to an old friend, smiling, “I heard that two families in Mirage City are most skilled at sculpting divine statues. The Zhang family is known for making faces that are short and beautiful, adding to their charm. The Cao family is praised for making clothes that seem to float, ethereal and immortal. Which do you think suits me better? Which artisan would you prefer?”

The corners of her lips turned up, her eyes narrowed with a smile, and with a wave of her hand, she said, “Never mind, you don’t need to think about it. Whichever one talks the biggest and charges the most, that’s the one we’ll pick. We don’t need you to worry about money anymore!”

At dawn, at the riverside inn, General Yao Zhen noticed that Chen Pingan hadn’t appeared for breakfast and was puzzled. Zhu Lian smiled and explained that the young master had not returned from his travels, having spontaneously decided to visit the Burial River Water Goddess Temple last night. He suggested that the general proceed on his journey, and the young master would catch up.

Yao Zhen laughed and said that the fellow was truly unrighteous. Had he known, he would have dragged him along last night. What did a delay of a day or two matter?

Zhu Lian didn’t add anything unnecessary, smiling and excusing himself to sit at a table with Lu Baixiang and the other two.

Lu Baixiang looked at him, and Zhu Lian shook his head and smiled, “Don’t ask me. The young master didn’t ask me to follow him at the time, only saying that I should return as soon as possible and let the inn know.”

Wei Xian simply buried himself in his porridge, his chopsticks moving like lightning.

Sui Youbian, whether in her posture or her eating habits, was the most unique and elegant of the four “retainers”.

Even the most carefree of the Yao family’s iron cavalry felt that this woman, with her beautiful appearance and sword on her back, was no ordinary person, and not the kind of retainer that any young master from a Daquan noble family could possess.

Lu Baixiang frowned slightly.

Zhu Lian smiled slightly, “What, you don’t trust me? Even if I had the inclination, would I have the ability?”

Seeing that Lu Baixiang was unwilling to speak to him, Zhu Lian’s smile deepened.

Sitting in the corner, the Daoist master and disciple, Yin Miaofeng and Shao Yuanran, exchanged glances but didn’t say a word.

However, in their hearts, voices arose.

Shao Yuanran, drinking a bowl of millet porridge, inquired telepathically, “Could the unusual phenomena at the Burial River Water Goddess Temple in the latter half of the night be related to this person?”

Yin Miaofeng replied, “Perhaps. Logically speaking, it’s unlikely. After all, the Water Goddess triggered a heavenly response that was the great sign of forming a Golden Core. Even Gentleman Zhong Kui may not have had the ability to assist her. But this Chen gentleman, whose origins are unknown, cannot be judged by ordinary standards. We don’t need to concern ourselves with it. As long as there are no complications, we can answer to the Liu family of Daquan. It’s already fortunate that a scholar-gentleman from the academy is watching over whether Biyou Mansion is upgraded to a palace. Now that the Burial River Water Goddess has advanced through her own abilities, our visit last night can actually be used to our advantage, to bask in the glory. Perhaps I can get some benefits for you.”

Shao Yuanran nodded. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the Yao family woman who had put on her veiled hat again, and said nothing more.

Although Yao Xianzhi and Yao Lingzhi were direct descendants of the Yao family and highly valued, they were not qualified to sit at the same table as their grandfather, Yao Zhen. The three positions were occupied by veteran soldiers who had followed Yao Zhen for most of their lives, regardless of rank. Yao Zhen considered it a matter of course, and the three veterans didn’t see anything wrong with it.

Yao Xianzhi winked at Yao Lingzhi and nodded.

Yao Lingzhi asked, “What are you doing?”

Yao Xianzhi lowered his voice, “Do you think Young Master Chen encountered some ignorant fellows and went off to slay demons and exterminate evil on a grand scale? Imagine, Young Master Chen using his own power to beat the demons and monsters within a few hundred miles of the Burial River to a wailing mess. Wouldn’t that be a heroic scene?”

Yao Lingzhi said irritably, “Are you still not awake? Do you like to dream in the daytime?”

Yao Xianzhi raised his eyebrows, “You don’t think Young Master Chen can do it?”

Yao Lingzhi said, “I think there aren’t that many ghosts and monsters in the Burial River, after all, there’s a Water Goddess Temple suppressing them.”

Yao Xianzhi laughed, “That’s what I thought, you actually believe that Young Master Chen has that ability.”

Yao Lingzhi glared at him, “Eat your porridge!”

Yao Xianzhi said happily, “The porridge is especially delicious today!”
Which young man doesn’t admire true heroes?

Chen Ping’an suddenly woke up, sitting up in bed, drenched in sweat.

After careful consideration, he felt slightly relieved. In his memory, he only mentioned the order of the Literary Saint, without delving too much into the debate about the third and fourth, nor did he say much about Mister Qi. However, even so, when he meets the Water God of the Burying River later, he still needs to offer a few reminders. Behind closed doors, casual chats are fine, but once outside, such matters should not be discussed. Otherwise, Chen Ping’an can simply leave and return to the Treasure Bottle Continent early, while the Water God is stuck with the Biyou Mansion and the golden statue of her shrine, unable to move.

He glanced at the pair of boots under the bed, and was taken aback. The tips were facing inwards. Chen Ping’an shook his head. Well, aren’t you just afraid I wouldn’t know you helped me take off my boots? So clever, why not spend more effort on studying?

Leaving the room, Chen Ping’an stood in the courtyard. It was about the tail end of Chen time (around 9 AM). Yao’s team should have already departed. He and Pei Qian needed to hurry. Not to mention the three hundred *li* of waterway to the post station, they had already delayed for more than an hour.

However, after drinking that century-old Chen brewing Shuǐ Huā wine last night, he felt refreshed. Not only had his body recovered considerably after the inn battle, but his state of mind was also relaxed and comfortable. It was like an old house that had accumulated too many miscellaneous items. Even if the owner considered them all treasures, if they were tidied up one day, it would definitely look more pleasing to the eye.

A young maid was standing by the courtyard gate, the very same water ghost from the mansion who had led Pei Qian to see the spirit screen last night. She smiled sweetly at Chen Ping’an, “Young Master Chen, the Lady instructed me to wait here, and as soon as you wake up, to lead you to the hall where you drank last night.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and walked quickly, asking, “What about the little girl I brought?”

The maid pursed her lips and smiled, carefully choosing her words, explaining, “That young lady woke up earlier, only slept for less than an hour, then woke up. Then I took her on a tour of the Biyou Mansion. The young lady is lively and cheerful, and everyone in the mansion likes her very much.”

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment, then asked bluntly, “She didn’t ask your Biyou Mansion for anything, did she?”

The maid quickly shook her head, “No, no, really no.”

She wasn’t good at lying either.

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “If she asked for anything, if it’s too precious, we won’t take it. If it’s something ordinary, I can pay for it.”

The maid said nervously, “She only wanted some pens and paper that the Biyou Mansion bought from the market, saying that she would start learning to draw talismans from today onwards, and that she would repay the Biyou Mansion for the money sooner or later. Young Master Chen, it’s just some ordinary pens and paper, really not worth much. Please don’t blame the young lady. Why don’t you just take it as a gift from me to the young lady? Young Master, you don’t know, I haven’t interacted with people for many years. I’m very happy that the young lady is willing to talk and chat with me. It’s like celebrating the New Year when I was still alive.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Then I’ll take it as a gift from you to her, but I’ll have her thank you later.”

The maid smiled brightly, gracefully performing a *wanfu* curtsy, “Young Master is so understanding. I hope you can come to our Biyou Mansion often as a guest in the future.”

He saw Pei Qian, who had a bright smile on her face.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Don’t you have anything you want to say?”

Pei Qian glared at the female ghost behind Chen Ping’an, and reluctantly took out a rabbit hair *xiaokai* brush from her sleeve. Then she lifted her outer garment, revealing a large stack of Xuan paper hidden close to her body.

She quickly said, “I told Sister Xuanhua that this pen and paper are borrowed from the Biyou Mansion, and I will definitely pay them back in the future! I was just afraid you wouldn’t agree, so I hid them.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Even if you earn money in the future, do you know how far the Treasure Bottle Continent is from the Tongye Continent? How will you pay it back later? If you ask the immortal ferry to help send it, that money would be enough for you to buy a house in the capital of the Nanyuan Kingdom. Can you guarantee that you can earn so much silver?”

Pei Qian looked blank.

Chen Ping’an sneered, “Maybe she knew this, that’s why she said she was willing to pay it back, right?”

Pei Qian’s smile was awkward, her eyes darting around, not daring to look directly at Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an reached out his hand.

Pei Qian said with a mournful face, “Don’t hit my head, don’t pull my ears, you can hit anywhere else!”

Chen Ping’an said angrily and amusedly, “Put the pen and paper away. This sister just said that she’s giving it to you as a farewell gift.”

Pei Qian handed the pen and paper to Chen Ping’an, looked at the delicate female ghost who was covering her mouth and smiling, with an expression of gratitude, “Sister Xuanhua, you’re so kind, no, you’re such a good ghost, you should be the Water God Lady.”

Chen Ping’an put the items into the square inch space inside the sword-nourishing gourd, and glanced at Pei Qian.

Pei Qian immediately woke up and bowed to the maid to thank her.

The two of them and the female ghost arrived at the main hall, where the Water God Lady had been waiting for a long time.

Compared to the previous careless, Jianghu-spirited Burying River Water God, today she finally looked like a Water God Lady, wearing a brocade dress similar to that of a court-appointed lady.

After the maid Xuanhua left, the Water God Lady spoke directly, saying in a deep voice, “Chen Ping’an, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring, let alone such a great kindness. I have to give you something, otherwise I will feel uneasy. I thought about it, and the Biyou Mansion has nothing that you would look up to. The weapons I refined myself are okay in terms of quality, but the two Dharma treasures are my natal objects, so I can’t give them to you. The other weapons are not of high enough quality. Besides, even if I gave you all of them, it still wouldn’t be enough to repay your kindness. So I want to give you the immortal refining incantation on the Rain Prayer Stele outside the shrine.”

The Water God Lady took out a jade slip, “I hope that after you memorize this Taoist formula, you will destroy it immediately. It’s not that I’m stingy, but the inscription involves the fundamental path of an ancient immortal. The opportunity is great, and the karma is also great. If you spread it easily, it may not be a good thing. Once you can’t bear it, it will be a disaster.”

Without saying anything, Chen Ping’an nodded and smiled as he reached out to take it, neatly putting it into the Flying Sword Fifteen.

The Water God Lady said in surprise, “Aren’t you going to decline a little, and say a few polite words to me? Going back and forth would make it seem more genuine.”

Chen Ping’an held back his laughter, “To be honest, I really need a superior weapon refining incantation. I don’t know how I inexplicably had a Yin God Night Tour back then. As soon as the thought arose, I went straight to your Water God Temple. What Zhong Kui said about the opportunity should be referring to this. Heaven grants it, and not taking it would be a mistake.”
The Water Goddess scratched her head, “The reasoning is sound, but it still feels like something’s missing. If you were to refuse with righteous indignation, saying something about a gentleman’s actions not seeking reward, and then I’d start crying, making a fuss, and threatening to hang myself, insisting on giving it to you no matter what, forcing you to accept, and then we’d all be happy… that would be much more interesting.”

Chen Ping’an smiled without a word.

Afterwards, the Water Goddess prepared to take them to the Buried River. She once again used her divine power to send them near the post station upstream. Traversing thousands of miles with a single thought was one of the divine abilities of the mountain and water spirits that Qi Refiners envied the most. The other was that deities, when in their incense-filled temples, possessed extra authority similar to Confucian Sages in their academies or True Men in their Daoist temples.

The Water Goddess probably didn’t want to part so quickly, so she walked with them towards the entrance of the Azure Jade Mansion.

Near the gate, she suddenly asked, “Chen Ping’an, do you have any writings or books by the Literary Sage? Preferably one that he personally gave you. Don’t worry, I won’t openly enshrine it in my Water God Temple; that would be too suicidal. I’ll just secretly hide it in the Azure Jade Mansion, placing it with the memorial tablet I secretly carved. This is both my greatest wish and my utilitarian motive. Now that my divine path has taken a big step and my cultivation has soared, I need to truly bring the Literary Sage’s moral teachings, to truly bring the ‘dead book’ to life. My intuition tells me that once I succeed, I can go even further, perhaps even surpassing the Five Peaks True God Shrine of the Great Spring Dynasty with my Buried River Water God Temple.”

Seeing Chen Ping’an remain silent, the Water Goddess stopped and, for the first time, showed a pleading expression. “Chen Ping’an, I beg you.”

Chen Ping’an thought for a long time, “The Old Master gave me an introductory book on Confucianism, but it wasn’t one of his own works.”

The Water Goddess’s face lit up with joy, “As long as it’s a book that has passed through the Literary Sage’s hands, that’s enough! I’m not stupid; there must be profound truths within!”

In Chen Ping’an’s mind, he recalled the first time he met the short woman, carrying a saber, a sword on her back, and wielding an iron spear almost twice her height, battling river demons at the bottom of the Buried River, courageous and spirited. He also remembered her appearance outside the Water God Temple, and her words to him and Zhong Kui, which contained no arrogance whatsoever, but were as fair and moderate as a true scholar.

Chen Ping’an sighed and turned to the little girl, saying, “Pei Qian, that book I had you read repeatedly, you should have memorized it by now, why not give it to the Water Goddess?”

The Water Goddess was stunned, was he actually asking for her opinion?

An even more baffling scene unfolded for the Water Goddess.

Pei Qian bit her lip, refusing to speak or nod.

Chen Ping’an took down his sword-nourishing gourd and took a sip of wine.

The Water Goddess gritted her teeth and said, “My Azure Jade Mansion actually has a treasure for guarding the house, extremely rare, no less precious than that Immortal’s mantra. If you’re willing to donate the book, I’ll reciprocate in kind!”

Then she smiled at Pei Qian, “Besides repaying Chen Ping’an, I’ll also give you a good item, not necessarily priceless, but a top-notch rare treasure.”

But Pei Qian just stood there, not speaking or nodding, her small hands tightly clenching the hem of her clothes.

She was afraid that Chen Ping’an would be angry with her, and hate her even more from now on, but she was also afraid that Chen Ping’an would nod and agree to the Water Goddess’s request.

At that moment, Chen Ping’an secured his sword-nourishing gourd, bent down, and actually smiled at Pei Qian, rubbing her little head. “If you don’t want to, then forget it.”

Pei Qian hugged Chen Ping’an and burst into tears.

Chen Ping’an didn’t know what she was thinking, or why she was crying, and gave the Water Goddess a helpless smile. “I’m sorry, but when I return to Treasure Bottle Continent, I’ll try to find a book for you and send it to you. As for repaying me, there’s no need.”

The Water Goddess sighed, glanced at Chen Ping’an, then at Pei Qian, and lamented with regret, “I suppose that’s all that can be done.”

They came to the bank of the Buried River. Chen Ping’an, with Pei Qian on his back, jumped into the water.

The Water Goddess waved her sleeve, and the strange vortex that Zhu Lian had seen earlier appeared again in the Buried River.

The next moment, she and Chen Ping’an and Pei Qian were already standing in the Buried River three hundred miles away, one drifting, one treading water to the shore.

The Water Goddess stood on the bank.

Chen Ping’an said goodbye and left. After walking a distance, he must have said something to Pei Qian, because the tear-stained little girl turned her head and waved goodbye to the Water Goddess.

The Water Goddess smiled and waved back.

They walked further and further away.

Pei Qian behind him continued to sob.

Chen Ping’an laughed, “You didn’t do anything wrong, why are you crying?”

The little girl rested her head against Chen Ping’an, “I’m sorry.”

Chen Ping’an: “Hmm?”

The little girl was heartbroken, “You’re right, I’m just a jinx.” (Lit. “money-losing goods”)

Chen Ping’an said angrily and amusedly, “Don’t talk nonsense. Remember to study hard in the future, put your heart into it.”

Pei Qian sniffed and nodded vigorously.

Chen Ping’an said unhappily, “Don’t wipe your snot on me.”

Pei Qian leaned back a little, and helped wipe away the tears and snot on Chen Ping’an’s back, and laughed, “Heh!”

Until the figures of the big and small disappeared into the distance.

The Water Goddess burst into hearty laughter.

As expected, this is the Literary Sage’s direct disciple!

Chen Ping’an had intended to give the book all along. If he had heard that there was a precious treasure to be exchanged, how many people in the world would truly care about the wishes of a little girl by his side?

After she put away her smile, her face became solemn, and she bowed deeply in the direction of Chen Ping’an’s departure.

Indeed, there is a sequence in hearing the Dao.

Last night, they sat and discussed the Dao, and today they rose and put it into practice. This is called the unity of knowledge and action.

Chen Ping’an is truly a Master, a true Teacher!