This storied vessel, bound for the Azure Phoenix Kingdom, was crafted by the Mo Clan artisans, who made a living from such creations. Among the myriad ferries of Old Dragon City, it was nothing extraordinary, carrying a hundred or so souls each voyage. Its primary function was to transport rare goods from the northern regions of Treasure Bottle Continent and the southern reaches of Tongye Continent. However, the wares that ended up in the hands of this particular merchant were the dregs, sifted through by the five great families of Old Dragon City. Their quality was, naturally, mediocre. Occasionally, one might stumble upon a hidden gem, earning a few hundred Snowflake Coins, which would be cause for celebration.

The Azure Phoenix Kingdom was a modestly renowned land in the southeast of Treasure Bottle Continent, famed for its profusion of Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries. Daoist immortals and venerable monks frequently congregated there, sponsored by the imperial court, to conduct grand water and land rituals, and cosmic ceremonies. Furthermore, the Azure Phoenix Kingdom’s green sandalwood paper was highly esteemed, sold across several continents. This allowed the Azure Phoenix Kingdom’s emperors throughout the ages to rank among the wealthiest monarchs in the southeastern portion of Treasure Bottle Continent. Moreover, Buddhism wasn’t particularly flourishing in Treasure Bottle Continent, making the number of temples in the Azure Phoenix Kingdom the highest in the continent. The air was thick with the fragrant smoke of incense and the drone of chanting, and the walls were adorned with beautiful prose and poetry penned by sages, men of letters, and immortal poets, attracting countless literati and scholars to travel to the Azure Phoenix Kingdom.

Inside a brightly lit cabin on the top deck of the ferry, Chen Ping An was engrossed in a collection of literary notes describing the mountains and rivers of the Azure Phoenix Kingdom. He had purchased it from a bookstore in Old Dragon City, specifically requesting Zhu Lian to find it for him.

Chen Ping An read, while Pei Qian copied.

The most arduous part of any undertaking is the beginning. But over time, it becomes second nature, no longer a matter of difficulty. This was the case with Pei Qian. Reading and copying had become a daily habit, and even if Chen Ping An didn’t supervise her, she would persist. However, Chen Ping An knew that if he were away from her for an extended period, the copying would certainly be abandoned. She would feel guilty for a day or two at most, before reverting to her wild and playful ways.

Chen Ping An divided the flask of medicinal liquor, infused with the inner core of an old Nascent Soul Flood Dragon, into five portions. He gifted one to each of the four individuals within the painting scroll. This was a rare stroke of luck for martial artists, who could enhance their cultivation with external aids. Sui Youbian was now at the seventh realm, the Golden Body Stage, and wielding the Dharma Sword “Infatuation,” her killing power was not insignificant. Especially in one-on-one combat, Qi Refiners below the Earth Immortal realm might not be her match in a single exchange if she closed within ten yards. Zhu Lian’s bottleneck was loosening, the signs were clear. He was closely following Sui Youbian, and would be the second to step into the Refined Spirit realm of the martial artist’s three realms.

Wei Xian and Lu Baixiang had no immediate prospect of breaking through, but after being force-fed punches by Zheng Dafeng and the life-or-death battle outside Old Dragon City, they had elevated themselves further from the peak of the sixth realm.

The four within the painting were no ordinary martial artists of the seventh and sixth realms.

On this journey northward through Treasure Bottle Continent, as long as they didn’t encounter a deranged Upper Fifth Realm cultivator, even facing a Nascent Soul Earth Immortal who wasn’t a sword cultivator, they might not be able to retreat unscathed, but they certainly wouldn’t lack the power to fight. If Wei Xian and the others were willing to risk their lives, Chen Ping An’s side might even be able to achieve a pyrrhic victory.

After the battle of Old Dragon City, Chen Ping An most regretted the loss of the azure-colored Sword Suppression Talisman. Zhong Kui had written it using a Little Snow Awl, and given it to Zheng Dafeng. The sword it confined happened to be the very same semi-immortal artifact, “Sword Immortal,” that Chen Ping An carried on his back. Because the City Lord of Old Dragon City, Fu Qi, wasn’t a sword cultivator, and the sword wasn’t a refined natal object, Zheng Dafeng was able to restrain the sword on the Ascent to Dragon Platform with the Sword Suppression Talisman. Even though he couldn’t sustain it for long, Fu Qi readily conceded.

If he possessed a Sword Suppression Talisman, even when encountering a sword cultivator Nascent Soul brimming with killing intent, Chen Ping An wouldn’t have to be too fearful. Instead, he could launch a surprise attack, catching the opponent off guard.

However, these gains and losses weren’t enough to preoccupy Chen Ping An’s thoughts and leave him so unsettled.

What truly caused Chen Ping An to feel disappointed was that this Talisman was one of the last two that Zhong Kui, as a gentleman and a being of the yang world, had written in this world.

Compared to the intercontinental ferries that Chen Ping An had traveled on and seen, the ferry beneath his feet was truly small and delicate. He could only stand at the window to enjoy the scenery; there was no observation deck.

After Pei Qian finished writing, Chen Ping An carefully checked her work, ensuring that there were no sloppy or perfunctory characters that needed to be rewritten. Then, he began to practice the Six-Step Stance with her, for at least two hours each day.

Previously, Chen Ping An hadn’t considered practicing the stance to be a tedious, laborious, or mentally taxing endeavor. It wasn’t until Pei Qian began practicing that he realized the foundation stance of the Earthshattering Fist was indeed simple, but to practice it a million times was not easy, both physically and mentally. Even though Chen Ping An was mindful of Pei Qian’s quickened breathing and remaining stamina, she would still end up drenched in sweat, her forehead plastered with strands of hair, and her face pale. Although she didn’t dare to complain, Chen Ping An couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy as he watched her dark little face lose its smile, or as her thin body involuntarily trembled with each step of the stance. Although Chen Ping An maintained a stoic expression, he felt a twinge of heartache.

On the first day, Pei Qian relied on the enthusiasm of a newborn calf to stubbornly persist for two hours of stance practice. In the end, Chen Ping An had to carry her to the next room. On the second day, she collapsed to the ground after only an hour, convulsing, and her spirit seemed to vanish. Chen Ping An didn’t force her to continue for two hours. In the days that followed, he ensured that she maintained the fist frame for one hour, only slightly extending the time each session.

Pei Qian gritted her teeth and persevered.

Initially, Zhu Lian offered sarcastic remarks from the sidelines, and the little darkie still had the energy to glare at him. Later, she simply didn’t have the heart to argue with Zhu Lian for justice.

After ten days, having overcome the most arduous stretch, a semblance of her former smile returned to Pei Qian’s face. Her gait regained its trademark swagger, or she would skip and jump around. When Zhu Lian said something ridiculous like, “Young Master, this old servant humbly believes that Pei Qian has excellent aptitude for martial arts. When honing her body, more hardship on her muscles and bones will lead to vigorous blood and Qi. Why not have her practice the stance for two hours each day?” Pei Qian could still glare at him.

That day, after finishing the stance practice, the pair, one big and one small, opened the window and practiced the Sword Furnace Standing Posture. Pei Qian was too short, so she could only face the wall in silent contemplation. After Chen Ping An agreed, she stood on a chair, just tall enough to gaze at the sea of clouds outside the window alongside Chen Ping An.

Chen Ping An softly said, “You must believe that joy comes after suffering.”

Pei Qian was currently only going through the motions of the Sword Furnace Standing Posture, with minimal effect. Chen Ping An found this rather odd. He had asked Sui Youbian and the others, but couldn’t glean a satisfactory explanation.
Having endured yet another day of the arduous stake-walking, Pei Qian was secretly rejoicing. Remembering something, she turned her head, her face full of longing, and said, “When I venture into the world, can I have a sword too? And preferably a saber like Little White’s, hanging at my waist. By then, I’ll definitely be much stronger and won’t mind the extra weight.”

Chen Ping An smiled and nodded. “As long as you don’t slack off, the day you set out alone, I can promise you right now that I’ll give you a sword and a saber.”

Pei Qian felt a little shy and whispered, “Actually, I’ve already thought it out. If I have my own sword and saber, I’ll hang them on the same side of my waist. I’ve even come up with a name for this sword-and-saber-hanging style. Master, would you like to hear it?”

Chen Ping An chuckled. “Tell me.”

Naming things, that was something Chen Ping An was quite adept at.

Like “First Day” and “Fifteenth Day,” or “Subduing Demons” and “Exorcising Evil.”

Pei Qian said quietly, “I’ll call it ‘Sword and Saber Amiss,’ because they’re hung askew at the waist. Master, what do you think?”

Chen Ping An smiled and said, “It’s good.”

Pei Qian’s eyes curved into crescent moons, and she held up two fingers, sticking them together. “If it’s just a sliver as good as the sword Master carries, I’ll be very happy.”

Chen Ping An leaned on the window sill, turned his head, and smiled. “When the ferry docks, we’ll do things as usual and travel through Azure Luan Country on foot. When we see a bamboo forest, I’ll pick some older bamboo stalks to make two bamboo swords and sabers for you. If you don’t mind them, you can hang them up first.”

Pei Qian said in a loud voice, “Make them light and small, so they won’t be heavy to carry.”

Chen Ping An agreed with a smile and looked at the sea of clouds. He asked casually, “Then what about that walking staff?”

Pei Qian didn’t hesitate. “It’s my number one fierce general! It’s accompanied me on so many journeys. I can’t bear to throw it away casually. I’ll allow it to retire, to enjoy its golden years. I’ll ask Old Wei later what official title I should bestow upon it…”

A whole bagful of sour, bookish phrases.

But Chen Ping An nodded in approval and said softly, “That’s right.”

In Old Dragon City, at the Dust and Ash Apothecary, Zheng Dafeng didn’t have much luggage to pack. Besides a few changes of clothes, the only thing he needed to take with him was his old pipe.

It seemed that this slovenly fellow, whether he was looking at the dilapidated wooden gate in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven or coming here, had always been like this in his life. There was nothing he absolutely had to pick up, and nothing he couldn’t let go of.

Tomorrow he would be taking the Fu family’s ferry to return to Dragon Spring County in the Great Li Dynasty. On his last day, Zheng Dafeng carried a stool and sat under the old locust tree.

The old man surnamed Xun had already left, saying he was going to see a friend at the Invincible Divine Fist Gang.

Yesterday, Li Er returned to Old Dragon City. Fu Qi and his eldest son, Fu Donghai, quickly arrived. Fu Qi’s meaning was very clear: Fu Donghai had acted on his own initiative, causing this trouble. As long as Zheng Dafeng said the word, he could have Mr. Li Er break Fu Donghai’s Bridge of Transcendence with a punch. From then on, the Fu family would just raise Fu Donghai as a useless person.

Zheng Dafeng smiled and asked Fu Qi why he didn’t just bring Fu Donghai, with his Bridge of Transcendence already broken, to the apothecary. Wouldn’t that be more sincere?

Fu Qi was speechless.

Fu Donghai’s bones were quite hard. Not only did he not beg for mercy, but he also uttered a few provocative words, acting as if he would feel uncomfortable if Li Er didn’t punch him.

Zheng Dafeng looked tired at the time, sitting in the courtyard smoking his pipe.

The old man had obviously made a deal with the Great Li Dynasty and the Fu and Fan families.

That Fan Junmao could become the second mountain deity of the Great Li Dynasty after Wei Bo, the Righteous God of the Northern Peak, when the iron hooves of the Song Clan Cavalry trampled on the coast of the South Sea of Old Dragon City.

And the price the old man had to pay was just Zheng Dafeng’s ninth-realm cultivation.

Zheng Dafeng knew that the matter was settled.

Zheng Dafeng thought for a while and said, “Let it be. There’s a long road ahead, and a slow and steady stream.”

Fu Qi breathed a sigh of relief and was about to take Fu Donghai home when Li Er punched Fu Donghai in the heart.

Not only was the Bridge of Transcendence broken, but it was also shattered beyond any immortal’s ability to repair.

Li Er didn’t look at Fu Donghai. His expression was calm as he stared at Fu Qi. “I think that as a father, you should stand up for your son.”

Fu Qi helped his eldest son, Fu Donghai, who was lying on the ground, and there wasn’t a trace of anger on his face. He smiled and said, “It’s good that Mr. Li Er has vented his anger. This trip wasn’t in vain. Just as Mr. Zheng said, there’s a long road ahead, and a slow and steady stream.”

“Oh?”

Li Er asked with a smile, “Or how about you give me a ride to the Fu family’s ancestral hall while you’re at it?”

Fu Qi, who was usually good at maintaining his composure, instantly turned pale.

Zheng Dafeng said, “Li Er, that’s enough.”

After Fu Qi left with Fu Donghai, Li Er quickly left Old Dragon City.

Today, under the locust tree, Zheng Dafeng was basking alone in the warm spring sun, wearing a comfortable cotton coat that Pei Qian and the others had helped him buy.

That girl he hadn’t seen for a long time, probably because she had been eating well during the New Year, seemed to have become more “plump” in the face and figure. Unlike before, when she only wandered around in front of Zheng Dafeng, this time she mustered up the courage to approach Zheng Dafeng and asked shyly, “Shopkeeper Zheng, is the shop hiring?”

Zheng Dafeng smiled and shook his head. “I’m not hiring anymore. I’m going back to my hometown tomorrow. It’s too difficult to make a living in your Old Dragon City.”

Although this girl was outrageously plump, her voice was soft and pleasant. Her face was full of disappointment. “Are you coming back?”

Zheng Dafeng shook his head. “Probably not.”

She was surprised. “Didn’t you say it was an old house passed down from your ancestors? What about the shop?”

Zheng Dafeng couldn’t help but smile. “It’ll be empty. Dust and Ash Apothecary, it’s normal to gather dust.”

She blushed slightly. “Then give me the key, and I’ll help you clean it. A house without people in it will break down quickly. It’s such a waste.”

Zheng Dafeng waved his hand. “No need, no need, really no need. Thank you, miss.”

Zheng Dafeng looked at the sky. It was sunny, but he said it was getting late and he had to go back and pack. The girl bit her lip, watching the hunched man carrying the stool and fleeing, and suddenly asked, “Shopkeeper Zheng, aren’t you going to ask what my name is?”

Zheng Dafeng couldn’t bring himself to pretend to be deaf, so he had to stop and turn around. “May I ask what the miss’s surname is?”

The girl smiled. “I love to eat ginger, so my surname is Jiang (Ginger)!”

Zheng Dafeng was stunned.

How was he supposed to respond to that?
Knowing that the maiden wouldn’t speak up after walking back and forth, displaying a gentle temperament that understood etiquette and didn’t cause trouble. Today was no different. She turned sideways, gave a graceful curtsy, and said, “May Manager Zheng have a smooth journey.”

Zheng Dafeng smiled, waved goodbye, and thought to himself, “A good lass.”

That night, under the cloak of darkness, in the northern outskirts outside Old Dragon City, a small, brand-new grave mound stood, its top weighed down by a few sheets of bright red paper held in place with small stones.

A hunchbacked man squatted before the grave, burning a book. Then, he placed ten small oil lamps before it, the oil within a murky black, emitting wisps of Yin energy. However, there were no wicks inside.

How were these lamps to be lit?

A spirit of the underworld materialized out of thin air, flicking his fingers at the oil lamps one by one. The ten lamps ignited in sequence, and upon closer inspection, the inch-tall wicks were bizarre and horrifying. They were wisps of green smoke in the shape of tiny humans, their faces twisted in agony, as if enduring immense suffering from the burning of their souls, their flesh melting into oil.

The ten wicks were the three spiritual souls and seven corporeal spirits of different individuals.

Their bodies were still alive.

Yet, their souls had been cruelly imprisoned by the underworld spirit using a vile spell.

The man remained unmoved, simply squatting there and softly speaking to the grave, “I feared you might find it eerie and be frightened, so I’ll wait until the lamps are extinguished before I leave.”

In the night, at the ancestral home of the Sun family, Sun Jiashu strolled alone along the riverbank.

Even Sun Jia’s ancestor, an Earth Immortal of the Nascent Soul stage, had been sighing these past few days, filled with regret.

However, Sun Jiashu comforted his forebear, saying that such fortune was either granted or not, and they should simply accept that the Sun family was not destined for such unearned wealth.

A young gentleman with a face like jade appeared beside Sun Jiashu, soundlessly, without even Sun Jia’s ancestor or the three Golden Core guardians sensing the slightest ripple of Qi.

Sun Jiashu, upon seeing this esteemed figure who had once helped him resolve his inner turmoil, immediately bowed and said, “Greetings, Mister Fan.”

Regarding the incident of plotting against Chen Ping’an, Sun Jiashu had nearly become enemies with Chen Ping’an and almost lost his close friend, Liu Baqiao.

It was this otherworldly expert, whose age was unknown, perhaps hundreds or even a thousand years old, who found the dispirited Sun Jiashu and offered guidance, helping him to understand the truth.

“Just because you stumbled over a stone and fell hard, suffering hardship, does that mean you’ve taken the wrong path?”

“Just because Chen Ping’an walks a great Dao, does that mean your path, Sun Jiashu, is not good? Such childish thinking! What calculations are you making, what business are you conducting?”

“No matter how good someone else’s Dao is, it’s their path. You should focus on your work, planting seeds and not worrying about the harvest. Occasionally, look up, glance left and right at the scenery and people on other paths, and that’s enough.”

These words of wisdom were worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.

That “expert,” who appeared younger than Sun Jiashu, only said his surname was Fan but had little connection to the Fan family of Old Dragon City.

Sun Jiashu, relying on his intuition, deeply believed this to be true.

This man smiled and said, “In Old Dragon City, there will ultimately be only three families: Fu Qi, or rather the Fu family of Wang Zhu; Fan Junmao, which can also be said to be the Fan family of the Old Divine Lord; and lastly, your Sun family, which holds half, while the remaining, including Ding Fanghou, roughly hold the other half. This journey north is a heavy burden, a long road. Continue to strive.”

Sun Jiashu nodded, “My Sun family will definitely not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The man smiled, “Once in a lifetime? More than that.”

Sun Jiashu was somewhat lost in thought, not only pondering the deeper meaning of these words but also recalling that day when he secretly saw Chen Ping’an off.

That young man in white robes, carrying a long sword, seemed to see him from behind the crowd only after the ferry ascended.

Not only did he not ignore him, but he also clasped his fist in farewell and, in the end, raised his arm high, giving him a thumbs up.

Sun Jiashu smiled slightly.

That was how it was then, and that was how it was now.

Within the imperial palace of a newly rising dynasty, a master and disciple walked between two tall walls. The handsome young man in white reached out and ran his fingers along the wall.

The woman beside him was tall, yet she did not give off any sense of disharmony or clumsiness.

As she walked, she exuded no aura.

She possessed neither the pure and clear aura of a Qi cultivator in harmony with nature, nor the grandmaster’s imposing presence of a pure martial artist, not even the breathing of an ordinary person.

The tall woman, who always carried a sword at her waist but without a scabbard, had just found a seemingly ordinary green bamboo scabbard for her sword, which had been sharpened in the Lightning Pool of Upside-Down Mountain.

It was painstakingly acquired from Treasure Bottle Continent by one of her retainers.

The young man, who appeared like an immortal no matter how he was viewed, smiled and asked, “Master, did you buy it, or did you snatch it?”

The woman calmly replied, “I heard it was bought.”

The young man sighed, “Then it must have been forcefully bought.”

The woman laughed, “If you think that’s wrong, you can fight him.”

The young man helplessly said, “But I, Cao Ci, am only a fifth-realm martial artist now. How can I fight him?”

The woman stopped, “You’re missing the word ‘strongest’.”

Cao Ci thought for a moment, scraped the ground with his toe, and drew two short lines on the left and right ends. He lifted his toe and pointed to the line on the left, “Speaking only of the fifth realm, ordinary geniuses in the world are here.”

He moved his toe to the right, “Cao Ci is here.”

Then, he tapped the space in the middle, “Besides me, the most outstanding fifth-realm genius in the Central Earth Divine Continent is probably here.”

The tall woman did not think her disciple was arrogant or conceited, underestimating his peers. In fact, she thought Cao Ci was being too modest.

Cao Ci suddenly squatted down, extended a finger, and tapped the middle line, moving it slightly closer to his own line, “I think that guy, after I break through, his fifth realm might reach here.”

The woman lowered her head, looked at the position Cao Ci had drawn with his finger, and nodded in agreement, “That should be about right.”

While this master and disciple were chatting idly about the martial destiny of the world, far away, the chief eunuch of this great dynasty, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Accoutrements, who had hopes of reaching the Immortal Realm, was leading a group of Great Eunuchs in crimson python robes towards them. Upon seeing the two, they all stopped, stood respectfully with their hands folded, not daring to breathe loudly.
The ferry arrived at the Qingluan Kingdom’s border crossing. Chen Ping’an and his companions walked along the bustling main street of the port. For some unknown reason, whether Qi Refiners or pure martial artists, they would all actively give way and detour around them. The higher the cultivation realm, the keener the eye, especially the middle five realms cultivators, and the more experienced the Qi Refining three realms martial arts masters, the more clearly they felt an invisible pressure.

A woman of peerless beauty carrying a sword, a tall man with a narrow blade at his waist, a hunched, smiling old codger, and a sturdily built, short, taciturn man.

None of them were simple.

But inexplicably, a Golden Core cultivator hiding his aura amongst the crowd felt that the combined aura of these four individuals seemed to pale in comparison to that young man who was clearly injured and carried a sword on his back.

Stars surrounding the moon.