After the female Daoist with the sabre left the courtyard, Pei Qian tiptoed out of the house, a yellow paper talisman stuck to her forehead.

Shi Rou stood by the doorway, looking nervous. Even though she could no longer sense the slightest aura of the female Daoist, she still felt lingering apprehension.

As a female ghost and creature of Yin, walking openly in the human world was fraught with danger. Like a monkey wearing a crown, she would only invite ridicule. But her crooked path of seizing another’s nest, of usurping the immortal husk, would have unimaginable consequences if a great cultivator of a proper lineage were to see through her charade.

Pei Qian went to Chen Pingan and Zhu Lian, glancing at the base of the wall.

Zhu Lian chuckled, “Just a fox hair with depleted spiritual energy, and you’re picking it up like a treasure?”

He reached out, plucked the black fox hair that had supported the fox demon’s illusion from the corner, held it between his fingers, and offered it to Pei Qian. “Take it if you want it.”

Pei Qian hid behind Chen Pingan and cautiously asked, “Can it be sold for money?”

Zhu Lian twirled the resilient fox hair between his fingertips, surprisingly unable to crush it into dust with a snap. Slightly surprised, he examined it closely. “It’s a good thing, but it’s hard to find a practical use for it. If you could peel off an entire fox pelt, it might make a natural Dharma robe.”

Chen Pingan reminded him, “It’s best not to say such things.”

Zhu Lian smiled. “Indeed, this old servant misspoke.”

The commotion had clearly alerted the other two groups of demon hunters. The young master with the compound surname Dugu and his entourage, and the Daoist couple, all came upon hearing the sounds and entered the courtyard with varied expressions. They looked at Chen Pingan with a more complex gaze. Why would the fox demon, who was supposed to appear in half a month, show up early? And that sharp blade of light, with its imposing aura, shocked both parties. They hadn’t expected the female Daoist with the saber to have such a high level of cultivation. One strike shattered the fox demon’s illusion. The information given by the Lion Garden previously was that the fox demon was elusive and unpredictable, and no immortal master had been able to catch even a piece of the fox demon’s clothing, regardless of formations or magical treasures.

Chen Pingan gave a somewhat abridged account of the conflict between the fox demon and the female Daoist with the saber, and he didn’t reveal the female Daoist’s identity.

The old man with the fiery red small fox perched on his shoulder suddenly spoke, “Young Master Chen, could you sell me this fox hair? Perhaps with this opportunity, I can find some clues and dig out the fox demon’s hiding place. It’s not entirely impossible.”

Chen Pingan asked with a smile, “What is the price?”

The old man weighed the pros and cons. “The fox hair has completely lost its spirituality. In fact, it’s not worth even a single snowflake coin.”

Chen Pingan did not immediately give an answer.

The beautiful maid behind the solitary young master had a hint of mockery in her long, limpid eyes.

It seemed that this young immortal master in white robes, carrying a long sword with a white scabbard, looked like a mountain dweller, but in reality, he was very mercenary. A fox hair worth a single snowflake coin, and he still wants to haggle? But she soon understood. Wasn’t this the way so-called pedigree immortal masters were, seemingly righteous but actually hypocritical?

She had traveled with her young master, touring the mountains and rivers. In all her experiences in the mundane world, and in her many times ascending mountains and descending rivers in search of immortals, how many had impressed her young master? No wonder her young master always went with great enthusiasm and returned disappointed.

This maid suddenly noticed that the dark-skinned little girl behind the man was looking at her.

The maid gave Pei Qian a smile.

Pei Qian grinned.

Chen Pingan said to the old man, “I suddenly remembered that I also have some insignificant arts that I can use to search for the fox demon, so I won’t sell it.”

The old man laughed freely. “We are all here to subdue demons. Since Young Master Chen has a use for it himself, a gentleman does not take what others cherish. I won’t force the issue.”

After they left, Chen Pingan hesitated and said to Pei Qian seriously, “Do you know why Master was unwilling to sell that fox hair?”

Pei Qian said crisply, “That person was lying, deliberately lowballing the price, and had ill intentions. Master has keen eyes and saw through it at a glance, disliked him, and didn’t want to cause trouble. If the fox demon was spying in secret, we would have needlessly angered the fox demon, and we would become the target of public criticism, disrupting Master’s plan. We originally wanted to watch the fire from the other side, enjoying the scenery and drinking tea, but instead, we brought trouble upon ourselves. The small courtyard would become a bloody storm… Master, I’ve said so much, surely one reason is correct, right? Haha, isn’t that very clever?”

Zhu Lian clicked his tongue. “Someone’s going to get a chestnut to the head.”

Sure enough, Chen Pingan knocked her head with a chestnut.

Pei Qian turned to glare at Zhu Lian, “Jinx!”

Zhu Lian smiled. “Bullying the weak and fearing the strong? Think I’m easy to bully, huh? Believe me, I’ll sprinkle mud in your favorite dishes.”

Pei Qian was a little guilty, looked at Chen Pingan, and hung her head.

From their first meeting in the Lotus Root Paradise to being thrown out by the stinky nose old Daoist, Pei Qian felt that Chen Pingan knew her better than anyone else in the world. In the words of the books, her record was full of misdeeds, so she was now a little afraid.

Chen Pingan rubbed the little fellow’s head and said softly, “I saw in a scholar’s notes that the Buddhist scriptures say, ‘Yesterday’s everything dies with yesterday, today’s everything is born with today.’ Do you know what that means?”

Pei Qian looked up and shook her head gently.

Chen Pingan smiled. “You’ll understand in the future.”

Pei Qian’s eyes lit up. “Master, can this sentence be engraved on a small bamboo slip and given to me? If possible, could you add the two sentences from the River God’s Shrine?”

Chen Pingan nodded and agreed, then, on the small matter of whether or not to sell the fox hair, he unusually gave her some profound reasoning. “When traveling in the world, be more careful. You must not have a malicious heart, but if you don’t even have a defensive mind, wouldn’t you be letting the bad guys get away with it? To always emphasize superficial sincerity, and to be open and honest with everyone, will only make the world more dangerous because wealth stirs people’s hearts. True sincerity is a very beautiful thing, but how to protect it, without hurting others or oneself, requires accumulating experience in the world.”

Zhu Lian smiled. “Be kind but not naive, be old and experienced but not scheming. These golden words are the true wisdom of the books.”

Chen Pingan hummed in agreement. “Zhu Lian said it better than me, and he’s not so long-winded.”
Chen Ping’an took out one of the last three jars of Osmanthus Wine and handed it to Zhu Lian. The Fan family had sent a lot of Osmanthus Wine, but it was divided into two kinds. One kind was for Chen Ping’an to drink on the road, and there was a lot of it. However, he drank one jar here and another there. Xu Yuanxia had one jar, and Zhang Shanfeng had one jar. Before they even reached the capital of Qingluan Kingdom, it was almost gone. The other kind was extremely rare, said to be personally brewed by the Osmanthus Lady on Osmanthus Island. There were only six jars, and even Fan Junmao coveted it at the time, shamelessly taking one jar away.

Pei Qian turned to look at Zhu Lian, asking curiously, “Which book said that?”

Zhu Lian laughed heartily, “The book of life’s hardships is the best teacher.”

Pei Qian couldn’t stand being outdone by her teacher, so she scoffed at Zhu Lian, “I’m as vast as the sea of knowledge and have a bottomless satchel. Anyone can spout a few random phrases. What my master says is much better!”

Zhu Lian shook his head and drank his wine, having no desire to argue with this little girl now that he had good wine to drink.

Chen Ping’an said to Pei Qian, “Don’t reject everything he says just because you’re not close to Zhu Lian. Forget it, we’ll talk about these things later.”

In the end, Chen Ping’an felt that he shouldn’t rush things. He didn’t need to force all the principles he thought were right into Pei Qian’s head all at once.

With Pei Qian’s good memory, memorizing tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of words from the classics was not as good as her truly understanding one or two teachings from the books.

Zhu Lian’s unintentional remark at the River God Temple gave Chen Ping’an much to ponder. He said, “Return the sages’ books to the sages.” Chen Ping’an began to reflect on himself. Compared to true scholars, he had not read much. But compared to commoners, he had actually read quite a bit. So, after careful consideration, how many sages’ books had he returned to the sages over the years?

Chen Ping’an sighed and said he was going to the room to practice his stance.

It was too conspicuous in the courtyard.

Inside the house, the female ghost Shi Rou, after hearing Chen Ping’an’s words from the Buddhist scriptures, was stunned. She finally sighed softly, composed herself, held her breath, and began to breathe and circulate her energy according to a mantra taught by Cui Dongshan. Little by little, she was refining this immortal’s remains with the patience of water grinding stone.

After Chen Ping’an closed the door, Pei Qian asked in a low voice, “Old Cook, my master doesn’t seem very happy? Does he think I’m stupid?”

Zhu Lian smiled and asked, “Want to drink? Let’s drown our sorrows together.”

Pei Qian crossed her arms and said angrily, “I’ve already been tricked once by Cui Dongshan. Don’t you try to ruin my Dao heart!”

Zhu Lian almost spat out his wine. “You little brat, what Dao heart do you have?”

Pei Qian stood up, put her hands behind her back, and sighed. She didn’t forget to glance at Zhu Lian with pity, probably wanting to say that she didn’t want to cast pearls before swine.

After she turned her head, Zhu Lian kicked Pei Qian on the butt, almost making the charcoal-black girl fall flat on her face. Her long journey through the mountains and waters, combined with her martial arts practice, allowed Pei Qian to support herself with her hands, flip over, and stand firm. She turned around, enraged, “Zhu Lian, why are you attacking me in the dark? Do you have no sense of honor?! I’m wearing a new set of clothes!”

Zhu Lian asked, “Do you want to learn a martial art I created called ‘Awakening of Insects’? With a little success, you can punch like a spring thunderclap. Not only can you confront people in the martial world and beat them until their bones are weak, but it’s also effective against demons and monsters.”

Pei Qian retorted, “Who are you?”

Zhu Lian wasn’t bothered that his good intentions were unappreciated, but he didn’t want to hear her next round of nonsense. He waved his hand, “Get lost, go practice your Mad Demon Swordplay.”

Pei Qian had a lot to say but couldn’t, so she was a little depressed. She went to her room, took out her walking staff, and began to practice this martial art that she also “created.” After subduing that stray dog on the road, her confidence soared. These days, apart from honestly following Chen Ping’an’s six-step stance, she had temporarily put aside the White Ape Carrying Sword technique and the Dragging Saber technique, only going through the motions occasionally. She was focusing on this extremely powerful and effective peerless swordsmanship.

Pei Qian was enjoying herself.

Watching her, Zhu Lian, a martial artist in the Distant Excursion realm… his eyes were hurting.

Zhu Lian looked around.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

It seemed that the fox demon had learned a lesson after being struck by that Dharma Blade.

In the two rooms of the small courtyard, Shi Rou was using her female ghost soul and the immortal’s remains to cultivate the supreme secret technique taught by Cui Dongshan.

Chen Ping’an, on the other hand, was walking upside down in the Heaven and Earth Stance, only extending one finger from each hand.

At the same time, his mind was immersed in the “Water Mansion” that had refined the Water Seal.

According to Cui Dongshan’s explanation, the Bi You Mansion Jade Slip that appeared with an anomaly when it was refined in the clouds above Old Dragon City was likely a valuable relic of an ancient Great River Dragon Palace, a Water Luck Jade Slip condensed from Great River Water Essence. Cui Dongshan joked at the time that the Burying River Water Goddess had a bit of Master’s style when it came to giving away wealth. As for the words engraved on the Jade Slip, they eventually resonated with Chen Ping’an, the refiner. When a thought arose in his mind, they would be born and transform into little figures wearing emerald green clothes, carrying the Jade Slip into Chen Ping’an’s Qi Mansion, helping Chen Ping’an paint door gods on the “mansion gate” and depict a Great River of water on the walls of the Qi Mansion. It was also a rare and precious blessing on the Great Dao.

Even the proud Cui Dongshan had to admit that unless the master and student worked together with utmost sincerity, even if he, the student, exhausted all his efforts and made all sorts of plans, it would be very difficult for the second Natal Treasure he refined in the Great Sui, the Golden Literary Courage, to match the quality of the first, the Water Seal.

Chen Ping’an naturally took these things with an open mind. If he obtained it, it was his good fortune; if he lost it, it was his fate.

But in the midst of this ethereal gain and loss, Chen Ping’an still preferred one of the four plaques in his hometown Crab Workshop. The four words on it were, “Seek Not Outwardly.”

To pray to gods and Buddhas, one must first sincerely seek oneself, and then talk about fate.

With the exhaustion of the Small Alchemy Wine in the Sword Nurturing Gourd, coupled with the recuperation along the way, Chen Ping’an had now recovered most of his strength. His martial arts cultivation was roughly equivalent to the level before the battle with Ding Ying in Lotus Root Blessing Land.

After inscribing the wall of the River God Temple, Chen Ping’an vaguely discovered that the acupoint in his body, which resembled a Water Mansion, seemed to have generated some sense. The flow rate of the Great River water had increased slightly, mist was rising, shrouding the water surface, and occasionally even “waterways” would flow out, permeating the Qi Mansion, only to be blocked at the Water Mansion gate, returning to the waterways on the walls and restoring calm.
So today, Chen Ping’an attempted to carefully observe his own body using the rudimentary “inner vision” technique practiced by mountain cultivators.

Unexpectedly, as the owner, he almost couldn’t even enter his own house. In an instant, the pure true qi nurtured by his martial artist’s body surged forth with a fierce killing intent, as if with a “the lord’s disgrace is the vassal’s death” sentiment, wanting to right the wrong for Chen Ping’an. Of course, Chen Ping’an dared not let this “fire dragon” break down the door, lest he end up smashing his own courtyard gate – this was also the key reason why the world’s masters could achieve it but were unwilling to cultivate both paths.

Chen Ping’an nearly fell to the ground just trying to appease the fire dragon, and could only use his fist instead of his fingers to support himself on the ground.

After transferring the fire dragon to another meridian “post road”, his breathing finally eased a bit. At the same time, the two door gods on the mansion gate, driven by the jade slip text imps in emerald robes, hastily opened the gate for Chen Ping’an, offering apologetic gestures full of shame. After a wisp of Chen Ping’an’s inner vision entered, the scenery was completely different, its splendor exceeding even the first time he saw the Lion Garden surrounded by mountains.

The jade slip successfully refined before the Water Seal was suspended in this Dan Chamber Water Mansion, while the Water Seal itself hovered even higher.

Those green-clad little fellows were still diligently repairing the houses everywhere. Some of the larger ones, like masterful painters, squatted by the Great Water on the wall, sketching the nascent forms of waves.

Moreover, some impure water vapor flowed into the mansion from the gate, mostly slowly dissipating on its own. Only a tiny, hair-like strand would fly into the “water flower” under the green-clad imps’ brush. Once inside, the water flower would gain vitality and show signs of movement. However, most of these adorable little fellows in emerald robes on the wall were idle, having painted many wave water veins, but only a handful had come to life.

So, when they saw Chen Ping’an by the water, they looked somewhat aggrieved, as if saying, “A skilled artisan can’t make bricks without straw. You should absorb and refine more spiritual energy!”

Chen Ping’an knew that it was because his Longevity Bridge had been severed and his natural endowments severely damaged, causing the source water of this Water Mansion to be too scarce, and his refinement speed was far from that of a genius. The two combined, adding insult to injury, made these green-robed children unable to busy themselves and only waste their time. Chen Ping’an could only withdraw from the mansion in shame.

After “Chen Ping’an” walked out of the Water Mansion, several of the largest green-robed children gathered together and whispered.

Chen Ping’an did not interrupt his inner vision at this point, but began to wander and “stroll” along the fire dragon’s trajectory.

His divine sense was as small as a mustard seed, but the fire dragon condensed from pure true qi covered hundreds of miles in an instant. “Chen Ping’an” walked on the meridian roads, a journey of thousands of miles. Although he knew where the fire dragon was, he could not catch up.

However, this was also related to the fact that Chen Ping’an had been stabbed by the Sword-Swallowing Boat. Otherwise, he could still control the true qi fire dragon with a wisp of spiritual light, perhaps even using it as a mount to patrol the surroundings.

Finally, “Chen Ping’an” returned to the outside of the Water Mansion, sat cross-legged, and began to refine spiritual energy.

Diligence can compensate for clumsiness.

Chen Ping’an was good at this, very good at it.

Chen Ping’an did not yet know how much recognition it was to have Ah Liang say the phrase, “The myriad methods share the same origin; practicing fists is also practicing swords.”

There are millions of martial artists in the world, but only one Chen Ping’an.

Inside a maiden’s exquisite boudoir, awaiting marriage.

A haggard girl, like a withered flower, sat before the dressing mirror, supported by her personal maid. Although she looked pitifully ill, the girl’s eyes were still bright and spirited. As long as she had thoughts and expectations in her heart, a person would have vitality.

This pitiable person was none other than the youngest daughter of Vice Minister Liu, Liu Qingqing. According to the family genealogy, Vice Minister Liu belonged to the “Jing” generation, and Liu Qingqing’s generation was the “Qing” generation.

Her elder sister, Liu Qingya, although already married, was now stranded in the Lion Garden with her husband due to her sister’s troubles.

Her second brother, Liu Qingshan, used to often come back to talk to her, but it had been a long time since he had come to visit her. The girl had the best relationship with this second brother, so she was somewhat saddened.

Her third younger brother, Liu Qingyu, did often come here to play, but he was young and too noisy. She was currently weak, and this lively brother was one who couldn’t keep his hands and feet still. She feared that he might accidentally break or ruin some beloved object, which really gave her a headache.

The maid was Zhao Ya, the daughter of the old steward, a girl with a few freckles on her nose. Seeing her young mistress being so strong-willed, Zhao Ya, who had served her since childhood, endured the sorrow in her heart and tried to say comforting words, such as that her young mistress looked much better today, and that the weather was warming up, so that her young mistress could go out of the building and walk around.

Zhao Ya brought a bucket of hot water upstairs, having agreed to wash and comb her young mistress Liu Qingqing’s hair today.

Liu Qingqing sat on the stool, raised her arm and touched her gaunt cheek, and said to Zhao Ya, “Ya’er, let them come today. You rest for a while and read me a passage from a book.”

Zhao Ya sighed softly and tiptoed to open the small door of an exquisite birdcage on the desk.

Although it was chirping and seemed lively inside, the voices were actually faint and usually didn’t disturb her young mistress.

Although it was called a birdcage, it was actually built like a miniature pavilion, in addition to the style of raising birds. This was a “Luan Cage,” a specialty of the capital city that almost every lady of the Qingluan Kingdom had. The things raised and living inside were not birds, but many kinds of small and exquisite sprites, such as a comb-hair little maiden who looked like a dragonfly but had a woman’s head and face. They were naturally close to clean water, liked to comb women’s hair with their little claws, were extremely careful, and could help women moisturize their hair, so that women would never develop premature gray hair.

There were flower-butterfly sprites with the reputation of painted eyebrows. As long as a complete set of micro-carved brushes was made for them, and they were shown various eyebrow makeup styles, they could draw enchanting eyebrows for women.

There were also small sprites who liked to eat rouge, with bird claws and human bodies with arms and wings. They could carefully apply rouge for women, making them even more radiant than when women did it themselves.

When the maid Zhao Ya opened the door, dozens of strange mountain flowers and grass sprites living in the Luan Cage pavilion flew out in an orderly manner and began to wash and dress their mistress Liu Qingqing, with great familiarity.

Zhao Ya, on the other hand, turned the pages of a book and read aloud in a soft voice to her young mistress from a collection of poems that was recently popular in the Qingluan Kingdom.

With a creak, the door opened, but no one was seen entering.
Zhao Ya sighed inwardly, pretending nothing had happened, and continued reading the landscape poetry in her book.

A gentle breeze rustled the pages. Soon, a handsome young man dressed in black robes stood behind the maiden. He flicked away the small sprite who had been combing her hair, taking over the task of washing Liu Qingqing’s tresses himself.

The maiden didn’t turn or look up, but smiled and said, “You’ve come.”

The fox demon, whose presence had turned Lion Garden upside down, offered a captivating smile. “The mundane world is a bane, but it’s my lady who suffers for it.”

Liu Qingqing shook her head gently.

The fox demon whispered, “Don’t move, or the water will splash on you.”

Liu Qingqing sat still, tilting her head, letting the handsome young man groom her raven locks. His gentle movements brought her a sense of peace.

From beginning to end, the fox demon washed Liu Qingqing’s hair, applied rouge, and painted her eyebrows.

Finally, they sat shoulder to shoulder, leaning against each other. Liu Qingqing softly asked, “Ya’er told me, another group of people has arrived at the estate.”

The fox demon, who outwardly went by the name Qing Laoye, chuckled. “I cannot fathom their depths. They might be even more troublesome than that Daoist nun with the magic blade. But it matters not. Even if an immortal of the nascent soul realm were to come, I would still come and go as I pleased. I would never deprive myself of seeing my lady.”

A delicate blush rose to Liu Qingqing’s face. She turned to Zhao Ya and said, “Ya’er, go downstairs and keep watch for me. Don’t allow anyone to come up.”

Zhao Ya nodded, closed her book, latched the door of the oriole cage, and went downstairs.

Liu Qingqing pricked up her ears. Once she was sure Zhao Ya was gone, she whispered, “My lord, can we truly be together forever?”

The fox demon extended a finger, gently stroking the maiden’s brow, and smiled. “Of course. Our love will last far beyond a mere century.”

Liu Qingqing’s expression dimmed. “But what about my father? What about Lion Garden?”

The fox demon confidently declared, “I have said this before: as long as your father agrees to this destined marriage of ours, he will become my esteemed father-in-law. Would I ever mistreat Lion Garden?”

Liu Qingqing nestled into his embrace, closing her eyes, her eyelashes trembling. “I only ask that my lord never betray me.”

The fox demon lowered his gaze to her face, which had lost some of its previous weariness. He smiled and said, “Foxes are known throughout the realm for their devotion. Why else would so many fox spirits and rabbits dwell amongst desolate graveyards and forgotten tombs? Is it not to guard and protect the departed spirits?”

When Chen Ping’an slowly opened his eyes, he found himself supporting himself with his palm on the ground. Outside the window, the sky was already dark.

With a gentle push, he righted himself and stood steadily. He pushed open the door and went out, finding Zhu Lian fast asleep at a table in the courtyard, the moon and stars scattered above him.

Zhu Lian smiled and stood up, explaining, “Young Master was in a wonderful state akin to the Daoist concept of ‘forgetting oneself in bliss.’ This old servant dared not disturb you. I haven’t disturbed you for two days now. Because of this, Pei Qian even sparred with me three times, forcibly confining me indoors. Tonight, she even stood on a chair, peering into Young Master’s room for a long time, waiting for the lights to come on. She only fell asleep a short while ago, after much waiting.”

Chen Ping’an was surprised. “Has it been two days already?”

Zhu Lian nodded with a smile.

Chen Ping’an sat down with Zhu Lian, sighing. “No wonder they say that for cultivators on the mountains, sixty years pass in the blink of an eye.”

Zhu Lian said, “Indeed. It is still better for us martial artists. We train our fists, eat, sleep, and then wake up to kill.”

Chen Ping’an pretended not to hear the part about waking up to kill and asked, “Has there been any activity at Lion Garden recently?”

Zhu Lian shook his head and smiled. “Calm and serene, flowers bloom and the moon is full. It’s just a pity that Young Master will miss the imminent Buddhist and Daoist debate in the capital.”

Chen Ping’an said with a straight face, “If you long for the grand events in the capital… you still cannot leave Lion Garden. Without you, Zhu Lian, to hold down the fort, it simply won’t do.”

Zhu Lian climbed up the offered rope, shaking the near-empty flask of osmanthus wine in his hand, his eyes crinkling with a smile. “Then, will Young Master bestow another flask upon me? After drinking osmanthus wine, drinking the Lion Garden liquor is like drinking water.”

Chen Ping’an refused. “Don’t even think about my osmanthus wine. I only have two flasks left, and I can’t bear to drink them myself.”

Zhu Lian sighed. “Beautiful scenery, fine wine, and fair company. Such things are hard to come by all together.”

Chen Ping’an got down to business. “A family that accumulates good deeds for generations will surely have the protection of unseen virtue. This is no empty saying. If I am not mistaken, the Feng Shui of Lion Garden is excellent, and the Liu family has a righteous lineage. There should be a birth of incense spirits, and there should be a local earth god protecting them. Unfortunately, I do not possess Cui Dongshan’s cultivation or divine abilities. I cannot command the earth god to emerge from the soil. Otherwise, I could learn more about the origins of that fox demon.”

Zhu Lian glanced at the main house. “Should this old servant go and ask Shi Rou?”

Chen Ping’an asked doubtfully, “If she could do it, wouldn’t she have deliberately kept it hidden?”

Zhu Lian looked at Chen Ping’an and finished the last mouthful of osmanthus wine. “Allow this old servant to say something presumptuous. Young Master may have worst-case estimations for the actions of those around you, but you are still too optimistic about their true nature. You are not as perceptive and meticulous as your student… Of course, this is also due to Young Master’s upright and gentlemanly conduct.”

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment and nodded. “Then I’ll ask Shi Rou tomorrow. I have some ability to judge the truth in people’s words.”

Zhu Lian shook his head and smiled. “Why wait until tomorrow? What’s wrong with now? Young Master is her master and has bestowed great favor upon her. A few questions shouldn’t be a problem. If I were to look at Shi Rou with only my eyes, it would be like a lovelorn man looking at a beautiful woman. Of course, one must treat her with tenderness and care. Even heavy words would be a sin. But Young Master does not see her as such a fragile beauty. Shi Rou’s actions are like that of someone who has not been beaten for three days and will try to lift the roof. Know that most unenlightened people are those who fear power but not virtue. You are far from as good as Teacher’s disciple, Pei Qian.”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but laugh. “The sun must be rising in the west. You’re actually saying something good about Pei Qian.”

Zhu Lian sighed. “Her badness is pure, and her goodness is pure. Such an amusing little fellow. It’s hard to dislike her.”

The door of the main house opened, and Shi Rou appeared.

She came to them and took the initiative to say, “Master Cui did teach me a divine ability to command the earth god, but I worry that the commotion will be too great and cause that fox demon to become wary and turn to killing?”
Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “The reason is tenable, but I want to ask about two things that happened a little earlier. First, who are you more worried about being targeted by the fox demon, yourself, Shi Rou, or the three of us? Second, since you understand this unorthodox magic and can command the local earth spirit, why didn’t you say something first, even if you chose not to act?”

Zhu Lian chuckled, fanning the flames, “Hit the nail on the head.”

Shi Rou’s eyes darted around, uncertain.

Chen Ping’an waved his hand, “We both know what’s what. Let this be the last time. If there’s another instance, I’ll have you evicted from this skin and returned to the talisman. Once the sixty-year limit is up, you can still regain your freedom.”

Shi Rou’s eyes turned cold.

Zhu Lian, with a playful grin, pulled a brocade pouch from his sleeve. After opening it, he drew out a small origami folded into the shape of a paper horse. “Before his departure, Mr. Cui entrusted me with this item, saying that if his master ever got angry with Shi Rou, I should take it out and ask him to speak well of her. Oh, right, Miss Shi Rou, Mr. Cui instructed me to let you have a look at it first. Whether you reveal its contents or not is up to you.”

Zhu Lian stood by, watching, his killing intent already stirring, and he didn’t hide it from Shi Rou in the slightest.

Even a virtuous person offering a favor without expecting anything in return couldn’t guarantee a good outcome because a petty person would demand a bushel after receiving a pint.

This female ghost, who had received a great stroke of luck, might not be inherently wicked. Perhaps she had once been a rather well-behaved Yin spirit. However, the subtleties of the human heart, as minute as mustard seeds, could be magnified countless times by external influences. Then, certain flaws would become as large as winnowing baskets.

Virtue not matching one’s position was the root of disaster, leading to the collapse of grand mansions overnight.

Shi Rou’s heart surged with emotions as she received the paper horse. After opening it, her body trembled slightly.

Shi Rou clenched her fist, gripping the paper tightly, and said to Chen Ping’an with a trembling voice, “This servant knows her mistake. This servant will summon the local earth spirit for master and ask for the truth.”

Chen Ping’an wasn’t particularly angry at Shi Rou’s abrupt change. He nodded, “The fox demon has already been here, issuing a provocation first. It wouldn’t hurt to summon the local earth spirit.”

Shi Rou put the paper slip in her sleeve. Then, she performed a series of steps, forming hand seals. As she moved, a dazzling golden light and a wisp of Yin energy emerged from the eyebrows and the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of the feet of Du Mao’s immortal remains. Shi Rou recited the final line of the incantation in her heart, “Blow on the staff head to create thunder, stomp the ground with one foot to shake the five peaks.” Finally, she heavily stomped the ground. An ancient talisman pattern flashed and disappeared on the courtyard floor.

Shi Rou took a deep breath and retreated a few steps.

Then, the ground in front of her rippled like water waves, and a ragged old woman suddenly popped out, tumbling to the ground. The old woman wore a verdant willow wreath on her head, and her neck, wrists, and ankles were bound by five black ropes, leaving deep marks.

Unable to stand up, the old woman huddled on the ground and looked up at Shi Rou, who had dragged her out of her prison, pleading bitterly, “Please, mighty immortal master, save the Lion Garden!”

Shi Rou’s face was cold as she said, “You’re praying to the wrong bodhisattva.”

The old woman, wearing the willow wreath, turned her neck. Even a slight movement tightened the rope around her neck, but she didn’t seem to care. Finally, she saw the white-robed young man carrying a sword on his back. “Little immortal master, please quickly save Liu Jingting’s youngest daughter, Liu Qingqing. She’s currently under the fox demon’s spell, bewitched. Her infatuation with that fox demon isn’t genuine! This great demon is not only highly skilled but also extremely ruthless. It wants to absorb all of the Liu family’s incense and literary fortune and transfer it to Liu Qingqing. This is an illegal and perverse act. How can Liu Qingqing, a mortal teacher’s daughter, withstand all of this…”

The old woman was being strangled by the constantly tightening black ropes and couldn’t speak anymore. However, after a piece of verdant willow leaf on the willow wreath withered and fell, the old woman’s complexion improved slightly.

Chen Ping’an still wasn’t in a hurry to cut the “Demon Binding Ropes.” He asked, “But I know that the fox demon lineage holds the word ‘love’ in the highest regard. The Great Dao cannot be separated from this word. Since that fox demon is already a terrestrial immortal, it shouldn’t act so perversely. What is the reason?”

The old woman, as the local earth spirit, shook her head and said, “I dare not deceive the immortal master. I don’t know why either. I’ve been racking my brains, but I can’t figure it out. But the change in the Lion Garden’s Feng Shui is undeniable! Liu Jingting’s second son, who was originally the most promising member of this generation to bring glory to the family, has had his career completely ruined. And the Liu family’s ancestral blessings and accumulated virtues are abundant. Furthermore, an ancestor was fortunate enough to work in the underworld. Liu Qingshan shouldn’t have suffered this unprovoked disaster…”

The old woman couldn’t speak again. Another willow leaf withered, turning to smoke and dissipating.

Chen Ping’an exchanged a look with Zhu Lian. The latter nodded slightly, indicating that the old woman didn’t seem to be acting.

He patted the sword-nourishing gourd. Only the flying sword First Dawn, like a white rainbow, shot out, cutting off the five ropes binding the old woman one by one.

The Sword Spirit left three Dragon Slaying Platforms, feeding two of them to the two little ancestors, First Dawn and Fifteenth Night. Only the thin, whetstone-like piece was sold to Sui Youbian.

Now, the sharpness of the two flying swords far exceeded their previous levels.

The old woman was pardoned. Trembling, she stood up, grateful, and said, “Earlier, this old woman’s eyes were failing. I hereby pay my respects to the Sword Immortal Senior!”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “No need to be so polite.”

The old woman suddenly knelt down and didn’t get up, sobbing, “Please, Sword Immortal Senior, quickly act on behalf of Heaven. Since Senior can rescue this old woman, and has a Grandmaster as a follower, and is a Sword Immortal who can break all laws with one sword, saving the Lion Garden is just a simple task…”

Chen Ping’an was about to speak.

The old woman looked up, staring intently at him with a sorrowful expression, “The Liu family for seven generations have all been loyal and virtuous. Does Senior want to watch this family of scholars be destroyed, does Senior have the heart to let that great demon roam free?!”

Zhu Lian frowned. The old woman and the incense deliverer were seeking the same thing, but their methods were worlds apart.

Shi Rou was also displeased.

On this matter, the hunchbacked old man and the skeletal beauty were surprisingly alike.

The old woman kowtowed a dozen times, then looked up at Chen Ping’an again, “Please, Sword Immortal, save the situation, slay the great demon! The Liu family will surely remember this great kindness, and from then on, generation after generation, will offer incense to Sword Immortal Senior!”

Zhu Lian’s face darkened. He was about to speak, but Chen Ping’an waved his hand to stop him.

Chen Ping’an reached out to help the old woman up, “Get up and speak.”
The old woman, however, brushed aside Chen Ping’an’s hand and continued to kowtow. “If the Sword Immortal senior does not intervene, my insignificant life is not worth regretting. I might as well kowtow until I die.”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to crouch down, silent, and carefully consider his words.

Zhu Lian stood on the spot, his toes rubbing against the ground, wanting to deliver a kick that would shatter the old woman’s golden body. Even land deities and mountain spirits of lower ranks, or even the Five Sacred Mountains’ gods of small kingdoms with territories smaller than a single province, would not withstand a few kicks from an eighth-realm martial artist like Zhu Lian.

Shi Rou initially sneered at the old woman’s behavior, then glanced at the seemingly helpless Chen Ping’an with a cold smile.

She thought to herself that Chen Ping’an had brought this trouble upon himself.

Chen Ping’an, crouching, and Zhu Lian, standing, almost simultaneously turned their heads to look at the female Daoist with a fish-tail crown, standing high again at the upturned eaves.

She glanced at the local deity whose ropes had been severed by a flying sword and sneered, “Frogs at the bottom of a well, crude and vulgar, no wonder you couldn’t save the closely connected Lion Garden.”

She looked at the vermilion wine gourd, raised her arm, and made a gesture with two fingers in front of her eyes, like a divine being overlooking the mortal realm, transforming into a pair of golden eyes. She suddenly realized, “So it’s a high-grade sword-nurturing gourd, no wonder it could easily cut those tattered ropes.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Only kill demons, not save people?”

The female Daoist from another continent retorted, “Otherwise?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Then I’ll save people, you just focus on killing demons.”

The female Daoist from the Blade-Wielding Hall hesitated for a moment. “That would be best.”

Hearing this, the old woman was overjoyed. Still kneeling, she straightened her back and grabbed Chen Ping’an’s arm, full of eager anticipation. “Sword Immortal senior, please go to the embroidered building to save people. I’ll lead the way for you.”

This time, without Chen Ping’an’s assistance, the old woman almost dragged him to his feet and headed towards the courtyard gate. However, she noticed that the young Sword Immortal stood still as a mountain. She frowned slightly. “Immortal Master, why aren’t you moving? Saving lives is like fighting fire. If you delay…”

Chen Ping’an’s expression remained unchanged, and he explained gently, “I still need to wake up my disciple and have her stay with me, otherwise, the fox demon might take the opportunity to enter. Also, I need to inform Lord Attendant Minister Liu about privately ascending Liu Qingqing’s boudoir embroidered building. These two things won’t take too much time…”

Before Chen Ping’an could finish speaking, the old woman hurriedly complained, “Sword Immortal senior, you are a person of the mountains, why bother with these formalities? Just leave one person to take care of your disciple. As for Liu Jingting, his family is about to be destroyed, why care about these things? Just tell him that his daughter has been rescued, and that bookworm will only be grateful and dare not fuss over these trivial matters!”

Zhu Lian looked at the old woman’s profile.

Zhu Lian put one hand behind his back, clenching his fist, making cracking sounds.

Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “Have you heard of a gentleman not saving?”

The old woman was stunned, somewhat frightened.

However, Chen Ping’an’s next actions relieved the old woman, who had been holding her breath.

He asked Zhu Lian to quickly explain the matter to Liu Jingting.

He asked Shi Rou to wake up Pei Qian.

Chen Ping’an gently wiped the dust off the old woman’s sleeves, lowering his head and whispering, “We will save those who need saving, Granny, put your heart at ease. I only hope that the Lion Garden will escape this disaster, and if you encounter similar things in the future, you can also try to save those in need after assessing your capabilities.”

They arrived at the bottom of the embroidered building.

Zhu Lian had already returned and nodded to indicate that Lord Attendant Minister Liu had agreed.

Chen Ping’an then ascended the building.

The drowsy Pei Qian simply followed behind him, with a yellow paper talisman pasted on her forehead. As long as she stayed by her master’s side, she wasn’t too afraid.

Shi Rou followed closely behind.

Zhu Lian stood at the bottom, not moving for a long time, just watching Chen Ping’an’s receding figure as he climbed higher.

The hunched old man craned his neck, scratched his head, and felt that this Mister Cui’s teacher was walking a bit too high.