Li Baozhen’s mind raced the moment he saw the young man who absolutely shouldn’t have been on that road.

Could it be Liu Qingfeng, attempting to frame him, hoping to monopolize the power behind the throne of Qingluan Kingdom? Unlikely. The Imperial Advisor would never allow the Liu family to become too dominant; keeping him and Liu Qingfeng in check was the proper course.

Then was it simply a matter of coincidence, an unexpected encounter on this night?

Li Baozhen sighed. If his luck was so terrible, he’d rather it were a calculated scheme. After all, strategic battles could be won with intellect and skill, but if his luck was truly so poor, was he supposed to burn incense and pray to Buddha?

Li Baozhen stood behind the old coachman and softly asked, “What do you make of it?”

The old coachman replied in a low voice, “One of his escorts, the hunchbacked elder, is most likely a wandering martial artist, his realm no lower than mine.”

Li Baozhen slapped his forehead. “The intelligence has failed me.”

According to recent intelligence, Chen Ping’an was staying at the Hundred Flowers Inn in the capital. Three of his four grandmaster escorts had departed, leaving him with only two. One was named Zhu Lian, whose true strength was unknown, possibly a Golden Body Realm martial artist. The other was eccentric, his performance during the Lion Garden incident unremarkable, implying he was weaker than Zhu Lian. As for Chen Ping’an himself, based on his fist strike from the wall during the Lion Garden affair, he was at least a Fifth Realm pure martial artist, capable of drawing talismans, wearing a celestial robe of uncertain quality, and carrying a gourd, the sword-nurturing “Jiang Gourd.” Whether it contained a nurtured flying sword was currently unknown.

Although piecing together the fragmented intelligence still failed to reveal Chen Ping’an’s true depths, it didn’t matter. Li Baozhen had judged that as long as Chen Ping’an was in the Qingluan Kingdom’s capital, even if he suddenly transformed into a terrestrial immortal overnight, it still wouldn’t concern him, Li Baozhen.

Li Baozhen was using the power of the Great Li Dynasty as his chessboard, teasing Chen Ping’an, who was trapped within the game.

The Great Li Dynasty’s Green Wave Pavilion’s intelligence network in the southern portion of Treasure Bottle洲, with chess pieces moving silently, was like a web being constantly tugged.

Before leaving the Great Li Dynasty, Imperial Advisor Cui Chan had given Li Baozhen three choices: go to Great Sui, responsible for monitoring the Gao clan and the former tributary states of Great Sui, including Huangting Kingdom; go to the Zhu Ying Dynasty, the greatest obstacle before the Great Li Dynasty’s iron cavalry, with its many sword cultivators, with a close eye on the South’s Guanhai Academy; the last was the Qingluan Kingdom, which, compared to the former two, was initially considered an obscure rural backwater. However, with the southward migration of civilization in the center of Treasure Bottle洲, the Green Wave Pavilion had increased its investment in the past two years. Of course, all of this was just the surface phenomena Li Baozhen saw after taking office. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been unable to even access the files of this old coachman. But Li Baozhen wasn’t stupid. The aristocratic bureaucracy had the Qingluan Kingdom elder Tang Chong. The Jianghu had the likes of Da Ze Gang’s Zhu Fengxian. Especially Imperial Advisor Cui Chan’s personal visit and even breaking the rule to meet with Liu Qingfeng of Lion Garden… All of this indicated that Li Baozhen’s judgment was sound, choosing this place as his “place of rising” in the Great Li Dynasty’s court, temporarily staying away from the whirlpool in the Great Li Dynasty’s Song clan’s center that could easily crush one to dust. It was definitely a gamble that would pay off.

Li Baozhen was somewhat annoyed. If he could wait a few more days, until a great figure responsible for protecting his safety entered the Qingluan Kingdom, that would be a perfect situation with nothing to fear. The Grand Commandant Wei Liang, the Tang clan’s chief enshrinement Zhou Lingzhi, would be nothing to him.

Why did this Mud Bottle Alley bumpkin pick this specific time and place?

Li Baozhen turned around, bent over, lifted the curtain, and asked with a smile, “Mr. Liu, do you have any backup plans?”

Liu Qingfeng shook his head and smiled. “Like you, I need to wait a few days for a Great Li Dynasty martial secretary to serve as my personal escort.”

Li Baozhen lamented with a bitter face, “Mr. Liu, can you bear to see your ally die before even achieving any success?”

Liu Qingfeng thought for a moment and replied, “You must trust Imperial Advisor Cui’s all-encompassing strategies.”

Li Baozhen sighed in despair, letting go of the curtain. It seemed that he couldn’t escape the misfortune or fortune that awaited him tonight.

It wasn’t that Li Baozhen didn’t trust that Embroidered Tiger’s chess skills, but rather that the Imperial Advisor might not truly take him, this fence-sitter, seriously. Li Baozhen even firmly believed that if Cui Chan needed to make a choice between him and Liu Qingfeng, Cui Chan would, at least for the moment, unhesitatingly leave Liu Qingfeng on the chessboard, while picking up Li Baozhen and tossing him back into the chess container. How else was that mountain of broken porcelain in his hometown formed, if not from the accumulation of worthless, pitiful discards who had become powder in the struggle for the Great Path?

Li Baozhen had long enjoyed going to that place alone and climbing to the top of the porcelain mountain. He always felt like he was ascending while stepping on piles of bones, which felt quite good.

Chen Ping’an had Shi Rou protect Pei Qian and stand at a distance, only bringing Zhu Lian with him as he continued forward.

Cui Dongshan had suddenly sent him a confidential letter, saying that Li Baozhen had appeared in Lion Garden, concise and to the point, ending with the two words “Can kill.”

Chen Ping’an had no doubts or hesitation, swiftly leaving the capital and heading straight for Lion Garden.

In certain matters that didn’t involve the fundamental Great Path, Chen Ping’an chose to trust Cui Dongshan, such as choosing the withered bone ghost Shi Rou as the person to occupy Du Mao’s remains, and now this time.

After getting within fifty steps of the carriage, Chen Ping’an slowed down, and could clearly see the young nobleman standing behind the coachman.

It was this very person who, using Zhu Lu’s admiration and maidenly feelings, and then dangling the bait of helping the father and daughter escape their lowly status and securing an imperial decree of honor for her, had caused Zhu Lu to walk toward Chen Ping’an with a smile on that corridor, her hands behind her back, filled with murderous intent.

That was the first time Chen Ping’an had left the Li Zhu Grotto Heaven, and even more than the life-or-death confrontation with the mountain-moving old ape of Zhengyang Mountain in his small town, he could feel the subtlety and treacherousness of the human heart.

“Chen Ping’an, this is our first meeting, right?”

Li Baozhen stood behind the old coachman and greeted him with a smile, “I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Li Baozhen, the younger brother of Li Xisheng, and the older brother of Li Baoping.”

Chen Ping’an stopped and asked, “If you die here tonight, will you regret it?”

Li Baozhen nodded. “Of course, I’ll regret it bitterly.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “You regret not being careful enough, right?”

Li Baozhen, as if giving up on the situation, frankly admitted, “That’s right. Once I left Dragon Spring County Fulu Street and our Great Li Dynasty, I felt like I could fly freely, which was too unwise. Chen Ping’an, you’ve taught me two valuable lessons in life and work, once before and once now. Three strikes and you’re out, from now on, you take your sunny path, and I’ll take my narrow bridge, how about it?”
Zhu Lian raised his arms, palms rubbing together, eager to try, and smiled, “That old coachman, although a warrior in the Distant Excursion Realm, this old servant can completely handle him. Young Master, he’s still within the same realm, so if this old servant accidentally loses control and can’t hold back, don’t blame me.”

The old coachman’s eyes burned with fervor as he stared fixedly at the hunchbacked old man. In the Qingluan, Qingshan, and Yunxiao kingdoms, as well as the surrounding smaller states, the martial arts scene was shallow. Furthermore, his duties prevented him from freely roaming, a waste of his title as a pure martial artist of the Eighth Realm. Tonight, he had finally encountered one, how could he miss the opportunity? However, there was still the scoundrel Li Baozhen behind him, as well as the Mr. Liu inside the carriage, making him feel restricted. He asked, “Dealing with this retainer is already difficult enough, Lord Li, do you have any brilliant strategies to impart? Something that can both protect you from death and allow me to have a good fight?”

Li Baozhen smiled bitterly, “Who would have thought there would be such a turn of events? My schemes are only good for harming others, not saving myself.”

The coachman stood up and sneered, “So it’s all empty talk? All that calculating and scheming, dazzling to the eye, and that’s all you’ve got.”

Li Baozhen laughed, “Then I’ll have to trouble you to put in more effort tonight, and win me an opportunity to mend the fold after the sheep is lost.”

As the foremost martial artist of the Precious Bottle Continent, the old coachman’s strength was high, and his responsibilities were naturally heavy. He wouldn’t abandon everything and leave just because he disliked Li Baozhen.

The carriage trembled slightly, and Li Baozhen only felt a breeze brush his face. The old coachman had already darted away, straight for Chen Ping’an.

The reeds on both sides of the path bowed toward Chen Ping’an and Zhu Lian.

Zhu Lian habitually hunched forward a few steps, his figure as swift as lightning, and extended a palm.

He received the old coachman’s swift punch, which was brimming with powerful martial energy and caused his sleeves to billow.

Zhu Lian slid backward, stopping just beside Chen Ping’an, while the old coachman used the force of the impact to gracefully land on the ground.

The reeds on both sides of the road rustled as they swayed back and forth, an extremely jarring sound in the otherwise silent night.

Li Baozhen saw the scattered martial energy dissipate, and when it floated in front of Chen Ping’an, who was standing motionless, it was like a slanted drizzle encountering an oiled paper umbrella – not a single drop touched the person holding the umbrella.

Li Baozhen’s eyelids twitched. “As expected of a fellow who’s at least in the Fifth Realm.”

“This little bastard from Mud Bottle Alley, it seems he’s had some good fortune since leaving the Pear Isle Grotto-Heaven.”

Li Baozhen felt some regret. “Should I have taken the path of cultivation back then?”

“A pure martial artist at the peak of the Fifth Realm before the age of eighteen, even in the martial artist-rich Great Li Dynasty, he would be considered a genius, right?”

“Could it be that the vast martial luck released after the Pear Isle Grotto-Heaven shattered and fell was all monopolized by this guy? No, that’s not right. The prince Song Changjing, Li Er, plus Zheng Dafeng, the three of them would have divided it up, leaving at most some leftovers.”

Zhu Lian shook his wrist and said with a chuckle, “This big brother, your punch is a bit soft. What’s wrong, are you being polite with me? Afraid of killing me with one punch and having no more fun? No need, no need, just punch me as hard as you can, my skin is thick and I can take a beating. If you keep holding back like this, big brother, I won’t be polite with you!”

As soon as the words left his mouth.

Zhu Lian’s body was like a mountain monkey, darting away in a flash. His speed was so fast that it was as if an immortal master had used a spatial treasure to shrink the distance. In the blink of an eye, he arrived in front of the old coachman and returned the favor, also delivering a straight punch.

Li Baozhen’s eyesight was limited, he only saw Zhu Lian’s punch, then the two sides confronted each other, exchanging blows in a small space, making him dizzy.

Li Baozhen soon felt discomfort in his ears, he swallowed and felt slightly better.

The old coachman let out a soft shout, his hands continuously sticking and striking, throwing Zhu Lian into the reeds. He himself took a step back, stamping heavily on the ground, lifting his other foot slightly to steady himself.

If he wasn’t worried about Li Baozhen behind him, the old coachman could naturally unleash his punches more freely.

Zhu Lian stretched out his body in the air, stepping on a slender reed with one foot, swaying left and right a few times, and smiled, “Big brother, it seems that your journey to the Eighth Realm hasn’t been smooth, you climbed your way up, didn’t you?”

The old coachman sneered, “Isn’t it a bit early to say that?”

Zhu Lian walked on the tops of the reeds, light as a dragonfly skimming the water. With each stretch of his muscles and bones, a series of sounds like popping soybeans erupted. He chuckled, “It’s not early, it’s not early. I’m just worried that if we really fight to the death, you won’t have time to leave a last word. I heard that Eighth Realm martial artists are quite rare in the world. If you die such a sudden death, I’ll feel sympathetic for you. While my young master doesn’t find you an eyesore, I’ll quickly have a chat with you.”

The old coachman remained silent.

Inside the carriage, Liu Qingfeng wanted to get up.

A streak of white light flashed from Chen Ping’an’s gourd, drawing a rapid arc and piercing through the carriage wall without resistance, hovering at Liu Qingfeng’s brow.

Liu Qingfeng smiled and sat back in his seat.

Li Baozhen’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, had just made a move when a streak of ghostly green sword light flashed past, piercing his sleeve and nailing a talisman to the carriage wall behind him.

The golden talisman was extremely strange, with alchemical runes written on both the front and back. Not only that, but in the center of the talisman, both the front and back each depicted a black-armored and white-armored divine general.

It was a True Form Talisman of the Day and Night Roaming Gods, which had long been lost in the Vast Sky World.

Li Baozhen sighed and said to the old coachman, “Stop. No need to fight. I, Li Baozhen, will simply await my death.”

Zhu Lian said anxiously, “Don’t! Big brother, let’s fight our fight, it won’t interfere with the matters between my young master and your master.”

The old coachman nodded and darted towards Zhu Lian.

Chen Ping’an walked to the side of the carriage. Li Baozhen sat inside, putting on an attitude of offering his neck for the kill.

Chen Ping’an looked towards the curtain and said, “I thought it was the ‘A shrewd family is peeped at by ghosts’ as described in the books. It turns out it’s another line from the books.”

Inside the carriage, Liu Qingfeng said, “Fortune and misfortune have no door, but man invites them?”

Chen Ping’an stopped speaking.

Cultured men actually understood the great and small principles.

Especially a refined scholar like Liu Qingfeng, who had been well-read since childhood and had experience in the officialdom.

Gangsters like Zhu Fengxian were easier for bystanders to see through.

Life and death, honor and disgrace, were straightforward.

Li Baozhen looked at Chen Ping’an.

He was sitting, Chen Ping’an was standing, and the two just happened to be facing each other.
Li Baozhen, filled with curiosity, inquired, “Regardless of how you managed to find me, after you slay me tonight, how will you return to Great Li? Do you plan to abandon the ancestral home in Ni Ping Lane, Dragon Spring County?”

Chen Ping’an gazed upon this scion of the Li family from Fortune Prosper Street, whom he had never met but who was so intent on ending his life.

How could siblings from the same family, like Li Xisheng and Little Treasure Bottle, possess such drastically different natures?

Seeing Chen Ping’an remain silent, Li Baozhen chuckled. “I am but a scholar, unable to withstand your single fist. Truly, the wheel of fortune turns, though it has spun far too quickly in merely a few years. Had I known of your transformation, I should have rallied Zhu He alongside me back then, lest I be forced to leave my home and die in a foreign land.”

A single punch.

Li Baozhen clutched his abdomen, his body curled in agony, nearly vomiting bile.

Chen Ping’an had only employed the cultivation of a second-realm martial artist in that strike.

Chen Ping’an reached out, seized Li Baozhen’s topknot, yanked him from the carriage, and tossed him aside. Li Baozhen tumbled across the muddy path, finally sprawled with limbs splayed, his face awash with tears—not of sorrow or regret, but purely the primal instinct of physical agony. Li Baozhen roared with laughter, “Never did I imagine this day would arrive for Li Baozhen! Liu Qingfeng, remember to collect my corpse and send it back to Dragon Spring County, Great Li!”

Chen Ping’an crouched down.

Li Baozhen met his gaze.

He saw a pair of eyes both familiar and alien.

This look differed from the unfathomable abyss of the National Preceptor, Cui Chan. Li Baozhen rejoiced that he could not see the bottom; otherwise, he would surely be a corpse, for he who gazes upon the hidden depths of the abyss courts disaster. He was far from qualified to plumb the depths of that Embroidered Tiger’s heart.

Yet, the current gaze of Chen Ping’an shared a single similarity with that of the Great Li’s National Preceptor, one that Li Baozhen remembered vividly.

Dimly, within one abyss, beneath one ancient well, lurked vicious flood dragons, yearning to raise their heads.

Suddenly, Li Baozhen’s eyes filled with a gleam of malicious joy as he whispered, “Chen Ping’an, I await the day you become like me. I eagerly anticipate that moment.”

Chen Ping’an scooped a handful of dirt from the ground and, with a palm strike, lightly tapped Li Baozhen’s Adam’s apple. As the latter involuntarily opened his mouth, he shoved the dirt inside, then clamped his palm over Li Baozhen’s mouth, asking, “Is it delicious?”

Li Baozhen struggled, his face reddening.

Chen Ping’an tilted his head slightly. “What did you say? I can’t hear you. Why don’t you speak louder?”

Li Baozhen abruptly ceased his struggles, forcing himself to swallow that mouthful of dirt, his eyes locked onto the impassive young face.

Chen Ping’an raised his palm. Li Baozhen’s face contorted as he muttered, “The taste is… passable!”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “It’s not easy to eat excrement these days. What difficulty is there in eating dirt?”

Identical to before, after Li Baozhen consumed a handful of dirt, Chen Ping’an covered his mouth once more. This time, Chen Ping’an increased the force, and Li Baozhen’s head began to sink slightly into the mud.

When Chen Ping’an released his grip, Li Baozhen’s chest heaved, his breathing labored, before he erupted in a violent cough, spewing out a great deal of mud.

Chen Ping’an raised his right hand and gently brushed his sleeve, dispersing the mud splattering toward him.

Simultaneously, Li Baozhen let out a wail of agony.

Chen Ping’an seized Li Baozhen’s left hand. A cracking sound echoed as Li Baozhen’s secretly clenched fist opened, revealing a piece of jade he had stealthily pulled from his waist.

The ancestral mutton-fat jade, engraved with the archaic characters “Dragon Palace,” had originally appeared unremarkable, but now it was crystal clear, with a strand of light rapidly circulating within.

After Chen Ping’an crushed the bones in Li Baozhen’s wrist, the arm slumped to the ground. The jade pendant, one step away from activating its spell, was now in Chen Ping’an’s grasp. “Thank you,” he said.

The flying swords First and Fifteenth returned from Liu Qingfeng’s brow and the exterior of the carriage, respectively. The rare talisman, its origins perhaps unrecognized by the world but instantly discerned by Chen Ping’an, along with the “Dragon Palace” jade, were stored within his miniature world.

In the *True Traces of Alchemical Texts*, this Talisman of the True Form of the Night-Wandering God was of extremely high grade, meticulously documented on the third-to-last page.

Li Baozhen clutched his left wrist with his right hand, a miserable smile on his face. “You are ruthless. I fear you.”

These two items—the Dragon Palace jade, one of the Li family’s ancestral talismans for survival, and the talisman, a parting gift from his elder brother Li Xisheng—were both invaluable treasures.

Most critically, these two priceless immortal artifacts required Li Baozhen himself to “open the gate” before outsiders could exploit their power. Otherwise, to those below the Fifth Realm, even a land immortal, whoever held them possessed mere dead objects.

Chen Ping’an kicked Li Baozhen in the ribs, sending him hurtling through the reeds and into the lake.

A hundred days to heal broken bones and tendons.

Liu Qingfeng rose, exited the carriage, and jumped down. “Regardless of the reason, I must thank Master Chen for not taking Li Baozhen’s life.”

Chen Ping’an inquired, “What about the Lion Garden? What about Liu Qingshan?”

Liu Qingfeng replied, “We have already found a way out for them.”

Chen Ping’an looked somewhat weary, initially unwilling to speak further with this eldest son of the former Minister, but upon recalling the limping young scholar, he asked, “I believe the outcome you desire is largely positive. You, Liu Qingfeng, should know yourself best, that you are now treading a different path. But how can you guarantee that you will continue on this path, and not stray further and further from your desired outcome?”

Liu Qingfeng offered a bitter smile, gazing into the distance with emotion. “We can only proceed and see. Otherwise, in our Azure Luan Kingdom, from the Emperor to the scholars, to the common folk, everyone’s spines will soon be broken. At that point, we won’t even be able to walk. To drink poison to quench thirst, everyone knows it’s a bad thing, but who wouldn’t drink it when facing death from thirst? Just like in the Lion Garden ancestral hall, that Willow Tree Matriarch, whom I dislike greatly, incited my father to implicate you. If I were merely a pawn in the game, I could not have acted like Liu Qingshan, standing forthright and upholding the Liu family’s honor. After weighing the benefits, I, Liu Qingfeng, could only act against my conscience.”

Liu Qingfeng averted his gaze and chuckled. “Fortunately, things have not reached the worst point. Every family has its own troubles, and I, as the elder brother, will bear the burden of those troubles, while my younger brother reads the books that are easy to read.”

Chen Ping’an glanced in the direction where Li Baozhen had fallen. “You are still stronger than this fellow.”

Chen Ping’an looked toward the distant skirmish within the reeds and called out, “Return.”

Chen Ping’an then said to Liu Qingfeng, “You can save them now.”
Liu Qingfeng asked, “Why not just kill Li Baozhen outright?”

Chen Pingan shook his head, “I promised someone before that I would spare Li Baozhen once.”

Zhu Lian swept over, his face full of regret, and wiped the blood off his face. He was just getting warmed up, and next, that old coachman should be experiencing the delightful softening of his bones.

But seeing Chen Pingan’s unwillingness to speak, Zhu Lian didn’t crack any jokes, and simply followed silently.

Liu Qingfeng suddenly said to Chen Pingan’s back, “Young Master Chen, it’s best not to stay near the capital waiting for an opportunity, thinking you can both keep your promise and meet Li Baozhen again.”

Chen Pingan turned his head, smiling and asking, “Why?”

Liu Qingfeng smiled and shook his head, revealing nothing more.

The Dali Dynasty was about to dispatch two people to serve as attendants for him, Liu Qingfeng, and Li Baozhen respectively. It was said that one of them was a pillar of the Lu Clan Dynasty’s battlefields in the past.

But that wasn’t the most important thing. The truly fatal aspect was that Dali’s National Preceptor, Cui Chan, was now very likely still in Qingluan Country.

Chen Pingan and his group walked out of sight.

The old coachman rescued the nearly lifeless Li Baozhen, gently acting to help Li Baozhen quickly cough up a bellyful of accumulated water.

It took Li Baozhen half a day to recover.

Having taken a stroll through the gates of hell, he sat on the road, his expression dazed.

The old coachman stood beside Li Baozhen, turning to look at Liu Qingfeng.

Liu Qingfeng smiled and shook his head.

And so, Li Baozhen once again took a turn away from the gates of hell.

Li Baozhen had his back to the two exchanging glances, but this young master, utterly disheveled tonight, slapped his cheeks hard with his hands, then turned and laughed, “It seems that Mister Liu still cares a lot about the National Preceptor’s opinion.”

Liu Qingfeng squatted down, smiling faintly, “Someone else coming to Qingluan Country might not be better than you.”

Li Baozhen pretended to burp, “I ate mud and drank water, a bit full. As expected, the *jianghu* waters are deep, people die easily, I almost cooled off at the bottom.”

Liu Qingfeng helped Li Baozhen up, “It seems we have to return to the Lion Garden to get you a change of clothes.”

Li Baozhen tilted his head, hopping a few times to shake the water out of his ears, his smile brilliant, “No need to change, no need to change, just give myself a reminder, so I don’t think heaven is first, the National Preceptor is second, and I’m third!”

Liu Qingfeng said nothing.

After getting into the carriage, Li Baozhen trembled.

The carriage moved slowly forward, not encountering Chen Pingan’s group again as it left the reed marshes and entered the main road.

Liu Qingfeng said calmly, “First, I advise you to return to the Lion Garden, otherwise, when we get to the county yamen, I’ll have to take care of you while you’re bedridden. Second, I’m also advising myself with a word: Those who injure others with words are sharper than knives and axes; those who harm others with techniques are more venomous than tigers and wolves.”

Li Baozhen’s lips were white, staring at this guy, his teeth chattering, asking, “Liu Qingfeng, do you know what I lost in this chance encounter with that Chen Pingan? Do I need you to tell me these fluffy words?”

Liu Qingfeng asked, “Is your life more important?”

Li Baozhen grinned, “Well, it’s not.”

He turned to the old coachman and shouted, “Turn around, back to the Lion Garden!”

Liu Qingfeng began to close his eyes to rest.

Li Baozhen, only at this moment, truly regarded the person before him as an ally who could stand on equal footing with him.

Or perhaps, Li Baozhen admitted that he was indeed inferior to this Liu Qingfeng in the present moment. Named Qingfeng, his heart was like dead ashes, but there were signs of those ashes rekindling.

When dealing with people, those who focus their heart will not hear the shocking thunder.

He hadn’t expected that a small Qingluan Country could produce such a person.

Shi Rou was the most relaxed of them all.

For some inexplicable reason, they left the city at night, and Chen Pingan even said he was going to meet an old acquaintance.

Pei Qian didn’t take it too seriously, but Shi Rou sensed the unfamiliar aura hidden within Chen Pingan, a murderous intent.

Sure enough, Zhu Lian fought with someone.

Fortunately, after Chen Pingan and Zhu Lian returned, they said everything was fine.

Shi Rou didn’t ask more. As long as Chen Pingan personally said that everything was fine, it was believable. Even if Zhu Lian thumped his chest, guaranteeing that there would be no lingering troubles, Shi Rou wouldn’t believe it.

Although Pei Qian didn’t understand what was happening, the faint bloody smell on Zhu Lian was still very frightening.

Pei Qian asked softly, “Master, are they enemies from back home?”

Chen Pingan thought for a moment, exhaling a mouthful of stagnant air that had been accumulating in his chest. He took off his sword-nurturing gourd, drank a mouthful of the mistletoe wine he had bought from a tavern in Qingluan’s capital, and smiled faintly, “Don’t worry about these things. It’s come to an end.”

Pei Qian nodded, then smiled and asked, “Master, did you gain or lose from this encounter?”

Zhu Lian knew that Chen Pingan had obtained a talisman and a piece of jade.

Although he hadn’t examined them closely, Zhu Lian was sure of one thing: Chen Pingan’s acquaintances, as long as they were wandering around outside, probably weren’t ordinary people, such as Zheng Dafeng from Old Dragon City, and Li Er, who had appeared and left hastily, one at the ninth realm, and one at the tenth realm. Therefore, the two items that Chen Pingan had snatched from that guy were definitely valuable.

However, Chen Pingan said, “Neither gain nor loss. The two items I obtained, I just gave to someone more suitable to have them.”

Pei Qian said “Oh” in response.

It was good that things were fine.

She turned her head and looked at Qingluan Country’s capital in the distance.

She held her mountain-walking staff in one hand and a small hand-held gourd in the other.

Zhu Lian turned his head, and Shi Rou also shifted her gaze.

Zhu Lian smiled and asked, “Miss Shi Rou, are you worried about me?”

Shi Rou remained silent.

Zhu Lian clicked his tongue, “Miss Shi Rou, you don’t know. The person I fought was a Grandmaster of martial arts at the Distant Wanderer Realm. His cultivation was at the pinnacle, his strength was extremely powerful, one punch could cause a mountain to collapse and the earth to split, another punch could move mountains and overturn seas…”

Shi Rou mocked, “He didn’t kill you with all that, so does that mean you, Zhu Lian, have fists that penetrate the heavens, and are invincible in the world?”

Zhu Lian chuckled, “You wouldn’t know this, but that big brother was too polite. He wasn’t willing to exchange his life with mine from start to finish. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to stand beside you so whole and unharmed. Inevitably, Miss Shi Rou would see me in a miserable state, my skin torn and flesh, and both arms showing white bones. At that time, Miss Shi Rou would be touched by the scene and shed tears of sadness. My heart would be broken, and I would definitely be enraged for the sake of the beauty, returning to piece together that big brother’s scattered pieces of corpse and then whip it…”

Shi Rou ignored him.
Chen Ping’an suddenly said, “After this trip to the Sui Dynasty Mountain Cliff Academy, on our way back to Longquan County, we might need to find a maiden ghost in a wedding dress, whose mansion is hidden in the mountains and forests. Her cultivation is not weak, but we may not be able to find her.”

Zhu Lian was pleasantly surprised, “Young Master, is that maiden ghost pretty? How does she compare to Miss Shi Rou when she was alive?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “The first time I saw her, she was wearing a bright red wedding gown, her face pale. I only felt a chill; I didn’t pay much attention to her looks.”

Pei Qian secretly swallowed, taking out a talisman and sticking it on her forehead.

Chen Ping’an softly asked, “That eighth-realm old man, how much of your strength would you need to use to defeat him?”

Zhu Lian was a little embarrassed, “Young Master, when I fight someone, I tend to go all out once I get warmed up. So, if Young Master had called me to stop even a moment later, that brother would have truly been dismembered into eight pieces. Whether he could become a water ghost would be another matter.”

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “That’s a… good habit.”

Zhu Lian chuckled awkwardly.

Pei Qian gloated, “Old Chef, why aren’t you sucking up now? Aren’t you going to say you learned it from my Shifu?”

Zhu Lian chuckled, kicking Pei Qian on the rear. Pei Qian’s body lunged forward, but she instinctively thrust her mountain-walking staff into the ground, spinning around it swiftly. Not rushing to scold Zhu Lian, nor wondering why she didn’t fall, Pei Qian simply pulled out the mountain-walking staff she had long relied on, ran to Chen Ping’an’s side, and asked in confusion, “Shifu, why hasn’t my ‘Old Mountain God’ broken yet? Look, there isn’t even a crack! Did I pick up a treasure from the start? Is it truly a divine tree planted by some Mountain God?”

Chen Ping’an smiled without a word.

Zhu Lian laughed heartily, “It’s because Young Master refined this mountain-walking staff for you early on with the little alchemical methods of immortals. Otherwise, it would have been smashed to smithereens long ago. Could an ordinary tree branch withstand the ravages of your mad demon swordsmanship?”

Pei Qian scratched her head, “Oh, is that so?”

She seemed surprised, yet also took it for granted.

Then, Pei Qian, with her fantastical mind, raised her head and gazed at the night sky expectantly, “Why isn’t it raining yet?”

Chen Ping’an walked while practicing his six-step stance, asking, “Why do you want it to rain?”

Pei Qian, while practicing the White Ape Carrying Sword technique, temporarily using her mountain-walking staff as her sword, replied, “If it rains, I can hold an umbrella for Shifu.”

Zhu Lian kicked her again, which Pei Qian deftly dodged. Zhu Lian laughed and scolded, “You rice bucket, all you do is eat and not grow! How are you going to hold an umbrella for Young Master, you little dwarf?”

Pei Qian was conflicted and dejected, “You’re right.”

Chen Ping’an comforted her, “The intention is enough.”

Zhu Lian chuckled, “That spendthrift only has good intentions left.”

Pei Qian glared at Zhu Lian, “If it weren’t for the fact that you’re injured, I’d make you experience my self-created Mad Demon Swordsmanship.”

“Come, come, let’s spar.”

Zhu Lian stepped forward, Pei Qian laughed and started running around Chen Ping’an.

Shi Rou was momentarily lost in thought.

Pei Qian, who always followed Chen Ping’an, was still a little black charcoal despite all the mountain climbing and river wading.

But as she ran on the road under the bright moonlight, the little girl was bathed in a faint, pure light.

She wondered, would the scenery be completely different when Pei Qian traveled the world alone one day?

Perhaps like a scorching sun, so bright that others would feel their eyes burn just from a glance?

But such complex emotions, after hiking together, made Shi Rou regret having such idle thoughts.

This Pei Qian was just too much of a tomboy.

Summer had been underway for some time, and they were about to reach that immortal ferry located on the eastern border of the Azure Luan Kingdom.

That day, deep in the mountains and forests, Pei Qian ran off to gather some dry branches for firewood. When she returned, she was covered in dirt, her hair full of grass, having caught a gray wild rabbit. Holding it by the ears, she ran back excitedly, standing beside Chen Ping’an and shaking the poor rabbit vigorously, “Shifu, look what I caught?! A legendary mountain hopper, it runs so fast!”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Today we’ll only eat vegetarian, not meat. Let it go.”

Pei Qian was taken aback, then a little reluctant. She had worked hard to catch it, so she asked, “Shifu, can we raise it to fatten it up before eating it? I’ll find a long rope to tie it up, and I’ll carry it along the way.”

Chen Ping’an waved his hand, “If you really want to eat meat, I’ll have Zhu Lian catch you a wild boar later.”

Pei Qian thought about it. Still a profitable deal. Letting it go was fine, then. She nodded, took a deep breath, rotated her body once, and threw the rabbit in her hand with all her might. With a whoosh, the rabbit, lucky or unlucky, vanished instantly. “Fly away, little brother!”

Shi Rou raised her hand to her forehead.

Pei Qian clapped her hands and squatted beside Chen Ping’an, who was building a stove. She asked curiously, “Shifu, is today a special day? Is there anything we should be mindful of? Like is it a certain powerful mountain god’s birthday or something, so we can’t eat meat in the mountains?”

Chen Ping’an just smiled, “There’s nothing special.”

The immortal ferry on the border was the least pretentious one Chen Ping’an had ever seen.

Not only did it lack hidden mountain and river restrictions, but it seemed to fear that wealthy worldly people wouldn’t want to go, so it started advertising dozens of miles away. It turned out that this ferry had many strange routes, such as going to a certain immortal grotto-heaven near the Azure Luan Kingdom, where one could fish for rare birds and flying fish in the sea of clouds from the “Fishing Platform” on the mountaintop.

So, the road was crowded and bustling with people.

Chen Ping’an heard a lot of news from the capital here.

For example, the Tang Emperor, in accordance with the will of the people, had made Confucianism the state religion, the foundation of the country.

As for who would be ranked second between Buddhism and Taoism, it was said that they still needed to wait.

A small Taoist temple in the capital called White Cloud Temple had suddenly become the imperial temple for the Azure Luan Kingdom’s royal family to burn incense and worship the gods.

A young monk from White Water Temple, who had previously been unknown, began to preach to the world, inside the temple, on the main roads, and in the city streets. Rumor had it that he spoke in an extremely simple and crude manner, that even children could understand.

After smoothly boarding the small immortal ferry,

Pei Qian seemed to lose her enthusiasm and felt down. After finishing copying her books in Chen Ping’an’s room, she silently returned to her own room, completely different from the Pei Qian of the past.
Chen Ping’an inquired with Zhu Lian, but Zhu Lian couldn’t offer a definitive explanation. He then sought guidance from Shi Rou, who shared her insights.

Thus, on this day, after transcribing her texts, Pei Qian prepared to depart.

Chen Ping’an called out to her, leading her out of the house to admire the sea of clouds from the ship’s bow.

The two, one large and one small, stood by the ferry’s railing. Chen Ping’an retrieved his gourd for nurturing swords, preparing for a drink.

Pei Qian produced her miniature hand-held gourd, raising it high above her head, examining it from left to right.

Chen Ping’an refrained from drinking, securing the gourd at his waist. He turned and asked with a smile, “Something on your mind?”

Pei Qian strained to stand on tiptoe, leaning on the railing, and softly inquired, “Master, when we arrive at Cliff Academy, will you only like Little Treasure Bottle, who calls you ‘Little Uncle-Master,’ and no longer like me?”

Chen Ping’an gazed into the distance and shook his head. “No, I won’t.”

Pei Qian plopped down on the ground, folding her arms across her chest. “I don’t believe it!”

Chen Ping’an sat beside her, raising his foot and winking at Pei Qian.

Upon seeing the boots on his feet, Pei Qian’s eyes immediately narrowed with a smile. She pinched the yellow leather gourd with two fingers, shaking it. “Master, let’s drink!”

Chen Ping’an laughed heartily, gently clinking his gourd against the small one and taking a sip.

Pei Qian pretended her little gourd contained wine, mimicking the act of drinking by tilting her head back. Then, she stood up, taking a few steps back, appearing tipsy and swaying like a drunken little imp. “Oh dear, Master, I’ve had too much… too much…”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

Just as Chen Ping’an was about to offer a reminder,

Pei Qian lightly bumped into a burly man walking past. The man, with a long saber at his waist, sneered, “Blind little brat! Get out of my way!”

The man placed a palm on Pei Qian’s head, twisting his wrist, intending to fling her aside.

However, before he could increase his force, his wrist was seized by the young man, previously only seen with a sword on his back.

Pei Qian quickly said to the man, “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you coming. I’m so sorry.”

The man frowned, seemingly losing face at having his attack blocked. Unwilling to give up, he suddenly increased his strength, attempting to use his Qi to repel the ignorant youth and hurl the troublesome little imp away.

In an instant, a sharp pain shot through his wrist. The robust man, bearing a long saber, collapsed to his knees with a thud, drenched in sweat.

Chen Ping’an smiled gently at Pei Qian, signaling her to stand behind him.

Chen Ping’an, with the gourd in one hand, resting behind his back, used the other to grip the martial cultivator’s wrist, then shifting to grasp the crown of his head with all five fingers. He lowered his head, his expressionless face close to the man’s, and asked, “Are you courting death?”

His fingers were like hooks.

The burly man’s face turned pale, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to beg for mercy.

Unable to endure the excruciating pain, the man hissed, “A feud has been forged! This isn’t over!”

His companions, seven or eight individuals traveling with him, surged forward, hoping to find amusement by overwhelming the pair, crippling them for their entertainment.

However, two flying swords abruptly halted before the foremost man’s brow.

Instantly, everyone felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave, chilled to the bone in the midst of summer.

Under heaven, sword cultivators were the most righteous in their killings!

But that group likely didn’t know that, sword cultivator or not, as for forming feuds, Chen Ping’an had done no shortage of it, and his adversaries were all of considerable standing.

Therefore, Chen Ping’an feared nothing more than such a thing.

Chen Ping’an lifted the kneeling man by the scruff of his neck and kicked him in the chest. The man flew backward, crashing into several of his companions, creating chaos. Then, as brothers in misfortune, they desperately fled.

Chen Ping’an turned back to Pei Qian, smiling. “Don’t be afraid. If you’re bullied while traveling the world, come home and find your Master.”