Outside the window, the river flowed, an eternal current. Chen Ping’an, perched on the windowsill, merely dozed for a moment, yet his spirit felt remarkably refreshed – a rare occurrence, as he hadn’t enjoyed a sound, sweet sleep in what felt like ages.

Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi had yet to return, and Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but feel a tinge of worry.

As he suspected, after meeting with Zhang Ye, who had delivered the message, and returning to Jian Lake before departing from Qingxia Island, the journey into Meiyu Kingdom had been subtly shadowed. Someone was following them from a distance, their cultivation realm exceedingly high, their concealment masterful. Chen Ping’an only caught fleeting glimpses of their presence in his heart, while Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi remained blissfully unaware. He chose not to reveal his suspicions, lest they become anxious and inadvertently betray themselves, attracting unnecessary trouble.

Even though the pursuer hadn’t displayed any overt signs of benevolence or hostility, Chen Ping’an felt a constant unease, as if thorns pricked his back.

Previously, only a handful of cultivators in Jian Lake were capable of such stealth. The Jade Pure Realm cultivator, Liu Laocheng, would disdain such tactics, while the nascent soul cultivator, Liu Zhimao, wouldn’t stoop to such behavior.

The Song Clan of Great Li was unwilling to create unnecessary complications. Moreover, Chen Ping’an was ultimately a citizen of Great Li, and Lu Baixiang and others had entered the Great Li registry. Even the Great Li higher-ups, aside from Cui Chan, wouldn’t dare to meddle in the chessboard of Jian Lake under Cui Chan’s nose. Cui Chan, after all, valued rules above all else. Of course, the rules of Great Li, from the court to the military to the mountains, were almost entirely crafted by Cui Chan himself.

Chen Ping’an could almost certainly conclude that the pursuer was one of the foreign cultivators from Gongliu Island. The top dog was unlikely, as the affairs of Jian Lake were too important, requiring his presence to suppress Liu Zhimao.

Thus, it must be the second or third in command of those crossing-the-river dragons, tasked with keeping an eye on him, waiting for an opportunity. Fortunately, their intention wasn’t to outright kill him, suggesting they hadn’t yet devised a foolproof plan without leaving any traces. But once they acted, it would be with earth-shattering force.

Inwardly, Chen Ping’an felt a certain gratitude towards Liu Laocheng. Liu Laocheng hadn’t offered advice or remained a mere bystander; instead, he had subtly warned him, revealing a piece of the puzzle. Of course, there was also the possibility that Liu Laocheng had already informed the pursuer about the jade tablet from the Sage Confucius Temple. The foreign cultivators, too, worried about mutually assured destruction, which could fundamentally ruin their grand scheme in Jian Lake.

However, Chen Ping’an vaguely sensed that Liu Laocheng was a… curious individual, making the former possibility more likely.

It was a pity that Liu Laocheng was no longer the ultimate arbiter of Jian Lake’s fate, rendering the meticulously crafted chessboard, along with the strategic pieces of Liu Zhimao, Tan Yuanyi, and Liu Laocheng, all but destroyed. Chen Ping’an had to admit that the chessboard was nearly overturned. Now, it was the Great Li general, Su Gaoshan, and the foreign cultivators who were playing chess with Jian Lake. Everyone else, including Chen Ping’an, had to stand aside.

But to say that all the painstaking effort and hard work had been in vain? Chen Ping’an didn’t think so.

Whether or not to accept fate required understanding fate first. Just as Chen Ping’an wanted to meet Su Gaoshan and received the dismissive “get lost” in response, he could accept it with equanimity. Because through his journey to Shihao Kingdom, witnessing, hearing, and listening, coupled with the previous Willow Island reports, Chen Ping’an dared to say he had a relatively good understanding of Su Gaoshan’s temperament. Born of humble origins, having endured hardship, he built his reputation on illustrious military achievements. Such a person, holding a high position, was therefore extremely resilient, his heart as solid as a rock. His state of mind was already akin to a grand cultivator’s pursuit of the Dao. Even Cui Chan and Song Changjing, when issuing orders to him, despite occasional reprimands and accountability, must have felt a measure of respect for Su Gaoshan.

But accepting fate, even after a season of diligent planting, yielding no harvest, would inevitably bring disappointment.

In this regard, he and Zhang Ye, who appeared in Gulou Mountain, were not dissimilar.

Chen Ping’an wanted to reach for his sword-nurturing gourd and take a sip of wine, but then remembered he had given it to Ma Duyi to hang on her waist. He sat back at the table, thought for a moment, and simply took out the calligraphy of that book-crazy county magistrate, spreading the scrolls one by one, admiring them with undisguised delight.

A seamless flow, unrestrained and spirited.

How was this different from a martial artist throwing a punch?

Captivating spirit, circling and retreating, everything in harmony with the Dao.

How was this different from a sword immortal drawing their sword?

The principles of the world often shared common ground.

Each scroll was stamped with a different private seal of the young county magistrate, mostly one seal per scroll, rarely two.

One particular scroll, with a bold and arrogant tone, read, “If you hold my calligraphy to the water to reflect, fear not the characters transforming into dragons. If you hold my calligraphy to wander the night, let ghosts and spirits have nowhere to hide.”

Right next to it were two seals, “Young Dragon, Vigorous Qi” and “Slender Dragon, Plump Spirit.”

Another scroll had three seals stamped on it in succession, with the young county magistrate’s actions vividly imprinted in Chen Ping’an’s mind. His face was radiant, like a banished immortal calligrapher, laughing heartily, disregarding princes and nobles, “Met a fool using immortal wine to buy my immortal calligraphy, joyous, joyous!” The seals read “Kaiyuan,” “Changshu,” and “Immortal of the Ink Pond.”

Chen Ping’an carefully collected them all.

In the future, they must be treasured in Fallen Phoenix Mountain. No matter who asked, no matter how high the price, he wouldn’t sell them. They were to be passed down as family heirlooms!

Thinking of this, Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but smile broadly.

Chen Ping’an stretched, crossed his arms in his sleeves, and kept turning his head to look at the river.

There was a beautiful verse, extracted from a book and engraved on a bamboo slip, a small bamboo slip, yet carrying such a vast artistic conception.

“Fallen leaves cover a thousand mountains, the sky vast and immense, a clear river reflects the moon, distinctly.”

The magnificent river view outside the window unknowingly broadened his horizons.

Mr. Qi, there was something I couldn’t do in Upside-down Mountain, a saying, “After trying my best,” I may have already achieved it now.

When Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi returned, Zeng Ye was in high spirits, saying he had truly seen the Water God of Spring Flower River, wearing a flower-adorned hat and embroidered robes, particularly amiable. When he saw them, he made a special appearance and personally took them around the Water God Temple.

Ma Duyi, however, rolled her eyes, saying the old man’s gaze was unsettling, leeringly looking at her, and when he looked at the sword-nurturing gourd on her waist, he also looked at her waist quite a bit.

Chen Ping’an didn’t want to say much about it.

Spring Flower River was the largest river in Meiyu Kingdom, and Meiyu Kingdom had always revered the Water God. As the leading river deity of Spring Flower River, the Water God must not be simple.
Indeed, Chen Pingan had encountered many spirits of mountains and rivers. First, there was Wei Bo of Chessboard Mountain, and then the wronged female ghost, who was practically a minor deity. Later, there was the Embroidered River Water God General who appeared beside Gu Can’s father, the River-Burial Water Goddess in Tongye Continent, and the pair of adversarial deities clashing in the mountains and rivers during the journey north through the Great Spring Dynasty, their battles shaking the earth and water. Of course, there was also the White Egret River Water Goddess within the Purple Sun Prefecture of the Yellow Court Kingdom, who gave Chen Pingan a major headache.

He wondered how things were between the Azure-Clad Child and his Jianghu friend, the River-Guiding Water God, at their humble Fallen Mountain.

Wei Bo and Zhu Lian had sent flying sword letters from Azure Gorge Island, both mentioning the matter to some extent. However, they kept it brief, only saying that the Yellow Court Kingdom’s River-Guiding Water God had obtained a “Peace and Tranquility” talisman. He had even personally visited Dragon Springs County, and the Azure-Clad Child had hosted him at Fallen Mountain, giving him a welcoming feast. Finally, they had shared a farewell drink in the town. After that, the Azure-Clad Child had seldom mentioned his righteous brother.

Chen Pingan was somewhat concerned, but based only on the few words in the letters, he hesitated to casually instruct the Azure-Clad Child about anything.

To outsiders, the Azure-Clad Child’s almost naive Jianghu camaraderie might seem foolish, but Chen Pingan never disliked it. In fact, he saw it as the most precious aspect of the child.

Being a little simple was far better than being cunning to the point of lacking wisdom.

At least within Chen Pingan’s Fallen Mountain, this was very important, crucially so.

Because this was Chen Pingan’s small world, the rules were set by him. Chen Pingan’s own personal preferences were like the old Daoist in the View of Dao within the Lotus Root Blessed Land – he was “Heaven” itself.

Outside of this defined sphere, Chen Pingan acknowledged the sophistication in dealing with people and the Dao of striving for advancement, finding them to be quite acceptable and even possessing merit. For example, there was Sun Jiashu, the young master of the Sun family who possessed the entire hundred-mile-long street outside Old Dragon City. This young man was not merely sophisticated; he possessed a unique wisdom in worldly affairs. However, in the end, Chen Pingan and the Sun family could only part ways at their ancestral home. Nevertheless, upon leaving Old Dragon City aboard the ferry, Chen Pingan’s perception of Sun Jiashu had deepened.

One measure of rice nurtures far more than a hundred types of people.

Being willing to see the good in others prevents one from becoming stuck in a rut.

Knowing more about the differences between oneself and others allows one to understand why others live well or poorly.

Considering and contemplating, turning over and over in his mind.

It was like the young County Constable’s cursive calligraphy, so chaotic and wild that Zeng Ye could barely recognize a single character at first glance. Yet, at its root, wasn’t it still made up of individual characters?

However, when appreciating calligraphy and marveling at artistic wonders, one could be unfamiliar with the characters themselves and simply observe the overall aura. Not seeing it was also fine. But when everyone lives in this complex world, and one doesn’t recognize the various rules and constraints, especially those at the most fundamental level that are easily overlooked, life would teach one a harsh lesson. This had nothing to do with good or evil. The Great Dao was impartial, the seasons turned, time flowed, and no one could suffer hardship and then mutter, “If only I had known.”

Chen Pingan was somewhat worried. The little fire-tending Daoist, who carried a golden gourd for nourishing swords, had said he wanted to move to another world. Did that mean the Lotus Root Blessed Land would be taken to the Azure Firmament world as well? What about Zhong Qiu, the national preceptor of the Southern Garden Kingdom, and Cao Qinglang? Would there be a chance to meet them again? The flow of time within the blessed land was under the old Daoist’s control. Would the next time Chen Pingan returned to the blessed land, Zhong Qiu have already become a historical figure in the Southern Garden Kingdom, known for a great and beautiful posthumous title? And what about Cao Qinglang?

Chen Pingan always remembered and cared about Cao Qinglang, that kind-hearted child.

Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi sat at the table, chatting idly and cracking melon seeds. Unconsciously, they noticed that Mr. Chen seemed somewhat melancholic again.

Fortunately, this melancholy was different from before. It wasn’t heavy. It was just the wistfulness of remembering someone or something, like green algae floating on the surface of wine, not like the sadness of aged liquor.

However, this accountant never spoke of his joys, angers, sorrows, or pleasures, always keeping them to himself.

This left Ma Duyi and Zeng Ye feeling somewhat disappointed.

A knock sounded, and the immortal inn built along the river delivered another copy of the Plum Glaze Kingdom’s self-compiled Immortal Gazette, fresh off the press, exuding the unique, long-lasting fragrance of immortal ink.

After thanking them, Chen Pingan flipped through it, scanned both sides, and handed it to Ma Duyi, saying helplessly, “Su Gaoshan has begun a large-scale attack on the Plum Glaze Kingdom. The border near Leaving Pass has already been completely lost.”

The Gazette contained detailed information about the matter.

Zhou Mi, one of the three naval commanders of the Plum Glaze Kingdom, responsible for guarding the upper reaches of the Spring Flower River, had defected to the Great Li Iron Cavalry, intending to lead his troops in rebellion. He secretly contacted the Great Li, but the Plum Glaze Kingdom’s emperor, having sensed this, dispatched several royal consecration cultivators who joined forces to kill him. The Great Li military cultivators who accompanied Zhou Mi at the time were killed, including a Golden Core Earth Immortal from Great Li. Su Gaoshan was furious and ordered his three generals to make a military pledge, vowing to each attack three locations in the Plum Glaze Kingdom within a month, forming a siege around the Plum Glaze Kingdom’s capital. He even declared that he would cut off the Plum Glaze Kingdom emperor’s head to use as a wine vessel, offering it as tribute during next year’s Tomb Sweeping Day.

Zeng Ye was just watching the spectacle, as he couldn’t understand much. He only marveled at how powerful the Great Li Iron Cavalry was, full of overbearing spirit.

Mountain cultivators often lack deep feelings for their country and home. The longer they cultivate, the longer they are separated from the mortal world, the more indifferent they become.

They watch with folded arms and cold eyes.

Otherwise, their cultivation is not enough. They have not truly stood at the peak and are still swept up in the general trend, forced to descend the mountain.

Therefore, the middle-aged Daoist whom Chen Pingan encountered by chance at the stream, who took the initiative to descend the mountain and help those in distress at the foot of the mountain, inspired respect in Chen Pingan. However, in the path of Great Dao cultivation, once mental obstacles arise, the hardships and confusions involved are truly difficult for outsiders to comment on. Chen Pingan did not think that the middle-aged Daoist had to firmly uphold his original intention and do good deeds in the mortal world to accumulate merit, for that would be a lesser path.

Ma Duyi saw further than Zeng Ye and asked with doubt, “Why is Su Gaoshan so eager to quickly take down the Plum Glaze Kingdom? Although I’m not familiar with military affairs, having traveled through the Plum Glaze Kingdom, I know that its waterways are crisscrossed and intricate, making it unsuitable for the Great Li’s cavalry to gallop.”
Chen Ping’an smiled, “We say ‘Great Li Iron Cavalry’, but it’s not as if there are only cavalry soldiers. It’s just that Great Li is famed throughout the world for its iron cavalry, which easily leads people to mistakenly believe that the Great Li border army’s infantry combat is mediocre. What sort of dynasties and vassal states haven’t we encountered on this southward journey? Great Li taking over Meiyou Kingdom is an inexorable trend. It’s just that you’re not wrong, taking Meiyou Kingdom so hastily will inevitably require paying a greater price than breaching the capital of Shihao Kingdom. The casualties for both Great Li and Meiyou Kingdom’s forces will be even greater. The deeper meaning behind this is likely only known to Su Gaoshan himself. I believe someone must be urging Su Gaoshan and Cao Ping, such as the true backbone of the Great Li Iron Cavalry, the Prince Song Changjing.”

Ma Duyi hesitated for a moment, “Why does Mister seem so unconcerned about the battles on the battlefield? The lives and deaths of those martial men on the battlefield don’t seem as important to you as the common people?”

Chen Ping’an thought for a while, using his finger to draw a circle on the table, “There’s a saying from my hometown, ‘A clay pot breaks at the well’s mouth, a general inevitably dies on the battlefield’. Throwing oneself into the military and fighting on the battlefield is akin to tying one’s head to one’s belt. Like that General Yin spirit at the Spirit Official Temple, do you think he regrets sacrificing himself for his country after death? And those scattered soldiers of Shihao Kingdom who snatched grain from the people in the small county town, that young martial soldier, even after so many comrades died, where would he willingly draw his blade against the common people?”

Chen Ping’an drew a larger circle, “You may not know, but previously in Shihao Kingdom, in a county city’s dog meat shop, I stopped a mountain demon youth who wanted to kill someone, and even gave him a… Celestial Coin. But if the demon race were to invade the Vast World in large numbers, if such a day truly came, even if I knew that among the demon race, there would be ancient fox spirits from temples of old, there would be this demon youth who ultimately gave up killing, but when I face the vast army before me, with only me standing in their path, with the city and the people behind me, what do you say I should do? Go into the battle formation and ask each demon race member clearly, why do you want to kill, are you willing to not kill?”

Chen Ping’an said calmly, “Since I choose to stand there and block the road, it means I’ve prepared for death. Since the other side has killed their way there, they should be prepared as well. The Sage of Military Strategists sitting in the ancient battlefield ruins, is akin to sitting in the very heavens and earth, just like the Confucian Sage sitting in the academy, the Daoist True Lord sitting in the Daoist temple. Why is there such heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony? This is probably one reason. When they are situated within it, outsiders must do as the Romans do.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Zeng Ye honestly shook his head.

Ma Duyi asked, “The general principle, I understand, but I have another question. If an outsider can forcibly break open the Sage’s realm of influence, does that mean the original principle is wrong?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “This shows that you haven’t thought it through clearly. Why can a Sage preside over a realm? That’s the crux of the matter, that’s the beginning of the thread, the start of the order. After that, then wonder why it’s still destroyed by external forces, by seemingly unreasonable outsiders who win against the reasonable with their fists. As for why I say ‘seemingly’, it’s even more complicated. I’ll explain it to you in detail when we encounter real events in the future, otherwise you’ll only feel more and more confused, as if there’s reason everywhere, but everyone is unreasonable.”

Ma Duyi nodded, “Okay, I’ll wait and see.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “But I hope there won’t be that opportunity.”

Ma Duyi was even more bewildered.

Chen Ping’an said slowly, “We have personally witnessed the misfortune of Shihao Kingdom, where only poets and heroes are fortunate. The sounds of a dying nation, words of grief and indignation, and the civil and military officials who died for their country, are most easily remembered by history books. We have also walked through Meiyou Kingdom, where there are mostly diligent common people and grumbling literati living relatively stable lives. Which do you say is more fortunate, Shihao Kingdom or Meiyou Kingdom?”

The answer was self-evident.

Dying generously, in the end, is a last resort. Not regretting doesn’t mean there’s no regret. And living well, even if not so comfortably, is always the most basic wish of the world.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “We don’t know many simple truths, we find it hard to empathize with the suffering of others, but isn’t that our fortune?”

Even the best of good people cannot truly empathize with the heart-wrenching suffering of others.

Back in Rouge County of Caiyi Kingdom, why was the little girl so fiercely protected by Zhao Shuxia, the boy wielding a firewood knife, only willing to trust Chen Ping’an? Because children are often more sincere, more sensitive to suffering and more difficult to resist. That little girl nicknamed Luanluan felt a shared joy and sorrow in Chen Ping’an, whose circumstances were closer to her own, not because Chen Ping’an in the eyes of the child at the time, was necessarily better than the young woman next to him who was also a good person.

At this moment, Ma Duyi and Zeng Ye looked at each other.

Chen Ping’an finally said with a calm expression, “But where does this fortune of being ignorant while living in fortune come from? Shouldn’t we know and cherish it? When everyone is unwilling to delve into this matter, when disaster strikes, don’t complain and cry injustice. Heaven probably won’t listen, right? That’s why there’s a Bodhisattva sitting upside down on the divine altar, isn’t it? But I still think that scholars at this juncture should still show some responsibility. Having read more books than the common people, having achieved fame and brought glory to their ancestors, having enjoyed greater blessings than the common people, they should shoulder more responsibilities.”

Chen Ping’an lightly placed his hands on the armrests of the chair.

When everyone sits improperly, however they are comfortable, when the mortise and tenon joints loosen, and the chair wobbles, the world will become uneasy. Therefore, Confucianism emphasizes learning and self-cultivation, insisting on sitting upright, and the gentleman being cautious in his solitude.

Having seen Book Brief Lake, it was so disappointing.

But when Chen Ping’an left Book Brief Lake, traveled more roads, and thought about more things, he was not so disappointed after all.

After a brief two-day rest, they left this immortal inn and headed to the southernmost border of Meiyou Kingdom.

On the way south, Chen Ping’an met a down-on-his-luck scholar, whose speech and dress revealed a remarkable family background.
At that time, a scholar from the Mei You Kingdom, disheartened with his prospects in officialdom but not lacking in silver, hired carriages, horses, and servants to accompany him on a tour of perilous and secluded landscapes. However, some among them, driven by greed, conspired to rob and murder him. They nearly pushed the poetry-loving scholar off a cliffside plank road. Had it not been for a kindhearted porter who desperately intervened, Chen Pingan wouldn’t have even had the chance to act – the scholar would have perished then and there, his family unlikely to even recover his remains.

After Chen Pingan stopped them, he inquired how the scholar intended to deal with the treacherous servants. Surprisingly, the scholar, an oddity himself, not only paid them the wages they were due, allowing them to leave with the money, but also declared that he had noted their household registrations. He warned that if they dared to commit further evil, he would hold them accountable for both the old and new debts – a capital offense with no room for negotiation. The scholar only retained the porter who carried the load.

Then, the scholar insisted on traveling with Chen Pingan, changing his route to journey south together.

The scholar fell in love with Ma Duye at first sight.

Chen Pingan wasn’t blind; even Zeng Ye could see it.

Moreover, the scholar’s advances were clumsy. He forced conversations, deliberately engaging Chen Pingan in lofty discussions and criticizing current affairs. Otherwise, he would gaze at the magnificent scenery, composing poems and lamenting his unfulfilled ambitions.

Ma Duye found it incredibly irritating. For the first time, she wanted to ask Mister Chen to put away his fox-fur paper talisman and store her in his sleeve, just to escape the constant sight and endless chatter.

If the scholar hadn’t retained some semblance of scholarly refinement and hadn’t yet dared to reveal his family background and flaunt his lineage, Ma Duye would have already erupted in anger, telling him to stuff his complaints and ink back where they came from.

The scholar was clearly a scion of a noble family from the Mei You Kingdom. Otherwise, the pride he exuded wouldn’t have been merely about passing the imperial examination at a young age. It stemmed from three years of experience in the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Revenue, followed by an official posting in a remote region, where he implemented various measures to address corruption within the local government.

He genuinely desired to be a good official, earning the reputation of a “benevolent magistrate.”

Unfortunately, upon his dismissal, instead of receiving a “myriad people’s umbrella” of gratitude, he was met with a barrage of criticism. Subordinates at the county office secretly called him pedantic, criticizing his failure to secure benefits for the office and instead causing them trouble. Local gentry also accused him of being unfamiliar with practical matters, while the common people scorned him for seeking fame and wasting resources.

One day, overcome with grief and fueled by alcohol, the scholar couldn’t help but weep, abandoning his pretense of being a literary genius in front of Ma Duye.

Chen Pingan remained silent.

He merely shared his rough thoughts on the differences between a “clean official” and a “good official,” briefly discussing the advantages of the former and the difficulties of the latter.

The scholar, upon hearing this, became thoroughly drunk, filled with resentment. He argued that conformity in officialdom was already unacceptable, and to collude with corruption was even worse. What was the point of being a scholar, an official? A true scholar should rely on genuine talent and knowledge, step by step rising to a crucial position in the central government, and then cleanse the impurities. Otherwise, they shouldn’t be an official at all, lest they betray the sage doctrines in the books.

Chen Pingan smiled and said there was some truth to that.

He offered no further words of persuasion.

It wasn’t that Chen Pingan felt the logic was flawed or the scholar’s ideas were too naive and idealistic.

Rather, it was the kind of vexing problem that these scholars faced.

Chen Pingan had witnessed it firsthand.

Wu Yuan, bearing the title of a national preceptor’s disciple, encountered obstacles at every turn when he initially served as the magistrate of Longquan. Did those influential clans truly fear Cui Chan?

Yet, they subtly undermined him with polite but firm resistance, burying them inside and outside the yamen, leaving Wu Yuan frustrated. His career progress was hampered, and he ultimately had to “move out” of the town to make way for the direct descendants of the Yuan and Cao families. As Longquan was upgraded from a county to a prefecture, Wu Yuan naturally rose from county magistrate to prefect. However, Chen Pingan dared to assert that Wu Yuan’s reputation in the Great Li court had plummeted. Having a background and a benefactor might make things easy for a while, but smooth sailing was never guaranteed for life. The hardships involved would be vexing and painful, regardless of whether one was wealthy or from a noble family.

In fact, Wu Yuan had once said something heartfelt to a young man from a prominent family in the capital, clarifying the difference between asking everyone to write plaques for the Wenwu Temple and asking a family to break the impasse in Longquan. Favors, even within a family, would eventually be exhausted.

If Chen Pingan heard about this matter and these words now, he might sit down with Wu Yuan for a good drink. That one sentence alone was worth a pot of good wine.

In the Lotus Blossom Blessed Land, Chen Pingan had seen many officials from generations of noble families. When they went to serve in the provinces, they often thought they were capable, but many went from being illustrious to being obscure, and then to complete obscurity. During this time, some would take shortcuts that broke the rules, gaining temporary benefits. Local officials would grudgingly accept the losses, but would often silently retaliate, becoming increasingly united in their exclusion of those from the capital, developing sophisticated and insidious tactics to treat them like fools for amusement.

Therefore, Chen Pingan now feared Su Gaoshan, who had risen from the mud to become a great general, but he would not underestimate Cao Ping, whose noble lineage gave him a privileged start in his official career.

Ma Duye was infuriated to no end, enduring it for a long time until she could no longer bear it. She was about to speak, but Chen Pingan shook his head, signaling her not to.

Chen Pingan actually understood the scholar’s predicament.

It was similar to his own situation at Shujian Lake.

Should he conspire with the tiger, making an alliance with Liu Zhimao, who was his mortal enemy, someone he should fight to the death? Should they work together to set the rules for Shujian Lake? Not doing so would naturally be easier, but doing so would make him uncomfortable. Sometimes, in the dead of night, he would have to ask himself if his conscience was clear, if he would eventually make the same mistake as Gu Can, taking one wrong step and never being able to turn back, unknowingly becoming the kind of person he hated the most back then.

Chen Pingan respected the scholar’s choice.

Perhaps not being an official, with both the talent of a top scholar and a family foundation, dedicating decades to scholarly pursuits, and having students throughout the nation, wasn’t that a better way to break free from the situation?

Yes.

That beautiful possibility lay ahead on the scholar’s path.

How could Chen Pingan bear to say even a single word of discouragement, telling the scholar that he was wrong and should sacrifice his conscience for the sake of the local people, that adding a good official to the court was more important than the nation losing a true teacher? Chen Pingan dared not make a judgment on the trade-offs and gains.
These meandering thoughts, circling and returning, all stemmed from Chen Ping’an’s readings and reflections, both within and beyond the pages of books.

Many principles once understood only as good, yet without grasping their underlying value, whether from Qi Xianren, Aliang, Old Man Yao, or the countless bamboo slips, and the myriad individuals who left their wisdom upon this world, were now becoming increasingly clear. As if posterity had grasped the thread and unraveled the tapestry, revealing clarity and truth.

Where there is gathering, there is scattering.

No matter how fond the scholar was of Ma Duyi, no matter how little he cared for Ma Duyi’s coldness and aloofness, he still had to return to the capital. Indulging in landscapes and leisurely travels was, after all, not the proper occupation of a scholar.

At the moment of farewell, he revealed his family background, because if that Mr. Chen ever sought him out for drinks, or asked for directions, he would need an address.

It turned out the scholar was the direct grandson of the Minister of Works of the Mei You Kingdom.

To meet and drink with those you are fond of, to part and arrange another meeting, this is perhaps the essence of a good Jianghu (martial world).

Zeng Ye still struggled to understand why Mr. Chen would spend his time with such a pedantic scholar, insisting on accompanying him through over a hundred *li* of scenic but ultimately unproductive mountain paths.

Even if the scholar was the direct grandson of a Minister, so what? Zeng Ye didn’t believe Mr. Chen needed to deliberately befriend such a mortal figure.

It wasn’t worth it.

Not to mention Mr. Chen, even Zeng Ye himself, a wild cultivator from the mountains and rivers who hadn’t yet reached the Middle Five Realms, it wasn’t about the arrogance of those belonging to the mountain sects, but simply that if Zeng Ye encountered the same person and the same situation, he would at most save the person, share a drink, and then part ways.

However, remembering that this was Mr. Chen, Zeng Ye felt relieved. Hadn’t Ma Duyi said that Mr. Chen was “not forthright”? Zeng Ye actually felt the same way, though with a slight difference. Zeng Ye thought that such a Mr. Chen was quite good. Perhaps in the future, when he possessed Mr. Chen’s current cultivation and state of mind, if he were to encounter that scholar again, he might chat a little more?

Zeng Ye’s heart for cultivation, imperceptibly, had changed from desperately clinging to Mr. Chen’s sleeve just to survive, to wanting to live a more fulfilling life even after leaving Mr. Chen, a life different from the wild cultivator seniors of Mao Yue Island and even the entire Shujian Lake.

For example, being more patient with the mortal teachers down the mountain?

Zeng Ye certainly didn’t understand everything fully yet, but he had at least begun to think.

The tall youth probably didn’t know that the young boy from Niping Lane had walked a similar path, which had led him to become the accountant he was today.

After parting with the scholar, the three riders arrived at Jingzhou, the southernmost city of the Mei You Kingdom. The highest-ranking official there was not the prefect, but the master of the Grand Admiral’s Office of the Canal Transport, a Grand Admiral who was one of the most important officials next to the Canal Transport Commissioner. Chen Ping’an stayed for ten days, because he discovered that the spiritual energy here was abundant, far surpassing that of ordinary towns, beneficial to the cultivation of Ma Duyi and Zeng Ye. He chose a large riverside inn, allowing them to cultivate in peace, while he himself wandered around the city. During this time, he heard many things. The Grand Admiral had a son, whose talent was mediocre, with no hope for the imperial examinations, and no desire for an official career. He frequented brothels and courtesan houses, earning a terrible reputation. However, he had never bullied or oppressed anyone, except for one strange habit: he liked to have his servants capture cats, dogs, foxes, and the like, breaking their legs and twisting them backward, enjoying their struggling forms.

As a result, a shocking rumor soon spread from the Grand Admiral’s Office: the Grand Admiral’s son had his limbs broken, his fate similar to that of the cats, dogs, and foxes that had suffered at his hands. His mouth was stuffed with cotton, and the young man, long since hollowed out by wine and women, was severely injured but not killed. The Grand Admiral was furious. After confirming it was the work of a demon, he spent a fortune, inviting cultivators from two immortal cave dwellings to descend the mountain to subdue the demon, and of course, to use immortal techniques to heal his crippled son.

At that time, Chen Ping’an was strolling along the Canal Transport riverbank and personally witnessed a group of mountain immortals entering the city in an immortal skiff.

The leader standing at the bow of the boat was actually a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator!

In a vassal state like the Mei You Kingdom, inviting a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator was a grand undertaking, indicating that the Grand Admiral’s residence was indeed rich.

Besides making it convenient for Zeng Ye and Ma Duyi to cultivate, there was another, more hidden reason for choosing to stay in Jingzhou.

According to the immortal gazette published by the inn on the Chunhua Riverbank, the emerald-clad woman and the white-robed youth who had appeared out of nowhere had once intercepted a Golden Core old swordsman from the Zhu Ying Dynasty, who was praised as “having one foot already in the Nascent Soul Realm,” in the skies above Jingzhou. In addition to this encounter, there were a total of three more “halting” battles before and after Jingzhou, finally killing the swordsman on the border between the Mei You Kingdom and the Zhu Ying Dynasty.

Chen Ping’an suspected that Cui Dongshan and Miss Ruan Xiu were “fishing,” luring one or two Nascent Soul swordsmen away from their mountain strongholds, losing the protection of their mountain and river formations, and then recklessly rushing to the Mei You Kingdom to save the Golden Core swordsman who had the potential to achieve the Great Dao and was a pillar of the state.

Otherwise, with Cui Dongshan’s Nascent Soul cultivation and a body full of magical treasures, dealing with a Golden Core swordsman would not have been difficult at all.

It was highly likely that the Mei You Kingdom border area was hiding the strategist Ruan Qiong or the Mohist Xu Ruo. Even if both of them were there, Chen Ping’an wouldn’t have been surprised.

As expected of a registered immortal master of the Dragon Gate Realm, after joining forces with another group of smaller peers, he healed the son of the powerful official, although he would limp slightly in the future, and was destined to be unable to lift heavy objects. The two groups of immortals, using immortal treasures and a spirit beast, respectively, followed the clues and found the demon that dared to attack the Grand Admiral’s residence that very night. A bloody battle ensued in the city. The immortals, one after another, were fierce in their attacks, while the demon kept dodging, barely escaping with its life.

In fact, being able to torture the Grand Admiral’s son in such a way, infiltrating and leaving silently, meant that killing the young man would have been easy. But for some unknown reason, the demon didn’t kill, only injured.

In the night, Chen Ping’an watched from the city wall, remaining aloof.

If the demon hadn’t been foolish, intentionally or unintentionally choosing a route unfavorable for escape, Jingzhou City would have suffered heavy casualties tonight. It wasn’t that subduing demons and monsters was wrong, but that the registered immortal masters’ every move was without any regard for the consequences.

In the end, the demon still managed to escape from the city.
Like butterflies and sparrows, the immortal masters flitted over the city walls, leaving behind the canal transport officials and soldiers who could only wave flags and shout. The soldiers within the city would never have imagined that those two groups of immortal masters, who had rushed out to hunt down the demons with such imposing momentum, had actually stopped not long after. Even though there was no trace of the demonic creature, they still deliberately unleashed their magical artifacts, bombarding a patch of empty ground with dazzling explosions.

At the same time, the old Dragon Gate Realm immortal master, who hadn’t exerted his full strength from beginning to end, changed direction as he left the city, quietly departing from the demon-hunting army.

Chen Ping’an leaped down from the city wall, following far behind.

In the mountains twenty-some miles outside Jingzhou City, Chen Ping’an stood on the branch of a large tree, watching the old cultivator successfully bind the transformed fox demon with a silvery-white magical rope after a fierce battle.

The old cultivator, triumphant, dragged the blood-soaked, snow-white fox demon with the binding rope, coming straight to Chen Ping’an and asking with a smile, “What? Want a piece of the pie?”

Chen Ping’an landed gracefully, smiling. “Old immortal master, you’ve made a good deal. I’ll tell the general’s office a story about the untamable great demon. Anyway, the people in the city all saw your magnificent and devoted performance. I’m sure that regional governor will be sleepless, and will obediently hand over a large sum of immortal money, begging you old immortal masters to capture the demon to the end. Meanwhile, you secretly capture the demon here, and then just find a newly transformed fox spirit to hand over to the general’s office as a replacement. Everyone’s happy.”

The old cultivator stroked his beard and smiled. “You young man have sharp eyes. Even among my dull-witted disciples, there are some blockheads who can’t see through it. You only watched a few times from the side, and you already understand the key.”

Chen Ping’an joked, “Old immortal master, you wouldn’t be thinking of killing me to silence me, would you?”

The old cultivator laughed heartily. “I’m not a heartless rogue cultivator who would abandon my parents, master, and disciples for money. Tell me your price. If it’s reasonable, consider it an unexpected windfall for you. A horse doesn’t get fat without night feed.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “I wonder what the old immortal master plans to do with this creature after capturing it?”

The old cultivator raised the binding rope in his hand, causing the demon to wail miserably. “After all, it’s a demon that has cultivated arduously to the View Sea Realm. After bringing it back to the mountain gate and taming it to get rid of its violent nature, we’ll cultivate it as a mountain-protecting offering. I’m not boasting, this is also a great karmic opportunity for it.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, smiling. “Some of it’s true, some of it’s false, let’s not worry about that. But I still advise the old immortal master to consider carefully, don’t try to capture me with that binding rope.”

The old cultivator’s eyes were dim and uncertain. “You young man, you really don’t know what’s good for you, judging a gentleman’s heart with a petty man’s mind. Aren’t you afraid that good fortune will turn into disaster?”

Chen Ping’an folded his sleeves and withdrew his smile. “You should actually be grateful to this demon, otherwise you would be half-dead by now, considering all the evils you committed in the city earlier.”

The Dragon Gate Realm old cultivator seemed to have heard a great joke, laughing loudly, shaking the trees and causing leaves to fall.

Chen Ping’an sighed. “Making money is good, and the money you’re getting is from the ill-gotten gains of the canal transport officials, I think it’s great. But disregarding the lives of the people in order to make money, and now even joining forces with others, waiting for them to come and kill the demon, cutting the grass and eliminating the roots, that’s not very kind.”

The old cultivator looked at the young man who, at first glance, seemed to be sickly.

The more he looked, the more something seemed off.

And the more wary he became.

Once cultivators truly become enemies, it’s easy for one side to be completely wiped out, or for centuries of unresolved grievances to entangle them.

Chen Ping’an said, “I’ll pay you to buy it from you, how about that?”

The old cultivator hesitated.

Chen Ping’an tossed out a jade token.

Qingxia Island First-Class Offering.

The old cultivator didn’t dare to reach out and catch it. Cultivator secret techniques were strange and varied, who dared to be careless?

Chen Ping’an didn’t retrieve the jade token early, allowing it to hover in the air for the old Dragon Gate Realm cultivator to examine carefully. Then, he tossed out a Valley Rain Coin. “Our Qingxia Island is a bit chaotic right now, and our reputation isn’t as good as it used to be. Plus, you’re a well-known pedigree immortal master in Mei glazed Country. Otherwise, you’d be dead by now, and that magical binding rope would be mine. Take the money, and be quiet for a while. Otherwise, you and your disciples will have to stay hidden on the mountain for the rest of your lives, cultivating peacefully.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Of course, one Valley Rain Coin is definitely not a fair price, but if the price was fair, would it be worthy of this jade token? Right, old immortal master?”

Chen Ping’an tapped his Sword Nourishing Gourd.

Two flying swords shot out, flashing past.

The old cultivator’s eyelids twitched. He waved his sleeve and pushed the jade token back to the young “sword immortal” wearing the blue cotton robe. Then, he accepted the Valley Rain Coin, bowed with joined hands, and smiled, “A fight brings friendship. If you trust me, you can come to our Dragon Coiled Mountain as a guest in the future.”

Chen Ping’an collected the jade token, First and Fifteenth also flew back to the Sword Nourishing Gourd, and smiled. “Old immortal master, you’re such a good businessman, I wouldn’t dare to come to your door to send money.”

The old cultivator laughed heartily, shaking the binding rope. The snow-white fox demon fell to the ground. He put away the magical artifact and also said a few tough words, “As long as Qingxia Island can still stand firm in Book Brief Lake, a small Dragon Coiled Mountain will only send money, not dare to accept gifts. It’s too hot to handle. But if Qingxia Island disappears one day, I hope we won’t meet again, or it will hurt our feelings.”

The old cultivator didn’t mince words. After saying his piece, he left without hesitation.

Chen Ping’an soared onto a branch, and only after a moment did he float down. He had really left.

The snow-white fox demon, curled up on the ground, healing its wounds, stared wide-eyed at the young cultivator.

Was he really a sword cultivator?

After she came down the mountain, she didn’t dare to swagger around, and she hadn’t seen many mountain cultivators. So, this was the first time in her life that she had seen a sword cultivator.

Chen Ping’an waved his hand. “Let’s go, don’t pretend to be weak. I know that although you can’t fight, you can already walk without difficulty. Remember not to appear in Jingzhou territory again in the near future.”

She blinked her eyes.

Chen Ping’an joked, “What, are you blaming me for delaying your great karmic opportunity at Dragon Coiled Mountain?”

She opened her mouth in a clear voice, saying, “Dragon Coiled Mountain keeps a very scary evil python, it’s a real mountain-protecting offering, and it likes to devour spirits. So, that old bad egg was lying to you. You must be careful in the future.”
Chen Ping’an nodded, indicating he would be mindful. Instead of approaching, he squatted down on the spot. “Isn’t it strange why I, a rogue cultivator from Shujian Lake, would save you?”

She quickly shut her mouth, not uttering a single word.

Chen Ping’an smiled, tossing a small porcelain bottle that rolled to a stop in front of the snow-white fox. “If you’re wary, you can keep it for now and not consume it.”

She finally couldn’t help but ask, “What does esteemed sir seek in return?”

Chen Ping’an smiled gently. “Then let me ask you, to avoid harming the innocent, you nearly got caught in the city. What were you seeking?”

Her eyes narrowed into a smile, a fox acting in such a way resembled a mortal woman, making it exceptionally amusing. She said in a delicate voice, “Esteemed sir, could it be that we are kindred spirits?”

However, she quickly wore a pained expression, feeling somewhat apologetic.

She felt it was rather disrespectful to say so to her benefactor.

After all, among those fortunate enough to be born as humans, one of their curses included the phrase “worse than beasts”.

Chen Ping’an remained noncommittal, waving his hand. “Go on, go on. The human heart is a treacherous realm, truly frightening. In the future, don’t rely on your cultivation to frolic amongst mortals. You have already fought against Heaven and Earth and won once, thus attaining your current cultivation. You must cherish it. But when you fight against humans, how can you possibly be a match for those wild cultivators from the mountains and marshes, or the registered immortals? Go now, and even if you can’t resist the urge to wander the mortal realm again, be exceedingly careful when strolling through the marketplace. Also, never assume that you’ll always encounter someone like me. How can you be certain that today’s benefactor won’t become a villain tomorrow?”

She lightly raised a paw, “covering her mouth,” and chuckled. “Someone who speaks like this, how could they become a villain? I refuse to believe it.”

Chen Ping’an crossed his arms within his sleeves, squatting there, and smiled faintly. “Believe it or not, it’s your choice. But I must remind you, that old villain from Dragon Coil Mountain might go back on his word. After meeting with the other immortals, he might come back to capture you and offer you as a meal to that vile serpent.”

The snow-white fox hesitated, then quickly pocketed the porcelain bottle. With a *swoosh*, she darted away. After running ten steps or so, she turned back, stood on her hind legs, and bid farewell with clasped paws like a mortal.

The young man remained squatting there, only remembering to wave back to her.

After the little creature had disappeared into the distance, Chen Ping’an stood up and slowly headed towards Jing Prefecture City, treating it as a nighttime stroll through the mountains.

Thinking about losing another Gu Yu coin, Chen Ping’an sighed, resolving that he could not be so extravagant again.

However, this accountant seemed to have forgotten that after giving away a Xiaoshu coin at the dog meat stall, he had also reminded himself in the same way.

Chen Ping’an completely forgot about that matter. While walking, he looked up. The bright moon hung high in the sky, its sight washing away worldly concerns.