This intercontinental ferry from the Skeleton Beach Hemp Robe Sect was shaped like a riverine pavilion ship. It was no different from the many small and medium-sized ferries that Chen Pingan had ridden before. However, after ascending into the sky, there was something profound about it. Around the gigantic ferry, smoke billowed, and figures of armored warriors, ethereal and illusory, emerged. Like trackers pulling a boat, they ran through the sea of clouds and the empty void, making the ferry’s speed as swift as the wind and lightning, far surpassing the Praying Mountain ferry, also from the Northern Entire Reed Continent, that he had taken in the past.

Chen Pingan had long since taken off his sword immortal attire and his gourd with nurtured sword, placing them on the table. While quietly practicing his fist techniques inside the room, he would also take out a few bamboo slips and go to the observation deck to admire the scenery, often caressing them. The yellowed bamboo slip in his hand at that moment was engraved with the eight characters “Tranquil in Stillness, Decisive in Action.” Both the “tranquil” and the “decisive” resonated deeply with Chen Pingan.

Although Cui Dongshan had given him a jade bamboo folding fan as a farewell gift, whenever he thought of the elegant scholars of the past, reclining on rattan chairs and fanning themselves in the cool breeze during their travels through Lu Tai, with such shining examples before him, Chen Pingan always felt that the folding fan was wasted in his hands. He simply couldn’t imagine the awkward scene of himself waving a folding fan.

After the ferry sailed out of the boundaries of the Li Zhu Blessed Land, it would make a temporary stop at the Evergreen Palace ferry crossing, north of the Great Li capital. The Evergreen Palace was the Great Li’s premier immortal cave abode, inhabited solely by female cultivators. After the lady of the palace lost favor, she cultivated in seclusion here. At the time, the Great Li court thought that this lady, far removed from the central power, would likely never rise again. They never expected that she would be the biggest winner in the end, giving birth to two sons. One, supported by the national preceptor Cui Chan, became the new emperor of the Great Li. The other was even more favored by the Prince of the Frontier, Song Changjing, and was about to be enfeoffed as a prince in the Old Dragon City, remotely governing the secondary capital.

After the death of the late emperor, she had clearly been “confined,” yet it seemed that she had done nothing, and things turned out for the best.

It seemed that it was no wonder that the common people liked to say that good people are bound to be rewarded, but in their hearts, they often didn’t believe it.

Chen Pingan was different from Gu Can and Pei Qian. His accounting wasn’t written down on paper, big and small. Too much would make it harder to remember the important things. This Great Li lady, when Chen Pingan first left home for a long journey, had such murderous intentions that she directly dispatched a group of Great Li’s top assassins to tail him. If he hadn’t happened to meet Ah Liang, a hundred Chen Pingans would have died without a burial.

Of course, that woman had her reasons. Her son, Song Jixin, had suffered greatly at the hands of Chen Pingan, almost being strangled to death by this apprentice kiln worker in the Mud Bottle Alley during a rainstorm.

After passing through the Lotus Root Blessed Land and the Scroll and Letter Lake, Chen Pingan could roughly discern the woman’s scheme.

Clearly, this Great Li lady, wielding power, had begun to plan while she was at her most influential. She nurtured her son Song He, who was by her side in the capital, to help him gain prestige and win over civil and military officials. As for Song Jixin, who would “thrive” for the Great Li Song clan’s national destiny, he was allowed to seize opportunities in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, earning as much as he could for the Song clan. If Song Jixin died, she would likely shed a few tears of sorrow. However, Song Mu, who had “died young” shortly after birth and whose name had long been crossed out of the Song clan’s genealogy, was just dying again if he died. But Song Jixin’s merits, at least half of them, were her merits as a mother. Her merits would naturally be the merits of her other son, Song He. These inside stories were likely unknown to the high-ranking officials of the Great Li, but it didn’t matter. The late emperor acknowledged it, Cui Chan acknowledged it, and Song Changjing also had to acknowledge it. That was enough.

It was even better if Song Jixin left the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven alive, but only if this Song Mu, whose name had been restored to the genealogy, wasn’t greedy and knew not to compete with his brother Song He for that chair.

That was why Chen Pingan and Song Jixin, who was on a diplomatic mission to the Great Sui capital, had a casual encounter at the Cliffside Academy, calm and without conflict.

When Song Jixin was Chen Pingan’s neighbor, he didn’t say a few sarcastic words. He commented that the only thing that made a sound in Chen Pingan’s house was the bottles and jars, and the only scent that could be smelled was the scent of medicine.

However, apart from the incident where he tricked Chen Pingan into breaking his oath, Song Jixin and Chen Pingan were generally at peace with each other, just disliking each other. The well water didn’t interfere with the river water, and the broad road and the narrow bridge didn’t interfere with each other. As for a few strange words, in places like Mud Bottle Alley and Apricot Blossom Alley, they were as light as a feather. Whoever took it to heart would suffer. In fact, Song Jixin had suffered greatly from the trivial words of the women in the market in the past, because he cared too much, and each knot became a dead knot, impossible for even immortals to unravel.

As the ferry approached the Great Li capital, the night sky was filled with stars and a bright moon. Chen Pingan sat on the railing of the observation deck, looking up at the sky and silently drinking wine.

When Chen Pingan was young, he was most afraid of getting sick. From being familiar with going up the mountain to collect herbs, to later becoming an apprentice kiln worker and learning to fire porcelain from the old man Yao, who couldn’t stand him, Chen Pingan was most vigilant about being unwell. As soon as there were signs of illness, he would go up the mountain to collect herbs and brew medicine. Liu Xianyang used to laugh at Chen Pingan for being the most delicate person in the world, really thinking he had the body of a young lady from Fortune Street.

Not only had young Chen Pingan watched his mother fall ill, suffer from ineffective treatment, become as thin as a rake, and finally pass away on a snowy day, Chen Pingan was very afraid that if he died, it would seem that there would be no one in the world to miss his parents.

His mother used to say that being sick didn’t hurt, it just made her sleepy often, so she told little Pingan not to be afraid and not to worry.

At first, the young child really believed it, but later he realized that it wasn’t like that at all. His mother was gritting her teeth and enduring it so that he would think and do less.

Many of the corners of that old quilt had been torn to shreds.

Wealthy families had no worries about food and clothing. It was said that children who remembered things early would have great prospects.

Poor families, children who understood things early, what else could they do but suffer earlier?

Back then, in Mud Bottle Alley, no one would care about a young child standing on a bench to cook, his face covered in tears from the smoke, still smiling, wondering what he was thinking.

Would a child who went to the Cemetery of Immortals alone to pray and make wishes be afraid of the dark, would he be afraid of the eerie market rumors? When kneeling on the ground to kowtow to the gods and bodhisattvas, saying that he would owe the incense and pay it back when he grew up, would that be considered piety?

No one would remember a door back then, inside the house, the woman enduring the excruciating pain, gritting her teeth, but still, faint sounds seeped out from between her teeth, escaping from the quilt.
Outside the door, the child with the deathly pale face was lost and confused. He squatted on the ground, hands clamped over his ears, daring not to cry aloud, lest his mother know he knew.

Not all kinship in this world allows for shared joys and sorrows.

An early arrival is not always a blessing.

Before his departure, during that night of guarding the ancestral home, Pei Qian, drowsy and nodding off, snapped awake with a jolt to find his master secretly weeping.

Pei Qian remained silent, simply watching his master.

He faintly saw a young figure huddled in the corner by the medicine pot.

That youthful master, still a child, feared growing up, feared the morrow, and seemed to wish for time to flow backward, to return to the blissful days of family reunion.

Finally, Chen Ping’an gently regained his composure, ruffled Pei Qian’s hair, and softly said, “Master is fine, just a bit regretful that your master’s mother cannot witness today. You wouldn’t know it, but when my mother smiled, she was so beautiful. Back then, all the neighbors in Mud Bottle Lane and Apricot Blossom Lane, even the most sharp-tongued women, agreed that my father was blessed to marry such a wonderful woman as my mother.”

Later that night, Pei Qian rested his head on his master’s lap and drifted off to sleep.

At daybreak, Chen Ping’an once again left his hometown.

A journey of ten thousand miles, with his hometown still behind him, not his final resting place, a place he must return to.

After Chen Ping’an left, Fallen Mountain felt noticeably less lively.

Old Man Cui Cheng remained reclusive as ever. Zheng Dafeng was occupied at the mountain gate, finishing up his tasks, disheveled from morning till night. He enjoyed lending a hand to the artisans, who found it unremarkable. Even the Mountain Lord of Fallen Mountain, rumored to be a person of great importance with connections that reached the heavens, now that he was successful and had brought honor to his ancestors, gossip spread with such detail that it discouraged envy and incited only admiration and respect. How could a Dragon Kiln apprentice from Mud Bottle Lane achieve this today? Even with good fortune, his abilities must be considerable.

But this hunchbacked man named Zheng, a mere gatekeeper, was no better than those of low birth like themselves. So, they interacted without restraint, joking and teasing each other without reservation, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Especially when Zheng Dafeng’s jokes turned bawdy, they had a roundaboutness that was absent from common street talk, yet were not overly refined or pretentious. Thus, when they sat at the table drinking wine and eating large bowls of meat, someone would suddenly realize his wit and slap the table in amazement, giving Brother Dafeng a thumbs-up.

Chen Ruchu remained absorbed in cleaning the various residences, tirelessly. Though Fallen Mountain was blessed with scenic beauty and pristine cleanliness, she still approached this task with unwavering enthusiasm, placing it above even her cultivation.

Therefore, the pink-skirted girl was the only one on Fallen Mountain who possessed the keys to all the residences. Neither Chen Ping’an nor Zhu Lian had them.

Chen Lingjun continued his carefree wanderings, making a grand spectacle of himself at the Night Banquet. As a result, he gained even more “worldly” friends. The smaller and larger mountains showed great courtesy to this azure-robed boy who could sit in a seat of honor among the esteemed guests. For example, the Golden Core earth immortal patriarch of Robe-Belt Peak enjoyed Chen Lingjun’s visits, and the old and young man would drink and chat, each boasting of their past exploits, finding each other quite compatible. Chen Ping’an privately spoke to Chen Lingjun about this, saying that Robe-Belt Peak was a good place to visit often. Therefore, Chen Lingjun felt quite self-assured, thinking “This time, I’m making friends on official orders!”

After Pei Qian delivered two bags of sesame twists to Sister Xiu Xiu, remembering her master’s instructions, she accompanied Chen Lingjun to Robe-Belt Peak, bringing the Green Plum Temple fairy, Zhou Qionglin, down the mountain. Liu Yunrun, the one who always loved to join in on the fun, followed them to Fallen Mountain, clutching his young white fox. However, every time the black-charcoal girl tried to touch the little creature, the white fox would cower and tremble, which embarrassed Pei Qian. She felt aggrieved, wondering what the little thing was afraid of. It was such a coward! Didn’t the books say something about “many a little makes a mickle?” She only thought that skinning it to make a coat would be valuable, she wouldn’t actually kill it.

When Zhu Lian was entertaining guests, he reminded Pei Qian that it was time for her to attend the academy. Pei Qian, with righteous indignation, ignored him and said she was still taking Zhou Qionglin and the others to Dragon Spring Sword Sect to play with Sister Xiu Xiu.

Zhu Lian said with a smile that he would give her five days to wander around, and that she should be able to explore all the mountains of her and Miss Ruan’s properties.

Pei Qian began to haggle with Zhu Lian, and Zhu Lian “reluctantly” added two days in the end. Pei Qian was overjoyed, feeling like she had won.

In fact, Chen Ping’an’s instructions to Zhu Lian were that Pei Qian would definitely dawdle and procrastinate, so let her delay for another ten days or half a month. After that, even if he had to tie her up, he would take her to the academy.

So, it was said that a young fox was no match for an old fox.

For the past two days, Pei Qian had been walking on air, constantly gleeful, finding everything beautiful. Holding her mountain-walking staff, she led the way for Zhou Qionglin and Liu Yunrun, she knew this western mountain like the back of her hand.

All that hard work and sweat from chasing dogs wasn’t for nothing.

At Dragon Spring Sword Sect, even the quick-witted Green Plum Temple fairy and the fearless Liu Yunrun became cautious. Especially when they met the woman in azure robes, the legendary only daughter of the Saint Ruan Qiong, they were as docile as lambs. Pei Qian almost burst out laughing, and had to force herself to keep a straight face. Ruan Xiu merely glanced at the two unfamiliar women, then smiled at Pei Qian. Pei Qian trotted over, and Ruan Xiu naturally bent down. Pei Qian stood on tiptoe and whispered in Sister Xiu Xiu’s ear, saying, “Master doesn’t really like them, and stubbornly refuses to have them as guests at Fallen Mountain, but Master has a good impression of a young cultivator named Song Yuan from Robe-Belt Peak, so he asked me, his first disciple, to bring them to Sister Xiu Xiu’s place to hang out.”

Ruan Xiu smiled.

She even stopped her work of forging swords and personally led the way, which made Zhou Qionglin and Liu Yunrun feel overwhelmed by favor. Especially the former, who felt that this stroke of luck, as if it had fallen from the sky, would be enough for her to return to Green Plum Temple on South Pond Lake and gain countless tangible and intangible benefits from everyone, inside and out. However, when she thought about how the smiling and amiable woman beside her was the only daughter of the Grand Li Dynasty’s Chief Offering Saint, she felt that some of her skillful methods back at Green Plum Temple should be more subtle, so as not to turn a good fortune into a disaster.
Liu Yunrun was even more simple-minded, with a terrestrial immortal for a grandfather, and knew more about the inner workings of the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven. Thus, he sincerely admired this Fairy Ruan, who had a high status, many stories, and a surprisingly good temperament.

Now, Dong Gu, the terrestrial immortal known to everyone in the Great Li Dynasty, could only sigh helplessly. The only person who dared to grumble about Senior Sister Ruan was his master, and even that was useless.

During this time, Pei Qian played like a madwoman for three days, living a fairy-like life. By the fourth day, the little black charcoal began to worry. By the fifth day, she was listless. On the sixth day, she felt like the sky was falling. On the last day, on the way back from Yidai Peak, she drooped her head and dragged her mountain-walking staff. Zheng Dafeng rarely took the initiative to greet her, but Pei Qian only responded with a grunt and silently climbed the mountain.

Then, early the next morning, Pei Qian took the initiative to find Old Zhu, saying that she would go down the mountain by herself and wouldn’t get lost.

Zhu Lian agreed.

To show her sincerity, Pei Qian sprinted down the mountain. However, once she was a little distance away from the boundaries of the Fallen Mountain, she began to swagger, taking her time. She went to the stream to see if there were any fish, climbed a tree to enjoy the scenery, and when she reached the small town, she didn’t rush to Riding Dragon Lane. Instead, she went to the Dragon Whisker River to skip stones. When she was tired, she sat on the cyan rock and cracked melon seeds. It wasn’t until night fell that she happily went to Riding Dragon Lane, only to feel like she had been struck by lightning when she saw Zhu Lian sitting on a small bench at the entrance.

Pei Qian immediately pretended to limp, leaning on her mountain-walking staff, and said with a bitter face, “Old Zhu, when I was going down the mountain, I ran too fast and fell flat on my face. That’s why I only got here now.”

Zhu Lian said, “Oh,” and added, “It’s okay, it’s important to heal your injuries. I’ll write a letter to your master later, saying that you’ve hurt your leg and shouldn’t go to the academy for now.”

Pei Qian frowned and plopped down on the doorstep. Inside the shop, behind the counter, Shi Rou was busily working the abacus, which was very annoying. Pei Qian muttered, “I’ll go to the academy tomorrow. Neither wind nor rain nor blizzards can stop me, even if knives fall from the sky.”

Zhu Lian asked with a smile, “Shall I take you to the academy, or shall I let your Sister Shi Rou take you?”

Pei Qian thought for a moment and squeezed out a smile, “Let Sister Shi Rou go. Old Zhu, you have a lot of things to do on the mountain.”

Unexpectedly, Shi Rou had already softly said, “I won’t go. Let him take you to the academy.”

Pei Qian rolled her eyes, thinking, “You ungrateful fellow, you can forget about eating my melon seeds in the future.”

Shi Rou sighed softly.

It wasn’t that she was too lazy to walk such a short distance, but that she was somewhat apprehensive.

Shi Rou was indeed reluctant to go to the Chen Clan’s academy in Dragon Tail County from the bottom of her heart. Even when she had cautiously entered the Great Sui Cliff Academy, Shi Rou was actually repulsed by such places of scholarly learning and the teachings of sages. It was both a ghost’s reverence and a sense of inferiority.

But in fact, this was precisely one of the things that Chen Pingan liked most about Shi Rou.

Wearing a “garment” made from the discarded skin of an immortal, Shi Rou inevitably felt proud of herself. So, in the beginning, at the academy, she felt that children like Li Bao Ping and Li Huai, as well as teenagers like Yu Lu and Xie Xie, didn’t know the weight of things. Shi Rou looked at those children with condescension. Of course, she suffered enough at Cui Dongshan’s place afterward. But leaving aside the matter of perspective, Shi Rou’s state of mind and her reverence for places of learning were invaluable.

Cen Yuanji was the same, with her own unconscious virtues. After climbing the mountain, knowing that the Old Immortal Zhu in her mind was just Chen Pingan’s young mountain master’s old servant, at best the steward of a wealthy household, Cen Yuanji’s gratitude towards Zhu Lian never diminished in the slightest. On the contrary, she would always stand up for the old man.

These easily overlooked acts of kindness were the precious things that Chen Pingan hoped Pei Qian would discover in others.

Chen Pingan didn’t force Pei Qian to do this, but she had to know.

Chen Pingan almost never left half a grain of rice in his bowl, but neither Pei Qian nor Zheng Dafeng nor Zhu Lian were so particular. If they took too much rice or cooked too many dishes, and couldn’t finish it, they would “leave some.” Chen Pingan wouldn’t deliberately say anything, and deep down, he didn’t think they had to change.

These were small matters.

And these were not small matters.

These were also things that Chen Pingan himself didn’t consider to be virtues.

And these were the things that Gu Can and Liu Xianyang probably just found comfortable and natural about being around Chen Pingan, even though they knew that Chen Pingan himself was a very rigid and stubborn person.

But in the eyes of “seniors” like Zhu Lian and Zheng Dafeng, they saw it clearly, but simply didn’t say it.

Just like how Chen Pingan, when making choices on important matters, even if it seemed to others that he was the one giving and bestowing kindness, would always ask Sui Youbian, ask Shi Rou, ask Pei Qian first.

This kind of calmness and gentleness was not a principle taught in books, nor was it something that Chen Pingan had deliberately learned. Rather, it was due to family tradition and the bitter days, like a pot of medicine, brewed drop by drop.

In the end, Zhu Lian accompanied Pei Qian to the academy.

Early in the morning, Pei Qian crossed her arms and stared blankly at a table full of her favorite possessions.

Besides the small bamboo suitcase that she was already carrying, the mountain-walking staff, yellow paper talismans, and bamboo knives and swords on the table were all forbidden! What kind of damn academy was this? What kind of damn books was she supposed to read? What kind of damn teachers was she supposed to see!

Pei Qian sighed heavily, stood up, opened the door, and raised her head. At this moment, she felt a flash of understanding. She finally understood the essence of the sage’s principle in the book: “Though there be a thousand, ten thousand people, I will go forth!”

However, she secretly hid a pocket of melon seeds. Of course, she wouldn’t dare to crack them when the teachers were lecturing. If the academy went to Fallen Mountain to complain, Pei Qian knew that she was in the wrong, and in the end, her master definitely wouldn’t help her. But couldn’t she indulge herself when she had free time? Wasn’t she allowed to find a deserted place to crack melon seeds?

Pei Qian kept silent on the way. During the walk through the streets, she saw a large white goose, and before Pei Qian could do anything, the white goose began to run away in panic.

Pei Qian’s mood finally improved slightly. She was about to leave the pugilistic world, but there were still some troublesome existences who knew her strength.

Zhu Lian took Pei Qian to the entrance of the academy and said, “Argue more, fight less.”
Pei Qian rolled her eyes and said, “What’s all the fuss? I’ll just be a little mute.”

Zhu Lian waved his hand.

Pei Qian felt a little awkward. Her legs were a bit unsteady, otherwise, should she go back to studying tomorrow? Just one day later, it’s not a big deal. She secretly turned her head and saw Zhu Lian still standing there. Pei Qian felt a bit annoyed. This old cook was really idle. Why didn’t he hurry back to Fallen Mountain to cook?

At the school, a young teacher was already waiting there, with a smile on his face.

The young Mountain Master of Fallen Mountain had already informed the school. The two old gentlemen from the Chen family of Dragon Tail Stream discussed it and felt that this was no small matter. They sent a letter back to the family. The eldest son, Chen Songfeng, personally replied, asking the school to treat her with respect, neither as if facing a formidable enemy nor deliberately trying to curry favor. The rules must be followed, but some matters could be dealt with leniently at their discretion.

Pei Qian wasn’t afraid of strangers. Otherwise, how could she, as a little kid, have been able to trick several experienced constables in Fox Town on the border of the Great Spring Dynasty, who didn’t dare to say a harsh word and respectfully sent her back to the inn?

Pei Qian simply didn’t like studying.

The young teacher introduced Pei Qian, only saying that her name was Pei Qian and that she was from Dragon Riding Lane.

When they heard the interesting name “Pei Qian,” which sounded like “losing money,” laughter broke out in the classroom. The young teacher frowned, and an old scholar responsible for imparting knowledge immediately reprimanded them, and the classroom became silent.

Pei Qian didn’t care. She quickly glanced around, memorizing everyone’s appearance, thinking, “Just you wait until I get my hands on you.”

Pei Qian walked to an empty seat, put her bamboo box beside the desk, and began to pretend to listen to the lesson.

Pei Qian endured two classes, feeling drowsy. It was really unbearable. After class, she seized an opportunity, not heading towards the main entrance of the school, but tiptoeing towards the side door.

As a result, she saw Zhu Lian sitting by the roadside, cracking melon seeds.

Pei Qian squeezed out a smile, deliberately looking left and right, and asked, “Old Cook Zhu, what are you doing?”

Zhu Lian cracked a melon seed and said with a smile, “Waiting for the rabbit to come to the tree.”

Pei Qian laughed and said, “This isn’t a deep mountain forest. Where would any little rabbits come from here?”

Pei Qian turned to leave.

This Old Cook Zhu was like a persistent ghost. There was no way around it. It seemed that today was not a good day to skip class.

In the following days, whenever Pei Qian wanted to run away, she would see Zhu Lian.

In the end, she had no choice but to resign herself to fate. Although Pei Qian wasn’t young, she looked almost like a ten-year-old child. So, her classmates were all younger than her in actual age.

Pei Qian began to get used to the school life. She listened to the teacher’s lectures, letting the words go in one ear and out the other. After class, she would cross her arms and close her eyes to rest. She didn’t talk to anyone. They were all stupid, and there was no sense of accomplishment in fooling them.

One day, Pei Qian was daydreaming again in class.

Suddenly, she turned her head to look. After a while, a young nobleman wearing a Confucian robe came in, accompanied by several old scholars in charge of affairs.

They didn’t stop, but Pei Qian noticed that this guy glanced at her.

That evening, Pei Qian refused the invitation of two little girls and returned to Dragon Riding Lane alone, carrying her small bamboo box.

As a result, she found that Zhu Lian had actually run from Fallen Mountain to the backyard of the shop again. Not only that, but the young nobleman she had seen at the school was also there, sitting and chatting with Old Cook Zhu with smiles.

Pei Qian carried her small bamboo box and bowed, “Greetings, sir.”

There was no choice. Her master valued etiquette highly when traveling the world. As the first disciple, she couldn’t let others mistakenly think that her master didn’t know how to teach disciples.

The young scholar smiled and said, “You must be Pei Qian. Are you getting used to studying at school?”

Pei Qian nodded eagerly, her eyes sincere, and said loudly, “Very good! The teachers are very knowledgeable. They should go to the academy and become gentlemen and sages. The classmates study hard and will definitely become Jinshi officials in the future.”

Shi Rou was holding back her laughter at the counter.

Zhu Lian didn’t expose her ability to read the wind and steer the rudder.

The young scholar seemed a little unaccustomed.

This flattery was a bit too much, making it difficult for the direct descendant of the Chen family of Dragon Tail Stream to respond. But children’s words should always be sincere, right? Not wanting to neglect the little girl’s kindness, Chen Songfeng, who had come from afar, could only smile and nod at her.

Pei Qian bowed again and then ran into her room in a hurry, gently closing the door and beginning to copy books. This matter outside of school was what Pei Qian took most seriously.

After copying the book, Pei Qian found that the guest had already left, and Zhu Lian was still sitting in the courtyard, holding many things in his arms.

Pei Qian held her walking stick and practiced a set of Berserk Swordplay. After stopping, she asked, “What did he want from you?”

Zhu Lian said, “Good things.”

Pei Qian blinked, “What? Did he come to give money?”

Zhu Lian smiled, “Oh, your mouth must be blessed. You actually guessed it right.”

Pei Qian asked, “Can I have a share?”

“No, it’s not for you.”

Zhu Lian held three boxes in his arms, raised a sleeve, shook it, and shook his head, “It’s your master’s friend, Liu Xianyang, who’s studying in Saha Continent. He entrusted someone to send a letter and three things to our Fallen Mountain. The latter two are sent, and one is left here. The letter said that one of them is a book for the young master, and hidden inside the book is a wisp of ‘Book-Turning Wind’ that money can’t buy. Then, a magical treasure bamboo fan made of Divine Firmament Bamboo is given to Gu Can of Mud Bottle Lane, saying that Gu Can has been timid since he was a child, and the fan can suppress all ghosts and monsters that grow underground. As for the last thing, it’s that Liu Xianyang heard that the young master has his own mountain, so he entrusted a high-ranking Ink-Eating Fish to the young master for safekeeping.”

Pei Qian smiled and gave a thumbs up, praising, “This Liu Xianyang is on the ball! He’s worthy of being my master’s best friend. He’s generous and doesn’t beat around the bush!”

Zhu Lian smiled and said, “Besides being a friend, he’s also a smart person. It seems that this long journey of studying was not in vain. It’s good that way. Otherwise, after many years of separation, the circumstances are different, and everything is vastly different from those years. When we meet again, we won’t know what to talk about.”

Pei Qian asked, “Can I take a look at that Book-Turning Wind and the Ink-Eating Fish?”

Zhu Lian stood up and said, “The Book-Turning Wind can’t be touched. We’ll talk about it later when the young master returns to Fallen Mountain. As for that Ink-Eating Fish that consumes a lot of immortal money, I’ll raise it first. You can feast your eyes on it when you return to Fallen Mountain next time.”
Pei Qian suddenly asked, “Is this money coming from our family’s coffers, or is that Liu Xianyang forking it over?”

Zhu Lian chuckled, “The letter plainly states that the Young Master is to pay. It says you’re a big landowner now, so don’t be stingy with a bit of silver. If it truly pains you, then just bear with it.”

Pei Qian fumed, “Easy for him to say! Hurry up and return that cuttlefish. Stone Soft and I guard those two shops in Qilong Lane, and we only earn a dozen or so taels of silver a month!”

Zhu Lian gave her a sidelong glance, “If you have the guts, go tell Master yourself?”

Pei Qian instantly plastered on a smile, “Sending a flying sword message costs money. What’s there to say? Let it be. This Liu Xianyang, Master might not be comfortable speaking his mind, but I’ll give him a piece of mine later.”

Zhu Lian scoffed, “You? By then, the whole of Decline Mountain will be reeking of your flattery!”

Pei Qian sat on the steps, silent and sulky.

Zhu Lian paid her no mind. Kids were all the same. Happy days, gloomy days, it was all the same in the end.

After that, waves of people arrived at Decline Mountain.

Even Zhu Lian was somewhat surprised.

One was Lu Baixiang, who not only came himself but also brought two burdens in tow.

At the time, Zhu Lian was basking in the sun with Zheng Dafeng at the mountain gate.

Lu Baixiang wasn’t a stranger to Zheng Dafeng, so he simply moved a bench over and sat down beside him.

This left the brother and sister, who held their master in “godlike reverence,” completely bewildered.

An old geezer and a hunchbacked man showed not a shred of respect or awe upon seeing their master?

The boy was alright, but the girl, with a wooden spear slung across her back, had a chilling look in her eyes, her already sharp demeanor radiating an aura that kept people at arm’s length.

Lu Baixiang didn’t care, and naturally, those around him wouldn’t fuss over it either.

After some casual conversation, it turned out that Lu Baixiang had stopped in the south-central region of Treasure Bottle Continent. He first gathered a band of desperate horse bandits and brigands from the borderlands, remnants of a fallen elite cavalry from the southernmost vassal state of the Vermilion Fluorescence Dynasty. Later, Lu Baixiang led them to seize a mountain stronghold, a hidden lair of a demonic sect, isolated from the world and with a decent foundation. During this time, Lu Baixiang had taken the brother and sister as his personal disciples. The spirited girl with the wooden spear was named Yuanbao (Gold Nugget), and her younger brother was called Yuanlai (Coming Fortune), gentle in temperament and a budding scholar. He possessed good talent and aptitude for martial arts, but his personality was inferior to his sister’s.

Lu Baixiang considered it a bargain he picked up by the roadside and brought them to Decline Mountain to broaden their horizons. Whether they returned to the pugilistic world or stayed on the mountain was up to the two disciples themselves.

Lu Baixiang was somewhat regretful to hear that Chen Ping’an had just left Decline Mountain for the Northern Entirety Continent.

He would be missing out on a hearty drinking session.

Lu Baixiang planned to stay on Decline Mountain for a month or so.

There was no shortage of houses on the mountain. As Zhu Lian put it, the family was big and the estate was grand now.

Zhu Lian told Lu Baixiang to find a house himself, as he wanted to chat with Brother Dafeng.

Lu Baixiang smiled, rose to his feet, and bid farewell. Zheng Dafeng invited Lu Baixiang to come drink whenever he had the time, to which Lu Baixiang readily agreed.

The girl, Yuanbao, snorted coldly.

The boy, Yuanlai, was somewhat bashful.

As they ascended the mountain, Lu Baixiang was filled with emotion. What he had seen and heard during this trip to the Rooted Pearl Blessed Land, which had fallen from the sky, had naturally given rise to thoughts that the two children couldn’t comprehend.

The girl wore a dark expression, exuding a sharp aura.

The boy, who had always been afraid of his decisive sister, didn’t even dare to walk side by side with her. The master walked in the front, followed by the sister, with him bringing up the rear.

Lu Baixiang didn’t turn around and said with a slight smile, “That hunched-over old man is called Zhu Lian, and he is now a martial artist in the Distant Excursion Realm.”

The girl thought she must have misheard.

Lu Baixiang continued, “As for that hunchbacked man who you thought was leering at you, he’s called Zheng Dafeng. When I first met him at a pharmacy in Old Dragon City, he was a Peak of the Mountain Realm martial artist, just one step, or even half a step, away from becoming a tenth-realm martial artist.”

Yuanbao pursed her lips tightly.

Lu Baixiang wore a narrow sabre at his waist and was dressed in white as he continued to ascend the mountain, saying slowly, “I’m telling you this not to make you fear them, nor do I feel any inferiority in interacting with them. I still have some confidence in reaching the summit of martial arts. So, I’m just letting you understand one thing: there are mountains beyond mountains, skies beyond skies. If you want to speak with confidence in the future, you need to have enough skill, or you’ll just become a joke. It’s fine if you embarrass yourself, but if you embarrass me, once or twice is alright, but after the third time, I’ll teach you how to be a disciple.”

Yuanbao raised an eyebrow, “Master, rest assured! One day, Master will realize that taking Yuanbao as a disciple was the right decision!”

Yuanlai secretly chuckled.

His sister had always loved to compete and be the best.

Lu Baixiang suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked down at the girl, “Everything else is negotiable, but there’s one thing you must remember well. If you ever meet a man named Chen Ping’an, remember to be polite.”

Yuanbao’s forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat, and she nodded, “Understood!”

After Lu Baixiang and his two disciples settled in, the matter of adding Yuanbao and Yuanlai’s names to the “Ancestral Hall” genealogy could only be temporarily put on hold since the Mountain Master of Decline Mountain was absent.

Lu Baixiang and Zhu Lian were of one mind on this matter: if they brought someone to Decline Mountain, they had to be registered under Decline Mountain, no discussion needed.

After that, another trio visited Decline Mountain.

It was the blind old Daoist, the limping young man carrying the banner, and the round-faced girl nicknamed Little Wine.

However, they first went to the shops in Qilong Lane, and Pei Qian led the way back to Decline Mountain together.

The blind old Daoist was still somewhat apprehensive. Upon hearing that Chen Ping’an wasn’t on the mountain, he felt that the matter of joining might not be reliable. However, after discussing it with the manager Zhu of Decline Mountain, he felt much more at ease. After chatting, the blind old Daoist realized that he seemed to have both face and substance. He wasn’t yet a formal offering to Decline Mountain, but he received a salary as a guest elder and settled down at the thatched shop in Qilong Lane. As for the old Daoist’s two disciples, they could only obtain guest elder status after reaching the middle five realms. However, before that, Decline Mountain would provide them with financial assistance, and they could each advance a sum of immortal money. All of this was negotiable.

It was both an exchange of favors and a business transaction, both mutually beneficial.

The key was that even he, an old blind man, could see a bright future right before his eyes.

This made the blind old Daoist feel as refreshed as if he had drunk a large bowl of iced wine on a scorching summer day.

When he descended Decline Mountain, he was practically floating.
After all, that Zhu Lian, the steward of the Fallen Mountain, couldn’t be dissuaded. He insisted on personally escorting them all the way to the mountain gate.

Pei Qian still accompanied the master and disciples as they left Fallen Mountain. Running back and forth like this didn’t feel tiring. Besides, she could reunite with Little White after a long separation and playfully bicker, which was quite nice.

Just then, Pei Qian turned her head and saw the old cook slowly climbing the mountain, his hands clasped behind his back.

Pei Qian scratched her head. Above the towering building in the old cook’s mind, there seemed to be a blurry figure of a young man. What was that phrase from the books? Clothes fluttering in the wind. Anyway, it was something like that.

Lotus Root Blessing Land, the capital of Southern Garden Kingdom.

A narrow alleyway, drenched in drizzling rain.

A slender young man in a green robe, as beautiful as jade, slowly walked along, holding an old oil-paper umbrella.

Today, he was going to borrow books from Zhong Qiu, who was both his teacher and the Imperial Preceptor of the Southern Garden Kingdom, some rare books that couldn’t be found anywhere else in the world.

Regarding the imperial examination, Master Zhong had already frankly said that whether he could be among the top three in the palace examination still depended on fate. Furthermore, considering his young age, the imperial court and His Majesty also had some concerns. However, a high ranking in the second class was definitely not difficult.

Therefore, he was now focusing less on the imperial examination essays and began to peruse many dusty ancient books and miscellaneous writings.

After his heart-to-heart talk with Master Zhong, he was allowed to read that portion of his private collection.

At the corner of the street, an acquaintance he hadn’t seen for many years walked out.

He was extremely handsome, with a smile on his face, looking at the umbrella-wielding young man.

One hand behind his back, he held a folding fan, gently tapping his abdomen.

Lu Tai.

The most famous Young Master Lu in the world.

The young man revealed a brilliant smile and hurried over.

Over the years, Master Zhong occasionally mentioned this “outsider” who disappeared after leaving the capital, always with deep concern. Neither friend nor foe, yet seeming like both, a very complicated relationship.

But for the young man, this Mr. Lu was a very important figure, someone he was close to and respected.

Lu Tai sized up the young man in the green robe and clicked his tongue. “A cup of wine in the peach and plum spring breeze, ten years of lamplight in the Jianghu night rain. This phrase is truly fitting, Little Qinglang. It’s been ten years since we last met, hasn’t it?”

Cao Qinglang first put away the umbrella, bowed respectfully, and then held the umbrella for Lu Tai, smiling, “I often hear of Mr. Lu’s exploits in the Jianghu.”

These ten years in the Jianghu and on the battlefield had been tumultuous, filled with bloodshed.

This Mr. Lu had unified the Demon Sect, and his disciples were now either powerful demon lords dominating a region, pillars of the frontier army beyond the Great Wall, or legendary Imperial Preceptors capable of summoning wind and rain.

And just recently, Mr. Lu formally challenged the number one person in the world, going to challenge that transcendent being, Immortal Yu Zhenyi, who was universally recognized as being no less powerful than the demon lord Ding Ying.

Ten years, neither short nor long.

There were actually many grievances and affections caused by this Mr. Lu in the world.

But Cao Qinglang just focused on studying and… silently cultivating, guarding this alley and the ancestral home.

Lu Tai waved his hand, indicating that he didn’t need him to hold the umbrella.

Cao Qinglang then moved aside a step, holding the umbrella alone, without insisting.

There was never a need to be polite with this Mr. Lu.

The two walked together on the desolate street. Lu Tai asked with a smile, “Any plans?”

Cao Qinglang slightly raised the oil-paper umbrella, moved it back, and then looked up. “I want to go out and see the world, to meet Mr. Chen.”

Lu Tai laughed, “That won’t be easy. Just reading books won’t do. Even if you learn the martial arts of Imperial Preceptor Zhong and those scraps of immortal techniques he found for you, it’s still not enough.”

Cao Qinglang smiled. “Within the books lies the Jade Capital, with towers forty-eight thousand feet high, where immortals lean on railings, holding lotus flowers.”

Lu Tai turned to look. “That silly look, it really resembles him.”

Cao Qinglang finally revealed a bit of the youthful innocence befitting his age, excitedly. “Really, even just a little bit?”

Lu Tai teased, “Is it worth being so proud of having a few similarities with him? Do you know that if you were in our hometown, you would have an exceptionally remarkable aptitude for cultivation. As for him, only of earth immortal level. Well, simply put, according to common sense, his greatest achievement in his lifetime would only be slightly higher than that dogshit Immortal Yu Zhenyi. You were young back then, and Lotus Root Blessing Land wasn’t as spiritually rich and suitable for cultivation as it is now. That’s why his brief visit seemed so glamorous. It would be much harder now.”

Cao Qinglang shook his head, pointed his finger at the highest point in the sky. This young man in green robe, radiant and full of spirit, “In my heart, Mr. Chen is higher than the heavens beyond the heavens!”

Lu Tai was speechless with laughter.

Well, Chen Ping’an, you’re something else. After a trip to the Temple of Observation, you actually have such an adoring little fool.

Lu Tai became serious. “Do you know that even the ascension here in your hometown is still extremely risky?”

Cao Qinglang nodded. “So if someday, I fail like the sages before me, I will have to trouble Mr. Lu to deliver a message for me, saying ‘Cao Qinglang has been doing well all these years, but he misses his teacher a bit’.”

Lu Tai sighed, with a crisp sound, closed his folding fan and smacked it hard on Cao Qinglang’s head. “Have the ability to tell him yourself!”

Cao Qinglang held the umbrella with one hand and rubbed his head with the other, helplessly. “Then I’m not as good as Mr. Chen again.”

The ferry of Bone Beach had already docked at Changchun Palace and then ascended again.

The other party still hadn’t appeared.

Chen Ping’an wasn’t in a hurry.

He continued to practice his boxing.

As the intercontinental ferry was about to leave the borders of Treasure Bottle Continent, Chen Ping’an finished his boxing stance, went to open the door. In the corridor, a petite woman in palace attire, a young emperor not wearing a dragon robe, and someone Chen Ping’an was more familiar with, the Mohist swordsman, Xu Ruo, with his sword behind his back, walked over.

Chen Ping’an opened the door, not standing at the door to greet them, pretending not to know any of the three.

Walking back into the room, Chen Ping’an stood by the table, not taking a seat first.

After the three entered the room, the woman went straight to the opposite side of the table, smiled and reached out her hand, “Please sit, Young Master Chen.”

Chen Ping’an smiled.

The young man had a face full of smiles, but didn’t speak, slightly turned sideways, just staring straight at the contemporary who had risen from Mud Lane to Fallen Mountain.

Xu Ruo said softly with a smile, “Chen Ping’an, long time no see.”

Chen Ping’an then clasped his fist and said, “Mr. Xu, long time no see.”

The atmosphere in the small room was quite strange.
The woman covered her mouth and giggled, “What are we doing here? Everyone, please sit. At the end of the day, aren’t we all family? Let’s not stand on ceremony.”

However, as soon as the four of them were seated, the atmosphere turned heavy once more.

Xu Ruo had already begun to close his eyes to conserve his energy.

Song He, the new Emperor of the Great Li Dynasty, who now virtually possessed half of Treasure Bottle Continent, sized up his surroundings with an air of self-importance. This was his first time boarding an intercontinental ferry. At first glance, it seemed somewhat novel, but upon closer inspection, it was merely so-so.

The dignified woman, who had transitioned from Great Li Consort to Great Li Empress Dowager, smiled at the azure-robed man across from her. Her opening words carried a hidden intent to create familiarity, “My Mu’er was fortunate to have had Mister Chen’s care during his years in Mud Jar Lane.”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly and replied, “It was nothing.”

From his expression to his wording, he was utterly impeccable. There was no trace of disrespect, but absolutely no hint of reverence either.

Privately, however, Chen Ping’an cursed in his heart, “You sly old fox!”

The corners of Xu Ruo’s lips twitched slightly upwards, but he quickly suppressed the expression, a fleeting moment that went unnoticed by the others.

(End of Chapter)