As the scholar regained consciousness, a splitting headache assaulted him. He found himself on the edge of a cliff, not far from a long iron chain bridge that resembled a serpent with a branch at each end, swaying slightly in the mountain wind.

His “Hundred-Eyed Glutton” Dharma Robe was gone, and the secret family talismans he had stored in his sleeves were naturally now in someone else’s pockets.

Moreover, he was bound by a golden Demon-Binding Rope. Looking down, he saw that its quality was quite high, crafted from two dragon whiskers. The old dragon must have been ancient. Compared to the so-called dragon whiskers from the Carp in Bronze-Green Lake, this was like the Moon Palace sprout from Lady of the Summer Palace meeting a real toad from the Guanghan Palace. Perhaps that was an exaggeration, but the difference was significant.

The scholar couldn’t help but chuckle wryly.

He didn’t struggle.

Because two Natal Flying Swords hovered, one before his brow and one behind his heart.

Thankfully, he hadn’t awakened from the Ancestral Hall’s Soul-Returning Lotus Lamp. That would have been the worst possible outcome.

The scholar sighed. “Good sir, since you’ve borrowed my things, remember to return them later.”

Not far away, a young rogue cultivator wearing a bamboo hat was sitting cross-legged on the cliff edge, practicing Sword Furnace Stance.

The man remained silent.

The scholar continued, “Good sir, this habit of yours, stripping people of their clothes, isn’t very good. The Dragon Robe worn by the King of Bones in Lady of the Summer Palace’s treasury, didn’t it disintegrate at a touch, just as I said? That Qingde Sect female cultivator’s Dharma Robe, I wasn’t lying, its quality was extremely ordinary, just like that ritual wine bowl from Qingde Sect’s Ancestral Hall; they’re both just Spirit Tools, won’t fetch a good price, unless you run into those cultivators who like to collect Dharma Robes, then there might be some profit.”

Chen Ping An still didn’t respond.

The scholar showed no sign of embarrassment or anger. It was just a Dharma Robe he couldn’t show off, it wasn’t like he was naked. It was the three golden talismans inside that he felt a pang for. One belonged to a branch of the Mountain Talisman lineage, named the Azure Cloud Mansion Talisman. It could transform into a true Thunder Citadel King’s Mansion. A cultivator within could withstand several strikes from a Nascent Soul cultivator’s Natal Magic Treasure. If it were a Golden Core cultivator, they wouldn’t be able to breach the gates in less than half an incense stick’s time. Another was the Jade Purity Brightness Talisman. When a cultivator threw it, it illuminated the Netherworld and shook demons and ghosts, covering a vast area, several miles around. It wasn’t meant for powerful cultivators, but specifically for breaking formations and extricating oneself from danger.

The last one was the most precious, a secret among secrets within his family’s tradition, the Cloud Piercing Severance Talisman. The talisman core contained four priceless Divine Lights. When activated, the Dharma Idols of the four ancient deities – Thunder God, Lightning Mother, Wind Earl, and Rain Master – would appear together, delivering a combined strike.

Earlier, in the backyard of the Guanghan Hall on Peeling Mountain, the talisman the scholar had been holding in his sleeve was this one.

But at the time, the other party was slippery too, with some hidden movements in his own sleeve. The scholar wasn’t sure of the other party’s strength, and the distance between them was close. The talisman’s power was too great, likely to shear off half of Peeling Mountain. Not wanting to kill a thousand enemies and injure eight hundred of his own, he also didn’t want to reveal his location, so he suppressed his killing intent.

As for the talisman that had been broken by the other party’s sword later, its killing power wasn’t small either, but it wasn’t as impressive as the Cloud Piercing Severance Talisman. Moreover, it didn’t belong to his family’s secret tradition, but was the signature technique of a talisman sect in the Northern Reed Continent, specifically designed to restrain swordsmen. So, in reality, even until that moment, the scholar hadn’t been forced to use his ultimate technique. He was just putting on a show of being in a tight spot.

His true intention was to deliberately create a huge commotion visible throughout the mountains, because the scholar was certain that the man would secretly return and hide somewhere, then probably wait for the right moment to assassinate him.

Wasn’t the scholar showing weakness on purpose, hoping to take the opportunity to kill the other party?

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.

Truly, the dao rises one foot, the devil rises ten.

The other party’s sword was very strange, too bizarre. A golden Earth Ancestor Palace Sword-Locking Talisman had failed to lock the other party’s sword. So, his long-prepared Earth Evasion Technique, and the second Severance Talisman in his sleeve, were rendered useless. Otherwise, with the talisman activated and him escaping, the other party would be dead or seriously injured, left to be finished off by the demons. Would he have survived?

And that fellow, he was even more of a drag, actually losing his mind temporarily, forcibly seizing control of most of his soul, dropping all defenses against this man. And what was the result? He was given a black eye without hesitation, leaving him in this predicament?

But the silver lining in this misfortune was that the other party hadn’t decisively killed him for his possessions, destroying the body to eliminate evidence.

Wasn’t this a bit of good fortune accumulated from the other party’s softheartedness?

Otherwise, when he woke up in the family clan, although he would barely save his life, it would be at the great cost of losing a soul and a spirit, damaging the foundation of his Great Dao. Even if the family had secret methods to compensate, it would delay his breakthrough by at least a century. At that time, would the family let this man off lightly? Forget about a ten-thousand-mile pursuit, even if you were a direct descendant of a sect with a “Zong” character in its name on another continent, they would still pursue you across continents. If it didn’t work in ten years, they’d do it in a hundred.

The Yang Clan of the Azure Cloud Palace under the Great Source Dynasty’s Bureau of Mystical Affairs was known throughout the continent for valuing kindness and repaying it greatly, while also holding grudges for a long time and seeking revenge ruthlessly.

Whether it was the three golden Ancestral Hall talismans he hadn’t used, or the Hundred-Eyed Glutton Robe, no matter how valuable they were, could they be more valuable than a cultivator’s life and Great Dao?

So, the scholar was very open-minded.

His father had always told him to suffer small losses on the path of cultivation.

The scholar asked with a smile, “Good sir, how did you manage to escape the demon encirclement with me? Must have taken a lot of effort, right?”

After completing the eighteen cycles of Sword Qi, Chen Ping An put away the Sword Furnace Stance and said, “It wasn’t too much trouble. The demons had been fighting you for too long, they were already exhausted. They were also afraid that besides me, there would be reinforcements, so they were all hesitant and timid. The encirclement and interception were just for show. But they did pester me for a while. In the end, I found an opening and ran south all the way to Ghost Valley. It’s just that they stripped you of your robe, and I couldn’t stop them, I feel very guilty.”

Chen Ping An smiled, “Wasn’t I afraid that after you woke up, you wouldn’t listen to a word of my explanation, and would start fighting me as soon as you opened your eyes? Wouldn’t that be an even bigger misunderstanding? Now, can we say that we’ve cleared the air?”

The scholar nodded. “Good sir not only has a chivalrous heart, but even more commendable is his meticulousness. I really can’t find a single flaw!”

Chen Ping An smiled slightly, “Brother Mu Mao, now can you tell me your surname? Friends in life and death, brothers in adversity, if you’re still being secretive, that wouldn’t be very good.”
The scholar smiled brightly, with utmost sincerity, “My surname is Yang, given name Mumu, born and raised in the Chongxuan Bureau of the Great Yuan Dynasty. Due to my decent aptitude and the ancestral connection to the Chongxuan Bureau, I was fortunate enough to become an inner disciple bestowed a surname by the Yuyi Prime Minister of the Cloud Firmament Palace. This journey south, before arriving at Ghost Domain Valley, left me with scant immortal coins. I planned to slay demons and exorcise evils in Ghost Domain Valley, accumulating karmic merit while earning a bit of coin to prepare a presentable birthday gift for a prince of the Great Yuan Dynasty, who is friendly with the Chongxuan Bureau.”

Since this person recognized the characters “Dragon Gate” on the stele, those three talismans were likely seen through.

Therefore, the scholar wouldn’t treat him like a fool, lest he become enraged and deliver another punch.

Chen Ping’an smiled knowingly, “This Great Yuan Dynasty’s Chongxuan Bureau, even a foreigner like me has heard of its grand reputation. I wonder if Brother Mumu knows that Yang Ningxing, the one with the innate Dao seed?”

The scholar rolled his eyes, “As an inner disciple of the Cloud Firmament Palace, how could I not know this famous little immortal? Not only do I know him, but I also know the eldest son, Yang Ningzhen, who enjoys traveling around. I have a decent relationship with both of them. Of course, these two are high and mighty direct descendants of the Yang family. My relationship with them is merely a nod of acquaintance, not a deep friendship.”

Seeing him hesitant and unconvinced, the scholar was helpless. He couldn’t possibly torture him, could he? But if he did, a magic binding rope and two flying swords might not be enough to restrain him.

Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “Earlier, when you were walking those stray dogs, were you trying to make me mistakenly believe I had a chance to beat a dog in the water, all for the sake of killing me?”

The scholar was about to fabricate an explanation when he suddenly frowned, a piercing pain in his brow. Lamenting, the scholar’s entire demeanor changed. Like the “pure Yang energy” he initially claimed to possess, a cultivator or pure martial artist could hide their aura and change their presence, but the innate and ethereal aura of a person was difficult to fake.

Chen Ping’an frowned, “Do you suffer from dissociative identity disorder? Are two souls vying for control?”

It was like brothers fighting within the same household, constantly arguing.

Generally, this was a great taboo for cultivators.

Once this happened, the path to breaking through for a Qi refiner was like climbing a mountain with a limp, exceedingly difficult. Reaching the Golden Core Earth Immortal realm would be a great fortune; aspiring to break through the Nascent Soul’s inner demons was simply a pipe dream.

The scholar sat upright, his eyes clear, and smiled, “To save me, you were severely injured and suffered great losses. That gold-colored miniature earth talisman you used was not only precious, but also somewhat related to my family’s talisman lineage. So, that magic robe ‘Hundred-Eyed Glutton’ and the three talismans in my sleeves will be my thanks. As for me, my name is certainly not Yang Mumu, but I am indeed from the Chongxuan Bureau of the Great Yuan Dynasty. However, I won’t tell you my real name; you can only guess.”

Chen Ping’an asked suspiciously, “After ‘he’ fell unconscious in his own small world, ‘you’ could still clearly see the outside world?”

The scholar nodded but didn’t say anything further.

Chen Ping’an said, “But the desire to kill me is your true intention.”

The scholar smiled, “Isn’t it also your true intention?”

Chen Ping’an was silent.

The scholar said, “Since you ultimately chose to save me instead of kill me, I felt it necessary to meet you again. The Great Dao competition I imagine should be upright and honorable, conducted in a fair and just manner. If you agree, we can choose a day, after our respective training is complete, to have a life-or-death battle on that Hardening Mountain? Also, one more thing I need to remind you: I always feel that someone is spying on you from afar in Ghost Domain Valley, intermittently and briefly. I can only vaguely sense that it’s somewhere to the north, with profound cultivation. Be careful.”

Chen Ping’an remained noncommittal.

The scholar laughed, “Next, I need to focus on refining that Dragon Gate stele, with no distractions. You’ll have to bear with the other ‘me’ when dealing with him. How should I put it? He’s like the evil in my heart—all thoughts, though I’ve shrunk them into a mustard seed, seem tiny but are actually immense and pure. Evil is truly evil, with no need to hide. His nature is uninhibited, but every time I’m distracted and allow him to control this body, I make a three-chapter agreement with him: too many rules cannot be broken. Oh, and when he acts, I can observe and see everything, using it to observe the Dao and temper my heart. But when I speak, he can only sleep.”

Chen Ping’an’s heart trembled. As he was about to speak, the scholar had already closed his eyes.

In that instant, Chen Ping’an noticed that as the scholar’s eyelids lowered, he seemed to glance at a spot to the side.

When he opened his eyes again, it was the familiar peeling mountain scholar, with an awkward expression as if he had soiled himself.

Both were silent for a moment.

Chen Ping’an spoke first, “Yang Ningxing, you’re quite something. One of the ten dragons and phoenixes of the Northern Majestic Continent, the Little Heavenly Lord of the Cloud Firmament Palace. Why hide such a prestigious title?”

The scholar looked bewildered.

Chen Ping’an sneered.

The scholar felt that the other “him” shouldn’t be so openhearted, so he continued to create confusion, saying helplessly, “If the Little Heavenly Lord of my Chongxuan Bureau heard that, he’d be angry. Yang Ningxing is a very rigid person and doesn’t take jokes well. I prefer to be with Yang Ningzhen. And that female Daoist who handles the Chongxuan Bureau’s dealings with the court is a truly beautiful and charming person. This trip, venturing into Ghost Domain Valley, is to make a name for myself, hoping she’ll think highly of me. Good Brother, your name is good and your abilities are even better. When you return to the Great Yuan Dynasty, you must meet her. She was only a young girl when she organized a grand Daoist ceremony, the Zhou Tian Grand Offering, the most intelligent person. When you see her, you’ll probably fall for her, but she won’t like you either. Then, we brothers can drown our sorrows together, suffering together, and our friendship will last forever!”

Chen Ping’an stood up, ignoring the person’s jesting. He surveyed his surroundings and, with a surge of Qi, retrieved the demon-binding rope into his hand. The First and Fifteenth also returned to his waist-hanging sword gourd.
The earlier glance from the scholar, before his mind fell into silence, was it a deliberate act of deception, meant to sow seeds of doubt in my mind? Or is there truly something profound about this mountain, a hidden master whose presence I cannot perceive? If it is so, is it the Nascent Soul Peak cultivator Pu Rang’s Yin spirit, wandering far and wide, concealed somewhere nearby? Or perhaps a reclusive master of even higher realm? Could it be the Small Profound Capital Temple or the Great Full Moon Monastery, unrecorded in the *Carefree Collection*? Or the heroic spirits north of the Ghost Domain Valley?

It is unlikely to be Jiang Shangzhen.

It would be normal for Jiang Shangzhen to keep a distant eye on the land, watching my movements, but to sneak here without revealing himself is simply not his style.

Regarding the Jade Tablet Sect’s plans in Shujian Lake, Jiang Shangzhen openly revealed some secrets back in the Painted Wall City.

Chen Ping’an believes most of it.

So for now, Jiang Shangzhen can be considered a friend rather than an enemy, or at least someone who wouldn’t plot against me.

To put it bluntly, if Jiang Shangzhen truly wanted to kill me, wouldn’t it be even easier than that green-robed skeleton who fancied himself a swordsman?

Right now, Chen Ping’an can only run for his life when facing a Nascent Soul cultivator.

But Jiang Shangzhen is renowned throughout Tongye Continent for his fondness for killing Nascent Soul cultivators among the Upper Five Realms.

Chen Ping’an sighed inwardly.

He silently told himself, *don’t rush*.

Cultivation is not like drinking; whether you gulp it down or sip slowly, it doesn’t matter much.

But one must eat one’s meals bite by bite, walk one’s path step by step, and earn one’s money coin by coin.

The scholar rose to his feet, stretching his limbs. “Good sir, do you truly possess two Natal Swords? The path of the swordsman is inherently one of devouring gold and silver; ordinary sword embryos, nurtured by a sect’s wealth and resources, barely sustain a single blade. How did you manage this? Just through wandering thousands of miles and engaging in banditry? It seems you, like me, rely on your status as a registered immortal, your sect’s nurturing inadequate, so you use the pretense of training to supplement your family’s income like a rogue cultivator?”

Chen Ping’an did not answer this question. He gazed northward and said, “I suffered a great loss to save you earlier. How do you plan to make up for it?”

The scholar rubbed his hands together and chuckled. “My Dharma robe and three talismans fell into the enemies’ hands, so naturally, I must retrieve them.”

Chen Ping’an glanced at him. “That makes sense. Then we’ll go our separate ways. You can retrieve your lost items, and I wish you fame and fortune in Ghost Domain Valley, while I will honestly pick up the scraps left behind.”

The scholar exclaimed in dismay, “That won’t do at all! I’ve made mortal enemies of those demons. If I show my face, I’ll be swarmed and attacked; they’ll all go mad with bloodlust! My situation will be even worse then. No, no, I don’t feel safe without good sir watching my back. Strangely, with good sir by my side, I feel incredibly brave, unafraid of ascending to the heavens or descending into the earth, of dragon’s lairs or tiger’s dens!”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Now that you’ve lost your protective Dharma robe and talismans, what good are you to me? Are you just a burden?”

The scholar raised his palm, revealing an object, then quickly waved the other sleeve to shroud it with spiritual energy. It was a small, purple flying sword. He smiled and said, “A mountain man always has some treasures hidden away. This sword is called Purple Ganoderma, modeled after the flying sword of a Great Sword Immortal from our Northern Julu Continent. It isn’t a swordsman’s Natal Sword, but its aura surpasses even that. It’s perfect for pretending to be a Great Sword Immortal and scaring people! It’s a unique skill from Hate Sword Mountain, famous throughout the world, on par with the protective spiritual armor forged by the Sanlang Temple!”

Chen Ping’an pointed at the longsword behind him. “Do I need you to scare people? Can’t you show some sincerity?”

The scholar awkwardly put away the astonishingly-aired Purple Ganoderma and flipped his hand again, revealing a small object: a copper seal with a Chi Dragon knob. His expression turned solemn. “This is the last, the very last hidden treasure! Crushing it will summon a Chi Dragon with incredible battle prowess, capable of overturning mountains and seas. But it can only be used once. I borrowed it from the Cloud Citadel Treasury, after begging that Master Qian of the Chongxuan Department.”

Chen Ping’an looked at this Brother Mu Mao.

The scholar smiled back.

Chen Ping’an began to wonder, if he were to truly fight to the death, what are his chances?

In the Hibiscus Goddess’s Cold Palace, he thought he had a seventy or eighty percent chance, but now, it seems at most fifty-fifty?

The reason is simple: that Purple Ganoderma is indeed a replica, not a mountain-top Immortal’s Natal treasure, perfect for frightening Nascent Soul cultivators.

But it is even more suitable for killing Golden Core cultivators.

Adding that Chi Dragon-knobbed seal of unknown depth, if used by a true scholar, he would have both offense and defense. What if he also possessed a Dharma robe of even higher quality, and wore a treasure armor covering his body? After all, that so-called Hundred-Eyed Taotie Dharma robe was just a disguise for this scholar. How could a Chongxuan Department true disciple, possibly a born Dao seed, lack an ancestral Dharma robe or treasure armor to protect himself when venturing down the mountain?

The scholar’s eyes were resentful, his face filled with grievance as he said, “Good sir, why are you silent? Are you perhaps overtaken by greed? I can’t defeat you anyway, so I’ll have to take out my Dharma robe and spiritual armor to save my life.”

“Didn’t you say the copper seal was your last treasure?”

Chen Ping’an said, “It’s truly amazing to be rich. I’m afraid of you.”

The scholar sighed. “My shimei once said that when training outside, if one’s abilities are mediocre, one must be even more careful not to trust others completely.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Let’s go.”

The scholar rubbed his fists together. “Are we going to the Mountain-Moving Great Sage’s peak, or back to Ground-Emerging Mountain to reclaim our honor?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Let’s follow that black river and look for the Old Dragon’s Cave.”

The scholar asked doubtfully, “Why?”

Chen Ping’an began to walk down the mountain ridge, slowly explaining, “The Ground-Emerging Mountain’s Mountain Protecting Grand Formation has been torn to shreds by you. Those demons must have gathered at that Mountain-Moving Ape’s peak by now. Perhaps that Dust-Clearing Perfected Lord of Ground-Emerging Mountain has either hidden her treasures securely or taken them with her to her allies. Are we going to Ground-Emerging Mountain to drink the northwest wind? Or are we going to the Mountain-Moving Ape’s peak to fight them head-on? To be surrounded and beaten up again?”

The scholar struck his palm with his fist and praised, “That’s right! Good sir is truly cunning. Those two Soft-Shelled Turtles didn’t show their faces during the Ground-Emerging Mountain battle; in your words, they showed no chivalry. So even if we go to cause them trouble, the demons on the Mountain-Moving Ape’s side will likely hold a grudge and refuse to help.”
Chen Ping’an coldly sneered: “What I’m worried about now is whether the backer of the Summer Retreating Consort, whom you slaughtered and ate, will come seeking revenge. Tell me, who exactly is this patron saint?”

The scholar chuckled: “It’s an old Nascent Soul Yin Spirit from Ghost Domain Valley, quite famous among the northern cities. He even dares to defy the orders of the Jingguan City Lord. In life, he was a great general of the Divine Strategy Kingdom, with outstanding achievements. While alive, he was never praised for his divine military strategies, but after his death, later strategists revered him for his orthodox rather than unorthodox tactics, earning him high praise in the annals of history. If not for the fact that the foolish emperor he served fell for a divisive plot, forcing him to lead his troops into a fatal attack, wiping out thirty-some members of his family, both young and old, triggering a chain reaction, then the final outcome of the Battle of Skeleton Beach would have been hard to predict.”

The scholar paused for a moment, a touch of melancholy in his voice. “As for how the Summer Retreating Consort managed to latch onto this heroic spirit, I’m not an all-knowing immortal, so I wouldn’t know.”

Suddenly, a withered old monk materialized beside the ancient turtle.

Compared to the mountain-like ancient turtle, the old monk was almost insignificant.

But in Chen Ping’an’s eyes, the old monk’s presence was so towering that the ancient turtle seemed as small as a mustard seed.

The old monk pressed his palms together, chanted a Buddhist verse, and asked: “May I, this old monk, bring this turtle back to the Great Full Moon Temple?”

The scholar smiled: “I don’t mind. You’ll have to ask my brother here; only his nod counts.”

The ancient turtle cried out in sorrow: “Monk, save me! Save me! I know I was wrong. I will cultivate diligently in the temple from now on, for a thousand years, ten thousand years, and never dare to leave without permission.”

The old monk looked towards Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an simply met the old monk’s gaze, asking: “Whether it knows its wrongs, I do not care. I only want to be certain that this old turtle can atone for its sins of these past years.”

The ancient turtle wanted to speak, but found itself unable to utter a single word.

The old monk remained with his palms pressed together, nodding: “This poor monk can guarantee that the old turtle’s future cultivation, after making amends, will involve doing good deeds and reaping good karma. It will be more beneficial to this world than simply killing it now.”

Chen Ping’an said nothing more.

The old monk’s face revealed a smile, nodding slightly, then looking towards the opposite bank, chanting a Buddhist verse and silently reciting, “Turn back to the shore.”

As the short but wide-robed old monk turned, the ancient turtle and he vanished without a trace.

The scholar casually retrieved the descending copper seal, now without a “foothold.”

Chen Ping’an stood in place, lost in thought.

The scholar laughed: “Good Man, you’re really brave. Do you know the background of that high monk?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head: “I don’t. There’s no record in the ‘Collection of Reassurances’. I only knew about the Great Full Moon Temple in Ghost Domain Valley when I passed by that peach grove.”

The scholar rubbed his face with both hands, sighing: “If the secret records of the Court of Profound Mysteries are not mistaken, that old monk is the second golden-bodied Arhat and the foremost Immovable Mountain of our Northern Reed Continent. If the old monk stands still without dodging or blocking, even a Nascent Soul sword cultivator’s life-bound flying sword, after stabbing him for the duration of a joss stick, will result in the sword breaking before the monk is harmed. If it were me, I would never dare to bargain with the old monk like that. The moment he appeared, I would have been prepared to obediently hand over the old turtle. But your luck is really good, Good Man. The old monk didn’t get angry but smiled instead. We brothers, at least, didn’t form an enmity with that Great Full Moon Temple.”

Chen Ping’an slowly said: “To attain such enlightenment, one must have such a heart.”

The scholar’s head ached. “Oh dear,” he cried. “Good Man, don’t say such things. I’m a Daoist disciple and can’t stand hearing them.”

Suddenly, Chen Ping’an spat out a mouthful of blood, walked to the melting ice surface, now without the ancient turtle’s magical support, sat down cross-legged, and grabbed a handful of ice, casually smearing it on his face.

Blood still flowed incessantly from his seven orifices.

Chen Ping’an stared blankly, a hint of a smile on his face.

The scholar squatted nearby, his eyes wide, and asked softly: “Good Man, in such a state of turbulent soul and trembling bones, don’t you feel any pain at all?”

Chen Ping’an twitched the corner of his mouth, gazing into the distance: “Would you believe me if I said it was like being tickled?”

The scholar nodded vigorously. “I believe you!”

But in his heart, he muttered: *I believe you like hell.*

The scholar began to count silently, wanting to see when the blood on that guy’s face would finally stop flowing.

Chen Ping’an turned his head and asked: “What about that Overturning Sea Yuanjun?”

The scholar smiled: “I’ve bound her with a Demon Binding Rope. She’s at my beck and call.”

Chen Ping’an’s expression was strange.

The scholar smiled: “Are you saying that only Good Man is allowed to have a Demon Binding Cord, and I, Yang Mucao, am not allowed to have a Demon Binding Rope?”

The scholar extended a hand, and a snow-white rope emerged from his palm. With a gentle flick, the burly woman was flung out from under the frozen river surface in the far distance, as if someone was dragging her by the hair all the way, and in the blink of an eye, she was dragged to the scholar’s feet.

Chen Ping’an’s eyelids twitched slightly.

*Just how many “trump cards” does this guy have?*

The scholar asked: “How should we deal with her? Good Man, you give the word, and I’ll follow your lead!”

Chen Ping’an said: “As long as she is willing to open her own cave abode, she can live.”

The scholar nodded and smiled at the little turtle: “Did you hear that?”

But the woman did something strange. After glancing at Chen Ping’an, she turned to look at the scholar: “I want you to make a poisonous oath before I open the door.”

The scholar laughed heartily, then raised his fingers, restrained his laughter, coughed a few times, and said solemnly: “Alright, alright, I, Yang Mucao, swear to the heavens…”

The woman suddenly burst into tears: “I know I am doomed to die! You are all liars! Big liars!”

Chen Ping’an narrowed his eyes.

The scholar’s expression changed slightly, and he suddenly smiled: “Forget it, let’s spare her. I have other uses for her life. The Great Source Dynasty happens to be short of a River Goddess. If I successfully recommend her, it would be a meritorious deed. It’s more worthwhile than killing her and accumulating yin virtue.”

After getting far away from Chen Ping’an,

She suddenly said cautiously: “Why didn’t the Immortal Master take advantage of that person’s weakness to kill him and be done with it?”

The scholar’s fingers turned into claws, and he grabbed her head, roaring: “Do I, your lord, need you to teach me what to do?!”

The woman, feeling as if her head was about to explode, howled in agony, begging for mercy.

The scholar threw her aside, muttering: “Damn it, if I could kill that guy, I’d be willing to pay half my life… But if it’s more than half my life, then it’s hard to say, and what’s more… what if I die?”
A bit vexed, the scholar smacked the leading River Subduing Yuanjun, sending her sprawling face-first into the mud, then kicked her savagely forward.

The woman tumbled through the water, barely managing to stop herself. She didn’t dare rise, feeling as if she’d rather be dead.

The scholar finally stopped, saying, “Hurry up and lead the way!”

He slapped his forehead, a wry smile on his face, and produced a water-repelling pearl from thin air, one he hadn’t been sucking on.

His true colors were revealed.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

That fellow had never intended to follow him into the water in the first place. There was no point in hiding his innate affinity for water any longer.

The ice on the river was melting faster and faster.

Chen Pingan stood up and returned to the shore.

He looked around.

In the depths of winter, heaven and earth were bleak.

Chen Pingan slowly breathed in and out, recuperating.

About half an hour later, the scholar returned alone. Chen Pingan didn’t ask where the River Subduing Yuanjun had gone.

“Let’s be frank. That slut had to tidy up her belongings, some bulky but worthless items, and squeeze as much as she could from her underlings. Spending time with Good Fellow Chen, I should learn some of his money-making tricks.”

The scholar laughed, “Come on, let’s go to the shrine and divide the loot. It’s more atmospheric there.”

Chen Pingan had no objections.

The two entered the shrine and sat facing each other on the steps outside the main hall. With a wave of his sleeve, a heap of items, large and small, tumbled to the ground, a dazzling array of riches.

The scholar boasted, “Knowing that Good Fellow Chen is a master of extracting every last feather, I brought back everything that seemed even remotely valuable, regardless of its worth. One magical artifact, twelve spiritual instruments. As for spirit coins, I swear I’m not lying, they were all in the old turtle’s cave. That little turtle, about to become the water goddess, is shockingly poor, I only managed to squeeze out 18,000 snowflake coins. Good Fellow Chen, I put my heart and soul into it, you wouldn’t believe it, I almost smashed those giant screen panels…”

After a long while, the scholar returned, standing on the steps, looking down at the two broken pieces of hairpin, shaking his head, “What a pity, they weren’t collected. Otherwise, I could have blown up your pocket dimension.”

He carefully placed the two pieces of jade hairpin into his sleeve, not his pocket dimension, before finally leaving.

This time, the scholar didn’t tunnel through the earth, but brazenly flew over the Black River, the surging water parting before him, remaining divided for a long time.

The scholar’s sleeves billowed, snapping in the wind. He muttered, “Too much leisure leads to stray thoughts and weeds growing wild. Too much business causes true nature to recede, scattering like birds and beasts. So, carefree body and mind, and the pleasures of nature, are hard to come by.”

He flew south along the Black River, merely glancing at Treasure Mirror Mountain, but not getting any closer.

This was the only request his family had made for this trip.

Do not approach Treasure Mirror Mountain.

The scholar flicked his wrist, revealing the demon-binding rope in his hand. The other end was tied to the River Subduing Yuanjun, the burly woman dragged out of the water.

The scholar twisted his wrist again, slamming her back into the Black River.

A wave ten feet high crashed into the air.

The scholar landed at the southern end of the Black River, and put away the demon-binding rope. The woman stood shakily beside him.

The scholar started walking south, and she followed behind, her heart filled with fear.

The scholar didn’t stop walking, turning his head and smiling, “You have a heartless father, but luckily you followed a master like me, the most江湖-spirited one. So, did you bring the thing?”

The woman quickly took out a small black-gold celadon water container from her sleeve, and said in a trembling voice, “I went to the Old Dragon Cave and brought out the pair of Ying fish that my father painstakingly raised for eight hundred years. I also sent a message to my father’s confidant, telling them that if that person sneaks into the Old Dragon Cave and triggers the mechanism, they should immediately lower the four dragon-locking walls to trap him. Even if he manages to escape, the demons who received the secret message will be waiting there. That guy will lose a layer of skin even if he doesn’t die.”

The scholar put away the small water container, gently shook it, stared at it, and smiled, “This is the unexpected wealth I most wanted to obtain on this trip.”

The scholar turned to look at the Old Dragon Cave of the Black River, “As for that place, it’s probably a waste of effort. He won’t go. Right, Good Fellow Chen?”

The woman couldn’t help but swallow.

Are cultivators outside Ghost Valley all so cunning?

The scholar glanced at her, and put the water container into his sleeve, “Don’t worry, not everyone is like us. But you’re a bit too stupid. You can’t just grow old without growing a brain. As the River Mother, whether you can become a proper Water Goddess depends on yourself. I don’t raise trash here. By the way, besides this pair of Ying fish, didn’t you get any bright ideas and snag something else?”

The woman nodded like a chicken pecking rice, and quickly took out a palm-sized jade box, “Yes, yes, my father said this is a mother coin cast by a reclusive immortal of the Qingde Sect at the request of the last emperor of one of the dynasties.”

She said with a mournful face, “I was afraid that the master would get impatient, so I rushed on my way. There were only these two treasures in my father’s secret room. After taking the water container with the Ying fish, and then taking this box, I hurried back and didn’t dare to take anything else.”

The scholar took the jade box, opened it, and啧啧 sighed, “It really is a great treasure, the perfect natal item that any merchant cultivator would dream of.”

The scholar smiled, “Very good, from this moment on, you are already the undisputed legitimate River God of the Great Yuan Dynasty, only lacking an imperial edict. It doesn’t matter, I have a lot of edicts with the imperial seal at home, accumulated year after year.”

She couldn’t believe it, hearing good news after disaster, it was like a lifetime away.

The scholar had already turned around and continued on his way, laughing, “If I’m willing, what’s so difficult about making you a River Goddess?”

Her steps became lighter, and she was filled with gratitude towards that back figure.

The scholar smiled, relaxed, and enjoyed the scenery.

Letting her be promoted from River Mother to River God.

It’s not because of a mother coin.

It’s not that it’s not valuable.

It’s that a servant’s belongings naturally belong to the master. Handing them over with both hands and receiving a few words of praise is already a great reward. If you dare not to hand them over proactively, you’ll be beaten half to death. Thunder and rain are all imperial grace.
In the end, he was still giving a favorable push out of consideration for the Great Round Moon Temple. After all, that old snapping turtle would most likely be under the watchful eyes of their Yang clan… navigating the river.

With this auspicious connection as a foundation, many of his plans could proceed smoothly and naturally.

But as he thought of this, his expression instantly darkened.

Plans?

For whom was he planning? Himself?

The mere thought of that fellow’s final glance in the ancestral hall filled him with displeasure.

That look wasn’t gloating, not even pity.

It was indescribable, leaving him both perplexed and resentful!

Because he was actually starting to feel sorry for himself!

He suddenly thought of the iron chain bridge between the two cliffs, and the two ant-like demons.

Kill them!

Consider it a farewell gift to that virtuous brother.

But at this moment, he stopped, his face contorting.

Then his expression slowly relaxed.

“Enough. A pact is not child’s play.”

It turned out that the true Yang Ningxing had returned, smiling, “A long journey of ten thousand miles, with much to gain, and a successful withdrawal. What dissatisfaction could there be?”

The Overturning Sea Yuanjun also sensed the change in the person ahead and stopped, filled with panic.

She saw the man turn around, his expression gentle, his entire demeanor completely different from before in her eyes. She heard him smile and say, “Let me introduce myself, I am Yang Ningxing, from the Chongxuan Bureau of the Great Yuan Dynasty, Yunxiao Palace.”

The woman was about to instinctively kneel and kowtow.

The scholar raised his hand gently, preventing her from kneeling.

The scholar said softly, “On the path of cultivation together, you and I are already fellow Daoists. From now on, you must neither be arrogant nor belittle yourself.”

The woman sobbed uncontrollably, “This servant remembers! I will never forget my master’s teachings!”

The scholar smiled wryly, shook his head, and said nothing more.

He continued on his way with her.

The scholar glanced in the direction of Baojing Mountain, wondering what was happening there.

That Wei Gaowu came running again, then knelt abruptly ten steps away from the young woman, prostrating on the ground, choking with sobs, “I beg the immortal maiden to teach me the Dao! Wei Gaowu is willing to be a beast of burden for the immortal maiden. On the path of cultivation, no matter the level of cultivation, Wei Gaowu will have no regrets, even in death!”

Li Liu smiled, “You are not worthy to be my beast of burden.”

Wei Gaowu wept and kowtowed incessantly, only pleading for her to impart the Dao.

At the winding palace, the entrance guard had changed from two imps holding wooden spears to only one.

Chen Pingan smiled and walked slowly towards it.

The little rat spirit was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up, holding the wooden spear, and shouted, “Who are you? State your name!”

In fact, it had already recognized the person in front of it, but it still had to put on a show.

Chen Pingan waved his hand, signaling that it didn’t need to pretend, and asked, “Your old ancestor lost a box of military books, didn’t he vent his anger on you?”

If that demon-subduing great immortal still dared to stay in this winding palace, Chen Pingan would willingly and sincerely call him a great immortal.

The commotion at Black River was no small matter, and the pitiful fate of the God of Thunder was probably common knowledge.

Although the little minion had transformed into a human face, its rat spirit nature could still be vaguely recognized, as its cultivation was still shallow.

It scratched its head, “Reporting to the Sword Immortal, my old ancestor came back late. By that time, I had already woken up on my own. Fearing that the old ancestor would suspect, I slammed myself against the gate twice more, barely managing to knock myself unconscious. I didn’t expect that when I woke up again, the old ancestor hadn’t returned yet, so I steeled my heart and slammed myself once more. That’s how I waited for the old ancestor to return. After kicking me awake, I pretended to know nothing and was unconscious. The old ancestor couldn’t bother with me and ran to check the tunnel. I quickly slipped away, dug into the ground, and hid far away from the winding palace. As expected, the old ancestor couldn’t find me, so he flew away on clouds.”

Chen Pingan sat on the steps. The little rat spirit hesitated for a moment and also sat down, but at a distance.

It wanted to sit closer and absorb some immortal qi from this Sword Immortal, but it didn’t have the courage.

Chen Pingan asked with a smile, “Where is the book I gave you?”

The little rat spirit pointed to the place where it buried the book, smiling happily, “Reporting to the Sword Immortal, it’s well hidden there, I didn’t dare to take it out, thinking of carefully reading it in a while. Just like you said, Sword Immortal, it would be a big trouble if my old ancestor found out. The book said, this is called ‘a small impatience ruins great plans.’ Sword Immortal, is that how it’s used?”

Chen Pingan held back his laughter and nodded, “It can be used that way.”

The little rat spirit hugged the wooden spear, grinning foolishly.

Perhaps it felt like it had done something remarkable?

Chen Pingan put his hands in his sleeves, bent slightly, and turned to ask, “If possible, would you like to go out and take a look at the world?”

The little rat spirit nodded, “Of course, I want to! My old ancestor said that books outside, no matter what they are about, or who the sage who wrote them, are sold very cheaply, like they’re free. I want to buy some books and bring them back.”

Chen Pingan asked again, “And come back?”

The little rat spirit hummed and looked shy. “This is my home.”

It didn’t dare to sit like the Sword Immortal. Instead, it curled up its knees and put its arms on them, shrinking into a small ball.

It whispered, “I know that the Sword Immortal doesn’t like my old ancestor. If you meet him, you might even kill him. That’s why the Sword Immortal hasn’t met my old ancestor in the two times you’ve come to our winding palace. I am very happy about that.”

Chen Pingan smiled, took out a pot of wine from his storage space, “Want to drink?”

The little rat spirit shook its head, “It would be terrible if the old ancestor saw.”

Chen Pingan said, “That demon-subduing great immortal won’t dare to come back for the next ten days or so.”

The little rat spirit waved its hand vigorously, “Thank you for the Sword Immortal’s kindness, but I won’t drink. That… anyway, I just heard that alcohol burns the stomach.”

At this point, the little rat spirit looked somewhat gloomy.

Chen Pingan nodded, opened the clay seal, took a small sip, and narrowed his eyes. But this time, Chen Pingan only felt warmth and comfort, basking in the sun, drinking a little wine, with a little ghost valley spirit beside him who liked to read and take notes. Chen Pingan felt like he was living a heavenly life.
The small mouse demon, emboldened, cautiously inquired, “Esteemed Sword Immortal, have you come to our Ghost Domain Valley for training?”

Chen Pingan hummed in affirmation, “And I’ve earned some coin besides.”

Three years new, three years old, patching and mending for another three years.

Such days are truly good days.

Moreover, within this Ghost Domain Valley, he had, in truth, earned quite a bit of immortal money.

Chen Pingan took a few sips of wine then stowed it away, rising to his feet, saying, “I’m leaving.”

He took out a bamboo hat and placed it on his head, also removing the aged facade, revealing his true countenance.