The most unexpected event was, of course, Huang Ting, the female Taoist priest from Mount Taiping. In the life-and-death battle at砥礪山, she lost to Liu Jinglong, a talented young cultivator from the mountains. Huang Ting had come to 北俱蘆洲 specifically to break through the bottleneck of the nascent soul realm. Although she was a newly ascended nascent soul cultivator, Huang Ting’s swordsmanship was undoubtedly top-tier. Yet, she lost to Liu Jinglong, who was roughly the same age and cultivation level. Moreover, above Liu Jinglong were two even more outstanding “young cultivators” with superior cultivation, talent, fortune, and background. As for the seven prodigies after Liu Jinglong, Chen Ping’an dared not underestimate them, given Yang Ningxing of Cloud Firmament Palace’s cunning and resolve.

Besides these, there was another place on 砥礪山 that piqued Chen Ping’an’s curiosity.

Beyond the mountains lay more mountains, and amidst the constant battles of 砥礪山, stood 百泉山, the perfect vantage point for spectating. The mountain boasted over a hundred spiritual springs, brimming with spiritual energy, a natural treasure land. Over a thousand celestial abodes of varying sizes were built on the mountain, with courtyards nestled amidst the lush greenery and clear waters, making it a first-class place for cultivation. These 百泉山 residences were only for rent, not for sale. The琼林宗 employed Yin-Yang masters to select locations and Mo family artisans to meticulously construct them. Long-term rentals were available, but the longer the term, the higher the price.

Relying on this lucrative and enduring business, the business-savvy 琼林宗 managed to cultivate a mediocre Jade Purity Realm cultivator with divine coins, enabling the sect to acquire the “宗” suffix in its name, signifying a higher status.

This sect had a less-than-stellar reputation in 北俱蘆洲, known for prioritizing money over relationships, yet it didn’t hinder its daily influx of gold.

Therefore, 琼林宗 was both envied and despised by cultivators. A popular satirical saying spread far and wide: “A fifth realm cultivator on an embroidered pillow, the 琼林宗 with empty sleeves.”

Chen Ping’an put down his chopsticks and looked towards the city gate. In the distance within the city, the thunderous sound of hooves echoed, likely a formation of eight fine horses galloping together. Approaching the crowded city gate, they not only didn’t slow down but instead spurred their horses, causing chaos. The commoners entering and leaving 随駕城 hastily pressed themselves against the walls to avoid them. The commoners outside the city seemed accustomed to this sight, skillfully pulling their oxcarts, including the old man’s, to the sides of the road, instantly clearing a wide path.

This kind of thing happened everywhere.

The group of flamboyant young masters, each perched atop their horses, sped out of the city. The rapid hooves sounded like a string of firecrackers. These arrogant young nobles, skillfully maneuvering their mounts, roared past, each clad in expensive mink coats, wielding embroidered whips, carrying sabers and bows, and with pampered servants carrying falcon cages. What a magnificent sight of chasing the wind and lightning!

However, Chen Ping’an’s attention was drawn to two young individuals sitting at a stall in the distance, a man and a woman. They were dressed simply but cleanly, each carrying a long sword on their back. Their appearances weren’t particularly outstanding, but they possessed a certain air. They were each eating a bowl of wontons, their expressions indifferent. When the man saw the group of galloping 随駕城 youths, he frowned. The woman put down her chopsticks and gently shook her head at the man.

Chen Ping’an understood.

They were likely cultivators drawn to 随駕城 by the unusual phenomena.

However, the young man and woman’s cultivation levels weren’t high. Observing the subtle signs of their spiritual energy flow, they were two Qi Refining cultivators who hadn’t yet reached the Cave Mansion realm. Although they carried swords, they were definitely not sword cultivators.

When the sword-bearing woman turned her head, she only saw a young man settling the bill with the stall owner, holding a bamboo whip, a bamboo hat, and a green bamboo walking stick. The man’s expression was normal, and his aura was unremarkable, no different from wandering swordsmen. The woman sighed. If he was a wanderer who had inadvertently stumbled into this 随駕城, he was unlucky. If he, like them, had come specifically for the impending disaster and the emergence of an extraordinary treasure in 随駕城, then he was truly ignorant. Didn’t he know that the treasure had already been predetermined by the two major Immortal families of 銀屏國? Who else would dare to covet it? As for her and her fellow disciple, besides completing their master’s secret mission, they were treating it more as a perilous experience.

This genuine battle of Immortals, a mortal like a humble Confucian scholar, would be reduced to dust if they accidentally interfered and blocked the path of some great immortal master.

The woman’s thoughts drifted.

She considered herself a top cultivator of the younger generation in 銀屏國 and its surrounding countries, but she knew she was far behind those two. One was a fifteen-year-old youth who had already reached the Cave Mansion realm the year before, and the other was a woman in her early twenties who had enjoyed continuous opportunities, smooth cultivation, and possessed powerful treasures. If the two top sects weren’t mortal enemies, they would be a match made in heaven.

Across dozens of countries, both on and off the mountains, it seemed everyone was watching their growth and rivalry.

Every encounter between them would be a delightful tale that people would relish.

She actually felt envious.

Because that precocious youth, destined to be the center of attention from birth, did indeed possess the appearance of a banished immortal, a gentle disposition, and excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She couldn’t understand how there could be such a young man in the world who captivated women so easily.

Seeing his senior sister lost in thought, the young man assumed she was worried about the upcoming journey and comforted her, “Senior Sister, if we’re not confident, let’s find that child and leave. We don’t need to concern ourselves with this unavoidable calamity. Master said that we cultivators should understand destiny, follow the trend, and since 随駕城 has enjoyed the blessings of the gods for hundreds of years, it should bear this predetermined disaster.”

The woman nodded and then reminded him, “Be careful, walls have ears.”

The man laughed, “I believe the city is a mixed bag, gathering extraordinary people, but to say that we can encounter reclusive experts at the city gate… I don’t believe it. We’re not some small, insignificant sect. Which old god or little immortal on the mountains isn’t a familiar face? Could that monkey trainer be a deeply hidden immortal? Or is that young wanderer in the bamboo hat actually a grandmaster of the martial world?”

The woman’s expression changed slightly, “Have you forgotten the sect’s teachings? Be cautious in your words and actions when traveling!”

While she cautioned him, the woman’s gaze quickly swept over the old man with the monkey on his shoulder and the young man who had walked to a nearby oxcart. Then, she was shocked. The latter was fine, still oblivious to his junior brother’s offensive words, but that old man who was originally reaching out to feed the little monkey on his shoulder…

Turned his head and looked at her, twitching the corner of his mouth, his expression unfriendly. The woman stood up and clasped her fist in apology.
The old man, however, didn’t seem to appreciate the gesture. His gaze wandered, sizing her up from head to toe, before a cold sneer appeared on his lips, dismissing her without a second glance, as if finding her appearance and figure lacking.

The woman didn’t seem too bothered, but her junior brother nearly exploded with rage. How dare this old geezer insult them so! He was about to step forward, but his senior sister gently tugged at his sleeve, shaking her head, “The fault lies with us for our initial discourtesy.”

The young man glared daggers at the monkey-playing old codger, etching his face into his memory. Once inside Suijia City, when the treasure hunt commenced and various factions clashed, chaos was inevitable. Given the chance, he would make sure this old fossil suffered more than he could handle.

Chen Ping’an observed it all, a sense of melancholy washing over him. Two parties had become enemies for no good reason, neither possessing much restraint in their temperaments.

In truth, the surrounding dozen or so countries of Yinping were barren lands with thin spiritual energy, unsuitable for cultivation. Mostly, martial artists roamed freely. Song Lanchiao of the Chunlu Ferry claimed the cultivators here were like frogs in a well, content to squabble in their little pond. True Daoist cultivators from the outside wouldn’t bother with such petty gains, and the local cultivators were happy to be free from meddling “crossing-the-river dragons,” lording it over others behind closed doors. Two rival sects, led by two Golden Core cultivators with shoddy cultivation, had been at each other’s throats for centuries.

Although Song Lanchiao spoke lightly and casually, Chen Ping’an was accustomed to treading carefully, for caution was the key to a long life in the martial world.

Cultivators on the mountains possessed myriad strange and unpredictable arts. In a battle, cultivation level or even the quality of magical artifacts were no guarantees. The Five Elements could counteract each other, the timing and terrain mattered, fortunes could shift, and both open schemes and covert plots were all variables.

Upon entering the city, to avoid the charcoal vendor mistaking him for having malicious intentions, Chen Ping’an didn’t follow him to the Vulcan Shrine market but instead went to the City God Temple.

In reality, Chen Ping’an could tell that the vendor was a pure martial artist, around the Fourth Realm. It was only after seeing Chen Ping’an that the vendor deliberately made his breathing labored and his steps unsteady. Presumably, in the martial world of Yinping, a Third Realm martial artist with a decent foundation should be somewhat renowned. As for why he had become a rural woodcutter selling charcoal, struggling to make a living with a family to support, he surely had his own story. Chen Ping’an wouldn’t pry; who was he to understand the fish’s joy?

After they parted ways.

The vendor led the ox cart, the two children still carefree, looking around. The vendor smiled, turning his head to glance at the departing figure of the young wandering swordsman, muttering to himself, “He couldn’t even see that I’m a martial artist. He must be a novice from the Second or Third Realm. Sigh, why would he come to wade in these troubled waters? Those mountain immortals are like dragons, and a casual flick of their tails can drown countless common folk.”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly.

The vendor was kind-hearted, deliberately dropping a hint that Lingbao City to the north had more places worth seeing. He likely wanted Chen Ping’an to leave Suijia City, a place of turmoil, as soon as possible.

As it happened, the monkey-playing old man and the young sword-carrying couple were heading the same way, to the City God Temple.

Chen Ping’an deliberately slowed his pace, putting distance between them. He then stopped at a calligraphy and painting shop along the way, browsing the artwork for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. He didn’t buy any paintings but spent a few taels of silver on several booklets that the shop originally used as bonus gifts, specifically introducing famous works by renowned painters from various dynasties in the Yinping region. The book printing was decent, but they weren’t rare editions, just pleasant to read.

After putting them in his bamboo box, he left the shop, the old man and the couple were already gone.

Approaching the City God Temple, Chen Ping’an’s expression turned serious. The curling incense smoke, the unique smell of incense, could be detected from the street outside the temple. However, having visited many mountain and water shrines, he knew that the quantity or concentration of incense wasn’t important, but rather its purity. Whether it was a proper shrine sanctioned by the imperial court or an unsanctioned shrine created by the common folk or spirits, it all depended on how many “jin and liang” of incense essence it possessed. As Chen Ping’an peered intently, he saw that the incense smoke of this imposing and grand City God Temple was being contained by the City God using a secret method, not allowing a single drop to leak out. This was an act of transgression. All orthodox shrines sanctioned by the court, including mountain and water gods, City God Temples, and Confucian and Military Temples, should replenish the local mountains and rivers, separating a portion of the incense essence and dispersing it into the surrounding天地(Tian Di/Heaven and Earth, or Nature), thereby subtly benefiting the people and providing protection. This would create a cycle, unlike the City God Temple before him, which didn’t let anything out, collecting it all for itself.

Chen Ping’an sighed softly. He could understand; this was a desperate act of self-preservation for the golden-bodied deity in the temple, no longer caring about anything else. It was similar to drinking poison to quench thirst; in the long run, troubles would only accumulate and grow larger.

Chen Ping’an didn’t enter the City God Temple, which was responsible for guarding the city according to the law. Although the charcoal vendor hadn’t been entirely truthful, he had personally come here to worship and pray with sincerity. Therefore, Chen Ping’an had a general understanding of the deities enshrined in the front and back halls. The layout of this Suijia City God Temple was similar to others in various places, with a front and back hall and a Kui Xing Tower, as well as halls for the God of Wealth and the God of Destiny, built according to local customs. However, Chen Ping’an still inquired in detail with the elderly owner of an incense shop outside the City God Temple. The old owner was enthusiastic and talkative, recounting the origins of the City God Temple. It turned out that the front hall enshrined an ancient military general from a thousand years ago, a historically famous figure from a grand dynasty. The main temple of this hero’s spirit was naturally elsewhere. The true City God here, who “oversees fortune and misfortune, patrols the netherworld, and governs the souls of the dead,” was a famous civil official enshrined in the back hall, a Third Rank Marquis conferred by the Emperor of Yinping.

Speaking of this imperial decree, the old owner smiled and asked, “Young man, are you wondering why he’s only a Third Rank Marquis when this civil official was a 正二品(Zheng Er Pin/Official Rank of Second Grade) Shangshu (Minister) during his lifetime?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “That is a bit strange. I was just about to ask the old owner about it. Is there a story behind it?”

Chen Ping’an was already quite familiar with the rules and regulations of the many shrines and temples of the vast world. However, to truly integrate and adapt to local customs, he naturally had to inquire about them first.

The old owner smiled without speaking.

Chen Ping’an quickly offered a bundle of incense to the incense shop.

“Understood.”
The old shopkeeper chuckled, and then began to explain the intricacies of the matter, “Young man, it’s clear you’re a Jianghu wanderer, so it’s normal you wouldn’t understand the ways of officialdom. The ranks of officials and the titles of nobility are quite different, not to mention the ranks and order of these deity lords who receive incense offerings. Are you confused yet?”

Chen Pingan nodded and smiled, “It is a bit complicated.”

The old shopkeeper began to show off his knowledge, shaking his head and saying, “Our City God here, back in the days of the founding emperor, was only conferred the title of a Fourth-Rank Count. But because his incense has always been potent and efficacious, the new emperor, after ascending the throne a few years ago, issued another imperial decree, posthumously awarding our City God the title of a Third-Rank Marquis. It was a grand affair! The Minister of the Ministry of Rites himself left the capital. Such a high-ranking official personally brought the imperial decree to our Suijia City. After entering the city, he chose an auspicious day, and this street outside the shop, see it? That day, before dawn, a large contingent of yamen runners washed it from beginning to end, and no outsiders were allowed to watch. I wanted to see this spectacle, so I simply slept in the shop the night before, and that’s how I got to see the Minister. Tsk tsk, truly worthy of being the reincarnation of the Star of Literature! Even just a glance from afar made me feel his nobility.”

The old shopkeeper was beaming with pride, “Look, although this is just a prefecture-level city, the treatment of our City God is already equivalent to that of a state-level City God. Apart from the City God Temple in the capital and the Metropolitan City God Temple in the secondary capital, there are no higher imperial appointments. Young man, so when you buy incense, you must offer more prayers and kowtow more in the temple. Although the City God Temple has always been more effective for scholars seeking literary fortune, our City God has a high rank and great power. I believe that as long as you are sincere, he will protect you as well.”

Chen Pingan then asked about the civil and military officials within the City God Temple. As expected, there were still two judges, the Six Bureaus of the City God, two Night and Day Patrol Gods, and one General of Shackles and Chains. These officials assisting the City God each had their own origins. The old shopkeeper was incredibly familiar with them, speaking with knowledge and authority. However, when Chen Pingan asked if he had ever personally witnessed the City God manifest, the old shopkeeper was speechless, his face somewhat unnatural. He replied that ordinary folks like them could never see the true form of the City God. Even if he stood before them, they wouldn’t recognize him.

Chen Pingan smiled and said, “That makes sense. The old saying goes, ‘A true man doesn’t show his face, and if he does, he’s not the real one.’ Presumably, these deities are even more so.”

The old shopkeeper’s expression improved.

The ritual system for the City God of Yinping Kingdom was broadly similar to that of Treasure Bottle Continent, but there were still some differences, especially in rank and retinue.

However, the current emperor of Yinping Kingdom’s posthumous conferment was somewhat unusual. He must have noticed something strange about the City God’s statue, to the point that he was willing to elevate a prefecture-level City God with an imperial decree.

After leaving the incense shop, Chen Pingan stood on the bustling street and glanced at the City God Temple.

“Better to sleep in a tomb than a dilapidated temple.”

This was the reasoning.

Once the spiritual energy of the mountains and rivers of the world shifts, it is easy to invite a reversal of fortune and misfortune.

Chen Pingan walked towards the Fire God Shrine. The aura of the City God Temple had not yet shown signs of collapsing, so it should be able to last for some time.

The Fire God Shrine was also thriving with incense, but compared to the chaos of the City God Temple, this place was more clear, stable, and orderly.

But he still didn’t enter. He could suppress the strangeness within him with his fist intent, but he wasn’t sure if entering the shrine would attract unnecessary attention. If this trip to the southeast of North Entire Reed Continent hadn’t been so rushed, Chen Pingan’s original plan was to visit several large ancestral temples of the secular dynasty after finishing the swaying river shrine on Skeleton Beach to personally examine them. After all, like the swaying river shrine, whose master was a mountain and water deity neighboring the Hemp Robe Sect, and had high standards, if he burned incense, they might not take it seriously. Whether they saw him or not didn’t prove anything, but the largest river god in the southern end of a continent didn’t appear in the shrine but instead played the role of a punting boatman, wanting to kindly guide him.

Chen Pingan wandered around the incense shops near the Fire God Shrine again, inquiring about the origins of that deity.

Like the old shopkeeper at the City God Temple, this deity sitting in the south of the city had never truly appeared in the marketplace. Legends about him were even more numerous than those of the City God in the north, and they sounded more approachable to the common people, mostly stories of rewarding good and punishing evil, playing in the mortal realm. These strange and wild histories had been passed down through generations, circulating in people’s mouths. One rumor said that the Fire God Shrine lord had a feud with the “Lake Lord” of Cangyun Lake, a lake plagued by floods eight hundred miles away, because the mistress of a canal master in Cangyun Lake’s jurisdiction had angered the Fire God Shrine lord. The two sides fought fiercely. The Great Stream Canal Master was no match and called for reinforcements from the Lake Lord. In the end, an unnamed passing sword immortal persuaded the two deities to stop, preventing the Lake Lord from using his divine powers to flood Suijia City.

Chen Pingan thought for a moment and then left Suijia City directly, choosing a small mountain path and secretly heading to the Water Immortal Shrine in Cangyun Lake’s jurisdiction. If that “Canal Master”, whose rank was only equivalent to a River Hag, was still there, he could indirectly inquire about the inside story of Suijia City. If it was a calamity that affected the entire city, he would have to intervene. If it was just a small squabble between local deities, he would observe first.

In the darkness of night, Chen Pingan followed a wide stream to a shrine. The road was overgrown with weeds, and there were few people in sight, indicating the decline of the Canal Master’s incense.

However, this shrine was only a few dozen miles away from the market town.

However, Chen Pingan had previously seen a group of people carrying torches toward the shrine on a mountain where the stream and lake converged.

Chen Pingan followed them all the way, and listening to their conversations, he couldn’t help but laugh. These idle youngsters and young adults were competing to see who was the bravest, to see who dared to enter the shrine and tease the Canal Master’s wife. Such things were actually quite common in market towns and rural areas.
Back then, everyone knew that if any child dared to spend a night sleeping in the Cemetery of Immortals, they would be considered a true hero, a pillar of strength! In Apricot Blossom Lane, there was a boy of my age who claimed to have spent a whole night lying in the Cemetery of Immortals. As a result, when he arrogantly mentioned this under the old locust tree, he immediately gained the admiration of many peers. “After this exploit,” he became the king of the kids in Apricot Blossom Lane, taking pleasure in bullying Chen Ping’an and Song Jixin, those neighbors from Mud Jug Lane. Of course, he also dreamed of having the oddly-named Zhigui play his little wife during their make-believe games, but Song Jixin would always scold him severely. Zhigui, on the other hand, always wore a stern face and followed Song Jixin back to town, while that boy and his lackeys threw mud clods at the master and servant from behind.

In fact, that night, Chen Ping’an had gone to pay respects to the Bodhisattva and saw that boy just wandering around outside the Cemetery of Immortals for a few steps before running home.

Tonight, Chen Ping’an saw that group of seven or eight people and decided not to treat himself poorly, bringing enough wine and meat. When these people entered the dilapidated Two-Courtyard Shrine of the Water Immortal, with its tilted plaque and ivy-covered walls, Chen Ping’an sat on a large tree far from the shrine, with a wide field of vision. He placed his walking stick horizontally on his knees, folded his hands in his sleeves, and watched quietly, waiting to see what would happen.

Chen Ping’an took out some dried rations and the gourd containing the deep pool water of Treasure Mirror Mountain and started his late-night snack. This journey, with all the rushing and leaping, was not a leisurely stroll.

Inside the small shrine, several bonfires had already been lit. They were drinking, eating meat, and spouting crude jokes, having a merry time.

Three statues were enshrined – one tall and two short. They were originally painted, but time had taken its toll, and the paint had peeled off. The central figure was the Mistress of the Canal, with attendant maids on either side.

All three had vivid features, as if alive, especially the Canal Master, who was tall and slender, adorned with pendants and beads, and possessed exceptional beauty.

Chen Ping’an glanced at them and found it strange that the three statues didn’t seem to be golden bodies capable of harboring divine light.

This was also the good fortune of those rascals.

Chen Ping’an planned to visit Azure Ripple Lake after finishing his rations, but the Lake Lord had no shrines on the shore, which was a headache. If he had no choice, he would have to reveal himself and ask those lecherous fellows if there were any other shrines to water deities nearby.

Chen Ping’an closed his eyes to rest, starting to refine the deep pool water of Treasure Mirror Mountain.

At the same time, his mind slowly immersed itself, using the introspective method he learned on the mountain to travel within his own microcosm.

Nowadays, the content of some ancient books can easily confuse those who read them.

For example, the practice of “leading officials and people in casting a white horse to appease the River God.” Why a white horse? The books never explained.

As for the saying, “The Water God cannot be seen, but great fish and dragons are signs,” it was even more puzzling. Throughout the lands, shrines and golden bodies of mountain and water gods were not uncommon.

Chen Ping’an suddenly opened his eyes, instantly concealing all his aura, remaining perfectly still.

His gaze was fixed on the area where the stream entered the lake. There was a subtle ripple that stirred the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Soon, Chen Ping’an saw three women approaching gracefully on the shimmering water, one in front and two behind. The woman in the lead was dressed in colorful robes, her sash fluttering in the wind, surrounded by a misty aura. The two maids were dressed in the same style as the statues in the shrine, but their beauty far surpassed the statues. The Canal Master, however, was far less beautiful than the statue depicted her. One wondered what the skilled craftsman who carved the Canal Master’s statue thought with each stroke of his knife.

Shifting his gaze, Chen Ping’an began to admire the courage of those fellows in the shrine. One of the young men had climbed onto the altar and was hugging and kissing the Canal Master’s statue, spewing out vulgar words, drawing roars of laughter and cheers.

In youth, one often felt that breaking the rules was a sign of ability.

And when a young man met a girl he secretly liked, he would tease her, get scolded, and receive a few eye-rolls, which was considered mutual affection.

The three women who came from Azure Ripple Lake used illusion magic near the shrine, transforming into an old woman with white hair and two beautiful young girls.

The old woman sneered, but upon entering the shrine, she put on a kind expression.

The young men and strapping fellows were dumbfounded when they saw the white-haired old woman and the two vibrant young girls.

For a moment, the shrine was silent, with only the occasional crackling of the dry branches in the fire.

Especially the young man who had wrapped his arms around the Canal Master’s statue turned his head, at a loss.

One of the young men gently nudged the strapping fellow beside him and whispered, “Could it really be the Water Goddess coming to punish us?”

The man shook his head, his shock turning into delight. He chuckled, “Open your eyes and look closely. What goddess? She’s just an old granny walking at night with her two granddaughters, probably from a village nearby that we don’t know. We’re in for a treat.”

The young man secretly wiped the grease from his mouth, knowing the man’s temperament. He was afraid that the alcohol would go to his head and he would do something terrible, so he cautiously advised, “Brother, let’s not be impulsive. If we make a big fuss, we’ll get into trouble with the law.”

The strapping fellow scoffed, “Make a big fuss? The bigger the better! Once the rice is cooked, they’ll have to marry us. Don’t any of you try to take them from me. I like both of those little girls, but I’m generous. I’ll take the one on the left. You can all slowly discuss the one on the right.”

The old woman pretended to panic and tried to leave with the two girls, but the man had already surrounded them with his group.

The boldest young man, who had climbed onto the altar, had already slid down from the Canal Mistress’s statue, his hands on his hips, watching the scene at the door with a playful smile. “That wandering swordsman was right. My luck with the ladies is blooming! Liu San, one for you, one for me!”

Chen Ping’an suddenly frowned.

He looked towards a crossbeam in the shrine.

A figure sat there – a burly man with thick eyebrows, a saber hanging at his waist, his legs dangling down. He yawned and lazily tore off a yellow paper talisman from his body. As it was torn off, the talisman burst into flames and was reduced to ashes.

The old woman’s expression changed drastically.

The man smiled, “If I didn’t use some tricks, I wouldn’t be able to lure out the fish.”
The burly man stretched his limbs, and with a flick of his sleeve, a stream of spiritual energy danced like a serpent across the walls of the shrine. He then snapped his fingers, and golden runes appeared on the inner and outer walls of the temple, the glyphs resembling soaring birds.

Before those bumpkins he’d hired from the marketplace even set out, he had secretly infiltrated this Waterside Nymph Shrine. After inscribing the runes, he used a unique talisman and secret technique, akin to a turtle’s breath-holding concealment, to mask his own aura. Otherwise, this Canal Lord’s wife might have been scared off. As for those restrictive talismans, they were a prized skill of his sect, called Snow Mud Talismans, also known as Flying Bird Seals. Once activated, they were incredibly subtle and difficult to detect, truly like a wild goose stepping on snow, leaving only fleeting traces, never to be found again.

However, besides this talismanic masterpiece, his sect was, after all, a renowned military faction. But they specialized in assassination, setting them apart from ordinary military powers. Therefore, many of his fellow disciples served as close escorts to generals, ministers, and dukes in the secular dynasties. Although his sect was not the most dominant immortal force in this ten-nation landscape, no one dared to underestimate them. It was just that he had a wild nature, unable to bear restraint. For decades, he had preferred to roam the mundane world, choosing to be a chicken’s head rather than a phoenix’s tail. He enjoyed teasing those so-called heroes of the rivers and lakes, akin to mud loaches in the water and earthworms on the mountain, holding their lives in his hands, which was quite enjoyable. Especially those self-proclaimed heroines, they had a unique allure.

At this moment, the burly man looked at the old woman and the two young girls, already seeing them as his possessions.

The old woman slowly asked, “May I know, Immortal Master, why you went to such lengths to lure me out of the lake? And why you are acting this way in my home? It is hardly proper, is it?”

The burly man reached out and grabbed a wine pot from beside the bonfire. He tilted his head back and took a large gulp, then tossed it away in disgust, saying, “What kind of garbage did these little bastards buy? It smells like urine! No wonder their brains are muddled when they drink this swill.”

Seemingly in a foul mood, the burly man glared at the old woman. “My junior brother has a bone to pick with your Cangyun Lake Lord. It just so happens that this time, I’m under orders to make a trip to Suijia City. The Lake Lord is hiding in his underwater dragon palace, hard to find. Knowing that you, woman, are a restless and lonely widow, and that the feud between my foolish junior brother and Cangyun Lake originated with you, I’m going to use you as a sacrifice. If the Lake Lord comes, all the better. As long as he climbs ashore, I won’t be afraid of him in the slightest. Isn’t it said that the Canal Lord’s wife is his forbidden fruit? I’ll have my fill with you, then throw your corpse by the shores of Cangyun Lake, and see if he can endure it.”

The old woman’s face turned pale.

The two maidservants looked even more miserable and pitiful. The Canal Lord’s wife could still maintain her illusion, but their spiritual energies were dissipating, faintly revealing their true forms.

Those marketplace ruffians were all pale with fear.

Especially the frivolous young man standing on the altar, who needed to lean against the statue to keep from collapsing.

Although Chen Ping’an didn’t know how the burly man had concealed his aura so skillfully, one thing was clear: none of the people in the shrine were good.

The only young man still sitting by the bonfire retained some semblance of conscience, but he had already wet his pants in fright.

The old woman simply dropped her illusion and forced a smile. “This great Immortal Master, you must be from the Ghost Axe Palace of the Golden Bell Kingdom?”

The burly man was taken aback, then began to curse, “Damn it! Can someone like you really make my junior brother yearn for you all these years after one night of passion? I took him on a journey through the mundane world a while back to help him relax and clear his head. He tasted quite a few flavors from noble women and beautiful heroines, but he always found them boring. What is it? Are you skilled in the art of the bedchamber?”

In the distance, on a tree branch, Chen Ping’an, who had been keeping his hands in his sleeves, narrowed his eyes.

The Canal Lord’s wife at the temple entrance looked displeased, but her tone remained fawning. “Back then, I and the Immortal Master’s junior brother were deeply in love. We didn’t just want to be fleeting lovers; we were determined to become an unorthodox divine couple. It was just that the cheap harlot, the Zao Xi Canal Lord, secretly reported this to the Lake Lord. Afterwards, even though I pleaded with the Lake Lord, he insisted on taking action, which led to that misunderstanding. Immortal Master, please understand.”

Seeing the burly man on the crossbeam begin to grip the handle of his blade and grab a maidservant, pulling her forward, the Canal Lord’s wife gave a charming smile. “Immortal Master, these two handmaidens are quite pretty. I offer them to you as bed-warming girls, hoping you will cherish them a little. If you tire of them in the coming year, may you send them back to Cangyun Lake.”

The burly man asked, “And what about you?”

The Canal Lord’s wife smiled. “If Immortal Master finds me pleasing to the eye and doesn’t mind my withered appearance, what harm is there in serving you together?”

The burly man remained noncommittal, gesturing with his chin. “What will you do with these scum?”

The Canal Lord’s wife smiled sweetly. “Offending a god deserves death, and offending Immortal Master is deserving of ten thousand deaths. Should I clean these fellows up right away? I have a treasured Liányàn Cup hidden in my sleeve, filled with liquor made from the essence of Cangyun Lake’s water. I’ll take this opportunity to invite you to drink to your heart’s content. I’ll personally pour the wine for Immortal Master, and these two maidservants were palace dancers in their former lives. After they undress, they can dance to add to the fun.”

The burly man still smiled playfully, remaining silent.

This made the Canal Lord’s wife increasingly uneasy.

In a split second.

The burly man unleashed a slash without warning.

The Canal Lord’s wife ducked in fright, but fortunately, the blade wasn’t aimed at her head. Instead, it went outside the temple.

The Canal Lord’s wife paled and turned to look.

She saw a large tree, illuminated by the blade’s light. On the branches, a young wanderer wearing a bamboo hat slightly raised his head. One hand was still tucked in his sleeve, and he used only one hand to grasp the blade’s light. The blade’s light collided with the solidified qi around his palm, making the stranger look like a god, holding the bright moon in his hand.

The burly man was surprised but maintained his composure. He went from sitting to crouching on the crossbeam, holding his shining blade. He clicked his tongue in amazement. “Oh, what a brilliant technique! Pure and refined qi, perfectly condensed. When did the Silver Screen Kingdom produce such a young martial arts grandmaster? I’ve crossed paths with the number one martial artist in the Silver Screen Kingdom before. He could barely block this blade with all his strength, but he definitely couldn’t do it so easily.”

Chen Ping’an gently retracted his palm, the last of the blade’s light dissipating. He asked, “The talismans you had on you, and the ones drawn on the walls…”