The dinner table became a source of unease for Li Er. This was only the second time his wife had urged him to drink more, to drink freely. The last time was many years ago.

Seeing Chen Ping’an deliberately suppressing his fist intent, downing two or three cups until his face was flushed, Li Er sensed something was amiss. Could it be that he planned to fall asleep as soon as he was drunk, hoping to avoid a beating? But that didn’t seem like something Chen Ping’an would do.

However, Li Er was happy to have someone to drink heartily with. He propped one leg on a bench, but as soon as he lifted his foot, hunching over to grab a piece of bamboo shoot stir-fried with pork from a distant part of the table, his wife glared at him, scolding him to act like an elder. Li Er was troubled. She had never been so particular before. She usually didn’t mind him having a few drinks. They had always been a casual family. Li Huai used to squat on the bench, gnawing on chicken legs and trotters without any semblance of manners. And they certainly didn’t have any rules about women not eating at the table.

Li Er glanced at the plate of food deliberately placed near Chen Ping’an, and when his wife gave him a look, he understood: the bamboo shoot stir-fry was not for him.

The meat dishes were all on Chen Ping’an’s side of the table, while Li Er had only bland vegetarian fare. Li Er took a sip of his wine and chuckled. This scene was familiar.

It had been like this at home in the years before Li Huai left for his studies.

Now that Li Huai was studying at the Great Sui Academy, and the three of them had moved to the foot of Lion Peak in the Northern Ju Continent, even though Li Liu often went down the mountain, when the family ate together, Li Er felt something was missing without Li Huai making a fuss. Li Er wasn’t at all sexist. It had nothing to do with who his daughter, Li Liu, was. Over the years, Li Er had only one demand of Li Liu: settle your affairs outside, don’t bring them home. Of course, sons-in-law were an exception.

Chen Ping’an drank until he was seven or eight parts drunk, but he could still speak without stuttering and walk without difficulty. He left the dining table and the main room to rest in Li Huai’s room. He took off his boots, gently lay down, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he sat up, turned the boots by the bed, pointing the toes inward, and then lay back down to sleep soundly.

It turned out he was missing his hometown of Fallen Peak and his first disciple.

Li Er was busy clearing the table when his wife, still sitting, suddenly asked, “Li Er, what do you think of Chen Ping’an?”

Li Er smiled. “He’s good.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have secretly sold the Dragon King Basket and golden carp to Chen Ping’an back then. He even got a scolding at Yang’s shop for it.

His wife whispered, “Do you think this young man would look favorably on our daughter?”

Li Er stopped what he was doing, and said helplessly, “It’s not a matter of looking favorably or not. Chen Ping’an already has someone he likes.”

His wife was disappointed. “Our daughter has no luck.”

Li Er smiled but didn’t speak.

His wife slammed the table, annoyed. “What are you smiling at? Is Li Liu really your daughter? Did I have her with another man?”

Li Er shrank his neck, muttering, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

His wife lamented, “Our daughter is simple-minded, and her father is useless and doesn’t care. What did our daughter do in her past life to be born into our family and suffer so? Is Li Huai going to have to support his parents, his wife, and even take care of his married sister for the rest of his life?”

Li Er asked curiously, “Dong Shui Jing and Lin Shou Yi, who study with Li Huai, have liked our daughter since they were young. I haven’t seen you care so much. And that scholar who traveled with us last time, didn’t you think he looked pretty good?”

His wife shook her head. “That’s different. After looking around, I still think Chen Ping’an is most like Teacher Qi from the academy. I can’t explain the reasoning, but I’m good at judging people.”

Li Er stopped talking, nodded, and continued clearing the table.

The last time his wife let him drink freely was when Teacher Qi came to their door.

His wife asked tentatively, “Does our daughter really have no chance?”

Li Er felt guilty. With the beating he was planning to give Chen Ping’an, even if there was a chance, there probably wouldn’t be anymore.

The next day, Chen Ping’an woke up before dawn and helped fetch water. At the well, the neighbors asked, and he said he was a distant relative of the Li family.

Then Li Er took Chen Ping’an out, heading for Lion Peak, telling his wife they were going for a walk in the mountains. His wife beamed, smiling from ear to ear, and didn’t say anything. Li Er was puzzled, wondering what she was up to.

Li Er took Chen Ping’an straight to the Lion Peak Ancestral Hall.

Along the way, they chatted about Zheng Da Feng now guarding the gate at Fallen Peak. Li Er thanked Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an said it was nothing.

Li Er said that with Zheng Da Feng’s temper, if he had become crippled in a foreign land, he would have refused to return to Yang’s shop and would have lived a worthless life, ending it all. That life would have been sloppy and careless. In the end, his master had never acknowledged Zheng Da Feng as a disciple, and Zheng Da Feng had never dared to see himself as one. Now, even though Fallen Peak was dilapidated, they were truly master and disciple, a big difference.

Chen Ping’an had always thought that this Uncle Li was the kind of person who lived life with great clarity.

Now it seemed that was indeed the case.

The Lion Peak Mountain Lord, Huang Cai, was an old immortal with the bearing of a deity.

Huang Cai was known among the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Northern Ju Continent for his fighting prowess.

Li Er didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. He directly asked the renowned old Nascent Soul cultivator to seal off the mountain.

Huang Cai immediately issued the order to seal off Lion Peak without a word, and didn’t mention when it would be reopened.

For an immortal mountain, sealing off the mountain was a major event.

Either a formidable enemy was approaching, or the old ancestor was closing himself off to break through his cultivation.

Li Er then handed a piece of paper to the respectful Lion Peak Mountain Lord, asking Huang Cai to collect the herbs listed on it.

Huang Cai still didn’t ask a single question.

However, the way he looked at the young outsider was a bit strange.

If Chen Ping’an had been a bit oblivious down at the shop, now that he was dealing with outsiders, he immediately became aware. However, he didn’t explain anything further.

Everything would be explained when Li Liu returned to Lion Peak.
Li Er brought Chen Ping’an to the ancient mansion gate on the summit of Lion Peak. This was the early cultivation site of the Lion Peak’s founding ancestor. After his mortal body shattered and he departed, it had never been opened again. Only after Li Liu returned to Lion Peak did the mansion gate reopen, revealing a hidden world within. Even Huang Cai was not qualified to set foot inside. Chen Ping’an stepped inside and discovered it was actually a karst cave waterway. After passing the landscape restriction at the mansion gate, there was a pier. The flowing water was a deep, serene green, with a small boat docked at the shore. Li Er personally punted the boat forward. Inside the cave, there was neither sunlight nor moonlight, nor were there any immortal glowstones or candles, yet it was as bright as day.

After the small boat traveled for a dozen li, the view suddenly opened up. In the distance, there was a strange mirror, as large as a lake, slightly lower than the water surface. The flowing water from all directions poured into it and disappeared without a trace.

Li Er explained, “This mirror is the entrance to an ancient blessed land. Someone didn’t particularly like that blessed land, so they created this formation and constantly flood it with water. This mirror surface is extremely sturdy. Ordinary fists with ‘vigorous qi’ from a tenth-realm martial artist won’t work. Even when I used eighty punches of ‘returning to the origin’, I only shattered it for a moment before it reverted to its original state. It is said that only ‘divine arrival’, the final stage of the tenth realm, can completely break the mirror surface. I still need to refine my fist intent for a long time before I have a chance to reach the ‘divine arrival’ supreme realm. Only after that can one break the martial arts dead end and embark on a true path to ascension.”

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment and couldn’t help but say, “It’s such a rare immortal treasure. It’s a pity to completely shatter it.”

As for the three stages of the tenth realm of martial artists, he had heard of them and just needed to remember them.

Li Er smiled, “When you are able to break the mirror with your own two fists, then you are qualified to say whether it’s a pity or not.”

Chen Ping’an felt that at this moment, the person standing beside him was no longer Li Er.

But a tenth-realm martial artist.

Seeing Li Er disappear, Chen Ping’an knew something was amiss. As expected, without warning, a sweep came from behind.

Chen Ping’an’s body seemed to collapse, his fist intent restrained. He disregarded any pretense of composure and tried to lunge forward, but he was still swiftly kicked in the small of his back. Cracking sounds like a string of firecrackers erupted. Chen Ping’an, whose physique could regard the bodies of ordinary Golden Body realm martial artists as paper and clay, was kicked like a drawn bowstring. After a loud bang, Chen Ping’an should have been kicked dozens of zhang away, but Li Er’s fist was far faster than Chen Ping’an’s momentum. Standing beside Chen Ping’an, he slammed a fist down on Chen Ping’an’s chest as he was falling backward.

This punch caused Chen Ping’an’s back to slam into the ground.

Li Er extended a foot, twisted his ankle, and casually flicked Chen Ping’an, who was hitting his instep, onto the mirror surface.

Feeling as if a mouthful of pure true qi was about to dissipate, Chen Ping’an crashed heavily onto the mirror surface, bounced a few times, and suddenly slapped the mirror surface with his palm. He rose up and stood firm, still unable to stop himself from vomiting blood.

Li Er was still standing on the small boat, both he and the boat unmoving. The burly man slowly said, “Be careful. I don’t know my own strength when I throw a punch. Back then, when Song Changjing and I were both at the peak of the ninth realm, that fight in the Carp Pearl Grotto Heaven was so enjoyable that I almost accidentally killed him.”

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath. Seeing that Li Er had no intention of attacking immediately, he gently rolled up his sleeves and lightly twisted his toes on the mirror surface. It was indeed exceptionally solid, like walking on the bluestone streets of Fortune Alley after being accustomed to the muddy roads of Mud Bottle Alley. This meant that taking a punch from Li Er was one kind of pain, and then crashing into the mirror was adding fuel to the fire, even worse than crashing into the floor or walls of the Bamboo Lodge on Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Chen Ping’an swayed, smiled wryly, and asked, “Uncle Li, will it always be ninth-realm punches?”

Li Er shook his head and said, “Of course not.”

Before Chen Ping’an could feel even slightly better, Li Er added, “There are also tenth-realm punches.”

Just because this kid called him “Uncle Li,” he couldn’t let Chen Ping’an call it for nothing.

Li Er felt that one should be generous.

Over tea and wine, people in the Northern Entirely Reed Continent had a new sensational story to tell.

He Xiaoliang, the sect master of the Pure Cool Sect, encountered a tremendous conflict with the infatuated Xu Xuan on her way back to the sect.

The man and woman, who should have been a match made in heaven, not only did not achieve anything with sincerity, but because of something Xu Xuan said, He Xiaoliang actually attacked him. In a secluded mountain wilderness of the Flowery Feather Dynasty, after the two delineated a boundary, He Xiaoliang and Xu Xuan fought so fiercely that the mountains and rivers within a hundred li changed color, and the spiritual energy of the surrounding thousand li was incredibly chaotic.

Xu Xuan was severely injured and fled far away, but He Xiaoliang not only directly killed his two close-fitting maids, causing the two young Golden Core female cultivators to die untimely deaths, but also snatched the two swords, Cough Pearl and Talisman Accusation, and took them to the Pure Cool Sect. Then, she casually threw the two treasures outside the sect gate. The female sect master declared that Xu Xuan could come and retrieve them if he had the ability. If he lacked the ability or courage, he could let his master, Bai Chang, come and take the swords.

Xu Xuan returned to the mountain and went into seclusion to heal his injuries. It was rumored that his almost certain advancement to the upper fifth realm would be delayed for at least ten years. In this case, at least in terms of realm, once Liu Jinglong broke through and could withstand three sword inquiries from Li Cai and Dong Zhu within, Xu Xuan’s cultivation level would be slower than Liu Jinglong of the Grand T’ai Summit Sword Sect by ten years. Xu Xuan, who was ranked second only to Lin Su among the ten young people of the Northern Entirely Reed Continent, would also exchange seats with Liu Jinglong.

Bai Chang, the number one Sword Immortal of the North, therefore did not sit idly by, but did not rely on his Sword Immortal status and Immortal realm to go to the Pure Cool Sect and question He Xiaoliang. Bai Chang only said one sentence: as long as Bai Chang was in the Northern Entirely Reed Continent, He Xiaoliang could forget about reaching the Ascending realm.

The two sects, which should have had the potential for a marriage alliance, had thus become mortal enemies.

Many opportunists, including the Jade Forest Sect, began to cut off relations with the Pure Cool Sect, and many commercial exchanges were deliberately made difficult.

The Han Dynasty emperor of the Flowery Feather Dynasty and many other worldly forces secretly regretted their decisions. Many embryonic cultivators who had originally planned to be sent to the Pure Cool Sect for cultivation turned back even halfway.

Many immortal mountain peaks around the Pure Cool Sect also began to intentionally distance themselves from the Pure Cool Sect, which already had an unstable foundation, and strictly forbade their own mountain cultivators from having too much involvement with the Pure Cool Sect.
A direct disciple of Heavenly Sovereign Xie Shi, filled with imposing grandeur, personally visited the Clear Cool Sect. However, He Xiaoliang lacked understanding of the greater situation, causing the formerly amicable relationship to sour and break apart. From that point forward, the Clear Cool Sect appeared increasingly isolated, without support from any direction. Allies were no longer allies, and those who weren’t allies became potential adversaries, creating minor troubles. No one believed that a newly established sect that had thoroughly angered the Great Sword Immortal Bai Chang could maintain its prominence in the Northern Ju Continent for long.

Internally, the Clear Cool Sect was also in turmoil.

Half of the enshrined elders and guest elders severed ties with the Clear Cool Sect, sending secret letters. In the Ancestral Hall, five of the ceremonial seats vanished overnight.

He Xiaoliang was an eccentric person. She didn’t smash or chop up the seats, but simply moved them outside the Ancestral Hall, placing them under the eaves.

With its already small number of disciples, the mountain peak occupied by the Clear Cool Sect appeared increasingly desolate.

Fortunately, the nine registered disciples whom He Xiaoliang had accepted during her travels in the Northern Ju Continent remained stable, and none had yet chosen to betray the sect. To outsiders, this was because those individuals were entirely unaware of the significance of the name Bai Chang, and had no idea of the immense danger they faced after their sect provoked and openly clashed with such a figure.

These nine disciples, the first generation of the Clear Cool Sect after its founding, were gradually brought back to the mountain by He Xiaoliang. Most were ordinary mortals from the foot of the mountain who had never practiced cultivation before. Their ages weren’t drastically different, with the oldest being no more than thirty, and the youngest just five or six years old. He Xiaoliang’s criteria for accepting disciples were peculiar. She considered talent and aptitude, but they weren’t her primary focus. As long as someone could embark on the path of cultivation, that was enough. She placed greater emphasis on her own intuition.

Today, He Xiaoliang left the small grotto where she cultivated alone. The Clear Cool Sect occupied a geomantically auspicious location, but they didn’t engage in extensive construction. They only developed a small area on the mountainside, with adjacent thatched huts for the nine disciples. Only the place used for teaching, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts resembled a wealthy family’s residence, similar to an ancestral hall of a large clan, where ancestors could be venerated and tutors could be invited to lecture the family’s disciples.

He Xiaoliang only taught her disciples one Daoist mantra, without distinguishing between high and low, and didn’t interfere much beyond that. However, she did invite an outsider to provide daily instruction for the disciples. This person was neither an enshrined elder nor a guest elder, yet he had been lecturing the nine disciples of the Clear Cool Sect for several years. He didn’t limit himself to analyzing the mysteries of Daoist scriptures; he taught from all three major religions and the hundred schools of thought. He Xiaoliang seemed to trust this “Teacher Li” greatly, not worrying that his lectures would mislead the disciples or delay their cultivation, nor did she worry that he would turn the Clear Cool Sect, which she had vowed would not accept any new disciples within a hundred years, into a strange and unrecognizable immortal sect.

The nine disciples, who were still only registered disciples for now, held the young Teacher Li, whose surname was simply Li, in great esteem.

He Xiaoliang arrived outside the lecture hall window.

Teacher Li was lecturing on Confucian poetry and prose. He had just explained the beauty of phrases like “Spring grass grows in the pond” and “Bright moon shines on the high tower,” lamenting that such seemingly straightforward lines were the greatest testament to skill, and would make later poets regret being born centuries too late. He then smoothly transitioned to discussing how the temperament of the founding ancestor of a powerful clan or a mountain sect would influence the family or sect’s traditions. Finally, he told the nine disciples that if they were to become founding ancestors in the future, they should strive to minimize mistakes and maximize successes.

Someone noticed the appearance of the master and was about to stand up to pay respects, but He Xiaoliang gestured with her hand to suppress them, indicating that in the place of teaching, the lecturing tutor held the greatest authority.

The young-looking Teacher Li posed a question for the nine students to ponder, then left the classroom, following He Xiaoliang.

He said, “Sect Leader He, you clearly didn’t need to act in such a way… Never mind, I won’t pry into the reasons, as an outsider. However, I am certain that Bai Chang always keeps his word.”

Even if He Xiaoliang was a direct disciple of that Daoist leader, there was still a great distance between them.

Moreover, when the sword immortals of the Northern Ju Continent acted, they wouldn’t care about such things if they were truly enraged.

Bai Chang was now clearly ignoring everything else.

Legend has it that in the earliest days of the Northern Ju Continent, there was once an ancient sword immortal who, with the tip of his sword pointed at a student of a sage, asked with a smile, “Do you think I’ll cut you down with this sword?”

The answer was, of course, he would cut them down without hesitation.

However, in the end, that sword immortal died in battle at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, while the Confucian sage founded the Fu River Academy in the Northern Ju Continent and, during his lifetime, provided much support to the descendants of that sword immortal.

He Xiaoliang smiled and said, “Teacher Li, I only reached the Jade Purity Realm a few years ago. It will take hundreds of years to reach the next Immortal Realm, and then to encounter a bottleneck. If Bai Chang is willing to wait, let him wait.”

The scholar whom He Xiaoliang respectfully called Teacher Li said, “The disciple of Heavenly Sovereign Xie Shi was a bit too aggressive just now.”

He Xiaoliang said, “He received guidance from Bai Chang during his travels, Bai Chang has a debt of imparting knowledge to him. In addition, the founding of the Clear Cool Sect has squeezed a considerable portion of the Northern Ju Continent’s Daoist fortune. Naturally, this person will lean towards Xu Xuan and Bai Chang.”

Teacher Li shook his head and said, “If reason can be applied and borrowed in such a way, I think there is a big problem with the teachings of Heavenly Sovereign Xie Shi.”

He Xiaoliang suppressed a smile.

Teacher Li asked in confusion, “Am I wrong?”

To reflect on one’s own mistakes first is the foundation of this scholar’s learning.

He Xiaoliang shook her head and said, “I hope Teacher Li can repeat this sentence again someday.”

Teacher Li smiled and said, “If there is a chance, I can try. But looking at Heavenly Sovereign Xie’s own actions and those of his entire sect, they may not be pleasing.”

He Xiaoliang stopped pursuing this issue, afraid that she would not be able to help but laugh, while also feeling some pity for the talented disciple of the Heavenly Sovereign.

She turned her head, looking towards a delicate-looking young man under the thatched hut in the distance. His name was Cui Ci, and he was a servant and book boy who had been traveling with Teacher Li across continents for many years.

Teacher Li said, “I should go down the mountain now.”

He Xiaoliang bowed slightly and said, “I dare not ask you to stay any longer, Teacher.”

Li Xisheng, as a disciple of the Confucian school, cupped his fist in salute.

Even though the other party did not return the salute, He Xiaoliang still shifted her feet, dodging slightly. However, after all, she was at the Jade Purity Realm, and also on the Clear Cool Sect’s mountain. Her movement was imperceptible, at least in the eyes of the porcelain doll Cui Ci, the female sect leader stood in place all along, generously accepting his teacher’s salute.

Great Li Imperial Study in the capital.

The small morning court ended.
The National Preceptor, Cui, uncharacteristically remained.

This was unprecedented.

Emperor Song He did not inquire, but quietly awaited the National Preceptor’s next words.

Cui rose from his chair, pinched two fingers together and lightly stroked, and a landscape scroll appeared within the imperial study, depicting the three continents of Treasure Bottle洲, Northern Club 蘆洲, and Tung Tree 洲.

The young emperor hurriedly rose and walked to Cui’s side.

Cui slowly said, “At the grand court assembly, a nation’s ruler discusses current affairs with civil and military officials, matters no further than a year away. At the small court assembly, a nation’s ruler discusses long-term plans spanning ten years with generals, ministers, and high officials. Now, in private, I discuss with Your Majesty a grand plan for a century. Your Majesty may witness a portion of the process, but may not personally see the final outcome.”

Song He softly said, “Like how Father Emperor never saw the iron hooves of the Great Li cavalry trample the shores of Old Dragon City?”

Cui bluntly said, “Almost.”

Song He, far from being disappointed, was overjoyed and smiled, “Master, I have been waiting for this day.”

Before this National Preceptor, as long as no other ministers were present, the young emperor always observed the etiquette of a student.

This matter required no prompting from the Empress Dowager.

Cui said, “Once the situation on Treasure Bottle洲 is settled, the Hanlin Academy will inevitably be tasked with compiling biographies of the officials from the vassal states, the ‘Biographies of Traitors’ and ‘Biographies of Loyalists.’ Moreover, this will certainly not be definitively decided during Your Majesty’s reign, lest it chill the hearts of the court. It can only be done by the succeeding emperor. This is a matter of family for Treasure Bottle洲 and the Great Li Dynasty. Your Majesty may first consider it and draft a charter, which I will review later for any omissions needing supplementation. Mending hearts is as important as repairing the old mountains and rivers.”

Having said this, he pointed to Northern Club 蘆洲 to the north of Treasure Bottle洲, “Looking at such a vast Northern Club 蘆洲, what are Your Majesty’s thoughts?”

Song He replied, “Compared to the past, largely hollow.”

The continent’s sword cultivators had already departed en masse for Upside-Down Mountain.

Cui nodded and said, “I advise Your Majesty that the Great Li Song Clan should never dream of seizing territory from other continents. It cannot be done.”

Song He was somewhat disappointed.

He had thought that this Great Li National Preceptor, his own master, would have even greater ambitions than he had imagined.

Cui laughed, “Great ambition but lacking talent is also hollow.”

Song He looked embarrassed.

Cui pointed to the Bone Beach on the southernmost edge of Northern Club 蘆洲, “Between Cloud-Piercing Mountain and Bone Beach, we must help the two continents build a long bridge. How does Your Majesty think we should construct it?”

Song He smiled, “With celestial coins.”

Cui nodded, but then asked, “Where does the true source of celestial coins come from?”

Song He’s gaze swept across the scroll, looking towards the continent further south than Treasure Bottle洲, “The inevitably fragmented Tung Tree 洲?”

Cui neither nodded in agreement nor shook his head in denial, but simply asked, “Fundamentally, how do we earn and spend money?”

Song He shook his head. The question was too broad.

Cui said, “Understanding how to earn money is for the sake of understanding how to spend it. Otherwise, what is the point of keeping it in the Great Li treasury? Can mountains of gold and silver feed a single household? This is the Great Li Song Clan’s self-rescue measure after establishing a nation with a continent as its territory.”

Cui raised both sleeves, pointing simultaneously to Northern Club 蘆洲 and Tung Tree 洲, on the northern and southern ends of Eastern Treasure Bottle洲, and gave his answer, “How to earn money legitimately from Northern Club 蘆洲 is for the sake of how to reasonably and appropriately repair the broken mountains and rivers of Tung Tree 洲. This in-and-out flow makes the Great Li seem unprofitable, but in reality, it is constantly accumulating national strength and foundation, while also gaining the endorsement of the Confucian Temple. It is not because Cui, or you, Emperor Song He, are adept at dealing with people, but because the Great Li’s national policy truly aligns with the Confucian rites and becomes the trend of the times. In this way, even if you, Song He, and I, Cui, do things that displease some people, even if they still have the ability to make you and me and Great Li unhappy, the Confucian Temple has sages observing with cold eyes, ready to punish them the moment they reach out.”

Cui lowered his arms, turned and stared at Song He. The embroidered tiger’s expression was slightly cold. “Saying all this to Your Majesty does not mean that Your Majesty is already more wise and martial than the late Emperor, but simply that Your Majesty is more fortunate, ascended to the throne later, and sits in a higher dragon chair. But Your Majesty need not be angry. The previous merits and demerits belong to the late Emperor, while the future accomplishments should belong solely to Your Majesty. Your Majesty need not compete with a dead late Emperor in governing the country. If you cannot recognize this point, I believe what I have said to Your Majesty today was spoken too early.”

Song He bowed deeply, “Master’s teachings, your student will remember.”

Cui said, “Erase some of the late Emperor’s traces of governance. The late Emperor is dead, and the new Emperor has ascended. What difficulty is there? Minister Guan and those old foxes will only laugh at you, the Emperor, for being petty. In fact, you, Song He, need not say or do much. In a few more years, the civil and military officials, old and young, will naturally become clever enough to conceal all traces. Having become the Emperor of the Great Li Song Clan, with ambitions set on a continent and the nation surrounded by seas on all sides, this is an unprecedented act in the vast world. You should display an imperial demeanor to match it. When the former dynasty’s old ministers, without me, Cui, present at the small court assembly, still remain loyal and respectful to you, that will be your, Song He’s, true ability. If, one day, I, Cui, am present and dare not regard you as a mere student, then Song He will be considered a true Emperor for the ages.”

Cui continued, “Both things are certainly difficult, but Your Majesty can try. What is the difficulty of fathoming the Emperor’s heart? Those are all techniques, indispensable but not to be the main focus. Even if the Song Clan’s reign has an end one day, whenever later historians write about the Great Li, Song He will undoubtedly be the most heavily emphasized figure, impossible to avoid, either praised the most or cursed the most fiercely.”

Finally, Cui smiled, “Speaking to Your Majesty about the two continents’ schemes and existing chess pieces, Your Majesty is, after all, the Emperor, and the National Preceptor will only ever be the National Preceptor.”

After a particularly brutal training session, Pei Qian was carried back to the first floor by Chen Ruochu. She was given an unprecedented three days of rest, and, crucially, that didn’t include the day and night she was bedridden and unable to move.

She just happened to hear that Wei Bo was about to host the third God’s Night Parade Feast, which made Pei Qian, who had finished copying her books, beam with joy.

Zhu Lian said this was what they call three days without a beating, and the roof tiles are coming off.

Pei Qian was in a good mood and didn’t bother arguing with the old chef.
Furthermore, previously, Master had formally agreed in his letter home to Fallen Phoenix Mountain to promote Zhou Mili to Right Protector of Fallen Phoenix Mountain. After Pei Qian had read the letter seventeen or eighteen times, she straightened her back and went to the second floor to practice her fist techniques for the first time. Her steps made the bamboo building stairs thump as she loudly shouted at Old Man Cui to quickly open the door and feed her fists, and not be so muddleheaded.

Seeing this from the first floor, Chen Lingjun wondered if Pei Qian had been beaten silly, or had become possessed by a demon.

At this moment, in Zhu Lian’s courtyard, Wei Bo was playing Go with Zheng Dafeng.

Chen Ruchu was lightly cracking melon seeds.

Chen Lingjun bet that Zheng Dafeng would win, and placed a large pile of snowflake money next to Dafeng’s Go container. But Zhu Lian kept muttering that Wei Bo was now an Jade Purity Realm immortal, and his Go skills had soared. Wei Bo should have a better chance of winning. Chen Lingjun looked at the development of the game and put a little summer money next to Wei Bo’s Go container.

Pei Qian, with Zhou Mili carrying the pilgrim’s staff, ran around the stone table and the others.

Pei Qian strutted about, swinging her arms wildly, shouting, “Qiang dong qiang, lang li ge qiang, lang li ge qiang, dong dong qiang… there’s going to be a feast in the village again, from the head of the village to the tail… The Liu family’s gold, the Li family’s silver, the Han family’s copper coins, will all obediently come to sleep in my pocket.”

Wei Bo rested his elbow on the table, his fingers lightly tapping his brow.

Once you’re on a pirate ship, it’s hard to get off.

Anyway, his reputation as the righteous god of the Northern Peak was completely ruined.

Zheng Dafeng angrily said, “You money-losing brat, if you keep making so much noise, you’ll make me lose the game, and implicate Brother Lingjun in losing money! Can you pay for it?”

Pei Qian ran away, never stopping, “Pay for what? Are you silly or what?”

Pei Qian continued to hum her folk song.

Zhou Mili followed behind Pei Qian, running, and asked in confusion, “Where is this ballad from? I’ve never heard it before.”

Pei Qian stopped, crossed her arms, and said, “It’s from my hometown. Unfortunately, it was written too well and didn’t spread.”

Zhou Mili felt that something about Pei Qian’s words didn’t make sense, so she hugged her pilgrim’s staff, frowned, and fell into thought.

Zhu Lian, after receiving Cui Dongshan’s letter, still had to wait for Lu Baixiang to come to Fallen Phoenix Mountain. After attending Wei Bo’s Night Sojourn Feast together, they would go with Liu Chongrun of Pearl Hairpin Island to search for the Water Palace Dragon Boat.

Unlike what Chen Pingan had explained in his letter, after Zhu Lian received Cui Dongshan’s reply, he didn’t need to worry about the Great Li iron cavalry and spies. Cui Dongshan would take care of it himself. He should have taken the Princess of the Fallen Kingdom to her homeland.

But Zhu Lian still told Liu Chongrun about the great danger of this matter, that it was better not to do it, or it might be a big disaster. Anyway, Zhu Lian made a lot of alarmist talk to scare people.

As a result, Liu Chongrun weighed the pros and cons, thought it over carefully, and gritted his teeth to decide not to touch the Water Palace Dragon Boat anymore. Only then did Zhu Lian let Liu Chongrun cool off for a few days. Zhu Lian then revealed that something had changed. Their Fallen Phoenix Mountain had decided to take on more risk, so the two sides could actually give it a try, but the split between the two sides could no longer be fifty-fifty. Fallen Phoenix Mountain had to take two more shares. After some haggling, it became forty-sixty between Armor-Carrying Crab and Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

In fact, Zhu Lian wouldn’t really take that extra share of the income. When he and Lu Baixiang accompanied Liu Chongrun to search for treasure, he would have his own reasons. He would say that their Fallen Phoenix Mountain Lord, who was traveling far away, had replied in a letter, instructing Zhu Lian to follow the original plan and split it fifty-fifty.

At that time, everything would seem the same and return to the original place.

Naturally, Zhu Lian wasn’t just busy for nothing.

When Cloud-Draped Mountain formally held the Night Sojourn Feast.

Pei Qian and Zhou Mili did not attend the Night Sojourn Feast. Pei Qian was busy copying more books, so as not to overspend due to practicing her fists.

Strangely enough, even Chen Lingjun didn’t join in the fun this time.

However, his Water God brother of the Imperial River made a special trip to Fallen Phoenix Mountain afterward to ask Chen Lingjun why he hadn’t shown up.

After that, Zhu Lian and Lu Baixiang went down the mountain to take care of serious business. Liu Chongrun, who was traveling with them, was worried and felt that his future was uncertain, and that good fortune and misfortune were interdependent. After all, they were digging for treasure under the noses of the Great Li iron cavalry.

Lu Baixiang’s two disciples, Yuanbao and Yuanlai, a brother and sister, stayed on Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

The two of them got along quite well with Cen Yuanji, who had been brought up the mountain by Zhu Lian.

Playing and fighting outside the Three-Day Bamboo Building.

Was completely different from practicing fist techniques in the bamboo building three days later.

Zhou Mili carried the pilgrim’s staff and guarded the path from the mansion to the bamboo building, not allowing any outsiders to visit the bamboo building.

This was what the chief steward Zhu Lian had ordered, and Zhou Mili did not dare to leave her post without permission. However, as long as Chen Ruchu finished her work, she would run over to eat melon seeds and pastries with Zhou Mili. When it was time to do something, Chen Ruchu would leave.

Zhou Mili honestly squatted on the ground that Pei Qian had drawn a circle on for her.

At first, Zhou Mili felt wronged, feeling that the circle that Pei Qian had drawn was too small, and it seemed that the territory of her Right Protector of Fallen Phoenix Mountain was not large enough.

Pei Qian then asked her if the door god gentlemen pasted on the doors of Dragon-Riding Alley down the mountain, with their small pieces of paper as territory, were bigger than the circle under her feet? See if those door god gentlemen would complain? Pei Qian finally asked with a straight face, Zhou Mili, is your Right Protector a bit too cocky?

Zhou Mili quickly shook her head vigorously.

Zhou Mili squatted in the circle alone, moving little by little along the non-existent boundary line, circling around.

As the little girl in black carrying the pilgrim’s staff took one or two steps, a little lotus person that jumped out of the soil would follow and run a few steps behind her.

Second floor of the bamboo building.

Cui Cheng stepped on Pei Qian’s forehead, twisted it heavily, and looked down and asked, “Before practicing your fists today, you little piece of trash, how dare you ask this old man when the end of practicing fists is?”

Cui Cheng kicked the side of Pei Qian’s temple, turned his head and looked at the girl huddled up in the corner, “You get to the end of the dead end first, then talk.”

Her body slowly stretched out. Pei Qian, who had forced herself to accumulate an extra breath, stood up staggeringly, her face covered in blood. She opened her mouth wide, tilted her head, stretched out two fingers, shook a tooth, and then pulled it out vigorously.
She carefully collected the blood-stained tooth and hid it in her sleeve. Her master had once said that every child grows up, and during that time, fallen teeth should be thrown onto the roof of the bed, so that a wish for safety could be made.

Pei Qian bent down, her hands clenched into fists, gently tightened and released, staring intently at Cui Cheng.

She saw her tip-toe, leap into the air, and stomp heavily on the bamboo building wall behind her. Her figure shot out like an arrow, suddenly falling midway, her ankle twisting, sliding out several steps, deviating from a straight line. With an iron cavalry charging formation, her stance wide open, she threw a punch, yet it was a punch of the Divine Man Drumming style towards Cui Cheng.

Pei Qian might not know that the Divine Man Drumming style was the style her master used the least when facing Cui Cheng.

Because he knew it was the most useless.

But Pei Qian was the exact opposite. This punch was the most she delivered to this old man.

Again and again, failing each time, again and again, throwing the punch again.

The old man struck Pei Qian’s head with a punch, unexpectedly, at the moment Pei Qian’s body flew backward, she kicked out fiercely with one leg.

Obviously, from the beginning, she had the idea of you hitting me with a punch, and I would kick you in return.

Unfortunately, Cui Cheng grabbed her ankle with one hand, swung her high, and slammed her heavily on the ground, causing Pei Qian’s body to curl up again. The rhythm of her breathing changed rapidly, naturally and seamlessly.

Cui Cheng sneered, “A little waste like you, even Chen Ping’an is better! If I were that big waste, I would despise you for eating one more mouthful of rice, all wasting the resources of Fallen Mountain! You want to touch even a corner of my clothes? Do you think I am that Cen Yuanji who seems to be dozing off while practicing punches? Come again? Don’t pretend to be dead, if you can touch even a thread of my clothes, I will take your surname from now on.”

Pei Qian slammed the ground heavily with her elbow, her body rose into the air, and stood steadily. Intermittently, vaguely, she said, “No need to take my surname… just take my master’s surname… it still depends on whether my master agrees.”

Cui Cheng stepped in front of Pei Qian in one stride, one hand behind his back, the other hand gripping Pei Qian’s face, and with another step, he smashed Pei Qian against the wall.

The latter’s hands and feet drooped down weakly.

Cui Cheng released his hand, Pei Qian slumped to the ground, leaning against the wall, a large smear of blood sliding down the wall above her head.

Cui Cheng sneered, “A cowardly and greedy waste like Chen Ping’an would raise a cowardly and greedy waste like you. You two masters and disciples should hide in Mud Bottle Alley for the rest of your lives, picking up chicken droppings and dog dung every day! Chen Ping’an is blind, he chose you, Pei Qian, to be that goddamn founding disciple, a pitiful wretch destined to hide behind him for the rest of your life, worthy of being called ‘disciple,’ to talk about ‘founding a mountain’?”

Pei Qian’s fingers twitched slightly, and finally she raised her head with difficulty, her lips moving slightly.

As a result, the old man stepped on her forehead with one foot, bent down and tilted his head, “Little waste, what are you saying, I beg you to say it louder! Are you saying that I’m right? You and Chen Ping’an should spend your lives in Mud Bottle Alley dealing with chicken droppings and dog dung?! What’s wrong, you use your traveling staff to pick up chicken droppings and dog dung, and then Chen Ping’an uses a dustpan to collect them? That’s best, so you don’t need to practice your punches for too long. When Chen Ping’an rolls back to Fallen Mountain, you masters and disciples, both big and small wastes, just stay in Mud Bottle Alley.”

Pei Qian, sitting on the ground, slowly raised her hand, and slowly swung a punch towards Cui Cheng’s foot.

The old man retracted his foot, and after that punch missed, he switched to another foot and stomped heavily on Pei Qian’s head.

After a moment, Pei Qian switched to another hand and raised her arm to punch.

The old man then took several steps back, tut-tutting, “With this ability, it seems you can go to Fortune Street or Peach Leaf Lane with that waste Chen Ping’an, and earn money by polishing boots for those rich old men. Chen Ping’an cleans the boots, and you, as his disciple, can smile and bow, saying ‘Welcome back, sir.'”

Pei Qian pressed her hands and back against the wall, inch by inch, slowly rising. She tried her best to open her eyes, opened her mouth, but couldn’t make a sound.

The old man smiled, knowing what this little fellow was scolding him for.

Pei Qian lowered her head and bent over, breathing softly, her vision blurred, she could no longer see anything clearly.

The old man turned and walked towards the bamboo door, turning his head and smiling, “I’ll open the door now, and you can write a letter to that Chen Ping’an, saying that you, as his disciple, can finally share his worries, and have thought of a good idea for the master and disciple to make money? Anyway, Chen Ping’an is from a peasant background, and he has a useless disciple like you, making this kind of lowly money, it’s embarrassing, but what can he do? I don’t think there is any other way!”

In an instant.

Cui Cheng stopped his steps and narrowed his eyes.

Pei Qian, who was almost unconscious, subconsciously widened her eyes, her figure swaying as she stepped out. The next time her body swayed even more, after several steps, Pei Qian disappeared.

A foot swept out horizontally, suddenly stopping, leaping high, pouncing, and smashing a punch down on Cui Cheng’s head.

Just like in the small town back then, a straw-sandaled boy was as swift as an eagle, skimming across the stream.

Cui Cheng hesitated for a moment, but still twisted his shoulder, dodging Pei Qian’s punch. But this time, the old man didn’t punch, he just turned his head to look. The little girl was squatting on the ground near the door, already unconscious.

Perhaps she was blocking the way, preventing him, Cui Cheng, from opening the door?

Cui Cheng came to the little girl’s side, sat down cross-legged, reached out and gently pressed her bloodied little head, nodding and smiling, “Very good.”