Gu Can arrived at the entrance of the mansion in the Prefectural City. Two white jade lions, crafted by the hands of immortals, squatted at the gate, exuding a majestic aura. Even the most famished beggar wouldn’t dare approach the gate to beg.

Gu Can didn’t rush to knock.

Liu Chicheng and Chai Bofu had no choice but to stand on the street, enduring the biting wind.

Gu Can ascended the spotless steps, reaching out to grasp the beast-head knocker. His fingers paused, his movement frozen for a moment. It was the gilded Jaifang door knocker, typically reserved for the residences of dukes and marquises. Gu Can sighed inwardly, realizing it was inappropriate for his family to overstep in such a manner. Even with a “Peaceful Reign” plaque镇宅 to ward off evil, it was still a bit much. The Prefectural City’s Magistrate’s office must have received confidential information from the Kiln Affairs Supervisory Department, which was why they hadn’t bothered with this mansion. However, this matter needed to be discussed with his mother. There was no need to be so extravagant on the exterior, as it could easily invite trouble.

Gu Can rapped the knocker and took a step back. A gatekeeper, dressed in luxurious clothes, opened the door. Upon seeing the plainly dressed Gu Can, his expression turned displeased, and he frowned, asking, “Which family’s young master are you, or are you an official from the yamen?”

Gu Can was taken aback for a moment, only then remembering his current appearance. He had changed quite a bit, and it was normal that the gatekeeper, not being an old-timer from Green Gorge Island, wouldn’t recognize him. The personal maids who had left Shujian Lake with his mother back then had all achieved smooth cultivation over the years, becoming Qi Refinement cultivators in the Middle Five Stages. Although their realms weren’t high, they didn’t meddle much in the affairs of the mansion. Regarding their cultivation, Gu Can had provided detailed guidance in his correspondence with his mother in his earlier years, and he had even helped them select several mountain treasures. They only needed to cultivate step by step, refine their natal treasures, and break through realms.

The gatekeeper quickly glanced at the two figures standing below the steps behind the young man: a weak-looking scholar and a youth with prematurely white hair. He instantly believed he had sized up the trio’s background.

The gatekeeper was a pure martial artist, concealing his strength. He was at the Fifth Stage, which was indeed quite impressive in the ordinary martial world. In any tributary small kingdom, he would be more than capable of founding a sect. To be a gatekeeper and guard was beneath him, but he was probably doing it because money could move ghosts, or perhaps he had stirred up trouble and was seeking refuge here. The worst-case scenario was that the other party had ulterior motives, trying to reel in a big fish by collaborating with rogue cultivators, coveting the opulent estate and wealth of this mansion. Gu Can had grown accustomed to the ways of the world over the years, having witnessed many intricately woven swindles. He had even deliberately watched from afar, witnessing two “bee and sparrow” schemes from beginning to end. One family, known for their lack of compassion and righteousness, was ruined. Gu Can appeared when the bandits were dividing their spoils, asking them for some pointers. When they were evasive and unwilling to speak plainly, Gu Can had Zeng Ye use a spell, taking over their nests and acquiring their knowledge for himself. In the case of another family that seemed to have a good reputation, Gu Can had simply helped them out of a tight spot.

Gu Can smiled and said, “My name is Gu Can. This is my home.”

The gatekeeper immediately changed his demeanor, bowing and making way. “Greetings, Young Master! I will report to the Lady at once.”

Gu Can stepped over the threshold and waved his hand. “No need. It’s just a few steps. Don’t trouble yourself with announcing me.”

The gatekeeper’s smile was obsequious. “Just now, at first glance, I almost mistook Young Master for a virtuous and talented scholar from the academy.”

The gatekeeper had already figured out the family’s background. The head of the household was a cultivator, traveling far away for many years and not returning. The mansion was vague about this matter, likely due to some hidden secrets. The young master was a bookworm studying abroad, leaving only a wealthy woman decked out in gold and jade. The Lady always spoke of her son with great pride. If it weren’t for the two personal maids by the woman’s side being Qi Refinement cultivators who had achieved success, they would have already made their move. Such a large fortune was enough to last several lifetimes. So, for the past year, they had specially brought in a friend from the underworld, having him focus his efforts on one of the maids.

Gu Can smiled and said, “Good eye.”

Liu Chicheng nodded and said, “Indeed, extremely good.”

Chai Bofu glanced at the pure martial artist, feeling pity. How pitiful, so many paths to wealth, yet he had stumbled into this household. A nest of self-proclaimed clever foxes, barging into a dragon’s den to fool around, what was that but courting death?

Liu Chicheng smacked Chai Bofu on the head. “Old Long, what’s wrong? Not a word out of you. Do you think our Young Master Gu doesn’t deserve to be called a virtuous and talented scholar?”

Chai Bofu felt as if he had been struck by lightning, all the key vital centers in his body trembling. The Dragon Gate Realm that he had finally stabilized was now teetering on the brink of collapse! Chai Bofu hurriedly said, “Young Master Gu deserves it, he deserves it.”

Ordinary villains would shout a few intimidating words before making a move, but this eccentric senior by his side always acted first and then reasoned afterward.

However, the longer he spent with him, the more determined Chai Bofu became to pursue the Dao. He must become a registered disciple of White Emperor City in the Central Earth Divine Continent.

The gatekeeper closed the door, suddenly feeling a chill on the back of his neck. It turned out that the slender Gu Can had reached out and grabbed the man’s neck, slamming his head against the door. Between Gu Can’s fingers, blood had already seeped out, showing how ruthless he was. He softly asked, “Closing the door, aren’t you afraid of becoming a laughingstock? Tell me, how many people are there inside and out in total? Who is the most powerful, and what is their background?”

Gu Can suddenly withdrew his hand, turning around and smiling towards the distance, leaving his back completely exposed to the pure martial artist.

A woman ran over quickly, stumbling several times on her trailing skirt. Upon seeing Gu Can, whom she hadn’t seen in many years, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Working hard to survive, enjoying life and earning money, in the end, it was all for this ungrateful little bastard who only knew how to send letters home.

Gu Can strode over. The Lady embraced her son, choking back sobs. Gu Can gently patted his mother’s back, his expression calm, smiling at the two maids whose every glory and wealth came from him, Gu Can.

The two young women merely met Gu Can’s gaze before immediately lowering their heads, their hands and feet turning cold, as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

The Lady released Gu Can, wiping away her tears. She began to carefully examine her son, first with relief, but then, perhaps thinking of how much hardship Gu Can had endured alone, she began to sob again, covering her mouth. In her heart, she blamed herself, blamed that dead man who had inexplicably become a Mountain God, blamed Chen Pingan for abandoning Gu Can alone after killing Tan Xue, and blamed the heavens for being blind, for making Gu Can suffer so much.
After Gu Can and his mother reminisced in the main hall, he stepped into his own study for the first time. Liu Chicheng took Old Longbo to wander around the residence. Gu Can summoned two maids and the gatekeeper who had been too scared to even put up a fight.

Gu Can dragged a chair over, leaning against the window, his elbow propped on the armrest, his cheek resting on his hand. He asked, “A tall tree attracts the wind; it’s inevitable. I won’t fault you two for this, especially since my mother wasn’t entirely blameless either. But forgetting one’s roots is a terrible thing. Did my mother know about the outsiders infiltrating the mansion and setting up this scheme?”

The two maids were already kneeling on the ground.

One maid looked completely bewildered.

The other maid nodded. “I told Madam about it. She said to just treat it as a way to relieve boredom.”

Gu Can hesitated for a moment and asked, “Did my father leave any contingency plans?”

The maid said in a low voice, “The Master was very concerned about Madam’s safety. He not only greeted the local City God Pavilion Lord but also cast a divine spell on the door gods of one of the courtyards. There’s also an elderly seventh-realm martial artist in the mansion, formerly a soldier from the border army. His hometown is in the old mountains of Dali, so he knew the Master. He was invited here by the Master and now works as a security guard under an assumed name, keeping an eye on the gatekeepers.”

The gatekeeper’s mind went blank.

A “cultivator” who could curry favor with the City God of Dragon Province and employ a seventh-realm grandmaster as a security guard?

Why was he constantly being berated as a useless ghost by that petty woman?

Gu Can felt helpless. What about camaraderie? Every seventh-realm martial artist in Dali was on record and closely monitored by the imperial court. He was probably like the desolate Fallen Mountain Mountain God, Song Yuzhang, offering protection to the Gu family, but also keeping a close watch. His father, the mountain god whom Gu Can barely remembered, naturally wouldn’t reveal such inside information, lest she worry needlessly.

Gu Can looked at the pure martial artist who was still trying to figure out how to survive and said, seemingly out of nowhere, “The mastermind behind this is likely a true expert. As for you, forget it. You probably still don’t know who’s behind this, or if there even *is* a scheme.”

Gu Can muttered to himself, “People die for wealth, birds for food. Why are there so many fools in this world?”

A smiling voice spoke up, “Isn’t that a good thing? On the chessboard, if pieces are thrown about haphazardly, how can one gain the upper hand? Only the younger, smarter ones can rise to the top and surpass their predecessors.”

Gu Can stood up solemnly. There was no one in the room, but he still respectfully cupped his fist in salute.

A white-robed man appeared beside Gu Can. “Pack your things and come with me to White Emperor City. Before we leave, go to Yellow Lake Mountain with Liu Chicheng and meet the old Daoist priest who’s now known as Jia Sheng. If the old man is willing to appear, you’ll be my junior disciple. If he doesn’t want to see you, then just be my registered disciple.”

The white-robed man held a scroll, a tattered *Search Mountain Diagram*, and handed it to Gu Can. “Take this to Yellow Lake Mountain.”

Before coming to this residence, the man retrieved this *Search Mountain Diagram* from Lin Shouyi as a return gift, helping Lin Shouyi complete the *Clouds Above Azure Book* that originated from White Emperor City, giving him the middle and lower volumes. Although Lin Shouyi was a scholar, he had progressed rapidly on his cultivation path, quickly reaching the Cave Heaven Realm in his early years. He specialized in the upper volume of the *Clouds Above Book*, focusing on the lower five realms. The secret techniques contained within, especially the thunder techniques, were genuine Five Thunders Orthodox Arts. However, the greatest essence of the *Clouds Above Azure Book* lay not in the thunder techniques, but in its ability to pave the way for the Great Dao and enable unobstructed cultivation. The author of this book, the Lord of White Emperor City himself, had experienced the Thunder Arts of Dragon Tiger Mountain and personally deleted, improved, and trimmed away many complex branches.

Where in the world is the most cloud-kissed place?

Naturally, it’s White Emperor City.

As for how the upper volume of the Daoist book ended up in Lin Shouyi’s hands, it was of course Ah Liang’s doing, the kind of borrowing from scholars where the book never returns. So, it could be said that Lin Shouyi’s instant liking of the book was due to his excellent Daoist affinity.

Since it was a gift from Ah Liang, White Emperor City wouldn’t bother with Lin Shouyi’s “unintentional act, stealing the teachings” of mountain etiquette.

However, Lin Shouyi still refused to say a word about the origin of the *Search Mountain Diagram* even after the man revealed his name.

This was why the Lord of White Emperor City was willing to give the final volume of the *Clouds Above Book*. If he had only given the middle volume, Lin Shouyi would have become a pawn, suffering a calamity.

Hearing this, Gu Can’s face remained expressionless, but his heart was shaken. He knew Jia Sheng!

A registered enshrinement of Fallen Mountain, a blind old Daoist who could only freeload a living in Riding Dragon Lane, who had taken in two well-behaved disciples: Zhao Denggao, a crippled young man who was a demon, and Tian Jiu’er, whose blood was the best material for talismans. It was said that Jia Sheng had moved to Yellow Lake Mountain a few years ago to build a hut for cultivation.

Fallen Mountain had such a person in hiding. Had Zhu Lian and Wei Bo never recognized a single clue about this person?

“If I hadn’t come here, no one at Fallen Mountain would have ever known such a person existed. Jia Sheng would have remained just Jia Sheng until his death. Perhaps during Jia Sheng’s cultivation, he would have gone to the Fifth Heaven as a matter of course. Then, one day, he would reincarnate and change his skin, repeating the cycle, enjoying it immensely.”

The white-robed man smiled. “Don’t overthink it. It’s just his usual game in the mortal world. After sheathing his sword in his early years, he completely changed as a person. He is good at deceiving himself, but doesn’t like deceiving others. He has died many times from unexpected disasters on and off the mountain, and he has never once taken action to protect himself. In the vast Nine Continents of the Great Bright World, he will stay for hundreds of years in each continent.” The white-robed man paused. “Furthermore, although I am his disciple in name, I created White Emperor City myself, and it has nothing to do with him.”

Gu Can suddenly said, “Then I don’t need to visit Yellow Lake Mountain. I won’t disturb the old senior’s peaceful cultivation. I’ll just follow the City Lord to the Central Earth Divine Continent.”

The white-robed man smiled. “If you can say that, then you really should go see him.”

Gu Can asked, “What should be done with the three people in the room?”

The two maids and the gatekeeper stood motionless.

The white-robed man glanced at the three of them, extended a palm, and forced their astral spirits to leave their bodies, including that of the pure martial artist. Dazed and confused, their feet left the ground, slowly swaying until they stopped in front of the white-robed man. He reached out and casually tapped their foreheads twice. The three astral spirits retreated back into their bodies one after another. Gu Can concentrated and noticed that a silk thread was beginning to spread from the center of each of their foreheads.
Then, the three of them suddenly “awakened.” The gatekeeper, a pure martial artist, was instantly moved to tears, kneeling and refusing to rise. “Young Master!”

A maid kowtowed vigorously, “This servant greets the Sect Master!”

Another maid prostrated on the ground, heartbroken and saying, “Master, please forgive me.”

The white-robed man waved his sleeve, and the three of them fainted on the spot. He explained with a smile, “It’s as if they’ve been in a deep sleep for a long time, and when they awaken, they’re still the same people, but with some life experiences both subtracted and added.”

Sweat trickled down Gu Can’s forehead.

This was the White Emperor City’s demonic art!

Only now did he understand why Liu Chicheng spoke with such reverence every time he mentioned this person.

The other party could casually make a person no longer who they were, yet they would firmly believe they were still themselves.

Then what were all the grievances and grudges, the so-called Great Dao cultivation?

The white-robed man smiled, “Is life and death the greatest matter? Then what exactly is life and death? It is because I understand this matter that some people don’t want me to leave White Emperor City.”

He finally said, “That old fellow came to this Lizhu Grotto Heaven, not to completely settle the karma, but just for a leisurely stroll? Master finally has a bit of a master’s demeanor, finally surprising me for once.”

Beside a thatched hut on Yellow Lake Mountain.

Deep in the mountains, the water meandered.

The blind old Daoist stepped out of his hut during a break from cultivation, sighing with emotion. Ever since his good brother Chen Lingjun went on a distant journey, there was no one to chat with him anymore; it was truly very lonely.

The so-called devoted cultivation was actually just an excuse to move. No longer staying in that weed shop in Qilong Lane, at least it was closer to Fallen Phoenix Mountain. If he returned to Qilong Lane in the future, this nominal honorary position of his would be even more secure. The fellow shopkeeper next door would no longer dare to look down on him when they met again, right? Wouldn’t they have to bow to him?

Suddenly, Jia Sheng felt a sense of dread.

He vaguely sensed a ripple in front of him, as if a guest had arrived.

Jia Sheng immediately braced himself and said loudly, “The two guests are uninvited and haven’t announced their arrival. That’s not very appropriate.”

Liu Chicheng almost popped his eyeballs out.

Sometimes, appearances, souls, and auras could deceive people, preventing others from recognizing them even when they were close by.

But certain subtle details, when scrutinized, would reveal obvious clues, such as the blind old Daoist’s posture, the curvature of his fingers when forming hand seals, and so on.

Furthermore, since his eldest brother didn’t explain the reason, he simply dropped him and Gu Can off here, Liu Chicheng immediately thought of the most improbable “what if,” prostrating on the ground and trembling, “Disciple greets Master!”

Jia Sheng was a bit unnerved. Where did this wild disciple come from?

Liu Chicheng pressed his forehead to the ground, feeling extremely aggrieved. “Master, eldest brother has bullied me terribly. First, because of a small matter, he banished me from White Emperor City, then he watched as I was chased down by the Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, leaving your poor disciple stranded in this small Treasure Bottle Continent for thousands of years, with no one to care for me. Eldest brother doesn’t show any brotherly affection at all. Master, you must uphold justice!”

It wasn’t that Liu Chicheng was making things up. His master had always been the most doting and indulgent towards him, his closed-door disciple. The animosity that many senior brothers and sisters held towards him in their hearts stemmed from this.

The old Daoist almost jumped up and cursed. White Emperor City? Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain? Is there anyone in the world who cons like you, fellow Daoist? Your lies are so unreliable. If I, Jia Sheng, were really your master, I would be blind to have taken you as a disciple… Jia Sheng suddenly froze. This poor Daoist is indeed blind.

Gu Can was somewhat impressed by Liu Chicheng’s audacity. Meeting a master, he brings out the City Lord of White Emperor City, his eldest brother. Encountering his eldest brother, he starts bringing out his master?

Gu Can raised the “Searching the Mountains” painting in his hand and said in a deep voice, “Old Senior, returning the item to its rightful owner.”

Jia Sheng naturally opened his eyes, saw the scroll, and sighed, “Taking in such a disciple, I truly didn’t consult the almanac.”

Then Jia Sheng froze again, shaking his head slightly. What strange thoughts? The old Daoist blinked hard, and heaven and earth became clear, all things visible to his eyes. Back then, practicing the strange thunder technique of his own mountain was a heretical path, and the price was extremely high. First, it damaged his internal organs, then blinded his eyes. He hadn’t seen things for many years.

In a daze, the old Daoist Jia Sheng retreated, his mind condensed like mustard seeds, and he fell into a slumber. Another person occupied all his consciousness.

The old man lowered his head, tugged at his Daoist robe, then turned his head, glanced at the Great Scholar Neighborhood in the Huaihuang County seat, then shifted his gaze, taking in the True Pearl Mountain and all the Dragon Kilns. The old man’s expression was complicated, and then he simply ignored Liu Chicheng and Gu Can, falling into contemplation.

The old man spread out his palm, stared at the lines on his palm for a moment, and finally murmured, “This life’s small dream, waking up from it, Lu Chen has wronged me greatly.”

The old man stepped out, and the blind old Daoist Jia Sheng stood in place, still sound asleep.

The old man restored his true appearance, a lean, gaunt old man with refined features. One could vaguely see that in his youth, he must have been a handsome man with an extraordinary aura.

The old man’s path of cultivation was like a dazzling meteor in the vast world, rising rapidly and falling even faster compared to the long river of time.

So much so that even the fact that the City Lord of White Emperor City was his first disciple was known to only a handful of people in the entire world.

The old man was both Jia Sheng and far more than just Jia Sheng. The Jia Sheng behind him would, in the future, be only Jia Sheng.

In his life, he only did one thing, known to the whole world.

With a thrust of his sword, he slaughtered all the dragons.

He killed until only one true dragon remained in the world.

An old almanac of a vast world had several pages torn out because of one man’s sword!

When the old man appeared, the giant python in Yellow Lake, which had once lost to Gu Can’s little mud loach in a struggle for water fortune, sank suddenly, as if suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. It lurked at the bottom of the lake, trembling with fear, wishing it could bury its head in the mountain’s roots.

The old man glanced at Gu Can, reached out and took the scroll, put it in his sleeve, patted Gu Can’s shoulder, nodded, and smiled, “Solid foundation, a good seedling. Then I will take you in as a disciple on behalf of my master.”

Liu Chicheng was struck by lightning, sitting blankly on the ground, no longer wailing.

It shouldn’t be like this, it mustn’t be like this.

If Gu Can had this identity, perhaps the next moment, he, Liu Chicheng, would be one step closer to the Yellow Springs than Brother Longbo!

The white-robed man appeared out of thin air.
The old man squinted, “This old master is practically crippled now, unable to defeat you, my first disciple. But the title of master and disciple remains. What’s this? You disagree? Want to commit patricide? Just like swordsmanship, I never taught you such a thing.”

The white-clad man remained silent, a hint of murderous intent flickering within.

Unexpectedly, the old man pressed his advantage, completely unconcerned by the killing intent of a Lord of White Emperor City. Instead, he asked, “What are you standing there for? Call out to Little Martial Uncle.”

The white-clad man showed no respect for hierarchy, merely asking, “Are you certain this is for Gu Can’s benefit?”

Gu Can knelt on the ground, head lowered, and said in a low voice, “Gu Can greets Ancestral Master.”

The old man laughed heartily.

He transformed into a streak of sword light, instantly becoming a rainbow and traveling thousands of miles away, heading to the Northern Ju Continent to frolic with his good brother, Chen Lingjun.

However, the next time they meet, he won’t recognize him, and Chen Lingjun won’t recognize him either.

The white-clad man raised his head, looking at the northward-bound sword light, and smiled, “One should be kinder to their closed-door disciple.”

Liu Chicheng breathed a sigh of relief. Good, good. Gu Can is only his Junior Martial Brother.

Otherwise, if his seniority were to rise, with Gu Can’s lack of sentimentality, he’d be capable of anything unscrupulous.

Lin Shouyi sat in his ancestral home, and no matter how he calmed his breathing and focused his mind, he remained uneasy. He had no choice but to go to the ancestral hall, whose spirit tablets had already been moved to the Dali capital, only then finding some peace of mind.

Lin Shouyi took out three sticks of incense and remotely paid homage to his ancestors.

After finishing this, he turned to walk toward the ancestral hall’s entrance. Just as he closed the doors, he discovered an old Confucian scholar standing beside him.

Lin Shouyi, being so intelligent, immediately bowed and said, “Lin Shouyi of Cliff Academy greets Senior Martial Uncle.”

Cui Chan smiled, “I have long since left the lineage of the Sage of Culture, I don’t deserve such a greeting.”

Lin Shouyi straightened up and bowed again respectfully, “A member of the Dali Lin clan greets the National Preceptor.”

Cui Chan nodded, “During your travels as a student, your performance was truly outstanding. You were the first to notice that Ah Liang was unusual, and the first to obtain an opportunity. This is all due to Lin Shouyi’s hard work, steady learning, and inspired moment. This time, allowing that person to act within the great rules is due to your steady governance, accumulated knowledge, and a stroke of divine inspiration.”

Cui Chan took Lin Shouyi for a walk in the empty residence, allowing the young man to walk alongside him without being too restrained.

Cui Chan said, “Your father has some difficulties that he will never actively tell you about. Back then, he was the first to tell Chen Pingan’s father about the inside story of the Natal Porcelain. Of course, it was out of kindness, and he told him about the consequences as well. The two of them hit it off immediately. Although their statuses were vastly different, they were close friends. Therefore, your father also helped that man clean up the mess later on. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for Chen Pingan to survive. That’s why Chen Pingan later gifted you the *Searching the Mountains* painting during his travels. In the shadows, there is some karmic predestination. However, your father has good intentions and doesn’t want you to be too involved with Chen Pingan, lest you be swept up by the current before you’ve grown, and die young. That’s why he acted so indifferently toward your going to the Great Sui Academy.”

Lin Shouyi was stunned.

Cui Chan said, “Hard to believe? Then think carefully. Would a man who has served as an assistant to three successive kiln construction supervisors be simple? Would he really care so much about the titles of legitimate and illegitimate sons? Do you know that before the current Supervisor Cao went to Locust Yellow Town, the only person he visited for advice after leaving the late Emperor’s study was your father, who is inconspicuous in the capital? How did your classmate Shi Chunjia’s family overcome their difficulties in the end? The Shi family themselves don’t know, and still hold some resentment. Do you think your father would care?”

Cui Chan held one hand behind his back and pinched his index finger and middle finger on the other as if picking up something, “Shi Chunjia is nostalgic, so you are nostalgic. Because you are nostalgic, all your classmates follow suit. Bian Wenmao is ambitious but incompetent, but he sincerely treats his wife Shi Chunjia, who comes from a humble background, well, so you understand Bian Wenmao. This Hanlin scholar of the Dali capital will receive your help should he encounter difficulties in the future. Even if your actions aren’t skillful enough, with some flaws,”

(End of this chapter, please turn the page)

“would your father sit idly by? The lines connect, forming a vast net. Just don’t forget that you will do this, and everyone else will do this as well. What kind of cultivation level will attract what kind of karma? Realm cultivation is very useful at ordinary times, but it is the most useless at critical moments. Lin Shouyi, I ask you, are you still willing to meddle in other people’s business?”

Cui Chan gently pushed his two fingers apart, as if brushing away those connections.

Lin Shouyi pondered for a moment and replied, “Things have come to this point, and are right in front of me, so I still have to manage them one by one.”

Lin Shouyi sighed, “I will meddle less in the future.”

Cui Chan smiled knowingly, “It was worth your father’s tantrums and shameless pleas for me to help you choose such a good name.”

Lin Shouyi suddenly stopped and bowed again, mustering his courage and asking in a trembling voice, “May I ask, Senior Martial Uncle, why did you stand by and watch back then, allowing Teacher to go to his death alone?”

This question really made Lin Shouyi feel aggrieved, and he had to ask it.

Even if he angered this National Preceptor who was unwilling to acknowledge his status as a Senior Martial Uncle, Lin Shouyi had to ask this question today!

Cui Chan didn’t mind, and was obviously not angry at the young man’s impudence. Instead, he was somewhat gratified, and said, “If great principles don’t require great sacrifices, what’s so valuable about them? Who can’t talk about them? What is the meaning of studying? Never giving up on righteousness, such foolish things are hard to learn without reading. However, books are divided into inner and outer, Confucian teachings, where is there not a book of sages laid out?”

Cui Chan gently patted the young man’s shoulder and smiled, “Therefore, in this life, you should scold half-baked scholars more and scold the books of sages less.”

Cui Chan looked around, “During your travels as a student, Chen Pingan, who traveled with you, remembered your poor impressions of your father early on. So even later, when Chen Pingan had enough confidence to dig up old accounts, including searching through many old histories about the Ma family of Apricot Blossom Lane, he hesitated in front of the Kiln Construction Supervisor, Lord Lin. It was precisely because he trusted you that he was afraid of those unspeakable rumors. He didn’t trust the people he hadn’t seen with his own eyes, and he feared that once the truth was revealed, it would harm his friend Lin Shouyi. This is called ‘once bitten by a snake, you are afraid of the well rope for ten years.’ The suffering he experienced at Shujian Lake made him unwilling to go through it again in his hometown.”
Cui Chan chuckled, “Although Chen Ping’an has misunderstood the situation, it is actually a blessing in disguise. With his temperament, once he became fixated on the matter, even if he discovered the truth and could breathe a sigh of relief, smoothly circumventing you and your father, Falling Mountain would have already been embroiled in a bloody feud with the Song clan of Great Li. He would still be at home pursuing the matter, making enemies everywhere, and severely depleting his vitality. Naturally, he wouldn’t have become the Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi. The Xu clan of Qingfeng City, and numerous other forces including Righteous Sun Mountain, would have spared no effort in kicking Falling Mountain while it was down.”

Cui Chan continued, “You don’t need to return to Cliff Academy for the time being. Ask Li Baoping, Li Huai, and the others if they still have any of those ‘Qi’ characters from back then. Collect them all, including yours, and then go find Cui Dongshan and give him all the ‘Qi’ characters. After that, take a trip to Bamboo Slip Lake and retrieve the bamboo slips that Chen Ping’an threw into the lake.”

Lin Shouyi, still unaware of the reason, nodded in agreement.

Cui Chan looked up at the magnificent sword light that had flashed and disappeared. “It’s easy to invite a god, but difficult to send one away.” At least it was finally gone.

The Great Li Dynasty’s canal excavation project was proceeding in full swing, a massive undertaking.

The influential clan lord Gongsun Guan Yi Ran, and the military family scion Liu Xunmei, had suddenly become the most sought-after newly powerful figures in Great Li.

As for the newly emerged Prefect of the former Green Luan Kingdom, Liu Qingfeng, after the initial excitement in the Great Li capital faded, coupled with some behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Liu Qingfeng quickly lost his allure.

Born from a scholarly family in a remote small kingdom, confirmed not to be a Qi cultivator, destined for a short lifespan. His performance in Green Luan Kingdom was decent, but his reputation was tarnished, so he was placed in this position. He might have a future, but not a great one, as he wasn’t from the Great Li capital’s officialdom. As for why he was able to rise so quickly and gain power so suddenly, who knows? In the Great Li capital, some speculated that he was a puppet propped up by the Yunlin Jiang clan, after all, the newest canal’s estuary was right at the Jiang clan’s doorstep.

A strikingly handsome young man in white robes was squatting in the fields, watching a local clan’s water feud with great interest. Squatting beside him was a thin, listless child.

Liu Qingfeng sat on the ridge, while his guards Wang Yifu and young Liu Suo stood at a distance. Liu Suo wasn’t too afraid of the strange young man he had met before. Aside from being a bit dim-witted, there wasn’t much else to say about him. However, Wang Yifu warned Liu Suo to stay away from that “young man.”

Liu Qingfeng turned to look at the young man who was chewing on a piece of wild grass and asked, “The canal excavation, big and small matters, are all proceeding step by step. Master Cui shouldn’t need to be here overseeing it.”

Cui Dongshan continued to watch the spectacle of the clan feud, where uncles and nephews were fighting each other with hoes and shoulder poles. The fighting was genuine, but after it was over, they would still be relatives, and might even pay for each other’s medical expenses with sincere hearts.

Hearing Liu Qingfeng’s question, he didn’t take his eyes off the fight and casually replied, “The canal is named ‘Qi,’ that’s the reason.”

Liu Qingfeng smiled and nodded, indicating his understanding.

A carriage stopped on the country road. Li Baozhen stepped out of the carriage and walked over, cupping his hands in a bow. “Master Cui.”

Cui Dongshan ignored him.

After Li Baozhen straightened up, he looked at Liu Qingfeng and smiled. “Mr. Liu.”

Liu Qingfeng smiled and gestured for him to sit down.

Li Baozhen sat down next to Liu Qingfeng.

Cui Dongshan turned his head and quipped, “Meeting and exchanging pleasantries, this is the way of the world.”

“Not wanting to interrupt your reunion, I’ll go find some entertainment for myself.” Cui Dongshan stood up, grabbed the child next to him by the collar, and left on the wind.

Cui Dongshan quietly landed outside a city hundreds of miles away. He and the young Gao brother sat side by side in the shade of a tree. A crowd of people bustled around them, watching a street chess game for half an hour. It wasn’t Go, the chessboard was simpler. Otherwise, ordinary people who had never even touched a Go manual wouldn’t be attracted to watch.

When the street chess player had won a lot of copper coins and silver pieces, and everyone had dispersed, he decided to call it a day. This was called “one trick that works forever.” But when he saw that the young man in white robes was still unwilling to leave, he sized him up. He looked like a young master from a wealthy family, so he smiled and asked, “Do you like playing chess?”

Cui Dongshan was eager to try. He rubbed his hands together and said, “Yes, yes, I know how to play this chess, and even Go. It’s just that I left home in a hurry and didn’t bring much money with me. I’ve seen through some of the tricks in your game, I can definitely beat you.”

The street chess player smiled. This was one of the ten famous street chess games, the “Earthworm Leading the Dragon.” He wasn’t afraid of people seeing through the tricks. The more the better, he was only afraid that they would think the game was unsolvable and wouldn’t take the bait.

Cui Dongshan slapped the child next to him on the head. “Hurry up and play chess to earn money.”

The man laughed heartily and quickly packed up his stall, not wanting to waste time with the young man.

Cui Dongshan didn’t stop him. He moved little by little and squatted down opposite the child. Cui Dongshan craned his neck and stared at the child, then raised his hands and pulled at his cheeks. “How did I know you were a chess master? I didn’t even tell that person your last name was Gao.”

The child was expressionless.

Cui Dongshan pulled for a while and felt bored. He stood up and wandered around the city with the child. They came across a young “capital hustler”, someone who had come from the capital of this vassal kingdom to scavenge for treasures. They were mostly trusted apprentices from antique shops in the capital, sent to various places to search for rare treasures, antiques, and calligraphy. To be a “capital hustler”, one had to have a sharp eye and a strong moral character. Otherwise, if they obtained a treasure worth a thousand gold, they would simply run away and start their own business.

Cui Dongshan followed the “capital hustler” around the stalls. He would pick up and examine the items that the man had weighed and secretly observed, which annoyed the “capital hustler” so much that he stopped in a quiet place and said helplessly, “Young man, if you need money, I’ll give you some, don’t keep messing with me. You might find it fun, but you’re ruining my business.”

Cui Dongshan looked at the young man’s eyes and expression and felt inexplicably familiar. Cui Dongshan suddenly smiled. “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t cause any trouble from now on.”
The young man remained skeptical, yet hesitant to drive the boy away. Fortunately, the youth remained quiet during their travels, though this sparked a new worry within the young man: Could this be a trap, the boy targeting him from the start, given the treacherous nature of the Jianghu, where schemes are endless and difficult to anticipate?

However, the boy casually bought a porcelain bowl, placed it over the child’s head, and bid farewell, saying he was taking his dim-witted brother back to the academy for dinner. He explained that when studying far from home, nothing was more important than one’s teacher, and his prolonged absence would surely worry the master.

The young city dweller breathed a sigh of relief.

The boy removed the white bowl from the child’s head and tossed it to the young man from afar, smiling brightly. “I’ve learned some new tricks about buying old objects from you, so no need for thanks. Consider this bowl a gift.”

The young man was about to refuse, thinking a broken bowl was useless and cumbersome. Besides, though the boy looked wealthy in his attire, he counted copper coins one by one when paying, hardly the mark of someone flush with funds… But before the young man could speak, the boy dragged the child away by an arm, running swiftly. That child looked somewhat pitiful.

As the sun set, a row of houses in a village huddled along a muddy road outside the city, all nestled beside a river.

Cui Dongshan muttered to himself, “My teacher, due to an incident in his youth, holds a certain hesitation towards acts of chivalry. Moreover, he thinks that because he hasn’t read many books, he must be perfectly cautious in everything he does, assuming that most seasoned Jianghu veterans are the same. In truth, my teacher expects too much of the Jianghu.”

“Which is more frightening, a good intention gone wrong or a malicious heart? A choice must be made.”

“But my teacher is wise beyond his years, always taxing himself. As his student, how could I bear to say these things?”

As Cui Dongshan continued his soliloquy, a child riding an ox passed by on his way home from tending cattle.

Not to be outdone, Cui Dongshan jumped onto the child’s back.

Cui Dongshan swayed from side to side, causing the poor child to stumble. Cui Dongshan recited, “Floating clouds on the horizon, willows green by the roadside, hawkers’ calls amidst apricot blossoms in the alleyways.”

Then, Cui Dongshan clapped his hands on the child’s cheeks. “Brother Gao, I’m struck by poetic inspiration! Give me another line!”

The child blinked.

Cui Dongshan increased the pressure, threatening, “Are you not giving me face?!”

The child mumbled, “Rural smoke rising, a herdsboy on an ox, the bamboo flute plays an old song of peace.”

“Brother Gao, you’re a true talent!”

Cui Dongshan wrapped an arm around the child’s neck and slapped the latter’s head vigorously, laughing heartily. “What merit do I possess to know someone like you?!”

The oxherd looked back at the pair, startled, and urged his mount to quicken its pace.

Cui Dongshan covered the child’s eyes with his hands. “Gather your strength and run!”

Finally, the child, with his vision obscured by Cui Dongshan, stumbled forward, running all the way into the river.

In mid-air, Cui Dongshan released his hands, waving them wildly, his sleeves billowing. As they were about to fall into the water, the youth laughed loudly, “The wise find joy in water! Dongshan is here!”

(End of Chapter)