The Osmanthus Island finally returned to Old Dragon City, slowly docking at the island outside the city. This return journey was considered smooth, bringing a sense of relief.

The group of three left the Gui Mai courtyard. Wei Jin carried his sword behind him, Mi Yu wore a sword and a gourd of wine at his waist, and Wei Wenlong had empty hands. They disembarked and headed towards Old Dragon City. A sea route was laid between the island and Old Dragon City. Jin Su, the Osmanthus Island maiden, under the instructions of her master, Madam Gui, escorted the three esteemed guests, leading them to another pier in Old Dragon City. There, they would change boats and travel along the Walking Dragon Path to the central region of Treasure Bottle Continent.

The hundred-li long street belonging to the Sun family’s ancestral business stretched between the two piers, one on the sea and the other on land, in Old Dragon City.

Fan Jia’s chief enshrinement, the Golden Core sword cultivator Ma Zhi, who also managed affairs on Osmanthus Island, wanted to call a carriage, but Wei Jin declined, saying that walking was fine.

Jin Su deeply admired this young sword immortal of the Wind and Snow Temple, first challenging Xie Shi, the Heavenly Sovereign of the Northern Ju Continent, with his sword, then rushing to the Sword Qi Great Wall to slay demons, and only now returning.

Sword Immortal Wei was rightfully the youngest Upper Fifth Realm immortal in the history of Treasure Bottle Continent. Jin Su could assert that Wei Jin’s return from his travels at the Sword Qi Great Wall would undoubtedly bring great prestige to the Wind and Snow Temple.

According to some early rumors, of unknown veracity but widely circulated, Wei Jin was able to build a thatched hut on the city wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall for secluded cultivation, a unique privilege. He became neighbors with the most accomplished swordsman of the Sword Qi Great Wall, an old immortal. Rumor had it that Wei Jin often received guidance on swordsmanship from the old man.

This provided much to talk about for the cultivators of the entire Treasure Bottle Continent, who felt honored whenever the matter was mentioned. Nowadays, whenever cultivators of the continent talked about sword cultivators, they inevitably mentioned Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple.

“Our Treasure Bottle Continent is the smallest of the Nine Continents of the Vast World, but our fellow countryman Wei Jin is still an outstanding figure in the Sword Qi Great Wall, where sword immortals are as common as clouds!”

Some immortal masters even began to believe that once Heavenly Sovereign Qi Zhen of the Divine Edict Sect ascended or secluded himself for a long time, never again meddling in worldly affairs, then the next leader of the continent’s immortals would likely be Wei Jin. Once Wei Jin reached the Immortal Realm and became the first Great Sword Immortal in the history of Treasure Bottle Continent, everything would align. When the fortune of the continent’s sword dao gathered on him, his achievements on the Great Dao would be limitless.

As for Wei Jin’s two friends of unknown origin, Jin Su could only treat them with courtesy. It was said that they were both enlightened individuals only one step away from becoming Golden Core Earth Immortals. In the Gui Mai courtyard, Jin Su occasionally accompanied Madam Gui in brewing tea and discussing the Dao with the three, and she noticed some subtle differences. The guest surnamed Wei was more reserved, not good at words, but very interested in the customs of Treasure Bottle Continent. When he did take the initiative to ask questions, he asked about the business directions and profit-making routes of the major families in Old Dragon City, seemingly a merchant’s son.

On the other hand, the young master Mi, with his extremely handsome appearance like a banished immortal from a book, seemed indifferent to everything.

The two sides of the road had been transformed by the mountain cultivators into a scenic spot resembling a lotus pond, so the road was bustling with people and tourists.

Mi Yu walked among them, looking like a flower visitor, a banished immortal, who had descended from the heavens into the mortal world.

Even though Jin Su had already pledged her heart to Sun Jiashu, she couldn’t help but admit that in terms of appearance alone, this young master Mi was truly an immortal among immortals.

Many women along the way couldn’t help but steal glances at Mi Yu, their bright eyes sparkling. Without realizing it, they looked less at the beautiful scenery of the lotus pond and more at the elegant young man.

“Where are the immortals? Brewing pills beside the well, practicing calligraphy by the pond. Ten miles of lotus flowers, gentle breeze reflects the water, the bright moon is a heavenly garment.”

Mi Yu murmured these two lines of verse he had seen on a fan in the Yan family’s shop. The scholars of the Vast World were truly talented.

Moreover, if one didn’t consider the people of this Vast World, but only the scenery, it was indeed much better than the Sword Qi Great Wall.

And this was just outside Old Dragon City.

At that moment, while walking on the road, Wei Wenlong exclaimed in his mind, “This is the hometown of Lord Hidden Official and Sword Immortal Wei!”

Without Wei Jin needing to remind him, the title “Hidden Official” was a sensitive topic, not to be mentioned lightly. Even if Wei Wenlong couldn’t help but bring it up, he could only do so in his mind.

Wei Jin smiled and said, “If one doesn’t travel far beyond their continent, it’s hard to call any place a hometown.”

Wei Jin not only had little attachment to Treasure Bottle Continent, but also felt little sense of belonging even to the Wind and Snow Temple.

Jin Su pointed to the sky above Old Dragon City and introduced to the two outsiders, “In the past, our Old Dragon City had a Sea of Clouds. Legend says it was an ancient immortal artifact of at least Half-Immortal grade. Riding a ferry boat above the clouds, one could see it from above, but one couldn’t see it from within the city. But for some reason, the Sea of Clouds disappeared abruptly some years ago. Now it has become a strange tale on the mountain, and many mountain cultivators have come specifically to verify the truth of the news.”

Wei Wenlong subconsciously began to calculate the estimated value of a Half-Immortal artifact in Treasure Bottle Continent.

Mi Yu remained calm and smiled at Wei Jin in his mind, “Do you have so many busybodies in your Treasure Bottle Continent?”

Wei Jin’s impression of Mi Yu was already good, and he was also friends with Great Sword Immortal Mi Hu and Yue Qing, so Wei Jin didn’t stand on ceremony when speaking to Mi Yu, answering, “Any sword immortal at the Sword Qi Great Wall can say such words, but you, Mi Yu, are the only one not qualified to be sarcastic. Lounging among the clouds, pretending to be an immortal, fooling foreign female cultivators, with a whole pile of romantic debts. You’re just stirring up trouble! Well you deserve to be single for life, Sword Immortal Wei. How many sword immortals are there on Treasure Bottle Continent now? A dignified sword immortal, and still so young, yet you don’t even have a few close female friends. I really don’t know if the fairy maidens of Treasure Bottle Continent have bad eyes, or if you, Wei Jin, are clueless. Don’t tell me you stick a piece of paper on your forehead every time you walk up and down the mountain, with the words ‘Does Not Love Women’ written on it. Come, come, Sword Immortal Wei, don’t be shy, we’re all family here. Quickly take out that paper, so that Wei brother and I can feast our eyes and broaden our knowledge…”

Wei Jin laughed and said, “There really isn’t such a paper, to Sword Immortal Mi’s disappointment.”

Jin Su only knew that the three were talking in their minds, but she didn’t know what they were talking about that made them so happy.

A carriage stopped in the middle of the road. After the Osmanthus Island landed, a young man in a tall crown, wearing a “Old Dragon Brings Rain” jade pendant at his waist, stepped down.

It was the young city lord of Old Dragon City, Fu Nanhua.
Having seen Wei Jin and his entourage, Fu Nanhua lowered his head, clasped his fist, and said, “Junior Fu Nanhua greets Sword Immortal Wei.”

Wei Jin nodded and replied, “We won’t be imposing on you in the city, we are on a journey.”

If Jin Su of Osmanthus Island wasn’t standing beside him, Wei Jin might not have uttered half a sentence. In the Jianghu world, Wei Jin could chat happily with the martial arts brutes, but he never showed any courtesy to the mountain cultivators, and was too lazy to curry favor.

Fu Nanhua stepped aside, clearing the path, and said with a smile, “I would never dare to disturb Sword Immortal Wei. Junior came here admiring your name, it is already quite presumptuous.”

After leaving that sea route, the group rode the wind towards the next ferry.

Mi Yu clicked his tongue and said, “Wei Jin, you have quite the reputation in Treasure Bottle Continent?”

Wei Jin smiled and asked, “Are you scolding me?”

Arriving at the ferry, someone recognized the Sword Immortal of Wind and Snow Temple, causing an immediate uproar. As Wei Jin landed, the travelers made way for the Sword Immortal.

In the Treasure Bottle Continent, where sword cultivators are scarce, a terrestrial immortal sword cultivator is already worthy of being called “So-and-so Sword Immortal,” let alone Wei Jin, a true Upper Fifth Realm Sword Immortal?

Therefore, the travelers in the distance pointed and whispered, while those closer to Wei Jin took the initiative to salute.

Mi Yu added, “There are quite a few people scolding you.”

Wei Jin said helplessly, “Mi Yu, behave yourself, or after boarding the ferry, we can find a secluded landscape mid-journey, leave the boat, and spar with swords?”

Mi Yu laughed and replied, “I’m not stupid. Although we’re both Jade Purity Realm cultivators, I can only defeat Sword Immortal Shao of Spring Banners Study, but I can’t defeat Sword Immortal Wei of Wind and Snow Temple.”

Wei Wenlong felt helpless. “Why are you dragging my Shifu into your sparring, seniors?”

The three bid farewell to Jin Su and boarded a ferry.

Unlike the reclusive Wei Jin, Mi Yu, just like when traveling on Osmanthus Island, didn’t like staying indoors. Now he often enjoyed overlooking the mountains and rivers from the bow of the boat, and smiled at Wei Wenlong beside him, “So, the vast world, besides islands, has so many green mountains.”

During the heavy snow season, the ferry passed by a mountain sect.

High cliffs and towering pavilions, immortal residences lined up neatly. Looking afar from the railing, strange pines and bizarre cypresses, with a few splashes of green in the snow, would make one raise their eyes in admiration. How many private residences could have such an immortal scene?

On the opposite cliff, there was a scholar with long beard and a cyan robe, standing by the cliff, and eight or nine immortal figures, playing chess or watching the game, it was unknown who was the host and who was the guest.

Looking down at this unique and beautiful scenery, Sword Immortal Mi Yu wore an expression that was both crying and laughing.

Wei Jin rarely came out of his cabin and stood beside Mi Yu, saying, “You yourself said that there are not many sword immortals in this Treasure Bottle Continent. You can travel around, drink fine wine, and then catch up with the ferry.”

Mi Yu had already returned to his normal expression, “Forget it, there are no female immortal cultivators, so there is no point in going.”

Wei Jin nodded and said, “Cloud Radiance Mountain, the Fox Kingdom of the Xu family in Qingfeng City, the Longevity Palace north of the Great Li capital, have more female cultivators.”

Mi Yu laughed and scolded, “I am a romantic, not a pervert!”

Having spent a long time with the young Hidden Official, Wei Wenlong, influenced by what he heard and saw, quietly said, “That’s debatable.”

Wei Jin smiled knowingly.

Mi Yu gave a thumbs up, in high spirits, “That’s… got some of our Hidden Official’s style!”

Mi Yu suddenly asked, “‘Planting Tangerines,’ what is the origin of that? Is there a story to tell?”

Wei Jin was at a loss and shook his head, “I don’t know.”

Mi Yu shook his head, “Brother Wei, your knowledge is lacking.”

Wei Jin didn’t mind and returned to his cabin to continue nurturing his sword intent.

Wei Wenlong went to the ferry to buy local gazettes.

Mi Yu leaned on the railing alone. The thought of soon being able to go to Fallen Mountain to freeload, and having the legendary Mirrored Flowers, Water Moon to watch in the future, made Mi Yu even happier.

He just didn’t understand why the Hidden Official repeatedly mentioned the matter of Mirrored Flowers, Water Moon, and every time he mentioned it to himself, his smile was particularly… sincere.

This was Li Huai’s first intercontinental journey. After boarding the ferry at Ox Horn Mountain Ferry, the heroic spirit puppets dragged the ferry through the sea of clouds at lightning speed. Whenever there were torrential rains, lightning and thunder, the heroic spirit puppets refined by the Hemp Robe Sect looked as if they were wearing golden armor, illuminating the front of the ferry as if the sun and moon were guiding the ship forward. Li Huai never got tired of watching it. Because there was no viewing platform in his residence, Li Huai often went to the bow of the ship to enjoy the scenery, and was always surprised.

Pei Qian lived next door and didn’t like to go out. At most, she would lean on the window and watch the bizarre celestial phenomena. Li Huai tried several times to persuade her to go to the bow of the ship together, but Pei Qian always said that she had traveled across thousands of mountains and rivers and had seen all kinds of strange things. Instead, she solemnly reminded Li Huai to be careful when going out alone, and not to take the initiative to cause trouble, but also not to be afraid of trouble coming to his door. If there was an accident, she would help him inform Steward Su.

Li Huai looked at the mature and steady Head Helmsman Pei, who was practicing her stances and fist techniques in the slightly cramped room, and said old-fashioned Jianghu words. He was greatly impressed, so he sincerely said some good words. As a result, Pei Qian, who was about to start copying books, rewarded him with a “scram.”

The Hemp Robe Sect had a deep relationship with Fallen Mountain. Nascent Soul cultivator Du Wensi and Pang Lanxi, the highly anticipated direct disciple of the Ancestral Hall, both served as honorary offerings to Fallen Mountain. However, this matter was not widely publicized. Moreover, every time the ferry traveled back and forth, the two Ancestral Halls had a large amount of money flowing between them. After all, the financial road along the Bone Beach and Spring Dew Nursery line now encompassed almost the entire southeastern coast of the Northern Reed Continent. Many businesses, big and small, were secretly related to Fallen Mountain. Fallen Mountain, which owned half of the Ox Horn Mountain Ferry, would receive nearly 10% of the profits every time the Hemp Robe Sect’s intercontinental ferry traveled back and forth between Bone Beach and Old Dragon City, settled annually. This was a very measured amount of profit sharing. The Hemp Robe Sect, Spring Dew Nursery, and their allies and vassal mountain peaks, which needed to contribute manpower, resources, and materials, accounted for 80% in total. Mountain Monarch of the North, Wei Bo, took the last 10% of the profits.

Therefore, Fallen Mountain and the Hemp Robe Sect, located at the southernmost tip of the Northern Reed Continent, had both a gentleman’s friendship and a tangible bond of interest. If a friendship could be recorded on a ledger and both parties could make money, and if the business grew and they didn’t turn against each other, then this friendship would be very strong.
The ferry steward, an elderly man surnamed Su, had specially prepared two premium cabins to accommodate the distinguished guests. However, upon hearing the price, the young woman surnamed Pei vehemently refused, insisting on switching to two ordinary cabins. She even inquired of the old steward if the last-minute change would cause trouble, concerned that the premium rooms would remain vacant and ultimately reduce the ferry’s revenue by two cabins.

The seasoned steward, with eyes sharpened by years of trade, recognized her sincerity and candidly explained that immortal cultivators from the continent of Treasure Bottle seeking business opportunities were accustomed to long journeys and wouldn’t quibble over a few spirit stones as long as they had comfortable lodgings. Especially the disciples of prominent immortal families near the Great Li capital, who were now fond of traveling to the Northern Entirety Continent, were known for their extravagance. Therefore, he wasn’t worried about the high-priced rooms remaining unoccupied. However, the Hemp Robe Sect wasn’t particularly concerned with earning that kind of money.

The young woman then elaborated, expressing her gratitude for the elder’s kindness, but emphasizing the significant price difference. She felt that occupying the two premium rooms would deprive the Hemp Robe Sect of two “Lesser Heat” coins. She was out to experience hardship, not to indulge in luxury. If her master found out, she would surely be reprimanded. Therefore, for both personal and practical reasons, they should move to the ordinary cabins.

The old man chuckled and presented the young woman with a “Lesser Heat” token, explaining that it could be used to purchase an item worth one Lesser Heat coin at the ferry’s immortal shop, the Void Resentment Emporium.

The old man didn’t give Pei Qian a chance to refuse, invoking his seniority and stating that rejecting the gift would be impolite. The young woman, recognizing the respect due, accepted the token with both hands, bowing in gratitude to the senior Yuan Ying cultivator of the Hemp Robe Sect.

The ferry steward, Su Xi, was an old Yuan Ying cultivator of the Hemp Robe Sect, while the Void Resentment Emporium’s manager, Huang Shenyou, had been his neighbor and close friend for nearly three centuries.

In fact, not long after Pei Qian and Li Huai boarded the ferry, the two friends, with nothing better to do, began discussing the two children. The old Yuan Ying remarked that compared to the previous Chen Lingjun, the young woman, despite her age, was much more seasoned. He wondered how Pei Qian would use the ferry token worth one Lesser Heat coin.

Manager Huang chuckled, noting that a customer who had earned the ferry one Lesser Heat coin upon boarding was rare, especially since it also cultivated goodwill. He also put in a few good words for Chen Lingjun, finding the boy agreeable and enjoyable to chat with once they became familiar.

Beyond their casual conversation, Manager Huang had a serious question. He wondered if Fallen Phoenix Mountain looked down upon his small business. Why else would they postpone discussions about opening a branch in Ox Horn Mountain when Fallen Phoenix Mountain clearly had vacant shops, only offering a verbal promise to reserve the best location for him? Steward Su smiled, comforting his friend and suggesting that Zhu Lian, who was managing the mountain affairs in the absence of the young mountain lord, must have his own reasons for not allowing the Void Resentment Emporium to open a branch in Ox Horn Mountain. However, it certainly wasn’t out of disdain for Manager Huang or the Void Resentment Emporium. Fallen Phoenix Mountain had a certain reputation and wasn’t prone to snobbery. Zhu Lian, in particular, was meticulous in his dealings and not short-sighted.

His friend acknowledged the sentiment, admitting that he understood the reasoning. However, the rejection left Manager Huang feeling disheartened. He lamented that Fallen Phoenix Mountain had grown considerably since they had first known Chen Pingan, and the young man was often away from the mountain. He wondered if it would eventually become like other immortal mountains that became arrogant after suddenly gaining wealth. It was hard to say.

From Spring Dew Garden in the Northern Entirety Continent to Old Dragon City in the Treasure Bottle Continent, the lucrative trade route, initially established by the alliance of the Hemp Robe Sect, Spring Dew Garden, Cloud Cloak Mountain, and Fallen Phoenix Mountain, had gradually included the Fan and Sun families of Old Dragon City. In addition, a young man named Dong Shui Jing and three descendants of Great Li’s pillar-state surnames, Guan Yiran, a supervisor of the Great River project, as well as the Dragon Province Inspector Cao and Prefect Yuan of Great Li, were also involved, albeit in smaller capacities and under individual guises.

In fact, Cloud Cloak Mountain could have profited more, but Mountain Lord Wei had shared some of the profits with Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Manager Huang didn’t expect to earn a fortune in Ox Horn Mountain. He mostly valued the young man’s character and wanted to establish a positive relationship with the flourishing Fallen Phoenix Mountain. The cultivators of the Northern Entirety Continent valued camaraderie and reputation. Over the years, Manager Huang had boasted to his friends about his keen eye, claiming to be the first in the entire Northern Entirety Continent to recognize the young mountain lord’s exceptional potential, even surpassing Sect Master Zhu Quan in this regard. Therefore, the more he boasted, the more disappointed he felt. Spirit stones were transient, like guests residing in one’s pouch. For a Golden Core cultivator with no hope of progressing further on the path, earning a few more or less was insignificant. What mattered more was the ability to drink and boast with friends. Nothing was more important than that.

One day, the two friends were drinking again when a woman managing the Void Resentment Emporium’s business affairs approached them. After hearing her out, Su Xi teased, “Are those two children collecting junk? Why didn’t you stop them? Is the Void Resentment Emporium making money so unscrupulously? It’s fortunate I only gave them a Lesser Heat token. Otherwise, after this incident, the Void Resentment Emporium can forget about opening a store in Ox Horn Mountain.”

Manager Huang replied helplessly, “I didn’t want to complicate matters, so I didn’t mention it to Ling Jiao at all. It just so happened that the emporium was conducting its periodic inventory clearance, unearthing a large pile of old items. Many were from unclear accounts, with old friends settling debts with goods. Many of these items were only worth fifty snowflakes, but the Void Resentment Emporium accepted them as one Lesser Heat coin.”

The woman, affectionately called “Ling Jiao” by the manager, immediately understood the gravity of the situation and had a plan to rectify it. However, the venerable Elder Su chuckled and said, “There’s no need to do anything drastic. Isn’t this quite alright? Later, have your Manager Huang present a carefully chosen item worth one Lesser Heat coin to Chen Pingan, claiming to be a long-time acquaintance. Otherwise, that young girl named Pei Qian won’t accept it.”

At this point, the old man casually asked Ling Jiao, “Having bought a pile of junk, is there any chance of finding a hidden treasure?”
The woman chuckled wryly and shook her head, “We have a newly hired shop assistant in our district who becomes ruthless when it comes to making money. He’s willing to sell anything and name any price. The appraisers in our district are all quite skilled, but those two children only picked the cheapest items to buy. If they keep buying like this, by the time they disembark, their one Lesser Heat coin will be lucky to keep ten Snowflake coins. Our False Grievance District might get a reputation as a black market.”

Shopkeeper Huang’s expression was peculiar.

The woman smiled knowingly, aware of the old friends’ relationship. She wasn’t afraid of divulging secrets. “That new assistant was even praised by our Shopkeeper Huang as a promising talent, someone I should nurture well.”

It turned out that today, Pei Qian, full of energy, holding that Lesser Heat wooden token, took Li Huai to the False Grievance District. Li Huai was even more excited, saying it was auspicious according to the almanac, a good day for buying and selling. “Let me handle it!”

The two first went to see the pair of enchanted swords that their master had mentioned, a feast for the eyes. They certainly couldn’t afford them. The “Rainfall” and “Lamp’s Hum” were two legacy swords of an ancient immortal couple. They were severely damaged, and repairing them to their original state would be too costly and not worthwhile. They were one of the treasures of the shop when their master traveled by ferry, and they still haven’t been sold to this day.

Today, the False Grievance District had an unusually large number of items, dazzling Pei Qian, but the prices were all high. As expected, on an immortal ferry, money was nothing.

Li Huai confidently declared that he would only buy cheap things. Pei Qian, who was initially hesitant, simply handed the wooden token to Li Huai, letting him try his luck.

Li Huai clasped his hands together, raised them high, and rubbed his palms vigorously, muttering, “Spirits of heaven and earth, may the God of Wealth visit my home today…”

Pei Qian felt more at ease.

An immortal’s raft-shaped celadon brush washer. Ten Snowflake coins.

It looked quite immortal, and the porcelain firing technique was clearly top-notch. Not bad. “Where is my hometown, Li Huai? How could I not know the quality of porcelain?” Li Huai glanced sideways and saw Pei Qian smirking. He was worried that she thought he was being careless with money. He tapped the brush washer gently with his finger, making a crisp and pleasant sound. After seeing, tapping, and listening, using his eyes, hands, and ears together, he nodded repeatedly, indicating that the item was not bad. The young assistant next to him also nodded slightly, indicating that this buyer was not to be underestimated, and had a good eye.

An ancient and tattered scroll, depicting a fox worshiping the moon when unfurled. Five Snowflake coins. Such a cheap item was rare in the False Grievance District!

The young assistant beside him exclaimed, “If nothing goes wrong, customer, you’ve likely found a bargain again. Look at this dusty painting, although it has no spiritual energy, the artistry alone, the meticulous detail, enough to show the fox’s whiskers, is worth five Snowflake coins.”

A rosewood stationery box inlaid with gold and silver threads, with a pair of small and exquisite tricolor lions as a bonus. Fifteen Snowflake coins. Pei Qian rarely felt that this deal wasn’t a loss. The stationery box was like a treasure box, with large and small compartments, winning with quantity. Pei Qian had always been drawn to this kind of item.

A bundle of yellow paper talismans, tied tightly with two red ropes and knotted, a foot high. There were so many talismans, folded for many years, that they were uneven. Only the first and last two could show the talisman patterns and grade. According to the False Grievance District’s assistant, as long as half of the hundred or so talismans inside had the same grade as the two visible ones, it would be a sure profit. This was originally pawned to the ferry at a low price by a down-on-his-luck traveler, who had promised to redeem them within a hundred years. But so many years had passed, and only recently, when the False Grievance District was clearing its inventory, did these talismans see the light of day again. According to the appraiser’s valuation, the red string alone, regardless of its material, just its toughness, was worth at least one Snowflake coin.

Finally, the False Grievance District asked for thirty Snowflake coins, which Li Huai bargained down to twenty-nine with what he thought was a ruthless demeanor, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.

Pei Qian had been watching coldly by Li Huai’s side, watching Li Huai happily holding a large bundle of talismans, and the False Grievance District’s assistant, even happier because he got a cut from selling the talismans.

Li Huai casually carried the heavy bundle of talismans by the red rope and whispered to Pei Qian, “It sounds like it has a story. We made a profit!”

Pei Qian said angrily, “Story? Those street vendors selling plaster can all make up stories about their ancestors! If you want to listen, I can make up ten or eight of them for you on the spot.”

Li Huai looked stunned.

Pei Qian pulled Li Huai aside, “Li Huai, are you sure you know what you’re doing? Don’t buy things randomly. A whole Lesser Heat coin is almost gone, leaving only a few Snowflake coins. I heard Master say that many mountain items bought in the south, when taken north of the Great Northern Reed Continent, can potentially double in price if handled properly and the right buyer is found.”

Li Huai was taken aback, thinking, “When have I ever *not* bought things randomly?”

He always looked at what caught his eye and didn’t ask about the price, buying whatever he could afford. After getting something, he never thought about selling it for money.

Li Huai felt a little guilty and patted his chest, guaranteeing, “I’ll definitely look carefully next time!”

Pei Qian was so angry that she slapped Li Huai on the head, “So you weren’t even looking properly before?!”

Li Huai said with a mournful face, “Then shall we return these items to the False Grievance District?”

Pei Qian was a famous cheapskate, petty and vengeful. Li Huai couldn’t afford to lose money, so Li Huai suggested that they just leave it at that for today. Unexpectedly, Pei Qian said angrily, “Are you stupid? Today we came to the False Grievance District to buy and sell based on our own judgment, earning money with our own skills. If we buy something at a loss, it’s fine if the False Grievance District doesn’t know our Falling Mountain identity. If they do, do you think we’ll definitely make a profit next time we spend the remaining Snowflake coins? But the few or tens of Snowflake coins we’re earning are at the expense of my master’s and Falling Mountain’s share of incense money. Li Huai, you weigh it yourself.”

So Pei Qian held down Li Huai’s head, forcing him to spend the entire Lesser Heat coin.

After that, Pei Qian kept her arms crossed and watched Li Huai coldly with a stern face.

Li Huai bought two more items tremblingly.

Back at Pei Qian’s room, all the items, big and small, were carefully placed on the table by Li Huai. Pei Qian opened a brand-new ledger and slammed it on the table, “Li Huai! Open your eyes wide and see clearly. I will record every single piece of junk you bought and at what price. If they’re all stuck with us when we return home, you’ll have to deal with it yourself.”

Li Huai scratched his head anxiously.

Pei Qian glared at him.
Li Huai immediately put down his hand, silently telling himself that he must not show any weakness. Otherwise, even if he bought a genuine item, he would be considered a fake by Pei Qian. His long journey had just begun, and he couldn’t be given a hard time by Pei Qian all the time. So Li Huai sat on the chair, gently breathing on the celadon brush washer, carefully stroking it. He secretly spoke to the celestial immortal riding a raft on the brush washer, “Old brother, show some spirit! You must show some spirit! It’s okay if we don’t make money, but we absolutely can’t lose money. Once Pei Qian loses money, your Uncle Li Huai is doomed. Since we’re destined to meet from a thousand miles away, and fated to cross the river in the same boat, the rest of you brothers and sisters, let’s all be chivalrous, start and end well, and make money with harmony…”

Li Huai held up the brush washer high. The inscription on the bottom was extremely strange, not the name of a dynasty or an era, but an ancient seal script poem: “Riding the raft to meet divine guests, once visited the star constellations beside the Three Stars.”

Li Huai said, “I haven’t seen this poem in any books.”

Pei Qian, while keeping accounts, said, “How many books have you read?”

Li Huai was speechless.

Pei Qian put down her pen, separating public and private matters clearly, “If we make a losing deal, it’s not entirely your fault. I have to take half the blame.”

Li Huai felt relieved.

Pei Qian thought for a moment, then took the bundle of talismans and began to try to untie the knot in the red rope. Unexpectedly, it was a bit difficult. She struggled for a long time before finally untying the knot and placing the red rope, which was more than ten feet long, to the side. Pei Qian was familiar with the material of the talismans. She first pulled out the top and bottom two yellow paper talismans. They were the most common talisman paper, not the Yellow Seal paper that immortal masters used when holding talismans to enter the mountains and descend into the waters. However, the talismans were indeed made by a Qi Refinement cultivator. Otherwise, just this large bundle of Yellow Seal paper, not even talking about complete talismans with a talisman core and a bit of spiritual light, would already be very valuable. A few Xiaoshu coins might not be enough to buy it, so how could they have the chance to buy it?

As a result, after Pei Qian pulled out the top and bottom two talismans, she suddenly spread open the bundle of talismans, and then she began to stare in disbelief.

A bolt from the blue struck Li Huai’s head, feeling aggrieved that he had died before his mission was accomplished.

Apart from the previous four talismans with inscriptions, the rest of the entire bundle of talismans were worthless blank talisman paper.

Pei Qian muttered in a low voice, “As expected, as expected. Mountain deals are actually the same as the market deals in the streets and alleys of the old Nanyuan Kingdom capital.”

Pei Qian vigorously rubbed her face for a moment, and finally lamented, “Forget it, we agreed to each take half the blame. All thirty-five Snowflake coins will be recorded in my account.”

She reopened the account book, and while writing, Pei Qian kept turning her head to stare at Li Huai intently.

Li Huai cautiously asked, “Shall we go to Xuhun Ward to curse in the streets?”

Pei Qian gnashed her teeth and said, “They didn’t force us to buy! What’s the point of cursing?”

Pei Qian closed the account book, leaned back against the chair, rocking back and forth with the chair, and muttered to herself, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

When Pei Qian mentioned a free lunch, Li Huai felt a bit sad, because he missed his family’s pork and cabbage dumplings. Even the water celery and shepherd’s purse ones, even without meat, were delicious.

At the thought of this trip, and that he hadn’t even reached Beiju Luzhou yet, but already shouldered a huge debt of half a Xiaoshu coin, Li Huai felt even more melancholy.

Pei Qian said, “Alright, alright, that Xiaoshu coin was a windfall anyway. These items look decent, otherwise I wouldn’t have let you buy them. Same rules as before, we’ll split them.”

A celadon brush washer with an immortal riding a raft, a painting of a fox worshipping the moon, an old sandalwood scholar’s box with a pair of sancai lions as a bonus, a paperweight in the style of a luoxia-style ancient zither, an inkstone with an immortal holding the moon while drunk, and a green-glazed dragon-chasing-pearl bowl with hidden carvings and colored filling.

To be honest, it wasn’t easy to buy so many “immortal items” with just one Xiaoshu coin in a celestial shop on an intercontinental ferry.

Pei Qian lay on the table, examining the zither paperweight, while Li Huai looked at the painting of the fox worshipping the moon. They both raised their heads and looked at each other, then grinned together.

They both really liked these items on the table, which might not be worth much, of course, not counting the bundle of talisman paper that Pei Qian had already thrown into her book box.

When they arrived at the Skeleton Shoal Ferry, before disembarking, Pei Qian took Li Huai to bid farewell to Steward Su and Manager Huang.

Manager Huang happily took out a farewell gift, saying not to refuse, as he was a friend of your master. It was right to accept it. But Pei Qian refused to take it, saying that later, when Xuhun Ward opened for business successfully at the Ox Horn Mountain Ferry, she would first do what she could and send a small opening gift, and then shamelessly ask Grandpa Huang for a big red envelope. Manager Huang grinned from ear to ear and agreed.

Not only that, but Pei Qian also took out the gifts prepared by Sister Nuanshu, which were exquisite bookmarks made from the bamboo leaves grown by Mount Pi Yun’s Wei Shanjun, and gave them to the two old seniors on the ferry.

The bamboo leaves had some poetry written on them, either written by the Great White Goose or the Old Chef. Pei Qian felt that all of them combined were not as good as her master’s calligraphy, but it would have to do.

Fortunately, both old men accepted them with a smile. Without exception, they glanced at them and then looked at them a few more times. Pei Qian was originally worried that they would accept them in person and then throw them away, but it seemed that wouldn’t happen.

When going up the mountain and down the water, one must first worship the gods and burn incense. Her master hadn’t instructed Pei Qian, but she had followed her master on so many journeys that she didn’t need to be taught.

Therefore, Pei Qian did not go to the Mural City first, but directly took Li Huai to Wooden Clothes Mountain.

The person receiving them was still the Wealth God of the Hemp Robe Sect, Wei Yusong.

Zhu Quan happened to be on the mountain this time, so he came to see Chen Ping’an’s first disciple.

Also carrying a bamboo box and holding a mountain walking stick, the previous green-clothed child named Chen Lingjun looked mischievous. Although he wasn’t annoying, he wasn’t very likeable either.

But the dark, thin girl in front of him, Zhu Quan found very pleasing to the eye.

What’s the point of women or girls being so beautiful?

This girl named Pei Qian was very good.

Zhu Quan asked Pei Qian and Li Huai in detail about their travel route.
According to the maiden’s account, the initial journey resembled Chen Lingjun’s: heading southeast from the Bone Beach, reaching the Spring Dew Nursery at the estuary of the Great Dú River. From there, their paths diverged. Chen Lingjun traveled upstream along the Jì Dú River, while Pei Qian and Li Huai would head directly north, but not to the northernmost point. They would make a detour to the left. As for the journey to Spring Dew Nursery, Pei Qian and Li Huai wouldn’t take immortal ferries; they would travel on foot. However, they would still explore the scenery around Bone Beach, near Wooden Clothes Mountain.

Li Huai had no objections. Besides, did his opinion matter? Pei Qian was the helmsman, not him.

Pei Qian was already fluent in the elegant language of Northern Ju Luzhou, thanks to Zhou Mili.

Unlike other continents, the elegant language of Northern Ju Luzhou was universally spoken, making it much easier for outsiders. However, certain customs and practices of Northern Ju Luzhou were quite perplexing for outsiders.

Furthermore, Pei Qian had mastered the official languages of several small kingdoms around Dumb Lake.

When she truly put her mind to learning something, Pei Qian was always quick.

It was only when she was by her master’s side that she had to slow down: writing slower, walking slower, growing up slower.

Zhu Quan rarely had the patience to listen to a little girl for so long.

Even during discussions in her own ancestral hall, she, the sect master, wasn’t so attentive, often sitting cross-legged on her chair, propping her chin with one hand, yawning constantly, nodding intermittently regardless of whether she understood or heard anything. Yan Su, the Law-Enforcing Ancestor of the mountain, Wei Yushong, the God of Wealth of the Hemp Robe Sect, and Du Wensi, along with other members of the Ancestral Hall, were all accustomed to this. In recent years, Zhu Quan had made a lucrative, long-term business deal with Treasure Bottle Continent, causing her confidence to soar. She seemed to have finally discovered her genius for business, so during each Ancestral Hall meeting, she abandoned her old habits, full of fighting spirit, insisting on meddling with specific details. However, Yan Su and Wei Yushong jointly “suppressed” her, especially Wei Yushong, who bluntly told the sect master to stop interfering and banished her to Green Residence Town in the Ghost Domain Valley.

Before descending the mountain, Zhu Quan insisted on giving Pei Qian a greeting gift.

As with the ferry, Pei Qian politely declined, offering a reasonable explanation.

If she were by her master’s side, she would accept the gift, as long as he didn’t object. However, when her master wasn’t around, Pei Qian felt she couldn’t be so casual.

So Zhu Quan acknowledged Pei Qian as her adopted daughter, leaving Pei Qian no chance to refuse, and then flew off to Bone Beach.

Leaving Pei Qian and Li Huai looking at each other, unsure of what to do.

They went down the mountain to the mural city at the foot of the mountain.

After the blessings of the eight goddess paintings vanished, only lifeless, monochrome sketches remained. Thus, the mural city became a gathering place for large and small baggage shops, growing increasingly chaotic.

Here, Pei Qian remembered a small anecdote her master had told her. Years ago, a woman had stumbled toward him, but missing him, she had simply dropped and shattered a “genuine Flowing Sunset Bottle” worth three Lesser Heat coins.

But this time, Pei Qian didn’t encounter that woman.

Actually, Pei Qian had been feigning ignorance when she first heard her master tell the story. Back then, she was too embarrassed to tell her master that she had done similar things as a child, only she was much more skilled than that clumsy woman. But it couldn’t be done alone; she needed a partner. The older one had to be well-dressed, clean, and look like they came from a wealthy family. The younger one, in the dead of winter, it was simple: hands covered in frostbite, dripping blood. When the item broke, the older one would immediately grab someone to prevent them from leaving, while the younger one would crouch down and frantically claw at the shards, smearing blood everywhere, then wail as if their parents had just died. That alone would be enough to scare people. They would shout that it was a family heirloom, sold to the pawnshop with their father, the money meant to save their mother, then cry and kowtow, preferably in the snow. If they were clever, they would kowtow in the snow; if the blood on their face was gone, they would smear more with the back of their hands. It worked wonders.

If it wasn’t winter, it was a little harder. Pei Qian had a hard time once and never agreed to do it again, instead finding work elsewhere. Simply put, she couldn’t bear the pain of being cut by broken porcelain. Besides, there was no snow in the non-winter, would kowtowing not hurt?

The old master who managed that filthy business was sorry when Pei Qian left, because he later encountered Pei Qian and said that she was actually good at it. She cried so sincerely, like she was mourning a death, her eyes so big, and when she cried, her face covered in fake tears, mixed with the blood from her frostbitten hands, her little face seemed to be only filled with those big eyes, which could easily trick people into feeling pity.

However, Pei Qian’s last encounter with that old master, who had crippled the legs of many people of Pei Qian’s age, was in a back alley of Southern Garden Kingdom’s capital. It was the dead of winter, and he didn’t know if he had been beaten to death, frozen to death, or beaten half to death and then frozen to death, who knew? Anyway, he didn’t have a single copper coin left on him. Pei Qian had secretly searched him before the capital patrol collected his body; she knew it. She remembered cursing him, saying that even as a ghost, he was a poor ghost.

Li Huai asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Pei Qian shook her head and smiled, “I’m not thinking about anything.”

She was just thinking about her master.

Thinking about the master who had guided the Pei Qian of those days to become the Pei Qian of today.