It was the third year of the Jiachun era when the Old Scholar was sent out of the Fifth Heaven by Bai Ye’s sword.

The fourth year of Jiachun marked the Old Scholar’s visit to Bai Ze and his return to the Central Earth Literary Temple. By the time the Old Scholar arrived at the Grand Li secondary capital in the middle of the Treasure Bottle Continent, reuniting with his former disciple by the newly flourishing Qi Du River, it was the spring of the fifth year of Jiachun. Willow branches swayed, various flowers bloomed, orioles and sparrows soared, children were dismissed early from school, and paper kites rode the high winds.

This scene of warm spring scenery eased the Old Scholar’s furrowed brows. He asked Cui Chan, who stood beside him, if he had any thoughts on naming the Fifth Heaven.

Cui Chan said no.

Following behind them, Cui Dongshan did have some ideas, but the Old Scholar didn’t ask him. He only mentioned that the Literary Temple had initially considered naming it “Rules,” but the Sage of Rites had disagreed, saying that rules are like a spring breeze, nourishing silently and not needing to be written down. The various schools of thought offered suggestions; for example, the Yin-Yang School and the Agricultural School jointly proposed “Peach Blossom Spring,” with many agreeing. It was meant to evoke a utopian paradise, both implying beauty and allowing people to remember the immense merit of the Confucian school in opening up a brand-new heaven. Moreover, in the southeastern part of the new heaven, there was indeed a peach tree with extraordinary omens, only blooming but not bearing fruit for ages, but as soon as Bai Ye cleaved the heavens with his sword, it immediately bore fruit. However, the Vice-Sage still rejected this proposal.

Thus, to this day, the Fifth Heaven still lacks a proper name.

Cui Dongshan scoffed, “A haven for refugees, can it truly be considered a Peach Blossom Spring? I don’t believe there are many at peace in the Fifth Heaven now. After surviving the calamity, they relax slightly and immediately start fighting over territory, engaging in petty theft and conspiracies, spilling brains all over the ground. Once the situation stabilizes a little, they gain a foothold, and after a few days of enjoyment, those from the Tongye Continent will surely settle accounts after the autumn harvest. First, they’ll scold their own, calling the Jade Decree Sect and the Tongye Sect useless for failing to defend their homeland, then they’ll scold the Central Earth Literary Temple, and finally even the Sword Qi Great Wall. They might not dare to say it, but what wouldn’t they dare to think? Such a smog-filled place, a Peach Blossom Spring indeed!”

The Old Scholar nodded, saying, “The Vice-Sage more or less meant the same thing.”

Cui Dongshan immediately changed his tune, saying, “Then let’s call it the Peach Blossom Spring Heaven! I support this proposal with both hands and feet, and if that’s not enough, I’ll drag Gao along to make up the numbers.”

The Old Scholar pretended not to hear. Strangely, Cui Chan didn’t seem to have such a temperament when he wandered to the humble lane back then.

Before Cui Chan departed, the Old Scholar handed over the natal character he had temporarily borrowed from the Grand Sacrificial Official of the Book of Rites Academy.

Cui Chan did not refuse.

The Old Scholar said, “This ‘Mountain’ character is something I borrowed.”

Cui Chan nodded.

The Old Scholar’s unspoken meaning was that whether this natal character was returned, when it was returned, and how it was returned were all matters for the Old Scholar to decide, and had nothing to do with Cui Chan or the Grand Li.

After Cui Chan left, Cui Dongshan swaggered over to the Old Scholar’s side and whispered, “If that old turtle doesn’t return the ‘Mountain’ character, are you planning to use that fortune and merit to compensate the Sage of Rites’ lineage?”

Cui Dongshan never doubted the Old Scholar’s ability to clean up messes. Back then, the Sage of Literature’s lineage had always been patched up by the Old Scholar, apologizing to others on behalf of his students, or standing up for them, arguing vehemently and waving his sleeves wildly.

In Pei Qian’s eyes, her junior brother walked like a big white goose, his two big sleeves flapping around, and it was obvious who he had learned that from.

There was an old gentleman who, back then, was like an old hen, fiercely protecting her chicks.

The Old Scholar glanced askance at the white-robed youth.

This little bastard, no matter how he looked at him, he didn’t like him.

Cui Dongshan shrank his neck, obediently calling out “Grandmaster.” The teacher’s teacher had a seniority higher than the heavens.

Cui Dongshan walked sideways, lightly tapping the ground with his mountain-traveling staff, hinting to the Old Scholar that he was at least his grand-disciple now, so even if he lectured, he shouldn’t use the board. Disciplining students was the teacher’s job, not something his grandmaster should do.

Cui Dongshan indignantly said, “Cui Chan, that guy, didn’t even fart a few times from beginning to end! Utter disrespect! I’ll help you scold him a few more times later, Grandmaster.”

The Old Scholar slowly said, “You are, after all, two separate people now. Cherish it. You should understand, after walking through so many mountains and rivers with you, that many rivers disappear after diverging from the same source. You must be like a long and winding river.”

Cui Dongshan nodded eagerly, “Besides being a continuous stream, clear and reflecting, one must also learn from Grandmaster’s uprightness, unyielding to wind and rain. That way, even with the feeling of ‘time passing like this,’ one will not be afraid. Every piece of knowledge is a resting harbor for future generations to settle in and travel further and further.”

The Old Scholar smiled knowingly, “The atmosphere of Falling Phoenix Mountain has indeed been corrupted by you.”

However, after “clear and reflecting,” with composure and steady words, it was indeed a very beautiful way to describe things. Among his direct disciples, Little Qi and Little Ping An both deserved it.

Cui Dongshan said listlessly, “If Teacher says so, and Grandmaster thinks so, then let it be.”

The Old Scholar softly asked, “Falling Phoenix Mountain, um?”

The question seemed random, but Cui Dongshan immediately understood and walked closer, whispering, “Reporting to Grandmaster, we’re still short of money, but our foundation is getting thicker. We’re treating Zhou Fei generously. The grade of the Lotus Root Blessed Land isn’t decreasing but increasing. Teacher also brought back a long-lived friend from the Sword Qi Great Wall, the ancestor of all copper coins in the world. She herself is a manifestation of great fortune. Her being on the Treasure Bottle Continent, arriving at Falling Phoenix Mountain, is just the right place for her. Moreover, within the Lotus Root Blessed Land, there’s also a female spirit born from the convergence of literary energy. Now, our Falling Phoenix Mountain has both literary energy and wealth.”

The Old Scholar raised his chin.

Cui Dongshan immediately added, “Brother Dafeng has already gone. Golden Body Realm pure martial artists cannot enter the new heaven. That rule is well established.”

The Old Scholar nodded, “Scholars shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about money, nor should they be embarrassed to profit. As if earning a little money with one’s ability is unrefined. The great distinction of honor and disgrace: a gentleman loves wealth, and honor comes from taking it with righteousness.”

Cui Dongshan curiously asked, “Then does the Fifth Heaven have a lot of good fortune now?”
The old scholar hummed in agreement. “That peach tree, for instance, is a piece of profound good fortune, easily ranking among the top ten. Bai Ye is also there, having hastily erected a temporary thatched cottage. He has left his immortal sword there, intending to repay Grand Xuan Capital Temple’s Daoist Sun for the favor of lending him the sword years ago. Bai Ye will wait there for a Daoist of the Daoist Sword Immortal lineage. Once the right person arrives and the immortal sword is returned, Bai Ye will return to the vast world. Therefore, no one dares to covet that cottage.”

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “If only hordes of Baiyujing Daoists would rush headlong into it.”

The old scholar had, of course, been a guest there. That extraordinary peach tree, with its roots running deep for thousands of miles, looked unremarkable, indistinguishable from the peach trees in the wild. At first glance, it showed no auspicious signs.

However, the old scholar and Bai Ye could even cleave the heavens and earth, so their discernment naturally surpassed that of ordinary immortals. And Bai Ye had performed great service; not just one peach tree, but ten, he could move wherever he pleased.

Bai Ye sheathed his sword, built a cottage, and read books. The peach tree stood beside the cottage, gradually bearing fruit. Flowers and fruit adorned the tree, and an immortal sword lay at its foot.

The scholar occasionally wandered afar, leaving behind a long sword to guard the house.

The old scholar picked up a large handful of peach blossoms beneath the tree, saying he would use them to brew wine. He also asked White Paper Blessed Land to create dozens of peach blossom stationery. The old scholar also secretly grabbed several handfuls of soil from beside the tree – genuine millennial earth, a rare find. It would be useful for his close disciple in the future, so he took a little extra.

The old scholar had, of course, asked Bai Ye beforehand, loudly inquiring if it was permissible. No one answered from inside the cottage, so the old scholar took it as Bai Ye’s brotherly generosity and tacit consent. In truth, Bai Ye only returned from his travels several days after the old scholar had left. The scholar looked at the spotless ground beneath the peach tree, then glanced up at the branches, which led to Bai Ye’s farewell sword strike.

Of course, the old scholar’s account at the Central Earth Confucian Temple was that Bai Ye had politely seen him off.

The first Jade Purity Realm cultivator born from the nascent world. The first Immortal Realm being. The first cultivator to slay a “strange thing”… Favored by the Heavenly Dao.

The first pure martial artist to break through in that world. The first martial artist to reach the Distant Wanderer Realm, or the Summit Realm… Protected by Martial Fortune.

The first ancestral hall built, with incense burning and portraits hung, and spreading its branches and leaves. The first nascent worldly dynasty at the foot of the mountain. The first infant born in the new world. The first immortal couple to form a pact in that realm, both in the middle five realms… Gifted by Human Destiny.

In short, the Grand Thousand World, with the convergence of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, was constantly blessed with good fortune.

Cui Dongshan suddenly became worried. “My eldest senior sister, Pei Qian, broke through the sixth and seventh realms too quickly. In North Ju Reed Continent, she foolishly gave up the strongest state of those two realms. If she reaches the Summit Realm early in Snowy Continent, she will definitely have to go to Ascending Firmament Continent. That place is not like the stagnant water of Tongye Continent; it’s much more chaotic, which worries me.”

The old scholar, however, asked, “Have you been to Azure Vault Heaven?”

Knowing full well that he hadn’t, as he wasn’t an Ascended Realm cultivator, Cui Dongshan snapped back, “Have you?”

Blaming that old bastard for being such a persistent influence, which had made him accustomed to arguing with people, Cui Dongshan realized that talking to his grand master like this would not end well. He immediately tried to make amends. “Grand master hasn’t been, neither has the master, so how would I dare go first?”

The old scholar didn’t dwell on Cui Dongshan’s disrespect; he wasn’t petty. He would just jot it down in his notebook and show it to Pei Qian when he returned to Snowy Continent.

The old scholar looked up at the sky. The Confucian worthy enshrined in this place ranked last in the Confucian Temple, which was why he was playfully called “Seventy-Two” by the Third Headmaster of Baiyujing, Lu Chen.

The old scholar strolled along slowly, saying, “Not only in Azure Vault Heaven, but also in our vast world, almost every Daoist temple has a Spirit Officer Hall as its first main hall. The statue of the Great Spirit Officer is truly majestic. When I first went on a long journey, visiting a small temple in my hometown’s prefecture, it left a deep impression on me. Even after gaining some fame and titles, seeing other magnificent sights, none could compare to the shock I felt from that one glance.”

Cui Dongshan understood the old scholar’s meaning and said, “So, grand master has Pei Qian follow the master for this reason? To make the master feel as if he is always in a Daoist temple, observing the Dao through the temple? With Pei Qian by his side, he will naturally, and organically, draw closer to the virtue of solitary watchfulness?”

Azure Vault Heaven had four great celestial masters, all possessing profound Daoist magic and unique supernatural abilities. However, they did not cultivate in Baiyujing, but were responsible for guarding the four directions of the world. One of them, the head of the Spirit Officers, had a widely circulated anecdote from the past. According to many Daoist scriptures, the Great Spirit Officer had committed many killings before attaining enlightenment. A passing Great Celestial Master punished him according to the law. Afterward, the latter rang the Heavenly Drum, and the Grand Headmaster of Baiyujing instructed him to secretly follow the Great Celestial Master on his journeys throughout the world for three hundred years. He promised that if the Celestial Master made a single mistake, they would exchange positions. In the end, of course, the Great Celestial Master did not make a single mistake in three hundred years.

The old scholar chuckled softly. “Hasn’t Pei Qian also turned towards good? Isn’t that important? Do you think that without the master’s exemplary teaching, would Pei Qian be who she is today?”

The old scholar patted his chest. “If I feel at ease, and the world benefits, what’s not to like?”

The old scholar said earnestly, “Practical accomplishments and scholarly pursuits are good, but are they good enough? I think not necessarily. Just three things: Can I get the Grand Mentor to lend me a word? Can I get Mister Bai to take out the Mountain Searching Diagram? Can I create one more distant wanderer realm maiden in the world, inclined towards good and far from evil? As a scholar, I can’t just feel that I’ve done enough, and then rest easy, feeling complacent. If the world dares to ask me for even a fraction more, I will spit in the world’s face and curse the world for being ignorant and ungrateful.”

The old scholar scratched his head at this point. “Clearing my throat and spitting out a thick wad of phlegm, it’s truly… a little disgusting.”

He was referring to the smashing of divine statues. He remembered a scholar from the Shao Yuan Dynasty who was particularly enthusiastic.

Actually, the old scholar was talking about two different things, but Cui Dongshan was clever enough to understand. One was the pursuit of correcting the source of all things in the world, and the other was private family grievances.

The old scholar said, “Now that Pei Qian’s realm is higher, she’s become more cautious, which is a good thing. Because her fists are too heavy, and she’s still young, she shouldn’t think about changing the world too early.”

“The world, the world, is nothing more than the paths of the people in the world.”
The old scholar casually pointed a finger, “On a path crowded with errors, seemingly a shortcut, no matter how many people are on it, how easy it is to walk, every teaching master must tell every child learning to read, write, and understand etiquette in the school that they cannot go that way. Later, when the children grow up, with a bit more strength, they might even have to block that road, telling others that it is wrong, wrong is wrong, and then maybe they will be beaten black and blue by some customs of the world. If your pragmatic learning can reduce these wrongful fists and kicks landing on good people, that would be the greatest of virtues, truly wonderful.”

Cui Dongshan muttered unhappily, “Why tell me this, and not tell Cui Chan?”

The old scholar remained silent.

Only the vast Dadu River before them flowed slowly.

Cui Dongshan said to himself, “When we see someone who is virtuous, we should think of equaling them.”

After a long silence, Cui Dongshan complained, “Go, go, just leave and be done with it.”

The old scholar said, “I’m going to see a certain predecessor.”

That predecessor once posed an eternally profound question, opening with the query, “In the beginning of ancient times, who passed on the Way?” This question alone was enough to bring tears to the eyes of some lonely sages.

The old scholar also had youthful years of high spirits. Once, after drinking to a rare state of intoxication, he shouted, “I will answer it, I can answer it…”

And on the Sword Qi Great Wall, with his disciples around him, he once had his junior brother Chen Pingan compose a counter-question.

Cui Dongshan hesitated, and said, “Can you not answer the Heavenly Questions?”

Still a question, spoken without the tone of inquiry.

Not answered, left as a remainder. It would be better if the former teacher remained as a remainder in your heart.

The old scholar stroked his beard with one hand and gently patted his belly with the other, “I have been out of sync with the times for too long, I must speak my mind.”

Cui Dongshan asked curiously, “Did Qi Jingchun know that person was in Book Brief Lake all along?”

The old scholar shook his head, “I only learned this secret after achieving the Dao. The old codger kept it from me all those years.”

The old scholar suddenly slapped Cui Dongshan on the head, “You little rascal, cursing yourself as an old bastard all day long, is that fun?”

Cui Dongshan’s eyes were filled with sorrow, and he said, “You said it yourself earlier, we are two different people after all.”

The old scholar slapped him again, “How dare you speak to your grandmaster like that? Huh?”

After receiving the slap, Cui Dongshan raised his hand to protect his head, “That’s enough, okay?”

The old scholar suddenly said, “First, there were sages in Book Brief Lake coldly observing the world. *Ling* means the words of the spirit. *Jun* means the harmony of speech. That which is most righteous and equitable is no more so than Heaven, and that which nurtures things with balance and harmony is no more divine than Earth, hence it is most centered, righteous, and peaceful. Later, there was Bai Ye, who drew his sword and left his homeland, traveling the world. I have an idea how to name the fifth continent.”

*To hold fast to honesty until death, this is what the former sages valued.*

*Bai Ye’s poetry is unmatched, his thoughts soaring beyond the ordinary.* A truly pure and honest person possesses a spirit that is both vast and free, like floating clouds in the sky.

Cui Dongshan blinked, “Good.”

The old scholar raised his hand, and Cui Dongshan waved his hands wildly, blocking the slap.

The old scholar withdrew his hand, stroked his beard, and smiled triumphantly, “Is one ‘good’ enough? Far from it. That’s why I say your teacher received the true inheritance when it comes to naming things.”

Cui Dongshan grinned, “What about finding a wife?”

The old scholar rubbed his chin with his palm, “I never taught you that, did you learn it on your own?”

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “If you had taught me, I probably wouldn’t have had a chance.”

After the old scholar left.

Cui Dongshan rode the wind into the sea of clouds, watching the young *Zhigui* reveal its true form, heading mightily along the Great River. Halfway there, it was already covered in wounds, but its momentum was fierce, so it was not a major problem.

The old scholar first went to Book Brief Lake, met an old man who was extremely close to the Dao of Water, to the point of throwing himself into it. He wore a tall crown and a wide robe, his appearance was refined, and his knowledge was not within the Confucian literary tradition.

The old scholar bowed and saluted.

The old man returned the greeting with ancient etiquette, not so orthodox Confucianism.

Then the old man led the old scholar to a hilltop where he and a haggard, horse-leading young man had once struggled to get some bamboo slips. The young man was young, but he wasn’t easy to fool.

The two sides also had a dreamlike question and answer. Not asking about heaven and earth, only asking about their true hearts.

The old man was silent for a long time, and then opened his mouth, “I am somewhat disappointed in myself, I haven’t done well enough, but I am not so disappointed in the world.”

The old scholar nodded and smiled, “Walking alongside gentlemen, even if I can never catch up, I am honored to be with them. If I could still eat four large meat buns from Green Tong City, I would definitely have the strength to reason with people and continue on my way.”

The old man said, “A disciple can open mountains for the world, a disciple can close doors for the master. Not bad.”

The old scholar said cheerfully, “Not bad, not bad.”

The old man said with emotion, “The coldness and warmth of human feelings are not to be questioned, I would hate myself if my hand did not touch a book.”

The old scholar said, “My eyes are still bright, my heart is still warm, the heavens have made an old scholar.”

The old man laughed, “Like your disciple, you both know how to chat.”

The old scholar shook his head, “When it comes to ‘chatting’, everyone in the world is a junior.”

The old man said, “Besides ‘Heavenly Questions’, there is no need to say more. You can take the rest – ‘Mountain Spirit’, ‘Crossing the River’.”

The old scholar hesitated.

The old man said, “‘Eastern Lord’, ‘Summoning the Soul’, the same.”

The old scholar bowed again.

The previous time was asking for courtesy, this time was expressing thanks.

The old man sighed and disappeared, leaving only the four poems suspended in the air.

The old scholar put them into his sleeve, and also sighed.

After that, the old scholar handed the poems “Mountain Spirit” and “Crossing the River” to Cui Dongshan, who was in charge of guarding the Great River, and then had Cui Dongshan pass the poem “Eastern Lord” to the medicine shop in the small town. After this, the old scholar only carried the poem “Summoning the Soul” with him, not only going south to Old Dragon City, but also taking advantage of the dangerous situation, yet not being completely hopeless, he sneaked to Tongye Continent, helping to stabilize the landscape formation of Taiping Mountain.

Then he went to the Great Quan Dynasty, where even the emperor had secretly run away. Outside the Bi You Palace on the banks of the Buried River, the old scholar tugged at his sleeves and stood for a long time, but no one paid him any attention.

The old scholar had no choice but to ask if the River God of the Buried River was present.
A diminutive woman sauntered to the doorway, one hand supporting the base of a large bowl, the other wielding chopsticks. Perched on the threshold, she frowned, scrutinizing the old Confucian scholar whose cultivation was impossible to discern. Finally, she spoke, “Old sir, what are you wandering around here for? Don’t you know the world is in chaos? My Biyou Palace is barely the size of my palm, it can’t protect anyone. I might not even be able to protect myself. It’s not that I’m stingy, old sir, but you should hurry to the Great Fu Academy, it’s safer there.”

The old scholar, with a thick face, had no choice but to announce his name and state that he was the teacher of Zuo You and Chen Ping’an.

The Water Goddess of the Buried River felt as if struck by lightning. Her mind turned to mush, and her face flushed crimson. She couldn’t utter a single word. She rose unsteadily like a drunkard, raising the large bowl above her head with both hands, seemingly wanting to offer the Literary Saint a midnight snack.

Afterward, she accompanied the Literary Saint, who said he couldn’t refuse her kindness and would stay for a short while, back to the main hall of the Biyou Palace in a daze. Muddled, she had the cook, Liu, bring the Literary Saint a small bowl of noodles the size of a saucer.

Finally, in a certain region of central Tongye Continent, away from the Tongye Sect’s territory, Zuo You, with his sword across his lap, sat above the sea of clouds, guarding a great gate. On either side of that gate lay two separate worlds.

In the distance, the Golden Core sword cultivator, Wang Shizi, and a young woman named Yu Xin were helping a group of academy students and mountain cultivators manage the overwhelming task of escorting refugees from all over to seek refuge within the gate. It was a chaotic and arduous undertaking.

Even a slow-witted fool like Wang Shizi could see the affection that Miss Yu held for Senior Zuo.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked coming to this place. Wang Shizi was experiencing a subtle stirring of his sword heart, a bottleneck in his cultivation that was about to break, similar to the sword cultivator Cao Jun from Southern Posuo Continent. He needed to observe the sword to comprehend the Dao and break through. After all, Senior Zuo was wielding his sword here to slay demons, and even a glance from afar would provide an invaluable benefit to his sword Dao.

However, after Senior Zuo learned that Miss Yu had accompanied him here, he actually patted Wang Shizi on the shoulder. The look in Senior Zuo’s eyes seemed to indicate that he thought Wang Shizi had finally come to his senses.

Today, Miss Yu asked him if he wanted to seek instruction in swordsmanship. Of course, Wang Shizi wouldn’t be foolish again. He nodded and said he did, then added, “Actually, Senior Zuo’s Dao techniques are just as extraordinary as his swordsmanship, which is unparalleled in the world. Miss Yu, you must not miss the chance to seek his guidance after I’m done.” Miss Yu glanced at him, and Wang Shizi stood tall with righteousness, so Miss Yu didn’t glare at him again.

As a result, after arriving at the sea of clouds, which Zuo You was temporarily using as a place for cultivation, Wang Shizi sincerely sought guidance in swordsmanship from Senior Zuo. Then, he excused himself, not forgetting to remind Senior Zuo that Miss Yu had some difficulties and doubts in her cultivation and wanted to seek his guidance.

Zuo You shook his head, saying that he could barely teach others in the way of the sword, and dared not speak to anyone about cultivation matters. The Tongye Sect’s ancestral hall secret method could directly reach the Upper Five Realms. As long as Miss Yu cultivated according to the established steps, she would definitely have no problems.

Miss Yu, who had just been walking gracefully towards the two sword cultivators, as if white clouds were growing beneath her feet, immediately turned around and left upon hearing this. After taking only a few steps, she suddenly plummeted downwards, hurriedly controlling the wind to return to the mortal realm.

Wang Shizi followed Miss Yu, but only dared to keep his distance. When a woman was saddened by something, she probably didn’t want outsiders to see her, right?

However, Miss Yu seemed to quickly compose herself. She stopped in the air, neither going to the sea of clouds nor to the earth. Only then did Wang Shizi dare to approach.

Yu Xin looked up at the sea of clouds and softly asked, “Is Master Zuo both unable to leave this place and longing to return to the Sword Qi Great Wall? So he’s always so… troubled?”

Wang Shizi nodded and replied with a voice transmission, “Senior’s junior brother, our Hidden Official, seems to have stayed there alone, so Senior Zuo wants to go there very much. But with Tongye Continent in its current state, it’s indeed difficult for Senior Zuo to leave.”

Yu Xin murmured, “His swordsmanship is so high, yet he’s always so troubled?”

Zuo You was troubled because he didn’t know when he could go to the Sword Qi Great Wall to bring back his junior brother.

Yu Xin couldn’t bear it. She didn’t want the person in her eyes to be someone who seemed forever lonely and forlorn. She couldn’t bear the thought of him leaving one day and never returning.

The world should have a Zuo You who wasn’t troubled.

An old scholar went to the sea of clouds in a huff, arriving behind the seated Zuo You. Just as Zuo You was about to rise, the old scholar didn’t even need to jump, he just slapped him on the head. “Are you stupid?! I didn’t teach you how to find a wife, but I also didn’t teach you how to remain a bachelor forever!”

Zuo You received another slap from his teacher, and was completely bewildered. But it was best to get used to it.

Zheng Dafeng left his hometown early, and his destination was very clear. However, it wasn’t until the fifth year of Jiachun that he respectfully followed his master’s orders, no longer heading to the Lotus Root Blessed Land, but slowly entering the Fifth World.

This time, Zheng Dafeng quietly left his hometown and traveled far across continents, following the old man’s instructions. The route was strange. He first went to Northern Ju Lu Continent, and spent a few days at the foot of Lion Peak Mountain, sponging off his elder brother and sister-in-law with good food and wine. His sister-in-law didn’t scold him for once, and actually spoke to him softly, which made Zheng Dafeng feel sorry for himself. He never really felt anything before, but after seeing his sister-in-law’s appearance, he felt like he was really pitiful.

However, after Zheng Dafeng had his fill, he glanced at the empty courtyard outside the house, and kindly asked his sister-in-law if she wanted him to lend a hand and cut down a few bamboo poles from the mountain to help build some sturdy clotheslines for drying clothes.

Li Er was busy cleaning up the dishes at the time and turned a deaf ear to this. He wasn’t a junior brother if he didn’t court a scolding for a day.

The woman originally wanted to curse him roundly, but after glancing at the bearded, hunchbacked man who seemed to have shrunk by a head, she acted very uncharacteristically, without scolding him, saying that it wasn’t necessary. She lowered her head and quickly walked out of the house.

This made Zheng Dafeng sigh deeply, and he could only ask his elder brother in a low voice whether his sister-in-law was being bullied by outsiders here, and had lost all the heroic spirit she had back home.
Li Er had just finished clearing the dishes when his wife returned, carrying two jugs of wine and a few plates of snacks. She insisted the two martial brothers should have a good chat, as it had been so long since they last met, and now they were parting again. A few more drinks wouldn’t hurt, she said. Only then did the woman regain some of her former spirit, launching into a tirade against Zheng Dafeng, scolding him for not staying at home to guard the gate. Even if the money wasn’t much, it was a reliable job. What was so good about wandering outside? With his ugly mug, he could ward off evil spirits just by standing at the gate at night, more effective than a door god. Lacking any real talent, he’d hoard a bit of money only to spend his days leering at the passing women with his dog eyes. Did he think they’d bear him a son?

The scolding immediately invigorated Zheng Dafeng, who eagerly invited his sister-in-law to sit down and drink. He thumped his chest, guaranteeing that if he got drunk, he’d sleep like the dead, impervious to thunder, let alone sleepwalking or any leg-wobbling nonsense.

Incensed, she left the house, hesitated, and finally abandoned her shop to seek out some gossiping women she was close to, hoping to sound them out. She wanted to see if there were any suitable women, perhaps a bit blind, who might find her husband’s martial brother agreeable enough to spend their lives with.

Back in the day, when Zheng Dafeng was guarding the gate or drinking by the roadside, he enjoyed appraising attractive women with gestures, first mimicking their chests, then their buttocks, his eyes and hands never idle, his mouth even less so. He’d claim his soul was lost in their bodices, asking the “Big Wind Brother” to find it for him. If he found it, great; if not, no hard feelings…

Such a gatekeeper with a loose tongue, it would be a blessing if he could snag a wife and bring her home. Alas, he was just a lecherous old bachelor, always with the desire but lacking the courage. In the end, he couldn’t find a decent woman to be his wife. Well, who could blame them? With his looks and lack of ambition, which respectable woman would be willing to suffer with him? His wife used to scold him, but in private, she’d advise her husband to put in a good word for his martial brother. Maybe find him a decent job at the Yang family shop or the Dragon Kiln, and then find some unmarried, good-natured neighbors to play matchmaker. Even if he had to marry into the family, as long as Zheng Dafeng kept his lewd comments to himself, whether he was a shop assistant, a farmer, or a firewood carrier, clay mover, or porcelain burner, he could support a small family.

As soon as his wife left, Li Er began discussing serious matters with his junior brother. “Endure it for now. Wait until you get there to break through. Control yourself. Since Master has returned your remaining soul fragments, don’t squander them. It would be troublesome if you accidentally broke through during your travels. The Floating Continent is too far from the Treasure Bottle Continent, and Master can’t easily help you, nor is it suitable for him to intervene.”

At Lion Peak, Li Er had helped Zheng Dafeng with a round of fisticuffs, finally restoring him to the sixth realm of martial prowess. Although he was still a long way from his former peak, it wasn’t a big problem. Moreover, Zheng Dafeng had forged a new Martial Heroic Heart, of no low quality. After all, he was a pure martial artist who had once earned the title of “Strongest,” and even after suffering hardships, his spirit hadn’t broken. This was the best kind of trial, where fortune and misfortune intertwined.

For a pure martial artist, the quality of their fist depends on the length of their inner breath.

Before delivering a punch, one must possess the great intention to cause the heavens and earth to sink three feet each.

Zheng Dafeng placed one leg on a long bench, took a sip of wine, and nodded. “I understand.”

When his wife returned home, intending to share the good news with her husband, whether it would come to fruition depended on Zheng Dafeng himself. But she found that Zheng Dafeng was no longer there, and she hadn’t seen him on the way back. On the table were only two empty wine jugs, and the plates of snacks were empty.

His wife wondered, “He’s already left?”

Li Er grunted in affirmation.

His wife sighed and sat down, gazing out the window. “I don’t know what you men are thinking. What’s so appealing about the martial world?”

She was referring to Zheng Dafeng, who was unreliable all year round, and also to Chen Ping’an, the young man she genuinely liked and treated as a son-in-law.

Li Er had nothing to say. He got up to clear the table again, casually picking up Zheng Dafeng’s wine jug and shaking it gently. It was truly empty.

His wife caught sight of this and scolded with a smile, “Look at your ambition!”

Li Er hesitated, looking embarrassed.

There were guests at the door.

His wife tentatively asked, “What, are you planning to go on a long journey too?”

Li Er scratched his head.

He did indeed intend to go to the Bone Beach. His daughter was still there, and Li Er was worried. Besides, it was only right for him to contribute some effort.

If his son Li Huai and his martial brother Zheng Dafeng hadn’t come here one after the other, Li Er would have already spoken to his wife about it. Furthermore, not long ago, someone had visited Lion Peak, planning to go to the sea south of Bone Beach together: a sword immortal who had helped Qi Jinglong in the second sword duel for the Taihui Sword Sect, and an old martial artist whose mind had finally regained some clarity and was freed from his confinement.

Both were waiting outside for news from Li Er.

A well-known sword immortal from the Northern Ju Lu Continent, and a tenth-realm martial artist who had once attracted the encirclement of several sword immortals.

They were waiting for Li Er, or rather, they were waiting for Li Er to persuade his wife to allow him to travel far.

They didn’t find it too strange. After all, the men of the Northern Ju Lu Continent, whether on or off the mountains, were known for being fearless, except for the women of their own homes.

His wife slammed the table and shouted, “Did you drink a few swigs of horse piss with Zheng Dafeng and listen to a few crude jokes, and now you’re getting restless?!”

His wife lamented in a loud voice, “I’m such a miserable woman. My son is the most filial and sensible, but he’s always away. My daughter is stubborn and unyielding, looks like her mother, ambition like her father, and in the end, she’s become an old maid who can’t get married… It’s my own fault, who else can I blame? I foolishly married a useless man who has no skills. After drinking a bit of wine, even his honesty is gone. In the end, he’s still an ungrateful man, always thinking about young women outside who only know how to swing their chests and wiggle their butts. I don’t blame myself, who else can I blame…”

Li Er remained silent, not daring to interrupt.

His wife wiped the corner of her eye. “He looks like an honest and simple bumpkin, but inside he’s full of deceit and bad intentions. What kind of sin did I commit to find a man like you to be my pillar…”
Li Er glanced outside the house, at the sword immortals watching the spectacle near the doorway, and jested with them mentally. The old martial artist chimed in with a similar remark.

Ignoring them, Li Er told them to go ahead, assuring them he wouldn’t arrive at Skull Beach any later than they would.

The sword immortals turned to leave, the old martial artist chuckling a few more times. The sword immortal then responded in kind, and they seemed to be enjoying their chat immensely.

Li Er frowned.

Were these two looking for a beating?

The woman caught sight of Li Er’s frown from the corner of her eye, a rare occurrence. It made her even sadder. She slumped onto the table, having mostly feigned her earlier distress. This time, she felt genuinely panicked and hurt, although she lowered her voice, sobbing, “Now you even dare to give me a cold face. This life is unbearable. You may not say it, but you resent me in your heart, seeing me as an unreasonable old hag…”

Li Er came to the woman’s side and sat down, gently patting the back of her hand. He explained softly, “Liu’er is out there adventuring on her own now. I plan to go check on her. I’ll be back home soon.”

The woman raised her head. “Are you also going to help Li Huai and Li Liu find a fox spirit concubine out there?”

Li Er shook his head. “You know I could never do something so despicable.”

Even the hardened man couldn’t bring himself to call his wife’s words absurd.

The woman looked at Li Er’s face and said quietly, “Actually, Li Huai and Dafeng seem to have agreed to come and go without lingering. When you zone out, I know your mind isn’t here. Go on then, be careful on the road. If you must learn from Dafeng’s womanizing, don’t be like him and get bullied out there. Of course, it’s best if you don’t learn anything at all.”

Li Er nodded, wiping the corner of her eyes for her. The woman asked when he was leaving, and Li Er said he’d set off today, the sooner to depart, the sooner to return. The woman went to help pack his luggage.

That old fool was still rambling on outside, making another lewd joke. Li Er, who had been patiently squatting at the doorway waiting for his luggage, suddenly rose and strode forward. Hearing the commotion, the woman, who had been dawdling over the packing, quickly asked what he was doing. Li Er replied that there was a dog barking outside.

Zheng Dafeng traveled from the Northern Reaches to the Icy Wastes, then passed through Flowing Haze Isle, Golden Armor Isle, and then through the great gate in the central parts of Soaring Cloud Isle. Because he was a martial artist from another continent and not a Golden Body realm cultivator, he used a bag of gold and fine copper to pass through the gate into the fifth continent, arriving at the northernmost part of the new world.

Soaring Cloud Isle was different from Willow Leaf Isle, where anyone below the nascent soul stage could seek refuge. Not to mention Golden Core Earth Immortals, all middle-five realm cultivators of this continent generally couldn’t hope to cross the gate without divine immortal money, which could make a sect or an upper-five realm Daoist feel the pinch. Moreover, it wasn’t just about having money. One had to have a master or senior disciple of a higher realm who had died in battle along the eastern coastline of Soaring Cloud Isle to earn a qualification to pass. This caused many old cultivators who had no hope of breaking through, especially those whose souls were decaying, to flock to the coastal areas.

All this was to make a path for their juniors, sending them on a path of cultivation filled with risks and opportunities.

Such was the custom of Soaring Cloud Isle.

On Soaring Cloud Isle, the mountains above and below were intertwined, accustomed to life-and-death struggles, making them far more spirited than the stagnant waters of Willow Leaf Isle.

When Zheng Dafeng set foot on the soil of this continent, he quietly entered the Golden Body realm. However, he didn’t receive any martial luck feedback. The reason was simple: among the martial artists of this world, there was a sixth realm genius who had honed his body to an excellent degree. The only reason he came here was because he was destined not to receive martial luck feedback in the vast world, so he came here to take advantage. Zheng Dafeng didn’t even bother to consider such a person as a fellow Daoist.

Zheng Dafeng didn’t care about martial luck at all. Whether he broke through to the seventh realm as the strongest sixth realm cultivator or even as an eighth or ninth realm cultivator didn’t matter at all. He wasn’t in a hurry. If the old man was worried about this, he would have directly told him to wait in Willow Leaf Isle before coming here. In fact, the old man had warned him early on not to regard martial luck as something to be grasped. There was no point. Taking the quickest path to break through was the most important thing. Breaking through to the tenth realm as soon as possible was enough.

At the latest, a hundred years, at the very least he should reach the peak realm bottleneck. Otherwise, he could just live and die in that world.

Zheng Dafeng planned to take a look at the center of the world. He heard that the Sword Qi Great Wall, through the “ascension” of the battlefield, had left behind a city, which had fallen there.

At about the same time that Zheng Dafeng entered the new world, Huang Ting, a female cultivator of Peace Mountain in Willow Leaf Isle who was at the bottleneck of the Nascent Soul Sword Cultivation realm, also crossed another great gate and came to this world. She traveled alone, carrying her sword and moving extremely fast. After a month, she stopped, randomly picking a mountain that looked pleasing to her to settle down, intending to nurture her sword intent there. Unexpectedly, she attracted the covetousness of a strange entity. Good things came in pairs. She broke through the realm, entered the Jade Purity realm, and also found a blessed land suitable for cultivation, with abundant spiritual energy and natural treasures beyond imagination.

Speaking of luck and fortune, Huang Ting had always been fortunate. Otherwise, He Xiaoliang of Treasure Bottle Isle wouldn’t have been praised as the second Huang Ting.

After Huang Ting entered the Jade Purity realm, she erected a stone tablet on the mountain peak, engraving the three characters “Peace Mountain” with sword inscriptions. Then, she went down the mountain to wander, returning the way she came to see if she could encounter some familiar faces.

She had always enjoyed feuds.

On her way south by sword, Huang Ting encountered a young, unassuming scholar in black clothes, but the two only exchanged a glance.

The black-clothed scholar seemed to recognize her, voluntarily closed his folding fan, stopped, and nodded to her in greeting.

Huang Ting ignored him.

Later, as she saw more and more northern-traveling cultivators, Huang Ting learned that after the old deities of Willow Leaf Isle seemingly “moved the mountains,” in addition to the old mountain customs becoming more and more prominent, there were also some new changes. For example, among the current cultivators of the various schools of thought, those of the Yin-Yang school who could calculate directions and select suitable places for distant travel, those of the geomancy school who accurately surveyed feng shui treasures, as well as the agricultural school, the medicinal school, and the business school who were skilled at making money from money, had all become highly sought-after talents. In short, all cultivators who could help build mountains had become more valuable.
As for the four most troublesome spirits of the past, the Sword Cultivator, the Strategist, the Legalist, and the Daoist Nun of the Saber House, with the demise of Upside-Down Mountain, the situation in the world has changed dramatically. In today’s world, apart from the Central Region, in the four directions of east, west, south, and north, there are far too few Sword Cultivators. Many Strategist cultivators are forcibly conscripted into the army in their hometowns, and the same goes for the Legalists. As for the Daoist Nun of the Saber House, not to mention here, it’s likely there are hardly any left even in the Grand Azure World.

A new world, in the fifth year of Jiachun, had become increasingly mixed and chaotic.

Yang Ningzhen, a martial artist at the Golden Body Realm bottleneck and also a cultivator, using the alias Yang Hengxing, and his younger brother Yang Ningxing, who had long refined the Treasure Mirror Mountain’s Three Mountains Nine Marquis Mirror, entered the Fifth Heaven one after another. The two brothers did not greet each other, nor did they even think of meeting.

As the Little Celestial Lord of the Cloud Soaring Palace under the Department of崇玄, Yang Ningxing had already gathered the five elements of natal objects. He came here only to break through to the Jade Purity Realm and become an Immortal.

There was an unknown Qi Refiner named Shu Zhongshu from Shu, a fellow whose origins were unclear, who occupied a scenic spot and built a Transcendence Terrace. He set up mountain and water restrictions, forbidding any Earth Immortal cultivator from entering within a radius of three hundred miles, otherwise they would be killed without exception. This person was accompanied by several maids, named Xiao Ping, Jiangse, Caiyi, Daxian, and Huaying, who were all actually mid-tier Sword Cultivators.

Ji Hai, the Sect Master of the Divining Sect, whose fundamental technique was writing azure petitions and green decrees to invite gods, could also summon ghost immortals.

Ji Hai summoned a Divine General “Zhuo Liu” and a Ghost Immortal “Huaya,” both at the Nascent Soul Realm, to jointly protect the next Sect Master of the Divining Sect as he entered the New Heaven.

There was a white-robed mountain and marsh hermit with a youthful face who, after entering this realm from the Tongye Continent, did not rush on his way. Instead, he began to wander around, specifically picking out Qi Refiners who were poets, lyricists, song writers, and prose masters. These beings, after entering the New Heaven in a hurry, began to loudly recite their poems, lyrics, songs, and prose, bold lyrics, frontier poems, graceful lyrics, wandering immortal poems, even using the grievances of boudoir women, all in order to seek resonance with this new world and briefly align themselves with the great heaven and earth through their literature.

After losing all interest, the youth finally began to travel alone. Eventually, at a waterside where the river and clouds intertwined, the youth sat down cross-legged, took out brush and ink, closed his eyes, and, relying on his memory, painted a long scroll of myriad miles of rivers and mountains, naming it Mustard Seed. On the scroll, there was only a single dot of ink, yet it was named Mountains and Rivers.

The youth took out two seals and stamped them on the Mustard Seed painting, “Where the moonlight meets the white clouds and verdant stones,” and on the Mountains and Rivers painting, “Once drunk on plum blossoms for ten years, then delayed half a lifetime by osmanthus wine.”

The youth leaned back, using his hands as a pillow, and murmured with a smile, “What moves my heartstrings are the bright moon, beauties, falling snow, and sword light.”

The fortress of the Sword Qi Great Wall was newly named Ascension City.

Lu Chen returned to the Azure Nether World. Daoist Sun had taken a step ahead of him, returning to the Profound Capital Temple.

Lu Chen arrived at the White Jade Capital and saw his tall senior brother. He lazily approached and leaned on the railing of the highest of the five cities, smiling, “Don’t be angry, from Daoist Sun to the smallest novice, everyone at the Profound Capital Temple has feelings about you, Senior Brother.”

Lu Chen looked at the rising and falling clouds, like the rising and falling tides at sea, and said softly, “It’s a kind of reason to allow one’s own family to have some feelings, isn’t it?”

For this Third Preceptor of the White Jade Capital, the entire Azure Nether World, whether they were cultivators or not, was actually under one roof.

Many feelings are unreasonable, but Lu Chen said that this was the reason.

The tall Daoist remained silent.

Lu Chen turned around, leaning against the railing, and stretched, “What kind of junior brother wouldn’t help his senior brother and help outsiders? Five hundred spirit officials, it won’t be delayed.”

Dao the Second said, “That guy, is he still being suppressed by Mount Tuoyue?”

Lu Chen laughed, “He can’t blame anyone else, who told him to write words on the soles of his shoes when he was a guest, one writing ‘Dao the Second,’ the other writing ‘Lu Chen.’ He’s getting his comeuppance now.”

On the Tongye Continent, the boundary between above the mountains and below the mountains has always been clear. One reason is that the Immortal family forces on this continent are not as numerous as on other continents. Secondly, the cultivators of the Tongye Continent have long been accustomed to minding their own business, and their interest in the mundane world below the mountains is far less than that of the other eight continents of the Grand Azure World.

Moreover, the vast territory of the Tongye Continent has led to the fact that many remote places on the continent do not know that the world is no longer peaceful.

In the capital of a remote tributary state, in the wealthy family of a bureaucrat and literati, an old man in his seventies was taking out two items for a grandson who had just begun to study: a porcelain bowl bestowed by the Emperor of the Retreat and Reflect Hall and a inkstick granted by the monarch of the Advance and Contemplate Hall. He was explaining to his beloved grandson why the Retreat and Reflect Hall fired this bowl, why the Advance and Contemplate Hall created the inkstick, why one should retreat and reflect, and why one should advance and contemplate.

In a small county town, under the stage, a little girl was imitating the actresses’ gestures, curving her waist and lifting her orchid fingers. Most of the young and middle-aged men and women did not care, but the old men would scold her a few times when they saw it.

A traveling scholar, resting at an inn, was flipping through the notes of a writer from the previous dynasty. He found it strange that the well water could tell the time and that there were rules about growing flowers in the palace.

A swaggering man with gold teeth, leading a group of hangers-on and ruffians, lived a comfortable life of eating meat and drinking wine every day in his hometown. They had only heard that there might be immortals on the mountains, but they did not envy them at all.

In a prefecture city, there was a profession that specialized in imitating the signatures of certain famous calligraphers and painters, so skillfully that they could pass for the real thing. Therefore, they charged a very high price per word and were currently haggling with an old customer.

Then, one day, everything was gone.

In the dark clouds, above a coastal Immortal family mountain on the Tongye Continent, a hole suddenly opened, sunlight poured down, weapons fell to the ground, and a great demon crashed heavily to the ground.

Another boulder as large as a mountain crashed into the majestic city walls of a dynasty’s capital.

On the boulder, a slender girl was dragging a saber, followed by armored puppets that shook the earth with every step.

In the sixth year of Jiachun in the Fifth Heaven.

The vast Tongye Continent, apart from three academies and a dozen Immortal family mountains, had been completely lost.

During this period, a former gentleman of the academy named Zhong Kui emerged out of nowhere and turned the tide.

Meanwhile, in the Mountain and Water Grotto of the Floating Clouds Continent, Cao Ci broke through to the tenth realm in a fierce naval battle and killed a great demon.
Upon the eternally frozen ice plains of Aiai Continent, a band of Northern Wanderer cultivators, braving peril to hunt demonic beasts, encountered a demon of unparalleled might. Forced into desperate flight, they fled southward, each step fueled by dwindling reserves of Qi. Exhausted and despairing, they resigned themselves to their impending doom. But then, through the swirling white snow of the north, a figure slowly emerged – a young woman, staff in hand, a green bamboo chest upon her back.