Each has their own ferry, each their homeward-bound boat. Fortunate to meet an era of peace, with calm winds and tranquil waves.

Two azure-robed scholars of vastly different ages stood shoulder to shoulder on the cliff’s edge, where the sea and sky blended into one seamless vista.

It was no wonder so many mortals below yearned to seek out the Daoist trails and immortal vestiges amidst these mountains and cliffs.

Chen Ping’an was somewhat surprised, for upon his arrival, it was the Sage of Rites who had invited him, safeguarding his journey to the Confucian Temple to participate in the council. And now, upon his departure, it was still the Sage of Rites seeing him off, escorting him all the way to the eastern shores of the Central Earth Divine Continent, seemingly awaiting the arrival of that night-voyaging vessel.

Of course, he couldn’t have known that it was his own teacher who, with the rationale of “a good gathering deserves a pleasant farewell,” had persuaded the Sage of Rites to accompany his closed-door disciple on this leg of the journey.

The Sage of Rites chuckled, “You are truly uncanny in the way of business.”

Chen Ping’an felt a tinge of shame, for he had indeed been quite active during this council.

The Sage of Rites smiled, actually poking fun at this money-loving young Hidden Official for making a misstep in a deal. Earlier at the entrance of the Confucian Temple, with Lu Zhi’s help in brokering the connection, the Madam of Azure God Mountain had initially been willing to gift several bamboo plants to Fallen Peak freely. Yet, this lad had stubbornly insisted on buying them, and likely still believed he had gotten the better end of the bargain.

Chen Ping’an mustered his courage and carefully inquired, “Might I trouble the Sage of Rites with a question? Why was the Fifth World named ‘Fivefold Colors’?”

The Sage of Rites smiled faintly, “You can interpret it as a certain expectation from the Supreme Sage, such as a hundred flowers blooming, a kaleidoscope of colors, the great beauty of the mortal realm.”

Knowing full well what this lad was plotting, the Sage of Rites had no intention of granting his wish. Flying Ascention City already held a distinct advantage in the Fivefold Colors World, and for the Confucian Temple to make an exception would be inappropriate.

Seeing that the Sage of Rites had no intention of revealing the heavenly secrets, Chen Ping’an had no choice but to give up. He still possessed that much discerning ability.

The Sage of Rites said, “You travel afar year-round and frequently interact with mountain and river deities. What are your impressions?”

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment, “It seems that most of them gradually grow weary of the mortal realm.”

Newly ascended deities were often filled with enthusiasm, regardless of their initial intentions, whether to extract the essence of incense offerings to refine their golden bodies or to diligently work to benefit their domain. Regardless of the size of their respective territories, a mountain and river deity responsible for assisting the emperor in governing the yin and yang had countless tasks to perform. However, as time passed, with the rivers and mountains remaining unscathed and everything proceeding according to routine, mountain and river deities, unlike cultivators, did not need to cultivate diligently. Over time, even if the golden bodies of the deities remained radiant, a sense of weariness, fatigue, and despondency would inevitably appear within them.

At this point, Chen Ping’an added, “However, there are also many exceptions, such as the Buried River Water Deity of the Great Spring Dynasty in Tongye Continent. It seems that even after another thousand years, she would still be full of vigor, caring for the people and not regarding herself as some Water Deity Goddess.”

The Sage of Rites smiled knowingly.

Like attracts like.

The Old Master had mentioned it repeatedly, praising the Water Deity Goddess as having a “gentle disposition, warm hospitality, and deep admiration for and proficiency in the learning of both the Sage of Rites and the Sage of Culture lineages.” Among the Old Master’s students, besides Chen Ping’an, even Zuo You, who was usually indifferent to everything, had specifically mentioned the Buried River Water Deity of the Azure Jade Palace. However, the Old Master’s two students spoke more fairly, with just a few words, not bothersome, but carrying significant weight.

Therefore, the Sage of Rites had previously asked the classicist Xi Ping in the Confucian Temple to retrieve the files and carefully review the records concerning the Buried River of the Great Spring.

The Sage of Rites asked, “Do you know what place this is?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. He had glanced at it on the way here. It was a mountain sect with extremely rich spiritual energy, with the spiritual energy coalescing like several rivers suspended in the air, surrounding several mountains, with a majestic aura. Unsurprisingly, it was the legendary Mountain Sea Sect. The entire sect was composed of female cultivators. It was said that the sect’s founding ancestor, a woman named Nalan Xianxiu, was proficient in fire techniques and had once made a grand vow to move mountains and fill the seas.

In this territory, there were many legendary phenomena, such as the Black Bird adding to the tally sticks, the monkey watching the sea, the fox worshiping the moon, and the celestial dog eating the sun.

During that great war, Nalan Xianxiu went out to sea and was the first to find the great demon of the throne, Crimson Consort Fei. It was said that after a fierce battle, she was seriously injured and had to go into seclusion to recuperate. Therefore, she was unable to participate in the Confucian Temple council this time. Crimson Consort Fei was detained by the Confucian Temple in the mountains of the Old Lord’s pill furnace, and the founding ancestor of this Mountain Sea Sect was considered to have made the greatest contribution.

Chen Ping’an was familiar with these sects located on the peaks of the Central Earth Divine Continent. Moreover, the Mountain Sea Sect, similar to the Liu Clan of White Snow Continent, the Azure God Mountain of Bamboo Sea Grotto-Heaven, and the Yu Clan of the Xuanmi Dynasty, was one of the few places in the vast world that had always welcomed Cui Chan, the Embroidered Tiger. Regarding this matter, Chen Ping’an had asked his senior brother Zuo You. Zuo You said that it was because there was a female cultivator in the Mountain Sea Sect, a direct disciple of the Nalan Ancestor, who liked Cui Chan and had fallen in love with him at first sight. Later, the Mountain Sea Sect’s willingness to publicly protect Cui Chan, who was fleeing everywhere, was somewhat related to the sect’s righteousness, but more so to matters of the heart.

At first, Chen Ping’an believed it, but later, after seeing his senior brother Zuo You’s “flirting and senseless chatter” with the temple keeper of the Magnificent Moon Grotto-Heaven, he became somewhat skeptical about this matter.

The Sage of Rites looked into the distance.

Life is like a reverse journey, a night traveler holding a candle. What does it resemble? A seagull amidst the heavens and earth.

The Sage of Rites smiled, “The task is arduous and the road is long. In the future, if you encounter difficulties, visit the Confucian Temple more often. Even if it’s just once or twice and you don’t get help, don’t give up easily.”

What is disappointment? It is simply that after countless efforts, one is forced to seek help, but help is not forthcoming. It seems that seeking help from heaven and earth and from people is all in vain.

The Old Master had sought help countless times for his two students.

And if the Sage of Rites remembered correctly, the Old Master’s closed-door disciple had also sought help throughout his hometown in his youth, all to no avail.

The Sage of Rites continued, “Buddhism says that all wisdom comes from great sorrow. I think this statement makes a lot of sense.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I will think about it more.”

What is suffering?

Perhaps it is the wooden figure by the road, silently mute.

In the lands of the various continents of the vast world, such as the southern part of Treasure Bottle Continent and the entirety of Tongye Continent, there are now many ghost towns.

The Sage of Rites said, “Chen Ping’an, I will take my leave now. In about half an hour, the night-voyaging vessel will dock at a certain Returning Ruins here to pick you up.”

Chen Ping’an respectfully bowed.

In the next instant, the Sage of Rites was no longer beside him, and then Chen Ping’an stood there stunned.

It turned out that just a few dozen feet away, there were three people seemingly admiring the scenery.

Those three people were equally surprised, and would only feel more strange than Chen Ping’an, after all, this was the sect’s forbidden area.
Where did this lecher spring from? So adept at concealing himself? And so audacious, dispelling his disguise to openly provoke us?!

Chen Ping’an said with a sincere expression, “It’s all a misunderstanding!”

He couldn’t very well invoke the Sage of Rites; it wouldn’t be appropriate, and besides, no one would believe him.

Of the three figures, one was a woman who seemed to have stepped out of a painting of a court lady, her eyebrows and eyes like art. However, what truly made an impression on Chen Ping’an was that this woman was sitting on the edge of the cliff, her legs dangling in the air, smoking a long-stemmed pipe. The pipe stem was made of purple bamboo, with a jade mouthpiece, and a silk thread hung from the pouch.

At this moment, she quickly composed herself after a moment of absent-mindedness. She exhaled a large cloud of smoke and looked at the uninvited guest in the green shirt with a sword on his back with a smile. Interesting, he could ignore the multiple landscape restrictions of the Mountain and Sea Sect. Could he be an Immortal Realm or even an Ascension Realm sword cultivator? But why did he look so unfamiliar? Or did he think that because she was injured, he could come here and flaunt his power?

There was also a girl lying beside her, kicking her legs gently, her plump thighs lightly colliding.

She stopped her movements, frowned tightly, and turned to stare at the rogue who had suddenly appeared from nowhere. He looked decent enough, so why was he so depraved?

Finally, there was a little girl who had been rolling around bored on a bamboo mat. She quickly got up and walked to the woman with the long-stemmed pipe. She held up her palm and asked softly, “Ancestor Xianxiu, is that the legendary Ah Liang?”

Chen Ping’an stated unequivocally, “I don’t know any Ah Liang!”

The founding ancestor of the Mountain and Sea Sect smiled and said, “Only his friends would immediately deny knowing him upon hearing his name.”

Chen Ping’an really couldn’t refute that logic.

The girl sat up and asked, “What’s your name? If there’s a misunderstanding, explain it quickly, don’t be like that Ah Liang.”

Regardless of whether they were registered immortal masters or wild cultivators from the mountains, there were essentially only three types of cultivators in the world. The first type had sparred with Fu Lu Yu Xuan and Fire Dragon Real Person, composed poems with Su Zi and Liu Qi, drunk Qing Shen wine at a bamboo sea grotto banquet, or played chess with Fu Jin in the colorful clouds… You needed to be strong yourself to make an impression. These people were the most popular when traveling in the mortal world, and they were mostly the founding ancestors of some mountain sect. The younger they were, the more confident they were. Like the sword cultivator Zuo You, or the martial artist Cao Ci.

The second type had a great ancestral legacy, good teachers, and good aptitude themselves, with a promising path and a chance to reach the summit. Like the Confucian Temple’s Yuan Pang, or White Emperor City’s Gu Can.

The lowest of the low could only rely on the reputation of their sect to bluff.

Chen Ping’an was at a loss for a moment. How should he explain? Unless he invoked the Sage of Rites, it would be really difficult to explain clearly.

However, the girl in front of him seemed to be a ghost. Could he be dreaming and wandering here?

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to brace himself, clasp his fist in apology and said, “I accidentally trespassed here, it was my fault. I am here waiting for a ferry to dock, and I will leave immediately when it arrives. If it is inappropriate to stay here, I can go out to sea and wait for the ferry right away.”

If the Mountain and Sea Sect insisted on blaming him, and apologies were useless, he would have to run.

Fortunately, Nalan Xianxiu looked at the sword-bearing man in green a few more times and simply smiled. “He doesn’t seem like a lecher. Since he trespassed by mistake and has apologized, let’s leave it at that. It’s rare to meet in this world. You can wait for your ferry in peace. You don’t need to fly out to sea with your sword. Let’s each enjoy the scenery.”

Chen Ping’an clasped his fist and thanked her. He thought he should still travel to the sea by wind; staying here was inappropriate. However, before he could speak, the old woman ancestor who was exhaling smoke smiled and said, “What, relying on being a sword cultivator, you’re not giving me any face?”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to sit down cross-legged, gazing straight ahead at the sea, forming hand seals and breathing, silently no longer speaking.

He just had to get through half an hour.

The three people not far away didn’t move either. It wasn’t logical to give way.

The two sides, seemingly close, were doing their own things and saying their own things.

In fact, where in life, what things, what people aren’t like this?

Chen Ping’an had previously looked for Liu Cha at the Merit Forest. It wasn’t for any particular purpose, just to chat with this sword cultivator who was once the highest in both swordsmanship and sword art in the Savage Lands.

With the help of the scripture scholar Xi Ping, who opened the secret realm’s restriction gate, Chen Ping’an found the big-bearded wanderer sitting by the lake, fishing.

Chen Ping’an sat beside him and asked curiously, “Did you have any deeper meaning when you named your eldest disciple Zhuqie (Bamboo Case)?”

Liu Cha said, “It’s about what you guessed.”

The old sword immortal Dong Sangeng of the Sword Qi Great Wall originally had a sword that was a zhang tall, but it was broken in the Savage Lands. Dong Sangeng used Zhuqie to carry the head of an Ascension Realm great demon. After returning home, he forged a new sword, named Zhuqie.

Although he was a prisoner, Liu Cha’s expression was calm. There was nothing much to talk about with the last hidden official of the Sword Qi Great Wall. But about this matter, Liu Cha was willing to say a few more words.

“Among the sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall for the past ten thousand years, I only admire Dong Sangeng.”

“If I had traveled to the Vast Expanse, with his way of drawing his sword, I would have died countless times.”

“The reason why Ah Liang and I were able to become friends when we met in our hometown was largely because Ah Liang claimed to be a close friend of Dong Sangeng. That guy said it sincerely, so I believed him.”

Knowing the answer, Chen Ping’an was already satisfied. After watching Liu Cha fish for a while, he couldn’t help but say, “To be honest, the way you fish is like eating hotpot and getting soup splashed on your face, it stings.”

Liu Cha was silent.

The scholars of the Sword Qi Great Wall didn’t say pleasant things.

Chen Ping’an glanced at the fish basket. “To be able to catch these few fish, it’s really not because your skills are decent, either the fish were starving and eager to be reincarnated, or their luck was so bad that they were like drunken ghosts falling into a ditch.”

Liu Cha asked, “Is there a trick to it?”

He still practiced swordsmanship here, he had no interest in reading, so fishing was the only thing he could do to pass the time. Liu Cha deliberately abandoned his cultivator status, otherwise, it would be completely meaningless.

Chen Ping’an asked back, “What do you think, Senior?”

If you want to talk to me about this, there’s no such thing as Ascension Realm or Fourteenth Realm, they’re all juniors.

Liu Cha thought for a while and said, “The person, the fish, the water, the rod, the hook, the bait, I think that’s all there is to it.”

Chen Ping’an wasn’t sure about Liu Cha’s words and asked, “Senior, are you being sarcastic with me here, or do you really think it’s that simple?”
Liu Cha fell silent.

Chen Ping’an was quiet for a moment, then said, “I’ll seek a duel with you again in the future, Senior.”

Liu Cha chuckled, “Why?”

Chen Ping’an squatted down, picked up a few pebbles, and tossed them lightly into the water. “Senior, your magnanimity I admire greatly. It’s just… a few things you’ve done aren’t exactly aboveboard.”

Liu Cha laughed. “As you wish. I hope I won’t have to wait too long. A few centuries won’t be a problem.”

Although this bearded swordsman’s few strikes in the Vast World weren’t entirely of his own volition, Liu Cha didn’t see that as much of an excuse.

In the end, it was his own swordsmanship that wasn’t high enough. When passing the ruins of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, he hadn’t yet reached the Fourteenth Realm. Otherwise, why would he have cared about the opinions of Patriarch Tuoyue and Zhou Mi?

Chen Ping’an clapped his hands, stood up, and bid farewell.

Liu Cha was taken aback, then abruptly turned his head.

He saw that fellow standing at a “doorway” in the Grove of Merit, waving his hand and grinning. “Keep fishing, keep at it, Senior. If the small fish are all gone, you can wait for the big ones.”

Liu Cha had to make an exception and glanced at the movements of the fish in the lake. After being pelted with stones by that guy, there was no chance of catching anything.

Good heavens, even more doggone than A Liang.

Liu Cha gazed at the lake and said, “If you could, please deliver a message to Bamboo Basket.”

Chen Ping’an, already halfway through the doorway, leaned back and asked, “What message?”

Liu Cha smiled slightly. “Tell him to become the strongest in the Savage World.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, agreeing to the request.

Liu Cha asked, “Helping me without asking for anything in return?”

Chen Ping’an remained in that posture, pondered for a long time, and finally shook his head. “Save it for later?”

Liu Cha raised his hand.

Chen Ping’an tossed him a personally written booklet, filled with detailed insights on fishing.

Liu Cha caught it, tucked it into his sleeve, and said, “Thank you.”

According to Li Huai’s prediction, Chen Ping’an would find a few relaxing pastimes during his future years of cultivation on the mountain. Nothing ambitious, just genuine relaxation.

For example, he might go down the mountain and become an anonymous village schoolteacher, his knowledge insufficient to teach more than basic literacy to the village children. It might not even be in Longzhou, near Falling Willow Mountain, but much farther away. Or he could become a teacher in the Lotus Root Blessed Land, that would work too.

Or perhaps he would occasionally ride the wind on long journeys, going to rivers and lakes tens of thousands of miles away, fishing alone, carrying a few jugs of wine, and cooking himself a pot of fish soup.

If earning money was for living, living couldn’t be just earning money.

Similarly, cultivating on the mountain was a part of life, but life couldn’t be just cultivation.

However, practicing swordsmanship and martial arts, earning money and cultivating, reading and studying, all must not be neglected.

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes, still unable to find any trace of that Night-Sailing Ship.

The three beside him, probably because they were on their own territory, saw Nalan Xianxiu already producing her embroidered pouch, and swapped to enjoying some pipe tobacco. She was quiet and aloof, not one for idle chatter. The other two, on the other hand, were rather unreserved, especially the ghost-like maiden. She seemed particularly interested in young talents like Cao Ci, Fu Jin, and Xu Bai, chatting freely with the mischievous little girl. The little girl thought Cao Ci was more handsome, but the one she called Sister Feicui said Fu Jin was better, since the chief disciple of White Emperor City was a swordsman. Compared to those who practiced mere fist and foot techniques, his romantic air was naturally superior.

The little girl glanced at the azure-robed swordsman beside her, feeling that he wasn’t much to look at.

Chen Ping’an simply pretended not to hear or see anything.

Unexpectedly, as they chatted, Feicui mentioned the Martial Inquiry at the Confucian Temple. Apparently, in just a few days, the news had spread from the Confucian Temple to the Mountain and Sea Sect.

The world was filled with countless events, but some would always be talked about with relish. Just as some people would stand out from the crowd, some events would be refreshingly new.

The little girl seemed a bit unhappy. She had been chattering non-stop, but suddenly fell silent.

Perhaps she was taking up for Cao Ci? Feeling that the Hidden Official didn’t uphold martial ethics and had humiliated Cao Ci?

Feicui, being straightforward, turned to the silent man and asked, “You’re a swordsman, at least an immortal, right? Your judgment must be good. What do you think, if that Martial Inquiry had been a life-or-death battle, what would the result have been?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “I don’t understand the intricacies of a Limit Martial Artist, so I wouldn’t presume to comment. But I guess, as long as one is asked to inquire with Cao Ci, whether to determine victory or to determine life and death, at most, it would be one hand. Apart from him, all the martial artists in the Vast World, without exception, would lose, without any doubt.”

And among the one-hand possibilities, there were Pei Bei, Song Changjing, Zhang Tiaoxia, and Li Er.

The originally listless little girl raised an eyebrow. Hearing these fair words, she perked up again, shaking her head and saying spiritedly, “What Hidden Official, what Azure-Robed Sword Immortal, such a terrible temper, that guy needs to be taken down a peg. If it were me, Xianyun Miao of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall… or Zheng Juzhong, hehe. If that guy dared to stand next to me, hehehe.”

Chen Ping’an, sitting to the side, nodded lightly, agreeing with the little girl’s views.

The little girl, who had been secretly sizing up this person, gave a thumbs-up. “This Sword Immortal speaks well, has excellent judgment, and his appearance… is passable. From now on, you’re my friend!”

Chen Ping’an smiled warmly and nodded slightly.

He naturally saw through the little girl’s origins as a mountain spirit.

The little girl casually asked, “Are you waiting for the ferry? Where are you going?”

Chen Ping’an said, “To the Northern Ju Continent.”

The little girl said “Oh” and said in an old-fashioned way: “Your hometown is the Northern Ju Continent, a good place, no wonder, there are many sword repairers there. But my hometown is the Treasure Bottle Continent, I will take you to play there in the future.”

Chen Ping’an was stunned for a moment, but he didn’t ask any more questions.

How did this little girl with a low level of cultivation cross continents to reach the Central Earth Continent, and she seems to have a high status in the Mountain and Sea Sect?

Although he didn’t know the reason, Chen Ping’an had a better impression of the Mountain and Sea Sect.

Nalan Xianxiu tapped the rock face with her dry tobacco pipe, then took out some more tobacco leaves from her bag, looked up at the sky and was in a daze.

She came back to her senses and asked with a smile: “Do you also like to smoke dry tobacco?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “I have never smoked it.”

She smiled and said, “Actually, it’s more interesting than a drunkard drinking.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and didn’t respond.
Apart from the bamboos from Green God Mountain, which would travel with the Profound Mystery Dynasty’s intercontinental ferry, Wind Kite, to Declining Mountain, Chen Ping’an could be said to have returned from the Literary Temple assembly with a bountiful harvest.

The potted sweet flag presented by the God of Nine Doubts Mountain, and the paper-folded black-clad swallow gifted by the female Mountain Lord of Smoke Branch Mountain, were both given to Chen Ping’an by the Master, setting aside his dignified airs.

As for the box of rouge, Chen Ping’an accepted it without hesitation, feeling especially at ease and justified. Otherwise, would the Master give it to his senior brothers Zuo You, or Senior Brother Jun Qian?

What a waste of heavenly creations, there was simply no need!

Chen Ping’an accepted these three items at that time.

He refused everything else, no matter how the Master tried to persuade him, he simply wouldn’t agree.

His reasoning was sufficient: the Master would have more and more direct disciples in the future, and he had to have some family assets of his own. How could the Master always be so penniless?

However, upon parting, the Master still gave his closed-door disciple the treasure that Liu the God of Wealth had accidentally left behind, saying that this thing would definitely be useful for Declining Mountain’s future grand business, and that as long as Declining Mountain made money, it would be the same as the Literary Saint lineage making money.

At the same time, the Old Scholar smiled and produced two scrolls from his sleeves, asking Chen Ping’an to guess what they were.

In fact, Chen Ping’an didn’t need to guess, he knew that they must be the works of the two seniors, Su Zizhan and Liu Yong.

Chen Ping’an felt that he had a good habit, which was being receptive to advice.

For example, he quickly took the words of True Man Fire Dragon to heart: in business, thin skin would get you nowhere.

Young people had to listen to the old folks’ sayings, and they had to put them into practice.

So, upon hearing that Immortal Yun Miao hadn’t yet left Ao Tou Mountain, Chen Ping’an immediately sent a secret letter to this Nine Truth Immortal Hall Master, whom he had met in an encounter.

Immortal Yun Miao quickly replied with a secret letter, sending something to the Merit Forest.

It was the white jade ganoderma, a semi-immortal weapon.

Yun Miao’s parting with this treasure was not only painless, but also willing, and even a relief.

Yun Miao’s awe of this White Emperor City Lord had become exaggerated beyond compare.

Zheng Juzhong’s behavior was truly baffling, he was actually able to deceive the heavens, and one of his incarnations had become the closed-door disciple of the Literary Saint lineage!

This would explain why an outsider, so young, could become the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall, and return alive to the Vast Ocean World.

Could this be a grand deal between Zheng Juzhong, Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan, the Literary Saint Old Scholar, and the Central Earth Literary Temple?!

Could the opening move of this game be the Rainbow Cloud Bureau of yesteryear?

Look, this initial move of the game had been deliberately made known to the world, but what was the result? Hadn’t it successfully deceived all the cultivators of several realms?

After secretly sending the white jade ganoderma to the Merit Forest, the Immortal Yun Miao sincerely walked into the courtyard, and then, facing the direction of Ban Shui County, he murmured words in his heart, made a long bow, and remained prostrate for a long time.

Chen Ping’an, of course, did not see that scene, but he could roughly imagine the state of mind of that Immortal Yun Miao.

A priceless white jade ganoderma, engraved with two lines of inscription, with excellent meaning.

“A thousand years of pure flawless person, a hundred generations of fragrant orchid family.”

With this semi-immortal weapon, the expenses of the Parrot Isle Parcel Shop, plus the credit for purchasing bamboo from Green God Mountain, would all be recovered.

Far away on the sea, a brilliant sword light soared into the sky.

Chen Ping’an looked up.

Nalan Xianxiu squinted her eyes, then turned her head to look at the young man, she knew his identity.

On the other side of Asking Ferry, a pink-robed Daoist landed on a ferry that had just set off, Liu Chicheng casually tossed a Grain Rain coin to the ferry manager, to see Daoist Tao Ting off.

As a result, he saw a gaunt old blind man in the cabin. Liu Chicheng, who had originally wanted to have a good drink with Tao Ting, simply greeted him and left in a hurry.

Someone who dared to beat even Guo Outing casually was someone Liu Chicheng couldn’t afford to provoke after some consideration. Of course, the most fundamental reason was that his senior brother was no longer in Ban Shui County.

Inside the room, the old blind man and Li Huai were sitting, and the tender Daoist was standing, not daring to breathe loudly. There was also a potted landscape on the table, with an old tree spirit from the south of the city standing on the “mountain peak”.

The old blind man asked, “Li Huai, do you want a nimble maidservant? I can go to the Wildlands and catch one for you.”

Li Huai rolled his eyes, not even bothering to pay attention to the old blind man.

The old blind man was used to it. He turned his head. The tree spirit had just claimed to have seen an ancient sword immortal with the Daoist name of Pure Yang. The latter was from the Daoist sword immortal lineage and had asked him for sword techniques. After a casual guidance, the latter’s realm had improved.

The old blind man asked, “You’re talking so big, did you grow up drinking the northwest wind?”

The old tree spirit was immediately unhappy. It put its hands on its hips and asked loudly, “Li Huai, who is this guy? Why is he so rude?”

Li Huai said with a smile, “My half-master, I don’t even know his name.”

The old tree spirit pondered in silence, looking at the tender Daoist, who seemed to have a profound cultivation base, enough to be brothers with Liu Daochun. He must be at least in the Jade Purity realm. Since the tender Daoist was Li Huai’s attendant, then the old blind man in front of him was Li Huai’s master, most likely an immortal realm cultivator. If they were inside the Parcel Shop, immortals were nothing, but now that it had fallen on hard times, and he had to depend on others, he still had to assess the situation, so he didn’t argue with the old blind man who liked to spout nonsense.

The old blind man turned his head, facing Tao Ting in the Ascension realm. “A tender Vast Ocean Daoist? A famous name, but doesn’t it sound a bit like Vast Ocean Bai Ye and Talisman Immortal Yu?”

The yellow-robed old man said with a dry smile, “It was Young Master who gave me this Daoist name on the way to the Vast Ocean World for training. I was worried that without a nickname, it would be easy for outsiders to look down on my young master when we went out.”

The old blind man chuckled, and with a wave of his hand, Tao Ting was suddenly pulled over, forced to bend over, tilt his head, and obediently maintain this comical posture as his head was grabbed by the five hook-like fingers. Tao Ting didn’t dare to dodge at all.

There was a cracking sound under his fingers.

Tao Ting didn’t dare to make a sound.

The old tree spirit watched and shuddered, quickly turning its head away, not daring to look, only to hear another chilling sound.

This old blind man was no pushover.

Li Huai quickly got up and slapped the old blind man’s arm, “Alright, alright, stop bullying the old and tender all the time. It’s fine if we do it behind closed doors at home, but outside, at least leave some face for the old and tender.”
The old blind man released his grip, slapping Tao Ting across the face, sending him crashing to the ground. He transmitted his thoughts, “If you ever prioritize showing off and cause unintended consequences for Li Huai again, I’ll crush you with a single palm.”

Aloud, the old blind man retrieved a yellowed book from his sleeve, tossing it to Tao Ting. “You’ve been protecting him along the way. It may not be a grand achievement, but it’s been arduous. This is the first half of the Mountain Forging Art. The second half… we’ll see later.”

Tao Ting clutched the book with both hands, his eyes bloodshot with emotion and excitement.

As the Mountain Moving Ancestor of the desolate lands, his ability to displace mountains was unparalleled, not far behind that of Yuan Shou. However, in the art of mountain forging, he was inferior. Otherwise, he would have been the one sitting on that throne. Yuan Shou would be bowing and calling him “Brother Tao Ting,” instead of sneaking around the edges of the Ten Thousand Mountains, looking for an opportunity to devour him.

Why was Tao Ting willing to be the old blind man’s watchdog? It was all for this Mountain Forging Art!

Li Huai slammed his hand on the table, questioning, “This business of becoming a Sage… was that your idea?!”

The young Daoist, having just received a great benefit, sensed the rising tension in the room. If a fight broke out, he would undoubtedly be the one to suffer, not Master Li. He began to sidle away.

The old blind man nodded.

Unexpectedly, Li Huai grinned, moving behind the old blind man to massage his shoulders, whispering, “Just this once. Don’t do it again.”

If his parents and Li Liu found out about this when he returned home, they would be overjoyed.

Furthermore, there was his never-before-seen brother-in-law, said to be from a scholarly family in the Northern Continent. He couldn’t allow his sister to be looked down upon by her in-laws. Having a younger brother who was a Sage of the academy would give her some leverage.

Li Huai warned, “We’re agreed, right? No airs of a virtuous man, nothing like that. Or I’ll be angry, and our bond as master and disciple will suffer.”

The old blind man nodded again.

The title of “Virtuous Man” was nothing. He could have the Confucian Temple bestow upon him the title of Academy Headmaster. But judging by Li Huai’s temperament, he didn’t seem to like being in the spotlight. A Deputy Headmaster would be just right.

A master giving something to his disciple had to be so careful, so thoughtful. And whether the disciple accepted it or not depended on his mood?

The master-disciple relationship between the old blind man and Li Huai was indeed unique.

Li Huai sat back down, resuming his reading of a martial arts novel. Suddenly, he looked up at the old blind man and smiled, “I just read something in the book: ‘Even an old tree can produce beautiful blossoms.’ Master, you must have been quite handsome when you were younger, right?”

The old blind man chuckled and nodded. “Indeed. Back then, Chen Qingdu, the Dragon Sovereign, and a few others were always jealous of it.”

The young Daoist stared at the old blind man’s face, blooming with a smile.

The old blind man was someone who disliked dwelling on the past.

But with Li Huai, he was actually willing to talk about these things.

The old tree spirit trembled, asking, “Are you… *that* person?”

The old blind man inquired, “Which person?”

The old tree spirit wiped the sweat from his forehead, afraid to speak further.

The old blind man stood up, saying, “When you have some free time from your studies, go to the Ten Thousand Mountains.”

Li Huai rose as well, saying, “Wait a moment.” He retrieved a package from his book chest, handing it to the old blind man with a smile. “Just some miscellaneous books. They’ll provide some amusement when you get back there.”

The old blind man tucked it into his sleeve, stepping out and returning to the desolate lands.

That night, in the third watch, the old boatman Gu Qingsong stealthily walked the night, concealing his tracks as he made his way to the Merit Forest. He had to plead with the scholar Xi Ping to agree to announce his presence.

Because he was seeking a favor, Gu Qingsong was uncharacteristically agreeable. Otherwise, he wouldn’t waste his breath on Xi Ping, who was practically born from a stone. So what if his backer was the Confucian Temple, or even the Sage? They were both scholars, neither higher nor lower than the other.

Gu Qingsong finally met Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an clasped his fist in greeting, “Senior Gu.”

Gu Qingsong waved his hand. “Don’t bother with these formalities. Sentimental nonsense.”

In truth, Gu Qingsong was saying this to himself. Otherwise, what would be wrong with Chen Ping’an respectfully calling him Old Ancestor Gu, Immortal Gu?

Or, in terms of seniority, he should be of the same generation as Madam Gui. If Chen Ping’an called Madam Gui “Aunt,” wouldn’t that make him his junior?

Who knew, one day this kid might even call him “Uncle-in-law.”

Thinking about it that way, Gu Qingsong felt that even calling him Brother Chen, or Master Chen, wouldn’t be a loss.

He’d get it all back later. When he was a Daoist couple with Madam Gui, he’d stay put at Fallen Mountain, appearing before this kid every day, whether there was a reason or not.

Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “Does Madam Gui dislike you?”

The old boatman declared righteously, “Of course not. Whether she *likes* me is another matter.”

Originally, if Gu Qingsong had said he was disliked, Chen Ping’an could have dismissed him with a few words.

For example, if you wanted Madam Gui to like you, the first step was not to be disliked. How not to be disliked? By quietly admiring her from afar, so that Madam Gui could have her peace and quiet, and Gu Qingsong could continue to admire her. But Gu Qingsong’s answer forced Chen Ping’an to change his approach, asking in a very human way, “Madam Gui is my elder. Do you think it’s appropriate for me to teach you how to make her like you?”

Gu Qingsong frowned. “Enough nonsense. Teach me, and I’ll pay you.”

What was the point of all this? He just wanted money? He had it.

He had roamed the vast Four Seas alone for so many years. Even the bureaucrats of the Lushui Pit were quick to yield and avoid his path when they saw him on the sea.

Not to mention the small fry, like the female cultivators of the Rain Dragon Sect. With a single bamboo pole, he could stir up waves a thousand feet high on the sea!

If this kid went to the Confucian Temple and looked through the old records, he’d see which hero it was who flooded eighteen islands without hurting a single person!

Chen Ping’an naturally wouldn’t actually teach the old boatman any “Daoist Arts.” He just made up a few things. But Gu Qingsong listened intently from beginning to end, nodding from time to time. It seemed that, by chance, he had really struck a chord!

Finally, Gu Qingsong said, “Just say it. What do you want, kid? None of this nonsense. I don’t have time to play games with you.”

Chen Ping’an openly stated, “I’d like to ask Senior to teach me a secret life-saving escape technique.”
The reasoning was simple enough. With Gu Qingsong’s temperament, if he didn’t possess several unique skills, he wouldn’t have merely fallen from an Immortal to a Jade Pure realm so “easily.”

Gu Qingsong hesitated. If Madam Gui wished to learn, he would definitely impart everything without reservation. But outside of Madam Gui, he was reluctant, as these were his trump cards.

Gu Qingsong retorted impatiently, “What’s my name now?”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to say, “Gu Qingsong.”

The old boatman sneered, “I see your little brain isn’t as bright as the rumors suggest.”

Gu Qingsong, recalling the green waters and pines of the mountain.

In a hidden place in the Great Landscape, find an obscure river and an ancient pine, and refine the two together.

Chen Ping’an had suspected this earlier, but even if his suspicions were confirmed, it was still inappropriate to reveal the secrets of Heaven.

After all, the key lay in the contents of the Daoist incantation. To know what it was, but not why, was meaningless.

Gu Qingsong then explained the mystery, smugly saying, “Never would have guessed, would you?”

Chen Ping’an wore a look of astonished admiration, not overdone, but with a hint of yearning.

Unexpectedly, Gu Qingsong glanced at the young Hidden Official, spat, and cursed, “Damn it, that kid is cunning.”

Chen Ping’an was now truly puzzled. How did Gu Qingsong see through him?

Gu Qingsong said irritably, “Don’t guess wildly. I have a secret technique that I developed myself, which can distinguish between rough rights and wrongs. Otherwise, why do you think I was chosen by my master to help him steer the boat out to sea back then? Did you think it was because I was easy to swindle money from?”

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment, then gave up the idea of requesting the Daoist incantation, changing the subject to ask, “Senior Gu, why are you so fixated on Madam Gui?”

Gu Qingsong was silent for a long time, then sighed and said, “Before I met her, I couldn’t have dreamed of a girl so beautiful.”

Chen Ping’an cupped his fist and smiled, “Then I won’t see Senior off.”

Gu Qingsong asked doubtfully, “You’re not going to learn this divine ability?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “Forget it, I won’t force it. I only hope that in the future, if Senior Gu encounters any disciples of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, you will be willing to lend a hand.”

Gu Qingsong nodded. “I didn’t expect you to be such an upright fellow. I can agree to that. Let’s make it a thousand-year agreement. In the future, as long as I encounter cultivators or martial artists from Fallen Phoenix Mountain, I generally won’t bother them, but if they are in a critical situation, I will lend my assistance.”

Chen Ping’an cupped his fist to express his thanks.

Gu Qingsong waved his hand and hurriedly left the Hall of Meritorious Deeds, catching up with a ferry and finding Madam Gui, who was returning to Treasure Bottle Continent. The old boatman poured his heart out to her.

The general idea was that he had done many foolish things before. At Osmanthus Island and on the Night Voyage Ship, he had lacked discretion. He promised that there would never be such one-sided feelings again. He hadn’t understood before, but now he had figured it out. He felt that truly liking someone couldn’t just be about liking them blindly.

Madam Gui’s expression was calm, but she unusually didn’t interrupt the old boatman’s words, and even listened with some seriousness.

However, she smiled inwardly. Xiancha spoke so well today, it must be Chen Ping’an’s doing.

She believed that soon, Osmanthus Island in Old Dragon City would receive a letter of apology from Chen Ping’an, specially explaining the matter.

In fact, it wasn’t necessary. She wasn’t stupid and could guess.

With Xiancha’s temperament, in the Great Landscape, whose reason could he listen to? Maybe the Sage of Rites, or perhaps Li Xisheng and Zhou Li. But these three would certainly not teach Xiancha to speak like this.

Madam Gui wasn’t truly moved by these words, but she felt that this old boatman was willing to go to such lengths, fussing back and forth, and it wasn’t easy.

She finally said softly, “Xiancha, I’m sorry that I can’t reciprocate your feelings.”

The old boatman scratched his head and said a sincere thought that was just his own, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. As long as you don’t find me annoying, I’ll be very happy.”

Madam Gui sighed. “You also have direct disciples on Osmanthus Island. Visit there occasionally and try to help them break through to a higher realm sooner.”

Fan Junmao, the Mountain Lord of Southern Peak, had fallen significantly in cultivation. The Fan family was indeed in urgent need of a new Upper Fifth Realm retainer.

Madam Gui reminded him, “Don’t overthink it.”

Xiancha said decisively, “I won’t overthink it!”

Misunderstand? How could he misunderstand? This was just the beginning!

Brother Chen, no, rather, Grandfather Chen, you really do have some skill!

If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have been stingy with that divine ability at the Hall of Meritorious Deeds.

Madam Gui knew at a glance that this guy had misunderstood, but she was too lazy to say anything more.

After the old boatman Xiancha left the ferry, he used several unique secret techniques left to him by Lu Chen to shrink the mountains and rivers, with supernatural powers even greater than ordinary Ascended Realm cultivators. He then hastily steered a boat out to sea, and in an instant, traveled ten thousand miles, accurately finding the Night Voyage Ship. He began to pester, insisting on boarding the ship, and vowed that he would never mess around.

Speaking of finding the Night Voyage Ship, Xiancha could be said to be the most skilled person in the Great Landscape.

Shipmaster Zhang appeared at the bow of the ship, overlooking the small boat on the sea, and jokingly said with a smile, “If I remember correctly, didn’t you say you wouldn’t come even if I begged you?”

Xiancha held a bamboo pole and retorted righteously, “Did you beg me?”

If he begged, he wouldn’t come; if he didn’t beg, he would come.

Shipmaster Zhang was speechless for a moment.

Xiancha said, “I’m only looking for Madam Li of Lingxi City, to say a word to her and then leave.”

Shipmaster Zhang asked with a smile, “Asking her to write a poem for Madam Gui?”

The old boatman complained, “Shipmaster Zhang, you’re such an old man, why do you like to ask so many questions? Open the door and let me through, and then go cool off on the side.”

After some entanglement, the old boatman successfully arrived at Lingxi City, and truly only said one sentence before leaving.

Then the old boatman cleared his throat and shouted, “Shipmaster?”

There was no response.

“Mr. Zhang, where are you? Don’t play deaf and dumb, I know you’re here.”

Still, there was only silence.

So the old boatman began to curse, “Damn you, at least let me off the ship. If you’re so unreliable, we’ll have a long way to go, remember to be careful in the future…”

The first time Xiancha traveled on the Night Voyage Ship, he had Lu Chen by his side, so he could come and go as he pleased.

The second time he boarded the ship, Madam Li found him annoying and asked the Shipmaster to send him off the ship.
This time, disembarking seemed perilous. Never would he have imagined that Immortal Raft would coldly laugh and, relying on the secret art not imparted to Chen Ping’an, directly leave the ferry. Though not critically injured, he wouldn’t regress in cultivation realm, but at least it would dissipate a century’s worth of hard-earned Daoist cultivation in preserving essence and refining Qi.

Madam Li smiled, “He’s bound to hold a grudge.”

Master Zhang said, “Pay him no mind.”

He curiously inquired, “What did Immortal Raft say earlier?”

As the ferry’s captain, he was not incapable of hearing, but out of respect for Spirit Rhinoceros City, he deliberately refrained from listening.

Madam Li said, “He suggested a candidate for City Lord to me.”

Master Zhang asked, “Chen Ping’an?”

Madam Li nodded.

Master Zhang chuckled, “Superficially speaking, he is the least suitable for Spirit Rhinoceros City.”

The Night Voyage Ship was preparing to open up four new cities, increasing the number from twelve to sixteen. His earliest idea was to have Chen Ping’an occupy one of the new cities.

Master Zhang turned his head and asked, “So eager to embark on a long journey?”

Moreover, this woman’s upcoming journey would be a farewell to the world.

She nodded, saying, “It was on the ferry that I learned of the Ferry Master’s prose. ‘In the lake, the sounds of birds and people are extinguished. The sky, clouds, mountains, and water share a single expanse of white. Man, boat, pavilion, tiny as mustard seeds…’ I’ve been in Lin’an for so long, yet I never knew that the snow scene there could be so moving. So I plan to see a heavy snowfall before leaving, ‘Force down three large cups and bid farewell.’ I just don’t know if I have the capacity for it.”

Master Zhang asked, “What about Spirit Rhinoceros?”

Madam Li said, “It’s best to leave her here. Her life has only just begun; it shouldn’t end here.”

The deer-horned youth, who favored keeping his hands in his sleeves, reached out and bowed to Master Zhang, requesting, “Ferry Master, may I accompany my mistress in disembarking? I may not board the ship again in the future.”

Master Zhang smiled and nodded, saying, “Why not? The most unbound thing under Heaven is knowledge. Wherever Spirit Rhinoceros may be, is she not, in truth, on the Night Voyage Ship?”

Madam Li and the deer-horned youth, together, bowed to the Ferry Master in farewell and gratitude.

After laughing heartily, Master Zhang solemnly returned the bow, softly saying, “I am fortunate to have met the Lin’an Master in this life.”

At the summit of White Jade Capital, Lu Chen sat on the railing, mimicking the cupped-fist salute of a Jianghu martial artist, shaking his hands vigorously, and laughed, “Congratulations, Senior Brother, you’re about to become truly invincible.”

Yu Dou turned his head, finding his Junior Brother playfully jesting, but his eyes were as profound as an ancient well.

He asked, “What do you mean?”

Lu Chen rubbed his chin, “No meaning. The boat will right itself at the bridgehead.”

Yu Dou coldly laughed, “That’s not your excuse for dawdling here and not going to the Outer Heavens.”

Lu Chen wailed in protest, “I really don’t want to go! It’s all hard labor. Can’t our Azure Billow Heaven produce a peerless genius who can solve that problem once and for all?”

Yu Dou remained silent.

He knew that his Junior Brother Lu Chen was complaining about his own action back then, the sword questioning at Great Profound Capital Temple.

At the cliffside of the Mountain and Sea Sect.

Nalan Xianxiu tucked the pipe into his waist and stood up, saying, “Let’s go.”

The young woman, Fei Cui, helped the little girl roll up the bamboo mat. As she busied herself, the little girl spoke to the blue-robed guest, “Sword Immortal, don’t forget, we’re friends now. Let’s visit each other often in the future.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and agreed.

The little girl finally held the rolled-up bamboo mat, swaggering away, but for no reason she recalled that farewell from years ago, and her steps slowed down.

Back then, the little girl was taken in by an older sister, and in the latter’s hometown, they sat on the first stroke of the character “Heaven,” with the latter sitting in the center, looking at the not-so-distant distance, a place called Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

At that moment, the little girl glanced at the sky, her eyes reddened as she lowered her head, raised her arm to wipe her eyes, and muttered, “The biggest villain under Heaven is that Chen Ping’an.”

Chen Ping’an merely looked ahead, towards the sea, silently.