At the alley entrance, an unremarkable carriage was parked. The curtains were old and worn, the horses ordinary. A petite woman in palace attire was chatting idly with the old cultivator, Liu Jia, while Zhao Duanming, the usually cheerful young man from the Zhao family of Tianshui, was uncharacteristically reserved.

The carriage driver, an acquaintance, stood beside the carriage as always, his eyes closed in rest.

Chen Pingan continued walking, his pace measured. He extended three fingers with a smile. The old carriage driver merely snorted in response.

The woman in palace attire paused her casual conversation with the old cultivator, turning her head to look at the approaching figure. He was clad in a simple azure robe, a jade hairpin adorning his hair. His tall, slender frame and cloth shoes gave him an air of leisure, less like a traveler and more like someone strolling through his own garden.

A young and vigorous azure-robed swordsman, striding confidently through the capital city.

However, the young man wasn’t carrying his long sword today, rumored to be forged from a fragment of the immortal sword Taibai. Though it had been seen during the sword duel at Mount Zhengyang, his sword techniques were more often the instrument of his victory. He likely kept the sword at his residence. Zhao Yao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in the Song Dynasty court, also possessed a fragment of the Taibai sword due to his considerable affinity for the immortal path.

As the azure-robed man drew nearer, the woman frowned slightly, a thought troubling her. Had the boy, once a mud-caked peasant, grown so tall? Wouldn’t she be at a disadvantage during their conversation?

Earlier, at the Changchun Palace, using the broken pieces of her natal porcelain to summon that landscape painting, she only remembered the person in the painting. A figure ethereal with immortal aura, wearing a cyan Daoist robe and lotus crown, holding a lingzhi mushroom and cloud-patterned shoes. She had truly overlooked the young man’s current height.

Liu Jia bid farewell to the Grand Empress Dowager of Great Li and, along with his disciple Zhao Duanming, retreated into the white jade dojo, actively isolating the area, leaving the alley for the two.

The woman in palace attire waved her hand towards the old carriage driver, who drove the carriage away.

This Grand Empress Dowager of Great Li possessed the art of preserving her youth, her skin like congealed fat. Due to her diminutive stature, even among women of the Southern Continent, she appeared petite and delicate, yet she carried the aura of a golden-branched, jade-leafed noble, resembling a woman no older than thirty.

The woman’s surname was Nan, her given name Zan, from Yuzhang County in Tingzhou of Great Li. Her family was merely a local gentry clan, and they hadn’t risen to prominence after she gained power in the palace, instead remaining in quiet obscurity.

Her clothing was simple and elegant, without excessive ornamentation, woven by the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau under the jurisdiction of the Capital’s Ministry of Handicrafts. The cloud patterns were unique to the bureau, clever but not immortal in nature. The weaving skills and silk materials were, after all, ordinary and possessed no divine properties. However, she wore a string of twelve snow-white beads, bright and lovely, on her wrist.

With no one else around, and certainly no one daring to eavesdrop, Nan Zan, the most powerful woman in the Treasure Bottle Continent, straightened her posture, lowered her body slightly, and performed a Wanfu salute, her manner graceful and charming. She smiled radiantly and said, “Greetings, Mr. Chen.”

Chen Pingan stopped, clasped his fist in greeting, and replied with a smile, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

He glanced at the woman’s bracelet, truly priceless, as each bead was a “Lingxi Pearl” recorded in the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*. They could enlighten the mind, recalling past lives. If memories of this life were lost, simply caressing the bead would allow for instant comprehension. The Zong-ranked immortal families of the Vast Brightness World almost always sought these beads to welcome back their reincarnated patriarchs, gifting them to help awaken their memories of both worldly affairs and cultivation from their previous lives.

Nan Zan observed the spot where the azure-robed man had stopped, neither too close nor too far, allowing her to converse with him eye to eye without needing to look up.

It appeared that one was giving the other great face. Nan Zan, as Grand Empress Dowager, was still willing to address him as Mr., and the other was reciprocating with understanding, not taking advantage of her small stature.

Nan Zan smiled slightly and said, “Mr. Chen, how about we talk slowly inside the residence?”

Chen Pingan nodded, “Your Majesty is the host, so I shall follow your lead.”

The two walked together in the alley, each staying close to the wall, looking ahead. Nan Zan said with a sigh, “The Vast Brightness World is fortunate to have you, working together to turn the tide. Mr. Chen traveled far to the Great Wall of Sword Intent, accomplishing much. First, you slew the great demon bordering the lands, hidden and ascending, at sea, then the Dragon Lord of the throne on the city wall. As a foreigner, you served as the last Hidden Official. Such great deeds, across countless worlds, have not been seen in ten thousand years, and I believe will not be seen again. Great Li is fortunate to have Mr. Chen.”

Chen Pingan crossed his hands in his sleeves and said slowly, “Amidst the fierce storm, even the weeds stand tall, nothing more.”

Nan Zan was silent for a moment. Nearing the entrance of the residence, she suddenly asked, “May I ask if the old gentleman, the Literary Saint, is currently meditating within the residence? Would we be disturbing his reading?”

Chen Pingan pushed open the gate and shook his head, “The Master is not here.”

Nan Zan then asked, “Staying at an ordinary inn in the market, will that not be demeaning for the Sword Immortal Ning? Would you like me to arrange accommodations?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “I appreciate Your Majesty’s kindness, but there is no need.”

They settled in a courtyard. Nan Zan smiled and said, “Will Mr. Chen have wine or tea?”

Chen Pingan crossed his arms in his sleeves, leaned against the stone table, turned his head, and smiled, “How about we discuss the matter at hand first?”

Nan Zan smiled and said, “I wonder what Mr. Chen has called me here to discuss?”

Chen Pingan extended a hand from his sleeve, “Give it to me.”

Nan Zan looked blank, “What is Mr. Chen intending to ask for?”

Chen Pingan maintained his posture, smiling, “Returning the object to its rightful owner, as it should be. Otherwise, I couldn’t possibly be asking Your Majesty for your life, that would be too arrogant and rebellious.”

Nan Zan looked around, puzzled, “Returning the object to its rightful owner? May I ask, Mr. Chen, what within half the Treasure Bottle Continent does not belong to my Great Li?”

Chen Pingan withdrew his hand and said with a smile, “Never mind, if you don’t want to give it.”

Nan Zan seemed surprised by his straightforwardness. She slapped her forehead, “I remember now, is Mr. Chen perhaps referring to the fragment of natal porcelain?”

Chen Pingan said, “Your Majesty’s trip out was worth it, with that bracelet on your wrist.”

Nan Zan raised a hand, revealing a snow-white wrist like a lotus root, “How about I give the bracelet to Mr. Chen? Perhaps it could be of use, resolving an urgent need.”

Chen Pingan narrowed his eyes, silent.

Within the residence, a dragon’s roar faintly echoed from the walls, stirring the soul.

Senior Brother was right, what’s the point of practicing the sword, if reason is of use?
The woman, utterly oblivious, let go of the arm, gently placing it on the table. A bead touched the stone, rolling slightly with a faint clicking sound. She stared at the azure-robed man’s profile, and said with a smile, “Mister Chen’s Jade Purity Realm is truly extraordinary. The world doesn’t know that Mister Chen’s perfection of the state surpasses all before, even Cao Ci. They still remain ignorant of Hidden Officer’s one Jade Purity Realm with two flying swords, which is equally astonishing. Others believe Mister Chen’s cultivation, with swordplay and fist techniques at two mountain peaks, is too inconceivable, but I believe Mister Chen’s ability to conceal his skills is the true foundation for survival.”

Seeing Chen Ping’an unwilling to speak, she continued on her own, “Those shards of porcelain must be returned, just as Mister Chen said. Returning objects to their rightful owner is reasonable, so why wouldn’t I give them? I must give them. It’s just that I don’t think there’s too much urgency about when. These shards have been with me for many years, and I’ve helped Mister Chen keep them safe and sound. Since that’s the case, Mister Chen, why be in such a hurry?”

Nan Zan extended a hand, gently stroking the table, “I can guarantee on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, that we are willing to exhaust the Song family’s resources and the strength of Great Li to help Mister Chen reach the Immortal Realm, the Ascension Realm, and even break through the bottleneck of the Ascension Realm as quickly as possible. By then, Mister Chen will have become a celestial leader on a continent, like Chen Chun’an of old in South娑婆洲, Fire Dragon Real Person of Northern俱芦洲, and Liu Jubao of皑皑洲. At that time, I will present the shards of porcelain with both hands, as a small congratulatory gift to wish Mister Chen further progress. During this period, the Great Li dynasty will ask nothing of Mister Chen, or of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, nothing at all.”

Chen Ping’an turned his head and asked with a smile, “Is there such a good thing in the world? Not having to pay anything, just lying around and enjoying the good life? I’m starting to think I should change my surname to Song.”

Nan Zan was radiant, her eyes fixed on him, and said, “Mister Chen is joking. I just said, Great Li is fortunate to have Mister Chen. If we don’t even understand how to cherish that, then as the Song family’s daughter-in-law, Nan Zan will be ashamed to face the Song family’s ancestors in the ancestral temple.”

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly, “If the Empress Dowager has the face to offer incense and sacrifices, but the sages and attendants in the Song family’s ancestral temple can’t bear to look, that would be a little awkward.”

Nan Zan covered her mouth and giggled, “Mister Chen has really changed a lot. Compared to the taciturn youth, you’re very witty now.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “The deceased Dragon Lord, the half-dead Liu Bai, and the departed Li Zhen, all of whom accompanied me for many years, young and old, male and female, all thought so as well.”

Nan Zan patted her chest, with lingering fear, and said, “Mister Chen, please don’t scare me. A woman like me not only has long hair and little wit, but is also a bit of a coward.”

Chen Ping’an extended a palm towards the door, “Then I won’t see you off, lest I scare the Empress Dowager to death, which I couldn’t afford to pay for.”

Nan Zan stood up, biting her lip, her eyes filled with resentment, and said, “Am I really leaving then?”

Chen Ping’an stood up with a smile, “Then I’ll see off the Empress Dowager, to fulfill the duty of a host.”

Nan Zan, however, plopped back into her seat. Before sitting down, she slightly bent her knees, leaned forward, drooped her hands, and then gently traced an arc. The silk was as smooth as water. After settling down, she raised her neck high, and smiled charmingly, “I was just joking with Mister Chen. Surely Mister Chen isn’t the only one allowed to be humorous, and Nan Zan isn’t allowed to say a spiteful word?”

She said for no apparent reason, “Mister Chen’s craftsmanship is very good. The bamboo walking stick, the book case, the chair, all are quite decent. Nan Zan learned that at the riverside shop back then.”

But before Nan Zan could finish speaking, she felt a slight chill at her neck. Her vision no longer included the azure robe, but a sword scabbard pressed against her neck. Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “Let’s calculate. After a horizontal cut, how tall would the Empress Dowager be?”

The palace-dressed woman shook her head, “Nan Zan is just a small Golden Core cultivator. With Mister Chen’s swordsmanship, if you really wanted to kill someone, you wouldn’t need to waste words. There’s no need to make empty threats…”

Sure enough, Chen Ping’an twisted his wrist, and the long sword swept back to a wall in a side room.

Chen Ping’an sat down again.

The woman smiled slightly, “So that’s the Southern绶臣 and the Northern隐官, nothing more.”

But suddenly, a sword light flashed!

Nan Zan’s head flew high into the air on the spot. She abruptly rose, grabbed her head with both hands, quickly placed it back on her neck, and hastily wiped the wound with her palm. However, she felt pain all over as soon as she turned her head. She couldn’t help but shout in anger, “Chen Ping’an! You dare to kill me?!”

Chen Ping’an took out a pot of wine from his sleeve, then took out a flower cup that he had conveniently taken from the Wen Temple during a meeting, poured himself a cup of wine, and drank it by himself, “If you say I wouldn’t dare, then I wouldn’t dare.”

Nan Zan stood in place, and sneered, “I’ll bet you wouldn’t dare to kill me. I’ll leave my words here today. Either you wait patiently until you reach the bottleneck of the Ascension Realm, and I’ll return the shards of porcelain to you, or you kill me today, which is tantamount to rebellion! Tomorrow, an army of Great Li iron cavalry will besiege Fallen Phoenix Mountain. The patrolling envoy, Cao Ping, will be responsible for personally leading the army to attack Fallen Phoenix Mountain, and the Minister of Rites, Dong Hu, will be responsible for deploying the mountain and water deities from all directions. You might as well gamble on whether the Three Rivers Water God, the various mountain gods, and the Mountain Lord, Wei Bo, will stand idly by, or what!”

Nan Zan rubbed her neck, her soul trembled. She had never suffered such humiliation in her life. Her heart was filled with great hatred, hating this rebellious mud lane commoner to the extreme. She immediately sneered, “Whether it’s the Literary Saint, or even if you add your Dao companion, the Ascension Realm sword cultivator Ning Yao, don’t forget that our Vast Ocean is ultimately governed by the rules of the Central Earth Literary Temple. Don’t mention the newly restored Literary Saint, even the Saint of Rites must respect the etiquette and rules that he himself established…”

Unexpectedly, the azure-robed man smiled and extended his palm, pressing down a few times, “Don’t get worked up, what’s the rush? It was just a harmless joke. Surely Nan Zan is the only one allowed to be unable to control her mouth, and I’m not allowed to accidentally lose control of my flying sword?”

Nan Zan took a deep breath.

It’s alright, as long as His Majesty sees that shocking scene, then even if I suffered in vain, it will be worth it.

Chen Ping’an joked, “Besides, you, Nan Zan, aren’t familiar with the Literary Temple and the Saint of Rites. I am.”

Then Chen Ping’an waved his sleeve casually, shattering a rather hidden mirror image, “His Majesty in the palace is probably seeing things through a fog right now, not knowing why the Empress Dowager would act like this. I’m afraid the Qintian Supervisor is even more embarrassed, and won’t know how to get along with the Empress Dowager in the future.”
Chen Ping’an snapped his fingers once more. Ripples spread through the courtyard like patterns of clouds and water. With a mystical immortal technique, he pinched his fingers as if holding a chess piece, extracting a landscape painting from thin air. In the painting, a woman in palace attire was kneeling and kowtowing in remorse, each strike solid, her eyes blurred with tears, her forehead already red. Beside her, a scholar in a blue robe squatted, seemingly wanting to help her up, yet hesitating due to the propriety between men and women. He could only wear a look of shock, muttering, “This won’t do, this won’t do…”

Chen Ping’an dispersed the forged “fake painting” with a flick of his sleeve, and smiled, “You disregarded the rules and gazed upon the Cloud Gazing Pavilion from Changchun Palace. We already warned you once, yet you failed to learn your lesson. Fellow Daoist Nan Zan, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator seeking to exchange blows with me, is hardly appropriate.”

Chen Ping’an picked up the wine cup on the table, gently swirling it. “Whether or not you offer a toast as a gesture of hospitality is a matter of Dali’s intentions. As for whether I choose to drink a cup of punitive wine, that is not for you to decide.”

Nan Zan’s visit was filled with scheming.

First, she adopted a humble posture, lowering her eyes and speaking softly, enticing him with benefits. If negotiations failed, she would act recklessly, feigning foolishness, relying on her dual identity as a woman and the Empress Dowager of Dali, believing he wouldn’t take drastic measures.

If even that failed, she would resort to a self-inflicted “bitter flesh” scheme, hoping to allow the Emperor Song He to witness a tragic scene firsthand.

Ultimately, her greatest reliance was not the Dali iron cavalry or the Song Dynasty’s power, but her unwavering belief that Chen Ping’an, residing in this residence, was not the sect leader of the Fallen Mountain or the Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall, but rather, as the junior brother of the National Preceptor Cui Chan and Qi Jingchun, he would be unwilling to sacrifice the stable situation in a continent created by his two senior brothers.

Was her thinking too simplistic?

The woman in palace attire smiled serenely, instantly suppressing the tumultuous emotions in her heart, and glanced at the Cloud Gazing Pavilion in the distance. She said softly, “Although I am only meeting with Mister Chen today, Nan Zan feels as if she is reuniting with two old friends at the same time.”

Chen Ping’an twitched his lips. “Far from it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be a Chen if Fellow Daoist Nan Zan dared to come to this alley today.”

She sighed, lowered her head, and murmured, “Mister Chen, I truly cannot hand over the broken porcelain shard. It concerns the grand cause of my Dali Dynasty. It is my fault. You may strike, you may kill, you may humiliate me as you please.”

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly. “What, are you planning to repeat your old tricks, deceiving a gentleman with righteousness?”

Nan Zan raised her head. “If I weren’t concerned about my status, there would be many ways to disgust you. However, I don’t think it’s necessary. In the end, you and I are both people of Dali. If we air our dirty laundry in public, we will only become a laughingstock for the other eight continents of the Great Bright World.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “For example, if the Empress Dowager were to leave this alley today with disheveled clothing, returning to the palace in tears.”

Nan Zan twisted the corner of her garment with her fingers, speaking to herself, “I absolutely refuse to give it to you, yet Mister Chen seems determined to obtain it. It seems to be a deadlock. So, how should we proceed with our discussion?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Actually, there’s no need to discuss it. You can keep that broken porcelain. Let’s make a bet. I wager that within half a month at most, the Empress Dowager will personally come to your door to return it.”

Nan Zan’s eyes lit up, but she still shook her head. “I won’t bet. In terms of luck, who in the world can compare to the Hidden Officer?”

Chen Ping’an put away the wine pot and the Flower God Cup, and began to roll up his left sleeve, slowly saying, “Senior Brother Cui doesn’t care which Song family member becomes the emperor, and Song Changjing doesn’t care who is He and who is Mu. As for me, I care even less about the longevity of your Song Dynasty’s reign. In truth, your real obsession is the resurrection of Song Jixin from Mud Bottle Lane in your heart. Therefore, during that long-awaited reunion between mother and son at Changchun Palace, every time you looked at him, your heart would ache. The eldest son, whom you had finally accepted as dead, returned to your sight. How could you possibly give Song He even the slightest bit of what you had already compensated Song Mu? The most hated former emperor is beyond your reach, and the most feared National Preceptor is no longer in the world.”

Nan Zan’s face turned pale, and her lips trembled, as if she wanted to scold him harshly, but she was powerless. She supported herself on the stone table, her veins bulging, revealing every detail.

Chen Ping’an suddenly realized, “It seems it’s not an obsession after all. I misunderstood. Even if Song Jixin becomes the emperor, isn’t it still your own son sitting on the dragon throne? Fellow Daoist Nan Zan’s Dao heart has truly opened my eyes. It seems you are more than qualified to be the master of a sect on the mountain.”

Nan Zan was slightly stunned. Although she didn’t know where she had gone wrong to be seen through so easily, she stopped feigning and her expression became uncertain.

Chen Ping’an began to roll up his right sleeve. “Let me remind you, within half a month, don’t try to be clever and stir up trouble. When the Empress Dowager takes the initiative to visit, you must reciprocate with a gift. There is absolutely no reason to return empty-handed.”

Chen Ping’an tapped the table lightly with his finger. A bead of spiritual rhino horn on the woman’s bracelet flashed with a glimmer of light. The illusory mirror was reactivated. Within the Dali Imperial Palace, the Emperor and the alchemist of the Bureau of Astronomy finally saw the painting again, relieved. Earlier, the Emperor and his minister had belatedly guessed the authenticity of the painting, that Chen Ping’an must have tampered with it. Regardless, any movement, even if it was Chen Ping’an’s illusion, was better than the silence from the residence, which could eventually lead to some unbearable tragedy for the Dali Dynasty, or rather, Emperor Song He.

In the courtyard, Chen Ping’an suddenly and silently appeared behind the woman, grabbing the Empress Dowager of Dali by the neck and slamming her head against the stone table with force, creating a loud thud.

Kowtowing like pounding garlic.

The Emperor was stunned for a moment, then smiled wryly, “Chen Ping’an is always making such a ruckus, creating smoke and mirrors. What’s the point of doing it once or twice?”

The old cultivator of the Bureau of Astronomy pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “Heaven knows. Maybe he’s deliberately trying to appear less of a righteous gentleman in His Majesty’s eyes?”
The old cultivator abruptly raised his head, narrowed his eyes, and his Dao Heart wavered slightly. He had to reach out and press against his brow, relying on his Qi Observation Divine Ability to vaguely see a golden dragon coiled around the Dali capital. This dragon, formed from the Song clan’s Dragon Qi and the nation’s fortune, was being pressed upon the head by a claw reaching out from the clouds, as black as ink… This scene flashed by in an instant, but the old cultivator was certain it was not a mere illusion. Filled with worry, he murmured, “Such a heavy killing intent. Can even such a Heavenly Phenomenon manifested by the Great Dao be faked? Chen Ping’an is only in the Jade Purity Realm, and the capital is protected by a grand formation, it shouldn’t be possible.”

The palace-dressed woman was about to step through the courtyard gate when she stopped. She raised the back of her hand and wiped her forehead, dispersing the redness and bruising before entering the alley. In an instant, she was once again the dignified and graceful Empress Dowager of Dali.

Nan Zan had just touched the ground of the alley with one foot when the courtyard gate slammed shut behind her.

Far away in the courtyard, Chen Ping’an smoothed out his sleeves. Ning Yao’s mental inquiry sounded, “Faking it?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Not faking it, I almost couldn’t hold back. Because I’m almost certain that she and that hidden-head-and-tail ancestor of the Supporting Dragon lineage were definitely involved in the breaking of my Natal Porcelain back then. They probably started planning very early on, unlike others who followed suit after the fact. Later, when Song Jixin moved next door to Mud Bottle Alley, and Zhi Gui escaped from the Locking Dragon Well and formed a contract with me, she chose to become Song Jixin’s maidservant, stealing the ‘Song Harmony’ Dragon Qi to create a potential Dragon Vein for herself, using snake bile stone as nourishment, and Song Yuzhang, the official in charge, erected the corridor bridge with the ‘Wind and Water Flourish’ plaque, which was equivalent to rebuilding a longevity bridge suitable for her cultivation, and so on… all of which are continuations of this thread. So, I only stopped because I realized that killing her would be useless. I can’t determine where Nan Zan’s Life-Extending Lamp is hidden, that’s where her true lifeline lies. Maybe this old crone came here today just to be killed by me. When it comes to acting, she’s quite capable.”

Ning Yao asked curiously, “Don’t you have some means of capturing souls? You showed that skill in the Book Brief Lake, with the intelligence capabilities of Dali and the relationship between the True Realm Sect and the Dali court, they couldn’t not know about this, so isn’t she worried about that?”

Chen Ping’an frowned slightly and quickly offered an answer, “Maybe even she doesn’t know where that Life-Extending Lamp is hidden, so she’s so fearless. As for how she did it, perhaps she deliberately shattered that memory using some secret mountain technique in her early years, so that even if someone rummages through her soul afterward, there will be no trace. For example, she defined a certain moment in the future when she could use that Rhinoceros Horn bracelet to recall a clue about the Life-Extending Lamp, but even so, there would still be some flaws. More likely…”

Chen Ping’an suddenly smiled. “I understand!”

Ning Yao asked, “Understand what?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and gave the words “Wait a moment,” then stepped out of the courtyard and leaned on the counter in the inn lobby, smiling, “Shopkeeper, how much for that vase?”

He didn’t ask if it was for sale, but directly asked how much it cost.

The old shopkeeper waved his hand. “Not for sale.”

Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “Four hundred taels of silver, cash on delivery, how about it?”

The old shopkeeper smiled and shook his head. “Forget it. Just based on your persistence, I know that big piece of artwork is worth more than four hundred taels of silver. Maybe you’re someone from the mountains, and you’ve been after this thing from the start.”

Chen Ping’an said, amused, “Shopkeeper, you have to speak with conscience. If I had intended to find a bargain from the beginning, you would have felt like you made a profit even if I bought it for twenty taels of silver.”

The old shopkeeper scoffed, glancing sideways without saying a word. Just because you didn’t take a liking to my daughter, I don’t like you.

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment, then walked directly out of the inn, first to confirm something. He found Liu Jia near the alley and asked with a mental voice, “Did my senior brother give some instructions to the old immortal master, waiting for me to ask? If I don’t ask, it’s like it never happened?”

The old immortal master exclaimed in surprise, “You can even guess that?”

Liu Jia nodded. “The National Preceptor said that guessing this is useless, you still have to guess the contents.”

At this point, the old immortal master felt helpless, thinking that if Chen Ping’an had guessed the contents, why would the National Preceptor bother to send a message himself?

Could it be that the thoughts of smart people are so unreasonable?

Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “Like ‘How many more times will you search right under the lamp’?”

Liu Jia sighed. The youth of today, can’t afford to offend. Can even remotely compete with Embroidered Tiger?

Worthy of being senior brothers.

Liu Jia nodded. “The National Preceptor did indeed say that before leaving.”

Chen Ping’an then walked back to the inn and asked the shopkeeper with a smile, “If I guess how many taels of silver you spent on the vase back then, will you sell it to me for four hundred taels of silver, how about it?”

The old shopkeeper nodded, held out a hand, and shook it. “Sure, even if you guess correctly, it has to be five hundred taels. If you can’t guess, don’t covet this vase anymore, and you have to promise to stop hanging around my daughter.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Fourteen taels of silver.”

The old shopkeeper waved his hand. “Wrong, wrong, get lost, get lost.”

Chen Ping’an tsked. “You’re not showing any chivalry, are you? Then I’ll go find Miss Liu and tell her that my Jianghu sect has experts like clouds in the mountains, and Grandmasters like Yu Hong and Zhou Haijing are nothing special.”

The old shopkeeper hesitated. Compared to selling a vase for a high or low price, he was more concerned that his daughter wouldn’t be bewitched and tricked into wandering the Jianghu.

The old man said, “Then five hundred taels of silver, the deal is done.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, casually pointed to the porcelain on the shelf behind the old shopkeeper, “I’ll only spend fourteen taels of silver to buy the vase, and the remaining five hundred taels will be for buying this. If the shopkeeper is worried that I’m still trying to find a bargain, just give me any piece.”

The old man asked, “Do you really have that much silver on you?”

Chen Ping’an took out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve. “These are silver notes from our Dali Yu Ji Bank, they can’t be fake.”
The old man picked up the silver note, finding it genuine. He hesitated for a moment before tucking it into his sleeve. Turning to the shelf, he selected the porcelain piece in the best condition – certainly not valuable now, just a foolish purchase from years past. He casually handed the colorful, gaudy bird feeder to Chen Ping’an, then softly inquired, “Level with me, what’s that vase really worth? Don’t worry, it’s yours now. I’m just curious about you kid, pulling off this strange and chaotic performance, leaving even an old merchant like me utterly confused. I want to see just how much talent you actually possess. Tell me, market price, what’s it worth?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Honestly, at market price, the vase could fetch seven or eight hundred taels of silver, easily.”

The old man nodded, finding it acceptable. He’d bought the vase for fourteen taels years ago, and after gathering dust for so long, a resale for five hundred taels was fine. He couldn’t be bothered to haggle over a couple hundred taels of paper profit. Silver, after all, was best when safely in hand. With his family’s wealth, he couldn’t compare to those in Yichixiang or Chierjie, but compared to ordinary families, they were considered prosperous, ensuring his daughter’s dowry would be substantial enough for a glorious wedding, preventing the groom’s family from looking down on her.

Then, the old man asked curiously, “Chen Ping’an, that’s quite a large vase, what are you going to do with it? Do you need the shop to hold onto it for you? We can hire a carriage when you leave the capital.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and smiled, “I’ll take care of it myself.”

The old man came around the counter and said, “Then follow me. Now that I know it’s valuable, I wouldn’t dare leave it here at the counter.”

Following the old shopkeeper, Chen Ping’an arrived at a secluded backyard. At the entrance to the east wing, he saw the girl holding a closed umbrella, using it as if it were a longsword hanging at her waist. She was focused, one hand on the “scabbard,” staring ahead… Because she had her back to her father and the guest, she was still striking poses. The old shopkeeper coughed, and the girl blushed, moving the oil-paper umbrella behind her. The old shopkeeper sighed and went to the west wing in the courtyard. Before pushing the door open, he pointed at his eyes to Chen Ping’an, signaling the young man to control his gaze. It wasn’t illegal, but he’d be kicked out of the inn if he didn’t.

Chen Ping’an crossed his arms, ignoring the girl. He took the large vase from the old shopkeeper, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and left the backyard, heading towards Ning Yao.

The girl glanced at the back of the azure-robed man carrying such a large vase.

*Ha*, foolish, pretending to be a wandering swordsman, what a joke.

Inside Ning Yao’s room, Chen Ping’an placed the vase on the ground. Without a word, he first summoned a “Bird in a Cage” talisman, then reached out and pressed down on the mouth of the vase, shattering it with a single palm strike. As expected, the mystery was hidden within the eight auspicious characters inscribed on the vase’s base. After the vase shattered, only eight crimson characters remained on the ground: “Azure Vast, Distant and Profound, Its Summer Solely Dark.” Then, Chen Ping’an skillfully began to refine the characters. In the end, all but the first and last characters, “Azure” and “Dark,” disassembled on their own, coalescing into a lifebound lamp somewhere between reality and illusion. The “wick” was bright, slowly burning, but the name engraved on the lamp, the text that made up the wick, wasn’t Nan Zan, but another name: Lu Jiang. This meant the Great Li Empress Dowager wasn’t from the Yuzhang Commandery’s Nan family but was a descendant of the Lu family, an esoteric Yin-Yang lineage?

Chen Ping’an took the lifebound lamp into his sleeve, staring blankly at the last remaining characters, “Azure” and “Dark.”

Ning Yao asked, “What’s going on now?”

Chen Ping’an smiled wryly, “The characters ‘Azure’ and ‘Dark’ are at opposite ends. If the first fragment of lifebound porcelain was in Lu Jiang’s hands, close at hand, then the last piece must be far away, in the Qingming Heaven, sent there by my senior brother. It’s likely that if I can ascend there with my sword one day, I’ll have to rely on my own abilities, under the noses of the Jade Capital, to achieve a Dao Integration of the Fourteenth Realm.”

Ning Yao said, “Actually, as long as you become an Ascension Realm swordsman, you’ll have the qualifications to strike at the Jade Capital, though you might not be able to damage it much.”

“I met Yu Dou, the second-eldest of Daoism, before. He is truly nearly invincible.”

Chen Ping’an put away the two characters. After sitting down, he took out a pot of wine and two flower god cups. Ning Yao grabbed a cup from the table. “So gaudy.”

Chen Ping’an took another cup from the table and nodded. “I’ve always thought so too, I just haven’t had time to find a gullible buyer.”

Before drinking, Ning Yao softly asked, “Cui Chan’s protection like this is quite unique, but doesn’t it bother you?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and smiled, “No, it doesn’t.”

Ning Yao took a sip of wine, remaining silent. In any case, she found it quite annoying.

Chen Ping’an raised his hand, pointing randomly, “I think my freedom is the ability to become the person I want to be, perhaps in a very distant place. No matter how circuitous the route, as long as I’m heading in that direction, that’s freedom.”

Withdrawing his hand, he tapped his chest lightly. Chen Ping’an looked at Ning Yao, who continued to drink.

Chen Ping’an suddenly slammed the table, though not loudly. It still startled Ning Yao, who immediately looked up and glared. *Chen Ping’an, are you crazy?!*

Chen Ping’an raised his hand with a smile, curving his thumb and pointing at himself. “Actually, there are two betrothal agreements. The one Mister brought was a bit late. Do you know what the earlier one said? It was my promise to Ning Yao: Chen Ping’an must become the most powerful sword immortal in the world, the most powerful, a great sword immortal. No matter who it is, they must give way before my sword.”

Ning Yao shrugged, clicking her tongue several times, “A Jade Purity Realm sword immortal, truly extraordinary, what ambition.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Don’t eavesdrop in the future. What kind of person am I? Can’t you trust me?”

Ning Yao chuckled, got up, and suddenly flung open the door. She grabbed the ear of a girl who had been pressed against the door, smiling, “Little girl, what are you doing?”

The girl tilted her head, laughing, “You must be the Swordswoman Ning, right?”

Chen Ping’an felt somewhat helpless. Ning Yao had clearly isolated the heavenly and earthly Qi of the hallway, so even he hadn’t noticed the girl coming over here to play at being a martial artist.

Ning Yao asked, “What are you doing, sneaking around?”
The girl inquired, “Ms. Ning, how about a deal? Could you possibly accept me as your disciple? I’m sincere! I know the rules of the Jianghu, you have to pay…”

Ning Yao released her hand, and without waiting for the girl to finish, she shook her head, “Impossible.”

The girl rubbed her ear and said, “I think it’s possible. Ning Shifu, think about it, when we get to the capital, we won’t have to pay for inns. We could even open a martial arts academy in the capital, which would save a lot of money, right? If you really don’t want to accept me as a disciple, teaching me a few of your sect’s unique sword techniques would be fine too. Think about it, later when I travel the Jianghu and make a name for myself in the martial world, I’ll tell everyone that Ning Yao is my shifu. You’ll get a huge advantage without spending a single copper coin, which is very prestigious.”

Ning Yao tapped the girl’s forehead and gently pushed her away, “If you really want to find a shifu, go find the one inside the house. He likes to ramble the most. Anyway, he has more patience than me. Any sword techniques or fist methods, as long as you want to learn them, he’ll definitely be willing to teach you.”

In fact, the entire Ascension City was anticipating one thing: when would Ning Yao accept her first personal disciple? In particular, a certain wine shop, where gambling sometimes wins and sometimes loses, leaving people feeling unsettled, had long been eager to start taking bets, waiting to predict how many realms Ning Yao’s first disciple would break through in a few years. To be honest, the second shopkeeper hadn’t taken bets for many years, and although he could make money, it lacked flavor and interest.

But it seemed that Ning Yao never had this intention.

Ning Yao admitted that she wasn’t good at teaching sword techniques.

Chen Ping An had imagined that scene long ago: a pair of master and disciple, staring at each other, the master seeming to say, “You can’t even learn this? Haven’t I taught it once or twice already?” The disciple would be aggrieved, as if saying, “You did teach me, but that’s a realm and sword technique that even an upper-five-realm sword cultivator might not understand.” Then, one would be puzzled, and the other would be full of grievances. The time the master and disciple spent staring at each other would actually be more than the time spent teaching and learning the sword…

How interesting.

The girl tilted her head and glanced at the guy inside the house. She shook her head vigorously, “No, no, no, Ning Shifu, I’ve already made up my mind. I’m as stubborn as a turtle eating a lead weight. I’m determined to become your disciple.”

If it weren’t for the strange Chen Ping An by Ning Yao’s side, she would have come visiting long ago.

Probably only this girl would pick and choose between Ning Yao and Chen Ping An to be her shifu.

Ning Yao was amused and reminded, “Read more books in the future, and don’t talk nonsense.”

The girl wanted to persuade her a few more times, but Ning Yao raised her eyebrows slightly, and the girl immediately wisely shut up.

Chen Ping An looked at the girl outside the door whose eyebrows and eyes were vaguely similar to those of the past.

Perhaps she was like this when she was a girl, when she was still on Huangli Mountain.

Chen Ping An suddenly said, “Ms. Liu, the Jianghu isn’t good. Don’t go there in the future.”

In this life, having parents who wholeheartedly care for you, living a stable life, is better than anything else.

Then, perhaps one day in the future, a wild cultivator named Zeng Ye will inadvertently travel here, see Ms. Liu, and then he might cry bitterly, or he might be speechless.

The girl crossed her arms and said with a smile, “Who are you? Do you get to decide?”

Chen Ping An smiled and stopped talking.

The girl finally left reluctantly. It was hard to say whether Ning Shifu’s swordsmanship was high or low, but her eyesight was not good. She didn’t even want a disciple who came to her door. No wonder she liked that guy.

Ning Yao closed the door, and then waited for a moment before suddenly opening it, grabbing the ear of the girl who was tiptoeing backwards towards the door, her reason being that she was worried that Ning Shifu would be molested. Ning Yao twisted her ear and led her all the way to the counter.

Only then did she let go. The old shopkeeper saw it and was furious. He picked up a feather duster and pretended to hit her. Was the girl afraid of this? She hopped out of the inn to buy books. She didn’t have enough courage in the past to buy that travelogue that sold so well in several bookstores. She regretted being unwilling to spend her New Year’s money and missed out on buying it. When she wanted to buy it again, it was gone. That Chen Ping An in the book was so lucky in love, liking every woman he saw. He was indecent… She just wondered, did that young man who practiced ghost arts later find his beloved Ms. Su?

Unfortunately, there was no sequel to that travelogue, so no one would know the result, which was worrying.

Ning Yao returned to the house, thought of something, and asked, “Why were you so sure it was fourteen taels of silver before?”

Chen Ping An said, “I was fourteen years old when I first traveled far from home.”

Perhaps it was from that year that the young man was no longer a caged bird, and then began to control his own destiny.

Apart from that, it was like when the Great Li State Preceptor made a joke that would not make Nan Zan or Lu Jiang laugh.

In my, Cui Chan’s, eyes, the fate of a future Great Li Empress Dowager is only worth fourteen taels of silver.