The master returned from the Central Earth Confucian Temple, indeed bringing the Sage of Rites with him to Treasure Bottle Continent.

Chen Ping’an and the others immediately stood up. Cao Qinglang and his teacher bowed together, while Pei Qian, seeing her Shiniang (master’s wife) clasp her hands in greeting, followed suit. Otherwise, bowing seemed awkward.

Only the inn girl was a bit embarrassed. She had no choice but to stand up and look around. Finally, she chose to clasp her hands like Master Ning, both being unrestrained Jianghu children.

Just now, she was wondering what kind of martial arts sect this was, speaking without a sound. Could it be the legendary “voice transmission into the ear”?

The girl then followed the clues and pondered, could it be that Master Ning’s gang was actually a den of… She quickly stopped her wild thoughts.

The Sage of Rites smiled and said, “Don’t resort to desperate measures. Even if Yue Tuo Mountain is truly destroyed by you, the battlefield where Ah Liang is will remain as it is. Don’t underestimate the minds and strategies of those mountain-peak Great Demons in the Barren World.”

“I am not denying your contributions as the Hidden Official, but speaking objectively, the reason why the Hidden Official lineage’s commands could be so smoothly executed when you were in charge of the Summer Palace was largely due to the omnipresent protection of the Eldest Sword Immortal. The Eldest Sword Immortal gave you, the last Hidden Official, all his insights of the past ten thousand years. If it were the imperial court or even the Confucian Temple, no matter who supported you, you would never be able to replicate this.”

“Furthermore, have you considered that the person Yue Tuo Mountain might truly be waiting for, besides Ah Liang, could also be you, or even Ning Yao?”

Chen Ping’an simply listened to every word.

The Old Scholar stroked his beard and smiled.

Although the Sage of Rites was never one to be stingy with words, and in fact, he spoke quite a bit when reasoning with people, he generally didn’t open his mouth easily.

The Old Scholar spoke to Ning Yao telepathically, “Little Ning girl, don’t be angry. It’s not worth it. The Sage of Rites has always been like this, very rigid. In someone’s words, what is freedom? It’s like when we go out on a rainy day and have an umbrella in hand. The only unfreedom is that we have to hold the umbrella and not step outside its coverage.”

Ning Yao hummed in agreement.

The Sage of Rites said, “We’ll talk about the Ting Shui Mirror matter inside the residence.”

At the entrance of the alley, the old cultivator Liu Jia and the young Zhao Duanming immediately appeared.

Chen Ping’an pointed to Pei Qian and Cao Qinglang, explaining, “My disciples and students are not outsiders.”

Liu Jia moved two steps sideways, blocking the middle of the alley, and pointed to the middle-aged scholar, asking Chen Ping’an, “Wait a minute, what about this one?”

You brat, trying to play dumb with me and muddle through? No way you can fool me!

Chen Ping’an was a little embarrassed. His Senior Brother was something else, finding such an impartial gatekeeper. Did he really not understand any official rules or worldly affairs?

He took the lead and led the way. The Teacher accompanied the Sage of Rites, walking side by side behind him, followed by Ning Yao, Pei Qian, and Cao Qinglang.

With this kind of formation, couldn’t Liu Jia see the importance of the situation?

The Sage of Rites didn’t mind at all, smiling and introducing himself, “My name is Yu Ke, from the Central Earth Confucian Temple.”

Liu Jia thought for a moment and shook his head, “Never heard of it. No matter who you are, don’t blame me for being unfeeling. If you think I’m looking down on you, so be it. Anyway, my rules are here. Besides the scholars of Mr. Cui’s literary lineage or those handling official business in the Great Li court, no one else can enter this alley.”

So what if you’re from the Central Earth Confucian Temple? Not many good birds there.

Back then, National Preceptor Cui returned to his hometown, Treasure Bottle Continent, in disappointment, and eventually served as the Great Li National Preceptor. In the final analysis, wasn’t it because you Confucian Temple people forced him to?

Chen Ping’an felt helpless. He was actually deliberately giving this Old Immortal Liu an opportunity to get close to the Sage of Rites, to casually ask a question or exchange a few pleasantries. But Liu Jia was obsessed with blocking people?

The young Zhao Duanming leaned against the wall, cracking peanuts and watching the excitement.

As a result, he noticed that his Big Brother Chen was winking at him vigorously, secretly pointing to the Confucian-robed man and then to the old Mr. Wen Sheng.

Zhao Duanming, as a member of the Tianshui Zhao clan, immediately came to his senses. His teeth chattering, he spoke telepathically to his master, “Master, he seems to be… the Sage of Rites! The Confucian Temple’s Sage of Rites!”

If it weren’t for the presence of Old Mr. Wen Sheng and Big Brother Chen’s hint, the young man wouldn’t have recognized him even if he were beaten to death. Who would dare to believe that the Sage of Rites would actually walk in front of him? If he ran back to his family mansion and swore that he had seen the Sage of Rites, his grandfather would probably laugh and say, “Silly boy, did lightning strike you again?”

As a member of an Upper Pillar Kingdom surname, especially a male, he had offered incense to the large and small Confucian Temples many times. It was normal not to recognize Old Mr. Wen Sheng, as his real appearance differed greatly from his portrait, and his divine position and portrait had been removed for over a hundred years. But the Sage of Rites was different. Year after year, he was hung in various Confucian Temples, just accompanying the Most Sage Master.

The old cultivator, with a stern face, waved his hand and moved several steps sideways, making way.

After the group entered the alley and was almost at the entrance of the residence, the young man was willing to turn his head and withdraw his gaze. He found that his master was still facing the street, his eyes dull, and he was sweating profusely.

Finally, the master and apprentice squatted together at the alley entrance. The old cultivator even broke the rule and took the initiative to give the young man a pot of wine, and then they drank silently together.

“Master.”

“What?”

“Seriously, you old man are a real man. I always thought you were bragging, saying you were handsome when you were young and countless female heroes and immortals admired you, or that you were tough and even the National Preceptor had to look up to you. Now I see that it’s probably all true. In the future, I definitely won’t treat those old stories as nonsense.”

“Shut up and drink your wine.”

“Master, I think that with the current situation, the next person we block will probably be the Most Sage Master, right?”

“Get lost!”

“Master, why are you getting angry with me? It’s thanks to me that I reminded you he was the Sage of Rites.”

“Bring some salted peanuts.”

In the courtyard outside Ren Yun Yi Yun Building, the small courtyard was quiet. The bluestone slabs were of ordinary material. At the corners of the courtyard, there were several clumps of lush green banana trees and a solitary old and thin plum tree, neither bent nor leaning, straight and without grace.

The four sat around a stone table, with the youngest Cao Qinglang and Pei Qian standing.

Cao Qinglang stood behind his teacher, while Pei Qian stood beside her Shiniang.

Chen Ping’an took out a jar of Hundred Flower Brew and four flower-god cups.

The Sage of Rites smiled, “It’s actually Hundred Flower Brew, it’s been many years since I’ve had it.”
The old scholar rose and said, “Ping’an, sit down, just sit down. I’ll pour wine for the Sage of Rites.”

“Sir, I should do this kind of thing.”

“No need, no need. You finally returned to your hometown, yet you still rack your brains every day, without a moment’s leisure. You’re either guarding the gate for Mount Taiping, getting into conflicts with people, even provoking immortals, doing a lot of thankless tasks. You even have to help the Orthodox Sun Mountain clean up its ranks and change its atmosphere. Not to mention anything else about your trip to the Confucian Temple, you just met Li the Old Master, and you caught his eye. That old fossil has such high standards, anyway, he was the only one present representing the literary lineage, he could spit anywhere without worrying about accidentally hurting anyone.”

The old scholar awkwardly sat back down, letting his closed-door disciple pour wine, first for the guest, the Sage of Rites, then his teacher, then Ning-girl, and finally Chen Ping’an himself.

Before drinking, the Sage of Rites said, “Wait a moment, I need to return twice.”

The old scholar hurriedly said, “Why must the Sage of Rites do this?”

But in a flash, the old scholar could only sigh, saying nothing more.

What was the point of stopping him? In just the blink of an eye, the Sage of Rites had already completed the “returning” and returned to the “present.”

Reversing the river of time, tracing back to the source, going against the current, the road is long and arduous, this is called “returning.”

Following the river of time, in the same direction, drifting far downstream, faster than the flowing water, this is called “going.”

The Sage of Rites smiled slightly, “There are no hidden dangers, you are very careful.”

Since he was referring to the Chen Ping’an of pure divine nature, he was naturally talking about the Chen Ping’an before him; in truth, there was no difference.

Chen Ping’an stood up, bowed, and thanked him, “Thank you for your trouble, Sage of Rites.”

The old scholar cautiously asked, “Sage of Rites, how far did you go just now?”

This was no small matter!

The Sage of Rites said, “Don’t worry, not far.”

The old scholar began to display a famous skill that even his closed-door disciple hadn’t learned, playing the rogue, “Don’t give me that empty talk, tell me, how far did you go!”

The Sage of Rites turned to look at Chen Ping’an, his eyes asking, as if the answer lay with Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an couldn’t pretend to be stupid, so he had to bite the bullet and give his answer, “Zen Buddhism has a saying, ‘To say it resembles a thing is to miss the mark.'”

It was like the old saying in Chen Ping’an’s hometown, that wishes made to the Bodhisattva shouldn’t be told to outsiders; if spoken, they wouldn’t come true. Sincerity brings spiritual efficacy, and all requests will be answered.

The old scholar raised his wine cup with both hands, his face full of smiles, “Then I’ll make a toast first. Sage of Rites, drinking alone is no fun, how about we two brothers have a round first? You can take it easy, I can handle three rounds without a problem.”

A perfectly good meal, where no one would urge anyone to drink, was turned into a boisterous, grassroots atmosphere by the old scholar.

The Sage of Rites truly took it easy, only lifting his cup and taking a sip. The old scholar stretched his neck and waited, then thought, forget it, the Sage of Rites can’t hold his liquor, so I won’t be polite. He followed suit and took a sip, this was wine that his closed-door disciple had worked so hard to earn, so he had to drink it sparingly. He’d have to give away his own few jars of Hundred Flower Brew later.

Chen Ping’an asked a huge question, “When I was at the inn earlier, had he already met the Sage of Rites?”

The Sage of Rites nodded.

Chen Ping’an was completely speechless.

How could one calculate the order of precedence in such a situation?

According to Xu Fuzi’s explanation of characters, “The space above and below, and the four directions, are called the universe; the past, the present, and the future, are called time.” Buddhists, on the other hand, have the saying of the immeasurable and boundless worlds of the ten directions.

The Dao Ancestor once said, “There is a thing formed from chaos, born before heaven and earth,” indescribable, forcibly named Dao. Lu Chen simply said that the Dao is in ants, weeds, and excrement.

After taking a sip of wine, the Sage of Rites abruptly said, “If you want to reach the Fifteenth Realm, you need to completely transcend all the great restrictions arising from writing.”

The old scholar sprayed out a mouthful of wine.

Chen Ping’an was even more speechless.

Ning Yao was lost in thought.

Cao Qinglang and Pei Qian exchanged glances, one with a face full of worry, the other with an expression of pride. The former gently shook his head, the latter glared at him.

The Sage of Rites prepared to leave Treasure Bottle Continent, and also escort Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao to the ruins of Sword Qi Great Wall.

The aftermath of the Great Ancestor of the Barbarian World’s “disintegration” was too great, and he needed to unravel it thread by thread.

The old scholar quickly wiped his mouth and grabbed the other’s arm, “You’re leaving after only one cup of wine? Not giving me face? Let’s chat some more, just a few more words, it won’t delay anything. Besides, my direct descendant and his disciple are both here, at least give me some face.”

Chen Ping’an immediately poured the Sage of Rites a cup of wine, because he had many doubts in his heart and wanted to take this opportunity to ask the Sage of Rites about them.

Ning Yao, Pei Qian, and Cao Qinglang were all silent.

A normal person wouldn’t ask for face like this.

The Sage of Rites had no choice but to sit down again.

Chen Ping’an asked in his heart, “Sir, is the Sage of Rites’ real name Yu, the ‘Ke’ of ‘upholding’ or the ‘Ke’ of ‘guest’?”

Regarding the Sage of Rites’ name, there was no record in books, and Chen Ping’an had never heard anyone mention it before.

The Sage of Rites said, “It’s the latter.”

Chen Ping’an was a little embarrassed. For the Sage of Rites, internal or external speech made little difference.

The Sage of Rites smiled, “Upholding rules? Not really, I’m just responsible for formulating etiquette.”

Chen Ping’an took a sip of wine.

Such words were probably like A Liang saying I was boasting? Ning Yao asking if swords needed practice? The Fire Dragon True Man saying he understood a thing or two about Daoist magic. The Old Sword Immortal saying that anything he said at Sword Qi Great Wall didn’t count.

After pouring his teacher a cup of wine, Chen Ping’an asked, “The tomb that the Ascendant Realm ghost built in the sea, is it the ‘Suspended Tomb’ recorded in ancient books?”

Such mausoleums were often exclusive to ancient emperors, filled with traps and mechanisms, neither ascending to immortality nor entering the Yellow Springs of the underworld, like a different kind of “immortality,” gaining longevity and immortality without being bound by any great Dao. However, in the Vast World, only written records existed, and no real objects had appeared for thousands of years, so much so that even the mountain cultivators regarded it as a nonsensical tale of gods and monsters.

The Sage of Rites nodded, “Indeed, it is.”

Chen Ping’an looked up at the sky.

That Zhou Mi of the Literary Sea was just that persistent.

The Ascendant Realm ghost that Ning Yao had found traces of was definitely a deeply buried chess piece of the Barbarian World. For example, during the Vast World’s large-scale attack on the Barbarian World, suddenly shattering a Return to Emptiness waterway, in addition to the loss of cultivators, ferries, and soldiers, this in itself was a nearly fatal blow to the hearts of the people of the Vast World. Any Qi practitioner would feel uneasy inside.
Upon arriving at the desolate battlefield of the Wild Lands, cultivators from the mountains and soldiers from the dynasties below alike worried about their retreat. Those yet to set foot on the battlefield were even more anxious about their safety, unsure if they would live to witness the Wild Lands’ splendor.

Yet, the most terrifying thought was that Zhou Mi had foreseen this outcome. More dreadful still was the possibility that Wen Hai Zhou Mi had deliberately orchestrated it, sacrificing even the life of an Ascended Realm ghost to ensure the Great Azure World’s venture into the Wild Lands was safer, more secure, and free from any lingering concerns.

Chen Ping’an, always candid with Ning Yao, voiced his worries directly.

Ning Yao’s answer was simple: she only unsheathed her sword against those who displeased her. She couldn’t concern herself with what followed. Chen Ping’an was free to ponder it, or pass the burden to the Confucian Temple.

Chen Ping’an chuckled in response, saying he would think about it as much as he could, but no more.

Perhaps it was only with such a Ning Yao that Chen Ping’an could share his thoughts and secrets without reservation.

All thoughts in the world couldn’t merely accumulate; otherwise, every thoughtful and considerate person would wear a perpetual frown.

Chen Ping’an inquired, “Does the Confucian Temple have similar arrangements?”

The Sage of Rites smiled, “Of course. Reciprocity is key.”

Finally, Chen Ping’an asked a question that had lingered in his heart for years, “During the Thirteen Duel at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, did the Yin-Yang School of the Central Continent, the Lu Clan, harbor ulterior motives?”

In that duel, both the Wild Lands and the Great Wall of Sword Qi sent thirteen combatants to fight one-on-one.

Xiao Xun, Lu Zhi, Ning Yao’s parents, Yue Qing, Mi Hu, Zhang Lu, Yao Chongdao, Li Tuimi…

The rosters were fixed and declared, and their strength was ostensibly equal. The key was the order in which they fought.

The arrangement of the sequence proved extremely disadvantageous to the sword cultivators of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, as if they were walking straight into the Wild Lands’ trap.

For example, Ning Yao’s parents going first, and the Grand Sword Immortal Zhang Lu losing to Shou Chen. If not for A Liang’s last-ditch effort, slaying an Ascended Realm demon with his sword, the Great Wall of Sword Qi would have suffered a complete defeat.

An ancestor of the Lu Clan had once dedicated himself to divining the heavens, sacrificing his entire cultivation base in the process. Furthermore, he wasn’t merely an Immortal Realm cultivator, but a genuine Ascended Realm great cultivator.

The Sage of Rites shook his head. “They were simply more skilled. The Confucian Temple only learned afterward that it was the newly risen from the Wild Lands, the elder who appeared with Xiao Xun at Embrace Moon Mountain during the previous discussion, who had secretly worked with several ancient gods to cast a spell of ‘shifting stars and changing constellations,’ calculating against the Yin-Yang School’s Lu Clan. If there were no unforeseen circumstances, Chu Sheng did so at Zhou Mi’s behest, accomplishing several goals at once.”

It deprived the Great Azure World of an Ascended Realm Yin-Yang master.

The loss of a portion of the Great Wall of Sword Qi might just answer the question Cui Dongshan had asked years ago. Perhaps the answer would still be incorrect, but at least it would be a response from a teacher to his student.

In the next moment, it was as if only Ning Yao had vanished into thin air, leaving Chen Ping’an holding only the Night Wanderer Sword.

The Sage of Rites walked toward the courtyard gate, followed by the Old Scholar and Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an turned to his two students and smiled, “You can go to the book pavilion and find books. Take whatever you like, don’t be shy.”

Cao Qinglang and Pei Qian entered the book pavilion. Pei Qian didn’t intend to borrow any books, but she saw Cao Qinglang acting like a bandit. In the blink of an eye, he had grabbed several books.

Pei Qian said unhappily, “That’s enough.”

Cao Qinglang ignored her. Soon, he had a whole pile of books in his arms, looking like he intended to never return them.

Pei Qian was helpless. If she were still a child, she would have kicked him already.

Cao Qinglang said for no reason, “Do you have a notebook dedicated to recording Master’s head-knocks?”

Pei Qian was furious. “How do you know?!”

Even Warm Tree and Little Rice Granule didn’t know about this.

She did indeed secretly cherish a notebook, more hidden than all her ledgers, which she had secretly named “Chestnuts Collection”…

Every time Master knocked her on the head, the time, location, and specific reason were all recorded in detail.

Cao Qinglang turned around, looking surprised. “You really do? No, I have to tell Master.”

He had just guessed randomly.

Pei Qian smiled, her fingers interlaced. So, you want to tattle? Don’t blame me for disregarding our fellow disciple relationship.

Cao Qinglang smiled. “Just kidding. By the way, did you know that Master is very worried about you wandering the world, because you’re too much like him?”

Pei Qian paused, frowning. “I’m learning from Master to wander the world, but I can never be like him. Besides, even if I become like him one day, it’s still my own path.”

After a moment of silence, Pei Qian seemed to mutter to herself, “Master doesn’t need to worry about this.”

Cao Qinglang asked, “Tell Master these words yourself.”

Pei Qian sat on the threshold, her back to the many books, and said glumly, “I don’t dare.”

Cao Qinglang faced the bookshelf, his back to the doorway. “What’s there to dare? If you don’t say it, Master will always worry about you. Only when you say it will Master truly feel relieved because he’ll think you’ve really grown up.”

Pei Qian didn’t speak for a long time.

Cao Qinglang kept searching for and taking books, then said, “Then I’ll tell you something from the bottom of my heart. I’ll never forgive the Pei Qian from when we were children, maybe never. I lied before at the Great Wall of Sword Qi to ease Master’s and Little Brother’s minds. But the current Eldest Sister, I think she’s great.”

Pei Qian’s eyes turned red.

Because she actually knew that Cao Qinglang hadn’t lied the last time; he was lying this time.

Pei Qian sat on the threshold, head bowed, hugging her knees.

Cao Qinglang turned around and asked, “Pei Qian, I’ve taken too many books, can you lend me a mustard seed space?”

Pei Qian said sullenly, “Get lost.”

Cao Qinglang smiled. “With interest.”

Seeing that Pei Qian didn’t react, Cao Qinglang had no choice but to give up.

Near the gate of the residence, Chen Ping’an suddenly stopped and turned to look at the That’s What People Say Pavilion.
That year, I held an umbrella, walking out of the rainy alleyway with Cao Qinglang. A lonely, small girl with a face smudged with soot stood at the entrance for a long, long time.

The Sage of Rites and the Old Scholar continued forward, stopping only at the entrance.

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath, turned his head, and strode towards the entrance.

The Confucian Temple, or rather, this Sage of Rites, often found himself in a situation as difficult as that of his martial brother, Cui Chan.

Back then, when Cui Chan visited Fallen Mountain, he had a frank and open conversation with Chen Ping’an.

“If I speak the truth, will people believe me? Even if some do, will it necessarily lead to good things?”

“Perhaps, knowing the truth early on would only lead to more people actively opening their doors to the invaders. The advance of the Wilderness would become even smoother, utterly crushing Fuyu Continent and Tongye Continent, and quickly seizing Treasure Bottle Continent. Afterward, Jinjia Continent, Liuxia Continent, and Aiai Continent – many forces from these three continents would surrender without a fight. In the end, only Northern Ju Lu Continent and Southern Suopo Continent would stubbornly resist alongside the Central Earth Divine Continent, before ultimately falling as well…”

In Chen Ping’an’s view, the three most hardworking individuals in the past ten thousand years of humanity were the Sage of Rites, who had merged with the rules of the Grand Azure Heaven and Earth, the Old Great Sword Immortal of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, and the old man in the backyard of the medicine shop who was constantly enveloped in smoke.

The three of them seemed to be confined within self-imposed prisons, and had been for a full ten thousand years.

In Chen Ping’an’s eyes, regardless of whether Grandpa Yang had any long-term schemes regarding him, even after learning of the old man’s identity, Grandpa Yang remained a person in his eyes, not some Azure Child Heavenly Lord who managed a Ascension Platform.

The Sage of Rites said, “Tell Ning Yao that she still needs to make a trip to the Confucian Temple.”

Chen Ping’an agreed.

It wasn’t that the Sage of Rites and the Confucian Temple were putting on airs, but rather that the Confucian Temple was acknowledging Ning Yao’s status.

Chen Ping’an bowed deeply, remaining in that position for a long time.

The Old Scholar gently patted his closed-door disciple’s arm, and Chen Ping’an then stood up.

Looking into the young man’s clear eyes, the Sage of Rites smiled and said, “It’s nothing.”

Many good principles become empty words because those who speak of them haven’t truly experienced the feelings, and haven’t shared the joys and sorrows of those who listen. They can’t truly empathize.

Just like in the early days in Caiyi Country’s Rouge Prefecture, when the little girl Zhao Luan suffered misfortune, she naturally felt close to the stranger, Chen Ping’an.

Because they had both suffered.

The brilliance of humanity lies in the eyes. A moment of silence can be worth more than a thousand words.

Chen Ping’an had only merged with the Great Wall of Sword Qi for a few years, and he had almost gone mad. That’s why he understood the sacrifices of the Old Great Sword Immortal and the Sage of Rites even more clearly. For the same reason, the Sage of Rites could answer with a simple “It’s nothing.”

Before departing, the Sage of Rites smiled and said, “Just speaking of imparting knowledge, teaching skills, and resolving doubts, you are just as excellent as your teacher.”

The Old Scholar stamped his foot, complaining, “Sage of Rites, wouldn’t it be better to save such sincere words for the discussions within the Confucian Temple?!”

The Sage of Rites glanced sideways at the Old Scholar.

The Old Scholar immediately made an adaptable U-turn, laughing heartily, “Saying it now is also excellent, good words don’t need too many ears to hear.”

The Sage of Rites stepped out of the doorway and instantly returned to the Central Earth.

The Old Scholar walked with Chen Ping’an in the alley, “Cherish that girl Ning Yao, besides you, no one else can make her so stubbornly follow her own heart.”

Chen Ping’an was bewildered, not understanding why his teacher would say such a thing.

The Old Scholar, rarely wanting to get angry with this closed-door disciple, subconsciously raised his hand, only to immediately retract it, almost mistaking him for Zuo You or that blockhead, and finally only chuckled in exasperation, “Stinky brat, this time you’re actually not pretending to be stupid, you’re truly stupid! You refuse to feign ignorance when you should, and you’re so obtuse when you shouldn’t be! Haven’t you noticed that during this trip to the Grand Azure, she’s often been the one initiating conversations with you, just so you would say a few more words?”

Chen Ping’an scratched his head, realizing that it seemed to be true.

The Old Scholar stroked his beard and smiled. He, as the teacher, indeed had some knowledge to impart to his disciple regarding the ways of love between men and women.

Chen Ping’an said, “Teacher, the order of things shouldn’t be mixed up. Otherwise, even the best knowledge later on will be castles in the air without the foundation of what comes before.”

The Old Scholar thought for a moment, both helpless and gratified, and nodded as he stroked his beard, “Yes, yes, indeed.”

Suddenly letting out a “Oh my!”, the Old Scholar said, “I’m starting to miss Old Brother Bai Ye a little. According to the Sage of Rites, he already has his first Natal Flying Sword. I just wonder which of the dozens of names I helped him come up with he chose.”

Chen Ping’an was shocked, “Mister Bai is already a sword cultivator?”

The Old Scholar nodded, “Indeed.”

The Old Scholar touched his head, “They are truly a perfect match.”

Chen Ping’an asked in confusion, “Teacher, what do you mean?”

The Old Scholar oh-ed and said, “Didn’t Old Brother Bai Ye turn into a child? He just had to find one for himself. I wonder if he’ll be favored by His Majesty and chosen to enter the palace.”

Song Xu smiled without answering, “Grandmaster Zhou is overthinking it. There’s no need to worry about this matter. His Majesty would not do such a thing, and I have no such disrespectful thoughts.”

Zhou Haijing said in a serious tone, “Don’t say that, how is that disrespectful? True Person Ge, can you give me a private room so I can put on some makeup?”

Song Xu and Ge Ling exchanged glances. The little novice monk held his bowl in one hand, lowered his head, and faced a bowl of water, silently chanting Amitabha.

Ge Ling explained in detail, “Song Xu is the Second Prince of our Dali Dynasty.”

Zhou Haijing sighed, lamenting that he was a sword cultivator.

Song Xu, without any unnecessary formalities, explained to Zhou Haijing the origins of the Earthly Branch lineage, and the pros and cons of becoming a member.
In truth, there were hardly any downsides or drawbacks. At most, it was the inability to rely on one’s identity to wantonly slaughter the innocent. As long as one did not openly reveal their affiliation, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice would not even concern themselves with personal grievances. However, the prerequisite was to not excessively harm the interests of the Great Li Dynasty. Furthermore, the opportunities for them to engage in combat would be few and far between. It was entirely possible that not a single instance would arise within a century. But whenever their services were required, the adversaries they would face would undoubtedly be at the Immortal Realm or above. Song Xu spoke with utmost sincerity, listing a series of hypothetical enemies: Wei Bo, the Mountain God of a Continent and the Five Peaks, Jin Qing and his ilk, the Divine Decree Sect’s Qi Zhen, the Yunlin Jiang Clan’s patriarch… It was probable that after a century of time, as the cultivators of the Earthly Branch lineage achieved breakthroughs, the ultimate target they would have to confront, the one that the Yuan Transformation Realm cultivator would be responsible for slaying with a sword, would be some rogue Ascendant Realm Grand Cultivator from the continent or a passing Ascendant Realm Grand Cultivator from another domain who violated the established rules within the Bottle Continent.

From beginning to end, Zhou Haijing had not interjected. Only after Song Xu finished speaking did she shake her head with a smile, saying, “I don’t believe there is such a good thing in this world, so I refuse.”

Song Xu poured himself a bowl of water, drank it in one gulp, and then nodded, saying, “There really is such a good thing.”

Zhou Haijing asked with a smile, “If I don’t agree, will you resort to coercion?”

Song Xu nodded, “We will.”

Zhou Haijing rolled her eyes. Good heavens, she had inadvertently stumbled into a den of thieves, and she absolutely could not get on this pirate ship.

Song Xu said, “Since we have chosen you, you have no way to refuse.”

Grandmasters of Martial Arts, even when considering the entire land of the Bottle Continent, were still as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. On the initial list, there were only a handful of individuals. Yu Hong, constrained by her aptitude for martial arts and advanced age, was already destined to never reach the pinnacle. As for the embroiderer, a female martial artist at the peak realm from the Northern Ju Continent, the Ministry of Justice of the Great Li had actually made contact with her, and their recommendation was to abandon the idea.

As for the more suitable Pei Qian… well, forget it. No one was willing to deal with that Hidden Official these days.

Zhou Haijing swirled the water bowl, “If I insist on refusing, will I be unable to leave the capital?”

Song Xu nodded, “If your luck is bad, that’s how it is. If your luck is good, and you can escape the capital through your own abilities, then you are forbidden from setting foot on Great Li territory for the rest of your life. If discovered, you will be executed immediately.”

Zhou Haijing clicked her tongue, “Oh, hearing you say that, I finally believe you are the Second Prince of the Great Li Song Clan.”

Song Xu smiled, “That’s all I have to say.”

Zhou Haijing casually tossed the water bowl onto the table, extended her thumb, wiped it across her lips, and slowly said, “By the way, what does ‘excessively harming Great Li’s interests’ mean? Can someone explain it to me?”

Ge Ling took the initiative to say, “For example, someone who carries the martial destiny of Great Li, or a cultivator in the top five realms within Great Li, excluding rogue cultivators.”

Zhou Haijing said “Oh” in understanding, pondered for a moment, and tentatively asked, “Can’t you just be straightforward, with no restrictions, acting lawlessly, killing whoever you want? Doesn’t the Great Li border army have a system of war merits? Can’t you use those to exchange for heads?”

Song Xu shook his head, “No can do.”

Ge Ling added, “If we truly become enemies with these two types of people, we can report it in advance. As long as both Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice approve, we can still take action, and we guarantee there will be no repercussions.”

Zhou Haijing smiled, “I’m just a woman from a fishing village, only daring to wander around at the foot of the mountains. I don’t have the ability to provoke those floating mountain immortals.”

No one responded, so she had to continue, “Judging from your tone, even the officials of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice can’t command you. Then why bother caring about those rules? Doesn’t that count as a leaderless rabble? If that’s the case, why don’t you elect a leader yourselves? I think the Second Prince is pretty good, with a handsome appearance, a gentle disposition, good patience, and a high cultivation level. He’s much better than that Yuan Sword Immortal who always wears a gloomy face.”

Ge Ling said, “The National Preceptor established several unshakeable rules that must be obeyed.”

Zhou Haijing curled her lip, “But the National Preceptor who personally created the Earthly Branch lineage is already gone.”

Song Xu shook his head, “The true rules are where no one is.”

Zhou Haijing frowned. She didn’t seem to expect such words to come from the mouth of a Great Li prince.

Ge Ling smiled, “Miss Zhou, it’s fine to say these things here, but please, please, don’t let that Mr. Chen hear it.”

The little monk covered his mouth with his hand and said softly, “Maybe he already heard it.”

Ge Ling nodded, taking it seriously, and glanced at the door. He didn’t think his Taoist temple’s meager mountain and water restrictions could stop Chen Ping’an’s flying sword from sneaking in. That Hidden Official, Chen Sword Immortal, was too… cunning.

In short, they had personally experienced it, and more than once. The price was more painful each time.

Song Xu rubbed his temples, looking at the female Grandmaster of martial arts appraisal who still seemed unwilling to believe it. In fact, Song Xu wasn’t worried about her refusing the matter. Instead, he was starting to worry that after she joined the Earthly Branch lineage, she might implicate the other eleven members.

Zhou Haijing stood up and said, “That carriage was rented by me. Can you help me return it?”

Song Xu smiled and nodded, “Of course, no problem.”

Zhou Haijing was indignant, “Don’t tell me you not only know which shop it is, but you also know exactly how much money I spent?”

Song Xu said, “As long as Grandmaster Zhou agrees to become a member of our Earthly Branch lineage, the Ministry of Justice will no longer investigate these private matters. This benefit will take effect immediately.”

Zhou Haijing smiled, “I’ll think about it some more. This is a big deal, so I need to consider it carefully before giving you an answer. By the way, can you lend me a peace token to play with? You talk so eloquently, but what if you’re all liars? Only peace tokens are the real deal; no one dares to counterfeit them.”

Song Xu took out a top-notch peace token that had been prepared long ago from his sleeve and lightly tossed it to Zhou Haijing.

Zhou Haijing walked towards the door, “Don’t bother seeing me off. It’s not like I’m going to run away.”

In the end, no one actually saw her out, which infuriated her.

After Zhou Haijing left the gate of the Taoist temple, she covered her face with a skin mask, immediately transforming into the appearance of an ordinary woman. She then strolled leisurely, walking back to her residence in the capital.
While Su Lang’s words about following fate and choosing a place were not entirely false, upon arriving in the capital and visiting the temple fair, despite wearing a mask, her figure couldn’t be concealed. With her ample bosom and slender waist, which man wouldn’t cast a covetous glance?

Soon, she was targeted by two young ruffians. Bold and audacious, one tried to take liberties, while the other went even further, attempting to steal her money.

The one who tried to take liberties looked rather handsome, but she pinched his cheek, twisting it until tears streamed down his face, as if half of his skin had been torn off.

As for the little bastard who dared to steal, both of his arms were dislocated, and she kicked him to the ground, where he writhed in agony, feeling as if his gallbladder had shattered. Then, she stepped on his cheek, grinding it repeatedly with her embroidered shoe.

Afterward, she made the two youths lead the way, saying she needed help finding a place to stay, with only one condition: it couldn’t cost her money.

And so, they found her current residence. As for what was so good about it, aside from being free, the Azure Bamboo Sword Immortal knew all too well.

Within the Great Li capital, there were not only affluent areas like Yichi Lane and Chi’er Street, but also petty squabbles reminiscent of frogs in a well, and places rife with petty theft and destitution.

Passing by a roadside pigpen, Zhou Haijing glanced inside, noting the pigs were still rather lean. Even if one snuck into her house in the middle of the night, it wouldn’t have much meat for stewing.

The end of the year was a difficult time, and what was the hardest to get through?

Poor people with no money? Haha, wrong, it was actually the pigs.

Zhou Haijing chuckled to herself, finding it amusing and witty. If someone were fortunate enough to marry her in the future, they would never be bored, both in and out of bed.

Walking down a dark alley, she suddenly stopped and said with a cold laugh, “Sword Immortal Chen, as the master of a sect, is it not a bit dishonest to act so furtively?”

After a moment, Zhou Haijing sighed in relief, either she was mistaken, or she hadn’t managed to trick him out.

Actually, she had been carefully probing the surrounding energy all along, but had found no trace of him.

Zhou Haijing spat on the ground. These ethereal, seemingly righteous cultivators, compared to the common folk, were truly mountain deities. Their strength was extraordinary, their actions more lawless than even those of the Jianghu, and they were even more averse to the light. So, besides relying on force and violating the rules, what else could they do?

Along the way, passing through the alleys filled with cheap fragrance, she exchanged jokes and teases with some familiar sisters. Several women tried to persuade her to join them, saying it was easy money. Zhou Haijing would retort, “Is the money quick, too?” The women would burst into laughter, their wrinkles becoming even more pronounced.

Zhou Haijing returned to her residence, a secluded and humble courtyard, with two young men squatting at the entrance.

Zhou Haijing kicked one of them, laughing, “Young lads as pretty as you need to be careful when you go out. You never know when your behinds might start hurting.”

She took out her key, unlocked the door, and went to the clothesline to collect her laundry. As she reached up, arching her back and stretching her arms, the two young men sitting outside craned their necks to get a better look at the curvaceous… harridan.

Zhou Haijing didn’t even turn her head as she continued to gather the clothes from the bamboo pole, scolding, “Careful, or I’ll fart and kill you!”

Not far from the courtyard, in a small alley, someone coughed.

Zhou Haijing flew into a rage, “What a Sword Immortal Chen, you actually have the nerve to come! Why don’t you just sit on the bamboo pole and wait for me?!”

Chen Ping’an walked to the entrance, stopped, and clasped his fist apologetically, “I came uninvited, please forgive me. There is something…”

Zhou Haijing directly threw a piece of clothing at him, “To atone, huh? Then go die!”

Chen Ping’an reacted as if facing a formidable enemy, instantly dodging to the side, “Then I’ll come again another time.”

On the city wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall ruins, two figures appeared out of thin air, standing right at the edge of the cliff.

Chen Ping’an looked across at the opposite cliff, where for many years, he had stood, looking at the gray-robed figure on this side, with Li Zhen at most.

Withdrawing his gaze, Chen Ping’an led Ning Yao to find Wei Jin and Cao Jun, swiftly moving until he stood between the two sword cultivators.

Wei Jin said, “Left has already gone south.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. Although he had already guessed, his heart still ached upon hearing the answer.

Sitting on the edge of the city wall, he gazed into the distance.

Ning Yao stood beside him.

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment, but couldn’t help but ask, “Did my senior brother ask either of you to pass on a message to anyone?”

Wei Jin said indifferently, “He did not.”

Cao Jun grinned without speaking, merely looking at the guy whose face was gradually darkening. Had he taken the wrong medicine? Impossible. The question at Mount Zhengyang was such a display of sword immortal grace and elegance. Comparing him to others was infuriating. He himself had fought to the death in the Treasure Bottle Continent and the Tongye Continent, wielding his sword countless times, yet hadn’t earned any fame.

Then Ning Yao glanced at Cao Jun.

Cao Jun had no choice but to say, “Here, other than teaching swordsmanship, Left has always been too lazy to waste half a word on me.”

Chen Ping’an was easy to talk to, but this woman was different.

But mentioning this made Cao Jun angry. “Chen Ping’an! Who said that Left invited me here to practice swordsmanship?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “It was me, so what?”

As long as his senior brother hadn’t asked anyone to pass on a message, even if this trip south was still extremely risky, at least it wasn’t the worst-case scenario Chen Ping’an had imagined.

Cao Jun glanced at Ning Yao and held back.

Chen Ping’an was silent, merely gazing into the distance.

Ning Yao sat beside him.

Cao Jun remembered something and said, “Great Sword Immortal Chen, these days there are quite a few celestial beings coming here to play, big and small. They’re all full and have nothing to do, so they pick up broken stones from the city wall and take them back. No one cares. I bet there are some doing it right now.”

Unexpectedly, Chen Ping’an was as deaf as a post.

Cao Jun didn’t say anything more.

After a long while, Chen Ping’an finally came back to his senses and asked, “What did you say just now?”

Cao Jun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and lazily raised his hand to hug the back of his head, “Nothing.”

This time, Chen Ping’an didn’t look into the distance, but lowered his eyes, looking at the vast land beneath his feet.

For ten thousand years, how many sword cultivators, from home and abroad, had come and gone here, like wind and rain, turning to dust.