Chen Ping’an and Xiao Mo paused on the apex of a stone bridge, its arch a perfect reflection in the river below.

Upon the Iris Reed River, a gentle breeze stirred, raising shimmering scales of light upon the water’s surface, glinting like scattered gold.

“Young Master,” Xiao Mo inquired, his voice soft as rustling leaves, “is there a matter weighing upon your heart?”

Chen Ping’an rested his hand on the weathered railing, “Merely calculating how many silver taels a tavern here might yield in a year’s trade.”

Xiao Mo chuckled, a sound like tinkling bells.

He knew well the extent of his master’s holdings: the Jade Vein Courtyard on Cinnamon Isle, the Jade Gleam Cliff and Ant Shop in Spring Dew Garden, and the Dragon Palace Grotto’s Duckweed Isle, purchased for a mere eighty Spring Rain Coins.

Furthermore, Jiang Shangzhen, during his tenure as the True Realm Sect’s patriarch, had ceded five islands to the Declining Mountain – a distant fiefdom nominally held under Zeng Ye, but recorded in the imperial archives, ready for the taking.

Truly, Chen Ping’an possessed a wealth of private property.

Chen Ping’an turned to regard his “attendant,” clad in a yellow cap and green shoes. “I shall gift you a mountain walking staff and a bamboo chest, so you may better resemble a frail scholar on a journey of learning.”

Xiao Mo nodded. “I shall hold you to that, Young Master. Should you forget, I shall shamelessly remind you.”

Chen Ping’an mused, “Back then, when Aspire was thwarted by the returning Liu Qi, magic against magic, her path to the Void was blocked. She is now confined to a volcanic mountain range, said to be the former alchemical furnace of the Dao Ancestor. Should we ever travel together through the Central Azure Continent, I shall take you to exchange a few words.”

Xiao Mo pondered, then adjusted his cap. “I have little to say to Aspire. But Zhu Yan… he is truly irksome. Seemingly rash in word and deed, yet cunning in calculation. Many of my more straightforward comrades suffered at his hands. When I awoke, my first thought was to gather my old Six Grottoes brethren. The second was to find a pair of friends to witness… I must seek swords with Zhu Yan.”

To “seek swords” meant, of course, to ambush and eliminate Zhu Yan. Why else would Xiao Mo require two allies?

Should word leak and Bai Ze or Mount Bearing-the-Moon intervene, saving Zhu Yan, then another opportunity would arise.

Such was the way of the savage realms’ apex monarchs, an untamed spirit etched into their very bones.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Ancestor of Shifting Mountains, one against three, a truly heroic display.”

Xiao Mo was awestruck. “Indeed, the Young Master’s learning is vast, his words ever eloquent.”

Chen Ping’an announced, “Xiao Mo, let us venture to the Immortal Inn favored by cultivators of the Earthly Branch lineage.”

Xiao Mo nodded. “An excellent notion. I can express my gratitude to the proprietress and present her with a magic robe woven last night. Young Master, is this fitting?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “One does not strike a smiling face, especially one that bears gifts. It is fitting. Whether she accepts it or not, you are still in the right.”

This sojourn to the Grand Li capital had accomplished the most crucial task of his vital porcelain, and yielded an unexpected boon: the unraveling of a Lu clan ancestor, Lu Wei, from the Central Continent. As the old saying went, bad luck is best met early, good luck is best met late.

Once Ning Yao emerged from her secluded cultivation, Chen Ping’an would depart the capital. Yet some matters required tending. The ninth-realm martial artist Zhou Haijing’s joining the Earthly Branch lineage was all but assured. Her hesitation stemmed from ingrained caution. But so long as Zhou Haijing sought vengeance upon Yu Hong, the Grand Li’s first-rank courtier, vengeance that would bring her satisfaction, she would join the Earthly Branch, seeking a talisman far stronger than the Ministry of Justice’s writ of clearance.

Furthermore, Liu Jia had requested two seals, specifying their inscriptions: “Sword Immortal” and “Master Craftsman.”

The master of the Heavenly Waters Zhao clan, creator of the courtly script, a true calligraphic master, had gifted “Liu Jia” two entire scrolls of calligraphy – twenty-two works in total, including the breathtaking “Yuan Jia Green Robe Post.”

Chen Ping’an would merely reciprocate with two seals, such exchange was always welcome.

With Ning Yao still in seclusion, Chen Ping’an would not engrave the seals in the adjacent chamber, lest he disturb her.

Doing so in the Tower of Echoing Voices, however, would be unseemly, bordering on ludicrous. Cui Chan’s calligraphic prowess was renowned throughout the realm, one of the three great wonders of the Glorious Land. The Immortal Inn was a far more appropriate venue for such work.

Leaving the brightly lit Iris Reed River, they ventured into a quiet alleyway. Chen Ping’an invoked Water Cloud Body, concealing their forms, and rode the wind to the Immortal Inn.

They alighted before the inn, tucked away at the alley’s end. Of the seven or eight inns in the Grand Li capital catering to Qi cultivators, this was assuredly the least prosperous, without exception.

Xiao Mo stepped forward, gently striking the gilded beast-head knocker thrice. After a considerable wait, the proprietress emerged, a woman of alluring form clad in colorful silks, a Golden Core ghost cultivator.

The “Painter” Ghost had given Chen Ping’an a rude welcome upon his first arrival.

Tonight, however, upon seeing Chen Ping’an, she was as startled as if she had seen a ghost herself.

Chen Ping’an teased, “Proprietress Gaiyan, as thrifty as ever. So reluctant to spend coin on a doorkeeper, no wonder business is so…thriving.”

Gaiyan forced a smile. “Reporting to Mountain Master Chen, the inn has been searching, but no suitable candidate has been found.”

This was not a mere fabrication. The matter of doorkeepers and maids had been discussed with Han Zhoujin and Yu Yu. Han Zhoujin favored recruiting passable female Qi cultivators, diligent and even-tempered. Yu Yu insisted on buxom beauties. The debate remained unresolved.

Gaiyan led them to a vacant courtyard.

Xiao Mo presented Gaiyan with a magic robe, contained within a miniature bamboo tube.

Gaiyan, her eyes gleaming with covetousness, accepted it without hesitation.

Chen Ping’an intended only to find Prince Song Xu or the youth Gou Cun, and task them with conveying a few words to the other cultivators.

But the nine cultivators of the Earthly Branch soon gathered, with Ge Ling and the little novice monk Houjue rushing from the Taoist Academy and the Bureau of Translation, respectively. Yuan Huajing and the others emerged from their snail-shell dojos, their gazes fixed on Chen Ping’an with a peculiar intensity.

That very day, the inn had received a classified dispatch from Sunken Sunset Wharf.

Two earth-shattering events had transpired in the savage realms.

Following Chen Qingdu, Dragon Lord, and Guan Zhao, the Sword Qi Great Wall had once again challenged Mount Bearing-the-Moon with a sword salute of respect after ten thousand years,

resulting in the complete and utter destruction of Mount Bearing-the-Moon.

Furthermore, after Dong Sangeng had pulled the moon down to earth, another brilliant moon had been moved to the Azure Sky World by several sword immortals.

Now, the savage realms possessed but a single moon.

Yu Yu inquired cautiously, “Mr. Chen…is it true?”

The usually audacious girl employed an oblique phrasing.

According to the Grand Li intelligence, two “Chen Ping’ans” had appeared simultaneously, one in the Glorious Land and one in the savage realms, both possessing unfathomable power, perhaps even the legendary fourteenth realm…

The sole difference was that the Daoist Chen Ping’an, adorned with a lotus crown and bearing a sword, had ventured deep into the savage realms with a group of sword immortals. The blue-robed sword immortal, traveling alone through Treasure Bottle Continent, did not carry a sword.

Chen Ping’an asked, “What is?”

Yu Yu blinked.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “If you say so, it must be.”

He then cut to the chase. “I have come to discuss three matters.

“First, the rules remain. So long as you abide by the rules established by my senior brother Cui, I shall not interfere with your cultivation nor dictate your actions. However, should any of you wish to send a flying sword message to Jise Peak, seeking guidance from the Declining Mountain, you are welcome. I will answer all questions to the best of my ability.

“Second, approximately every ten years, I shall request an accounting of your deeds and expenditures from the Ministries of Rites and Justice, assessing your progress. Once you reach the Jade Purity Realm, you shall be exempt from evaluation.

“Finally, whether the first two matters hold weight…is my decision.”

The nine Earthly Branch cultivators offered no dissent.

No matter how talented or prideful, they were no match for the man who had once manipulated them at will.

Even the intensely competitive Yuan Huajing had abandoned any ambition of challenging Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an told them he would linger a while longer, and bid them return to their cultivation.

None dared to fathom the depths of the smiling young cultivator standing behind Chen Ping’an.

Based on intelligence from the Ministry of Justice, they knew only that his Daoist title was Joy Candle, his name Xiao Mo, and that he was a newly appointed recorded offering of the Declining Mountain.

Xiao Mo had accompanied Chen Ping’an to the palace. That was all they knew.

According to Gaiyan, Xiao Mo had visited the inn the previous night, claiming to be Chen Ping’an’s attendant. Besides paying the usual immortal coins, he had requested a bag of gold melon seeds.

Another eccentric character, another baffling incident.

That the Declining Mountain was home to wonders, its depths unfathomable, was now a common understanding on Treasure Bottle Continent.

Zhou Mili, the mountain-protecting offering, was the most inscrutable of all. During the viewing ceremony, she was the only one who concealed her cultivation, a dreadful display of not showing her hand.

How high was the “little girl’s” realm? Opinions varied. Some said Jade Purity at the very least, others suspected an immortal. An earth immortal? That was blind or idiotic. In the Declining Mountain, where martial artists and nascent soul cultivators were commonplace, could one hold their own? Could one be a mountain-protecting offering?

Furthermore, the white-robed youth with a mole between his brows, and the Chief Offering surnamed Zhou, had treated her with utmost deference.

Chen Ping’an sat on the steps, taking two plain seals from his miniature world. He still had stone materials leftover from his partnership with Yan Zhuo at the Sword Qi Great Wall.

He summoned a replica of a sword immortal’s flying sword from Hate Sword Mountain: Cough Thunder.

The replica of “Ancient Jade,” Needle of the Pine, had been crushed between Pei Min’s fingers.

Chen Ping’an used Cough Thunder as a carving knife, beginning to engrave the side inscription, the contents of the “Yuan Jia Green Robe Post,” before adding the inscription, “Sword Immortal.”

The second seal, with the inscription “Master Craftsman,” was inscribed with several lines from the Heavenly Waters Zhao clan’s family precepts: “Appearance should be clear and dignified, learning should be deep and far-reaching, conduct should be upright and sincere, character should be gentle and solemn.”

Both seals were signed “Chen Shiyi” and “Chen Ping’an of the Declining Mountain.”

The process consumed half an hour.

At the Sword Qi Great Wall, where seals rarely had side inscriptions, he could have completed twenty seals in the same amount of time.

Stowing away Cough Thunder, Chen Ping’an held the seals, gently blew away the dust, then looked up and smiled. “Valueless, priceless.”

Xiao Mo said, “Young Master is too modest.”

Storing the seals in his sleeve, Chen Ping’an produced a white jade spirit fungus. Seeing Xiao Mo’s curious gaze, he handed it to him. “The movement technique I used earlier was learned from the fungus’s former owner.”

Xiao Mo praised the fungus for its beautiful inscription:

“A thousand years of pure, flawless being,

A hundred generations of orchids and iris, a fragrant home.”

“Truly a perfect gift for his Young Master.

Such a gift was indeed the height of sophistication.

He would have to meet the generous immortal someday.

Chen Ping’an’s Cloud Water Body, learned from Cloud Miao of the Nine Truth Immortal Hall, was inspired by the Daoist concepts: “Dense bamboo does not hinder water, tall mountains do not obstruct clouds.”

Cloud Miao also possessed a trump card: the “Water Essence Realm,” a self-contained miniature world.

During his travels through Treasure Bottle Continent, burdened by the fourteenth-realm cultivation of Lu Chen, Chen Ping’an had not been idle. He had unearthed several images from the Mind Lake Book Tower, depicting his duels with Cloud Miao, and used them as stepping stones to create a similar technique.

After a duel on the River of Mandarin Ducks, the suspicious immortal Cloud Miao had received a letter from Chen Ping’an, and hastily replied, sending a semi-immortal white jade spirit fungus to Merit Forest as a token of apology.

Should Chen Ping’an ever clash with someone in the Central Azure Continent, and honestly declare, “I am not Cloud Miao,” no one would believe him.

Xiao Mo returned the fungus.

Chen Ping’an tapped it against his palm.

Once the new sect’s location was settled and he had spent some time in secluded cultivation, striving to return to the Nascent Soul realm and the Unfettered Truth First Level, Chen Ping’an intended to travel the Glorious Land with Liu Jinglong. The route would roughly follow the Northern Subjugation Continent, the Snowy Continent, the Central Azure Continent, the Southern Pores Continent, then the Rising Wind Continent, before heading north to the Golden Armor and Flowing Sunset Continents.

Besides the northern regions, Chen Ping’an was already familiar with the Northern Subjugation Continent. He would visit the God of Wealth, the Liu clan, and Pei Axiang’s Thunder God Temple in Snowy Continent.

The Central Azure Continent held even more places to visit: the Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoist Temple, the Old Pit Blessed Land of Yu Xuan, the Green God Mountain in the Bamboo Sea Grotto Heaven, Cao Ci’s Great Duan Dynasty, and the Profound Secret Dynasty of Yu Panshui… not to mention the scenic locales recorded in the *Mountain and Sea Chronicle* and its supplements.

Chen Ping’an glanced up, catching a flash of light in the distant night sky. A cultivator was fleeing on the wind, pursued by a streak of sword light that stretched for hundreds of feet.

The Qi cultivator desperately changed course, but the golden cord continued to ensnare his ankle, dragging him harshly to the ground. Neither the pursuer nor the pursued was an earth immortal.

The sword light and the fleeing cultivator crashed down about half a mile from the inn. Chen Ping’an chuckled. “We have nothing better to do. Let us observe the commotion.”

In the strictly regulated Grand Li capital, a Qi cultivator dared to fly through the air and engage in battle?

Besides the Grand Li Song clan’s court officials, only the wielders of the Ministry of Justice’s writ of clearance could fly.

Even Chen Ping’an himself had to carry a writ when traveling through the capital.

He and Xiao Mo strode forward, shrinking the earth beneath their feet, to the site of the sword light’s descent.

The Grand Li capital was vast. The inn was located in a neither wealthy nor impoverished district, slightly better than Zhou Haijing’s dwelling.

The street appeared to be the scene of a gang fight, two factions facing off, composed of martial artists. It did not seem like a matter of exchanging harsh words before drinking together. This was the real thing.

Even excluding the hidden spies among the onlookers, there were at least one hundred and fifty combatants.

Chen Ping’an crouched on a wall, hunching his shoulders and drawing his hands into his sleeves.

Xiao Mo sat beside him, noticing the large number of onlookers. Undeterred by danger, they had surged forward instead of closing their doors. The sound of the cultivator being dragged to the ground, along with the shouting of the two gangs, had awoken the entire neighborhood.

In the center of the street, a short, silk-robed old man stood with one hand behind his back, lightly shaking his two fingers.

Certain of victory, he appeared calm and confident.

His head was sparsely populated, a dry field with only a few weeds.

Still, it was better than a harvested rice paddy.

According to Xiao Mo, the seemingly unremarkable old man had a self-assured, arrogant air.

Because the sword immortal had not retracted his flying sword, the golden light bound the young cultivator’s ankle. As the old man shook his fingers, sword Qi sprouted from the ankle. The youth grimaced, sweat beading on his forehead, but did not plead. Instead, he glared at the old man.

Xiao Mo glanced at the two opposing gangs. “Young Master, such public disturbance in the middle of the night. Surely the capital’s authorities will intervene?”

The immortal duel was undoubtedly a crime, but what would be the authorities’ punishment?

Chen Ping’an said softly, “So long as no one dies, and no weapons are used, the authorities will likely turn a blind eye. A capital is a chaotic place. Martial arts sects, bodyguard agencies, silver houses, canal operators, carriage companies, even thieves, have their own patron saints, factions, and branches. I heard Liu the Proprietress tell a funny story. A fellow who controls thirty-seven of the capital’s sewer lines earns more than a tavern owner on the Iris Reed River.”

Some fledgling youths, driven by rashness and disregard for the law, regarded a few extra meals in prison as a sign of experience.

Chen Ping’an said, “Xiao Mo, listen for the old sword immortal’s inner voice.”

Xiao Mo nodded.

The young cultivator, his face ashen, cried, “Framed! You are using foul tactics!”

The old sword cultivator laughed. “If you are innocent, why run? Would the Ministry of Justice wrong you? Clearly you have a guilty conscience!”

In his inner voice, he thought, *I was afraid you wouldn’t run. Otherwise, I could not have dealt with you.*

The old sword cultivator said, “As a cultivator, flying through the capital is a serious crime. Why bother? We could have talked this over calmly. Boss Fan is a reasonable man.”

His inner voice, however, was different. *You little bastard, I will keep you here tonight. Even if the Ministry of Rites convicts me and the Ministry of Justice investigates, it will be better than what is coming for you.*

Openly uttering falsehoods, wise men speaking nonsense.

Although the Grand Li Dynasty regulated immortal affairs, the Song court was particularly lenient with martial arts matters. So long as things did not get out of hand, the capital’s authorities would not intervene. As a result, martial arts sects had sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain, and many roaming knights from countries south of the Grand Li had flocked north with merchants.

Sensing Xiao Mo’s gaze, Chen Ping’an said calmly, “The goodness of a man and the correctness of an action are easily confused. The Grand Li Dynasty’s laws have always been directed at actions, not people.”

A martial arts school nearby disgorged a group of young men. The school had a curfew, and their master forbade them from causing trouble, but they had slipped out for the show. One powerfully built young man asked, “Brother, is this spot taken?”

Chen Ping’an scooted closer to Xiao Mo, making room. “Just us two, make yourselves comfortable.”

They quickly scaled the wall.

It was a long-brewing conflict between martial arts sects, somehow involving sword immortals. A rare opportunity indeed.

The man asked in a low voice, “Brother, are you also a martial artist?”

His breathing was steady, and he had an imposing air.

Anyone who could climb the wall was no mere bookworm.

Chen Ping’an said, “I have practiced a few martial arts skills for self-defense. My family is in business, so we travel frequently. A few tricks make the journey safer.”

The young martial artist beside him rolled his eyes. Tricks? Rich young master. Poor men study, rich men practice martial arts.

The man continued, “Brother, have you heard of the Yangyuan Martial School, or Master Wu? He is a renowned hero in the capital’s martial arts world.”

Chen Ping’an said, “I have not.”

Whether the master was a hero or not, the school was certainly short on funds.

Otherwise, they would not try to recruit a passerby as a wealthy benefactor.

Martial arts sects needed patrons, like temples needed devout worshippers.

Seeing Chen Ping’an’s lack of enthusiasm, the man persisted. “The ‘Six Armed Divine Fist’ Si Tu is a renowned martial arts master in the Grand Li, the leader of the north. The authorities ask him to resolve matters they cannot. Our master drinks with Hero Si Tu. often”

Chen Ping’an nodded. He had heard of him. The man was not old, a pure martial artist who had received a sum of money from Chen’s eldest disciple. The Six Armed Divine Fist had enshrined the money. If Pei Qian had still possessed her youthful temper, the man would have been in trouble.

Still, a Golden Body Realm martial artist was impressive.

When Chen Ping’an had accidentally entered Lotus Root Blessed Land, Chong Fuzi and the Knife Grinder Liu Zong had not yet reached the Golden Body Realm.

The man asked, “Brother, are you a foreigner?”

Chen Ping’an clasped his hands in a salute and smiled. “You have sharp eyes, good sir. I am from a small town. My name is Cao Mo.”

The man nodded, feigning understanding. He did not know the character, but it did not matter.

Chen Ping’an added, “Saliva Cao Mo.”

A handsome young master emerged, tipsily holding a wine jug, wearing a crane cloak, his eyes bleary.

The man’s eyes lit up. “Brother Cao, our capital is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. There are old martial arts masters, and four young prodigies. This is one of them. Like you, Brother Cao, he is a foreigner, who came to the capital three years ago and has already made a name for himself. They say he frequents Zi’er Street.”

Cultivators only saw other cultivators, martial artists only saw other martial artists.

One of the young men on the wall passed gas.

The man turned and scolded, “Silent farts are harmless, but this is awful. I told you not to eat garlic cloves. I hope you didn’t scare Miss from her sickly home. ”

“Liu Xiaowei, watch your mouth!”

Two young women had been about to lean a ladder against the wall. One, frail, covered her nose with a handkerchief, frowning slightly.

Two maids supported the ladder, so that their mistress could see the scene. One of the maids, more outspoken, folded her arms and glared at the man on the wall.

However, none of them ordered them to leave.

Another maid whispered, “Quiet. If the master finds out, we will be punished, and the young lady will be confined.”

The man Liu Xiaowei turned and squatted, grinning. “Miss Fengsheng, I heard you hired a Taoist to perform a ritual. Is your house quieter now? Does he have a Daoist certificate? He doesn’t look legit. Don’t get scammed. Why not hire our master to guard your house? He is full of yang energy. He will scare away all the ghosts. How about it?”

The maid spat. “You know nothing, Liu Xiaowei. All you have is muscle. A martial arts school that only scams money. We don’t need your help with matters for Taoists!”

Liu Xiaowei stretched his neck, gazing at the young woman’s chest.

Chen Ping’an listened to Xiao Mo’s interpretation of the scene, and then glanced at the women. Small country capitals might be plagued by foxes, haunted houses, or licentious shrines, but the Grand Li capital? The City God Temple and the Ministry of Earth were patrolled by night and day, and no ghost dared linger.

The house was filled with traces of yin energy, faint and shifting, avoiding the door gods. Anyone with yang energy could drive it away. The women showed no signs of discomfort.

In this situation, one possibility was that someone was weak, and had attracted “dirty things.” The other was that someone was guilty of lacking shadow virtue. The latter seemed unlikely. The Taoist must be a scam artist, trying to scare people.

Just as door gods could block evil spirits, but not the darkness in the human heart.

The maid covered her chest and glared at the ruffians on the wall. One of the ruffians was checking out the house. She said, “Miss, that man looks as if he and Liu Xiaowei are up to no good.”

Chen Ping’an smiled.

He had been implicated.

Xiao Mo retorted with a smile, “You misunderstand my young master. He is a gentleman.”

The young woman sneered. “A robber baron.”

At the same time, Xiao Mo whispered Chen Ping’an a thought, “Ooh, he’s handsome and bookish. Could he be a scholar on his way to the capital?”

Chen Ping’an was puzzled.

Xiao Mo explained, “That’s Miss Fengsheng’s thought.”

Chen Ping’an made a note of the faces of the cultivators and martial arts master, and then asked, “Xiao Mo, can you find the money-grabbing Taoist?”

Xiao Mo nodded. “Easy.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Let’s go see him.”

For some reason, Chen Ping’an felt a strange sense of fate. Nothing too big, but he thought the situation may change at some point.

Even when he had met Xun Xuban, the “poor ghost who could not hold money,” Chen Ping’an had only realized later that Xun Xun was a reincarnated deity.

Led by Xiao Mo, they appeared outside a humble house. The bolt fell away, and Chen Ping’an hesitated before entering.

A young Taoist was reading a Taoist book, an oil lamp and two dishes of side dishes laid out on the table. He turned to look at them, and said calmly, “You’re here.”

Chen Ping’an narrowed his eyes.

The Taoist sat motionless, leaned forward slightly, and made a gesture with his head. “Immeasurable life from heaven.”

He slid an empty wine cup forward, and gestured to them. “Coming from all directions, welcome. I have only some wine to offer.”

“Young Master, he is just a fifth-realm cultivator. He may look calm, but he is shaking with fear.”

Xiao Mo added with his thoughts, “Unless… unless he is a great ascension cultivator even better at hiding himself than Lu Wei or Cao Rong, and he likes to play around in the world.”

Chen Ping’an sat across from the Taoist, took a cup, and poured himself some wine.

The Taoist shook his head and said, “Immortals are not ignorant, but people are stubborn.”

He tapped his cup, “I was born to be on the road, I regret not going to the mountain early.”

Xiao Mo was confused. Was he just talking?

“Ouch!”

Suddenly, Chen Ping’an was beside the Taoist, grabbing his arm.

Chen Ping’an said, “We are from the authorities. You know what you have done.”

The Taoist paled and said, “I was wrong! I shouldn’t have gone to that house and acted like a ghost…”

He spilled all his secrets.

He was from a small country in the middle of the Grand Li.

Chen Ping’an let go of his hand and said, “For that ritual, you earned thirty taels of silver. How much do you have now?”

The Taoist looked at the table and said, “Living in the capital is expensive. I only have about seven or eight taels left.”

Chen Ping’an twitched his lip, and the Taoist quickly said, “If you include my savings, I have twenty taels.”

Chen Ping’an looked around.

“There’s also a gold ingot.”

Xiao Mo thought it was funny.

He almost took a step back, but he restrained himself. Xiao Mo came next to Chen Ping’an. Chen Ping’an said, “It’s okay. I know.”

Xiao Mo drew his flying swords.

Chen Ping’an said with thoughts, “Put them away.”

Xiao Mo hesitated, but obeyed.

The Taoist was wearing a hairpin made of wood.

Xiao Mo knew the hairpin!

Although the hairpin on the Taoist’s head was not the same one, it was still enough to send a chill down Xiao Mo’s spine.

Chen Ping’an sat in place, expressionless.

Was this a karmic link from destroying the Immortal Pin City?

“It seems you know who I am.”

The young man smiled, stood up, and began to say something, but then he clutched at his hand. “Ouch!”

In his heart, he cursed. No matter how good he was at reading faces, he couldn’t endure the pain. These officials were too rude.

The Taoist settled his bill, and took some time to pack his items.

The Taoist was given a charm that said “yang energy lamp”

Chen Ping’an said to bring it to the house.

The Taoist took many turns.

He said: “I have nothing, please don’t hurt me.”

He was stopped at some point

Liu Jia and Zhao Duanming watched from the white jade dojo

Liu Jia said that Chen PingAn brough back treasure.

Chen PingAn knew they were friends.

Chen PingAn had been by Shugao Mountain before.

His family was normal.

The Taoist said the the sign was good.

The woman gave a generous tip.

The Taoist drew a sign that said the two children would be famous.

She was pleased.

She had come to trust the men.

Xiao Mo said: “Will this cause a problem?”

Chen PingAn said: “If it does, let it be.”

Xiao Mo nodded, the children had red lamps.

They said: “Ji Se Feng made. Chen PingAn.”

The woman thanked the two

she said it to her butler.

She looked back, the Taoist waved at them.

The woman bowed to him

He turned back to wave.

She knew that she was in good hands.

In the morning it was quiet and peaceful.

She had been going all night.

She finally got to the right spot.