Here is the rewritten content in a fantasy style:

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(A grand chapter of twenty-seven thousand words, delivered late in the evening.)

The mountain’s gleam surrendered to the moon’s ascent,
A celestial lantern lit for the mortal realm’s content.

The River Pei, a sinuous serpent to the sea, breathed forth a humid air. Sixteen shipyards, great and small, clung to its banks, havens for the river barges. Commerce thrived, and around each dockyard sprouted a town, each rivaling the county seat of Huaihuang in size. By night, the lights blazed like a false dawn. Martial halls lined both shores, echoing with the clang of steel and the boasts of江湖 sects. Even a novice geomancer could sense the potent martial energy that surged here, unrivaled in all the continent of Tongye.

Wu Shu, the Martial Saint, had wandered abroad for decades, now venturing towards the wild realms. His disinterest in pupils had left only one apprentice in his wake. Thus, Yeyunyun was the sole Zenith martial artist in Tongye, granting Pushan a reputation of the highest esteem.

“A continent’s fist, confined to Pushan.”

The Cloud-Grass Hall of Pushan deserved this renown. Twice yearly, on the days of Beginning of Summer and Beginning of Winter, they would offer instruction according to ancient tradition. Except for the secret stances of the Cloud-Grass Hall, no art was withheld. They freely imparted their knowledge to all martial aspirants. Furthermore, each Cloud-Grass warrior, upon descending the mountain, held three public martial displays, sparring and demonstrating. If a foreign warrior of equal standing prevailed, they earned thunderous applause, an invitation to the Cloud-Grass Hall, and the honor of being a guest of honor.

The radiant moon seemed to favor this place, casting a river of silver across the waters, a celestial replica of the River Pei. The night was tranquil, the river breeze gentle, a scene that soothed the soul.

A modest pleasure barge, dwarfed by others, sailed with the current. When passing other vessels, its passengers found themselves in the position of looking up, not down.

Upon the open-air tea deck of the second level, Chen Pingan ordered two flasks of mountain tea, a Cloud-Mist and an Old Fir Water Sprite, from the tea maid. She added some complimentary pastries and fruit.

The tea maid had been particularly insistent on the Water Sprite, claiming it came from a famed Immortal Mountain in Treasure Bottle Continent, a rare rock tea. A century was needed for a tea tree to be considered tall, a millennium to be ancient. If the guest found it displeasing, the tea would be half-priced.

It seemed without the Old Fir Water Sprite, no complimentary treats would appear.

Chen Pingan smiled knowingly. Again, Dong Bancheng, his fellow townsman, was the root of this.

Spring water, tea leaves, immortal brew, tea and wine vessels – anything that had gained renown in Treasure Bottle Continent, especially if costly, likely had Dong Shui Jing’s hand in it.

The tea was indeed good, and Xu Yuanxia’s unpublished travelogue had a dedicated passage on the Old Fir Water Sprite. Yet, even Xu had been able to afford it. The cost of the tea in its homeland could be imagined.

Now, merely across continents, a flask cost two Snowflake coins. Even if one brazenly claimed it was bland and took the half-price offer, it still required a Snowflake coin.

Dong Shui Jing’s business acumen could only be measured by the standards of an Ascended Realm being.

Chen Pingan retrieved the last of the Sitting-in-Oblivion pills from the Azure Tiger Palace and swallowed it down with tea.

He had no doubt that more Azure Tiger Palace pills, perhaps Feather Robe pellets, would soon find their way to Immortality Capital Mountain.

With the ways of Old Immortal Lu, not only Chen Pingan but also the Lower Sects would not have to worry about Sitting-in-Oblivion pills for centuries.

As Lu had said, good things must be kept within the family.

No matter. Fallen Phoenix Mountain and Azure Duck Peak would return the favor. The mountain spiritual energy of Pure Realm Mountain would surpass the peak years of Azure Tiger Palace.

Three more dockyards, roughly two hundred miles of waterway, separated them from the Cloud-Grass Hall’s gates.

Pei Qian asked, “Master, the Cloud-Grass tradition of warriors descending to spar… could we adopt that at Fallen Phoenix Mountain?”

Chen Pingan nodded. “It can be learned.”

Cao Qinglang said, “Only if the sect’s customs are impeccable and the warriors are generous. Their words must be measured in dealings with the world. Fists are in the arena and beyond. Otherwise, careful instruction and sparring may be undone by a careless word, leading to misunderstandings, discord, and endless feuds. Within decades, they would find themselves isolated. Good intentions would be met with bitterness. One side would accuse the other of ingratitude, the other of arrogance. Resentment would follow.”

Pei Qian bristled. “Are our sect customs not good?”

Cao Qinglang smiled. “Preparation is the mother of success; unpreparedness is the father of failure.”

Chen Pingan drank his tea and chuckled. “Well said, both of you.”

What sort of muddling through was this? The first disciple and cherished student were indeed both well-meaning.

The river breeze was gentle, the water shimmered, and even in the heart of winter, passengers felt no chill.

This was due to Pushan’s rich foundation, warming the surrounding lands like a natural furnace even when the snows melted.

The Ye clan of Cloud-Grass Hall was also a renowned landowner, possessing countless deeds, including the title to two small nations’ mountains and two great lakes.

The four sat around the table. Chen Pingan crossed his legs, took out his simple bamboo pipe with a white jade mouthpiece carved from a Dragon Whisker River pebble, and pinched a bit of golden tobacco.

Like Old Yang, he smoked only when pondering or when, like today, there was nothing to ponder.

Xiao Mo, bathed in the moonlight, read a collection of literary stories about the strange and mystical, including a legend of the River Pei.

At the river’s source and mouth stood ancient Water God temples, dedicated to the Eastern Sea Matron and Azure Flood Lord. Unusually, locals worshipped both in each temple, like the earth deity and his consort in some earth shrines. According to the book, the goddess at the Pei’s source was once a dragon princess of the Eastern Sea, fond of literature. Unable to “bear words” due to her draconic nature, she would transform into a mortal lady and sail the river with her attendants, hiring scholars to copy texts for her palace library. This attracted the lust of a mountain lord who ordered an ambush at the mouth of the river. His Azure Flood Lord overthrew the dragon barge. The mountain lord, having captured her, built a palace for her at the river’s source, imprisoning her. Whenever she wept, the river flooded. Thus, every decade, he allowed her to gaze at the sea from the temple at the Pei’s mouth, easing her longing.

Xiao Mo drank some Cloud-Mist tea, unique to Pushan and the Pei, and lamented, “Wretched mountain lord, abusing his power for lust! Pitiful dragon princess, yearning for home!”

Chen Pingan chuckled. “Xiao Mo, take a trip to the Azure Flood Shrine at the river mouth. It is only seven or eight hundred miles, a blink away. The truth will be known when you speak to both parties.”

Xiao Mo replied, “Let us wait until the master concludes his business with Pushan. Then I may have an opportunity to visit the Azure Flood Temple.”

Pei Qian said, “Unlike Xiao Mo’s stories, there is another version. It claims the dragon princess was escaping a forced marriage and loved the Azure Flood Lord. She asked the mountain lord to feign a capture. The lord, pitying the star-crossed lovers, agreed, knowing he, as a great mountain lord, could not openly defy the Dragon Palace. Furthermore, his Azure Flood Lord lacked sufficient divine rank for such a noble bride. The Dragon Palace, obsessed with lineage, would never allow the union. Thus, he played the villain.”

Cao Qinglang nodded. “That is more plausible.”

Xiao Mo gasped. “So, the mountain lord is admirable, and the dragon princess and Azure Flood Lord are to be congratulated! Although lacking the title of husband and wife, it is still better than eternal separation.”

Chen Pingan chuckled and puffed his pipe. If Little Rice Grain were here, there would be even more to discuss.

The Cloud-Grass Hall, which they would soon visit, resembled Thunder Lord Temple of Glittering Snow Continent. Though renowned, its art was difficult to spread, its standards high. It was difficult for aspiring martial artists to truly master its depths.

The Cloud-Grass Hall’s legacy was like a Buddhist or Daoist semi-hereditary monastery. It had always been Ye clan’s, like Cloud-Cave Blessed Land’s always being Jiang clan’s. Yeyunyun wore yellow robes, giving her the nickname “Yellow-Clad Yun”.

Earlier, the Mountaintops of Tongye Continent had chosen the ten greatest martial artists in the continent’s history.

Only two were alive: the Martial Saint Wu Shu, with his bamboo sword and wooden spear, and the yellow-clad Ye Yunyun.

A man and a woman, martial titans. They had never fought, as if spring and autumn knew not each other’s existence.

The former preferred to wander the world alone, his reputation mixed. He did not inspire the same fervent devotion as the Yellow-Clad and Pushan did in Tongye.

In private, mountain cultivators resented Wu Shu. The Martial Saint did not stay home and protect his homeland. He had only gained renown in other continent’s mountains and rivers, killing monsters relentlessly, while his homeland was left in ruins.

Pei Qian whispered, “Master, the last time I saw Senior Ye at Yellow Crane Isle, she seemed to be stuck with an ordinary foundation. Even if she barely made the top ten, she should be at the bottom, eighth or ninth at best, not sixth.”

Official Gazette even favored Yellow-Clad Yun, deeming the ranking too low, as she should be after Wu Shu.

Pei Qian found such things ridiculous.

Chen Pingan chuckled. “If you include Grandmaster Ye’s Jade Purity cultivation, sixth is reasonable.”

But if judged solely by martial art, Yunyun would indeed barely make the list.

This was a case of the living bullying the dead.

Wu Shu’s fourth-place ranking was fair.

Even Cloud-Grass Hall’s founder, the genius Ye Yugu, who created its fist art, was only fifth.

In the Ye ancestral shrine, where gods were worshipped, Yugu ranked third. He was revered as an unmoving ancestor.

He had once made a great name in Central Earth Continent, earning the awe-inspiring title, “Alone, he dominated three continents with his fist for two generations.”

The three continents were Tongye, Treasure Bottle and Northern Subarctic Continents. Treasure Bottle Continent had merely been dragged along to make up the numbers.

Chen Pingan believed that at his peak, Ye Yugu had not reached the final realm. He was unable to break through. Having walked the world to attain greatness, to change the realm but to no avail. It was because of this that Ye Yugu then turned to Jade Purity Realm, ascending to the Upper Five Realms as a cultivator. Yugu could then slowly temper his body, seeking to further his martial path.

Yunyun’s wearing yellow reminded Chen Pingan of Little Treasure Bottle.

He wondered what exalted figure or prophecy she was involved in.

Chen Pingan’s thoughts drifted. His Immortality Capital Mountain Azure Duck Sword Sect lacked the “Sword Sect” addition of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, but Cui Dongshan intended to build it into a colossal entity. Naturally, there would be swordsmen, the foundation of a sword sect for a thousand years. But there would be more cultivators, like a flourishing mountain sect should be.

Large mountain peaks often had hundreds or thousands of members, like True Sun Mountain. Treasure Bottle Continent’s Divine Decree Sect had two thousand disciples, thanks to a mid-grade Clear Pond Blessed Land. Some Central Earth Continent sects had tens of thousands, including lower sects, vassals, families, attendants, and servants.

These were divided into Ancestral Hall descendants, inner disciples, and outer disciples, like the imperial city, the royal city, and the outer city, plus surrounding vassal peaks, the capital region, and lower sects, like a second capital.

A mountain without people was like a river without a source.

But a sect without profound arts was like a tree without roots, unable to retain talent.

Chen Pingan had the Rain-Invoking Tablet from beside the buried River God shrine, ideal for land immortals. Many great Mountaintops had ancestral initiation arts that helped disciples quickly awaken and reach Cave Realm, making for rapid and steady ascents. These “opening spells” and “guiding formulas” determined a sect’s foundation and attracted talent.

The Rain-Invoking Spell was a “mid-mountain art” that prevented a sect from becoming stagnant.

Chen Pingan knew of an effective method to solve this issue.

The White-Haired Boy of Riding Dragon Lane, still only an “unranked servant disciple”, had inherited most of Wu Shuangjiang’s memories. Excluding some secrets of Age-Ending Palace, sealed by Wu Shuangjiang with unique techniques, his “miscellaneous knowledge” was vast. The White-Haired Boy was like a library, but Chen Pingan was unwilling to ask the boy to divulge his knowledge.

Konghou, the heavenly demon that used to be the Age-Ending Palace woman cultivator, was only a guest on Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Fallen Phoenix Mountain and Azure Duck Sword Sect had a great future.

A woman at a nearby table frowned and waved, dispelling the smoke.

She had endured the man’s pipe for too long. The drifting smoke had tainted her tea’s fragrance.

But she could not easily speak up. It was like drinking in a tavern. If someone shouted, it was on their own table.

Chen Pingan noticed and put away his pipe, offering an apologetic glance.

The woman smiled and nodded in return.

She then raised her veiled hat in a gesture of acknowledgement.

They were, after all, mountain cultivators traveling. The blue-clad guest’s yielding was rare.

Official Gazette showed that in Northern Subarctic Continent, one would be considered polite not to shout, “What are you looking at!”

Tongye cultivators now preferred Southern Palm-and-Silk Continent. They were unwilling to go north.

Perhaps noticing the blue-clad guest’s meekness, a burly man at another table said, “Little girl, who gave you the right to judge the rankings of martial masters?”

Who would choose this small, broken ship to see the Pei’s scenery if they had money? He and his group were different. They were the noble Prince Yuwen, touring to experience the common folk’s hardships. Otherwise, they would have used a flying talisman vessel. The man, a follower, was a sixth realm martial artist one step from Grandmaster. Being a fan of Yellow-Clad Yun, he could not tolerate a young woman’s ramblings.

If one had the courage, why not challenge Yellow-Clad Yun? They would never see her, not even fight the disciple of Master Xue.

Pei Qian said calmly, “Lineage.”

The handsome prince, their leader, fanned himself and smiled. “May I ask the lady’s name and lineage?”

Pei Qian replied, “In this realm we’re just happenstance. Why ask for names?”

The burly man scoffed. “Who taught you to speak so rudely to Prince Yuwen?”

Pei Qian glanced at him and chuckled. “Fists.”

The man laughed in anger. “Who raised such a shrew!”

Chen Pingan said with a smile, “I did.”

At Wild Cloud Crossing, under Spirit Wall Mountain, Chen Pingan had made an excuse and returned alone. Using Watercloud Body, he visited the prison used to lock cultivators in the prison inside Spirit Wall Mountain to meet the man who tried to grope Pei Qian. He taught him a simple lesson: “If you can’t control your eyes, control your hands.”

He also learned the group’s origins. They served the prince of the Old Great Xia Dynasty. Like them, there were many such imperial retainers sent out to gather money. They had a secret task: to recruit displaced former book keeping immortals, wild cultivators, and outlaw heroes. The Dynasty did not care about one’s background. All one had to do was come to the “capital” and register with the Ministry of Rites to immediately become a Great Xia retainer, eating imperial rations and enjoying official rank.

The traveling immortals found this exchange amusing and less irritating.

Some nearby people were smiling.

Two women gazed at Cao Qinglang, their eyes sparkling.

What a handsome man, refined and scholarly.

The other two men at the table were also fair, especially the one with the jade hairpin and blue robe… but he was a little too old.

Prince Yuwen clasped his fan in both hands and smiled. “No offense intended.”

Chen Pingan raised his cup to them.

The ship approached a dockyard.

Since fists were in Pushan, a foreign warrior’s fame could only be made there.

Near the dock was a waterside stage paved with black and white stones in a Yin-Yang Fish pattern, strong and durable.

Two renowned masters, both Golden Body martial artists, had arranged to meet there to spar.

One, a middle-aged warrior, was struck in the chest by the other, an elderly man, with a hammer fist. The man flew back and crashed into a passing pleasure boat. The old man’s strike was so strong that the vessel was lifted from the water and flipped several times, its passengers falling into the river.

Without a word from his master, Pei Qian was gone. She pressed her palm against the tilting vessel and gently pushed it back onto the water.

The drowning people were pulled back onto the ship by strands of force.

Pei Qian pressed down with her palm, dispersing the waves to avoid affecting their barge.

Returning to the table, before sitting, she saw the two warriors, one on the water, one on the stage, clasping their fists to thank her. The middle-aged warrior earnestly invited her ashore for a chat, but Pei Qian merely returned the gesture, declining.

The book keeping immortals were uneasy, especially the man who had “chatted” with Pei Qian. Only now did he understand lineage, fists, and the meaning of “萍水相逢 不問姓名”.

This young girl was an Ascended Realm martial master!

Chen Pingan joked with the immortals, “It was nothing.”

Prince Yuwen felt both awkward and relieved.

The women who had fancied Cao Qinglang now looked at the man with the jade hairpin. He did not seem so old after all.

Sadly, all mirror-flower-water-moon techniques were forbidden in Pushan.

Furthermore, Cloud-Grass Hall disciples focused on cultivation and were forbidden from reading news.

The closing of Gazette had little effect on them. Only those who descended the mountain would feel regret.

The rules were strict, the customs firm. No one dared violate them.

Chen Pingan disembarked at a dockyard, leaving twenty miles of mountain road to the Cloud-Grass Hall.

Pushan itself was not a great mountain, perhaps smaller than a small nation’s heir apparent’s mountain.

Prince Yuwen’s group was meant to disembark here, carrying a secret letter from the emperor to Master Xue of the Cloud-Grass Hall.

But the prince hesitated and decided to disembark at another dock. A little detour was a small price to pay for the beautiful scenery.

Xiao Mo, carrying his bamboo chest and walking staff, asked, “Master, is it rare to see sects that cultivate both magic and martial arts?”

Chen Pingan smiled and pointed to Pei Qian. “Ask her. She has traveled to more continents.”

Pei Qian was embarrassed. She had traveled to many continents, but only as a tourist. She had to half her numbers, while her master doubled his.

Seeing Xiao Mo waiting, Pei Qian said, “The Cloud-Grass Hall’s path is rare. But if a disciple forms a core or reaches Golden Body, they must choose one path unless they are geniuses approved by the Ancestral Hall. In Central Earth Continent, there is a small sect where all swordsmen are talisman masters. In Glittering Armor Continent, there was a sect like Cloud-Grass, but with the addition of alchemy. It was destroyed by demons, leaving only ten disciples and one land immortal. Their masters all died in battle. Without a protector, it is hard for them to rebuild.”

Pei Qian had fought alongside them in Glittering Armor Continent.

She had saved their young land immortal.

Chen Pingan explained, “Many Cloud-Grass stances are profound, originating from the six ancient ‘immortal paintings’: Gazing at Waterfall, Offering Sacrifices, Beating Silk, Plucking Qin, Scholar on Promenade, and Scooping Moon with Bamboo Basket. The Cloud-Grass Hall has evolved these into over sixty stances and techniques: ‘stances from paintings, fists to paintings.'”

Such sects were rare. Cultivating both magic and martial arts strengthened the body, but there were drawbacks. Cloud-shrouded Pushan had not become a Sect, although having both superior magic and fist techniques, despite having had two opportunities. The first was when founder Ye Yugu entered Jade Purity and visited a friend.

He was ambushed and gravely wounded, but never revealed the assailant. This was a millennium-old mystery.

Now, Tongye was revisiting the past. Tongye Sect, during the years that they were led by the famously small minded Durmont, was afraid that the Ye Yugu would reach immortal realm. Tongye sect made it so that Yugu lost his realm, passing shortly after.

The other opportunity was Yeyunyun. Besides being a Zenith martial artist, she was also a reclusive Jade Purity cultivator. But she was delayed by the war. After entering the Upper Five Realms, she casually mentioned it to the Ancestral Hall and forbade them from revealing it. She did not even want to inform Great Downstroke Academy. Clearly, Pushan had no intention of becoming a Sect.

Pushan seemed to lack something. Perhaps it was fate.

In compensation, Yunyun received the seventh immortal painting: a valuable Wall-Facing Picture.

Jiang Shangzhen mentioned it, a picture of a Buddhist monk wearing a Daoist crown, holding a jade tablet, facing a wall.

The wall had a rubbing of a bronze cauldron and thousands of ancient inscriptions.

Pei Qian chuckled. “Master, since Yellow Court has returned home, when shall we visit her?”

She liked the Daoist nun, who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, unlike Sui Right.

Chen Pingan replied, “We will return to Immortality Capital Mountain first, then go to Little Dragon Waterfall.”

Walking on a quiet road to the Pushan gates,

Chen Pingan took out his pipe and pondered why Pushan had survived the devastation.

The sects of Mountaintop were devastated. Jade Wall Sect had few survivors.

The Great Spring Dynasty retreated, defending Mirage City.

Only Pushan had fought a few meaningless battles. Some demon generals had watched, but for some reason, did not attack.

Otherwise, Yunyun would not have fought in the Great Spring Dynasty.

Cui Dongshan said that Wenhai Zhoumi had high hopes for Pushan,

Chen Pingan understood the connection to pure martial artists and the reopening of the divine path.

But Tongye cultivators ignored this, attributing Pushan’s fortune to ancestral blessings.

Approaching the gates, Chen Pingan identified himself to the guards, adding his Immortality Capital Mountain affiliation.

The guards had been informed. Having only heard of “Cao Mo”, they told “Cao Immortal Master” to wait and sent a paper crane.

Xiao Mo looked at the symbol. It was a familiar Pushan talisman, a woman riding a crane.

Soon, two people came to greet them.

Xue Huai, an Ascended Realm warrior, looked refined and wore a headscarf.

He was a martial master, but known as Master Xue.

Beside Xue Huai was an old Nascent Soul cultivator with a duster.

As a protector, Xue Huai had met Cao Mo and Zheng Qian at Yellow Crane Isle in Cloud-Cave Blessed Land.

As one of Yunyun’s disciples, Xue Huai, like Golden Peak Abbey’s Lu Ying, was a protector for many youths.

Yunyun had wanted to challenge Cao Mo, but he claimed to be her junior and refused.

His good friend Jiang Shangzhen had told her that Cao Mo had declined three times.

Since he was Qian’s master, Xue Huai thought no less of him.

His disciple had fought demons and saved lives in Glittering Armor and Treasure Bottle Continents. Besides, his disciple fought against Cao Ci. Xue Huai did not think he could have done what this disciple did.

Covering long distances, Xue Huai had seen Cao Qinglang and Xiao Mo.

Xue Huai apologized, “Immortal Master Cao, my master has gone traveling with a friend. The Ancestral Hall has sent a flying sword message. She will return within an hour.”

The old Nascent Soul Immortal, Tang Rong, said, “Greetings, Immortal Master Cao. I am now the law enforcer of Pushan.”

It was not easy for the old Immortal Master to be so polite. Tang Rong was known for his strictness in the Ancestral Hall. Yellow-Clad Yun did not manage things, so Tang Rong had to enforce the rules.

Furthermore, Pushan owed a debt to this Cao, Qinghu Palace’s Lu Yong had delivered two furnaces of Feather Coat Pills without accepting a single immortal coin.

Yunyun said that Cao had helped connect Pushan to Azure Tiger Palace.

Chen Pingan chuckled, “I have heard that Law Enforcer Tang is a master of stone inscriptions, possessing thousands of seals. I must visit Law Enforcer Tang’s Thousand Golds and Ten Thousand Stones Hall.”

“Did not think that Immortal Master Cao would be interested in this?”

Tang Rong’s smile widened. He was proud of his book collection.

Tang Rong led the group of guests to the guest area on the cloud sea near the Ancestral Hall.

Only honored guests were allowed here. Among the deep clouds was a lush, ancient tree surrounded by a white jade railing.

Cloud-Grass Hall disciples were talented in all arts, thanks to this place.

Along the way, he chatted happily with Immortal Master Cao. He initially thought that the guest was offering platitudes to get on his good side. Instead, he felt more in common with Cao who criticized and gave feedback on a variety of lesser-known inscriptions. Cao did not cram before the trip.

Xiao Mo then understood that all talents would be used eventually.

Pei Qian glanced at someone, as if asking if that was the case.

Cao Qinglang was helpless. He missed Senior Apprentice Sister Guo.

If Guo Zhujiu were here, Pei Qian would be the one troubled.

When the tree’s flowers bloomed, exquisite girls appeared within each flower, transformed from plants.

Such scenes consumed spiritual energy. Even Tang Rong and Xue Huai could not see it whenever they wanted. The patriarchs of Pushan had always been respectful to these beings, and they were not to be disturbed. The flowers, not in the mood to perform, laid around and stayed still. During the past visit from Elder Xun Yuan of Jade Wall sect, such a scene occurred.

During the last bloom, insults echoed. Many flowers glared and spat at Jiang Shangzhen.

The new sect master chased the “rainwater” while bowing and offering thanks.

He then said, “Good rain knows the season, but it needs me to grow.”

Such guests should not visit.

Thus, before descending, Law Enforcer Tang had warned them. He said that the Cao had no connection to Jiang Shangzhen and was willing to help. He had mentioned the Qinghu Palace pills and “Zheng Qian”. The spirits were eager.

The white clouds were like a blanket on the sky, as bright as day.

After the guests were seated, the old Immortal took out a jade-colored bronze chime and tapped it three times.

The flowers bloomed, and flower maidens danced, played music, and sang ancient songs. They were an inch tall, with celestial brows and ancient hairstyles, wearing smoky dresses, skirts, and sleeves. Their fragrance swirled in the air.

When the spectacle ended, Chen Pingan thanked the tree fairies. Xiao Mo followed suit.

One girl, wearing a white jade seal and crown, walked over and asked, “Immortal Master Cao, I have heard from Enforcer Tang you are from Jade Wall Sect? Do you know the warlord Jiang?”

Tang Rong was worried.

Chen Pingan did not hesitate. “Cao Mo is a nobody in Jade Wall. I am not honored to know Elder Jiang.”

My Fallen Phoenix Mountain has only Chief Zhou, no Jiang Shangzhen.

The girl seemed doubtful and then shook her head. “Men.”

She asked no further.

Pushan’s wine was even more famous than its tea, called Little Hundred Flowers Brew.

It was given, not sold. Pushan was not short on money.

The mountain’s seventy-odd leases earned plenty of rent. So the patriarch who managed the money was always the most relaxed. At the last patriarch meeting about collecting rent after the war, Yeyunyun had only said, “Forget it.”

She generally did not manage the clan but was listened to.

Pushan soon announced that all successors would be exempt from rent for a century.

As Yeyunyun returned to the mountain, Tang Rong again thanked Cao for the pills.

He had only mentioned that Pushan wanted to buy pills and did not expect Qinghu Palace to give them, perhaps because Master Lu approved of Pushan’s customs.

Tang Rong and Xue Huai knew the truth, but it helped Pushan save face.

They mentioned Wu Shu’s disciple, the Golden Body warrior Guo Bailu.

Xue Huai praised him, certain he would achieve greatness. A twenty-year-old Golden Body was destined for greatness.

Chen Pingan nodded. “Guo Bailu has a bright future.”

Pei Qian sat straight-backed, expressionless.

All pure warriors and cultivators agreed that Cao Ci was at the front, leading the pack.

After him were Qian, Yu Juanfu, and Guo Bailu, all recent “strongest” youths.

Xue Huai hesitated and decided not to spar with Zheng Qian. He was a guest. It would be rude to fight before he met their master.

Besides, the result was clear.

Xue Huai did not think he could last twenty moves against Zheng Qian.

Could he last ten?

As they chatted, Yunyun had still not returned. Tang Rong led Cao and the others to his Thousand Golds and Ten Thousand Stones Hall.

Common guests were not allowed here. Cherished seals were arrogant. He did not show his beauty to the blind.

When Pushan mentioned that he was still missing the Hundred Sword and Two Hundred Sword seal books, he lamented.

He had already contacted two intercontinental ferry managers to buy them at any price from the mountain in Glittering Snow Continent.

One of the managers who had been to Inverted Mountain said that if he had met the Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall in person, he would have asked that the hidden official give a copy, and was proud that he had sat in the same seat.

At that time Enforcer Tang had to pretend he was not smiling when the ferry manager gave a long winded speech.

At that moment the old immortal had not realized that other than Cao who had the normal expression, the other three guests were looking strange.

—

A Yellow Clad female with her two friends were sitting in the springwater shrine and drinking tea. She frowned at the tea, “Who set this price?”

Ye Yunyun was visiting with Kou Xuanqu, to talk about her coming travel on the River Pei.

Sitting across from Kou Xuanqu was a slender girl, with a crane cloak. She was over 100 years old, the current owner of White Dragon Cave.

The last female was Ye Xuanji, who was used to wearing her Dragon Lady Skirt. She glanced at her precious Mingzhu hand string.

Xu Qingzhu said, “I need to go back to the mountain and cultivate, I will be unable to come here and protect Kou Xuanqu.”

Kou Xuanqu raised her hand and laughed, “How can I dare to have you protect me, if in the future I am able to travel the lands, then I will bother you.”

Ye Yunyun did not allow Kou Xuanqu to come with them as the three walked near the spring.

Xu Qingzhu touched Ye Xuanji’s head, “I will ask, you did not bring Gazette when coming outside?”

Ye Yunyun said, “As long as you do not bring Gazette back to the mountain is fine.”

Ye Xuanji with mouthed off that, about the other people in the surrounding lands.

Hearing this Xu Qingzhu opened up laughed, “Yunyun, that young mountain master is about the same road as you, being a Cultivator, still a Martial Expert.”

Ye Yunyun shaking her head, “We differ a great deal, he is not only a cultivator, and a sword expert. I, if I were to spar with him, the victory will be slim.”

Xu Qingzhu laughed, “Those words should be you that is saying.”

She was jealous, “I did not move, and already offended the Grand Marshal of Daquan dynasty, the one with the name of Yao.”

Ye Yunyun with straightforward words, “That is because your house is large and short on people.”

Xu Qingzhu twisted Ye Yunyun’s arm.

Ye Yunyun, brows with worries, much more than what she knew, there were more that Ye Yunyun knew of.

Some secrets, could not be told to others.

That Guo Bailu, had just left, yet faced an assault, but was saved by Jiang Shangzhen.

After that Wu Shu quickly returned and was prepared to ask for a spar. This time she rejected the duel.

It was not because of her disciple, but she was worried that that some sort of event was going to happen.

This was thanks to Jiang Shangzhen warning her early. She began to organize the threads of the events, a picture, only showing a side profile.

It gave a feeling of, “If you were to live in two different era, no one will accept the other.”

Thus the rumours was spreading around, that Cloud Grass hall would soon have to seclude themselves, not only was there an issue within the sects, the political climates around them had changed and thus a move had to be made.

Ye Yunyun said to herself, “Could Pushan have to undo the restrictions of newspapers?”

Tongye, can no longer be the old Tongye.

“Other than the central lands are of a middle or bottom continent,” it has since turned into a great joke.

In the past the local officials had to show respect to those who had travelled from the central capital.

Now it was reversed for those who met the others, it was quite infuriating.

Ye Xuanji said softly, “Ancestral Grandma, the papers said the Chen Sword expert who was a mountain master was wearing jade, and his disciple, seems to be call Pei Qian, Earn Money, waste money.”

Ye Yunyun glared, “Read more books, and cultivate more.”

Ye Yunyun raised her hand, looked over at it, as she finished looked she told her friend. “Ruin Yue, are the guests that is coming to the mountain? Is it because of me that you have to come over to greet them?”

Xu Qingzhu smiled, “I change my mind, I will travel with you, how does the master look like, how old is he, does he have a Dao Partner?”

Ye Yunyun said, “Lets move.”

Lastly with Xu Qingzhu a thousand miles out, she told her friend. ” I will soon have to secluded myself so will have to let you go, stay well.”

Though the speed of the journey was not fast, seeing the sword in her waist.

She had to get back so there was nothing for her to do.

It was the place to greet the guest.

Chen Pingan only allowed Xiao Mo at the side to look at the scenery, Pei Qian and Cao Qinglang had already set up two neighbouring houses.

Chen Pingan and the Yellow Clad female met and started to chat.

They started to chat about how, fallen phoenix, set the stage, to bring in the power of the new sects, with Ye to travel, to attend.

Jiang Shangzhen, had to return to fallen phoenix again.

Ye Yunyun did not doubt anything, so that was how, and now how the guy with blue garments was with Shangzhen.

“The great task to establish the power with, the other to the outside, is that the plan?”

Chen Pingan shake his head, “Those are not the plans, it is only how it feels.”

Ye Yunyun a slight frown, it was not that he was telling nonsense.

Chen Pingan continued, “I tell, I talk to the outside, I tell it, to be about the place that it is, not about the chess, or the battle, to make the world, not about the plan.”

Ye Yunyun asking, “So it is much like chess, to be Chen to have it so what is.”

Talk about it, how could it be.

Chen Pingan no words, looked forward.

Ye Yunyun after having taken alcohol, “Chen, I ask well, not you to have it, but I take the world, or not you to have it?”

To have so that to have, not to have it, to ask for the heart to