From the vessel’s plank, the travelers disembarked at the ethereal ferry of Ink Line Crossing. The landing, a cluster of structures rebuilt in the wake of war, resembled a fledgling town. A tranquil river bisected it, its surface unrippled, its banks lined with shops languishing in somber quiet. The ferry’s name arose from the elusive aquatic beings that once thrived here: neither fish nor serpent, they were creatures near impossible to capture, for they perished upon exposure to air. Slender of form, their backs bore a stripe of purest black, and they swam in formations that resembled meandering ink lines upon a watery canvas. But the great wars had taken their toll, and these unique creatures had vanished, leaving Ink Line Crossing a name bereft of its origin.

Yellow-robed Yeyun, with her disciple Xuehuai and two esteemed guests from Pu Mountain, prepared to attend the inaugural ceremony at Immortal Capital Mountain.

The old crone and the maiden who accompanied Yeyun were none other than the proprietor of the matrimonial teahouse by the banks of the Crimson Scale River.

The crone, now calling herself Qiudu, was in truth an ancient Flood Dragon of nearly five millennia, once a privileged instructress within the ancient Grand Waterway Dragon Palace, a confidante of royalty, wielding considerable power akin to a high-ranking law master among mountain immortals.

The maiden, named Huchuling but fondly nicknamed Vinegar, was unlike her elder. She hailed not from the realms of spirits and sprites but was a local of the Crimson Scale River, descended from generations of skilled quarrymen. Possessing exceptional potential, she had been assessed by Qiudu for her talents, temperament, and virtue, ultimately becoming her chosen disciple. Their bond was more familial than formal, akin to a loving grandmother and grandchild.

Qiudu, ever cautious, remained in the vicinity of the Crimson Scale River even after the departure of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Old Immortal and the Azure-robed Sword Immortal. She made a point to visit Yeyun at Pu Mountain’s Cloud Grass Hall to express her gratitude. She presented a gift of thousands of pounds of exquisite Crimson Scale River stones, knowing that in the Tongye Continent, both native and foreign cultivators harbored unfriendly sentiments toward demons. Mercenary cultivators hunted and slew any surviving demons, collecting bounties from the academies for their deeds.

Cloud Grass Hall accepted the gift, understanding the implicit message. Yeyun, in return, penned a letter to Headmaster Cheng of Great Fubo Academy, vouching for Qiudu’s character. This was a gesture of significant goodwill, as any transgression by Qiudu would be the responsibility of Pu Mountain and Yeyun before the Academy.

Soon after, Cloud Grass Hall received a swift-traveling sword message from Cuidongshan of Immortal Capital Mountain, a talented disciple of Chen Pingan. He extended an invitation for the old crone and the maiden to visit his home. The missive bore both his personal seal and the unique insignia of the Three Mountains Scholar.

Yeyun conveyed this to Qiudu, who was visiting the mountain. Immortal Capital Mountain, soon to become a formal sect, extended a welcoming hand to the pair.

The invitation was clearly an attempt to recruit them.

Qiudu pondered the offer and decided to visit Immortal Capital Mountain with Vinegar to assess the situation. “A moving tree survives,” she said, referring to the benefits of relocation. Qiudu had confined herself to the Crimson Scale River for millennia and now sought a change of scenery. Securing a secure mountain identity for Vinegar would also be a blessing. Though the life of an immortal registered in the ancestral hall was filled with restrictions, becoming a guest elder was the best option, providing both protection and freedom.

Yeyun had yet to reveal Chen Pingan’s multiple identities to Qiudu.

He was the master of Fallen Mountain on Treasure Bottle Continent, the closed-door disciple of the Sage of Literature, and the last Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall. And, of course, the partner of Ningyao.

All would be revealed upon their visit to Immortal Capital Mountain.

When Yeyun appeared at the ferry, even the listless stallkeepers, passively awaiting customers, raised their voices in enthusiastic sales cries.

Shopkeepers abandoned their counters and congregated at their doorways, whistling appreciatively.

But when someone recognized the visitor as Yeyun of Pu Mountain, they fell silent, scattering like frightened birds.

To offend a female martial artist of the Pinnacle Realm would be foolish. She could likely reduce Ink Line Crossing to rubble with a few punches.

Yeyun glanced at the river, devoid of its signature inhabitants, and asked, “Mama Qiudu, these creatures thrived here for ages. Are they gone entirely, devoured by the savage demons?”

The old crone glanced at a young shopkeeper seated by his door, sunning himself. Their eyes met, but the old crone spoke aloud rather than with a silent thought, “They are merely hiding. Their true name is Mountain Bearing Fish, a descendant of the Ink Dragon. The scrolls do not record them, for they were stricken from the Water Spirit Jade Register by the ancient Grand Waterway Dragon Palace. The mundane rulers could not legitimize them. Even if they successfully traveled the waters, they could not evolve into Dragons, their path to the Great Dao forever blocked. They could only scrape by.”

“Long ago, a Mountain Bearing Fish nearing immortal transformation into a Dragon had a bitter feud with a lakeside Dragon Palace, a branch of the Grand Waterway. Desperate, it chose a rainy day during the yellow plum season to travel the waters, without reporting to the Grand Waterway Dragon Palace. It hoped to form a Golden Elixir, but news leaked, and the process was sabotaged, causing a flood that devastated thousands of miles along the banks, claiming countless lives. The Grand Waterway Dragon King was enraged that one of his subjects had violated Heavenly law and sought to execute it. The Mountain Bearing Fish fled here, seeking refuge with a mountain cultivator blessed with great fortune, concealing its aura to avoid capture. In return, it helped the sect accumulate the ferry’s aquatic fortunes, waiting until the Battle to Cut the Dragon ended before revealing itself.”

The young shopkeeper questioned silently, “Old hag, you are unkind! We are both from the Grand Waterway and should be mountain allies. Why the sabotage? Do you plan to use me to curry favor with Yeyun and Great Fubo Academy? Did your trip to Ink Line Crossing target me?”

The old crone smiled silently, “A mere Mountain Bearing Fish, failing to evolve into an Ink Dragon, barely managed to form an elixir and has stagnated at the Nascent Soul Realm for years! If you knew my true identity, you would not dare speak so boldly. Since you claim kinship as former subjects of the Grand Waterway, and because you did not stray down the path of serving the savage lands, I advise you to report to the Great Fubo Academy. Otherwise, you may regret it when the Academy’s Gentlemen come knocking. Of course, you are welcome to join Pu Mountain; I can assist with the introduction.”

Years ago, the Mountain Bearing Fish had avoided punishment from the Grand Waterway Dragon Palace only due to the intercession of an Ink Dragon and the old crone’s plea to the Dragon Princess. Could a mere earthly immortal on a small mountain protect it otherwise?

The young man scoffed, “A true man does not serve beneath a skirt.”

Yeyun noticed the exchange. “Mama Qiudu, what did you discuss with him?”

The old crone replied, “A little Mountain Bearing Fish with ambitions too high to depend on others.”

Yeyun smiled. “Having regained his freedom, and as a Nascent Soul cultivator, he can claim a territory and found a sect after the Academy approves his background. He is his own pillar, and indeed needs not depend on another.”

Her companion was an exception, accustomed to being an aide in a Dragon Palace.

It was a generally accepted truth among the mountains that mere cultivation strength did not qualify one to found a sect.

Many fledgling sects start strong but quickly fade.

Even if her own Cloud Grass Hall’s Law Master Tanrong reached the Upper Five Realms, he could not leave Pu Mountain to start his own sect. Experienced Nascent Soul cultivators would never even consider such a thing.

The statesmen who aided in founding dynasties shared the same mindset: unwilling, unable, and unthinking.

The young man seemed to change his mind suddenly and sent a silent message, “Old Aunt, if Yellow-robed Yeyun is willing to form a Daoist partnership, I might be persuaded to join Pu Mountain.”

The old crone chuckled.

She did not relay the offer directly to Yeyun but instead implied that the Mountain Bearing Fish esteemed the Mountain Master.

Yeyun smiled wryly.

After strolling through the desolate shops of the ferry town, mindful of the earlier incident with the immortal painting, Yeyun resolved only to look and not buy. Finally, they found a secluded spot, where she produced a five-colored paper boat from her sleeve. She cast it upon the waters of Ink Line Crossing, and as if a phoenix had plunged into the sea, the river rippled, revealing an Upper Grade talisman boat, a two-story vessel capable of carrying over thirty people. Compared to the expensive and rare Flowing Haze Boat, the Colored Phoenix ferry boat was the preferred choice of female immortal cultivators in the Tongye Continent, provided they could afford the Valley Rain coins. However, it was unsuitable for long voyages as it consumed too many immortal coins.

The private ferry began its journey across the southern lands of a former dynasty. Immortal Capital Mountain lay about two thousand li distant, a direct path over mountains and rivers. By ordinary transportation, the journey would more than double.

The vessel ascended, turning the world into a miniature diorama.

Yeyun, in her yellow robes, stood at the prow, sleeves fluttering, an ethereal vision.

Xuehuai looked at his teacher with one thought: it will be difficult to find a future teacher-consort.

The Law Master Tanrong, burdened by Pu Mountain affairs, would arrive later.

When the old Nascent Soul found out that the Senior Immortal Cao, whom he had met in his Thousand Gold Myriad Stone Studio, was the real owner of the Hundred Sword Immortal Register and the Two Hundred Sword Immortal Register, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Upon recovering, he bitterly reproached the Mountain Master for not informing him earlier. Otherwise, he would have had prepared brushes, ink, paper and a collection of seals, and would have forced the Young Hidden Official to stay.

Yeyun could hardly explain that she had only learned of Senior Immortal Cao’s true identity a few days before him.

The old Law Master was like a jilted lover, his eyes resentful, his words repetitive, complaining to Yeyun.

The Mountain Master had wronged him!

Had he known earlier, he would have obtained several masterpieces and a dozen seals from the Hidden Official. Now, a golden opportunity had slipped through his fingers. How could he make amends? He would be a mere guest at Immortal Capital Mountain; how could he shamelessly ask for anything?

The Mountain Master was foolish!

She had to compensate him for this loss and collect works of art and seals from the Hidden Official. He would only be responsible for accepting gifts. If she returned empty-handed, he would not be so willing to serve as a thankless Law Master any longer.

Yeyun was not threatened by Tanrong’s words but could not understand his obsession with the sword registers over the young Sword Immortal’s past military accomplishments at the Summer Retreat Palace.

Somewhat vexed, Yeyun discussed the matter with her disciple Xuehuai using voice transmission. “Do I really have to ask Chen Pingan for seals at Immortal Capital Mountain? I cannot bring myself to do it. Perhaps you could?”

Xuehuai smiled. “It is not difficult for me, but the stakes are high. The Hidden Official personally visited Pu Mountain, which inflated Law Master Tan’s expectations. In my opinion, it only takes a few words…”

Sensing his teacher’s change in expression, Xuehuai quickly changed his tone. “If it is truly embarrassing for you, I can bring up the topic with Headmaster Chen, and you can chime in. Given Headmaster Chen’s character, he will surely not let you be troubled by Law Master Tan.”

Then Xuehuai attempted to smooth things over. “Law Master Tan has been obsessed with calligraphy and seal carving all his life. He cares more about these things than cultivation. It is like a young poet meeting the greatest poet in the world, or a songwriter meeting Su Shi or Liu Yong. You should understand. As for his threats, do not take them seriously. He is just bargaining.”

At this point, Xuehuai laughed. “Master, let’s make a bet. I bet Headmaster Chen has already anticipated this and is waiting for you or Law Master Tan to bring it up.”

Yeyun did not respond but asked curiously, “Xuehuai, do you think highly of Chen Pingan?”

Xuehuai smiled slightly. “We are both scholars.”

“I have been fortunate to cultivate at Pu Mountain and have attended many ceremonies, meeting countless reclusive experts. But I have never encountered a Daoist like Headmaster Chen. It is refreshing.”

“If I had to describe Headmaster Chen in one sentence, it would be…”

After a pause, the old scholar nodded and smiled. “A man of dignified presence, warmth upon approach, respectful and composed.”

Yeyun said, “High praise indeed.”

It was late in the year, less than half a month before the sect’s inaugural ceremony.

Yeyun had a selfish reason for traveling to Immortal Capital Mountain early.

She wanted to spar with Chen Pingan in a fair match.

Yeyun was young among the martial artists of the Pinnacle Realm. Her peers, Wushu from her homeland, Zhang Tiaoxia from Middle Earth Divine Continent, Wang Fushuo from North Ju Lu Continent, and Pei Xiang from the Thunder Temple of Ai Ai Continent, were all much older.

Yeyun wanted to know just how heavy a pure martial artist’s fists could be, how profound his philosophy, how advanced his skill, when he had fought Cao Ci and was about the same age.

As the colorful boat entered the sea of clouds, the surrounding mist was refreshing.

The old crone was white-haired and hunched.

She had once held the Golden Edict Rain Talisman, revealing her true form, soaring through the clouds and mist, bringing rain to the lands and rivers, showering them with life-giving moisture.

The maiden beside her held a hand warmer made of purple copper, woven with bamboo strips.

The group gazed down at the earth. In the sparsely populated areas, the verdant mountains and rivers remained unchanged, but along the major rivers, the once-grand cities and towns were now ruins, a desolate sight.

Yeyun could not help but ask, “Has the Great Abyss Yuan Clan not yet restored its nation?”

Otherwise, with the former Great Yuan Dynasty’s foundation, after so many years of recuperation, the people would not be so destitute and lifeless.

She felt increasingly that Cloud Grass Hall should not only lift the ban on mountain and water reports but also establish an institution to collect mountain and water reports.

Xuehuai sighed, explaining to his teacher that the former Great Yuan Dynasty had long been fragmented. The land was now divided into three, with three members of the imperial clan proclaimed as emperors. The Great Yuan Dynasty was one of the few dynasties in the Tongye Continent that dared to resist the tidal wave of savage demons. It had amassed its armies to defend the borders and the capital, but at least seven cities, including the capital, were destroyed. The losses were devastating. Compared to the formerly equivalent Yu Dynasty, it could not compare.

The old capital, now a ghost town filled with ominous energy, was avoided by cultivators below the Earth Immortal Realm, save for ghost cultivators.

“Besides a few teams led by Academy Gentlemen and registered cultivators from the various mountains who entered the ghost cities to search for hidden demons, the three dividing powers have also sent servants, protected by cultivators, to gather corpses and hold water and land ceremonies to release the souls of the dead, but the effects are small.”

In addition, some wild cultivators, under the guise of searching the mountains, would scavenge for treasure. Some of the former residences of noble families might still hold hidden treasures, but they strictly adhered to the rule of entering at sunrise and leaving at sunset, lest they become trapped in the city and become new ghosts.

Ordinary Jianghu martial artists, with their strong yang energy, would not dare to enter on their own but might assist the scattered cultivators and receive a share of the profits.

They usually entered during the peak of summer’s yang energy. In the cold of winter, most would stay at least a hundred li away from ghost cities.

Yeyun asked, “Have our Pu Mountain disciples been here?”

Although Pu Mountain disciples mostly worked in the southern Tongye Continent, cooperating with the academies and Jade Decree Sect, Yeyun was still distressed by the sight of the ghost cities of the former Yu Dynasty.

Xuehuai shook his head. “Not yet.”

Tongye Continent was too large, almost twice the size of Treasure Bottle Continent. Moreover, Tongye Continent did not have the Dali Dynasty, the Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan, or an invincible iron cavalry. There was no submissiveness between mountain immortals and human dynasties, and no grand proclamation of the law of one kingdom standing as the highest of laws.

Yeyun said, “After attending the Immortal Capital Mountain ceremony, we will travel through these ghost cities and see if there are any powerful ghosts trying to gather ghostly armies to disturb the mortal realm.”

If successful, the ghost cities of the former Great Yuan Dynasty would form pocket dimensions akin to ancient battlefields, and the living would be corrupted by the malevolent energy. If the ghost cities formed a symbiotic connection, it would be even more troublesome. Yeyun did not blame the Academy. The three new academies had been busy responding to various emergencies, leaving no time for scholarly pursuits. They were exhausted from searching the mountains and repairing the old lands. Academy disciples had already suffered many casualties.

Xuehuai hesitated. “Even if the ghosts in the cities are malevolent, they were once pitiful and admirable people.”

Yeyun sighed. “I know, but what else can we do? We cannot allow the city’s spirits to be tainted by the malevolent energy year after year. If we delay any longer, even if the overwhelmed academies manage to find the time, they will only be able to cleanse the ghost cities, which would be a new massacre.”

Xuehuai worried. “It is very troublesome to resettle those spirits.”

Except for Middle Earth Divine Continent, there were no ghost Daoist sects in Tongye Continent. At most, some large sects with many branches might create a few mountains for ghosts to cultivate. Unless a Sky Ascendant Great Cultivator who specialized in ghost Dao willingly diminished their own cultivation to perform a grand spell to cleanse the land, the situation was hopeless.

But there were no Sky Ascendants, much less ghost Dao experts, in Tongye Continent.

However, there were rumors of an unidentified cultivator who appeared on the battlefield in Tongye Continent years ago, leading an army of heroic spirits to resist an army of skeletons led by Baiying, the former king of the savage lands.

But even in the abandoned cities, despite the heavy malevolent energy, the sense of defilement was surprisingly absent.

The old crone said silently, “Vinegar, let me tell you in advance: even if you like Immortal Capital Mountain, no matter how good the conditions are, we will only be guest elders with nominal titles. Do not become monks.”

The maiden asked curiously, “Why?”

The old crone did not explain but patted the maiden’s head.

Ideally, they should join Pu Mountain’s Cloud Grass Hall.

Yellow-robed Yeyun was trustworthy, and Pu Mountain had an excellent reputation. Yeyun’s Dao Heart was like a clear spring, pure and trustworthy.

However, as Pu Mountain had not actively recruited them, Qiudu did not want to offer herself and Vinegar.

The Azure-robed Sword Immortal, though courteous at the riverside teahouse, remained inscrutable.

Furthermore, Immortal Capital Mountain seemed to ignore the ghost cities plagued by malevolent energy.

To mountain cultivators, a few thousand li was like walking a few steps to a neighbor’s house.

Since Immortal Capital Mountain was establishing a sect, it must possess considerable resources. Was this a case of “sweeping one’s own doorstep and ignoring the frost on another’s roof?”

One could not say that Immortal Capital Mountain was wrong. Why should cultivators sully themselves with red dust?

But Qiudu could not help but wonder if Immortal Capital Mountain’s practices were righteous, and she did not want Vinegar to be exploited.

Joining a mountain sect was easy, but leaving was difficult.

In the Grand Waterway Dragon Palace, Qiudu had witnessed countless power struggles between colleagues, mountains, and immortals.

Cultivators with bad reputations might not necessarily be evil, while those with good reputations could be hypocrites.

Vinegar, with her extraordinary talent, would not end up in a bad situation.

Not only Pu Mountain but even the Jade Decree Sect could accept her as a registered disciple. It would be a great loss if Vinegar could not become a sword cultivator. Entering the God Script Peak and becoming a direct disciple of Sect Master Weiying was entirely possible.

Therefore, the old crone would not allow herself to push Vinegar into a fire pit.

If necessary, she would swallow her pride and help Vinegar change her Dao lineage to join Pu Mountain Cloud Grass Hall as a direct disciple.

Anyway, she could no longer teach her anything, and their Dao paths were different. Many of the life-bound secret techniques that dragons could skillfully control would only waste Vinegar’s time. Unlike demons, human cultivators prized rapid progress in the early stages of cultivation. It did not matter if Vinegar was not her disciple.

The old crone reached out her withered hand and gently took the maiden’s sleeve, her eyes filled with affection. “They say choosing a teacher is like being reborn, and a woman’s mountain cultivation is like marriage. This teacher is old and cannot reach the Great Dao, so I must help Vinegar find a good home so I can rest easy.”

There was also a secret matter that the old crone did not reveal to Vinegar: the usual Dragon Palace ruins were merely submerged.

Her Grand Waterway Dragon Palace was different from those of the land-based rivers and lakes. Its status was higher, making the opening of the ruins more difficult.

Had the Lingshui Pit of Lady Dan closed, even Fire Dragon True Man could not forcibly open it.

As an instructor in the Grand Waterway Dragon Palace, Qiudu, unlike the Mountain Bearing Fish who was a side branch of the Grand Waterway Golden Jade, was of orthodox origin. Qiudu was the key to opening the secret realms of the Dragon Palace.

Yeyun did not mention this, but the old crone trusted her judgment and character. Pu Mountain was not setting a long line to catch a big fish.

Immortal Capital Mountain sent an invitation immediately after the Sword Immortal Chen left.

The old crone had to weigh the pros and cons. Before the true dragon of Treasure Bottle Continent announced its presence to the world, she would visit her homeland to gather the abandoned Dragon Palaces.

Qiudu would not dare to claim everything, but she would select one or two-tenths of the Dragon Palace treasures that were easy to carry as Vinegar’s dowry.

In the ghost city of the former Yu Dynasty, a colorful boat flew overhead.

Within a ruined mansion, two uninvited guests had just arrived.

On the beam, there were two jugs of wine, a plate of salted peanuts, and a plate of fried soybeans.

The poor scholar picked up a peanut, tossed it high, caught it in his mouth, and glanced at the fat man beside him. “You should get down. You might break the beam.”

The fat man pouted. “I won’t. I can sit on the Dragon Throne. Can’t I sit on a small beam? The ancestors of this family must be smiling in their graves to have me grace their home.”

It was Zhongkui and the Great Master from Gusu.

They had visited the Land God Temple and wandered here.

There was a bit of righteous energy within the ghost city.

It kept the minds of the spirits clear.

It must be the work of that white-robed youth.

The fat man grabbed a handful of soybeans, munched on them, and drank from the jug, gargling it as if with water before swallowing. “Zhongkui, why don’t you tell Brother Chen directly? Just ask him for help.”

Zhongkui produced a wooden box from his sleeve, placed it on his lap, and opened it. Inside was a set of heavenly master’s ghost-slaying coins. “I can’t just ask for help the moment I meet him. I would feel bad.”

Zhongkui picked up a coin, breathed on it, and wiped it with his sleeve. “Besides, creating a sub-sect is a joyous occasion. Wouldn’t you find my request inappropriate?”

The fat man chuckled. “You’re afraid of rejection, aren’t you?”

Seeing Zhongkui’s glare, the fat man quickly added, “We’re brothers. I’m someone who cares a lot about face, and yet I’m being so sincere.”

Zhongkui said, “It’s because I know he would agree without hesitation that I’m hesitant to ask. I can’t decide when to ask.”

The fat man sighed. “I understand. Like when I see Brother Chen, I don’t ask him for a guest elder position. We’re both too thin-skinned. It’s a disadvantage to be so polite.”

Zhongkui frowned. “Those people dare to stay overnight in the city? They’re valuing money over their lives.”

The fat man chuckled. “They don’t know the inside story. Because of that existence, they think it’s safe here, but they don’t know they’re walking on the road to the Yellow Springs.”

There must be a ghost that eats ghosts, more ferocious than the usual malevolent ghosts. The problem was that this ghost was like a gifted cultivator. In less than ten years, it had formed its Golden Elixir by devouring its peers. It was also very cautious, avoiding detection by cultivators. If it ate a bunch of living people, especially cultivators with nourished souls and martial artists with strong blood, and acquired some ghost Daoist manuals, in three to five decades it would gain power, transform a ghost city into a small world, and walk among men undetected.

That was why Zhongkui had stopped here with the Great Master from Gusu.

Exterminating demons was his duty.

Zhongkui finished a jug of wine, told the fat man to clear the dishes, and leaped down lightly. He landed on the roof, then dropped down to a railing near a woman’s chambers. He looked out at a courtyard, where scavengers were digging, searching for cellars, dry wells, and hidden chambers. Half were digging, while the rest searched. They included pseudo-cultivators and martial artists wearing armor and carrying bows, crossbows, copper coin swords, bags of rice, and pouches of dog blood. Some cultivators carried bells and held demon-revealing mirrors.

A few carts were parked outside. Donkeys and horses refused to enter the city no matter how much they were whipped.

The discovery of seven or eight jars of silver sparked a burst of joy.

A young man said, “We can try digging a few more feet.”

Indeed, they found more jars filled with valuable jewelry.

The fat man chuckled. “Judging by the mansion’s style, the owner must have been a high-ranking official. To have only accumulated so little wealth, he must have been incorruptible. Had he served me, I would have given him a posthumous title.”

A beautiful woman with a short stature but stunning features, wearing a tight-fitting nightgown that accentuated her curves, turned to a young man. “Guqiu, you’re the best. You’ll get an extra ten percent of today’s earnings.”

The young man bowed to the woman.

The fat man leaned over the railing, eyes wide with admiration, and muttered, “That sister is so refined. She’s captivating.”

The others gathered in the courtyard, one holding a large fire-painted gourd. “Madam, is this a magical artifact used by immortals?”

The woman glanced at it dismissively. “There are no magical artifacts. Only rich fools would treasure this. Ask Guqiu. He’s the expert.”

The young man said, “A cultured person might pay three or four hundred taels of silver, but you won’t get that price at the immortal ferry.”

The man looked at the woman and ran his hand over the gourd. He casually tossed it, smashing it against the wall.

The woman threw him a coquettish glance.

The young man lamented the waste but dared not speak.

The woman was proud. The young man was a treasure she had found. His knowledge of the world allowed them to find things others had missed.

Another person carried a large sack, sorting through items. The young man identified the valuable ones. He picked up a porcelain vase with lotus and egret designs and asked, “Is this a vase?”

“A slop bucket.”

“What’s that?”

“Worthless.”

A burly man wearing armor sat on a pear wood chair, leaning on his sword, his face scarred. He placed his feet on a panel from a couplet written by a master of the Yu Dynasty. The young man said it was valuable, worth five or six hundred taels if it was a pair. Annoyed by his woman’s flirtatious behavior, the man had crushed it.

The man looked at the sky and said, “Let’s go home.”

They had come to the old capital that summer, scavenging for scraps left behind by cultivators. Surprisingly, they had been successful, unlike other gangs who had lost many lives. They had lost none. They had chosen an abandoned City God Temple as their base. The ghosts did not dare to approach it.

In half a year, they had earned a small Valley Rain coin.

Zhongkui glanced at a small house where a maiden leaned against a peach tree, her face matching the flowers.

In this late winter, peach blossoms were out of place. The maiden seemed to sense Zhongkui’s gaze and shyly entered the house. She peeked out from behind the curtain, smiling.

Zhongkui sighed and stood up, clapping his hands. “Hey, you guys. Since you’re going home, why don’t you just leave the city?”

The group tensed up and looked toward the nearby pavilion. They saw a weak scholar and a fat man.

The burly man turned to Zhongkui and sneered, “Are you a man or a ghost?”

A cultivator rang a bell and held up a bronze mirror, shining it on the two.

The mirror flashed on Zhongkui’s face. Zhongkui turned his head and waved. “It’s okay. I’m just reminding you that a ghost in the city has been watching you, waiting for an opportunity.”

The fat man rolled his eyes.

The cultivator said softly, “Not a demon or ghost.”

The woman looked at the elegant man and bit her lip. Oh, another poor scholar.

The man who had smashed the gourd stood and looked at the fat man leaning against the railing. “It’s almost New Year’s. Why did you leave the pigsty? Are you worried we don’t have enough to eat?”

“No need to be so rude.”

Yujin stood up, turning away from the woman. “We’re all brothers within the four seas. Out here, if we meet, we’re friends. No need for harsh words.”

Zhongkui glanced at the fat man. Why was he being so polite?

In the past, he would have cursed, though he wouldn’t dare to hurt anyone with Zhongkui present.

It seemed he had learned something at Immortal Capital Mountain.

Zhongkui’s gaze stopped on the “Guqiu,” who looked like a normal man. He said silently, “Stop.”

The girl leaning against the peach tree was a Golden Elixir ghost. The young man was the master of the ghost city.

The young man looked up at Zhongkui. “They deserve to die. I heard you mountains have a saying: ‘It’s easier to find a dead man than a god.'”

Zhongkui shook his head. “It’s not so simple to decide life and death. You can’t even control the City God Temple. You can’t turn the book of merit. Don’t be so confident.”

The young man said nothing and nodded after hesitating. “I’ll take them out of the city.”

Zhongkui smiled. “You don’t even ask my identity or test my cultivation?”

The young man shook his head. “No need. Sir is righteous. I won’t offend you.”

The fat man marveled. “You’re so good at talking. It’s a pity you’re a ghost.”

Then the fat man jumped up. “Oh, Headmaster Chen is here. I should have greeted him! How could this ghost city suddenly become so clear and immortal? It must be Headmaster Chen’s presence…”

He tapped his toe and jumped lightly. He propped himself up on the railing and leaped lightly.

A man in a green robe stood behind the burly man, looking at the broken panel and the porcelain shards with regret.

How could they break such things?

Chen Pingan looked up and smiled at Zhongkui. “I was passing by and saw you, so I came to take a look.”

Zhongkui complained, “Is this how you’re healing?”

The fat man was displeased and glared at Zhongkui. “How dare you talk to my brother Chen like that?!”

Zhongkui scoffed. “You really are a master.”

The fat man said righteously, “If I don’t help my brother, who should I help?”

Chen Pingan patted the fat man’s shoulder and reminded him, “Too much is as bad as too little. Pay attention to moderation.”

The fat man said humbly, “Headmaster Chen is a wise man. Every word is worth its weight in gold.”

The group in the courtyard was stunned.

The burly man in the chair did not move, displaying a grandmaster’s demeanor.

In reality, he could not move because the green-robed man behind him was preventing him.

Chen Pingan looked at the “Guqiu.” He had noticed the young man while looking down from the sea of clouds. With Zhongkui present, there was nothing to worry about.

Looking up at Zhongkui, Chen Pingan smiled. “You have the nerve to call Yujin a master. I have to beg you to ask for my help?”

Zhongkui rubbed his chin. “No rush. Let me pick a date after the beginning of spring.”

Chen Pingan said, “Then I’ll be on my way.”

Zhongkui waved.

The green robe disappeared.

The colorful boat approached its destination. Yeyun could see Immortal Capital Mountain.

She rubbed her brow. Besides Tanrong, there was another embarrassing task. Before she left, she had visited the Donghai Women’s Water Mansion again. She brought with her a set of carved wood block colored watermarked poetry album, filled with sublime figures, serene water and trees, and ornate colors. She had to get Chen Pingan to ask the Weijin of the Snow Wind Temple Sword Immortal for an autograph, even if it took ten or sixty years. She wanted them to be taken as a thank you for the meeting.

The old crone asked silently, “Mountain Master Ye, isn’t the selection of Chen Sword Immortal’s sect a little… careless?”

It was barren.

Not a spiritual or beautiful place.

The mountain’s luck was ordinary, the water luck was thin, and the spiritual energy was only slightly better than the so-called “uncontrollable land.”

Yeyun smiled. “Our Pu Mountain was similar. We cultivated it bit by bit.”

Seeing that Yeyun did not want to say more, the old crone did not pry.

Some Golden Elixir peaks might be better.

Unless… they had moved mountains and rivers out of nothing, and were currently performing some kind of illusion?

The people waiting for them at Immortal Capital Mountain were Pei Qian and the scholar Cao Qinglang, whom they had met at the teahouse.

The old crone had a good impression of Cao Qinglang.

Chen Sword Immortal and the Cuis Immortal Master were not there.

The accommodation was simple, but they did not care.

Xuehuai asked Pei Qian if they could spar.

Pei Qian smiled and said she would have to ask her teacher.

After settling Vinegar, the old crone told Yeyun that she wanted to travel the area.

Yeyun agreed.

The old crone left and quietly left, traveling the waters to the coastline. This arid area was where the Grand Waterway Dragon Palace was hidden.

Using a treasure to open the gate, the old crone toured the Grand Waterway Dragon Palace ruins, lamenting the lifeless palaces. She went to the princess’ mansion, which was once so lively. Standing at the door, she mourned and wept.

In ancient times, the Four Sea Dragon Lords controlled the world’s water. The dragons of the sea, carrying dragon palace-made pure bottles, went to the land to make rain.

They rested on the dragon stones.

But no more.

Qiudu wiped away tears and went to the Grand Waterway Dragon Lord’s hall.

The old crone sighed. She suddenly looked up. A woman in a white robe was sitting on the steps.

The old crone thought