The sun dipped low as Chen Ping’an, hand-in-hand with young Mi Li, surveyed the ferry. Approaching them were two figures of import, wardens of the Wind Kite Ferry.

First came Chang Ming, the snowy-robed Mistress of Laws. Called to attend a lower sect’s festivities, she had temporarily assumed the mantle of Grand Warden of the Wind Kite Ferry. With graceful steps and an air of serene dignity, she paused before Chen Ping’an, offering a deep curtsy. “Greetings, Young Master.”

Behind her stood Jia Sheng, the Elder Immortal, appointed Second Warden of the ferry by the young Mountain Lord himself. He had meticulously groomed himself for the occasion. His face was gaunt, his beard and hair like spun silver. The change of station had imbued him with an even greater air of otherworldly wisdom. He had unearthed the treasures he’d long kept tucked away: a Daoist robe, cloud-stepping boots, and a jade chime at his waist. This chime, a cherished find of the Blind Daoist from the humble stalls of Riding Dragon Lane, was etched with ancient characters, so small as to appear like gnats: *Heaven’s wind rings the chime, I chant the Yellow Court, golden sound and jade vibration, all heavens pay respect.*

Jia Sheng stood slightly behind Chang Ming, bowing respectfully in the Daoist style. “Salutations to the Mountain Lord.”

The Elder Immortal’s cloud-woven boots, gifts from the esteemed Mister Mo, were but one token amongst many.

Chen Ping’an smiled, explaining, “Just returned from a trip to the Five-Colored World with Xiao Mo.”

Regret clouded Jia Sheng’s face. “Did the Lady Mountain Lord not return with you?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “She is in seclusion, unable to leave. Moreover, her current position makes frequent travel between the two worlds unwise.”

The Elder Immortal sighed. “Such a fate, ordained by the heavens and arranged by the Old Man in the Moon, yet even so, separation is frequent. Both the Mountain Lord and Lady Mountain Lord must endure much hardship.”

Chen Ping’an merely hummed in response, his smile unchanged.

Chang Ming cast a knowing glance at the young Mountain Lord, perceptive as ever. “Does Young Master have matters to discuss?”

Their first meeting had been within the prisons of Old Deafie, a place that also served as the domain of the magistrate Hao Su.

He recalled the women at the stream, peasant girls with laundry, seemingly rustic beauties.

Time flowed on, the years passing like fleeting dreams. So much had changed.

The two young swordsmen thrown into those very prisons by the Eldest Sword Immortal had found their own paths and fortunes. Du Shanyin had become Hao Su’s sole disciple, while the virtuous You Yu was taken under Old Deafie’s wing.

As for the money spirit Gu Yu Qian Zu, she followed her master Hao Su when he departed Sword Qi Great Wall, adopting the name Ji Qing, she wandered the Infinite Land with Du Shanyin, appearing once in the Night Sailship city of Rongmao.

The White-Haired Boy had once spoken the words “Present form” helping the ‘Hidden Official Ancestor’ to see the truth of their forms. She was that Ji Qing, whose skin was like ancient jade, a small skylight opened on her brow, a result of her birth as a coin, its characters sharp, the marks of the tool still present.

Chen Ping’an hesitated, choosing his words.

Chang Ming smiled gently. “Does Young Master require the Golden Essence coins?”

Her intuition was sharp.

Chen Ping’an knew the Golden Essence coins well. The young kiln worker of Mud Bottle Lane had seen more of them than most folk saw silver and gold in their entire lives.

In days past, they served as passage into the Liyu Paradise, and they came in three forms: Spring-Welcoming Coins, Offering Coins, and Charm Coins.

These were the original mother coins, commissioned from the Grand Craftsman of the Ink Faction. Chen Ping’an suspected they were the work of the Three Mountains and Nine Dukes Master, for in those days, the Dali Song clan was merely a tributary state of the Lu Dynasty. They lacked the prestige to engage the Grand Craftsman to mint coins.

These coins were the finest of the Golden Essence coins, meticulously controlled by the Dali Song, never circulating beyond their coffers. It wasn’t until the Liyu Paradise shattered and fell to earth, sinking from a minor paradise to a blessed land, that these secret treasures of the Song clan began to trickle out, quietly settling old debts.

According to the White-Haired Boy, the mother coins of old were always made in pairs. If each half could awaken and develop awareness, they would be an unmatched pair of immortals.

Chen Ping’an abandoned his reservations, speaking with open honesty. “My Natal Sword, ‘Well-Moon,’ needs to ascend in grade. To achieve this, I must forge a River of Time. Ning Yao gifted me some in the Flying Ascension City, enough to create such a river. However, this swordsmithing is unlike the usual, an endless pit.”

Chang Ming smiled, her voice soft and comforting. “It is a matter of the more, the merrier. Why fret over it? Is it not said that officials can set fire while common folk cannot even light lamps? Or are we of Fallen Phoenix Mountain so meager that only our Mountain Lord must tirelessly gather twigs to build the home, while none may offer even a twig of support?”

Chen Ping’an was silenced.

It was not quite so. If it were merely general divine coins being exchanged, Chen Ping’an would not hesitate. But the Golden Essence coins were intertwined with Chang Ming’s own path. While Chen Ping’an could endlessly refine Well-Moon, Chang Ming needed these coins to ascend. The elevation of her cultivation realm was only attainable by consuming these very coins, much like how mountain and river gods could only refine themselves using human incense. All other secrets and immortal methods were illusions.

Chang Ming smiled. “Does Chang Ming rely on her strength as the Mistress of Laws? Chief Zhou is a sword cultivator in the Immortal Realm, Mi Yu will soon achieve the same, Patriarch Cui is an Immortal, and Konghou in Riding Dragon Lane is Ascendant. How could I possibly govern them? Perhaps I should relinquish my duties to Mi, the Grand Sword Immortal, after his breakthrough?”

The Mountain Lord and Mistress of Laws were making no attempt to hide their exchange, not even using mental communication, clearly deeming the Elder Immortal no outsider.

Jia Sheng listened intently, and a sense of foreboding began to creep through him.

Mistress Chang Ming was displeased.

And for her first instance of displeasure, she was confronting their Mountain Lord.

Truly worthy of being the Mistress of Laws! He never would dare.

Chang Ming continued, “Twice now, I have enjoyed unexpected fortune, fortune that would never have been mine had I not followed Young Master. Could I have claimed even a fraction of such opportunities despite their proximity?”

Within the prisons of Sword Qi Great Wall, after the agreement between the Hidden Official and the Magistrate, Chang Ming, granted a new identity, had displayed her Natal Magic, transforming the scattered remains of divine spirits into golden sand, piling it into a mountain the size of the Ning mansion’s Dragon-Slaughtering Cliff, a truly impressive sight. This golden sand, refined by the River of Time, adhered to Chang Ming’s robes, solidifying into a priceless and exquisite garb.

Why had Chang Ming, in the endless years prior, seemingly had fortune within her grasp, yet she never even touched it. It was because she could not. Elder Sword Immortal could not agree, Elder Deafie would not allow it. This was the Sword Qi Great Wall’s property, which Magistrate Hao Su, and therefore, Chang Ming, could never take.

According to the estimates of outer devils, this veritable ‘Golden Mountain’ could forge three or four River Deity and Mountain God golden bodies.

The second time was at Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Young Master’s Elder brother Jun Qian, had clashed with a transgressing god’s remnant, a golden rain fell upon the Northern Mountain.

Back within the prisons of the Great Wall, Chang Ming felt closer to the Young Hidden Officer than Ji Qing did. A spiritual connection between their paths.

Chen Ping’an conceded, “Then I shall not stand on ceremony. We’ll discuss specifics upon returning to Immortal Capital Mountain.”

Seeing Chang Ming’s puzzled look, Chen Ping’an clarified, “Xiao Mo and I are about to embark on another long journey.”

Mi Li had been standing quietly by the Mountain Lord’s side.

Chen Ping’an gently patted the girl’s head, smiling. “This trip is thanks to a chance remark from the Right Protector.”

***

Across the Northern Paddock Province, within a humble eatery near the Temple of Third Gentleman.

Simply because Yuan Xuan had inquired about the Hidden Official, the air had grown heavy.

Liu Xu maintained his hand over his wine bowl, smiling. “An old acquaintance? Tell me.”

Fan Yu used her ki to convey a question. “Grandfather Liu, do we need to inform the Third Gentleman Temple?”

The Nascent Soul old sword cultivator spoke mentally. “It’s nothing. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”

Liu had his own concerns.

Never provoke someone as stubborn as Liu Xu.

When he was agreeable, all was well, but when he was not, not even Yuan Xuan’s great-grandfather could stop him. Best not to overcomplicate things and simply observe.

However, it was clear that Liu Xu, who only ever referred to Chen Ping’an as “Second Manager” and never “Hidden Official,” held him in high esteem.

Hardly merely an acquaintance.

Who would believe that?

Yuan Xuan, still seemingly unaffected, inquired, “Uncle Liu, I heard the Hidden Official is both a sword cultivator and a grandmaster of martial arts?”

According to records, the final Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall, one of the youngest ten of the Nine Heavens, was a Nascent Soul sword cultivator and at the peak of his martial prowess.

Liu Xu removed his hand, picking up a slice of spicy cabbage. He nodded. “When the Second Manager first arrived at the Great Wall, he was not yet a sword cultivator, but his fist-fighting skills were exceptional. I heard from Huang Shou that the Second Manager lost to Cao Ci three times during his first visit to the Great Wall. By the time he returned, Cao Ci had left his hut on the city wall, but the Second Manager defeated Yu Juanfu of the Xuan Secret Dynasty of Central Earth. I witnessed both duels personally.”

Yuan Xuan continued, “Did the Hidden Official like to wear a sword on his back and robes?”

Liu Xu no longer drank, simply eating. “He doesn’t usually wear robes, but when he goes to the battlefield, he likes to wear many layers of clothing. Many native sword cultivators of Sword Qi Great Wall, especially the younger generation, have followed suit, no longer feeling ashamed. Survival is paramount, and it might even earn them more merit. As for how many robes the Second Manager wore, that remains a mystery. By then, the Second Manager had already gone to the Summer Palace as the Hidden Official, so there was no way to ask him.”

“‘Southern Shou, Northern Hidden Official,’ that saying is not widely circulated now, but you will understand its meaning in time.”

“On the battlefield, you’d rather encounter Ning Yao than the Hidden Official. I’m not joking.”

“Apart from Li Zhen, the closed disciple of the Great Ancestor of Mount Tuoyue, and the sword immortal aspirants of the Jia Shen Unit, all of obscure origins and great power, an elaborate ambush ended in great suffering at the hands of the Second Manager. Moreover, Fei Ran, the current Sword Cultivator Lord of the Savage Lands, also plotted against the Second Manager.”

Was that not like him?

His impression was of a very polite person.

Could it be a case of mistaken identity? Someone who shared the same name and had also been to the Northern Paddock Province? Could such a coincidence exist?

Liu Xu frowned slightly. “Yuan Xuan, can you not speak so plainly?”

Yuan Xuan laughed. Finally ceasing his circumlocution, he shared the details of his adventure in the Ghost Valley, how he encountered a sword-bearing vagabond wearing a conical hat and robe near the copper lake. He had even invited the man to fish with him, and it was clear that this man was indeed a genuine vagabond. Aside from searching for yings, Yuan Xuan had been hoping to catch a type of carp, the ‘little dragon of the lake,’ who gained one pound a year. After a century, they would grow two whiskers and every three centuries the whiskers would grow an inch. When the whiskers were a foot long, the carp could transform into a dragon… and this young ranger, both a pure martial artist and resembling a sword cultivator, acted seasoned and treated others flawlessly. When they parted, he even praised Yuan Xuan as an… old adventurer!

Liu Xu laughed upon hearing this. “The Second Manager was merely being polite. Don’t take it to heart.”

Yuan Xuan was crestfallen, downing a large gulp of wine.

Fan Yu and the old sword cultivator shared a smile. Liu Xu had indeed guessed correctly.

Believing the young man’s words, Liu Xu put down his chopsticks, lifted his bowl, and faced the three of them, saying nothing, simply draining it.

Yuan Xuan followed suit, forcing himself to finish half a bowl of Azure God Mountain wine.

The two escorts were greatly relieved, raising their bowls and drinking a tenth each.

“Xiao Xuan, bring Old Brother Liu and Miss Fan to Mule Horse River as guests whenever you have time.”

Liu Xu rose, cupping his hands in farewell, and lastly smiled, “Remember to pay the bill.”

Once Uncle Liu had left the small eatery, Yuan Xuan took a deep breath, not as at ease as he had seemed.

The old man chuckled mentally. “Young Master, have you now experienced the aura of a Nascent Soul bottleneck sword immortal?”

Yuan Xuan nodded vigorously.

The Uncle Liu he had just encountered felt too unfamiliar.

The man walked alone through the alley.

Some things, like wine, had a strong aftertaste.

Like visiting Sword Qi Great Wall.

***

In Bottle Continent, a Temple of Autumn Wind that no one had claimed, upon a drifting ship in the sea, the Tower for Watching the Sea in Golden Armor Continent which held an opportunity left by an ancient immortal, and in Float Cloud Continent lay a mine of infinite commerce and wealth.

In the seas, old palaces and forgotten immortal domains reappeared…

This was the result of the Infinite Land meeting the Savage Lands, which then briefly connected to the Azure Sky World.

At the New Rain Dragon Sect, a female sword immortal had recently come to settle accounts with Yun Qian.

It was Nalan Caihuan of Sword Qi Great Wall.

This greatly relieved Yun Qian, who had been burdened for the past few years.

Managing sect affairs was not something Yun Qian was good at, so without hesitation, she voluntarily stepped down as sect master, ceding the position to Nalan Caihuan, while she herself became the Sect Law Ancestor.

Fortunately, the current Rain Dragon Sect was no longer the traditional sect it once was. The old rules and customs of the Sect Ancestor Hall had long become obsolete. In addition, Yun Qian, the “former sect master,” was the only cultivator above the fifth realm. With Nalan Caihuan’s lineage and her realm of swordplay, the change of sect master was smooth.

Nalan Caihuan also brought a group of trusted cultivators to join the Rain Dragon Sect, only six people: three sword cultivators and three ghost cultivators, all of whom were earth immortals.

A simple and perfunctory ceremony was held in the newly built Ancestor Hall to mark the sect master’s resignation and succession.

Truth be told, Yun Qian couldn’t invite any influential high-ranking cultivators. In her early years, when she took her disciples on trips to the three eastern continents, she hadn’t gained much mountain goodwill.

Today, after a meeting in the Ancestor Hall, the cultivators with seats had all left, each returning to their own homes. The advantage of having few people in the sect was that even a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator could occupy a large island in the sea to open a dojo.

Only the Sect Law remained.

Nalan Caihuan was sitting in the Sect Master’s chair, legs up, casually flipping through a thin volume of landscape records.

Back in the Spring Pennant House accounting room, she had the same attitude, and no one could do anything about it.

Of course, only when someone came to check the accounts in Upside-Down Mountain would Nalan Caihuan restrain herself slightly.

In fact, at Nalan Caihuan’s first meeting in the Ancestor Hall, everyone had no objections as soon as they heard her name.

Of course, it wasn’t that there were no objections, but rather that no one dared to show any expression on their faces. If Nalan Caihuan saw them, who knew if they would be hacked to death and thrown out to feed the fish by a Nascent Soul Bottleneck Sword Immortal?

Reasoning with her? Nalan Caihuan’s flying sword, her realm, and her consistent style of doing things were silent truths.

One should know that in the hometown battlefield of this new sect master, Nalan Caihuan, Qi Shou, and Mi Yu, who had earned the nickname “Rice Waist,” all used the same means of killing demons, which were extremely bloodthirsty, brutal, and ruthless. No demon cultivator who fell into their hands ever had a good end.

Therefore, Nalan Caihuan and Yun Qian, the two sect masters, were as different as heaven and earth.

Nalan Caihuan finished reading the Ancestor Hall Records in a few glances, and could only flip through them again. She glanced at Yun Qian and smiled, “I heard you’ve been looking for the Water Crystal Palace several times?”

Yun Qian was a little guilty, and said with embarrassment, “All to no avail.”

Nalan Caihuan was furious. “Do you think the Savage Land demons are all fools who don’t pick up treasures on the ground? Yun Qian, I’m really lucky to have you as my Sect Law Ancestor.”

Yun Qian blushed slightly, but said nothing.

She had heard such sarcastic remarks often enough. From the previous sect master, to the members of the Rain Dragon Sect Ancestor Hall, and even some talented juniors, and even from within the Water Crystal Palace…

The Water Crystal Palace, which the Rain Dragon Sect had built on the Inverted Mountain in its early years, was directly knocked into the sea by Jiang Yunsheng, the Inverted Mountain’s gatekeeper child. Knowing that there was little chance of her finding the Water Crystal Palace, Yun Qian still held a glimmer of hope and used the water-parting technique several times to dive into the seabed, but failed to find any trace of it.

Aside from Yun Qian, this Jade Purity cultivator holding up the sect, there were only five earth immortal cultivators, four Core Formation, and only one Nascent Soul.

There were actually only more than ninety Record cultivators in the Ancestor Hall, which was still the result of Yun Qian gathering together the vassal islands of the old sect. Otherwise, the situation would be even more bleak.

A few years ago, when Yun Qian went to win over the old Nascent Soul, he actually added insult to injury and shamelessly suggested that as long as he became Yun Qian’s dao partner, he would be willing to serve as the New Rain Dragon Sect’s Law Enshrinement, hand over all his assets, and if she couldn’t get over it, then he would take a step back and give her a few nights of happiness.

If this was in the Rain Dragon Sect, which had always respected female cultivators in its early years, any Nascent Soul cultivator of a tributary force would not dare to speak so wildly.

Yun Qian also knew that she was indeed too weak in character and had only her realm, otherwise she wouldn’t have been sent to Inverted Mountain by the decisive sect sister, and only to nominally manage a Water Crystal Palace.

Yun Qian had never interfered with the specific business transactions. The cultivators in charge were all core members of her sister’s lineage. It was ridiculous to say that she reviewed the account books every year, but Yun Qian was mainly worried that if she seemed too uninvolved, she would be scolded by her sister for not caring about the Water Crystal Palace.

Nalan Caihuan smiled and said, “That old lecher was absent-minded just now and didn’t hear what I said. He was looking at you with a sneaky expression, did he talk to you mentally? What did he say?”

Yun Qian shook her head, “Nothing.”

Nalan Caihuan frowned, “Yun Qian, don’t forget who the sect master is now. I’ll ask you something, and you’ll answer honestly.”

Yun Qian hesitated for a long time, and finally said vaguely that the former Sect Law hoped that she could put aside her grievances and work together from now on to revive the Rain Dragon Sect.

Nalan Caihuan sneered, “If I didn’t come to be the sect master, with your brain, you would have been taken advantage of by that old guy sooner or later.”

Yun Qian flushed with anger and glared at the outspoken female sword immortal.

Nalan Caihuan tsked and looked at the Jade Purity female cultivator from head to toe.

Yun Qian looked thin, but was actually plump. She looked cold, but actually had a natural enchanting beauty. Perhaps that was the charm of a fox, and not the kind that was always flamboyant, attracting bees and butterflies.

Nalan Caihuan took out a pot of wine, and before she even drank it, she began to say filthy things, “If I wasn’t a woman, I would definitely be jealous of you, help you bathe every day, and smear you all over with saliva every night.”

Yun Qian trembled with anger, and held the armrest of the chair with both hands, and said angrily, “Nalan Caihuan, please be careful with your words!”

Oh, she didn’t even call her sect master and called her by her name directly. It seemed that she was very angry.

Nalan Caihuan curled her lips, “You’d have to hide and not come out if you were in Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Yun Qian took a deep breath, “Sect Master, don’t make such jokes in the future.”

Nalan Caihuan looked at her peaks and then looked down at her own chest, and said in a low voice, “People are more irritating than people.”

Yun Qian began to close her eyes and rest.

Nalan Caihuan closed the record book and drew it across her neck, seemingly joking, “Yun Qian, how about I help you get rid of this Nascent Soul who only eats and doesn’t do anything? There’s no point in keeping him, he’s annoying and an eyesore.”

The main reason was that she had to pay a considerable fixed salary every year, which made Nalan Caihuan feel distressed when she thought about it.

Yun Qian immediately opened her eyes and said in a panic, “You can’t act so willfully. Even if you just remove his identity as an Ancestor Hall member, you need to find a proper reason, otherwise it will be difficult for our Rain Dragon Sect to attract new enshrinements and retainers in the future. Even if someone is willing to join us, do we really dare to accept them?”

Yun Qian looked serious and said in a deep voice, “Nalan Caihuan, although I’m not good at business and I’m not suitable to be a sect master who presides over the overall situation, I understand one truth. If something doesn’t suit your fancy, it’s absolutely not advisable to solve the problem by killing people. If you insist on doing so, no matter what, I won’t dare to let you continue to be the sect master of this Rain Dragon Sect. You can scold me for usurping the throne, or say that I’m breaking my oath, but I have to make this clear to you. I would rather the Rain Dragon Sect disintegrate again, and the cultivators be displaced. Even if I completely lose the name of the sect, I will never hand over a sect to a cultivator who likes to kill indiscriminately, and I will never watch the Rain Dragon Sect go astray.”

Nalan Caihuan leaned back, legs up, leaning on the back of the chair, without speaking, and tapped the armrest of the chair with two fingers alternately.

Yun Qian looked at her with a firm expression.

Nalan Caihuan suddenly laughed, “Okay, okay, I’m just joking, look at how serious you are. I’ll talk to him well, and I’ll definitely learn from you, use a calm attitude, a kind face, and a gentle tone, to ensure that this fourth-in-command of the Rain Dragon Sect can take back his heart and be used by our Rain Dragon Sect.”

She would definitely do what she said.

When she found the old Nascent Soul later, she would ask him if he wanted to die. Only a fool would want to die, and the Nascent Soul wasn’t a fool, so he definitely wouldn’t. Then she could ask the second question: if he could cultivate more in the future and do more work for the sect to earn money, and shed a few pounds of saliva on her Sect Law, Yun Qian. The old Nascent Soul might be insincere, so she would give him a sword, a small injury, not to kill him, so the old Nascent Soul could remember. Finally, she would ask him a question: if he dared to leave the Rain Dragon Sect secretly, and if he wanted to be a wild mountain and marsh cultivator who lived in the open all year round.

Yun Qian tentatively asked, “Sect Master, are you really not joking?”

Nalan Caihuan was a little helpless, and she could tell Yun Qian’s thoughts just by her address.

Nalan Caihuan was reluctant to tease and bully her, so she changed her mind and said mentally, “I’m already in the Jade Purity Realm. In the future, I’ll just wait for someone who doesn’t have eyes to bully the Rain Dragon Sect, so I can ask them to fight in a legitimate way. Remember to keep this a secret.”

Yun Qian quickly got up and was about to congratulate the sect master.

Nalan Caihuan said angrily, “I just told you to keep it a secret, sit back down!”

Yun Qian had no choice but to sit back in the chair, with a joyful expression on her face, as delicate as a girl.

After Nalan Caihuan left Sword Qi Great Wall, she first went to the Landscape Cave in Float Cloud Continent and claimed to be from the Spring Pennant House in Inverted Mountain and took over the sect. Then she started doing business with a secular dynasty near the mountain. During this time, there was a native female cultivator in Float Cloud Continent named Gong Yan, whose realm was not low, in the Jade Purity Realm. However, in Nalan Caihuan’s eyes, the Hao cultivator from this kind of sect record was similar to Yun Qian. In someone’s words, it was just a paper-and-bamboo realm. However, Gong Yan was not good at fighting, but she was good at business, so they hit it off.

Anyway, Nalan Caihuan knew that the Landscape Cave was not a place to stay for long. She sold her belongings with her left hand and took back the immortal coins and natural treasures with her right hand. She soon made a lot of money. Of course, she didn’t dare to put it all in her pocket, and only took 20% of the profits. The rest was handed over to a Confucian Temple official who managed money. It seemed that he had been promoted and was now the vice president of an academy in Float Cloud Continent. It wasn’t that Nalan Caihuan thought the money was too much, but she was worried that someone would settle accounts with her later.

Although the young Hidden Official didn’t restrain her, Nalan Caihuan’s way of making money was still measured and she didn’t dare to cross the line.

After emptying the Landscape Cave, she traveled north all the way, first to Golden Armor Continent and then to Flowing Glow Continent, still traveling and trading all the way.

Nalan Caihuan carried six spatial artifacts with her, not to mention two close-range artifacts.

Nalan Caihuan smiled and asked, “Our Hidden Official, do you have great kindness and virtue to Yun Qian and the Rain Dragon Sect? Have you thought about how to repay him in the future?”

As soon as Yun Qian heard this, she seemed to have some ideas, but before she could speak, she heard Nalan Caihuan start to say those improper words again, “Why not just be straightforward… marry him? What if you can’t see him? Doesn’t your Rain Dragon Sect have a secret that is extremely difficult to cultivate? I heard that even your sister didn’t learn it, but you, by accident, were said to be… ‘Hibiscus warm tent, cloud and rain land’?”

Yun Qian sighed and simply didn’t answer.

The young Hidden Official, how resourceful, how highly self-possessed. It was a pity that she had never seen him in person.

Those who wandered at night, wore the stars and the moon.

For some reason, Yun Qian had heard some rumors about Sword Qi Great Wall, and whenever she imagined a young foreigner in that tavern, in the midst of the noisy crowd, she felt that he would seem particularly lonely when he lowered his head to drink.

Yun Qian and Nalan Caihuan walked out of the Ancestor Hall with their own thoughts.

A few days later, distinguished guests came to visit. Yun Qian was familiar with them. They were the Sword Immortal Shao Yunyan from Spring Pennant House and Madam Tuoyan from the Plum Blossom Garden.

If they added the Ape Playing Residence of the Liu Clan, the four private residences of Inverted Mountain would be complete.

Madam Tuoyan was going to the Green Plum Temple in Southern Pond Lake in Bottle Continent and planned to see Zhou Qionglin.

Without a sword immortal guarding her, Madam Tuoyan wouldn’t dare to wander around alone.

So she passed by the “regime change” Rain Dragon Sect. Madam Tuoyan was surprised that Nalan Caihuan had inexplicably become the sect master. Shao Yunyan knew about this for a long time, so he wasn’t surprised.

When they arrived at the Rain Dragon Sect, Madam Tuoyan chatted with Yun Qian about the past, while Shao Yunyan walked side by side with Nalan Caihuan. In the Spring Pennant House accounting room, besides them, there was Yan Ming, and Wei Wenlong helped out, and the Great Sword Immortal Mi was in charge of guarding the door.

Shao Yunyan smiled and said, “It hasn’t been a few years, but it feels like a lifetime ago.”

Nalan Caihuan smiled and didn’t care. She was only interested in talking about money.

Shao Yunyan said something mentally, and Nalan Caihuan was shocked and blurted out, “What?! Really?!”

Chen Ping’an was able to carve words on the city wall?!

Shao Yunyan smiled and said, “Believe it or not, you can go and see for yourself later, it’s not far anyway.”

Nalan Caihuan sighed heavily and said helplessly, “What’s there to believe or not? It’s not surprising that anything strange happens to that guy.”

To be honest, Nalan Caihuan was really afraid of the young Hidden Official, not much better than Madam Tuoyan.

They had both suffered at his hands.

Did this guy hate women who were good-looking?

But he took good care of Yun Qian.

Nalan Caihuan suppressed her shock and started to pull in manpower, inviting Shao Yunyan and Madam Tuoyan to be retainers of her sect. Since they were all acquaintances, talking about money would hurt their feelings.

Shao Yunyan’s sword skills, based on the many sword-nurturing gourds produced by the gourd vines, were only average in Sword Qi Great Wall, but he had good connections in the Infinite Land.

Shao Yunyan didn’t care about having an extra honorary retainer title. Some of the upper five realm cultivators in the Infinite Land who were good at making money had a lot of retainer titles, and Madam Tuoyan had a good relationship with Yun Qian in the early years, so of course she had no objections.

Shao Yunyan didn’t stay in the Rain Dragon Sect for long, but only stayed for two days, pulling Madam Tuoyan, who couldn’t wait to live there, to continue their journey across the sea.

During the trip they passed the Reed Flower Island Creation Cave, and Madam Tuoyan began to stroll around again. Shao Yunyan had to remind her, “Do you really think you’re just sightseeing?”

Madam Tuoyan winked, “The Hidden Official didn’t give a specific deadline, so he’s not in a hurry.”

There was only one good thing about getting along with Chen Ping’an: fair trade and clean transaction.

Shao Yunyan managed to stop Madam Tuoyan from going to the Jade Guizong’s Cloud Cave Blessed Land and chose to take a cross-continent ferry halfway to the Old Dragon City in Bottle Continent.

When they arrived in the Southern Pond Lake, Madam Tuoyan looked at the withered plum trees. She rubbed her eyebrows and tsked, “It’s a disaster. How can I describe it as a disaster? The Hidden Official has given me a big problem.”

Because of the gourd vines, Shao Yunyan was a half-expert in the cultivation of plants and trees, and was even more advanced than ordinary farmers.

Shao Yunyan nodded and said, “It’s really difficult. If it’s really impossible, don’t force it. The Hidden Official won’t mind.”

Madam Tuoyan smiled charmingly, “Impossible? It’s normal for Sword Immortal Shao to be impotent, he’s a man after all.”

Shao Yunyan ignored her, but said, “Don’t interfere, or if you really want to help the Green Plum Temple restore its old appearance, then do your best.”

Madam Tuoyan rolled her eyes, “Did I ask you to say that?”

The two of them flew across the water of Southern Pond Lake to the island where the Green Plum Temple was located.

They landed outside the gate of the Green Plum Temple. The gatekeeper was a teenage girl in the Cave Mansion Realm.

Madam Tuoyan handed over two business cards that she had prepared long ago. They were made of red paper and written in gold letters, Plum Bush, Daoist name Plum Blossom Master.

Shao Yunyan glanced at his business card, smiled helplessly, Shao Shanshi. It was really an elegant name, and he didn’t even have a Daoist name.

Madam Tuoyan smiled and said, “We’re from Southern Suo Continent. We heard that the plum blossoms in Southern Pond Lake are very beautiful, so we came here to see them.”

She looked around pretendingly and said, “Seeing is believing.”

The gatekeeper girl was embarrassed. Was this visitor really not joking?

Shao Yunyan didn’t let Madam Tuoyan continue to talk nonsense, and smiled, “We’re passing by and asking the Green Plum Temple for two bowls of plum soup.”

The girl asked softly with a thick face, “Two guests, do you have the landscape pass issued by Dali besides the business card?”

In the past, the Green Plum Temple didn’t have these requirements, but now it was different. Dali’s rules were there, and no one dared to ignore them.

Shao Yunyan nodded and said, “Yes.”

He took out two mountain passes from his sleeve, which were used for the sect ceremony of Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Moreover, the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect had settled in Southern Suo Continent, and he and Madam Tuoyan were both recorded cultivators, so of course they would carry the passes with them when they went out.

Shao Yunyan’s was of course his real name. The pass was required to indicate the mountain. If it was a casual cultivator, it was required to clearly state his origin.

Madam Tuoyan used an alias, named Mei Qingke, and gave herself a Daoist name, “Thin Immortal.”

The girl was smart, and when she saw the “Dragon Elephant Sword Sect” on the pass, she was shocked. She opened her eyes wide and made sure that she hadn’t read it wrong, and immediately returned the pass, bowed to Shao Yunyan, and then bowed to Tuoyan, and respectfully called, “Greetings, Sword Immortal Shao, Sword Immortal Mei.”

It didn’t matter what realm the other person was in. As long as they were a recorded cultivator of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, it was definitely right to call them a sword immortal!

Even if she was ignorant, the girl also knew about the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect. It was an unreachable sword sect.

Old Sword Immortal Qi of Sword Qi Great Wall was leading the way! There was also the female Great Sword Immortal named Lu Zhi in the sect!

It was said that there were very few disciples in the sect, and without exception, they were all sword immortal embryos.

Anyway, they were all big figures far away in the sky.

She didn’t expect that she would be so lucky. She met two of them today.

Madam Tuoyan couldn’t help laughing and covered her mouth and smiled, “Oh, someone calls you Sword Immortal Shao.”

The girl changed her name timidly, “Great Sword Immortal Shao?”

Madam Tuoyan tried hard to hold back her laughter.

Shao Yunyan became more and more helpless.

Leading the two distinguished guests to see the abbot, the girl