The Law-Enforcement Elder Changming and Little Rice Dumpling wandered off together for some leisure.

Chen Ping’an strolled with Jia Sheng, smiling as he asked, “Are you settling into your current role?”

Jia Sheng immediately cupped his fist in salute, deeply moved. “I am deeply grateful for the Mountain Lord’s recognition, fortunate to hold such a key position. I am constantly on guard, daring not to slack off in the slightest, yet hesitant to overstep my bounds. After much deliberation, I can only adhere to one principle: observe more, listen more, smile more, speak less, do less, and flaunt less. My Dao cultivation is shallow to begin with, merely at the Dragon Gate Realm. I can hardly provide timely assistance to the Wind Woven Ferry, let alone embellish it. My only wish is to avoid causing any trouble first, then proceed one step at a time, striving to contribute my meager strength to the Desolate Mountain, and not betray the Mountain Lord’s high expectations.”

Both Changming, the Law-Enforcement Elder of Desolate Mountain, and Wei Wenlong, the God of Wealth, were temporarily helping out on the Wind Woven Ferry. They would return to Desolate Mountain after the Lower Sect Celebration ended.

According to Cui Dongshan’s arrangement, the true managers of the ferry were ultimately Jia Sheng, responsible for receiving guests, and Zhang Jiazhen, the accountant.

The Wind Woven Ferry traversed three continents, passing through a total of seventeen docks. Just on this continent, Tongye Continent, there were seven docks, including the Lingbi Mountain Wild Cloud Dock and the Daquan Peach Leaf Dock.

Aboard a Wind Woven Ferry, one could take in the magnificent landscapes, soaring high above to gaze upon the birds below, and traversing the vast ocean to count the dragon scales. Like an imperial prince descending from the heavens, one would witness countless verdant peaks bowing to thatched cottages.

Spanning the north-south axis of the Vast Expanse, from the Chongxuan Office Cloud Palace of the Great Origin Dynasty in the far north to the Driving Mountain Dock in the far south, Jia Sheng had seen all sorts of immortals along the way. Even Wei Yushong, the God of Wealth from the Skeletal Coast’s Hemp-Clad Sect, now addressed him as “Brother Jia.” Not to mention the fairies from the Changchun Palace in the capital of Great Li, who greeted him with affectionate calls of “Daoist Jia,” warming the old immortal’s heart. Moreover, on Treasure Bottle Continent, with only five Mountain Sovereigns in total, including the Northern Mountain Sovereign Wei Bo, who was considered one of their own, as everyone knew that Cloud-Draped Mountain and Desolate Mountain were as close as family. As for the Central Mountain Sovereign Jin Qing and the Southern Mountain Sovereign Fan Junmao, Jia Sheng had become acquainted with both of them.

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Know more in your heart, speak less from your mouth.”

The Old Immortal Jia was taken aback, surprised, and then sighed. His expression and voice were perfectly coordinated, like flowing water. “After all my rambling, it still falls short of the Mountain Lord’s insightful wisdom. Jia Sheng finds managing the ferry already quite challenging, yet the Mountain Lord, due to his easygoing nature and lack of ambition, is only limited by the territory of two mountains and two sects. Otherwise, in Jia Sheng’s opinion, as long as the Mountain Lord is willing, becoming the Fire Dragon True Lord of Treasure Bottle Continent or the Talisman Immortal Yu of Tongye Continent would be a widely accepted choice.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t take the bait at all, immediately changing the subject. “Where’s Bai Xuan?”

Jia Sheng stroked his beard and smiled, answering softly, “He’s on the ship. He should be in closed-door cultivation right now, otherwise he would have come to see the Mountain Lord as soon as he heard the news. Compared to his time on Desolate Mountain, our little Hidden Official is now much more diligent in his sword practice, probably holding his breath, unwilling to be left behind by Sun Chunwang, who is the same age. Mountain Lord, to be honest, I am very much looking forward to Desolate Mountain and Immortal Capital Mountain a century from now. Whenever I think about being among them, I feel greatly honored. What is a bit of travel fatigue? Besides, all along the way, I have been staying on the Wind Woven Ferry, enjoying a comfortable life. To say that I’m running around busily is just me exaggerating.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “There may not be much to do, but there is a lot of care and attention given. It is still very hard work, and I believe Law-Enforcement Elder Changming sees it all.”

Jia Sheng was speechless for a long time, murmuring, “What merit or ability do I have to meet the Mountain Lord?”

These words were not just flattery from the Old Immortal Jia. They were sincere words, genuinely felt from the bottom of his heart.

Early intelligence and late fortune are two great blessings in life.

One relies on accumulated virtue from the previous life, and the other relies on good deeds in this life.

Chen Ping’an asked, “What kind of people do you think Wang Ji, the offering of the Jade Tablet Sect at the Driving Mountain Dock, and Xu Xie, the guest minister of the Liu Clan of皑皑洲, are?”

Jia Sheng carefully chose his words. “Wang Ji is a scholar by origin, with a strong character and straightforward speech. As for the Great Sword Immortal Xu, he seems to have a cold personality and is difficult to approach, but he has a warm heart. People like Xu Xie don’t easily make friends, but once they are friends, you can entrust them with your life.”

Wang Ji was not a cultivator cultivated by the Jade Tablet Sect itself. He was once the one who cursed Jiang Shangzhen the most fiercely on Tongye Continent. Unexpectedly, he eventually became an Ancestral Hall offering for the Jade Tablet Sect, said to have been personally invited to Nine-Fold Peak by the contemporary Sect Master, Wei Ying.

The sword cultivator Xu Xie, nicknamed “Xu Jun,” who guards the Driving Mountain Dock for the Liu Clan of 皑皑洲, is a Great Sword Immortal of Golden Armor Continent who is only two hundred years old. In the northern battlefield of his hometown, the old ascender Wan Yan Lao Jing secretly defected to Wen Hai Zhoumi. During a high-level meeting, he suddenly launched a surprise attack. If Xu Xie had not taken the lead in drawing his sword to stop him, joining forces with a martial artist of the Golden Armor Continent’s Apex Realm to block Wan Yan Lao Jing’s betrayal strike, the number of deaths among the terrestrial immortals would have at least doubled. At that time, the Golden Armor Continent’s battle situation would have become even more dire, and the flames of war might have spread to the northern Flowing Sunset Continent.

Chen Ping’an said, “I will introduce you to a Taoist expert from Dragon Tiger Mountain later. This senior is also attending our sect celebration.”

Jia Sheng first gave the Mountain Lord a Taoist salute, expressing his gratitude, then asked curiously, “Could it be a Yellow-Purple Dignitary from the Celestial Master’s Mansion?”

With the Mountain Lord’s current status, what is it to know a Yellow-Purple Dignitary? Perhaps he has even met and chatted with the contemporary Great Celestial Master, addressing each other as fellow Daoists.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “After the Fire Dragon True Lord’s resignation, this senior served as the non-hereditary Great Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain. His surname is Liang, and his given name is Shuang. This senior lives in the mountains, preferring tranquility and disliking noise, so few people in the Central Earth Divine Continent know his name and Daoist title. Senior Liang once performed a feat on this Tongye Continent that is now only circulated among the mountain peaks. The old senior was an old friend of the previous Great Celestial Master of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, so the contemporary Celestial Master still needs to perform the junior’s salute to the old senior.”

Jia Sheng’s Dao heart trembled. He quickly stopped and gave a Taoist salute, saying in a deep voice, “Immeasurable Longevity Heavenly Venerable.”
It should be known that what Jia Sheng cultivated was the Way of Thunder, but compared to the Dragon Tiger Mountain’s Five Thunder Orthodox Method, which was praised as the orthodox source of all methods, the ancestral thunder method of Jia Sheng’s mountain lineage was barely considered a heretical path. Therefore, being able to meet an outer-surname Grand Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain was of great significance to this blind old Daoist, and it was no longer just a matter of face.

Jia Sheng smiled and said, “Mountain Lord, when the Great Immortal Mi succeeds in breaking through his realm, our Fallen Mountain will shock others once again.”

An Immortal Realm swordsman, saying that his name shakes the Nine Continents of the Great World, is not an exaggeration at all. The Yu Gui Sect Master of Tong Ye Continent, Wei Ying, and the number one person in the Northern Land of the Northern Ju Continent, Bai Shang, are currently at this swordsmanship level.

Chen Ping An joked, “Then it will be more difficult for us to tease the Great Immortal Mi.”

Jia Sheng chuckled, indeed with a slight regret.

After parting with Jia Sheng, Chen Ping An temporarily changed his route and did not go to Zhang Jiazhen’s accounting office first.

Jiang Qu was repeatedly flipping through a booklet, with both talisman diagrams and texts on the pages. It was compiled by the old True Man Huan Yun, the chief offering of Cloud Top City, summarizing his talisman insights. Therefore, this thin booklet was considered Huan Yun’s life’s work. According to the mountain rules, even a direct disciple might not have this treatment.

Hearing the knock, Jiang Qu opened the door and was surprised to see that it was the Hidden Official.

Having been at Fallen Mountain for so many years, due to the Hidden Official’s constant travels, there were only a handful of opportunities to chat alone.

After Chen Ping An sat down, he asked this young Qi Refiner from Suoyi Lane of the Great Wall of Sword about the progress of his talisman cultivation.

As the only talisman cultivator on Fallen Mountain, Jiang Qu’s formal mountain cultivation place was on Grey Mist Mountain. Last time, Chen Ping An gifted Jiang Qu a handwritten copy of the “True Traces of the Dan Book”, the first volume.

Jiang Qu felt somewhat ashamed and forced himself to say, “I’ve only learned the first three introductory talismans from the ‘True Traces’, and I haven’t mastered them yet. I can only say that they roughly resemble talismans. There is still a long way to go before reaching the ‘minor accomplishment’ realm of drawing talismans that True Man Huan Yun mentioned in the booklet.”

In matters of cultivation that are related to life and death, Jiang Qu dared not hide anything, and besides, there was no question of face in front of the Hidden Official.

Chen Ping An smiled and said, “Everything is difficult at the beginning.”

There was a stack of yellow paper talismans drawn by Jiang Qu on the table. Chen Ping An picked up the one on top, which was the most familiar Yang Qi Lighting Talisman. Countless times leaving his hometown for distant travels, braving mountains and rivers, it was one of the talismans he used the most.

Chen Ping An lightly flicked his fingers, and the talisman paper instantly dissipated, leaving only a suspended vermilion talisman diagram. Then, with a twist of his wrist and a gentle horizontal push, the originally palm-sized talisman suddenly transformed into a “large talisman” as tall as a person, standing in the room like a god.

Chen Ping An stood up and walked to the talisman. Jiang Qu immediately stood up as well, the two of them separated by the Yang Qi Lighting Talisman.

Chen Ping An pointed to a vermilion cinnabar line, “Look here, it’s obviously a bit skewed. Clearly, when you were drawing the talisman, you were too eager to complete it in one breath, but instead, a problem arose in the spiritual energy coordination, leading to a decline in your spirit. If your Qi weakens halfway, then the talisman path will be disordered, resulting in this slight deviation. A thousand-mile dike is destroyed by an ant hole. Cultivators must be aware of this. The art of drawing talismans should have a perspective and mentality of seeing Sumeru as a mustard seed and seeing a mustard seed as Sumeru.”

“And look here, there’s also a problem where the horizontal and vertical lines connect. Although it doesn’t prevent you from drawing this talisman, according to talisman terminology, this place belongs to the clash of mountains and rivers, which will damage the generation of the talisman core’s spiritual energy. Once activated, the talisman’s power will inevitably be greatly reduced. If you are exchanging Dao techniques with someone, it will be easy to find a loophole. If you are slightly impacted by a technique, it will be difficult to last.”

Helping Jiang Qu point out the flaws in the talisman one by one, where to modify immediately, and where to improve later, Chen Ping An spoke in great detail, and Jiang Qu listened attentively, remembering everything.

After that, Chen Ping An joined his fingers together and, without the need for pen, ink, or paper, drew the same Yang Qi Lighting Talisman out of thin air. When the talisman was completed, there was a sudden burst of golden light, filling the room with shimmering light.

Chen Ping An then condensed it into a golden talisman about a foot high and gently pushed it to Jiang Qu, smiling and saying, “When you draw talismans in the future, compare them more. Later, when you reach the Middle Five Realms, as a congratulatory gift, I’ll help you ask an old immortal for a talisman that once held up a mountain for hundreds of years. Of course, it won’t be the real talisman, just something like a rubbing of an inscription, which is far from the true meaning of the original.”

Chen Ping An slowly said, “Heaven and man share the same degree, the orthodox method is passed on, the heavens display the signs of writing, and people carry out their affairs. In the past, sages followed the Great Dao, divided Yin and Yang, determined news, and established Qiankun, in order to govern heaven and earth. This talisman art, in a certain sense, is like the history books and calendars of the dynasties below the mountain. Not only talisman cultivators, but the path of ascending the mountain to cultivate is originally using the small world of the human body to connect with the great world outside. Therefore, that old immortal, known as the greatest master of talismans in the world, stated the purpose of the opening preface of a widely circulated talisman book: ‘The head is round and imitates the heavens, the feet are square and imitate the earth, the eyes imitate the sun and moon, the four limbs imitate the four seasons, the five internal organs imitate the five elements, and the nine orifices imitate the nine continents. Therefore, the sages of the past said that people have many forms, all of which imitate the heavens.'”

On his cultivation path, the number of talismans Chen Ping An has drawn, although not as many as the number of times he practiced boxing, is probably more than some Earth Immortal talisman cultivators. Chen Ping An unreservedly shared some of his own experiences with Jiang Qu, “The ancient saying is that the mountains, rivers, and rivers of the earth, the essence of the mountains and rivers above are the stars, each corresponding to its continent and dividing the territory into countries, all making spiritual talisman tests. Therefore, the heavens have four signs to correct the spirit, and the earth has the sea to produce books. So it is said that mountains, rivers, rivers, and stars in the sky are the best and largest talisman diagrams in the eyes of talisman cultivators. This is the real ‘Dao Book Talisman’, waiting for those who are destined to take what they need, each practicing their method, and each proving their Dao. Jiang Qu, think about it, the mountains of the human world are winding for thousands of miles, is it not a stroke of immortal talisman lines? The Big Dipper in the sky, hanging in the sky for ten thousand years and again, is it not a complete talisman diagram?”

“If you say that reason is empty talk, then seeing is believing.”

Chen Ping An suddenly said in a deep voice, “Jiang Qu, stand in place, concentrate and hold your breath, your heart and form must be steady!”
Not giving Jiang Qu too much time to calm his spirit, Chen Ping’an moved like lightning, gently patting his shoulder. Jiang Qu felt himself floating backward, but to his shock, he saw not only the Hidden Official’s green robe before him, but also the back of “himself,” standing perfectly still.

Separation of mind and body? Or that legendary out-of-body experience of the Yin spirit? Leaving aside secret methods and special cases, according to common knowledge in the cultivation world, a cultivator who could form a clear Golden Core could send their Yin spirit on a distant journey. When they nurtured a Nascent Soul, uniting form and spirit for vigorous growth, they would have the rudimentary form of the Yang spirit, an external manifestation of the self. This was the origin of the saying, “Land-based Immortals refine their forms and reside in the world, achieving immortality.”

Unexpectedly, Jiang Qu had barely stopped when Chen Ping’an lightly pushed his forehead, causing him to slide back several steps again.

Then, Chen Ping’an flicked his sleeve, and the “Jiang Qu” who could no longer distinguish who he was stepped into emptiness, separating heaven and earth, with the Taoist priest in the center.

It turned out that beneath Jiang Qu’s feet was a map of the vast Nine Provinces, while above him were myriad stars, as vast as the Milky Way, the tiny stars seemingly within reach.

Chen Ping’an joined two fingers together and gently touched the space between “Jiang Qu’s” eyebrows, as if helping him open his celestial eye.

With another wave of his hand, he drew forth the thousands of rivers on the earth like threads, and with another beckoning gesture, he captured the starry river and brought it near. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, the stars and rivers poured into a “Jiang Qu” whose form was both real and illusory, instantly transforming into mountains and qi reservoirs, and long meridians within the latter’s miniature world.

After a moment, Chen Ping’an saw that Jiang Qu’s Dao heart was no longer sufficient to support this spectacle. However, Jiang Qu himself remained completely unaware, still immersed in this extraordinary vision. Fearing that further delay would harm the very foundation of Jiang Qu’s path, Chen Ping’an gently tugged back at his spiritual seed, reuniting his mind, soul, and body.

When Jiang Qu regained his senses, he realized he was drenched in sweat, his figure swaying precariously. Chen Ping’an reached out and steadied his shoulder, preventing the pale-faced Jiang Qu from collapsing.

Guiding his own cultivator through confusion was something he learned from Wu Shuangjiang’s treatment of the Lunar New Year Palace disciples.

As for the specific method of imparting knowledge, it was clearly something he had learned and was applying from Liu Jinglong.

Chen Ping’an told Jiang Qu to sit back in his chair and properly breathe in and out to calm his spirit. He smiled and said, “The so-called journey of ten thousand miles, in my view, can actually be divided into two types. One is traveling externally, and the other is the cultivator’s internal contemplation of the miniature world within the body. Through this cultivation, cultivating both internally and externally, focusing on both the large and the small, keeping lofty ideals in mind while remaining grounded, I believe that one day you will be able to create several unique talismans of your own.”

Jiang Qu wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with embarrassment, “I wouldn’t dare to think of it.”

“You must think of it.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and smiled. “What great achievements can a talisman cultivator who doesn’t even dream of creating a few ‘Grand Talismans’ achieve in the future?”

Jiang Qu grinned and nodded vigorously.

Chen Ping’an then took out a long, narrow wooden box from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table, smiling. “Inside the box are ten sticks of cinnabar ink, all for you. They are engraved with auspicious sayings similar to ‘Heavenly Luminaries Hanging Down’, all written by Earth Immortals, so they are full of spiritual energy. But don’t thank me. It was Xiao Mo who accompanied me on a trip to Flying Ascension City in the Five Colors Heaven. There’s a fair there for Immortals, and Xiao Mo ran into some wandering talisman cultivators from Summer Palace who had opened a shop together. When Xiao Mo was browsing the shop, he bought this set of Yuanling cinnabar ink specifically for you. It wasn’t exactly a bargain, but rather a fair price. The other party mistook Xiao Mo for a sword cultivator from Flying Ascension City and wanted to take the opportunity to curry favor. Xiao Mo’s intention was to give it to you in my name, but I thought that was inappropriate. Just accept it. Afterwards, there’s no need to go out of your way to thank Xiao Mo, lest he have the sole reason for not wanting to be a generous benefactor be that he can’t stand the endless stream of people coming to thank him.”

Jiang Qu was a little embarrassed and said softly, “Why does Senior Xiao Mo keep giving such valuable gifts?”

Chen Ping’an joked, “Who told him to be so high in cultivation and so rich? Every time he goes out, his only hobby seems to be thinking about who needs what. I’ve advised him several times, but it’s useless anyway.”

In the art of drawing talismans, talisman paper and cinnabar are generally indispensable necessities. They can be roughly divided into two categories: cinnabar and soot ink, and gold and silver powder. In any case, they all cost a lot of money.

Among them, cinnabar is itself a material for alchemical refining, and secular emperors and monarchs also used it to review memorials, making circles for approval. In the eyes of cultivators, great red is the color of pure Yang in heaven and earth, enough to ward off Yin evil and drive away evil spirits. Therefore, cinnabar ink secretly made by Immortals is praised as “spiritual communication with solid form and substance.” In addition, the pronunciation of cinnabar is similar to “exterminate,” so the better the quality of cinnabar, the better the effect of drawing talismans to slay ghosts and drive away evil.

However, there are many cinnabar producing areas in the world, with huge reserves, so literati have the doubt “Cinnabar is as cheap as dirt, but I don’t understand how to burn it into elixir.” The cinnabar produced in Yuanling is recognized as the best in the world. After being made into ink sticks and carefully ground, the words written with it are praised as “True Red Writings,” and are often used by monarchs and the Ministry of Rites in Vast Sky to seal the edicts of mountain and water deities.

Chen Ping’an stood up and smiled. “Let’s go, let’s go beg some spoils from that Accountant Zhang.”

Besides the Wealth God of Fallen Mountain, Wei Wenlong, the accountant on the ferry was also Zhang Jiayu, who was unable to cultivate.

Jiang Qu and Zhang Jiayu were both from the same hometown and were the same age. However, because one had already ascended the mountain to cultivate and the other had always been a mortal teacher, now looking at their appearances, the two were at least ten years apart in age.

The two arrived at the accounting office. Zhang Jiayu smiled and asked, “Hidden Official, Jiang Qu, are you drinking wine or tea?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Just a bowl of hot tea will do. Drinking wine can easily lead to mistakes. Accounting is a meticulous job, not like the kind of literary scholars who write poems to express their feelings. Drinking wine to enhance the mood can increase talent.”

Zhang Jiayu nodded. “Wait a moment, I’ll boil water and brew tea right away.”

There was tea in the house, pre-rain tea personally fried by Butler Zhu Lian, all packed in tin cans.

In the corner of the wall was a stove and a sack of charcoal. Zhang Jiayu took out a fire starter and skillfully lit the thatch and firewood in the stove, which meant he usually drank a lot of tea.

In addition, there was a large brazier placed under the table. Coldness starts from the soles of the feet. Zhang Jiayu usually stepped on the edge of the brazier to warm himself and drive away the cold.

Jiang Qu looked at this scene with a complex expression.
If one were to boil water oneself, or if guests arrived unexpectedly and time was short, a common mountain fire talisman would suffice for kindling the flames. The slight expenditure of spiritual energy was entirely negligible.

It inexplicably reminded him of the time when Zhu Lian had dragged him along to be a carpenter, and the steward’s casual remark while snapping chalk lines:

“Knowing the inevitable and accepting it as fate, that is the height of virtue.”

This saying was clearly meant for Jiang Qu, but its meaning was not praise, but an indirect criticism.

Truthfully, if not for Zhu Lian’s reminder, or rather, his warning, Jiang Qu would have felt that he and this fellow townsman were no longer on the same path.

Zhu Lian’s question, “Why can Mountain Lord view Zhang Jiazhen with an ordinary heart, but you cannot?” had sent a chill down Jiang Qu’s spine, a feeling he still remembered with trepidation.

The principle was clear.

But today, following the Hidden Official to this place, looking at this simple, unfamiliar counting house, and at his calm and collected peer, Jiang Qu seemed to understand something beyond just principles.

Xiao Mo had also brought a gift for Zhang Jiazhen, which Chen Pingan placed on the table. Zhang Jiazhen initially declined, but ultimately accepted it.

Chen Pingan sipped his tea, perused the account books, and updated them on the current situation in Ascension City. Naturally, Zhang Jiazhen and Jiang Qu were eager to hear every detail about their hometown.

Closing the book, Chen Pingan looked up and asked with a smile, “Having heard all this, do you regret coming to the Vast World with me?”

Jiang Qu and Zhang Jiazhen exchanged a look, and smiled in understanding.

Afterwards, Chen Pingan left them alone. Jiang Qu remained inside, and Zhang Jiazhen picked up the kettle, refilling Jiang Qu’s teacup, and said softly, “If you don’t feel awkward, if you need money for cultivation, just mention it to me. Anyway, my salary is just sitting there, accruing a little interest. This small amount of divine money certainly won’t be of great help, but it’s the thought that counts.”

Jiang Qu looked at Zhang Jiazhen’s sincere eyes, nodded, and smiled, “Why would I be polite with you?”

Then Jiang Qu joked, “Lending money to others is more difficult than borrowing it, did you learn that from the Hidden Official?”

Zhang Jiazhen smiled without answering.

Jiang Qu hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t help but ask, “Zhang Jiazhen, don’t you have any long-term plans?”

It seemed that among the people of Fallen Mountain, only this accountant was neither a cultivator nor a pure martial artist.

Understanding Jiang Qu’s implied meaning, Zhang Jiazhen nodded and smiled, “I do. I already discussed it with Master Zhu, to see if there’s an opportunity to become a Mountain God in the future.”

Jiang Qu was surprised to hear this. After careful consideration, he slowly said, “Zhang Jiazhen, are you aware that it’s not easy for a mortal scholar to become a Mountain God, presiding over a territory? Even if one receives imperial recognition, it’s easier for ghosts and heroic spirits. But for a living person like you, the pain of physical decay and soul torment alone would be unbearable, even for martial artists with sturdy bodies, let alone Qi refiners. Failure would mean the annihilation of your soul, with no hope of reincarnation!”

Zhang Jiazhen poured himself a cup of tea, “Have you forgotten the medicinal ointment from the Yang family pharmacy in our hometown? Although the Great Li Dynasty strictly controls it now, with the Hidden Official and Fallen Mountain’s relationship with them, obtaining a portion for me wouldn’t be difficult.”

The greatest wonder of that ointment was its ability to eliminate pain and maintain one’s intellect.

Zhang Jiazhen continued, “Master Zhu frankly said that this is only the first step to becoming a Mountain God. There are actually two more dangerous trials to overcome. But even if I can’t pass all three trials and become a Mountain God, there’s still a path of retreat. At worst, I can remain near Fallen Mountain as a Yin spirit, but obtaining an official decree from the Great Li Dynasty would be difficult. It would be like building a forbidden shrine for me, so even with a temple and golden statue, it wouldn’t be a pure golden statue. Receiving incense offerings from humans would also be greatly restricted. But that’s just the worst-case scenario, so don’t worry too much.”

Jiang Qu was silent.

Simply put, for a mortal to achieve a golden body, to be promoted from a living person to a deity, was akin to ascending to the heavens in a single bound. The threshold was high, and the difficulty was unimaginable.

Zhang Jiazhen smiled, “The Hidden Official must have known about this long ago, but he hasn’t mentioned it to me. Jiang Qu, what do you think that means?”

Jiang Qu suddenly realized that the Hidden Official must be confident in his success.

Jiang Qu immediately felt relieved and exclaimed, “You’ve become much smarter, Zhang Jiazhen.”

Zhang Jiazhen pointed to the account books on the desk, “Can an idiot be an accountant?”

Chen Pingan found Xiao Mi Li at her house, where Chai Wu and Sun Chun Wang were also present. Chai Wu would come here for a drink whenever he had a break from his cultivation.

Now, the right protector of Fallen Mountain’s house had a cabinet, personally made by the Sword Immortal Mi, filled with jars of wine, all prepared for Chai Wu.

Xiao Mo was teaching the two young girls Daoist magic and swordsmanship.

Anyway, both of them had good aptitude, and easily understood complex concepts.

Chen Pingan sat on a long bench with Xiao Mi Li, eating melon seeds.

Xiao Mo worried that her cultivation methods might differ from the current Daoist secrets in terms of wording and meaning. To avoid misleading the children, Xiao Mo specifically taught them an ancient language that had long been lost.

At the moment, Xiao Mo was teaching an ancient art of preserving and observing one’s inner self. It indeed differed significantly from the current Daoist incantations. For example, Xiao Mo pointed to her neck, referring to the throat as the twelve-storied tower above the Crimson Palace of the Heart Field. Furthermore, the five internal organs each had their own functions and methods of refinement, and the nine fluids were interconnected, and the hundreds of vessels circulated, none could be discarded. Xiao Mo instructed the two young girls to circulate a strand of spiritual energy, not like a Qi refiner’s breathing exercises, but more like a martial artist’s pure true energy, from top to bottom. Simultaneously, in different regions of the human body’s small universe, she had them visualize different ancient deities, each with their own responsibilities, as if they were inspecting the mortal realm from the heavens…

“The three lights above and below illuminate all corners,
Brightly shining upon the nine regions.
From above, all are deities,
The sun and moon fly between the six directions.

Embrace the yellow and return to the purple, entering the dantian,
Dragon banners cross the sky, throwing fire bells.
Thunder roars and lightning flashes, gods obscure,
Eternal life and immortality far from death and disaster.”

Only Xiao Mo could truly teach this kind of ancient cultivation method.
The key lies in the two little girls. Every time they visualize a different deity, a truly remarkable phenomenon arises, corresponding to that deity. Chen Ping’an believes that at their age, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve what Chai Wu and Sun Chunwang have without months of repeated practice.

Little Millet covered her mouth with her hand and whispered to the good-natured mountain master, “I don’t understand a word. What should I do?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “It’s an ancient language. It’s normal not to understand.”

Actually, during this trip to Ascension City, Chen Ping’an also obtained several hand-copied sword manuals from the Sword Inquiry Pavilion. Sun Chunwang is a native sword cultivator of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, and the little girl is an unofficial disciple of Ning Yao. This isn’t a violation.

They will eventually enter a state similar to “movement cultivates stillness, stillness defines the true person.”

Xiao Mo looked at her young master.

Chen Ping’an nodded, signaling it was time to move.

Taking Little Millet out of the house, Chen Ping’an went to the bow of the boat, his thoughts stirring.

A moment later, a rumbling sound of wind and thunder came from the distant sea of clouds. But as the “uninvited guest” approached the Wind Kite ferry, it instantly became silent. It was the long sword “Night Wanderer,” which Chen Ping’an had left at Immortal Capital Mountain.

Chen Ping’an patted Little Millet’s head and smiled, “I’ll be back soon.”

Little Millet nodded obediently.

Chen Ping’an transformed into a dozen streaks of sword light, streaking hundreds of miles beyond the Wind Kite ferry. After reforming into his green-robed figure, he rode his sword south, heading straight for a certain place in central Tongye Continent.

Xiao Mo followed closely behind.

Under the scorching sun, several celestial masters on a celestial ferry were overlooking the mortal realm.

A curved streak of sword light, carrying the sound of wind and thunder, roared past hundreds of feet away.

The celestial ferry swayed as if encountering waves in the water, rocking back and forth.

Turning to look, they saw a dazzling sword light and a hint of green, already far away.

In the capital of a kingdom nestled at the foot of a mountain, a torrential rain was falling, making the daytime as dark as night.

Instantly, the dense dark clouds were torn apart by a fierce sword light, as if the sky had been opened, and sunlight poured down on the world.

As a green figure flashed past a raging river flowing from east to west, a gully suddenly appeared on the river surface below, revealing the exposed riverbed.

At a celestial residence, the mountain peaks towered majestically. Several keen-eyed Qi refiners noticed a bright spot appearing out of nowhere in the far distance, instantly dazzling, heading straight for their ancestral mountain.

The next moment, the sword light suddenly scattered, just bypassing the entire mountain, before re-converging into a sword light in the far distance, leaving only the sound of thunder reverberating between heaven and earth.

Finally, the sword light stopped at a certain location, revealing a figure with a sword on his back.

The Nine Majestic Suppression Towers were used by the Confucian Temple to suppress the mountain and river fortunes of a continent.

This one in Tongye Continent is called the Demon Suppression Tower, and its true form is a phoenix tree. Legend says that this tree was once so close to the sky that every time a moon rose, it could not rise higher than the tree.

The last guests to come here were Wen Hai (Zhou Mi), Fei Ran, and She Yue.

However, Fei Ran and She Yue were temporarily detained by Zhou Mi at the time.

They were fortunate enough to witness a “part of the truth” of the Demon Suppression Tower, a phoenix tree of immense age. At that time, it did not reveal its true form but instead manifested as a magnificent city, covering an area of a thousand miles.

However, Zhou Mi only tentatively probed it at the time, capable of breaking the mountain and river restrictions, but chose not to enter.

Zhou Mi had once told She Yue some shocking secrets, such as how the Lotus Nunnery Master was destined to die, but it happened a little earlier than Zhou Mi had expected.

And She Yue was the “former incarnation of the bright moon,” so in the Wildlands, she was more justified than the Lotus Nunnery Master, who occupied and refined a bright moon. However, She Yue was still not the Moon Sovereign, one of the twelve high positions of the ancient heavenly court. It could only be said that she had the opportunity, the greatest opportunity. That’s why Xin Zhuang, the direct disciple of the Great Ancestor of Tuoyue Mountain, would often chat with She Yue in the moon, because Xin Zhuang’s true form was a goddess who watered flowers and chopped cassia trees in the Moon Palace.

In ancient times, there were many moons. If they were described as a Six Ministries, She Yue would be a high-ranking official. Once she recovered her true form, she would be a Vice Minister. If She Yue hadn’t been sent to Treasure Bottle Continent, Zhou Mi would have taken her to ascend to the heavens and occupy a seat in the New Heavenly Court, elevating her divine status, equivalent to a multi-level promotion in the officialdom, directly promoted to the new Moon Sovereign.

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath and squinted, gazing at layers of iridescent glaze, rippling like water.

This was a natural suppression of him, or rather, a natural aversion and suppression towards the great demon true names he carried.

Chen Ping’an bowed his head, his figure hunched over.

As expected, the other party didn’t want to see him. If he couldn’t open the door, he would be turned away.

But breaking down the door was out of the question.

So, Xiao Mo, wearing a yellow hat and blue shoes, appeared beside him, shook her sleeves, and two long swords appeared in her hands. She raised her head and smiled slightly, “Is this how you treat old friends? Then don’t blame me for disregarding our old friendship.”