Within the pavilion, a more amiable atmosphere prevailed.

Upon hearing that the esteemed Daoist Lu of Autumn Hairs Temple was a guest who had climbed the mountain alongside Lord Chen, silence fell like a shroud.

Disbelief was natural, yet however improbable, it had to be accepted. Who would dare fabricate such a tale?

The several female cultivators, previously languid and carefree, now adopted serious expressions. The young Daoist, in their eyes, seemed to gain a certain handsomeness.

The young Daoist, resembling a storyteller from the towns below, began to recount the past. “Though not of the same village, I, a humble servant of the Dao, and Lord Chen, became acquainted in our lean years, enduring hardship together. We were kindred spirits at first glance. Or, to put it more elegantly, two youths met for the first time. In those days, neither of us had risen to prominence. Then, finding ourselves congenial, we journeyed afar together, once lodging in a temple dedicated to the City God. I dreamt that I wandered into the Bureau of Fortune and Rise, where I beheld the Master of the Bureau, a magistrate clad in purple robes and a jade belt…”

A lady interrupted, her voice laced with curiosity, “Within the City God’s various bureaus and departments, there exists a Bureau of Fortune and Rise?”

For in the bustling capital of the Dream-Liang Kingdom, the City God’s temple boasted many such offices. Yet even in the myriad county and district City God temples, such a bureau was unheard of.

The ladies within the pavilion shook their heads, evidently unfamiliar with the notion.

The young Daoist sighed deeply. “Indeed, strange it was. Many wondrous and peculiar sights did I behold. For instance, City God runners escorting a band of criminals to the City God for nocturnal judgment. Among them was a woman with a rope about her neck, clad in scarlet, her face sorrowful. She habitually tilted her head back, slightly protruding her tongue. Then there was a woman walking in the corridors, her head bowed under the weight of a cangue, her black hair drifting like seaweed in water. Afterwards, five noble young men, accompanied by a great retinue of beautiful concubines and maids, came seeking to drink with the presiding official of the City God’s auxiliary bureau. Late in the night, a woman in a white gown, mounted upon a white steed, identifying herself as Bai, a wandering immortal cultivating beneath the Azure Peak, arrived seeking respite… So much and so varied were the sights, a feast for the eyes. Truly, in a single night, I witnessed a hundred years of mortal affairs.”

“After waking from my dream, I pondered long and hard, even consulting ancient texts. Like you, I found no explanation. Therefore, I dared not believe it entirely. Fortunately, I had a stone to rely on, and kinship remained. By chance, I discovered that a relative of mine had ties to the Abbot of the Autumn Hairs Temple. Seeing that my bone structure was not lacking, the Abbot, unwilling to accept me as a direct disciple, took me on as a disciple of his disciple. From that moment onward, I began my formal cultivation. As for Lord Chen, after our parting at the City God’s Bureau of Fortune and Rise, he was destined for great fortune. He was like a dragon fallen into a muddy pit, trapped and tormented, beset by mosquitoes and confined within a cage. Yet one day, amidst wind and rain, he awaited the peal of thunder, whereupon the dragon of the mire, reinvigorated, would soar into the heavens!”

“Let us speak of each blossom on its branch. I shall not delve into Lord Chen’s subsequent triumphs.”

“Suffice it to say that after attaining immortality, I retreated to the mountains. But stillness leads to movement, and I descended the mountains to roam the mortal realm, to experience the trials of the mundane. I vanquished demons and quelled evil spirits, gaining renown in the martial world. During my travels, I reached a renowned historical site, where two mountains faced each other across a great river, said to be locked in place by a tortoise and a serpent. Yet in this land of abundant water, I encountered a drought unseen in centuries. The people suffered greatly. Though I possessed immortal powers, my heart remained true to the ancient ways. So I cast a spell, invoking the Autumn Hairs Temple’s secret Waters-Be-Gone Technique, parting the waters and seeking answers from the Water Mansion upstream. Alas, they paid me no heed, turning me away at the door. I bore it. Then I sought to borrow water from the Lord of the Lake at the ruins of the Dragon Palace downstream, to flood the parched riverbed upstream. Again, I met with no success. Infuriated, I took matters into my own hands. For days, I toiled without rest, striving to create a talisman of the immortals. Perhaps it was my innocent heart that moved the heavens and the earth, for I mastered this difficult talisman. After bathing and fasting, I went to a high tower by the riverbank, burned the talisman, and dissolved it into wine. I drank but half a cup, then threw the cup from the tower. The wine poured forth like a waterfall, ceaselessly replenishing the riverbed, now dry and barren, devoid of even a single fish. From that day forward, the river surged, and the vegetation flourished…”

The female cultivators within the pavilion exchanged glances.

Should they applaud and cheer, or raise a few doubts? Daoist Lu, although a cultivator of the Middle Five Realms, was merely at the lowest level of the Cave Abode Realm. Was it not excessive to call that “talisman” “extremely difficult”?

For seated within the pavilion were one cultivator of the Ocean Gazing Realm and two of the Cave Abode Realm.

Qing Tong began to move away, unwilling to listen further. Abbot Lu’s tales grew more improbable with each passing moment.

Others boasted of their greatness, but Lu Chen seemed to do the opposite.

As a yellow-robed elder arrived at the pavilion, the ladies had already departed. Only a young Daoist, wearing a fish-tail cap, sat cross-legged on a long chair, yawning. An empty wine pot lay at his feet. All that storytelling and fortune-telling for those fairies had dried his throat, necessitating a little wine for refreshment.

Lu Chen saw the yellow-robed Daoist lingering outside the pavilion and beckoned with a smile. “Sit down and let us talk.”

The young Daoist then dared to step onto the platform.

In the previous illusion, they had not conversed. Lu Chen had quickly seen the yellow-robed Daoist out.

Lu Chen asked, “Predecessor Peach Pavilion did not reveal my identity to Li Huai, did he?”

The young Daoist shook his head. “I dared not complicate matters.”

First, there was the young Hidden Official’s near-threatening reminder. Then, there was the rebuke from Lu, Abbot of the Jade Capital. The young Daoist felt lacking in confidence and devoid of arrogance.

Lu Chen smiled. “Chen Ping An spoke those harsh words to you. Did you not feel resentment in your heart?”

The young Daoist tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Chen Ping An truly acts for the good of my young master.”

Lu Chen rubbed his chin. “That statement is both correct and incorrect. It is not entirely accurate.”

The young Daoist humbly sought instruction. “I implore Abbot Lu to enlighten me.”

Lu Chen said, “Chen Ping An hails from Mud Bottle Lane, does he not?”

The young Daoist nodded. “Indeed.”

That small lane was a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

Chen Ping An, Song Mu, the Prince of Great Li, the True Dragon King Zhu, Gu Can of White Emperor City, and Cao Xi, the Sword Immortal of Southern Sahasra Land.

Leaning back against the railing, Lu Chen said languidly, “In the past, there was a little scamp in that lane, whom Chen Ping An and Liu Xian Yang affectionately called ‘Little Snot-Nose.’ He is, in fact, the youngest disciple of Master Zheng of White Emperor City.”

The young Daoist said, “The feng shui there is terrifyingly good.”

Lu Chen raised a hand, pointing in a random direction. “One of the five greatest fortunes publicly displayed in the Li Zhu Paradise of yesteryear was a small mud loach, which Chen Ping An personally caught from a paddy field. Gu Can coveted it, and Chen Ping An, who regarded him as half a younger brother, naturally gave it to Gu Can without hesitation. Gu Can raised it in a water tank at home. Later, he encountered Liu Zhi Mao, the Intercepting River True Lord of Book Brief Lake, and became his disciple. Mother and son followed Liu Zhi Mao to Azure Gorge Island. At a fork in the road, the fourteen-year-old straw-sandaled boy began his journey to Great Sui, escorting Qi Jing Chun’s students to Cliff Academy. The youngest member of the party was Li Huai.”

Lu Chen flicked his sleeves. “Chen Ping An does not wish to repeat the same mistake.”

The young Daoist said, “I beseech Abbot Lu to elaborate.”

Lu Chen sighed. He had spoken so plainly, yet it remained unclear. His face filled with helplessness, Lu Chen shook the wine pot, then raised it to his lips, drinking the last few drops. Wiping his mouth, he said, “The fortune of the small mud loach was bestowed by Chen Ping An upon Gu Can. At that age, Gu Can knew nothing of the Dao heart. What did Chen Ping An say to you earlier? ‘A sharp blade invites the impulse to kill,’ correct? In that Book Brief Lake, a place that could be considered a ‘small primordial world,’ possessing a Nascent Soul realm water dragon was both a talisman to protect one’s life and… a peerless wood-chopping knife. It was like walking into a field of rapeseed flowers. A mischievous child, unrestrained, holding a wood-chopping knife, would see only the delicate rapeseed flowers and give vent to his impulses, hacking and slashing without regard. He would fail to see the insects hidden in the fields or the owners of the rapeseed flowers.”

“At the same time, to advance along its path, the small mud loach had to feed itself. For a dragon, what could be a faster path to cultivation than devouring cultivators? This was the loach’s nature, and it resonated with Gu Can’s heart. Master and servant were like… a small union of Dao. Coupled with Liu Zhi Mao’s cold observation, the result was a mind filled with murderous intent and a nature given to violent outbursts.”

“That is why Chen Ping An was almost driven to madness by his senior brother, Cui Chan. Had it not been for that, his Dao heart would have shattered completely. If I remember correctly, he once said to Gu Can, ‘I am sorry, I am late.'”

“However, Li Huai and Gu Can, though similar in appearance, were fundamentally different. Two children of the same age might both appear timid, but Gu Can was timid because he knew he lacked strength, while Li Huai was merely a bully at home. Li Huai had a warm family, and from a young age, he understood the goodness of his kin. Gu Can and Li Huai represented two kinds of lives. One was devoid of joy and sought a better future. The other was a poor family. Though life seemed difficult, the family sat together, surrounded by warm lamplight. This was a rare blessing, and the future must be spent preserving this hard-earned beauty.”

“Therefore, if you lead Li Huai astray, turning him into someone who would disappoint Master Qi in Chen Ping An’s heart, you will die. That is certain.”

“You rely on your realm, looking down on a young Hidden Official of modest cultivation. Yet you are unaware that from the moment Chen Ping An learned you had become Li Huai’s retainer, he began preparing a book for you. When he attended the Literary Temple Council, during that incident at Mandarin Duck Shore, you thought you were displaying your power, feeling rather pleased with yourself. But Chen Ping An was coldly observing. That is why he spoke so frankly to you today in Lou Mountain, lest you feel aggrieved when he eventually beats you to death.”

Lu Chen sighed and pointed a finger at the yellow-robed elder. “Earlier, when I squatted on the road, cursing a stone as a stumbling block, did you think I was simply talking nonsense? And that strange saying about humans eating hot food and dogs eating hot waste? Do you now understand what I meant? Ah, Peach Pavilion, what are you thinking? That expression… You have misunderstood me. I was not suggesting you taste hot waste. I was speaking figuratively, with hidden meaning. A Daoist like me cannot be blunt. My words must carry a hint of mystery to suit my station.”

The young Daoist was embarrassed and forced a smile. “Abbot Lu is skilled in profound discourse, both humorous and meaningful.”

Lu Chen chuckled and turned to gaze at the scenery outside the pavilion. “If we regard each mountain, each stream, each person as a character in a story, you have missed too much. Throughout my years of cultivation, I have sought to be a Daoist ‘without fault.’ Those who approach such a state can be counted on one hand. Chen Ping An is one of them. Of course, he is the youngest and currently possesses the lowest cultivation.”

The young Daoist asked cautiously, “Why is Abbot Lu willing to offer me guidance?”

Lu Chen sighed. “A great cultivator of the Soaring Ascension Realm such as yourself is a character, a large character, standing before my eyes. How could I miss such an opportunity?”

Humans inevitably make mistakes. Life is full of missed chances.

Missed opportunities, missed people. All are mistakes, mistakes of the past.

Lu Chen’s face was filled with sorrow. Several times he looked up at the sky, wondering if he could take his leave without bidding farewell.

Even if he could only delay the inevitable. Surely, escaping now would grant him fourteen more days of peace?

The young Emperor of Dream-Liang Kingdom, the Water Goddess of the Nalan clan, and Lord Mei Shan remained within the pavilion.

Huang Cong wished they would be more casual. But these two deities, steadfastly adhered to the etiquette befitting their roles as subject and ruler. Such behavior was rare in the world of mountain and water deities. A Mountain Lord of a kingdom’s Five Peaks and the highest-ranking Water God within its borders would normally not be so formal with the emperor.

However, Lord Mei Shan, having formerly been a heroic general of a previous dynasty, respected the young Emperor. Lord Mei Shan refused to be seated, and Nalan Yu Zhi, whose position was equivalent, was obliged to follow suit.

Suddenly, a young Daoist appeared. Nalan Yu Zhi stealthily made a hand seal and smiled. “You are bold to trespass on private property.”

The young Daoist feigned ignorance. “Ah? Have I perhaps entered the wrong door? So be it. It seems I share a fate with this lady.”

Wearing a fish-tail cap, he must be a Daoist of the Divine Edict Sect.

In Treasure Bottle Continent, none dared to disregard the Golden Decrees and Jade Laws of the Divine Edict Sect.

Lord Mei Shan glanced at the Daoist, speaking telepathically. “Your Majesty, this Daoist is indeed from the Divine Edict Sect. Behind him hangs a lantern bearing the inscription of Autumn Hairs Temple. He is someone protected by the legacy of his sect. Though he appears to be only a Dragon Gate Realm cultivator, he is actually a Golden Core Earth Immortal. However, he likely formed his core recently, as his aura is unstable.”

Nalan Yu Zhi frowned. “How did he enter? Why did he not create a ripple of energy?”

Lord Mei Shan sneered. “Who knows?”

Huang Cong gestured for them not to be alarmed. He was a guest, after all. Among the cloud-eating and dew-drinking cultivators, some possessed a divine aura, but many were eccentric, possessed unorthodox techniques, or enjoyed playing in the mortal realm.

“Since I have entered the wrong place, I shall make the best of it.”

The young Daoist raced up the steps, stopped, placed his hands behind his back, and gazed at the chessboard. “The white player is a master.”

The Water Goddess covered her brow with her hand. Regardless of his Daoist skills, he was clearly a terrible chess player.

Huang Cong remained calm and composed, smiling as he asked, “Daoist, why do you say so? I thought black was certain to win.”

He was the white player.

“Playing chess is the most boring thing in the world. Gambling has winners and losers, but chess only has winners.”

The young Daoist picked up a white piece and a black piece, placing them on the board with a crisp, clear sound. “At the gambling table, unless one cheats, even a grandmaster with a run of bad luck will lose, even to a novice. The novice might simply roll the dice, landing six after six, and still defeat the master. But in chess, a master may make a mistake or a blunder, but an inferior player, whose skills have not yet reached the level of perfection, will still be outmatched. Even against a formidable opponent, he would only lose by a half-move. The black pieces would not all be dead, nor would the white pieces all be alive.”

“As for the true chess masters, they never lose to weaker players. For example, Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan, or Zheng Ju Zhong, or…”

The young Daoist straightened his back and tugged at his Daoist robe. “… my senior brother.”

After a slight pause, he continued, “… or myself!”

The Water Goddess scoffed. “Do you dare speak the name of National Preceptor Cui so casually?”

The young Daoist shook his head and smiled. “What else is a name for if not to be spoken?”

“Ah, this chess game is developing differently than I predicted.”

To the astonishment of the three within the pavilion, he swept his hand across the board, scattering the pieces.

“I take back everything I said earlier. Haha, I take it all back.”

Huang Cong could not help but laugh. “Daoist, you are a remarkable man. May I ask your honorific name?”

“Lu Fu of Autumn Hairs Temple, Divine Edict Sect. I have no Daoist name yet. Even Qi, the Celestial Lord, rarely sees me.”

Nalan Yu Zhi covered her mouth and laughed. “That makes sense. Daoist Lu rarely sees Celestial Lord Qi, so Daoist Lu would naturally not see Celestial Lord Qi often.”

The young Daoist smiled cheekily. “Lady, your words are pleasing to the ear. Your voice is crisp, like plum broth in a white porcelain bowl, the sound of shattered ice against the sides. You are understanding, golden-voiced, jade-virtued, a flower of discerning words.”

“Ah, your attire is similar to mine. You must be an admirer of Su Zi.”

“How coincidental! I once had the good fortune to travel with Su Zi for several months, exchanging poems, discussing the Dao, and debating Zen. It was a most delightful experience.”

Huang Cong coughed a few times, unsure how to advise Daoist Lu to be more respectful.

Nalan Yu Zhi quipped, “Is that not akin to a dog licking the door curtains?”

The young Daoist did not take offense. Instead, he said something cryptic. “Had I known, I would have asked a certain predecessor to come here. That would have been fitting.”

Lord Mei Shan’s face tensed. Speaking telepathically, he said, “Your Majesty, I cannot endure this. Can we ask him to leave?”

“Please, the pioneer of the ‘request to leave’ in the mortal realm is also someone with whom I am quite familiar…”

Lord Mei Shan was shocked. Could this Daoist read his mind?

Before Lord Mei Shan could warn the Emperor and Nalan Yu Zhi, the Water Goddess turned to look at the entrance, speaking telepathically to the young Emperor. “Your Majesty, someone has come to pay a visit. It is… Lord Chen of Fallen Mountain!”

The young Daoist acted suspiciously, as if preparing to flee.

But Nalan Yu Zhi seized his arm. “Daoist Lu, where are you going? As you said, one should not miss an opportunity.”

The young Daoist shook his arm, as if unable to break free. He gently patted the back of the Water Goddess’s hand, his eyes sincere. “From whence I came, I shall return. May the mountains be high and the rivers long. Until we meet again.”

Lord Mei Shan ceased telepathic communication and spoke directly. “Daoist Lu is a person of great attainment. Since you can hear my thoughts, you must be a Nascent Soul Immortal, correct?”

The young Daoist laughed. “Well said, well said.”

Nalan Yu Zhi tried to release her grip, but to her shock, she could not. It was as if she were stuck to a piece of taffy.

Unlike the residences of Chen Ling Jun and Li Huai, this residence was guarded by experts from the Dream-Liang Kingdom. They quickly escorted the young Hidden Official, who had announced his name, respectfully to the pavilion.

Chen Ping An glanced at Lu Chen’s Yin spirit.

Lu Chen immediately shook his arm vigorously, freeing himself from the Water Goddess’s slender hand. His face filled with shock, he trembled and said, “That handsome young man looks familiar! Could it be Lord Chen of Fallen Mountain, the closed-door disciple of the Sage of Literature, the last Hidden Official of Summer Retreat Palace, the second master of Sword Qi Great Wall, my friend in hardship, my bosom buddy, Daoist Chen…”

Chen Ping An said with a dark face, “Go cool off!”

“Yes, sir.”

Lu Chen’s out-of-body Yin spirit leapt away. “See you, see you. I will be waiting at the Thousand Autumns Pavilion.”

In an instant, he vanished without a trace.

The three within the pavilion, including the Emperor Huang Cong, seemed stunned.

Huang Cong regained his senses and hurried out of the pavilion, momentarily speechless and embarrassed.

It was a simple matter, but Daoist Lu’s interference made it difficult for the young Emperor to address Chen Ping An.

“Headmaster Gao was discourteous, declaring that if I did not meet Your Majesty, he would not let me pass.”

Chen Ping An spoke first, cupping his hands in a smile. “As for Lu Fu of Autumn Hairs Temple, Your Majesty should ignore him. He is mentally ill and often confused.”

Huang Cong saluted in the manner of a scholar. “Huang Cong of the Dream-Liang Kingdom greets Master Chen.”

Lord Mei Shan’s face was solemn as he clasped his fists. “Mei Yu of Song Mountain has met the Hidden Official.”

The Water Goddess inclined her body in a bow. “Nalan Yu Zhi of Wang Yue River Water Mansion greets Sword Immortal Chen.”

Entering the pavilion with the young Emperor, Chen Ping An adjusted his green robe and sat down gently.

The pillars of the pavilion bore a couplet in the style of Dragon Gate:

*Open your eyes and look, the old families in the world have done no more than accumulate virtue and perform good deeds. There are gods three feet above your head.*

*It should be said that the best thing in the world is to be determined to study. Diligence will not betray those who strive.*

Chen Ping An smiled and cut straight to the chase. “I heard my disciple, Pei Qian, mention Your Majesty, saying that during the war in Great Li’s auxiliary capital, there was a member of the imperial clan who did not value his life, repeatedly charging into battle as a cavalry general.”

Huang Cong’s face was bitter. “It is true that I was not afraid to die, but it is also true that I almost died.”

Whether Huang Cong was present on that battlefield mattered little. He was dispensable.

But the many Dream-Liang soldiers who had resolutely and selflessly given their lives could not have died in vain. That was certain. Yet it seemed that their efforts fell short of truly accomplishing anything.

Anyone who had participated in those brutal battles would have to admit one thing. When confronted by those cultivators from the mountains, witnessing their earth-shattering immortal arts, the elite soldiers of the mortal kingdom would feel despair… Even after so many years, the young Emperor would often awaken from nightmares in a cold sweat, unable to sleep, haunted by the sound of clashing metal.

The young Hidden Official seemed to see through the young Emperor’s inner turmoil, shaking his head. “To win that war, both those in the mountains and those in the lowlands had to be unafraid of death. If those in the lowlands were afraid to die, no matter how many more cultivators there were on Treasure Bottle Continent, it would become a second Tong Leaf Continent, swept aside by the barbarians. Then, the entire world would be left with only the Central Earth Divine Continent.”

Lord Mei Shan’s eyes shone as he exclaimed, “Well said!”

Nalan Yu Zhi nodded gently.

The yellow-robed Daoist had returned. Lu Chen’s true body, having recalled his out-of-body Yin spirit, lay stretched out on the long chair, legs crossed, swaying back and forth.

The plaque of the pavilion read “Thousand Autumns.” But the most unusual aspect was that the characters on the right were often more than those on the left. One side “Dream”, and One side “Awake”.

Lu Chen smiled. “Reversal is the movement of the Dao, and the Dao is the movement of reversal.”

It was universally acknowledged that cultivating the Dao was to act against heaven. Everyone knew it, but no one wanted to discuss it.

Realized humans could dwell on the land, immortal masters could move mountains and overturn seas, grasp the sun and moon, be immortal, and live as long as heaven and earth.

Was this not the greatest act of rebellion against heaven? Yet these people had become the elite of humanity. Was this not the greatest jest?

Chen Ping An bid farewell to the young Emperor and came to the pavilion. Without removing his cloth shoes, he sat cross-legged on the long chair and took out his pipe. Fastening the pouch to the bamboo stem, he began to rub the tobacco, mixed with wild ginseng powder and osmanthus. A small wordless jade tablet hung from the pipe with a red cord.

“Tell me, what exactly is Zhou Mi thinking?”

Lu Chen shrugged, pulling his hands into his sleeves, leaned against the pavilion pillar, looked up at the sky. “Ah, Zhou Mi.”

“The Jia Sheng of Vast, his name was Jia Mo. Since words are unsuitable, he remained silent. He was a man of great talent. After becoming the old fox of the Wilderness, revered as the Literary Sea of the World, his actions became truly thorough.”

Chen Ping An laughed. “Do you need to tell me these old stories?”

Lu Chen said, “Because I have never dealt with him, I can only speculate. Perhaps he believes that good and evil, right and wrong, only arose after ‘we’ existed.”

“There is no reasoning with such a person. To put it politely, arguing with him is like a chicken talking to a duck or ‘every man to his own taste.’ They can argue endlessly but will never persuade each other. Perhaps this is the so-called different paths of the Great Dao. To put it impolitely, he is a Dao that has proven itself, is self-consistent, and follows its own path. As for the path Zhou Mi treads, whether it can be called a Great Dao remains to be seen. It must be judged in the future. At present, no matter who it is—except for my master—the rest of us, no matter how carefully we deduce and evolve, will never see the path that Zhou Mi envisions. And in the current situation, no one wants to be that future observer, that one who ‘looks back.’ That is why, during the riverbank council, even that extremely fierce woman from Wu Continent, who would refine anything to ascend to the Fourteenth Realm, was the first to propose eliminating Zhou Mi. Not because she had a grudge against Zhou Mi, but because she knew that Zhou Mi’s future was not the future that Wu Continent desired.”

Chen Ping An laughed. “I will never provoke Wu Continent.”

In other words, Wu Continent should not provoke him either. Let each go their own way.

Lu Chen hesitated, raised his hand, and vigorously rolled up his sleeve. The mountains and waters became hazy, revealing two Daoists sitting and discussing the Dao.

One Daoist, of middle age, wore a hibiscus crown and possessed a gentle temperament. The other, a young Daoist, wore a lotus crown and possessed a dashing air.

Before leaving Jade Capital, the senior brother had performed a deduction that expended great mental energy, ultimately arriving at three conclusions.

First, that everyone could cultivate, that all living beings with the potential to open their minds and refine their forms could cultivate peacefully. Would this not open up a new world, a world of order? Perhaps the cultivators of the myriad races of humanity would no longer have to compete for trifles but would instead unite into shining rivers, setting off to explore the outer heavens, each choosing a star as their place of cultivation, each branching out and flourishing…

Second, that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth would be concentrated in a few places, that humanity would enter an age of magical decline, a situation where ‘a clever woman cannot cook without rice.’ All living beings, except for a handful of ‘suspended’ ones, would be unable to cultivate. These few would be forbidden from interfering with the workings of heaven and earth, limited to a ‘small corner’ of the world, living freely in a microcosm. They must also abide by certain secret agreements, only intervening during certain major calamities to alter the course of heaven and earth.

Third, that everything would descend into chaos, where disorder would be the only order.

In fact, there was a fourth conclusion.

But the senior brother had not allowed Lu Chen to witness the Dao, for the Dao that could be spoken of was not the true Dao.

But Lu Chen had guessed it.

It was “Heaven and Earth as One.”

This was what Jia Sheng of Vast, and later Zhou Mi of the Wilderness, sought to accomplish.

Lu Chen rolled down his sleeve, dispersing the image. He held out a fair hand, back up and palm down. “If I were Zhou Mi, I would first ‘become one,’ refining everything into one.”

Turning his hand over, Lu Chen smiled. “Then, I would ‘transform into a myriad of beings.'”

“After that, there would be no worries about cultivation, enlightenment, attainment, or dissipation.”

Lu Chen continued, “And then…”

Chen Ping An suddenly frowned slightly.

Lu Chen tapped his head gently against the pavilion pillar, smiling knowingly. “The ‘transformations’ I speak of are not limited to living beings.”

Chen Ping An nodded. “Continue.”

He understood. It was not just the five continents, but also the outer heavens suppressed by Jade Capital, the Buddhist Western Paradise suppressing hell, and all the ancient stars, all being refined. Like a cultivator refining a natal treasure.

Uniting into one, breaking the whole into parts.

In this state, cleaving the Milky Way with a sword or scattering an ancient star with a breath would no longer be considered Taoism.

Even a Fourteenth Realm cultivator, even a Fifteenth Realm cultivator, would be insignificant before the united Zhou Mi, for they would simply be part of his Dao.

Chen Ping An crossed his legs and tapped the bottom of his shoe with his pipe, knocking off the ash. He refilled the bowl with tobacco and continued to smoke.

Lu Chen could not help but sigh. “A thousand-year house has a hundred masters, renovated every year.”

Chen Ping An twisted his wrist, putting the pipe back into his Dimension space. “Abbot Lu, now that we have discussed the abstract, let us discuss something more concrete.”

Lu Chen’s head grew large as a basket. He knew nothing good could come from that respectful title of “Abbot Lu.”

Chen Ping An extended his hand. “Six Grain Rain coins.”

Lu Chen said helplessly, “It is customary to bring a gift when visiting. Besides, it is just two Grain Rain coins for the Ni teacher and that Daoist friend Qing Tong. It is nothing to them. What does it matter to Hidden Official Chen?”

Chen Ping An said, “We will not discuss them. I have another gift prepared for the Yellow Millet Sect. So convert my two Grain Rain coins into twenty Lesser Heat coins. Bring them forth.”

Lu Chen understood the hidden meaning. He reluctantly produced a pile of Lesser Heat coins, all meticulously collected through hard work.

Chen Ping An picked out twenty, put them into his sleeve, and stood up. “Before I descend the mountain and you return to Jade Capital, I have a painting that I want Daoist Lu, who once set up a stall in Li Zhu Paradise Town, to see again.”

Lu Chen hesitated.

He wanted to ask if it was possible to avoid viewing it, since he had already seen it.

But strange things happened within the pavilion, as if another dream was beginning.

In the space of the universe.

An enormous Dharma image sat upright at the northernmost end of Treasure Bottle Continent.

A tribulation was approaching, the clouds slowly descending, nearing the head of the image.

The scholar looked up, a smile on his face.

A celestial from heaven spoke loudly, his words becoming law. Thunder filled the sea of clouds, lightning coursing like millions of dragons.

Then, a golden palm ripped a hole in the sea of clouds. The towering celestial, seated high above the clouds, called himself “I.”

The Dharma image of the scholar with temples of frost formed a fist, grasping a small bead in his hand.

At that moment, the small town in Li Zhu Paradise plunged into darkness, as if night had fallen in the middle of the day.

The celestial sitting at the top of the hole in the clouds, as if looking down from the top of a well, stared mockingly at the frog at the bottom.

One phrase, like thunder, was uttered, “Let me play with you first!”

Twelve flying swords pierced the clouds and descended to earth. The golden giant opened his eyes, their pupils golden. In his hand, his fist opened, and his finger flicked.

Following this command, one flying sword pierced the Dharma image of the scholar. The golden giant in the clouds, placed two fingers onto each respective hand. Each time the finger moved, the finger spun in a circle, and a flying sword drew an arc.

One by one, the image of the scholar was punctured thousands of times.

He unleashed a downpour of flying swords, as if to pour cold water on the spring breeze.

Countless golden threads emerged from the clouds.

Three-colored lightning dragons intertwined to form three nets that eroded the scholar.

At the same time, he formed a grand array, crazily absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, isolating the scholar from Vast.

Even though the scholar was a Vast. He could not compete against the two who had descended over from the heavens!

The giant punched and slammed upon the arms of the scholar.

With the Dharma image bound in the cage of lightning and heavenly threads, the two beat each other senseless.

The reader had one arm that he held onto to shield the bead.

The celestial placed his fingers together to form a sword. With one chop, the head of the scholar tumbled off.

Yet the scholar’s arm and fist held on.

The scholar only had one limb to hold onto to shield the small bead.

He only wanted to protect the bead.

The giant punched and slammed on the scholar’s head.

Inside the array, the forces of the forces clashed.

Each punch that was struck, the scholar would fall.

Armless, the scholar only held onto one detached limb and fist.

The wretched form continued to guard its fist.

The lips of the reading form spoke as if it was in a school.

“The constellations revolve, the sun and moon shine, the four seasons govern, the yin and yang transform, the winds and rains shower, and all things thrive in harmony and grow to fulfillment…”

In the village schoolhouse without children, the scholar with temples of frost and dressed in a green robe was covered with snow. He was leaking blood, a bloody mess.

In the end.

His soul shattered.

He did not retaliate as he had to defend a precious belonging. He shattered as if it was made out of porcelain. As if a gentle breeze had passed.

Dao did he lack?

He had entered the Fourteenth Realm.

Was he good natured?

From the Saint’s line, he was the most ill-tempered person.

It was he who had stomped on an Ape who had tried to move mountains.

Seeing this, Lu Chan had a shift in expression. He attempted to say something but gave up.

Chen Ping An was still calm.

Each of his emotions had been cut off.

“With me in this world.”

He could meet only one teacher.

The senior said to himself,

“If reasoning mattered, then what need is there to practice swordsmanship.”

He must practice swordsmanship!

At Suishan, he would show Zhou You that he, Chen Ping An, would enter the Fourteenth Realm.

In this journey, he must do more than seek his future.

So he must practice boxing!

Thus, at the odd land, he would be able to say to it, “I can exceed your skill by a realm.”

Lu Chan, one of the three heads of Jade Capital, stood up.

In the past, Chen Ping An would not have been able to see this image.

Chen Ping An must have begun to study the Yin Yang.

Long ago, a swordmaster had told him that he would likely practice the Yin Yang.

He was a boy with straw sandals.

“Some revenge must be taken. If I cannot take revenge in one day, I will remember it for 96 years