Near the Fen River Shrine, Chen Ping’an and Qing Tong focused on different aspects of the scenery, observing them separately in sequence.

After Qing Tong had explored the various halls and pavilions, he discovered Chen Ping’an was no longer within the River God’s temple.

Stepping out of the shrine gate, Qing Tong saw Chen Ping’an, clad in a cyan robe, sitting on a small bamboo chair in the willow shade by the large pond, casting his line for a spot of fishing.

Qing Tong approached him, asking, “Is there another bamboo chair?”

Chen Ping’an put a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet, then with a flick of his wrist, produced another small green bamboo chair and handed it to Qing Tong.

Sitting down beside him, Qing Tong lowered his voice, puzzled, “What is this?”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly, “Patiently await the opportune moment.”

Seeing Qing Tong’s bewildered expression, Chen Ping’an raised his chin, reminding him, “For now, a water viewing.”

Qing Tong then focused his gaze upon the water’s surface. The pond’s surface was like a mirror, reflecting a dilapidated mansion, with shadowy figures moving within the picture.

It was a minor earth immortal’s technique, a divine power to observe mountains and rivers in one’s palm.

After parting ways with the child at the village, the young Daoist, his chest bulging with treasures, soared into the sky. He stood on tiptoe, gazing towards the city. “Eh? There’s a faint miasma of filth and signs of immortal combat? Could it be a haunted house? Doesn’t anyone know that this humble Daoist is called Xu Wu-gui today? Very well, if you are willing to negotiate, we can each mind our own business. But if you refuse to even lend me a kitchen, then don’t blame me for acting as heaven’s agent!”

Lu Chen glanced back at the child surnamed Ye. “Perhaps he will be able to accompany the little Daoist named A-You from Autumn Bristle Temple when he arrives at the Divine Edict Sect, cultivating and growing together, and over time, become friends.”

Two moons as friends; what a rarity it was in this world of only one moon, the Great Azure World. So, he ought to cherish true friends all the more.

With a single stride, Lu Chen arrived at the street outside the rumored haunted house. After a quick calculation, he learned that the neighborhood was called Enlightenment Truth Ward and the mansion was once a temple dedicated to Lord Lü. The vermilion gates were covered in cobwebs. The temple’s incense had long died out. Historically, it had been torn down and rebuilt as a private residence, but it suffered many misfortunes and fell prey to hauntings. Eventually, most of its beams were moved to the Fen River Shrine outside the city. Only a stone lion remained at the gate, its neck bearing a series of tiny pits, resembling the imprints of beads.

This place was actually the former site of a temple dedicated to that Pure Yang Daoist! It was unexpected yet also fitting.

Lu Chen sighed. “Pure Yang fellow Daoist, in Jade Capital, we were both from the same hometown, experiencing a strange land together. Now that you have long left the Great Azure homeland, it is unfortunate that your temple has fallen to such a state. Very well, let this humble Daoist contribute a small effort today, adding a bit of incense to your temple.”

He simply didn’t know where Lü Yan was at present; there had been no news of Lü Yan from the Azure Billow Heavens for a long time.

Lu Chen pulled a talisman made of yellow jade from his sleeve, muttering, “Oh heavens, oh earth, if the immortals manifest, it will be me,” stepped back several paces, adopted a posture of gathering qi at the dantian, and with a light shout, sprinted forward. With a tap of his toe, he leaped high, only to barely reach the top of the wall. After several wobbles, unable to steady himself, he fell backward, landing back on the street. Fortunately, the street was deserted, and no one witnessed this comical scene.

The young Daoist, still clutching the yellow talisman, tried again twice, finally plopping down on the wall. After rising, he crept along the wall, hunching over. Reaching a rooftop, he craned his neck, witnessing a perilous battle: several wild cultivators who seemed to be from the same sect were engaged in a fierce fight with a pale-faced woman in a red dress. He could faintly see a rope tied around her neck; presumably, she was a hanged ghost. She shrieked incessantly, black smoke billowing around her, but the immortal gentlemen who had come to slay demons were skillfully dispersing it with their profound arts. It was a fairly even match, with each side countering with spells and ghostly tricks, a spectacle of worthy adversaries meeting their match.

Lu Chen quietly sat on the rooftop, shifting his gaze. In the backyard, there was a peony, transplanted from elsewhere, that had survived several dynasties. Having gained sentience and cultivated its form, it possessed a considerable Dao age, approximately the mansion’s half-owner. It led a group of unjustly dead ghosts, scaring mortals and occupying the large residence. It didn’t appear to be doing anything truly wicked, at most, luring in those drunken louts and watchmen who stayed out late at night, casting illusions on them, bringing them to the mansion for a night of pleasure, stealing some of their yang energy, and then tossing them out before dawn.

No wonder the Water God of the Fen River Shrine turned a blind eye to everything happening within this mansion with a rich history. Firstly, no acts that violated Heaven’s law were committed. Secondly, suppressing the “ghost house” would require mobilizing troops. Once the two sides completely broke face and fought without restraint, at least the county town would likely be ruined. Moreover, with the abilities of the nearby City God Temple and the mountain and river deities, and their limited forces, if they truly took it to heart, they would only come charging in with great fanfare, only to retreat with bruised faces and battered spirits.

One of the battling parties in the courtyard, sharp-eyed, spotted the sneaky young Daoist on the rooftop. He immediately shouted, “Little nosy Daoist, daring to steal business from this old man?! Get lost!”

The young Daoist, filled with righteous indignation, declared, “Since ancient times, demon slaying is everyone’s business, especially since this humble Daoist possesses a spine of steel and a chivalrous heart…”

The man bellowed, “Shut up!”

A flying dart shot out from his sleeve, as swift as a shooting star, but the end of the dart struck the nagging Daoist’s forehead. With a cry of pain, the young Daoist was hit. He fell backward, rolling off the rooftop, disappearing from sight.

Inside the courtyard, the female ghost with a rope around her neck was only using a few tricks repeatedly. The opponents, however, were numerous, and the cultivators were all men, naturally filled with yang energy. Gathering together, their aura was quite robust. She gradually fell behind, immediately turning her head and shouting, “Sister, come and help me!”

Soon, another wisp of cyan smoke wafted over, solidifying into a female ghost form, also a woman. Her head was covered in loose, unkempt black hair, drifting like seaweed, presumably a pitiful person who had drowned.
Lu Chen had already located the kitchen, kicking open the door, preparing to start a fire and cook a meal. A person shouldn’t mistreat themselves. This poor Daoist must have a hearty meal here before heading to the Azure Underworld. Bai Yujing doesn’t have such customs; there’s too much immortal aura and Daoist demeanor, too little human touch. Lu Chen saw that the chopping board and other utensils were complete, so he took out a fire starter from his sleeve, found the bamboo tube for blowing on the fire, sat on a stool, and muttered to himself, “It’s still broad daylight now. When dusk falls, the real master of this haunted house hasn’t even appeared yet. If you don’t have this poor Daoist’s help, how are you going to fight? Even if you kneel on the ground and beg for help, it’ll depend on whether I’ve eaten my fill and have the strength.”

Earlier, after meandering about on the way here, Lu Chen had discovered two large locust trees with dense foliage in the backyard, blocking out the sunlight. Not far from the kitchen, there was a small building with grass growing a foot high, inside were several coffins, their lids open, filled with the withered bones of those who had no burial place. Anyway, Lu Chen wasn’t afraid of these things, or else how could the Third Sect Leader’s Seven Hearts include a White Bone Real Person?

Someone leaned against the kitchen door, a delicate young woman, her beautiful face flushed, her posture enchanting and seductive.

The girl pursed her crimson lips and clapped her hands lightly, giving a “hello” as a reminder that the young Daoist priest had a visitor. Then, squinting her eyes, she smiled and said, “Young Daoist, wouldn’t you say you’re skilled and bold, daring to come here to cook? They say if you’re going to seek death, you should find a good place. What were you thinking? Have you read too many tales of the strange and supernatural, or even erotic stories, hoping for a romantic encounter?”

“This young lady, appearing so silently and without a trace, almost scared a person to death. Do you really think scaring people to death isn’t punishable? Luckily, this little Daoist has immortal techniques to rely on and a stout heart.”

Lu Chen spoke with a cheerful smile, sitting on the small stool, turning around, raising the bamboo tube in his hand, pointing to the yellow paper talisman pasted on the kitchen door, and looking at the girl who was a peony spirit. Having attained sentience, refined her form, relying on an opportunity and her eight or nine hundred years of cultivation, she was considered unrivaled in the nearby counties. She wasn’t exactly wreaking havoc here; she was just helping those few female ghosts prolong their lives. And she was even showing restraint. Otherwise, if those ghost sisters were just a little more ruthless, with just a single bite, or a few extra twists of their waists, those young and strong men who came here for a night of pleasure would probably be left with only an empty shell, their vital energy scattered. Even if they were thrown out of the haunted house, they wouldn’t live long.

The girl reached out to take down the ordinary-looking talisman, but as soon as her fingertip touched it, she felt a piercing, burning sensation. She shivered and immediately withdrew her hand. After considering it for a moment, adhering to the principle of “better safe than sorry,” she smiled sweetly and said, “As long as you don’t interfere today, you’re free to come and go. I didn’t provoke those few in the courtyard. They barged into my territory looking for trouble. They’re clearly not the kind to let things go easily. Since they’re all eager to be reincarnated, don’t blame me for giving them a little push.”

Seeing this, the young Daoist priest had a look of smugness on his face and laughed heartily, “What’s this, you know how powerful it is now, right? This talisman is one of this poor Daoist’s signature skills! Just tell me, are you afraid or not?”

The girl twitched her lips, “May I ask, immortal master, what is your name? How old is your Daoist age?”

The young Daoist priest had a look of disdain, “Don’t you know the rules? Monks don’t speak their names, Daoists don’t speak their age. But considering the title ‘immortal master,’ this little Daoist can reveal a few secrets.”

The girl nodded, “I’m all ears.”

The young Daoist priest coughed a few times, clearing his throat. Only then did he straighten his back and say in a loud voice, “The universe is vast, I have no name, a free and easy fellow in this world. My spirit is resolute, a true hero, my nature is aloof and solitary. I live only on high mountain peaks, dining on morning clouds and drinking evening dew. My spirit is clear and my energy is refreshing, I am most magnanimous. For a hundred years, I faced the wall, unknown to all. The golden crow wrapped in fire spins the golden elixir, after the golden elixir is formed, I construct a furnace and cauldron, refining a primordial spirit to travel to the Jade Capital. I learn immortality to the point of infancy, the moon is still and clear in the cold pool, I breathe the heart of heaven at the bottom of the sea, rising straight up to pay homage to the Heavenly Court. I have forgotten how many thousands of years to achieve Dao, the blue bird in the sky, the clouds in the air, can also be bound. The flood dragon at the bottom of the wave, the moon in the water, can also be caught. In the end, it’s all drawing water with a bamboo basket, glory and decay are but a dream, ants in a locust tree…”

At first, the girl listened attentively, but soon she began to yawn. ‘Is he telling a story here?’

‘But these literary, sour words don’t seem to rhyme very well.’

The young Daoist priest seemed to see through her thoughts and said shamelessly, “Girl, you just need to understand the meaning. This is called ‘carried away by success’. As for rhyming or not rhyming, that’s very secondary, quite trivial.”

The girl suddenly said sternly, “I’ve changed my mind. Originally, I just found you annoying, but now I find listening to you even more annoying. I’m not keeping you as a guest, leave this place immediately!”

“Don’t change your mind! This poor Daoist’s surname is Xu, name is Wu-gui (No-ghost). As for my Daoist name, my talent is still shallow in the mountains, and my experience outside the mountains is not long. I haven’t been able to accumulate three thousand perfect merits, so I don’t have a Daoist name yet.”

The young Daoist priest also became anxious, “Besides, this lineage of mine has a rule: we speak of our ancestor, not our master. So if you ask about this little Daoist’s teacher, Daoist lineage, I’m sorry, I can’t tell you.”

Hearing this, the girl restrained her anger and just chuckled, “So your teacher’s lineage is just ordinary, huh? You can’t scare people by bringing out the name of your master.”

The young Daoist priest seemed to be embarrassed and angry, “Can’t scare people? I’ll scare the ghosts to death!”

The girl glanced at the other party’s Daoist crown and waved her hand, “Go, go, don’t join in the fun here. If it weren’t for the sake of a former Daoist connection, today you would at least be coming in standing up and leaving lying down. I would have to teach you a lesson. Since your Daoist magic is weak and your skills are lacking, don’t think that just because you have a backer in your sect, you can feel that you’re immune to everything and can barge in everywhere. There is always someone better than you, you’re going to suffer greatly.”

The girl’s eyes sparkled, and with one finger pointing to the young Daoist priest’s Daoist crown and the other hand covering her mouth, she giggled, “Little Daoist, still pretending to be ignorant with me, pretending to be an expert? What, thinking that if you can’t beat me later, you’ll quickly bring out your sect to scare this old lady? Then do you know that I and your grandmaster are old flames?”

“Old flames?!”

The handsome Daoist priest with red lips and white teeth, upon hearing this, was struck as if by lightning. His eyes were lifeless and he muttered, “How could this poor Daoist not know?!”
“How would you know? Those are ancient affairs from several centuries ago. Leave this place and return to your mountain temple. If you’re interested, go and flip through your clan’s records. Search carefully and see if you can find a fellow named Qian Tongxuan, with the Daoist title ‘Dragon Tail Mountain Man.’ That’s him! He had no conscience, a craven coward! He looked down on my origins, too afraid to bring me back to his mountain. So what if I’m a plant spirit? Even the Celestial Master’s Mansion on Dragon Tiger Mountain in the Central Continent has a Fox Immortal Hall. Her origins are even humbler than mine!”

The maiden’s eyes held a melancholic glint as she revisited the past. With a wave of her hand, she said, “Alright, alright. I knew you were from that lofty Divine Edict Sect the moment I saw that Daoist crown on your head. Of course, your status as a Daoist is genuine, but I’m not some ignorant wild spirit. I know your lineage of Daoists isn’t the orthodox branch. You’re not on the same path as the Qi Celestial Master. Your incense offerings are dwindling, and your situation in the Divine Edict Sect grows bleaker each year. You’ve long been reduced to selling private Daoist licenses to make ends meet.”

The young Daoist sighed, “You’ve hit the nail on the head, maiden. The situation grows more dire with each passing year.”

The maiden scoffed, “Still not leaving? Do you really think a tattered talisman on the door can stop me?”

Lu Chen smiled, “An old saying goes, helping others is helping yourself. A traveler relies on friends. This humble Daoist is merely borrowing a place for a hearty meal. Who knows, I might even help you avoid a calamity.”

Saying this, Lu Chen grinned. “These ‘old sayings’ and ‘as the saying goes,’ no matter what follows, it’s best to heed them.”

The maiden sneered, “Little Daoist, do you even know what realm this old lady has attained?”

Lu Chen feigned shock. “Could it be that you’re a Nascent Soul Grandmaster, hiding your divine splendor and keeping a low profile?”

The maiden was momentarily enraged, for she was a Golden Core Earth Immortal.

However, the River God of the Fen River Shrine outside the city and the City God Temple of the county both mistakenly believed her to be a mere Spirit Observation Realm plant spirit, which was why her fame remained obscure.

Mainly, she was wary of the two immortal abodes on the mountains of Mengliang Kingdom. If not for a concealed, life-saving talisman, she would have long been apprehended by the immortals and confined to the mountains.

Within this “haunted house,” female ghosts were indeed present, but the real malevolent entity being suppressed was an old Golden Core ghost. Besides possessing profound cultivation, it was also exceptionally cunning. It was this entity that secretly plotted to have the Lü Gong Shrine torn down through the hands of officials in the mortal realm, seizing this auspicious location as its Daoist temple in an attempt to ascend to the Nascent Soul realm. It even deliberately transplanted a peony here, using the flower’s fragrance to mask the overwhelmingly pungent stench of its evil aura. The reason the unfaithful Qian Tongxuan stopped here in the first place was because he sensed something amiss with the mansion. To subdue this evil spirit that was wreaking havoc, he first established a great formation to prevent innocent lives from being affected, then engaged in a fierce battle with the Golden Core ghost, sacrificing two natal treasures and damaging the very foundation of his Dao path. Only then was he able to suppress the ghost in a secret chamber deep underground, sealing it with talismans. He claimed that once he returned to the Divine Edict Sect, he would ask the elders of the mountain to come and eradicate this menace. But who would have thought that his departure would mark the end of their paths ever crossing again?

Over the years, almost every few years, she would use a talisman technique she had learned from the Daoists to add a new talisman to the door of the secret chamber deep underground, layer upon layer. The old talismans would fade, and new ones would be pasted. It was only because the Dao of Talismans had too high of a requirement and she only had some talent, without a true master, that she could only resort to quantity over quality.

Once upon a time, before the flowers and beneath the moon…

The celestial river in the sky turned, and jeweled curtains hung in the mortal realm. Dwelling in the mountains, one forgets the passage of years; admiring the flowers is akin to being an immortal.

The speaker merely uttered the words, but the listener had to engrave them in their heart.

Lu Chen, holding the bamboo tube for kindling, his gaze softening slightly, smiled and said, “The commotion outside is quite something. That group of rogue cultivators has come with a determined purpose. You’ve sensed it too, haven’t you? They’ve already unleashed their trump card, capable of ‘Inviting the Gods to Descend.’ Although they’re just two barely-surviving gods from licentious shrines, they’re more than enough to deal with your three female ghost sisters. Besides, can your Golden Core protect your true form and guard that door? This humble Daoist thinks it’s very, very difficult.”

The maiden’s expression changed slightly, and she was about to go and provide reinforcements.

Unexpectedly, the young Daoist merely blew a breath, and the yellow paper talisman on the kitchen door fluttered down, landing squarely on the maiden’s shoulder.

The maiden seemed to have been stuck by a immobilization talisman. A dignified Golden Core Earth Immortal, no matter how she circulated her Golden Core and manipulated her spiritual energy, was utterly unable to move even an inch.

Lu Chen, his face close to the bamboo tube, watched the anxious maiden and smiled, “What’s the rush? Just watch the show. This humble Daoist doesn’t have much, but I have a lot of friends on the mountain. Coincidentally, one of them is here today.”

The two threads of karma that had been tugging at him earlier, one person and one matter, one thick and one thin, the latter being the child, and the former being an old friend.

This person had not been traveling hastily before, but now that he had sensed something amiss, he began to travel at lightning speed, flying through the air to arrive here.

The maiden remained motionless, only able to watch helplessly as the young Daoist began to busy himself with a great meal, his movements nimble and practiced, like a cook dedicated to the kitchen in a Daoist temple.

One cannot mistreat oneself.

Two jugs of wine.

Three hard dishes were prepared: a pot of stewed old hen, a pot of winter bamboo shoots stewed with cured meat, and a large plate of steamed crabs.

The young Daoist even produced a set of famille rose floral nine-compartment dish from his sleeve, but it was only filled with lychees. Not fresh lychees, but dried lychees.

Bamboo shoots are delicacies among vegetables, lychees are delicacies among fruits, crabs are delicacies among aquatic creatures, and wine is a delicacy among drinks.

The four delicacies, all complete on one table.

Outside the Fen River Shrine, by the pool, Chen Ping’an still hadn’t caught any fish.

Qing Tong looked at the painting in the water, surprised, “It’s him?”

Logically speaking, this person should definitely not be appearing here.

No wonder Palace Master Lu was rushing over here. So he was here to reminisce about old times.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “You recognize him again?”

Qing Tong said unhappily, “He’s both Sui Youbian’s teacher and her martial arts instructor. How could I not recognize him?”

Besides, this person was also the “Lu Sheng” who once walked on the road to Handan and was casually enlightened by the Pure Yang Daoist.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Then do you know what he plotted after leaving the Lotus Root Blessing Land, choosing to live in seclusion in the Cloud Cave Blessing Land for so many years?”
Qing Tong shook his head, “I dare not say much about matters related to the Old Master.”

Chen Ping’an then changed his approach, “Do you have any records or books on the incense inheritance of the Louguan School of Taoism, as well as the origins, ancestral halls, and migrations of the ‘Shao’ surname?”

Qing Tong replied, “I truly don’t.”

The lineage of the Golden Summit Temple originated from the Louguan School of Taoism. In ancient times, Taoists built pavilions of grass in Zhaoting, observing the stars and discerning the Qi.

The first guardian of Louguan was surnamed Shao.

This guardian’s position was similar to the head seat of Buddhist temples today, second only to the abbot.

Cui Dongshan initially guessed that Ni Yuanzan was hiding in the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land to give the Golden Elixir to Sui Youbian, one of his former disciples.

If so, it would make sense that Sui Youbian, among the four figures in the painting, abandoned her martial arts prospects and devoted herself to swordsmanship soon after arriving in the Vast World.

However, as it turned out, Sui Youbian was not the one the Old Master had destined to receive the elixir.

Later, Jiang Shangzhen mistakenly believed that Ni Yuanzan intended to give the elixir to the Northern Golden Summit Temple, which had a deep connection with the Old Master. He decided to intervene and even issued a harsh warning to the Old Boatman: if Shao Yuanran dared to come to the Yellow Crane Shoal to claim the elixir, Jiang Shangzhen would ensure that the young courtier of the Great Spring Dynasty would die before Ni Yuanzan’s eyes. But if the Old Boatman dared to deliver the elixir, he would allow Shao Yuanran to complete a perfect First-Grade Golden Elixir, a body without flaws, yet have no chance to ascend to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “Qing Tong Daoist, surely you can tell me about the former owner of that Golden Elixir?”

Qing Tong hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words, selecting some permissible old stories, and slowly said, “This Daoist friend, in truth, was the first celestial crane in the world. It is said that he was a great cultivator only half a step away from the Fourteenth Realm. Before his fall, or rather, before entering seclusion, he made a trip to the Fallen Treasure Beach of the Azure Cloud Cave. After his seclusion failed, he left behind a complete Golden Elixir, which the Old Master was simply guarding on his behalf.”

This was Qing Tong’s willingness to share some inside information that money couldn’t buy, for the sake of “Sir Zheng”.

Chen Ping’an corrected, “Perhaps ‘overseeing’ would be a more accurate term.”

Because this ancient Golden Elixir was not in the Old Master’s hands, but located in the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land, on the cliff face of the Yellow Crane Shoal, far away from the Guandao Temple, separated by half a continent.

This Golden Elixir could be regarded as a treasure of the mountain, a celestial weapon in quality, and belonged to a particularly rare category among celestial weapons.

Just like Chen Ping’an’s Golden Dew Robe, obtained from the Jiao Dragon Gully, it was outstanding among semi-celestial weapons. And Chen Ping’an’s sword of infatuation, later lent to Sui Youbian, stood out among magical treasures.

The root lies in the word “growth”.

It can be continuously refined and its quality improved, just like a person’s cultivation, breaking through realms one by one.

Thinking of this, Chen Ping’an suddenly said, “It seems that ‘eternal life’ reversed is ‘growth’.”

But Qing Tong was most troubled by these empty words and grand pronouncements. To think about them would inevitably lead to nowhere, but not thinking about them felt like missing something.

The quality of a cultivator’s Golden Elixir largely determines the great Dao achievements of an Earth Immortal.

It’s similar to the common saying that one can see the future of a person from the age of three.

Of course, it’s not absolute, there are always exceptions, but the reason why common sense is common sense is because it rarely has exceptions.

Just like Chen Ping’an himself, he was previously not favored because his natal porcelain was shattered, and he was “written off” early on.

Yet he was able to reach where he is today.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Why did Jiang Shangzhen ‘borrow a sword’ from Ni Yuanzan?”

In the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land, Jiang Shangzhen once said, “I wish to borrow your sword, Sir, to illuminate the darkness,” but Ni Yuanzan flatly denied it, and his expression did not seem fake.

According to Jiang Shangzhen, the reason he spent sixty years in the Lotus Root Blessed Land was to help Lu Fang reach the top ten of the Jiazi evaluation, preferably with a high ranking, so that his close friend Lu Fang could obtain a suitable weapon.

Qing Tong remained silent.

This matter truly could not be spoken of.

Once the secrets of heaven were revealed, Qing Tong feared that the Old Master would bring up old grudges. The petty and unforgiving nature of this Master of the Azure Cloud Cave was once universally acknowledged.

Chen Ping’an thought of Jiang Shangzhen’s evaluation of Ni Yuanzan, “You are the sword,” and couldn’t help but smile. His own Chief Zhou was truly eloquent…

Qing Tong was silent for a long time, probably also worried about being remembered for grudges by the person beside him. He tentatively said, “Why don’t you ask Lu Sheng yourself when you see him later?”

Chen Ping’an said, “What’s so hard to guess? Ni Yuanzan in the Lotus Root Blessed Land can actually be regarded as half a Qi Refiner. He has pioneered a new path: ‘using the body to refine the sword’.”

Jiang Shangzhen had said that Ni Yuanzan was proficient in the teachings of the Three Schools and had read countless books, but he was suppressed by the Great Dao of the Lotus Root Blessed Land, so that a clear Dao heart only had a rough outline, which is why the Old Master “invited” him out of the blessed land.

Moreover, Lu Chen had also leaked the secrets of heaven, speaking of the path to enlightenment of the female Taoist priest of Wuzhou.

Qing Tong was full of admiration. As expected of Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City, he truly dared to think, truly able to think. No wonder he would be entangled in the absurd question of “Am I the Taoist Ancestor?”

Qing Tong asked, “I heard that fishermen who like this also have a saying about preparing the fishing ground in advance?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Generally, it’s to catch big fish. But there’s no problem in preparing the fishing ground in turbulent waters either. Just find a pile of rocks, and they can all attract fish.”

Qing Tong tentatively asked, “Does this saying have any deeper meaning?”

Chen Ping’an said, “For you, it has no deeper meaning. If Lu Chen or Ni Yuanzan heard it, they would probably feel a sense of kinship.”

Qing Tong didn’t refute anything.

He saw Chen Ping’an once again raise his fishing rod, scatter bait, and then cast the line back into the water.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the former site of the Lü Gong Shrine, clouds and mist suddenly rose. The three female ghosts were instantly enveloped in a vast expanse of white fog, looking around, unable to see their own fingers. Looking up again, even though it was not yet dusk, the bright moon was already in the sky. They could faintly hear the watchman’s clapper and the sounds of soldiers passing the night. In the next moment, their vision suddenly cleared, revealing a long, deep-water bridge. At the end of the bridge was a vermilion gate mansion, a hall…
The grand hall stood imposingly, its two corridors lined with solemn figures. Outside, the stone lion at the gate seemed to roar with anger, its features twisted and menacing. A squad of armored soldiers stood in formation beneath the eaves, their frost-tipped halberds gleaming coldly. Two figures, adorned in purple official robes, emerged from the hall – one tall and gaunt, seemingly all bone and sinew, the other plump with a slight mustache, a jade belt cinching his waist. Together, they strode down the steps, radiating an air of arrogant authority.

Behind the three female ghosts, a group of wandering rogue cultivators from the mountains and marshes stood at a distance. An elderly man in silk robes, cupped his fist in a greeting towards the two licentious deities, his voice carrying a hint of obsequiousness. “Much obliged to you two Immortals for lending a hand.”

Once, the Great Li Dynasty had eradicated countless licentious shrines across its lands. Those who obeyed, with a clean background, were often reassigned by the Great Li. But some resisted, especially those of dubious origin, unable to withstand the scrutiny of the Great Li’s Ministry of Rites and Ministry of Justice. These had no choice but to abandon their temples and statues, seeking refuge elsewhere. Though their foundations crumbled, their divine forms wavered, and their power diminished, it was better than facing the wrath of the Great Li’s officials and the accompanying cultivators, who would dismantle their shrines on the spot. Even as wandering spirits, they could rebuild their shrines in the remote, desolate lands of vassal states, regaining their divine forms through offerings of incense. Now, the Great Li Dynasty held only half of its former glory, with the Great Du River as the boundary. The entire southern region of the Jewel Bottle Continent had fragmented into independent states. Places like Mengliang Kingdom and Qingluan Kingdom were too risky to stay, but there were always other havens where they could find refuge.

As for the rogue cultivators, who made their living through murder and plunder, there was a perilous step: taking disciples, especially inner-circle disciples. To avoid the fate of the master being starved or even killed by their own pupils, they would withhold their most powerful techniques, never revealing their hidden trump cards, and ensuring that their disciples never fully mastered their skills. They would also force their disciples to swear oaths and control them with secret arts. Without a few reliable helpers, they would be too weak and find it hard to make a fortune.

This was why it was easier for cultivators with proper lineages to become rogue cultivators, but far more difficult for rogue cultivators to become immortals with recognized lineages.

The silk-robed elder, though only a Sea Gazing Realm cultivator, possessed a cunning mind. He quickly ingratiated himself with the two licentious “Immortals,” whose true forms were a snake and a jackal.

They found themselves in perfect accord.

The two licentious deities needed the Qi Refinement cultivator to help them traverse mountains and rivers, seeking a new sanctuary while avoiding the orthodox shrines of local deities and the Temples of Literature and Martial Arts. In return, the two Immortals would help the rogue cultivators with minor troubles, as in this case. Capturing and devouring ghosts was a way for the two Immortals to enhance their cultivation and refine their divine forms.

The gaunt Immortal stepped onto the long bridge, his voice booming, “Anyone who dares resist will be cast into the City of the Damned!”

The plump Immortal beside him roared like thunder, “You petty ghosts, wreaking havoc! Kneel and beg for forgiveness!”

One hanging ghost who died by suicide, and a drowned ghost who perished by drowning, had already turned pale with fear. The last female ghost, with the highest cultivation base, possessed a stronger will. Despite knowing the origins of her opponents as licentious deities, she coldly retorted, “Your kind can’t stand the light of day. If the City God of this county finds out, or the Fen River Shrine detects you, you won’t escape this place.”

Yet, she couldn’t help but feel bitter. If the Mengliang Kingdom were still part of the Great Li Dynasty, these licentious deities fleeing from all corners of the land wouldn’t dare to show themselves!

The silk-robed elder stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking nonchalant, and smiled. “That’s why we set up a formation at the entrance, to conceal our presence. You were all too arrogant, looking down on a mere Sea Gazing Realm cultivator like me. I didn’t stop you earlier, and now look what’s happened. As for the owner of this residence, we’ve investigated her background. At most, she’s a Dragon Gate Realm flower spirit from a peony. Am I right? But will she dare to come and save you?”

Just then, an old scholar in Confucian robes entered the ancient residence of the abandoned Lü Gong Shrine, his brows furrowing slightly as he dispersed the surrounding mist.

As for the three female ghosts, the group of rogue cultivators, and the two licentious deities, the old man acted as if he didn’t see them, leisurely strolling through the place.

The main hall of the original Lü Immortal Shrine, where the statue of Lü Gong and the painted deities were once enshrined, was long gone.

Only the hip-roofed glazed tiles of the main hall hinted at the grand scale of its former glory. The hall once bore an imperial inscription of “Wind and Thunder Palace” bestowed by the Emperor, but it didn’t hang for many years. With the change of dynasty, it was naturally removed. From a shrine elevated to a palace, it was reduced to its original form, and in the end, even the shrine itself couldn’t be maintained. Only an octagonal pavilion and a stone tablet bearing the word “Dream” outside the pavilion barely retained their original appearance, seemingly relying on each other for survival.

The “Dream” tablet, in fact, contained a hidden mystery. Within its hollowed interior, a poem resembling Daoist incantations was inscribed in seal script, but even those who discovered it found it perplexing at first glance and even more baffling upon further examination.

Take for example, the opening lines, “Die to live, only one form remains, who knows what is false and what is true?” How should one interpret them?

Finally, the old man returned to the main hall of the former Lü Gong Shrine and took out three sticks of incense from his sleeve.

Holding the incense, he bowed three times, paying his respects to the Pure Yang Daoist who had guided him and imparted the Dao to him in the past.

The two opposing forces, ready for battle, didn’t dare to utter a word, let alone make a move.

Who would dare to provoke an old fellow who disregarded the entrance formation and the white mist barrier?

In the kitchen, Lu Chen gently shook his head.

The great river flows east, the setting sun casts its glow, a wanderer comes from the south.

The flowers in the Daoist temple are in bloom, I ask the Real Person, for whom do they open?

The young girl at the door remained standing where she was, neither begging for mercy nor…

Just now, a table and two long benches seemed to… no, they definitely walked on their own, swaying from somewhere else to the kitchen.

After taking a seat, Lu Chen poured himself a bowl of wine, filled a large bowl of rice, and picked up a piece of bamboo shoot, praising, “The taste is excellent, truly superb.”

The Confucian scholar didn’t bother to look at the two groups, and gave an order. “All of you stay where you are, awaiting my decision.”

The Pure Yang Daoist, Lü Yan, was his mentor, and although they had no formal master-disciple relationship, the old scholar always regarded Lü Yan as his benefactor. Therefore, the only Lü Gong Shrine in this world, in a sense, was his mentor Lü Yan’s Daoist sanctum.

Afterward, he came to the door of the secret chamber underground, looking at the dense array of talisman seals on it.

The old scholar chuckled to himself, “Doodles, are they?”
His figure vanished and then reformed, without disturbing the talisman’s restrictions, appearing within the secret chamber.

The ghost, whose cultivation was constantly being eroded by the talismans, slowly raised its head, sneering, “Seeking death?”

The old scholar asked, “Do you know how to write the four words ‘virtue mismatched with position’? A wretch like you, instead of hiding properly, dares to aspire to occupy the Lü Gong Shrine for so long?”

Without waiting for a reply, the old scholar flicked his sleeve, scattering its soul into oblivion.

On the plaza, the illusion persisted, still showing the grand hall, the long bridge, and the imposing armored soldiers under the eaves of the shrine. The portly immortal in purple official robes lamented, “Could it be a gentleman from Viewing Lake Academy? Alas, alas, haven’t we just stumbled right onto the edge of a blade?”

The tall, gaunt immortal glared at the old man in brocade robes, chiding him telepathically, “This is all your doing!”

The other three wrongfully deceased female ghosts, who were creating nightmares, felt far more relief than fear.

Falling into the hands of a Confucian gentleman meant only punishment according to the academy’s rules, whatever was due would be given, far better than being devoured by those lewd shrine immortals to fill their bellies, which would truly mean eternal damnation.

The old scholar arrived at the kitchen, not even glancing at the maiden standing at the doorway like a guardian deity, but simply stopping at the entrance.

Lu Chen quickly set down his chopsticks, turned his head, and cupped his hands in greeting, “Western Continent Brother, many years since we last met. Come, let’s sit down, drink, and chat.”

In both the Vast Expanse and Lotus Flower Paradise, this scholar brimming with learning was named Lu, and his courtesy name was Western Continent.

A painted boat carries parting sorrow, blowing dreams to the Western Continent.

Outside the shrine, Qing Tong felt that Chen Ping’an was simply sitting there fishing, even setting aside the matter of “waiting for the rabbit” to ambush Lu Chen, it seemed like he could sit there until the end of time.

Qing Tong couldn’t help but ask, “Whether a cultivator or a pure martial artist, what’s the point of learning from those commoners and fishing by the water?”

The key was that Chen Ping’an hadn’t caught a single fish yet.

“For the Temple Warden of the Fen River Shrine, this pond is just a pond.”

Chen Ping’an held the rod in one hand and pointed to the pond with the other, saying, “But for the Old Temple Master and you, what is this pond? It’s the Tong Ye Continent. So you don’t care if the fish inside are big or small, alive or dead. The fish in the pond can’t escape anyway. Even if there are great cultivators who leap through the dragon gate, they are like the fallen leaves of the locust tree at the shrine entrance, believing that one day the leaves will always return to their roots.”

Qing Tong’s head began to ache again, and he immediately changed the subject, his eyes dark, “How will these wandering lewd shrine spirits return to their roots?”

Chen Ping’an said, “What if you regard the entire world as a pond?”

Qing Tong was speechless.

Chen Ping’an laughed, “Some questions don’t need much thought, just a taste is enough, like the ancients’ taboo against ‘tenth month cold’ in poetry.”

Qing Tong understood the poetic taboo of “tenth month cold,” and for a moment he was quite happy, finally no longer confused, not easy.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Ten thousand years ago, if there hadn’t been that earth-shattering upheaval, what would your ultimate pursuit have been?”

Qing Tong leaned back in his chair, took off the bamboo hat on his head, and waved it gently like a fan, saying, “I still wouldn’t dare to aspire to ascend the Ascension Platform, I’m afraid of death. So many talented Earth Immortals have turned to ashes on that road, gone in an instant. Someone like me, with a poor background, only managed to awaken and transform with great difficulty. Cultivation is so difficult, every step is a barrier. What might be a thought or two for other cultivators, I have to ponder for centuries. Of course, I’ll cherish hard-won opportunities more than Xiao Mo and Yang Zhi. I wouldn’t dare to do anything heroic, not even a moment of impulsive action.”

“In that long era when heaven and earth were different, it seemed that from the first ‘Taoist’ onward, a saying began to spread: Superior scholars hear the Way and diligently practice it. This refers to the ‘Ten Heroes of the World’ and the ‘Taoists’ not far behind them, such as the Great Ancestor of Holding Moon Mountain, the Cave Master of Azure Cloud Cave, the demon sword cultivator Bai Jing, Xiao Mo, the old owner of that golden core, and so on. Middle scholars attain the Way and ascend to become heavenly officials, ranking among the immortals. This means that by ascending the two Ascension Platforms that manage male and female Earth Immortals respectively, they become new gods of the ancient Heavenly Court. Inferior scholars attain the Way and become Land Immortals, residing in a place for many years. That is the ultimate pursuit in the hearts of dull cultivators like me.”

In the cultivation of the ancient Qi practitioners, in the numerous grand visions of “Ascension” where forms are transformed into emptiness, there was a distinction in rank, similar to the grade of a cultivator’s golden core.

Among the earliest Daybreak Ascensions, there were more than a dozen types, such as Cloud Ascension, Riding the Dragon, Riding the Luan, Riding the Crane, and Transforming into a Rainbow. Later, there were those who Ascended with their homes, and those who Ascended with their entire families. Further on, there were ghost immortals and their various remnants ascending in the night.

After Qing Tong finished speaking, he noticed that Chen Ping’an seemed to have turned a deaf ear, his state of mind always calm and unruffled. Qing Tong felt a bit bored and, not looking at the painting, glanced at the empty fish basket on the shore, asking, “Is it that hard to catch fish here? Is the bait wrong, or is your fishing skill not good enough?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded, “I’m really not very good at fishing. I’m better at one thing in my life: unless I’m about to starve to death, I don’t take the bait.”

Being in a river of time, it is difficult not to be seen as a fish and hooked by those on the shore.

Qing Tong asked again, “How are you so sure that Headmaster Lu will go to the ruins of that Lü Gong Shrine?”

Chen Ping’an’s expression was calm as he asked in return, “Ruins of the Lü Gong Shrine? How do you know that?”

Qing Tong was stunned for a moment, pondered repeatedly, but still couldn’t understand why Chen Ping’an would say that.

In the Fen River Shrine behind them, the treasury still held the imperial plaque of the Wind Thunder Palace. And the Eight Trigram Pavilion and the Dream Tablet in the haunted house in the city, as well as the maiden who was a thousand-year-old peony spirit, and her “old lover,” the Taoist Qian Tongxuan, whose Taoist name was “Dragon Tail,” from a branch of the Divine Edict Sect, and the golden core ghost suppressed in the secret chamber by the Divine Edict Sect’s unique talismans… didn’t all these prove that the residence was located at the ruins of the Lü Gong Shrine?

Chen Ping’an smiled, “It’s both waiting for the rabbit and catching a turtle in a jar.”