News arrived from Lou Mountain Ancestral Hall via paper kite, swiftly followed by a flying sword message to this gazebo.

With a flash of sword light, Gao Zhen furrowed his brow slightly, brought two fingers together, caught the incoming flying sword, and after reading the secret message, he was first startled, then stunned, then delighted, followed by a face full of barely suppressed joy.

Huang Cong didn’t inquire about anything.

This time it was Gao Zhen’s turn to hesitate. He smiled and said, “Your Majesty, please wait a moment. If nothing comes of this news, Your Majesty loses nothing. If it does, consider it a return gift from our Yellow Millet School.”

Gao Zhen walked out of the gazebo and actually left via sword flight.

In the end, Gao Zhen only summoned two old cultivators from the Yellow Millet School, and together they landed near the mountain gate. They quickly walked down dozens of steps, swiftly passed the mountain gate archway, and the three of them stood side by side. Gao Zhen was the first to cup his fist in salute and bow his head, saying in a deep voice, “Gao Zhen of the Yellow Millet School, greets Mountain Lord Chen.”

Chen Ping An returned the salute, cupping his fist and said, “Chen Ping An of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, greets Headmaster Gao.”

After some polite greetings and small talk, the two groups of guests and hosts ascended Lou Mountain together.

Of course, Gao Zhen would not neglect the other three honored guests that Mountain Lord Chen had brought.

Cultivators who could accompany this young Hidden Official on a mountain visit were undoubtedly extraordinary individuals with profound Taoist arts, even a simpleton would know.

Afterward, Gao Zhen walked side by side with Chen Ping An, while the other two old cultivators of the Yellow Millet School were responsible for walking with the three behind them. For disciples of large sects, this kind of social interaction was a familiar skill, and they would definitely not let the atmosphere grow cold.

However, it seemed that the young Daoist from Autumn Hairs Temple was constantly looking around, asking questions, and never stopped talking. It would be strange if the atmosphere grew cold.

However, those questions were quite niche and obscure.

For example, the Divine Edict Sect Daoist with the fish-tail crown would ask about the ratio of mountain fairies to male Qi practitioners, hoping that it wasn’t too overwhelmingly masculine.

Chen Ping An explained, “Headmaster Gao, this mountain visit was not on the predetermined route of my recent travels. In short, it was a rather accidental event. Moreover, I can only stay in the mountains for a short while. I will need to descend soon and continue my journey.”

Gao Zhen smiled and said, “It is a great honor that Mountain Lord Chen could come and sit for even a moment.”

Chen Ping An asked with a smile, “Is Old Immortal Liu currently on the mountain?”

Gao Zhen shook his head and said, “Granduncle Liu and Granduncle Song will not arrive for a few more days.”

Regarding Clothes Ribbon Peak, Liu Hongwen “separated” from the Yellow Millet School back then. Besides taking away a group of direct disciples, only a disciple surnamed Song was willing to travel with Liu Hongwen. Even Granduncle Liu’s children, that is, Liu Runyun’s parents, did not move to Clothes Ribbon Peak, choosing to stay on Lou Mountain to cultivate. One can imagine how Old Liu’s reputation was within the Yellow Millet School back then. It wasn’t that Granduncle Liu was of bad character, but his foul temper was unbearable. Every time the Ancestral Hall held a meeting, Granduncle Liu would bring up old matters, repeating the same old arguments, criticizing that while the Azure Cloud Mountain had improved, Lou Mountain remained the same. Those dozen or so mountain peaks that once held the mountain opening ceremony, who knows what the spirits of the ancestors hanging in the portraits thought.

Chen Ping An said with a soft smile, “Old Immortal Liu has a classic air about him. Perhaps in some matters, his straightforward words may be difficult for your mountain to accept. The more things that cannot be clearly judged as right or wrong, the more difficult they are to sort out. Of course, I am just an outsider offering a few personal opinions that are easy to say from my perspective. However, I believe that future Yellow Millet School cultivators, especially the younger generation, when they look back at those disputes and harsh words, will regard them as a valuable past experience.”

Gao Zhen nodded, also feeling moved, “If there is a willingness to look back, the older generation doesn’t mind, the younger generation doesn’t reject, and they can accommodate many ‘different’ people and different words, then it proves that our Yellow Millet School is truly different from the past.”

Chen Ping An said, “That’s the idea.”

Gao Zhen said, “It is hard-won, so we must cherish it.”

Chen Ping An nodded with a smile.

Qing Tong felt that something was a little awkward. How did you two start talking about principles?

Lu Chen put his hands behind his head and said with a mental voice, “Daoist Qing Tong, don’t you understand? This is called telling the truth to real people. With heroes, there is no need to be polite.”

Being a golden core guest, whether or not one is a sword cultivator, has a different perception of the Great Wall of Swords.

Gao Zhen had a slightly guilty look on his face. He spoke with a mental voice and also changed his address, “I’m not afraid of the Hidden Official laughing at me. Even if I put aside my position as headmaster, if I were to go to the Great Wall of Swords to deliver swords and kill demons, at most I would only think about it in my heart. I would never dare to travel far, cross the Upside Down Mountain, pass those sword immortal residences, and then climb onto the city wall. I really just hide on the mountain and can only think about it.”

“Therefore, this time the Yellow Millet School and I, Gao Zhen, shamelessly and presumptuously invited the Hidden Official to participate in the ceremony, which was truly offensive. I, Gao Zhen, as a sword cultivator, am even more ashamed.”

Chen Ping An shook his head and said, “Scholars aspire to be sages, Buddhists aspire to be Buddhas. Aiming for the highest standard, one can only achieve the middle standard. It is always necessary to have first-class intentions in order to have second and third-class deeds. You and I are no exception. Headmaster Gao need not feel too guilty.”

Chen Ping An turned his head and said with a smile, “Where in life is not a Great Wall of Swords? Where there are pure sword cultivators delivering swords for injustices, I think that is the Great Wall of Swords. Gao Zhen, what do you think?”

Gao Zhen nodded and said, “I completely agree!”

Although he was addressed by his first name, Gao Zhen did not feel the slightest discomfort.

Because it was said that in that land of sword cultivators, it has been the custom since ancient times to rarely use the surname followed by the title of sword immortal when addressing others, but rather to call them by their first name.

“Hidden Official, among the guests on the mountain is also the Emperor of our Dream Millet Kingdom. His Majesty has long admired Mountain Lord Chen. If Mountain Lord Chen feels it is not appropriate to meet him, I simply will not inform him.”

Chen Ping An said, “I want to meet Huang Cong. Even if it weren’t so coincidental today, I would visit His Majesty the Emperor in the future.”

Gao Zhen was greatly surprised.

Because the young Hidden Official directly said his name, it was obvious that he had heard of this young Emperor of the Dream Millet Kingdom long ago.

Qing Tong had a strange feeling in his heart, having followed Chen Ping An to meet so many mountain and water deities, plus this Yellow Millet School.

Carefully reviewing all of Chen Ping An’s words, expressions, eyes, and actions in his interactions with people, if there were a summary compiled, it would be like… a straight line.
Now and then, there were shifts in the conversation. He mentioned his disciple, Pei Qian, to the River God of the Shimmering River, talked about his teacher with Zhou You of Sui Mountain, and reminisced about the Sword Qi Great Wall with Gao Zhen, a pure swordsman.

Near the mountain gate, the man furtively tore a page from a book and carefully tucked it away in his robes.

The female cultivator, his childhood sweetheart, pretended not to notice.

However, the true gatekeeper of the Yellow Millet Sect, an old cultivator, rushed over from a distant peak, borne on the wind. He flipped through the ledger, extended his hand, and said with a smile, “Hand it over, quickly now.”

The male cultivator pleaded pitifully, “Uncle Dou! It’s just a page with a few words on it, why bother me about it?”

The old cultivator clutched the ledger in his hand, glaring, “These few pages are important items to be placed in the secret archive room for safekeeping. You dare to hoard them privately? Do you believe that if Head Disciple Fan investigates and finds this page missing, he’ll directly record a major demerit against you at the Ancestral Hall?! How old are you? Have some sense of propriety! Such a simple thing and you don’t understand!”

The young man had no choice but to retrieve the paper from his robes. The old cultivator snatched it away with lightning speed and tucked it into his sleeve. He reminded the two juniors not to reveal the fact that Mountain Lord Chen had graced Loushan with his presence, then hurriedly went to find Head Disciple Fan to discuss a matter. “Just a few pages, Head Disciple Fan. If you’re willing to turn a blind eye, I’ll cover your wine bill for the next sixty years!”

Gao Zhen led Chen Ping’an to the entrance of a courtyard in Loushan. After telling the young Hidden Official where Huang Cong lived, he bid farewell with the other two Yellow Millet Sect founders.

Gao Zhen did not plan to notify the young emperor in advance, wanting it to be a pleasant surprise. Besides, he hadn’t contributed much, so he didn’t want to take credit for something that felt like a free gift.

Inside the courtyard, Li Huai was repeatedly explaining to Guo Zhujiu that the previous few times he had “summoned” Chen Ping’an were purely accidental. He didn’t possess any innate divine ability; Pei Qian was exaggerating. Just then, a group of people appeared at the gate. Guo Zhujiu’s face lit up with joy, and he gave Li Huai a thumbs-up. “Now you don’t even need to draw talismans on the ground! Your power has grown!”

Guo Zhujiu ran toward the figure in green robes, his smile radiant. “Master!”

Chen Ping’an nodded with a smile. “I was passing by, so I came to see you. I’ll be returning to Tongye Continent soon.”

Guo Zhujiu pressed, “How soon?!”

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment and said, “At most, I’ll stay in Loushan for a quarter of an hour. It’s not that I don’t want to stay longer, but there are important matters waiting for me in Tongye Continent.”

Guo Zhujiu clapped his fist into his palm. “No problem!”

Chen Ping’an then introduced the three people with him to Guo Zhujiu and Li Huai. One was Master Ni from the Cloud Cave Blessed Land in Tongye Continent. As for Qing Tong’s fabricated identity of “Immortal Capital Mountain Guest Elder” at the mountain gate, he, as the Sect Master of the main branch, had not approved of it.

Li Huai was a bit unsure. He tentatively asked, “Daoist Lu?”

If he wasn’t mistaken, it was the same person who had a fortune-telling stall in his hometown, and was quite accurate at that.

Chen Lingjun swallowed, inching backward step by step, muttering in his heart, “You can’t see me, you can’t see me…” and hid behind Guo Zhujiu.

Lu Chen looked at the Confucian scholar, also speechless.

Back then, he was just a toddler running around in split pants, full of youthful vigor.

The yellow oriole that Lu Chen used to measure literary fortune had almost been caught by this little brat with a single leap.

The problem was that Li Huai was truly just an ordinary mortal.

Li Huai smiled. “Daoist Lu, so many years have passed, and you still look so young! I knew it. I guessed Daoist Lu must be a cultivator.”

Lu Chen’s smile froze. “You flatter me.”

He still knew nothing, and it seemed he didn’t need to know anything.

There was no helping it. That old man Yang truly treated this fellow like his own grandson, especially with that doting that comes with being a grandparent.

The Tender Daoist, however, saw through some of the mysteries. This fellow who Chen Ping’an claimed was a Daoist from the Autumn Hair Temple of the Spirit Decree Sect was not simple. The aura of a Golden Core cultivator was definitely a smokescreen.

Lu Chen approached Chen Lingjun, smiling ingratiatingly. “Generally, water spirits transform into dragons by traversing rivers. You, however, are traversing a great canal. Isn’t that tiring?”

Chen Lingjun turned tail and ran, but Lu Chen grabbed his shoulder. Chen Lingjun shouted at the top of his lungs, “Lord, save me!”

Chen Ping’an said softly with a smile, “It’s alright, I’m here.”

Only then did Chen Lingjun stop, sniff, and stand quietly, looking dejected and silent.

The Tender Daoist glanced at the fish-tail crown on his head and asked with a mental voice, “Daoist Lu is from the Spirit Decree Sect?”

Lu Chen smiled. “You could say that.”

The Tender Daoist smiled. “Then, if I ever want to visit the Spirit Decree Sect, would Daoist Lu be willing to put in a good word for me with Celestial Sovereign Qi and recommend me?”

Spirit Decree Sect? A small hill.

The Sect Master, Celestial Sovereign Qi Zhen, was just a junior cultivator who had ascended to immortality a few years ago. Then, this Autumn Hair Temple Daoist was, at best, a Jade Purity Immortal.

The only thing worth mentioning was Qi Zhen’s lineage, which could be traced back to Dao the Second of the White Jade Capital.

On the other hand, the female cultivator from Tongye Continent with the Daoist name Qing Tong had a high cultivation level. Either she was an immortal skilled in concealing her aura, or she was already at the Ascension Realm.

Lu Chen laughed heartily. “A small matter. Although my Autumn Hair Temple isn’t very prosperous, I always get to see Celestial Sovereign Qi during the ordination ceremony.”

The Tender Daoist narrowed his eyes and smiled. “That’s great.”

Tsk, tsk, this little Daoist is trying to deceive me and act mysterious?

Does he think he’s Dao the Second just because he’s wearing a fish-tail crown?

Heh, truly invincible? If I have the chance, I’ll definitely learn from him, but of course, only after I reach the Fourteenth Realm.

Chen Lingjun’s shoulder drooped, wanting to slip away, but Lu Chen’s hand followed suit, preventing him from escaping.

Lu Chen turned his head and smiled. “Daoist Jingqing, it’s been a few days. Why are you being so formal with me? You don’t even have a smile for me.”

Chen Lingjun, his body tense, looked up at the White Jade Capital’s Head Instructor Lu and forced out a smile.

A great man knows when to yield. It’s only a quarter of an hour. Besides, my Lord is right here. Don’t you dare act tough with me, Head Instructor Lu.

Keep your hands light! Try adding a bit more pressure? This Grandpa Chen will lie down and roll on the ground, howling for you to hear!
Lu Chen smiled slyly, “Fellow Daoist Jingqing, have you forgotten that we are of one mind? Your inner thoughts, reaching this poor Daoist’s ears, are like thunder!”

Chen Lingjun tremblingly raised his hand, haphazardly wiping the sweat from his face, and strained his voice, putting on a brave face, “Headmaster Lu, there’s a limit to bullying! You’re always scaring me for no reason, I have a temper too…”

He thought his voice was as loud as thunder, but it was actually just the buzzing of a mosquito. Lu Chen feigned terror, “How big is your temper? Show this poor Daoist!”

Lu Chen slowly raised his hand. At the center of the palm of this Third Headmaster of White Jade Capital, there was indeed an aura that could shake mountains and rivers. He had just deduced something and admired the young man in blue before him.

Not to mention Chen Lingjun’s bold words and immortal deeds at the Three Teachings Ancestor’s place, just the fact that he wasn’t slapped into mincemeat by the Lord of Azure Firmament Cave, known for his “unforgiving nature,” was a miracle.

In a blurred painting of the long river of time, the young man in blue stood on tiptoe, patted a bull’s horn, and said there was plenty of green grass on the mountain.

If it were a Ascension Realm cultivator like Qing Tong, they would probably have been reincarnated by now.

Then, seeing the blue ox turn its head, the young man in blue was filled with joy, but then said, “As soon as it hears about eating, its comprehension comes, which is a good thing. Maybe it can really learn immortal arts in the future.”

It is estimated that if it were someone like Tender Daoist, also an Ascension Realm cultivator, he could have gone with Qing Tong, keeping each other company on the road to the Yellow Springs.

Among the Fourteenth Realm great cultivators, Bai Ye’s killing power and the monk Shen Qing’s, that chicken-soup monk’s defense, were both recognized as number one.

However, the old blind man of the Ten Thousand Mountains and the Old Abbot of the Daoist temple in the East Sea were only less outstanding in offense and defense compared to Bai Ye and Shen Qing.

In Sun Huaizhong’s eyes, the Three Teachings Ancestors, along with the Little Master, Dao Lao Er, Bai Ze, plus these four, could make up the second batch of “Ten Heroes of the World” in the past ten thousand years.

Guo Zhujiu smiled without speaking.

Chen Ping’an asked, “What’s wrong?”

Guo Zhujiu chuckled, “Master, I don’t know what’s going on, the more I think, the less I talk. It’s strange.”

Chen Ping’an nodded with a straight face, “Very good, like your master.”

Qing Tong had never seen such gentle eyes in the young Hidden Official.

Li Huai suddenly said, “Chen Ping’an, I want to discuss something with you.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded, following Li Huai into the house.

Tender Daoist, standing at the door like a door god, was even more nervous than Li Huai. After standing for a while, Tender Daoist felt more comfortable sitting down.

It was like a righteous and unyielding official, who unfortunately met a fatuous emperor who was impervious to reason, making it difficult for him to carry out his ambitions. Fortunately, he was appointed as a minister of state by the fatuous emperor to assist the crown prince in the hidden residence. Then, one day, the old emperor put on a posture of entrusting his affairs, saying that he would hand over all the treasury and family property to the crown prince, openly saying that he would be responsible for “overseeing the country” in the future. But the crown prince, at this critical moment, chickened out.

That was about the idea. Any slight differences could be ignored.

How could Tender Daoist, sitting on the doorstep, not be nervous?

In this world, nothing is greater than securing what you have. These good things that others seek but cannot obtain, Young Master, Grandpa Li Huai, Ancestor Li Huai, please secure them first!

So many golden armored warriors who don’t care about life and death, plus some pitiful beings who have become ghost immortals and are imprisoned in the “belly prisons” of the golden armored warriors, once they all recognize Li Huai as their master…

If it were in the vitality-severely-injured Tongye Continent, as long as there was no Fourteenth Realm cultivator blocking the way, it would be enough to sweep across a continent!

Li Huai had never had any inhibitions with Chen Ping’an.

Anyway, Chen Ping’an knew exactly what kind of person he was.

Previously, the old blind man, located in the wild, forcibly dragged Li Huai and Tender Daoist into a dream, returning to the Ten Thousand Mountains.

As a result, a huge spirit that had never been seen before appeared on that mountain peak. Even in a kneeling posture, its head could reach the same height as the mountain peak.

Li Huai was almost so frightened that he left the dream directly. At that time, the old blind man helped stabilize his Dao heart, so Li Huai did not withdraw from the dream.

Tender Daoist certainly recognized Li Huai. He was timid, but kind-hearted, not a scholarly seed, but he could always have flashes of inspiration and spout some excellent principles.

As for the old blind man’s view of Li Huai, he was simply perfect in every way, pleasing to the eye in every aspect.

It should be known that Li Huai was both the “first disciple” and the “last disciple” of the old blind man.

Chen Ping’an patiently listened to Li Huai’s words and said softly, “You have two concerns, right?”

Li Huai chuckled and scratched his head, “You still understand me best.”

Tender Daoist was quite curious, originally thinking that Li Huai was just afraid of taking responsibility, so he used a delaying tactic with the old blind man.

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment and slowly said, “I think it’s perfectly fine for you not to accept that gift for the time being.”

Li Huai’s worries were twofold. One was the concern that he was “not worthy” of it, being weak and frail. The title of a Confucian sage had already made Li Huai tremble with fear.

The other, and the one that really made Li Huai afraid to face, was the fear that the old blind man, who was like more than half a master to him, would leave everything behind, just like a certain old man in his hometown, and then leave one day without even saying goodbye.

Li Huai softly said, “But I am, after all, a Confucian disciple, and a student of Mr. Qi. I could obviously do something, but I’m always hiding because I’m timid. Is that right?”

Chen Ping’an smiled without speaking.

Li Huai asked, “Chen Ping’an, how long is this ‘temporarily’ that you’re talking about?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Whenever you feel like you’re not afraid anymore, and you’ve made up your mind, then you can.”

Li Huai asked, “What if the battle in the wild world is over, and I’m still uncertain?”

Chen Ping’an did not directly answer this question, but asked with a smile, “Then I also have two ways of saying it, one pleasant and one unpleasant. Do you want to hear them?”

Li Huai’s eyes lit up, “Let’s hear the unpleasant one first.”
Chen Ping’an said, “From the very first day you entered the schoolhouse, Master Qi only hoped you would study diligently. The content of the books could be memorized and forgotten, then memorized again, but the word ‘diligence’ should never be discarded. When you grow up, be knowledgeable and reasonable, a proper scholar who can read and write, compose Spring Festival couplets, and keep accounts, making your parents proud. That would be enough for Master Qi. He never expected you, Li Huai, to become some great figure in the conventional sense. And from the first day I met you, I knew what kind of person you were. Frankly, even now, I don’t think you can compare with Xiao Baoping or Lin Shouyi in terms of academic pursuits.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t voice another thought: the old man in the backyard of the Yang family’s apothecary also only wished for Li Huai to live a peaceful and stable life.

And the apothecary Yang’s old master’s囑托 (zhǔtuō, entrustment) didn’t need to be spoken, so Master Qi understood it, and Chen Ping’an understood it as well.

Furthermore, the great war between the two continents was filled with unpredictable changes and countless calculations at the highest levels. If Li Huai were to throw himself into the battlefield, figures like Fei Ran and Jia Shenzhang with their cunning and ruthlessness would naturally use pawns of equivalent value to “exchange” for Li Huai. Li Huai, with his simple and kind nature, could easily have his state of mind collapse. Even if he survived physically, Old Blindman would never allow Li Huai to perish on the battlefield. But what about his heart? Chen Ping’an deeply understood how difficult it was to mend a broken heart.

Just a small example: on a certain battlefield, the golden-armored giants pouring out of the Ten Thousand Mountains gathered into an army. Even if the wildlands were routed on that battlefield, the wildlands’ military command only needed to use a little trickery to make the golden-armored giants “accidentally” injure dozens of cultivators from the Great Harmony world, or hundreds or thousands of elite soldiers. Li Huai would probably feel guilty and uneasy for the rest of his life, even waking up from nightmares countless times.

If he couldn’t endure through this war, the golden-armored giants under Li Huai’s command would become like the books on the shelf in the room today, mere decorations. But the entire Great Harmony world placed high expectations on Li Huai. You are a worthy man of Cliff Academy, a disciple of Qi Jingchun, a descendant of the Sage of Literature. You possess such a crucial and terrifying force, why are you unwilling to join the battlefield?

Even if Li Huai could overcome this difficult mental hurdle and begin to accept some of the principles of the battlefield, forced to do things that contradicted the teachings of the sages, constantly telling himself that there is no room for sentimentality on the battlefield, and ultimately continue to lead the golden-armored army south, then Li Huai’s future life would diverge into another path. He might mature because of it, become better, even become a true gentleman of the academy, but more likely, he would live with regret for a long time, unable to let go, seemingly understanding the principles, but… unable to forgive himself.

However, Chen Ping’an didn’t want to break down and explain these words and reasons to Li Huai “for the time being.”

On the road of life, accepting a weighty principle, no matter how good it is, is like adding a large stone to the basket on a mountain climber’s back.

It will make people stagger, unable to bear the burden, causing endless suffering.

Li Huai asked in confusion, “Is that already unpleasant?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “The pleasant version is that you, Li Huai, are a disciple of our lineage of the Sage of Literature. It’s very simple: from your grandmaster, the Sage of Literature, to your teacher Qi Jingchun, to your eldest senior brother Cui Chan, second senior brother Zuo You, third senior brother Liu Shiliu, to junior uncle Chen Ping’an, we all contributed a lot in the previous war that swept across the two continents. Speaking of military merits, right, if each of us just spares a little for you, it wouldn’t be considered little.”

Li Huai looked stunned, then said sullenly, “That’s even worse than the unpleasant version.”

The young Daoist at the door immediately became displeased. You, Chen, are really wicked.

Are you pretending I’m not here, daring to bully my young master so blatantly?

Let’s draw a line and have a fair fight. If you have the guts, let’s put aside our respective backers, remove all the superficial identities, and promise not to hold grudges afterward. Let’s spar and exchange Daoist techniques.

Chen Ping’an continued, “Li Huai, you must believe in yourself. Outside the battlefield, you can do many things in the future. Teaching in the academy, and things other than teaching. Perhaps some of them, most of them, others can also do, but there will always be some things that only Li Huai can do. Whether as a Confucian disciple or in your own conduct, you must have this confidence.”

Li Huai raised his head, “I don’t really believe in myself, but I believe in you.”

Chen Ping’an clapped his hands and smiled, “That’s all that matters.”

Li Huai remembered something, picked up a book on the table, and casually asked, “Chen Ping’an, do you know Lu Yan who wrote this book?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded, “Not only do I know him, but I have also met this Patriarch Lu, whose Daoist title is Chunyang. He is a highly learned and enlightened great master. Like Master Qi, Patriarch Lu has gone very high and far on the path of integrating the three teachings.”