A figure in azure robes shot out from the Ancestral Hall in an instant, like a turquoise waterfall cascading from the summit of Green Plume Peak down to the mountain gate.

Cui Dongshan, munching on melon seeds, chuckled, “The meeting is adjourned, postponed for a bit. Let’s have some tea first.”

Pei Qian initially intended to follow her master to greet Li Baoping at the mountain gate, but the Great White Goose smiled and shook its head.

Qiu Du, Tao Ran, and the other newly-joined members of the Ancestral Hall, along with guest officials like Ye Yunyun, were naturally curious. Who was this esteemed guest, worthy of Lord Chen’s grand welcome? It seemed any monumental matter could be put aside as he headed straight for the foot of the mountain without a word, not even willing to waste time speaking in the Ancestral Hall. This was unlike Chen Ping’an’s usual demeanor.

Suddenly, Cui Dongshan’s eyes lit up. “Eldest Sister, I know who’s the greatest contributor to the formation of our Fallen Phoenix Mountain’s style!”

Pei Qian glared. “Don’t involve Sister Baoping!”

Among the younger generation of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, some feared Cui Dongshan, while others feared Pei Qian.

However, those who joined Fallen Phoenix Mountain later, like Bai Xuan, might not know that both the Great White Goose and Pei Qian behaved differently around a certain someone.

Cui Dongshan had once had seals stamped on his head by that person. Pei Qian, who could deceive experienced constables as a child, had willingly served as that person’s little helper, often copying books together. As for Li Huai, when studying at the village school in his youth, his pants were thrown into a tree, leaving him crying with a face full of tears and snot, yet he didn’t hold a grudge against that person.

At the mountain gate, Chen Ping’an landed gracefully, a brilliant smile on his face.

Li Baoping grinned. “Little Martial Uncle, Happy New Year!”

The girl in a red cotton coat, wielding a green bamboo staff and wearing a narrow sabre named Auspicious Charm, had a snow-white wine gourd hanging from her waist. She was tall and slender, a grown woman now.

Chen Ping’an glanced at the sword-nurturing gourd. Li Baoping blushed and said, “Little Martial Uncle, I don’t drink often. I just take a sip to refresh myself when I’m tired of reading, and call on the wine worm for help to fight the drowsiness bug. I win more than I lose!”

Chen Ping’an chuckled softly. “That’s nothing. Your Little Martial Uncle is almost a drunkard. Come on, Little Martial Uncle will take you for a stroll around the mountain. Today is the sect celebration. Let’s go to the Ancestral Hall for a while. Your Little Martial Uncle has some things to discuss. Consider it making up for the inauguration ceremony. This mountain we’re on is called Immortal Metropolis Mountain. The two mountains beside it are Cloud Rising Mountain and Deliberate Mountain. Your Senior Brother Cui named them.”

Li Baoping nodded vigorously. Then she pointed to the sect plaque. “Green Plume Sword Sect, the name is especially good! ‘Wind arises from the earth, originating from the tip of a green plume.’ It signifies both surpassing one’s predecessors and a duckweed returning to the sea. Every encounter in life has its purpose. It must have been difficult for Senior Brother Cui to come up with such a great name. I bet he rummaged through dictionaries before getting lucky.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Your Little Martial Uncle chose the sect’s name himself.”

Li Baoping’s beautiful, lively eyes narrowed into crescent moons. She deliberately sighed. “Ah, not surprising at all.”

Chen Ping’an was about to help lead the horse up the mountain, but Li Baoping quickly shook her head. “It doesn’t need to go up the mountain. It can stay at the foot of the mountain. Today is Little Martial Uncle’s sect celebration. It just had its fill. If it poops halfway, it would be troublesome for Little Martial Uncle to find a broom and dustpan. That would be inappropriate.”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but smile. “It’s nothing.”

Li Baoping picked up the green bamboo staff and waved her hand magnanimously. “Go play by yourself.”

The sound of hooves echoed, heading towards Treasurefall Beach for a drink.

Inside the Ancestral Hall, Cui Dongshan had been cocking his head, listening intently. Hearing this, he grinned at Pei Qian. “What do you say? Are you convinced?”

Chen Ping’an led Li Baoping slowly along the mountain path, ascending the steps.

When the girl in the red cotton coat suddenly appeared, Yu Panshui on the summit of Green Plume Peak was startled. This wasn’t any ordinary space-shrinking technique. “Gather Treasure, did that little girl just travel directly across a continent? My cultivation is shallow. It’s hard for me to even watch the fun. Your realm is high. Can you weigh it?”

Liu Jubao’s behavior was odd. He only gazed at the scenery of My Cao Peak on Cloud Rising Mountain, ignoring the girl leading the horse at the foot of the mountain and deaf to his friend’s inquiry.

Yu Panshui muttered to himself, “If it’s really a cross-continental journey, she can still bring a horse? Even the legendary Ascension doesn’t have this kind of celestial phenomenon. It can actually wrap up the Middle Earth Divine Continent’s mountain and river fortune. How strange! Why does it seem like it also has some of Mount Sprout’s aura? In today’s world, who can snatch food from the mountain deity Zhou You’s mouth? I’ve heard it so many times that my ears are calloused. Our God with the Title ‘Grand Sacrifice,’ Zhou You, is known for his strict impartiality.”

In the Vast Sky World, the mountain and river deities who could possess a “Divine Title” were few and far between. According to the Confucian Temple’s latest regulations, only the Five Mountains of Middle Earth and the Four Seas Water Lords had this honor.

Liu Youzhou said telepathically, “It seems to be Li Baoping from Cliff Academy. I heard that she, along with Qi Du from Treasure Bottle Continent’s Old Temple, Lin Shouyi, and the Sage Li Huai, are all direct disciples of that Mr. Qi. Li Baoping seems to have liked wearing red clothes since she was a child. Besides studying, she likes to travel alone the most. She recently passed the examination at the Book of Rites Academy and is already a Confucian gentleman. Li Baoping once had a debate with Yuan Pang from Horizontal Canal Academy. I borrowed a copy of the mirage from a friend on the mountain, but I couldn’t understand what they were arguing about. By seniority, Hidden Officer Chen can indeed be considered her Little Martial Uncle. Since Li Baoping is the Great Confucian’s disciple’s disciple, and the Great Confucian has always had a good relationship with Mount Sprout, could it be that Zhou You personally sent her here?”

Yu Panshui suddenly understood. “So it’s her, so that’s why, no wonder.”

Liu Jubao still didn’t take the bait. Zhou You could indeed send people to other continents, but the commotion wouldn’t be so small. If it were really Mount Sprout’s methods, according to Mr. Three Mountains Nine Marquises’ earliest definition of sorcery, and considering Li Baoping’s current cultivation realm, if Zhou You wanted to cross continents, he would need to use several ancient supernatural powers in one breath, transporting mountains and moving scenery, ghostly connections, fixing the body and sitting on fire to calm the soul, borrowing wind and walking on water. Then, when Li Baoping’s feet landed, the entire Immortal Metropolis Mountain would shake, and Mount Sprout’s price would definitely be high, certainly consuming part of Mount Sprout’s aura. But with Zhou You’s style, the Grand Sacrifice God, renowned throughout the world, is recognized as strictly impartial. No matter how good the relationship with the Great Confucian lineage, he wouldn’t be so unjustly using his power.
It was clear that there was another expert at play. This move alone was worthy of being regarded as a cultivator of the Fourteenth Realm.

Therefore, this was the reason why Liu Jubao deliberately pretended not to have seen anything. There were only a few Fourteenth Realm cultivators in the Great Landscape World. On Tongye Continent, there was once Bi Xiao, the Master of Luobao Shoal in the Donghai Guandao Temple, who had already gone to the Azure Gloom World to establish his dojo. Due to the Old Master’s own Dao Integration, if that battle had continued, the Old Master would have been forced to share the “Heavenly Timing, Geographical Advantage, and Harmony of People” of the Wild Desolate World. The more turbulent the world became, the more the Old Master’s cultivation would decline. If Treasure Bottle Continent couldn’t be defended, perhaps the Old Master would have difficulty escaping. He couldn’t possibly allow Zhou Mi, a junior from the mountain, to ride roughshod over him.

The monk Shen Qing, nicknamed “Chicken Soup Monk,” had also gone to the Western Buddhist Kingdom, most likely to secretly begin his fourth Dharma-protecting journey.

The Old Blind Man stayed put in the Ten Thousand Mountains, while Bai Ye remained at the Mysterious Capital Temple. As for the Dragon-Slaying Man who had returned to the Fourteenth Realm, he was always a solitary cloud and wild crane.

Then it was highly likely that the Great Landscape World had gained another Fourteenth Realm cultivator who was keeping a low profile, or that a brand new Fourteenth Realm would soon emerge.

Some things must be feigned ignorance of.

Yu Panshui’s realm wasn’t high, only Jade Purity, but his eyesight was good. It was impossible for him not to be aware of this. Moreover, considering Yu Panshui’s relationship with Embroidered Tiger, he couldn’t be considered a complete outsider to the origins of the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven incident.

Yu Panshui glanced at Liu, the God of Wealth from the Snowy Continent, who was acting like a silent gourd, and tsked, “As expected of Brother Jubao, your handling of affairs is flawless. No wonder you earn more money than me, far more.”

The fat Yu had always been curious. Could it be that Brother Jubao’s path to Dao Integration was earning money, like… earning half of the immortal money in the Great Landscape World? But that didn’t seem right either. Liu Jubao’s ability to earn money was indeed the best in the world, but his spending habits were also extremely lavish. But to say that Liu Jubao was trying to exchange merit from the Confucian Temple’s Merit Ledger by spending money didn’t seem quite right either. In fact, Yu Panshui had always felt that he couldn’t see through this person. The longer he spent with Liu Jubao, the more uncomfortable he felt, like looking at flowers through the fog. Even with Embroidered Tiger, Cui Chan, or Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City, the so-called inability to see through them was just because their minds were too sharp and their chess skills too high. But ultimately, some clues were still relatively clear. For example, Cui Chan could do things that the world considered rebellious and unfilial, betraying his master and the lineage of the Confucian Sage, but Cui Chan would never give up his identity as a scholar in his heart. Zheng Juzhong, even with the title of the world’s number one demonic giant, his thoughts were extremely lofty, distant, and profound. However, deep down, Zheng Juzhong would still give Yu Panshui a feeling of pure Confucianism. Of course, it was possible that Zheng Juzhong deliberately allowed Yu Panshui to feel this illusion.

Liu Jubao, on the other hand, was the most difficult to understand. Yu Panshui couldn’t figure out what Liu Jubao was trying to do. It seemed that the biggest “truth” was hidden by Liu Jubao’s “fact” of earning money.

Liu Jubao smiled calmly, “Time will tell. When the world is truly at peace, you will know the purpose of me earning all that money.”

Being careful when earning money and generous when spending it, ensuring that all money, regardless of its amount, enters and exits through the proper channels, is the family’s way. Earning money is important, but don’t neglect accumulating virtue.

Otherwise, the more you walk on the wrong path and the more ill-gotten wealth you accumulate, the more likely you are to run into trouble, and it will even bring misfortune to your descendants. Earning money in this world is difficult, and accumulating ancestral blessings is even harder.

Yu Panshui sighed, “There are many people who know how to earn money, but very few who truly know how to spend it.”

When you are penniless, it is understandable to earn some money through unorthodox means to get started. But once you are wealthy, you must earn money through proper channels.

Otherwise, if your virtue doesn’t match your position, sitting on a mountain of gold and silver, fortune and misfortune can change in an instant. What is money? The fields of the predecessors are harvested by the descendants.

It’s probably the same principle that Cui Chan talked about back then.

Great wealth is brought from the previous life, and books are read for the next life.

Liu Jubao looked at the two who had already started climbing the mountain and said, “Let’s go take a look at the Banished Immortal Peak.”

On the mountain path, Li Bao Ping said, “Little Martial Uncle, don’t keep the Ancestral Hall waiting for too long. Discussing matters is important.”

Chen Ping An nodded with a smile. Li Bao Ping then climbed the mountain with brisk steps, while Chen Ping An followed leisurely beside her.

Inside the Qing Ping Peak Ancestral Hall, Xiao Mi Li had already prepared a chair, following Cui Dongshan’s suggestion, and placed the chair between the Good Man Mountain Lord and Pei Qian.

Rules and regulations, etiquette and such, were put aside for now.

Li Bao Ping first bowed and greeted everyone, introducing herself as Li Bao Ping, a disciple of the Cliff Academy.

She glanced at her chair’s location and shook her head at Little Martial Uncle. Chen Ping An then moved the chair back a bit, but not so far that she was isolated in the back row. In this way, Li Bao Ping was both observing and considered one of the family.

Pei Qian smiled and called out, “Sister Bao Ping,” helping to pour a bowl of tea.

Xiao Mi Li wiped the sweat from her forehead, mustered her courage, and took a pile of melon seeds like a small mountain from her cloth satchel, placing them in front of the legendary Alliance Master and whispering, “Alliance Master, Sister Bao Ping, my name is Zhou Mi Li. I used to be the Right Protector of Riding Dragon Lane, and now I am the Vice-Leader of the Riding Dragon Lane Branch under the command of the Dragon Spring County Headquarters.”

Pei Qian wished she could dig a hole and bury herself.

Li Bao Ping was stunned for a moment, but quickly smiled and said, “Keep up the good work.”

If the black-clothed girl hadn’t mentioned it today, Li Bao Ping would have almost forgotten about the Headquarters Alliance Master token that she had given to Pei Qian long ago.

After Chen Ping An took his seat, the Ancestral Hall continued the meeting.

The first matter was that Cui Dongshan established rules for the Qing Ping Sword Sect. In the future, the threshold for the Qing Ping Peak Ancestral Hall to accept new members, adding each chair, would not be low.

Cultivators had to be in the Nascent Soul Realm, among which sword cultivators had to be in the Golden Core Realm, and martial artists needed to be in the Far Roaming Realm.

Moreover, it wasn’t that passing this threshold guaranteed a seat. It also depended on their respective records in the Merit Ledger.

The second matter was the arrangement of their respective dojos.

Chief Consecrator Mi Yu, direct disciple He Gu, natal flying sword “Flying Peak”, dojo built on Cloud Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain.

Law Enforcer Cui Wei, disciple Yu Xie Hui, natal flying sword “Word-Breaking Order”, dojo built on Sky Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, the Immortal Palm.

Sui You Bian, disciple Cheng Chao Lu. Dojo on Banished Immortal Peak, the secondary peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, the Sweeping Flower Terrace.

Golden Core Realm sword cultivator Tao Ran, dojo on Vermilion Sand Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain.
These four members of the Ancestral Hall happened to be all sword cultivators, so their cultivation grounds were all located on Immortal Capital Mountain, the ancestral mountain of the Azure Myrtle Sword Sect.

Cui Dongshan smiled, “Sword Immortal Tao, for the time being, let’s not hold any Opening Peak ceremonies for anyone. Later, when you reach the Nascent Soul Realm, we’ll give Sword Immortal Tao a proper ceremony and celebrate it grandly.”

Tao Ran nodded silently, without any objections.

As for the Nascent Soul Realm, it was best to just dream about it. It was best not to have a special Golden Core Opening Peak celebration, to avoid embarrassing Immortal Capital Mountain.

Cui Dongshan shook his sleeves, and clouds and mist rose from the ground of the Ancestral Hall, revealing a landscape map, depicting the two auxiliary mountains, Cloud Steaming Mountain and Planning Mountain.

Above the peaks, different vermilion characters floated, marking the names of the peaks.

Cui Dongshan said, “Scholar Zhong, in addition to retaining your residence on Secret Snow Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, I suggest you move your place of business to Cloud Steaming Mountain. I will serve as the first Mountain Lord of Cloud Steaming Mountain, and the main peak, My Cao Peak, will also be my cultivation ground. Don’t feel like you’re living under someone else’s roof. Furthermore, Scholar Zhong, you should also accept some disciples. Besides that, there is one more thing that requires you to spare some effort. I plan to start construction on a private academy on Planning Mountain soon, and I invite Scholar Zhong to serve as the first Headmaster of the academy.”

Zhong Qiu smiled, “No problem.”

Cui Dongshan asked, “Eldest Sister, are you planning to open a peak separately on Immortal Capital Mountain, or on Cloud Steaming Mountain?”

Pei Qian said without hesitation, “On Cloud Steaming Mountain.”

She glanced at the map and continued, “I will build a thatched cottage near the fishing pavilion in the Green Bamboo Stream.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly said, “Cloud Steaming Mountain

(End of this chapter, please turn the page)

The Drunken Peak over there, allocate it to me.”

Pei Qian pursed her lips tightly.

In a sense, both master and disciple had learned fist techniques from the same person.

And that old man who stayed on the second floor of the bamboo building all year round had a fist technique called the Cloud Steaming Great Swamp Style.

Therefore, whether Pei Qian chose the fishing pavilion on Cloud Steaming Mountain, or Chen Ping’an took the initiative to occupy Drunken Peak, it was a kind of tacit understanding between the master and disciple.

Cui Dongshan smiled slightly, “Let Cao Qinglang serve as the first Peak Lord of Jingxing Peak on Planning Mountain. As a Golden Core Realm cultivator, opening a peak according to the rules is not a bad thing. As for the first Mountain Lord of Planning Mountain, let’s leave it vacant for now.”

“Wu Gou, Xiao Manying, your cultivation grounds are located next to the Cloud Ladder Path on Planning Mountain. You can use talismanic laborers to build your residences later.”

“Fellow Daoist Qing Tong, your cultivation ground is located at Winged Terrace on Planning Mountain. This peak is only second to My Cao Peak in height, and the scenery is quite good. What do you think?”

Qing Tong smiled and nodded, cupping his fists and saying, “Thank you, Sect Master Cui, in advance.”

As a guest elder, even a chief guest elder like Huang Ting, according to the rules, could not open a peak alone or occupy a mountain top. At most, they would have a residence on the mountain. However, this was not the case for a named offering of an immortal mansion or sect.

In addition to Qing Tong’s Winged Terrace, the old dragon, Qiu Du, was arranged by Cui Dongshan on the Swaying Peak of Planning Mountain, which was also the source of water for Planning Mountain.

Obviously, Cui Dongshan’s idea was that sword cultivators should practice swordplay on the peaks of the ancestral mountain. Pure martial artists would be on Cloud Steaming Mountain. Qi refiners other than sword cultivators would practice Taoism on Planning Mountain.

The old woman braced herself and said, “Mountain Lord Chen, Hu Chuling and I are not strictly master and disciple. Can she become your apprentice?”

For this former Dragon Palace tutor, her own cultivation achievements were far less important than the smooth cultivation of Vinegar. Having a proper good master was a great backer.

The reason why Qiu Du was so apprehensive was of course related to the “seniority” that mountain cultivators often valued most. If Vinegar could really become Chen Ping’an’s direct disciple, it would be equivalent to being the same generation as Cui Dongshan. Wasn’t that a meteoric rise? Therefore, Qiu Du even made a plan similar to selling her life for Immortal Capital Mountain. As long as Chen Ping’an didn’t completely dismiss the idea, the old woman would immediately express her thoughts and take the initiative to submit a contract similar to a life-and-death pledge, and this kind of thing was definitely not a joke.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “Firstly, I will be going into seclusion soon, and after coming out of seclusion, I will be traveling far away again. If Hu Chuling becomes my apprentice, she may not even see me for a long time, so naturally, I won’t be able to teach her anything. Furthermore, the only things I am good at are swordsmanship and martial arts, which are not suitable for Hu Chuling. As for the path of talismans, I barely understand a little bit, but if Hu Chuling really wants to learn, and if she can learn it, I can guarantee one thing to Offering Qiu here. As long as I am at the Azure Myrtle Sword Sect, Hu Chuling can ask me about talismans, and I will teach her everything I know. In fact, there is no need to seek far and wide for Hu Chuling’s apprenticeship.”

Cui Dongshan immediately smiled and said, “If Offering Qiu doesn’t mind, I can be the person who teaches Hu Chuling on the ancestral genealogy of Azure Myrtle Peak.”

Chen Ping’an explained with a smile, “Cui Dongshan is in the Immortal Realm, and besides martial arts, which is an exception, is considered to be our Sect Master Cui’s only shortcoming, he is almost stronger than me, the teacher, in every aspect. If Hu Chuling becomes his apprentice, it may only be a lower seniority on the mountain, but in fact, compared to becoming my disciple, following Cui Dongshan to cultivate Taoism will be more beneficial and rewarding for Hu Chuling in the long run.”

Although Qiu Du had some regrets, it was also a great thing that Vinegar could become Cui Dongshan’s direct disciple in one fell swoop. It was nothing more than changing from the best to the second best, and the old woman was extremely satisfied.

Especially when Chen Ping’an personally said that Cui Dongshan was in the Immortal Realm, Qiu Du was even more filled with emotion. A mountain head, hiding dragons and crouching tigers, with unfathomable foundations, was nothing more than this.

Moreover, Chen Ping’an personally promised to teach Hu Chuling the path of talismans, Qiu Du dared not press her luck any further. Besides, the young Hidden Official had a gentle expression, but he spoke directly, such as mentioning the matter of “seniority”, so the old woman, who recognized herself as a fool if she didn’t know what was good for her, immediately stood up, thanked Mountain Lord Chen and Sect Master Cui, and sat down. After hesitating for a while, the old woman said with a guilty face, but still honestly, “I have been living in the countryside for a long time, and I am selfish. I have made everyone laugh at my little calculations.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Granny Qiu, don’t say that. You have set a good example for our Azure Myrtle Sword Sect’s Ancestral Hall to discuss matters.”

Qiu Du was confused. Set a good example? What did that mean? She just saw that everyone seemed to think that the young Hidden Official’s words were very natural.
Divine Immortal Jia immediately followed up, “Keep a peaceful mind and speak your own heart. If Honored Guest Qiu dares to openly admit his own selfish desires, then I, this humble Daoist, feel that I have not an ounce of such selfishness.”

Little Millet, who had been frowning with her sparse eyebrows, seemed to have a sudden realization after Divine Immortal Jia’s explanation, and clapped her hands in delight.

Because the topic brought up by the old woman just happened to involve the third matter: Sect Master Cui was preparing to accept disciples himself.

Cui Dongshan smiled and said, “Hu Chuling, and Jiang Qu, thank you, Cui Peanut, Zhao Luan, will all become my personal disciples, recorded on the Azure Peak’s Golden Jade Register. As for who will be the first disciple to establish the mountain, there’s no rush, we’ll discuss it later.”

Chen Ping’an asked with confusion, “Zhao Luan?”

That Cui Peanut didn’t warrant mentioning, the girl was Cui Dongshan’s “sister” who he had personally brought to Riding Dragon Lane after being lost for many years. Even Cui Dongshan accepting Xie Xie as a disciple didn’t faze Chen Ping’an much. As for Jiang Qu, as the first true talisman cultivator of Fallen Mountain, it was indeed a good thing for him to become Cui Dongshan’s direct disciple. But Zhao Luan was the only one who made Chen Ping’an feel a surge of displeasure. Azure Peak Sword Sect was a subordinate sect of Fallen Mountain. Was Cui Dongshan going to keep digging at the foundation?!

Because at the last Fallen Mountain Sect celebration, besides Zhao Shuxia becoming Chen Ping’an’s direct disciple in one fell swoop, Zhao Luan, although not Chen Ping’an’s personal disciple, was already a registered cultivator of Fallen Mountain’s Jise Peak. Furthermore, Zhao Luan now had an unnamed teacher, none other than the white-haired child from Riding Dragon Lane, the extra-terrestrial demon who went by “Frost Descent” in the Sword Qi Great Wall prison. The latter was now at the Grass Head Shop, claiming to be Fallen Mountain’s only handyman disciple, as if not only not ashamed, but quite content with it. But worldly affairs were indeed full of coincidences. Chen Ping’an clearly remembered that in the prison, this extra-terrestrial demon had once said with a smile, “The small grass does not value itself, it has already cast out a mountain of errors.”

Small grass emerging from the mountain, Grass Head Shop?

It was not uncommon on the mountains for cultivators to have two or even several mentors. However, the record on the Ancestral Hall’s Golden Jade Register, which involved the lineage and dharma vein, was of course unique. For those who cultivated the Dao, “recognizing ancestors and returning to the source” was of utmost importance. Just like in the Azure Abyss, whichever lineage the Dao official’s initiation master came from would determine their dharma vein for life.

Cui Dongshan smiled cheekily, “Teacher, Zhao Luan has such good aptitude for cultivation. Staying in Fallen Mountain, it seems she can’t learn much.”

Chang Ming smiled faintly, “I think that’s not necessarily true.”

Wei Wenlong said, “Sect Master Cui’s words are not appropriate.”

Divine Immortal Jia only needed a moment to consider before saying something that was both agreeable to the mountain and the subordinate sect, and also genuinely heartfelt, “I have always regarded Zhao Luan as my own granddaughter these years. If Luan girl were to come to Immortal Capital Mountain to cultivate, I would inevitably feel reluctant. Selfishness, indeed, I am too selfish.”

Qiu Du smiled knowingly upon hearing this, feeling much more relaxed. The old woman and the old Daoist Divine Immortal with a clear mind despite his blindness cast friendly gazes towards him.

Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes, “Damn it, can this also be used to curry favor with Qiu Du?”

Divine Immortal Jia, not bad, not bad. You might as well go to that private academy on Cloud Steaming Mountain and become a teacher specializing in worldly wisdom.

Because there were objections, the choice of Zhao Luan’s official master would still follow Fallen Mountain’s old rules, first asking for Zhao Luan’s own opinion.

Afterwards, they discussed the selection of Azure Peak Sword Sect’s Guardian Honored Guest. Cui Dongshan said he would arrange it as soon as possible.

And currently, the allies officially allied with Azure Peak Sword Sect were only Pu Mountain, Peace Mountain, and the Great Spring Dynasty.

As for Jade Decree Sect, it would of course depend on Teacher’s personal decision.

By the side of a great lake in Kui Province, there was an extremely large immortal ferry, named Wine Money Ferry.

Lofty clouds pass, lotus leaves ripple, fish and crabs turn over water chestnuts, sleeping ducks occupy the embankment, scattered by people, they form pairs again.

In the bustling immortal ferry, a man, burly in stature, bowed and scraped, with his hands in his sleeves, quietly approached a young cultivator who looked like he had no shortage of money, and whispered, “Want robes?”

The young man’s expression shifted slightly, and he asked with his mind, “What’s the source? Are they new? Or old robes, how new are they?”

In fact, this kind of shady deal was not uncommon on the mountains, they were all goods of unknown origin and dubious provenance, but the price was much cheaper.

The man raised his chin and said, “You just look here, if you see anything you like, just tell me. The prices are all the same, two Minor Heat Coins.”

The young cultivator was stunned by these words.

The man said, “Beauties, jewels, and imperial seals, all come from the bottom of the yellow sands. Why ask about the source? No matter who they were taken off from, they’re all the same when you wear them, little brother. Tonight, you pick a place, and we’ll trade money for goods. I guarantee to erase all the restrictions on the robes. If you’re not at ease, you can find an expert to help you check them out. I don’t have many taboos in business, I just want both the buyer and the seller to be at ease.”

The young cultivator said angrily, “Are you out of your mind? Get lost!”

The man sighed, “If the deal doesn’t go through, there’s still benevolence, why curse people?”

The man moved away, looking like he was going to find the next patron.

In a small county town on the border of Kui Province and Qi Province, it was said that a foreign eccentric had arrived, wearing a raccoon fur coat and a fox fur hat, with a burly figure, like a military man, speaking with a northern accent.

This person was accompanied by three attendants, all cultivators, who had neither the status of a Dao official of a kingdom nor the mountain and water register of a mountain immortal mansion, only their place of origin and name, and the local government’s seal. Examining the passes of this group of people, seeing the dense stamping on them, the local county government, although feeling strange, did not pay too much attention. Since they were able to travel through so many places, they were probably not the kind of people who relied on immortal arts to commit evil.

The group casually found a place to stay in the city, said to be a haunted house that was often haunted by ghosts. The yamen runners were too lazy to care, even the night watchmen dared not go there at night, they were welcome to stay if they wanted.

In the house, weeds grew everywhere, and the window paper leaked air badly.

Inside the house, besides stacks of medicine books on the table, there were also piles of bamboo tubes cut into different lengths, all with holes.

In the small courtyard, there was a large water tank, filled with several fish recently caught, waiting to be cooked.

Inside the small house, the three cultivators, two men and one woman, who were half attendants and half fellow Daoists, were all picked up by Qing Ling along the way and brought with him.
Their realms were not low, two Golden Cores and one Dragon Gate. Originally, in their hometown of Yongzhou, each had their own daoist temple. They dared not say they occupied a territory and acted like tyrants, but at least they had a few daoist official friends in the imperial court. However, this journey had been fraught with apprehension. After all, they were traveling across states, and especially when passing through Ruzhou before, they hadn’t even visited the Scarlet Gold Dynasty. They constantly felt that any martial artist they encountered on the road might kill them with a single punch.

This was all the fault of that strange person who liked to wear flowers in his hair, giving them each a fake travel permit. In fact, the three of them had proper identities to begin with, and there was no need to change them. But that Qingling Daoist friend insisted that they change to new identities, on the grounds that their previous names and daoist titles were too insignificant and didn’t have good enough meanings. For a Qi refiner, choosing a daoist title was a big deal, like being reborn a second time! Therefore, on this journey, they had to put up with fake identities and follow Qingling Daoist friend in swindling and deceiving others. How could they not be anxious?

Back in their hometown of Yongzhou, they had long heard that there was an eccentric person in a certain county who always wore three flowers in his hair, and no one knew his name. He was able to write poems, all with immortal inspiration.

Sometimes he wore brocade and embroidered red robes, engaging in profound discussions with high-ranking scholars and immortal officials. Other times, he was dressed in rags, mingling in the marketplace, associating with beggars on the street, and he loved to say strange things that no one could understand.

“Both hands try to shield the sparrow in the bottle, all four feet fear the snake in the well. The toad’s light shines dimly on the crossroads all day long, revealing yellow sprouts everywhere…”

They never expected to encounter such a fellow, and now they were all in the same boat. As the saying goes, it’s easy to get on a pirate ship, but hard to get off.

Inside the house, the three who were sharing tribulations together included a woman with a slender neck, as white as snow. Her daoist temple was located in Mianyang Lake in Yongzhou. Now, this female cultivator of demon origin had the daoist title of Chunshe (Spring Society).

Another was a short man dressed in brocade, his figure like he was growing horizontally. He came from Qingcao Lake in Longyang County within Yongzhou. He fancied himself as romantic and amorous. Now he was called Wu Xie (No Restraint), and he used to call himself the “Intestineless Young Master.”

The last was a thin and tall man, with the daoist title of Qiuye (Autumn Night). According to Qingling Daoist friend, this title meant “dark night and bright moon, a recluse standing alone in the moonlight, wrapped in clothing.”

He inexplicably got this brand-new daoist title. He came from a place in ancient Yongzhou known for its strange snakes. However, this place had many snake catchers, so there were very few who refined their forms and attained the Dao. To talk about turning into a dragon was even more of a luxury. Among the snake catchers, the most famous in history was of course the woman who entered the Xuandu Temple to practice immortal arts at a young age, Wang Sun, with the daoist title “Kongshan” (Empty Mountain). She was now one of the top ten people in the world.

It’s just that the three of them, a goose, a snake, and a crab, still didn’t know the true identity of that Qingling Daoist friend.

However, he had separately passed on a Daoist scripture to each of them. Before passing on the scriptures, he had given them roughly the same set of self-aggrandizing and frightening remarks.

“This book will only be secretly passed on to those who are destined.”

“Anyone who dares to leak my book will be punished according to the law as a lower ghost, and their clan and family will be implicated.”

Such a big tone! But when the three of them started cultivating according to their respective scriptures, it seemed to be useless.

Qingling Daoist friend then said earnestly, “Over time, as long as you persevere, the heavens will reward those who put their heart into it. You will gradually enter a better state.”

These three fellow Daoists who were swallowing bitter gourds like mutes were now studying a heavy, anonymous book. It was said to be the painstaking work of the old abbot of the Xuandu Temple, but Abbot Sun had never admitted to writing this book.

It was truly an essential item for wild cultivators wandering the world, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

It was rumored that in the Vast Expanse World, there was a “Search Mountain Picture,” so this book was also called the “Underwater Book.” This book was sold in almost every immortal ferry.

(End of this chapter, please turn the page)

The price was not expensive, only two or three snowflake coins.

Concise, clear, categorized, and full of well-considered and prudent golden words, it also introduced the customs and culture of the fourteen states of the world.

It described the character of those behemoth-like immortal residences and Daoist temples, which old bastards were unrespected elders with insidious schemes, which little bastards were examples of the upper beam being crooked and the lower beam being askew, which ones you could stop and reason with when things happened, and which ones you must avoid, and if you really couldn’t avoid them and something happened, knowing the other party’s background and status, you should just lower your head and admit your mistake, without being stubborn…

There were also many short stories similar to anecdotes and historical tales, especially well written, making them enjoyable to read.

Worthy of Abbot Sun, who had friends all over the world, he truly deserved the praise of “perfect merit and virtue.”

The three monster-originating wild cultivators were there, exchanging knowledge and picking at words, discussing whether, if they were fortunate enough to meet Abbot Sun, the old abbot who was rumored to be the kindest to the younger generation on the mountain, should they say he was “highly respected,” or “high in Dao and heavy in virtue,” or “old in age and high in virtue?”

The three fellow Daoists from the same hometown held their own opinions and had their own reasons. One said that Abbot Sun was famous, so calling him “highly respected” was the most appropriate. One said that Abbot Sun was a Daoist, so there had to be the word “Dao” in the praise. Another said that “old in age” meant living a long life, which was the greatest praise in itself.

The old abbot was not in a hurry to visit. He stood outside the house, stroking his beard and smiling. Hearing people say good things about himself to his face was mostly insincere flattery, but praise from behind was mostly out of genuine sincerity.

Yan Zhuo listened to the debate of the three fellow Daoists outside the door and felt that their path to the Great Dao was widening.

He just didn’t know if these three would recognize the old abbot when they actually saw him. Probably difficult.

In the Azure Abyss World, except for a very few states, for some reason, from the imperial court to the sects, the use of “mirror flowers and water moon” for Daoist palaces and temples had been prohibited since ancient times.

The Intestineless Young Master suddenly raised his head and said in a deep voice, “Daoist friend, stop! How can you break into a private residence in broad daylight?”

Did they really think that two Golden Cores and one Dragon Gate were vegetarians?

Did they really think this was their home?

They saw an old Daoist priest appear outside the door, accompanied by a young fat man and two young masters, noisily crossing the threshold.

Seeing that the old Daoist priest still crossed the threshold and entered the house, he casually picked up a handwritten book of medicine. The opening content of the preface was very knowledgeable. He claimed that in the present world, doctors often liked to treat diseases with the “kingly way,” but they did not know that the kingly way was of a fiery and violent nature. If used carelessly, it would increase other diseases. Therefore, he abandoned the kingly way and purely used the “overlord’s way” to treat diseases. All medicines should have their soul extracted and their essence removed, leaving only the light and pure Qi, which would be beneficial and harmless.

Because he knew the real identity of the person who compiled the book, Abbot Sun did not think that the other party had confused the words “kingly” and “overlord.”
Wu Xie, unable to stop him, muttered under his breath, “It’s like talking to a brick wall.”

Yan Zhuo now looked forward to the sight of this fellow cultivator sweeping the grounds of the Xuan Du Temple.

The old Daoist priest put down his book and glanced at Wu Xie, recognizing him as the type who loved to feign elegance. His waist was laden with jade pendants and sachets. He chuckled and teased, “Young sir, are you running a stall for trinkets? Shall I introduce you to a kindred spirit?”

If not for being out and about, and the table being occupied by that book filled with golden words, Wu Xie would have erupted in curses. He would have undoubtedly retorted with something like, “Want me to send you to meet your ancestors?”

“Bamboo, regardless of length, can be played, but it must be carved with holes according to its nature. You few have been chosen as promising material, your luck is not bad.”

Grandmaster Sun casually picked up a section of bamboo pipe, weighed it in his hand, and asked offhandedly, “Where’s that flowery fellow who brought you here?”

After all, that Dragon Master was an enlightened cultivator who had ascended to the Ascension Realm twice. If he was intent on concealing his whereabouts, it would be a bit of a hassle to find him.

Besides, Sun Huaizhong had no intention of going to that much trouble.

The three exchanged glances, suspicion flickering in their eyes. Could it be that Qing Ling, who was both their master and fellow Daoist, was actually a female cultivator?

If he were a man, it wouldn’t matter. A rough appearance, even with a flower in his hair, could at least earn him the reputation of an eccentric. But if it were a woman… she was truly a bit ugly.

Chun She cautiously inquired, “Is the venerable Daoist asking about Fellow Daoist Qing Ling’s whereabouts?”

Grandmaster Sun nodded. “Yes, I’m here to reminisce with him.”

Doubt clouded her face. She feared that he was an unwelcome guest, a grudge holder coming to settle scores. Yet, she also worried that if he wasn’t looking for trouble, she would incur Qing Ling’s wrath for revealing his location, earning herself a harsh reprimand.

Glancing at her two fellow Daoists, she found them deaf and mute, adopting a ‘not my problem’ attitude.

Left with no choice, Chun She bit the bullet and asked, “Venerable Daoist, if you’ve come to visit and reminisce with Fellow Daoist Qing Ling, could you perhaps state your identity and Daoist title?”

The old Daoist priest chuckled. “I cannot.”

Wu Xie was thoroughly infuriated, but still suppressing his temper, he muttered under his breath, “So unable to discern good from bad, careful you end up with no friends.”

Sun Grandmaster glanced at the window and smiled. “A dog can’t change its nature, still dreaming of seductive women knocking at the window, either foxes or ghosts.”

Anyone could guess that if that guy encountered such a situation, potentially leading to a romantic death under the flowers, he would yell, “Get out of the way, let me handle this!”

Many aged cultivators are two different people in their youth and old age.

That Dragon Master, however, was a rare exception, always infatuated, yet always acting flirtatious, as if afraid others would think him devoted.

And this “others” really only consisted of one person, the person the infatuated one was infatuated with.

Grandmaster Sun sighed inwardly. Long Xinpu was actually quite pitiful. He then said, “This poor Daoist comes from the Xuan Du Temple in nearby Qizhou.”

Chun She was stunned, while Qiu Ye remained skeptical.

Only Wu Xie roared, complaining to his two fellow Daoists, “What are you waiting for? Hurry up, let’s all kowtow to this old immortal!”

Yan Zhuo grimaced, finding it so exaggerated just to hear about the Xuan Du Temple.

Grandmaster Sun waved his hand. “Forget it, you’re not Daoists of the Xuan Du Temple. Meeting on the road, we are all fellow Daoists. Why would you kowtow to someone for no reason? What kind of decorum is that?”

Qiu Ye suddenly asked, “Venerable Daoist, have you ever heard of Senior Hong Ping, who served in the millstone section within the Xuan Du Temple’s ancestral shrine? I heard that he was promoted a few years ago to become the chief seat of a Daoist temple in Qizhou.”

Grandmaster Sun chuckled and shook his head. “Who? Never heard of him. The temple is quite large, perhaps I’ve never even seen this Senior Hong who came from the millstone lineage. However, I can chat with him later and ask how he ended up wandering to Yongzhou and how he became acquainted with you, fellow Daoist.”

A Daoist temple has the three capitals, five masters, eight directors, and eighteen heads. These individuals each manage a large group of Daoist officials below them.

Especially in a prominent temple like the Xuan Du Temple, along with the hundred or so large and small temples outside of the ancestral shrine within Qizhou territory, there are nearly ten thousand officially licensed Daoist officials belonging to the Xuan Du Temple lineage. Most of the Daoist officials may never even see the old temple master once in their lives.

Even in the ancestral hall meetings of the Xuan Du Temple, the old temple master doesn’t attend every time. He only attends about two or three out of every ten meetings.

Qiu Ye’s expression subtly changed, and he said with a smile, “Venerable Daoist, please don’t take it seriously. I was just making it up. Where would there be a Senior Hong from the millstone lineage of the Xuan Du Temple’s ancestral shrine? How could a cultivator of my background be worthy of associating with a Daoist official from the Xuan Du Temple?”

Yan Zhuo began to worry about this guy’s fate.

In Qingming World, there is a widely circulated saying used to advise those who like to speak in riddles, flowing among Daoist officials in each state, so widespread that in various city markets of each country, it can even be considered common knowledge to women and children:

“The last person who spoke in riddles is already watering and sweeping in the Xuan Du Temple.”

After all, the Sun Grandmaster of the Great Xuan Du Temple has formidable Daoist abilities, but he is also quite petty.

Whoever deliberately keeps secrets from this old temple master, daring to only say half of their thoughts, could inadvertently receive an invitation to be a guest in the Xuan Du Temple, unable to refuse.

As for the so-called “invitation,” it’s just the old temple master knocking you unconscious with a slap. When you wake up, you’ll already be lying in an unfamiliar room, with buckets, rags, brooms, and dustpans placed at your feet.

Grandmaster Sun stroked his beard and chuckled. “When did the Daoist officials of the Xuan Du Temple become so unattainable? Why am I unaware of this? I think it’s good if this Senior Hong, who was transferred and promoted to serve as the chief seat of a temple, is really familiar with you, fellow Daoist. I think he has more than enough ability to become a temple master or the national protector of a small country in the future.”

Yan Zhuo immediately understood that Senior Hong had caught the old temple master’s eye.

Because if the old temple master says he’s going to see him, he’ll definitely go see him.

Grandmaster Sun took out three Xuan Du Temple’s specially made talisman seals from his sleeve and gently placed them on the table. “I had a very pleasant conversation with the three of you. Consider it a small gift, don’t be too humble.”

Chun She and Qiu Ye exchanged glances, neither daring to accept the purplish-golden talisman seal interwoven with sword qi and Daoist energy.
Only Wu Xie, bold and fearless, carefully picked up the talisman seal, performed a Daoist salute, and thanked the old Daoist.

Grandmaster Sun smiled and said, “That book on the table, you read it in vain. Luckily you met me today. Remember to be careful in the future and don’t be so greedy for wealth. You might get tricked.”

Chun She suddenly asked, “May I ask, Elder Daoist, why do all the talismans of various lineages in the world like to have a Real Person’s Dharma Seal stamped on them?”

In the Blue Vault Heaven, there’s a world of difference between talismans and talisman seals.

It is said that the latter allows the wearer to be free from all taboos when climbing mountains and entering water, can deter evildoers, and all evil spirits will stay away. It can also reach the ears of the heavens and communicate with deities.

Grandmaster Sun smiled and said, “The reason is very simple. The various Daoist lineages like to emphasize that all ghosts and gods in the world are subject to the seal, and the talismans are held by the Dharma Officials. The Real Persons and Immortal Lords are like officials in a government office, and the Dharma Officials are like clerks. Therefore, a Real Person who is not a Dharma Official cannot make talismans, and if a Dharma Official’s talisman is not blessed by a Real Person’s seal… it can still be used. Otherwise, the talismans in those other worlds wouldn’t all be fake, right? It’s just that they’re not effective enough, simply put, the power is not great, and it doesn’t hurt when hitting people. As for the other worlds, why are there also great talismans? Apart from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion lineage, which is unique, it’s like that Talisman Yu Xuan under the Xuanmen. In fact, the secret seal comes from the Three Mountains Nine Marquises, and in terms of the profundity and antiquity of its Daoist origins, it’s not inferior to the Azure Citadel of the White Jade Capital’s Grand Master, or even the Spirit Treasure City of Pang Ding. It can even be said to surpass them.”

The three were shocked. They had, of course, heard of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion in the Vast Heaven and that Talisman Yu Xuan.

Are we running into someone with an even bigger mouth than Qing Ling today?

Old Daoist, you’re so casual about mentioning the Azure Citadel, the Spirit Treasure City, and especially calling that old city lord Pang Ding by his name, aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?

Grandmaster Sun smiled and said, “Now, can you tell me where your Daoist friend Qing Ling is wandering around?”

Wu Xie said, “Senior Qing Ling is probably fishing at Lake Gubu right now. I heard the bass there tastes the best.”

Grandmaster Sun nodded, thanked him, pointed to the book on the table, and said, “Don’t take this kind of book too seriously. You can throw it away after reading it.”

Chun She shook his head and said, “Grandmaster Sun, this is a good book.”

Especially some of the very short tales of the strange, written in just over a hundred words, are quite interesting.

Grandmaster Sun smiled and said dismissively, “That’s because you haven’t read any truly good books yet. When you’ve read more books, you’ll know that your current infatuation is just a misplaced love, a pure waste of time.”

Wu Xie cautiously reminded him, “Old Daoist, be careful what you say. I heard that the person who wrote this book… is from the Xuandu Temple, just like you.”

Grandmaster Sun smiled slightly and said, “What’s wrong with us book readers scolding book writers? That’s giving them face, don’t be ungrateful.”

“I hate those who write short stories, showing off their skills, all flash and no substance. Especially those who write long stories, not only are they long-winded, but they’re also slow and unsatisfying. When they should be straightforward, they suddenly change their style and write about irrelevant things. That’s called being idle, and to put it bluntly, it’s like using a stirring stick as chopsticks, diluting good wine with water. Scolding them is too light.”

“If I don’t like a book I’m reading, I’ll just grab the writer and take them to the Xuandu Temple, give them a brick, and make them write properly, diligently, and all night long. I’ve really done that… a few times, of course, believe it or not.”

The ancients said that annotating an ancient book, passing it on like a torch, can be called a great achievement for all generations. Writing a new book, conveying the Way through writing, is a great cause for thousands of years.

What is a truly good book?

When you read a book and feel happy, you feel a lingering fragrance in your mouth after reading it, or you want to drink a few sips of wine.

When you read a book and feel heartbroken, you feel like a nail is hammered into your heart, and you can hardly breathe after closing the book.

When you read a book and feel enlightened, you meet someone or a sentence in the book that you immediately feel like you’ve known forever, as if they’ve been waiting in the sea of books for a long time.

I await the words, and the words await me.

By the side of Lake Gubu, a man who had been busy at the Wine Money Ferry for a long time without attracting any customers returned to the lake, a flower in his hair, and continued to fish with a rod.

Business is difficult, money is hard to earn, and it’s really hard to make a living.

The man with the flower in his hair saw the three people who appeared out of thin air, immediately stood up, and smiled brightly: “Abbot Sun, it’s been many years since we last met, you still look so strong, healthy and immortal-like. I wonder what realm you’re in now, why don’t you tell me and scare me?”

Grandmaster Sun sneered and raised one foot, “Seventh Realm.”

The man glanced at the old abbot’s raised foot, and the other foot, and sighed in his heart, it really is the Fourteenth Realm.

(End of this chapter)