The mountain was cloaked in heavy snow, the ground a stark white against the biting wind. Within the Secret Snow Peak, the sound of snapping branches echoed, like jade shattering in the frigid air.

Here on Immortal Capital Mountain, besides Sect Leader Cui Dongshan, the only one who could freely enter and exit the Minor Grotto-Heaven Dojo was the Right Protector of Upper Sect, Fallen Peak Mountain, Zhou Milly!

Even Chief Offering Mi Yu and Law Enforcer Cui Wei, who were also the masters of two sword immortal seedlings, needed to report and register before entering the dojo.

This early morning, Bai Xuan cradled his Zisha teapot, brewing himself a pot of wolfberry tea as usual. Although he had been tricked by his brother Jing Qing, he had grown accustomed to it. He took a large gulp of the tea and then said to Xiao Milli, sitting across the table from him, “Right Protector, this old man is feeling bitter inside.”

Speaking of tea drinking, I am an experienced hand, Xiao Milli immediately said, “Then drink the wild mountain tea personally stir-fried by Old Chef, bitter at first and then sweet, that is called having a lingering sweetness!”

Bai Xuan sighed with an air of old age, “What has that got to do with anything? It’s not the same thing at all. Right Protector, your comprehension is still a little lacking. I’ll have Brother Jia teach you how to talk later.”

That little brat, Chai Wu, is already in the Jade Purity Realm. Recently, she has been giving Great Grandpa Bai a headache, so much so that Bai Xuan is tasting the flavor of wine in his tea. How much effort and diligence must Chai Wu have put into her cultivation to have leaped into the Upper Five Realms? Hard work, hard work. With ordinary aptitude, one can only make up for it with diligence.

Xiao Milli scratched her face, stood up, picked up the golden carrying pole and the mountain walking stick from the table, saying that she was going to play with Chai Wu.

Now Chai Wu is relatively free, the Great White Goose has told her to slow down her cultivation.

Bai Xuan waved his hand, weakly saying, “Go, remember to take a message to Chai Wu for me. She is in the Jade Purity Realm now, a good thing. Since everyone is friends, congratulatory gifts are unnecessary, too affected. I will help her think of several Daoist titles with immortal, domineering, and awesome styles, so that she can casually pick one to use when she goes down the mountain to experience the world.”

Xiao Milli agreed, and ran all the way to Chai Wu’s house.

Xiao Milli had already helped prepare the wine pot and wine bowls. Half a jin of wine a day is just two bowls for Chai Wu.

Chai Wu likes to look at the wine flowers, smell the wine aroma, swirl the wine bowl, squint her eyes and smile, and then raise the bowl with one hand, drink half a bowl in one gulp, wipe her mouth, and nod her head, all in one go.

Xiao Milli always felt that Chai Wu treated drinking wine more seriously and with more importance than cultivation.

Previously, Chai Wu said that she was in the Jade Purity Realm, the eleventh realm, while the Right Protector was in the Cave Mansion Realm, the sixth realm. So, if the realms of the two people are added together and then averaged, and then rounded off, it would be equivalent to both of them being in the ninth realm.

Inexplicably becoming Golden Core Earth Immortals, not bad, not bad, Chai Wu’s arithmetic is amazing!

It would be a waste of talent not to be an accountant.

Now Bai Xuan and the other sword cultivators do not often gather together, and the time they spend in seclusion has obviously increased.

For example, this morning, Xiao Milli only ran into Bai Xuan, and Sun Chunwang and the others were all in seclusion.

Just like the same long river of time, different people “wading” through it have different perceptions and experiences, with different speeds, weights, and severities.

Chai Wu secretly whispered to Xiao Milli, asking if others would have any thoughts about her suddenly being in the Jade Purity Realm.

At that time, Xiao Milli said without hesitation, “Yes, of course there are! For example, when Bai Xuan first heard the news, he was stunned, and kept talking to himself, saying how could there be anyone more talented than him. Finally, he finally understood, struck his palm with his fist, laughed loudly, and said, ‘That’s right, Chai Wu is not a sword cultivator, it’s normal for her to cultivate faster.’ Sun Chunwang is working even harder in his cultivation, Cheng Chaolu is practicing her fists even more diligently, and He Gu and Yu Xiehui have begun to scold each other for being useless. Bai Xuan told them that the next time they drink with you, the Upper Five Realms god, they have to kneel on the ground to drink… Haha, Chai Wu, Bai Xuan is joking, don’t take it seriously. He Gu was unconvinced at the time, his face flushed, Bai Xuan gave him a sidelong glance, look, I’ll show you, like this, and then Bai Xuan said that I, this genius, will take the lead in kneeling on the ground, what are you two mediocre people dissatisfied with, Yu Xiehui just snorted coldly, He Gu was amused by this…”

Xiao Milli’s tip-off to Chai Wu was vivid and lifelike, and very detailed.

Fallen Peak Mountain’s Ear Reporting God, is indeed worthy of the name.

“Time for mountain patrol! Chai Wu, I’ll come find you next time.”

In fact, they didn’t chat for very long today, and Xiao Milli quickly got up to say goodbye, but she left a snowflake coin on the table.

This was the old rule of the Right Protector of Fallen Peak Mountain, and Chai Wu was used to it. While Xiao Milli lowered her head and carried the golden carrying pole on her shoulder, Chai Wu twisted her wrist, shook her sleeve, the snowflake coin on the table entered her sleeve, and she exchanged it for another snowflake coin. Then, she crushed the snowflake coin belonging to her. After Xiao Milli looked up and saw this scene, she grinned, nodded her head, and left, saying, “Time for mountain patrol.”

Chai Wu picked up the wine bowl again, gently shaking it. The wine bowl’s water patterns were really beautiful, and she was reluctant to drink the last half bowl.

As for Bai Xuan saying that he would help her pick a Daoist title or something, Chai Wu just felt that she wanted to drink more wine, half a jin was not enough.

She had previously heard Xiao Milli say that, based on her very careful speculation and deduction, she had arrived at a precise result. Because she came here as a guest, every time the dojo opened its door, some heaven and earth spiritual energy would run off, and would be accidentally scattered to the Secret Snow Peak outside. Therefore, she could not come to see them often. When she came, she had to make up for the spiritual energy by leaving one, two, or three snowflake coins, depending on the length of her stay, otherwise it would be using public office for private gain, and it would not sound good if it spread out. After all, she was from Fallen Peak Mountain, and she had to pay attention to her influence on the Lower Sect.

However, Xiao Milli only told Chai Wu this matter in secret, and Chai Wu said that she would help keep it a secret.

She remembered the first time Xiao Milli chatted happily with Chai Wu, then turned her head, frowned, calculated with her fingers, and looked distressed. She took out three snowflake coins from her cotton cloth satchel, sniffed, and gently placed them on the table.

Saving a little money is so difficult.

Not long after Zhou Milli left, Sect Leader Cui and Mi Yu both appeared beside Chai Wu’s table.

Chai Wu was full of curiosity, but she didn’t know how to ask in a polite manner, so she simply didn’t say anything.

Cui Dongshan lowered his head, stacked the three snowflake coins together, leaned on the table, and said with a grin, “Every time the dojo gate is opened, the loss of spiritual energy does need to be calculated in deity money, but it’s not snowflake coins, it’s Grain Rain coins.”
Mi Yu grumbled, “With the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation in place, the spiritual energy here overflows outwards, yet cannot escape the bounds of the Azure Iris Sword Sect even by a hair. Sect Master Cui, you’re really too stingy, even swindling such a tiny amount of money!”

It was fortunate that he was being cheated out of a trifling amount of “snow money,” otherwise Mi Yu would have immediately fallen out with Cui Dongshan. A fight was one thing, but Mi Yu would definitely lodge a complaint with the Hidden Officer.

Such a student truly needed to be disciplined.

Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes and said, “I’m just helping Right Protector save money. If the Master finds out about this, none of us three can escape punishment.”

Mi Yu chuckled in exasperation, “Sect Master Cui, please explain clearly, what does this have to do with me and Chai Wu? If you really want someone to take the blame, find… Bai Xuan!”

Cui Dongshan extended his hand, his palm pressing down on the snow money on the table, and said with a smile, “Chai Wu, in the future on your path of cultivation, don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish.”

Chai Wu nodded.

Actually, Sect Master Cui didn’t need to remind her of such things. She wasn’t a heartless fool. Zhou Mi Li was so good to her, and in the future, she, Chai Wu, would only be even better to Zhou Mi Li.

After Zhou Mi Li learned that she had reached the Jade Purity Realm, aside from the initial congratulatory visit, why did she often come to visit? Wasn’t it because she was worried that Bai Xuan and the others might have ideas, worried that her friendship with Sun Chun Wang and the others would become distant?

Cui Dongshan hummed in agreement. She was indeed an intelligent child, she must have read a lot of books in her previous life, conversing with her was effortless.

Cui Dongshan stood up and said, “Alright, enough nonsense. Chai Wu, since you’ve risen to the heavens in one step, then take a few days to relax. Read those miscellaneous books I gave you, sword manuals, Daoist incantations, talismans, and formations, just browse through them. Then, cultivate diligently and strive for further progress. One day when you become an immortal, you can call upon your friends and go down the mountain to play. The heavens are vast, the earth is wide, the clouds are expansive, the soil is rich, and the waters flow long. The scenery is breathtaking.”

Leading Mi Yu away from the training ground, Cui Dongshan stood near the entrance of the cave abode, smiling. “Chief Mi, watching Zhou Mi Li empty her own pockets, you feel bad, which is understandable. But besides not stopping Zhou Mi Li, don’t even think about finding a flimsy excuse to help Zhou Mi Li recover this snow money.”

Mi Yu asked in confusion, “Why is that?”

Cui Dongshan patted Mi Yu’s shoulder, “Chief Mi, what’s wrong with you? It’s more difficult to chat with you than with a little girl like Chai Wu.”

Mi Yu smiled, “I’m all ears, willing to hear the details.”

After Cui Dongshan closed the door, he looked from afar at the little girl in black clothes swaggering down the steps of the Secret Snow Peak Platform, “Zhou Mi Li, for so many years, has been secretly feeling guilty, always feeling like she hasn’t been able to help others, to do something.”

Mi Yu hesitated, wanting to speak.

Zhou Mi Li had clearly already done so much, even Mi Yu would sincerely feel that this little girl who served as the Right Protector of Fallen Mountain was the one who cared the most about people’s hearts, or at least one of them.

This little girl who patrolled the mountain every day, always with melon seeds in her pocket, was helping the Hidden Officer and Fallen Mountain to care for the subtle hearts of people, like grains of rice.

Cui Dongshan shook his head, “What you want to say, of course I know, but that’s just what we think. What I really care about is what Zhou Mi Li herself thinks.”

Mi Yu was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly, and slapped Cui Dongshan heavily on the shoulder, “Sect Master Cui, you truly are the Hidden Officer’s prized student!”

“Mi Yu, do you want to hear a frank opinion between our own people behind closed doors?”

“Please speak.”

“I want to ask Mi Yu to prepare for the possibility of being expelled from the Azure Iris Sword Sect one day.”

“I don’t know why, but I feel both worried and excited about this.”

This meant that once Mi Yu unleashed his full sword might, as an Earth Immortal, he would slash an Immortal. In the future, when Mi Yu became a Ascension Realm cultivator, he would slash an Ascension Realm cultivator.

In Sword Qi Great Wall, Mi Lanyao in the Earth Immortal Realm and Mi Xiu Hua in the Jade Purity Realm were actually two different people.

In the Vast Bright World, the Chief of Azure Iris Sword Sect, and the Sword Immortal Mi whose name was removed from the Ancestral Hall of Azure Iris Peak, would also be two different people.

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “This is just in case, it’s unlikely that such a day will really come.”

Cui Dongshan solemnly reminded him, “You can’t let this kind of talk slip to my Master, no matter how much you’ve had to drink.”

Mi Yu laughed, “I’m not a fool.”

Cui Dongshan looked at Mi Yu.

Mi Yu looked slightly awkward, put away his smile, and said helplessly, “Compared to the Hidden Officer and Sect Master Cui, of course I’m a fool.”

Cui Dongshan suddenly lowered his voice and said, “Chief Mi, let’s discuss something, a small matter, really just a matter of reaching out, effortless for Chief Mi. I won’t keep you in suspense, I just want to know, when will Chief Mi take the initiative to catch up with those Immortal sisters from various continents of the Vast Bright World, and connect with them?”

Mi Yu felt a headache coming on and said with a dry laugh, “That’s not good, right?”

If the Hidden Officer heard about such a thing, his position as Chief wouldn’t be secure. It didn’t matter if he hadn’t obtained the position, but once he had, to have the title stripped away would be embarrassing.

Cui Dongshan rubbed his chin, “Then let’s find a compromise, for example… opening the Mirror Flower, Water Moon? If guests come to Tong Ye Continent to tour the mountains and waters, and then take the initiative to visit Sword Immortal Mi, we can’t stop them, right?”

Mi Yu also rubbed his chin, “If you’re upright, you have nothing to fear, it’s just catching up, why be nervous?”

The two looked at each other, their meaning unspoken.

Cui Dongshan clasped his hands behind his head, “Mi Yu, in my opinion, the person who is truly most suitable to be the second Sect Master is not Cao Qinglang, but you.”

“It’s not that Cao Qinglang can’t do a good job, but to do the best job, he has to see two completely different styles of the Azure Iris Sword Sect, and then take on the role of the third Sect Master, then he will have enough experience.”

“You can tell that to the Hidden Officer, the Hidden Officer isn’t the kind of person who doesn’t listen to opinions.”

“I wouldn’t dare to say that right now, being scolded is the least of it, I wouldn’t be surprised if I got a beating.”

Mi Yu gloated, “That’s right, the Hidden Officer is in a bad mood right now.”

After a moment of silence, Cui Dongshan looked towards the Azure Shirt Ferry surrounded by the three mountains, and murmured.

“Do you know what a truly peaceful world is?”

“It’s when many people believe that good people are rewarded.”

“Heh, only fools believe that, but some people actually believe it.”
Saying this, Cui Dongshan suddenly straightened his robes, his sleeves billowing, filled with the wind of the heavens. He reached out, pointing to the distant mountains beyond, his eyebrows dancing as he said, “Mi Yu, let us work together to bring forth more people like this in the Tongye Continent!”

Mi Yu, moved by Cui Dongshan’s rare seriousness and sincerity, felt his Dao heart stirred. He replied in a deep voice, “We shall wait and see!”

However, Cui Dongshan quickly returned to his usual self, pulling a piece of paper from his sleeve. “Chief Mi makes such grand pronouncements so easily! Don’t just watch; you need to do something practical. Here, take a look at this list. They’re all women who visited Sword Qi Great Wall and met Chief Mi. I’m just worried that when guests arrive, Chief Mi won’t even remember their names, sects, or Daoist titles. Revisiting the old is important, revisiting the old!”

Mi Yu gently pushed Cui Dongshan’s hand away.

Cui Dongshan offered it again.

Mi Yu pushed it away again.

Cui Dongshan grew annoyed.

Mi Yu could only be honest. “I remember them all. How could I forget? How could I not long for their presence?”

Cui Dongshan put away the list, spitting with disdain. “No wonder Master asked you, Old Chef, and Chief Zhou to help him vet potential suitors for Eldest Sister in the future, to prevent someone as innocent as her from being deceived by playboys as deeply experienced as you!”

Mi Yu smiled. “As long as I can observe a fellow Daoist’s actions, a few glances, a few words, and I’ll know their true worth, the general paths they tread amongst the flowers, and the depth of their cultivation.”

Cui Dongshan clicked his tongue. “Look at how capable you are.”

Mi Yu raised two fingers, twirling a strand of hair at his temple, and said with a sly grin, “I have only three accomplishments in my life that are worth mentioning: slaying demons in the Earth Immortal Realm, guarding the Spring Banners Workshop, and appreciating beauties while drunk.”

Cui Dongshan nodded. “Later, you should take care to dress yourself up. Put on a snow-white Dharma robe, wear a long sword, a jade hairpin in your hair, a sword-nurturing gourd hanging from your waist, and a folding fan in your hand…”

Mi Yu sighed. “Such gaudiness would be a burden. It might fool naive young girls, but it wouldn’t fool true beauties with discerning eyes.”

Cui Dongshan scoffed. “Fool?”

“Fool her into walking to the tip of my heart. Who is fooling whom is hard to say.”

Hearing this, Cui Dongshan couldn’t stand it anymore. He jumped up and rained blows on Mi Yu, who protected his face and dodged slightly.

Cui Dongshan stopped, muttering. “Damn it, you really deserve a beating. Little Mo is good, Little Mo is good.”

Mi Yu brushed off his sleeves and said solemnly, “Sect Master Cui, youth is fleeting. Let us each strive on the path.”

Cui Dongshan was surprised. “Chief Mi, you’ve got something there! A great talent.”

Mi Yu laughed. “In matters of scholarship, I only learned a little from the Hidden Official. I just happened to be compiling a collection of couplets recently, so I’m using what I’ve learned.”

Cui Dongshan crossed his arms and shielded his forehead with his hand, smiling slightly. “Please cast your eyes afar. A great mansion on flat ground, it was not built in a day.”

The current Azure Shirt Ferry was merely a nascent Immortal Ferry. Besides the dock for boats, there was only a building for registering passengers’ credentials and issuing boarding tokens. The temporary staff were the old woman Qiu Du and the young girl Hu Chuling. This little girl, nicknamed Vinegar, was now a direct disciple of Sect Master Cui Dongshan, a meteoric rise indeed.

Following old customs, inherited from the Fallen Mountain, a table was placed at the entrance. In truth, it was specially prepared by Cui Dongshan for Zhou Mili, as a resting place for her daily mountain patrols. In fact, the Azure Canopy Sword Sect wasn’t yet well-known. It hadn’t signed contracts with the major mountains and ferries of the Tongye Continent. Since there were no ferries, there were naturally no cultivators stopping here. The table was merely decoration. However, Zhou Mili would sit here for an hour or two every day, chatting with Granny Qiu and Sister Vinegar. Due to the nature of her Dao roots, the old woman felt a natural affinity for the little water monster from the Mute Lake of the Northern Ju Continent.

But today, after leaving the Daoist Abode, Zhou Mili patrolled the mountain to the table outside. She placed the golden carrying pole and green bamboo staff on the table, not bothering Granny Qiu. She boiled water herself and brewed three bowls of tea. First, she gave a bowl each to the old granny and Sister Vinegar. Then, Little Mili took her own portion, left the building, and sat alone on the bench by the table, her legs dangling and gently swaying. “Good tea, good tea! The tea leaves roasted by Old Chef are excellent, and the tea brewing skills are even more masterful! A perfect match!”

Zhou Mili chewed on a tea leaf and rubbed her eyes. Were there really guests coming? She saw two people in the distance: a young man carrying a bamboo box, and a plump figure who seemed like a servant, with a satchel slung across his shoulder, covered in dust. They looked like two traveling merchants who had endured wind and rain.

Zhou Mili had seen many like that back in her hometown of Mute Lake. Zhou Mili immediately felt a sense of closeness, her small face and sparse, slightly yellow eyebrows filled with joy.

She quickly put down her teacup, picked up the golden carrying pole and green bamboo staff from the table, leaned them against the bench, and hurried forward. However, she didn’t run too far from the building. After stopping, she gently tugged at the rope of her cotton satchel and said in a childish voice, “Two honored guests, where do you come from, and where are you going? This place is called Azure Shirt Ferry, and it belongs to the Azure Canopy Sword Sect. Please excuse us, guests, but the ferry has not been established for long, and there are no boats for long journeys yet.”

The young man carrying the bamboo box looked at the little water monster with the cotton satchel, his expression gentle. He said softly, “My name is Zhang Zhi. I’m a traveling peddler. I’m just here to look around. I’m not taking a ferry. Does your sect have any mountain or water taboos that outsiders should be aware of?”

Zhou Mili shook her head and smiled. “Visitors are guests. There are no taboos.”

But as soon as she said it, Little Mili regretted it. She blamed herself for not being proficient enough in her duties. She only patrolled the mountain here. The ferry’s taboos and rules had to be asked from Granny Qiu and Sister Vinegar. “This is bad, this is bad! How to remedy it? What to do…” The black-clad little girl frowned her sparse little eyebrows, worried. After exchanging pleasantries with the two strangers, she would quickly find Granny Qiu to call for reinforcements.

Zhang Zhi smiled. “Little Immortal Master, may we rest here for a moment?”

Zhou Mili nodded vigorously, gave them a Wanfu greeting like Sister Nuan Shu and said, “Please.”
The group approached the table. Zhang Zhi’s portly attendant, beaming, introduced himself, “Greetings, esteemed Immortal Master, I am Wu Shou, ‘Thin’ Wu, with the Daoist title Lingjiao, ‘Spirit Horn’, not the water chestnut you eat.”

Zhou Milly quickly replied, “Greetings, Grand Immortal Master, I am Zhou Milly, like the grains of rice in a bowl, the edible kind.”

Wu Shou nodded, a furtive glance at the Snowpeak. Inwardly, he thought, “Master, Pang Chao is watching us from the mountain, but it seems he won’t descend to greet you.”

Zhang Zhi replied mentally, “There’s nothing to discuss even if we meet. It’s better this way, less awkward. Wu Shou, if you happen to see that young Hidden Official, don’t bring up the past. It’s unwelcome, and we don’t want to seem like we’re here to collect debts.”

This Wu Shou was once the person in charge of the Baggage Repository in Treasure Bottle Continent. In fact, he had a connection to the Fallen Mountain. The earliest Baggage Repository at Oxhorn Crossing was originally established by Wu Shou in conjunction with the Great Li Song Clan. However, Wu Shou was too timid and lacked ambition, or rather, he only focused on the obvious financial gains. As a result, he withdrew his personnel and closed shop early, leaving behind an empty shell, which conveniently benefited the Fallen Mountain, which later took over Oxhorn Mountain with Bei Yue Wei Bo. Since the mountain belonged to them, they naturally acquired those immortal buildings as well. However, for many years, the Fallen Mountain had not truly developed the ferry business. Initially, it was because the sect’s foundation was weak and they lacked goods. Later, they opened a southeast route to North Entire Reed Continent, and the business had just begun to improve when the war started. The entire Oxhorn Crossing was requisitioned by the Great Li military, and commercial trade was completely shelved. In recent years, the situation had improved, but they still lacked a shrewd mastermind who could handle the accounts. Cultivating in seclusion and doing business with people are worlds apart.

Because Wu Shou had arbitrarily withdrawn most of the Baggage Repository from Treasure Bottle Continent back then, the Great Li Song Clan was not pleased. After that incident, the Baggage Repository essentially lost its foothold in Treasure Bottle Continent. As long as the Great Li Song Clan did not change its mind, the Baggage Repository would not dare to open shop on Treasure Bottle Continent, even south of Qi Crossing, where countries had successively restored themselves, the Baggage Repository still did not dare to tempt fate.

One Embroidered Tiger left, and a Hidden Official arrived. Moreover, the two were disciples of the same master.

After the two merchants were seated, Zhou Milly asked, “Mr. Zhang, Immortal Master Wu, would you like some tea?”

Wu Shou glanced at the teacups on the table. The tea leaves and the water for brewing were not refined. It was indeed rough tea, so he shook his head and smiled, “No, thank you.”

Zhang Zhi said, “Please trouble Immortal Master Zhou to bring me a bowl of hot tea.”

Zhou Milly immediately stood up and smiled, “Alright, Mr. Zhang, please wait a moment.”

Wu Shou wondered, “This little water demon doesn’t seem too bright. It doesn’t seem like a disguise. She’s just at the Cave Dwelling Realm. Is she really the Right Protector of the Fallen Mountain, able to serve as a Mountain Protector? Aren’t they afraid of being ridiculed?”

Zhang Zhi frowned slightly.

A white rainbow streaked across the ground, landing gracefully and sitting on a long bench. He waved and called out loudly, “Right Protector, don’t forget to include two bowls for the gentleman and me.”

In addition, a man in a green robe stood behind Wu Shou, his hand on the fatty’s shoulder. “My Zhou Milly serves as the Right Protector of the Fallen Mountain. Do you, an outsider, have any objections?”

It was Chen Ping An and Cui Dongshan, who had leisurely returned to Immortal Capital Mountain.

Wu Shou was stunned. Wasn’t he speaking mentally?

How could he have been overheard?

As Wu Shou was about to act, he felt the hand on his shoulder press down, and the circulation of spiritual energy in his entire body world stagnated, like a river freezing over.

The man continued to smile, “I asked you a question.”

Zhang Zhi cupped his fist and said, “Mountain Lord Chen, Wu Shou is reckless in his speech and has offended you. I’ll apologize on his behalf first…”

Chen Ping An glanced at the old ancestor of the Baggage Repository, interrupting Zhang Zhi’s words directly, “This is Azure Sprout Sword Sect, you can’t help him.”

Cui Dongshan held back his laughter with a strained face, “Good, good, this Zhang Zhi is truly my good brother, and Wu Shou is even more of an unyielding stalwart. To dare speak to Little Milly like that at Azure Robe Ferry, I’ll smash your head!”

Look, how kind is my teacher usually, and how respectful he is to his seniors. You’ve made him angry, it’s deserved, a thousand times undeserved, to speak ill of our Little Milly.

Chen Ping An put one hand behind his back and placed the other on Wu Shou’s shoulder, leaning forward, lowering his head, and smiling, “If you continue to play deaf and dumb, I’ll have to issue an eviction order.”

Wu Shou said in a trembling voice, “Forgive me, Hidden Official, forgive me, it was an unintentional remark, I was greatly offended, I was out of my mind, my brain was confused.”

Milly and Hu Chuling brought three bowls of tea together.

Cu Cu gently placed two bowls of tea, while Milly was responsible for serving Zhang Zhi. She grinned at the kind-hearted Mountain Lord. This Mr. Zhang is an outsider, so courtesy must be paid, presenting it with both hands.

Chen Ping An’s eyes narrowed with a smile, nodding gently, understanding.

Cui Dongshan smiled, “Right Protector, you and Cu Cu should return to the house first. It’s freezing outside, not as warm as inside.”

Milly frowned, “I’m a big water monster, am I afraid of the cold? What a joke!” But then, it dawned on her that the kind-hearted Mountain Lord wanted to talk business with people, a big deal!

Chen Ping An patted Wu Shou on the shoulder and sat on the remaining long bench.

Just now, the Great White Goose saw the gentleman get up and began wiping the bench next to him with its sleeve, all for naught.

Chen Ping An went straight to the point with two sentences.

“Mr. Zhang can leave after he finishes his tea. The matter of the Baggage Repository reopening in Treasure Bottle Continent is out of the question.”

“Even if the Great Li Dynasty nods, even if Emperor Song He agrees, it doesn’t count. If I say no, it’s no.”

Zhang Zhi smiled as usual, taking a sip of tea.

Wu Shou said with a wry smile, “Mountain Lord Chen, are you going to antagonize the entire Baggage Repository just because of my reckless words?”

Zhang Zhi smiled, “Don’t drag my Baggage Repository into this personal grudge.”

Wu Shou’s heart tightened, nodding vigorously, “I misspoke again.”

He had truly experienced the vile temper of a swordsman this time!
Cui Dongshan sighed dramatically, “Zhang Zhi, oh Zhang Zhi, you truly carry a living ancestral burden! Things were looking up, a light at the end of the tunnel, but this…this has made it all the worse! Two continents of business gone in an instant! If I were you, I’d slap myself a couple of times, then give that old Wu ancestor a few good smacks too!”

Zhou Milie stood guard by the doorway, ready to refill anyone’s tea bowl the moment it was empty.

As for what they were discussing at the table, she couldn’t hear and wouldn’t eavesdrop. Most likely, that Big White Goose was flaunting some new spells and mystical abilities. Look, the Goose was winking at her! Sigh, he was a Sect Master now, yet he still had no proper decorum.

And there was the kind-hearted Mountain Lord, chatting and laughing. She reckoned this business opportunity that had come knocking was practically a done deal!

Another sword cultivator arrived in a streak of rainbow light, landing beside the table. Cui Dongshan, never one to miss a show, sniffled and said with wounded eyes, “Chief Milie, this old Wu ancestor here just called our Xiao Milie slow-witted.”

Mi Yu, who had been wearing a smile, instantly darkened. He stared at the stunned… Wu ancestor. “Oh? So you’re a Nascent Soul realm cultivator with the gall of an Ascended Immortal. Once your business is concluded here, find yourself a plot of land and start digging your grave.”

Zhou Milie spotted Mi Yu and discreetly beckoned him over. “Yu-gege, Yu-gege, come here, come here. The kind-hearted Mountain Lord is discussing business. This isn’t our area of expertise, so let’s not interfere.”

Mi Yu’s expression softened, and he walked towards the doorway, casting a glance at Zhang Zhi and Wu Shou as he did so. Zhang Zhi remained composed, but Wu Shou felt as though he’d been plunged into an icy abyss.

Zhang Zhi finished his tea, turned, and smiled as he held up his white bowl.

Zhou Milie hurriedly grabbed the stove sitting on the brazier and rushed to the table, taking the tea bowl and refilling it to about seven or eight tenths full before handing it back to the Zhang gentleman. Zhang Zhi thanked the young girl again and said with a smile, “Next time you brew tea for guests, the water should be chosen with care. I’m not one to complain, accustomed as I am to roughing it in the wilderness. As long as it quenches my thirst, it’s good tea. But many Immortal Masters on the mountains have discerning palates. They can taste the difference in quality with a single sip. Even if they don’t say anything, they’ll inwardly judge it as merely passable. In the future, it would be better to draw water from the clear springs in the mountains. If I remember correctly, there are some excellent water sources among the three old peaks.”

There were such subtleties to drinking tea? Was that truly the case? Zhou Milie looked at the kind-hearted Mountain Lord. Chen Ping’an nodded. The black-clad girl’s face immediately lit up with a smile, and she thanked Zhang Zhi, “I’ve learned something!”

Zhang Zhi took a sip of tea and smiled, “As expected, Fallen Phoenix Mountain is different.”

Zhang Zhi cradled the tea bowl in both hands and said, “Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Zhang Zhi. I come from the Mu Clan of Luoyang. I violated the ancestral precepts of the clan and was expelled from the genealogical records. I run a small business down the mountain, accumulating wealth little by little, a far cry from Master Fan’s grand strategies and Lord Liu’s vast fortune. This one beside me is Wu Shou, Daoist name Lingjiao. He was once the manager of the Treasure Trove branch in Treasure Bottle Continent. Wu Shou only focused on the abacus and ledgers, never looking at the broader trends. His only accomplishment was accidentally leaving behind those buildings in Oxhorn Ferry, which now belong to Fallen Phoenix Mountain. That is a stroke of good fortune. In all these years of meeting with other Treasure Trove branches from across the continents, this is the only thing that allows Wu Shou to stand tall and boast a bit without exaggeration.”

Wu Shou’s face was full of bitterness.

The master rarely spoke so much to anyone, especially after specifically warning him not to mention the Oxhorn Ferry matter.

However, Zhang Zhi’s last few sentences were not entirely insincere. Wu Shou did indeed often brag about this matter to his colleagues, though he’d slightly altered the facts, saying how he had met the young Hidden Official back in the day and how they had hit it off immediately, becoming sworn brothers. Chen Ping’an was just a kiln worker back then, but Wu Shou, with his discerning eye, had seen the potential in him! Over drinks, he had declared, “I believe you are no ordinary man!” Chen Ping’an hadn’t believed him at the time, but he had still toasted Wu Shou with a large bowl of wine… The more he spoke, the more Wu Shou himself began to believe it.

Don’t think of this crude method as ridiculous. In the business world, it could actually translate into real money.

Chen Ping’an said, “I have no say in matters concerning Tongye Continent.”

Zhang Zhi visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Wu Shou lowered his head and wiped the sweat from his brow.

As for whether he was putting on a show, only he knew his own suffering.

Zhang Zhi was a straightforward man, and he asked directly, “May I ask Master Chen, besides your Azure Willow Sword Sect, how many forces have influence in this Tongye Continent?”

Cui Dongshan waved his white bowl, “Such keen intel! Did the Jade Decree Sect or the Ministry of Revenue of the Great Fountain Dynasty leak the news?”

Chen Ping’an finished his tea and smiled, “Cui Dongshan is in charge now. You can discuss it with him.”

He rose, excused himself, and walked towards the doorway. Chen Ping’an touched Xiao Milie’s head and smiled, “You don’t need to help refill the water anymore.”

Mi Yu, arms crossed, leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on Wu Shou.

Chen Ping’an said in annoyance, “What are you doing? Can your gaze kill? I didn’t know sword immortals were so impressive.”

Mi Yu gave an awkward smile.

Entering the house, Chen Ping’an greeted Qiu Du and Hu Chuling with a smile and sat beside a brazier to warm himself. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “Xiao Milie, someone just said…well, some offensive things, which I happened to overhear.”

Xiao Milie moved her small stool closer to the kind-hearted Mountain Lord, raised her hand to her mouth, and lowered her voice, “It wasn’t that Mr. Zhang, right?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded, “It was that fat guy named Wu Shou. Mr. Zhang still likes you very much.”

Xiao Milie’s face lit up with joy, “Haha, I guessed it! I knew it wouldn’t be Mr. Zhang!”

The black-clad girl shook her head, her shoulders rising and falling with happiness, as if Wu Shou’s opinion, whatever it might be, had already been dismissed.

The little girl was only focused on her joy.

It was like when she often watched the scenery alone on the cliffs of Fallen Phoenix Mountain. Unhappy things would drift away with the clouds, while happy things, like birds perching on branches, would stay as guests.
Chen Ping’an was about to rise when Mi Yu panicked, coughing slightly, “Hidden Officer, if it truly won’t do, perhaps I should intervene.”

Zhou Mi Li reached out, gently tugging at the sleeve of the Good Man Mountain Lord, shaking her head, a wide smile on her face, as if to say, ‘This is my home, how could I not be happy?’

The little girl scratched her cheek, then began to whisper again to the Good Man Mountain Lord, saying that she and Pei Qian secretly called Sister Cen “simple-minded.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, ruffling Xiao Mi Li’s hair. “What did the Right Protector say? I didn’t hear clearly. I don’t know, can’t remember.”

Zhou Mi Li, “Ha!”

Good Man Mountain Lord, “Haha.”

Zhou Mi Li, “Hahaha!”

Good Man Mountain Lord, “You win.”

Mi Yu looked at the Hidden Officer, sighing inwardly. If only the Hidden Officer weren’t so disinterested in romance, even with the Chief Zhou, he wouldn’t be a match.

Chen Ping’an turned his head, scolding, “Get lost, you!”

Mi Yu was stunned, bewildered. How could the Hidden Officer hear his thoughts?

At a dining table on Fallen Phoenix Mountain sat Zhu Lian, Chen Nuan Shu, and a sable-hatted girl, who went by the name Xie Gou (Thank Dog).

Xie Gou sighed, “Master Zhu, I thought with the Hidden Officer’s abilities, Fallen Phoenix Mountain would have several thousand cultivators.”

Dozens, even hundreds of sword cultivators, hundreds of Qi refiners, thousands of pure martial artists, plus outer disciples and menial servants. At the young Hidden Officer’s command, they’d strike wherever he pointed, swaggering through the Great Li capital for fun.

She never imagined Fallen Phoenix Mountain would have so few people.

Xiao Mo was truly something, unwilling to exert even a sliver of effort, probably still lazy.

Among their group of ancient beings, she, Xiao Mo, and that Nameless One were all formidable, but all preferred to be solitary. As for that Li Gou, covered in treasures, and that large-bosomed woman, they also disliked crowds. But the other Wang Youwu and others would certainly establish their own sects. Ha, what a sight: compensating for weak killing power with treasures, and making up for meager skill with numerous underlings!

Zhu Lian smiled, “Actually, there’s also a Lotus Root Blessed Land. If you include them, there are more people.”

Xie Gou made no attempt to hide her disdain, picking up a large mouthful of food and saying indistinctly, “Can you even call those people? Could they together even be as useful as a Jade Purity Realm cultivator?”

Upon hearing this, Chen Nuan Shu only silently lowered her head and chewed her rice.

Zhu Lian’s smile remained unchanged. “Each region nurtures its own people. Though each has their own fate, they are all living beings nonetheless.”

Xie Gou grunted, nonchalantly saying “Makes sense, makes sense,” while continuing to eat voraciously.

Afterward, Nuan Shu cleared the dishes and went to the kitchen.

Zhu Lian smiled, reminding her, “Miss Xie, please refrain from testing people’s hearts so casually in the future.”

“While Fallen Phoenix Mountain doesn’t have many rules, those few we have, whether for our own people or guests, must be respected somewhat. Miss Xie is new here, so I must make this clear.”

Xie Gou burped, grinning, “Understood! When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I get it!”

She stood up, walking out of the house. “A walk, a walk. A hundred steps after a meal, live to ninety-nine… bah, I mean ninety-nine thousand!”

Zhu Lian shook his head, saying nothing more.

Ignorance is not frightening, but feigning ignorance after understanding is.

In the end, this Bai Jing, who only came to find Xiao Mo, didn’t find Fallen Phoenix Mountain truly intimidating. So, besides Xiao Mo, nothing was worthy of Bai Jing’s genuine concern.

Even the Daoist Immortal Guard who guarded the gate might only be considered half a person in Bai Jing’s eyes.

After Xie Gou left the house, she tugged at the corners of her mouth. Too bad, Master Zhu’s knowledge was vast, but he was still a scholar, with too many rules.

After that, Xie Gou began to wander around the various peaks of Fallen Phoenix Mountain. For example, she would go to the Bamboo Building. While the pink-skirted girl was cleaning the first floor, she would casually step across the threshold and take a look inside. Nuan Shu, who was busy at the time, would only stop what she was doing and wait for Xie Gou to leave before resuming her work, saying nothing. Xie Gou also went to the back mountain, sitting on the roof, watching a young man and woman practicing their boxing. When the two noticed the uninvited guest on the roof, they immediately stopped their footwork, looking at the sable-hatted girl with puzzled expressions. Xie Gou only raised her hand, signaling them to continue practicing as if she wasn’t there.

Xie Gou loitered for several days, went to the mountaintop, and lay on the railing, spacing out. She also wandered around the plaza outside the Ancestral Hall on Jise Peak.

One evening, the Immortal Guard was planning to clock out.

The Immortal Guard usually mooched food from the old cook on the mountain, but occasionally, he would cook for himself, calling it self-reliance.

Mainly, the Immortal Guard found it troublesome to go back and forth to Master Zhu’s, climbing up and down the mountain, which interfered with his reading. What future could a scholar have without reading more?

The Immortal Guard generally guarded the gate until Xu time, then promptly took his bamboo chair back to the Big Wind Brothers’ residence. He didn’t slack off, nor did he linger. After all, there were no outside guests on Fallen Phoenix Mountain these days.

Every moment is precious. Reading one more book, even just a few more pages, is increasing one’s knowledge.

Today, just as the Immortal Guard was about to put away his bamboo chair, he saw the sable-hatted girl walking down the mountain, looking unhappy.

The Immortal Guard stood there with his hands in his sleeves, planning to chat with the young girl for a bit before returning to his residence to continue reading.

The Immortal Guard waited until she was near the gate, smiling and greeting her, asking, “Are you learning boxing from Miss Cen?”

Xie Gou staggered to the foot of the mountain, rubbed her sable hat, and shook her head. “Learning boxing? No idea what happened, maybe I said something wrong, and angered Master Zhu. I’ve been banished from the mountain and assigned to work in a shop in Riding Dragon Lane.”

The Immortal Guard was greatly surprised. Master Zhu had such a good temper. What kind of atrocity or mischief did Miss Xie commit to make even Master Zhu feel displeased?
The Immortal Guard hesitated for a moment, but couldn’t help but say, “Miss Xie, here on our mountain, we’re always frank. What exactly happened? Let me help you go over it again, find the flaw. At worst, I’ll accompany you up the mountain to apologize to the old cook and admit your mistake. Then you can continue to stay on the mountain.”

Xie Gou stared blankly at the “fake Taoist” wearing a cotton robe.

Besides the wooden hairpin on his head, he really didn’t look like a Taoist at all.

If that elusive Wang Youwu were to find him, and Xiao Mo wasn’t on the mountain, wouldn’t he end up utterly crushed?

The Immortal Guard smiled and said, “Miss Xie, admitting a mistake isn’t that hard. Don’t think it’s a loss of face, it’s not that serious.”

Xie Gou blinked.

Was this fellow simple-minded?

Apart from herself and Xiao Mo, their little group of similar Dao age and seniority, setting aside the top three in killing power and defense, the other old wastes weren’t actually that useless, according to the calculation methods of ordinary cultivators.

They each had their own strengths. For example, Wang Youwu, whose Daoist title was “Mountain Lord,” had the most diverse techniques. He was skilled in survival, escape, stealth, and ambush. The reason he carried a sword was that Wang Youwu was also a half-baked swordsman. Although extremely impure, and the two refined flying swords were obtained by forceful snatching halfway, his swordsmanship was barely passable.

Furthermore, Wang Youwu’s Daoist title wasn’t just for show. The so-called “Mountain Lord” didn’t mean that the old thing could sit enthroned in the mountains like a sage of the Three Teachings, overseeing the world. Rather, it was related to “harmony with the people” down the mountain. To put it simply, the worse the world was, the more people couldn’t survive down the mountain, the higher Wang Youwu’s cultivation would be. As the books said, harsh government is fiercer than a tiger. Therefore, Wang Youwu had a natural advantage compared to the other awakened ones. That’s why when he went to see Bai Ze, the old thing deliberately kept a straight face while secretly rejoicing all the way.

If Wang Youwu had awakened earlier and been able to hide in the Great World of the Vast Sky, carefully selecting a secluded place for his cultivation, like the once war-torn Floating Cloud Continent, he might have had a chance to reach the Fourteenth Realm. This was because the key to his harmony with the Dao lay in the meaning of his Daoist title.

But Xie Gou always felt that this old thing who was willing to learn everything but wasn’t proficient in anything didn’t deserve the inherently excellent Daoist title of “Mountain Lord.”

Guan Yi was similar. If she had followed the Wildlands’ Jiazi Camp earlier and gone to the battlefield of the Great World of the Vast Sky, cleaning up the aftermath of every fiercely fought battle and consuming everything along the way, she might have been more useful than that “Bai Ying.”

Ultimately, it was all Bai Ze’s fault for being confused when faced with major events. He returned to the Wildlands too late and awakened them too late.

That fellow who was now using the alias Hu Tu (meaning “muddle-headed”) was probably deliberately disgusting Bai Ze. No wonder Bai Ze’s gaze seemed to linger on Hu Tu the longest when he saw them.

Trying to be clever with Bai Ze, the Old Master, was asking for death. Fortunately, the Wildlands lacked top-tier combat power now, or he would have been finished.

The Little Mister of yesteryear was known for being reasonable and good-tempered, and Bai Ze was similar, easy to talk to. But the problem was, Bai Jing had personally witnessed how terrifying these two could be when they were being unreasonable and difficult to talk to.

Xie Gou laughed heartily and said, “To err is human, to correct is divine. How could I not understand such a simple principle?”

The Immortal Guard smiled wryly, inwardly grumbling, “Why does this little girl not seem like an honest person? Understand my foot.”

Xie Gou walked along the mountain path towards the small town.

The Immortal Guard carried the bamboo chair back to the residence, intending to compile the “sideline commentary” of the Great Wind brothers into a separate book. When he was promoted to a higher position and no longer had to be this gatekeeper who suffered from wind and sun, he would have to leave some treasure for the next person in line. From Zheng Dafeng to himself, and then onwards, generation after generation, the predecessors plant the trees, and the descendants enjoy the shade, it would be a good tale to tell.

In the spring season, after the rain, the mountains were as green as jade.

In the early morning, the Immortal Guard huddled, sitting on the bamboo chair, dozing off. In a daze, he seemed to hear someone calling him Immortal Guard Daoist. Finally managing to pry open his eyelids, the Immortal Guard saw a familiar face, yellow hat and green shoes. It turned out that Mister Xiao Mo had returned. The Immortal Guard quickly sat up straight and gently patted his cheeks, embarrassedly saying, “I was reading late at night and got sleepy easily.”

Xiao Mo smiled slightly and said, “This time of year is when spring drowsiness sets in. Thank you for your hard work, Immortal Guard Daoist. Starting tomorrow, I’ll watch the gate for a few days. Immortal Guard Daoist, just focus on getting your energy back…”

The Immortal Guard quickly waved his hand, “No, no, how dare I let Mister Xiao Mo watch the gate? How would that look? I appreciate Mister Xiao Mo’s kindness, but I assure you I can both watch the gate and read books without any problem.”

Xiao Mo sat on the bamboo chair beside him and exhaled a long breath.

The Immortal Guard asked, “Mountain Lord Chen didn’t come back with you, Mister Xiao Mo?”

Xiao Mo forced a smile and said, “The young master still has some business on the Tongye Continent and will return later.”

The Immortal Guard was a little surprised and tentatively asked, “Is something on your mind?”

Xiao Mo thought for a moment and said, “I have to meet someone. I don’t want to meet them, but I can’t avoid it, so I’m a little worried.”

The Bai Jing who constantly pestered him was probably Xiao Mo’s only weakness.

The Immortal Guard nodded. Everyone had their own worries, which was normal. The Immortal Guard didn’t think he could offer any consolation. He placed his hands on his knees and tapped them gently, remaining silent for a long time, then hummed a local folk song from his hometown.

A journey of mountains, a journey of waters, a shift of wind, a shift of snow. Close roads worry, far roads worry, a sound from the south, a sound from the north.

Thoughts linger, regrets linger, river water flows, stream water flows. Dreams are hard to achieve, intentions are hard to settle, eastern mountains are green, western mountains are green.

The New Year’s shop had an extra shop assistant, and Manager Shi Rou, of course, had no objections. It was just a small matter of adding a bowl and chopsticks.

The little mute wasn’t too happy. Without even thinking, another loafer had arrived.

But after only a day of interaction, the strangely named girl impressed Zhou Junchen, who was filled with goodwill.
Regarding the matter of earning money, she was even more enthusiastic than Zhou Junchen. Xie Gou first borrowed and perused the account books accumulated over the years from Shi Rou, calculating a daily income of silver taels. Then, she went straight to the point, saying that from now on, the shop’s accounts had to be settled clearly with her. She would take fifty percent of the income exceeding that amount. Shi Rou didn’t mind, and Zhou Junchen felt that this deal was a sure win, so he approved the decision. Then, Xie Gou went to block the door. Any customer who went to the neighboring herbal shop would be persuaded and dragged to the New Year’s Shop to take a look. Moreover, Zhou Junchen saw that she was eager to put up notices on every wall of Huaihuang County, Xie Gou even discussed some of her ideas with the two of them, saying that a signboard could be erected at Niujiaodu, just to attract some customers for the New Year’s Shop’s pastries. Anyway, Niujiaodu was their own Luopo Mountain territory. On the wooden sign, besides stating the specific address of the New Year’s Shop in the town and what kind of pastries they had, it should also mention that so-and-so Sword Immortal, so-and-so Sect Master, and so-and-so Emperor of a certain kingdom had tasted them and praised them to the skies… For example, Ruan Qiong of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, the current Sect Master Liu Xianyang, Qi Zhen of the Divine Edict Sect, the Prince of Great Li Song Jixin, and the former Water God of the Iron Talisman River, Yang Hua, gather ten famous figures. In short, whoever had the most fame in Treasure Bottle Continent would be honored to be on the list… Who cares if they’ve actually eaten it? If someone comes to scold us, we’ll just apologize and change the sign. Actually, we don’t even need to change it, just erase a name…

This kind of business acumen left Shi Rou dumbfounded, but Zhou Junchen’s eyes lit up. If Shi Rou hadn’t stopped him, the Little Mute would have already gone to the backyard to find wood and prepare brushes and ink.

The Little Mute had seen people who were fierce at earning money, but he had never seen anyone so shameless for the sake of earning money. As that Xie Gou said, one couldn’t give up earning money for the sake of face.

The Little Mute suddenly felt at ease. It was rare for the child to have a smile on his face with outsiders.

After getting acquainted, Xie Gou accompanied the child to read books today. Zhou Junchen liked to read those strange tales and legends, but Xie Gou was different. She preferred the romantic stories of talented scholars and beautiful ladies. While flipping through a book, Xie Gou asked the Little Mute, “Zhou Junchen, since you are now the only great-grand disciple of Mountain Lord Chen, how can you be content with earning some meager silver here all year round? Don’t you feel wronged?”

In the Wilderness World, as a direct great-grand disciple of a founding patriarch, if one didn’t cause some trouble, they would be too ashamed to stay on the mountain.

The child grinned, “My relationship with Chen Ping’an isn’t close. I haven’t seen him much over the years, and we haven’t chatted much. What patriarch and great-grand disciple? Anyway, neither of us takes it seriously.”

Xie Gou nodded, “That’s the spirit.”

The sable-hatted girl suddenly closed her book, wiped her mouth, and chuckled.

Zhou Junchen felt a bit creepy, like a lecherous man ogling a beauty on the street.

Xie Gou walked out of the counter, adjusted her sable hat, and poked her head out of the door, looking at the guy walking out of Riding Dragon Lane. A yellow hat, green shoes, and a green bamboo staff, hey, handsome!

Xiao Mo didn’t stop, squinting his eyes and saying telepathically, “Bai Jing, what are you doing here in the Great World?”

Xie Gou frowned, miserable, a sin, Xiao Mo’s statement, what difference is there from those faithless men in books who abandon their oaths of love?

Xiao Mo walked forward slowly, “Stop pretending, is it fun?”

Xie Gou said “Oh,” stretched, jumped over the threshold, stood in the middle of Riding Dragon Lane Street, and said directly: “Is it that being’s intention for you to be Chen Ping’an’s death warrior?”

Xiao Mo nodded.

Xie Gou said angrily: “Then do you know, if Chen Ping’an had inscribed the city wall, if it wasn’t the word ‘Ping’, but ‘Ping’ or ‘Qing’ instead, what would your fate be?”

Xiao Mo still nodded.

The swordsman had made it clear when he found him.

Asking with a sword? Xiao Mo dared not, and was unwilling. After all, most of his swordsmanship was taught by this one of the most supreme ancient beings.

He couldn’t escape.

Xie Gou shook his head, “You’re not the you I knew.”

The previous Bai Jing, the real her, didn’t have this youthful appearance.

Extremely beautiful, full of wildness.

Xie Gou asked with a smile: “Find a place, have a drink?”

After sleeping for ten thousand years, and then waking up, she found that the combat power of today’s top cultivators seemed to have changed little, but the art of brewing wine has indeed improved a lot.

In that Jiuquan Sect, in addition to several signature wines, she also drank her fill of the most famous fairy wines from the more than thirty Wilderness, and drank them very happily.

Xiao Mo shook his head and said: “Drinking interferes with business. Walk up the steps of Riding Dragon Lane, to the top, it’s best if we can come to an agreement, if we can’t agree, you and I will go overseas.”

Qi practitioners can drink like ordinary people, if they want to drink happily, they have their own methods, as for how long they want to sleep after being drunk, there’s no set time, it depends on the individual preferences of the qi practitioner, anyway, being able to determine the time to wake up early, great cultivators can also use this to nourish their spirits, being drunk for a few years or decades is nothing unusual.

Xie Gou curled her lips and said: “Chen Ping’an isn’t here, what can be interfered with.”

Xiao Mo was expressionless.

Xie Gou stomped her feet, acting like a spoiled child, waving her hands, “Isn’t it just that I didn’t call out ‘Young Master Chen’, are you having murderous thoughts towards me for an outsider?”

Call young master. Call a young master.

Xie Gou has been at Luopo Mountain for so long, and hasn’t been able to see the other party, such a big air, does he think he is Bai Ze, or Little Master?

Xie Gou said directly: “Chen Ping’an deliberately left you to meet me alone, I don’t like this kind of person, this kind of temper. I’m not comfortable with you following him.”

“According to the sayings in the books here, this is called a golden child doesn’t sit under a dangerous eaves, indeed, it’s true that distance tests a horse’s strength, and time reveals a person’s heart, in that Sword Qi Great Wall, he dared to show his face and earn some battle merits, earn some fame, in the end, he was still relieved that Chen Qingdu was sitting on the city wall behind him, determined to protect his life? Look, he’s revealed his true colors here, isn’t he afraid that I’ll kill him, worried that you can’t protect him?”

Xiao Mo said: “Young Master is going to see someone temporarily, it’s very important, a Bai Jing, can’t compare at all.”

Xie Gou wondered: “Who? Is there such a person in Tongye Continent?”
If memory serves, the apex combat strength of Tongye Continent is far inferior to that of Beiju Luzhou and Southern Jambudvipa.

The two ascended the steps together. Xiao Mo spoke, “It’s none of your concern.”

Xie Gou asked, “Truly not drinking?”

Xiao Mo hesitated for a moment, “We can drink at the roadside shop on Riding Dragon Lane. Old Immortal Jia has wine there. I’ll give him a heads-up later and borrow a few jugs. Old Immortal Jia won’t mind, and I won’t even need to replace it afterward.”

Xie Gou rolled her eyes.

“It’s infuriating! So many formalities just for a drink. Look at how pleased you are with yourself. Is this what it means to make a name for yourself?”

“Where’s the Xiao Mo who roamed the world alone with his sword? The Xiao Mo who brewed wine with the Cave Master of Bixiao Cave in Luobao Shoal? The sword cultivator who almost took down Yangzhi?!”

Xie Gou wrinkled her nose, as if to say, “Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, I’m so heartbroken that you’ve become like this.”

Xiao Mo ignored her, turning and walking straight towards the roadside shop.

Suddenly, Xie Gou launched herself at him in a pouncing embrace, but Xiao Mo held her head down, “Bai Jing!”

In that instant, both Xiao Mo and Bai Jing felt their Dao hearts tremble. The two Ascendant Realm sword cultivators turned their heads almost simultaneously, looking towards the highest point of Riding Dragon Lane.

Someone was sitting there, with a tall woman in white standing beside him, her hands resting on a sword, a playful smile on her face as she looked down at Bai Jing and Xiao Mo.

The gentle man with kind eyes smiled and said, “Carry on as you were, just pretend we’re not here.”