The spring breeze was warm, the scenery enchanting. On the bank, two or three peach blossoms bloomed beyond the bamboo, while wild ducks floated on the water, enjoying the beautiful scene.

Wang Zhu and his party disembarked onto the shores of Tongye Continent, preparing to visit the虞 (Yú) Dynasty, a nation that had ingratiated itself with the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace through opportunistic sycophancy.

They hadn’t walked far when they unexpectedly encountered the white-robed youth with a red mole between his eyebrows. It was their second meeting. The first had been within the ruins of the old Dragon Palace of the Great Conduit. Several of the water mansion attendants remembered him vividly, noting his unfathomable depth of character. Of course, what truly made them wary was the sword cultivator in the yellow hat and green shoes, “Little Mo,” who addressed the young Hidden Official as “Young Master,” and whose cultivation was unimaginably high.

Wang Zhu had known Cui Dongshan for a long time, considering him almost a “compatriot,” so he was accustomed to his eccentricities. However, Gong Yan, Huang Man, and the others found the fellow’s ridiculous pose both nauseating and intimidating. They were all accomplished cultivators who had been local heroes in their respective home continents, having seen many strange and unusual things in the mountains. But this white-robed youth, standing on one leg like a golden rooster, holding a precious mirror, and spouting nonsense, was truly one of a kind.

Seeing that they weren’t taking the bait, Cui Dongshan seemed to be frozen in place, as if determined to maintain the stalemate until the end of time unless they gave some sort of reaction.

Wang Zhu coldly said, “Sect Master Cui, aren’t you tired?”

Cui Dongshan maintained his posture, and said solemnly, “A true man stands with one foot on the ground and one hand holding up the heavens, supported by a spine of unyielding iron. I wouldn’t dare say I’m tired. Heroes, pillars of white jade supporting the sky, beams of purple gold anchoring the sea, do not shrink from hardship…”

Wang Zhu’s eyes turned frigid. “Cui Dongshan, that’s enough. If you have something to say, say it. If not, get out of the way. I don’t have time to waste here with you.”

“I do have something to say, how could I not? A Sect Master is very busy, just finished accompanying a wooden puppet from Luoyang around the燐(Lín) River. It was a tough journey, exposed to the elements, quite arduous.”

Cui Dongshan wore a look of feigned exhaustion, and he abandoned his “boxing stance.” As soon as his foot touched the ground, he kicked a pebble on the shore, sending it skimming across the river surface. It landed with a loud splash, like thunder on the water, startling a flock of wild ducks into flight.

Cui Dongshan twisted his wrist and produced a green bamboo staff, inscribed with a “Qi Circulation Inscription” in flowing calligraphy. This mountain-walking staff was a gift from Wu Shuangjiang of the Night Voyage Ship, a welcome gift. Cui Dongshan had originally planned to give it to Chai Wu as a congratulatory gift for ascending to the Jade Purity Realm in one step, but he had changed his mind, intending to use it for other important purposes, treasuring it either as a family heirloom for a future disciple, or gifting it to Zhao Luan, should she come to cultivate on his Wu Cao Peak. Since he’d already dug at Fallen Phoenix Mountain’s foundation by poaching, he didn’t mind being held in further debt by Mister. So Cui Dongshan found Chai Wu and the small, wine-loving girl nicknamed “Herb” and “That One” by Bai Xuan, and struck a deal with her. He asked if she wanted the priceless green bamboo staff or a hundred jars of immortal wine brewed by him, each guaranteed to be unique. Chai Wu’s eyes lit up immediately, saying fifty jars would be enough. The little girl’s meaning was simple: nothing was more important than drinking!

Cui Dongshan grinned. “Miss Zhigui, a distinguished guest has arrived at Fallen Phoenix Mountain, and my Mister had to return home immediately. So he left after the celebration and couldn’t personally entertain you.”

Wang Zhu remained expressionless. “A small water mansion, isolated overseas, wouldn’t dare trouble Hidden Official Chen to personally attend.”

Cui Dongshan said earnestly, “You can’t say that. Miss Zhigui and my Mister are old neighbors who met when they were both insignificant. A nearby neighbor is better than a distant relative. What great fate and affection they share.”

Wang Zhu twitched the corner of his mouth, saying nothing more. After their meeting at the Dragon Palace ruins of the Great Conduit, Wang Zhu, who had returned with Chen Ping’an, never mentioned Cui Dongshan’s hidden identity to the water mansion attendants. He only said that the person was from Treasure Bottle Continent, and an official in the Great Li Dynasty. Wang Zhu had explained it too simply, of course, Gong Yan and the others understood. Wang Zhu dismissed the matter with a single sentence: there was no use saying more about Cui Dongshan, you’d only bring unnecessary trouble if you knew too much. Not long ago, the Eastern Sea Water Mansion received intelligence that Fallen Phoenix Mountain had established a lower sect in the southern territory of the Great Yuan Dynasty, called the Azure Float Sword Sect, with Cui Dongshan serving as its first Sect Master.

Cui Dongshan waved his mountain-walking staff, greeting them one by one, actively ingratiating himself.

“Sister Zhigui is truly prescient, predicting long ago that I would come looking for you.”

“That虞(Yú) Dynasty, which changed its era name to Divine Dragon, I’m very familiar with it. Not to boast, but when I get to Luojing, I can be considered half a host. You may not believe it now, but you’ll know once you go there. For example, the National Guardian True Man Lü Bilong in the Accumulated Emerald Temple is a close friend of mine. And the Azure Inscription Sect, the leader of the Immortal Houses in the虞(Yú) Dynasty, is practically family. How could our relationship be bad? Especially Dai Yuan, he’s a sworn brother who has killed a chicken and burned yellow paper with me.”

Gong Yan smiled charmingly. “Sect Master Cui has many friends.”

Cui Dongshan nodded. “Of course, you rely on friends when you’re out and about. If you have many friends in the world, you’re guaranteed to eat nine meals a day.”

Dai Yuan, that old fellow, seemed to have become successful ever since he met him. After drinking a toast under the wisteria vines at the Luojing Lantern Riddle Hall, he rose to prominence, first being promoted within the Azure Inscription Sect, and recently ascending to the position of Law Enforcer, essentially replacing Xu Bai, the direct disciple of the Sect Master Gao Shuwen. Dai Yuan was, after all, a Golden Core cultivator, so it was legitimate and expected. In addition, Dai Yuan’s ranking among the imperial offerings in the虞(Yú) Dynasty had also improved, representing success both internally and externally.

And the old Nascent Soul Zhang Liuzhu, whose Daoist name was “Water Immortal” and who served as the chief guest of Small Dragon Pool back then, had now changed his name to Zhang Xie and was serving as a strategist for a young man in the Great Chong Dynasty, a young but famous Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works named Shi Yuyan. The Minister of Justice had a son late in life and placed great hopes on Shi Yuyan, even naming him with the intention of nurturing virtue and establishing a reputation through the arts and words.

After parting ways at the Lantern Riddle Hall, Cui Dongshan had used the Yang Spirit Out-of-Body of the direct descendant of the Pu Mountain Cloud Grass Hall to visit Zhang Liuzhu and met the Vice Minister Shi Yuyan, and the two immediately got along.

The secondary capital of the Great Li Dynasty was called Luojing, which was related to Song Mu’s enfeoffment as the “Prince of Luo.”

And the capital of the虞(Yú) Dynasty in Tongye Continent was also called Luojing. Of course, this was just a coincidence.
With the Grand Li Dynasty’s current momentum and the opportunism of the Yu Clan Dynasty, even if they weren’t on the same continent, it wouldn’t be a problem for the former to ask the latter to change its name.

Cui Dongshan said he would take them to a place not far away, a mere three incense sticks’ worth of time riding the clouds.

During the journey, the white-clad youth, as if wielding a sword, stepped upon his green bamboo staff, turning to cozy up to Gong Yan, saying, “Sister A’wu, I was all ears during your earlier chat, hanging on every word. Since you want to stroll through Huaihuang County, that’s easy! I’ll guide the way. How about we set a date now?”

Gong Yan ignored him, so Cui Dongshan turned to chat with others, “Old Brother Li Ba, looking as hale and hearty as ever! Old Jing, Wan Yan, is your close, nay, mentor-like friend, a lovely tale from your Golden Armor Continent. Never mind, life’s a road with bumps. If your hometown’s a sad place, just don’t go back. Someday, when you and Miss Zhigui part ways amicably, settle down here in our Tongye Continent. Or go to Treasure Bottle Continent; I have even more friends there! Pick up your old trade, be a state preceptor for some southern dynasty. An old warhorse still yearns to run a thousand miles; wouldn’t that be a fine tale? Brother Li Ba, doesn’t that cheer you up?”

Li Ba’s face was dark. Being reminded of his sore spot to his face was hardly cheering. Even Huang Man and Gong Yan didn’t dare mention Wan Yan Lao Jing in front of Li Ba.

“Big Brother Xi Man, fancy sparring with a couple of Boundary Realm martial artists? If so, a piece of cake! I can arrange it. Coincidentally, there are two in Tongye Continent right now, and conveniently, they’re both my friends. With my friendship with you, I’ll swallow my pride and pull some strings to get you two opportunities to sharpen your martial paths through mutual challenge.”

Xi Man, a peak Ninth Realm martial artist with the essence of a land dragon from Flowing Haze Continent. That Flowing Haze Continent generally has poor martial fortune, once having two Boundary Realm martial artists, but now only has one, because the more talented and accomplished Grandmaster, named Ye Ku, once crossed continents alone to the Golden Armor Continent’s central battlefield to deliver a fist and slay demons, thus losing his realm. So, the Central Earth Divine Continent, with its penchant for criticizing people, has a mocking saying about Flowing Haze Continent.

“That Northwest Flowing Haze Continent, in terms of war merit, the mountains are inferior to the foot of the mountains; in terms of courage, the old are inferior to the young.”

The former’s swipe with the stick essentially scolded all the mountain cultivators, including Immortal Cen Zao’s sects and abodes, along with Sky Nook Grotto Heaven. As for the latter, it was aimed at one person, the old martial artist who claimed “no defeats in Boundary Realm challenges since reaching the Boundary Realm,” Flowing Haze Continent’s number one in martial arts. Of course, the reason he had no defeats was because he stopped challenging after reaching the Tenth Realm.

It wasn’t a “washing hands and leaving the pugilistic world” retirement, so Ye Ku never even considered challenging this person.

Ye Ku, having fallen to the Mountain Peak Realm, like Golden Armor Continent’s martial artist Han Guanghu, who had a slight dip from the Boundary Realm, had received invitations from the Central Earth Literary Temple to participate in discussions but declined.

Xi Man asked in confusion, “Besides Huang Yi Yun of Pu Mountain, Wu Shu, the Martial Saint, is also in Tongye Continent? Didn’t he go to the Desolate Wilds?”

Some secret Water Mansion reports were sent directly from the Central Earth Literary Temple, making them better informed than ordinary sects.

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “Let me keep you in suspense first, lest Old Brother Li Ba gets depressed again, frowning and not enjoying himself.”

“Brother Huang Man, truly worthy of being called the ‘Jade Daoist,’ skilled in preserving youth! Such jade-like beauty! When Immortal Capital Mountain’s Secret Snow Peak opens its Mirror Flower Water Moon, we must invite Brother Huang Man to show his face!”

“That Zhang Tiaoxia, nicknamed ‘Longbo,’ really had the heart to strike Brother Huang Man. The power of the world’s number one martial artist’s fists and feet… tsk tsk, I feel pain just thinking about it for Brother Huang Man.”

Huang Man smiled slightly, “It seems it’s still not as weighty as Sect Master Cui’s words.”

Cui Dongshan patted his chest, “Scholars speak with reason, and words never fall short!”

Gong Yan giggled. This beautiful woman, nicknamed A’wu, was dressed in palace attire, tall and slender, looking thin but actually hiding a voluptuous figure.

With her cloud-like hair in a bun and a golden hairpin askew, Gong Yan needed only a touch of makeup to be stunningly beautiful, with a slender waist that could be grasped in a single hand, on either side of which hung an ancient bronze mirror and a crystal jade.

No wonder Huang Man often joked that it was a pity she wasn’t an empress.

Men of the world often missed the marvel of plumpness in their youth, their gazes only on a beauty’s face, missing out on so much charm.

In terms of appearance, Huang Man, as a male immortal, was in no way inferior to the woman Gong Yan.

The men in scholar-beauty novels all seemed to be cut from the same mold, nothing more than fair-skinned, with sword-like eyebrows, and jade-like elegance…

Seeing the white-clad youth acting up again, a thick sea of clouds appeared ahead. The great white goose flipped its body, rotating forward, waving its large sleeves towards the front, casually parting a layer of clouds.

Xi Man transmitted his voice, “Being with this guy is a torment! I don’t know how Chen Ping An can tolerate such a student.”

Gong Yan smiled in her mind, “I heard Sect Master Nalan mention that young Hidden Official before. An interesting assessment, saying Chen Ping An is a gourd full of bad ideas, seemingly taciturn but scheming in his mind. But overall, he’s easy to talk to, as long as you don’t provoke him. With such a teacher, if you also find someone who doesn’t like to talk, wouldn’t it be silence all around? As for me, I’d really have to find someone lively like Cui Dongshan to mediate between the teacher and student’s contrasting characteristics of waning and rising spirits.”

Li Ba suddenly interjected, “You’re all wrong. On the contrary, the truly vigorous one is the seemingly taciturn young Hidden Official. The one who can be called profound in Dao heart and immersed in the evening is actually this cynical Sect Master Cui. The former views the world with optimism, while the latter is thoroughly pessimistic, the two being extremes of each other.”

Huang Man said with a smile, agreeing, “Li Ba’s judgment of people is still very accurate.”

The group passed through the sea of clouds, the road between the clouds lined with high walls like accumulated snow.
Cui Dongshan glanced at the young man trailing at the end of the group. He had been named Wang Qiongju, courtesy name Yusha, Daoist name “Hansu,” by Wang Zhu. In short, apart from his surname, everything else about him was related to “snow.”

Within the group, Wang Qiongju was utterly unremarkable, treated as a pack mule by Wang Zhu, burdened with large and small packages.

The young man’s forehead was slightly furrowed. He had only recently achieved the Refinement Transformation stage. Among the five opportunities from the former Lizhu Grotto-Heaven, regardless of their individual fates, in terms of cultivation level alone, this “four-legged serpent” who had proactively defected to Song Jixin and Zhigui in Mud Bottle Lane was the least impressive. He was still only at the Cave Abode Realm. How starved must he have been to end up in such a state? The only noteworthy thing about him was the large, purple gourd he carried on his back, inscribed with the ancient characters “Capture and Release.”

Cui Dongshan retracted his gaze and began to chatter incessantly, “Sister Awu, are you really not considering settling down at the Rain Dragon Sect? You’re old acquaintances with Sect Master Nalan anyway. With that private connection, snagging a Chief Guest Elder position would be effortless.”

“Being a carefree person who doesn’t care about anything,

Receiving a salary without doing any work, wouldn’t that be wonderfully comfortable? Even I envy such a good thing. This little brother thinks that the gentle Cloud Sign Fairy would be extremely welcoming upon seeing Sister Awu. Since Cloud Sign was previously willing to voluntarily step down as Sect Master and become a nominal Keeper of Laws, she would surely welcome your arrival, not just as a Chief Guest Elder, but even abdicating the throne again, making Sister Awu the Sect’s Keeper of Laws wouldn’t be difficult. Oh right, if that day truly comes, I’ll have to trouble Sister Awu to act as a matchmaker, saying that I’m willing to be the Rain Dragon Sect’s Chief Guest Elder. As for the salary, it’s negotiable, just a token amount will do.”

“Besides, the Rain Dragon Sect is much closer to the Floating Cloud Continent than the East Sea Water Mansion or the Ping Zhou Grand Li capital, Prince Song Mu’s residence. Right now, your sect isn’t doing so well. Moreover, according to the rules of the Confucian Temple, if a new Jade Purity Realm cultivator doesn’t emerge within the next century, you’ll lose the ‘Sect’ title. Sister Awu, are you really willing to watch your sect decline year after year? If you go to the Rain Dragon Sect, when the younger generation encounters trouble on the Floating Cloud Continent, as long as you ride the wind a bit faster, you won’t even need to deplete the goodwill you’ve accumulated there; you can resolve things yourself. So, it seems to me that being the Rain Dragon Sect’s Keeper of Laws, protecting your old sect, and sitting in the Ancestral Hall alongside this little brother, the Chief Guest Elder, to observe the deliberations, while also helping the Rain Dragon Sect form an alliance with our Azure Billow Sword Sect, is a triple win. Only a fool wouldn’t do it!”

Gong Yan muttered inwardly, “Is this guy a tapeworm in my stomach? How does he know everything so clearly?”

The white-robed youth sighed, his eyes filled with grievance, “That analogy isn’t appropriate. Tapeworms are so disgusting. This little brother is more like Sister Awu’s personal little padded jacket.”

Huang Man chuckled. That analogy was probably even more disgusting.

Gong Yan resolved to remain silent.

She was a bold and unrestrained woman; saying a few bawdy jokes was nothing. On the Floating Cloud Continent, Gong Yan was known as a “temptress” on the mountain, but she hadn’t expected to be no match for a “youth.”

Cui Dongshan grinned and said, “One day, I’ll get Chef Zhu, Brother Dafeng, Chief Zhou, and Chief Mi to gather and chat with Sister Awu. That’ll be lively.”

Cui Dongshan quickly added, with a solemn oath, “I guarantee it’ll be both risqué and refined, both elegant and vulgar!”

Wang Zhu said indifferently, “Sect Leader Cui, let’s get down to business.”

Cui Dongshan raised his hand to shield his forehead, gazing into the distance, and laughed, “We’re almost there. We need to eat and drink our fill to have the strength to discuss matters.”

Wang Zhu followed Cui Dongshan’s gaze and saw a winding mountain range, verdant and lush, snaking across the earth like a green serpent. She thought for a moment and recalled this dragon vein located on the western coast of Tongye Continent, running north-south. Unfortunately, to make way for the redirected Great River, the Great River Dragon Lord ordered the excavation of a waterway, forcibly severing the complete terrestrial dragon energy, causing the entire western coast of Tongye Continent to never produce a prosperous and powerful kingdom again, mostly becoming tributaries of great dynasties.

People said it was cleaved open by a Jiao, or that it was split by lightning.

Cui Dongshan said apologetically with a smile, “My apologies for the poor hospitality. I can only find a nearby place to treat you all to a vegetarian meal.”

The place they were stopping was in a royal Daoist temple built by imperial decree in the mountains. It had been almost completely destroyed by the demon race’s army. The new monarch of the small kingdom, having only recently ascended the throne, ordered officials from the Ministry of Works to find the blueprints and spent enormous amounts of manpower and resources to repair the main hall to its original state. They were temporarily unable to construct or repair the remaining buildings.

Cultivators skilled in aura observation could see two types of clouds, crimson and azure, floating and rising in the mountains, lingering and refusing to disperse. This was what was known in geomantic books as “royal aura entwined, dragon shedding hidden within.”

Cui Dongshan said, “For the Daoist temple on the mountain to have Sister Zhigui stay within, it’s truly an honor to our humble abode. The old and young Daoist priests in the temple burn incense daily and light lamps every night, spending tens of bushels of sesame oil annually. This sincerity has finally paid off.”

In the vast world, the four newly promoted Water Gods, appointed by the Confucian Temple, were responsible for guarding the Four Seas, ranking highly in the newly compiled Divine Genealogy of the Confucian Temple, at the first rank, equal to the Sui Mountain Great God.

The entire world’s water transport was divided in two. Among them, Madam Dan Dan of Luxue Pit, with the Daoist name Qingzhong, was in charge of the land water transport of the Nine Continents, but cultivators on the mountaintops didn’t take her seriously.

Apart from Wang Zhu, the other three Great Sea Water Gods were promoted step by step from the positions of Great Lake Water Gods of various continents, such as Li Yehou, the Water God of Bright Moon Lake in the Central Earth Continent.

In addition, there was a female Lake God, Liu Rouxi, the Azure Water Yuan Lord of Zheng Rong Lake, who was now responsible for guarding the West Sea as a Water God.

This woman with the Daoist name Azure Water Yuan Lord had once posted a reward on the wall of the Sabre Master’s office in Upside Down Mountain, targeting the Inkist wanderer Xu Ruo. As for the twists and turns of the reason, outsiders were not aware.

Wang Zhu squinted into the distance and suddenly said, “Sect Leader Cui spent a lot of money over there, didn’t he?”

Cui Dongshan rubbed his hands together and said, “It’s okay, just a little Grain Rain money, a drizzle.”
This place is called Hailong Mountain (Sea Dragon Mountain). On clear, cloudless days, one can stand atop the peak and gaze upon the distant ocean. Watching the sunrise over the sea is a magnificent sight. Furthermore, three thousand years ago, when the dragon race held sway over the world, the many dragon ministers and water spirits of the Grand Metropolis Dragon Palace would travel between land and sea, summoning clouds and rain. The great dragons, sated with rain, would emerge from the clouds and moonlight, sweeping across the land, their influence felt for ten thousand miles, as they roamed the azure skies.

As the “sap” who paid for the reconstruction of the Taoist temple, Cui Dongshan not only built a tower for observing celestial phenomena at night, but also secretly constructed a building specifically designed for measuring the flow of water from the Eastern Sea and assessing the amount of water flowing into the Grand Metropolis in the future. This shows that Cui Dongshan had long been certain that his teacher would excavate the Grand Metropolis in Tongye Continent, planning ahead in every possible way.

Two people were already waiting in the mountains, standing by the newly built, yet classically styled, entrance to the Taoist temple. However, they were both outsiders to the temple.

Cui Wei, a law-enforcing sword cultivator from the Qingping Sword Sect, and Cao Qinglang, the first peak master of Jingxing Peak. The former was roped in by Cui Dongshan as a helper, while the latter was the key to the success or failure of the matter.

“Arrived, arrived! I’ll scout ahead, you follow.”

Cui Dongshan took the lead, his figure suddenly vanishing for several miles. Landing gracefully, Cao Qinglang bowed respectfully and said, “Greetings, Sect Leader Cui.”

If there were no outsiders present, Cao Qinglang would simply call him Senior Brother Cui.

Cui Dongshan flicked his sleeves and said helplessly, “Junior Brother Cao, why not learn from Law-Enforcer Cui? He doesn’t utter a word when he sees me. We’re still fellow disciples, after all. No need to put on such a show for the sake of appearances.”

Cao Qinglang smiled slightly, “These are my own rules.”

Cui Dongshan felt a headache coming on. “Let’s not talk about that. Later, when I’m discussing business with someone, just follow my lead.”

In truth, Cao Qinglang didn’t know who he was supposed to meet here until just now.

Cui Dongshan rubbed his face, waiting for Wang Zhu and her party to arrive. Although the Ximan was a pure martial artist, unskilled in cultivation, it would be great if he could just show his Earth Dragon true form and work as a mountain-moving, ridge-unloading laborer.

As for Jade Taoist Huang Man, summoning wind and rain was his specialty. Ordinary cultivators really couldn’t afford to provoke Zhang Tiaoxia, the old martial artist who had held the top spot in the martial world for many years. He never provoked conflicts lightly, but when he struck, it was never a trifle.

As they approached the mountain temple, Huang Man suddenly asked in a telepathic voice, “Li Ba, if you and I join forces, with Ximan supporting us from the side, three against one, can we do it?”

As for Gong Yan, forget about it. She only cared about making money and nothing else.

Li Ba shook his head and said, “Don’t be impulsive. It’s not wise to make an enemy of this person.”

Ximan really didn’t like this mystical Sect Leader Cui, feeling uneasy all over. The white-clad youth’s gaze was like a madam looking at a young virgin.

But as for exchanging blows with him, Ximan really didn’t have any thoughts of that kind. So Li Ba didn’t agree to Jade Taoist’s invitation, which relieved Ximan.

The group arrived at the mountain gate.

Cui Wei remained unmoved, his face as impassive as ever.

Cao Qinglang had a gentle expression, bowing and saying, “Cao Qinglang of Jingxing Peak of the Qingping Sword Sect, greets the Water Lord of the Eastern Sea and all the immortal senior masters.”

Wang Zhu smiled and nodded, “I once borrowed a few of your examination papers in the Grand Li capital. They were well-written, eloquent and substantive.”

Cao Qinglang smiled slightly, “My teacher gave me a lot of guidance on the subject of examination essays.”

Wang Zhu remained noncommittal, but compared to the coldness she showed when interacting with Cui Dongshan, her face now had a gentler expression when facing Cao Qinglang, this “junior.”

Gong Yan and Ximan exchanged glances. Damn, had they finally met a normal person?

They all went to the temple’s refectory, where food and drinks had already been prepared. Once Wang Zhu and Cui Dongshan started eating, everyone else began to eat freely.

Cui Dongshan mentioned the plan to excavate a Grand Metropolis in Tongye Continent, sincerely inviting Wang Zhu and the Eastern Sea Water Mansion to lend their strong support and participate in it.

To the surprise of Gong Yan and the others, Wang Zhu agreed extremely readily.

They knew their master’s personality very well. Because of the water god escort mission, many high-ranking water gods in the world had shown their faces. Not to mention Li Yehou, who they had to deal with frequently, even Madam Dan Dan, who had only appeared a few times, would be met with cold indifference by Wang Zhu. During the two times they had discussed matters together, Madam Dan Dan mostly kept a smiling face, not feeling embarrassed at all about trying to curry favor.

However, this was within Cui Dongshan’s expectations. When he had mentioned this matter to his teacher earlier, his teacher had hit the nail on the head. If Cui Dongshan came forward, speaking only of official matters and not personal feelings, discussing business purely as business, then the probability of success was over eighty percent. But if Chen Ping’an were to “reminisce” with Wang Zhu, the probability of failure would be over eighty percent. Clearly, Chen Ping’an had a firm grasp on Wang Zhu’s temperament.

Excavating the Grand Metropolis was a win-win situation for Wang Zhu, a guaranteed profit without any risk. But for Wang Zhu, since the Grand Metropolis would definitely appear, whether or not she took action, whether or not she was willing, depended solely on her mood. This choice was somewhat similar to Qing Tong’s desire to lie down and enjoy life in the Town Demon Tower, but there were still some differences. Qing Tong had her own selfish motives, unwilling to allow a sword cultivator to interfere too much in Tongye Continent, which she regarded as her own territory. Wang Zhu, on the other hand, was purely… lazy.

With a brand-new Grand Metropolis, connecting the land of Tongye Continent and the waters of the Eastern Sea, the various water gods of the entire Tongye Continent would have to bow their heads even lower to this Eastern Sea Water Lord than they already did.

In the past, it was because of the disparity in their identities that they had to pay their respects to Wang Zhu, but there was still a distinction between sea and land. In the future, it would be because of the waterways and lifelines, which would be more or less controlled by Wang Zhu. In short, once the Grand Metropolis was built, Wang Zhu could completely use this mighty waterway, spanning the entire continent, to allocate the central region of Tongye Continent to the domain of the Eastern Sea.
Thus, after briefly introducing the various allies, Cui Dongshan brazenly opened his mouth, “The East Sea Water Mansion must first provide a sum of money, no less than the four thousand Grain Rain Coins of Bao Fu Zhai. More is, of course, even better, the more the merrier. In addition, I also want to borrow Huang Man and Xi Man to help with relocating rivers and moving mountains. Without delaying the Water God’s escort duties, the two sides, whenever free, need to immediately rush to the Tong Ye Continent to ‘report for duty.’ As for the specific amount of credit, we will clearly calculate the accounts in that temporarily established Ancestral Hall and keep a record. Let’s make it clear in advance: Huang Man and Xi Man will be specifically responsible for excavating and dredging a section of the Great Waterway’s riverbed. The specific length can be discussed in detail later. Today, we’ll set the general direction first.”

Huang Man and Xi Man exchanged glances, speechless, only able to force bitter smiles. They had just been discussing whether to join forces and beat up this white-robed youth, and retribution had arrived so quickly?

Wang Zhu said, “Four thousand? No problem, I can add another ten thousand Grain Rain Coins.”

Cui Dongshan, who had just picked up a chopstick of vegetarian food, immediately trembled upon hearing this, almost dropping it back into the plate. He quickly took a deep breath, raised a hand, gently supporting his snow-white sleeve, which he had named “Beat Stupid Place,” and nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, “Good, it’s settled then, fourteen thousand Grain Rain Coins!”

Sect Master Cui felt a pang of heartache. Comparing oneself to others is truly infuriating. He really didn’t know how many ancient dragon palaces, immortal mansion ruins, and sea-produced treasures Wang Zhu had plundered in the ocean these past years!

Wang Zhu said with a hint of sarcasm, “Since Sect Master Cui has so many friends on the mountain, why not simply ask more people to contribute money to make up the shortfall?”

Cui Dongshan laughed heartily, “With Miss Zhi Gui’s fourteen thousand Grain Rain Coins to seal the deal, it’s enough. After all, borrowing money incurs debts of gratitude, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.”

In the world of business, the same amount of immortal coins, for example, Bao Fu Zhai and Zhang Zhi could casually take out four thousand Grain Rain Coins, while Old Immortal Lu of Qing Hu Palace on Qingjing Mountain had to scrape together four thousand Grain Rain Coins by selling everything he owned. Although they appeared to be the same amount, they were entirely different concepts for that business transaction. Because when Lu Yong gave money, it was just giving money. Zhang Zhi was different. Since he was aiming to make money, he would provide more intangible resources such as connections, in addition to the money. If Zhang Zhi’s Bao Fu Zhai was like this, then the Liu Clan of Aiyaizhou was even more so.

Cui Dongshan continued, “To excavate a waterway to the sea that is stable and secure, it will definitely be a long-term project, not something that can be completed in a few years. I’ll trouble the Water Mansion to dispatch a batch of thirty or so capable and efficient subordinate officials and clerks, and at least thirty thousand water fairies, shrimp soldiers, and crab generals. Later, when the Water God’s escort duties are over, they must all advance inland along that waterway through the estuary, doing whatever they can.”

This was also the secret instruction of Mr. to do business with Wang Zhu, you just need to raise the price as high as possible. If you offer too low, she might feel bored instead.

The Four Seas Water Sovereigns each govern all the waterways surrounding the two continents. In that case, the future height and purity of their golden bodies depend on how far each of the four Water Sovereign colleagues can extend their reach towards the land within the rules of the Wen Temple. In Baoping Continent, Wang Zhu’s room for maneuver is extremely limited, extremely limited. Heavenly Sovereign Qi Zhen of the Divine Edict Sect, the two military ancestral halls of Fengxue Temple and Zhenwu Mountain, the Yunlin Jiang Clan located at the Qidu Estuary, plus Luopo Mountain, Zhengyang Mountain, Yunxia Mountain, etc., Qidu already has two Grand Waterway Marquises, Changchun Marquis Yang Hua and Linli Earl Cao Yong, in addition to Wei Bo, Jin Qing, and Fan Junmao, the five Mountain Sovereigns of a continent. Moreover, half of the continent is the territory of the Dali Dynasty…

On the other hand, the Tong Ye Continent clearly offers great potential for the East Sea Water Mansion. The more fragmented the mountains and rivers here, the more the old immortal mansions decline and wither, either relocating to the Colorful World or struggling to patch up their old mountain strongholds, or choosing new locations… The only truly formidable sects are the local tyrant Jade Gui Sect and the Yangtze River dragon Qingping Sword Sect. Wang Zhu and the Water Mansion intervening in the land’s waterway affairs not only does not violate the Wen Temple etiquette rules, but can also accumulate merit. That’s why Huang Man and Xi Man did not ask Wang Zhu for her opinion. It was a foregone conclusion that they would be working as laborers.

Cui Dongshan smiled, “Let me say it first, there is a difference between sea and land, and customs also vary. In the future, when jointly excavating the Grand Waterway, some conflicts will inevitably arise. Later, when the Water Mansion officials come ashore to participate in the discussions in the Hall of Deliberations, everyone can hold their own opinions and argue as they please. You can even go outside and arrange fights, but it’s best not to cause any deaths, otherwise it will be difficult to resolve.”

The Liu Clan of Aiyaizhou and Zhang Zhi’s Bao Fu Zhai are actually easy to deal with, as they have Mr.’s unique golden brand. Moreover, Liu Jubao and Zhang Zhi are both famous for their methods of managing people, so it’s unlikely that there will be any unexpected problems. Only Wang Zhu’s Water Mansion has the greatest uncertainty.

Wang Zhu said, “Then let Cao Qinglang be responsible for coordinating specific matters with the Water Mansion. If problems arise, it’s good to communicate in advance and then take them to the Hall of Deliberations for discussion.”

Cao Qinglang was a little caught off guard and looked at Cui Dongshan.

Cui Dongshan smiled and nodded, “Of course, it’s settled then. Cao Qinglang has just formed his Golden Core and is a Land Immortal now, so the matter of going down the mountain to travel can be put on the agenda. Isn’t it convenient that Cao Qinglang can make a few more trips to the East Sea Water Mansion to familiarize himself with the situation there? But the sea route is long and arduous, so I’m afraid he’ll still need the Water Sovereign to temporarily lend Cao Qinglang a legendary Dragon God Sea-Crossing Talisman to prevent him from wasting too much time on the road.”

Wang Zhu smiled and nodded, took out a long-lost “talisman” from her sleeve. Although it was called a talisman, it was actually a miniature golden dragon. Wang Zhu casually shook it, dissolving the talisman’s restrictions, and gently tossed it to Cao Qinglang, “Don’t be polite, I’ll give it to you as a congratulatory gift for forming your Golden Core.”

A cultivator holding this talisman can enter the water as if riding a dragon, traversing rivers and seas at a speed equivalent to a Celestial traveling at full speed.

Cao Qinglang accepted the “talisman” with both hands, put it into his sleeve, and stood up to express his gratitude.

Wang Zhu did not stand up, but simply nodded, looking at this young cultivator with a slightly bookish air. She smiled.

Cao Qinglang’s rules and etiquette made Gong Yan and the others feel even more surprised. Strange, strange, he really is a sane cultivator!

Cui Dongshan was full of emotion.

This Junior Brother Cao next to him is worthy of being one of Mr.’s two most beloved students, as likable as his Senior Brother, popular wherever he goes.
Wang Zhu then gifted Cui Dongshan a brush-washer shaped like a coiling Chilong, a miniature treasure, saying, “Inside are fifteen thousand Grain Rain coins. Consider it a rounded number. The extra thousand can be used to build a mansion near this Taoist temple, to serve as one of our Water Mansion’s summer retreats on the Tongye Continent shore. Aside from Huang Man and Xi Man, who are at your disposal, simply reserve a seat for Li Ba in that motley ancestral hall. All matters will be discussed between Li Ba and you, his attitude represents the Water Mansion’s intentions.”

Cui Dongshan hastily put down his chopsticks, took the miniature treasure, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and, imitating Cao Qinglang, stood up and bowed his thanks.

Harmony breeds wealth. After a simple vegetarian meal, Cui Dongshan prepared to return to the Lin River, continuing to coax the Luoyang wood merchant named Pang Chao to select a site by the Lin River. He suggested that when Wang Zhu and her party arrived in Luoyang, the capital of the Yu Dynasty, they should definitely visit Jicui Temple for tea and dine at the Riddle Pavilion, with the bill charged to Dai Yuan of the Green Seal Sect – absolutely no need to be polite.

From beginning to end, Law Enforcer Cui Wei remained silent.

If Cui Dongshan hadn’t introduced Cui Wei at the table as someone from the Great Wall of Sword Qi, Huang Man and the others would have assumed this silent man was a local Tongye Continent swordsman with deep ties or a family retainer of Cui Dongshan.

Upon learning that Cui Wei was from the Great Wall of Sword Qi, Gong Yan and others, besides Wang Zhu, found it both surprising and reasonable. With Chen Pingan, the last Hidden Official, around, bringing back a few sword immortals from the Vast Expanse wasn’t a big deal. First, there was Mi Yu, who had shone on the battlefield of Old Dragon City, and now there was the stern Cui Wei. They wondered about Cui Wei’s cultivation level and swordsmanship – could he be even stronger than Mi Yu?

Cui Wei still said nothing.

Cui Dongshan spared no one from his sharp words, not even his own people.

As they walked out of the dining hall together, Cui Dongshan stopped in the corridor, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and said with a smile, “Sister Zhigui, now that the Green Plume Sword Sect has two ferries, we’ll have more and more immortal ferry crossings. Are you interested in partnering up for some small business?”

Wang Zhu replied, “I don’t lack money, no interest.”

Cui Dongshan raised his arm and wiped his face with his sleeve, feeling stifled. He shouldn’t have said that and invited rejection.

Cui Dongshan said softly, “Supreme and radiant are the sun and moon, vast and deep is the world. Dwell in seclusion, cherish the Dao, nurture the true spirit. It’s best to quietly observe the changes in the heavens and await the opportune moment.”

If it is a true dragon, clouds and rain will surely rise.

Wang Zhu remained silent.

Cui Dongshan suddenly flashed a brilliant smile, saying, “When fortune reaches its peak, one must be vigilant. When adversity arrives, one must remain calm. Of course, this can be said in either order. Either way, it sounds good. I believe that as long as one is calm in adversity, good fortune will naturally come, bringing steady progress and continuous good news.”

Wang Zhu said, “Cui Sect Leader enjoys chatting so much, are you suggesting we have tea and wine after the meal?”

Cui Dongshan laughed, “No need, no need. There will be many opportunities in the future. Better to save it for later.”

Wang Zhu and her party flew away on the wind.

Gong Yan smiled, “The idea of going with the flow or against it has some food for thought. It’s rare to hear Cui Dongshan not spouting nonsense.”

Wang Zhu’s lips curved in a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Because those weren’t his original words.”

Near the eaves of the Taoist temple, Cui Dongshan wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He reminded them with a smile, “In the future, when you interact with Li Ba, you can be polite about small matters, but don’t yield on important ones. Don’t worry about being overbearing, and don’t try to ingratiate yourselves with Li Ba. The old fellow is as stubborn as a donkey – you can lead him, but he won’t go; you can beat him, but he’ll resist. So, don’t hesitate to scold him or beat him. Besides, I suspect Wan Yan Lao Jing once tried to win over Li Ba. Although Li Ba refused, he didn’t proactively inform the Confucian Temple. This is just speculation, and Wan Yan Lao Jing is already dead, so there’s no proof. We can’t just grab Li Ba and torture him. He might have used some kind of secret soul technique to lock his heart and close his doors, or perhaps he’s simply erased that memory completely.”

“Cao Qinglang, assuming this is true, how should we deal with Li Ba?”

“Although he did nothing, if he had informed the Confucian Temple, would fewer people have died in Gold Armor Continent? So, could we say that Li Ba’s concealment, his inaction, indirectly led to the deaths of those people? If Wan Yan Lao Jing’s sin of indiscriminate killing is a ten, how many tenths does Li Ba bear?”

“And if you had a fifty percent chance of searching Li Ba’s soul and uncovering the truth, would you do it? If fifty percent gives you pause, what about eighty percent, a hundred percent certainty?”

Cui Wei immediately looked anxious.

And he was just an outsider not being consulted.

Cao Qinglang said, “If I were Wan Yan Lao Jing, after secretly mentioning this matter to Li Ba and being rejected, or feeling that Li Ba was just paying lip service, I’d immediately erase Li Ba’s memory, wiping away all traces. Wan Yan Lao Jing was a Ascension Realm cultivator, while Li Ba was just Jade Pure Realm. So, even if the latter wanted to inform the Confucian Temple, he wouldn’t be able to.”

“Junior Brother Cao, you are certainly not Wan Yan Lao Jing.”

Cui Dongshan smiled, “We have all read the sages’ books!”

It seemed that true scholars were most fond of making things difficult for themselves.

Cao Qinglang suddenly turned sideways, took a few steps back, faced Cui Dongshan, and bowed deeply without rising.

Not only was Cui Wei confused, but Cui Dongshan also found it strange, “What’s this, what’s this?”

Cao Qinglang remained bent over, muffled, “The test of conscience set by some senior brothers is something I can’t endure, while you, sir, can. So, please, Senior Brother Cui, have mercy!”

Cui Dongshan stamped his foot, “Nonsense, nonsense! It feels like I’ve taken a blow to the chest. Put your hand on your heart and tell me, is your junior brother someone who doesn’t know what he’s doing?! ”

Cao Qinglang straightened up, smiled, “I don’t care about that. Anyway, I’ll hurry and tell the teacher about this, just as a precaution. If that day ever comes, I’ll suffer, and you can’t run away either, senior brother!”

Cui Dongshan was furious, pointing his finger at this junior brother, “Heaven and earth be my witness, the sun and moon can see it! Your junior brother had no such thought at all. You’re creating something out of nothing. Have you thought about your junior brother’s situation if you complain to the teacher like that?! Ah?! What kind of junior brother are you? How did you get that cross-sea talisman that’s still warm in your sleeve? If Wang Zhu had pretended not to understand, your junior brother would have gone to snatch it for you. Is this how you repay your senior brother? You have to put yourself in my shoes!”
Cao Qinglang, with a solemn expression, said, “Senior Brother Cui himself said, one must face adversity with composure.”

Cui Dongshan was stunned for a moment, then shook his sleeves, yelling, “Steward Cui, quickly stop me, or I’ll be forced to impart skills on behalf of my master!”

Cui Wei wasn’t foolish and chuckled, “This is a family matter between you two brothers. Why should I, an outsider, interfere? I’d only end up displeasing everyone involved.”

Cui Dongshan’s eyes darted around. He stood on tiptoes, put his arm around Cao Qinglang’s shoulders, and said, “Junior Brother Cao, please don’t tattle. I’m being sincere. Your Senior Brother begs you. Right now, Master is already displeased with me in every way, and you’re his most valued and cherished student, bar none. If something like this comes up again, it won’t be good. It really won’t be good.”

“Cao Qinglang, don’t forget, I am now the master of a sect, and you are only the Peak Lord of Jingxing Peak. Even if we don’t talk about brotherly affection, don’t commit insubordination! I’ve received Master’s true teachings, and I’m the least vindictive person when traveling the pugilistic world!”

“Big Brother Cao! Have mercy on me, please have pity on me! If Master finds out about this, he’ll beat me into a pig’s head! The problem is, I’m innocent! Granddaddy Cao, oh, my little ancestor, do you really want me to kneel on the ground and kowtow a few times? Cui Wei, stop watching the show! Quickly, get out of the way, and come back after I finish kowtowing…”

Of course, Cao Qinglang wouldn’t let his Senior Brother do such a thing. He held Cui Dongshan’s arms with both hands and smiled, guaranteeing, “I definitely won’t tell on you.”

Cui Dongshan was skeptical and said, “I don’t believe you. You have to swear an oath.”

Cao Qinglang smiled slightly and said, “Then forget it.”

Cui Dongshan quickly grabbed Cao Qinglang’s arm, “Junior Brother is joking. If there’s anyone I can’t distrust, it’s definitely not Junior Brother Cao.”

“Master should be arriving home by now, right?”

After Cao Qinglang walked out of the Daoist temple, he looked at the verdant hills and clear waters outside the mountain in the early spring and suddenly said, “Senior Brother Cui, it seems that whenever it snows in our Fallen Mountain, it’s always whiter than other places, and the snow melts slower than elsewhere too.”

Cui Dongshan sighed in relief and hummed in acknowledgement.

He understood the implied meaning of his Junior Brother Cao, which was referring to Master’s state of mind.

To outsiders, a mountain covered in snow might be a beautiful sight, but the hardships hidden beneath that beauty might only be known to people like him and Cao Qinglang. And how much hardship there really was, nobody would truly know.

Life is full of helplessness. The bitterness of suffering for no reason, the bitterness of unbearable pain, are all difficult to endure. It’s as if one never gets drunk from drinking, never tastes the lingering sweetness of tea and thus never notices the bitterness. How should one describe that?

Cao Qinglang softly said, “The night road is difficult to travel, but it’s not difficult to keep your head down and hurry along. The only fear is that when you raise your head, you’ll see gazes of suspicion all around, like flickering will-o’-the-wisps, and rumors will surge like a raging flood.”

Cui Dongshan held the back of his head with both hands and laughed, “Let’s encourage each other.”

Whether it was a lament or self-encouragement, Cao Qinglang was qualified to say those words.

How many young men leave their hometowns and never return?

Some have lofty ambitions and refuse to look back.

But some, while still young, are already afraid to look back at their childhood.

Cui Dongshan was silent for a moment, then turned his head and said with a look of grievance, “Junior Brother Cao, you should still swear an oath, or Senior Brother won’t be able to sleep.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Cao Qinglang, but Cui Dongshan didn’t trust certain trends within their lineage.

Cao Qinglang smiled slightly and said, “Talking like this, Senior Brother, isn’t interesting at all.”

Cui Dongshan raised one hand and hooked his fingers towards the horizon, muttering “dong dong dong, boom boom boom.” A clear sky suddenly rumbled with thunder.

Cui Dongshan squinted at the blazing sun.

The sun hung high in the sky, making people afraid to look directly at it for too long.

It was said that because the sun was the gathering of countless people’s hearts.