Chen Ping’an happened to take out his gourd for nurturing swords, and Lü Yan also took off the gourd ladle from his waist. They smiled at each other, perhaps this was what Bai Ye’s poem meant by “in the mountains with a hermit, drinking together as mountain flowers bloom.”

Lü Yan tilted his head back and took a swig of his homemade wine. “Do you know the origins of these mountain peaks in the Li Zhu Paradise?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Cui Dongshan once spoke of some inside information. The western mountains, sixty-two peaks in total, are mostly relocated mountains from the ancient Shu region, pieced together. More than forty can be verified. I suspect it was the work of Mr. San Shan Jiu Hou. I’ll see if I have the chance to ask him in person later. But mountains like our own Luopo Mountain, Wei Bo’s Piyi Mountain, and that mountain with the Dragon Slaughter Platform are all rather strange, with no written records. The latter is recorded in the Dali Ministry of Revenue’s secret files as Jia-liu Mountain, sealed during the Chunhui reign. In our local dialect, it’s commonly called Dragon Spine Mountain, with a large area of Dragon Slaughter Cliffs halfway up the mountain, of mysterious origin. Perhaps the only one who knows its true roots is Grandpa Yang in the backyard of the old apothecary.”

Lü Yan smiled. “Grandpa Yang? Are you referring to that Azure Child Heavenly Sovereign?”

Azure Child Heavenly Sovereign, one of the twelve high-ranking deities, the Ancestor of Earthly Immortals who once controlled a Ascension Platform, yet he became a god as a human.

Like a solitary lamp-lighting watchman, he had kept watch on the human world for a full ten thousand years.

Chen Ping’an nodded lightly.

If it weren’t for Grandpa Yang, he wouldn’t have lived to this day. Some things can be endured after growing up, but he wouldn’t have survived to grow up.

In fact, Chen Ping’an originally had many things he wanted to chat about with this old man, unrelated to his background or major world events, just simple, everyday conversations.

On the road of life, teenagers and young people are always moving forward, while the elderly seem to have stopped. When the former look back, they only see memories.

Chen Ping’an still clearly remembers the first time he saw Grandpa Yang, when he was a child squatting outside the apothecary’s threshold, waiting for a while. He didn’t get hit on the head with a broom, and he looked up to see that stern old man.

“Buying things requires money. It’s a matter of course for businessmen to earn money… I’ll give you credit for now, but you have to pay it back later, not a single copper can be owed to the shop.”

Finally, the old man asked the child if he understood. The child stood up, bewildered, and just handed over the money bag he had been holding tightly in his left hand.

Lü Yan looked into the distance, his gaze stretching far away, like a mountain range. No matter how things changed, the landscape remained largely the same. He sighed, “In the ancient Shu region, I often traveled there. I only remember that the nights in Shu were often rainy, and dragons were born there. The sword light and the rain rose and fell together, a magnificent sight.”

“Speaking of that Dragon Spine Mountain, if I remember correctly, it was originally located on the border of ancient Shu. There was once a paradise there called Kuocang Grotto, relying on the mountain and bordering the sea, with carved and coiled dragons, and upside-down immortals on top, suspected to be banished by the Emperor, with a carefree and heroic wind coming from the sea. This mountain had many ancient names, such as True Hermitage, Sky Nose, Windmill, and Beacon.”

“Unfortunately, it was later destroyed by the battle between sword immortals and dragons. The earliest mountain range stretched all the way into the sea, connected to the aura of a certain underwater dragon palace. There is a river called Chongdan River near Red Candle Town, with extremely fierce water, turbulent and murky. The gourd wine I have now is brewed with water from the heart of that river. In ancient times, there were often daytime thunderstorms, echoing the current Yu Province. Therefore, the so-called ‘this water connects to the sea’ in the local county chronicles is not a far-fetched statement. The Chongdan River water god Li Jin, who runs a bookstore in the small town, is actually one of the ancient dragon species. It’s just that Li Jin may not even be aware of his origins, and has always mistakenly believed that it was the dragon energy from the Li Zhu Paradise that overflowed and scattered into the Chongdan River, allowing him to develop intelligence and refine his form, or that he was taken away from the Li Zhu Paradise by an ancient immortal with a Dragon King Basket. The truth is otherwise. As for the Dragon Slaughter Platform, which was later used by sword cultivators to sharpen their blades and regarded as a treasure, it is actually what the name implies. The Dragon Slaughter Platform, one of the two execution platforms of the ancient Heavenly Court, was shattered by sword cultivators during the ascension battle and fell into the human world, scattered throughout the heavens and earth. The stone cliffs of Dragon Spine Mountain are the largest piece. Therefore, dragons multiplied in the ancient Shu region, and there were also many sword cultivators. There is also a piece near the Sword Qi Great Wall. If this poor Daoist remembers correctly, it is your Dao companion’s family treasure?”

“Chen Qingliu, the one who slaughters dragons, practiced swordsmanship in Kuocang Grotto for many years. It can be regarded as the place where he attained Dao and ascended. The so-called ‘Cicada Shedding Grotto’ later on was actually just a part of Kuocang Grotto, similar to your Luopo Mountain’s Jise Peak. In Cicada Shedding Grotto, he killed fourteen sword cultivators who had signed life-and-death contracts in one fell swoop, eight of whom were above the fifth realm, including two Celestial Immortals and six Nascent Souls. Although their realms were not high, each sword cultivator’s natal flying sword had supernatural abilities that were extremely suitable for encirclement and suppression. You come from the Sword Qi Great Wall, so you should be most aware of how high or low the killing power of a Nascent Soul realm sword cultivator is, and how the encirclement and suppression effect will be when combined with the flying sword’s natal supernatural abilities. As a result, Chen Qingliu still killed them all. After this battle, the Bottle Continent lost more than ten sword lineages. Since Chen Qingliu was from another continent, the sword path luck of the Bottle Continent began to decline.”

This Pure Yang Daoist, who wandered between the two worlds, was knowledgeable and well-versed in ancient and modern times. He spoke of many historical allusions in a calm and understated manner.

On the road of life, we seem to be flipping through books and looking at others. I wonder when we can become books that others carefully and repeatedly read.

I remember Zheng Dafeng once said a truth: when people reach middle age, at forty they are no longer confused. If a person is forty years old and still doesn’t believe in fate, either their fate is really good, or they are just not enlightened.

The Dafeng brother who doesn’t speak dirty jokes, besides being a bit ugly and having less money in his pocket, still has some unique style.

Chen Ping’an sincerely said, “As the old saying goes, having an elder at home is like having a treasure. In the future, when Senior Lü successfully leaves seclusion, I wonder if I can ask Senior to set up an altar and impart Dao teachings to the cultivators of the continent? As for the location, whether it is Luopo Mountain, Piyi Mountain, or the Divine Edict Sect of the Nanjian Kingdom, Loushan of the Yellow Millet Sect, or any place in the Bottle Continent, it doesn’t matter.”

After all, this Pure Yang True Man, strictly speaking, is a member of the Bottle Continent’s own family.
Lü Yan remained noncommittal, simply smiling and asking, “Since we’re all family, let’s not stand on ceremony. First, there was the Cicada Slough Cave Heaven affair, and then the Dragon Slaying campaign. This Daoist is a native cultivator of Treasure Bottle Continent and has some connections with various Dragon Palaces. Why didn’t I intervene in either case? Is Mountain Master Chen not curious?”

Chen Ping’an lifted the vermilion wine flask-shaped Sword Nourishing Gourd and lightly tapped it against Lü Yan’s purple Qi-entwined gourd ladle, as if clinking wine cups. He offered a vague response, “Experiencing the mortal world, cultivating to achieve Pure Yang, not ignoring cause and effect.”

They each drank. Chen Ping’an wiped his mouth, and Lü Yan smiled knowingly, “To speak appropriately is wisdom. To remain silent appropriately is also wisdom.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly laughed, “When I visited Clothing Belt Peak earlier, I heard an elder say that cultivation is simply about passing the trials of one’s own heart, and everyone will be well.”

Lü Yan nodded, “Cultivation is a personal matter. But what if one considers the world as their home?”

Chen Ping’an was silent for a moment, then asked, “Where does Senior Lü plan to travel next?”

Lü Yan said, “I plan to take a trip to Northern Ju Lu Continent. This Daoist once traveled through the Azure Jade City of the White Jade Capital with the White Bone True Man. Furthermore, I have encountered a certain situation and owe Sect Leader Lu a favor.”

“He Xiaoliang of the Clear Cool Sect, as Sect Leader Lu’s newly accepted disciple, has become the head of a sect, and her cultivation has steadily climbed to her current Immortal realm. This is because she has deep fortune and good aptitude for cultivation, so everything has been relatively easy. This time, the Sword Immortal Bai Chang is using seclusion as bait. He Xiaoliang is outwardly gentle but inwardly firm. A misstep and she will be hooked. Presumably, her life will not be in danger, but given Bai Chang’s style, when such a self-hooking fish is released back into the water, it is sure to suffer greatly. However, out of consideration for Sect Leader Lu and Heavenly Sovereign Xie Shi, her life will be spared, but her Great Dao will certainly be damaged, and she will inevitably fall to the Jade Purity realm. In addition, this will ensure that He Xiaoliang just misses the upcoming opportunity, making it difficult for her to advance to the Ascension realm in the future.”

“He Xiaoliang only has one senior brother, Cao Rong, and at most, Gu Qingsong. Even if the three of them join forces, they will still be hard-pressed against an Ascension realm Sword Cultivator who can emerge from seclusion at any time. Such a risky endeavor is too presumptuous. Therefore, I plan to leave Fallen Phoenix Mountain and head north to take a look.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “He Xiaoliang will definitely go looking for trouble with Bai Chang.”

Lü Yan smiled and joked, “Mountain Master Chen, you have managed to create so many karmic entanglements with Sect Leader Lu. Looking back through history, there are only a handful of people who can compare. Just this alone is enough to be proud of.”

Chen Ping’an nodded and said in a deep voice, “In recent years, I have read some Buddhist texts, including the Vinaya, Abhidhamma, and Sutras, as well as commentaries, critiques, and ancient verses. I have found that the number of times eminent monks throughout history have cited anecdotes from Lu Chen’s works is even greater than the number of times they have cited all Confucian sages combined.”

“So, no matter who you underestimate, you cannot underestimate this Sect Leader Lu.”

Lü Yan nodded, “Even if outsiders overestimate Lu Chen, it may not be his true height.”

Lü Yan suddenly asked, “Aren’t you going to ask why I mentioned the origins of these Western Mountains? Do you think I was simply showing off my knowledge to Mountain Master Chen?”

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment and tentatively asked, “Are you reminding me that this is also a kind of… broad ‘Daoization’?”

Lü Yan nodded, “This may be one of the fundamental differences between Daoism and Buddhism.”

Chen Ping’an frowned slightly, then suddenly understood, only to become puzzled again. After all, Mahayana Buddhism also has the saying “No sentient being can become a Buddha,” Just as he was about to speak, Lü Yan smiled and said, “This is just one of the reconciling methods of later Chan Buddhism and has little to do with earlier Tathagata Chan.”

Senior Cui had once given a saying: A pure Martial Artist, at the seventh or eighth realm, dies in their hometown; at the ninth realm, dies on a mountain peak in their country; at the tenth and ultimate realm, dies on their continent.

And this Daoist, whose title is Pure Yang, the Daoist Real Person who once had one foot across the threshold of the fourteenth realm but withdrew himself, his choice to travel far to the Azure Abyss World is easily explained.

Simply reverse the previous logic.

A certain marten-hatted girl, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation on the mountaintop, was feeling dizzy. *What are you all even talking about?*

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath, put away the Sword Nurturing Gourd, turned sideways, cupped his hands in a salute, and said solemnly, “This junior has a great question and dares to ask for guidance from Senior.”

Lü Yan smiled and waved his hand, indicating that Chen Ping’an should not speak where others might hear.

Chen Ping’an felt a chill in his heart, as he had not noticed Xie Gou eavesdropping at all, because he had just set up a formation similar to a miniature sword array on the mountaintop.

Lü Yan pinched his fingers together and pushed gently, seemingly casually.

A strand of pure sword intent, devoid of sword Qi, merged with the world and had been waiting like a sentinel. The result was that it was pushed back towards the mountain path.

However, at the same time, a hidden sword Qi also appeared on the mountain path and was pushed back towards the mountaintop by Xie Gou.

Lü Yan teased, “Would you two consider this a give-and-take?”

Chen Ping’an was slightly embarrassed.

Lü Yan said seriously, “In Tongye Continent, have you tried to ascend to the Jade Purity realm twice without success?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “The inner demons were unexpected. I never thought they would appear in this way. The first time, I was caught off guard. The second time, I thought I could rely on the Rain Prayer Chapter and the other five solutions, but I still failed.”

Lü Yan smiled, “Embroidered Tiger indeed gave you a difficult problem.”

Chen Ping’an smiled bitterly, “In the Great Bright World, if my return home revives the Sword Qi Great Wall, it will require an Upper Fifth Realm Hidden Official.”

So, when Chen Ping’an woke up from the Creation Grotto, he had inexplicably become a Jade Purity realm cultivator, even though he was only a nascent soul realm cultivator at the Sword Qi Great Wall.

In fact, Cui Chan had given Chen Ping’an a Jade Purity realm that was between truth and falsehood. The truth was that Chen Ping’an had indeed broken through the bottleneck himself to reach the Jade Purity realm, but Chen Ping’an himself had forgotten the specific process. The falsehood was that Chen Ping’an’s path of the heart had a blank space due to Cui Chan erasing his memories, which would cause great trouble in the long run. However, Cui Chan’s solution was simple: wait for his future junior brother to fall in cultivation and then return to the Jade Purity realm.

As for whether there would be any unforeseen complications during Chen Ping’an’s fall and return, Cui Chan probably didn’t care at all.

Perhaps in Embroidered Tiger’s eyes, if Chen Ping’an couldn’t handle such a small matter, he shouldn’t go to the Azure Abyss World to humiliate himself.
Lu Yan did not delve into the reasons for the heart demon’s emergence, but instead reminded Chen Ping’an to be more cautious and not rush to restore his Jade Pure Realm. He quickly changed the subject, “After all, public opinion is a force to be reckoned with, and countless voices can melt metal. Mister Cui’s actions are understandable. Whether the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall is a Jade Pure Realm sword cultivator or not is a crucial dividing line. If he is, then mentioning Chen Ping’an will mostly elicit praise, at worst a few teasing remarks, grudgingly acknowledging your youthful promise and the Great Sword Immortal’s willingness to employ talent. But if you are only a nascent soul, the perception of you, and even the entire Sword Qi Great Wall, in the Vast Expanse World will change.”

The world is full of affairs, and life is not easy. People mostly watch one spectacle and wait for the next. Who has the time to pursue the truth? People’s hearts are no longer what they used to be. The heart of the ancients lay in the difficulty of acquiring knowledge. Once they grasped one or two principles, they were willing to explore them deeply. Of course, modern people also have their advantages and strengths. These are two different paths. The ancients went from one to ten thousand, inversely proving the one, like the Daoist saying, “Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows Dao, Dao follows Nature.” Modern people go from ten thousand to one, like the Buddhist saying, “The Dharma Gates are boundless, I vow to learn them,” ultimately attaining the non-dual Dharma Gate. For example, the gentleman in the capital city’s gossip mill once couldn’t help but sigh that when it comes to the principles and knowledge in books, if we only talk about breadth and not depth, how can the sages of the past compare? Does that mean that if we randomly pick a scholar from an academy now and send him back ten thousand years, he could probably have those “scholars” of the past humbly seeking his teachings one by one?

Chen Ping’an nodded, of course understanding this difference, but the hardships within were known only to those who had experienced them.

To the point that Chen Ping’an even suspected that the “heart demon” he was currently encountering while trying to break through the Nascent Soul Realm bottleneck was likely a mental barrier he should have encountered only after reaching the Ascension Realm, when attempting to enter the Fourteenth Realm.

Lu Yan smiled, “Mountain Master Chen has a good senior brother.”

Chen Ping’an was speechless.

Lu Yan reattached the gourd ladle and glanced northward, with a hint of mockery, “A blessing in disguise, perhaps. Bai Shang and that Tian Wan secretly colluded, attempting to manipulate the flow of sword dao fortune in an entire continent. It’s only because they ultimately failed that this poor Daoist isn’t concerned about her being an Ascension Realm sword cultivator, or her identity as Zou Zi’s junior sister.”

*This* poor Daoist isn’t a pushover.

Including Xie Gou, the group drinking tea with True Man Chunyang earlier felt that they had had their fill of tea after Chen Ping’an and the others took the lead in ascending the mountain. They began to climb the mountain to enjoy the scenery. Only Cen Yuanji continued to practice boxing and walking the stakes, and was actually faster than Xian Wei and Zhou Mili.

So many years had passed, and she didn’t find the unchanging practice of walking the stakes to be boring. Today, after having the secrets of heaven revealed by that True Man Chunyang, Cen Yuanji was even more motivated.

The boy in scarlet robes rode atop the white-patterned snake, climbing over mountains and ridges for the first time without getting tired. It wasn’t a prohibited act, because before Mountain Master Chen and that foreign Daoist ascended the mountain, they had seemingly taken pity on his hard work and, after chatting for a long time, had specifically issued a Mountain Master’s decree, allowing this incense wisp, who called himself “Sincere”, to climb the mountain and play with the white-patterned snake he had named “White Rainbow”. In the future, when they came to Broken Tile Mountain for roll call, Immortal Guard Daoist would not stop them from going up the mountain.

The boy in scarlet robes, after all, valued Jianghu brotherhood. Gritting his teeth, he helped introduce the chessboard mountain white-patterned snake to the Mountain Master. The last time he had traveled back to Broken Tile Mountain with Mountain Master Chen, he hadn’t had time to properly introduce “White Rainbow”. As a result, today, after learning that the white-patterned snake was temporarily named “White Rainbow”, Mountain Master Chen had praised the incense wisp for his naming skills. He said that the name was quite clever, because according to the Confucian *Book of Rites*, in the “Monthly Commands” chapter, during the last month of spring, there was the ancient saying, “Rainbows begin to appear, and duckweed begins to grow.” Rainbows were formed by the convergence of the two qi of heaven and earth, and the stimulation of yin and yang. All qi colors near the sun that are white and pure are rainbows. If outsiders hadn’t already learned the name White Rainbow, using it as a true name after its transformation was successful would be excellent.

The white-patterned snake had already awakened its intelligence and was overjoyed upon hearing this. However, it could not yet speak, and hurriedly shook its head. The boy in scarlet robes understood and asked the Mountain Master if White Rainbow wanted to use this true name, which she particularly liked. However, since it had been revealed by outsiders and was not a name she had chosen herself, if she used it as a true name, would there be any taboos on the mountain? Would she fail to gain the recognition of heaven and earth, and instead frequently suffer heavenly retribution and be struck by lightning?

Chen Ping’an then smiled and looked at True Man Chunyang beside him. Lu Yan stroked his beard and nodded, smiling as he said that it was not easy for mountain spirits to choose a name. The true name should not be too grand, lest they be unable to bear it and suffer the consequences, or the path be too wide, causing them to lose their way and not know where to go. Nor should it be too small. It was best if it resonated with the mountains and rivers of the area. If you weren’t worried that someone on Broken Tile Mountain would leak the secrets of heaven, causing everyone to know your true name, then calling it White Rainbow would be fine.

Chen Ping’an then cupped his hands and said with a smile, “Chen Ping’an of Broken Tile Mountain, here’s wishing Fellow Daoist White Rainbow success in her transformation.”

Lu Yan formed a sword seal with one hand and smiled, “Rainbows pierce the blue sky, yin and yang illuminate the sun. A brave warrior draws his sword, and his qi stimulates a white rainbow. Lu Yan of Pure Yang, wishes Fellow Daoist White Rainbow a successful transformation and smooth cultivation.”

Xie Gou, who had been watching coldly, clicked his tongue in wonder. A white-patterned snake, more insignificant than an ant, had earned a great fortune in just a few words.

The name “White Rainbow” was something the boy in scarlet robes had made up on the spot. Then Chen Ping’an acted as a go-between, intentionally having Pure Yang Daoist give the answer with the flow, and finally Lu Yan personally recognized that “White Rainbow” was suitable as a true name.

This was like the difference between a talisman and a seal in the Daoist orthodoxy of the Azure Underworld. A talisman with the seal of a True Man affixed to it would have its power greatly increased.

Talismans are held by the Dharma officers, like clerks in a yamen. True Men and Immortal Monarchs are like the chief officials of a yamen, leading the people. Only decrees with the official seal affixed can be promulgated, and be legitimate and justified.

In the dark, the matter of the chessboard mountain white-patterned snake’s true name was like True Man Chunyang acting as the one who “affixed the seal,” with Chen Ping’an of Broken Tile Mountain acting as a witness, accompanying and signing his name.

There were many winding and turning lessons hidden within this. From this small matter alone, Xie Gou could see how heavy Chen Ping’an’s thoughts were and how deep his city was. Heh.
It’s no wonder that in the current desolate world, those Ascended Realm cultivators seeking to fill the vacant thrones are so fixated on the young Hidden Official. They always think the Literary Temple’s Sub-Sage managed to snatch Yuan Suang from the Azure Billow World. Why didn’t Bai Ze simply kidnap Chen Ping’an from the Magnificent World, stuff him in a sack, and then toss him into a brothel? Heroes can’t resist the charms of beauty. Once the rice is cooked, he’d be family.

As Xie Gou quietly gathered that wisp of sword qi, the little guy with the Daoist title “Sincerity” was sitting cross-legged on the back of a white-patterned snake, “riding a tall horse” with an air of overlooking the world. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Immortal Guard Daoist, your official rank isn’t high, yet you have so many rules. Look at our Mountain Lord Chen, how kind and approachable he is, always willing to negotiate. Aren’t you ashamed as a gatekeeper?”

Luo Po Mountain, the biggest official is Mountain Lord Chen.

Then the smallest official position is probably the Immortal Guard Daoist’s gatekeeper role.

The Immortal Guard said unhappily, “What am I ashamed of? The gatekeeper of a prime minister’s house is a third-rank official. It’s my duty. If I’m not a bit difficult, would I just let any Tom, Dick, or Harry climb the mountain?”

The Immortal Guard looked down at the crimson-clad child and said with a smile, “Those who hold high office certainly appear approachable and amiable on the surface. That’s just because it’s not worth it for them to be harsh with you. When you get promoted a few more ranks and have the chance to interact with Mountain Lord Chen more often, you’ll understand a principle.”

The crimson-clad child was up to no good, already preparing a small ledger, but he pretended to be surprised and urged, “Oh? What principle? How so? What will happen when I hold a higher office?”

The Immortal Guard said, “You’ll find that our Mountain Lord is truly approachable.”

The crimson-clad child failed in his scheme and gave the Immortal Guard Daoist a thumbs-up.

Xie Gou rolled her eyes, thinking, *Goodness me, the atmosphere at Luo Po Mountain is something else.*

The left protector of Riding Dragon Lane, who had long been capable of taking human form but was deliberately delaying it, followed closely beside the mink-hatted girl.

She feared Pei Qian for a hundred reasons; the past was unbearable to recall.

But she naturally felt close to this mink-hatted girl, though it seemed unreasonable.

It couldn’t be just because the girl’s name had the character “Gou” (Dog) in it, could it?

Arriving at the mountaintop, the mink-hatted girl saw the two figures by the railing and wanted to get closer to chat a bit. The main reason was that the Daoist with the title “Pure Yang” struck Xie Gou as extraordinary, very extraordinary. She needed to ask him something: had he ever been to the “Fire Yang Palace”? Unlike the moons in various worlds and blessed lands, which differed, later-generation great cultivators could construct long-lasting Daoist abodes. Even tens of thousands of years ago, countless “Moon Households” were able to squeeze in. Only in the countless Great Suns has no cultivator dared to claim to be its master for ten thousand years. Even Bai Jing, as high her cultivation as it was, in the Scorching Sun in the Barbaric World, she could only be considered a “temporary resident.”

This involved an inside story. Even if the sun and moon were “imitated” by some high-ranking deity, the latter was closer to reality, while the former was more mysterious. Their number was countless beyond the heavens, but the greatest mystery lay in the fact that all “Great Suns” suspended in the void could lead to that one and only “Fire Yang Palace.” Even if the Old Heavenly Court became ruins, this palace still existed, intact. It was just that different cultivators going to the same Fire Yang Palace seemed to be automatically separated, going to different sections of the “located” River of Time. The only thing that could barely be called a commonality was that later-generation cultivators who set foot in the Fire Yang Palace had never encountered the true master, and she believed that no one wanted to see him.

The mortal world has summer resorts, the heavens have the Cold Palace, chaos carved out the Yuan Qi Cave, and the old dragon occupies the Water Crystal Palace alone.

Dragon Palaces and Water Mansions all like to build Water Crystal Palaces. In the mortal world’s midsummer heat, this place feels like autumn. Therefore, it is praised by immortals as a land of coolness.

And that Vermilion Loft of the Azure Sky, the Fire Yang Palace, is now said by Taoists to be one of the imperial residences. In Xie Gou’s view, it was not entirely nonsense.

As for the ancient dragon race, whether one of the thresholds for attaining the Dao was whether they could go to the Fire Yang Palace to listen to true masters impart the Daoist arts.

Xie Gou could see that this Lü Yan had a deep connection with the ancient Flood Dragon.

Seeing Xie Gou move her feet, as if she was going to approach the good Mountain Lord, Zhou Mili quickly blocked her path. She immediately felt it was inappropriate, so she quickly stepped aside, gently tugged at Xie Gou’s sleeve, lowered her voice, and said anxiously, “Miss Xie, the good Mountain Lord is discussing important matters with Old Immortal Lü. Miss Xie, go later, there’s no rush, wait a little while.”

Xie Gou shook her hand off, then crossed her arms and turned to look at the little water monster, who was about the same height as a white-haired child. “Right Protector, what great official authority you wield.”

Little Mili scratched his face.

Chen Ping’an also had his arms crossed, leaning against the railing, looking at the mink-hatted girl who seemed to have a poor memory.

Xiao Mo, wearing a yellow hat, green shoes, and carrying a green bamboo staff, appeared out of thin air beside Xie Gou. He first nodded to the Pure Yang True Man, then reached out and pressed on Xie Gou’s shoulder with considerable force, reminding her, “Xie Gou!”

Xie Gou raised her hand to touch Xiao Mo’s hand, but Xiao Mo immediately raised his elbow to block her face. The mink-hatted girl was not angry but pleased, grinned, and said vaguely, “You’re here. I’m just joking around with the Right Protector.”

Little Mili grinned and nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, we’re just joking around, haha. Mr. Xiao Mo, your Daoist companion Miss Xie, her cheeks are rosy and delightful, and she’s quite tall too.”

Xiao Mo withdrew his hand and rubbed his brow.

He didn’t know how to explain his relationship with Bai Jing to Little Mili.

Chen Ping’an beckoned to Little Mili.

Little Mili ran over quickly, and once he stood still, Chen Ping’an took out the water talisman of unknown name and smiled, “Senior Lü gave it to you. Don’t be polite, accept it.”

Little Mili looked embarrassed and bowed to thank Old Immortal Lü. He quickly opened his cotton satchel and carefully invited the talisman into his family’s “Ancestral Hall.”

Extraordinary, extraordinary, he had gained another great general under his command!

Lü Yan stroked his beard and smiled, “This talisman is called ‘Dragon Gate.’ It was created by this poor Daoist myself. It’s not a great talisman that turns decay into magic. It’s just that in the future, when you go to White Emperor City, you can use this talisman to directly enter the Yellow River Small Grotto Heaven.”

Xiao Mo smiled. If this wasn’t considered a great talisman, then there were too few great talismans in the world.

He truly deserved to be a high-achieving person whom the young master respectfully called “Ancestor Lü,” and who could even appear in the Demon Suppressing Tower alongside the Sage Master.
Xie Gou sighed softly. Envy wasn’t quite the right word, it was just a talisman that could allow all aquatic creatures in the world to directly leap over the Dragon Gate. The real issue was that the talisman contained the true essence of “Pure Yang,” like… two door gods. A small water sprite wielding this talisman, in a critical moment, the higher the cultivator’s realm, the more they would understand the weight of the matter. It was akin to a distant inquiry or challenge to the Pure Yang Daoist, and they would have to bear the consequences.

Little Rice Grain was grinning from ear to ear. “Warm Tree Sister, Jing Qing, Jing Qing, Honorable Hong, Yunzi… There’s only one precious talisman, it doesn’t seem like enough to go around.”

Chen Pingan reached out and pressed down on her small head, smiling, “Don’t think about giving it away, keep it for yourself.”

Little Rice Grain patted her cotton crossbody bag, happily saying, “If I don’t give it away, I won’t bear to use it. I’ll treasure it!”

Earlier, at Azure Garment Ferry, the older and younger duo were snacking on melon seeds. The black-clothed little girl sat on a rock, leisurely swinging her feet, chatting with the guest. She absolutely didn’t say half a word about the Fallen Mountain and Azure Ripple Sword Sect. Her experience in the world was quite seasoned. She was just worried that the senior would find it boring, so she only talked about her own little things, like watching the plump and thin white clouds pass by her doorway and giving them names one by one. The Pure Yang Daoist smiled and said, “Honor and disgrace line up outside the door, fortune follows hardship. The importance of family teachings is that they allow people to endure suffering and receive blessings.” The little girl thought it made a lot of sense and clapped lightly. Then she tentatively said, “Pure Yang Daoist, I have a friend, just a friend on the mountain. Her realm is too low, but her mountain is very large. So, when this friend goes out, she’s always as timid as she is capable. What to do…”

At this moment, Xie Gou stood next to Xiao Mo, speaking with utmost seriousness, “Xiao Mo, I encountered the Mountain Lord by chance at a roadside pavilion. We had a great chat, your young master and I really hit it off. He even offered me a pot of wine. This isn’t something I made up. If you don’t believe me, you can ask your young master later. Our Mountain Lord even invited me back to Fallen Mountain. Otherwise, with my integrity and stubbornness, would I run back here to make a fool of myself? At the pavilion… By the way, Xiao Mo, don’t misunderstand, don’t overthink it. Even if you don’t trust me, you should trust your young master. In short, we were just earnestly exchanging knowledge at the pavilion. We got along so well that we drank a pot of wine and had a delightful conversation. I think the Mountain Lord is a really good person, worthy of admiration. His family background is a bit lacking, but as the saying goes, ‘Endless vermillion gates breed starving corpses, many humble homes produce ministers.’ Look at those sons of noble families in Fortune Street and Peach Leaf Lane, they barely have any connection to wealth and status, yet they look down on people. Their future prospects are limited. But our Mountain Lord is different. He’s earned his wealth and power through his own abilities, yet he remains as steady as a mountain. He’s young, stable, and will surely have boundless blessings! I’ve figured out a truth: The truly clever people in the world are those who are simple and accepting in speech, with deep and long-term planning, so they never become poor! Xiao Mo, your eye for talent is good, which proves that my eye for talent is even better. By the way, I’ve been studying diligently lately, my knowledge has exploded, and my talent is like a fountain, unstoppable. Listen to this and give me some feedback. Let me tell you in advance, whether it’s a poem or a song, like Su Shi’s writing, it’s unconventional, the rules absolutely can’t restrain people. I’ll learn from your young master and put aside the metrical patterns for now. ‘The traveler’s time is in the poetry scroll, a colorful brush inscribes paulownia leaves, a fine verse asks for peace. The news of apricot blossoms is in the sound of rain, again encountering the New Year’s spring, even more good flowering branches!’ If you like it, take it and use it. The poem contains the words ‘peace,’ your young master will definitely like it…”

Xiao Mo initially intended to play deaf and dumb, but the more she heard, the more awkward it became. She couldn’t bear it any longer and said with a dark face, “How much knowledge are you going to plagiarize from Mr. Zhu?!”

Xie Gou scratched his face like the Right Protector, laughing dryly, “There are only so many words. We scholars copy from east to west, it’s all about borrowing knowledge from each other without having to return it. How can you call it plagiarism?”

An old hunched-over man with his hands behind his back, smiling, had just walked up the steps, paused for a moment, heard Xie Gou’s last sentence, and the old cook immediately retreated, returning home, slinking away.

“Xiao Mo, Miss Xie, you two just do your own thing, I’ll go cook my dishes.”

Little Rice Grain had sharp eyes, saw the old cook’s figure, immediately bid farewell to the good Mountain Lord and the Pure Yang Daoist, then greeted Mr. Xiao Mo in passing, and ran quickly to Zhu Lian, walking down the steps together. She patted her cotton crossbody bag, then reached out and shielded her mouth, whispering, “Old Cook, treasure.”

Zhu Lian suppressed a smile and asked, “What treasure? Can you eat it?”

Little Rice Grain put her feet together and hopped down the steps, laughing heartily, “Guess a riddle. Walking arrogantly, demons and monsters are frightened!”

Zhu Lian suddenly understood, “So it’s a Pagoda Suppressing Demons Talisman.”

Little Rice Grain chuckled, “It’s different, mine is called the Dragon Gate Talisman. Pei Qian treasures her Pagoda Suppressing Demons Talisman. It was hard to even see it before.”

When Pei Qian was little, it seemed that she would only take out that talisman and stick it on her forehead, playing with it, when she was in a bad mood.

Zhu Lian nodded with a smile. The little black charcoal back then liked to stick talismans on her forehead to embolden herself whenever she was scared. Otherwise, when she was tired from walking, she would take out that talisman with a *pa* sound, claiming to have increased her internal strength by at least sixty years, using Pei Qian’s words back then, “I’m carrying a house on my forehead, swaggering through the world. How can I be tired from walking? Following my master, together we’ll traverse mountains and soar through the clouds!”

Ah, how did she grow up?

Zhu Lian led Little Rice Grain to the outside of a residence, knocked on the door and entered. Someone was practicing sword furnace stance in the courtyard. He opened his eyes and said, “Mr. Zhu, Right Protector.”

Zhu Lian nodded, his expression playful, “Zhao Shuxia, starting tomorrow, you will finally worship a true Buddha.”

Zhao Shuxia was confused.

Little Rice Grain moved her lips slightly, reminding Zhao Shuxia of the answer.

Because on the way here, the Old Cook told her that the Good Mountain Lord was going to officially teach his disciple how to box for the first time in his life as a master.

Zhao Shuxia instantly became nervous.
Zhu Lian chuckled, “Zhao Shuxia, it’s right to be nervous. After all, in almost thirty years, only three people have been qualified to learn boxing on the second floor of the bamboo building. I believe there won’t be many more in the future, perhaps even the third person will be the last. So you must cherish this opportunity.”

The three who study fist techniques within the bamboo tower’s upper level: Chen Ping’an, Pei Qian, and Zhao Shuxia.

Chen Ping’an and Pei Qian both learned boxing from Cui Cheng. Starting tomorrow, Zhao Shuxia will learn boxing from Chen Ping’an.

In the entire history of teaching and learning martial arts on the bamboo building’s second floor, there are only four dedicated martial artists, and yet, three have reached the Grandmaster realm of Stopping-Point!

Because Zhu Lian has an intuition that the Zhao Shuxia before him will be Mountain Master Chen Ping’an’s closed-door disciple in the way of the fist.