Chen Ping’an smiled and picked up the book from the ground, dusting it off.

Just then, Cen Yuanji was descending the training posts, and Zhu Lian and Wei Bo appeared near the mountain gate archway with Nuan Shu and Xiao Mi Li. Chen Lingjun was even more moved to tears, shouting “Brother Dafeng!” at the top of his lungs.

Chen Ping’an immediately tossed the book to Zheng Dafeng. Zheng Dafeng pushed it away, slapping the book towards Immortal Wei Daoren. Immortal Wei felt like he’d received a hot potato, passing it along like in a game of hot potato, quickly tossing it to the old cook.

Zhu Lian was initially baffled. Just looking at the book’s title, it seemed like a proper book. But without even flipping through it, the old cook, judging by the book’s worn condition, especially the numerous dog-eared pages, knew something was amiss. He maintained a calm demeanor, pushing away Chen Lingjun’s approaching head, and subtly tucked the book into his robes.

The group gathered around a table. Nuan Shu was in charge of serving tea and water, while Xiao Mi Li distributed melon seeds, also giving Zheng Dafeng an extra bag of dried fish, as a welcome home treat.

Even Cen Yuanji, making an exception, paused her martial arts practice and sat beside the two young girls. Regardless, Zheng Dafeng was the first gatekeeper of Luopo Mountain. Although his gaze was sometimes inappropriate, he never acted indecently. Now that this man had returned home after many years away, she felt she should stop and sit down out of courtesy.

Chen Lingjun sat on a long bench with Zheng Dafeng, taking Zheng Dafeng’s hand and gently patting the back of it. “Dafeng, brother, I missed you!”

These were not just empty words. When Zheng Dafeng was the gatekeeper, Chen Lingjun had the best days, truly living like an immortal. Immortal Wei Daoren was not as witty and humorous as Brother Dafeng.

Zhu Lian and Wei Bo were, of course, extremely happy about Zheng Dafeng’s return, but neither of them bothered with polite greetings. After so many years, as close friends and fellow travelers on the path, there was no need for such formalities.

If one were to really count, the first small peak of Luopo Mountain was actually them three, only later adding Zhou Shouxi, who shared a similar disposition.

The lineage of Peiqian and the bamboo building’s secret register did not include Chen Lingjun. No one knew what Yun Zi’s ideal Jingqing Ancestor had been up to all these years.

Zheng Dafeng looked up at Luopo Mountain, the strong man nodding gently, quite pleased. “The green hills bloom like embroidered cheeks, as if they are flourishing for my return.”

The man then smiled at Cen Yuanji, who sat across the table from him.

*Ah, Cen Meizi is probably still unwed, waiting patiently for Dafeng Ge’s return with a devoted heart?*

Cen Yuanji nodded curtly in acknowledgement.

Zheng Dafeng smiled knowingly. *Cen Guniang is still as reserved as ever, always pretending to be indifferent to me.*

These years spent traveling between Feisheng City’s wine shop and Duhang Palace, whenever he drank and thought of home, he always remembered Cen Guniang’s figure, practicing her martial arts, going up and down the mountain.

*How moving it was, enough to change the mind of a loyal man who originally intended to remain celibate for life, to change his mind five or six times at a single glance.*

Chen Ping’an asked curiously, “How did you return?”

A pure martial artist, wanting to learn from a Feisheng Realm cultivator and travel to another world, was, after all, relying on their bare hands. Unable to use a Natal Treasure to open the way, they had to reach the ‘Divine Arrival’ state of the Supreme Martial Artist.

Especially wanting to “wade” through the River of Time without getting lost, it was indeed too harsh for a pure martial artist.

There was another path available, which was to obtain special permission from the Confucian Temple, like Grand Li’s Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhao Yao. But this was because Zhao Yao, besides belonging to the lineage of the Sage of Literature, was, in a way, also considered an unacknowledged disciple of Bai Ye. Coincidentally, the Old Scholar and Bai Ye had both been in the “Primordial Beginning” of the Five Colors World, jointly establishing “Creation of the World” merit.

Zheng Dafeng clearly did not fall into either of these categories.

“A mountain man has his own ingenious plans.”

Zheng Dafeng smiled and took out a treasure from his sleeve, glowing with a radiant light, shaped like a jujube pit, the length of a finger, but did not look like an old object from the mountain.

Chen Ping’an took it, weighed it in his hand, not finding it heavy, and asked in confusion, “Is this a shuttle used for weaving?”

Zheng Dafeng kept the suspense going, tsk-tsking with a smile, “What kind of eyesight does Mountain Master have? You only saw that this thing is related to the weaving industry? Try pouring some spiritual energy into it.”

When Chen Ping’an poured spiritual energy into the shuttle, the unassuming object began to show unusual signs. Within the subtle wooden grain of the shuttle, there were flashes of rainbow light, like arrows flying. If one held their breath and stared intently, one could occasionally see a pure white foal stepping on the flying arrows and rainbow light, like a bird fluttering on a branch. The white foal disregarded the constraints of the “riverbed” wooden grain waterways, freely traversing between the warp and weft lines. *Ah, the sun and moon like a shuttle, time like an arrow, a white foal passing through a crack, cows and donkeys walk busily across the bridge!* It was actually a talismanic item capable of ignoring the rules of the Great Dao, freely traversing the River of Time?

Zheng Dafeng had an agreement with Yang Laotou when he left home in his early years, arranging when and how to return to Haoran World.

Zheng Dafeng started to hawk his wares, lightly slapping the table with his palm, acting as a storyteller, saying, “In ancient times, in the old Yu Prefecture north of Chu Prefecture, there were often thunderstorms during the day, which over time formed a large marsh, imbued with the true meaning of thunder and lightning. Later, an unknown enlightened hermit sailed on the Thunder Marsh, casting nets and fishing, and accidentally caught a shuttle. When this shuttle emerged from the water and appeared in the world, a thunderbolt erupted in the clear sky, and a thunderstorm suddenly arrived. The shuttle transformed into a dragon and flew away, disappearing into the rainbow, its whereabouts unknown. It is said that this object has a very ancient origin. It was once the treasure of the Five Thunder Court in the Ancient Thunder Department, specially used to drive mountains and move lakes, stir the sea and uncover waves, elevate and descend Yin and Yang. In particular, this object was also an important relic used to shock and kill terrestrial waterlogged drought demons and overstepping and forbidden dragons.”

Chen Ping’an nodded upon hearing this. Ancient Shu had many rainy nights, and the water was connected to the sea’s Qi. Therefore, the wine in the gourd carried by the Pure Yang Daoren was brewed from the turbulent water of the Chongdan River. In addition, the Yuzhou territory often experienced daytime thunder, deterring thousands of dragons.

Zheng Dafeng urged, “Old Brother Jingqing, don’t you want to touch such a priceless and rare item?”

Because at the moment, Chen Ping’an deliberately suppressed the power of thunder within his palm, so that it would not pour outwards. Otherwise, for Chen Lingjun and Hongxia, dragons with a natural affinity for water, just a glance would be like mortals looking up at the scorching sun for too long, truly burning their eyes and causing them to tear up.

Chen Lingjun was eager to try, but cautiously navigated everything, laughing, “Do you take me for a fool? It has such an origin, and you describe it so mysteriously, it must be hot to the touch.”

Xiao Mi Li said, “The children in the small town often play the game of shuttlecock.”
In the past, whenever Pei Qian went to study at the village school, this Right Protector of Riding Dragon Lane would often bring the Left Protector to wait outside the school gate, standing guard like door gods, waiting for Pei Qian to be dismissed.

On the way back to Riding Dragon Lane, they often saw children from the marketplace gathering in the alleys, holding long wooden sticks and striking the end of a short shuttlecock on the ground. The shuttlecock would fly into the air, and they would swing their sticks again to hit it. Whoever’s shuttlecock flew the farthest would win. Often, children with good eyesight and great strength could win more than a dozen shuttlecocks as bets. After all, feather shuttlecocks required copper coins to be attached, while short shuttlecocks were made from the most ordinary wood, worthless, so every household had them. Pei Qian used to have a whole pile of shuttlecocks, all carved by the shopkeeper, Shi Rou. Her only playmate back then was Little Rice Grain, so when they played, whenever a shuttlecock flew far away, they would have the Riding Dragon Lane Left Protector fetch it back. Occasionally, Pei Qian would play a prank, seize the opportunity, and shout, “Go!” precisely hitting the wooden shuttlecock into the roadside outhouse. One can imagine the mood and expression of the Riding Dragon Lane Left Protector, who had already gained sentience and could transform at that time.

So, as long as Pei Qian was around, it truly dared not successfully transform!

Zheng Dafeng gave Little Rice Grain a thumbs-up, “Spot on! This is the second layer of origin of this shuttlecock, and the reason why it ended up in my hands. As expected, the Right Protector has good eyes. I haven’t seen you in years, I’m impressed!”

Little Rice Grain grinned and raised her hand, pressing down twice in a gesture of humility, “It’s nothing special, don’t be surprised.”

Only with Zheng Dafeng and Liu Keshui did Little Rice Grain always feel particularly clever.

Chen Ping An handed the shuttlecock back to Zheng Dafeng.

Zheng Dafeng carefully put it into his sleeve, using sound transmission to secretly speak to Chen Ping An, “It’s a toy that Li Huai, that little rascal, got tired of playing with when he was a kid. The little bastard used to come to the backyard of the pharmacy to play. The old man was afraid Li Huai would be bored, so he personally made some ingenious gadgets, including this shuttlecock. Li Huai never cared about it. Back then, he wore open-crotch pants and played with the shuttlecock in the backyard every day, having a blast. But the backyard suffered, with imprints of the shuttlecock on the doors and windows, which are still there today. Back then, I had to help my master patch the window paper every time. That’s not all. Later, Li Huai took it home to play, and it disappeared. He came back empty-handed and asked the master to make him another shuttlecock. The old man didn’t say anything to Li Huai, immediately went to the storage room, acted as a temporary carpenter, chopped wood and planed it, making a new shuttlecock for the little brat. He just told me, his disciple, to find it back. If I couldn’t find it, I didn’t have to come back.”

After all, since it involved the master and Li Huai, even though everyone present was from his own Fallen Phoenix Mountain, Zheng Dafeng couldn’t reveal too much. Being playful and carefree didn’t mean he was brainless.

Besides, leaving aside martial arts skills, in terms of master-disciple seniority, Li Er was nothing compared to him, Zheng Dafeng. After marrying a wife, she often blocked the door and cursed for years, almost driving his old master mad. This woman, whom Zheng Dafeng had to call “Sister-in-law,” really dared to curse. Back then, when Senior Brother Li Er lost his job at the pharmacy, she was unhappy, sitting in the pharmacy, throwing a tantrum on the floor, cursing the old man, who was her husband’s master, for being disrespectful, not being a good person, being an old bachelor with a lot of wicked schemes, always thinking about impropriety, even coveting his disciple’s wife. Either he would often squat in the corner of her yard at night, or he would try to get Li Er drunk and then insist on having her, a woman, accompany him for a drink…

Zheng Dafeng said helplessly, “As a result, I almost popped my eyes out, searching every street and alley in town. I finally found the shuttlecock. You can’t imagine where I found it, it was in a roadside outhouse, in a pile of corn husks. That bastard Li Huai is better at losing things than hiding them.”

Speaking of this, Zheng Dafeng, full of grievances, almost burst into tears on the spot. He, the most respectful disciple, was almost forced to sever his master-disciple relationship because of this little thing!

Afterward, Chen Ping An roughly talked about the recent situation on Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Wei Bo rose to say goodbye, saying he had made an appointment with Headmaster Gao to take her on a tour of Pīyún Mountain.

Zheng Dafeng glanced at the youth in green, Chen Lingjun immediately understood and sent a secret signal, using Jianghu slang, secretly giving Zheng Dafeng a hand gesture, like drinking and playing the finger-guessing game, giving the numbers eight, seven, and eight in sequence. He was informing Brother Dafeng about how Headmaster Gao looked from the front, side, and back, respectively.

Everything was implied without being said. Zheng Dafeng nodded slightly, somewhat surprised, but the man couldn’t help but feel a little regret that even if the total score remained the same, five, nine, nine would have been even better.

Since Zheng Dafeng had a clear idea, he had to remind him, “Mountain Lord Wei, remember to say a few good words for me, it would be best if Headmaster Gao could also visit me when she’s free. You don’t have to exaggerate, just tell her the truth, just say the host is elegant, the house is clean. Well, I’m going to air out the bedding now.”

Wei Bo agreed with a smile.

Afterward, Nuan Shu took Rice Grain up the mountain to work, Zhu Lian went to Far Screen Peak to cut down trees and bamboo, personally building the mansion and mountain roads, leaving only Chen Lingjun here to join in the fun.

In reality, the most awkward one was Immortal Officer Daoist.

Of course, he had long admired Zheng Dafeng, but with the owner coming, he, the guest who had occupied the magpie’s nest, would definitely have to move out, and perhaps even lose his job as a gatekeeper, which guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood.

Walking towards the residence together, Zheng Dafeng suddenly said, “In the Five Colored World, Cui Dongshan looked for me, inviting me to return to Immortal Capital Mountain to resume my old job as a gatekeeper. He said that Immortal Officer Daoist on Fallen Phoenix Mountain is hardworking, meritorious, and extremely responsible, so I think this matter can be considered. If the Mountain Lord is willing to let me go, when the Wind鸢 Ferry returns from Northern Club Reed Continent, I’ll go to Green Plume Sword Sect with the ferry.”

Cui Dongshan patted his chest and assured Zheng Dafeng that as long as he went to Immortal Capital Mountain, he would teach him what it means to have many beauties on the mountain, beauties with jade-like faces.

Zheng Dafeng only asked one question: Around Immortal Capital Mountain, are there any sects similar to Aóyú Back Pearl Hairpin Island or the 彩雀 Mansion on Northern Club Reed Continent?

Cui Dongshan vowed that as long as he agreed to be a gatekeeper at Immortal Capital Mountain, he would conjure them up for Zheng Dafeng!
Chen Ping’an rubbed his brow. If that successful student who poached talents from the Colorful World stood before him now, he’d beat a pristine white goose into a charcoal-black mess.

Zheng Dafeng sighed, “In that case, Miss Cen’s affections are destined to be unrequited.”

Chen Ping’an retorted, annoyed, “Don’t ruin a young lady’s reputation.”

Zheng Dafeng nodded in agreement, then kicked Chen Lingjun, whose sleeves were flapping wildly, in the backside. “Are you a useless good-for-nothing? Still not in the Jade Purity Realm?”

Chen Lingjun stumbled, enraged, “What do you think the Jade Purity Realm is? You want it, you get it? It’s there for the taking?”

Zheng Dafeng scoffed, “How were you bragging over at Warm Tree’s place? A trifling Jade Purity Realm, easily within your grasp, a piece of cake?”

Chen Lingjun was momentarily speechless, then tentatively asked, “Did Little Rice Grain tell you all this? Sigh, what a diligent busybody.”

Zheng Dafeng raised his foot again. “Need Little Rice Grain? I figured it out with my kneecaps.”

Chen Lingjun instinctively reached out to support Zheng Dafeng, but seeing his brother Dafeng lift and lower his leg, walking with swift and effortless strides, the boy in green robes was immediately abashed, grinning sheepishly.

Zheng Dafeng’s heart also warmed. When he said he was homesick, he meant it sincerely, without a hint of falsehood. The acting shopkeeper, even amidst laughter and pleasantries at the foreign tavern, couldn’t deny that new friends were ultimately no match for old ones.

Immortal Wei was truly a simple, honest, and considerate man. It turned out that after taking on the gatekeeper’s job, Immortal Wei had moved into the residence but hadn’t taken Zheng Dafeng’s main room. The imposter Taoist was merely living in a side room.

Hearing that there was wine at Immortal Wei’s place, Zheng Dafeng put away the key to the main room, saying that it would be better to sit and chat with Immortal Wei over drinks.

Immortal Wei was a little embarrassed, saying that his room was a bit messy.

This side room served as both Immortal Wei’s living quarters and his study. Being a gatekeeper was the most leisurely of jobs, and Immortal Wei read widely and diligently, always with a book in hand. Plus, he liked to write things down, resulting in stationery and books mixed together on the table. Moreover, when Immortal Wei read, he often switched between books as if visiting relatives, browsing and examining them, then casually placing them aside after reading. Therefore, the scrolls and volumes on the table were in disarray, truly a mess.

Furthermore, Immortal Wei was accustomed to a frugal life and was very sentimental, reluctant to discard old writing brushes. He had asked Chen Lingjun to buy a celadon pot shaped like a jar from the town’s shop, specifically to hold the discarded brushes. Over the years, the old brushes gradually rose above the pot, resembling a mountain of discarded writing implements.

Chen Ping’an, as the mountain master, was actually entering the residence for the first time. He was extremely surprised to see the celadon pot. It was clear to anyone who wasn’t blind that Immortal Wei loved to read, but Chen Ping’an hadn’t expected him to use so many writing brushes. What was he writing? It couldn’t be those scandalous romance novels, could it? Was he thinking of finding a publisher and making money selling books in the future? Therefore, he surveyed the surroundings. Besides a few bamboo baskets placed in the corner of the room, filled with bound “books,” there were also some scattered manuscripts on the table, probably his thoughts or excerpts from his reading? Chen Ping’an pulled out one of the manuscripts from under a book. The handwriting was ordinary, merely neat. As for the content… Chen Ping’an was speechless. There were only a few words on the paper, “Having studied the Dao in the deep mountains, I am old,” a lament of loneliness. If one borrowed the line “A fallen hairpin lies across a crystal pillow” from a book or neighbor, it would be transformed into something wonderful.

Zheng Dafeng craned his neck to glance at the content on the paper, nodded lightly, then shook his head slightly. The man suddenly seemed to become a Confucian sage, serene and composed, beginning to instruct the younger generation: “If you added a commentary like ‘A single hairpin faces two pillows,’ it would be enough to make the viewer’s imagination run wild. At this moment, there would be a hint of ‘silence is better than sound.'”

Immortal Wei slapped his palm with his fist, his face radiant, “Brother Dafeng is indeed a senior expert!”

Zheng Dafeng smiled and said, “Commentary upon commentary, add one more line: ‘Both pillows are stained with rouge.'”

Chen Lingjun chuckled slyly. Immortal Wei pondered for a moment and then understood, his eyes lighting up as he exchanged a glance with Zheng Dafeng, each nodding in agreement.

If Immortal Wei hadn’t been immersed in the sea of books within this residence for so long, opening his eyes and broadening his horizons, he wouldn’t have understood what Zheng Dafeng was talking about.

Chen Ping’an picked up the book that was being used as a “paperweight,” intending to put the piece of paper back in its place, suppressing it under the book again. Helplessly, he said, “Can you guys tone it down a bit?”

He already regretted his previous thought. Back at the Patriarch Hall on Jise Peak, after receiving Flying Sword Transmission from Senior Brother Mao, Chen Ping’an had considered inviting Immortal Wei to join the listening session.

However, when Chen Ping’an glanced at the second piece of paper on the table, he immediately put down the book and paper he was holding and picked up the piece of paper covered in tiny, fly-like script.

Zheng Dafeng exclaimed, “Why is Brother Immortal Wei being so unprofessional?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t look up, but carefully browsed the content on the paper, retorting with a laugh, “There’s a limit to nonsense. How is this being unprofessional?”

Immortal Wei looked embarrassed, wishing he could dig a hole and hide, his voice barely audible, “Overestimating myself, making a fool of myself.”

In front of Brother Dafeng, whom he had long admired, Immortal Wei always considered himself a junior.

Zheng Dafeng picked up the remaining papers on the table, quickly flipping through them, his face losing its previous playful expression. He nodded, saying, “Brother Immortal Wei is well-read and ambitious. Is he planning to follow the old path of the ‘Mountain Book’ of Huainanzi, but finding the former meager and thin, preparing to greatly expand it? This is a huge project, something that should be decreed by the imperial court, with dozens of old scholars from the entire Hanlin Academy collating, compiling, and summarizing. Brother Immortal Wei actually wants to take on this burden alone. Impressive, impressive. Being the gatekeeper of Fallen Mountain suits you perfectly.”

It turned out that this Immortal Wei was planning to imitate the approach of that famous work, extracting its events and calling the main outline “Big Mountain,” then categorizing by naming the categories after the Five Peaks. Extracting its words and calling them “Little Mountain,” then further classifying them as Hills, Ridges, and Peaks. Furthermore, the content that included detailed events and rhymes registered under other rhymes was named “Hidden Mountain.” The unofficial histories and trivial anecdotes were classified as “Water Mountain,” hidden beneath the mountain range and submerged in water. Then, the wonderful events and words between the various mountains on land and sea were extracted separately and classified as spirit gathering sites and treasure troves, like the grotto heavens of the true immortals and the underwater dragon palaces…
The Immortal Wei, feeling inadequate, said with a touch of self-deprecation, “I was inspired by Brother Dafeng’s actions, only then did I dare to attempt such a mantis-like defiance. From the very beginning, I didn’t expect any specific outcome, and it was highly likely I’d abandon it halfway.”

Zheng Dafeng was taken aback. “How so?”

The Immortal Wei asked for a moment and then ran to the corner where a dustpan lay. From a book he tore out a page resembling a preface and handed it to Zheng Dafeng, explaining with a smile, “Isn’t Brother Dafeng proficient in Buddhist studies? Those Buddhist scriptures often contain pages filled with insights and annotations. I repeatedly read them and over time, I compiled Brother Dafeng’s insightful observations into a rough summary. After that, still feeling unsatisfied, I came up with the rough idea of building ‘The Mountains’…”

Zheng Dafeng initially didn’t take it seriously, but after seeing the preface page, he silently handed it over to Chen Ping’an. Chen Ping’an took it and glanced at the opening lines, and although he seemed composed, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

The calligraphy on the page was in a stele-like regular script, beginning with a grandiose declaration.

“The Taoist Immortal Wei, dwelling in deep mountains, intimate with flora and fauna, attuned to the changes of seasons, gained insights while ascending heights. Being a layman to Buddhism, naturally, I shall not view the Buddhist scriptures, rules, treatises, views, and meditation with prejudice. I shall relate them to the four seasons of a human year. Scriptures represent the exuberant growth, the vibrant vitality, the origin of the year, hence, Spring. Rules represent the magnificent arrangement, the flourishing appearance of plants and trees, Summer. Treatises represent the piercing wind, the season when flowers and fruits mature, Autumn. Views represent the profound clarity, like the snow-covered world, where heaven and earth become one color, Winter. Meditation represents the seamless, harmonious flow, like the year’s cycle, which, though silent, follows the seasons in an orderly fashion.”

Zheng Dafeng rubbed his chin and smiled. “Immortal Wei and I are both gatekeepers of the Fallen Mountain. Those who come later strive to surpass those who came before. Would you say that I have successors?”

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment before saying softly, “My judgment of people is still very good, as good as ever.”

Chen Lingjun glanced at the page in his master’s hand, understanding nothing, but with his hands behind his back, he pretended to comprehend and nodded approvingly. “Taoist Priest Xianwei, not bad, not bad. The books were not read in vain.”

Immortal Wei assumed that the mountain master and Brother Dafeng were joking. He opened a bag filled with charcoal and added some white charcoal to the brazier. It was all made by the old cook. Last winter, Nuan Shu would regularly deliver it to the house down the mountain. Later, Immortal Wei felt it was inappropriate for a little girl in a pink dress to carry such a large bag, and the little steward would be covered in charcoal dust after a trip. Once, Immortal Wei climbed the mountain to find Zhu Lian, intending to carry two bags back to the house at the foot of the mountain himself. Zhu Lian smiled and said that it would be an exception, because Nuan Shu liked doing these small tasks. Adding one or two more would be like finding a few copper coins on the ground, making her happy. But if some of the routine tasks she was used to suddenly didn’t need to be done, Nuan Shu would be disappointed, like losing money.

Sitting around the brazier, lighting the charcoal, Immortal Wei skillfully set up an iron grill and asked Chen Lingjun to bring a string of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) from the kitchen. The group sat around the fire, warming wine.

Chen Ping’an asked, “What about Ascend Cloud City?”

Zheng Dafeng didn’t speak, but stared at Chen Ping’an with a strange expression.

Chen Ping’an asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

Zheng Dafeng remained silent for a long time.

Chen Ping’an became more and more puzzled and couldn’t help but urge him, “Just say it. If something really happened, I can go there immediately.”

He would take Xiao Mo with him. If necessary, he would also take Xie Gou. Anyway, Xie Gou’s agreement with Bai Ze and the Central Earth Confucian Temple didn’t include the Five Colors World.

Zheng Dafeng then smiled and said, “Don’t mention Ascend Cloud City, the entire Five Colors World is like that right now. It’s silent, suppressed. No one has anything to say.”

All of this was because of one person’s words.

After traveling the vast world of Haoran with his sword and returning to the Five Colors World, Ning Yao soon convened a meeting of the Ancestral Hall. In her final speech, she was concise, saying that she planned to enter a short seclusion, lasting from a year and a half to two or three years.

Chen Ping’an was speechless and could only grin.

The number of Upper Fifth Realm cultivators in the Five Colors World was countable. There were at most a handful of Immortal Realm cultivators, and Ning Yao was the only one in the Ascend Cloud Realm.

Moreover, before Ning Yao went to the Five Colors World and entered the Jade Purity Realm, if Chen Ping’an remembered correctly, she had only secluded herself once.

At that time, he was in the Ning Mansion. That time, Ning Yao didn’t spend much time. Her so-called seclusion was more like a period of quiet rest. Therefore, Ning Yao’s seclusion was completely different from the seclusions that any cultivator in the world had to treat with the utmost caution. So, when Ning Yao suddenly said that she was going into seclusion, and it would take “as long as” one or two years, it was normal for the sword cultivators in Ascend Cloud City to be shocked. As for the rest of the Five Colors World outside Ascend Cloud City, what could they say after hearing this?

Anyone who dared to provoke the sword cultivators of Ascend Cloud City during Ning Yao’s seclusion could imagine the consequences after she emerged.

The last person who didn’t believe it was Taoist Shan Qing. As a result of a sword contest, this closed-door disciple of the Taoist Ancestor had to go into seclusion to recover.

Zheng Dafeng said with a sour tone, “Before secluding herself to refine her sword, Ning Yao specifically sought me out when she learned that I was leaving, instructing me to talk less about the Five Colors World, lest you be distracted.”

In fact, after these years of cooperation, Ascend Cloud City was already operating in an orderly manner, with each person performing their duties. The young sword cultivators and the martial artists of the Winter Refuge Palace had also gradually grown up.

Zheng Dafeng sighed, “I never thought the Fallen Mountain would have a lower sect so soon.”

“Choosing the Tongye Continent for the lower sect is the right decision. In peaceful times, it’s easy to see how difficult it is to raise a local king in the border region of a country after reading a few history books. By the same token, within a continent, raising a few Upper Fifth Realm cultivators, especially sects, is also quite difficult.”
In Treasure Bottle Continent, especially in the north-central regions untouched by war, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, along with suitable locations for earth immortals to establish their abodes, are limited. It’s not just a case of too many monks and not enough gruel, but a situation where one person’s gain is another’s loss. A loud snore in one’s sleep could disturb a neighbor on the adjacent mountain peak, making long-term harmonious relationships between neighbors difficult. If Blacksmith Ruan hadn’t relocated Dragon Spring Sword Sect, I’m certain that within a century, they would have been at odds with Fallen Mountain. Just like how there are a hundred people for every sack of rice, disciples would inevitably clash in various ways in the future. In contrast, Azure Leaf Continent has few monks and plenty of gruel, with vast expanses of unclaimed land. The only reason it’s not already swarming with settlers is because Azure Leaf Continent is far from other continents, and has Treasure Bottle Continent and Pāṃśu Continent, both in dire need of reconstruction by the Confucian Temple, serving as buffer zones. Otherwise, if it were Flowing Rosy Cloud Continent or Snowy White Continent, even if Azure Canopy Sword Sect were successfully established, it wouldn’t have the momentum it has today. The key is that it can act as an outsider, rallying allies from all sides to completely dominate and control the excavation of a brand-new Great River.”

Chen Lingjun said with a playful grin, “Brother Da Feng, if you keep talking so seriously, I won’t even recognize you.”

Zheng Dafeng picked up the iron tongs and poked at the charcoal fire, asking, “Could it be that women here nowadays no longer fancy romantic lads with witty words and unparalleled talent, and have instead turned to liking those who are rigid, taciturn, and honest?”

Chen Lingjun replied, “Ugliness is never pleasing, and that will remain true even ten thousand years from now.”

Ignoring their banter, Chen Pingan reached out and turned the slightly charred and fragrant rice dumplings. He rubbed his fingertips and asked, “Have you really decided to settle down at Azure Canopy Sword Sect?”

Zheng Dafeng nodded and smiled, “A seasoned rogue gets restless in his old age; I’ve never been one to stay put. It’s my fate to wander.”

Chen Pingan was speechless.

Immortal Attendant spoke up, “Brother Da Feng, if you’re going to the Lower Sect because of me, there’s no need. I can move to the mountain or Riding Dragon Lane. If you don’t mind the inconvenience, and don’t find me an eyesore, then I’ll shamelessly stay here…”

Zheng Dafeng waved his hand, interrupting Immortal Attendant’s words, and picked up a golden-brown rice dumpling. “To say that it has nothing to do with Brother Immortal Attendant would be a lie, but honestly, the connection is minimal. First, I can’t offer any assistance here. The martial artists of Fallen Mountain are either like the Mountain Master or Old Chef, or like Wei Hailiang and Lu Baixiang, who seem to have moved out independently. Do they need me to teach them martial arts? I would like to, but they’re not interested in learning. Having taught martial arts in the Cold Avoidance Palace of Ascended City for many years, I’ve gained some insights. According to Cui Dongshan, the Lower Sect specifically designated Cloud Rise Mountain as a place for martial artists to learn martial arts. If I go there, I’ll have a purpose. Moreover, in the small town, the women who used to admire my talent and desire my body could still be considered mature beauties with lingering charm, but now, how old are they? If nothing unexpected happened, they probably have grandchildren. What could we even say if we met? It would only add to the melancholy.”

Chen Lingjun rolled his eyes and said, “Even eating a rice dumpling makes you so disgusting.”

Then, the green-robed boy exchanged a look with Zheng Dafeng, and both of them chuckled.

Immortal Attendant only understood some bookish knowledge; his understanding was not profound, and he couldn’t grasp the subtlety of the situation for a moment.

Chen Pingan said, “That Daoist with the Daoist name ‘Mountain Green’ will participate in this Three Teachings Debate.”

Zheng Dafeng twitched his lips. “He’s just being conscripted to make up the numbers. That young Daoist’s debating skills are probably even worse than his fighting skills.”

Chen Pingan sighed and began to defend the Daoist Patriarch’s closed-door disciple, “It’s not shameful to lose to Ning Yao.”

Zheng Dafeng said with a smile, “Like you asking for a fight and losing to Cao Ci? Three fights at the Sword Qi Great Wall, one at the Merit Forest. How many more do you plan to lose?”

Chen Lingjun coughed several times, complaining, “Brother Da Feng, watch your words. If we weren’t brothers, I’d slap you across the face.”

Zheng Dafeng raised his palm and made a chop towards Chen Lingjun’s head. Chen Lingjun immediately raised his elbow to block the chop.

One said that the young hero was young but had profound inner strength and could travel the world alone, while the other said that the old rogue was not bad either, still strong in his old age, and worthy of his experiences among the flowers.

Having long been accustomed to this, Chen Pingan said to himself, “I estimate that I’ll have to lose to Cao Ci in another two or three sparring sessions.”

Zheng Dafeng said bluntly, “If you lose two or three more times, you won’t have to continue competing with Cao Ci for the rest of your life, right?”

Chen Pingan nodded with a smile.

It was a great truth. At most, he would lose to Cao Ci three times. If he lost the third time, there would be no need to ask Cao Ci for a fight to determine the victor.

Because by then, asking for a fight would simply be Cao Ci teaching him martial arts.

Chen Pingan suddenly asked, “Can this shuttle that helps martial artists cross two worlds be replicated?”

Zheng Dafeng nodded and said, “The material of the shuttle is too rare; ordinary people shouldn’t even think about it. Even a talisman grandmaster like Yu Xuan would be helpless without the raw materials. However, with my master’s methods and resources, of course it’s possible. Why do you ask?”

Chen Pingan said, “Su Dian from the pharmacy, she left her hometown alone some time ago, and even Stone Spirit Mountain doesn’t know where she went.”

Zheng Dafeng smiled and said, “Could it be that my junior sister eloped with some man? Stone Spirit Mountain would be devastated if he knew the truth. Rouge is right not to tell him.”

Chen Pingan said, “Su Dian may have gone to Azure Clarity World.”

Zheng Dafeng asked, “Is there a reason for this?”

Chen Pingan said in his heart, “It’s just a guess. Because I suspect that the last sacrificial official of the Sword Qi Great Wall once came to Lizhu Grotto-Heaven, then lived incognito here. This person may now be in Azure Clarity World, and might even be the founding patriarch of the Crimson Gold Dynasty’s Crow Mountain, martial artist Lin Jiangxian.”

Chen Pingan had once asked Lü Yan about the matter of Lin Jiangxian’s martial arts prowess. However, Lü Yan did not elaborate on how high this “Teacher Lin’s” martial arts were, and did not give examples or compare him to martial artists like Pei Bei or Zhang Tiaoxia of vastness. Instead, this Pure Yang Daoist, who had once traveled to Azure Clarity World, only gave the explanation that “his swordsmanship is even higher.”

No more needed to be said.

It had already indirectly verified the answer in Chen Pingan’s heart.

Zheng Dafeng gave him a look.

Chen Pingan summoned his natal flying sword, instantly isolating the world.
Clearly, Zheng Dafeng felt that communicating through a cultivator’s heartfelt thoughts and focusing sound into a thread of secret whispers were still not secure enough, fearing eavesdroppers beyond the walls and worrying that hidden, profound grand cultivators in the small town might be listening in.

Only then did Zheng Dafeng continue, “Is Lin Jiangxian the last sacrificial official of your Sword Qi Great Wall? Assuming he is, why would he abandon the position and sneak into the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven? And how did he ultimately become a pure martial artist? I dare not make a rash judgment. As for whether Lin Jiangxian left the Azure Underworld from the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, don’t guess. I can tell you now, with absolute certainty, that he did. Because this person has an undeniable identity: he’s one of my, Li Er’s, and Yanzhi’s ‘Senior Brother’.”

“I remember one time when I was drinking with Senior Brother Li Er, he had quite a bit to drink and inadvertently let it slip that Master felt that among all the direct disciples and unregistered apprentices, only one truly possessed good aptitude for martial arts, and this was many years ago. His surname was Xie, given name Xin’en. You’ve read plenty, kid, so you should know that Xie Xin’en is the name of a ci poetry tune, and Lin Jiangxian, being a homophone of ‘Linjiangxian,’ is the same tune. Whether it’s Linjiangxian, Xie Xin’en, or Yanhuhou, these ci tunes, with different names but the same meaning, are mostly about mourning the dead, reflecting on the past, or lamenting female immortals by the water, which does have some connection to ancient sacrifices. I remember when the old man was free in the medicine shop, he would often browse a mountain and river travelogue written by a foreign sword immortal. So your conjecture that Lin Jiangxian is the last sacrificial official of the Sword Qi Great Wall is traceable and reasonable.”

“That girl Yanzhi, since she’s gone out, she must have secretly taken a replica of the flying shuttle to the Azure Underworld to learn boxing from this Senior Brother. She’s ambitious and has always wanted to test her martial skills against you. Learning boxing from this Senior Brother Lin gives her a ‘one in ten thousand’ chance, otherwise, there’s no chance at all. Master still takes good care of her. Whether it’s because he likes the girl’s temperament or because he pities her dependent uncle, extending his affection to her house and crows, I can clearly feel that Master treats her and looks at Shi Lingshan completely differently. As for whether Su Dian himself has a background, whether he, like her uncle, is a reincarnation of some deity, I don’t know and don’t want to know.”