Not far outside the east gate of the small town, there was a post station, established around the same time as the Huaihuang County Government. Officially named Rugu Station, the townspeople still preferred to call it Cockcrow Station. Like with Crab Alley, the townsfolk were fond of, and skilled at, giving nicknames to people and things. Zheng Dafeng spent his day wandering to Cockcrow Station. The station chief was a local, a former clerk at the Dragon Kiln Supervision Office. It was just a change of scenery; neither position held any official rank. He had worked his way up from a mere station attendant to finally become the head honcho.

In his younger days, he and Zheng Dafeng were close companions at the drinking and gambling tables. Zheng Dafeng would bet big, and he would bet small, always winning money. Then they would go to Huang Erniang’s shop for drinks, which Zheng Dafeng would invariably put on his tab. The chief had saved quite a bit of marriage money this way, and it was said he was even trying to secure a position at the express delivery office for his useless grandson. Seeing Zheng Dafeng, who had disappeared for many years, he greeted him with great warmth. However, the station chief had many duties, and while they reminisced, couriers carrying official documents would frequently come to have them signed and verified. Zheng Dafeng, not wanting to disturb his busy old friend, arranged to drink together when he had time. Before leaving, Zheng Dafeng suddenly asked, “You’re not a senior brother, are you?”

The station chief was stunned for a moment, asking him what he meant. Zheng Dafeng quickly said it was nothing, nothing at all, and strolled out of the station. He blamed Chen Ping’an for making him so suspicious. Besides the station, Zheng Dafeng went to the old Immortal Graveyard on this trip down the mountain, because today was the third day of the second month. Zheng Dafeng went to the Confucian Temple, but instead of going to the main hall to worship those sages who feasted on cold pig heads, he chose a side hall and, with hands clasped, chanted before one of the statues, his expression unusually solemn.

Zheng Dafeng was too lazy to return to his mud house near the town’s east gate, which didn’t even have a mosquito in it. It saddened him just thinking about it. Leaving the station road, he found a secluded spot, hung up his sword talisman, and produced a concealing talisman. Riding the wind, he headed to Ox Horn Ferry, flicking the talisman between his fingers. Zheng Dafeng called it the “Wall Root Peacemaking Talisman,” also known as the “Rafter Gentleman Talisman.” The man sighed sadly, feeling that such a valuable talisman was being wasted in his hands, used for trivial matters, a true waste of talent.

The Parcel Lodge at Ox Horn Ferry wasn’t doing very well. Zheng Dafeng, with his hands clasped behind his back, entered the quiet shop. The female cultivator from Pearl Hairpin Island behind the counter heard the footsteps. When she looked up and saw who it was, she rolled her eyes and immediately lowered her head, resuming her reading.

Zheng Dafeng leaned against the counter, smiling. “Little Guanqing, long time no see, you’ve grown up.”

He emphasized the last few words.

The woman named Guanqing looked up and saw him quickly averting his gaze. Enraged, she snapped, “You can’t say anything nice, can you!”

Zheng Dafeng sighed. “Why not say ‘a dog can’t change its nature’? So, little Guanqing is still a lady, can’t even curse properly, so light, it’s like a tickle.”

Guanqing glared. “Hey, Zheng, I’m warning you, say what you need to say and then get out of here!”

She had had enough of this self-proclaimed romantic when she was managing the shop, with his corny, sickening “sweet nothings.” Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.

How could such an upstanding person like Mr. Chen have found such an unreliable person to be the gatekeeper of Fallen Phoenix Mountain?

Zheng Dafeng gently pounded his chest and coughed a few times, asking, “Where are Sister Liuxia and Little Baique? Aren’t they with you? As soon as I returned to my hometown, I immediately asked the Mountain Lord if they had lost or gained weight, and if their cultivation was going smoothly. The Mountain Lord said they are both idle on the back of the Snapping Turtle now.”

Guanqing grabbed an abacus and threw it at him. Zheng Dafeng ducked and turned, then lightly kicked the abacus with his toe, caught it, gently placed it on the table, opened his palm, and rolled the beads, laughing, “How’s that, big brother Dafeng’s move, is it still dashing, or even better than before?”

Guanqing took a deep breath. “Zheng Dafeng, if you keep being so shameless, I’m going to Fallen Phoenix Mountain to complain to Mountain Lord Chen! If Mountain Lord Chen plays peacemaker, then I’m just going to abandon the business here! If you try to disgust me with even half a word, you’ll have to go to Snapping Turtle’s back to try to force your way through the mountain gate!”

Zheng Dafeng wiped his face and, surprisingly, didn’t say another word, limping away silently.

Just as Guanqing felt a bit guilty, wondering if she had been too harsh, the man suddenly leaned back, poking his head back in, “Little Guanqing, are you really that heartless? Big brother Dafeng specially shaved and put on clean clothes for you today. Won’t you ask big brother Dafeng where he’s been all these years, whether he’s married and had children…”

Remembering a foolproof trick, Guanqing copied her junior sister Baique, put two fingers together, waved them forcefully, and said in a deep voice, “Disappear!”

Zheng Dafeng immediately reached out and grabbed something, as if tucking it into his arms, and then left contentedly.

Zheng Dafeng visited every shop with a temporary manager from Pearl Hairpin Island, flirting with them as he had with little Guanqing.

The refreshed man arrived at a shop with a plaque that read “Eternal Years Studio,” straightening his clothes. He absolutely couldn’t retreat again today.

Ox Horn Ferry only rented a small number of Parcel Lodges to outsiders, of which Changchun Palace occupied two, the rent being negligible.

The shopkeeper was a middle-aged female cultivator, neither ugly nor beautiful. She was currently rereading her beloved *Orchid Catalog*.

She was no stranger to Zheng Dafeng. Seeing the man who hadn’t shown his face for many years, she immediately leaned over the counter and smiled charmingly. “Oh, isn’t this Brother Dafeng, out for a stroll? Come, come, quickly let that little sparrow out of its cage for this sister to play with. What are you standing there for? While there are no outsiders in the shop, what’s so embarrassing? You’ve been wandering outside for so many years, and you’re still so shy. Look at you, so pathetic…”

Zheng Dafeng winced. He really couldn’t handle it, and could only reply with a somewhat bashful expression, “Daoist Lianlong, you can’t treat guests like this. You’ll scare them away.”

The woman, whose Daoist name was Lianlong, picked up a tangerine from a fruit plate on the counter and threw it hard at the man’s crotch, sneering. “Where’s the swagger you had at the nearby shops?”
Zheng Dafeng hastily bent to catch the hidden weapon, and said sheepishly, “It’s not that I’m not handsome enough, and my appearance doesn’t give me any advantage, so I have to work harder on sweet talk.”

Lian Long was minding the shop as a way to pass the time and relax. She was of the same generation and lineage as the current palace master of Changchun Palace, but with a higher seniority and younger age. She was the kind of closed-door disciple who “started strong but didn’t finish well.” Because she could never break through the Dragon Gate Realm bottleneck, she was discouraged and took the initiative to come here to watch the store. Zheng Dafeng used to come to the store to chat often, and since they were both talkative and didn’t mind any topic, Lian Long really missed him a bit after not seeing him for so many years. Of course, it had absolutely nothing to do with romantic feelings.

Zheng Dafeng leaned against the counter with his elbow, tilted his body, reached out to smooth his hair, and bragged about how familiar he was with Zhu Ou, the author of “Orchid Manual,” and that he would definitely introduce him to Sister Lian Long if he had the chance. He then used some refined language, saying that living quietly in the mountains, as a master of forests, springs, smoke, and mist, one day felt like two, and if one lived to be ninety, it would be like one hundred and eighty, which was quite a lot. He also spoke of the three pleasures of leisure, which could nourish one’s life: eating spring bamboo shoots, wearing wistaria clothes in summer, and reading forbidden books on snowy nights…

Lian Long just liked this ugly man’s refined air. To tell the truth, if Zheng Dafeng’s appearance wasn’t so wretched, he really wouldn’t be a bachelor to this day.

Changchun Palace and Luopo Mountain had formed a good connection, thanks to “Yu Mi,” who pretended to be a guest elder of Piyun Mountain and a cultivator of the Guanhai Realm back then.

Yu Mi, under the guise of helping to protect the Dao, traveled south with several female cultivators from Song Yulin’s lineage. Because a Dali patrol envoy urgently needed branches from a ten-thousand-year pine tree for medicine, he asked the Changchun Palace female cultivators to help him ask for it from the Fengxue Temple. However, the ancient pine tree named “Changqing” grew on the Fengxue Temple’s Immortal Platform, and Wei Jin, the great sword immortal who was the only seedling of the Immortal Platform, became the only master with the power to cut branches. Therefore, even though they knew that Changchun Palace had a special status on Dali’s mountains, and that the Qinxhi family patriarch of Danigou had a close relationship with Song Yu, the Supreme Elder of Changchun Palace, the group of female cultivators still ran into a wall as expected and returned empty-handed. Unexpectedly, when returning to Niujiaodu, Yu Mi secretly gave Han Biya a piece of ten-thousand-year pine, which was later verified by Changchun Palace to indeed come from the ancient pine “Changqing.” The old dragon-gate realm woman, who was originally uneasy, was able to give an explanation to the ancestral hall of her sect because of this, and Changchun Palace also had a satisfactory explanation to the patrol envoy.

In addition, at the Liquan ferry boat of Changchun Palace, because Zhu Fengxian, who traveled with Grandmaster Yu Hong from the capital at that time, was also on the boat, Chen Ping’an once appeared on the ferry boat with Xiao Mo and met Gan Yi, the ferry boat steward whose Daoist name was Wusong.

In Bao Ping Continent, only this Liquan ferry boat did not require any money to dock at any ferry. Moreover, in those years, only the Liquan ferry boat could freely enter and leave all the ferries taken over by the Dali military during the war.

A female cultivator from another place whom Zheng Dafeng had never seen before came to the shop. She saw the man inside spraying saliva everywhere, and may have heard Lian Long’s mental introduction, so she took the initiative to say, “Greetings, Mr. Zheng. My name is Gan Yi, from Changchun Palace.”

Zheng Dafeng nodded immediately and said, “Hello, Aunt Gan, very good, very good. You can call me Dafeng, or even Little Zheng.”

Gan Yi heard the man’s “misunderstanding” and had to explain with a smile, “Gan from sweetness, and Yi from refreshing.”

Zheng Dafeng said aggrievedly, “Otherwise? How could I not recognize the famous Steward Gan of the Liquan ferry boat?”

A person’s spiritual energy, their whole spirit, resides in their eyes. This golden core female cultivator deserved the praise of “bright eyes and beautiful pupils.” Especially when Sister Gan Yi smiled, she had two dimples.

Gan Yi dismissed it with a smile. She had seen too many ruffians, both on and off the mountains, and didn’t need one more in front of her.

Zheng Dafeng was about to say goodbye and leave, as he had been chatting with Sister Lian Long for half a day and was thirsty and parched. He planned to go to his sworn brother’s Beiyue Mountain Lord’s mansion for a drink.

People who are not familiar with historical allusions, even the current court historians, probably would not know what the “Liquan” ferry boat meant to the Dali Song family.

When the Dali Song family was still a vassal state of the Lu family, whenever there was a drought, they needed to borrow this magic treasure ferry boat from Changchun Palace to summon clouds and rain, and invite Changchun Palace immortals to cast spells for rain.

It can be said that in the most difficult years of the Dali Song family, the appearance of this ferry boat in the sky above the cracked land was a kind of…hope.

Therefore, the recent hundred years of Changchun Palace’s chronicles can’t be described as anything but “full of smoke, clouds, and purple nobility.”

Because in addition to three generations of Dali Song emperors frequently visiting Changchun Palace, the current Dali Empress Dowager Nan Zan once lived here in seclusion to recuperate. The key point was that even the State Preceptor Cui Chan had personally attended two opening ceremonies for Changchun Palace female cultivators promoting to golden core land immortals. This is unimaginable now. Asking that Embroidered Tiger to attend a sect’s celebration? Not to mention a newly established sect, even could the Yunlin Jiang family invite him?

At the Zhengyang Mountain viewing ceremony, the imperial court only sent the patrol envoy Cao Ping. Even earlier, when the Longquan Sword Sect was established and Liu Xianyang took over as the sect master, the Dali Minister of Rites came forward.

Gan Yi heard the shopkeeper Lian Long’s mental voice again, hesitated for a moment, and said to Zheng Dafeng in her mind, “Mr. Zheng, I have something to discuss.”

Zheng Dafeng stopped immediately, turned around, rubbed his hands, and said with a smile, “I am not yet married.”

Gan Yi pretended not to hear it and said to herself, “I am willing to sell Tiaoyu Mountain to Luopo Mountain. I wonder if Mr. Zheng can pass the message and inform Mountain Master Chen for me?”

Zheng Dafeng nodded with a smile and said, “Easy, easy, I will definitely pass it on.”

Besides the Huimeng Mountain, which serves as its affiliated mountain to the north, Luopo Mountain has three neighbors: Tiandu Peak, Tiaoyu Mountain, and Fuyao Ridge, each with its own master.

However, unlike Yidaifeng, which is relatively low-key and its resident cultivators rarely show their faces, especially Tiandu Peak, where the cultivators seem to be restricted from leaving and in closed-door cultivation, almost no one comes down the mountain. Moreover, although the Dali Dynasty has secret records regarding the identities of the three mountain masters, it never leaks them to the outside world, and Luopo Mountain has no intention of investigating the matter.
Every time a wind-riding cultivator travels between Fallen Phoenix Mountain and the small town, they would consciously keep a distance, circling around the mountain.

Unexpectedly, Jumping Fish Mountain was actually privately owned by Gan Yi.

Lian Long was greatly surprised that Zheng Dafeng had left the shop just like that.

Walking down the street, Zheng Dafeng frowned slightly, because Gan Yi carried a familiar aura of antiquity.

Having his soul replenished, Zheng Dafeng, although not recovering certain memories, seemed to have gained several mystical abilities out of thin air. Moreover, with every sight, be it a person, object, or scenery, it was as if he suddenly possessed a key to unlock a door. The appearance of Gan Yi inexplicably reminded Zheng Dafeng of a blessed land of great antiquity, long vanished from the vast world.

This all fits.

Back then, Mi Yu, entrusted by Wei Bo, secretly protected a group from Changchun Palace undergoing trials. In the team was a little girl named Zhong Nan, very young but of high seniority. The old woman leading the group was only in the Dragon Gate realm. The other three maidens were all top-tier cultivation prospects of Changchun Palace, and it was their first time descending the mountain for trials. Logically, taking four such precious darlings for a stroll, even a Golden Core Earth Immortal might not be enough, how could they have just let a Dragon Gate realm cultivator be their leader?

At the same time, the most important matter of this trial for the Changchun Palace female cultivators was to ask Wind and Snow Temple for a piece of ten-thousand-year pine, to give a satisfactory reply to a Great Li patrol envoy. Not to mention the Supreme Elder Song Yu personally making a move, even the palace lord should have shown her face, to be in accordance with the etiquette of the mountains.

Therefore, Zheng Dafeng immediately went to the Wenku Division of the North Mountain Lord’s Mansion to consult the archives. Sure enough, he found a clue. During a certain period, all the Earth Immortal cultivators of Changchun Palace had disappeared, either under the pretext of closed-door cultivation or declaring they were traveling far away.

As for why Zheng Dafeng was so concerned, of course, it was because the other party was Changchun Palace, a sect of female cultivators!

After the junction of vast world and the barbaric world, strange phenomena arose. Apart from the Night-Sailing Ship at sea, there were also many broken secret realms of ancient cave heavens and blessed lands emerging on Treasure Bottle Continent. For example, there was the Autumn Wind Shrine, ethereal and elusive, drifting with the water and wind to Treasure Bottle Continent. One could not force it open with cultivation realm alone, but only rely on Lower Five Realms Qi Refiners to enter and obtain various treasures according to their own fortune. Although some lucky individuals had already obtained some immortal opportunities, according to the definition of the mountains, this uncharted treasure land was currently in an unowned state awaiting its master.

Three sect quotas had already been predetermined by the Great Li Dynasty. Following Fallen Phoenix Mountain and Zheng Yang Mountain, Treasure Bottle Continent had added two more sect-ranked immortal residences: a large temple located on the Longqiu bank of Yandang Mountain, and Immortal Lord Cao Rong’s Taoist temple. Next, it was estimated to be the Huangshan Sword Sect, temporarily acting as a subordinate sect descending from Zheng Yang Mountain rather than a lower sect.

Of course, it was not that the Great Li court particularly favored Zheng Yang Mountain, but that Treasure Bottle Continent needed a new sword dao sect, and this brand-new sect had to be located in the former Zhu Ying Dynasty.

In fact, Zheng Yang Mountain had already given up on this idea, but they did not know that the matter of the lower sect was a case of when one door shuts, another opens. The affairs of the world are often like this. When one thinks they are closest, they actually grow further apart. When one thinks they are far away, it is within easy reach, requiring no effort.

In addition, Changchun Palace, Old Dragon City, a certain sect based on Qingtian Blessed Land under the Divine Edict Sect, Yunxia Mountain, and others, were all on the Great Li Dynasty’s recommendation list as candidates for Treasure Bottle Continent sects.

Good things happen every year, but there are especially many this year.

Today is the best example.

Zheng Dafeng saw a kind-faced old man on the street, accompanied by a young female cultivator who looked like a servant girl. The two, seemingly master and servant, were leisurely strolling through Buffalo Crossing’s Baggage Shop.

However, Zheng Dafeng had to make a trip to Pi Yun Mountain immediately, anxious to see Wei Bo, so he did not go up to chat. What decent person would casually approach a good-looking woman on the street?

Zheng Dafeng suddenly stopped. Eh, this girl is actually a sword cultivator? If a decent person doesn’t do something proper, wouldn’t it be like wasting one’s youth? So Zheng Dafeng immediately followed them into that shop of his, familiar with the place, and began to introduce the various goods inside. After chatting, he learned that the old man’s surname was Hong, and he came from an immortal ferry at Earth Dragon Mountain in central Treasure Bottle Continent, located at the border of Shu Water Country and Song Stream Country, where there was also a Green Coin Workshop, and that Hong Yangbo was the one who sat in the Green Coin Workshop on the second floor doing business. As for the old man’s colorful skirt servant girl, she called herself Qing Cai.

As soon as they heard that the man was the uncle of Fallen Phoenix Mountain’s Mountain Master Chen, they immediately looked at him with new respect.

Guan Qing hesitated several times.

Yu Prefecture General Cao Mao took a trip to Hong Prefecture’s Yuzhang County during his spare time. As a prefecture general, he actually managed the military affairs of two prefectures simultaneously, so it could also be regarded as official business.

This time, Cao Mao, who was high in position and power, did not greet officials at all levels in Hong Prefecture, but only brought a few confidants and accompanying cultivators to visit the Timber Harvesting Institute.

However, the chief official was not in the office, nor did he tell his subordinates where he had gone. Cao Mao did not intend to wait for him. He left the Timber Harvesting Institute and asked two accompanying cultivators to inquire about news in the city. A young martial general beside him couldn’t help but ask, “General Cao, what is the background of this Lin Zhengcheng that he can secretly settle the matter of illegal mining in Yuzhang County without making a sound?”

Cao Mao said, “If you can refrain from asking after leaving Yuzhang County, you can go and take a position in the Ministry of War in the secondary capital.”

The young martial general wore a distressed look. “General Cao, aren’t you setting me up? You promised to help me with a recommendation to the court, why have you gone back on your word again? The official position isn’t even high, just a mere Yuanwailang in the Ministry of War of the secondary capital. According to the Great Li law, martial generals with military merits and military honors who leave the battlefield to become officials in the locality are usually demoted by one or two ranks. How many ranks have I been demoted? Moreover, it’s just the secondary capital, not the Ministry of War in the capital.”

In this Yu Prefecture General’s eyes, there was no need to pay too much attention to the rules of officialdom, and speaking was very casual.

Cao Mao said indifferently, “Can our Great Li’s Six Ministries in the secondary capital be the same as the secondary capital offices of other countries used for retirement?”

A female cultivator who remained by his side laughed. “General Cao, I heard that this newly appointed chief official of the Timber Harvesting Institute is a solemn and unsmiling person. Would he be considered a dignified gentleman with an iron face and a high crown?”

Cao Mao said, “Regarding Lin Zhengcheng, don’t ask too much. When I talk to him later, don’t interrupt.”
Because the Yuzhou General’s Manor had previously received a secret decree from the Imperial Court, His Majesty the Emperor would soon be making a clandestine southern tour to Hongzhou, lodging at that Lumber Inspection Office. He would not be bringing many attendants, keeping everything simple, and might even bypass the governors of each prefecture directly. That’s why Cao Mao was making this trip to Yuzhang County, to first meet with Lin Zhengcheng and then inspect several passes and military towns on the border of Hongzhou.

This Lumber Inspection Office in Hongzhou was similar to the Weaving Bureaus set up by the Great Li Dynasty in Yuzhou and Wuzhou. They were both “fringe” institutions within the officialdom, similar in nature to the former Dragon Kiln Supervision Office. The officials weren’t high-ranking, but their confidential reports could reach the Emperor directly. However, the rank of the head official of the Lumber Inspection Office was relatively the lowest. For example, Li Baozhen, the Weaving Director of Yuzhou, held a considerable rank of Fourth Grade, but the Lumber Inspection Office was somewhat special. It wasn’t a permanent government body, more like a transitional one. Once the matter was settled, the Imperial Court would likely abolish it. Therefore, the officials who were transferred here to work were not very enthusiastic. Firstly, the Lumber Inspection Office didn’t have much to offer in terms of personal gain, and secondly, anyone who genuinely acted impartially was likely to attract trouble. After all, who wouldn’t have some imperial backing or support behind the consistently prohibited illegal logging of giant trees in the Imperial Court and Hongzhou? Take the local Nan family of Yuzhang County, for example. With such large annual expenses, how could they not be involved in this business?

In the Great Li officialdom, why was there a playful saying, “Big Yuzhang, Small Hongzhou?”

Wasn’t it because the Nan family of Yuzhang County had produced such a noble person, the former Empress, now the Empress Dowager Nan Zan, who was the biological mother of the current Emperor Song He and Prince Luo Song Mu?

When it comes to a mother’s rise in status through her son, who in the entire Treasure Bottle Continent could compare to her?

When the Lumber Inspection Office was first established, officials throughout Hongzhou were waiting to see the show, wanting to see how Lin Zhengcheng, who had come from the capital to wade through this muddy water, would run into a brick wall in Yuzhang County.

However, after Lin Zhengcheng took office as the head official, he neither visited any Yuzhang County officials or imperial relatives, nor did he implement any drastic reforms like a new official eager to make his mark. He didn’t even visit any of the major mountains in Yuzhang County, practically staying indoors.

As a result, overnight, all those who were illegally logging giant trees on the mountains, from those in the foreground to those behind the scenes, all disappeared. It wasn’t the kind of temporary retreat to avoid the limelight, but a proactive withdrawal, destroying all accounting books. Some individuals who couldn’t even flee were annihilated to eliminate any trace. Just in Yuzhang County, more than a dozen shops all closed down, leaving no one behind. Of course, there were likely even more unknown “spies” who all cleaned themselves up.

Speaking of the Nan family, whose influence was deeply rooted throughout Hongzhou, just recently, in the first month of the year, they held a closed-door meeting in the ancestral hall. Seven or eight direct and collateral descendants were directly removed from the family, erased from the family tree, and no reason was given. Some who were unconvinced cried out in protest, and a few even made rebellious and disrespectful remarks. The former were beaten until their mouths were full of blood, while the latter were simply beaten to death in the ancestral hall.

A light drizzle was as soft as ointment, and a poor young girl was selling apricot blossoms on the street.

Cao Mao finally found Lin Zhengcheng, with his temples already graying, in a porcelain shop. He looked similar to an old scholar from the county, just not as aged and listless.

The shopkeeper, also an old man, was laughing at this Old Lin, saying that since he didn’t have much money in his pocket, he shouldn’t be daydreaming about it, and he shouldn’t even think about that piece of fine china in the shop.

Lin Zhengcheng glanced at Cao Mao and his group at the entrance, gently placed a porcelain vase back on the shelf, told the shopkeeper that he would come again next time. The shopkeeper waved his hand, speaking rudely, saying that if Old Lin still didn’t have any money, he shouldn’t come again.

Lin Zhengcheng walked out the door and asked, “Are you looking for me?”

The young military officer handed the oiled paper umbrella in his hand to Lin Zhengcheng, conveniently sharing an umbrella with the woman beside him, killing two birds with one stone.

Lin Zhengcheng didn’t stand on ceremony, smiling and thanking the young man with scars on the back of his hand, and took the oiled paper umbrella.

Cao Mao first took out his military token, announced his name and the identity of the Yuzhou General, and then softly explained, “This general is under orders and must personally make a trip to Yuzhang County and the Lumber Inspection Office. I believe Inspector Lin has already received the news from above.”

Lin Zhengcheng said indifferently, “Just wander around as you please. Could it be that the Lumber Inspection Office’s threshold is so high that it can stop a Yuzhou General from entering? If General Cao is here specifically to talk to me about something, forget it. I only manage the matter of illegal logging, and I don’t care about other military and political affairs, no matter how big or small, nor am I in a position to do so.”

The several attendants behind the Yuzhou General all felt that this Lin Zhengcheng, as expected of someone from the capital, might not have a high-ranking title, but he sure talked big.

Even the governor of a prefecture wouldn’t talk to General Cao with such barbs in his words, right?

Cao Mao was still extremely patient, saying, “I believe Inspector Lin understands the meaning of what Cao is saying. This matter is of great importance and cannot afford the slightest mistake. I still hope that Inspector Lin can spare some time to sit down and discuss it properly.”

Lin Zhengcheng smiled and said, “General Cao may have misunderstood. This Lumber Inspection Office is not like the Chu Prefecture Kiln Affairs Supervision Office or the nearby Weaving Bureau. The duties are very simple, literally just responsible for arresting people who illegally cut down trees. If the office is fortunate enough not to be abolished in the future, at most it will provide giant trees for the royal family and the Ministry of Works as a matter of routine. So General Cao’s trip here today to talk about official business is a waste of time. If General Cao is here to talk about private matters, if your family’s ancestral hall or residence needs some wood that has been classified as substandard by the Lumber Inspection Office, then within my authority as the head official, I can offer General Cao a convenient opportunity. The price is negotiable, just remember not to make a big fuss about it afterwards, otherwise it will be difficult for me. It’s said that gossip spreads faster in the officialdom than the military’s official reports, and a small official like me in this place can’t withstand several impeachments from the Six Departments in the capital. General Cao should be more considerate.”

Cao Mao was somewhat helpless, people who pretended to be ignorant while knowing the truth were the most difficult to deal with. He was all smiles on the surface, but his heart was filled with frost and ice.

I’m discussing the immense matter of His Majesty’s incognito visit with you, and you’re pulling me into these trivial private affairs. Does Lin Zhengcheng truly care about an official friendship with a Yuzhou General?

Cao Mao then shifted the topic, smiling and saying, “It’s said that the illegal logging has all stopped now.”

Lin Zhengcheng nodded and said, “I guess the name of the Lumber Inspection Office is still quite intimidating.”
Cao Mao’s patience stemmed from his position as a trusted lieutenant of Su Gaoshan, the former Grand Li roving inspector. He possessed inside information that his subordinates lacked.

Regarding the unassuming director of the lumberyard, Lin Zhengcheng, Cao Mao knew two things that warranted utmost caution.

Firstly, Lin Zhengcheng wasn’t a native of Grand Li’s capital. He hailed from the Li Zhu Grotto Heaven and only moved to the capital later, serving in the Ministry of War’s Dispatch Office for many years.

Secondly, Lin Zhengcheng was the father of Lin Shouyi.

Within Grand Li’s Imperial Observatory, there was a recluse named Yuan Tianfeng, renowned for his insightful commentaries and character assessments. He once prophesied that Lin Shouyi would achieve the Golden Core realm within a century. As it turned out, Lin Shouyi reached the Nascent Soul realm in his forties.

Was the prediction wrong? Hadn’t Lin Shouyi indeed reached the Nascent Soul realm within a hundred years?

Some busybodies even inquired whether Lin Shouyi could reach the Jade Pure realm within a century. Yuan Tianfeng simply smiled without offering a response.

Cao Mao now had a hidden patron in the court, surnamed Yan, a figure of immense power. If the Grand Li dynasty was like the sun at its zenith, this person was its shadow.

Cao Mao learned from this influential figure that the emperor, Song He, held Lin Shouyi in high regard. He placed great expectations on this scholarly young cultivator, even intending to groom him as a future pillar of the nation. This was why, early on, he had intended for Lin Shouyi to succeed as the Director of the Sacrificial Affairs Department in the Ministry of Rites, a prestigious position with real power. After accumulating a few more years of experience in the capital’s officialdom, even without participating in the imperial examinations, his past as a temple warden of the Grand Du Temple, combined with a promotion to Vice Minister of Rites, wouldn’t face much opposition in the court. If Lin Shouyi were to later gain the title of a Confucian gentleman, then taking over the Ministry of Rites would be a natural progression.

In the future, the Grand Li court would have Zhao Yao in the Ministry of Justice, Lin Shouyi in the Ministry of Rites, along with other capable officials, forming a hall of talented civil and military officials.

A young Nascent Soul cultivator in his early forties. If Lin Shouyi hadn’t come from the peculiar Li Zhu Grotto Heaven, there would have been other remarkable figures of similar age, such as Chen Pingan, Liu Xianyang, Ma Kuxuan, Gu Can… Furthermore, Lin Shouyi’s preference for quiet cultivation and scholarly pursuits had prevented him from gaining the fame that matched his cultivation and knowledge.

Lin Zhengcheng hadn’t even invited them to the office for a cup of tea.

Cao Mao was already prepared to leave empty-handed, thinking that if necessary, he would use his own funds to privately purchase a batch of timber from the lumberyard, which had been deemed substandard by officials.

They encountered a poor girl selling apricot blossoms along the street. Seeing Cao Mao and Lin Zhengcheng approaching, she immediately retreated to the corner of the wall, her eyes filled with curiosity, not just the fear of the common folk before officials or the poor before the wealthy.

The young general holding the umbrella handed it to the female cultivator beside him. He quickly walked forward, inquired about the price from the girl, and taking out his coin pouch, purchased the entire basket of apricot blossoms. The woman, a cultivator serving in the Yu Prefecture military, handed back the umbrella, took the flower basket, and pinned an apricot blossom in her hair. The young general praised her beauty in clumsy words, his sweet talk as rustic as the earth.

Lin Zhengcheng suddenly spoke, “General Cao, do you have any connections with the Fallen Mountain in Chuzhou?”

Cao Mao’s expression remained unchanged. “I met Mountain Master Chen once in my hometown when he was training in Lake Shujian, but it doesn’t amount to much. We had a brief disagreement, and I haven’t seen him since.”

Several people behind them heard this for the first time, and were greatly surprised. So, General Cao knew the young Hidden Official? And they had even “exchanged blows”?

Lin Zhengcheng didn’t say much more.

The officials in the lumberyard knew that Director Lin seemed to be in a bad mood during this first month of the new year.

Perhaps he felt that the position of director was difficult? Or perhaps he was waiting for something, but it didn’t arrive, leaving him looking somewhat melancholic.

Late last winter, before secluding himself, Lin Shouyi sent a secret letter to Jise Peak, reminding Chen Pingan to visit the lumberyard in Yuzhang County, Hong Prefecture, to pay his respects during the New Year.

Lin Shouyi also sent a letter home to the lumberyard, saying that he had already informed Chen Pingan.

The once estranged father and son had rarely spoken so much. According to Lin Shouyi’s calculations, he still needed one hundred Gu Yu coins to complete his seclusion.

When Lin Zhengcheng heard this number, he immediately backed down, resigning himself to maintaining his usual fatherly demeanor towards this gold-devouring son. Hearing that Lin Shouyi had borrowed the money from Chen Pingan, Lin Zhengcheng jokingly said that since he had borrowed it from him, he didn’t need to repay it. Lin Shouyi naturally didn’t take it seriously.

But Lin Zhengcheng had actually prepared a meeting gift for a certain junior, which was worth about one or two hundred Gu Yu coins according to mountain prices.

This was one of his rewards for serving as a gatekeeper in a small town.

For the young mountain master, whose wealth was now unfathomable, such a gift might not be anything at all.

Another return was Cui Chan’s promise to Lin Zhengcheng that Lin Shouyi would be able to serve as an official in the Grand Li court, regardless of his cultivation achievements, becoming a great official who would bring honor to his family and be remembered in history.

Lin Zhengcheng, who considered himself a half-scholar and had served in the Directorate of Works for many years, valued this greatly.

Lin Shouyi, courtesy name Rixin.

The sage embraces oneness as a model for the world, and endures humiliation for the sake of the world. Since each day is a new dawn, one should be extra cautious.

Lin Shouyi’s name and courtesy name were both given by the strategist Cui Chan.
Lu Chen, that old rascal, had shamelessly crashed the Logging Institute last time. He spewed a jumble of nonsense – absurdities, muddled musings, jesting remarks, frivolous words, weighty pronouncements, blunt truths, and definitive conclusions – all mixed together. Hidden within this verbal torrent was a sentence where Lu Chen, calling himself a humble Daoist, claimed he had spoken out of turn. The gist of it was that Lin Shiyi’s father’s favoritism had cost him a certain opportunity. The loss of that single opportunity, like a single thread pulled from a tapestry, unraveled everything, leading to a chain reaction of missed chances and, ultimately, total defeat. And to top it off, Lu Chen added that he had given Lin Zhengcheng hints when he was a fortune teller, implying that Lin Zhengcheng’s stubbornness was to blame. However, he, the humble Daoist, had shown kindness to both father and son! They should be grateful and show some conscience. So what if he ate a few of their zongzi dumplings!

In truth, Lin Zhengcheng had taken those words to heart, but in his life, he had only felt regret for certain people and events, never outright remorse.

As for what Lin Shiyi thought after learning the truth… would a son dare rebel against his own father?

That was the logic of it, and Lin Zhengcheng had always been a figure of great authority in his son’s eyes. But actually broaching the subject with Lin Shiyi was not easy.

Wu Yuan, the prefect of Chu Prefecture, paid a visit to the City God of the prefecture, Gao Ping.

In the officialdom of the prefecture, they were of equal rank.

Wu Yuan removed his official robes and wore plain clothes as he stood outside the gate of the City God Temple.

A couplet with gold characters on a black background hung above the gate:

*With dark thoughts, even in broad daylight, malevolent spirits lurk. How many times can I save you? Whisper your secrets, for heaven hears like thunder.*

*With righteous conduct, even in a dark room, the clear sky appears. Why come here to burn incense? Dare to act against conscience, and the divine eyes are like lightning.*

The City God, Gao Ping, who usually avoided official engagements, naturally did not appear to greet Wu Yuan. However, a vermillion-clad page hopped off the incense burner, scurried out of the City God Temple, over the high threshold, and quickly down the steps. With utmost respect, he bowed to Wu Yuan, addressing him as Prefecture Lord and making polite remarks about the honor of his presence. Then, with his head bowed and body turned sideways, he extended a hand and led the Prefecture Lord into the City God Temple.

Wu Yuan had come to chat with Gao Ping, not about official matters, but about interesting anecdotes from the mountain and water officialdom outside of Chu Prefecture. For instance, several key positions for River Gods were vacant, and the Great Li court had yet to make a decision. The central great rivers only had Marquis Changchun and Count Linli for now. Everyone was curious if a new “Duke” would emerge. In the northern Jiju Continent, there were Duke Lingyuan and Marquis Longting for the Ji River. Furthermore, Xiao Luan, the White Egret River God, originally only a Rank Six position in the Great Li Dynasty’s mountain and water records, had recently annexed the Iron Writ River upstream, and the Water God’s rank had risen to Rank Five accordingly. As for the former Iron Writ River God, Gao Niang, his ancestral temple was moved to Yun Prefecture, and he was reassigned as the Slender Brow River God, a lateral transfer with no change in divine rank. Nothing could be kept secret, especially in the well-informed mountain and water officialdom. Everyone found the matter intriguing. It was like a capital official being sent out to govern a region – even if the rank remained the same, it was still a promotion. One of the sources of the Slender Brow River, the Wu Creek, held an ancient Shu Dragon Palace. Although its scale wasn’t grand, being an ancient inland Dragon Palace, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. The Huangting Kingdom naturally didn’t have the ability to find it, but the suzerain Great Li Dynasty’s cultivators did. When the Dragon Palace was opened, the once-obscure Slender Brow River would naturally experience a surge in water transport, and the position of Gao Niang, the River God, would rise accordingly.

Wu Yuan had already entered, and Gao Ping emerged from his divine statue. The vermillion-clad page had already instructed the temple priests to prepare some hearty dishes.

As they walked and talked, they sat down in the refectory. Wu Yuan laughed and said, “The Cold Food River’s rank in the mountain and water records is still two levels below that of the Iron Writ River God. It will be as difficult as ascending to heaven for him to fill the vacancy.”

Gao Ping nodded. Therefore, the Huangting Kingdom’s emperor’s vigorous recommendation was meaningless. The Great Li court would certainly not agree.

Wu Yuan asked with a smile, “What is that Jade Nectar River Goddess thinking? Why did she imply to me that she would be willing to be transferred elsewhere, even a lateral transfer, to any water-scarce river within Great Li? She’s even willing to lower her divine rank by half a level?”

Gao Ping picked up a peanut and tossed it into his mouth, saying, “Previously, due to a matter that could have been big or small, it was handled improperly, and the situation escalated. As a result, she formed a grudge with Fallen Phoenix Mountain. She feels that staying in the Jade Nectar River is unsettling. Rather than worrying about old scores being settled, she prefers to hide far away.”

Wu Yuan teased, “Gao Niang has picked up a lucrative post. In the future, the Ministry of Rites’ mountain and water evaluations will surely give the Yun Prefecture’s Slender Brow River a top rating, even if they don’t want to, right?”

Gao Ping said, “I estimate that it was instructed by Fallen Phoenix Mountain. On the surface, it was Wei Bo’s doing. After all, he is a Northern Mountain Lord, and the court must give him some face. The Upper Pillar Kingdom Yuan Clan and two aristocratic families in the capital only needed to inquire a little to find out it was Wei Bo’s intention, so they had no choice but to grin and bear it. Wei Bo is petty. Who wouldn’t be afraid of holding another Night Excursion Banquet and being intentionally targeted by Wei Bo? The immortal abodes and mountain and water deities that those families support and have good relationships with would have to sell their belongings.”

Wu Yuan laughed, “It will be difficult for Pīyún Mountain to hold another Night Excursion Banquet, right?”

He was already a Prefecture Mountain Lord, equivalent to an Immortal Realm cultivator. How many gold essence coins would it take to raise his divine rank again?

Even if the Great Li court favored Northern Mountain Pīyún Mountain and the national treasury had a surplus, they wouldn’t do it. Otherwise, Central Mountain Lord Jin Qing would be the first to jump up and scold them, directly running to the imperial study to argue. And the other Mountain Lords of Treasure Bottle Continent, especially Southern Mountain Fan Junmao, would definitely not be ambiguous about this matter.

Almost no one could guess the location of Lin Shiyi’s secluded cultivation. It wasn’t the Great Li capital, nor was it a cave residence on a mountain in the Northern or Central Mountain of Treasure Bottle Continent. Instead, it was the Changchun Palace, a place with a slightly feminine atmosphere but a supreme position in Great Li.
Changchun Palace, living up to its name, seemed to have an immortal beckoning spring to perpetually reside amidst the mountains and rivers. Dwelling in leisure surpasses holding officialdom, residing in the wilderness triumphs being in the court, for the mountains and rivers here hold the most unhurried and untamed charm.

Within a forbidden zone, even direct disciples of the Ancestral Hall were not permitted to tread.

Mountains encircled it on all sides like embracing arms, surrounding a lake. Mountains and water intertwined, a feast for the eyes. The scenery was as still as primordial times, the day stretched as long as a small year.

A waterside pavilion with upturned eaves jutted out from the bank, covered with jade-green glazed tiles. Pillars supported the structure above the water, where a flock of birds, as white as snowflakes, gently alighted on the surface.

On the shore, the green trees rustled, bird songs rose and fell. In the water, the algae and water plants were clearly visible. Gentle breezes, like refined scholars, passed by the pavilion, delicately tapping the bamboo blinds, barely rousing those who slumbered lightly, half-asleep in the spring warmth.

Inside the pavilion, a couch was set, with a low table by the window. On the table rested a censer, several undeniably authentic ancient calligraphy scrolls, a horsetail whisk for shooing insects and dusting, a stack of landscape and flower-and-bird painting albums, and various other refined scholarly accoutrements.

A woman was taking an afternoon nap on the couch within the pavilion. She had just awakened, sitting up, rubbing her eyes, and stretching with a yawn. The midday slumber had refreshed her. She glanced down at her embroidered shoes, raised a foot, picked up one of the shoes, and after a moment’s thought, grew somewhat irritated. She casually kicked the shoe away, and walked barefoot out of the pavilion. The side of the pavilion facing the lake had a “beauty’s lean,” a railing designed for reclining. The languid beauty leaned her arms on the railing, resting her chin on her arms, gazing at the lake, as still as a mirror, her eyes unfocused.

Even the finest scenery, when viewed every day, became tiresome, just like eating sumptuous feasts of fish and meat every meal, yet one cannot abstain from eating three meals a day. Eventually, one would grow weary of it.

A jade牌 hung at her waist, bearing the single character “Hai” (亥), the hour of Hai, traditionally regarded by cultivators as “human stillness.”

The pavilion’s corridors were paved with a type of immortal jade bamboo from the mountains, warm in winter and cool in summer.

Another individual, bearing a “Yin” (寅) character jade牌 at his waist, was currently sitting on a cattail cushion in the corridor, divining with copper coins, with several books on fortunetelling, such as “The Golden Jade Abyss Sea” and “Treatise on the Positive and Negative Seals,” piled beside him.

A gaunt, taciturn youth sat cross-legged, a verdant bamboo staff resting across his lap.

And a young man with a sorrowful countenance leaned against a corridor pillar, eyes closed in rest.

Additionally, a woman sat atop the pavilion’s roof, her legs dangling in the air, swaying gently.

A black-clad, sword-bearing youth stood alone outside the pavilion, a bamboo crown adorning his head, jade ornaments embellishing his attire. He was a figure of refined elegance, radiating a clear and serene Daoist aura, with an air of antiquity. He was gazing intently at the distant mountain peak across the lake.

The group had indeed been staying here for quite some time.

Their only commonality was that each wore a jade牌 at the waist, engraved with a single character, all taken from the Twelve Earthly Branches.

This group of six were members of the Great Li’s Earthly Branch lineage.

Yuan Huajing, Zi (子). Gai Yan, Hai (亥). Gou Cun, Shen (申). Sui Lin, Yin (寅). Ku Shou, Si (巳). Zhou Haijing, Chou (丑).

Previously, the Great Li dynasty had spared no expense in nurturing eleven Earthly Branch cultivators, dividing them into two factions, led respectively by the imperial prince Song Xu and the sword cultivator Yuan Huajing, bearing the surname of an Upper Pillar Kingdom Duke.

Yuan Huajing and Song Xu were both sword cultivators. One was from the most prominent aristocratic clan in Great Li, bearing the title of an Upper Pillar Kingdom Duke, while the other was a member of the imperial family, of noble birth. The two were separated by a difference of two generations in terms of age but differed by one layer in terms of cultivation realm.

Song Xu was accompanied by Han Zhoujin, Ge Ling, Yu Yu, Lu Hui, and Hou Jue.

Yuan Huajing’s side included Sui Lin, a Yin-Yang School cultivator proficient in the Five Elements, Gai Yan, a bewitching female ghost who adorned herself meticulously, rumored to be the “brow-drawing painter” of the mountain, Gou Cun, a taciturn youth, and Ku Shou, a young man with a perpetually sorrowful expression, rarer than Gai Yan’s lineage, known as a “mirror seller.” His most important natal treasure was a Still-Water Mirror capable of reversing illusion and reality.

As a sword cultivator who had reached the Nascent Soul Realm before the age of one hundred, Yuan Huajing would surely rank high among the younger generation of Treasure Bottle洲 if not restrained by his identity, which forced him to remain behind the scenes.

Recently, a new member had joined the Earthly Branch team. Disregarding destructive power and focusing on reputation, even the combined renown of all eleven members might not compare to that of this person.

It was Zhou Haijing, the Grandmaster Martial Artist of the Summit Realm, who had recently sparred with Yu Hong in the Great Li capital.

With Zhou Haijing’s addition to the Great Li Earthly Branch lineage, as a ninth-realm peak martial artist, the Great Li Dynasty’s Twelve Earthly Branches were successfully completed.

Although belated, good things were worth waiting for.

However, because she had limited experience and had not participated in the war of the auxiliary capital, she was alienated from both factions and felt no need to ingratiate herself with anyone.

Since Yuan Huajing’s team consisted of only five members, Zhou Haijing joined their ranks.

With Zhou Haijing’s arrival, Gai Yan had finally met her match.

This sole female martial artist in the Earthly Branch lineage adorned herself with gold and jade, glittering with jewels, from head to toe, her ornamentation so intricate and extravagant as to be almost exaggerated. Thus, Yu Yu’s initial impression of Zhou Haijing was whether this sister was a walking shop, ready to conduct business with anyone who took a fancy to a particular ornament and was willing to offer a price?

Zhou Haijing could barely be considered to have a good rapport with Prince Song Xu and Daoist Ge Ling, who had initially recruited her. She had nothing to discuss with the others, especially with Gai Yan, with whom she seemed to be inherently at odds. They felt uneasy if they didn’t exchange a few veiled barbs each day.

Sitting atop the jade-green glazed tiles, Zhou Haijing watched Sui Lin toss copper coins again and again. This fellow was a Qi cultivator of the Yin-Yang Five Elements school, possessing some knowledge. It was a pity he wasn’t setting up a stall as a fortune teller to earn some extra income.

Zhou Haijing said with a smile, “Sui Lin, haven’t you heard a sage’s teachings? ‘If your actions align with righteousness, good fortune will come without divination; if your actions defy righteousness, even divination will portend misfortune. Therefore, one should divine for oneself; a gentleman need not consult divination.'”

Sui Lin ignored her. As an expert in numerology, he had nothing to discuss with Zhou Haijing, an outsider.

Zhou Haijing had no intention of discussing profound divination theories with Sui Lin. She was simply making idle chatter. She never imagined that her first official task after joining the Earthly Branch lineage would be to come to Changchun Palace to help guard someone during a breakthrough.
However, Song Xu’s group, also six in number, had a vital mission. They had received instructions from the Imperial Observatory to seek out an ancient treasure of immense provenance and exceptional rank.

Because the two groups were acting separately, Zhou Haijing couldn’t know more details. It was said that according to the traditions of the Earthly Branches lineage, they would gather afterward to meticulously review everything.

But reviewing was pointless; treasure hunting was of course most satisfying when personally involved. Even if all gains had to be turned over to the imperial court’s secret vault, the process itself was incredibly interesting! Had she known, she would have shamelessly joined Song Xu’s team.

Zhou Haijing was utterly bored and stifled, and couldn’t help but complain, “Is a Nascent Soul cultivator entering seclusion really worth such a commotion? Are we six supposed to just stand around here twiddling our thumbs?”

The Emperor had issued a secret decree last winter, ordering them six to protect the seclusion of that scholar named Lin Shouyi.

Nearly two months had been wasted like this. The problem was that His Majesty hadn’t specified when they could return to the capital. It seemed they would be stuck here until that fellow emerged from seclusion?

Gai Yan, leaning languidly against the railing, also harbored complaints, but whatever Zhou Haijing disapproved of, she had to approve of. She sneered, “First, don’t underestimate a Jade Pure one. Sixty years ago, Jade Pure cultivators were rare on Treasure Bottle Continent. It’s only now that they aren’t so scarce.”

Besides Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple, there were also the Mountain Lord of the Righteous Sun Mountain, Bamboo Emperor, and the Ancestral Master of the Full Moon Peak. These two had only recently become Jade Pure Sword Immortals.

“Furthermore, Lin Shouyi is the first strictly speaking ‘our own’ person of Great Li. As long as he has the potential to reach the Upper Five Realms, the imperial court must be extremely cautious. The significance is similar to when Mountain Lord Wei’s golden statue was elevated to the Upper Five Realms, making him the first Mountain Lord in the history of Treasure Bottle Continent to reach the Upper Five Realms. So don’t think it’s an overreaction that we few are guarding him; even more immortals wouldn’t be excessive.”

This scholar, studying at the Grand Sui Cliff Academy, was not only from the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, but, critically, Lin Shouyi had once served as the Grand Li Dynasty’s Qi Du Temple Priest. This distinguished him from the Heaven’s Chosen like Ma Kuxuan, who were from the same village. Conversely, Chen Pingan of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, Liu Xianyang, the current Sect Master of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect, and the Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator Xie Ling from Peach Leaf Lane, each had their own sects, and their relationship with the Great Li Song clan couldn’t be considered particularly good. Not to mention the young Hidden Official who refused to serve as National Preceptor, even Liu Xianyang maintained a polite distance from the Great Li court.

Zhou Haijing didn’t respond at all, and just continued teasing Sui Lin, “I heard from Yu Yu that you lent Chen Pingan six golden talisman-material sword-locking talismans? Are you going to get them back? Won’t that be like throwing good money after bad?”

Sui Lin’s face was extremely awkward. He took a deep breath and simply pretended not to hear.

Except for Zhou Haijing, who joined the Earthly Branches lineage last, the eleven of them were carefully selected by National Preceptor Cui Chan and had fought alongside each other for a long time, with seamless cooperation.

For example, Song Xu possessed two natal flying swords, “Post Road” and “Nursery Rhyme,” the latter named by National Preceptor Cui Chan. The former could ensure that the Earthly Branches cultivators maintained their Dao hearts when Sui Lin reversed the River of Time, combined with the other cultivators’ various divine abilities, they could avoid being swept away by the River of Time, remaining as stable as a series of ferry crossings.

However, the Earthly Branches lineage’s true trump card was Yuan Huajing’s second, deeply hidden flying sword besides “Firefall,” named “Reversal.”

It was said to be a replica, but it was unknown which Sword Immortal’s natal flying sword it was modeled after.

After the Earthly Branches cultivators formed their formation, Sui Lin sat at the center, holding the formation’s core. He could even reverse a section of the River of Time, so he was the key figure who helped everyone “come back to life.” If it weren’t for that final fight, their encounter with that young Hidden Official wouldn’t have been a complete waste of effort. Sui Lin received a fragment of an ancient god’s golden body from that fellow, and it took him longer than expected, nearly two months, to fully refine it, which was of great benefit to his own Great Dao.

But if time could be reversed, to avoid that final fight, not only would he return the golden body fragment, but Sui Lin would gladly give the young Hidden Official another one.

It was simply too agonizing. Not just Sui Lin, but probably all ten Earthly Branches colleagues except for the most carefree Yu Yu, were traumatized and hadn’t recovered yet.

Earlier, when he heard Zhou Haijing directly calling that young Hidden Official by name, Sui Lin worried that he would be implicated, that someone might overhear.

For example, Gai Yan’s face immediately turned awkward, and she unusually didn’t argue with Zhou Haijing. The young man named “Bitter Hand” had a bitter expression as if he had swallowed a bitter melon. It was no wonder they were so timid; in that “encounter” in the Great Li capital, which hadn’t been erased from their memories, they even had to break convention and avoid reviewing it. All eleven of them tacitly agreed, no one mentioning the matter, completely pretending it hadn’t happened.

Yu Yu was grabbed by the face by that guy who showed no mercy, and all her souls were forcibly dragged out. Like a Confucian sage with a Heavenly Decree in his mouth, he only said the words “Flowers Bloom,” and used dozens of incomparably sharp long swords to nail Lu Hui into a hedgehog. Gai Yan was even told that her self-created sword art was “Fragment of the Moon,” and along with her robe and Golden Crow armor, she was instantly dismembered into countless pieces by fierce sword light. Gouqie’s fate was perhaps slightly “better” because he was an acquaintance of that person, as he was shown mercy and only had his hands and feet severed. And he, Sui Lin, had that elusive fellow come up behind him and punch a hole right through his back, so that Sui Lin could look down and see the fellow’s fist. Lu Hui, the “One-Word Teacher,” was even more pitiful. First, he was restrained by those long swords, then he was stabbed in the neck by a long spear formed from the other party’s martial artist’s qi. The person then raised the iron spear diagonally, lifting Lu Hui high into the air…

Zhou Haijing asked with a smile, “Are you all so afraid of Chen Pingan? I think he’s quite approachable. Every time I meet him, he’s always so amiable.”
She had been utterly perplexed. It seemed everyone here possessed the potential to ascend to the Upper Five Realms, veritable darlings of the heavens. Yet, whenever she mentioned *that* name, each and every one of them, normally teetotalers, appeared as if they had been forcibly fed a massive bowl of fiery liquor, faces smeared with tears and snot, a picture of utter disarray.

Hearing that name, Gai Yan’s expression shifted again, her body tensing, the veins on the back of her hand throbbing.

Zhou Haijing, keenly aware of her “arch-rival’s” unease, was about to add fuel to the fire by recounting her own rapport with Chen Ping’an, how he’d personally invited her to emerge from seclusion…

Yuan Huajing interrupted, “Zhou Haijing, less idle chatter. Consider more how to quickly attain the Unmoving Realm.”

Zhou Haijing didn’t take Yuan Huajing too seriously, continuing, “It wouldn’t be that the eleven of you once joined forces, only to be completely routed by Chen Ping’an single-handedly, would it?”

In an instant, it was as if a fiery dragon coiled around Zhou Haijing and the pavilion’s summit. The flames, as thick as wellheads, blazed dazzlingly, to the point that the verdant glazed tiles showed faint signs of melting.

Zhou Haijing twitched her lips. Her abundant and vast martial artist’s stellar energy acted as divine protection, warding off the fiery dragon’s scorching heat a mere ten feet away.

She reached out and patted her chest. “Oh my, a nascent soul realm swordsman’s natal sword, how terrifying, it made my heart flutter like a startled deer…”

Near the pavilion’s corridor, the “troublesome one”, who had been leaning against a pillar, eyes closed in repose, suddenly opened them.

Zhou Haijing realized that if this continued, things would truly become unmanageable. She had no choice but to raise both hands, then lightly patted her cheeks a few times. “I’m scared of you people! Always bullying a newcomer like me. I take back my words, I’ll slap myself.”

Yuan Huajing retrieved his natal sword, “Firefall,” and said in a low voice, “Let this be a final time.”

Zhou Haijing touched the slightly warm glazed tiles beside her. The original verdant patterns had been twisted by the flames. She raised her arm and vigorously shook her numb fingers. It seemed the true power of Yuan Huajing’s flying sword lay in its ability to secretly draw upon one’s spiritual energy and boil one’s soul? Less effective against pure martial artists, but twice as effective against Qi cultivators. Summoning the flying sword was like kindling a fire pit, no need to pierce the cultivator’s body; it could remotely simmer one’s spiritual energy like boiling water?

Yuan Huajing walked to the pavilion’s edge, his gaze still fixed on a mountain peak across the lake.

He wondered if Song Xu’s group had secretly infiltrated that ancient battlefield relic successfully. They said the Astronomical Bureau had discovered clues by observing the heavens, but it was actually Yuan Tianfeng’s calculation.

This relic, untouched by any cultivator for ten thousand years, possessed an extraordinary characteristic. According to the Astronomical Bureau’s conjecture, it secretly harbored a shattered fragment of an ancient fallen “Great Sun,” transformed into a slumbering Golden Crow, nurturing its spirit in seclusion. Due to some attraction or resonance, it had only recently begun to awaken, immediately drawing Yuan Tianfeng’s attention. Song Xu and his six companions had rushed there, carrying with them a treasure from the Grand Li Dynasty’s secret vault that could serve as a ward.

Over the years, Yuan Tianfeng had spent a vast amount of the Grand Li Dynasty’s wealth in the Astronomical Bureau, finally developing a precise instrument that could detect tremors in the earth’s ley lines.

Yuan Huajing and Song Xu were actually the two who disliked each other the most. Even more so than Zhou Haijing and Gai Yan’s superficial animosity.

However, after the last unexpected incident, they had an open and honest conversation, resolving their respective grievances.

The contents of their conversation were taboo. However, while resolving old grievances, they had formed new ones.

Before departing, Song Xu had uttered the phrase “Let this be a final time.” This prince, one realm lower than Yuan Huajing, was essentially posturing as the leader of the Earthly Branch lineage.

However, Yuan Huajing had expected to be furious, but he was not. Perhaps, as Song Xu had said, his ambition had already been crushed.

Therefore, Song Xu was certain that the most likely to suffer a heart demon were not Sui Lin and Lu Hui, but the swordsman Yuan Huajing, who had lost everything.

Chen Ping’an had offered different advice and suggestions to cultivators of the Earthly Branch lineage.

For example, he had suggested that Sui Lin visit the Capital’s Chongxu Bureau and Translation Bureau more often, integrating the One-Guard method advocated by both Buddhism and Daoism. With this protective charm, he would have a better chance of overcoming heart demons in the future.

For Lu Hui, Chen Ping’an had given a weighty promise. If he truly could not break through, he would help teach him a decree to break realm from the Confucian school of Qi cultivation.

Yuan Huajing speculated that the appearance of this Golden Crow was likely related to Lin Shouyi’s secluded cultivation.

He even suspected that Yuan Tianfeng’s appearance in the Grand Li Dynasty’s capital was for Lin Shouyi, or at least one of Yuan Tianfeng’s primary objectives.

Yuan Huajing had always been curious about one thing: it was said that Lin Shouyi’s foundation in cultivation was merely a Daoist book of thunder magic called “Cloud Top Azure Writings.” It could be said that Lin Shouyi’s path of cultivation was similar to those wild cultivators, self-taught.

Unfortunately, the Grand Li Dynasty had no copy of this book.

Wei Bo appeared at Mount Pi Yun’s gate, naturally using illusion magic.

Because Zheng Dafeng had come without any prior warning, Wei Bo felt that this guy never visited unless he wanted something. He needed to be cautious today.

Zheng Dafeng smiled broadly, reaching out to grab Wei Mountain Lord’s arm. “Brother Wei, oh Brother Wei, there’s something I need to discuss with you…”

Wei Bo sensed danger and said without hesitation, “Don’t even think about asking me to introduce you to any of the female officials in my Mountain Lord’s Office!”

Zheng Dafeng’s eyes were filled with sorrow. “Distribute the fortune equally, wouldn’t that be perfect?”

Wei Bo scoffed. “Don’t even think about it!”

Zheng Dafeng said, “You and I are close friends, right?”

Wei Bo wore a stern expression, not responding.

Zheng Dafeng said, “And I’m Chen Ping’an’s half-elder. After all, I watched him grow up. If I hadn’t fallen from grace and had to rely on the Fallen Mountain for a living, Chen Ping’an calling me Uncle Zheng would be proper etiquette, I wouldn’t feel guilty, right?”

Wei Bo said helplessly, “Zheng Dafeng, stop beating around the bush! I’m getting anxious!”

Zheng Dafeng complained, “Why so hasty? Haste makes waste. Come on, let’s climb the mountain together first, then go to the Music Bureau, or the Etiquette Bureau, anywhere with a quiet place, and have a good drinking session, until we’re both dead drunk.”

Wei Bo stood still. “You need to explain things clearly first, or don’t blame me for abandoning our brotherhood.”
Zheng Dafeng lamented with a wounded air, “Besides women, you, Brother Wei, are the first man to break my heart. Seems like I truly cannot associate with you in the future.”

Wei Bo reached up to touch his brow and forehead.

Zheng Dafeng sat down on the steps, leaving Wei Bo with no choice but to join him.

“Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao are Dao companions, correct?”

“And Ning Yao is the foremost individual in the Five Colors World, is she not?”

“Over in Ascension City, I hold considerable status and prestige, and I am also half an elder to Chen Ping’an, and you are my bosom buddy, my cherished brother.”

Wei Bo listened, feeling as if he were adrift in clouds and mist. Weren’t you just circling back to the beginning again?

“Ning Yao entrusted me with something for you, a thank you for Mountain Lord Wei’s care for a certain someone and Requiem Mountain over these years. Rest assured, this item doesn’t belong to Ascension City or the Summer Retreat Palace. It’s one of the spoils she claimed while sweeping through the world with her sword.”

Zheng Dafeng finally stopped being coy, produced a wooden box from his sleeve, and slapped it heavily into Wei Bo’s hand, laughing, “Congratulations, Mountain Lord Wei! Looks like you’ll have to hold another Night Sojourn Banquet, one that’s much anticipated by the people!”

Meanwhile, at Requiem Mountain, Xiao Mo appeared in the bamboo building, asking, “Young Master, her sneaking out of Requiem Mountain is no small matter. Do you really not need me to follow her?”

Chen Ping’an smiled gently, “Since she deliberately let you know about this, then you not going will be more effective than going.”