Chapter 284: Please Conduct Yourself With Dignity, Young Miss
Before boarding the Treasure Swallowing Whale that was headed for Parasol Leaf Continent, Chen Ping'an purposely went to the market next to the Incense Offering Tower. He bought a tube of incense that contained eighty-one sticks of Three Pure Incense, a specialty product of Stalactite Mountain.
This incense gave off a refreshing fragrance, and it was a premium product whether one used it to pay respects to deities or to calm one's mind. However, it was quite dear, commanding a price of one lesser heat coin per tube, a full hundred snowflake coins.
Why had Chen Ping'an spent such an exorbitant amount of money on some incense? This was because he had recalled the mountain god temple in his Downtrodden Mountain back at home. If friends visited in the future, he could give them these sticks of incense to offer. After all, it would be a beautiful thing if his friends could pay their sincere respects and the mountain god could enjoy premium incense.
Apart from this tube of incense from the market next to the Incense Offering Tower, as well as the two treasures that he had spent a huge amount of money to purchase from Ganoderma Inn, Chen Ping'an also bought a copy of the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls, with his set of paintings being composed by a masterful painter from Southern Whirl Continent.
There were five scrolls in total, with each being very large and long. There were twenty sword immortals illustrated on each of the five scrolls, and each was only but an inch tall. However, they all appeared extremely lively and ethereal.
Of course, the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls that Chen Ping'an purchased was only a copy. The original picture scrolls were illustrated by a grandmaster painter after he witnessed a battle on the Sword Qi Great Wall. Afterward, countless people created copies of his work.
There were far too many sword immortals honored in the Sword Reverence Pagoda, so the "Rock Channel" copy of the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls that Chen Ping'an purchased only contained a hundred sword immortals chosen according to the whims of the painter.
There were several other copies in the store, with the "Rock Channel" version being the most expensive among the options. After carefully comparing them, Chen Ping'an had discovered that the sword immortals illustrated in the "Rock Channel" version resonated with him the most. Thus, he had gritted his teeth and bought this version.
This had genuinely been a notable expense. The set of picture scrolls had cost him a whopping fifty lesser heat coins.
It was unknown whether the beaming shopkeeper was happy about coming across an easily deceived customer or genuinely appreciative of Chen Ping'an's impressive judgment skills. In any case, he told the young boy many interesting and peculiar stories related to the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls. He said that several sword immortals had coincidentally come across damaged portions of the original paintings in the past, and this had allowed them to comprehend the true intent of the sword immortals illustrated in the paintings. These sword immortals then advanced in leaps and bounds, eventually becoming terrestrial sword immortals who were greatly renowned throughout the world.
Chen Ping'an planned to give this set of Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls to Sage Ruan Qiong as a congratulatory present in the future. When Chen Ping'an had left his hometown, Dragon Spring Prefecture, back then, Master Ruan had still yet to carry out his sect-founding ceremony. However, he had most likely carried it out by now.
To Ruan Qiong, fifty lesser heat coins was definitely a measly sum that wasn't worth a mention. However, this was at least something purchased from Stalactite Mountain and brought back to the Great Li Empire's Dragon Spring Prefecture. With a distance of thousands of mountains and rivers between the two places, it was ultimately the thought that counted rather than the present itself.
People say that "clothes make the man."
As Chen Ping'an walked toward the Incense Offering Dock, several female immortals in their prime surprisingly shot a few glances at him, the type where they came back for seconds and thirds, and not the type where they lost their interest after a single glance.
Compared to his trip to Stalactite Mountain to deliver the sword to Ning Yao, Chen Ping'an was more concerned about his imminent trip to Parasol Leaf Continent to search for the old Daoist priest. After confirming that the young female immortals weren't harboring any ill intentions, Chen Ping'an pushed them out of his mind and paid them no more heed.
The Incense Offering Dock was larger than the Catch and Release Dock, yet Chen Ping'an didn't see the Treasure Swallowing Whale that was guaranteed to be colossal in size.
Standing there with the boarding jade pendant tied to his waist, Chen Ping'an saw a Mountain and Sea Turtle that had courtyards and pagodas on its back, as well as a gigantic carriage drawn by an Azure Phoenix and a Celestial Crane. There was also something that the Mountain and Sea Chronicle described as unique to Circling Ascension Continent, a small mountain peak filled with lush green foliage.NeW novels updates on novel/b(i)n(.)com
However, it was unknown whether this mountain was a "Flying Over Mountain" or "Flying Away Peak." It was said that the mountain roots formed by the accumulation of spiritual energy in these mountains were extremely nutritious to flood dragons. When ancient flood dragons entered rivers to transform into dragons in the past, they would pick a suitable river leading to the sea before asking someone to bring "Flying Over Mountains" and "Flying Away Peaks" over to toss into the river. This would allow them to replenish their energy in a timely manner and prevent them from becoming exhausted and draining all of their Qi and blood.
Chen Ping'an had only just started to learn the official dialect of Middle Earth Divine Continent, so he was destined to be unintelligible when he tried to ask for directions. If others couldn't understand him, he would have no option but to take out a bamboo slip and carve out his questions.
Fortunately, Chen Ping'an found a few passengers who had jade pendants of the same style hanging by their waist. Thus, he silently followed them for a while, and it wasn't long before they arrived at someplace that was bustling with people. Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief.
However, someone suddenly tapped his left shoulder lightly, yet Chen Ping'an directly turned his head toward the right, only to see a familiar face. Seeing that Chen Ping'an didn't fall for their trick, the person lost interest and said in a lazy voice, "What, are you also heading to Planchette Writing Sect in Parasol Leaf Continent? Is this a huge coincidence? You're not coveting something of mine, are you? Perhaps you're coveting my beauty?"
The guilty person is making accusations first?
Chen Ping'an had a neutral impression of this person.
It was someone with a pearl hairpin, a pink dress, and a colorful ribbon around the waist. A very beautiful... young man.
If their encounter on Osmanthus Island traveling from Old Dragon City to Stalactite Mountain could be put down to fate, then it was incredibly likely that ulterior motives existed now that they were on the same intercontinental ship from Stalactite Mountain to Planchette Writing Sect.
People continued to vanish near the front of the ferry station, and only then did Chen Ping'an discover the boarding location for the Treasure Swallowing Whale. These were lengths of embroidery draped over the ground. When Chen Ping'an had purchased his boarding jade pendant back then, there had been three different options on offer: "Cloud on Peak," "Enchanting Garden," and "Emerald Lake."
Chen Ping'an had gone with Emerald Lake, the medium-priced option. Looking at the three lengths of embroidery on the ground, Chen Ping'an saw that the scenery on each was distant. There was one with flowing mists and clouds amid which a lone mountain peak towered through, there was an emerald lake atop which residences lay like the starry sky, and there was a collection of courtyards and pagodas filled with colorful flowers in full bloom.
Not far behind him, "Miss Lu" explained in a timid voice, "It's not like people can board the Treasure Swallowing Whale from its mouth. This Treasure Swallowing Whale is very large, and it can be regarded as the largest one in Golden Armor Continent. There are four separate mystical realms inside this Treasure Swallowing Whale, with three of them transformed into residential areas for passengers.
"In comparison, there's only a single mystical realm inside the Treasure Swallowing Whale from Old Dragon City. It's far inferior to this one. As for the three lengths of embroidery, these are actually extremely high-grade land-shortening talismans that can help passengers immediately travel to their relevant mystical realm."
A look of realization spread across Chen Ping'an's face.
The all-encompassing divine book Mountain and Sea Chronicle had detailed records regarding mystical realms. Because this pertained to blessed lands, and since it was strongly related to Jewel Small World as well, Chen Ping'an had been especially attentive when reading the relevant sections. In fact, he had especially looked for the young inn manager of Stork Inn and asked him about some things that weren't recorded in the book.
Those who were born and raised in Stalactite Mountain were often very knowledgeable and spoke in a very confident manner regardless of their cultivation base and family situation. They talked about everything without fear, from sages to heavenly lords to earth immortals. In any case, the range and depth of their knowledge and experiences were indeed superior to any place outside Stalactite Mountain.
The young inn manager was a taciturn person, yet he had chatted freely with Chen Ping'an in a rare display. He had most likely treated Chen Ping'an as an esteemed guest.
Many blessed lands that naturally aged and crumbled or were destroyed by external factors would leave behind pieces of territory after they shattered. However, the locations of these territories were unknown, and thus they were aptly referred to as mystical realms. For instance, the wine shop that sold Forgetting Sorrow Wine in Stalactite Mountain was the sole remaining mystical realm of Golden Millet Blessed Land.
Oftentimes, the fated opportunities of cultivators would be intricately tied to mystical realms. Mystical realms could add icing to the cake and they could also deliver help in times of great need. It could be said that the existence of mystical realms, both large and small, instilled Qi refiners with a sense of ambition and yearning. Indeed, the large majority of vagrant cultivators and itinerant cultivators who managed to rise and achieve fame could attribute their success to fated opportunities obtained from mystical realms.
It was possible for cultivators to inadvertently wander into unoccupied mystical realms by chance. These mystical realms might be paradises filled with the essence of plants and life, or they might be vast expanses of desolate land filled with a miasma of poison. They might also be cave abodes left behind by sages after they passed away.
If one were fortunate, they could obtain rare fated opportunities and ascend to the heavens in a single step. If one were unfortunate, however, then they might perhaps become trapped in the mystical realm forever, eventually dying of old age. Or perhaps they might face some perilous danger and be killed. In the end, their belongings would become nothing more than fated opportunities for those who stumbled upon the mystical realm in the future.
Chen Ping'an was very keen to know whether Jewel Small World left any mystical realms in the world after crumbling and plummeting to the ground.
He could ask Wei Bo when he returned home in the future.
With these thoughts in mind, Chen Ping'an walked toward the length of embroidery that led toward the Emerald Lake inside the Treasure Swallowing Whale. Lu Tai sighed in grief and quickened his pace, calmly walking over and blocking Chen Ping'an's path. He extended a hand and said, "I initially planned to go to the Emerald Lake as well. However, since you loathe me so much, I won't be a thorn in your side anymore. I can change my residence, and I can pay some more money and ask someone to move me to that prestigious Enchanting Garden instead. Let's part ways here. Chen Ping'an, you said you would lend me some lesser heat coins before. Does this offer still stand? Otherwise, I won't be able to move to the Enchanting Garden..."
Lu Tai was pouting and pitiful, and his appearance appeared strange no matter how Chen Ping'an looked at him.
Chen Ping'an directly retrieved a handful of lesser heat coins, happy to lose money to avoid calamity. He walked over and hurriedly handed the money to Lu Tai.
Chen Ping'an was willing to spend this money as long as this person didn't disturb him anymore. He wanted to peacefully practice his fist techniques and sword techniques on the intercontinental ship.
After accepting the lesser heat coins, there was a deep sense of grievance in Lu Tai's watery eyes as he dazedly stared at Chen Ping'an. In the end, he silently turned around and left, most likely looking for someone to help change his residence.
When Chen Ping'an walked onto the strange land-shortening talisman, he saw a delighted Lu Tai winking at him from a distance. The feminine man raised his hand and waved the jade pendant that had the characters "Emerald Lake" engraved on it.
As it turned out, Lu Tai was genuinely strapped for money. As a result, he had only been able to purchase a boarding jade pendant for the cheapest "Cloud on Peak" mystical realm in the beginning. Afterward, however, his colorful lies had convinced Chen Ping'an to give him a handful of lesser heat coins...
Lu Tai's footsteps were light and nimble as he walked toward the length of embroidered brocade rug that Chen Ping'an was on in a lively and mischievous manner. His expression was smug, and he appeared even more beautiful and charming than before.
Before vanishing from the ferry station, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but curse that "young lady" in his mind, exclaiming, Fucking hell...
1. Lu Tai's name is written 陆台. ☜
