After Chen Ping'an emerged from seclusion, his first destination was the blacksmith's shop. As he crossed the stone arch bridge, the youth clasped his hands together, bowed his head, and quickened his pace, his expression solemn and earnest as he murmured, "Old Immortal, please speak kindly—do not strike me. If you have any requests, send them to me in a dream at night; better not during the broad daylight, for I am truly a little frightened." Fortunately, upon reaching the far end of the bridge, Chen Ping'an was safe and sound. Instantly, a radiant smile blossomed across the youth's face as he scampered off to find Master Ruan and Ruan Xiu. The boy knew no sorrow.
Ruan Qiong still waited beneath the eaves to receive Chen Ping'an, each seated upon a small bamboo stool. Ruan Xiu stood behind her father, her face alight with uncontainable joy. Seeing the dust-covered youth in straw sandals, Ruan Qiong gently placed the basket before him, then delicately extracted from beneath the heap of herbs a cloth pouch containing two meticulously wrapped maps depicting mountain and river formations. With a pang of guilt, he said, "When I climbed Diaodeng Mountain, a great waterfall barred the path. Near the deep pool beneath the cascade, I found a spot to hide the basket and even constructed a small wooden shelter for protection against wind and rain. But shortly after reaching the top, a heavy downpour began. By the time I hurried back, the shelter had collapsed, and both the basket and the cotton-wrapped parcel were soaked through. Fortunately, the two maps were wrapped tightly in wax paper. Once the sun returned, I examined them; only the edges were damp, and after drying, the markings remained clear."
Unfolding the cloth and wax paper, Ruan Qiong found the maps almost pristine, with negligible damage. Besides, they were mere copies; neither the Kiln Overseer's Office nor the Longquan County authorities intended to reclaim them. Yet, unwilling to comfort the youth with this truth, Ruan Qiong cast a sidelong glance at the uneasy Chen Ping'an standing before him and inquired, "Climbing up and down Longqiu Waterfall on Diaodeng Mountain during a storm—you're courting death?" Chen Ping'an smiled but said nothing.
Waving him off, Ruan Qiong motioned for the boy to sit, dismissing his presence from directly in front. Chen Ping'an settled onto the charming emerald bamboo stool. After returning the two maps to Master Ruan, a profound relief washed over him. Had he not feared damaging these precious maps, he could have saved three or four days during this expedition into and out of the mountains. Over these many days of mutual reliance, the boy's heart had quietly grown attached to the maps. Whenever the sky cleared and he climbed high to survey the land, Chen Ping'an delighted in unfolding the maps at the most panoramic vantage points, gazing upon the mountains and rivers before lowering his eyes to study the charts anew. For over half a month, he had never felt so fulfilled.
Suddenly, Ruan Qiong lightly tossed the two maps back to Chen Ping'an. "The stool is quite decent; I'll craft two more later. Consider the maps as your reward—take them." Though Ruan Qiong still harbored no fondness for the boy from the Mud Bottle Alley, he was not so ungracious as to dismiss him entirely. He could vividly imagine the scene: amidst a torrential downpour, a slender youth anxious to see the maps one last time before feeling at ease. To Ruan Qiong, such behavior was hardly heroic—rather, it struck him as rigid and obstinate. Frankly, compared to this pitiable youth, Ruan Qiong admired more those like the discerning Prince Song Jixin of Dali, the cheerful and carefree Liu Xianyang, the fiercely ambitious Ma Kuxuan, or even the scholarly seedling Zhao Yao, raised under Qi Jingchun's tutelage—none so stubbornly unyielding as Chen Ping'an.
His decision to offer the maps, in truth, signaled a resolve to draw a clear boundary with the boy. The blacksmith's shop might take him in as a sword-forging apprentice, but he would never become Ruan Qiong's founding disciple. Though he would honor his promise to protect the mountain peaks the boy purchased, he was adamant that this youth should have no involvement with his daughter. Ultimately, Ruan Qiong's reluctance did not stem from disdain for Chen Ping'an's origins, but from irreconcilable differences in principle. His disciples must be kindred spirits, both mentor and friend, united in forging a millennial legacy for their sect; hence, harmonious temperament was paramount.
Unaware of Ruan Qiong's intricate thoughts, Chen Ping'an simply caught the maps, clutching them to his chest as he asked, "The Overseer at the County Office won't object?" Ruan Qiong sneered, "For at least sixty years, I am the supreme authority of Longquan County. My rules reign supreme." Ruan Xiu muttered, "Father, you're such a self-aggrandizer." Ignoring his daughter's teasing, Ruan Qiong turned to Chen Ping'an in a stern tone, "Now, let's discuss serious matters. Which five mountains have you finally chosen?"
Chen Ping'an instinctively straightened. "Around Shenxiu Mountain, I selected three: Baolu Mountain, Caiyun Peak, and Xiancao Mountain." Ruan Qiong nodded approvingly, "Not a bad eye. Baolu Mountain covers vast terrain and ranks among the top sixty peaks, and it's no hollow title. Were it not for my future plans for the mountain's protective formation, I would have sacrificed Hengshuo Peak in favor of Baolu Mountain. In this thousand-mile landscape, barring the presence of mountain spirits or hidden treasures, whoever commands the greater domain commands more spiritual energy—and thus gains the advantage."
"Xiancao Mountain is the only auspicious site likely to birth a plant spirit, though sadly, it is too small. Even if one appeared, its foundation and quality would be modest. The logic is simple: a small pond cannot nurture a mighty dragon. As for Caiyun Peak, it's rather ordinary. Beyond its elevation and scenic beauty, it offers little benefit to cultivation unless you procure Cloud Root Stones from Yunxia Mountain and place them strategically in the peak's mountain crevices—only then might it be a worthwhile investment."
"Did you not inspect the lake on Huanghu Mountain?" Ruan Qiong's final question made Chen Ping'an pause. "I have." "Continue. Which are the remaining two peaks?" Ruan Qiong halted the previous topic with a nod, already extending more than enough grace by withholding further secrets.
The small lake on Huanghu Mountain resembled Xiancao Mountain's peculiar charm. The difference was that Huanghu housed a python as thick as a well's mouth—a true "local tyrant." It had recently lost a contest for water rights to a humble loach, thereby missing a nearby great Dao opportunity. Yet the Dao's profundity lies in offering no dead ends. Now, the five small creatures from Lizhu Dongtian—the golden carp captured by the Dragon King's net and transformed into the fire dragon bracelet on Ruan Xiu's wrist, the loach beside General Liu Zhimao, the wooden dragon animated by Zhao Yao, and the stubborn four-legged yellow lizard clinging to Wang Zhu—these embodied the five great fortunes accumulated over three thousand years before Lizhu Dongtian's demise. Though artifacts like sword-gourd and demon-revealing mirrors abounded, none matched the vitality of these living fortunes.
The python of Huanghu Mountain, having thrived through adversity, had become the undisputed sovereign within a thousand-mile radius. Should the mountain and river deities settle there, and if the python wisely accepted their command and secured official protection from the Dali court, it might embark on a true path of cultivation.
Chen Ping'an said, "I intend to purchase Zhenzhu Mountain and Luopuo Mountain." Ruan Qiong was taken aback, curious: "Zhenzhu Mountain is understandable—a mere spring coin—truly priceless in sentiment. But Luopuo Mountain? Situated on the southwestern border of Longquan County, you surely never visited. It was once a forbidden mountain of Dali. Did you choose it solely by its name?" Chen Ping'an, slightly embarrassed, hesitated to reveal the truth. When spreading out the maps, a bird flew overhead and dropped excrement upon the terrain chart. After hurriedly cleaning the spot, Chen Ping'an noticed it fell precisely on the characters for Luopuo Mountain. Without further thought, he decisively selected Luopuo Mountain, regardless of its ill-omened name. As Elder Yao had said, the landscape harbors spirits—he took it as a sign from the mountain deity.
Ruan Qiong pondered, "Choosing Luopuo Mountain is not unreasonable. So it is settled: Luopuo Mountain, Baolu Mountain, Xiancao Mountain, Caiyun Peak, and Zhenzhu Mountain—five peaks for three centuries. Within that time, even if you hollow out an entire summit, no one will impede you. All products—plants, medicines, fauna, even serendipitous treasures—belong to the person whose name is sealed on the Dali mountain and river register."
Chen Ping'an nodded, "Understood." Ruan Qiong patiently continued, "Important matters to note: Before you die, you must notify the Longquan County office and the Dali court if you wish to change the inheritor(s) of the five peaks. The Ministry of Revenue keeps a secret archive; you may designate beneficiaries for each mountain, in case you die suddenly without a will. Also, within three centuries, selling these peaks isn't a matter of whimsy—it requires
the same official procedures, but it's not difficult, provided you're honest about the reasons."
Chen Ping'an scratched his head and asked, "What if I die accidentally?" Ruan Qiong snorted, "Then it's over. The mountain register will automatically revert to the court. Even if someone else gets wind of your death and falsely claims the mountains, they must still pass the Dali court's verification process. For instance, Li Baoping's family has two mountain registers and five land deed documents. The Dali court takes mountain ownership very seriously. Spiritual peaks that enter official records can generate enormous profit—true fiscal policy in the empire of Dali." Chen Ping'an thanked him earnestly.
Ruan Qiong, with a rare hint of softness in his voice, asked, "Would you like me to help forge a few sets of iron tools for you? You'll need them when you ascend your mountain."
Chen Ping'an said with a bright smile, "That would be wonderful."