As Cai Jinjian walked backward, she realized that she had stepped into something unpleasant the moment her foot landed. What was even worse than stepping in dog poop was having someone else see it and tell you about it.
Cai Jinjian was not a shallow woman, nor a delicate lady who couldn't endure hardships. As one of the many children of the Yunxia Mountain Lord, she had emerged as the ultimate choice, indicating her capabilities. Yunxia Mountain, with its eighteen peaks shrouded in mist all year round, produced the famous Yun Root Stones, essential in Daoist alchemy for crafting external elixirs, known for their purity and clarity. Hence, the inhabitants of Yunxia Mountain were meticulous about cleanliness, often to the point of obsession. Cai Jinjian was no exception. If not for the significant stakes involved, she would never have set foot in this small town, much less walked through Mud Bottle Alley, filled with chicken and dog droppings.
In this new environment, where they were deprived of their divine abilities and treasures, Cai Jinjian had stepped into dog poop. Initially, Fu Nanhua found it amusing that the pristine Fairy Cai of Yunxia Mountain had a boot covered in sticky dog poop. However, his amusement turned to alarm when he saw her sudden move towards Chen Ping'an.
Fu Nanhua shouted, "Cai Jinjian, stop!"
On the mud wall, Song Jixin's eyes narrowed as he gripped the green jade pendant tightly.
In the alley, Cai Jinjian seemed to take a single step to reach Chen Ping'an, her delicate hand moving swiftly towards his head. However, she stopped just in time, gently patting his head instead, like a doting elder. Bending down, she looked into the boy's clear eyes, seeing her reflection in their depths. Despite her foul mood, she managed a forced smile and said, "Little one, I know you deliberately slowed down your speech."
Fu Nanhua sighed in relief. If she had dared to kill someone here, she might have been expelled from the town, bringing disgrace upon Yunxia Mountain.
His face darkened as he reminded her in formal language, "Cai Jinjian, think carefully. If you continue being reckless, I might have to abandon our alliance. I can't afford to let you ruin everything."
With her back to Fu Nanhua, Cai Jinjian muttered a quick mantra: "Quickly see the Buddha, slowly see the Buddha… There is indeed a Pure Land, indeed a lotus pool…"
She turned to Fu Nanhua with an apologetic smile, "I lost my composure. I promise it won't happen again."
Fu Nanhua's expression remained cold. "Are you sure?"
Cai Jinjian ignored him, looking back at Chen Ping'an. Speaking in the elegant language of the region, she mused aloud, "Our Yunxia Mountain has its roots in one of the Five Buddhist Sects, emphasizing the taming of the heart and mind. Yet, before coming here, I could hardly grasp what that meant. Our elders never rushed our understanding, letting us explore on our own. Unexpectedly, stepping in dog poop here in Mud Bottle Alley gave me some insight…"
Chen Ping'an interrupted, "Miss, you stepped in dog poop a while ago. Why haven't you scraped it off?"
The fairy-like woman, feeling she had reached a state of enlightenment, was pulled back to the mundane world, her face darkening. Remembering Fu Nanhua's warning, she vented her frustration by jabbing Chen Ping'an's forehead. "Didn't anyone teach you that a bad temper leads to early death, and sharp words cut your luck?"
Chen Ping'an, with his thick skin, didn't mind and looked at Song Jixin, who responded angrily, "Chen Ping'an, why are you looking at me? It's bad luck!"
Fu Nanhua noticed he hadn't even entered Song Jixin's courtyard but already felt irritated. He mocked, "Cai Jinjian! It's funny how someone can let dog poop delay their path to immortality."
Cai Jinjian, unusually unbothered, gave Chen Ping'an a long look, then turned to leave.
Chen Ping'an suddenly called out, "Miss, your eyelashes are long."
Cai Jinjian, enraged at being teased by a mere mortal, turned back, determined to teach him a lesson, even if it meant using some of her energy to plant an illness or shorten his lifespan. However, in the dim alley, she saw only his bright eyes, which softened her anger.
Realizing this might be her heart's test, Cai Jinjian felt enlightened. She believed that each encounter was a test, and this boy was her current challenge. She placed a hand over his heart, pressing gently. Despite his attempt to step back, her move was swift and smooth.
Fu Nanhua, watching her, felt a surge of killing intent but masked it with anger. "You've already cursed him with illness. Is that not enough? Are you so mad you'd risk your chance at immortality over a peasant boy?"
Ignoring him, Cai Jinjian turned back to Chen Ping'an and said, "This alley is truly lucky for me. I've found another opportunity here. Even a small one is still meat, a good omen. I'm more confident about Gu Can now!"
Fu Nanhua was stunned. Had she really gained insight?
Cai Jinjian lifted her foot, examining the mess. "Truly lucky."
Song Jixin's expression was unreadable. Zhi Gui stood silently, her eyes briefly flashing with a double-pupil gold glow, unnoticed by anyone but Fu Nanhua, who felt a vague sense of danger but dismissed it as the scrutiny of the town's sage.
Cai Jinjian, feeling lighter, thought of the urgent need for a powerful artifact to stabilize Yunxia Mountain's fortunes and secure her position as the next mountain lord.
Walking towards Zhi Gui, she heard Chen Ping'an ask, "Did you do something to me?"
Without turning, she replied, "You're overthinking it."
He fell silent.
Cai Jinjian looked back with a smile. "You'll be dead in six months."
Chen Ping'an was startled.
She laughed, "Just kidding!"
He grinned.
Cai Jinjian and Fu Nanhua both thought, "A frog in a well, an ant beneath the mountain."
Watching from the wall, Song Jixin seemed serious for once. Even as Zhi Gui led the peculiar woman to find Gu Can and the generous young man entered his courtyard, Song Jixin remained contemplative. He disliked the feeling that Chen Ping'an was like a stone in a latrine: an eyesore when left, and dirty when moved.
Noticing Song Jixin's distraction, Fu Nanhua repeated, "Song Jixin, do you know there are people in this world unlike any other?"
Song Jixin finally turned, his tone flat. "I know."
Fu Nanhua had to swallow his planned speech. "Do you really?"
Song Jixin's cold gaze met his. "You mean those who can bring the dead to life, live forever, and wield limitless power?"
Fu Nanhua nodded, relieved. "We're kindred spirits."
Song Jixin's eyes drifted to his neighbor's door, then back. "Let's talk inside."
Fu Nanhua agreed, but as he crossed the threshold, Song Jixin casually asked, "What's your relationship with that woman?"
Fu Nanhua answered without hesitation, "Allies, but not friends."
Song Jixin muttered, "You people are slow and clumsy. I heard the outside world is full of marvels, yet you act so cautiously. Shouldn't you eliminate threats completely?"
Accustomed to high-stakes environments, Fu Nanhua showed no reaction to the provocation. He asked, "Do you have a grudge against him?"
Song Jixin feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about?"
Realizing his disbelief, Song Jixin dropped the act. "I've been neighbors with Chen Ping'an for years without a quarrel. Believe it or not."
Fu Nanhua understood the implication. Chen Ping'an was a nobody. If he died, no one would care.
Finding the situation absurd, Fu Nanhua thought, "The turmoil in this alley is ridiculous."
The impoverished boy next door, trying to protect Song Jixin's identity, might die for it. And now Song Jixin, who seemed noble, was plotting to use this to his advantage.
Recalling a quote, Fu Nanhua thought, "The cub of a tiger or leopard, though young, has the spirit of a bull."
---
At Gu Can's house, the boy was locked in a room by his mother, who sat with the self-proclaimed True Lord. The old man, examining his palm, smiled. "The situation is set."
The woman asked hesitantly, "What did you do to Chen Ping'an...?"
Noticing his sharp glare, she fell silent.
The old man created a breeze that swirled around the yard. "Those like me, in such places, become helpless. The longer we stay, the worse it gets. Thankfully, he angered the heavens and will face disaster. This allows me to plot for your son, ensuring he can rise with the force of thunder and become a dragon."
The woman, sweating from fear, trembled.
The old man laughed, "You wonder why someone detached from worldly matters becomes so scheming? Compared to a naive village woman, I'm not much better."
She quickly denied it, trembling.
The old man waited calmly for Cai Jinjian's knock. In the path of cultivation, power and techniques are boundless.
Reasoning with ants like her was pointless.