When Injustice Arises, It Must Be Heard

Fu Nanhua, the young city lord of Old Dragon City, sat opposite the young man surnamed Song. He carefully held the small pot with a Mountain Demon etched on its base, examining the markings with meticulous attention. It was as if he were admiring the graceful form of a peerless beauty, never tiring of the sight. Fu Nanhua had been turning it over and over, rubbing it, and breathing on it for over half an hour, completely captivated. Some people or things just make you fall in love at first sight, bringing pure joy. For the discerning Fu Nanhua, this Heart-Nourishing Pot was precisely one of them. Although the line between a bargain and a rip-off is razor-thin, Fu Nanhua firmly believed he had found the former this time, and not a small one at that. His home, Old Dragon City, was among the top-ranked sects in the southern part of the East Treasure Bottle Continent. Thus, Fu Nanhua was a true scion of a wealthy and powerful immortal family, which was also why Cai Jinjian had been showing weakness everywhere earlier.

Song Jixin yawned, slouched in his chair, and shifted into a more comfortable position. He asked lazily, "Brother Fu, since the authenticity of the item is confirmed, shouldn't we discuss the price now?"

Fu Nanhua, rarely addressed as "brother," suppressed a faint sense of discomfort and reluctantly put down the Mountain Demon pot. He smiled, "Brother Song, you must know my sincerity. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so upfront and revealed the true value of this pot right at the beginning. Nor would I have been so hesitant, openly showing my determination to acquire it. This is to avoid a drawn-out negotiation with inflated prices and lowball offers, wasting time and damaging our brotherly bond. Brother Song, I, Fu Nanhua, already consider you a confidant on your future cultivation path. We can do business with peace of mind for now. Whether we can share fortune and misfortune in the future, or even entrust our lives to each other, depends on whether we take this first step today with solid footing."

Song Jixin extended a finger and pointed at the young nobleman with the high-crowned hat, his expression sincere. He smiled and said, "Brother Fu, I'm a rather vulgar person, covered in the smell of money. Of course, I recognize friends. But when we sit down to talk business, if someone talks about brotherhood with me, I can't help but ask myself: when I need this person to talk about brotherhood in the future, will he actually be calculating business deals in his heart?"

Fu Nanhua's expression turned cold. He leaned back against the chair, his finger tapping the tabletop gently and silently.

Song Jixin seemed completely oblivious to Fu Nanhua's change in attitude. "Calling you Brother Fu and letting you examine this pot is my sincerity. Since we both want to make a deal, let's be straightforward. Brother Fu, you name your price, and I'll nod or shake my head. I'll give you two chances to make an offer. After two attempts, it's like missing the boat. No matter how much you promise me mountains of gold and seas of silver, I'm sorry, brother, I won't sell."

"The jade pendant earlier was my meeting gift, named 'Old Dragon Spreads Rain.' It's not some immensely powerful immortal artifact, but it can ward off heat, clear the mind, and purify, especially beneficial for meditation and forgetting oneself. With a secret mantra from a major Daoist sect as an aid, it can yield twice the results with half the effort."

Fu Nanhua's smile was sincere, devoid of any arrogance or condescension. He placed an embroidered pouch on the table and pushed it towards Song Jixin with his palm, saying solemnly, "This bag of coins I have is called Offering Coins. It's one of the many incense offerings in the world, usually placed on the statues of gods in City God temples or Wen Chang pavilions. Whether held in the mouth, hidden in the belly, or placed in the palm, each has its own specific rituals and functions. But these are not the most important. The truly crucial part is that these coins, which look like gold, are 'Golden Essence,' far more precious than gold. The immortals once said, 'Water jade may be gathered, but Golden Essence is secret and not to be discussed,' referring to this substance. This bag of Golden Essence Offering Coins, as the price for the pot, is not necessarily more than enough, but it is ultimately a fair price. If you add the Old Dragon Pendant, I, Fu Nanhua, dare say that Brother Song, you will definitely be making a profit."

After these "heartfelt words," Fu Nanhua waited for a reply.

Song Jixin was silent for a moment, blinked, and asked, "Is that all?"

Fu Nanhua gave a wry smile. "That's all."

The young man's face suddenly changed. He slammed his palm on the table. "Fu, you son of a bitch! Do you think I'm a three-year-old child to be easily fooled?! Before you entered the small town, you were given three bags of copper coins. Excluding the bag for the road toll, you were supposed to give one bag for every treasure you obtained, regardless of size. A bag of copper coins, thirty at most, twenty at least, but does this shriveled money bag of yours even have twelve?! You dare to trade opportunities with me without even a shred of integrity in doing business?"

Fu Nanhua's fingers tapped the table with increasing force and speed, striking it repeatedly.

Song Jixin's chest trembled. He inexplicably found it difficult to breathe, his face turning red, bloodshot veins appearing in his eyes. The young man quickly raised a hand to his chest, his heart pounding like a drum, thump-thump-thump, as if about to burst through his ribcage.

Fu Nanhua gradually slowed the speed of his finger tapping. The young man's complexion improved. Fu Nanhua asked with a smile, "Since our first offer didn't work out, I'll make another offer. Twenty-four Golden Essence Offering Coins. Will you sell me this Mountain Demon pot?"

Song Jixin, drenched in sweat, hesitated. Seeing the other party make a move, the young man was about to say something to ease the situation when the young city lord of Old Dragon City, accustomed to being showered with attention, sped up his tapping again, like a sudden summer downpour.

Song Jixin pressed his hands to his chest, his handsome face contorted, a fierce and ruthless smile mixed with the distortion.

Fu Nanhua almost couldn't resist beating this wolf cub to death. But at the last moment, the immense temptation of ascending to the heavens and achieving eternal life outweighed his personal dislike. So, he stopped his finger movements and let the young man off the hook.

Song Jixin gasped for air, his eyes burning with intensity, chuckling hoarsely.

Fu Nanhua was utterly bewildered. There seemed to be no hatred in the young man's eyes. Fu Nanhua didn't find this a cause for alarm. On the path of cultivation, there were countless strange phenomena and peculiar individuals. He merely asked in confusion, "What are you laughing at?"

Song Jixin's breathing grew steadier. He slumped back against the chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead, his eyes shining. "I'm just so happy thinking that in the near future, I'll also possess your ability to kill with a flick of my finger."

Fu Nanhua dismissed it with a smile, deeming him a kindred spirit he could appreciate.

Such people were the easiest to deal with, as long as your position was higher than theirs. They could also be the most difficult to deal with once they climbed above you.

However, the young city lord of Old Dragon City didn't believe that after successfully seizing this opportunity, he would be inferior to a young man who had never left his small town before the age of nine.

Song Jixin glanced at the small pot on the table and the half-bag of copper coins. He looked up and said, "Fu Nanhua, I have two conditions. If you agree, I will not only sell you the Mountain Demon pot but also offer another old item no less valuable than it."

Fu Nanhua suppressed his joy and tried to speak in a calm tone. "Tell me."

Song Jixin didn't play coy. His words were shocking. "First, I want you to give me three bags of Golden Essence coins, not two!"

Fu Nanhua replied without hesitation, "Agreed!"

Song Jixin stared intently into his eyes.

Fu Nanhua smiled, "Believe it or not. Also, before you leave today, you must show me the item worth two bags of Golden Essence for me to inspect personally."

Song Jixin nodded as well. "Of course!"

Fu Nanhua asked, "Then what is the second condition?"

Song Jixin slowly said, "Kill someone for me."

Fu Nanhua shook his head. "Since you know how many copper coins are in a bag, you should also know that we 'outsiders' cannot kill people here arbitrarily. Otherwise, we will be immediately expelled from the small town, or even have a part of our root bones removed. The Sage will then use immortal means to strip away related opportunities, resulting in a tragic fate, and even cause the family to lose all opportunities here."

Song Jixin's lips curled up. "Don't be so quick to refuse. You can wait and see what happens, how about that?"

Fu Nanhua smiled and asked, "I'm curious, who do you want to kill?"

Song Jixin said, half-truthfully, half-falsely, "I'm still thinking about it."

Fu Nanhua picked up the small pot again, feeling its delicate texture. He said casually, "Then I'll wait and see."

Across the table, the young man subconsciously rubbed his neck, his complexion looking extremely poor.

Earlier, Zhi Gui had escorted Cai Jinjian to the entrance of the Gu family's courtyard. At that time, Song Jixin's maid had gone shopping on her own. After Cai Jinjian pushed open the door, she felt as if struck by lightning, standing frozen in place. She looked at the old man sitting on the long bench and asked tremulously, "Senior, are you the River-Cutting True Lord who cultivates in Book Scroll Lake?"

The old man asked, "How do you recognize this old man?"

Cai Jinjian respectfully replied, "Junior Cai Jinjian of Cloud Mist Mountain. Ten years ago, I followed my father to Book Scroll Lake to witness the wondrous sight of the old turtle carrying the stele out of the water. I was fortunate enough to glimpse Senior's demeanor from afar, and the memory is still vivid and unforgettable."

The old man nodded. "I see."

Cai Jinjian's mood became slightly heavy. "True Lord, junior wishes to..."

The "storyteller," known as the "River-Cutting True Lord," glanced at her and said calmly, "For the sake of Patriarch Songxia, I will not hold your uninvited arrival against you. Don't let it happen again. Remember to close the door after you leave the courtyard."

Cai Jinjian was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Junior will take leave now."

She truly left, and did not forget to close the door obediently, her movements gentle and flawless.

Inside the courtyard, the woman looked towards the courtyard gate with concern. "Immortal Master, she doesn't seem like someone who will give up easily. Will there be trouble?"

The old man, who held the honorific title of "True Lord," scoffed. "Once you enter this small town, even breathing or passing gas might cause trouble. Should we give up on opportunities because of that?"

The woman had no reply.

The old man smiled, "Let me ask you, Madam Gu. If you had a choice, would you prefer Gu Can to go to Cloud Mist Mountain to cultivate, or to follow me to Book Scroll Lake?"

"Don't rush to answer."

The old man waved his hand, signaling the woman not to rush her decision, and said slowly, "Cloud Mist Mountain is the bottom-tier second-rate sect in our East Treasure Bottle Continent. However, if you think Cloud Mist Mountain is not worth mentioning, you would be greatly mistaken. The Cloud Root Stone produced by Cloud Mist Mountain is a true treasure of heaven and earth. Not to mention East Treasure Bottle Continent, even the entire world only has this one. Therefore, Cloud Mist Mountain's status is extraordinary, and everyone is willing to show it some respect. Especially the Daoist alchemical sects and temples, they have had a continuous incense relationship with Cloud Mist Mountain for thousands of years. As for me, I am just one of the cultivators of Book Scroll Lake, occupying only one island in the middle of the lake, with a handful of disciples and less than a hundred servants."

Madam Gu smiled charmingly, still possessing grace despite her age, "The difference between me and that woman from Cloud Mist Mountain is the same as the difference between her and you, Immortal Master. How could I let Gu Can abandon a blessed land to live in and follow that woman to till the soil for a living?"

The old man laughed heartily, then suddenly remembered something and said sternly, "What is the background of that young man? Madam Gu, tell me in detail, just in case."

The woman was stunned for a moment, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said softly, "That poor child is named Chen Ping'an. His parents were both from this town. His mother had a very good relationship with me. She was ordinary in appearance, but truly kind-hearted. I don't think I ever saw her angry with anyone. Her husband's appearance was unremarkable and didn't quite match her, but his skill in firing pottery was good. If he hadn't died young, perhaps after twenty years, he could have become the kiln master of that great Dragon Kiln. As for how he died, some say it was on that stormy night, fearing the kiln fire would go out, he rushed on his way and fell into a stream. Others say he went to chop wood and burn charcoal, seeking a small advantage, he trespassed into a mountain forbidden by the court and was carried off by wild beasts into the deep mountains. In short, his body was never found. That man was a silent type who wouldn't say a word even if beaten, but he was good to his child. Every time he returned to town, he would bring back small gifts, little drums, sugar Bodhisattvas, old broken pottery. Generally speaking, that family of three was relatively stable before the man's death."

"After Chen Ping'an's father died, his mother seemed to have a broken heart. Her spirit quickly declined. Her already frail body gave out as soon as it did. In less than a year, she fell ill, becoming so thin that her bones were showing. Seeing her, we old neighbors became panicked. We couldn't recognize her as the once vibrant and beautiful woman. At that time, it was that child Chen Ping'an who took care of her. Such a young child, buying medicine, boiling medicine, cooking meals, he did everything. The child was too short at the time, so he had to stand on a stool to cook. Also, to save money to buy medicine for his mother, he would search all over the mountains for easily found medicinal herbs, and when he found more, he would sell them to the pharmacy."

"It's estimated that once he took the wrong herbal medicine. When he returned to Mud Bottle Alley with his basket on his back, the child suddenly fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth and rolling around. We were so scared, thinking that this family of three would all be gone. At that time, my mother-in-law was still alive, and she said it would be good if this family was all gone, so no one would have to suffer. If they were all gone, they could be reunited in the underworld. Later, the child somehow recovered on his own, surviving that illness, but his mother still couldn't make it through that winter. Oh, right, Immortal Master, Chen Ping'an was born on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The old neighbors in our alley all said that this is considered the most unlucky day of the year, easily attracting evil spirits and also bringing misfortune to the family.

So after his parents died, there wasn't a single copper coin left in the house. Even those small gifts his father gave were almost all exchanged for food with peers in other parts of the town..."

As the woman spoke, the old man finally spoke, "The fifth day of the fifth lunar month? Interesting, let me calculate."

He formed a hand seal with his five fingers, and the universe was within his sleeves.

Seeing the woman in a daze, the old man smiled, "You can continue."

The woman said "oh" and continued, "Out of neighborly affection from so many years, even though those of us living in the upper part of Mud Bottle Alley were a bit afraid to bring Chen Ping'an into our homes, we would occasionally help him out, sending him a few bowls of food. These small things were manageable. People have hearts. To be honest, if it weren't for the child's birthday, which was truly frightening, no one would not feel sorry for this sensible child from the bottom of their heart. Of course, to be fair, there were also unkind people in the neighborhood, those who couldn't stand to see others do well, who liked to deliberately belittle that child, which eventually forced him to become a kiln worker apprentice. You must know that before his mother died, she made him promise that in the future, even if he became a beggar, he would absolutely not work in a Dragon Kiln. Such a filial and obedient child, to make him break his promise, must have been no ordinary matter."

The old man asked, "Do you know the names and birthdates of the young man's parents?"

The woman said she only knew their names, but no one knew their birthdates. The old man said it didn't matter, and after a moment, he sneered, "Petty tricks, ghostly schemes!"

The woman was bewildered.

The old man explained, "That man died an unnatural death, likely because he inadvertently learned of the town's secret. Unfortunately, his luck was far worse than yours, and his ancestral blessings were not as abundant as yours. In the end, the man, for the safety of his son, secretly broke that life-bound porcelain bottle. This way, a certain sect outside the town was naturally thwarted. This was a huge investment, how could a mere kiln worker afford it? So he had to pay with his life. One life was not enough, so he added his wife's. It's laughable, perhaps the death of that kiln worker was too insignificant for some people, and they were too lazy to expend extra effort. Therefore, the concealment technique used to deceive the heavens was so crude, and they didn't take it seriously at all."

The woman's face darkened.

The old man saw through her thoughts at a glance and smiled, "What, are you feeling guilty and regretting it?"

The woman gave a bitter smile, "I do feel guilty. After all, he's a child I watched grow up, so of course I do. But as for regretting it, absolutely not!"

The old man nodded, "I can see that."

The woman muttered to herself, "If it were Chen Ping'an's mother in my position, I believe she would do the same."

The old man shook his head, "That's not necessarily true."

The woman exclaimed inexplicably, "She definitely would!"

The old man wasn't angered by her rudeness, he just sighed, "Alas, the hearts of parents."

The straw-sandaled youth sat on the threshold. "Miss Ning, can I ask you some things?"

The black-clothed girl leaned against the wall, sitting cross-legged, with her green-sheathed saber resting on her knees. "Of course. But if it involves secrets or privacy, I won't answer."

Chen Ping'an asked, "How long do you usually stay here before leaving?"

The girl frowned. "It's uncertain. Some people are lucky and might come and go the same day. Some people are unlucky and spend their whole lives here. If you really want me to give you an estimate, I can, but it might not be accurate. You decide for yourself. For example, our group of eight people, two belong to rich patrons, foolish and rich. They don't look like people who would come and go in a hurry, so they should stay in the town for a few days. That young master wearing a tall crown and jade pendant will probably have a relatively smooth experience. There's a big fellow who's solely focused on dealing with that well. Whether he succeeds depends on whether heaven bestows him this meal."

Chen Ping'an pressed further, "What about the other person?"

"Who?"

"The tall one, the not-so-old woman."

"Do you like her?"

Chen Ping'an, standing outside the door, smiled, not taking it seriously at all.

The black-clothed girl probably realized she had made a bad joke and her expression turned serious. "I actually overheard your conversation with Daoist Master Lu. You have a grudge with her, so you want to... get revenge?"

She sighed. "Let me give you some advice. People like you, who are halfway up the mountain, are no different from people at the foot of the mountain in the eyes of those on the summit. It's not just that they look down on others, but they truly have the right to do so. In this 'Age of Dharma Decline,' not to mention that woman from Cloud Mist Mountain, even that little child in the red robe could make you cough up a large bowl of blood with one punch to your chest. Conversely, if you punch him with all your might, I wouldn't say it would be just a tickle, but at most it would make him feel a bit stifled. It definitely wouldn't injure his internal organs. The reason for this is hard to explain clearly. Mainly, I'm not good at explaining it."

Chen Ping'an turned his back to the house and looked towards the door. "I want to know why she wanted to kill me. We're meeting for the first time."

The girl pondered for a long time before speaking. "She might not be the kind of person who kills innocent people. How should I put it? On the path of cultivation, there are ups and downs, wide and narrow paths, highways and plank bridges. If you walk too fast, you might accidentally step on an ant. If you're hungry and catch a few fish from the river, or if your Daoist magic achieves a small success and you cast it casually, you might accidentally kill birds, snakes, or mice. I'm not explaining it well, but do you understand what I mean?"

Chen Ping'an hummed. "I more or less understand."

Then the boy became somewhat dejected and looked back towards the courtyard entrance.

In reality, he didn't understand at all. He didn't understand why those people could be so indifferent to other people's lives.

After a long while, Chen Ping'an turned around and smiled, "If you don't mind, Miss, you can stay here. If you need anything, just say so."

"What about you?"

"I know someone. I'll go stay with him in the next two days. Don't worry, his name is Liu Xianyang, he's my... friend. A good friend!"

The girl looked at the thin figure on the threshold and smiled, "Thank you!"

The boy grinned, scratched his head, and didn't say any polite words. He hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered up the courage and turned around again. "Miss Ning, if one day I don't come back, please give my bag of golden coins to Liu Xianyang and ask him to look after this house for me. It doesn't need to be cleaned, just occasionally repaired, with some new tiles added, so it doesn't leak rain. Also, the walls shouldn't collapse, and the courtyard gate shouldn't be too dilapidated. If it's possible to put up door gods and couplets on New Year's Eve, that would be best! If you think it's too much trouble, it's okay not to do it."

The girl saw that when Chen Ping'an spoke of door gods and couplets, his eyes sparkled with an unusual light.

It was obvious that this orphan from Mud Bottle Alley had been hoping for door gods on his home and the character "Spring" on his lintel during the New Year for many, many years.

For as many years as his parents had been dead.

So when the boy, free of worries and unresolved issues, let out a soft sigh of relief, patted his knees, and slowly stood up.

The flying sword in its sheath, placed on the table inside the room, suddenly hissed.