Chen Ping'an and Xiao Mo gradually climbed higher.
Longing for home was nothing more than longing for the people, places, and things of one's homeland. So the old cook's tableful of homestyle dishes, always enough to leave one stuffed and satisfied, gave wandering travelers something tangible to yearn for.
On the mountain path's stone steps sat Zhu Lian, while the pink-skirted girl stood beside him. The old cook waved, and Chen Warm Tree offered a distant formal greeting to the master returning home and Mr. Xiao Mo returning to the mountain.
Back by the mountain gate, Immortal Wei was helping the Vermilion Robe Boy register and check in. The Incense Child stood on the Daoist priest's shoulder with both hands on its hips, watching Lord Mountain Lord's departing back and muttering silently, Lord Mountain Lord's bearing was truly like lofty mountains that inspired reverence; Lord Mountain Lord's dealings with others were like being bathed in a spring breeze... Deeply moved, the Vermilion Robe Boy lifted a foot and stomped hard on Immortal Master Wei's shoulder. Brimming with envy, it said, "Immortal Wei, Immortal Wei, your fortunes have turned at last. Who would have thought there was truly such a figure in this world, a hero and sage in one? Helmsman Pei truly treated people with sincerity. Immortal Wei, you're going to strike it rich."
Chen Ping'an asked in his mind, "With cultivation like yours and Bai Jing's, can you see Zhu Lian's true face beneath that layer of skin?"
Earlier, Chen Ping'an had thought the "face skin" Zhu Lian made by hand was merely some jianghu technique from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land. Only later, when he carefully studied several disguise skins Zhu Lian had given him, did he learn that Zhu Lian had employed a method akin to mountain