Safe and Sound

The adventure is about to begin again--

Bu Liuxing is twenty-six years old and is Galahad's teaching assistant and student.

The moment he boarded the train, he found a long-lost sense of novelty. The war of the past few years had left him somewhat exhausted. In every new place, he was either beheading or shedding tears. Cleaning up the mess left by the Madness Butterfly Sect, the stories he heard were bitter and astringent, as if the whole world had turned gray.

In the early autumn of 2032, this passionate man was on his way to make new friends. As soon as he entered the train carriage, he couldn't wait to look around.

Clutching his train ticket, he left the two weapon cases beside the luggage rack, found his seat number, and immediately began waiting expectantly for his companion.

For this exploration mission, the BOSS arranged a mysterious guest for Meteor.

--Aohen Ming De knew this kid liked surprises, so he didn't reveal the guest's identity beforehand. Missions exploring unknown territories usually require VIP units; the BOSS simply noted that it was definitely not 3301.

The exploration mission to Shinto City is also Meteor's VIP trial mission.

At this moment, there was no one else in the huge carriage. We were heading towards the Pacific Ring of Fire, with no transportation hubs or trading posts along the way. It was a journey of life and death—and naturally, there were no other passengers traveling with us.

Meteor waited for a long time, calculating the time in his mind. Seeing that the train was about to leave the station, he confirmed with the conductor, the stoker, and the crew members that there was indeed such a fellow passenger.

In the crucial final ten seconds or so, a shadow was seen sprinting from the platform toward the Council of Five Kings, as if possessed by Usain Bolt, his legs leaving afterimages as he finally leaped onto the train's metal platform and crawled into the carriage.

Meteor paused for a moment, seemingly startled, and stared intently.

This person is six feet tall, over 180 centimeters, with a well-proportioned figure, three-dimensional facial features, and a distinguished demeanor.

There's something indescribably strange about it.

The man had a typical Asian face, with a calm and natural expression, and wore a black, wide-sleeved, open-front long coat, over which was a black shirt with gold embroidery of a yellow dragon.

Furthermore, this person's accessories are quite exquisite. He wears a pair of square-framed sunglasses. Judging from the ironwork of the frames and the inscriptions on the temples, they are made of brilliance stone by Ling Weng—a black stone figure.

The underworld is perpetually night; there's no sun anywhere except for the Lord of Cinder. It's really strange that he wears sunglasses all the time.

Before the meteor could even open its mouth--

--The visitor introduces themselves.

"Luo Ping'an, may I ask your guidance?"

Meteor looked at the old immortal of the [Gate of Wonders] in surprise. Since arriving in the Nine Realms and the nameless organization was reformed, he had never seen this old comrade who had retired behind the scenes.

A Xing immediately replied, "My name is Bu Liuxing! That's me."

Before Meteor could finish speaking, Daoist Master Ping'an immediately interjected, "The second-in-command of the Nameless Clan, I've heard so much about you!"

Speaking of this empty title, Mr. Ping An clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, revealing a ruler hidden in his wide sleeves, presumably his club.

I've seen this ruler before. Teacher A Ling once had one too; it was a titanium-plated steel ruler made from Mingde's remains, called "[Acting Evil on Behalf of Heaven]".

At this moment, the ruler in Mr. Ping An's hand was longer and wider than the one in Ms. A Ling's hand, and A Xing was also curious—how exactly was this object hidden?

He followed behind Mr. Ping An, secretly observing his expression from the side and behind.

The gentleman did not have long hair; he had a neat buzz cut, no other accessories, and did not wear a Daoist robe or carry a sword. Apart from a pair of bright white silk martial arts trousers, there was nothing particularly special about him.

He had a lot of questions on his mind, but since Mr. Ping An didn't bring them up, it wasn't convenient for him to ask.

After the two sat down, Meteor writhed in his seat like a maggot, feeling neither comfortable sitting nor standing. He wanted to say something, but an unknown force prevented him from speaking.

He sensed it! It was Mr. Heian's spiritual pressure.

It's like a mountain, a living, breathing mountain.

Although Daoist Master Ping'an's voice sounded very young, and his self-introduction at the first meeting was very warm and friendly, once they reached the long table in the carriage, Liu Xing acted like a child, not daring to be disrespectful in front of an elder.

So he twisted and turned for a while, and finally remembered the morning class he had been missing. He immediately started exercising, thinking to himself, "I should at least regain some muscle on this trip!"

Luo Ping'an: "Are you sick?"

Meteor had just finished a set of push-ups when he heard this surprised question.

"Oh! Mr. Ping An."

"Don't call me 'sir' anymore!" Luo Ping'an frowned, his face full of disdain, becoming mercenary and vulgar. "The moment you open your mouth, I feel like I'm about to give you a red envelope."

Meteor stood up, not quite understanding what Mr. Ping An meant.

"What's the meaning?"

Luo Ping'an explained, "I have so many disciples in my sect. When they grow up and start their own families, I give them red envelopes. When they have children, I give them red envelopes. When their children's children grow up, I give them red envelopes. From 1932 to 2032, I have given out more than six million red envelopes."

With a wave of his wide sleeves, Mr. Ping An rolled up his sleeves and sighed.

"Ugh! First they gave out silver, then silver dollars. The disciples and their followers started by calling me 'Master,' then 'Master of Ceremonies,' and finally 'Ancestor!' I told them to stop calling me that, to call me 'Master'—but then it got weird, they started demanding money as soon as they heard 'Master'! -- Please, I'm getting PTSD! I'm really going to shit!"

Meteor was surprised that the old immortal was so trendy. When he spoke Mandarin with a slight Fujian accent, the mountain-like spiritual pressure gradually dissipated.

He sat back down opposite Mr. Ping An with a grin and immediately asked a question.

"Hey Ping An! What's your zodiac sign?"

Luo Ping'an opened his phone and glanced at the memo. "Taurus!"

Meteor immediately said, "Taurus is great! Taurus is great! You make money fast and spend it fast! I'm very rich! We'll definitely have a lot to talk about!"

"Whether we have something to talk about or not depends on fate!" Luo Ping'an rolled up his sleeves, ready to pour tea for Liu A Xing. He picked up the cups and teapot on the long table, getting something to drink for the young man, very down-to-earth. "It's not about money! A Xing, let me tell you, money is never enough. Life should be lived slowly—if you live too fast, you'll easily be corrupted by evil spirits, and some extraterrestrial demon might fly over."

Meteor listened with great interest; he loved chatting with this kind of talkative uncle.

Daoist Master Ping'an continued, "Those all sorts of thoughts, a myriad of ideas flying around! It's terrifying! Look at young people these days, their souls are in the country one second, and the next second they're abroad following a video, running around but never staying in their bodies—their hearts are filled with evil energy. Children argue with their parents, men argue with women, even brothers argue. It looks like people are arguing, but actually it's two evil spirits in their hearts, those heavenly demons, colliding and about to fight. It's not like humans are doing anything; they've all gone mad and been controlled. Have some tea, have some tea."

Meteor: "Mr. Ping An."

"Don't call me 'sir'," Daoist Master Ping'an interrupted. "If you keep calling me that, I'll instinctively reach into my clothes for money. Even when I'm practicing swordsmanship and protecting my family and brothers, nothing is as natural as reaching for money—don't call me that!"

Meteor laughed, revealing two rows of big teeth. "Hahahaha!"

"Smiling and having fun is great." Luo Ping'an, on the other hand, looked very serious, perfectly in line with Teacher A Ling's characteristic of talking nonsense with a straight face. "I'm speaking seriously, so listen carefully."

"When you're out and about and meet friends, wanting to make friends, the first thing they do is reach for money. It's really disheartening."

"It's hard to help someone when you see injustice, but the first thing they do is take out money, which makes it even more disheartening."

"The word 'sir' could be used by both men and women in ancient times, but now it can only be used by men."

Luo Ping'an stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

"Alright, alright, we can't talk about that, we've gone off-topic. Let's have some tea, calm our minds, Daoist magic, and harmonize yin and yang for longevity."

Meteor quickly said, "Yes, yes, Brother Ping An!"

"Thank you. I really want to thank you." Daoist Master Ping'an chuckled, "Then I'll be your elder brother and help you through this tribulation. You'd better listen to me this time, or your life will be in danger."

This sounds a bit like something a charlatan or fortune teller would say.

Meteor didn't take it to heart, but asked why the Daoist priest had timed his arrival perfectly before getting on the bus.

"I just saw you rushing to the car, Brother Ping An. Why?"

Luo Ping'an stated frankly, "I encountered a little trouble."

Meteor asked, "Oh, is it that important? This is my VIP trial mission, is Daoist Master Ping'an still preparing his equipment?"

Luo Ping'an then bluntly stated, "I overslept."

Meteor sprayed a mouthful of tea out the window.

Luo Ping'an described it as, "What an amazing water-based immortal technique! Most people couldn't shoot it that far."

Meteor: "Just because you overslept?"

"How so?" Luo Ping'an wasn't joking. "Isn't life just about eating, drinking, defecating, and sleeping? Five elements, five necessities, birth, aging, sickness, death, reincarnation—isn't sleeping the most important thing? The biggest thing, is that so strange?"

Meteor shook his head, unsure of what to say.

Luo Ping'an continued, "A person should speak the truth, do honest things, and be a genuine person—I wouldn't lie to a child like you. I went clubbing last night and overslept. I only remembered I had this job this morning and was woken up by Taowu's call."

As he said this, Ping An's expression twisted in pain.

"He's so angry! Super angry! So fierce! He's telling me how important this is, how much he cares about my performance bonus, overtime pay, and whether I get my vacation time! I really hate this kind of boss! He arranges dates for so many people, but not one for me? He's treating me differently and expects me to do his bidding!"

"Your radiant stones and staffs were gifts from Good Cat. My things were all given to me through the alchemy room and the Mystic Workshop. Please, fellow disciples, have mercy and give me some equipment! It feels like boarding a pirate ship, and there's a seductive fairy standing on the mast, telling you about dual cultivation."

"When you go up there, wow! It's absolutely amazing!"

"Uncover the deck, and you'll find a crazy guy with a magnetic field spinning at 500,000 horsepower waiting to jump on you!"

Daoist Master Ping'an pursed his lips and shrugged, revealing a double chin; his posture was very expressive and his expression quite vivid.

"A Xing, we don't work in the same unit, so as your older brother, I'll give you a few pointers. Don't blame me for being so overly domineering—don't be offended, okay?"

"That Blood Butterfly cult has indeed been almost wiped out by the anonymous person. There are still many bad people using the banner of benevolence and morality to swindle money from the public and live a life of deception. The only thing they lack when they are deceived is their brains. Be careful!"

Daoist Master Ping'an secretly criticized Ming De with Meteor, showing no respect for the BOSS whatsoever.

"Look at this pretty cat, just because it's a bit seductive, it's trying to seduce you young people into working your asses to the bone. Even though the pay is good and the service is genuine, but... I didn't!"

"The point is that I don't have it. The most painful thing in the world is when others have it and I don't."

Meteor: "Hahahaha!"

"You're still laughing!" Ping An refilled Liu Xing's tea. "You're going to be a real person now, laughing when you want to laugh, crying when you want to cry, saying whatever you want to say. That's the happiest thing in the world, isn't it?"

Meteor nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

"Oh, is there any other question?" Mr. Ping An was straightforward and immediately got to the point. "Go ahead and ask. I know you must be a curious person. Look at your full Heavenly Court, straight nose, thick eyebrows and big eyes, you must be a very loyal and affectionate child. And your lips are so full, the little sister who kisses you must be incredibly happy."

The scenery outside the window flashed by, and across a wide underground waterway, the rushing sound of the river valley could be heard.

Meteor shouted loudly, but Daoist Master Ping'an probably couldn't hear it.

"Has Brother Ping An always been like this? Is this his style?"

"No, people grow up." Ping An replied without hesitation, "I used to be dashing and handsome, but now all I have left is my good looks. I always tell the truth, and girls don't like that—I can't be dashing anymore."

Meteor still had some doubts, so she continued to ask.

"I see those cultivators seeking immortality in TV dramas all doing that."

Ping An immediately replied, "It's from an idol drama! It's for making money, so of course it has to be good-looking!"

Then Master Ping An started rambling on and on.

"Let alone two or three hundred years ago, even a hundred years ago, back at my mountain gate in the Great Xia, there were still people who were barely clothed, engaged in production and construction. The old farmers who farmed the land didn't even have sleeves. My own face was yellowish, and we were all studying this tilling tool—where would we live if we didn't farm? The immortals portrayed in TV dramas are all gangsters."

Meteor: "The underworld?"

"That's right, always fighting and killing." Daoist Master Ping'an immediately said, "They're always carrying a knife or sword around the streets, as if they're afraid people won't know they're the Double Flower Red Staff of the sect. They're ready to fight at the slightest provocation, and afterwards they don't even have a mud mark on their bodies—that's what the girls like."

"The battles between the immortal sects were all about fighting for territory. You see, going up the Nine Realms, Hong Kong used to be like that too. The movies made there all talked about how handsome Hao Nan was and how powerful he was at killing people. Those stories of gangs fighting for territory have now become cultivation novels. The most fantastical thing is that the Double Flower Red Stick who kills people every day can still be clean."

Meteor got interested--

"--Brother Ping An! What's wrong with your sect?"

Before Meteor could finish speaking, Daoist Master Ping'an seemed to possess a Magic Power to read minds.

He answered.

"Should we pursue martial arts or literature?"

Meteor: "Martial arts training?"

"Just like your older brother, that killing god." Luo Ping'an immediately said, "If there are bandits, kill bandits; if there are treacherous officials, kill treacherous officials; if there are incompetent emperors, kill incompetent emperors—use whatever weapon you get your hands on, and if it gets damaged, there's no time to repair it, you have no choice. Over time, you become a weapon master."

Meteor: "Will killing them all solve the problem?"

"Of course," Luo Ping'an said dismissively. "If you kill all the bad ones, what's left are the good ones, right?"

Meteor: "What about Xiuwen?"

Luo Ping'an thought for a long time, but found it difficult to explain this lineage in just a few words.

"It's just chanting scriptures, talking about principles, and making money. Without money, there are no resources, no medicine to cure diseases, no good wind or water, no good environment, and you can't deal with evil spirits. The younger brothers in the sect, and the disciples they take in later, will turn bad—they'll want the sect to do things for them, and become demons who only care about themselves and not others."

At this point, Ping An poured Liu Xing a fresh cup of tea.

"The mortal world now, the human realm, is the same. There are so many evil spirits and demons. There are beautiful, colorful worlds everywhere, but they are not our own. They are all being sucked away by people's true essence in that small screen. Oh no, you call this primordial essence."

"There are so many goods in the skyscrapers, but I only have enough money in my pocket to buy one thing. It seems like I have everything, and I'm dazzled by the choices, but actually I have nothing."

"In ancient times, I also liked to go to the outside of the brothel to look at the girls, but I never went inside—of course, not because I was poor. I felt it was wrong; you can't sell your children. I condemned this behavior, but at the same time, I couldn't help but go to look. I think this was me fighting with myself, a kind of self-cultivation."

"Now, everyone's looking at 'sisters' online, sending them money—maybe that's what industrial upgrading is all about. But adults are starting to look down on their wives, and younger people are starting to feel fear, afraid they won't be able to find 'sisters' like that. They're struggling and rising in the sea of desire—it'll be a long battle with themselves."

"The I Ching is profound; life is largely a series of ups and downs, trials and tribulations—a constant interplay of water and fire, yin and yang."

"Tsk--"

Daoist Master Ping'an, who had been feeling dejected, perked up again.

"--Let's not talk about that! I'm a disciple of [Rootless Tree · Taiyi Xuan Sect], this is my family's brand, and our recruitment slogan is very easy to understand."

Meteor crossed his arms and looked at the man, who was radiating vitality.

Luo Ping'an recited his sect's propaganda slogan, a sentence filled with intense emotion that bordered on interrogation.

"If you could live your life again, what would you choose!?"

The Savior is Busy Splitting Up>

A bizarre book where the only thing others can't figure out is why it's being criticized, but there's nothing else to it.

The Savior is Busy Splitting Up>

A friend wrote this! Go check it out!