This is the true immortal of the Taoist sect.

Chen Jing, weathered and worn, finally stood before the city gate of Shangdu.

Looking up at the towering city walls and majestic city gates, Chen Jing sighed softly.

If this had happened before he went to the battlefield, seeing this city would have filled him with passion and fighting spirit.

Having experienced the brutal trials of life and death on the battlefield, and witnessed his fellow disciples die without a trace before his eyes, Chen Jing's passion for achieving great deeds had long since cooled.

He loathed battlefield combat and even more so, killing.

But in life, we are often not in control of our own destiny.

Feiyun Sect was the sect that nurtured him, and he could never abandon it.

Whether it's going to the battlefield or receiving an official title afterward, Chen Jing must stand with the Flying Cloud Sect.

At least for now, we should stand together.

After entering the city and reuniting with his sect, Chen Jing began to travel around under the guidance of his master, the head of the Flying Cloud Sect.

Once they are granted official titles, the Flying Cloud Sect will shed its ordinary status as a martial arts sect and become a martial arts force with official positions.

Once you enter officialdom, you'll inevitably need to learn how to navigate interpersonal relationships.

The Feiyun Sect is under the command of the Yunzhou General, Qian Wushu, who is a well-known member of the Crown Prince faction.

Therefore, it was natural that Feiyun Sect was also labeled as a princeling faction.

If it were just an ordinary martial arts faction, it would be nothing in the eyes of the powerful and wealthy in the capital. But once it was branded as a member of the Crown Prince's faction, it would be a completely different story.

Moreover, Chen Wanshan, the leader of the Flying Cloud Sect, is a sixth-realm grandmaster with exceptional strength. During this northern expedition, he single-handedly restrained three grandmaster-level experts from Dali, creating an excellent opportunity for the army.

Therefore, during Chen Wanshan's visit, almost all the powerful and influential people in Beijing gave him ample face.

Watching his master and senior sister beam with glory amidst the daily revelry and the pursuit of fame and fortune, Chen Jing remained utterly uninterested.

Perhaps having glimpsed a sliver of Taoist wisdom, Chen Jing now thinks only of how to escape the entanglements of fame and fortune in this world, instead of pursuing them as he used to.

He didn't know whether this mindset was good or bad; he was conflicted and often felt frustrated.

And so, on the Chunhua River Bridge in Shangdu, where both banks were filled with the scent of women, a young man appeared, drinking alone in his sorrow.

As fate would have it, on the other side of the stone bridge, there was also a sullen boy, holding a book in his hand, but unable to concentrate on reading it.

"well..."

A long sigh caught Chen Jing's attention.

Turning my head, I saw a young man dressed in a blue and white scholar's robe standing at the bridgehead, gazing at the bright moon in the sky and sighing deeply.

At first, Chen Jing didn't take it seriously, just glanced at it and then turned back to continue drinking.

However, when he caught a glimpse of the book in the boy's hand out of the corner of his eye, his attention was drawn back to it.

"The Classic of Purity and Tranquility? Isn't that a Taoist scripture written by Mr. Li?"

Chen Jing thought to himself.

Then, looking at the boy's profile again, he vaguely remembered him.

As his thoughts wandered, he suddenly remembered a young man he had met when he visited Li Daoxuan two years ago—Wang Yangming, the eldest son of the Wang family, who was not old but already quite talented.

Upon remembering this, Chen Jing's gloomy mood vanished. He quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"May I ask if you are the renowned young master Wang Yangming of the Wang family in Anyi County, Lijiang Prefecture?"

Wang Yangming, who was feeling annoyed, was startled by the sound and turned to look at Chen Jing, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"My name is Wang Yangming. May I ask your esteemed name, brother...?"

Chen Jing was overjoyed and laughed:

"Don't you recognize me, Young Master Wang? I am Chen Jing. I met you at Mr. Li's place two years ago."

Wang Yangming was taken aback, and quickly recalled the name Chen Jing in his mind.

He quickly recalled the handsome and gentle swordsman. Although he hadn't seen Chen Jing for nearly two years and his appearance had changed considerably due to the hardships he had endured on the battlefield, the person in front of him slowly overlapped with the Chen Jing in his mind.

Wang Yangming said happily:

"So it's Young Master Chen. I never expected to run into you here in Shangdu, so far away. What a coincidence, truly a coincidence..."

Chen Jing smiled and nodded, saying:

"Who can disagree? Shangdu is such a large city with hundreds of thousands of residents. To be able to meet Young Master Wang by chance at the Chunhua River Bridge is truly a great stroke of luck."

"Come on, let's find a place to have a couple of drinks and catch up..."

Wang Yangming readily agreed, turning to the side and saying:

"When we meet an old friend in a foreign land, we should raise a glass. I know a good place with reasonable prices and great drinks. Let's go, let's go there now..."

At the Chunhua River Wharf in the eastern part of Shangdu, an old tavern was bustling with noise. Each table was surrounded by three or five men who did rough work on the wharf. Their bowls were filled with murky, cheap wine, and they talked loudly to each other. Only when they got excited did they pick up their bowls and take a small sip.

When the tavern's greasy curtain was lifted, everyone inside turned around to look at the newcomer.

Upon recognizing the young man who was famous throughout Kyoto, everyone spontaneously revealed a warm smile.

"Mr. Wang is here..."

"Mr. Wang, what brings you here today?"

"Mr. Wang, come, come, sit here. I'll treat you to a drink..."

"I have some fennel beans here, Mr. Wang, come over and have a couple of drinks..."

Chen Jing was somewhat surprised to see the men in the tavern greeting Wang Yangming so warmly.

Wang Yangming, born into a wealthy family with a father who had served as a prefectural magistrate, was already considered a powerful and influential person. Yet, he was chatting and laughing with a group of people from the lowest rungs of society in this cheap tavern.

Although Chen Jing never bullied or looked down on the poor, he rarely interacted with these people from the lower classes.

It's not that I'm arrogant, but we simply don't have anything in common to talk about.

Wang Yangming greeted the laborers very familiarly, without showing the slightest discomfort.

After politely declining everyone's invitations, I found a quiet spot at the tavern owner's suggestion. Once seated, the owner casually said:

"Is Mr. Wang still the same as always?"

Wang Yangming nodded and said:

"That's right, add another jar of sweet potato liquor and a serving of braised pork."

"Okay, just a moment, I'll be right there..."

After the shopkeeper left, Chen Jing couldn't help but ask:

"Young Master Wang seems to be a regular here. Everyone seems to know you and respect you quite a bit."

Wang Yangming smiled and said:

"When I'm tired from reading, I like to come here for a stroll. Among the ordinary people in the city, you can always hear the most authentic voices of the world."

After saying that, Wang Yangming waved his hand and said:

"Never mind me, what brings you to Shangdu? And judging from your expression at the bridge just now, you seemed quite troubled. Did you encounter some trouble in Shangdu?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Jing smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying:

"It's a long story..."

Just then, the innkeeper brought up the wine and dishes.

Wang Yangming picked up a wine jar and filled each of their bowls, then raised his bowl and laughed:

"It's a long story, so let's talk while we drink. Not so much to ease our minds, but simply to get drunk..."

Chen Jing's eyes lit up, and he raised his wine bowl, saying:

"What a fine line: not seeking peace of mind, but only a good drink! Young Master Wang, cheers..."