This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

"Young friend, are you also interested in this rumor?" Chen Haoran paused, asking without turning his head.

"Yes, I've heard that the pig demon Brother Wu mentioned seems to resemble something from my hometown, so I'd like to hear about it. Would you two allow me to listen in?"

Wu Ye and Chen Haoran were both startled, then stared at Xiao Xingchen for a moment.

"Alright, since it concerns something from your hometown, I'm happy to hear it. Please, gentlemen, let's chat over tea."

Chen Haoran's reaction further convinced Xiao Xingchen that there was something fishy going on. What he didn't notice was that the woman next to Chen Haoran slightly raised her head after hearing these words, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

Following the two men to Chen Haoran's room, the three sat around the tea stove.

"My name is Chen Qing. May I ask your name?"

Xiao Xingchen's lips curled up. Chen Qing? It seemed he didn't want to reveal his identity. He then spoke.

"My name is Chen Haoran, Haoran as in 'righteousness and integrity',"

"Huh?" Chen Haoran was taken aback, and Madam Chen behind him was also surprised, a look of suspicion flashing across her face.

"What? Is there a problem?" Xiao Xingchen asked innocently.

"Uh, no, no, you have a nice name, young man."

Chen Haoran smiled.

"I am Wu Ye, as you two already know. I am a merchant from the South China Sea Trading Company."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Brother Wu, did you hear about the Little Silent Temple in Burning City?"

Wu Ye nodded.

"That was two years ago. Our trading company had a shipment of goods to send to the Western Regions, and I was fortunate enough to go with the caravan to Burning City. The scenery there was completely different from what we have here. The temperature was extremely high and hot, as if the entire city was being roasted over a fire. So I was deeply impressed by that place."

"Oh? There's such a place? Burning City, I've never heard of it before,"

Chen Haoran asked in confusion,

"Brother, it's understandable that you don't know. In our Great Qian Dynasty, very few people can venture deep into the Western Regions. It has always been a wild and untamed land. Even the Western Regions Prefecture rarely sends anyone to set foot there, let alone people from other places. But this time, when I went there, I realized that we had underestimated the people of the world."

Wu Ye sighed wistfully. Xiao Xingchen listened silently, the sound becoming increasingly familiar. An immature guess slipped out.

"Brother Wu, is there a Flaming Mountain near the Burning City you mentioned?"

"How did you know, young man, you've been there?" Wu Ye's spirits lifted, and he looked at Xiao Xingchen with excitement. Shared experiences are most likely to evoke empathy.

"I rely on it, right?"

Xiao Xingchen was just joking, but now he's gotten himself into a mess.

"It's true, there's a mountain there that burns all year round, which is why it's called Burning City. The people there hope that one day the Flaming Mountain will burn down, so their lives won't be so miserable."

"Young man, you also know about the Western Regions?" Chen Haoran was also a little confused at this point, and asked instead.

"No, no, I just read a book of strange tales, and what Brother Wu said earlier sounded somewhat like that book, so I couldn't help but ask. I'm only fifteen years old, and this is my first time traveling outside Yong'an City,"

"There are books like that? What's the name of that book?" they both asked at the same time.

"Uh... that book is called Journey to the West." Xiao Xingchen sighed, sounding a bit melodramatic. He genuinely couldn't understand this world anymore.

"Journey to the West?" The two looked at each other simultaneously, shook their heads, and then Chen Haoran looked behind him; Madam Chen also shook her head.

"Is that book still there?" Chen Haoran couldn't help but ask.

"They were burned as firewood a long time ago. Our area is remote, we don't have enough to eat or wear, so we use some old things for heating."

"That's a real pity. I wonder which great talent could have written such a remarkable story."

The two said disappointedly,

"Then, Brother Wu, what is this 'Little Silent Temple'?" Xiao Xingchen quickly changed the subject. Although he could make up a story, this one was truly outrageous.

"Oh, right, the Silent Temple. This temple has quite a history. It's said there are several Silent Temples, but no one knows the true main one. Of course, I've told the locals that we have a world-famous Silent Temple here, but all I got in return was their scorn. They even laughed at me, saying that this Silent Temple is rubbish, and the real Silent Temple is a demon temple, dedicated entirely to demons."

"Do you know any other small, silent temples?" Chen Haoran asked.

"I don't know, even the people there don't know. The local elders say that the Silent Temple involves very ancient secrets, possibly related to the secrets of the Heavenly Sword Immortal,"

"What?! Heavenly Sword Immortal?" Chen Haoran suddenly stood up, his face filled with disbelief.

Xiao Xingchen watched all this, wanting to ask what exactly a sword immortal was, but he wisely refrained from doing so.

"That's what the people there say: the Silent Temple holds the secret to breaking through to the Heavenly Sword Immortal realm, so this one in the Great Qian Dynasty is a complete fake, an imposter," Wu Ye added.

"Wu Ye, what you said is very important. Think about it again. Is there any other secret about the Heavenly Sword Immortal?" Chen Haoran said excitedly, which made Xiao Xingchen look thoughtful. Could there really be sword immortals in this world?

If the Sword Immortal of Dawn is a fake, then what is the real Sword Immortal? With this question in mind, he looked at Wu Ye, waiting for his further explanation.

Wu Ye lowered his head and recalled for a long time, then shook his head.

"It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, but the matter of the Heavenly Sword Immortal is just a rumor, and many people don't take it seriously. If you want to know more, you'll probably have to go to Burning Ashes City and ask the local elders. Only they still have some of these stories. However, as I was leaving, I heard a storyteller say something..."

"What?"

"When the Silent Temple opens, stars descend, demons, immortals, and ghosts stand in the mortal world, a great dream lasts a thousand years, dragons lurk in the abyss, and the winds and clouds gather to disrupt the mortal realm. This is roughly the sentence. I heard this because I was waiting for someone, and I remembered it because it involved the Silent Temple."

After Wu Ye finished speaking, Chen Haoran and Xiao Xingchen fell silent, pondering the meaning of his words. Xiao Xingchen noticed that Chen Haoran had an undisguised excitement on his face, and wondered if his words really concealed something.

However, his lack of knowledge about this world left him completely confused. What interested him were the Flaming Mountains and the statue that resembled Pigsy (Zhu Bajie).

"I wonder why Brother Chen is so interested in this?" Wu Ye asked, voicing Xiao Xingchen's question. Chen Haoran's expression kept changing, clearly showing how seriously he took this matter.

"Alas, you two are unaware of the truth. Nothing involving sword immortals is trivial. A hundred years ago, Xiao Jianxian settled the world with a single sword strike. He is suspected to be the closest to Tian Jianxian. If we can truly find the secret of Tian Jian, what a glorious day our Great Qian will usher in! Every sword immortal is a protector of the nation. Since Xiao Jianxian disappeared, our Great Qian urgently needs a Tian Jian to guard it."

"I see. Brother Chen, you are truly concerned about the country and its people. I admire you greatly. If I recall any rumors about the Heavenly Sword, I will certainly tell you the truth," Wu Ye said with obvious admiration, clearly agreeing with Chen Haoran's words.

"Young brother, if you ever see any news or articles about Journey to the West, please don't burn them. I'm willing to trade ten thousand taels of gold for them."

"Of course, I want to ask my two brothers a question: Do sword immortals really exist in this world?" Xiao Xingchen asked the question that had been on his mind the most.

"Yes, Xiao Jianxian is it," the two said in unison.

Xiao Xingchen gave an awkward smile. This imposter had really caused a lot of trouble. He then spoke again.

"Besides Xiaojianxian, are there any others?"

Wu Ye then steered the conversation in that direction, offering him some pointers.

"There are many sword immortals, but many of them are just seeking fame and fortune. True sword immortals take it upon themselves to quell injustices in the world. Although I have never seen one, there are legends of sword immortals in many places."