剑来

Throughout the thousands of years that Eastern Treasured Vial Continent had been
in existence, there had been countless emperors in the north, but in the south, the Fu
Clan had remained the dominant force this entire time.

The Fu Clan of Old Dragon City was very wealthy. How wealthy, you ask? The clan
had as many as three immortal tools that were only slightly inferior to celestial tools,
and all of them had been purchased with money. These immortal tools had been
passed down from generation to generation, and they were currently in the
possession of the clan leader, Fu Qi.

Apparently, the Fu Clan had only just returned from a trip to Middle Earth Divine
Continent, and they had secured another pseudo-celestial tool, and it didn't appear
as if they were going to stop adding to their collection anytime soon.

The Fu Clan had no shortage of interesting people and traditions. For example, they
never embellished their genealogical record, and the names of the clan's
descendants were never given according to any type of naming convention.
Furthermore, women were held in extremely high regard in the clan, and there were
too many female clan leaders in the clan's history to count on two hands.

The members of the Fu Clan could read, purchase, and collect books, and some of
their private collections contained some of the rarest and most valuable pieces on
the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, but they weren't permitted to take part
in the imperial examination, nor did they ever serve as officials under any emperor.
Even if one were to do nothing with their life, the clan leader would be more than
happy to support them.

Hence, many exceptionally talented figures had emerged from the Fu Clan in the
past, excelling in all types of fields such as go, calligraphy, painting, and music. There
were also members of the Fu Clan who had written the most classic recipes,
published a travel journal that had received vast acclaim and renown across the
entire continent, and purchased countless mountains in the vast northern region of
the continent, only to leave them there, completely abandoned.
There had been countless strange and incredible individuals in the history of the Fu
Clan, but the clan had one rule that was set in stone, which was that only the most
powerful figure of the clan could wear the Old Dragon Robe.

The ferry station that the Mutton Fat Hall's ship had docked at was close to 200
kilometers away from Old Dragon City, and it wasn't exactly in a secluded location.
Close to 100 ships of all descriptions had docked here, and the ferry station was
packed with people and teeming with commotion.

There were inanimate ships crafted by Mohist artisans, as well as living ships that
were similar to Kun ships, and Chen Ping'an was amazed by everything that he saw
while the ship that he was on descended out of the sky.

Before the ship arrived at the ferry station, Chen Ping'an had heard that for the
mortals who lived in Old Dragon City, one could spend their entire life exploring the
city without seeing everything that it had to offer.

While the ship was still airborne, Chen Ping'an had attempted to catch a glimpse of
the entirety of the city, but unfortunately, his efforts were thwarted by a sea of clouds
in the way. Due to Liu Baqiao's visit, the elderly supervisor of the Mutton Fat Hall on
the ship had been keeping a close eye on Chen Ping'an, and he approached Chen
Ping'an to explain to him that this sea of clouds was a pseudo-celestial tool of Old
Dragon City.

If one were to look up at the sky from the city, they wouldn't be able to see a single
cloud. On top of that, the old man also told Chen Ping'an a breathtaking legend.

It was said that sometime around 800 years ago, an army of close to 1,000 evil
cultivators had stormed into Old Dragon City. There had been two earth immortals
among their ranks, as well as ten Golden Core Tier Qi refiners. This group of
formidable figures had plotted in secret for close to a century in order to orchestrate
the downfall of Old Dragon City.

Their plan was extremely meticulous, and they had made their move during a period
of uncertainty in the wake of the old city lord's passing, just prior to the assignment
of a new city lord. The Fu Clan was already severely worn down due to infighting as
the clan's factions fought tooth and nail to secure the position of city lord, and a
battle that was particularly worthy of note had taken place between two of the
patriarchs of the clan.
Each of them had wielded a pseudo-celestial tool during the battle, and even with so
many restrictions and formations protecting the city, half of the city was still razed to
the ground during the course of their battle.

In this dire situation, a female Qi refiner emerged, seemingly out of nowhere. It

seemed that she had been taking a nap in the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City,
and when she appeared, she took a glance at the severely ravaged Old Dragon City
down below, then turned a disinterested gaze toward the 1,000 or so Qi refiners who
had stormed into the city.

After that, she casually reached out with one hand, and the vast sea of clouds was
condensed into a tiny bead that fell into her grasp. She then tossed the bead into her
mouth before letting loose an almighty sneeze, and thousands of tornadoes instantly
took shape above the southern sea before sweeping toward the north.

Among the group of demonic Qi refiners who had descended upon Old Dragon City,
all of the ones in the Lower Five Tiers were wiped out by these ferocious winds, and
close to half of the ones in the Middle Five Tiers were also eradicated. All of the
survivors immediately fled in a blind panic, and after the unrest in the Fu Clan was
quelled, they sent out people to hunt down these surviving demonic cultivators for
an entire century.

Chen Ping'an was completely flabbergasted by what he had heard.

At the conclusion of his story, the old man asked with an amused smile, “Do you not
believe me, Young Master?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head in response. Of course he didn't! How could there
possibly be anyone under the heavens who wielded such almighty power that they
could kill so many cultivators of the Middle Five Tiers with just a single sneeze?

The old man stroked his beard with a smile as he said, “To be honest, I don't believe
the story, either. Even if the Heavenly Lord Qi Zhen of Divine Edict Sect were to join
forces with the sword immortals and Sages of Wind Snow Temple and True Martial
Mountain to unleash a collective strike, surely it still wouldn't be so devastating.

“I can only speculate that the story was embellished over time and became more and
more far-fetched with each passing iteration. Then again, a story would hardly be
worth telling if it wasn't so exaggerated and embellished.”
After bidding farewell to the old man, Chen Ping'an disembarked from the ship and
he was instantly greeted by the sight of tall buildings that stretched as far as the eyes
could see, as well as streets so wide that he could scarcely believe his own eyes.
Despite how spacious the streets were, they were still completely packed, and Chen
Ping'an was quickly developing a headache as he struggled his way through the
crowd.

At this point, he hadn't even made it into the city yet, and he had no idea how was
supposed to track down the Dust Medicinal Shop where Zheng Dafeng was working.
While chatting with the old man from the Mutton Fat Hall earlier, Chen Ping'an had
asked him about Stalactite Mountain, wondering if he could get there on an
intercontinental ship, but the old man had been completely stumped.

Of course, he had heard of Stalactite Mountain, given its resounding reputation. The
fact that a Daoist Branch Master from another world had hammered such a massive
nail into Majestic World was both an extraordinary feat and a blatant act of
disrespect toward all of the sages whose statues were worshiped in the Confucian
temples.

However, the old man had never heard of any ships from the ferry station in Old
Dragon City that could travel to Stalactite Mountain. In fact, the old man didn't even
know Stalactite Mountain's exact location. The extent of his knowledge was that it
was quite close to Southern Whirl Continent.

Hence, Chen Ping'an had no idea where to go after disembarking from the ship, and
he would just have to take things one step at a time. First and foremost, he was going
to focus on completing the journey of close to 200 kilometers to reach Old Dragon
City. On the way there, he made sure to frequently ask for directions to ensure that
he didn't stray off the correct path, and he quickly noticed that there were no
pedestrians walking down the center of the streets.

Instead, those parts of the streets were occupied entirely by carriages and mounted
steeds. There were carriages drawn by horses and various other types of beasts, as
well as people riding atop steeds such as tigers, serpents, tortoises, and cranes. Even
though all of them were Qi refiners, everyone was traveling in a very orderly fashion
with no one daring to barge ahead.

Old Man Yang, Cui Chan's grandfather, and Wei Bo had all advised him that it was
best for him to reach the fourth tier before he got on the ship from Old Dragon City
to Stalactite Mountain. Hence, prior to that, Chen Ping'an was in no hurry to continue
his journey.

However, for some reason, as soon as he set foot in the territory of Old Dragon City,
he was struck by a burning desire to get to Stalactite Mountain as soon as possible,
and whether he reached the fourth tier or not before that no longer mattered all that
much to him.

Having already traveled the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent from the north
to the south, he had completed a journey of millions of kilometers, yet not once
during the course of this journey had felt such an intense sense of urgency.

Hence, he made his way over to what appeared to be a relay station on the side of the
street, and in a complete departure from his normal stingy ways, he spent ten
snowflake coins to hire a carriage drawn by a pair of majestic white horses. The
coach driver wasn't the typical sturdy young man. Instead, it was a young girl with
above-average looks and a naturally refreshing disposition.

She wasn't shy or reserved at all, and after Chen Ping'an got onto the carriage, she
suggested for him to sit beside her so that she could introduce to him some of the
renowned shops that lined the streets along the way, as well what wares were sold in
these shops.

She had grown up her entire life in the ferry station outside Old Dragon City, so she
was very familiar with the area, and she assured Chen Ping'an that he wouldn't
regret having her as his coach driver.

The carriage slowly trundled through the crowd, but as soon as it reached the central
area of the street, it immediately accelerated under the young girl's whip, racing
toward the western gate of Old Dragon City alongside all of the other carriages
around it.

Chen Ping'an was seated behind the young girl, having his usual meal of dry biscuit,
but this time, he refrained from drinking as he had stowed his Sword Nurturing
Gourd away into the cloth pouch on his back prior to disembarking from the ship.

Wei Bo had once warned him that cultivators above the Golden Core and Nascent
Tiers were able to see through the illusion that he had cast and recognized the
Sword Nurturing Gourd, so it was best to keep it concealed as a safety precaution.
The young girl was very chatty and outgoing, and she seemed to never run out of
things to say, giving Chen Ping'an brief rundowns out the history of all of the shops
and tall buildings that they passed by, as well as which powerful immortals resided
in those buildings and what notable feats these immortals had accomplished.

In some other parts of the continent, even fifth tier demons were referred to as great
demons, yet here in Old Dragon City, Chen Ping'an felt like he had finally found a
place where immortals of the Middle Five Tiers were just as common as they were
back in the small town.

Chen Ping'an asked the girl if she had heard of the Dust Medicinal Shop, to which she
replied that she hadn't. She told Chen Ping'an that she hadn't actually seen all that
much of Old Dragon City as it was far too massive, and it was split up into the outer
city, the inner city, and the Fu city.

For outsiders, a hefty entrance fee had to be paid in order to pass through each city
gate, and that fee applied even to Golden Core and Nascent Tier cultivators. Hence,
she had only been to the outer city of Old Dragon City a few times, and after each
trip, her money pouch was sure to be completely deflated.

However, for members of the Fu Clan and any of the city's other five major clans, not
only were they exempt from this entrance fee, they could even fly through the inner
and outer cities as they pleased.

Of course, if one had the resources and connections required to purchase an Old
Dragon Cloud-flipping Pendant, then they could also fly through the entire city
without any constraints, with the exception of the Fu city. The young girl then asked
Chen Ping'an to guess how much an Old Dragon Cloud-flipping Pendant cost.

Chen Ping'an made as high of a guess as he could possibly comprehend, a guess of

1,000 snowflake coins, equivalent to a million taels of silver.

The young girl immediately burst into laughter, then turned around and extended a
hand toward him, splaying all five of her fingers apart as she declared, “Try 5,000!”

Chen Ping'an was astonished by this answer, but his astonishment was outweighed
by the panic of seeing the young girl turn around to face him, and he hurriedly urged,
“Please focus on driving the carriage.”

The young girl chuckled with amusement as she turned back around, then raised her
chin in a proud manner as she declared, “I don't mean to brag, Young Master, but
even if I let go of the reins and close my eyes, this carriage will still be able to make it
all the way to the western city gate without a hitch. I'm only pretending to drive
diligently so my customers don't grow concerned.”

“Don't just pretend,” Chen Ping'an protested in a feeble voice.

“Alright, I'll make sure to be extra diligent just for you,” the young woman chuckled.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but be infected by her cheerful mood, and a smile
appeared on his face as well. A light breeze was caressing his cheeks as he turned to
look at the thriving streets around him.

Strangely enough, even though he had regularly been exposed to the elements
during this southbound journey, his skin had somehow become a little fairer, and his
complexion no longer resembled the color of the coals that he had worked with back
in the dragon kilns.

Perhaps the young girl had eyes on the back of her head, but she somehow seemed
to be aware that Chen Ping'an was inspecting the surrounding scenery. She took
advantage of this opportunity to turn around, then quickly turned back to face
forward again, sneaking a furtive glance at the side profile of Chen Ping'an's face in
between.

He wasn't particularly handsome, but he was quite nice to look at.

“You're quite good-looking, Young Master,” the girl chuckled.

Chen Ping'an's mood had been buoyed by the girl's cheerful disposition, and he
cracked a rare joke as he asked, “If I let you take a few more looks at me, can you give
me a discount of one snowflake coin?”

The fact that Chen Ping'an was capable of making such a joke at all was a clear
indication that bad influences like A'Liang, Xu Yuanxia, and Liu Baqiao had rubbed
off on him.

The young girl smiled as she replied, “No can do! From the relay station to the city
gate and back is a trip of close to 300 kilometers, and I have to make ten of these
trips to earn a single snowflake coin.”
“That sounds like quite a hard job,” Chen Ping'an sympathized.

“Not at all,” the young girl disagreed with a firm shake of her head. “I've always really
liked running around all over the city, so I really enjoy this job. Even if I can buy my
own shop in the future and end up earning a ton of money, I'll still drive my own
carriage around. In doing so, I'll be able to meet lots and lots of people, just like you,
Young Master.”

A slightly dejected look then appeared on her face as she sighed, “But all of the shops
here are so expensive. I don't think I'll be able to save up enough money in this
lifetime.”

“Oh well, life's pretty great as it is!” the girl concluded, and she was instantly back to
her usual cheerful self again.

Chen Ping'an also smiled as he offered some words of encouragement, “Just keep
working hard and take it one day at a time. Aim to be richer than you were yesterday,
and tomorrow, aim to be richer than you are today!”

The young girl was instantly reinvigorated, and she turned around to give Chen
Ping'an a bright smile.

Due to his previous run-in with Fu Nanhua, Chen Ping'an had a very negative
impression of Old Dragon City, one that wasn't much better than his impression of
Sun Scorch Mountain.

However, he was genuinely fond of this cheerful girl from the bottom of his heart. Of
course, there was no romantic affection. Instead, he felt like the girl was the
personification of a sunflower, and he really liked to spend time with people like her.
Zhang Shanfeng and Xu Yuanxia also instilled him with the same sense of positivity.

The young girl continued to introduce the landmarks in the city, while Chen Ping'an
listened and observed.

The time quickly flew by, and no more than two hours later, Chen Ping'an could
already see the walls of Old Dragon City's outer city. The walls were far taller than
the walls of any city or pass that he had seen in the past, and right before the trip
was about to conclude, Chen Ping'an asked, “By the way, do you know Sun Jiashu?”

“Who?” the young girl swung around with a bewildered expression.

“Sun Jiashu,” Chen Ping'an repeated.

The young girl immediately burst into laughter, and she was only able to contain her
mirth once the carriage had drawn to a halt.

All of a sudden, she rose to her feet and pointed a finger at the street behind her,
then swept her arm through the air in a huge circle as she asked, “You see all of this,
Young Master?”

Chen Ping'an nodded in response.

A wide smile appeared on the girl's face as he continued, “All of the shops that lined
the street leading from the city gate all the way to the ferry station belong to him!”

Chen Ping'an was astonished to hear this. “All of these shops belong to Sun Jiashu?”

“That's right! They all belong to Young Master Sun!” the young girl replied with a
proud expression, as if she were the owner of these shops instead.

She then lowered her voice and put on a mysterious expression as she continued,
“I've heard from my boss that Young Master Sun is a really great guy. Even though
he's a fantastic businessman, he's also an extremely kind person, and even the
grouchiest old men I've come across have never had anything bad to say about Young
Master Sun and his seniors.

“Some years ago, there was a huge fire on this street, and close to 3,000 of the Sun
Clan's shops were burned down. At the time, Young Master Sun had only just become
the clan leader, and not only did he not aim to press charges and assign blame, he
helped everyone reconstruct their shops with money out of his own pocket!

“I've also heard many women say that Young Master Sun is extremely handsome, so
he's definitely the most handsome and most kind-hearted man in all of Old Dragon
City!”

The carriage was still a few hundred meters away from the city gate, and the entire
street leading up to the city gate was packed with similar carriages. Right at this
moment, a young man wearing a plain white linen robe made his way out of the
crowd before arriving beside the carriage that Chen Ping'an was on.

The man was tall and very handsome, but he didn't exude an air of superiority.
Instead, there was a very clean and pure disposition about him, as if he were a
refined and elegant scholar who came from a highly educated family.

There were many pedestrians rushing through the gaps between the carriages on
either side of the street, and someone inadvertently bumped the man's shoulder as
he was passing by. The former hurriedly apologized, to which the man merely shook
his head with a smile.

The young girl turned to Old Dragon City with an absentminded look on her face as
she murmured, “How could there be someone as great as Young Master Sun in this
world?”

Chen Ping'an had no response for this.

The young man smiled as he cast his gaze toward Chen Ping'an and the young girl,
then said to the latter, “Thanks for the compliment.”

“Compliment? What compliment?” the young girl asked as she turned to him with a
perplexed expression.

The young man offered no explanation as he turned to Chen Ping'an, then asked,
“You're Chen Ping'an, right? I'm Liu Baqiao's friend. I received a letter by flying
sword from Liu Baqiao not long ago, so I came here to wait for you.”

Speaking to someone from a vantage point was considered to be quite rude, so Chen
Ping'an jumped down from the horse-drawn carriage, then asked, “Are you….”

“That's right, I'm Sun Jiashu,” the man confirmed with a nod.

The young girl heaved a sympathetic sigh. “How did you end up with the same name
as Young Master Sun? That must really suck for you!”

The young man remained silent with an amused smile on his face.

The young girl bade farewell to Chen Ping'an, then turned her carriage around
before departing.

Chen Ping'an made his way toward the western city gate of Old Dragon City
alongside Sun Jiashu, and as he did so, he couldn't help but ask, “Sun…. Young Master
Sun, is it really true that you own this entire street?”
Sun Jiashu made no attempt at modesty as he smiled and nodded in response.
“During our Sun Clan's heyday, the entirety of the outer city was ours. However, since
that time, Old Dragon City has continued to expand, and our Sun Clan made several
bad major business decisions, so we're no longer as wealthy as the Fu Clan. Having
said that, we're still a very wealthy clan.”

Chen Ping'an snuck a glance at Sun Jiashu to find that he wasn't wearing any
accessories, and nothing about his attire hinted at his wealth at all.

Sun Jiashu smiled as he asked, “Are you looking for an Old Dragon Cloud-flipping
Pendant? No one in our Sun Clan owns such a thing. To be honest, many of us want to
buy one, but we have a set of rules passed down from our ancestors prohibiting us
from spending excessively on non-necessities, and those rules are pretty much set in
stone, so I can't go against them. It's honestly a bit of a pain in the backside.”

Chen Ping'an wanted to say something, but didn't seem to know where to start.

“Do you want to ask if I can return those twenty snowflake coins to you? I'm afraid
the answer to that question will have to be no. In my books, friendship and business
do not mix,” Sun Jiashu said.

Chen Ping'an scratched his head as he said, “What I wanted to ask is, are we just
going to walk all the way to your house? Old Dragon City is enormous, isn't it?”

Sun Jiashu remained silent as he observed Chen Ping'an with a smile on his face.

Chen Ping'an sighed as he admitted, “Fine, I'll admit that I wanted to ask you about
the twenty snowflake coins. If you're not going to return the money, then just forget
it.”

“No wonder Liu Baqiao told me that we would get along really well,” Sun Jiashu
chuckled.

“Do people often call you stingy as well?” Chen Ping'an asked with a curious
expression.

A combination of amusement and exasperation appeared on Sun Jiashu's face as he

shook his head in response. “Liu Baqiao says that both of us are poor, but like to act
like we're rich.”
Chen Ping'an was completely perplexed to hear this.

How could someone like Sun Jiashu possibly be referred to as poor?

“I have a rather unique ability that allows me to see the wealth that's slipped
through someone's fingers,” Sun Jiashu suddenly said.

He then stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Chen Ping'an as he continued, “I
can tell you now that the combined value of the things that you've given away is
worth more than the entirety of Old Dragon City.”

————

Inside the inner city of Old Dragon City was a secluded alley, within which was a
newly opened medicine shop. It was a tiny shop, but the male shopkeeper had hired
seven or eight beautiful women, all of whom had one shared trait, which was the
long and slender legs.

The man did nothing but laze around and flirt with his female employees all day
long, seemingly completely unconcerned about the shop's business. On the surface,
the women would all respond to his sexual approaches with shy and embarrassed
expressions, but as soon as they turned around, they would roll their eyes in disgust.

On this day, the man was sitting on a small stool at the entrance of the alley,
munching on some sunflower seeds while watching the women that were passing by
on the street with bright and attentive eyes.

I've hired some real beauties, but the grass really is always greener on the other side,
the man thought to himself.

Right at this moment, another woman passed by right before his eyes. She was
dressed in very bold and vibrant attire, and as for her appearance and figure…. The
fact that the man had already dropped his sunflower seeds to chase was a better
description of her beauty than any words could manage.
After submitting the entrance fee, Chen Ping'an and Sun Jiashu passed through a
tunnel that seemed to stretch on for an eternity before they finally entered the city.
From there, Sun Jiashu led Chen Ping'an onto a spacious horse-drawn carriage. The
carriage was a little larger than the average carriage, while the horses were also
more well-trained than normal, but aside from that, there was nothing to suggest
that the carriage belonged to a wealthy clan.

The coach driver was a serious-looking old man, and only after Chen Ping'an entered
the carriage did he come to discover that there was more than met the eye. Inside
the carriage were four white cushions, and there was a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf
fully stacked with books situated against the wall across the carriage's curtain.

There was also a copper incense burner in the carriage releasing faint wisps of
fragrant purple smoke. Chen Ping'an and Sun Jiashu sat down across from each
other, and Chen Ping'an was feeling rather uncomfortable, fearing that his straw
sandals would dirty the carriage's pristine interior.

Sun Jiashu took a glance at Chen Ping'an's straw sandals, and a faint smile appeared
on his face as he said, “Back when I was a little boy, my grandfather took me to travel
everywhere in accordance with a tradition that's been passed down in our clan for
generations. Before I turned eighteen, I went to a new place virtually every year. I've
worked as a shop employee, a fisherman, a farmer, a steward….

“All types of jobs were thrown my way. During those years, I also learned to weave
straw sandals, but mine are very shoddy, they're nowhere near as sturdy as yours.”

Sun Jiashu sat atop one of the cushions in the carriage with his legs crossed, and
even though he was sitting in a very upright manner, he still exuded a casual air of
comfort. He smiled and asked, “Would you care to take a guess at which piece of farm
work I dreaded the most back then?”
Chen Ping'an wasn't a clairvoyant or a mind-reader, so he was naturally unable to
guess the answer to that question. Furthermore, in his eyes, Sun Jiashu was a very
strange person. Even though they had only just met, the more time they spent
together, the murkier his impression of Sun Jiashu became.

Sun Jiashu smiled as he continued, “It was collecting mulberry leaves. I would toil
away for hours to collect a full basket of leaves, only for my grandfather to gently
press down onto the leaves, and an entire basket of leaves would instantly be
reduced to only half full. I would fill the basket again, only for another gentle press to
erase hours of hard work, and this cycle of repetition was one that filled me with
despair.

“On top of that, each time I went up into the mountains, my legs would be cut up by
all of the abrasive weeds and shrubs, creating a bunch of tiny gashes that would sting
intensely when I began to sweat. In contrast, I much prefer being latched onto by
leeches while planting rice shoots in the rice paddy fields. My grandfather was a
heavy smoker, and those leeches would fall off as soon as they were burned by my
grandfather's pipe.”

Chen Ping'an was very familiar with these struggles himself, and he replied, “Back
home, those leeches were a real problem for me as I didn't want to have to use any
salt or vinegar on them. It would always take me a lot of time and effort to pull them
out, and by the end, my legs would always be bleeding.

“Thankfully, there's a type of grass that we call 'green maidens' that grows by the rice
paddy fields, and they're really good for stopping bleeding. I haven't seen them
anywhere after leaving my hometown.”

Sun Jiashu smiled as he nodded in response. “Those who live in true poverty are
often a bit rougher around the edges, but they also have a higher capacity for
suffering. No matter how many of these jobs were assigned to me, at my core, I'm
still a complacent young master from a wealthy clan, so I still can't compare with
someone like you.

“When I first started traveling with my grandfather, I would constantly throw

tantrums and demand to be taken back home. Thinking back now, if I were to have a
grandson like myself, I definitely wouldn't be able to treat him with the same degree
of patience that my grandfather afforded me.”
“If such a day really does come, perhaps you'll be different. Perhaps your personality
will have mellowed out by then,” Chen Ping'an said with a smile.

Sun Jiashu was slightly taken aback, and nodded in response. “Perhaps so.”

One of them was a man who owned the entire street outside of Old Dragon City,
while the other was a boy who had supposedly passed up things that were worth
even more than the entire Old Dragon City, yet they were discussing these trivialities
as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

The carriage continued onward in a smooth and stable fashion, and even though
smoke had been rising up from the incense burner this entire time, the carriage
didn't become filled with smoke. Instead, there was only a subtle and refreshing
fragrance in the air.

“With all of those shops that you have to manage, surely you're losing a ton of money
by coming out all this way to meet me. You could've just sent someone else,” Chen
Ping'an said.

Sun Jiashu shook his head in response. “Earning money is one thing, but how one
spends their money is an entirely different matter. When I'm doing business, I have
to be extremely meticulous, down to every last copper coin, and I do work my
backside off to earn money, but why do I do this? It's precisely so that I don't have to
be stingy and pedantic when it comes to making friends.”

“That makes a lot of sense!” Chen Ping'an said with an enlightened expression, and
he had to fight back the urge to pull out one of the small bamboo slips in his pocket
treasure and engrave what Sun Jiashu had just said upon it.

Over the rest of the journey, the two of them thoroughly enjoyed each other's
company. Sun Jiashu told Chen Ping'an many stories from his past, and Chen Ping'an
had always been a very good listener. As more time passed, his impression of Sun
Jiashu began to clarify again, and he determined that Sun Jiashu was a very rich yet
easygoing person.

Sun Jiashu never bragged about his wealth, nor did he feign excessive modesty to try
and make others feel less intimidated. Instead, he acknowledged that he had more
privileged financial circumstances than the vast majority of people, yet he still
treated others as equals in spite of that.
Chen Ping'an felt like this was what all wealthy people should aspire to be like.

Some time later, the carriage arrived somewhere in the countryside. The street had
turned into a dirt road, so the carriage was trundling along in a rather bumpy
fashion. Sun Jiashu could see that Chen Ping'an was a little perplexed by this, so he
smiled and pulled up the curtain to reveal a large thicket of lush and vibrant reeds
outside.

As the carriage continued onward, a meadow of rapeseed flowers came into view,
presenting a very pleasant sight to behold. The flowering period of rapeseed flowers
should've already passed by long ago, but Chen Ping'an merely presumed that this
was because the natural conditions in Old Dragon City were different from those of
his hometown.

“These are the ancestral grounds of our Sun Clan, and we've always tried to preserve
its original appearance as much as possible so that we don't disrupt the ancestral
feng shui, as well as to pay homage to our ancestors,” Sun Jiashu explained.
“Whenever our Sun Clan receives esteemed guests such as powerful cultivators or
high-ranking officials and emperors, we always take them to the Sun Manor in the
inner city.

“It's a very opulent place that's not inferior to the Fu Clan's Old Dragon Manor.
However, when it comes to my true friends, I like to bring them here. Our Sun Clan's
ancestral residence is a few kilometers up ahead. It's not a very large place, but it's
very close to a river, so it's great for fishing. I hope you'll like it.”

“Of course I will, how could I not?” Chen Ping'an replied with a bright smile.

Sun Jiashu also smiled as he proposed, “How about we walk the rest of the way
there?”

Chen Ping'an naturally raised no objections to this, and thus, the two of them got out
of the carriage and began to walk to Sun Clan's ancestral residence. On the way there,
Sun Jiashu told Chen Ping'an some more things about these ancestral grounds,
casually mentioning that the Su Clan owned the entire area in a radius of several
dozen kilometers, encompassing six villages that contained around 2,000
households.

Whatever these households produced, such as silk threads and tea leaves, were all
purchased by the Sun Clan at slightly higher than market price, so all of the village's
residents had decent incomes and led secure and happy lives. This gave Chen Ping'an
a clearer understanding of the enormity of Old Dragon City and the generosity of the
Sun Clan.

As the outlines of the Sun Clan's ancestral residence cme into view, Chen Ping'an
asked, “Is there an intercontinental ship from Old Dragon City to Stalactite
Mountain?”

Sun Jiashu nodded in response. “There is. Old Dragon City is the largest business hub
on the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, so there are ships leading to any
place where money can be made.

“However, not everyone has the wherewithal to earn money from the Sword Qi Great
Wall. Even when it comes to the Fu Clan, our Sun Clan, and the other major clans of
Old Dragon City, a great deal of care has to be taken when doing business with the
people at the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

A reminiscent look appeared in Sun Jiashu's eyes as he continued, “Over the course
of the past few thousand years, all of the five major clans with the exception of our
Sun Clan have already changed many times, and the majority fell due to their certain
matters related to Stalactite Mountain.

“The few major crises that our Sun Clan went through were also all related to the
Sword Qi Great Wall. Right now, there are only six ships in Old Dragon City that can
travel to Stalactite Mountain, two of which are owned by the Fu Clan. The six ships
are all massive, able to hold over 2,000 passengers per trip.

“The Fu Clan's ships are a Treasure Swallowing Whale and a floating mountain
crafted by master Mohist artisans, and the latter is known as a miniature Stalactite
Mountain.”

A hint of self-deprecation surfaced in Sun Jiashu's eyes as he spoke, but a smile then
appeared on his face as he continued, “By the way, the Fu Clan and our five major
clans of Old Dragon City are all followers of Commercialism of the Hundred Schools
of Thought. Hence, the figures revered in our clans are different from the Confucian
sages being worshiped in Confucian temples.

“However, even now, Commercialism still isn't considered to be an official teaching. I

heard that a very long time ago, a sage from one of the Confucian schools ranked
quite highly in the Confucian temples once denounced Commercialism by comparing
it to a dish of dog meat, which is considered to be unfit for presentation in a meal.

“This may sound like quite a scathing assessment, but it's actually quite a flattering
one, given some of the other remarks that have been directed at Commercialism.
We're known as filthy merchants who reek of the stench of money and disgraces to
the Hundred Schools of Thought.

“Merchants are denounced as universally unscrupulous scoundrels who would

gladly sell even their mothers for the right price, and as far as some people are
concerned, Commercialism is the worst thing to have ever blighted this world. This is
why even though there are so many followers of Commercialism in this world, you'll
never see any being officially endorsed by any of the empires.”

When it came to these matters related to the inner workings of the Hundred Schools
of Thought, all Chen Ping'an could do was listen, and he didn't dare to raise any
opinions of his own.

Upon reaching the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, which was quite a small place, the
two of them were not greeted by any beautiful maidservants. Instead, there were
only around a dozen elderly men and women looking after the residence. Sun Jiashu
treated Chen Ping'an to a meal that was nowhere near lavish, but nor could it be
considered crude and unsightly.

All of the ingredients were in season and had been sourced from near the residence,
and the main dish was a seafood soup. However, Chen Ping'an was accustomed to
eating dishes made from freshwater ingredients, so he wasn't all that fond of the
soup. Sun Jiashu didn't encourage him to eat more soup, instead merely telling Chen
Ping'an to eat whatever he pleased.

After the meal, the two of them went on a stroll on the bank of the river outside the
residence, and Chen Ping'an asked, “Young Master Sun, have you heard of a place
called the Dust Medicinal Shop in Old Dragon City?”

Sun Jiashu thought about it momentarily, then replied, “I haven't, but I can track it
down for you very quickly.”

Chen Ping'an gave a grateful response, to which Sun Jiashu waved a dismissive hand
with a smile, indicating that Chen Ping'an didn't have to be so polite.

He then bent down to pick up a flat and smooth rock before hurling it over the water
at a low trajectory, skipping it toward the other bank.

On the other side of the river was a rapeseed blossom field that shimmered like a
field of gold under the light of the sun.

Chen Ping'an had already set his belongings down in the room that he was staying in,
but of course, he was still carrying the Sword Nurturing Gourd and the sword case
with him. He removed the gourd from his waist before taking a swig of wine while
looking out at the calm river, looking much like a relaxed and serene old man.

Sun Jiashu stopped in his tracks as he said, “By my estimates, there should be three
ships setting off Stalactite Mountain soon, while the other three ships are still yet to
return. One of those is our Sun Clan's Mountain and Sea Turtle, while the other two
are the Fu Clan's Treasure Swallowing Whale and the Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island.

“From a safety perspective, I advise you to pick the Treasure Swallowing Whale. Over
the past decade, the climate in the intercontinental channel to Stalactite Mountain
has been very hostile, and our Mountain and Sea Turtle is not as safe or stable as the
Treasure Swallowing Whale. In fact, even Osmanthus Island is superior in that
regard.

“No matter how mild and docile the Mountain and Sea Turtle is, it's still a living
creature, and the Kun ship incident that took place in the central region of Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent is an example of how traveling on a living vessel can go
wrong. In contrast, the Treasure Swallowing Whale can swim through the deep sea,
so it's not exposed to the elements at all.

“Additionally, that channel is a well-established one, and the Fu Clan has already
determined the best route to avoid all of the great demons in the sea. Having said
that, if you're looking for comfort and affordability, then look no further than our
Mountain and Sea Turtle. I can't guarantee that the trip will be particularly
enjoyable, but at the very least, you won't have to worry about food or shelter on our
Mountain and Sea Turtle.”

Chen Ping'an hesitated momentarily, then replied, “I'm definitely not going to choose
the Treasure Swallowing Whale, so it'll have to be either the Mountain and Sea Turtle
or Osmanthus Island.”

“Why is that?” Sun Jiashu asked with a surprised expression.

A slightly embarrassed look appeared on Chen Ping'an's face as he replied, “Back in

my hometown, I almost killed Fu Nanhua, so there's no way I would dare to travel on
one of their ships.”

Sun Jiashu clasped a hand firmly down onto Chen Ping'an's shoulder as he
exclaimed, “Chen Ping'an, I've met many young and courageous heroes, but none as
bold as you are!”

Chen Ping'an heaved a faint sigh upon hearing this. It was clear from what Sun Jiashu
had just said that Fu Nanhua was not someone that he should have messed with.

Sun Jiashu was holding back the urge to laugh, but ultimately, he was unable to do so.
“There's more than one potential heir to the position of city lord of Old Dragon City,
and there are also quite a few people eligible to inherit that Old Dragon Robe, but
everyone knows that Fu Nanhua is the one that City Lord Fu Qi holds in the highest
regard, and one of the patriarchs of the Fu Clan, who holds a pseudo-celestial tool, is
Fu Nanhua's master.

“Having said that, that patriarch has been in seclusion for the past few years, and it's
said that he's attempting a breakthrough to the Upper Five Tiers. Hence, Fu Nanhua
has the best chance out of anyone to become the next city lord. With all of that, I am
truly impressed, Chen Ping'an. If word were to spread that you had almost killed Fu
Nanhua, then I guarantee you that you'll be a household name across half the
continent within a month!”

“I'd rather not have such a reputation,” Chen Ping'an replied with a resigned
expression.

Sun Jiashu was chortling with mirth as he continued, “I've met Fu Nanhua on many
past occasions, and I would even say that we're decently close friends. Of course, Liu
Baqiao is a far dearer friend to me than Fu Nanhua.

“The fact that my first response to hearing about Fu Nanhua's misfortune is to laugh
is a clear indication that I'm not a good person, so you better be careful around me,
Chen Ping'an. If you decide to become my friend, make sure you keep your wits
about you and don't go spilling your guts too soon.”
“To be honest, I don't know Liu Baqiao very well. In fact, we've only met twice in
total,” Chen Ping'an admitted.
A slightly displeased look appeared on Sun Jiashu's face. “In that case, why is that Liu
Baqiao made it sound like the two of you had been through a hundred battles of life
and death together in his letter? He told me that you were one-of-a-kind and the
most brilliant person that he'd ever met, and that if I didn't treat you right, he would
cut all ties with me, then spread his nickname for me across the entire Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent.”

“Is your nickname 'Grandson'?” Chen Ping'an asked. [1]

Sun Jiashu slapped a hand to his own forehead with a wry smile as he sighed, “Was it
that obvious?”

Chen Ping'an smiled as he replied, “I may have only met Liu Baqiao twice, but I'm
familiar with his sense of humor.”

Sun Jiashu heaved a faint sigh upon hearing this. “When it comes to me and Fu
Nanhua, even if we remain friends for decades, we'll never be too close. In contrast,
you and Liu Baqiao already seem to be very close friends, even after only two
meetings.”

Right at this moment, the coach driver appeared in the distance. Sun Jiashu turned
around to take a glance at him, then said to Chen Ping'an, “I have to go to the inner
city to meet a guest in our Sun Manor. I agreed to meet them at this time, so I have to
go. At the very latest, someone will tell you the location of the Dust Medicinal Shop
by tonight.

“Also, seeing as you're a sworn enemy of Fu Nanhua's, make sure you send someone
to notify me before you go out anywhere, and I'll have someone accompany you for
safety. Seeing as the Fu Clan's Treasure Swallowing Whale is not a feasible option for
you, you may as well take our Mountain and Sea Turtle to Stalactite Mountain. It's set
to depart in twenty days, and you can stay here in our ancestral residence during
this time.

“If you want something, I can arrange for it to be brought to you as long as it can be
found in Old Dragon City. Don't be shy to ask. If you can't bring yourself to do so, you
can tell yourself that Sun Jiashu is really rich anyway, and friends should stick
together through thick and thin, so he should share some of his wealth with you.
Otherwise, it would be a waste to be his friend!”

“Alright, in that case, I'll accept your kind offer,” Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.
“By the way, that quote is from Liu Baqiao, right?”

Sun Jiashu immediately gave Chen Ping'an a thumbs-up in response. “No wonder Liu
Baqiao was so insistent that I become friends with you. You truly understand him!”

With that, Sun Jiashu departed with the old coach driver, and the two of them
traveled by carriage to the inner city of Old Dragon City.

Chen Ping'an was left on his own, and he began to practice his walking meditation by
the river.

The still and calm river, the boundless expanse, the ordinary dirt road…. If it weren't
for the absence of the stone arch bridge and Ruan Qiong's forge, he would've thought
that he was back in his hometown.

Chen Ping'an practiced his walking meditation for close to ten kilometers, until he
arrived at a small village set beside the river. There were clucking chickens, barking
dogs, and plumes of smoke rising up out of chimneys. Chen Ping'an stopped in his
tracks, then looked around to find that there was a small wooden bridge beside him
that led to the other side of the river, and for some reason, he felt as if he were in
another life.

Chen Ping'an was just about to turn around and make his way back to the Sun Clan's
ancestral residence when he noticed a group of young children dressed in plain and
simple clothes emerging from the rapeseed blossom farm across the river. Most of
them at the age where they could start attending school, and there was an even
younger child trailing along behind them with snot flowing out of his nostrils.

A couple of the older boys were holding crude wooden swords that had presumably
been carved out by their seniors, and they seemed to be holding a contest of
swordsmanship. They made their way through the fields one after the other while
hacking away at the rapeseed blossoms in their path and making a series of loud
noises to make themselves sound like mighty warriors.

The poor rapeseed blossoms were hacked to pieces by the two older children, and
right at this moment, one of the younger children behind them suddenly erupted
into tears. Initially, he had been quite cheerful, but all of a sudden, he had realized
that this rapeseed blossom field belonged to his family, and if his parents were to see
what had happened here, there was no way that he would be able to escape a
beating.

However, he didn't dare to get in the way of the two older kids, so he could only bawl
his eyes out. Thankfully, one of the older kids quickly realized the trouble that they
were in, and he pulled out a piece of candy made by his family and offered it to the
child as consolation. The child's tears instantly gave way to a wide smile, and he
continued to follow along behind the two older kids, watching with admiration as
they continued to lash out with their swords.

At the same time, he was thinking to himself that once he became a little older and
stronger, he was going to ask his father to make him a sword as well. Once he
obtained a sword of his own, he would cut down all of these rapeseed blossoms!
That was just about the most badass thing that he could think of!

The pretty little girl from the neighbor's house always liked to play with another boy,
but once he became a formidable “swordsman,” he was confident that she would
abandon that boy in a heartbeat to be with him.

Chen Ping'an was very amused by what he was seeing.

This was exactly like a scene taken from his childhood. Back then, Liu Xianyang was
always going around causing trouble. Not only did he like to hack away at rapeseed
blossoms with his wooden sword, he would also go on rampages through other
fields or pelt stones at the ducks in the river. For his misbehavior, he was constantly
scolded and beaten by the women in the small town.

After that, both he and Chen Ping'an became kiln workers, and he began to rein in
his misbehaving ways as those activities no longer interested him. Instead, he liked
to go up into the mountains to catch snakes and wild chickens. However, the people
of the small town didn't get any respite as Gu Can immediately took up Liu
Xianyang's mantle, getting up to all types of mischief in his stead.
The only difference was that as opposed to Liu Xianyang's blatant misbehavior, Gu
Can was far more sly and alert, and he was almost never caught in the act. He
possessed willpower and persistence that even Chen Ping'an admired, as well as
cunning and craftiness unbefitting a child of his age.

Even under the hot and blazing sun, Gu Can could sit by the river the entire day just
to fish up an eel.

Whenever a mealtime came around, Gu Can's mother would call her son to come and
eat, and her voice would be heard throughout the entirety of Clay Vase Alley.

Chen Ping'an squatted down beside the river and began tossing rocks into the water.

Meanwhile, the group of children made their way across the bridge in a long line, and
their heads resembled a stick of tanghulu.

The children weren't apprehensive of Chen Ping'an at all, despite the fact that he was
an unfamiliar face, and they only took a few glances at him before making their way
toward the nearby village. However, one of the children, who was holding a bamboo
sword, was constantly looking back at Chen Ping'an, taking particular interest in the
sword case on his back.

In the end, he was unable to suppress his curiosity, and he rushed over to Chen
Ping'an's side before asking in the official dialect of Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent, “Are you a swordsman?”

Chen Ping'an rose to his feet with a smile as he replied, “That's right. Are you a
swordsman as well?”

The child rolled his eyes in response to what he perceived to be a very naive
question, and he replied, “I'm still missing a secret sword scripture.”

“Me too,” Chen Ping'an said with a nod as he suppressed the urge to laugh.

The boy took a glance at the bamboo sword in his hand, then turned his gaze to the
sword case on Chen Ping'an's back as he asked, “Can you show me your sword?”

“No,” Chen Ping'an refused with a shake of his head.

The boy was very displeased to hear this, and he took a glance at the wine gourd
strapped to Chen Ping'an's waist as he scoffed, “You're so stingy! I bet you're not
even a swordsman at all! In fact, I think that gourd of yours contains water instead of
wine, and you're just carrying it around to fool others!”

“Have you seen a true swordsman before?” Chen Ping'an asked.

The boy nodded vigorously in response.

There was a little girl with rosy cheeks behind him, and she said in a timid voice,
“The furthest we've gone is the market a few dozen kilometers away, so there's no
way we would've met any swordsmen.”

Another child immediately chimed in in a truthful manner, “All we've seen are some
poems describing swordsmen at school, and there are also some books being sold in
the market with little figures drawn on them. Those books are really expensive, and
the swordsmen drawn on them are always really strong. None of the bad guys can
beat them!”

The boy who had proclaimed that he had seen a true swordsman in the past turned
around with a stern glare, and the two children behind him immediately fell silent.

The other bamboo-sword-wielding boy also approached Chen Ping'an as he asked,

“How strong is your swordsmanship?”

Chen Ping'an was rather stumped by this question, and in the end, he could only
reply, “I've seen really powerful swordsmen in real life, not just in the books that you
mentioned.”

The boy was completely unconvinced by this, but the other sword-wielding boy was
very intrigued to hear this, and he asked, “Did you learn any swordsmanship from
them? If you can show me some of your swordsmanship, then I'll believe that you're
a true swordsman.

“If you convince me, then I'll be your disciple! I want to learn swordsmanship from
you, not just cutting up rapeseed flowers. I want to be able to cut that bridge in half
with a single swing of my sword! If you can teach me that, then I'll accept you as my
master right now!”

Chen Ping'an could barely contain his own amusement.

Unbeknownst to Chen Ping'an, the plot of land surrounding the Sun Clan's ancestral
residence was a renowned paradise in Old Dragon City, and even though most of the
people living here were ordinary villagers who had been residing here for
generations, there were also some powerful figures that had been secretly planted
among them, looking after this sacred land for the Sun Clan to ensure that it wasn't
damaged by outsiders.

Not only was Chen Ping'an oblivious to this, all of the villagers were also kept in the
dark, and they merely regarded these powerful cultivators as fellow villagers no
different from themselves. Aside from the two elderly figures in the Sun Clan's
ancestral residence, there was also a logger who lived on his own in a thatch hut up
in the mountains, as well as an elderly man who had a large family with generations
of descendants.

They were all truly formidable cultivators, with three of them at the Golden Core Tier
and one of them at the Nascent Tier. Some of them were patriarchs of side branches
of the Sun Clan, some were powerful figures who had come here to hide from past
troubles, and of course, there were also some who had been hired by the Sun Clan.
Even the services of powerful immortals could be purchased for the right price.

At this moment, the four powerful Qi refiners were gathered in front of the logger's
thatch hut. With a casual sweep of the logger's hand, a cloud of mist emerged to form
a screen, upon which an image of Chen Ping'an was displayed, and the four of them
were placing bets on his cultivation base. One of them theorized that seeing as he
was friends with Liu Baqiao, he had to be an exceptionally prodigious swordsman.

He proclaimed that Chen Ping'an had to be at least a Cave Abode Tier swordsman,
and that his fist intent was just for show. Someone else disagreed, speculating that
Chen Ping'an was still yet to reach the Middle Five Tiers, while the other two were
bickering over whether he was a fourth or fifth tier martial artist.

One of them speculated that he was a fourth tier martial artist with an exceptional
foundation, as opposed to a normal fifth tier martial artist. He declared that not only
was Chen Ping'an an outstanding prodigy, he had definitely also been instructed by a
brilliant master from a young age, and that he was a young prodigy from a wealthy
clan who had been given the best cultivation resources from birth, even going as far
as to speculate that he could be from one of those vastly renowned clans that had
been standing for thousands of years and possessed comparable wealth to an entire
nation.
Despite the bickering that was taking place, the four cultivators were clearly
thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

————

Once again, the perverted man from the small medicine shop inside the inner city
had come out to sit at the entrance of the alley atop his small stool. However, he
hadn't brought any sunflower seeds on this day. Instead, he was reading a book that
had been bought by one of the female employees of the shop, and the book contained
many stories about the feats and teachings of Confucian and Daoist sages.

Of course, the man had no actual interest in reading about these things. Instead, the
reason why he had decided to bring this book was because he had been squatting at
the entrance of the alley for a very long time without any female attention directed
his way, so he thought that perhaps what he was missing was some scholarly charm.
Hence, he was pretending to read this book in the hope that his luck would turn.

It was summertime, so the women on the streets were more scantily dressed than
during the colder seasons. The man was sitting under the shade of a tree, pretending
to read his book, but in reality, his peripheral vision was focused intently on all of the
women passing by. Among them was a particularly voluptuous mature woman who
instantly captured his heart, and he almost drooled onto the pages of the book in his
hand.

Unfortunately, he noticed that even though he was holding a book and posing as a
scholar, there were still no women willing to take a glance at him.

The only exception was one woman, who had come yet again. She had a waist as
thick as a water vat and a face that was bigger than the man's arse. A dejected look
appeared on the man's face, and for the first time, he began actually reading his
book.

The young woman lived nearby, and she walked back and forth in front of the man
many times, swaying her hips from side to side as she did so, but the man's gaze
remained fixed firmly on his book. In the end, the woman was unable to stand the
heat of the summer sun, and she took a longing glance at the man of her dreams
before setting off back home with a content look on her face.

The man was flipping through the pages of the book very quickly, and he suddenly
stopped on a certain page, which contained a story in which a Daoist sage had
espoused his teachings through an analogy about traveling on a boat. The story told
of a man sailing through a river on a small boat.

As he was sailing along, another boat came drifting toward him from the opposite
direction, and he hurriedly called out to avoid a crash, but the other boat still
rammed straight into his boat. He immediately erupted into a torrent of abuse, only
to find that there was no one on the other boat, upon which he immediately burst
into laughter.

Through this story, the sage was trying to espouse the idea that loneliness was what
made one exceptional, rather than a blind follower of others, and that loneliness was
the key to truly understanding oneself and fulfilling one's true value.

The man didn't find this to be nonsensical. In fact, he could understand the true
meaning that the story was trying to express, but even so, they didn't serve to benefit
him in any way as he was pursuing a different path from this Daoist sage.

Back in the small town, he had even gone to the school on many occasions to
eavesdrop on Mr. Qi's lessons, and he was able to understand everything there as
well, even some of the more profound and intangible concepts, but they did nothing
to benefit his cultivation.

What was most perplexing to him was that his senior brother had grown up in the
same place as him, and all he did every day was perform the menial tasks of an
unrefined farmer, yet somehow, he had been able to make constant and steady
progress in his cultivation base.

After making a trip to Great Sui Nation's imperial palace, he had even managed to
reach the 10th tier. Their master would always denounce and scold him, but when
his senior brother was mentioned, their master would always praise his aptitude and
learning ability.

This wasn't enough to make him resent his master or his senior brother, it simply left
him feeling rather indignant and confused. This was why he had been living in a very
dejected manner all these years, and at this point, he didn't even have the courage
and conviction to try and prove his master wrong anymore.

Hence, he didn't raise any objections when his master told him to leave the small
town to travel to Old Dragon City.

1. Sun Jiashu's surname “孙” translates to grandson, and in Chinese culture, it's
considered to be taking advantage of someone else if you joke about seniority, ie.
joking about being someone's father. ☜
The only thing that he was concerned about was that in the absence of Li Er, their
master would have no one to praise, and in his absence, their master would have no
one to scold. All he would be able to do would be to smoke his pipe on his own all
day, and that seemed like a very lonesome existence.

He had already reached the pinnacle of the eighth tier long ago, yet all he did all day
was look after a small medicine shop while flirting with his female employees.

His master rarely ever spoke to him, but the one time that he did speak to him in a
calm and earnest fashion, it was to tell him that he would never be able to reach the
ninth tier in this lifetime.

With that in mind, the man closed his book and began using it as a fan.

All of a sudden, he picked up his stool before rushing back to the medicine shop in
the alley as if he were fleeing from something in a panic.

As it turned out, the same woman from before had returned once again, this time
having changed into a bright and vibrant dress, and she had resumed her schtick of
walking back and forth along the street while swaying her hips from side to side.

After rushing back to the shop, the man collapsed into his chair in an exhausted and
fearful manner, but all of a sudden, his eyes lit up as he sprang to his feet before
laying a hand down onto the chair. Clearly, one of his employees had just sat on it, as
evidenced by the residual warmth on the chair. With that in mind, he immediately
leaned down and took a whiff of the faint fragrance that lingered on the chair with a
blissful look on his face.

A resentful look appeared on the face of one of the shop's employees, and she
reluctantly pulled out a few copper coins and thrust them into the hands of another
employee, then gave the shopkeeper a cold glare.
An enlightened look instantly appeared on the man's face. Clearly, the two women
had just made a bet to see if his wise and handsome self would be able to detect the
residual warmth on the chair. What a pair of cheeky little vixens they were!

Right at this moment, a handsome young boy entered the shop. It was clear from his
attire that he came from an affluent family. The female employees were unable to tell
exactly how affluent his family was, but just as men enjoyed seeing beautiful women,
handsome men were also a sight for sore eyes for women, so the handsome boy was
naturally a welcome sight.

Looking at the bright and excited eyes of his employees, the man immediately sat
back down onto his chair in a deflated manner, then asked, “What do you want?”

In the presence of the unkempt and disheveled man, the young boy was clearly a
little uneasy and restrained, and he pulled over a small stool, then sat down beside
the man as he said, “Mr. Zheng, my father has sent me here to ask you when you're
going to officially start teaching me fist techniques.”

“A breakthrough from the third tier to the fourth tier isn't something that can be
forced. You must be patient,” Zheng Dafeng replied in a placating tone.

A sullen look appeared on the young boy's face, but he didn't dare to force the issue
any further.

This entire time, Zheng Dafeng had only taught the young boy the bare basics. In fact,
it was no exaggeration to say that he had barely taught the young boy anything at all,
and any fifth or sixth tier martial artist could easily impart more knowledge during
this time.

With that in mind, he was feeling a little guilty, and he lowered his voice as he
continued with a serious expression, “We pure martial artists aren't like Qi refiners.
Those Qi refiners like to progress as quickly as possible, and those with exceptional
aptitude can even make progress at a rate of a tier a day! However, we can't do that.

“No matter how outstanding your aptitude is, you must continue to take things one
step at a time. There are even times when you know that you can make a
breakthrough, but you must fight against it so that you can slowly expel and smooth
out all of the impurities and flaws in your body and soul.

“The medicine that I asked your father to brew for you and that hot spring that he's
constructing are all a part of your cultivation. Right now, those are the things that
you should be focusing on, instead of trying to strive to reach the Qi Refining Tier as
quickly as possible.”

Zheng Dafeng then smiled as he concluded, “Don't try to fool me, kid. You weren't
sent here by your father, you came here of your own accord because you ran out of
patience, didn't you?”

An embarrassed look instantly appeared on the young boy's face.

Progressing from the third tier to the fourth tier was a herculean task for a martial
artist, and that was why it was likened to a clay deity crossing the river. It was
entirely a matter of aptitude, and even a seventh tier martial artist wouldn't be able
to offer any guidance in this process.

An eighth tier martial artist would perhaps be able to point out a shortcut, but
generally speaking, eighth tier Qi refiners were very easy to find, but there were
barely any eighth martial artists even across the entirety of Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent! Furthermore, almost all of them were desperately sought after by all of
the major empires, and barely any slipped through the cracks to end up in Old
Dragon City.

On top of that, even for the rare few martial artists of this caliber that did end up in
Old Dragon City, both the Fu Clan and the Sun Clan were richer than the young boy's
Fan Clan, so they were far too low down the pecking order to be able to expect to
secure the services of such a master martial artist.

Zheng Dafeng gave the young boy a pat on the shoulder as he said, “Be patient, kid.
Once you've truly reached the bottleneck of the third tier, I'll be sure to give you the
final push that you need. The money that your Fan Clan has given me definitely won't
go to waste. With my help, even if you want to fail, you can't!”

The young boy had arrived at the shop full of trepidation and frustration, but he felt
a lot more optimistic and assured when he left.

This entire time, there had been a Golden Core Tier patriarch looking after him from
the shadows.

The young boy was an extremely important figure in the Fan Clan. From the day that
he was born, ownership of one of the Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island ships had already
been assigned to him, and despite his young age, he already had control over an
enormous sum of wealth.

As soon as the young boy left, the women immediately turned to the shopkeeper and
began asking about who the young boy was and his background.

In response to these questions, Zheng Dafeng made a grabbing motion with one
hand as his gaze roamed over the women's chests, and he said in a sly manner, “You
all know the rules. If you want your questions answered, then you have to show
some sincerity. I have answers to any question you may have, including his name,
where he lives, whether he likes his women petite or more voluptuous….”

None of the women took the bait.

Zheng Dafeng could only heave a forlorn sigh as he said, “What a pity for all of you.
He's a prime bachelor candidate, tsk, tsk, tsk….”

The women had departed to discuss the young boy among themselves, paying no
further heed to their perverted shopkeeper.

Zheng Dafeng laid back in his chair in a comfortable manner as he murmured to

himself, “It seems like my luck with women is just as terrible as Chen Ping'an's was
back in the day. We may be brothers in that regard!”

Zheng Dafeng had served as the gatekeeper of Jewel Small World, granting entry to
outsiders in exchange for pouches of gold essence copper coins, and not long ago, he
had received a letter from his master, instructing him to dispel those four True Qi
Eight Tael Talismans for Chen Ping'an.

However, an instruction had also been tacked onto the end of the letter, stating that if
Chen Ping'an could make a breakthrough on his own, then Zheng Dafeng was
required to ensure that everything went smoothly for him in Old Dragon City.

Zheng Dafeng turned to the small alley outside the shop as he murmured to himself,
“Even for a martial arts prodigy like that kid from the Fan Clan, he would only be
able to carry one or two True Qi Eight Tael Talismans at most. Otherwise, it would be
too much for his body to bear. Since when did Chen Ping'an become so strong that he
could handle four of them at once? If I recall correctly, it's only been a short time
since he started practicing fist techniques!”
A self-deprecating look then appeared on his face as he continued, “I should've never
doubted your judgment, Master. My senior brother really does have a sharper eye for
talent than I do. Back in the small town, I thought Chen Ping'an was a lost cause!”

All of a sudden, a young woman stormed over to Zheng Dafeng's side, then
demanded, “Where's my book, Shopkeeper Zheng? Give it back!”

Zheng Dafeng cleared his throat in a slightly awkward manner, then pulled the book
out of his pocket before setting it down onto the counter.

“Keep going!” the young woman yelled with her face flushed with embarrassment
and indignation.

Zheng Dafeng could only sheepishly pull out a female undergarment from his pocket
as well. The undergarment was scrunched up into a ball in his hand, and he gently
set it down beside the book as he explained, “You set your cloth pouch down in such
a public place, and a corner of the book was poking out of it. I was a little curious, so
I decided to borrow the book.

“After I pulled out the book, I noticed that your undergarments were a little dirty, so I
thought I'd wash them for you out of the kindness of my heart….”

The embarrassed young woman hurriedly stuffed her undergarments away, then
picked up the book before slapping Zheng Dafeng across the face with it as she
yelled, “You're a sick pervert! A scoundrel!”

Zheng Dafeng caught the book with a serious expression as he protested, “You can
call me a scoundrel all you like, I know that my intentions were good and pure. Even
if you insult me, I can forgive you for your good looks. However, I really did wash
your undergarments for you as a gesture of goodwill, and that's something that you
can't deny!”

A chorus of raucous laughter rang out within the shop, interspersed with the
woman's enraged insults and the disdainful chattering of the shop employees.

All the while, Zheng Dafeng merely sat back in his chair with a smile on his face and
his hands tucked behind his head.

————
Near the wooden bridge close to the village in the Sun Clan's ancestral paradise.

The four cultivators had already done away with the screen that they had been
observing Chen Ping'an through. After all, there wasn't much fun in watching a
bunch of children bickering back and forth with one another.

As for whether Chen Ping'an was a swordsman concealing his identity, or a pure
martial artist of the Qi Refining Tier, the four of them were unable to come to a
consensus. However, these four were all vastly experienced and knowledgeable
cultivators.

Old Dragon City was one of the most complex and diverse places on the entire
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, and many powerful figures from the three
continents to the east would often pass through this place. Whenever they did this,
most of them were willing to gracer the Fu Clan and the other five major clans with
their presence.

After all, it couldn't hurt to make friends with such wealthy and powerful clans.
Hence, the four cultivators had seen a vast array of formidable figures passing
through the city, so they weren't all that bedazzled by Chen Ping'an.

However, at the same time, all of them were firmly of the opinion that regardless of
whether Chen Ping'an was a Qi refiner or a pure martial artist, he was most
definitely an extraordinary prodigy. Perhaps the next time he visited this place, he
would already be a middle-aged man at the Golden Core Tier, and they would be
treating him as an equal.

Alternatively, perhaps he would already be a seventh tier martial artist that could
physically oppose the Heavenly Dao, thereby allowing him to take flight. Once that
happened, he wouldn't just be a friend of Sun Jiashu's. Instead, he would be an
esteemed guest that all four of them would need to greet in person.

Beside the river, the children were still trying to goad Chen Ping'an into showing off
his swordsmanship, encouraging him to display proof that he was actually a
swordsman as he proclaimed, rather than a fraud who pretended to be a heroic
figure by carrying a sword case and wine gourd with him everywhere he went.

Chen Ping'an was still a child himself, so he was happy to entertain these children,
joking around with them instead of chasing them away.
Through their conversation he came to discover that these children were very pure
and innocent, and they had never even witnessed the true Old Dragon City, let alone
any actual swordsmen.

At the same time, they struck Chen Ping'an as very honest and down-to-earth
children. For example, even though one of the bamboo-sword-wielding children was
berating him with a string of insults, Chen Ping'an could see a hint of hope deep
within his eyes.

Despite all the skepticism that he had displayed toward Chen Ping'an, deep down, he
truly hoped that Chen Ping'an was a powerful swordsman who could defeat evil
forces and achieve miraculous feats with his sword, just like the figures depicted in
the books that he had read.

As for the other child, he wanted nothing more than to be able to become the disciple
of a powerful swordsman. To that end, he was even willing to kowtow and offer
incense to Chen Ping'an. However, before that, he had to verify that Chen Ping'an
really was the swordsman that he proclaimed himself to be.

All of the other children were also gawking at Chen Ping'an, waiting for him to show
off his skills so they could boast to their parents when they went home to eat.

“In that case, I suppose I can show all of you a thing or two,” Chen Ping'an said with a
thoughtful expression.

All of the children immediately nodded eagerly in response, while one of the
bamboo-sword-wielding boys complained, “If you're going to show us something,
then stop talking and just do it! I can tell just from how much you're stalling that
you're a fraud! You're just afraid that you'll expose yourself, right?”

Chen Ping'an burst into laughter, and he reached down to grab his Sword Nurturing
Gourd, but ultimately decided against drinking any wine in the presence of his
children.

He then turned to the other bank of the river, which was around fifteen meters away.

“Don't blink!” Chen Ping'an warned.

The children immediately opened their eyes up wide, eagerly waiting to see what he
was going to do next.
Chen Ping'an jumped up and down a few times while shaking out his legs.

Progressing from the third tier to the fourth tier was likened to a clay deity crossing
the river, but in the heat of the moment, Chen Ping'an had completely forgotten
about this saying.

He slowly raised an arm as he warned once again, “I'm only going to do this once, so
make sure you don't miss it!”

All of the children gave a collective nod.

With that, Chen Ping'an reached around his own shoulder to grab onto the locust
wood sword in his sword case.

He then instantly drew the sword before hurling it toward the other opposite bank of
the river, and it tumbled around in mid-air once before straightening itself out with
its tip aimed straight at the other side of the river, but it wasn't flying very quickly.

“Here I go!” Chen Ping'an declared as he sprang up into the air, landing atop the
wooden sword with both feet.

Initially, his flight was a little wobbly, but after gaining stable footing atop the
wooden sword, he was able to fly across the river as if he were really standing atop a
flying sword.

He really is a swordsman! He's not a fraud!

All of the children were staring at Chen Ping'an with awe and admiration in their
eyes.

After crossing the river, Chen Ping’an jumped down onto the opposite bank, then
caught the locust wood sword before it had a chance to plunge into the ground.

Standing in the field of golden rapeseed blossoms, wisps of invisible True Qi were
slowly disintegrating around his wrists and ankles.

Chen Ping'an was astonished by this turn of events, no less so than the flabbergasted
children on the other side of the river. After returning to his senses, he turned
around to face the children, then pointed a thumb at himself as he declared, “My
name is Chen Ping'an, and I'm a swordsman.”
After that, he hurled his locust wood sword in the direction of the Sun Clan's
ancestral residence, this time with far more force than before, so the sword was sent
racing through the air at a far greater speed. Chen Ping'an sprang up into the air to
land on the sword once again, and this time, there was no wobbling or unsteadiness.

Finally, he was beginning to resemble a true young sword immortal.

Once again, he crossed the river atop his sword, and his arms were crossed as he
raised his head with his eyes closed, basking in a certain profound feeling that was
lingering in the air.

A gentle breeze was caressing his cheeks, and before he knew it, the clay Bodhisattva
had already crossed the river, elevating him to the fourth tier.
The Dust Medicinal Shop was tucked away deep in the small alley, like a fearful child
hiding from a scolding, and the female employees had nothing to do all day aside
from dealing with their shopkeeper's unwelcome advances. The shop did barely any
business, and even the female employees themselves were rather perplexed about
exactly why they had been hired.

While it was true that they had to deal with the shopkeeper's constant flirting and
ogling, he never actually did anything that crossed the line, and they were paid their
wages in full and on time every single month, so they were certainly more than
happy to while away the hours at the medicinal shop.

In any case, it wasn't like they were going to lose any meat from being ogled at by the
shopkeeper. In fact, this was quite a high-paying and low-stress job, and as a result,
their living conditions and appetites had all improved, so most of them had actually
gained weight, much to their chagrin.

On this day, Zheng Dafeng received another spoken message, which had been sent to
him by a Yin god that he had left Jewel Small World with. Regardless of how Zheng
Dafeng tried to befriend or goad the Yin god, the latter stoically refused to reveal
their cultivation base, so Zheng Dafeng remained completely oblivious to just how
powerful they were.

Old Man Yang had instructed the Yin god to tell Zheng Dafeng two things, the first of
which was that Chen Ping'an's True Qi Eight Tael Talismans were already broken, so
there was no need for him to remove them. The second thing was that the Dao
mentor and Dao guardian were both in Old Dragon City, so he had to be vigilant.

The first thing was easy to understand, but the second thing had been conveyed very
vaguely by Old Man Yang, and before Zheng Dafeng had a chance to ask any
questions, the Yin god had already vanished.

Zheng Dafeng was left completely perplexed, and he sat down onto the doorstep of
the medicinal shop with an absentminded expression. This had always been
weighing on his mind. Old Man Yang had admitted that he was Zheng Dafeng and Li
Er's master, but he wasn't their Dao mentor.

Instead, he was the Dao mentor of Li Er's daughter, Li Liu. As for the identity of the
Dao guardian, Zheng Dafeng was currently serving as Dao guardian to that young
boy from the Fan Clan. He had to ensure that the boy progressed smoothly past his
third tier bottleneck, and from there, he had to assist the boy in reaching the Spirit
Refining Tiers.

Old Man Yang's attitude toward Chen Ping'an was also rather vague, but there was
one thing that Zheng Dafeng was certain of, which was that Chen Ping'an was one of
the many people that his master had placed bets on, but he was held in nowhere
near as high a regard as Ma Kuxuan, who was blessed by the Heavenly Dao.

The breathing technique that he had taught Chen Ping'an was only a very
rudimentary one, and it really wasn't anything remarkable. However, Zheng Dafeng
speculated that due to the incredible progress that Chen Ping'an had been making in
his martial arts cultivation, Old Man Yang was slowly beginning to pay more
attention to him.

Zheng Dafeng's brows furrowed tightly in deep thought as he murmured to himself,

“Could it be that he wants me to serve as Chen Ping'an's Dao mentor or Dao
guardian? Surely not. In the past, whenever he's assigned such duties to anyone, he's
always been very straightforward about all of the details, such as who he wants, how
long he wants them to serve for, and what cultivation base the target has to reach
during that time. He would never be so vague about something like this.”

Zheng Dafeng interlaced his fingers behind his head as he sighed, “Besides, I don't
get along with Chen Ping'an at all! He's such a boring kid, I just can't bring myself to
like him! Clearly, Li Er would be a much better fit as Chen Ping'an's Dao guardian.
What on earth are you thinking, Master? Why can't you just tell me what you want
me to do in simple and straightforward terms?

“If I only have to serve as a Dao guardian for him for a year or two, then I can endure
it, but if I have to be his Dao mentor, then you might as well kill me now!”

An energetic female employee was eating some sunflower seeds, and she turned to
Zheng Dafeng with a smile as she asked, “What's gotten you so worked up,
Shopkeeper?”
Zheng Dafeng took a glance at the young woman's flat chest, then said in a
displeased voice, “You have to keep up, Xiao He. You've already got the long legs
covered, but you have to grow a little bit of meat on your chest to balance out your
physique!”

The young woman was quite bold and easygoing to begin with, and after working at
the medicinal shop for so long, she had already grown accustomed to Zheng Dafeng's
constant advances, so she didn't even skip a beat as she continued to eat sunflower
seeds.

“If I want to grow more meat, then I have to eat more, but that requires money. I
want to be a bit more voluptuous there, but my limited monthly wage only allows me
to eat so much. What can I do? How about you give me a secret pay rise, Shopkeeper?
I promise that I won't tell any of the others.”

“I'd be a fool if I counted on you to keep a secret!” Zheng Dafeng scoffed. “If I give you
a pay rise, then tomorrow, I'll have to give everyone a pay rise! Do you think money
just falls into my lap? I have to work really hard to support all of you, so don't make
my job any harder.”

The young woman sat down onto the doorstep, then intentionally extended her legs
out of the shop as she smiled and said, “Isn't there a woman living nearby who's
really into you, Shopkeeper? She's so voluptuous, isn't she exactly your type? Why do
you keep ignoring her? She has more meat up here than all of us girls combined!”

The young woman gestured to her own chest as she spoke, and Zheng Dafeng
grimaced as he waved a hand to chase her away.

“A pretty young woman like you shouldn't go around saying such shameless things!
Otherwise, you're never going to be able to find a husband! Get back to the shop and
sweep the floor.”

The young woman wasn't willing to move, and she retorted in a justified manner,
“Our shop is called the Dust Medicinal Shop! It would hardly live up to its name if I
made it too clean.”

Zheng Dafeng was no match for her in a war of words, so he gave up altogether,
cradling the back of his own head with his hands as he laid back to look up at the sky.

Other people in the city weren't able to see the sea of clouds up above, but that was
not the case for a master martial artist like himself.

Celestial tools ranked above immortal tools, but they were extremely rare on Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent. How rare? Sect Master Qi Zhen of Divine Edict Sect, for
instance, had only been granted a celestial tool by the formal sect on Middle Earth
Divine Continent after reaching Heavenly Lord status.

Due to how far out of reach celestial tools were, all Qi refiners settled for the next
best thing, which were pseudo-celestial tools, artifacts somewhere between
immortal tools and celestial tools.

At the moment, Old Dragon City had four pseudo-celestial tools, two of which were
in the possession of the Fu Clan's leader, and both of them were formidable offensive
treasures. In contrast, the new one that had been purchased from Middle Earth
Divine Continent was a defensive treasure. As for the sea of clouds in the sky above
the city, the Fu Clan claimed they had always owned if.

However, as for whether this was actually the truth and whether this was the Fu
Clan's true trump card, that was difficult to say for sure. As for that story about the
woman who had awakened from the sea of clouds 800 years ago to eradicate that
army of evil cultivators while wielding the pseudo-celestial tool, that was nothing
more than an old wives' tale.

For the combination of the woman and the sea of clouds to be that formidable, then
two conditions had to be met: the sea of clouds had to be a celestial tool rather than
a pseudo-celestial tool and its wielder also had to be a Qi refiner of the Upper Five
Tiers.

The young man turned to Zheng Dafeng with a curious expression as she asked,
“What are you looking at, shopkeeper?”

Zheng Dafeng's eyes widened as he turned to her with a serious expression, then
replied, “I'm looking to see if there are any scantily dressed celestial maidens flying
past in the sky.”

The young woman rolled her eyes in response. “Be careful they don't piss onto your
head!”

“That would be the most divine heavenly elixir,” Zheng Dafeng replied as he smacked
his lips.
“Disgusting!” the young woman denounced as she sprang to her feet, while Zheng
Dafeng chortled with mirth.

The young woman had only just made her way back into the shop when she
suddenly turned around and asked, “Shopkeeper, can you hum that tune from your
hometown that you were humming last time?”

Zheng Dafeng shook his head vigorously in response. “I'm counting on that tune to
attract the woman of my dreams, so I can't just hum it for anyone.”

“Hum it for me,” the young woman insisted. “Perhaps I'll become your wife in the
future.”

Zheng Dafeng's eyes immediately lit up, and he was just about to rise to his feet
when the young woman sat back down onto the doorstep with a concerned look on
her face as she sighed, “I don't think you're ever going be able to find a woman to
marry you if you'll believe in such blatant lies.”

Zheng Dafeng sat back down in a deflated manner, and after a brief silence, he began
whistling the same tune that the young woman had requested, except this time, he
wasn't singing the lyrics.

The young woman leaned forward slightly so that her chin was resting on her hands
as she listened in silence. The lyrics of the song were all in Zheng Dafeng's
hometown dialect, so she couldn't understand them anyway.

————

A significant event was about to take place in Old Dragon City. The young city lord, Fu
Nanhua, was going to marry a woman from Cloud Forest's Jiang Clan.

The Jiang Clan was one of the longest-standing affluent clans on Eastern Treasured
Vial Continent, and it was said that in ancient times, back when Confucianism had
only just become the official teaching of the Majestic World, several grand priests
had emerged from the Jiang Clan after the Etiquette Sage established the earliest set
of Confucian rules.

Grand priests were one of the six heavenly official positions, and they were
responsible for carrying out all types of rituals and ceremonies to attract the
blessings of the heavens.
The Jiang Clan was situated on the southeastern coast of Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent, and there was an extremely wide path leading out of its front gates, which
faced the sea. The path was close to twenty kilometers in length, and it extended all
the way into the sea. At its conclusion stood a pair of enormous natural corals that
served as ceremonial gate towers, presenting a stunning and majestic sight to
behold.

After moving from Middle Earth Divine Continent to Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent, the Jiang Clan gradually turned its back on its scholarly roots to pursue
business, and it had managed to remain standing to this day through all of the
countless hardships and turmoil thrown its way.

At this point, it possessed sufficient wealth to rival a nation, and the same applied to
the Fu Clan of Old Dragon City, so a coming together of these two clans in matrimony
was massive news on the continent. Everyone was curious about what type of
betrothal gift the Fu Clan had presented, as well as what the Jiang Clan was going to
offer up as dowry.

Was it going to be a pseudo-celestial tool? There were also many immortal powers
who had shared close ties with the Fu Clan for generations. What were they going to
offer up as congratulatory gifts?

With these questions hanging in the air, countless cultivators had swarmed into Old
Dragon City the past couple of months to witness this grand occasion with their own
eyes. On top of that, there were rumors swirling around that the bride was extremely
hideous, and that added an additional element of intrigue.

Fu Nanhua of Old Dragon City had always been renowned for his wide social circle,
yet after returning from Jewel Small World, he had suddenly become much more
withdrawn. He wasn't going as far as to refuse to meet with guests, but only his
existing friends were granted an audience with him, and he didn't make any effort to
make new friends, in stark contrast with his past self.

Ever since his return, he had remained in the Fu Clan's residence almost this entire
time, not showing his face at any of the favorite spots in the city that he had regularly
frequented in the past.

However, on this day, Fu Nanhua had left the Fu Clan's residence and made his way to
the entrance of Fu city on his own. There was a tall crown on his head, and he was
dressed in a pristine white robe with a vibrant green dragon-shaped jade pendant
hanging from his waist.

He looked very calm and mature, but also a little jaded and dejected, in stark
contrast with his vigorous and exuberant persona from back before he visited Jewel
Small World.

Recently, the Fu city had been receiving a constant influx of visitors, and even the
senior servants of the Fu Clan, who were perhaps even more experienced in treating
guests than the imperial courts of some nations, were struggling to keep up.

At this moment, there were quite a few important figures from some immortal
powers gathered outside the gates of Fu city, here to offer their congratulations on
what was widely viewed as one of the most significant marriage alliances in a very
long time. Among them were representatives of Dawn Cloud Mountain.

Dawn Cloud Mountain couldn't be referred to as a top-tier sect, but the Cloud Root
Stones that it produced were highly sought after across several continents, so it was
constantly raking in huge revenue and was never lacking in resources. If a few
prodigies that could carry the sect's future could emerge within its ranks, then its
ascension to become one of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's first-rate sects would
be imminent.

Old Dragon City had a centuries-long relationship with Dawn Cloud Mountain as the
Cloud Root Stones produced by the latter were one of the important products
carried by the Fu Clan's Treasure Swallowing Whale and floating mountain ship.
Whetstones crafted out of Cloud Root Stones were extremely popular among
swordsmen of the Sword Qi Great Wall due to their exceptional quality and relatively
low price.

Of course, the low price was the most important factor of consideration. Even if a
whetstone could sharpen a sword far better than a piece of a Dragon Slaying
Platform, it would hardly matter if no one could afford it. At the moment, a fierce war
was being waged against the demon tribe with no end in sight, and many swordsmen
were already in severe debt to maintain their swords, so all of them had to be very
frugal with their purchases.

Of course, Cloud Root Stones could only be referred to as cost-effective when

compared with all of the other precious items being sent to the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Cloud Root Stones were sold at extremely different price points depending on
whether they were sold to cultivators of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, the Fu
Clan of Old Dragon City, or swordsmen of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

This time, Dawn Cloud Mountain had sent four representatives, namely two
patriarchs and their most prized disciples.

Fu Nanhua had finally come out of the Fu Clan's residence in order to meet someone
who should've already been dead, namely Cai Jinjian of Dawn Cloud Mountain.

As Fu Nanhua made his surprise appearance, the people gathered near the city gate
immediately erupted into conversation, while some began offering him greetings
and congratulations. Fu Nanhua responded to everyone with impeccable etiquette,
and finally, he arrived in front of a pair of carriages near the back of the line.

The carriages were drawn by Azure Piebald Horses, which were very distant
relatives of flood dragons. These Azure Piebald Horses indicated that these were
carriages that had been hired from the Sun Clan's relay station.

Everyone in Old Dragon City knew that there were two ways to spend massively in
Old Dragon City: to purchase an Old Dragon Cloud-Flipping Pendant from the Fu
Clan, and to hire a carriage from Sun Jiashu. Generally speaking, there were also two
types of people who would pursue those two options: the extremely rich and the
extremely foolish.

Of course, the two patriarchs of Dawn Cloud Mountain didn't fall into that latter
category. It was very much necessary for them to keep up appearances, particularly
during their time in Old Dragon City.

The two patriarchs hurriedly emerged from their carriages with their disciples at the
sight of Fu Nanhua. One of those disciples was none other than Cai Jinjian, who was
looking a little pale, but was still as beautiful as ever, while the other disciple was a
handsome young man wearing a Dao robe with faint wisps of cloud and mist
swirling around it.

After making some small talk with the patriarchs of Dawn Cloud Mountain, Fu
Nanhua stated a request, which was to take Cai Jinjian into the city for a private
conversation.

Cai Jinjian's master was ecstatic, and they certainly weren't going to turn down this
request. Cai Jinjian had returned from Jewel Small World completely empty-handed,
wasting an entire pouch of gold essence copper coins. In the face of those gold
essence copper coins, grain rain coins may as well be ordinary copper coins, yet an
entire pouchful of the former had disappeared without anything to show for them.

As a result, during the past two years, Cai Jinjian's master had been made the
laughing stock of the entire Dawn Cloud Mountain. The old man had intended to
elevate Cai Jinjian to the position of mountain master someday, but that seemed like
nothing more than a pipe dream now.
What was even more infuriating to him was that following her return from Jewel
Small World, Cai Jinjian had resembled a lifeless husk of her former self, displaying
no enthusiasm or diligence in her cultivation. Her master was both infuriated by this,
but also extremely concerned, fearing that Cai Jinjian would completely fall from
grace and become the second Su Jia.

Fu Nanhua and Cai Jinjian walked alongside each other through the gates of Fu city
toward the former's resplendent private residence in the city.

Back when he was searching for opportunities in Jewel Small World, Fu Nanhua had
only been one of the many candidates to become heir to the city lord. Hence, Fu
Nanhua had been very polite and respectful to Cai Jinjian. However, at this point, his
master was on the verge of making a breakthrough, and with his marriage alliance to
the Jiang Clan, his status had been significantly elevated, and he was no longer the
same Fu Nanhua of the past.

Hence, in the eyes of the two Dawn Cloud Mountain patriarchs, Fu Nanhua definitely
wasn't approaching Cai Jinjian for a private conversation just because they had met
briefly in Jewel Small World. Could it be that a relationship had blossomed between
the two of them during their time there? But that didn't make sense, either, as Cai
Jinjian was still a virgin.

In any case, Fu Nanhua was all but certain to inherit the Old Dragon Robe someday,
and the fact that he was so receptive to Dawn Cloud Mountain was a great honor for
the two patriarchs.

Both Fu Nanhua and Cai Jinjian remained silent as they made their way through Fu
city. Upon entering his private residence, Fu Nanhua sat down in the hall, then patted
the brand new jade pendant that had been bestowed upon him by his father as he
turned to Cai Jinjian. “Alright, we can speak candidly with each other now.”

There was a smile on Cai Jinjian's face, but it was completely devoid of exuberance as
she asked, “What do you want to talk about?”
Fu Nanhua stared intently at Cai Jinjian as he said, “I won't ask you how you
managed to survive. All I want to know is why that person saved you, and what he
wants you to do for him.”

Cai Jinjian's smile faded as he she asked, “Would you believe me if I told you that he
did out of the kindness of his heart as a noble person?”

A cold sneer appeared on Fu Nanhua's heart as he scoffed, “A noble person? If Qi

Jingchun were a noble person, then Confucian sages would've already claimed four
worlds by now!”

Cai Jinjian's expression remained unchanged as she asked, “Is there any point in
nitpicking my words like this?”

Fu Nanhua took a deep breath, then said, “I'm going to be open and honest with you.
After that boy struck you down, he almost killed me too. At the time, Qi Jingchun
saved me from that little rat bastard….”

Fu Nanhua suddenly noticed the mocking sneer on Cai Jinjian's face, and his words
immediately cut off, following which he adopted a calmer tone as he continued,
“After Qi Jingchun stopped Chen Ping’an, he told me some things, instructing me to
leave Jewel Small World, but at the same time, he bestowed upon me an opportunity
outside of any treasures.

“I won't tell you exactly what it is, but what I'm really perplexed about is that Qi
Jingchun never made me swear a vow to never target Chen Ping'an or anything like
that. In fact, he didn't even try to mediate our conflict at all.”

Cai Jinjian looked around with a detached expression, then turned back to face Fu
Nanhua with a smile as she asked, “You're talking about a sage who saved your life,
should you not at least be referring to him as Mr. Qi?”

A dismissive sneer appeared on Fu Nanhua's face as he scoffed, “He's already dead,

and he was killed by a whole collection of celestial immortals, while none of the
major Confucian figures stepped in to save him, so it's clear that there's no chance of
him ever making a comeback, so what does it matter if he's a sage?”

Cai Jinjian merely smiled in response, then sighed, “None of the places where the
patriarchs of our Dawn Cloud Mountain reside and cultivate are anywhere near as
abundant in spiritual energy as this manor of yours. Your Fu Clan truly is
astonishingly rich, Fu Nanhua.”

This private residence had eight main pillars, known as Coiling Dragon Pillars, and
each of them had a coiling dragon engraved around it. Each dragon held a treasured
bead in its mouth, and each bead was a connate spirit tool, gathering a vast amount
of spiritual energy in the manor to make it resemble a miniature blessed land,
thereby significantly enhancing the progress of one's cultivation.

For those cultivating in the top-tier immortal clans of the world, they were
constantly cultivating no matter what they did thanks to these resources at their
disposal, so it made sense for itinerant cultivators to be so envious of them.

A cold look appeared on Fu Nanhua's face, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he said,
“Don't try to play dumb with me, Cai Jinjian! I'm going to be granted a Treasure
Swallowing Whale soon, and if I refuse to purchase Cloud Root Stones from your
sect, Dawn Cloud Mountain's revenue will instantly decrease by 20%!

“You may be held in very high regard by your master, but you've already wasted an
entire pouch of gold essence copper coins, so I suggest you have a long, hard think
before you harm the interests of Dawn Cloud Mountain even further through your
actions.”

A smile appeared on Cai Jinjian's face as she said, “Don't bother with these empty
threats, Fu Nanhua. I don't know exactly how much wealth your Fu Clan possesses,
but I know exactly how your clan has been doing business over the past few
thousand years. So what if you're coming into possession of a Treasure Swallowing
Whale? Even if you become the city lord, there's no way you'll be able to change the
rules established by your ancestors.”

The cold look in Fu Nanhua's eyes faded as he sighed, “You're clearly a very smart
woman, and the two of us went through that grueling ordeal in Jewel Small World
together, so why can't we work together for our mutual benefit? Let's be open and
candid with each other so we can both erase the after-effects of that ordeal?

“If you choose to work with me, I promise you that not only will I strive for the
position of city lord, I'll also help you advance up the hierarchy as well. Think about
it: all I need to do is slightly raise my purchase price of Cloud Root Stones, then
spread word of the fact that you made an integral contribution to that decision, and
your status in Dawn Cloud Mountain would instantly be elevated to new heights!
“On top of that, you possess exceptional aptitude, and your master clearly has very
high hopes for you. With him acting as your backer in the sect and Old Dragon City
serving as an external backer, you'll become the mountain master of Dawn Cloud
Mountain in a century at the very latest!”

Fu Nanhua rose to his feet as he spoke, and the tone of his voice was becoming more
and more passionate by the second, as if he were an emperor laying out the future
plight of his empire.

Cai Jinjian turned to Fu Nanhua, and it was clear from her expression that she
remained largely unmoved.

It wasn't that Fu Nanhua wasn't being sufficiently genuine, or the picturing that he
was painting wasn't sufficiently alluring. The problem was that Cai Jinjian's mental
state had completely changed, and she was no longer the same ambitious and
scheming woman that she once was.

For someone like her, who had truly died once and crossed over to the other side
before coming back, it was simply a different experience from a near-death
experience like the one that Fu Nanhua had suffered.

After Qi Jingchun resurrected her with his unfathomable powers back in Jewel Small
World, the two of them had shared a conversation in the school. It had been a very
casual conversation, as if they were merely chatting about life. Back then, Cai
Jinjian's physical body was still severely wounded and far from a full recovery, and all
Qi Jingchun had done was separate her soul from her body.

In the school, time had flowed by like trickling springwater, and Qi Jingchun had
asked her about many things outside of Jewel Small World, all of which were very
trivial matters, such as the prices of rice and oil in the mortal world, whether there
had been new printing techniques developed, and other such insignificant topics.

Initially, Cai Jinjian had been extremely uneasy, but she gradually eased into the
conversation, answering Qi Jingchun's questions to the best of her abilities. Some
questions she had answers for, and some were beyond her.

Throughout the entire conversation, Qi Jingchun maintained a warm smile, and as

Cai Jinjian grew more comfortable, she raised some questions pertaining to her own
cultivation, ones that even her master was unable to answer, and Qi Jingchun was
able to provide her with the answers that she needed.

In the end, he had even recommendation to her some classic Confucian works, telling
her that for cultivators, it was naturally extremely important to develop one's
powers, but mental cultivation was just as important. By advising her to read those
books, he wasn't hoping that she would develop aspirations to become a sage.

Instead, he told her that a person's mental state was like a plot of farmland, and only
with a water source present would the crops grown on the plot of land be able to
thrive, so the key to cultivation was actually to hone one's heart and mentality.

After leaving Jewel Small World, Cai Jinjian still harbored the same lofty aspirations
as before, but she no longer felt like it was correct to cultivate just for the sake of it.

Prior to her departure, Cai Jinjian had worked up the courage to ask Qi Jingchun why
he had saved someone like her, to which Qi Jingchun had smiled and replied in a
truthful manner, “It goes against the rules of this world to save you, but it fits with
my ideologies.”

Cai Jinjian then asked why Qi Jingchun was willing to teach her these profound and
sagely principles, to which the latter had replied with a serious expression, “As a
teacher, I answer all the questions that I can and impart upon others as many
principles as possible.”

Even though all of the questions that had stumped her in her cultivation had been
answered, Cai Jinjian was in no hurry to progress in her cultivation base following
her return to Dawn Cloud Mountain. Instead, she read all of the books recommended
to her by Qi Jingchun, then replayed his words over and over again in her mind.

From the perspective of outsiders, she had abandoned her cultivation, but she knew
in her heart that was this not the case.

At some point, she was told by her master in private that Qi Jingchun had met his
demise, killed by several celestial immortals above the northern region of Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent.

In response to this news, Cai Jinjian hadn't been particularly grief-stricken. Instead,
she had merely felt a little dejected.

After that, she finally resumed her cultivation, and it didn't take long before she
progressed up a tier, and she had to conceal her cultivation base so that she didn't
astonish those around her. Only then was she granted this opportunity to visit Old
Dragon City with her master.

This string of events had all begun with that encounter on Clay Vase Alley.

Ultimately, it was her past foolish and unreasonable self that had ruined the life of
that young boy.

Clearly, Qi Jingchun treated that boy not like a sage looking down on the people of
the world with detachment and doing everything by the rules. Instead, he was like a
protective senior nurturing a junior, and for this purpose, he was willing to even
ignore and go against the rules.

If she had died in that alley, then the so-called Heavenly Dao backlash and karmic
retribution of Buddhism would've fallen upon that boy.

After that, Qi Jingchun's intentions had been very pure during their question and
answer session. He most likely felt like she was still not beyond saving, so he was still
willing to teach her.

In the wake of this experience, Cai Jinjian had figured out many things that had
stumped her in the past. Her mental state had become clear and tranquil, and all of
the impurities had been swept away. Furthermore, visualization was of the utmost
importance for cultivators of Dawn Cloud Mountain, and that was what had allowed
her to make such rapid progress in her cultivation.

Even though she wasn't tempted by Fu Nanhua's proposal, Cai Jinjian didn't
immediately leave. Instead, a knowing smile appeared on her face as she said, “How
about this, Fu Nanhua? Our first alliance ended terribly, so for our second alliance
today, how about we make another bet? I'll bet that you can don the Old Dragon
Robe, while you can bet that I'll become the mountain master of Dawn Cloud
Mountain someday. What do you think?

“I can promise you here and now that if I become the mountain master of Dawn
Cloud Mountain, then I'll sell all of our sect's Cloud Root Stones to your Fu Clan
without sparing any for the five major clans of Old Dragon City. Prior to that, I'll also
encourage my master to increase the amount of Cloud Root Stones allocated to your
Treasure Swallowing Whale as much as possible.”
Fu Nanhua was caught completely off guard by this proposal, and he couldn't help
but wonder if this was some type of trap, so his confidence was wavering slightly.

Even though the ordeal in Jewel Small World hadn't become an inner demon on his
cultivation path, he was still very much troubled by those events, and if he couldn't
sort through his own thoughts and make a decision on what to do with Chen Ping'an
as soon as possible, then it would continue to weigh on his mind.

Meanwhile, Cai Jinjian had already risen to her feet, and she made her way over to
one of the Coiling Dragon Pillars to inspect the white jewel in the dragon's mouth
with an intrigued look on her face.

In the end, Fu Nanhua didn't give her a definitive answer, instead asking her to wait
for a few days.

Following Cai Jinjian's departure, Fu Nanhua removed the green jade pendant from
his waist and held it in his hand as he began to pace around the hall in circles,
weighing up his options.

A tall man with an authoritative disposition wearing a dragon robe suddenly

appeared in the hall without any warning. He was standing beside the same Coiling
Dragon Pillar, inspecting the same jewel that Cai Jinjian had been looking at earlier,
as if he were trying to stand in her shoes to see what her intentions were.

Fu Nanhua failed to detect his silent arrival, and only after Fu Nanhua had noticed
him did the man turn his gaze to him as he asked, “Why didn't you agree to her
offer?”

“Something doesn't feel right about all of this,” Fu Nanhua replied.

The dragon-robed man was none other than City Lord Fu Qi, and he said, “It's very
simple, there are two paths laid out before you, the first of which is to kill Chen
Ping'an and forcibly suppress the unrest in your heart, using their cultivation to
sever by force the impact that Confucian sage had on you. Or….you can go with the
flow.

“For the average cultivator, the greater the heights they ascend to, the more certain
knots in their heart will manifest themselves as flaws in their cultivation, but in our
Fu Clan, these knots can be used to form pearls in one's mind's lake through the use
of secret techniques.”
A mocking sneer appeared on his face as he continued, “To think that you're feeling
so conflicted over such a minor problem. At this rate, you'll never be worthy to
inherit this Old Dragon Robe.”

Fu Nanhua immediately began sweating profusely upon hearing this.

The man shook his head as he sighed, “To think that my son would be so bothered by
a dead man and an insignificant young boy.”

Fu Nanhua's face turned deathly pale.

The man sneered as he continued, “Even after I inherited this Old Dragon Robe, there
have been times where I've had to kneel on the ground and beg others for the sake of
our Fu Clan, and I had to kowtow to them so many times that my forehead bled. Do
you think those things don't weigh on my mind?”

Fu Nanhua's mind was completely blank, and he was completely oblivious to the fact
that tears had begun flowing down his face.

The man gave one final mocking sneer before vanishing into thin air.

————

If one could bypass that profound restriction of Stalactite Mountain and stand at the
point where the two worlds were connected, then they would be greeted by a
stunning sight, namely a wall that stretched all the way up into the clouds, looking as
if it were as old as time.

To the south of the wall was the true owner of this world, while to its north was a
city without walls.

The earliest group of sword immortals to arrive here had once stated that if the
demon tribe were allowed to pass over the Sword Qi Great Wall, then all of the city
walls under the heavens may as well cease to exist.

After that, not even a single brick was added to the outskirts of the city.

Over 100,000 swordsmen resided here generation after generation, completely

isolated from the rest of the world. Aside from the select few people who were able
to travel to Stalactite Mountain, the rest of them all abided by their ancestral
teachings, never setting foot in Majestic World.

They lived here, they died here, and to them, dying in battle outside the Sword Qi
Great Wall was the utmost honor, while dying of old age within the Sword Qi Great
Wall was the humiliating disgrace.

Some things here were different from Majestic World outside, but there were also
inevitably some similar things. For example, there were also some long-standing
major clans residing within the Sword Qi Great Wall. But unlike the major clans in
the outside world, who constantly had to urge their descendants to look after
themselves and be safe, that was completely unnecessary here.
No matter how powerful a clan was, all of its men had to carry out sword delivery
duties at 12 years of age, even if they were the only child of their generation. At the
latest, one had to go to the south of the city wall to join in the battle there, and 30
years of age was the oldest one could be before they had to leave the city wall to go
and slay demons in the south.

Almost all of the women wanted to marry men who possessed superior
swordsmanship to themselves, and if their husband were to die in battle, then she
would immediately follow them, after which their children would come next.

None of the poems told about the wars on the borders could compare with the
stories that came out of this place.

If any outsiders were to speak of any horrific battles that they had seen, they would
be scoffed at by the people in the Sword Qi Great Wall for even daring to make the
comparison.

In the wake of the second war's conclusion, peace and quiet returned to this city,
which was situated to the north of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The city was filled with all types of buildings and landmarks, such as bridges over
flowing water, vast and flamboyant manors, streets that were lined with sword
shops, and also crude thatch huts where multiple generations of people shared the
same room.

At a streetside wine shop sat six people around a table, one of whom was a gallant-
looking young girl with brows that resembled thin blades. She was sitting on the
same bench with another young girl who was missing an arm. The latter was very
short and thin, but she was carrying an astonishingly huge sword on her back with a
wooden expression on her face.

The oldest one among the six was a handsome young man in his twenties. The sword
Qi emanating from his body was so formidable that it formed a virtually substantial
barrier around him, and although sheathed, his sword was also giving off an
incredibly powerful aura.

There was a portly young boy seated on another bench while taking small sips of
wine with a smile on his face. His backside was very large, while the surface of the
bench was quite narrow, so it was a rather uncomfortable seating arrangement, and
he was constantly having to twist from side to side to get comfortable.

Placed on his lap was a sword that was also in his scabbard, but there were arcs of
purple lightning flashing all over it. Whenever an arc of lightning struck him on the
belly, he would immediately wince and shudder.

Seated next to him was a hideous young boy with skin black as coal and scars all over
his face. However, his sword had a very effeminate name, which was Elaborate
Makeup.

Across from him sat another handsome young boy with two swords in his
possession, one strapped to each side of his waist. One of the swords had no
scabbard, and the words “Cloud Pattern” were inscribed onto its blade in antiquated
characters.

The six of them had fought alongside one another during the first battle, but on that
occasion, they had lost a friend by the name of Grasshopper.

This time, they had better luck. All of them were injured, but no one had perished
during the recently concluded battle. However, the two leaders of their team, a pair
of 10th tier swordsmen, were unable to return to the Sword Qi Great Wall alive.

The portly young boy enjoyed drinking wine, but he took even more joy in
encouraging others to drink with him.

The handsome young boy with the Dong surname really liked to make fun of the
hideous scar-faced young boy, while the young girl missing an arm liked to shoot
furtive glances at the handsome young man.

Meanwhile, the gallant-looking young girl was drinking by herself while staring into
the distance in a daze, but even in her absentminded state, there was nothing frail or
weak about her, and she appeared ready to spring back into battle at any moment.

Some time later, a pair of young women roughly 18 to 19 years of age arrived, and
one of them immediately sat down beside the hideous young boy so that the three of
them were sharing one bench. As a result, the portly young boy was forced to the
edge of the bench, so his rotund bottom was spilling over the bench on three sides,
much to his dismay.

As soon as the two women arrived, the young boy with the Dong surname
immediately stopped making fun of the hideous young boy, and was looking rather
fearful of the pleasant and harmless-looking round-faced woman sitting across from
him.

The other young woman had a sharp yet elegant chin, and she immediately sat down
beside the handsome young boy without any hesitation, while the latter rolled his
eyes in disdain, thinking to himself that the woman wasn't even as good-looking as
he was, yet harbored delusions of becoming his wife.

The round-faced young woman asked the six of them why they were gathered here,
and she was informed that the young man's training stint here was about to come to
an end, and he was soon going to return to the Confucian school on Middle Earth
Divine Continent, at which point he would be promoted from virtuous scholar to
noble scholar.

He removed his Righteous Aura sword from his waist, then set it down onto the
table, stating that A'Liang had given it to swordsmen of the Sword Qi Great Wall, not
to him, so he had to leave it behind.

The portly young boy was very happy to hear this. He had been longing for that
sword for quite some time, and he immediately nodded in agreement while praising
the young man for his righteousness and his quality of character, and he also
declared that if the young man were to ever come back, then he would welcome him
by applauding with both hands and both feet.

For the first time, the young girl with the missing arm spoke up, saying that the
young man had fought in two grueling battles and slain so many demons of the
Middle Five Tiers, so he deserved to take Righteous Aura with him.

The young man paid no heed to this as he looked around, trying to see if there were
any familiar faces on the streets nearby that could pay his bill for him.

Meanwhile, the hideous young boy was focused entirely on drinking. The round-
faced young woman sitting beside him was his elder sister, and she tried to persuade
him to drink less, but he completely ignored her, so she could only sit beside him
with a resigned expression.

“Take the sword,” the gallant-looking young girl said in a concise manner, and no one
raised any objections to this.

All of the people at the table were quite lofty in status, including an imminent
Confucian noble scholar, and members of the Dong and Chen clans.

If there were someone from the Qi Clan present as well, then all three surnames of
the Sword Qi Great Wall would be represented here.

All of a sudden, the handsome young boy's brows furrowed slightly, and he grumbled
under his breath, “Oh great. Here come those idiots.”

There was a group of young men walking along the street. All of them appeared to be
around 20 years of age, and they were giving off formidable sword Qi and killing
intent.

Coincidentally, their leader had the Qi surname, and he had a pair of swords
strapped to his back. He was a very tall and imposing man, and he made his way over
to the wine shop, staring directly at the gallant-looking young girl while trying to
make appear as amicable as possible as he asked with a friendly smile, “Ning Yao, are
you selling your family's Dragon Slaying Platform or not?

“We can negotiate the price, my family definitely won't screw you over. Besides,
everyone knows how close our parents are. If it wasn't for my grandfather's
intervention our marriage would've been decided at birth!”

“Piss off!” the gallant-looking young girl snapped without even raising her head.

The man with the Qi surname wasn't incensed in the slightest as he immediately
obliged, scurrying away with his tail between his legs.

Someone from his group was very angry to see this, and he mused in a
condescending voice, “Some people are simply born luckier than others. I suppose
when both your parents are powerful sword immortals, you can do whatever you
please, even almost losing the entire Sword Qi Great Wall to the enemy!”
The gallant-looking young girl remained completely unmoved, but all of the other
people at the table instantly sprang to their feet, and even the Confucian scholar who
had come here for training had grabbed onto Righteous Aura.

The portly young boy bared his teeth in a menacing fashion as he said, “What was
that? Your father here couldn't really hear you just now. How about you repeat that
for me?”

The handsome young boy had already erupted into a furious tirade. “You little shit!
I'll kill your entire family!”

He then took a glance at the hideous young boy across from him as he asked, “So
what'll it be? You wanna go first, or should I go?”

The hideous young boy offered no response, merely shrugging off his sister as he
picked up his sword and began making his way toward the group of young men.

The man with the Qi surname raised a hand, gesturing for everyone behind him to
remain silent, then stepped forward with a smile as he asked, “Are you sure you want
to pick a fight with us, Charcoal Dong?”

The boy continued onward in an expressionless manner, and he had already gripped
onto the hilts of his Scripture and Cloud Pattern swords, both of which had been
bestowed upon him by A'Liang.

Ning Yao had saved his life on three occasions, and now that her parents were gone
and A'Liang had also left, he had to step forward to defend her honor. Otherwise, he
may as well put an end to his own life right here.

His sister smiled as she said, “Just don't kill anyone. As long as you don't cross that
line, I can smooth things over with our grandfather.”

As soon as this declaration was made, even the young man with the Qi surname was
left feeling a little fearful.

All of a sudden, the sound of knuckles tapping down onto a table rang out, and Dong
Huafu turned around.

“Come back, Charcoal,” Ning Yao instructed in an indifferent manner.

They boy turned around a disgruntled expression before sitting back down at his
original spot, and his sister patted him on the head in consolation. The boy was still
feeling very frustrated, and he immediately turned to his sister with a furious
expression, in response to which she made a funny face at him to try and cheer him
up, while the handsome young boy looked on with an enraptured expression.

Only then was the situation defused.

The young man with the Qi surname departed with his companions, and only after
they were very far away did he turn to the young man who had just provoked Ning
Yao as he said, “Don't go anywhere the next few days. Alternatively, come stay at my
place for a while.”

The man immediately nodded in response with an uneasy look on his face.

After everyone had sat back down again, Ning Yao sighed, “None of you are children
anymore, so stop behaving like children. Besides, this is a private matter of mine, so
why are outsiders like yourselves getting involved? I'll remember what he said, and
he'll have what's coming to him eventually.”

Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.

A thought then suddenly occurred to Ning Yao, and a cold sneer appeared on her face
as she said, “I heard that guy smashed the Daoist second disciple back to the Majestic
World with a single punch.”

Everyone immediately smiled upon hearing this, but of course, the smile that had
appeared on the young man's face was a rather bitter one.

An absentminded look appeared on the portly young boy's face, and he took a large
swig of wine, as if something depressing or joyful had just sprung into his mind.

After his first time fighting atop the city wall, he had turned to A'Liang with a hopeful
expression as he asked, “A'Liang, A'Liang, what do you think of my swordsmanship?
Surely I'm half as good as you now!”

A'Liang merely continued to drink wine while placating the boy with some
halfhearted answers.

“A'Liang! Give me a straight answer! I don't care if you compliment or insult me, I can
take it!”

“Alright, in that case, I'd say that your swordsmanship…. is very flashy, but not very
effective.”

“What does that mean?”

“I'm saying that your swordsmanship looks like it could kill a tiger, but in reality, you
can only kill a mouse.”

The boy was immediately brought to the verge of tears upon hearing this, and he felt
as if the entire world were crashing down around him, as if he would never be able
to make anything out of himself.

A'Liang then tossed his wine gourd at him with a smile as he said, “Back when I was
your age, I wasn't even at your level.”

The chubby little boy instantly puffed out his chest with pride. That was the first
time that he had tasted wine, and it was absolutely rancid.

The handsome young man was resting his chin on one hand while biting onto the
edge of his cup between his teeth, and he could drink the wine in the cup without
even using his hands by tipping his head back.

He had learned this move from A'Liang, and he had found it to be extremely badass.

“A'Liang, I heard you've been to the Bamboo Sea Small World. Is Lady Zhu really that
beautiful?”

“She is. She's got a pair of really long legs.”

“I'm asking about her face! What's the use in having long legs?”

The young boy was immediately pushed aside A'Liang as the latter said, “You're
clearly not a man of culture.”

Even though Dong Huafu's sister hadn't drunk any wine this entire time, there was
still a dreamy smile on her face.

She had once mustered up her courage to approach A'Liang before asking if he
missed his home.

“I do.”

“Do you want to take a wife back with you the next time you return home?”

“Of course.”

“How about you take me as your wife, A'Liang?”

A stunned look had appeared on his face upon hearing this. “My goodness! I've
traveled far and wide without encountering a worthy opponent, never did I think
such a spritely young girl would prove to be my downfall!”

At the time, Dong Huafu had still been a snotty little kid, but he could understand
what they were saying, and he turned his head to the side and spat onto the ground
in disgust.

A'Liang handed his wine gourd to the girl, then patted her on the head as he said
“Trust me, you don't want to be my wife. All I do is wander around aimlessly, and
anyone who becomes my wife will have nothing but suffering ahead of them.”

The girl accepted the wine gourd, but didn't dare to drink from it.

A'Liang burst into laughter as he encouraged, “It's alright, you can have a few sips. I
know your patriarch doesn't want you to drink, but he won't scold you if you drink
my wine. All he'll do is blame me.”

As the girl was drinking out of the gourd, A'Liang stepped onto the Sword Qi Great
Wall, then cast his gaze into the distance, smoothing his own hair down as he sighed,
“Wine can make your cheeks red, while worries can turn your hair white…. If you're
going to find a man for yourself, make sure you find someone as handsome and
talented as myself. Of course, I'm not saying you should pursue me, I'm saying that
you should find someone like me.”

All of a sudden, Dong Huafu yelled, “A'Liang, I need to take a shit! Hurry up and take
me to the south! It's about to come out!”

A'Liang hurriedly jumped down from the wall, cursing under his breath as he cradled
Dong Huafu in his arms before flying away into the south.
As for whether there were any perils in the south or whether there were any great
demons lurking nearby, that was naturally of no concern to him.

Dong Huafu's sister knew that her brother was as safe as safe could be with A'Liang,
so she wasn't worried, either.

There was no place under the heavens that A'Liang couldn't go.

No matter how much her grandfather disliked A'Liang, he could never bring himself
to denounce A'Liang's swordsmanship.

In the end, Dong Huafu was unable to hold it in, and he pooped all over his pants.
A'Liang was washing his pants by a creek while watching him run around with his
backside bare, and he chuckled to himself, “Looks like I'm receiving retribution for
rejecting your mother so many times. I'm not even your father, yet I'm being forced
to perform these degrading fatherly duties….”

In the end, he left. He left his sword and a “badass” character behind, then departed
from the Sword Qi Great Wall with just his conical bamboo hat.

On that day, countless women drank in solidarity in the city behind the Sword Qi
Great Wall, while their husbands were also drinking by themselves with sullen
expressions.

After that, A'Liang found the young boy who had been chosen by Qi Jingchun, and to
the young boy, he declared, “My name is A'Liang, Liang as in kindness.”

After the two of them became a bit more familiar with each other, he told the boy
that he had countless female admirers under the heavens, and the boy merely
brushed that off as a boastful lie.

————

After drinking for a while longer, everyone parted ways, and Ning Yao returned home
on her own.

On the way back, there were many people pointing at and discussing her.

Some were sympathetic, some were spiteful, some heaved forlorn sighs, and some
were full of admiration.
Ning Yao lived in one of the largest manors in the entire city, and there were still
many of her fellow clansmen around, but there were also some people missing.

She made her way onto the sword spar arena, then laid down onto the massive slab
of Dragon Slaying Platform to take a nap.

A letter had told her that an idiot was coming to deliver a sword to her, so why was
he still not here yet?

She couldn't help but feel a little angry at this thought.

Sure enough, Chen Ping'an received a comprehensive package of information about
the Dust Medicinal Shop before nightfall. Aside from its address, he was also
informed that the shopkeeper was a man with the Zheng surname, and that the shop
was one of the ancestral properties of the Fu Clan, one of the five major clans of Old
Dragon City.

Shopkeeper Zheng had a northern Great Li accent, and on the surface, he appeared
to be a crude and perverted man doing nothing but wasting his life away, but in
reality, he had gone to the Fu Manor on two occasions, and the Fu Clan clearly held
him in extremely high regard.

There was a very good chance that he was the martial arts instructor of Fan
Gaoming, the grandson of the Fu Clan's leader. As for his portrait, that would only be
ready the next day.

Upon receiving this information, it immediately became apparent to Chen Ping'an

that this Shopkeeper Zheng was none other than Gatekeeper Zheng Dafeng of the
small town. As for the fact the Fan Clan held him in such high regard, this didn't come
as a surprise to Chen Ping'an at all.

No matter how incapable and improper he appeared, the fact that he had been
assigned to a post where he regularly handled gold essence copper coins was a clear
indication that there was more to him than met the eye. Otherwise, Old Man Yang
wouldn't have instructed Chen Ping'an to go to him to have his True Qi Eight Tael
Talismans removed.

Aside from that, Sun Jiashu had also sent someone to bring Chen Ping'an detailed
packages of information pertaining to the Mountain and Sea Turtle and Osmanthus
Island so that he could make an informed decision on which one to take. The
intercontinental journey was one that spanned millions of kilometers over a vast
array of diverse and, at times, perilous terrains, so it was not a journey to be taken
lightly.

The packages of information were accompanied by a handwritten letter from Sun

Jiashu, which essentially said, “I know you've decided to take our Sun Clan's
Mountain and Sea Turtle, but I'm going to lay out the pros and cons of both the
Mountain and Sea Turtle and Osmanthus Island for you, nevertheless.”

This seemed to be completely superfluous, but after reading the letter and briefly
pondering the matter, Chen Ping'an immediately developed a sense of newfound
admiration for the way that Sun Jiashu conducted his business. If he were a
merchant looking to purchase products from Old Dragon City, he would definitely
choose to collaborate with the more meticulous Sun Clan over others.

However, there was one thing that Chen Ping'an was mistaken about, which was that
the Sun Clan was very stubborn and dogmatic in the way that it conducted its
business. In particular, it placed extremely heavy emphasis on maintaining an
immaculate reputation, and it only ever chose business partners for itself, so not just
anyone could do business with the Sun Clan, regardless of how wealthy and powerful
they were.

The Sun Clan had just as many strange rules as the Fu Clan did strange people.

Reach the fourth tier, find the medicinal shop, choose a suitable ship…. These were
the three main things on Chen Ping'an's to-do list, and with all of them ticked off, he
was able to enjoy dinner in peace. The seafood soup from lunch had been replaced
with one that was cooked using freshwater delicacies, and it suited Chen Ping'an's
tastes far better.

He ate like the wind, and for the first time in quite some time, he ate until he was
extremely full. After dinner, he went out for a stroll on the river bank. The sun was
setting in the west, presenting a beautiful sight to behold. Chen Ping'an felt as if he
were in a blessed land, and decided there and then that he had to come back
someday, should the opportunity arise.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping'an was struck by the urge to fish, and he ran back to the
Sun Clan's ancestral residence to ask an elderly steward if they had any fishing rods.
He also asked about the recent fishing conditions, whether there were any
particularly large fish in the river, and whether berley had to be used.
The old steward was very familiar with all matters related to fishing, and he
patiently answered all of Chen Ping'an's questions. After that, he helped Chen
Ping'an make the necessary preparations, and the two of them traveled to a good
fishing spot together.

Upon learning that Chen Ping'an intended to fish until very late into the night, the
steward offered to set up a waterside tent for him, but Chen Ping'an had never been
one to indulge in such luxuries, so he refused. The old man didn't force the issue, and
he departed to leave Chen Ping'an on his own.

Chen Ping'an was in no hurry to begin fishing. Instead, he began to practice walking
meditation back and forth by the river. After around two hours of walking
meditation, he practiced standing meditation for two more hours, and only then did
he begin fishing. He closed his eyes as he cast his line, and the sound of the bait
plopping into the water rang out.

A light breeze blew over the rapeseed blossoms, causing their stalks to tremble and
sway.

The water in the river slowly flowed into the distance, and small waves were visible
on its surface, while invisible currents surged beneath the surface.

The fishing line was as thin as a strand of hair, and it was gently being tugged upon,
occasionally being stretched taut before loosening again.

That entire night, Chen Ping'an remained completely still, allowing the smaller fish
to nibble at his bait. No big fish took the bait, and before long, Chen Ping'an had
already sat until daybreak.

Right at this moment, he cast his gaze toward the east, and the instant that he
opened his eyes, he was greeted by a spectacular scene that he had never witnessed
before.

To the naked eye, the light of the rising sun should've only been red in coloration, but
Chen Ping'an was able to see a burst of golden Qi rising up in the east with the sun.
These bursts of golden Qi resembled golden dragons slowly roaming across the
horizon.

Chen Ping'an continued to stare at the rising sun and the golden Qi in the distance,
and he wasn't experiencing any discomfort despite how bright and glaring the light
was.

Perhaps it was just a figment of his imagination, but Chen Ping'an felt his heart and
soul shudder slightly at the sight of the descending golden Qi, and all of a sudden, a
dozen golden dragons descended out of the sky before pouncing directly at him.
They were giving off a menacing aura, as if they were determined to crush anyone
who dared to gaze upon them.

The dragons were approaching extremely quickly, and Chen Ping'an let go of his
fishing rod as he hurriedly rose to his feet. His fist intent surged forth on its own,
spreading throughout his body and his acupoints.

In the face of this provocation, Chen Ping'an felt as if he were facing Cui Chan's
grandfather in the bamboo building of Downtrodden Mountain. In this moment, his
fist intent stood above even the heavens and the earth, and he had to unleash this
punch no matter what!

The dozen or so golden flood dragons had no substantial form, and they were flying
directly at Chen Ping'an, who immediately adopted his Rain Evaporation Technique
stance.

First, he planted his feet onto the bank of the river one after the other, doing so with
such tremendous force that the power of his stomps penetrated over three meters
deep into the ground. Not only was the ground trembling and rumbling beneath his
feet, even the water near the bank of the river was churning, and waves were rising
up and surging toward the opposite bank.

First and Fifteenth had both emerged from the Sword Nurturing Gourd, but they
were merely resting lazily on the opening of the gourd as passive bystanders,
seemingly not regarding the golden flood dragons descending from the heavens as
enemies.

Chen Ping'an was completely immersed in his fist intent, so he was oblivious to the
astonishing phenomenon that he was creating. The only thought in his mind was that
now that he had reached the fourth tier, his punches should be even faster.

However, during the past night of fishing, he had spent the entire time adjusting to
the new world that he was witnessing, as well as stabilizing all of his acupoints and
his churning aura, so he never had the opportunity to throw a punch to see just how
fast it was. Now that the perfect opportunity had arisen, he was determined to
capture the moment!

“Get back!” Chen Ping'an roared as he threw a punch at the leading flood dragon in
the sky. His fist intent filled his sleeves, causing them to billow and flap audibly, and a
resounding boom rang out as the water in the river churned violently, while a large
swathe of the rapeseed blossoms in the field on the other side of the river were
blown over.

The ethereal golden flood dragon had no physical body, but it was still struck on the
head by Chen Ping'an's almighty fist intent, and was sent flying back over thirty
meters in a dazed and disoriented state.

Immediately thereafter, a string of resounding booms rang out as all of the golden
flood dragons were forced back up into the sky by Chen Ping'an's Rain Evaporation
Technique. There, they continued to circle around in the air, looking down at Chen
Ping'an with befuddlement and indignation in their eyes.

In the end, they could only turn tail and fly back toward the distant horizon. Chen
Ping'an faltered slightly upon seeing this, and in the blink of an eye, the golden Qi
had faded, restoring the rising sun in the east to its normal state.

Chen Ping'an got out of his fist stance as a pleased smile appeared on his face.

Those punches had been thrown with tremendous power and speed, reflecting a
substantial improvement from the third tier to the fourth. He felt as if he were no
longer restricted by heaven and earth, and there was no sense of sloppiness
anymore.

On the opening of the Sword Nurturing Gourd, First and Fifteenth “exchanged a
glance” with each other, following which the latter quickly flew back into the gourd,
seemingly too embarrassed to show itself any longer.

Meanwhile, the more short-tempered First was rooted to the spot for a moment,
then sprang up into the air before piercing through Chen Ping'an's body over and
over again. It was unable to harm Chen Ping'an, but it still seemed determined to run
through his body repeatedly in order to vent its fury.

While inside a swordsman's acupoints, a bonded flying sword would always be

insubstantial in form, and it would only attain a substantial form upon its
emergence. This was a rule set in stone, so a flying sword nurtured in a swordsman's
acupoint would never be able to harm them.

At the moment, the relationship between Chen Ping'an and his two bonded flying
swords wasn't the customary master and servant relationship commonly seen
between swordsmen and their bonded flying swords. Instead, it was more like the
relationship between tenant and landlord.

Chen Ping'an was rather perplexed by First's furious reaction, and he scratched his
head as he asked, “What's wrong? Are you embarrassed for me because my punches
were too weak?”

Following its departure, the phenomenon of golden flood dragons from earlier
traveled directly to the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, and the four guest elders of
the Sun Clan, consisting of three Golden Core Tier cultivators and one Nascent Tier
cultivator, were forced to dispel it.

After that, they gathered together in a small library in the ancestral residence. This
time, they were no longer arguing about whether Chen Ping'an was a Qi refiner or a
martial artist, but they had found another topic of debate.

There were only two situations in which such a phenomenon would arise, the first of
which was during a Qi refiner's ascension to the Golden Core Tier. From there, they
would no longer be restrained by heaven and earth, and the ensuing heaven and
earth resonance would result in the formation of a Golden Core in their Pill Room,
the caliber of which would be determined by the magnitude of the phenomenon
triggered by the Qi refiner.

The other possible scenario in which such a phenomenon would arise would be
during a martial artist's ascension to the fourth tier or the seventh tier. The
probability of the former arising was next to zero, while it was almost to be expected
for martial artists who had reached the seventh tier.

Such a phenomenon was even rarer than that of the Clay Bodhisattva Crossing the
River, and one could use it to refine their body and soul. Hence, it was an extremely
rare and significant opportunity that had to be cherished.

It was clear from Chen Ping'an's formidable sword intent that he was not a Qi refiner,
so he could only be a pure martial artist. However, there was still much debate over
whether he was a fourth tier or seventh tier martial artist. This time, three of the
guest elders were convinced that he was a seventh tier martial artist.

Only then would it make sense for Sun Jiashu to invite him to the Sun Clan's ancestral
residence as an esteemed guest. Furthermore, there was no way that a fourth tier
martial artist would be able to trigger such a spectacular phenomenon. Despite this,
there was still one person who firmly believed that Chen Ping'an had only just
reached the fourth tier.

All of a sudden, a wry smile appeared on the logger's face as he said, “Let's set aside
this argument for now. Should we not be lamenting over the fact that he just
inexplicably passed up a brilliant opportunity?”

The other three guest elders immediately fell silent upon hearing this.

Indeed, the young boy had just triggered an extremely profound bout of heaven and
earth resonance.

This was something that the average pure martial artist could only dream of, yet he
had chased it like a fool with his fists.

In the wake of this incident, all four guest elders were left feeling utterly perplexed.
It was clear that this young boy was an exceptionally prodigious martial artist, so
why hadn't his master told him about such a phenomenon? It was common
knowledge among martial artists that a breakthrough to the fourth tier or the
seventh tier could trigger such a phenomenon, yet it appeared that the boy was
completely oblivious to this.

Of course, none of them would've been able to imagine in a million years that the old
man in the bamboo building who had taught Chen Ping'an his fist techniques had
once reached the pinnacle of the 10th tier, so he didn't consider something like this
to be important at all. Instead, he regarded it completely insignificant, just as all
things were outside of one's fundamental fist techniques.

In his eyes, such a phenomenon was something to be avoided at all costs as it was no
different from a shortcut. Hence, if he had seen what Chen Ping'an had done, he
would've surely chortled with glee and praised Chen Ping'an for his “idiocy.”

At noon, Sun Jiashu returned to the ancestral residence, and prior to seeing Chen
Ping'an, he was approached by one of the Sun Clan's guest elders, who had jokingly
remarked to him, “That guest of yours is truly a remarkable boy.”

Sun Jiashu curiously asked why that remark had been made, and the guest elder
explained the situation to him, upon which he slapped a hand to his own forehead in
exasperation. “How 'remarkable,' indeed!”

While they were having lunch together, Chen Ping'an noticed that Sun Jiashu was
looking at him with a rather strange look in his eyes, much like how he had looked at
Liu Baqiao back when they first met.

Chen Ping'an thought that this was because the phenomenon in the morning had
caused trouble for the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, and a concerned look
appeared on his face as he asked, “What's wrong? Did my punches from this morning
alert the Fu Clan to my presence here?”

Sun Jiashu shook his head with a smile as he replied, “There are countless Qi refiners
and martial artists in Old Dragon City, and strange occurrences take place here every
day. On top of that, very few people dare to spy on our Sun Clan's ancestral
residence, so you can rest assured that you won't be discovered here.”

A hesitant look then appeared on Sun Jiashu's face, and he was internally debating
whether he should reveal what had happened to Chen Ping'an. He wanted to tell him
the truth, but he was also concerned that the truth would be too painful for him to
bear.

After much internal conflict, Sun Jiashu ultimately decided on a policy of honesty,
revealing to Chen Ping'an the exceptional opportunity that he had inadvertently
passed up.

After hearing what Sun Jiashu had to say, Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine, then asked,
“Will those golden flood dragons appear again if I go to look at the rising sun
tomorrow?”

“What do you think?!” Sun Jiashu snapped in exasperation.

Chen Ping'an heaved a faint sigh, then gulped down a large mouthful of wine as he
mused, “Being uneducated is truly a terrible curse.”

Sun Jiashu sat back in his chair as he jibed, “Are you planning to go night fishing
again, then wait for the sunrise?”
“Can you read minds, Sun Jiashu?” Chen Ping'an exclaimed with a surprised
expression.

Sun Jiashu hurriedly waved his hands in response. “I have no such ability, but I've
heard that the founder of Commercialism really was able to read minds.”

After that, Chen Ping'an went to the river to fish once again, while Sun Jiashu walked
along beside him, carrying a fish basket. On the way there, Chen Ping'an told him
about why he had previously been searching for the Dust Medicinal Shop, and that
he no longer needed to go there, now that he had made a breakthrough to the fourth
tier, but he still wanted to visit the shop to meet an acquaintance.

Sun Jiashu naturally agreed to this request, telling him that he could go the next day,
but some preparations had to be made prior to that. If he were to personally
accompany Chen Ping'an, that would only attract attention and place him in even
more danger, so he was going to assign a Golden Core Tier guest elder of the Sun
Clan to accompany Chen Ping'an instead.

As the head of the Sun Clan, there was no end to the matters that Sun Jiashu had to
attend to, so he naturally couldn't just spend the day fishing with Chen Ping'an. The
fish that the Sun Clan were catching were far bigger than the ones in this river.
Hence, Sun Jiashu quickly returned to the ancestral residence to take care of some
daily duties. After sitting down at the table, he laid out some stacks of account books,
and an antiquated abacus was placed in front of him. The abacus didn't appear
remarkable in any way, but what set it apart from the average abacus was the group
of tiny golden people seated around it.

Just like bug silver, they were born from treasure vaults, and their bodies had a
shimmering golden hue. Each of them had a pair of wings on their backs, and they
liked to whiz around and play with one another. They were supposed to be
harbingers of fortune.

As Sun Jiashu quickly read out the numbers on the account books in his mind, the
tiny golden figures flew onto the abacus to push its beads and perform calculations.

The abacus had been passed down in the Sun Clan for generations, but aside from
that and the tiny golden children, all of the other items in the study were very
ordinary and mundane, including even the oil lamp sitting on the table, which Sun
Jiashu occasionally had to add oil to.

The ancestral teachings of the Sun Clan mandated that money had to be used as
sparingly as possible, and that even a single copper coin was a valuable piece in
foundation of the clan. On the other hand, when time came to spend, even enormous
investments were to be made without any hesitation.

Whenever he stood up to add oil to the lamp, Sun Jiashu would make his way over to
the window and take a short break as he looked out at the river.

He was a fifth tier Qi refiner, and as he looked out the window once again, he
suddenly began communicating to the guest elders outside the ancestral residence
through mental transmission. “I propose a bet. Does anyone want to take me up on
it?
“If I lose, I'll pay one grain rain coin, but if the three of you lose, then you have to look
after our Sun Clan's ancestral residence for 100 more years. Of course, you'll still be
receiving the same compensation as usual.”

The logger smiled as he scoffed, “Who would take up such a ridiculous bet? It's way
too skewed in your favor!”

Sun Jiashu smiled as he replied, “I'm going to bet that once the sun rises, Chen
Ping'an will be met with the same phenomenon as this morning. How does that
sound?”

“Let's do it!” the three guest elders replied in unison.

If he lost, he would only be losing three grain rain coins, but if he won, then the Sun
Clan would be able to enjoy the services of three Golden Core Tier Qi refiners for
another century. With some luck, at least one of them should be able to reach the
Nascent Tier during that time.

The three guest elders were also aware of this, but they were convinced that Sun
Jiashu wouldn't win the bet. For them, a single grain rain coin was virtually
negligible, but they wanted to secure the bragging rights of winning a bet over Sun
Jiashu.

Sun Jiashu then smiled as he pulled three grain rain coins out of his sleeve before
placing them onto the window sill, then said in a self-deprecating manner, “It seems
like I've already lost the bet.”

The three guest elders didn't hesitate to claim their winnings, and the three grain
rain coins vanished into thin air.

The final one to claim his grain rain coin was actually the one with the most
advanced cultivation base among the three, and he had the highest hopes of reaching
the Nascent Tier.

A smile appeared on Sun Jiashu's face as he continued to stand at the window,

waiting for the moment that Chen Ping'an opened his eyes from his standing
meditation. Meanwhile, the tiny golden children were all looking up at Sun Jiashu
with curious looks on their faces, wondering why their owner suddenly didn't seem
interested in earning money anymore.
The sun slowly began to rise up in the sky, and before long, the entirety of Old
Dragon City had already been basked in a warm red glow.

As the sun continued to rise, the cloud and mist faded, and no remarkable
phenomena emerged.

Even though he had just lost three grain rain coins, Sun Jiashu was completely
unbothered.

The three guest elders were naturally very pleased, and all of them were making fun
of Sun Jiashu.

The patriarch of the Sun Clan arrived in the study, and as a Nascent Tier Qi refiner, he
was able to temporarily cut off the study's connection with the outside world with
just a wave of his hand.

A smile then appeared on his face as he consoled, “Do you see now? Your grandfather
told you long ago that the Sun Clan's unorthodox luck has already been completely
exhausted by that ability of yours, so you should just focus on sticking to the straight
and narrow.”

Sun Jiashu heaved a forlorn sigh, and a thought suddenly occurred to him as he bade
farewell to the Sun Clan patriarch, then made his way toward the door with a smile
as he said, “I'm going to the kitchen to tell Old Man Song to make a more simple
breakfast this morning instead of wasting all those good ingredients.

“It's not like Chen Ping'an can tell what's good or bad anyway, perhaps he prefers a
meal of pickled vegetables and steamed buns. Instead of wasting money on someone
who doesn't appreciate it, I should save some money.”

The Sun Clan patriarch nodded in approval with a smile on his face, then turned to
tiny golden children on the old abacus with a hint of pride on his face. The Fu Clan
was indeed wealthier than the Sun Clan, but when it came to these golden wealth-
bringing children of the highest caliber, the Fu Clan only had a single pair.

To be accurate, they had three, but only two of them were twins. In contrast, the Sun
Clan had as many as four. As for the other four major clans of Old Dragon City, only
the Fan Clan had managed to buy a single one from the emperor of a major empire
right before it fell to its demise.
Sure enough, Chen Ping'an's appetite was significantly improved by the familiar meal
of rice congee, steamed buns, and pickled vegetables served up to him, and he was
munching down food like a starving whirlwind.

Sun Jiashu was seated across from Chen Ping'an, eating more slowly while also
displaying far better table manners, but his appetite was also better than it normally
was. It seemed that one's appetite inevitably improved in the presence of someone
else displaying an exceptional appetite.

After that, Chen Ping'an returned to the river and began fishing in earnest, and he
was quickly reeling in fish left, right, and center. Half of the fish basket was filled
with a type of fish colloquially known as white strips in Old Dragon City, while the
rest of the basket was filled with miscellaneous fish such as yellowhead catfish and
dark sleepers.

After a lunch feast of fish, Sun Jiashu made Chen Ping'an put on a disguise to alter his
appearance, following which the Nascent Tier Sun Clan patriarch led him to a pond
outside the ancestral residence. As the Sun Clan patriarch swept a sleeve over the
mirror-like surface of the pond, an image of a building appeared, and the old man
assured Chen Ping'an that he could step into the pond to reach his destination right
away.

Chen Ping'an had packed away his Sword Nurturing Gourd, so the only thing that he
was carrying was the sword case on his back, and he did as he was told, stepping into
the pond without any hesitation. Instead of plunging into the water, he set foot onto
the surface of the pond, and a series of ripples spread over the water beneath his
feet.

After he had taken a few more steps forward, he abruptly vanished from the spot, as
if he had walked into the mirror surface.

In the next instant, Chen Ping'an emerged in front of a building, and he looked
around to find that this was the exact same scene that had been depicted on the
surface of the pond.

Over at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, the old man was watching the rippling
surface of the pond as he turned to Sun Jiashu and remarked, “That boy has an
incredibly stable soul and a remarkable backbone. No wonder Liu Baqiao sees him as
a friend.”
“That's not the reason why he sees Chen Ping'an as a friend,” Sun Jiashu replied with
a smile and a shake of his head.

“What about you? Do you see him as a friend?” the old man asked.

Sun Jiashu thought about the question for a moment, then replied, “We didn't meet
during times of crisis, so my bond with him cannot compare with that between him
and Liu Baqiao.”

Meanwhile, there was already someone waiting for Chen Ping'an in the inner city of
Old Dragon City. It was none other than the Golden Core Tier immortal of the Sun
Clan, and he led Chen Ping'an into a spacious courtyard, where they emerged from a
secretive side exit before getting onto a horse-drawn carriage already waiting for
them.

The Golden Core Tier immortal's aura was restrained, and he served as Chen
Ping'an's coach driver. In the end, the carriage stopped at the entrance of an alley,
where there was a young locust tree nearby, beneath the shade of which was a man
eating sunflower seeds while reading a book.

Chen Ping'an got out of the carriage, and the two of them looked at each other.

The man picked up his stool in silence, then made his way into the alley, while the
old man from the Sun Clan stopped the carriage by the side of the street, then closed
his eyes to rest instead of accompanying Chen Ping'an any further.

Upon reaching the medicinal shop, Zheng Dafeng set the stool down at the entrance,
then asked Chen Ping'an to take a seat before grabbing another stool for himself. All
of the female employees in the shop immediately gathered around to see who this
new visitor was, but the disguise that Chen Ping'an had adopted was very
unremarkable in appearance, so they quickly lost interest and dispersed again.

Zheng Dafeng smiled as he asked, “Why have you taken the risk to come here when
you've already undone the True Qi Eight Tael Talismans on your own? I I recall
correctly, you have a vendetta against Young City Lord Fu Nanhua, don't you? Aren't
you afraid of being discovered and captured? If you're thinking that the Sun Clan
would step in to save you, then I must tell you that you're being far too naive.”

Chen Ping'an paid no heed to Zheng Dafeng's questions as he posed a string of

questions of his own. “Who told you about my father and my bonded porcelain? Who
killed my father? And does Old Man Yang have anything to do with this?”

Zheng Dafeng wore a calm smile as he chuckled, “Do you think I would tell you even
if that old geezer had something to do with this?”

Chen Ping'an offered no response.

Zheng Dafeng used the book in his hand to fan himself as he said, “I don't care if you
believe me or not, I can assure you that he played no part in all of this. However,
what I can also tell you is that he definitely saw what was happening at a very early
stage, but he most likely didn't think there was any point in stepping in, so he didn't
intervene. If you resent him for his inaction, then that's up to you, and I won't try to
stop you.”

Chen Ping'an shook his head with a wry smile as he said, “Why would I resent him
for that? I know Old Man Yang's personality very well. He never owes anyone
anything, nor does he allow others to owe him anything. Everything that he does is
an even and balanced transaction.”

Zheng Dafeng nodded in response. “That's the correct mindset to have. Looks like I
won't have to bash your head in, after all. I was dreading having to do so as the old
geezer would definitely not have been happy with me.”

Chen Ping'an's expression remained unchanged, and it seemed that he had already
anticipated that Zheng Dafeng would have such a fiery personality.

Zheng Dafeng continued to fan himself as he said, “Among all of the children from
back then, if we set aside their respective heritages and backers, the ones that I
thought had the most potential were Ma Kuxuan of Apricot Blossom Alley, Zhao Yao
of Fortune Street, and Song Jixin of Clay Vase Alley.

“In contrast, my senior brother, Li Er, who you know as the father of Li Liu and Li
Huai, held you in the highest regard, and I thought he was an idiot for that. After that,
you encountered all types of phenomenal opportunities after leaving Jewel Small
World, and only then did I come to realize that I had misjudged your potential, and
that I was also wrong about my senior brother. In the past, I thought both of you
were idiots, but the joke is on me now.”

What Zheng Dafeng actually wanted to say was that both Li Er and Chen Ping'an
were incredibly intelligent people.
“I didn't dare to raise those questions to Old Man Yang, and I knew that I wouldn't be
receiving any answers, anyway, but I felt like I could raise those questions to you,”
Chen Ping'an said.

Zheng Dafeng smiled as he asked, “Do you think you're safe just because you have a
Golden Core Tier Qi refiner protecting you?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head as he replied, “If I raise any questions that concern
sensitive information to Old Man Yang, he'd kill me without any hesitation. However,
I didn't think you would dare to do that. Even if my guess proved to be incorrect, I
may still be able to survive, and you'll have to pay a heavy price for killing me.”

What Chen Ping'an actually wanted to say was that even though Zheng Dafeng was
also a businessman, he could tell that Zheng Dafeng's status and cultivation base
were far inferior to Old Man Yang's.

However, as Chen Ping'an articulated those questions, which had been weighing on
him for an entire decade, he still felt a strong sense of unease. Thankfully, after
reaching the fourth tier, he was able to control his own mental state and put on a
calm and relaxed facade. Furthermore, as soon as he entered the alley with Zheng
Dafeng, he had already pulled out his Sword Nurturing Gourd to begin drinking.

With First, Fifteenth, and that Golden Core Tier Qi refiner from the Sun Clan on his
side, he was confident in his chances of survival, even if things were to go awry.

It was time for some old wounds to be split open and examined for what they were.

Looking at the serious expression on Chen Ping'an's face, Zheng Dafeng heaved a
faint sigh, then rolled up the book in his hand before using it to gently drum on his
own knee as he said in a lazy voice, “You've become even more annoying than before.
You can pretend to be calm and relaxed all you want, but I can tell that you're tense
as a bowstring on the inside.

“There's no need to be so tense, I'm getting tired just from looking at you! Rest
assured, I won't kill you. Old Man Yang holds you in very high regard at the moment,
and even if that weren't the case, I wouldn't kill you just because you asked me a few
questions. No matter how petty I am, I wouldn't resort to such extreme measures
over something so trivial. However, I'm not going to answer your first two questions.
You'll just have to find out those answers on your own.”
A smile suddenly appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face as he continued, “Why aren't you
directly asking Qi Jingchun?”

Chen Ping'an was significantly more at ease upon hearing this, and gently leaned
back against his sword case, which was resting against the wall. He then took a swig
of wine before giving a perplexing response. “I'm worried that Mr. Qi will be
disappointed in me.”

All of a sudden, Zheng Dafeng turned around and yelled, “Mei'er, bring out some
sunflower seeds for our guest!”

A voluptuous woman soon emerged from the shop, holding two dishes of snacks
with a smile on her face. As she bent down to hand the dishes to Zheng Dafeng, he
feigned a startled expression as he exclaimed, “My goodness! I thought there was a
pair of mountains crashing down upon me!”

The woman thrust the pair of dishes into Zheng Dafeng's hands, then hurriedly stood
up straight again as she stomped on his foot and complained with a seductive smile,
“Stop being so corny!”

Zheng Dafeng handed one of the dishes to Chen Ping'an, then began to eat sunflower
seeds himself.

Chen Ping'an seemed to have already anticipated that he wouldn't be receiving any
answers from Zheng Dafeng, and he wasn't disheartened in the slightest as he asked,
“Do you have any good swordsmanship manuals that you can sell me?”

“Do you want immortal swordsmanship manuals used by Qi refiners, or ones used
by martial artists?” Zheng Dafeng asked.

“I'm sure you can tell that my bridge of immortality has been severed, so if I want to
practice swordsmanship, then my only option is to do so as a pure martial artist,”
Chen Ping'an replied.

“I can find you even the best swordsmanship manuals under the heavens, then sell
them to you at an astronomical price, but there's no fun in that,” Zheng Dafeng said.
“I advise you not to go around searching for any such scriptures on your own.

“I am a martial artist myself, and I know all of the pitfalls involved in these matters.
Seeing as you've already made some decent progress in your fist techniques, you
should just stick to that instead of wasting your time with other futile pursuits.”

Chen Ping'an chewed on a peanut for a moment with a thoughtful expression, then
said in an earnest manner, “Thank you. For that piece of advice alone, I can waive the
five copper coins that you owe me.”

Zheng Dafeng's eyelids twitched slightly upon hearing this.

All of a sudden, he found Chen Ping'an to be far more likable than just a moment ago!

He stretched lazily as he sat on his stool, then said in an exasperated manner, “Can
you take off that shit on your face? You were never that handsome to begin with, and
you look even more terrible with that disguise on.”

Chen Ping'an shook his head in response. “You already mentioned that I have a
vendetta against Fu Nanhua, so I have to be careful under these circumstances.
Who's to say that the Fu Clan doesn't have any way to observe the entire city?

“If I were to show my true appearance, that would be equivalent to me standing on

their doorstep and yelling for them to come and kill me! As soon as I step out onto
the street, I'm going to be mobbed and beaten to death!”
Zheng Dafeng couldn't help but burst into laughter, and he revealed, “There's no
need for you to be so worried. Old Man Yang told me that if you can remove the True
Qi Eight Tael Talismans on your own, then I have to ensure your safety in this city.

“Even if you had a death wish and swaggered over to the entrance of Fu City, I still
have to make sure that you leave this city alive. You know what? I never realized it
before, but I'm coming to realize now that you have a really good name.”

“You can protect me in Old Dragon City?” Chen Ping'an asked with a skeptical
expression. “Are you a Mountain Summit Tier martial artist or a Qi refiner of the
Upper Five Tiers?”

Zheng Dafeng burst into laughter once again as he snapped, “What do you take ninth
tier martial artists and Unpolished Jade Tier Qi refiners for? Heads of cabbage that
are sold for a copper coin a dozen? No matter how perilous Old Dragon City is, eighth
tier martial artists and tenth tier earth immortals are unmatched here.

“Of course, that's as long as you don't provoke all of the major clans at once. The Fu
Clan may be the most powerful clan in the city, but I can still keep you safe from
them. The Fu Clan's Nascent Tier patriarchs are only ninth tier Qi refiners, yet
they're already considered to be almighty deities here.”

Zheng Dafeng rolled his eyes as he continued, “Were you thinking that this place is
just like our Jewel Small World? A place where a martial artist at the pinnacle of the
eighth tier can only serve as a gatekeeper? Where the 11th tier Ruan Qiong could
only work as a swordsmith prior to taking over as Sage? Where even Imperial
Preceptor Cui Chan of the Great Li Empire only dared to sneak in like a timid little
rat?”

“Are you plotting something by asking me to remove my disguise?” Chen Ping'an

suddenly asked.
“I didn't think you would be able to tell!” Zheng Dafeng exclaimed with a surprised
expression.

All of a sudden, a wisp of smoke emerged from a shadow in a nearby corner, and it
took on the form of a Yin god. It sneered, “Right now, Zheng Dafeng is completely and
utterly perplexed. He doesn't understand what Dao mentors and Dao guardians are
supposed to do, so he asked the Fan Clan to find him a fortune teller at a very steep
price, and he was told that he had to pull out the chestnuts from the fire.

“In other words, he must rescue something or someone from peril. Hence, he wants
to place you in harm's way, then swoop in to save you, after which I would escort you
out of Old Dragon City. During this time, perhaps he would be able to understand
what the roles of Dao mentor and Dao guardian entailed, and if he were to fulfill the
fortune that had been told, perhaps that would serve as a catalyst for him to ascend
to the ninth tier.”

Chen Ping'an turned back to look at Zheng Dafeng, who remained completely
unfazed, even after being exposed, and the former said, “You can owe me the five
copper coins for now. Even if you want to return them to me, I won't accept them.”

Zheng Dafeng gave a casual shrug in response. “It's just five copper coins, it doesn't
really matter to me whether you're going to claim them or not.”

A cold smile appeared on Chen Ping'an's face as he scoffed, “Zheng Dafeng, do you
really think that I don't know Old Man Yang's rules? I intentionally mentioned those
five copper coins before asking you to find a swordsmanship manual for me, and
only after receiving that earnest piece of advice from you did I decide to waive your
debt.

“If I'm not mistaken, Old Man Yang was the one who wanted me to deliver letters
back home, and it was also him who told you to owe me money, right? You must be
kicking yourself right now, aren't you?”

After that, Chen Ping'an stowed his Sword Nurturing Gourd away again, then rose to
his feet before setting the empty dish down onto his stool.

He then cupped his fist in a salute toward the Yin god as he said, “I don't know why
you were willing to reveal the truth to me. Perhaps you were merely acting under
Old Man Yang's instructions, but I still have to thank you.”
The Yin god nodded in response, and Chen Ping'an departed.

Just as Chen Ping'an had said, Zheng Dafeng was indeed kicking himself.

There was a very good chance that the Yin god had just foiled his prophesied fortune,
and he turned to it with a cold expression. “Why did you tell him the truth? Was that
your decision, or was it what the old man wanted?”

“Why don't you take a guess?” the Yin god asked in an indifferent manner.

A carefree smile suddenly appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face as he said, “You would
never do something like this on your own, so it must be what the old man wanted.”

A mocking sneer appeared on the Yin god's face as it scoffed, “You're a pure martial
artist at the pinnacle of the eighth tier and the disciple of a divine lord, yet you're
going around seeking out the services of fortune tellers! Are you not aware that
you're no ordinary person? Even if the Fan Clan hadn't tampered with your fortune
reading, a fortune reading for the average person could mean something the exact
opposite for you!”

A serious look appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face as he nodded in response. “Thank

you for enlightening me.”

The Yin god paid no heed to his words of gratitude. “The divine lord has been kind
enough to assign you to this post, so you should cherish the opportunity and do what
you've been told, instead of trying to outsmart the divine lord.”

Zheng Dafeng waved a dismissive hand as he grumbled, “First, I get screwed over by
Chen Ping'an, and now, you’re teaching me a lesson! What a terrible day! I need to go
out and get some fresh air.”

The Yin god quickly vanished.

“Was the phenomenon at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence triggered by Chen
Ping'an's breakthrough?” Zheng Dafeng suddenly asked.

“I would presume so,” the Yin god replied from the shadow in the corner.

Zheng Dafeng tucked the book in his hand under his armpit, then carried his stool
and his sunflower seeds to the entrance of the alley, where he began spying on the
beautiful women passing by again.

Right at this moment, a tall and authoritative-looking man dressed in very simple
attire began to approach him, and trailing along behind him was a beautiful young
woman.

The man made his way over to Zheng Dafeng's side, while the young woman stopped
behind the man, and she was looking at Zheng Dafeng with an intrigued expression
on her face.

The man smiled as he said, “Looks like you were right, Shopkeeper Zheng. Sun Jiashu
really did only assign him a disguise for his protection.”

Zheng Dafeng turned to take a glance at the man, then remarked, “Well, well, well, if
it isn't Fu Qi. The fact that you're not even wearing your Old Dragon Robe tells me
that you're not here to evict me.”

The man smiled as he pointed at the young woman behind him and replied, “Here in
Old Dragon City, it doesn't matter if I'm wearing the Old Dragon Robe or not. The fact
that I've brought her with me is the real gesture of sincerity.”

This was both a display of weakness and an act of intimidation.

The intimidatory element was the implication that Fu Qi would be able to chase
Zheng Dafeng out of Old Dragon City even without doing so himself, while the
display of weakness was reflected in the fact that Fu Qi was willing to appease Zheng
Dafeng by bringing to him a young woman with long legs.

Zheng Dafeng took a few lustful glances at the young woman's legs, then turned his
gaze back to the pedestrians walking along the street as he scoffed, “You sure have a
big mouth, Fu Qi! Be careful you don't bite off more than you can chew!”

Fu Qi's expression instantly darkened slightly, and only after grabbing onto a jade
pendant hanging from his waist did his expression revert back to normal.

Meanwhile, a fearful look had appeared on the young woman's face. This was the
first time she had ever seen him make such an apparent outward display of anger.

A cold sneer appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face as he scoffed, “We may both be
businessmen, but you can't even begin to compare with me!”
Fu Qi smiled as he said, “I can tell that you're not in a good mood right now, so I'll
come and visit you some other time.”

Indeed, Zheng Dafeng's mood was currently as foul as foul could be.

Five copper coins was a trivial sum of money, even for the average mortal, yet these
five copper coins were weighing down on his heart like five mountains! He had been
extremely careful and meticulous, finally goading Chen Ping'an into waiving the debt.

In reality, from the three questions raised by Chen Ping'an and that seemingly errant
remark of “Old Man Yang never owes anyone anything,” Zheng Dafeng already knew
that there was no chance that Chen Ping'an would ask him to repay those five copper
coins. Despite his young age, the boy was as cunning as a fox!

Zheng Dafeng was absolutely furious, and began fanning himself vigorously with the
book in his hand as he grumbled, “No wonder I disliked him from the very beginning.
He's so shrewd and cunning at such a young age! He's not like an innocent boy at all!”

A deflated look then appeared on his face as he sighed, “Then again, if he were just
an ordinary young boy, then he would've never survived to this day.”

After that, Zheng Dafeng began to flip through the pages of his book with a frustrated
look on his face, and he wasn't able to take in even a single word that he read. As he
did so, he murmured to himself, “Could it be that that thing's right? Have I really
outsmarted myself?”

Right at this moment, Zheng Dafeng landed on a page with a title that read “Chapter
of Sincerity.” The chapter consisted of a bunch of cliched parables thrown together
with a few pieces of pretentious commentary at the end.

The way that everything had been thrown together so haphazardly was almost
blasphemous to the classic parables included in the chapter. In the eyes of someone
as intelligent and highly educated as Zheng Dafeng, it was as if someone had tried to
put together a beautiful woman out of parts and ended up with an abomination.

It had the elegant eyes and brows of one woman, the rosy cheeks of another, the
cherry lips of a third…. All of the individual parts were quite beautiful to behold on
their own, but when thrown together, it was nothing short of a hideous disaster.

Zheng Dafeng flipped over one more page in an absent-minded manner. That page
contained the final section of the Chapter of Sincerity, which consisted of more vague
and vapid principles.

“It's said that those who display the utmost sincerity can touch even the coldest and
most jaded of hearts. Hence, sincerity is an integral trait for followers of
Confucianism.”

“A Daoist sage has also once stated that without sincerity, one cannot truly move
others, and that those who truly know themselves are referred to as 'enlightened'
and can display the utmost sincerity.”

Zheng Dafeng quickly flipped over to the next page, which contained the Chapter of
Filial Piety, and he quickly flipped through that chapter as well. Before long, he had
flipped through the entire book, and he closed it in a frustrated manner before using
it to fan himself again.

It was as if all of the sagely teachings in the book were mere gusts of wind blowing
past his ears.

In the end, a resigned look appeared on his face as he sighed to himself, “The old
man has already told me that I'll never be able to reach the ninth tier, so what's the
point in trying to force the issue? I've already been striving for so many years in
futility. No wonder the old man always says that I'm too smart for my own good.

“How many times have I fought Li Er? Song Changjing was able to make a
breakthrough after fighting Senior Brother Li just once, yet I haven't been able to
make any progress even after countless attempts. I've always known that this is
something that can't be forced, but I've been hoping against hope for a miracle that's
never going to come.

“So be it. I guess I'll just stay in Old Dragon City and stare at women all day long,
stuck at the eighth tier until the day I die….”

A dejected look appeared on his face as he closed his eyes, no longer spying on the
beautiful women passing him by.

Nearby was a young woman with a physique that could only be described as brawny.
She was dressed in extremely vibrant attire, while her face was covered in makeup.
As she stopped in her tracks and witnessed Zheng Dafeng's dejected display, a hint of
sympathy immediately welled up in her heart.
In her eyes, it was clear that Zheng Dafeng wanted to confess his feelings to her, but
was too embarrassed to do so. With that in mind, she decided that she had to make
the first move instead of placing the onus upon him.

Hence, she took a deep breath, yet right before she could speak, Zheng Dafeng's eyes
had abruptly sprung open, and he rushed back into the alley with his stool like the
wind.

She heaved a faint sigh as she stroked her own cheek, lamenting herself for her own
stunning beauty. Perhaps if she weren't so beautiful, then the man of her dreams
wouldn't be too intimidated to confess his feelings to her.

All of a sudden, her expression stiffened slightly as she realized that she was rubbing
off the makeup on her face, and she hurriedly tried to rub the makeup back onto her
face.

————

Instead of returning to Fu city with his daughter using any mystical abilities, the two
of them casually strolled back to Fu city, while a horse-drawn carriage slowly
trundled along behind them.

This young woman was Fu Chunhua. She was Fu Qi's eldest daughter, which meant
that just like Fu Donghai, Fu Qi's eldest son, she was one of the candidates to become
Fu Qi's heir as clan leader.

The heir to the position of clan leader was going to inherit the Old Dragon Robe as
well, and they had to possess exceptional aptitude. On the surface, it appeared that
Fu Qi was a middle-aged man, but in reality, he was already over 400 years old and a
10th tier cultivator.

Of course, he didn't have as resounding a reputation as Li Tuanjing of Wind

Lightning Field, who was known as the most powerful 10th tier cultivator on Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent and the most formidable cultivator under the Upper Five
Tiers, but with his Old Dragon Robe and the Fu Clan's four pseudo-celestial tools at
his disposal, his powers weren't inferior to those of an Unpolished Jade Tier
immortal.

Fu Chunhua was also already close to 300 years of age, and both she and Fu Donghai
were established Golden Core Tier cultivators. Furthermore, both of them were very
adept in battle, with each of them having escorted one of the Fu Clan's ships during
its journeys to Stalactite Mountain and back for over a century.

Both of them were seasoned combatants who had engaged in battles of life and
death against deepsea great demons on more than just a few occasions. Most
importantly, all members of the Fu Clan who reached the Golden Core Tier were
granted a pseudo-celestial tool, so it had always been said that the cultivation bases
of the Fu Clan's top Qi refiners had to be regarded as half a tier above their actual
cultivation bases.

After much hesitation, Fu Chunhua finally mustered up some courage before asking,
“Father, why did you take me to see that man instead of Nanhua?”

“Didn't I already tell you that I brought you with me as a show of our Fu Clan's
sincerity? The intelligence that we gathered on Shopkeeper Zheng clearly stated that
he likes beautiful women with long legs,” Fu Qi replied with a smile

Fu Chunhua was completely unconvinced.

Even though she was the one of the candidates to become Fu Qi's heir, she knew full
well, just as Fu Donghai and Fu Nanhua did, that the connections that they had
painstakingly established were nowhere near enough for them to get a peek into
what things were truly like at the very pinnacle of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

Furthermore, while there were certainly many benefits to having Fu Qi for a father,
there were also plenty of restrictions, and they were often very fearful of crossing
certain lines in case doing so earned their father's disapproval.

In the Fu Clan, it seemed like everyone had a high degree of freedom, but those who
had no hopes of ever taking over as clan leader had already been banished out of the
core circle of decision-makers. In contrast, for those who were in this core circle, the
rules that they had to abide by were no less stringent than those in major empires.

Over the past century, Fu Donghai had been responsible for managing relations with
Complete Reed Continent to the north, while Fu Chunhua had been tasked with
managing relations with the continent to the southeast. Previously, Fu Nanhua had
just been an unremarkable sibling of theirs, but in a surprise twist, he had been
selected to travel to Jewel Small World.

Only after that did he embark on his meteoric rise, with much of the clan's resources
being allocated to him. From this, it was clear that Fu Qi hadn't been very happy with
how Fu Donghai and Fu Chunhua had performed over the past century.

Fu Chunhua knew that she wasn't going to get a truthful answer to her question, so
she changed the subject as she asked, “Should I go and issue a warning to Sun
Jiashu?”

“Sun Jiashu?” Fu Qi scoffed. “His cultivation base may be inferior to yours, but he's
still the leader of the Sun Clan. What right does a Golden Core Tier Qi refiner like you
have to issue a warning to him?

“A Nascent Tier patriarch is currently staying in the Sun Clan's ancestral residence,
and as for the other Golden Core Tier Qi refiner, he's only just beginning to display
signs of turning to our side after several decades of meticulous efforts from your
brother.

“If our Fu Clan were to try and intimidate Sun Jiashu now, do you think that Golden
Core Tier Qi refiner would be able to lay down his pride to defect to our Fu Clan?”
Fu Chunhua's face instantly turned deathly pale. She was horrified that her father
would misconstrue her intentions and think that she was trying to foil her brother's
plans.

Fu Qi smiled as he reassured, “There's no need to be nervous, I'm well aware of your

personality. Sun Jiashu has chosen to place his bets on Chen Ping'an on this occasion
in order to test our Fu Clan, and I'm guessing that he's eagerly looking forward to
seeing us take action against him.

“If we do try to intimidate him, he'll immediately return to the Sun Clan's ancestral
manor, putting on a pitiable display as if he were being oppressed by our Fu Clan.
That Golden Core Tier Qi refiner only decided to offer his services to the Sun Clan as
he was indebted to them, so if we were to exert any pressure on Sun Jiashu now, he
would never make the decision to defect to our Fu Clan.”

“Is Sun Jiashu not worried that we'll kill that boy?” Fu Chunhua asked.

Fu Qi looked up at the sky as he replied, “It's understandable that you would think
this way. Only if you manage to inherit the Old Dragon Robe someday will you have
the opportunity to know some of the things that are truly going on up there.”

Fu Chunhua looked up at the sea of clouds overhead upon hearing this.

“Even higher than that,” Fu Qi said with a smile.

A hint of longing appeared in Fu Chunhua's eyes as she attempted to peer through

the sea of clouds.

Prior to reaching the Golden Core Tier, everyone was under the impression that the
Golden Core Tier was the pinnacle of cultivation, but only after reaching that tier
would one realize that it was actually only halfway up the mountain of cultivation.
“Compared with the Sun Clan and Sun Jiashu, our Fu Clan and I are more decisive,”
Fu Qi suddenly said. “Right now, I need to leave Old Dragon City to meet with a few
esteemed guests that have come from the north. Go to Nanhua and tell him that Chen
Ping'an is currently staying in the Sun Clan's ancestral residence.

“I want to see what choice he makes in response to this information, and that will
decide whether he'll become the city lord of Old Dragon City. Of course, it'll also
determine whether you still have any chance of inheriting the Old Dragon Robe. I
hope that by the time I return to Old Dragon City, the correct decision will have
already been made. You can take the carriage back to the city.”

Fu Chunhua did as she was told, while Fu Qi sprang up into the sky, rising gracefully
up into the sea of clouds overhead before setting off toward the north.

Fu Chunhua didn't have the time to ponder who those esteemed guests could be to
warrant a personal reception from the city lord of Old Dragon City. Instead, as she
entered the carriage, she began to consider how she should proceed to maximize her
own interests, as well as to ponder what decision Fu Nanhua was going to make.

The more she pondered this conundrum, the more muddled her thoughts became.
No matter what she did, she felt like she could reap some benefits, but ultimately, she
would still end up very far from the best-case scenario that she had envisioned.

Even as she arrived at Fu Nanhua's private residence, she still hadn't come to any
conclusive decision, so she could only carefully relay Fu Qi's message to Fu Nanhua,
while removing some parts and adding others.

Fu Nanhua naturally wasn't going to fully believe her, but he knew that there was
also no way that Fu Chunhua would dare to completely fabricate a message from Fu
Qi. After listening to what Fu Chunhua had to say, Fu Nanhua stood up from his chair,
and he was just about to begin pacing, a habit that he had developed whenever he
had to think about something, when he suddenly sat back down as he declared, “I've
made my decision. Chen Ping'an has to die!”

Fu Chunhua smiled as she said, “Shopkeeper Zheng of the Dust Medicinal Shop is a
martial artist who's at least at the pinnacle of the seventh tier, and he could even be
at the eighth tier. He has very close ties with the Fu Clan, and on top of that, the Sun
Clan also has a Nascent Tier patriarch and three other Golden Core Tier guest elders.
“They don't need to do anything unless the Sun Clan's ancestral residence is under
threat, but if push comes to shove, I think Superior Grandmaster will most likely be
able to convince those three to intervene, and that's still not even taking into account
all of the Sun Clan's other guest elders in the inner city. Are you sure you don't want
to reconsider, Nanhua?”

“The only thing I'm considering right now is how to kill Chen Ping'an at as little a
cost as possible to myself,” Fu Nanhua replied with a cold expression.

“Your wedding is coming up soon, are you not afraid that something will go wrong
right on the cusp of such an important occasion? Additionally, that boy came from
Jewel Small World, so he's technically a citizen of the Great Li Empire. Are you not
worried that killing him will tarnish the image of our Fu Clan in the eyes of the Great
Li Empire's emperor?” Fu Chunhua asked.

Fu Nanhua offered no response to this.

“Have a long, hard think about this, Fu Nanhua,” Fu Chunhua said as her smile
widened. “By telling you all of this, am I hoping that you'll lash out at Chen Ping'an,
or am I hoping that you'll stay your hand?”

Fu Nanhua continued to remain silent.

As the silence continued, the smile on Fu Chunhua's face gradually faded until it
disappeared altogether, and a cold look appeared in her eyes as she scrutinized Fu
Nanhua, the useless piece of trash who had only managed to reach the sixth tier even
after wasting an unfathomable amount of resources from the clan.

How dare he even consider himself a possible heir to their father's position as city
lord? What right did he have to compete against her and Fu Donghai, a pair of Golden
Core Tier Qi refiners, for inheritance of the Old Dragon Robe?

Fu Nanhua slowly rose to his feet in a smooth and graceful fashion, and a faint smile
appeared on his face as he said, “Fu Chunhua, our mother isn't the only one who
knows about all of the putrid things going on between you and Fu Donghai. I'm very
curious, do you know about the filthy dealings between Fu Donghai and your
personal maidservant?”

“My good little brother, you'll surely be well looked after once Fu Donghai or I
become the city lord,” Fu Chunhua said with a smile.
Fu Nanhua seemed to be completely oblivious to Fu Chunhua's thinly veiled threat as
he said, “Before that, we have to work together as siblings to devise a plan to kill
Chen Ping'an, don't we? After all, you have no idea what our father is thinking right
now, and you don't know whether this decision of mine is getting you closer to
inheriting the position of clan leader or pushing you further away.

“Not only is this a test for me, it's just as much as a test for you, so you have to be
careful with how you proceed, my good sister.”

Fu Chunhua's eyes narrowed slightly as a cold look appeared on her face.

Fu Nanhua rose to his feet, then cast his gaze toward the entrance of his private
residence as he mused internally, Sun Jiashu, are you really going to sacrifice Chen
Ping'an just for a Nascent Tier Qi refiner? Is that really a worthy trade? Or could it be….

Fu Nanhua shook his head to rid himself of that train of thought. Sun Jiashu wasn't a
madman, so there was no way that was possible.

…. But what if?

Only in this moment did Fu Nanhua truly begin to hesitate, and a hint of agitation
welled up in his heart.

Fu Chunhua had watched this little brother of hers grow up his entire life, but he
suddenly felt extremely unfamiliar to him, and for the first time, a sense of
foreboding welled up in her heart toward her previously unremarkable and
innocuous little brother.

————

After Fu Qi flew out of the city, he stopped in his tracks high up in the sky, then
descended upon a ship that had come from Parasol Tree Mountain of the Great Li
Empire.

On the ship was a Mohist swordsman by the name of Xu Ruo with a sword slung
across his back, and the old flood dragon who was an assistant mountain master of
Forest Deer Academy.

With these two on the ship, it would definitely be safe even on a trip to Stalactite
Mountain.
The two of them were tasked with protecting a young boy and a young girl. Strictly
speaking, only the former was truly under their protection, and it was none other
than Prince Song Mu of the Great Li Empire.

The young girl's name was Zhi Gui, and she was trailing along behind Song Mu in an
obedient and docile fashion. The entire time, she didn't take even a single glance at
Fu Qi, who wasn't wearing his Old Dragon Robe. On top of that, he hadn't declared
who he was, and he was currently standing on the ship, engaged in some small talk
with Song Jixin Xu Ruo, so perhaps he had failed to recognize him.

The ship passed straight through the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City before
landing in the Fu city.

After arranging places to stay for these esteemed guests from the Great Li Empire, Fu
Qi arrived at Fu Nanhua's private manor to find that he was leaning against a Coiling
Dragon Pillar with a dazed and dispirited look on his face.

“Why do you look so glum?” Fu Qi asked.

Fu Nanhua turned to his father as he replied, “I've been thinking about many things,
but no matter what decision I make, it all seems to be wrong. The Fu Clan, Old
Dragon City, the Great Li Empire, Jewel Small World, Sun Jiashu, Fu Donghai, Fu
Chunhua……”

A smile suddenly appeared on Fu Qi's face as he asked, “Are you aware that no matter
what decision you make, you are guaranteed to become the next city lord of Old
Dragon City?”

Fu Nanhua was completely taken aback to hear this.

All of a sudden, Fu Qi turned to the side before lowering his head, as if he were
welcoming an extremely important guest.

A young girl made her way into the hall while greedily sucking in Dragon Qi without
any reservation. She was looking slightly inebriated as she sat down onto a chair,
then raised her hands and clapped.

A dragon robe emerged behind her alongside a cloud of mist, as if the robe were
being cleansed by a cloud of water vapor.
She rose to her feet, and the dragon robe draped itself over her, while the nine
golden dragons in the sea of clouds embroidered onto the robe began to roam over
its surface in an extremely life-like fashion.

She kicked off her boots before sitting back down onto the chair with her legs
crossed, and the severely oversized dragon robe was looking rather comical on her.
Her face was puckered with indignation as he sighed, “It's been really hard work
pretending that I'm just a powerless little girl even after the restrictions of Jewel
Small World are gone.

“I suppose it can't be helped, there are still some people that I'm no match for at the
moment. That stupid Daoist priest, Ruan Qiong, Song Changjing, the leader of
Mohism, Sword Immortal Xu Ruo…. There are almost too many of them to count.

“Forget it, thinking about them is only making me even more depressed. This is a far
better place than Jewel Small World. As expected of such a great place. Even after so
many years, your Fu Clan has done very well to preserve so much Dragon Qi. You'll
be rewarded handsomely for your efforts!”

Fu Nanhua turned to the familiar young girl, then turned to look at his father, who
was standing off to the side with a calm expression, and finally, his gaze landed on
the Old Dragon Robe draped over the girl's petite body.

He had almost gone insane once before, but this time, he felt as if he were truly going
insane.

Zhi Gui took a glance at her surrounding as she continued, “I had to endure many
indignities to come here, but the biggest of all of these indignities that is that I was
only able to make it here smoothly because that stinky Daoist priest allowed it to be
so….”

All of a sudden, she stabbed a finger in Fu Nanhua's direction as she said in a

scathing voice, “You pathetic little ant! I hear that you don't even dare to kill Chen
Ping'an! You're not even worthy of the…. What's your clan's surname again?”

“We are the Fu Clan, Young Mistress,” Fu Qi replied in a respectful manner.

Zhi Gui suddenly became completely deflated as she laid back against the chair,
snuggled up inside the Old Dragon Robe as if it were an oversized blanket.
Fu Nanhua felt as if he were on the verge of losing his sanity.

Zhi Gui glanced down at the Old Dragon Robe as she remarked, “This robe is quite
nice. As expected of something that's harnessed the Qi and essence of nine past
emperors of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. Having said that, the sea of clouds
embroidered on the robe is a little lackluster.”

As she made this final remark, her golden eyes lit up with a hint of intrigue.

Fu Qi seemed to be able to see what Zhi Gui was thinking, and a wry smile appeared
on his face as he said, “Young Mistress, the sea of clouds above the city can't be
withdrawn into the Old Dragon Robe for now. Otherwise, it'll attract too much
attention, and someone could realize that something's amiss.”

“I know, I know,” Zhi Gui sighed in response, following which she closed her eyes in a
drunken manner. “Now that I'm here, I really don't want to move again.”

All of a sudden, she jumped down from the chair, and the Old Dragon Robe, which
had appeared like an oversized blanket just a moment ago, suddenly fit her perfectly.
She was standing in the hall while looking outside, seemingly rather hesitant about
something.

————

Over at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, a wry smile appeared on the face of the
Nascent Tier patriarch upon hearing Sun Jiashu's plan, and he asked, “Is that really
worth it? Are you not afraid that after this battle, our Sun Clan will fall from its
pedestal and be completely devoured by the Fu Clan and the other four major
plans?”

Sun Jiashu's expression remained unchanged as he replied, “Not at all. The only thing
that I regret is that our Sun Clan doesn't have more for me to gamble with.
Otherwise, I'd raise the stakes even higher.”

The Sun Clan patriarch was silent for a long while before asking, “What if that boy
finds out about our Sun Clan's intentions?”

A determined look appeared in Sun Jiashu's eyes as he replied, “He won't find out,
and even if he does, it still doesn't change the fact that our Sun Clan has made a huge
sacrifice for him, and I'm certain that we'll be repaid for the sacrifices that we've
made.”

“Is it really the right idea to be making such a radical move?” the Sun Clan patriarch
asked. “Can't you emulate what that boy did in his breakthrough to the fourth tier,
waiting for everything to fall into place naturally on their own?”

“If I were representing only myself, of course I could wait, but the state of Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent and the world at large can't!” Sun Jiashu replied with a
shake of his head.

The Sun Clan patriarch could only heave a faint sigh, and he made no further attempt
at persuasion.

After that, Chen Ping'an returned to the Sun Clan's ancestral residence from the
inner city, and a period of peace followed.

As usual, Sun Jiashu continued to pay occasional visits to the ancestral residence, and
each time he did so, he would stay for a night, following which he would propose a
bet to the three Golden Core Tier guest elders.

The first bet was for one grain rain coin, the second was for two, the third was for
four, and the fourth bet was for eight grain rain coins.

In the end, Sun Jiashu lost all four bets, following which he proposed no further bets.

As for Chen Ping'an, he would continue to go night fishing at the river every single
day, waiting for the sun to rise.

On the 20th day that Chen Ping'an was staying at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence,
Sun Jiashu was seated in a deep sleep in accordance with a Daoist meditation
technique when he heard Chen Ping'an yell out from afar, “Sun Jiashu, look!”

Sun Jiashu immediately rose to his feet, and without even putting on his boots, he
rushed over to the window to look up at the sky.

Around a dozen golden flood dragons were descending from the clouds in the east,
and once again, they were beaten by Chen Ping'an without any hesitation, even
though he had already been told that this was an opportunity that was not to be
squandered.
In this instant, Sun Jiashu could only look on in a complete daze, and his Dao Heart
very nearly collapsed.

Fortunately, the Sun Clan patriarch hurriedly arrived by his side, then pressed a hand
firmly down onto his shoulder as he consoled, “There's no need to be so distraught,
Jiashu. The cashew tree is an evergreen tree that thrives in all seasons, but a person
cannot expect to thrive at all times. It's for a day like this that you were given this
name.” [1]

“I was so close,” Sun Jiashu murmured to himself with a deathly pale complexion.

Even though his mental state was returning to stability, he was still feeling
completely distraught, as if he had lost an entire Old Dragon City.

————

In the inner city of Old Dragon City, Zheng Dafeng took a glance at the rising sun in
the east while standing in the alley outside the Dust Medicinal Shop. All of a sudden,
he pulled out his book, then flipped it to a certain page before reading the Chapter of
Sincerity to himself in silence.

After the phenomenon of golden flood dragons faded, Zheng Dafeng destroyed the
book at once, leaving no trace of it behind, then made his way back into the alley
with a sullen look on his face as he mused, “I was wrong all this time…. He's my Dao
mentor….”

1. Jiashu (嘉树) translates to cashew tree. ☜

That night, Sun Jiashu was supposed to be meeting with a certain important figure
from the Great Southeastern Continent, but he made a last-minute decision to cancel
this meeting. This was a very rude and inappropriate thing to do, to the point that
the steward, who barely ever raised any objections to Sun Jiashu's decisions, couldn't
help but ask him to reconsider.

However, Sun Jiashu didn't reconsider, nor did he offer any explanation. Instead, he
severed the communication between the Sun Clan's ancestral residence and the Sun
Manor before making his way to the small ancestral hall in the back.

The steward was left at a complete loss for what to do, and the Sun Clan's Nascent
Tier patriarch knew that he had to step in.

Hence, he appeared in the Sun Manor for the first time in over a century, then
personally instructed the steward on how to handle this matter, instilling within him
a great deal of calmness and reassurance.

After taking a bath and changing into some new clothes, Sun Jiashu stood alone in
the ancestral hall, offering up some incense before standing in silence, as if he were
pondering his mistakes.

Aside from spirit tablets, there were also portraits of the Sun Clan's past clan leaders
hanging on the walls of the ancestral hall, most of whom were depicted wearing
simple and unadorned attire like Sun Jiashu. Sun Jiashu had inherited the position of
clan leader directly from his grandfather, while his father's generation had been
skipped.

After relieving himself of the position, Sun Jiashu's grandfather had left to travel the
Middle Earth Divine Continent. At the time, Sun Jiashu had only been in his early
twenties, and with such a massive responsibility dumped onto his shoulders, he had
suffered through a great deal of hardships over the years.

Sun Jiashu looked up at the portraits on the walls. Some of them had saved the clan
during time of great peril, some had established new trade routes, some had
befriended cultivators of the Upper Five Tiers for the sake of the clan's prosperity,
some had done nothing with their lives and had only negative impacts on the clan's
development, some had made terrible decisions, forcing the Sun Clan to part with
much of its territory in the outer city, some had strayed down the wrong path,
becoming obsessed with cultivation and leaving the duty of overseeing the clan to
others….

Sun Jiashu really wanted to know how he was going to be seen by his descendants
once he became one of the portraits on the walls. Was he going to be regarded as a
shrewd and conscientious clan leader who had led the clan to new heights, an
incompetent clan leader who had planted the seed for the clan's descent into
ignominy, or a fool who had passed up an exceptionally rare opportunity?

The Nascent Tier patriarch slowly made his way into the ancestral hall late at night,
and after a long silence, he finally consoled, “Given the law of three strikes, it's
already quite remarkable that you had chosen to believe in that boy and bet on him
four times, and there's certainly no shame in losing on the fifth time.

“The fact that the guest elder with hopes of reaching the Nascent Tier was willing to
entertain your bets four times indicates that he's leaning more toward staying in the
Sun Clan's ancestral residence over defecting to Fu Donghai's side.”

Sun Jiashu didn't turn around as he continued to stare at one of the portraits on the
walls as he nodded and replied, “I've already arrived at these conclusions myself, so
I'm not overly bothered by these things.

“When it comes to those bets, they haven't improved the situation, nor have they
made things any worse, so I can accept that outcome. Even if we do miss out on a
future Nascent Tier guest elder, that's not something that will have a decisive impact
on the fate of our Sun Clan.”

The Sun Clan patriarch wanted to say something, but ultimately refrained from doing
so. What he wanted to ask concerned the foundation of Sun Jiashu's Great Dao, and it
would be inappropriate to pry into such matters, even for him.

Similarly, even though the three guest elders in the Sun Clan's ancestral residence
were on very good terms with Sun Jiashu and were very curious about Chen
Ping'an's cultivation base, they still chose not to directly ask Sun Jiashu, merely
speculating about and betting on the subject instead.

Sun Jiashu spread open one of his hands as he said, “This entire time that I've been
with Chen Ping'an, I've been treating our relationship as a business opportunity. It's
not that I don't see Liu Baqiao as a friend, it's just that Chen Ping'an is so strange and
difficult to understand that I can't help but want to make a big gamble on him. I can't
help it.

“At my core, I'm a businessman and the Sun Clan's leader. I've only come to realize
now that knowing too much can also have its drawbacks.”

Sun Jiashu turned around and raised his splayed-out hand as he continued, “Up to
this point, the Fu Clan has taken no action against Chen Ping'an, and after he forced
back those golden dragons a second time, my plan had entirely fallen through,
leaving me to suffer the consequences.

“Only then did I realize just how terrible my decision had been, to the point that it
had lost me an entire Old Dragon City.”

Even as a revered earth immortal, the Sun Clan patriarch wasn't able to see anything
special about Sun Jiashu's hand, but he was certain that through it, Sun Jiashu had
already glimpsed the final truth.

A grief-stricken look appeared on Sun Jiashu's face as he continued, “If my decision

had only cost me a friendship with Chen Ping'an, who was never my friend to begin
with, and an Old Dragon City, then I would've been able to bear the consequences, no
matter how bitter a fruit it is to swallow.

“So what if I missed out? I can just earn more money in the future to make up for it!
When it comes to the ability to make money, I don't lose to anyone!”

The Sun Clan patriarch remained silent, waiting for Sun Jiashu to continue.

Sun Jiashu slowly clenched his splayed hand into a tight fist, then continued in a
trembling voice, “Before this, my way of making money was one that I had always
firmly believed was the correct path, one that follows the Great Dao of
Commercialism and fits perfectly with the ancestral teachings of our clan.

“However, in the wake of this ordeal, after knowing Chen Ping'an for only less than a
month, it's been exposed to be nothing more than an incorrect and terribly
misguided path. The founder of Commercialism had long warned the followers of his
teachings that money earned through unjust means was like flowing water, going
just as quickly as it came, so it was definitely not to be pursued.”

Sun Jiashu turned to the side so that the Sun Clan patriarch wouldn't be able to see
his expression, and he also lowered his head slightly, seemingly not wanting to see
the patriarch's expression, either.

The Sun Clan patriarch slowly made his way over to Sun Jiashu's side as he said, “The
mistakes have already been made. Are you just going to allow yourself to be defeated
and do nothing to make amends?”

Sun Jiashu raised his hands in front of himself before gently blowing onto them as he
replied, “For some reason, the Fu Clan decided not to make a move, and that's left me
in a very difficult position. Most importantly, even now, I still don't know what Chen
Ping'an thinks of me and what kind of person he is. That is the main predicament
that I'm facing.”

The Sun Clan patriarch's brows furrowed slightly as he said, “It's difficult to say what
Chen Ping'an thinks of you, but have you still not come to understand what kind of
person he is?”

A resigned look appeared on Sun Jiashu's face as he sighed, “Before this, I thought I
already had a good grasp on his character, so I was prepared to face the
consequences. Even if he comes to realize the truth, I was prepared to compensate
him, and the worst-case scenario would be a clean break, where our Sun Clan never
crosses paths with Chen Ping'an again.

“However, I don't know if I'm prepared to face the consequences now because I don't
know if Chen Ping'an is consistent in the way that he treats himself and the way that
he treats others.”

The Sun Clan patriarch patted Sun Jiashu on the shoulder as he said, “Jiashu, you're
very intelligent, and you also possess immense talent, so your status as clan leader
has never been questioned. Even now that you've made such a grave mistake, I still
think you're the best candidate for the job.

“Right now, I'm not a patriarch offering counsel and instruction to a clan leader.
Instead, I'm going to give you a piece of advice purely as a senior to a junior. I think
you should cast aside all of your schemes and disregard the fate of the clan and the
state of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

“You are Sun Jiashu, Liu Baqiao's best friend, and Chen Ping'an is a friend introduced
to you by Liu Baqiao, so why don't you just try to befriend him on a personal level
and think about nothing else?”

“Will that work?” Sun Jiashu asked with a skeptical expression.

The Sun Clan patriarch smiled as he replied, “You may as well give it a try. It's not like
things can get any worse. On top of that, some things cannot just be avoided. When
you encounter a hurdle, there's nothing to fear because all you have to do is try your
best to get over it.

“As for whether you'll be successful, that's another matter entirely. At the very least,
you tried, and just as you said, it's not going to have a decisive impact on our Sun
Clan anyway.”

“Alright, I suppose I can give it a try,” Sun Jiashu said, but he was still looking a little
hesitant.

The Sun Clan patriarch turned to look at the sky outside the ancestral hall as he said,
“Go. Don't forget that today is the day that the Mountain and Sea Turtle sets sail.”

Sun Jiashu took a deep breath, then departed from the ancestral hall. Even though he
had already made a decision, his footsteps were still quite heavy.

“Jiashu really has suffered a terrible loss this time,” The Sun Clan patriarch sighed to
himself. “He lost three times in a row, losing grain rain coins, losing a century of
service from a guest elder with hopes of reaching the Nascent Tier, losing to the Fu
Clan, and finally, losing his Dao Heart.

“The wavering of his Dao Heart is the most damning of those consequences, and if I
were in his place, I would most likely only be faring even worse than him. In fact, my
Dao Heart would've most likely already collapsed, leaving no chance for amends to
be made. “

The Sun Clan patriarch then turned his gaze back to the portraits hanging on the
walls as he smiled and continued, “Having said that, I think this is a good thing. At
the very least, the consequences are not too severe to bear, and they've taught him
some valuable lessons.

“It's never a good thing to have too smooth a journey and rely excessively on one's
own talents and intelligence, wouldn't you all agree?”

All of the portraits on the walls fluttered audibly, as if they were expressing their
agreement.

————

Inside the Fu city, Song Jixin was constantly accompanied by the assistant mountain
master of Forest Deer Academy wherever he went.

The deal between Old Dragon City and the Great Li Empire had been decided long
before Fu Nanhua entered Jewel Small World, and Song Jixin had only come to Old
Dragon City as an obligatory visit to display himself to the outside world as a new
prince of the Great Li Empire. He was doing this both as a part of Cui Chan's plan and
under the orders of the emperor.

Song Jixin had traveled southward to Old Dragon City from the ferry station in the
Dragon Spring Prefecture. The emperor was still resting and recuperating in the
capital city of the Great Li Empire, and he hadn't made any demands of Song Jixin for
this trip.

Hence, as Song Jixin stepped onto the ship, he couldn't help but feel as if his
maidservant, Zhi Gui, was the true focus for this trip.

Song Jixin was aware of some of the inner workings behind certain things that were
still largely unfathomable to him, and he knew that there were many long-running
plots that were unfolding in the shadows.

Ultimately, one side would descend southward, while the other would travel
northward, and additionally, the Gao Clan of Great Sui Nation had expressed their
willingness to compromise and forge an alliance with the Great Li Empire's Song
Clan.

In the central region of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent was Heavenly Lord Xie Shi
of Complete Reed Continent, and he had severed the control that Lake View
Academy had over the north.
Even though the academy had lashed out with a high degree of force and
decisiveness, stamping out the stirrings of war that were beginning to arise within
the dozen or so nations that included Colorful Garment Nation and Water Combing
Nation, Song Jixin could still see a path along which the cavalry of the Great Li
Empire could make its southbound march, encountering no meaningful resistance as
it conquered everything en route to the south coast….

Song Jixin could see all of this, but he refrained from speaking about such matters.

Just because the state of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent was beneficial to the Song
Clan didn't necessarily mean that it was beneficial to him. Not only did he not have
interactions with the most important officials of the Great Li Empire, he also had a
twin brother in the Palace of Eternal Spring, as well as a mother who displayed a
high degree of favoritism for her younger son.

Upon returning to the capital city of the Great Li Empire, he had paid a visit to the
Palace of Eternal Spring. It was customarily mandated that after a long separation
between parent and child, the latter had to visit the former following their return.

However, no matter how much sorrow his mother displayed, Song Jixin discovered
that he struggled to reciprocate those feelings. He felt as if he had been watching a
complete stranger weeping before him, but while he remained as unmoved as a
block of wood. In fact, that was an apt analogy as he had felt like a wooden puppet
completely devoid of emotion at the time.

All he was able to do was squeeze out some tears, and he had nothing to say to his
mother. Their conversation consisted solely of her asking him questions, to which he
would respond, and it was more like a stiff and awkward briefing between superior
and subordinate rather than a heartwarming reunion between mother and son.

On top of that, Song He had also been bawling his eyes out on the side, and Song Jixin
felt like that reunion had been a very awkward one for all three of them.

Song Jixin was walking alone down a corridor in the Fu Clan's courtyard. He had
expressed a desire to take a stroll on his own, so the assistant mountain master of
Forest Deer Academy wasn't accompanying him.

On his stroll, Song Jixin encountered many handsome male servants and beautiful
maidservants, none of whom were aware of his identity, but the Old Dragon Cloud-
Flipping Pendant and the Old Dragon Rainbringer hanging from his waist granted
him free passage anywhere in the Fu Clan.

On this day, Zhi Gui had gone off on her own again, and Sword Immortal Xu Ruo was
also nowhere to be seen.

It was said that Xu Ruo was an extremely renowned Mohist figurehead of Middle
Earth Divine Continent, and Song Jixin had always been trying to befriend him, but
despite how perpetually pleasant and easygoing Xu Ruo seemed, Song Jixin felt like
he was very difficult to form a true bond with, and their relationship remained one
that was pleasant, yet distant.

In his mind, perhaps the situation would improve if he were to inherit the throne
someday, so for now, he would just have to bide his time.

While on his stroll, Song Jixin was inspecting the surrounding scenery, which
consisted of the immaculate maintained gardens and pavilions of the Fu Clan, but it
didn't take long before he grew bored of what he was seeing.

Back when he was strolling through the streets and alleys of the small town, the
scenery had never been so unappealing to him, regardless of whether he was
accompanied by Zhi Gui. As the thought of Zhi Gui entered his mind, his mood
worsened even further.

He was terrified that one day, she would no longer be his maidservant, and that he
would suddenly turn around to find that she was gone.

Just like now, as he turned around to face the empty corridor behind him. The only
thing there was a parrot in the cage speaking in the dialect of Old Dragon City. Song
Jixin made his way over to the cage, then tapped it heavily with his finger as he said,
“Shut up!”

The parrot was an extremely fast learner, and it immediately copied Song Jixin as it
replied, “Shut up!”

Song Jixin raised an eyebrow as he said, “I want to kiss Song Mu's arse!”

The parrot turned around so that its backside was facing Song Jixin, and it replied,
“You can kiss my arse!”
Song Jixin was very amused by this interaction, and his mood was lifted a little as he
departed with a smile on his face.

————

The Fu Clan had a Dragon Scaling Platform that was a restricted area in Old Dragon
City. It wasn't in the Fu city. Instead, it was on the seaside cliff in the easternmost
area of Old Dragon City.

The Dragon Scaling Platform was several hundred feet tall, and it was the tallest
building in all of Old Dragon City, but it was completely empty, and a Golden Core
Tier Qi refiner was constantly stationed here, cultivating in a thatch hut while
preventing outsiders from stepping onto the platform.

On this day, Fu Qi was personally accompanying a guest onto the platform for
sightseeing, and they were accompanied only by Fu Nanhua.

It was strange that Fu Qi stopped at the foot of the Dragon Scaling Platform, while
the guests made their way up to the platform on their own.

The Golden Core Tier Qi refiner extended a respectful greeting to Fu Qi, then took a
glance at Fu Nanhua before returning to his thatch hut to continue refining his soul
by sensing the ebb and flow of the sea's tide.

“Nanhua, did you choose to refrain from attacking Chen Ping'an because you thought
that Sun Jiashu was smarter than you, so it had to be a trap for you?” Fu Qi asked.

“Aside from that, I was asking myself how I would treat this matter if I were the city
lord of Old Dragon City. Would I use our clan's resources to settle a private vendetta,
or….”

Fu Nanhua's voice trailed off here as an awkward look appeared on his face.

Fu Qi was very pleased to hear this, and he praised the young man. “Looks like you
really did carefully consider the things that I told you that day. If you're a member of
the Fu Clan, then you can't wait until the day you become the city lord before you
finally begin acting like one.

“If you don't even have that much foresight, then even if you're the most powerful
cultivator in the clan, it matters for naught. If all you do is make rash decisions to
satisfy your own personal agendas, then you'll eventually get what's coming to you.
In the face of an immortal of the Upper Five Tiers, our Old Dragon City is nothing
more than a fart in the wind.”

Fu Nanhua gritted his teeth momentarily to muster up some courage, then asked,
“Father, how can I inherit the position of city lord with my lowly cultivation base?
How can I expect anyone to respect and accept me as city lord?”

Fu Qi burst into laughter. “Just use money to get yourself there! Our Fu Clan doesn't
have much else, but we have a ton of money! How do you think I managed to
progress from the Golden Core Tier to the Nascent Tier?

“The amount of money and resources I went through are sufficient to purchase that
entire street that the Sun Clan owns outside the city! How do you think I reached the
pinnacle of the Nascent Tier thereafter? Sure, I was pretty conscientious in my
cultivation, but most of it was thanks to money.”

Fu Nanhua was astonished to hear this.

It's that simple?

Fu Qi clasped his hands behind his back, then cast his gaze toward the petite figure
scaling the platform as he smiled and said, “While it's true that I felt you were a
worthy candidate to inherit my mantle, her opinion on the matter was the most
decisive factor in the decision. In fact, it's no exaggeration to say that she has the
final say on this matter.

“There are some things that are out of your reach at the moment, but you'll learn
more and more about those things from here onward, and the true scenery at the
pinnacle of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent will gradually be laid out before you.”

A look of excitement and yearning appeared in Fu Nanhua's eyes.

A meaningful smile appeared on Fu Qi's face as he continued, “Someday, you'll come

to realize that the entire world around you reeks of the stench of blood.”

As Zhi Gui stepped onto the Dragon Scaling Platform, her face was covered in blood,
and more bloody tears continued to flow out of her golden eyes.

She stood on her own, cutting a lonesome figure as she inspected her surroundings.
The nine continents, the Five Lakes and Four Seas…. All of them were riddled with
tombs filled with her brethren!
On this day, Chen Ping'an was still doing his usual night fishing, which was
interspersed with periods of standing meditation. As daybreak arrived, he opened
his eyes as he cast his gaze toward the sky in the east, but this time, the golden flood
dragons didn't come. Even so, he remained completely unbothered as he smiled and
waved at the distant horizon, as if he were waving at a familiar acquaintance.

After that, he packed up his fish basket and fishing rod before returning to the Sun
Clan's ancestral residence, where he discovered Sun Jiashu waiting for him.

In reality, Chen Ping'an had been waiting for Sun Jiashu as well.

Back in that alley in the inner city, Zheng Dafeng had tried to goad him into removing
his facade, but the Yin god had intervened and revealed Zheng Dafeng's intentions to
him.

It seemed that the Sun Clan had nothing to do with this, but Chen Ping'an was
quickly able to deduce Sun Jiashu's hidden intentions.

Was he disappointed? Of course.

Was he furious? Not really.

Liu Baqiao had clearly harbored good intentions when he introduced him to Sun
Jiashu, and ultimately, it was his decision whether he wanted to come to the Sun
Clan's ancestral residence. Looking back now, Chen Ping'an could see that he hadn't
made the worst decision, but it wasn't the best one, either.

The Fu Clan and the Sun Clan believed in the teachings of Commercialism, and Sun
Jiashu had revealed some of the core beliefs of Commercialism to Chen Ping'an
during their past conversations.

Once again, Chen Ping'an's impression of Sun Jiashu had become rather murky, and
his heart was filled with apprehension and wariness.
Just because someone was kind and pure didn't necessarily mean that they were
stupid and ignorant. In order to truly be a good person, one had to know what a bad
person was. For a good person, just living was the best deed that they could do for
this world.

Chen Ping'an didn't need books to teach him these basic principles. Instead, he had
learned these precious life lessons through his past experiences.

Sun Jiashu watched as Chen Ping'an approached him, then took a deep breath and
didn't say anything as he extended an apologetic bow.

Chen Ping'an stepped aside to avoid this seemingly inexplicable gesture of apology
from Sun Jiashu.

After standing up straight again, a wry smile appeared on Sun Jiashu's face as he
said, “Chen Ping'an, I've already arranged for you to travel on the Fan Clan's
Osmanthus Island ship. Our Sun Clan is no longer worthy of inviting you to travel on
our Mountain and Sea Turtle.”

“Why did you do this, Sun Jiashu?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Sun Jiashu hesitated momentarily, then squatted down as he turned to face the river
before picking up some of the pebbles by his feet and throwing them into the water
one after another.

“I wanted to take a gamble and try to profit from your presence here in Old Dragon
City.

“I intentionally downplayed the level of control that the Fu Clan had over Old Dragon
City to you, only giving you that disguise during your outing when I knew full well
that it wouldn't be enough to conceal your identity. I intentionally dangled you out as
bait, and I was making a bet that the stubborn Fu Nanhua wouldn't be able to resist
the urge to strike you down.

“Once that happened, I would ensure your protection at all cost, even if it meant
giving up half of the Sun Clan. After that, you'll set off for Stalactite Mountain, and
you'll feel like you owe me a massive favor. I'm confident that when you repay the
favor, our Sun Clan will recover far more than we'll lose.”

Chen Ping'an was still carrying his fishing rod and fish basket as he remained on the
spot and asked, “How were you so certain that you could ensure my safety?”

Sun Jiashu continued to face the river as he pointed up at the sky and replied, “There
are some things at the pinnacle of this world that I'm aware of as the Sun Clan's
leader, but they're things that Fu Nanhua isn't privy to. Of course, City Lord Fu Qi is
also aware of these things.

“In this gamble, all I have to do is put everything on the line, making it appear as if
our Sun Clan were determined to protect you, even if it meant the destruction of our
entire clan. Once I did that, Fu Qi would take advantage of the opportunity to deal
our Sun Clan a heavy blow, but ultimately back off at a certain point.

“You would be in no true danger during all of this, but you wouldn't know that, and
in the wake of the ordeal, you and I would become close friends.”

Only after hearing Sun Jiashu's explanation did a sense of fury finally well up in Chen
Ping'an's heart. A cold look appeared on his face as he channeled his aura to
suppress his fury with all his might.

Sun Jiashu tossed out another pebble as he continued, “In recent years, our Sun Clan
has been doing quite well, and on the surface, it appears as if we've become powerful
enough to stand toe to toe against the Fu Clan, but I know that we're still quite far
away from reaching that level.

“The Fu Clan is determined to pledge its allegiance to the Great Li Empire, and the
Fan Clan is doing the same. All of the other three major clans are also seeking out
different backers, including Lake View Academy and certain immortal sects of
Complete Reed Continent and Great Southeastern Continent.

“All of them have secured backing and safety nets for themselves, while our Sun Clan
remains the only exception. I also want to secure the backing of the Great Li Empire's
Song Clan, but I haven't been able to find a way in.

“Some time ago, a Golden Core Tier guest elder of our clan and I traveled to the
capital city of the Great Li Empire, but not only were we not able to secure an
audience with the emperor, we weren't even allowed to set foot into Song
Changjing's manor. As a businessman, this is a terrible situation to be in, and it
plunged me into the depths of despair.”

“I can understand that you don't regard me as a friend, but what about Liu Baqiao?”
Chen Ping'an asked.

Sun Jiashu had already prepared answers for all of the questions that he thought that
Chen Ping'an would ask, but he wasn't prepared for this one.

A bitter look appeared on his face as he cast his gaze across the river.

This was a question that was very direct and difficult to answer, and even the Sun
Clan patriarch, who was observing this interaction in secret, couldn't help but feel a
little sorry for Sun Jiashu.

Sun Jiashu lowered his head slightly as he looked down at the ground. For all his
wiles as a businessman, this question had left him completely stumped, so he
decided to pursue the easiest route, replying in a candid fashion, “Of course I see him
as a friend, but after what I've done here, he may no longer be my friend, and to
make matters worse, I've made an enemy out of you as well.”

“Are you telling me all of this because you don't dare to kill me? Are you afraid that
someday, someone will return to Majestic World and raze this ancestral manor to the
ground over what you've done?” Chen Ping'an asked.

“I don't want to kill you,” Sun Jiashu replied as he turned to Chen Ping'an and forced
a smile onto his own face. “Do you believe me when I say that, Chen Ping'an?”

Chen Ping'an offered no reply.

Sun Jiashu rose to his feet, and it was as if a massive weight had been lifted from his
shoulders. He was no longer looking so deflated, and some of his customary flair and
poise had returned to him as he continued, “I've told you everything that I have to
say. Regardless of what you decide to do, I won't regret my decisions. The mistakes
have already been made, the least I can do is own up to them.”

Chen Ping'an heaved a faint sigh as he said, “After I pack up my belongings, I'll go to
the Dust Medicinal Shop in the inner city, then travel to Stalactite Mountain on the
Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island.”

“Alright,” Sun Jiashu replied with a nod.

With that, the two of them returned to the Sun Clan's ancestral residence in silence,
and Chen Ping'an did exactly as he said, packing up his belongings before departing
without a word.

Sun Jiashu was left to eat breakfast on his own, and once again, it was a meal of
steamed buns, rice congee, and pickled vegetables. The Sun Clan patriarch sat down
across from him, but before he had a chance to say anything, Sun Jiashu declared, “I'll
inform Liu Baqiao of what happened here as soon as I can.”

“Are you worried that you'll be in an even worse predicament if Chen Ping'an were to
expose you before you had a chance to come clean, or are you simply trying to clear
your own conscience?” the Sun Clan patriarch asked.

Sun Jiashu set down his chopsticks, then considered the question carefully before
replying in a truthful fashion, “There's a bit of both, I think.”

“Why don't you consider tampering with Osmanthus Island?” the Sun Clan patriarch
asked.

After coming clean to Chen Ping'an, Sun Jiashu was feeling quite reinvigorated, and
he smiled as he replied with a shake of his head, “I can't try to smooth out a mistake
by committing another one. Also, I have a feeling that doing that will only land me
deeper in the hole that I'm already in.”

The Sun Clan patriarch was very relieved to hear this, and he smiled as he said,
“Overall, I think this was a positive experience. In the face of an inevitable turn in the
tide, it's naturally a good thing to be able to act before others, but it's just as valuable
to be able to remain levelheaded and not commit any major mistakes despite how
high the stakes are.

“As the leader of such a large clan, you can't afford to make risky gambles and place
all of your eggs in one basket.”

“Old people really are treasures that are full of wisdom!” Sun Jiashu remarked with a
smile.

The Sun Clan patriarch rose to his feet as he said, “I'll leave you to eat on your own.
Make sure to temper your own mental state and don't allow yourself to get too
worked up in the near future.”

Sun Jiashu set down his chopsticks before standing up to accompany the Sun Clan
patriarch out of the room, then sat back down to continue eating breakfast.
It was truly a horrible meal, like the embodiment of the bitter pill that he was forced
to swallow.

After emerging from the territory of the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, Chen Ping'an
arrived in a prosperous market, then asked for some directions before hiring an
ordinary horse-drawn carriage that would take him to the inner city.

It was quite expensive to travel from the outer city to the inner city, and after
entering the carriage, Chen Ping'an began issuing directions to the coach driver.

A Yin god had appeared in the carriage, the very same one that had appeared outside
the Dust Medicinal Shop, and it declared that its surname was Zhao, so Chen Ping'an
referred to it respectfully as Mr. Zhao.

Upon reaching the alley outside the Dust Medicinal Shop, Chen Ping'an paid the fare
to the coach driver. On this day, Zheng Dafeng wasn't sitting under the locust tree.
Instead, he was sitting at the counter of the medicine shop with a dazed look on his
face. He wasn't surprised to see Chen Ping'an, and he told Chen Ping'an that the shop
was small, but the backyard behind the shop was quite large.

Chen Ping'an made his way into the backyard to find that the layout was very similar
to that of the Yang Family's medicine shop. The ground in the backyard was paved
with bluestone slabs, and there was a main room and two side rooms, both of the
latter of which were empty, so Chen Ping'an could choose either one.

Chen Ping'an chose the one on the left, and he set down his belongings and his sword
case inside the room, leaving only the Sword Nurturing Gourd strapped to his waist.
Zheng Dafeng had purchased an old pipe from some antique shop, and he was
emulating Old Man Yang as he sat under the eave of the main room, smoking the pipe
while seated on a stool.

However, in Chen Ping'an's eyes, there was an air of unfathomable profoundness as

Old Man Yang smoked his pipe, but seeing Zheng Dafeng do the same thing was
rather comical.

Chen Ping'an sat at the entrance of his room, declaring that he was going to be
traveling on Osmanthus Island. Zheng Dafeng nodded in response, reassuring him
that he would keep him safe until he set foot onto Osmanthus Island.

The two of them had never gotten along with each other all that well, so their
conversation quickly petered out into silence, with one of them continuing to smoke,
while the other drank out of his gourd.

All of the female employees peeking out into the backyard quickly grew bored of
what they were seeing, and they dispersed.

Zheng Dafeng was smoking his pipe in a bored manner, and he couldn't understand
why Old Man Yang had such a habit. To him, it felt like a boring waste of time.
Occasionally, he would sneak a glance at Chen Ping'an out of the corner of his eye.
With the fall of Jewel Small World, Chen Ping'an's fortunes had taken a drastic turn
for the better.

For example, the timing of his arrival in Old Dragon City was one of the things that
reflected his improved fortunes. If it weren't for the arrival of the Cloud Forest Jiang
Clan, Fu Qi may not have been so willing to leave Chen Ping'an alone.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an was still thinking about the five copper coins that Zheng
Dafeng owed him.

All of a sudden, Zheng Dafeng asked, “Chen Ping'an, if Mr. Qi had told you that you
were never going to be able to reach the fourth tier, what would you have done?”

Chen Ping'an considered the question for a moment, then replied, “I would have
accepted my fate.”

Zheng Dafeng seemed to be rather taken aback to hear this, then rolled his eyes in
disdain.

How was Chen Ping'an going to be his Dao mentor when neither of them had any
solution to such a damning prophecy?

Zheng Dafeng was unwilling to give up, and he asked, “What would you have done
after that?”

This seemed like a completely inconsequential topic of conversation. Chen Ping'an

casually replied, “I would have continued to practice my fist techniques, of course.
What else can I do? I had to begin practicing fist techniques to save my own life.
Besides, even if I can't make a breakthrough, my fist technique practice can
strengthen my body, and that's always a good thing.”
Zheng Dafeng's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, “What if you accidentally
stumbled your way to the pinnacle of the third tier and saw a glimmer of hope for
reaching the fourth tier?”

Chen Ping'an turned to Zheng Dafeng with a wide-eyed expression, stunned by the
stupidity of this question.

His fist technique practice had a positive impact on his life, and making a
breakthrough was naturally a good thing. If he were to reach a bottleneck, then of
course he would be thinking about how to make a breakthrough!

Zheng Dafeng could tell what Chen Ping'an was thinking, and he asked, “Would you
not consider Mr. Qi's prophecy? Would that not weigh on your mind?”

Chen Ping'an's eyes widened even further, and he couldn't help but wonder if Zheng
Dafeng had suffered a knock to the head. How was it that a martial arts master at the
pinnacle of the eighth tier could be capable of asking such stupid questions?

Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine, then replied, “Mr. Qi was a very wise and
knowledgeable man, and everything that he said to me was for my own benefit. If
making a breakthrough is a bad thing, then I'll suppress it and avoid it. However, if
it's a good thing, and Mr. Qi was simply mistaken, then am I supposed to avoid a good
thing just because Mr. Qi made an incorrect prophecy? If I were to do that, then Mr.
Qi would be very disappointed in me.”

A serious look appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face as he set down his pipe and asked in
a demanding voice, “How could Mr. Qi possibly be wrong?!”

“If I still had the chance to stand before Mr. Qi and ask him whether he was capable
of making mistakes, what do you think his answer would be?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Zheng Dafeng's entire body stiffened, and a pained look appeared on his face as he
tossed his pipe aside and began clawing at his own head.

His eyes quickly became extremely bloodshot as he turned to Chen Ping'an with a
desperate expression and yelled, “Chen Ping'an, did Mr. Qi ask you to pass on any
message to me?! Tell me! If you do, I'm willing to serve as your Dao guardian for a
decade, even a century!”

“He didn't ask me to pass on any message to you,” Chen Ping'an replied with a shake
of his head.

Zheng Dafeng abruptly rose to his feet, then began stumbling around the yard like a
cat on a hot tin roof, and his footsteps were so jumbled and disorderly that he didn't
even appear to be as capable as a third tier martial artist.

He's not suffering from Qi deviation, is he? Chen Ping'an thought to himself.

Right at this moment, the Yin god appeared beside him. It had already concealed
everything that was taking place in this courtyard so that no one on the outside
would be able to detect what was happening.

Zheng Dafeng continued to stumble around like a headless chicken as he frantically

murmured to himself, “I've listened to Mr. Qi's teachings many times, and I'm sure he
must've been trying to tell me something back then, but I simply failed to see the
message that he was trying to convey…. Think, Zheng Dafeng, think! Don't get
agitated….”

Chaotic gusts of astral winds began to sweep through the courtyard, and they were
as sharp as blades. It was only thanks to the efforts of the Yin god that the astral
winds didn't completely destroy the courtyard.

Chen Ping'an continued to drink in silence as he carefully observed Zheng Dafeng's

strange behavior.

Before long, tears were streaming down Zheng Dafeng's face, and he continued to
stumble around as he turned to Chen Ping'an and asked, “Has Mr. Qi taught you any
principles? Tell me all of them, Chen Ping'an! I don't care what they are, whether
they be sagely teachings from the Confucian classics or basic principles of life, tell me
everything!”

Chen Ping'an wrapped his arms around his Sword Nurturing Gourd as he asked in an
expressionless manner, “Why should I?”

“Because you are my Dao mentor, Chen Ping'an! Do you understand?!” Zheng Dafeng
howled.

“This is not good, Chen Ping'an,” the Yin god cautioned in a grim voice. “If things
continue like this, there's a very good chance that Zheng Dafeng could be driven
completely insane, and even if he manages to recover his sanity, he'll have no chance
of ever reaching the Mountain Summit Tier.

“On top of that, I may not be able to contain him, and if he gets loose, then this
medicine shop, the alley outside, and all of the nearby streets will most likely be
completely destroyed, resulting in countless casualties.”

Chen Ping'an was actually nowhere near as calm as he appeared on the surface.

What's all this Dao mentor nonsense? How am I, a fourth tier martial artist, supposed
to be able to instruct a master martial artist at the pinnacle of the eighth tier?

Chen Ping'an could see that more and more gusts of astral wind were emerging
within the courtyard, and numerous miniature tornadoes seven to eight feet tall had
already taken shape, shattering all of the bluestone slabs in their wake.

Chen Ping'an hurriedly called upon Fifteenth in his Sword Nurturing Gourd to
summon all of the small bamboo slips that he had engraved various principles onto.
At this point, all he could do was hope for a miracle.

He began to rattle off the principles engraved onto the bamboo slips to Zheng Dafeng
one after another, but Zheng Dafeng was shaking his head over and over again while
becoming more and more agitated by the second.

At this point, he had already risen up from the ground and was swirling around in
mid-air like a kite with a snapped string. On top of that, blood was flowing out of all
of his orifices, presenting a terrible sight to behold.

Chen Ping'an was even doing his best to recall the poetic phrases that Li Xisheng had
written on the walls of the bamboo building, reciting them loudly to Zheng Dafeng,
but it was still not what he wanted to hear.

Zheng Dafeng’s condition had already worsened to the point that he was no longer
even able to speak, and all he could do was stumble around in mid-air while
unleashing punches, doing everything in his power to cling onto his final shred of
sanity.

The boundary between the eighth and ninth tiers was more spectacular than that
between the third and fourth tiers and the sixth and seventh tiers, but it was also
more perilous, and it was referred to as the Test of the Heart.
As for the boundary between the ninth and tenth tiers, that was even more fearsome,
referred to as Ramming the Heavenly Gate, and of course, it was even more difficult
to overcome.

Zheng Dafeng was aware of all of this, and that was why he was so envious of his
senior brother, Li Er, and Song Changjing, the latter of whom had managed to
progress to the 10th tier after just a single battle of life and death.

He had engaged in countless battles against Li Er in private, and he had almost been
beaten to within an inch of his life too many times to count on one hand.

Why was it that Song Changjing was able to make the breakthrough so easily, yet he
was unable to when he clearly possessed far superior aptitude and had reached the
eighth tier at an astonishing speed?

Why was it that Old Man Yang had told him that he had no hope of reaching the ninth
tier in this lifetime? That was only pouring more salt onto the already gaping wound
on his heart!

After reading the Chapter of Sincerity and witnessing his Dao mentor forcing back
those dawn flood dragons on two occasions, he had gleaned the true meaning of
sincerity, and as a result, his bottleneck had begun to loosen, yet why was it that the
breakthrough was still out of his reach?

The Yin god's fists were tightly clenched in apprehension as it stared at Zheng
Dafeng, who was on the verge of losing his sanity, and it was grappling with an
internal conflict, wondering if it should intervene by force.

However, it didn't dare to prematurely intervene. If it were to forcibly put an end to

Zheng Dafeng's deranged tirade, then that would truly put an end to any chance of
further progress for him in the martial arts.

All of a sudden, Zheng Dafeng stopped in his tracks, hovering in mid-air with his
entire body drenched in blood. His face was also smeared with blood, and there was
a broken look in his eyes as he howled, “I can't do it, Master! I really can't! I'm
sorry….”

Looking at the tormented Zheng Dafeng, a thought suddenly sprang into Chen
Ping'an's mind, a thought of an innocent and energetic little girl who wore a red coat
all year round.
He recalled hearing from Li Huai that Li Baoping would often raise some questions
that even Mr. Qi was unable to answer, and Mr. Qi never saw anything wrong with
that.

A spark of inspiration instantly arose in Chen Ping'an's heart, and he murmured to

himself, “A disciple doesn't have to be inferior to the master.”

He had uttered those words to himself in a very quiet voice, yet in the ears of Zheng
Dafeng, it sounded like a resounding thunderclap.

He looked down with a dazed expression at the old pipe.

Old Man Yang never liked to speak to him much, and whenever the old man looked at
him with that cold expression through the smoke from his pipe, Zheng Dafeng would
always be struck by a crippling sense of inferiority that deflated him of the courage
to even look directly back at his master.

Prior to this moment, Zheng Dafeng had never felt like there was anything wrong
with that. While everyone else was oblivious to Old Man Yang's true identity, this was
not a secret to him. Others were unaware of just how unfathomably powerful Old
Man Yang was, but that didn't apply to him.

Old Man Yang's incredible past feats weren't common knowledge, but Zheng Dafeng
was privy to them. In contrast, he was only an eighth tier martial artist, so what right
did he have to look back at Old Man Yang on level terms?

Zheng Dafeng raised his head as he took a deep breath, then wiped the blood from
his face as he murmured to himself, “I see now.”

In the wake of this moment of enlightenment, there was no spectacular

phenomenon. Instead, he merely rose up higher and higher into the sky above the
courtyard while thinking to himself, Master, you're already in an unfathomably high
place, but that's fine. I will ascend to meet you one step after another.

On this day, Zheng Dafeng scaled the heavens step by step, rising up until he was
above the sea of clouds in the sky before casting his gaze even higher upward.
Chen Ping'an raised his head to look up at the sky, and he discovered that Zheng
Dafeng's breakthrough was causing such a huge phenomenon that it had forced the
Fu Clan's sea of clouds to reveal itself. However, the sea of clouds ultimately faded,
while Chen Ping'an asked with a concerned expression, “Is he not making too much
of a scene?”

The Yin god smiled as it replied, “Only by making a scene like this can he intimidate
the rats and scoundrels lurking in the shadows.”

The Yin god was naturally very happy to see Zheng Dafeng make a breakthrough. Old
Man Yang was always very fair in his dealings with other people, but a Yin god that
had come out of a small temple didn't enjoy the same treatment.

If Zheng Dafeng were to fall here, then Old Man Yang's plans would be negatively
affected, and he could easily kill the Yin god in an instant, even though they were
separated by a vast distance.

Chen Ping'an had always been very careful and cautious, but after carefully
pondering what the Yin god had just said, he decided that it made sense. However, at
his current stage as a martial artist, it was best for him not to emulate what Zheng
Dafeng was doing here. Only once he reached the same lofty heights as Zheng Dafeng
would he be able to do something similar without placing himself in grave peril.

“Now that the entire city has witnessed Zheng Dafeng's breakthrough, won't he be
stalked by the Fu Clan and the five major clans everywhere he goes from here
onward?” Chen Ping'an asked.

The Yin god took a glance in the direction of the East Sea, then shook its head in
response. “Fu Qi has already paid Zheng Dafeng a visit, and he'll definitely take
advantage of this opportunity to do some business with Fu Qi, so he won't cause as
much of a scene when he returns from the sea of clouds.”

Chen Ping'an nodded in response, then began packing all of his bamboo slips back
into his pocket treasure. Some of these bamboo slips had been made from the
leftover bamboo from the bookcases that he had made for the three children, but
most of them were made from leftover scrap bamboo from the bamboo building that
Wei Bo had given him.

They were all courage bamboo that had been sourced from Go Table Mountain, and
after learning the value of Azure Divine Mountain's divine cloud bamboo from the
Green Beetle Shop in Water Combing Nation's ferry station, Chen Ping'an had come
to cherish these bamboo slips greatly, to the point that whenever he saw any good
phrases on the books that he read, he had to think carefully before deciding whether
he wanted to engrave those phrases onto the bamboo slips.

“Can you give me one of those bamboo slips?” the Yin god suddenly asked. “The one
says 'gods and immortals walk two different paths separated by Yin and Yang, the
soul consolidates the psyche, while the spirit gives rise to the godly body.'“

“No,” Chen Ping'an replied without any hesitation.

Do you think you're Baoping, Li Huai, or Lin Shouyi? Why should I give something to
you just because you want it?

However, Chen Ping'an then recalled how the Yin god had exposed Zheng Dafeng's
true intentions to him back in the alley. Regardless of whether it had been instructed
to do that by Old Man Yang, it seemed that he owed it a favor for that. With that in
mind, Chen Ping'an immediately changed his mind as he said, “Fine, you can have it.
It's just a little bamboo slip anyway.”

The Yin god didn't know why Chen Ping'an had suddenly changed his mind. It had
been excessively direct in its request due to how much it yearned for the jade slip,
but it wasn't actually asking Chen Ping'an for the bamboo slip without
compensation, and it smiled as it explained, “I wasn't done just now. What I was
saying is that I want to purchase the bamboo slip from you. How does ten grain rain
coins sound?”

Chen Ping'an had only just pulled the requested bamboo slip out of his pocket
treasure, and he was astonished to hear the words “grain rain coin.”

A perplexed look appeared on his face as he exclaimed, “Even if these bamboo slips
are made from courage bamboo from Azure Divine Mountain, surely such a tiny
piece isn't worth that much!”

The Yin god smiled as it replied, “If you sell it to anyone else, it'll only be worth a few
lesser heat coins at the very most, but to me, the phrase on the slip is worth that
price. Are you not going to sell it to me because the price is too high? Should I lower
it then? How about one lesser heat coin?”

Chen Ping'an offered the bamboo slip to the Yin god with both hands as he smiled
and said, “It's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Zhao.”

The Yin god accepted the bamboo slip from Chen Ping'an with one hand while
handing Chen Ping'an ten grain rain coins with the other. Chen Ping'an accepted the
grain rain coins from the Yin god, then gawked at them for a moment before
hurriedly stowing them away into his pocket treasure.

“Are you not going to examine them to see if they're genuine?” the Yin god asked
with an amused smile. “There are countless counterfeit lesser heat coins and grain
rain coins out there.”

“I've never seen a genuine grain rain coin before, but I trust you, Mr. Zhao,” Chen
Ping'an replied with a smile.

With that, he strapped his Sword Nurturing Gourd back to his waist.

A light snow coin was equivalent to 1,000 taels of silver, while a lesser heat coin was
equivalent to 100 light snow coins. A grain rain coin was worth 10 lesser heat coins,
and that was the so-called rule of “magnitudes of 10” in immortal transactions. As
for the gold essence copper coins specially crafted by Jewel Small World, those were
even more valuable than grain rain coins.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping'an felt as if he had come upon an enormous fortune.

“Mr. Zhao, how about I show you all of my jade slips so you can see if there are any
others that you want to buy?” Chen Ping'an suddenly offered.

The Yin god shook its head as it replied with a smile, “I'm all out of money.”

Indeed, those 10 grain rain coins were all of the money that it had taken with it on
this journey to Old Dragon City with Zheng Dafeng.
One of the reasons why it had offered such a high price was as a congratulatory
gesture for Zheng Dafeng's breakthrough, but the more important reason was that
the phrase engraved onto the bamboo slip had really resonated with it. The will of
the heavens was something that anyone else could scoff, but it had no choice but to
believe that such a thing existed.

It really wasn't terribly willing to spend ten whole grain rain coins on a single
bamboo slip; rather, it simply had no choice but to do so. The complexities behind all
of this were extremely profound, and perhaps only a Naturalist Qi refiner would be
able to fully grasp them.

“It's alright, Mr. Zhao. If you find any other bamboo slips that you like, then I'll just
give them to you for free,” Chen Ping'an said.

The Yin god turned to Chen Ping'an with a smile, but didn't say anything further as it
turned its gaze back to the sea of clouds up above.

Old Dragon City was an enormous place, and the average person would very rarely
notice a paper kite or a bird high up in the sky. Hence, Zheng Dafeng's breakthrough
and the subsequent reaction from the sea of clouds wouldn't attract any attention
from all of the mortals in the city, but all of the Qi refiners of the Middle Five Tiers
and the master martial artists in the city couldn't help but watch from down below.

In particular, this had created a huge stir in the Fu Clan, and Fu Qi, who had been
waiting for Zhi Gui at the foot of the Dragon Scaling Platform, had gone to personally
witness who it was that had been able to break through the sea of clouds.

The sea of clouds concealed the man’s appearance, so most of the cultivators of lofty
statuses in Old Dragon City were only looking up at the sky to see the spectacle and
speculate about the true identity of the almighty figure who had ascended to the
heavens.

Could it be that the Fu Clan patriarch in possession of the pseudo-celestial tool had
finally come out of seclusion? Or was the Cloud Forest Jiang Clan patriarch putting
on a display of intimidation on the cusp of Fu Nanhua's marriage to the young
woman from the Jiang Clan?

Old Dragon City was the most prosperous city on the entire Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent, and as an important central hub that connected three continents, all types
of people could be found in the city. There were many wealthy people here and just
as many depraved gamblers. In the wake of Zheng Dafeng's breakthrough, all of
these gamblers had come out like seedlings after the first bout of spring rain.

Not only were there private wagers being proposed between friends, even some of
the major gambling dens in the city were offering odds and taking bets. There were
all types of bets being made on subjects such as the gender and surname of the
person who had made the breakthrough, as well as whether the Fu Clan would target
them for their insolence.

Inside the Fan Manor in the inner city, the leader of the Fan Clan and the clan's elders
and guest elders were all gathered in a corridor with ecstatic looks on their faces. All
of them were at least a hundred years of age, and from the instant that Zheng Dafeng
ascended into the sea of clouds, they had begun speculating about who it was that
had made the ascension to such breathtaking heights.

With the information that they had gathered thus far, they were able to determine
that it was Zheng Dafeng who had made a breakthrough without any warning,
ascending to the Mountain Summit Tier.

This was naturally fantastic news for the Fan Clan, and barring any mishaps, Zheng
Dafeng was going to be staying in Old Dragon City for the next few decades, so
essentially, the Fan Clan could enjoy the protection of a ninth tier martial artist for
the foreseeable future!

Novice martial artists cultivated the body, intermediate martial artists cultivated qi,
and beyond that came the cultivation of the spirit. The greater the heights one
ascended to, particularly after reaching the seventh tier, the gulf between each
successive tier was unimaginably wide. Hence, among top-tier martial artists, a
difference of a single tier was almost an insurmountable gap in power.

Having said that, the outcome of a battle between two such martial artists wasn't
always set in stone.

Similarly, even among ninth dan go players, there could be a wide variance in skill
and ability. On some occasions, even seventh and eighth dan go players could pull off
miracles and defeat their ninth dan counterparts, but those were very much
anomalies.
Furthermore, when it came to rank designations for eighth and ninth dan go players,
that was often only determined through a match between a certain Go official of the
imperial court, and there existed a huge variance in ability between these Go officials
themselves, so it was a far less credible and reliable ranking than one personally
assigned by a Go scholar of the Confucian schools on Middle Earth Divine Continent.

A Golden Core Tier patriarch of the Fan Clan stroked his beard as he chuckled, “Our
young master is certainly very fortunate to have such an exceptional Dao mentor!”

All of a sudden, the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City began to churn violently
while descending rapidly, and before everyone knew it, they had already been
inundated within the sea clouds.

In this instant, all Qi refiners and martial artists felt the auras in their bodies
stagnate a little in their circulation, but the sea of clouds dissipated just as quickly as
it had descended, lingering only for a moment before completely vanishing out of
sight.

Even so, many of the Golden Core Tier cultivators in the city were still left feeling
quite apprehensive.

Zheng Dafeng had ascended to the heavens as an eighth tier martial artist, yet as he
was returning to the alley on foot, he had already reached the Mountain Summit Tier.

This entire time, the female employees in the shop were joking around with each
other as usual, completely oblivious to what had just unfolded in the backyard of the
shop. Their ignorance was pitiful, but it also kept them content and safe from a world
that was beyond their reach anyway. They saw their shopkeeper entering the shop,
but they thought nothing of it.

He was carrying two jars of fine wine that he had purchased from a neighboring
street, and he made his way back into the backyard before tossing one of the jars of
wine to Chen Ping'an. He then picked up his pipe from the ground and sat back down
onto the steps in silence, not smoking his pipe nor drinking his wine.

Shortly thereafter, he broke his silence, but instead of speaking to Chen Ping'an, the
Dao mentor who had been assigned to him by Old Man Yang, he turned to the Yin
god as he asked, “Can you come clean with me now, Old Man Zhao? What other
instructions did the old geezer give you? Chen Ping'an is going to be leaving on
Osmanthus Island ship in just a few days, can you tell me if I have to serve as his Dao
guardian or not?”

The Yin god shook its head in response. “All the divine lord told me was to let you be
and enjoy your life if you could successfully make a breakthrough, but if you failed,
then I was to toss you into the sea to feed the fish.”

Zheng Dafeng rubbed his hands over his own face as he groaned, “My goodness, I'm
still just as confused as ever!”

He then set his pipe down onto his lap before opening his jar of wine, then lowered
his head to make a slurping motion. The wine in the jar immediately rose up as a
stream before flowing into his mouth on its own.

Zheng Dafeng wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, then looked up at the sea
of clouds in the sky as he asked, “Old Man Zhao, do you think the old man would've
been able to predict what I saw during my breakthrough? Would he have predicted
that I almost made an attempt at Ramming the Heavenly Gate after overcoming the
Test of the Heart? Would he have anticipated what I saw as I was approaching the
Heavenly Gate?”

Zheng Dafeng heaved a forlorn sigh, then took another sip of wine, following which
an amused smile suddenly appeared on his face as he continued, “Only now do I
realize the double meaning behind when the old man told me that I had no hope of
reaching the ninth tier in this lifetime. What a cheeky old man he is!”

The Yin god's eyelid twitched slightly upon hearing this, astonished by Zheng
Dafeng's insolence.

Immediately thereafter, a sheepish look appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face as he

looked around with a wary expression, and he hurriedly rose to his feet before
making his way to the center of the courtyard before turning to face the north as he
said, “Please don't be mad at me, old man.

“I'm feeling very guilty to be unable to express my joy to you in person after making
my breakthrough. Your powers are matched only by limitless generosity, so please
forgive me and accept this apologetic gesture of mine.”

He then brought his hands together to simulate holding some sticks of lit incense,
then bowed three times toward the distant Great Li Empire
Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an was looking on with a puzzled expression, wondering how
Old Man Yang had managed to produce a pair of such massively different disciples
like Li Er and Zheng Dafeng.

However, it then occurred to him that Li Baoping, Lin Shouyi, and Li Huai's
personalities also differed drastically, and the disparities between Li Er and Zheng
Dafeng suddenly didn't seem so strange to him.

However, prior to simulating offering up incense to Old Man Yang, Zheng Dafeng had
also made a strange gesture that had caught Chen Ping'an's attention. He had raised
an arm and waved his hand in a circle above his head, as if he were plucking three
invisible sticks of incense out of thin air overhead.

After doing all of that, Zheng Dafeng sat lazily back down onto his stool, as if he really
had just decided to enjoy his life. He turned to Chen Ping'an, who was also looking
back at him. Zheng Dafeng was acting like a scoundrel who didn't want to repay his
debts, while the thought Chen Ping'an was expressing through his eyes was that he
may not be able to beat Zheng Dafeng in a battle, but he could certainly nag Zheng
Dafeng to death if he refused to pay his debt.

The Yin god was looking at both of them, and it suddenly felt like it couldn't
understand this world anymore.

Finally, the silence was broken, but not by any of the people in the backyard.
Someone had lifted the curtain of the shop's back entrance, but he didn't step out
into the courtyard right away. Instead, he was holding the curtain with one hand and
a flagon of the finest osmanthus wine in Old Dragon City in the other.

Just that single flagon of wine alone was worth a snowflake coin. The young boy
could see that there was someone else in the courtyard with Zheng Dafeng, so he was
standing on the spot with a hesitant expression as he asked in an uncertain voice,
“Can I come in, Mr. Zheng?”

The Yin god had already vanished by the time the boy stepped into the Dust
Medicinal Shop.

Chen Ping'an turned and discovered that the newcomer was someone of a similar
age to him, and he could tell that the boy was a pure martial artist who appeared to
be at the third tier. Chen Ping'an could see that as the boy breathed, all of the sinews,
bones, muscles, and skin in his body were quivering ever so slightly, indicating that
he had established a very solid martial arts foundation.

However, there were still many flaws that had to be ironed out, the most apparent of
which was the narrowness and unevenness of the meridians, which served as paths
between his acupoints, resulting in suboptimal circulation of his True Qi.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping'an was surprised to catch himself evaluating someone
else's martial arts cultivation base.

Only in this instant did Chen Ping'an truly realize that he had reached the fourth tier.

Zheng Dafeng paid no heed to the dazed Chen Ping'an as he beckoned to the young
boy with a smile and said, “I knew your grandfather would be able to figure it out. I
don't want to be too harsh, but all you're bringing me as a congratulatory gift is a
single flagon of your Fan Clan's osmanthus wine? Isn't that a little too stingy?

“I'm really rough around the edges when it comes to important stuff, but I'm very
pedantic about the little things. Leave the wine here, then go back home and tell your
grandfather that being too stingy can come back to bite him in the future!”

A resigned look appeared on the boy's face as he explained, “I snuck out to bring you
this wine after hearing about what happened from my grandfather, so this isn't a gift
to you from my seniors. If you don't like it, I can bring you a better present once I've
inherited Osmanthus Island from my clan. I snuck this flagon of wine out from home,
so please don't tell my grandfather. I'll go back to ask for a better congratulatory
present right now.”

With that, the boy set down the flagon of wine before rushing away.

Zheng Dafeng made no attempt to keep him, and he turned to take a glance at Chen
Ping'an, who he found to be far less pleasing on the eyes. Both of them were young
boys, yet the one from the Fan Clan treated others with sincerity and generosity, and
was also very easygoing.

In contrast, Chen Ping'an had proven himself to be so stingy that he still

remembered an old debt of five copper coins! In Zheng Dafeng's eyes, the tanned
coloration of his skin had to represent the darkness in his heart!

Chen Ping'an was able to extrapolate a lot of information from what the boy had just
said.

The boy came from the Fan Clan, the clan that Sun Jiashu revealed to have secured
the backing of the Great Li Empire alongside the Fu Clan. At the moment, he was
Zheng Dafeng's disciple, and in the future, he was going to inherit that Osmanthus
Island ship.

Additionally, the Yin god had revealed earlier that Zheng Dafeng was going to make a
deal with City Lord Fu Qi.

Chen Ping'an only considered these matters momentarily before casting this train of
thought aside. In any case, it seemed that he would be able to travel to Stalactite
Mountain on the Fan Clan's ship without any issues, and that was his main concern.

As for what happened in Old Dragon City in the future, whether that be a battle
between gods or anything else, that was not something for him to think about. All he
had to do was stay patiently in the medicinal shop for a few days, then travel to
Stalactite Mountain on the Osmanthus Island ship, make his way to the Sword Qi
Great Wall from there, then deliver the sword that he was carrying to Ning Yao.

All of a sudden, Zheng Dafeng reached out to make a grabbing motion as he chuckled,
“Come back, boy. You're not really planning to ask for a congratulatory gift from your
seniors for me, are you?”

In reality, Zheng Dafeng didn't care in the slightest what the boy said after he got
home. The only reason why he had asked him to come back was because he didn't
want to be stuck in a courtyard with Chen Ping'an on his own. Otherwise, the two of
them would continue to stare at each other in this tense silence, and Chen Ping'an
was his Dao mentor, so it wasn't like he could just beat him up.

At this point, the boy from the Fan Clan had already almost rushed out of the alley,
but his clothes were abruptly tugged on from behind, stopping cold in his tracks. He
was naturally very startled by this, thinking that he had encountered an assassin, but
Zheng Dafeng's voice then rang out in his heart.

A wide grin appeared on the boy's face, and he gestured for the Golden Core Tier
guest elder of his clan to stand down, then quickly rushed back into the Dust
Medicinal Shop. Once inside, he exchanged greetings with a few of the female
employees that he had grown familiar with, then lifted the curtain and returned to
the backyard while the female employees were all remarking on his good looks.

The boy liked this atmosphere from the bottom of his heart.

Of course, the celestial maidens within the Fan Clan were more beautiful, but from a
very young age, he had been able to tell that they always looked at him differently
from how the women here looked at him.

One regarded him as the future head of the Fan Clan, while the other simply saw him
as a young boy who had popped up out of nowhere.

He didn't detest the former, but he certainly preferred the latter.

Chen Ping'an dragged a stool over for the boy, and he hurriedly accepted the stool
with a smile.

“Thanks!”

“You're welcome,” Chen Ping'an replied with a smile of his own.

The boy then turned to Zheng Dafeng as he asked, “Where should I sit, Sir?”

Zheng Dafeng swept a hand through the air as he jibed, “Go to sit by the curtain and
keep a lookout for us.”

“I'm on it!”

The boy rushed over to the entrance of the backyard in a joyful manner, then sat
down in a very strict and rigid posture with his back ramrod straight and his hands
resting on his knees.

Even though he was doing his best to make himself appear formal and serious, he
was unable to suppress the smile in his eyes, which were as clearly a flowing creek
and clearly expressed all of his emotions, as opposed to the veiled and ambiguous
eyes of more calculating and cunning figures.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping'an found himself feeling a little envious of the boy as he
had something that Chen Ping'an had always wanted, but had never been able to
obtain.
Back when the Scholarly Sage became drunk and was carried on Chen Ping'an's back,
he had patted Chen Ping'an's shoulder firmly while telling him that a young boy like
him should be carrying beautiful things like long grass and flying warblers on his
shoulders, as opposed to vendettas and heavy responsibilities.

That was the case for the boy, but it was something that was out of Chen Ping'an's
reach.

Zheng Dafeng seemed to have sensed the shift in Chen Ping'an's mood, and he wasn't
able to tell exactly what Chen Ping'an was thinking, but after a moment of
contemplation, a smile appeared on his face as he tossed the flagon of osmanthus
wine to the boy from the Fan Clan.

The boy caught the flagon with a bright smile as he said, “I'm only going to take one
sip, Mr. Zheng.”

Chen Ping'an raised his Sword Nurturing Gourd with a smile as he proposed, “Let's
drink together.”

The boy faltered slightly upon hearing this, then nodded eagerly in response.
“Alright, in that case, I'll take a bigger sip than normal! Oh, by the way, my name is
Fan Er. That's not a pet name, it's my real name. I have an older sister called Fan
Junmao, that's why my name is Fan Er. [1] To be honest, I'm pretty sad that my
parents would give me a half-arsed name like this, even though I'm their second
child. What's your name? Can you tell me?”

The boy then downed a large mouthful of wine. His face instantly flushed, and he
began coughing violently. It seemed that he really was quite sad about his name.

Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine himself, then smiled as he replied, “My name is Chen
Ping'an, Ping'an as in safety.”

1. The Er (二) in Fan Er's name is literally the number 2. ☜

The Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island ship was scheduled to depart in six days, while the
Sun Clan's Mountain and Sea Turtle had already set off.

Chen Ping'an had originally planned to go and see the Mountain and Sea Turtle for
himself, but given how chaotic a place Old Dragon City was and the massive
spectacle that Zheng Dafeng had created through his recent breakthrough, he
decided to refrain from causing trouble and gulped down his curiosity along with his
wine.

Over the next couple of days, the boy from the Fan Clan continued to visit the Dust
Medicinal Shop every day, carrying flagons of osmanthus wine with him while
seeking instruction in the martial arts from Zheng Dafeng. Normally, Zheng Dafeng
was never very serious, but when it came to discussions surrounding martial arts, he
turned into a completely different person.

His choice of words was still a little fancy, but as Chen Ping'an listened to their
conversations, he felt like Zheng Dafeng's advice was indeed very beneficial to the
boy at his current stage of martial arts development. In fact, it was no exaggeration
to say that Zheng Dafeng was imparting valuable words of wisdom.

However, none of what Zheng Dafeng said was very useful to Chen Ping'an, and he
was left feeling a little perplexed by the end.

Zheng Dafeng didn't mind having Chen Ping'an overhear his conversations with the
boy from the Fan Clan. In fact, he was hoping that Chen Ping'an wouldn't be able to
suppress the urge to get involved and instruct the boy himself.

If Chen Ping'an could step in and replace him as the boy's Dao mentor, then he would
be free to do whatever he wanted, which was mostly to rush back to the shop to
continue harassing his female employees. Unfortunately for him, all Chen Ping'an did
was listen, but he never said anything, and it was as if he wasn't proud of his own
fourth tier cultivation base at all.
That made Zheng Dafeng even more disdainful of Chen Ping'an. He was such a young
boy, yet he had more composure than a boring old monk! How was anyone supposed
to warm up to a boy like him?

If it weren't for the fact that Chen Ping'an was his Dao mentor, he would've chased
Chen Ping'an out of the shop long ago, then left the shop himself to go and live at the
Fan Manor as an esteemed guest. Over there, he would be fawned over by a whole
host of beautiful women, and that thought was even more appealing than the
osmanthus wine that he was drinking.

On this day, Fan Er had only just had some of his questions in martial arts cultivation
answered by Zheng Dafeng before the latter rushed back to the shop to chat up some
girls. Hence, Fan Er struck up a conversation with Chen Ping'an, and the two boys sat
under the eave so that they were out of the sun.

As the head of the Sun Clan, Sun Jiashu had a very heavy responsibility on his
shoulders, and his words and actions reflected this. Everything that he did was
designed to make others comfortable in his presence. In contrast, Fan Er was far
more innocent, but not so much that he was completely unaware of the hardships of
the average person.

He was also very smart and outgoing, and overall, it was clear that he had been
raised well. His parents were most likely very easygoing people as well, as evidenced
by the name that they had given Fan Er.

Whenever Fan Er spoke of his older sister, Fan Junmao, his eyes would always be full
of admiration. Even though he and his sister were only half-siblings that had been
born to different mothers and despite the fact that they were both members of an
extremely wealthy clan, he was still very fond of his sister's mother.

He always said that his own birth mother spoiled him too much and was too lenient
on him, and while he enjoyed this treatment, he was worried that he would never be
able to grow up. In contrast, his sister's mother also doted on him, but taught him
many principles on top of that and was always very objective and reasoned in her
approach to educating him.

Whenever he did something right in his studies, his martial arts practice, or anything
else, she would praise him and tell him what he had done right. However, if he made
a mistake, then she would treat him like an adult. Instead of scolding or abusing him,
she would tell him what he had done wrong in a calm and earnest fashion, so Fan Er
respected her from the bottom of his heart.

Even though the two boys had only known each other for a few days, Fan Er was very
willing to open up to Chen Ping'an and tell him about his life.

As for Chen Ping'an, he was also more than happy to hear Fan Er's stories, and he
would listen in silence while sipping on wine. Initially, Fan Er was worried that he
was boring Chen Ping'an, but he quickly came to realize that Chen Ping'an was
genuinely fond of hearing him talk, and that encouraged him to open up even further.

In return, Chen Ping'an also told Fan Er many of the stories from his own childhood,
including how he had worked as a kiln laborer and how he had traversed the
mountains as a child.

The questions that Fan Er raised after hearing Chen Ping'an's stories were often very
amusing and difficult to predict. “You eat clay? Does that taste good? Is it as good as
rice? Forget it, it doesn't matter as long as it can fill my belly! Can you teach me
which types of clay taste the best? That way, before I'm denied meals as punishment
from my parents, I'll be able to scoop up a large pouch of clay on the way to the
ancestral hall!

“Can you produce a piece of chinaware on your own from start to finish? That's
amazing! When I become an adult, you have to give me a piece of chinaware that you
made yourself! It doesn't have to be too fancy or complicated, just make me a wine
cup or teacup, as long as others can recognize what it is. That way, I'll be able to
show off the cup to them and tell them that it was handmade by my friend. They'll be
dying of envy!

“What's a skywell? What happens if it rains or snows? Can you keep things like fish
and crabs in the pond under the skywell?”

Chen Ping'an answered Fan Er's questions one by one, then smiled as he said
something that made Fan Er absolutely ecstatic. “I have a good friend called Liu
Xianyang. He's a real bigshot nowadays, and he's already gone to Southern Whirl
Continent on his own. He taught me how to make traps and craft bows and arrows. I
can introduce you to him if the opportunity arises.”

Fan Er immediately nodded eagerly in response, and he couldn't wait to learn how to
make traps and bows and arrows himself.

He was already beginning to consider what he would do if Chen Ping'an were to

bring Liu Xianyang to the Fan Manor someday. He was considering where the two of
them were going to stay, what they were going to eat and drink every day, which
places in Old Dragon City they were going to visit….

After that, Fan Er was absent from the Dust Medicinal Shop for a day.

Late at night, the medicinal shop had already closed for the day quite some time ago,
and Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng were in the main room in the backyard, eating a
meal that had been cooked for them by a woman.

Zheng Dafeng wanted to show off to Chen Ping'an by making the woman fall head
over heels for him with his handsome looks so that she would waive the fee for
cooking the meal, but the woman stoically turned down his advances and insisted
that he paid her in full, not even willing to offer a discount of a single copper coin.

Zheng Dafeng was holding his chopsticks in one hand and his wine cup in the other
as he casually asked, “Did you have fun chatting about all that useless stuff with Fan
Er?”

Chen Ping'an carefully chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth, then set down
his chopsticks as he replied, “I did.”

A disdainful look appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face, but in the end, he was unable to
suppress his curiosity as he asked, “Say, it hasn't even been that long since I left Jewel
Small World, how did you manage to get so many treasures during that time? Did
you just blindly run into one stroke of fortune after another?”

“Why should I tell you? I'm not close with you,” Chen Ping'an retorted.

“So you're close with Fan Er then?” Zheng Dafeng countered as he raised an eyebrow.

“I'm closer with him than I am with you,” Chen Ping'an replied.

Zheng Dafeng grimaced as he sighed, “The old man sure did you a massive favor by
selling Fifteenth to you.”

Chen Ping'an offered no retort to this.

Seeing as he had already broken character, Zheng Dafeng decided that he had
nothing to lose, so he continued asking, “So you're no longer friends with Sun Jiashu,
is that right?”

Chen Ping'an nodded in response.

Zheng Dafeng smiled as he asked, “Are you not going to try and salvage the
friendship with him? I can't say he's very smart, but he's certainly extremely rich!
Even if you only become casual friends with him, you won't have to worry about food
and lodging anytime you come to Old Dragon City in the future.”

“That's about the extent of what he can offer me,” Chen Ping'an replied with a shake
of his head.

After a brief hesitation, Chen Ping'an added, “Sun Jiashu isn't a bad person, it's just
that he's not sufficiently earnest when it comes to certain things. If I were a
businessman, I wouldn't dare to make any major deals with him. For someone like
him, he sets a price tag on everyone he encounters, and he knows roughly how much
the people around him are worth.

“Ultimately, no matter how close someone is with him, he'll only regard them as a
business asset. Who's to say that he won't just sell someone someday for his own
benefit? Of course, I don't know him that well, so I could be wrong in my assessment
here. In any case, he no longer has anything to do with me.”

Zheng Dafeng smiled as he said, “I'm surprised that you think of this in such simple
terms, and I'm also surprised that you think so badly of him. He's going to be going to
some very high places in the future. If you pass up on a friendship with him, that will
be an unfortunate loss for both of you. If you don't believe me, then we'll wait and
see and let time do the talking.”

“When you say an unfortunate loss, are you talking about a financial loss?” Chen
Ping'an asked.

Zheng Dafeng plopped a foot down onto the bench beside him, then asked, “What
else could I be talking about? Is money not the driving force behind fulfilling every
desire? You think you can cultivate without money? You think you can buy things
without money?”

“If it's only money I'm missing out on, then there's really no need for me to befriend
Sun Jiashu,” Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.

Zheng Dafeng was aware of what Chen Ping'an was implying. It seemed that he was a
bundle of contradictions as he was extremely stingy, but also extraordinarily
generous to those that he cherished.

However, these two types of behavior weren't exactly in conflict with each other.
Ultimately, the only thing that a cultivator had to ensure was that the Great Dao that
they walked was balanced. As long as that was the case, one could even casually skip
along and still eventually reach the mountain summit.

Even though Chen Ping'an and Sun Jiashu had parted ways, that didn't necessarily
mean that one was better than the other, or one was good, while the other was bad.
Instead, it simply meant that they were walking different paths.

Zheng Dafeng had a very good grasp on Chen Ping'an's personality, and that was why
he couldn't bring himself to warm up to the boy. Li Er was very fond of Chen Ping'an,
but it was the opposite for Zheng Dafeng. Even so, he had to admit that Chen
Ping'an's path had to be acknowledged as it had brought him to this point. How
many people under the heavens could serve as Zheng Dafeng's Dao mentor?

Old Man Yang could, but he didn't want to. He was willing to accept Zheng Dafeng as
his disciple, but he stoically refused to go even an inch beyond that.

Chen Ping'an wasn't necessarily willing to be Zheng Dafeng's Dao mentor, either, but
it had simply turned out that way thanks to fate.

With that in mind, Zheng Dafeng couldn't help but think of some distant scenes,
some of which he had already seen with his own eyes up close, while others were
still quite far away for now.

All of a sudden, he lost his patience, and he decided to end this incredibly boring
conversation as he declared, “I'll be sure to return the five copper coins that I owe
you before you depart on Osmanthus Island, and the compensation will definitely be
fair.

“In addition, I'll also be repaying you for your contribution in my breakthrough.
Seeing as the old man didn't explicitly instruct me to serve as your Dao guardian,
we'll go our separate ways once you step onto Osmanthus Island.”
Chen Ping'an had no objections to this, and he nodded in response.

Zheng Dafeng picked up his pipe and lit it. Initially, he had found it rather boring and
cumbersome, but now that the habit had been formed, he had grown rather fond of
it. No wonder the old man was constantly puffing on his pipe.

A reminiscent look appeared in his eyes as he thought back to his recent

breakthrough. After emerging above the sea of clouds, he had very nearly attempted
a second breakthrough to the 10th tier, but what he saw above the sea of clouds
dissuaded him from doing so.

In order to progress to the 10th tier, a martial artist had to Ram the Heavenly Gate,
so it made sense that a ninth tier martial artist would be able to see the Heavenly
Gate. However, Zheng Dafeng was convinced that the Heavenly Gate that he had seen
was most definitely different from any that other 10th martial artists had witnessed
in the past.

The Heavenly Gate had appeared, but it wasn't the only thing there.

At the time, Zheng Dafeng had seen an enormous pillar in front of the Heavenly Gate.
There was a Divine General clad in a suit of armor pinned to the pillar by a sword.
The Divine General had a set of indistinct facial features, and the entire pillar was
stained with his golden blood.

Zheng Dafeng had looked up at the impaled corpse at the time, and for an instant, he
felt as if the Divine General had sprung back to life, then looked straight into his eyes
and uttered a single word.

Go!

In that instant, Zheng Dafeng was struck by a sense of irrepressible horror, horror
that was so poignant that it had almost sent him tumbling back down to the eighth
tier.

At the time, Fu Qi's arrival had freed him from that predicament, and at this moment,
it was Chen Ping'an's question snapping him out of his train of thought.

“Zheng Dafeng, I was beaten to the third tier punch by punch, so I know what it takes
to establish a solid foundation. Fan Er's foundation as a third tier martial artist is
clearly unsound, so why aren't you helping him?”
Zheng Dafeng turned to Chen Ping'an with a stunned expression, then suddenly
burst into laughter. “You think Fan Er's martial arts foundation is unsound?”

Chen Ping'an's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this. “Could it be even worse
than I thought?”

Zheng Dafeng almost choked on the smoke from his pipe as he chortled, “Unsound
my arse! Setting aside myself, Senior Brother Li Er, and Song Changjing, Fan Er's
foundation can be considered exceptional compared to any martial artist on Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent!

“On top of that, he's a martial arts prodigy, yet you're saying his foundation is
unsound? In that case, all pure martial artists on Eastern Treasured Vial Continent
should just hang themselves to avoid embarrassment!”

Chen Ping'an was still rather skeptical upon hearing this. He couldn't help but feel as
if Zheng Dafeng were trying to shift responsibility. In his eyes, all Zheng Dafeng did
was harass his female employees, and he didn't seem to be willing to pay any
attention to Fan Er at all.

Zheng Dafeng smiled as he continued, “If I recall correctly, back when Li Er was at
the third tier, even his foundation was a tiny bit inferior to yours. Having said that,
that's nothing for you to be proud of. At the moment, you've only shown yourself to
be outstanding at the third tier, whereas Li Er's foundation as a ninth tier martial
artist was unmatched under the heavens, and I could say the same about my own
eighth tier foundation.

“I'm really curious now. Who was it that managed to beat such a ridiculously solid
foundation into you at just the third tier? Surely the old man didn't summon Li Er
back to Jewel Small World to teach you himself!”

“It was someone else,” Chen Ping'an replied with a shake of his head.

Zheng Dafeng was even more intrigued, and he set down his pipe as he asked, “How
did that person hone your body and soul?”

Chen Ping'an's expression changed slightly upon hearing this question. Just the
thought of the suffering that he had endured in the bamboo building on
Downtrodden Mountain was enough to put him in a bad mood.
Zheng Dafeng smiled as he encouraged, “Come on, tell me! You don't have to go into
too much detail. If you tell me, on top of everything else, I'll give you a
swordsmanship manual. It's just an elementary one, but it's also renowned as the
most reliable.

“The old man got the manual from a Yin god who had once been a swordsman prior
to death, and Li Er, Li Liu, and I have all studied it in the past. However, it was useless
to me, and the old man secured it primarily for Li Liu, but it could be useful to you as
well.”

Chen Ping'an took a moment to gather his thoughts, then said, “The process of
honing the body and the soul is about as simple as grinding glutinous rice down into
powder. That's it, it's up to you whether you believe me or not. However, after that,
there were some things that I had to do.”

Chen Ping'an brought his thumb and index finger together as he spoke, then pointed
at his own arm as he continued, “I had to peel off my own skin and pluck out my own
tendons one inch at a time without blinking even once.

“There was no need for me to completely tear off my skin, nor did I have to
completely pull my tendons off the bone. Instead, someone would tell me when to
stop, and after that, I would be carried into a medicinal bath, after which my injuries
would heal very quickly.”

“How many times did you have to do this in total?” Zheng Dafeng asked.

“Too many times to count,” Chen Ping'an replied. “I had to do it every single day.”

A flabbergasted look appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face, following which he erupted

into laughter. “That's fantastic! Just the thought of all of the suffering that you had to
go through is putting me in a great mood! You can have the sword manual, and I
promise you that I won't tamper with it before I give it to you.”

Chen Ping'an rolled his eyes in response, finding Zheng Dafeng to be a very boring
person.

What other type of person would spend all day running a medicinal shop that never
made any money?

It took a very long time for Zheng Dafeng to finally suppress his laughter, following
which he said, “Fan Er's aptitude is not inferior to yours, but when it comes to his
mentality, he's not as strong in that area, which is inevitable, considering his
background and upbringing.

“This may sound a little harsh, but compared with you and me, he's sturdy on the
outside, but fragile on the inside. If he had to go through the same training that you
did, he would break.”

Zheng Dafeng squeezed his wine cup between two of his fingers, instantly crushing it
into powder, following which he asked, “Is martial arts more important or is one's
life more important?”

Chen Ping'an stood up and began to clear the table, while a grim look appeared on
Zheng Dafeng's face.

He had suddenly discovered that the circumstances behind the shattering of Chen
Ping'an's bonded porcelain were very complicated, even more so than he imagined.

All of a sudden, a sense of sympathy toward Chen Ping'an welled up in Zheng

Dafeng's heart.

The name that he had been given seemed completely ironic, given that his life up to
this point had been anything but safe and secure.

“Who do you look like more, Chen Ping'an? Your father or your mother?” Zheng
Dafeng asked in a casual manner.

“According to my neighbors, I look more like my mother,” Chen Ping'an replied.

He then took a glance at Zheng Dafeng before continuing, “No matter who I look like,
they're definitely better-looking than you'll ever be.”

“Piss off!” Zheng Dafeng snapped, and the tiny hint of sympathy that had welled up
in his heart instantly faded away.
Back on the Dragon Scaling Platform, City Lord Fu Qi had departed to see what was
happening above the sea of clouds, and he was still yet to return. The Golden Core
Tier guest elder cultivating in the thatch hut had then emerged from his hut to arrive
by Fu Nanhua's side, and only then did Fu Nanhua realize that something wasn't
quite right.

He could see that the guest elder was intently scrutinizing a man slowly approaching
from afar. The man had a sword slung across his back and was walking along in a
casual manner, looking like an outsider who had come here for sightseeing. Fu
Nanhua was unable to glean the man's cultivation base, and he asked in a low voice,
“Is his cultivation base really high?”

The guest elder had been assigned with the task of overseeing the Dragon Scaling
Platform on his own, so he was naturally a very formidable cultivator. He possessed
two treasures that enhanced both his offensive and defensive capabilities, making
him one of the most powerful figures in the entirety of Old Dragon City, but at this
moment, there was a solemn look on his face as he replied, “I presume so.”

Fu Nanhua was stunned to hear this. It was a very brief response, but it was one that
was very much worth mulling over. The fact that the guest elder was forced to make
presumptions indicated that even as a Golden Core Tier cultivator, he was unable to
glean the man's true cultivation base, which meant that the latter definitely had a
superior cultivation base.

What was most alarming about him was the sword on his back. Even if he was only
at the Nascent Tier, if he was a swordsman, then he would still pose a major threat to
the entire city.

“Is he an enemy?” Fu Nanhua asked.

“I don't think so,” the guest elder replied.

The man continued to casually walk over from afar, completely disregarding the fact
that this was a restricted area stipulated by the Fu Clan. He passed straight through
the invisible restrictions in the area, then made his way over to Fu Nanhua and the
guest elder before smiling as he gave a self-introduction. “My name is Xu Ruo. I come
from the Great Li Empire, and I'm currently staying at your clan's manor.”

An enlightened look instantly appeared on Fu Nanhua's face. Back when the ship
from the Great Li Empire had descended upon the Fu City, only a select few members
of the Fu Clan had been granted the honor of welcoming the esteemed guests of the
Great Li Empire, and Fu Nanhua hadn't been among that select group.

He knew that his father must have his reasons for not including him in that group, so
he pretended to be oblivious to all of this. However, he was well aware of who Xu Ruo
was. He wasn't Xu Ruo of the Great Li Empire, he was Xu Ruo of Mohism, and after
hearing this self-introduction, Fu Nanhua hurriedly suppressed his excitement as he
cupped his fist in a salute, “Fu Nanhua pays his respects to Senior Xu Ruo!”

Xuo Ruo returned his salute with a smile, following which Fu Nanhua turned to the
guest elder with a reassuring smile.

To his surprise, there was a stunned look on the guest elder's face, and he seemed to
be even more reverent toward Xu Ruo than Fu Nanhua was, extending a deep bow as
he said, “I am Chu Yang, a member of Middle Earth Divine Continent's Cuiwei Chu
Clan. Please allow me to express the utmost gratitude to you on behalf of my clan,
Senior Xu!”

Xu Ruo was rather amused. While it was true that he had saved the Chu Clan from
the harassment of an immortal sect, he had only done so on a spur of the moment
decision as he just so happened to be passing through the area. He waved a
dismissive hand as he said, “There's no need to thank me, I was only acting in
accordance with the teachings of Mohism.”

The guest elder remained in a deep bow as he insisted in a trembling voice, “Even so,
you have still done our Chu Clan a great kindness. If you hadn't stepped in, then I
would've been without a home to return to on Middle Earth Divine Continent! Given
your immense powers and generosity, this is naturally not something significant in
your eyes, but I'll never forget what you've done for our Chu Clan for as long as I
live!”

“Alright, I appreciate the thought, but you can't just keep bowing to me forever,” Xu
Ruo sighed in an exasperated manner. In terms of physical appearances, it looked as
if the guest elder was old enough to be Xu Ruo's father.

He finally stood up straight again as he smiled and said, “I never thought that I would
get to meet you on Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, Senior Xu. I'll admit that I was
growing quite discontent toward the Fu Clan after cultivating in this thatch hut for
the past few decades, but it seems like it was all worth it!”

Fu Nanhua didn't know how to react to this.

As expected of the most powerful Golden Core Tier cultivator in Old Dragon City, his
temper was still just as foul as ever!

At the same time, a myriad of emotions welled up in Fu Nanhua's heart. Back when
Chu Yang first arrived in Old Dragon City, he had been extremely domineering,
making an enemy out of a major clan in Old Dragon City over what was really
nothing more than a trivial matter. A fierce battle had ensued with Chu Yang
managing to hold his own against the entire clan, and in the end, Fu Qi had to step in
to mediate the conflict.

First, he personally fought Chu Yang in a battle, then offered him an enormous
amount of wealth. To sweeten the deal even further, he even allowed Chu Yang to
cultivate on the revered Dragon Scaling Platform, and only then did Chu Yang
reluctantly agree to serve as a guest elder for the Fu Clan.

Despite Fu Qi's sincerity, Chu Yang had made it clear that he wouldn't be offering the
Fu Clan any assistance unless the livelihood of the entire clan was under threat.
Furthermore, if anyone from the Fu Clan dared to extort him or try and force him to
do anything against his will, then he would leave immediately. Ultimately, the Fu Clan
was forced to agree to these terms.

However, at this moment, Chu Yang was regarding Xu Ruo with the same level of awe
and veneration as Fu Nanhua felt toward Chu Yang.

With that in mind, a wild thought suddenly occurred to Fu Nanhua. Did Xu Ruo also
have someone that he revered from the bottom of his heart? If he were to meet that
person, would he also look up to them in admiration and willingly refer to himself as
a junior in their presence?

Despite his best efforts, Fu Nanhua couldn't imagine such a scene.

Xu Ruo didn't bother to exchange any small talk with the guest elder as he made his
way directly toward the Dragon Scaling Platform.

Chu Yang displayed no intention of informing Xu Ruo that the platform was a
restricted area, and Fu Nanhua wanted to speak up, but ultimately decided against it.

Following the sudden descent of the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City, Fu Qi
quickly returned to the Dragon Slaying Platform and appeared beside Fu Nanhua.
Looking up at Xu Ruo, who was making his way up to the platform, Fu Qi wasn't
displeased in the slightest. Instead, returned straight to the city with Fu Nanhua. As
for the Golden Core Tier guest elder, he gave Fu Qi a slight nod, then also returned to
his seaside thatch hut to continue his cultivation.

Fu Qi was very content to leave Xu Ruo with Zhi Gui not just because he knew that he
couldn't stand in Xu Ruo's way even if he wanted to, but also because of Xu Ruo's
identity as a Mohist.

Traveling Mohist heroes had always had an immaculate reputation across the land.

By the time Xu Ruo was most of the way up the staircase, Zhi Gui had already begun
coming down from the Dragon Scaling Platform. She was dressed in clean and
refreshing maidservant garbs, and there was no longer any blood flowing out of her
eyes.

The two of them soon arrived on the same step on the staircase, following which Xu
Ruo stopped in his tracks, then began to accompany Zhi Gui down the staircase as he
quietly cautioned, “In the eyes of certain Confucian sages, your ascent onto the
platform can be seen as a provocation against the rules.”

For some reason, in the presence of Xu Ruo, Zhi Gui wasn't bothering to hide her true
personality at all, and there was a cold look on her face as she replied, “I was able to
crawl out of that well and leave Jewel Small World alive, so that means that the sages
have already accepted my survival. In that case, is it really important whether I've
scaled that platform or not?”

Before Xu Ruo had a chance to say anything, Zhi Gui had already answered her own
question. “I don't think that's important at all.”

Xu Ruo offered no response to this.

Zhi Gui smiled as she continued, “Out of all of the Hundred Schools of Thought,
Mohism was the only one….”

All of a sudden, Xu Ruo drew his sword a couple of inches out of its scabbard, and the
entirety of the Dragon Scaling Platform was instantly completely enveloped within
an enormous invisible river, one that was so powerful and turbulent that it had
forced back a wave that had been crashing toward the shore with immense power.
The Golden Core Tier guest elder's eyes instantly sprang open as he sat in his thatch
hut, but he then quickly closed them again.

“Your swordsmanship is indeed quite exceptional, and I can see that you have even
further potential for improvement, but your aura really can't match up against the
founder of Mohism,” Zhi Gui chuckled.

Xu Ruo's brows furrowed slightly as he said in a stern voice, “That's enough! You run
the risk of going too far if you don't restrain yourself. Don't forget that this is
Majestic World.”

“How could I forget?” Zhi Gui replied as her eyes narrowed slightly. “This is an
ancient battlefield filled with so many bodies that if they were to be all piled up, the
resulting mountain would be even taller than Tassel Mountain of Middle Earth
Divine Continent, and there's more blood flowing over this battlefield than this vast
river that you've summoned.”

Xu Ruo stopped in his tracks, and a rare hint of frustration appeared on his face as he
snapped, “Did Mr. Qi of Mountain Cliff Academy not teach you a lesson?!”

Zhi Gui continued onward without pause as she replied, “He did. He loves lecturing
others, but I'm not fond of listening to his lessons.”

Xu Ruo followed along behind Zhi Gui in silence, and in the instant that she set foot
onto the final step of the staircase, the vast river of sword intent instantly vanished,
reflecting Xu Ruo's exceptional control over his sword intent.

Back when he was facing off against Wei Jin of Wind Snow Temple, who had only just
reached the Unpolished Jade Tier back then, he had also only pushed his sword
slightly out of his scabbard, unleashing a tall mountain of sword intent to ward off
Wei Jin's attack. On that occasion, it appeared that they had been evenly matched,
but it was clear that Xu Ruo hadn't used anywhere near his full power at the time.
It had been far too many years since Xu Ruo had completely drawn his sword.

Back in Red Candle Town in the Great Li Empire, Xu Ruo had encountered A'Liang,
and as they were drinking together, Xu Ruo wanted to show A'Liang his
swordsmanship so that the latter could offer him some guidance. However, A'Liang
had merely smiled and told him to continue accumulating the energy, essence, and
spirit in his scabbard instead of squandering it.

As soon as he heard this, Xu Ruo realized just how massive the disparity between the
two of them was.

If he weren't bound by his status as a follower of Mohism, he would've definitely

traveled to the Sword Qi Great Wall as well.

The sword immortals standing atop that great wall were completely different from
the sword immortals of Majestic World's nine continents.

It was a place that Xu Ruo had always longed to visit, and it suddenly occurred to him
that perhaps he could take advantage of this opportunity to pay Stalactite Mountain
a visit.

However, he then took a glance at Zhi Gui before heaving an internal sigh and
banishing the idea out of his mind. On the outside, she appeared to be a frail little
girl, but she was very troublesome to deal with.

She was certainly not just some little girl.

Xu Ruo stopped in his tracks once again, seemingly no longer intending to escort her
back to the Fu Clan.

Zhi Gui turned to her with a perplexed expression, but Xu Ruo remained standing on
the spot.

She didn't know why he had suddenly decided against following her, but it didn't
matter to her anyway, and she quickly turned back around and continued onward.

Following her departure, Xu Ruo also turned back and returned to the Dragon
Scaling Platform, then made his way up to its highest point. This was the place where
the final True Dragon had descended upon this world. After that, it had fled all the
way to the north, carving out that dragon channel. Ultimately, it had fallen to its
demise in the Great Li Empire before it was able to enter the sea and make its way to
Complete Reed Continent.

Xu Ruo didn't know how far Zhi Gui was going to be able to go on this occasion.

————

On this day, the Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island ship was scheduled to set sail at dusk.

Fan Er had personally come to bid farewell to Chen Ping'an, and the two of them
began traveling out of Old Dragon City on horseback early in the morning.

Zheng Dafeng had left a cloth pouch at the door of Chen Ping'an's room the night
before, then skipped breakfast so that he could sleep through the morning. He was
determined to let no one interrupt his sleep, and he paid no heed to Fan Er's door-
knocking and Chen Ping'an's parting visit.

Out of the six intercontinental ships of Old Dragon City, including Osmanthus Island,
none of them were at the end of the street owned by the Sun Clan outside the city.
Instead, they were docked on a large island located around 20 kilometers south of
Old Dragon City, and one had to take another ship just to reach the island.

While waiting for the ship to the island, the two boys sat in a carriage prepared by
the Fan Clan, and Fan Er sneakily pulled out a money pouch before handing to Chen
Ping'an as he said in a quiet voice, “My parents are really strict with my finances, so I
don't have much money. This is all I have. I'm not being stingy or lying to you, I
swear!

“These golden ingots were all given to me as lucky money for new years, and my
parents only turned a blind eye to them as they had been given to me in secret by
some close seniors, and they weren't immortal currencies like snowflake coins or
lesser heat coins. Also, I've snuck out two flagons of osmanthus wine for you to drink
during the journey.

“The coach driver, Grandpa Ma, hid them for me in his pocket treasure, and he'll give
them to you once you reach Osmanthus Island. Of course, given how close you are
with me and Mr. Zheng, you'll be able to drink as much wine as you like on
Osmanthus Island, but this is a private gift from me, so it's not the same thing.”

Chen Ping'an shook his head as he said, “I'll accept the wine, but you can keep the
money.”

Fan Er was a little saddened to hear this. “Why? Surely you're not the type of person
who would be offended because the amount I'm offering you is too little! Isn't it
always the thought that counts between friends like us? I've been saving up lucky
money for five or six years, and honestly, I was pretty sad to part with all this money.”

Chen Ping'an gently bumped Fan Er on the shoulder, then lowered his voice as he
asked, “Is there any flower wine to be drunk in Old Dragon City? Once we're a little
older….”

Fan Er's eyes immediately lit up, and a knowing look appeared on his face as he
assured, “Don't worry, I'll make sure to save up some more gold ingots before your
next visit!”

A serious look appeared on Chen Ping'an's face as he said, “A very good friend of
mine told me that flower wine is the best-tasting wine under the heavens, and that it
would be a massive waste not to taste it at least once in one's lifetime. But when the
time comes, we'll only be drinking wine, understood?”

“For sure!” Fan Er replied as he mirrored Chen Ping'an's serious expression.

As it turned out, beyond the large island blocking the view of Old Dragon City was
another island, one that was riddled with fragrant osmanthus trees, as well as
elegant and intricate pagodas and pavilions.

The two islands were connected by a wide road that spanned over the sea, and all of
the other carriages were forced to draw to a halt on one end of the road, but this
carriage was able to travel straight to Osmanthus Island. In doing so, it attracted
much attention from the surrounding bystanders, but after they identified the old
coach driver, none of them dared to raise any complaints.

The carriage slowly drew to a halt, and Chen Ping'an and Fan Er disembarked,
following which the latter said with a sullen expression, “I won't accompany you
onto the ship, Chen Ping'an. I've stolen quite a few flagons of my father's osmanthus
wine of late. I've exhausted the stash that he's been painstakingly keeping secret
from my sister's mother, so I'm definitely going to be sent to the ancestral hall as
punishment tonight….”

“Don't eat any clay!” Chen Ping'an hurriedly said. “I was joking when I told you that
you could eat clay in the place of food!”

Fan Er was astonished, following which he became even more depressed as he

wailed, “I dug up so much clay last night to stash under my bed! Was that a waste of
time?”

Chen Ping'an burst into laughter upon hearing this, then accepted the two flagons of
wine from the benevolent-looking old coach driver. He began walking backward
toward Osmanthus Island while still facing Fan Er as he waved him farewell.

Fan Er also began waving at him as he yelled, “I think you have a really good name,
Chen Ping'an. Just like my name, you can really tell that your parents put a lot of
thought into your name!”

Chen Ping'an's expression immediately darkened slightly as he turned around and

began rushing toward Osmanthus Island.

“That's what you get for lying to me about eating clay!” Fan Er mused to himself in a
triumphant voice, then turned around to face the old coach driver as he smiled and
said, “Take me straight to the ancestral hall, Grandpa Ma!”

In this moment, Fan Er was feeling very proud of himself. It seemed that from
stealing and drinking his father's wine, he had grown a lot more courageous!

The old coach driver was suppressing his amusement as he replied, “Your father says
that you don't have to go to the ancestral hall this time.”

Fan Er clasped his fingers together behind the back of his head upon hearing this,
and he didn't know whether he should be glad or annoyed.

The old coach driver took a glance at Fan Er, then turned his gaze to Chen Ping'an,
who had already stepped onto Osmanthus Island, and suddenly felt like the weather
was particularly good on this day.

Chen Ping'an began to make his way up the mountain, and he felt like with each step
that he took, he was a step closer to Ning Yao.

Encouraged by that thought, he began to scale the mountain faster and faster, all the
way until he reached the summit of Osmanthus Island. From there, he inspected his
surroundings before suddenly taking a deep breath and holding it.
He suddenly recalled something that Cui Chan's grandfather had told him.

“When this breath is exhaled, it should force heaven and earth to change colors! It
should force immortals to kneel and kowtow! It should force all of the martial artists in
the world to feel as if you are the paramount heavens!”

He then thought of something that Song Yushao had once said to him.

“Chen Ping'an, if a girl ever tells you that you're a good person, that means you have no
chance with her anymore!”

Chen Ping'an was instantly feeling a little deflated, and was left scratching his own
head.

In the end, he recalled something that he himself had said: “My father's surname is
Chen, and my mother's surname is also Chen, so…. my name is Chen Ping'an!”

He then squatted down and began chugging down wine in a frustrated manner as he
murmured to himself, “You're a real idiot, Chen Ping'an!”
There was a badge crafted out of osmanthus wood hanging from Chen Ping'an's
waist. On the front of the badge was engraved a rather strange phrase, which read:
“grown under the moonlight, blooming under the sun,” while the other side of the
badge read: “osmanthus guest of the Fan Clan.”

It was rather strange that “osmanthus guest” was being used here as opposed to
“esteemed guest.”[1] Furthermore, the wooden badge, which had been personally
given to Chen Ping'an by Fan Er, also carried an inscription that read “friend of Fan
Er” in small text. It was clear that Fan Er had made this inscription.

It didn't take long before someone arrived to greet Chen Ping'an. It was a middle-
aged woman who carried herself in a very elegant fashion, and there was nothing
lascivious or seductive about her.

Even though she wasn't particularly beautiful, she had an exceptional, refined
disposition, and Chen Ping'an could tell that she was a Qi refiner of the Middle Five
Tiers.

She introduced herself as one of the administrators on Osmanthus Island, and told
Chen Ping'an that he could refer to her as Aunt Gui, Gui as in “osmanthus.”[2] Chen
Ping'an was happy to oblige, and he told Aunt Gui that he was going to be in her care
on this journey to Stalactite Mountain.

Aunt Gui pointed at the wooden badge hanging from Chen Ping'an's waist as she
explained, “That's an osmanthus guest badge that only our clan leader can hand out,
and with that badge, all purchases you make on Osmanthus Island will be 30% off.”

A hint of amusement then appeared in her eyes as she continued with an affectionate
smile, “Fan Er also told me to take extra good care of you, so you can have a 40%
discount instead.”
Chen Ping'an nodded in response, but internally, he had already decided that he
wasn't going to be buying anything else on this intercontinental journey unless it
was something that really caught his eye.

After all, Fan Er regarded him as a friend, and he had to reciprocate those feelings,
rather than take excessive advantage of Fan Er's friendship to abuse the 40%
discount he had been given. When it came to business dealings between friends, it
was very difficult to gauge what was acceptable and what wasn't, and that was not
Chen Ping'an's forte.

Aunt Gui led Chen Ping'an to a large manor called the Osmanthus Palace, and on the
way there, she introduced to Chen Ping'an the things that he could expect to find on
Osmanthus Island, particularly mentioning that he had to taste the osmanthus cakes
and osmanthus wines on offer on the ship.

Those two things were readily available in the manor that had been assigned to Chen
Ping'an, and all he had to do was ask for them from the maidservant in the manor.

Chen Ping'an didn't refuse this offer, patting his Sword Nurturing Gourd with a smile
as he said, “I'll definitely be having some wine.”

Aunt Gui took a glance at the wine gourd strapped to Chen Ping'an's waist as she
smiled and nodded in response.

There were over 1,000 osmanthus trees on Osmanthus Island, and the ancestor tree
on the mountain summit was even older than Old Dragon City, having been
personally planted by an Agrarian immortal from Middle Earth Divine Continent.

Osmanthus Island had been able to travel between continents for over 1,000 years
without being destroyed, and on top of that, it had been slowly growing this entire
time thanks to the spread of the roots of the osmanthus trees on the island and the
special method with which the Fan Clan had been adding soil to the island. This
could all be attributed to that ancestor osmanthus tree.

On top of that, the reason the osmanthus wine of the Fan Clan was so cherished and
expensive was that the osmanthus flowers used to brew the wine all came from
osmanthus trees that were at least 1,000 years old.

Occasionally, some of the wealthy merchants on Eastern Treasured Vial Continent on

good terms with the Fan Clan were able to purchase some of this wine, and it was
often saved for their personal collections or to be used as presents.

After passing through the gate of the Osmanthus Palace, Aunt Gui led Chen Ping'an
through a series of corridors and passageways. The courtyard wasn't particularly
lavish or opulent, but it was very elegant and well constructed.

Finally, Aunt Gui led Chen Ping'an to a courtyard named Guimai, where she
explained, “The veins in the leaves of osmanthus trees resemble the Gui, a Confucian
ceremonial artifact, and that's where the name of osmanthus was derived from.[3]
The courtyard isn't very large, but it's where the spiritual energy on the Osmanthus
Island is most abundant.”

Chen Ping'an felt like this was a bit of a waste. After all, he wasn't a Qi refiner, so it
didn't really matter whether he stayed somewhere with sparse or abundant spiritual
energy.

Instead, it would be much better for someone who could actually benefit from the
spiritual energy to stay here. With that in mind, he said, “Aunt Gui, I'm a pure martial
artist, so it would be too much of a waste for me to stay here. How about I move to a
different courtyard?”

Aunt Gui smiled as she replied, “It's not a matter of money, so don't feel guilty about
staying here. Given how close you've become with our young master, I wouldn't be
surprised even if this becomes your private courtyard and isn't made available to
anyone else traveling on Osmanthus Island.”

The notion that this was a gesture of friendship from Fan Er immediately erased the
doubt in Chen Ping'an's mind, and he made his way into the Guimai courtyard
without any further hesitation.

There was a beautiful young woman waiting in the courtyard for him, and she
seemed to have a slightly cold disposition. Even though she was only standing still,
she presented a stunning sight to behold.

As soon as she spotted Chen Ping'an and Aunt Gui, a smile immediately appeared on
her face as she said, “Greetings, Young Master Chen, my name is Jin Su, Jin as in 'gold,'
Su as in 'millet.' [4] In ancient times, this was an alternative name for osmanthus
flowers. I'll be looking after you during this journey.”

The smile instantly broke through her slightly cold disposition, and it was as
stunning a sight as a garden of flowers blooming at once.

Chen Ping'an reflexively cupped his fist in a formale salute as he replied, “I'll be in
your care, Jin Su.”

A hint of disappointment then flashed through his eyes as he quickly removed the
wine gourd from his waist and took a sip.

Aunt Gui was very observant when it came to the emotions of others, and she caught
the flash of disappointment in Chen Ping'an's eyes, but she didn't think much of it.
After all, who didn't have a few things on their mind?

Shortly thereafter, Aunt Gui took her leave. At the entrance of the courtyard, she
spotted a familiar figure who she was rather surprised to see, but his arrival actually
made a lot of sense. It was none other than the old coach driver of the Fan Clan, and
she smiled as she asked, “Does Young Master Fan have some additional instructions
for me?”

The old coach driver was quite polite and respectful to Aunt Gui, and he shook his
head with a smile as he replied, “Master Fan has instructed me to stay in the Guimai
courtyard with Young Master Chen over the course of this journey to Stalactite
Mountain.”

A hint of surprise appeared in Aunt Gui's eyes, and she asked, “Do you need Jin Su to
stay elsewhere?”

The old coach driver nodded in response. “That would be best. Get her to pick out a
courtyard nearby, and all she has to do is bring us some food each day. I'll take care
of the rest.”

Aunt Gui was rather perplexed by this arrangement, but didn't say anything further
as she turned around and called out to Jin Su, and the two of them departed together.

As they were leaving the courtyard, the old coach driver said, “Master Fan has also
instructed us to allocate some of the shade of the ancestor osmanthus tree on the
mountain summit to the Guimai courtyard so that it won't be spied on by others.”

Aunt Gui nodded in response. As for Jin Su, who had managed to pick over 100
osmanthus flowers from Osmanthus Island, she couldn't help but take an extra
glance at the old coach driver and Chen Ping'an.
Following the departure of the two women, a cool and refreshing breeze swept
through the courtyard. At the same time, the shade of a tree descended over the
entire courtyard, but only for a moment before it faded, and the courtyard was once
again filled with bright sunlight.

The old coach driver made his way over to Chen Ping'an, then declared in a candid
fashion, “My name is Ma Zhi, and I'm one of the guest elders of the Fan Clan. I am a
Golden Core Tier swordsman, and my aptitude and combat prowess are both rather
mediocre.

“In fact, I would be no match for even someone like Guest Elder Chu Yang of the Fu
Clan, who is also at the Golden Core Tier. I was instructed by our clan leader to
accompany you on this journey. He was requested by Mr. Zheng of the Dust Medicinal
Shop to send me here to instruct you in swordsmanship.”

Chen Ping'an immediately realized that this had to be one of the ways in which
Zheng Dafeng was repaying him, and he cupped his fist in a salute once again, but
before he could say anything, Ma Zhi raised a hand to stop him.

“There's no need to begin right away. I'll be living in this courtyard in the
neighboring room. You can take a good rest today and explore Osmanthus Island to
your heart's content. Otherwise, once we begin our training tomorrow, you may not
have the spare time to do so.”

With that, Ma Zhi made his way into a side room in the courtyard, then closed the
door with a smile as he murmured to himself, “If Mr. Zheng wasn't joking, then that
boy is going to have a very hard time ahead. Is he really going to be able to withstand
this training? I may be very mediocre among other swordsmen of the same
cultivation base, but I'm still a Golden Core Tier swordsman!”

A black flying sword flew out of his acupoint as he was speaking to himself, and
immediately began circling around him, giving off tremendous sword Qi.

The entire room was instantly filled with cold sword Qi, and the summer heat was
completely eradicated in the blink of an eye.

Chen Ping'an was staying in the main room directly facing the entrance of the
courtyard, and only after closing the door did he carefully open the cloth pouch that
Zheng Dafeng had left at his door.
There was a book that was still carrying the scent of fresh ink, and the title of the
book was Proper Sword Scripture. There was a very good chance that Zheng Dafeng
had contacted a trustworthy bookstore using the Fan Clan's connections to
personally print this book.

Just the title of the book alone was a display of exceptional calligraphy, and Chen
Ping'an was struggling to connect such fine calligraphy to the uncouth and
lackadaisical Zheng Dafeng.

Aside from the Proper Sword Scripture, there was also an unremarkable-looking
cotton money pouch. After weighing the pouch on the palm of his hand for a
moment, Chen Ping'an discovered that there didn't seem to be many coins inside.

He thought that it perhaps contained lesser heat coins or grain rain coins, but as
soon as he opened the pouch to take a look inside, he immediately closed it again
with a stunned expression. The pouch contained gold essence copper coins! He was
well aware of just how precious gold essence copper coins were as just a few
pouches of these coins had allowed him to purchase several mountains!

Chen Ping'an didn't even count the number of gold essence copper coins in the
pouch, nor did he examine them to see whether they were Offering Coins, Greeting
Spring Coins, Good Fortune Coins, or some combination of the three. Instead, he
immediately stowed the pouch away in Fifteenth.

Outside of those things, all that remained was a jade tablet and a letter.

The jade tablet was just a simple rectangular jade tablet, completely unadorned, but
the material was exceptional, and it has the same fine and smooth texture as the
finest silk. It was clearly a brilliant old artifact, but as for exactly what it was and how
old it was, Chen Ping'an was unable to tell.

Chen Ping'an opened the letter, and sure enough, the handwriting on the letter was
identical to that of the title of the Proper Sword Scripture, so it was clearly a
handwritten letter from Zheng Dafeng. The letter laid out several things in concise
terms.

Firstly, the sword scripture wasn't particularly advanced, but it was already the
pinnacle for pure martial artists, and the sword techniques inside were all very
simple, so they were perfect for someone as stubborn and single-minded as Chen
Ping'an to practice. Furthemore, those fifteen gold essence copper coins served as
repayment for the five copper coins.

As for the jade tablet, that was a minimization treasure. Aside from that, there was
no other information on it, and no mention was made of where it had come from.

Even so, this was enough to tell Chen Ping'an just how precious an item it was.

Back when Cui Chan had accompanied Chen Ping'an on his journey to Great Sui
Nation, he had also been carrying a minimization treasure.

At the end of the letter, Zheng Dafeng stated that getting Ma Zhi to instruct Chen
Ping'an in swordsmanship was a bonus reward that he had included. He had done
this so that the latter would be better equipped to deal with the suppressive effect
that the Sword Qi Great Wall had on pure martial artists.

Hence, not only would Ma Zhi be instructing him in swordsmanship, he would also
teach Chen Ping'an how to fight against a swordsman of the Middle Five Tiers.

On this subject, Zheng Dafeng diverted from the brief and concise style that he had
adopted throughout the letter thus far, laying out certain principles for Chen Ping'an,
things like “only those who endured the most bitter of hardships could become the
greatest of men”.

However, even as Chen Ping'an was reading through this part of the letter, he could
imagine the sly grin on Zheng Dafeng's face as he was writing it. Chen Ping'an knew
that after Zheng Dafeng had heard about the suffering he had endured to get to the
third tier, he would be intent to continue Chen Ping'an's suffering into the fourth tier.

He could already imagine Zheng Dafeng smirking to himself back at the Dust
Medicinal Shop. The thought of Chen Ping'an being tormented by Ma Zhi on
Osmanthus Island had to be an extremely pleasant one.

Otherwise, the old swordsman wouldn't have told Chen Ping'an that he would only
have one day to explore Osmanthus Island.

Zheng Dafeng had dug a hole for him, and he had no choice but to jump into it.

Minimization treasures could also be stored in pocket treasures, so Chen Ping'an

stowed the sword scripture and the jade tablet away.
For some reason, he suddenly thought of He Xiaoliang of Divine Edict Sect, who had a
vast collection of pocket treasures and minimization treasures. He used to have a
very positive impression of He Xiaoliang, but he now thought of her with far less
fondness.

With that in mind, he heaved a faint sigh before leaving the courtyard to explore
Osmanthus Island.

At this point, the ship still hadn't yet set sail, and from the mountain summit, he
could see many passengers boarding the ship.

Chen Ping'an cast his gaze into the distance, and all he could see in three directions
was the vast sea. It was a breathtaking sight, and also one that reminded him of just
how tiny and insignificant he was.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping'an recalled something that Cui Chan's grandfather had
told him, which was that he was the most powerful third tier martial artist under the
heavens, not just Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

During his prior conversation with Zheng Dafeng, the latter had also mentioned this
topic and declared that Li Er had once been the most powerful ninth tier martial
artist under the heavens. However, now that he had reached the 10th tier, Chen
Ping'an presumed that he had temporarily lost his title of the strongest under the
heavens.

Chen Ping'an had heard from Cui Chan that Majestic World was an enormous place,
with four lakes, five seas, and nine continents, including Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent, Complete Reed Continent, Southern Whirl Continent, Pure White
Continent, and Golden Armor Continent.

All of them were like stars around the moon, the glowing gem that was Middle Earth
Divine Continent, and there were several major empires on Middle Earth Divine
Continent. Only by conquering half of the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent
would the Great Li Empire's territory be able to compare with theirs.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but wonder to himself if the legendary 11th tier truly
existed for martial artists.

He had once raised this question to Cui Chan, but the latter had merely brushed it off
without giving an answer.
————

On Golden Armor Continent, there was an ancient battlefield with extremely sparse
spiritual energy.

Giant deity statues had once stood at hundreds of meters tall on this battlefield, but
they had since collapsed without exception. The land now resembled a toppled and
ravaged mountain range.

This place was a natural forbidden area for all Qi refiners on the continent.

There were frequent gusts of astral wind that swept through the area without any
warning, and for Qi refiners of the Middle Five Tiers, those astral winds were often
lethal.

1. This is a play on words, with osmanthus guest (桂客) being a homonym of

esteemed guest (贵客) in Chinese. ☜

2. Osmanthus flower (桂花) is pronounced as Gui Hua in Chinese, with “gui” meaning
osmanthus and “hua” meaning flower. ☜

3. The Gui ceremonial artifact (圭) and the character for osmanthus (桂) are quite
similar. Essentially, osmanthus is just Gui with a 木 radical (木 + 圭 = 桂). 木 is wood,
so the presence of the 木 radical in a character generally means that it's somehow
related to plants. In this case, osmanthus is essentially a plant equivalent of the Gui
artifact. ☜

4. That is the literal translation of the two characters of her name, 金粟. ☜
The tallest and most majestic of the deity statues was one of the Buddha, and prior
to its collapse, it seemed to have depicted the Buddha smiling while holding a flower
between his fingers. However, the arm of the statue had been snapped at the
shoulder and only three of its five fingers remained, while the flower once held
between its fingers was completely destroyed.

One of those fingers was pointed up at the sky, and just that finger alone was several
dozen meters tall, giving one an idea of just how enormous the statue was back
when it was standing in its full glory.

There was a barefoot young girl in white standing atop the finger with her eyes
tightly shut, allowing the wind to ruffle her hair. The girl was quite ordinary in
appearance.

A gust of astral wind was sweeping like a wave toward her and the finger that she
was standing on.

The girl's eyes remained closed, and all she did was utter a single word in a certain
dialect from Golden Armor Continent.

“Open.”

The gust of astral wind was instantly split into two down the middle before blowing
past either side of the Buddha's statue's finger. A small part of the gust of wind still
managed to glide over the girls' face, slicing a series of gashes into her cheeks, but in
the blink of an eye, those injuries were completely healed.

The wind continued to blow, carrying the girl's faint fragrance into the distance.

————
In the sea near Complete Reed Continent stood a tall mountain that resembled a
spike pointing directly up at the sky. However, the mountain summit was a circular
pond that resembled a bottomless well, and the light of flames could be seen
illuminating the walls of the well. This was the opening of an active volcano, and
inside was a completely nude man with a brawny physique.

He was seated in silence, with his legs crossed, atop a black rock. He was supporting
his chin with one hand, and he seemed to be in deep thought. There were flames and
molten lava churning all around him, but he seemed to be completely oblivious.

The most remarkable thing about the man was that he had two pupils in each eye.

There was a frustrated look on his face as he murmured to himself, “It's been quite
difficult trying to progress to the Vajra Body Tier. I suppose I can only blame myself
for eating too many pills. How much did I eat? 100 kilograms? 200?

“Once I reach the Vajra Body Tier, I really have to stop munching down pills like food.
Setting aside everything else, just having to poop every day is a real pain in the arse,
and it's downright shameful for a sixth tier martial artist like myself!”

All of a sudden, a flying sword swooped into the well at an astonishing speed, and
the brawny man immediately slumped to the ground before falling into the sea of
molten lava around him.

The flying sword wasn't particularly large, and even though its target already
appeared to have been struck down, it still didn't relent, flying rapidly around the
volcanic crater to send countless rocks tumbling into the lava down below.

Given the cultivation base of the owner of the flying sword and how sharp the flying
sword was, it would've most likely been able to pierce through the entire mountain
had this been any other place on Complete Reed Continent, but here, the flying
sword was encountering significant resistance.

An elderly man was standing on the edge of the volcanic crater with a longsword
strapped to his back, and after striking down the brawny man, the old man roared in
a thunderous voice, “I've finally found you, you despicable bastard!

“Don't play dead, I know that wasn't enough to kill you! You chose to trap yourself in
this place where there can be no escape. Once you die here, nothing will remain of
your body, and perhaps that will go some way to atoning for your sins!”
The old man then extended his index and middle fingers and swiped them over the
scabbard of the sword on his back, and the sword immediately flew out of the
scabbard before rising up into the heavens, then rapidly plunged downward,
piercing into the sea of lava with a resounding boom to send waves erupting several
dozen feet upward.

Within the sea of lava, a rapidly moving figure could be seen, and they were being
pursued by the longsword.

At the foot of the volcano, a figure was slowly scaling the mountain from each of the
four directions.

There was an elderly Daoist priest plastering talismans onto the rocks on the
mountain, and a monk making hand seals before thrusting his palms toward the
ground. There was also a person holding a scroll that seemed to have no end,
unfurling it all the way from the foot of the mountain to resemble a long carpet, and
an azure-robed elderly man holding a brush, which he was using to inscribe the
teachings of Confucian sages onto the mountain.

While the old man on the mountain summit was attempting to slay his target with
his two swords, he murmured to himself with a self-deprecating expression, “To
think that a Golden Core Tier swordsman like myself would have so much trouble
hunting down a martial artist who hasn't even reached the seventh tier yet.”

Thoughts of all of the heinous crimes that the man had committed sprang into the
old man's mind. Not only had his sect been put through a horrific ordeal, countless
other innocent people, both mortals and cultivators, had also lost their lives, and a
sense of fury welled up in the old man's heart as he condemned, “A demon like you,
who kills only for fun, deserves to die a thousand deaths!”

————

Elsewhere, two armies were facing off against each other.

A raised platform had been temporarily set up in one of the armies, and lying lazily
on a narrow bed on the raised platform was a brocade-robed man who appeared to
be in his twenties. Two gorgeous young women were seated on either side of the
bed, and one of them was massaging the man's temples, while the other was
hunched over to massage his calves.
Right behind the man was a flag that represented his status as the general of the
army, flapping audibly in the wind.

One of the stunning maidservants, the one that was massaging the man's calves, took
a glance at the woman, then smiled in amusement as she said, “Young Master, I've
heard that there's an eighth tier swordsman and a ninth tier Militarian cultivator in
the opposing army.

“It looks like our Xie Xiu's ex-husband really, really loves her, so much so that he's
willing to go to war for her. It's almost a little poetic. How about you return Xie Xiu to
him, Young Master? It would certainly make for a great love story.”

She raised a hand to cover her lips, then chuckled as she continued, “In any case,
you've already had a good taste of her, and she's always so stingy, never willing to
share you with any of us. Isn't that frustrating for you? I've never seen any
maidservant that's even half as demanding as her.”

The other woman by the name of Xie Xiu paid no heed to her as she continued to
gently massage the man's temples in soft and careful motions.

The brocade-robed man's eyes narrowed slightly with a smile as he said, “Xie Xiu is
really shy, so I have to look after her feelings. In contrast, you're far more shameless
than she is. If I were to dote on you without discretion, you would eventually become
so inflated with confidence that you would rebel!”

Despite his criticisms, the man's voice was full of affection, and the woman raised
her eyebrow at Xie Xiu in a provocative gesture, while the latter continued to
stoically ignore her.

Right at this moment, the brocade-robed man raised his foot slightly as he ordered,
“Take off my boots.”

A fervent look instantly appeared in the woman's eyes as she fell to her knees in
front of the bed before removing the brocade-robed man's boots with trembling
hands.

The man sat up before stretching lazily as he sighed, “To think that our Circling
Ascension Continent is only slightly larger than Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.
How disappointing.”
With his feet bare, he reached into Xie Xiu's collar, then pulled out a golden ball, one
that still carried the warmth of Xie Xiu's body. He then gently squeezed the golden
ball between his fingers, and a suit of silver armor often misidentified as a suit of
Divine Dewbearing Armor instantly materialized over him.

What was rather interesting about this suit of armor was that it was riddled with all
types of gashes, and there was also a small hole right where the suit of armor sat
over the wearer's heart, as if it had been pierced through by a longsword.

After putting on the suit of armor, the young man slowly strode forward a few steps,
then suddenly turned to Xie Xiu as he smiled and said, “Your ex-husband is inferior
to me in all things, but there's one thing that I'll never be able to match him in, and
that's telling jokes.”

He reached out to point a finger at the opposing general's flag in the distance, then
smiled with amusement as he said to Xie Xiu, “For example, here's one of his best
jokes. Not only did he invite a swordsman, he recruited a Militarian cultivator as
well! How hilarious is this man!”

The woman who had taken off the man's boots immediately sat onto the ground with
her back against the bed, chortling with mirth as if she had just heard the most
hilarious thing in the world.

Meanwhile, the young man turned to the opposing army as he chuckled, “The wives
of others are like fine wines, while the widows of others are even better!”

Immediately thereafter, he sprang up into the sky before flying through the air,
quickly passing over his own army as a streak of white light.

————

The northernmost region of Pure White Continent was a boundless land of ice and
snow, and the snowstorm here was so heavy that it was impossible to see the sky
through it.

A figure in a white fur coat was standing amid the ice and snow. Occasionally, the
wind would cause the fur coat to press tightly against her body, revealing a slender
yet curvaceous physique. The hood of the fur coat was pressed quite low, but a pair
of bright eyes could still be seen within it.
A small section of a long saber in a black scabbard could be seen hanging from her
waist, and she would occasionally reach a hand out of the sleeve of her fur coat to
gently stroke the hilt of the saber.

In doing so, she would reveal a slender wrist even fairer than the snow around her,
and it would gleam with a colorful sheen.

It appeared that beneath the fur coat was a young woman, yet she had dared to brave
the elements of such an inhospitable region on her own, making her way to the
northernmost region of Pure White Continent, which, in turn, was the northernmost
one of the nine continents.

Even a Golden Core Tier Qi refiner wouldn't necessarily have the courage to make
such a journey on their own.

The woman pulled out a steamed bun so frozen that it was as hard as iron, and she
ate it in silence while continuing to stare directly up ahead.

This region of Pure White Continent was completely devoid of human habitation, but
great demons would often appear here, and the fact that they were able to take
advantage of the natural environment here made them very difficult to deal with.

Generally speaking, among those who were at the Golden Core Tier, only swordsmen
were willing to come here and take their chances against the cunning and persistent
great demons. If one were to become a public enemy of the great demons, they
would often find themselves surrounded, and that was truly a dire situation to be in.

The woman stopped in her tracks, having just finished her steamed bun, and the
enormous head of a snow wolf slowly emerged from the raging snow storm up
ahead.

As soon as the snow wolf appeared, the snowstorm in a radius of several hundred
meters instantly subsided.

The woman removed her hood and raised her head to look up at the snow wolf,
which resembled a small mountain.

She burped, then drew her saber once.

As she began to sheath her saber, it appeared as if nothing had happened.

The woman continued onward with a smile as she said, “Pardon me, but I'll have to
take your head to earn myself some money for makeup.”

Only as she arrived in front of the snow wolf did its mountainous body finally
collapse to the ground.

She looked at the snow wolf's massive decapitated head, and a slightly troubled look
appeared on her face. This was an enormous head, was she going to have to carry it
back herself?

With that in mind, she turned to the wind and snow in the distance, then raised a
hand to make a beckoning motion as she instructed, “You, come over here and carry
this head back for me and I'll spare your life. As a reward for your efforts, you can
have the rest of this snow wolf's carcass.”

After that, the woman continued to trudge through the snow and ice, while a
Mountain-moving Ape trailed along behind her, carrying the bloody head of the wolf
with both hands.

Several great demons gathered around the snow wolf's headless carcass, and they
were itching to sink their teeth into it, but none of them dared to do so.

————

The Majestic World had Five Lakes and Four Seas, all of which were incredibly vast.

At the bottom of one of those lakes was an ancient battlefield, and a man was there,
hunting for the heroic spirits that still remained on the battlefield. As he captured
them, he placed them into the small fish basket hanging from his waist.

————

High up in the sky above the sea was a thin and wizened old man with a pair of long
eyebrows. He was so high up that it was as if he could touch the top of Majestic
World's heavens just by reaching upward. There were two layers of clouds here that
were separated by close to a hundred kilometers, and the old man was seated with
his legs crossed at a completely unremarkable hole in the clouds. There was a bright
green fishing rod in his hands, but no line trailing down from the rod.

On the lower sea of clouds, around thirty kilometers away from the old man, a large
pod of Cloud and Mist Whales was passing by.

The old man swung his fishing rod forward, motioning as if he were casting his line,
and an extremely thin white line that resembled a thread of silk appeared on the tip
of the fishing rod.

The line was only just barely visible thanks to the light of the sun, and it wrapped
itself around a massive Cloud and Mist Whale several kilometers in length.

All Cloud and Mist Whales innately possessed tremendous strength, and this one
immediately began to struggle with all its might.

The old man reared back and tugged violently on his fishing rod while also rising to
his feet, and the fishing rod was bent to a ridiculous curvature, looking as if it could
snap at any moment.

The old man chortled with glee as he exclaimed to himself, “There's a strong one on
the line!”

The battle between fish and fisherman raged on for about fifteen minutes, during
which time the old man was frantically rushing back and forth on the sea of clouds
while spitting out a steady stream of profanities, presenting a rather comical sight to
behold.

The fact that a pure martial artist had ascended to such lofty heights indicated that
the old man had to be at least at the eighth tier.

An eighth tier martial artist could kill a Cloud and Mist Whale with ease, and even in
a battle against an entire pod of such whales, they were still all but assured of
victory.

However, the key to the old man's fishing was the incredible fishing line on the end of
his rod, which had been manifested using his True Qi. The most extraordinary thing
about all of this was the line was able to remain intact, even against the tremendous
strength and weight of a Cloud and Mist Whale.

————

On Middle Earth Divine Continent, there existed the ruins of a vast nation that was
once one of the nine major empires of Majestic World.
Generally speaking, the only entity capable of destroying such a powerful empire
would be another one of the nine major empires, but that was not the case on this
occasion.

At the center of the fallen empire was a once resplendent imperial palace that had
since been razed to the ground. There was a horse slowly advancing through the
palace, and all of the generals and soldiers in the path of the horse hurriedly scurried
away.

The horse was making its way toward the prestigious palace renowned across all
nine continents.

Instead of making its way into the palace by scaling the steps on either side of the
dragon wall, the horse stepped onto the dragon wall itself, and it did so with no more
trouble than the average horse scaling up a small hill.

A tall and imposing person rode atop the horse, clad in a suit of golden armor, and
their face was concealed behind a visor.

They held a shimmering golden spear riddled with runes, one far longer than the
average spear.

As for the steed, it was a Dragon Horse that was a descendant of flood dragons, an
extremely rare beast.

Hanging from the waist of the rider was a sword with no scabbard. It also had no
sharp edges, and it was covered in rust. There was a pair of tiny ancient characters
engraved onto its surface, but they were so worn with age that they were barely even
visible at all.

Prior to entering the palace, the general who had brought down this nation suddenly
raised an arm up high, then extended their middle finger up at the sky.

After that, they remained still on the spot, seemingly waiting for a response from the
heavens, but there was no response, so after a brief pause, they gently nudged their
steed with their legs, and it continued onward. After the Dragon Horse strode over
the doorstep of the palace, its rider cast their gaze toward the dragon throne
proclaimed to be the most precious berth under the heavens.

They then lowered their head to take a glance at the sheathless longsword strapped
to their waist.

They had heard that the scabbard of the sword was in a small place called Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent, and they were wondering if they should send someone to
retrieve it or make the trip themselves.

The general removed their helmet and visor, and a head of long hair came spilling
down.

It was a woman, a martial goddess.

Chen Ping'an stood in the cool and refreshing shade under the ancestor osmanthus
island on the mountain summit on Osmanthus Island, and he couldn't help but think
of the old locust tree from back home. However, the old locust tree no longer existed,
while this tree was still thriving.

A tinge of melancholy welled up in Chen Ping'an's heart at this thought, but a faint
smile then appeared on his face as he recalled the memory of Li Baoping running
around with those locust branches on her shoulder. She was so adorable and
energetic, and she feared nothing.

In a way, she was very similar to Fan Er, who had no worries and could live every day
to the fullest. Chen Ping'an was very envious of them, and he hoped to become like
them someday.

Aside from Chen Ping'an, there were also some other passengers gathered at the foot
of the old osmanthus, and all of them had been drawn here by the tree's resounding
reputation. Some of them were pointing at and commenting on the old tree, and
there were also some women posing beside the tree while several Osmanthus Island
artists drew commemorative paintings for them.

There was even a family of three that had requested one of the artists to draw a
family portrait for them.

Back on the horse-drawn carriage, Fan Er had told Chen Ping'an that there was a
diverse range of cultivation bases among the businessmen traveling from Old Dragon
City to Stalactite Mountain for business, and they also came from all types of
different backgrounds. However, one common trait among them was that they were
all very cunning and calculating, and all of them had at least one or two powerful
backers, so they were not to be messed with.

The Fan Clan only had a few designated storage warehouses on Osmanthus Island,
while the rest were rented out to wealthy businessmen who wanted to transport
their wares to Stalactite Mountain. These people had plenty of money and power,
and some were even wealthier than the Fan Clan. For them, the only things that they
were missing were a ship fit for intercontinental travel and a safe route.

Chen Ping'an wasn't the type who liked to start trouble for no reason anyway, so
these words of caution from Fan Er were appreciated, but largely redundant.

At this moment, Chen Ping'an was standing silently under the tree. When a middle-
aged artist declared that he was finished with his painting, Chen Ping'an approached
him. He passed by the woman who was excitedly holding the finished painting in her
hands, and as he did so, he took a glance at the painting to find that it was extremely
vibrant and lifelike, far more so than the lifeless and rigid door gods that he had seen
on the doors back in the small town.

The woman's hair and clothes were depicted to be gently flapping in the wind, and
even in the still image, it almost looked as if the locust leaves above her was rippling
in the breeze. However, Chen Ping'an noticed that the woman's true appearance was
slightly different from the depiction on the painting, and it seemed that the artist had
made some embellishments in that area. Chen Ping'an couldn't help but be stunned
by the painter's exceptional skill.

The middle-aged artist spotted Chen Ping'an, then made a beckoning motion, and an
osmanthus girl immediately approached him from behind while carrying a small
platter with the four treasures of the study.

The artist then smiled as he asked, “Would you like a commemorative painting as
well, Young Master? On the way to Stalactite Mountain, we will be encountering ten
notable pieces of scenery, each of which are spectacular in their own way, and one of
those pieces of scenery is this ancestor osmanthus tree.

“Under the shade of the ancestor osmanthus tree, our paintings will be infused with
a faint fragrance, and they won't fade for at least a century. On top of that, they'll be
impervious to damage from termites and the likes, so you definitely won't be
disappointed.”

Prior to setting off from where he was standing at the foot of the osmanthus tree,
Chen Ping'an had already put away his osmanthus guest wooden badge, and he
nodded with a smile as he declared, “I want three of the same paintings. How much
will it be?”
The middle-aged artist was rather taken aback, and he couldn't tell if Chen Ping'an
was a descendant of an affluent clan dressed in modest clothing, or was simply
severely underestimating how much it cost to purchase a painting.

Normally, one would only ask for a single painting, and he had never been asked to
make three at once, but having said that, he certainly wasn't going to turn money
away, so he smiled as he replied, “One painting costs 10 snowflake coins, but for
three, I can give you a slight discount and make it 25 snowflake coins total.”

The osmanthus girl beside the artist was far inferior to Jin Su in the looks
department, but even so, she was still quite pleasant on the eyes as she added in a
gentle voice, “If you have a special Osmanthus Island wooden badge in your
possession, then you can receive a further discount.”

Chen Ping'an shook his head in response. “I'm just a normal passenger.”

Chen Ping'an pulled out 25 snowflake coins, then placed it onto the platter as
opposed to giving it directly to the artist, as requested by the osmanthus girl. After
that, the artist told Chen Ping'an to stand at the foot of the osmanthus tree, following
which he was asked to change positions a few times until the spot with the best
scenery was determined.

Standing alone under the tree and under the artist's scrutiny, Chen Ping'an was
clearly feeling a little nervous, and only after a few benevolent comforting words
from the artist did he relax a little. His limbs weren't as stiff as before, but his
expression was still a little rigid.

The artist didn't dare to issue any further instructions, and decided that he was just
going to have put a bit more thought into embellishing Chen Ping'an's expression as
he painted.

The osmanthus girl was struggling to contain her amusement. Osmanthus Island was
filled with immortals, and such a timid and shy passenger was a very rare sight.
Some of the more bold passengers had even asked the artist if they could stand atop
the ancestor osmanthus tree for their painting, while others had asked if they could
snap a branch from the tree to hold as they posed. Of course, such requests were
denied.

The artist picked up his brush, then pulled back his sleeve a little, and a sheet of
precious Xuan paper from Azure Phoenix Nation slid down from the small platter
and slowly drifted through the air until it drew to a halt in front of him. Even though
it was hovering in mid-air, it looked exactly as if it had been laid out flat on a table.

Instead of immediately putting brush to paper, the artist began to work up some
emotions. It was said that calligraphers left a part of themselves in every stroke that
they made, and the same applied to artists.

The artist had one hand clasped behind his back while he held his brush with his
other hand. Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an was standing with his sword case on his back
and his hands clenched into tight fists that were hanging by his side. His eyes were
bright, his complexion was slightly dark, and he was wearing a pair of straw sandals.

Overall, his attire was rather crude, but it was very clean and well-maintained.
Compared with the strong and imposing men of the south, Chen Ping'an was only
slightly shorter, but he was also quite thin and lanky, indicating that he was yet to fill
out his frame.

To the surprise of the artist, he was unable to capture the young boy's energy,
essence, and spirit. It wasn't that the boy didn't have these things, it was just that no
matter how the artist approached the painting, he was somehow struggling to
capture Chen Ping'an's visage.

He didn't want to make himself appear unprofessional in case Chen Ping'an had
second thoughts, so he could only put on a strong and confident front as he began to
paint.

Out of the 25 snowflake coins, he would receive a commission of five, and that was
not a small sum.

For the first painting, it could only be described as true to life on a surface level. Even
a normal imperial artist from a mortal empire would be able to create a painting of
this level, let alone a Qi refiner like himself, so he was very unhappy with his work,
but he could only trudge onward and persevere.

After finishing the first painting, the artist took a short break, and Chen Ping'an also
took this opportunity to remove the gourd from his waist and take a sip of wine.
After having some wine, he began to relax, and he cast his gaze toward the north as a
faint smile appeared on his face, perhaps because some happy memories had
surfaced in his mind.

As he turned back to face the artist, Chen Ping'an crossed his arms and stood up
straight with a radiant smile on his face.

In that instant, the artist was struck by a flash of inspiration.

Hence, the second painting was clearly more soulful than the first one, and it
perfectly encapsulated the complex emotions that Chen Ping'an felt on his long
journey so far away from home.

During the break between the second and third paintings, Chen Ping'an drank some
more wine, following which the smile on his face faded, and he was no longer
crossing his arms. Furthermore, he had hung his gourd from his belt behind him,
seemingly trying to conceal it so that it wouldn't appear in the third painting.

At the same time, his disposition also appeared more mature, and it felt like no
matter how far away he was from home, he was a responsible young adult who
would be able to look after himself.

The artist was quite happy with his third painting as well.

The osmanthus girl inserted a pair of white jade rods into either side of each
painting to convert them into scrolls, and Chen Ping'an rushed over to her before
examining the three paintings. He seemed to be very pleased with them, and he
raised no criticisms, so the osmanthus girl handed the paintings to him.

The artist was actually feeling rather uneasy as he knew this perhaps wasn't his best
work, and he said, “I hope my paintings are satisfactory to you, Young Master.”

Chen Ping'an held onto the three scrolls with both hands and replied with a bright
smile, “They're great! Thank you!”

The artist was very relieved to hear this, and he smiled as he said, “If you wish to
have any more paintings made, then you make an appointment with me. I'll be
making more paintings as we arrive at the nine scenic landmarks over the course of
the journey, and you can have a 90% discount on all of your future paintings from
me. My name is Su Yuting, just mention my name to any of the osmanthus girls on
the ship, and they'll be able to send you my way.”
Chen Ping'an nodded in response before taking his leave.

What Chen Ping'an refrained from mentioning was that the chances of him having
additional paintings made were very slim. Given how much pleasure Zheng Dafeng
derived from his suffering and his own capacity for punishment, it was unlikely that
he would be leaving the Guimai courtyard at all over the rest of the journey.

Upon returning to his room in the Guimai courtyard, Chen Ping'an began to write a
letter, and he did so in painstaking fashion, making sure to be extremely meticulous
with every single brush stroke.

Back in the Dust Medicinal Shop, Chen Ping'an had intended to send a letter each to
Mountain Cliff Academy and his hometown in Dragon Spring Prefecture. However, he
didn't dare to do so as Old Dragon City was firmly under the Fu Clan's control.

However, after learning that there were mail services by flying sword available on
Osmanthus Island, he decided that he was going to send those letters after boarding
the ship.

He had chosen to have three paintings made as he was going to send one to Li
Baoping along with a letter, and a second one back to Dragon Spring Prefecture so
the little boy in azure and the little girl in pink could burn it at the grave of his
parents to show them that he was living a very good life.

This was why he had concealed his Sword Nurturing Gourd for the third painting. He
couldn't let his parents know that he had turned into a little drunkard! As for the
second painting, that was going to be a keepsake for himself.

After finishing the two letters, Chen Ping'an left the courtyard once again with two of
the paintings, then traveled to the immortal relay station on the ship.

On the way there, he ran into Jin Su, and even though Chen Ping'an insisted that he
could go to the relay station on his own, Jin Su was just as insistent about
accompanying him there, telling him that even though she was no longer staying in
the Guimai courtyard, she was still the courtyard's designated maidservant, so if she
were to allow Chen Ping'an to go off on his own over such a trivial matter, then she
would surely be punished by Aunt Gui and the Fan Clan.

Hence, Chen Ping'an had no choice but to allow her to accompany him. Thankfully,
once they arrived at the relay station, Jin Su merely remained silent and didn't
interfere with what he was doing at all, refraining from saying anything even as Chen
Ping'an chose to pay as a normal passenger rather than displaying his osmanthus
guest wooden badge.

After accompanying Chen Ping'an back to the entrance of the courtyard, Jin Su took
her leave, then returned to her residence, which was a peaceful courtyard that she
shared with Aunt Gui.

Even the old coach driver was unaware that Jin Su was Aunt Gui's only disciple.

Jin Su sat down across from Aunt Gui, and the latter smiled as she asked, “Is there
something on your mind? Does it have something to do with that boy?”

Jin Su was naturally rather distant and aloof, and even in the presence of her
mistress, there still wasn't much of a smile on her face as she replied, “He's a little
strange.”

Aunt Gui smiled as she said, “You've spent your entire life on Osmanthus Island,
traveling back and forth between Old Dragon City and Stalactite Mountain, so you
haven't had many opportunities to interact with others. Hence, it's quite normal that
you find that boy to be strange.”

A rare display of childish displeasure appeared on Jin Su's face as she pouted, “That's
not true! I've left the ship to visit the inner city a few times, and I've seen many of the
handsome young masters of Old Dragon City!”

Aunt Gui immediately burst into laughter. “Then you fell in love at first sight with Sun
Jiashu, right? You were so smitten with him that you outright rejected Fu Nanhua's
advances without any regard for his feelings! You know, the Fan Clan actually wants
you to be a little closer with Fu Nanhua.

“It's a good thing that even though the Fan Clan is a clan of businessmen, they're all
quite lenient and benevolent. You were really immature and almost caused a lot of
trouble for the clan, yet they still didn't try to force you to do anything against your
will. If you did the same thing while serving any of Old Dragon City's other major
clans, you would be in for a great deal of hardship!”

A cold look appeared in Jin Su's eyes as she said, “The Fan Clan has treated me very
well, and I'll be sure to repay them in the future, but if they dare to push me too far
on these matters, then I….”
Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, Aunt Gui leaned forward and flicked
her on the forehead as she scolded, “Don't be so arrogant! You've only just barely
managed to stumble your way to the Cave Abode Tier, do you really think of yourself
as some type of cultivation prodigy? In terms of aptitude, you're roughly on the same
level as Fan Er.

“Both of you are considered outstanding prodigies in Old Dragon City, but that's
certainly not the case in the context of the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent,
and if we expand the scope even further to encompass Majestic World….”

Aunt Gui's voice trailed off here as she heaved a faint sigh, but the implications were
already very apparent. Finding a disciple that was to one's liking was already a very
difficult task, and it was even more difficult to nurture that disciple to the mountain
summit.

Hence, the immortals on the mountain summit were always extremely prudent and
selective when choosing their disciples. In fact, this was something that they viewed
as secondary in importance only to their own pursuit of the Great Dao.

Aunt Gui knew two 10th tier earth immortals and an Unpolished Jade Tier cultivator,
and in order to test their future disciples, they had conducted examinations ranging
from at least a decade to over a century, and only after those prospective disciples
had overcome all of the trials and tribulations thrown their way were they finally
accepted.

Jin Su was a very proud young woman, and there wasn't anyone else present, so she
stood up from her chair, then sat down beside Aunt Gui and latched onto her arm
like a spoiled child as she countered, “But I have a really good mistress!”

Aunt Gui prodded Jin Su's forehead firmly with her finger as she jibed, “You do
indeed have a good mistress, but unfortunately for me, I have a disciple who's
constantly causing trouble for me!”

Jin Su leaned her head against Aunt Gui's shoulder as she sighed, “Do you think Sun
Jiashu likes me?”

Instead of answering the question, Aunt Gui chuckled, “Spring has already passed us
by, but it seems like cherry blossoms are still blooming in your heart.”

“Mistress!” Jin Su whined with an embarrassed expression.

Aunt Gui turned to look at her disciple with a benevolent smile as she chuckled,
“How could any man not like a girl as beautiful as you?”

Jin Su was very pleased to hear this.

However, Aunt Gui then heaved a forlorn sigh as she continued, “But have you
considered that not only is Sun Jiashu an exceptional man, he's also the head of Old
Dragon City's Sun Clan?

“He harbors lofty ambitions to elevate the Sun Clan to unprecedented heights, and
he's also viewed as the future hope of Commercialism. Even if you two can somehow
overcome all of the obstacles in your way to be together, if you become the wife of a
businessman, your cultivation path from there onward will become very arduous.”

A dejected look appeared on Jin Su's face upon hearing this.

Aunt Gui stroked Jin Su's hair as she continued, “The scenery along the Great Dao is
as glamorous as it is plentiful, but it is not a path that can be easily pursued.
Sacrifices and decisions are also a part of cultivation. In fact, simply living is a form of
cultivation in itself.”

Aunt Gui suddenly smiled as she chuckled, “What I don't understand is why you can't
seem to develop any feelings for Fan Er. He's such a good boy! If you can fall in love
with him, even if I have to cast aside my honor and turn on the Fan Clan, I'll make
sure that you two come together in holy matrimony!”

Jin Su immediately sat up straight with a disgruntled expression as she complained,

“Quit spouting nonsense, Mistress! Fan Er's an idiot who has no heroic spirit or lofty
ambitions! All he does is waste his time with pointless endeavors! If you ask me, only
a fool would fall in love with an immature little kid like him!”

Aunt Gui shook her head with an amused smile, while Jin Su continued, “Just look at
how boring that friend of Fan Er's is. Even a wooden stump has more emotion than
him! No matter how prodigious or wealthy he is, there's no way he's going to make it
very far at all!”

A contemplative look appeared on Aunt Gui's face, and she didn't agree or disagree
with this notion.

————
After returning to the Guimai courtyard, Chen Ping'an began to practice his walking
meditation, having already completed his earlier errand.

Ma Zhi could observe his walking meditation even without leaving his room, but he
still emerged from his room and made his presence known to Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an paid no heed to this and continued his fist technique practice in silence.

Prior to boarding the ship from Water Combing Nation, Chen Ping'an had performed
his walking meditation very slowly. Over the course of the journey through the
dragon channel and the subsequent journey on the Mutton Fat Hall ship, Chen
Ping'an had already had one foot in the fourth tier.

Hence, he was able to perform his walking meditation much faster, and 300,000
repetitions were completed in what felt like the blink of an eye.

Now that he had reached the fourth tier, Chen Ping'an slowed down his walking
meditation once again.

When it came to the Three Qi Tempering Tiers for pure martial artists, exceptional
emphasis had to be placed on honing the soul, the spirit, and the gall.

Back in the bamboo building on Downtrodden Mountain, Cui Chan's grandfather had
once told Chen Ping'an that he was the strongest third tier martial artist under the
heavens

When it came to the consolidation of his fourth tier cultivation base, Chen Ping'an
felt as if he were lacking in stability, unlike back at the third tier, where every step
that he took was extremely solid and grounded.

Hence, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but wonder if this was because his foundation as a
fourth tier martial artist still wasn't sufficiently stable.

Cui Chan's grandfather had told him that for martial artists of the fourth, fifth, and
sixth tiers, ancient battlefields were the best places to explore for opportunities for
further progression.

There were all types of Yin winds and astral winds, as well as different chaotic auras
present on those battlefields, all of which were great for honing a martial artist's
soul, spirit, and gall. Ultimately, it just came down to enduring more hardship.
In those cases, one was fighting against heaven and earth.

The second-best option was to experience large-scale battles, and the more perilous
the battle was, the more one would be able to understand the concept that there
were enemies at every turn.

After that came one-on-one battles against more powerful opponents, using master
martial artists and Qi refiners of the Middle Five Tiers as whetstones to hone one's
powers and battle instincts.

The Sword Qi Great Wall was a place that was rife with sword intent, and it
inherently rejected all Qi refiners outside of swordsmen, let alone pure martial
artists.

Countless martial artists had perished on the Sword Qi Great Wall, either because
they didn't know their own limits, or because their Dao guardians didn't possess
sufficient power to protect them. This was why Cui Chan's grandfather had
mandated that Chen Ping'an had to reach the fourth tier before setting off for
Stalactite Mountain.

Only then would he have the best chance of making it up to the top of the Sword Qi
Great Wall and leaving alive.

As for how long Chen Ping'an had to last on the Great Wall, how he should determine
the limits of his own tolerance, and how many times he should strive to scale the
great wall, Cui Chan's grandfather hadn't offered him any counsel on these subjects
as he felt like it was a waste of time.

Having already reached the pinnacle of the 10th tier a century ago, Cui Chan's
grandfather had witnessed the scenery at the very pinnacle of Majestic World. Given
everything that he had seen and experienced, many things that were deemed
important by others simply didn't matter in the slightest to him.

This was why many pieces of advice that were considered to be crucial among
martial artists had been completely withheld from Chen Ping'an.

For example, Cui Chan’s grandfather hadn't mentioned the golden flood dragon
phenomenon that a martial artist could experience after reaching the fourth and
seventh tiers, nor had he told Chen Ping'an what it entailed to be the strongest
martial artist at each tier.
The less he taught Chen Ping'an, the more it reflected his lofty expectations of him.

What was the point in teaching Chen Ping'an how to do every little thing? Such a
teaching style would only limit him.

In the eyes of Cui Chan's grandfather, Chen Ping'an had to pursue the legendary
Martial God Tier, he had to reach such lofty heights that even a martial artist at the
pinnacle of the 10th tier like himself could only look up to him in awe and
veneration!

What was quite strange was that the less Cui Chan's grandfather said, the more Chen
Ping'an learned.

When it came to the two golden flood dragon phenomena that had descended back
at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, Chen Ping'an had been completely oblivious on
the first occasion. The only thing that he had felt at the time was that he had to throw
that punch in order to release the energy that was building up in his body.

After that, he learned that he had missed out on a precious opportunity, and he went
back to fish night after night. Finally, the opportunity presented itself once again, but
in that instant, Chen Ping'an was struck by the irrepressible urge to lash out once
again!

After that, he had forced back the golden flood dragons a second time without any
hesitation.

As expected of the disciple of Cui Chan's grandfather, both of them were just as
unreasonable.

Initially, Ma Zhi didn't think much as he observed Chen Ping'an's walking meditation,
but after observing for a while longer, he finally noticed that something wasn't quite
right.

He shook his head with a wry smile, feeling as if he had seen a ghost.

The foundation of his soul, spirit, and gall were already there, and all that was left
was for those three things to be honed. This meant that he could progress from the
fourth tier to the sixth tier at an extraordinary speed, and if his objective were to
progress up the tiers as quickly as possible, then he would be at the sixth tier in
virtually no time!
If it weren't for the fact that he had been informed that Chen Ping'an had only just
reached the fourth tier, he wouldn't have been so astonished, but Zheng Dafeng had
clearly told him that Chen Ping'an was indeed only at the fourth tier.

How could there possibly be such an unreasonably formidable fourth tier martial
artist under the heavens?

All of a sudden, Ma Zhi could feel the bonded flying sword in his acupoint itching to
come out, and he was struck by the urge to challenge Chen Ping'an to a spar.

He was a Golden Core Tier swordsman, yet at this moment, he was seriously
considering challenging a fourth tier martial artist!

A sense of sorrow welled up in his heart, and he felt as if he really had become an old
man.

However, the sorrow was fleeing and quickly faded. The world was extremely vast.
He was nothing more than a frog stuck at the bottom of the well that was Old Dragon
City, so there were countless things in this world that he had yet to witness, and
Chen Ping'an was but one of them.

All of a sudden, a thought sprang into his mind, and he smiled as he asked, “Chen
Ping'an, you're not aiming to become the strongest fourth tier martial artist under
the heavens, are you?”

Chen Ping'an had just completed one repetition of his six-step walking meditation,
and began another repetition as he replied, “I won't settle for anything less.”

Ma Zhi didn't think much of this response. In his eyes, Chen Ping'an had to be from a
top-tier cultivating sect on Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, and he certainly wasn't
the first young prodigy to have set such lofty aspirations for himself. While this
declaration sounded a little arrogant, Ma Zhi didn't find it to be conceited.

Unbeknownst to him, just this simple six-step walking meditation was something
that Chen Ping'an had already performed hundreds of thousands of times.
In the dying light of dusk, Osmanthus Island slowly set sail from behind the giant
island. If anyone were to look up in that direction from atop the city wall of Old
Dragon City, they would be able to see the enormous silhouette of the ship in the sky.

Of course, they would be able to get an even clearer view of the ship from the island,
and one of the people on the island right at this moment was Sun Jiashu.

Even though he had left Old Dragon City, he wasn't accompanied by any of his clan's
guest elders as on this occasion, he had Liu Baqiao to keep him company.

Liu Baqiao had only just arrived at Old Dragon City, and at this moment, he was
squatting on the railing of the island's sightseeing pavilion, looking out at Osmanthus
Island with a slightly weary and dejected expression.

He was tired from the long journey that he had made by flying sword, and was sorely
disappointed by how things had turned out between Sun Jiashu and Chen Ping'an.
He had all this frustration in his heart that wanted to vent, but he was holding it back
as he didn't want to hurt his friend.

“Why didn't you go onto Osmanthus Island to give him an explanation?” Sun Jiashu
asked.

Even as the prodigious swordsman that he was, Liu Baqiao was still utterly
exhausted from his journey to Old Dragon City from Wind Lightning Field. He wiped
the back of his hand over his parched lips, then shook his head. “I'm too ashamed to
go and see him.”

Sun Jiashu was leaning against a pillar of the pavilion beside Liu Baqiao, and a wry
smile appeared on his face as he sighed, “I'm the one to blame for all of this.”

Liu Baqiao waved a dismissive hand in response. “I do feel very angry, but I can
understand why you did what you did. Chen Ping'an may be my friend, but that
doesn't mean that he's your friend. I just failed to anticipate that he would be
harboring so many secrets that even you were unable to resist the temptation to try
and profit from him.

“Ultimately, this is still my fault. I underestimated this friend of mine and introduced
him to you without proper discretion. There's no need for you to feel guilty, Sun
Jiashu. You should've never been in this position in the first place.”

Sun Jiashu rested his hand on the pillar beside him as he turned to the side. A gentle
breeze caressed his handsome features as he said in a quiet voice, “I can see where
you're coming from, but things should've never turned out as terribly as they did. I
know better than anyone else just how averse you are to talking things out.

“Normally, you're much more direct and straightforward, yet this time, you're not
cursing me out or beating me up. Instead, you're being uncharacteristically calm and
reasonable. Why does it feel like you no longer wish to be my friend?”

“That's not the case, you're overthinking things,” Liu Baqiao said with a shake of his
head, then turned to Sun Jiashu as he reassured, “I'm serious.”

Sun Jiashu also smiled as he sighed, “I really screwed you over this time, didn't I?”

Liu Baqiao turned to continue looking at Osmanthus Island in the distance as he

grimaced, “Let's not talk about this anymore.”

Sun Jiashu could only heave an internal sigh.

Shortly thereafter, the two of them returned to Old Dragon City, and Sun Jiashu took
Liu Baqiao to the Sun Clan's ancestral residence.

This was the first meeting between Liu Baqiao and the Nascent Tier Sun Clan
patriarch staying at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, and the latter immediately
took a liking to the former.

As an earth immortal, he very rarely ate food anymore, but he still joined the two
young men for a meal, which consisted entirely of Liu Baqiao's favorite dishes.

Liu Baqiao was like a spitting image of the Sun Clan's patriarch's younger self,
speaking his mind without any qualms or discretion, and the two of them got along
extremely well despite the significant age gap.
Liu Baqiao had to return to Wind Lightning Field, so after the meal, he put on the Old
Dragon Cloud-Flipping Pendant and departed atop his flying sword.

Alone at night, Sun Jiashu was fishing by the river when he suddenly raised his head
to look up into the night sky.

As it turned out, Liu Baqiao had circled around atop his flying sword and now
returned. He landed beside Sun Jiashu and kicked him into the river before speeding
away again without uttering a word.

Sun Jiashu climbed back onto the river bank with his clothes completely soaked, but
a joyful smile had appeared on his face.

The Sun Clan patriarch appeared beside Sun Jiashu without any warning, then said
in a meaningful and heartfelt manner, “Friends like Liu Baqiao must be cherished for
as long as you live, whether that be a decade, a century, or a millennium.”

Sun Jiashu wiped a hand across his face with a smile as he said, “I understand,
esteemed patriarch. From now on, can you allow me to be a bit more selfish and do
some things that I want to do, but as the leader of the Sun Clan?”

“The ancestors of our Sun Clan would love to see that,” the Sun Clan patriarch
immediately replied without any hesitation.

Sun Jiashu extended a deep bow toward the old man as he said, “Thank you,
esteemed patriarch!”

“Don't bow down to me, you little bastard! You're the head of the Sun Clan right
now!” the old man chuckled.

With that, Sun Jiashu picked up his fishing basket and fishing rod, then quickly
returned to the Sun Clan's ancestral residence. He left that very night, traveling to the
Sun Manor in the inner city to take care of some affairs.

Not long after Sun Jiashu's departure, one of the Golden Core Tier guest elders of the
Sun Clan approached the Sun Clan patriarch with a smile, then declared in a direct
and straightforward manner, “The Sun Clan is extremely fortunate to have such a
brilliant leader. I would like to extend my agreement with the Sun Clan for another
century.”
The old man gladly accepted this request, then made his way to the ancestral hall on
his own to offer up some sticks of incense.

————

At the Dust Medicinal Shop.

Fan Er didn't have to kneel at the Fan Clan's ancestral hall as punishment, so he went
to the shop to chat with Zheng Dafeng.

As Fan Er entered the shop, Zheng Dafeng was resting on the counter, harassing a
voluptuous female employee, asking her whether her husband, who was a coach
driver, still had energy for her in bed after running around all day.

The woman had already grown accustomed to Zheng Dafeng's harassment, and she
put on a seductive smile as she replied that they had to get the carpenter to fix their
bed on a weekly basis.

Fan Er just so happened to overhear this, and he pretended not to have understood
what she was implying. As for the woman, she was a little embarrassed.

She was used to talking like this with Zheng Dafeng, and she did it to pass the time
while working at the shop, but she didn't dare to be so bold in the face of outsiders.
Zheng Dafeng wasn't willing to let the woman off the hook, and he turned to Fan Er
with a smile as he said, “Did you hear that? If you ever need a carpenter to fix your
bed for you, you should come to her for a recommendation.”

Fan Er nodded in response, still pretending to be oblivious to the sexual undertones

at play.

All of the female employees in the shop immediately rose up collectively in protest,
with some of them threatening to sew his lips shut, while others declared that they
weren't going to cook for him, even if he paid them. Zheng Dafeng brushed off these
threats without any concern, then led Fan Er to the backyard.

As the two sat down, Fan Er had already brought Zheng Dafeng's pipe to him. Zheng
Dafeng took a puff out of his pipe, then blew out a smoke ring, and he was
immediately put in a good mood at the thought that Chen Ping'an had finally left Old
Dragon City.
Fu Clan sat down onto a small stool, then asked, “Mr. Zheng, will you be attending Fu
Nanhua's wedding?”

“I would if I were the groom!” Zheng Dafeng snapped.

“I heard that Fu Nanhua's fiancee is…. not very good-looking,” Fan Er said in a quiet
voice.

“She's not good-looking? If she were my wife, I would never leave my bed!” Zheng
Dafeng chuckled.

Fan Er was completely speechless.

He had no criticisms of his martial arts master except for how direct and
straightforward he was. Sometimes, Zheng Dafeng was so blunt that it caught him
completely off guard.

When it came to chatting, he much preferred talking to Chen Ping'an.

“Chen Ping'an sees you as a friend now, does he?” Zheng Dafeng suddenly asked.

Fan Er nodded eagerly in response. “That's right, we're very close friends now!”

“I suppose it makes sense that idiots would band together,” Zheng Dafeng jibed as he
blew out another smoke ring.

In a rare display of defiance against his martial arts master, Fan Er retorted, “Don't
say that about Chen Ping'an, he's not an idiot. In fact, he's really smart, and I really
admire him. I feel like I'm extremely fortunate to have met him.”

Zheng Dafeng turned to Fan Er with an exasperated expresion, then sighed, “No
wonder you two can become friends.”

A serious look then appeared on his face as he continued, “Just now, I decided on two
things. Listen up carefully, Fan Er.”

Fan Er immediately sat up straighter and began listening intently.

Zheng Dafeng raised a finger as he said, “My senior brother, Li Er, was once the
strongest ninth tier martial artist under the heavens, while I, Zheng Dafeng, was once
the strongest eighth tier martial artist.

“Hence, he was able to father a pair of exceptional children, and his wife…. Forget
her, we won't talk about her. As for myself, I was this close to achieving an
unprecedented feat of progressing straight from the eighth tier to the 10th.

“Then we look at Chen Ping'an. As a fourth tier martial artist, he was able to bring
down two instances of golden flood dragon phenomena in a matter of days, and he
also possesses an immense amount of wealth. From all of this, we can deduce an
undeniable fact.”

Fan Er's eyes were wide with curiosity.

Zheng Dafeng continued in a serious manner, “As long as you become the strongest
martial artist of a certain tier in the entire Majestic World, you'll be granted endless
fortune. Of course, you can't just stunt your own growth so you can constantly
remain as the strongest martial artist of a certain tier.

“Instead, you still have to make breakthroughs when the opportunities present
themselves. Otherwise, you'll be going against the very principle of martial arts, and
that would only have a detrimental effect.”

“Could it be that you want to tell me that I'm currently the strongest third tier
martial artist under the heavens?” Fan Er asked in a careful manner. “But my sister
tells me that my aptitude is very mediocre. Could it be that she simply doesn't have
an eye for talent like you do, Master? Haha, no wonder you're not surprised that
Chen Ping'an and I could become friends, he's the strongest fourth tier martial artist
under the heavens, while I'm the strongest third tier….”

“Shut your mouth and go sit over there!” Zheng Dafeng snapped with an enraged
expression as he pointed over at the doorway leading to the shop, cutting Fan Er off
before he could finish his sentence.

Fan Er hurriedly did as he was told, sitting obediently by the doorway, and it was
clear to him that he had been mistaken.

He used to be such a smart kid! How has he become so stupid after only hanging out
with Chen Ping'an for a few days?!

Zheng Dafeng took a long draft of his pipe to calm himself down, then continued,
“Your breakthrough to the fourth tier is imminent. Once you get there, I plan to help
you strive for the top. The chances of success are very slim, but I'm a ninth tier
martial artist, and I'm not that much inferior to the likes of Li Er and Song Changjing.
If I get serious for once in my life, surely nothing is impossible!”

“Are you trying to make me the strongest fourth tier martial artist?” Fan Er asked in a
timid voice.

Zheng Dafeng nodded in confirmation. “Looks like Chen Ping'an's stupidity hasn't
completely rubbed off on you, after all.”

Despite the serious look on his face, internally, Zheng Dafeng was reveling in
schadenfreude. Chen Ping'an was going to have to endure immense hardships on
Osmanthus Island and the Sword Qi Great Wall. In doing so, he would have to
overcome an extremely perilous obstacle that the average martial artist wouldn't
have to face.

However, even after overcoming all those trials and tribulations, it would ultimately
be his good friend, Fan Er, who became the strongest fourth tier martial artist over
him. How frustrating and disheartening would that be for him?

Then again, there were countless prodigious martial artists all over Majestic World.
If Chen Ping'an couldn't even beat out someone with aptitude as ordinary as Fan
Er's, then he would have no hope at all of becoming the strongest fourth tier martial
artist.

Fan Er was silent for a long while upon hearing this, then finally said, “Teacher, you
just said that Chen Ping'an is already at the fourth tier. If I also progress to the fourth
tier in secret, what happens if I run into him someday?

“To be honest, I'm only studying martial arts because I don't have the aptitude to
become a Qi refiner, so all I want is to be able to reach the eighth tier so that I can fly
like Qi refiners. As for becoming the strongest fourth tier martial artist, I'm not really
confident in my ability, nor am I really interested in reaching such a goal….”

In the end, his voice trailed off as he lowered his head, not daring to look directly at
Zheng Dafeng.

Zheng Dafeng's heart had been brimming with motivation and excitement just a
moment ago, yet he felt as if he had just had a bucket of cold water poured over his
head.

However, he knew that it would be wrong to blame Fan Er. Just because he wanted to
make Fan Er the strongest fourth tier martial artist didn't mean that Fan Er had to
share those ambitions. With that in mind, Zheng Dafeng temporarily set the idea
aside as he smiled and said, “Don't be in such a hurry to refuse. Let's get you to the
fourth tier first, and if you change your mind then, you can tell me.”

“Alright,” Fan Er immediately replied with a relieved smile.

Zheng Dafeng waved a dismissive hand as he scoffed, “Get out of here! You don't have
any ambitions at all! Just looking at you pisses me off!”

Fan Er rose to his feet, then set the stool back down to its original spot. As he began
to make his way into the shop through the doorway, he turned around with a smile
as he said, “I want to relax and enjoy life like you, Teacher.”

Zheng Dafeng rolled his eyes in response.

As Fan Er passed through the medicinal shop, the female employees bade him
farewell, and he responded in kind.

After leaving the Dust Medicinal Shop, Fan Er raised his head to take a glance up at
the sky. He didn't know when his sister was going to come home. If she were to find a
husband that he didn't get along with on this trip to the Great Li Empire, then that
would be a massive headache for him.

He liked his sister, he liked his parents, he liked his patriarchs, he liked his clan's
guest elders, he liked Zheng Dafeng, and he liked Chen Ping'an. It would be terrible if
the only person that he didn't like was his brother-in-law!

Fan Er shook his head to rid himself of that train of thought, and as he strode down a
small alley on his own, he looked around to make sure that there was no one
watching, then imagined himself as a hero as he performed a string of badass fist
techniques.

It was a pity that Chen Ping'an wasn't present. Otherwise, he would've surely been
filled with awe and veneration!

The next time he met Chen Ping'an, he was determined to follow the traditions of the
martial arts world and swear themselves as brothers of one another over a cup of
wine.

The more he thought about this, the more enthused he became, and the more effort
he put into his fist techniques. As he flailed his fists through the air, he was cheering
for himself to spur himself on.

When he stopped, he nodded with a pleased expression as he mused, “That was an

exceptional set of fist techniques!”

Unbeknownst to him, a green-robed young woman was standing at the entrance of

the Dust Medicinal Shop. There was a weary look on her face, as if she had just
completed a long journey, and she was sipping on some wine while looking at Fan Er
in the distance as she sighed to herself, “Our parents really did name him well, he's
just as much of an idiot as his name suggests!” [1]

————

Far away on Osmanthus Island, Chen Ping'an was practicing his six-step walking
meditation over and over again on his own at night in the Guimai courtyard.

He really did have a chance of getting to a million repetitions before reaching the
Sword Qi Great Wall!

After his walking meditation, he began to practice his standing meditation.

Only after midnight did he return to his room. It was the height of summer, and he
laid down onto the high-quality bamboo mat that was as cool as water. He then set
down his sword case by his bedside, habitually making sure that it was within reach,
then closed his eyes and fell asleep with a faint smile on his face.

He was going to the Sword Qi Great Wall to practice his fist techniques atop the city
wall.

1. The Er (二) in Fan Er's name is literally the Chinese character for the number 2,
and that's slang in Chinese for a stupid person. It's short for 250, which is an insult of
the same meaning. ☜
By the time Fan Er emerged from the small alley, the green-robed young woman had
already stepped into the Dust Medicinal Shop.

As soon as she made her way into the shop, all of the female employees inside were
instantly struck by a sense of inferiority in her presence. Her beauty was so stunning
that it put them to shame in comparison.

In contrast with how polite and easygoing Fan Er was, the young woman was far less
approachable, and she made her way directly toward the doorway that led to the
backyard, while none of the female employees in the shop dared to stop her.

Zheng Dafeng was sitting on the steps outside, smoking his pipe.

The green-robed woman took a glance around the small courtyard, then made a
beckoning motion. A small stool that was under the eaves instantly appeared behind
her. She sat down and began to drink.

Zheng Dafeng was naturally aware of who this woman was. She was the first person
that he had met upon entering Old Dragon City: the relatively unknown young
mistress of the Fan Clan, Fan Junmao.

The five major clans of Old Dragon City were Fu, Sun, Fang, Hou, and Ding.

The Fu Clan had an earth immortal in the form of Fu Qi, as well as four celestial tools
in its possession, while the Sun Clan was renowned for its immense foundation and
its Nascent Tier patriarch.

The Fang Clan had no Nascent Tier cultivators among its ranks, but it did have two
seventh tier martial artists and a Golden Core Tier swordsman giving it unmatched
influence over the southern mortal empires of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

In particular, the Fang Clan owned countless banks, escort agencies, pawn shops, and
inns across those empires. In contrast with the Fu Clan and the Sun Clan, the Fang
Clan's businesses weren't as profitable, but where it lacked in quality, it made up for
in quantity.

The most powerful cultivators in the Hou Clan were a group of guest elders of the
Middle Five Tiers, and in this regard, they held no advantage over the other major
clans. However, the clan did have a branch descendant who had left the clan many
years before and since become a virtuous scholar of Lake View Academy.

Even though he had never returned to the Hou Clan following his departure, the Hou
Clan had benefited immensely from his status, and they sent people to pay their
respects to him every year.

Aside from an intercontinental ship to Stalactite Mountain, the Hou Clan also
controlled the largest number of routes from Old Dragon City to Complete Reed
Continent, most of which were quite short in length, ranging from tens of thousands
of kilometers to around 150,000 kilometers.

As an example, the Hou Clan owned half of Water Combing Nation's dragon channel,
and with all of these assets added together, the Hou Clan was certainly a force to be
reckoned with.

The Hou Clan had many ties with the immortal sects of Complete Reed Continent,
and over the past two centuries of painstaking effort, it had established several
immortal sects of its own there.

The Ding Clan was almost stripped of its status as one of the five major clans to be
replaced by an up-and-coming clan that had been a fierce competitor for close to a
century. The situation had become particularly sticky because the Ding Clan had
made an enemy of Chu Yang, the cultivator on the Dragon Scaling Platform and the
number one Golden Core Tier Qi refiner of Old Dragon City.

As a result, the Ding Clan had fallen into a terrible rut, one that it didn't seem like it
would be able to get out of.

However, in this dire situation, the arrival of a young man from Great Southeastern
Continent changed everything. When he first entered Old Dragon City, he was
extremely downtrodden, and he left the city just as downtrodden as he arrived,
unable to make even the tiniest splash in the city.

However, right as the Ding Clan was on the verge of collapse, this very young man
actually provided the Ding Clan with the personnel and money that it needed to
make a recovery. In exchange, all he took with him was a single woman.

Only then did it come to light that the young man was a direct disciple of the most
powerful cultivating sect on Parasol Leaf Continent, and he was an extremely
prestigious figure.

After that, the Ding Clan established close ties with Parasol Leaf Continent, allowing
it to develop rapidly, to the point that it was beginning to catch up to the Sun Clan.

Out of the five major clans, the Fan Clan was the only one who had a rather
nondescript and mundane history.

The clan had neither Nascent Tier patriarchs, nor any particularly formidable Golden
Core Tier cultivators or prodigious young descendants. In everything it did, it made
sure to follow the Fu Clan closely, essentially riding on the Fu Clan's coattails. Thanks
to its ties with the Fu Clan, it was just barely able to cling onto its status as one of the
five major clans.

Hence, the Hou Clan, which had never seen eye to eye with the Fan Clan, dared to
proclaim that the Fan Clan was nothing more than Fu Qi's lapdog. Year after year,
they were fed the Fu Clan's leftovers, which were enough to sustain them, but only
just barely. The Hou Clan also accused the Fan Clan's past leaders of being spineless
cowards with zero ambitions, content to act as servants for others.

Through the smoke from his pipe, Zheng Dafeng was staring at the green-robed
young woman, who was drinking in a leisurely fashion.

Old Man Yang had never told him much about this woman. All he told Zheng Dafeng
was that once he arrived at Old Dragon City, he was to seek her out and announce his
arrival to her. After that, he could approach City Lord Fu Qi to negotiate a deal.

Zheng Dafeng was already accustomed to the constant cloud of mystique around the
old man, both figuratively and in the form of the cloud of smoke constantly pouring
out of his pipe. Hence, he made no attempt to find out more about Fan Junmao.

Back when he was an eighth tier martial artist, he had seen Fan Junmao as nothing
more than a young cultivator who was still yet to reach the Middle Five Tiers, but
now that he was a ninth tier cultivator, he realized he had been sorely mistaken, and
that she was actually a Golden Core Tier Qi refiner.
All the woman did was drink in silence, and Zheng Dafeng was more than happy to
stay with her in silence.

In any case, she was quite a sight for sore eyes, so he was more than content to have
her keep him company.

All of a sudden, Zheng Dafeng mused, “How impressive! I never thought that I would
see anything in Old Dragon City more extraordinary than what I've seen in the small
town, but I've been proven wrong today.”

As it turned out, while Fan Junmao was drinking her wine, she had reached the
Nascent Tier, becoming an earth immortal.

Even though she had done her best to suppress the telltale signs of her
breakthrough, Zheng Dafeng had still managed to catch on, and he was stunned by
what he had just witnessed.

It was no wonder that Old Man Yang was so determined to have her. In fact, he had
most likely already had his eyes on her for a very long time.

“From now on, while you're in Old Dragon City, you follow my orders,” Fan Junmao
said, finally breaking her silence for the first time.

Zheng Dafeng's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

Fan Junmao rose to her feet with a cold sneer on her face, then raised an arm to
make a throwing motion before gently thrusting both hands toward Zheng Dafeng's
face as she said, “Whoosh, and you're dead….”

Zheng Dafeng rose to his feet, and in this instant, his normal flippant and relaxed
demeanor had completely faded.

Zheng Dafeng had been beaten to within an inch of his life by Li Er more times than
he could count, and as a gatekeeper, he had killed dozens of people who had come to
Jewel Small World in search of fated opportunities. He was certainly not just going to
allow any random woman to make light of him like this.

The woman smiled as she said, “I can't beat you right now, but that's just right now.”

In the next instant, her entire body disintegrated into wisps of dark green mist that
rose up into the heavens to fuse as one with the sea of clouds up above.

In the next instant, she was sitting on the edge of the sea of clouds with her feet
dangling over the side, gently swinging back and forth. As a result, the entire sea of
clouds was undulating slightly, as if she were using it as a swing while continuing to
drink wine and look out at the sea.

The bright moon had risen over the sea, and that moon was the very thing that was
reflected in her eyes.

————

At the stroke of dawn, Chen Ping'an was already practicing his walking meditation in
the courtyard. It was very peaceful so early in the morning, and the only thing
keeping him company was the light of the rising sun.

By the time Ma Zhi emerged from his room, Chen Ping'an had already completed his
walking meditation, and he was seated by a stone table, flipping through the Proper
Sword Scripture. Chen Ping'an had always kept up his habit of reading during the
intervals between his fist technique practice.

He read books that he had purchased along his journey, as well as the travel journal
that he had “stolen” from the prefectural overseer's manor back in Colorful Garment
Nation. Of course, there was also that elementary Confucian book he had received
from the old scholar.

During the course of his journey with Cui Dongshan, he had learned that for
something to be called a proper scripture, there were extremely important
connotations involved. A book that could be referred to as a scripture already placed
it at the pinnacle of its kind, and a proper scripture was even more extraordinary.

Zheng Dafeng appeared to be quite lackadaisical and unreliable, but when it came to
certain things, one could definitely count on him.

Zheng Dafeng didn't like Chen Ping'an, and the feeling was very much mutual.

However, just because they disliked each other didn't mean that they could only see
each other's negative traits. Conversely, just because two people liked each other
didn't mean that they viewed everything that the other did through rose-tinted
glasses.
An example of this was Gu Can. Despite his young age, he had a very dark and
spiteful personality, and Chen Ping'an was very worried that Gu Can would become
someone that he came to detest after spending an extended period of time with the
River Severing True Lord of Bamboo Scroll Lake.

Back when Li Huai first left the small town, he had been a massive coward, and Chen
Ping'an wondered what he was like now. Did he dare to step up for his friends in
their time of need, or was he still the same sniveling coward who only dared to hide
behind Chen Ping'an at the first sign of danger during their journey to Great Sui
Nation?

Lin Shouyi was mature beyond his years and an outstanding cultivation prodigy who
was very dedicated to the pursuit of the Great Dao. While this dedication was a good
thing, Chen Ping'an was worried that too much of a good thing could ultimately
prove to be detrimental.

If he were to become so obsessed with his pursuit of the Great Dao that he began to
view Li Baoping and Li Huai as hindrances, thereby distancing himself from them,
then that would be a very unfortunate tragedy.

Then there was his best friend, Liu Xianyang. A very long time ago, Liu Xianyang had
declared that he was going to see the tallest mountain and largest river outside the
small town, and that he definitely couldn't just die in such a tiny place as their
hometown. Would he be so enamored by the scenery that he saw outside the small
town that he would be unwilling to return home?

Chen Ping'an was always concerned about one thing or another, and that was why he
genuinely envied Fan Er, who never seemed to have a care in the world.

Chen Ping'an was different from his neighbor, Song Jixin, and Ma Kuxuan of Apricot
Blossom Alley. Those two were prodigies destined for great things. If they saw a
good thing that they couldn't take for themselves, then Song Jixin would most likely
begin insulting that thing, while Ma Kuxuan could destroy that thing altogether if he
were in a bad mood. If he couldn't have it, then no one could.

With these thoughts in his mind, Chen Ping'an continued to flip through the pages of
the Proper Sword Scripture.

In the face of a concept as prestigious as a proper scripture, swordsmanship was a

very minor concept in comparison. They were merely the techniques used by
swordsmen, and only swordsmen who were also Qi refiners could be said to be
pursuing the Sword Dao.

Colorful Garment Nation's sword god, who had been beaten to death by Ma Kuxuan,
Sword Saint Song Yushao of Water Combing Nation, Sword Paragon Lin Gushan of
Ancient Elm Nation, and Sword Immortal Su Lang of Pine Stream Nation were all just
martial artists, and they weren't acknowledged as cultivators.

In stark contrast, A'Liang was clearly the most powerful swordsman under the
heavens, yet he didn't like to identify as a cultivator and constantly traveled the
world while posing as an incompetent and braggadocious swordsman.

There were six sword techniques included in the sword scripture. Two each were for
attack and defense. The offensive techniques were the Avalanche Technique and the
Deity Suppression Technique, while the defensive ones were the Mountain
Technique and the Armor-wearing Technique.

As for the remaining two sword techniques, they were designed to hone the body
and soul of the swordsman. Instead of using these techniques in battle, they were
meant for personal development, and one of them was called Refinement, while the
other was named Focus.

Refinement served a similar purpose to the six-step walking meditation of the

Mountain Shaking Guide, while Focus was similar to standing meditation.

Out of the six sword techniques, Chen Ping'an particularly liked the Avalanche
Technique, which was extremely fast. The sword led the wielder forward, sending
them tumbling along like a snowball that gained more and more power and speed
over time.

Each sword technique had an accompanying image, and the pages that the
illustrations had been drawn upon were quite unique in that they were a light silver
color, as opposed to the other white pages of the book.

The illustrated figure demonstrated the sword techniques from start to finish before
repeating the process in an impeccable fashion, and there was also a golden line
within the figure's body that slowly traveled along a set trajectory.

Even the most complex sword techniques under the heavens were ultimately still
just a sequence of movements, and any martial arts prodigy would be able to imitate
a sword technique with some practice.

However, the key lay in the route of True Qi circulation, and this was often the key
when it came to advanced martial arts techniques. One had to learn which acupoint
the True Qi had to set off from, which acupoints it passed through, and where it
ultimately came to a rest. During this time, one also had to focus on the speed at
which the True Qi was traveling.

All of these details were extremely important, and this was why it was often vital to
have a master. Sometimes, certain instructions simply couldn't be properly conveyed
through writing, and verbal instructions were required to get the point across.

The Proper Sword Scripture had an introduction of several dozen characters, briefly
laying out the origins of the sword scripture.

The main text gave detailed explanations of how the six sword techniques were to be
practiced, and there were also some annotations from Zheng Dafeng, providing his
personal analysis.

For the title, the introduction, the main text, and the annotations, Zheng Dafeng had
used four different calligraphy styles, one of which was soft and effeminate, the
second elegant and refined, the third strong and free-flowing, and the final one
rather sickly and frail.

It was clear that Zheng Dafeng had done this to show off his mastery in calligraphy,
and Chen Ping'an had to admit that he was very impressed.

As expected of a lazy gatekeeper who did nothing but sit around all day, simply
scratching around on the ground with a tree branch was enough for him to develop
such exceptional calligraphy.

Only after Chen Ping'an had closed his book did Ma Zhi take a seat across from him.

“This place is under the shadow of the ancestor osmanthus tree on the mountain
summit, so as long as we don't cause too much of a commotion, none of the
passengers outside will notice what we're doing in here. Chen Ping'an, I've already
revealed my cultivation base to you earlier.

“This will be the first day of our sword practice together, and before we begin, I'd like
to tell you some things. Perhaps you'll already have heard some of what I'm about to
say. If that's the case, feel free to tell me, and I'll skip over those parts.”

Chen Ping'an sat up straight as he nodded in response.

Ma Zhi continued, “In the cultivation world, there's a saying that sixty years is old for
a Qi refiner, while a hundred years is still young for a swordsman. This refers to the
notion that a Qi refiner who only reaches the Middle Five Tiers at sixty years of age
can no longer be considered a prodigy, but for a swordsman, even if they only reach
the Cave Abode Tier at a hundred years of age, they're still considered to be a young
Qi refiner with a bright figure ahead. Why is that?”

Before Chen Ping'an had a chance to reply, Ma Zhi had already begun answering his
own question. “The answer is very simple: we swordsmen have the greatest
offensive power out of anyone under the heavens. Becoming a Qi refiner is quite
difficult as it is, and even more aptitude is required to become a swordsman.

“On top of that, whether one will be able to nurture a bonded flying sword is another
major hurdle. Even if one can successfully achieve that goal, an immense amount of
resources will be required to support their cultivation from that point onward. Right
now, I'm 270 years old, and I reached the Golden Core Tier 80 years ago, creating
quite a stir in Old Dragon City at the time.

“Four of the five major clans attempted to recruit my services as a guest elder for
very substantial compensation, but that's a story for another time. The reason I'm
laying out this background information for you is because I want to tell you that as
soon as I made my breakthrough, I realized that there's no chance I'll ever be able to
reach the Nascent Tier. Do you know why that is?”

Once again, Ma Zhi answered his own question. “The first reason is insufficient
aptitude, and the second reason is insufficient funds.”

A self-deprecating smile appeared on his face as he continued, “If the Fan Clan was
willing to spend half of the clan's entire wealth to help me refine my bonded flying
swords and purchase all manners of natural treasures to forge a sword furnace for
me, perhaps I would be able to make the breakthrough. However, no matter how
good the Fan Clan is to me, there's no way I can expect them to do that. After all, my
surname isn't Fan.”
Even though Ma Zhi had come to terms with this fact long ago, a hint of dejection still
appeared on his face as he spoke about this subject.

Just as much as Ma Zhi was telling Chen Ping'an this story, it seemed like he was also
trying to console himself, and he continued, “Even on Mount Longhu, which stands
alongside the top three sects of Daoism, a differentiation is made between direct-line
Heavenly Masters of the Heavenly Master Residence and external Heavenly Masters
who don't carry the Zhang surname.

“There have been many exceptionally gifted immortals of the Upper Five Tiers
among these external Heavenly Masters, and there have even been cases of external
Heavenly Masters defeating Great Heavenly Masters of the Heavenly Master
Residence in the past, but the Heavenly Master Seal and the immortal sword had
never fallen into the hands of an external Heavenly Master.”

Chen Ping'an understood the reasoning behind this quite well, and he nodded as he
said, “Ultimately, weapons are devices of slaughter and destruction. When it comes
to the top cultivating sects under the heavens, they're no less powerful than major
nations, so they must be particularly careful with how their weapons are assigned.

“If those powerful weapons are handed down willy-nilly, then that would only spell
disaster in the future, and it could lead to catastrophic consequences.”

“That's right,” Ma Zhi replied with a nod.

He had always thought that Chen Ping'an was a young master from an affluent clan,
so he wasn't surprised at all by Chen Ping'an's insights on this subject.

He heaved a faint sigh. “While the majority of powerful figures and entities under the
heavens know the importance of exercising caution and discretion, this is a very
complex world, and there are still many people who like to do whatever they please
and are intent on talking to everyone and everything with their fists and their
swords.

“These people aren't exactly wrong. To be honest, bystanders like myself can't help
but feel envious of these free spirits who do whatever they please without any
regard for consequences. However, this can only be the exception, not the norm.
Otherwise, the entire world would descend into chaos, and that would certainly not
be conducive to any positive outcomes.”
It was clear that Ma Zhi was speaking from experience, perhaps having witnessed
many such free spirits in the past.

For Golden Core Tier Qi refiners, particularly Golden Core Tier swordsmen, they
were all well-respected everywhere, even on the Middle Earth Divine Continent.
However, even on Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, a Golden Core Tier swordsman
couldn't just do whatever they pleased.

Ma Zhi suppressed the complex emotions in his heart as he smiled and continued,
“You are a martial artist, yet you wish to train in the way of the sword. In doing so,
you must envision me as your enemy, so you need to be aware of some things about
Qi refiners….”

All of a sudden, Ma Zhi's voice trailed off there.

“I'm sure you're already aware of all of this. Should I skip this part?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head in response. “Please go ahead, Mr. Ma, I'm happy to hear
what you have to say.”

Ma Zhi smiled as he continued, “The Middle Five Tiers for Qi refiners consist of the
Cave Abode Tier, the Sea Observation Tier, the Dragon Gate Tier, the Golden Core
Tier, and the Nascent Tier. Upon reaching the Golden Core Tier, one will be able to
transform their entire sea of Qi into a golden core.

“As for the size, quality, and power of the golden core, that differs from person to
person, but generally speaking, one can roughly determine the quality of their future
golden core once they reach the Dragon Gate Tier. At the time, my core abode was
very rough around the edges, and I was very fortunate to have been able to manifest
a golden core, but it was never going to be one of a very high caliber.

“Hence, I knew that it would be impossible for me to reach the Nascent Tier. Over the
years, many of my Golden Core Tier peers in Old Dragon City and some young rascals
of the Middle Five Tiers have been making fun of me in secret, saying that I represent
the absolute bottom of barrel for Golden Core Tier Qi refiners….”

Ma Zhi suddenly burst into laughter as he spoke about what should've been a rather
embarrassing topic, and it was clear that what others were saying behind his back
didn't weigh on him at all.
“Can I ask you a question about your exact cultivation base, Mr. Ma?” Chen Ping'an
suddenly asked.

“Of course,” Ma Zhi replied with a nod.

“At what age did you reach the Dragon Gate Tier, and how many pieces of artwork
were there in your core abode?” Chen Ping'an asked.

With that, Ma Zhi became even more convinced that Chen Ping'an had come from an
affluent clan or a top-tier cultivating sect. Otherwise, there was no way that he
would've been able to raise such a question.

For those itinerant cultivators who had stumbled into the Middle Five Tiers through
sheer luck, there was a very good chance that they would never find out that it was
possible to have more than a single artwork in one's core abode upon reaching the
Dragon Gate Tier.

True cultivation prodigies could have two artworks in their core abode, and among
all of the cultivators that Ma Zhi had encountered, there were several Nascent Tier
earth immortals who had two such artworks, and there was even an Unpolished Jade
Tier immortal who had as many as three, which was almost unheard of.

Ma Zhi stroked his beard with a smile as he replied in a candid fashion, “Earlier, I
mentioned that I reached the Golden Core Tier at 190 years of age, but I actually
reached the Dragon Gate Tier a very long time before that, some time in my 120s.
This is only because I began cultivating quite late. Otherwise, I would've almost
definitely been able to reach the Dragon Gate Tier before turning 100.”

A stunned look appeared on Chen Ping'an's face upon hearing this.

Ma Zhi's smile widened a little at the sight of Chen Ping'an's reaction, and he
mistakenly assumed that Chen Ping'an was stunned by his cultivation aptitude.

Unbeknownst to him, Chen Ping'an had only raised this question as he had
overheard Ning Yao grumbling to herself back in his ancestral residence on Clay Vase
Alley, complaining about how she had only reached the Dragon Gate Tier, and that
she only had six pieces of artwork in her core abode.

Chen Ping'an removed his Sword Nurturing Gourd from his waist, then hurriedly
took a few sips of osmanthus wine to calm his nerves.
Ma Zhi smiled as he consoled, “Given your outstanding aptitude, even as a pure
martial artist, I'm sure you'll reach the same heights as I have, if not beyond that. As
long as you work hard and remain consistent, the Great Dao is yours to pursue! Let's
start today so you can grow accustomed to my sword Qi.”

Chen Ping'an could tell that Ma Zhi had misconstrued his astonishment, and he could
only give an awkward nod as he replied, “Sure!”

Ma Zhi rose to his feet, then put on a serious expression as he said, “When it comes
to the Three Qi Tempering Tiers of martial arts, the soul, spirit, and gall are the main
things being honed. Among them are the three immortal souls and seven mortal
forms, of which the three immortal souls are embryo light, refreshing spirit, and
serene essence.

“I will use three different types of sword Qi to help you cleanse, buffet, and refine
your three immortal souls. Don't worry, I'll make sure that I don't harm you during
this process. In the meantime, you can practice the four offensive and defensive
techniques on that sword scripture, if you can, that is….”

An amused smile appeared on Ma Zhi's face here.

He didn't know how Chen Ping'an had attained the foundations of soul, spirit, and
gall at only the fourth tier, but for a pure martial artist, having the sword Qi of a
Golden Core Tier swordsman sweeping through their three immortal souls was
surely going to be an excruciating process.

Hence, it was yet to be seen whether Chen Ping'an would even be able to stand still
in the process, let alone practice any sword techniques. Having said that, if Chen
Ping'an really could persevere, even for only a short time, then he would surely make
rapid progress in those four sword techniques.

“Be careful now, Young Master Chen. I will now be using my sword intent to test out
the depth of your three immortal souls.”

A bonded flying sword flew out of his chest as he spoke, hovering between himself
and Chen Ping'an.

“I have named this sword Shade as I was under the shade of a huge tree when this
sword first emerged. It's already been with me for over two centuries, and it's not
particularly sharp, but it's quite effective when it comes to stealthily slicing through
the souls of my opponents in battle.”

Chen Ping'an replaced the Sword Nurturing Gourd on his waist, then patted it
vigorously a couple of times, urging First and the Fifteenth to stay put in the Sword
Nurturing Gourd instead of flying out at their own discretion.

After that, his brows furrowed slightly as he remained still on the spot, and even his
aura and breathing hadn't changed at all, much to Ma Zhi's astonishment.
Zheng Dafeng took a glance at the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City, then suddenly
complained, “Why isn't she wearing a dress?”

The Yin god slowly appeared in the courtyard, and it had no idea how to respond to
this.

Zheng Dafeng turned to the Yin god with a smile as he asked, “You're not going to say
anything no matter what I ask, right, Old Man Zhao?”

The Yin god shook its head in response. “To be honest, I don't know any more about
Fan Junmao than you do. However, back when I was in the temple, I heard a rumor
that may or may not be true from a deceased foreign sword immortal.”

Zheng Dafeng was very intrigued to hear this. “Well, pray tell then. It's not like either
of us have anything better to do anyway.”

A cold sneer appeared on the Yin god's face as it scoffed, “You may be wasting your
life away, but I'm really busy. Playing my role is no less difficult than fighting on a
battlefield. Actually, that's not entirely fair, you're really busy every day as well, busy
flirting with a bunch of women, that is! Given how good you are with your words,
you should really go and take up a teaching position at Lake View Academy.”

“Don't say such hurtful things, Old Man Zhao. The fact that we're together now
clearly indicates that we're bound to each other by fate,” Zheng Dafeng said with a
smile.

“And what an ill fortune that is,” the Yin god retorted.

Zheng Dafeng shook his head as he pointed up at the sea of clouds and corrected,
“You and I are connected thanks to a stroke of good fortune, the ill-fated encounter is
between me and her.”

When Fan Junmao had entered the Dust Medicinal Shop, the Yin god had
immediately disappeared on its own, both to conform to the rules and as a gesture of
etiquette and respect. Hence, he didn't hear the conversation between the two, but it
was clear that it had not ended on a positive note.

The first time Zheng Dafeng had met Fan Junmao, the latter had only been at the
Cave Abode Tier, yet after returning to Old Dragon City from the Great Li Empire, she
had already reached the Golden Core Tier. This rate of progression was clearly not
something that could be attributed to outstanding aptitude alone.

It was so astonishing that it reminded the Yin god of a certain young woman who
had grown up in Jewel Small World. Even the most stunning prodigy under the
heavens couldn't match someone who was “born with intuitive knowledge.”

The Yin god heaved a faint sigh at this thought.

Thankfully, even across all of nine continents, people like her were exceedingly rare.

“Hey, wakey wakey, Old Man Zhao! Quit daydreaming! What were you saying about
the foreign sword immortal who perished in Jewel Small World? What secret about
the Fu Clan's sea of clouds did he divulge to you?” Zheng Dafeng prompted.

“I don't want to tell you anymore. I have things that I need to do,” the Yin god replied,
then abruptly vanished from the spot.

Zheng Dafeng was rooted to the spot for a moment, then erupted into a fit of fury as
he yelled, “You mother….”

Before he had a chance to finish, the bamboo curtain was suddenly lifted, revealing
the tender and beautiful features of a young girl. It was the girl who always liked to
sit beside Zheng Dafeng to eat sunflower seeds. She smiled as she asked, “Oh? You
want me to be your mother, Shopkeeper Zheng?

Zheng Dafeng set down his pipe, then rose to his feet as he rubbed his hands
together and approached the girl with a fawning smile. “I don't want you to be my
mother, that would place way too much distance between us.”

“How can we be any closer than mother and son?” the girl asked with a perplexed
expression.

Zheng Dafeng reached out to place his arm across the girl's shoulders, but she
ducked down and took a couple of steps backward with a mischievous grin on her
face as she asked, “Do you want to marry me instead?”

Zheng Dafeng sheepishly retracted his hand and said, “Let's be brother and sister
instead. That way, nothing will tear us apart.”

He then rested his elbows on the counter, looking at the shop full of beautiful female
employees as he mused, “What a wonderful sight to behold.”

A smile suddenly appeared on his face as he continued, “Teaching one a skill is better
than bestowing upon one wealth, but giving one a good name is even better than
teaching one a skill. Have any of you heard this saying?”

The girl who Zheng Dafeng had stolen that book from was the only one of the female
employees who was literate, but she offered no response. After Zheng Dafeng
shamelessly borrowed that book from her, he refused to return it! The book was only
worth several dozen copper coins, yet he refused to return it, and in the end, he
simply told her that he had lost it!

She had been so enraged that she picked up a broomstick and began chasing him
around the shop. In the end, Zheng Dafeng was forced to relent, telling her that he
would add an extra 100 copper coins to her monthly wage as compensation for the
book, and only then did she let him off the hook.

She had already read the book anyway, and it was doing nothing but gathering dust
at home. Her parents displayed a great deal of favoritism toward her younger
brother, so if they had discovered the book, they would've most likely reprimanded
her for being wasteful.

With no one responding to his call, Zheng Dafeng was forced to pull out his trump
card. “Do any of you want to know the name of the boy from the Fan Clan who
regularly visits our shop?”

All of the women immediately turned to Zheng Dafeng, and a look of schadenfreude
appeared on his face as he revealed, “His name is Fan Er, as in two! Doesn't that
really suit him?”

No one was willing to believe him. In their eyes, there was no way that such a
handsome young boy could have such a ridiculous name.
Zheng Dafeng made no effort to try and convince the women that he was telling the
truth. Instead, he began murmuring to himself, “Fan Er has to study martial arts and
take over as the future leader of the Fan Clan. He certainly has a heavy responsibility
on his shoulders. As for his sister, she has a far better name than him. Looks like
there's more to the Fan Clan than meets the eye….”

Zheng Dafeng pressed his cheek against the countertop as he cast his gaze toward
the small alley outside. He could tell that a storm was approaching.

The young mistress of the Cloud Forest Jiang Clan was going to be married into the
Fu Clan of Old Dragon City, and the dowry was undoubtedly going to be enormous.

The only thing that was unclear for now was how the Fu Clan was going to take
advantage of gaining such a powerful ally. Was it going to eventually reign supreme
on its own in Old Dragon City, or would both those clans stand at the pinnacle of the
city?

Zheng Dafeng smiled as he rid himself of that train of thought. It wasn't like any of
that mattered to him anyway.

He took a glance at the female employees in his shop, and he began to consider
whether he should buy some expensive and tight-fitting clothes for them out of his
own pocket. It was the height of summer, so if they were to sweat even just a little,
those clothes would cling to their bodies and accentuate their curves.

A perverted grin appeared on Zheng Dafeng's face at the thought, and he wiped away
the drool trickling out of his mouth.

This was the life that he should've been focused on.

When it came to the Divine General pinned to the pillar and mysterious people like
Fan Junmao, those were just things that he would have to worry about another time.

————

A wisp of sword Qi imbued with Ma Zhi's Sword Dao true intent shot forth without
any warning toward Chen Ping'an with astonishing speed.

Even though Ma Zhi was already aware that Chen Ping'an possessed an extremely
solid martial arts foundation, he was still stunned by the outcome.
Surely he had to stumble a little at the very least!

Chen Ping'an was under the false impression that Ma Zhi had held back too much in
that attack, so he smiled and encouraged, “It's alright, Mr. Ma. Back when I was
refining my soul at the third tier, I had to endure a lot of hardship, so I have a decent
capacity for suffering. As long as your sword Qi won't cause any substantial harm,
you can attack with as much force as you like.”

“Alright, be careful now,” Ma Zhi replied with a slight nod, then extended a hand
forward, plucking out three wisps of sword Qi from Shade with his index and middle
fingers. He rolled them into three pearl-sized balls, all of which were giving off a faint
green glow, as if they really were formed by the cool and green shade of a tree.

He flicked his middle finger thrice, and the three sword Qi beads were sent hurtling
toward Chen Ping'an. Right as they flew into his body, they split up to strike his
embryo light, refreshing spirit, and serene essence immortal souls with unerring
accuracy.

Chen Ping'an was already prepared this time, and he adopted his standing
meditation stance while opening his heart. The three bursts of sword Qi were like
three knocks on his door, announcing their intrusion before flying into his immortal
souls, striking him with a bone-chilling sensation that made him want to shiver.

Chen Ping'an's expression remained unchanged, and his True Qi, which resembled a
fiery dragon, quickly surged forth from elsewhere, instantly soothing the bone-
chilling sensation that had pierced through his three immortal souls.

“Keep going, Mr. Ma!” Chen Ping'an urged.

Ma Zhi's expression also remained unchanged, but internally, he was quite stunned.
He didn't say anything; instead, he joined his middle and index fingers and gently
swiped them across his bonded flying sword. This time, instead of plucking out a
thin string sword Qi and rolling it into a bead, he pulled out an entire strip of sword
Qi.

As opposed to immediately darting at Chen Ping'an, the strip of sword Qi hovered in

mid-air, giving off a glacial aura, immediately replacing the summer heat in the
courtyard with the spring chill.

As the strip of sword Qi was hanging in mid-air between Ma Zhi and Chen Ping'an,
the former said, “The embryo light is where a person's soul is born. For the majority
of swordsmen, the embryo light serves as the initial sword furnace for their bonded
flying swords. Hence, that is essentially the scabbard of the sword and also where
the sword is nurtured.

“The three immortal souls have no set places in one's body. Just like snakes and rats
have underground tunnels that they can traverse through at will, a similar analogy
can be drawn to the three immortal souls. Just now, my sword Qi beads struck your
heart, but they serve as nothing more than a trio of appetizer dishes. From here, we
move on to the main course, and the sword intent imbued in this strip of sword Qi
will be far more formidable than before, so make sure to brace yourself well!”

Chen Ping'an reflexively nodded in response.

As soon as Ma Zhi saw Chen Ping'an make this slight nodding motion, he
immediately took the opportunity to strike, and the streak of sword Qi pierced
straight into Chen Ping'an's body in the blink of an eye.

Ma Zhi smiled as he said, “In future battles against swordsmen, make sure you don't
allow even the slightest lapse in your focus.”

Pure martial artists were the most extreme group of people under the heavens. They
had to refine the body, the Qi, and the spirit, honing their bodies from the outside to
the inside layer by layer. In doing so, their efforts would be constantly reinforcing
their physical bodies, thereby granting them superior physical constitutions to Qi
refiners.

Ultimately, in the eyes of cultivators, they were pursuing themselves rather than the
Great Dao; compared to cultivators, martial artists had far shorter lifespans, with
even the most powerful ones living to only around 300 years of age.

Compared with Qi refiners, who refined themselves both on the inside and the
outside, pure martial artists placed excessive focus on honing the physical body,
which ultimately had a detrimental effect. The Martial Dao was simply too limited,
and martial artists were too stubborn, to the point that they used solely their own
power to refine their souls, drawing upon nothing more than the True Qi in their
bodies for this purpose.

On one hand, they could be praised for their self-reliance, which allowed them to not
have to count on external forces, but on the other hand, such a practice ultimately
limited the height of their ceiling.

In contrast, Qi refiners had to erect bridges of immortality, which served as bridges

between the body and the outside world. Thus, they could absorb the abundant
small world between heaven and earth to hone their souls, and with the power of
heaven and earth on their side, it naturally became far easier to live much longer.

Right at this moment, a burst of excruciating pain arose in Chen Ping'an's soul, pain
that rivaled the agony of tearing his own skin and plucking his own tendons.

However, he remained as still as a mountain in his stance, much to Ma Zhi's surprise.

Even though he had held back significantly, he was still a Golden Core Tier
swordsman. From his perspective, a fourth tier martial artist had as many
weaknesses and holes as a leaky bucket. Hence, the nod that Chen Ping'an had given
had presented an opportunity for him to strike. He had already done his best to
overestimate the foundation of Chen Ping'an's physical constitution, but as it turned
out, he had still severely underestimated him.

Chen Ping'an's body had been pounded into its current condition by the Deity
Drumming Technique unleashed by a 10th tier martial artist that was Cui Chan's
grandfather, while his three immortal souls and seven mortal forms had been
pummeled into shape by the Rain Evaporation Technique and the Heavy Cavalry
Formation Shattering Technique, all of which were the manifestation of the essence
of the old man's martial arts ability.

Even after reaching the pinnacle of the 10th tier, those were still the three
techniques that he was most proud of.

In order to endure the Deity Drumming Technique for longer, using the Eighteen
Stops Technique had become second nature to Chen Ping'an. After that came the
torment of stripping his own skin and plucking his own tendons, and it could be said
that his physical constitution had been honed on the basis of more pain than anyone
should've had to experience in ten lifetimes!

The end result still wasn't anywhere near as the impregnable vajra body attained by
seventh tier martial artists, but that sliver of sword Qi from Ma Zhi wasn't enough to
breach the holes in Chen Ping'an's physical constitution, unless it were to barge its
way in through brute force.

Such was the power of the strongest third tier martial artist under the heavens.

Ma Zhi's competitive spirit was ignited a little by Chen Ping'an's lack of reaction to
his attacks, and this time, he pulled off three more strips of sword Qi from his
bonded flying sword, then sent them flying into Chen Ping'an in unison. Surely, Chen
Ping'an's three immortal souls weren't truly impregnable, were they?

Chen Ping'an remained completely still, and he wanted to say something but decided
to refrain from doing so in the end. He didn't dare to request Ma Zhi to use more of
his power as he felt like doing so would be an insult to the old swordsman. The three
streaks of sword Qi were tearing through his body like oxen plowing a field, forcibly
tearing three trenches into his heart.

For the average person, this would've been unbearable agony, but compared with
what Chen Ping'an had been forced to endure in the bamboo building, this was
nothing more than an appetizer.

Ma Zhi could see that Chen Ping'an was largely unaffected, and he was forced to
reassess his appraisal of the young martial artist once again.

He took a glance at Shade, which was trembling slightly as it hovered in mid-air in

front of him, and he took a deep breath before declaring, “Chen Ping'an, for this
strike, I'm going to make Shade adopt an insubstantial form and force its way into
your soul. Be prepared for an immense degree of pain. If it's too much for you to
bear, then make sure to speak up.

“Even though Shade is my bonded flying sword, it'll be concealed by your soul once it
enters your body, so my spiritual connection with it will be compromised. In battle,
this wouldn't be a problem as I would simply allow it to wreak havoc as it pleased in
the body of my opponent, but of course, that's not my objective here, so make sure
you don't bite off more than you can chew.”

Chen Ping'an offered no response, merely taking a step backward to adopt an ancient
fist stance with one fist pressed over his own heart while his other fist was raised
high above his head.

If he were to raise one of his legs as well, then he would bear a strong resemblance to
a heavenly king statue worshiped in Buddhist temples, but the resemblance was only
in appearance, while the true intent was vastly different. This was the same Rain
Evaporation Technique that he had unleashed to force back those golden flood
dragons twice back at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence.

After adopting this new stance, Chen Ping'an's aura completely changed.

From Ma Zhi's perspective, he was no longer the bright and optimistic young boy
who had been joking around with Fan Er, nor was he the focus and restrained young
boy practicing his walking or standing meditation.

Instead, he was giving off the aura of a truly seasoned master martial artist. It
wouldn't have been a surprise to see such a formidable aura from the few seventh
and eighth tier grandmaster martial artists in Old Dragon City, but their auras had
been honed over the course of decades, even centuries, during which they had
endured countless life and death battles. In contrast, how old was this boy?

Ma Zhi had been shocked so many times on this day that he was feeling a little numb.

At this point, Chen Ping'an had already entered a completely immersive state, and he
could no longer see Ma Zhi standing before him, nor could he see Shade hovering in
mid-air.

Instead, he was seeing Cui Chan's grandfather chortling with glee as he administered
the most horrific punishments while denouncing Chen Ping'an as a weakling, a frail
lass. Those insults weren't just directed solely toward Chen Ping'an. Instead, they
were also partially directed at this entire world.

With this punch, he was determined to force the deities that had descended from the
heavens back to the Heavenly Court!

His fist was going to serve as a pillar between heaven and earth!

“Please enlighten me!” he blurted out without thinking.

This was a slightly provocative statement from Chen Ping'an, but Ma Zhi wasn't
displeased at all to hear it, and he duly obliged, sending Shade flying through the air.
As it did so, it gradually took on an insubstantial form, and it resembled an
unstoppable general spearheading a mighty army.

Chen Ping'an's complexion was slightly pale as he clenched his fists tightly, and while
still maintaining his stance, he stomped a foot heavily down onto the ground.

The ground in the courtyard trembled slightly as his mountainous fist intent erupted
forth in all directions.

Ma Zhi's brow furrowed slightly as he gazed at Chen Ping'an. He swiped his middle
and index fingers downward, gesturing as if he were aiming to disembowel Chen
Ping'an with a slash of his sword.

Chen Ping'an opened his eyes up wide as he gritted his teeth with all his might, and
he drew his fists closer to one another in preparation to lash out in retaliation.

At the same time, all of the fist intent that had surged out of him quickly returned,
and he slapped his hands forcefully together as if he were killing a fly.

“You're going to regret being so cocky!” Ma Zhi scoffed coldly as he brought his two
fingers upward, injecting even more sword intent into his bonded flying sword.

Right at this moment, Chen Ping'an thrust his fist forward with tremendous fist
intent that erupted straight up toward the heavens, revealing the previously
concealed shade of the ancestor osmanthus tree overlooking the small courtyard.

It was hanging over the Guimai courtyard like an invisible barrier, but in the face of
Chen Ping'an's immense fist intent, it began rippling incessantly, causing everything
outside the courtyard to warp and blur.

I refuse to believe that a Golden Core Tier swordsman like myself can't tame a mere
fourth tier martial artist! Ma Zhi thought to himself in an enraged manner, then took
a step back while clasping one hand behind his back.

“Chen Ping'an, this is where the true test begins! From now on, my flying sword will
alternate between a substantial and insubstantial form to attack both your body and
your soul, so make sure you're constantly on your guard!”

There was a determined and focused look in Chen Ping'an's eyes, and he offered no
response as he slowly slid back in a smooth and free-flowing fashion, displaying
exceptional bodily control.

There was an enormous degree of variance between the sword intent of all of the
swordsmen under the heavens.

The true intent of Ma Zhi's sword was one that aimed to rid the world of the
scorching heat of summer, leaving a cool and refreshing trail in its wake everywhere
it went.

————

In the neighboring courtyard not far away from the Guimai courtyard, Osmanthus
Girl Jin Su was eating a slice of sweet melon. There was a natural spring on
Osmanthus Island, and the melons nourished by the water from the spring were
always a delightful delicacy. Aunt Gui had lost interest in human food long ago, and
she was sitting off to the side, watching her stunningly beautiful disciple.

Even though she was only doing something as ordinary as eating a slice of melon,
there was a natural air of grace and elegance about her. It was no wonder that both
Sun Jiashu and Fu Nanhua, the two most exceptional young men of Old Dragon City,
had both fallen for her.

Aunt Gui was aware that Sun Jiashu also had feelings for Jin Su, but she didn't want to
reveal this as she didn't think that Sun Jiashu was a good match for her. When it
came to marriage candidates for Jin Su, Aunt Gui felt like Sun Jiashu, who was an
exceptionally brilliant young man, was actually the worst option, while Fu Nanhua
was slightly better, and the best option was Fan Er.

Unfortunately, love was notoriously blind, and the objective best option was often
foregone for a more exciting but less rational one.
Who could be blamed for that?

Actually, Aunt Gui really did know who was initially to blame for this, but at this
point, it was hard to say.

All of a sudden, a surprised look appeared on her face as she cast her gaze toward
the Guimai courtyard.

“What is it, Mistress?” Jin Su asked with a puzzled expression.

“I think you may have underestimated that boy staying in the Guimai courtyard,”
Aunt Gui remarked with an amused smile.

Jin Su picked up another slice of melon as she shrugged and replied, “Even if he's the
most brilliant man under the heavens, that has nothing to do with me.”

Meanwhile, Aunt Gui seemed to have received a message through voice transmission,
and she nodded in response, then turned to Jin Su as she said, “Looks like there's a
job for you. Go to the shop at the foot of the mountain to pick up some medicinal
ingredients.

“Ma Zhi has already sent a list to the shop, so the ingredients should already be ready
for you. Once you get back, wait for him to give you the go-ahead, then prepare a
large water tub in the Guimai courtyard.”

A perplexed look appeared on Jin Su's face upon hearing this. “Is our guest going to
take a medicinal bath to hone his physical constitution? Isn't that something only
martial artists of the Physique Refining Tiers have to regularly do?”

A slightly reluctant look then appeared on her face as she said, “Doing something like
that for a boy is a little awkward for me. I'm not some spoiled and pampered young
mistress, I'm more than happy to do things like brew tea, clean, and play the zither
for our guests, but preparing baths for someone is just….”

“Should I do it then?” Aunt Gui asked with a smile.

Jin Su heaved a resigned sigh, and after stalling for a moment longer, she relented,
“Alright, I'll do it.”

It didn't take long for Jin Su to return to the courtyard following her departure, and
she had come back with a group of guests with astonishing auras from another
continent. Initially, she was feeling a little uneasy, wondering why these people were
visiting Aunt Gui, but once she noticed that her mistress was already standing at the
entrance of the courtyard waiting for these guests, she was instantly feeling a lot
more reassured.

In her eyes, her mistress was virtually omnipotent, and there was no way that she
was just an ordinary guest elder of the Fan Clan. Even though Aunt Gui had always
been very secretive about her cultivation base and past experiences, based on what
Jin Su had seen of Aunt Gui in the past, she was certain of one thing, which was that
her mistress was at least a Golden Core Tier Qi refiner, if not a Nascent Tier earth
immortal.

All of the intercontinental ships that traveled between Old Dragon City and Stalactite
Mountain, including Osmanthus Island, had to have at least a Golden Core Tier
cultivator onboard for each trip. Officially, Aunt Gui was only supposed to be one of
the administrators on Osmanthus Island and a Sea Observation Tier Qi refiner.

Now that Ma Zhi was also onboard, Osmanthus Island was actually currently
carrying three Golden Core Tier Qi refiners, so Jin Su was confident that everything
would be under control.

The group of foreign visitors consisted of six people of all ages, and they were all
from Parasol Leaf Continent, which was the biggest collaborative partner for the Fan
Clan's Osmanthus Island on this trip.

They had rented close to half of all of the secret underground warehouses on
Osmanthus Island, but as for exactly what was stored in those warehouses, that was
information that an osmanthus girl like Jin Su was naturally not privy to. All she had
heard was that they were all from a very important figure from Parasol Leaf
Continent.

In any case, seeing as her mistress had already emerged to address the situation, she
could focus on traveling to the foot of the mountain to pick up the medicinal
ingredients.

As she departed, she couldn't help but take a backward glance. Among the six
visitors was an extremely tall and thin elderly man quite a bit taller than even Fu Qi.
The combination between his white hair and youthful, almost childlike features,
made him extremely eye-catching. He was wearing a pristine black robe, clearly a
top-tier Dao robe.

The old man was a personal guard to a young man who was very unremarkable in
appearance. He had a pair of very faint eyebrows, but his eyes were very long and
thin, and whenever he gazed upon someone through narrowed eyes, even the Cave
Abode Tier Jin Su would be struck by an onset of goosebumps, not daring to meet his
gaze.

“May I ask why all of you have come to see me?” Aunt Gui asked with a smile.

The young man's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, “You're Lady Gui, is that
correct?”

“That's right,” Aunt Gui replied with an indifferent expression.

A fervent look instantly appeared in the man's eyes as he declared, “My name is Jiang
Beihai, and I come from the Jade Tablet Sect. Right now, our sect is in need of an
intercontinental ship. Would you be interested in joining our Jade Tablet Sect, Lady
Gui?”

Aunt Gui offered no response.

The man smiled as he continued, “Don't worry, we'll be sure to compensate the Fan
Clan for all of their losses and the profits that Osmanthus Island is projected to make
over the course of the next century. I'm sure the Fan Clan wouldn't dare to turn down
my proposal, nor would they be inclined to do so. What do you think, Lady Gui?”

Eastern Treasured Vial Continent was the smallest of the nine continents, but its
southeastern neighbor, Parasol Leaf Continent, was significantly larger, even more so
than Circling Ascension Continent.

On top of that, Parasol Leaf Continent had a large number of blessed lands, out of
which two, in particular, were of an exceptionally high caliber, to the point that many
cultivators from Southern Whirl Continent and Complete Reed Continent were
willing to make the long journey to Parasol Leaf Continent solely to access those
blessed lands.

Generally speaking, all of these powerful immortals would leave those two blessed
lands with far more rewards than they would normally expect to reap from most
other other blessed lands.

As for Jade Tablet Sect, it ranked alongside Parasol Leaf Sect as the two most
powerful sects on Parasol Leaf Continent.

The young man from Parasol Leaf Continent who had helped the Ding Clan weather
the storm from years past was from Parasol Leaf Sect. The fact that the sect had been
standing for thousands of years and was able to name itself after the continent
where it was based was an exceptional representation of its power.

This was similar to how Complete Reed Continent dared to refer to itself as the
northern continent over Pure White Continent, even though it was technically
located in the northeast.

A woman in a palace dress smiled as she said, “Young Master Jiang, you've always
kept quite a low profile, and unlike the ostentatious Parasol Leaf Sect, our Jade
Tablet Sect has always been much more benevolent and subdued, so perhaps Lady
Gui hasn't really heard of our sect.”

Aunt Gui shook her head in response. “I am more than aware of Jade Tablet Sect's
resounding reputation. I'm also aware that the Jiang Clan of Jade Tablet Sect controls
Cloud Cave Blessed Land, and that for the past dozen or so generations, the clan has
maintained a single lineage system.”

“If you're aware of our sect, yet you're still reacting in such an aloof fashion, then I
presume you must be of the opinion that our Jade Tablet Sect and the Fan Clan of Old
Dragon City isn't on the same continent, so we're unable to do anything to the Fan
Clan even if we tried, is that right?” the man from the Jiang Clan asked.

The man then feigned an apologetic expression as he extended a slight bow, but
there was a cold smile on his face as he continued, “Please pardon me for my
rudeness. I got a little ahead of myself there, I hope you don't mind, Lady Gui.”

Aunt Gui still remained as indifferent as before as she explained, “I swore a Great
Dao vow that concerns the foundation of my cultivation, and it's not a vow that I can
simply renege on. I appreciate the kind offer, but I must refuse, Young Master Jiang.”

The young man raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

Aunt Gui then smiled as she continued, “There's still 60 years left before I can fulfill
the term of my vow, so if you really have the sincerity to recruit me into your sect,
perhaps you can wait out this duration.”

The young man immediately burst into laughter. “Of course! We have all the sincerity
in the world for you, Lady Gui. As long as you're willing to join our sect, you can even
marry into our sect if you want!”

He then shook his hand in a joking manner as he chuckled, “Please don't take me
seriously, Lady Gui, I like to joke around a bit too much for my own good. The master
of our Jade Tablet Sect and the leader of our Jiang Clan have both been long-time
admirers of yours, and the same certainly applies for me as well.”

Aunt Gui's expression remained unchanged, continuing to display impeccable

etiquette.

A hint of approval appeared in the eyes of the tall old man, and despite his naturally
detached demeanor, he praised, “You are a woman of exceptional poise, Lady Gui.
Just as our young master has said, our Jade Tablet Sect really is extremely sincere in
the offer that we've extended to you, so we implore that you consider our offer
carefully.

“I hope that I can have the honor of tasting a cup of osmanthus wine personally
brewed by yourself in our Jade Tablet Sect in 60 years.”

Aunt Gui nodded in response, and the two parties parted ways.

Aunt Gui slowly made her way back into the small courtyard, then took a resigned
glance in the direction of Old Dragon City, and at the same time, a hint of indignation
seemed to have also surfaced in her eyes.

In the sky above Old Dragon City, Fan Junmao laid back onto the sea of clouds, then
yawned lazily as she murmured to herself, “There's never a lack of people intent on
getting themselves killed….”

She then picked up her wine gourd and raised it to her lips, only to discover that it
was completely empty. She couldn't help but recall the little drunkard that she had
encountered in the underground dragon channel, the one who had wanted to drink
out of his Sword Nurturing Gourd.

At the time, she had played a prank on him and teased him for running out of wine,
but it seemed like karma had come back to bite her. With that in mind, a hint of
frustration welled up in her heart, and she abruptly sprang to her feet, then casually
scooped up a tiny cloud imbued with the true intent of rain.

She tossed the cloud into her mouth and swallowed it like wine, but the completely
bland and tasteless cloud water only put her in an even worse mood.

She cast a cold gaze toward Osmanthus Island out at sea, then began to skip along
backward like a child playing hopscotch. She skipped all the way from the
southernmost point of the sea of clouds to its northernmost point, and after
steadying herself, she swooped down rapidly from above, raising her head up high
while pulling back her arms as if she were about to hurl an invisible spear.

All of a sudden, she stopped cold in her tracks, then roared, “Go!”

The sea of clouds began to churn like boiling water, and as she made her hurling
motion, a white longsword over thirty meters in length was wrenched out of the sea
of clouds and flew over the sky above Old Dragon City in a flash.

At this point, Osmanthus Island was already very far away from Old Dragon City.

Right at this moment, the tall old man from Jade Tablet Sect suddenly thrust his palm
into Jiang Beihai's back to send him flying, then took Jiang Beihai's place and raised
both arms above his own head to form a protective barrier.

At the same time, his Dao robe began to billow violently, while lightning and thunder
flashed within his sleeves.

The entire Osmanthus Island trembled and swayed incessantly, raising enormous
waves over the surface of the sea.

Jiang Beihai turned to the Nascent Tier old man with a dazed expression to discover
that his Dao robe had been mostly destroyed. Thankfully, the Dao robe could still be
repaired, but what was even more harrowing was that his arms had been completely
stripped of their skin and flesh, revealing the bone underneath.

The old man threw up a mouthful of blood as he stared intently up at the sky, then
raised what remained of one of his arms as he said in a grim voice, “Stay right there,
Young Master. Don't come any closer to me, but don't go anywhere, either.”
Inside the Sword Nurturing Gourd strapped to Chen Ping'an's waist, First was
buzzing incessantly in elation, as if it were seeing an old friend.

Fan Junmao had already decided that one attack was enough, but after witnessing
the old man raising his arm, she changed her mind.

“Oh? Are you asking for more?”

She leaned back while springing back rapidly, then repeated the same sequence of
motions as before, hurling another sword at Osmanthus Island.

After that, she crossed her arms as she cast her gaze toward Osmanthus Island with
a smile and remarked to herself, “No matter how many years pass, I'll always have a
soft spot for these fools that don't know when to back down. It's like they're
constantly sticking out their necks and goading others to chop their heads off!”

On Osmanthus Island, Chen Ping'an silently pressed a hand down onto his Sword
Nurturing Gourd. The first sword had come too quickly for him to see it, but he was
able to catch a glimpse of the second sword.

Even the Golden Core Tier Ma Zhi could only stand rooted to the spot in a daze, but
Chen Ping'an had already closed his eyes, carefully reminiscing the spectacle of that
sword strike.
A fearsome sword strike rushed from the land to Osmanthus Island, which was
located in the middle of the sea. Another sword strike followed quickly after, and it
also surged over from atop the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City.

The might of the two sword strikes was magnificent and earth-shaking.

One after another, the two bursts of sword qi descended from the sky and carved
deep ravines into the sea between Old Dragon City and Osmanthus Island.

As Chen Ping'an closed his eyes to comprehend the sword intent, the old swordsman
at the Golden Core Tier had already returned to his senses. The old swordsman
didn't attempt to seize the fleeting sword intent like Chen Ping'an, and he didn't try
to borrow this external power. This wasn't because he was less experienced than a
martial artist at the fourth tier, but it was because he was well aware of the risks and
consequences.

After a sword cultivator formed their own sword intent, there would be a big risk of
causing internal conflict if they recklessly learned or absorbed the intent and
essence contained within another sword cultivator's sword strike. Doing so could
cause their pure sword intent to become mixed and impure.

If the sword intents of the two sword cultivators were largely similar, however, then
learning and absorbing each other's sword intent would naturally be beneficial.

The sword intent of Ma Zhi's bonded flying sword, Shade, was founded on the
principle of seeking shade under a tree. Thus, its sword intent was aligned with the
spring chill, heavy snow, clear springs, and so on. At the same time, it was not aligned
with large fires, scorching summer heat, furnaces, and so on.

This was completely different from the killing intent and attacking nature of the two
strikes from the clouds, which had seemingly been derived from the true intent of
battlefields. Thus, the old swordsman naturally wouldn't follow the traces of these
sword strikes to seize and learn their sword intents. In contrast, some junior sword
cultivators who had only just advanced to the Middle Five Tiers and possessed
unstable sword intents might benefit from seizing and learning these sword intents
even if they were starkly different from their own.

Chen Ping'an stood still and subconsciously assumed the stance of standing
meditation.

Just how experienced and observant was Ma Zhi? He naturally wouldn't disturb the
young boy while he was enjoying this small fated opportunity. In fact, he even
purposely raised a hand and flicked his sleeve, casting aside some of the cool
shadows offered by the ancestor trees. Not only that, but he actively grabbed some
wisps of the fast-disappearing sword qi, allowing them to seep into the small
courtyard such that Chen Ping'an could comprehend them to a greater degree.

Meanwhile, Ma Zhi felt an even deeper sense of respect and awe toward the sword
cultivator in Old Dragon City. The earth immortal's sword strikes had been powerful
enough to crush mountains and turn seas, and he had unleashed these strikes for the
purpose of deterring his opponents. This wasn't very surprising.

What truly determined the earth immortal's distance to the Upper Five Tiers was, in
fact, something beyond the external might of his strikes. Rather, one had to consider
the cohesion of the sword intent. If the sword intent was scattered and its essence
was chaotic, and if the sword intent leaked into the surroundings, then even if it was
powerful, it reflected the swordsman's inability to flawlessly control their sword
intent.

The sword cultivator who had boldly unleashed the sword strikes from Old Dragon
City had maintained cohesion in their sword intent even though the strikes had
crossed so far into the sea. In fact, Ma Zhi could only maintain this level of cohesion
for about three hundred meters, more or less. How could he not exclaim in
admiration?

Sword cultivators at the 10th tier were also referred to as cultivators at the Earth
Immortal Tier, and they were only a step away from breaking through the barrier
and advancing to the Upper Five Tiers. Because sword cultivators possessed
immense destructive power, they would often seem intense and unrestrained while
they were at the Middle Five Tiers. Thus, they would also appear more transcendent
compared to ordinary Nascent Tier terrestrial immortals at the 10th tier.
This could be seen with Wind Snow Temple's Wei Jin, who had comprehensively left
the cultivation world to cultivate in seclusion before advancing to the Unpolished
Jade Tier.

By the looks of it, the old sword cultivator in Old Dragon City had definitely been
seriously ticked off by someone on the Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island. Otherwise, they
wouldn't have unleashed such powerful sword strikes and risked retribution from
the heavens.

Ma Zhi used his mind to communicate with Aunt Gui, asking, “Lady Gui, which
powerful figure was that? Are they targeting our Fan Clan, or are they having a
conflict with a passenger on the island?”

Aunt Gui hesitated for a moment before giving a vague answer, saying, “It's most
likely a transcendent cultivator from Old Dragon City, and they probably got into a
conflict with some Jiang Clan disciples from Parasol Leaf Continent's Jade Tablet
Sect. The Fan Clan and Osmanthus Island needn't worry about them. We simply need
to remain neutral.”

Ma Zhi sighed with emotion and said, “Since this is a fight between immortals from
the mountaintops, all we need to do is enjoy the show.”

Aunt Gui smiled faintly and replied, “That's only natural.”

“Hold on, did you say it was the Jade Tablet Sect's Jiang Clan?” Ma Zhi suddenly
exclaimed in astonishment. “Is this the Jiang Clan that owns the Cloud Cave Blessed
Land?”

However, Aunt Gui had already closed her mind and cut off this method of
communication. She no longer responded to the old swordsman's questions.

Ma Zhi didn't think too much about this, and he simply dismissed this as Aunt Gui
being worried about Osmanthus Island being caught in the crossfire, what with her
peculiar identity and all. It was necessary for her to pay attention to the situation.

Seeing that Chen Ping'an was still practicing standing meditation, Ma Zhi decided to
retract his flying sword and sit down by the stone table. There were numerous
grotto-heavens and blessed lands in the world, and the 10 large worlds, 36 small
worlds, and 72 blessed lands were shared among Majestic World and the other
worlds. They were divided by quality, and the Limpid Pond Blessed Land owned by
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's Divine Edict Sect was a very low-quality blessed
land. Meanwhile, the Cloud Cave Blessed Land owned by Parasol Leaf Continent's
Jiang Clan was quite an extraordinary blessed land.

When Chen Ping'an finally opened his eyes, the old man smiled and asked, “How was
it?”

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, “I only understood the impressive nature of these
sword strikes. However, I can't quite explain why or how they were impressive. After
mulling over this for a long time, I was only able to vaguely gain some understanding.
What a great pity. It would have been good if the sword strikes were a little bit
slower.”

“Should a sword cultivator at the Earth Immortal Tier consult with you, Chen
Ping'an, first before deciding the speed of their sword strike?” Ma Zhi remarked in
amusement.

Chen Ping'an scratched his head and replied, “Of course I wouldn't dare to request
this.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly became filled with anxiety. “Perhaps a sword cultivator is
trying to destroy Osmanthus Island?”

Ma Zhi waved a hand and replied with a leisurely smile, “No, they're simply at odds
with some passengers from Parasol Leaf Continent who are currently on the island.
It's because of this that they unleashed two sword strikes to display their might.
Their sword strikes were very skillful, and they brought absolutely no harm to the
foundation of Osmanthus Island.

“In fact, this can essentially be viewed as a display of goodwill toward Osmanthus
Island. Otherwise, unless they fight in remote areas with few people, conflicts
between earth immortals often result in their auras spreading into the surroundings
when they're unable to contain their attacks. This is very common.”

Ma Zhi explained things in simple terms, but he had actually considered much more
than just this. The unknown sword immortal at the Earth Immortal Tier was either
someone who strictly adhered to the rules or someone who had old ties with Old
Dragon City's Fan Clan. The latter was clearly more likely.

Elsewhere on Osmanthus Island, the atmosphere was nowhere near as peaceful and
harmonious as that in the small courtyard named Guimai.

Jiang Beihai's expression was incredibly dark.

An elderly Nascent Tier[1] guest elder from his clan was collapsed in a pool of blood,
and his immortal robe worth an exorbitant amount of money, Ink Bamboo Forest,
was completely destroyed. It would take a huge sum of money to repair, so much so
that it would be better to purchase a new immortal robe altogether.

However, the old guest elder wasn't severely wounded, and it wasn't long before he
got to his feet in a shaky manner. He simply appeared to be in a pitiful state. This was
because the might of the second sword strike had been largely blocked by the
precious immortal robe bestowed upon him by the patriarch of the Jiang Clan.

The tall and skinny old man glared at Old Dragon City as he gritted his teeth and
spat, “That bastard unleashed two sneak attacks on me…. You've gone too far!”

“What in the world is going on, Elder Su?” Jiang Beihai asked in a quiet voice.
However, his feet remained planted, and his body remained unmoving. Not only was
he, a direct descendant of the Jiang Clan, completely still, but his subordinates, as
well as the disciples from the Jade Tablet Sect, were also the same. They didn't even
dare to breathe too loudly.

The old guest elder was extremely frustrated, and his voice was filled with
helplessness as he speculated, “The two sword strikes were launched by the same
person, and the origin of the sword strikes was that sea of clouds above Old Dragon
City. Perhaps an old ancestor from the Fu Clan is warning us using a pseudo-
immortal weapon?”

Jiang Beihai pondered for a moment before replying, “The Fu Clan has never liked
the Ding Clan, while the Ding Clan has a fairly good relationship with the Parasol
Leaf Sect. Indeed, it was thanks to the support of that person that the Ding Clan was
able to maintain a firm grip on power in Old Dragon City. Our Jade Tablet Sect has
already been arch-enemies with the Parasol Leaf Sect for more than a thousand
years, so logically speaking, the enemy of our enemy should be a friend.

“Even if we've chosen to take the Fan Clan's Osmanthus Island instead of the Fu
Clan's Treasure Swallowing Whale to Stalactite Mountain this time, they shouldn't be
feeling so much hostility and resentment toward us. The Fu Clan isn't stupid, and
they can't be unaware of the Jade Tablet Sect's strength. They can't be oblivious to
our Jiang Clan's standing in the Jade Tablet Sect either. Moreover, the Fu Clan has
always had a very good relationship with the Fan Clan….”

“Could this be because of Lady Gui? Perhaps some old ancestor in the Fu Clan has
feelings for her?” the woman in palace attire speculated carefully.

Jiang Beihai lowered his voice and chuckled in anger, saying, “It's not like we're
openly snatching Lady Gui away from them, are we? No, we're openly and honestly
discussing business. If Osmanthus Island were owned by Fu Qi, and if Lady Gui were
his mistress, then this attack on us could somewhat be explained.

“However, an ancestor of the Fan Clan obtained this Osmanthus Island thanks to a
stroke of good luck in the past, so why would the Fu Clan try to help them? Does the
Fu Clan genuinely view our Jade Tablet Sect as a pushover? If I exaggerate things a
little, do you believe me if I say that the two short-tempered ancestors from our sect
will immediately charge over to Old Dragon City to interrogate the perpetrators?”

Females always liked to think about romantic affairs, while males always liked to
think about territory and conquest.

There was an intense look in the tall and skinny old man's eyes as he used his mind
to warn Jiang Beihai, saying, “Young Master, we can't inform the sect about our
current journey to Stalactite Mountain!”

Jiang Beihai nodded in his mind and replied with a wry smile, “Elder Su, I
understand what's more important.”

The old man took a deep breath before saying, “I'm going to head to Old Dragon City
right away. I need to personally visit that sword immortal, and I have to make heads
or tails of the situation and have this matter settled. Only then can we travel to
Stalactite Mountain without any worries. I'll try to return to Osmanthus Island as
soon as possible.”

“Be careful, Elder Su,” Jiang Beihai said in a soft voice.

“Rest assured, I definitely won't bring shame to the Jade Tablet Sect or the Cloud
Cave Jiang Clan.”

The old man immediately soared into the air after saying this, traveling on the wind
as he sped toward Old Dragon City. Before this, the old man had already put away Ink
Bamboo Forest, the immortal robe that was worth an exorbitant amount of money.
As he traveled to Old Dragon City, his mangled wounds healed at a rate discernible to
the naked eye. This was truly an immortal technique that could cultivate new flesh,
as expected of a powerful Nascent Tier cultivator who had long been renowned in
Parasol Leaf Continent.

Following the two powerful sword strikes, everyone on Osmanthus Island became
engaged in spirited discussions, regardless of whether they were passengers or
members of the Fan Clan. Fortunately, all of them were experienced and
knowledgeable cultivators from the mountains who traveled all over the world. Since
these people had the right to personally travel to Stalactite Mountain, they were
naturally capable people irrespective of whether they were merchants or
adventuring cultivators.

Even though they were astounded, they weren't frightened or flustered by the
sudden turn of events. Osmanthus Island quickly sent people around to reassure
everyone as well, so it wasn't long before things became calm again.

After delivering medicinal ingredients from the foot of the mountain to the small
courtyard named Guimai, Jin Su swiftly returned to her master, Lady Gui's side. Right
now, the relaxed woman was in the rare mood to brew a pot of tea. Upon seeing her
disciple return, she handed Jin Su a cup of hot tea. Jin Su sat down, and before she
could even take a sip of her master's home-brewed tea, her mind had already calmed
down thanks to the influence of her master.

Lady Gui knew that Jin Su had many questions on her mind, yet she didn't want to
talk about this matter too much. She smiled faintly and said, “This is undoubtedly an
unexpected disaster for that young master from the Jiang Clan. However, this is a
blessing from the heavens for you and me. Jin Su, there's no need to ask any
questions. After returning from Stalactite Mountain, I'll try my best to arrange a
meeting between you and the person who unleashed the sword strikes.”

She chuckled softly before continuing, “There's always a higher heaven, and there's
always a more capable person. This isn't a nonsensical statement, and you'd best
restrain yourself when you travel around the world by yourself in the future.”

Jin Su didn't pay much heed to these words of wisdom. She had already turned
around to gaze at the distant Old Dragon City, her eyes filled with eager anticipation.
Inside the small courtyard that held itself aloof from worldly affairs, there was
absolutely no need to worry about these winds sweeping through the mountains.

Afterward, Chen Ping'an practiced the sword with the elderly Golden Core Tier
swordsman every day. Ma Zhi only needed to do three things. The first was to
summon his flying sword and have it become intangible as it entered Chen Ping'an's
body. After doing this, he could help Chen Ping'an temper his three immortal souls,
consolidating the path for his embryo light, refreshing spirit, and serene essence.

The second was to suppress his cultivation level and control his flying sword, Shade,
using the techniques of a sword cultivator. He would then spar with Chen Ping'an.
Finally, Ma Zhi needed to observe Chen Ping'an as the young boy practiced sword
techniques from the Proper Sword Scripture. He would provide guidance for Chen
Ping'an, and he would also correct Chen Ping'an whenever he found flaws in the
young boy's posture.

However, Chen Ping'an's manner of practicing the sword was very interesting. He
didn't draw a sword from his wooden sword case, and he simply shaped his hand as
if he were holding a sword. Ma Zhi had asked Chen Ping'an about this, yet Chen
Ping'an's answer had been relatively absurd and ridiculous.

Chen Ping'an had explained that of the two swords in his sword case, the one named
Subduing Demons was someone else's sword, so he naturally couldn't use it without
permission. Meanwhile, he had used Eliminating Fiends, the locust wood sword,
once on the battlefield before, but he had discovered that it was far too light for his
liking. Chen Ping'an felt like he needed to get himself an iron sword of suitable
weight for his first practice sword. Otherwise, it would feel wrong if he wielded a
sword that was so light that it almost felt non-existent.

He needed to wield a heavy sword and still be able to unleash extremely quick sword
strikes. That way, he would have the option to switch to a wooden sword if he came
across a powerful opponent that his heavy sword couldn't defeat in the future. With
a wooden sword, he could then unleash his quickest sword strikes against his
opponent.

As a powerful cultivator who was viewed as a transcendent deity by mortals, Ma Zhi

had little interest in the sword techniques of martial artists. Thus, he didn't have any
strong feelings regarding the stubborn pursuits of Chen Ping'an, a developing
swordsman. In fact, he even felt a hint of scorn deep in his mind. If one dug around
the fields for food, just what kind of extremely rare treasures did they expect to find?

If Chen Ping'an were interested in tempering his sword intent, however, then Ma Zhi
most likely wouldn't be able to refrain from discussing this for three days and three
nights with Chen Ping'an.

The osmanthus girl, Jin Su, would deliver three meals a day to the small courtyard,
and she was incredibly relieved that Chen Ping'an didn't try to take advantage of her
and boss her around as if she were truly a lowly maidservant. He didn't ask her to
run around and fetch things, nor did he ask her to assist him in changing and
bathing. Otherwise, this would have truly given her a big headache.

Even when it came to changing the medicinal water in the bathtub, it was still Chen
Ping'an who did this by himself. This caused Jin Su to finally develop a sliver of a
good impression of Chen Ping'an, the young but esteemed guest of the Fan Clan.

Apart from this, she needed to replenish the osmanthus wine in the Guimai
courtyard every so often.

With Jin Su's status, she could naturally choose to bring dozens of pots of osmanthus
wine to the small courtyard all at once. However, she had ultimately decided against
choosing this much simpler solution. Part of the reason was so that she could see the
young boy again, giving her more opportunities to determine his power.

After all, distant journeys across the sea were slightly dull and mundane for
osmanthus girls like them, especially since they were already very familiar with
these routes. There were the so-called Ten Sceneries of Osmanthus Island, including
things like the bright moon rising with the tides. One could vaguely see osmanthus
trees growing on the moon, which would then create mirages of ancient palaces.
During the journey, passengers could also see schools of flying fish circling around
Osmanthus Island and so on.

In the beginning, the osmanthus girls had also been enthralled by these incredible
sights. In fact, some passengers would even pay artists to paint these beautiful
scenes for them. After seeing them again and again, however, the osmanthus girls
were no longer astonished by these sights. Instead, they were more interested in the
peculiar people and strange events that took place on Osmanthus Island.
1. The Nascent Tier is the 10th tier ☜
Chen Ping'an woke up at five in the morning every day. The sky would still be dark,
and he would first practice the six steps of walking meditation for approximately two
hours. Ma Zhi would arrive at around seven, and the old sword cultivator would
leisurely drink a pot of osmanthus wine while he waited for Chen Ping'an to finish
practicing that bland and unremarkable fist technique. In fact, it was more accurate
to say that Chen Ping'an would wait for the old man to finish drinking his pot of
wine.

When Ma Zhi finished drinking, it would roughly be time for Jin Su to deliver
breakfast to them. They would eat for half an hour, and Ma Zhi would use this time to
roughly explain the strength and sword intent of the sword strikes that he would
unleash later in the day. He would also tell Chen Ping'an some peculiar or interesting
stories regarding sword cultivators.

Afterward, Chen Ping'an would return the breakfast boxes to Jin Su, who would be
waiting at the front door of the courtyard. He would thank her, and he wouldn't feel
embarrassed to directly ask for osmanthus wine if he needed to replenish his stock
in the small courtyard.

Following Ma Zhi's suggestion, Chen Ping'an's training would start off easy in the
morning and gradually become harder as the day went on. Chen Ping'an would first
practice sword techniques from the Proper Sword Scripture for four hours. During
this time, Ma Zhi would suddenly attack him without warning from time to time,
purposely breaking up the young boy's sword techniques.

Thus, Chen Ping'an needed to perfect the four sword techniques including the
Avalanche Technique and the Deity Suppression Technique, and he also needed to be
wary of sudden attacks from the Golden Core Tier sword cultivator at any given
moment. On some days, Ma Zhi might decide to directly move the afternoon's
sparring session to the morning.

Before afternoon arrived, the two of them would definitely have lunch before
beginning their sparring session. From the beginning until now, Ma Zhi had silently
raised his suppressed cultivation base from the Abode Tier to the Sea Observation
Tier, the seventh tier.

While sitting beside the stone table and drinking by himself, the old sword cultivator
would continue to unleash sword strikes and control his bonded flying sword, Shade,
as it attacked Chen Ping'an.

Ma Zhi didn't care what techniques Chen Ping'an used to counter his sword strikes,
be that his simple-looking fist technique that radiated with a frightening aura, the
four offensive and defensive techniques that he had learned from the Proper Sword
Scripture, or a series of bastard fist techniques that were capable of killing his
masters. All Ma Zhi cared about was that Chen Ping'an could evade the flying sword
furiously chasing him, or he could send it flying back with his punches or other
attacks.

It was often the case that Chen Ping'an would be riddled with injuries and his clothes
in tatters before the afternoon sparring session even concluded.

Sometimes, Ma Zhi would slow down his attacks and give reprieve to the extremely
disheveled Chen Ping'an. He would take a few more swigs of wine, and peanuts,
garlic clams, fried fish, pig ear salad, and such snacks would be more than enough for
him to enjoy with his wine.

Every time after Chen Ping'an was given the rare opportunity to take a breather,
however, the next strike from the old man would definitely be ruthless and
thunderous. Ma Zhi might be enjoying some crispy fried fish, yet Chen Ping'an would
be having his heart pierced by a lightning-fast sword strike. The flying sword would
then fly around in an arc and pierce his heart a second time from behind.

After seeing this, the old sword cultivator would sneer, “If it weren't for my flying
sword becoming intangible, you would have already died two times. You would no
longer be able to enjoy this salt and pepper fish. Chen Ping'an, even if it's just for the
sake of these small snacks, you should work harder.”

In order to guarantee the continuity of their sparring session, there was no notion of
dinner in the Guimai courtyard. Instead, there would only be midnight snacks. Jin Su
simply needed to leave some food by the door of the courtyard.

Generally speaking, Chen Ping'an would stand still to take a beating starting from
around five in the afternoon. Ma Zhi's flying sword would soar through his soul to
temper the strength and toughness of his three immortal souls.

Starting recently, the old sword cultivator no longer explained his sword techniques
to Chen Ping'an in detail. Rather, he simply adjusted his strength carefully and let
Chen Ping'an slowly ruminate the pain.

Chen Ping'an both liked and disliked this period of time. He liked it because he
understood the great benefit that this grueling training would bring to his martial
arts cultivation. However, he disliked it because it would always remind him of his
torturous experience in the bamboo building back in Downtrodden Mountain.

Fortunately, the old sword cultivator was comparatively more reserved. This was
unlike the barefoot old man, whose fearsome and relentless attacks had been like a
god from the Heavenly Court pulverizing a mere mortal to death in a cruel and
merciless manner.

Because of this, the training sessions in the Guimai courtyard were far more relaxing
than the training sessions in the bamboo building. Not only was Chen Ping'an able to
withstand them, but he could even use this opportunity to practice walking
meditation as well as the two defensive techniques from the Proper Sword Scripture,
the Mountain Technique and the Armor-Wearing Technique.

As time went on, the young boy seeking joy amid pain eventually managed to
discover something interesting. That was, if he practiced the Avalanche Technique
that involved furious speed and complex movements while gritting his teeth and
facing the excruciating pain brought about by being disemboweled, having his heart
pierced and his organs minced, and so on, his sword strikes would gradually become
quicker and quicker.

As a result, Chen Ping'an's comprehension of his offensive technique grew at a rapid

and almost divine speed. After a while, Chen Ping'an almost felt as if he were
genuinely holding a celestial sword as he feigned holding a sword and unleashed the
Avalanche Technique. It was as if sword light were genuinely about to soar into the
sky and illuminate the small courtyard with its cold radiance.

It would often be nine at night when their sparring session finally came to an end.
After an entire day of training, Chen Ping'an would head off to boil some water
before placing the necessary medicinal ingredients into the bathtub. While waiting
for the water to boil, he would walk to the entrance of the courtyard to collect the
food delivered by Jin Su. The old man and the young boy would use the stone table as
a dining table and enjoy a midnight snack.

If Chen Ping'an had serious injuries, or if his body was drenched in blood, he would
immediately jump into the bathtub before joining Ma Zhi to eat his midnight snack.
Even if Ma Zhi ate first, he would still remain seated by the stone table and wait for
Chen Ping'an to join him.

While the young boy ate, he would summarize the good points and bad points of the
day's sword training session. This was similar to reviewing a finished game of Go. Ma
Zhi was a Golden Core Tier sword cultivator, after all, so he naturally possessed keen
observation skills and unique insights. Even though his cultivation base was far
lower than that of Cui Chan's grandfather, Ma Zhi was more willing to delve deep and
clearly explain some matters. Chen Ping'an received satisfactory responses to most
of his questions.

After cleaning up the food boxes, Chen Ping'an would continue to practice walking
meditation from the Mountain Shaking Guide. Even if ten or a hundred years passed,
and no matter what height his cultivation base reached, Chen Ping'an might still
insist on practicing this crude and most elementary fist stance.

Chen Ping'an would return to his room to sleep when midnight arrived.

He would repeat an almost identical schedule day after day, and before he knew it,
he had already experienced over thirty sunrises and sunsets on Osmanthus Island.
Of the nine scenes in the sea, three had already quietly passed.

Another ten days passed, and the old sword cultivator suggested that it was
appropriate for Chen Ping'an to take a break from cultivation. They were about to
pass the fourth scene on the route, so Chen Ping'an should head over to the ancestor
osmanthus tree to enjoy the scene.

Since the old man said this, Chen Ping'an decided to take his advice. It was
coincidentally dawn when Chen Ping'an arrived at the mountain peak of Osmanthus
Island. It was already teeming with people, and gazing afar, he could see a gigantic
opening in front of them. The travel route of Osmanthus Island would take them
directly through this opening. There were cascading mountains to the two sides, and
row after row of structures atop the mountains. These buildings were constructed
atop the mountainous islands and shrouded in clouds and mist.

This scene wasn't peculiar because of the secluded immortal force that existed on
these lone islands in the middle of the sea. Instead, it was peculiar because of the
pair of 300-meter-tall golden deity statues set atop the sheer cliff faces on the two
opposite islands. These statues were majestic and extraordinary, and they were still
a dazzling gold color even after being punished by the waves for countless years.
Even Qi refiners would feel a sense of awe upon seeing these statues.

According to legends, the formal gods represented by the two golden statues were
the divine general who once guarded the Northern Heavenly Gate and the deity who
once controlled the main water fortunes of the world. The former god his sword in
front of him, with the sword tip resting on the ground and his hands resting on its
hilt. It was as if he were a colossal god peering down at the mortal world. Meanwhile,
the latter god was the top-ranked deity served by the many rain gods, and they were
nominally in charge of the distribution of clouds and rains done by the true dragons
in the world.

The facial features of the rain god deity were blurry and covered by clouds and mist,
so it was impossible to determine whether they were male or female. There was a
five-colored ribbon of unknown material hovering around its body and gently
drifting in the air, appearing as agile and lively as could be. This brought life to the
giant statue of the deity whose golden body had already disappeared tens of
thousands ago, making it seem as if the deity were still alive and wielding its divine
might in the mortal world, controlling the water fortunes over the entire southern
region.

Chen Ping'an sat down cross-legged on a long bench attached to a railing on top of
the mountain. He faced the two statues and slowly drank wine.

The Qi refiners beside him were mostly conversing using the official dialects of
Complete Reed Continent and Parasol Leaf Continent, although some would
occasionally speak in the dialects local to Old Dragon City. Chen Ping'an naturally
couldn't understand them.

Fortunately, there was a Qi refiner from Osmanthus Island's Fan Clan not far away
from here. She looked like a young girl, yet she wasn't dressed like the other
osmanthus girls. Her voice was crisp, and she was most likely responsible for
explaining the unique nature of this scene in the sea.
She was using the official dialect of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent to expound on
this scene of the two gods confronting each other, and she described to the
passengers the origin of these two divine statues. In addition to this, she also
introduced them to the long history of the immortal force that existed atop the
mountains.

Someone asked her why Osmanthus Island wasn't going to dock here, and the young
girl from the Fan Clan smiled and explained that this immortal force never accepted
any visiting vessel, even though they allowed these vessels to pass. If anyone dared
to enter the islands without permission, they would be immediately driven out, and
that was the fortunate case.

If things were more severe, they might be imprisoned in some jail on the islands. In
fact, there had even been tragic cases of people being directly executed by that
immortal force.

In the end, the young girl smiled and told the passengers from the mountains that
they would come across the next scene in five days. This was an especially
magnificent scene, and it was something that they shouldn't miss.

Osmanthus Island slowly sailed between the two cliff faces. An embroidered ball
suddenly rushed down, flying toward a young man who was enjoying the scenery
atop the mountain.

The young man subconsciously caught the embroidered ball and dazedly looked up
at the cliffs, unsure of why that immortal force was doing this.

The young Qi refiner from the Fan Clan was stunned, and she hurriedly exclaimed,
“Young Master, I've heard from my seniors in Osmanthus Island that this is the way
females from this immortal force look for husbands. She's taken a fancy to you, and
this is a one-in-100-year fated opportunity! Young Master, if you're yet to marry, you
definitely have to agree to this relationship. Even if you're already…. In any case, only
celestial maidens who are direct disciples of this immortal force have the right to
toss embroidered balls toward passing vessels. You truly shouldn't let slip such a
profound fated opportunity. Young Master, you definitely have to consider this
carefully….”

As the young Qi refiner held the embroidered ball and looked up at someplace on the
steep cliffs, it was clear that he was experiencing an examination in his mind's lake.
After a while, the young man seemingly passed this examination, and the
embroidered ball created from a colorful ribbon suddenly unfurled and tied itself
around the young man's wrist. Meanwhile, the other end of the ribbon flew toward
the mountain peak, bringing the young man along with it as it drifted toward a
colorful building located beside the deity statue's feet atop the cliff.

There was a breathtakingly beautiful young woman inside the colorful building, and
her cheeks were flushed red as she tightly gripped the other end of the colorful
ribbon. There were several women with extraordinary immortal auras standing
around her, and they were smiling faintly as if giving their blessings to this pair of
divine lovers who were like a match made in heaven.

Chen Ping'an witnessed everything, and he didn't feel envy or jealousy as he watched
the young man ascend to the heavens in a single step. He didn't sigh with emotion
and muse about the peculiar encounters in the world either. Instead, he was only
slightly adrift.

Just then, the young man had only been standing a dozen or so paces away from him.
When the young girl from the Fan Clan had mentioned whether he was married or
not, the young man's expression had clearly changed ever so slightly. However, a
profound fated opportunity had been sitting in front of him, so he had resolutely
abandoned his wife with whom he had gone through thick and thin.

Chen Ping'an raised his head and glanced toward the colorful building on the cliff. He
felt like the immortal lady who had tossed the embroidered ball might possess an
impressive cultivation base, but her judgment of character was truly very lacking.

After returning to the Guimai courtyard, Ma Zhi roared with hearty laughter as he
drank wine and ate snacks. “I didn't expect for an embroidered ball to be thrown at
the island. However, it's a shame that the target wasn't you. What a shame, what a
great shame! You have to realize that in the history of Osmanthus Island, it isn't an
exaggeration to call this event of having a colorful embroidered ball tossed from the
mountaintop a one-in-100-year occurrence. However, it's a shame that you couldn't
attract this romantic fated opportunity….”

Chen Ping'an grimaced upon hearing this, and the playful expression disappeared
from the old man's face as he continued in a soft voice, “In fact, all Ten Scenes of
Osmanthus Island contain fated opportunities, some big and some small. Of course,
these are fated opportunities that one can only wish for. Everything is determined by
fate. Take for example the colorful embroidered ball tossed onto the island today.
Who would've thought that the fortunate person would be an Abode Tier vagrant
cultivator with mediocre cultivation talent?”

Ma Zhi's expression became serious, and he suggested, “You can ignore nine of the
scenes, and it doesn't matter much even if you have zero thoughts of trying your
luck. However, you have to personally head to the foot of Osmanthus Island when we
arrive at the next scene. The closer you can get to the seawater the better. This is
because the next fated opportunity is a grand one that even Golden Core Tier or
Nascent Soul Tier cultivators will be envious of.”

“If it's just trying my luck, then I'll pass on the offer,” Chen Ping'an said in
exasperation. “It's better and more practical to practice the sword in this courtyard.”

The old sword cultivator widened his eyes and exclaimed, “Go, you definitely have to
go. Even if the chance is smaller than one in 10,000, you still have to go over to try
your luck. One shouldn't foolishly expect everything to go smoothly in cultivation,
but one should at least have some hope. If you head over, you can both enjoy the
scenery and try your luck. Even if you fail to obtain the grand fated opportunity, it's
not like you're going to lose anything in the process. Why, you little brat! Remember
this, the words 'what if' are the most terrifying words for Qi refiners, but it's also the
most sought-after outcome for Qi refiners….”

“Mr. Ma, I'm not a Qi refiner. I'm a pure martial artist,” Chen Ping'an said carefully.

The old sword cultivator slapped his forehead before standing up and fuming,
“You're truly making me angry! You can train by yourself for the next two days. I
need to wander around to relax my mind. Facing a stubborn person like you all day
long is seriously boring!”

Sure enough, Ma Zhi didn't show up at the Guimai courtyard for the next two days.
That being the case, Chen Ping'an could only practice the sword by himself.

Afterward, the old man appeared travel-worn as he returned to the Guimai

courtyard and met Chen Ping'an for a brief moment. After saying that Chen Ping'an
was doing fairly well, and to keep things up, he disappeared from the courtyard
again.

Chen Ping'an simply dismissed this as the old man having his own matters to deal
with. This wasn't strange.
A few days passed, and Osmanthus Island arrived at the fifth scene along its route,
the Flood Dragon Trench.

Because the old man had reminded him of this scene once again, Chen Ping'an
decided to give himself half a day of rest. After notifying Jin Su about this, the
Osmanthus girl arrived at the Guimai courtyard at noon on the day. She told Chen
Ping'an that it was time to head down the mountain to enjoy the scene.

Because he was an osmanthus guest of the Fan Clan, there was a special and serene
path for him to take down the mountain. There were few people on this path, and Jin
Su explained the origin of the Flood Dragon Trench to him as they walked side-by-
side.

Many flood dragons and their kin resided in that ocean trench, most of them with
impure and mixed bloodlines. The pure-blooded ones among them would use their
innate abilities to travel to the several continents on land. They would soar through
the skies and manipulate clouds and unleash rain. A return trip would require them
to travel on the wind for tens of thousands of kilometers, and when they finally
returned to their den, they would be absolutely exhausted.

Eithout the restriction of rules and without commands from a deity, there would
often be flood dragons who used their mystical powers to wantonly unleash rain.
Such actions would commonly result in disaster. Because of this, flood dragons
would often become “evil flood dragons” in the eyes of ordinary people. Thus, they
would be relentlessly hunted by local Qi refiners, who sought to both help the mortal
people and obtain the flood dragons' bodies, which were natural treasure troves.

Chen Ping'an was startled by this information, and he hurriedly hastened his pace
toward the foot of the mountain on Osmanthus Island. He was born in Jewel Small
World, and this was where the last True Dragon in the world had been slain. As such,
he definitely had to take a look at the true appearance of flood dragons. Could those
spiritual beings in the Flood Dragon Trench be considered as descendants or
disciples of True Dragons?
It wasn't long before Chen Ping'an arrived at the foot of the mountain. There were
numerous small boats moored along the dock of the island, and the boatmen
standing in them were all Qi refiners from the Fan Clan who were very familiar with
traveling across the Flood Dragon Trench. Osmanthus Island made a guarantee to its
passengers that as long as they didn't make loud noises or recklessly disturb the
flood dragon kin with their mystical powers, they definitely wouldn't face any
danger. Even if there were dangers, the Golden Core Tier cultivators on Osmanthus
Island would immediately head over to assist them.

Osmanthus guests didn't need to pay extra to board these small boats. This was
fortunate for Chen Ping'an, because he would have been willing to pay even a couple
snowflake coins for this experience.

He and Jin Su boarded a small boat, helmed by an elderly man. Chen Ping'an
discovered that the old man was holding a three-meter-long bamboo pole in his
hand, and there was a column of talismanic symbols engraved on the pole.

Among these talismanic symbols, there were four ancient and worm-like characters
that looked like the phrase “concentrate on the task at hand” recorded in the
Authentic Death-Avoiding Book. The talisman including this phrase was called the
Lock Slashing Talisman, an extremely high-level talisman.

The Authentic Death-Avoiding Book told cultivators that traces of blood would ooze
from the talisman once it was successfully formed. This was nothing to worry about,
and it simply evidenced the talisman reaching a stage of great accomplishment.

Seeing this, Chen Ping'an asked Jin Su about the name of the talisman on the bamboo
pole. Jin Su was completely stumped, as if she had never considered this matter
before. She went over to ask the boatman, and the old man smiled and replied,
“Truth be told, I don't know either! My master couldn't explain it either when he
passed the boat and bamboo pole down to me, and I heard that these objects have
existed ever since the Fan clan opened this route. We boatmen on Osmanthus Island
say that it's a Dragon Beating Pole that can scare away the flood dragon kin in the
water. In reality, however, none of us believe this ourselves. Instead, we trust this
more….”

The old man grabbed a handful of paper humans and paper horses folded from
snow-white foil paper from the bag beside his feet. “If we encounter flood dragons
swimming by under our boat, we simply need to grab a handful of these and toss
them into the water. The flood dragon kin will quickly disperse afterward, and this
has always worked for us.

“If we want to detour around the Flood Dragon Trench, that will add an extra
100,000 kilometers to our journey. Fortunately, the Flood Dragon Trench only looks
and feels terrifying on the surface. In reality, however, Osmanthus Island has never
had any issues with the flood dragons for the past several hundred years. In other
words, there's nothing for you to worry about.”

The boatman laughed heartily, and it was clear that he was an honest and frank old
man. “In any case, if something untoward were to truly take place, that would
genuinely be a catastrophic disaster that even Osmanthus Island would find difficult
to flee from, to say nothing of our small boat. There are so many flood dragons and
related species present, so just how frightening would it be if they all made waves in
unison? If you ask me, I'd say that even a Nascent Tier sword immortal might find it
difficult to escape from the flood dragons if they dare to challenge them here.”

There was displeasure on Jin Su's face as she grumbled, “There's a guest onboard, so
why are you saying such inauspicious things?”

The old boatman blushed with shame and relented, “I'll stop, I'll stop. Please take a
seat, Young Master. We'll head over to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Flood
Dragon Trench right away. I guarantee that everything will be safe and sound….”

The Flood Dragon Trench was an ancient ocean trench, and the water was so clear
that one could see the bottom of the ocean in many places. It was more than five
kilometers wide, and it stretched for thousands of kilometers in length. Flood
dragons and their kin lay along this trench, and they came in many sizes and colors.
Some were as thin as an arm, while others were as thick as massive tree trunks. It
was rumored that the eyes of the largest flood dragons were as large as big boulders.

Scales visibly glimmered under the water, and the sight of this instilled fear in people
and scared them into silence. They didn't dare to speak, lest they disturb the flood
dragons and bring calamitous wrath upon themselves.

The old boatman suddenly pointed at someplace in the sky. “Look over there, Young
Master, that's an exhausted flood dragon returning to the trench after controlling the
rain over a piece of land. Oh, it seems like it's quite heavily wounded as well. It was
most likely treated as a target by the Qi refiners in Southern Whirl Continent, and
they probably pursued it for a long time. Indeed, not every flood dragon is fortunate
enough to make it back alive.

“Some of them die while returning, and their corpses often become surprise
windfalls for passing intercontinental vessels. However, Osmanthus Island is very
kind, and we won't drag the floating corpses of the flood dragons onto the island.
Instead, we'll place them on the reef of the island and bring them back to the Flood
Dragon Trench….”

Chen Ping'an and Jin Su looked in the direction that the old boatman was pointing in,
and they saw a colossal figure plummeting from the sea of clouds and crashing into
the sea in the distance. There was a gigantic splash. Fortunately, the exhausted flood
dragon had landed several kilometers away from Osmanthus Island, and its violent
landing had little effect on the small boats traveling across the sea. The small boats
simply rocked back and forth with a bit more vigor.

The small boats slowly drifted forward along the two sides of Osmanthus Island, and
they would almost never stray too far from the shore of the island. They would only
be one or two kilometers away at most. The seawater was clear, and the numerous
small boats were like hovering swords that had stopped in midair. Meanwhile, there
were many slumbering and playing flood dragons in the depths of the sea. They
appeared like dragons lying coiled on top of mountains, and the sight of this made
people forget that they were enjoying this spectacle from the surface of the sea.

Chen Ping'an suddenly furrowed his brow.

He reached back and wrapped his hand around the hilt of a sword in his sword case
as he asked in a solemn voice, “Are these flood dragons and their kin considered
among mountain and water spirits?”

The old boatman simply regarded this as a naive question from the young boy. The
small boat was now a kilometer away from Osmanthus Island, and they were soon
going to arrive above the deepest stretch of the Flood Dragon Trench. Looking down,
the water was so deep that they couldn't see the bottom anymore. Perhaps the young
boy was feeling a little afraid?

The boatman smiled and replied, “In the ancient past, these flood dragons and their
kin were regarded as royal beings of heaven and earth. But times have changed, and
the situation is also different. You are not wrong; these creatures can only be
regarded as some of many mountain and water spirits now.”

He chuckled before continuing, “Don't be scared, Young Master. Osmanthus Island is

a regular visitor here. According to the genealogical records of the Fan Clan, one of
our ancestors even witnessed an intense battle between two Nascent Tier Qi refiners
in this area. Even though the Flood Dragon Trench was itching to make a move, in the
end, not a single flood dragon leaped out from the water. Thus, the rule that
prohibits passengers from making loud noises is actually just Osmanthus Island
trying to scare ordinary guests. Since Young Master is an osmanthus guest, I'll stop
trying to act mysterious in front of you as well…”

Jin Su shot an annoyed glare at the old boatman. After all, how could he reveal the
secrets of the Fan Clan so carelessly?

The old boatman shrank back a little and continued to steer the small boat. From
time to time, he would grab a handful of snow-white paper humans and paper
horses and toss them into the water. Apart from these, there were also exquisitely
crafted paper buildings and paper vehicles.

Then, suddenly, the old boatman's eyes suddenly widened in shock as he gazed
somewhere in front of them. “Oh no! Someone's trying to frame Osmanthus Island!”

Aunt Gui flew over to the small boat from Osmanthus Palace atop the mountain at
almost the exact same moment. She and the old boatman looked toward the small
boat at the very front, and she was clearly fuming. “Someone brought a Dragon King
Basket and used it to capture a young flood dragon playing in the shallows!”

The old boatman stood up and asked, “Perhaps Jiang Beihai is purposely exacting
revenge? They chose to disembark halfway through the journey, and we ordered Ma
Zhi to secretly follow them for ten whole days. However, Ma Zhi didn't discover
anything amiss. Or perhaps someone from the Ding Clan is secretly causing trouble?
But where would the Ding Clan get a Dragon King Basket? Maybe it's the Fu Clan?
The Fu Clan does indeed have a Dragon King Basket, but they don't have any reason
to screw us over….”

Aunt Gui shook her head and said, “It's hard to say right now, and the most
important thing is to appease the Flood Dragon Trench. Otherwise, if we anger the
flood dragons here, even cultivators at the Upper Five Tiers will struggle to help us,
no matter how willing they are. They'll also be helpless! The thousands of people on
Osmanthus Island…. Damn, what should we do? They've already locked their gazes
on us! If anyone dares to travel through the sky right now….”

The old boatman's expression became stern, and he immediately ordered,

“Everyone, immediately return to the island. Qi refiners on Osmanthus Island, don't
rise into the air and leave without permission. Otherwise, the Flood Dragon Trench
will view this as an act of provocation. Ma Zhi, please reveal your strength, lest our
guests think that we're making a mountain out of a molehill!”

Ma Zhi drew a sword and furiously threw it into the air. The sword was as quick as
lightning, and it was definitely quicker than the speed of Golden Core Tier cultivators
traveling through the sky. However, the sword only managed to travel a few
kilometers from Osmanthus Island before it was forcefully suppressed by a
projection of a claw from the sea of clouds. The flying sword instantly shattered in
the sky.

Ma Zhi threw another sword through the air, but the outcome was the same.

Aunt Gui turned to Jin Su and Chen Ping'an and said in a gentle voice, “The two of
you can return to the Guimai courtyard first. No matter what happens, remember to
hold onto the root of the osmanthus tree as if your life depends on it. Only by doing
so will you have a sliver of a chance to live.”

With a tap of her feet, Jin Su had already left the small boat and drifted back to the
dock on Osmanthus Island. She turned around to look back.

The young boy with the sword case was surprisingly still in the small boat, and when
he finally returned, there was a bamboo pole in his hands.

“What are you doing?” Jin Su asked.

“Perhaps the Dragon Beating Pole will genuinely be useful,” Chen Ping'an replied.

Jin Su glanced at Chen Ping’an as if she were looking at a fool. She then turned
around and dashed toward the mountain peak.

In the next instant, it was as if the mountain were collapsing and the earth were
shattering as the entire Osmanthus Island suddenly sank more than three hundred
meters. No….it wasn't that the island was sinking, but rather that the sea level for a
few kilometers around Osmanthus Island was dropping altogether!
Following this sudden change, the Flood Dragon Trench, which had initially been
located beneath the surface of the sea immediately appeared like a towering
mountain range surrounding a canyon!

All of the flood dragons and their kin trained their eyes on Osmanthus Island. This
was the true meaning of surging undercurrents.

Aunt Gui hovered forward and eventually came to a stop in mid-air. Using an ancient-
sounding and difficult-to-understand language, she communicated something with a
golden flood dragon in the distance. There was a cold expression on the flood
dragon's face.

Subduing Demons, the sword that was forged by Sage Ruan Qiong, was already
restlessly ringing in the sword case on Chen Ping'an's back.

Based on Ruan Qiong's advice, Chen Ping'an should flee as far away as possible if he
came across such powerful beasts. However, where could Chen Ping'an flee right
now?

He didn't run to the mountaintop to seek refuge in the Guimai courtyard, nor did he
stand still and await death without doing anything.

Chen Ping'an glanced at the bamboo pole in his hand that was still lush green even
after all these years. He pondered for a moment, and he decided to sit down cross-
legged and rest the bamboo pole across his knees. He used his fingers to forcefully
rub away the talismanic symbols that were different from the symbols recorded in
the Authentic Death-Avoiding Book.

Relying on his memory, Chen Ping'an then retrieved the Wind and Snow Awl that Li
Xisheng had gifted him. When he breathed on the tip of the brush to moisten it, the
tip of the brush became vermilion red as if it had been dipped in concentrated ink.

The left-handed young boy smiled and placed the bamboo pole to his left. He then
focused his mind and raised his hand.

With the calligraphy brush with the characters “writing as if assisted by the gods,” he
started to write on the bamboo pole the so-called Lock Slashing Talisman from the
Authentic Death-Avoiding Book.

This was called making a last-ditch effort.

If this still didn't work, then he would have no option but to draw Subduing Demons,
the sword forged by Sage Ruan Qiong. He would have to emulate the stunning feats
from those ancient books, slaying flood dragons like those sword immortals of yore.

Sure enough, traces of blood materialized above the lush green bamboo pole after
Chen Ping'an finished engraving the talismanic symbols.

This allowed the young boy to calm down slightly, and he held the bamboo pole in
his hand as he leaped toward a lone boat floating on the sea, not moored to the
island in time.

Standing in the small boat by himself, Chen Ping'an took a deep breath, then reached
out and slapped the two sides of the boat. The small boat shot forward like an arrow.

Chen Ping'an rested the bamboo pole on his shoulder, grabbed the Sword Nurturing
Gourd from his waist, and took a swig of wine. At the same time, he silently spoke to
himself in his mind. Lock Slashing Talisman…. What is it locking, and what is it
slashing? It's best that it's ancient sword immortals slashing dragons, and it's best that
it's locking dragons like the Iron Lock Well from my hometown. Let's see if it works like
that.

Flood dragons and their kin filled the sea surrounding Osmanthus Island. It was
clear that a huge calamity was about to befall them, one so severe that even
immortals couldn't escape.

However, what appeared in the sights of the passengers on Osmanthus Island was a
scene extremely carefree and dashing.

A lone boat leisurely drifted forward.

A young boy with a bamboo pole on his shoulder calmly drank wine.
Osmanthus Island was like the bottom of a bowl, while the surrounding seawater
was like the sides of a bowl.

It was extremely likely that all of the passengers on Osmanthus Island would become
a sumptuous meal for the flood dragons and their kin.

They would have a feast at long last.

The seawater beneath Osmanthus Island was now still. Countless cold and eerie
gazes locked onto the island from all around the Flood Dragon Trench.

The situation was extremely delicate at this moment, and an atmosphere of silence
hung around Osmanthus Island. There was silent fury toward Osmanthus Island, and
there was also utter confusion at this disaster that had seemingly descended from
out of nowhere.

There were also many people silently analyzing the situation in their minds,
contemplating whether they had enough defensive talismans to roll the dice and
fight for benefits in the ensuing chaos. If they managed to survive until the very end,
just collecting a few corpses of other Qi refiners would grant them immense wealth,
to say nothing of Osmanthus Island's treasure storage.

At the very front, Aunt Gui who had kept her power hidden the entire time hovered
in front of the wall of seawater. She faced off against the elderly golden flood dragon,
and the language they were communicating in was obscure and definitely not an
official dialect of any continent. It was extremely likely that this was a unique
language of ancient flood dragons. At that time, the Hundred Schools of Thought had
elegantly referred to this language as the “Sound of Water.”

As for why Aunt Gui was fluent in this language and why she had the courage to
enter enemy territory alone and face off against so many flood dragons, the
passengers on Osmanthus Island had already given up trying to make heads or tails
of this. Instead, they dearly hoped that the ordinary-looking woman could suddenly
transform into a cultivator at the Upper Five Tiers and unleash formidable might.
That way, she could then lead Osmanthus Island out of the cursed Flood Dragon
Trench.

The talks between the woman and the golden flood dragon, however, did not seem to
be successful. The woman suppressed her fury with much difficulty, and she tried
her best to remain calm as she slowly said, “Is there no room for negotiations?
According to the records, the Fan Clan has helped return twelve corpses of flood
dragons to the Flood Dragon Trench. For all these years, the small boats of the Fan
Clan would also scatter a large number of silver paper whenever we passed through
the Flood Dragon Trench as an offering of respect for your act of bringing rain. We've
never forgotten to do this, not even once….”

The old flood dragon covered in golden scales genuinely had eyes as large as
boulders. There was coldness in these huge eyes as it replied, “Rules are rules. If one
can ignore rules on a whim, then how can this Flood Dragon Trench exist in the
world?”

Aunt Gui still wanted to say something, but the elderly golden flood dragon raised a
claw and forcefully pressed down on the seawater. The water swirled violently, and
the winds howled ferociously. Aunt Gui was standing in midair, and a scorching pain
burned her cheeks as she was struck by the surging wind and waves. However, she
didn't raise her hand to block the attack, nor did she rely on her earth immortal
mystical powers to dodge the attack. Instead, she simply endured the old flood
dragon's wrath from the beginning to the end.

“Someone is purposely trying to frame Osmanthus Island, and I would be blind not
to notice this,” the old flood dragon sneered. “I've naturally seen through everything.
However, rules are rules, and it was because your Osmanthus Island was
incompetent in screening passengers that one of them was able to wantonly use a
Dragon King Basket to capture a young flood dragon, thereby breaking the mutually
agreed upon rules between us. Lady Gui, you can leave here alone. However, the rest
of the people on the ferry have to die here.”

Aunt Gui shook her head and stated, “I won't abandon them.”

The eyes of the old flood dragon were filled with ice-cold ridicule. Beneath this, there
was also a hint of burning excitement as if he were an old Taotie looking at a
beautiful meal. This was a contrast between coldness and fervor, and the old flood
dragon admitted, “I know, that's why I said this. Lady Gui, do you know that I have to
obediently adhere to those rules every time you pass above my head? Do you know
that I have to unquestioningly respect those rotten iron laws? I have to suppress my
urge to eat you…. Do you know how much willpower that takes?”

“There's no room for negotiation?” Aunt Gui asked one last time.

The elderly golden flood dragon slowly shifted its body which was as long as a
mountain range. Its two dragon whiskers slowly drifted through the clear seawater,
causing dazzling light to reflect into the surroundings. It shot a glance at the small
boat not far behind the woman.

The boatman had been murdered, and the passenger was a man with a thievish
expression. He appeared cowardly and pathetic as he looked around, and there was a
small basket that looked like a cricket cage in his hand. It was small and adorable
and seemed to be made of ivory.

After being captured by the Dragon King Basket, the young flood dragon that was
initially twenty or so meters long had shrunk to the size of a loach. It thrashed and
struggled in the Dragon King Basket, wailing in agony.

Right now, the old man who had rowed the boat for Jin Su and Chen Ping'an was
standing on the surface of the sea beside the small boat where the cowardly-looking
man was. The old boatman was guarding this area, and he had to ensure that the
main culprit couldn't escape.

As for why the old boatman — who was in fact a Golden Core Tier guard on
Osmanthus Island — didn't rush over to snatch the Dragon King Basket, there were
two reasons. First, the cowardly-looking man had a bonded flying sword slowly
circling around him. The sword was a foot long and ink-black, and viscous black
smoke continued to surge out from it. This person was a sword cultivator at least at
the Dragon Gate Tier.

Secondly, the old boatman was afraid that this sinister person would take things
even further if he dared to charge forward. The cowardly-looking man might directly
kill the young flood dragon, essentially handing a death sentence to the entire
Osmanthus Island. Everyone on the island would have to die with him.

The old boatman asked the sword cultivator why he had done something to harm
others but also harm himself. The man who had brought about this huge calamity
cracked a grin and looked around, refusing to answer the old boatman's question.
The old boatman made several more attempts at communication, wanting to figure
out the people pulling the strings from the sword cultivator's answers.

Was it the young master from the Jiang Clan who had disembarked halfway? Or was
it the Ding Clan that was always competing with the Fan Clan in Old Dragon City?

However, the man ignored him completely, and it was as if he were cherishing his
words like gold. He wasn't willing to utter a single word.

The old boatman was unable to do anything else. In terms of how they would
proceed, he had to wait for the results of Lady Gui's talks with the elderly flood
dragon first. If they were facing a deadly situation with no way out, then he would
have no option but to kill the man in front of him and try his best to snatch the
Dragon King Basket. He would fight to protect as many people on Osmanthus Island
as he could! The thousand-year business of the Fan Clan definitely couldn't be
destroyed today! It definitely couldn't be destroyed by these sinister remnants of
those ancient prisoners!

The old boatman composed himself and gave up on trying to fish information out of
the sword cultivator with a strange background. His voice was calm as he said, “Do
you think you can still escape? Do you think you can flee from the Flood Dragon
Trench under the watchful eyes of that old flood dragon?”

The unattractive man finally grinned and chuckled, “Then I'll give it a try right now!”

With these words, the man suddenly tossed the mediocre-quality Dragon King
Basket high into the air.”This small basket is worth quite some grain rain coins. Here,
a gift for you! Catch it!”

This Dragon King Basket was most likely a low-quality item that had been mass-
produced by some mountain force in the ancient Shu Nation. After being plundered,
collected, and destroyed through the long passage of time, however, Dragon King
Baskets had become increasingly rare and valuable. In fact, Dragon King Basket had
become treasures almost as valuable as Sword Nurturing Gourds.

The old boatmen didn't immediately reach out to catch the Dragon King Basket, lest
he fall victim to some vicious trick. Instead, he used his spiritual energy to slow it
down and bring it in front of him. After quickly examining it, he immediately flared
up in rage. As it turned out, the man had secretly done something on the young flood
dragon. The young flood dragon in the Dragon King Basket was already on the verge
of death, with its flesh mangled and its bones exposed. It was barely alive and
breathing.

Meanwhile, the man laughed loudly as his bonded flying sword transformed into
plumes of black smoke that shielded his entire body. He pinched a golden talisman
between his fingers and said, “I'll offer wine to your graves later, haha. It's just a
shame that there'll no longer be osmanthus wine in the world….”

With a golden flash, the man instantly vanished from the small boat.

The elderly golden flood dragon with glimmering scales shook its head, and one of
his whiskers furiously slammed into the seawater like a long whip. Unfortunately,
the dragon whisker clearly struck nothing but water.

In the next moment, however, a figure — or two halves of a figure, to be more precise
— limply fell from the clouds above the Flood Dragon Trench. This was none other
than the sword cultivator who had summoned a talisman and attempted to flee from
the Flood Dragon Trench just then.

His talisman had been an incredibly expensive inch-movement talisman that had far
more demand than supply. It was a second-grade one, and it was capable of taking
the user fifty kilometers away in an instant. Moreover, the person who had handed
him this talisman had confidently promised him that the beasts in the Flood Dragon
Trench definitely couldn't stop the might of this talisman. While alive, the sword
cultivator had been supremely confident in his flawless plan.

He would toss away the Dragon King Basket which contained the young flood dragon
that was on the verge of death. Osmanthus Island would be facing off against the
Flood Dragon Trench like two armies preparing for war, while Lady Gui would be
occupying the attention of that old flood dragon. Combined with this golden inch
movement talisman that was said to be powerful enough to evade an attack from
terrestrial sword immortals, could he not seize an opportunity to flee from the
battlefield?

The elderly golden flood dragon's other dragon whisker slammed into something in
the air, causing a loud and muffled rumble to rip through the sea like spring thunder.
The bonded golden core of the Golden Core Tier sword cultivator who had been
severed into two at the waist instantly disintegrated into dust in midair. A large
amount of golden shards showered down into the clear water of the Flood Dragon
Trench. The shattered golden core pieces slowly sank with the severed corpse, and
this caused countless flood dragons and their kin to furiously swim toward the
surface of the water. Water violently splashed across the sea, and the flood dragons
and their kin were like ravenous beasts fighting for food.

The sword cultivator had just died with misery and confusion.

Just how difficult was it for an itinerant cultivator with no background to become a
Golden Core Tier sword cultivator?

While alive, the sword cultivator had dreamed about life after successfully
completing this huge transaction. With a huge amount of wealth, he could find a
place that had beautiful scenery and was filled with spiritual energy. He could then
become the founder of an immortal force, and he could have many descendants and
enjoy calm for hundreds upon thousands of years. He could live like those immortal
disciples whom he had always envied, and he would only need to cultivate peacefully
and comprehend Dao. He would no longer need to take risks all the time….

After confirming that the Dragon King Basket hadn't been altered in any dangerous
way, the old boatman turned around and sighed. “Young lad, why have you come
here? This disastrous event isn't something that you can interfere with. Make haste
and return to Osmanthus Island. If you're lucky, you might survive and eventually
make it to Stalactite Mountain. If you're not lucky, well….”

The old boatman didn't continue. After all, it was pointless to utter such dispiriting
words before battle, regardless of how true they were.

Chen Ping'an drank a large mouthful of wine and tied the Sword Nurturing Gourd to
his waist.

The old boatman didn't notice anything special, and he stood facing the old flood
dragon the entire time. Lady Gui was also facing the old flood dragon with her back
to Osmanthus Island.

However, a hint of amusement appeared in the vertical pupils of the elderly golden
flood dragon. It didn't expose the young boy's small tricks straight away, and it
instead decided to treat this as a game of cat and mouse. It had nothing better to do
anyway.

“Old Senior, is the situation of Osmanthus Island already as bad as it can be?” Chen
Ping'an asked.

“Yes, it's already as bad as it can be,” the old boatman replied with a nod.

He wasn't willing to lie about this, so he didn't conceal anything as he continued in a

quiet voice, “According to legends, that old flood dragon was at a cultivation base
equivalent to the Nascent Tier of Qi refiners when it signed the contract with the
ancestors of the Fan Clan back then. Unique creatures like flood dragons often have
extremely slow cultivation speeds. However, once they advance to higher tiers, their
true combat power will often be much higher than others at the same cultivation
base.

“This is not to mention the hundreds upon thousands of other flood dragons and
their kin in this trench. They're no weaker than a sect-level immortal force in
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. Most importantly, there's that old flood dragon
keeping things under control. This is the most troublesome aspect.”

Chen Ping'an felt slightly helpless, and he asked, “So this old flood dragon is at least
an earth immortal at the Nascent Tier?”

The old boatman nodded in reply. However, he was unsure of why the young boy
with a bamboo pole on his shoulder and a sword case on his back was asking this
question.

Chen Ping'an raised his head and looked at the elderly golden flood dragon in the
distance.

The old flood dragon also looked at him, its silver eyes filled with unconcealed
ridicule. Not only that, but it purposely glanced at the Sword Nurturing Gourd on
Chen Ping'an's waist as well.

Chen Ping'an knew that the old flood dragon had already seen through his small
tricks.

When handing him this Sword Nurturing Gourd, Jiang Hu, Wei Bo had said that Qi
refiners under the 10th tier wouldn't be able to see through the illusion technique
that he had applied to it. However, the old flood dragon in front of Chen Ping'an right
now was clearly a 10th tier earth immortal.

Since this was the case, Chen Ping'an had pretended to drink wine and had used the
opportunity to silently control First and Fifteenth and have them enter his body. The
old flood dragon had definitely noticed this right from the beginning. In other words,
one of Chen Ping'an's trump cards had already been exposed.

“Young lad, you should leave now,” the old boatman persuaded. “It's very good that
you possess such a youthful and gallant nature, but it's clear that you can't help with
the current situation. So, why try to play the hero? It's better that you return to
Osmanthus Island and quietly wait for that sliver of a chance to stay alive. If you stay
here, I definitely won't be able to look out for you and protect you. You won't make
matters worse, but with your current cultivation base, is your action any different
from seeking death?”

The old boatman had initially wanted to say that even if the young boy returned to
Osmanthus Island, he would still have no option but to wait for death. Even so, this
would still be better than being torn apart and eaten by the flood dragons in the sea.
However, the old boatman had chosen to swallow these words when they reached
the tip of his tongue.

Chen Ping'an removed the Dragon Beating Pole from his shoulder and handed it to
the old boatman, explaining, “Senior, I've made some changes to the Lock Slashing
Talisman, based on the talismanic symbols in the Authentic Death-Avoiding Book.
According to the records, there should be eight ancient symbols in the talisman.
However, there were only four characters representing 'concentrate on the task at
hand' on the bamboo pole before.

“In fact, the characters 'decree of the rain gods' were missing. Moreover, the cloud
patterns of the talismanic symbols also differed quite a bit from what they should
have been. So, I rewrote the Lock Slashing Talisman on the bamboo pole.”

The old boatman focused his gaze on the bamboo pole. He was slightly stunned, and
he immediately grabbed the Dragon Beating Pole from the young boy's hand. He
carefully examined the bamboo pole that had been passed down through the
generations, running his palm over the talismanic symbols on its surface. “This
talisman should be called the Lock Slashing Talisman? It's missing the character
'decree of the rain gods'? The character style, cloud patterns, and subjugation true
intent of this talisman are indeed very high-quality. Young lad, perhaps you're a
Daoist from the talismanic branch? Perhaps you're the disciple of a powerful sect or
clan?”

Chen Ping'an lightly shook his head.

He didn't say that he was a martial artist, and he didn't reveal that he only relied on
his pure True Qi to emulate Fortune Street's Li Xisheng and engrave that talisman in
a single breath.

The old boatman heaved a sigh and lamented, “It's a pity that only a single Dragon
Beating Pole has been returned to its original form. If dozens of bamboo poles were
engraved with this Lock Slashing Talisman, and if we combined this with a formation
grandmaster skilled in profound divination, then we might have truly had a chance
to deter the flood dragons in this Flood Dragon Trench. What a pity, what an absolute
pity!”

Aunt Gui had already hovered back at this moment, and she was also slightly
astonished when she saw the bamboo pole. However, she didn't lament like the old
boatman, and she instead shook her head with a calm expression and said, “This
won't change anything. This talisman has profound origins, and it was often
engraved on Dragon Locking Pillars or swords and sabers. It was a tool used by
ancient immortals to capture and whip convicted flood dragons.

“When I was young, I only managed to catch a few rough glimpses of such talismans.
They are indeed able to suppress flood dragons and their kin, but the cultivation of
that old flood dragon is far too powerful. It will no longer fear such talismans too
much. Moreover, the quality of these bamboo poles isn't very high, and this talisman
also has extremely stringent requirements regarding how it's engraved….”

After handing the bamboo pole over, Chen Ping'an strained his eyes to secretly
observe the old flood dragon.

A hint of concealed reminiscence seemingly appeared in the silver eyes of the flood
dragon. However, its gaze quickly focused once more, and its two dragon whiskers
slowly floated through the seawater, leaving flowing radiance in their wake.

It was rumored that the golden whiskers of thousand-year-old flood dragons could
become immortal treasures among immortal treasures if refined into demon-
binding chains.

Chen Ping'an retracted his gaze and suddenly asked, “Aunt Gui, Old Senior, can you
please buy some time for me? I'm going to draw a talisman. If you have other plans,
then just pretend that I didn't say anything. Don't worry, I'll try my best to complete
this talisman by myself.”

Chen Ping'an's voice was very soft, but the unwavering determination in his eyes was
especially moving. “This is a very important talisman!”
In the Osmanthus Palace located atop the mountain on Osmanthus Island, there was
a young osmanthus guest standing on top of the roof. He gazed up at the
surroundings, and an old woman was standing next to him with a worried
expression.

The young boy was wearing a bright yellow changshan, and this changshan didn't
appear especially eye-catching at first glance. Similar to Chen Ping'an's Sword
Nurturing Gourd, however, a powerful person had also applied a high-level illusion
technique to this changshan. If someone were able to see through this illusion
technique and observe the changshan carefully, they would discover the unique
nature of this outfit.

The changshan wasn't woven from silk or satin, but from countless yellowing
bamboo strips that were intricately linked together. This was divine craftsmanship,
and the thin bamboo strips were surprisingly tough as well. When wearing this
changshan, one would feel warm in winter and cool in summer. The wearer would
also feel as if they were in an exquisite blessed land. This was extremely beneficial
for cultivation, and it was this that reflected the wealth and might of immortal forces.

The bright yellow changshan was named “Refreshing,” and it was a renowned
immortal robe produced by the Bamboo Sea Small World's Azure Divine Mountain. It
was once the treasured possession of a ruler from a large empire in Middle Earth
Divine Continent, yet it had gone missing for a long time after the empire was
destroyed. Unexpectedly, it was now being worn by this young boy.

Speaking in the official dialect of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent that he wasn't
fluent in, the young boy asked, “Grandma Liu, even the hundred li inch movement
talisman of that Golden Core Tier sword cultivator was ineffective, so will my
thousand li inch movement talisman be very risky as well?”

The old woman sighed and replied, “In reality, the cultivation base of that old flood
dragon isn't very terrifying. It's only at the peak stage of the Nascent Tier. However,
they've received assistance from a powerful person, and this trench has become like
a small world. In this sense, that old flood dragon has transformed into the sage of
this small world. He's the one guarding it, and his combat power is equivalent to that
of cultivators at the Unpolished Jade Tier. At the same time, he has the advantage of
time, geography, and popular support.”

“Then what should we do?” the young boy asked with a frown.

“There's no need to be overly worried, Young Master,” the old woman replied with a
smile. “Even if it means sacrificing myself, I'll still help you leave this Flood Dragon
Trench. However, you should remember to return following the same path and head
to the colorful building atop the mountain cliff where the embroidered ball was
tossed from. Tell them your name, and they definitely won't dare to neglect you.

“At that time, you can enjoy a smooth trip back to Pure White Continent. You can
inform the patriarch about this, and divine punishment will naturally befall this
place in due time, obliterating the Flood Dragon Trench and transforming it into flat
land. That will be good revenge for this old lady.”

“Grandma Liu, just how significant is life and death? How can you dismiss it so
easily?” the young boy grumbled. “I don't want you to die here; we still need to
return home together.”

The old woman's expression remained calm, and there was a kindly look on her face
as she looked at the young boy and said with a faint smile, “I am not resigned to my
death. However, I can't sob and put on a worried expression in front of you all the
time, can I? With my elderly age, I truly can't bring myself to act like this.”

The old woman suddenly remembered something, and she glanced at the jade thumb
ring on the young boy's hand and said in a soft voice, “Young Master, remember to
take good care of this minimization treasure passed down by our ancestors. Don't be
careless and take out treasures from it in front of other people. And when traveling
around the outside world, don't try to rashly examine the character of other people
either. The human mind is often unable to withstand scrutiny.”

The dry and wrinkled face of the old woman appeared slightly adrift after she said
this. After all, every old woman in the world had once been a young girl.

The young boy in the bamboo changshan pointed at the lone boat in the sea and
remarked, “Grandma Liu, look at that young boy with the bamboo pole on his
shoulder. He's around the same age as me, isn't he? How impressive, courageous, and
dashing! He's far more impressive than me. When I return, I'm definitely going to ask
a masterful painter to illustrate this scene.”

Grandma Liu shook her head and chuckled, “Don't try to emulate that young boy's
rashness. Young Master, you're not just the esteemed son of a wealthy and powerful
clan. If anything untoward were to happen to you in this region between Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent and Southern Whirl Continent, then that would truly be an
incredibly troublesome matter.”

“Grandma Liu, I've already gone through a lot of examinations and training. Don't
treat me like a child all the time, okay?” the young boy replied in exasperation.

The old woman smiled and remained silent.

Those examinations and training adventures had indeed seemed perilous, but had
there not been some grand elder watching over him every time?

In reality, their journey this time was a long one that had started with a trip from
Pure White Continent to Complete Reed Continent. Afterward, they had traveled
south to the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, where they had visited Divine Edict
Sect, Lake View Academy, and the Cloud Forest Jiang Clan.

In the end, they had arrived at Old Dragon City and continued south to Parasol Leaf
Continent. They visited both Parasol Leaf Sect in the north and Jade Tablet Sect in the
south, and the young master had almost entered the Cloud Cave Blessed Land.

Their journey had been smooth sailing and trouble-free. All this time, however, the
old woman was unable to understand why she had been tasked with guarding the
young master by herself. Wasn't this too careless? A Qi refiner at the Nascent Tier
wasn't weak, but just how lofty was Young Master's status?

Take for example the dire situation they were currently facing in the Flood Dragon
Trench. If there were an Unpolished Jade Tier sword cultivator guarding the young
master, the young master wouldn't even need to bat an eyelid. He definitely wouldn't
need to feel afraid either. Instead, he could simply spectate the battle from afar.

————

Outside an ordinary courtyard located halfway up the mountain on Osmanthus

Island, there was a young beautiful girl inside a small pavilion. She was wearing a top
and a long skirt, and a colorful robe was tied around her waist. There was fury on
her face as she confronted this mysterious calamity, and she felt extremely angry at
Old Dragon City's Fan Clan.

Even so, she still composed herself and finished brewing the pot of tea. After
finishing the tea, she put away the tea set piece by piece. Only then did she start to
mull over a plan. However, she felt slightly discouraged when she witnessed the
miserable death of the Golden Core Tier sword cultivator. Death was most likely
inevitable.

The young girl appeared anxious as she lightly drummed the table with her fingers.
“There's no reason for my fortune to be so bad,” she murmured to herself. “I even
performed divination on myself in Old Dragon City, and it was because of that
divination that I chose Osmanthus Island over the Mountain and Sea Turtle.
Theoretically speaking, the results shouldn't have been wrong. I should obtain one or
two fated opportunities along the way as well. How can I possibly suffer an early
death here instead?”

The young girl stood up and tapped her feet, jumping onto the roof of the pavilion.
She looked down, and her range of vision instantly became wider than before. She
gulped and slowly went from a standing position to a squatting position.

She started to pinch her fingers and perform divination, and she murmured,
“Perhaps there's a mighty figure hiding somewhere? Or perhaps the person destined
to resolve this situation hasn't arrived yet? No matter what, this shouldn't be a
deadly situation with no solution. It definitely can't be…. Allow me to perform a
divination on you, woman who's facing off against the elderly golden flood dragon.
Oh? As it turns out, you're Osmanthus Island itself? How strange, you're not the one
destined to resolve this situation either….

“Now, let me take a look at this old boatman who's hiding his true strength. Huh?
He's a Qi refiner who's fallen from the Nascent Tier to the Golden Core Tier? His
wounds are still yet to fully heal. As expected, a real old boatman with many stories.
However, you won't be able to resolve the situation either….

“As for this stupidly brave young boy…. Forget about it. So be it if he's just carrying a
bamboo pole on his shoulder, but drinking wine as well? Tsk, tsk, he's far too
interested in showing off. Does he genuinely think he's an Upper Five Tier sword
immortal? What an idiot….

“That being the case, does the key to resolving this situation lie on the mountain?
Perhaps an immortal is currently observing the situation from the mountain? And
when the old dragon lets its guard down, the immortal will deal a killing blow?
Hmm, let's see…… Oh, there's genuinely a powerful person concealing their
presence. However, it's a shame that…. they're not the one destined to resolve this
situation either!”

The young girl scratched her head with both hands. Her cheeks were flushed red,
and it was clear that she was feeling slightly anxious and uneasy. The pearl hairpin in
her bun also became crooked, causing her black hair to become messy.

“Don't fret, don't fret. Master personally said that all unstoppable momentums in the
world have hidden within them a singular notion that can evolve into all matter. Even
that Dao Ancestor is pursuing this notion. The same applied to that True Dragon, and
the true mystical nature behind Jewel Small World also pertained to this. The Sword
Qi Great Wall is also the same. Everything is the same….”

While the young girl was at a complete loss, Jin Su, the osmanthus girl from the
Guimai courtyard, was looking back three times with every step. She saw her master
having a dangerous face-off against the elderly golden flood dragon, and she saw the
old boatman most likely the Golden Core Tier cultivator guarding Osmanthus Island.
Of course, she also saw the young boy with a sword case on his back taking a boat
back to cause more trouble.

Jin Su knew that she shouldn't feel resentment toward the young boy who was
standing up in this moment of peril, yet she couldn't help but feel increasingly angry
at him for some unknown reason. In fact, it was almost as if this entire calamity
should be blamed on him. Only by thinking this could she feel slightly better.

Jin Su wasn't willing to dwell on this. She was even more unwilling to admit that her
unfounded anger wasn't brought about by Chen Ping'an, an outside guest, not doing
good enough. Quite the contrary, in fact, as it was his decision to resolutely stand up
that silently highlighted her cowardice. In fact, she didn't even possess the courage
to stand side-by-side with her master to face their enemy.

While teetering on the precipice of life and death, there were some who feared death
and greedily craved life, choosing to yield to the situation and retreat from danger.
However, there were also those willing to give up life for the sake of righteousness,
choosing to march forward in the face of difficulty and seeking life from near-certain
death.

To youths who had just set foot on the path of cultivation and the bridge of
immortality, the former was not necessarily wrong, and the latter was not
necessarily right.

On the sea in front of Osmanthus Island, there were two small boats drifting beside
each other.

The old boatman failed to persuade Chen Ping'an to return after several attempts.
However, he was genuinely unwilling to see the young boy lose his life here, so he
became slightly frustrated as he scolded, “Lady Gui has already explained the power
of the old flood dragon to you, so why do you still insist on staying here? What an
absolute farce!”

Lady Gui smiled bitterly and said, “We're utterly surrounded, so we're left with no
option but to fight to the death.”

The old boatman suddenly lowered his voice and said, “Lady Gui, you have to live on.
The Fan Clan….”

The woman shook her head and replied, “I've already made up my mind.”

She turned to the young boy and asked in a gentle voice, “Chen Ping'an, is that
talisman genuinely very important?”

Chen Ping'an nodded vigorously in response.

Lady Gui took a deep breath and said, “Things have already come to this, so what else
can we do? That old flood dragon is hellbent on ignoring our past relationship, using
the so-called rules to suppress us again and again. There's definitely something fishy
about this situation. However, since you're willing to do something about this, then
go ahead, Chen Ping'an. The two of us will help you buy some time. This won't be too
difficult.”

Chen Ping'an immediately sat down in the small boat with his back facing the elderly
golden flood dragon. His mind was linked with Fifteenth, his flying sword which
doubled as a pocket treasure, and it wasn't long before a sheet of azure-colored
talisman paper slid out from his sleeve. The talisman paper looked like a page that
was torn out from some sagely classic.

Chen Ping'an held the Wind and Snow Awl in his left hand and lightly breathed on
the tip. However, Chen Ping'an was shocked when the tip of the calligraphy brush
moved toward the talisman paper. Even thought it was engraved with the characters
'writing as if assisted by the gods', the tip of the brush felt like a traveler's feet stuck
in a meter of snow. It was barely able to move!

Chen Ping'an's breath of True Qi as a pure martial artist was directly cut off.

Chen Ping'an had written several treasure pagoda demon-suppressing talismans and
Yang energy illumination talismans on golden talisman paper before, and he had
never once encountered such a situation.

Unexpectedly, however, Chen Ping'an was delighted by what he saw.

Chen Ping'an forcefully summoned a new breath of True Qi, willing to suffer internal
injuries and rock his soul in the process. His arm pressed down, and the Wind and
Snow Awl continued to approach the azure talisman paper.

People were allowed to help, but they had to first guarantee that they wouldn't make
the situation worse.

In front of the abandoned temple in Yellow Court Nation, that group of youths in
colorful robes and on majestic horses had attempted to perform a good deed in a
passionate and righteous manner. However, they had almost ruined the big plans of
those righteous Qi refiners, and they had almost allowed the sinister fox demon to
flee.

This was an example of performing a bad deed with good intentions.

If he could guarantee that he wouldn't make the situation worse, however, then Chen
Ping'an felt like he definitely had to do something.

Back in the city god temple in Colorful Garment Nation's Blusher Prefecture, the
prefectural overseer's youngest daughter who had silver bells tied to her wrists and
ankles had also stepped forward to provide help. She had restrained herself at the
right moments, and she had always acted within her abilities. Thus, she had been
able to help Chen Ping'an and alleviate the pressure on him. This was very good.
He remembered another ferry — Ceremony Mountain's kun ship.

This Osmanthus Island was something that his good friend Fan Er would inherit
after he came of age.

Meanwhile, there had once been two young girls on the kun ship whom he had
interacted with for many days and nights, Chun Shui and Qiu Shi. They were both
very lovely girls. Chen Ping'an had always believed that with their young age, they
would definitely see each other again in the future, no matter how many dozens of
years passed, and no matter how far away they were now….

Chen Ping'an continued to exert more and more force on his fingers and arm. At the
same time, he calmed his breathing and rapidly channeled the Eighteen Stops
Technique. The pure and formidable breath of True Qi in his body needed to be quick
and stable.

Having stable Qi would lead to a composed soul, and having a composed soul would
lead to an effective talisman.

Thinking back to the past, everything ultimately came down to being stable and
composed. When molding pottery and firing pottery, he had also needed to stabilize
his mind in order to stabilize his hands.

The tip of the Wind and Snow Awl finally came into contact with the azure talisman
paper.

A small speck of light instantly burst apart.

It was as if a bright moon were rising above the sea.

Chen Ping'an was unfazed by this, and his mind was completely focused on drawing
the Lock Slashing Talisman. He needed to engrave eight entire characters on the
azure talisman paper — concentrate on the task at hand, decree of the rain gods[1].

At this moment, the young boy was sitting cross-legged in the small boat and
completely immersed in the act of drawing the talisman, losing his sense of self.

Chen Ping'an didn't appear anything like a pure martial artist as he held the brush
and wrestled with the ancient talisman paper. He didn't appear like a sword
cultivator either. Instead, he appeared like a scholar who was copying texts amid
mountains and water.

He would worry about the success of this talisman after he was finished drawing it.

This attitude was identical to the attitude that he had held toward the Mountain
Shaking Fist. Whether the fist technique was powerful or not, he would worry about
this after he finished practicing it one million times.

If Chen Ping'an didn't do something today, he would feel like he was letting down his
fist technique, his sword training, the wine that he had drank, and all the people that
he had become acquainted with.

1. Eight characters in Chinese…. (作甚务甚，雨师敕令) ☜

The moment that Chen Ping'an raised the calligraphy brush to draw the talisman, the
flood dragons and their kin in the Flood Dragon Trench had already started to move
under the command of the elderly golden flood dragon.

Moreover, they were going all out even if they were facing weaker enemies, with the
hundreds upon thousands of flood dragons and their kin lurking in the trench
rushing out and charging toward Osmanthus Island along with the towering
seawater.

Only the region where the elderly golden flood dragon lay coiled appeared especially
calm.

The old boatman tossed the Dragon King Basket in his hand beside his feet. Whether
this young flood dragon lived or died was already irrelevant and unable to change
the course of the current events.

The old boatman glanced at the young boy behind him, and it was as if the young boy
with a sword case on his back were bathing in the white and pure glow of moonlight.
Chen Ping'an, his calligraphy brush, and the talisman paper had seemingly become
one, and it was as if they were in a small world that measured three meters in each
direction.

The old boatman couldn't help but silently praise Chen Ping'an. This young boy was
truly displaying signs of being very impressive. Even though his cultivation base was
low, this had little to do with the level of one's cultivation. The old boatman had to
admit that he hadn't possessed such an impressive spirit and aura when he was
young.

He quickly retracted his gaze and said in a quiet voice, “Lady Gui, Osmanthus Island
is facing a huge crisis right now, so why don't you hand the safety of Chen Ping'an
and this talisman to me for the moment? You only need to focus on protecting
Osmanthus Island.
“Also, tell Ma Zhi and the others to make haste and warn all of the passengers on the
mountain about the danger. Tell the passengers not to hide their strength and
cultivation anymore. They can sort out their differences and calculate the necessary
remuneration and compensation after Osmanthus Island makes it through this
crisis.”

“The old flood dragon's decision to target us this time is extremely strange.
Moreover, judging from its method of killing that Golden Core Tier sword cultivator,
it's either advanced to the Upper Five Tiers or someone has secretly set up a
formation in the Flood Dragon Trench, transforming this location into something
akin to a Confucian school or academy,” Lady Gui replied.

“Perhaps a profound figure from some heretical force has taken a fancy to this region
and given this old flood dragon the power and confidence to challenge the Confucian
sages in Southern Whirl Continent. In any case, regardless of whether it's at the
Unpolished Jade Tier or it's a pseudo sage, it will definitely be very difficult for you to
deal with it alone.”

Lady Gui appeared slightly hesitant, and she didn't hurry back to Osmanthus Island
straight away. In fact, she purposely spoke at a slower speed than normal, using this
time to weigh things up. After so many years of cultivation, Lady Gui understood that
doing one proper thing was better than doing ten or a hundred random things
during difficult times like this.

As if breaking through an embankment, seawater crashed down from three

directions, surging toward Osmanthus island at the bottom of the “bowl.”

Apart from the ancestor osmanthus tree on the peak of the mountain, all of the over
1000 osmanthus trees on Osmanthus Island shed leaves at this moment. Before
these leaves could fall to the ground, however, they all rose into the air in a
structured manner. Gradually coming to a stop in midair, the leaves formed a dome
that enveloped Osmanthus Island.

The next moment, the osmanthus leaves instantly combusted and disintegrated into
dust, leaving only orbs of emerald green spiritual energy in their place. These
osmanthus leaf spiritual orbs were as large as wild chestnuts, and wisps of green
threads extended from them and connected with the surrounding orbs.

The sea churned violently, and Osmanthus Island was like a small lone boat amid it.
As the spiritual energy of the osmanthus leaves weaved and connected, it was as if
Osmanthus Island were a boatman that had cast a large net. However, this net wasn't
for fishing, but rather for blocking the imminent downpour.

When the seawater slammed into the large net, waves churned and exploded into
the surroundings. However, not a single drop of water was able to seep through the
large net and land on Osmanthus Island. The island only shook slightly, and the
mountain peak split open as branches and leaves started to rapidly grow from the
ancestor osmanthus tree in a mystical sight. Many pits appeared, revealing the
snaking roots of the old osmanthus tree.

Following this, Osmanthus Island began to slowly rise into the air. In fact, it
surprisingly appeared as if the island were attempting to withstand the powerful
attacks from the sea and rise into the air, forcefully fleeing from the Flood Dragon
Trench.

There were many small water dragons[1] with horns on their heads, and these water
dragons were the most ferocious as they charged and attacked Osmanthus island.
They lunged at the large net one after another, and they used their sharp claws to
tear at the formation of osmanthus leaves. Some even used their heads to smash the
formation.

These types of small water dragons were noble and honorable members of the flood
dragon kin, and they used to have a relatively close relationship with the True
Dragons of yore who had ruled over the Five Lakes and Four Seas in earlier times.
The difference between small water dragons and snakes or carps was like the
difference between heaven and earth.

There was only the additional description of “water” in their title, yet this made the
status of small water dragons slightly inferior to that of pure small dragons. The
latter were genuine relatives of True Dragons, while the former were offspring
resulting from the copulation between large dragons and azure sea serpents. Thus,
small water dragons were also referred to as small azure dragons.

Along with white hornless dragons that enjoyed hiding themselves in majestic
mountains and gorgeous peaks, these two creatures that occupied the deep sea and
land respectively often found themselves in the essays of scholars and literati. They
were also frequent guests in poems composed by traveling poets.
Many descendants of flood dragons followed behind these small water dragons,
violently slamming into the large formation. Some also unleashed their powerful and
innate water-element mystical powers, causing tonnes of seawater to violently slam
into the large net.

The old boatman's heart ached when he saw this. After all, Lady Gui was sacrificing
her hard-earned earth immortal cultivation in order to maintain this formation. The
fundamental vital energy of her true form was depleting rapidly, yet she was willing
to endure this to fight for everyone's survival, no matter how slim the chances.

Ma Zhi, who was on the island, had most likely informed the passengers about the
situation already. However, it was still unclear whether the passengers would be
willing to work together to overcome this grave situation.

While Chen Ping'an continued to exert his full power to draw the Lock Slashing
Talisman, the elderly golden flood dragon ordered his subordinates in the Flood
Dragon Trench to attack and breach the defenses of Osmanthus Island in a single go.

However, it didn't show any signs of wanting to attack along with the other flood
dragons, and it simply pondered for a brief moment before swaying its large golden
body that measured 300 meters in length and slowly swimming toward the edge of
the clear sea.

A few moments later, a dignified and mighty-looking old man dressed in a long
golden robe walked out from the ripples on the surface of the sea. His eyebrows
were extremely long, so long that they reached his chest. He walked forward in the
sky, completely ignoring Lady Gui.

In fact, the old man in golden robes paid no attention to the life or death of that
young flood dragon either. He was like a traveler slowly descending a mountain and
peering down at the world as he did so. He was looking down at the two small boats
and three people at the foot of the mountain.

The elderly golden flood dragon didn't stop walking forward as he looked at the
young boy. He smiled faintly and said, “Boy, I simply viewed you as young and naive
when you made changes to that Dragon Beating Pole and wantonly drew the Lock
Slashing Talisman. I allowed you to secretly hide those two flying swords. However, if
you insist on pushing your luck….”
The old boatman steered his small boat such that he was shielding Chen Ping'an and
the small boat that he was in. He looked up at the old beast whose temperament had
changed drastically, and he sneered, “So what if he's pushing his luck? Perhaps we
should offer our necks and beg for a quick and comfortable death? Perhaps we
should beg you vile beasts to swallow us in one go instead of slowly chewing on us?”

The elderly golden flood dragon shot a sideways glance at the old boatman and
chuckled, “It was you people who broke the rules, so it's a given that all of you have
to die. As for how you die…. This isn't all that important. Did you forget already?

“After you people die, we can slowly unravel your souls and make each of them into
dozens of candles. After lighting these candles and placing them in the depths of the
Flood Dragon Trench, you'll be forced to endure the agonizing pain of being eaten
away by the bitter cold.

“This is even more torturous than being dismembered by five horses or being sliced
into tens of thousands of pieces. This is especially the case for Golden Core Tier
cultivators like you. The higher one's cultivation, the higher the quality of the
candles….”

After saying this, the old man in gold robes sighed and came to a stop. He held a
single hand behind his back and used his other hand to stroke his long golden
eyebrows that were hanging in front of his chest. He sighed in exasperation and
lamented, “Young boy, I and the boatman from the Fan Clan have already bought so
much time for you, yet you still haven't completed a single Lock Slashing Talisman
that carries the decree of the rain gods yet?

“Are disciples from the talismanic branch of the Daoist Sect becoming more and
more incompetent? Or are you a talentless disciple who lacks the skill to properly
draw a talisman? Or perhaps this talisman is too powerful, and the talisman paper is
too precious, so it's causing your strokes to become a little…. challenging?

“No matter, it's already been many years since I last witnessed and experienced the
power of a Lock Slashing Talisman. I miss it dearly, so I can afford to wait for you to
finish. Take your time, young boy. There's no need to hurry.”

Lady Gui sighed with sorrow.

The old boatman was also feeling similarly glum.

This was the terrifying nature of a region controlled by a sage.

This was similar to a Confucian sage residing in a school or academy, a True Lord
residing in a Daoist temple, an Arhat residing in a Buddhist temple, or a Martial sage
exercising control over a battlefield.

“To commit such brutal acts of violence…. Are you not afraid of the Confucian sages
from Southern Whirl Continent holding you accountable?!” the extremely pale Lady
Gui questioned in a stern voice.

The elderly golden flood dragon's expression was as if it were taking pity on her, and
it replied, “Lady Gui, oh Lady Gui, you shouldn't have stayed in a rotten little place
like Old Dragon City. You were simply trapping yourself inside a cocoon. You failed to
do anything for so many years, and you became oblivious to the things happening in
the outside world. How can you understand the current unstoppable trend of the
world? Those who follow the trend live, and those who oppose the trend die.

“Lady Gui, even though I've coveted your true form for so many years, I'm still willing
to give you one final chance seeing that you have such a noble status. Surrender to
me, and enjoy a glorious rise with the Flood Dragon Trench. What do you say?”

Lady Gui chuckled coldly and replied, “I truly wonder if you would still dare to utter
such nonsense if a Confucian sage were present! To say nothing of a sage, even a
noble scholar would be enough to make you tremble in fear, am I right?”

The old man in golden robes shook his head with a smile. “Times have changed, and
this is the reason why I called you out for being oblivious. So be it, those with
different aspirations will ultimately walk different paths. After eating you, I can
smoothly advance to the Unpolished Jade Tier. At that time, what will it matter even
if the Confucian sage from the Yingyin Chen Clan leaves his academy to hold me
accountable? What can he do?”

The old flood dragon cracked a menacing grin and continued, “I'm aware that you're
still unwilling to give up. You thought that I was purposely acting mysterious just
then, so you still held onto a sliver of hope and thus allowed that young boy to draw
the Lock Slashing Talisman. You want him to frighten all of the flood dragons and
their kin in the Flood Dragon Trench, apart from me, of course. Have a look, why
don't you? I still granted you your wish. Do you still think that I'm bluffing and
purposely acting mysterious?”
The old man in golden robes took a single stride and instantly arrived a few dozen
meters away from the small boat that Chen Ping'an was sitting in.

However, like a meditating old monk who paid no heed to worldly matters, Chen
Ping'an completely ignored the approach of the old man. He continued to slowly
draw the Lock Slashing Talisman.

Lady Gui and the old boatman both reacted at the same time. Lady Gui immediately
threw an osmanthus branch over, and when it landed on the small boat, she silently
recited, “Take root and rest against the sky.”

The osmanthus branch instantly sprouted and grew into a small osmanthus tree
with lush and dense leaves. Golden osmanthus flowers bloomed, and their sweet
fragrance quickly filled the air. The osmanthus tree was three meters tall, and its
shade completely shielded Chen Ping'an.

Meanwhile, the old boatman quickly formed hand seals and silently recited a mantra.
At the same time, he forcefully stomped his feet into the small boat that he was in. He
held his palms together with his fingers intertwined, and a dazzling light started to
seep out from the gaps between his fingers. The old boatman then pressed his thumb
from one hand against his heart while pointing his pinky from his other hand toward
the elderly golden flood dragon.

After he completed these hand seals, a bright red flame wrapped his entire body and
made him appear like a heavenly official wearing a fiery red robe. Countless
sanguine symbols appeared on his forehead, and he furiously roared, “Golden crow
spreads its wings, fire god boils water!”

From the small boat under the old boatman's feet to the location where the old man
in golden robes was standing, it was as if the sea were boiling water in a kettle. Vapor
rose into the air, after which countless golden crows emerged from within it. With
trails of scorching flames behind them, the golden crows rapidly swooped down at
the old flood dragon one after another.

However, the elderly golden flood dragon simply flicked his sleeve in a casual
manner, dragging two blue water dragons from the sea. The blue water dragons rose
beside him and crashed into the golden crows, instantly engulfing and annihilating
dozens of them. Even though the blue water dragons enjoyed a scrumptious meal,
flashes of red continued to appear on their bellies from time to time. In the end, they
were also killed along with the golden crows, with their bodies crumbling and
returning to the sea.

The old boatman's hand seals had been rapid and majestic-looking, especially
compared to the casual flick of the old flood dragon's sleeve. As such, it was
immediately obvious who had the upper hand. The gulf between them was immense.

“Fire god? This type of ancient god is far too weak,” the old flood dragon sneered.
“Moreover, due to a certain calamity of great proportions, deities who inherit this
title are often undeserving and unauthentic. These titles are barely worth a mention
compared to formal deities of water, gods who have organized inheritances and are
greatly valued by the Heavenly Emperor.

“Being a measly Golden Core Tier cultivator, you most likely don't know that the
phrase “fire god boils water” is in and of itself an admission of fear. The first fire god
was an ambitious individual who vowed that he would evaporate the four seas and
vaporize the five lakes such that they became clouds and mist in the sky. However,
deities of fire following him only dared to say that they would boil water. What does
water refer to? Great rivers and large lakes consist of water, while small streams and
tiny creeks also consist of water. Perhaps they want to boil some water to make tea?”

The old boatman wasn't deflated after his technique was easily defeated by the old
man in golden robes. While the latter blabbered on, the old boatman switched to
another hand seal and clenched his hands into fists before forcefully smashing them
together. His feet also assumed a unique stance, and the heavenly official projection
from before vanished without a trace. What replaced it was a fearsome face that
looked like a powerful guardian. Meanwhile, orbs of crackling lightning started to fly
in circles around him.

After a while, the old boatman eventually separated his fists and used one fist to
heavily thump his chest and abdomen three times in a row, causing the spiritual
energy in the corresponding acupoints to churn with vigor. At the same time, he
unclenched his other fist and held his palm to the sky, bellowing, “Spring thunder
drums the abdomen, lakes of lightning pour from the sky; heed my command, deliver
punishment on behalf of the heavens!”

The sky was clear and blue for tens of thousands of miles, yet a giant whirlpool of
roaring thunder and flashing lightning suddenly appeared from thin air. A bolt of
snow-white lightning suddenly leaped out and made several turns in midair before
smashing down at the elderly golden flood dragon's head.

The old man in golden robes disappeared without a trace, yet the bolt of crackling
lightning didn't dissipate straight away. Instead, it directly pierced through the
surface of the sea and crashed into the depths of the Flood Dragon Trench.
Afterward, it bounced backward and illuminated a large region of the sea, causing
the surroundings to become a blinding white.

There were many flood dragons and their kin hiding at the bottom of the sea, and
these were dragons who weren't participating in the conflict. After being astonished
by the lightning technique, all of them closed their eyes on instinct, not daring to face
it head-on.

The bolt of lightning surged out from the sea and flew to someplace in the distance.
The old flood dragon in golden robes reappeared above the sea, and it finally
appeared a little annoyed as it faced this abnormal bolt of lightning.

It no longer appeared as carefree as before, and it didn't try to dodge the attack
either. Instead, the old flood dragon stood still and furrowed its brows slightly. It
then pinched its long golden eyebrows with its two hands, rapidly moving its fingers
down and causing two bursts of sword light to shoot from its fingertips.

The two bursts of sword light were approximately one meter in length, similar to
most swords in the world. One burst of sword light shot toward the bolt of lightning,
while the other burst of sword light pierced at some whirlpool that was connected to
the small lake of lightning above its head.

Both bursts of sword light from his long eyebrows were successful, striking and
disappearing together with the bolt of lightning and whirlpool in the sky. Two
spectacular light shows erupted in the sky.

Sure enough, the old boatman was a rare Golden Core Tier cultivator who had once
experienced the mystical powers of earth immortals. He was masterful in many
techniques, and he leaped into the sky, extending an arm and making a grabbing
motion. A glowing silver snake spear[2] materialized in his hand, appearing especially
dazzling as it directly stabbed at the elderly golden flood dragon.

“Die, vile beast!”

1. The character used here is 虬, which refers to a dragon youngling, but these are
actual mature dragons. They are shorter (hence the “small” part) but fully grown
dragons. ☜

2. An ancient spear model with a wavy blade and a split tip that looks like the mouth
of a snake. ☜
The man in golden robes pursed his lips and disappeared again.

The momentum of the old boatman's spear didn't weaken in the least, and it instead
became even stronger. A black ripple surprisingly appeared on the tip of the spear,
yet the snow-white tip didn't falter at all as it easily pierced through the water like a
hot knife through butter. The shaft of the spear appeared distorted to the naked eye.

A strange sight then appeared. Dozens of old men in golden robes appeared around
the old flood dragon, yet there was a spear tip piercing down at each of their
glabellas, with some of the spear tips measuring three meters in length and some of
the spear tips only a foot long.

Almost all of the old men in golden robes laughed in unison, exclaiming, “You truly
gave your everything to unleash this strike. It must have been very tough for a
Golden Core Tier cultivator like you.”

They extended a hand and grabbed the tips of the spears.

There were flashes of lightning, and the entire space became snow-white.

Only a single man in golden robes remained silent. He stood directly behind the
small boat that Chen Ping'an was in, and he was in just the right position to clearly
see the young boy who was sitting in the shade of the osmanthus tree. He was unable
to determine the level of the azure talisman paper, but he could sense that it was
filled with a magnificent and righteous aura. The calligraphy brush was also a
valuable item, one that even he would covet.

Looking at the empty spaces on the Lock Slashing Talisman, it was evident that it
was only three quarters done. Even though the young boy's arm, fingers, and
calligraphy brush were yet to tremble, his mind and concentration were already
starting to waver. Judging from this, it was clear that drawing this talisman was still
far too difficult for Chen Ping'an.
The old flood dragon became increasingly curious. Even though the Lock Slashing
Talisman was a decent-level talisman, the young boy had already managed to
complete a talisman on the bamboo pole before. In other words, the problem didn't
lie with the talisman itself. Rather, the problem was with the azure talisman paper. It
was this talisman paper that made it extremely difficult for the young boy to move
his calligraphy brush. He was like a little child trying to climb a mountain with heavy
luggage on his back, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call his efforts infinitely
painful.

He was drawing the Lock Slashing Talisman, a high-grade talisman that contained
the decree of the rain gods.

If the elderly golden flood dragon had faced this before he had become the sage of
the region, he would have indeed felt some sense of apprehension. After all, there
was a notion of natural suppression. Back when rain gods, river guardians, and
water lords were still regarded as legitimate deities, flood dragons would all respect
these beings who were akin to their superiors.

Now, however, the elderly golden flood dragon thought little of the Lock Slashing
Talisman no matter how powerful it appeared. In fact, it felt slightly eager to see this
talisman again.

After all, the old flood dragon had still been young during those countless years of
suppression and humiliation. Even so, what it had seen and heard was deeply
ingrained in its mind.

Using this opportunity, the old flood dragon wanted those old fossils in the depths of
the Flood Dragon Trench — the ones of a similar age yet were unwilling to follow
him —to open their eyes and once again witness this profound talisman. At that
time, perhaps those listless old fossils would finally rediscover a sense of ambition
and courage.

If the entire Flood Dragon Trench could reach a consensus and fight together, it
would definitely be far more powerful than just one or two sect-level immortal
forces.

The dozens of old men in golden robes shattered the spear tips in unison.

The snake spear was the old boatman's bonded weapon, and the damage dealt to it
instantly caused him to collapse to a sitting position on the small boat. He couldn't
stop himself from vomiting blood.

Apart from the elderly golden flood dragon silently observing Chen Ping'an as he
drew the talisman, the other old flood dragons who had become extremely
aggressive all roared with laughter before viciously stomping a foot in unison. There
was little commotion, yet it was as if the formation protecting Osmanthus Island
were a fragile city gate being heavily rammed by countless battering rams. The
formation shook violently, appearing as if it might shatter at any moment. Once it
was breached, the flood dragons and their kin could instantly charge into the island
to target the passengers. At that time, would the passengers have to engage in close-
quarter combat with these vile beasts who had innately powerful physiques?

Ordinary Qi refiners would naturally be unwilling to face this. To say nothing of

them, even the most destructively powerful sword cultivators and physically tough
militarian cultivators would be unwilling to face this.

Just then, many Qi refiners at the Middle Five Tiers had been unwilling to take out
their most powerful treasures regardless of how Ma Zhi had tried to convince them.
At this moment, however, their expressions all changed drastically. They no longer
dared to hide their treasures, and they all retrieved their spirit tools and immortal
treasures one after another.

Flashes of brilliant light instantly appeared all over Osmanthus Island and shot
toward the sky, helping Lady Gui and the ancestor osmanthus tree to defend against
the stomping attacks of the old flood dragons in golden robes.

However, after the Qi refiners on the island unleashed their full strength, some
powerful figures from the Flood Dragon Trench who had been observing the
situation from the sidelines also decided to act at long last. They channeled their
water-element mystical powers, and it was as if a rain of arrows were descending
upon Osmanthus Island.

Thus, even though Osmanthus Island was receiving help from the Qi refiners now, it
was surprisingly still at a disadvantage.

At this moment of critical danger, a tall and skinny elder unexpectedly flew over from
beyond the Flood Dragon Trench. However, he was clearly hesitant about whether he
should involve himself in this dangerous conflict.
He was none other than the Nascent Soul subordinate of Jade Tablet Sect's Young
Master Jiang.

In the end, he eventually decided to silently observe the situation.

Lady Gui was forced to return to Osmanthus Island, and she no longer had the luxury
of caring about Chen Ping'an's talisman. She hadn't expected that the large formation
would be so fragile. If she kept her soul and body separated the entire time, then
even if Chen Ping'an succeeded in drawing the talisman, it would be pointless if the
formation around Osmanthus Island was already destroyed at that time. The wanton
flood dragons and their kin would face no resistance as they charged onto the island,
and the outcome of this could only be a massacre.

As Lady Gui dashed away, she turned to the old boatman and said in helplessness,
“Look after Chen Ping'an!”

The old boatman nodded with a bitter smile, struggling to stand up as he did so.

He could only try his best and leave the rest to the heavens.

All of the old flood dragons in golden robes slowly walked toward the two small
boats.

Only the elderly golden flood dragon who had remained standing in the same spot
the entire time, the one who had kept his eyes on Chen Ping'an from the beginning to
the end, used his mind to warn, “Young boy, if you don't finish this talisman and turn
the tables soon, all of you are going to die. Lady Gui is going to die, the old boatman
is going to die, you're going to die, and everyone else is going to die.”

Concentrate on the task at hand, decree of the rain gods. There were only these few
characters in the Lock Slashing Talisman, yet Chen Ping'an was only able to finish six
of the eight characters after all this time. Moreover, his characters were written in a
way that broke many rules, so if nothing unexpected happened, this talisman could
already be considered useless.

In fact, Chen Ping'an had already taken a very long time to finish the first four
characters. It had taken him far longer than drawing the talisman on the bamboo
pole before. However, Chen Ping'an couldn't complete even the first stroke of the
character “rain” no matter how he channeled his aura. It was as if the azure talisman
paper refused to accommodate this character no matter what. This was like a battle
between two armies. Chen Ping'an was a one-man army fighting tooth and nail,
while his opponent was a majestic and towering city with formidable power. What
could he do?

Human power had its limit, and this couldn't be changed by ambition, perseverance,
or tenacity.

Chen Ping'an struggled for a long time, yet he was still unable to complete the first
stroke. When his arm trembled for the first time, a mouthful of blood rushed to his
throat. He forcefully swallowed the blood, and he could only skip over the character
“rain” in helplessness. The character “god” was also an insurmountable gulf, so Chen
Ping'an decided to skip this character as well.

Fortunately, he could still struggle on and just barely complete the two characters
representing “decree”. He finally managed to complete the two characters when his
breath of True Qi reached its absolute limit.

Chen Ping'an was already absolutely exhausted after consuming this breath of True
Qi. His writing hand that held the Wind and Snow Awl fell limply to his side. He had
forcefully summoned the breath of True Qi just then, so his failure to complete the
talisman undoubtedly added insult to his injury.

His blood and qi churned, and apart from the consumption of his heart's blood that
caused him fundamental injuries, countless extremely small beads of blood also
seeped out of his body. Beads of blood seeped out from his soul, acupoints, tendons,
bones, flesh, and skin before reconverging in someplace else.

The elderly golden flood dragon was enraged for the first time, and it furiously
scolded, “Useless piece of trash! I waited for so long, yet you failed to even write the
characters 'rain god'?!”

The flood dragon strode forward and continued, “I'll give you another chance. Lift
your brush and start writing again! Write another talisman!”

Chen Ping'an dazedly stared at the azure talisman paper in front of him. The
situation didn't become worse.

However, it didn't become better either.

After parting ways on the level of the Great Dao with that Daoist nun from the Divine
Edict Sect, Chen Ping'an's fortune — which had been very good ever since leaving
Jewel Small World — seemed to be going downhill again. It was as if he had returned
to the unshattered Jewel Small World again.

This time, he was directly facing death.

Chen Ping'an looked up and asked, “You want me to complete the Lock Slashing
Talisman this badly? What are you trying to achieve?”

The elderly golden flood dragon carefully looked the young boy up and down before
nodding with a smile and replying, “I naturally want you to complete it. However, it
has already become meaningless to talk about these things. You've already wasted so
much of my time, so I'll turn your three immortal souls and seven mortal forms into
numerous candle wicks in a short time. I'll have them burn in the depths of the Flood
Dragon Trench for hundreds and hundreds of years.”

Chen Ping'an glanced at his left arm, his writing arm where he held the Wind and
Snow Awl. He then took a deep breath and slowly lifted it up. Blood seeped not only
from his left arm, but also from his face and skin. “I'll definitely complete these two
characters before I die.”

There was a dark look in the elderly golden flood dragon's eyes, and it chuckled,
“You're a young boy with ambition; I look forward to seeing the results. In fact, I'll go
as far as to personally guard you. Don't disappoint me again.”

Chen Ping'an cracked a grin.

He raised his right arm and crudely wiped his eyes, rubbing away the streaks of
blood that were blurring his vision. After roughly seeing the blank space on the
talisman where the characters “rain god” belonged, he closed his eyes and silently
recited in his mind, “Concentrate on the task at hand…. Concentrate on the task at
hand….”

In the next instant….

Chen Ping'an started to write on the azure talisman paper.

The elderly golden flood dragon sneered and remarked, “Young boy, this isn't the
character 'rain'. Perhaps your wounds are so bad that your brain is damaged as
well?”
Another moment later….

The smile vanished from the elderly golden flood dragon's face.

The talisman paper no longer radiated spiritual light.

Instead, a wisp of divine light rapidly accumulated on the talisman.

Chen Ping'an simply remained in the same posture. It wasn't that he didn't want to
move, but it was rather that he was unable to move at this moment.

This Lock Slashing Talisman was no longer a genuine Lock Slashing Talisman.

This was because the characters written on it weren't “Concentrate on the task at
hand, decree of the rain gods.”

Instead, they said, “Concentrate on the task at hand, decree of Lu Chen.”

Decree of Lu Chen!

Meanwhile, the elderly golden flood dragon was also completely unmoving. It was
also unable to move.

Chen Ping'an's lips moved slightly as he silently experienced the warm divine intent
radiating from the talisman paper under his calligraphy brush. His mind was blessed
by this fortune, and his voice quivered as he said softly, “I once read this in a book.
The sages once said….”

Chen Ping'an broke into a coughing fit, and it took him a while to finally say the
second half of the sentence, “Dragons in the abyss.”

These eight spoken characters appeared to be no inferior to the eight written

characters on the talisman paper.

There were sixteen characters in total, and they were like a sudden thunderbolt
smashing into the Flood Dragon Trench. It was as if the Flood Dragon Trench were
facing a rain of lightning.

“Understood!
“As you command!”

Such replies rang out from the depths of the Flood Dragon Trench one after another,
endlessly rising and falling.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

The dozens of old men in golden robes fused together and returned to a single body.
His head was lowered, and his fist was cupped in a respectful salute. However, there
was a twisted smile on his face as he spat, “Young boy, you can die before I accept
this command.”

Above the Flood Dragon Trench, a golden sword ray that was as wide as a mountain
peak descended from the sky.

It directly descended toward the young boy's head.

There were people who could save him, yet were unwilling to do so. For example, the
old woman at the Nascent Soul Tier standing beside the young boy in bamboo
clothes.

There were people who wanted to save him, yet had no option but to shrink back for
the sake of the Fan Clan's future. For example, Lady Gui.

There were those who were absolutely helpless, yet it was precisely they who were
willing to sacrifice themselves to save the young boy. For example, the old boatman
sitting nearby.

However, there were even more people watching on as if this were nothing more
than a show. The situation was already settled, so what did they still need to worry
about?

At this moment, it was as if Chen Ping'an had seen through all worldly emotions and
affairs. However, there was neither sadness nor joy on his face.

A pair of seals slid out from his sleeve. The mountain and water seals hovered above
his head.

After the golden sword ray shattered and dissipated, only the water seal still
remained above his head. The mountain seal was no more.
Above the Great Dao….

…. a single person walked forward.

Chen Ping'an had written a few incorrect characters on the Lock Slashing Talisman.
If he had written the correct characters, then perhaps a bright moon would have
risen from the sea the instant that the Wind and Snow Awl made contact with the
talisman paper again.

With the incorrect characters, however, it was as if a red sun were rising from the
sea. It was as large as the mouth of a well, yet it didn't radiate a scorching heat.
Instead, it gave off a feeling of warmth and gentleness.

After Chen Ping'an uttered the words “The sages once said, dragons in the abyss,” the
red sun seemed to break free from the guidance of the True Qi. It swayed back and
forth as it floated down to the surface of the sea. It then slowly sank into the Flood
Dragon Trench, no longer causing any peculiar scenes above the surface.

However, without exception, all of the large creatures lying coiled at the bottom of
the Flood Dragon Trench assumed human form. Some became old men and some
became old women, and they all left their own dens to stand on the rock walls in the
ocean trench. They bowed and paid respects to the talisman.

These were all elderly flood dragons in golden robes who belonged to the senior
generation. Upon seeing this, many young and inexperienced flood dragons and their
kin also emulated their seniors' actions, vigorously nodding and paying respects to
the talisman.

These younglings were relatively weak, and some were still unable to assume human
form. Thus, they hadn't participated in the battle against Osmanthus Island. Some
had been forcefully held back and suppressed at the bottom of the sea by their
elders.

Afterward, the senior figures who had lived for heaven knows how many years
unleashed some secret technique, using the ancient sound of water to scold the flood
dragons and their kin who had attacked Osmanthus Island. Their words were
extremely harsh and severe.
The young water dragons and sea pythons exchanged glances, and they could all see
the confusion, shock, and unwillingness in each other's eyes. However, the grand
elders of their clans had stated that those who failed to return to the Flood Dragon
Trench within seven minutes would be expelled from their clan and be subject to the
torturous punishment of being skinned alive. They would then be forced to float
aimlessly on the surface of the sea and be punished by the scorching sun for three
entire years. Only if they survived would they have the opportunity to return.

When following the elderly golden flood dragon to attack Osmanthus Island just
then, they had all received tacit approval from their grand elders. Many of them were
young dragons who had suffered at the hands of cultivators in the South Sea and
Southern Whirl Continent before, so they yearned to follow that elderly golden flood
dragon in the hopes that they could unleash their destructive might in Southern
Whirl Continent in the future. They wanted to massacre the disciples of the Pure
Confucian Chen Clan and the Qi refiners who guarded the coast.

Now, however, their grand elders were ordering them to retreat, and the elderly
golden flood dragon didn't oppose these orders either. Because of this, the young
dragons could only leap away from the sky above Osmanthus Island and dive back
into the sea. After swimming back to their homes, they would seek their grand elders
out for an explanation.

It was after all this that the elderly golden flood dragon had unleashed a sword strike
at the young boy. He had to obey the command, but he first wanted to kill this young
boy who had ruined his hundred-year plan.

Decree of Lu Chen?

Who was Lu Chen?

The old flood dragon had naturally heard of this person before. According to his
elders, Lu Chen was a paramount figure, one of the Branch Masters of the Daoist
Sect. Before ascending, his favorite pastime had been to ride a small boat around the
four seas. It seemed as if he didn't like staying on dry land.

There were also rumors about a boatman who had sailed the small boat for Lu Chen.
He had only been in his thirties when heading out to sea, yet when he had returned
to the land alone after Lu Chen achieved ascension in the North Sea, he had
discovered that his hometown and even home nation had long since disappeared.
His name had only been recorded on the clan genealogical record from 300 years
ago. Afterward, the boatman had returned to the sea to search for Lu Chen.
Following that, no one ever heard from him again.

Was the elderly golden flood dragon afraid of Branch Master Lu Chen?

Of course he was afraid. However, he wasn't so afraid that he would quake upon
hearing Lu Chen's name.

This was because he was in the Majestic World, while Lu Chen was in the Heavenly
World.

The loftier one's status, the more difficult it was for one to visit another world.
Moreover, there were many complicated rules that restricted them, and their each
and every move would be monitored by the Confucian sages.

If Lu Chen desired to personally target him, that would inevitably involve breaking
the rules. At that time, the Confucian sages that the elderly golden flood dragon
detested with all his heart would instead become the protectors of him and the
Flood Dragon Trench. In fact, the person who helped them might even be the
ancestor of the Pure Confucian Chen Clan who carried both the sun and the moon on
his shoulders.

However, not fearing Lu Chen didn't mean that he would treat this matter carelessly.
After all, provoking a sage was foolish, even if the sage was located in a different
world.

The old flood dragon in golden robes sneered in his mind. The person who was born
in Majestic World yet was acting as a Daoist Branch Master in another world had
truly been given a good name[1].

As for the troublesome young boy who had summoned the pair of mountain and
water seals to block the sword qi?

The elderly golden flood dragon pursed its lips. Such attacks could be launched once
but not twice. Even though he absolutely detested the young boy in front of him, he
was already prepared to relent. True victory and defeat wouldn't be decided in an
instant.

Today's events went far beyond his expectations, and it was entirely possible that he
had already attracted the gazes of the cultivators patrolling the seashore along
Southern Whirl Continent. Thus, it would do him well to be prudent. Otherwise, his
greater plans would be ruined if he allowed others to take advantage of his mistakes.

The old flood dragon clicked its tongue in wonder and chuckled, “What a pity for that
seal. It managed to block the full power strike of an Unpolished Jade Tier sword
immortal, and the value of this treasure isn't something that a crappy Dragon King
Basket can compare to. Young boy, does your heart ache?”

Chen Ping'an sidestepped the question, replying, “If I have some high-grade snake
gall pebbles from Jewel Small World at home, how many will be enough to buy a safe
passage for Osmanthus Island?”

The old flood dragon in golden robes faltered for a moment before answering, “Are
you talking about that Jewel Small World that existed in the sky above Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent? To flood dragons like us, top-grade snake gall pebbles
with abundant spiritual energy are just as important to us as Dragon Slaying
Platforms are to sword cultivators.

“To flood dragons and their kin below the Nascent Tier, a single top-grade snake gall
pebble will be enough to help them safely advance one major tier. Well, let me
think…. Osmanthus Island, Lady Gui, the lives of over 2000 Qi refiners…. Young boy,
you need an entire pile of snake gall pebbles.”

The old man in golden robes extended a hand and raised two fingers, saying, “You
need at least twenty snake gall pebbles. Do you have this many?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, “I already gave some away, so I no longer
have this many snake gall pebbles.”

The young boy stood up with some struggle. The osmanthus tree born from the
osmanthus branch had already been annihilated by the old flood dragon's powerful
sword qi.

Chen Ping'an put his Wind and Snow Awl and the lonely water seal away, returning
them to his pocket treasure. After receiving a mental command from the young boy
whose soul was shuddering violently, the flying swords First and Fifteenth rapidly
flew out from his body and returned to the Sword Nurturing Gourd. Chen Ping'an
didn't conceal his flying swords this time, especially since the old flood dragon had
already seen through them.

The old man in golden robes squinted his eyes.

One of the swords in the sword case on the young boy's back made him feel very
threatened.

A decree of Lu Chen that could turn the tables, a pile of snake gall pebbles from Jewel
Small World, a pair of mountain and water seals, a calligraphy brush inscribed with
“writing as if assisted by the gods,” a Sword Nurturing Gourd of decent quality, and
the surname Chen.

The old flood dragon became increasingly convinced that his decision to relent in a
timely manner was a smart decision.

However, it was a great pity that he hadn't killed the young boy with a single sword
strike just then. That would have been the best outcome with the least danger for the
future. As for what consequences that would have brought about? He wasn't afraid of
them at all.

In terms of cultivation base, he didn't dare be conceited as a pseudo-sage. In terms of

backers, however, he genuinely felt like he wouldn't lose to anyone.

The old flood dragon looked at the old boatman whose soul was injured, now
standing behind the young boy with an alert expression. He smiled and said, “You
don't need to worry. That Lock Slashing Talisman has an immense background, and
my courage is only enough to let me attack a single time.”

The old flood dragon retracted his gaze and turned his attention back to Chen
Ping'an. “Since you have snake gall pebbles, why didn't you say so earlier? That
would have prevented this unnecessary battle and saved us from all the hurt
feelings.”

“You can't be serious. Are you serious?” Chen Ping'an retorted.

A dark expression spread across the old flood dragon's face.

“You had a firm grasp on victory back then, and you were all too eager to kill
everyone to snatch their treasures. And now you want me to believe that you would
have sat down with a young boy to talk business?” the old boatman said with a cold
chuckle.

The old man in golden robes ignored the words of ridicule from the Golden Core Tier
boatman. His eyes were firmly fixed on the young boy as he warned, “People who are
too smart often tend to die early.”

Chen Ping'an turned around and said, “Old senior, you can return to Osmanthus
Island. I have some things that I want to discuss with this vile beast…. I mean, this
flood dragon senior one-on-one.”

The old boatman shook his head and replied in a solemn voice, “Staying alive is the
biggest source of hope and possibility. Chen Ping'an, you're still young. When it
comes to cultivation, it's difficult to say whether these hardships will lead to fortune
or calamity. There's no need to dwell on it too much….”

Perhaps this was a false perception, but the old boatman felt like the young boy in
front of him was still immersed in the divine intent of that talisman. He was still yet
to exit this peculiar state.

Chen Ping'an smiled and reassured, “Old senior, I know what I'm doing.”

He wanted to raise his arms and cup his fists in gratitude, yet he only managed to
raise his right arm. Meanwhile, he was completely unable to bend his left elbow.
Upon realizing this, Chen Ping'an clenched his right hand into a fist and lightly
tapped it against his chest. “I'll invite you for a drink when I return to Osmanthus
Island.”

The old boatman hesitated for a moment, but he eventually nodded in reply and
returned to the neighboring small boat. He slowly rowed back to Osmanthus Island.

After the old boatman left, Chen Ping'an patted his Sword Nurturing Gourd and
summoned First and Fifteenth, having them hover above his shoulders. He then took
back the water seal.

“What, you want to fight to the death with me?” the old man in golden robes
chuckled.

Chen Ping'an grinned and replied, “You just can't talk reason with some people,
because they are unwilling to accept your arguments no matter how good they are.
This is unless your fist is powerful enough. The Lock Slashing Talisman just then was
a good example of this. Judging from this, my understanding of this principle is
relevant when dealing with beings like you. So me ask you a question first. What
rules did you, the Fan Clan, and Lady Gui agree on? Why did you feel like it was
justified to kill over 2000 people?”

The old flood dragon was slightly irritated, and it replied in a somber voice, “I felt
like the rule was unreasonable?”

It lightly stomped its foot whether consciously or unconsciously, blocking off all
communication with the outside world.

It then smiled and continued, “Do you have any idea about our situation? Do you
know how many of our ancestors died while being forced to migrate and settle down
here in Flood Dragon Trench? And during all these years, how many more have died
unjust deaths due to the dogshit rules imposed by the Confucian sages?”

“Perhaps you feel like the Confucian rules are incorrect, but what does this have to
do with the rules that you set up and agreed on?” Chen Ping'an retorted. “Taking a
step back, even if the sages were genuinely wrong, does that then give you the right
to commit wrongs as well? Moreover, if you're so capable, then why don't you head
over to argue and fight with the Confucian sages? Why take your anger out on
Osmanthus Island?”

The old flood dragon roared with laughter. “Why? Simply to vent my anger. However,
this is still far from enough.”

“By the looks of it, the Confucian sages were wrong to spare you. They should have
killed you with a single slap,” Chen Ping'an remarked.

The old flood dragon wasn't enraged, and it instead chuckled, “Young boy, why are
you going around in circles with me? What are you trying to achieve? Are you trying
to brag about your backers? Are you trying to threaten me and inform me that your
ancestor or your master will one day come here to cause trouble for me and the
Flood Dragon Trench?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, “I don't have relatives, and I…. don't have a
master either.”

The old flood dragon suddenly felt a little confused, and it asked, “Are you looking for
death?”
It then nodded and continued, “This is very strange, but I surprisingly believe what
you said. Alright, since you don't have any elders or a master to help you, I now have
enough courage to kill you.”

The old flood dragon was indeed a resolute individual, and its golden robes started
to flutter even though there was no wind. It extended a hand and summoned a speck
of golden light in the sky. The speck of golden light slowly hovered down, leaving a
golden thread along its path.

Chen Ping'an paid no heed to this, and he took a step forward and walked to the bow
of the small boat. He looked down at the deep seawater, as if he were searching for
that Lock Slashing Talisman.

His voice was soft as he said, “Lu Chen, I know that you're observing this place. I can
also guess some of your motives. However, I borrowed your name to push the
enemies back, and you also used this opportunity to take advantage of me. In other
words, the two of us are even regarding this matter. Even so, can I trouble you with
delivering a message to A'Liang,beyond the sky? The culprit behind Chen Ping'an's
death is the South Sea's Flood Dragon Trench.”

After saying this….

Chen Ping'an clenched his right hand into a fist and forcefully struck his chest. Before
talking to the old boatman just then, he had struck his chest in order to calm his
mind such that he could properly say these words to Lu Chen.

This time, his strike caused his mind's realm to churn and shudder violently. In fact,
even the divine talismanic intent coursing through his body was comprehensively
shattered, reverting to the fist intent of the Mountain Shaking Fist. To put things
simply, Chen Ping'an was giving Lu Chen no chance to channel a profound Dao power
to speak to him.

Chen Ping'an's left arm was still limp and unusable, so he unclenched his right hand
and reached over his shoulder to grab the sword that he should have delivered to
that young girl.

However, he suddenly let go and grabbed the wine gourd, Jiang Hu, from his waist.
He was purely drinking wine this time, and he wasn't using it as an opportunity to
replenish his Qi. He wasn't using it to hide the presence of First and Fifteenth either.
After drinking some wine, Chen Ping'an casually tossed the Sword Nurturing Gourd
beside his feet.

A'Liang, Mr. Qi, Ning Yao, I'm so sorry, he silently said in his mind.

In the beginning, he had wanted to draw a Lock Slashing Talisman to give himself the
right to hold talks with the elderly golden flood dragon. He had wanted to use all of
his snake gall pebbles to buy a safe passage for Osmanthus Island.

After arriving at Stalactite Mountain, he would have definitely given Ma Zhi, the
Golden Core Tier sword cultivator, a few extra grain rain coins.

Before leaving the island, he would have asked the Fan Clan for a geomantic map of
Osmanthus Island as well. After leaving and settling down in Stalactite Mountain, he
would have secretly used the mountain and water seals given to him by Mr. Qi to
lightly stamp the geomantic map.

Like passing lanterns, all of these things flashed past in Chen Ping'an's mind.

————

At some unknown time, the extremely thin thread of golden sword qi had already
vanished from the sky.

The elderly golden flood dragon was slightly pale, and it was extremely suspicious of
the young boy's words. It was completely unwilling to believe the young boy.
However, what if he was telling the truth?

What if?

It involuntarily turned around to face Stalactite Mountain, appearing extremely

hesitant as if it wanted to say something.

In the next moment, a look of delight lit up the old flood dragon's face. It nodded
lightly, and it roared with laughter as the golden sword qi reappeared in the sky.
However, it wasn't only a single wisp, but dozens of wisps instead. The wisps of
golden sword qi were like a lake of slender lotus stems swaying in the sea of clouds.

Somewhere else, on an upside-down mountain.

There was a tall and sturdy man dressed in Daoist robes standing on a cliffside and
looking into the distance. His gaze reached further than the Flood Dragon Trench
that he had casually created, and it reached even further than the steep cliff faces
atop which the two statues of deities stood facing each other.

It extended past the young girl in green who was sitting on the rain god statue's
shoulder and drinking wine, and it reached a sea of clouds amid which stood an
elegant man in azure clothes and with a sword by his waist. The elegant man had set
off from the shore near Old Dragon City just then, and it wouldn't be long before he
arrived at the Flood Dragon Trench.

This man had already distanced himself from the human world for many years, and
the reason for this was very interesting. The sword qi in his body was far too
abundant and dense, so much so that he couldn't prevent it from leaking into the
surroundings no matter how he suppressed it. Thus, everything around him would
be disintegrated into dust.

As a result, this man would only travel to places with few people — among the sea of
clouds, through the Five Lakes and Four Seas, in deep mountains and on steep cliffs,
across rough lands filled with miasma….

There was a fervent look in the eyes of the tall and sturdy Daoist priest. This man
was worth fighting against!

However, he quickly furrowed his brows. On the surface of the sea beneath the
swordsman in Confucian robes, there was a man with a plain expression rowing a
boat with a bamboo pole. The boat was as quick as lightning, and it could cover
thousands of meters in an instant. It was surprisingly no slower than the widely-
renowned sword immortal in the sky.

The man with a plain expression grumbled, “My teacher said that plotting against
Chen Ping'an this time is for his own good. Otherwise, if Chen Ping'an arrived at
Stalactite Mountain with Qi Jingchun's mountain seal, he would have suffered many
hardships thanks to the short-tempered favorite disciple of Second Uncle. In any
case, my master sincerely hopes that Chen Ping'an can find another way to head to
Heavenly World. Master is willing to take Chen Ping'an as his final disciple.”

The swordsman with an elegant aura and a handsome appearance didn't so much as
bat an eyelid after hearing this. He simply peered down at the distant Flood Dragon
Trench and said, “You're only an unofficial disciple of Lu Chen, yet you want to fight
Little Qi for his junior brother? Alright then, why don't you eat my sword strike?”

The man with a plain expression didn't become angry, and he maintained his
seemingly innate dullness as he replied, “I won't fight. I only know how to row my
boat.”

If there were seas of clouds in the swordsman's path, these seas of clouds would be
automatically parted with a single slash. After a while, there was a hint of
displeasure in his voice as he asked, “Then why are you following me?”

“To personally explain the situation to Chen Ping'an, lest he misunderstands my

master,” the boatman with a plain expression replied truthfully.

“But I feel like you're an absolute eyesore. Whatever shall I do?” the swordsman
suddenly said in a serious voice.

The boatman pondered for a moment before replying, “Then I won't go anymore.”

Sure enough, the small boat came to a sudden stop.

The swordsman nodded and remarked, “You're not a stupid one.”

He then continued forward on the wind, an annoyed expression on his face as he

mumbled to himself.

“Little Qi asked me to become your Dao guardian, but how could I agree? Little Qi
became stupid from reading books, but I haven't suffered such a fate.

“So, I won't agree to his request.”

The swordsman's mood seemed to take a turn for the worse, and he started to fly
forward at an even quicker speed. In fact, the air warped behind him, and there was
a loud rumble that was much like booming thunder tearing through the sea of
clouds.

When he was about to pass the godly statues of the rain god and the divine general,
someone loudly criticized him and prohibited him from impudently flying above the
territory of the sect without permission. He needed to take a detour around the sect.
The swordsman casually lowered his head and took a glance before resting his
thumb against the guard of his sword and giving it a gentle push. The sword
plummeted toward the sea, yet it immediately turned around and shot upward when
it was just several meters from the surface of the sea. The sword flew forth like a ray
of light and directly sliced the statue of the divine general into two. Like the radiant
sun rising from the east, golden light exploded into the surroundings.

The sword disappeared with a flash and quickly caught up to its owner, silently
returning to its scabbard.

The swordsman continued forward.

Speak reason? The swordsman had never been a fan of this. If he was always
supposed to speak reason with others, then what was the point of having a sword?

The swordsman suddenly looked up at someplace and said, “Unleashing sword qi in

front of me? Do you truly think that you're A'Liang?”

The swordsman above the clouds was still 300 to 400 kilometers away from the
Flood Dragon Trench, yet he still flicked his wrist and threw a slap.

The entire Osmanthus Island spun in the air and landed heavily in the sea several
kilometers away, shuddering violently. As if being carried by strong winds, it then
sailed on the wind and waves and rapidly shot forward, instantly shooting far away
from the Flood Dragon Trench.

The swordsman then lightly snapped his fingers.

Above the Flood Dragon Trench, it was as if heavenly gates were opening one after
another. And from each of these heavenly gates, a waterfall of snow-white sword qi
crashed down.

In the Flood Dragon Trench, the coiled flood dragons and their kin near the surface
of the sea were initially unsure about what this snow-white downpour was.

When they finally came to their senses, however, they had already become skeletons
frozen in their final state.

As for the wisps of golden sword qi summoned by the elderly golden flood dragon,
they were like a few dry bushes trying to face off against a flood coming from a
broken dam. The wisps of golden sword qi were instantly scattered into nothingness.

One after another, the torrential bursts of sword qi flowed into the Flood Dragon
Trench.

However, the elderly golden flood dragon and Chen Ping'an remained unharmed
from the beginning until the end.

Inside the Flood Dragon Trench, the stifling suppression of the sword qi left
countless corpses in its wake.

The elderly golden flood dragon dazedly stood there, unmoving and with an ashen
expression.

Was this not a “what if?”

Did this count as a “what if?”

A swordsman in Confucian robes arrived at the outskirts of the Flood Dragon Trench.
He trod on the surface of the sea and slowly walked forward, with his sword qi
sweeping over the seawater and causing it to instantly evaporate into mist. As a
result, the swordsman was still riding the wind and walking through the air.

He glanced at Chen Ping'an and said without expression, “Little Qi asked me to

become your Dao guardian, but I didn't agree to his request. This is just like how
Teacher asked me to protect Little Qi in the beginning. I didn't agree to that either.
You're free to choose the Great Dao that you walk, so why do you need a Dao
guardian?”

There was slight exasperation on his face, yet there was also the hint of a smile in his
eyes. “However, you can be considered half my junior brother, and this relationship is
something that I can't refute. Moreover, you dare to take responsibility for your own
life and death, and you when you decide that it's time to die, you follow through with
that decision. I feel like that is quite good. That is what I like to see, and that is why I
came over to see you.

“Teacher is already so old, and Little Qi wasn't young either, yet they were both
picked on by others. In the end, they only have their own stubbornness to blame for
this. As for you, however…… You're still young, so it isn't right for others to pick on
you like this.”
While the swordsman was speaking in a nonchalant manner….

Rays of snow-white light slowly seeped out from the more than 300 acupoints in the
elderly golden flood dragon's body. Its expression was wicked and its face was
twisted in agony, yet the flood dragon whose combat power was equivalent to the
Unpolished Jade Tier was unable to make a single sound from the beginning to the
end.

“My sword intent is inferior to A'Liang's, but my sword techniques are a little better
than his.”

The swordsman looked at the young boy called Chen Ping'an. He raised a thumb and
pointed at the sky, after which he pointed at himself and chuckled, “Oh, that's right.
My name is Zuo You, and I'm Little Qi's senior brother….and your senior brother, too.”

1. Lu Chen's name is written 陆沉, which can literally be interpreted as “sinking

land.” ☜
On the surface of the sea above the Flood Dragon Trench, Chen Ping'an dazedly
stared at the swordsman in azure who was claiming to be his senior brother.

The young boy scrunched his face, and his lips quivered slightly as he lowered his
head.

The swordsman with a strange name[1] huffed and said, “Are you going to cry? Why
are you the same as the young Little Qi? No wonder he picked you. Whenever he was
unable to get through to others with reason and then he was also unable to defeat
them in a fight, he would always hide somewhere and cry. He'd let his tears make the
floor wet.”

The swordsman's voice suddenly became stern as he ordered, “Raise your head!”

Chen Ping'an dazedly raised his head.

“Why did you change your mind at the end?” the swordsman interrogated. “Why did
you use your fists instead of your sword? Speak loudly and don't be timid!”

“My sword skills are too poor, so I didn't want to embarrass myself. My fist skills are
passable, so I had to unleash them to get the weight off my chest!” Chen Ping'an
instinctively replied.

“Ptui! You call this measly martial fist intent passable?”

There was anger on Zuo You's face as he turned around to viciously spit on the sea.
He didn't possess Qi Jingchun's elegant temperament, nor did he possess A'Liang's
amiability. By the looks of it, the sword immortal called Zuo You, the most
nonconforming disciple of the Scholarly Sage back then, was truly nothing like a
scholar.
However, the hidden hint of a smile in the depths of the swordsman's eyes became
increasingly wide. Meanwhile, his expression became cold and indifferent as he
raised his arm again and pointed behind himself using his thumb. “We won't talk
about this Flood Dragon Trench, and we'll simply talk about the godly statue on that
island. I was annoyed that it was in my way, so I hacked it down with a single slash.
What do you think about this? Now, turning our attention back to this stinky ditch, I
felt like those evil beasts were a complete eyesore. That being the case, I washed the
ditch out with my sword qi. What do you think about this?”

Chen Ping'an replied honestly, saying, “I feel like both actions can be considered very
unreasonable.”

However, upon recalling that this person was Mr. Qi's senior brother, the young boy
quickly added, “….right?”

Zuo You snickered and replied, “What a polite way to put it. You feel like? No, they
were absolutely unreasonable!”

He placed his palm on the hilt of his sword and asked, “As a scholar, I've put more
effort into practicing the sword than reading books. Do you know why this is?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

He had only heard A'Liang and the young Cui Chan briefly mention this person
before, with the latter not revealing much information. A'Liang had only described
him as the most skilled swordsman among the old scholar's disciples. As for the
young Cui Chan, he had gritted his teeth while mentioning his junior brother. One
had betrayed his master, while one was nonconforming and prone to departing from
the classics.

Once fellow disciples of the Scholarly Sage, it was as if there now existed
irreconcilable hatred between them. In the end, “the person with the surname Zuo”
had become like an elusive dragon in Chen Ping'an's mind. He was lofty and difficult
to catch.

This swordsman who, shockingly enough, came from an orthodox Confucian lineage
waved his hand. “There's nothing else for you to worry about here. Make sure to
cultivate earnestly in the future, and don't betray Little Qi's expectations. If you don't
do well in the future, perhaps I'll come over to cause you trouble.”
Hovering above the Flood Dragon Trench, Zuo You extended a single finger at Chen
Ping'an and continued, “Regardless of how powerful you become, I can still deal with
you with a single slash.”

To this swordsman, a senior brother lecturing his junior brother was only natural
and right.

In terms of whether he was being reasonable or not? He was too lazy to think about
this. After all, being a senior brother was already reason enough.

Right at this moment, the sea of clouds suddenly descended, after which a golden
Dao Manifestation that measured 300 meters in height materialized in the air. It was
a middle-aged Daoist priest with a fishtail hat. “Are you Swordsman Zuo You, the
Scholarly Sage's disciple? I've heard many people praise your sword techniques as
number one in the world. In fact, you have many admirers even in Stalactite
Mountain and the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

The swordsman in azure looked up and asked, “Judging from your tone, you're
unwilling to accept this?”

The tall and sturdy Daoist laughed heartily and replied, “It doesn't matter to me at all
what your sword techniques are ranked. I'm here simply because you rub me up the
wrong way. How about it? Why don't we find a place to have a hearty fight?”

Zuo You smiled faintly and replied, “Stinky Daoist priest, you're inferior in all areas,
and only your fortune is better than mine, what with you having the Dao Ancestor's
second disciple as your teacher. My teacher can't compare, and he only knows how to
run his mouth. However, regardless of how my teacher is weaker than your teacher
in so many areas, there is one area where he's stronger. That is, the old scholar has
me as his disciple. As for you and all of the second disciple's students, you people
are….”

The swordsman in azure raised a finger high in the air and gently wagged it back and
forth. “….No good.”

He didn't stop there, and he looked up and continued, “For example, what does it
matter that you've summoned such a large Dao Manifestation? Before my sword, is
this not…. as fragile as straw?!”

Before Zuo You finished his sentence….

Towering waves of more than 300 meters in height suddenly erupted above the sea.
At the same time, a majestic burst of sword qi that was even wider than Osmanthus
Island soared into the sky like a column of light, forcefully shattering the giant
golden Dao Manifestation in an instant.

The small boat under Chen Ping'an's feet was also affected, violently rocking back
and forth with the tumultuous waves.

The young boy turned around to gaze at the formidable burst of snow-white sword
qi.

In the past, he had felt like Wind Snow Temple's Wei Jin had already unleashed the
pinnacle flying sword strike in the world when shattering the night sky barrier of the
female ghost in the bright red wedding dress.

Now, however, Chen Ping'an realized that he was still too ignorant and ill-informed.

The golden Dao Manifestation was directly shattered, yet the Daoist priest's voice
was still as deep and full as a large bell as he suggested, “I'm not willing to take any
advantage over you. With that young boy present, neither you nor I can fight without
restraint. Why don't we head to the sea area around Wind God Island? What do you
say?”

At some unknown time, the elderly golden flood dragon with sword qi attacking its
more than 300 acupoints had already reached the end of its path. It no longer had
the opportunity to prevent its acupoints from exploding.

As it turned out, the tall and sturdy Daoist priest located tens of thousands of
kilometers away had seized the instant of his Dao Manifestation's destruction to
unleash some kind of mystical ability. A jade-white finger reached out from the void
and tapped the elderly golden flood dragon on the forehead, causing it to instantly
wither and dry.

At the same time, its heart literally turned into ash. From the inside to the outside,
most of his body transformed into plumes of dust and ash, scattering in the wind. All
that remained was a golden robe that fluttered and fell slowly to the sea, along with
some pseudo-indestructible matters refined by Nascent Soul Tier cultivators.

Zuo You was completely indifferent to this.

He simply waved his hand in a casual manner and tossed the elderly golden flood
dragon's remains into Chen Ping'an's small boat. “Here, take this junk. You're on your
own for your journey to Stalactite Mountain and then to the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Chen Ping'an bowed and cupped his hands in respect.

The swordsman nodded and calmly accepted the young boy's gesture of gratitude.
Without saying another word, he then rode on the wind and disappeared toward the
southwest.

He then murmured to himself, with his words lingering in the air, “Immortal and
undying, carefree through mountains and seas; clouds as food and dew as drink, not
eating the five grains; in a different state of being.”

Nobody knew whether Zuo You was speaking to himself or to Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an silently sat down in the small boat and placed the three items that
Swordsman Zuo You had tossed beside his feet into his flying sword, Fifteenth. The
three items included a golden robe, two golden dragon whiskers tangled together,
and a jewel as large as a fist. The jewel was dull and slightly yellow, and this
reminded the young boy of the saying “Growing old is like a pearl becoming
yellow.”[2]

Chen Ping'an looked around at the gradually subsiding wind and waves. He then
looked up at the clear sky and bright sun.

After resting for a moment, Chen Ping'an picked up the bamboo pole engraved with
the genuine Lock Slashing Talisman. He stood up and started to row the boat,
chasing after Osmanthus Island. However, he couldn't help but feel a little awkward.
The island wouldn't have gone full speed ahead toward Stalactite Mountain, would
it? It wouldn't have abandoned him in the vast sea, right?

Chen Ping'an opened his eyes wide and strained to look into the distance.

If this were in the past, he would have thought that there was no way Osmanthus
Island would act like this and abandon him in the middle of the sea. Yet, even he was
oblivious to his change in mindset.

The mind was impermanent, and its changes subtle and undetectable.
The swordsman who had ridden the wind and disappeared in a carefree manner, the
swordsman who was unrestrained by heaven and earth, suddenly stopped in
someplace where Chen Ping'an definitely couldn't see him. He turned around and
looked back.

What entered his gaze was the young boy from the Great Li Empire. But what
appeared in his mind was that person who had already left the world.

That person had once said that he hadn't wanted to ask Zuo You to become Chen
Ping'an's Dao guardian either, and that he was aware that Senior Brother would most
likely refuse his request anyway. However, he had acknowledged that he, Qi Jingchun,
had few friends, so he could only look for Zuo You.

He could only look for Zuo You!

The swordsman couldn't help but feel stifled and aggrieved upon thinking of these
nonsensical words. He sat down cross-legged in the sky above the sea, clenching his
hands into fists and resting them on his knees.

His intense sword qi seeped out even more than normal, causing the sea beneath
him to violently bubble and churn. However, the rising mist was still unable to near
the swordsman.

Qi refiners in the world were all envious of sword prodigies with astonishing innate
aptitude. These prodigies were often referred to as innate sword talents. However,
one person had picked up the sword very late, and he had never been a sword talent.
Thus, he had been especially merciless when suddenly shooting to fame in Middle
Earth Divine Continent, wantonly taunting his foes.

He hadn't suppressed opponents from the same generation, but had instead directly
crushed countless older sword cultivators. Stories of his deeds had spread all over
the world. Because of his sudden appearance, countless sword prodigies with
extraordinary talent had ended up with shattered sword hearts and severed Great
Daos.

In the end, all of the young sword prodigies in Middle Earth Divine Continent
couldn't help but grumble when they were praised as innate sword talents. They felt
like this was an insult rather than praise.

This swordsman was thus named Zuo You, because no one had the ability to stand
alongside him when sword techniques were concerned.[3]

Even though the man was slightly adrift, his eyes were still as bright as always.

He had gazed at the young boy's pure and limpid eyes just then, and they had
appeared far too similar to that of his stinky junior brother during their youth.
Taking advantage of the fact that he was book-smart and liked by their teacher, his
junior brother had always possessed sound, infallible logic when talking about
sagely principles. When Zuo You had admitted defeat following their debates, he
would always add, “Senior Brother, I feel like you aren't being sincere in your
admission of defeat. This is the wrong attitude.”

He had truly been very annoying.

What Zuo You found most annoying was his teacher bragging about how impressive
he was at fighting. Following that, the most annoying thing was Little Qi who could
read extremely quickly. The sound of him flipping books and the sound of him
expounding reason was incredibly annoying.

He had only liked it when his teacher twice participated in the grand debate between
the three teachings. He had liked his teacher's temperament and aura of
transcending worldly affairs and achieving independence, as well as his aura as he
climbed to great heights.

He had liked it when Qi Jingchun traveled to famous mountains and rivers with him,
and how he climbed atop mountains to compose poems after drinking wine. At these
times, he had felt like no matter how tall a mountain was, no matter how many tens
of thousands of meters it soared into the sky, it couldn't possibly be loftier than this
person's knowledge!

Even until today — when the old scholar already had no path of retreat as he was
scattered among heaven and earth, when Little Qi was no longer in the world, and
when A'Liang had left Majestic World — the swordsman still felt the same.
Regardless of whether it was his teacher or Little Qi, or even A'Liang who was
seemingly carefree, they were all living in a very tiring manner.

This was unlike him.

This was because he, Zuo You, could never be bothered speaking reason with others.
If he couldn't defeat others in a fight, then speaking reason with them would be
useless. If he could defeat others in a fight, then what was the point of speaking
reason with them?

Having a sword was enough.

Zuo You sighed and stood up, continuing his journey to Wind God Island in the
southwest.

He felt like some words were too dramatic, so he had been “too lazy” to say these as
well.

Junior brother, you definitely have to travel around the world and see more of it for
Little Qi.

If you get the opportunity in the future, you should travel to the other worlds and
journey all across them too. Little Qi never left Majestic World when he was still alive.
However, among the three disciples, he was the one who yearned to travel the most.
Yet, in the end, he was the one who stayed in the scripture libraries and schools the
most.

I'm well aware of how many times Little Qi cried. This is because I was always the one
who beat him to tears during our youth. I couldn't help it. I couldn't win using reason,
but he couldn't win in a fight.

Young boy, can you imagine what your Mr. Qi looked like when he was crying pitifully?

The swordsman laughed heartily as he pushed his sword out of its scabbard.
Regardless of their size, the dozens of islands nearby were all split into two.

The mortal world was boring.

Only fighting could interest Zuo You ever so slightly.

1. The name Zuo You (左右) literally means left and right. ☜

2. This means to lose value as one grows older. ☜

3. This is a version of the idiom 无出其右, meaning “cannot appear on someone's
right.” Traditionally, the one standing on the right is more respected, and the actual
meaning of the idiom is that one is unsurpassed (because no one is good enough to
stand on their right). Here, this idiom is modified as 无出其左右 so as to contain Zuo
You's name, implying that let alone his right side, no one is even good enough to
stand on his left. ☜
Between the small boat hurriedly giving chase and Osmanthus Island slowly drifting
forward, there was a severely wounded old man waiting for Chen Ping'an on the sea.

Chen Ping'an grinned when he saw the old man. It was the old boatman with
powerful mystical abilities.

The two of them rowed the small boat across the sea and quickly caught up to
Osmanthus Island. After mooring the small boat, they saw Lady Gui standing alone
on the dock with a deeply apologetic expression on her face. She looked at Chen
Ping'an and said, “I'll report today's matters to the Fan Clan's ancestral hall. Young
Master Chen, I'll remember your life-saving grace for as long as I live!”

Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly before shaking his head and replying, “I was simply
saving my own skin.”

Lady Gui was rendered speechless. She sighed and walked to the mountain peak of
Osmanthus Island with the old boatman and the young boy.

The old boatman needed to rest and recuperate, so he bade farewell to Chen Ping'an
before returning to his own courtyard. Chen Ping'an and Lady Gui walked to the
Guimai courtyard together. Lady Gui hesitated for a moment before explaining, “Ma
Zhi led the charge when defending Osmanthus Island just then, so he also suffered
some injuries. He won't be able to practice the sword with you in the near future. He
asked me to inform you about this, and he asks for your kind understanding and
forgiveness.”

Chen Ping'an nodded and said, “It's naturally more important for Senior Ma to rest
and recuperate.”

There was slight helplessness on Lady Gui's face as she continued, “Osmanthus
Island is in a delicate state right now, so I truly don't trust other people entering this
courtyard. Even if it's Jin Su, it still seems inappropriate for her to enter. If you don't
mind, I'll take over the responsibility of looking after the Guimai courtyard and your
daily needs.”

Chen Ping'an hurriedly shook his hands and replied, “There's no need, there's no
need, it's fine to keep things the way they were. Delivering three meals a day is
enough. If it weren't for the fact that there's no kitchen here, I could have actually
cooked for myself.”

Lady Gui smiled and bade farewell, saying, “There are still many matters for me to
deal with. Make sure to rest well, Young Master Chen. If you need anything, don't
hesitate to call me. There'll be an osmanthus girl awaiting your orders near the
courtyard.”

Chen Ping'an sat down on a stone chair by himself, closing his eyes and resting his
mind.

It wasn't long before someone knocked on the door. It was the osmanthus girl, and
her voice was soft and gentle as she explained, “Young Master Chen, there are two
guests from Pure White Continent. Lady Gui said that it's up to you whether you
want to entertain the guests or not.”

Chen Ping'an stood up and walked over to open the door. Apart from the osmanthus
girl, there was also a beaming young boy in green as well as a solemn-looking old
woman with white hair.

The young boy didn't beat around the bush, and he directly said, “Savior, my name is
Liu Youzhou, and I'm from the northernmost Pure White Continent. I won't enter
your courtyard to disturb your peace. I'm simply here to thank you in person.”

“Okay,” Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.

The two of them fell silent.

Curiosity filled the face of the young boy in bamboo clothes as he looked at Chen
Ping'an. Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an was thinking about when this young boy would
leave.

The old woman broke the silence and explained, “The evil flood dragon in golden
robes launched two sword strikes at you back then. One of them was completely
unexpected, so I had no way to block it. The other strike was far too powerful, so I
couldn't have blocked it unless I sacrificed my life. However, my task is to protect my
young master. So, my Young Master needs to thank you, while I need to apologize to
you.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and cupped his fists, replying, “I appreciate it!”

The old woman nodded, and there was a hint of a smile on her face as she offered,
“Thank you for your benevolence, Young Master. If you visit Pure White Continent in
the future, you definitely have to pay a visit to our Liu Clan.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and remained silent.

The old woman and Young Master Liu thus bade farewell and left.

The two of them brushed past a young and beautiful girl. When she saw Chen
Ping'an, she looked into his eyes and smiled, “So it was you.”

Chen Ping'an was slightly befuddled, but the young girl had already turned around
and left.

Only then did Chen Ping'an turn around and return to his courtyard. However, he
suddenly stopped and turned to the uneasy osmanthus girl, saying with a faint smile,
“If anyone looks for me after this, can I please trouble you with turning them away?”

The osmanthus girl nodded vigorously in response.

For the next two days, Chen Ping'an surprisingly didn't practice any fist techniques
or sword techniques. Instead, he retrieved some books and bamboo slips and bathed
in the sunlight as he read them.

Late at night, Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and climbed out of bed. He walked out of
his room and leaped onto the roof, grabbing the Sword Nurturing Gourd from his
waist and starting to drink wine.

He suddenly turned around, and it wasn't long before a figure dashed over and sat
down beside him. This uninvited guest had two pots of old wine in his hands.

There was a sincere smile on Chen Ping'an's face as he asked, “Old Senior, looking for
a companion to drink with?”
This person was none other than the old boatman who had fought against the elderly
golden flood dragon without retreating. He laughed heartily and asked, “What's
wrong? Is this old man too slovenly for you?”

“Of course not,” Chen Ping'an replied with a shake of his hand.

The old boatman cracked the clay seal on a pot of wine, then tilted his head back and
taking a large swig. He then fell silent for a long time, and when he finally started
speaking, his voice was calm and quiet. “Before that calamity, the passengers on
Osmanthus Island were like a mixed bag of fish and dragons in a pond. However,
there was still order amid the chaos, and no party would disturb another.

“Yet, that calamity was like a bamboo pole mindlessly beating the creatures in the
pond, causing it to become murky and chaotic. Your decision to stay in this small
courtyard these few days is correct. You can't be too careful. Even though the large
majority of people know that it was you who blocked that evil creature and deterred
the entire Flood Dragon Trench, I still have to give you this unsavory warning —
occasional favors bring gratitude, while constant help breeds grudges.”

The old boatman appeared resigned as he continued, “Not to mention, there are all
kinds of cultivators walking on the path of the Great Dao. Quite a few of them can't
stand to witness the success of others.”

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment before nodding and concurring, “This is just
like how some people can't stand seeing their neighbors become rich. They'll
become green with envy. This is all the same.”

The old boatman sighed and took a large swig of wine.

“What actually is Osmanthus Island? Old Senior, is it alright for you to tell me about
this?” Chen Ping'an asked.

The old boatman smiled and replied, “Why would it not be? It's actually Lady Gui's
true form.”

A look of realization spread across Chen Ping'an's face.

The old boatman smiled and asked, “Then have you considered the passengers on
Osmanthus Island? What kind of people are these?”
“People from the mountains and Qi refiners?” Chen Ping'an answered in an uncertain
voice.

The old boatman shook his head and corrected, “Osmanthus Island is an
intercontinental ferry, so what kind of passengers does such a ferry carry? Business
people.”

Chen Ping'an faltered upon hearing this. However, he quickly nodded and said, “That
makes sense.”

“Wandering north and journeying south, what do business people yearn to obtain?”
the old boatman asked.

Chen Ping'an replied very quickly this time, answering, “Money.”

The old boatman slowly drank a mouthful of wine before asking again, “Obtain
money for what?”

“To spend,” Chen Ping'an answered with a smile.

The old boatman sighed with emotion and remarked, “That's right. Working hard to
earn money is for the sake of spending money to obtain enjoyment. In other words,
one has to stay alive to obtain this enjoyment. Just how many Qi refiners and
disciples of the Hundred Schools of Thought exist in the world?”

Chen Ping'an scratched his head, and there was a faint smile on his face as he started
to drink wine. He was drinking more and quicker than normal this time, so he
eventually decided to lean back and lie comfortably on the roof. “Old Senior, I'll tell
you something personal, so can you keep this between us? Also, if I say this and if
you listen to it, there might be some troublesome issues….”

The old man crossed his legs and leaned forward, swirling the wine pot in his hands
as he did so. There was half a pot of wine left, and the wine loudly sloshed around.
The old man smiled and said, “Go ahead and tell me. After all, when you drink, how
can you not say some drunken words? What's the point of drinking wine if you
don't? Young boy, I might look much older than you, but I'm actually missing a nerve
and foolishly brave.

“In any case, I've already lived for so many years, and I've only held on for so long
because I still want to see my master again. Moreover, there are some things that
won't change much whether you talk about them or not. I was standing next to you
at the time, so I heard some things loud and clear anyway. And so, I'm here to listen
to your drunken stories, aren't I?”

Chen Ping'an pointed at the sky and began, “Back then, I met a young Daoist priest in
my hometown, and our relationship was quite good in the beginning. He was none
other than that Lu Chen. In the intense battle before, he plotted against me two
times. Or perhaps it was three times. However, I'm only certain about two times. One
time was when my mind was 'blessed by fortune' as I struggled to write the
characters 'rain god.' At that time, I decided to take a gamble and write 'Lu Chen'
instead. The second time was when I faced the elderly golden flood dragon alone.
Back then….”

Chen Ping'an placed the Sword Nurturing Gourd on his belly before resting his hands
behind his head as a pillow. “That kind of feeling was extremely strange. It was as if I
could see and hear the mind's realm, the mind's lake, and the mind's voice of every
single person. And it was exactly like you said: occasional favors bring gratitude,
while constant help breeds grudges.

“At the time, I discovered that eighty or ninety percent of the passengers on
Osmanthus Island were either feeling plain indifference and numbness or a sense of
schadenfreude. In fact, it was as if they wanted to see me die on the spot. Of course,
there was also a lot of envy and jealousy….

“Afterward, I was unable to understand why this was no matter how I thought about
it. This was until you enlightened me just now, old senior. This is Osmanthus Island,
and the passengers are all business people. Moreover, everyone wants to stay alive.
Thinking back, that makes a lot of sense! After living for all these years, it's the desire
to live on that's pushed me to where I am today.”

Chen Ping'an grinned. “See, I have a friend, and he's a very impressive swordsman.
Lu Chen plotted against me, so I plotted against him as well. I asked him to deliver
my final words to my friend. I gave Lu Chen two options — either abandon his face
and pretend that he didn't hear me, or pinch his nose and deliver my final words to
that friend. If he chose the latter option, then my friend would have definitely given
him a really good beating. Thinking about that instantly made me feel less fearful of
death.”

However, there were some things that Chen Ping'an ultimately didn't dare to reveal.
This was because they pertained to Mr. Qi.

Mr. Qi had asked him not to lose hope in the world regardless of what he
encountered. At that time, however, Chen Ping'an had only felt disappointment
toward this world.

It was very likely that this was Lu Chen's true objective. As for what this pertained to
specifically, Chen Ping'an only had a very fuzzy idea.

Lying on the roof at this moment, Chen Ping'an finished by saying, “To not lose hope
in the world is a very difficult thing….”

The old man continued to drink wine as he slowly said, “You keep calling the Daoist
Branch Master by his name, and you also mentioned a friend who can give him a
good beating…. Well, I won't tell you about the shock in my mind. After all, I was also
a terrestrial immortal back then, so I still care a little bit about my face. However,
since you've told your story, I feel inclined to spit out the words accumulated in my
belly as well.”

Chen Ping'an was just about to sit up, but the old man turned around and chuckled,
“It's okay to remain lying down. It's just some grumblings that no one has listened to
for several hundred years. There's no need to treat it so seriously.”

However, Chen Ping'an still sat up, explaining, “It's hard to drink while lying down.”

The old man smiled and wrapped his arms around his pot of wine. He then gazed at
the distant night sky above the sea, where the moon was bright and beautiful.

“Back then, I was also a prodigy in the eyes of others,” the old man recounted slowly.
“My temper was very bad, and if you had come across me at the time, perhaps I
would have been the type of person to disappoint you. However, my personality right
now is quite different from before. Otherwise, I wouldn't be sitting here and drinking
with you.

“Chen Ping'an, let's ignore the good and bad of the passengers on Osmanthus Island
first. To borrow your words, every single one of them is certain to have a strong
point that we can learn from, seeing that they've made it to where they are today.
Also, if you do something right, but others fail to do the same thing, this doesn't
necessarily mean that they're wrong. Similarly, if you do something wrong, and
others also do the same thing, this doesn't necessarily mean that they're also wrong.
This might sound a bit convoluted….”

Chen Ping'an nodded and said, “I understand!”

The old man raised a thumb and chuckled, “Of course, you were the most right
during the fight back then. Your actions were flawless!”

Chen Ping'an smiled happily.

To receive approval from someone whom he approved of was something worthy of a

drink.

Thus, Chen Ping'an took a large swig of wine. There was a wide smile on his face as
he casually said, “Old senior, you are correct. I shouldn't use my principles to judge
everyone else. Perhaps my principles are correct, but perhaps they're also incorrect.
Or perhaps they're correct, but not fully correct. It's also possible that they're too
narrow…. Haha, this is also pretty convoluted! Isn't that right?”

“Very convoluted,” the old man replied in amusement.

Chen Ping'an pointed into the distance, and the head of the young boy who smelled
of alcohol swayed back and forth. By the looks of it, he had genuinely had too much
to drink. He didn't conceal the joy and pride on his face as he chuckled, “Old Senior,
I'm acquainted with many extraordinary people. For example, that supremely
powerful sword immortal who arrived afterward. I could have referred to him as
Senior Brother. I'm also fairly impressive, aren't I?”

“Yes, yes, yes, you're all very impressive,” the old man smiled and replied with a nod.

Chen Ping'an was bleary-eyed as he turned around and semi-consciously asked, “Old
Senior, your praise doesn't seem very sincere?”

The old man roared with laughter. No wonder he could get along with this young boy.
They shared the same tastes, and they were both foolishly stubborn.

The young boy fell back in a drunken stupor, murmuring to himself on the rooftop.

The old man helped Chen Ping'an put his wine pot away. While doing so, he
inadvertently heard a few drunken words from the young boy. He nodded and
guarded the young boy for the entire night.
This was what the young boy had said — “Mr. Qi, I understand now. When it comes
to not losing hope in the world, one part of it is to stay alive and live well. However,
there's actually another part. When we show goodwill to the world, yet we receive
no goodwill in return and even receive hostility, the ability to not lose hope is the
most genuine hope in the world. Mr. Qi, I already understand this now. However, I'm
not able to do this right now. After having a drink, I'll try my best starting from
tomorrow….”

In reality, the old boatman was already close to 500 years old. He had seen countless
people, and he had also experienced countless things and heard countless remarks.
However, he still felt like these words from the young boy were very worth
ruminating on. They would pair well with wine, although two pots of wine were not
quite enough.

————

Inside the Sword Nurturing Gourd, and inside the flying sword Fifteenth….

There was an elementary Confucian book that the old scholar had given to Chen
Ping'an. At this moment, the simple characters in the book started to freely swim
around.

In the end, completely new rows of characters appeared on the title page.

“Sequential Order. Chapter One: Understanding Order. Chapter Two: Reviewing

Magnitude. Chapter Three: Determining Good and Evil. Chapter Four: Unity of
Knowledge and Action.”

On the bank of a large river in Southern Whirl Continent, there was a large stone cliff
atop which two old men in Confucian robes stood side-by-side. One carried a bright
moon on his shoulder, and one held a round sun in his hand.

The impoverished old scholar who was swirling his hand and spinning the small sun
in his palm smiled and asked, “Chen Chun'an, what do you think about my final
disciple? Is he good?”

The elegant scholar with an exquisite full moon on his shoulder nodded but
remained silent.

The impoverished old scholar could only answer his own question, saying, “Good, I
think he's very good.”

“You're a shameless person anyway, so you can say whatever you want,” the elegant
scholar replied indifferently. “You always say this is good and that is good, but is this
truly suitable? Perhaps you've already admitted defeat? Perhaps you feel like you're
wrong and my teacher is correct?”

The impoverished old scholar shook his head and chuckled, “Sigh, why are things
like this, Chen Chun'an? Hasn't Chen Ping'an already answered this question for you?
You both have the surname Chen, and your abilities are naturally a bit stronger than
his for the moment. In terms of comprehension ability, however…. Forget about it,
let's not talk about this. If I truly say it, then I'll immediately lose a friend.”

The elegant scholar chuckled coldly and retorted, “I, Chen Chun'an, have never been
friends with you.”

There was a look of sincere agreement on the old scholar's face as he nodded and
concurred, “Indeed. Not only am I your senior but the gulf between our knowledge is
also immense. Just like that old boatman said, I still care a little bit about my face.”

“Get to the point,” said Chen Chun'an, the clan leader of the Yingyin Chen Clan.

The old scholar extended his hand and returned the round sun. No longer joking
around, his voice was slightly solemn as he said, “I hope you can make your move
later. The later the better.”

Chen Chun'an accepted the round sun and placed it above his shoulder. Now carrying
both the radiant sun and moon on his shoulders, the old man calmly replied, “It's all
the same.”

“Scholars…. are all the same,” the old scholar sighed with emotion.

————

In the Heavenly World, atop the White Jade Capital that was located in the important
central region of the world….

A young Daoist priest with a lotus flower hat surprisingly had one hand behind his
back as he slowly walked along a dangerous jade-white railing and observed his
other palm with his head lowered.
In the corridor next to the railing, there were two Daoist immortals at the Ascension
Tier. They respectfully stood there in an attentive manner, and they definitely didn't
dare to make any sound and disturb their branch master's thoughts.

The young Daoist priest retracted his hand and lamented, “Ahhh, I might as well die
and get everything over with.”

He suddenly leaned to the side and directly plummeted into the sea of clouds beside
White Jade Capital, just like that.

The two Ascension Tier immortals remained unmoving and simply exchanged a
smile. They were already used to this.
When Chen Ping'an woke up on the rooftop, there was a robe draped over his body.
His Sword Nurturing Gourd was placed beside him. If this were in the past, Chen
Ping'an would have definitely leaped off the roof immediately after waking up from
his drunken snooze, especially one that had lasted the entire night. He would have
entered his room to make sure that the locust wood sword case was still on the table.

Today, however, Chen Ping'an slowly removed the robe covering him and carefully
folded it up. He was in no hurry, because he trusted that the sword case was still
exactly where he had left it.

Chen Ping'an trusted that old boatman.

Chen Ping'an tied the Sword Nurturing Gourd to his waist and sat down cross-
legged, turning his head to the east where the iridescent morning clouds were
dazzling and beautiful.

His mental state was completely different from when he had left the Flood Dragon
Trench to pursue Osmanthus Island. His mind had been restless and erratic back
then, but it was calm and stable at this moment.

Chen Ping'an stood up and shielded the sun with his hand as he enjoyed the brilliant
colors of the clouds. He had once read such a line in some travel journal — the
scattering colors of iridescent morning clouds put the wardrobe to shame[1]. He truly
didn't know how scholars and literati could come up with such beautiful imagery.

Chen Ping'an suddenly turned around to look outside the Guimai courtyard. There
was a young girl dressed as an osmanthus girl standing under an osmanthus tree
that offered scattered shade. She looked extremely bored, and she looked up and
pointed her finger at the osmanthus leaves on a certain branch. She was most likely
guessing the number of leaves on the branch. Chen Ping'an followed her gaze and
observed the branch for a moment. He then grinned and loudly announced, “Young
miss, there are thirty-two leaves!”
The young girl dazedly turned around, and she flushed bright red when she saw the
young sword immortal standing on the rooftop. By the looks of it, the iridescent
morning clouds in the sky would also give more favor to beautiful people.

After her slacking was exposed, the osmanthus girl suppressed the embarrassment
and shyness in her mind and asked, “Young Master, do you want some breakfast?”

“Sure thing! Can I trouble you with bringing me a bit more? I'm quite hungry right
now,” Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.

The osmanthus girl blinked as she looked at that figure drifting to the ground and
suddenly vanishing from sight. Her mood immediately improved.

Even though the young sword immortal had been very polite, she had still been
extremely scared of him. She had felt that he would remember her mistakes, no
matter how small. Thus, even though it was almost certain that he wouldn't report
her to Aunt Gui, she had been very afraid of him.

When Chen Ping'an had asked her to turn away all visitors, she had respected his
request and diligently turned away many visiting guests. She had summoned her
courage to turn away numerous immortals from the mountains, and she had ended
up receiving many supercilious looks and scoldings because of this.

After eating breakfast, Chen Ping'an started to practice fist techniques in the
courtyard. He practiced the Mountain Shaking Fist's walking meditation for the
entire morning, and he started to practice sword techniques by himself in the
afternoon. He still practiced without a physical sword, and he simply feigned holding
a sword as he focused on practicing the offensive Avalanche Technique. Chen Ping'an
focused on this sword technique because he felt like it was extremely satisfying.

After advancing to the fourth tier and having his energy, essence, and spirit become
increasingly hidden, his six-step walking meditation now appeared especially light
and nimble as if he were a wild goose trodding over snow. However, each subtle but
sudden pause would cause his fist intent and astral energy to pour outward in a
swift and ferocious manner.

After starting to practice the sword, Chen Ping'an discovered that the Qi channeling
route for fist techniques and sword techniques were completely different. However,
the so-called intent behind them shared things in common, and this allowed Chen
Ping'an to feel increasingly at ease. This was because he came to realize that
earnestly practicing fist techniques was indeed a form of cultivation. Moreover, it
was a very good form of cultivation.

Back then, Li Xisheng had stated that drawing talismans was also a form of
cultivation while drawing talismans on the bamboo building in Downtrodden
Mountain. After being smashed into the mortal world by a single punch, A'Liang had
also stood on the kun ship and told him that upon reaching the pinnacle state,
practicing the fist was equivalent to practicing the sword.

In the past, Chen Ping'an would have felt completely lost if he were to continue down
the fourth tier of martial arts like this. He would have felt like he was walking on
empty air. Now, however, he was already feeling much more confident than before.

Chen Ping'an practiced standing meditation at night.

When it was time for his midnight snack, Lady Gui didn't ask the osmanthus girl to
deliver the food. Instead, she personally came over with the food and snacks.

There seemed to be something weighing on Aunt Gui's mind, yet it was as if she
didn't know where to begin. At this moment, Chen Ping'an had already broken the
silence and said, “Aunt Gui, I've saved Osmanthus Island for Little Fan this time, so
can you help me deliver a message to him using a flying sword? Tell him that I'm very
fond of this Guimai courtyard, so can this courtyard belong to me in the future? Also,
I feel like Little Fan won't be too stingy. However, the elders in the Fan Clan most
likely won't agree to my request. Can you help me persuade them when the time
comes?”

Lady Gui was extremely puzzled by Chen Ping'an's request. She carefully observed
the young boy, yet she found that his expression was seemingly genuine and sincere.
She felt a myriad of emotions, and she replied with a smile, “If the ancestral hall of
the Fan Clan dares to disagree, then I'll drag Little Fan along with me and cry out
about the injustice. I'll scold them loudly, while Little Fan will roll around on the
floor. We'll definitely change their mind.”

Aunt Gui sat beside Chen Ping'an and watched him wolfing down the food. As if
amused by her own words, she covered her mouth and giggled, saying, “Giving away
an independent courtyard is a rare thing that Osmanthus Island has never done
before. I'll head off to personally draft a title deed right away. According to the rules
of the government office, we need two copies of this deed. The two of us can sign the
deed first, and this way, we can act first and ask for permission later. Afterward, we
can get Little Fan to toss the deed into the ancestral hall and sprint away before they
can do anything. Who cares whether those old geezers agree or not.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, “Aunt Gui, there's no need for a title deed. There's no
need to keep such a document between us.”

Aunt Gui gazed at the young boy's eyes and asked, “You really don't need one?”

Chen Ping'an also looked her in the eyes, replying with a nod, “Really.”

Aunt Gui sighed softly before suddenly dragging the young boy over and holding him
in an embrace. This woman with an ordinary appearance but a graceful manner
smiled and said in a soft and gentle voice, “Even though you're a similar age to Little
Fan, you appeared especially gallant when rowing the boat with the bamboo pole
back then. And what you're doing today…. Sigh, all women in the world would feel
truly touched by your actions.”

Chen Ping'an was still holding his chopsticks, but his body was leaning over a bit like
the crooked old willow tree on the bank of the Iron Talisman River. He didn't think
much about this, and he simply felt like Lady Gui was praising him in some way.
However, Chen Ping'an genuinely didn't know what she was praising him for,
especially regarding how his actions would touch all women. What was this all
about? Was this another metaphor employed by scholars and literati?

Moreover, Aunt Gui's manner of displaying friendship and kindness was indeed a
little inappropriate. Fortunately, there was a huge gulf between their seniority and
age, so others most likely wouldn't think much about this even if they saw the two of
them….

Aunt Gui had already released Chen Ping'an while he was thinking about this, and
she smiled faintly as she looked at the young boy who was neither blushing nor
having his heart beat faster. The dazed expression in his eyes made him loko rather
adorable.

Aunt Gui squinted her eyes and revealed a rare expression of seductive charm. There
was amusement in her voice as she teased, “Oh, as it turns out, you're also the same
as Little Fan. You're still just a child.”
From the beginning to the end, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but feel a little awkward.
As such, he could only lower his head and eat, also drinking some wine from time to
time.

Aunt Gui smiled as she stood up and left.

When she arrived at the door, however, she saw the old boatman with an amused
smile on his face. He reeked of alcohol, and he swirled his wine pot as he strode into
the courtyard. As he walked, he didn't forget to exclaim, “Wine is the drink of joy,
ridding worries and bringing delight; even toads and rabbits are moved, the shade of
osmanthus trees shake.”

An exasperated smile appeared on Lady Gui's face, but she didn't think much about
this as she calmly walked away, accompanied by the shade of osmanthus trees the
entire time.

The old boatman suddenly exited his drunken state, a serious expression on his face
as he said, “Chen Ping'an, my master suddenly arrived at Osmanthus Island, and he's
specifically asked to meet you. He said he has something to tell you. Do you want to
meet him? I can only confirm that my master isn't a bad person. He's always been
kind and compassionate. However, I can't confirm whether such a good person will
decide to do one bad thing. In terms of why he isn't willing to climb the mountain
and come to this small courtyard….”

The old boatman suddenly appeared to be in a difficult spot, and he continued, “As a
disciple, I should logically respect my master and avoid mentioning his name or
titles. However, because of the situation right now…. Forget about it, I'll just tell you
about this.

“Master was once the first boatman for Osmanthus Island. Whether it's the Dragon
Beating Poles or the folded paper carriages, horses, and buildings, all of these were
rules created and passed down by my master. However, he quickly disappeared after
that, and he only appeared once 500 years ago, taking me as his unofficial disciple. I
can tell that…. Master misses Lady Gui a little. However, it's a shame that he
somehow annoyed Lady Gui, so she's prohibited him from ever setting foot on
Osmanthus Island.”

The old boatman suddenly added, “I suspect that Master is the boatman mentioned
in the Daoist classics. He'll go out to sea for hundreds of years at a time, and he was
the boatman for…. that person that you mentioned. So, now that he's here to visit
you, all I can do is deliver the message for him. As for whether you meet him or not,
that's something for you to carefully think about.”

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment before nodding and replying, “I'll go and meet
him. That Lu….”

The old boatman hurriedly signaled with his eyes and eyebrows, stopping Chen
Ping'an from going any further. He lowered his voice and warned, “If you directly
mention the names or titles of some people, such as supremely powerful sages, they
can detect their names being mentioned. Just think about it. Why do ordinary people
always warn others not to directly mention the names of deceased elders? Is this
simply due to etiquette? No, it's not that simple.”

Chen Ping'an nodded in understanding. He then descended the mountain with the
old boatman.

“Aren't you afraid that I have ulterior motives?” the old boatman asked in a joking
manner.

Chen Ping'an purposely put on an air of mystery as he replied in a soft voice, “I can
also detect it when others are trying to harm me. Say, old senior, does this mean that
I have the potential of a sage?”

The old man couldn't help but chuckle. In reality, sages and Qi refiners at the Upper
Five Tiers were two different categories of people. If one wanted to become a sage,
especially one of the three teachings, that would be incredibly difficult. In fact, even
becoming a 10th tier sage was likely more difficult than a Qi refiner advancing to the
Unpolished Jade Tier.

Chen Ping'an and the old boatman walked down the mountain and approached the
familiar dock. When they arrived, they were both a little surprised by what they saw.
However, they also felt like this was completely reasonable.

Her clothes billowing and her appearance transcendent, Lady Gui was standing at
the dock and seemingly preventing a middle-aged man from mooring his boat and
entering the island.

Lady Gui was the owner of Osmanthus Island, this small world, so she naturally
noticed the arrival of Chen Ping'an and the old boatman. She was unwilling to face
the middle-aged man's pestering any longer, so her voice became quick and stern as
she angrily scolded the plain-looking man, saying, “Hurry up and leave! If you want
to chat with someone, then go and chat on the sea! Don't even dream about setting
foot on Osmanthus Island! Otherwise, I'll fight you to the death!”

The rustic-looking middle-aged man was none other than the boatman who had
rowed his boat beneath Zuo You the other day. He was most likely the respected
master of the old boatman standing beside Chen Ping'an as well.

The middle-aged man was actually an extremely taciturn person, yet Lady Gui who
was standing on the dock was his greatest weakness. Upon seeing her harshness —
in fact, this was the first time she had been so angry with him — the simple and
honest middle-aged man felt as if his entire world were collapsing. It was as if the
entire world had become dull and lusterless.

He became extremely anxious, and he tossed his bamboo pole aside and stomped his
feet as he wailed, “Why? Oh, why? What did I do wrong? After you rejected me that
time, I was feeling extremely hurt, so I drank some wine and ended up drunk. This
gave a timid person like me some courage, so I secretly ran over to hug that
osmanthus tree a few times. I truly couldn't help myself! This is surely justifiable and
excusable…. Just what kind of person am I? Are you not aware of this? Even my
master says that I'm honest and good-natured!”

Lady Gui was incensed, and she chuckled coldly and huffed. “Oh my, your arguments
and excuses are all so well linked together! Appealing to emotion, then appealing to
reason, and finally appealing to authority. How impressive! Who taught you this
strategy?”

It had taken the middle-aged man much effort to muster his courage, yet he instantly
deflated like a balloon upon hearing this. His voice was low and dejected as he
replied, “Divine Edict Sect's Little Qi….”

Lady Gui pointed at him and raged, “As a grown man, do you still have any sense of
responsibility and loyalty?! Qi Zhen helped you come up with a plan, yet you're going
to sell him out just like this? Without even a shred of hesitation?! Scram!”

The middle-aged man collapsed to his small boat as if he had been struck by
lightning. His arms and legs flailed around as he wailed, “I can't live anymore!
There's nothing in the world to live for anymore!”
The old boatman stopped in his tracks and refused to take another step forward. He
covered his face with a hand, and he refused to look at his master in his current state.
The deranged behavior of his master truly brought great humiliation to him, his
disciple.

The old boatman suddenly turned around and said, “Let's go, let's head somewhere
else. If I stay here, then my fractured Dao Heart that wasn't shattered by the old flood
dragon will be shattered by my own master.”

However, the middle-aged man turned to the old boatman and shouted, “Little Water
Bucket, aren't you going to greet your master?”

After hearing the nickname from his childhood exposed, the old boatman stopped
and sighed, then turned around. However, he stubbornly refused to make eye contact
with his master. After speedily bowing and cupping his hands in respect, he
muttered, “I wish you a long life, Master. I will respectfully take my leave now.”

He then hurriedly ran away and returned to the mountain.

Chen Ping'an continued forward and arrived beside Lady Gui. They greeted each
other with a nod and a smile, and Chen Ping'an squatted down beside the water and
looked at the middle-aged man glancing at him and Lady Gui. The middle-aged man's
gaze made his hairs stand on end.

There was something wrong with his expression! Why was his expression so similar
to those women in Clay Vase Alley and Apricot Blossom Alley, especially when those
women glanced between their husbands and Gu Can's mother? However, Chen
Ping'an quickly came to a realization. This middle-aged man looked like a fairly
honest person, so why was he so narrow-minded and petty? No wonder Lady Gui
didn't like him.

“Are you looking for me?” Chen Ping'an asked.

The middle-aged man roughly repeated to him what he had said to Zuo You not long
ago.

Before going any further, the middle-aged man stomped his foot and caused his
bamboo pole to jump high into the air. After grabbing it, he forcefully drove it into
the planks of the small boat. Using his astounding mystical powers, the middle-aged
man instantly created two temporary small worlds. The smaller one enveloped him
and Chen Ping'an, while the larger directly enveloped the entire Osmanthus Island.
In this way, even the powerful Daoist priests from Stalactite Mountain and the
profound sages from Southern Whirl Continent most likely wouldn't be able to
eavesdrop on their conversation.

He was Branch Master Lu Chen's unofficial disciple, after all.

This person was unwilling to face Zuo You's sword, he was almost like a scoundrel in
front of Lady Gui, and he was only remembered as a boatman in some uncommon
classic in Majestic World. However, this didn't mean that he was weak, and this didn't
mean that his Dao power was low.

Lady Gui was aware of his identity and background, so she wasn't surprised by his
actions. In the small world beside her, the figures of the two people were hazy, and
their voices were also completely insulated.

After listening to the middle-aged man's words, Chen Ping'an nodded and replied,
“Okay.”

“You aren't willing to become my master's final disciple?” the middle-aged man
asked slowly. “If you agree, I'll thank you and I'll also owe you a favor.”

Chen Ping'an looked at the middle-aged man, and decided to sit down on the edge of
the dock and grab the Sword Nurturing Gourd from his waist. He simply drank and
didn't say anything.

The middle-aged man held his bamboo pole against the ground with one hand as he
gazed up at the sky and said in a soft voice, “Master has never viewed me as his
disciple before; I'm nothing more than a servant who rowed a boat for him back
then. Even though his direct disciples all sought me out when they came to travel
around this world, and they were willing to refer to me as Senior Brother, I'm well
aware of the fact that Master has always disliked my dull-wittedness and lack of
talent. Not only that, but I'm even unable to free myself from the notion of affection.

“Thus, I searched the vast seas for countless years, hoping to follow in Master's
footsteps and head to that Heavenly World. I wanted to become an official disciple
and study under his tutelage. Yet, Master is unwilling to see me. However, if you're
willing to accept his proposal today, then he will definitely see me if he's in a good
mood. I'm certain of this.”
Chen Ping'an smiled lazily and replied, “Then do you know this? The disciple that
your master wants is the one I am now, not the one I will be if I become his disciple.”

The middle-aged man reached up and lightly smacked his head. However, he was still
unable to make heads or tails of the young boy's reply. He appeared especially
annoyed as he grumbled, “You've completely confused me. Say, why do teachers and
students like you all speak in such a strange and confusing manner? How irritating.
Even Xie Shi from Complete Reed Continent speaks in such a sophisticated manner.
In fact, he hides his curses amid words of praise. Because of this, I was only able to
come to my senses after a hundred years. I realized that he was actually disparaging
me and calling me stupid, saying that this is the reason why Lady Gui doesn't like
me.”

The middle-aged man sighed and continued, “But this is still my own fault. It's my
fault for being stupid. I can't blame other people for being too smart.”

Chen Ping'an stopped drinking and asked with a smile, “Why don't you blame the
world?”

The middle-aged man was standing on his small boat, and the young boy was sitting
on the edge of the dock.

Their gazes were coincidentally level.

The middle-aged man cracked a grin.

However, Chen Ping'an had already changed the topic, saying, “Your disciple is so
gravely wounded, so aren't you going to help him? If I'm not wrong, he already
managed to reach the Nascent Tier before. However, he fell back to the Golden Core
Tier afterward….”

“I'm his master, not his father,” the middle-aged man huffed. “He's already 500 years
old, so does he still need me to feed him and wipe his ass?”

Chen Ping'an put his Sword Nurturing Gourd away. He then raised a finger on his left
hand and held it in the air. Afterward, he raised a finger on his right hand and moved
it away from his left hand. It was as if there was an invisible ruler between his two
fingers. “The principles that I speak of are on this side, while the principles that you
speak of are on that side. Both seem reasonable, but your principles are, in fact,
unable to refute my principles. Do you know why? Because your principles shouldn't
have gone so far in a single step.”

Chen Ping'an's right hand slowly moved toward his left hand. He made a tapping
motion halfway, and he made one more tapping motion with each hand. He smiled
faintly and continued, “If your principle is only around here, then perhaps it needs to
stand here to become genuinely reasonable. It can move slightly to the left or slightly
to the right…. However, when your principle reaches the correct spot, how can you
measure the importance of said principle? Do you know about Fortellers? Not the
type pertaining to the study of yin and yang, but the type pertaining to the divination
of destiny. Along with Legalism, there are now two smaller rulers that you can use….”

“Don't try to ruin my Great Dao!” the middle-aged man interjected calmly.

He forcefully thumped his bamboo pole against the wooden planks of the small boat
again.

There was a dazzling smile on Chen Ping'an's face.

This was because he was correct again.

Chen Ping'an stood up with a smile, not acting mystical or pulling theories out of thin
air anymore. Last night, he had a dream. In his dream, he read for an entire night.
That was a hazy and mystical experience.

Seemingly realizing that he had been toyed with, a slightly irritated expression
appeared on the middle-aged man's face. He scratched his head, but he didn't take
his anger out on the young boy.

Chen Ping'an winked and said, “Lady Gui is still watching us. What impression will
she have of you if she sees you treating your own disciple like this? Isn't that right?”

The middle-aged man instantly came to a realization. His eyes lit up, and he
hesitated for a moment before retrieving a golden book that was strung together
using a simple straw rope. “It took me a great deal of effort to retrieve these texts
from the bottom of the sea. Here, give them to Little Water Bucket. Remember, you
definitely have to hand them to him in front of Lady Gui, okay? Can you do this?”

“Of course!” Chen Ping'an replied with a nod. “I can even put in some good words for
you if you want.”
“Then I won't hold a grudge against you for toying with me just now,” the middle-
aged man said with a smile.

Chen Ping'an accepted the golden book and carefully placed it in his sleeve. He didn't
so much as take a glance at it. He looked at Lady Gui who was seemingly nearby but
was actually beyond their small world, and she was currently gazing at the bright
moon above the sea with a slightly adrift expression.

Chen Ping'an retracted his gaze, and he was a little curious as he asked in a soft
voice, “You are a man of great seniority, and you've already lived for so many years,
so why are you still so stubbornly in love with Lady Gui? Moreover, you're clearly
aware that the notion of affection is an obstacle to your Great Dao, so why does it
seem like you're actually enjoying this?”

This struck a sensitive chord, and the middle-aged man snapped, “That's none of
your business!”

Chen Ping'an paced back and forth along the shore with his wine gourd in hand.

“Lady Gui can't hear our conversation, right?” he asked.

The middle-aged man nodded in response.

However, Chen Ping'an still lowered his voice as he said, “Lady Gui's disposition is
naturally top-notch. In terms of her appearance, however…. It can't be considered
too…. outstanding, right? What's the story between you two? Care to tell? Why did
you fall for her, and why does she dislike you? What can be considered liking a
person, and how do separation and reunion work? How did you anger Lady Gui? I
need to take this as a warning….uh, I meant to say that I'll help you come up with a
plan! You might not know this, but I'm actually acquainted with many girls. I'm
extremely knowledgeable when it comes to relationships and romance!”

The middle-aged man rolled his eyes and replied, “If there are so many specific
reasons for liking a person, then what kind of crappy affection is that? Speaking to a
vulgar person like you is so boring. Little Water Bucket must be blind to drink with
someone like you.”

Chen Ping'an grimaced.

The middle-aged man suddenly reached up and thumped his chest, saying with
confidence, “Also, in my eyes and mind, Lady Gui is a breathtaking beauty with no
equal! She's the most beautiful person in the world. Be careful of what you say in the
future, little brat. If you dare to say another bad word about her, then I'll smack you
stupid with my bamboo pole! “

He angrily spat at Chen Ping'an and scolded, “What kind of crappy tastes do you
have? You're completely unable to differentiate between beautiful and ugly!”

The middle-aged man spun his boat around using his bamboo pole. He then rowed
away by himself, traveling hundreds upon thousands of meters in an instant.

Chen Ping'an patted his chest and happily called out to Aunt Gui. “Let's go, I managed
to obtain a secret text for the old senior from his master.”

He didn't forget to put in some good words for the middle-aged man, going as far as
to offer two sentences of praise. “He's a magnanimous and genuine person. However,
he's a bit too honest.”

Lady Gui nodded with a wide smile, saying, “Mhm, but his appearance can't be
considered too outstanding.”

Chen Ping'an gulped upon hearing this, with his neck stiff as he turned around to
search for the man and boat that had already disappeared into the distance. That
middle-aged man was truly disloyal….

Lady Gui lightly smacked the young boy's head, and it was clear that she wasn't
genuinely angry with him. “What are you looking at? Let's go,” she said in a gentle
voice.

The two of them walked along the mountain path together, and Lady Gui casually
asked, “We'll arrive at our destination in one month. Chen Ping'an, do you have any
acquaintances at Stalactite Mountain? If you don't, then it will be a little troublesome
if you want to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall. The reputation of the Fan Clan and
Osmanthus Island doesn't hold much weight there. Moreover, when you arrive at
Stalactite Mountain, there are some things that even money can't solve. That's
because….”

Lady Gui paused for a moment before continuing in an exasperated voice, “That's
because the Dao Ancestor's second disciple created some strange rules that have
never been broken, not once in tens of thousands of years.”
Chen Ping'an was slightly skeptical, and he challenged, “Never? Not by a single
person?”

Lady Gui sighed and replied, “Many people have tried in the past. However, their
corpses and souls were all tossed into a small lake of lightning in Stalactite Mountain
by some Daoist Heavenly Lord. Almost all of the victims were top-notch cultivation
prodigies, descendants from powerful clans in the nine continents, disciples of
immortal sects, or impressive figures from the Hundred Schools of Thought….
However, none of them came to a good end. No one can change that Daoist priest's
decision.”

When that golden Dao Manifestation had appeared near the Flood Dragon Trench
before, the Daoist priest's true body that was far away in Stalactite Mountain had
also used a mystical ability to isolate heaven and earth, preventing Osmanthus Island
from seeing his true form.

Chen Ping'an was filled with worry as he roughly described the Daoist priest's
appearance.

“How did you become familiar with this Great Heavenly Lord from Stalactite
Mountain?” Lady Gui asked in astonishment.

Chen Ping'an grimaced and smiled bitterly.

Right at this moment, a streak of white light cut through the night sky and passed
over Osmanthus Island, announcing, “All passengers on Osmanthus Island are
exempt from paying the toll when entering Stalactite Mountain. If anyone wants to
travel to the Sword Qi Great Wall through Stalactite Mountain, they'll also be exempt
from paying the toll.”

Chen Ping'an suddenly raised his arms and clenched his fists, exclaiming with joyful
laughter, “He won!”

One month later, the passengers on Osmanthus Island could already see the majestic
silhouette of the hovering Stalactite Mountain in the distance.

Moreover, every so often, they would come across other intercontinental ships that
were also impressive in size and spectacular in appearance.

As time passed, Stalactite Mountain also drew closer, making it appear increasingly
lofty and majestic.

After getting Lady Gui's approval, Chen Ping'an woke up before sunrise and secretly
left the Guimai courtyard. Afterward, he sat on a tall branch of the osmanthus tree
located on the mountain peak, swinging his legs as he craned his neck and looked up.

He heard other people say that Stalactite Mountain was the border pass between
two worlds.

However, Chen Ping'an was a pure martial artist at the fourth tier, and he wasn't a
grandmaster at the Far Roaming Tier who could soar through the air. As such, he
could only take an intercontinental ship or take things one step at a time.

There was already such a great distance between the northernmost Great Li Empire
and the southern Old Dragon City. If someone wanted to travel from one world to
another world, the distance between the two would be even more immense.

Sitting on the tall branch, Chen Ping'an smiled as he casually threw punches, causing
him to sway left and right.

Beneath the tree, a young girl had arrived atop the mountain peak very early in the
morning. She sighed and murmured, “I still feel like this boy is an absolute idiot.”

1. A line from Shen Quanqi's 七夕曝衣篇. Shen Quanqi was a Chinese poet and
government official active during the Tang dynasty. ☜
There was a large mountain hanging upside down somewhere in the world.

The peak of the mountain pointed at the South Sea.

Chen Ping'an sat on the branch of the ancestor osmanthus tree and dazedly gazed at
this stunning scene. Ning Yao had set off from here to journey across Majestic World.

He had heard that Southern Whirl Continent was the closest continent to Stalactite
Mountain, so would Liu Xianyang come here to take a look in the future?

Osmanthus Island still needed to travel for approximately half a day before it would
truly enter the territory of Stalactite Mountain. All kinds of ships came and went
around them, and there were giant turtles with stone tablets on their backs, clams
with crystalline and translucent shells drifting on the sea, kun ships that were even
larger than that owned by Ceremony Mountain slowly descending, a collection of
iridescent clouds bringing with them countless oriental magpies, rows of immortal
cranes and azure birds tugging along a tall building, and so on. Osmanthus Island
didn't seem the least bit out of place among them.

Chen Ping'an suddenly turned around and looked down.

He saw that young girl again, her figure lithe, her appearance beautiful, a pearl
hairpin in her hair, a dress on her body, and a colorful ribbon around her waist….

However, Chen Ping'an's skin was crawling, and he felt extremely uneasy. In fact, this
feeling was even more intense and direct than when he had seen Liu Chicheng
dressed in pink Daoist robes in front of the rundown temple back then.

This was because Chen Ping'an could see this beautiful girl's Adam's apple.

He didn't detest this, but he was indeed very unaccustomed to it.

Chen Ping'an suddenly scratched his head and stared directly at the man who liked
to dress like a woman. The uneasiness in his heart vanished, transforming instead
into a hint of nostalgia.

Back when he was an apprentice in the dragon kiln, Chen Ping'an had been
acquainted with a man whom others always ridiculed as a sissy. That man was timid,
and he had walked in a very feminine manner. When speaking, he had also liked to
throw flirtatious glances and make orchid-shaped fingers.

In the dragon kiln managed by Old Man Yao, this man had naturally faced the most
discrimination. If he finally saved enough money to buy a pair of new shoes, it was
guaranteed that they would be stepped on and dirtied by the other kiln workers on
the same day. However, he wouldn't dare to say anything, and he would simply suffer
in silence.

Logically speaking, both he and Chen Ping'an should have sympathized with each
other, given that Chen Ping'an was also discriminated against in the dragon kiln.
Strangely, however, the man who always sobbed and cried would immediately
become very brave in front of Chen Ping'an. He would always taunt Chen Ping'an and
speak to the young boy in a very unpleasant manner. However, Chen Ping'an had
never paid any heed to him.

On quite a few occasions, the man had been caught by Liu Xianyang, Old Man Yao's
official disciple, while taunting Chen Ping'an. Liu Xianyang had directly slapped him
and sent him spinning on the spot, causing him to immediately shut up and behave.

Afterward, the man would secretly bring some snacks and desserts to Liu Xianyang's
room, wrapping them up in a manner even more exquisite than shop attendants. He
had most likely been apologizing to — and perhaps sucking up to — Liu Xianyang,
someone who was destined to become the future manager of the dragon kiln.

The paper cuttings decorating the windows in the dragon kiln had also been made
by him. He had endured many late nights by himself to create these, and even the
women in the streets and alleys would feel that their works were inferior. If this
person were genuinely a woman, just how brilliant would his needlework be?

Chen Ping'an had naturally detested the barb-tongued sissy back then. However, he
had also been afraid of severely wounding the man in a single punch if he were
unable to hold back. At that time, the young boy had already traversed all of the
mountains and rivers surrounding the small town with Old Man Yao. Chopping wood
and burning charcoal had also become extremely familiar tasks. Not only that, but he
had also practiced breathing techniques taught to him by Old Man Yang since very
early on. As such, his strength had already been equivalent to, if not greater than,
strong young men.

In the end, the feminine man had made a huge mistake when guarding the night one
time. He had unexpectedly extinguished the flames in a dragon kiln. Terrified by this,
he had fled during the night. Having some smarts, he hadn't dared to run toward the
small town, and he had instead fled deep into the mountains and forests.

If such grave mistakes were committed in some shop in the market, it would be a
mistake severe enough to warrant death. Upon learning of this, Old Man Yao had
immediately sent dozens of strong young men after that bastard with a dark
expression. Chen Ping'an, who was extremely familiar with the mountain paths, was
naturally part of the group.

Two days later, the feminine man had been tied up and marched back to the dragon
kiln. Old Man Yao had then immediately broken his hands and legs, beating him so
severely that his flesh had been mangled and his bones had been revealed.

The group of men who had found him was the group that he always flattered the
most.

No one had felt any sympathy for this feminine man who had caused such a huge
disaster. Even if they had, they wouldn't have dared to show it on their faces. After
all, Old Man Yao had almost never been this angry before.

Before having his arms and legs broken, the feminine man had already wet his pants
in fright. Afterward, he had shaken uncontrollably upon being forced to lie on the
ground. When the beating started, he had screamed hysterically with tears and snot
streaming down his face.

As the beating continued, the feminine man had been like a fish being cut alive on a
chopping board. The feminine man was indeed a sissy, after all, and he had never
shown an ounce of manliness and backbone from the beginning to the end, all the
way until he finally fainted.

In the end, the feminine man had surprisingly survived the merciless beating. He had
stubbornly lived on, laying on a sickbed for almost half a year to recuperate.

During this time, many apprentices in the dragon kiln had taken turns looking after
him, with Chen Ping'an naturally being no exception. However, many people had
been dissatisfied with this difficult task, so they had sought out Chen Ping'an and
asked him to take their place, what with Chen Ping'an being the most agreeable
person in the dragon kiln.

In the end, it was actually the young boy whom the feminine man disliked the most
who had wound up looking after him the most. The two of them had refused to
engage in any conversation with each other, highlighting the mutual dislike between
them.

Chen Ping'an had simply gathered ingredients and cooked medicine for him every
day, while the feminine man had occasionally become adrift and dazedly stared at
the old paper cutting on the window that was losing their color after being punished
by the wind and rain. Perhaps he had been dreaming of a day when he could finally
leave the bed again. At that time, he would definitely find some spare time between
work to replace this paper cutting with a beautiful and brand new paper cutting that
was a brilliant red color.

However, the bedridden feminine man who had survived his severe beating and
gritted his teeth to return from the brink of death had still ultimately died.

He had been killed by a single comment.

That had been a casual comment by a kiln worker. Chen Ping'an had been cooking
medicine by the door at that time, with his back facing the kiln worker and the
feminine man. The former had chuckled and remarked that during the day of the
beating when the feminine man's clothes were torn to shreds, his pale bottom had
truly looked like that of a woman.

Chen Ping'an hadn't felt like this comment was extremely inappropriate.

After all, the men in the dragon kiln had taunted the feminine man with much more
vicious comments than this before. Moreover, the feminine man had almost never
argued with other people, most likely because he didn't dare to. Indeed, the most he
would do was probably curse them behind their back, saying something like, “You
dare to taunt me? Do you want me to blow up the graves of your ancestors?”
However, it was after hearing this seemingly mundane comment that the feminine
man — who could already sit up by himself — had surprisingly chatted a lot with
Chen Ping'an on that day. It had mostly been him speaking, while the taciturn young
boy had quietly listened. When talking about paper cutting, Chen Ping'an had
sincerely praised his skills and remarked on the beauty of his work. The feminine
man had smiled upon hearing this.

On that night, the feminine man whose courage was even tinier than that of a
needle's eye had unexpectedly used a pair of scissors to stab himself in the throat.
Not only that, but he hadn't forgotten to cover himself with a blanket, preventing
those who entered his room from immediately seeing his final posture of death.

In fact, no one had dared to collect his corpse and bring it out of the room. Truly, the
scene was far too inauspicious.

Fortunately, Chen Ping'an was already accustomed to death befalling those around
him, so he hadn't paid much heed to the inauspicious nature of the situation. In the
end, he had dragged Liu Xianyang around with him and busily sorted out the mess.
He hadn't felt especially sad during this time, nor had he obtained any kind of
enlightenment.

Only when wake-keeping had Chen Ping'an sat by himself in an empty and eerie
mourning hall. He hadn't felt any fear, and he had sat beside the stove and
murmured, “Since you didn't like being a man in this life, then you should
reincarnate into a woman in your next life.”

In fact, during their idle chatter on that fateful day, the feminine man had asked Chen
Ping'an why he had let him go even though he had been the first one to find him. Not
only that, but the young boy had even pointed out a small path leading deeper into
the mountains.

Chen Ping'an had replied that he was afraid of Old Man Yao beating the feminine
man to death if he were caught. At that time, with the feminine man's sesame-sized
courage, he would only dare to exact revenge on him and not anyone else.

The feminine man had smiled very happily upon hearing this.

Thinking back to it now, the feminine man's smile had, in fact, been fairly ugly.

However, the young boy genuinely didn't feel any disgust toward it.
The lithe and radiantly beautiful “young girl” standing under the osmanthus tree was
already seething with rage. To have someone so boldly stare at her — or more
precisely, him — like this…. If he weren't afraid of damaging the osmanthus tree and
causing unnecessary trouble, he would have immediately summoned his two bonded
flying swords to stab this lecherous bastard to death.

Chen Ping'an came to his senses and also realized his unintentional act of rudeness.
He cupped his fists and said apologetically, “I'm sorry, I was a bit distracted just
then.”

The young man narrowed his peach blossom eyes seemingly filled with the colors
and radiance of spring. He then brought his index finger and middle finger together
and made a stabbing motion at Chen Ping'an before wagging them slightly back and
forth. His action was as provocative as could be.

Instead of keeping his head turned, Chen Ping'an decided to directly turn his entire
body around. He patted the empty space beside him on the tall branch and chuckled,
“As an apology, I'll allow you to sit here and enjoy the view of Stalactite Mountain on
Lady Gui's behalf.”

The young man clasped his hands behind his back and looked up with his face
delicate and tender as the spring breeze. He smiled and asked, “Do you like men? Or
do you like both men and women as long as they're beautiful enough?”

Chen Ping'an could feel a headache forming, and he vigorously shook his head to
express his innocence.

He naturally liked females only.

In fact, he only liked a single girl.

Standing under the osmanthus tree, two wisps of sword qi materialized near the
clasped hands of the young man, one gold and one silver. They were extremely subtle
and almost invisible to the naked eye.

It was clear that he was going to use his flying swords to kill if a disagreement arose
between them.

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment before smiling and saying, “Saying this might
anger you even more, but you look very good in this kind of outfit.”
Chen Ping’an rested his hands on the branch and added with limpid eyes, “I say this
from the bottom of my heart.”

The young man cross-dressing as a woman furrowed his brows.

He silently walked away. However, he didn't leave the mountain peak, and he simply
walked near the railing of the observation deck and gazed into the distance.

Chen Ping'an leaped down from the tall branch and shouted at the young man whose
back was facing him, “I'm leaving now! If you want to enjoy the view from the top of
the osmanthus tree, then it's best that you seize this opportunity when there are
fewer people. Otherwise, Lady Gui might become unhappy.”

The young man didn't respond.

Only when Chen Ping'an was far away did he turn around to glance at the osmanthus
tree. After hesitating for a long time, he eventually decided against climbing up the
tree to gaze at Stalactite Mountain from a higher vantage point.

As for the two wisps of sword qi, he had already retracted them into the colorful
ribbon around his waist a long time ago.

In fact, those two wisps of sword qi weren't sword qi at all. Rather, they were
seemingly unremarkable flying swords that were actually extremely high-grade
bonded flying swords. Their names were Needle Tip and Wheat Awn.

He had been born with them.

He was a genuine innate sword talent.

Moreover, to be born with two bonded flying swords was a chance smaller than one
in ten thousand for sword cultivators. The keyword wasn't “one”, but “smaller.”

Most importantly, the quality of his flying swords was absolutely terrifying. Thus, his
master had stated that his aptitude would definitely allow him to reach the Upper
Five Tiers. Otherwise, he wouldn't have taken him as a disciple.

As for exactly how many years it would take him to advance to the Unpolished Jade
Tier, his master hadn't made any mention of this, and he hadn't asked about it either.
He had no interest in learning about this. Indeed, he was more fascinated and
obsessed with divination techniques pertaining to the Great Dao. However, it was a
shame that his master had said that he couldn't make it very far on this path, and
that he couldn't inherit his master's lineage through this.

Including his master, all of his senior brothers and junior brothers encouraged him
to practice the sword. In reality, he was well aware of the fact that they weren't
sincerely hoping for his Sword Dao to truly reach the peak and become dominant.
Instead, they harbored ill intentions, and they wanted to see him fail and make a joke
of himself.

The reason for this was very simple.

He was afraid of heights.

A sword cultivator who was afraid of heights…. Just what kind of joke was this?

When he occasionally stepped on his sword to ride on the wind, he would never rise
more than six meters from the ground.

The young man glanced at the branch which the young boy had sat on just then, and
he felt like he himself was also an utter idiot.

Chen Ping'an returned to the Guimai courtyard. Ma Zhi, the Golden Core Tier sword
cultivator, was already standing inside and waiting for him with a smile.

A while back, Chen Ping'an had decided to visit the courtyard where Ma Zhi was
resting and recuperating, asking him when they could continue to practice the
sword.

Three days later, the Guimai courtyard had returned to the same way as before. Ma
Zhi practiced sword techniques with Chen Ping'an, while Jin Su was responsible for
their three meals a day. Lady Gui would occasionally visit the small courtyard, and
she wouldn't disturb Chen Ping'an or Ma Zhi. She would quietly sit there for a while
and at most make a pot of tea for the two of them.

One time, Chen Ping'an had retrieved the talisman paper where the female skeletal
ghost was kept. Holding the paper talisman in her hand, Lady Gui had quickly shaken
the skeletal ghost out and allowed her to finally see the light of day again. However,
the female ghost in white who had been extremely aggressive in the city god temple
in Colorful Garment Nation was immediately greeted by the Nascent Tier Lady Gui,
the old boatman who had fallen from the Golden Core Tier, as well as her enemy,
Chen Ping'an.

If she weren't already dead, she would have definitely been scared to death.

In the end, with the help of Lady Gui who was the pseudo-sage of Osmanthus Island,
the beautiful skeletal ghost made an oath to loyally serve Chen Ping'an for sixty
years. In return, she could leave the talisman paper where her soul would slowly
fade away if spiritual energy wasn't funneled inside. She was allowed to stay inside
Chen Ping'an's locust wood sword case instead.

Because locust trees had been referred to as “locust residences” since ancient times,
it wasn't just grass spirits and wood spirits that were especially fond of locust trees
that were over a thousand years old. Ghosts and yin entities were also extremely
fond of them.

As they neared Stalactite Mountain, there was one starry night when the old
boatman suddenly visited Chen Ping'an and brought him to the dock at the foot of
the mountain on Osmanthus Island. When Chen Ping'an arrived, he discovered a
young flood dragon lying on the dock with its head resting on the shore and more
than half of its body still in the sea. Gazing at Chen Ping'an, its eyes were filled with
childish curiosity and gratitude.

The old boatman squatted beside the shore and clicked his tongue in wonder,
remarking, “In terms of human age, this pitiful little creature is only equivalent to six
or seven years old. Lady Gui was unwilling to make things difficult for this innocent
little creature at the time, so she only took the Dragon King Basket and set the little
flood dragon free.

“Unexpectedly, however, it seems like it has no home to return to, so it quickly caught
up to Osmanthus Island again. However, it didn't dare to get too close, so it continued
to whimper every night as it circled around Osmanthus Island and refused to leave.
Now that we're getting closer and closer to Stalactite Mountain, the little flood
dragon most likely understands that it will face certain death if it follows Osmanthus
Island forward. So, it whimpers loudly even during the day.

“If it weren't for Lady Gui taking pity on it and helping it conceal its aura, I'm afraid it
would have been skinned alive and killed by those Qi refiners from the mountains
who still have lingering anger in their hearts.”
In the end, the old boatman smiled and said, “Chen Ping'an, it seems like the little
flood dragon has especially come here to look for you. However, I'm unsure about
whether it wants to thank you or exact revenge on you. Even though it's still very
young, flood dragons and their kin are known for their cold-bloodedness and sly
nature. So, this is quite hard to say.”

Chen Ping'an didn't say anythhing. He simply took out an ordinary snake gall pebble
and tossed it to the young flood dragon. The young flood dragon instinctively wolfed
it down with a rather confused look in its eyes.

Chen Ping'an had then waved his hands and gestured for the young flood dragon to
leave.

After turning around and returning to the sea, the young flood dragon whimpered
softly, still unwilling to leave the vicinity of Osmanthus Island. After pondering for a
moment, Chen Ping'an had surprisingly tossed a large handful of ordinary snake gall
pebbles into the sea.

The young flood dragon vigorously twisted and turned in the sea, creating huge
waves as it swallowed the incredible delicacies one by one.

Afterward, Chen Ping'an stood on the dock and said to the young flood dragon,
“Remember to cultivate earnestly in the future. You've accepted my favor today, so I'll
smash you to death with a single punch if you end up finding joy in harming others
like that elder of yours.”

Upon hearing this, the young flood dragon swam back to the dock and raised its head
above the shore. It opened its eyes wide, as if trying to burn Chen Ping'an's
appearance into its memory.

After a brief moment, it then leaned back and returned to the vast sea.

The old boatman had experienced all kinds of things before, and he sighed with
emotion. “You have a kind heart, and you planted a seed of positive karma. However,
the world is unpredictable, and seeds of positive karma will not necessarily grow
into fruits of positive outcome.”

With an apathetic expression on his face, Chen Ping'an gazed at the sea upon which
the specks of stars were glittering like gold and silver, saying softly, “If it transforms
into negative karma, then I'll draw my sword and eliminate it with a single slash.”
At that time, the old boatman was thinking about his master who was going to
vanish for heaven knows how many years again. He was also thinking about that
golden text left behind by an immortal that Chen Ping'an had helped deliver to him.
Because of this, he didn't pay much attention to Chen Ping'an's expression and
words.

————

In Great Sui Nation's Mountain Cliff Academy….

The young classmates who had left the Great Li Empire together were destined to no
longer spend all their time together after arriving in this academy.

Indeed, Li Huai had already made two new friends: a cowardly child from a powerful
clan in the capital and an extremely courageous rascal from a poor family. They were
both slightly older than Li Huai, and the three of them would always play together
and go crazy. They enjoyed themselves immensely.

Meanwhile, Lin Shouyi was now obsessed with cultivation, and he would always
travel between the scripture library, his dormitory, and the classrooms. He read all
the books he could, and he stood out from the crowd.

Yu Lu had a close relationship with Prince Gao Xuan from Great Sui Nation, and the
two of them eventually became good friends. Gao Xuan became increasingly fond of
visiting the academy to fish with Yu Lu.

Apart from attending classes, Xie Xie seldom ventured out of her dormitory. She
willingly acted as a maidservant for Cui Dongshan.

After Li Baoping read another letter from her junior uncle, the little girl appeared to
be downcast for a very long time.

On this day, she skipped class again and was as agile as a small cat as she nimbly
climbed atop the large tree located on the peak of the East Mountain. She sat on a
branch and leaned on the tree trunk. Her self-crafted wooden badge with the
characters “alliance leader of the martial arts world” was hanging around her neck,
and she had engraved the characters “commands all lords” afterward because she
had felt like the badge still wasn't impressive enough.

Afterward, she hadn't been able to stop herself from engraving more and more
impressive phrases onto the wooden badge. These were all grand phrases from the
cultivation world that she had copied from the story books. For example, “invincible,
I lament the lack of rivals in my life,” and so on.

A spirited and handsome young boy in white stood on a branch beside her. He gently
bounced up and down with the movement of the branch, and there was a smile on
his face as he asked, “What's wrong? Are you angry about something?”

With the arrival of summer, the little girl was now wearing a red shirt and a long red
skirt instead of a thick red jacket. “I'm not angry,” she replied in a sullen voice.

“Do you feel like Li Huai, Lin Shouyi, and the others are growing more and more
distant from you?” Cui Dongshan asked.

“It doesn't matter if they grow more distant from me,” the little girl huffed in reply.
“After all, I never liked interacting with them even when we went to school together
in the small town.”

“Then you're unhappy about the injustice that my teacher is facing?” Cui Dongshan
asked with a knowing smile.

“Mhm.” The little girl was a straightforward person, and she nodded boldly and
acknowledged this.

Cui Dongshan rested his hands behind his head and said with emotion, “Everyone
grows up, and growing up will inevitably cause one to pick up some new things and
discard some old things. In this process of picking things up and discarding things, in
the blink of an eye, one quickly grows old.”

“They're even willing to discard Junior Uncle?!” the little girl fumed.

Cui Dongshan turned around to look at the furious little girl. He smiled faintly and
replied, “Why wouldn't they be willing to? In any case, my teacher won't become
angry even if he learns of this. That being the case, what are you getting all worked
up for? There's absolutely no need.”

The little girl angrily crossed her arms.

Cui Dongshan turned back around to gaze at the capital of Great Sui Nation. “In the
future, you might become very good friends with someone, and the two of you will
share many intimate conversations together as you grow up. However, she might get
married one day, and she'll eventually like her husband more than you. You might
also come across a teacher who's even better than Qi Jingchun, and you might one
day feel that Mr. Qi's knowledge wasn't the most profound in the world.

“One day in the future, you might also encounter…. an impressive young boy who's
even better than your junior uncle. At that time, you'll discover that your current
worry and sadness is only temporary and nothing very important. You'll drink one
or two sips of wine, and all of this worry and sadness will flow away just like that….”

Cui Dongshan suddenly turned around and exclaimed in astonishment, “Little

Baoping, you actually didn't offer a retort? If you don't say something, then I'll run
out of things to say!”

The little girl scrunched up her pretty little face and replied, “I'm busy feeling sad!”

Cui Dongshan chortled with laughter as he fell back and coincidentally lay sideways
on a thin branch. He held his head up with a single hand and gazed at the little girl in
red.

One day in the future, this little girl would grow taller and taller, and her round little
face would also become skinnier and sharper. Her eyes might still be as watery as
always, and they might still be pure and filled with energy. She might still be dressed
in red, and she might ride a horse along the river banks and drink wine in the
mountains. However, she would probably come across joyful events and sad events
as well, right?

Cui Dongshan heaved a faint sigh.

He felt slightly anxious.

If such a good girl genuinely ended up liking his teacher, that would indeed be a very
worrisome thing.

If one day she unexpectedly didn't like his teacher anymore, that might be an even
more disappointing thing.

Cui Dongshan turned his body and closed his eyes. He then crossed his legs and went
to sleep.
As for those chance encounters and diverging relationships, Cui Dongshan was
thoroughly aware of them even though his body was young. After all, those
experiences and challenges were all accumulated in his heart. His awareness of them
was no inferior to that of the Great Li Empire's Imperial Preceptor Cui Chan.

There was one thing that he hadn't told the little girl.

He — Cui Dongshan — as well as the old Cui Chan, Zuo You, Mao Xiaodong, and the
others, including Qi Jingchun, had all enjoyed shade under the old scholar in the past.
They had slowly grown up, and in the end, they had all hoped to walk out from that
incredibly large patch of shade. Those who succeeded continued on their way. Those
who failed, however, saw their hearts slowly change.

The little girl nearby put her wooden badge away and carefully retrieved a painting
from her clothes. It was a painting of Chen Ping’an standing under an osmanthus
tree and smiling at her.

Her worries were immediately washed away, and a smile stretched across her face as
she happily said, “Junior Uncle truly looks so handsome after learning to drink.
When I grow older, I'm definitely going to adventure around the cultivation world
with Junior Uncle!”

Li Baoping became more and more excited thinking about this, and she turned
around and asked loudly, “Cui Dongshan, is it difficult to drink?”

“You're not allowed to drink!” Cui Dongshan replied resolutely.

“Why not?!” Li Baoping fumed.

“Teacher isn't willing to scold you at all, but he'll directly beat me to death!” Cui
Dongshan replied in a sulky voice.

Li Baoping sighed and shook her head, saying in pity, “How pitiful….”

Cui Dongshan stole a glance at the little girl who had a beaming smile on her face.
“Little Baoping, please hide your smile of pleasure away when trying to console
others in the future.”

Li Baoping feigned grabbing a seal and stamping it down.

Cui Dongshan sighed in grief and muttered, “My good intentions are repaid with
ungratefulness….”

————

Between Stalactite Mountain and the vast sea, there were numerous paths that
hovered in midair like ribbons of clouds and water. These were paths that allowed
intercontinental ships to arrive at the mountain. In fact, the many intercontinental
ships that could fly through the air also had to descend to the sea and take these
paths. They weren't allowed to directly approach Stalactite Mountain.

Osmanthus Island momentarily stopped at a dock located beneath one such path.
After symbolically handing over a document similar to a clearance document, they
were exempt from paying the astronomical toll usually required. The island started
to drift toward Stalactite Mountain following the angled river path.

Stalactite Mountain measured 50 kilometers in radius. However, as a lone mountain

above the sea, it controlled a vast region around the mountain.

A tall and sturdy Daoist with the appearance of a middle-aged man stood atop some
cliff face. There was a skinny old Daoist priest with the demeanor of a transcendent
being standing behind him with a fly-whisk in hand, and all of the strands of the fly-
whisk were golden and silver whiskers of flood dragons. “Teacher, do you need this
student to take action and destroy Osmanthus Island?” the old Daoist priest asked in
a quiet voice.

“I agreed to the bet, so I'm willing to accept the loss. There's nothing embarrassing
about this. I'm not your grandteacher, after all, someone who hasn't suffered a single
defeat in his life,” the tall and sturdy Daoist replied with a smile.

While the Great Heavenly Lord in Stalactite Mountain spoke, a Daoist priest was
smashed into the mortal world from the heavens beyond heavens, in the Heavenly
World, with a single punch.
Standing at the dock located at the foot of the mountain on Osmanthus Island, Chen
Ping'an took a small step and arrived at Stalactite Mountain.

Before arriving at Stalactite Mountain, Aunt Gui had told Chen Ping'an that
Osmanthus Island would experience its busiest moments immediately after it
docked at Stalactite Mountain. During this time, all of the goods from Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent, Complete Reed Continent, and Parasol Leaf Continent
would need to be unloaded without any mistake.

Otherwise, the time-honored reputation of Old Dragon City's Fan Clan would be
ruined. Because of this, she, the old boatman, and Ma Zhi needed to personally keep
an eye on the handover of every single item. As such, they wouldn't have time to
leave the island with Chen Ping'an and bring him to an inn on Stalactite Mountain.

Aunt Gui had initially wanted Jin Su to bring Chen Ping'an to the inn which had been
on friendly terms with Osmanthus Island for many generations, but Chen Ping'an
had politely turned down this offer. This had caused Jin Su to grumble with slight
dissatisfaction in her mind. Stalactite Mountain was filled with all kinds of wondrous
things, so much so that one would never tire of them. Visitors would be able to find
fresh and marvelous things no matter how many times they visited.

However, the slightly dispirited osmanthus girl suddenly saw the young boy turn
around and crack a grin at her, as if he had seen through her thoughts. Jin Su shot a
vicious glare at him. Chen Ping'an waved goodbye to Lady Gui, the old boatman, and
Ma Zhi. Then, as if he didn't dare to catch Jin Su's gaze again, he turned around and
quickly ran to the entrance of Stalactite Mountain.

Jin Su couldn't help but giggle.

Chen Ping'an took a deep breath as he walked among the flowing throng of people.
He had finally arrived.

One couldn't pass through Stalactite Mountain and enter the Sword Qi Great Wall
whenever and wherever they wanted. Apart from needing an azure wood clearance
badge to enter Stalactite Mountain, the hundred or so people who needed to pass
through another checkpoint to enter the Sword Qi Great Wall were given an
additional jade tablet as well. At the same time, they were informed that they could
pass through the checkpoint at midnight in three days' time. They would have fifteen
minutes to pass before it was time for the next group, and they would be refused
entry if they missed this time slot.

After leaving Osmanthus Island, Chen Ping'an kept a white jade tablet hanging from
his waist. This was a jade tablet that only had a single character inscribed on it,
“border.” Aunt Gui had told him that all kinds of scenery existed on Stalactite
Mountain, and that there were also a myriad stores that sold all kinds of goods. Thus,
he should take advantage of these three days to travel around as much as he could.

If he came across any immortal treasure or artifact that he fancied, but he didn't have
enough money on hand to purchase them, he could borrow money from the manager
of that inn. The manager would definitely agree to lend him money if it was fewer
than ten grain rain coins. Moreover, according to the agreements between them, this
debt would be recorded under Osmanthus Island.

The dock on the mountain cliff was called the Catch and Release Dock, and this name
had originated from an ancient pavilion nearby that had a very long history. A plaque
with the characters “Catch and Release Pavilion” hung on the ancient structure, and
these characters had been personally written by the former Branch Master of a
Daoist branch.

There were nine structures in Stalactite Mountain that belonged to the Daoist Sect of
this world, while the remaining tall buildings, large courtyards, and all kinds of
shops had already been sold to other people from all over the world. Among these
nine structures, eight were located on eight different sides of Stalactite Mountain.

They were the Catch and Release Pavilion, Sword Reverence Pagoda, Incense
Offering Tower, Lightning Lake Platform, Ganoderma Inn, Daoist Seal Hall, Daoist
Saber Room, and Milu Cliff. Including the Lone Peak located in the central region,
there were nine structures and territories in total.
Even though Stalactite Mountain measured around fifty kilometers in radius, the
Daoist branch led by the second disciple of the Dao Ancestor didn't occupy a
significant area of this land. In fact, neither the territory nor the number of disciples
belonging to this branch was very large.

“Young Master Chen, Young Master Chen!”

Someone strained their voice and loudly called out behind Chen Ping'an. He turned
around, only to see the young boy in green who had introduced himself as Liu
Youzhou. The young boy jogged over to Chen Ping'an and immediately fired off a
long list of questions as if pouring beans from a bucket. “Young Master Chen, where
are you staying in Stalactite Mountain? Have you made a reservation yet? If you
haven't, then why don't you go to my place? My clan owns an estate here, it's close to
a place called the Sword Reverence Pagoda. I've heard that the estate is fairly big. I've
always wanted to thank you, so how about you give me the opportunity right now?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied with a smile, “There's no need. Osmanthus
Island has already organized everything for me, and I'll be staying at Stork Inn.”

Disappointment spread across the face of the young boy from the Pure White
Continent. He was unwilling to give up, and he persuaded, “Is that so? Then how
about I look for you afterward? This is my first time in Stalactite Mountain, so I need
to take a good look around. Do you want to go around together?”

Chen Ping'an faltered upon hearing this.

“Young Master, the two of you only met by chance recently and are still unfamiliar
with each other, so it's unreasonable for you to be so overly friendly so soon,” the old
woman beside Liu Youzhou said. “To say nothing of the fact that Young Master Chen
won't dare to agree to your request, even I wouldn't agree to it if I were in his place.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and remained silent.

“Alright,” the young boy replied with a dejected expression. “Young Master Chen, I'm
staying at the Ape Havoc Estate, so you can look for me there if you have nothing else
to do. Ask for Liu Youzhou, and tell them that you're my friend.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Chen Ping'an replied with a nod.

Chen Ping'an, Liu Youzhou, and the old woman turned around in unison. There was a
beautiful “young woman” standing nearby, and it looked as if she were hesitating
about whether she should speak.

A warm smile appeared on the old woman's face, and she looked a withered tree
experiencing a new spring. “Young esteemed immortal, is there something troubling
you?” she asked in a pleasant and amicable voice.

However, the young immortal ignored the old woman and directly stared at Chen
Ping'an, saying, “Oi, can you lend me a grain rain coin? I'll return three or five to you
in the future.”

Chen Ping'an handed the young immortal a grain rain coin. The latter accepted the
coin and left with a smile.

“Young Master Chen, is she your friend?” Liu Youzhou asked.

“We don't know each other,” Chen Ping'an replied with a shake of his head.

Liu Youzhou was astonished, and he exclaimed, “Then why did you lend her money?
Don't you know that beautiful young women are the best in the world at cheating
people? Young Master Chen, allow me to be nosy and say something else. No matter
how little one grain rain coin is worth, you still can't travel around the cultivation
world with such an attitude.”

Chen Ping'an grimaced and bade farewell.

One grain rain coin is worth little? A beautiful young woman?

The old woman couldn't contain her laughter, and she chuckled, “Young Master, did
you not realize that the pretty young woman was actually a man?”

Liu Youzhou was stupefied, and he replied in a quiet voice, “I was busy stealing
glances at her face and figure just then, but I didn't dare to look too much.”

The old woman had no option but to correct Liu Youzhou again, stressing, “Young
Master, that person isn't a young woman.”

Liu Youzhou flicked his sleeve and strode forward, saying, “With how beautiful he is,
I'll pretend that he's a young woman.”
Chen Ping'an didn't hurry over to Stork Inn straight away. Instead, he followed the
flow of people to the nearby Catch and Release Pavilion.

When Chen Ping'an arrived near the small but overcrowded pavilion, he couldn't
help but feel a little disappointed. He felt like this pavilion didn't live up to its fame. It
was extremely small, and it was in fact even smaller than the Mountain and Water
Pavilion in Sword Saint Song's Sword Water Villa in Colorful Garment Nation.

There were over a hundred people standing inside and outside the pavilion already,
and Chen Ping'an stood on his tippy-toes to glance at the small pavilion that couldn't
fit a mouse, let alone another person. After having a quick look, he was just about to
turn around and leave.

However, it was at this moment that a familiar voice sounded behind him again,
sounding as feminine as the person's appearance. “You're not going to enter the
pavilion and look around for a short while?”

Chen Ping'an turned around and smiled at the young man standing beside him,
replying, “It's far too crowded in there, so I don't dare to go. I'm afraid that I won't be
able to make it out.”

The young man pointed at three young women standing not far in front of them, and
it was as if they were also undecided about whether they should enter the Catch and
Release Pavilion. He smiled faintly and said, “Just follow me and think about this as
me paying interest on the grain rain coin.”

Chen Ping'an had no idea what was going on.

The young man pointed at his Adam's apple with a strange smile.

“An illusion technique?” Chen Ping'an asked in an uncertain voice.

“Lend me your wine gourd for a while. Rest assured, I won't covet a small and crappy
wine gourd like this. My Sword Nurturing Gourd can be regarded as its old ancestor,
and I simply don't dare to wear it on my waist,” the young man replied.

He nodded at Chen Ping'an before grabbing the wine gourd from the young boy's
waist without another word. He briskly walked over to the three young women with
above-average appearances, tilting his head and drinking wine as he did so. And
thus, he displayed both the appearance of a breathtakingly beautiful woman and the
carefree and mighty nature of a man.

A short moment later, the young man stood amid the group of young women and
beckoned Chen Ping'an over. The young boy had no option but to walk over. The
young man introduced him using a dialect that he couldn't understand, but he
repeated his words to Chen Ping'an afterward using the official dialect of Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent.

As it turned out, the three young women were sect disciples from Southern Whirl
Continent, and they were traveling through other continents as a group. They were
on a training mission, and they needed to slay a Dragon Gate Tier sea demon to
successfully complete their training. Their final destination was Stalactite Mountain,
and they would return to their sect in Southern Whirl Continent after visiting.

Afterward, the young man would hear no complaints as he grabbed Chen Ping'an's
elbow and charged toward the Catch and Release Pavilion with the three celestial
maidens from Southern Whirl Continent.

There was an interesting backstory regarding the Catch and Release Pavilion. It was
said that the second disciple of the Dao Ancestor — one of the three branch masters
of the Daoist orthodoxy from Heavenly World, True Invincible — had personally
come to this place after tossing down the largest mountain seal. At that time, a great
demon at the peak stage of the 12th tier had used some unknown techniques to
sneak past the numerous restrictions at the Sword Qi Great Wall and arrive at the
mountain seal, also known as Stalactite Mountain.

However, the first person encountered by the great demon had coincidentally been
that Daoist branch master. Back then, Stalactite Mountain had still been a desolate
region with no population to speak of, so the great demon had initially thought that
it could do as it pleased.

Upon seeing the Daoist branch master, it had naturally spoken in an offensive
manner and wanted to gobble him up in a single mouthful. In terms of the outcome,
this went without saying. The great demon was smacked half-dead by the Daoist
branch master. However, its final fate was still unknown. The old Daoist branch
master, regarded as the strongest fighter in the four worlds, tossed the great demon
back to someplace south of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Thus, future generations of Daoists built this pavilion to represent the paramount
Dao power of that branch master.

Chen Ping'an was exhausted by this trip to the Catch and Release Pavilion, with his
entire back drenched in sweat. This was because the three celestial maidens and the
young man who was even more beautiful than them would inevitably face accidental
bumps or purposeful body contact when walking around the bustling pavilion. Thus,
Chen Ping'an could only do his best to protect them. At the same time, he also had to
prevent himself from accidentally making contact with them.

This was naturally taxing on both the body and the mind, especially since there were
subtle struggles and battles everywhere. Fortunately, the number one rule in
Stalactite Mountain was that those who injured others would be punished by death.
Because of this, Chen Ping'an was able to successfully protect the group as a fourth
tier martial artist.

After finally leaving the Catch and Release Pavilion, Chen Ping'an and the young man
parted ways with the three celestial maidens. The young women were still headed
toward the nearest attraction, Milu Cliff.

Chen Ping'an took his Sword Nurturing Gourd back and tied it back at his waist.
“Don't do things like this in the future,” he said in exasperation.

The young man rolled his eyes at Chen Ping'an and grumbled, “How boring. I'll go
and play with the celestial maidens instead.”

Chen Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief and bade farewell.

Glancing at the young boy's disappearing figure, the young man muttered, “He's far
too serious, and he's surprisingly not feigning this. Perhaps he's a young pedant
taught and raised by some old pedant?”

“Young Miss, are you enjoying the scenery by yourself?” a handsome man standing
nearby asked.

The feminine young man chuckled and replied, “You can get stuffed. I've traveled
through a brothel with your mother before.”

The dignified-looking man hurriedly waved his hand, gesturing for his subordinates
to stand down and not act rashly. In the end, he raised a thumb with a dazzling smile,
remarking, “I like your personality, Young Miss.”
The feminine young man ignored him and left the Catch and Release Pavilion. While
walking, he debated whether he should go to the Sword Reverence Pagoda or the
Incense Offering Tower first.

The dignified-looking man gazed at the stunning beauty with a colorful ribbon
around “her” waist, and he remarked with emotion, “Such carefree and beautiful
women only exist in the mountains. Cultivation is good! No matter how beautiful
women outside the mountains are, their alluring beauty can only last for a measly
ten or twenty years.”

“Your Majesty, you can head to the Lightning Lake Platform now. Don't make the
imperial preceptor wait for too long,” a subordinate reminded him in a soft voice,
using the official dialect of Middle Earth Divine Continent.

“Mhm, I'll head over right away,” the man replied with a smile.

Whether it was the man referred to as “Your Majesty” or the subordinates beside
him, it appeared as if none of them felt like it was right for the emperor to make his
imperial preceptor wait.

They hurriedly made their way to the Lightning Lake Platform.

This was a tall platform with ninety-nine steps leading to the top, and it looked like a
gigantic bowl that was filled with viscous lightning.

According to rumors, the second disciple of the Dao Ancestor had scooped up a
handful of lightning from that ancient lake of lightning and placed it in Stalactite
Mountain. That was a lake of lightning that existed only in the records but was
unable to be found in real life. Every time the branch master, a Great Heavenly Lord,
slew an immortal or spirit who had broken the rules, he would detain their souls in
the lake of lightning in Stalactite Mountain.

However, the Lightning Lake Platform was surprisingly closed today, with no one
allowed to go near it.

At this moment, only a single person with a tall and sturdy body was half-squatting
beside the lake of lightning atop the Lightning Lake Platform. His elbows rested on
his knees, and his chin rested on his arms. A scabbardless sword was hovering amid
the lake of lightning, with only less than half of it still visible. After the sword became
fully immersed, the entire lake of lightning started to seethe and churn.
This person was most likely tempering their sword.

An old Daoist priest with a fly-whisk resting on his arms stood at the bottom of the
tall platform, a warm smile on his face. It was as if he were feeling proud on the tall
and sturdy man's behalf.

As the third in command in Stalactite Mountain, the old Daoist priest was regarded
as a natural enemy by all of the flood dragons and their kin in the South Sea.
Throughout a millennium, he had killed countless flood dragons and crafted a
pseudo-celestial tool, the fly-whisk in his arms. During the most recent five
centuries, the old Daoist priest had once fought against two Confucian sages from
Southern Whirl Continent's Chen Clan in the South Sea, and his fame had spread far
and wide.

However, although he was facing an outsider today, and even if he seemed like a
housekeeper for this person, the old Daoist priest didn't feel offended or devalued in
the least. Instead, he looked extremely satisfied and pleased with himself.
Chen Ping'an came across a very awkward situation. As it turned out, fewer than one
in ten people in Stalactite Mountain understood the official dialect of Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent. Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an couldn't speak or understand the
official dialect of Middle Earth Divine Continent. As a result, it was a case of a chicken
trying to communicate with ducks as Chen Ping'an asked for directions and kind-
hearted passers-by tried to help him out.

In the end, Chen Ping'an was forced to bite the bullet and ask over thirty people
before finally coming across someone who could understand the official dialect of
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent a little. However, this person didn't know the
location of Stork Inn….

Chen Ping'an stood on the bustling street, a lost expression on his face as he looked
around. He grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd and could only drink wine to wash
away his gloom.

If push came to shove, he could only return to the Catch and Release Dock and ask
Lady Gui for Jin Su. He would have to ask this osmanthus girl to act as his guide. As
for whether Jin Su would taunt him as an act of revenge, Chen Ping'an didn't care
much about this.

When it came to face, this was indeed a fairly important consideration between
familiar acquaintances. However, how many times would he see someone like Jin Su,
a temporary guest in his life? Thus, it was okay to be a bit more shameless.

No path through the layered mountains and winding rivers, suddenly I see green
willows, bright flowers, and another village[1].

Chen Ping'an managed to nab another passer-by who understood the official dialect
of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, but this passer-by also didn't know the location
of Stork Inn. However, he knew where the Sword Reverence Pagoda and the Ape
Havoc Estate were located.

When asking him for directions, Chen Ping'an said, “Mister, do you know where the
Sword Reverence Pagoda is located?”

Surprisingly, the passer-by's reply was, “Oh, do you mean the Sword Reverence
Pagoda near the Ape Havoc Estate? It's quite easy to get there; it's not too far away
from here.”

Liu Youzhou, the young boy from Pure White Continent, wasn't a simple person.

And thus, Chen Ping'an directly turned around and returned to the Catch and
Release Dock. The passer-by's face was filled with slight disappointment as he
looked at the young boy's disappearing figure. How good would it have been if he
had managed to use this opportunity to forge some relationships with the Ape Havoc
Estate? Even showing his face there and being remembered by them would have
been a decent outcome.

In the end, Jin Su happily disembarked from Osmanthus Island and led the “dejected
and miserable” Chen Ping'an to Stork Inn. Before leaving Osmanthus Island, Lady Gui
had given her three lesser heat coins and told her to use them sparingly. After
entering Stalactite Mountain, Jin Su asked Chen Ping'an whether he wanted to visit
the Catch and Release Pavilion. Chen Ping'an told her that he had already visited. Jin
Su nodded and said that the Catch and Release Pavilion was the least interesting of
the attractions, and it was far inferior to places such as Ganoderma Inn and Milu
Cliff. Indeed, he definitely needed to visit the Sword Reverence Pagoda if he wanted
to make this trip worthwhile.

The two of them walked for almost an hour, and Jin Su spent this time introducing
the important scenic locations in Stalactite Mountain to Chen Ping'an. For example,
places like Ganoderma Inn. And for example, how the Sword Reverence Pagoda
displayed the replica swords of sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall who
had slain Upper Five Tier demons before. People could visit and pay homage to these
swords.

After arriving in Stalactite Mountain, Jin Su was clearly no longer as cold and aloof as
she was in Osmanthus Island. Her personality changed drastically, and even though
she wasn't exactly gushing without pause, she already seemed no different from
ordinary girls her age.
She explained that there was a Ganoderma ruyi[2] kept in Ganoderma Inn, a ruyi that
had been left in Majestic World by the Dao Ancestor. It was filled with spiritual
energy, and it transformed the entire Ganoderma Inn into something like a blessed
land. Thus, cultivating here would lead to double the results with half the effort.
Because of this, Ganoderma Inn was also the most expensive inn on Stalactite
Mountain.

In fact, even if they did have money, disciples from immortal sects who had come
here to train and wealthy descendants from powerful clans who had come here to
sightsee found it extremely difficult to reserve a room in Ganoderma Inn. They
needed to make reservations several months in advance.

When they drew close to Stork Inn, Jin Su lowered her voice and said, “There are also
rumors that the Dao Ancestor personally planted a gourd vine. Seven of the highest-
quality Sword Nurturing Gourds were crafted from its fruits, and one of the seven is
kept in a secret room in Ganoderma Inn. Moreover, it's the one crafted from the
gourd that ripened first. Right now, it's rumored to be secretly nurturing the flying
swords of a dozen or so powerful sword immortals from the Majestic World.”

When it came to these kinds of rumors and gossip, outsiders would often discuss
them with spirit and exuberance. It was as if these outsiders had personally seen the
Sword Nurturing Gourds before. Jin Su had heard these rumors from other people,
and she was also no exception to this worldly habit.

In reality, the Daoist priests from the Daoist second disciple's lineage responsible for
maintaining the rules in Stalactite Mountain had never mentioned anything about
Sword Nurturing Gourds and nurturing flying swords for powerful sword immortals
before. They simply stated that no such matter existed in Ganoderma Inn, and it was
best that people didn't think about this and spread rumors.

Chen Ping'an was reminded of the silver Sword Nurturing Gourd that A'Liang had
given to Little Baoping. Of course, he also remembered the golden-purple Sword
Nurturing Gourd that Sun Scorch Mountain's Celestial Maiden Su Jia had once worn
by her waist. In addition to this, there was naturally the so-called old ancestor of
Sword Nurturing Gourds that the feminine man had mentioned not long ago.

“Miss Jin Su, is the Ape Havoc Estate very famous in Stalactite Mountain?” Chen
Ping'an suddenly asked.
“Of course!” Jin Su replied with a nod. “The Ape Havoc Estate owned by Pure White
Continent's Liu Clan is one of the four large private estates in Stalactite Mountain. It
sits on a very large piece of land, and it enjoys even greater renown. The Liu Clan is
the number one clan in Pure White Continent, and they also have an extremely good
reputation there. Almost all of the emperors, rulers, earth immortals, and cultivators
in Pure White Continent want to forge a good relationship with the Liu Clan.

“Moreover, we Qi refiners use snowflake coins the most, right? Their appearance is
based on the appearance of coins forged by the Liu Clan. In fact, the Liu Clan owns
ten percent of the mountain range where the jade mines are located. It doesn't sound
like much, but trust me, it's an immense amount!”

Chen Ping'an was slightly stunned.

No wonder Liu Youzhou had said something like “no matter how little one grain rain
coin is worth.” He genuinely hadn't been bragging.

Jin Su's expression was slightly adrift as she continued, “Descendants of the Liu Clan
are truly fortune's children who are born with not just a silver spoon, but a silver
mountain. If they want to do something, they can simply throw money at the task.
There's nothing in the world that the Liu Clan can't afford.”

Old Dragon City's Sun Jiashu had personally uttered these words to her. At that time,
Jin Su had caught a hint of yearning in the eyes of Sun Jiashu, this young fortune god.
Thus, she had a very deep impression of this.

Chen Ping'an became increasingly determined not to purposely form bonds with Liu
Youzhou.

That young boy was like Osmanthus Island, a colossal intercontinental ship. The
roaring waves that he created weren't things that Chen Ping'an could withstand in
his current state.

Chen Ping'an became slightly despondent upon thinking of this. It was as if wind and
snow were pounding down on his heart.

How many mountain and water seals could he squander?

Right now, he only had a single water seal remaining.

Even though there had been tens of thousands of reasons for Chen Ping'an to act as
he had done, and he would step forward and make the same choice if faced with the
same situation again….

The loss of the mountain seal still weighed heavily on Chen Ping'an's mind. He was
unable to let this go, not a single bit.

However, Chen Ping'an was now able to truly keep these negative emotions to
himself now. He was no longer like the young boy from before, the one who had
remained downcast and silent for several hundred kilometers after that farewell
outside the rundown temple. The big-bearded martial artist and the young Daoist
priest had naturally noticed his low spirits, and they had been forced to worry about
him the entire time.

Stork Inn was located at the end of an alley. The inn manager was a serious and
unsmiling young man, and he didn't smile even when he saw Jin Su, who had come
here several times. After preparing two neighboring rooms for Jin Su and Chen
Ping'an, the inn manager paid no more heed to them and left them to their own
devices.

Jin Su turned to Chen Ping'an and explained in a quiet voice, “The inn manager
inherited his father's business. Stork Inn used to be very big, and half of the alley
used to belong to the inn. It was fairly well-renowned in the region around the Catch
and Release Dock. However, an unforeseen accident took place, and Osmanthus
Island seemingly offered some help as well during that time. However, the inn
manager's father still passed away. Things fell into decline, and we're left with what
we see now.”

Chen Ping'an silently committed this to memory.

Apart from the Dust Medicinal Shop's Zheng Dafeng, all of the shop managers in the
world could probably be regarded as good managers.

The inns in Stalactite Mountain were no different from the city inns and village inns
that Chen Ping'an had stayed in during his travels through the mountains and rivers.
They were simply a bit more elegant and clean.

Jin Su knocked on Chen Ping'an's door before entering. After sitting down, she
started to plan the next two days' schedule with Chen Ping'an. She already had a plan
in mind, and she suggested that they visit four places the next day — the Daoist Seal
Hall, the Sword Reverence Pagoda, Ganoderma Inn, and the Daoist Saber Room.

They could then visit three places the day after — the Incense Offering Tower, Milu
Cliff, and the Lightning Lake Platform. The Lone Peak located in the central region of
Stalactite Mountain was a restricted area, so they could only look at it from far away
even though they would pass by on their way to the other sightseeing locations.

Chen Ping'an asked if there were any shops where he could purchase or sell precious
treasures. Jin Su told him that Ganoderma Inn was one such place, and there was
also the Cloth Wrapper Shop that had opened on the opposite side of the street to
fight for business. Both places dealt with large numbers of treasures and huge sums
of money every day, and they only cared about the value of treasures and not the
status of their customers. Things were extremely reliable and stable.

Due to this fact, many heinous cultivators liked to visit Stalactite Mountain whenever
they reaped big rewards. They could flee from pursuit, and they could openly sell
their spoils as well. They could obtain money and enjoy life.

There were several islands close to Stalactite Mountain, and many righteous
cultivators would stay on these islands all year round. They would keep a sharp eye
on the situation in Stalactite Mountain, in order to observe the criminals hiding in
the mountain. These criminals who were taking advantage of Stalactite Mountain's
rules to avoid punishment were all demonic or heretical cultivators who had the
blood of countless people in their hands. These were criminals who had gained
infamy in several large continents.

Chen Ping'an asked about the exact location where he would leave Stalactite
Mountain and enter the Sword Qi Great Wall, and Jin Su was curious about why the
young boy was asking this given he would head there in just three days' time.
However, she still told him that the location was someplace beside the Lone Peak in
the central region of Stalactite Mountain. There was a large door there, one which
was a replica of ancient Immortal Ascending Platforms. Those with a jade tablet
inscribed with the character “border” could visit and observe this door.

Like the 10th tier of pure martial arts, the 13th tier of Qi refinement, the Ascension
Tier, was considered the End Tier. The two tiers above this were the Two Lost Tiers.
During those ancient times when sages had traveled around the world to teach and
benefit the masses, there had seemingly been Immortal Ascending Platforms
scattered around the world.

Qi refiner could easily ascend, and they could ride the clouds, ride dragons, or ride
cranes as they enjoyed ascension. Heavenly maidens would scatter flowers in the air,
iridescent clouds would decorate the sky with spectacular colors, and brilliant rays
of light would shoot through space. All of these peculiar phenomena would appear
together to celebrate the ascending cultivator's attainment of the Dao.

Cultivators yearned to achieve this.

After Chen Ping'an and Jin Su agreed on a time to meet up and leave tomorrow
morning, the young boy left the inn by himself and headed to the foot of the Lone
Peak. The Lone Peak was where the Great Heavenly Lord was cultivating in
seclusion.

Chen Ping'an mulled over the nine different places as he walked — the Catch and
Release Pavilion, Sword Reverence Pagoda, Incense Offering Tower, Lightning Lake
Platform, Ganoderma Inn, Daoist Seal Hall, Daoist Saber Room, Milu Cliff, and Lone
Peak.

There were nine different structures, just like there were nine different Mighty
Suppressing Pagodas.

Perhaps this was also a formation used by a sage to hold down fortune.

At the foot of the Lone Peak, there was a divine mountain path wide enough to
accommodate three horse-drawn carriages. Nearby, there was also a plaza paved
with white jade. There was only a single iron chain fence surrounding the plaza, and
the fence was only half a meter tall. Anyone could stride over the fence with a single
step.

There were two large pillars located in the center of the plaza, made of white jade
and measuring more than thirty meters in height. Between the two pillars, there was
a curtain of water that appeared as still as a mirror. Small ripples would occasionally
travel over its surface.

Few people were on the plaza right now, and there were only twenty or thirty people
scattered around. Whether old or young, male or female, everyone had a “border”
jade tablet hanging from their waist. Some mischievous children directly charged
through the curtain of water and sprinted around, chasing after their friends and
playing boisterously on the plaza.

There was no Daoist priest responsible for overlooking the plaza. Chen Ping'an
hesitated briefly before carefully stepping over the iron chain fence and entering the
plaza. There was no unexpected response, and this allowed him to calm down
slightly. He slowly walked toward the two large pillars.

Chen Ping'an discovered that flowing light would appear under his feet with each
step that he took. Looking up, he discovered a young Daoist priest wearing a large
Daoist robe sitting on a straw mat beside one of the large pillars. He was reading a
book. If little children who looked around the same age as him approached him, the
young Daoist robes with a fish tail hat would casually flick his sleeve and send the
children floating into the distance.

The little children were delighted by this, and they continued to run up to the young
Daoist priest again and again. The young Daoist priest didn't seem annoyed by their
antics either, and he continued to flick his sleeve again and again.

Chen Ping'an didn't dare to emulate the children's wanton acts of charging into the
“mirror” without permission, so he instead walked around a large pillar to go behind
the curtain of water. He found that there was another small pillar standing beside the
large pillar. This stone pillar looked like a hitching post, and there was a middle-aged
swordsman in tattered clothes sitting cross-legged on top of it. There was a sword in
his arms, and his eyes were closed as he snoozed.

This person was clearly…. a paramount individual!

Chen Ping'an didn't dare to disturb this swordsman's rest, so he subconsciously

started to walk in a quieter manner. He was just about to turn around and return to
the other side.

The sleeping swordsman's head suddenly drooped and jerked back up, causing him
to wake with a start. His appearance was rather plain, and he looked left, right, up,
and down before finally settling his gaze on the young boy with a sword case on his
back. He murmured something to himself — it seemed like three words — before
going back to sleep.

Chen Ping'an stood near the curtain of water and dazedly stared at it for a long time.

He found it difficult to imagine that the Sword Qi Great Wall actually lay on the other
side of this curtain. Another world existed behind this curtain of water?

On the Lone Peak that towered into the clouds, there existed the tallest building on
Stalactite Mountain. This building would be hidden by seas of clouds for more than
half of the year. There were three bell chimes hanging from the eaves on the top floor
of the building, and it was rumored that they would only chime in a melodious
manner when all three branch masters of the Daoist Sect visited Stalactite Mountain
together.

Right now, a Great Heavenly Lord of the Daoist Sect was standing on the roof and
looking through the clouds, peering down at the plaza beneath the Lone Peak.

The young boy with a sword case on his back was as small as a mustard seed.

1. An extract from Lu You's poem, 游山西村. Lu You was a Chinese historian and poet
of the Southern Song Dynasty. ☜

2. The ruyi is a type of Chinese ceremonial scepter. ☜

Chen Ping'an returned to Stork Inn and continued to practice the six-step walking
meditation and sword furnace standing meditation. Finally, late at night, he
undressed and lay down in bed with a smile on his face.

Early the next morning, when the sun had only just peeked over the horizon, Jin Su
came knocking on his door fifteen minutes early. Chen Ping'an stopped his silent
session of walking meditation and walked over to the door. He left the inn with Jin
Su, and they headed to the Daoist Seal Hall together.

The Daoist Seal Hall was also known as the Missing One Hall, and this was because it
collected and displayed all of the seals in the world except one, the mountain seal.
The Daoist Seal Hall respected and adhered to an unwritten rule — mountains
shouldn't come face to face. After all, Stalactite Mountain was also a mountain seal
itself.

Chen Ping'an sighed and entered the Daoist Seal Hall with the energetic and high-
spirited Jin Su. The Daoist Seal Hall was three storeys tall, and each floor was
extremely large and spacious and divided into many rooms of varying sizes.
Thousands of seals were displayed on each floor, and these seals were allowed to
hover in rows upon rows of colored glaze display cabinets.

Some seals had already developed rich spiritual energy, allowing them to fly around
the colored glaze display cabinets and make banging sounds as they crashed into the
sides. In fact, there were even spirits born from the condensed spiritual energy of
the seals. Some of these spirits courageously stared back at people through the
transparent display cabinets.

Chen Ping'an spent a long time in a water seal room on the second floor, unwilling to
leave. Upon seeing this, Jin Su went to look at other seals by herself. They agreed to
meet at the entrance of the Daoist Seal Hall in two hours.
The water seal that Chen Ping'an was observing possessed spiritual energy that was
as light and nimble as mist. This spiritual energy transformed into a small stream
that flowed around the seal. Chen Ping'an was now familiar with many ancient seal
characters thanks to the Authentic Death-Avoiding Book that Li Xisheng had
thoroughly annotated for him, and he could tell that the characters on the bottom of
the seal said “silver river flowing down.”

According to Jin Su, the Daoist Seal Hall only purchased seals and didn't sell seals.
They wouldn't sell seals to anyone.

There had only been a single occasion in the past when the Daoist Seal Hall had
almost broken this rule. That was when the man who was now Pure White
Continent's Liu Clan leader announced that he was going to purchase an entire level
of seals from the Daoist Seal Hall. In the end, the Daoist priest managing the hall had
no option but to report this matter to the Great Heavenly Lord cultivating atop the
Lone Peak.

The Great Heavenly Lord's reply had been very simple: he had unleashed a burst of
sword qi from the building on top of the Lone Peak, destroying the Ape Havoc
Estate's back garden. However, the young man, who wasn't the clan leader yet at the
time, had placed his hands on his hips and angrily cursed the old immortal atop the
Lone Peak. His arguments had boiled down to this — I'm wealthy as heck, so why
don't you come again if you're so capable?

And thus, the Great Heavenly Lord had unleashed a torrent of sword qi, severely
damaging the large Ape Havoc Estate that had been built up and maintained through
many generations. The large formation protecting the Ape Havoc Estate, one that
was supposedly capable of blocking a hundred strikes from high-level sword
immortals, had also been completely annihilated. Fortunately, not a single person
had been hurt.

Afterward, a famous exchange had taken place.

With a calm and unchanging expression, the young descendant of the Liu Clan had
turned around and asked the old steward, “The Great Heavenly Lord acted in such a
domineering and unreasonable manner. Did his actions conform with the rules?”

The old steward had smiled and replied, “The Great Heavenly Lord is the
embodiment of rules in Stalactite Mountain.”
Following this exchange, the supreme strength of Stalactite Mountain's Great
Heavenly Lord and the incredible wealth of Pure White Continent's Liu Clan had
simultaneously become renowned throughout the world.

Afterward, Chen Ping'an didn't walk up to the third floor to look at the seals there.
Instead, he directly went downstairs to wait for Jin Su outside the Daoist Seal Hall.

Jin Su came out fifteen minutes late. When she saw the young boy staring into space
on the steps outside the Daoist Seal Hall, she said in an apologetic voice, “I'm late
because a seal on the third floor birthed a new and extremely mystical spirit. It was
very fun, and it was able to take the shape of anyone who locked gazes with it. A lot
of people were lining up to give it a go. I'm really sorry about this, Chen Ping'an.”

Chen Ping'an stood up and patted his clothes clean. A smile stretched across his face,
and he replied, “It's not like we're in a hurry or anything.”

When Jin Su directly said Chen Ping'an's name for the first time in Stalactite
Mountain, the two people guarding the door at the foot of the Lone Peak opened
their eyes in unison as if in tacit understanding. They were the young Daoist priest
and the middle-aged man holding the sword in his arms.

The young Daoist priest stood up from his straw mat and left the white jade plaza,
heading toward the Incense Offering Tower.

The middle-aged man holding the sword turned around and bent his fingers, making
a slight flicking motion at the mirror-like curtain of water. However, he suddenly
smiled and twisted his wrist as if reeling something in. He retracted the message that
he had just flicked forth.

He continued to nod off.

Stalactite Mountain didn't forbid the use of mystical abilities, and the young Daoist
priest covered several kilometers in a single stride. In the end, he arrived in front of a
building in which purple smoke wafted. He strode inside, and many Daoist priests
with fish tail hats bowed and cupped their hands in respect upon seeing the white-
skinned little boy. They respectfully referred to him as grand uncle-master, and some
even referred to him as great grand uncle-master.

The young Daoist priest had an indifferent expression, and he never responded to
any of these people. After entering the building, he flicked his sleeve and sent several
visiting Daoists with different Daoist hats and Daoist robes flying. The visiting
Daoists at the Middle Five Tiers instantly drifted toward the two side walls. They
were so terrified that they almost suffered a mental collapse.

The young Daoist priest strode forward and claimed the incense offering region for
himself. He then retrieved a single stick of incense from the incense tube on the
nearby table. There were four picture scrolls accepting worship on the incense table.
The picture scroll of the Dao Ancestor was placed the highest, so high that
worshippers might miss it completely if they weren't paying attention.

Beneath the picture scroll of the Dao Ancestor, there were the picture scrolls of three
Daoist priests hanging side-by-side.

The Daoist priest in the middle held a peach wood talisman, the one on the left was
dressed in a feather cloak and held a Dao sword in his hand, and the one on the right
was wearing a lotus flower hat.

On the gigantic incense table, there was only a single large censer in which
worshippers could place their sticks of incense.

According to legends, it was said that if Daoist priests and worshippers sincerely
offered incense in the Incense Offering Tower, there was a chance for the Dao
Ancestor and the Three Pure Ones — the branch masters — to detect their offering.
When Daoist priests visited Stalactite Mountain, they would almost always visit the
Incense Offering Tower to offer three sticks of incense first. Of course, Daoist priests
from Mount Longhu's Heavenly Master Residence definitely wouldn't take a single
step into the Incense Offering Tower.

The young Daoist priest wearing the fish tail hat bowed three times at the branch
master wearing the lotus flower hat. After placing the stick of incense in the censer,
he closed his eyes and recited some words.

After a while, the young Daoist priest faltered before opening his eyes. He felt a bit
bored, so he turned around and eventually settled his gaze on a young man who
looked like a beautiful woman. He frowned and asked, “As a descendant of Middle
Earth Divine Continent's Lu Clan, why did you go to the Sword Reverence Pagoda
first? Why didn't you come here to offer incense first?!”

The young “woman” was unfazed, and he replied with a smile, “We loyally and
sincerely honor this paramount branch master as our old ancestor, but this old
ancestor has never acknowledged us as his descendants. For the past several
thousand years, just how many sticks of incense has the Lu Clan offered to this
branch master? Yet, we still haven't heard a single word from him. Will it make a
difference if I offer one more stick of incense?”

A hint of anger appeared on the young Daoist priest's face, and he exclaimed, “You
still dare to speak with such impudence?!”

The young man who had come to offer incense smiled with squinted eyes and said,
“Heavenly Lord, you're not a Daoist priest from the same branch as our Lu Clan's old
ancestor, so why are you so pressed about some outsider's etiquette?”

The young Daoist priest humphed and said, “Fool who doesn't know what's good for
you, get out of here!”

He flicked his sleeve, and the young man who was even more attractive than
beautiful women was immediately sent flying out of the building. He crashed into the
street outside the Incense Offering Tower, and he continued to vomit blood as he
struggled to sit up. Gazing up at the picture scroll on the right which had remained
indifferent toward them for hundreds upon thousands of years, the young man
started to roar with laughter.

Today, this branch master was still as cold and pitiless as always.

The Lu Clan had faced dire situations and threats of destruction time and time again
in history, yet the person in the picture scroll had never paid any heed to them.

The young Daoist priest walked out of the Incense Offering Tower and shot a quick
glance at the extremely disheveled young man. He then disappeared in a flash.

Following Jin Su's lead, Chen Ping'an arrived at Ganoderma Inn at noon. Here, he was
able to see the legendary Ganoderma ruyi.

After looking through the astronomically expensive immortal treasures and spirit
tools at Ganoderma Inn, Chen Ping'an didn't purchase anything, nor did he sell
anything from his pocket treasure. He left the inn and set off for the day's final
destination, the Daoist Saber Room.

The Daoist Saber Room wasn't fascinating because of the scenery it provided, but
rather because of the list on one of its walls. All kinds of bounties were listed on the
wall, and the subjects of these bounties were peculiar and varied.

There were great demons from some island in the South Sea, the ruler of a nation in
some continent, the elder of a terrestrial immortal in some immortal clan, some
demonic cultivators who were causing chaos in the world, and even a Confucian sage
from Southern Whirl Continent's Chen Clan. There were all kinds of people and
creatures on the bounty list.

The rules of the Daoist Saber Room had been passed down from some unknown
time, and anyone was allowed to post a bounty on the wall. However, the poster had
to leave the bounty money with the Daoist Saber Room. Otherwise, if one dared to
casually post a bounty without leaving any bounty money, one would have to
experience the power of the Daoist Saber Room's Dao saber.

Daoist Saber Room….

There were different branches under the Daoist second disciple's Dao lineage, and
one of the branches used the saber as their Dao instrument. This branch had once
made a huge name for itself in Middle Earth Divine Continent, and they had enjoyed
an equal standing with the Mohist Sect's saber-lending cultivators. One group was
domineering, and one group was mysterious.

In Majestic World, there was something even more troublesome than provoking
sword cultivators. That was engaging in conflict with Daoist priests who used sabers
as their Dao instrument. This was because “Daoist saber priests” were all extremely
resolute individuals. In fact, they could be regarded as cruel and merciless. They
were swift and efficient when slaying demons and fiends, and they were equally as
merciless and deadly when fighting against Qi refiners.

Just how bad was the temper of Daoist saber priests? It was said that one time, a
powerful Daoist saber priest had come across Esteemed Daoist Huangzi from Mount
Longhu's Heavenly Master Residence. They had both wanted to slay a supremely
powerful sinister demon, so logically speaking, the two of them should have teamed
up or fought against the demon without interfering with each other. Otherwise, one
of them could have stepped back.

However, at the first sign of disagreement, the Daoist saber priest had drawn his
saber and pointed it at Esteemed Daoist Huangzi. After engaging in an earth-shaking
battle and severely wounding the Heavenly Master, the Daoist saber priest had then
gone on to vanquish the sinister demon by himself.

This battle had created a huge stir in Golden Armor Continent. In fact, a Daoist
ancestor from Middle Earth Divine Continent's Heavenly Master Residence had
personally traveled tens of thousands of kilometers to Golden Armor Continent to
demand an explanation.

In the end, another paramount battle had taken place, with the Great Heavenly Lord
from the Lone Peak personally stepping forward to fight. He and the Heavenly
Master, who had an extraordinarily high level of seniority, had fought 500 kilometers
away from Stalactite Mountain. However, the final outcome remained a complete
mystery to outsiders.

————

Of the beautiful women and young ladies who worked as shop attendants in the Dust
Medicinal Shop, one was missing today. She was none other than the young girl
whom Zheng Dafeng still owed money to.

Zheng Dafeng was slightly angry, and he smacked the table and grumbled that the
young girl was truly trying to start an uprising. Just because she was beautiful, she
was daring to act in such an impudent manner, and this was essentially having no
respect for him, their handsome and dashing boss. Because of this, he was going to
fine her thirty or forty copper coins from what he owed her for that book.

The grumbling man seemed quite angry. However, it was a shame that none of the
women and young girls in the shop took him seriously. They continued to snack on
sunflower seeds and chat about trivial matters. In any case, none of them believed
that he would truly deduct their wage.

After a while, a terrified elder from the Fan Clan personally visited the Dust
Medicinal Shop with a panicked and apologetic expression on his face.

Zheng Dafeng's expression changed slightly, and he immediately stopped his

annoying grumbling. He walked around the counter and arrived at the door, saying in
a quiet voice, “We can speak here.”

The elder from the Fan Clan felt very frustrated. He was someone with genuine
influence in the Fan Clan's ancestral hall, yet he actually had to come here for the
sake of a commoner girl who had nothing to do with the Fan Clan. Moreover, the Fan
Clan hadn't done anything wrong, yet they still needed to apologize to this person.
Not only that, but the entire clan was filled with unease, afraid that Zheng Dafeng
would take his anger out on them.

The old man sighed and said, “Mr. Zheng, the young girl who didn't come to the
medicine shop today is dead.”

Zheng Dafeng nodded expressionlessly.

The old man misunderstood this response, and he thought that the 10th tier martial
artist didn't care much about this matter. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Zheng Dafeng waved his hand, signaling that the old man could leave.

He then sat down and didn't say anything else.

The women and young girls in the medicine shop had sharp senses, and they
immediately detected the strange atmosphere at the entrance of the shop. They
quickly fell quiet, not daring to speak loudly and certainly not daring to joke around
with their boss.

“Haha, I truly don't need to return the money this time,” Zheng Dafeng said.

However, there was no hint of joy on his face.

He looked toward some shadowy location in the alley and said, “I don't trust the Fan
Clan anymore. I don't trust their character, and I don't trust their abilities either. Old
Zhao, go and personally investigate this matter. I'm waiting for your news.”

Zheng Dafeng stood up and patiently waited there, just like that.

In Old Dragon City, winds of chaos were going to rise from seemingly insignificant
duckweed.

————

It was nighttime at Stalactite Mountain.

On the plaza, there was the young Daoist priest reading as well as the middle-aged
man holding the sword in his arms. Surprisingly, the latter was no longer sleeping
now that it was night. Apart from them, the plaza was already completely empty.

A gallant-looking young girl with a sword by her waist suddenly stepped out from
the curtain of water between the two large pillars.

Her eyebrows were like the distant mountains[1].

1. After reading some previous comments, I have to speak up for best girl. This refers
to the shape of her eyebrows being gently curved like the distant mountains, not the
distance between them being like distant mountains. ☜
After visiting the Daoist Saber Room, Chen Ping'an and Jin Su went to their last
destination for the day, the Sword Reverence Pagoda. By following this order, they
could cut their time on the road to a minimum and not walk any extra distance today.

At the Daoist Saber Room, the wall was absolutely crammed with bounties. Among
these bounties, Chen Ping'an had found three familiar names — Cui Chan, Xu Ruo,
and Song Changjing.

Cui Chan's name appeared the most, with six bounties asking for his head. Moreover,
the posters were from four different continents. From this, it was abundantly clear
just how unpopular the former first disciple of the Scholarly Sage was in Majestic
World.

As for the Mohist cultivator Xu Ruo and the Great Li Empire's Song Changjing, both
had a single bounty for their head. However, the reasons for these two bounties were
very strange. The poster asking for Xu Ruo's head was a woman who had signed her
name as “Extraordinary Lake's Green Water Primordial Lord Liu Rouxi.” Her words
were filled with a sense of hatred as well as a sense of affection.

Meanwhile, the person putting a bounty on Song Changjing had signed off as “Golden
Armor Continent's Han Wanzhan.” Perhaps this person had too much money but
nowhere to spend it, as his reason for posting this bounty was that he felt like the
small Eastern Treasured Vial Continent wasn't worthy of having a superior martial
arts grandmaster at the End Tier.

When Chen Ping'an and Jin Su turned around to leave, they walked past a group of
three people on the opposite side of the street.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but take another glance at them. This was because that
woman was genuinely far too tall. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, her figure was
shapely, and there was a scabbardless sword hanging by her waist. It looked like a
newly forged sword and it glowed in the sun with a snow-white glint as the tall
woman walked forward.
In fact, it wasn't just Chen Ping'an who was taking an extra glance at this woman.
Almost without exception, everyone on the street was checking out this strange
woman.

A handsome man was walking beside her, and the tall woman occasionally nodded as
he continued to speak quietly. However, she seldom said anything.

There was a middle-aged subordinate behind them, and he was filled with an
extremely strong killing intent that was very difficult to conceal. Perhaps he was a
pure martial artist under the seventh tier and without a Vajra Body yet, so he was
unable to conceal his powerful aura. If he was above the seventh tier but still
possessed such an aura, however, then that would truly be quite terrifying. Of the
myriad sword cultivators in Majestic World, Middle Earth Divine Continent's Zuo You
was the most extreme example of this.

Even after walking far away, Jin Su still couldn't help but turn back to glance at the
tall woman. The young girl seemed reluctant to see the tall woman disappear. Even
though the tall woman hadn't said anything and she wasn't wearing exquisite clothes
— and, in fact, she wasn't a stunning beauty either — Jin Su still felt very envious of
this woman. This couldn't be explained clearly.

Some people were indeed unique in this sense. A single glance at them, and one
could remember them for many years. However, there were also some people who
were the complete opposite. No matter how many years one looked at them, these
people would still fail to find a spot in one's mind.

Chen Ping'an didn't pay much attention to this, and it wasn't long before he pushed
the woman out of his mind. He took small sips of wine as he recalled the stone arch
bridge in his hometown. Of course, thinking of this eventually led him to think about
that golden bridge in the sky as well. That was a bridge that spanned endlessly
through the sea of clouds.

The tall woman never measured anyone with her eyes as she walked.

She walked all the way to the spirit wall in the Daoist Saber Room, where she looked
up and rapidly browsed through the bounties on the wall. She was largely
uninterested and unwilling to take an extra glance. After a while, her gaze stopped
on a bounty placed on the top-leftmost corner of the wall. Her eyes lit up.
She had traveled south to Stalactite Mountain on the Mirage Ship owned by her
empire. The ship had traveled from the north of Middle Earth Divine Continent and
flown over the Extraordinary Lake, one of the five famous lakes. It had passed Tassel
Mountain, the tallest mountain in the world, and it had also journeyed through
Southern Whirl Continent.

However, the woman had stayed inside her room the entire time, reading an ancient
book from some fallen empire. She had never showed her face, yet her lack of activity
made her want to do something now. After tempering her sword in Stalactite
Mountain, she wanted to find something to do when returning north.

She reached out and grabbed a bounty from the wall before turning to the front door
of the Daoist Saber Room and announcing in an indifferent voice, “I'll be accepting
this bounty.”

The handsome man had been following the tall woman's gaze just then, and he had
been muttering something under his breath the entire time. Upon seeing her gaze
settle on that certain bounty, he had quietly prayed, “Don't grab that one, don't grab
that one, you can grab anything apart from that one….”

However, his prayers had gone unheard, and the tall woman had grabbed exactly that
bounty. That was an old bounty that had been stuck on the wall for heaven knew
how many years.

The grandmaster-tier subordinate behind them had a wide smile. He was completely
unsurprised, and he had anticipated this outcome from the very beginning.

There was a sullen expression on the handsome man's face as he asked, “Imperial
Preceptor, are we truly going to travel to White Emperor City to stir trouble? The
paramount demonic cultivator near our place is only a few ranking spots below
White Emperor City's city lord, isn't he? He's also one of the ten most powerful
demonic cultivators in Majestic World, so why don't you look for him?

“That will be a quick and easy task, and I might have just finished preparing a pot of
wine for you when you return. Of course, this demonic cultivator has already gone
into seclusion due to his fear of you. News has even spread of his desire to relocate
his sect.”

The tall woman smiled and cut the handsome man off, saying, “I was only able to
advance my cultivation base thanks to that person's immense help. I forgot to tell
you, Your Majesty, but I've already killed him.”

The man faltered for a moment before saying in pity, “Imperial Preceptor, why didn't
you persuade him to surrender? If we gained such a powerful helper….”

The tall woman smiled again, replying, “I did try to persuade him. However, he put
forward one condition, and that was for me to become his mistress. I thought about
it for a bit, and I eventually decided that it would be easier to kill him than to act as
his maidservant and serve tea.”

The handsome man sighed in a forlorn manner. However, he quickly came to his
senses, and he beat his chest and stomped his feet as he exclaimed, “Imperial
Preceptor, tell it to me straight! Did he say these words before or after the fight?”

The tall woman felt slightly guilty, and she patted the handsome man's shoulder as
she smiled and said, “Your wisdom is truly unmatched, Your Majesty.”

At that time, she hadn't accepted the demonic cultivator's apology as he had kneeled
on the ground and kowtowed while begging for mercy. After leaving the corpse-
strewn demonic sect in the mountains, she had ridden through small mountain
paths on a galloping horse with the head of the demonic cultivator still impaled on
the tip of her spear.

She had initially planned to bring it back to the palace to show the emperor. He was
always thinking and talking about this paramount demonic cultivator, after all, so she
could finally show him what this demonic cultivator looked like.

However, upon realizing that the emperor would most likely grumble about her not
taking into consideration the bigger picture, she had flicked her wrist and tossed the
head away. Afterward, she had acted as if nothing had happened at all.

Because of this, she felt slightly guilty and apologetic toward the emperor beside her.

After all, this was an emperor who needed to ask for her opinion on everything,
whether that be establishing or abolishing his empress, deciding on a crown prince,
choosing a location for his tomb, and so on. It was very difficult to find such an
emperor in Majestic World.

She needed to cherish this.

The handsome man became a bit numb from pain, and he said in a listless manner,
“Then I'll get someone to deliver a message to the capital straight away. I'll tell them
to bring that suit of armor over for you. The city lord of White Emperor City is far too
strong, so you can't be careless.”

However, the tall woman suddenly shook her head and said with a fervent look in
her eyes, “If I engage in an intense life-and-death battle with the city lord from White
Emperor City, then wearing that suit of armor or not won't make any difference at
all. There's no need to do something unnecessary, Your Majesty.”

“I've begged you many times already, but I'll beg you one more time now,” the man
said in a solemn voice. “Don't fight to the death, and just fight until a victor is
decided, okay? After your battle, you can view the iridescent clouds with the city
lord, play a few games of Go with him, and take a stroll by the river….”

The tall woman glanced at her emperor and chuckled, “Your Majesty, perhaps you're
wishing for the city lord of White Emperor City to join our empire one day?”

The handsome man raised his thumb and shamelessly said, “As expected, you always
have the most comprehensive plans and understanding!”

“In my life, I'll only marry the Martial Dao and no one else,” the tall woman stated
calmly.

The handsome man sighed and didn't say anything else.

When the tall woman grabbed the bounty from the wall, no one from the Daoist
Saber Room came forward to greet her and interact with her. Meanwhile, all of the Qi
refiners crowding around the spirit wall scattered like frightened birds and beasts.

The newest ranking list for the top ten cultivators was compiled by Middle Earth
Divine Continent, and the cultivators on the list were all individuals from the
mountain peaks who had appeared in the world and displayed their power
sometime during the past hundred years. Otherwise, they would be excluded from
the list.

The previous list had consisted entirely of Qi refiners at the Upper Five Tiers, for
example, Heavenly Masters from Mount Longhu. Now, however, they only occupied
nine of the ten spots.
This was the first time in the history of Majestic World that a pure martial artist had
made it onto the list.

Not only that, but this pure martial artist was a female martial goddess, and she had
charged into the top five in a single go.

In the fourth spot was none other than the city lord of White Emperor City.

The tall woman turned around and said to the subordinate behind them, “You can
travel to Eastern Treasured Vial Continent in my stead. If those people stubbornly
refuse to hand that sword scabbard over, then just let it be. You don't need to force
them against their will.”

The middle-aged subordinate nodded in understanding.

————

Before entering the Sword Reverence Pagoda, both Chen Ping'an and Jin Su had their
own individual thoughts and plans. Chen Ping'an wanted to see whether the sword
of that man with a bamboo hat was displayed in the Sword Reverence Pagoda. If it
was, then what would its name be? Just how many great demons at the Upper Five
Tiers had it slain? Meanwhile, Jin Su wanted to pay homage to the swords of those
female sword immortals.

They both had their own plans, so they decided to split up and each go their own
way.

The Sword Reverence Pagoda was split into two floors, with the replica swords
displayed on the second floor not open to visitors. However, the first floor stretched
for quite a long way, and this was because of how the replica swords were organized.

They were displayed in rooms categorized by millennia, and each room would
display the replica swords of those who had slain great demons during that
thousand-year period. Thus, each room had a different number of swords. However,
not a single room was empty, with the only difference being how many or how very
many swords there were.

Chen Ping'an walked through the rooms and looked at the swords, remembering all
of their ancient names. In the end, he came to a conclusion. The second floor most
likely had a secret display of the picture scrolls and replica swords of those who had
engraved characters on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The displays in the Sword Reverence Pagoda were extremely well put together, with
each replica sword placed on a unique sword stand. Not only that, but there were
also picture scrolls of sword immortals hanging behind them, each measuring half a
person tall. These were lifelike portraits of their owners. In reality, it wasn't exactly
accurate to call these picture scrolls. This was because they were formed from white
mist that provided an incredible level of detail. It was as if the sword immortals were
still alive.

Even though there was a larger number of replica swords from male sword
immortals, Chen Ping'an still looked through the displays faster than Jin Su. However,
they coincidentally came across each other in the last room. In an even greater
coincidence, they stood next to each other at almost the exact same moment. One
looked at the male sword immortal's sword, Dogwood Cherry, and his expression
changed slightly. The other gazed at the female sword immortal's sword, Restful
Bamboo Grove, and a complicated look appeared in her eyes.

Most importantly, neither the male sword immortal nor the female sword immortal
had a picture scroll.

Someone suddenly pushed Chen Ping'an aside, cursing loudly as they did so. Even
though Chen Ping'an didn't understand which continent this person's official dialect
was from, he could easily tell that this person was very angry. The person spat at the
sword stands and replica swords, and he was clearly irritated at Chen Ping'an as
well, especially since the young boy was standing there without moving.

He continued to rattle on in a dialect that Chen Ping'an didn't understand at all. After
a while, the person also seemed to realize that the young boy with the sword case
couldn't understand him. He huffed and left in anger.

“Let's go,” Jin Su said with a sigh.

While standing outside the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain, Chen

Ping'an had heard Wei Bo talk about these past events. To say nothing of the current
battle situation where the demon tribe was attacking the Sword Qi Great Wall, those
events of the past had truly been epic. There had been several tense battles to decide
the ownership of the Sword Qi Great Wall, and the demon tribe had eventually
returned many damaged flying swords to the humans.
However, a male sword immortal and a female sword immortal had perished during
those thirteen battles. It was incredibly tragic. Both were meritorious and supremely
powerful sword immortals, yet they had actually been killed in battle by great
demons in front of everyone else!

Both, killed in battle!

Chen Ping'an looked at the name of the male sword immortal before turning his
head to glance at the name of the female sword immortal.

“Chen Ping'an, you're not leaving yet?” Jin Su asked with a puzzled expression.

“Mhm, you can return to the inn. I want to look through the Sword Reverence Pagoda
again. This place is open all day,” Chen Ping'an replied.

“Do you remember the way back?” Jin Su asked.

Chen Ping'an didn't look up, and he replied with a nod, “Yes, I remember.”

Jin Su found this slightly strange, but she simply dismissed it as the young boy who
always carried the sword case on his back being unwilling to leave because he was
overly eager and interested in the sword immortals from that world.

She exited the room, and as she walked past the previous rooms, it was as if time
were flowing in reverse for thousands upon thousands of years.

There were many visitors from other nations and continents in the Sword Reverence
Pagoda, and most of them were polite and respectful as they admired the replica
swords. Even though the young boy with the sword case remained standing in front
of Dogwood Cherry the entire time, most people didn't complain or say anything.

However, there were also people who had very bad tempers like the person from
before. Facing Dogwood Cherry and Restful Bamboo Grove, two swords that had
slain eleven great demons at the Upper Five Tiers before, these people either
sneered in disdain or spoke in ridicule. Indeed, some of them directly spat at the
sword stands or replica swords.

Chen Ping'an didn't understand what they were saying.

However, he could sense their fury, ridicule, indifference, mockery, gloating,

amusement, and so on….

Chen Ping'an didn't like this kind of feeling. It reminded him of his experience on
Osmanthus Island back then.

It was as if only hostility remained in the world.

One time, Chen Ping'an was knocked over by a tall and burly man. The man strode
forward and was just about to destroy the sword stand with a single punch. However,
a middle-aged Daoist nun with a fish tail hat suddenly appeared in front of him,
warning with a smile, “Damaging the collection of the Sword Reverence Pagoda is
strictly prohibited. Violators will be responsible for the consequences.”

The burly man huffed and retracted his fist, asking, “Then can I spit at it? Will that
break the rules of Stalactite Mountain?”

The Daoist nun smiled and remained silent.

The burly man understood her implied response, and he spat a mouthful of thick
phlegm at the sword stand before turning around to leave.

Some people nearby clapped and cheered, and this made the burly man feel an
increasing sense of heroism. He felt as if he had done something to everybody's
satisfaction.

Chen Ping'an still couldn't understand their words.

He silently walked to a corner of the room, squatting down and drinking wine. Only
when there were few guests in the room would he quickly stand up and walk over to
wipe away the spit on Dogwood Cherry and Restful Bamboo Grove, as well as their
sword stands. After cleaning them, he would return to the corner of the room to
drink.

After a while, some people mistook the young boy with the sword case for being an
errand boy in the Sword Reverence Pagoda. He was seemingly responsible for
looking after this room and preventing the replica swords of those two sinners of the
Sword Qi Great Wall from being destroyed.

Chen Ping'an stayed in this room of the Sword Reverence Pagoda all the way until
night. There were fewer and fewer visitors, so he also stood up fewer and fewer
times.

Late at night, it had already been an entire hour since the last visitor had come to the
room.

Only then did Chen Ping'an leave the Sword Reverence Pagoda. He sat on the steps
outside and held the Sword Nurturing Gourd in his hand. However, he didn't drink
anymore, and his lips were tightly pursed.

The surname of the male sword immortal was Ning.

The surname of the female sword immortal was Yao.

Once upon a time, a young girl had introduced herself to Chen Ping'an as such,
“Hello, my name is Ning Yao. My name comes from my father and mother's
surnames, which are Ning and Yao, respectively.”

While fighting against the Mountain-moving Ape from Sun Scorch Mountain, the
young girl's words had clearly indicated that her parents were still healthy and alive.
Moreover, during her entire stay in Jewel Small World, she had never acted like
someone who had lost her parents. Thus, even when Wei Bo stood in Downtrodden
Mountain and mentioned the death of a couple at the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen
Ping'an never linked this tragedy with the young girl.

However, looking back now, there had already been many clues and hints.

She didn't like talking about the character “badass” on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

She said that her partner had to be the strongest sword immortal in the world. Not
“one of the strongest,” but “the strongest.”

She had traveled around Majestic World by her lone self since a very young age,
looking for someone to forge a good sword for her.

Chen Ping'an sat on the steps and wrapped his arms around his knees.

Resting in the sword case on his back were Subduing Demons and Eliminating
Fiends, two swords that he had named.

Inside his Sword Nurturing Gourd were two more flying swords, First and Fifteenth.
There was also a pair of straw sandals on his feet.

Chen Ping’an sat with his back facing the Sword Reverence Pagoda, inside which
Dogwood Cherry and Restful Bamboo Grove were still standing side-by-side in the
innermost display room.

Chen Ping'an sat on the steps and stared blankly into space for a long time, his eyes
completely expressionless. However, he suddenly came to his senses and discovered
a young girl standing not far in front of him.

The young girl furrowed her brows slightly and directly said, “Chen Ping'an, why was
the letter delivered to my home written by Ruan Xiu and not you? What's going on
with you?!”

It was as if Chen Ping’an had been struck by lightning, and his reply was completely
unrelated to the question. “Long time no see, Ning Yao.”

Ning Yao sighed as she looked at Chen Ping'an's silly expression. She felt slightly
exasperated, and she sat down beside him before huffing, “Long time no see? Just
how long has it been?”

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment, and he scratched his head.

For some reason, he felt like it had already been a very long time.

He had walked hundreds upon thousands of kilometers.

He had thrown over one million punches.

Ning Yao looked at the young boy who was sitting upright, and she glanced at the
sword case on his back. She suddenly chuckled and couldn't help but say, “Chen
Ping'an, you're a….”

However, Ning Yao was mystified to discover that the young fool, who was always
fearless about everything, was sweating profusely in fear before she could even
finish her sentence.[1]

1. Referencing a previous chapter where Chen Ping'an is told that a relationship will
be impossible if a girl says, “You're a good person”. ☜
Before Ning Yao could finish speaking, Chen Ping'an hurriedly told her to hang on for
a moment. He then turned around and grabbed his wine gourd, drinking a quick sip
of wine.

Ning Yao was rather baffled.

Perhaps Chen Ping'an had done something bad behind her back? For example,
maybe he had accumulated a massive debt while traveling from Jewel Small World to
Stalactite Mountain, and he had recorded all of this debt under her name?

Or maybe after throwing a few thousand punches, he had felt like fist techniques
were pointless, so he had abandoned the Mountain Shaking Guide long ago? And it
was because of this that he was carrying a sword case now? Yet, after starting to
practice the sword, he had found that both his fist technique and sword skills were
unimpressive?

Or maybe Chen Ping'an was a lucky idiot, and he had gathered himself a big group of
lovers and soulmates while traveling through the cultivation world? And perhaps
these lovers and soulmates were waiting for him in an inn right now?

Ning Yao's mind wandered all over the place.

However, she never considered the possibility that Chen Ping'an might have lost the
sword forged by Ruan Qiong.

After all, how was this possible? Regardless of how distant the journey was, and no
matter what the season was, Chen Ping'an would definitely deliver the sword to her.

After drinking a sip of wine, Chen Ping'an suddenly stood up and walked down the
steps. He turned around to face Ning Yao as she stood in front of the Sword
Reverence Pagoda, a pagoda which seemed to house the tens of thousands of years
of spirit and vigor of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Moreover, the swords Dogwood Cherry
and Restful Bamboo Grove were also displayed inside the pagoda.
While squatting in the corner of that display room just then, Chen Ping'an had
thought about all kinds of random things. For example, some beautiful lines of
poetry. These lines included “missing is one as each adorns their hair with
dogwood[1],” “sitting alone in the bamboo groves,” and so on. He also thought about
A'Liang and the character “Badass,” and he thought about the characters “Thunder
Pool Restricted Land” that were even more ancient and historical.

In fact, Chen Ping'an had even daydreamed about what their reunion would be like.
Indeed, it definitely wouldn't be like this, where he was stupidly sitting on a set of
steps on Stalactite Mountain and she suddenly appeared in front of him.

Ning Yao slowly sat down on the stairs, then leaned back and lazily rested her elbows
against the taller steps behind her. She squinted her eyes, making her slender
eyebrows appear even more beautiful.

Upon seeing this, Chen Ping'an was surprisingly rendered speechless. He turned
around and took another sip of wine.

Just as he was finally about to say something….

Ning Yao raised an eyebrow and sat up straight, asking, “Chen Ping'an, when did you
become a drunkard?!”

The young boy had finally summoned some courage with much difficulty, and a few
words had finally crept to the tip of the tongue as if finally making their way up a
steep mountain. However, he couldn't help but swallow all of this again, and it was as
if his courage and words had plummeted down a cliff and smashed into smithereens.

Chen Ping'an sighed in grief and squatted down on the ground, not speaking a word
as he scratched his head with both hands.

Ning Yao stood up and remarked with a smile, “Chen Ping'an, it seems like you've
grown taller?”

Chen Ping'an suddenly stood up and gestured for Ning Yao to stay on the set of stairs
for a moment. “Ning Yao, let me say something first!”

The young boy raised his head and straightened his back, tightening his wine gourd
around his waist as he gazed at the young girl dressed in a dark green robe.
Ning Yao blinked in response, and she was seemingly unable to guess what Chen
Ping'an was playing at right now.

“Miss Ning….” Chen Ping'an started.

However, he suddenly shook his head and corrected himself, saying, “Ning Yao, I like
you.”

Ning Yao sat back down on the steps and replied, “If you're capable, then say it
louder.”

Chen Ping'an raised his voice and shouted, “Ning Yao! I like you!”

“Who are you?” Ning Yao asked.

There was a radiant smile on Chen Ping'an's face, and he was no longer reserved as
he proudly announced, “Chen Ping'an from the Great Li Empire's Dragon Spring
Prefecture!”

Chen Ping'an was aware of the safest option — he should have given the sword to
Ning Yao and interacted with her for a while first, after which it was best for him to
visit her hometown and become acquainted with her friends from the Sword Qi
Great Wall. After doing all this, he could decide whether he still wanted to confess to
her. In the worst-case scenario, his feelings would be one-sided, but they could
perhaps still remain good friends in the future.

However, Chen Ping'an wasn't willing to do this.

Ning Yao stood up again, and there was a strange look on her face as she asked the
young boy, “Is it very impressive to like someone?”

Chen Ping'an was at a complete loss. He didn't know how to answer this question.

After being confessed to, did all girls in the world ask some question like this?

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but grumble in his mind. Sword Saint Song from Water
Combing Nation had jinxed things for him, and the old boatman's master had refused
to share his experience with him during their interaction on Osmanthus Island.

Ning Yao walked down the steps in a single stride, extending her hand as she arrived
in front of Chen Ping'an. “Hand it over.”

Chen Ping'an nodded in reply and untied the wooden sword case from his back. He
then retrieved the sword forged by Sage Ruan Qiong and handed it to Ning Yao
standing in front of him.

Ning Yao accepted the sword, but she didn't draw the blade from the scabbard to
inspect its edge. She tied the sword to her waist and walked forward, brushing past
Chen Ping'an just like that.

When Chen Ping'an vigorously turned his head around to look at her, he simply saw
her raise an arm and lightly wave farewell.

His lips moved slightly, yet he was unable to utter a single word. This was because he
had expended all of his courage on the confession just then.

He stayed like that for a long time, unwilling to turn his head back around, and
unwilling to retract his gaze.

She walked further and further away, with her figure gradually vanishing into the
darkness of night.

Chen Ping'an turned around and walked toward the step that he had been sitting on
just then. He started to murmur to himself, saying those words that he had been
unable to say just then.

“Ning Yao, how have you been?

“Ning Yao, I experienced so many interesting things during my journey. Do you want
to hear some stories?

“Ning Yao, you definitely didn't expect this, did you? I promised you that I would
practice the fist technique one million times, and I'm only twenty thousand punches
from reaching that goal now.

“Ning Yao, do you know? When you were staying at my place in Clay Vase Alley, your
smile made me feel like the richest person in the world.

“Ning Yao, I saw A'Liang, but Mr. Qi has already left.

“Ning Yao, I visited Yellow Court Nation, Great Sui Nation, Colorful Garment Nation,
Water Combing Nation, Old Dragon City, and many other places. I came across many
girls, but none of them are as beautiful as you.

“Ning Yao, you asked me if I liked you before, and I told you that I didn't. You didn't
seem unhappy back then. But I like you very much now, yet you seem unhappy about
my confession. I'm sorry, Ning Yao.

“Ning Yao, I'm so happy that we met.”

————

On the white jade plaza beneath Lone Peak, a young Daoist priest with a fish tail hat
continued to read while sitting on his straw mat. These few days were important
fasting days for Heavenly World, and Stalactite Mountain never considered itself part
of Majestic World. Thus, this large gate leading to the Sword Qi Great Wall would
only reopen at midnight in two days' time. Otherwise, this plaza should have been
one of the busiest areas in Stalactite Mountain.

This was because this gate only allowed people through, not cargo.

The true transit hub was located on the inside of Stalactite Mountain.

Including the docks near the Catch and Release Pavilion and the Incense Offering
Tower, all of the eight docks had a path leading diagonally downward toward the
inside of the mountain. In the past, the two sect brothers had argued about whether
they needed to dig a tunnel through the mountain and build a new dock on the
inside. They had also clashed about whether they needed to ask for instructions
from that branch master in Heavenly World.

The Great Heavenly Lord in Stalactite Mountain had argued that this was the
unstoppable momentum of the world, so why should Stalactite Mountain not take
advantage of this potential incense money?

Apart from being a gatekeeper, the young Daoist priest was also the second-in-
command in Stalactite Mountain. He had held a different opinion, arguing that any
works on Stalactite Mountain that pertained to the body of the mountain seal — no
matter how minor — would be an act of extreme disrespect toward their master.

At the time, the two of them had failed to reach a consensus and had even gotten into
a huge fight. Afterward, they had both offered three sticks of incense at the Incense
Offering Tower, catching the attention of the branch master who stayed in the
heavens beyond heavens all year round.

The branch master, their teacher, had returned to the Heavenly World's White Jade
Capital. Then, he had personally issued a decree. Only after this had the two sect
brothers finally stopped their conflict. However, following the conclusion of this
matter, the young Daoist priest who had possessed influence and power rivaling his
senior brother in Stalactite Mountain had stopped caring about all the affairs of
Stalactite Mountain in anger. He left everything to the Great Heavenly Lord, and he
simply guarded his own straw mat.

The man hugging the sword in his arms had been sitting on the hitching post
sleeping for the entire day, yet he was surprisingly awake and alert at night, with his
eyes as bright as the radiant moon. There was an amused smile on his face as if he
were watching an interesting show, and he kept glancing around the plaza as if he
were waiting for someone.

After waiting for a long time, the expected person still didn't arrive. He became a
little impatient, and he hopped down the hitching post and made his way around the
mirror-like gate. He squatted down beside the young Daoist priest, and all he heard
was the slow and intermittent sound of the young Daoist priest flipping pages.

The young Daoist priest had been in a terrible mood lately. Even though he belonged
to the same branch as the Great Heavenly Lord, he had a very close relationship with
Third Branch Master Lu Chen. Recently, however, he would feel annoyed whenever
he saw that sissy with the surname Lu. The sissy's arrogant tone was even more
annoying. His senior brother losing a fight to someone was also very annoying.

Why were there so many annoying matters in the world?

Before being tricked to Stalactite Mountain by Branch Master Lu Chen, the young
Daoist priest had never experienced so many annoying matters in White Jade
Capital. He would accompany Branch Master Lu Chen for a stroll around the top floor
of some building every day, and he would eagerly wait for his master to return from
the heavens beyond heavens to take a rest in White Jade Capital.

If he was lucky, he could even come across the Dao Ancestor who could barely be
seen once a century. The Dao Ancestor was a very busy person, so he seldom ever
appeared in White Jade Capital. He was either traveling around some unknown
mystical realm to stabilize its fortunes and transform it into a small world suitable
for living and cultivation, or he was observing the Dao in that Lotus Flower World.

There was naturally no need for the Dao Ancestor to comprehend the Dao anymore,
so his act of so-called observing the Dao merely involved him observing the minor
Dao of other people, according to the explanation provided by the young Daoist
priest's master.

The young Daoist priest couldn't stand the sword-hugging middle-aged man beside
him, so he huffed, “At the end of the day, she's still nothing more than a young girl.
What's so interesting?”

“You don't understand,” the sword-hugging middle-aged man replied with a smile.
“I'm here as a punishment, so it's very rare for me to find anything a little
interesting.”

The young Daoist priest closed his book and chuckled, “Oh? There's only a single gate
in your way, and you're also a great sword immortal at the Immortal Tier here in
Majestic World. A little interesting? How little?”

The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, “It's truly boring to chat with
someone like you.”

After saying this, he added, “The pair of gatekeepers next door get along better than
us. Would you look, they're already starting to make small bets for entertainment.”

The young Daoist priest finally became a little interested, and he asked, “What are
they betting on?”

“Lend me half of your straw mat to sit on?” the sword-hugging middle-aged man
asked in a tentative manner.

The young Daoist priest remained unmoving, and he smiled coldly and replied,
“What do you think?”

The middle-aged man didn't dwell on this, and he continued, “Old Yao next door is
making a bet with that Daoist nun who has a saber. They're betting on whether the
young girl will return to the Sword Qi Great Wall by herself or with someone beside
her when morning comes.”
“Why isn't there an option for neither of them returning?” the young Daoist priest
asked.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man shook his head and gazed into the distance,
replying, “She'll definitely return to the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

“Due to the glory of the Ning Clan and the Yao Clan?” the young Daoist priest asked.

The middle-aged man sighed in response, a complicated expression on his face.

The eyes of the young Daoist priest lit up, and he casually flicked his sleeve and
silently recited two names in his mind using the official dialect of Eastern Treasured
Vial Continent. Two azure-colored talismans were casually created, and they both
disappeared in a flash.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man snapped his fingers and shattered the two
talismans that were even more indiscernible than slightly azure smoke. “One should
not look at that which is contrary to propriety, and one should not listen to that
which is contrary to propriety,” he said with a huff.

The two talismans included a Heaven and Earth Echoing Talisman and a Refreshing
Breeze Talisman. The former could rapidly travel around heaven and earth, and it
would immediately activate when it encountered the characters silently recited by
its creator. It would secretly record the contents of the conversation. Meanwhile, the
latter could find the people illustrated on the talisman, after which it could record
and stream the images to its creator.

Both talismans were extremely high-quality and incredibly difficult to draw. In the
mountains, however, these were considered some of the more useless Daoist
talismans. This was because both the Echoing Talisman and the Refreshing Breeze
Talisan would rapidly lose their spiritual energy upon coming into contact with
restrictions or murderous auras. For example, when they came across the images of
door gods, Wenchang pavilions, martial sage temples, unmarked graveyards, and so
on.

Even if high-quality talisman paper was used, these talismans would still create quite
some commotion when losing their spiritual energy. This would betray their
presence, and the targeted cultivators would naturally view this as an act of
provocation. Following the hints and traces, it would be very easy for the targeted
cultivators to find the talismans' creator and thus start a conflict.

Because of this, such kinds of talismans were only suitable for investigative purposes
in lands with no Dao.

Of course, it was naturally fine for the young Daoist priest to use the two talismans in
Stalactite Mountain, his own territory.

However, it was a shame that the sword immortal beside him had destroyed them
with a snap of his fingers.

“Do you want to make a bet?” the sword-hugging middle-aged man asked.

The young Daoist priest was completely uninterested, and he shook his head and
replied, “No, you're a gambling addict with a terrible reputation. In fact, you rank in
the top three shameless gamblers in Stalactite Mountain. If I lose a bet to you, I'll
definitely pay you the wagered amount. If I win the bet against you, however, I
definitely won't be able to receive anything. What's the point of making a bet? No
thanks.”

The middle-aged man put on a melancholy expression as he lamented, “There's

nothing for me to look forward to anymore. As a gambling addict, I can't even be the
number one shameless gambler.”

The young Daoist priest recalled something interesting, and he chuckled, “You're
already in a fortunate position. Just take a look at those two sword replicas in the
Sword Reverence Pagoda before taking a look at yourself. Regardless of whether
they're from the Sword Qi Great Wall or Majestic World, everyone who passes here
shows you utmost respect, do they not? As a great sword immortal, even your fart is
fragrant in their eyes.”

The middle-aged man wasn't angered, and there was self-ridicule in his voice as he
said, “If that's the case, then I indeed shouldn't complain about having to guard the
gate here.”

The young Daoist priest put his book down and placed his hands behind his head,
looking up at the sky.

“To common people in the mortal world, their hometown will most likely become a
past home after they leave for a hundred years,” the middle-aged man murmured.
“To Qi refiners, perhaps this will stretch out to a thousand years. Then what about
us, convicts and refugees who have left home for more than ten thousand years?”

The young Daoist priest didn't answer this question.

He couldn't answer this question.

————

It was late at night in Stalactite Mountain, yet a scorching sun still hung high above
the gate.

There were also two people guarding this gate, and they were also from the Sword Qi
Great Wall and Stalactite Mountain, respectively.

An old sword cultivator in gray was openly refining his bonded flying sword, and
standing beside him was a middle-aged Daoist nun with a Dao saber by her waist.

The Daoist nun furrowed her brows and said, “It's not right for Little Ning to secretly
go to Stalactite Mountain by herself. When the Great Heavenly Lord questions us
about this, I'll tell him the truth.”

The old sword cultivator nodded and replied, “Yes, tell him the truth. I'll take
responsibility.”

A group of young boys and young girls walked over from the distance, and they were
all extremely famous individuals in the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Even though they all had powerful backgrounds and were regarded as great
prodigies, these children had still been deployed three times in under three years
because of the recent battle. They had lost two members, with a young boy with the
nickname Little Grasshopper losing his life on the battlefield to the south of the wall,
and one member returning to a Confucian school after completing their training.

There was a handsome young boy with two swords by his waist. One had a scabbard,
Scripture, and one was without a scabbard, Cloud Pattern.

There was a chubby young boy who always had a smile on his face. However, he also
radiated the strongest killing intent. A sword named Purple Lightning hung by his
waist.
There was a single-armed young girl, and she was carrying a disproportionately
large sword on her back, Mountain Suppressing.

There was an ugly and tanned young boy whose face was riddled with scars, yet his
sword was one called Elaborate Makeup.

The old sword cultivator didn't seem happy to see these young children, and he
continued to focus on practicing his sword techniques.

Instead, it was the Daoist saber nun who had no historical relationship with the large
clans in the Sword Qi Great Wall that offered a sincere smile and greeted the
children.

She said they were still children, but they were only children in stature and age. In
reality, almost everyone in the Sword Qi Great Wall could foresee their impressive
future path and their lofty future achievements. This was especially the case after
they crossed the city wall and traveled south to the battlefield, personally taking part
in those bloody battles. Indeed, they had already won enough respect.

In the Sword Qi Great Wall, no one cared about your surname. Everyone had to prove
themself on the battlefield.

Of course, there were still some minor differences, reflected in the cultivation base of
the sword cultivators who guarded the young sword cultivators. When it came to
young sword cultivators from poor families, they could only rely on sword
cultivators organized by the Sword Qi Great Wall.

However, when descendants from the large clans first entered the battlefield, they
would definitely enjoy secret protection from powerful subordinates who were
temporarily without other missions. Of course, these subordinates definitely
wouldn't interfere unless the young descendants were facing certain death.

To the north of the Sword Qi Great Wall, every inch of the land was completely
infused with sword qi that had been passed down through the generations.

To the south, every inch of the land was completely soaked in the blood of their
ancestors.

The youths all had unique personalities, and the chubby young boy kept pestering
the Daoist saber nun, attempting to speak in an awkwardly uncouth manner like a
certain someone. However, he ended up being labeled a stupid goose by the Daoist
nun from Stalactite Mountain.

Meanwhile, the single-armed young girl kept staring at the sword techniques of the
old sword cultivator. There was displeasure on the face of the handsome young boy,
and the tanned young boy numbly looked at the large gate. He had heard that
another world lay beyond this nearby gate. Moreover, there was only a single sun
and moon there, and there were also beautiful mountains and limpid waters. The
young boy couldn't fathom the concept of beautiful mountains and limpid waters.

The handsome young boy continued to smack the hilts of his swords with his palms,
appearing slightly impatient as he grumbled, “If I see that person, I'm afraid that I
won't be able to stop myself from swinging my sword at him. You guys definitely
have to stop me at that time.”

The chubby young boy chuckled and replied, “Why should we stop you? It's best that
you hack him to death. Afterward, you'll also be chopped into mincemeat by Ning
Yao. That way, we'll kill two birds with one stone and eliminate two eyesores at once.
Rest assured, I'll look after Scripture and Cloud Pattern for you.”

After joking around, the chubby young boy appeared slightly helpless as he
continued, “Ning Yao isn't willing to say anything about that person, and she keeps
repeating the same reply again and again — an idiot from Jewel Small World, a
foolishly kind person, and an absolute miser…. Why do I feel like if we were forced to
make a choice, that bookworm from the Confucian school is slightly more likable? At
the very least, he's fought alongside us several times, and he even saved Charcoal
Dong that one time. He's just barely worthy of Ning Yao.”

The ugly young boy shot a ferocious glare at the chubby young boy.

The latter was completely unafraid, and he responded by making eyes at the ugly
young boy.

“Maybe we're overthinking things?” the handsome young boy speculated. “With Ning
Yao's personality, will she ever be attracted to anyone?”

The single-armed young girl carefully pondered this for a moment. She cherished her
words like gold, and she concluded, “Tough!”

————
In the second half of the night in Stalactite Mountain, a gallant-looking young girl
dressed in dark green and with twin swords on her waist appeared near the foot of
Lone Peak. She didn't so much as glance at the sword-hugging middle-aged man and
the young Daoist priest as she directly walked into the mirror-like gate.

In just an instant, she walked out from the mirror-like gate again, welcomed by the
scorching sun in the sky. She looked up and instinctively squinted her eyes.

Inside and outside the large gate, the sword-hugging middle-aged man and the
young Daoist priest, as well as the old sword cultivator in gray and the Daoist saber
nun, all exchanged a glance as if in tacit understanding.

As for the group of youths who were the same age as her, friends who deeply
respected and revered her, they all breathed a sigh of relief in a very heartless
manner. Seeing Ning Yao return to the Sword Qi Great Wall by herself, they felt like
the weather today was truly quite good.

They walked for a while, and the tanned young boy called Charcoal Dong eventually
turned around and asked, “Big Sister Ning?”

Ning Yao nodded in response before picking up her pace to catch up with the others.

She then overtook them.

Initially talking and laughing, the group of four young children quickly fell silent.

————

Outside the Sword Reverence Pagoda in Stalactite Mountain, Chen Ping'an stood up
and planned to return to Stork Inn.

After he stood up, however, he discovered a couple-like pair walking over from the
distance. They were middle-aged and dressed in a simple but elegant manner, and
they both had smiles on their ordinary-looking faces. They only took a quick glance
at him before turning their attention to the Sword Reverence Pagoda behind him.

Chen Ping'an looked down and retied the wine gourd to his waist. In fact, he hadn't
taken another sip after sitting down. He was just about to leave.

However, the woman smiled and asked in a gentle voice, “This is our first time
visiting the Sword Reverence Pagoda, and we've heard that the pagoda is very big
inside. Is there anything we should keep in mind?”

Chen Ping'an stopped and pondered for a brief moment before nodding and replying,
“How about I show the two of you around?”

The man and woman exchanged a smile before nodding and saying, “Sure thing.”

1. From the poem 'On Double Ninth Day Thinking of My Brothers at Home'. ☜
In reality, Chen Ping'an was slightly surprised by this situation. It was very rare for
people to speak the official dialect of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent in Stalactite
Mountain. However, after traveling around the world for so long, Chen Ping'an also
understood some basic etiquette. He knew that Buddhist monks didn't mention their
names and Daoist priests didn't talk about their ages, so rashly asking others about
their backgrounds also seemed to be quite inappropriate.

Chen Ping'an led the couple into the Sword Reverence Pagoda, repeating to them
what Jin Su had told him. Moreover, Chen Ping'an had always had a good memory, so
when it came to the replica swords and picture scrolls of the sword immortals that
he had gone to the effort to remember, he could immediately introduce their names
as well as their basic history.

While taking the couple around, Chen Ping'an also developed another thought. Since
he had used a sword before, he might as well stay in Stalactite Mountain for a while
longer. He could use this time to go around the Sword Reverence Pagoda and record
information about the sword immortals and immortal swords that he felt a
connection to. He would bring these back to the bamboo building in Downtrodden
Mountain, and he could go through them whenever he felt bored in the future.

This would be similar to those small bamboo slips on which he had engraved
beautiful lines of poetry and profound teachings of wisdom. Chen Ping'an would
sometimes place them under the sun, and even looking at them from a distance
would make him feel especially warm and comfortable. It was as if the sun weren't
shining on the small bamboo slips and the engraved characters, but shining on his
heart instead.

While recording the information, he could also use the opportunity to practice his
handwriting. However, he was unsure of how much calligraphy brushes, ink, and
paper cost in Stalactite Mountain. Would they be very expensive?

The woman smiled and praised, “Your memory is quite good.”

Chen Ping'an paused his thoughts and cracked a grin. This kind of ability was
nothing in the mountains. Indeed, this woman was definitely being polite with him.

In reality, Chen Ping'an was genuinely underestimating himself this time. This was
because the couple had already confirmed that the young boy would be filled with
confidence and certainty every time he set his eyes on a replica sword. This was a
case of his heart arriving at the swords before his eyes arrived.

This phenomenon related to a famous bottleneck for sword cultivators, and this
bottleneck was something that would determine a sword cultivator's ultimate
potential. Would they end up as a minor sword cultivator whose heart was restricted
by their flying sword, or would they become a great sword immortal who could
command a myriad kinds of sword intent?

After making their way through more than half of the display rooms, Chen Ping'an
was still filled with patience and interest as he followed the couple around. The two
were both looking at the displays very carefully. After roughly explaining the history
of the Sword Reverence Pagoda to the couple, he intended to let them go by
themselves and look at whichever sword immortal or immortal sword struck their
fancy. However, the woman would still chat with Chen Ping'an from time to time, so
the young boy decided to continue following them around.

The man had barely spoken the entire time, but he suddenly said, “I'll go ahead first
and wait for you guys to catch up.”

The woman nodded and didn't think much about this, and she continued to chat with
Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an had visited the Sword Reverence Pagoda only once, and
he was actually quite unfamiliar with the history of the Sword Qi Great Wall apart
from these renowned sword immortals honored in the display rooms. Surprisingly, it
was this woman who was visiting for the first time who spoke eloquently and
recounted the legends and achievements of many sword immortals.

For example, she talked about the founding ancestor with the surname Dong. His
sword was called “Three Corpses,” but this wasn't because he believed in Daoism.
Instead, this was because he had once charged into the belly of the demonic world by
himself, slaying three great demons at the Upper Five Tiers along the way. The Dong
Clan had risen in status in the Sword Qi Great Wall because of this, and almost all of
the subsequent clan leaders of the Dong Clan had personally slain great demons at
the Unpolished Jade Tier or even Immortal Tier….
Since they were talking about the Dong Clan, the woman eagerly brought Chen
Ping'an along as they looked for the replica sword, “Bamboo Case.” The owner of this
sword was a clan rejuvenation ancestor of the Dong Clan. Back then, the Dong Clan
had been facing a decreasing population and a lack of incense. The clan leader had
also been severely wounded and killed by a great demon, and the Dong Clan had
been in a situation where the young couldn't replace the old.

It was at that moment that a young Golden Core Tier sword cultivator from the clan
had resolutely stepped forward and taken the ancestral “Three Meters Tall” with him
as he retraced the demon-slaying path walked by their founding ancestor. Facing
doubt from everyone, the sword cultivator had returned to the Sword Qi Great Wall
with his sword after being away for more than two centuries.

He had carried a bamboo case on his back, inside which rested the head of a 13th
tier great demon. Before ascending the city wall, he had used Three Meters Tall,
which was already on the verge of shattering, to engrave the character “Dong” on the
Sword Qi Great Wall.

Afterward, this person had forged a new sword and named it Bamboo Case.

From that time onward, the Dong Clan became one of the most influential clans in
the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Through their conversation, the woman eventually learned that the young boy had
the surname Chen. Upon learning this, she smiled and asked Chen Ping'an whether
he had taken notice of the sword called “Mountain Flying Over.”

A bashful smile appeared on Chen Ping'an's face, and he couldn't help but feel a little
embarrassed. This was because the owner of this strangely named sword was a
sword immortal with the surname Chen. However, it was also because of this that
Chen Ping'an had paid particular attention to this sword and remembered it very
well.

In fact, Chen Ping'an would very carefully remember the sword immortal and their
immortal sword as long as the sword immortal had the surname Chen. If it weren't
for the fact that he hadn't learned how to paint, nor did he have painting masters like
those on Osmanthus Island beside him to learn from, Chen Ping'an would have
genuinely wanted to record the appearances of these sword immortals and bring
them back to Downtrodden Mountain as well.
Afterward, the woman smiled and picked a few sword immortals with the surname
Chen to talk about, telling their soul-stirring stories to Chen Ping'an.

When someone verbally told these stories, as opposed to reading a few concise and
ice-cold words from a sign, the stories would often become far more spectacular and
moving. They would become like monuments standing beside the long river of time;
they would become like rows of willow trees under which future generations could
stand under and enjoy shade. Amid this shade, one could witness the howling wind
and destructive rain lashing the world beyond the protection of the trees; one could
experience the turbulence and chaos ravaging those periods in history.

Chen Ping'an, who had already decided not to drink again in the future, involuntarily
started to drink again.

Not being liked by the girl whom he liked was a very heart-breaking matter.
However, the sky hadn't collapsed, so life would still go on as always.

This was a realization that Chen Ping'an had suddenly come to after entering the
Sword Reverence Pagoda again.

However, after learning about the incredible feats of so many sword immortals, Chen
Ping'an wouldn't turn around and dismiss his heart-breaking experience as a trivial
and insignificant matter.

To the young boy, this felt even more painful than those torturous training sessions
in the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain.

The two types of pain were completely different. One was transient, and it would
disappear after he endured through it.

However, one was intransient, and it felt like something that might not be overcome
in a day, a month, a year, a hundred years, or even an entire lifetime.

Strangest of all, Chen Ping'an felt even greater pain when he considered the
possibility that one day in the future, he might like a different girl.

The books said that using wine to drown one's sorrows would only lead to more
sorrows. Thus, Chen Ping'an had been too afraid to drink wine just then.

Before he knew it, it went from him taking the couple around to the woman
describing the sword immortals and immortal swords to him in great detail.
Everything flowed naturally, and neither of them felt like this was inappropriate.

Chen Ping'an then saw the man standing at the doorway of the last display room and
smiling as he looked at the two of them.

The man didn't like to speak, and he had only sized up Chen Ping'an a few times
when walking with him just then.

After entering the last display room, the woman exclaimed in astonishment when
they walked over to Dogwood Cherry and Restful Bamboo Grove, two neighboring
swords. “Why is there no picture scroll for these two sword immortals? I heard that
the owner of Dogwood Cherry was a very handsome man!”

Chen Ping'an could feel sweat forming on his forehead, and he carefully stole a
glance at the middle-aged man standing beside him. He dearly hoped that the man
wouldn't do anything stupid out of jealousy.

Unexpectedly, however, the man immediately returned serve, saying, “The lady who
owned Restful Bamboo Grove was also a stunning beauty, the kind rarely seen in the
world.”

Chen Ping'an instantly wanted to defend the woman against this injustice. So what if
she made a joke? As a man, he needed to be more magnanimous. How could he give
tit for tat?

The woman rolled her eyes at her husband. She then smiled at Chen Ping'an and
said, “Thank you for showing us around the Sword Reverence Pagoda.”

Chen Ping'an shook his hands and said, “No problem, no problem. I also like
wandering around in here, and I'll still be visiting over the next few days.”

The man narrowed his eyes and asked, “I heard that there was a little idiot in the
Sword Reverence Pagoda who liked to wipe away the spittle on these two replica
swords and sword stands. That little idiot wasn't you, was it?”

Chen Ping'an wasn't willing to complicate matters, so he purposely put on a baffled

expression as he vigorously shook his hands. “No, that definitely wasn't me. How
could I possibly be so stupid?”
The woman subtly stomped on the back of the man's foot. She then looked at Chen
Ping'an and said, “We're about to leave. Do you want to leave with us?”

“By the looks of it, you're also someone who likes to drink. Do you want to have a
drink?” the man suddenly asked. “I know a good place that has cheap and good-
quality wine. Moreover, it only serves friends of the shop.”

Chen Ping'an shook his head in response.

“You should accept the offer and have a drink if someone invites you,” the man
huffed. “You're still afraid of people with ulterior motives in Stalactite Mountain? In
any case, do my wife and I look like bad people? Do we look like people who will
covet your crappy sword and crappy Sword Nurturing Gourd?”

Chen Ping'an felt a little awkward.

This man was far too frank and straightforward. His wife grumbled, “Hmph, who told
me they hated forced drinking the most?”

The man didn't dare to argue with his wife, so he could only shoot a glare at Chen
Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an cracked a beaming smile at the woman.

The man became increasingly ruffled, but he was already being dragged toward the
entrance by his wife.

The three of them exited the Sword Reverence Pagoda together and walked down
the steps.

After holding back for a long time, the man finally asked again, “You're truly not
going to drink with us? Stalactite Mountain's Forgetting Sorrow Wine is something
that all drunkards and wine immortals in Majestic World want to drink. According to
legends, this wine is made using a unique method that the Confucian Etiquette Sage
left behind back then. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so think about it
carefully before giving me a response.”

Chen Ping'an glanced down at his Sword Nurturing Gourd. There was only a small bit
of osmanthus wine remaining.
The man clicked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “Young boy, with your fussy
and hesitant personality, I say that even finding a wife for yourself will be difficult.”

This remark was like a dagger through Chen Ping'an's heart.

I was truly too fussy and hesitant, and that's why I'm like a lonely ghost aimlessly
wandering around Stalactite Mountain even though it's already midnight. Otherwise, I
might be strolling around and enjoying the night scenery with Ning Yao!

“I'm not going to drink! So be it if I don't find a wife!” Chen Ping'an humphed in reply.

This was truly a rare display of anger from the young boy.

Chen Ping'an's gaze shifted slightly, and his expression became much more amiable
when he faced the woman. He cupped his fists and said, “Until we meet again,
milady.”

The woman smiled faintly and persuaded, “You should really give Stalactite
Mountain's Forgetting Sorrow Wine a try. Even ordinary Qi refiners at the
Unpolished Jade Tier find it extremely difficult to get a cup of this wine for
themselves. We have some old relationship with the shopkeeper there, and it's
thanks to this that we're able to enter the wine shop. If you genuinely like to drink,
then you shouldn't let this opportunity slip by. Mhm, even if you don't like to drink,
it's still best that you grab this opportunity with both hands.”

Chen Ping'an was slightly hesitant.

The man started to drive home his point, saying, “See, just look at him! So hesitant
and indecisive. Do you like this? In any case, I don't like it very much.”

Chen Ping'an's expression turned dark, and he thought to himself, Why do I need you
to like me?

Truthfully speaking, Chen Ping'an was a bit like an intoxicated drunkard tonight. His
temper was truly bad. After all, even clay Bodhisattvas had a temper.

The woman ignored her petty husband, and she patted Chen Ping’an's shoulder as
she said in amusement, “Let's go, let's have a drink together. I can tell that
something's weighing on your mind, so don't pay any attention to his grumbling
when we drink. Drink as much as you want. The heaven is vast and the earth is
boundless, but your wine cup will be the largest of them all. The mountains are tall
and the rivers stretch long, but the bottom of your cup will be so deep that even they
can't fill it!”

Chen Ping'an scratched his head and walked forward with the woman.

The man tagged along behind them, and he pursed his lips as he glanced back at the
Sword Reverence Pagoda.

————

A Daoist nun from Stalactite Mountain responsible for guarding the Sword
Reverence Pagoda arrived at the plaza by the foot of Lone Peak after being thrown
out of the Sword Reverence Pagoda by that person. She was on the verge of tears as
she stood in front of the young Daoist priest, and she listed out that man's crimes to
her master, who was flipping through a book. After absent-mindedly listening to the
Daoist nun's angry complaints, the young Daoist priest asked, “You still don't know
who he is?”

The Golden Core Tier Daoist nun dazedly shook her head.

The young Daoist priest nodded and said, “Then this is a case of no knowledge, no
fault. Alright, you can leave now.”

The Daoist nun became increasingly confused.

Behind them, the sword-hugging middle-aged man sitting on the hitching post took
great pleasure in their misfortune. “To teach without strictness is a teacher's
laziness[1],” he remarked.

“Utter nonsense!” the young Daoist priest raged. “This is an argument from those
bastard Confucian scholars, and my branch of Daoism has never promoted this
thought before! When it comes to cultivating oneself and cultivating one's Dao, are
these not matters in which one is solely responsible for themself?!”

The Daoist nun trembled in fear. She stood still with her head lowered, and she
didn't dare to move at all.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man didn't stop there. Instead, he continued to fan
the flames as he chuckled, “No wonder the picture of your Dao Ancestor is hung so
high up in the Incense Offering Tower. His picture is almost tens of thousands of
kilometers away from that of your three branch masters, including your master.”

The young Daoist priest leaped up and exclaimed, “Are you looking for a beating?”

The sword-hugging middle-aged man roared with laughter. “Thankfully, you didn't
say that I'm seeking death. Otherwise, I would have needed to criticize you for
spewing nonsense. I don't have any other strong points, and just like A'Liang said, my
only strong point is my frankness. When it comes to sucking up to others or exposing
others' shortcomings, even A'Liang said that I rank near the top in the Sword Qi
Great Wall.”

The young Daoist priest gritted his teeth in anger, and he clasped his hands behind
his back as he walked in circles around his large straw mat.

“Do you think that you're this place's A'Liang? You're a native refugee from that
place….” he muttered under his breath. “If it weren't for my master warning me to
get along peacefully with other people, I would have beaten you beyond recognition
today. I couldn't care less whether you're being suppressed by the heaven and earth
here and half a tier weaker than normal.

“So what if I achieve an unfair victory? I'll only feel satisfied after beating you to the
point where you don't dare to meet others for an entire year. I'll beat you until you're
like the senior brother who was staying on top of Lone Peak back then…. You've
pissed me off for many years already….”

The Daoist nun had initially hoped for her master to stand up for her, yet she felt
nothing but regret at this moment as she looked at her master venting his anger in
an extremely rare display. She shouldn't have come here to complain.

This was especially the case after her master accidentally revealed some secrets. The
Daoist nun felt like her life in Stalactite Mountain was about to become much more
difficult.

Perhaps the Heavenly Lord who guarded Lone Peak, the central region of Stalactite
Mountain, couldn't be bothered dealing with her. However, his first disciple, the
Flood Dragon True Lord who held a fly-whisk in his hands, was now the third-in-
command in Stalactite Mountain. The Flood Dragon True Lord was renowned for
respecting his master, so he would definitely make things difficult for her until the
end of time. Definitely….

The Daoist nun truly wanted to cry.

Why had fate given her a master who never protected his own disciples?

————

Not long before, Chen Ping'an had mysteriously taken the husband and wife around
the Sword Reverence Pagoda. And now, on the streets outside the Sword Reverence
Pagoda, he was for some reason following them to some wine shop to drink some
Forgetting Sorrow Wine or whatnot.

He would occasionally snap to his senses, and he would occasionally answer a

question from the woman. After what felt like a long time — yet it also felt like a
short fifteen minutes — the three of them arrived at a wine shop that was yet to
close for the night. However, business was slow, and there wasn't a single customer
in the shop. There was only a young shop attendant snoozing on a table and an old
man playing with a caged oriole behind the bar counter.

The old shopkeeper glanced at the couple and remarked, “Here come two rare and
esteemed customers. I most certainly have to retrieve that wine now.”

He then glanced at the young boy with the sword case standing behind them, and he
furrowed his brows before eventually heaving a sigh. He didn't say anything, and he
seemingly decided to turn a blind eye to this because of their relationship.

The old man turned to the lazy shop attendant and roared, “Xu Jia! Keep sleeping,
why don't you? In fact, why don't you sleep to death?! We have customers! Wake up
and bring a jar of wine over!”

The young shop attendant called Xu Jia immediately woke up with a start. He wiped
away his drool and stood up in a listless manner, and his back was bent as he walked
away to carry a jar of wine over. He placed the jar of wine on their table, yawning as
he said, “Enjoy the wine, customers. Same rule as always, our wine shop doesn't
provide any snacks.”

The woman nodded in acknowledgment and turned to Chen Ping'an, who was sitting
opposite her. She smiled and said, “There was once a very impressive monk whose
travels led him to this wine shop. After drinking some Forgetting Sorrow Wine, he
was full of praise and stated that only this wine could defeat the Buddha in his
heart.”

The old shopkeeper smiled and concurred, “Indeed. That old monk was truly
powerful, and even A'Liang might not have been able to shatter that baldy's small
world with a few slashes.”

In the end, he was still trying to say that his wine was the most powerful in the
world.

However, Chen Ping'an was still very happy to hear someone else mention A'Liang in
Stalactite Mountain.

Thus, he genuinely wanted to drink some wine now.

Yet, the old shopkeeper immediately slammed his hand on the bar counter and
fumed, “Fucking hell, just the mention of A'Liang makes my blood boil! He owes me
money for more than twenty jars of wine! He's the only person in the world who
owes me so much! There was Southern Whirl Continent's Chen Chun'an from back
then, that martial goddess from not long ago, and also those old geezers from the
Hundred Schools of Thought from way back when. However, who dares to owe me
wine money?

“Just think about that scholar from Middle Earth Divine Continent. When he was at
his lowest moment, a time when he was yet to flourish, he was a measly Sea
Observation Tier Qi refiner who could still write a hundred poems after drinking
seven liters of wine. What wine did he drink? Wine from here, of course! However,
after visiting three times, he only owed me money for four or five jars of wine in
total. That A'Liang is committing grave sins! And I'm the one suffering grave
consequences!”

The woman winked at Chen Ping'an, seemingly saying to him that the old
shopkeeper was always like this. This was his temperament, so they should just let
him be. There was no need to pay any heed to his antics.

The young shop attendant was in low spirits as he grumbled, “Old geezer, can you
stop talking about A'Liang? Young Mistress still hasn't returned to Stalactite
Mountain because of him. I seriously miss Young Mistress to death.”

The old shopkeeper instantly became much quieter, mumbling, “Heartless daughters
like that should be left out of home to bring harm to other people instead.”

After opening the jar of wine, the man filled each of the three large white bowls on
the table. Sure enough, he detested forced drinking the most, just as his wife had
said. After pouring the three bowls of wine, he directly said, “Drink if you want to,
and suit yourself if you don't want to.”

Chen Ping'an carefully took a small sip of wine. There was no strong taste, and the
wine was only slightly more potent than osmanthus wine. However, it couldn't be
considered so potent that it burned one's throat and intestines. Chen Ping'an took
two more sips, and his throat and stomach were still completely unaffected. He
finally felt at ease. This Forgetting Sorrow Wine was most likely special in some
other mystical manner, not in its taste.

After two large bowls each, the jar of wine quickly reached its bottom.

The woman turned around with a smile and asked the old shopkeeper for another
jar of wine. The old man sighed as he looked at the smiling woman, and he
personally went to grab them another two jars of wine. After gently placing the jars
on the table, he said, “These three jars of wine are on me. You don't need to pay for
them.”

Chen Ping'an's face was flushed red because of the wine, but his head felt especially
spacious and clear as if he weren't drunk at all. He didn't act drunk either. However,
he could clearly feel that he was becoming a little tipsy.

After drinking some wine, he wanted to say some things.

Just like those wine burps, holding them in actually did no good at all. It was
ultimately better to let them out.

In the beginning, the man lowered his head and focused on drinking. From time to
time, he would look up with an adrift expression and gaze outside the wine shop.

Meanwhile, the woman seemingly enjoyed chatting with Chen Ping'an. They chatted
about the young boy's hometown, and they chatted about his two distant journeys.

Since Chen Ping'an wasn't drunk, he consciously picked the people and matters that
he could talk about.
After a while, they somehow started to talk about that young girl.

Chen Ping'an, who decided he would stop drinking after four large bowls, quietly
poured himself another bowl of wine. However, he still didn't talk about his sword
delivery to Stalactite Mountain. He simply said that he needed to deal with some
matters, so he had left home to come to Stalactite Mountain. There was
coincidentally a young girl whom he was acquainted with living in the Sword Qi
Great Wall, so the two of them had eventually come across each other in Stalactite
Mountain. Their encounter was as simple as this.

The woman smiled faintly and asked, “Then you walked a long way to get here?”

Chen Ping'an raised his bowl and pondered for a moment. He then shook his head
and replied, “No, it wasn't far at all. I thought to myself that each step would lead me
closer, so this distance didn't feel far anymore.”

The man smiled coldly and questioned, “How long have you known that young girl
for? How long have you spent with her? Yet, you keep saying that you like her
already? Isn't this behavior a little too frivolous?”

Chen Ping'an didn't know how to respond, so he could only reply with a glum
expression, “I can't control who I like. If you feel like I'm frivolous, then you're free to
think what you want. I won't try to convince you otherwise.”

The man humphed coldly, most likely hurt by Chen Ping'an's words as well. Most
importantly, the young boy had spoken in a very sincere manner.

Who knew, maybe the rumors in the mountains were true. When drinking the
Forgetting Sorrow Wine, one becomes their truthful self.

“And then you were rejected by the young girl? Don't be discouraged. Have you heard
that a chance encounter between some people is destined to be positive, while a
reunion between them will be even better?” the woman consoled.

Chen Ping'an drank a large mouthful of wine. He felt slightly drunk and hazy, but his
eyes were still especially bright and limpid, just like water flowing down a serene
spring, carrying with it happiness, sadness, disappointment, and affection. Moreover,
these were all pure and unsullied emotions. The young boy shook his head and
replied, “If I like someone, then I have to make her happy. If I'm adamant that
someone has to be with me if I like them, then can this still be considered liking
them?”

Tears streamed down the young boy's face after he said this, and he continued,
“However, even though I say this, I'm still incredibly sad right now. In fact, I want the
entire Stalactite Mountain and the entire Majestic World to know that I like that girl.
And I hope that she, that one girl, will also like me….”

In the end, Chen Ping'an genuinely became drunk, so much so that he forgot how
many large bowls of wine he had drunk. He rested his head on the table and
continued to murmur.

In fact, he even forgot how he had argued and even fought with that man.

This was like a dream, yet he was seemingly aware of everything; this was like sleep,
yet he was seemingly awake and conscious. In a fit of rage, he had seemingly shot
from the fourth tier of martial arts to the seventh tier of martial arts as well, forever
losing the fated opportunity to become the most powerful fourth tier martial artist.
The woman seemingly asked him, “Is it worth it to abandon your martial arts
potential for the sake of fighting for the justice of a girl's parents? How will you
become the most powerful sword immortal — great sword immortal — in the
future?”

At the time, Chen Ping'an's reply was, “Liking a girl doesn't stop with simply saying
so. If I don't do this today — and let's pretend that the two of you are Ning Yao's
parents — do you feel like I, Chen Ping'an, will sacrifice important things for your
daughter when I become a rich and high-tier great sword immortal in the future?
No…. That kind of affection can't be considered deep affection. It's definitely a lie
from the very beginning….”

Chen Ping'an couldn't remember any of this.

The old shopkeeper was calm and unfazed.

Through tens of thousands of years, he was already accustomed to seeing all kinds of
people and human emotions.

By contrast, the young shop attendant sat nearby and listened with relish.

In the end, Chen Ping'an eventually fell asleep in a drunken state. The man glanced at
the young boy and took a sip of wine. “I still don't like this young boy —
blockheaded, idiotic, dull, not dashing enough, not courageous enough, only
mediocre talent, a so-so disposition, and a very stubborn temper. If he gets into an
argument with our daughter in the future, and if both of them are unwilling to take a
step back, what will happen then? With our daughter's personality, will she possibly
yield and apologize?”

The woman smiled in amusement and replied, “Apologize? So you're aware that our
daughter will most likely be the one in the wrong? You're aware that the young boy
will always try to satisfy her needs?”

The man felt slightly guilty, so he huffed and didn't say anything else.

The woman suddenly smiled and added, “Oh, I recall you also said that he isn't
dashing enough. Dashing in the sense of scholars and literati, or dashing in the sense
of attracting other women?”

There was concealed killing intent.

A brilliant thought suddenly occurred to the man, and even he felt impressed by his
own quick thinking. He raised his wine bowl and said in a proud manner, “Dashing in
the sense of carving characters onto the Sword Qi Great Wall!”

The woman smiled in reply.

The man chuckled dryly, and he found a path on which to retreat. “In fact, that silly
boy is quite a good person. Our daughter genuinely needs to find someone like him.”

There was a warm smile on the woman's face as she gazed outside the wine shop.
“Sorry,” she suddenly murmured.

The man beside her, their daughter Ning Yao, the Sword Qi Great Wall, and Majestic
World….

She was sorry to all of them.

The husband and wife both used some illusion technique, disappearing from view
after Chen Ping'an became drunk and unconscious.

The girl that Chen Ping'an liked looked a bit like him, and also a bit like her.
The man gently grabbed his wife's hand and said, “We're only sorry to our daughter.
We don't need to apologize to anyone else.”

A dazzling smile suddenly appeared on his face as he looked at Chen Ping'an, and he
remarked, “Our daughter's judgment is truly very impressive.”

“Just like mine,” the woman nodded and said with a smile.

The man suddenly felt a little exasperated, and he complained, “Is it really that
difficult for our silly daughter to say those words?”

“Of course it's very difficult,” the woman replied with a nod. “If a girl likes a boy, will
she want the boy to like someone who will eventually die on the battlefield?”

The man slapped his forehead and exclaimed, “Good heavens! How bloody
complicated!”

————

In the Sword Qi Great Wall, on a stone cliff that was actually a Dragon Slaying
Platform….

A young girl lay there and silently murmured, “Listen to me, Chen Ping'an, I don't
dislike you.”

1. A line from the 'Three Character Classic,' a classic Chinese text and an embodiment
of Confucianism suitable for teaching young children. ☜
The warm rays of the morning sun shone into the wine shop. The old shopkeeper
was whistling and teasing the caged oriole, yet the oriole sparrow was as cold and
aloof as a celestial maiden from the mountains. However, this raised the old
shopkeeper's fighting spirit, and the old man eagerly showed off his skills as he
skillfully whistled.

Elsewhere, the young shop attendant was diligently cleaning the wine shop. The
tables and chairs were already spotless to begin with, yet they became even more
sparkling clean after he attended to them. He would occasionally breathe onto the
furniture before using his sleeves to carefully wipe them clean. He was radiating
with a feeling of satisfaction.

To this young shop attendant in the wine shop in Stalactite Mountain, it seemed as if
cleaning up the shop was the most satisfying and happy thing in the world.

Chen Ping'an, whose arms and head were resting on the table, slowly woke from his
drunken slumber. He didn't have a splitting headache from being hung over, and
simply felt a little dazed and adrift. He was at a slight loss as he sat there, and he
wracked his brain as hard as he could to recall what happened last night. However,
he surprisingly couldn't recall anything at all.

He only remembered accepting the couple's offer to come here and drink Forgetting
Sorrow Wine, a type of wine that even Unpolished Jade Tier cultivators had a
difficult time getting their hands on. What was the true identity of that couple? What
had he discussed with them? And when had they left? He couldn't remember any of
this.

That wine was clearly called Forgetting Sorrow Wine, but what had he actually
forgotten?

Rather than forgetting his sorrows, Chen Ping'an felt even more troubled and
sorrowful now. He felt like there was a hint of sadness lingering in his heart, unable
to be dispersed.

This was like an oriole stopping on his earthen window sill in Clay Vase Alley early
one morning. It might chirp and disturb his sweet dreams, but he would still feel
reluctant to shoo it away.

Chen Ping'an looked around, and he saw the diligently working young attendant as
well as the carefree old shopkeeper.

“I'll grab the bill now?” the young boy asked tentatively.

The young shop attendant wiping a table leg grinned and didn't say anything.

The old shopkeeper smiled and replied, “The three of you drank four jars of wine in
total, and three of them were on me. So, young boy, you actually do need to foot the
bill for the last one.”

“How much is it?” Chen Ping'an asked.

The old shopkeeper chortled with laughter. “How much? If you want to use money to
purchase a jar of golden millet wine[1], then that will really set you back quite a bit.”

The young shop attendant, whom the old shopkeeper had referred to as Xu Jia,
chuckled and said, “Last night, a wealthy young master from Pure White Continent
visited our wine shop because of its good reputation. He wanted to buy a jar of
Forgetting Sorrow Wine to bring home. However, our shopkeeper was unwilling to
sell him anything, saying that this wasn't a matter of money.

“The young master kept pestering us, and he insisted on getting a price for the wine.
However, he was stupefied when he eventually learned of the number. Would you
look, he's been sitting on the steps outside the shop in a daze for the entire night. I
say that he still hasn't given up yet.”

“Liu Youzhou?” Chen Ping'an asked.

The old shopkeeper nodded and replied, “That's him, the future clan leader of Pure
White Continent's Liu Clan. He's known as the 'Treasure Child,' and his container
treasure is filled with all kinds of immortal treasures. Because of the Ape Havoc
Estate, everyone in Stalactite Mountain has heard of this wealthy young master's
title.

“One time he formed a group of eight people to adventure and train in Middle Earth
Divine Continent, yet they came across some powerful enemies during their journey.
Liu Youzhou retrieved seven high-grade immortal treasures at once, all of them
powerful offensive treasures. He then retrieved defensive immortal treasures to
surround the group until they were like a turtle.

“To say nothing of Sage Name Talismans, he was able to summon two suits of Divine
Dewbearing Armor. Meanwhile, the seven other people in the group relied on the
offensive immortal treasures to forcefully kill an earth immortal yin entity that was
two entire tiers above them.”

It was evident that the old shopkeeper felt like this young boy was worth saying a
few words about. He chuckled and continued, “Such an interesting young boy. Even I
almost couldn't help but give him a bowl of golden millet wine for free.”

Chen Ping'an felt slightly ashamed on behalf of his acquaintance. Just how scared of
death was Liu Youzhou?

There was slight unease in Chen Ping'an's voice as he asked, “Old Mister, how should
I pay?”

The old shopkeeper pondered for a moment before replying, “I haven't come up with
a payment option yet, so I'll look for you in the future when I come up with
something.”

Chen Ping'an felt both relieved and anxious upon hearing this.

The old shopkeeper smiled and added, “It's also possible that I won't recall this
before you pass from this world, so don't feel afraid.”

Chen Ping'an breathed a soft sigh of relief.

He stood up and was just about to leave, yet the old shopkeeper asked, “Young boy,
there's still almost half a jar of golden millet wine remaining. You're not going to
drink it first before leaving?”

Chen Ping'an reached over and swirled the jar of wine. Sure enough, there was still
almost half a jar remaining. “I can't take it with me?” he asked in puzzlement.
The old shopkeeper shook his head and replied, “If you take it away, then you won't
be able to forget your sorrows anymore. It will become even inferior to ordinary
wine. That's a reckless waste of this valuable wine, so I encourage you not to do
something so stupid. There's something unique about this wine, and that couple
inviting you to drink it now is already a humongous waste. The later in life you drink
it the better. However, it's very difficult to pursue the notion of better all the time,
and sometimes you just need to go with the flow and take things as they come. You
should be satisfied as long as the outcome is good.”

Chen Ping'an sat back down and asked in curiosity, “Isn't it called Forgetting Sorrow
Wine? Mister Shopkeeper, why do you keep calling it golden millet wine?”

Xu Jia, the young shop attendant, widened his eyes in shock. It was as if he had seen a
ghost in the morning, and he exclaimed, “You don't know where this place is?”

Chen Ping'an felt increasingly puzzled, and he replied, “Isn't this Stalactite
Mountain?”

Xu Jia grinned and asked, “Then you should know about the Golden Millet Blessed
Land, right?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head in response.

The old shopkeeper came to Chen Ping'an's rescue, saying, “It's understandable that
you're not aware of this place. This blessed land is in the same state as your
hometown, Jewel Small World. It's already been destroyed.”

Xu Jia hurriedly threw his towel away and said with urgency, “Shopkeeper,
Shopkeeper, let me explain the rest. Young Mistress said that I look extremely
handsome when I tell this story.”

The old shopkeeper chuckled and said, “Either my daughter is blind, or she was
speaking nonsense after having too much to drink. Tell me, which one is more
likely?”

“Young Mistress is healthy and well!”

Xu Jia coughed and cleared his throat before putting on a serious expression and
beginning, “Right now, only some ruins remain of the Golden Millet Blessed Land.
Back in its glory days, those in the world who felt sorrow all yearned to travel to the
Golden Millet Blessed Land, making it a bustling world filled with beautiful people
and beautiful scenes, beautiful wine and beautiful dreams. This blessed land had
everything. Moreover, it was guaranteed that the things in this blessed land would
align with one's wishes. This was the rarest quality of the blessed land.

“Not only that, but the blessed land could also reflect one's Dao Heart. There are
many Unpolished Jade Tier cultivators who barely managed to advance to the Upper
Five Tiers. Earlier in their cultivation journey, these cultivators relied on fortune as
well as many secret techniques and heretical methods from all kinds of different
teachings to advance their cultivation base. Thus, these cultivators will especially
travel to this wine shop in Stalactite Mountain.

“They'll strip back their layers of souls while remaining conscious, and they'll drink a
jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine after that to discover their true heart. Seizing this
opportunity, they'll gain an uninhibited view of their heart. At that time, they can
either analyze the finest details of their heart layer by layer, or they can determine
what areas need strengthening….

Xu Jia was filled with spirit as he spoke, yet the old shopkeeper impatiently cut him
off, saying, “Hold it right there! You keep repeating this ancient history over and over
again, so are you not afraid of it getting rotten and boring? To put things simply, this
small wine shop is the last remaining land of the Golden Millet Blessed Land.”

Chen Ping'an poured himself a bowl of wine and looked around. He was truly unable
to view this shop as a blessed land.

In reality, there was also a blessed land in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, the
Limpid Pond Blessed Land. This blessed land was controlled by Divine Edict Sect.

According to rumors, Parasol Leaf Continent's Jade Tablet Sect also controlled a
blessed land, Cloud Cave Blessed Land.

Chen Ping'an drank some wine and asked, “Old Mister, I didn't do anything stupid
last night, did I? Also, where did that couple go?”

“You don't remember?” the old shopkeeper asked.

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

“Even you don't remember, so why do I, an outsider, have to remember?” the old
shopkeeper replied with a chuckle.

Chen Ping'an was unable to counter this, so he could only drink wine in silence.

He still couldn't determine whether this wine was good or bad.

However, he felt like it went down very smoothly.

The old shopkeeper suddenly remembered something, and he pointed at a wall and
said to Chen Ping'an, “Do you see that wall over there? Those who have enjoyed wine
here can all go over to write a poem or a few words on that wall.”

Xu Jia put on a mature tone and said, “After drinking this wine, there can be two
potential outcomes. One type is becoming drunk and pissing off, after which one will
waste away the rest of their life in jars of wine. Even until death, they'll never regain
sobriety. The other type is comprehensively waking up and seeing through the
meaning of life. These people have yet to experience an entire lifetime, yet it's as if
they've already experienced the ups and downs of several lifetimes. I feel like the
poems and thoughts written by these two types of people are particularly
interesting. Customer, do you want to give it a go?”

The old shopkeeper chuckled in anger and said, “Piss right off, why don't you? My
teeth are almost about to rot away from the cringe. You're just a kid, yet you're
always trying to emulate A'Liang. Don't you find it embarrassing?”

“Young Mistress likes A'Liang very much, so if I don't emulate him, who else should I
emulate?” Xu Jia replied in a righteous voice.

“Those who learn from me live, those who emulate me die[2],” the old shopkeeper
said with emotion. “You've seen so many drunkards and heard so many drunken
remarks, so how do you still not understand this?”

“I'm learning from A'Liang, not learning from you,” Xu Jia replied with a chuckle.

The old shopkeeper threw a wine cup at the young shop attendant and scolded, “All
you do is talk like a smart-arse!”

Xu Jia gently caught the wine cup and tossed it high up back to the old shopkeeper.
He then quickly jogged over to Chen Ping'an and gave the young boy a calligraphy
brush. “Here, leave your thoughts on the wall.”
Chen Ping'an put his wine bowl down and said in reluctance, “My handwriting is
very bad.”

Xu Jia rolled his eyes and replied, “Can it be any worse than A'Liang's worm-like
characters? In any case, even the characters of those well-renowned calligraphy
masters are belittled as squashed toads, dead snakes, or a crude soldier's
embroidery by their peers.”

The young shop attendant lowered his voice and continued, “I'll be honest with you.
No matter how bad someone's handwriting, their characters will definitely look as
beautiful as celestial immortals compared to A'Liang's characters! If you don't
believe me, then head over and have a look for yourself.”

Chen Ping'an still didn't accept the calligraphy brush. However, he stood up and
walked toward that wall. From a distance, the wall looked blank and without any
trace of ink. After walking close to it, however, one would discover that the wall was
filled with lines of poetry, essays, and warnings.

There was a spectacular mixture of writing styles and works.

Someone's writing clearly stood out from the others. This was a poem written in
cursive script and taking up a very large space on the wall.

The different works on the wall were like a bouquet of flowers, with each flower
fighting to display its flourishing beauty. Among them, it was as if one flower dazzled
more than all others, capturing everyone's gaze.

There were also works that appeared out of place and inharmonious, with the most
jarring one being a line of large characters that were crooked and messy. Even Chen
Ping'an felt like it was unsightly. Not only that, but its contents also rendered people
speechless. “Whenever I think of all the girls who are waiting for me with
impassioned love, my heart can't help but ache.”

Most importantly, there was also a smiley face and a thumbs-up drawn at the end of
the characters.

There was no doubt that these characters had been personally written by A'Liang.
After all, ordinary people wouldn't be shameless enough to write something like this.

Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile as he turned around and asked, “Old Mister, you're
going to keep this on the wall?”

The young shop attendant who was holding the calligraphy brush for Chen Ping'an
appeared listless and sickly as he replied, “Firstly, A'Liang is extremely shameless. He
said that each character we wipe off will be equivalent to him returning money for
one jar of wine. Secondly, Young Mistress is extremely fond of this line, and she
thinks that A'Liang is praising her. Young Mistress even used a jar of golden millet
wine to purchase a romantic novel from a Fictionist Master. The novel was about her
and A'Liang…. Shopkeeper, what was the novel called again?”

“Lingering Sadness,” the old shopkeeper replied with a cold chuckle.

Xu Jia nodded and continued, “That's right. In reality, Young Mistress hinted to the
Fictionist that he should write the romance as blatantly as possible. However, the
Fictionist Master most likely found it too shameless to write in such a blatant
manner, so he kept the romance more reserved and subtle.

“Young Mistress was very displeased, so she said that she was going to elope when
running away from home this time. However, one of her objectives is also to find this
Fictionist and give him trouble. His novel was far too crappy, and Young Mistress
claimed that he was nothing more than a scammer fishing for fame. She's
determined to find him and spit on his face.”

Chen Ping'an's gaze traveled across the wall, and he eventually lowered his head and
found a line of small characters in the corner. This line was also written by A'Liang,
but it didn't seem jarring at all.

“Little █, there's nothing good about the cultivation world. Only the wine is
somewhat decent.”

After writing this, A'Liang had drawn a blob of ink over the character after “Little.”

“I can write anything I want?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Xu Jia handed him the calligraphy brush and replied with a nod, “Yes, anything you
want. As long as you write in a blank area, you can write whatever tickles your
fancy.”

After saying this, the young shop attendant didn't forget to add, “Customer, please
don't write blah blah blah was here. That's far too tacky and basic. In fact, even
A'Liang's shameless words are better than that.”

Chen Ping'an accepted the calligraphy brush before suddenly running to his table. He
drank a large mouthful of wine, and only then did he return to the wall. He half-
squatted and wrote a small “Qi” behind the character “Little” and above the blob of
ink.

“Little Qi, there's nothing good about the cultivation world. Only the wine is
somewhat decent.”

“The character doesn't have much spirit, and it's simply written in a proper manner.
However, it appears much better when placed next to A'Liang's characters. This is
called cheating. No, you need to write a line somewhere else,” the old shopkeeper
said in amusement.

Chen Ping'an nodded and started to look for a blank space on the wall. However, the
central region of the wall was already tightly packed with characters. It was indeed
possible to thread the needle and write something small there, but Chen Ping'an felt
like that would be disrespectful toward his predecessors. Moreover, most of the
people who dared to write in the central region of the wall all had very impressive
handwriting. Thus, Chen Ping'an truly didn't dare to write there.

Because of this, he tried his best to look for empty space in one of the four corners of
the wall. Xu Jia suggested two locations with quite a bit of empty space. One location
was in the top-right, and one location was in the bottom-left.

Chen Ping'an shuffled over and squatted down near the bottom left corner of the
wall. He took a deep breath and wrote three characters.

Before writing these characters, he recalled the many sword immortals and
immortal swords in the Sword Reverence Pagoda.

Thus, his three characters were, “Lasting Sword Qi.”

Xu Jia looked at the three characters which were written in a straight and proper
manner. They were truly uninteresting, so he shook his head and didn't think much
about them. At the same time, he couldn't help but mumble, “It's clear that he hasn't
read much.”

The old shopkeeper echoed the young shop attendant's sentiment in a rare display,
nodding and saying with a smile, “He also hasn't drunk enough wine yet. Hey, young
boy with the surname Chen from the Great Li Empire, there's no need to be in such a
hurry. Drink a bowl of wine first, and after you feel satisfied, write something from
your heart. It's not as difficult as you think. I treated you to three jars of wine, so I'll
also let you write three lines of characters. You still have one chance left.”

However, Chen Ping'an had already returned the calligraphy brush to Xu Jia. He
smiled at the old shopkeeper and said, “There's no need.”

The old shopkeeper didn't mind this. Immortals creating valuable works of ink in a
drunken state was a minor matter to bring good omen; it was simply an added
bonus. Since the young boy didn't have impressive handwriting, nor was he a sword
immortal, the old shopkeeper naturally wouldn't force him to write another line.

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment before asking, “Old Mister, can I save this half
jar of wine for later? I want to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall first and drink it after I
return. Is that okay?”

Xu Jia vigorously shook his head, saying, “There's no such service in our wine shop.
Once the clay seal of the jar is broken, you have to drink the golden millet wine in
one sitting. There's no service that allows you to leave and come back later to finish
your wine.”

The old shopkeeper thought about this for a brief moment before nodding and
replying, “I'll allow it this one time.”

“How come?” Xu Jia exclaimed in panic.

The old shopkeeper placed the birdcage beside his hand. He then leaned on the bar
counter and replied with a faint smile, “I like the notion of 'saving'. This is very
auspicious and joyful.”

When Chen Ping'an stepped out of the wine shop, he surprisingly tripped and
stumbled. When he stabilized himself and looked back, he found that there was no
wine shop at all. There was only empty space.

Inside the wine shop that had vanished without a trace, the old shopkeeper opened
the birdcage and let out the golden-beaked oriole. However, before it could approach
the wall of characters to adeptly examine a certain person's martial fortune, it
hurriedly turned around and flew back to its cage in a flash. Xu Jia was dumbfounded
when he saw this.

The old shopkeeper pondered for a moment before sighing, “So be it. He's only a
young boy from a small continent, so what does it matter if he possesses this sapling
of marriage affinity? It will only be a measly hundred years. Whether we examine his
fortune or not won't make a difference.”

Xu Jia angrily glared at a line of characters at the very top of the wall. Almost
everyone wrote from top to bottom in a straight line, and only a single person apart
from A'Liang had done otherwise in the past 100 years. This was a female customer
who had visited not long ago, and she was the only person after A'Liang who had
written her characters horizontally. Moreover, her characters had terrified the small
oriole and caused it to wildly flutter around. It had taken more than half a day for the
oriole to recover, and it was as if it had suffered a long bout of sickness.

The young shop attendant couldn't help but grumble, “It's all the fault of that martial
goddess' supreme martial fortune. Its aura is far too terrifying!”

There was adoration and kindliness in the old shopkeeper's eyes as he looked at the
pitiful little oriole. “I've made you suffer,” he murmured.

There was a pair of unique orioles in the world, able to peck scholarly fortune and
carry martial fortune.

According to rumors, the male oriole had been captured by Daoist Branch Master Lu
Chen, while the female oriole was being raised by the founder of Syncretism[3].

————

Chen Ping'an walked along a secluded alleyway.

Even though he experienced a confusing night of drinking, he suddenly came to a

realization after walking out of the wine shop.

Chen Ping'an grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd and started to drink the remaining
osmanthus wine. There wasn't much left, and he continued to mumble as he drank.

“Ning Yao most likely doesn't like you.

“Otherwise, how could she forget her promise? Back in Jewel Small World, she said
that she would give a sword scabbard to you.

“Chen Ping'an, you're truly an unlucky bastard. This isn't a matter of whether Ning
Yao likes you or not. Instead, this is a matter of whether Ning Yao detests you or not.”

With this in mind, the young boy felt a little content as he sought joy amid pain. At
the very least, he hadn't traveled all this way for nothing. He had gained a lot of
experience.

However, he decided that he would still go to the Sword Qi Great Wall.

He continually told himself that he would only go there for a quick look. He wanted
to look at those large characters engraved on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

At most, he would “coincidentally” come across that young girl at some place at some
time. He would confidently smile and greet her. However, Chen Ping'an was still
unsure about how he would greet her. Should he say, “What a coincidence,” or should
he say, “Oh, you're also here.” He didn't know which one was more suitable.

Chen Ping'an was completely focused on solving this problem.

….So much so that he didn't notice the person walking behind him, a young girl who
was almost angered to death.

She was dressed in a dark green robe.

1. This refers to the idiom 'a brief dream of grandeur,' or more literally, 'a golden
millet dream.' In the story, a Daoist priest dreams for a perceived period of decades,
but wakes up to discover that only a few minutes have passed in reality, not even
enough time for his order of golden millet rice to finish cooking. ☜

2. This references a line that Qi Baishi, a modern Chinese painter, said to one of his
students. It means that one should learn the heart and philosophy of their teacher
and build upon that, not simply emulate them. Otherwise, the student will always be
walking in their teacher's shadow, and their path will eventually lead to a dead end.
☜
3. Also known as the Mixed School, Syncretism (杂家) is one of the Hundred Schools
of Thought. Syncretism is an eclectic school of thought that combines elements of
Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, and Legalism. ☜
Just as she couldn't hold back any longer and was about to kick Chen Ping'an….

Chen Ping'an suddenly vanished from the alleyway.

It was as if someone had grabbed him and dragged him into another world.

The young girl suddenly felt very empty. The space in front of her was empty, and her
heart was also empty. She started to seethe with anger.

She was just about to draw her sword and follow those traces to tear open the
fissure among heaven and earth. However, it was also at this instant that her cheeks
suddenly flushed a slight shade of red. She seemingly heard something, and she
replied with a quick “oh.” She then humphed coldly at the location where Chen
Ping'an had vanished.

After doing this, she flew toward the plaza at the foot of Lone Peak.

After seeing this young girl who completely ignored the rules again, the young Daoist
priest was so enraged that he was about to explode. He angrily threw his book to the
floor and jumped up from his straw mat, scolding in fury, “Little girl, do you really
think Stalactite Mountain is your bloody backyard?! You come as you please and you
leave as you please…. This is already the third time! The third time! Even the sword
immortals from the Sword Qi Great Wall might not break this rule a single time in
their lives. Yet, what about you? You've broken it two times in a single day!”

The sword-hugging middle-aged man yawned and said, “You can hit her if you're so
capable.”

“Do you truly think I don't dare to?” the young Daoist priest fumed. “If I weren't
taking pity on her because of her misfortunes, I would have thrown a single punch
and….”
The gallant-looking young girl was expressionless as she walked through the mirror-
like gate. She leaned back slightly to face the young Daoist priest, and she said, “Why
are you taking pity on me? It's not like we're very familiar with each other.”

The young Daoist priest felt like the young girl's words were very unreasonable. At
the same time, however, they also seemed slightly reasonable.

Sitting on the hitching post, the sword-hugging middle-aged man held his belly and
roared with laughter.

————

They had both walked out from that wine shop in Stalactite Mountain.

When Chen Ping'an walked out, he arrived in a secluded alleyway.

When Liu Youzhou walked out, however, he arrived under an ancient locust tree
outside the tall walls of a courtyard. He squatted down in boredom and started to
count the ants crawling along the ground.

The old woman, an earth immortal, silently stood beside her young master and
didn't disturb his daydreaming.

The sun slowly peeked over the horizon and illuminated the sky. Liu Youzhou stood
up with a bright glimmer in his eyes, and he turned around as if he were asking the
old woman for praise. “I finally understand now. Ants that have grown up in
Stalactite Mountain are no different from ants that have grown up in ordinary cities
and towns.”

The old woman was already accustomed to the young boy's wild imagination, so she
simply nodded with a faint smile.

Liu Youzhou glanced at the old locust tree and said in low spirits, “I'm not going to
buy it, it's far too expensive. I can't bear to give away my hard-earned New Year's
money just like that. I've already saved up for so many years.”

The old woman breathed a sigh of relief. She was genuinely afraid that her young
master would impulsively throw away all of his money to buy a jar of Forgetting
Sorrow Wine. In any case, this golden millet wine had little benefit to Qi refiners at
the Middle Five Tiers. Regardless of how wealthy Pure White Continent's Liu Clan
was, the young master still shouldn't spend money in a profligate manner.

If he did, he naturally wouldn't receive punishment. In fact, the clan leader and
elders might even have to smile through gritted teeth and praise him for being a
good descendant of the Liu Clan. They would have to praise him as confident and
generous. After all, would someone hesitant to spend money be worthy of becoming
the Liu Clan's future clan leader?

However, she would definitely be reprimanded.

The old woman wasn't complaining about Liu Youzhou because of this. Instead, she
only wanted the best for him. With so much New Year's money, wouldn't it be quite
good to buy a pseudo-celestial tool? Why be stubbornly focused on a jar of wine?

Liu Youzhou turned around and started to return home. While walking, he suddenly
asked, “Grandma Liu, do you think Aunt Liu has returned from the ice fields in the
north yet?”

When Liu Youzhou mentioned Aunt Liu, a beaming expression of pride immediately
appeared on the old woman's face filled with wrinkles and marks of vicissitudes.
“She's most likely returned. If that damned girl is lucky, then perhaps she's already
advanced to the ninth tier of martial arts as well. Young Master, according to the
agreement, you can ask her to bring you to the ice fields in the north at that time. You
can go there to slay great demons.”

Liu Youzhou was still a young child, after all, so his reply was also slightly childish.
“Why has she advanced to the ninth tier so quickly? My father said that it was
extremely significant for Aunt Liu to become the strongest eighth tier martial artist.
It's far better than being a weak End Tier grandmaster. When they were speaking in
person, my father persuaded Aunt Liu not to carelessly advance her cultivation base
unless she had no other option.”

The old woman chuckled softly and explained, “The clan leader was naturally
speaking with good intentions. However, we should never take things to extremes. If
a pure martial artist can smoothly advance to the next tier, then they shouldn't
forcefully suppress their cultivation base and hold back. Otherwise, that will lead to
imperfections. In fact, they might lose all hope of advancing beyond the 10th tier. Of
course, this is irrelevant for ordinary prodigies. Being able to advance to the 10th
tier with much difficulty is already a wild dream for them. However, your Aunt Liu is
different.”

Liu Youzhou had never been overly interested in these matters pertaining to the
foundation of the Great Dao. Instead, he mulled over the most unimportant matters
as he sighed, “That Aunt Liu, seriously…. She always complains and loudly asks about
where all of the good men in the world have pissed off too. She also likes to ask me if
I've come across any good men. As a proud man myself, how am I supposed to
answer her? Moreover, my father introduced so many young prodigies from Pure
White Continent to Aunt Liu, yet she didn't seem to be interested in any of them.
What a massive headache.”

Liu Youzhou's train of thought was truly very unique. He continued with another
question that the old woman found funny, saying, “If the demonic army drowns the
Sword Qi Great Wall one day, what will happen to Stalactite Mountain? That nest of
ants under the locust tree crawls so slowly, so will they be able to move nests in
time?”

There was a kindly expression on the old woman's face as she replied in a gentle
voice, “Young Master, just how many years has the Sword Qi Great Wall stood strong
for? In the world next to us, the demon tribe launches a powerful assault every
hundred years or so. After all these years, how many corpses have those bloodthirsty
beasts left at the foot of the Sword Qi Great Wall? Yet, when have they ever
succeeded? There are indeed some astonishingly powerful great demons, but they
can only stay on the city wall for a short while before being pushed off by some old
sword immortals.”

Liu Youzhou nodded in understanding. However, he quickly reverted to his own train
of thought, and he was unable to extract himself from this as he said in anxiousness,
“Our clan's Ape Havoc Estate is actually inferior to that nest of ants. It can't be lifted
up and moved. Fortunately, Pure White Continent is far away from Stalactite
Mountain. Ahhh, Southern Whirl Continent is quite pitiful. It will definitely be filled
with tens of thousands of kilometers of smoke and ashes at that time. I wonder if
Pure Confucian Chen Clan's old ancestor, that old man with a sun and moon on his
shoulders, can unleash his formidable power and keep the sea of demons off the
land”?

The old woman was amused by her young master's groundless worries, and she
couldn't help but smile and reply, “That's right, our Pure White Continent is very far
away from this Stalactite Mountain. Not only does the Southern Whirl Continent lay
between us, but there's even Middle Earth Divine Continent that's larger than the
eight other continents combined. Young Master, what is there to worry about?”

“I'm not worried about Pure White Continent's safety,” Liu Youzhou murmured. “I
simply feel uncomfortable when I think about the fact that many people will end up
dying in such a war. Southern Whirl Continent at least has the most powerful disciple
of the Second Sage. However, what about Parasol Leaf Continent in the southeast
that we traveled to before? And what about Circling Ascension Continent that we're
about to travel to? I don't think these continents have any cultivators powerful
enough to protect them.”

The old woman chuckled and replied, “Young Master, you shouldn't compare
everyone to your father. Is a Qi refiner not impressive simply because they're weaker
than our clan leader? There's no such thing.”

The wealthiest individual in Pure White Continent and the most powerful Qi refiner
in Pure White Continent were the same person.

Liu Youzhou's father.

This man had a higher cultivation base than any old ancestor in the history of the Liu
Clan, as well as superior combat power.

Pure White Continent was a place where people were tough and immortals liked to
fight. Thus, it was terrifying to know that no one had ever managed to successfully
gauge this man's complete power.

This man had also spoken a sentence that was extremely popular in the mountains
— If we can solve a problem using celestial tools or pseudo-celestial tools, then we
shouldn't use our fists and legs, right?

Liu Youzhou seemingly had many gripes with his father, and he grumbled, “And he
has a large group of wives and mistresses as well. What's so good about that?”

Regardless of what happened, the old woman didn't dare to comment on whether
the clan leader was good or bad.

The clan leader having a good temper was one matter, and subordinates and
servants not abiding by rules and etiquette was another matter altogether.
The Liu Clan had an iron grip on the mountain range where jade was mined to mint
snowflake coins. However, tall trees caught more wind, so many people died each
year because they couldn't keep their mouths shut. Among the deceased, there
would always be quite a number of descendants from the various branches of the Liu
Clan.

Right now, Liu Youzhou was still wearing the bright yellow bamboo robe named
“Refreshing.” This robe was once the treasured possession of an emperor from a
large empire in Middle Earth Divine Continent, and the robe was also praised as a
small grotto-heaven by many people.

Pure White Continent's Liu Clan also owned another bamboo robe named “Escaping
Summer Heat.” This bamboo robe formed a pair with Refreshing, and many people
praised this robe as a small blessed land.

Liu Youzhou liked to switch between the two bamboo robes.

These robes were comfortable, and they weren't too flashy either. Otherwise, it
would be far too eye-catching if he wore those Daoist talisman robes or the Divine
Dewbearing Armor. If he wore those, wouldn't he be announcing to the entire world
that he was very wealthy?

I am indeed wealthy, but I don't like to say this to others!

In any case, I can't be considered a genuinely wealthy person. After all, I couldn't even
bring myself to purchase a jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine last night, right?

Liu Youzhou sighed and asked, “Grandma Liu, am I really not allowed to go to the
Sword Qi Great Wall?”

“The clan leader has given me instructions about this; you're definitely not allowed
to go,” the old woman replied in a firm voice.

Liu Youzhou asked a question that cut straight to the core of the issue. “At the end of
the day, the Sword Qi Great Wall is still populated by convicts and refugees from
Majestic World. In other words, their relationship with this side of the gate is not as
amiable as we think. To add to that, there are also many dirty things going on in
Stalactite Mountain. After sacrificing so much and having so many members killed by
the demon tribe, has no one ever betrayed the Sword Qi Great Wall and defected to
the demon tribe in anger?”
The old woman contemplated this for a moment before answering, “Those old sword
immortals as well as some powerful figures from the three teachings are all keeping
an eye on the Sword Qi Great Wall. As such, no major disturbances should occur.
However, the type of people you speak of definitely exist. It's just that the Sword Qi
Great Wall most likely isn't willing to air their dirty laundry.

“Young Master, you don't actually need to pay too much attention to the situation
over there. According to the intel gathered by the Ape Havoc Estate, the current
generation of young sword cultivators in the Sword Qi Great Wall is especially
talented. Moreover, it's not just a few of them who are talented. Rather, they're like
bamboo shoots after rain popping up with their sharp tips one after another. They
can almost rival the group of sword immortals from 3000 years ago.

“That generation was genuinely impressive, and they managed to suppress the
demon tribe and deter them from provoking the Sword Qi Great Wall for a whopping
800 years. In fact, many members of the demon tribe never caught a glimpse of that
great wall in their entire life. So, if you ask me, I'd say that Stalactite Mountain will
enjoy peace and prosperity for the next few hundred years.”

The young boy felt slightly sad, and he murmured, “The Liu Clan might be making a
lot of money, but we're profiting from the death of others.”

The old woman wanted to remind Liu Youzhou to be careful of what he said in
Stalactite Mountain. Upon seeing his downcast expression, however, she eventually
couldn't bring herself to say anything.

A steward from the Ape Havoc Estate appeared in front of the young boy and the old
woman. There were two horse-drawn carriages stopped by the side of the street, and
the old steward said in a soft voice, “Young Master, we have esteemed guests at the
estate.”

Liu Youzhou nodded in acknowledgment before stepping into one of the carriages.

After arriving at the Ape Havoc Estate, Liu Youzhou saw a refined man as well as a
tall woman. The scholarly middle-aged man was standing there and appreciating a
painting, while the tall woman was sitting there and drinking tea.

The man was seemingly a connoisseur of calligraphy and painting, and he praised,
“Who would have thought that this is the authentic Hunched Old Lotus Painting?
Sure enough, it exudes an outstanding strength and aura. In terms of painting lotuses
alone, no one in the past 500 years has been able to rival this.”

While returning to the Ape Havoc Estate, the old steward hadn't revealed the
identities of the esteemed guests to Liu Youzhou out of an abundance of caution.
Only when entering the estate did he quietly inform Liu Youzhou that the esteemed
guests were the emperor of Middle Earth Divine Continent's Great Duan Empire as
well as his imperial preceptor.

Liu Youzhou clasped his hands and bowed in respect, saying, “Liu Youzhou pays his
respects to Your Majesty and His Imperial Preceptor.”
The man turned around and smiled at the young boy, saying, “The imperial preceptor
needed to borrow the small lake of lightning to temper her sword, so I also used this
as an excuse to take a break from my busy schedule. I came to Stalactite Mountain to
enjoy some fresh air, and I initially didn't want to disturb the Ape Havoc Estate.
However, I heard that Young Master Liu was coincidentally in Stalactite Mountain as
well, so I thought that I had to come here to visit no matter what.”

Liu Youzhou clasped his hands and bowed again, saying, “Your Majesty is too polite.”

The Great Duan Empire was the newest member of the nine large empires in
Majestic World.

It had conquered more than half the territory of some old empire, so the
reinvigorated Great Duan Empire was busy with many tasks and changes. Thus, it
didn't make sense for the emperor and his imperial preceptor to leave the empire
together.

However, these were secrets that the current Liu Youzhou couldn't speculate about.
Liu Youzhou was well aware why the emperor of the Great Duan Empire was giving
face to the Ape Havoc Estate. The Great Duan Empire had succeeded in pulverizing
the Supreme Mystery Empire, a former member of the nine large empires.

That war had been a nation-destroying one involving countless forces, and it had
lasted for almost an entire decade. In the end, the Great Duan Empire had forcefully
outlasted the Supreme Mystery Empire's Imperial Xie Clan. During that war, Pure
White Continent's Liu Clan — or the money pouch of Liu Youzhou's father, to be
exact — had made extremely big contributions.

After Liu Youzhou straightened his back, he turned to the female imperial preceptor
of the Great Duan Empire before clasping his hands and bowing again. “I've admired
Imperial Preceptor for a long time already.”
In reality, the Liu Clan was a secret benefactor of the Great Duan Empire. As the
future clan leader, there was therefore no need for Liu Youzhou to be so polite and
self-debasing.

A rare smile appeared on the woman's face, and she put down her teacup and said,
“Your personality is completely different from your father's. This is quite good.”

The emperor of the Great Duan Empire felt slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Could this be considered praise?

The tall woman smiled and asked, “Have you been to the Sword Qi Great Wall
before?”

Liu Youzhou didn't even sit down, and he remained respectfully standing as he shook
his head and replied, “Not yet. Father won't allow me to go, lest anything untoward
happen while I'm there.”

The woman thought for a moment before offering, “My only disciple is currently
tempering his Martial Dao in the Sword Qi Great Wall, so if Young Master Liu is
willing, you can travel with me to the Sword Qi Great Wall. There won't be any
accidents.”

The old woman and the old steward of the Ape Havoc Estate exchanged a glance.
They both felt like this was a prickly situation.

They weren't doubtful of the imperial preceptor of the Great Duan Empire, but this
was something that pertained to their clan leader's wishes. As subordinates, they
didn't dare to take matters into their own hands and make unauthorized decisions.

Fortunately, Liu Youzhou had already shaken his head and politely turned down the
offer, saying, “I shouldn't go against my father's wishes. Please understand, Imperial
Preceptor.”

The tall woman took no offense, and she nodded and said, “It won't be long before
my disciple needs to leave the Sword Qi Great Wall and Stalactite Mountain. At that
time, having him train in Pure White Continent will also be quite a good choice. If
Young Master Liu doesn't mind, you can bring my disciple along with you.”

Liu Youzhou's expression relaxed a little, and his voice also became much more
carefree than before as he chuckled, “I'm more than happy to!”

He was only a young boy, after all, yet he was facing the fifth most powerful person
from Middle Earth Divine Continent.

Moreover, his father had long been peerless in Pure White Continent, yet he still
claimed that he could only rank at most tenth in Middle Earth Divine Continent.

Upon seeing the tall woman stand up, the emperor of the Great Duan Empire smiled
and said, “In terms of when we're departing from Stalactite Mountain, I'll order
someone to inform the Ape Havoc Estate as soon as possible when I get back. There's
no need to show us out, we're fine to leave by ourselves.”

The emperor and his imperial preceptor walked out of the Ape Havoc Estate.

More accurately, the imperial preceptor and her emperor walked out of the Ape
Havoc Estate.

This was because no matter how one looked at them, it seemed as if the tall woman
were the ruler of the Great Duan Empire, while the man was nothing more than her
attendant or subordinate.

Only after his two guests left did Liu Youzhou sit down and tug at the collar of his
bamboo robe. He was drenched in sweat. He glanced at the most prized treasure of
the Ape Havoc Estate, the 'Hunched Old Lotus Painting,' and he ordered the steward,
“Take it down, package it up properly, and deliver it to the emperor of the Great Duan
Empire.”

There was an uneasy expression on the old steward's face.

Liu Youzhou flashed a dazzling smile and reassured, “Listen to me.”

The old steward silently nodded and went off to carry out the young master's
wishes.

After the old steward removed the painting and carried it out of the main hall, the
young boy looked at the suddenly empty wall and asked with a smile, “Grandma Liu,
should we hang the painting of that young boy rowing a boat? What do you say?”

Fear washed over the old woman, and she was just about to persuade her young
master not to be rash.

However, Liu Youzhou was already chuckling to himself, saying, “I won't hang it here.
When I get home, I'll hang it in my own room! Let's go, let's go. In order to express
my sincerity, I'm going to paint a picture myself! Grandma Liu, make haste and tell
the subordinates to bring me a calligraphy brush and ink!”

There was an amused expression on the old woman's face.

There were four beautiful and delicate-looking maidservants in the Ape Havoc
Estate, and two of them were actually Qi refiners at the Abode Tier. They eagerly
watched their young master exert much effort to paint that picture, and they
appeared increasingly attractive and delicate as they did so. It took all of their
willpower not to laugh.

Liu Youzhou was extremely proud of himself. Even though the painting was a bit ugly,
it was undoubtedly filled with his sincerity.

Indeed, Liu Youzhou's painting was just as wonderfully artistic as that person's
handwriting on the wall in the wine shop.

However, it was a pity that Liu Youzhou hadn't bought himself a jar of golden millet
wine at that time. Otherwise, he might have found himself a cherished friend upon
seeing those worm-like characters.

————

There existed a large wall in the world, upon which 18 characters were engraved.

Dao Power, Grand Majestic, Western Land.

Thunder Pool Restricted Land, Eternal Lasting Sword Qi.

Qi, Chen, Dong, Badass.

After that wager which had involved 13 fierce battles between elites from both sides,
the demon tribe had gone back on their word. Not only had they refused to return all
of the damaged swords strewn across the land to the south of the great wall, but they
had even turned their embarrassment into anger and unleashed wave after wave of
attacks.
However, compared to their all-out assault from before the wager, when they had
fought without caring about their lives, the three subsequent assaults had been
intermittent and slightly less intense. According to rumors, many great demons in
the demon tribe had been unwilling to launch those assaults. Thus, the demon tribe
had failed to launch a united and powerful attack.

Right now, the Sword Qi Great Wall was exactly the same as before. There were
simply 18 extra characters on its surface.

This was because the Sword Qi Great Wall was a barrier formation that had been
created by the combined power of sages from the three teachings. Unless it was
comprehensively destroyed in a short period of time, it would quickly recover and
return to its original state. If this weren't the case, then it would have been
annihilated and flattened long ago, regardless of how tall and sturdy it was.

Moreover, the vicious attacks from the paramount great demons, as well as the fierce
sword strikes from the generations of sword immortals on the city wall, would all
give rise to boundless waves of peerless sword qi that cut through space and
inevitably damaged the great wall.

Swarms of demons were stationed 50 kilometers from the great wall, so great in
number that they looked like endless clusters of ants. As of this moment, they had
already paused their assault for more than one month.

The Sword Qi Great Wall was experiencing a rare moment of peace.

Just the path on top of the great wall measured a whopping five kilometers in width.

An old man of unknown age was living in a thatched cottage on top of the city wall.
The old man's descendants had already settled down and flourished with their own
descendants in the city to the north of the Sword Qi Great Wall, and they had become
one of the largest clans. However, the old man had never left the great wall before,
guarding this place day after day, year after year. The old man had a strange temper,
and he never allowed descendants from his clan to come here to visit him. Yet, he
would occasionally smile in a kindly manner at children from other clans.

Sword immortal. Great sword immortal.

The only difference was a single word, yet the gulf between the two titles was like
the gulf between heaven and earth.
Similarly, there was also a huge gulf between the title of great sword immortal and
old sword immortal in the Sword Qi Great Wall.

This was because if a sword cultivator wanted to enjoy a long life in the Sword Qi
Great Wall, they could only rely on their combat power and not their surname or
clan.

As a member of the oldest generation still alive in the Sword Qi Great Wall, the old
man had experienced far too many things. He had naturally experienced far too
many disappointments as well. The most recent disappointment could perhaps be
considered a big disappointment, even from the aspect of the old man who had lived
for so many years. The old man was disappointed that he hadn't been able to
participate in that battle due to the constraints of some rules. It was because of this
that the immortal couple, his juniors, had died such disgraceful deaths.

The old man had watched the two of them grow up, year by year, cultivation tier by
cultivation tier, all the way until they became great sword immortals.

To the old man, only watching youths like them grow up brought a bit of color and a
sense of anticipation to his life.

They made him feel like the worldly atmosphere wasn't regressing, and that young
people were still very impressive.

Tonight, the old man was sitting cross-legged on top of the city wall by himself. Save
for his bonded flying sword, his other swords had already shattered one after
another. In the end, he decided to stop using other swords.

All of the elders and children in the Sword Qi Great Wall were extremely familiar
with this old man of unknown age. However, the old man's temper was quite
peculiar, so few people liked to interact with him anymore.

Even so, a youth of unknown origin from the outside had come here a few years ago
and insisted on staying behind the old man's thatched cottage no matter what. He
had eventually built himself a small thatched cottage there.

During recent times, the young boy would simply guard his and the old man's
thatched cottages every time the demon tribe attacked. Otherwise, he wouldn't
actively participate in the battles.
In fact, no one criticized the young boy from outside about this either. After all, he
was only a pure martial artist at fourth tier. Thus, being able to persist and stay on
top of the city wall was already quite the feat.

The old man with sunken eyes and protruding cheekbones fell into deep thought.

If it weren't on top of this city wall, and if it were in Majestic World on the side of
Stalactite Mountain instead, it was very likely that not a single soul would believe it
when they were told that this skinny and fragile-looking old man was referred to by
the nickname of “old great sword immortal” by some goofy person who had carved
the character “badass” on the great wall.

A couple appeared behind the old man at this moment, and the old man didn't turn
around as he said in a hoarse voice, “There's not much time remaining for the two of
you. Is there anything else you need from me? Feel free to request anything as long
as it doesn't interfere with the future direction of the two worlds. If it's your private
matters, I can ignore all the rules and whatnot. In any case, I already broke the rules
by forcefully collecting your damaged souls back at that time. Even then, those two
oldies turned a blind eye to it.”

The man gently held his wife's hand, shaking his head and saying, “This is already
very good.”

The woman shot a glare at her husband before correcting with a smile, “Yes, there is
one thing.”

The old man squeezed out a smile and asked, “The mother-in-law is becoming more
and more satisfied with her son-in-law? Mhm, this is a good thing. It's much better
than finding a useless good-for-nothing. Go on, tell me what you need. Do you want
to give the young boy a celestial tool, or do you want me to personally teach him
sword techniques?”

The woman hesitated for a moment before replying, “It might be even more difficult
than that.”

The skinny old man turned around and asked, “Oh, how so?”

There was helplessness on the man's face as he revealed, “The young boy's bridge of
immortality was shattered by someone.”
The old man frowned and said, “Sword cultivators are the most skilled in the world
when it comes to destroying other people's bridges of immortality. However, trying
to repair a bridge of immortality is even more difficult than ascending the heavens.

“Moreover, if I remember correctly, not a single person whose bridge of immortality

was constructed by someone else has managed to advance to the Upper Five Tiers
and become a powerful sword cultivator. After all, cultivation itself is already an act
of defiance against the heavens.

“If one repairs their bridge of immortality and sets foot on the path of cultivation
after having their bridge shattered, they'll face even more scrutiny and anger from
the heavens. It's extremely likely that the heavens will target them and never let go.
Have the two of you genuinely made up your minds? Are you not afraid of making
matters worse?”

After saying this, the old man smiled faintly and continued, “After all, it might be
difficult for others to ascend the heavens, but this is no big challenge for me.”

The woman was slightly hesitant. She and her husband had disagreements about
this, with her husband holding the view that it was best to follow fate and go with
the flow. Martial arts wasn't necessarily a bad option. However, as a sword cultivator
who had stood on the mountain peak and witnessed majestic scenes before, the
woman knew that the mountain peak of martial arts was lower than the mountain
peak of Qi refiners.

This was the truth, and there were also historical reasons and grounds for this. She
wasn't looking down on the young boy's martial arts cultivation, but she was rather
worried about the slim possibility of him walking to the highest peak. The path of
Martial Dao led to a dead-end, and the chance of someone reaching the peak was
incredibly small. Moreover, what did a dead-end imply? And what did the bridges of
immortality of Qi refiners imply?

What should their daughter do at that time?

The man smiled at her and said, “How about we leave things as they are? We'll let the
young boy forge his own path. It's up to him how far he goes.”

However, the woman was still hesitant to let this go, and she asked, “Why don't we
help him ask Grandpa Chen for a celestial tool? Perhaps we can treat this as a dowry
for our daughter?”

Regardless of age, everyone in the Sword Qi Great Wall was accustomed to calling
this old man Grandpa Chen. Only two people were exceptions to this rule.

Of course, that one certain person who had put on a bamboo hat and left this place
with a saber had also been an exception.

The man huffed in anger and argued, “To say nothing of whether he'll be able to use
an unruly celestial tool in his lifetime, as a man, does Chen Ping'an need this kind of
donated fated opportunity….?”

The woman cut her husband off, stopping him from expounding his profound
principles. “He's still just a young boy.”

The man was rendered speechless.

Even though the old man liked this young couple very much, this didn't mean that he
enjoyed listening to their trivial bickering.

After hearing the young boy's name, however, he turned around again and asked,
“The young boy's surname is also Chen?”

The woman smiled and replied, “What a coincidence, right? After drinking a few
bowls of golden millet wine, the characters that he wrote on a whim on that wall
were 'Lasting Sword Qi'.”

The old man smiled and looked at the couple.

The man hurriedly shook his hands and said, “We definitely didn't plan this.
Everything happened naturally.”

The woman also nodded earnestly with an honest expression.

They were afraid that this respected old sword immortal would mistake them for
scheming against him.

If the old man became angry….

The consequences would be unimaginable!

The old man casually extended a hand.

And thereupon, a young boy in Majestic World's Stalactite Mountain was dragged to
the city wall in this world.

Sword qi and sword intent flooded the surroundings, seemingly omnipresent like
seawater as it ferociously funneled into the young boy's acupoints.

This was a stifling aura.

It was as if the young boy were a small fish that had initially been swimming happily
in a stream. However, the small fish had suddenly been tossed ashore, and the so-
called shore was actually a scorched and cracked piece of land. If the fish thrashed
and struggled, the remaining water on its body would be immediately vaporized into
nothingness.

The old man observed the young boy who was hanging in midair above the city wall
with an expression of pure agony. With a casual toss, he sent the young boy back to
his original location in Stalactite Mountain. He smiled at the confused couple and
said, “This is also quite good, isn't it?”

————

Chen Ping'an swayed back and forth, and it took him much effort to finally stabilize
himself.

Right now, there was a talisman in his sword case that held the female bone ghost
whom he had subdued in Colorful Garment Nation. Chen Ping'an had suffered
agonizing pain during this “distant journey”, yet the female bone ghost had actually
suffered even more. In fact, she had almost been completely annihilated. Thankfully,
the old man had only kept him there for a short moment. Moreover, there was rich
yin energy in the naturally formed “locust residence” in his sword case, and this had
blocked out the large majority of sword qi.

While hanging in the air, Chen Ping'an had seen a skinny old man as well as that
husband and wife. At the same time, he had also stolen a glance at the city wall of the
Sword Qi Great Wall.

On the plaza at the foot of Lone Peak, a young girl with two swords by her waist
walked out from the mirror-like gate and pondered for a moment. She slowed her
pace slightly, yet her face was still devoid of emotion. However, she somewhat
greeted the young Daoist priest who was frozen with shock, saying, “Compared to
last time, I'm a tiny bit more familiar with you this time. Even so, we're still
unfamiliar with each other.”

“Such lawlessness…. Is the Sword Qi Great Wall not going to do something about
this?” the young Daoist priest murmured.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man gazed up at the bright moon in the night sky.
“How many people have died for the sake of you guys? Is Majestic World not going to
do something about this?” he muttered to himself.
Chen Ping'an was completely disoriented, and he had no idea where he was in
Stalactite Mountain. There were no large trees and tall branches around for him to
jump onto, where he could then gain a high vantage point and survey the
surroundings. Instead, there were only tall courtyard walls and gates around him.
However, Chen Ping'an naturally didn't dare to recklessly jump onto someone else's
courtyard wall.

It was still early in the morning, so few people were walking along the streets.
Moreover, none of them could speak the official dialect of Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent. If this were during normal times, Chen Ping'an would find it hard not to
worry — he hadn't returned to Stork Inn for the entire night, so Jin Su would
definitely be worried about him. In fact, even Osmanthus Island, which was currently
unloading goods at the Catch and Release Dock, might have been alerted to this fact.

However, as Chen Ping'an slowly walked along the quiet street, he felt like going with
the flow was also quite a good choice. He would enjoy whatever scenery he came
across.

How could a person never worry others? Thus, he didn't need to feel too guilty about
worrying others once or twice.

Chen Ping'an continued to stroll forward, all the way until he eventually saw her.

Ning Yao was standing on the other end of the street, and she was also slowly
walking toward him.

She was dressed in a flowing green robe. If Chen Ping'an remembered correctly, this
robe was very similar to the one that he had bought for her in Jewel Small World. It
suited her very well.

Chen Ping'an jogged forward and came to a stop in front of Ning Yao, instinctively
saying, “What a coincidence.”
Ning Yao pursed her lips and put on a stern expression, not saying anything in reply.

“I initially wanted to take a look around the entire Stalactite Mountain these two
days,” Chen Ping'an continued in a soft voice. “I wanted to visit some more shops
before deciding whether I would go to Ganoderma Inn to buy a few things.
Afterward, I could give you some presents along with the sword that Master Ruan
forged for you.”

“What good items can Ganoderma Inn have?” Ning Yao huffed in reply. “At most, that
Ganoderma Ruyi and Sword Nurturing Gourd are half-decent. However, these things
aren't useful to me, and Ganoderma Inn won't sell them either. It's not like you can
afford them anyway.”

“Oh, I see,” Chen Ping'an replied as he scratched his head in slight disappointment.

Ning Yao hesitated for a moment before going against her personality and saying in a
rare display, “Don't dwell on it, I don't mean anything else.” It was as if she were
trying to explain herself.

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, “I won't dwell on it. My brain is like mush right
now, and thinking about anything makes it hurt.”

“Does your head hurt after seeing me?” Ning Yao asked.

“It's much better now,” Chen Ping'an hurriedly replied.

“Where are you staying?” Ning Yao asked. “Why are you wandering around here
aimlessly? What, are you looking for a conflict where you can swoop in to save a
beauty?”

Chen Ping'an sighed and explained, “I drank the Golden Millet Blessed Land's
Forgetting Sorrow Wine last night. However, I became lost immediately after I left
the wine shop. I don't know how to return.”

The two of them casually strolled along the street, and Ning Yao asked, “How can you
afford Forgetting Sorrow Wine?”

Chen Ping'an lowered his voice and replied, “A couple treated me to it. In fact, things
are a little strange. Someone dragged me over to the Sword Qi Great Wall just then,
and I clearly saw that couple standing there. However, when I saw them yesterday,
they claimed that it was their first time in the Sword Reverence Pagoda. Even so,
they were still extremely familiar with many of the sword immortals honored in the
pagoda.

“Perhaps it's very easy for people in Stalactite Mountain to go to the Sword Qi Great
Wall, but it's far more difficult for people in the Sword Qi Great Wall to go to
Stalactite Mountain? In any case, strange as things were, I still feel like that couple
were good people. They were also kind enough to treat me to some wine. If I get an
opportunity in the future, I'll definitely have to return the favor.”

Ning Yao offered a muffled reply.

The two of them walked along a serene alley that had vines climbing up the tall
courtyard walls. Ning Yao remained silent the entire time.

“Ning Yao, you left in a hurry back then, so I forgot to ask you this. Do you dislike
me?” Chen Ping'an asked.

“No, I don't,” Ning Yao replied without hesitation.

Chen Ping'an stopped and instinctively reached down to grab his wine gourd.
However, he quickly let go and looked straight at Ning Yao. “Then do you like me?”

Ning Yao remained silent.

Chen Ping'an copied the gesture she had made back in Clay Vase Alley back then,
holding two fingers very close together and asking, “Even just this tiny bit?”

Ning Yao didn't answer his question. Instead, she turned the question on Chen
Ping'an and asked, “Why do you like me?”

Chen Ping'an turned around and grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd, taking a quick
swig of wine. He wiped his mouth and put on a dazzling smile, replying, “Now, this
will take quite a while to get through. Let me explain it to you slowly. Ning Yao, you
definitely have to let me finish no matter what. Don't cut me off even if you get really
angry. Otherwise, I'm scared that I'll never be able to summon enough courage to say
these things again in my lifetime.

“Ning Yao, you're truly very beautiful. Before meeting you, I had never come across a
more beautiful person in Jewel Small World. When you were recuperating in Clay
Vase Alley, you didn't complain about my impoverished situation either. You even
taught me characters and helped explain the Mountain Shaking Guide to me. It was
thanks to you that I started to practice fist techniques. It was thanks to you that I've
made it until today and made it to Stalactite Mountain.

“When we were by the covered bridge, you lent me your skirt dagger and fought
alongside me afterward. We punished that Mountain-moving Ape from Sun Scorch
Mountain together, and we ultimately managed to survive even though we had some
brushes with death. How great was that?

“When we were in the immortal tomb, I almost beat Ma Kuxuan to death as well.
After that, we went to the tall mountain in the west and helped that Chen Clan girl
from Southern Whirl Continent to find that model tree. You also got angry one time,
and you refused to accept my help and insisted that you would brew your medicine
by yourself. However, you ended up with a pile of burnt ingredients. I felt like you
were really adorable.

“There was also a time when you said that the Great Dao shouldn't be so narrow. I
didn't understand what you meant back then. However, I finally understood it after
my journey to Stalactite Mountain. In fact, I was also very happy when you
encouraged me not to be a foolishly kind person and not to act like a charity.

“When you left Jewel Small World, you had already traveled so far away with those
immortals, yet you were still willing to return on your sword and say goodbye to me.
After you left, I sat by myself and ate some tanghulu, a snack that would make the
little me drool just by thinking about it. However, even that became tasteless.

“Mr. Qi left us, and I brought Little Baoping and the others to Great Sui Nation. I was
reminded of your eyebrows whenever I saw beautiful mountains, and I was
reminded of your eyes whenever I saw limpid waters. I would think of you whenever
I came across good-looking girls on my journey. With you in my mind, these girls
would no longer appear good-looking.”

Like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, Chen Ping'an said all of these things in a
single go. However, his throat quickly started to feel dry, and his face also flushed
bright red. He felt like the Sword Nurturing Gourd in his hand weighed tens of
thousands of kilograms.

However, Chen Ping'an didn't regret saying any of this.

“Ning Yao, I like you, and this is my own personal feeling. It's okay if you don't like
me,” he said in a quivering voice.

Ning Yao leaned against a wall, and the vines climbing up the surface still didn't seem
as beautiful and moving as her.

“If I say I don't like you, will you run away and develop feelings for another girl?” she
asked. “For example….”

She pondered for a moment and continued, “Ruan Xiu?”

Chen Ping'an looked at Ning Yao, and he finally discovered how heart-breaking —
yet, seemingly not so heart-breaking — it was for a girl whom he liked to not
reciprocate his feelings. “If liking another girl means never seeing you again, then I'll
never like another girl in my life. I’ll still only like you even when I'm tens of
thousands of kilometers away, in places where you can't see me, and when I throw
tens of millions of punches.”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and asked, “Am I that unreasonable?”

Chen Ping'an faltered upon hearing this.

However, Ning Yao quickly answered her own question, saying in a firm voice, “Yes, I
am indeed that unreasonable!”

She suddenly started to chuckle in a childishly smug manner. When she smiled, her
eyebrows appeared increasingly slender and beautiful. She crossed her arms and
said, “An idiot has fallen for me, so what else can I do?”

After saying this, she took two steps forward and hugged the young boy from the
Great Li Empire, murmuring, “Chen Ping'an! I like you just as much as you like me!”

During their first reunion, she had actually wanted to say….

….I don't like you.

However, it had been so incredibly difficult.

Ning Yao let go, the rims of her eyes slightly red. There was a rare expression of
embarrassment on her face, and she exclaimed, “Why are you so dumb?!”
“How can you genuinely like me….?” Chen Ping'an stammered in a daze.

In this sense, Chen Ping'an was identical to Liu Baqiao from Wind Lightning Field.

They both liked a girl so much that they felt like their feelings would never be
reciprocated in their lifetimes. Moreover, they wouldn't feel wronged or aggrieved at
all.

Ning Yao finally recovered a little, with her eyebrows slender and lively like the
sharpest flying sword in the world as she replied, “Do I, Ning Yao, need a reason to
like someone?!”

In truth, she did need a reason — many reasons, in fact.

However, she was too embarrassed to reveal them. She was a young girl, after all, and
she wasn't as thick-skinned and shameless as Chen Ping'an.

As if being assisted by the gods, Chen Ping'an suddenly stepped forward and hugged
Ning Yao.

Ning Yao pursed her lips and flushed red. She didn't try to pull away, and she instead
quietly raised a hand and lightly grabbed Chen Ping'an's sleeve.

In a small alleyway in Stalactite Mountain, the young boy and young girl quietly
enjoyed each other's embrace.

It was as if the world had come alive at this moment.

Ning Yao was Ning Yao and Chen Ping'an was Chen Ping'an, after all, so the two of
them didn't remain embarrassed for too long.

After finishing their embrace, Ning Yao led the way and said that they should finish
that half a jar of golden millet wine. She led Chen Ping'an to someplace under an old
locust tree, and she raised a hand as if knocking on an invisible door.

The space in front of Ning Yao quickly started to ripple, taking on the appearance of a
wine shop. Ning Yao strode in, and Chen Ping'an followed closely behind her.

Xu Jia, the young shop attendant, was extremely hospitable when he saw Ning Yao.
“Oh, you're back, Miss Ning. I'll treat you to some wine?”
Ning Yao took a glance at him. Who is this? I don't have any impression.

Thus, she ignored him and directly chose a table to sit down at.

Xu Jia was immediately deflated.

He felt like this girl was second to only Young Mistress in the world, and she had left
a strong impression on him ever since the first time she had visited the wine shop.

That was sometime several years ago. The young girl had left the Sword Qi Great
Wall and come to Stalactite Mountain for the first time, and some person had
brought her to the wine shop and had two jars of wine for themselves. Meanwhile,
the young girl had only tried a sip before not drinking anymore.

Back then, she had been dressed in black with a saber by her waist. She hadn't been
carrying two swords, and she hadn't been dressed in a dark green robe either. Her
expression had been cold and aloof, and she hadn't paid any even when the
shopkeeper had locked eyes with her.

While A'Liang was drinking, she had walked over to the tall wall by herself and
looked at it for a long time. She hadn't said anything, and she had eventually
returned to her seat. In Xu Jia's eyes, the young girl had a very strong personality. In
fact, her personality was so dazzling that it was almost blinding.

A'Liang hadn't been smiling and acting goofy that time, and he had simply focused on
drinking wine. Xu Jia could tell that A'Liang had been trying to persuade the young
girl about something. It was as if the young girl had been about to do something
incredible. A'Liang had been drinking in a resigned manner, and only then had Xu Jia
realized that there were also times when this man would be helpless.

In the end, the young girl had stubbornly refused to be seen off by A'Liang. She had
insisted on leaving the wine shop by herself. Afterward, A'Liang hadn't drank much
more. His expression had been glum, and he had said that the young girl, who was
like his daughter, had flown off just like that.

Xu Jia took a glance at Chen Ping'an, the young boy from the Great Li Empire.

No matter how he looked at Chen Ping'an, he felt like this young boy wasn't worthy
of someone like Ning Yao.
In fact, even a hundred Chen Ping'ans might not be worthy of Ning Yao.

Chen Ping'an asked for the remaining half a jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine. There
was just enough for two large bowls, so Chen Ping'an poured each of them half a
bowl first.

The two of them sat side-by-side on a long bench. Ning Yao didn't feel like this was
wrong.

Meanwhile, Xu Jia hid in the distance and clicked his tongue in wonder.

Chen Ping'an took a sip of Forgetting Sorrow Wine.

He suddenly felt like this wine tasted much better than last night, so he turned
around and smiled at Ning Yao.

Ning Yao shot a glare at him.

The two of them didn't speak, and they continued to drink small sips of wine.

“Ning Yao, you're not fake, are you?” Chen Ping'an suddenly asked in a pitiful voice.

The old shopkeeper playing with the caged oriole couldn't help but chuckle after
hearing the young boy's stupid remark.

Ning Yao heaved a faint sigh.

He's an idiot, but I'm an even bigger idiot.

After all, who claimed that he would definitely find a scatter-brained wife in the future?

Chen Ping'an put his wine bowl down and extended a hand toward the young girl.
Ning Yao looked at him, and she wanted to know what in the world he was trying to
do.

Chen Ping'an pinched her cheek with two fingers and gave it a gentle tug.

Ning Yao didn't move.

Chen Ping'an raised his other hand and pinched the other side of Ning Yao's cheeks.
Beads of cold sweat formed on Xu Jia's forehead when he saw this. He was sure that
this audacious young boy was about to be beaten to death.

However, Ning Yao simply swatted Chen Ping'an's wandering hands away and
warned, “Chen Ping'an, if you continue to be so scatter-brained, then be careful of
making me lose my temper.”

Chen Ping'an retracted his hands and said, “Everything's good as long as you're real.”

Ning Yao drank a large mouthful of wine and asked, “You should know that my
parents have already passed away. Do you think I'm pitiable?”

Xu Jia felt like the young boy would definitely be done for this time if he dared to say
yes.

“Of course you're pitiable,” Chen Ping'an replied without hesitation. “If losing one's
parents isn't considered pitiable, then how much does one have to suffer before
they're considered pitiable?”

However, after saying this, Chen Ping'an's lips were tightly pursed and slightly
downturned.

He appeared even more upset than the young girl.

He wasn't taking pity on the young girl in front of him. This was because he had also
lost his parents. Moreover, he had lost them at an even younger age. Young and
unable to make ends meet, he had been forced to beg for help and kindness when he
could no longer keep himself alive. He had been left with no other option. Otherwise,
he would have truly died.

After growing up, however, he could already live a decent life without needing pity
from others. Moreover, he even had the ability to repay others for the kindness they
had shown him during his difficult childhood. Thus, he was simply feeling care for
her.

However, Chen Ping'an hadn't been able to stop himself from replying as he had.

Ning Yao humphed coldly and asked, “Who are you? Do I need your pity?”

Chen Ping'an blinked after hearing this.

Ning Yao flushed a slight shade of red and stomped on Chen Ping'an's foot under the
table.

Xu Jia was dumbfounded by what he saw. He felt like a great sword immortal had
stabbed his heart several times.

Afterward, the two of them drank wine and chatted quietly.

Xu Jia felt like he was getting stabbed again and again.

He couldn't live like this anymore.

And thus, he left the wine shop and carried a small stool with him to sit outside the
door threshold. Out of sight, out of mind.

However, he couldn't help but turn around and steal glances at the young girl's
slender eyebrows. There was no longer a sense of grief lingering on them like the
first time they had met, and there was surprisingly a hint of playfulness and warmth
instead.

The sword piercing through his heart was no less mighty than A'Liang's full-power
strike.

Afterward, he saw the young boy from the Great Li Empire smiling widely with a
gentle expression in his eyes. He seemed to be saying that he liked Ning Yao, and that
his feelings for her had nothing to do with the two worlds. He liked her as a person,
simple as that. Even as an outsider, Xu Jia had to concede that they looked like a good
match for each other right now.

That being the case, the sword piercing through his heart was equivalent to the
legendary city-saving strike unleashed by that old great sword immortal.

Xu Jia turned to the old shopkeeper and wailed in grief, “When is Young Mistress
going to return? I miss her to death.”

“To death?” the old shopkeeper asked. “You can die anywhere as long as it's not in my
wine shop.”

Right at this moment, Xu Jia suddenly became happy again. After that young boy of a
similar age knocked on the “door” outside, he immediately went over to open the
“door” and welcomed him inside.

An extremely handsome young boy walked in.

Xu Jia smiled and asked, “Why have you returned from the Sword Qi Great Wall?”

There was a warm smile on the face of the handsome young boy dressed in white,
and he greeted Xu Jia with a high-five before turning to the old shopkeeper and
saying in a loud voice, “Shopkeeper, same rules as always. I want a jar of wine, and
you can count this toward my master's tab.”

The old shopkeeper also smiled when he saw this young boy.

In fact, almost all elderly people would take a liking to this glowing young boy who
appeared much like a rising star.

Moreover, since he was still young, they needed to cherish this opportunity to peer
down at him while they still could. After all, it wouldn't be long before they lost this
opportunity.

On the wall, the young boy's master had just written a peerlessly domineering
remark not long ago — “The Martial Dao can ascend higher.”

The young boy smiled at Xu Jia and said, “Xu Jia, I'm going to write something on the
wall first. Prepare a calligraphy brush for me. Mhm, I'm going to write something
next to Master's words.”

The feeling of gloom in Xu Jia's heart was immediately swept away. He ran over to
grab a calligraphy brush for the handsome young boy, and he didn't forget to turn
around and chuckle, “Alrighty, just give me a second.”

The handsome young boy kept his gaze fixed on Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao as he
walked toward the tall wall.

However, it was a shame that Ning Yao only took a quick glance at him before turning
her attention back to Chen Ping'an. She continued to chat about the Sword Qi Great
Wall with him.

The handsome young boy smiled after he arrived in front of the tall wall. He carried a
stool over, and he wrote a few characters above those written by the female imperial
preceptor of the Great Duan Empire — “It will ascend even higher because of me.”

Chen Ping'an quietly retracted his gaze. He lowered his voice and asked, “Who is
that? He looks very impressive.”

Ning Yao carefully thought about this for a moment before replying, “I forgot his
name.”
Chen Ping'an had seen many good-looking people the same age as him — his
neighbor Song Jixin in Clay Vase Alley, Mr. Qi's students Zhao Yao and Lin Shouyi in
the private school, the androgynous young man dressed as a female on Osmanthus
Island, and Prince Gao Xuan from Great Sui Nation. However, none of them were as
good-looking as this young boy in the wine shop.

After writing on the tall wall, the young boy carried a jar of wine over and sat down
on the neighboring table. He asked for two large white bowls, and he invited Xu Jia
over to drink with him. Xu Jia was well aware of how expensive the golden millet
wine was, yet he didn't feel like this was inappropriate at all. He cracked open the
clay seal and helped pour some wine for both of them. They then touched bowls and
drank in a hearty manner. They seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

At the same time, the old shopkeeper also seemed to be smiling a bit more. However,
the pitiful caged oriole stood with its back facing the radiant young boy, appearing
feeble and sickly.

The handsome young boy raised his wine bowl at Chen Ping'an and said with a
smile, “I'm Cao Ci from Middle Earth Divine Continent's Great Duan Empire.”

Chen Ping'an had no option but to raise his wine bowl and reply, “I'm Chen Ping'an
from Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's Great Li Empire.”

Cao Ci nodded in acknowledgment, and there was clear praise in his eyes as he said,
“Your foundation for the third tier of martial arts is quite good.”

Chen Ping'an didn't know how to respond, so he could only drink a sip of wine in
silence. He couldn't help but feel that something was off.

After mulling over this for a long time, he finally discovered why their exchange had
appeared so strange. As it turned out, neither the attitude nor tone of the handsome
young boy from Middle Earth Divine Continent matched with his status as someone
of the same age. Instead, his attitude and tone had appeared more similar to the
barefoot old man in the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain.

However, the handsome young boy wasn't as domineering and forceful as Cui Chan's
grandfather. Quite the contrary, in fact, Cao Ci had spoken in a calm and amiable
manner. Even so, Chen Ping'an had still felt a formless pressure even when they were
talking about trivial matters.

Ning Yao didn't pay much heed to Cao Ci. However, she was quite unhappy about this
eyesore suddenly popping up from out of nowhere. His arrival severely dampened
her interest in drinking for much longer.

After quickly finishing the half a jar of golden millet wine with Chen Ping'an, she
immediately stood up and dragged Chen Ping'an toward the exit.

Just as Chen Ping'an was about to leave the wine shop, Cao Ci smiled and shouted,
“The girl you like is very good. However, one bad thing about her is that she still can't
remember my name after coming across me so many times.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, “I say that's even better.”

Cao Ci laughed heartily, raising his wine bowl with one hand and waving goodbye to
Chen Ping'an with his other. His smile was sincere as he said, “Chen Ping'an, we'll
compete to become the strongest fourth tier martial artist in three day's time.”

This was another remark that seemed a little strange.

Chen Ping'an cupped his fists and didn't say anything else. He then turned around
and left the small Golden Millet Blessed Land with Ning Yao.

Inside the wine shop, Xu Jia asked in bewilderment, “You like Ning Yao?”

Cao Ci shook his hand with a smile and replied, “I like my master, who's invincible in
my mind. I like the empress, who has small dimples on her cheeks when she smiles. I
like Ning Yao, who doesn't care at all about me. However, unlike what you're
thinking, I don't like them in a romantic sense. Romantic relationships severely
inhibit cultivation.”

He took a swig of wine and sighed. “I genuinely can't imagine myself falling for a girl
in the future.”
“Oh, okay,” Xu Jia replied with a nod. He believed whatever Cao Ci said. However,
excitement quickly spread across the young shop attendant's face, and he changed
the topic and asked, “Judging from what you said just then, you're about to advance
to the fifth tier?”

Cao Ci nodded and replied, “I've stayed at the Sword Qi Great Wall for so long
already, so it's about time for me to advance.”

Xu Jia grinned and remarked, “If you were still in your hometown, I suppose you
would have advanced to the seventh tier already.”

Before Cao Ci could say anything, Xu Jia immediately added, “And before reaching the
seventh tier, you would have become the strongest fourth tier, fifth tier, and sixth tier
martial artist!”

When it came to discussing this, Xu Jia was even more elated than Cao Ci himself.
“The old shopkeeper told me that your current fourth tier cultivation base is the
strongest fourth tier in the history of the world, not just the strongest among the
current fourth tier martial artists. It can be said that your fourth tier cultivation base
is without precedent and without rival in the future. Is that true?”

Cao Ci was slightly exasperated as he replied, “I can probably confirm that it's
without precedent. However, to say that it's without rival in the future…. I'm just a
pure martial artist, so I naturally can't divine the martial fortune of the world for the
next several hundred to a thousand years.”

Xu Jia laughed loudly and exclaimed, “Cao Ci! If I can't help myself and venture out to
look for Young Mistress in the future, I'll definitely travel to the Great Duan Empire to
visit you as well.”

Cao Ci nodded and replied, “Then I'll prepare some fine wine for you.”

Xu Jia suddenly lowered his voice and begged, “Cao Ci, how about we have a fight
where you lose to me on purpose? That way, I can tell others that I defeated Cao Ci
when I leave Stalactite Mountain in the future. Just think about it. You'll be invincible
in ten years or a hundred, and you might even beat up True Invincible, the Daoist
second disciple in the Heavenly World, and turn him into Fake Invincible. At that
time, I would be the only person who ever defeated you, Cao Ci. Thanks to this, the
entire world will definitely ask about who I am. Perhaps Young Mistress will also be
impressed and look at me with new eyes.”

Cao Ci smiled with squinted eyes, raising his wine bowl with one hand and lightly
patting his head with the other. “Alright, you've defeated me now, Xu Jia. When you
leave Stalactite Mountain, feel free to tell others that you've defeated me.”

Xu Jia felt a little guilty, and he asked, “You might be fine with this now, but will you
go back on your word in the future?”

Cao Ci drank the wine in his bowl before turning around and waving a hand at the
old shopkeeper. “Old Lu, are you willing to give me a jar of wine for free? I feel a
sense of regret now, and without some wine in my stomach, I can't suppress that
feeling of regret no matter what. If I drink another jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine, I
can be free of regret for at least a hundred years!”

Xu Jia looked at the old shopkeeper with a pitiful expression.

The old shopkeeper smiled and replied, “Xu Jia, bring a jar of wine over for Cao Ci.
Also, remember to keep in mind the shopkeeper's kindness in the future. Don't
secretly grumble about me being miserly all the time, and don't blame me for not
allowing you to travel around the cultivation world.”

Xu Jia giddily ran away to grab a jar of wine.

Cao Ci only had a single bowl of wine remaining. While waiting for the new jar of
wine to arrive, he took his bowl of wine and walked over to the tall wall. His eyes
swam over the wall. Three years had already passed since his first taste of wine, and
many new lines had already appeared on the wall. In the end, Cao Ci's gaze settled on
three characters in the bottom corner of the wall. The characters were proper yet
rigid, and Cao Ci asked in curiosity, “Old Lu, are these the characters that Chen
Ping'an wrote on the wall? Lasting Sword Qi?”

“What's wrong? You think that boy is truly exceptional?” the old shopkeeper asked.

Cao Ci squatted down and drank a small sip of wine. There was indifference in his
eyes as he replied, “He might be the strongest third tier martial artist, the one who
inherited the position I vacated when I broke through.”

Hearing this, the old shopkeeper thought it was a shame. The caged oriole could only
determine a pure martial artist's martial fortune during a limited period of time.
Indeed, after a person wrote on the wall, it wasn't like the oriole could fly out of its
cage whenever it wanted to grab their martial fortune with its beak.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an had coincidentally visited and written on the wall after the
female imperial preceptor and before the handsome young boy. Sandwiched
between the two of them, the old shopkeeper didn't need to dream about the oriole
leaving its cage to do anything for him.

He didn't have the courage.

Cao Ci and Xu Jia finished another jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine, drinking half a jar
each.

However, Xu Jia couldn't hold his alcohol, so he got drunker and drunker. In the end,
he passed out drunk on the table.

Meanwhile, Cao Ci was the type of person who would become increasingly awake
and aware as they drank. His eyes were bright and piercing.

“If it weren't for Master coming here to pick me up, I genuinely wanted to venture to
the world to the south of the Sword Qi Great Wall. In forty or fifty years at most, I
would dare to battle against those dozen or so great demons. Before that, though,
there will definitely be many hearty and satisfying life-and-death challenges,” Cao Ci
suddenly remarked.

The old shopkeeper smiled and said, “Do you believe me when I say that you'll
immediately die after leaving the city wall?”

Cao Ci sighed in response.

The reason for this was very simple, and the old shopkeeper had precisely gotten
through to him.

It was very likely that Cao Ci had already attracted the attention of those top-notch
great demons. In other words, he belonged to the list of people they would definitely
kill on sight. Forget about giving him forty or fifty years to develop, he'd be lucky if
they gave him forty or fifty seconds.

“Then I'll just return to Middle Earth Divine Continent,” Cao Ci said in resignation.
Whether purposely or not, the old shopkeeper mused, “The old ancestor of the Dong
Clan left a path of destruction in his wake in the Savage World, and he eventually
shot to fame at the Sword Qi Great Wall. However, one such person is enough.
Moreover, only one such person can exist. If the demon tribe allows the rise of
another deadly opponent like him — say, a Cao Ci who has the potential to reach the
11th tier of martial arts — then they might as well kill themselves out of shame.”

“Mhm, I need to ask Master if she's advanced to the 11th tier yet. I hope she hasn't….”
Cao Ci said.

The old shopkeeper smiled and teased, “As her disciple, aren't you being a little too
unconscionable? Why aren't you hoping for your master to achieve the best? As it
turns out, you are much like Xu Jia. This isn't good! You're Cao Ci, so how can you be
so mediocre?”

Cao Ci shook his head and raised an arm. He then extended his hand and held it
above his head, waving it back and forth above the table. His voice was smooth and
his expression was certain as he said, “Master's Martial Dao has already reached this
height, and she's almost powerful enough to rival those standing on the pinnacle of
the pinnacle already. If she hasn't advanced to the 11th tier yet, then my master — or
the future me — can maybe….”

The old shopkeeper smiled faintly and said, “We can wait and see.”

Cao Ci looked at the old shopkeeper and commented, “There are far too few old
seniors who are as easy-going and amiable as you.”

“That's because I'm a poor old geezer who's already accepted my fate,” the old
shopkeeper replied in a self-ridiculing voice.

Cao Ci quietly sat at the table. Xu Jia was snoring in a thunderous manner, while the
old shopkeeper had vanished to some unknown place.

The Golden Millet Blessed Land was naturally a bit bigger than what people
imagined. It didn't contain just the wine shop and nothing else. However, it was
indeed damaged and incomplete. If it weren't for the old shopkeeper, one of the
founders of the Hundred Schools of Thought, maintaining the blessed land with all
his strength, it would have already suffered a fate not too dissimilar to Jewel Small
World. It would have altogether lost its right to be called a blessed land.
What were the sages of the Three Teachings and Hundred Schools of Thought busy
with every day?

Where did the 10 large worlds, 36 small worlds, and 72 blessed lands come from?

After Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's Jewel Small World shattered and fell, were
there truly only 35 small worlds remaining?

In reality, many sages from Majestic World needed to develop new territories and
expand the map of Majestic World.

Regarding this point, the Daoist sages in Heavenly World were slightly different.
Rather than expanding and developing new territories, they sought to increase the
height of White Jade Capital, adding layer upon layer above its peak. They continued
to build higher and higher.

Meanwhile, the world controlled by the Buddhists sought to extend the reach and
understanding of Buddhism. They wanted people to live without doubts and
attachments, whether that be in their past life, present life, or future life.

Of course, in addition to creating new worlds and blessed lands and educating the
masses, the Confucian Sect in Majestic World also needed to keep an eye on the
demon tribe in Savage World.

The two other worlds weren't whiling away their time doing nothing either.

Daoist Branch Master Lu Chen was stirring up trouble in Majestic World, setting up a
grand game of Go.

However, was the Confucian Second Sage not taking disciples and spreading his
teachings in Heavenly World?

Inside the wine shop, Cao Ci remained calm and at ease even though there was no
one to talk to and no wine to drink. He sat there just like that.

It was difficult to imagine that there existed martial artists who were uninterested in
advancing their cultivation base and were instead amused by suppressing their
cultivation.

When the old shopkeeper returned, he smiled and asked, “Cao Ci, apart from
reaching the pinnacle of the Martial Dao, is there nothing else you want to achieve in
your life?”

“I'm thinking about what I would want to achieve,” Cao Ci replied with a smile.

“Then you're inferior to Xu Jia and that young boy from the Great Li Empire,” the old
shopkeeper teased.

Cao Ci nodded in agreement.

In the end, the handsome young boy in white walked out of the wine shop. He didn't
look for his master staying in the private estate of some large clan in Stalactite
Mountain, and he instead went straight to the foot of Lone Peak. When he arrived
near the plaza, both the young Daoist priest and the sword-hugging middle-aged
man looked over and greeted him. Cao Ci stopped and chatted with them for a long
time, and only then did he walk forward and disappear into the mirror-like gate.

When he arrived on the other side, the old sword cultivator engrossed in refining his
bonded sword and the Daoist saber nun who had a Dao saber by her waist also
smiled and greeted him. Cao Ci stopped again and chatted with them for a long time.

They chatted about Dao power, about sword techniques, and about the world.

Cao Ci could chat with anyone.

This had always been the case for the past few years.

As for those senior immortals who had achieved success long ago, regardless of
whether they were reclusive elites or famous sword immortals, some of them would
reap great benefits from their conversations with Cao Ci. In fact, some of them would
even feel ashamed of themselves because of this young boy at the fourth tier of
martial arts.

Cao Ci.

Cao Ci from Middle Earth Divine Continent.

His background was unremarkable, and his ancestors had been farmers for
generations upon generations. In fact, his clan couldn't even be considered
moderately wealthy. After a period of war, their peaceful home had been razed to the
ground, forcing everyone to flee with the other refugees. Displaced and drifting from
place to place, there had been hardships and eternal farewells every day.

Afterward, a tall woman riding a horse and traveling through the cultivation world
by herself had come across him and taken him in as a disciple.

At the time, the tall woman had held him in her arms while riding her handsome
horse through windy and snowy nights. She had smiled at the child who was only
seven or eight years old and said, “Cao Ci, from today onward, you're the only
disciple of me, Pei Bei.”

Cao Ci slowly made his way through the city that lay to the north of the Sword Qi
Great Wall. If familiar faces greeted him, he would stop and chat with them for a
while. If no one greeted him, then he would occasionally stop and look up at the
drifting kites, the curved eaves, or the lusterless door gods on the courtyard doors.

In the end, he slowly climbed up the city wall and returned to the small thatched
cottage behind the older and larger thatched cottage. He had nothing better to do, so
he casually flicked through a few books before putting them all aside after reading a
few pages. He stepped out of his thatched cottage and walked for three to four
kilometers along the path on top of the city wall. Only then did he find Grandpa Chen
standing there and gazing south of the city wall.

The young boy in white nimbly leaped onto the perimeter of the wall.

They both stood there without saying anything.

————

After leaving the wine shop, Ning Yao asked for the location of Stork Inn before
taking Chen Ping'an in the direction of the Catch and Release Dock.

Chen Ping'an saw the extremely worried Lady Gui as well as the very gloomy Jin Su
after arriving in the small alley where the inn was located.

After seeing Chen Ping'an safe and sound, Lady Gui felt as if a huge weight had been
lifted from her shoulders. She didn't scold him, and she didn't even ask him why he
had returned so late. She simply greeted the young girl whom Chen Ping'an had
introduced as Ning Yao.
Afterward, she immediately left and returned to Osmanthus Island which was still
docked at the Catch and Release Dock. There were many business transactions to
make, and she was far too busy to worry about anything else. Moreover, there was
also the matter pertaining to the Jiang Clan's young master from Jade Tablet Sect.
These were all troublesome matters.

Jin Su had initially wanted to grumble about how she had been given a severe
dressing-down by her master because of his sudden disappearance. However, upon
seeing the calm yet intense demeanor of the young girl dressed in a long green robe
and wearing a sword by her waist, Jin Su didn't really dare to complain anymore.

The three of them didn't go to the inn in the small alley. Upon hearing that Jin Su and
Chen Ping'an were going to visit Stalactite Mountain's Milu Cliff and other scenic
spots today, Ning Yao expressed that she would also tag along because she hadn't
been to these places before.

Even though Jin Su felt slightly uneasy on the inside, she was unwilling to appear too
timid on the outside. Thus, she took the initiative and started to chat with Ning Yao,
the young girl who didn't look very approachable.

In reality, Ning Yao wasn't a very haughty person. She was simply very lazy. When
unfamiliar people like Jin Su talked to her and asked her questions, Ning Yao would
still listen to them and offer them responses. However, her responses would all be
extremely short and simple.

In the end, Jin Su was at a complete loss regarding how to communicate with Ning
Yao. She fell silent, and the atmosphere became a little awkward.

However, there were large and tumultuous waves surging through Jin Su's mind.

Ning Yao claimed that she was from the Sword Qi Great Wall.

If outsiders wanted to travel from Stalactite Mountain to the Sword Qi Great Wall, all
they needed to do was pay money. However, if sword cultivators from the Sword Qi
Great Wall wanted to enter Stalactite Mountain, it was said that this would be
difficult even for sword immortals with exceptional contributions.

It was no wonder that Jin Su's mind was wandering. In reality, her train of thought
wasn't exactly wrong. Ning Yao's surname played a huge part in this.
However, Jin Su's guess was only half correct.

Lady Gui wasn't willing to delve deep into the many secrets of the Sword Qi Great
Wall with her prized disciple, so Jin Su was only roughly aware of the 13 soul-stirring
battles that had taken place back then. Even though the young girl beside her had the
surname Ning, Jin Su only dared to regard her as a direct descendant of the Sword Qi
Great Wall's Ning Clan. She had most likely traveled here to complete an important
mission for her clan.

Jin Su didn't dare to consider the most outrageous “reality,” and the reason for this
was very simple. This was because Chen Ping'an was with her.

Due to Ning Yao's presence, Jin Su felt extremely restricted and hesitant as she
walked around Milu Cliff, the Incense Offering Tower, and the Lightning Lake
Platform. She felt very uncomfortable, and this made her entire experience in the
three famous scenic spots dull and uninspiring.

However, Jin Su was an osmanthus girl, after all, so not only was her cultivation
aptitude very good, but her emotional intelligence was very high as well. Thus, there
were many times when she would purposely wander away from Chen Ping'an and
the untalkative young girl, allowing them to enjoy each other's company and chat
about whatever they wanted.

Chen Ping'an wasn't too interested in those epic stories about changing empires,
shifting worldly momentum, and the rise and fall of humanity.

In fact, he didn't understand these things, and he didn't want to understand them
either.

However, since Ning Yao was telling him about these matters, he was willing to
remember them and commit everything to memory.

Jin Su found it slightly strange why such a cold and aloof girl was willing to open up
and talk so much with a taciturn person like Chen Ping'an.

During their visits to the scenic spots, the three of them walked with other visitors
and climbed the Lightning Lake Platform together. While standing there, an old
Daoist priest with a golden fly-whisk and a silver fly-whisk suddenly appeared on a
step and smiled at Ning Yao, saying, “My teacher has issued an order. If Miss Ning
needs anything while staying in Stalactite Mountain, then you're free to raise a
request. Even if you ask to visit the Bells of the Three Pure Ones on top of Lone Peak,
that will still be allowed.”

Ning Yao naturally looked over to Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an shook his head slightly,
so Ning Yao shook her head as well and said, “We won't go to Lone Peak.”

The old Daoist priest smiled and said, “Then I won't bother you any longer. If Miss
Ning needs anything, then just get a Daoist priest to inform Stalactite Mountain.”

Ning Yao initially didn't want to respond. However, when she saw Chen Ping'an
cupping his fists to thank the old Daoist priest, she also nodded and replied, “Okay.”

“The Flood Dragon True Lord?” Jin Su murmured.

The old Daoist priest was about to leave the Lightning Lake Platform. As the third-in-
command in Stalactite Mountain, his profound Dao power was incredibly well
known even in Southern Whirl Continent. Thus, he could clearly hear the thoughts in
people's minds, to say nothing of their murmuring. He smiled and asked, “Is anything
the matter, Young Miss?”

Jin Su instantly became pale with fright. She hurriedly shook her head and replied,
“No, there's nothing wrong at all. I simply admire you too much, so I couldn't help
but murmur your title. Please forgive me, True Lord.”

The old Daoist priest laughed heartily and said, “I'm nowhere near that domineering.
Moreover, there isn't any rule in Stalactite Mountain that prohibits others from
calling my title, much less punishment for them.”

The old Daoist priest vanished in a flash.

Jin Su gulped with lingering fear.

This Upper Five Tier immortal in Stalactite Mountain was a Daoist True Lord who
had gained renown through slaying flood dragons in the South Sea. Yet, he had stood
in front of her just like that and even conversed with her?

The Flood Dragon True Lord's 11th tier cultivation base could definitely crush the
large majority of Unpolished Jade Tier[1] Qi refiners in the world.

No one doubted that the title of Heavenly Lord was already within the old Daoist
priest's grasp.

When the three of them walked back to Stork Inn, it was surprisingly Ning Yao who
started to talk with Jin Su. She asked questions while Jin Su answered, and it was
actually the latter who spoke less this time.

Ning Yao was in a fairly good mood. Just then, she and Chen Ping'an had bought a
pair of exquisite spirit tools from a stall at the foot of Milu Cliff. The spirit tools were
shaped like the two halves of a yin-yang diagram.

When they arrived at Stork Inn, the poker-faced young innkeeper informed them
that the inn was already full. Without a second word, Ning Yao directly took out a
grain rain coin and placed it on the front desk, asking if this was enough.

The eyelids of the young inn manager quivered, and he was just about to say
something in response. However, Chen Ping'an had already snatched the grain rain
coin away and said with a smile, “Ning Yao is our friend, so can you work something
out for us, mister innkeeper?”

The innkeeper smiled and replied, “I wish I could work something out for you.
However, it's not like I can kick other guests out, can I? Stork Inn has a reputation to
maintain, after all, and we still need to do business in the future.”

“Then I'll stay in another inn,” Ning Yao said bluntly.

Chen Ping'an took a deep breath and took out another grain rain coin from his own
pockets. He gently placed it on the table and said, “Inn Manager, can we please
discuss this a bit more?”

The young inn manager smiled faintly and accepted the grain rain coin. “No worries,
please give me a moment.”

Chen Ping'an returned the other grain rain coin to Ning Yao. However, she looked at
him and asked, “What are you doing?”

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, “I'm inviting you to stay at the inn.”

Ning Yao moved her hand up and down and weighed the grain rain coin in her palm.
There was a hint of exasperation in her voice as she said, “It's so difficult for you to
earn a grain rain coin, yet these things aren't worth very much over at the Sword Qi
Great Wall. This is called trying to act generously at your own cost — this is very
boring. What's wrong with staying at a different inn? Staying anywhere is the same.
I'm not as fussy as you think.”

Chen Ping'an extended a hand and chuckled, “Then return the grain rain coin to me?”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and resolutely put the grain rain coin away. “Just wait to feel
anguish,” she gloated.

In the end, Stork Inn managed to clear out the largest room for them. It was a private
courtyard located outside the side door of some study. Chen Ping'an was very
satisfied with this.

Ning Yao didn't think anything about it.

Before leaving them, the young inn manager smiled at the three of them and placed
the grain rain coin on the table, saying, “I mulled over things for a bit, and I feel like
this coin might be too hot for my hands. I don't dare to accept it. This Young Miss can
stay here in the same way as Young Master Chen. I'll record the cost on the tab and
ask Osmanthus Island for payment later.”

Chen Ping'an had no idea what was going on.

Jin Su looked at the inn manager with gratitude in her eyes.

Chen Ping'an sat down beside the table and was just about to grab the grain rain
coin. However, Ning Yao immediately placed her hand over it and took it away.

She glanced at the confused Chen Ping'an and raised her eyebrows as if challenging
him. Chen Ping'an smiled and pretended that nothing had happened.

Jin Su perceptively bade farewell and took her leave.

After closing the door, Chen Ping'an immediately took out all of his treasures and
belongings and placed them on the table.

Ning Yao was slightly astonished, and she sighed with emotion. “Chen Ping'an, how
impressive of you. You're quite good at making money now, and you've gone from a
charity to a money-maker? You're the fake one, right?”
Chen Ping'an copied Ning Yao, leaning back slightly and crossing his arms.

There was a smug expression on his face.

Today on Stalactite Mountain….

….There was a side of Ning Yao never seen before, and there was a side of Chen
Ping'an never seen before.

It was truly a beautiful reunion between the two of them.

1. 11th tier ☜
There was a spectacular array of items on the table.

These were Chen Ping'an's spoils, and they were also his cultivation treasures.

There was a high-grade snake gall pebble that Daoist Nun He Xiaoliang from Divine
Edict Sect had returned to him back on the kun ship. There were also some ordinary
snake gall pebbles that had already lost their luster.

There was the golden scholarly core that City God Shen Wen had given him in
Colorful Garment Nation. Apart from this, there was also a small pile of golden and
silver shards sitting next to it. The silver shards came from the gold statues of the
scholarly official and the martial official, while the golden shards came from the gold
statue of the illegitimate mountain god in Blusher Prefecture.

There was a seal made by a Heavenly Master of some previous generation from
Mount Longhu, and according to Shen Wen's explanation, it could only unleash its
full might when paired with the Five Lightning Righteous Technique of the Daoist
Sect. However, what stuck in Chen Ping'an's mind was this: divine artifacts should
only be wielded by those with virtue.

There was a small mountain of copper coins, grain rain coins, lesser heat coins, and
snowflake coins.

There was a pile of small bamboo slips. Some of them were made from ordinary
bamboo; however, the majority were made from the remaining bamboo after Wei Bo
had finished constructing the bamboo house. This was bamboo from Azure Divine
Mountain.

The bamboo slips were filled with famous quotes, poetry, and words of warning —
there were sagely essays recited by Cui Chan while he had been practicing fist
techniques with Chen Ping'an, there were characters that Li Xisheng had written on
the walls of the bamboo building, there were extracts that Chen Ping'an had copied
from travel journals, and there were phrases he had heard while traveling through
the cultivation world….

There was a cockfighting cup that he had bought at a ferry station in Water Combing
Nation. It wasn't anything valuable, but it was a rare purchase for Chen Ping'an.

There were the two golden dragon whiskers given to him by Sword Cultivator Zuo
You, as well as the golden Dao robe and the old jewel that looked like a yellowing pill
left behind by the elderly golden flood dragon after it was slain.

There was a white porcelain brush washer. Chen Ping'an had obtained it from the
scorpion lady, an assassin from Ancient Elm Nation. In the end, he had decided
against selling it at the Green Beetle Shop. This was because Chen Ping'an liked those
lively and spirited characters decorating the brush washer.

There was the Proper Sword Scripture and a minimization treasure in the form of a
jade tablet, both of which had been given to him by Zheng Dafeng in Old Dragon City.

There was a Confucian classic given to him by the Scholarly Sage, and a few travel
journals and literary works he had obtained from the prefectural overseer's office in
Blusher Prefecture.

There was a seal engraved with the characters “Tranquil Mind Begets
Enlightenment.”

There was the water seal that had lost its companion, the mountain seal, and now
looked a little lonely.

Chen Ping'an placed this seal on the leftmost side.

Of course, there was also the Mountain Shaking Guide that had accompanied him for
the longest time.

Ning Yao looked through the items and examined them one by one. In the end, she
smiled and asked, “Are you giving all of this to me? You're not going to leave any
savings for yourself?”

However, Ning Yao immediately felt a slight sense of annoyance and regret.
So what if he kept some private savings? She couldn't speak to Chen Ping'an in such a
heartless manner in the future.

It was important to remember that this activity wasn't the same as cultivating the
Sword Dao.

Chen Ping'an clearly didn't detect the deeper meaning behind Ning Yao's words, so
he pointed at a few things and replied in a serious voice, “You already know about
this Mountain Shaking Guide. It isn't mine, and I'm only looking after it for Gu Can, so
I can't give it to you. I can't give you the seals from Mr. Qi either. I feel like it would
also be inappropriate to give you the Heavenly Master Seal from the city god. Apart
from these, you can take anything you want.”

Ning Yao pursed her lips and said, “I'm not interested in them. You can keep them
all.”

Chen Ping'an slapped his forehead and untied the Sword Nurturing Gourd called
Jiang Hu from his waist, placing it on the table. He then retrieved a talisman from his
sword case, the one in which the female bone ghost was kept. After doing this, he
explained, “This Sword Nurturing Gourd was an additional gift after I purchased a
few mountains in my hometown. Mountain God Wei Bo helped me ask the Great Li
Empire for it.

“There's a fairly ferocious female bone ghost living inside this talisman, and she
signed a sixty-year contract with me after I received some help from Osmanthus
Island. The talisman lives in my sword case right now, and Lady Gui said that this is
called a 'locust residence'. When they stay inside such a residence, yin entities can
nurture their souls and advance their cultivation. In other words, it's as if they're
staying inside a small blessed land.”

“Female bone ghost? Is she beautiful?” Ning Yao asked.

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment before replying, “Only so-so. She's not as
beautiful as the female ghost in a wedding dress I met in the mountains, and that
ghost isn't as beautiful as you.”

“Chen Ping'an, since when did you become so glib of tongue? Did you learn this from
A'Liang?” Ning Yao fumed.

Chen Ping'an smiled and shook his head, replying, “No, it's all from the bottom of my
heart. Sincere praise and glib remarks are not the same.”

“Then have you tricked many girls into falling for you?” Ning Yao asked with a
chuckle.

After saying this, Ning Yao rested her arms and chin on the table and turned around
to look at Chen Ping'an, who was much taller and slightly less tanned than before.
She seemed slightly deflated, and she remarked, “I can no longer defeat 500 Chen
Ping'ans with a single hand. Moreover, you've traveled across half of Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent and you've come across many girls in many places, so
perhaps many of them treated you as an immortal and ended up liking you.”

Chen Ping'an hurriedly shook his hands and said, “No, there's no other girl who likes
me. I was either dealing with violent enemies or interacting with people who are
destined to be passing guests in my life.”

When he finished saying this, Chen Ping'an also sighed and rested his arms and chin
on the table. He lightly poked the Sword Nurturing Gourd with his finger and
continued, “When I left home, I took a kun ship owned by Complete Reed Continent's
Ceremony Mountain. I became acquainted with a pair of twin sisters there, one
called Chun Shui and one called Qiu Shi. They were around the same age as me.
However, the kun ship was destroyed afterward, so I might never see them again.”

Chen Ping'an glanced at the unremarkable brush washer on the table.

It was only an arm's length away from him.

However, the twin sisters were already so far away.

Ning Yao didn't suspect Chen Ping'an of falling for the twin sisters, and she instead
consoled him. “Death and farewells can't be avoided.”

She turned her head and rested her cheek on the table, continuing, “At the Sword Qi
Great Wall, many people die each time there's a battle, be they old or young, men or
women. There will be strangers, but there will also be people you know. But there's
no time to feel sad, or the next death will be yours. Only when the battle concludes
can the survivors find the free time to grieve. Even then, people won't feel too sad. At
most, they'll offer a cup of wine toward the south of the Sword Qi Great Wall. It's the
same for everyone.”
There was a deep and profound look in Ning Yao's eyes, much like the dark and cool
Iron Lock Well in Chen Ping'an's hometown. “This is just like those small matters I
told you about while we were drinking Forgetting Sorrow Wine in the blessed land
before. When I drink farewell wine with my friends, there will be some people who
like to speak in a taunting manner when they talk about my parents. You asked me if
I would get angry. Of course I would get angry. However, I don't get as angry as
outsiders think. Why? Do you know?”

Chen Ping'an looked her in the eyes. His cheek was also resting on the table, so he
could only shake his head lightly.

“Because those people who speak in a taunting manner will also die on the
battlefield one day,” Ning Yao answered. “Moreover, they'll definitely die a
courageous death just like their seniors and ancestors. When I think of this, I feel like
I don't need to be so angry anymore. Their words are light and fluffy, and they're not
even as heavy as the sword qi beside us. Perhaps there will come a day when I'll fight
side-by-side with these people. Or perhaps one of us will save the other. Or perhaps
one of us will helplessly watch on as the other is killed.”

Chen Ping'an nodded before sitting up and shaking his head. “Ning Yao, your way of
thinking….”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and said, “I don't want to listen to your reasoning. You're not
allowed to annoy me.”

She could refuse to listen to other people's reasoning. Whether it was her elders or
ancestors in the clan, the old great sword immortal on the city wall, A'Liang who had
seen her off at Stalactite Mountain back then, or her friends who were the same age
as her, she could ignore all of these people. However, if it was Chen Ping'an, then she
could only listen to his reasonings and be annoyed by him. Thus, she was better off
preventing him from starting in the first place.

Chen Ping'an nodded and put his cheek back on the table. Sure enough, he didn't
expound the principles and reasonings that he had learned from the books with
much difficulty.

Ning Yao suddenly sat up and asked, “Are you genuinely going to visit the Sword Qi
Great Wall?”
Chen Ping'an also sat up, nodding and replying, “The old senior who taught me fist
techniques said that ascending the city wall will be beneficial for tempering the souls
of martial artists. One can reap huge benefits as long as they don't die. Moreover, for
some strange reason, I have the illusion that I can easily advance from the fourth tier
to the sixth tier after drinking Forgetting Sorrow Wine with that couple. It's as if I
can easily advance if I want to.

“However, I naturally won't be so foolish as to advance like this. A single misstep that
leads to a lacking foundation, and my entire future might be ruined. However, my
intuition tells me that after drinking that fine wine from Golden Millet Blessed Land,
advancing to the fifth tier and the sixth tier will be a breeze.”

Ning Yao grabbed the Sword Nurturing Gourd and casually swung it back and forth.
Her lashes shuddered slightly, and she said, “Then you should thank them sincerely
for giving you such a good fated opportunity.”

Chen Ping'an nodded and replied, “Of course. I'll see whether I can come across them
again when I go to the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Ning Yao thought for a moment, but she ultimately decided against saying anything.

Chen Ping'an felt slightly uneasy, and he asked, “I was dragged over to the Sword Qi
Great Wall by someone before, and the feeling there was far too unbearable. I'm
afraid that I won't even be able to stand up properly there. That being the case, how
will I ascend the city wall?”

“It's not as exaggerated and terrifying as you imagine,” Ning Yao explained. “The city
wall has always experienced the strongest and most concentrated sword qi. If you
enter from Stalactite Mountain and walk toward the city wall from there, you'll be
able to advance slowly and gradually become accustomed to the environment. It will
feel much less uncomfortable.

“The Sword Qi Great Wall is a bit similar to the heavens beyond heavens that
Heavenly World faces. It's a land without Dao, and even Ascension Tier sword
cultivators at the 13th tier won't be forced to ascend. No one cares about our life and
death, and even the Heavenly Dao doesn't care about this place.

“Because of this, many sword cultivators from the outside world like to come here to
train and participate in the battles. Back when you were in Jewel Small World, the
large group of sword cultivators you saw in the sky were Qi refiners from Complete
Reed Continent. With their help, the demon tribe has seemingly failed to make any
gains after launching three consecutive assaults.

“The demon tribe left tens of thousands of corpses on this city wall, and all of this
became currency for us to purchase goods from transcontinental ships docked in
Stalactite Mountain. However, I have a feeling that things aren't so simple. I'm sure
that Grandpa Chen, the person who dragged you over to the Sword Qi Great Wall, as
well as the two sages guarding this area can see this more clearly than me.

Ning Yao smiled and continued, “The higher one's cultivation base, the more
unaccustomed one will be when they enter someone else's territory. This is
especially the case for cultivators at the Upper Five Tiers, and it's the same
regardless of whether one is from the human race or demon tribe. This is the key
reason why sages are able to enjoy the advantages of opportune time and geography
in their own territories.

“For example, when Daoist Branch Master Lu Chen from Heavenly World entered
Majestic World before, his highest possible cultivation base was most likely the 13th
tier. This was a rule implemented by the Etiquette Sage very early on. The same also
applies when Confucian sages from Majestic World enter Heavenly World.

“There is competition between the sages when it comes to the Great Dao, but this
doesn't mean that the sages don't respect each other. You might not believe this, but
there are also individuals in the demon tribe who deserve the respect of us sword
cultivators. Of course, these individuals are still enemies whom we must fight to the
death on the battlefield. By the same token, there are many great demons in the
demon tribe who also respect and admire some powerful sword cultivators from the
Sword Qi Great Wall.

“Anyone who isn't a sword cultivator will find it very difficult to stay on the Sword Qi
Great Wall. For example, martial artists like you and Qi refiners from the Hundred
Schools of Thought. These people might obtain profound fated opportunities, but it's
much more likely that these people will have the foundation of their Great Dao
ground into ruins by the sword intent.

“There are two examples of this. There was once an Abode Tier[1] sword cultivator
from Complete Reed Continent who came here and eventually advanced to the
Immortal Tier[2]. However, there was also an Immortal Tier cultivator from Circling
Ascension Continent who came here and failed to find his Dao attainment catalyst.
Not only that, but they fell to the Nascent Tier[3] in a single breath.”

“A'Liang taught me the Eighteen Stops Qi Channeling Technique,” Chen Ping'an

suddenly said.

Ning Yao faltered for a moment before saying, “He treats you quite well. Over at the
Sword Qi Great Wall, only sword cultivators who have made great contributions have
the right to teach this Qi channeling technique to someone else. Almost all of them
teach the technique to their most prized disciple or the successor of their clan.

“However, don't get too ahead of yourself. Passing down the Eighteen Stops
Technique is more of a ritual than anything else. In some sense, we're saying that the
future generations at the Sword Qi Great Wall will always inherit and remember the
sword intent of the earliest sword immortals. In reality, the Eighteen Stops
Technique can't be considered a top-notch Qi channeling sword technique.

“The large clans in the city to the north all have genuine top-notch sword techniques.
The Chen Clan's sword technique can strengthen bones, the Dong Clan's sword
technique can cleanse marrow, the Qi Clan's can temper souls, the Ning Clan's can
sharpen bonded swords, the Yao Clan's can nourish sword qi, the Nalan Clan's can
enable complementary sword qi and sword intent, and so on.

“All of these sword techniques are so top-notch that they're unimaginable in the eyes
of sword cultivators from Majestic World. Regardless, it's a good thing that you've
learned the Eighteen Stops Technique. This will allow you to acclimatize to the
environment of the Sword Qi Great Wall quicker.”

Chen Ping'an cracked a grin.

“Judging by the time, you've already been practicing this technique for almost two
years. How many stops have you reached?” Ning Yao asked casually. “Fifteen?
Sixteen? At least twelve, right? After that, it will become a bit different from before.
Each stop will be more difficult to reach and overcome. You didn't grow up at the
Sword Qi Great Wall, so it's only natural for you to be a bit slower.

“One of my friends, the fatty, took eight months to reach all eighteen stops. Little
Dong was slightly more talented, and it only took him half a year to reach all of them.
The others all took around nine months to a year. However, Little Dong's older sister
was quite impressive, and she only took three months to reach all eighteen stops. It's
just that the Dong Clan has always been trying to hide this information. They're not
willing to reveal the truth to outsiders.

“Among those at the Sword Qi Great Wall around the same age as me, thirty or so
have mastered the Eighteen Stops Technique. Because of this, our generation is
regarded as the best generation at the Sword Qi Great Wall for the past three
thousand years. The seniors all say that as long as we're given another fifty or sixty
years, the demon tribe won't be able to see the top of the city wall of the Sword Qi
Great Wall for the next thousand years.”

Chen Ping'an looked on with a dazed expression.

He had gone through so many challenges and hardships to finally reach the seventh
stop with much difficulty. Then, after surging to the twelfth in a single go, he was
now stuck between the twelfth and thirteenth acupoints. It was as if he were
standing in front of a mountain path blocked by heavy snow, and there seemed to be
little hope that he could advance any further.

After noticing Chen Ping'an's expression, Ning Yao stopped and said, “Then I won't
mention myself.”

“How long did it take you?” Chen Ping'an asked in a tentative voice.

“Heh,” Ning Yao chuckled with a fake smile.

1. Sixth tier ☜

2. 12th tier ☜

3. 10th tier ☜
Chen Ping'an was unwilling to give up, so he asked, “How long is 'heh'?”

Ning Yao held back for a long time. However, seeing that Chen Ping'an had no
intention of giving up, she could only reply honestly and reveal, “As long as it takes to
say 'heh.' I mastered the Eighteen Stops Technique immediately after hearing the
mantra.”

Chen Ping'an sighed in grief. He grabbed the Sword Nurturing Gourd and silently
took a gulp of wine before lamenting, “This was the case when I received the
Mountain Shaking Guide and started to practice fist techniques, and this is still the
case now that I'm practicing the Eighteen Stops Technique and sword techniques.
Will I never catch up to you in my lifetime? Then how will I become a great sword
immortal….?”

Before Ning Yao could say anything, however, Chen Ping'an had already offered an
answer for himself. “However, this doesn't matter. We have to take things one step at
a time, and how other people advance is other people's matter. We simply need to
focus on ourselves and our own improvements. It doesn't matter even if we're a little
slower.

“I promised you that I would practice the fist technique one million times, but even I
didn't dare to imagine that I would be able to complete it in my lifetime back then.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, I'm already just 20,000 repetitions away from reaching
this goal. Who knows what will happen in the future?”

“Other people?!” Ning Yao interrogated.

Knowing that he had misspoken, Chen Ping'an could only chuckle with an awkward
expression.

Ning Yao pondered for a moment and suggested, “Then go to the Sword Qi Great Wall
earlier?”

Chen Ping'an retrieved the jade tablet from his waist and replied with a hesitant
expression, “But I'm only allowed to enter tomorrow at midnight.”

Ning Yao had already stood up with speed and vigor, and she said, “Pack your things
up and I'll bring you over. Didn't the Flood Dragon True Lord say to look for him if we
needed anything? Stalactite Mountain said this themselves, so they can't go back on
their word, can they? Let's go.”

There was nothing keeping Chen Ping'an on Stalactite Mountain, and he surmised
that going to the Sword Qi Great Wall earlier to practice his fist techniques was also a
good thing. Thus, he packed up his belongings and placed everything in his flying
sword, Fifteenth. When Ning Yao saw this bonded flying sword again, she reminded
him, “A flying sword that also doubles as a pocket treasure is extremely rare. You
need to cherish it.”

Even Ning Yao felt like this flying sword was rare, so it was definitely something of
incredible value. Chen Ping'an nodded and committed this to memory.

Before leaving, Chen Ping'an went to inform Jin Su that he was going to head to the
Sword Qi Great Wall earlier.

The osmanthus girl stood in front of her room with mixed emotions. In the end, she
smiled faintly and bade farewell to Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao.

After leaving Stork Inn which was located near the Catch and Release Dock, Ning Yao
led Chen Ping'an to the foot of Lone Peak. When the young Daoist priest, the second-
in-command in Stalactite Mountain, glanced at the young boy's jade tablet that
showed a different time and glanced at the young girl who had an expression as if
this were justified, he became so angry that he immediately leaped up from his straw
mat again.

Fortunately, Chen Ping'an had already started to explain the situation, saying,
“Immortal Elder, while we were visiting the Lightning Lake Platform, we came across
the Flood Dragon True Lord who informed Ning Yao that his teacher had issued an
order, saying that some exceptions could be made for her. If there is a problem, then
please discuss this with the True Lord. If it's not possible to make an exception, I'll
return here tomorrow night.”
The young Daoist priest shot a sideways glance at Chen Ping'an and asked, “Who are
you? This young girl's lover?”

Chen Ping'an simply blinked without saying anything. He played dumb in front of the
young Daoist priest.

The Young Daoist priest silently recited something in his mind before having a brief
conversation with the Flood Dragon True Lord, someone who could be considered
his junior nephew in terms of seniority. He then glanced at Ning Yao and Chen
Ping'an and said, “The two of you can pass and go to the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Since a decision had already been made, the young Daoist priest didn't cause trouble
for the young boy and young girl anymore. He plopped back down on his straw mat.
Most likely because he was angered by that young girl, he decided to directly lie
down and spread out his arms and legs. He was casually sprawled across the straw
mat, and he opened a Daoist classic and placed it on his face. Out of sight, out of
mind.

Ning Yao reached over and grabbed Chen Ping'an, saying in a soft voice, “Remember,
it's normal to have sword qi funnel into your acupoints. There's no need to worry,
because the more worried you are, the more chaotic your Qi will become.”

Chen Ping'an nodded and replied, “I understand. I'll pretend that I'm molding
pottery. As long as my mind is calm, then everything else will be calm as well.”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and exclaimed, “Pottery-making country bumpkin!”

Chen Ping'an smiled and took her hand.

Ning Yao quickened her pace and hurriedly led Chen Ping'an into the mirror-like
gate.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man sitting on top of the hitching post clicked his
tongue in wonder and remarked, “Many people from the younger generation over
there are about to go crazy. At that time, that silly young boy will be treated no better
than the demons from Savage World.”

“Even though I don't like that girl's stinky temper, my heart still aches a little now
that she's been tricked into a relationship with that dumb boy,” the young Daoist
priest who had a Daoist book covering his head said in a gloomy voice. “One is
heaven and one is earth, so how have the two of them ended up together? Isn't this
an illogical relationship? Who helped them get together? Get yourself out here, and
I'll definitely stab you to death! Mhm, I'll stab you half-dead first, then I'll scold you
to death!”

On the peak of the tall building above Lone Peak, one of the Bells of the Three Pure
Ones shuddered and rang. However, it rang silently, and it didn't notify the world or
echo through Stalactite Mountain.

Afterward, a wisp of aura instantly arrived above the young Daoist priest's head and
flew into the Daoist book. As if possessed, the book closed with a snap, then flew up
and starting to slap the young Daoist priest left and right. There were crisp cracks as
the book made contact with his cheeks.

The young Daoist priest had no time to hide or run away in front of this “divine
punishment.” He immediately came to a realization, and he wrapped his hands
around his head and begged, “Uncle Master, I was wrong, I've seen the errors of my
ways….”

————

Ning Yao's heart jolted when she strode into the Sword Qi Great Wall. However, she
quickly came to an understanding and felt a sense of relief.

As it turned out, the two of them hadn't arrived on the other side of the gate where
Old Nalan and the Daoist saber nun were standing guard. Instead, stepping through
the mirror-like gate had directly led them above the city wall of the Sword Qi Great
Wall. This saved them the effort of walking through the city and climbing up the city
wall, two time-consuming tasks. However, this also meant that Chen Ping'an would
have to suffer a bit more.

Sure enough….

Chen Ping'an's face flushed beet red when he suddenly arrived on top of the city
wall. His complexion then turned dark, and his entire body started to tremble.

However, Chen Ping'an's eyes remained limpid and calm.

He had been completely caught off guard last time, while he was already mentally
prepared this time. Thus, he remained calm even though they had directly arrived on
top of the city wall where the sword qi was the most concentrated and powerful.
After all, Chen Ping'an was far too familiar with enduring hardship.

Indeed, he could simply treat this as a return to the second floor of the bamboo
building in Downtrodden Mountain. As long as he wasn't killed in an instant, Chen
Ping'an's mental state would remain as stable as a hitching post and as immovable as
a pillar.

On this section of the great wall where Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao were located,
there was no sword cultivator standing patrol nor was there a sword cultivator
tempering their cultivation.

A skinny and hunch-backed old man left his place and arrived here in a single stride.
He smiled as he looked at Ning Yao, and this made her blush slightly.

The old man smiled and clasped his hands behind his back. Even though he had
already seen through the young boy from the Great Li Empire's capabilities, he still
walked in a circle around Chen Ping'an before nodding and saying, “As expected.”

The old man felt slightly disappointed, and he murmured, “Even though A'Liang
stayed here for a hundred years, he was still unable to fully grind away his
temperament as a scholar. Otherwise, if he obtained that sword, he would have been
able to rival the Daoist second disciple and almost be on equal footing with him.

“Yet, he's abandoned all of his belongings now, and he's simply exchanging punches
with that person in the heavens beyond heavens. What's so interesting about that? A
sword cultivator without a sword, and a Daoist priest treating himself as a pure
martial artist…. How unseemly….

“In any case, her temper meant that she wouldn't necessarily have wanted to follow
A'Liang anyway…. However, choosing to follow a rustic young boy instead? This
doesn't make sense either! Perhaps this is her final struggle? Perhaps she's unwilling
to vanish from heaven and earth just like that?

“No, with her personality, this definitely can't be the case. She's far too proud, just
like…. No, it won't be right to say this. I should say that she's extremely similar to her.
Who in the world convinced her? Qi Jingchun from the Scholarly Sage's lineage? As a
scholar, Qi Jingchun's knowledge was indeed very profound. However, his path was
completely different from her path. Logically speaking, he shouldn't have been able
to convince her…. How very strange….”

Even though the old man with the surname Chen was standing right next to Ning Yao
and speaking aloud instead of speaking in his mind, Ning Yao was still unable to
catch a single word of his long rambling.

The old sword immortal couldn't make heads or tails of the situation, so he decided
not to think about it anymore.

There were far too many matters in the world, so those that didn't affect him
naturally wouldn't be viewed as important matters.

Moreover, there was more than just a single bloody world.

The old sword immortal felt like it was necessary to think about something cheerful.
Thus, he smiled and looked toward the young girl, Ning Yao. How wonderful.

Prodigies were appearing one after another in this generation of young sword
cultivators in the Sword Qi Great Wall. This was an impressive phenomenon that
hadn't been seen for three millennia.

She was showing subtle signs of outshining everyone else already.

Even the old great sword immortal who had carved more than one character on the
wall was very eager to see her bonded flying sword making its debut in this world.

During a long journey to the outside world before, there was one time when Ning
Yao had almost unleashed her not-yet-mature bonded flying sword without caring
about anything else. Because of some secret technique in the Sword Qi Great Wall, he
and a few other elders had all detected the phenomenon of heaven and earth even
though they had been one small world and two proper worlds away from the young
girl. The worst-tempered one among them had almost broken the rules and charged
into Majestic World.

Thankfully, the young girl had stopped herself before it was too late. Otherwise, she
would have damaged the foundation of her Great Dao.

“Grandpa Chen, will he be alright?” Ning Yao asked in a quiet voice.

The oft-unsmiling old sword immortal looked at Ning Yao, a young girl whom he
would never hide his smile from. He smiled faintly and replied, “If something
happens to him, then something will presumably happen to Grandpa Chen as well,
right?”

Ning Yao shot a glare at the old man.

“Oh, you're finally acting a bit like a young girl now. By the looks of it, this young boy
from the outside has made huge contributions,” the old man teased.

His expression became serious, and he continued, “This young boy's martial arts
foundation is extremely strong, and his mind is also very stable. Very good, very
good, he can definitely withstand this. There's no need to worry. You can let him
endure this atmosphere on the city wall for the next while. Back then, my young
neighbor Cao Ci also had to endure this and go through the same process. Make sure
not to bring him to the city in the north. That place is full of filth and pollution, and
any talent will be ruined no matter how impressive they are.”

After saying this, the old man turned around and slowly walked away. He didn't use
his mystical powers this time, and he didn't shrink this section of the Sword Qi Great
Wall to a single inch.

The old man silently guarded the great wall just like that.

Millennium after millennium, it was unknown how many thousands of years had
already passed.

Afterward, it took Chen Ping'an ten hours to finally find his footing. Even so, he could
only walk slowly along the city wall.

After another ten or twelve hours, the young boy finally attempted to practice the
six-step walking meditation. His movements were rusty, as if he were a little child
practicing fist techniques for the first time.

Ning Yao would come to the top of the city wall several times a day. She wouldn't
speak much, and she would return to her clan in the northern city after visiting.

Chen Ping'an gradually started to become more adept at performing the six-step
walking meditation here.

He continued to walk forward and throw punches, advancing at a slow but steady
pace. Whenever he reached the verge of exhaustion, he would immediately swap to
standing meditation and freeze on the spot.

During this time, Chen Ping'an didn't dare to approach the parapet of the great wall.
He only dared to walk along the wide carriageway.

It was said that Savage World lay to the south of the great wall.

Moreover, three bright moons would hang in the sky when night fell in this world.

Chen Ping'an felt like throwing a hundred punches in the Sword Qi Great Wall was
more tiring than throwing thousands of punches in Majestic World.

He continued to advance and stop, and on the third day, Chen Ping'an could vaguely
make out the outlines of the big and small thatched cottages. He also saw Cao Ci
standing on top of the wall five hundred meters away and practicing fist stances,
with his footwork nimble and his punches powerful. Even if Chen Ping'an wasn't a
fourth tier martial artist and instead only a novice with mediocre judgment, he
would have still sighed with emotion and praised Cao Ci's fist stances as…. absolutely
flawless!

Chen Ping'an was advancing from right to left along the great wall, while Cao Ci was
advancing from left to right from his small thatched cottage.

The two of them exchanged a glance, and neither of them showed any signs of
stopping. They continued to practice their fist techniques and walk forward, and
they eventually brushed past each other from a distance.

Right now, Chen Ping'an's fist intent was extremely subtle, with most of it
suppressed by the sword qi permeating across the great wall.

Meanwhile, Cao Ci's ferocious fist aura surged outward in a vigorous manner. It was
visible to the naked eye, and it was seemingly suppressing the surrounding sword qi
on the great wall instead.

Chen Ping'an slowly advanced while doing his walking meditation, and he eventually
arrived near the thatched cottage of the old sword immortal. At this moment, Cao Ci
had already finished a return trip and caught up to Chen Ping'an from behind.

Chen Ping'an then saw Ning Yao standing beside the old sword immortal.
At the same time, Cao Ci saw his master standing beside the old man. She was the
martial goddess Pei Bei — the imperial preceptor of the Great Duan Empire.

After Ning Yao confirmed Chen Ping'an's progress with his fist technique, she finally
felt at ease and led him toward the northern side of the wall near the thatched
cottage. After leaping onto the parapet of the wall together, they gazed at the city
that lay to the north of the great wall. Ning Yao told him where she lived, and she also
pointed out where each of her friends lived.

Not far behind them, Cao Ci was practicing a new fist technique. The female martial
goddess was standing nearby with a faint smile, and she would occasionally point
out flaws or imperfections in his fist stances.

That night, the female martial goddess closed her eyes and rested her mind as she
stood on the city wall.

Cao Ci practiced fist techniques for the entire night.

Chen Ping'an also practiced walking meditation until late into the night. Afterward,
he sat cross-legged on the northern parapet and maintained the stance of standing
meditation as he slowly fell asleep.

The next morning, the old sword immortal arrived near the two of them and
suddenly suggested that they spar with each other.

Cao Ci didn't mind.

Chen Ping'an also didn't mind.

Thus, the old man used his fingers like a sword and created a temporary small world
around them. The small world only measured thirty meters in radius.

A female martial goddess spectated the sparring session, and she surprisingly found
the battles quite interesting.

On this day, with no restrictions suppressing them, the two young boys fought as if
this were an ordinary battle in Majestic World. They could use flying swords,
immortal treasures, fist techniques, and anything they wanted.

Before beginning their sparring session, the old sword immortal told the two young
martial artists at the fourth tier that they should forget the fact that they wouldn't
die on the great wall. Instead, they should treat this as a genuine life-and-death
battle.

Chen Ping'an unleashed his full strength, yet he still lost all three battles.

It was unknown how much Cao Ci held back. Even so, he won all three battles.
After completing the final battle, Cao Ci and his master bade farewell and took their
leave. The two of them were most likely leaving the Sword Qi Great Wall and
returning to the Great Duan Empire in Middle Earth Divine Continent.

Before leaving, Cao Ci turned to Chen Ping'an and asked, “Chen Ping'an, can you help
me look after that cottage before you return to Stalactite Mountain?”

Chen Ping'an wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied with a smile, “No
problem.”

This was a unique act of goodwill from Cao Ci.

The figures of the handsome young boy in white and the martial goddess became
smaller and smaller as they left along the carriageway on top of the great wall.

“I'm about to retract the small world,” the old sword immortal warned Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an nodded in acknowledgment, signifying that he was okay.

The old sword immortal casually retracted the small world and its accompanying
restrictions, allowing the permeating sword qi to instantly surge over in a vicious
manner. Chen Ping'an's soul shuddered, and he suffered noticeable injuries. As a
result, he could only assume the stance of standing meditation to resist the sword qi.

After standing there for two hours, Chen Ping'an was finally able to move again. He
arrived near the southern parapet with Ning Yao, and she asked, “Are you alright?”

“These injuries are nothing,” Chen Ping'an replied with a shake of his head.

Ning Yao frowned and pointed at her heart, asking again, “I mean here.”
Following the direction of the young girl's slender and beautiful finger, Chen Ping'an
stared at her heart and didn't retract his gaze for a long time.

Ning Yao eventually rewarded Chen Ping'an with a smack to the head.

Chen Ping'an scratched his head and hurriedly made amends, saying, “My heart and
mind are even more unaffected.”

A man's head and a woman's waist — one couldn't be smacked, and one couldn't be
touched.

However, Chen Ping'an naturally didn't dare to say this out aloud.

Ning Yao leaned against the parapet and asked in anxiousness, “Are you really okay?”

Chen Ping'an had lost three times in a single day; he had lost as comprehensively as
possible.

The first time, Chen Ping'an and Cao Ci had sparred using fist techniques. There had
been some kind of tacit understanding between them, and they had both fought
using very pure fist techniques. However, it was as if Chen Ping'an's punches would
always be a beat slower than Cao Ci's punches.

This wasn't to say that Chen Ping'an's fist techniques were lowly. In fact, it was the
complete opposite, and even the spectating martial goddess had nodded several
times when she saw the Deity Drumming Technique, Rain Evaporation Technique,
and other techniques that Cui Chan's grandfather had taught him.

Meanwhile, Cao Ci had appeared far too leisurely and carefree. He had moved around
casually, and he had seemingly managed to predict all of Chen Ping'an's movements.
Chen Ping'an's punches and kicks had seemingly landed exactly where Cao Ci wanted
them.

In the end, Chen Ping'an had failed to hit Cao Ci a single time.

Both the old sword immortal and Ning Yao had felt like one battle was enough. This
time, however, it was the female martial goddess who had smiled and suggested
another battle. Moreover, Chen Ping'an was allowed to unleash his full power rather
than just relying on his fist techniques.
During the second battle, Chen Ping'an had summoned his flying swords First and
Fifteenth to help him. In fact, he had even unleashed several talismans.

However, he had still been a bit slower than Cao Ci's movement techniques. Not by
much, but still by a beat.

While spectating the second battle, even Ning Yao had felt a sense of exasperation
and helplessness for Chen Ping'an.

Their battle had been like a game of Go between two ninth-rank Go masters, where a
strong ninth-rank Go master defeating a weak ninth-rank Go master wouldn't seem
strange at all. However, if the former defeated the latter by half a piece every time,
then the gulf between the two was perhaps very large.

The last battle had been requested by Chen Ping'an himself, and Cao Ci had nodded
and agreed to his request.

During the third battle, Chen Ping'an had started to change his tactics.

Rather than fighting with Cao Ci, he had looked to be fighting with himself. He had
forcefully modified the stances of his fist techniques. Regardless of whether it was
the Deity Drumming Technique or the Heavy Cavalry Formation Shattering
Technique, these were all “immortal techniques” that Cui Chan's grandfather had
refined after countless trials and battles. Thus, Chen Ping'an's attempt to modify
them during battle had naturally made him look uncoordinated and self-sabotaging.

As a result, Cao Ci's punches had become more than just a beat faster than Chen
Ping'an's punches. There were many times when Cao Ci had shattered Chen Ping'an's
fist intent at the early stages or middle stages of Chen Ping'an's fist techniques. In the
end, Chen Ping'an had suffered his worst loss of the three battles.

However, the three spectators — including Ning Yao who was an outsider to martial
arts — had eventually determined that Chen Ping'an's general direction of
modification was correct.

At the end of the day, the critical difference between the two youths was the
foundation of their fourth tier cultivation base.

After the third battle, Cao Ci had raised a thumb at Chen Ping'an and said three
words, “Keep at it.”
If it weren't Cao Ci, and if his opponent weren't Chen Ping'an, then perhaps everyone
would have felt like Cao Ci was provoking his opponent and boasting about his
victory. Or perhaps he was acting haughty and peering down at his defeated
opponent.

However, Cao Ci's calm demeanor and Chen Ping'an's stable mental state couldn't
change the reality.

They were both fourth tier martial artists, yet Chen Ping'an had undoubtedly become
Cao Ci's defeated opponent.

It was because of this that Ning Yao, someone with a clear sword heart and an
intense aura, had asked him if he was alright. She was afraid that Chen Ping'an had
lost the fourth battle.

The invisible battle between their minds.

Once his martial mind was suppressed and crushed by Cao Ci, it was very likely that
Chen Ping'an would find it incredibly difficult to reach the seventh tier in his lifetime,
to say nothing of the End Tier of martial arts.

Fortunately, Chen Ping'an said he was okay.

Ning Yao believed him.

Chen Ping'an wasn't afraid of death, and she already knew this from their time
together in Jewel Small World. He had almost died at the hands of the Mountain-
moving Ape, and he had almost exchanged lives with Ma Kuxuan in order to save her.

However, not being afraid of death didn't imply not being afraid to lose.

When Chen Ping'an was poor, he was already down, so he didn't need to fear another
fall. However, when Ning Yao saw his table of treasures in Stalactite Mountain's Stork
Inn, she realized that Chen Ping'an had already become fairly wealthy. Moreover, his
martial arts potential was also quite impressive.

Thus, Ning Yao was afraid that Chen Ping'an would get hung up on certain things.

Fortunately, this wasn't the case.

The two of them sat side-by-side on the south-facing parapet.

Ning Yao placed her new and old swords on top of each other on her knees.
Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an's sword case, which only had the locust wood sword inside,
stayed on his back.

In reality, Ning Yao felt like the name Subduing Demons was pretty tacky. However,
when she remembered there was a sword named Eliminating Fiends in Chen
Ping'an's sword case, she decided not to make a fuss about this with him.

Chen Ping'an placed his fists on his knees and leaned slightly forward. Several
hundred kilometers in front of them, there were countless encampments of the large
demon army. They were like countless nests of ants. According to Ning Yao, the
canyon would be teeming with demons every time their army attacked the Sword Qi
Great Wall. However, the sky above the demons would also be flooded with flying
swords.

When Chen Ping'an and Ning Yao were with each other, they would talk about
whatever came to their minds.

They talked about the old sword immortal, Grandpa Chen, and about Cao Ci and the
martial goddess, as well as Middle Earth Divine Continent's Great Duan Empire
where they came from. They also talked about the Heavenly Master from Mount
Longhu, who possessed one of the four great immortal swords.

Upon the mention of immortal swords, they naturally started to talk about the Daoist
second disciple who had the title of True Invincible. This was because his immortal
sword was named “Daoism is Loftier than the Mortal World”. Afterward, they talked
about Stalactite Mountain which was controlled by the Daoist second disciple, and
their conversation eventually returned to the Sword Qi Great Wall as well as Chen
Ping'an's fist techniques.

Their conversation took many twists and turns, and they talked about whatever they
wanted to.

Chen Ping'an had never sat in a place with such a wide field of view before. This was
the same case for his mind.

It was as if he were sitting face-to-face with an entire world.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but say, “In the very beginning, I practiced fist techniques
for the sake of staying alive. After I no longer needed to worry about my lifespan, I
started to ponder why I was practicing fist techniques. For the first time, I felt like
my fists definitely needed to be very quick. My fists needed to be quicker than
anyone else's.

“Afterward, I felt like my fists didn't necessarily need to be the most powerful.
However, they definitely had to be the most reasonable. Because of this, I read many
books and sought knowledge from many people. I learned morals and social
etiquette from others, and I told those beside me to inform me if I did anything
wrong.”

Chen Ping'an grabbed his wine gourd and drank a mouthful of wine. There was slight
helplessness in his voice as he continued, “When I speak reason with others, my
ultimate hope is that they'll also speak reason with me. It isn't because I feel like my
principles and reasons are definitely correct. However, during my long trip to this
place, it was a shame that many people weren't even willing to entertain the idea of
speaking reason.

“Official garb, esteemed surnames, immense wealth, and lofty cultivation bases —
perhaps these things can all save a lot of worry and effort. Many people are
convinced that these things are sufficient as their reason.”

Chen Ping'an suddenly thought of Sword Cultivator Zuo You, the man whose sword
techniques were unparalleled in the world.

It seemed like Sword Cultivator Zuo You, Mr. Qi's senior brother, also had a strong
dislike for speaking reason.

However, there was a fundamental difference between the two. One type of people
purposely committed evil, while one type of people didn't bother others if they
weren't bothered. If others did bother them, however, then the botherers could only
accept their miserable fate when they were punished.

Thus, Zuo You had chosen to distance himself from the human world.

Moreover, he had said something that roughly meant that cultivators…. couldn't be
regarded as humans anymore. Instead, they had already adopted a different state.

Chen Ping'an only understood the literal meaning of Zuo You's words, and he didn't
understand the deeper implications behind them. However, he felt like these words
were very hefty and solemn.

Chen Ping'an turned around and smiled at Ning Yao, saying, “Of course, if my fist
techniques, and also my sword techniques in the future, can become the quickest
and even quicker, then that's naturally the best!”

Chen Ping'an handed his Sword Nurturing Gourd to Ning Yao before standing up and
starting to slowly throw punches. He aligned his punches with the Eighteen Stops
Technique taught to him by A'Liang.

A'Liang had once said that his Eighteen Stops Technique was slightly different.

Ning Yao frowned and asked, “Chen Ping'an, apart from practicing your fist
technique so many times every day, you also have to think about all of these random
things?!”

“I just think about these things casually,” Chen Ping'an replied.

There was a wide smile on his face, and his movements were carefree and slow as he
threw punch after punch. However, his punches weren't lazy, but rather smooth and
natural.

Ning Yao turned around to look at Chen Ping'an whose fist intent was like
murmuring water. “Then have you ever considered this? What if thinking about all
these things inhibits your martial arts cultivation speed? That Cao Ci definitely
doesn't think about so many things.”

Chen Ping'an didn't stop, and he chuckled, “He's a prodigy! Moreover, he's definitely
the most impressive type of prodigy. However, I'm not a prodigy, so I need to think
more and do more at each step of the way. I'm a mere mortal, and even you called me
a country bumpkin just then.

“Because of this, it's necessary for me to reach a state of 'not wrong' at each step of
the journey. Afterward, I can reach a state of correct, very correct, and most correct. I
can't be too hasty. When I was molding pottery and firing pottery in the past, I would
often sit there for entire afternoons at a time. Only by not making any mistakes could
I ensure a quality piece of pottery. This is a very simple principle.”

After saying this, Chen Ping'an habitually asked, “Right?”

“Simple?” Ning Yao retorted.

Chen Ping'an was slightly puzzled, and he asked, “Is it not simple?”

Ning Yao took a sip of wine from the Sword Nurturing Gourd and sidestepped the
question, saying, “Simple is good.”

Chen Ping'an no longer followed the Mountain Shaking Guide or the fist stances
taught to him by Cui Chan's grandfather. Instead, he followed his heart and allowed
his fists to lead him forward. There was nothing weighing on his mind.

A brief pause now and then, and a flurry of movements followed by a period of slow
action.

Chen Ping'an was completely immersed in this.

My bonded porcelain is shattered, and my bridge of immortality is destroyed.

Once upon a time, I practiced fist techniques simply to keep myself alive. In the end,
however, I've still made it here and I've still managed to find you.

I, Chen Ping'an, feel like I'm very amazing!

Chen Ping'an's fists became quicker and quicker, so much so that his sleeves
billowed and flapped audibly in the wind.

When I was sitting on the golden bridge in the sea of clouds back then, Big Sister
Immortal told me that I definitely couldn't betray Mr. Qi's hopes in me. She only chose
me in the beginning because she chose to believe Mr. Qi. It was because of this that she
was willing to gamble on that tiny sliver of hope with him.

A one-in-ten-thousand hope…. That one exists, and I am that one. This is enough!

On the city wall, Chen Ping'an's fists suddenly went from quick to slow. However, this
change in pace didn't seem jarring at all.

He moved sideways, and he continued to throw punches at Savage World to the

south. All of a sudden, his fists went from slowest to quickest again, causing the wind
around him to whistle.
Cui Chan's grandfather had once uttered very proud words, saying that he wanted all
of the martial artists in the world to feel as if he were the paramount heaven when
they saw his punch!

As if answering a question in his mind, Chen Ping'an roared with laughter and
exclaimed, “Alright!” as he threw a punch.

Ning Yao opened her mouth slightly.

Was this still Chen Ping'an?

In a rare display, Ning Yao felt a little emotional and sentimental. After drinking a
mouthful of wine that tasted like anxiety, she extended a hand and complained,
“Chen Ping'an, I can't defeat many of you with a single hand anymore.”

Chen Ping'an stopped his movements before squatting down and chuckling, “I won't
fight back if you hit me.”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and said, “Are you still a man? If word of this gets out, then
you'll become the butt of jokes not only in the Sword Qi Great Wall, but also in
Majestic World.”

Chen Ping'an's expression was firm and resolute as he promised, “If you're bullied by
someone one day, then my fist will definitely be the quickest when I strike back,
regardless of what martial arts tier I'm at!”

Ning Yao pointed to the south of the great wall and asked, “You won't be afraid even
if the opponent is a great demon at the peak stage of the 13th tier?”

Chen Ping'an nodded in response.

Ning Yao pointed behind them and asked, “You won't be afraid even if the opponent
is a sage from the Confucian temples in Majestic World?”

Chen Ping'an still nodded in affirmation.

Ning Yao pointed above and asked, “You won't be afraid even if it's the Dao Ancestor
or Buddha?”

Chen Ping'an nodded again. After nodding, he said in a quiet voice, “Ning Yao, don't
die on the battlefield.”

Ning Yao turned around and didn't look at Chen Ping'an anymore. Holding the Sword
Nurturing Gourd in her arms, she looked down at the 10,000-year battlefield
beneath them and nodded with a resolute expression in her eyes. “I don't dare to
guarantee that I won't die. However, I'll definitely fight to stay alive.”

She suddenly laughed and said, “Chen Ping'an, you should also hurry up and strive to
become the number one great sword immortal in the world!”

Chen Ping'an scratched his head and replied, “I can't guarantee this either. However,
I'll definitely try my best!”

Chen Ping'an walked over and sat down next to Ning Yao.

His shoulder leaned against her shoulder.

Ning Yao was slightly embarrassed, so she gently nudged him as if trying to push him
away. However, Chen Ping'an leaned over again and again.

Chen Ping'an's shoulder rocked back and forth just like that.

In the end, the two of them silently gazed toward the south.

One shoulder carried the hopes of Mr. Qi and Big Sister Immortal.

One shoulder carried the expectations of the girl he liked.

Even though it wasn't long grass and flying warblers, and it wasn't clear mountains
and limpid waters….

Chen Ping'an felt like this was very good. It couldn't be any better.
The master and disciple, Pei Bei and Cao Ci, slowly walked along the great wall. Cao
Ci glanced back in the direction of the thatched cottages and said with serious
expression, “Even though his foundation at the third tier is still quite far behind my
foundation at the third tier, I feel like Chen Ping'an still has the chance to follow
behind me.”

The martial goddess smiled and said, “This is very high praise.”

“Master, what do you think?” Cao Ci asked.

Pei Bei shook her head lightly and replied, “It doesn't matter what I think. This
depends on how you and Chen Ping'an develop in the future. This depends on your
cultivation speed, the sturdiness of your foundation at each tier, and eventually the
level of your Martial Dao. Of course, who can live for longer is also critically
important.”

Cao Ci nodded and asked, “Master, if there aren't any big accidents, approximately
how long can you live for?”

Pei Bei's voice was calm as she answered this question pertaining to her life and
death, saying, “Ordinary martial artists at the 10th tier can live until around 300
years old if they minimize the depletion of their vital energy and participate in fewer
life-and-death battles where they suffer severe wounds with difficult-to-remove
side-effects. I can live for approximately 200 years longer than that. However, this
extra 200 years will allow me to do many more things.”

Cao Ci sighed with emotion and lamented, “At the end of the day, Qi refiners still
enjoy a longer lifespan than us.”

Pei Bei didn't comment on this. Instead. she asked, “Do you have any other thoughts
about Chen Ping'an?”
“No,” Cao Ci replied with a shake of his head.

“You can leave the Great Duan Empire before you advance to the seventh tier, but
you're definitely not allowed to travel to any other continent,” Pei Bei warned.

“I understand.”

Cao Ci didn't mind this at all. When it came to the Martial Dao, his true opponent was
none other than himself.

The tall martial goddess from Middle Earth Divine Continent couldn't help but
chuckle. She reached over and stroked Cao Ci's head.

“Master, don't treat me like a child all the time,” Cao Ci said in exasperation.

Before walking down the great wall, Pei Bei glanced back at the thatched cottages,
then quickly looked away. A sneaky smile appeared on her face.

Pure martial artists in the same generation as Cao Ci would most likely feel very
aggrieved.

Those who respected and revered him could only gaze up at a tall mountain. They
could only gaze up at him for their entire lives.

Those who envied and felt jealous of him could only stare at the dust he left behind,
and those who detested him and felt hostility toward him could only fume in
helplessness.

Pei Bei was very eager to see her disciple's ultimate height.

After all, there was no second when it came to martial arts!

————

Chen Ping'an had already stayed on the city wall for almost ten days. Ning Yao visited
today, and she told Chen Ping'an that an important guest was visiting her clan and
that she needed to be present.

Chen Ping'an continued to practice walking meditation along the city wall. After
walking for several kilometers, he discovered a little girl dressed in a loose black
robe standing in front of him. Her hair was tied into adorable twin braids, and she
seemed to be just standing there and nodding off. She swayed back and forth, and it
looked like she might plummet down the great wall at any moment.

Chen Ping'an was extremely alarmed by what he saw, and he was just about to reach
over to stabilize the reckless little girl. However, his two long journeys had allowed
him to mature quite a bit. Colorful Garment Nation, Stalactite Mountain, and the
Sword Qi Great Wall were all vastly different from each other.

Thus, Chen Ping'an simply called out and pretended that he was asking her
something. Speaking poorly and awkwardly in the local dialect of the Sword Qi Great
Wall that Ning Yao had taught him, he asked, “Do you know who the old man in the
thatched cottage is?”

The little girl ignored Chen Ping'an and continued to wobble back and forth on the
parapet.

Chen Ping'an came to a stop at a distance that he felt was reasonable. He then
observed the little girl and discovered a snot bubble hanging from her nose. Sure
enough, she was asleep.

How relaxed….

Chen Ping'an felt like she was most likely a prodigious sword cultivator.

At this instant, the wobbling little girl with braided twin tails lost her balance and
directly plummeted down the wall.

Chen Ping'an was just about to instinctively dash forward and grab the little girl's
toes.

However, a hand pressed down on his shoulder and prevented him from moving.
Turning around, Chen Ping'an found that there was a white-haired old man with a
kindly expression standing to his left. The old man was tall, and there was a white
jade hairpin in his hair. The old man smiled at Chen Ping'an and said, “Young boy,
judging from your accent, you're most likely an outsider, correct? Having a good
heart is a good thing, but when you're in the Sword Qi Great Wall, you need to make
sure to keep one thing in mind. Don't cause trouble for others, and don't cause
trouble for yourself.”
The old man pointed in the direction where the little girl had fallen down the wall
and continued, “This Hidden Official doesn't need your saving either. She's a sword
cultivator who's killed the greatest number of Middle Five Tier demons in the Sword
Qi Great Wall in the past thousand years. If we're talking about who the demon tribe
hates the most, Lord Hidden Official can easily rank inside the top three. If you
touched even the hem of her clothes, you would have most likely lost your life. That's
unless the old great sword immortal was willing to engage in an intense battle with
Lord Hidden Official.”

Chen Ping'an cupped his fists and thanked the old man.

The old man smiled and introduced, “My surname is Qi, and if you don't mind, you
can call me Grandpa Qi or Senior Qi. There are some unusual movements in the
south today, and I was coincidentally patrolling the wall with a good friend. I surmise
that Lord Hidden Official was also interested in this, and perhaps she's eager for the
demon tribe to launch a new round of attacks.”

The old man remembered something, and he suddenly added, “Actually, don't call me
Grandpa Qi. Senior Qi will be fine. Otherwise, it will feel like I'm trying to compare
myself to the old great sword immortal. That will be no good.”

Just as the old man finished speaking, a dull rumble traveled over from the foot of
the great wall.

Lord Hidden Official, the little girl with braided twin tails, had most likely crashed
into the ground and caused some commotion.

The old man smiled and reminded him, “Even though the old great sword immortal
is keeping watch, and Lord Hidden Official is also present, you should still be a little
more careful. The tactics of war are unpredictable, so who knows when the demon
tribe might launch their next assault. Alright, I'll leave you to it now.”

Chen Ping'an didn't see the old man stride forward, yet he had already appeared on
the parapet three dozen meters away. With his movements nimble and graceful, the
old man quickly vanished into the distance.

Chen Ping'an jumped down the parapet and returned to the thatched cottage.

The old man's surname was Qi.

Lord Hidden Official had slain countless demons at the Middle Five Tiers.

Chen Ping'an heard some indescribable noise coming from the land to the south. It
wasn't the kind of piercing sound that caused discomfort to one's ears, but rather a
quiet sound that made one feel a sense of disgust. Chen Ping'an hurriedly walked to
the parapet and looked into the distance.

In the boundless canyon that lay beyond the great wall, what he saw was….
something that looked like a worm in the muddy ground.

However, Chen Ping'an was standing on the great wall now, so he could imagine just
how colossal and terrifying the actual size of the worm was.

After a moment, Chen Ping'an saw a giant orb of snow-white light erupt at the
location where Lord Hidden Official had fallen down the wall just then. The giant orb
of light then rolled toward the great demon like a ball.

Afterward, plumes of dust and ashes rose in the canyon, reflecting the intensity of
the battle taking place.

About fifteen minutes later, the little girl with braided twin tails and dressed in a
loose black robe returned to the city wall. She stood on the parapet not far away
from Chen Ping'an, and she opened her mouth wide and used two fingers to rock a
tooth back and forth. In the end, however, she was seemingly reluctant to pull it out.
She simply spat a mouthful of blood toward the carriageway. She was slightly angry,
and the carriageway along the great wall shuddered as she swaggered along the
parapet.

The old sword immortal who lived in the thatched cottage and guarded the city wall
arrived beside Chen Ping'an at some unknown time. He smiled and explained, “To
her, failing to kill the enemy is equivalent to losing. As a result, she's feeling quite
irritated right now. During times like these, others shouldn't go over and bother her.
Otherwise, things will become very troublesome.

“In the past, only A'Liang was willing to chat with her and add fuel to the fire. In any
case, he was able to tolerate beatings from her. Now that A'Liang has left the Sword
Qi Great Wall, I presume that she's also feeling a little bored. In fact, that slightly
unfortunate great demon from our enemy's camp was only coming over and showing
itself in a symbolic manner.”
The old sword immortal led Chen Ping'an toward the thatched cottages. While
walking, he suddenly said, “You're an exception because of certain reasons, and
that's why I'm also telling you some more things.”

Chen Ping'an nodded and didn't say anything.

When night fell, Chen Ping'an walked out of the small thatched cottage that Cao Ci
had built and sat down on the north-facing parapet, drinking wine as he gazed at the
gigantic city that was ablaze with lights.

He looked in the direction of Ning Yao's home.

However, his left shoulder was suddenly smacked by someone, and when he looked
over, he discovered that Ning Yao was already sitting next to him.

She brought some food to the city wall this time, and she left it in the small thatched
cottage nearby. She grabbed a pot of wine, and Chen Ping'an handed her his Sword
Nurturing Gourd. Ning Yao helped refill the gourd.

When the pot was emptied, Ning Yao casually tossed it off the great wall. It wouldn't
make any sound when it crashed into the ground. After all, it was only a small pot
and not Lord Hidden Official.

Ning Yao drank a mouthful of wine and started to zone out.

Thus, Chen Ping'an accompanied her and also started to zone out.

“In reality, whether one is reasonable or not has nothing to do with whether they'll
enjoy a good life or not,” Ning Yao said softly.

Ning Yao pointed at the city and continued, “Over in that place, there are people who
are far too talented. No one can do anything about them as long as they stay within
the rules, even when they wantonly kill innocent people. When they arrive on the
battlefield to the south of the great wall, these people will still be renowned and
revered heroes.

“When their sword qi soars into the heavens, and when they cut through the
swarming demon army with peerless might, even those who resent them will have
no option but to admit that things would indeed be very different without these
talented sword cultivators.”
Ning Yao swirled the wine gourd and said, “I've been to many places in Majestic
World, and I've come across all kinds of people during my journeys. Some people are
able to enjoy a lifetime of prosperity and wealth simply because they reincarnated
into the right place. They don't need to worry about food or clothes, yet they still sit
there all day long and complain about how boring their life is. They like to grumble
about how difficult they have it.”

She returned the Sword Nurturing Gourd to Chen Ping'an and asked, “These
nonsensical matters are quite boring, aren't they?”

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and replied, “It's alright. Everyone has their own
principles and their own way of living. They're not necessarily wrong just because
their values don't align with ours. I'll be fine as long as liking to speak reason doesn't
guarantee a bad life.”

“How unfortunate. Liking to speak reason does genuinely lead to a difficult life,” Ning
Yao said with a huff.

“Huh?”

Chen Ping'an started to carefully contemplate this matter.

Ning Yao turned around and looked at the earnestly thinking young boy. She couldn't
help but chuckle and say, “I was only joking. Did you really believe me?”

Chen Ping'an drank a mouthful of wine and asked, “There's something weighing on
your mind?”

Ning Yao nodded and replied, “Someone wants to buy my clan's Dragon Slaying
Platform, but I'm not willing to sell it. However, they're offering an astronomical sum,
and they're also speaking about righteousness, generational friendships, and
anything they can think of. Listening to them is quite annoying.”

Chen Ping'an didn't say anything to console Ning Yao. Instead, he gently grabbed her
hand.

Ning Yao suddenly smiled for some reason, and she continued, “However, whenever I
think about your pitiful childhood when you would go hungry and secretly cry in
Clay Vase Alley with tears and snot flowing down your face, I feel like these matters
aren't so important anymore.”
Chen Ping'an smiled and looked into the distance. A gust of wind brushed over him,
and it no longer brought him agonizing pain like it had when he had first arrived at
the Sword Qi Great Wall. Right now, this gust of wind felt like the gentle breeze
blowing through the mountains and forests in his hometown. “Is that so?” he said in
a gentle voice.

In the end, Ning Yao leaned on Chen Ping'an's shoulder and slept soundly until the
next morning.

Chen Ping'an sat there unmoving as he silently guarded the night.

He had once come across a very moving line of poetry.

Someone had engraved these characters onto the clay statue of a deity in the
immortal tomb back in his hometown.

Chen Ping'an hoped that the author was anyone but Ma Kuxuan from Apricot
Blossom Alley.

“Ever since childhood, I've been alone and looking after the stars of yore.[1]“

1. Paek Hak-rim's poem, 'Lonely.' ☜

The bright moon went into hiding, and the radiant sun rose as normal.

It was a new day again.

It was rare for Ning Yao to enjoy such a good sleep, and she wiped her mouth after
she woke up. She stood up and stretched lazily, after which she directly jumped on
her sword and flew down the great wall, heading back to the city in the north in a
carefree manner.

Even though Chen Ping'an had seen many immortals flying through the sky in a
dashing manner before — Ning Yao in the very beginning, Wind Snow Temple's Wei
Jin afterward, Liu Baqiao, and many more immortals on the kun ship — he still felt
like Ning Yao's figure was extremely refreshing when she flew on her sword, no
matter how many times he looked at her. Of course, he felt envious of her as well.

Chen Ping'an returned to the small thatched cottage and ate some breakfast.
Afterward, he walked along the northern parapet from left to right, practicing
walking meditation and fist techniques as he did so. He was very adept at this
already, and he could complete this training with his eyes closed the entire time.

Before leaving, Ning Yao had told him that she might not have the time to visit him
on the city wall today. Thus, Chen Ping'an brought some food with him and planned
to walk further down the wall this time.

Perhaps because he had been too close to the old sword immortal's cultivation space
before, there had been very few sword cultivators in the area. While training near
the thatched cottage, Chen Ping'an had only come across the old sword immortal
with the surname Qi and Lord Hidden Official, the little girl who had killed the most
Middle Five Tier demons on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

After walking down the right side of the great wall for an entire day, Chen Ping'an
came across many more sword cultivators, old and young, male and female. Some
were youths coming to the great wall to absorb sword intent and temper their Sword
Dao, and these individuals would often practice sword techniques by themselves or
silently comprehend Dao. There were also some sword cultivators who patrolled the
great wall in groups.

However, without exception, not a single person greeted Chen Ping'an when they
saw the young boy with a sword case on his back practicing fist techniques. There
was only indifference in their eyes.

Only after experiencing this did Chen Ping'an finally understand the old sword
immortal's words somewhat. Here on the great wall, it was best not to cause trouble
for others or oneself.

Noon arrived, and Chen Ping'an sat on the parapet and ate the dried meat and
desserts that Ning Yao had given him. He chewed slowly, and he saw a group of
twenty or so young boys and young girls walking over from the distance. Their
sword strikes were intense and orderly, and their movements agile and energetic.
Their sword techniques were artful yet simple, and their sword intent leaned toward
deadly and dark.

There was a middle-aged sword cultivator with a single arm nimbly walking behind
the formation of youths and providing them with guidance. They were most likely
young descendants from the same clan cultivating and training together.

Chen Ping'an didn't dare to look at them for too long, lest he be accused of trying to
steal some other clan's secret sword techniques passed down by their ancestors.

The middle-aged sword cultivator with a single arm glanced at Chen Ping'an and
pondered for a brief moment. He then gestured with his hand, causing the group of
young sword cultivators to cheer with joy as they rapidly stopped their cultivation.
They broke up into smaller groups of two or three and sat down on the city wall.

Another group of people who had been following the young sword cultivators from a
distance immediately removed the bags from their backs and brought lunch over for
the young boys and young girls. They were extremely respectful, and everything
seemed natural and justified.

Ning Yao had told him that there was a very strict hierarchy at the Sword Qi Great
Wall. People placed heavy emphasis on clan lineage and meritorious service.

An example of this was Lord Hidden Official. “Hidden Official” was obviously not a
surname; instead, it was a strange official position with an ancient history that no
one really knew about. In any case, the title of “Hidden Official” was hereditary, and
those with the title were responsible for supervising the army, convicting criminals,
rendering punishment, and so on.

However, many clan leaders in the past had been weak and incompetent, becoming
nothing more than a long shadow dragging over the north of the Sword Qi Great
Wall. Very often, these clan leaders would be reduced to yes-men for the large clans
in the city. However, the current Lord Hidden Official was very different.

She was publicly recognized as the fourth-in-command in the Sword Qi Great Wall.

During the thirteen battles with the demon tribe, this short-tempered “little girl” had
participated in the first battle and caused her opponent, a powerful great demon
with extraordinary combat power, to directly surrender and leave the battlefield.
Enraged by this result, the little girl had chaotically smashed and pummeled the
battlefield for fifteen minutes. However, the Sword Qi Great Wall and the demon
tribe had done nothing as they watched her vent her anger. Both sides were already
accustomed to her antics.

After Ning Yao told him a few things about the events of the thirteen battles, Chen
Ping'an committed all of the powerful cultivators from both sides to memory. The
Naturalist cultivator from the Lu Clan stood out from the rest, with the Naturalist
teaching described as one that influenced half the results.

Both sides had only found out their opponent's order of cultivators at the very last
moment. However, another silent yet turbulent battle had most likely been taking
place the entire time beforehand.

Lord Hidden Official had made a good start for the human tribe. However, the Sword
Qi Great Wall had fallen apart during the battles in the middle stages, almost
collapsing once and for all. Fortunately, A'Liang had swooped in and saved the day,
bringing the battles to a victorious end.

After eating lunch, Chen Ping'an stood up and continued to walk forward as he
practiced his fist techniques. During this time, he saw the old man with the surname
Qi again. However, there was a handsome middle-aged man beside the old sword
immortal, and the latter's aura was concealed while the former's aura was
flourishing. On the surface, it looked as if the middle-aged man were superior to the
old sword immortal.

Chen Ping'an didn't walk over to speak with them. Instead, he simply stopped his
walking meditation before slightly bowing his head and cupping his fists in greeting.

The old sword immortal smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. However, he didn't
engage in idle chatter with the young boy from outside of town either.

Afterward, Chen Ping'an came across two young and strong sword cultivators who
were drinking on the parapet, as well as a single-armed young girl standing on the
parapet with an extremely large sword in hand. She was standing there unmoving.

Chen Ping'an silently jumped down the parapet when he saw them, taking a detour
along the carriageway. When he walked far away enough, he jumped back onto the
parapet and continued to walk forward while practicing walking meditation.

When dusk fell, Chen Ping'an saw several sword cultivators flying up from the
southern side of the great wall. They soared over the carriageway and flew on their
swords toward the north.

Chen Ping'an glanced at the sky and had a quick dinner. He then turned around to
return to the thatched hut.

When he arrived, it was already deep into the night. However, after opening the hut
door, what he saw was the moonlight shining upon that little girl, Lord Hidden
Official. She was currently feasting on his food. Chen Ping'an stood there unmoving,
and the little girl with twin braids turned around with her cheeks absolutely stuffed.

However, she didn't react like a thief caught in action, and she instead flipped the
script and looked at Chen Ping'an with an expression of disapproval and vigilance. It
was as if she were interrogating him and asking him why he was at her home.

She wasn't a thief sneaking into someone's house. Rather, she was a bandit trying to
occupy his place!

Chen Ping'an could only retreat out of the small thatched cottage in silence, lightly
closing the door behind him.
He was afraid that he would be minced into a pulp by the powerful and eccentric
Lord Hidden Official if they had a disagreement.

Chen Ping'an went to the northern parapet behind the small thatched cottage, sitting
there and drinking wine.

After a while, he suddenly heard someone clapping behind him. Turning around, he
saw the little girl put her hands down before pointing at the small thatched cottage.
She then turned around and left.

She's telling me that I can return to clean up the mess?

Chen Ping'an felt a slight headache forming. Out of an abundance of caution, he

remained seated on the parapet until the little girl with large sleeves walked far
away. Only then did he return to the small thatched cottage to survey the situation.
Barely anything was left of the food that Ning Yao had brought him.

Chen Ping'an sighed and started to clean up the hut that had been completely
trashed by the little girl. When he finished, he returned to the parapet and started to
practice the 'Proper Sword Scripture' that Zheng Dafeng had given him.

Same as always, he visualized holding a sword in his hand. He didn't hold a real
sword, and his main focus was on practicing the Avalanche Technique and the Deity
Suppression Technique.

Ning Yao didn't come to the city wall to visit Chen Ping'an today.

Thus, Chen Ping'an returned to the small thatched cottage during the latter half of
the night, lying down and enjoying a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, Chen Ping'an saw Lord Hidden Official not long after waking up
and walking out of the small thatched cottage. There were several young boys and
young girls walking behind her as she strode over and entered the thatched cottage.

However, the little girl with twin braids quickly walked out with a fuming expression.
Her eyes were wide open as she tried her best to glare at Chen Ping'an in a fierce and
intimidating manner. She was most likely questioning him about why there were no
snacks to steal in the thatched cottage today.

The youths behind her — each with an extraordinary aura — all seemed to be
feeling a slight sense of schadenfreude.

There was an awkward expression on Chen Ping'an's face, and he was left with no
option but to play dumb.

If it weren't for Lord Hidden Official's title and status, Chen Ping'an truly wanted to
walk over and pinch her cheeks.

The little girl with twin braids was genuinely a little angry this time. The Sword Qi
Great Wall shuddered loudly under her feet, after which she took to the air in her
loose black robe, disappearing in a flash.

Ning Yao came to the Sword Qi Great Wall in the afternoon. After Chen Ping'an told
her about his encounters, Ning Yao laughed and said that he had nothing to worry
about. This was how Lord Hidden Official's temper was. Countless sword cultivators
had suffered at her hands, yet it was actually very easy to deal with her
eccentricities.

She liked to hear praise, and she liked to receive beautiful-looking presents. She
would accept everything that came her way. However, she would at most offer a
smile after enjoying a meal or accepting a present. She would never remember these
acts of goodwill.

If one managed to offend Lord Hidden Official, there was also a way to deal with her
imminent fury. When it came to those unfortunate people in the Sword Qi Great Wall,
they could simply play dead before Lord Hidden Official had the chance to lash out in
anger.

Upon seeing this, the little girl would feel like killing these kinds of trash would soil
her hands. Thus, she would often let the perpetrators off the hook. Moreover, she
wasn't the type of person to hold grudges. Or perhaps she couldn't remember these
people at all.

Ning Yao remembered something, and she said that her friend had once mentioned
that Lord Hidden Official had a fairly decent relationship with the previous occupant
of the small thatched cottage. It was a very rare case of her having a good impression
of someone. In fact, people had once seen Cao Ci placing Lord Hidden Official on his
shoulders and practicing fist techniques as he walked along the parapet. The
passers-by had all been scared to death.
Chen Ping'an sighed with emotion and remarked that Cao Ci was truly very
impressive.

Ning Yao smiled and said, “I wasn't familiar with Cao Ci before, but I asked around a
bit more about him recently. I came to the conclusion that pure martial artists
walking the same path as Cao Ci are actually quite pitiable, especially those so-called
martial arts prodigies.”

Ning Yao borrowed Chen Ping'an's wine gourd and took a sip. Her face became a
healthy shade of red, and she continued, “When it comes to Qi refiners, it's very hard
for someone to be publicly recognized as number one. This is especially the case if
we cast our gazes over the entire world instead of just a continent.

“This is because external items such as bonded flying swords, immortal treasures,
and celestial tools can't actually be regarded as external items. In many life-and-
death battles, it's specifically these things that can give one a critical edge. As a
result, chance encounters and fated opportunities can change many established
preconceptions.

“However, things are different for martial artists. Martial artists seldom rely on
external items, and many even detest such external items. It's because of this that
people talk about 'no second in fist techniques.' Victory and defeat are often very
easy to guess.”

Chen Ping'an nodded in agreement. He had once come across Song Changjing in Clay
Vase Alley, and he had trained with Cui Chan's grandfather in the bamboo building
afterward. There was also Zheng Dafeng striving for the heavens after breaking
through to the next tier with much difficulty. From these powerful cultivators, he
could clearly feel how martial artists were starkly different from immortals from the
mountains. Their ambitious and domineering auras as grandmasters were especially
evident.

Ning Yao returned the wine gourd to Chen Ping'an and said, “In fact, that's only half
of my conclusion. You might feel like Cao Ci is very impressive, but I feel like you're
even more impressive.”

A silly smile spread across Chen Ping'an's face. The girl he loved was calling him
impressive, so was this not impressive in and of itself?
“This is because few martial artists in the same generation can rival Cao Ci. This is a
certainty,” Ning Yao revealed in a serious tone. “No one has truly experienced Cao Ci's
aura of so-called invincibility before. However, not only did you fight with him, but
you fought three battles in a row. Even though you lost all three battles, it was truly a
feat for you to remain undefeated in the battle of mental states.”

Ning Yao coughed and sat up straight, patting Chen Ping'an's shoulder and praising,
“This is a very difficult feat. You need to maintain this mentality and continue to
strive forward.”

Seeing Ning Yao speak in such a solemn manner, Chen Ping'an had initially been
treating this with relative seriousness. However, he suddenly discovered the look of
mischief in her eyes, and he realized that she was imitating Cao Ci and purposely
messing around with him. A wide smile spread across Chen Ping'an's face, and he
didn't even bother to drink wine anymore. “You don't sound like him at all.”

“And you can act like him if you try?” Ning Yao rolled her eyes and asked.

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, “I won't act like him, and I don't need to act
like him either.”

Ning Yao clicked her tongue in wonder. It was hard to say whether she was doing so
in admiration or amusement.

Chen Ping'an chuckled coldly in reply.

However, just how smart was Ning Yao? She immediately knew that Chen Ping'an
was imitating her response back in Stork Inn. She directly punched him in the
shoulder and scolded, “Drink your wine!”

Sure enough, Chen Ping'an drank a mouthful of wine before exclaiming, “Wow, the
wine today tastes especially good.”

Ning Yao glanced at the Sword Nurturing Gourd in Chen Ping'an's hand, and her face
immediately flushed red. She punched Chen Ping'an again and fumed, “Men are all
good-for-nothings!”

Chen Ping'an held his wine gourd in confusion.

Ning Yao stood up and flew away on her sword. While doing so, she didn't forget to
turn around to shoot a vicious glare at him.

Chen Ping'an blinked with an innocent expression.

He then scratched his head and continued to drink wine. He mulled over this matter,
yet he didn't understand why he was a good-for-nothing no matter how he thought
about it.

However, Chen Ping'an could tell that Ning Yao wasn't truly angry.

She was just a little…. embarrassed.

Chen Ping'an felt like the feeling lingering in his heart was quite good. In fact, it was
even more beautiful than fine wine.

A handsome middle-aged man walking on the wind high above the Sword Qi Great
Wall — the person who had been standing beside the old sword immortal just then
— coincidentally witnessed this sight. He chuckled and remarked, “So, it turns out
that he's a silly and oblivious young boy.”

After drinking some wine, Chen Ping'an retied the Sword Nurturing Gourd to his
waist and stood up to practice standing meditation.

The moonlight entered his embrace, and its radiance shone upon his shoulders. It
was another peaceful night.

Sunlight peeked over the horizon, and Chen Ping'an suddenly opened his eyes. He
discovered that he had actually stood there unmoving and performed standing
meditation for half a night.

Chen Ping'an felt a sense of lingering apprehension. What if he had accidentally

fallen off the parapet? Lord Hidden Official could get off unscathed, but he would
have definitely turned into human paste at the bottom of the wall.

Chen Ping'an stretched his body and jumped down the parapet. After returning to
the small thatched cottage, he ate the breakfast that Ning Yao had prepared for him
last night before continuing to practice the dull and monotonous walking meditation.
He walked from left to right along the parapet of the great wall.

On his way, Chen Ping'an came across a young smiling fatty who was radiating with
killing intent. Same as always, he jumped down the parapet and took a detour before
leaping back onto the parapet. He also came across a handsome young man who
seemed slightly effeminate.

Afterward, it was a tanned young boy whose face was riddled with scars. Finally, it
was a single-armed young girl with a gigantic sword on her back. However, there
were several young girls beside her today, and it was as if they were treating the
wide parapet as a scenic spot. They were sitting around a satin cloth filled with
exquisite snacks and desserts.

When Chen Ping'an jumped down the parapet onto the carriageway again, the group
of young girls all turned around to look at him.

Even when Chen Ping'an walked past them from far away, they still pointed at him
and made remarks.

Chen Ping'an could feel his head becoming slightly numb.

In fact, he was well aware that all of these youths were definitely the friends that
Ning Yao had described to him. Moreover, they were friends with whom she had
fought side-by-side.

This was the second time that Chen Ping'an wanted to complain a little about the
pair of straw sandals on his feet.

The first time was in the capital of Great Sui Nation. He had been afraid of causing
embarrassment for Li Baoping, Li Huai, and the others, so he had especially gone and
bought himself a new pair of boots. However, because he hadn't entered Mountain
Cliff Academy in the East Mountain, instead leaving the capital with the young Cui
Chan, he had taken his boots off after wearing them for only a short while. He had
changed back into his pair of comfortable straw sandals.

Chen Ping'an hoped that he could be more presentable in the future. Even if his
clothes didn't perfectly complement him and make him appear ethereal like Cao Ci
and Cui Chan, he still needed his clothes to be clean and tidy at a minimum, similar to
Lin Shouyi. It would be even better if he gave off a slightly bookish aura, even if it
was only temporary. He would also put a jade hairpin in his hair, and the Sword
Nurturing Gourd by his waist could remain where it was. The sword case on his back
could remain as well….
Chen Ping'an continued to walk forward, sighing in his mind and feeling a slight
sense of regret.

However, he suddenly started to chuckle after walking for a while, and he lifted a foot
and lowered his head to glance at the straw sandal. “Old friend, I don't dislike you,
and I'm extremely grateful for your hard work all these years. If you look at your
companions who sacrificed themselves during my long journeys, you can see that
I've kept all of them and treated them well. I didn't throw a single pair away. They're
all enjoying retirement in Fifteenth's belly. Mhm, the books call this living easy in old
age. Haha, it will be slightly challenging if you want to play with grandchildren
though….”

As he talked to himself, Chen Ping'an didn't realize that the group of youths who had
gathered here to observe him were all panicking and actively dropping off the
parapet like a pack of dumplings. As it turned out, Ning Yao had flown to the city wall
on her sword.

The chubby young boy, Charcoal Dong, and the handsome young boy all started to
flee. Meanwhile, the group of young girls suppressed their smiles as they roughly
packed up their food and left the parapet on their swords.

Chen Ping'an turned around and saw Ning Yao arriving on her sword, suddenly
coming to a stop just beyond the parapet. She then slowly continued forward,
matching the pace of Chen Ping'an's walking meditation.

“Don't mind them,” Ning Yao said in exasperation.

Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile.

Ning Yao controlled her sword and carved a beautiful arc in the air, saying, “I still
have matters to attend to, so I'll visit you again tomorrow.”

Just like yesterday, Chen Ping'an only arrived back at the thatched cottages late into
the night. This time, however, the old sword immortal was standing on the northern
parapet for some unknown reason. It was as if he were gazing at the city without a
city wall in the distance.

Chen Ping'an briskly walked over and greeted Grandpa Chen. The old man looked
away and nodded in acknowledgment before pointing toward the north and saying,
“There are only this many people, and perhaps the size of this city is even inferior to
a state city in Majestic World. Yet, it's kept the demon tribe out of the Sword Qi Great
Wall for so many years. Even I find this a little strange.”

Chen Ping'an didn't know how to reply, so he decided to remain silent.

The old sword immortal turned around and looked at the young boy with a smile,
asking, “Chen Ping'an, the two of us get along quite well, don't we?”

Chen Ping'an nodded in response.

The old sword immortal smiled and asked, “But what if I tell you that I get along
better with Cao Ci and have higher hopes for him?”

Chen Ping'an still didn't know how to reply.

The old sword immortal wasn't in a hurry to receive an answer from the young boy.
Instead, he simply looked at Chen Ping'an's eyes. Through this, he was more
importantly looking at the mind's realm of the young boy.

The old sword immortal sighed with slight emotion.

This time, the old man whom A'Liang referred to as the old great sword immortal
even went as far as to use his sword technique mystical powers. The was a mystical
power that could see into one's mind and peek into the depths of one's soul.

So this is how it is.

He was quite a good cultivation talent before, so it wouldn't have been difficult for him
to become an earth immortal in Majestic World on the side of Stalactite Mountain if
everything had gone smoothly and his fortune had been good. However, it's a shame
that his potential was completely pulverized by someone very early on. It's like pieces of
shattered porcelain. He suffered an even greater calamity long before his bridge of
immortality was severed.

Mind's realm, mind's mirror.[1]

The mirror shards came in varying sizes of large and small, and the old sword
immortal saw all kinds of different scenes on the few largest shards.

If Confucian sages with profound cultivation bases witnessed the scenes in his
mind's realm, they would perhaps see more things and naturally find them more
bizarre as well.

Thus, the old sword immortal discovered many more clues.

To put things bluntly, this was a process similar to raising poisonous insects[2] Not
only did the weak have to revere and submit to the strong, but they would even have
to sacrifice themselves to the strong and disappear once and for all.

Chen Ping'an had most likely been exerting all of his effort to piece these shards of
shattered porcelain back together all these years. However, he was unaware of his
own actions.

To put things more nicely, this process was quite a lofty and wondrous one. The
young boy's actions could be considered striving for betterment and continuous self-
improvement. He was aiming to become a powerful individual who sought to grow
more powerful. In the end, one or two shards would grow more and more dazzling,
becoming like the sun and moon in the sky that suppressed the radiance of the stars.

When it came to battles between mental states, one's cultivation base didn't play a
major role. Thus, these battles were incredibly vicious and dangerous. Qi refiners
had many theories and secret techniques — examining one's conscience, testing
one's heart, performing three self-reflections a day, defeating the demon in one's
mind, and so on.

Because of this, there were also many heretical teachings and demonic branches.
These groups of people took advantage of all kinds of low-level cultivation
techniques to take shortcuts. In the eyes of sect-level immortal forces, these people
were heretical cultivators who had strayed from orthodoxy. In any case, there was
profound knowledge behind all of this, and the theories involved were incredibly
complicated just like the undulating mountain ranges that contained peaks of all
heights.

Among all of the teachings, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism were the three
largest teachings. They were the largest mountains with the most profound
founders.

The School of Military Thought was a mountain that had lost its head. It was only a
step away from succeeding.
Once regarded as a member of the four great teachings, the Mohist Sect was also in a
similar situation to the School of Military Thought.

It was like a large river that ultimately couldn't flow into the sea regardless of how
wide it was. It was only a step away from becoming a large river that connected to
the sea.

Chen Ping'an was still unable to give an answer.

However, the old sword immortal had already received an answer.

He smiled faintly and said, “I accidentally heard everything when you and Ning Yao
were chatting about reason just then. Do you want to hear some ramblings from a
person who has experienced many things?”

Chen Ping'an resolutely nodded in response.

The old sword immortal smiled and offered, “I can tell you a secret that's both
reasonable and can allow you to lead a decent life. You definitely won't stifle yourself
to death in the future.”

Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, “Please tell me, Old Senior.”

The old sword immortal chuckled softly and said, “Okay, listen carefully. When you
encounter situations like this, you should tell yourself….”

The old sword immortal paused for a moment before continuing, “I, blah blah blah….
Mhm, for example, I, Chen Qingdu — you can say, I, Chen Ping'an….”

After saying this, the old man started to chuckle to himself.

Chen Ping'an also started to chuckle.

In the end, the old sword immortal clasped his hands behind his back, slightly
hunched as he gazed at the peaceful city with a calm expression. “I've spoken reason
everywhere, and I've spoken reason regarding all matters. I've already spoken
enough reason in my life. I have a clear conscience. However, you people are still so
pathetic. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to speak reason with you people this time.”

Chen Ping'an quietly listened to the old sword immortal's words.

The old sword immortal squinted his eyes and said in reminder, “Of course, you can't
do this too many times. However, it's definitely okay to do this once or twice every
hundred years. For example, like this.”

The old sword immortal slowly extended a hand toward the north. It was only a
casual motion, yet it was as if the colossal night sky above the Sword Qi Great Wall
were being torn apart. A brilliant radiance instantly erupted, and then shrunk to the
size of an extremely thin ray.

This ray of light was incredibly bright, and it descended from the sky and smashed
into someplace in the city, causing countless rays of golden light to explode from the
earth. From a distance, it was as if the golden body of an Upper Five Tier sword
immortal was crumbling at this moment.

Chen Ping'an's jaw dropped when he saw this.

The old sword immortal chuckled and said, “Drink some wine to calm down.”

Chen Ping'an dazedly grabbed his wine gourd and offered it to the old sword
immortal.

Chen Qingdu was only teasing the young boy beside him, so he didn't reach over to
grab the Sword Nurturing Gourd. He turned around and bobbed his head as he
slowly walked forward. He then lightly jumped down the parapet and murmured to
himself, “A silly girl has found herself a silly boy…. What a perfect match.”

1. Mind's realm (心境) and mind's mirror (心鏡) are homonyms in Chinese. ☜

2. Refers to 养蛊, a practice where poisonous insects such as centipedes scorpions,

spiders, etc. are placed together without food and forced to kill and eat each other.
The last insect standing is the 蛊, the most poisonous insect. This insect can then be
used to harm others. ☜
A sigh sounded somewhere in the Sword Qi Great Wall. It was as if someone didn't
agree with the old sword immortal's decision to suddenly lash out and kill someone,
yet they were unwilling to step forward to reason with him.

Beside the sighing person, an old voice sounded. “The victim was only at the
Unpolished Jade Tier. Moreover, Chen Qingdu had his reasons to do this, so you
should just endure it.”

The sighing person sighed again.

The old voice gave a helpless chuckle and persuaded the interlocutor to the best of
its ability. “Expounding the principles and rules of Confucianism to Chen Qingdu is
the same as a chicken trying to speak with a duck. What's the point? In addition,
Confucianism is a teaching close to the people.

“Scholars don't aim to become Buddha, and scholars don't chase after longevity. The
Dao underfoot is neither lofty nor distant. Why force Chen Qingdu to adhere to the
rules for everything? Is he a sage or a flawless individual? Everything will become
much easier if you don't measure Chen Qingdu against the yardstick of sages.”

“The consequences of one unreasonable action from Chen Qingdu are perhaps more
severe than the consequences of 10,000 unreasonable actions from mortal beings,”
the sighing person replied in an indifferent voice.

The old person chuckled and replied, “Chen Qingdu is a sword cultivator, while
you're a Confucian scholar. The two of you are not the same.”

The Confucian scholar fell silent for a long while. In the end, he murmured, “A scholar
travel-worn and busy, yet what purpose does he yearn to achieve?[1]“

The old man also sighed after failing to convince the Confucian scholar.

“Chen Qingdu!” someone bellowed in the city to the north of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
A burst of light shot up from the ground and carried with it an unstoppable might of
wind and lightning as it soared toward the great wall.

The hunch-backed old sword immortal who had already jumped down the parapet
frowned upon seeing this. He lightly flicked his sleeve and dragged Chen Ping'an
from the parapet, pulling the young boy behind him. Meanwhile, he took Chen
Ping'an's original spot and directly faced that overbearing sword cultivator.

The old sword immortal narrowed his eyes and asked, “What, a descendant in your
clan became a spy for the demon tribe, yet you still think that you're the reasonable
one?”

The furious sword cultivator came to a hovering stop in midair a dozen meters away
from the great wall. He was a tall old man with a snow-white beard and hair. His aura
was extremely majestic, and he showed no signs of respect or fear even though he
was facing the most experienced and most powerful senior in the Sword Qi Great
Wall.

There was incandescent fury on his face as he interrogated, “My Dong Clan naturally
has clan rules and clan laws to punish traitors. Even if I take ten thousand steps back,
the Hidden Official has yet to pass judgment on the severity of my grandson's crimes,
so what right do you, Chen Qingdu, have to punish Dong Guanpu?!”

The old man dressed in snow-white from head to toe was extremely aggressive and
overbearing. He suddenly raised his voice and roared, “Are you pretending that I,
Dong Sangeng, am dead?!”

There was a taunting expression on Chen Qingdu's face as he replied, “Before Dong
Guanpu died by my sword, I did indeed pretend that you were already dead. Your
grandson was evidently a spy for the demon tribe, yet your Dong Clan managed to
drag investigations on for an entire month. If it were another clan — for example, the
Chen Clan — do you believe me when I say that even a day of investigations would
be too long?”

The old man who had charged over from the Dong Clan was burning with rage. “Is a
sword immortal at the Unpolished Jade Tier who was willing to repent and make up
for his crimes not better for the Sword Qi Great Wall than a corpse?”

Chen Qingdu felt like this kind of question wasn't worthy of a response. Instead, he
chuckled coldly and asked, “There's actually a corpse remaining after facing my
sword strike? Perhaps that little bastard secretly advanced to the Immortal Tier?”

The eyes of the tall old man who had referred to himself as Dong Sangeng almost
bulged out of his head in anger. His sword intent violently flooded the surroundings,
thunderously crashing into the great wall like a barrage of torrential waves.

Chen Qingdu raised an eyebrow and asked, “What, you're going attack me?”

Dong Sangeng strode forward and laughed in rage, roaring, “Others are all afraid of
you, Chen Qingdu, but I'm not afraid! I'll attack if that's what you want! What is there
to be afraid of?!”

A childish voice sounded from a section of the great wall in the distance. There was a
hint of grief and sadness in the voice as it said, “Alright, it's all my fault. I wasn't
willing to see Dong Guanpu die so soon. After all, Little Dong was one of the people I
liked the most. Back then, I liked Snotty Dong as much as I like Cao Ci now. However,
since he's already dead…. then so be it.”

The owner of this voice was a little girl with twin braids and dressed in a large black
robe. She was the current Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

A dozen or so of the most top-notch sword cultivators in the Sword Qi Great Wall
silently appeared in the distance around this section of the great wall. They were
either clan leaders of powerful clans or sword immortals with extraordinary combat
power.

There were only two people absent — the sages who could rival Chen Qingdu in
strength and status.

“Dong Sangeng, you were in the wrong regarding this matter; you were wrong from
the very beginning!” a handsome middle-aged man said in a stern voice. “You placed
far too much hope and expectations on Dong Guanpu for all these years, and it was
because of your actions that Dong Guanpu's sword heart became so extreme. It was
because of this that he insisted on traveling to Savage World to train among the
enemies, resulting in this calamity.

“He believed that the Sword Qi Great Wall had Dong Sangeng, had A'Liang, and could
also have Dong Guanpu in the future. However, I felt like this wasn't the case. So be it
if he didn't listen to me, what with his youth and vigor. But what about you? Did you
not understand the risks and dangers?”

“Descendants of my Dong Clan should naturally have great ambitions like this. Why
would I persuade him otherwise?” Dong Sangeng replied with a cold expression. “I
earnestly hope that all of the descendants of the Dong Clan can become more
powerful than me!”

After saying this, Dong Sangeng sneered and continued, “After all, our Dong Clan isn't
the same as the Chen Clan, Qi Clan, or the Nalan Clan. We're not so crafty and
scheming.”

The domineering old man implicated almost half of the Sword Qi Great Wall with his
accusatory remark.

The handsome man humphed coldly and didn't say anything else.

Chen Ping'an discovered that Senior Qi also had the right to speak. At this moment,
he slowly opened his mouth and said, “Things have already come to this, so what else
can we do? The enemy is before us, so are we still going to engage in infighting?”

A skinny old man dressed in a changshan and carrying a sword nodded lightly and
concurred, “No matter what, the most important thing right now is to deal with the
assaults launched by the demon tribe. We can't sabotage ourselves and make it
easier for those vile beasts in the south.”

However, the old sword immortal paid no heed to the support of the two other
people, nor did he show any signs of wanting to abate. He glared at Dong Sangeng
and chuckled, “If repenting and making up for one's crimes is sufficient, then can I
kill you today and ask the Hidden Official to tear a few pages from the book of
merits? Will that be enough to absolve me?”

Dong Sangeng was rendered speechless.

The atmosphere was awkward and heavy.

Chen Ping'an stood behind the old sword immortal and observed the situation. After
the powerful sword cultivators arrived, he felt like the sword qi suffusing the great
wall was starting to develop some weight. He was barely able to breathe under its
weight.
Dong Sangeng suddenly looked around and roared in anger, “Are you here to enjoy a
fucking show? Are you here to enjoy the fucking atmosphere? Piss off, will you?!”

The dozen or so pillar cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall knew that Dong
Sangeng was finding an excuse for himself to retreat. There wouldn't be a fight today,
so they all dispersed and returned to the city in the north.

After everyone left, Chen Ping'an finally saw that Ning Yao had also been standing
among the others just then. She slowly approached the great wall. Dong Sangeng
glanced at the young girl and huffed, “Little Ning, don't learn from your trash
parents. I'm still quite fond of you.”

Ning Yao offered no response, with her face expressionless.

Dong Sangeng paid no heed to this as he turned around and strode back to the city
on the wind.

Lord Hidden Official, who was standing on the parapet, was the most heartless of
them all. She was secretly yawing the entire time. However, she suddenly scrunched
her face at this moment and hesitated for a brief while. She then opened her mouth
and pressed her thumb onto her wobbly tooth. She gently wobbled it back and forth,
yet she was ultimately unwilling to pull it out. She closed her mouth before turning
around and mumbling to herself as she walked far away.

The old sword immortal, Chen Qingdu, appeared unfazed by tonight's events. It was
as if he were already accustomed to it. He smiled at Ning Yao before jumping down
the parapet and returning to his old thatched cottage.

Chen Ping'an leaped onto the parapet again and stood beside Ning Yao.

Ning Yao's emotions didn't fluctuate too much as she explained, “The Sword Qi Great
Wall has always been like this. Fortunately, the rule left behind by our ancestors
hasn't changed much.”

Chen Ping'an looked at Ning Yao in curiosity.

“Sword tips toward the south,” Ning Yao said slowly.

These were five simple words, yet they started to flicker and churn in the mind of the
young boy who had just started to practice the sword.
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but turn around and gaze toward the south.

Ning Yao grabbed Chen Ping'an's Sword Nurturing Gourd and started to drink.

Chen Ping'an looked away and asked in a soft voice, “Was this Dong Guanpu the same
type of person that you mentioned before? He was once a hero on the battlefield, yet
he was relatively unreasonable in the city?”

Ning Yao shook her head and replied, “Quite the opposite. Grandpa Little Dong was
always a fairly good person. He lived in relative seclusion in the city to the north of
the Sword Qi Great Wall, and he wasn't especially fond of interacting with others. I
sometimes did come across him when I was little, and he was always very polite.
Even though he wasn't very good with words, he would always smile at me just like
the elders in my clan.”

Ning Yao sat down cross-legged and continued in a resigned voice, “No one knows
why he suddenly betrayed us for the demon tribe. Perhaps something went very
wrong during his perilous journey to train in that world in the past. In fact, many
sword cultivators leave the Sword Qi Great Wall and enter Savage World by
themselves to temper their Sword Dao.

“This is made possible by the fact that many demons at the Middle Five Tiers like to
adopt the appearances of humans. They take great pride in this. Thus, they'll appear
no different from us during normal times. Only during critical moments in battle will
they reveal their true forms and use their innately powerful physiques to defend
against our deadly flying swords. Because of this, it's actually quite difficult for
sword cultivators to be exposed as long as they conceal themselves carefully.”

Humans were paramount among all living beings because of their unique acupoints.
A human's acupoints were the most mystical small worlds and blessed lands in the
world. This was the main reason demons cultivated so hard to refine a human form.
After they succeeded, their cultivation would become much more efficient. This was
exactly the case for the little boy in azure and the little girl in pink in Downtrodden
Mountain.

“Of course, there are also some exceptions,” Ning Yao continued. “Certain cultivators
in the Sword Qi Great Wall will be secretly observed and remembered by the top-
notch great demons very early on. Afterward, they'll be recorded in a book using
some secret technique.
“For these cultivators, it will be very difficult to enter and train in Savage World.
However, I've heard that the book can only hold a limited number of names. As such,
there won't be too many sword cultivators recorded in it. Most of the time, a new
name will only be added when a relevant sword cultivator from my hometown is
killed in battle.

“Theoretically speaking, Grandpa Little Dong was only an ordinary sword cultivator
at the Nascent Tier when he left the Sword Qi Great Wall to train in Savage World.
His name shouldn't have been in the book. Also, the Dong Clan has an immense
foundation and a number of secret techniques that can conceal one's aura, so it
should have been very difficult for the demons to detect him.”

Ning Yao withheld one piece of information.

She didn't mention the fact that she was also one of the sword cultivators recorded
in that strange book. Moreover, she was the youngest sword cultivator in the history
of the Sword Qi Great Wall to make it onto that book.

She had already made it onto that book before turning ten.

Casting one's gaze across history, those prodigies who had enjoyed such treatment
had all been killed on the battlefield to the south of the Sword Qi Great Wall before
turning thirty. There wasn't a single exception.

The demon tribe never held back when dealing with these prodigies, no matter the
cost.

Oftentimes, the survival or death of such a prodigy would lead to the death of one or
even more great demons or sword immortals.

This was because the demon tribe felt like having one Chen Qingdu on the great wall
was more than enough.

If a Ning Qingdu or Yao Qingdu appeared on the great wall, then the consequences
would be much more severe than just the death of one or two great demons at the
Upper Five Tiers.

Meanwhile, the Sword Qi Great Wall's frustration was the fact that these prodigies
had to enter the battlefield to temper themselves from very early on. If they didn't
experience life-or-death battles and use these opportunities to rapidly improve their
cultivation, and if they simply stayed put in the Sword Qi Great Wall, then they would
have zero chance of developing into the next Chen Qingdu, A'Liang, or Dong Sangeng.
This would be the case even if they enjoyed thorough guidance from several sword
immortals.

“If I stay here, will I cause you to lose concentration and end up detrimentally
affecting your cultivation?” Chen Ping'an suddenly asked.

“Mhm,” Ning Yao nodded and replied. She didn't deny this, and she answered without
any hesitation.

“However, I'll be very happy with you around,” she added in a forthright manner.
“When I cultivate near the Dragon Slaying Platform at home, I often can't help myself
but think of you. My mind will drift off for a while, and I'll immediately come here to
look for you afterward. When I return, I'll hurriedly deal with some clan matters and
the day will be over before I know it. I'll go to sleep and wait to see you again the
next day.”

This was Ning Yao.

Qi Jingchun had once told Zhao Yao, his student in the private school, not to fall for
Ning Yao even though he had felt love at first sight. This was because she was a
scabbardless sword whose radiance and intensity were completely unrestrained. As
such, it was very easy for her to harm others and even harm herself.

Ning Yao's view of the world was always clearly distinguished between good and
bad, black and white. Her view could almost be regarded as cold and heartless.

However, there was now someone called Chen Ping'an in her life.

After understanding the situation, Chen Ping'an's voice was resolute as he said, “I'll
leave this place in three days at most. Afterward, I'll travel to Complete Reed
Continent which is the most similar to the Sword Qi Great Wall. I'll practice my fist
techniques and I'll also practice the sword. I'll strive to advance to the seventh tier of
martial arts as quickly as I can. That way, I'll have the right to participate in the battle
here. When that time comes, I'll return here to look for you!”

Ning Yao didn't say anything. She knew that this was for the best. However, she was
still unwilling to nod her head and say yes.
On the contrary, she wanted to grumble and complain about how the young boy
beside her could make his mind up so quickly and resolutely.

Chen Ping'an wanted to drink some wine, yet his Sword Nurturing Gourd was still in
Ning Yao's hand. She was holding it tightly, and she had seemingly moved it to her
other hand on purpose as well. It was even further away from Chen Ping'an now.

“Historically speaking, the demon tribe's assault against the Sword Qi Great Wall
always lasts for twenty or thirty years,” Ning Yao suddenly said, “I'll give you ten
years to advance to the seventh tier. Is this enough?”

Ning Yao scowled and added, “It can only be ten years. I can't give you any longer!”

Chen Ping'an shifted his position such that he was facing Ning Yao. He smiled and
replied, “Okay. However, you definitely have to wait for me as well.”

Ning Yao squirmed a little and also turned around to face Chen Ping'an. She returned
the Sword Nurturing Gourd to him before nodding and saying, “Deal.”

Chen Ping'an accepted the wine gourd and took a swig of wine.

“I have many shortcomings,” Ning Yao said softly.

“That doesn't matter. I like you,” Chen Ping'an replied with a faint smile.

The rims of Ning Yao's eyes became slightly red.

Chen Ping'an extended a trembling hand and gently placed it on Ning Yao's cheek.

Ning Yao blushed slightly, but she didn't reject Chen Ping'an's advance. She simply
closed her eyes, not daring to look at him.

Heaven and earth fell silent, and it was as if only the two of them remained in the
world. However, it was also at this moment that an untimely cough interrupted their
intimacy.

Chen Ping'an hurriedly retracted his hand and drank a sip of wine to conceal his
embarrassment. Meanwhile, Ning Yao turned around with killing intent radiating
from her body. The uninvited guest was none other than the old sword immortal,
Grandpa Chen.
He was standing near the two youths with his hands clasped behind his back, and he
said with a wide smile, “I suddenly remembered something, and I was afraid that I
would forget it again if I left it until later. So, I hurriedly returned here to speak with
Chen Ping'an.”

“You guys speak.”

Ning Yao grabbed the wine gourd and turned around to face the city in the north. She
had her back to the old sword immortal.

Chen Ping'an jumped down the parapet and asked, “What's the matter, Grandpa
Chen?”

The old sword immortal smiled and replied, “The paintings of the blind old man in
the south are good-looking, the chicken soup of the bald old donkey[2] in the west is
good-tasting, and the writing of that scholar in Middle Earth Divine Continent is
magnificent. I feel like these people are all very interesting. However, the most
interesting thing about them is that they're all more immune to death than the
other.”

Ning Yao couldn't help but turn around and ask, “Grandpa Chen, according to what
you told me before, isn't there also a stinky Daoist priest in the East Sea?”

The old sword immortal nodded and replied, “Indeed. And it was after thinking of
this person that I wanted to say something to Chen Ping'an.”

Ning Yao was very puzzled.

The old sword immortal pointed at Chen Ping'an and continued, “In fact, it doesn't
make a big difference whether you repair your bridge of immortality or not, so you
might as well find another way instead. With this in mind, you need to seek out this
Daoist priest. However, it's very likely that you'll be rejected and turned away. Even
so, I feel like you might be an exception seeing that you managed to make it here.”

Chen Ping'an's heart shuddered, and he asked, “Grandpa Chen, how should I find this
esteemed individual? Should I travel to the East Sea? If I'm not wrong, Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent is also located on the East Sea?”

The old sword immortal shook his head and said, “You need to travel to Parasol Leaf
Continent in the southeast and look for a Daoist temple.”
Chen Ping'an was stumped. He was slightly hesitant, as this was misaligned with his
original intention. However, since the old sword immortal was saying this, he
definitely had his deeper considerations. Even with this in mind, Chen Ping'an was
still worried about his ten-year promise. He had experienced much difficulty in
advancing to the fourth tier, so he didn't dare to be too optimistic when it came to
advancing to the fifth tier, sixth tier, and seventh tier.

“The locust wood that your sword case is made of has a very profound background,”
the old sword immortal continued. “Why don't you lend it to me for ten years, and I'll
lend you a sword in return? We can swap again in ten years. When you arrive in
Parasol Leaf Continent, this sword will assist you by pointing you in the rough
direction of your destination, the place where that old Daoist priest in the East Sea is
located. If you're fortunate enough and manage to find him, it will still be up to your
own fate whether he's willing to help you.”

“Understood!” Chen Ping'an said with a nod.

He removed his sword case and retrieved the locust wood sword, Eliminating Fiends,
from it.

“Can you leave this wooden sword with me? I can also lend you a sword,” Ning Yao
said.

Chen Ping'an scratched his head and replied, “This locust wood sword is from Mr. Qi,
so I can't gift it to you. But it's okay for you to look after it for me. Also, you don't
need to lend me a sword. The Sword Qi Great Wall is always lacking swords, and I
don't have any pressing need for a sword at this moment either.”

Ning Yao beckoned with her hands, and Chen Ping'an lightly tossed the locust wood
sword to her. He then handed the locust wood sword case to the old sword immortal.

As for the talisman that Chen Ping'an had kept inside the sword case, he had already
placed it inside his flying sword, Fifteenth, long before entering Stalactite Mountain.
Otherwise, the female bone ghost would have immediately disintegrated into dust
upon entering the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The locust wood sword case instantly vanished into thin air when the old sword
immortal's finger came into contact with it.

In the end, the old sword immortal clasped a single hand behind his back, raising his
other hand and rapidly drawing two fingers across the air.

A sheathed sword materialized between the old sword immortal and Chen Ping'an.

The old sword immortal gestured with his eyes, telling Chen Ping'an to catch the
sword.

Chen Ping'an reached out with both hands.

The sword fell down, and Chen Ping'an initially thought that he could easily catch the
sword in his hands. However, he immediately stumbled and almost faceplanted into
the carriageway.

“The sword's name is Lasting Qi, and the sword along with its scabbard only weighs
three and a half kilograms in total. The sword qi, however, weighs forty. The person
who carries this sword can temper their soul day and night.”

Chen Ping'an had given his sword case away, so he was temporarily unable to carry
the sword on his back. Thus, he could only hold it in his hands as he stood there.

The old sword immortal looked Chen Ping'an up and down and said with a nod, “You
finally look a bit like a sword cultivator.”

Ning Yao suddenly turned around and looked toward the south.

“Now you understand why I disturbed the two of you just then?” the old sword
immortal chuckled.

There was an intense look in Ning Yao's eyes as she immediately jumped on her
sword and soared into the sky.

The old sword immortal turned to Chen Ping'an and reminded him, “Hurry up and
say goodbye to Little Ning. I'll send you back to Stalactite Mountain.”

Chen Ping'an hugged his new sword and looked up at Ning Yao. However, he was
unable to say anything at this moment.

Ning Yao also looked down at Chen Ping'an, hurriedly tossing the Sword Nurturing
Gourd back to him.
The old sword immortal smiled and said, “The feelings between the two of you are
no inferior to the sword qi. Then let's leave it at this. You can save your many words
of affection for next time.”

The old sword immortal snapped his fingers, causing Chen Ping'an, who had just
caught his Sword Nurturing Gourd to fall backward.

In the next moment, when Chen Ping'an finally managed to stabilize himself, he
discovered that he was no longer standing on the Sword Qi Great Wall. Instead, he
was standing on the plaza located at the foot of Lone Peak in Stalactite Mountain.

There was only a single sun hanging in the sky, not a peculiar sight of three moons
like the unique world of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man on the hitching post looked at the dazed young
boy who was carrying a sword and holding a wine gourd.

It was only a parting.

Yet, it made Chen Ping'an forget that he could drink wine to suppress his sorrows.

On the southern parapet of the Sword Qi Great Wall, a little girl with twin braids sat
on the edge and swung her feet. “I want to become a tree. When I'm happy, I'll
blossom with flowers in autumn. When I'm sad, I'll shed leaves in spring,” she
murmured to herself.

1. A line from Li Longji's poem, A Memorial for Confucius with Commiserations

When Passing through Zou County of the Lu Region ( 经邹鲁祭孔子而叹之). Li
Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty reigning
from 712 to 756 CE. ☜

2. Bald donkey is an offensive term referring to monks. ☜

The young Daoist priest stood up and stepped out from his straw mat. He then rolled
up the Daoist scroll that he was reading and lightly patted his hands, looking at the
dejected young boy who had just arrived in front of them. This Heavenly Lord, who
was skillful in battle yet relatively unknown in Majestic World, suddenly felt a little
happy.

He's most likely broken up with that detestable young girl, right?

In a rare sight, the young Daoist priest decided to console Chen Ping’an. He tried his
best to put on an expression that he felt was kindly and sincere, and he smiled with
squinted eyes and said, “The temper of that stinky young girl is far too bad. She's also
far too aloof. Only her appearance is slightly better, her background is slightly better,
her aptitude is slightly better, and her future potential is slightly better…. Why fall for
someone like her?

“So, don't take things to heart now that you've broken up with her. After all, just look
at Stalactite Mountain over here. You can randomly walk along the streets and find
yourself a bunch of warm and gentle girls with ease. Take a look at their slender
waists that look just like strips of pickled cabbage. This isn't a rare sight at all. Which
girl do you like? I'll help you.”

There was a reluctant smile on Chen Ping'an's face. However, he didn't say anything,
as it was best not to provoke a supremely powerful person like this young Daoist
priest.

Chen Ping'an simply farewelled the smiling young Daoist priest in a respectful
manner. As for the sword-hugging middle-aged man, he was dozing off as he always
did in the mornings. Thus, Chen Ping'an didn't disturb his beautiful dreams.

Ning Yao had mentioned this person to Chen Ping'an before. He had participated in
the ninth of the thirteen battles, yet he had lost to a 12th tier great demon who was
only a hundred years old. It had been a pitiful loss for him, while that young great
demon with a celestial tool had suddenly shot to fame from out of nowhere. The
great demon's name had spread throughout the world that lay to the south of the
Sword Qi Great Wall. Meanwhile, the sword-hugging middle-aged man had been sent
here as punishment, with Stalactite Mountain being his prison.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man was an itinerant sword immortal. He was over
500 years old, yet he hadn't started a family or left any descendants at the Sword Qi
Great Wall. According to rumors, he had once had a Dao partner of mediocre
cultivation talent when he was still at the early stages of the Middle Five Tiers. After
she died on the battlefield, this sword immortal had never married another woman
in his long life that followed. He had a fairly good relationship with everyone, yet he
didn't have a very deep relationship with anyone.

When it came to cultivators, especially Qi refiners at the Upper Five Tiers, having
offspring was a grand and mystical matter. This was especially the case for females
who wanted to achieve immortality and attain the Dao. They needed to cease having
periods from a young age[1], so it was naturally very difficult for them to give birth.

Moreover, with the exception of Militarians, Qi refiners were largely unwilling to

involve themselves with mortal karma. Unless a couple was extremely confident that
they could give birth to a child with extremely good cultivation talent, they would
often delay this matter indefinitely until a suitable fated opportunity arrived.

Otherwise, how would those immortal clans and forces in the mountains deal with
descendants and disciples who were as weak and mediocre as mere mortals?

Would they raise them as if they were raising chickens and dogs?

So be it if these pitiful insects with poor talent yet high standards were willing to
lead a peaceful life and wait for death. In reality, however, many such untalented
hacks had brought destruction to their clan or force throughout history.

Moreover, even if cultivators were willing to afford their descendants patience and
love, it was ultimately a sorrowful affair for white-haired elders to continually and
helplessly farewell their black-haired descendants.

Passing down wealth and continuing a clan's lineage was a matter for one's clan.
However, attaining Dao and achieving longevity was a matter for oneself.

Even though Jewel Small World that had hung above Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent's Great Li Empire was the smallest of the 36 small worlds, measuring only
500 kilometers in radius, it was still able to attract everyone's gaze because of the
unfathomable talents that it produced. Even the offspring of ordinary mortals could
possess talent similar to the offspring of earth immortals who had planned long and
hard for childbirth.

For example, cultivation prodigies who had walked out of Jewel Small World
included Complete Reed Continent's Xie Shi, Southern Whirl Continent's Cao Xi, the
twin jade pendants of the Great Li Empire who had helped the Imperial Song Clan
extend the fortune of their empire, and so on.

Chen Ping'an returned to Stork Inn and found out that Osmanthus Island had already
set off on its return trip to Old Dragon City. Chen Ping'an asked the young inn
manager which intercontinental ships could take him to the central region of Parasol
Leaf Continent, and which ferry stations in Stalactite Mountain he could board these
intercontinental ships from.

The young inn manager's family had lived in Stalactite Mountain for countless
generations, so he was naturally well aware of this information. The patch of sea
surrounding Parasol Leaf Continent was windy and had tall waves, so it was
naturally not suitable for intercontinental ships that traveled on the sea. This was
especially the case for the southern region of Parasol Leaf Continent, which was
close to inaccessible.

As such, almost all of the ferry stations in Parasol Leaf Continent were located in the
north. This was partly the reason why Parasol Leaf Sect in the north could suppress
Jade Tablet Sect.

In the end, the young inn manager suggested that Chen Ping'an take a Treasure
Swallowing Whale that could travel along the bottom of the sea. He could board this
intercontinental ship from Stalactite Mountain's Incense Offering Dock, and the ship
would take him straight to Planchette Writing Sect[2] in the central region of Parasol
Leaf Continent.

The Treasure Swallowing Whale was scheduled to leave in ten days, so Chen Ping'an
booked a room in Stork Inn to stay in.

The young inn manager glanced at the disappearing figure of the young boy as he
made calculations with his abacus. He couldn't help but feel slightly puzzled. The
young boy was still carrying a sword, but where had his sword case gone? Also,
wasn't this a different sword from the one he had before?

The young inn manager shook his head and rid himself of these thoughts. This was
Stalactite Mountain, so strange matters were the norm rather than the exception.

Indeed, it was only a short while ago when a young boy from Middle Earth Divine
Continent had caused a huge commotion when facing his opportunity to break
through to the next tier of martial arts. The instant that he had strode over to
Stalactite Mountain from the Sword Qi Great Wall, he had shockingly triggered a
peculiar phenomenon of heaven and earth that caused the mirror-like gate on the
plaza to shudder violently.

In fact, even the Great Heavenly Lord guarding Lone Peak had been forced to show
himself. According to rumors, the Great Heavenly Lord had personally unleashed his
powers to suppress the astounding commotion taking place at the gate.

There was also a group of female immortals from Sweet Rain Sect in the sea who had
brought countless flood dragon corpses to Stalactite Mountain and made a huge sum
of money.

The Flood Dragon True Lord had spent the most money, and he had purchased a
large amount of golden and silver-colored flood dragon whiskers. In fact, he had
spent so much that he had accumulated a debt with the sellers. However, no one
thought that the True Lord was an idiot for incurring that debt. After all, his fly-
whisk, already outstanding among pseudo-celestial tools, was likely approaching the
level of genuine celestial tools now.

Meanwhile, a young man who was with the female cultivators from Sweet Rain Sect
instantly became hot property that everyone wanted a piece of. As it turned out, this
fortunate person who had just married into Sweet Rain Sect was not only the Dao
partner of the extremely renowned Celestial Maiden Pangtuo[3], but the founder of
Sweet Rain Sect had also discovered that he possessed trulyoutstanding cultivation
aptitude.

Afterward, Celestial Maiden Yulin, who was renowned throughout the South Sea, had
also fallen in love with him and become his wife. And thus, two Golden Core Tier
celestial maidens who had the potential to become earth immortals were now
married to the same man. Such great fortune truly made him the envy of all others.
On the path of cultivation, whether one's fortune was good or bad could truly make
an astronomical difference.

After traveling to the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen Ping'an had stayed on the great wall
the entire time and not gone anywhere else. While staying there, he had felt like he
could say his bellyful of words slowly.

After being tossed back to Stalactite Mountain, however, he discovered that it was
already too late.

However, aggrieved as he was, he wasn't feeling too sad at this moment. Rather, he
was feeling quite anxious.

Chen Ping'an held his key and walked to his room. In fact, there was nothing for him
to leave here. He only had a sword on his back and a Sword Nurturing Gourd by his
waist. He didn't have anything else apart from these. Heeding the young inn
manager's suggestion from before, Chen Ping'an quickly left his room and headed to
the shops nearby to purchase some necessities.

He bought the Mountain and Sea Chronicle, a book that described the cultures and
lands in Majestic World. Of course, this was the type of book for immortals, or else he
would simply be wasting his money. A single page in this book could hold a dozen or
so pictures and three to four thousand words. These pictures and words were like
flowing water and drifting clouds that slowly moved around the pages.

He also bought a book that introduced the official dialect of Parasol Leaf Continent,
as well as one for the dialect of Middle Earth Divine Continent. Chen Ping'an
definitely didn't want to arrive in Parasol Leaf Continent and be unable to
communicate with the people there from the beginning to the end.

Even though the situation of Parasol Leaf Continent was definitely similar to that of
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, with many dialects existing in the various empires
and vassal states, learning the official dialect used by imperial courts and immortals
in the mountains was most certainly a necessity.

It was almost impossible to find underpriced goods in Stalactite Mountain, especially

if they were immortal treasures or spirit tools. The Qi refiners here all possessed
high cultivation bases and good appraisal skills. Moreover, the prices of goods and
treasures here were often far higher than those of other states in Majestic World.
However, there was one very good thing in Stalactite Mountain, and that was the lack
of fake goods. Businesses that had the ability to open shop here were almost all
reputable ones that had existed for hundreds upon thousands of years. There were
no fly-by-night businesses, and everyone greatly cherished their hard-earned brand
reputation.

A single grain rain coin was worth an exorbitant amount of money, as long as one
didn't compare it to gold essence copper coins that were unique to Jewel Small
World.

This was the case even in Stalactite Mountain where there was a large number of
immortals.

Since Chen Ping'an had money, and given that he wasn't planning to invest it in
anything else, he naturally couldn't leave it in his pockets to rot away. As such, Chen
Ping'an planned to buy a useful spirit tool for Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie. It was okay
even if these spirit tools were a bit more expensive. As for Little Baoping, Li Huai,
and Yu Lu, they didn't need such spirit tools. The former two were yet to become
cultivators and were still very young. Meanwhile, Yu Lu was also a pure martial artist
like himself.

In terms of selling things, he definitely wouldn't engage in such an activity.

After all, Chen Ping'an wasn't lacking money right now.

After buying the books near Stork Inn, Chen Ping'an headed to Ganoderma Inn which
he had briefly visited with Jin Su before. However, they had only taken a quick glance
at things, and Chen Ping'an hadn't been able to look at the goods and treasures
carefully. Indeed, he had simply treated that visit as an opportunity to appreciate
immortal treasures.

This time, however, Chen Ping'an came here with a clear goal. His search was very
targeted, and he completely ignored the immortal treasures that were eyewateringly
expensive and had prerequisites for Qi refiners to use. He didn't so much as glance at
these treasures.

Chen Ping'an hoped to find a Daoist scripture or spirit tool suitable for practicing
lightning element techniques. Otherwise, he wanted to find something like the dew
bowl that Zhang Shanfeng had obtained before, one which was capable of
accumulating spiritual energy from heaven and earth for its owner.

Even with such specific goals, there were still enough treasures to make Chen
Ping'an's eyes go blurry.

He carefully walked back and forth around Ganoderma Inn for almost half a day,
building an increasingly clear plan in his mind. After picking a dozen or so items in
his mind, he would return to Stork Inn to mull over them at night, weighing up the
pros and cons of each treasure. That way, he could most likely make some informed
purchases the next day.

There was a lightning element Daoist scripture that was labeled as an only copy, two
kinds of high-grade alchemical pills used for cleansing marrow and tempering bones
— one from Circling Ascension Continent's Black and White Sect and one from
Southern Whirl Continent's Censer Mountain, both renowned forces from the Daoist
Sect's alchemy branch — and finally seven or eight different spirit tools.

While walking around Ganoderma Inn, Chen Ping'an inadvertently glanced at three
Militarian armor pellets that were placed in a row inside a wooden case. According
to the accompanying description next to the case, these were Divine Dewbearing
Armor similar to the one worn by the imperial preceptor of Ancient Elm Nation.
However, these three armor pellets were much higher grade, and all three of them
could be worn at the same time. Not only that, but the wearer wouldn't feel any
sense of burden. One could imagine just how incredible the defensive ability of these
armor pellets was.

It was just that the asking price was far too terrifying.

A whopping 30,000 snowflake coins!

A single snowflake coin was approximately equivalent to 1000 taels of silver.

A single lesser heat coin was equivalent to 100 snowflake coins.

A single grain rain coin was equivalent to 10 lesser heat coins.

This was the so-called “magnitudes of 10” rule for currency used by immortals from
the mountains.

Chen Ping'an remembered that even the most prized treasure on Ceremony
Mountain's kun ship hadn't cost this much money.

Moreover, this price was taking into account the fact that two of the three armor
pellets were slightly damaged and not properly repaired. Thus, the armor pellets
couldn't be regarded as flawless.

However, these armor pellets were far from being the most expensive immortal
treasures in Ganoderma Inn. There were many immortal treasures that Ganoderma
Inn hadn't priced using snowflake coins or lesser heat coins. Instead, their price tags
were in grain rain coins.

There was a golden-yellow feather with flames floating inside a colored glaze display
cabinet. There was no accompanying description, and the asking price was 100 grain
rain coins.

There were also some items radiating with brilliant colors and some items that
appeared completely unremarkable. These items didn't have a price, and they were
instead marked with “negotiation.”

Chen Ping'an felt a little numb after seeing all of this.

Night arrived, and Chen Ping'an decided on the two items that he would buy. There
was the lightning element Daoist scripture that Ganoderma Inn dared to claim was
“an only copy that is unfortunately missing dozens of pages, else the scripture would
be priceless.” He would give this scripture to Lin Shouyi. There was also the Divine
Dewbearing Armor that couldn't be repaired to its original form. In fact, the price of
both treasures was far above Chen Ping'an's planned budget. These treasures almost
cost as much as immortal treasures.

However, Chen Ping'an didn't hesitate anymore after making up his mind.

Then, with a pale face, he started to practice walking meditation.

He wasn't pale simply because it pained him to spend so much money. Rather, it was
because of Lasting Qi on his back, the sword that the old sword immortal had lent
him for ten years. Right now, wisps of sword qi were radiating from the sword and
continually seeping into his soul.

If he only carried the sword for a short while, his breathing and meditation definitely
wouldn't be affected too much. However, carrying the sword for extended periods of
time would cause him to suffer quite some punishment. This was a bit similar to the
Deity Drumming Technique created by Cui Chan's grandfather; the effects would
continually stack as time went on.

However, Chen Ping'an discovered that the Eighteen Stops Technique was more
useful than the breathing technique taught to him by Old Man Yang when it came to
helping him resist the sword qi that could “freeze one's heart and cleanse one's soul.”
Nonetheless, it was still very painful and difficult to endure.

Yet, it was this extremely familiar sense of pain that surprisingly made Chen Ping'an
feel at ease.

The next day, Chen Ping'an went to Ganoderma Inn and bought the two treasures,
handing over money in one hand and receiving the treasures in his other. There was
no mishap.

The only surprise was that Ganoderma Inn gifted him a small carved work after he
paid for the two treasures. This was a white ox holding a piece of ganoderma in its
mouth.

Ganoderma Inn explained that today was the birthday of one of their founding
ancestors, so Ganoderma Inn would always give their esteemed guests who spent
enough money some small presents on this excellent day. These were the cheapest
acquired spirit tools, and such spirit tools could be categorized as elegant ornaments
for the study tables of wealthy clans. They were something to fiddle around with.

Chen Ping'an discovered that there were indeed more customers than yesterday.
Moreover, some children accompanied by their elders as they walked out of
Ganoderma Inn were indeed holding ornaments similar to white jade ganoderma
ruyi.

It was already night when Chen Ping'an returned to Stork Inn. While taking a break
after practicing walking meditation, Chen Ping'an heard someone lightly knocking
on his door. He looked over and asked quietly, “Who is it?”

The man outside the door chuckled and spoke using the dialect of the Sword Qi Great
Wall, saying, “I'm the gatekeeper who always sits on the hitching post. Little Ning
asked me to deliver a message to you and also bring you an item.”

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment before walking over and opening the door. He
then silently retreated several steps.

Fortunately, his visitor was indeed the sword-hugging middle-aged man. One's
appearance could be disguised, but the unique flavor of one's sword qi couldn't be
faked.

The middle-aged man wasn't holding his sword this time. Upon seeing the
puzzlement in Chen Ping'an's eyes, he smiled and explained, “Since I'm responsible
for guarding the gate, I naturally need to leave something over there, right? So, I
came here, while my sword remains on top of the hitching post.”

The middle-aged man was a straightforward person, and he tossed a small package
that was slightly larger than a fist to Chen Ping'an, saying, “This is a present from
Little Ning. Apart from this, she said that you can wait in Stalactite Mountain for a
while longer. Don't you have two golden flood dragon whiskers? I can find someone
to help you forge them into fairly decent demon-binding chains. If you're unwilling to
wait, however, then I can save myself from doing this favor.”

After saying this, the middle-aged man invited himself to sit down. He then poured
himself a cup of tea and continued, “Little Ning also asked someone about that
golden Dao robe. It's an extremely high-grade Dao robe, and even ordinary
terrestrial immortals will find it difficult to obtain such a robe.

“The name of the Dao robe is Golden Sweet Wine, and it's a precious relic left behind
by an esteemed individual from Mount Longhu's Heavenly Master Residence. After
breaking from their clan, this individual lived in seclusion and passed away on an
island located in the south of the Lone Hanging Sea.

“The Dao robe was obtained by a lucky itinerant cultivator, but it was eventually
snatched away by that old flood dragon from the Flood Dragon Trench. The Dao robe
will also suit your size if you wear it, as it is a legitimate Dao robe, after all. Its size
can change according to the person wearing it. Take it out, and I can help you cast
some minor mystical ability on it. It's way too eye-catching as it is.”

Chen Ping'an didn't hesitate this time, and he directly took out the golden Dao robe
from his pocket treasure.

The sword immortal from the Sword Qi Great Wall who had participated in one of
the thirteen battles snapped his fingers before roughly explaining his actions.
The illusion technique cast by the middle-aged man was similar to the one that Wei
Bo had cast on Chen Ping'an's Sword Nurturing Gourd. It could prevent Qi refiners
under the level of earth immortals from noticing anything special. Of course, the Dao
robe would naturally activate and protect Chen Ping'an if he were facing a life-and-
death situation. In such cases, his opponents wouldn't be fools either. They would
obviously notice the clues.

When the middle-aged man left, he took with him the two golden flood dragon
whiskers.

After closing the door, Chen Ping'an gently opened the small cotton package.

There was a rectangular Dragon Slaying Platform as large as his hand inside.

Most importantly, there were characters inscribed on both sides of the Dragon
Slaying Platform, “Innocent” and “Ning Yao.”

It was naturally the case that only great sword immortals could achieve the feat of
inscribing characters onto Dragon Slaying Platforms. Ning Yao's parents had most
likely made this in a meticulous manner and given it to their daughter as a present
while she was still little.

After Ning Yao grew up, there was a day when she came across a young boy she liked,
so she decided to gift the Dragon Slaying Platform to him.

1. This is a Daoist concept whereby the period of females will be detrimental to their
cultivation. Thus, females need to cease having periods (斩赤龙) if they want to
cultivate Dao. ☜

2. Planchette writing (扶乩), also known as Chinese Ouija, is a method of spirit

writing that uses a suspended sieve or tray to guide a stick which writes Chinese
characters in sand or incense ashes. ☜

3. Pangtuo literally translates to torrential, as in torrential rain. ☜

Chen Ping'an calmly waited for things in Stork Inn. After leaving the Sword Qi Great
Wall where no Dao existed, practicing his fist techniques became much easier in
comparison. Before he knew it, he finished throwing the final 8000 punches.

On this day, Chen Ping'an finished performing walking meditation and quietly sat
beside the table. He retrieved an adorable little bamboo slip that was emerald green
and quite different from the other bamboo slips. There weren't any beautiful lines of
poetry inscribed on the bamboo slip; instead, it was used by Chen Ping'an to record
his progress. When he reached 100,000 punches, 200,000 punches, 500,000
punches, and so on — everything was roughly recorded on the bamboo slip.

Chen Ping'an extended a finger and lightly ran it over all of the inscriptions on the
bamboo slip. Occasionally, he would come across inscriptions that recorded several
hundred or a thousand punches. These often corresponded to the periods when
Chen Ping'an was feeling the most upset or frustrated.

For example, when he had parted with Mr. Qi outside the old and rundown temple,
the period after experiencing the great calamity on Osmanthus Island, and so on.
There were many moments that were unknown to other people as well. To put
things simply, Chen Ping'an wouldn't count his punches toward his goal of one
million during these times of unease, no matter how many times he completed
walking meditation.

Just like that, he reached one million punches.

Nothing special happened. He was still at the fourth tier, and he was still Chen
Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an put the bamboo slip away, allowing this old soldier to shed its armor
and go into retirement. He then selected a brand new slip made from bamboo from
the Azure Divine Mountain. He planned to record his next million punches on this
one.
Rays of sunshine slipped into his room like a bunch of little children who didn't like
to speak. After getting tired, they would lazily lie down on his table, the floor, and
even his shoulder.

Chen Ping'an quietly sat there and didn't think about anything. Or perhaps he was
thinking about things that he didn't need to remember. This was also quite good.

There was the familiar sound of knocking, waking Chen Ping'an up from his
daydream. He didn't ask who it was this time. Chen Ping'an clearly remembered
everything about the sword immortal guarding the gate in Stalactite Mountain, from
his tone, expressions, sword intent, and so on.

In fact, Chen Ping'an even remembered seemingly unimportant details like the
strength and pattern of the middle-aged man's knocking. When traveling outside,
caution was the key to staying alive. The importance of caution was no lesser than
the importance of practicing fist techniques.

Chen Ping'an directly stood up and walked over to open the door. Sure enough, it was
that middle-aged sword immortal who liked to nod off during the day.

He entered the room and placed a thin and flexible golden rope on the table before
smiling and saying, “This is a demon-binding chain forged from the golden whiskers
of the old flood dragon. It's a genuine immortal treasure. I asked a powerful
cultivator from the Daoist Sect's talismanic branch to forge this, and he kept two
segments of the flood dragon whiskers each as long as a thumb.

“That was just symbolic payment, though. In reality, the amount of rare treasures
that he used to forge this demon-binding chain were definitely worth much more
than just that. Just the three cloud patterns that he carefully extracted from a Daoist
memorial talisman were worth as much as the two segments of flood dragon
whiskers. I'm not telling you this to ask for praise or credit. I'm simply telling you
things as they are. At the end of the day, everything is still thanks to Little Ning's face.
The other things are nowhere near able to compare with her.”

Chen Ping'an remained standing the entire time. After hearing this, he cupped his
fists and said, “Thank you, Senior Sword Immortal.”

The middle-aged man who had once again left his sword on the hitching post waved
his hand and pointed at the golden demon-binding chain, explaining, “You can
control it with your mind once you refine it to the preliminary stage. Even demons at
Middle Five Tiers will find it extremely difficult to escape once bound. However, it
won't be able to restrict demons at the Golden Core Tier or Nascent Tier for too long.
As for demons under the Golden Core Tier, they might not be able to break free from
this demon-binding chain at all.

“Why are demon-binding chains so popular in the world, especially high-grade

demon-binding chains? Why are Qi refiners who travel around the world so fond of
them? This is because they're quite similar to Dragon King Baskets in the sense that
they can capture the enemy in a single go. They can be regarded as high-grade
immortal treasures incredibly good at their job.”

The middle-aged man suddenly noticed Chen Ping'an's strange expression, so he

asked, “What's the matter?”

“I don't know how to refine immortal treasures,” Chen Ping'an replied in

embarrassment.

The middle-aged man laughed in anger and exclaimed, “Chen Ping'an, are you joking,
or do you think I'm easy to trick? If you didn't achieve a state of consummate
refinement with your Sword Nurturing Gourd and your two flying swords….”

Sure enough, the middle-aged man was a top-notch sword immortal from the Sword
Qi Great Wall. His expression turned solemn, and he took another glance at the
Sword Nurturing Gourd tied to Chen Ping'an's waist. He nodded and didn't dwell on
this matter any longer. He didn't try to dig for Chen Ping'an's secrets either. Instead,
he directly said, “Never mind, I'll teach you a common mantra for refining immortal
treasures. Rest assured, you don't need to owe me any favor, this is a mantra that
everyone in the Sword Qi Great Wall knows. You can treat this as a buy-one-get-one-
free.

“The good thing about this mantra is that it's easy to master and use. The bad thing
about it is that it will be very easy for earth immortals to remove the restrictions you
place on the demon-binding chain if they manage to snatch it away. In the blink of an
eye, the demon-binding chain will become their immortal treasure instead of yours.”

The middle-aged man smiled and continued, “With this in mind, if you come across
powerful demons in Majestic World in the future, you should run if you can. It's best
that you don't take out this treasure and attempt to battle your enemies with it, lest
you become a boon for your enemies. Alright, I can't stay here for too long. I'll use
the voice of my mind to teach you the mantra as well as some things to look out for. If
one time isn't enough, then I can repeat it two more times.”

Chen Ping'an nodded, and gentle ripples immediately appeared in his mind's lake.
The rich voice of the sword immortal slowly sounded in his mind. Chen Ping'an
silently committed everything to memory.

“How much of it have you remembered?” the sword immortal asked.

“I've remembered everything,” Chen Ping'an replied honestly. “However, can I ask
Senior Sword Immortal to please repeat it again?”

“You're not the overly polite type, are you?” the sword immortal remarked with a
chuckle.

The middle-aged sword immortal didn't think of this as a hassle. Instead, he

appreciated Chen Ping'an's frankness. He repeated the mantra again, and compared
to the first time, he even added some comments about his own understanding. These
comments were naturally very deep and profound. In his current state, Chen Ping'an
definitely couldn't comprehend the wisdom behind these comments. As such, he
could only forcefully commit them to memory.

The middle-aged man was a straightforward person, so he immediately stood up to

leave after teaching Chen Ping'an the mantra. However, before walking out of the
room, he looked at Chen Ping'an and said, “The youths in Little Ning's generation
truly possess incredible cultivation aptitude. Their aptitude is so good that all of the
old geezers smile widely even when they're dreaming. Moreover, it isn't just five or
ten of them with such outstanding aptitude. There are almost thirty of them.

“This being the case, the demon tribe in that world definitely won't sit on their hands
and do nothing. They won't wait for death. In addition, the young great demon who
defeated me is incredibly renowned, yet he might not even be the most powerful
prodigy from the past century.

“The Sword Qi Great Wall is indeed welcoming a generation of rare talents. However,
I've also discovered something very strange after observing the many assaults from
the demon tribe throughout the past few hundred years. It's as if all of their
prodigies have gone into hiding, even those who are only slightly inferior to Little
Ning. This is very abnormal. So, I'm a little worried, and I have a nagging feeling that
Savage World is planning something big. The thirteen battles were only the prelude.”

Seeing Chen Ping'an's serious expression as he listened, the middle-aged man

chuckled in self-ridicule and said, “It's seemingly pointless to tell you about these
things. Don't think about it too much.”

Chen Ping'an insisted on seeing the sword immortal off to the front door of Stork
Inn. After arriving in the alley outside the inn, the sword immortal said in an
exasperated voice, “I just commented that you weren't overly polite, yet you're now
acting as polite as you possibly can. Then I won't be too polite either.”

After saying this, the sword immortal transformed into a ray of light that shot up
from the ground and flew to the foot of Lone Peak. His vast and peerless sword qi
instantly vanished into the distance.

Chen Ping'an felt a slight headache. Sure enough, a few guests in the inn exchanged
surprised glances with each other. The young innkeeper stood behind the front
counter and continued to clack away at his abacus, and it was as if he were
completely unfazed by this matter. In reality, however, there was a smile tugging at
the corners of his mouth.

It definitely wasn't a bad thing for a guest of his inn to have an extraordinary
background. Rare and esteemed guests could shine luster on his inn.

When Chen Ping'an walked inside the inn again, the immortals from the mountains
who no longer seemed so special in Stalactite Mountain — or else they wouldn't be
staying in the small and modest Stork Inn — instinctively cleared a path for Chen
Ping'an even though the lobby was more than spacious enough. Chen Ping'an could
only pretend that he didn't see anything at all.

After arriving in his room, he started to refine the demon-binding chain using the
mantra that the middle-aged sword immortal had taught him. This was similar to
drawing talismans, and he wouldn't be able to control this high-grade immortal
treasure for too long at a time. Everything was dependent on the single breath of
True Qi of pure martial artists.

The longer his True Qi lasted, the more power he could wield.

Compared to drawing talismans, however, the method of controlling the demon-

binding chain was more troublesome for Chen Ping'an, as his bridge of immortality
had been shattered. Fortunately, he was able to replenish his Qi in a quicker and
more hidden manner after advancing to the fourth tier. Indeed, it was much quicker
than it had been at the third tier.

Thus, he could use the demon-binding chain against demons at the first three of the
Middle Five Tiers: the Abode Tier, the Sea Observation Tier, and the Dragon Gate
Tier. He could use it as a trump card. After trapping his opponent, he could unleash
his most powerful fist techniques in the shortest amount of time.

Of course, the demon-binding chain was effective against all Qi refiners, not just
demons. It was just more effective against the latter.

If he could combine this demon-binding chain with a few talismans that adapted to
the terrain and his opponent, and if he could align these with his deadly fist
techniques, then Chen Ping'an felt like he would be much more confident.

Chen Ping'an spent an entire six hours to slowly refine the demon-binding chain bit
by bit. When he finally succeeded, he was already completely drenched in sweat.
Fortunately, he had the tried and tested cleaning talisman with him.

Afterward, Chen Ping'an removed his Sword Nurturing Gourd and placed it on the
table. He stared at it and started to zone out.

Regarding the thirteen battles, Ning Yao hadn't kept anything a secret.

She had been willing to carefully explain everything in a calm and nonchalant
manner.

Chen Ping'an had listened to her speak, and hadn't dared to ask anything at all. Not
only that, but he had to act as if he were simply listening to a soul-stirring story.

In fact, Ning Yao had directly told him, “I was very sad after my mom and dad left me.
However, I simply need to slay the enemies and exact revenge for them. I won't
overthink this, and you don't need to overthink it either.”

After saying this, Ning Yao had tilted her head and drank some wine. Her other hand
had lightly rested on her heart.

In Chen Ping'an's mind, Ning Yao's radiance and intensity at that moment were far
greater and much more direct than the first time he had seen her flying on her
sword.

There was only one other occasion that was comparable. That was back in his
hometown when Ning Yao had held two fingers together and placed them on her
glabella as if opening a third eye. She had claimed that she would expand Jewel Small
World. A hint of gold had seeped from her glabella, and she had only been an inch
from summoning her bonded flying sword.

Thus, Chen Ping'an decided that he would practice the sword.

He was going to become a great sword immortal.

There would eventually come a day when he would carve a character on the
southern wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Chen Ping'an took a deep breath and put his Sword Nurturing Gourd away, tying it
back to his waist. In fact, Chen Ping'an hadn't drank anything for the past few days.

Since he decided to practice the sword, and since he already had the Proper Sword
Scripture as well as the sword that the old sword immortal had lent him, Chen
Ping'an started to earnestly mull over this matter. In fact, he was treating this even
more seriously than the time he had decided to practice the Mountain Shaking
Guide's walking meditation one million times.

Chen Ping'an stood up and closed his eyes. He then slowly walked around the table.

Sword cultivators used swords, and sword practitioners in the cultivation world also
used swords. However, the gulf between the two was like the gulf between heaven
and earth.

When leading his donkey away, Wind Snow Temple's Wei Jin had been a sword
immortal at the Unpolished Jade Tier. However, the incredible demeanor of his
sword strike was still fresh in Chen Ping'an's memory, even after so long.

Meanwhile, regardless of whether it was Sword Saint Song who was paramount in
the cultivation world of Water Combing Nation, or the sword god from Colorful
Garment Nation who had died at Ma Kuxuan's hands, it was incredibly difficult for
them to rival Qi refiners from the mountains — especially sword cultivators — no
matter how profound their sword skills were and no matter how renowned they
were in the cultivation world.

Chen Ping'an had initially wanted to train in Complete Reed Continent because he
had heard that the sword skills of sword practitioners there were much higher than
those of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. Much, much higher. In Complete Reed
Continent, even pure martial artists from outside the mountains could potentially
challenge Qi refiners.

If he wanted to become a sword immortal, then he first needed to become a sword

cultivator. If he wanted to become a sword cultivator, then he first needed to have a
bridge of immortality. He couldn't repair his old bridge of immortality, and his future
potential would definitely be limited even if he truly managed to repair it. That being
the case, he would construct a new bridge of immortality. However, where would he
start?

He needed to travel to Parasol Leaf Continent and look for that Observing Dao
Temple in the East Sea. There, he would need to look for an old Daoist priest whose
name he still didn't know. However, since the old sword immortal had mentioned the
old Daoist priest, this old Daoist priest was definitely a truly incredible immortal.
Whether this old Daoist priest was willing to meet him or not was another matter
altogether.

Chen Ping'an circled around the table again and again. One time, he subconsciously
grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd and almost took a sip of wine. Fortunately, the
intoxicating fragrance of the wine served as a formless warning to Chen Ping'an,
causing him to hurriedly put the wine gourd away.

When Chen Ping'an arrived in Parasol Leaf Continent, the sword that the old sword
immortal had lent him could point him in the rough direction of his destination.
Because of this, Chen Ping'an decided to enter Parasol Leaf Continent from the
central region. There, he could decide whether he needed to head toward the north
or the south. Afterward, he would slowly find his way.

While Chen Ping'an was thinking over the details of his trip to Parasol Leaf
Continent, a couple arrived at Stork Inn and asked if they could visit Chen Ping'an.
They said they were old acquaintances with the young boy.

In Stalactite Mountain, those who purposely injured others would be punished by

death. This was a very useful rule. Even though there were many profound mystical
techniques that could conceal one's actions, the Daoist saber priests in Stalactite
Mountain would personally attend to the cases once a breakthrough was made, even
if it were tens or hundreds of years after the crime had taken place. In fact, even the
Flood Dragon True Lord would personally attend to some cases. Thus, Stalactite
Mountain was a rare location of peace and serenity.

The young innkeeper led the couple to the hallway where Chen Ping'an's room was
located. He pointed them to the young boy's room, but he didn't follow them any
further.

The woman thanked him, and the young innkeeper smiled and replied that this was
nothing but his job. He then left without a worry in his mind. However, he couldn't
help but steal a backward glance when he reached the corner.

The couple appeared unremarkable and amiable, yet the young innkeeper had a
nagging feeling that something was off. In the end, he shook his head and didn't
think about this anymore. There was still a long path ahead if he wanted to return
Stork Inn to its former glory. Thus, there were always many trivial matters for him to
personally attend to every single day.

When the couple arrived outside Chen Ping'an's door, the man grumbled, “Why
couldn't we appear directly inside the boy's room? Why did we need to go to all this
trouble?”

The woman shot a glare at him and replied, “How can we abandon all etiquette? Our
daughter is already like that, and you're exactly the same. If I'm also like that, then do
you really think Chen Ping'an is genuinely a clay Bodhisattva that anyone can bully?
What, you feel like everything is natural and justified just because our daughter was
fortunate enough to find herself a young boy as good as him?”

“Only you find him so pleasant to the eye!” the man huffed in reply. “Is he not more
fortunate to come across our precious daughter? If he has an ancestral hall, then he
should hurry up and offer a hundred sticks of incense!”

The woman was also a stubborn person, so she retracted her hand that was just
about to knock on the door when she heard her husband's words. She decided to
have a good discussion with her husband, lest he accidentally say something wrong
when they entered the young boy's room in a moment. Otherwise, things would
become even more difficult to resolve.
Majestic World wasn't the Sword Qi Great Wall where death and partings were
commonplace, after all, so it was a far more serious matter to hurt others with words
in Stalactite Mountain and beyond. This was especially the case with careless
remarks.

Her husband was a crude person who didn't like to think about these things. As a
woman, however, how could she ignore these things altogether?

The man hurriedly apologized and said, “Alright, alright, alright, I'll listen to you for
everything.”

The woman shot a vicious glare at her husband, and the latter said in a begrudging
voice, “I truly know I'm wrong, okay?”

Only then did the woman lightly knock on the door and ask in a gentle voice, “Chen
Ping'an?”

Inside the room, Chen Ping'an immediately started to pace around in extreme
nervousness. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and he immediately replied,
“Please give me a moment. I'll be over there straight away.”

The young boy opened the door after a short while.

He had changed into brand new clothes, and he was now wearing the golden Dao
robe that would appear like a snow-white robe to cultivators under the level of earth
immortal.

He had finally removed his straw sandals as well, changing them for a pair of brand-
new boots that were also white.

Lasting Qi, the sword that had been on his back just then, was already resting on the
table. His Sword Nurturing Gourd, Jiang Hu, was no longer tied to his waist. It wasn't
on the table either, and the young boy had surprisingly hidden it away.

The woman and the man exchanged a smile.

By the looks of it, the young boy had guessed their true identity.

After the couple entered the room, Chen Ping'an gently closed the door and asked,
“Do you want some tea?”
The woman sat down and shook her head with a smile. She then pointed at a chair
and said, “Chen Ping'an, why don't you take a seat as well? When we were in the
Sword Reverence Pagoda before, we had no option but to conceal our true
appearance. After all, Stalactite Mountain isn't the Sword Qi Great Wall. This place
has its own rules, so I hope you can understand.”

Chen Ping'an sat upright on the seat opposite the couple, with his fists tightly
clenched and placed on his knees. He nodded in earnest.

The man shot a sideways glance at the extremely reserved young boy, and he became
angrier and angrier the more that he looked. This young boy was so timid and rigid,
so how could he possibly be worthy of his darling daughter?

However, the man's foot was immediately attacked by a vicious stomp from his wife.
In the end, he could only look down and hand everything to his wife.

After the woman removed her illusion technique, the man also did the same. The
couple finally revealed their true appearance.

The woman was breathtakingly beautiful, and the man was incredibly handsome.

Perhaps this was the true embodiment of an immortal couple.

Perhaps this was the reason why their daughter was so stunningly beautiful.

The woman seemingly went an extra step to introduce herself, saying, “You should
already know that I'm Ning Yao's mother and he's Ning Yao's father. The two of us
were killed in battle to the south of the Sword Qi Great Wall long ago, but our
remnant souls were gathered and retained by the old great sword immortal.

“Even though this stands in contradiction with the customs of the Sword Qi Great
Wall, there seems to be no need for dead people to worry about these things
anymore. After fighting for so long, it doesn't seem excessive to 'live' for ourselves
after being killed. After all, Ning Yao was still little at the time….”

The woman couldn't bring herself to continue after saying this.

Thus, her husband could only take over and continue, “When Ning Yao returned from
her first trip to the outside world, we immediately knew that there was a problem….”
The woman coughed quietly.

The man could only correct himself and say, “We knew about you. At the time, our
daughter was still yet to understand her thoughts and make up her mind. After
hearing that you would help deliver the sword to Stalactite Mountain, however, she
would always wait for you whether she was busy or not.”

During those times, Ning Yao had always sat on that Dragon Slaying Platform by
herself.

The man had felt incredibly pained whenever he saw this.

He hesitated for a moment, and his expression couldn't be considered genial at all.
“Will you truly not let Ning Yao down? You should know that Ning Yao is very
different from ordinary girls. She's different in every sense.”

Even though Chen Ping'an was sweating in nervousness and tension, he still had a
serious expression as he replied, “I've thought about this before. In the worst-case
scenario, Ning Yao will regret her decision in the future and fall in love with someone
else. If that person treats her better than I do, then I won't look for her anymore.

“However, if Ning Yao continues to like me, then I'll also work hard and strive to be
different the next time I meet her. It won't be like this time, where I'm nothing more
than a burden for her. No matter if she's in the city to the north, on the parapet of the
Sword Qi Great Wall, or on the battlefield further south, I'll definitely be by her side.
I'll do everything in my ability to protect her.”

Chen Ping'an's sweat was clouding his vision. He hurriedly wiped his eyes and
forehead and continued, “During times of peace when there are no battles, perhaps
I'll feel like she's perfect when we're together because I like her so much. However,
when we live together in the future, I have to learn to accept her shortcomings as
well. I understand this principle.

“When I was very little, my mom and dad would also argue at times. However, they
would never argue in front of me. After having an argument, my dad would sulk in
the courtyard by himself. However, my parents would be good with each other again
the very next day.

“Even though I've always felt like my parents are the best people in the world, how
can there be people who are truly good in all senses in the world? This definitely
can't be the case. However, I'll do my best to understand what's right and what's
wrong, what's good and what's bad. And then I'll leave the very best for Ning Yao.”

There was a dazed expression on the man's face.

Kid, you've already said everything, so what else can I say? Also, just how old are you,
Chen Ping'an? How do you understand these principles as well?

The woman used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. She then smiled warmly and
said in a gentle voice, “Chen Ping'an, you endured a lot of pain and hardships during
your childhood, am I right?”

Chen Ping'an hesitated briefly before eventually nodding in silence.

However, after holding back for a long time, Chen Ping'an's face scrunched up and
the corners of his mouth turned downward. His voice quivered as he said, “I was
almost pained to death when Mother passed away. I was too young back then, so
there were far too few things I could do. I did all I could, but in the end, Mother still
left me.”

Going into the mountains to collect medicinal ingredients, pawning off things in the
house, cooking rice and making dishes, collecting water from the well, brewing
medicine, secretly going to the immortal tomb to pray, placing wild berries in his
bamboo basket, fixing his mother's blanket late at night and asking her if she was
feeling better….

It didn't help. None of this helped.

However, Chen Ping'an didn't say anything else.

That was the concluding remark to evaluate himself: he was too young, so he could
do far too little.

The woman lowered her head and raised a hand to her eyes again.

The man heaved a soft sigh.

Just how many pains and hardships were there in the world? Was there anything
strange about this? Which child who had gone through a rough and challenging
childhood lacked these things?
Beyond this, however, there was also the consideration of how one endured pains
and hardships.

Everyone knew about the hardships of life; everyone knew it was inevitable. But
even with that in mind, how did they handle these hardships?

The woman exhaled softly and looked up, squeezing out a smile as she said, “Chen
Ping'an, we'll leave Ning Yao to you in the future. If she does anything wrong, as a
man, you should definitely be more tolerant.”

“Are the two of you going to leave now? What's Ning Yao going to do after you leave?”
Chen Ping'an asked in a quivering voice.

The woman stood up and smiled faintly, replying, “Ning Yao knows about this. She
knows about everything. So, you don't need to worry about this. I'm not praising
Ning Yao simply because I'm her mother. Rather, I believe that the girl that Chen
Ping'an likes has to be a very good person.”

Chen Ping'an could only nod.

The woman looked at the man who had stood up alongside her. “There's something
you want to say?” she asked.

The man nodded in reply.

“Then I'll wait for you outside?” the woman asked in a considerate manner.

“Mhm,” the man replied.

The woman left the room and stood in the corner of the hallway.

The man looked at the young boy and called in a solemn voice, “Chen Ping'an!”

He had been indifferent toward Chen Ping'an the entire time, but now, he suddenly
started to laugh. He made his way around the table and extended a large palm,
solidly patting the young boy's shoulder before retracting his hand and taking a
single step back. His hand was still raised, and his palm was facing Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an faltered for a moment before hurriedly raising a hand and high-fiving
the man.
The man firmly grabbed the young boy's hand and asked, “Chen Ping'an, I'll hand my
daughter, Ning Yao, to you in the future! Can you look after her?”

“Even if I die!” Chen Ping'an replied loudly, choking back sobs.

The man released his grip and chuckled, “What do you mean even if you die? The
two of you need to live on well!”

He looked Chen Ping'an up and down and said in satisfaction, “Mhm, you're worthy
of my daughter.”

He then turned around and strode out. Chen Ping'an wanted to see him off, yet the
man had already raised a hand and gestured that the young boy didn't need to follow
him.

The man didn't turn around as he slowly walked toward the door. “The next time you
go to the Sword Qi Great Wall, ask Ning Yao to bring you to our graves. You can offer
us wine and let us know that you're safe,” he chuckled.

After striding out of the door, the man suddenly turned around and said with a smile,
“What's wrong with drinking wine? Why hide your wine gourd? The most carefree
sword immortals in the world all like to drink wine.”

The man extended a fist and raised a thumb, pointing at himself and saying, “For
example, me, your father-in-law!”

Chen Ping'an remained standing in the same spot for a long time.

————

Today, a Treasure Swallowing Whale was going to set off from the ferry station near
the Incense Offering Tower and head to Parasol Leaf Continent.

Before heading to the ferry station, Chen Ping'an first went to the plaza at the foot of
Lone Peak. However, he didn't have a jade tablet that would allow him to enter the
Sword Qi Great Wall, so he could only stand outside the railings and glance at that
large gate. His lips moved slightly, and it was as if he were talking to himself.

The sword-hugging middle-aged man on the hitching post was still dozing off even
though it was morning. However, he murmured to himself and said another three
words. Compared to this first time, however, he simply changed the word
“approaching” to the word “leaving.”

When Chen Ping’an had first approached this gate, he had remarked, “Sword qi
approaching.”

Now that Chen Ping’an was leaving Stalactite Mountain, he remarked, “Sword qi
leaving.”

Today, Chen Ping’an was dressed in a snow-white robe with a long sword strapped to
his back and a Sword Nurturing Gourd tied to his waist. He appeared extremely
graceful and outstanding.

A young boy who was free of depraved thoughts was the most moving thing in the
world.
Over in Old Dragon City….

A storm was brewing.

This was especially the case for the Ding Clan, one of the largest clans in the city. It
was as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

This was because a useless descendant from the Ding Clan had seemingly killed a
young mortal girl in the city.

Generally speaking, these kinds of matters wouldn't cause a single ripple. This wasn't
to say that one should fully embrace evil if they had done something bad, going as far
as to kill others and eliminate all witnesses. Rather, this was because the Ding Clan
was extremely wealthy and also willing to spend its wealth. If a problem could be
solved with money, then it wouldn't be a problem at all, regardless of how large or
small the matter was.

However, the problem was that the murdered girl had some relationship with Dust
Medicinal Shop, a shop owned by the Fan Clan. More importantly, someone was truly
taking this minor relationship seriously and asking for an explanation.

This person was a highly esteemed guest of the Fan Clan.

Recently, the Hou Clan and the Fang Clan who had enjoyed close relationships with
the Ding Clan for many generations frequently visited and communicated with the
latter.

Meanwhile, the Old Dragon City's Fu Clan, which had just become linked to the Cloud
Forest Jiang Clan through marriage, was extremely busy welcoming and farewelling
guests. Thus, they had no time to deal with these useless matters.

As for the Sun Clan led by the young Sun Jiashu, they stood on the sidelines and were
most likely planning to watch the fire from far away.
In the Sun Clan's ancestral residence, Sun Jiashu had just received a secret letter.

Today, the cultivator from Parasol Leaf Sect who had helped the Ding Clan recover
from the brink of collapse back then returned to Old Dragon City with that woman
from the Ding Clan. Because he had a respected standing in Parasol Leaf Sect, there
was even a Nascent Tier earth immortal among his subordinates. Moreover, he was
also an earth immortal himself.

Thus, almost everyone felt like the conclusion was already foregone.

Nowadays, Sun Jiashu had developed a fondness for fishing. He liked to fish in the
location where the young boy from the Great Li Empire had fished before. If there
weren't any pressing clan matters for him to deal with, Sun Jiashu would always find
some time out of his busy schedule to come here and sit for a while.

He was slightly hesitant, not knowing whether he should take a gamble or not
regarding this matter. If he took a gamble, then how large should his wager be?

Sun Jiashu had recently come across a powerful being who came and went without a
trace. This person had only said a single sentence, yet he had allowed Sun Jiashu to
remove the slight blemish from his mind's realm. Not only that, but Sun Jiashu was
even able to improve his mind's realm further.

That person had smiled and asked, “Sun Jiashu, how did you decide that you were
wrong?”

This sentence had been like a Buddhist wake-up call.

However, only those with roots of wisdom and enough knowledge could awaken
after hearing these wake-up calls. Otherwise, even hundreds upon thousands of
wake-up calls would be useless.

Sun Jiashu put his fishing rod away and poured all of the fish in the fish basket back
into the river.

Sun Jiashu ultimately decided against taking a gamble this time.

————

Further above the sea of clouds that lay above Old Dragon City, there was a woman
wearing a green dress nimbly jumping around and playing hopscotch. When she
landed, splashes of mist and clouds would jump into the air. Sometimes, she tossed
around a fist-sized colored glaze orb.

In the end, she aimed at someplace in the sea of clouds and flew over in a flash. With
her arms tightly against her body and her hands tightly against her thighs, she put
her legs together and plummeted directly downward toward someplace in Old
Dragon City.

She was like a green scallion falling from the sky….

Her speed was incredible, yet she stopped herself the exact moment before she hit
the ground, landing in a slow and graceful manner.

She was in the backyard of the Dust Medicinal Shop. Shopkeeper Zheng Dafeng was
smoking on the steps.

“What are you up to?” Fan Junmao asked.

It was difficult to make out Zheng Dafeng's appearance and expression through the
wafting smoke, and she could only hear him reply slowly, “Those who owe money
need to pay money, and those who owe lives need to pay with their lives. I'm not the
same as Li Er. He only looks for the old ones, while I look for both the young ones and
the old ones.”

There was an amused look in Fan Junmao's eyes as she looked at the man who
always used to joke and laugh.

Dogs couldn't change their habit of eating shit.

So many years had already passed, yet his personality was still the same as always.
He was never serious, and it was as if he were always saving his seriousness for that
one particular time.

In some place extremely far away, there were once four heavenly gates. Three of the
divine generals guarding them had abandoned their positions for one reason or
another, stepping aside and creating a path for the unstoppable rebel army. Only the
divine general in the south, the one viewed as the most cowardly and goofy by
everyone, had refused to step aside. He had refused to do so even in the face of death.
Of course, the consequence of not stepping aside in the face of death was….naturally,
death.

Someone had impaled him to death on the large pillar of the heavenly gate with a
single sword strike.

Everyone found this inexplicable, regardless of whether they were friend or foe.
People were genuinely unable to find any reason to explain why the divine general
had stubbornly sought death.

Fan Junmao sighed in her mind. She truly didn't want to know either, yet it was a
shame that she knew exactly why this was.

————

Sage Ruan Qiong had officially founded a sect in the large mountain to the west
already. Right now, he only had three official disciples.

The blacksmith sword shop beside the Dragon Whisker River was still open as
normal. It didn't shut down, and Ruan Qiong tasked a young girl, one of his opening
disciples, with looking after the place. She was missing the thumb of her sword-
wielding hand, so she went from hanging her sword on her left hip to hanging it on
her right hip. She also started to wield her sword using her left hand.

When Ruan Qiong's only child, Xiuxiu, had moved to Divine Elegance Mountain, it
was said that she had brought a cage of chickens with her. She had held it in her
hands just like that, causing many immortals to involuntarily look over. They had
mistakenly thought that the chickens were some kind of extraordinary spirit beasts.

Afterward, some Qi refiners who had visited Divine Elegance Mountain after the fact
all wanted to laugh when they mentioned this matter. As it turned out, the coop of
old hens and young chicks had indeed been nothing more than normal, mortal
chickens.

Thereupon, some immortal sects from the surrounding mountains felt like this was a
case of Ruan Xiu maintaining her childlike innocence. In other words, preserving a
genuine Dao Heart.

They were fully serious about this. Thus, some young cultivators who had just moved
into the brand-new immortal residences also started to contemplate the deeper
meaning behind this. They felt like there was profound knowledge to be uncovered.

As expected of Xiuxiu. As expected of a prodigious cultivator whom Wind Snow

Temple had placed high hopes on.

Sure enough, everything she did carried with it a sense of mysticality. Sure enough,
her actions all aligned with the Great Dao.

Long Eyebrows, the young boy with the surname Xie, had found this quite
interesting. Thus, he had mentioned it to Sister Xiuxiu as a joke. Ruan Xiu had been
sitting on a small emerald-green bamboo chair at the time, and she had been looking
at the arrogant old hen leading a brood of small chicks around and pecking at grains
on the ground. She had simply replied, “Is that so?” and said nothing more.

Long Eyebrows, a young boy blessed with good fortune and fate, had furrowed his
brow while looking at the absent-minded young girl. However, this expression had
made his eyebrows appear even longer.

Ruan Qiong was a cultivator at the Unpolished Jade Tier. He also had Wind Snow
Temple as his backer, and his ability to forge swords had made him even more
friends. Thus, he was able to use the title of sect for his new force. He called it Dragon
Spring Sword Sect.

In reality, Ruan Qiong had initially wanted to name his force “Sword Sect.” This name
was extremely imposing, and it could stand tall in the world. Firstly, however, a
Sword Sect had already existed in Middle Earth Divine Continent since long ago.
Thus, naming his force “Sword Sect” would have gone against the rules established
by the Confucian sages.

Secondly, some good friends of Ruan Qiong's had privately persuaded him against
doing this while visiting to congratulate him. Founding a sect in the Great Li Empire
was already a significant move. Indeed, tall trees would naturally catch more wind.
With this in mind, it was best not to be too forceful when it came to naming his force.

Even though Ruan Qiong eventually settled on Dragon Spring Sword Sect, he still felt
like something was a little off in his mind. When he entered and exited the mountain,
he disliked doing so from the archway where the name of his sect was hanging. Thus,
he asked the imperial court of the Great Li Empire to open a small side path for him,
relying on the labor of the Lu Clan convicts. This led to many discussions and
debates, with many people feeling like this was a bad omen. After all, didn't this
signify abandoning the Great Dao for a heretical path?

However, Ruan Xiu and the three opening disciples all understood the reason behind
this.

Ruan Qiong had left the four of them with these words: “Whoever can rightfully
remove the characters 'Dragon Spring' from the signboard will become the next sect
leader.”

Right now, the attention on Dragon Spring Sword Sect was unrivaled in the Great Li
Empire.

Apart from the mountains that the Great Li Empire's Imperial Song Clan had gifted
Ruan Qiong, as well as the main mountain of his sect, Divine Elegance Mountain,
there were also the three surrounding mountains that Chen Ping'an was loaning to
him for 300 years — Treasured Scripture Mountain, Rainbow Cloud Mountain, and
Immortal Herb Mountain. These mountains were part of Dragon Spring Sword Sect's
territory as well.

This was a good deal.

When it came to other people, they might not be able to find the temple even if they
brought pig heads to offer. After finding the temple, it would be another difficult task
to truly succeed in offering incense.

Thus, Chen Ping'an — someone whose cultivation base was barely worth a mention
yet was a large landlord in Dragon Spring Prefecture — had truly struck gold with
the deal.

Not only that, but Wei Bo, the newly appointed formal god of Northern Mountain,
had once brought Chen Ping'an around the different mountains in the surrounding
area as well. This was another dazzling golden shield for the young boy.

According to rumors, his young scholarly attendant and maidservant in

Downtrodden Mountain also had Peace and Safety Tablets hanging from their waists
now. These were tablets that the Great Li Empire only awarded to Qi refiners with
great merit. This was another shield.

With these three shields, the extremely fortunate Chen Ping'an could even walk
backward in Dragon Spring Prefecture, to say nothing of walking sideways[1].

However, it was a shame that the young boy had vanished at some point. It was said
that he had left on a long journey.

He was most likely someone who didn't understand how to enjoy fortune.

One side of Divine Elegance Mountain was a large cliff, one which was extremely
steep and with no foothold.

There was an ancient engraving of four characters that read “Heaven Creates Divine
Elegance.” After Ruan Qiong founded his sect, Qi refiners would soar through the sky
and come here almost every day to admire the elegance of the four characters. They
felt like Ruan Qiong's choice of Divine Elegance Mountain as the main mountain of
his sect was perhaps a profoundly mystical one that pertained to the divine will of
the heavens.

However, Ruan Xiu never went to the steep cliff to join in on the commotion. She had
seemingly never gone there a single time.

Ruan Xiu, who wasn't fond of moving, had seemingly grown a little taller and
chubbier. Her chin was slightly rounder than before.

Ruan Qiong felt like this was quite good.

In reality, fathers in the world probably felt like their daughters were quite good no
matter what.

Ruan Xiu would occasionally go to the pavilion located on the peak of Divine
Elegance Mountain. She would pick a sunny day to stand there and gaze into the
distance, looking at those winding streams that eventually converged into the
Dragon Whisker River and then the turbulent Iron Talisman River.

Ruan Xiu wasn't fond of looking at these streams and rivers. Quite the opposite, in
fact, and she felt like they were a massive eyesore.

River guardians, river gods, rain gods, cloud guardians, and so on…. Ever since a
young age, she had disliked these many deities who were related to water. She would
feel irritated whenever she heard these titles.
She wanted to deal with them the same way she dealt with sword blades that were
fresh out of the furnace — she wanted to smash them with a hammer and end them
once and for all.

Today, Ruan Xiu was yawning as she lazily rested her arms and head on the railings.

The soft and choppy sound of footsteps traveled over from beyond the pavilion. Ruan
Xiu turned around, and she saw four people in Confucian robes walking over from a
distance.

Ruan Xiu glanced at them, and she was able to recognize all of them. There was
Prefectural Overseer Wu Yuan, a young man who was climbing the official ranks
fairly quickly. He was the prized disciple of the Great Li Empire's Imperial Preceptor
Cui Chan.

There was someone with the surname Cao, the current kiln supervision official.
There was also someone with the surname Yuan. In fact, the surnames Cao and Yuan
both belonged to clans of pillar generals. The individuals honored in the Wenchang
pavilion and the martial sage temple constructed in the mountain of porcelain and
the immortal tomb were none other than the old ancestors of these two officials.

The final person was an assistant mountain master from Cloud Drape Mountain's
Forest Deer Academy. His pseudonym was Cheng Shuidong, and he had once been
the assistant minister of Yellow Court Nation. In reality, he was not a human, but an
old flood dragon.

Ruan Xiu stood up and walked out of the pavilion. She offered the best spot for
enjoying the scenery to the four people in Confucian robes.

The four people exchanged a smile, yet none of them acted too obsequiously toward
the young girl. After all, Ruan Xiu was a girl by herself right now, so it wouldn't be
appropriate for them to act too familiar with her.

If it were some other Qi refiner, they would definitely thank Ruan Xiu at the very
least. They might also announce their name and use this opportunity to make
acquaintance with the young girl.

The four people had agreed to come here together to play Go. Wu Yuan wanted to
play against Mountain Master Cheng. Wu Yuan's master, Cui Chan, was the
undisputed number one Go master in the Great Li Empire. While studying under Cui
Chan's tutelage, Wu Yuan's Go skills had advanced in leaps and bounds. Because of
this, he was also a renowned Go master in the capital of the empire. Meanwhile, Kiln
Supervisor Cao and the person with the surname Yuan were simply here to spectate
the game.

The ancestors of the Cao Clan and the Yuan Clan were good friends who had been the
twin jade pendants of the Great Li Empire. Several hundred years later, however, the
relationship between the two clans was like the relationship between fire and water.
Even though Kiln Supervisor Cao and the person with the surname Yuan were sitting
opposite each other, they almost never made any eye contact with each other.

Now that Great Sui Nation and the Great Li Empire had become allies, with the two
parties signing pacts on the Great Li Empire's Cloud Drape Mountain and Great Sui
Nation's East Mountain, it could be said that the Great Li Empire was dominant in
the entire northern region of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

Including Yellow Court Nation, several vassal states of Great Sui Nation started to
change their allegiance to the Great Li Empire, paying tributes to the latter instead of
the former. Of course, there were also some slight bumps along the way, as many
powerful clans felt like this was an act of treachery.

Thus, the iron hooves of the Great Li Empire's warhorses started to thunder across
the land. When the sound of galloping subsided, the heads of many high-ranking
officials and renowned individuals had fallen to the ground.

The entire Great Sui Nation was caught in an eerie and subdued atmosphere, from
the imperial court to the local governments, and from the mountains to the
cultivation world.

The mighty Great Sui Nation, a powerful nation that was the inheritor of the
scholarly lineage, shockingly surrendered without a fight! They ceded territory to
seek peace!

A renowned scholar fell drunk, climbed a mountain and composing a poem. Before
throwing himself off a cliff to commit suicide, he left behind these last words: “Since
the founding of Great Sui Nation by the Gao Clan, when have we scholars suffered
such humiliation as today? Only through death can we prove our loyalty and
innocence.”
A Go master from Great Sui Nation who was renowned throughout half of the
continent used his favorite Go table as firewood, burning it to ashes.

One after another, many officials resigned from their positions in the capital of the
Great Sui Nation. From high-ranking officials in the Six Ministries to low-ranking
external officials, more than a hundred people resigned from their jobs. It was
rumored that the government offices of the Six Ministries in the capital were now
half vacant.

With little concern for all these things, the warhorses of the Great Li Empire were
now starting to march south.

Chaos was already taking root in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

Over at the pavilion, the crisp sound of stone pieces landing on the Go table
occasionally traveled over.

Ruan Xiu arrived under an old pine tree next to the cliff. While walking here, she had
picked up stones from the ground and lightly tossed them down the cliff.

Clouds and mist slowly rolled by like the water of large rivers. Heaven and earth
were vast and blurry.

The young girl suddenly threw away the remaining stones in her hand.

I need to help father forge iron today! This is not good….I'm already so late, so I
definitely won't get stewed pork with dried bamboo shoots to eat tonight….

1. Being able to walk sideways refers to being able to do anything one wants. ☜
There was a family of three sitting on an intercontinental ship and traveling from
south to north. After a long time, they finally arrived at their destination in Complete
Reed Continent, an immortal sect called the Lion Peak.

There was an additional pair of young people with the family now, a master and his
servant. The young master was a bookish young man, while his servant was a young
scholarly attendant. The latter was helping to lead a horse right now, one that had
the officially forged golden and silver saddle unique to the Tail Feather Empire on its
back.

However, it appeared as if the scholarly attendant was quite unwilling to be here, and
his expression was sour the entire time. Yet, he couldn't complain or say anything
because his young master was the one who had insisted on leading the way for those
people.

The family of three spoke and acted like country bumpkins, and more importantly,
they weren't understanding at all. Even though the extremely crude husband and
wife had raised a fairly decent daughter, how could she possibly be worthy of his
young master, regardless of how beautiful she was?

The Tail Feather Empire was one of the largest empires in Complete Reed Continent.
Even though the emperor's surname was Han, who wasn't aware that half of the
officials in the imperial court had the same surname as his young master?

Moreover, even though his young master wasn't the only child in the clan, there were
only two descendants in their generation; the young master and his older brother.
However, the older brother was an illegitimate child, while the young master was a
direct descendant. Thus, his young master would be wronged even if he were to
marry a princess. That being the case, how could he waste his time with an illiterate
girl from the wilderness?

This was just a family from the measly Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, so his
young master truly didn't need to be so polite and attentive.
The young scholarly attendant was so angry that he almost shed tears several times
during their journey. However, his young master would at most console him for a bit
before continuing to hurry to the Lion Peak with the family of three.

The master of the Lion Peak was a fairly famous immortal, but what did this matter?

Didn't he also need to act with his tail between his legs when seeing the young
master's grandfather?

He was only a scholarly attendant, a study companion for his young master, yet he
had already seen a few elusive terrestrial sword immortal thanks to the influential
status of his young master.

Even though this young scholarly attendant with extremely high standards had
indeed seen many powerful sword immortals before, he was still, in fact,
underestimating the power of the Lion Peak's mountain master. Even though the
mountain master was only a 10th tier Nascent Tier earth immortal, earth immortals
were a very valuable commodity in Complete Reed Continent.

Apart from itinerant immortals willing to lead carefree lives, it was actually very
difficult for immortals to gain a solid foothold if they didn't possess some true power
or abilities.

The mountain master of the Lion Peak was a good example of this. He was a genuine
outsider, yet he had relied almost solely on his own strength to pummel a sect-level
force in the Tail Feather Empire and force them to yield in just two short centuries.
This was proof enough of his outstanding combat power.

Moreover, Complete Reed Continent was known for producing powerful individuals,
strange individuals, unreasonable individuals, as well as individuals who possessed
all of these three qualities.

Thus, forces in Complete Reed Continent were extremely susceptible to unexpected

disasters.

There were often powerful cultivators who would target and attack a force simply
because they felt like it was an eyesore. They would run away if they were weaker,
and they would pulverize the force's main plaque if they were stronger.

This was Northern Complete Reed Continent, a continent that had forcefully
snatched the prefix “Northern” from Pure White Continent. There was a culture of
toughness, and the entire imperial court promoted martial arts rather than scholarly
study. Not only were they good at fighting, but they also enjoyed fighting.

In fact, many descendants and disciples from immortal clans and forces liked to
leave the mountains to train by themselves. After leaving the mountains, they would
purposely disguise themselves as itinerant cultivators or vagrant cultivators so that
they could fight to their heart's content.

Here, there was an abundance of sword cultivators.

Some top-notch sword practitioners renowned throughout the cultivation world

even possessed divine sword skills that allowed them to challenge earth immortals
from the mountains.

Due to these reasons, the sages who watched over the three Confucian academies in
Complete Reed Continent all had extremely high combat power compared to the
Confucian sages in the other continents. As for whether their knowledge was
profound…. This could take a back seat. After all, they needed to make their audience
listen to them first.

The current sage of the Great Cormorant Academy was initially a relatively unknown
scholar who largely stayed in the academy without venturing out. In the eyes of
native-born cultivators, rulers, and officials in Complete Reed Continent, this sage
was also someone who liked to show off his knowledge. Thus, he wasn't particularly
liked.

However, cornered rabbits would eventually bite.

This sage had been bestowed the words “Curb Your Anger” by his master before
setting off from the academy in Middle Earth Divine Continent. Yet in the end, there
was eventually one time when he was cornered….and he bit.

One day, someone surprisingly exclaimed in public that this sage's knowledge and
virtuous teachings were stale and stinky, like a fart trapped in a small room. While
saying this, the person was in very close proximity to the Great Cormorant Academy.
Afterward, he swaggered away with a smug expression. Moreover, many immortal
clans and forces in Complete Reed Continent agreed with his accusations.

The academy remained silent for a long time. In the end, however, there came a day
when the sage left the academy and pummeled two Nascent Tier cultivators as well
as an Unpolished Jade Tier cultivator black and blue within the span of one month. In
all all three cases, the Confucian sage had continually knocked their heads with his
knuckles while loudly asking, “Is it still stale and stinky? Have things been cleared up
now?”

The three people naturally had no option but to reply, “Yes, it's all clear now.”

Yet, the sage had offered the same response every single time — “You're as clear as
fart!”

This eventually became a widespread joke.

Meanwhile, the mountain master of the Lion Peak was one of the rare few earth
immortals whom the Confucian sage from the Great Cormorant Academy didn't find
an eyesore.

However, the measly scholarly attendant was naturally unable to engage with such
top-level secrets.

When they arrived in front of the mountain gate of the Lion Peak located at the foot
of the mountain, the scholarly attendant thought that they should at least go inside
for a cup of tea since they had already come here. However, his young master showed
his stubbornness again, saying to the couple and their daughter, “Seeing friends off
for a thousand li, all journeys eventually end in farewell.”

He then turned around to leave. The young scholarly attendant felt so aggrieved that
he almost shed tears again.

After wandering around for almost half a year in the outside world, it was indeed
good to finally return home. However, their trip hadn't been satisfying or impressive
at all!

When they reached the top of the mountain, the woman quietly chattered with her
daughter and offered many of her thoughts. These were nothing more than her
opinions on how the wealthy young master was a fairly good person. He was friendly
toward others, and his appearance was also very handsome. Compared to the half-
baked knowledge of Lin Shouyi and Dong Shuijing, he was seemingly more
knowledgeable as well.
However, it was a shame that her daughter neither nodded nor shook her head. The
woman angrily poked her daughter and scolded her with a smile, “Silly and
blockheaded girl!”

The young girl — in fact, she probably couldn't be considered a young girl anymore
— responded with a soft smile. She had always been like this, ever since a very
young age.

She never became angry, and never roared with laughter either. Apart from her little
brother, Li Huai, she didn't care much about anyone else.

The woman often called her a lump of soft dough that anyone could squeeze and
bully. When she got married in the future, she would definitely suffer immensely if
she didn't change.

Of course, the woman's main point was that her daughter would most certainly be
unable to run the home and suppress her husband in the future if she remained so
soft and malleable. That being the case, how would she help her little brother?

The woman never concealed her bias.

Fortunately, the woman's husband — the unsophisticated man called Li Er — never

favored males over females. He doted on his son and daughter equally.

However, it was a pity that he had the lowest status in the family. His opinions were
the most worthless.

Meanwhile, it was possible that Li Liu was someone who was innately resigned to
adversity. Thus, she didn't feel like there was anything wrong with this.

This time, the woman was told that the mountain master of this Lion Peak or
whatnot had some kind of relationship with her husband's good-for-nothing master.
Her husband promised that their family of three definitely wouldn't need to worry
about food or drink after arriving here. Only after hearing this did the travel-worn
woman, who had seen a couple of continents and seas by now, curse Old Man Yang a
little less than she usually did.

She felt like there was finally a teeny bit of pay-off to Li Er being his disciple for so
many years. Otherwise, she would have definitely blocked the door of the medicine
shop's backyard every day after returning home. She would have scolded that
undying old fart so much that he could never have washed his face anymore.

As she walked, the woman involuntarily thought of her son, whom no one was
looking after. Indeed, her precious son was definitely tired and suffering hardships
right now. The woman immediately became angry, and she pinched her daughter's
arm and said, “What's wrong with that young master who has a strange surname?
Have you never considered the fact that after marrying him, we won't need to
subject ourselves to the whims of the people on this Lion Peak or whatnot?

“After that young master with the surname Situ brings you home in a sedan carried
by eight men and marries you, we can all move to his place and quickly bring Li Huai
over as well. At that time, our family will finally be reunited again.”

Li Liu smiled, causing her eyebrows to curve slightly. It was as if she were admitting
to her mistake and asking for forgiveness, yet at the same time pouting and acting
cute to get out of trouble.

The woman was weakest against this facial expression. She immediately cooled her
anger and pinched Li Liu's arm again. However, she was gentler this time, and she
scolded, “You heartless girl. Don't you know to care for your little brother? I've raised
you for nothing for all these years….”

The capricious woman started to laugh happily after saying this, and she reached
over to pinch her daughter's cheek as she said, “Naughty girl, your appearance truly
takes after mine. Just take a look at that beautiful little face. It's so soft and smooth.”

Li Er, who was carrying a large luggage bag, cracked a wide grin when he heard this.

However, there was a hint of sadness in the woman's voice as she continued, “It was
very difficult, but we finally made it until the day that the old woman from Apricot
Blossom Alley died. That vixen from Clay Vase Alley also moved away. How good
would it have been if we didn't need to leave the small town? There was already no
one who could beat me in an argument.”

The woman had been extremely cautious and fearful during the entire journey to the
north. She possessed so many masterful skills, yet she felt like she was completely
unable to use any of them. It was an utter shame.

Li Liu's charming appearance didn't necessarily take after her mother's.

However, Li Huai's aggressiveness toward friends and family definitely did.

Atop the Lion Peak, the mountain master was accompanying an obese old man who
looked like a very wealthy individual. The latter looked spirited and awake, and if he
weren't sitting in this place, and his earth immortal subordinate standing there in a
respectful manner, people would most likely mistake him for a shopkeeper of some
small shop in a town outside the mountains. Or perhaps they would mistake him for
a wanton and oppressive old squire.

There was an emerald green rope tied around the waist of the obese old man, and he
clicked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “Old Man Yang is truly an open-minded
and magnanimous person. If it were me, such a loudmouthed woman would have
already reincarnated a thousand times.”

The old man beside the obese and wealthy-looking individual appeared dignified
and transcendent. His appearance aligned with the impression that commoners had
of immortals from the mountains. He didn't respond to his guest's joking remark,
and he simply put on a faint and courteous smile.

The obese old man smiled with squinted eyes and asked, “Ignoring trash Golden
Core Tier cultivators and only focusing on earth immortals like you, approximately
how many have walked out from Jewel Small World in the past thousand years? The
two of us are allies now, so there's no need to hide something as small as this, right?”

The old immortal bowed slightly and replied in an apologetic voice, “Please forgive
me, Great Sword Immortal Cao, but I can't say anything regarding this matter.”

As it turned out, this wealthy-looking individual was none other than Southern Whirl
Continent's Sword Immortal Cao Xi. He had come here to act as Li Liu's Dao
guardian, according to the agreement.

“Why is that Li Liu still unwilling to cultivate? What's the reason behind this?” Cao Xi
asked.

The old immortal, the mountain master of the Lion Peak, replied in a helpless voice,
“You can ask the founder about this yourself.”

Cao Xi faltered for a moment before remarking, “She's actually the reincarnation of
your branch's founder? The Lion Peak's lineage has only existed for a few years, so
how did you people manage to find her?”
The old immortal hesitated briefly, and it was as if he had received permission from
someone. After weighing things up for a short moment, he replied in a careful voice,
“We naturally have our secret techniques. Moreover, this isn't limited to just my
branch's founder.”

Cao Xi cut straight to the most important point. “Is Li Liu aware?”

The old immortal smiled and didn't say anything.

This was already an answer in and of itself.

“I've found myself a treasure,” Cao Xi clicked his tongue and said in wonder.

Afterward, Li Er and his family of three settled down in the Lion Peak. They were
attended to by an old steward from the peak, supposedly a distant relative of Old
Man Yang. He was responsible for attending to the chores in the Lion Peak.

After finding a place for the family of three to stay, he didn't give them anything to do
for the moment. He simply asked them to wait for a few days until the results came
out. There were strict rules in the Lion Peak, and people were prohibited from
disturbing the esteemed immortals while they were cultivating. One wasn't allowed
to wander around either. If they caused any trouble, the old steward would also be
unable to help them.

The woman had a nagging feeling that these words were targeting her. Thus, she
couldn't help but feel extremely uneasy.

Of course, she naturally didn't know that the elder from the Lion Peak hurriedly
wiped the cold sweat from his brows after leaving their room. The mountain master
had truly given him a difficult and hair-raising task. In fact, the old man hadn't even
dared to take an extra glance at Li Liu.

After a few days, the woman was unable to suppress her boredom any longer. She
said that she wanted to find something to do in the small town beside the Lion Peak.
Hearing this, Li Er borrowed some money from someone and planned to open a shop
in the small town. Afterward, some esteemed immortal from the Lion Peak
“coincidentally” discovered Li Liu's cultivation aptitude. Thus, Li Liu stayed in the
mountain by herself to cultivate.

The woman was a short-sighted person who lacked knowledge, so she always felt
like her daughter's greatest fortune would be to marry into a wealthy family. As a
result, she was quite displeased with this outcome. After all, what if Li Liu truly
became an immortal? She would disappear for years or decades at a time, so how
could she still help Li Huai?

In the end, however, the woman still followed Li Er to the small town. They rented a
house and wandered around to look for a suitable location for their shop. They
planned to settle down here.

A short while ago, Li Liu had stood at the foot of the mountain and farewelled her
parents. After the two of them vanished into the distance, all of the Nascent Tier and
Golden Core Tier cultivators from the Lion Peak, including the mountain master, had
appeared behind her and stood there in utmost respect. They hadn't even dared to
breathe too loudly.

Following the mountain master's lead, they all said in unison, “Welcome back,
Esteemed Founder.”

Li Liu paid no heed to them. Not allowing anyone to follow her, she ascended the
Lion Peak by herself and arrived before a cave that had already been sealed for a
long time. She then strode inside.

There were layers of restrictions that even earth immortals would find difficult to
break, yet Li Liu didn't take them seriously at all. Or perhaps it was better to say that
they didn't obstruct her at all.

When she walked out from the cave again, there was a golden lion seal hanging by
her waist.

Cao Xi had stood at the entrance and waited for a long time already. There was a
short sword that looked more like a dagger in his hand, and he raised his arm with
the green rope and chuckled, “Before refining a river to create my bonded flying
sword, this short sword accompanied me in battle for 300 years. Afterward, I
continued to nurture and accumulate its sword qi. You'll be able to freely wield it
once you advance to the Middle Five Tiers.

“You can unleash ten strikes, and each strike will be powerful enough to rival the
full-power strike of an Unpolished Jade Tier sword immortal. If you wait until you
reach the Golden Core Tier or Nascent Tier, you can unleash all of the sword qi at
once and rival the strike of an Immortal Tier sword immortal.”

Li Liu smiled softly and raised a hand, causing the short sword to fly into her palm.
She then casually drew the sword and gently slashed downward.

A brilliant ray of sword qi roared forward, appearing mighty enough to split open
heaven and earth. All of the cultivators of the Lion Peak were stunned into silence.

Li Liu, who had mysteriously ascended to the heavens and advanced to the Middle
Five Tiers in a single step, nodded and replied, “It's just as you said.”

“Good heavens,” Cao Xi sighed with emotion.

In a rare situation, Cao Xi remembered his unfilial descendant, Cao Jun. Right now,
Cao Jun was mingling with the marching army of the Great Li Empire.

Ah…. Look at other people's children, and then look at my own descendants. How
infuriating….
True Martial Mountain.

As one of the two ancestral forces of the Militarian Sect in Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent, far more Militarian cultivators from True Martial Mountain joined the
army compared to Wind Snow Temple, a force that consisted of many more
wandering cultivators.

During the past year, more and more cultivators had left the mountain, with half of
them heading to the Great Li Empire in the north. Meanwhile, the rest of them had
gone to some nations in the central region of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent
according to their own fated opportunities.

Recently, however, the somewhat deserted True Martial Mountain had started to
become lively again.

Ma Kuxuan, the domineering new member who had only entered the mountain a few
years ago, had caused a huge commotion again. He had pummeled a Sea Observation
Tier cultivator to death. True Martial Mountain didn't announce the specific reason
behind this, but it was certain that no great animosity existed between the two
people. The elderly cultivator barely ever interacted with Ma Kuxuan. Even if they
did engage in conflict, it would only be verbal battles at most. Thus, it was definitely
the cruel and merciless Ma Kuxuan who had purposely attacked to kill.

Even though two grand elders pleaded the case for Ma Kuxuan, the young boy was
still ultimately confined in the Divine Martial Hall located at the back of the
mountain. He was prohibited from leaving for an entire year.

The past patriarchs and a dozen or so unnamed deities were honored in the Divine
Martial Hall. It was said that True Martial Mountain had once encountered a great
calamity that threatened severe and wide-ranging consequences. During that critical
moment, the sect master of that generation had used an untaught secret technique to
summon help from the golden deity statues that had enjoyed incense for thousands
of years in the great hall. They had left the mountain to kill enemies together,
eventually annihilating more than ten immortal sects in a single go. That had been a
magnificent feat.

However, being confined in the Divine Martial Hall definitely wasn't a comfortable
experience. Only cultivators who had committed severe crimes in True Martial
Mountain would be locked up in this place. In fact, fewer than one in ten people
could make it out alive. According to rumors, the deities honored in the Divine
Martial Hall would “awaken” on some ancient fasting days that were no longer
observed. During these times, they would interrogate, punish, and even consume the
souls of cultivators.

In an immortal residence in True Martial Mountain that was covered in immortal qi,
a Militarian grand elder of extremely high seniority roared in rage, “Isn't punishing
Ma Kuxuan like this a little too severe?!”

The person opposite him looked like a handsome young man. His fingers were as
pale and slender as those of women, and he was setting up a Go board according to
some manual. He was unfazed by his junior brother's almost disrespectful manner of
questioning, and he was surprisingly unwilling to say even a single word.

The old man slammed his hand on the table and shouted, “Ma Kuxuan is the most
prodigious talent I've seen in my life! He's a genuine prodigy! I'll never forgive you if
you ruin him!”

The handsome man had just picked up a Go piece. When he heard this, he silently
placed the Go piece back into its box and said with a frown, “There are, in fact, many
tragic examples of sects and other such forces being destroyed by some
extraordinary disciple.”

The old man chuckled coldly and replied, “But there are even more examples of a
single disciple revitalizing their sect and wiping away all weaknesses and issues!”

The handsome man shook his head and explained, “When it comes to cultivation, the
notion of not doing wrong is the most important thing. Otherwise, if we break all of
our ancestral rules for the sake of one or two people, we'll only end up with an
unsupported pagoda in the sky even if we achieve temporary signs of prosperity.

“In any case, True Martial Mountain is running smoothly at the moment, and we're
not in some perilous position where we need someone to save us. Junior Brother Liu,
hear my advice. You have high hopes for Ma Kuxuan, so at the end of the day, it's your
own personal matter if you're willing to give him all of your immortal treasures and
even secretly help him obtain that fated opportunity. I won't interfere with these
things. After all, they aren't against the rules of True Martial Mountain.”

The old man looked at the “young man” whose expression was becoming
increasingly cold. Initially overbearing, the Militarian grand elder couldn't help but
feel a little nervous at this moment. He humphed coldly and insisted, “It's worth it
for True Martial Mountain to break some rules for Ma Kuxuan. Wind Snow Temple
has the Divine Platform's Wei Jin, but who do we have?”

“We have me,” the handsome man replied with a faint smile.

The old man almost choked upon hearing this. He couldn't find any words for a long
time.

The handsome man seemingly found the atmosphere too tense for his liking, so he
finally smiled and said, “Alright, as the saying goes, our descendants will all have
their own fortunes. In any case, Ma Kuxuan isn't even your descendant, so what are
you so worried about? Are you doing this for the sake of the sect? Who are you trying
to dupe? I know your personality best, don't I? At the end of the day, you're simply
doing this in the hope that Ma Kuxuan can go to Wind Snow Temple to exact revenge
for you in the future.”

The Militarian grand elder who was renowned for his short temper conceded
frankly, “That was indeed my original intention. However, after interacting with him
for a while, I'm becoming increasingly fond of Ma Kuxuan. Even a thousand of my
useless descendants aren't as capable as a single Ma Kuxuan.”

The handsome man concurred with the old man in a rare display, nodding and
saying, “Mhm, you indeed shouldn't have given birth to those bastard descendants of
yours back then. To put things simply, it's your own fault for not being able to control
the buddy in your pants.”

“As the sect leader of True Martial Mountain, don't you feel ashamed to say such
things?!” the old man fumed.

The handsome man smiled and said in amusement, “I heard that your pants became
loose again recently? You found yourself a beautiful mortal mistress?”
The old man's anger instantly subsided, and he replied in a low voice, “I truly like
that woman. She's innocent and adorable, unlike those bullshit celestial maidens
from the mountains. Those celestial maidens are truly tiring.”

“As long as you like her,” the handsome man replied casually.

Fury suddenly welled up inside the old man again, and he suggested, “We genuinely
need to fix the atmosphere in True Martial Mountain, especially regarding the
disciples that we took in during the past hundred years. Their disposition is truly far
too pathetic. There's only a single Ma Kuxuan, yet they're jumping around in disarray
and fear, with even their Dao Hearts completely shaken. All of them are spouting
sour shit behind his back…… They're worse than mortal women gossipping!”

The handsome man waved his hand and commented, “Their Dao Hearts aren't
shaken. Rather, their Dao Hearts were weak and fragile to begin with.”

“You're not going to do something about this?” the old man asked in puzzlement.

“Then should I take care of their eating and shitting as well? Should I take care of
your loose pants as well?” the handsome man retorted.

The old man rolled his eyes.

“Rest assured, Ma Kuxuan won't die.”

The handsome man waved a hand and turned his attention back to the Go board.

The Militarian grand elder roared with laughter before suddenly standing up and
exclaiming, “Senior Brother, why you…. You should have said this earlier! That way, I
wouldn't have needed to waste half a day with you here!”

“Your belt is loose,” the handsome man said without looking up.

The old man chuckled and remarked, “You're still as fond of telling jokes as
always….”

In the next moment, however, the old man suddenly yelped in a flustered manner,
hurriedly activating a mystical ability and disappearing with a flash.

As it turned out, the handsome man had caused the Nascent Tier earth immortal's
belt to crumble with a casual wave of his hand. Not only that, but the earth immortal
hadn't noticed this at all.

What if the handsome man had wanted to kill him?

In the eyes of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, True Martial Mountain was powerful
in the sense that it had a huge influence over mortal empires. In terms of individual
cultivation base and combat power, the many Militarian immortals from Wind Snow
Temple were far more powerful than their counterparts in True Martial Mountain.

Some people joked that if the two Militarian ancestral forces each picked ten
members to battle against each other, the supremely powerful Wind Snow Temple
would pummel the cultivators of True Martial Mountain until they cried for their
ancestors.

The handsome man put the old Go manual on the table. The manual was called
Endgame Collection, and he had memorized the entire contents of the manual
already. It recorded the endgame plays of many famous historical matches, and the
endgame play that the handsome man was setting up right now was called the
Iridescent Cloud Setup. The opponents in this game had been the city lord of White
Emperor City and the former first disciple of the Scholarly Sage.

The handsome man sighed softly.

Inside the Divine Martial Hall located at the back of the mountain….

Ma Kuxuan was sitting cross-legged on the head of a tall statue of a deity. Meanwhile,
a black cat was sitting on the young boy's head.

A person, a cat, and the statue of a deity.

The black cat extended a paw and lightly scratched Ma Kuxuan's head.

Ma Kuxuan paid no heed to this. He and the black cat had depended on each other
ever since he was little, and this was even more the case now that his grandma had
passed away.

A golden glow suddenly appeared in the eyes of a gold-gilded wooden statue to the
left of Ma Kuxuan. There was a rumble as the gigantic statue of the deity started to
move, slowly stepping down from its divine altar and looking around at its
surroundings. In the end, its gaze settled on Ma Kuxuan, who was sitting on the head
of the statue in the middle. The nine meter tall statue of the deity walked to the
center of the large hall before turning to the young boy and his cat and kneeling
down on one knee.

Ma Kuxuan was seemingly used to this, and he simply repeated the same warning
that he always gave, “Remember to keep quiet after you go back.”

The wooden statue of the deity nodded lightly before standing up and striding
forward, returning to its original position on the divine altar. It wasn't long before it
became still, with the golden glow quickly disappearing from its eyes.

The doors and windows of the great hall were extremely large, allowing many rays of
light to seep through and scatter across the floor. Thus, even the dust in the great hall
was visible.

“Having too many immortal treasures and having too good a fortune is also quite
annoying,” Ma Kuxuan suddenly remarked in a self-ridiculing manner.

The black cat raised a leg and gently licked its paw.

Ma Kuxuan leaned back and lay down. The black cat jumped up, and it landed on Ma
Kuxuan's chest after the young boy finished his movement. It curled up and quickly
fell asleep.

The black cat occasionally shifted into a more comfortable position.

Ma Kuxuan crossed his legs and raised a hand to stroke the soft fur of the black cat.
He recalled both the taunting remarks and the obsequious comments that he had
heard in True Martial Mountain, and he felt like all of these things were quite
uninteresting. “So what if you people don't like me? I don't like you people either.”

The great hall was spacious and ethereal.

Only the soft snoring of a person and a cat cut through the silence.

The golden statues of the deities stood in a row, appearing as if they were loyally
guarding their ruler who stood high above them, day by day, year after year, for a
thousand years and then for ten thousand.
————

Zhou Ju, the virtuous scholar from Lake View Academy, didn't follow his sagely
master to Complete Reed Continent to visit that Daoist Heavenly Lord.

He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to contain himself from insulting Xie Shi. If
that were to happen, he would only be making things more difficult for his master.

After leaving the academy, his master definitely couldn't rival Xie Shi. However, his
master also couldn't stand there and do nothing if Xie Shi wanted to smack his
disciple to death. That being the case, what else could he do? Apologize to an
outsider for his disciple?

Thus, Zhou Ju traveled to a mountain peak not far from where Ceremony Mountain's
kun ship had fallen.

According to the records, the soaring sword qi had originated from this location and
annihilated the kun ship traveling south to Old Dragon City. There had been many
casualties, and almost everyone under the Middle Five Tiers had been killed.

Zhou Ju found nothing on the mountain. There wasn't a single trace left. However,
this was completely reasonable and expected.

After all, even blind fools could see that someone was carefully plotting and
scheming behind the scenes. Someone was trying to frame this very powerful empire
in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

However, there was one thing that Zhou Ju couldn't wrap his mind around. Why was
the mighty Dao Lord of Complete Reed Continent willing to lower his status and
become involved in this complicated matter? In fact, he was even willing to go as far
as to “take arms” against Lake View Academy. If this continued, it was very likely that
Heavenly Lord Xie Shi would become the common enemy of all Qi refiners in Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent.

Perhaps Xie Shi was truly treating himself as the second disciple of the Dao
Ancestor?

Zhou Ju wasn't convinced that the Great Li Empire's Song Clan could employ the help
of a Heavenly Lord from another continent.
After staying in the wilderness for many days, Zhou Ju planned to leave the mountain
soon.

He had heard his master casually mention one matter. During the past half a year,
many previously lost and ownerless immortal treasures had suddenly started to
appear in three continents: Southern Whirl Continent, Parasol Leaf Continent, and
Circling Ascension Continent. In fact, there were even traces of several pseudo-
celestial tools hidden among these immortal treasures.

This triggered a huge commotion, and countless vagrant cultivators from the
mountains and marshes rushed over to the locations where the treasures had
appeared. The powerful immortal clans and forces naturally weren't willing to
abandon these significant fated opportunities either. All of a sudden, there was a
murky mix of all kinds of people and temporary alliances.

Zhou Ju wasn't interested in these matters.

He was even less interested in the worldly matters that were going to follow.

This was because it would most certainly become even more difficult for scholars to
read and study in peace.

This wasn't good.

Zhou Ju raised his head and looked up at the sky.

I, Zhou Ju, Lake View Academy's measly virtuous scholar, Zhou Juran, am also able to
discover some traces, so what about you people, beings who have an even higher status
than my master?

Zhou Ju silently made his way down the mountain. He wandered down lazily, either
riding on the wind or walking with both feet. In the end, he arrived at a bustling
market and drank a steaming bowl of hot and sour soup.

A smile instantly spread across Zhou Ju's face, wiping all of the irritation from his
mind.

The stall owner's daughter was right in her youthful prime. Her skin was slightly
tanned, yet it shone with a healthy luster. She secretly stole a few glances at Zhou Ju.
There were few scholars in her hometown, and there were even fewer scholars who
were as handsome as him.

She felt like even taking a single extra glance would be good.

And thus, Zhou Ju ordered another bowl of hot and sour soup.
Before boarding the Treasure Swallowing Whale that was headed for Parasol Leaf
Continent, Chen Ping'an purposely went to the market next to the Incense Offering
Tower. He bought a tube of incense that contained eighty-one sticks of Three Pure
Incense, a specialty product of Stalactite Mountain.

This incense gave off a refreshing fragrance, and it was a premium product whether
one used it to pay respects to deities or to calm one's mind. However, it was quite
dear, commanding a price of one lesser heat coin per tube, a full hundred snowflake
coins.

Why had Chen Ping'an spent such an exorbitant amount of money on some incense?
This was because he had recalled the mountain god temple in his Downtrodden
Mountain back at home. If friends visited in the future, he could give them these
sticks of incense to offer. After all, it would be a beautiful thing if his friends could
pay their sincere respects and the mountain god could enjoy premium incense.

Apart from this tube of incense from the market next to the Incense Offering Tower,
as well as the two treasures that he had spent a huge amount of money to purchase
from Ganoderma Inn, Chen Ping'an also bought a copy of the Sword Immortal Picture
Scrolls, with his set of paintings being composed by a masterful painter from
Southern Whirl Continent.

There were five scrolls in total, with each being very large and long. There were
twenty sword immortals illustrated on each of the five scrolls, and each was only but
an inch tall. However, they all appeared extremely lively and ethereal.

Of course, the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls that Chen Ping'an purchased was only a
copy. The original picture scrolls were illustrated by a grandmaster painter after he
witnessed a battle on the Sword Qi Great Wall. Afterward, countless people created
copies of his work.
There were far too many sword immortals honored in the Sword Reverence Pagoda,
so the “Rock Channel” copy of the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls that Chen Ping'an
purchased only contained a hundred sword immortals chosen according to the
whims of the painter.

There were several other copies in the store, with the “Rock Channel” version being
the most expensive among the options. After carefully comparing them, Chen Ping'an
had discovered that the sword immortals illustrated in the “Rock Channel” version
resonated with him the most. Thus, he had gritted his teeth and bought this version.

This had genuinely been a notable expense. The set of picture scrolls had cost him a
whopping fifty lesser heat coins.

It was unknown whether the beaming shopkeeper was happy about coming across
an easily deceived customer or genuinely appreciative of Chen Ping'an's impressive
judgment skills. In any case, he told the young boy many interesting and peculiar
stories related to the Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls. He said that several sword
immortals had coincidentally come across damaged portions of the original
paintings in the past, and this had allowed them to comprehend the true intent of the
sword immortals illustrated in the paintings. These sword immortals then advanced
in leaps and bounds, eventually becoming terrestrial sword immortals who were
greatly renowned throughout the world.

Chen Ping'an planned to give this set of Sword Immortal Picture Scrolls to Sage Ruan
Qiong as a congratulatory present in the future. When Chen Ping'an had left his
hometown, Dragon Spring Prefecture, back then, Master Ruan had still yet to carry
out his sect-founding ceremony. However, he had most likely carried it out by now.

To Ruan Qiong, fifty lesser heat coins was definitely a measly sum that wasn't worth
a mention. However, this was at least something purchased from Stalactite Mountain
and brought back to the Great Li Empire's Dragon Spring Prefecture. With a distance
of thousands of mountains and rivers between the two places, it was ultimately the
thought that counted rather than the present itself.

People say that “clothes make the man.”

As Chen Ping'an walked toward the Incense Offering Dock, several female immortals
in their prime surprisingly shot a few glances at him, the type where they came back
for seconds and thirds, and not the type where they lost their interest after a single
glance.

Compared to his trip to Stalactite Mountain to deliver the sword to Ning Yao, Chen
Ping'an was more concerned about his imminent trip to Parasol Leaf Continent to
search for the old Daoist priest. After confirming that the young female immortals
weren't harboring any ill intentions, Chen Ping'an pushed them out of his mind and
paid them no more heed.

The Incense Offering Dock was larger than the Catch and Release Dock, yet Chen
Ping'an didn't see the Treasure Swallowing Whale that was guaranteed to be colossal
in size.

Standing there with the boarding jade pendant tied to his waist, Chen Ping'an saw a
Mountain and Sea Turtle that had courtyards and pagodas on its back, as well as a
gigantic carriage drawn by an Azure Phoenix and a Celestial Crane. There was also
something that the Mountain and Sea Chronicle described as unique to Circling
Ascension Continent, a small mountain peak filled with lush green foliage.

However, it was unknown whether this mountain was a “Flying Over Mountain” or
“Flying Away Peak.” It was said that the mountain roots formed by the accumulation
of spiritual energy in these mountains were extremely nutritious to flood dragons.
When ancient flood dragons entered rivers to transform into dragons in the past,
they would pick a suitable river leading to the sea before asking someone to bring
“Flying Over Mountains” and “Flying Away Peaks” over to toss into the river. This
would allow them to replenish their energy in a timely manner and prevent them
from becoming exhausted and draining all of their Qi and blood.

Chen Ping'an had only just started to learn the official dialect of Middle Earth Divine
Continent, so he was destined to be unintelligible when he tried to ask for directions.
If others couldn't understand him, he would have no option but to take out a bamboo
slip and carve out his questions.

Fortunately, Chen Ping'an found a few passengers who had jade pendants of the
same style hanging by their waist. Thus, he silently followed them for a while, and it
wasn't long before they arrived at someplace that was bustling with people. Chen
Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief.

However, someone suddenly tapped his left shoulder lightly, yet Chen Ping'an
directly turned his head toward the right, only to see a familiar face. Seeing that Chen
Ping'an didn't fall for their trick, the person lost interest and said in a lazy voice,
“What, are you also heading to Planchette Writing Sect in Parasol Leaf Continent? Is
this a huge coincidence? You're not coveting something of mine, are you? Perhaps
you're coveting my beauty?”

The guilty person is making accusations first?

Chen Ping'an had a neutral impression of this person.

It was someone with a pearl hairpin, a pink dress, and a colorful ribbon around the
waist. A very beautiful…. young man.

If their encounter on Osmanthus Island traveling from Old Dragon City to Stalactite
Mountain could be put down to fate, then it was incredibly likely that ulterior
motives existed now that they were on the same intercontinental ship from Stalactite
Mountain to Planchette Writing Sect.

The young man with the surname Lu — someone who was previously beaten out of
the Incense Offering Tower by the young Daoist priest guarding the door — clearly
noticed the alertness in Chen Ping'an's eyes. He patted his boarding jade pendant for
the Treasure Swallowing Whale and chuckled, “Just as you suspect, I am going to
Planchette Writing Sect after I waited for someone for a long time. Indeed, I've been
waiting for you.”

What kind of admission is this?

Chen Ping'an was slightly perplexed, yet he decided that he would definitely keep a
respectful distance from this person.

Not only was this young man as beautiful as a woman, but his voice was also crisp
and pleasant to the ear. It was extremely difficult to discern whether he was male or
female. When they had “coincidentally” visited the Catch and Release Pavilion
together before, this person's speech and actions had reflected his personality as a
lively and unconventional person.

Even though Chen Ping'an had nothing against this person's strange attire, curious
personality, and peculiar hobbies, he still wished that this person wouldn't introduce
disturbances to his very ordinary and peaceful life.

The young man clasped his hands behind his back, interweaving his fingers and
tilting his chin slightly upward as squinted his eyes and gazed at Chen Ping'an in a
gentle and feminine manner. He appeared even more delicate than a woman as he
said in a gentle voice, “I've already told you the truth, regardless of whether you
believe me or not. As for me? My name is Lu Tai, Lu as in land and Tai as in
platform[1]. I'm a descendant of Middle Earth Divine Continent's Lu Clan, but I'm not
especially liked by the members of my clan. Because of this, I ran away to travel
around the world by myself.

“I've traveled to five of the nine continents in Majestic World, and I initially didn't
plan to go to the Parasol Leaf Continent. However, I'm quite strapped for money at
the moment, so I wanted to look for a good person whom I could get free food and
free shelter from, yet wouldn't covet my beauty. I feel like that person is you. In any
case, I already owe you a grain rain coin, so I don't mind owing you another one. By
the time we arrive at Parasol Leaf Continent, I might have already encountered some
huge fortune and repaid this debt. At the same time, I might have also made enough
money to return home.”

From Chen Ping'an's expressionless face, it was clear that the young boy was
completely unwilling to believe his interlocutor's explanation.

Lu Tai sighed and said, “Alright, I'll tell you the truth. I'm from the School of
Naturalists, and I'm skilled at divination and fortune-telling. However, I'm genuinely
strapped for money, although it's a lie that I can't make any money. Even so, I already
owe you a grain rain coin, and I also performed a divination for myself not long ago.
The outcome was this: travel east on the treasure swallower, noble in Parasol Leaf
Continent, upper-upper fortune.

“This result is very simple to understand. However, in order to guard against any
accidents, I still stayed here for twenty entire days. This is why I said that I was
waiting for someone. In the end, I came to a realization when I saw you arrive. My
old ancestor is guiding and guarding me on this trip to Parasol Leaf Continent, and
I'll suffer retribution from the heavens if I dare to not go.”

Chen Ping'an didn't hurl insults, nor did he show any signs of impatience. Instead, he
seemed amiable and open to discussion as he asked, “Young Master Lu, I naturally
won't stop you if you're traveling to Parasol Leaf Continent based on your upper-
upper fortune. It's not like I can stop you either. However, can the two of us each go
our own ways? If you are in dire need of money, I'm happy to lend you some more
lesser heat coins—”
Lu Tai suddenly cut Chen Ping'an off and said in an innately seductive voice, “What
do you mean Young Master Lu? To avoid some complications and issues, you can just
refer to me as Miss Lu. Otherwise, people will look at me in very strange ways.”

Chen Ping'an could feel his head becoming slightly numb.

If you're worried about other people looking at you in strange ways and judging you,
then why aren't you worried about me looking at you in strange ways and judging you?

Lu Tai surprisingly started to pout and act cute, saying, “Pretty please, Chen Ping'an?
Can you please bring me along with you? I can swear to the heavens that I don't
harbor any ill intentions toward you. Otherwise, I'll be punished by the heavens, and
I'll be thrown into a lake of lightning. I'll also be suppressed under Tassel Mountain,
and I'll be imprisoned in the furnace in the dragon palace deep under the sea. I'll be
exiled to some desolate mystical realm where there exists no person for tens of
thousands of kilometers….”

As Lu Tai uttered this nonsense, he even extended a hand that was even paler and
more slender than that of a woman and tried to grab Chen Ping'an's arm.

Chen Ping'an got goosebumps all over his body, and he no longer cared about
whether he was polite as he slapped Lu Tai's hand away and said in a righteous and
strict manner, “Young M…. Miss Lu, please conduct yourself with dignity!”

Lu Tai huffed and retracted his hand. Standing still, he bit his lips with a sulky look in
his eyes. He looked to be on the verge of tears.

Chen Ping'an turned around and left.

However, Lu Tai followed him like a shadow, stopping when Chen Ping'an stopped
and turning his head when Chen Ping'an turned his head. At some point in time, he
even retrieved a small and exquisite copper mirror from some unknown place. There
was also a small container of makeup powder between his fingers. It was as if he
were a beautiful woman applying makeup in her room.

Even though Chen Ping'an was already relatively familiar with Lu Tai, he was still
completely terrified by this image. His hairs stood on end. However, many male
cultivators in the surroundings had a longing look in their eyes. In fact, some elderly
and experienced cultivators at the Golden Core Tier and Nascent Tier had fervent
expressions in their eyes even though they saw through Lu Tai's disguise and knew
that he was a man.

On the path of cultivation, and throughout their long lives, there would eventually
come a time when nothing was taboo.

Lu Tai was like a pitiful young wife who had been abandoned. He didn't dare to
complain to the heartless man, and he only dared to silently follow him from a
distance, reluctant to leave.

People in the surroundings looked at them with amused expressions.

Chen Ping'an had never experienced this kind of repulsive approach before. He was
filled with anger, yet he didn't know how to deal with Lu Tai.

People continued to vanish near the front of the ferry station, and only then did Chen
Ping'an discover the boarding location for the Treasure Swallowing Whale. These
were lengths of embroidery draped over the ground. When Chen Ping'an had
purchased his boarding jade pendant back then, there had been three different
options on offer: “Cloud on Peak,” “Enchanting Garden,” and “Emerald Lake.”

Chen Ping'an had gone with Emerald Lake, the medium-priced option. Looking at the
three lengths of embroidery on the ground, Chen Ping'an saw that the scenery on
each was distant. There was one with flowing mists and clouds amid which a lone
mountain peak towered through, there was an emerald lake atop which residences
lay like the starry sky, and there was a collection of courtyards and pagodas filled
with colorful flowers in full bloom.

Not far behind him, “Miss Lu” explained in a timid voice, “It's not like people can
board the Treasure Swallowing Whale from its mouth. This Treasure Swallowing
Whale is very large, and it can be regarded as the largest one in Golden Armor
Continent. There are four separate mystical realms inside this Treasure Swallowing
Whale, with three of them transformed into residential areas for passengers.

“In comparison, there's only a single mystical realm inside the Treasure Swallowing
Whale from Old Dragon City. It's far inferior to this one. As for the three lengths of
embroidery, these are actually extremely high-grade land-shortening talismans that
can help passengers immediately travel to their relevant mystical realm.”

A look of realization spread across Chen Ping'an's face.

The all-encompassing divine book Mountain and Sea Chronicle had detailed records
regarding mystical realms. Because this pertained to blessed lands, and since it was
strongly related to Jewel Small World as well, Chen Ping'an had been especially
attentive when reading the relevant sections. In fact, he had especially looked for the
young inn manager of Stork Inn and asked him about some things that weren't
recorded in the book.

Those who were born and raised in Stalactite Mountain were often very
knowledgeable and spoke in a very confident manner regardless of their cultivation
base and family situation. They talked about everything without fear, from sages to
heavenly lords to earth immortals. In any case, the range and depth of their
knowledge and experiences were indeed superior to any place outside Stalactite
Mountain.

The young inn manager was a taciturn person, yet he had chatted freely with Chen
Ping'an in a rare display. He had most likely treated Chen Ping'an as an esteemed
guest.

Many blessed lands that naturally aged and crumbled or were destroyed by external
factors would leave behind pieces of territory after they shattered. However, the
locations of these territories were unknown, and thus they were aptly referred to as
mystical realms. For instance, the wine shop that sold Forgetting Sorrow Wine in
Stalactite Mountain was the sole remaining mystical realm of Golden Millet Blessed
Land.

Oftentimes, the fated opportunities of cultivators would be intricately tied to

mystical realms. Mystical realms could add icing to the cake and they could also
deliver help in times of great need. It could be said that the existence of mystical
realms, both large and small, instilled Qi refiners with a sense of ambition and
yearning. Indeed, the large majority of vagrant cultivators and itinerant cultivators
who managed to rise and achieve fame could attribute their success to fated
opportunities obtained from mystical realms.

It was possible for cultivators to inadvertently wander into unoccupied mystical

realms by chance. These mystical realms might be paradises filled with the essence
of plants and life, or they might be vast expanses of desolate land filled with a
miasma of poison. They might also be cave abodes left behind by sages after they
passed away.
If one were fortunate, they could obtain rare fated opportunities and ascend to the
heavens in a single step. If one were unfortunate, however, then they might perhaps
become trapped in the mystical realm forever, eventually dying of old age. Or
perhaps they might face some perilous danger and be killed. In the end, their
belongings would become nothing more than fated opportunities for those who
stumbled upon the mystical realm in the future.

Chen Ping'an was very keen to know whether Jewel Small World left any mystical
realms in the world after crumbling and plummeting to the ground.

He could ask Wei Bo when he returned home in the future.

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Ping'an walked toward the length of embroidery
that led toward the Emerald Lake inside the Treasure Swallowing Whale. Lu Tai
sighed in grief and quickened his pace, calmly walking over and blocking Chen
Ping'an's path. He extended a hand and said, “I initially planned to go to the Emerald
Lake as well. However, since you loathe me so much, I won't be a thorn in your side
anymore. I can change my residence, and I can pay some more money and ask
someone to move me to that prestigious Enchanting Garden instead. Let's part ways
here. Chen Ping'an, you said you would lend me some lesser heat coins before. Does
this offer still stand? Otherwise, I won't be able to move to the Enchanting Garden….”

Lu Tai was pouting and pitiful, and his appearance appeared strange no matter how
Chen Ping'an looked at him.

Chen Ping'an directly retrieved a handful of lesser heat coins, happy to lose money to
avoid calamity. He walked over and hurriedly handed the money to Lu Tai.

Chen Ping'an was willing to spend this money as long as this person didn't disturb
him anymore. He wanted to peacefully practice his fist techniques and sword
techniques on the intercontinental ship.

After accepting the lesser heat coins, there was a deep sense of grievance in Lu Tai's
watery eyes as he dazedly stared at Chen Ping'an. In the end, he silently turned
around and left, most likely looking for someone to help change his residence.

When Chen Ping'an walked onto the strange land-shortening talisman, he saw a
delighted Lu Tai winking at him from a distance. The feminine man raised his hand
and waved the jade pendant that had the characters “Emerald Lake” engraved on it.
As it turned out, Lu Tai was genuinely strapped for money. As a result, he had only
been able to purchase a boarding jade pendant for the cheapest “Cloud on Peak”
mystical realm in the beginning. Afterward, however, his colorful lies had convinced
Chen Ping'an to give him a handful of lesser heat coins….

Lu Tai's footsteps were light and nimble as he walked toward the length of
embroidered brocade rug that Chen Ping'an was on in a lively and mischievous
manner. His expression was smug, and he appeared even more beautiful and
charming than before.

Before vanishing from the ferry station, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but curse that
“young lady” in his mind, exclaiming, Fucking hell….

1. Lu Tai's name is written 陆台. ☜

Chen Ping'an arrived on a platform in the middle of a lake. He looked around at the
vast and rippling surface of Emerald Lake, upon which wisps of mist were rising.
There were a hundred or so pagodas floating above the lake, with each connected to
another via a series of small paths. Each pagoda was also provided with two or three
small boats, allowing passengers to explore the lake and enjoy the scenery.

There were many tall and graceful young girls in green dresses, most of them around
thirteen or fourteen years old. They were all very beautiful, and they were currently
guiding passengers in the right direction.

The pagoda that Chen Ping'an was staying in was called Lingering Shade Mountain
Pagoda. When purchasing the boarding jade pendant, the seller had suggested that
Chen Ping'an consider allowing others to stay in this pagoda as well, especially since
it was three storeys tall. That way, his boarding jade pendant would also become
cheaper. After giving this some thought, however, Chen Ping'an had ultimately
turned down the offer.

The worker selling boarding jade pendants for Treasure Swallowing Whale hadn't
found this strange. After all, it was normal for cultivators to prefer living by
themselves. However, if it were a vagrant cultivator, it was more likely that they
would be willing to share a pagoda with others. This was because it was extremely
difficult for them to earn money, and they had to carefully budget everything.

Moreover, living with others might give them the opportunity to build relationships
and expand their network. When it came to cultivation, it wouldn't be a bad thing to
make new friends, even if the friendship was only shallow. After all, there might
come a time when fortunes changed and these relationships transformed into
significant fated opportunities.

After a maidservant in green pointed Chen Ping'an in the right direction, he left the
tall platform in the middle of Emerald Lake and slowly walked along a small path.
From time to time, immortals would fly past above or beside him, with some
traveling on swords and some traveling on the wind. After walking for a short while,
a beautiful “young woman” held the hem of his dress and ran over in small steps,
appearing extremely playful and innocent.

Chen Ping'an was not the kind to fear trouble. From his time as an apprentice in the
dragon kiln where he was given extremely difficult tasks and scolded to the time
when he accompanied Li Baoping, Li Huai, and the others to Mountain Cliff Academy
in the capital of Great Sui Nation, he had always taken care of all matters regardless
of how big or small they were.

However, even though Chen Ping'an wasn't afraid of this kind of trouble, he was
indeed very afraid of another kind of trouble, a kind that was intangible and
unpredictable. For example, this Naturalist called Lu Tai. Even though Chen Ping'an
didn't feel any instinctive apprehension toward him, and didn't feel the kind of
pressure and darkness that radiated from Fu Nanhua and Cui Chan, Chen Ping'an
was still used to guaranteeing the safety of a matter before determining whether it
was good or bad.

In Stalactite Mountain, how many people dreamed of stepping into the Ape Havoc
Estate owned by the Liu Clan?

However, after Chen Ping'an heard the passerby describe the Sword Reverence
Pagoda as being located “near the Ape Havoc Estate,” he had roughly understood the
might and influence of the Liu Clan from Pure White Continent. Thus, the first thing
he had done was to draw a clear line between himself and Liu Youzhou, although he
had a good impression of the young boy. Deep down, Chen Ping'an was more
comfortable with living alone as he had done in Jewel Small World. He was already
accustomed to living by himself.

The young man who had introduced himself as Lu Tai, a descendant from the Lu Clan
in Middle Earth Divine Continent, walked alongside Chen Ping'an. He turned around
to glance at the side of Chen Ping'an's face as he smiled beautifully and asked, “Are
you angry? It's not good for men to be so petty. You need to be more magnanimous.
The more magnanimous one is, the more fortunate one will eventually become. The
Confucians posit that noble people aren't tools[1]. You should have heard of this
before, right?”

Chen Ping'an stopped and turned around to look at the strange person, asking, “Why
are you following me around? What are you trying to achieve? If I remember right,
your divination that yielded excellent fortune has got nothing to do with me—”
“What do you mean it's got nothing to do with you?” Lu Tai smiled with squinted
eyes as he cut Chen Ping'an off. “I used the grain rain coin that you gave me to
perform the divination. In other words, it's got everything to do with you. You're the
crux of the Go board that contains this fated opportunity—”

It was Chen Ping'an's turn to cut Lu Tai off, and he stressed, “I didn't give you the
grain rain coin. I only lent it to you.”

Lu Tai furrowed his drawn eyebrows even more slender than those of women. He
pondered carefully for a moment before asking in a gentle voice, “Talking about
money all the time is bad for relationships. Why don't we make a deal? I'll give you
an immortal treasure that I'm fond of in exchange for some more grain rain coins?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, “No thanks. You can keep your debt.”

“Why are you so afraid of me? Why do you treat me like a fearsome beast?” Lu Tai
asked in an upset voice. “Just think about it. How beautiful is it to come across a fated
friend on the path of cultivation and travel around the world together, enjoying all
the mountains and rivers together?”

Chen Ping'an could feel a headache forming.

As it turned out, there were genuinely matters in the world that even reason couldn't
solve. Chen Ping'an didn't know what to say.

The two of them silently continued forward. Chen Ping'an was at a loss for words. Lu
Tai looked around before saying to himself, “This mystical realm used to be a part of
the Hanging Flower Blessed Land, a blessed land owned by a female immortal who
liked to collect spring water from around the world. However, it's a shame that she
ultimately failed when attempting to advance to the Ascension Tier.

“Not only was she killed, but the backlash from the Heavenly Dao also destroyed the
Hanging Flower Blessed Land, causing most of it to scatter across the world. This
Emerald Lake is one of the more famous mystical realms remaining from the blessed
land. The lake is three hundred kilometers across and contains the renowned spring
water that the female immortal collected when she was still alive. If one can identify
and draw water from the subtle water veins that contain the essence of the spring
water, one will find that this water is best for brewing tea.”

Chen Ping'an offered no response as he continued to walk forward. After walking

two or three kilometers, he saw the Lingering Shade Mountain Pagoda. There were
covered walkways running around the pagoda, enclosed by white jade railings. There
was also a small dock with two small boats.

Not far from the Lingering Shade Mountain Pagoda, there was also a large patch of
lotus flowers amid which young women were rowing boats and harvesting lotus
seeds. They were humming tunes from their hometown that sounded mellow and
moving.

Chen Ping'an stopped and said to the feminine young man, “I've arrived.”

Lu Tai nodded in response.

Upon seeing him play dumb, Chen Ping'an could only cut straight to the point and
say, “I won't invite you inside today. If I have time later, I'll go over to your place to
visit you. Where are you staying?”

Lu Tai raised a hand and pointed at the Lingering Shade Mountain Pagoda.

Chen Ping'an smiled wryly and said, “Please don't joke around, Young Master Lu.”

Lu Tai lifted his hands and showed off the large handful of lesser heat coins, saying,
“When we were at the platform in the middle of the lake just then, I was forced to
make a decision for the sake of my livelihood. Seeing that the relationship between
us is so good, I surmised that you would give me a place to stay no matter what.
Thus, I sold my place to a very wealthy immortal.”

Chen Ping'an's expression was quite dark.

“Rest assured, I definitely won't disturb your cultivation,” Lu Tai hurriedly added. “I'll
be fine if you lend me a small boat. I can sleep there at night. If there aren't any
pressing issues, I promise that I definitely won't enter the Lingering Shade Mountain
Pagoda. I've also brought some food with me, so you don't need to worry about me at
all. Living in this world as a cultivator, which place isn't a temporary abode? You
certainly don't need to feel any guilt. Enduring hardships is also a form of
cultivation….”

Chen Ping'an's expression was completely dark. How could there be such a
shameless person in the world?
Lu Tai suddenly smiled and said, “Okay, okay, I'll be honest with you. Apart from
receiving an excellent fortune divination that pertained to becoming nobility during
this trip to Parasol Leaf Continent, I actually discovered that the fated opportunity in
this trip doesn't lie with treasures. Instead, it's related to the characters 'Observing
Dao on the Ascending Sun Platform.' Traveling with you and borrowing your mind's
realm, I can temper my Dao Heart regardless of the state of your mind. This is called
borrowing stones from another mountain to polish jade….”

After saying this, Lu Tai caught himself with a chuckle and corrected, “No, no, what I
meant to say was borrowing jade from another mountain to polish stone!”

Chen Ping'an didn't dwell on Lu Tai's slip-up. However, he was both worried and
relieved when he heard Lu Tai mention “observing Dao.”

He was relieved because Lu Tai most likely wasn't speaking nonsense. Thus, this
wasn't a plot that specifically targeted him. However, he was worried because Lu Tai,
someone with an unknown background, was now following him around as he
traveled to Parasol Leaf Continent to search for that Daoist temple and the old Daoist
priest. Was this not an unnecessary complication?

Lu Tai hesitated for a moment before seemingly making a huge decision. He gritted
his teeth and said, “If you're always guarding against me everywhere like this, it will
definitely affect my opportunity to observe Dao and become nobility. I can earnestly
tell your fortune a single time. Let me tell you something: my fortune-telling is quite
accurate as long as one's fortune doesn't relate to individuals who are too powerful.

“Otherwise, I'll suffer quite a bit if one's fortune pertains to immortals at the Upper
Five Tiers. It's hundreds upon thousands of times more painful than sleeping in a
small boat or whatnot! Chen Ping'an, this is a rare opportunity, so make sure to grab
it with both hands!”

As if afraid that Chen Ping'an wouldn't believe him, Lu Tai fixed his gaze on the
young boy and added, “I'm not lying to you!”

Chen Ping'an sighed and shook his hands, turning down Lu Tai's offer. He simply
said, “You can stay in the Lingering Shade Mountain Pagoda. However, we'll each
cultivate on our own afterward, and we won't interfere with each other's cultivation.”

There was a strange expression on Lu Tai's face as he looked at Chen Ping'an's

leaving figure. He was dazed for a while before a look of realization and relief spread
across his face. He hurriedly walked over to keep up with Chen Ping'an.

In the end, Chen Ping'an decided to stay on the first floor while Lu Tai chose to stay
on the third floor. As if in tacit understanding, the second floor separated the two of
them.

Lu Tai comfortably lay down on a bed on the third storey with a lazy and satisfied
expression. He couldn't help but chuckle. Haha, men and women who aren't related
should keep their distance[2].

Since Lu Tai insisted on following him, Chen Ping'an decided to go with the flow and
give him a place to stay.

Chen Ping'an paid no more heed to the mysterious Naturalist disciple. Apart from
the sword on his back and the Sword Nurturing Gourd by his waist, Chen Ping'an had
no other items on him. He was light and at ease. Of course, the only bug in his drink
right now was his uninvited guest.

Chen Ping'an sat at the table by the window and took out a stack of books from
Fifteenth. There was the immortal book, the Mountain and Sea Chronicle, the two
books introducing the official dialects of Middle Earth Divine Continent and Parasol
Leaf Continent, and the travel journal that he had obtained in Colorful Garment
Nation. Chen Ping'an carefully stacked these books on the table before retrieving
some precious bamboo slips that had come from the divine mountain in Bamboo Sea
Small World. He planned to inscribe some quotes as he read.

Every day, he would practice the Mountain Shaking Fist in the morning, train
according to the Proper Sword Scripture in the afternoon, and read and learn the
official dialects of the two continents at night.

There was one thing that he found quite strange. This was clearly a shattered
mystical realm, yet the sun and moon still rose and set, with their reflections
dazzling across Emerald Lake in a peculiar manner. There was still day and night like
the normal world. He didn't know whether this was a supreme illusion technique
applied by some immortal or a unique rule that applied to shattered blessed lands.

Chen Ping'an strolled along the walkway surrounding the Lingering Shade Mountain
Pagoda as he practiced walking meditation.
There was a cool breeze gently carrying with it the refreshing fragrance of the
nearby lotus flowers. There was also the indistinctive sound of young girls singing as
they harvested lotus seeds. It was with such a backdrop that a young boy in white
calmly threw punches.

In the afternoon, Chen Ping'an would stay in the first floor of the pagoda as he
practiced sword techniques. He wouldn't go to the walkway outside the building.
Same as always, he still used an imaginary sword, even though he had a real one he
could practice with.

This was because Lasting Qi, the sword on his back, could help temper his soul. This
was a form of cultivation in and of itself. Thus, Chen Ping'an wouldn't remove the
sword from his back even when he slept at night. Instead, he would choose to sleep
on his side.

The Sword Nurturing Gourd was hanging high in front of his bed. He no longer drank
as frequently now, so there was no need to always keep the wine gourd by his waist.

Meanwhile, his mental connection with his two flying swords, First and Fifteenth,
became stronger and stronger. This was thanks to them staying together day and
night during the long journeys that covered tens of thousands of kilometers. The
tacit understanding between them was becoming more and more apparent. At the
same time, communication with the flying swords also became smoother and
smoother. It was as if Chen Ping'an's two flying swords were becoming more mature
and intelligent.

After going to sleep, Chen Ping'an would task his two flying swords with guarding
the building. First didn't agree, but it didn't refuse either. Fifteenth, who was more
docile, it happily “nodded” inside the Sword Nurturing Gourd.

While reading at night, Chen Ping'an sometimes also took out the Authentic Death-
Avoiding Book on a whim. After advancing to the fourth tier, he discovered that he
could draw two more types of talismans. One was the Mountain and River Sword
Edict Talisman. The book specified that the character “mountain” referred to the
“mountain of the three mountains,” yet it didn't go into more detail about what this
meant.

The character “river” was also explained in a very general and vague manner. It only
said that a divine person once ruled over the rivers and was responsible for “slaying
sin and vanquishing evil.” This divine person was also fond of “swallowing all
ghosts.”

The Sword Edict Talisman was a type of defensive talisman. As for the second
talisman, the Rain-Praying Talisman, the name was pretty self-explanatory. It could
“summon dark clouds and bring forth a deluge of rain.” The Rain-Praying Talisman
was a type of altar talisman, one that was mostly mastered and used by powerful
talisman masters from the Daoist Sect. Chen Ping'an didn't have much interest in this
talisman.

These two talismans were of a slightly higher grade compared to the Yang Energy
Illumination Talisman, the Cleansing Talisman, and the Treasure Pagoda Demon-
Suppressing Talisman. Chen Ping'an was especially serious about the Sword Edict
Talisman, so he used a piece of the most ordinary yellow talisman paper to draw the
talisman. It was a slight struggle.

After advancing to the Three Qi Tempering Tiers of martial arts, Chen Ping'an's soul
stabilized significantly, allowing it to become increasingly pure and powerful. He
could often hear the imperceptible sound of dripping water as his three souls passed
by his mind's lake.

Thus, Chen Ping'an could already tell that there was a lack of mental intent in his
Sword Edict Talisman. However, he wasn't sure about how powerful this talisman
was. Since Lu Tai was staying on the third floor, Chen Ping'an also decided against
testing the talisman to verify its power.

After ten days, Chen Ping'an would occasionally hear the sound of light footsteps on
the second floor. However, this was rare, and Lu Tai never once came down to the
first floor to disturb Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an felt slightly more at ease.

This was a fated encounter that had run into him for no reason, so he was happy as
long as it wasn't an ill-boding one. He would not actively try to get something out of
it.

1. The saying “noble people aren't tools” (君子不器) is from the Analects of
Confucius. It means that noble people shouldn't act like tools that mindlessly
complete a single task without considering the deeper implications. ☜

2. This was a popular Confucian notion during the Song Dynasty, whereby men and
women who aren't related by blood or marriage should keep their distance. At the
time, they couldn't personally hand items to each other either. ☜
On this night, Chen Ping'an finished drawing his second Sword Edict Talisman.
However, he still wasn't very satisfied.

Just like pottery molding and pottery firing, those who were skilled in the trade
could immediately identify the differences between two pieces of work even if they
looked identical to the uninitiated.

Perhaps he genuinely needed to look for the ruins of an ancient battlefield and seek
out those heroic spirits to fight against? Perhaps this was the only way to perfect his
fourth tier martial arts cultivation base? And this would then allow him to easily
draw and master talismans such as the Sword Edict Talisman?

Chen Ping'an furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought. However, he suddenly
turned around, only to see Lu Tai walking down the stairs before stopping and
knocking on the wall as if he were knocking on a door. Lu Tai then smiled and sat
down on the steps, not continuing down to the first floor.

Chen Ping'an was just about to pick up the Mountain and Sea Chronicle to cover up
and hide the Sword Edict Talisman, yet Lu Tai couldn't help but chuckle and say,
“What is there to hide? It's nothing more than an ancient talisman that's been lost to
the world. The grade of the talisman isn't high either, and its only advantage is the
fact that it’s returned to a state of pure and natural simplicity. I accidentally caught a
glance of the talisman just then, and it caused my heart to ache with pain. In fact, it
still aches right now.”

“Why is that?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Lu Tai pointed at the Sword Edict Talisman on the table and explained, “This
defensive talisman is quite old. Even among the entire Lu Clan, perhaps no one else
around the same age as me can recognize it anymore. My heart is aching because
number one, you're a pure martial artist, so the absolutely appalling manner in
which you've butchered that ancient and pure talisman is truly shameful….”
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but interject and say, “Isn't martial artists drawing
talismans unreasonable in the first place?”

Lu Tai pursed his lips and replied, “Oh, is that so? Then by the looks of it, the records
in the Lu Clan's scripture library are incorrect. Or perhaps my knowledge is
insufficient?”

However, Lu Tai didn't want to delve into this topic either, so he continued, “Number
two, you mostly rely on that brush when you're drawing talismans. In other words,
it's not as if you have deep knowledge or skills in the art of drawing talismans. Mhm,
maybe the destination that you want to reach is correct, but your path to this correct
destination is full of wobbly twists and turns. As a result, the talismans that you
draw are usable, but just barely.

“Number three, you're using good quality talisman paper, yet you're using it in a
manner that's extremely crude and straightforward. This is an absolute waste of
good material. In this sense, your manner of drawing talismans can't even be
referred to as heretical. I should rather call it crooked and sinister. If skilled masters
from the talismanic branch of the Daoist Sect see you drawing talismans, they'll most
likely feel a strong urge to smash you to death with a single punch.”

Chen Ping'an's brows were knitted into a deep frown. He carefully ruminated Lu
Tai's words, first determining whether Lu Tai's remarks were true or false.
Afterward, he determined whether they were useful or not useful. However, Lu Tai
was far too mysterious, so it was very difficult for Chen Ping'an to reach a conclusion.

Lu Tai smiled and asked, “Can you grab that talisman and allow me to carefully
examine the quality of the talisman paper? I was only able to catch a fleeting glance
of it just then, so I don't dare to confirm my analysis.”

Chen Ping'an hesitated briefly before eventually deciding to pinch the Sword Edict
Talisman between his fingers and hold it up for Lu Tai to see its backside.

Lu Tai smiled faintly and paid no heed to Chen Ping'an's excessive caution. He
examined the talisman paper for a moment before nodding and saying, “Sure
enough, this is the Returning to Spring talisman paper, a very precious type of
talisman paper. After drawing a talisman on such talisman paper, one can use the
talisman repeatedly. When it comes to the quality and strength of a successfully
drawn talisman, the quality of the talisman paper also plays a very important role.
“Apart from those talismans that seek to maximize strength and destructive power,
most genuinely good talismans in the world can be repeatedly used. But what about
you? According to the humorous remark of a grand elder from the talismanic branch,
this is called 'fading youth in the mirror and falling flowers from a tree.[1].'

“Mhm, to put it simply, these are things that can't be held eternal. Tell me, Chen
Ping'an, do you find this a shame? Talisman paper, especially Returning to Spring
talisman paper, is especially good at burning through one's money. Ah…. You can say
that my heart is aching for you right now. Anyway, you're a wealthy person with a
wealthy business, so you don't need to care about this measly amount of money.”

Chen Ping'an glanced at Lu Tai before glancing at the Sword Edict Talisman that he
had put back on the table.

Lu Tai was slightly curious, so he rested his cheeks in his hands and gazed at the
young boy who had a slightly regretful expression on his face as he sat by the table.
Lu Tai smiled and asked, “Did the person who gave you these precious talisman
papers not tell you about this before? Did the person who taught you how to draw
talismans not tell you, a half-assed talisman cultivator, to be as sparing as you can?”

Chen Ping'an heaved a heavy sigh.

Lu Tai was slightly amused by Chen Ping'an's misfortune, and he gloated, “Pure
martial artists at the seventh, eighth, and ninth tier can most likely create very
decent talismans. They can rely on a single breath of True Qi and draw a talisman in
a single go. However, it's a pity that martial artists who have climbed up one step at a
time and reached the pinnacle of the mountain already possess wills as powerful as
iron. That being the case, who will run away to draw talismans?

“It's because you're fortunate enough to possess such precious talisman paper and
such a good calligraphy brush that you're able to draw decent talismans. Otherwise,
each talisman you draw will be equivalent to burning a huge stack of money. Mhm,
your situation is slightly better, and you're only burning half a stack of money.”

Chen Ping'an shot a vicious glare at the beautiful young man pouring salt on his
wounds.

Lu Tai chuckled and continued, “Chen Ping'an, you're truly a very interesting person.
You're a martial artist drawing talismans, and you even have a Sword Nurturing
Gourd and flying swords. The most insane thing is that you're even reading
studiously every single night! Are you not afraid of dereliction of your actual duties
and detrimentally affecting your martial arts cultivation? Are you not afraid of losing
a clear identity and losing the ability to achieve anything?”

Chen Ping'an didn't pay any attention to Lu Tai's thinly veiled insults. He put away
the Sword Edict Talisman and started to flip through the Mountain and Sea Chronicle.

Lu Tai quietly stood up and returned to the third floor.

Afterward, Lu Tai started to leave the Lingering Shade Mountain Pagoda from time to
time, either rowing a small boat to enjoy the scenery around Emerald Lake or
visiting the treasure chambers that apparently every single Treasure Swallowing
Whale possessed.

In fact, Treasure Swallowing Whales were named as such because during their long
lives, they would swallow those large ships that had encountered accidents and sunk
to the bottom of the sea. Moreover, large ships that had the ability to traverse
between continents were often worthy of being labeled “treasure ships.” Thus, a
mature Treasure Swallowing Whale would definitely have all kinds of strange and
peculiar items in its stomach. There would definitely be countless rare and unique
treasures.

In fact, there might even be the golden bodies of immortals left behind after they
passed away.

One afternoon, Lu Tai started to retrieve a set of tea instruments from his pocket
treasure. There were so many items that it almost seemed cumbersome. Afterward,
he used a secret technique to extract the essence of spring water from Emerald Lake,
using this essence to leisurely brew tea in the corridor outside the first floor.

The fragrance of this tea was especially pleasant.

Chen Ping'an didn't go over to ask for a cup of tea. Instead, he simply practiced
sword techniques inside the pagoda.

Afterward, Lu Tai started to brew tea every day, enjoying the scenery as he sipped
tea by himself. He would often sit there for entire afternoons at a time.

Just before noon one day, Chen Ping'an was almost about to finish practicing walking
meditation. At this moment, he saw Lu Tai rowing a small boat and returning from
the distance.

After mooring the small boat, Lu Tai jumped onto the corridor and stood still. As
Chen Ping'an walked past him while performing walking meditation, Lu Tai raised
his hands high and revealed the boxes of makeup stacked in his hands. He was most
likely showing off his bountiful yield for today.

Not far from the platform in the middle of Emerald Lake, there were several pagodas
that were shops run by the intercontinental ship. These were places that could
quickly drain one of their wealth. Chen Ping'an only visited a single time, and he
came to the conclusion that things were far too overpriced. Picking a few comparable
items to look at, he discovered that things were even more exorbitantly expensive
than the shops in Stalactite Mountain. Realizing this, Chen Ping'an lost all interest in
purchasing things from these shops.

With a tap of his feet, Lu Tai lightly jumped back and sat down on the white jade
railings of the corridor. He then opened a box of makeup and took out a small copper
mirror. He started to purse his lips, even extending a bent finger afterward and
running its tip against his long eyebrows. His movements were delicate and refined.

Chen Ping'an continued to make his way down the corridor as he practiced fist
techniques, never shifting his gaze from the beginning to the end.

When Chen Ping'an walked past Lu Tai a second time, the beautiful young man
carefully drawing his eyebrows subtly moved his small copper mirror aside and
asked with a smile, “Does it look good?”

Chen Ping'an didn't look at Lu Tai applying makeup to his face or offer a response.

Afterward, Lu Tai asked a different question each time Chen Ping'an walked past
him.

“Chen Ping'an, do you think this blusher is a bit too bright?

“Should I draw my eyebrows a bit more slender?

“Sure enough, using the thin hairpin from the Flower Dew Shop to scoop makeup
from the box will result in a more balanced and natural consistency. What do you
think?”
Chen Ping'an ignored him and continued to silently practice walking meditation. He
followed his original plan and practiced all the way until noon.

The last time Chen Ping'an walked past Lu Tai, the latter didn't ask him any
questions. Rather, Lu Tai placed the small copper mirror, hairpin, as well as several
boxes of makeup on the railing beside him. He turned around to gaze at the large
patch of lotus leaves, with his makeup exquisite and his eyes intoxicated.

Chen Ping'an was just about to make his way to the entrance of the first floor.
However, without retracting his gaze, Lu Tai asked again, “Do you think that a man
like me is very…. laughable? In fact, you even feel a sense of disgust deep down in
your heart?”

Chen Ping'an stopped before turning around to walk toward Lu Tai. When he arrived
five to six paces away from Lu Tai, he also sat down on the railing with his face
looking at the lake and his back facing the corridor.

Lu Tai wasn't frustrated by Chen Ping'an's refusal to reply. He smiled beautifully to

himself and picked up a box of makeup. He felt like its contents were quite poor, and
it was unable to live up to its name. He decided not to use this box of makeup in the
future. Thus, he casually tossed it into Emerald Lake.

“How much did that box of makeup cost?” Chen Ping'an suddenly asked.

Lu Tai faltered for a moment before also shifting his position such that he was facing
the lake. He smiled and replied, “It wasn't too expensive. Each box only cost a single
lesser heat coin. It just came out this year, and it's already very famous. Quite a
number of renowned celestial maidens from Middle Earth Divine Continent like to
use it. Ah…. It was most likely a trick played by those scummy merchants — I was
tricked by the group of them.”

Chen Ping'an sighed with emotion and said, “One lesser heat coin is equivalent to
100 snowflake coins, which is equivalent to 100,000 taels of silver. I feel like….”

He paused for a moment, and a gentle breeze brushed past his face as he continued,
“Even a thousand taels of gold might not be enough to purchase happiness. Perhaps
the box of makeup wasn't expensive to you. However, some people will definitely be
dumbfounded when they hear the price. Moreover, they'll refuse to believe that such
exquisite makeup can exist in the world.”
“Hmm?” Lu Tai was slightly puzzled.

After falling silent for a short while, the young boy wearing a snow-white robe
placed his hands on his knees and told Lu Tai the story about the feminine man from
his hometown.

Chen Ping'an didn't recount the story in a solemn manner, and his tone and
expression weren't solemn either. He calmly described the tragic life of the deceased
person to the young man beside him.

This was a young man who had a colorful ribbon tied around his waist. This was a
young man with an exuberant expression. He was an esteemed immortal, and he was
more breathtakingly beautiful than real women.

Meanwhile, that man from his hometown had only been slightly skinnier. In fact, he
even had a stubble. He was no more beautiful than the woman in the markets. Even
though he tidied up his appearance every morning, his fingernails would still be
filled with clay when it was time to finish work and go home. Because of this, he
wouldn't appear attractive at all when he made orchid-shaped fingers.

Moreover, he was completely clueless about flying iridescent makeup, peach blossom
makeup[2], and so on. He didn't understand how to apply lipstick, put on blusher,
draw eyebrows, among many other things either.

In the end, Chen Ping'an looked into the distance and said in a slightly sad voice,
“After everything that happened, I still feel like he was a very strange person. He was
clearly a man, so why did he like to dress up like a woman? However, he asked me for
something on the day he hid himself under the blankets and stabbed himself to
death with a piece of porcelain. I didn't agree, and I still feel deep regret to this very
day. If I knew what he would do, I would have definitely agreed to his request.

“He talked about many things with me on that day, and he eventually smiled and said
that he planned to not act like a woman anymore. Because of this, he asked me to
help look after that box of makeup for him, lest he couldn't control himself again.

“However, I naturally wouldn't agree to such a request at the time. I wouldn't agree
no matter what. He tried to persuade me two times before giving up.

“After he died, no one saw where that box of makeup went. In fact, no one cared
about it either.”
Chen Ping'an turned around and smiled as he looked at the stunningly beautiful Lu
Tai, asking, “Why did you throw such an expensive box of makeup away?”

Lu Tai cocked his head, causing his exquisite pearl hairpin to turn on an angle as
well. He smiled faintly and replied, “Perhaps I should have given it to you then?
When you return home in the future, you can take the box of makeup to that person's
grave and tell him that such exquisite makeup does indeed exist in the world. You
can tell him to reincarnate into a better body in the next life and become a girl who
can apply as much makeup as she wants. She can apply kilograms at a time if she
wants, and she won't need to worry about money either….”

Chen Ping'an turned back around and gazed into the distance. He gently shook his
head and replied, “I can't even find his grave, so how can I show him this? How can I
tell him these things?”

The cleanly dressed young boy in white wrapped his hands behind his head, not
saying anything else.

1. This is a line from Wang Guowei's poem, Butterflies Lingering over Flowers. ☜

2. These refer to styles of makeup in ancient China. Flying iridescent makeup refers
to 飞霞妆, and peach blossom makeup refers to 桃花妆. ☜
This was only a story of the past. It was like a jar of old wine that had its clay seal
broken — it had to be finished in a single go.

This jar of old wine, these seemingly trivial matters, had fermented in Chen Ping'an's
mind for many years. After opening up to the right person, the fragrance of wine
would waft through the air. Moreover, Chen Ping'an would only share this wine when
he came across the right people.

Lu Tai was his drinking companion today.

There were many people whom Chen Ping'an respected and had close relationships
with: Ning Yao, A'Liang, Liu Xianyang, Gu Can, Daoist Priest Zhang Shanfeng, and so
on. However, he had never mentioned this story to them before.

Yet, it was a shame that Lu Tai was seemingly unmoved after hearing the story. In the
end, he even joked with Chen Ping'an and asked whether the young boy was trying
to imply that unconventional and feminine men like him would almost all suffer
miserable fates, so miserable that they weren't even afforded the dignity of having a
grave.

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but chuckle in surprise. He hopped off the railing and
returned to the first floor of the pagoda.

For some reason, Chen Ping'an felt much better after having a seemingly casual chat
with Lu Tai and telling him about these trivial matters from the past. It was as if he
had untied a knot in his heart.

In the afternoon, Chen Ping'an practiced sword techniques as always. He was still
practicing the Avalanche Technique, and he felt like there was less resistance and
more flow today.

After today, Lu Tai also changed his manner of dressing. There was a jade hairpin in
his hair, an azure robe on his body, and a yellow bamboo folding fan in his hand. He
transformed from a stunning beauty into an elegant young master. This caused Chen
Ping'an to breathe a sigh of relief. Thus, he didn't say anything even when Lu Tai
came down to the first floor from time to time, either flicking through his books or
brewing a pot of tea and watching him practice sword techniques from the Proper
Sword Scripture.

Meanwhile, Lu Tai did indeed live up to his renown as the most knowledgeable
disciple from the School of Naturalists. He told Chen Ping'an many things that he
hadn't heard about before. For example, fist stances were categorized as internal or
external, and sword stances were divided into intent or Qi.

Lu Tai also provided some suggestions and mentioned some things to look out for
when tempering the fourth tier of martial arts. After a pure martial artist advanced
to the Three Qi Tempering Tiers, there were many things they needed to consider
regarding how they should temper their three souls.

Of the three souls inside a person, the embryo light represented the yang energy of
the Taiqing. When martial artists tempered this soul, it was best that they picked a
time when the sun was rising and the dawn iridescent clouds were making a
dazzling appearance above the horizon. One couldn't slack off when practicing fist
techniques, and it was through sincerity and hard work that one could move the
heavens and crack apart gold. After enough tempering, perhaps one would
encounter a fated opportunity that allowed their embryo light to become more
powerful and filled with vitality.

When Lu Tai mentioned this matter, Chen Ping'an felt utterly ashamed and guilty.

While breaking through the third tier at the Sun Clan's ancestral residence in Old
Dragon City, a golden flood dragon had furiously swooped down from the sea of
iridescent clouds during dawn. Yet, he had swung his fists again and again and
smashed the golden flood dragon back. Not once, but twice.

Lu Tai was sitting in a kneeling position near the window when he described these
things to Chen Ping'an. After changing his outfit, he appeared much like a carefree
scholar with his tall hat, wide belt, and large meandering sleeves. As he drank the tea
that he had brewed using the essence of spring water from Emerald Lake, just how
sharp and observant was his gaze? Thus, he immediately noticed that something was
off about Chen Ping'an.
After some probing that pertained to the cultivation of martial arts, Chen Ping'an
eventually revealed his experience. Lu Tai immediately spit the tea from his mouth.
He raised a thumb at Chen Ping'an and remarked that the old mister who had taught
Chen Ping'an how to draw talismans and practice fist techniques was most likely a
carefree person who acted according to his emotions and didn't dwell too much on
trifling matters.

Chen Ping'an asked whether there was a way to rectify the situation. Lu Tai
pondered for a moment before drinking a cup of tea and saying that Chen Ping'an
could try his luck when he arrived at Parasol Leaf Continent. He could visit some
martial sage temples where there were still deities wandering around the living
world.

After all, there were quite a number of astonishingly talented martial artists who had
tried their luck in martial sage temples and eventually obtained huge fated
opportunities.

Lu Tai couldn't help but sigh with emotion after saying this. He said that before
leaving home to embark on this journey to train himself, he had heard his master
mention a young martial artist from the Great Duan Empire. The aptitude and talent
of this young martial artist were astounding, so much so that several deities from the
martial sage temples actively sought him out. They all wanted to bestow martial
fortune upon him.

However, that young martial artist was even more insane than Chen Ping'an, and he
had shockingly thrown punches and shooed away those deities from the martial sage
temples who had gone over to offer their goodwill.

Chen Ping'an speculated that the young martial artist was most likely Cao Ci, the
person who had built a small thatched cottage and cultivated on the Sword Qi Great
Wall.

Lu Tai only mentioned this in passing, but it was a warning for both Chen Ping'an
and himself; as if he were performing some self-reflection as well.

He said that fortune was incredibly important when cultivating the Great Dao, and
this was the same for pure martial artists and cultivators from the mountains alike.
However, whether one could grab their fortune with both hands was even more
important. Fortune and disaster often came hand in hand, and there were countless
examples of prodigies who had suffered an early death.

Chen Ping'an wholeheartedly agreed with this.

However, Lu Tai suddenly changed his tone and said that it was very bad for Chen
Ping'an to always stay in his room and feel apprehensive toward all trouble. It was
very bad that he never tried to actively obtain fated opportunities, even going as far
as to avoid them instead.

Lu Tai was grumbling about this because Chen Ping'an had initially refused to
interact with him no matter what. Not only that, but the Treasure Swallowing Whale
they were on had just removed the restriction leading to the fourth mystical realm
from the shattered blessed land. They were allowing passengers to enter and explore
as long as they paid the entrance fee of one grain rain coin.

Cultivators could train and cultivate inside the mystical realm, and anything they
obtained would belong to them. The intercontinental ship wouldn't try to claim their
yield. Of course, the intercontinental ship would also be happy to purchase any
treasures that the cultivators were willing to sell.

This Treasure Swallowing Whale was owned by the Five Weapon Sect from Golden
Armor Continent, and this mystical realm inside it contained many remnants of
ancient mystical abilities extremely difficult to shatter. Huge amounts of resources
were required to remove some of these mystical abilities.

After obtaining this mystical realm, the Five Weapon Sect had explored it by
themselves for a hundred years as was the norm. In the end, however, they
discovered that they had put in more than they had received. Thus, they decided to
call this mystical realm the “Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm” and open it
up to the passengers on the ship. Just like Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's Jewel
Small World, the Five Weapon Sect simply collected entrance fees from those who
wanted to enter.

The Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm measured 500 kilometers in radius. It
was only a damaged realm, yet it could already rival Jewel Small World in terms of
size. The blessed land that it was derived from had been one of the 72 blessed lands,
and the vastness of blessed lands was naturally far greater than that of the 36 small
worlds.
This mystical realm would open once every 10 years, and only Qi refiners below the
Golden Core Tier and Nascent Tier were allowed to enter. Meanwhile, there was no
such requirement for pure martial artists.

Around 200 years ago, a fortunate cultivator from Circling Ascension Continent had
surprisingly obtained a supremely powerful pseudo-celestial tool. The cultivator had
only been at the Abode Tier, so they had most likely thought that they couldn't hold
onto that divine halberd. The pseudo-celestial tool wasn't necessarily suitable for
them either.

Thus, the cultivator had sold the pseudo-celestial tool to the Five Weapon Sect and
become filthy rich in a single night. Taking advantage of their newfound wealth
afterward, the cultivator had forcefully pushed themself to the Golden Core Tier.
Spending one grain rain coin to obtain a Golden Core Tier cultivation base…. Who
wasn't envious of this?

News of this had caused a huge stir in Golden Armor Continent, causing hordes of Qi
refiners to rush to the Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm. In the beginning,
only those with a powerful background and strong network had been able to join the
line. It was no longer a matter of a single grain rain coin.

For 300 years, many cultivators had entered and exited the mystical realm, with all
kinds of fated opportunities and immortal treasures being obtained. However,
nothing was as incredible as that pseudo-celestial tool. Thus, the fervent interest in
entering the Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm gradually died down. Even so,
it was still a mystical realm that cultivators felt was worthy to enter.

However, Lu Tai naturally knew that the auspicious fortune of that Abode Tier
cultivator was most likely the doing of the Five Weapon Sect. The Five Weapon Sect
had very likely received guidance from some masterful businessperson.

This was a similar situation to that type of makeup that was popular throughout
several continents. Everything was a trick set up by those business people.

Regardless, Lu Tai was well aware of the truth and lies as well as the potential of the
Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm. His master had said that if he was
interested and had spare time, he could enter the mystical realm and try his luck.
Perhaps he could find some crappy trinkets that were worth a small sum of money.
Why had Lu Tai chosen to take the Treasure Swallowing Whale this time?

His divination result and his Dao attainment catalyst were naturally the most
important factors. However, Lu Tai was also determined to enter the Ascending True
Immortal Mystical Realm and make a large sum of money.

Lu Tai had initially tried his best to ask Chen Ping'an to enter the Ascending True
Immortal Mystical Realm with him. That way, they could explore the immortal realm
and look for immortal treasures and fated opportunities together. Chen Ping'an
refused, and in the end, he only agreed to lend another grain rain coin to Lu Tai.
However, he still stubbornly refused to enter the mystical realm to try his luck.

Thus, Lu Tai could only enter the Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm by
himself. Around 20 days later, he appeared travel-worn as he left the mystical realm.
On the same day, he returned three grain rain coins to Chen Ping'an, saying that the
extra one was interest. After hearing Lu Tai describe his experiences and huge yield,
Chen Ping'an felt at ease as he accepted the grain rain coins.

As it turned out, Lu Tai had used some Naturalist technique to undo a restriction on
an ancient immortal residence. There were more surprises than dangers on the way,
and Lu Tai had almost become the new owner of the ancient immortal residence.
However, due to the rules laid out by the Five Weapon Sect, Lu Tai had given up his
control over the ancient immortal residence and made a private deal with the sect.
Because of this, he had ended up with a large pile of grain rain coins.

However, the intercontinental ship that belonged to the Five Weapon Sect needed to
use lesser heat coins and grain rain coins in many areas of their intercontinental
trade business, so they temporarily put this down as a debt to Lu Tai. They would
pay it off within half a year, and they would even give him some additional interest.

On the surface, it looked as if the Five Weapon Sect had made a huge loss. However,
this wasn't the case. After the initially useless immortal residence was opened up by
Lu Tai, the abundance of spiritual energy in the area meant that it was an ideal
location for cultivation for the esteemed passengers of the Treasure Swallowing
Whale. For example, Golden Core Tier and Nascent Tier earth immortals who
appeared incredibly lofty in the eyes of ordinary people would be willing to stay
inside the immortal residence.

This was long-term business, so the Five Weapon Sect wouldn't suffer a loss at all.
When it came to doing business, sudden and huge profits were naturally very good.
However, this type of stable income was the backbone of any lasting business.

With this, Lu Tai became the third most fortunate person in the history of the
Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm.

Apart from the pile of grain rain coins, Lu Tai also obtained an ancient immortal
ascending technique as well as a high-grade immortal treasure called the “Ao[1]
Mountain Illusion Pagoda” from the ancient immortal residence.

Lu Tai didn't sell these two fated opportunities to the Five Weapon Sect.

However, even though Lu Tai successfully proved that Chen Ping'an had missed a
huge fated opportunity, the young boy was still largely unfazed by the revelation. He
simply placed the additional grain rain coin on the table and occasionally flipped it
around when he became tired from reading. He would roll the coin around the back
of his hand. To Chen Ping'an, this was a very effective way to relieve his fatigue. Its
results were immediate.

Lu Tai felt very vexed.

He offered many sincere words in an attempt to sway Chen Ping'an, yet the young
boy remained calm and steadfast the entire time.

Due to this, Lu Tai never invited Chen Ping'an over every time he brewed tea. Of
course, Chen Ping'an most likely didn't care about this either.

Lu Tai was genuinely a very particular person. He wasn't forcing this, and it was
instead a result of his upbringing. He was born in a powerful clan with a history of
over a thousand years. Not only that, but it was also an immortal clan. This wasn't
something that powerful mortal clans could compare to. Thus, Lu Tai's disposition
was extremely natural. It was both innate and naturally acquired.

When tasting tea[2], the tea needed to be fresh. When brewing tea, the techniques
and tea set used needed to be ancient, and the spring water added needed to be
refreshing yet weighty. When drinking tea, one needed to be pure and spirited.

Lu Tai had already interacted with Chen Ping'an for a while, yet he still felt like the
young boy was far too pedantic and stubborn. In this sense, he was more than pure
enough, yet he was nowhere near spirited enough.
As a result, Chen Ping'an would still waste his good tea.

Just like today, Lu Tai found another opportunity to mention his experience in the
mystical realm. He concluded that money had been falling from the sky like rain, yet
Chen Ping'an had run under the eaves to avoid getting hit. This was a very painful
matter. However, Chen Ping'an simply remained silent as he listened.

Lu Tai felt like it was truly impossible to knock this stubborn block of wood awake.
Most likely deciding to give up on trying to persuade Chen Ping'an, Lu Tai finished
with a casual yet sweeping and empty remark. However, worldly matters worked in
such weird and wonderful manners. Not only did Chen Ping'an listen to this remark,
but he even became extremely solemn and serious.

“Chen Ping'an, your mind is very calm when you practice fist techniques and sword
techniques. This is one of your strong points. However, you have to be careful and
remember that a calm mind isn't the same as a dead mind. One's mind should be as
still as unmoving water, but it certainly shouldn't become a puddle of stagnant
water.”

Lu Tai said this in a casual manner, as if this was nothing more than a bunch of
nonsense.

However, Chen Ping'an surprisingly stopped practicing his dull and repetitive sword
stance for the first time. He sat down in front of Lu Tai and emulated his tea-drinking
posture, appearing slightly awkward as he did so.

Indeed, the difference between his awkwardness and Lu Tai's carefree demeanor
was like the difference between dirt and clouds. He was like an old farmer from the
fields trying to emulate an old scholar sitting there and discussing Dao. He could
only copy Lu Tai's posture and actions in a crude manner.

Lu Tai found Chen Ping'an's attempt quite amusing. The young man from the Lu Clan
— someone regarded as invincible in tea-tasting among the younger generation in
Middle Earth Divine Continent — shot a sideways glance at the uncomfortable Chen
Ping'an and looked him up and down. He found this very interesting no matter how
he looked at the young boy. Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an became increasingly
uncomfortable and reserved under Lu Tai's gaze.

Chen Ping'an longed to become a genuine scholar.

This was because there was Mr. Qi, Li Xisheng, and City God Shen Wen from Colorful
Garment Nation. In fact, Chen Ping'an had felt a sense of yearning even when Zhang
Shanfeng had recited poems and classics on a whim.

Chen Ping'an suppressed his discomfort and asked, “Are you saying that the state of
my mind has become too extreme?”

Lu Tai faltered upon hearing this question. As astonishingly intelligent as he was, he

didn't answer Chen Ping'an's question in a perfunctory manner. He didn't dare to
jump to conclusions either.

If it were some other ordinary person, Lu Tai could make up some casual nonsense
or simply offer a response that was neither correct nor incorrect.

However, he couldn't do this today.

The two of them sat opposite each other, with a serious expression on Chen Ping'an's
face and a wry smile in Lu Tai's mind. Lu Tai had seemingly drawn a cage for himself.

However, a thought suddenly occurred to Lu Tai, and he immediately became a little

adrift. It was arriving this early? He initially thought that the buds of this
opportunity would only appear after they arrived in Parasol Leaf Continent and
experienced many adventures and challenges together. Yet, it suddenly arrived
without any warning, catching him by complete surprise.

Lu Tai calmed himself down, steadying his breathing and focusing his mind. He
solemnly handed Chen Ping'an a cup of tea and said, “Drink it slowly. I'll talk about
some of my views after you finish.”

1. Ao is a large marine turtle in Chinese mythology. ☜

2. This refers to Doucha (斗茶), a tradition originating from the Tang Dynasty where
people assess the quality of various teas offered. This spread to Japan where the goal
became the correct identification of the tea's place of origin. ☜
Chen Ping'an was unaware of the deeper considerations behind this, and he simply
treated this as an ordinary conversation between two people where one was asking
questions and one was answering. He nodded and accepted the cup of tea, drinking a
small sip.

After experiencing the perilous calamity on Osmanthus Island, Chen Ping'an had
come across that old boatman who had admired and loved Lady Gui for many
hundreds of years. He was the first boatman for Osmanthus Island, and he was also
Lu Chen's only servant before the former ascended from the world. He and Lu Chen
had traveled across the seas and journeyed all around the world.

Back then, Chen Ping'an had experienced a strange dream where he had entered a
book and finished reading it in a single night. Afterward, he had conversed with the
old boatman in the small world that the latter had created with a single wave of his
hand. In the end, the old boatman had surprisingly exclaimed, “Don't try to ruin my
Great Dao!”

At the time, Chen Ping'an had been roughly comparing the notion of reason to the
two ends of a ruler.

He felt like the old boatman's reasons had gone to an extreme. They appeared
reasonable on the surface, yet they were in fact unreasonable.

This was because they weren't complete enough. They failed to adhere to the
concept of “The Mean[1]“ described in the books.

Meanwhile, the root of Daoism was described by the phrase, “The Dao follows
nature[2].”

Thus, Chen Ping'an could vaguely recall someone telling him something when he had
read the book in his dream. The principles of Confucianism never existed in lofty and
unreachable places. It wasn't important how lofty these principles were, and it was
only important whether these principles could be applied in real life.
That person had even smiled and said that the knowledge of the Paramount Sage of
Confucianism was already profound and lofty to an unknown degree. Yet, after
discussing Dao one time, he had sighed with emotion while having a private
conversation with a disciple. In fact, there had even been a sense of shame in his
voice. The Paramount Sage had said that a certain person's Dao was truly lofty, yet….

However, it was a pity that Chen Ping'an couldn't remember anything after this, not a
single word. Perhaps that person or book hadn't said anything after that to begin
with.

Chen Ping'an's question today naturally wasn't a form of discussing Dao. Chen
Ping'an wasn't thinking so deeply.

Since starting to practice fist techniques, and after beginning to read books….

….Had Chen Ping'an truly never considered his own future before?

This was naturally not possible. He had a 60-year promise with Big Sister Immortal,
and he now had a 10-year promise with Ning Yao.

After his two long journeys, even Chen Ping'an's initial belief of “my punch needs to
be the quickest” had changed to “my punch can be quicker, but it must contain the
most reason.”

One of Chen Ping'an's most significant remarks had come in an inn during his trip
back to the small town. At that time, perhaps even his audience hadn't paid much
attention to his words. He had said to the little girl in pink and the little boy in azure,
“You guys have to tell me if I do anything wrong.”

From that point onward, Chen Ping'an was always questioning himself in a formless
manner, regardless of how many punches the old man in the bamboo building
launched onto his physical body and soul, and regardless of anything else.

However, this was a necessary step.

Pertaining to his mind's realm, or in other words, his intangible true conscience,
Chen Ping'an had also uttered a remark that had already laid bare some critical
secret. That was his remark to Ning Yao's parents in Stalactite Mountain.

Chen Ping'an's remark had reflected his continual self-questioning and self-
disapproval.

I didn't do well enough.

Not doing well enough is the same as being wrong.

How many people in the world would hold themselves to such incredibly strict
standards?

However, this mentality hadn't formed in a mysterious and unexplainable manner.

Rather, starting from the moment that the young boy's bonded porcelain was
shattered, then to all of the pains and hardships that he experienced, and then to all
of his chance encounters and fated opportunities, Chen Ping'an had been forced to
piece together his mind's realm in such a manner. This was an unintentional yet
destined process.

If he succeeded, then it would be as if the sun and moon were shining bright in the
same sky, a remarkable phenomenon that would steal luster from the stars.

If he failed, then he would likely break all of his promises and cause all kinds of
disappointment.

A person would starve to death if they didn't eat. In the same vein, a person would
also tend toward death if their mind completely dried up. It was just that they would
be completely unaware of this. If they didn't die today, then they would die next year,
and so on. It was as simple as that.

Fighting to stay alive, battling through perilous situations, rising with fury, and
soaring upward with vigor.

Yet, silently begging for death, eating and drinking uncontrollably, failing to act in
moderation, succumbing to the seven emotions and six desires, having wild
thoughts, and all kinds of other detrimental habits — these were all the peculiarities
of a person's mind.

The human mind was complicated; it was a profound existence that even sages
didn't dare to claim that they could fully understand.

For example, why had Cui Chan lost in the small town[3]?
Following this path in his mind, the mind's realm of Chen Ping'an became extremely
clear.

It was his mistake that had almost killed Liu Xianyang. Thus, so be it if he, Chen
Ping'an, had been killed in the end. After expounding the reason that others weren't
willing to listen to, so be it if he were killed once and for all.

Even when it came to the death of that feminine man in the dragon kiln, Chen
Ping'an had simply refused to accept his box of makeup.

Yet, he still felt like he was wrong.

When a person truly started to recognize and understand the world around them….

After seeing lofty mountains that towered into the clouds, winding rivers that
stretched endlessly into the distance, all kinds of profound and magnificent sights,
and even the carefree nature of scholars….

After seeing the official residences and garb that symbolized the dignity of an
empire, the impermanent nature of birth, aging, disease, and death, and the
seemingly heroic yet realistically cold-blooded formations of heavy cavalry….

Very often, there would come some point in time when one would arrive at the
sudden realization that they were actually so minute and insignificant.

This kind of feeling was most likely a very lonely one.

It was very difficult to empathize with grief, while the sharing of joy often
disappeared in a flash. Life was filled with moments of farewell….

In reality, Chen Ping'an was filled with fear as he faced this world.

However, Liu Xianyang, Li Baoping, and Gu Can wouldn't feel like this. They wouldn't
feel the same as Chen Ping'an.

Gu Can was intent on exacting revenge.

Li Baoping felt like there were always interesting things in the world to explore. She
would always immerse herself in the colorful and spectacular world inside her mind.
She almost never questioned herself, nor would she readily rebuke herself.
It was because of this that she had remarked, “How can there be a junior uncle who
doesn't like Li Baoping?”

Meanwhile, Liu Xianyang would speak from the bottom of his heart when he stated
that he wanted to see taller mountains and witness larger rivers, and that he
definitely wouldn't die of old age in a small place like their hometown!

However, Chen Ping'an was different. He might do many things, such as

accompanying Li Baoping and the others to Great Sui Nation, yet the projection of his
mind's realm would go into hiding.

Generally speaking, Chen Ping'an's mind and thoughts would be “unmoving.”

During the many years that he worked in the dragon kiln, the young boy always
sought to stabilize his movements. In reality, he was stubbornly seeking to stabilize
his mind.

If Chen Ping'an's mind wasn't stable, he would detest Song Jixin for being rich, he
would become jealous of him having a companion to rely on and live with, and he
would be envious that he could read.

This was why Ruan Qiong didn't view Chen Ping'an as someone walking the same
path as him even if he weren't prejudiced against the young boy. This was the root
cause behind why Ruan Qiong was unwilling to take Chen Ping'an as his disciple.

This was also the reason why Lu Tai felt like Chen Ping'an wasn't spirited enough.

Thus, when the sword spirit had seen the mind's realm of the young boy back then,
what she had seen was a little child guarding two graves and a mountain. What she
had seen was a pair of straw sandals on his feet.

His only “movement” had been his pursuit of some person's figure toward the south.

Indeed, that figure had actually been Ning Yao flying away on her sword.

And thus, compared to his deep apprehension and extreme caution when traveling
to Great Sui Nation, Chen Ping'an had finally discovered a sense of independent will
when deciding to deliver the sword to the young girl whom he loved.

It's my will to embark on this journey through the cultivation world.

I, Chen Ping'an, want to do something for myself.

As a result, even though he was envious of Old Dragon City's Fan Er, and another
weight was added to his shoulders after he visited the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen
Ping'an's mind instead became lighter and more relaxed than before.

Thus, Chen Ping'an changed out of his straw sandals and pulled on a new robe. He
wanted to become a sword immortal. He wanted to become a great sword immortal
who could carve characters on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

From someone who only dared to buy five mountains and immediately loaned three
out, from someone who wanted to give all of his possessions to Liu Xianyang who
had left the small town, from someone who had given almost half of his high-grade
snake gall pebbles to the little boy in azure and the little girl in pink during the New
Year, and from someone who believed that he should hurriedly give all of his
treasures away to those whom he cared about since he couldn't stop himself from
losing them….

From all of this to the Chen Ping'an today, there had already been huge and
monumental changes.

None of this had been easy.

Back then, why had the drunk old scholar furiously smacked Chen Ping'an's head
and exclaimed that youths definitely needed to drink?

This was because the old scholar had immediately discovered the issue with the
young boy's mind with a single glance.

Young people shouldn't have been like that. When extreme stillness begot
movement, young people should shake off their burdens and enjoy the beautiful
moments of their youth in a carefree manner.

When it came to such principles in the world, however, hearing them and
understanding them was one matter, while acting upon them was another matter
altogether.

The principles that came from books and from beyond the books were even more
difficult to apply in a proper manner.
Chen Ping'an slowly drank the tea sip by sip. Just as Lu Tai was about to give an
answer, Chen Ping'an suddenly opened his mouth and said, “I'm not familiar with
you, and I even lent you money again and again because I was unwilling to interact
with you. I was even more unwilling to enter the Ascending True Immortal Mystical
Realm with you. In reality, the reason for all of this is very simple. It's because I'm
afraid of death.”

Back in his hometown, he had faced Cai Jinjian, Fu Nanhua, and the Mountain-
moving Ape in succession. In Chen Ping'an's mind, he had essentially died once
already.

In the Flood Dragon Trench, he had essentially died a second time.

The same mistake shouldn't be made three times.

Chen Ping'an slowly put down his empty teacup and continued with a smile, “It
doesn't matter whether you believe me or not, but I've never been able to obtain
valuable things that require an element of luck.”

As if speaking to himself, Chen Ping'an mused, “I gave it some thought just then, and
I feel like I might have been correct before. If I continue on like this now, however,
then that will be incorrect. I need to slowly change myself if I want to walk further
down the path of cultivation in the future.”

There was a strange and slightly solemn expression on Lu Tai's face.

Just then, he had actually been using an untaught mind-observing secret technique
from the Lu Clan to peep at the realm inside Chen Ping'an's mind.

Chen Ping'an lifted his teacup and asked, “Can I have another cup?”

“Do you think you're drinking wine?” Lu Tai replied with a huff.

However, he still poured another cup of tea for Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an continued to reveal his thoughts, saying, “However, I feel like I wasn't
wrong to turn down your offer to go to the Ascending True Immortal Mystical Realm
together. If I went with you, perhaps I would have affected your fortune and made it
such that you couldn't obtain any money or rare treasures. Now, however, you've
made a huge fortune and I've also earned three grain rain coins. This is fairly good.”
Lu Tai was no longer drinking tea anymore, and he placed his hands on his knees and
chuckled, “You lent me two of the grain rain coins, so you actually only earned a
single one.”

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment before honestly replying, “I feel like I earned
three.”

Lu Tai didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

Say, Chen Ping'an had never expected him to return the grain rain coins?

Chen Ping'an drank the tea that he definitely couldn't determine the quality of and
said in a quiet voice, “One needs to leave some room. A missed opportunity is a
missed opportunity. One can't hope to achieve perfection and earn the biggest
bounty in all matters. Lu Tai, what do you think?”

Lu Tai was taken aback. However, he immediately chortled with laughter and
exclaimed, “Chen Ping'an, you're actually hiding from that 'one[4]!'“

Chen Ping'an sipped some tea. He was very confused.

Lu Tai's laughter was suddenly replaced by fury, and he leaned forward slightly and
snatched the teacup from Chen Ping'an's hand. He then casually flicked his sleeve
and put away all of the tea utensils and tea set. He angrily stood up and shot a vicious
glare at Chen Ping'an, shouting, “Observing Dao on the Ascending Sun Platform….
Who's the one observing Dao? And who's the one becoming a noble in Parasol Leaf
Continent? You know all of this already! What am I, a measly noble from Parasol Leaf
Continent, worth?! What a huge loss!”

Lu Tai was fuming as he noisily made his way upstairs. The steps thudded loudly
under his heavy footsteps.

Chen Ping'an scratched his head in utter confusion. He had no idea what was going
on.

For a long time after this, Chen Ping'an's situation became quite pitiful. Lu Tai
reverted back to dressing as a woman. Not only did he dress himself up in a beautiful
and seductive manner, but he even acted coquettishly in front of Chen Ping'an on
purpose. He would deliberately go down to the first floor to disgust Chen Ping'an
every single day.
No matter how good-tempered Chen Ping'an was, he still couldn't stand Lu Tai's
incessant orchid fingers and purposeful flirting. He couldn't stand the beautiful
young man continually making eyes at him and speaking in a cutesy and mellow
manner. And so, there eventually came one morning when Chen Ping'an threw a
single punch and knocked Lu Tai into Emerald Lake while he was sitting on the
corridor railings and humming a tune.

Lu Tai furiously leaped out from the water, completely drenched from head to toe. He
forcefully suppressed his urge to summon Needle Tip and Wheat Awn, his two
bonded flying swords, to stab Chen Ping'an to death. He ultimately managed to stop
himself, yet he still couldn't resist hurling a torrent of abuse at the young boy. Was
this any way to treat his semi-Dao mentor?! Did Chen Ping'an still have a
conscience?!

However, Lu Tai was clearly lacking confidence when he mentioned the fact that he
was Chen Ping'an's semi-Dao mentor. Even so, he was filled with confidence and
vigor when he scolded Chen Ping'an as heartless and lacking conscience.

After this incident, Lu Tai no longer paid any attention to Chen Ping'an.

Time slowly flowed by.

It was dawn when the Treasure Swallowing Whale arrived at the ferry station
located at Parasol Leaf Continent's Planchette Writing Sect, and Chen Ping'an walked
up to the third floor to remind Lu Tai that it was time to disembark.

However, the third floor was already empty.

Chen Ping'an didn't think much about this. Lu Tai was truly a strange person.

Walking by himself, Chen Ping'an went from the Treasure Swallowing Whale under
the sea to Parasol Leaf Continent on land.

Chen Ping'an stepped onto the ferry station and stomped his feet.

This was just like when he had gone from Clay Vase Alley to Fortune Street for the
first time all those years ago — he had gone from a dirty mud path to a path paved
from bluestone slabs. This was a very fresh experience.

Chen Ping'an felt like things were quite good without Lu Tai by his side. Of course,
thinking like this was a bit unfair toward that beautiful young man.

Just as Chen Ping'an's light and carefree footsteps carried him forward, he saw a
familiar figure near the bustling shops in the ferry station. Chen Ping'an instantly
bared his teeth and grimaced.

Wearing an azure robe and a jade hairpin, Lu Tai was currently squatting by the
street and nibbling on a meat bun. After seeing Chen Ping'an, he turned his head and
glanced at the dog squatting beside him. The dog was also looking at Lu Tai with an
eager expression.

Upon seeing this, Lu Tai tossed one of his meat buns to the dog squatting on the
street beside him.

While doing this, he even raised an eyebrow at Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an walked over, and Lu Tai continued to nibble on the meat bun that had
thin skin and succulent fillings. He was bobbing his head back and forth in a very
punchable manner.

Chen Ping'an bent down and stroked the dog's head. He then directly rewarded Lu
Tai with a kick.

1. The concept of The Mean (中庸) roughly refers to the concept of balance, harmony,
and equilibrium. It is a concept explored in the Doctrine of the Mean, one of the Four
Books of classical Chinese philosophy and a central doctrine of Confucianism. ☜

2. This is a Daoist concept originating from Laozi's Dao De Jing. ☜

3. This most likely refers to his loss against Qi Jingchun. ☜

4. This refers to a one-in-10,000 chance (not literally) of something happening. ☜

Lu Tai fell onto his bum. Fortunately, he didn't drop the meat bun in his hand.

After kicking him for no reason, Chen Ping'an was actually still smiling?

He claimed that he was afraid of death, so why was he completely unafraid of death
when it came to him, Esteemed Lu?

Did Chen Ping'an genuinely think that Needle Tip and Wheat Awn were as useless as
his abandoned boxes of makeup?

Lu Tai suddenly felt a little gloomy. This was because he just remembered that Chen
Ping'an was completely unaware of the existence of his two bonded flying swords.

Lu Tai stood up and viciously chomped down on the meat bun. After finishing it, he
warned, “That punch in the Treasure Swallowing Whale and that kick just now, it's
already been two times!”

“The same mistake can't be made three times,” Chen Ping'an replied with a smile.

“If you dare to repeat the same mistake three times, then I'll either bash you to death
or I'll change back into female clothes and disgust you to death!” Lu Tai said in a
scathing voice.

Chen Ping'an immediately raised his arms and put his hands together, pretending to
make a vow to the heavens. However, what he said was, “If there's a third time, then
please choose the first option and bash me to death.”

Lu Tai suddenly smiled.

Seeing that Lu Tai had no intention of dwelling on this matter, Chen Ping'an looked
up and gazed at a tall and majestic mountain in the distance. A sea of clouds
obstructed his view starting from the waist of the mountain. This prevented people
from seeing the scenery atop the mountain. It was said that there were only a few
times each year when one could witness the full appearance of the mountain. During
these times, one could lay their eyes upon the vast expanse of temples, halls, and
pagodas that rested at the peak of the majestic mountain.

There was a description of Planchette Writing Sect in the Mountain and Sea
Chronicle, amid which there were two points that left a very deep impression on
Chen Ping'an. Just like Mount Longhu's Heavenly Master Residence, Planchette
Writing Sect didn't belong to any of the three branches of Daoism. It specialized in
“immortals asking questions, true immortals bestowing knowledge.”

To put it simply, Planchette Writing Sect was similar to Eastern Treasured Vial
Continent's Wind Snow Temple and True Martial Mountain in the sense that
disciples could summon higher powers to help them. The only difference was
whether one was summoning deities or true immortals.

In addition, Planchette Writing Sect raised many spirits and ghosts in its territory. It
was unrivaled in Parasol Leaf Continent, and there was a Sky Calling Street at the
waist of the mountain that contained all kinds of peculiar and bizarre matters.

Chen Ping'an had always been very interested in those lively and adorable little
spirits. Thus, he planned to broaden his horizons in Planchette Writing Sect. If this
were in the past, he would have only thought about this but not acted upon it. Now,
however, he was genuinely willing to act upon his desire.

Moreover, carrying the sword, Lasting Qi, on his back, there would be wisps of
slightly shuddering sword qi whenever Chen Ping'an traveled north. This would
shake Chen Ping'an's soul. However, the sword qi would remain still if Chen Ping'an
traveled south.

This caused Chen Ping'an to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, traveling north would
at least bring him closer and closer to Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

Lu Tai raised both hands in approval regarding Chen Ping'an's desire to visit Sky
Calling Street. He commented that the small trinkets there were not only precious
and rare, but they were also very fair in terms of price. This was a place that Qi
refiners definitely needed to visit when they traveled to Parasol Leaf Continent.

Walking toward a distant mountain could tire one to death. The majestic mountain
looked quite close, yet there was actually a huge distance to cover if one wanted to
travel toward it on foot. However, Chen Ping'an was no longer an amateur who had
just set foot into the cultivation world.

He occasionally glanced at the towering mountain shrouded in clouds and mists as

he walked forward, and was keenly aware of just how powerful Planchette Writing
Sect was. If it were placed in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, it would only be
slightly weaker than Divine Edict Sect.

Located in the central region of Parasol Leaf Continent, Planchette Writing Sect was
a sect-level force, signifying that it had at least one cultivator at the Unpolished Jade
Tier. Moreover, compared to the smallest Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, the
immortal forces in Parasol Leaf Continent possessed greater influence and stronger
foundations.

There was also Parasol Leaf Sect and Jade Tablet Sect to the south and north,
respectively, occupying the two ends of the continent. It was as if they each
possessed half of Parasol Leaf Continent's fortune. Thus, sects that were still able to
rise to the top and make a name for themself in Parasol Leaf Continent were often
powerful forces that had left a trail of blood and destruction in their wake.

Bored and with nothing better to do, Lu Tai started to tell Chen Ping'an about the
differences between Parasol Leaf Continent and Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's
cultures and customs. Eastern Treasured Vial Continent was a small place, so if it
wasn't for Divine Edict Sect's Qi Zhen advancing to the 12th tier, the Immortal Tier,
and being bestowed the title of Heavenly Lord by their superior sect in Middle Earth
Divine Continent, there wouldn't have been a single Immortal Tier cultivator in
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent — at least not on the surface.

A while ago, Chen Ping'an had seen a bounty for the Great Li Empire's Song
Changjing on that wall in Stalactite Mountain's Daoist Saber Room. The reason given
was because Eastern Treasured Vial Continent wasn't worthy of having an 11th tier
martial artist. In fact, this reason was both funny and not funny at the same time.

Looking at Parasol Leaf Continent, on the other hand, the most powerful cultivators
in Parasol Leaf Sect and Jade Tablet Sect were all old geezers who had advanced to
the Immortal Tier hundreds of years ago.

Planchette Writing Sect also had two cultivators at the Unpolished Jade Tier, one
male and one female. They were Dao partners, and they were truly the envy of
everyone.

It was said that the bustling Sky Calling Street only existed in the Planchette Writing
Sect because that female cultivator at the Unpolished Jade Tier was fond of raising
spirits. Even after becoming an earth immortal back then, she was still willing to
frequent the markets and show her face in front of other people. She would
especially leave the mountain to purchase all kinds of spirits.

Since this was the case, the sect leader of Planchette Writing Sect had decided to
wave his hand and spend all of his personal wealth to build the Sky Calling Street, for
no other reason than to please his Dao partner. This way, she wouldn't need to travel
too far away.

There was a look of intoxication and yearning on Lu Tai's face as he talked about the
romance between the two powerful cultivators. Chen Ping'an's hairs stood on end.
This was because he didn't know whether Lu Tai was imagining himself as the sect
leader of Planchette Writing Sect or as the sect leader's female Dao partner.

Afterward, most likely because he was feeling sentimental, Lu Tai started to tirelessly
explain those feminine matters to Chen Ping'an even though he was still dressed as a
wealthy young master. He talked about plum blossom makeup, forehead decorations,
blusher, the different types of powder in terms of their color and how they should be
applied, the clothing preferences of celestial maidens in Middle Earth Divine
Continent compared to other continents, the pros and cons of heavy makeup versus
light makeup, and so on and so forth….

After enduring this for a long time, Chen Ping'an finally couldn't listen to Lu Tai's
seemingly endless barrage of feminine talk anymore. He turned to the handsome
young man and said with a serious expression, “Lu Tai, I'm begging you, I don't want
to listen to you talking about these things. In any case, listening to these things isn't
useful at all.”

Chen Ping'an had only said something similar to this one time before, and that was to
Ma Kuxuan before their big battle in the street. Back then, Ma Kuxuan had been
spouting a heap of nonsense without any signs of stopping.

However, his feelings toward Ma Kuxuan were that of disgust and loathing. It was
incredibly rare for Chen Ping'an to detest someone so much. Zhu Lu, the young girl
who had attempted to assassinate him, could be counted as one. The female ghost in
the bright red wedding dress who had wantonly killed people could be counted as
another. The elderly golden flood dragon in the Flood Dragon Trench could also be
counted among this group.

Meanwhile, his feelings toward Lu Tai were rather those of exasperation and
helplessness.

Lu Tai raised an eyebrow before saying in a heartbroken voice, “Not useful? Isn't
there a girl whom you like? In the one-in-10,000 chance there is, then don't you want
to see her become even more beautiful? In the 9,999-in-10,000 chance there isn't,
then you can at least use this information as a topic of conversation with other girls.
Do you genuinely think that celestial maidens don't have mortal desires and don't
care about beauty at all? You deserve to be single!”

Chen Ping'an suddenly attained enlightenment, and his voice was firm as he replied,
“There is a girl! I do want her to become even more beautiful!”

There was naturally a girl whom he liked, and he naturally wanted her to become
even more beautiful…. Hmm? No, no, Ning Yao was already the most beautiful!

Lu Tai shook his head upon seeing this. “What a stupid boy! I surmise that you won't
be able to maintain your relationship even if you do have one.”

After saying this, Lu Tai was still unwilling to let the matter go. He summoned his
bamboo folding fan from thin air and clicked his tongue in wonder, remarking, “You
won't be able to maintain it, won't be able to maintain it.”

Chen Ping'an chuckled coldly in reply.

Detecting signs that Chen Ping'an was about to get physical again, Lu Tai shot a
sideways glance at the young boy and warned, “Don't you dare to get physical, okay?
You're reading books every day, so even if you're not a noble scholar, you're still at
least half a scholar. Just how far have we walked? Didn't you say that you wouldn't
make the same mistake three times?”

The ferry station they had arrived at was also part of Planchette Writing Sect's
territory. As they walked toward the mountain where the main structures of the sect
were located, they came across many interesting and strange sights along the way.

There were a dozen or so people riding a large purple python that slithered as
quickly as wind and lightning. However, its passengers were still able to enjoy a
smooth and stable ride. Meanwhile, bursts of light that were filled with sword qi
continued to frequently whiz past above their heads, coming and going in a flash.

After traveling to Old Dragon City and Stalactite Mountain, Chen Ping'an was already
unsurprised by these incredible scenes.

Lu Tai explained that Parasol Leaf Continent was very different from Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent, which had countless small forces. There weren't many
forces in the mountains here, yet most of the ones that existed were supremely
powerful behemoths. In this continent, one couldn't call oneself the king of the
mountain simply by stabbing a tattered flag on its peak. One shouldn't
underestimate the cultivation forces and mortal empires in Parasol Leaf Continent.

Of course, nothing was absolute. Parasol Leaf Continent was truly too large, after all,
so there definitely existed small and weak immortal forces as well. In any case, which
piece of land didn't have nests of rats?

In Eastern Treasured Vial Continent that lay to the south of Lake View Academy,
almost every empire and nation was brimming with a large number of immortal
forces. This was most definitely not the case in Parasol Leaf Continent.

The two of them walked side-by-side on one side of the wide street. In fact, they
were especially eye-catching, so many females passing by in carriages would look at
them with expressions of curiosity, regardless of whether they were immortals or
wealthy mortals. There was slight amazement on their faces, and this was mostly
thanks to the graceful Lu Tai. His immortal aura and bookish appearance were truly
very rare and outstanding. Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an was like an ordinary leaf
highlighting the beauty of the blossoming flower.

Lu Tai couldn't help but sigh with emotion and say, “There's no need to say too much
about Southern Whirl Continent. It's extremely powerful, its scholarly culture is
flourishing, and there are also boundless cultivators. This is especially the case since
they have Chen Chun'an from the Pure Confucian Chen Clan guarding the continent.

“Parasol Leaf Continent where we are right now prefers peace and quiet. It's like a
virtuous female who stands aloof from worldly affairs. At the same time, this
continent has a geographical advantage in the sense that it's very difficult to reach.
Few intercontinental ships come and go from this continent. Because of this, Parasol
Leaf Continent tends to be resistant to outside influence. In fact, Parasol Leaf
Continent can be regarded as a very large paradise away from the world.

“In comparison, Circling Ascension Continent to the southwest is much more lively.
There's no clear line between the mountains and the ordinary cultivation world, and
people are fighting and killing each other all the time. Even Qi refiners possess a
strong aura that's usually unique to those in the cultivation world.”

“Lu Tai, what's your cultivation base? Can you say?” Chen Ping'an suddenly asked in
a quiet voice.

Lu Tai gently rocked his folding fan, causing his hair to flow in the wind as he replied
with a faint smile, “Descendents of the Lu Clan don't care too much about their
cultivation base. They only care about how far their 'river observation' eye can see.”

Chen Ping'an nodded and said, “Then it's not very high.”

Lu Tai pursed his lips and replied, “Compared to the cultivation prodigies in Middle
Earth Divine Continent, my cultivation base is naturally not very high. Compared to
you, however, it's more than high enough.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and revealed, “I'm acquainted with someone who's slightly
older than me, and he's a seventh tier martial artist. Back in my hometown, I came
across a sword cultivator from Southern Whirl Continent who looked like a fox. I
think he was at the ninth tier. There are also two little children staying at my home,
with one of them being a fire python and one of them being a water snake. I presume
they're almost about to reach the sixth or seventh tier. So, what about you? What's
your cultivation base?”

Even after hearing this, Lu Tai was still unwilling to disclose his cultivation base to
Chen Ping'an. Instead, he put on a smug expression and gloated, “I have two masters,
one who taught me knowledge and one who taught me Dao. They're both at the
Upper Five Tiers.”

“I see,” Chen Ping'an replied.

Lu Tai shot a glance at Chen Ping'an and asked, “What do you mean you see? Are you
unwilling to concede? Or perhaps that's still too weak for you?”

“I concede,” Chen Ping'an answered with a nod.

Lu Tai smiled with squinted eyes and said, “Chen Ping'an, what's with your
perfunctory response? You're clearly not conceding at all. Perhaps you want to be
laid down and honored with a few cups of wine?”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Chen Ping'an asked with a perplexed expression.

Lu Tai closed his folding fan with a snap and explained, “After a person dies, people
will naturally go to their grave and honor them with wine.”

“Such a twisted mind,” Chen Ping'an said with a huff.

Lu Tai laughed delightfully and opened his folding fan again, sending gusts of
refreshing breeze toward his handsome face. What a beautiful day this was.

The two of them walked for half a day, and they only arrived at the foot of the
mountain when twilight set in. This mountain owned by Planchette Writing Sect was
called Hanging Garment Mountain, and according to Lu Tai's explanation, this
symbolized a ruler maintaining order with their hands cupped and their sleeves
hanging[1].

However, why was the name of this mountain inspired by a Confucian notion? Lu Tai
was unable to offer any explanation. Another two hours passed, and it was already
dusk when Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai finally saw Sky Calling Street in the distance. The
street was brightly lit, making it seem as if it were day. Even though it was already
night, there were still streams of visitors bustling around.

After walking onto the large street teeming with people, Lu Tai and Chen Ping'an
were able to witness what it meant to spend money like pouring water, spend a
fortune with a single wave of a hand, whoever blinked first becoming the loser, and
so on….

Sure enough, Sky Calling Street was brimming with peculiar and wonderful things.

Chen Ping'an found this to be a very eye-opening experience.

1. The saying “hands cupped and sleeves hanging” (垂袖而治) comes from the Classic
of History (尚书), one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature. The imagery
of a person with their hands cupped together means that there is nothing to do, and
is thus used to refer to a ruler governing without needing to do anything. This is
because they are governing through the rule of virtue. ☜
In the first shop they entered, Lu Tai purchased two small spirits that Chen Ping'an
had never even heard of before. One was called “puppil” and according to the near-
obsequious introduction by the shopkeeper, Chen Ping'an learned that one could
raise this spirit in their pupil. Not only could this spirit absorb some spiritual energy
of heaven and earth every day, but more importantly, it could help its owner
“brighten their eyes” when it saw breathtakingly beautiful individuals. Many Qi
refiners who practiced immortal techniques relating to the eye were most fond of
this kind of spirit.

After spending a whopping 800 snowflake coins to purchase this spirit, Lu Tai
announced that he was going to give it to Chen Ping'an as a present. However, Chen
Ping'an naturally turned down this act of goodwill. Seeing this, Lu Tai could only
shake his head in pity, asking, “Chen Ping'an, don't you want your vision to improve
every day?”

The implied question to Chen Ping'an was this: With Lu Tai in front of him, and with
this puppil in his eye, wouldn't looking at Lu Tai be equivalent to cultivating his
vision?

The old shopkeeper glanced at the extraordinarily handsome Lu Tai before turning
his gaze to Chen Ping'an. There was an amused and meaningful smile on his face.

A layer of goosebumps appeared on Chen Ping'an's body, and he pretended that he

didn't understand anything at all.

Compared to the puppil that Lu Tai had purchased, Chen Ping'an was actually more
interested in the miniature spirits that were running around in a lively manner
beside it. They were as small as grains of rice, and this species of spirits was called
“eer,” a homonym with “ear.” They lived in a person's ear, and they would use their
owner's eardrum as a literal drum.

When their owner went to sleep, they would quietly beat their owner's eardrum in a
manner that couldn't be heard by their owner or anyone else. However, this act could
magnify the yang energy of their owner, formlessly deterring the many sinister
spirits and ghosts that wandered around during the night.

This was a type of spirit that wealthy clans from outside the mountains definitely
had to purchase if they were haunted by ghosts or accidentally possessed by evil
spirits.

Because of their lowly cultivation base, many Qi refiners at the Lower Five Tiers
would also bring such a spirit along with them if they needed to travel through
mountain forests or lakes and marshes.

Apart from the puppil, Lu Tai also purchased a spider that was as large as a
fingernail. Its body was five-colored, making it appear especially likable. However, its
name was enough to make Chen Ping'an stand back and keep a respectful distance. It
was called “Intimate Dream Spider,” and it liked to harvest and collect the intimate
dreams of people.

When its owner fell asleep, this spider would spin a small web above their head, one
that was colorful and dazzling. Afterward, their owner would enjoy a dream filled
with wealth and intimacy.

Because of this, many immortal forces used Intimate Dream Spiders as a tool to
temper their disciples' Dao Hearts. At the same time, teachings and forces that
advocated dual cultivation also viewed Intimate Dream Spiders as a necessary item.

In a row of small cages near the Intimate Dream Spider, there were many other
species of spiders including the Nightmare Spider, which was pitch-black like ink.
Each type of spider had its own unique appearance and ability.

Chen Ping'an naturally didn't like these kinds of creatures.

However, Lu Tai happened to like these spiders very much. Indeed, he had spent 600
snowflake coins simply because he thought the appearance of the Intimate Dream
Spider was very adorable.

And thus, the old shopkeeper's smile became even more amused and meaningful.

Afterward, Lu Tai got into a bidding war with a cultivator at the Middle Five Tiers in
front of some stall. This was a rare sight, yet Chen Ping'an didn't blame Lu Tai for
being reckless this time. Instead, he felt like that item was well worth the 12 lesser
heat coins that Lu Tai had spent.

In the end, Lu Tai had only managed to win the bidding war because his opponent
hadn't had enough immortal money on him. Moreover, Lu Tai had been exuding an
air of confidence, making it seem as if he would fight to the end no matter how many
times his opponent raised the bid. The cultivator at the Middle Five Tiers had
eventually muttered curses and left.

There was an incredibly rare Mutton Fat Beast happily jumping around in Lu Tai's
palm. The body of the small beast was jade-like, and this was because it was formed
from the essence of beautiful jade. Its body was innately a high-grade natural
treasure, making it an optimal choice to forge talismanic jade tablets with. However,
Mutton Fat Beasts were extremely fiery and unyielding, so once they grew up and
matured, they would choose to commit suicide once they were caught. In other
words, one couldn't capture and raise mature Mutton Fat Beasts.

Meanwhile, the Mutton Fat Beast in Lu Tai's palm had been unintentionally caught by
a cultivator, and it had only managed to survive and avoid death by suicide because it
was still young. If it were properly raised, it could potentially become a living
treasure that was worth an exorbitant amount of money. However, there was a catch
in the sense that raising a Mutton Fat Beast would cost even more than the initial
price of buying one. This was because Mutton Fat Beasts only ate snowflake coins.

The stall owner was an ordinary-looking woman. After Lu Tai purchased the Mutton
Fat Beast, she smiled and said that such a valuable beast would have definitely been
purchased at a high price right away if it weren't for the fact that Planchette Writing
Sect already owned a pair of Mutton Fat Beasts.

Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai walked left and right along the bustling Sky Calling Street,
entering and exiting numerous shops.

During this time, Chen Ping'an had also taken a fancy to three items. However, he had
been struck with indecision, and he had ultimately been reluctant to spend so much
money.

There was a Three-legged Golden Toad that was a spirit beast belonging to heaven
and earth. It was said that its owner could increase their fortune in making money.

There was a silver-white Treasure-Seeking Mouse whose sense of smell was

extremely sensitive to spiritual matters in the world.

There was also a small creature called the Wine Insect, and this was a creature that
could only be born in high-quality aged wine. If this insect were placed in a newly
fermented pot of wine, then the pot of wine would become as rich as one that was
stored for several years after just a few hours. Thus, these kinds of Wine Insects
were naturally adored by those who liked to drink wine.

Chen Ping'an didn't spend any money, yet Lu Tai continued to spend money without
pause. He purchased a Dragon Whisker Carp that was the size of a palm. This
creature had the body of a carp, yet it also had two long whiskers that were identical
to those belonging to flood dragons. These whiskers were a type of rare natural
treasure. However, they were naturally far inferior to the two golden flood dragon
whiskers that Chen Ping'an had obtained and forged into a demon-binding chain.

The advantage of Dragon Whisker Carp was the fact that they could be bred and
raised. In other words, an immortal force could potentially purchase several of these
carp and carefully raise them and breed them. After hundreds upon thousands of
years, the immortal force would have an entire pond of Dragon Whisker Carp.

Lu Tai also purchased a Bull Roar Fish. Its body was only as long as a person's finger,
yet it could unleash a roar that was as loud as thunder.

Chen Ping'an couldn't fathom why Lu Tai had purchased this fish. Perhaps he was
going to use it to frighten someone?

In the end, Chen Ping'an also saw a collection of talisman paper humans in a shop at
the end of the street. They came in varying styles and colors, and they also
commanded a varying range of prices. These talisman paper humans were roughly
divided into three categories according to height: those that were one finger tall, one
palm tall, or one arm tall. They were extremely life-like, and they were capable of
cleaning courtyards, raising flowers and birds, helping to move books and bask
books, and so on.

Paper humans were also divided into different grades. Moreover, this notion of
grades was a very popular one among wealthy clans in the world. Because of this, the
cultivation base, renown, and force affiliation of the talisman's author had a huge
influence on the final price. Of course, the quality of the talisman paper was also
quite important.
There were immortal forces and subordinate businesses that specialized in crafting
talisman paper humans, and this was a business where profits were very high.

Even though Chen Ping'an found these miniature paper humans extremely amusing
and fun, he definitely wouldn't go as far as to purchase one.

This was because they were very expensive. They weren't worth the price, and they
also provided no value. They couldn't be further away from the ideal of cheap and
useful.

Meanwhile, Lu Tai purchased a large stack of talisman paper humans in a single go,
all of them belonging to the shortest category. Having spent another 500 snowflake
coins, Lu Tai said that he could get these paper humans to stage mock battles on the
table when he became bored. That would definitely cure his boredom….

When it came to spending money, there was definitely no possibility of mutual

understanding and conversation between Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai.

If one continued past Sky Calling Street for one to two kilometers, one would come
across a pavilion named the Cease Walking Pavilion. This signified that those from
outside Planchette Writing Sect should stop here and not proceed forward.

Chen Ping'an and the fully loaded Lu Tai walked into the Cease Walking Pavilion
together. While walking over, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but steal a few extra glances
at Lu Tai. He was extremely curious about where Lu Tai had put those spirits and
creatures. Lu Tai did indeed own pocket treasures, and it was indeed okay to put
goods like the talisman paper humans inside. However, living spirits and creatures
with yang energy most definitely couldn't be placed inside pocket treasures.
Otherwise, they would explode apart and potentially even cause the pocket treasure
to shatter.

Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai rested in the pavilion for a short while, taking in the night
scenery surrounding Planchette Writing Sect from a distance. Afterward, the two of
them returned to Sky Calling Street and looked for a nearby inn to stay the night.
However, this resulted in the two of them directly parting ways. This was because Lu
Tai wanted to stay in an immortal residence brimming with spiritual energy.
Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an naturally wanted to find any old inn to stay in, as long as
the price was right.
An uneventful night passed by.

It was very difficult to cause trouble right under the nose of Planchette Writing Sect.

Of course, this was given that one didn't provoke those haughty disciples from
Planchette Writing Sect.

Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai agreed to meet up at the Cease Walking Pavilion in the
morning. They would then leave the mountain and continue to travel north. Chen
Ping'an arrived at the pavilion very early in the morning, allowing him to enjoy the
spectacular sight of the sun rising above the East Sea. However, there was still no
sign of Lu Tai even when the sun had risen high. After waiting for so long, Chen
Ping'an was just about to leave the pavilion to look for Lu Tai.

However, it was only at this moment that the handsome young man finally strolled
up the mountain while yawning in sleepiness. He waved at Chen Ping'an before
stopping in his tracks, unwilling to walk any further. In any case, walking any further
would be a complete waste of his energy. Chen Ping'an sighed and walked out of the
pavilion, making his way down the mountain with Lu Tai.

Last night, Chen Ping'an had still been worried that Lu Tai would draw trouble due
to spending such huge sums of money in the Sky Calling Street. When traveling
around the world, it was best that one didn't flaunt their wealth. However, nothing
untoward happened even after they traveled more than 300 kilometers north. Only
then was Chen Ping'an's mind put at ease.

Following the occasional “reminders” from the sword on his back, Chen Ping'an
corrected their direction several times, heading toward the general location of his
destination. This was necessary because they needed to take detours around
mountains and rivers. At the same time, Chen Ping'an also wanted to avoid bustling
official roads.

Lu Tai had no objections. However, he would stop for a while whenever they came
across lively markets, inns, and shops in the towns. As repayment for Lu Tai's lack of
complaints regarding his choice of direction, Chen Ping'an didn't refuse the
handsome young man's requests.

This was a very calm and unremarkable journey for Chen Ping'an. Nothing much
happened, and he would simply practice fist techniques and sword techniques in the
quiet and unpopulated mountains, forests, and rivers. He never saw Lu Tai
cultivating much, and Lu Tai would only seem spirited when they arrived at lively
markets bustling with people and activity. He would appear exuberant as if they had
entered a blessed land. As time went on, Lu Tai eventually taught Chen Ping'an one
thing. He taught the young boy the lifestyle and standards of a wealthy person.

Lu Tai always managed to spend the least amount of money necessary to eat and
drink the best food. Even if it were a simple dish, he could enjoy it as if there were
thousands of years of history and culture behind it. He could somehow relate the
dish to several renowned literati and sages.

He could recite several lines of beautiful poetry for each pot of wine.

When Lu Tai occasionally purchased an ancient book from some bookstore, he would
sit there and hold the book in one hand while lazily flipping the pages with his other.
In Chen Ping'an's eyes, however, he felt like this was the aura and disposition that
scholars should possess.

When they stayed at inns, Lu Tai would brew himself a pot of tea almost every single
day. However, he would never invite Chen Ping'an over to enjoy the tea with him, and
he would instead sit alone and quietly sip tea, not saying a single word.

He would appear calm and relaxed, filled with an aura of rightness and morality.

When Lu Tai played out games of Go from the manuals, Chen Ping'an felt like he had
only witnessed this kind of elegant demeanor from Cui Dongshan before.

Lu Tai also owned a bamboo flute that sounded especially pleasant to the ear when it
was played in the mountains and rivers.

Even when he sat lazily in some random place to gaze up at the moon with a folding
fan in his hand, he still appeared as graceful as always.

Chen Ping'an knew of a term called “cultural artiness.” This was a very derogatory
term.

However, Lu Tai wasn't guilty of this.

Just like how Chen Ping'an was a country bumpkin at his core, Lu Tai was an innately
graceful person. He was an innate scholar.
Having money implied wealth, while understanding etiquette implied nobleness.

This was the true meaning of being a wealthy noble.

Chen Ping'an couldn't learn and emulate Fan Er's brilliant and positive mindset. He
felt like he couldn't learn and emulate Lu Tai's graceful and carefree demeanor
either.

On this day, Chen Ping'an stood atop a tall tree and gazed into the distance. To his
surprise, he saw a castle standing amid the majestic yet sparsely populated
mountains.

Before this, Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai hadn't come across a single mountain or water
spirit during their journey.

This place was already hundreds of kilometers from Planchette Writing Sect, the
most powerful sect in the central region of Parasol Leaf Continent.

Chen Ping'an initially didn't want to tell Lu Tai that there was a castle in the distance.
He wanted to focus on traveling to their destination. However, the handsome young
man who had been uninterested in the mountains and waters this entire suddenly
decided to jump onto a tall branch today. He rocked his folding bamboo fan and
chuckled, “Very good, very good, it's a brilliant location to kill people and steal goods
before fabricating evidence and framing someone else.”

Chen Ping'an didn't understand Lu Tai's words right away. However, it wasn't long
before he came to a realization.

There were skulking figures in the surrounding forest, with their small movements
giving rise to quiet rustles. Even though they were well-hidden and extremely
careful, Chen Ping'an's eyesight and hearing were even better. He immediately
discovered that he and Lu Tai were surrounded.

Chen Ping'an looked around and said slowly, “I'm at the fourth tier of martial arts,
and I own two bonded flying swords and many immortal talismans.”

As if in tacit understanding, Lu Tai smiled faintly and said, “I'm a Qi refiner at the
eighth tier, the Dragon Gate Tier. And what a coincidence, I also have two bonded
flying swords and many immortal treasures.”
There was one person wearing a white robe with a sword strapped to his back.
Hanging on his waist was a Sword Nurturing Gourd that hadn't been removed and
used as a wine gourd for a long time.

There was one person wearing an azure robe with a jade pendant hanging by his
waist. Noble people wouldn't remove their jade pendant for no reason[1].

Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai were facing a large group of scheming bandits who had
tailed them for hundreds of kilometers. Moreover, it was without a doubt that most
of them were Qi refiners from the mountains.

Lu Tai gently rocked his fan and smiled with squinted eyes, asking, “Before throwing
hands, should we try to speak some reason with them?”

Chen Ping'an pursed his lips and patted the wine gourd by his waist, not saying
anything else in reply.

His reasons were all inside the wine gourd.

1. This is a line from the Book of Rites (礼记). In ancient China, the character of noble
people was compared to the quality of jade. Thus, wearing a jade pendant is a
constant reminder that one needs to remain virtuous and upright. ☜
A murderous autumn wind gusted through the mountain forest.

No wonder Cui Dongshan had talked about thieves with golden belts.[1]

Heavy emotions weighed on Chen Ping'an's mind. Being surrounded and hunted like
this inevitably reminded him of that surprise attack in the mountain forest in Water
Combing Nation. The assassins from the Case Purchasing Pagoda and Grandmaster
Lin Gushan from Colorful Garment Nation had teamed up in a malicious manner to
attack Chen Ping'an. If it weren't for Su Lang, the Green Bamboo Sword Immortal,
changing sides and helping Chen Ping'an, it was extremely difficult to say who would
have ended up dead.

Chen Ping'an had already been sufficiently careful during this trip to the north. He
frequently climbed to high vantage points to gaze into the distance, and he would
remain vigilant against people tailing them even when he was wandering through
the streets and markets with Lu Tai. Thus, the fact that he hadn't noticed these
people surrounding him and Lu Tai was already a clear sign of the severity of the
problem. Their opponents were predators hiding in the shadows, so they definitely
wouldn't have revealed their presence if they weren't confident of achieving victory.

An intense battle was about to begin, and Lu Tai appeared to be slightly lacking in
confidence as he asked, “Chen Ping'an, you're not truly just a fourth tier martial
artist, are you?”

Chen Ping'an was slightly taken aback. He had no idea why Lu Tai was suddenly
asking such a question. However, he nodded anyway and replied, “Of course I am.”

Lu Tai huffed and revealed honestly, “And here I was, thinking that you were at the
fifth tier and purposely hiding your true cultivation base from me. In fact, that would
have been more normal. When traveling through the cultivation world, who doesn't
use some illusion techniques? For example, I exaggerated my cultivation base a little
bit. I'm not at the Dragon Gate Tier, and I'm actually at the seventh tier, the Sea
Observation Tier.”
Chen Ping'an shot a glare at Lu Tai and exclaimed, “You're still pulling tricks like this
at such a dangerous time?! Are you seeking death?!”

Lu Tai was in the wrong, so he didn't retort Chen Ping'an. Instead, he simply
grumbled endlessly in his mind.

With a tap of his foot, Lu Tai caused the branch under him to sway as he leaped
toward the crown of the tree. He appeared calm and collected, yet this wasn't the
case in reality. He had already closed his folding fan and was gently smacking it
against his palm.

However, Lu Tai was a Qi refiner at the Sea Observation Tier, after all, and he was
also someone with deep knowledge in many fields. He had a large collection of
books, and he was also fond of learning all kinds of different skills. Thus, it could be
said that he was a jack of all trades but a master of none.

Even so, Lu Tai's breadth of skills was only unrefined in the context that he was a
supreme cultivation prodigy in his clan. Compared to those vagrant cultivators and
itinerant cultivators who had relied on luck and incomplete secret techniques to
advance to the Middle Five Tiers, Lu Tai was far superior in both judgment and skills.
However, it was difficult to say whether these advantages could be translated into
victory in battles of life and death.

Even if they weren't actual criminals, those itinerant cultivators who were brainless
and brash would choose to fight with their lives on the line once they faced a
perilous situation or faced some irresistible benefit. During such moments, they
would display their stark contrast to those immortal disciples who were pampered
and had received inheritances in a systematic manner. These itinerant cultivators
would become vicious, sly, and willing to suffer grave injuries to kill their opponents.

“Do you need me to buy time for you?” Chen Ping'an asked quietly. “Do you need to
roughly gauge their strength and backgrounds first? I don't have enough experience
when it comes to fighting against cultivators, and there's also a lack of understanding
and synergy between us. It's very easy for me to hold you back.”

“Sure thing,” Lu Tai replied with his mind's voice.

His reply was short and sharp.

However, perhaps afraid that Chen Ping'an would misunderstand him for wanting to
be an idle spectator, he added, “I'll immediately notify you about their techniques
and the background of said techniques once I discover anything. I'll also tell you how
to defend against them and defeat them.”

Chen Ping'an nodded and retrieved an inch movement talisman from his sleeve. This
was a backup measure to guard against any unforeseen circumstances.

“We can't be careless in battles of life and death,” Chen Ping'an said.

“I understand,” Lu Tai replied with a chuckle.

Chen Ping'an took a deep breath.

I, Chen Ping'an, was yet to start practicing fist techniques back in the small town.
However, relying on the rules and geographical advantage in Jewel Small World, I
almost managed to kill both Cai Jinjian and Fu Nanhua in that small alley.

That being the case, why can't other people kill me and Lu Tai?

Chen Ping'an was still standing on the tall branch. Even though this carried the risk
of making him an easy target, it was very important to have a wide view and
understand the enemy before facing off against them. Taking some risks to
understand the situation was much better than rushing in like a headless chook.

These bandits had started to secretly plot and tail them from Planchette Writing
Sect's Sky Calling Street, but they weren't gathered together in a large group. Instead,
they were scattered around in small groups of two or three. However, the number of
visible bandits already numbered 10 or so.

They were like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey.

“Who are you people?” Chen Ping'an asked in a solemn voice.

Not a single person replied.

Immortals from the mountains traveling hundreds of kilometers to hunt prey and
gather loot weren't the same as scoundrels who wandered around the streets and
alleys. They weren't like those scoundrels who argued for half a day yet were averse
to fighting and shedding blood.
Loudly announcing one's name and identity would often appear quite impressive.
However, this would very easily expose one's abilities and trump cards.

This was especially the case with those who liked to purposely and proudly shout
the names of their techniques before they attacked. Was this not asking for trouble?

If one were unfortunate, such actions would amount to nothing short of seeking
death.

Take, for example, the name of the flying sword owned by the Golden Core Tier
sword cultivator on Osmanthus Island. The bonded flying sword was called
“Lingering Shade,” and this immediately revealed its close relationship to water and
the yin element.

Thus, unleashing techniques and using immortal treasures that were filled with yang
energy would often yield better results against the flying sword.

With this in mind, would the Golden Core Tier sword cultivator from Osmanthus
Island actively reveal the name of his bonded flying sword to his enemy if he were
engaged in an intense battle with them?

Even though Chen Ping'an had never seen Lu Tai's two flying swords before, the
names Needle Tip and Wheat Awn were already enough information for him to form
some speculations. It was very likely that these flying swords specialized in focused
and intense attacks rather than sweeping area-of-effect attacks.

Lu Tai used his mind's voice to silently inform Chen Ping'an of the current situation.

Looking at the enemies directly in front of Chen Ping'an, they needed to be extremely
cautious of the burly man with iron whips in his hands as well as the person
standing beside him.

This other person was clearly a sword expert who had taken a different path. He
wasn't a Qi refiner, yet he wasn't exactly a pure martial artist either. Even though
such kinds of people didn't possess bonded flying swords, making them crude
cultivators who liked to brandish swords in the cultivation world, they could use
their Qi to manipulate their swords in a manner that made the swords seem like
bonded flying swords to other people. However, this was naturally different from
genuine sword kinesis performed by sword cultivators.
As for the burly man with the iron whip, he was a cultivator who had tempered his
physique according to some heretical methods of the Militarian Sect. However, it was
difficult to say whether he was a Qi refiner or a pure martial artist, although the
latter was more likely.

The burly man was muscular with bulging veins, measuring almost nine feet tall and
radiating with a domineering aura. There were two iron whips in his hands, and he
chuckled coldly as he looked at Chen Ping'an through the sparse branches, saying,
“Good one, little brat. You're truly a very tricky one. You purposely walked with
uneven footsteps when you went to the Cease Walking Pavilion in Planchette Writing
Sect, and that almost caused me to misjudge your strength.

“I thought you were only a third tier martial artist. After walking hundreds of
kilometers from the Hanging Garment Mountain, however, I finally discovered that
your footsteps were actually so light and even. Disregarding your cultivation base
and simply focusing on your alertness and caution….”

The burly man raised the iron whip in his left hand before continuing with a vicious
smile, “You're worthy of having your head smashed in by a single strike from my iron
whip!”

The burly man was speaking in the official dialect of Parasol Leaf Continent.

At this moment, Lu Tai was no longer a feminine man who liked to put on makeup.
He was no longer a graceful young master from a noble clan. Rather, he spoke quickly
and concisely as he informed Chen Ping'an about the identities and backgrounds of
their enemies.

The person to the southeast is a Daoist priest who uses talismans. I suspect that the
group of bandits most likely didn't manage to recruit a genuine Militarian cultivator,
so they had settled for the next best thing in this Daoist priest. He's going to use
talismanic armor as foot soldiers.

If the bandits managed to get their hands on one or two puppets made by Mohist
cultivators as well, then the effectiveness of our flying swords would have been greatly
reduced. After all, talismanic armor and puppets are both inanimate objects. Talismans
are hard to break, while the cores of puppets are difficult to find.

However, I'm unsure of whether this Daoist priest possesses any talismans that
specifically target sword cultivators and their flying swords. In any case, the possibility
isn't big. Generally speaking, only cultivators at the Golden Core Tier and Nascent Tier
can afford to use those few types of precious talismans that especially target sword
cultivators. But if we're genuinely that unlucky, then it will be quite hard to say.

For example, the Daoist priest might possess those two types of high-grade talismans
called “Sword Scabbard” and “Mountain Sealing.” These talismans especially target
elusive flying swords, and the flying swords will essentially be flying into traps. They'll
be temporarily sealed for a period of time.

The combat power of sword cultivators will plunge to a very low level if they lose their
flying swords, even if it's only for a short moment.

Because of this, we need to remain extremely cautious of this Daoist priest, seeing as
our greatest advantage is our four flying swords. Even if we don't summon our flying
swords to attack the enemies, we still need to keep a close eye on the subtle movements
of the Daoist priest's sleeves.

The person to the southwest is a Qi refiner who practices wood-element cultivation

techniques. It was most likely he who concealed their presence this entire time. He's
most likely raising some flower demons and wood ghosts. When you engage with them
in a moment, remember to be wary of the plants, trees, vines, and so on. It's exactly
because they're unremarkable that they're even more tricky and difficult to deal with
than sword cultivators and their flying swords.

Chen Ping'an silently committed all of this information to memory. While doing so,
he kept his eyes fixed on the burly man as well as the sword expert beside him. He
also watched the Daoist priest from the talismanic branch out of the corner of his
eye.

He chuckled coldly and said, “Since my friend and I dared to spend so much money
in front of other people in Planchette Writing Sect's Sky Calling Street, we naturally
weren't afraid of causing others to become jealous and depraved.”

The burly man was thoroughly amused, and he chuckled, “Little brat, don't try to
trick me with your weasel words. The two of you are outsiders who can't even speak
the official dialect of Parasol Leaf Continent fluently, so what does it matter even if
you come from sect-level forces? What does it matter even if your masters are earth
immortals? Is that very impressive?”
The sword expert standing beside the burly man was a slender man wearing a black
robe. His face was extremely pale, and his eyes were also slightly sunken. He
appeared a little sinister as he smiled and remarked, “Of course that's impressive.
However, it's a shame that they're too far away to help.”

The burly man suddenly burst into loud laughter. A smile also spread across the
sword expert's face.

The two men who were closely acquainted with each other looked toward Lu Tai
who was standing even higher up. “While following the two of you, I've been forced
to endure your intimate and romantic interactions this entire time,” the middle-aged
sword expert said. “You have to take responsibility for the flames of sin and lust in
my body. If you're tactful enough, you might even be able to walk away from this
alive.”

Lu Tai paid no heed to this person's provocation. He remained calm and unfazed as
he continued to explain the situation to Chen Ping'an.

There's a Naturalist formation cultivator setting up formations directly behind us. Not
far from him, there's also a young boy and a young girl who are most likely his prized
disciples. In reality, this formation cultivator is the most troublesome person.

Chen Ping'an, I'll kill this person first if I get the opportunity.

The only reason why they're staying put right now is because they're waiting for the
formation cultivator to finish his half-assed Mountain-moving Formation. Don't worry,
I'll find an opportunity to deal with them. I definitely won't let him and his disciples
succeed. However, before I do anything, you definitely need to draw their attention first.
Even distracting them ever so slightly will be enough.

Chen Ping'an nodded imperceptibly.

Lu Tai continued to analyze their opponents.

There's also a demonic cultivator near the formation cultivator's two disciples. He's
neither like a human nor like a ghost, and his entire body is radiating with a strong yin
energy. This type of Qi refiner spends much of their time wandering around unmarked
burial grounds and tombs. They can trap lone souls and wandering ghosts inside their
spirit tools and transform them into subordinates that they can control. In fact, they'll
raise malicious ghosts using a similar method to raising poisonous insects.
There are another two people standing to the left and right even further behind us.
However, their task is to watch over the situation and prevent the two of us from
escaping.

Judging from this setup, the main force of our enemies is to the south. That is, in front of
us.

Seeing Lu Tai remain unfazed, flames of frustration further joined the flames of sin
and lust in the middle-aged sword expert's body. There was a disturbing smile on his
face as he asked, “Have the two of you become one yet?”

Chen Ping'an was completely clueless about what the sword expert was trying to say.
He simply pretended that the sword expert was using some jargon common among
cultivators from the mountains. Or perhaps he was saying some strange things that
didn't deserve any attention.

However, he detected a rare hint of fury from Lu Tai at this moment.

In fact, Lu Tai stopped communicating with Chen Ping'an using his mind's voice. He
surprisingly changed his mind and glowered at the middle-aged sword expert,
saying with a dark expression, “Chen Ping'an, I was the one who caused this trouble
to begin with, so you can focus on traveling north by yourself first. I'll deal with them
alone.”

“Can you kill all of them and then leave safely by yourself?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Lu Tai didn't reply.

“Are you that fond of dying in some desolate place without a burial ground? Will you
be happy that no one can find your corpse?” Chen Ping'an snapped.

Lu Tai spat before chuckling, “Don't curse me!”

Chen Ping'an fell silent and remained unmoving in the same spot for a while. Only
then did he finally say, “Then speak less nonsense and kill more people.”

Lu Tai suddenly spoke to Chen Ping'an using his mind's voice again, exclaiming,
“Now!”

Chen Ping'an didn't hesitate at all.

He pinched the inch movement talisman in his sleeve, one that had been drawn
according to the Authentic Death-Avoiding Book.

He then vanished in a flash.

The middle-aged sword expert wearing a black robe with large sleeves immediately
tensed up, knowing that things were moving in a very unfavorable direction.

Fortunately, the burly man had already strode forward and shielded the middle-aged
sword expert behind him. Not only that, but he rapidly swung his iron whip at the
space in front of him as well, remarking, “Quite interesting!”

After suddenly materializing in front of the burly man and the middle-aged sword
expert, Chen Ping'an surprisingly didn't try to avoid the burly man's aggressive
strike. Instead, he charged forward even more resolutely, intent on engaging in close-
quarter combat with his opponents.

However, he tilted his head slightly and bent his back, using Lasting Qi, the sword on
his back, to forcefully withstand the strike from the iron whip. At the same time, he
used the Deity Drumming Technique to smash the burly man's chest.

One punch landing meant 10 punches or even 100 punches landing.

If Chen Ping'an had enough energy, and if he were able to throw punch after punch,
then what would it matter even if his opponent were a legendary Zenith Heaven
Golden Immortal? Their golden body would still be utterly annihilated!

The middle-aged sword expert only faltered for a short moment, and it wasn't long
before a burst of azure flew out from his large sleeve.

Meanwhile, the burly man spat out a mouthful of blood as he stumbled backward
five to six steps. He brandished one whip in front of him, creating a water-tight
defense. At the same time, he roared at the top of his lungs, “Protect the formation
cultivator!”

At almost exactly the same instant, Chen Ping'an issued a silent command with his
mind, saying, “Fifteenth.”

An emerald green and slender sword ray instantly burst forth from his Sword
Nurturing Gourd.
The Daoist priest from the talismanic branch chuckled coldly and sneered, “How
surprising, you're genuinely a sword cultivator.”

The burly man suddenly felt a searing pain travel over from his left shoulder. His
heart shuddered violently. How was it possible for this flying sword to be so quick?

After landing the first punch, and before throwing the third punch of the Deity
Drumming Technique….

Not long after Fifteenth left the Sword Nurturing Gourd, there was a clang as it
shattered the sword ray from the middle-aged sword expert's sleeve. However, it was
immediately enveloped by a glowing red talisman, unable to escape no matter how it
flew around and attacked the talisman.

The middle-aged sword expert had a vicious expression as he waved his large sleeve
again, unleashing another “flying sword.”

Chen Ping'an continued to ignore the skillful sword manipulation of the middle-aged
sword expert, almost like a wraith as he arrived behind the burly man and forcefully
slammed the third punch into his back.

The fist aura from his ferocious punch directly brushed past the burly man's heart.

Chen Ping'an lowered his target to the right, directly striking the burly man's spine
with his fourth punch.

Meanwhile, the Daoist priest used another extremely precious talisman to trap First,
the additional flying sword that had once again shattered the sword expert's sword
ray.

The old Daoist priest's expression was livid. His eyelids twitched, and his heart
ached immensely. It was as if blood were dripping from his heart. This young bastard
actually owned two flying swords?!

Perhaps the small red wine gourd by the young boy's waist was actually a Sword
Nurturing Gourd?

Upon thinking of this, a fervent expression immediately appeared in the old Daoist
priest's eyes.
Very well! Absolutely incredible!

It was worth it for me to use two precious trump cards at once! I'll still make a killing
as long as we succeed!

The layer of protective Qi around the burly man's body had already been obliterated
by Chen Ping'an's third punch. As a result, Chen Ping'an's fourth punch genuinely
smashed into the burly man's spine.

There was a series of soft cracking sounds. Other people might not pay much
attention to this, but the burly man was so terrified that his soul almost left his body.

His back would truly be shattered if he were stuck by another punch!

The burly man no longer dared to hold back, heavily stomping his foot and wrapping
his left hand around his right wrist. He held the index finger and middle finger of his
right hand together, and he arched his back as if he were a prancing tiger ready to
strike. His eyes instantly became snow-white, and his blood, tendons, and bones
immediately became filled with power….

It was as if he were a deity descending down to the world.

Afterward, he transformed into a kite with a broken string as he was sent flying
forward by Chen Ping'an's fifth punch. He crashed into the ground with a heavy thud.

However, Chen Ping'an didn't feel too good either. His back was struck by the burly
man's iron whip, and almost half of the force slammed into his body even though the
whip had actually struck Lasting Qi.

Both First and Fifteenth were trapped by the old Daoist priest's precious talismans,
unable to break free for the moment. In order to successfully throw the fifth punch of
the Deity Drumming Technique, Chen Ping'an had also been struck by a sword ray
launched by the middle-aged sword expert. The sword ray had pierced through his
shoulder, leaving a bloody wound.

However, Chen Ping'an's aura didn't falter, and it instead grew even more powerful.
His soul was condensed and his fist intent was raging, so much so that it was almost
visible to the naked eye. It was clear that he wasn't putting up one final struggle.
Rather, his aura was still rising explosively.
It was as if he were the sun rising above the East Sea, destined to reach the apex in
the sky.

The young boy couldn't help but crack a grin.

This kind of small wound was nothing to him.

1. “Murderer and thief with a golden belt” refers to wealthy people who choose to
commit crimes. ☜
Even though the young boy in white was surrounded, he chose to advance instead of
retreat. After throwing several punches, he had already rendered the burly man
incapable of fighting back.

This planted a seed of unease and anxiety in the bandits' hearts.

If it weren't for the burly man's warning, the formation cultivator in the north might
have been brutally killed in an instant.

At the time, the old man had been squatting on the ground and arranging a
Mountain-Moving Formation for everyone. He had been planting several small
earthen-yellow flags in the ground. Even though he hadn't detected any danger, he
had still chosen to smack his own chest without any hesitation, shattering the hidden
and extremely precious Substitute Talisman in his clothes and instantly switching
positions with one of his young disciples.

In the blink of an eye, a flying sword seemingly tangible yet intangible had rushed
down from the sky like a needle stabbing into water. Its speed was immense, and it
had left the air rippling in its wake.

A baffled young boy had been brutally cleaved apart, splitting into two from his head
to his waist. The two halves of his corpse had then crumpled to the ground, sending
organs and intestines spilling everywhere. This was a harrowing and ghastly sight.

The flying sword that was much larger than the swords of ordinary sword cultivators
had then disappeared into the ground in a flash. However, it didn't damage the
ground at all.

It was undoubtedly the bonded flying sword of a sword cultivator.

In the next moment, the formation cultivator reached out again and smacked his
chest, seemingly using another Substitution Talisman. He was planning to sacrifice
his second direct disciple to guarantee his own safety.

This time, however, the demonic cultivator who had been caught by surprise just
then was finally able to react. He didn't remain idle even though he was standing far
away, and he retrieved a small and pitch-black clay pot that was covered in
inscriptions of talismanic symbols. He silently recited some mantra and lightly
swayed the clay pot back and forth several times.

A sinister column of black smoke soared into the sky, splitting into three separate
streams as it left the clay pot. These streams of black smoke flew toward the
formation cultivator, his young female disciple, and Lu Tai who was controlling his
flying sword from a tall branch.

His flying sword materialized in the air again, once again slashing down at an enemy.

However, it didn't slash down at the formation cultivator who had shattered another
talisman, and it instead slashed down at that young girl with a petrified expression.

The cloud of churning black smoke that was formed from countless yin entities and
ghosts spread apart above the young girl's head, forming a defensive barrier to
protect her.

However, the gigantic flying sword was far too powerful, and it easily sliced through
the cloud of black smoke like a hot knife through butter. Just like before, it cleaved
the young girl into two from head to waist.

The young girl who was only 13 or 14 years old was killed just like that, falling on
her path to seeking the Great Dao.

After working so hard and enduring so many challenges to seek longevity, she was
ultimately unable to even reach 20 years old.

There was a dark expression on Lu Tai's face as he leaned a hand on the tree trunk.

The demonic forces were truly always one step ahead.

To Lu Tai's surprise, the formation cultivator hadn't actually activated a Substitution

Talisman. Smacking his chest had only been a ruse to get Lu Tai to target the young
girl.
However, Lu Tai wasn't frustrated after losing this exchange. When it came to
cultivating in the mountains, those who were stupid didn't even possess the right to
enter the mountains. Moreover, no matter how moronic someone was, and even if
they had lived like a dog for tens upon hundreds of years, they should still become a
powerful dog spirit even if they were genuinely a dog.

In other words, no one was a pushover.

Even though Lu Tai's flying sword was colossal in size, the speed at which it traveled
was simply unfathomable. Lu Tai remained standing in the same spot, allowing the
stream of black smoke to furiously charge toward him. After his flying sword killed
the young girl, it flew back in front of him in an instant, crushing the stream of black
smoke that was filled with hatred, agonized wailing, and twisted faces.

The demonic cultivator continued to rock the small clay pot back and forth,
chuckling in a sinister manner and saying, “You dare to damage my yin entities?
Then let me see how much more spiritual energy you can afford to waste!”

Bursts of black smoke flew out from the small clay pot, and it was as if there were a
large black flower blooming in the demonic cultivator's palm.

The formation cultivator was genuinely terrified that his enemy would unleash
another sword strike at him. Left with no other option, he retrieved a large handful
of snow-white beads and scattered them into the surroundings.

The dozens of beads hovered in midair around the formation cultivator, grouping
together to form the Three Aspects, Four Divisions, Seven Stars, Eight Trigrams, and
Nine Palaces.[1]

There was profound meaning behind the placement of these beads, and they formed
numerous defensive formations that radiated with brilliance after they were
successfully created. Under their illumination, the formation cultivator appeared
boundlessly brilliant and imposing.

However, this also meant that the formation cultivator was putting aside the setup of
the Mountain-Moving Formation. As a result, its completion would inevitably be
delayed by a significant amount of time.

The demonic cultivator knew that a few words wouldn't be enough to persuade the
old formation cultivator to abandon his defenses and work on the Mountain-Moving
Formation. After all, this was an old formation cultivator who feared death and
cherished life.

While controlling the streams of black smoke to attack Lu Tai, he said in warning,
“Make haste and complete the formation. Otherwise, we would have wasted our time
pursuing them for hundreds of kilometers. Moreover, these two people will definitely
be boundless threats in the future if we fail to kill them today. Weigh up the
consequences by yourself!”

There was a cloudy and shifting expression on the old formation cultivator's face.
After a while, he reached a decision and resolutely removed half of the defensive
formations, retrieving dozens of the beads. This allowed him to speed up the process
of setting up the Mountain-Moving Formation.

In the battlefield to the south….

The burly man crashed to the ground and continued to vomit blood. It was as if he
were about to vomit his heart and lungs out as well. The ground was dyed bright red,
and he appeared as pitiful as could be.

He was a genuine fifth tier immortal, one who had gained his cultivation base and
experience through month after month of hard work. He was an extremely difficult
opponent.

However, the burly man hadn't come across any sagacious teacher or received any
guidance during his martial arts journey, so his path forward had been extremely
difficult and filled with obstacles. As a result, his foundation in the third tier of
martial arts was full of gaps and shortcomings.

With this in mind, he had definitely pulled out all stops to advance from the fourth
tier to the fifth tier. If nothing incredible happened, it would definitely be impossible
for him to advance to the sixth tier.

However, someone like him naturally wouldn't allow his aspirations to be choked to
death by a roadblock like this. Thus, the burly man had turned to heretical methods
of cultivation. His deity-summoning technique had come from half a damaged scroll,
one which he had naturally obtained from hunting prey in the wild.

Because of this, he only knew how to summon deities but not how to send them
away. This was the principle captured by the saying, “Inviting a deity is easy, but
farewelling a deity is hard.”

The burly man had to pay a huge price each time he summoned a deity to possess his
body. After fumbling around for almost 20 years and begging many people for help,
also purchasing all kinds of immortal texts and secret scrolls related to this
technique, the burly man had finally managed to control the side effects of this deity-
summoning technique with much difficulty.

Today, however, the “deity” had shockingly been smashed back to its divine altar by
the young boy's punch when the burly man had only been halfway through the deity-
summoning technique. This was profoundly disrespectful to the practice of
summoning deities, a practice that had many strict rules and requirements. Thus, the
burly man was suffering a severe backlash, with wisps of his soul drifting out from
his acupoints and rising into the air like smoke from three sticks of incense.

After the “three sticks of incense” were exhausted, there was still no sign of the
backlash stopping as clouds and mist rose from the burly man's back. One had to
realize that these wisps of cloud and mist were the manifestation of a fifth tier
martial artist's Qi. They were the fundamental vital energy of a pure martial artist….

“Save me!” the burly man exclaimed in a hoarse and unclear voice.

The brows of the Qi refiner who was skilled in wood-element techniques knitted into
a deep frown, and he had no option but to retract the technique that he was using
against the young boy in white. He walked over to the burly man and squatted down,
with his fingers forming seals and his face becoming bright red. As he completed
more and more seals, specks of dark light rose from the ground and circled around
his fingers. The Qi refiner then forcefully pushed these specks of dark light into the
burly man's back.

The collapsed body of the burly man jolted, and a shade of healthy red immediately
returned to his face. The crisp sound of cracking traveled over from all of his main
joints, making him seem like a withered tree that was welcoming a new spring. The
burly man raised his legs and performed a kip-up, jumping to his feet with his two
iron whips in his hands. He was beaming and buoyant, and no longer seemed to be
suffering from the debilitating side effects of the backlash.

“I'll add this to your debt,” the Qi refiner who had saved him said in a solemn voice.
The burly man gritted his teeth in anger and glowered at the young boy in white who
had attacked him with astonishing ferocity. He nodded and replied, “Everything can
be negotiated once we slay these two fat sheep!”

That night in Planchette Writing Sect's Sky Calling Street, the young man who was
even more beautiful than women had thrown money around in an extremely
generous manner. In fact, even vagrant Golden Core Tier cultivators would have felt
ashamed upon seeing him in action. This wasn't to say that vagrant Golden Core Tier
cultivators couldn't produce so many lesser heat coins.

However, it was important to remember just what the handsome young man had
spent money on. He had purchased a Mutton Fat Beast, Intimate Dream Spider,
talisman paper humans, and other money-wasting items. Indeed, he hadn't
purchased any powerful offensive immortal treasure, nor had he purchased any life-
saving defensive treasure!

Moreover, regardless of whether one was an orthodox immortal from the mountains
or an itinerant cultivator from the cultivation world, which cultivator in Parasol Leaf
Continent would have such crappy mastery over the official dialect of the continent?

The young boy and the young man had clearly come from outside the continent.
After leaving Planchette Writing Sect, they had also chosen to take mountain paths
and walk through small towns. During their 500-kilometer trip to the north, they
hadn't visited a single immortal force on the way, nor had any powerful cultivator
actively come over to visit them. What did this signify?

This was a clear sign that Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai were inexperienced newcomers to
the cultivation world. They hailed from wealthy clans, and they were also carrying
huge amounts of wealth around with them. They had definitely been mollycoddled
since a young age, leaving them oblivious to the depth and dangers of the cultivation
world!

Could these bandits live up to their many years of difficult cultivation if they didn't
capture these two naive cultivators who were dripping with wealth? Apart from
searching for fated opportunities everywhere and coating their weapons in blood,
they also had to bow their heads and act as lackeys for those esteemed immortals
from the mountains.

They accepted money and helped those esteemed immortals complete dirty tasks
that the latter found beneath them to personally attend to. After gaining a bad
reputation, they would flee and start over again in some new place. This was a
vicious cycle with no end in sight.

In fact, only a few seconds had elapsed from the moment the burly man was struck
by five punches of the Deity Drumming Technique and left half-dead to the moment
the Qi refiner used a secret technique to extract the fortune of the mountains and
waters to heal him.

During these few seconds, Chen Ping'an was obstructed by the waves of sword qi
unleashed by the middle-aged sword expert, rendering him unable to follow up and
kill the whip-wielding burly man.

Using one's Qi to brandish swords was a very impressive immortal skill in the
cultivation world.

There were many poems and stories in ill-informed regions that talked about using
so-called flying swords to decapitate enemies from hundreds of kilometers away. In
reality, these literary works weren't referring to sword cultivators, but instead sword
experts who would often show themselves in front of ordinary people.

Compared to sword immortals from the mountains and sword practitioners from the
cultivation world, mediocre sword experts were stuck in an awkward situation
where they were too weak to become sword immortals but too haughty to regard
themselves as sword practitioners. Regardless, sword experts were a group of
people who liked to fish for fame.

When sword experts manipulated swords to attack enemies, they would often
unleash both sword qi and physical swords. The former would be powerful due to
the large amounts of sword qi that could be unleashed, while the latter would be
powerful due to their impressive strength.

The bursts of sword qi were like light cavalry charging over to create an advantage,
while the physical swords were like heavy cavalry thundering over to drive home the
advantage and obtain ultimate victory. Both were critical to obtaining victory.

The middle-aged sword expert facing off against Chen Ping'an was clearly a skilled
individual in his field. Waves of glowing azure light rippled across his swollen
sleeves from which burst after burst of azure sword qi were shooting forth in a
formidably intense manner.

Fortunately, the sword expert could only control two of the many bursts of sword qi
at once.

As a result, Chen Ping'an was able to dodge the sword qi quite easily, and he was
nowhere near threatened by these attacks. However, he was completely held up and
unable to deal with the burly man.

Chen Ping'an didn't choose to risk severe injuries to kill his enemy. He had gravely
wounded the burly man just then, yet he had failed to kill him because of the middle-
aged sword expert holding him up. In the end, the Qi refiner skilled in wood-element
techniques had saved the burly man. Even so, Chen Ping'an still pretended that he
wanted to charge over.

This caused the sword expert to misjudge the situation and leave a wisp of sword qi
lying in wait near the burly man. This was a wisp of sword qi that he could control.
However, Chen Ping'an suddenly increased his speed and directly charged toward
the sword expert, almost making it within three meters of him.

The sword expert was terrified, with cold sweat instantly drenching his body. He had
no choice but to use his true trump card.

A small physical sword flew out not from the sword expert's sleeve, but silently from
his hair instead. As it turned out, his jade hairpin was actually a mini scabbard used
to conceal his small sword.

This was an extremely slender small sword with no hilt and in the shape of an
emerald green willow leaf. It flew in circles around the sword expert, leaving a trail
of tender green light in its wake.

“My two Dry Well Talismans can only last another 20 seconds at most!” the Daoist
priest from the talismanic branch warned the other bandits in a stern voice. “Make
haste and wrap up the battle as quickly as possible! Hurry up and kill those two little
bastards! Once his flying swords break free from my restrictions, we may as well line
up and wait for him to behead us one by one!”

The old Daoist priest looked haggard, and his dry and bony fingers continued to
move slowly as he spoke. He was most likely controlling the two talismans that were
trapping First and Fifteenth. His voice quivered as he continued, “Wasn't this little
brat described as a martial artist sword practitioner in the secret report that you
people provided me? But what about now? Not only is he a sword cultivator, but he
even possesses two flying swords! Two!

“If it weren't for me having some treasures and owning these two precious talismans
that I had initially wanted to pass down as family heirlooms, all of us would have
been screwed this time! We agreed on how to share the spoils before, but that
doesn't count anymore!”

There was a dark expression on the burly man's face as he strode toward Chen
Ping'an. He didn't spare the old Daoist priest so much as a single glance as he replied
in a gloomy voice, “I'm happy to discuss your share of the spoils later. I definitely
won't leave you short-changed.”

The old Daoist priest humphed coldly in reply.

1. The Three Aspects (三才) is a philosophical concept from the Classic of Changes (
易经) and refers to heaven, earth, and humans. The Four Divisions (四象) refers to
four of seven regions of stars in the sky, separated into north, south, east, and west.
Each region is represented by a mythical beast, the Azure Dragon of the East, the
Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise of
the North. The Seven Stars (七星) refers to the Big Dipper. The Eight Trigrams (八卦)
is a set of symbols intended to illustrate the nature of reality as being composed of
mutually opposing forces reinforcing one another. The Nine Palaces (九宫) refers to
the division of the sky into nine grids by ancient Chinese astronomers. It also refers
to the division of the Eight Trigrams into nine regions according to the Luo Shu
Square. ☜
There were tumultuous waves in the burly man's mind as he stared intensely at the
young boy in white.

Since when did sword cultivators also possess such powerful physiques?

And that handsome young master standing on top of the tree is also a fucking sword
cultivator who possesses a bonded flying sword…. No wonder the two of them dare to
carelessly venture across foreign lands.

Two sword cultivators who possess three flying swords…. As long as they don't provoke
those powerful immortal clans, how many vagrant cultivators will dare to challenge
them even if they swagger from Jade Tablet Sect all the way to Parasol Leaf Sect?

The group of bandits consisted of all kinds of people who definitely wouldn't have
gathered together during normal times. However, the lure of riches had now brought
them together. Even though none of them possessed very high cultivation bases, they
were each skillful in their own niche and they had also been provided with
information and strategies by some powerful figures hiding behind the scenes.

Thus, the group of bandits could even attempt to kill a Golden Core Tier cultivator as
long as their target didn't detect their presence beforehand. This could potentially
net them immeasurable wealth.

For example, the group of bandits was intent on obtaining that young Mutton Fat
Beast.

They definitely had to obtain it!

In reality, they had already overestimated the young boy and the handsome young
man in their plans. However, they quickly found out that they had still
underestimated their targets.
This time, there was a middle-aged sword expert to engage the young boy and the
wood-element Qi refiner to take advantage of his unique skills in the mountain
forest. The Qi refiner was surprisingly able to control the ancient trees, uprooting
them from the ground and making them slowly stumble forward like elderly people.
Meanwhile, the burly man retrieved a vermilion alchemical pill and tossed it into his
mouth, causing his face to become scorching red.

He was going to summon a deity again!

The branches of the ancient trees viciously swung toward Chen Ping'an like long
whips. While dodging them, Chen Ping'an also needed to avoid the one or two bursts
of azure sword rays that were slashing at him from extremely deadly angles. He was
walking a tightrope between life and death.

Thankfully, it wasn't long before Lu Tai used his mind's voice to teach Chen Ping'an
how to deal with those strange trees. Afterward, each of Chen Ping'an's punches
would precisely strike and obliterate a small line of well-concealed symbols on the
large trees. Whenever these lines of symbols were destroyed, there would be a
shattering silver glow before the large tree crashed to the ground. In fact, the lush
green trees would instantly wither as they fell.

Lu Tai also warned Chen Ping'an that the so-called 20 seconds claimed by the old
Daoist priest from the talismanic branch was potentially a lie. It was extremely likely
that he could trap Chen Ping'an's two flying swords for another 30 seconds or even
longer.

Chen Ping'an remained expressionless after hearing this, most likely unable to divide
his attention to respond. After knocking down all of the strange trees, he found that
the burly man had already succeeded in summoning a deity. Having already
abandoned his two iron whips, the eyes of the burly man were snow-white and
completely lacking any human emotion. It was as if he were a deity coldly peering
down at the world.

However, Lu Tai was slightly astonished.

This was because he didn't detect any ripples in Chen Ping'an's mind after the young
boy heard his warning. It was clear that Chen Ping'an was already well aware of the
old Daoist priest's plans, or else he couldn't have been so composed.
Chen Ping'an was still very young, yet he was already an experienced veteran in the
cultivation world.

Lu Tai leaned his hand against the tree trunk. Compared to Chen Ping'an's intense
and chaotic battle with the group of bandits, it was truly very boring at the top of the
tree.

His flying sword, Needle Tip, was unable to kill that old formation cultivator.
However, the ghostly black smoke flowing from the small clay pot was also unable to
threaten him.

Lu Tai casually retrieved a five-colored rope and tied it around his arm. Even though
it was far inferior to the colorful ribbon that he tied around his waist when he
dressed as a woman, this five-colored rope was still a very impressive immortal
treasure in the eyes of ordinary Qi refiners.

Each of the five colors on the rope represented a different ability. There was the life-
sustaining core that could improve his ability to absorb spiritual energy, the weapon-
warding fabric that could increase his resistance to attacks from weapons—naturally
not all weapons, else this would be a pseudo-celestial tool rather than an immortal
treasure—the evil-warding rope that had a sentient miniature snake proudly raising
its head and able to blow away sinister and murderous auras, the sword-spitting
thread that could independently fly forth and act like a flying sword controlled by a
sword expert, and finally the thin and small demon-binding chain.

This immortal treasure was powerful in the sense that it was all-encompassing and
able to provide both offensive and defensive benefits.

At the end of the day, however, everyone would be afraid of being exhausted to death
if they weren't Golden Core Tier cultivators one or two tiers more powerful than
their opponents.

Luckily, there was Chen Ping'an to draw fire from the enemies today. Sitting there
with nothing to do, Lu Tai felt a rare sense of guilt. He had indeed been too careless
this time, failing to take into account the audacity of these people. Not only did they
dare to gather a large group of cultivators to hunt him and Chen Ping'an, but they
were even determined enough to tail them for an entire 500 kilometers.

In the battlefield to the north, the heart of the demonic cultivator was most likely
aching as he watched the continually dispersing clouds of black smoke. He turned to
the old Daoist priest and shouted, “Do you still have any Dry Well Talismans? If you
do, then hurry up and activate one! Count this one on me, and I'll find the money to
repay you later!”

The old Daoist priest hopped in anger and scolded, “I have your mom!”

Rage welled up in the demonic cultivator's heart, yet he could only forcefully
suppress this feeling and prevent it from exploding. There was ample time in the
future to settle these debts with the stinky old Daoist priest.

The old Daoist priest thought very lowly of that demonic cultivator who was neither
human nor ghost. Seemingly afraid of the 20 seconds elapsing, he subtly shook his
sleeves as if preparing something.

The two talismans trapping First and Fifteenth started to shudder more and more
violently.

There was unspeakable pain in the old Daoist priest's mind.

Just as Lu Tai speculated, he had been purposely deceiving Chen Ping'an by claiming
that his talismans could only last for another 20 seconds just then. He hoped that
Chen Ping'an would mistakenly believe he could retrieve his flying swords after 20
seconds and use them to attack his opponents.

However, the old Daoist priest was stuck in an awkward and painful situation right
now. As it turned out, the two exorbitantly expensive talismans were indeed only
able to trap the flying swords for another 20 seconds, not 40 seconds as he had
initially anticipated!

The talismans were known as Dry Well Talismans.

They specialized in subduing bonded flying swords.

In order to create one such talisman, there was a need to manufacture seven small
nails from lightning strike wood and place them in the pattern of the Big Dipper.
Afterward, this pattern needed to be embedded into a unique type of talisman paper
using some secret technique.

In addition, one also needed to collect one ounce of flying dirt that had landed after
being brought up by the tail end of a gale. Moreover, this gale needed to be the
Northwest Gale, one of the eight types of gales. The symbol illustrated on the
talisman needed to be that of a sword trapped in the center of a three-by-three grid.
The characters “cease moving” also needed to be written on the backside of the
talisman.

This would form the main component of the Dry Well Talisman. Apart from this,
however. there were still other branch components that required many steps to
complete.

The Dry Well Talisman was a high-grade secret talisman from a heretical talismanic
branch in Parasol Leaf Continent. Even though it was inferior to the so-called Sword
Scabbard Talisman and Mountain Sealing Talisman that Lu Tai had mentioned
before, it was still very powerful and not to be underestimated. Indeed, this was a
type of life-saving talisman that Middle Five Tier cultivators used against powerful
sword cultivators. As such, they were worth a huge sum of money.

Creating a Dry Well Talisman that required many types of different materials was
extremely time-consuming and even more money-consuming.

If this talisman were summoned within 30 meters of a flying sword, it could trap the
flying sword as if caging a person and completely restrict it from moving.

The grade of the talisman determined how long it could trap a flying sword.

If the person who had summoned the talisman desired to undo the restriction, they
simply needed to reverse their command, flick their sleeve, and blow some air. Upon
doing this, the flying sword trapped in the center of the nine grids would regain
freedom and be able to fly away.

Some people sharpened their swords for 10 years, and the old Daoist priest had
similarly refined his talisman for 10 years. Thus, its value and preciousness to him
couldn't be understated.

The fights on both battlefields were in full swing.

Deep in the mountain forest, there were two people observing the fights from a
distance.

They were watching the fire from the opposite shore.

One person was none other than the cultivator who had wanted to purchase the
Mutton Fat Beast and had engaged in a bidding war with Lu Tai. He was short in
stature, and his appearance was also quite unremarkable. Right now, there was a
hint of smugness on his face.

The other person was a sword practitioner wearing a red robe with a sword hanging
by his waist. He was tall and slender, and he radiated with an elegant and dignified
aura. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword as he observed the battles in the
distance, and he smiled faintly and commented, “Everyone thought you were making
a mountain out of a molehill before. Even I was no exception. However, the current
situation proves that your caution was completely justified. It's thanks to your
prudence that I'm spared so much trouble.”

The man in red was a sword practitioner at the peak stage of the sixth tier of martial
arts.

Disregarding the cultivators from the mountains, he could already be regarded as a

sword grandmaster in the cultivation world of Parasol Leaf Continent. His face was
still smooth and jade-like even though he was already over 70 years old. For the past
few decades, he had carried his sword and traveled across a dozen or so nations,
rarely coming across anyone powerful enough to challenge him.

Moreover, the sword by his waist was a peerlessly sharp immortal treasure. Because
of this, the martial artist sword practitioner dared to claim that he could wound his
opponents with a single sword strike as long as they were under the level of Golden
Core Tier earth immortals. Not only that, but he could kill his opponents with a
single sword strike as long as they were under the Dragon Gate Tier. Few cultivators
from the mountains or the cultivation world questioned this claim.

His might was recognized far and wide, and his graceful bearing was also known to
be unparalleled. Many young women adored this sword practitioner from the
cultivation world who wasn't seeking to obtain longevity. In fact, there were even
unsubstantiated rumors about him having relationships with the empress of Cloud
Foothill Nation's Zhao Clan.

As for the gallant women and celestial maidens from renowned forces in the
cultivation world, countless of them revered and respected this powerful sword
practitioner in red robes.
The short and unremarkable cultivator smiled and said, “It's a habit of mine to be so
cautious. I suffered far too many losses and experienced far too many painful
experiences during my youth, so I always keep in mind one thing—people from the
cultivation world like us need to use our full strength when we're targeting
immortals from strong clans or forces, regardless of how powerful or weak they are.
We need to kill them with a single strike. Otherwise, we can only achieve a pyrrhic
victory if we're lucky enough to win. We won't make a big profit.”

The sword practitioner in red smiled and replied, “Ma Wanfa, we already agreed that
I would only watch over the situation for you and prevent any accidents from
occurring. That sword owned by the young boy in white already belongs to me. Now
that an unforeseen circumstance has appeared, it seems like I genuinely need to go
over to kill the enemies. Since that's the case….”

Ma Wanfa nodded and said, “I can't give you the Sword Nurturing Gourd, but it's not
like you're a sword cultivator anyway. However, there's at least one pocket treasure
between those two young cultivators, and I'll naturally need to retrieve its contents
to share with everyone. However, I can give you the pocket treasure. What do you
say?”

“Absolutely brilliant,” the sword practitioner in red replied with a smile.

Ma Wanfa hesitated for a moment before adding, “Even though the outcome is
already set in stone, we still need to be cautious when fighting against our enemies.
The young boy in white is most likely out of tricks already. However, that feminine-
looking young man might still be able to put up a fight. Maybe you should deal with
him first? That way, the young boy won't be able to make a ripple either.”

The sword practitioner in red shook his head and replied, “That young man on the
tree has a defensive immortal treasure on his arm as well as a flying sword flying
around in a hidden manner, so it's very difficult for me to launch a sneak attack on
him and kill him in a single strike. On the other hand, I can kill that young boy in
white in a single strike.

“At that time, the young man who's even more delicate than women will definitely
become flustered upon realizing that his companion is dead. When that moment
comes, it matters little whether I go over to kill him or you personally join the battle
and kill him.”
Ma Wanfa thought about this for a moment before nodding and replying, “That
sounds like a good plan.”

He then chuckled, “The two Dry Well Talismans summoned by the old Daoist priest
are almost about to fail, so when are you going to act?”

“Right now!”

The sword practitioner in red had already disappeared into the distance, yet his
voice still lingered in his original position.

The twigs where he had stood before didn't move a single bit.

This was a reflection of the agile nature and profound martial arts skills of this
grandmaster from the cultivation world.

On the battlefield to the south, Chen Ping'an was still engaged in a battle of attrition
with the burly man who had successfully summoned a deity. The burly man now had
the help of two others, so it appeared as if the chaotic battle was going to continue
for a very long time.

A ray of red shot down from the sky as quickly as lightning, instantly tearing apart
the battlefield and filling heaven and earth with murderous sword qi.

A sword left its scabbard and pierced at the heart of the young boy in white.

The sword unsurprisingly struck its target.

The corners of the sword practitioner's lips curled up into a slight smile. This was
interesting yet uninteresting as always.

He had slain another so-called cultivation prodigy.

In the next moment, however, the sword practitioner in red was just about to shoot
back in retreat. Not only that, but he was even planning to abandon his sword, a
precious immortal treasure.

This was because staying alive was the most important.

Everyone on the battlefield had their eyes bulging and their mouths agape with
shock. The grandmaster sword practitioner had been far too imposing when
charging over just then, so everyone had stopped their movements lest they
accidentally interfere and ruin the sword practitioner's plans.

They didn't want the sword practitioner to casually turn around and stab them to
death after killing the young boy in white with a single slash. They didn't want to
become collateral damage, as the sword practitioner would surely put it.

Moreover, one less person would mean extra spoils for everyone else, so which of the
surviving bandits wouldn't be happy about this?

However, what happened next was an unforgettable memory that would be seared
into their minds forever.

After the young boy in white was stabbed in the heart by the sword practitioner in
red….

Dazzling ripples spread from the point where the sword had struck, causing the
snow-white robe to reveal its true appearance.

It was a golden robe!

It was as if there were countless flood dragons hidden among the golden sea of
clouds drifting across the robe.

Chen Ping'an didn't purposely suppress the might of this Dao robe, an immortal relic
of a foreign immortal, anymore. He no longer revealed weaknesses and gaps in his
defense on purpose. He didn't seek to become wounded to make himself appear
bloody.

Thus, the sword practitioner's attack was completely unable to pierce through the
golden robe.

Lu Tai hadn't said anything.

However, Chen Ping'an had been waiting for this moment the entire time.

He had been waiting for the mighty figures in the background to step forward and
launch the decisive blow.
Chen Ping'an wouldn't lose anything if they didn't step forward.

However, he would reap huge rewards if they decided to step forward.

Having traveled all the way here, from the first time he had left Jewel Small World to
accompany the children to the academy in Great Sui Nation, to the second time he
had left his hometown to deliver a sword to Stalactite Mountain, and finally to his
journey right now….

Chen Ping'an had remained extremely cautious the entire time, seeking the ideal of
“not doing wrong” day after day. And now, Chen Ping'an's caution was finally
bringing him rewards.

At this instant….

The sword practitioner in red had only just let go of his sword, yet the young boy
before him was striding forward without a care in the world even though there was a
sword attempting to pierce through his chest. The young boy reached back and
unsheathed his sword.

He beheaded the sword practitioner with a single slash.

Even Lu Tai was stunned by what he saw. He then looked around and smiled
beautifully at the terrified bandits, remarking, “Ah, you people…. Traveling a
thousand li to offer your heads, it's the thought rather than the gift that really
counts.”[1]

Chen Ping'an slid Lasting Qi back inside its scabbard. After walking several steps
forward, he stood still before reaching down with his other hand to lightly grab the
hilt of his fallen foe's sword.

He was holding this sword backward.

He appeared a little bit carefree and graceful at this moment.

1. This is a play on the saying, “Travel a thousand li to bestow a goose feather, a small
gift may be a token of profound friendship.” It refers to a trivial present with deep
feelings behind it. ☜
A subtle wisp of golden light flashed and vanished from the waist of the sword
practitioner's headless corpse.

Meanwhile, a bead of slowly condensing blood formed on the glabella of the head
that had tumbled somewhere else.

Chen Ping'an turned around to look at Lu Tai who was standing on a branch at the
top of the tree. Lu Tai raised an eyebrow and extended a finger, gently twirling it in
the air and causing a single golden thread to slowly circle around his finger. Chen
Ping'an wouldn't have seen this if it weren't for his extremely powerful eyesight.

After Chen Ping'an's golden Dao robe, Golden Sweet Wine, was exposed, the small
tear in the shoulder region caused by the sword expert's sword ray had already
repaired itself and become flawless again.

This was an immortal relic from an Upper Five Tier immortal that the elderly golden
flood dragon at the Nascent Tier had always worn, so it naturally wasn't the same as
ordinary Dao robes. Even Ink Bamboo Forest, the Dao robe owned by the guest elder
from Jade Tablet Sect who had traveled on Osmanthus Island, was much inferior to
Golden Sweet Wine.

This Dao robe was like a stunning beauty that allowed other people to catch a
fleeting glimpse of her appearance, yet quickly returned behind the screens to hide
her breathtaking charm once more. And thus, the golden Dao robe on Chen Ping'an
transformed back into an ordinary white robe.

The two Dry Well Talismans exploded in midair.

First and Fifteenth broke free, no longer caged by the old Daoist priest's precious
talismans.

Chen Ping'an could clearly sense the seething rage of First. This was only natural, as
even Fifteenth, an ordinarily docile sword, was expressing its bubbling anger
through their mental connection.

Chen Ping'an had no option but to silently say in his mind, “Don't be in such a hurry;
perhaps our enemies still have hidden trump cards.”

First wantonly flew through the sky, leaving lingering flashes of dazzling white
sword light in its wake. This was a frightening sight.

Fifteenth was clearly a little sulky as well, and the dark green flying sword slowly
flew around Chen Ping'an in a puzzled manner.

First and Fifteenth were naturally top-notch bonded flying swords.

However, they weren't bonded to Chen Ping'an in any way.

The relationship between them wasn't a ruler and subject or master and servant
relationship. Rather, it was as if Chen Ping'an were looking after two little children
who had only just developed the ability to think. It was just that one was short-
tempered while one was docile.

However, Chen Ping'an felt like this was quite good.

There was a heavy yet strange atmosphere weighing over the mountain forest.

As the backbone of the group of bandits, the sword practitioner in red had already
been killed in a swift and brutal way. If it weren't for his domineering appearance as
a ray of red, and if his attack on the young boy hadn't been so astonishingly elegant
and intense, it was very likely that everyone would have started to suspect that the
sword practitioner was nothing more than a liar from the cultivation world who
deceived others to gain fame.

The snow-white eyes of the burly man who had summoned a deity gradually faded in
color and returned to normal.

The burly man had been the most imposing person on the battlefield just then, yet
his lips were trembling and his face was deathly white at this moment. He appeared
quite pitiful as he debated whether he should say something.

He glanced at his two iron whips in the distance, yet he only dared to remain
unmoving in the same spot. He didn't dare to wander over to pick them up, afraid
that a flying sword would pierce through his heart in the very next moment.

There was a dark and cloudy look in the eyes of the middle-aged sword expert, with
thoughts of retreat already budding in his mind.

His arms were hanging naturally by his side, and the peculiar phenomenon of azure
light no longer decorated his large black sleeves.

Only the small willow-like sword that used his jade hairpin as a scabbard remained
hovering above his shoulder like a most loyal guard dog protecting its owner.

Initially viewed as a hunting game not too dissimilar to an autumn outing, the trip of
the bandits had now transformed into a pitiful tragedy.

Looking at the two cultivators from foreign lands, however, the combat power of the
young boy was unaffected, while the beautiful young man on the tree was completely
unscathed.

At this moment, a sense of fear toward immortal clans and forces from the
mountains spontaneously arose in the minds of these vagrant cultivators who
enjoyed renown and power in their respective regions. This sense of fear then
spread and grew into terror, eventually enveloping their entire minds.

The old formation cultivator had an ashen expression. His Mountain-moving

Formation was almost complete, yet that bastard sword expert had ruined
everything in an instant.

He had gone for wool and come back shorn—his two prized disciples had been
brutally killed. Even though the two unfortunate children weren't astonishingly
talented, they were clever and obedient and were a joy to order around.

The old formation cultivator retrieved the precious beads that he had previously put
back inside his sleeves, setting up many small formations that linked together to
form a large defensive formation.

He was ready to defend himself.

The Qi refiner who practiced wood-element techniques remained silent the entire
time.
He belonged to a category of Qi refiners who were skilled in both offense and
defense, so apart from being able to move mountains and trees, raise flower demons
and insects, and manipulate plant and wood spirits like soldiers on the battlefield, he
was also adept at treating wounds and providing antidotes to poison. This type of
cultivator was often unable to determine the outcome of a battle with their combat
power, yet they were still greatly welcomed by everyone else.

If a person could pick three travel companions, they would naturally pick a sword
cultivator who possessed the greatest destructive power as well as a Militarian
cultivator who was close to unkillable. In terms of the last slot, they would either
pick an Agrarian pharmacist, a Daoist priest from the alchemical branch, or a Qi
refiner who practiced wood-element techniques. It could be said that this was the
optimal group for cultivators traveling around the world.

Standing in the mountain forest, no one was willing to speak first.

Each person had their own hidden intentions.

Chen Ping'an looked down at the sword of the deceased sword practitioner that he
was currently holding backward.

The blade of the sword was like a clear autumn pond, with its surface rippling after
catching the scattered rays of sunshine that were peeking through the foliage.

This was definitely a good sword.

However, Chen Ping'an was unsure of how much it was worth.

The demonic cultivator was the only person who dared to make a move at this
moment. His movements were sneaky, and he shifted a hand behind his back to
retrieve a silver-white porcelain bottle. The bottle was a foot tall, with its opening
small and its body large. Twisted faces continued to swim across the surface of the
bottle, making it appear like a cruel prison that jailed people's souls.

The demonic cultivator silently recited a mantra and was just about to use the spirit
tool in his hand to collect the deceased sword practitioner's soul. This was a one-in-
1000-year opportunity, and his strength would rise explosively once he successfully
captured the sword practitioner's soul.

The soul of a martial arts grandmaster at the peak stage of the sixth tier was
extremely powerful, and it could perhaps return to the sixth tier once it was
successfully refined into a yin soldier, properly nurtured, and raised near unmarked
burial grounds and ancient battlefields where it could continually absorb murderous
yin aura. In fact, it could potentially be tempered into a seventh tier yin entity.

At that time, would he still need to bow down to others?

No, he wouldn't. In fact, the rulers of those small nations might even need to act
according to his whims.

Lu Tai immediately saw through the demonic cultivator's little tricks. “You dare to
steal something under my nose?!” he fumed.

Needle Tip, the bonded flying sword that was actually gigantic in size, stabbed
straight down from above the demonic cultivator's head.

The demonic cultivator hurriedly turned around and fled. At the same time, he put
away his family heirloom, the silver-white porcelain bottle, as he was left with no
option but to abandon his act of collecting the sword practitioner's soul.

While doing this, he used the yin entities from his black clay pot to defend against
the relentless attacks from that terrifying flying sword. Regardless of how the
demonic cultivator leaped and turned, however, Needle Tip still remained hot on his
tail the entire time.

During this hunting session, if Ma Wanfa had participated in the battle, if the old
formation cultivator had successfully completed the Mountain-moving Formation, if
the sword practitioner in red hadn't been brutally killed, and if everyone had united
together and worked toward a single goal, then the group of bandits would have
been more than powerful enough to even deal with a Golden Core Tier cultivator. If
they weren't afraid of death, then they could have perhaps even rivaled two Golden
Core Tier cultivators.

However, there weren't so many ifs in the world.

Taking a step back, this was a group of bandits that had come together due to the
lure of riches. If they enjoyed an advantage, then everyone would naturally be as
ferocious as a tiger. If they fell to a disadvantage, however, then they would become
divided and weak.
Delight suddenly spread across the face of the burly man who was already at his
limits. He looked at the others and announced loudly, “My master said that he'll
arrive very soon and will personally deal with those two people! Everyone, apart
from Dou Zizhi's sword, Deep Infatuation, everything else including his belongings
and the pocket treasure that was previously promised to him will be taken out to
share with everyone!”

The burly man was essentially shouting at the top of his lungs as he continued in an
impassioned manner, “Risk and reward come hand in hand. Are we going to scuttle
back into our mouse holes, or are we going to elevate our standings to rival
immortals from the mountains? This is the critical moment!”

There was brimming killing intent on the middle-aged sword expert's ice-cold face,
and he concurred in a solemn voice, “I agree. These two brats deserve to die!”

With a flick of his wrist, azure glows returned to his billowing sleeves, ready to
unleash deadly attacks at any moment.

The old formation cultivator smiled and said, “The Mountain-moving Formation is
almost complete and able to join the battle. I just need everyone to buy me a bit
more time, at most seven to eight minutes!”

The disheveled demonic cultivator who was being relentlessly pursued by Lu Tai's
flying sword also chimed in, shouting, “Count me in as well! However, let me say this
first. Apart from redistributing the spoils, I also need to obtain Old Dou's soul. Don't
fight me for this!”

The wood-element Qi refiner nodded in affirmation to the burly man's request, still
remaining silent and expressionless.

The burly man threw his head back and roared with laughter. He then extended his
arms and made a grabbing motion, summoning the two iron whips back to his
hands. After catching them, he led the charge and strode toward Chen Ping'an.

Just then, his master had indeed delivered a secret message to him, saying that he
would personally hurry over to kill the two wealthy cultivators.

At almost the same moment, the middle-aged sword expert waved his large sleeves
before turning around and bounding away as nimble and quick as a bird.
Meanwhile, the old formation cultivator immediately activated a Land-shortening
Talisman. In fact, he activated more than one, with each one that he activated
teleporting him more than 30 meters away. In just a few seconds, he had almost
vanished completely, with his figure disappearing into the depths of the forest.

Elsewhere, the wood-element Qi refiner tapped his feet and lunged backward. He
clearly crashed into a tree, yet his body instantly vanished without a trace.

Only the demonic cultivator was still rushing toward Chen Ping'an.

The burly man was utterly stupefied. He cursed in his mind, and he no longer dared
to charge forward to seek death.

His remaining strength was already insufficient to deal with the young boy in white.

The burly man's call to action just then had merely been an excuse to take advantage
of the other's strength.

Chen Ping'an was also astonished by what he saw. However, he quickly came to a
realization that this was only natural.

He had learned something new again.

Lu Tai took a deep breath before saying to Chen Ping'an, “The main culprit behind all
of this ran away just then, so I'm going to leave and pursue him now. You should be
able to deal with the situation here. I'll look for you after I'm done.”

Lu Tai put away his deceptively named flying sword, Needle Tip.

Right now, there were images of imminently blooming golden-purple lotus flowers
on both his wrists and his ankles.

“Bloom,” Lu Tai said softly.

Four life-like golden-purple lotus flowers instantly reached full bloom.

Lu Tai gritted his teeth and leaped high up, reaching midair where he rode on the
wind.

He leaned forward and squinted as he peered into the distance. His large sleeves
swelled and billowed, and his sideburns also fluttered chaotically in the wind.

After looking left and right for a while, he eventually locked onto a direction and
disappeared in a flash.

The demonic cultivator gulped upon seeing this. With one hand holding the clay pot
that was filled with yin souls, he raised his other hand in a Buddhist prayer and said
with an obsequious smile, “Young Sword Immortal, I sincerely apologize for
offending you this time. The next time we come across each other, I'll make sure to
retreat to avoid further conflict with you. If you want to instruct me to complete
some small matters, I'll definitely be more than willing to comply.”

While saying this, the demonic cultivator continued to observe the expression and
gaze of the young boy in white. At the same time, he resolutely shot back in retreat.

The demonic cultivator was indeed a decisive person, and he resolutely crushed his
black clay pot before fleeing into the distance. Black smoke instantly permeated the
surroundings.

He was like a gecko sacrificing its tail.

A wisp of thin golden light aggressively swam through the rolling black smoke and
gloomy mist that was as viscous as ink. However, the golden light was rapidly fading
at a rate that was visible to the naked eye.

Chen Ping'an still needed some time to comprehensively clear up filthy black smoke.

He frowned and sprinted forward before leaping onto the crown of a tall tree.

An elusive figure that had transformed into faint gray smoke was rapidly cutting
through the mountain forest and fleeing into the distance.

First had already flown off by itself and started to give chase.

A thought appeared in Chen Ping'an's mind, after which Fifteenth also shot off
behind First.

Chen Ping'an drifted back down to the ground. Before landing, he flicked his wrist
and rotated the sword practitioner Dou Zizhi's immortal sword in his hand, holding
it in a normal position.
Chen Ping'an still felt like this sword was too light, even though it was already much
heavier than the locust wood sword.

The burly man looked up in the direction where Lu Tai had vanished just then. In the
end, he looked down at the iron whips in his hand with a pitiful smile.

He knew that he faced certain death today.

Resentment, disappointment, fury…. All of these emotions surfaced in his mind

before gradually fading away again.

He had lived a vexating and suffocating life, so he at least had to die a brave and
heroic death.

The burly man aggressively threw his iron whips to the ground and started to
summon a deity for the third time. He stomped his feet heavily and loudly clapped
his palms together. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was deathly pale as he
laughed heartily and roared, “Do you dare to wait for a moment? Do you dare to have
a hearty battle with me?!”

Chen Ping'an casually launched the sword, Deep Infatuation, from his hand.

The sword pierced through the burly man's heart and continued to fly forward.

Deep Infatuation eventually sunk into the trunk of a large tree.

When the sword successfully ran through the burly man's heart, Chen Ping'an clearly
saw a red glow flow through the blade of the sword, disappearing as quickly as it had
appeared. The sword was like a starving man who had enjoyed a hearty meal.

Chen Ping'an decided that he would find some ferry station or shop in the mountains
to sell this sword.

The wisp of brilliant golden light was still tirelessly dissolving the black smoke.

This was as expected of a high-grade immortal treasure forged from the dragon
whiskers of the elderly golden flood dragon.

Just two dragon whiskers were already so powerful, so just how peerlessly mighty
was that fly-whisk in the hands of the Flood Dragon True Lord, that old Daoist priest
from Stalactite Mountain?

Chen Ping'an pushed these thoughts out of his mind before hesitating for a moment
and walking over to retrieve the sword, Deep infatuation. Afterward, he picked up a
branch that was as thick as his arm and sharpened it using the sword. He then
silently dug several large pits, placing the corpses of the sword practitioner in red,
the burly man, and the two disciples of the formation cultivator inside. In the end, he
filled the pits with dirt and tried his best to conceal all traces, lest other people
coincidentally pass by and immediately notice something amiss.

Chen Ping'an sat on a branch that was very high up and patiently waited for First,
Fifteenth, and Lu Tai to return.

Having carved a new scabbard for Deep Infatuation, he casually placed the sword
horizontally across his knees.

The black smoke that was brimming with yin souls continued to retreat as it
furiously battled against the wisp of golden light. Even though it was non-sentient,
its innate fear of destruction still pushed it to fight with all its might. This was the
case even though the yin entities in the black smoke were already dead.

A large cloud of churning black smoke instantly rose from the ground and attempted
to flee elsewhere. It would find some other land to wreak havoc in.

At this moment, it suddenly recalled that there was a castle in the distance.

Those in the cultivation world who were unfamiliar with immortal techniques would
perhaps be killed by this wanton demonic cultivator.

Chen Ping'an grabbed the sword on his knees and stood up. After looking around
and confirming that there were no dangers, he funneled the true intent of his soul
into his Dao robe, Golden Sweet Wine. A seemingly intangible Dao Manifestation that
measured over 30 meters tall instantly materialized nearby. Its appearance was
blurry, and it shone with a golden glow as it stood tall between heaven and earth.

The Dao Manifestation appeared directly on the path of the cloud of black smoke,
and it easily absorbed the yin souls into its large sleeve with a quick sweep of its
arm. The yin souls crackled as if falling into a pool of lightning, and it wasn't long
before they completely vanished without a trace.
Chen Ping'an sat back down, with his face as pale as a sheet and his head feeling as if
it were about to split apart.

Revealing Golden Sweet Wine without holding back had cost him one entire breath
of True Qi. Moreover, it was seemingly very difficult to maintain this state for too
long.

If he were engaged in a life-and-death battle with others, it was best that he didn't
use the full power of his Dao robe carelessly unless it was absolutely necessary. After
all, recklessly using this power would be equivalent to handing his head over on a
silver platter if his opponents possessed unexpectedly powerful defensive abilities.

Truth be told, the feeling of venturing out with his soul and traveling around the
world was an extremely mystical one.

It was as if he were standing high and peering down at the world.

Chen Ping'an extended his fingers and gently rubbed the hem of his Dao robe. It was
silky smooth and cool to the touch. After battling against the bandits, and largely due
to his alertness and caution the entire time, Chen Ping'an had almost exhausted all of
his mental energy. As such, he couldn't help but feel a little sleepy at this moment. He
leaned against the trunk of the large tree and closed his eyes to rest.

Several minutes passed, and Chen Ping'an was finally able to calm his mind and
regulate his breathing.

There was a golden rope bracelet on Chen Ping'an's wrist, one which was formed
from successfully forging the demon-binding chain.

It wasn't long before a brilliant ray of white and dark green returned from the
distance. Like gusting wind and crackling lightning, the tails of the two flying swords
dragged for dozens of meters even though they were incredibly slender and small.
Thus, they were still very eye-catching as they flew over and returned inside the
Sword Nurturing Gourd.

Chen Ping'an could sense their feelings as they settled down inside the Sword
Nurturing Gourd.

They had most likely killed their targets without any hiccups.
Chen Ping'an finally felt at ease.

This was the first time First and Fifteenth had ventured so far away from him.

However, this also allowed Chen Ping'an to reach a conclusion. Perhaps the combat
power of these vagrant cultivators couldn't rival that of immortal disciples from the
mountains, but their ability to flee for their lives was genuinely top-notch.

Was he not the same?

Since there was nothing else to worry about, Chen Ping'an started to practice
standing meditation in a seated position.

Carrying the sword on his back was cultivation, and wearing his Dao robe was also
cultivation.

To Qi refiners, a Dao robe that had once accompanied a powerful immortal for
hundreds upon thousands of years was essentially the same as a mini blessed land. It
could help gather spiritual energy for its owner.

To a pure martial artist, however, such a Dao robe was naturally a rare and powerful
defensive asset as well. Even so, there were still some niggling issues. That was, pure
martial artists needed to resist the spiritual energy that continually funneled toward
the Dao robe.

After all, setting foot on the path of pure martial arts meant resolutely dispersing all
of the spiritual qi in one's acupoints right from the very beginning. Only by doing so
could one become pure and thus enter the path of Martial Dao.

Due to the brimming spiritual energy in Stalactite Mountain, it had been quite
challenging for Chen Ping'an to resist them from entering his body. After leaving the
Treasure Swallowing Whale and entering the mountains, however, things had
become much more relaxed and easy. This was because there existed far less
spiritual energy in ordinary mountains and rivers. In fact, there was so little spiritual
energy that it could almost be ignored.

Chen Ping'an waited for almost two hours before Lu Tai swaggered over from the
mountain forest. He was covered in dirt as he hurried toward Chen Ping'an, yet there
was fortunately no trace of blood on his body.
Moreover, he looked like someone who had reaped bountiful rewards.

Lu Tai casually retrieved the many formation flags that the old formation cultivator
had abandoned as he walked toward the large tree that Chen Ping'an was sitting in,
placing them inside his sleeves. At the same time, he looked up at the young boy and
asked, “You sure have the heart of a Bodhisattva, don't you? Why didn't you leave
their corpses there to be punished by the scorching sun, mauled by the mountain
beasts, and pecked by the hunting birds? That's the ending they should deserve. Why
take pity on these evildoers?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, “I'm not taking pity on them. I simply care
about the principle of death being an important matter and the deceased needing a
burial such that they can rest in peace.”

Lu Tai shook his head, not bothering to think about this matter anymore. However,
he suddenly turned around and ran to the non-existent grave mound with the
strongest stench of blood. After asking Chen Ping'an for the approximate locations of
where the corpses were buried, Lu Tai vowed that he would add some new dirt to
their graves later.

Without waiting for Chen Ping'an to agree, Lu Tai had already launched a palm strike
and caused twigs and dirt to fly into the air. He then giddily ran over and started to
rummage over the corpses. In fact, he didn't even spare the corpses of the old
formation cultivator's two disciples. This was extremely difficult to imagine. A
beautiful young man who was so fond of wearing perfume and makeup was actually
digging up graves and rummaging through corpses without any burden in his mind?

It was inevitable that Lu Tai's body became stained with blood and dirt. However, it
wasn't long before he was completely cleaned and refreshed thanks to the help of the
five-colored rope tied around his arm. Immortal treasures were indeed mystical and
unfathomable.

Lu Tai continued to mumble to himself as he patted down the corpses, complaining,

“You're a grandmaster from the cultivation world, yet you're actually so poor! Here,
take a look at this. This is Ma Wanfa's pocket treasure, and it's filled with mountains
of gold and silver. But what about you? You should be so ashamed of yourself that
you come back to life before dying again.

“Ah…. I'm not scolding you or anything, but you're genuinely very poor compared to
your master. Only this stack of money is able to solve one of my urgent needs. After
all, trying to gift people snowflake coins outside the mountains will only invite the
shopkeepers to beat me….

“Remember to find yourselves a better master when you reincarnate, you poor
mandarin ducks.[1] You shouldn't follow this kind of master even if they're slightly
more powerful.”

Chen Ping'an didn't disturb Lu Tai as he busily ran around.

However, he felt like the handsome young man was extremely unfamiliar at this
moment.

In the end, Lu Tai reburied the corpses and clapped his hands, a satisfied smile on his
face as he looked at the even ground.

“The main culprit hiding behind the scenes is already dead. Everything is fine now!”
he announced.

Lu Tai walked back to the tall tree where Chen Ping'an was sitting. However, he
refused to leap up no matter what, and he instead looked up and beckoned the
young boy to come down, exclaiming, “It's time to share the spoils!”

1. In traditional Chinese culture, mandarin ducks are believed to be lifelong couples,

unlike other species of ducks. Hence they are regarded as a symbol of conjugal
affection and fidelity. ☜
“Did you already perform a divination before and obtain an answer regarding today's
incident?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Lu Tai raised his hand and faltered for a moment before continuing to smooth out
the hair by his sideburns. There was a soft expression in his eyes, and his hands also
moved in a seductive manner as he chuckled, “I'm performing divinations every
single day. This is a daily task that Naturalist disciples are required to complete.
Otherwise, I would have told you to flee right from the very beginning. However, I
can't reveal these kinds of secrets to you. Revealing them will render them
ineffective.”

Chen Ping'an looked at Lu Tai for a moment before saying, “Don't let this happen
again.”

Lu Tai pursed his lips in disapproval and replied, “What's wrong with going with the
flow? Refusing to seize such good opportunities will invite divine punishment from
the heavens.”

After saying this, Lu Tai flicked his wrist and caused a green ritual baton to appear in
his palm. “This is Ma Wanfa's pocket treasure that holds all of his belongings and
treasures. He's accumulated quite some wealth compared to that sword practitioner,
Dou Zizhi. He was only a Dragon Gate Tier cultivator, yet he was already able to
possess a pocket treasure. However, this isn't the most impressive thing about him.
Do you know what the most impressive thing about him is?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head.

Lu Tai chuckled and replied, “Ma Wanfa was a so-called silkworm farmer, a very rare
type of cultivator who's skilled at reeling silk from cocoons. It was because of this
that he coveted our treasures so much, going as far as to gather all those cultivators
to hunt us. Ma Wanfa was confident that he could extract our pocket treasures after
killing us.

“However, he most likely didn't imagine that both of us were so-called sword
immortals in the beginning. Trying to obtain my two bonded flying swords is nothing
more than a foolish dream. However, it's a different story for you, so if your Sword
Nurturing Gourd was stolen….”

Chen Ping'an remained silent.

He was roughly aware of the concept of bonded items and immortal treasures being
refined into the void because he had obtained Golden Sweet Wine and refined the
demon-binding chain in Stalactite Mountain. Bonded items such as the bonded flying
swords of sword cultivators would vanish into nothingness once their owner was
killed. Even immortals would find it extremely difficult to prevent this from
happening.

However, it was a different matter for items that were refined in a normal manner
and secretly hidden inside one's acupoints. After a cultivator was killed, there was a
certain chance that these items would remain in their lingering soul instead of
dispersing straight away.

If an item were extremely high-grade, however, there was even a chance that it might
jump back into the world even if the soul of its owner were completely destroyed.
There were many mystical realms formed from shattered blessed lands in the world,
and after the immortal clans were forced to open them, it was because of this exact
reason that people would frequently find high-grade immortal treasures near the
tombs and corpses of deceased immortals.

When it came to Qi refiners, it was destined that they would only possess a very
small number of bonded items, if they possessed any at all. They would possess
slightly more refined items, but still few enough to count on two hands.

After all, the higher the grade of a spirit tool or immortal treasure, the more difficult
it would be to refine. The amount of time, effort, and extremely rare treasures
required was enough to dissuade the large majority of cultivators under the rank of
earth immortal.

There was also the example of that immortal sword from Mount Longhu's Heavenly
Master Residence. Even though its owner was a profoundly powerful Great Heavenly
Master, they were still unable to refine the immortal sword and transform it into
their bonded immortal sword.

It was the same situation with the Daoist second disciple and his immortal sword.

There were many sword immortals in the nine continents, and there were naturally
many immortal swords as well. In terms of genuine immortal swords, however, there
were only four in all of the worlds.

Only four….

This had already been the case for tens of thousands of years.

It was because of this that Wind Snow Temple's Ruan Qiong had vowed to forge a
brand new immortal sword, one without precedent and without rival in the future.

Otherwise, just how pathetic and boring would it be if the current generation was
inferior to previous generations in every facet?

Moreover, why were powerful Militarian cultivators widely regarded as walking

arsenals?

This was due to the fact that they were capable of refining more immortal treasures.

Just imagine this. After using some secret technique to transform themself into a
being with three heads and six arms, a Militarian cultivator then held a divine
weapon in each hand and protected themself with a high-grade Divine Dewbearing
Armor. Add to that their innately powerful physique, who would still dare to rival
them?

Militarian cultivators were famous for being unkillable, yet they were even more
renowned for being able to kill others with ease.

Lu Tai was in a delightful mood, so he gave Chen Ping'an a detailed explanation

about so-called silkworm farmers. “Pocket treasures are relatively unique and
slightly different from bonded items and refined items. Unlike immortal tools and
flying swords, pocket treasures are more similar to small worlds that can't be
destroyed immediately.

“Moreover, it's incredibly difficult to refine pocket treasures into bonded items. As a
result, there exists profound knowledge regarding how to extract pocket treasures
from the bodies of Qi refiners. Successfully extracting a pocket treasure will bring
one explosive wealth that's enough to last them years.

“There's a specific type of person from the mountains called silkworm farmers, and
these people possess clan-inherited or force-inherited secret techniques that allow
them to extract pocket treasures from the souls of Qi refiners.”

Lu Tai clicked his tongue in wonder and continued, “Ma Wanfa would have become
filthy rich if he managed to kill us. With your Sword Nurturing Gourd and my pocket
treasure, perhaps he could have used this immense wealth to forcefully advance to
the level of terrestrial immortal.”

Lu Tai suddenly narrowed his eyes and asked with a smile, “You're not going to ask
how I killed that Dragon Gate Tier cultivator?”

Chen Ping'an retreated a single step before summoning First and Fifteenth from his
Sword Nurturing Gourd. His flying swords hovered to his left and right, guarding him
against danger.

“How did you see through me?” Lu Tai asked in curiosity.

Chen Ping'an expressionlessly pointed at his arm.

There was no five-colored rope tied around Lu Tai's arm.

Moreover, Chen Ping'an had a nagging feeling that something was off about Lu Tai
even though he was purposely acting in a feminine manner. Things just didn't seem
as natural as usual.

Not only that, but why had Lu Tai insisted on explaining Ma Wanfa's identity as a
silkworm farmer? It was as if he were purposely trying to conceal something.

However, Lu Tai's reply to Chen Ping'an's initial question about divination had been
absolutely flawless. This was what made the situation so strange. Perhaps Ma Wanfa
was also a demonic cultivator? Not only was he skilled in illusion techniques, but he
was also adept at capturing and interrogating souls?

Lu Tai's expression was initially dark and cold, yet it eventually transformed into one
of suppressed laughter. In the end, he couldn't help but clutch his stomach and roar
with laughter. He pointed at Chen Ping'an and laughed, “If it were anyone else, my act
of purposely putting away the five-colored rope, feigning awkwardness, and
revealing a slight hint of killing intent would have been completely useless. I may as
well have been making eyes to a blind person.

“However, it was just right for you, Chen Ping'an. Alright, alright, I know you were
wounded by Dou Zizhi's strike to your heart, so hurry up and spit out the blood stuck
in your throat. Otherwise, you'll end up suffering side effects if you keep it there for
too long.”

Seeing that Chen Ping'an was still completely unwilling to believe him, Lu Tai
laughed so hard that he was almost on the verge of tears. “Needle Tip, Wheat Awn,
show yourselves,” he said softly.

A gigantic flying sword materialized in the air, and beside it was a slender and
golden-yellow flying sword.

Chen Ping'an breathed a huge sigh of relief. After confirming Lu Tai's identity, he
hurriedly turned around and spit out a mouthful of blood. He then glowered at Lu Tai
and roared, “Lu Tai!”

Lu Tai snapped his fingers, after which Needle Tip and Wheat Awn returned to their
respective resting grounds in his acupoints.

Meanwhile, the folding bamboo fan appeared in Lu Tia's hand again, gently rocking
back and forth as he smiled happily and said, “Who told you to spare those small
fries….?”

Chen Ping'an was so angry that he wanted to kick Lu Tai again.

However, Lu Tai suddenly bent over and cupped his mouth, with blood seeping out
from between his fingers.

Pursuing a sly old cultivator at the Dragon Gate Tier who possessed a pocket
treasure wasn't too difficult. However, going so far as to kill them would potentially
require one to possess combat power that rivaled Golden Core Tier cultivators.

As such, Lu Tai had definitely paid a significant price to kill Ma Wanfa.

Chen Ping'an pinched a corner of Golden Sweet Wine with two fingers before
tugging slightly and surprisingly peeling the entire Dao robe from his body. He lightly
tossed it toward the trembling Lu Tai and said with a frown, “Try to wear this. I've
already removed the restrictions on the robe.”

Lu Tai caught the golden Dao robe, and he seemingly didn't do anything before
Golden Sweet Wine instantly appeared on his body.

He plonked to the ground and took a deep breath. After crossing his legs, he raised a
finger and vigorously wiped the blood from his lips, cursing as he did so. Even in
such a state, Lu Tai still didn't appear crude in any way. “I wouldn't have been so
disheveled if I didn't swallow those alchemical pills and elixirs like buns and teas in
order to stay at the peak of my powers the entire time. If we split Ma Wanfa's
belongings in half, then you'll make a killing while I'll suffer a huge loss.”

Chen Ping'an squatted down beside Lu Tai and casually stabbed Deep Infatuation
into the ground, huffing and replying, “Dou Zizhi's sword belongs to me. However,
everything else can belong to you.”

Lu Tai's eyes widened in astonishment, and he scolded in anger, “This sword is the
most valuable treasure, okay? It's a sword that even martial arts grandmasters at the
Spirit Refining Tiers can use! Dou Zizhi definitely parted with a significant amount of
his wealth in order to obtain this immortal treasure back then. Perhaps he even
parted with all of his wealth, and that's why he agreed to help Ma Wanfa rob us this
time.”

Chen Ping'an grinned and replied, “I don't care about all of this.”

Lu Tai's aura stabilized significantly after he put on Golden Sweet Wine, and he said,
“Alright, let's review the battle now.

“The formation being set up by the old formation cultivator was called the Mountain-
Moving Formation. It can cause the souls of those inside the formation to falter and
slow down as if they're trying to move a mountain. This formation is extremely
effective against Qi refiners under the Golden Core Tier. The small formation flags
that he used aren't very high-grade, but the large number of them means that they're
still worth some money.

“When I was returning, I coincidentally came across that unlucky old formation
master. He was almost sliced into two by Needle Tip, and he was so terrified that he
immediately dropped to his knees and begged for his life. There was snot and tears
all over his face.

“I asked him to hand over all of his treasures, but the old man was naturally
unwilling to do so. In the end, he put up one final struggle and fought to the death
with me. I had no option but to end his life. Afterward, I also examined the old man's
soul to determine whether he was hiding any pocket treasure or refined immortal
treasure. This caused my injuries to become even more severe.

“However, it's a pity that I only managed to obtain this book, Silk Fish Talismans. As it
turns out, the talismans used to trap your two flying swords were the essence of this
talismanic text, the Dry Well Talisman. This talisman belongs to a lower grade than
the Sword Scabbard Talisman and Mountain Sealing Talisman that I mentioned
before, but it is quite an interesting talisman in its own right. Bringing this book back
to my clan and placing it in the scripture library will also be a meritorious act for me.

“If you had killed the old formation master, then the two of us could have split his
treasures in half and I wouldn't have needed to increase the severity of my injuries
either. Yet, now that I've risked half my life to kill the old formation master, how can
you ask me to split his treasures in half? Just how infuriating would that be?”

“The demonic cultivator sacrificed his clay pot in order to hold me back,” Chen
Ping'an explained. “If it weren't for my Dao robe, I would have almost failed to block
that soaring yin energy and the large cloud of churning black smoke. In that case, the
castle in the distance would have been brutally massacred by him. They would have
suffered an unexpected and undeserved calamity.”

Lu Tai raised the ritual baton in his hand and said, “This green ritual baton is carved
from material even rarer than grain rain coins. It's a material that can only be found
through fortune rather than intention. As a result, this pocket treasure is worth far
more than ordinary pocket treasures.

“However, the contents inside it aren't all that special. There are some mortal
treasures such as gold and silver and also a large pile of antique relics and small
trinkets. However, Ma Wanfa's appraisal skills were shocking, and countless
treasures in his collection are actually low-quality counterfeits. The few bottles of
alchemical pills in his pocket treasure are also quite mediocre.

“Ignoring the value of this ritual baton, the contents inside are only worth roughly
10,000 snowflake coins in total. Compared to the wealth of Dragon Gate Tier
cultivators in Middle Earth Divine Continent, those in Parasol Leaf Continent are
indeed far inferior.”

Lu Tai's voice was filled with disappointment.

It was also filled with pride as someone from Middle Earth Divine Continent.

This sense of pride was similar to how some sword cultivators looked down on other
Qi refiners.

It was also similar to how people in Complete Reed Continent had looked down on
Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

In fact, even Chen Ping'an wasn't innocent when it came to such kinds of emotion.
When he had come across that group of kind-hearted elite cavalrymen and soldiers
from the Great Li Empire during that windy and snowy day at the borders, Chen
Ping'an had also felt secretly proud upon hearing the little boy in azure and the little
girl in pink mention how rotten and weak the soldiers and officials of Yellow Court
Nation were.

“Only 10,000 snowflake coins?!” Chen Ping'an exclaimed in helplessness.

“Or else?” Lu Tai retorted.

Chen Ping'an remembered that for the past few hundred years, the most expensive
immortal treasures in Ceremony Mountain's kun ship had also sold for around
10,000 to 20,000 snowflake coins.

This was an exorbitant amount of money to the two sisters on the kun ship. Their
feeling toward this was similar to how Chen Ping'an had felt back when he was still
an apprentice in the dragon kiln and listening to Liu Xianyang mysteriously talking
about the large estates in Fortune Street and how they were worth several thousand
taels of silver.

At that time, Chen Ping'an had only seen loose silver a handful of times.

He wondered whether Chun Shui and Qiu Shi had seen grain rain coins many times
after he disembarked the kun ship.
Lu Tai was busy taking advantage of the spiritual energy from Golden Sweet Wine to
treat his wounds, so he didn't notice the expression of sadness on Chen Ping'an's
face. He humphed coldly and said, “My five-colored rope was severely damaged
when I fought to the death with Ma Wanfa, and one of my defensive immortal
treasures was also completely destroyed. Disregarding the cost to repair the five-
colored rope, do you know how much that immortal treasure was worth?”

Lu Tai blinked and continued, “In addition to those formation flags from the old
formation cultivator, I can roughly break even and perhaps make some small gains if
everything in the pocket treasure belongs to me.”

“You forgot to add Silk Fish Talismans, the book you can place in your clan's scripture
library,” Chen Ping'an said with a stern expression.

Lu Tai feigned a look of realization and remarked, “Oh, haha, I forgot about that.”

Chen Ping'an pointed at the pocket treasure in Lu Tai's hand and said, “There's also
this ritual baton. Taking a step back and assuming that we genuinely split its value in
half, how much is half this ritual baton worth? A pocket treasure isn't cheap, is it?”

“Chen Ping'an!” Lu Tai exclaimed in anger. “I've suffered such severe wounds, so can
you at least let me cry poor?”

“I already said that everything belongs to you apart from this sword, so why are you
still lamenting about this and that? What are you trying to achieve?” Chen Ping'an
asked.

Lu Tai sighed and replied, “It's naturally because I feel like I'm getting the better end
of the deal and not being very kind to you, so I need to come up with some way to
both accept this huge profit and feel at ease at the same time.”
Chen Ping'an didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. “Just how bored are you?” he
exclaimed.

He then tugged Deep Infatuation out from the ground and handed it to Lu Tai,
roughly describing the peculiar scene he had witnessed when the sword had pierced
through the burly man's heart. Lu Tai waved his hand and didn't accept the sword,
directly replying, “I don't need to examine the sword at all to know that this is the
doing of some heretical technique.”

Chen Ping'an faltered for a moment before asking, “Oh, that's right, what did that
person mean by 'becoming one' before?”

Lu Tai smiled with squinted eyes and replied, “You'll understand once you visit more
brothels and drink more flower wine in the future.”

Chen Ping'an ignored his teasing remark and placed the sword horizontally in front
of him. He then slowly drew the sword from its scabbard, revealing its blade that was
as clear as autumn water. In fact, it was so clear that it was slightly chilling, and it
was as if all of the surrounding light were gathering on the blade of the sword.

“In any case, this sword is worth a lot of money,” Lu Tai commented.

Chen Ping'an nodded in agreement. He didn't doubt this.

The grandson of Water Combing Nation's Sword Saint Song Yushao had especially
traveled to an immortal ferry station located on the border of two nations once and
spent 900 snowflake coins to purchase a short sword forged in the mountains. He
had exhausted a large amount of Sword Water Villa's wealth.

Moreover, Senior Song possessed a similar martial arts cultivation base to Dou Zizhi.

However, the cultivation foundation and the sword true intent of Song Yushao and
Dou Zizhi were vastly different even though they were both top-notch sword
practitioners in the martial arts world.

As a grandmaster sword practitioner whose might was renowned throughout the

cultivation world, Song Yushao relied on nothing but his sword.

In this sense, Dou Zizhi was much the same, focusing all of his attention on only his
sword.
There was indeed a huge gulf between them and Qi refiners who always lamented a
lack of immortal treasures.

Meanwhile, sword cultivators from the mountains were even more direct. They
strived to reach a level where they could shatter all techniques and matters with a
single blade.

Chen Ping'an started to ask about the old formation master again, specifically about
the substitution technique he had used after shattering his hidden talisman. This
was also the first time Lu Tai had witnessed such a talisman in action, but it wasn't
the first time he had learned of its existence.

The knowledgeable descendent of the Lu Clan started to eloquently explain this

talisman to Chen Ping'an. Borrowing this opportunity, he also explained how some
talismans and formations could be used together to complement each other. Only at
this moment did Chen Ping'an learn that using two Land-shortening Talismans at
once could lead to some surprising results.

Immortal techniques and mystical abilities from the mountains were indeed infinite
in variety and fantastic in nature.

“Alright, I'm almost done here. I've already stabilized my wounds, and I simply need
to recuperate in peace after this,” Lu Tai announced.

He stood up and also used two fingers to peel the golden Dao robe from his body. He
casually tossed it back to Chen Ping'an, who stretched his arms out and allowed the
Dao robe to automatically slide onto his body as if it were being helped by a
maidservant.

Lu Tai placed the green ritual baton inside his sleeve before smiling and asking,
“What's the biggest fear when sharing spoils?”

He answered his own question, continuing, “It's having an unfair distribution that
leads to severe internal conflict. So, I performed some calculations just then, and I
now owe you half a ritual baton pocket treasure. Translating this into snowflake
coins….”

Lu Tai suddenly sighed and clutched his heart, furrowing his brows in worry and
remarking, “Just the mention of this causes my heart to ache.”
Chen Ping'an immediately smacked Lu Tai's head and scolded with a smile, “How
naughty.”

Back in Downtrodden Mountain, Wei Bo always punished the little boy in azure like
this.

Lu Tai faltered in surprise, but he didn't make a fuss about this.

“I'll survey the surroundings first. There's no hurry to set off,” Chen Ping'an said.

After saying this, he leaped onto a tall branch and gazed into the distance.

Lu Tai looked up, and he hesitated for a moment before leaping up and mustering his
courage to stand on a tall branch. However, he didn't forget to rest a hand on the tree
trunk, and only then did he feel slightly more at ease.

Holding Deep Infatuation in one hand and his Sword Nurturing Gourd in the other,
Chen Ping'an finally drank another mouthful of wine in a rare sight. “Lu Tai, I'm
actually well aware that there would have been endless troubles if you didn't kill Ma
Wanfa just then. The rest of our journey would have been filled with dangers. I once
experienced the troublesome nature of a Qi refiner stalking me in Water Combing
Nation. So, this sword is already enough for me. You don't need to give me any extra
snowflake coins.”

Lu Tai was just about to say something.

However, Chen Ping'an had already turned around and said with a smile, “After
becoming acquainted with you, however, I've become increasingly aware of the fact
that I can't insist on following my own reasons and principles all the time. The most
terrifying thing in the world is to become too extreme. If you genuinely feel uneasy,
then here, hand me some money. I'm more than happy to accept it.”

Lu Tai didn't say anything, and he decided to directly lean his back onto the trunk of
the tree. He smiled and retrieved a copper mirror, checking himself out from all
angles as he started to carefully fix his hair while humming a joyful tune.

Horses didn't grow fat without feeding at night, and people didn't become rich
without striking great fortune.

Chen Ping'an averted his gaze from Lu Tai, unable to endure his feminine behavior.
However, he suddenly frowned and warned, “People are making their way over
here.”

Lu Tai followed Chen Ping'an's gaze, yet he quickly turned his attention back to his
makeup mirror and said, “They're nothing more than a bunch of brutes from the
cultivation world. They're most likely people from that castle. Since you're wearing
Golden Sweet Wine, you'll remain unscathed even if you stand there and let them
hack at you a few dozen times.”

“The less trouble the better,” Chen Ping'an replied. “If your body is feeling okay, we
should get moving and continue to travel north.”

Lu Tai hesitated for a moment before asking in an uncertain voice, “Can we stop here
and rest for a few days?”

“That's fine with me,” Chen Ping'an replied with a nod.

————

A group of strong and agile people entered the mountain forest from the castle, each
of them a cultivator with a strong foundation.

However, their foundation was only strong relative to ordinary martial artists in the
cultivation world.

The leader was an elder in azure who had long sideburns and an elegant bearing. His
breathing was calm, and his footsteps were light. He was most likely an elite at
internal martial arts.[1]

There were two youths around 20 years old behind him, one male and one female.
Both were dressed in luxurious clothes, with the young man appearing handsome
and the young woman appearing gentle. Their appearances were slightly similar, and
it was very likely that they were siblings.

The young man carried a composite bow on his back, while the young woman was
wearing embroidered martial arts boots and carrying an exquisite snake-shaped
golden bracelet. They were like a pair of powerful and refined youths.

There was a group of a dozen or so strong and solidly built subordinates further
behind them, and all of them were dressed in simple and tight-fitting clothes.
However, they suddenly saw two young males walking over from the distance. They
all stopped and grabbed their weapons, their expressions filled with alertness and
apprehension.

The old man leading the group smiled and cupped his fists, saying, “I'm He Ya, the
administrator of the Flying Eagle Fortress. Young masters, have the two of you seen
any esteemed immortals or demons nearby?”

Lu Tai smiled with squinted eyes and replied, “Since when have immortals and
demons ever existed in the world? Perhaps you're joking with us, old mister?”

The old man was rendered speechless.

Meanwhile, the eyes of the young woman lit up when she saw Lu Tai, someone who
looked like an immortal from the stories. She became full of energy and enthusiasm.

Her older brother was relatively more cautious, sweeping his gaze across the two
uninvited guests and sizing them up.

There were no renowned sceneries within a 50-kilometer radius of the Flying Eagle
Fortress, and there were only the most ordinary mountains and rivers. Moreover,
there were only two mountain paths that led toward the Flying Eagle Fortress, one
wide and one extremely narrow. However, the former would reach a dead end a good
distance from the fortress. The intention was to prevent outsiders from following the
wide path and finding the fortress that was secluded from the world.

Approximately three to four decades ago, the Flying Eagle Fortress had still been a
dominant martial arts force in the Agarwood Nation. After suffering a huge calamity,
however, the fortress had started to seclude itself from the outside world. It
purposely destroyed the wide path that led to the fortress, and people from the
fortress rarely ventured out.

However, the Flying Eagle Fortress wasn't necessarily isolated from the outside
world, as there was still a stream of necessary trade between the fortress and other
cities. Members of the cultivation world who had a good relationship with the
fortress would also visit occasionally to relax or test out their martial arts skills.

It was already quite strange that the young boy and the young man had appeared
here. Just then, the fortress had discovered a terrifying battle between immortals
near this area. There were churning clouds of black smoke, and there were also
dazzling rays of light. In the end, a dignified golden Dao Manifestation had
surprisingly materialized in midair and towered over the mountain forest.

The large majority of people in the Flying Eagle Fortress had never witnessed such
kinds of astounding scenes before. Thus, the fortress was instantly filled with
apprehension and spirited discussions.

After a series of discussions, the lord of the fortress asked Administrator He Ya to

venture out and examine the situation. As for the young man and the young woman,
they had secretly sneaked out without receiving prior approval. After meeting up
with He Ya halfway to the destination, the old administrator had no option but to
bring them along with him.

However, he purposely slowed down and took some detours before belatedly
arriving at this location. In the end, he came across these two people who were
seemingly enjoying the scenery in a leisurely manner.

He Ya appeared calm on the surface, yet he was actually feeling extremely tense on
the inside. He was afraid that the two immortal-looking young masters would
suddenly bare their fangs and attack their group.

Apart from elderly people like He Ya who had a wealth of experience in the
cultivation world, even the current lord of the Flying Eagle Fortress had little
understanding and appreciation of those strange and secretive things that existed in
the cultivation world but not in the mortal world.

However, this was only natural since the fortress lord had only heard about these
things before but never witnessed them himself. He Ya was different, as he had
journeyed across the cultivation world in the past. He had visited the so-called waist
of the mountain several times.

Because of this, the old administrator insisted on creating many rules that the youths
in the Flying Eagle Fortress found extremely strange. For example, the Flying Eagle
Fortress had to plaster talismans written in red ink and purchased from external
Daoist temples on several important gates whenever it was New Year, the Double
Ninth Festival, and so on.

There was also the soul-calling ceremony that was performed after young children
received frights, the incense and fruit that elderly residents would often offer on fork
roads, and so on. Many people were oblivious to the deeper meaning behind these
things.

Whenever someone died an unnatural death in the Flying Eagle Fortress—for

example, drowning, accidents, and other kinds of causes—the old administrator
would insist on following even more rules. Which young and strong men carried the
coffin and buried the deceased, where the deceased was buried, which people born
at which hour of the day were responsible for wake-keeping on what days, who was
responsible for offering incense during the first seven days, and so on and so forth….
There were enough rules to annoy the young people to death.

Lu Tai first asked the old man whether he was from the fortress. After receiving an
affirmative answer, Lu Tai smiled and asked whether they could head over to stay in
the fortress for a few days as it had been far too unbearable camping in the
wilderness for the past while.

The old administrator was extremely hesitant, yet the young woman with the golden
bracelet had already nodded in agreement.

Chen Ping'an subtly shook his head in disapproval.

This young woman was far too careless. Was she truly not afraid of inviting wolves
into the fortress?

Looking at the young man in azure who was gazing at him with a smile, the old
administrator suddenly smiled in a carefree manner and replied, “Those who come
here are all guests. The two of you have traveled here from far away, so it's only right
for the Flying Eagle Fortress to warmly welcome you now that we've met.”

Lu Tai and Chen Ping'an followed the group of people to the Flying Eagle Fortress
which was located five to six kilometers away.

However, the winding mountain paths meant that they needed to walk for much
more than five to six kilometers.

As they walked, it was the young woman who continued to engage in idle chatter
with Lu Tai the entire time. Walking in front of them, Administrator He Ya kept his
ears pricked the entire time, not willing to miss a single word.

The surname of the fortress lord was Huan.

The young woman was Huan Shu, and her older brother was Huan Chang.

According to the genealogical records of the Huan Clan, they had moved from Lasting
Yi Nation to Agarwood Nation over 600 years ago in order to escape the flames of
war. Their ancestral hall was called Zhongying Hall.

Chen Ping'an didn't understand these things at all. However, Lu Tai was able to talk
about anything, and he referenced many other sources and books as he discussed
the impressive nature of the surname “Huan” with the young woman. Chen Ping'an
was still unable to understand their conversation.

A flat and neatly paved path appeared underfoot when they neared the Flying Eagle
Fortress. Lu Tai looked up and smiled.

A shivering woman dressed in a fur coat stood in front of a railing located on the
highest building in the fortress. She appeared anxious as she watched the path
outside the fortress, and only felt a sense of relief after she vaguely caught sight of
her daughter in the distance.

However, the woman herself was unaware of something, and no one in the Flying
Eagle Fortress had ever been able to see this either. Blood was flowing from all seven
orifices on her face, murmuring along and making her appear as pitiful as could be.

The sun was shining brightly outside the railings, yet the atmosphere was slightly
dark and gloomy inside the railings. If one stood near the woman for too long, one
would feel a slight chill on their skin as if they were submerged in a cold river.

Thus, the woman had already gone through many maidservants during the past few
years. Without exception, all of these maidservants became sickly and feeble after
serving her for a while. However, the majority of them would recover after leaving
the woman's side.

As time went on, this no longer seemed strange and it instead became accepted and
natural.

1. Internal martial arts (内家拳) refers to martial arts occupied with spiritual,
mental, or Qi-related aspects, as opposed to external martial arts that focuses on
physiological aspects. ☜
The fortress stood tall amid the mountains and waters, and if one didn't look
carefully, one would easily miss the ancient talismans written in red ink and stuck
high up on the left and right sides of the city gate. Chen Ping'an's eyesight was very
good to begin with, and he also had a habit of carefully observing everything, so he
immediately discovered the two inconspicuous talismans.

He turned his head to glance at Lu Tai, yet he saw that the handsome young man was
still busy chatting about the cultivation world of Agarwood Nation with Huan Shu.
Thus, Chen Ping'an silently committed these talismans to memory.

There were all kinds of talismans in the world, with the branches and factions also
being numerous and complicated. However, only three branches had the right to be
regarded as authentic.

Mount Longhu's Heavenly Master Residence in Middle Earth Divine Continent was
one, while the Spirit Treasure Faction in Southern Whirl Continent was another. The
final one was Parasol Leaf Sect in Parasol Leaf Continent, the continent where Chen
Ping'an was standing right now.

Administrator He Ya arranged a small courtyard in the east of the Flying Eagle

Fortress for Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai, the two uninvited guests. He Ya personally led
them to this courtyard.

Before bidding farewell to them, the siblings Huan Chang and Huan Shu told Chen
Ping'an and Lu Tai to relax and rest up today. There would be a welcome banquet in
the main building tomorrow, and they hoped Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai could both
attend.

The main bluestone road through the center of the Flying Eagle Fortress led directly
to the main building. Meanwhile, the other streets and alleys were crisscrossing and
intertwining. The dirt road alleys made Chen Ping'an feel as if he had returned to
Clay Vase Alley and Apricot Blossom Alley in his hometown.
The residents of these streets and alleys were all people who had lived in the Flying
Eagle Fortress for many generations. However, the alleys here were much cleaner
and tidier compared to Clay Vase Alley which was filled with chicken droppings and
dog feces.

There were peach trees and peach blossoms in almost every house, and the
boisterous little children were either running back and forth and performing mock
battles with bamboo swords and wooden sabers, or they were riding bamboo stick
horses and shouting go, go, go.

The little children weren't afraid of He Ya, the old administrator of the fortress, and
they simply stopped and greeted him as “Mr. He” when they came across him. They
would cup their hands and bow in a proper-looking manner before quickly running
off again. The laughter of children rang through the streets and alleys.

After helping Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai settle down in the small courtyard, the
bookish old administrator quickly returned to the top level of the main building to
seek an audience with Huan Yang, the lord of the Flying Eagle Fortress.

Huan Yang was a handsome man with a jade-like appearance. Even though he was no
longer young, with his sideburns already graying, this actually helped to accentuate
Huan Yang's elegant demeanor. At the end of the day, one would always be right as
long as they were good-looking. This was the same for both males and females. On
the other hand, one would always be wrong if they were the opposite of good-
looking.

Sitting on a simple and ancient-looking arhat bed, Huan Yang raised a hand and
gestured for He Ya to sit down beside him. The old administrator looked down at his
muddy boots before shaking his head with a smile. He then carried a chair over to sit
down beside the arhat bed.

Huan Yang frowned and asked, “Uncle He, why did you bring two outsiders into the
Flying Eagle Fortress? Are they related to the esteemed immortals from the
mountains to the west?”

“It's hard to say right now,” He Ya replied with a helpless expression. “Things had
already settled down when we arrived, and it was very likely that those immortals
and demons retreated after their battle ended. I secretly ordered two people to stay
back to search for any clues, yet they were unable to discover anything useful. The
victorious party probably used some immortal secret technique to wipe away all
traces.”

Huan Yang smiled wryly and said, “In fact, it would be quite good if those two people
are genuinely immortals from the legends. Through my relationships, I asked
someone to head out to invite an esteemed immortal to the fortress. However,
they're already one month later than planned.

“I ordered someone to send a secret letter to ask why the esteemed immortal is
taking so long, and it was only now that I received a reply from a good friend in the
capital. My friend reprimanded me sternly in the letter, saying that it's only natural
for paramount immortals from the mountains to be enigmatic and elusive. Even the
generals and ministers in the capital find it very difficult to seek an audience with
him.

“In other words, it was already immensely fortunate that the immortal eventually
accepted his request and agreed to help us. If we push our luck any further, we
should be wary of transforming this immense fortune into a disastrous misfortune.”

There was deep anxiety on Huan Yang's face as he asked in a quiet voice, “Uncle He,
you're an experienced member of the cultivation world, and you're also aware of
some things from the mountains, so how do you suggest we deal with this matter?
Are we really going to keep waiting like this?

“Strange occurrences have been popping up in the fortress one after another these
past few years, so it will genuinely be very difficult to keep things under control if
one or two more strange things happen. At that time, people will definitely be filled
with unease and fear. What should we do?”

“Your friend is correct, Lord Huan,” He Ya replied in a firm voice. “Immortals from the
mountains are completely focused on pursuing Dao, and this causes their
temperament to become unpredictable and enigmatic. Ordinary people like us are
completely unable to understand their thoughts. As such, we have no option but to
obediently wait.”

Huan Yang sighed and grabbed a pot of wine, drinking a small sip of millet wine
fermented by the Flying Eagle Fortress. “Then we'll keep waiting. However, the
Flying Eagle Fortress truly can't hold on for much longer. Otherwise, how could I
have asked you to take such a big risk and enter the mountain forest, hoping that we
could actively seek help from those Qi refiners or whatnot?

“I initially wanted to try our luck and see if we could come across some powerful
person skilled in immortal techniques. That way, we could have made some
desperate attempts to solve the problems plaguing the Flying Eagle Fortress. It
would be worth it even if we spent all of our wealth.”

He Ya hesitated for a moment, taking a while to choose his words before replying
carefully, “Even though those two people are young, I only invited them into the
Flying Eagle Fortress because I feel like they genuinely might be immortal disciples
from some immortal force in the mountains. Perhaps they're traveling through the
cultivation world to hone their skills and temper their cultivation.

“While returning to the fortress, I carefully observed their breathing, footsteps, and
expressions. The young boy in white who has a sword on his back is most likely a
subordinate. On the other hand, the young man clearly isn't some ordinary mortal.
His aura and disposition are far too good, genuinely far too good.”

Huan Yang stroked his beard and smiled, remarking, “No wonder Little Shu was
sticking to him the entire time. By the looks of it, she took a liking to him straight
away. Very well, her judgment is quite good. As expected of my daughter.”

The appearance of the handsome young man in azure brought up many old
memories for Administrator He. He smiled and said, “When traveling through the
cultivation world with the previous fortress lord all those years back, I only came
across a measly two or three people who possessed such impressive disposition.

“One of them was Commissioner Liu, the current commissioner of the Bureau of
Military Affairs in the capital. He was only a profligate young master back then, and
he indulged himself in both women and wine. However, it was clear that he kept his
aura and essence hidden within. Indeed, he was simply tarnishing his own image to
trick the world.

“The second person was Dou Zizhi during his early days. He had only just entered the
cultivation world, yet he was already radiating with an intense and vigorous aura.
However, few people were optimistic about Dou Zizhi's future back then, and they
simply treated him as nothing more than an ordinary prodigy. They didn't regard
him as anything special.
“Yet, the old fortress lord said at the time that Dou Zizhi would enjoy great renown in
the cultivation world of Agarwood Nation for at least 30 years. The old fortress lord's
astute judgment was truly something else.

“As for the final person, I don't know his name and I don't know his background
either. I climbed up a mountain with the old fortress lord to enjoy the sunrise, yet we
discovered a man in white sitting there and meditating when we reached the peak of
the mountain.

“When he saw us, he smiled and nodded in greeting before standing up and
disappearing in a flash. There was no trace of him to be found. You have to
remember that we were standing on the peak of a mountain more than 3000 meters
tall. Apart from traveling away on the wind or flying away on a sword, how else could
he have left the mountain?”

The old man sighed as he spoke, yet his face was glowing with spirit and vigor.

After saying all of this, however, he couldn't help but feel slightly dejected.

The cultivation world that they belonged to was vast and filled with a myriad of
factions and forces. There was the struggle between good and evil, the fame and
glory that came with life and death, the deep bonds between cultivators, and
everything else in between. All of this belonged to the cultivation world.

In the end, however, perhaps the cultivation world was only a small puddle in the
eyes of some people?

These people simply needed to raise their feet a little if they wanted to step over this
small puddle. If they were too lazy, however, then they would simply step down and
cause a large splash, perhaps sending huge shockwaves through the entire
cultivation world….

Huan Yang was very interested in this, and the old administrator's recollection swept
away much of the accumulated worry in his mind. “Uncle He, why didn't you tell me
about these things before?” he asked with a smile.

“Why would I talk about these things?” the old administrator replied with a self-
ridiculing expression. “A true elite doesn't boast about past glories. In any case, I've
never been an elite for a single day of my life. The old fortress lord who shattered the
statue of a Daoist enforcer with a single slash was a true elite.
“As for me, I'm simply someone who helped carry luggage for the old fortress lord
and someone who helps look after horses for you, the current fortress lord. I'll try to
live for a few more years in the future and help arrange a wedding for the young
fortress lord as well. I'll have no more regrets after that.”

Huan Yang sighed with emotion and asked, “Can immortals truly attain Dao and
achieve immortality?”

“You can pose this question again when that immortal recommended by your friend
arrives,” the old administrator replied with a chuckle.

————

Lu Tai was quite satisfied with the small courtyard they were staying in. It was
located at the end of a small alley where things were calm and quiet. The walls of the
courtyard were also decorated with climbing figs.

Lu Tai then looked up and smiled as he waved a hand toward the eaves in the
distance. Near the ridge of the roof, a subordinate of the Flying Eagle Fortress panted
heavily before bending down and jumping off the roof. He quickly ran away to report
the situation to the old administrator.

The handsome young man had already detected his presence, so it was very likely
that he would be suspected of harboring ill intentions if he stayed for any longer. At
that time, it was very likely that everything would go pear-shaped.

Chen Ping'an sat down on a stone chair and said quietly, “This place feels a little
strange.”

Lu Tai wasn't worried by Chen Ping'an's comment, and he casually said, “Rest
assured, I was simply looking for a comfortable place to rest. I definitely won't cause
any trouble. I can't be bothered dealing with anything that happens outside this
small courtyard given that the matter doesn't charge over and provoke me.”

Chen Ping'an recalled the two ancient talismans stuck outside the large gate of the
Flying Eagle Fortress, so he raised a finger and drew the talismans in the air, asking,
“Do you know what talismans these are?”

Lu Tai went inside the building to look for a tea set. Since they were living in this
fortress, it was best that they adhere to the customs of this place. Neither of them
had any bags or luggage on them, so it naturally wouldn't be good for them to
casually retrieve items from thin air. Lu Tai didn't need to look around for too long
before he found a tea set. Afterward, he grabbed a small bucket and prepared to head
out, telling Chen Ping'an that he was going to draw water.

They had walked past a well just then, and Lu Tai remarked that this well was quite
interesting. Generally speaking, well water was the most inferior choice when it
came to brewing tea. However, the water from this well was of extremely good
quality, so Lu Tai said that perhaps he might be given a pleasant surprise.

In terms of Chen Ping'an's question about the talismans, Lu Tai's reply was very
direct. Was he knowledgeable enough to recognize all of the talismans in the world?
The stroke patterns of the two talismans on the gate were unfamiliar to Lu Tai, but
he said that they might be the work of someone from a heretical branch of Parasol
Leaf Continent's talismanic force.

In any case, the core of the talismans was quite inferior, and the spiritual energy of
the talismans had already dissipated long ago. Lu Tai said that only brutish idiots like
those in the Flying Eagle Fortress would foolishly treat these talismans as treasures.
Perhaps they were hoping for peace.

Chen Ping'an had a vague feeling that there was a faint yin energy lingering over the
Flying Eagle Fortress and unwilling to disperse. However, it wasn't worth a mention
compared to the churning black smoke filled with soaring murderous aura that the
demonic cultivator had unleashed after crushing his clay pot.

After a while, Lu Tai returned with an empty bucket.

“What's wrong? The well water isn't suitable for brewing tea?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Lu Tai pursed his lips and replied, “Someone has clearly tampered with the feng shui
of the Flying Eagle Fortress. The well water has a very dense yin energy. To say
nothing of brewing tea, even using this water to cook will cause issues for mortal
humans in the long term if their yang energy isn't abundant enough. However, the
issues won't be too severe. I surmise that a lot more girls have been born in the past
ten to twenty years, a lot more than boys. If this continues, then the Flying Eagle
Fortress will end up in a state where yin energy is dominant and yang energy is
inferior.”
Chen Ping'an frowned and remained silent.

“You're not going to deal with this matter?” Lu Tai asked with a smile.

Chen Ping'an shot a glance at him and replied, “Disregarding any potential grudges
they have in the cultivation world, we're completely unaware of whether trying to
solve this problem is saving them or harming them.”

“Your reply puts my mind at ease,” Lu Tai said with a smile. “I was afraid that blood
would rush to your head and cause you to immediately draw your saber for the sake
of justice and righteousness.”

“I don't have a saber,” Chen Ping'an retorted with a huff.

Lu Tai tossed the bucket aside and clasped his hands behind his back. He then looked
Chen Ping'an up and down with an amused expression and clicked his tongue in
wonder, remarking, “Oh, Chen Ping'an, how impressive! You even know how to joke
now!”

Chen Ping'an dismissed this with a smile.

He started to practice the six-step walking meditation in the courtyard.

Lu Tai sat down on the steps and glanced up at the sky. Gently rocking his bamboo
folding fan, he said, “It's about to rain.”

Night fell, and it wasn't long before a downpour arrived as predicted.

The pitter-pattering rain landed on the stone table in the courtyard, the small alley,
and the heaven and earth around the fortress.

Chen Ping'an didn't need to worry about the biting cold thanks to his Dao robe,
Golden Sweet Wine. In fact, he didn't even need to worry about his clothes becoming
wet, so he continued to practice fist techniques in the courtyard. In any case, Chen
Ping'an was intoxicated by the feeling of his punches blasting apart the falling drops
of rain.

Meanwhile, Lu Tai had already gone inside to shelter from the rain. Even though the
autumn wind and autumn rain caused the temperature to drop, the handsome young
man was still sitting there and rocking his bamboo folding fan as always. He was
either zoning out, or he would occasionally glance at Chen Ping'an practicing his fist
techniques.

Lu Tai saw Chen Ping'an go from practicing fist techniques to practicing sword
techniques. However, Chen Ping'an was still feigning holding a sword in his hand in a
very strange manner.

Lu Tai smiled and said, “In the past, people always viewed rain as a union between
heaven and earth and a state of mutual harmony between yin and yang. This is truly
interesting. Indeed, I wonder how people in the future will view us?”

Chen Ping'an didn't respond. Lu Tai always made strange and mysterious remarks
like this, so there was no need to pay any heed to him.

Later at night, Lu Tai put his light out and went to sleep.

As always, Chen Ping'an burned the midnight oil and continued to read. He was
flipping through the Mountain and Sea Chronicle.

Heavy rain continued to thunder outside his window. It was very rare to see such
heavy rain.

Chen Ping'an's ears pricked up slightly, and he could vaguely hear the joyful laughter
of children echoing down the small alley and rushing past the courtyard.

After a while, Chen Ping'an had just flipped over to a new page when he heard the
soft weeping of a woman traveling over from outside.

Chen Ping'an was completely unfazed. Afterward, the sound of a coughing old man
gradually faded into the distance.

One had to realize that this small courtyard was located at the end of a small alley —
it was located at a dead end.

Chen Ping'an closed the book in his hands and grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd
from the table, sipping wine as he walked out of his room. He opened the door, and it
was as if the torrential downpour tearing through heaven and earth suddenly
transformed into flowing blood.

However, everything returned to normal after Chen Ping'an blinked his eyes once.
There was nothing peculiar apart from the frigid air and the permeating water vapor
around the small courtyard.

Chen Ping'an grabbed a chair and sat outside his room, releasing a slight amount of
his aura. His pure and soft-concealed fist intent slowly circulated around his body,
keeping the lashing rain several meters from his body.

The sound of knocking came over from the courtyard door.

Chen Ping'an was just about to stand up and walk over to open the door.

However, the knocking suddenly stopped at this exact moment.

After experiencing this two to three times, Chen Ping'an decided to ignore the
knocking altogether, starting to practice standing meditation instead.

The downpour gradually calmed down after fifteen minutes, transforming into a
pitter-pattering drizzle.

The harrowing sound of fingernails scraping across a hard surface traveled over
from the courtyard door.

Chen Ping'an opened his eyes and sighed. He pinched a yellow paper Treasure
Pagoda Demon-suppressing Talisman from his sleeve before standing up and slowly
walking to the courtyard door.

Like a brilliant sun tearing through the night sky, the yellow paper talisman between
his fingers shone with a dazzling golden radiance.

However, Lu Tai suddenly opened his door and said through a yawn, “Hurry up and
put that away. Otherwise, you might accidentally frighten those ghosts to death.”

Chen Ping'an ignored Lu Tai's lame humor.

He was just about to open the courtyard door and toss the yellow paper talisman
into the small alley. He would do this before caring about anything else.

“Don't act rashly and alert our opponent,” Lu Tai warned.

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment before continuing to the courtyard door. After
pulling back the bolt and opening the door, he saw that there was clearly no one in
the small and muddy alley that was permeating with eerie yin energy. However, he
could hear quiet chatter floating around the surroundings, and he could even see
footprints of varying depths and sizes appearing along the muddy alley.

Chen Ping'an leaned over and stuck the yellow paper talisman onto the courtyard
door.

Before closing the courtyard door and going back inside, he glanced around and saw
two people braving the rain and walking through the small alley in the distance, one
adult and one child. They were both wearing coarse white clothes, and the child
didn't turn his body as he twisted his head 180 degrees to face Chen Ping'an. He
grinned and gave a silent laugh.
Once again, the head of the deathly pale young boy in white mourning clothes turned
180 degrees before he followed the adult forward and vanished into the depths of
the small alley.

Chen Ping'an's expression remained calm the entire time. He didn't gaze at those
eerie scenes anymore, and he simply stole a glance at the Demon-suppressing
Talisman on the courtyard door. His heart didn't need to ache too much because the
talisman was only made from ordinary yellow talisman paper. The courtyard door
was drenched from the heavy downpour just then, yet the talisman that Chen
Ping'an had casually wacked on was stuck to it surprisingly firmly.

There were also two of the most commonly seen colorful door gods stuck on the
courtyard door. However, it was unknown whether they were sages from Parasol
Leaf Continent's martial sage temple or meritorious generals from Agarwood Nation.

It was already more than halfway through the year, so the colorful door gods had
already lost most of their color thanks to the punishment from the elements. They
were slightly dull, and there was even a hint of age and decay about them.

Chen Ping'an's Qi and blood were much stronger after advancing to the fourth tier of
martial arts, and his soul was also considerably tougher than before. Thus, his
manner of viewing the world was naturally different from before.

Similar to how Qi refiners could observe Qi, Chen Ping'an could also catch glimpses
of the flowing spiritual energy now. This was especially the case after wearing
Golden Sweet Wine, as he could verify his observations by understanding the
amount of spiritual energy that his Dao robe absorbed. This was incredibly helpful.

He looked up at the two door gods dressed in bright and dignified armor. In reality,
their small amount of divine aura had long since vanished, slowly eaten away and
eventually extinguished by the yin energy that permeated through this strange small
alley.
Could this be considered heroes caught in difficult circumstances?

Chen Ping'an sighed and stood up on his tippy-toes, using his fingers to flatten out
the small creases on the Treasure Pagoda Demon-suppressing Talisman. According
to the market value, how many pairs of colorful door gods could he purchase for the
price of one Treasure Pagoda Demon-suppressing Talisman? He felt a little angry
upon thinking of this.

Chen Ping'an was well aware of what those ghosts and yin entities were intending to
do. They were showing their strength and most likely trying to dissuade Chen
Ping'an and Lu Tai from doing anything funny. They were giving these two outsiders
with abundant yang energy a warning, persuading them to leave this place as soon
as possible. That way, the two parties could each mind their own business.

Chen Ping'an walked inside and locked the door. Lu Tai had no intention of going
back to sleep after waking up, so he also grabbed a chair and sat in the courtyard.
Before Chen Ping'an could say anything, Lu Tai seized the initiative and explained,
“When it comes to yin entities with weak cultivation bases, some of them will just
frighten people and at most harm those mortals with innately weak yang energy. Or
they might wander around during the night and suddenly jump out to scare people,
taking advantage of people's shuddering souls to extract a tiny bit of their souls.

“Some of these yin entities will also target people whose ancestors didn't accumulate
merit and whose door gods have lost their power. They'll enter the nightmares of
these people and cause them to suffer from sleep paralysis. Mhm, there are some
mortals who don't understand the rules and seek trouble for themselves. For
example, they might piss on the ghostly streets of yin entities and thus draw trouble
to themselves.”

Lu Tai retrieved his bamboo folding fan and started to loudly rock it back and forth.
The frigid air in the courtyard was instantly sent scattering, replaced by an
unexplained sense of comfort and warmth. Wisps of gray smoke rose from the rain
before circling around and eventually dissipating.

Lu Tai smiled and continued, “These ghosts and yin entities are just as clueless as the
people in the Flying Eagle Fortress. They're completely oblivious to our actual
strength. However, it's a shame about that Demon-suppressing Talisman. Imagine if
the talisman were drawn by a Heavenly Master or an esteemed master from the
Spirit Treasure Faction using the same material as a base….”
Lu Tai paused for a moment before purposely rubbing salt into Chen Ping'an's
wounds, saying, “In that case, just a single talisman stuck on the city gate of the
Flying Eagle Fortress would be enough to protect its population of several hundred
people for at least three to five years. They won't need to worry about being
harassed by ghosts and yin entities.

“That's quite unlike you, an absolute novice when it comes to talismans. You're
relying on a breath of True Qi to draw talismans, so it's destined that you won't be
able to draw spiritual energy from heaven and earth. That being the case, your
talisman is akin to a body of water without a lasting source, so how long can it
possibly last?”

Sitting on a chair opposite Lu Tai, Chen Ping'an asked, “Why didn't you come out
earlier?”

Lu Tai smiled faintly and replied, “Come out to do what? Chatter with those yin
entities? Discuss the local people and customs with them? Ask them why they're
trying to scare us, and what their subsequent schedule is? Inquire about why the
downpour suddenly transformed into blood?

“No, I would simply tell them that as ghosts and yin entities, their methods of
frightening people are truly far too inferior. In fact, I might even feel the urge to teach
them a few impressive techniques….”

Lu Tai's words became increasingly preposterous.

Chen Ping'an held his wine gourd with one hand and pointed at the courtyard door
with his other, gesturing that Lu Tai could walk over to chatter with the ghosts and
yin entities right away.

However, Lu Tai remained seated, as immovable as a mountain. He closed his folding

fan with a crack and said, “I liked to interact with the demons and spirits raised in
my clan ever since I was little. In fact, one can say that I interacted with them day and
night, so I've already become accustomed to them since long ago. Chen Ping'an, if it
weren't for you finding them annoying, I would have actually slept better with them
wandering around outside.”

“Is this not a taboo for Naturalist disciples?” Chen Ping'an asked in puzzlement.

Lu Tai gazed up at the rainy sky and replied in a soft voice, “One can't understand
good if one doesn't interact with evil.”

“Is there a genuine malicious ghost hiding in the Flying Eagle Fortress?” Chen
Ping'an asked in curiosity.

Lu Tai nodded and replied, “Indeed. Otherwise, why did I say that this is ‘a brilliant
location to kill people and steal goods before fabricating evidence and framing
someone else' before our battle just then?”

Chen Ping'an nodded in understanding. He remembered this remark very clearly.

Lu Tai's hands were lazily resting on the armrests of his chair, causing his large
sleeves to droop down. “If the two of us had become a pair of dead lovers in the deep
mountain forest before, do you think anyone would have suspected these martial
arts brutes from the Flying Eagle Fortress? Naturally not. Thus, those bandits were
clearly trying to frame the nest of ghosts and yin entities here.”

Chen Ping'an noticed something at this moment, and he suddenly stood up and
walked toward the courtyard door,

There was a momentary commotion in the small alley outside the courtyard, causing
the Demon-suppressing Talisman on the courtyard door to shine with a flash of
explosive golden brilliance.

Lu Tai turned around and chuckled, “There's no need to go over. Those ghosts and
yin entities refuse to give up, and they're only willing to relent if they're taught a
harsh lesson. Now that they've been punished, they'll probably keep a respectful
distance from us for the next while. Ahhh, it will be difficult for me to hear their
heavenly voices and enjoy a good night's sleep in the future!”

Chen Ping'an opened the courtyard door and stepped outside to look up at the
Treasure Pagoda Demon-suppressing Talisman. Apart from a faint little stain, the
talisman showed no signs of crumbling or losing its spiritual energy. Just as Lu Tai
had said, the ghost or yin entity that had come to test the power of the talisman
indeed didn't possess a high cultivation base.

Chen Ping'an returned to the courtyard and made up his mind. If the ghosts and yin
entities came to provoke him again, then they couldn't blame him for stepping
forward and becoming an aggressive neighbor.
Lu Tai wrapped his hands behind his head and explained, “Parasol Leaf Continent is
a very conservative continent. It doesn't really welcome outsiders from other
continents. If Complete Reed Continent's Xie Shi had tried to target Parasol Leaf
Continent instead of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, then he would have already
been beaten to the brink of death long ago. That's completely different from Eastern
Treasured Vial Continent, where he's actually being politely invited over to chat and
negotiate over some tea.”

Chen Ping'an rubbed the soles of his boots against the steps and wiped off the mud.
He pondered for a moment before slowly saying, “Eastern Treasured Vial Continent
is very close to Complete Reed Continent, and the Great Li Empire's relationship with
Xie Shi is also very mysterious. These are all relevant factors to consider, so we can't
attribute everything to the people and customs of a continent. What do you think, Lu
Tai?”

Lu Tai clicked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “Very impressive, Chen Ping'an.
You're increasingly able to look at problems from the view of those from the
mountains. As expected of someone who's traveled to Stalactite Mountain and the
Sword Qi Great Wall before.”

Chen Ping'an was preparing to stand up and carry his chair back inside when Lu Tai
suddenly said, “Chen Ping'an, counting Ma Wanfa as part of the bandits, they were
actually strong enough to deal with a pseudo-Golden Core Tier cultivator without
much difficulty. It was actually quite an achievement for the two of us to defeat
them.”

Chen Ping'an stood beside his chair and asked, “What about us? Do we have any
chance of victory against a Golden Core Tier Qi refiner?”

“Yes, but not a very big chance,” Lu Tai replied.

“Almost every single Golden Core Tier cultivator is someone with strong conviction
and tenacity. Moreover, they also have mastery over a myriad of mystical abilities
and immortal techniques. As such, we have to fight with our lives on the line, or else
we'll be slowly exhausted to death by them.

“You should already know, right? Things will become completely different after a Qi
refiner reaches the ninth tier, the Golden Core Tier, and after a pure martial artist
reaches the seventh tier. Combined together, these advances to the ninth tier and the
seventh tier are called 'heaven-turning and earth-shaking.'“

Chen Ping'an sat back down and shook his head, replying, “I actually don't know
much about this. Can you explain it to me?”

Lu Tai's eyes lit up, and he asked, “Can I give you one hundred fewer snowflake coins
the next time we share spoils if I explain this to you?”

Chen Ping'an didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. “You still care about one
hundred snowflake coins?”

Lu Tai laughed and replied, “Of course I don't care about these snowflake coins.
Rather, I simply like the feeling of gaining a small advantage.”

Chen Ping'an extended a hand and gestured for Lu Tai to continue. The handsome
young man could pocket this money.

Lu Tai was in a brilliant mood, so he kicked off his boots and sat cross-legged on his
chair, explaining with a faint smile, “The process of pure martial artists advancing
from the sixth tier to the seventh tier is called 'earth-shaking.' Apart from reaching
the Far Roaming Tier which allows martial artists to travel on the wind like
immortals, reaching the seventh tier will also allow the soul, spirit, and gall of
martial artists to combine into one. Thus, martial artists will gain a completely new
outlook on the world after advancing to the seventh tier.

“As for Qi refiners advancing to the ninth tier, the Golden Core Tier, there's the
famous and almost overused saying that 'those who form a golden core will become
one of us. The truly mystical nature of the Golden Core Tier lies in the fact that
there's a huge limitation to Qi refiners using mystical abilities before they advance to
this tier.

“This is because the amount of spiritual energy a Qi refiner can possess is limited by
the number of acupoints that they've uncovered and refined. In other words, they
have to conserve their spiritual energy when they fight, just like how you have to
conserve your money when you purchase things.

“However, the amount of spiritual energy a Qi refiner can possess will no longer be
restricted by their acupoints after they form a golden core. Like a wealthy person
building an ice cellar, they can enjoy ice even when it's scorching hot. More
importantly, they can even borrow spiritual energy from heaven and earth if they
need to.

“After saying all this, however, what actually is the bridge of immortality? Apart from
allowing one to set foot on the path of cultivation, this bridge can also connect one to
heaven and earth and allow one to become an independent small world and blessed
land.”

Chen Ping'an listened to this very carefully.

Lu Tai smiled and concluded, “This is why the two of us won't necessarily be able to
defeat a Golden Core Tier cultivator even though we killed Ma Wanfa and all those
bandits. Does it make sense now?”

“So that's how it is,” Chen Ping'an replied with a nod.

Lu Tai's expression was as if he had seen a ghost, and he asked in confusion, “Did the
people who taught you fist techniques, sword techniques, and drawing talismans not
teach you about these things?”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, “No, they didn't teach me these things. The
old man who taught me fist technique only taught me….”

Chen Ping'an stood up and threw a light punch at the curtain of rain before
continuing, “How to blast the curtain of rain thirty meters or three hundred meters
back with a casual punch.”

Chen Ping'an then retracted his fist and gently rotated his wrists as if he were
holding a calligraphy brush and drawing talismans. “The person who taught me how
to draw talismans stated that one needed to exude talismanic true intent from the tip
of their brush. A wisp of righteous aura in the mind of a virtuous Confucian disciple
should give rise to blissful winds that sweep hundreds of kilometers through heaven
and earth.”[1]

Chen Ping'an feigned holding a sword and slashing down as he continued, “There is
no lack of extraordinary things in the myriad worlds, but I only have a single sword.”

Lu Tai dazedly looked at the young boy in white standing under the eaves of the
opposite building. He was slightly different from normal.

The handsome young man curled up in his chair and placed his hands inside his
opposite sleeves, falling silent for a long time.

Chen Ping'an cracked a grin and picked up his chair, preparing to return to his room.
“You should sleep earlier as well.”

“Chen Ping'an, which path would you pick if you could only pick one of the three
paths?” Lu Tai asked with a serious expression.

Chen Ping'an faltered upon hearing this. He had genuinely never considered this
before. After contemplating for a moment, he replied, “I only started to practice fist
techniques in order to stay alive and increase my lifespan. In this sense, it can be
considered the foundation of everything.

“I'll continue to practice fist techniques in the future, and if I manage to live for long
enough, I hope that I can throw more than ten million punches. Of course, I definitely
have to advance to the seventh tier of martial arts during this time.

“As for drawing talismans, this is simply a defensive skill that I don't plan to study too
much. I'll follow the natural flow of things. In terms of what I genuinely want to
master, that has to be….”

Chen Ping'an raised a thumb and pointed at the sword on his back before saying,
“The sword.”

Chen Ping’an's expression was calm, and there was unwavering resolve in his eyes as
he announced, “I'm going to become a sword immortal, a great sword immortal!”

“What for?” Lu Tai cocked his head and asked.

Chen Ping'an chuckled and didn't say anything else. He picked up his chair and
jogged back to his room, closing the door and going to sleep.

Lu Tai rolled his eyes. He didn't feel sleepy anymore, so he hummed a tune from his
hometown in boredom. In the end, he decided to stand up and slowly dance on his
chair, with his large sleeves twirling like flowing water. Afterward, he sat back down
and yawned as he rocked his bamboo folding fan.

From time to time, he would form seals with his fingers to perform divinations and
analyze future events. He would also place his head on the armrest with his eyes
rolled back and his tongue sticking out, pretending to be a ghost who had died from
hanging….

He did this all the way until the next morning.

Chen Ping'an woke up at the same time as always, and he first walked outside to
retrieve the Demon-suppressing Talisman from the courtyard door. He then walked
around the courtyard and practiced walking meditation under the eaves.

Lu Tai glanced at Chen Ping'an's boots and said, “I'll find you a pair of boots specially
made for immortals later. That way, you won't need to worry about rainy days or
snowy days anymore. The more expensive ones can even resist fire and water.”

“Why would I need that?” Chen Ping'an asked with a huff. “If I wear such expensive
boots, I'll need to worry about whether or not they'll be damaged when I'm fighting
against other people. Just how troublesome would that be? It's an extra thing to
worry about.”

“You'll never enjoy fortune with a mindset like that,” Lu Tai sighed.

“No other strange things happened last night, right?” Chen Ping'an asked.

Lu Tai nodded and replied, “Now that you mention it, something strange did indeed
happen. It seems like someone from the Flying Eagle Fortress came across a ghost
not too far from here. They got into a fight, a fairly grisly one at that, but no one
ended up dying.”

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment before suggesting, “Then let's wander around
during the day to see if we can uncover the truth. We'll decide on whether to
interfere or not after we make heads or tails of the situation.”

Lu Tai didn't have any complaints.

He was fairly skilled at feng shui, geomancy, divination, and other mystical
techniques. He couldn't help this. The grand elder always bestowed him with
knowledge, so he ended up far superior to everyone else his age even though he put
in minimal effort and always looked for new ways to slack off.

This was truly very troublesome.

1. This references a sentence from one of Su Shi's lyrics. Su Shi is one of the most
accomplished figures in classical Chinese literature. ☜
Lu Tai recounted the bloody battle in two or three casual sentences.

In reality, however, the battle hadn't been anywhere near as relaxing for the two
parties involved.

During the rainy night, a young man in black with a pudao by his side had arrived
here with a Daoist priest.[1] The two of them had traveled through the night with
bamboo hats, one unflinching in the face of death and one wearing an expression of
deep anxiety.

After the torrential downpour transformed into a light drizzle, the two of them had
walked into an alley and arrived at a rundown house that had already been
abandoned for a long time.

His face slightly pale, the young Daoist priest wearing a raincoat had exclaimed, “The
murderous aura is especially strong tonight!”

The man holding the pudao was slightly tanned, and he had gritted his teeth and said
in a low voice, “How many innocent people will die if we keep waiting? We can't drag
this on for any longer!”

Very few people lived in this alley, with only three or four of the houses occupied.
Moreover, the occupants were mostly elderly people who lived by themselves and
seldom communicated with others outside the alley. During their youth, those who
practiced martial arts in the Flying Eagle Fortress would often pick this alley as a
place to measure their bravery against each other. They would come here late at
night to see who dared to walk through this narrow and gloomy alley by themself.

It was said that a bloody battle had taken place in this alley in the past. Before the
Flying Eagle Fortress retreated from the martial arts world, and seizing the moment
when the old fortress lord had just passed away, a group of people with grudges
against the Flying Eagle Fortress had formed an alliance and snuck into the fortress.
They were either elites from demonic forces or masters from sinister heretical paths,
so they all had a lot of blood on their hands. Moreover, they were all infamous
individuals who had been severely wounded or crippled by the old fortress lord
before.

However, their plans had been leaked by accident, so the well-prepared Flying Eagle
Fortress had launched a surprise attack on them and trapped them in this alley. The
ensuing battle had caused a river of blood to form in the alley, with heads from both
sides falling to the ground, be that the heads of demonic cultivators or the heads of
elderly martial artists from the Flying Eagle Fortress.

There had almost been no complete corpse, with the mangled limbs and broken
bodies of the deceased being strewn across the alley. It was said that after the battle,
those responsible for cleaning up the corpses had almost vomited their stomachs
out.

The Flying Eagle Fortress could be regarded as a declining force that had enjoyed
wealth and power in the past. It had once enjoyed almost one hundred years of fame
and influence. In fact, the Huan Clan was still relatively renowned among the older
generation of martial arts cultivators in Agarwood Nation even though they had
already retreated from the cultivation world for several decades.

This was especially the case regarding the old fortress lord who had already passed
away. He had once been a renowned and highly respected member of the cultivation
world. He had been a gallant individual whom everyone in the imperial court knew
about.

However, it was a shame that Huan Yang, the current fortress lord, only possessed
mediocre martial arts talent. He couldn't maintain the might and fame of the Flying
Eagle Fortress. Not to mention, Huan Yang was still very young. As a result, the Flying
Eagle Fortress was facing a dismal situation where the young couldn't replace the
old.

However, a casual flip through the history books would show that there were far too
many remarkable feats that the old fortress lord and the previous two generations of
the Flying Eagle Fortress' Huan Clan had achieved.

Because of this, the population of 400 or so people in the Flying Eagle Fortress were
all extremely proud.
The Flying Eagle Fortress couldn't be regarded as a naive frog at the bottom of the
well even though they were largely isolated from the rest of the world.

Almost everyone in the fortress had grown up listening to the stories of their
ancestors' many incredible feats as well as the old fortress lord's identity as one of
the four grandmasters of Agarwood Nation.

Of the ten powerful elites who were good friends with the old fortress lord and had
once traveled around the cultivation world with him during their youth, three were
still alive.

Moreover, it was rumored that the old fortress lord's wife was a princess who had
fled into the cultivation world from a neighboring nation after the empire that she
had belonged to was overthrown. The two of them had fallen in love at first sight
after the old fortress lord had saved her, and they had eventually united in marriage
after experiencing many challenges and difficulties. This was a story praised and
talked about by everyone.

As for the young fortress lord, Huan Chang, he had displayed extraordinary martial
arts talent ever since a young age. His strength was astonishing, and he had spent a
decade seeking guidance from powerful martial artists and sparring with those
youths who were already renowned in the cultivation world. His talent and attitude
were truly praiseworthy.

Meanwhile, it was said that Huan Shu, the fortress lord's daughter, had a marriage
agreement with the eldest son of one of the ten powerful elites in Agarwood Nation.
This marriage agreement had been made when they were still little children. Right
now, they were simply waiting for that young man to come over and wed her.

However, the strongest member of the youngest generation in the Flying Eagle
Fortress wasn't Huan Chang. Instead, it was a person with a different surname, Tao
Xieyang. He was the direct disciple of Fortress Lord Huan Yang, and he had learned
Confucian principles and profound martial arts skills from Administrator He Ya ever
since he was little. In terms of relationships with other people, he was even more
impressive than Young Fortress Lord Huan Chang.

Tao Xieyang was considerate and warm-hearted, making him extremely well-known
and liked in the Flying Eagle Fortress. He was also a very cheerful person, and it was
as if he wouldn't be afraid even if the sky suddenly collapsed.
The last group of people who had entered the mountains and stayed in the Flying
Eagle Fortress had been led by an extremely famous grandmaster from the martial
arts world. There had been a beautiful girl among the group, one whom people
praised as a celestial maiden. She had an extremely good relationship with Tao
Xieyang, and the two of them would often walk around together both inside and
outside the fortress. Moreover, the beautiful girl would still have a mesmerizing
smile even when she drank the cheapest wine from some street stall with Tao
Xieyang.

During the past few years, Tao Xieyang had already started to assist the fortress lord
and Administrator He Ya, learning to manage the affairs of the Flying Eagle Fortress.
This allowed him to learn about many secrets. However, it also meant that things
weren't so relaxing for him anymore.

He needed to flawlessly follow the rules and etiquette when he welcomed guests
from the outside, and the relationships forged and passed down by the ancestors of
the Flying Eagle Fortress couldn't be allowed to silently extinguish. They had to
subtly maintain the flames of these relationships.

Tao Xieyang also had to travel to the capital, to famous forces in the mountains, and
to powerful factions in the large cities. Not only that, but he had to bring gifts of
silver to influential clans and he also needed to build relationships with dominant
forces in the counties. All of these responsibilities were given to Tao Xieyang,
someone with a different surname than the fortress lord. As a result, Tao Xieyang
had outstanding knowledge and experience when it came to the cultivation world.

The young man who had entered the narrow alley with a pudao in his hand was
none other than Tao Xieyang.

Meanwhile, the young Daoist priest beside Tao Xieyang was a very good friend of his
whom he had met in the cultivation world. They had immediately become like old
friends, and Tao Xieyang was now aware of some of the young Daoist priest's secrets.
The young Daoist priest was able to see those matters with yin energy, and he was
also capable of some subjugation techniques that were unheard of in the cultivation
world.

The young Daoist priest had immediately rushed to the Flying Eagle Fortress without
a shred of hesitation after receiving a request for help from Tao Xieyang. However, he
had become increasingly solemn after performing some careful examination. Just as
Tao Xieyang had said in his letter, there were indeed ghosts and yin entities causing
trouble in the Flying Eagle Fortress. Moreover, they were powerful beings who had
directly destroyed the foundation of the Flying Eagle Fortress' feng shui.

The young Daoist priest was well aware of his own abilities. He wasn't a genuine
cultivator from the mountains, and he had only studied under the tutelage of his
master who liked to travel around for a measly five years. During this time, he had
only learned the basics of observing Qi and drawing talismans. Not only that, but the
talismans that he drew would also be hit-and-miss.

The copper coin sword on his back was made from a string of forty-nine copper
coins, and he was still yet to find an opportunity to use it. Because of this, he had
absolutely no idea whether it could truly suppress murderous aura and slay evil.

The young Daoist priest, Huang Shang, was a descendant of a noble clan who had no
hope of passing the imperial examination. After practicing Daoist techniques for
close to five years, he was still unable to truly embark on the path of drawing
talismans. Moreover, his master was often traveling elsewhere and not by his side to
guide him.

In the end, Huang Shang had spent almost all of his savings to forge his “Three
Treasures” copper coin sword that was made from the copper coins of three
previous dynasties. His master had once said that these three types of copper coins
with ninefold seal script possessed the most abundant yang energy.

Since the quality of Huang Shang's talismans was inferior, his only option was to
make up for them through sheer quantity.

It was truly difficult for a half-assed Daoist priest like him to deal with the ferocious
ghosts and evil spirits in the Flying Eagle Fortress. However, his close friendship with
Tao Xieyang and his sense of justice meant that he had no option but to grit his teeth
and muster up his courage. Since Tao Xieyang was intent on solving this problem for
the fortress, he couldn't stand back and watch his friend suffer a young death, could
he?

Tao Xieyang and Huang Shang viewed each other as brothers, and this wasn't in the
shallow sense of exchanging drinks in the tavern. Instead, they were willing to die for
each other.
Before being abandoned, the original owner of this rundown residence had actually
been quite well off. The door threshold was quite high, and the courtyard door was
also made from premium-grade cypress. There were even ancient and solemn-
looking beasts decorating the door knockers.

Huang Shang retrieved a yellow paper talisman from his sleeve. He smiled bitterly as
he looked at the large door and the tall courtyard walls that had been soaked by the
torrential rain just then, saying, “Neither fortune nor geographical advantage is on
our side.”

Tao Xieyang nodded in agreement. His eyes remained fixed on the large door, and his
hand remained tightly wrapped around the handle of his pudao. He suddenly turned
around and forcefully patted Huang Shang's shoulder, saying, “I'm going to head in
first. If the situation becomes too dire and it becomes impossible to save me, then
you should ignore me and just find me a resting place with better feng shui in the
future.”

Huang Shang was just about to say something.

However, Tao Xieyang had already cracked a brilliant smile and said, “I'm not being
polite! If both of us die, then won't we have to fight for wine to drink in the
underworld?!”

Tao Xieyang drew his hands in and composed himself before swinging his pudao at
the large courtyard door. “Open!”

His strike was vicious, and he surprisingly managed to cleave the large door apart
with a single blow. He strode inside the rundown courtyard with a resolute
expression.

His footsteps became heavy, and it was as if he had walked into a pool of mud.
However, Tao Xieyang was unafraid as he released a soft shout and started to swing
his blade, slashing the air in front of him again and again. A menacing glint reflected
from the blade of the pudao, carrying with it the hint of an imposing glow. It was
clear that Tao Xieyang was making inroads on the path of martial arts.

Tao Xieyang cleared the path with his pudao and marched directly forward.

The two Noble Scholar Talismans hidden near his chest and waist instantly turned
black as if they had been dipped in ink. The already small amounts of spiritual
energy contained within them vanished without a trace.

Huang Shang was just about to hurry over, yet he immediately felt gusts of wind
filled with yin energy rushing out of the door. He had no option but to find a
relatively dry area near the door to stick two Residence Protecting Talismans. Only
after doing this did he feel slightly better. At the very least, he no longer found his
breathing stifled.

He then pinched a talisman in each hand, the Illuminating True Lord Sword Wielding
Talisman and the Yellow God Yuezhang Seal Talisman. They were both renowned
defensive talismans that had been passed down and spread far and wide since
ancient times.

However, Huang Shang only managed to take three steps forward against the gusting
yin energy before finding that his two talismans had already become mostly black. It
was as if he had just dipped them in a bottle of ink. The young Daoist priest was
astonished, and he couldn’t help but yell, “The murderous aura is so concentrated
that it's almost tangible like water! The ghosts and spirits here definitely don't
belong to those vengeful souls who were killed here in the past! They're definitely
malicious ghosts who have wandered around this place for more than one hundred
years! Xieyang, hurry up and retreat from the residence….”

However, the door of the main building in the distance opened automatically, after
which Tao Xieyang swung his pudao and strode inside. The door then slammed shut
behind him.

There was grief and agony on Huang Shang's face as he furiously funneled his measly
spiritual energy into the two deteriorating talismans in his hands. “Transfer calamity
and remove misfortune!” he roared in fury.

The Sword Wielding Talisman didn't react as it had already been completely
infiltrated by the ink-black murderous aura. It was as if Huang Shang's fingers were
being seared by flames, and this forced him to hurriedly toss the talisman away.

Fortunately, the Seal Talisman immediately lit up and illuminated the eerie
surroundings.

The talisman combusted and burned brightly, rapidly chewing away at the yellow
paper base. It also released a pungent azure smoke.
The sounds of uncanny laughter rose and fell around Huang Shang, yet he couldn't
see a single person nearby.

At this moment, it was as if a long and ice-cold tongue were running across his neck,
causing goosebumps to immediately form all over his body.

Huang Shang tossed the completely burned Seal Talisman aside and was just about
to retrieve one of the most powerful talismans from his sleeve.

However, it was as if someone had suddenly stabbed the back of his hand with a
needle. Huang Shang shuddered in fright, and it was also at this moment that rain
mysteriously started to fall from above his head. Huang Shang looked around, only to
see a light drizzle falling in the surroundings. He dazedly wiped his face and looked
down at his hand. His palm was surprisingly filled with blood.

In the next moment, Huang Shang instinctively raised his head.

A pale face without eyeballs was millimeters from his face, almost close enough to
touch the tip of his nose.

Huang Shang was transfixed with shock and terror.

At this critical moment, someone suddenly placed a firm hand on his shoulder and
forcefully dragged him backward, sending him flying out of the terrifying residence.
He crashed into the muddy alley outside, dazed and light-headed.

He saw a familiar figure, one that was tall and skinny. It was none other than He Ya,
the old administrator of the Flying Eagle Fortress and Tao Xieyang's master.

He Ya held a talisman in each hand, and these talismans most likely weren't created
from ordinary yellow talisman paper. They were radiating with a soft and clear glow,
and this spiritual glow didn't dissipate even though it wavered in the rain and wind
that was permeating with yin energy. The talismans were like two candles that
refused to extinguish in the face of strong winds.

The old administrator recited a mantra as he firmly strode forward.

Huang Shang had only just breathed a sigh of relief when his neck was grabbed by a
pair of snow-white hands with extremely long nails. He was dragged backward, and
his struggle was futile as he frantically swung his arms and legs in the mud. The back
of his head forcefully crashed into the wall of the small alley, and it was as if the
ghost that had slipped into the wall wanted to drag the living Huang Shang inside as
well.

His eyes rolled back as he fell unconscious.

When the young Daoist priest finally woke up again, he found that he had already
returned to that guest room in the main building of the Flying Eagle Fortress. Tao
Xieyang's room was next door.

Huang Shang shakily climbed out of bed, just in time to see Administrator He walk in
with a solemn expression.

He Ya sighed and said, “Xieyang hasn't suffered any severe wounds, but….”

The old man didn't continue.

He Ya initially wanted to scold Huang Shang and say that he shouldn't have been so
reckless as to stupidly follow Tao Xieyang to that alley without authorization.

However, the old man couldn't bring himself to say this upon seeing the young Daoist
priest's flustered expression and the ink-black finger marks on his neck. An entire
night had already passed, yet the finger marks were still as dark as before. He Ya
sighed before quickly walking away to brew medicine for his disciple.

Huang Shang wanted to enter his friend's room several times, yet he raised his hand
before putting it back down each time. He was utterly despondent.

————

Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai were going to attend a banquet at the Huan Clan's residence
tonight.

There was still approximately one hour until the banquet, and the two of them had
been wandering around the large streets and small alleys of the fortress the entire
day. They had visited all of the wells, ancestral halls, martial arts training grounds,
execution platforms, and so on in the Flying Eagle Fortress.

Lu Tai had examined all of the various styles of door gods on everyone's courtyard
doors, and Chen Ping'an had occasionally squatted down to grab some soil to place
into his mouth.

Chen Ping'an suddenly remembered something after returning to the small

courtyard, and he asked, “Why did Administrator He allow us into the Flying Eagle
Fortress? And more importantly, why did he choose this place for us to stay? Does he
have personal considerations?”

“He's trying to get one beast to attack another beast,” Lu Tai replied with a nod. “It's
very likely that the Flying Eagle Fortress already has no other choice. That being the
case, he might as well go all in and use everything at his disposal. If we do away with
all niceties and challenge them about this matter at the banquet tonight, it's very
possible that the Flying Eagle Fortress will come clean and honestly explain the
situation to us. They'll simply apologize before throwing money at us, beseeching us
to help the Flying Eagle Fortress through this difficult period.”

Chen Ping'an sighed upon hearing this. What if they were too weak and unable to
rival those wandering ghosts and yin entities last night? Would they have died a
painful and violent death for naught? Would their corpses have been rolled up in
tattered straw mats and tossed out of the Flying Eagle Fortress, bringing the matter
to a close?

As if reading Chen Ping'an's thoughts, Lu Tai smiled and asked, “Are you lamenting
the vicious nature of the cultivation world? Then have you considered this before?
Perhaps the Flying Eagle Fortress and He Ya are both experiencing painful problems
that are difficult to put into words. Perhaps you might flare up in righteous rage and
voluntarily step forward to help after you hear their explanation.”

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied in a quiet voice, “There's a notion of order
regarding which matter should come first and which matter should come after.
There's also a notion of severity regarding whether a matter is right or wrong. The
order of things can't be switched, and one should only consider the importance of a
matter and its rightness or wrongness on this fundamental basis. Only then can one
decide whether or not to proceed.”

“This sounds easy, but it certainly isn't easy to put into practice,” Lu Tai commented
with a chuckle.

“Mhm, it's incredibly difficult,” Chen Ping'an concurred.

It wasn't long before the siblings Huan Chang and Huan Shu arrived at the banquet
together. Huan Shu had changed into a warm yellow dress tonight, making her
appear especially lithe and graceful. Meanwhile, Huan Chang was still dressed in the
same clothes as yesterday, minus his composite bow.

Before heading to the banquet, Lu Tai asked Chen Ping'an if he should give the Flying
Eagle Fortress and Huan Shu a pleasant surprise. However, Chen Ping'an patted his
Sword Nurturing Gourd with a dark expression before Lu Tai could even finish
speaking. Lu Tai immediately shut up and put his hands together, pretending to beg
Chen Ping'an for forgiveness.

In front of the railings of the tall building in the distance, there stood a spirited
woman in a fairly good mood. Her smile was warm and gentle, and she had listened
to her daughter talk about the elegant young master who had come from another
nation last night. He was going to visit with his friend today, so Huan Shu wanted her
mother to help appraise his character.

The woman found this quite interesting, so she happily agreed to her daughter's
request.

As for the seemingly premature marriage agreement that they had made with
someone else before, the Flying Eagle Fortress no longer treated this as a genuine
agreement. To say nothing of them, the other party was even more keen to act as if
this agreement had never existed in the first place. After all, they didn't want to be
dragged down by the continually declining Flying Eagle Fortress.

The virtuous woman felt quite happy upon thinking that her daughter would wear
the most beautiful red wedding dress and marry her favorite man during her most
beautiful prime, just like her mother. However, she couldn't help but feel slightly sad
at the same time.

The rims of her eyes were slightly red, so she lowered her head a little and used an
embroidered handkerchief to gently dab her eyes.

However, the woman was unaware—and no one in the Flying Eagle Fortress could
see either—that countless crisscrossing cracks had appeared on her face bleeding
from all seven orifices. She looked much like a piece of porcelain that was on the
verge of shattering.
1. The pudao is a Chinese single-edged infantry weapon that is still used primarily
for training in various Chinese martial arts. The blade of the weapon is shaped like a
Chinese broadsword, but the weapon has a longer handle, usually around one to two
meters. ☜
Chen Ping'an wasn't blind, so he could naturally tell that Huan Shu, the fortress
lord's daughter, was interested in Lu Tai.

At the same time, Chen Ping'an could also see the unconcealable sense of worry
hidden behind the siblings' politeness and warmth.

By the looks of it, the wanton actions of the ghosts and spirits toward the residents
of the fortress were extremely worrisome for the Flying Eagle Fortress.

In the cultivation world outside the mountains, even wealthy clans and powerful
forces would find it very difficult to deal with such problems.

Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai made their way to the main building of the Flying Eagle
Fortress. This was a majestic structure, and the plaque on the door, the couplets to
the side, the pair of colorful door gods, and the jade-white tigers on both sides had
all been created by famous artists. All of these things highlighted the past glory and
wealth of the Flying Eagle Fortress' Huan Clan.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, with many red candles that were as thick as an
infant's arm. There were also many pieces of old artwork decorating the hall, such as
large paintings of scenery, painting pairs that depicted immortal scenes, and so on.
Fortress Lord Huan Yang, his wife, Administrator He Ya, and a few elders from the
Huan Clan all stood at the door of the hall to welcome the young man and the young
boy who were visiting the Flying Eagle Fortress for the first time.

Many talented descendants and branch descendants stood behind them, and these
youths were all filled with curiosity toward Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai. After all, it was
very rare for the fortress to prepare such a grand welcome banquet.

“One should never strike an apologizing person. If the Flying Eagle Fortress's Huan
Clan is smart enough, do you believe me if I say that they'll actively apologize to us
after having three rounds of drinks?” Lu Tai said to Chen Ping'an using his mind's
voice.
However, Lu Tai quickly lost his seriousness, saying with his mind's voice as he
looked around the room, “There are quite a lot of old antiques wandering around. It
seems like the ancestors of the Flying Eagle Fortress's Huan Clan were fairly wealthy,
huh? They were faring quite well compared to other forces outside the mountains in
Parasol Leaf Continent.

“It's almost certain that they wouldn't have needed our help if they weren't forced to
hide in this isolated place due to that calamity. They would have asked the immortals
from Agarwood Nation or the surrounding nations for help and dealt with this bunch
of yin entities long ago.”

Before coming here, Lu Tai had briefly mentioned something about Commercialist
disciples in the world. These disciples had proposed a notion of “old money” and
“new money.”

In other words, paper money and banks should be categorized as new or old. There
were some old banks with a history of hundreds or even thousands of years and still
going strong, and there were also some new banks that had only recently risen to
power. As a result, the paper money issued by these banks naturally differed in terms
of whether they were old or new.

Chen Ping'an perceptively noticed something strange about the fortress lord's wife
before he took a seat. Her aura was cloudy and misty, and this was in the sense of
dark clouds and black mists. It was clear that her aura was contaminated with filth.
Even though she looked beautiful and healthy, the reality was that her vital energy
was waning and her life force was already near exhaustion.

Lu Tai didn't so much as take a single glance at her.

The banquet wasn't overly fancy, and it couldn't be said that there were exotic
delicacies from the mountains and the seas. Instead, there was game from the rivers
and fruits and vegetables that were in season. Huan Yang remained extremely
modest the entire time, not putting on any airs.

In fact, Chen Ping'an could clearly detect the discomfort of those Huan Clan
descendants. They were acting in a perfunctory manner as they ate and drank, and it
was often the case that they would only drink when the fortress lord suggested a
toast to everyone.
However, Lu Tai had guessed incorrectly, and Fortress Lord Huan Yang didn't
mention the matter regarding the strange alley to them even when the banquet
neared its end. He simply stated that the environment in the Flying Eagle Fortress
was harsh, so he asked Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai to forgive the fortress if the fortress
were unable to take good care of them.

After drinking the last glass of wine, however, Huan Yang and his wife personally
showed Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai around the main building after the other guests
gradually got up and left. After walking out to the balcony on the top level, Huan
Chang and Huan Shu both brought out a present as they were gazing into the
distance.

The presents were placed inside wooden boxes, and Huan Yang explained that these
were old antiques that had been passed down by their ancestors. They weren't
worth much, but they could be considered quite rare. In any case, these were just
some simple welcome gifts. In the end, he said that hopefully Chen Ping'an and Lu
Tai could visit the Flying Eagle Fortress more often in the future. The fortress would
definitely welcome them warmly.

Lu Tai flawlessly dealt with this engagement.

Afterward, he ran his hand along the railing and silently remarked, “This is a good
place.”

And thus, the hosts and the guests happily farewelled each other. Huan Shu initially
wanted to bring them back to that alley, yet Huan Chang found an excuse to drag her
back and stop her from going. Huan Shu was unhappy about this, but she ultimately
didn't insist on leaving the main building. Looking at the two guests who were
walking along the wide street side-by-side, Huan Chang said in a soft voice, “Xieyang
suffered such severe wounds, so why aren't you visiting him?”

Huan Shu frowned and replied, “He still rushed over with such carelessness even
though Father and Grandpa He already told him not to act recklessly. If it weren't for
the fact that esteemed immortals are going to arrive in the Flying Eagle Fortress
tonight, how could we have cleaned up this absolute mess?

“Tao Xieyang is already old enough to understand this, and he's already managing
half of the Flying Eagle Fortress' affairs in any case, so how could he still be swayed
by his emotions and act so rashly? He's forgotten about the profoundness of heaven
and earth after wandering around the cultivation world for a few days……”

“Enough with the badmouthing!” Huan Chang scolded in anger. “No matter what,
Xieyang suffered such severe wounds for the sake of the Flying Eagle Fortress. In
fact, no one would have the face to stop Xieyang if he overheard this and decided to
leave the Flying Eagle Fortress in anger! Are you truly unaware of how many
renowned forces have taken an interest in Xieyang's martial arts talents and
management capabilities these past few years?”

Huan Shu pursed her lips and replied, “Then I guess our temple is too small to host
this big Bodhisattva. What else can the Flying Eagle Fortress do? Cry and beg Tao
Xieyang to stay?”

Huan Chang turned around and scolded in a stern voice, “Huan Shu, how are your
remarks becoming ruder and ruder?! Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?! You
and Xieyang grew up together like family, and he's also a very good brother of
mine….”

The rims of Huan Shu's eyes became bright red. She felt slightly upset, and this was
the first time she had seen her older brother becoming so angry. Her voice quivered
as she said, “But I don't want to marry him! He might like me, but I don't like him!
What else can I do about this?”

Huan Chang sighed upon hearing this. Everyone had their own burden to bear. This
was a very difficult matter to resolve.

This was just like how Huan Chang couldn't understand Tao Xieyang. Such a
beautiful and outstanding celestial maiden from the cultivation world had fallen in
love with him at first sight, yet Tao Xieyang somehow refused to reciprocate her
feelings.

On the other hand, Tao Xieyang had liked his younger sister for so many years, and
this was a relationship that should have formed and developed naturally, eventually
culminating in marriage. Yet, his younger sister couldn't develop romantic feelings
for him no matter what.

In terms of what would happen after Tao Xieyang married his younger sister, Huan
Chang hadn't thought much about this. More precisely, he wasn't willing to think too
much about this. Tao Xieyang had the formless support of Administrator He Ya, and
he had also traveled far and wide over the past many years. As a result, everyone in
the Flying Eagle Fortress respected Tao Xieyang immensely. If Tao Xieyang married
his younger sister, would the Flying Eagle Fortress perhaps be ruled by someone
with a different surname in the future?

The autumn breeze was refreshing, and the river of stars was dazzling. However, it
was as if each speck of star represented a feeling of melancholy in the world.

On this night, an outsider with the demeanor of an immortal being arrived on the
small path outside the Flying Eagle Fortress before Chen Ping'an and Lu Tai arrived
back in the small alley.

Only Fortress Lord Huan Yang and Administrator He Ya went out to greet him. They
stood in a solemn and respectful manner with their arms by their sides, and the
welcome they provided wasn't boisterous at all. However, this welcome was far more
practical and sincere compared to the welcome banquet they had provided for Chen
Ping'an and Lu Tai.

The person walking over was a tall and sturdy man with an intense gaze. He was
leading a handsome snow-white horse by the reins, and looked to be around forty
years old. There was a fly-whisk in his hand and a peach wood talisman by his waist
as he gracefully walked over.

There were also two bundles of pine and cypress branches hanging from the two
sides of the saddle, and this appeared extremely strange.

The characters “Extinguishing Worries” were inscribed on his fly-whisk.

Fortress Lord Huan Yang and Administrator He Ya hurriedly bowed in greeting,

saying, “Welcome, esteemed immortal from Peace and Tranquility Mountain.”

The middle-aged man nodded and said with a faint smile, “There's no need to be so
polite. It's the responsibility of immortals from the mountains to venture outside to
subdue demons and eliminate fiends.”

Before Huan Yang could say anything else, the man leading the horse had already
looked up at the sky above the fortress and analyzed, “Sure enough, there's a very
concentrated yin energy and murderous aura gathered over the fortress. If I'm not
wrong, the Flying Eagle Fortress should have just experienced a torrential downpour.
“The two of you should be aware that it wasn't ordinary autumn rain. Rather, it was
the sinister demons and ghosts in this area setting up formations and unleashing
mystical abilities with the aim of stopping the Flying Eagle Fortress from having any
descendants in the future.”

Huan Yang and the old administrator exchanged a glance before the former cupped
his fists and offered, “Esteemed Immortal, the Flying Eagle Fortress is willing to build
a shrine to honor you as long as you're able to save the population of five hundred or
so people here. We're also willing to hand over the precious sword, Halting Snow,
that our ancestors obtained through luck. The descendants of the Huan Clan will
honor you and Peace and Tranquility Mountain for at least one hundred years. We'll
do everything in our ability to repay you!”

The middle-aged man flicked his fly-whisk with a carefree smile and replied, “We can
discuss these matters after I save the Flying Eagle Fortress. Otherwise, this positive
karmic fate will become nothing more than a business transaction filled with the
stench of copper.”

Huan Yang was moved to tears, and he sobbed, “Esteemed Immortal is so noble and
unsullied! I apologize for my disrespect….”

The middle-aged man ignored him and walked forward with his horse, fully
displaying his transcendent demeanor as an immortal.

Later on in the night, another travel-worn and disheveled old man arrived at the
Flying Eagle Fortress. However, he was almost stopped at the gate and asked to leave.
In the end, it was Tao Xieyang's friend, the young Daoist priest Huang Shang, who
rushed over after hearing about this. Only then was the old man allowed into the
Flying Eagle Fortress.

The old man casually settled down in some alley, and this caused shame and guilt to
fill Huang Shang's face. However, the old man didn't care much about this, and he
walked around the fortress even though it was already late at night. During his
investigations, he also leaned over some wells and smelled the water.

After returning to his courtyard, the old man suddenly looked up in surprise and
leaped onto the roof of the building with a tap of his feet. He gazed at someplace in
the distance and carefully examined it for a short moment. After returning to the
courtyard, he turned around and asked, “There are already powerful cultivators
guarding the Flying Eagle Fortress?”

Huang Shang faltered upon hearing this, and he replied, “I'm not sure if they're
powerful cultivators or not. However, I'm aware that two young people arrived at the
Flying Eagle Fortress two days ago. One is a graceful and handsome young man, and
one is a taciturn young boy with a sword on his back.”

“Did the two of them not provide assistance when you and Tao Xieyang experienced
danger before?” the old man asked.

“It was the old administrator who saved us. Those two people didn't appear at the
scene,” Huang Shang replied with a bitter smile.

“He Ya does indeed know some shallow Dao techniques,” the old man said with a
nod. “However, there's quite a huge gulf between his skills and the level of the
talisman that the two people stuck on their courtyard door.”

The young Daoist priest faltered and asked, “Those two people are around the same
age as me, but Master is suggesting that they're already the same as you? Perhaps
they're esteemed immortals who have mastered mystical Dao techniques?”

The old man sniggered and replied, “So what if they're young? True esteemed
immortals are those who can move mountains and turn seas even though they're
still very young. Half-assed cultivators like me have simply relied on our age to grind
out a measly cultivation base. In fact, those genuine immortal forces in the
mountains don't view us as fellow cultivators walking the same path.”

Huang Shang was still a little skeptical, and he was convinced that this was a case of
his master being noble and modest. He regarded his master as a genuinely
transcendent being who cared little about fame and riches and didn't like to boast
about his immortal cultivation.

The old man didn't say anything else. Compared to those immortals who could travel
on wind and soar through the clouds, it could be said that he had wasted all of his
time and lived like a dog. At the end of the day, this wasn't a joyful matter to discuss.

Elsewhere, Chen Ping'an stuck another Treasure Pagoda Demon-suppressing

Talisman on the courtyard door.

Neither he nor Lu Tai felt sleepy, so the two of them sat in the courtyard and casually
chatted with each other.

Chen Ping'an's expression was solemn, while Lu Tai was smiling with squinted eyes
and rocking his bamboo fan back and forth as always.

Chen Ping'an was just about to say something, yet Lu Tai raised a hand and stopped
him from speaking, warning him, “It won't be effective anymore if you talk about it.”

The handsome young man changed the topic and said in amusement, “Your Dao
robe, Golden Sweet Wine, the two flying swords in your Sword Nurturing Gourd, and
your immortal treasure-grade demon-binding chain…. Just how impressive will you
be when you reach the seventh tier of martial arts in the future?”

Chen Ping'an gave a knowing smile and said in an open and cheerful manner, “But
others won't know of the blood, sweat, and tears behind all of this.”

“Do you find it very strange that I've never regarded myself as a sword cultivator?”
Lu Tai sighed and asked.

“What's so strange about that?” Chen Ping'an huffed. “Isn't this simply because
you're afraid of heights? You took Osmanthus Island when traveling from Old Dragon
City to Stalactite Mountain, and you took the Treasure Swallowing Whale when
traveling from Stalactite Mountain to Parasol Leaf Continent. Have you ever taken a
kun ship before?”

Lu Tai flushed red, and he immediately threw his bamboo folding fan at Chen
Ping'an. Chen Ping'an held his index finger and middle finger together before gently
twirling them in a circle, causing the bamboo fan to spin in midair as if it were being
controlled by silk threads. The bamboo fan circled around Chen Ping'an once before
flying back to Lu Tai. The handsome young man caught the bamboo fan and clicked
his tongue in wonder, remarking, “What a quick learner you are. You're already
putting what you learned before into practice.”

Perhaps the sword kinesis techniques of sword experts were very mysterious in the
cultivation world. To Chen Ping'an who was at the fourth tier of martial arts,
however….

Grasping one technique allowed him to grasp all techniques.

The autumn sun was warm, and Lu Tai was sitting in the courtyard and playing out
games of Go from the manuals by himself. Chen Ping'an was practicing techniques
from the Proper Sword Scripture nearby.

The Flying Eagle Fortress didn't violate their privacy anymore after Lu Tai detected
the spy from the fortress last time.

Seizing the opportunity when Chen Ping'an momentarily stopped practicing his
sword techniques, Lu Tai suddenly asked, “Chen Ping'an, should I teach you how to
play Go?”

Chen Ping'an was still rotating his wrists and searching for the smoothest and most
suitable sword-holding posture to defend against surprise variations in attacks. He
needed to seek change in the finest areas if he wanted his sword strikes to become
quicker. This followed the same principle as the extremely profound jumping burin
technique in pottery firing. At a rough glance, it would seem as if the technique was
focused on not moving. In reality, however, this wasn't the case.

Chen Ping'an shook his head upon hearing Lu Tai's suggestion, replying, “Forget
about it. I've learned how to play Go before, but I'm still no good at it. I witnessed
grandmaster Go players during my first distant trip, and I still prefer to watch others
play than play myself.”

There was Lin Shouyi, Xie Xie, Yu Lu, and the young imperial preceptor who had
changed his name to Cui Dongshan. Each of them was more skilled at Go than the
other. Chen Ping'an often watched them playing Go, yet he was still unable to
decipher whether a move was good or bad and what kind of short-term or long-term
strategies the two sides were employing. Thus, he felt that he didn't have any talent
when it came to playing Go.

Even so, he still enjoyed watching games of Go just like how he enjoyed watching Lu
Tai brew tea. These were all very pleasant experiences. During his journey to the
Great Sui Nation, Chen Ping'an had also enjoyed watching the games of Go between
Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie.

Chen Ping'an felt like the meditative state that people entered when playing Go was
very beautiful.

Lu Tai didn't dwell on Chen Ping'an's refusal to learn, and he asked with a smile, “Do
you know what the peak state of playing Go is?”

Chen Ping'an naturally didn't know.

Lu Tai pinched a Go piece and placed it on the board before saying with a fervent
expression in his eyes, “To have no one in front.”

Chen Ping'an ruminated on this for a moment before nodding in understanding.

“Mhm.”

It was Lu Tai's turn to be surprised, and he raised his head and shot a sideways
glance at Chen Ping'an, asking, “You genuinely understand this?”

Chen Ping'an slowly walked around the courtyard, bringing his Qi to his Dantian and
allowing his fist intent to pour into the surroundings. This appeared unremarkable
at first glance, yet in reality, the young boy had already reached a state where his
aura was vast and quiet like deep water. Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, “A certain
person's sword techniques and the fist techniques of the old man who helped me
temper my third tier of martial arts all exuded this feeling. Just like you said, to have
no one in front.”

Lu Tai faltered slightly.

This was the case even though Lu Tai had witnessed far too many interesting people
and beautiful scenes, extravagant decorations and lavish food, noble people and
powerful people, graceful people and carefree people, and immortals who treated
clouds as food and dew as drink.

Regardless of all this, watching Chen Ping'an practice fist techniques was still a form
of enjoyment.

However, Lu Tai felt like Chen Ping'an could do even better.

He stood up and took a deep breath.

Four wisps of white air slowly drifted out from his nose and ears, yet they didn't drift
away nor did they disperse. Instead, they were like four slender white pythons
hanging upside down on Lu Tai's face.

Chen Ping'an was slightly confused. He didn't know what Lu Tai was trying to do.

Lu Tai walked to the middle of the courtyard and slowly explained, “Pure martial
artists temper Qi, and Qi refiners also nurture and temper Qi. As we breathe and
meditate, we can't escape from the matter that is Qi. When describing mortals, the
phrase 'Qi as thin as a thread' implies that one is reaching the end of their life.
However, this phrase has a completely different meaning when used to describe
sword cultivators.”

Lu Tai exhaled slowly, causing his Qi to condense into silk-like threads. In the end,
these threads transformed into a miniature sword in front of him. Lu Tai gently blew
the sword.

Chen Ping'an's heart jolted, and he quickly turned his head to the side. A burst of
white light rapidly shot past his ear. Afterward, the extremely slender burst of white
light started to furiously whiz around the courtyard, leaving trails of very slow-
dispersing light in its wake. Before long, it was as if the courtyard had been
transformed into a cage formed from sword qi. It was like a pool of lightning that
was permeating with intense sword qi.

Lu Tai stomped his foot, causing the peculiar phenomenon to instantly vanish.

The handsome young man smiled faintly and said, “I understand the principles even
though I'm not a pure martial artist. You're obsessively practicing one of the most
ordinary fist techniques, and you've actually managed to practice it more than one
million times. As a result, your fist intent is completely smooth and natural. In reality,
however, you fail to understand the true intent hidden within it.”

Lu Tai turned to Chen Ping'an, holding one hand behind his back and extending one
hand forward with his palm outstretched. “Apart from strengthening one's tendons,
bones, Qi, and blood and nurturing one's soul and intent, the truly mystical nature of
fist techniques is their True Qi that doesn't draw from the power of heaven and earth
but instead seeks to command heaven and earth. This burst of True Qi is compact
and allows one's punch to be unreasonably fast!”
Lu Tai threw a punch, with his fist aura causing an explosive boom that triggered a
subsequent series of tearing sounds.

Lu Tai threw another punch, this time on a slight angle. His fist then hooked around,
finishing in the same spot as his previous punch. This punch was silent rather than
explosive, yet the air that had come into contact with his fist collapsed in an
astonishing manner.

“I used the same strength and intent for both punches,” Lu Tai explained. “My first
punch traveled straight and appeared to take the shortest path, yet the situation was
actually similar to traversing mountains and rivers. The fastest path isn't necessarily
the shortest one, but rather the one that follows the mountain paths and the flow of
the rivers. As such, trying to take the shortest path might actually slow you down.

“It's said that the genuine End Tier for Martial Dao is the tenth tier. If one advances
further, however, one will reach the Martial God Tier. This paramount Martial God
Tier is one that even Qi refiners envy and fear.”

Lu Tai retracted his fist and sighed. Looking up at the sky with an adrift expression,
he continued, “Chaos has already started to sweep through the world. You have to
stay alive, Chen Ping'an. If you can live until the end, then….”

Blood started to seep from the corners of Lu Tai's mouth, yet he still insisted on
saying, “You definitely have to stay alive and resolutely defend that place. Make sure
to prevent yourself from being swept up and coerced by the unstoppable trend. You
have to become that unwavering pillar. When the time comes, you'll receive help
from all sides and even from heaven and earth. Don't limit your vision to short-term
gains. I'm confident that you can walk further than Cao Ci, and I'm confident that you
can rebuild your bridge of immortality and become a great sword immortal….”

Divine secrets couldn't be revealed.

Perhaps this was a casual and joking remark often uttered by ordinary Qi refiners.

However, this was not the case for Naturalist disciples.

Those who were skilled in divination, fortune-telling, and horoscopes often wouldn't
die a peaceful death. Some occasionally would, yet they didn't need to dream about
their children and descendants receiving any ancestral blessings. In fact, it was even
possible for these people to use up their descendants' fortunes and thus cause harm
to those after them.

Chen Ping'an could already sense the severity of the situation, so he quietly shouted,
“That's enough, Lu Tai!”

Lu Tai nodded and wiped the blood from his mouth using the back of his hand. After
returning to his seat beside the stone table, he flashed a dazzling smile at the young
boy and said, “Since I've found this place and found the Ascending Sun Platform in
the Flying Eagle Fortress, you'll need to continue your journey by yourself after this.”

Chen Ping'an sat beside Lu Tai and replied with a nod, “I'll travel north by myself
after we finish dealing with the matters here. You don't need to worry about me.”

“Do you have any plans?” Lu Tai asked.

“Of course.”

Chen Ping'an smiled and explained, “In the short term, I want to find the ruins of an
ancient battlefield and look for the heroic spirits of those lingering souls. I need to
temper my three souls to solidify the foundation of my fourth tier of martial arts. In
the long term, I want to continue practicing fist techniques with that old man after I
return home. That way, I can advance my cultivation in a steadier manner and thus
increase my chance of reaching the seventh tier of martial arts.”

Lu Tai nodded and said, “I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me. This kind of
backlash from the Heavenly Dao is nothing more than a common snack for members
of the Lu Clan.”

Chen Ping'an finally felt reassured after confirming that Lu Tai wasn't downplaying
his injuries. He wrapped his hands behind his head and slowly said, “There's also
something that I've thought about but haven't had the time to do. I want to pave a
new road for my hometown, the type that has a resting pavilion every seven or eight
kilometers. My heart won't ache regardless of how much money I have to spend.”

“It's just a path, so how much money can it cost?” Lu Tai asked with a huff.

No wonder his two bonded flying swords were called Needle Tip and Wheat Awn. By
the looks of it, he was innately fond of nit-picking and arguing with others.

Chen Ping'an didn't argue with Lu Tai, and he continued, “When I return home, I'm
going to make an attempt to personally manage my two stores in Dragon Riding
Alley. I'll be happy as long as I make some money, even if it's only a few copper coins
every day.

“Then there's also those damaged statues of deities in the immortal tomb. Even
though I had already addressed some of the issues the last time I returned home,
building many sheds and repairing the statutes a little, this is still far from enough. I
still need to formally rebuild their golden bodies for them.

“Is this why you purchased those books about carving statues?” Lu Tai asked.

“Mhm, I need to learn as much about the rules and taboos of creating statues as I can,
lest I perform bad deeds with good intentions.”

“You sure are busy,” Lu Tai remarked with a smile.

Chen Ping'an was gazing into the distance the entire time, and he asked, “Do you
want to hear my plans that are even longer term?”

“Go on. I'll jump into some well to cleanse myself if your plans are too preposterous
and end up polluting my ears,” Lu Tai replied.

Chen Ping'an paid no heed to the handsome young man's teasing remark, and he
began, “I want to construct more buildings beside the bamboo building that's located
in my hometown's Downtrodden Mountain. I want them to stretch from the foot of
the mountain…. Forget about that. I want them to stretch from the waist of the
mountain all the way to the peak of the mountain. I want these buildings to have all
of those things that you mentioned before: eave tiles, drip tiles, overhangs, caisson
ceilings, and mortise and tenon connections.”[1]

Chen Ping'an raised a hand and vigorously gestured in the air as he said this.

Lu Tai rolled his eyes and exclaimed, “Such grand and terrifying ambitions!”

Chen Ping'an felt a little disheartened.

Lu Tai hurriedly raised his hands and relented, “Okay, okay, please continue. I won't
tease you anymore.”

Only after hearing this did Chen Ping'an continue, “I want to buy a lot of books—
classics from the three sages, teachings from the Hundred Schools of Thought, and
literary works composed by virtuous people of the past. I want to collect all of these.
Before Jewel Small World shattered and fell, you can't imagine how difficult it was to
obtain even a single book in impoverished areas like Clay Vase Alley, the alley where
I lived. It was even more difficult than coming across a single grain of silver.

“I want there to be all kinds of large buildings and small buildings in my mountains,
and I want these buildings to be filled with all kinds of spirit tools and immortal
treasures. I want to collect local specialties from all of the myriad nations in the
world, things like embroidered gowns and cockfighting cups from Colorful Garment
Nation.

“I want to collect lively and adorable spirits, spirits that can help people dress and
apply makeup, spirits that can stand on the branches of potted plants and cup their
fists, spirits that can open doors to welcome guests, and so on. I want to raise all
kinds of unique and wonderful plants, have tall mountains and flowing rivers,
construct pavilions and pagodas, plant bamboo forests for cultivation, and have seas
of clouds roll past the mountains every day….

“Li Baoping and Li Huai can peacefully study there, Lin Shouyi can earnestly cultivate
there, Yu Lu can reach the peak of martial arts and study fist techniques with Mr. Cui
there, Xie Xie can…. avoid being bullied by Cui Dongshan there, the little boy in azure
and the little girl in pink can either cultivate or slack off as they please there, and
Ruan Xiu can visit frequently and enjoy desserts from my shop there….

“On the first and fifteenth day of the New Year, many local residents can go to the
mountain god temple in Downtrodden Mountain to offer incense. I want to make the
mountain path wider, and I want to pave it with bluestone slabs like Fortune Street
and Peach Leaf Alley. That way, people won't need to worry about their shoes getting
muddy even when it rains.

“In fact, I'll prepare many raincoats and bamboo hats in the mountain god temple so
the local residents don't need to be afraid even if it does suddenly start to rain. They
can borrow these things and return them the next time they visit the mountain god
temple to offer incense.

“No matter what the world turns into, no matter what life is like outside the
mountains, no matter what the situation is like in other mountains, I simply hope
that everyone in my mountains will cherish each other and live happily every single
day. I wish that those beside me won't suffer like Liu Xianyang anymore, feeling like
they can't do anything to improve the situation, and feeling like others won't listen to
us even when we're correct. In the future, we'll improve the situation and we'll make
these people listen, even if that means using our fists or using our swords….”

Lu Tai quietly listened to the young boy's dreams.

It was as if he were watching Chen Ping'an build a snowman on a scorching summer

day.

1. Eave tiles (瓦当) refer to decorated tile ends, drip tiles (滴水瓦) refer to concave
tiles that keep wooden structures fry and safe from rot when there's heavy rain, and
caisson ceilings (藻井) refer to layered and richly decorated ceilings/ ☜