The Gold City God’s words carried significant weight.

Even Confucian scholars and esteemed figures recognized by academies would hesitate to call themselves “virtuous.” For scholars, the three imperishables—establishing virtue, achieving merit, and creating discourse—place virtue above all, the most arduous of the three. Most scholars can only settle for the latter two throughout their lives, or even fall short of those.

However, Chen Pingan’s knowledge was still shallow, preventing him from fully grasping the profound meaning behind Shen Wen of Caiyi Kingdom speaking as a scholar rather than a City God. Naturally, Chen Pingan liked the cyan wooden box that brought him peace upon touch. Knowing it contained a seal personally inscribed by the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master, he liked it even more. Who wouldn’t appreciate fine things? Chen Pingan was delighted!

But liking something didn’t equate to taking what belonged to another. This wasn’t about Chen Pingan’s speed or martial prowess, nor the number of his flying swords. It was about the Confucian ideal of self-restraint and returning to propriety, though Chen Pingan was not yet aware of the “reasoning” behind it.

Shen Wen smiled, “You may keep the seal.”

Seeing the young immortal master’s confusion, City God Shen Wen was even more pleased. After centuries of absorbing incense offerings, he had witnessed countless prayers, demands, and follies from his patrons, as well as their hardships, piety, and the helplessness of the world. Shen Wen had transformed from a righteous and loyal courtier into someone deeply understanding of worldly affairs. At times, even a clay idol could feel anger, frustrated by those who only sought divine aid without self-reliance, and infuriated by corrupt merchants and scoundrels. He mourned their misfortune and rebuked their apathy. As he neared his own dissipation, countless events and individuals resurfaced in his mind. Gold City God Shen Wen, looking at the young outsider standing outside the temple, felt a myriad of emotions.

Shen Wen abruptly mustered a surge of energy, stabilizing his dissipating ethereal form slightly, and said, “Shen Wen has one last request. Whether you fulfill it is entirely up to you. Shen Wen dares not force it.”

Chen Pingan nodded, “City God, please speak plainly.”

Shen Wen asked, “If a wise ruler emerges in Caiyi Kingdom in the future, could you offer some assistance? Even a small favor, such as in times of drought or flood. You are not far from here, could you use your divine powers to help the people of Caiyi Kingdom safely overcome natural disasters? Just once, just once would suffice.”

Chen Pingan nodded, “Rest assured, City God. Regardless of whether the Emperor of Caiyi Kingdom is virtuous, I will come here proactively upon hearing of Caiyi Kingdom’s distress. But let me be clear, I will only do what is within my capabilities. I hope the City God understands.”

Shen Wen looked gratified, murmuring, “That’s very good, that’s already very good.”

In truth, the Gold City God felt guilty, for he was calculating people’s hearts. Shen Wen firmly believed that as long as the young man did not falter on his path of cultivation, he would have a great future. If the young man held affection for Caiyi Kingdom, the later he acted, the higher his cultivation would be, and the more beneficial it would be for Caiyi Kingdom.

Shen Wen looked towards the gloomy sky outside the Earth God Temple, a bitter taste in his heart. *This is all I, Shen Wen, can do for Caiyi Kingdom.*

Shen Wen returned to his senses, smiling, “Regarding the golden body fragments, I only spoke of half the matter, of their origins and grade. As for their use, it’s somewhat like… the art of slaying dragons. Extremely useful, but with a high barrier to entry. For an ordinary person, holding dozens or even hundreds of golden body fragments would be meaningless. But if the person possessing the fragments has a friend who cultivates the path of divinity, then they are a priceless treasure, one of the rarest innate spiritual objects in the world. Or, if a ruler uses them to bestow upon the mountain and water deities within their territory, it would surely be considered the highest of honors. Failing that, when you reach a place near the summit in the future, you can sell them to knowledgeable people who need them, such as great cultivators in the Golden Core or Nascent Soul realms, and you can demand exorbitant prices. Any price would not be an overestimation!”

Chen Pingan looked solemn, carefully remembering everything.

Shen Wen smiled, “Please extend your hand.”

Chen Pingan was somewhat puzzled but extended his hand.

Shen Wen reached into his chest, clenched his fist, and extended it towards Chen Pingan, opening his fist to gently place something in Chen Pingan’s palm.

It was a golden object the size of a goose egg.

Chen Pingan looked up, blinking his eyes.

Shen Wen smiled, “Ancient battlefield ruins. Countless military strategists and cultivators painstakingly seek the Yin spirits of the battlefield, searching for the heroic and divine spirits. I, Shen Wen, came from a scholarly background. After death, the Emperor of Caiyi Kingdom conferred upon me the title of City God of this place, along with a golden body of passable quality. It cannot compare to the City Gods within the capital cities of great dynasties, but this golden body… Literary Courage! It does not lose to any City God of any continent!”

At that moment, Shen Wen seemed to have returned to his youth, after enduring more than a decade of diligent study, passing the Imperial Examination with flying colours. In the morning, he was a commoner, and in the evening, he stood in the Emperor’s Hall, not for the glory of his own family, but for the joy of all families.

The scholar City God, Shen Wen, after handing over that golden body of literary courage, seemed to have unloaded a great burden. After centuries of diligently protecting the surrounding region, he could finally rest properly. Chen Pingan didn’t withdraw his hand for a long time. Shen Wen laughed heartily, reaching out with one finger to gently touch the literary courage, smiling, “Without colorful phoenix wings to fly in pairs, our hearts are connected as one. Young immortal master, read more books in the future!”

Chen Pingan solemnly put away the golden body of literary courage, along with the cyan wooden box, into his spatial artifact.

The young man, as a junior scholar, bowed respectfully.

Shen Wen returned the gesture with a bow of equal respect, as a fellow scholar.

Chen Pingan remembered something, stepping into the Earth God Temple, and taking out the pair of mountain and river seals, he said softly, “City God, my name is Chen Pingan, from Dragon Spring County of Dali Dynasty. A Mr. Qi gave me this pair of seals, saying that when I encounter mountains and rivers, I can stamp them on a survey map. Earlier, the Yin energy was very heavy at the mass burial grounds, so I asked someone from the county governor’s office to get a map and stamped it, and it seemed to have really reversed the mountain and water Qi. So now that demons are using evil methods in Rouge County, is it still useful? Can it suppress the demonic aura they create?”

Shen Wen looked solemn, asking, “May I take a look?”

Chen Pingan nodded, “Of course.”
Shen Wen carefully received the pair of landscape seals, holding one in each hand, raising them high above his head. He examined the seal script at the bottom and the faintly bleeding vermilion ink, then took a deep breath, lowered his arms, and asked, “Did that gentleman tell you that such a pair of priceless, supreme magical implements possesses a flaw, which is that with each imprint, their spiritual energy diminishes, until finally it is exhausted, turning them into ordinary seals?”

Chen Ping’an scratched his head and grinned. “Mr. Qi didn’t tell me anything about that.”

Shen Wen pressed further, “Aren’t you afraid that imprinting them this time will greatly deplete their spiritual power?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “What’s there to be afraid of? It’s not like I’m squandering it recklessly. Earlier, I saw eight words in a landscape travelogue printed in Rouge County, ‘May the rivers run clear, the seas be calm, and the years be bountiful.’ I especially liked them and even carved them on a bamboo slip. Moreover, I believe this is also Mr. Qi’s original intention in giving me the seals. If Mr. Qi were here, he would definitely do the same.”

Shen Wen sighed. “It’s a pity that this time, the demon’s mischief is mainly through evil arts to bewitch people’s hearts and spread plagues. The imprinting of this landscape seal, while extraordinarily meaningful, is not very useful for the current perilous situation. Chen Ping’an, keep the seals safe. I still say the same thing: if the kingdom of Colorful Garments has a wise ruler in the future, you can ask the emperor for a map of the capital when you pass by. A single imprint on it can benefit the people for at least a century. Put them away, remember, remember, treasure them well. Don’t take them out lightly and let others see them.”

Chen Ping’an was somewhat disappointed and had no choice but to put the seals away again.

This scene made Shen Wen both laugh and cry. Where did this “simple-minded” child come from? Mountain cultivators are all businessmen, pursuing enormous profits or not caring about immediate gains, but with far-reaching plans, laying out schemes across thousands of miles and centuries. In the end, it all boils down to making a huge profit.

Shen Wen’s figure became increasingly ethereal, dissipating uncertainly. He said in a deep voice, “Chen Ping’an, this time the demon is making trouble, just do what you said, do what you can within your ‘capabilities’, and that will be enough.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, took down his wine gourd, and looked up at the sky with the City God.

Shen Wen suddenly asked, “Great Li Dragon Spring County? The prefectures and counties of Treasure Bottle Continent generally don’t have the character ‘Dragon’ in their names.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “My hometown used to be that Dragon Pearl Grotto-Heaven. Later, the small grotto-heaven shattered and fell to earth, so it was renamed Dragon Spring County.”

Shen Wen was stunned, then tentatively asked, “The Mr. Qi you mentioned, could he be Mr. Qi of Cliffside Academy, the Literary Sage’s most prized disciple?”

Chen Ping’an hummed in agreement, his expression dimming. “It’s that Mr. Qi.”

Shen Wen stared blankly at the young man from Great Li.

Straw sandals, a wine gourd, a flying sword, a seal, a heart of innocence, named Chen Ping’an.

Shen Wen’s mouth felt dry. “Chen Ping’an, then are you Mr. Qi’s direct disciple?”

Chen Ping’an hesitated, finally deciding to tell the truth. “Mr. Qi didn’t want to accept me as a disciple, but later I met the Literary Sage himself. It seemed Mr. Qi wanted to accept me as a disciple on behalf of his master, but at the time, I didn’t even think I was a scholar, so I didn’t agree to become the Literary Sage’s disciple. The Literary Sage wasn’t angry, he was just drunk. When I was carrying him on my back, the old man kept patting my head, urging me to drink…”

Chen Ping’an smiled, holding up his wine gourd, his smile radiant. “So now I drink alcohol.”

The scholar Shen Wen felt like he had been struck by five bolts of lightning, and not just a single strike to the head, but wave after wave.

Qi Jingchun! Qi Jingchun’s youngest junior brother! The Literary Sage! The Literary Sage’s closed-door disciple!

The young man refused, he actually refused…

Shen Wen was dumbfounded.

Chen Ping’an stared blankly at the City God, wondering if he had said something wrong, and secretly took a sip of wine to calm his nerves.

Shen Wen suddenly burst into laughter, holding his belly and laughing so hard he almost cried, reaching out to vigorously pat the young man’s shoulder. “Good, good, good! Outsiders definitely wouldn’t understand our scholars’ affairs! That’s right, that’s right!”

Shen Wen retracted his hand, placed both hands behind his back, and strode out of the Earth God’s temple. “Refreshing, refreshing, a scholar, a scholar…”

Shen Wen turned back with a smile, giving a thumbs up. “Well done!”

The Golden City God, Shen Wen, after stepping out of the door, had his last bit of divine spiritual light extinguished, and just like that, he dissipated into the heavens and earth with a laugh, his entire figure shattering.

Chen Ping’an was somewhat saddened, secured his wine gourd to his waist, and softly murmured towards the place where the scholar from the Kingdom of Colorful Garments had disappeared, “May you be safe from shattering, may you be safe every year.”

After the white-clad young master was killed in the Zhao Manor, no one else in the mansion was afflicted by demonic influences. The silver-bell girl, Liu Gaoxin, although she couldn’t stop vomiting, was still unwilling to return to the peaceful Prefectural Governor’s residence, accompanying the martial arts grandmaster named Dou in searching for any remaining demons. When they arrived at a wood shed, the door was tightly closed. The swordsman frowned, kicked it open, and found a boy inside, eight or nine years old, with a pile of firewood behind him. The swordsman said calmly, “Get out of the way! Once possessed by a demon, there is no saving them.”

The boy pursed his lips and shook his head vigorously.

The swordsman’s face was indifferent as he strode forward, pressed the boy’s head, and flung it backward, causing the boy to crash into the wall. The swordsman used his long saber to pry open two bundles of firewood, revealing a thin and emaciated girl inside, tightly bound with ropes. One of her eye sockets was bleeding non-stop, while the other was no different from a normal person’s. The girl’s lips were blue and she was trembling slightly.

The swordsman raised his saber to strike down, but the boy struggled to get up, grabbed a woodcutter’s knife, and rushed in front of the girl, gnashing his teeth. “If you dare to kill her, I’ll kill you!”

He actually spoke in perfect Continental Common Language. As expected of the number one wealthy family in Rouge County, the Zhao Manor; even the servants’ children could speak the Continental Common Language.

The swordsman sneered. “You ungrateful wretch, do you know that your little bit of dog-shit compassion today might kill hundreds or even thousands of people?”

The boy was thin, his clothes were thin, but his eyes were firm. “I don’t care, I want to protect Luanluan!”

The swordsman kicked the boy holding the woodcutter’s knife away, and a swift blade of saber energy slashed towards the pitiful girl.

The silver bell rang, and the blade of saber energy shattered the spinning golden flowers that had flown in. The swordsman’s hand paused slightly, but the blade still cut a gash over an inch long on the girl’s forehead.
A block! The swordsman did not fly into a rage. He simply turned to face the girl and asked, “Liu Gaoxin, can you save her? Others may not understand the severity of demonic possession, but as a Qi refiner with some success in cultivation, surely you know? Or will you personally execute this girl when she reaches the point of no return?”

Liu Gaoxin’s face was as white as snow, her lips trembling. “I… I can’t bear to.”

The swordsman scoffed. “I suppose those possessed wretches outside the Zhao manor were dispatched too quickly. Miss Liu never had the chance to witness them gnawing on the flesh and blood of the common folk.”

Liu Gaoxin…

The boy struggled to his feet once more, his body wracked with pain. He could barely hold the cleaver steady, the blade trembling. He roared at the swordsman, his voice cracking, “You bastard! If you’ve got the guts, kill me first!”

The swordsman sneered. “Killing you? Where’s the skill in that?”

He prepared to bring the cleaver down again.

Liu Gaoxin turned her head away, her eyes red, unable to watch.

A voice came from outside the door. “Hold!”

The swordsman, his back to the door, paused for a moment. Then, he simply sheathed his blade, turning to face the newcomer with a smile and clasped his fist in respect. “Since it is an immortal master who speaks, I shall refrain from interfering further.”

It was Chen Ping’an, who had returned to the Zhao manor. He nodded to the swordsman in greeting.

Chen Ping’an strode into the woodshed and knelt before the girl. He could sense that she was desperately fighting against the demonic influence within her. Even with blood streaming from her eyes and excruciating pain tearing through her, she clenched her lips shut, not uttering a single sound. She strained to open her one good eye, her gaze filled with pleading. If one could live, who would choose to die, especially a child of her age?

Looking at the resolute girl, Chen Ping’an gently patted her head and said softly, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. If it hurts, just cry it out. It’s alright, it’s alright.”

The girl tilted her head back, her small face stained with blood, and gazed at the smiling stranger. With a “Waaah!” she burst into tears.

Some grievances, big or small, can only be truly understood by those who have suffered the same.

Otherwise, even the best intentions and kindness from others may not bring true peace of mind.

Chen Ping’an untied her ropes, turned his back to her, and knelt down, looking over his shoulder. “Come, I’ll carry you to a safe place where someone can heal you.”

After two cold little hands rested on his shoulders, Chen Ping’an smiled at the boy holding the cleaver. “Could you please tie us together with the rope? I’m afraid something might happen on the way, and I might not be able to take care of her. Can you do it quickly?”

“Yes!” The boy dropped the cleaver, wiped away his tears with a wild swipe, and hurried to Chen Ping’an and the girl, deftly tying them together.

Chen Ping’an slowly stood up and said to Liu Gaoxin and the Dou-surnamed swordsman, “I’ll take the girl to the governor’s mansion first. We can’t delay any longer. Hopefully, there will be someone there who can heal her. You take the boy with you. If there are still problems in the Zhao manor, Liu Gaoxin, you can have him wait outside the gate. Is that acceptable?”

The swordsman smiled. “Such a small matter. Let Miss Liu take him out first. I can search the Zhao manor alone.”

Chen Ping’an turned to the boy and said, “Be careful. No matter the outcome, I will come back and tell you, alright?”

The boy raised his arm to wipe away his tears and nodded vigorously.

Chen Ping’an, carrying the ice-cold girl on his back, darted out of the woodshed and leaped onto the wall. With several light, dragonfly-like steps, he quickly landed on the high walls of the prefectural governor’s residence. This time, having recognized Chen Ping’an’s face, the elite guards lying in wait did not draw their bows. They allowed Chen Ping’an to enter the residence and quickly head towards the main hall for discussions.

Liu Gaoxin led the boy out of the Zhao manor’s gate. The boy asked anxiously, “Immortal sister, can your friend really save Luanluan?”

This was the first time Liu Gaoxin had been called “Immortal Sister,” and she felt a little awkward. Forcing a smile, she said, “I’m not any immortal sister. Don’t worry. That immortal master is a true mountain immortal. He will definitely save the little girl. But… but if he can’t save her, you can’t blame him, understand?”

The boy nodded, crying.

Liu Gaoxin rubbed the boy’s head and sighed softly.

When Chen Ping’an entered the main hall, besides Prefect Liu, there were also two Qi refiners responsible for overseeing the central affairs. One was an old woman holding a long sword, with a cloth bag hanging from her waist, its contents unknown. The other was an old man with a silver writing brush hanging from his waist. It was said that they were both rogue cultivators from the vicinity of Rouge County, at the third realm of cultivation, never having joined an immortal sect in their lives, only reaching their current level through chance encounters and hard work.

A Qi refiner at the third realm might not dare to breathe too loudly in Dragon Spring County, but they were more than enough to dominate a small country and its provinces.

Chen Ping’an explained the general situation to Prefect Liu and the other two. He had already untied the ropes and carefully placed the girl on a chair, asking, “Is there any way to save this child?”

The old woman looked displeased, but seeing that Prefect Liu did not speak, she did not want to overstep her bounds. She simply snorted coldly, remained standing where she was, and simply closed her eyes, choosing to ignore everything.

The old man, however, quickly walked to the chair, crouched down, and reached out to open the girl’s bloody eyelid. His tone was heavy as he said, “This little girl has good aptitude, a natural pair of Yin-Yang eyes. One eye can see the flow of Yang Qi in the mortal realm, and the other can see ghosts and dark entities at night. Originally, she had the potential to embark on the path of cultivation, but unfortunately, a pearl covered in dust, she never met a mentor, and thus suffered this calamity. This Yin eye has become a dwelling place for dense demonic influence, like a small burial ground, rife with miasma. Even a strong, young man full of Yang Qi would scream in pain. The poor child.”

As the old man took the girl’s pulse, he looked up and carefully gazed at the bloodstains around her eyes. “The little girl’s will to live is very strong. What she urgently needs now is a spirit pill with abundant Yang Qi… No, even if it’s a high-grade medicinal pill tailored to her condition, swallowing it won’t dispel the stagnant miasma in her Yin eye. Difficult, difficult. I currently only have a Spring Wind Pill for nourishing the foundation and solidifying the origin, which can only temporarily help her maintain her life. What she truly needs is… a spirit talisman, and it must be a spirit talisman of extremely high quality, capable of drawing in Yang eye spirit Qi and transferring it to the Yin eye. With the balance of Yin and Yang, the little girl might have a chance to survive, relying on her own perseverance and luck. But where can such a spirit talisman be found? Even with my pill to prolong her life, the little girl can’t delay any longer.”

As he spoke, the old man took out a small sandalwood box from his sleeve. Opening it, he revealed a fragrant cyan pill and unhesitatingly fed it to the girl.
Chen Pingan, squatting to the side, softly inquired, “Senior, will the Yang Qi Lamp-Lighting Talisman work?”

The old man was initially overjoyed, then chuckled bitterly, “Work? Of course, it’ll work! Of all the talismans under Heaven, this Yang Qi Lamp-Lighting Talisman is of the highest grade, precisely the right remedy for the ailment, and effective immediately. But do you truly possess one? Or is it a fake? You must know that there are many Qi Refinement practitioners blinded by greed, crafting numerous imitations of such talismans, passing off inferior goods, often using ‘Yang Borrowing Talismans’ as substitutes, selling them at a hundredfold profit…”

Chen Pingan declared in a deep voice, “I have one on hand!”

Chen Pingan stood up, “I’ll be right back.”

The old man wasn’t surprised, only reminding him, “Hurry.”

No Qi Refinement cultivator would reveal their wealth in front of outsiders.

Prefect Liu bowed his head, glanced at the pitiful state of the girl, and quickly averted his gaze, heading to the table to observe the strategic map.

The old crone clutching a longsword opened her eyes, glanced at the boy’s departing figure, and scoffed.

Chen Pingan hastily sought out a secluded corridor, leaning against a pillar, sitting cross-legged. From the flying sword Fifteen, his storage treasure, emerged the “Snowdrift Awl” given by Li Xisheng and a talisman crafted from golden material.

From the battle on Little Street with Ma Kuxuan, to the grand clash at the City God Temple against the withered corpse ghoul, and then the possessed Golden City God, Chen Pingan’s physical body and spirit were currently at their limit. Just as Liu Gaoxin had surmised, he was in dire need of rest and recuperation. It was like the first half of a mountain trek, light and easy, but the further you go, the harder and heavier it becomes. In the end, even taking a single extra step feels like carrying a mountain on your shoulders, trudging with difficulty.

Chen Pingan took a deep breath, bent over, and, holding the Snowdrift Awl engraved with “Divinely Guided Brush,” his vision somewhat blurry. Chen Pingan lightly shook his head, recalling his days as a dragon kiln apprentice back home, when firing porcelain blanks, the slightest error was the most dreaded thing. A single mistake could determine whether the porcelain in his hands became an ornament for the Emperor or a pile of broken shards worse than mud.

Chen Pingan tried to steady his breathing, relying on his martial artist’s true qi to draw the talisman. The Qi Refinement cultivator’s vital energy is able to continuously regenerate, drawing a talisman is still easier compared to a pure martial artist drawing a talisman. As for Chen Pingan, whose Bridge of Longevity had long since collapsed and shattered, drawing a talisman full of spirituality required a great expenditure of mental energy, no less demanding than continuously executing the Twenty-One Godly Smithing Punches.

Each stroke of the brush could be neither too fast nor too slow.

In the secluded corridor, unknown to anyone,

The boy held the Snowdrift Awl, bent over drawing the talisman, his strokes steady, but blood slowly trickled from his seven orifices.

As for whether it was worth expending a golden talisman, whose value he had a rough idea of, for a girl he had never met, Chen Pingan hadn’t considered it.

Would the miserly Chen Pingan feel heartache afterward? Surely he would, but that was a matter for later. He could always drown his sorrows in drink then.

A Yang Qi Lamp-Lighting Talisman drawn on golden talisman paper was complete!

Chen Pingan wiped away the blood, his steps unsteady as he rushed towards the main hall of the official residence. When he handed the talisman to the old man, the elder was stunned, accepting it with both hands in disbelief. The weighty, exuberant spiritual energy nearly burst forth from the golden talisman paper. The old man asked in an uncertain tone, “So, I’ll use it then?”

Chen Pingan nodded and smiled, “Use it!”

The old man squatted down, pinched the Yang Qi Lamp-Lighting Talisman between two fingers, and softly shouted, “Arise, talisman!”

The golden talisman remained motionless, without the slightest movement.

The old man, filled with shame, flushed crimson, mobilizing all the qi within his body, and shouted again, “Arise!”

The golden talisman finally burst into flame, not burning to ashes, but instead revealing a great mass of golden spiritual light.

Prefect Liu, unaware of the true mysteries, clicked his tongue in wonder, while the sword-wielding crone nearly popped her eyeballs out.

The old man dared not relax in the slightest, again struggling to circulate his breath, raising his other hand, two fingers aligned, pointing towards the swirling, dense golden light, his lips slightly moving, “Separate yin and yang, merge water and fire, go!”

A pinpoint of golden light went to the girl’s constantly bleeding yin eye, the vast majority of the golden light flowed grandly into the girl’s yang eye.

Then, it could soon be clearly seen that a small bridge was built between the eyes, as a golden thread, the golden light slowly flowing from the left eye to the right eye.

The girl bit her lip until it bled in pain, gripping the chair handles with both hands, her entire frail body shaking violently, her face contorted in the extreme. Chen Pingan gently grasped one of the girl’s hands, regardless of whether she could hear his words, constantly comforting her softly, “Persist, you can definitely survive, surviving is more important than anything, believe that as long as you survive, you’ll have everything…”

The old crone, unable to contain her curiosity, walked behind the old man and Chen Pingan, lowering her head and carefully staring at the bridge of the girl’s nose, at the flow of that golden thread.

The old crone smiled, “Truly a sword immortal who has achieved great dao.”

The old crone’s face was wrinkled like chicken skin, unbearably old, but at this moment, her eyes were charming like a ravishing woman, full of captivating allure.

She had already sensed the instantaneous change in the sword-carrying boy.

But she laughed loudly as she recoiled, directly discarding the longsword in her arms, stopping at the doorway, taking off the cloth pouch at her waist, and raising her hand, cooing, “This sword immortal, do you feel your qi stagnating? Hehe, don’t be nervous, it’s just ‘Great Snow Embracing the Pass,’ specially concocted by this humble one for you, odorless and tasteless. Below the Dragon Gate realm, it’s easy to fall victim to it, no shame in that! Besides, it’s only for half an incense stick’s time that the Sea of Qi solidifies, and the vital energy is not at your beck and call. Oh, and the spirit will be like being frozen, unable to use your mind to control the flying sword. Of course, you only need to endure for half an incense stick, and you can continue to be your sword immortal.”

The old man, as a Third Realm Qi Refinement cultivator, was ten thousand miles away from the Dragon Gate realm of the Middle Five Realms, and had already been poisoned, his face as pale as paper, extremely bleak. The moment the “old crone” recoiled, his head lolled to the side, and he collapsed to the ground, fainting.

Fortunately, the girl’s matter was already concluded, otherwise, they would likely have died together. This, of course, was the result of the “old crone” being extremely cautious. Her true target was the sword-carrying boy.

The head of a sword immortal boy, exchanged for a Profound Tier treasure from the ancient Yu Kingdom’s royal treasury!

Safely and securely in hand.
The old woman peeled off the mask covering her face, a sticky layer she tossed aside, revealing the visage of a mature and beautiful woman. Furthermore, her body twisted once before returning to its normal, graceful form. It was none other than Serpentheart, a Qi cultivator from the ancient Elm Kingdom, notorious for her mastery of poisons.

She turned her head, smiling, “Brother Dou, it’s your turn. This frail body of mine is no match for your sturdy physique, Master Dou of the Casket & Coin Pavilion. Even two strikes from a sword immortal’s flying sword and you’d still stand tall. Even if that sword immortal is now a mere mortal, who knows what trump cards he might have hidden? This one can’t afford to take the risk.”

Master Dou, a grandmaster of the martial world, slowly walked to the threshold.

The swordsman looked towards the young man carrying the sword box, who had risen to his feet. His expression was blank as he said, “Chen Ping’an, my apologies. Our Grand Preceptor wants your head. If we had met in the Jianghu, we might have even shared a drink. But alas, it cannot be. You and the other two within this house must die.”

Chen Ping’an glanced at the man and woman at the doorway, a wry smile playing on his lips.

It was as if he was saying, ‘You yourself said that those on the mountain lack righteousness, used to treating lives like worthless weeds. But how much better are you down here?’

The swordsman chuckled dismissively, drew his blade, and strode over the threshold. “The wine in the gourd at your waist, I’ll help you drink it later.”

Prefect Liu was utterly bewildered.

“What in the world is going on?”

Chen Ping’an remained standing where he was.

Previously, the sword cultivator from True Martial Mountain, Master of Ma Ku Xuan, had slain one of the ancient Elm Kingdom’s assassins. Now, two had arrived at once. He wondered if there was a fourth.

Chen Ping’an spoke, “Since you’ve seen through my hand…”

He paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “Chu Yi, Shi Wu, let’s make this entrance a bit more… spectacular.”

The viciously beautiful Serpentheart from the ancient Elm Kingdom clicked her tongue. “Sword Immortal, still struggling at death’s door? Do you even know that our Master Dou of the Casket & Coin Pavilion is most adept at dealing with Immortals of the Middle Five Realms? He might not always gain the upper hand, but snapping your neck within half an incense stick’s time? It won’t be difficult at all.”

Chen Ping’an ignored the woman’s mocking words, calmly regulating his Qi.

A flash of dazzling white radiance and a glimmer of eerie green light flew out of the gourd, hovering near Chen Ping’an’s shoulders, one on each side.

The woman gasped in horror, her voice trembling, “How is it possible?! You can still summon flying swords?!”

Even the swordsman, who was accustomed to facing great dangers, was forced to halt his advance, his single-handed grip shifting to a two-handed hold on his blade.

Chen Ping’an looked around at the two flying swords and asked with a smile, “Shall we go together then? Let’s start with the one who talks the most. I’ll handle the quieter one.”

The Master of the Casket & Coin Pavilion, renowned for his assassinations throughout several kingdoms, was unwilling to recklessly press forward.

Chen Ping’an was already moving, charging forward, each step shattering the ground beneath him.

At the same time, a streak of snow-white and a streak of eerie green arced gracefully through the air of the main hall, instantly bypassing the swordsman.

The woman shrieked, leaping into the air, attempting to flee. Never in her life did she want to see that monstrous youth again.

Her graceful figure in the air paused ever so subtly, once and then twice, before she crashed to the ground.

At her heart and between her eyebrows, drops of blood slowly seeped out.

The swordsman roared, his aura surging to its peak. Instead of advancing, he retreated, a flash of spiritual light erupting from his calves. His entire body flew backwards, crashing into the screen wall outside the door. He smashed through the wall in a cloud of dust, this top-tier assassin’s palm glowing with talismanic power as he slammed it against the ground, his figure vanishing instantly.

Chen Ping’an slowed down, walked towards the threshold, and looked around. Finally, he pointed in a distant direction. “There.”

Chu Yi and Shi Wu, skimming across the ground, flew towards the direction Chen Ping’an indicated almost simultaneously.

Though the floor was clearly made of hard bluestone bricks, a ripple like rolling waves appeared, finally subsiding after a moment.

Only then did Chen Ping’an cover his mouth, leaning against the threshold, swallowing the blood that had surged to his throat. He retrieved his gourd, the two flying swords returning to their place inside. Chen Ping’an took a gentle sip of wine, that eight-copper-per-catty country liquor. The taste was quite good, but he wondered what the ten-tael-of-silver-per-catty Rouge County specialty wine tasted like.