(Ten-Thousand-Character Chapter: This chapter’s title is borrowed from a reader.)

Standing at the foot of Osmanthus Island, Chen Ping’an lightly stepped out, setting foot on Inverted Mountain.

Aunt Gui had informed Chen Ping’an beforehand that the moment the ferry docked at Osmanthus Island would be the busiest time for unloading goods from Treasure Bottle Continent, Jūlú Continent, and Tongye Continent. No errors could be tolerated, or the famed Old Dragon City Fan family would lose face. Therefore, she, the old ferryman, and Ma Zhi needed to personally oversee every transaction. She couldn’t escort him to the Inverted Mountain Inn. Originally, Aunt Gui wanted Jin Su to take Chen Ping’an to the inn that had been friendly with Osmanthus Island for generations, but Chen Ping’an politely declined, causing Jin Su to feel slightly resentful. This Inverted Mountain was full of wonders, making people feel fresh even after multiple visits.

As a result, this sulking Osmanthus maiden saw the sword-bearing youth grin at her, as if seeing through her little thoughts. Jin Su glared fiercely. The youth waved goodbye to Aunt Gui, the old ferryman, and the three old immortals, seemingly afraid to meet Jin Su’s gaze, and quickly ran towards the dock. Watching the youth flee, Jin Su couldn’t help but smile.

Chen Ping’an walked among the bustling crowd, taking a deep breath.

Finally, he had arrived.

Traveling through Inverted Mountain to the Sword Qi Great Wall was not possible at any time. In addition to a Green Wood Pass Token to enter Inverted Mountain, more than a hundred people from Osmanthus Island needed to obtain another jade token and be informed that they would pass through three days later at midnight. The next batch of people would have their turn after an incense stick’s worth of time; latecomers would not be accommodated.

Chen Ping’an disembarked, with the white jade token, engraved with only the character “Edge,” hanging from his waist. Aunt Gui had told him that Inverted Mountain had varied scenery and numerous shops. Taking advantage of these three days, he could explore more. If he fancied any magical treasures or artifacts but lacked the money, he could borrow from the innkeeper. Anything under ten Valley Rain coins would be granted by the innkeeper, and according to the old rules, it would be charged to Osmanthus Island.

The dock at the cliffside was called Capture-Release Ferry, originating from an ancient pavilion with a long history near the dock, with a plaque hanging that read “Capture-Release Pavilion,” personally inscribed by a former old master of a certain Daoist lineage.

On Inverted Mountain, there were nine buildings belonging to the Daoist sect of this world. The remaining tall buildings, courtyards, shops, and other lands had long been sold to visitors from all directions. Among them, the Capture-Release Pavilion, Sword-Reverence Pavilion, Incense-Offering Tower, Thunder Marsh Platform, Spirit Herb House, Dharma Seal Hall, Master Blade Chamber, and Elk Cliff stood in the eight directions of Inverted Mountain, plus the central solitary peak, totaling nine plots of land.

Compared to the more than one hundred square miles of Inverted Mountain, Dao Ancestor’s second disciple’s lineage, whether in terms of land size or the number of disciples and grandchildren, was not too exaggerated on Inverted Mountain.

“Young Master Chen, Young Master Chen.”

Someone was anxiously calling behind Chen Ping’an. Chen Ping’an turned around and saw the green-clad youth who called himself Liu Youzhou. The latter trotted to Chen Ping’an’s side, rattling off a series of questions, “Young Master Chen, where are you staying on Inverted Mountain? Do you have a prearranged place? If not, why don’t you come to my place? My family has a mansion here, near a place called Sword-Reverence Pavilion. It’s said that the mansion is quite large. I’ve always wanted to thank you; how about giving me a chance?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and smiled, “No need, Osmanthus Island has arranged it for me. I’m staying at the Crane Inn.”

The youth from the snowy Bai’ai Continent looked disappointed, still unwilling to give up, “Is that so? Then can I come find you later? This is my first time on Inverted Mountain, and I want to explore it properly. How about we go together?”

Chen Ping’an was stunned.

The old woman said helplessly, “Young Master, you’re being too enthusiastic with someone you’ve just met. It’s not reasonable. Don’t mention Young Master Chen not daring to agree, even if it were me, I wouldn’t nod.”

Chen Ping’an smiled without saying anything.

The youth looked dejected, “Alright, Young Master Chen, I live in Ape-Ransack Manor. If you have nothing to do, you can come find me; just say you’re looking for Liu Youzhou, my friend.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “That’s no problem.”

Chen Ping’an, Liu Youzhou, and the old woman turned their heads at the same time. A stunningly beautiful “woman” stood near the three of them, looking hesitant.

The old woman’s wrinkled face was full of smiles, like withered trees meeting spring, asking kindly, “Little Immortal Master, is there anything troubling you?”

However, he ignored the old woman, staring at Chen Ping’an, and calling out, “Can you lend me a Valley Rain coin? I’ll pay you back three or five later.”

Chen Ping’an handed over a Valley Rain coin. The person took it and left with a smile.

The youth Liu Youzhou whispered, “Young Master Chen, is that your friend?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “I don’t know him.”

Liu Youzhou was surprised, “Then you still lend money to people? Do you know that the most beautiful girls in the world are the best at deceiving people? Young Master Chen, allow me to say one more thing, even if a Valley Rain coin is little money, you can’t go around the world like this.”

Chen Ping’an grimaced, bidding farewell and leaving.

A Valley Rain coin is little money? Beautiful girls?

The old woman couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Young Master, didn’t you see that that beautiful girl is actually a man?”

Liu Youzhou was dumbstruck, whispering, “I was only busy stealing glances at that girl’s face and figure just now; I didn’t dare to look too closely.”

The old woman could only retort, “Young Master, that person is not a girl.”

Liu Youzhou waved his sleeve, striding forward, “If he’s that beautiful, I’ll just treat him as a girl.”

Chen Ping’an was not in a hurry to go to the Crane Inn, but followed a crowd to the nearby Capture-Release Pavilion.

When Chen Ping’an approached the overcrowded small pavilion, he was inevitably disappointed, feeling that it seemed to be misnamed. The pavilion was extremely small, not even larger than the landscape pavilion in Song Old Sword Saint’s home in Colored Clothes Kingdom. The pavilion was already packed with over a hundred people inside and out. Chen Ping’an stood on tiptoe, taking a look at the small pavilion where it was difficult to find even a sliver of space, and planned to go to the Crane Inn.

Just as Chen Ping’an was about to leave, a familiar voice sounded behind him, as feminine as his appearance, “Not going to stay in the pavilion for a moment?”

He stood shoulder to shoulder with Chen Ping’an. Chen Ping’an turned his head and smiled, “It’s too crowded, I dare not go in, I’m afraid I won’t be able to get out.”

He pointed to three women not far ahead, who also seemed to be hesitating about whether to enter the Capture-Release Pavilion. He smiled and said, “Just follow me, and consider it my interest payment on that Valley Rain coin.”

Chen Ping’an was bewildered.

He pointed to his Adam’s apple, smiling strangely. Chen Ping’an tentatively asked, “Illusion?”
“Lend me your wine gourd for a bit. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t deign to look twice at such a paltry thing. My sword-nurturing gourd could be your ancestors. I just didn’t want to show it off.” He nodded at Chen Ping’an, snatched the ginger-filled gourd from Chen Ping’an’s waist without a word, and strode towards the three exceptionally beautiful young women. He tilted his head back and drank deeply, a blend of masculine boldness and feminine allure emanating from him, an absolute spectacle.

A moment later, standing amidst the blossoms, he waved Chen Ping’an over. He spoke to the ladies in a language Chen Ping’an couldn’t understand, then repeated it in the Bao Ping Continent’s refined tongue. The three women, he explained, were disciples from a sect in the South Jambudvipa Continent, traveling abroad together. Their trial required them to slay a colossal sea monster at the Dragon Gate realm. The ultimate destination was this Inverted Mountain, after which they would return to their sect.

Without further ado, he grabbed Chen Ping’an’s arm and dragged him, along with the three Jambudvipa Continent celestial maidens, towards the Capturing & Releasing Pavilion.

The Capturing & Releasing Pavilion. Legend had it that “True Invincible”, one of the three sect leaders of the orthodox Daoist sect from the Azure Vault Heaven, the second disciple under the Dao Ancestor, after dropping off the largest mountain seal here, had personally visited this place. A Great Demon at the peak of the twelfth realm, by some unknown means, had stealthily bypassed the myriad restrictions of the Sword Qi Great Wall and arrived at Inverted Mountain. Its first encounter was with that very sect leader. At that time, the Inverted Mountain region was a desolate, uncivilized backwater. The Great Demon, believing it was free to roam as it pleased, behaved impudently upon seeing the Daoist, intending to devour him whole. The outcome, of course, was inevitable. The Daoist sect leader, renowned as the fiercest fighter in the four great continents, smacked the Great Demon half to death with a single palm. The details of the aftermath remain obscure, but the old Daoist, famed as the most formidable figure across all realms, ultimately tossed the Great Demon back south of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Later generations of Inverted Mountain Daoists built this pavilion to celebrate the sect leader’s boundless power.

This trip to the Capturing & Releasing Pavilion left Chen Ping’an drenched in sweat. With the three celestial maidens and that fellow whose beauty surpassed even theirs, the interior and exterior of the small pavilion were packed shoulder to shoulder. Some bumps were accidental, some groping was intentional. Chen Ping’an had to do his best to protect them while simultaneously avoiding any wrongdoing himself. It was mentally exhausting, a constant dance of subtle intrigues. Fortunately, Inverted Mountain’s first rule was death to anyone who caused harm, so Chen Ping’an, a martial artist at the fourth realm, managed to navigate it relatively successfully.

After successfully exiting the Capturing & Releasing Pavilion, Chen Ping’an and his companion parted ways with the three celestial maidens. They still had to visit the nearest scenic spot, the Elk Cliff.

Chen Ping’an retrieved his sword-nurturing gourd, hung it back on his waist, and said helplessly, “Don’t do that kind of thing again.”

The other rolled his eyes at Chen Ping’an, “You’re no fun. I’m going to hang out with the fairy sisters.”

Chen Ping’an breathed a sigh of relief and took his leave.

The other glanced at Chen Ping’an’s departing figure, muttering, “He’s too earnest. And it’s not even an act. Did some old Confucian scholar raise a little pedant?”

Nearby, a handsome man struck up a conversation, “This lady is enjoying the scenery alone?”

He laughed, “Your grandmother’s enjoying alone. I went whoring with your mother.”

The distinguished man quickly waved his hand, signaling his escorts not to act rashly. Finally, with a bright smile, he gave a thumbs-up. “I like this lady’s personality.”

He left the Capturing & Releasing Pavilion directly, hesitating whether to go to the Sword-Respecting Pavilion or the Fragrant Ascension Tower first.

The man watched the alluring beauty with the colorful sash, sighing, “Only on the mountain can you find such intelligent and ethereal women. Cultivation is truly wonderful. Women down the mountain, no matter how captivating their appearance, only have a fleeting decade or two of beauty.”

A close attendant, speaking in the refined language of the Central Divine Continent, gently reminded him, “Your Majesty, it is time to depart for Thunder Marsh Platform. We must not keep the Imperial Preceptor waiting.”

The man hummed in acknowledgement and smiled. “Let’s go quickly.”

Neither the man, referred to as Your Majesty, nor his attendant seemed to think it inappropriate for an emperor to keep an Imperial Preceptor waiting.

The group hurried towards Thunder Marsh Platform.

Thunder Marsh Platform was a high platform with ninety-nine steps, shaped like a giant dew bowl, filled with a thick, viscous fluid of lightning.

Rumor had it that Dao the Second had used his supreme divine power to “scoop up a handful of water” from the ancient Thunder Marsh, a place only mentioned in written records and never actually found, and placed it on Inverted Mountain. The Grand Celestial Sovereign, one of his direct disciples, would imprison the souls of all rebellious deities and spirits who broke the rules within.

Today, Thunder Marsh Platform was sealed off, with no one allowed near it.

At this moment, only one tall figure was crouched beside the highest point of the Thunder Marsh, elbow resting on knee, chin resting on arm. A sheathless longsword hovered in the Thunder Marsh, revealing a small portion. After the longsword entered the marsh, the entire small Thunder Marsh began to boil and churn.

It seemed that this person was tempering his sword.

An old Daoist, holding a whisk, stood at the base of the high platform, his face beaming with a warm smile, full of pride.

As the third-in-command of Inverted Mountain, the old Daoist was seen as the nemesis of all flood dragons in the South Sea. Over the millennium, he had slain countless flood dragons, creating a half-immortal weapon out of his whisk through sheer force. In the last five hundred years, the old Daoist had clashed with two Confucian Sages of the Chen clan from Jambudvipa Continent in the waters of the South Sea, his fame spreading far and wide.

Yet today, even when facing an outsider, seemingly acting as a watchman, the old Daoist didn’t feel it was beneath him. On the contrary, he looked quite pleased.

Chen Ping’an encountered an awkward situation. On Inverted Mountain, it seemed that no one understood the refined language of the Eastern Bao Ping Continent, and Chen Ping’an didn’t know the refined language of the Central Divine Continent. So Chen Ping’an, trying to ask for directions, and the kind people he asked, couldn’t understand each other. Finally, Chen Ping’an, gritting his teeth, relentlessly questioned over thirty people, and finally found a pedestrian who was slightly proficient in Bao Ping Continent’s language, but even they didn’t know where the Crane Sparrow Inn was located.

Chen Ping’an stood on the bustling street, looking around in confusion. He took off his sword-nurturing gourd and had to stand there, drowning his sorrows in wine.

If all else failed, he would have to return to the Capturing & Releasing Ferry and ask Madam Gui for some Golden Millet to help him find the way. As for whether he would be mocked by Golden Millet, who would have finally “gotten her revenge”, Chen Ping’an didn’t care. Face was only important among acquaintances, and how many times would he meet someone like Golden Millet, whom he’d only met briefly, in his life? So being a little thick-skinned wasn’t a big deal.

Every cloud has a silver lining.
Chen Ping’an once again snagged a passerby who understood the refined speech of Treasure Bottle洲. Although the latter still didn’t know the location of the inn, he knew Jingjian Pavilion and Yuanrou Mansion. Moreover, when Chen Ping’an asked about these two places, he inquired, “Sir, do you know where Jingjian Pavilion is?” The person’s reply was, “Oh, you mean Jingjian Pavilion next to Yuanrou Mansion? It’s easy to find, not too far from here.”

Liu Youzhou, the youth from Aiai洲, was no simple character.

So Chen Ping’an turned directly and headed to Zhuofang Ferry. The passerby watched the young man’s back with regret. If he could take this opportunity to establish even the slightest connection with Yuanrou Mansion, even just familiarizing himself would be good.

In the end, Jin Su joyfully descended from Osmanthus Island, leading the “dusty-faced” Chen Ping’an to the Crane Lodge Inn. Before she descended the mountain, Madam Gui gave her three Xiaoshu coins, telling her to spend them sparingly. After leaving the ferry, Jin Su asked Chen Ping’an if he wanted to go to Zhuofang Pavilion. Chen Ping’an said he had already been there. Jin Su nodded, saying Zhuofang Pavilion was the most uninteresting, far less interesting than other attractions, such as Lingzhi Zhai and Milu Cliff, especially Jingjian Pavilion, which was a must-visit to make the trip worthwhile.

The two walked for about half an hour. Along the way, Jin Su explained to Chen Ping’an the situation of some important scenic spots in Daoxuan Mountain, including Lingzhi Zhai. For example, in Jingjian Pavilion, all the swordsmen of the Sword Qi Great Wall who had killed demons above the fifth realm had a replica of their swords forged by Daoxuan Mountain and enshrined in the pavilion for later generations to admire.

When Jin Su arrived at Daoxuan Mountain, she was obviously no longer as indifferent as she was on Osmanthus Island. Her temperament had changed drastically. Although she couldn’t be called garrulous, she was no different from ordinary women. She said that Lingzhi Zhai had a Lingzhi Ruyi relic left by the Dao Ancestor in the Vast Sky, filled with spiritual energy, immersing the entire Lingzhi Zhai like a blessed land. Cultivating here would yield twice the results with half the effort. Therefore, Lingzhi Zhai was the most extravagant inn in Daoxuan Mountain, but the disciples of immortal sects who came here for training, as well as the millennial aristocratic clansmen who came here for sightseeing, still found it difficult to get into Lingzhi Zhai even with money, and they needed to book rooms months in advance.

Approaching the Crane Lodge Inn, Jin Su whispered, “There are also rumors that the seven highest-grade sword-nurturing gourds were crafted from the gourd vine personally planted by the Dao Ancestor. The secret room of Lingzhi Zhai hides one of these seven, and it is the first mature gourd seed, now secretly nurturing the flying swords of more than ten great sword immortals of the Vast Sky.”

These gossipy rumors were often told by others with great enthusiasm and vividness, as if they had seen the sword-nurturing gourd with their own eyes. Jin Su, who had heard it secondhand, was also inevitably affected.

In fact, the Daoists of Dao Lao Er’s lineage, who controlled the “Golden Rules and Jade Laws” of Daoxuan Mountain, never revealed any secrets about the sword-nurturing gourds and nurturing swords for the world’s sword immortals. They only said that Lingzhi Zhai had no such wonders, so don’t think too much and don’t spread rumors.

Chen Ping’an thought of the silver sword-nurturing gourd given to Little Treasure Bottle by A Liang, as well as the purple-gold sword-nurturing gourd once worn by Fairy Su Jia of Zhengyang Mountain, and the “Old Ancestor of Sword-Nurturing Gourd” that the guy had claimed to be not long ago.

Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “Miss Jin Su, is Yuanrou Mansion very famous in Daoxuan Mountain?”

Jin Su nodded and said, “Of course, Yuanrou Mansion, under the name of the Liu family of Aiai洲, is one of the four major private residences in Daoxuan Mountain, occupying a large area and having an even greater reputation. The Liu family is the largest surname in Aiai洲, and their reputation is excellent. Almost all the monarchs and emperors of Aiai洲, as well as the earth immortal cultivators, must maintain good relations with the Liu family. Moreover, the snowflake money that we cultivators use the most is minted according to the money molds made by the Liu family, and the Liu family occupies one-tenth of that jade mine mountain range. Don’t think that one-tenth sounds insignificant, it really can’t be any more!”

Chen Ping’an was a little shocked.

No wonder a Gu Yu coin was called “even if the money is less,” Liu Youzhou was really not bragging.

Jin Su’s eyes were a little dazed, “The Liu family’s children are truly lucky people who are born with gold mountains and silver mountains. Whatever they want, they can砸 with money. There is nothing in the world that the Liu family can’t afford.”

These words were told to her by Sun Jiashu of Old Dragon City. At that time, Jin Su saw a trace of longing in the eyes of the Little God of Wealth, Sun Jiashu. So it made her particularly memorable.

Chen Ping’an was even more determined not to deliberately get to know Liu Youzhou.

That young man was like a ferry boat from Osmanthus Island, and any waves he set off were not something he could contend with now.

When Chen Ping’an thought of this, he felt a little黯然, and his heart felt like wind and snow were beating.

How much landscape seal can I squander?

Now there is only one landscape seal left.

No matter how many reasons there were to do so, no matter if he encountered the same thing, Chen Ping’an would still stand up.

Chen Ping’an still couldn’t let go of losing a landscape seal.

It’s just that Chen Ping’an could now do all of these bad emotions “put away,” and he would no longer be as silent as he was after the separation in the dilapidated temple in the mountains, to the point that the burly man and the young Taoist priest noticed his strangeness and worried about him all the way.

The Crane Lodge Inn was at the end of an alley. The shopkeeper was an unsmiling young man. Even when facing Jin Su, whom he had seen several times, he didn’t smile. After arranging two adjacent rooms for the two of them, he ignored them. Jin Su whispered, “The innkeeper inherited his father’s business. The Crane Lodge Inn used to be very large, half the alley belonged to the inn. It was a little famous in the Zhuofang Ferry area. Later, there was an accident. At that time, our Osmanthus Island seemed to have helped a little, but the shopkeeper’s father still passed away. It can be considered a decline in the family, leaving only the current pattern.”

Chen Ping’an silently kept it in mind.

Compared to Zheng Dafeng, the owner of the Dust Medicine Shop, the shopkeepers in the world can actually be considered good shopkeepers.

The inn rooms in Daoxuan Mountain were actually no different from the town inns that Chen Ping’an had traveled through before, just plain and simple.

Jin Su knocked on the door and entered. After sitting down, she began to plan the next two days’ itinerary with Chen Ping’an. She had already made a plan. Tomorrow, she would first go to the Fayin Hall, Jingjian Pavilion, Lingzhi Zhai, and Shidao Workshop, and the day after tomorrow, she would go to the Shangxiang Building, Milu Cliff, and Leize Platform. The central solitary peak was a forbidden area. Although they would pass by, they could only take a few glances from afar.
Chen Pingan inquired if there were shops here that traded in rare and exotic items. Jin Su told him that Lingzhi Hall was one, and there was also Bao Fu Hall across the street, competing for business. These two places made a fortune every day, only recognizing the goods, not the person, and were very secure. Therefore, fierce and evil mountain spirits and wild cultivators, as long as they had a harvest, liked to come to Upside-Down Mountain, where they could not only escape pursuit from all sides, but also openly sell their treasures, exchanging them for money and enjoyment.

Several islands near Upside-Down Mountain were permanently stationed with many righteous cultivators, closely monitoring the movements of Upside-Down Mountain, just to observe certain bandits and outlaws hiding within. These figures, taking refuge under the rules of Upside-Down Mountain, were without exception demons and heretics stained with countless blood, who had made names for themselves in major continents.

Chen Pingan asked about the exact location of the passage from Upside-Down Mountain to the Sword Qi Great Wall. Although Jin Su was curious why Chen Pingan would ask such a thing, considering he was departing in three days, he still told him it was near the solitary peak in the central area of Upside-Down Mountain, a gate modeled after the ancient Ascension Platform. If one wore the “Cliff” jade token, they could visit nearby.

Now, the thirteenth realm, the Ascension Realm, like the tenth realm for pure martial artists, was the limit of the mortal world. Beyond that were two obscure, lost realms. In the ancient era when moral sages walked the earth and blessed all living things, it seemed that Ascension Platforms were scattered throughout the world, allowing Qi cultivators to ascend easily, whether it be in broad daylight, through raised vapor, riding dragons, or riding cranes. In the air, heavenly maidens would scatter flowers, with brilliant colored clouds and flowing rainbow light, celebrating together for the enlightened.

How enchanting!

Chen Pingan agreed with Jin Su on the time to leave the next morning, and then left the inn alone, heading to the foot of the solitary peak where the Great Heavenly Lord cultivated in a thatched hut.

Chen Pingan pondered the nine locations along the way: Capture and Release Pavilion, Sword Reverence Pavilion, Incense Offering Hall, Thunder Marsh Platform, Lingzhi Hall, Law Seal Hall, Master Blade Room, Elk Cliff, plus the Solitary Peak.

The number was the same as the Heroic Garrison Tower, both nine.

Perhaps it was also a kind of formation used by sages to suppress fortune.

At the foot of the solitary peak, there was a divine mountain path wide enough for three carriages to travel side by side. Not far away was a plaza made of white jade stones. Outside the plaza was only an iron chain railing, no more than two feet high, which anyone could step over.

Two tall white jade pillars, tens of feet high, stood in the center. Between the pillars, like the surface of a calm lake, ripples occasionally appeared. There were not many people in the plaza at the moment, only twenty or thirty sparsely scattered individuals, regardless of age or gender, all wearing a “Cliff” jade token on their waists. Many mischievous children simply passed through the space between the pillars, running around, chasing and playing.

There were no Taoists responsible for guarding the plaza. Chen Pingan hesitated for a moment, then carefully stepped over the railing, and when nothing happened, he felt a little relieved and slowly walked towards the two large pillars.

Chen Pingan found that every step he took caused shimmering light to appear under his feet. Looking up, he saw a small Taoist boy, wearing a wide Taoist robe, sitting on a futon next to a large pillar, reading a book. If children of about the same age approached him, the little Taoist boy with the fish-tail crown would casually wave his sleeve, sending the children floating away as if riding the clouds. The children enjoyed it, and the little Taoist boy never seemed annoyed, waving his sleeve repeatedly.

Chen Pingan did not dare to imitate the children by entering the “mirror surface” without permission. Instead, he walked around the pillar to the back, where he found another small pillar next to the large pillar. On the stone pillar, which looked like a tethering post for horses, sat a disheveled middle-aged swordsman, cross-legged, holding his sword, fast asleep.

He looked like a… peerless master!

Chen Pingan did not dare to disturb his sleep, subconsciously softened his steps, and was about to turn around and walk back to the other side.

The swordsman who was sleeping with his sword bumped his head, suddenly woke up, his eyes a little dull. After looking left and right and then up, he finally looked at the back of the sword-carrying youth, and muttered to himself, seeming to say three words, then continued to sleep.

Chen Pingan stood near the mirror surface on the other side, staring blankly for a long time.

He could not imagine that behind the mirror surface was the Sword Qi Great Wall? Was it another world?

Above the towering solitary peak was the tallest building on Upside-Down Mountain, shrouded in clouds for most of the year. Three bells hung under the eaves of the roof, said to ring only when the three Taoist Masters personally visited Upside-Down Mountain.

A Taoist Great Heavenly Lord was on the top floor, overlooking the plaza through the sea of clouds.

The sword-carrying youth was as small as a mustard seed.

Chen Pingan returned to the Crane Inn, continuing to practice the Six Step Boxing Stance and the Sword Furnace Standing Stance. Late at night, he took off his clothes and lay down, with a smile on his face.

The next day, just before dawn, Jin Su came to knock on the door fifteen minutes early. Chen Pingan stopped his silent stance practice, opened the door, and left the inn with Jin Su, heading to the Law Seal Hall, also known as the “One Missing Hall.” It claimed to have collected all kinds of law seals in the world, except for the Mountain Seal, upholding an unwritten rule of “mountains not seeing mountains,” since Upside-Down Mountain itself was a Mountain Seal.

Chen Pingan sighed and followed the excited Jin Su into the Law Seal Hall, a three-story building, each floor extremely spacious, divided into rooms of all sizes. Each floor contained thousands of law seals, suspended in layers of glass cabinets. Some law seals had even nurtured abundant spirituality, constantly swimming and hitting the glass cabinets, making banging sounds. There were even inch-sized spirits born from the aura of the law seals, boldly making eye contact with people behind the transparent glass cabinets.

Chen Pingan lingered in a Water Seal room on the second floor for a long time, unwilling to leave. Jin Su went to wander elsewhere himself, agreeing to meet at the entrance of the Law Seal Hall in an hour.

Chen Pingan stared at a Water Seal, its spiritual energy as light as water mist, transforming into a stream, surrounding the seal. The bottom of the seal was engraved with the four characters “Silver River Descends,” which Chen Pingan recognized quite a few ancient seal characters because he had a copy of the “True Traces of Dan Shu” with detailed annotations by Li Xisheng.

Jin Su said that the Law Seal Hall only collected seals and did not sell them to anyone.

The only time they almost made an exception was when the current patriarch of the Liu clan of Ai’ai Continent threatened to buy an entire floor of seals in one go. In the end, the Taoist hall master had to report to the Great Heavenly Lord of the Solitary Peak, whose reply was simple: a sword rainbow was struck down from the high building of the Solitary Peak, destroying the back garden of the Ape’s Whim Mansion. As a result, the young man, who was only a direct descendant of the Liu clan and had not yet inherited the position of patriarch, stood with his hands on his hips, raised his head and cursed the old immortal of the Solitary Peak, saying something like, “I have money, come and try me again if you dare.”
Then the Grand Heavenly Sovereign Daoist scattered a rain of sword qi, devastating the enormous Immortal Ape Demesne, a lineage built over generations.

The grand formation of the Ape Demesne, reputed to withstand a hundred swords from a Sword Immortal, was completely shattered.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

Afterwards, there was a widely circulated exchange.

The young man’s expression remained unchanged, he simply turned to ask the old steward if such overbearing behavior by the Heavenly Sovereign was in accordance with the rules.

The old steward smiled and replied, “On Upside-down Mountain, the Heavenly Sovereign *is* the rule.”

Through this incident, the formidable martial strength of the Upside-down Mountain Heavenly Sovereign, and the wealth of the Liu family of Aiai Continent, spread throughout the world.

Chen Ping An didn’t ascend to the third floor afterwards, going directly downstairs to wait for Jin Su outside the Dharma Seal Hall.

Jin Su arrived a quarter of an hour late, seeing the sword-carrying youth sitting on the steps in a daze, and apologized, “I’m late. Because a particularly mysterious spirit has newly emerged from a seal on the third floor, capable of transforming into the person staring at it; it’s especially amusing. Many people are queuing up over there. I’m sorry, Chen Ping An.”

Chen Ping An stood up, dusted off his backside, and smiled, “We’re not in a rush.”

Almost simultaneously, the moment Jin Su directly called Chen Ping An by his name for the first time on Upside-down Mountain, the two gatekeepers at the foot of Lone Peak Mountain, the book-reading Daoist child and the sword-hugging middle-aged man, opened their eyes in unison.

Then, one person rose from the prayer mat, walked out of the plaza, and went to the Incense Offering Pavilion.

The sword-hugging man turned around, bent his finger, and lightly flicked the mirrored surface, but the man suddenly smiled, abruptly twisted his wrist, as if retrieving something, and retracted the previous flick-finger message.

He continued to doze.

Upside-down Mountain had no arcane restrictions, and the Daoist child stepped out, covering several miles in a single stride. Finally, he arrived before a pavilion wreathed in drifting purple smoke, and strode inside. Many fish-tail-crowned Daoists, upon seeing the jade-carved Daoist child, bowed and greeted him, reverently calling him Grand Uncle-Master, or even Supreme Grand Uncle-Master.

The Daoist child’s expression was indifferent, never acknowledging anyone. After crossing the threshold, with a wave of his sleeve, he sent several incense-offering Daoists with varying Daoist crowns and robes flying away, instantly crashing into the walls on either side, frightening these Middle Fifth Realm Daoists almost out of their minds. The Daoist child strode forward, occupying the incense-burning position alone. He took a stick of incense from the incense cylinder on the nearby table. On the incense altar, four scroll paintings were enshrined, with the Dao Ancestor at the highest position, so high that incense-burners would easily overlook it.

Below were the scroll paintings of three Daoists, hanging side-by-side.

The Daoist in the center had peach charms hanging around him, the Daoist on the left held a dharma sword and wore a feathered robe, and the Daoist on the right had a lotus crown atop his head.

Above the enormous incense altar, there was only a large incense burner for incense-burners to place their burning incense.

This Incense Offering Pavilion was said to offer a chance for Daoists and sincere believers who burned incense here to be known by the Dao Ancestor and the Three Pure Ones of the other world. Almost all Daoists, after entering Upside-down Mountain, would first come to the Incense Offering Pavilion to light three sticks of incense. Of course, Daoists from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion would definitely not set foot in the Incense Offering Pavilion.

The fish-tail-crowned Daoist child bowed three times towards the Lotus Crowned Hierarch, placed the incense stick in his hand into the burner, closed his eyes, and chanted.

Finally, the Daoist child paused, and after opening his eyes, felt somewhat bored. He turned his head and saw a young man who resembled a beauty. He frowned and asked, “As a member of the Lu clan of the Central Earth, why did you first go to Sword Pavilion instead of coming here to burn incense?!”

The young “woman” was not intimidated, and laughed, “We wholeheartedly recognize this supreme Hierarch as our ancestor, but our ancestor has never recognized us as his descendants. For thousands of years, how much incense has the Lu family burned? There hasn’t been even half a word of response! Will it be of any use if I burn one more stick of incense?”

Some anger appeared on the Daoist child’s tender face, “You dare to be presumptuous here?!”

The person who came to burn incense smiled, “Heavenly Sovereign, you’re not a Daoist from my Lu clan’s ancestral line, why are you so insistent on these outsider formalities?”

The Daoist child snorted coldly, “You ungrateful wretch, get out!”

With a wave of his sleeve, the young man, even more stunning than a beauty, flew backwards, crashing onto the street outside the Incense Offering Pavilion, coughing up blood. He struggled to sit up, raised his head, and looked at the right-side painting, the one that had remained unmoved for thousands of years, laughing heartily.

Today, it was just as heartless.

Throughout history, time after time, when the Lu family was trapped in desperate straits, time after time facing the crisis of collapse, the person in the painting had never paid attention.

The Daoist child stepped out of the threshold, glanced at the disheveled young man, and flashed away.

Led by Jin Su, Chen Ping An arrived at the Spirit Fungus Studio at noon, witnessing the legendary Spirit Fungus Scepter.

Chen Ping An had seen the astronomically priced magical treasures and spiritual instruments of the Spirit Fungus Studio, but neither bought anything nor sold anything from his square-inch item, heading towards the last destination of the day, the Master Blade Hall.

The allure of the Master Blade Hall did not lie in the scenery, but in a list on a wall, recording different bounty rewards. The targets were strange and varied, possibly a demon monster on a South Sea island, the ruler of a country on a certain continent, or an Immortal Elder of a Land Immortal, some evil demons wreaking havoc, even a Chen Clan Confucian Sage from South婆娑 Continent was on the list.

This was a rule passed down from who knows when in the Upside-down Mountain’s Master Blade Hall, one could post their own bounty list, and anyone else could as well, but the person posting the list had to deposit the bounty amount in the Master Blade Hall, otherwise, if they dared to randomly post a list without money, they would have to experience the power of the Master Blade Hall’s dharma blades.

Master Blade Hall.

The Dao lineage of Dao Old Two, had branches within it, and all of their dharma artifacts were blades. This branch of Daoists once established a huge reputation in Central Earth Divine Continent, on par with the Ink School’s Loan Blade people, one was tyrannical, the other mysterious.

In the vast world, something even more troublesome than provoking sword cultivators, was getting into disputes with these Daoists who carried dharma blades, because “Master Blade” Daoists always acted decisively, even ruthlessly. They were decisive in slaying demons and eliminating evil, and showed no mercy in battles with Qi cultivators. Just how bad were the Master Blade Daoists’ tempers? There was once a saying that a high-merit Daoist from the Master Blade Daoists, encountered a yellow-purple noble from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion. Both had to kill a deeply cultivated demon. Under normal circumstances, they would either fight side-by-side, fight their own battles, or one would yield. However, the Master Blade Daoist drew his blade in disagreement, and fought the Zhang family Celestial Master to the point of chaos, severely injuring the Celestial Master before going to subdue the demon alone.
This incident caused a great uproar back then in Golden Armor Isle. So much so that a Celestial Master ancestor of the Zhang lineage himself, journeyed from the Central Divine Continent all the way to Upside-Down Mountain to demand answers. In the end, another peak battle erupted. The Great Heavenly Sovereign, who held court on the solitary peak, personally intervened, battling the extremely senior Zhang family Celestial Master thousands of miles away from Upside-Down Mountain. However, the ultimate victor and loser remained unknown to outsiders.

At Dust and Ash Apothecary, the beautiful woman and lovely young girl who usually served as shop assistants were one short today. It was precisely that little lass to whom Proprietor Zheng Dafeng still owed money for a book.

Zheng Dafeng was rather annoyed. He slapped the counter and said the little brat was truly rebelling. Relying on her pretty and vibrant looks, she dared to act without rules or morals. This proprietor let out harsh words, saying she dared to not ask for leave or make a sound before not coming to work at the shop. She simply didn’t put this handsome and dashing proprietor in her eyes. He would deduct those thirty or forty coins for her book! The chattering man huffed and puffed, but sadly, none of the women and girls in the shop took him seriously. Those eating melon seeds continued to eat melon seeds, those chatting about household affairs continued to chat. Anyway, no one believed the proprietor would really deduct the wages.

Then, a trembling Old Ancestor of the Fan Clan personally came to the apothecary’s door, his face filled with apologetic apprehension.

Zheng Dafeng’s expression changed slightly. He immediately stopped the complaining and nagging that was even more gossipy than a woman’s. He went around the counter, walked to the door, and said softly, “Let’s talk here.”

That true voice of the Fan Clan ancestral hall felt helpless himself. Today, he was actually here for a common street urchin who had no connection to the family. The Fan Clan had clearly not committed any mistakes, yet they had to come here to apologize. Moreover, the entire family was filled with trepidation, fearing being implicated and drawn in.

The old man sighed, “Sir Zheng, the little girl who didn’t come to the apothecary today… is dead.”

Zheng Dafeng said “Oh” and remained expressionless.

The old man mistakenly thought that this Great Grandmaster of the tenth realm of martial arts didn’t take it to heart and breathed a sigh of relief.

Zheng Dafeng waved his hand, signaling that the old man could leave.

The man sat on the threshold, no longer speaking.

The women and girls in the apothecary were intuitively sharp. They all sensed the strange atmosphere at the door. For a time, no one dared to speak loudly, let alone banter with the proprietor.

The man: “Haha, this time, I really don’t need to repay the money.”

But in reality, there wasn’t the slightest bit of smile on his face.

He looked towards a shadowed corner of the alley, “I don’t trust the Fan Clan. I don’t trust their character or ability. Old Zhao, go investigate it yourself. I’ll wait for your news.”

Zheng Dafeng stood up and patiently waited just like that.

Old Dragon City, the wind rises from the tip of a single blade of grass.

In the night sky above Upside-Down Mountain.

On the plaza, besides the little Daoist boy who continued to read, and the sword-hugging man who no longer dozed off at night, there was no one else.

From within the mirror behind the two large pillars, a heroic and spirited young woman suddenly walked out, a long sword at her waist.

Her eyebrows resembled distant mountains.

First, set a small goal, like 1 second: