(Apologies for the wait)

Chen Ping’an quietly waited at the Crane Inn. Having left the impossible land that was the Sword Qi Great Wall, practicing his fist techniques once again became effortless. Before he knew it, he had completed the final eight thousand punches.

On this day, Chen Ping’an ceased his final stance, silently sitting at the table. He took out a small, emerald-green bamboo slip, unlike the others, which weren’t engraved with elegant verses. Instead, it was a tool Chen Ping’an used for calculations, marking the approximate progress of when he reached ten thousand, twenty thousand, and fifty thousand punches.

Chen Ping’an extended his finger, gently stroking the carved lines. Occasionally, there were records of one thousand, or even just several hundred punches. These periods were often when Chen Ping’an was most agitated. For instance, after parting ways with Mr. Qi at the dilapidated ancient temple, or in the initial aftermath of the calamity on Osmanthus Island, and numerous other unknown moments. In short, when his mind was unsettled, no matter how many punches or stances he executed, Chen Ping’an wouldn’t count them towards the million.

And just like that, one million punches had been thrown.

Everything remained ordinary. His cultivation was still at the fourth realm, and Chen Ping’an was still Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an put away the bamboo slip, this old companion now retired. He selected a fresh piece of Azure God Mountain bamboo, intending to record his next million punches upon it.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the window, like a group of taciturn children, who, tired, lazily sprawled upon the table, the floor, and the young man’s shoulder.

Chen Ping’an sat quietly in place, thinking of nothing, or perhaps thinking of things he didn’t need to remember. Either way, it was fine.

A familiar knock sounded at the door. Chen Ping’an immediately snapped back to attention. This time, he didn’t ask who it was. He remembered everything about the gatekeeper sword immortal clearly – their speech patterns, facial expressions, sword intent, and aura. He meticulously recalled every detail, even the insignificant knocking sound. When traveling abroad, caution was paramount, and its importance was no less than that of fist techniques.

Without inquiring who it was, Chen Ping’an directly got up and opened the door. As expected, it was the sword immortal who liked to doze off. He entered the room and placed a slender, golden rope on the table, smiling, “A binding rope made from the whiskers of an old Jiao dragon, a veritable magical treasure. I found a reclusive master of Daoist talismans from Upside-Down Mountain. He retained two thumb-sized segments of the dragon’s whiskers as a symbolic reward. In truth, the natural treasures he consumed in crafting this rope far exceed that loss. Just the three cloud patterns carefully peeled from a Blue Writ memorial are no worse than the two segments of dragon whiskers. The reason I’m saying all this isn’t to seek your gratitude, but to be forthright. Ultimately, it’s all thanks to Miss Ning’s reputation, which is invaluable.”

Chen Ping’an remained standing, cupping his fist in salute, “Thank you, Senior Sword Immortal.”

The man, who still kept his sword resting against the hitching post, waved his hand and pointed at the golden binding rope. “After a rudimentary refinement, at your will, even demon clans in the middle five realms will have difficulty escaping its bindings. However, against the Golden Core and nascent Soul realms, it won’t hold for long. But below the Golden Core realm, escape is unlikely. The reason binding ropes are popular, especially those of high quality, and favored by wandering Qi practitioners is because, like the Dragon King’s Basket, it’s a one-hit wonder, a top-tier magical treasure that can be described as ‘one trick that conquers the world’.”

The man suddenly noticed the strange look on Chen Ping’an’s face and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Ping’an said with embarrassment, “I don’t know how to refine magical treasures.”

The man chuckled, “Chen Ping’an, are you joking, or do you think I’m easy to fool? The two flying swords in your Sword-Nourishing Gourd, if they weren’t perfectly refined…”

As expected of a top sword immortal from the Sword Qi Great Wall, his expression turned serious. He glanced at Chen Ping’an’s Sword-Nourishing Gourd, nodded, and didn’t pursue the matter further, nor did he pry. He said directly, “Then I’ll impart a simple formula for refining magical treasures. Don’t worry, you don’t need to owe me any favors. This formula is common in the Sword Qi Great Wall. Consider it buy-one-get-one-free. Moreover, the advantage of refining items with this formula is that it’s easy to learn. The disadvantage is that a binding rope refined with this formula can easily have your restrictions removed by a land immortal who forcibly seizes it, transforming it into their own possession.”

The man smiled, “So, if you encounter powerful demon clans in the vast world, avoid conflict if possible. Don’t even think about using this to repel enemies, lest you become a treasure-delivery boy. Alright, I can’t stay long. I’ll transmit the formula and some precautions to you mentally. If you can’t remember it after one go, I can say it a few more times.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, a slight ripple appearing on his mind, the sword immortal’s rich voice echoing gently in his heart. Chen Ping’an silently memorized it.

The sword immortal asked, “How much did you remember?”

Chen Ping’an honestly replied, “I remembered everything, but I implore Senior Sword Immortal to repeat it once more.”

The sword immortal laughed, “You’re certainly not one to stand on ceremony, kid.”

The sword immortal didn’t find it troublesome at all. Instead, he appreciated Chen Ping’an’s straightforwardness. He repeated the formula, adding some of his own insights, naturally high-level perspectives that Chen Ping’an couldn’t comprehend at the moment and could only memorize.

The man wasn’t one to dawdle. After finishing the formula, he got up to leave. However, before leaving the room, he said to Chen Ping’an, “The talent of Miss Ning’s generation is truly exceptional, so much so that all the old folks dream about it and smile. And it’s not just three, five, or a dozen, but more than thirty of them. So that world will certainly not sit idly by. Moreover, the young great demon who defeated me has a great reputation, and he may not be the strongest genius within a century. The Sword Qi Great Wall has ushered in a rare golden age in a thousand years. After one offensive after another from the demon clans in these past few centuries, I’ve found something strange: Even the cultivation geniuses who are slightly inferior to Miss Ning seem to have all hidden themselves. This is very unreasonable, so I’m somewhat worried, feeling like the savage lands are plotting something big. The thirteenth battle is just the prelude.”

Seeing that Chen Ping’an was listening attentively, the man said with self-deprecation, “Telling you all this seems useless. Just take it as something to listen to and forget.”
Chen Ping’an insisted on escorting this senior Sword Immortal to the entrance of the Guanque Inn. Reaching the alley outside the inn, the Sword Immortal said helplessly, “I just told you to not stand on ceremony, and now you’re being so polite. In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony either.”

The Sword Immortal transformed into a streak of rainbow light, soaring into the sky and heading towards the foot of Lone Peak Mountain. The boundless sword aura instantly vanished into the distance.

Chen Ping’an felt a headache coming on. As expected, back at the inn, several guests were exchanging glances, while the young innkeeper stood behind the counter, calculating on the abacus with a crackling sound. He appeared nonchalant, but a smile played on his lips.

The fact that his inn attracted such extraordinary guests was definitely a good thing; it brought honor and enhanced the inn’s reputation.

When Chen Ping’an returned to the inn, the celestial immortals, who hadn’t stood out much on Upside-down Mountain (otherwise they wouldn’t be staying in a small inn like Guanque Inn), instinctively yielded the way, even though the inn’s hall was spacious enough. Chen Ping’an could only pretend not to notice anything and returned to his room. He began to refine the Demon-Binding Cord, following the incantation taught by the Sword Immortal. It was like drawing a talisman; he still couldn’t control this high-grade magical treasure for long. Everything relied on the pure martial artist’s “one breath”.

The longer the breath, the greater the power.

However, unlike crafting a talisman, using the Demon-Binding Cord was even more challenging for Chen Ping’an, whose Longevity Bridge had collapsed. Fortunately, after reaching the fourth realm, his breath exchange became more concealed and rapid, with the new replacing the old much faster than in the previous three realms. Therefore, the Demon-Binding Cord could be used against demons in the Cave Dwelling, Sea Gazing, and Dragon Gate realms of the middle five realms. It would serve as a trump card, catching opponents off guard and binding them, allowing him to unleash his most devastating fist techniques in the shortest amount of time.

Of course, the Demon-Binding Cord was effective against all Qi cultivators, but it was particularly potent against demons.

If this Demon-Binding Cord could be combined with a few talismans tailored to the situation and the opponent, along with his fist techniques, Chen Ping’an felt much more confident.

Chen Ping’an spent a full three hours refining the Demon-Binding Cord bit by bit. By the time he was finished, he was drenched in sweat. Fortunately, the Purifying and Dust-Cleansing Talisman in the room was as effective as ever, saving him a lot of trouble.

Afterward, Chen Ping’an took down the Sword-Nourishing Gourd, placed it on the table, and stared at it blankly.

Ning Yao had spoken candidly about the battle of the thirteen.

She was willing to explain the details and did so with a nonchalant air.

Chen Ping’an listened to her, not daring to ask too many questions, and pretended to be just listening to an epic tale.

Ning Yao would even say to his face, “My parents are gone, and I am very sad, but I took revenge myself, I won’t overthink it, and you don’t have to either.”

As she said these words, Ning Yao tilted her head back and drank her wine, gently covering her heart with one hand.

In Chen Ping’an’s heart, Ning Yao’s sharpness at that moment was much more direct than the first time he saw her flying on a sword.

The only thing comparable was in his hometown, when Ning Yao joined her two fingers together, pressed them against her brow, as if opening a celestial eye, and declared that she would unfold the Lvzhu Grotto-Heaven, a world within itself, as a sliver of golden light leaked out, almost summoning her Natal Flying Sword.

Therefore, Chen Ping’an decided to learn the sword.

He wanted to become a great Sword Immortal.

One day, he would carve his name on the southern city wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath, put away the Sword-Nourishing Gourd, and fastened it to his waist. Recently, Chen Ping’an had stopped drinking.

Now that he had decided to learn the sword, and already possessed a “Classic of Sword Arts,” and carried the old Sword Immortal’s “Everlasting Qi” on his back, Chen Ping’an began to seriously consider the matter, even more solemnly than when he had decided to practice one million repetitions of the “Mountain-Shaking Fist” stance.

Chen Ping’an stood up, closed his eyes, and slowly paced around the table.

Sword cultivators use swords, and Jianghu swordsmen also use swords, but the difference between the two is like heaven and earth.

Back then, Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple, who had led away the donkey, was a Jade Purity Realm Sword Immortal, and the elegance of his single sword strike was still vivid in Chen Ping’an’s memory even now.

But whether it was the Sword Saint Senior Song of Combing Water Country, who dominated a nation’s Jianghu, or the Sword God of Colorful Garment Country, who died at the hands of Ma Kuxuan, no matter how high their sword skills were, or how great their Jianghu reputations were, they were very difficult to contend with Qi cultivators, especially sword cultivators.

The reason Chen Ping’an had wanted to go to Julu Continent for training was because he had heard that the sword skills of Julu Continent’s Jianghu swordsmen were much higher than those of Treasure Bottle Continent, extremely high. Over there, swordsmen were as numerous as clouds, and even if they were purely martial artists from the foot of the mountain, they could still contend with Qi cultivators.

To become a Sword Immortal, one needed to become a sword cultivator. First, one needed a Longevity Bridge. The old one couldn’t be repaired, and even if it could, it would have limited potential. So, he needed to build a new one. How should he begin? He needed to go to Tongye Continent to find the East Sea View Taoist temple, to find an old Taoist, whose name he didn’t even know yet. Since the old Sword Immortal mentioned him, he must be a remarkable old immortal. Whether or not he would meet Chen Ping’an was another matter.

Chen Ping’an circled the table again and again. Once, he unknowingly took down the Sword-Nourishing Gourd and almost drank, but fortunately, the fragrant wine aroma, intoxicating and invigorating, reminded Chen Ping’an to quickly put it back on his waist.

The old Sword Immortal’s “Everlasting Qi” could point out a general direction after arriving at Tongye Continent, which was why Chen Ping’an chose to land in the central region of Tongye Continent, first to determine the north and south, and then pursue it all the way.

As Chen Ping’an pondered the details of his trip to Tongye Continent, a couple arrived at the Guanque Inn, saying they were looking for Chen Ping’an and were old acquaintances of the youth.

On Upside-Down Mountain, the rule that harming someone meant death was very effective. Although there were many profound secret methods that could be used to circumvent the rule, once discovered, even for old cases from decades or even centuries ago, Daoist Shi, the Teacher of Knives, or even the Azure Dragon True Lord, would personally take action. Therefore, Upside-Down Mountain remained a rare place of peace and tranquility.

The young innkeeper led the couple to the corridor outside Chen Ping’an’s room, pointed in the direction, and didn’t follow any further.

The woman thanked him, and the young innkeeper smiled and said it was his duty. Then, he left without worry. However, at the corner, the young man couldn’t help but look back. The couple had ordinary appearances and gentle temperaments, but the young innkeeper felt that something was wrong. He shook his head and didn’t think about it anymore. The Guanque Inn wanted to regain the glory of its ancestors, and the task was arduous and required him to personally handle a mountain of trivial matters every day.

Outside Chen Ping’an’s door, the man complained, “Wouldn’t it have been easier to just appear in this kid’s room? Why bother with so much trouble?”
The woman glared, “How can we disregard all propriety? Our daughter already has that kind of temperament, and if you add to it, people will truly see Chen Ping’an as a pushover, someone anyone can bully! What? Just because our daughter got lucky and found such a good lad, you think everything is a given?”

The man huffed, “You’re the one who likes him the most! He found our precious daughter; isn’t he even luckier? If we had an ancestral hall, I’d burn a hundred sticks of incense as thanks!”

The woman was equally stubborn. Hearing her husband’s words, she stopped knocking on the door, determined to have a proper argument with him, lest he say something inappropriate after entering the room, making things even harder to manage.

The Vast Expanse was ultimately not the Sword Qi Great Wall, where life and death were commonplace. Outside of the Inverted Mountain, words could be hurtful, especially unintentional ones, very hurtful.

Her husband was rough and didn’t care for such niceties, but as a woman, how could she not be concerned?

The man quickly apologized, “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you.”

The woman glared at her husband, who helplessly said, “I truly know I was wrong.”

Only then did the woman gently knock on the door, softly calling out, “Chen Ping’an?”

Inside the room, Chen Ping’an immediately paced back and forth, overwhelmed with nervousness, sweat beading on his forehead. He quickly called out, “Just a moment, I’ll be right out.”

A moment later, the young man opened the door.

He had changed into a new set of clothes, wearing that golden robe, which would appear as a snow-white gown to anyone below the Earth Immortal realm.

He had finally taken off his perpetually worn straw sandals, replacing them with a pair of brand-new boots, also white.

The “Long Breath” sword he always carried was resting on the table, and the “Ginger Jug” gourd-shaped wine container was missing from his waist. It wasn’t on the table; the young man had hidden it away.

The woman and man exchanged a smile.

It seemed he had guessed their true identities.

The couple stepped over the threshold. Chen Ping’an gently closed the door, then asked, “Would you like some tea?”

After the woman sat down, she smiled and shook her head, then pointed to a stool and said, “Chen Ping’an, please sit as well. We concealed our faces at the Sword Reverence Pavilion due to circumstances, as the Inverted Mountain is not the Sword Qi Great Wall and has its own rules. I hope you can understand.”

Chen Ping’an sat upright across the table, his fists tightly clenched on his knees, nodding vigorously.

The man glanced sideways at the overly cautious young man, growing more irritated the more he looked at him. He lacked poise and grace; how could he possibly be worthy of his daughter?

As a result, the woman stomped on his foot, forcing him to lower his gaze and leave everything to her.

After the woman removed her illusion, the man followed suit, revealing their true appearances.

The woman was stunning, the man handsome.

They were truly a divine couple.

No wonder they had a daughter as captivating as Ning Yao.

The woman introduced herself, seemingly unnecessarily, “You probably already know, I am Ning Yao’s mother, and this is Ning Yao’s father. We both actually died in battle south of the Sword Qi Great Wall, but our remnant souls were preserved by the Eldest Sword Immortal. Although it goes against the customs of the Sword Qi Great Wall, what does it matter when people are already dead? After a lifetime of fighting, ‘living’ for ourselves once after death shouldn’t be too much to ask, especially since Ning Yao was still young at the time…”

At this point, the woman trailed off.

The man had no choice but to continue her words, “Ning Yao’s first time running away from home, after she returned, we knew something was amiss…”

The woman coughed lightly.

The man changed his phrasing, “We knew about you. At that time, our daughter hadn’t fully realized her feelings yet. Later, knowing you were going to help deliver a sword to the Inverted Mountain, she would wait for you whenever she had the chance.”

Alone, sitting on that Dragon Slaying Platform.

It pained the man’s heart to see it.

The man hesitated for a moment, his face far from friendly, “Can you truly live up to Ning Yao? You should know, Ning Yao is very different from ordinary women, in every aspect.”

Although Chen Ping’an was sweating profusely from nervousness, he still said solemnly, “I have thought about it. The worst outcome is that Ning Yao will regret it in the future, will like someone else. If that person treats her better than I do, I will no longer see Ning Yao. If Ning Yao continues to like me, I will work hard, so that the next time we meet, I will not be a burden to her. Whether she is in a northern city, on the walls of the Sword Qi Great Wall, or on the battlefield further south, I will be by her side, doing my best to protect her.”

Chen Ping’an wiped away the sweat blurring his vision and continued, “When it has nothing to do with fighting, just the two of us together, liking someone might make you think everything about her is good, but after being together, you have to learn to like her flaws as well. I know this. When I was very young, my parents would also argue, but they would never argue in front of me. After arguing, my father would sulk in the yard, but the next day, they would be fine. Although I have always thought my parents were the best people in the world, there are no truly perfect people in the world, that is definitely not the case. But I will try to know what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, and then give the best to Ning Yao.”

The man stared blankly.

You said everything, what am I supposed to say?

Also, how old are you, Chen Ping’an, how do you understand all this?

The woman raised her hand, wiping the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand, then smiled softly, “Chen Ping’an, your childhood must have been very hard?”

Chen Ping’an hesitated for a moment, then nodded, without saying a word.

But enduring it, after holding back for a long time, Chen Ping’an frowned again, pressing the corners of his mouth down, and said in a trembling voice, “When my mother left, she suffered so much, I was too young at the time, there was so little I could do, my mother still left.”

Going up the mountain to gather herbs, pawning the family’s belongings, cooking, fetching water, boiling medicine, secretly praying at the Immortal’s Grave, placing a handful of wild fruits in the basket, warming her back in the middle of the night, asking her if she felt better today…

It was useless, all of it was useless.

But Chen Ping’an only said this one sentence, then stopped.

It was a concluding statement denying his own worth.

Too young, did too little.

The woman lowered her head, raising her sleeve again.

The man sighed.

Suffering is so common in the world, what is so strange about it?

Which child with a difficult past doesn’t have that?
But the strange thing lies in the meaning of “endure hardship,” how exactly does one “eat” hardship?

The suffering of the mortal realm, needless to say, unspeakable too.

The woman gently exhaled, raised her head, and forced a smile, “Chen Ping’an, from now on, Ning Yao will be in your care. If she has shortcomings, you’re a man, so you must be understanding and accommodating.”

Chen Ping’an trembled, “Are you leaving? If you leave, what will become of Ning Yao alone?”

The woman stood up and smiled, “Ning Yao knows, she knows everything. So you don’t need to worry about that. It’s not because I’m not Ning Yao’s mother that I praise her, but because the girl you, Chen Ping’an, loves is truly exceptional.”

Chen Ping’an could only nod.

The woman turned to the man, who was also standing, “Do you have something to say?”

The man nodded.

The woman thoughtfully said, “Then, shall I wait for you outside?”

The man hummed in agreement. The woman walked out of the room and stood at the corner of the corridor.

The man looked at the young man and said in a deep voice, “Chen Ping’an!”

The man, who had always been indifferent to Chen Ping’an, suddenly smiled, walked around the table, extended his broad palm, and heavily patted the young man’s shoulder. Then, he retracted his hand, took a step back, and still raised his palm, facing Chen Ping’an with his palm open.

Chen Ping’an was stunned for a moment and quickly extended his hand, and they tapped palms together.

The man firmly grasped the young man’s hand, “Chen Ping’an, from now on, my daughter, Ning Yao! Is entrusted to your care! Can you take good care of her?”

Chen Ping’an choked out loudly, “Even if it means death!”

The man released his hand and laughed, “What talk of death or not? Just live well, both of you.”

The man sized Chen Ping’an up and down, satisfied, “Hmm, worthy of my daughter.”

The man turned around and strode away. Chen Ping’an wanted to see him off, but the man had already raised a hand, signaling Chen Ping’an not to follow.

The man never turned back, slowly walking towards the door, laughing, “Next time you’re at the Sword Qi Great Wall, have Ning Yao take you to offer us incense and wine at our graves, to let us know you’re safe.”

The man stepped over the threshold and suddenly turned his head, laughing, “What’s wrong with drinking? Why are you hiding your wine flask? The most unrestrained sword immortals in the world all love to drink.”

The man made a fist, stuck out his thumb, and pointed to himself, “Like your father-in-law here!”

Chen Ping’an remained standing where he was.

At the Shangxiang Tower’s ferry today, a Devouring Treasure Whale ferry ship will set sail for Tongye Continent.

Before heading to the ferry, Chen Ping’an first went to the foot of Lonely Peak Mountain. Because he didn’t have an entry jade token for the Upside-Down Mountain, he only looked at the gate from afar outside the fence, his lips moving slightly as if talking to himself.

The sword-carrying man sitting on the hitching post was still dozing off in broad daylight, only muttering to himself, saying three more words. Compared to the first time, he had changed the word “near” to “far.”

The young man approaching this gate meant Sword Qi was near.

The young man moving away from Upside-Down Mountain meant Sword Qi was far.

Today, the Mud Bottle Alley youth wears a snow-white robe, carries a long sword on his back, and a sword-nurturing gourd hangs at his waist, his bearing elegant and refined.

The young man, with pure thoughts and no evil, is most, most captivating.