He Lu’s face was ashen.

The Qi Refinement cultivators of the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm, led by the old woman Fan Weiran, and the various affiliated cultivators all wore complex expressions.

Logically speaking, this was a rare spectacle, a momentous event, but they feared that after watching the excitement, they themselves would become the spectacle.

As for the Qi Refinement cultivators from Ye Han’s side in Yellow Halberd City, they all looked righteously indignant, but not a single one dared to speak out.

Both groups of cultivators hated Azure Canopy Lake to the core. What kind of dogshit Dragon Palace Mountain and River Grand Formation was this? It was as easy to cut through as tofu with a knife or mud with a sword!

Lake Lord Yin Hou stood silently in place, his gaze lowered, simply looking at the ground.

This was quite intriguing. If a wealthy family had a mud wall smashed, they would at least shout a few times. Their own Dragon Palace Formation had been broken, and the losses were substantial celestial coins, yet this Lake Lord didn’t utter a single fart? Wasn’t it said that Azure Canopy Lake was the leading force in Silver Screen Kingdom? Within the kingdom, the mountain’s Five Peaks deities and the court’s generals and ministers all held Azure Canopy Lake in high regard. Even Lake Lord Yin Hou brazenly wore an imperial dragon robe, and no one ever cared.

Therefore, it wasn’t that no one with a lower cultivation realm and a more volatile temper wanted to step forward and reprimand the young sword immortal who was trapped in a heavy encirclement. These petty cultivators, who initially wanted to stick their necks out, were still hoping to curry favor with Immortal Master He and Yellow Halberd City at no cost. However, before they could speak, they were all warned by the more experienced cultivators around them, either their masters or their comrades, through ripples in their inner minds. In the end, those who kindly wanted to offer a reminder were also afraid of being implicated by these reckless individuals. Since a sword immortal’s swordsmanship could even withstand heavenly tribulations, it wouldn’t be surprising if a casual flash of sword light accidentally killed a few people.

The corners of Fan Weiran’s mouth were devoid of any trace of a cold smile, and she looked somewhat wooden.

City Lord Ye Han of Yellow Halberd City turned his head, looked at the white-clad sword immortal who had broken through two major formations with a single sword, and asked, “Does Sword Immortal insist on a life-or-death struggle, a mutual destruction, before you are willing to stop?”

The white-clad sword immortal simply tossed the scabbard in his hand onto the ground, burying it in the earth. He then took out a folding fan from his waist, neither looking at Ye Han nor He Lu. He lightly tapped his palm with the fan, his face full of smiles, his gaze wandering, starting from a white-haired old man sitting cross-legged on his right, from the upper seats to the lower seats near the entrance of the Dragon Palace Hall, examining them one by one. “I heard that a certain Immortal Master from Dream Beam Peak had a novel idea and actually hired a martial arts grandmaster to eat feces in a latrine bucket. Who is it? Stand up and let me admire you. If you’re too lazy to get up, just raise a hand.”

On the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm side, a young man and woman, both carrying swords, exchanged glances.

Wasn’t this sword immortal the hooded blue-shirted traveler who had been eating cakes with congee at a roadside stall outside the city early this morning? The attire had changed, the demeanor had changed, but the face was definitely the same!

The woman smiled wryly. Her junior brother’s crow’s mouth was right. The old man with the monkey perched on his shoulder at the city gate was the culprit who had stolen that precious immortal treasure. Now, this young wanderer had transformed into a sword immortal who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere!

Chen Pingan’s gaze finally settled on a group of Qi Refinement cultivators in the center of the seating arrangement.

A man whose seat was relatively closest to the palace gate shrank his neck.

Asking the question without needing an answer. The answer revealed itself. Mountain cultivators were mostly like this, seeking their own tranquility and unwilling to get involved in the affairs of others.

Back then, at the entrance of the City God Temple, when he asked who was the Master of the Yin-Yang Department, the coordinated actions of the City God Temple colleagues were exceptionally decisive.

The situation was now exactly the same.

Chen Pingan raised a hand. A wisp of soul essence, originally the size of a fist, had been worn down to the size of a jujube pit by his stellar qi. He gently spun it with a finger, strands of stellar qi wrapping around it like a millstone grinding it down. Chen Pingan asked with a smile, “This wild cultivator, whose name I forgot to ask, said that the registered immortal masters of your Dream Beam Peak are the real masterminds. I know you may not have the brains or the guts to do it, so was it City Lord Ye, or Immortal Master He?”

The four Qi Refinement cultivators of Dream Beam Peak gnashed their teeth in anger, but their sitting postures remained as firm as rocks.

Chen Pingan smiled and said, “If you don’t want to say, then don’t. I’m just curious about one thing. Whether it was Ye Han of Yellow Halberd City, who planned carefully before acting, or He Lu, who was full of stratagems, did they give you any money for carrying out this task? If not, then Yellow Halberd City is not very generous.”

He Lu slowly stood up, her expression returning to normal. She said in a clear voice, “One person does something, and one person takes responsibility. Don’t shout about ‘He Lu first’ anymore. Let all the grievances of Accompanying Carriage City end with me, He Lu. If I, He Lu, die, it’s naturally because Sword Immortal’s skills are superior. I, He Lu, have no regrets. How does Sword Immortal feel about that?”

Ye Han smiled slightly.

If they didn’t gamble like this, today’s Dragon Palace banquet at Azure Canopy Lake would be a loose alliance, with everyone thinking of their own interests. The three forces, which on paper were roughly equivalent to a single immortal, would dissipate into a disorganized rabble.

Fan Weiran was somewhat surprised and raised her gaze. This was the first time that the ancestor of Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm had looked highly upon this young man from Yellow Halberd City.

In the past, she only thought that He Lu was a promising cultivator who wasn’t inferior to her own Miss Yan, quick-witted, and good at dealing with people. She never thought that in a moment of life and death, he could still be so calm, which was truly rare.

“One who harbors thunder in his chest but maintains a serene expression can be appointed as a great general.”

This was precisely describing this young man.

A cultivator with such excellent aptitude and temperament had a promising future on the Great Dao, as long as he didn’t die prematurely. Ye Han was truly blessed to have such an aide.

The old woman secretly pondered.

Could it be that after this crisis at the Dragon Palace banquet at Azure Canopy Lake was over, she should simply agree to the seemingly destined marriage between Miss Yan and him? In any case, He Lu was not a member of the Ye family and was destined not to inherit Ye Han’s Yellow Halberd City. Perhaps she could use Miss Yan to trick him into joining the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm. One grows while the other shrinks, which would both infuriate Ye Han and help her sect take another step forward. Once this golden couple, envied by everyone, became immortal companions and both advanced to the Golden Core Realm, Yellow Halberd City, with its lack of successors, would only have Ye Han to rely on. She believed that as long as the conditions were right, then the majority of the mountains in the ten-odd kingdoms could become territory of the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm. She believed that with this young man’s vision and breadth of mind, he would understand this calculation clearly.

“Ye Han, as long as this person says something even slightly inappropriate, it will arouse public anger. Let’s not waste the opportunity that He Lu has worked so hard to create.”
Ye Han slowly rose, his face amiable, and asked, “Although the Sword Immortal is safe and sound, and we haven’t truly committed any heinous crimes, we have, in truth, disturbed the Sword Immortal’s secluded cultivation during this period. So, would you allow our Yellow Axe City to take the lead, with me, Ye Han, personally offering some form of compensation to the Sword Immortal?”

The young Sword Immortal smiled and nodded, “Naturally. As the City God of Suijia City aptly said, there’s nothing under Heaven that can’t be properly discussed.”

He reached out, grasped the sword, and with a casual flick, drew it across the air. “Speak your price.”

The Sword Immortal’s actions were too unexpected, his swordplay as swift as lightning. By the time he flicked his wrist and casually tossed the sword back into its scabbard, no one understood the meaning of this gesture.

The Lord of Yellow Axe City, renowned throughout the ten kingdoms for his gentle demeanor and exceptional tolerance, suddenly erupted in fury, “How dare you murder someone before my very eyes, you scoundrel!”

Everyone raised their heads in unison, their gazes ultimately settling on the handsome young man clutching his neck.

The immortal bamboo flute in his hand had fallen to the ground, the sound of its shattering like the tinkling of broken jade.

He Lu staggered back several steps, blood already seeping through his fingers. This young immortal banished to the mortal realm was now in tears, one hand clutching his neck, the other reaching out to Ye Han, sobbing and trembling, “Father, save me, save me…”

Fan Weiran felt a chill run down her spine, followed by the stinging pain of a slap across the face.

She nearly flew into a rage, her white hair standing on end, ready to hurl away the golden crown bestowed by the immortals!

Good, very good, He Lu! Good, very good, Ye Han! What a father and son pair, cunningly concealing their true selves, plotting against the cultivators of the ten kingdoms!

If she and the Treasure Grotto Immortal Abode had truly harbored the thought of uniting Yan Qing and He Lu as Daoist partners, wouldn’t they be throwing meat buns to a dog with their father and son’s deep scheming and underhanded tactics? Yan’er was a simple girl devoted to cultivation, ignorant of worldly affairs, no match for these old and young foxes, Ye Han and He Lu, who turned out to be father and son! Even if Yan’er refused to help her Daoist partner He Lu against the Treasure Grotto Immortal Abode, unable to commit the treacherous act of deceiving her master and destroying her ancestor, her Dao heart would still be shattered beyond repair. Even if she truly respected her teacher and wanted to help her sect against Yellow Axe City, Yan Qing would be willing but powerless!

Fan Weiran drained her cup of wine and laughed loudly, “Delightful, delightful! It’s good that this wicked seed, He Lu, is dead! Ye Han, you’ve lost your beloved son, and yet you don’t even hatefully make a move, attempting to contend with the Sword Immortal?! You can endure the pain of your son’s murder? If it were me, I would die here in the Azure Cypress Lake Dragon Palace!”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly, “You will die too, don’t rush to be reborn.”

Fan Weiran’s joyous laughter came to an abrupt halt.

He Lu saw that Ye Han was about to reach out, but then retracted his hand. His heart was filled with sorrow and despair, his vision blurred. He stared fixedly at the father who refused to help him, his eyes filled with hatred. Then, he slowly turned his head, the blood between his fingers flowing even more profusely. He looked at the terrified Yan Qing, his gaze shifting to a plea, “Yan Qing, save me.”

Yan Qing exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, grasped the short sword, and stood up. Then, she turned to face the white-robed Sword Immortal, “This sword strike is only for myself.”

The white-robed Sword Immortal stood with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling and nodding, “Seeking benevolence, one obtains benevolence; seeking death, one obtains death. In this filthy Dragon Palace, there has finally emerged a proper cultivator.”

Yan Qing stood tall, holding the short sword, and smiled freely. As her state of mind returned to clarity, her divine radiance flowed, her spiritual energy coursing through her body, the golden crown atop her head shining brightly, further accentuating the ethereal beauty of this enchanting woman.

She truly looked beautiful, but all the Qi Refinement cultivators in the Dragon Palace hall still felt inexplicably confused.

He Lu staggered back, finally collapsing against the wall, sitting there dejectedly.

Finally, a head slid off and fell to the ground.

The sound, far less earth-shattering than the previous thunder, made all the cultivators feel as if they had been struck in the chest by a heavy hammer, leaving them gasping for breath.

He Lu of Yellow Axe City, had just died.

A cultivation prodigy who had the potential to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ye Han and Fan Weiran, had just been separated from his body?

Looking at the elegant and graceful Immortal Yan Qing, everyone was even more astonished.

They were both the most outstanding talents from the mountains of the ten kingdoms.

He Lu was such an intelligent and perceptive individual, only lacking a bit of luck, that he had died in this foreign Azure Cypress Lake Dragon Palace. But why was Immortal Yan Qing so confused, her brain addled, when she had the opportunity to clear herself?

How did this golden couple, who almost became immortal partners, get together in the first place?

Or was it that love ran so deep, that seeing her lover die, Yan Qing angrily drew her sword in a fit of rage?

But to draw a sword against a genuine Sword Immortal, it wasn’t that they looked down on Yan Qing, but wasn’t that just courting humiliation?

Just as Yan Qing was holding her sword, building up momentum, and the young Sword Immortal was facing her,

An anomaly occurred!

Near Ye Han’s central seat, a table laden with delicacies and fine wines suddenly exploded, sending cultivators on both sides flying, crashing into a large group.

A sturdy figure, radiating golden light, emerged from the shattered table without warning. He took a step, and the entire Dragon Palace trembled. Then, he delivered a punch, sending the white-robed Sword Immortal flying. The walls of the main hall were shattered on the spot, and the sound of walls breaking continued to echo.

This punch.

Could a fifth-realm Qi Refinement cultivator from Dream Liang Peak truly deliver it?

Fan Weiran and Ye Han quickly exchanged glances, both seeing shock and panic in each other’s eyes.

This person was hiding so deeply, he was definitely not a pawn of either side!

Perhaps he was a true accomplice of that old monkey keeper and the Silver Screen Kingdom’s vixen Empress!

This sneak attack, if there was no prior warning, even the two of them, Golden Core cultivators, would absolutely not be able to withstand it and would inevitably be severely injured on the spot.

The unremarkable-looking man, after delivering this peak punch, gathering all his life’s boxing intent, actually shattered his entire arm, which hung limply. But the man was full of heroic spirit, treating the cultivators in the palace like dogs, laughing heartily, “This assassin punch was originally intended to be delivered to that old thief Xia Zhen, but I never expected a simpleton who likes to play dumb to try and steal the lead.”

The man looked through the walls, which had been opened like doors, towards the distant, dust-filled area, “They all say that you, this Sword Immortal, don’t reason, possessing a Golden Body Realm physique. How is it now? Is your body still golden? If a true Golden Body Realm martial artist were to take this punch, his organs would be shattered and his viscera would be crushed, dying on the spot!”
The burly man spat out a mouthful of blood, glancing at the sheathed longsword on the ground. “Bullshit Sword Immortal, what a joke! I endured you for so long, and with one strike, you slaughtered a mere Guanhai realm whelp. Did you really think you were invincible?”

Lake Lord Yin Hou’s lips curled up, the smile widening until his entire face was alight with mirth.

Fan Weiran also began to laugh.

Only Ye Han, while relieved, remained somber. Glancing at the headless corpse by the wall, he felt a pang of sorrow that prevented any joy.

Thankfully, this hidden heir, in the end, was a Guanhai cultivator of some attainment, having managed to gather his scattered spirit within several key qi reservoirs.

But such a fine innate physique, possessing what that immortal called “golden branch jade leaf” aptitude, where would they find another? How would he ascend to the Golden Core realm in the future? Or even surpass him, leading Yellow Halberd City to greater heights?

The other three Qi Refining cultivators on Mengliang Peak each swallowed hard.

How could this usually useless junior brother, who couldn’t squeeze a fart out of a stick, suddenly transform into a top-tier martial arts master with thunderous fists?

Yan Qing stood frozen in place.

In the grand hall, even those who knew this legendary Golden Body realm grandmaster was an enemy couldn’t help but erupt in cheers, banging on tables and applauding. Some even raised wine jugs, drinking deeply and giving the martial man a thumbs-up. Others praised Mengliang Kingdom for its flourishing arts and, now, its martial prowess, declaring it destined to become a regional hegemon, to swallow neighboring states and perhaps even establish a great dynasty.

Yan Qing stood amidst the boisterous, celebratory hall, feeling utterly empty.

Fan Weiran laughed, leaning back, and even this old crone imitated the uncouth cultivator, extending her thumb towards Yan Qing. “Yan girl, you’ve accomplished a great feat! Good lass, upon returning to Baotong Immortal Grotto, we shall reward you with that prized artifact from the Ancestral Hall! I’ll see who dares to object!”

The first to sense something amiss was the emerald-clad girl with the blinking eyes. However, at this moment, she dared not even let a ripple disturb her inner lake, let alone make any small gestures.

The charming maiden sat upright, becoming a wooden statue.

Then came the martial man who had painstakingly climbed to the Golden Body realm in Mengliang Kingdom.

As his expression turned grave, Ye Han and Fan Weiran also realized that things were taking a turn for the worse.

Lake Lord Yin Hou, who had initially intended to befriend the valiant warrior, gradually suppressed his smile, quickly holding his breath and focusing his mind.

A white-robed Sword Immortal walked out of “one door after another,” finally appearing in the grand hall.

The Qi Refining cultivator in the middle of Fan Weiran’s group had already scrambled to clear a path for the Sword Immortal and the Golden Body realm grandmaster.

The Sword Immortal patted his shoulder, flicked his snow-white sleeves, and said with a smile, “Earlier, on the ferry, someone said that the Golden Core cultivators here are made of paper.” He slowly approached the Mengliang Kingdom martial man, showing no sign of having his “internal organs pulverized.”

He walked and chuckled, “Now, I see that you, this Golden Body realm martial man, are no better. Molded from mud, perhaps, or the kind that hasn’t dried yet, which is why you broke your own arm? Does it hurt?”

The man said in a low voice, “You are actually a Distant Excursion realm martial artist! Is that not so?! Not a Sword Immortal at all, am I right? Before I strike, give me a clear explanation!”

The man pressed one hand to his abdomen, the other to his forehead, his face full of helplessness. “Big brother, please, don’t be like this. Seriously, you told so many jokes at the Dragon Palace today. I was lucky not to be crushed to death by the heavenly tribulation in Suijia City, and now I’m about to die of laughter here.”

Lake Lord Yin Hou sighed and sat on the steps, holding his head. “Well, I guess I’m resigned to my fate. Fight, fight! Do whatever you want, tear down the Dragon Palace. If I, Yin Hou, even frown, I’ll take the Sword Immortal’s surname.”

Some younger cultivators wanted to laugh but dared not.

The white-robed Sword Immortal turned to look at Fan Weiran and Lake Lord Yin Hou. “Was it you who spread the rumor that I possess the physique of a Golden Body realm martial artist? Do you know that because of your blunder, many of my plans have fallen through?”

The man took a deep breath, smiled, and showed no sign of backing down. He took a step back with his right foot, raised his only usable arm, and adopted a stance of perfect, complete martial intent. “Whether you are a martial artist of the same realm as me, or a Sword Immortal who flies through the air, I will gladly learn from you.”

Chen Ping’an glanced at the other three Mengliang Peak cultivators, then looked back and smiled. “It seems that Mengliang Kingdom hides dragons and crouching tigers. Interesting. Thank you.”

The man took a step forward, his martial intent flowing like a raging flood, causing the entire palace to shake. Almost all the tables were thrown high into the air. Just as everyone thought there would be another deadly clash, the man suddenly leaned back, as fast as lightning, and crashed into the wall behind him that hadn’t yet been “opened.” After it shattered, he disappeared in an instant, as if using a divine ability to shrink a thousand miles of mountains and rivers into a mere inch.

As expected of a Golden Body realm martial artist unseen for two centuries, his movement was indeed unpredictable, making it impossible to defend against.

However, the white-robed Sword Immortal also vanished from the hall.

Then, on the side of the newly created wall door, the legendary Golden Body realm martial artist “walked” back, one step at a time.

Except that a sleeve and a hand were visible protruding from the man’s chest.

Not only did it instantly block the path of the great martial arts master, but it also determined life and death. The Sword Immortal had directly pierced through his chest and back with his left hand!

The white-robed Sword Immortal raised his right hand, pressed it against the man’s head, and gently pushed.

He floated lightly backward, falling right in the center of the hall.

The white-robed Sword Immortal flicked his sleeves, and a string of scarlet blood splattered on the ground around him.

And in the air above the hall, the paper kite was still frantically fleeing, dodging the glimmering green sword light chasing after it.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Still not tired of playing?”

The green sword light suddenly accelerated, turning the paper kite into dust, and the white-haired old man, a bloody mess, fell heavily to the ground in the hall.

The flying sword leisurely returned to its master’s side, like a docile bird, slowly swirling, extremely gentle.

Chen Ping’an glanced at the girl in the emerald dress, who grinned at him.
Chen Ping’an chuckled and said, “He Lu of Yellow Halberd City, Yan Qing of Precious Grotto Immortal Realm, and Lord Yin Hou of Azure Bamboo Lake, did none of them suggest to you that the best battlefield would be within the accompanying city? Perhaps I would be the most constrained, while you would be the most secure. Killing me is uncertain, but at least your chances of escape would be greater?”

Lord Yin Hou released his grip, raised his head, and confessed, “Sword Immortal, I did propose such a thing. He Lu agreed, even devising intricate schemes, such as using spells to incite the populace to swarm the haunted house. However, in the end, both sides felt that being too close to the accompanying city would easily alarm you, the great Sword Immortal capable of claiming heads from a thousand paces with flying swords. No one wanted to be the first to die. The lives of cultivators from Yellow Halberd City and Precious Grotto Immortal Realm are precious, and they wouldn’t take the lead. The other affiliated mountain factions aren’t all fools either; no one is willing to risk their lives for money. After much arguing, they had to abandon the plan. Sword Immortal, I’ve said what I should and shouldn’t have said. From here on, kill as you please. I don’t mind losing this millennial foundation of my Dragon Palace. After today, if the Sword Immortal grants me mercy and I am fortunate enough to survive, Azure Bamboo Lake will certainly repair the mountain and river fortune of the accompanying city as atonement.”

Upon hearing the beginning of those words, Yan Qing’s face turned as white as snow, and his whole body trembled.

His Dao heart faltered, his Qi sea became unstable, and his sword-wielding hand trembled even more.

Chen Ping’an joined two fingers together and flicked lightly.

The City Lord of Yellow Halberd City, Ye Han, intentionally remained motionless, allowing the long sword to pierce his chest and pin him to the wall.

Meanwhile, a glimmering green flying sword hovered less than a foot away from Fan Weiran’s brow, its tip quivering.

The old crone also remained perfectly still.

“You were the cleverest of all, each one more adept at judging the situation than the last. I truly admire that, without any sarcasm,” Chen Ping’an sighed. He clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked forward, then spotted a wine pot, casually summoned it, held it in one hand, and a cup in the other. He poured a cup of wine, took a sip, and smiled deeply. “If there were a few more He Lus present, or if the people of the accompanying city witnessed this, they would surely condemn me, the Sword Immortal, for being unforgiving. Popular resentment would boil, and collective opinion would be like melting metal. Why the indiscriminate slaughter? Why punish people you’ve only met a few times, who haven’t truly fought to the death, haven’t lost an arm or leg, or vomited a few barrels of blood? What reason is there to judge their virtue, determine their lives and deaths? Why be so aggressive, launching a great slaughter? Such a lack of compassion… surely, you must be no different from those you kill…”

These words sent chills down the spines of all the Qi refiners.

Was the Great Sword Immortal implying that he wasn’t finished yet?

Chen Ping’an looked towards the old crone seated at the head of the table. “You are a bit luckier, not having a good son like He Lu, so we can talk things over.”

Then, he glanced at Ye Han. “It’s hard to say the same for City Lord Ye.”

The eyelashes of the maiden in the emerald dress fluttered.

She remained seated like an old monk, unmoving in body and mind, relying on that peculiar talent that seemed to be a gift from her ancestors, secretly peeking.

Chen Ping’an suddenly stopped, seemingly losing his Sword Immortal aura in an instant. His expression was weary, full of fatigue, his eyes dim, like the long sword on the wall piercing Ye Han’s body, its golden light concealed. He surveyed the surroundings, poured another cup of wine, casually tossed the wine pot back where it was, and gently poured the wine in front of him, as if offering a libation at a grave. He muttered to himself, “But those people of the accompanying city, who after the heavenly tribulation, devoutly burned incense at the City God Temple, kneeling and kowtowing again and again, they were merely content with their lot. They are the truly weak. As for many truths, the vast majority of them, especially those who chose silence, may never know what really happened in their lifetime. So they worship the City God, they worship the wrong deity. Worshipping at the Fire God Shrine, however, could not be more correct. My feelings towards them are the same as the aloofness, pure cultivation, disregard for humanity, and aversion to the mortal world of some of you cultivators. There’s no need to talk about liking or disliking, there’s no right or wrong. There are a thousand and one paths under our feet, any path is a path. What do you say, Fire God of the accompanying city? In the end, you didn’t even curse me from the roof of your shrine? Instead, you crashed yourself into the sea of clouds and heavenly tribulation, your golden body shattering into two? I truly couldn’t speak at the time, otherwise I would have scolded you a few times, and punched you back into your shrine. A mere heavenly tribulation, would I die? Just nearly died. I am, after all, a cultivator, what’s there to fear about being half-dead? Before this, how much had I calculated? You and I met late, too late to tell you everything. Of course, even if we had met earlier, I wouldn’t have said anything. Human hearts are treacherous, who dares to trust anyone?”

In the midst of his words, a thud echoed from Fan Weiran’s brow.

His head was struck violently, and he tilted backward.

On the other hand, Ye Han remained unharmed, merely pinned to the wall.

However, the old crone certainly hadn’t truly died, because her face and body instantly withered, but an unusual ripple of Qi appeared within the Dragon Palace, flashing and disappearing.

The young Sword Immortal seemed somewhat helpless, crushing the wine cup in his hand. There was no other way, that Jade Purity Light Talisman had been destroyed long ago. Otherwise, no matter how elusive and unpredictable this immortal art of dissipating the Yin spirit like mist, while concealing a Natal Golden Core, as long as that Sublime Mystery Bureau Cloud Soaring Palace Talisman was unleashed, instantly enveloping the area within several *li*, this ancestor of Precious Grotto Immortal Realm would most likely not be able to escape. As for himself, after the great battle, he was unable to draw talismans, and besides, the several types of *Dan Shu Zhen Ji* (Vermilion Script True Traces) talismans that he was proficient in, did not have any that could target this situation.

Therefore, it is said that mountain cultivators find victory easy, but killing is difficult, especially for Qi refiners who have entered the Golden Core realm. Who doesn’t have a few life-saving methods?

In this respect, pure martial artists are much more straightforward, fighting one-on-one, where losing often means death.

But it didn’t matter, the golden crown atop the old crone’s head was still there.

Perhaps she couldn’t take it away, or perhaps taking it away would reveal obvious traces, and the old crone was too wary of his flying swords.

Chen Ping’an took out his folding fan, twirled it between his fingers, and slowly opened and closed it, smiling slightly. “What, do you believe everything I say? Then if I said I am a Sixth-Realm martial artist, not a sword cultivator at all, would you believe me?”

Chen Ping’an looked at one of the Dream Liang Peak cultivators. “You tell me?”

That person immediately knelt down and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Whatever the Sword Immortal says, this humble one believes!”
Chen Pingan turned his head, looking at the young couple with swords on their backs, and said, “What a coincidence, we meet again. Did you two immortal masters gain anything from your trip to Suijia City?”

The young man plopped down onto the ground.

The young woman softly said, “Reporting to Sword Immortal, we gained nothing.”

Chen Pingan asked with a smile, “Didn’t the old man with the monkey perched on his shoulder think of you during the chaotic battle?”

The young female cultivator bitterly said, “As soon as we saw it was him, we immediately fled far away.”

Chen Pingan nodded, “That’s what you should have done. In the future, tell your junior brother to temper his temper. When you descend the mountain to train and travel the world, observe more and speak less.”

Being greeted with polite pleasantries by this unpredictable young Sword Immortal, the young female cultivator felt no joy whatsoever, only a sense of impending doom. Without a doubt, she and her junior brother were in for trouble. He Lu, a Golden Body realm martial artist from Mengliang Kingdom; Fan Weiran, the old enshrined Immortal Kite of Huangyue City; City Lord Ye Han… those who had chatted with this Sword Immortal either died or were injured. None had a good ending.

Chen Pingan rubbed his forehead, frowning slightly, then instantly relaxed, and smiled at the two, “It’s fate that we met. You may leave.”

The junior brother, who had been slumped on the ground, scrambled to his feet and bolted towards the main hall’s entrance.

His senior sister couldn’t stop him. She thought that a bloody scene of a flying sword severing a head was about to unfold. Unexpectedly, her junior brother not only ran far away but also anxiously shouted, “Senior sister, hurry!”

The young female cultivator looked at the white-robed Sword Immortal, whose smiling eyes were like a gentle spring breeze and a bottomless ancient well. She hesitated for a moment, saluted, and said, “Thank you, Sword Immortal, for your leniency!”

She trembled, circulated her spiritual energy, and slowly glided out of the dragon palace hall, which was littered with wreckage.

Chen Pingan walked straight ahead, ascending the steps. Lake Lord Yin Hou was sitting there.

As for that flying sword, it constantly hovered around the white-robed Sword Immortal.

*Sword Immortal, do as you please. I certainly won’t move a finger or have any crooked thoughts today.*

Chen Pingan, however, didn’t sit on the throne-like dragon chair. He simply tapped it with his finger, as if… inspecting the goods?

Chen Pingan turned around, held the dragon chair’s armrest, and faced the crowd in the hall. “I’m not good at judging people’s character. I’ll assume that half of you are good and half are bad. Tonight, half of you will die, and half will live. You are either close friends or mortal enemies who want to spill each other’s brains out. Anyway, you all know each other’s backgrounds and families. Tell me, who has done what evil deeds? Try to choose the biggest ones, the more shocking the better. If others have them but you don’t, then you are good people, and you will have a chance to live.”

Silence reigned over the hall.

The white-robed Sword Immortal smiled again, “Let me add, fighting and scheming on the mountainside don’t count. Tonight, we’ll only talk about worldly matters.”

Suddenly, a childish and clear voice gently rang out, “Sword Immortal, it’s still daytime, you shouldn’t say ‘tonight’.”

Chen Pingan looked at the person who spoke, the girl in the emerald green dress. Judging from her seat arrangement, she was a highly valued disciple of the Baotong Immortal Realm.

Chen Pingan smiled, “Thank you for the reminder. I saw that the dragon palace hall was brightly lit, and I mistakenly thought it was nighttime.”

Ye Han suddenly said, “So the Sword Immortal’s sword is not a magical treasure. I see, but that’s how it should be.”

Chen Pingan waved his hand, “I know you Golden Core Immortals have endless tricks. Hurry up and scram.”

Ye Han laughed heartily and walked forward, allowing the long sword to pierce through his body entirely and stop in the wall.

Ye Han sighed, “I never thought our Huangyue City would be reduced to this. The son who had the best chance of inheriting the family business is dead, the chief enshrinement is dead, and my Ye Han has also damaged the foundation of the Great Dao. I have no hope of taking that next step in this life. Sword Immortal, what do you want Ye Han to do to prevent you from chasing us down to Huangyue City and eradicating us completely?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “It’s very simple. Don’t try to confuse me here. Since you can’t shatter your Golden Core, hurry up and find your backer. He showed up in the sky above Suijia City after the heavenly tribulation. If I’m not mistaken, you have some kind of relationship with him. That person’s realm is very high, and he harmed me a lot. When he comes, we can settle old and new scores together. But if he can call in the mastermind behind the person who successfully seized the treasure to deal with me, a junior, then you Ye Han have a big face. I can only run away, and one of your Lake Lord’s canal masters has a plaque in her temple that’s excellent, ‘Evergreen Waters’.”

Ye Han said helplessly, “Since the Sword Immortal has revealed the secret, does that mean we can only fight to the death and won’t let me take away He Lu’s soul?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “I would like to say let you take away He Junior Immortal’s three souls and seven spirits so that your escape method can reveal a trace. Even if I said that before, would you Ye Han dare to do that? I don’t think you would.”

Ye Han nodded, “Indeed, I wouldn’t. Then, as the Sword Immortal says, ‘Evergreen Waters’!”

The City Lord of Huangyue City directly crushed the jade pendant at his waist.

His figure disappeared into thin air.

Chen Pingan turned his head to look at the roof, as if his gaze had gone to the distant surface of Cangyun Lake.

This jade pendant’s shrinking-the-earth-to-an-inch effect is even more exaggerated than a golden-materialized Inch-Square Talisman.

Chen Pingan rubbed his forehead.

His head ached terribly.

The long sword on the wall flashed with golden light and pierced into a key acupoint in He Lu’s headless body.

Then, a burst of black smoke poured out of He Lu’s body, instantly turning into ten strands, trying to flee in different directions. But the white-robed Sword Immortal waved his sleeve, smashing them all against the wall, turning them into ashes that fell rustling.

When he raised his head, his expression had softened, “You can start presenting the facts and reasoning. Cherish it, I believe that in your previous cultivation careers, there haven’t been many times when you could save your lives by reasoning.”

The white-robed Sword Immortal grabbed empty air, and the scabbard flew back to him, the long sword returning to its sheath in mid-air.

He sat on the dragon chair, his sword across his lap.

Yan Qing faced the white-robed Sword Immortal sitting on the high seat and said in a deep voice, “Like this…”