The Sun family’s intercontinental ferry, a Mountain-Sea Turtle from Old Dragon City, possessed a back as vast as a mountain range. Upon it stood numerous buildings, and even after accounting for cargo, it could still accommodate over two thousand four hundred souls.

In contrast, the Dragon Boat of the Fallen Mountain simply couldn’t compare.

The Mountain-Sea Turtle and the Fan family’s Osmanthus Island shared a similar purpose, primarily navigating the seas between continents. However, Osmanthus Island held an advantage in its ancient Osmanthus tree. Once the mountain-water array was activated, it could withstand numerous sea disasters. No matter how tumultuous the waves, Osmanthus Island remained as steadfast as a boulder.

The Mountain-Sea Turtle lacked such innate advantages. However, its mountain-guarding array, though far inferior to that of Osmanthus Island, was still sufficient to allow the ferry to submerge and avoid the waves. Combined with the Mountain-Sea Turtle’s innate divine ability, its back-town transformed into an underwater city, ensuring the safety of its passengers. This was a prime example of a cultivator using immortal arts to “conquer nature.”

All priceless intercontinental ferries, aside from the vessels themselves, owed their value to the routes painstakingly established by generations of sect cultivators. What Osmanthus Island could traverse, such as the Dragon Trench where Fan family boatmen had to pole and scatter rice as a tribute to the “mountain lords,” the Mountain-Sea Turtle could never safely navigate. Even passing nearby was out of the question. Many weary dragons and thin蛟, driven by their inherent draconic nature to stir up storms and rain in the Southern Sahasra Continent, would undoubtedly create trouble upon spotting the Mountain-Sea Turtle. Conversely, the Mountain-Sea Turtle could traverse many perilous waterways or the domains of great demons, where centuries of incense offerings were required for passage, areas where Osmanthus Island would be hindered.

Over the long years, countless cultivators from Old Dragon City’s families, who possessed intercontinental ferries, had perished while exploring and securing these routes.

On this day, the sea was fraught with terrifying storms. The Mountain-Sea Turtle slowly submerged. Were it not for the ripples of the array emanating from the edges of its back, enveloping a serene and peaceful microcosm, it would have been indistinguishable from sailing on the open sea. The various buildings, flowers, trees, and vegetation on its back remained completely unaffected by the seawater.

Chen Ping An was now a valued guest of the Sun family, their past grievances forgotten. Furthermore, he had become an ally in a long-term business venture. Naturally, Sun Jiashu had arranged for Chen Ping An to stay in a superior immortal residence. It wasn’t large, but it was brimming with spiritual energy. Under normal circumstances for intercontinental trade, the Sun family would rather leave this residence vacant than allow a great cultivator to rest there. The reason was that this small house, named “Bookcase,” was the closest to the Mountain-Sea Turtle’s nearly ten-thousand-year-old refined turtle core. Hence, it possessed naturally abundant water energy, and its spiritual energy was the most refined. Cultivators who absorbed it would achieve twice the results with half the effort. However, if a great cultivator who harbored a deadly grudge against the Sun family had malicious intentions, they would undoubtedly cause immense damage to the Mountain-Sea Turtle. Losing this intercontinental ferry would quickly plummet the Sun family’s status in Old Dragon City.

After boarding the ship, Chen Ping An continued to dedicate six hours each day to cultivation and Qi refinement. The spiritual energy accumulated in the Water Mansion, Mountain Shrine, and Wooden House had been meticulously sorted and slowly refined. The primary focus was the middle-stage refinement of the thirty-six bluestone bricks from the Daoist temple, which contained subtle strands of water energy, especially that point of Dao intent. Progress was slow. Fortunately, Chen Ping An’s breakthrough in cultivation and martial arts at Lion Peak, reaching the fourth stage of Qi Refinement, allowed him to complete the refinement of the thirty-six bluestone bricks three times faster than expected.

Chen Ping An sat on a prayer mat, a chessboard placed before him. The chessboard, pieces, and containers were all items he had brought with him, storing them in his somewhat empty spatial artifact.

For this long journey, Chen Ping An hadn’t brought too many possessions. Aside from his azure robe, the swordsman’s back-sword, and his companion flying swords, Beginning One and Fifteenth, he only brought one Golden Dew Dharma Robe. He had already given the Hundred-Eyed Gluttonous Dharma Robe to Zhou Mili. The little girl looked very fitting and adorable in it. As for the Snowflake Dharma Robe he had seized from the female ghost in Skin-Oily City, he had gifted it to Shi Rou.

Chen Ping An had new plans for the Golden Dew Dharma Robe. He could only apologize to Liu Xianyang. He sent a cross-continental letter to the Chen family of Pure Scholars. However, the reply he received in Old Dragon City was delivered by Fan Er himself, who had come aboard a Hemp-Cloaked Sect ferry. Liu Xianyang wrote in the letter, accusing him of valuing women over friends, and that’s all there was to it. However, neither of them needed to be polite with each other. Chen Ping An wasn’t righteous, and Liu Xianyang wasn’t much better. In the letter, he directly demanded that Chen Ping An exchange the Golden Dew Dharma Robe for something of comparable value, or else it wasn’t over. When they met, Chen Ping An would have to stand still and let him use several moves like “Monkey Stealing Peaches” and “Moon Scooping from the Sea.” At the end of the letter, he asked Chen Ping An to send his regards to his brother Liu Xianyang’s sister-in-law, wishing her a speedy pregnancy.

Chen Ping An could only pretend he didn’t see it. Could such words be spoken? Was he courting death?

For this trip, Chen Ping An brought two spatial artifacts: a white jade token and a Daoist wooden token. One was a debt repayment from Zheng Dafeng at the Dust and Ashes Apothecary in Old Dragon City, and the other he had earned by transporting that massive caisson, relying on his own hard work.

He would naturally do whatever job as a porter was possible wherever he traveled.

Last year, he had suffered a great loss at that Daoist temple immortal residence because he didn’t have enough spatial artifacts. Otherwise, Chen Ping An would have emptied the Daoist temple of its bluestone bricks. Leaving behind even one would have meant that Chen Ping An’s porter business hadn’t truly entered the hall.

He only brought thirty Rain Grain Coins. This time, when he arrived at Upside Down Mountain, compared to his first visit to that Spirit Mushroom Shop, he, the Mountain Lord of Fallen Mountain, could at least openly admire the treasures for a few more moments, without feeling like he would be chased out for taking an extra glance. The items sold at the Spirit Mushroom Shop were indeed of high quality, but unfortunately, the prices were so high that they made one’s heart ache just looking at them.

After the Ancestral Hall was completed, Chen Ping An took out all the surplus immortal money he had painstakingly accumulated year after year as a porter and handed it over to Chen Ruchu, who was responsible for counting, recording, and managing the finances of the Fallen Mountain Ancestral Hall. Unexpectedly, when Chen Ping An went to withdraw money before leaving, Chen Ruchu stood beside Zhu Lian with a look of guilt. Chen Ping An knew something was amiss. Sure enough, Zhu Lian only took out a shriveled money pouch, containing only ten Rain Grain Coins, saying that this was all the spare money Fallen Mountain could scrape together. In fact, it couldn’t even be called spare money. Fallen Mountain needed money everywhere now. His Lordship’s distant travels forced Fallen Mountain to grit its teeth and put on a brave face to avoid being looked down upon. Anything more, and there was truly nothing left.

Then Zhu Lian said understandingly, “If Master feels really distressed, this Zhu Lian has a way…”

He could exchange the ten Rain Grain Coins into Lesser Heat Coins, and the money pouch would be bulging.
Chen Ping’an, holding the money pouch, felt as if he had shot himself in the foot.

What a Zhu Lian! He was even setting traps for his own master?

Zhu Lian schemed against Jiang Shangzhen, against Wei Bo, against everyone. If he couldn’t scheme directly, he’d dig a pit in the dead of night. He’d even brazenly dig a pit right in front of someone. Chen Ping’an hadn’t felt much about it before, but now that Zhu Lian was even scheming against him, the mountain master, he understood the bitterness.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ruchu secretly extended two fingers.

Chen Ping’an immediately understood and bid fifty Gu Yu coins, praising the Lingzhi Hall on Upside-Down Mountain for its abundance of treasures and incredibly reasonable prices. He claimed that once he returned to Treasure Bottle洲 and swung by the Baggage Shop at the Ox Horn Mountain ferry, he could easily turn a profit of several more Gu Yu coins.

One person loudly proclaimed the need to earn money for the Fallen Phoenix Mountain, while the other clutched their chest, swore on their conscience, and desperately pleaded poverty. After haggling back and forth, Chen Ping’an finally got his hands on thirty Gu Yu coins.

It was back at Ox Horn Mountain, after Chen Ping’an boarded the Hemp Robe Sect’s intercontinental ferry.

Zhu Lian patted Chen Ruchu’s head and smiled, “Nuanshu, you’ve done a great deed.”

At Fallen Phoenix Mountain, they still preferred to call the girl in the pink skirt “Nuanshu.” Cui Cheng did, and so did Zhu Lian, Zheng Dafeng, and Wei Bo, the three sworn brothers.

Chen Ruchu was completely bewildered.

Zhu Lian chuckled, “Actually, Fallen Phoenix Mountain has a surplus of twenty Gu Yu coins. Taking them wouldn’t really affect the mountain. It’s just not so obvious on the black and white ledgers. Now that you’re managing the money, you can learn more in the future. Our young master is a very competent accountant.”

Chen Ruchu asked, “Why not give it all to Master?”

Zhu Lian replied, “Young Master won’t have any expenses on his way to Upside-Down Mountain. And once he’s there, he won’t be in the mood to run the Baggage Shop. He’s just trying to fool us, pulling the wool over our eyes. He’s more likely thinking of picking out something nice and expensive at a place like Lingzhi Hall, something impressive to give to the girl he likes. I’m not being stingy with the twenty Gu Yu coins, but Young Master is still not experienced enough in matters of love. If a woman truly likes you, especially a woman like the one our Young Master likes—I haven’t met her, but I’m sure of one thing—she’ll find it vulgar if you just throw money at her.”

Chen Ruchu was even more puzzled. “Then why did Mr. Zhu give him twenty extra Gu Yu coins?”

Zhu Lian smiled, “Is being too experienced in matters of love necessarily a good thing?”

Chen Ruchu was confused and bewildered.

Zhu Lian hunched over, clasped his hands behind his back, and let the mountain breeze caress his face and stir the hair at his temples as he watched the ferry ascend into the sky and disappear into the distance. He whispered, “When a man is young, he always wants to give a woman whatever he has. There’s nothing wrong with that. Different ages, different loves, each has its own charm, no superior or inferior, no good or bad. A life without regrets, too perfect, without mistakes, is not beautiful. It’s hard to remember fondly in old age.”

Zhu Lian averted his gaze, turned around, and extended his little finger. “Pinky swear, you can’t tell our mountain master any of this. Otherwise, with the mountain master’s pettiness, I’ll be in deep trouble.”

Chen Ruchu hid her hands behind her back, a little angry. She complained, “Mr. Zhu, my Master is not petty! You’re not allowed to say that about Master! I’ll really tell him!”

Zhu Lian smiled, “My so-called pettiness is not meant in the worldly, derogatory sense. It means remembering trivial matters that no one else cares about, which is a good thing.”

Chen Ruchu beamed and locked pinkies with Zhu Lian.

On the intercontinental ferry, Chen Ping’an faced a chessboard, not studying a game record, but looking at his own game.

The Fallen Phoenix Mountain Ancestral Hall itself, each chess piece representing a part of it, formed a chess-shaped configuration, Chen Ping’an’s true foundation.

The various connections in Treasure Bottle Continent formed another, more scattered chess-shaped configuration, still not fully formed. Chen Ping’an hoped to let things take their course.

The relationships in the Northern Entirety Continent were the third territory, relatively clear. Chen Ping’an would manage them diligently and carefully. For example, the Hemp Robe Sect, the Spring Dew Garden, the Cloud City, the Colorful Sparrow Manor, and the potential Water Dragon Sect and Dragon Palace Grotto-Heaven were all places where he could confidently do business. At the very least, Chen Ping’an could act as an intermediary, providing a possibility for all parties involved, and then leave it to the various sects and mountain peaks to weigh the pros and cons themselves. If everyone felt there was a profit to be made, they could sit down and talk, each conducting business on its own merits, without feeling that it would damage their friendship. If they felt the matter was not feasible, it wouldn’t prevent them from meeting again in the future, drinking wine, and talking only about leisure.

Before Cui Dongshan left Fallen Phoenix Mountain, he had a leisurely chat and slow drink with Chen Ping’an by the cliff, suddenly saying that he and his teacher were kindred spirits, both weaving webs. This was something Cui Dongshan had to admit; the Old Scholar had a better eye.

Cui Dongshan finally began to console himself, the Old Scholar was good at picking disciples, but unfortunately, his own talent for becoming a disciple was far inferior to his.

Chen Ping’an was curious and asked who the Wen Sheng Old Gentleman’s teacher was.

Cui Dongshan laughed heartily and said that the Old Scholar didn’t have a formal teaching master, only a mediocre tutor from a humble village school. Since the Old Scholar didn’t even have a master, how could he compare to him?

Chen Ping’an gathered the chess pieces one by one and returned them to the white chess container.

Then, he took out black pieces from another chess container, with many names and mountain peaks engraved on them in a chaotic mess. Chen Ping’an pinched them with two fingers, placed them in different positions on the chessboard without looking.

Chen Ping’an looked at the interwoven chess pieces on the chessboard, some clustered together. Therefore, there were many names that he had only heard of, recorded and filed. Either their names were engraved on the black pieces by Chen Ping’an, or they were opponents or enemies, such as the “Sword Immortal” founders of Righteous Sun Mountain, suppressed for hundreds of years by Li Tuanjing of Wind and Thunder Garden alone, or the many enshrined retainers of the Xu family of Qingfeng City, and the relatives the Xu family had climbed up to, the Yuan family, Great Li’s pillar of state.

Killing with force, killing with reason, killing with the heart.

These were three completely different paths.

Chen Ping’an was familiar with all of them because he had personally experienced the large and small storms and conflicts on his travels.

Chen Ping’an folded his hands in his sleeves, leaned forward, and stared carefully at the chessboard.

“Weaken the strong and destroy the firm, plan slowly.” This had always been a sentence Chen Ping’an highly admired, a truth Chen Ping’an had buried deep in his heart.

But the slow and steady layout was for a quick harvest, so that when he delivered a punch or a sword, there would be no lingering consequences.
During this period, one needs a series of meticulous small actions to cultivate a grand momentum, a convergence of opportune timing, advantageous location, and harmonious relationships.

Ah Liang wouldn’t have killed Zhu Lu in the Red Candle Town corridor back then.

The same goes for challenging the Tongye Sect with left and right swords.

Later, when Chen Ping An visited the Misty Mountain Ancestral Hall for Fisherman and Zhao Luan, Zhao Shuxia, that one strike also grasped the essence. Lü Yundai and Lü Tingjiao, the father and son cultivators on the mountain, turned against each other. The final result was that after Chen Ping An returned to the Fallen Mountain from the Northern Entire Reed Continent, he heard that Lü Tingjiao, imprisoned on Misty Mountain, secretly colluded with the Great Li garrison general, gathering several mountain guest elders, attempting to usurp power. Lü Yundai angrily killed him. After this incident, Misty Mountain suffered a great loss of vitality, declaring a century of seclusion.

Many worldly tactics, even when seemingly withdrawn, with swords sheathed, their edges linger in people’s hearts. For the next decade or century, people will feel pain with the slightest shift in their hearts.

Chen Ping An collected all the black pieces on the chessboard.

Picking up a blank white piece, he placed it randomly.

Although he was a terrible chess player, he liked the sound of the pieces landing on the board.

Chen Ping An, having nothing better to do, played a game with himself. It was an evenly matched contest, satisfying his heart. He felt this was true chess playing. What was the point of handicapping? If the outcome was obvious, it was meaningless.

Chen Ping An didn’t rush to put away the pieces, leaning back instead.

Thinking back to those foreigners he first saw near the small town gate, more than a decade had passed in the blink of an eye. Everyone had their own story.

Fu Nanhua is now the confirmed next City Lord of Old Dragon City. Having married a direct daughter of the Yunlin Jiang Clan, the situation is settled. It is said that Fu Nanhua and Song Jixin, who was enfeoffed in Old Dragon City, have a good relationship.

In recent years, Cai Jinjian, besides his rapid progress in cultivation, has established his own peak and residence, rarely venturing out, and diligently cultivating the Dao.

Jiang Yun, the black-clad youth he met again in the famous alley of Bee Tail Ferry on the way to Qingluan Kingdom, was the first to obtain the great opportunity of the Iron Chain Well in the small town. He is the only direct disciple that Jade Purity realm wild cultivator Liu Laocheng has taken besides on Willow Island. Chen Ping An had a good impression of Jiang Yun. Later, when he dared to visit Liu Laocheng on Willow Island in the Book Brief Lake, besides the Sage Jade Token as a life-saving charm, a large part of the reason was that Liu Laocheng would take Jiang Yun as a disciple.

The Great Sui prince Gao Xuan “intercepted” the Dragon King Basket and the golden carp from Li Er back then, but Chen Ping An didn’t harbor any resentment about it. After the Great Sui Gao Clan and the Great Li Song Clan signed a high-level mountain alliance, Gao Xuan went to Great Li Piyi Mountain as a hostage, studying at the Linlu Academy. Gao Xuan didn’t deliberately conceal his identity. Chen Ping An had met Gao Xuan when he took Li Baoping and the others on a long journey to the Great Sui Cliff Academy. After that, Gao Xuan studied at the academy, and both sides had some tacit understanding, not deliberately meeting or communicating. Otherwise, it would be too taboo, and it wouldn’t be good for either party.

The Xu family mother and son in Qingfeng City obtained the ancestral wart armor from Liu Xianyang’s family. The Qingfeng City Xu family head became even more powerful, using this to become one of the most outstanding Nascent Soul cultivators in the Treasure Bottle Continent. Not only did he successfully eliminate dissidents and firmly grasp power, but he also married his direct daughter of the Xu clan far away to the Great Li capital, forming an alliance with the Great Li Upper Pillar State Yuan Clan. Besides the Xu family’s deep foundation, the Xu family head’s own cultivation was also a key reason. Over the years, aside from the secret investigations by both sides, Chen Ping An’s only connection with the Qingfeng City Xu Clan was probably those fox-fur beauty talismans.

The Xu Clan initially possessed a vast vermilion mine mountain with excellent feng shui in the western mountains. Later, Cao Ping and Su Gaoshan’s Great Li Iron Cavalry were respectively blocked by the Vermillion Glow Dynasty border army and tributary states. Coupled with the shadowy figures of many behind-the-scenes philosophers, the situation in the continent suddenly became confusing and unpredictable. Qingfeng City then made a move that they would later regret, selling that vermilion mine mountain cheaply and relocating the cultivators away from Great Li. If they hadn’t swallowed their pride and married their direct daughter to a Yuan Clan’s concubine son to make amends, I’m afraid the Qingfeng City would have changed family heads by now.

That old moving mountain ape is still the mountain guardian of the Orthodox Yang Mountain, with duties equivalent to Zhou Mi Li of the Fallen Mountain. That little girl who looked like a porcelain doll but was deeply scheming, named Tao Zi, has now grown into a cultivation genius of the Orthodox Yang Mountain. Previously, she advanced to the Cave Realm, celebrated by all sides. That old ape even moved an old mountain range from a destroyed small country as a gift. It is said that Tao Zi was very close to Song Jixin in the small town. After they separated, their relationship not only did not become estranged, but became even closer. Her family ancestor, one of the old sword immortals in charge of the Orthodox Yang Mountain, would certainly be happy to see it happen.

That young female cultivator whose grandfather was the co-lord of the Sea Tide Iron Cavalry is in the most difficult situation because she accidentally killed the old woman in Apricot Blossom Lane. Ma Kuxuan has remembered this to this day. Ma Kuxuan used all his military merits, such as killing two Golden Core sword cultivators of the Vermillion Glow Dynasty, plus borrowed some of the accumulated military merits of Zhenwu Mountain cultivators, to exchange for the disintegration of the Sea Tide Iron Cavalry, according to a certain rule established by the national teacher Cui Dai Li. The Sea Tide Iron Cavalry was incorporated by Great Li, and the old man who retired and returned to his hometown was personally killed by Ma Kuxuan on the way. He even gave the woman the insulting name of “forgetting her roots.” Perhaps in the eyes of many bystanders, the family is destroyed, she defected from her sect, the woman continues to live on, isn’t that forgetting her ancestors?

These people came to the hometown small town.

Many people from the hometown have also left the small town one after another.

For example, the students of that school, including Li Baoping and the others, went to the Cliff Academy. A little girl named Jia Chunjia, who used to wear pigtails, followed her family to the Great Li capital. The two shops in Riding Dragon Lane then changed hands to Chen Ping An. Dong Shui Jing stayed in Longquan County and started his own business, which grew bigger and bigger.

Li Xisheng from Fortune and Prosperity Street went to the Northern Entire Reed Continent. Zhu He and his daughter Zhu Lu, after saying goodbye in Red Candle Town, first went to the Great Li capital, and then there was no news.

Liu Xianyang, whose ancestors were originally gravediggers of that Chen clan, the pure Confucian Chen Clan remembered the past and asked the woman Chen Dui to take Liu Xianyang to the Southern Mother-in-law Continent, agreeing that after twenty years, Liu Xianyang would return to Ruan Qiong’s side. This is Chen Ping…
An was most admiring of Liu Xianyang’s talent; he learned everything quickly. As an apprentice at the dragon kiln, he was taken in as a disciple by Old Yao, who imparted all his skills without reservation. Later, they both worked as laborers at the smithy built by Ruan Qiong on the banks of the Dragon Whiskers River. Ruan Qiong was unwilling to take Chen Ping’an as his disciple, but he favored Liu Xianyang.

Chen Ping’an held no resentment, only feeling happy for Liu Xianyang.

In Chen Ping’an’s mind, Liu Xianyang should live a better life.

Song Jixin from Mud Bottle Lane, Gu Can, Ma Kuxuan from Apricot Blossom Lane, Zhao Yao from Fortune and Prosperity Street, and many peers from the Four Great Clans and Ten Great Families, whom Chen Ping’an had never interacted with, should have all left the former Lizhu Grotto, heading towards a wider world, each with their own joys and sorrows, competing for the Great Dao.

Whether friend or foe, each and every one of them was a person who had walked out of Lizhu Grotto.

Deep in Chen Ping’an’s heart, there was also a secret wish that he had never voiced.

Not only Baoping Continent, but the entire vast world of Haoran, should be forced to remember the name “Lizhu Grotto” because of these younger generations on the path of cultivation.

Chen Ping’an sat up, and four flying swords emerged from different acupoints.

First Day and Fifteenth Day, refined as a Qi cultivator’s tool but not truly a sword cultivator’s natal weapon.

The other two were imitations of the Hate Sword Mountain’s swords, one given by Yuan Lingdian of Pointing to the Profound Peak, named Pine Needle.

The other was purchased through Qi Jinglong, named Devour Thunder.

Chen Ping’an manipulated the four flying swords with his will, filling the room with sword light.

Chen Ping’an extended his two fingers, pressing down lightly on the chessboard.

Numerous black and white pieces instantly jumped up.

Simultaneously controlling the four flying swords, he gently tapped the pieces that were about to fall off the board, raising them one by one, and the room was filled with tinkling sounds, clear and crisp like celestial music.

On the path of cultivation, the scenery is pleasant.

But the most moving sight was still Miss Ning.

It was a pity that he only dared to think it, not say it.

The Sun family’s intercontinental ferry had two stewards, one in the open and one in secret. The one in secret was a enshrined cultivator who had quietly left the Sun family’s ancestral home and was not unfamiliar with Chen Ping’an.

However, since Chen Ping’an had not left the small house, the enshrined cultivator did not want to disturb his cultivation and had never shown his face. Otherwise, he would have been curious as to why the young man, who was only at the third realm of a martial artist back then, was able to break through so quickly on the path of martial arts. It couldn’t be as the dramas and novels in the market said, those frustrated scholars imagined some kind of Jianghu, eating some elixir that increased internal strength by a hundred years, or being infused with a lifetime of power by a hidden master, right?

It was not until the Mountain Sea Turtle approached the Upside-Down Mountain that the enshrined cultivator saw Chen Ping’an walk out of the house, standing on the highest observation deck on the back of the Mountain Sea Turtle, looking up at the largest mountain-shaped seal in the world.

However, at this moment, both the open and secret enshrined cultivators of the ferry were busy, so he dismissed the idea of showing himself and talking to him.

As the fighting on the Sword Qi Great Wall became more and more fierce, the business of the nine continents’ ferries that came to the Upside-Down Mountain to do intercontinental trade grew bigger and bigger, but the profits did not increase much.

Anyone with a discerning eye would notice that the intercontinental ferries of South Suopo Continent and Fuyun Continent almost no longer carried people for travel, deliberately suppressing the number of passengers on the ferries. Even if they earned less money and had to increase the wear and tear of the ferries on long journeys, they still frequently shuttled back and forth, transporting more supplies to the Sword Qi Great Wall through the Upside-Down Mountain. Obviously, the Confucian academies in charge of the two continents had begun to secretly intervene in this matter.

Only Tongye Continent remained the same as usual, which was also related to the small number of intercontinental ferries in Tongye Continent. Tongye Continent was the most unwilling to interact with the outside world among the nine continents. The number of cultivators who traveled to Tongye Continent was disproportionate to the number of Tongye Continent’s native Qi refiners who traveled to other continents, so Tongye Continent’s cultivators also gave people the impression of being unwilling to move.

The reason was simple. First, Southeast Tongye Continent was vast and rich in resources, and self-sufficiency was no problem. Secondly, the Tongye Sect and the Jade Decree Sect were located at the north and south ends of the continent respectively, and the number of immortal mountain peaks was relatively small and large. For thousands of years, the world on the continent had been very stable. However, the great disaster that engulfed the Supporting the Spirit Sect and the Taiping Mountain Sect a few years ago not only caught the Tongye Continent’s cultivators off guard, but also gave the world of Haoran something to laugh about. Fortunately, it had now calmed down again, and many immortal forces were recuperating.

Chen Ping’an stood by the railing of the observation deck, surrounded by cultivators, mostly from Baoping Continent, but also a considerable number of cultivators from other continents who were visiting Baoping Continent, which was not common in the past.

With the changing situation in Baoping Continent, the Dali Dynasty had become one of the top ten dynasties in the world of Haoran. More and more cultivators from other continents went to Baoping Continent with a hint of curiosity. Before that, Baoping Continent was a small and remote place that did not arouse anyone’s interest. If they were to go, they would go to North Ju Lu Continent, where sword cultivators were as numerous as clouds, or directly to Tongye Continent.

From north to south, the Dali capital, the Divine Edict Sect, the Viewing Lake Academy, and the Old Dragon City were the usual tourist routes for cultivators from other continents. They would not disembark and travel to more places.

In the future, they might add a lower sect of the Jade Decree Sect of Tongye Continent, Jiang Shangzhen’s True Realm Sect of Shujian Lake.

After all, Jiang Shangzhen’s reputation was not small. It was rare to see a cultivator who could stir up trouble in North Ju Lu Continent and still be alive and kicking.

For the world of Haoran, North Ju Lu Continent was an extremely dangerous and unfriendly place, with too much murderous aura. There were too many people who would definitely not die in other continents.

After Chen Ping’an had truly walked through North Ju Lu Continent, he felt that it was a place with more Jianghu spirit than immortal spirit, and he could go there often in the future.

Sword Immortal Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple was now on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Female Sword Immortal Li Cai of the Floating Duckweed Sword Lake should also rush to the Upside-Down Mountain immediately after asking questions at the Taiwei Sword Sect.

It was a pity that Cao Ci was no longer on the city wall. After the two great battles, he wondered if Cao Ci’s small thatched cottage there, and Great Sword Immortal Chen Qingdu’s thatched cottage, were still there.

Many cultivators from other continents near the observation deck were mostly communicating in the Central Earth Divine Continent’s elegant language. In their words, they were strategizing and pointing out the landscape. They still had no respect for the mountains and the people below in Baoping Continent. When they mentioned the Dali iron cavalry that had been advancing rapidly, there was no praise. They only said that it was okay, and it was good in Baoping Continent, but if it were placed in the Central Earth Divine Continent, it would definitely not be so smooth.
It wasn’t entirely that these outsiders were arrogant. Cui Dongshan himself had said that Treasure Bottle洲 lacked Ascended Realm cultivators, a massive cause for concern.

In a few decades, when the great reckoning arrived, a single old turtle who had secretly squeezed into the Ascended Realm wouldn’t be enough. What to do? Borrow! Thankfully, he didn’t have to beg and plead. Otherwise, Cui Dongshan would have choked to death on his own rage.

Chen Ping’an pretended not to hear the heavenly secret that Cui Dongshan inadvertently revealed.

The National Preceptor Cui was first going to replicate White Jade 京, then have the Great Li iron cavalry annex a continent. He dared to take such action, so naturally he wouldn’t simply surrender and die, but would instead drag the entire Treasure Bottle洲 down with him.

Chen Ping’an shook off his thoughts and looked around. Most people were there to admire the magnificent sight of the inverted peak between heaven and earth.

Outside Inverted Mountain, rivers like clouds and water hung between the mountain peaks and the sea in all directions.

Within a hundred li radius of Inverted Mountain, besides the main peak where a Great Heavenly Lord was stationed, there were eight scenic spots that Chen Ping’an had visited.

The first place one passed upon ascending Inverted Mountain was Catch-and-Release Pavilion, with a plaque personally written by Dao Lao Er, the “Truly Unrivaled” one of Azure Billow Heaven. It was there that Chen Ping’an parted ways with Liu Youzhou of皚皚洲, who went to the famous Ape Kneading Mansion.

There was also Sword Reverence Pavilion, hung with portraits of past sword immortals; Incense Offering Tower, where Lu Tai wanted to offer incense to his ancestor but was chased out by the gatekeeping Daoist boy; Thunder Marsh Platform, where the martial goddess Pei Bei forged her sword; Spirit Mushroom House, where Chen Ping’an unintentionally bought a Ganlu armor passed down through generations; Dharma Seal Hall, also known as “Lacking One Hall”; and the picturesque Elk Cliff. Liu Qingshan of Azure Phoenix Kingdom married a Daoist nun, Liu Boqi, who came from Sword Forging Hall on Inverted Mountain, where there were once sky-high bounties for Song Changjing and Xu Ruo posted on the walls.

After the ferry docked along a waterway at Inverted Mountain, Chen Ping’an thanked the Sun family’s ferry manager and then alone, re-ascended Inverted Mountain.

Chen Ping’an didn’t choose Spirit Mushroom House, which both sold goods and operated an inn, but instead chose the Crane Sparrow Inn at the end of the alley. The innkeeper was stunned for a long time. “Chen Ping’an?”

Chen Ping’an nodded with a smile.

The innkeeper clicked his tongue. “That Jin Su of Osmanthus Island didn’t come with you this time? People from your Treasure Bottle洲 are holding their heads up higher these days. How about it, Young Master Chen? Patronize my humble establishment. Choose a deluxe room?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “Just the same room as last time.”

The innkeeper sighed helplessly, took a key from the drawer, and lightly tossed it to the young man in the green shirt carrying a sword. “Chen Ping’an, you really need to change your stingy habits. How can you achieve great things if you’re not generous when you’re out and about?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t rush to settle into his room but leaned against the counter, looking at the familiar alley outside and said with a smile, “How much celestial money can a Qi Refiner below the fifth realm have?”

The innkeeper counted on his fingers and teased, “It’s been almost ten years, right? You haven’t earned any money, and your cultivation hasn’t gone up many steps. Young Master Chen, what have you been doing since you left Inverted Mountain?”

Chen Ping’an said with a smile, “Wandering around aimlessly.”

The innkeeper, whose family had guarded this inn for generations, shook his head. “No wonder you returned to Inverted Mountain and are still patronizing my little place. You got my hopes up for nothing.”

Chen Ping’an took out two jars of wine and handed one to the innkeeper. “Hometown wine.”

The innkeeper opened it and sniffed, then scolded with a laugh, “Ordinary glutinous rice wine? Chen Ping’an, you have the nerve to bring this out!”

Chen Ping’an said with a smile, “Drinking those immortal wines on Inverted Mountain doesn’t take any skill. Only drinking this shows personality.”

The innkeeper thought it made sense and the two of them slowly drank the wine. Chen Ping’an asked about the recent situation on Inverted Mountain. The innkeeper said it was the same as always. The only difference was that behind the lone peak on the back mountain of Inverted Mountain, the Great Heavenly Lord had joined hands with two sword immortals to open a new gate to the Sword Qi Great Wall. Merchants all had to go that way. There was no choice, in less than ten years, there had been two incredibly bloody battles. Relying solely on the original mirror gate to transport supplies wasn’t enough. But now it was strictly controlled. Travel had been cut off, so it was very difficult for idle people to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall to see the scenery. Without connections, don’t even think about it. It wasn’t just about money anymore, because the city behind the Sword Qi Great Wall had had a huge problem because of the mix of good and bad people. Inverted Mountain had blocked the news, but the matter was not small, otherwise Inverted Mountain would not have been so heavily guarded at the time, and even had a curfew, which had never happened before. Led by Sword Forging Hall cultivators, they inspected the identity tokens of all cultivators on Inverted Mountain in one day. Even the four private residences, including Ape Kneading Mansion, were not exempt. As a result, another inexplicable conflict arose. In short, the commotion was huge.

Chen Ping’an asked when the third battle would likely begin.

The innkeeper said with a smile that such things, not even the heavens knew.

Finally, the innkeeper drank his wine and lamented, “Inverted Mountain is not peaceful.”

The previous two great battles had been too strange. The intensity was no less than before, but they were very rushed. Therefore, both sides died extremely quickly, especially the demon races of the barbaric world, who had paid a greater price than ever before. This was far from the slow, intermittent battles that had lasted for twenty or thirty years in the past. These two battles had taken place within a short ten-year period. One of the leading sword immortals of Northern Club Continent had died in the second great battle.

Chen Ping’an said, “So close, yet it has been uneasy for ten thousand years.”

The innkeeper smiled. “That’s the truth.”

The two gently clinked their wine jars and drank the remaining wine in one gulp.

Chen Ping’an went to the room. The furnishings were the same, the scenery was the same, clean and refreshing.

There was nothing to put down. Chen Ping’an sat quietly for a moment, then left the inn and the alley to go to the lone peak that was like the center of Inverted Mountain.

There was only one gatekeeper left, the young Daoist who looked like a child but had a very high seniority. He was still reading a book there. Because almost no one entered or left this place now, more and more Inverted Mountain children came to play and frolic here. It was the same scene as before. As soon as a child approached the “Daoist child”, they would suddenly rise up into the clouds and drift away. Some naughty children did it on purpose, enjoying it immensely. After landing, they continued to run towards him. The Daoist child didn’t mind.
Chen Pingan walked around the solitary peak towards the back mountain. According to the Crane Sparrow Inn’s owner, the sword-bearing man who had taught him a refining mantra was still serving his sentence, just relocated to guard the back gate.

After Chen Pingan left, the young Taoist boy who was wetting his finger to turn pages looked up at the departing figure of the green-robed, sword-carrying young man, a strange expression on his youthful face.

Chen Pingan saw the man sitting on the stone pillar beside the gate, sound asleep with his sword in his arms.

Unlike the mirror-like front gate of the solitary peak, where only one young Taoist boy managed both the Upside-Down Mountain and the Sword Qi Great Wall’s comings and goings,

the sleeping sword-bearing man still guarded the back, responsible for monitoring everyone returning to the Upside-Down Mountain from the Sword Qi Great Wall. The person in charge at the front was an old Taoist from the Upside-Down Mountain.

The streets were bustling with activity, carriages and horses flowing endlessly, all teams passing through to the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The gatekeeper, however, was not the familiar old Taoist who crafted the unique demon-binding rope from the whiskers of a Flood Dragon.

Chen Pingan didn’t speak, hands tucked into his sleeves, standing quietly beside the stone pillar. This side was much quieter, almost deserted.

After about an incense stick’s worth of time, the sword-bearing man opened his eyes and smiled: “Boy, I see you don’t particularly like Ning丫头. You’ve been gone for so many years without a word, and even when you get here, you don’t seem to be in any hurry to see her.”

Chen Pingan felt relieved and clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: “Greetings, Senior, your bearing is as impressive as ever.”

The man waved his hand, “I have two pieces of news for you, one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear?”

Chen Pingan said, “The bad news first.”

The man curled his lip, “That’s no fun. I’ll tell you the good news first.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “As Senior wishes.”

The man sat cross-legged on the stone pillar, which was taller than a man, looking at the young man, “The good news is that Ning丫头 survived two major battles, and her cultivation isn’t low now. Hmm, I hear she’s becoming more and more beautiful. It’s not surprising you like her, but it would be a great wonder if Ning丫头 liked you.”

Chen Pingan waited patiently for what came next.

The man said with schadenfreude, “The bad news is that things are tight now. Officially and secretly, many who didn’t follow the rules have died. If you don’t have some hard connections, you can’t get to the Sword Qi Great Wall at all. Don’t expect me to make an exception or help you with a flying sword message. It’s impossible, or I’ll lose my last bowl of rice. So you can’t get in, and the people inside can’t help you. You just stay here and stare blankly. That’s good, keep me company for a chat, and then you can buy some wine and a few dishes of snacks. We can bask in the sun every day. This kind of life is truly like a god’s.”

Chen Pingan thought for a moment and said, “Who are the powerful figures in the Upside-Down Mountain who could speak up about this matter?”

The sword-bearing man held out his finger and pointed behind him, “The true invincible direct disciple of the Upside-Down Mountain, the Great Heavenly Lord, of course his words carry weight.”

Chen Pingan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

This Taoist Great Heavenly Lord had once fought with Zuo You at sea, overturning rivers and seas for thousands of miles. It would already be very kind of him not to give him trouble.

The sword-bearing man added, “That old neighbor with the baby face would also work, but that guy has a strange temper and can’t be reasoned with. Then there’s that guy with the golden demon-binding rope. And… probably only if you find the right connections and have enough money. For example, if someone from Ape Rubbing Manor is willing to pay for you, that’s not something Little Summer Money can solve, and it would also break the rules, carry risks, and be recorded as a debt by the Upside-Down Mountain.”

Chen Pingan remained silent.

The man smiled, “I advise you not to have any crooked thoughts. Those trade teams that are qualified to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall, even if they take your money and promise to pass on a message, they will absolutely not do it. They’ll only let your immortal money go down the drain. Old Dragon City and Osmanthus Island aren’t big enough, no one is qualified to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall. Moreover, Osmanthus Island can’t bear the consequences. Many people will die, and it’s estimated that even the entire Osmanthus Island will be sunk by the Upside-Down Mountain.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “Since I’ve arrived at the Upside-Down Mountain, there’s absolutely no reason why I can’t go to the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

The sword-bearing man smiled, “Oh, you’re worthy of being a fourth-realm Qi Refiner, a big tone.”

Chen Pingan said with a smile, “Aren’t you also a seventh-realm martial artist? Senior, just treat me as if I’m a combination of seventh and fourth realm, you can count it as eleventh realm.”

The man tsked, “Leaving aside everything else, just talking about this skin, it’s really much thicker than that poor boy back then. What, have you swindled a lot of girls during these years of travel?”

Chen Pingan’s face darkened, “Senior, you really can’t say such things indiscriminately!”

The man chuckled, “Whether or not there’s such a thing, you know it in your own heart.”

Chen Pingan twisted his wrist and took out a pot of immortal brew. The sword-bearing man was just about to make amends or simply snatch it when the cunning young man, with a smile on his face, had already taken away the pot of wine with lightning speed.

The sword-bearing man rubbed his chin, “Chen Pingan, this is very hurtful.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “Then please give me a straight answer, Senior.”

The man looked around and said in a low voice, “You wander around first. I’ll think about whether there’s a way.”

Chen Pingan nodded, understanding, and turned to leave.

The man became anxious and shouted, “You kid wants the horse to run, but you don’t feed it? At least throw a pot of wine over here to quench my thirst.”

Chen Pingan waved goodbye, his back to the sword-bearing man.

Chen Pingan went to Lingzhi Zhai. Without saying a word, he directly bought a piece of plain white jade pendant that he had taken a fancy to back then. There were no inscriptions or seals, but because the jade pendant material itself was too rare, it was marked with a sky-high price. Chen Pingan saw that it still hadn’t been bought, smiled brightly. Lingzhi Zhai didn’t haggle at all. Chen Pingan took out twenty Gu Yu coins, carefully put them away, and after leaving the Lingzhi Zhai shop, looked up at the sky. The sun was in the sky, and the mood that he couldn’t go to the Sword Qi Great Wall for the time being improved a bit.

Chen Pingan then went to Jingjian Pavilion, like a foreigner visiting the place for the first time, walking slowly, looking at everything one by one. In the end, he only paused a little longer at the two hanging portraits, and then walked away silently with a normal expression.

Returning to the Crane Sparrow Inn, Chen Pingan took out that piece of