Chen Ping’an, having finished his fist practice, hesitated before leaving the residence and returning to the Dragon-Slaying Cliff pavilion. He stood there, cupping his fists, intentionally emanating the essence of his martial prowess.

The old woman hobbled over, slowly ascending the small mountain that the entire Sword Qi Great Wall coveted. She smiled and asked, “Does young master Chen have something to ask?”

Chen Ping’an felt guilty. “Although I’ve just arrived, there are some things I can’t help but ask about, so I must bother Granny Bai during your rest.”

The old woman nodded and smiled. “We’re all family here, no need for such formalities. I’m happy to help, young master Chen. If you’re too polite, I’ll become displeased.”

After the old woman sat down, Chen Ping’an sat upright and asked softly, “With the passing of the two seniors, the Ning residence is so quiet. What about the Yao family?”

The old woman was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “This involves an old matter. Back then, the Lady insisted on marrying into the declining Ning family, which the Yao family vehemently opposed. The Master’s cultivation wasn’t high then, and he didn’t seem poised to become a Sword Immortal. If that were all, the Yao family wouldn’t have been so materialistic as to prevent the Lady from marrying a man with little promise. The problem was that the Yao family had asked that Daoist Sage who sat atop the city walls to calculate the compatibility of the Master and Lady’s birthdates, and the result was unfavorable. So, when the Ning family wanted to offer this Dragon-Slaying Platform as betrothal gifts to the Yao family, her family didn’t agree. The Lady’s wedding wasn’t glamorous at all. The Master didn’t say anything about it, but he always felt guilty toward the Lady, feeling like he owed her. Even after the Master entered the Upper Five Realms, the Yao family remained lukewarm. Helpless, with that thorn in his heart, what could the Master do but remain guilty? No matter how the Master tried to persuade her, the Lady rarely visited her maiden home, only going a handful of times, and only to discuss serious matters. They lived only two streets apart, yet their relationship was worse than that of enemies. It wasn’t until the Ning family had our young mistress that the relationship between the two families improved. Sadly, after the Master and Lady passed away, the Yao family, especially the young mistress’s maternal grandparents, had very mixed feelings toward her. They both felt sympathy and worry. If they did not see her they would fret, but seeing her would cause them heartache, though the young mistress doesn’t resemble the Lady too much, her eyebrows and eyes are practically identical. To be honest, even I, a servant from the Yao family, harbored some resentment regarding the Master and Lady’s marriage. But when it comes to the young mistress, I can’t really blame the Yao family too much. They did what they could, but the elders were less affectionate in their words. Young Master Chen, that’s the story of the Ning and Yao families. There’s not much else to say. Actually, the Yao family are all good people, or they wouldn’t have raised such an extraordinary woman as the Lady.”

Chen Ping’an silently committed this to memory.

The old woman sighed. “When the young mistress was born, the Master almost named her Yao Ning, saying it was more pleasing and auspicious than Ning Yao. The Lady didn’t agree. They argued for the only time ever. Later, the young mistress participated in a lottery. The Master devised a plan with only two items: a beautiful skirt-suppressing knife and a small Dragon-Slaying Platform. The former was part of the Lady’s dowry. The Master said that if his daughter picked up the knife first, she would take the Yao family name. But after looking left and right, the young mistress picked up the very heavy Dragon-Slaying Platform first, the very same one that was given to young master Chen. The Lady was particularly happy at that time.”

The old woman became somewhat melancholic. “The Lady didn’t like to smile much since she was little. She rarely smiled throughout her life. A slight upturn of her lips, or a slight grin, was probably the closest you’d get to a smile. On the other hand, the Master, whose family background was inferior to the Yao family, was well-behaved from a young age. He single-handedly supported the already declining Ning family, and stubbornly guarded that Dragon-Slaying Cliff. His family business was not small, but his cultivation could not keep up in his early years, the Master suffered a lot both in the front and behind, but he always treated everyone with a warm smile and respect. So, you see, the young mistress is like both the Master and the Lady. She resembles them both.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “I saw Senior Ning and Lady Yao once on Upside-Down Mountain.”

The old woman smiled. “Only once?”

Chen Ping’an was puzzled.

The old woman did not reveal the secret but changed the topic. “After listening to this old woman’s ramble of old stories, I almost forgot that young master Chen still has questions to ask. Please continue.”

Chen Ping’an slowly said, “Miss Ning can take care of herself. That was the case back home, and it was also the case when she traveled the Vast World. So, I worry that if I come here, not only will I not be able to help, but I will also distract Miss Ning and cause accidents. So, I can only trouble Granny Bai and Grandpa Nalan to be more careful.”

Chen Ping’an stood up, cupped his fists in apology, and said sincerely, “If there are assassins who can hurt Granny Bai again, I, Chen Ping’an, am not afraid of death, but I fear that even in death, I still won’t be able to protect Ning Yao.”

The old woman seemed somewhat surprised, stunned for a moment, then smiled. “Speaking bluntly is good. That’s what it means to be ‘one family, no two households’. Being willing to lose face to think more about the young mistress is the mark of a good future son-in-law. In this aspect, he is very similar to our Master, so very similar.”

The white-haired old woman lowered her head and rubbed her eyes.

Chen Ping’an clenched his fists tightly against his knees, his voice trembling. “For so many years, other than overthinking things every day, what have I truly done for Ning Yao?”

Suddenly, an old man’s hoarse voice came from outside the pavilion, “Utter nonsense!”

It was the old steward who had guarded the Ning residence gate his whole life.

Chen Ping’an looked up at the old man walking up the steps, remaining silent.

The old man sat down in the pavilion. “The ten-year agreement, has he kept his promise? For the next hundred or thousand years, as long as he lives, is he willing to stand up for injustices for our young mistress, fighting with his fists or swords?! If you ask yourself honestly, if you, Chen Ping’an, dare to say yes, then what is there to be ashamed of? Do you think that being clingy and lovey-dovey every day is true love? I told the Master back then that he should have left you at the Sword Qi Great Wall to hone yourself properly. You should have cultivated a Natal Sword no matter what! If you’re not a Sword Cultivator, how can you become a Sword Immortal…”

Before the old man could finish speaking, the old woman punched him in the shoulder. She lowered her voice, but her tone was furious. “What are you shouting about? Are you trying to disturb the young mistress? What, at our Sword Qi Great Wall, is it the loudest who has the say? Then why don’t you go howl on the city walls in the middle of the night? Huh? You…”
“When you were twenty-something, you didn’t know your own limitations. Just now, I barely nudged you with a light fist, and you’d have flown seven or eight yards, then rolled around on the ground crying like a baby. You old codger, shut your mouth and go stand aside…”

The old woman’s imposing manner vanished abruptly, reverting to that of a frail, senile elder with clouded eyes and unsteady gait. She furtively raised a hand, massaging her shoulder.

It wasn’t that she felt unjustified, but she genuinely understood that arguing with a woman in a fit of anger was simply asking for trouble. Even if a Sword Immortal possessed a hundred Natal Swords, it wouldn’t help.

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath and said with a smile, “Granny Bai, I have another question to ask.”

The old crone immediately ceased her scolding, her expression softening in an instant. She said gently, “Young Master Chen, feel free to ask. We old folks have plenty of time. Especially that good-for-nothing Sword Cultivator, Nalan Yexing. Try to talk cultivation with him, and he’ll bite your head off.”

The old man was clearly accustomed to Bai Lian Shuang’s cutting remarks. He paid them no mind, not even bothering to feign annoyance.

Chen Ping’an said, “If, and I’m just saying the worst-case scenario, the Great Wall of Sword Qi doesn’t hold, what will become of the Ning residence?”

The old woman and the old man exchanged glances.

“This matter is merely a possibility.”

Chen Ping’an said slowly, “Therefore, I will stay here with Miss Ning for now. During the next demonic beast siege, I will fight on the city wall and personally experience the demons’ abilities. Granny Bai, Grandpa Nalan, please rest assured, my ability to kill enemies may be average, but I can certainly protect myself. I will not do anything unnecessary. With me by Miss Ning’s side, consider it an extra precaution.”

The old woman was worried, “Not that I look down on Young Master Chen, but there are too many unexpected events on the battlefield south of the Great Wall of Sword Qi. The battles with the vast world of the Human Domain are entirely different. Let me ask you this, apart from small-scale conflicts in the martial world and battlefields, have you ever experienced being completely alone and surrounded by enemies? In our homeland, once you leave the city wall and go south, a moment of carelessness could lead to being swarmed by thousands of enemies.”

Chen Ping’an stood up and smiled, “Granny Bai held back too much earlier and was too polite. Why not start over, with you using the peak strength of the Distant Wanderer Realm to teach me a few punches?”

The old man chuckled, “Such polite ‘too polite’ indeed.”

Without even turning her head, the old woman threw a punch, which the old man barely dodged by tilting his head.

The old woman stood up, “Young Master Chen, this old woman must apologize in advance. Even if Miss scolds me afterward, I will use even more strength to entertain our guest.”

Chen Ping’an nodded slightly, leaning his body back slightly. His blue robe fluttered outside the pavilion. Upon landing, he had already rolled up his sleeves and assumed a fighting stance, “Granny Bai, this time, I will also exert my full strength.”

The old woman was indeed a Grandmaster of martial arts. She did not rush to leave the pavilion, subconsciously rubbing the ground with her toes, and said with a smile, “That depends on whether Young Master Chen has a chance to throw a punch.”

The old man stood up, glanced at the young man in the training field below, and nodded secretly. Pure martial artists born and raised on the Great Wall of Sword Qi were quite rare.

This young man was clearly not a showy type, which was especially commendable. In this world, young people with good talent, as long as their luck wasn’t too bad, could be quite intimidating in terms of their cultivation realm alone.

The key was whether that realm was solid. Countless Sword Cultivation geniuses from the Northern Continent of Absolute Desolation had come here to lick their wounds in the history of the Great Wall of Sword Qi. Most of them were so-called innate Sword Embryos, each with lofty ambitions and high expectations. But once they arrived at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, before they even reached the city wall, they were beaten down and humbled. There was an unwritten rule that they couldn’t deliberately bully outsiders; it had to be a battle between equals. If a young outsider could defeat one of them, perhaps it was a matter of luck, but it was still quite good. If they could defeat two, then they naturally had some real ability. If they could defeat a third, then the Great Wall of Sword Qi would recognize them as a true genius.

Back then, the young martial artist Cao Ci was no exception. As a result, the white-robed youth used only one hand to defeat the three opponents.

However, there were some natural disadvantages for the young Sword Cultivators from the Great Wall of Sword Qi. At most, they would choose Cave Dwelling Realm Sword Cultivators to fight, and these impulsive youngsters often had not been to battlefields outside the Great Wall of Sword Qi. They could only rely on their Natal Sword to charge forward recklessly. At the time, only the third person facing Cao Ci was a true Sword Dao genius, and he had participated in the brutal battles south of the city wall early on. However, he still lost to Cao Ci, who fought with only one hand.

However, that junior’s brawl didn’t cause much of a ripple in the Great Wall of Sword Qi, after all, Cao Ci’s martial arts realm was still low at the time.

What truly surprised the Sword Immortals of the Great Wall of Sword Qi was that Cao Ci later built a thatched hut on the city wall and practiced his punches back and forth every day, the flowing of his fist intent was long and continuous.

Now, Chen Ping’an had come to the Great Wall of Sword Qi as a Golden Body Realm martial artist, and then, in full view of everyone, entered the Ning residence. This was, of course, a great thing, but it was also a not-so-small problem.

Chen Ping’an was staying in the Ning residence again, and his relationship with their Miss was almost explicitly clear, Nalan Yexing found it difficult to truly relax.

Once he stepped out the door, given the temperament of those hotheads who were watching outside, a conflict was bound to occur. If Chen Ping’an chose to avoid it, he would be looked down upon by outsiders and become a laughingstock throughout the Great Wall of Sword Qi. If he confronted them head-on, even if he passed the first two hurdles, the person who drew their sword for the third hurdle would not be easy. At the very least, they would be at the level of Yan Zhuo and Chen Sanqiu, or even better, a young Golden Core Sword Cultivator, and their age would be under thirty, or at most, not exceeding thirty-five. That person was destined to be a certain Innate Sword Embryo with extremely rich combat experience, such as that arrogant little brat from the Qi family who had been looking down on everyone since he was a child.

Nalan Yexing glanced at the old woman beside him.

Bai Lian Shuang was a person blessed with great martial luck, but she was stubborn and loyal to the Madam and the Yao family throughout her life. Otherwise, with her martial arts cultivation, she could have easily become “Madam Bai” in any high-ranking family. As a result, she gradually transformed from a pretty young woman into an old maiden who liked to wear a stern face all day, and then into a gray-haired old crone.

Nalan Yexing, who was even older and of a higher generation, actually saw it all.

He mostly felt sorry for her.

Therefore, he yielded to her in many minor disputes.
Otherwise, this Dragon-Slaying Platform of the Ning Family beneath our feet would be impossible to defend before the young master grows up.

With a tap of her toes, the old woman floated down from the pavilion atop the hill. She drifted slowly at first, but in a flash, she landed swiftly, causing the ground to rumble. Then, her form dissolved into a wisp of smoke.

The old man squinted, carefully observing the battle.

Having witnessed countless sword cultivator spars and martial artist duels, he knew that opportunities to see Bai Lian-shuang strike were rare indeed.

A mutual exchange of fist and foot.

A figure in a green robe slid backward, his elbows gently bracing against the wall behind him, walking forward slowly.

Aunt Bai actually took a kick from that lad? Though it wasn’t a heavy one, and Bai Lian-shuang easily dispersed the remaining force with her abundant Qi, there was a world of difference between landing a kick and not landing it at all.

What was particularly interesting and worth pondering wasn’t Chen Ping-an’s speed, which rivaled that of a peak Distant Roaming Realm martial artist, but rather his uncanny ability to predict Bai Lian-shuang’s footwork and punching trajectory.

The old man chuckled, “Good lad, you’re really not being polite with your Aunt Bai.”

Chen Ping-an’s steps were slow, yet he didn’t move directly forward. Instead, he slightly deviated from the straight line, smiling, “It’s just that Aunt Bai was careless.”

Bai Lian-shuang, for the first time, showed a hint of fighting spirit. Before this, during the corridor test and the earlier exchange of punches, she had merely regarded Chen Ping-an as a future son-in-law, hardly putting her heart into her strikes.

As expected of a martial arts junior who had endured three punches from a Tenth Realm martial artist.

The old woman took a small step forward, her fists forming a stance that was both petite and grand, possessing immense martial intent. She asked with a smile, “Chen Ping-an, do you dare to take the initiative to close in and strike?”

Chen Ping-an executed the Six Walking Steps, the final step landing with a resounding thud, unleashing his martial intent like a cascading waterfall.

The old woman twisted her body, batting away Chen Ping-an’s fist with one hand and pushing against his forehead with the other. The seemingly casual gesture carried a muffled sound, like a large hammer wrapped in cotton cloth striking a bell with full force.

Even Nalan Ye-xing felt that this slap was not holding back.

Chen Ping-an was sent flying by the palm strike, but his martial intent didn’t dissipate. Instead, it became more concentrated and profound, flowing silently throughout his body like deep water.

Twisting his body in the air, he landed lightly on one foot, sliding several feet. Without any pause, as both feet touched the ground, he made several tiny adjustments, his shoulders subtly shifting. His green robe rippled, invisibly dispelling the remaining fist energy from the old woman’s palm. At the same time, Chen Ping-an adopted the Godly Drumming Fist stance, imitating Aunt Bai’s martial intent, slightly drawing his hands closer, attempting to achieve a state where the martial intent could be both gathered and released in abundance.

The old woman couldn’t help but laugh, “Young Master Chen, you’re already trying to steal my fist stances? You really don’t take this fallen Ninth Realm martial artist seriously, do you?”

Chen Ping-an smiled wryly, “It’s become a habit.”

Chen Ping-an was about to re-extend his fist stance, restoring the Godly Drumming Fist to its original form.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, the old woman arrived in an instant, delivering a punch to his abdomen and another straight to his chest, her momentum like a rainbow.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ping-an, who was simply waiting for her, exchanged punch for punch, taking a solid blow to the face, but also landing a fist squarely on the old woman’s forehead.

The old woman’s feet sank slightly, her form frozen in place, with a hint of bruising appearing on her forehead.

Chen Ping-an remained with his back against the wall, his knees slightly bent, his fist stance opening and closing, like a dragon shaking its spine, dispelling the old woman’s fist energy once again.

As for the blood slowly seeping from his face…

It wasn’t that Chen Ping-an was pretending not to care; he genuinely didn’t. In fact, he felt a familiar sense of comfort.

So Chen Ping-an said, “Aunt Bai, why don’t you deliver a Distant Roaming Realm punch with your Ninth Realm body?”

Nalan Ye-xing stifled a laugh in the pavilion.

The old woman also wore a smile, showing no signs of anger or embarrassment. She asked curiously, “Chen Ping-an, tell me honestly, besides the three Ninth Realm punches from the Tenth Realm martial artist, how many grandmasters have you been beaten by?”

Chen Ping-an thought for a moment, “I’ve also been fed punches by two Tenth Realm martial artists. The shortest time was at least a month, during which they fed me punches and I took them, without stopping. Almost every time, I ended up half-dead, being dragged off to soak in a medicinal bath.”

Nalan Ye-xing was both amused and exasperated.

The old woman shook her head, abandoning her stance. “Then there’s no need for me to strike. I’d rather not make a fool of myself. We can’t very well prepare a medicinal bath in the middle of the night just for a sparring session.”

Although she had once been a Tenth Realm martial artist, she had stopped at the peak of Qi. This had nothing to do with her talent or training; it was because she was born in the Sword Qi Great Wall, where she was innately suppressed. It was already a great stroke of luck that she managed to break through and reach the Tenth Realm. If the sword cultivators of the outer Vast Expanse were insignificant in the eyes of the Sword Qi Great Wall, then she had also heard a sage jokingly say that the pure martial artists of the Vast Expanse were like solid gold and silver, each Tenth Realm peak martial artist possessing a foundation as stable as a mountain.

Therefore, Bai Lian-shuang had no great regrets in her life. Her only shortcoming was that she had never sparred with a Tenth Realm martial artist.

Chen Ping-an actually regretted saying those words and immediately nodded, “It’s enough. Aunt Bai’s martial intent and fist stances have already greatly benefited this junior, offering a brand new martial arts panorama that I’ve never encountered before.”

Nalan Ye-xing nodded gently.

He has good judgment and knows how to speak well.

The old woman beamed.

Suddenly, Chen Ping-an turned to the side.

The old woman turned her head and scolded, “You old geezer, is it necessary to launch a sneak attack like that?”

Nalan Ye-xing simply looked at Chen Ping-an and smiled, “This is the flying sword speed that our Jade Purity Realm sword cultivators possess. It’s normal not to be able to dodge it, but the mere intention to dodge is already quite good.”

Chen Ping-an cupped his fists in salute.

From beginning to end, Chen Ping-an hadn’t even seen the flying sword.

The old man waved his hand, “Young Master Chen, get some rest.”

The old man vanished from the pavilion.

The old woman was also about to take her leave.

But Chen Ping-an smiled and persuaded her to stay, “Could I chat with Aunt Bai for a little longer?”

The old woman was all smiles and entered the pavilion with Chen Ping-an. Chen Ping-an had already wiped away the blood with the back of his hand and asked softly, “Aunt Bai, may I have some wine?”

The old woman laughed, “What’s there to permit or not? Just drink it. If the young missus nags, I’ll speak on your behalf.”

Chen Ping-an took out a jar of glutinous rice wine, took a few sips, put down the jar, and began talking to the old woman about the pure martial artists of the Vast Expanse, as well as the experiences he had encountered in the pugilistic world of Lotus Flower Blessed Land.

Occasionally, he would stand up, put down the wine jar, and demonstrate the fist stances and footwork he had stolen from her.
An elderly woman listened intently to the spirited young man, her smile gentle, her nods subtle, her words few.

The young man, though steady in demeanor, possessed an irrepressible vivacity.

Nalan Yexing, standing in the distant night, observed the scene at the mountaintop pavilion and smiled. “The Mistress’s discernment is as keen as the Lady’s was in days past.”

Standing beside him, Ning Yao, her face tight, yet her eyes sparkling, declared, “Perhaps… even keener!”

Separation from the Sword Qi Great Wall, save for death, was never too far away.

Yesterday, the owners of those heads lined atop the wall during the day, left the Ning family and returned to their own abodes.

Yan Zhuo swaggered back to his family’s opulent estate, shoulder-to-shoulder with the aged gatekeeper, rambling for a long while before entering a heavily guarded chamber filled with Mohist contraptions. He discarded his natal sword and sparred – or rather, was soundly beaten – by three golems, each boasting the strength of a Golden Core sword cultivator. Only then did he indulge in a lavish feast of rare medicinal cuisine meticulously prepared by farmers and doctors, consuming vast quantities of immortal coin, thankfully, something the Yan family never lacked.

After satiating himself, Yan Zhuo pinched the flesh beneath his chin, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. Ah Liang had once said that he was nearly perfect – wealthy at a young age, with a pleasant temperament and a likable face. If only he were a bit slimmer, he would be even more handsome. Handsome, Yan Zhuo thought, was a word practically invented for him. Yan Zhuo was nearly moved to tears, feeling Ah Liang was the most honest and discerning person in the world. Ah Liang, at that moment, was weighing a newly acquired and quite heavy coin pouch, his face beaming.

Yan Zhuo’s first time leaving the city walls with Ning Yao and the others, to fight amidst the mountains of corpses, he discovered that the beasts from the barbaric lands, even if their cultivation was not as high as the mechanical golems in his family’s chamber, possessed far more insidious methods, terrifying him to his very core. During that battle, the two sword instructors assigned to him by his family perished in his stead. Upon returning home, the disoriented young fatty was told he no longer had to slay demons, nor even return to the city walls. He was both saddened and relieved, feeling that perhaps this was for the best. However, Ah Liang later visited his home and, after speaking with his elders, Yan Zhuo was given another chance. Yet, upon mounting the city walls again, his legs grew weak, and his sword heart trembled. His natal sword, far from being a weapon of deadly precision, could barely be kept stable. Ah Liang, before leaving the city walls, made a special trip to the young fatty’s side. He spoke but one sentence: “Once you leave the city walls, focus solely on the slaughter. You will not die. I, Ah Liang, will not help you kill demons, but I can guarantee that you will not kick the bucket. But if you still dare not wield your sword with all your might, then just obediently stay at home and be a wealthy young master. But I, Ah Liang, will never borrow money from you again to buy wine. Money from a coward buys wine that, no matter how expensive, is utterly tasteless.”

Ultimately, Yan Zhuo’s performance during that foray beyond the city walls was remarkable. Even those old fossils within his family, who always looked down on him, ceased their sarcastic and obnoxious remarks. At least, they no longer openly called him a pig, fattened by the Yan family, wondering which lucky demon from the barbaric lands would kill him with a single stroke, saving much effort, for his blood alone would fetch a good price – a worthy transaction.

That time, watching her son in his sickbed, was the only time his mother wept with unreserved conviction.

In the past, whenever he caused trouble outside, whether bullied or beaten black and blue, his father would say little, even refusing to spare his son a glance. The man, who had lost both arms in battle long ago, would at most cast a sidelong glance at the woman and sneer coldly. But that time, Yan Zhuo had been away from the city wall for not many years, yet his father, a man of few words, who himself hadn’t been to the city wall for that many years, did his best to bend over and carry his son back to the city wall.

Back home, lying in bed, Ah Liang leaned against the doorway, smiling as he watched the young man wincing in pain, offering him a thumbs-up.

Now, the Yan family’s young master might not possess the highest cultivation, the fastest sword, or the most kills, but he was undoubtedly the most troublesome opponent, for he had the most means of self-preservation.

Die Zhang, the one-armed warrior, bid farewell to her friends and returned to a dilapidated alley. With the immortal coin she had accumulated over the years, she purchased a small dwelling – her greatest dream, a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Now, Die Zhang had no further desires.

Die Zhang never thought she would realize her dream, until she met the slovenly man, named Ah Liang.

As a child, she loved running errands for him, buying wine, dashing through the streets and alleys for various brews. Ah Liang said that one must drink different wines for different moods. Some wines could dispel worries, turning unhappiness into joy; some could add to the merriment, making joy even greater; but the best wines were those that made one forget everything, where drinking was simply drinking.

Die Zhang was too young then to understand or care about such things, only concerned with saving a few coppers from each errand, or perhaps accumulating a debt of wine. After becoming familiar with Ah Liang, he declared that as a young woman, especially one as pretty as she was growing up to be, she must bear responsibility. So, some of the wine debts were placed on Die Zhang’s account. What kind of man was Ah Liang? Would he default on his debts? One day she could ask in the Great Hao Ran world, asking anyone about the man called Ah Liang, asking if he owed anything. Then, the young Die Zhang, who had not yet lost an arm to the demons, believed the boisterous Ah Liang.

Actually, the name Die Zhang was given to her by Ah Liang, saying the scenery in the Great Hao Ran world was far better than this godforsaken place, especially the towering, verdant peaks, a sight of breathtaking beauty. Each green mountain was like a graceful woman, so tall that men could not help but gaze upon them.

Die Zhang opened her door and sat in the courtyard, perhaps because she had witnessed the long-awaited reunion of Sister Ning and her beloved.

She remembered the Confucian scholar who had taken away the “Righteous Qi.” He had been a Worthy, come to the Sword Qi Great Wall for training. Now, he was a Sage of the Academy.
I wonder if this residence will have a chance to see its master again before it truly loses him. There are some things in my heart, whether useful or not, that I should let him know.

The Dong and Chen families are undeniably the prominent clans of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Perhaps Fatty Yan’s family relies on mountains of celestial money, but the Dong and Chen families of Dong Huafu and Chen Sanqiu depend on generations of family sword immortals.

Dong Huafu’s home is close to Chen Sanqiu’s, their mansions on the same street.

Many young girls, after blossoming into adulthood, their round faces naturally transform into sharp chins and slender countenances with the passing years. But Dong Huafu’s elder sister is different. After all these years, her face remains round. However, many openly admire and secretly yearn for this Dong Bude, because her swordsmanship is exceptionally high, and her killing power is outstanding. Dong Bude favors desperate fights when slaying enemies, so she can determine life and death more quickly, a person even Ning Yao, that proud sword immortal prodigy, respects.

Dong Huafu isn’t concerned with romantic affairs, and he doesn’t quite understand them. But he knows his good friend Chen Sanqiu has always liked his sister, Dong Bude. They are of similar age, and he’s heard that they were childhood sweethearts. Sadly, his sister doesn’t like Chen Sanqiu. In private whispers between siblings, his sister said she dislikes Chen Sanqiu for being too handsome. Even a blockhead like Dong Huafu thinks this reason is flimsy. Dong Huafu fears that when his sister eventually marries, Chen Sanqiu will be heartbroken and become a drunkard. Chen Sanqiu has loved following behind A’liang, cadging drinks. He hasn’t learned much swordsmanship, but he’s picked up all sorts of bad habits. Strangely, Chen Sanqiu is devoted to his sister, but among many other women clearly more beautiful than his sister, Chen Sanqiu is quite popular. Especially in recent years, the wine-selling women seem to light up whenever they see Chen Sanqiu, letting him freely run up tabs and owe money.

Standing at the entrance of the Dong family are his elder sister, Dong Bude, and an excited woman, the mother of the two siblings.

Dong Huafu feels a headache coming on. He knows these two have heard news and want to learn more about that Chen Pingan from him. Do all the women in the world love these mundane gossips so much?

Dong Huafu glances at Chen Sanqiu, standing still on the street, then at his sister at the doorway, waving vigorously at him.

Dong Huafu feels a pang of sympathy. Chen Sanqiu isn’t a bad person. Why doesn’t his sister like him?

Dong Huafu walks slowly, wanting to avoid further trouble. He says directly, “I won’t say anything about Ning’s sister and that Chen Pingan. If you want to know, go ask at the Ning residence yourself.”

Dong Huafu has learned from experience. Years ago, after that Chen Pingan left the city wall, during a break between two major battles, Ning’s sister got drunk, a rare occurrence. She carelessly said something from her heart, that she could beat a hundred Chen Pingans with one hand. Dong Huafu thought it was amusing and carelessly told his sister Dong Bude. As a result, his sister knew, his mother knew, and once those two knew, almost all the girls and women of the Sword Qi Great Wall knew.

In the end, Ning’s sister was furious, her face ashen. That time, she didn’t even let him enter her home. Fatty Yan and the others gloated, swaying into the residence. If Dong Huafu hadn’t been clever, standing still and saying he was willing to let Ning’s sister slash him a few times as an apology, he probably wouldn’t be able to see the scenery at the Ning residence’s Dragon-Slaying Cliff anymore. Ning’s sister doesn’t usually get angry, but when she does, it’s disastrous. Even A’liang was helpless back then. That time, Ning’s sister secretly left the Sword Qi Great Wall alone. A’liang went to Upside-Down Mountain, but couldn’t stop her. Back at the city, he drank heavily for days without a smile. It wasn’t until Yan Zhuo said they were really out of money that A’liang suddenly laughed, saying drinking really works, erasing all worries. Then A’liang hugged Chen Sanqiu’s arm, saying after drinking the sorrow-drowning wine, they should drink some worry-free wine.

Thinking of this, Dong Huafu sincerely admires that Chen fellow. It seems even if Ning’s sister is truly angry, that guy can quickly make her not angry.

Dong Bude blinks, anxiously asking, “I heard that person is here. How is he? How is he?”

For the sake of friendship, Dong Huafu has to resort to his trump card. “Don’t you like A’liang? Why are you asking about Chen Pingan? Have you changed your mind? You can’t compete with Ning’s sister.”

The woman pokes her daughter’s forehead with two fingers, laughing, “Silly girl, try harder. You must make A’liang your mother’s son-in-law.”

Just imagining that blind, heartless man properly toasting her, his future mother-in-law, the woman is beside herself with joy. She reaches out to touch her face, tutting, “A little embarrassed.”

Dong Bude smiles, “Mother, just wait. That day will come.”

Dong Huafu is utterly defeated by this mother and daughter pair.

His mother’s early affections for A’liang were known throughout the Sword Qi Great Wall. Now, some nosy aunties still like to deliberately bring it up in front of his father. Fortunately, his father isn’t easily provoked. Anyway, among those aunties or their families, there isn’t a lack of those who also like A’liang, a whole bunch of them. Moreover, Dong Huafu’s father is the only swordsman who managed to challenge A’liang three times in a row. Of course, the result was lying down all three times when he came home. It’s said that he won the beauty’s heart with this clumsy method. After that, a flood of eligible bachelors actively asked to challenge A’liang. A’liang was generous, saying challenges were fine, but first they had to pay a fee for sparring, otherwise, if any heroes injured him, A’liang would have to spend money on medicine. As a result, A’liang earned countless immortal coins in one day, and almost cleared all his drinking debts in one night. After that, A’liang ran to the top of the Sword Qi Great Wall, cupped his fists and shouted loudly, “I admit defeat! You gentlemen are awesome! I wish you all win the beauties’ hearts, and a moment in the spring night is worth a thousand gold! You don’t need to thank me, A’liang, the matchmaker. If you really want to thank me, I won’t stop you. Treat me to a drink then. If you are silent, I’ll take it you have not agreed, we will discuss later. If there is a sound, we can consider the agreement done.”
After A-Liang finished speaking, the city in the night was deathly silent at first. Then, in an instant, someone took the lead, and the whole city erupted in chaos. Sword cultivators in the city cursed and swore, soaring into the sky on their swords, intending to fight that shameless scoundrel. But A-Liang had already vanished without a trace, heading alone with his sword towards the heart of the desolate wilderness.

As a result, those men, united in their righteous indignation, looked at each other on the city wall, each having lost money. Returning to the city was even worse, as the women blamed them for driving A-Liang to risk his life. If anything happened to him, there would be hell to pay!

The most infuriating thing of all was that they later learned that the first person to cause trouble that night, who had shouted the words, “A-Liang, please don’t go! The men of the Sword Qi Great Wall are not as brave and responsible as you!” was actually a naive young girl. It was said that A-Liang had deliberately incited her to say those infuriating words. A group of grown men couldn’t possibly argue with an innocent young girl, so they could only swallow their bitterness, sharpening their swords and waiting for A-Liang to return from the wilderness, vowing not to fight him one-on-one, but to jointly chop that heartless bastard to death for swindling them out of their drinking money.

A-Liang did return.

However, he was being chased by several Ascendant Realm demon lords.

That time, all the Sword Qi Great Wall sword immortals went out together to defend against the enemy.

It seemed that with A-Liang around, the deathly silent Sword Qi Great Wall became lively.

It was just a pity that the man not only left the Sword Qi Great Wall but also left the Vast World altogether.

It was said that he even exchanged a punch with Dao the Second of the Azure Firmament World.

As for which woman liked A-Liang, it didn’t really matter. It was more of an amusing affair.

Because everyone understood that A-Liang would never love anyone. And A-Liang had only been at the Sword Qi Great Wall for a few years before almost everyone knew that the man named A-Liang, who liked to sit on the Sword Qi Great Wall and drink alone, would one day quietly leave. So liking A-Liang was simply a way for many girls to relieve boredom and have fun. Some of the bolder ones, upon seeing A-Liang drinking at a roadside stall, would deliberately tease him, saying things that were much more risqué than the dishes on the table. The man would also feign shyness and pretend to be serious, saying nonsense like how A-Liang was deeply honored, felt uneasy, and hoped the girl would allow him to feel even more uneasy in the future.

Chen Sanqiu waited until the Dong residence closed its doors before slowly leaving.

In truth, Chen Sanqiu wasn’t too heartbroken that the girl he liked didn’t like him back.

Because Chen Sanqiu felt that A-Liang had specifically sought him out for a drink before his departure, and some of the things he said at the table were very true.

A good girl doesn’t like you because you’re not good enough. When you finally feel good enough, the girl may already be married, and even her child can go out and buy wine. When they see you, Chen Sanqiu, on the road and call you Uncle Chen, don’t be sad. It’s just that the timing was wrong, not that you liked the wrong person. Remember, after that girl gets married, don’t pester her. Keep that love hidden and put it all in the wine. Every time you drink, hope that she’s living a good life. Don’t always think about her living a bad life and coming back to you. That’s what it truly means for a man to love a girl.

So Chen Sanqiu remembered these words again and didn’t go home but went to a tavern and got drunk, cursing, “A-Liang, you make it sound so easy! I’d rather have never heard these damn principles, so I could shamelessly and heartlessly love her! A-Liang, give me back my drinking money and take those words back…”

The tavern was used to it. The Chen family’s young master was having another drunken fit. It didn’t matter, because he could always stagger home on his own.

The young master would occasionally bang his head against a wall on the way home, shouting to open the door.

No one on the street found it strange.

The Chen young master would do this every now and then.

Like when his good friend Xiao Ququ died.

Like when the first escort swordsman died for Chen Sanqiu.

Or like when an elder of the Chen family died in battle south of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Or like tonight, when he missed the Dong family girl who was so close yet so far away.

Every time Chen Sanqiu woke up after being drunk, he would say that he, like A-Liang, was just born to love drinking.

Because some people are destined to deal with alcohol for the rest of their lives. That’s fate.

The young people of the Sword Qi Great Wall, when not at war, liked to start fights.

Arranging fights was normal. There were duels, and there were brawls. But the bottom line was that they weren’t allowed to harm the other party’s cultivation foundation. Beyond that, cuts and bruises, bloody flesh, even Madam Dong, who was known for spoiling her son, wouldn’t say much. At most, she would nag her son Dong Huafu at home, saying that there was nothing fun outside, that the family had a lot of money and could buy anything he wanted home for him to play with alone.

Early this morning.

Yan Zhuo and the others arrived at the entrance of the Ning residence without prior arrangement.

Dong Huafu, as dark as charcoal, had a gloomy expression, because groups of people had started appearing on the street to watch the commotion, as if waiting for someone to come out of the Ning residence.

Chen Sanqiu kept shaking his head. He had drunk too much yesterday, and it was only because he had another drink this morning to sober up that he wasn’t feeling worse.

Only Diezhang hadn’t arrived.

The girl had opened a small shop not far from her own alley, selling miscellaneous goods that only earned her meager profits.

One thing was Diezhang’s bottom line. After becoming friends with Ning Yao and the others, it was that friends were friends, and they could trade lives on the battlefield, but she, Diezhang, didn’t need to receive favors or take advantage of others when it came to the small things in life. Yan Zhuo had once felt hurt and said something out of anger, saying that A-Liang had helped her so much, giving her what little savings and pitiful business she had now, so why couldn’t they, as friends…