Above the city wall, Qi Shou couldn’t help but turn his head to look. Chen Ping’an had taken out stacks of yellow paper talismans, giving the impression of a newly opened shop. But who would buy these low-grade talismans? Could it be for the beasts of the desolate wilderness?

There were truly a lot of talismans, with identical ones piled high, forming over ten small hills of varying heights. There had to be over a thousand talismans in total.

The talisman paper was very ordinary, certainly worthless. This kind of thing wasn’t sold in the Great Wall of Sword Qi, so it was clear that Chen Ping’an had brought these scraps from the Vast Expanse World. They weren’t even up to the standard of entry-level Yellow Seal Talismans for Qi Refining cultivators in the Lower Five Realms. They were just the kind of yellow paper talismans sold everywhere in city markets, the kind that, when paired with a peach wood sword, would be the standard gear for those swindling Taoists wandering the mountains.

When Chen Ping’an had finished setting up his display, he turned to look at Qi Shou.

Qi Shou immediately sensed something was wrong.

Chen Ping’an’s eyes were as sincere as a father looking at his own son, and he smiled, “Brother Qi, don’t miss this opportunity! Chen, the good person from the Package Abode, is completely different from the Second Shopkeeper of the wine shop. My Package Abode may be small, but I’ve roamed the Jianghu of Treasure Bottle Continent, Tongye Continent, and Northern Ju Continent for many years. Talismans, in particular, are known for their low prices and high quality, with an excellent reputation. I’ve received countless gold-lettered plaques. All my customers, after buying my talismans, have reaped great benefits and been extremely grateful, insisting on thanking me, no matter how much I refuse. Brother Qi, are you interested? We fight side by side, more than friends. I can give you a discount. If you don’t have Immortal Coins on you, that’s fine, I allow credit, with no interest. I’m a very agreeable person.”

Qi Shou pretended not to hear.

But he couldn’t resist Chen Ping’an’s endless chatter, as he described the subtleties of his ten-odd types of talismans. He said that the Heavenly Department Thunderbolt Talisman, although a side branch derived from the orthodox Lei Law, had immense destructive power. He said that the Great River Overflow Talisman was just right for a battlefield with blood like lakes and rivers. And the Pinch Earth Talisman could even raise mountain ranges from flat ground, used to block the advancing demon horde. When the talisman was activated, mountains would rise, truly mystical.

Qi Shou was so annoyed by the nagging that he could only sneer, “Although I’m just a small Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator, not as impressive as the Second Shopkeeper’s Third Realm grand cultivator, I am still a sword cultivator. What use do I have for your talismans? To burn as offering to ancestors? The Great Wall of Sword Qi doesn’t have that custom.”

Chen Ping’an grabbed a stack of talismans, his patience excellent, his smile unwavering, and explained to “Brother Qi,” “This is a Dao opportunity I obtained in exchange for countless jars of Immortal Wine. A certain Great Sword Immortal, in a drunken stupor, accidentally leaked a secret and privately taught me this ‘Road Guiding Talisman’. Road Guiding, it can allow the living to pass through checkpoints, and on the battlefield, of course, it can also send enemies on the road to the Yellow Springs. Brother Qi, are you really not tempted? The battle hasn’t really become intense yet, just using flying swords to slaughter beasts is a bit lacking in flavor. It’s like drinking at my wine shop, just drinking, no matter how good the wine, no matter how famous it is in the Great Wall of Sword Qi, you still need pickles and Yangchun noodles as snacks to make it a truly excellent experience.”

Chen Ping’an switched hands and grabbed another large stack of talismans, “This talisman is even more impressive. It’s the trump card that that Great Sword Immortal relies on for survival, the ‘Sword Qi Over Bridge Talisman’. Brother Qi, your cultivation is not high for the moment, but I believe your insight is good. Take a look, how intricate the brushstrokes are! Each seemingly small talisman is simply a veritable talisman array! I won’t say much else, just the Immortal Cinnabar used to draw the talismans, how much needs to be consumed? Brother Qi, how can you judge my talismans to be worthless just because the talisman paper material isn’t top-notch? Brother Qi, ah, I didn’t expect you to be such a superficial person who judges by appearance. I’m very disappointed. Even Li Zhen was killed by me on the battlefield. In a similar one-on-one fight, Brother Qi, you and I have exchanged blows and ultimately only lost by a hair, which means that Brother Qi is at least a genius who is slightly better than Li Zhen. Placed in Mount Tuoyue, becoming a senior brother wouldn’t be difficult…”

Qi Shou angrily said, “Chen Ping’an, will you ever be done?! During the war, please focus on controlling your sword and killing enemies! Even if you dare to be distracted and disregard your life, don’t involve others.”

Chen Ping’an put down the two stacks of talismans in his hand, gently tapped his chest with the closed folding fan, looked towards the southern battlefield, and smiled, “Since Brother Qi temporarily doesn’t have the intention to buy, it doesn’t matter, in business, first impressions are the most important. I’ll just watch more of Brother Qi’s heroic exploits in slaying enemies. On the city side, some people have reservations about Brother Qi’s methods of killing enemies, thinking they are too cruel. But to me, they are very good. That bit of aristocratic habit on Brother Qi, that arrogance of a genius sword cultivator that doesn’t allow anyone of the same age to be stronger than himself, is a minor flaw. But as soon as he gets to the battlefield, Brother Qi is transformed into a true hero. Able to endure Chen Ping’an, whom one wants to kill in the city but cannot, and even able to put aside some unhappiness in his heart to help me kill enemies and defend the battlefield, such a sword cultivator, Qi Shou, is truly a first-class swordsman…”

Qi Shou took a deep breath, “Is it that as long as I don’t buy your broken talismans, you can keep talking on and on?”

Chen Ping’an opened the folding fan and smiled, “I won’t say anymore, I won’t say anymore. Brother Qi, just be carefree with your sword.”

Qi Shou withdrew his gaze and continued to control the Flying Kite and Heartstring to slay demons.

Compared to the first battle, the proportion of demon cultivators transformed into human form in the attacking army was significantly higher. These were no longer the unawakened beasts that, even if killed by sword cultivators on the city wall, would not even be counted as battle achievements. In the first opening battle, these demons, who were not considered true cultivators, were mostly driven forward, their only use being to pile up corpses into mountains, filling the deep valleys and ravines opened up by the sword immortals, and their flesh and blood soaked the earth, affecting the climate and terrain.

In fact, Qi Shou completely looked down on the five elements talismans. Only the Road Guiding Talisman and the Over Bridge Talisman, especially the latter, were somewhat interesting to him because there were indeed strands of sword qi flowing on the talisman paper, which couldn’t be faked. In the talisman core, the sword intent was not much but refined. Chen Ping’an said it was privately taught by a Great Sword Immortal, and Qi Shou believed it a bit.

But Qi Shou himself had no difficulty defending the battlefield and didn’t want to do business with Chen Ping’an at all. No matter how eloquently you speak, your reputation as the Second Shopkeeper who sells wine and runs gambling dens is infamous in the Great Wall of Sword Qi. Even other gambling den operators would lose money to your schemes. Hasn’t that ever happened in the history of the Great Wall of Sword Qi? The more experienced gamblers curse you the most. Chen Ping’an, aren’t you aware of that?
The sword cultivator who replaced Xie Songhua and Liu Xianyang on the battlefield was an old Nascent Soul cultivator who had been silent ever since arriving at the city wall. It was Cheng Quan, who had fallen from the Upper Five Realms back to the Nascent Soul realm. He enjoyed arguing with the sword immortal Zhao Geyi, with whom he had bickered for most of his life. One sat on the south city wall, the other on the north, and they would spit at each other at the slightest disagreement. In the past, when facing Zhao Geyi, the old Nascent Soul sword cultivator had been extremely talkative, but away from Zhao Geyi, alone, perhaps because there was no opponent, he remained silent.

In fact, in the southern part of the city, there was a private residence left by a sword immortal, which Cheng Quan’s grandmaster had obtained through military exploits and later registered under Cheng Quan’s name. Because Cheng Quan’s lineage, except for him, the rest of the family and sect had all died out, with an ending similar to that of the female sword immortal Zhou Cheng.

Cheng Quan drew his sword extremely swiftly. His flying sword was named “Water Mountain”. Wherever the flying sword passed, jade-like mountain peaks appeared in the sky above the battlefield, smashing the demon race into puddles of meat paste. If any demon cultivator was lucky enough to survive or dodge, then a few more mountain peaks would be dropped. Once each mountain peak was shattered by demon cultivators of considerable realm with magical treasures, it would turn into碧水 lake water, and upon landing, it would instantly freeze the battlefield. Then, the demon race would look up and see mountains falling from above.

So, compared to his two neighbors, Chen Ping’an, with his four flying swords, and Qi Shou, with his slaughter of the demon race, Cheng Quan’s battlefield was exceptionally clean and tidy.

What made Chen Ping’an even more amazed was not just this, but also that many relatively weak demon souls were easily and involuntarily dragged into the lakes, and ultimately shattered along with the frozen lake water.

In fact, Cheng Quan also had a seemingly useless natal flying sword named “Rubbing Stone Tablet”. Apart from that, he also possessed a Great Refined Natal Object, the name of which was unknown, but it possessed the beauty of a bonsai, placing stones as mountains and water as rivers.

Therefore, Cheng Quan’s teacher, who taught him the Dao in his early years, was one of the sword immortals who led the team to hunt in the desolate world. He would first refine small rivers and mountains, and then bring them back to the Sword Qi Great Wall, handing them over to his disciple Cheng Quan for further refinement. After the latter sacrificed the small mountains and rivers in the bonsai, combined with the Rubbing Stone Tablet divine power of his natal flying sword, strange phenomena would occur on the battlefield, rivers would surge, and mountains would suddenly rise, and then, under the influence of the Rubbing Stone Tablet sword intent, the rivers would increase, and the mountains would grow taller.

Therefore, in the defensive battle after the Thirteen Fights, Cheng Quan was closely watched by a great demon, Chong Guang, who even used a sneak attack to cause Cheng Quan to fall in realm, because the Jade Purity Realm Cheng Quan, who was engaged in a one-on-one battle, might not be eye-catching among the sword immortals, but on the battlefield, along with sword immortals like Wu Chengpei, who possessed a “Sweet Dew”, they would cause great damage to the desolate world’s besieging army.

Chen Ping’an turned his head to look, and Cheng Quan said indifferently, “Shut up. I have no money for you to swindle.”

Chen Ping’an laughed, “Alright.”

Qi Shou was a little dumbfounded. Good heavens, they were both Nascent Soul sword cultivators, but why was Chen Ping’an so easy to talk to when he came to Cheng Quan’s side?

Not only that, Qi Shou discovered that Chen Ping’an, who had been snubbed, not only did not hold a grudge, but also threw a pot of Qing Shen Mountain wine worth five snowflakes to the old man from afar.

Cheng Quan opened the mud seal, smelled it, and said with disgust, “The taste is too weak, what kind of wine is this? Only broads like Zhao Geyi would like to drink it.”

That’s what he said, but he still drank the wine.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ping’an threw over another pot of newly sold liquor from the wine shop. Cheng Quan smelled it and nodded, “This is what wine is supposed to be. No wonder the shop is doing good business. If you opened a wine shop on the city wall, I would buy it too.”

Chen Ping’an laughed, “No credit.”

Cheng Quan glanced at the young man and asked, “Heard you were knocked down in front of the Ning Mansion by a little girl with one punch?”

Chen Ping’an gently tapped his palm with a folding fan and said, “To be honest, Senior Cheng, showing weakness to the enemy is my forte. No matter who spars with me, they will have a high chance of winning. For example, this Brother Qi beside me.”

In the second battle, Chen Ping’an responded more easily and comfortably with the same four flying swords of Initial One, Fifteenth, Pine Needle, and Cough Thunder. The flying swords were extremely fast.

Just talking about controlling flying swords, he was indeed the best at it. Without being constrained by one principle after another, his heart was naturally purer. Principles were good, but too many would oppress people, and the flying swords would naturally be a line slower. A line of difference was the difference between heaven and earth.

Cheng Quan felt that this kid was more interesting to talk to than that Zhao Geyi.

So, the old Nascent Soul actually moved his position and sat beside Chen Ping’an, asking, “I heard that the Vast World has many strange mountains and waters that can cleanse the ears and brighten the eyes, making people linger and admire?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t even turn his head to speak to him, but just looked ahead and laughed, “It’s just so-so. After seeing too much, especially when you need to trek through them, you will also get annoyed. Your vision is blocked everywhere, and it is difficult to feel like a flying bird passing through Zhongnan Mountain. The cultivators in my hometown, after living in the mountains for a long time, will be restless and move to the mortal world outside the mountains for a while. Going down the mountain is only for the sake of going up the mountain, which is meaningless.”

Cheng Quan regretted moving over to sit here. This guy was quite energetic just now, but now he’s being pretentious again, boring, boring.

Chen Ping’an took out a copy of the Bi Jian Xian Seal Manual from his bosom, turned his head with a smile, and handed it to Cheng Quan, “Senior Cheng, see if there are any seals that interest you. Business is really too good, almost all of them have been sold, but if Senior Cheng asks for them, I can not only carve them again, but also give you a discount. Even if Senior Cheng doesn’t like them himself, you can earn a pot or two of wine money by just reselling them. Why not?”

Cheng Quan took the Bi Jian Xian Seal Manual and casually opened a page, clicking his tongue and laughing, “Apart from business, whoever picks a seal, on the surface it is because of fate, but in reality, it is a kind of inner belonging. Letting you this guy, earn money for nothing, and also see the hearts of one or two people through this, Shopkeeper Chen, good business ah.”

“Seeing people’s hearts, is it inference? Is it better to push the door open, or to knock? I don’t think either is good.”

Then Chen Ping’an shook his folding fan and said with a face full of grievance, “Senior Cheng, don’t rely on your mysterious swordsmanship, which is unique among many sword immortals, to talk nonsense and bully a junior. However, Senior Cheng, at this moment, drinking wine, reading books, and drawing your sword, your sword energy turning the pages, killing demons to go with your wine, Senior Cheng is extremely elegant!”

Although Cheng Quan casually flipped through the seal manual, he was not ambiguous at all when drawing his sword. And although Chen Ping’an was now running the Bao Fu Zhai again, there was also no stagnation in drawing his sword.
Cheng Quan glanced at the inscription on the side of a seal, paused briefly, and was about to deliberately turn the page. Unexpectedly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that shameless little bastard was staring straight at him. Then, the latter smiled knowingly, as if saying, “I understand, I won’t expose you. Senior Cheng, no need to be embarrassed.” Cheng Quan didn’t care anymore, and reached out to stroke the words, especially the “佳人” (fair lady) at the end, which made the old sword cultivator sigh with emotion.

“A worn-out donkey, a tattered hat, old clothes, green hills, clear waters, an old road, morning dew, evening glow, a starry river, lamplight, a floral cup, and a fair lady.”

He, Cheng Quan, and that Zhao Geyi, had competed for a lifetime, and he still didn’t know who she really liked. She only said that she would favor whoever reached the Immortal Realm first.

Back then, Cheng Quan had a higher realm and better aptitude, so Cheng Quan said she must like him.

But Zhao Geyi always said that her intention back then was to spur on Zhao Geyi’s Dao heart.

Each had his own reasons, and they had argued for countless years.

Once upon a time, there was a female sword immortal named Song Yuncai on the Great Wall of Swords, with unparalleled grace.

She and Cheng Quan and Zhao Geyi were all from the same humble alley. During the years when the three of them were all Upper Fifth Realm sword cultivators and fought side by side, the alley that had produced three sword immortals became famous, even reaching the ears of those in the Upside-Down Mountain, the distant Rain Dragon Sect, and the even more distant Southern Saha Continent.

Cheng Quan tossed the *Bi Jian Xian Seal Spectrum* back to Chen Pingan and said casually, “If you become a sword cultivator in the future, don’t be too worldly.”

Chen Pingan put away the seal spectrum. Today, neither of the two Baofuzhai deals was successful, and he even lost two jugs of immortal wine. But since Cheng Quan had mentioned the matter of sword cultivation, and considering that good things come in threes, it was a good omen. He smiled and said, “Taking your auspicious words, Senior, I’ll talk about it after I become a sword cultivator.”

They both fell silent and drew their swords.

Qi Shou was a little envious of the second shopkeeper, who could chat with anyone.

An hour later.

Cheng Quan suddenly said, “In my opinion, aside from any fist techniques or magical treasures, you’re quite quick-witted, which is the most reliable skill. If I were to have you engrave the seal from earlier, keeping the side inscription the same, but needing you to change the seal text, what would you engrave? To me, the *Bi Jian Xian Seal Spectrum* and those inscriptions on the fan surfaces, so many messy words, anyone who has read some books can copy them, at most with some slight modifications. That’s not real skill. A disciple of the Literary Saint lineage shouldn’t be limited to that, with a belly full of knowledge.”

This time, it was Cheng Quan’s turn to be amazed. The second shopkeeper directly took out a plain seal and smiled, “Please, Senior Cheng, cover my battlefield a bit, of course, the merits will still be mine.”

With Cheng Quan helping to fend off enemies with his sword, it was very steady.

Chen Pingan generously took some time amidst the chaos, retracted four flying swords, three of which entered the Sword Nurturing Gourd to rest for a moment, and used only the Flying Sword Fifteen as an engraving knife. However, he not only changed the seal text, but also changed the side inscription of the seal.

After handing it to Cheng Quan, Cheng Quan held it in his hand, looked up, remained expressionless, and nodded, “Passable.”

The brand-new seal, which seemed somewhat pleasing to the eye but not genuinely liked, was put into Cheng Quan’s sleeve.

Old friends are even more like fair ladies, generous and full of extraordinary virtues.

A youth’s heart holds a peak, suddenly stolen away by clouds.

Seal Text: “Oops.” (不小心 – “Bu Xiaoxin,” implying an accidental, perhaps revealing, action)

Chen Pingan was not in a hurry to draw his sword again, still letting Cheng Quan help clear the battlefield, and muttered to himself, “With great beauty in the heart, not afraid of being seen.”

Chen Pingan used the jade bamboo folding fan given to him by his student Cui Dongshan to fan himself and also to fan Old Senior Cheng, smiling, “A seal custom-made for Senior, not only is the material excellent, but every stroke under the knife is carefully crafted. The original price isn’t high, one Gu Yu coin. Plus, Senior Cheng is a sword immortal, so an 80% discount, and now you’re helping me kill enemies, so a 50% discount! That only costs five Minor Heat coins!”

Chen Pingan then said in a low voice, “If it were me, why would I give a discount? One Gu Yu coin is one Gu Yu coin.”

Cheng Quan ignored the young man. The old sword cultivator’s expression was dazed, and a smile slowly appeared on his weathered face, muttering, “She was the most beautiful woman on the Great Wall of Swords back then, very beautiful.”

Speaking of this, Cheng Quan said to Chen Pingan in a serious tone, “Even more outstanding than your Ning Yao.”

Unexpectedly, the scholar changed his face faster than flipping a book.

Chen Pingan directly burst out cursing, “Bullshit!”

Cheng Quan was instead in a good mood. He was familiar with the scene and not afraid of it at all. However, since he was drinking someone’s wine and taking their seal, it wasn’t good to curse back. He laughed, “Why are you cursing?”

Chen Pingan asked, “If you suppressed your realm to the Third Realm, see if I curse you or not?”

Cheng Quan smiled and reminded, “Second Shopkeeper, if you continue to be so persistent, I won’t be polite anymore.”

Qi Shou was a little helpless.

The quarrel between the old and the young had the momentum of two hundred people fighting.

Fortunately, neither of them delayed drawing their swords to fend off enemies.

This was normal, one was an old sword cultivator experienced in battle, and the other was a meticulous second shopkeeper.

The only thing Qi Shou hadn’t expected was that the two of them could really quarrel.

It seemed that Chen Pingan had the upper hand because some of the cursing words were uttered by Chen Pingan in his hometown dialect or other continent’s refined language.

Cheng Quan couldn’t understand them, and had to guess what the other party was cursing. Chen Pingan sometimes looked at him with pity, mixing praise and insults together in other dialects, occasionally repeating them in the language of the Great Wall of Swords. If Cheng Quan wanted to argue back, he had to guess the truth of the words, so he was in a difficult situation. The skills he had honed with Zhao Geyi for many years were inevitably greatly reduced.

It was lively.

When Fan Dache came to deliver wine to Chen Pingan, his scalp tingled.

Fan Dache only came once and didn’t dare to come again, and let Dong Huafu, who had temporarily withdrawn from the battlefield to rest, come to deliver the wine. Dong Huafu liked this lively atmosphere, sat aside, and listened attentively, both nurturing his sword and watching the fun, feeling that he had learned a lot of new knowledge. Moreover, Dong Huafu’s fueling the fire, his talent for stirring up trouble, was a unique talent that no one could learn.

After ten days, the two armies fought against each other without a break, and Cheng Quan and Chen Pingan once again ushered in a break.

In fact, Qi Shou was the one who suffered the most.
Chen Ping’an often brought him up in conversation, going on about “My brother Qi, this and that,” how this young man, barely thirty, was already a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator. “Old Cheng, if you have any self-respect, you’ll stay far away from Qi Shou.” He’d continue, “Old Cheng, it’s one thing that your cultivation isn’t high, but I hear you only have two Natal Flying Swords. How many does Qi have? The key is, each of Qi’s swords is of a supreme quality, unmatched for millennia! How can you even compare, Old Cheng?”

Knowing Cheng Quan’s temper, once he lost it, he wouldn’t just curse Qi Shou, he’d drag Qi’s entire ancestry through the mud.

Cheng Quan chuckled, “Brother Chen, after sparring with you, I’ll be sure to win when I argue with that effeminate Zhao Ge Yi.”

Chen Ping’an swayed his folding fan, smiling, “Allow me to be fair, I could out-argue both of you myself.”

Cheng Quan glared, “Give you an inch and you think you can take a mile, huh? Another round then?!”

Chen Ping’an seemed silent, but he used his divine sense to transmit words to Cheng Quan in secret.

Cheng Quan appeared to weigh the pros and cons, finally nodding, and said to Qi Shou, “That Qi brat with his eyes on top of his head, this Cheng Grandpa sees that your bones are extraordinary, how about I give you a fortuitous encounter?”

Qi Shou feigned deafness.

Cheng Quan produced two stacks of talismans and headed towards Qi Shou.

After a moment, Cheng Quan returned to his original spot, not near Chen Ping’an, but to the city wall area where the female Sword Immortal Xie Songhua and the scholar Liu Xianyang had been.

Qi Shou picked out two talismans, a Road Talisman and a Bridge Crossing Talisman, examining them carefully. Both were of a higher grade than he’d imagined, a waste to be drawn on such crude paper. After some hesitation, Qi Shou finally sent a mental message to Chen Ping’an, “What exactly are you scheming?”

Cheng Quan had said that Qi Shou’s Natal Flying Sword, “Jumping Pearl,” hadn’t yet been refined to the point of perfection. It had quantity, but lacked some power. He then shared some advice from a senior that Qi Shou couldn’t help but seriously consider. These were Cheng Quan and Zhao Ge Yi’s Sword Manipulation insights. While not perfectly suited to Qi Shou’s style, for a Nascent Soul cultivator easily stuck in an immovable state, even the slightest bit of Dao enlightenment was not to be underestimated.

Furthermore, Cheng Quan suggested Qi Shou do some business with Chen Ping’an, it wouldn’t be a loss, and if it was, he could get Zhao Ge Yi to pay.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Helping others is helping oneself.”

Chen Ping’an added, “As for whether or not to give the Barren Desolate World a little surprise, it’s up to you. I never force a deal, I believe in mutual benefit. I earn happily, and you spend joyfully.”

Qi Shou fell into thought.

Cheng Quan’s plan from earlier was simple, yet complex.

Simple, because the Jumping Pearl Flying Sword, with the potential to become a Celestial Weapon, could transform into hundreds or thousands of real, undiminished Sword Intent Flying Swords. Since there was enough quantity, some extra element could be added, like adding another innate divine ability to the Natal Flying Sword.

Complex, because this seemingly simple “addition” was extremely intricate. Someone needed to assist each flying sword with talismans, and the flying swords needed to be interlinked, with each Jumping Pearl forming a talisman array. Ultimately, all the Jumping Pearl flying swords would become a large talisman array.

Besides, Qi Shou had deeper concerns, worried it would be a net loss if Chen Ping’an became too familiar with his Natal Flying Sword, Jumping Pearl, during the process.

After all, this Jumping Pearl sword was even more fundamental to Qi Shou’s Dao than the ancestral semi-Immortal Weapon, “High Candle.”

Whether fighting for his life or killing enemies on the battlefield, what would it be like when Qi Shou could control a thousand genuine Jumping Pearl Flying Swords?

What would his opponents feel?

As Qi Shou himself said, outside the city walls, he and Chen Ping’an were enemies.

Chen Ping’an suddenly smiled, “Have you ever considered that, with the Qi family’s wealth, as long as they realized this point, before your Jumping Pearl Flying Sword reaches the pinnacle of its grade, they could learn this talisman ability from me. You could just copy it, spending money, but gaining a unique advantage? Is it more of a loss to have me familiar with Jumping Pearl’s unique abilities, or is it more of a gain for Qi Shou to have some real fighting power? Brother Qi, you decide for yourself.”

Qi Shou glanced down at the two stacks of talismans that hadn’t been returned, frowning. “After breaking through, I can now control nearly seven hundred Jumping Pearl Flying Swords. Can your yellow paper talismans really form an array? How much does each talisman cost? What if it’s just a useless trick, and it gets easily destroyed when facing demon race sword cultivators above the fifth realm? How will that be compensated? Most importantly, will you truly impart everything, revealing all the intricacies of the talisman array to me? Assuming the worst, I’m a pure sword cultivator, constantly in battle, how will I have time to learn the talismans myself? What if you’re just drawing a pie in the sky, and I spend money but can’t eat it?”

Chen Ping’an clicked his tongue, “Brother Qi isn’t generous enough. Partnering with me in business can’t lead to losses, only different levels of profit. I’m not just saying this, it’s a fact that you’ve all seen.”

Finally, Chen Ping’an turned his head, closed his folding fan, and shook his head with a regretful expression. “Brother Qi, does considering me a mortal enemy outside the battlefield befit the Immortal Sword Dao you hold as a treasure?”

Chen Ping’an waved the folding fan, retrieving the two stacks of talismans. He smiled, “If business fails, friendship remains. I’ll give you a piece of sage advice for free, Brother Qi: ‘A gentleman respects what is within himself, and does not envy what is in Heaven, and thus progresses daily.'”

Cheng Quan asked via mental communication with a laugh, “Did the business just fall through like that?”

Chen Ping’an said, “It’s human nature, I wouldn’t easily agree either if I were him.”

Cheng Quan nodded, “The talisman array is indeed useless, Qi Shou has some brains if he didn’t get fooled by you.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “It can’t be said that way. My talisman method is extremely hard-earned, and once it succeeds, its power is truly not small…”

Cheng Quan was stunned, “Wait, according to you, you can’t even guarantee success or failure?!”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Did I say to you or Qi Shou that it would definitely succeed immediately? Besides, drawing talismans is all about talent, then practice makes perfect, it’s natural. What’s wrong with wasting a few hundred talismans? Qi Shou has a lot of money, is he afraid of this little loss? If my conscience was a little worse, I would have taken out stacks of Yellow Seal Talisman Paper, now that would be something even immortals would feel the pain of spending.”
Cheng Quan chuckled, “Brother Chen, helping others, practicing your talisman skills, and earning money all at once, a triple win! You’ve got a sharp mind for business.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, his eyes crinkling, “Even a butcher complains the pig is too fat, doesn’t he?”

Cheng Quan roared with laughter.

But Chen Ping’an finally said, “Still, watching this grandest war in the world, I genuinely anticipate Qi Shou unleashing his thousand swords at once. Even if he’s not yet a true Sword Cultivator, just imagining that scene fills me with longing and awe.”

*A gentleman respects what is within himself and does not envy what is bestowed by Heaven; therefore, he progresses daily.*

This sage’s teaching, this excellent principle, actually comes from the writings of Chen Ping’an’s former teacher.

Wouldn’t it be even better if one could admire what others possess while simultaneously holding even greater respect for what one cultivates within oneself?

Later, he must share this small query, this insignificant insight from his readings, with his esteemed teacher.

Qi Shou asked, “How much for each yellow paper talisman?”

Chen Ping’an tucked his folding fan into his waistband, straightened up, and trotted over to Qi Shou, muttering, “Trouble yourself, Brother Qi, to help me slay the enemy for a moment, and I’ll explain it to you in detail. In short, I can guarantee that the more talismans you buy, the greater the discount! Our brotherly bond, so clear-cut in its favors, is priceless!”

Having reached Qi Shou’s side, Chen Ping’an turned and shouted, “Brother Cheng, lend a hand to Brother Qi on this battlefield, show a little senior’s magnanimity. In just a moment, Brother Qi will be able to return to the battlements.”

Chen Ping’an led Qi Shou away from the battlements, and they squatted together on the patrol path at the foot of the wall. He piled the yellow paper talismans at his feet and, using sound transmission, whispered, “Different talismans have different prices. Brother Qi isn’t the kind of person to haggle over every cent, so I’ll give you a fair, all-inclusive price. I’ll cut it in half. A thousand talismans, every single one, for only three Valley Rain Coins.”

Qi Shou was about to get up and leave.

How many taels of silver could a thousand sheets of yellow paper cost in the vastness of the Ascendant World? A few dozen at most.

Even if the cinnabar used for drawing the talismans did consume a considerable amount, given Chen Ping’an’s stingy nature, the quality of the immortal cinnabar he used to draw over a thousand talismans in one go wouldn’t be too high. How many Snow Coin would that cost? At most a few Lesser Heat Coins’ worth of expenses.

Chen Ping’an didn’t stop him, simply continuing, “This array of talismans is related to the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis, of course, not a direct copy. Frankly, with my current level of attainment, I don’t have the ability to draw it perfectly. However, the core essence of the talisman array is indeed of great significance and closely related to them. Besides that, I’ll definitely put my life’s work and skill into drawing these talismans, holding nothing back, saving Brother Qi every talisman I can. Of course, I must say beforehand, since it’s a lost talisman array, not just simple talisman drawing, some consumption is to be expected. Brother Qi needs to be prepared for that. As for how to imbue the talismans’ intent into your sword, that’s another remarkable and unique art.”

Qi Shou squatted back down.

The difficulty of ascension lies in the entry ticket, and invaluable is a single secret art.

This was the rule of cultivation on the mountain.

Qi Shou smiled, narrowing his eyes, “How will these thousand drawn talismans aid my flying sword? Did you plan all along to do this deal with me, so every single talisman is specifically chosen? And could you have even predicted us being neighbors?”

“Look, Brother Qi is again using the heart of a gentleman to measure the belly of a saint, wrongly accusing me.”

Chen Ping’an looked a little embarrassed, picking up a stack of talisman papers and fanning them out with his fingers. It turned out that apart from the first and last few sheets, the rest were blank. Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “The path of talisman drawing is the most meticulous and difficult of arts. Last time, when I fought that Li Zhen in a world-shattering battle, I lost too many invaluable talismans. I was severely injured, falling three realms. Brother Qi, speaking honestly, can you imagine the suffering? After that, I was too busy, having to train my fist, and repair my cultivation. These talisman papers simply haven’t had the chance to be drawn. So I forgot to say earlier, there’s the labor cost of drawing the talismans, and the loss of so much merit from slaying demons…”

Qi Shou sneered, “Cheng Quan helped you kill the demons. The merit isn’t lost.”

Chen Ping’an said “Oh,” then added “Then let’s just talk about the labor cost of painstakingly drawing the talismans. We in the Ascendant World, have the custom of a writing fee. Brother Qi, just a token is fine, two or three Lesser Heat Coins, a mere drizzle.”

Qi Shou said, “Sword Qi Great Wall doesn’t have that custom.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Then three Valley Rain Coins, and I really can’t lower it anymore.”

Qi Shou said, “Are you deliberately skinning a pig?”

“Brother Qi, I won’t allow you to degrade yourself like that, just say you’re a fool who’s been fleeced!”

Having said this, Chen Ping’an laughed heartily, a rare occurrence, patting Qi Shou’s shoulder, “Remembering an old friend who, even after a good parting, still remembers the reunion, Brother Qi will definitely be like him, with incredible luck, and live to the end.”

Qi Shou flicked Chen Ping’an’s hand off his shoulder, frowning slightly.

Chen Ping’an raised his head, staring at Qi Shou, smiling, “As expected, I didn’t misjudge Brother Qi. There’s no need to fight to the death on the battlefield.”

Qi Shou asked, “What do you mean?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Guess.”

Qi Shou laughed, “Aren’t you afraid I’m using a trick within a trick? Don’t forget, there are many jumping pearl flying swords. You still don’t know exactly how many I have. Could you possibly watch every detail of my battlefield all the time?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “I have nothing better to do. I’m quite good at it too.”

Qi Shou remembered something.

He had heard from the family’s ancestor that all the Sword Immortals of the Sword Qi Great Wall had recently received a strange order, with different Sword Immortals having to exert only a certain amount of force with their swords at different stages.

This was definitely not something the Old Great Sword Immortal would want to do.

Willing to surrender to the enemy, daring to betray, fine.

As long as they hid deep enough, it could be counted as a skill. But if they failed to hide it well and the Old Great Sword Immortal saw through their intentions, it would definitely be a death sentence.

So there must be an outsider who suggested it.

Besides that, many young Sword Cultivators had received a strange talisman from the clothing workshop, capable of concealing their forms.

It wasn’t that no one in the Sword Qi Great Wall was able to draw this kind of talisman in the past, but that no Sword Cultivator felt it was necessary.

Perhaps some Sword Cultivators wanted to, but they could only bury the thought that had a hint of cowardice deep in their hearts.

So there was still an outsider able to persuade the Old Sword Immortal, forcibly making every young Sword Cultivator paste this talisman on themselves.

And above the city walls, apart from the Top Ten and some Great Sword Immortals in key positions who could not be moved, the rest of the Sword Immortals had silently begun to rotate their positions.
Qi Shou inquired, “Was it you who spoke to the First Sword Immortal?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “Now, not only do the beasts of the Wild Desolate World want me dead, but many sword immortals who must find a new path for themselves also desire my demise.”

Qi Shou’s expression was peculiar. “Are you truly not afraid of death? What is it you seek?”

Chen Ping’an tapped his shoulder lightly with his folding fan. “When I want to die, you couldn’t imagine my methods. When I want to live, you’ll be even more baffled.”

Qi Shou simply sat on the ground, leaning against the wall, and reached out his hand, “Bring me a pot of wine.”

Chen Ping’an sat beside him and tossed over a pot of Bamboo Sea Grotto Heaven wine, while he himself took down the gourd that temporarily housed four flying swords.

He had heard that the Spring Banner Lodge of Upside-Down Mountain was about to yield mature gourds for nurturing swords, all of high quality, but they were exceedingly expensive and had long been priceless.

Qi Shou said to Cheng Quan, “Senior Cheng, please wait a moment, allow me to drink another pot of wine.”

Chen Ping’an immediately called out, “Any contributions to the war effort derived from my brother Qi’s drinking shall be credited to me!”

Qi Shou was helpless. He was speaking to Cheng Quan through the ripples of his mind!

Qi Shou drank his wine and asked, “The old debts between you and me?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “The Qi family’s bullying in the past, after all, was all out in the open. I can actually accept it all. Great strength, a hard fist, being straightforward, is another way of treating people with sincerity. Whether I like it or not, I’ll endure it, because it’s too simple, too effortless, and can even cover up right and wrong, compensate for each other, adding and subtracting. If the time comes when I can throw a punch or draw my sword, and the previous grievances remain unchanged, that’s simple too, I’ll repay them all, one by one. Qi Shou, many real difficulties, and I’m not looking down on you, only truly become agonizing in the Vast Expanse World, much more troublesome. If you have the chance to see that side, remember to take it easy.”

Qi Shou shook his head. “I have little interest in the Vast Expanse World, but I would like to take a trip into the depths of the Wild Desolate World, to learn from that A Liang, and challenge the strongest swordsman.”

Chen Ping’an laughed, “To wield a sword and leave one’s country, ten thousand miles from home, without any ties, is very sword immortal-like.”

Chen Ping’an put away his sword-nurturing gourd. “Time to start working and earning money.”

Qi Shou summoned his six hundred and thirty-two Jumping Pearl Flying Swords, clustered by the base of the wall, ready to return to the wall.

Chen Ping’an suddenly whispered, “If all the key talismans were replaced with Yellow Seal or better talisman paper, the talisman array plus the sword array would be formidable! Brother Qi, when you unleash your swords from the city wall, the power would be mightier than the heavens!”

Qi Shou stopped in his tracks, asking curiously, “How much would that cost?”

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment, looked to the north, and smiled. “In high spirits, I’ll only charge you the same Immortal Coins.”

Qi Shou had just turned around when he heard the man say, “Only five.”

Qi Shou turned his head.

The man asked, “Brother Qi, doesn’t our heart-to-heart conversation deserve a couple of Grain Rain Coins?”

Qi Shou shook his head with a stern face and said in a deep voice, “It’s not worth it.”

The man said helplessly, “Brother Qi always looks down on himself like this, it’s not good.”

Qi Shou leaped onto the city wall and thanked Senior Cheng Quan.

Inside the Ning Residence’s secret chamber.

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes.

He was surprised to find his body complete, unharmed.

Completely perplexed, Chen Ping’an walked out of the secret chamber in a daze, arriving at the martial arts field, the world was silent along the way.

Granny Bai was nowhere to be seen. He walked all the way to Dragon Slaughter Cliff, as if he was the only person in the vast world.

Chen Ping’an looked up, and someone, like opening the heavens, arrived at the martial arts field.

Chen Ping’an’s heart stirred slightly, inexplicably feeling uneasy. A qi palace, never intentionally opened, was surging, but this strange feeling was fleeting.

The one who had come to the Ning Residence was the First Sword Immortal, merely sending out his spirit.

Chen Ping’an cupped his fist and said, “Thank you, First Sword Immortal, for unsheathing your sword, and thank you again, First Sword Immortal, for shielding the heavens.”

Chen Qingdu smiled, “Drawing my sword is true, but where does this talk of shielding the heavens come from?”

Chen Ping’an was even more puzzled.

Chen Qingdu said, “In ten thousand years, countless sword cultivators, it’s truly rare to find someone who has a natal flying sword and doesn’t even know it.”

Chen Qingdu laughed, looked around, and nodded. “Being in this place, what a bird in a cage.”

Chen Ping’an understood.

He felt great joy in his heart.

Chen Qingdu asked, “Is it enough to detain your opponent within the heavens and earth? What about the second natal flying sword?”

In an instant, the space between heaven and earth, except for Chen Ping’an and Chen Qingdu, was filled with flying swords, layered upon layered, dense and numerous.

In my world, all are birds in a cage.

If I am not a sword cultivator, then who is?!