Chen Pingan glanced at Chen Qingdu.

Immediately, Chen Pingan retracted the “that sword,” as yet unnamed, and with a thought, without a flicker of sword light, all the flying swords vanished into the vital acupoints, ultimately converging into a single blade.

This near-absolute disregard for the passage of time and space in the sword’s return was, in truth, utterly illogical.

It was all thanks to this natal sword, nestled within the miniature world created by another natal sword, the powers of both superimposed, that it possessed such elusive, uncanny properties.

A cultivator’s fortuitously refined natal flying sword was, in the end, a relic left behind by another swordsman. The difference between it and a swordsman’s own natal sword was as vast as the heavens and the earth, a difference between form and spirit.

The former, even after extensive refinement, remained a partially external object, while the latter was truly a matter of life and death, possessing all sorts of inconceivable natal abilities.

The Pine Needle Coughing Thunder was merely a replica sword forged by Hate Sword Mountain, primarily for use with talisman techniques, employed by the purely martial Chen Pingan to escape or fight for his life.

Chu Yi and Shi Wu were genuinely ancient sword immortal relics, but even after Chen Pingan’s extensive refinement, they were unable to manifest any divine powers. The sword’s refinement could only reach the level of extreme speed, resilience, and sharpness, a true waste of heaven-sent treasure. Yet, after exhausting all human effort and resources, he was still unable to advance further, so Chen Pingan had no reason to wallow in self-pity for so many years.

Chen Pingan withdrew the arcane powers of his other natal sword, and the miniature world that had enveloped Chen Pingan and the Grand Sword Immortal Chen Qingdu in the training ground dissipated completely.

Bai Lian Shuang stood by the distant corridor. Having confirmed her suspicions, the old woman turned her head, reached out the back of her hand, and wiped the corner of her eye.

In truth, Bai Mama had already sensed something was amiss when Chen Pingan, seemingly sleepwalking, had left the Ning Residence’s secret chamber. However, Chen Pingan was then in a daze, not fully awake, and had no idea that he had cultivated a natal flying sword, nor that this sword had manifested, and was using its natal powers to protect its master. Hence, the area surrounding Chen Pingan had become a near-natural miniature world.

Bai Mama’s astonishment at seeing the old man was no less than that of her young master-in-law finally cultivating a natal flying sword. She quickly bowed, clasped her fist, and respectfully saluted the Grand Sword Immortal before silently leaving. On her way, the old woman continuously raised her hand to wipe her eyes.

Chen Pingan took a deep breath, first clasped his fist to the Grand Sword Immortal, then bowed in salute, without uttering a word.

Everything was implicit in the silence.

Chen Qingdu placed his hands behind his back and slowly ascended Dragon-Slaying Cliff, Chen Pingan followed closely behind.

As Chen Qingdu walked, he spoke, “She was the first to show kindness to humanity. I still remember this old story, have remembered it for ten thousand years. When you first arrived at the Sword Qi Great Wall, I had already detected the clues. The three acupoints, though no longer harboring her three wisps of sword qi, still held that familiar aura. After all, my swordsmanship came from her previous master. However, besides worrying that this was a scheme by someone behind the scenes, I also had my own agenda. Chen Qingdu repays debts as I see fit, when I see fit. So, I pretended not to see her subtle hints, neither personally rebuilding your Bridge of Longevity, nor lifting a finger to help you cultivate a natal flying sword, all for the sake of a reunion ten thousand years later. I owe her a debt, not you, Chen Pingan. If she’s unhappy, she can come to the Sword Qi Great Wall and find me.”

Chen Qingdu sat on the long chair, facing south, towards the wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall. The old man sighed, “So many ancient figures were my old friends, even my juniors. So many ancient gods and barbarian great demons were my enemies, even souls fallen beneath my sword. You won’t understand the profound solitude within this.”

Chen Qingdu smiled, “It’s been many years since I’ve looked at the city walls from this distance. I remember when it was first built, I stood where Tai Xiang Street is now, and joked with my two friends, Dragon Lord and Guan Zhao, that with this towering wall, we could defend for ten thousand years. And we did.”

Chen Qingdu turned to look at Chen Pingan, pleased, “Today’s fortune wasn’t begged from others, nor was it bestowed upon you by anyone. It was earned by your own hands.”

Chen Pingan rose and clasped his fist, saying, “Still, I must thank the Grand Sword Immortal for imparting and protecting the Dao.”

Chen Qingdu said, “If you really want to say that, it’s barely justifiable. But looking back at the process with a good outcome, you see kindness everywhere. Looking back at life with a bad ending, you see malice everywhere.”

Chen Pingan laughed, “This junior is merely stating the facts, picking the good things to say. I don’t have the courage to grumble to the Grand Sword Immortal about many grievances.”

This was a great truth. Still stating the facts, if he had successfully rebuilt the Bridge of Longevity during his first visit to the Sword Qi Great Wall, and become a budding sword immortal, there wouldn’t have been so many accidents. He wouldn’t have needed to carry a Long Breath Sword, to go to the Tong Ye Continent to find the Eastern Sea Guan Dao Temple, there might not have been the slaughter at Old Dragon City, nor the Book-Scroll Lake question-the-heart ordeal where his cultivation was insufficient, and he could only compensate with mental fortitude, nor the near-death experience at Corpse Bone Beach, ambushed by Gao Cheng and He Xiaoliang from Jingguan City, nor the subsequent thankless and difficult task of withstanding the heavenly tribulation. All those things would not have happened, and it would have been a completely different landscape. As to whether that kind of life would have been better or worse, there was no chance to know now.

And then there was the current predicament of the Sword Qi Great Wall. If he really started grumbling, Chen Pingan could argue with the Grand Sword Immortal for days.

Chen Qingdu nodded, “You kid, if nothing else, you have some affinity with elders.”

Chen Pingan asked softly, “When will my portable dimension be reopened? With the war intensifying, I’ll definitely have to leave the city walls and fight alongside Ning Yao and the others.”

He only spoke half the truth.

The other half, of course, was that not being able to use a portable dimension would delay my scavenging for scraps to earn conscience money! If I had to run around carrying a large sack, wouldn’t the likes of Gu Jianlong have a whole litany of complaints?

Chen Qingdu asked, puzzled, “Why don’t you ask Yan Ming about such trivial matters? Why ask me?”

At first, Chen Pingan was skeptical, feeling that with Uncle Yan’s style, being personally selected by the Grand Sword Immortal to help him sneak into the Hanging Mountain’s Sword Reverence Pavilion, how could he cause such a big mishap with a portable dimension containing a sword immortal painting? But Chen Pingan quickly understood, indeed, it was a trivial matter. He could just borrow a portable dimension from the wealthy Uncle Yan later.
Chen Qingdu didn’t mind Chen Ping’an’s little calculation, figuring the boy would borrow, but whether he’d repay was another matter entirely.

However, Chen Qingdu’s supposed good fortune with elders was quite accurate. Yan Ming, who held immense expectations for his only son, Yan Zhuo, wouldn’t be stingy with a useful treasure, whether for public or private reasons.

Yan Ming’s swordsmanship wasn’t particularly high, but he was a master at making money, so he particularly liked Chen Ping’an. This was different from Yue Qing’s change in impression of the young outsider. Yan Ming had been one of the influential family heads who had thought highly of Chen Ping’an from the start.

Chen Qingdu seemed to be indifferent to everything, but in reality, he kept every younger generation of sword cultivators in mind.

Chen Qingdu suddenly said, “Your two Natal Flying Swords are not just a simple matter of offense and defense. They are different from Qi Shou, Gao Yehou, and others of the same age. Their swords have considerable killing power and clever techniques, but in the long run, the potential for connections between your multiple swords will be greater.”

It should be known that a Confucian Sage sitting in a academy, and a mountain deity or water god guarding a mountain or river, can elevate the surroundings by one realm.

As for Chen Ping’an’s Natal Flying Sword, praised by the old man as a “fine caged bird,” whether it possessed such a supreme divine ability to elevate one’s realm remained for Chen Ping’an to discover and unlock.

Once one becomes a sword cultivator and possesses a Natal Flying Sword, having survived the most difficult “creation from nothing” stage, the path of cultivation ahead would have the foundation to discuss the vastness of the heavens and earth, and the freedom of body and mind.

Chen Qingdu stood up and laughed, “Finally, you have some decent means.”

About to return to the Sword Qi Great Wall, the old man turned to look at Chen Ping’an and asked, “How was the feeling of having your body and soul washed away by sword intent along with the River of Time, that feeling of wasting away?”

Chen Ping’an also stood up, forcing a smile, “It was countless times harder than practicing boxing at home. I definitely don’t want to go through that again.”

Chen Qingdu smiled slightly, “What a coincidence.”

Sweat broke out on Chen Ping’an’s forehead, and he shook his head with a stiff face, “Senior Sword Immortal, it doesn’t have to be a coincidence.”

Chen Qingdu said, “It is a coincidence.”

Chen Ping’an resigned himself to fate and said helplessly, “Senior, you have the final say.”

Chen Qingdu chuckled, “This time, the process of wasting away and the melting of your body will be much, much slower.”

Chen Ping’an asked in a trembling voice, “I’m already a sword cultivator, why do I still have to go through this?”

Chen Qingdu gave an answer that Chen Ping’an would never have expected, “A young man’s resentment is not to be tolerated.”

After the old man finished speaking, he vanished without a trace.

The entire Ning Residence, the Dragon Slaying Cliff, and the small pavilion suddenly appeared within a small world, nearly impossible to break even with a sword immortal’s full power for a century. Chen Ping’an was suppressed within, slumped down in the middle of the pavilion.

From the top of the pavilion, sword light, like a strange waterfall flowing extremely slowly, crashed down on Chen Ping’an’s head. His physical body, that of a Golden Body Realm martial artist, was like porcelain that had been dropped but not yet shattered, appearing with countless cracks. Especially his head and face, which were the first to be “bathed” in the sword intent waterfall, suffered the most. If Chen Ping’an could have his soul leave his body and travel afar, he would have found that his true form was even more unsightly than the face of the Flying Eagle Fort Lord’s wife in Tongye Continent. Not only his skin, but even his eyes were slowly cracking. The most agonizing part was that this transformation spread bit by bit, like the growth of plants, in an extremely slow manner, unlike Chen Ping’an’s experience in the secret chamber of the Ning Residence, which was a fast and slow, two extremes.

And after the waterfall touched the ground, it did not rush out of the Dragon Slaying Cliff and the small world of the pavilion. Instead, it was like an ancient well holding the sweet dew from the sky, the well water gradually deepening, the water level gradually covering Chen Ping’an’s knees.

This was not just entrusting oneself to the edge of a blade, but clearly a grinding death inch by inch, similar to the merging of heaven and earth.

Washing swords, washing swords, it has always been sword cultivators washing swords. Who has ever heard of a sword cultivator using their own flesh and blood as a sword, to be washed and refined?

The old woman in the distance noticed the unusual phenomenon again and said with relief, “I never thought that the young master-in-law would become a sword cultivator and practice his swordplay even more diligently.”

On the Sword Qi Great Wall side, Zuo You asked, “How is it?”

Chen Qingdu smiled, “First, there was a beast ancestor holding a long sword, the tip pointing directly at the desolate world. Then, there was Chen Ping’an, who used his Natal Flying Sword to restrain Chen Qingdu. As his senior brother, what else do you want your junior brother to do?”

Zuo You maintained a stern face and said matter-of-factly, “It is the eldest senior brother and the youngest junior brother.”

Chen Qingdu clicked his tongue, “Have some face, you Confucian Sages.”

Zuo You was in a great mood and didn’t mind this time. However, he couldn’t help but frown and ask, “Now that he has a Natal Flying Sword, why doesn’t he come to the battlefield immediately?”

Chen Qingdu said, “I asked him to come, but that kid has become a sword cultivator and has a big ego. He refuses to come.”

Zuo You laughed heartily, “Oldest Sword Immortal still has some shame.”

Chen Qingdu suddenly said, “A war is not just a fight after all. Your junior brother understands this better than you. However, there are some things he said that I will tell you later.”

This attack by the demon army soon created a magnificent and unexpected event.

On the battlefield, five towering mountain ranges stood upright, arranged in a row. They were all extremely high peaks from the desolate world. This was the power of the great demon Chongguang’s mountain-moving divine ability. After this battle, this Ascension Realm great demon directly damaged the foundation of its path, which was equivalent to withdrawing from the subsequent siege and recuperating in the Jiazi commander’s tent. The price that the desolate world had to pay for moving the Five Sacred Mountains was definitely not limited to the loss of Chongguang’s cultivation.

For example, the mountain gods who originally sat in the Five Sacred Mountains were all mountain deities of the upper five realms from the desolate world. Now, they had all merged with the Five Sacred Mountains’ luck, along with their mountain shrines and golden bodies.

If it weren’t for this, even if the great demons of the desolate world could carry the Five Sacred Mountains, they would not be able to break through the torrent of sword qi and would definitely not be able to move them to this battlefield.

Although these five mountain peaks were only halfway up the Sword Qi Great Wall, they were a great trouble for all the sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Not only did the demon race advance on the battlefield faster and more steadily, but also each of the five newly appeared mountains had a mountain-protecting formation with flowing treasures. Within the formations were great cultivators from the desolate world who had been setting up formations in the mountains for a long time, which was equivalent to each handing over half of their lives. In addition to his own cultivation, the great demon Chongguang’s ability to successfully throw the five mountains here also required the secret layout of the demon race in the first opening battle to form changes in the battlefield’s geography, as well as the cooperation of the mountains’ cultivators’ spells and treasures, who had completely cut off the mountains’ roots and water veins early on, and finally jointly refined the five mountains and handed them over to the Ascension Realm great demon Chongguang, to have such a grand plan.
Therefore, the cost was immense, but if it succeeded, it would be the turn of the sword cultivators of the Great Wall of Sword Qi to repay the debt with their lives and flying swords.

In addition, that great demon of the throne who was once the co-lord of the Yiluo River waters, the dragon-robed woman with the imperial crown, seemed to have replaced the previous skeletal great demon Bai Ying, responsible for the latest stage of the siege.

She went by the alias Yang Zhi. In the desolate lands, not everyone was ignorant of her true name, but those qualified to know were ancient existences who knew each other inside and out. Knowing or not knowing, being able to call out her true name or not, was of little significance. Neither side would truly risk their lives. She had now transferred all the rivers and lakes under her jurisdiction, including the Yiluo River, to another great demon, but before handing over her assets, she naturally held back, intercepting the waters of several great rivers into her natal treasure.

At this moment, with the Five Peaks standing tall on the earth, she personally oversaw one of the mountains. She did not reveal her immense true form, but resembled a cultured young lady enjoying a leisurely stroll, insignificant as a mustard seed amidst the towering mountain. At the foot of one of the great peaks, she smiled and gently bent over, shaking out a total of five jade-green water droplets from her dragon robe sleeves, and said with a soft laugh, “Go, the mountains remain still while the water flows. Act as a moat for once.”

In the end, a turbulent river appeared at the foot of each of the Five Peaks, encircling the mountains. The water was extremely fierce, filled with murderous aura. Many lonely spirits who had luckily survived on the battlefield, originally insignificant and destined to be refined by sword qi sooner or later, directly transformed into vengeful ghosts after throwing themselves into the water, swimming restlessly within the great rivers.

In fact, before the mountains and rivers were intertwined, many sword immortals, each performing their duties, almost simultaneously drew their swords decisively, both to cleave mountains and to save many middle-stage sword cultivators whose natal flying swords were unable to retreat in time.

Even though the sword immortals drew their swords extremely quickly, there were still over a hundred natal flying swords of sword cultivators directly suppressed on the spot by the five abruptly appearing mountains, shattered instantly.

If not for a sword immortal, not known for immense killing power, who used his natal flying sword to transform into a golden-bodied deity, forcibly shouldering the mountain and successfully halting its rooting for a moment, the losses on that battlefield where many middle-stage sword cultivators wielded their swords would have been unimaginable.

This time, even Na Lan Shaowei did not hold back. With a single thrust of her sword, the slender, reed-like, crimson natal sword vanished in an instant, ultimately transforming into an extremely long, scarlet dragon, its entire body aflame. As it entangled a great mountain with its body, sinking into the mountain, not only did rubble roll down the mountain and countless trees and plants were destroyed, but even the entire mountain began to shake.

Na Lan Shaowei’s flying sword dragon and the Peak Demon Yang Zhi’s long river intertwined, tearing at each other. The dragon stirred up countless monstrous waves, crashing against the mountains.

Lu Zhi almost simultaneously drew his sword to cleave the mountain, and Yue Qing, Yao Lianyun, and Li Tuimi also wielded their swords.

Indeed, the desolate lands’ move was fraught with endless consequences.

The impact on the subsequent battlefield trends was extremely profound. One careless move could give the opponent strongholds resembling five cities. With the myriad of tricks of the other great demons, they could easily use these points to spread across the area, directly turning the original battlefield into a perilous situation of mountains and city walls facing each other.

Around the Five Peaks, there appeared flying celestial maidens, adorned with colorful ribbons and holding pipa lutes. They were the same height as worldly women, but numbering in the tens of thousands, they formed an additional mountain-protecting array.

Each of them played their pipas, creating various celestial melodies, both graceful and romantic, and heroic and powerful, like a general removing his armor. Strands of water element spiritual energy were drawn by the pipa sounds, and mist rose, eventually transforming into strands of emerald silk, soaring into the sky and connecting with the numerous colorful ribbons of their fluttering sleeves, as if draping the five mountains in a thin layer of cyan gauze.

Li Tuimi directly questioned the mountain in the center with his sword, and the woman with the imperial crown revealed a dharma body as black as ink, grasping Li Tuimi’s gigantic flying sword in her hand.

That flying sword was originally intended to slay some demon cultivators located on the mountaintop, but after being personally blocked by the great demon Yang Zhi, Li Tuimi not only didn’t worry about the flying sword being seized or harming the sword immortal’s foundation, but instead unleashed his ferocity. He offered his second natal flying sword, “Silver Thread”, and stretched a long silver sword light between the mountain and the city walls, directly piercing the center of the dharma body’s brow. Li Tuimi himself rode the wind, holding his long sword, in a straight line, like a rainbow hanging in the sky.

How large was the dharma body, and how small was the sword immortal’s figure? It was simply an ant trying to shake a tree.

Li Tuimi’s immortal companion, plus three direct disciples, had all died at the hands of the great demons under the Yiluo River’s command.

Anyway, he was a lone wolf.

If he didn’t question with his sword now, when would he?!

That woman smiled enchantingly: “The great sword immortal’s courage is indeed a bit too much. Then let me take away your courage.”

Five peaks, two great protective formations, thousands of demon cultivators specializing in the talisman path, thousands of magical treasures accumulated, plus Yang Zhi personally overseeing one of them.

Even if sword immortals joined forces and unleashed their full power, how could they easily shake its foundation?

Regardless, knowing that Li Tuimi, who was seeing red, had already resolved to die, wanting to detonate his own body and two sword pellets, in order to destroy most of the central mountain, to win a chance to break the mountains for the Great Wall of Sword Qi, and for the sword immortals of his generation behind him. Once the five mountains were allowed to firmly take root on the battlefield, constantly forming increasingly stable mountain roots and water veins, future battles would only become more troublesome.

The complete Five Peaks, versus the remaining Four Peaks, even if only one mountain was lost,

In a great battle, if none of us sword immortals die, does that mean everyone will stand by and watch, letting juniors like Yan Xiaopang die first?

The Great Wall of Sword Qi had never had such a saying in ten thousand years.

Zuoyou cleaved the black dharma body in two with his sword.

Li Tuimi not only did not take the opportunity to retreat back to the city wall, but his entire person bloomed with brilliant sword light, crashing into the peak of the central mountain along with his two flying swords.

“Everyone, Li Tuimi will go ahead.”
The Venerable Ancestor frowned slightly. The ink-black dragon robe he wore abruptly detached from his body, covering the bonsai-like landscape as if it were cloth. In an instant, it enveloped the entire mountain range, preventing the suicidal Sword Immortal from completely destroying the mountain’s formation and vital essence. If that happened, the mountain wouldn’t be able to withstand the Sword Immortal’s relentless attacks, and the carefully planned scheme hidden deep within would be prematurely exposed.

If the assault from the Sword Qi Great Wall wasn’t strong enough when the mountains gathered on the battlefield, then their side would naturally gain a foothold, effectively pushing the battlefield hundreds of miles towards the Sword Qi Great Wall. Even better, if the Sword Immortals refused to give up but didn’t commit too decisively, they would be drawn into a gradual escalation, each side adding troops little by little, always falling just short, and mutually depleting their strength. This was the situation the Wilderness World most desired because only Jade Purity Realm Sword Cultivators and above were qualified to participate in the “topping up” from the Sword Qi Great Wall’s side.

The opening battle had been deliberately fought indecisively by the Wilderness World, but this second battle would directly injure the Sword Qi Great Wall to its core! A wave of Sword Immortals would have to be directly killed!

However, Li Tuimi’s quest for death had already infuriated the former Mistress of the Yiluo River.

Yang Zhi communicated with the other four peak Great Demons hidden within the remaining four mountains, telling them not to be anxious, especially the old man within Central Mountain. Yang Zhi firmly forbade him from acting without permission.

What surprised her even more was Zuo You’s inability to rescue Li Tuimi, which led to an unimaginable strike. After Li Tuimi resolutely self-destructed his Golden Core, Nascent Soul, all his souls, and two Sword Pills, his momentum had already been suppressed by Yang Zhi’s Immortal artifact-grade robe. Normally, it would only destroy half of the mountain’s protective formation, with minimal impact on the mountain’s essence. However, Zuo You directly delivered a sword strike, using profound Sword Intent to pierce through the black dragon robe-covered mountain peak and cleave at Li Tuimi!

Li Tuimi, whose Sword Light had been half-bound by the ink-black robe, laughed silently and completely departed from the world.

After this strike, Li Tuimi died and vanished, his two Natal Flying Swords exploded with thunderous force. A Celestial Realm Sword Cultivator, without leaving even a trace of his soul, caused the entire mountain peak to shatter. Not only that, but over a hundred demonic talisman cultivators near the peak, whose lives were directly tied to the mountain’s protective formation, all died violently, causing a chain reaction that shook the mountain’s foundation, which was originally slowly spreading and solidifying.

After delivering that sword strike, which would inevitably invite endless criticism in the Great World, Zuo You did not stop there and retreat, but instead, his Sword Qi surged, landing on the significantly shortened Central Mountain peak, and thrusting his sword into the summit with both hands.

How big can a mountain be? Can it truly withstand my, Zuo You’s, Sword Qi?!

The Great Demon Yang Zhi was filled with resentment but was also decisive. She was willing to sacrifice an Immortal artifact-grade robe to stabilize the mountain’s fortune. Furthermore, she instructed the peak Great Demon, who also possessed a throne and was her half-Taoist companion, not to intervene. Killing Zuo You would be too difficult, she would personally entangle with him. The other four mountains had to kill several Great Sword Immortals like Li Tuimi, otherwise, this second-stage plan would become a huge joke.

She revealed her true form, her immense body instantly soaring to the mountain peak. As for whether she would crush innocent demonic talisman cultivators in her path, Yang Zhi wouldn’t care in the slightest.

Apart from the Central Mountain with its great disturbance, the other four mountains were relatively stable, but only relatively speaking.

The Hidden Official, who had been playing with her pigtails, became radiant with excitement. “Great, great!”

She turned her head and looked at Chen Qingdu from afar.

The old man said, “Go play by yourself.”

The Hidden Official slightly bent her knees, and a violent tremor shook the city wall. The Hidden Official, still in her little girl form, rushed away from the city.

She directly smashed through a mountain.

Such a tiny and petite little girl, after landing, brushed off some dust from her head and began to run back and forth across the earth, repeatedly using her head to bore through the mountain’s body.

The little girl was a little dusty each time she broke through a mountain, but she seemed very happy as she wandered around.

The two close friends from the Snowy Continent, the Sword Immortals Zhang Shao and Li Ding, who looked more like fishermen and woodcutters than Sword Immortals, smiled at each other.

If it were an ordinary, step-by-step siege, then so be it. They would live a little longer, kill a few more beasts, and wouldn’t feel guilty or have a troubled conscience. But since the other side had conveniently displayed these landscape tactics, how could they let a bunch of beasts who had barely read any books in the whole world win the momentum and monopolize the beautiful scene?

Absolutely not.

Therefore, without needing to speak, the two Sword Immortals, almost simultaneously, controlled their swords and left the Sword Qi Great Wall, like two rapidly falling meteors, choosing a mountain each, one landing at the foot of the mountain, the other landing halfway up the mountain.

Fishermen in the world enjoy boating, and Zhang Shao, who had an innate affinity for water, was no exception. However, for the last time in his life to travel through the mountains and rivers, there was no need to deliberately be refined.

Sword Immortal Zhang Shao directly stepped into the Yiluo River’s tributary, smiling slightly, “Snowy Continent Sword Cultivator Zhang Shao.”

And Li Ding, who slowly climbed the mountain, walking back-to-back with Zhang Shao, had Sword Light blooming from all his orifices, smiling knowingly, “What a coincidence, I am also a Snowy Continent Sword Cultivator.”

The two Sword Immortals faced death calmly, directly destroying the mountain’s vital water veins.

Above the city wall, the Old Sword Immortal narrowed his eyes and stared at a spot, then took a step forward.

The gray-robed old man standing at the northern entrance of the Jiazi tent smiled, “Don’t be anxious, you and I are responsible for the final moves. As long as you don’t attack, I definitely won’t attack. Anyway, Chen Qingdu’s greatest skill is only watching his juniors die before his eyes.”

The gray-robed old man looked towards the Great Demon Yang Zhi on Central Mountain and gave her an instruction.

The biggest trump cards in each of the Five Mountains were no longer concealed. Either Flying Ascension Realm Great Demons or Celestial Realm Sword Cultivators, they all left their original hidden places in the mountains. As for whether the mountains could continue to take root on the battlefield, the lives of the thousands of demonic talisman cultivators on the mountains, and how long the protective formation could withstand the Sword Immortals’ attacks, were no longer important.

Four Great Demons flew towards Central Mountain, intending to join forces with Yang Zhi, who had revealed her true form.

To surround and kill Zuo You!

In the Central Mountain region, a short old man, who was suspended in the air on his sword, suddenly grew to tens of feet tall, with white hair and eyebrows, carrying a long staff on his shoulder. During this time, each time he opened his mouth and inhaled, dozens of pipa-playing women would be swallowed into his mouth, like chewing soybeans.

Dong Sangeng laughed loudly, “That little bastard…”

Chen Xi and Qi Tingji wanted to follow Dong Sangeng and leave the city wall.
These three venerable Sword Immortals each carved a grand character upon the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Yet, Chen Qingdu remarked, “Let Zuo You temper their swords through life and death. The Vast Expanse has no battles to offer, but here, there’s plenty. A life too smooth, too solitary, leads to mediocre swordsmanship.”

Dong Sangeng, rushing to the battlefield, the Hidden Official, still dawdling amidst the fray, and Zuo You…

They must confront Yangzhi and the Sword-Wielding Elder, two of the Savage Desolation’s most formidable Great Demons, along with four other Great Demons.

Upon the wall, Yan Zhu bit her lip, silent.

Elsewhere, Cheng Quan and Qi Shou were entirely focused on the battlefield, unaware of Chen Ping’an, who stood motionless, a mask of struggle on his face.

By the time Chen Ping’an’s nascent Soul Projection moved freely, it was too late.

Upon the battlefield, an unforeseen event, greater than the sudden appearance of a mountain, unfolded.

The Hidden Official shattered the sword qi with a single punch, directly piercing Zuo You’s abdomen.

Had Zuo You not evaded in the nick of time, that blow would have shattered his heart.

Instantly retreating miles, Zuo You was seized by the shoulder by Dong Sangeng, who endured the full force of the long-staffed elder’s attack, carrying Zuo You away from the battle.

The entire Sword Qi Great Wall, save for a handful of sword cultivators, was utterly stunned, overwhelmed with shock.

The Hidden Official spat out a mouthful of blood, then cocked her head, glared at Chen Qingdu, and raised a middle finger. “You old geezer deserve to die! Just die already!”

Chen Qingdu remained expressionless, merely glancing at the Hidden Official before turning his gaze to Dong Sangeng and Zuo You, muttering to himself, “Zuo You, your junior brother warned me before to be wary of the Hidden Official.”

Besides Dong Sangeng, even Chen Xi and Qi Tingji warranted caution. Chen Xi harbored too much resentment, Qi Tingji, too much ambition. Most importantly, these two meritorious old Sword Immortals, while believing themselves to have served the Sword Qi Great Wall without question, harbored an intense, indelible hatred for the Vast Expanse. However, Chen Ping’an had only compiled thirty-seven major and minor events, and six key phrases related to these two veteran Sword Immortals, and was unable to ascertain if they would defect to the Savage Desolation. The Old Sword Immortal must ultimately make his own decision.

On the ground, the Hidden Official waved. The two Sword Immortals, Zhu An and Luo Shan, who had been attacking a nearby mountain, immediately ceased their assault, arriving at her side. Together, they turned their backs to the Sword Qi Great Wall and departed for the Savage Desolation.

On the Sword Qi Great Wall, Pang Yuanji staggered, eventually collapsing onto the wall, tears streaming down the young sword cultivator’s face.

He couldn’t comprehend why this was happening.

Freed from the binding of the world, Chen Ping’an finally moved, but neither did he lash out at Chen Qingdu for deliberately concealing the truth, nor did he visit his heavily wounded senior brother, Zuo You. The world’s rights and wrongs, good and bad, were not so simple. So Chen Ping’an simply sat where he was, opened his folding fan, obscuring most of his face, leaving only his eyes visible, and fixed his gaze upon the southern battlefield, slowly uttering, “There’s still a fight to be had.”