(The latest issue has been released.)

Ning Yao allowed Chen Ping’an to return to the city wall first, reminding him to be careful on the way.

Dong Huafu felt that this sentence was a bit superfluous.

Speaking directly has always been Dong Huafu’s style.

Chen Sanqiu laughed, “Between a man and a woman, if there aren’t a few superfluous words, then there’s trouble.”

Dong Huafu nodded in agreement, then asked, “Do you even have the chance to say superfluous words?”

Chen Sanqiu gave him a smile like the second shopkeeper.

Dong Huafu, afraid that the second shopkeeper would hold a grudge, wasn’t afraid of Chen Sanqiu, who dreamt of becoming her brother-in-law, so she added insult to injury, “The reason my sister became a sword cultivator of the Hidden Official lineage, isn’t it to deliberately avoid you? If that’s the case, it’s too much. I’ll put in a word for you later. I still have this much loyalty as a friend.”

Chen Sanqiu shook his head and said, “It shouldn’t be. Your sister is a straightforward person. She likes what she likes, and doesn’t like what she doesn’t like. She wouldn’t be so deliberate.”

When one likes someone, everything about them is wonderful.

Moreover, ever since Chen Sanqiu wore open-crotch pants, he felt that the Little Dong Sister next door wasn’t just good because she caught his eye; she was genuinely good.

It was as if the first time Chen Sanqiu saw the words “childhood sweethearts” in a book, he felt that it was the most touching saying in the world. What “the great lake is as smooth as a mirror” or “autumn mountains red as fire” all had to take a backseat.

To say that Dong Bude was particularly beautiful, she actually wasn’t.

It’s just that over the years, the more wine Chen Sanqiu drank, the more he liked her.

Before Chen Ping’an arrived at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, several times in the past when he went down the city to fight, as long as Chen Sanqiu finished his fight early on his battlefield, he would run to Dong Bude’s side to watch from afar. Once, when the situation was dire, Chen Sanqiu helped out, and Dong Bude thanked him afterward, but then said something that felt like it was cutting at his heart. It was the second time Dong Bude explicitly told Chen Sanqiu that they were both sword cultivators, and acquaintances, friends, and that helping out on the battlefield was fine, but she advised Chen Sanqiu not to have any thoughts of becoming mountain dao partners, as she would get goosebumps just thinking about it. That time, Chen Sanqiu returned to the city, drank some wine on the way home, and went to push against walls and bump into trees again.

Chen Ping’an was seriously injured, not just his flesh and bones, which were a terrible sight, but the most troublesome were the sword qi left behind by the sword cultivators’ flying swords, and the injuries caused by the natal artifacts of many demon race cultivators.

However, his spirit was not diminished but rather enhanced. It had been a long time since Ning Yao had seen Chen Ping’an with such bright eyes.

His entire microcosm of the human body was in a state of chaotic qi, which wasn’t all bad. There were advantages and disadvantages. Li Er once said that his junior brother Zheng Dafeng had gained some insights from watching the “Crab Workshop” plaque in his early years, and had mentioned it to him. The general meaning was that the human body is like an ancient battlefield relic, so the words “do not seek outward” are not entirely about cultivating the heart in emptiness.

So at this moment, Chen Ping’an himself was like a martial arts training ground, and he was rather good at stripping away layers and using pure true qi to suppress the spiritual qi of cultivators.

He picked up a damaged longsword of unknown origin. The sword itself wasn’t too profound, but it was extremely heavy in the hand. Presumably, the sword was forged with excellent materials and was worth some immortal coins.

It was estimated that in the Jianghu of those small vassal states in the Treasure Bottle Continent, this was a genuine divine weapon, and even the local mountain and water gods would be wary of it.

Chen Ping’an took the lead in controlling his sword to the north, choosing the thin spots in the demon race army’s battle formations, and occasionally threw a punch along the way.

He didn’t go directly to the city wall, but instead flew his sword to the highest “horizontal stroke” of the word “Meng” (fierce) on the city wall, sat cross-legged, took out his sword-nurturing gourd, took a few sips of osmanthus wine, and took a closer look at the battlefield situation. While calming his mind and adjusting his breath, he skillfully bandaged his wounds.

Every large character carved on the wall, all the horizontal strokes, were almost perfect places for cultivation.

But when it came to the stage of siege warfare with ants climbing the walls, these natural sword cultivator dojos were often places of certain death.

Therefore, old sword cultivators who could cultivate here for hundreds of years must have great killing power and be extremely good at preserving their lives.

Not far from Chen Ping’an sat an old sword cultivator closing his eyes to rest and nurture his sword. The other party didn’t get up to welcome guests, so Chen Ping’an didn’t disturb his peaceful cultivation.

Judging from the old man’s appearance, he should be Yin Chen, a Nascent Soul sword cultivator on page six of Book C. He was old, but his bottleneck was difficult to break through, and he had been stuck in the Nascent Soul realm. He was an unyielding loner with no relatives or friends. Sword cultivators of the Great Wall of Sword Qi almost all had close friends, either still alive or already dead in battle, but Yin Chen never had any. As long as he entered the battlefield, he had great killing intent, and once he drew his sword, he liked to indiscriminately attack friend and foe alike. Therefore, he killed many demons, but the accumulated battle merits were not great, not even as good as those of many young Golden Core sword cultivators, because many battle merits had been erased. Old sword cultivator Yin Chen had an even worse reputation, because no one wanted to approach a monster who would even kill his own side’s sword cultivators.

Each native sword cultivator on Book A and Book C, each page, had different annotations written by the Hidden Official lineage sword cultivators. If the sword cultivators of the Summer Palace had too many opinions, they would insert a few extra sheets of paper.

Regarding Yin Chen, who was ranked extremely high on the Book C roster, there were very few opinions, with only Chou Miao and Lin Junbi writing a few lines, all of which were very different from the common views of the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

If it was said that accidental injuries on the battlefield were common among almost any sword immortal, such injuries that harmed the innocent could not be said to be bearing a bad name, but Yin Chen was different. Many times, the old man’s fierce sword strikes were calculated to kill several sword cultivators.

According to the division of responsibilities of the Hidden Official lineage, old sword cultivator Yin Chen only needed to guard the spot and did not need to go out of the city to fight.

Chen Ping’an finished bandaging his large and small wounds and sacrificed a cleansing talisman to quickly remove the blood stains. After all, he was a guest, and even if the host didn’t have a smiling face, it wasn’t a reason for the guest to be impolite.

The old man opened his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, “You’re a truly interesting lad. I’ve seen some pure martial artists of the Great Wall of Sword Qi. Others are suppressed by flying swords and magical artifacts, but you’re suppressing yourself.”

Chen Ping’an turned his head and smiled, “Senior Yin has sharp eyes.”

The old man asked, “I didn’t call you Hidden Official Lord, don’t you have any grudges in your heart?”

Chen Ping’an said, “No.”

Yin Chen looked towards the front line of the battlefield. To the north of the golden river, there was Ning Yao helping out, and to the south, there were sword cultivators in charge of setting up formations. Yin Chen scoffed, “Every time I see these so-called young geniuses, it’s inevitable to feel a bit disheartened. How can people compare to each other?”
Chen Ping’an smiled, “Most sword cultivators who see Senior Yin would react the same way.”

In truth, Yin Chen was once a young prodigy, and an exceptionally outstanding one at that. His glory days at the Sword Qi Great Wall were roughly equivalent to the current Marquis Gaoye and Situ Weiran.

His sword cultivation was extremely smooth, breaking through realms effortlessly. He only halted at the Nascent Soul stage. Unexpectedly, this pause lasted for hundreds of years, a waste of precious time.

Yin Chen sneered, “What can trash do besides look up to others and drool secretly? Take me for example, I’ve been sitting here rotting away year after year, turning from a young piece of trash into an old one.”

A person who is so ruthless that they even scold themselves is basically invincible in arguments.

Chen Ping’an asked, “That man wielding a sword earlier, did Senior Yin discern his origins?”

Yin Chen scoffed, “The Hidden Officials are getting worse and worse. You, a little outsider, are already at a low realm, relying on some flashy connections to usurp a position, occupying Senior Xiao Xuan’s summer palace, with countless archives and records, yet you don’t even know this bit of information? Even if you don’t recognize him, can’t you guess?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t mind these words. You scold yours, I ask mine. He continued tentatively, “Is he that pride of heaven, among the top Hundred Sword Immortals of Mount Tuoyue? Ranked about the same as Zhuqie and Lizhen?”

Yin Chen continued to scold as he pleased, “I reckon the entire Sword Qi Great Wall is saying all sorts of unpleasant things about Senior Xiao Xuan now, right? A bunch of bastards with mothers but no fathers to teach them manners. If I were Senior Xiao Xuan, after breaking through the Sword Qi Great Wall, I’d find every sword cultivator who had cursed him, one by one. Those who dare to curse to my face can live; those who don’t, can die. That would be satisfying. Oh, right, earlier, the great demon Yangzhi brutally killed that Southern Roaming Sword Immortal on the formation. You, kid, considering the bigger picture, probably got scolded a lot too, right? How did it taste? If it happened again, would you let those death-seeking sword cultivators die and be done with it?”

Chen Ping’an said, “A’Liang once told me, if a person can avoid death, they absolutely should. If taking a few scoldings can save many people, is there a more worthwhile deal? I think it’s rare.”

Yin Chen immediately shut his mouth.

It wasn’t that the young man’s reasoning was right. It wasn’t about that at all.

This young Hidden Official, whether he was a closed-door disciple of the Literary Sage lineage, Little Shidi of Zuo You, or even had a good relationship with the Old Great Sword Immortal, Yin Chen didn’t care at all. Only when he was linked to that A’Liang did Yin Chen’s head swell up like a winnowing basket.

The truth was, over the past hundred years, Yin Chen had been miserably swindled by that damned bastard. He really treated him like a fat sheep, fleecing him to the bone. After fleecing the fat sheep, he’d switch to a skinny one. Once the skinny sheep was gone, he’d estimate that the fat sheep had recovered some of its wealth. Very good, he’d fleece it again. If A’Liang’s methods were only like that, Yin Chen could simply ignore him. But that guy could really squat beside him, talking to himself, rambling for hours, just so that “being able to say a word to Old Immortal Yin would make his trip to the Sword Qi Great Wall worthwhile.” Yin Chen couldn’t help but curse him to get lost. As a result, the other party immediately turned hostile, pinned him to the ground, and gave him a good beating.

A’Liang left feeling refreshed, performing his signature move, stroking his hair with both hands, and dropping a line, “Great! Great! More than eight hundred quarrels and fights, big and small, and still an undefeated record!”

Yin Chen lay on the ground, dazed for a long time.

After that, A’Liang would frequently come to find Old Immortal Yin, ostensibly to chat and connect, but also to increase his victory count by one or two.

Remembering that A’Liang, Yin Chen wasn’t entirely resentful. After all, the two sides had never truly exchanged blows or swordsmanship; it was more that the man was boasting about how much he was liked by good girls in the Vast World. However, from beginning to end, he hadn’t mentioned a single woman’s name to Yin Chen. But the few serious words that A’Liang occasionally uttered were all aimed at Yin Chen’s Nascent Soul bottleneck.

No matter how terrible his temper was, Yin Chen still had to acknowledge this favor.

Yin Chen might not know how to deal with people, but he could clearly distinguish between good and bad people.

Perhaps it was precisely because he was so clear about it that he couldn’t be bothered to deal with people.

The two people didn’t know each other, and their personalities were too different, so there wasn’t much to talk about. Besides, Yin Chen didn’t like to drink. Otherwise, Chen Ping’an could have given him a pot of Bamboo Sea Grotto Heaven wine.

Yin Chen suddenly said, “Is this how pure martial artists in the Vast World practice their fists?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said, “The paths of fist techniques are actually similar, invariably involving being beaten up before learning to punch, but the force varies.”

Yin Chen then asked, “You picked up so much junk in front of that Ning girl, aren’t you embarrassed?”

This was something worth talking about.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “I have a lot of bad habits, but fortunately, Ning Yao doesn’t mind.”

Yin Chen asked, “I think you’re just average-looking, passable at best. How did you manage to hook up with her? I only heard that Ning girl traveled to the Vast World once, I didn’t expect she’d fall into such misfortune. In my opinion, you’re far inferior to that Cao Ci. I made a special trip to the city wall to take a look at that kid. Whether it’s his looks or his boxing skills, you simply can’t compare.”

This kind of conversation was interesting. The old senior was complimenting him.

Chen Ping’an quickly stood up, moved closer to that Old Immortal Yin, took a sip of wine, and said with a smile, “I admit I can’t compare in boxing skills. As for appearance, the difference isn’t that big, not that big.”

Unexpectedly, Yin Chen suddenly turned hostile. “I want to nourish my sword now, please let the Hidden Official move aside and stop being an eyesore. You’re not pleasing to the eye.”

Chen Ping’an rose awkwardly and flew away on his sword.

Yin Chen clasped his hands on his knees, smiled, and thought to himself, The scholars of the Vast World are all asking for a beating.

Chen Ping’an went to the thatched hut on the city wall and greeted the Great Sword Immortal Wei, who supported half of the wine shop, with a smile.

Wei Jin smiled and said, “A fine display of Wang Ba Quan. In any case, it looked quite powerful, with the style of the Invincible Divine Fist’s old gang leader, but it was a bit slow to break through the formation.”

Brutally killing a wandering realm martial artist from the Barbaric World with his bare fists was naturally not as great a military achievement as a sword immortal’s strike, but it was rarer.

It would make a good dish to go with wine.

Chen Ping’an said with a smile, “Next time I go to the shop, I’ll give you an extra bowl of Yangchun noodles to sober up, so you can talk less drunkenly.”

Wei Jin pointed to the thatched hut behind him. “The Old Great Sword Immortal is in a bad mood. If you can talk, say a few more words.”
Chen Ping’an and Wei Jin parted ways. As soon as he descended the city wall, the Old Sword Immortal walked out of his thatched hut, habitually placing his hands behind his back. “Oh, the Martial God Chen has arrived, gracing my humble abode with his presence.”

Chen Ping’an found it rather strange. The Old Sword Immortal hadn’t spoken so “courteously” before. In his memory, the Old Sword Immortal was a figure of great esteem, a man of few words.

Chen Qingdu glanced at Chen Ping’an. His injuries were manageable, and his gains were substantial. He said telepathically, “I owed you two secrets. Now I can tell you.”

Chen Ping’an composed himself.

As it turned out, the two so-called small secrets of the Old Sword Immortal were both earth-shattering.

One concerned the hometowns of all the criminal sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The earliest batch of ancient criminals, half of them were from the wild and untamed lands, and the other half from the newly opened fifth continent.

Chen Ping’an was stunned.

So, half of the criminals and their descendants were actually in their hometowns from the very beginning?

Born on the Sword Qi Great Wall, died on the Sword Qi Great Wall, all in their hometowns?

Then the descendants of the remaining half of the criminals, if they wanted to return to their roots, would be connected to the fifth continent? As long as they could survive, they would at least have a chance to return home?

The second secret was even bigger.

The Old Sword Immortal’s statement was shocking. The path to ascension for pure martial artists was actually a path to becoming gods, which would involve cultivators of the military school.

Although Chen Ping’an had some suspicions before, when the Old Sword Immortal said it himself, many clues became clear. For example, he was no longer surprised why there was a Golden Body realm in the path of martial arts? And the mountain and water deities of the world all regarded the creation of a Golden Body as the foundation of their Dao. Not to mention the ghostly heroic spirits becoming gods, just the living becoming gods on the spot, similar to the experience of Yang Hua, the Water God of the Iron Talisman River, “shape withered and bones stood out,” was a necessary path. This was actually a similar path to martial artists tempering their bodies and forging their bones.

Chen Qingdu didn’t spell it out completely. Anyway, this kid liked to think, and there would be plenty of time in the future to ponder the first pages of this old almanac.

He walked slowly with Chen Ping’an. Since they had started strolling, they couldn’t just turn back after a few steps. So, the old man said a little more, “Since ancient times, there has been a distinction between gods and immortals. First gods, then immortals, why? According to the current saying, the soul of a person, if it does not dissipate after death, is a god. Enjoying the incense offerings of the world, there is no need to cultivate at all, and one can stabilize the Golden Body.”

“Immortality is the current cultivation on the mountains. Scholars write history books, always deleting and subtracting, and over time, the distance from the truth becomes farther and farther. If you have the opportunity in the future, you can go to the three great academies. As that old scholar’s closed-door disciple, just flip through a few worthless old books, and you’ll have that bit of facade.”

Chen Ping’an just listened and remembered these statements. They were not of much significance for the time being, or rather, they were meaningless in a practical sense.

However, the next statement made Chen Ping’an obediently prick up his ears, for fear of missing a single word.

“First, travel far, then the mountain peak, and then the tenth realm of martial arts, which is divided into three levels: Vigorous Qi, Return to Truth, and Divine Arrival. What is Divine Arrival? I remember there’s a saying in your hometown, what was it called?”

“Arrival at the Gate!”

Chen Ping’an blurted out, “If a person’s skill is good enough, whether it’s farming or firing porcelain, people like to praise it as ‘Arrival at the Gate.'”

Chen Qingdu nodded. “Arrival at the Gate, arrival at what gate? How to walk the road? Who guards the gate? The answers are all in your hometown… How did you say it?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Remaining Traces.”

Chen Qingdu nodded with a smile, and then explained in detail the mysteries of the three levels of the tenth realm.

However, the old man was unusually nostalgic.

In the Treasure Bottle Continent, there was an old friend who had been imprisoned for ten thousand years.

So Chen Qingdu said a digression, “The Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan is truly formidable.”

Chen Ping’an said, “In the first questioning heart situation, because Mr. Qi was there, it passed safely. When Mr. Qi was not there, in the second situation, I couldn’t get through it no matter what. And that was because Cui Chan didn’t go all out.”

Chen Qingdu said, “All the hardships that are hard to endure but are endured, are like smashing a hole in the heart. The bigger the hole, the more it can hold in the future.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

But it is also possible to spend a lifetime making up for that hole. For example, the more the world owes a person’s childhood, the more that person will be mending and making up for it when they grow up.

Leaving the city wall, Chen Ping’an flew his sword to his private residence in the Summer Resort Palace, and began to recuperate in peace.

Only two days later, Chen Ping’an took a trip to the Winter Retreat Palace, coming and going freely, holding the jade token, without even needing to consume a shrinking ground talisman.

Chen Ping’an chose a secluded place and watched Granny Bai teaching the children boxing, just talking about what “the whole body is a fist” means, what the intention is, how to learn, and how to practice.

Among them was a child that Chen Ping’an was familiar with, the tomboy named Yuan Zao Hua, who had given her two folding fans. She was the only one on the Sword Qi Great Wall who could legitimately scam some immortal money from the Second Shopkeeper.

In fact, Chen Ping’an was familiar with all the other children, because they were all martial arts seeds carefully selected by him and the Hidden Official lineage. One of the children had already been taken to the Central Earth Divine Continent by Yu Juanfu, and the rest, who were not too late to learn boxing, were all here.

There were many sword cultivators on the Sword Qi Great Wall, but very few pure martial artists.

What if the Sword Qi Great Wall was breached, the world changed, and it became a territory of the wild and untamed lands? Would so much martial arts luck be left to the wild and untamed lands?

Of course not.

But Chen Ping’an also knew that temporary efforts to make these children fight for the word “strongest” were hopeless. Moreover, there was a natural suppression on the Sword Qi Great Wall. The Dao conflicted extremely fiercely. He couldn’t understand it before, but after being pointed out by the Old Sword Immortal on the city wall, he understood a little. The female Martial God Pei Bei of the Central Earth Divine Continent was very likely to have come prepared. As for Cao Ci, his boxing was pure, and he never wanted martial arts luck. In this regard, Chen Ping’an admitted that he was far inferior to Cao Ci. Now, as long as martial arts luck was willing to come, Chen Ping’an couldn’t wait to have that martial arts luck call its “relatives” and “family members” to come all at once, opening the door to welcome guests, the more the better.
Even if these children hastily learn martial arts and fail to cultivate martial prowess, it’s not a significant loss. As long as they acquire a skill and establish a foundation, they can survive wherever they go, or rather, their chances of survival will only increase. In this chaotic world, to establish oneself and secure a foothold, one’s background often counts for little.

Over at the training grounds, Granny Bai delivered a punch. The distance was extremely short, the fist extending no more than half an arm’s length, yet the intent behind the punch was profound, a return to simplicity, as natural as can be.

Reaching the realm of a seventh-stage martial artist, further advancement hinges on the depth of one’s martial intent. It’s akin to a manifestation of the great Dao in its unadorned form.

Without warning, Granny Bai’s punch hurtled toward a robust boy with a tiger-like head nearby. The latter stood motionless, his expression suggesting, “Go ahead and try to kill me.”

This was Jiang Yun, hailing from a prominent family on Tai Xiang Street, and considered a talent of exceptional caliber.

After Granny Bai retracted her fist, the child remained oblivious, completely unafraid, yet beads of sweat already dotted his brow.

This was a rare and valuable latent talent.

Granny Bai struck again, her fist almost touching the forehead of a young girl from Yu Hu Street. She was slightly inferior to Jiang Yun. Although she didn’t move her feet, her body swayed slightly.

A dozen or so children stood in a line, and Granny Bai walked past them one by one. Some children retreated, while others gritted their teeth and stood their ground.

Yet, Granny Bai did not unleash a single punch.

However, Chen Ping’an could discern that as Granny Bai approached several children, her intent arrived before her fist. It was a pity that only Xu Gong, a child from Mu Meng Lane, had the right instinct. He moved backward the moment he sensed the slightest shift in Granny Bai’s martial intent. Although it was the opposite choice to Jiang Yun, both were promising seedlings with the potential for their martial intent to “possess” them sooner.

Looking at the tomboy Yuan Zaohua, she was on high alert, her body tense, yet she remained unaware of Granny Bai’s silently emanating martial intent.

Chen Ping’an didn’t find any of this particularly significant. The path of martial arts wasn’t devoid of emphasis on talent and aptitude, but it wasn’t as demanding as that of Qi cultivators, let alone as reliant on fate as that of sword cultivators. One couldn’t become a sword cultivator solely through hard work, but with a certain aptitude, one could steadily cultivate martial arts, progressing gradually and reaping the rewards. Of course, the third stage would be a major threshold, but these children would undoubtedly overcome it; the only difference lay in the timing and ease.

Chen Ping’an leaned against a corridor pillar, his hands tucked into his sleeves, watching the children. Those who genuinely wanted to learn martial arts were mostly from the impoverished Yan Chi and Mu Meng Lanes, while those less enthusiastic were often scions of prominent families like Jiang Yun.

The children resumed practicing stance work. Granny Bai occasionally assisted, adjusting their bones and tendons. Afterward, the children would roll around on the ground, crying and wailing.

Watching this, Chen Ping’an’s previously peaceful state of mind turned into schadenfreude, finding it quite amusing.

However, seeing the tomboy and a child from a poor alleyway fall to the ground in pain one after the other, he felt a pang of sympathy.

Granny Bai glanced in the direction of her young master-in-law, her expression kind, her elderly eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.

Chen Ping’an quickly waved his hand, indicating that he was just here to observe.

Unexpectedly, Granny Bai still smiled and said, “Hidden Official, some here claim that they want to learn martial arts from you, finding my style too feminine. Why don’t you teach them?”

Chen Ping’an was about to decline when Jiang Yun crossed his arms and shouted in a loud voice, “Where is the Hidden Official?!”

You little brat, who exactly is the Hidden Official?

Chen Ping’an glanced at the tomboy, who was sitting up and silently wiping the dust and sweat from her face with trembling hands.

Granny Bai wore a smile.

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to quickly walk to the training grounds.

Chen Ping’an didn’t do much, merely sharing some insights into the Six Steps Walking Stance, concise and to the point, a matter of a few words.

Jiang Yun thought it was just the beginning, but the young Hidden Official fell silent. The child couldn’t help but ask, “Is that all?”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Martial principles aren’t extensive to begin with. It’s the same principle as thinner books containing greater knowledge.”

Half-spoken words.

The learning of the Three Teachings and the Hundred Schools of Thought became more and more complicated as time went on, because each new generation annotated, interpreted, and explained the original teachings in greater detail, ultimately becoming luxuriant and all-encompassing.

However, when dealing with children, the more intricate the explanation, the more confused and overwhelmed they would become.

Granny Bai smiled and said, “Hidden Official, if you aren’t in a hurry to return to the Summer Palace, and since today’s stance work is almost complete, you could teach them the Walking Stance of the Earth-Shaking Fist.”

With outsiders present, she naturally couldn’t call him “young master-in-law.”

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment, deciding that staying here for half an hour wouldn’t be a problem, so he nodded in agreement, smiling, “This Walking Stance originates from the Earth-Shaking Fist.”

Jiang Yun interjected again, “Wait a minute, the name of this fist manual isn’t very imposing. Earth-Shaking? In our Sword Qi Great Wall, which sword cultivator can’t level a mountain with a single strike?”

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly. “Then, would you like to teach me martial arts?”

Jiang Yun frowned. “Speak properly, and be reasonable!”

Chen Ping’an smiled knowingly and continued, “Perhaps the name of the fist manual isn’t impressive, so I’ll elaborate a bit.”

He spoke at length about the plight of martial artists in the vast world, mentioning how those from humble backgrounds practiced mixed and varied techniques. Simply being able to split bricks with their fists and shatter stones with their feet was already considered impressive. Thus, the weight of the words “Earth-Shaking” was not light. Mixed in were Chen Ping’an’s own observations. The children listened attentively, of course, who wouldn’t enjoy sneaking a bit of leisure, avoiding stance work and beatings, and escaping the monotony?

After finishing, Chen Ping’an demonstrated the Walking Stance several times, then helped the children point out some of the flaws in their movements. After an incense stick’s worth of time, during a break, Chen Ping’an spoke about the world of martial arts and the scenery at the pinnacle of the martial Dao for ninth-stage and tenth-stage martial artists. The children loved to hear this. In any case, the Winter Palace was a cage, and there was no escape. Jiang Yun had once incited a young girl from Yu Hu Street to run away with him, but they were dragged back by the ferocious old woman after barely climbing over the wall in the middle of the night, and punished with stance work. The girl fainted from exhaustion, while Jiang Yun simply fell asleep standing up.

At the time, not far from where Jiang Yun and the girl were being punished, there were two children who were voluntarily practicing stance work, but Granny Bai quickly sent them back to rest.

In martial arts training, one must avoid excessive rigidity.
The poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts. To practice martial arts, one needs a wise mentor to guide the way, and tempering the body is a costly endeavor. Otherwise, it’s too easy to stray down the wrong path. Practicing fist techniques might only injure oneself, depleting one’s vital energy. Before the fist’s essence takes hold, it’s as if a ghost possesses you. This is the greatest misery for many martial artists who lack a master.

Chen Ping’an precisely timed his departure.

Granny Bai continued to teach the children fist techniques.

Jiang Yun muttered, “He’s quite disappointing in person.”

Granny Bai chuckled, “The day you deem yourself worthy to exchange fists with the Hidden Official, you’ll know what despair truly is.”

Jiang Yun shook his head, “Forget it. The Second Shopkeeper is as cunning as a fox. Once my cultivation improves and I catch up to him, I’ll definitely probe him first. If he agrees to spar, I won’t actually fight.”

Granny Bai shook her head. The Jiang family is generally decent, how did they raise such an unbridled little rascal?

Jiang Yun glanced at the old woman. He found it even stranger. How could his grandfather have liked such an old crone back then?

Chen Ping’an returned to the Summer Abode, then summoned Sword Immortal Chou Miao to head towards Spring Banner Residence in Upside-Down Mountain. He also made a trip to the Plum Blossom Garden. The booklet given to him by Madame Tuoyan at the Summer Abode was quite thick, so Chen Ping’an brought two “within-reach” items borrowed from Yan Ming and Nalan Caihuan for this trip to Upside-Down Mountain. In the deserted Plum Blossom Garden, Sword Immortal Chou Miao watched the Hidden Official moving things with shining eyes and couldn’t help but ask, “Were you like this in the Ning Residence’s secret vault?”

Chen Ping’an was too lazy to waste words.

How could it be the same?

Upon arriving at Spring Banner Residence and carefully examining the ledgers, Wei Wenlong quietly explained some of the intricacies. Sword Immortal Mi Yu started to feel sleepy.

The result that Chou Miao and Lin Junbi feared most had not yet appeared, at least for now.

The Eight Continent ferries continued to operate smoothly, allowing them to reach Upside-Down Mountain without obstruction.

On the way, Chou Miao suggested appropriately raising prices. Chen Ping’an agreed. He then discussed the details with Yan Ming, Nalan Caihuan, and Shao Yunyan. The prices of some essential supplies remained unchanged, as the financial burden on the Sword Qi Great Wall was already immense. Even with the substantial wealth of Spring Banner Residence and Plum Blossom Garden combined, it was still far from sufficient. However, they could gradually increase the profit margins on certain secondary or “spare” goods on each ferry from the Eight Continents.

Returning to the Sword Qi Great Wall, this was the first time Chen Ping’an approached the mirage north of the city. He didn’t enter it, merely observing it from afar.

Sword Immortal Chou Miao looked up at the sky, then said telepathically, “Not talking about the power of your swordsmanship, just the essence of the matter, can you reach the level of the Grand Sword Immortal?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, “It’s very difficult.”

On the Sword Qi Great Wall side, Ning Yao and her group of sword cultivators were the first to return to the city walls on their swords.

Everyone was injured, with Diezhang being the most severely wounded.

Chen Qingdu emerged from his thatched hut.

Chen Sanqiu called out “Ancestor”. Chen Qingdu grunted in acknowledgement.

That was all.

If a stranger encountered Chen Sanqiu when he was drinking, it would be hard to imagine that this suave and unrestrained young drunkard, if he were to acknowledge his ancestry, was actually Chen Qingdu.

The old sword immortal Chen Xi, who carved the character “Chen” on the city wall, had once privately asked his ancestor Chen Qingdu whether Chen Sanqiu could leave and follow a Confucian sage to the Vast World for study.

Chen Qingdu only asked one question.

Would Chen Sanqiu still be named Chen in the future?

In the end, Chen Xi left the city wall dejectedly.

Chen Sanqiu respectfully bid farewell, then took the lead in departing on his sword.

The descendants of the Chen family have always been like this.

Having an ancestor whose swordsmanship is truly transcendent is as good as having none, or perhaps even worse.

Dong Huafu and Yan Zhuo also left, returning to the city to recuperate for a few days. Diezhang would need even longer to recover.

Only Ning Yao remained.

Chen Ping’an flew to the city wall on his sword.

Accompanying Ning Yao, Chen Ping’an sat on the city wall, gently swinging his legs.

Ning Yao asked, “Have you been hiding in the Summer Abode for over a year, keeping something on your mind, afraid to see me?”

Chen Ping’an hesitated.

Ning Yao said, “Apart from you liking someone else, there’s nothing you can’t say.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, and after a moment of silence, said, “I originally didn’t plan to say it, but I suddenly realized that what I think is best often turns out to be the worst. After all, when two people who like each other are together, it’s no longer just about one person. So I’ll tell you about it. After hearing it, you can hit me, but you’re not allowed to get angry.”

Ning Yao nodded after listening.

Chen Ping’an spoke of that matter, a promise with the Grand Sword Immortal.

Ning Yao didn’t say anything.

Chen Ping’an asked softly, “Not angry?”

Ning Yao retorted, “Is being angry useful?”

Chen Ping’an thought about it. It seemed it wasn’t.

He just didn’t dare to say it.

Ning Yao raised an eyebrow.

That’s all there is to it.

She didn’t say it either.

Chen Ping’an tapped the wall with his heels.

Being with Ning Yao, and before that, from meeting her, liking her, to reaching her side, traveling far and wide, practicing fist techniques, it might be a little tiring, but it would never be mentally exhausting.

Ning Yao asked, “If you have such important matters in the future, just say it directly. Even if I get angry, I’ll let you know.”

Chen Ping’an gently grasped her hand, and then the two of them quietly looked into the distance.

Chen Qingdu was taking a stroll, never walking too far each time, walking slowly, and then returning the same way.

He glanced at the backs of the young couple in the distance.

Chen Qingdu smiled, because he remembered an extremely interesting little thing.

The reason why he had a good impression of Chen Ping’an at their first meeting had nothing to do with anything else.

It had nothing to do with Chen Ping’an exchanging fists with Cao Ci three times in a row, daring to strike, and being able to admit defeat.

It had nothing to do with the youth traveling alone all the way to the Sword Qi Great Wall to deliver a sword to his beloved girl.

Even Chen Ping’an’s connection with that senior had nothing to do with it.

Chen Qingdu, when looking at the youth who originally had the aptitude of an earth immortal but had his Bridge of Longevity severed, especially when looking at the youth’s eyes and the vitality he possessed, felt… both amused and exasperated.

Unlike many old veterans and seniors on the mountain who viewed Chen Ping’an, Chen Qingdu was perhaps the only one who saw Chen Ping’an as having no hint of world-weariness, but rather full of vigor.

Back then, Chen Ping’an, who was still a youth, seemed to be silently questioning, and it was the kind of spirited questioning of the heavens and earth.
Can I truly become a Great Sword Immortal? Can I make the girl I admire also admire me, and keep admiring me forever? Will I be able to protect the girl I cherish in the future? I must not disappoint certain people, I will definitely achieve all of this, won’t I?!

Chen Qingdu felt that this was good, very good.

No wonder that old scholar, before he departed, shamelessly kept pestering Chen Qingdu, asking, “Is my closed-door disciple virtuous? Are you envious? He’s so virtuous, so enviable, right? Alas, too bad you can’t envy him. If I were you, Brother Chen, I would have already given him a punch in the face, otherwise, it would be difficult to dispel the jealousy in my heart!”