Again and again, his form shattered, again and again he coalesced before the sword light unleashed by those tiny, word-formed figures, and again he threw his fist.

Finally, Chen Ping’an, as a martial artist of the Mountain Peak realm, shattered that sword light with his bare fists. Arriving at the edge of the cliff, he stomped heavily on the ground, manifesting the Dharma Body of a Jade Pure Realm Sword Immortal, as tall as a mountain. Gathering the spiritual energy of the four directions into a sword, he held it with both hands and hacked it towards the gray-robed figure on the opposite cliff.

The giant Dharma Body, with its golden eyes, laughed loudly, “For increasing my martial intent, I shall richly reward the Dragon Lord!”

The Dragon Lord waved his hand, pushing the young woman who was nurturing her sword intent and stabilizing her sword heart a hundred zhang away. He came to the edge of the cliff, without offering a sword sacrifice, without even lifting a finger.

On the opposite bank, the long sword in the Dharma Body’s hand shattered, and the Dharma Body collapsed with a roar.

The Sword Immortal Dharma Body reappeared, and the long sword once again slashed down at the Dragon Lord.

For the duration of a full incense stick, the Dragon Lord remained unmoved, and the Dharma Body’s long sword could not even come close to his gray robes.

Innumerable sword energies in the world were contending with the young man.

After the last collapse of the Dharma Body, Chen Ping’an finally ceased his meaningless sword strikes. He flashed back to his original position, gathering up those refined words.

Liubai, uneasy, came to the Dragon Lord’s side at the cliff edge and asked softly, “Did he really increase his martial intent by even a fraction?”

The difference between a Mountain Peak Realm martial artist and a tenth-realm martial artist is like the difference between great sword immortals like Nalan Shao Wei, Yue Qing, and Mi Hu of Sword Qi Great Wall and those ascended old sword immortals.

“He was saying that for the benefit of those demon cultivators down below. He didn’t increase his martial intent one bit. Just spouting nonsense, deliberately trying to disgust me,” the Dragon Lord said.

The Dragon Lord sighed, patiently explaining to the young girl beside him, who was actually quite clever, but became muddled as soon as Chen Ping’an was involved, “At the Mountain Peak Realm martial arts height, martial artists’ states of mind are not too bad, especially him, that mad dog who loves to question his heart. If I were to ruin his good fortune with a single sword, it’s true that he would be angry and annoyed, but it would be very difficult to elevate his martial spirit any further. How could it be so easy to take it to the next level? After becoming the Hidden Official, having personally witnessed those great battles, that is the location of his martial dao cage. Because it is difficult to have any great joy or great sorrow again, his mental journey has, in fact, preceded his realm and physique to not far from the end of the martial arts dead end road. Only a life-and-death battle can forcibly temper the physique.”

Liubai nodded lightly, deeply agreeing.

A bright red robe reappeared on the cliff edge without warning. This time, he brought the narrow sabre, Zhan Kan, and gently rested his hands on the hilt, smiling. “Miss Liubai, do you think our Dragon Lord Senior likes to talk a lot? Since he doesn’t, why is he being so long-winded? There’s a deeper meaning, you should think about it carefully. If you practice swordplay without cultivating your mind, you will suffer a fall in your realm.”

Liubai sneered, “You certainly aren’t long-winded in the slightest.”

Chen Ping’an said earnestly, “Isn’t it because I’m afraid that Miss Liubai, after listening to Dragon Lord Senior’s attempt to conceal the truth, will verbally say ‘Oh, oh, oh,’ and visually say ‘Um, um, um,’ but in your heart you’ll be cursing ‘That damned old Dragon Lord scoundrel!'”

Chen Ping’an shook his head to himself and said, “The deities on the mountains, as long as they have doubts and start guessing, dark ghosts will grow like weeds. I am helping Dragon Lord Senior to clear himself of suspicion. Can’t you even understand that? Miss Liubai, it’s not me saying this, but if we were to engage in a battle of wits, I’m afraid you’d slap your own head to pieces and wring your own neck, and Dragon Lord Senior wouldn’t be able to stop you. Today, regarding the Dragon Lord assisting me in increasing my martial intent, give me some face, don’t go…”