In the vast, untamed world of the Wildlands, Zhou Mi, the meticulous scholar of the literary ocean, departed from the northernmost ferry of Tongye Continent. Employing his divine abilities, he located She Yue and Fei Ran. One was idly wandering the wilderness, having suffered two losses in both foreign lands and her hometown. The round-faced girl in a cotton-padded jacket had become increasingly cautious, diligently collecting and refining moonlight from various locations. The other was appreciating the moon atop Zhaoping Peak outside the illusory city of Daquan. Zhou Mi casually brought these two, among the ten most promising youths from numerous continents, to his side to admire an architecture manifesting its Dharma Image and the phoenix tree concealing its true nature behind it.

Cui Chan, the embroidered tiger, excelled at avoiding direct confrontation in areas where others were strongest. He preferred to first address his shortcomings before maximizing his inherent strengths. This made Zhou Mi’s schemes and stratagems in the competition for Treasure Bottle Continent largely inconsequential. He could only meet force with force.

Both Fei Ran and She Yue paid their respects to Master Zhou.

Zhou Mi nodded with a smile, then looked at Fei Ran and said with a faint smile, “Finally willing to invoke your senior brother Qieyun’s name.”

Fei Ran replied, “I’ve made Master Zhou laugh. Afterward, Fei Ran is willing to proactively apologize to the Wuzi Army Camp and exchange the benefits gained according to military merits. If Fei Ran’s own merits are insufficient, I will borrow from my senior brother.”

The temporary preservation of Daquan’s capital was not due to the impregnability of the illusory city’s landscape formations, nor the resilience of Daquan’s border troops after consolidating within the city. Rather, it was because Fei Ran, after leaving Peach Leaf Ferry, impulsively decided to claim Daquan’s illusory city as his newest territory in Tongye Continent. Moreover, it was Fei Ran’s sole claim, not even the demand of Kuiyou Army Camp which he belonged to. This sparked a significant conflict with the Wuzi Army Camp stationed in the old capital of Southern Qi. A title of one of the ten most promising youths was not enough to make the entire army camp fear him. Ultimately, the reason they did not engage in battle was because Fei Ran convinced them with a single sentence.

“Qieyun is my senior brother.”

Fei Ran did not even need to mention exchanging Qieyun’s war merits for the illusory city. Several fifth-realm cultivators from the Wuzi Army Camp fell silent and departed without uttering a single harsh word.

Jiashen Army Camp sword cultivator Tan was the direct disciple of the great demon Yangzhi, and Yu Si was even addressed as “Young Master” by the demon concubine Fei. Coupled with Fei Ran’s relationship as a junior brother to Qieyun, these were top secrets of the Jiazi Army Camp.

In the Wildlands, reason was the easiest thing to invoke.

However, since Master Zhou was teasing him about it, Fei Ran was naturally willing to use a different method of reasoning.

The simplicity of reasoning in the Wildlands stemmed from the shallowness of its rules. There was a hierarchy of reasons, and right and wrong could be universally applied.

Zhou Mi waved his hand, uttering words that Fei Ran did not understand, “A small matter. I will personally settle the score for you later. Not just an illusory city, but the entire Daquan Dynasty is what Fei Ran deserves.”

The fifth-realm demon cultivators of Tongye Continent had almost all perceived the change in the continent’s celestial timing.

Fortunately, it was not overly alarming, providing some comfort.

In the center of Tongye Continent, a majestic structure that should have appeared earlier but did not, or shouldn’t have appeared later but did, materialized—one of the nine majestic town-suppressing towers built by Confucian scholars, the Demon Suppression Tower.

It was meant to suppress the entire Tongye Continent.

This Demon Suppression Tower demarcated a circular boundary encompassing a thousand miles of mountains and rivers. Zhou Mi stood outside the boundary with She Yue and Fei Ran. Zhou Mi extended his joined fingers, lightly touching the formation screen that was the barrier of heaven and earth. Ripples arose, causing the scenery within the thousand-mile radius to sway. Fei Ran and She Yue, as demon cultivators, instantly felt a suffocating pressure of the Great Dao. Fei Ran used sword energy to dispel the natural suppression, while She Yue condensed moonlight around herself. Only Master Zhou seemed oblivious, not because he was not a demon, but quite the opposite. For some reason, even before Zhou Mi stepped into the jurisdiction of the Demon Suppression Tower, the surging, iridescent ripples of time and the celestial phenomena seemed to solidify, constantly gathering at Zhou Mi’s fingertip. The extent of its power could be gauged by Fei Ran and She Yue each taking several steps back. This was only because the Demon Suppression Tower’s formation was constantly suppressed by Zhou Mi. Otherwise, Fei Ran and She Yue would have had no choice but to quickly evacuate the area.

Zhou Mi retracted his fingers, and the abnormal phenomena gradually dissipated.

He looked up and said to She Yue, “The Abbess of Lotus Nunnery was destined to die, but she died a bit too early. Do you know that you are the ‘previous incarnation of the Bright Moon’? That’s why Mount Tuoyue has always held you in high regard. Xin Zhuang, the direct disciple of the Grand Ancestor stationed at Mount Tuoyue, used to visit you often in the Bright Moon, but she always regarded the Abbess of Lotus Nunnery, who was far above her in realm, with cold indifference. Because Xin Zhuang’s true form in the past was a goddess who watered flowers and chopped cassia trees in the Moon Palace. So, Xin Zhuang naturally looked down on the Abbess of Lotus Nunnery.”

She Yue replied, “I had guessed and thought about it, but I was never sure.”

Zhou Mi suddenly laughed, “I advise you to raise your hand to reach for the sky, how many others will watch with cold eyes.”

With a thousand years of schemes in his heart, and ten thousand ice coals blocking his chest, he cooled a pair of passionate innards, and burned the books of sages in his heart.

She Yue pretended not to hear him.

Fei Ran asked, “Can Master Zhou destroy this majestic town-suppressing tower?”

Zhou Mi replied, “It can be done, but the cost outweighs the benefits, so there’s no need for it at the moment. However, compared to the majestic town-suppressing tower in Southern Bosuo Continent, which is just a flower rack, it is indeed an eyesore and a nuisance.”

Fei Ran genuinely admired this Master Zhou from the Great Balance World. In his early years, Fei Ran had studied under Zhou Mi for several years, although they had no formal master-disciple relationship. Upon parting, Zhou Mi had smiled and said to Fei Ran that the books of sages should only be read halfway. Less and one cannot pretend to be a sage, more and one is a true sage. Halfway is just right, bringing both fame and fortune.

Zhou Mi looked at the sky, seemingly waiting for something.

Fei Ran’s sword heart suddenly trembled, and he subconsciously wanted to distance himself from Zhou Mi.

However, the next moment, Fei Ran felt relieved, but She Yue had disappeared without a trace.

Zhou Mi lightly flicked his sleeve, and a snow-white moonlight shimmered on one of the cuffs. Zhou Mi looked at the bright moon in the Great Balance World and said with a faint smile, “Just in case.”

The true trump card of the three landscape restrictions of Floating Cloud Continent, besides surrounding Bai Ye, lay in Zhou Mi’s use of heaven-defying means to forcibly detain the river of time of that continent, turning it into an almost static lake.

Zhou Mi suddenly spoke to Fei Ran in his mind, “Your senior brother wants me to pass on a message to you: he has already done enough in accepting disciples on behalf of the master. The rest is up to you.”

Fei Ran’s face was indifferent, and he stared intently at this scholar of the literary ocean from the Wildlands.

Zhou Mi’s figure instantly vanished without a trace.
A beam of sword light cleaved the firmament, descending from the Azure Heavens towards the Magnificent World.

It is commonly understood that even immortals who ride the wind can hardly outpace a flying sword, and as the Dao Repository, one of the Four Immortal Swords, embarked on this distant journey, its speed was naturally even greater.

At the highest point of the White Jade Capital, Lu Chen returned after departing and sat heavily on the railing, a wry smile playing on his lips as he gazed at his Second Senior Brother, who was less inclined to heed advice.

Dao the Second furrowed his brow slightly in displeasure, asking, “What is it?”

Lu Chen raised both hands, adjusting the slightly askew lotus coronet atop his head, a symbol of his position as the Sect Leader, “Aren’t you afraid of sharing the same fate as the Sword Tai Bai? True Invincibility is indeed True Invincibility, a reputation unblemished for eight thousand years. Are you going to discard it yourself, Senior Brother? Even if Bai also cherishes the past and values affection, only a living Bai can repay this immense favor. I believe that’s doubtful. Senior Brother, this transaction of yours confuses this Junior Brother. May I ask for the reasoning behind gifting the sword?”

Once he loses the Immortal Sword Dao Repository, which fits him so well, his title of True Invincible might fall to another.

Dao the Second countered, “Does this Junior Brother need a reason for violating the rules by allowing that extraterrestrial demon to infiltrate Jiang Yun Sheng’s Dao seed?”

Lu Chen wore a helpless expression, “Of course, there is a reason, but I know that Senior Brother would be too lazy to listen. This Junior Brother is understanding and therefore unwilling to speak of it.”

Dao the Second said, “Then I truly have no reason for discarding the sword into the Magnificent World. Calculating and scheming, striving for inaction through action, isn’t it tiring? I’ve wanted to say these words to you for a long time. It’s just that you’ve always been one to ignore the opinions of others, and I, as your Senior Brother, was equally too lazy to say anything more to you in the past.”

Lu Chen turned his head to look at the five cities and twelve towers shrouded in immortal mist, sighing, “Senior Brother does not need a reason for his actions. Perhaps that is the reason why our Daos differ, yet I still acknowledge the title of Junior Brother.”

The relationship between the three former Sect Leaders of White Jade Capital was actually extremely subtle. From the fact that each of them was in charge of the overall situation in White Jade Capital for a hundred years, one could see the three different Great Daos. Especially Lu Chen and Senior Brother Dao the Second, who caused cultivators throughout the Azure Heavens to be bewildered and uncertain.

When Dao the Second was in charge of White Jade Capital for a hundred years, the world for those hundred years would obediently follow the rules of White Jade Capital. The one who was most unwilling to be restrained was the naturally gifted genius of the Great Profound Capital Temple, who had gathered countless Dao veins. He was the most famous in the world, but Dao the Second personally questioned him with his sword, and his Dao dissipated into the world, completely establishing a deadly feud between White Jade Capital and the Great Profound Capital Temple.

When it was Lu Chen’s turn to be in charge, the world for those hundred years would go its own way. Gathering and scattering, chaos and peace were uncertain, with complex and tangled veins. However, Lu Chen and the Great Profound Capital Temple, or the Daoist sacred grounds outside of the three veins of White Jade Capital, such as the Year-End Palace, had a decent relationship. Lu Chen often traveled among them, talking freely, drinking, admiring the scenery, and making merry, but he just wouldn’t exchange Dao techniques. It was rumored that the Year-End Palace Lord’s seclusion for many years, as well as the fact that “Twenty-Two,” one of the young candidates among the top ten in the world, was able to eventually become immortal companions with a female cultivator of the Ascension Realm, the founding ancestor of a mortal enemy sect, were all inextricably linked to this most free and unfettered Third Sect Leader of White Jade Capital.

When the Grand Sect Leader of White Jade Capital returned, the underlying situation in the world showed signs of becoming clear. Many Daoist lineages, Daoist officials, dynasties, wealthy families, and immortal mansions were able to recuperate and grow stronger.

On the other hand, these two Junior Brothers had a relatively harmonious relationship with the first disciple of the Dao Ancestor, whom he had taken as a disciple on behalf of his teacher. Before Lu Chen ascended from his home world to the White Jade Capital, he had long placed the future Grand Sect Leader Senior Brother alongside the Dao Ancestor as one of the Great Beings of antiquity. Even before Lu Chen set sail, he had specially gone to find an ancient Heavenly Water site that had been lost in the River of Time because there, in the past, the Dao Ancestor had driven a green ox cart through the pass, and someone had forced him to write a book, which left behind five thousand words for later generations. This person was the first disciple of the Dao Ancestor, an ancient being whom even Lu Chen praised as “understanding the celestial phenomena and geography, observing the heavens and earth, and comprehending everything.”

In short, Lu Chen felt that the Grand Senior Brother’s Dao techniques were very high, and his Great Dao was almost equal to the Dao. However, in the eyes of the mountain peak cultivators of the Azure Heavens, Lu Chen might not necessarily approve of Dao the Second, who claimed to be “first in literature and second to none in martial arts.”

Lu Chen closed his eyes, using a secret technique to perceive the fate and flow of the Magnificent World through the eyes of a direct disciple for a moment. After opening his eyes, he put his hands behind his head and smiled, “It’s a pity that the proud Grand Celestial Master Zhao Tian Lai was one step faster than Senior Brother’s sword gifting, otherwise, it would have been quite a joke.”

Dao the Second coldly smiled, “Then let’s see whose immortal sword enters the Floating Continent sooner.”

The tall Daoist waved his sleeve casually, and a majestic Azure Heaven Dao Qi, like a Milky Way hanging in the air, followed the immortal sword in a mighty manner, breaking through the firmament once again.

Lu Chen couldn’t help but turn his head and ask, “Senior Brother, are you going to compete for precedence as well?”

Dao the Second retorted, “Do I really have to bring out the Master before you obediently go to the Outer Heavens?”

Lu Chen was about to slowly get up, leisurely ride the wind, and slowly leave, when he suddenly smiled and said, “I, this matchmaker, am truly unmatched.”

It turned out that in the fifth world, another immortal sword, “Innocence,” followed closely behind the renowned Myriad Laws and Dao Repository. After being dormant in the Sword Qi Great Wall for ten thousand years, it finally appeared for the first time. Back then, Lu Chen had worked hard setting up a stall in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven. In order to connect this red thread, Lu Chen had put in a lot of effort to finally push the cart to the Mud Bottle Lane. However, later in the Sword Qi Great Wall, Ning Yao’s half of the red thread was cut off by Chen Qingdu. It’s just that no one knows what Chen Ping’an was thinking, but he intentionally or unintentionally kept the red thread uncut.

The complexity and unpredictability of human nature lie in its constant wandering between divinity and beastliness.

The tug-of-war in the hearts of people allows the human race to ultimately become the “one” that shattered the Great Dao of the ancient Heavenly Court.

The gods considered it the worst, but the human race did the best, each going to extremes, waxing and waning, thereby replacing a “one.”

Dao the Second glanced at his triumphant Junior Brother Lu Chen.

Lu Chen was about to continue speaking.

A young Daoist with the face and figure of a boy appeared next to the railing, “Oh?”

Even Dao the Second and Lu Chen were caught off guard, completely unaware.

Lu Chen immediately shut his mouth and restrained his expression.

Dao the Second respectfully made a bow with clasped hands, and said in a deep voice, “Disciple Yu Dou, greets Master.”

Dao the Second of White Jade Capital, secular name Yu Dou, hometown Azure Heavens. He has cultivated the Dao for eight thousand years.

Lu Chen quickly leaned back, somersaulted to the ground, straightened his back, and made a bow with clasped hands, “Disciple Lu Chen, greets Master.”
Bai Yujing’s Third Sect Master, known by his secular name as Lu Chen, bore the Daoist title of Xiaoyao. His hometown was the vast and boundless Haoran world. He had cultivated the Dao for six thousand years, and had been a master of Bai Yujing for five thousand.

However, the countenance of the Dao Ancestor, as he observed the Dao in that small lotus cave heaven, was not that of a youth.

The Dao Ancestor smiled faintly, “It is a pity that I was unable to witness Bai Ye’s swordplay firsthand.”

It wasn’t that he couldn’t, but that he didn’t wish to break the established rules. The Sage Master, the Dao Ancestor, and the Buddha, the three founders of their respective teachings, had jointly established the rules of Heaven and Earth in the past, and for ten thousand years thereafter, none had violated them even once.

Beside this “youth”, arriving slightly later, appeared a foreign visitor making his first visit to Bai Yujing. From Haoran World’s Tongye Continent, it was the Old Abbot of the Eastern Sea’s Daoist Observation Temple.

Dao the Second clearly didn’t take that Fourteenth Realm Old Abbot seriously, not even glancing at him.

Lu Chen chuckled, “How could the Old Abbot, with his Heavenly Dao-piercing abilities, even wrestle with my master, have lost to the Old Scholar back then? To have lost a hairpin first, and then the Sun and Moon Essence of the Lotus Blossom Blessed Land, is truly a great surprise to this junior.”

The Old Abbot scoffed, “Lost? Is there a first and last in the Dao? Is there a large and small in the Dharma? Are there highs and lows in the Void Boat?”

The Old Daoist’s words seemed casual, yet they were law-abiding, causing the entire Five Cities and Twelve Towers of Bai Yujing to sense them, especially the Divine Firmament City, whose city lord’s position was temporarily vacant, which shook the most violently.

Lu Chen suddenly realized, “I am enlightened, I am enlightened.”

Dao the Second snorted coldly, and the commotion in the Divine Firmament City ceased.

The Dao Ancestor said, “Lu Chen.”

Lu Chen immediately understood and smiled, “I respectfully obey my master’s decree.”

However, this Third Sect Master did not go to the Outer Heavens, but to the Great Xuan Capital Temple.

Dao the Second, on the other hand, went to the Outer Heavens, destined to help his junior brother Lu Chen clean up the mess in the near future.

The Old Abbot said, “The Fifth World is about to change.”

In a brand-new world where the Heavens and Earth had just opened, the suppression of the Great Dao was the heaviest, with whoever was stronger suppressing the others. However, Ning Yao had previously been too “vigorous”, her brilliance unmatched, to the point that even the Great Dao of that world had to temporarily avoid her edge. Originally, if there were no accidents, Ning Yao would ascend to the Ascension Realm. At that time, the Great Dao would be the key, after all, the Heavenly Tribulation accumulated by the world’s first Ascension Realm cultivator and the first Fourteenth Realm cultivator were as different as clouds and mud.

But when that little girl offered up a celestial sword and traveled far to the Haoran World, it stirred up everything and led to great changes.

Those ancient beings who were eager to stir up trouble would not turn a blind eye to this and might no longer lurk in various places, but would swarm together.

The Dao Ancestor said, “Not necessarily.”

The Old Abbot nodded, “The changing of the heavens may not necessarily mean the changing of the world.”

The Dao Ancestor smiled, “Indeed.”

Ascension City.

Nianxin looked at Ning Yao, whose face was slightly pale, and asked, “Why must you do this? Why must you suffer so?”

Nianxin really didn’t agree with Ning Yao’s choice. It was too rash and too radical.

She even regretted showing that secret letter to Ning Yao early.

Whether it was the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master’s Mansion’s drawing of their sword, or Bai Yujing’s Dao the Second’s drawing of his sword, there was still plenty of power to spare, but Ning Yao was, after all, only at the bottleneck of the Immortal Realm Sword Cultivator. To offer up her true Natal Flying Sword, travel to another world, and also participate in that battle of immortals that was truly worthy of the name, it didn’t seem worth it. Once the celestial sword “Tianzhen” was damaged and returned wounded, it would already be a great loss. If the celestial sword were to shatter and fall on the Fuyu Continent battlefield, Ning Yao might directly fall back to the Jade Flawless Realm. Ascension City would lose that Great Sword Immortal Ning Yao who firmly held the throne of the world’s number one, and Ning Yao would be farther away from the first Ascension Realm cultivator in the new world. In the end, one step slow would lead to step after step slow. Not only would Ning Yao’s own Great Dao be hindered, but Ascension City might lose the great opportunity to compete for the world with one city.

Ning Yao sat on the threshold, silent. She only reached out and wiped away the blood from between her brows.

No matter how the pros and cons were weighed, Ning Yao shouldn’t have acted so emotionally. Nianxin shook her head and said, “If Chen Ping An were here, he would definitely stop you.”

“For Ascension City, I will do whatever needs to be done.”

Ning Yao said, “But Ascension City is Ascension City, and I am me. If Ascension City loses an Ascension Realm Sword Cultivator, it will lose the power of the world. I don’t think that Ascension City has Ning Yao and can really compete for the world. If Ascension City really loses power because of this, I still won’t owe Ascension City even half a point.”

She only owed him so much hard work and planning.

And Ning Yao didn’t think that if he were by her side, he would stop her from drawing her sword.

Besides, if he were the Hidden Official in Ascension City, she would be even more idle. There would be no need to worry so much and work so hard, just draw her sword.

Ning Yao stretched out the back of her hand and pressed it against her brow.

This time, offering her sword was no small matter.

Before this, besides Chen Qingdu, only a few old sword cultivators in Sword Qi Great Wall, including Dong Sangeng and Chen Xi, knew that she actually possessed a second “Natal Flying Sword” besides “Zhan Xian”.

Moreover, even that Natal Flying Sword “Zhan Xian”, Ning Yao was not willing to offer up, because it was easily guided by “Tianzhen”, causing Ning Yao’s sword heart to lose control. Then, she would really become a sword servant of the celestial sword “Tianzhen”. The celestial sword’s sword spirit was unyielding, and its sword heart was extremely pure. Cultivators either suppressed it with their realm or sharpened it with their tenacious sword heart. There was no other way. What good and evil human hearts, what Great Dao closeness, were all illusions.

Ning Yao nurturing two flying swords itself was both forging swords and using “Zhan Xian” to ask the sword “Tianzhen”.

In fact, Ning Yao had once asked the Old Sword Immortal a question in private: Was Chen Ping An really alright with that sixty-year agreement?

At that time, Chen Qingdu gave an irrelevant answer: See what the senior’s mood is at that time.

Nianxin suddenly frowned and said, “You need to be careful of the Great Dao’s targeting in this world.”

Ning Yao turned her head and looked at the seamstress. It seemed that someone was reminding Nianxin, and then Nianxin was reminding herself.

Nianxin shook her head and said, “I still have to keep my promise about this matter.”

Ning Yao nodded, “Without ‘Tianzhen’, I still have ‘Zhan Xian’.”

Nianxin suddenly smiled, “Only Ning Yao can make him like someone.”

Back then, in that prison, the young Hidden Official never mentioned all the encounters and reunions with Ning Yao to anyone, like a… miserly skinflint, as if saying one more word would cost him a lot of money.

But that Ascension Realm Extraterrestrial Demon Shuangjiang, because of his mutual calculations with the young Hidden Official, was able to know some inside information. Feeling really stifled, he told Nianxin a little more.
Frost Descent had never truly grasped the labyrinthine depths of Chen Ping’an’s heart. He only described two somewhat vague visions to Nian Xin. One was of a young boy walking heavily towards a dilapidated house in a dark and gloomy world. Only inside the ancestral home, a lamp seemed to be lit, radiating light and warmth. The boy in straw sandals paused at the doorway, glancing at the light inside, both in disbelief and with a surge of joy. This made his steps lighter as he crossed the threshold, yet he cautiously slowed down, as if reluctant to hasten.

The other vision was of the boy walking alone towards a covered bridge, his steps faltering. The world grew even darker, so dark that he couldn’t see his own hand. But when the lifeless boy slowly raised his head, he saw someone sitting on the steps. His eyes, previously as dark as ink, like a bottomless abyss, suddenly seemed to see the light of the sun and moon.

Ning Yao bid farewell and departed.

Nian Xin placed the lamp back on the table.

Dragon Tiger Mountain, Celestial Master’s Residence.

After the Old Scholar left the Star-Picking Platform, Zhao Tianlai said, “I trouble you, Daoist Wulei, to make a trip to Floating Green Continent. We cannot allow the world to laugh at the Celestial Master’s Residence for having a sword but not using it.”

The young Daoist nodded, transforming into a streak of sword light, heading for Floating Green Continent.

When the Old Scholar appeared at the Celestial Master’s Residence, the situation on the Floating Green Continent battlefield was at its most precarious.

Therefore, the Old Scholar’s return to the Celestial Master’s Residence from Mount Sui was not a random act. However, before the Old Scholar rushed to Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Sage of the Sages gave a strange instruction: to wander around the Celestial Master’s Residence first, without rushing to reminisce. Thus, the Old Scholar sought out wine, asking, “What’s wrong with drinking a little of your wine, Zhao Tianlai? How many characters are on that couplet? Especially the inscription ‘Harmony of Heaven and Man,’ can it be casually given?”

The Confucian Temple had not been without complaints back then, feeling that it would siphon away a portion of Confucian orthodoxy. The key was that it was inappropriate. Especially the two Head and Deputy Head teachers of the Confucian Temple who had greatly reconstructed the literary lineage, ultimately listened to the Old Scholar’s reasoning, but neither gave him a kind look. So the Old Scholar only drank a jar of osmanthus wine; it couldn’t compensate for the several large vats of saliva he had wasted arguing. As for the dozens of jars of osmanthus wine that were accidentally left behind, consider it as the Celestial Master’s Residence saving it. Besides, to whom else could it be given? Can the Mountain God of Mount Sui, the first venerated on Haoran, compare? Or Bai Ze? Or the Sage of Sages or the Lord of Rites? One must have a sense of conscience. Gaining an advantage and acting ungrateful is not a good habit, change it.

After the Old Scholar was thrown out of the Star-Picking Platform by Zhao Tianlai, the Floating Green Continent battlefield was divided into two.

In the ancient battlefield world where Bai Ye’s mind-image partially manifested, the Talisman Master Yu Xuan from Middle Earth and the Great Demon Bai Ying on the Throne of Bones were locked in a fierce battle.

One of the fourteen thrones of the Wildlands faced one of the ten of Haoran. The battle of talisman puppets created by scattering beans and the bone army under her command was ubiquitous, and the battlefield spread across the heavens and the earth.

Bai Ye’s mind-image world had long been shattered, but it was supported by Yu Xuan with tens of thousands of talismans. This kind of immortal magic of mending the sky was not to be called unmagical, in fact more difficult than creating a small world alone.

Bai Ye still held the Tai Bai sword, slashing and slashing again, his sword poems were both heroic and elegant.

When Yang Zhi finally pointed out where Bai Ye’s fourteenth realm lay, it was in the poems within the heart of this “Invincible Poet of Haoran.”

Almost at the same time, in a small world with Talisman Master Yu Xuan, Bai Ying’s sword servant, Long Jian, holding the long sword refined by observing the soul, lightly shook a sword flower, and a string of golden characters trembled and turned to ashes.

However, there was not a single trace of spiritual energy added to the world.

Qie Yun helplessly held his forehead and said with a smile: “My heavens, Yang Zhi, sister, you finally see it! But is that the problem now? Isn’t it guessing how many poems, how many lines of poetry, Bai Ye has left in his heart?”

The fourteenth realm of harmony with the Dao.

It can be roughly divided into three types: heavenly timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony.

Harmony with the mountains and rivers of the world belongs to geographical advantage, similar to the Sub-Sage and Literary Sage of Haoran.

The Abbess of Lotus Hermitage and Talisman Master Yu Xuan belong to the harmony with the heavenly timing, related to the eternal and unchanging sun, moon, and stars that seem untouched by the river of time.

Bai Ye’s fourteenth realm of harmony with the Dao belongs to human harmony.

Moreover, for sword cultivators who want to enter the fourteenth realm, it is mostly the same. There is no hope for heavenly timing, and geographical advantage is meaningless. Besides, sword cultivators themselves pursue “天地無拘我劍” (Heaven and Earth cannot bind my sword), how can they actively seek to merge with the heaven and earth to prove the Dao.

Bai Ye’s sword never stopped. Not only did he ignore the stagnation of time and the freezing of all things and all laws, but his sword light was also untraceable. More importantly, Bai Ye’s spiritual energy consumption was extremely slow. No matter how many times he wielded the sword, apart from the spiritual energy consumed by delivering the sword, what was truly consumed was only the poems in his heart.

A waterfall came from the sky, the Yellow River fell from the heavens and flowed to the East Sea, falling into the human world and colliding fiercely with the Yiluo River manifested by Yang Zhi’s Great Dao. The waves were monstrous, and in a landscape painting in plain ink, ten thousand miles turned into a swamp, its momentum no weaker than the dispute between Yang Zhi and Fei Fei.

Bai Ye slashed Yang Zhi’s giant dragon form, which no longer maintained a human head, in two with one sword.

That Yuan Shou arrived with a ten-thousand-foot true form, wielding a staff, only a hundred miles away from Bai Ye, becoming one of the Great Demon Thrones closest to Bai Ye.

Tai Bai swept across with a sword, using a dazzling sword light that opened a line in the heavens and the earth, forcibly blocking the staff of Yuan Shou’s true form from smashing down.

The long staff in Yuan Shou’s hand shattered again. He shook his wrist and clenched his fist, and a long staff inscribed with “Sea Fixing” appeared in his hand again. He spat out a mouthful of blood. Fortunately, the poems in Bai Ye’s heart could not be repeated, otherwise, wouldn’t this fight have to go on until the end of time?

Not only that, but the lingering charm of Bai Ye’s sword intent also gave rise to mind-images, causing Yuan Shou, who was becoming increasingly fierce, to smash around with his staff, wishing he could smash the heavens and the earth together.

As for the Five Peaks, who were the first to approach Bai Ye with swords, their situation was similar to Bai Ying’s.

Floating clouds and setting sun, green mud winding, sad birds circling the forest, withered pines hanging upside down, steep paths winding, crags turning ten thousand times… The Great Dao is the blue sky, but there is no way out.

Even I, Bai Ye, cannot get out, let alone the Great Demon Five Peaks in the mind-image world, cannot get out.

These celestial phenomena made the Five Peaks three-headed and six-armed, their dharma form towering and majestic, almost reaching the sky, but still, their fists and weapons could not open the sky.

Visiting the Immortal, Bai Ye.

Yang Zhi finally shattered the Yellow River, but Bai Ye slashed again with another sword.
My white hair stretched three thousand zhang, I once fished for the White Dragon, drawing my blade to sever the flowing river, releasing the dragon to the stream’s side.

Three thousand snow-white flying swords fell like rain into the stream, a testament to the awe-inspiring power of the Sword-Slaying of the Great Serpent’s true form, the Revered Peak.

On one side of the stream, in the distant expanse, a general on a white steed, with banners crossing the river, iron cavalry arrayed in formations, as dense as a snow-capped mountain, their horses drinking, halting the waters.

Arrows rained down, iron spears thrust forward, and sword qi fell like rain again.

This was Bai Ye at the border.

He made the Revered Peak suffer unbearably.

The Great Demon Bull Cleaver, having escaped from its gilded cage, was about to close in on Bai Ye when the heavens and earth transformed. The northern clouds stretched across the sky, a scene of ten thousand miles of autumnal colors, a vast wilderness, and a chilling wind arose.

Where the wind arose, there too did the sword qi surge, mountain upon mountain, peak upon peak, obstructing the starry river, reaching across the constellations Dou and Niu.

“Qie Yun” remained unperturbed, shedding his skin once more, barely evading Bai Ye’s sword. He watched intently, glancing at the sky, initially thinking it was the sword qi from the descending jade coffin striking the ground. He then looked down at the mortal realm, wondering if it might be the verdant fields of the third month, but found it was neither. Instead, it was near a bustling marketplace tavern, where a youth was learning swordplay, reveling in wine and flowers, sharing a cup of wine, and embracing the heroic spirit of his life. A young swordsman traveled, laughing away his wine, slaying in the city.

This was the wandering swordsman Bai Ye.

This time, Qie Yun could not evade the wandering swordsman’s sword.

The next moment, Qie Yun, having just reassembled his body, found himself once more in the starry night sky, bitterly smiling. Even he was becoming weary of this, and he estimated the other Revered Peak Throne Holders were becoming ever more resolute in their desire to kill.

Dreaming of riding a white deer westward into the mountains, mountains of four thousand ren, thirty-two peaks, a thousand jade maidens accompanying him in the clouds. Singing aloud the immortal verses of the Purple Haze, “Open a celestial palace for me, my lords!” Refining jade for a thousand autumns, stepping on a rainbow bridge, the banished immortal circling the azure sky, leaving behind boundless traces. The Great White soars, stars arrayed, deeply drunk, leaning on his sword against an ancient pine, who says the Milky Way beneath his feet is wide, when in his eyes it is as narrow as a bolt of silk? Suddenly turning his head, he reached out with a smile to beckon the Azure Child…

In another battlefield.

Talismans are used mysteriously. Anyway fighting did not require one to roll up sleeves to do it personally. Furthermore, Bai Ying’s style was similar, therefore Yu Xuan taught Bai Ying many colloquialisms, such as, “Steal anything but a coffin to lie in,” “The frog wants its life, the snake wants its fill,” “Old man like me has no feathers but is blessed by the heavens,” “You’re like a sow squeezed in a corner, still grunting…”

The nonsense did not prevent Yu Xuan from handling a matter of utmost importance.

First, he used two golden talismans, silently concealed amongst thousands of talismans of varying quality, suspended at the eastern and western ends of the small world. They were the Sun Talisman and the Moon Talisman, each suspended in its respective direction, ultimately forming the character “明” (míng), meaning “bright.”

The sun and moon reflected each other, shining brilliantly throughout the world, illuminating all darkness. Hence, there was praise in the mountains, saying that with Yu Xuan’s talisman, the mortal world no longer needed lamp talismans.

However, Yu Xuan offered these two talismans to confirm one thing: the speed of the flow of the River of Time within the restrictions of Fufeng Continent, whether it was faster or slower. If there was indeed a difference in speed, how significant was that difference? Even with the sun and moon talismans combined into a “明” character, it was still impossible to verify this. To precisely discern the degree of time amidst the layers of restrictions and cages within the small world, was an immense and arduous task.

Yu Xuan then threw out two blue talismans, multitasking, chanting incantations, using one sleeve to hold two universes, offering two Day Scene Talismans and Water Clock Talismans.

“The sundial ceases to flow, the starlight halts its journey, fragrant rain pours down, sweet dew hangs above. The sun’s shadow reveals time, the flowing water sets the hour, hasten according to the ordinances!”

“Light is in the candle, water is in the arrow. Radiating in the sky, the essence intertwines, the atmosphere is entirely white, the sundial is small, melting the clouds and shattering the skies! Command!”

Yu Xuan gritted his teeth again, and tossed out another blue talisman, the “Pavilion Standing Talisman” of his own creation.

In the mountains, there is no water clock. Immortals in the clear spring water erect twelve lotus leaves, flowing with the waves, determining the twelve hours, the shadow of the gnomon without error.

With the release of the three talismans, the Great Dao manifested instantly.

Although the three blue talismans burned to ashes in an instant, Yu Xuan, even in that fleeting glance, had glimpsed the heavenly secret. He reminded Bai Ye, “Be careful of the River of Time reversing its flow…”

Yu Xuan was suddenly at a loss for words.

It turned out that just as Yu Xuan uttered half of his heartfelt words, three immortal swords pierced through the three layers of restrictions of Fufeng Continent, one after the other. The three swords conveniently negated Yu Xuan’s “Be careful,” “River of Time,” and “Reversing Flow” claims.

Not only that, but Qie Yun, who was in Bai Ye’s mental landscape, smiled at Bai Ye and said, “The most content in the mortal world is Bai Ye, truly deserving of the name.”

This “Qie Yun” was certainly not capable of controlling the three immortal swords, but “Qie Yun” could control the triple restrictions and the River of Time.

Therefore, even if Yu Xuan had discerned the heavenly secrets, he could not reveal a portion of the truth to Bai Ye.

Bai Ye said, “Jia Sheng.”

The method of substitution lies with Bai Ying. But the method of impersonation lies with Qie Yun. Therefore, this current Qie Yun could be considered both living and dead.

Another world, or another “truly deserving” mortal realm.

Four immortal swords gathered beside Bai Ye, and Bai Ye wielded Tai Bai, Dao Zang, Tian Zhen, and Wan Fa, each delivering a full-powered sword strike.

The four swords slew the four Revered Peak Throne Holders besides Bai Ying and “Qie Yun”, killing them so thoroughly that Five Peaks, Revered Peak, Yuan Shou, and Bull Cleaver could not be any more dead.

Qie Yun’s form dissipated, not taking a single sword strike, yet he perished in a way that the Great Dao vanished. Zhou Mi smiled slightly and said, “Using the sword of the future to kill the man of the present. Bai Ye can only depart.”

Zhou Mi said as his final words, “In the future, let’s have another swordsmanship contest, if we both still have the opportunity.”

A sword struck.

Bai Ye did not hesitate to use the present sword to slay the current Throne Holder, “Qie Yun.”

Zhou Mi allowed the sword light to strike his body.

A continent flipped, and the River of Time was in complete disarray.

Revered Peak and Yuan Shou looked at each other, seemingly not understanding why they were still alive.

Bull Cleaver and Five Peaks wore solemn expressions, looking towards Bai Ying, whose Great Dao had suddenly collapsed.

The biggest mystery was, where was Bai Ye?

Furthermore, why did Qie Yun’s aura resemble Bai Ying’s, as if the Great Dao was completely severed, yet still faintly connected, as if Qie Yun had inexplicably transformed into Zhou Mi?

As for where Yu Xuan and the four immortal swords had gone, it only added to the confusion of the revived Throne Holders.

How did Bai Ye, under Zhou Mi’s watch, kill Qie Yun and Bai Ying?

Liu Cha sheathed his sword, his expression complicated.

The vast world no longer held a Fourteenth Realm Bai Ye.

As for the immortal sword Tai Bai, only the scabbard remained, whereabouts unknown. The sword itself had been divided into four, scattered across the land, their momentum unstoppable.
A fragment of the Tai Bai Sword tip flew towards the vicinity of the Inverted Mountain Ruins.

The grey-robed old man seemed struck on the head by a palm, plummeting into the vortex below.

In the Central Earth Divine Continent, Zou Zi suddenly reached out, taking a Sword-Nurturing Gourd from Liu Cai and drawing a wisp of sword light into it.

He returned the gourd to Liu Cai, instructing the direct disciple swordsman to bow in gratitude to the scholar.

Fei Ran, who believed he was merely protecting the Mirage City out of boredom, suddenly widened his eyes, seeing a fragment of sword blade hovering before him.

The third wisp of sword light followed the immortal sword, Tian Zhen, piercing through the firmament of the Fifth Heaven. It plunged rapidly, finally landing gently beside the azure-robed Confucian scholar, Zhao Yao.

The last wisp of sword light… The gate-keeping Sword Immortal Zhang Lu turned a blind eye to the incoming sword light. He only guarded the gate against people, and what need was there to stop a broken piece of sword? Besides, Zhang Lu knew he couldn’t stop it even if he wanted to.

That wisp of sword light journeyed towards half of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Chen Ping’an abruptly raised his head, despite the barrier of the Jiazi Account, he still sensed the presence of that sword qi.

Li Zhen hesitated, ultimately remaining silent, only watching the grey-robed figure as it swept past the northern city wall for the first time, solely to prevent the fragment of immortal sword from falling into Chen Ping’an’s hands.

Chen Ping’an staggered. A Dharma Body rose up, none other than Chen Qingdu wielding a long sword, striking at the grey-robed figure with a single stroke, “Dragon Lord, receive this sword!”

Chen Qingdu’s last sword in his life, unleashed years after his death, was to sever the Dragon Lord.

Li Zhen squatted on the city wall, covering his head with his hands, refusing to watch the scene he had already witnessed once.

In a certain place within the Central Earth Divine Continent, plum blossoms bloomed, a Tai Bai of white flowers.

Beneath the tree, a child appeared out of thin air, looking around in confusion before tilting his head to gaze at the plum blossoms.

A tiger-head hat suddenly landed on the child’s head, an old scholar stroking the carefully prepared hat, laughing heartily, “If Heaven’s fortune is so, let us indulge in drink. Bai Ye, my brother, shall I take you for a drink?”

At the Sword Qi Great Wall, Chen Ping’an finally managed to sit up, only to see a greyish-white rag wrapped around a fragment of sword tip, suspended before him. What was this situation? Had the old dog Dragon Lord and the little thief Li Zhen learned to plot? And with such substantial capital, no less.

An old man’s figure appeared beside Chen Ping’an, bending down and slapping the young Hidden Official on the head, saying, “Consider it compensation for a broken promise.”

Chen Ping’an turned his head, but only saw the dissipating figure of the Eldest Sword Immortal. Before Chen Ping’an could rise, Chen Qingdu took the initiative to sit on the ground, placing his hands folded in his lap, gently clenching his fists. The old man asked with a smile, “How was this sword?”

Chen Ping’an considered for a moment, then, damn it all, sincerely said, “Impressive.”

Chen Qingdu laughed, “You really just blurt it out, just like me back then.”

Years ago, by the riverbank, the young swordsman had said, “Then fight, then.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Rest assured.”

Chen Qingdu nodded, “Very good.”

Chen Ping’an said nothing more.

Chen Qingdu then dissipated from the world.

The young Hidden Official, in his bright red Dharma robes, clenched his fists on his knees. After a moment, Chen Ping’an’s robes suddenly transformed into a white garment. He stood up, walked to the city wall, and looked towards the other half of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Then a figure landed beside him, a great beard and a sword on his back, the swordsman Liu Cha.