The old sword cultivator was baffled and asked, “Hidden Official, what are you doing?”

He was puzzled because the handsome Hidden Official had, without anyone noticing, formed a sword incantation with his fingers, creating a circle of golden sword energy around them, clearly isolating this small space to prevent eavesdropping.

Just this display of refined swordsmanship alone convinced the old sword cultivator that the Hidden Official was definitely an immortal.

Was the Hidden Official trying to conceal his identity? Was it necessary? The old sword cultivator didn’t want to interfere with the Hidden Official’s affairs.

Chen Ping An said, “I appreciate your good intentions, senior, but I can handle this situation myself.”

He glanced at the sleeping dandy on the ground. With a bamboo-like foundation and a paper-thin physique, he was no ordinary pretty boy, probably just a young talent relying on his sect’s reputation and his ancestor’s name.

If a small one came and then an old one, maybe even a grand ancestor coming to demand explanations, he would talk nicely if they were reasonable, and if not, he would just throw in a few more punches.

If it turned out to be a Great Cultivator of the Ascension Realm, he would just inform his senior brother, since they weren’t far from the Wen Temple.

However, if all went as expected, Li Huai and his Ascension Realm escort should arrive at Mandarin Duck Isle soon.

The old sword cultivator felt uneasy hearing the “senior” title. It was even more unsettling than Old Turtle Lord Pu constantly calling him an old useless thing.

The Hidden Official was being too polite, and excessive politeness meant distance, as if he didn’t consider him one of his own. This wouldn’t do. This was a golden opportunity that he couldn’t miss, or how would he get his revenge on Pu He when he returned to his home, Flowing Sunset Continent? The old sword cultivator had already planned how he would brag to Pu He once he was back.

The old sword cultivator mistakenly thought that the young Hidden Official didn’t want him to get involved and laughed magnanimously, “No matter what this kid’s name is, he must have some backing to be here. Hidden Official, just relax. I’ll just give him a sneaky sword strike, not actually cut off his head.”

Chen Ping An was a little helpless. So even the senior didn’t know the name or background of this dandy?

Chen Ping An certainly didn’t want this old sword cultivator, who was closely related to the Mi Yun Xie Clan, to be inexplicably dragged into this situation. It wasn’t necessary.

Seeing that the young Hidden Official didn’t speak, the old sword cultivator thought he had guessed his thoughts. He was probably worried that he would be clumsy and leave a mess. The old man glanced at the flashy young man on the ground and thought, strangely, the more he looked at him, the more he deserved a beating. The old sword cultivator’s thoughts became clearer, his sword heart never so lucid. He explained his plans to the young Hidden Official in detail, “As long as I poke him with my sword, the sword energy will linger in this little bastard’s key meridians, making it impossible for even immortals to save him later. I’ll quickly leave the Wen Temple territory and return to Flowing Sunset Continent for a few years. Before leaving on the ferry, I’ll ask a friend in the mountains to pass on a message, saying that I’ve long been annoyed with this kid. So, Hidden Official, your actions just now weren’t harming him, but saving him, especially that kick, it was a life-saving measure to dissipate the sword energy. In short, I guarantee that the Hidden Official won’t get any of this mess on you. We’re sword cultivators, after all. If we don’t have some mountain feuds, we’d be embarrassed to call ourselves sword cultivators when we go out for drinks.”

Among the Four Troublesome Devils of the mountains, sword cultivators were undoubtedly the first.

There was a reason for this. Sword cultivators could get by anywhere. If one place didn’t want them, there were other places that would.

Even if no place wanted them, as sword cultivators, they could stand tall between heaven and earth with just their swords.

For example, in Treasure Bottle Continent, Li Tuanjing once single-handedly suppressed the Righteous Sun Mountain for hundreds of years. The Wind and Thunder Garden during Li Tuanjing’s time was more like a sect than an actual sect.

The biggest impression Chen Ping An had of the sword cultivator Liu Baqiao when he was young, besides his infatuation, was Liu Baqiao’s high-spirited demeanor. It was as if there were no obstacles in the world other than love.

There was also Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple, who took the initiative to ask for a sword fight against Xie Shi, the Heavenly Sovereign of the Northern Entirely Reed Continent, twice. The second time, he even traveled across continents with his sword.

At the Spring Pennant Lodge in Upside Down Mountain, when he first gathered the ferry managers from different continents, Xie Zhi from Floating Support Continent, Song Ping from Golden Armor Continent, Pu He from Flowing Sunset Continent, and Xie Songhua from Snowy White Continent, they all appeared at the behest of the Summer Retreat Palace and spoke with their fellow villagers. Without exception, their styles were all decisive and efficient. Especially Pu He, he wasn’t a rogue cultivator, but his style was wilder than that of a rogue cultivator. Not only did he directly throw a nascent soul manager of the “Dense Embroidery” ferry out of the house, but after returning home, he still found Li Xun, the old ancestor of the Cloud Forest Secret Mansion where the ferry was located. Leng Ran, a Sword Immortal who was a guest elder of the sect, naturally didn’t want to have a sword fight with Pu He. Due to his duty, he wanted to mediate, but Situ Jiyu received Pu He’s flying sword message and arrived on his sword. In the end, Li Xun had to apologize to the sword cultivator Pu He, who had fallen to the nascent soul realm, even though he had the home advantage and more people.

These were the actions of sword cultivators.

Asking for a sword fight, being asked for a sword fight, both sides felt it was a matter of course.

Chen Ping An became a sword cultivator in the Sword Qi Great Wall. Even subconsciously, it seemed that Chen Ping An, the sword cultivator, was still there, not returning for a long time.

It wasn’t until he met the old sword cultivator Yu Yue that Chen Ping An remembered that the sword cultivators of the Great Light World, especially those who became Sword Immortals, were actually very reasonable, but their reasons were often extraordinary.

Just like Yu Yue today. Without asking anything, he would just chop first.

Yu Yue or his friend Pu He, no matter what worldly identities they had, they had to make way for the words “sword cultivator.”

And in Chen Ping An’s mind, the sword cultivators of the world were divided into three types: the Sword Qi Great Wall, the Northern Entirely Reed Continent, and other sword cultivators.

If only speaking of the sword cultivators of the Great Light World, there were only two types: those who had been to the Sword Qi Great Wall and those who had not.

Chen Ping An smiled and shook his head, “It’s really not necessary.”

The old sword cultivator was clearly disappointed that he didn’t get to chop anyone, “Then I’ll listen to the Hidden Official. Consider this little brat burning incense.”

This old sword cultivator from Flowing Sunset Continent, who came here with the Mi Yun Xie Clan, was named Yu Yue, a genuine Jade Purity Realm bottleneck cultivator, an old Jade Purity cultivator.
Yu Yue possessed two natal flying swords, named “Startled Bird” and “Hundred Flowers,” respectively. He once engaged in a fierce battle with an ancient immortal of皚皚洲 (Ái’ái Zhōu, Snowy Continent). When the two swords were unleashed together, their power was immense, earning him the reputation of “A bird flies, erasing lightning; a hundred flowers fill the rivers,” and “Sword Qi soars, leveling the Southern Dipper.” Earlier, when he summoned his flying sword, it was, unsurprisingly, “Startled Bird,” the sword famed across the two continents for its swiftness like wind and lightning.

For the past two centuries, Yu Yue had served as a guest elder, and the chief one at that, for the Xie Clan of Dense Clouds in 皚皚洲.

In the Vast World, outside of sword cultivator sects, mountain sects and immortal abodes, and even wealthy clans of earthly dynasties, all considered it an honor to have one or two Sword Immortal retainers or guest elders.

Especially in 皚皚洲, where Sword Immortals were scarce, this trend was most prevalent.

The Liu Clan’s strenuous efforts to invite Xie Songhua as a guest elder a few years ago were a prime example. The Liu Clan of 皚皚洲 was not lacking in top-tier combat strength; they had a multitude of retainers, even the Boundary Martial Artist Pei A’xiang’s ranking was not high. Moreover, Liu Jubao’s own cultivation was unfathomable, placing him among the rare few great cultivators from other continents who could catch the eye of the Central Earth Divine Continent, alongside the Fire Dragon Real Person and Chen Chunan.

Chen Ping’an retracted the sword array he had learned from Cui Dongshan.

The two groups of anglers were not of high cultivation realms, so they had not heard Chen Ping’an’s conversation with the old sword cultivator. Furthermore, they were within the sword array, so the scenery was blurred, making it difficult for outsiders to see clearly.

Yu Yue sincerely praised, “The Hidden Officer’s swordsmanship is truly displayed magnificently, leaving one speechless.”

Chen Ping’an was too embarrassed to respond.

He had learned something.

The so-called “speechless” seemed to be the best form of blank space.

The Summer Retreat Palace had detailed records of foreign sword cultivators, with varying degrees of detail.

Yu Yue, the old sword cultivator who was quite young back then, had a very cursory entry in the Sword Qi Great Wall’s records.

It was the sloppy handwriting of Luo Shan, a previous generation Hidden Officer Sword Immortal: “Yu Yue of Flowing Rosy Continent, a Golden Core realm cultivator, with two flying swords, flower and bird something, of decent quality, negligible battle merits.”

Apart from the old sword cultivator Yu Yue, for the outsiders on both sides, this incident was indeed unexpected.

The event unfolded suddenly, from the unheralded attack by the azure-robed figure, to the jade-tier old sword immortal of the Xie Clan of Dense Clouds failing to save the person with his flying sword, retracting his sword, and then rising to speak. In the blink of an eye, the handsome, hairpin-adorned young master from a Central Earth sect was already lying on the ground, barely alive. Fortunately, the plum blossom from the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land that he wore in his hair remained vibrant, without a single petal damaged. And for some reason, Yu Yue seemed to be chatting with that young-looking “expert” with a terrible temper? Although no one knew what they were talking about, judging by Yu Yue’s cupped fist salutes and smiling face, had he encountered some carefree mountain senior amusing himself in the mortal world?

The Xie Clan’s noble young master, who enjoyed reclining and drinking while reciting poetry, suddenly sat upright, slapping his knee and exclaiming loudly, “Abrupt and sudden, is he an immortal? An immortal indeed!”

A cultivator’s realm being high or low was one thing, but how impressive the fight looked was another. Skillful techniques, flowing like clouds and water, a ethereal presence, and divinely inspired expressiveness were the true hallmarks of skill.

In other words, this public son of the wealthy Xie Clan preferred beautiful moves, with aesthetics as the top priority, needing to have an immortal air and flowing elegance.

For example, his own chief guest elder, Sword Immortal Yu Yue’s full-force sword strikes, were very pleasing.

Yu Yue looked embarrassed and continued to speak telepathically to the young Hidden Officer, “Hidden Officer, pay no mind to this kid; he may be dim-witted, but his heart is not bad.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “I can see that.”

After all, he was a fellow lover of doggerel.

Yu Yue’s side, mainly the three wealthy clans, remained relatively quiet, with a clear intention to observe from the sidelines.

Only the young woman from the Immortal Rosy Zhu Clan of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, who was of unknown relation to Zhu Mei, was rather carefree. She still did not choose to use telepathy, but directly asked with a smile to the Xie Clan’s young master, “Can you tell what realm he is?”

The man chuckled, “I can tell he’s not a lower five-realm Qi Refiner.”

The woman gave a charming roll of her eyes, then turned to look at the azure-robed man, feeling somewhat curious. The pitiable wretch from the Nine Truths Immortal Pavilion was, after all, a Golden Core cultivator with excellent life-saving skills, and the direct disciple of the Pavilion Master, his beloved disciple. How had he ended up in such a sorry state, like a helpless chick to be toyed with?

In the Central Earth Divine Continent, geniuses emerged in droves, and the young people were all more ambitious than the sky. As for the old patriarchs of the various mountain sects, they did not mind brawls between peers, but if there was a vast difference in age, and someone relied on their realm accumulated over the years to bully a junior, it was a serious taboo. No matter how she looked at it, the azure-robed guest who looked young but was ruthless in his actions was not young at all. As for exactly how many centuries old, it was hard to guess. A fellow who could exchange glances with the old jade-tier Yu Yue – a young Nascent Soul Sword Immortal of two or three hundred years old? Or an old jade-tier Sword Immortal of five hundred years or more, with a youthful appearance?

The young cultivator from Lotus Flower City who was able to follow Yu Yue and attempt to save the man, looked particularly solemn.

Casually wading into troubled waters could have endless consequences.

If he had known that the opponent could ignore Yu Yue’s flying sword “Startled Bird,” he would never have rashly made a move.

However, Lotus Flower City of the Golden Armor Continent and the Nine Truths Immortal Pavilion of the Great Yong Dynasty in Central Earth had a long-standing friendly relationship, and trade between them was frequent. In terms of both sentiment and reason, he should have intervened.

In the past, the two sides were equal, but after the battle of the Golden Armor Continent, although Lotus Flower City managed to barely protect its mountain, it suffered heavy losses, so much so that its own City Lord had to break her oath and leave Lotus Flower City for the first time, traveling far across the continent to Central Earth, and proactively seeking out the Zhuolu Song Zi whom she had originally vowed never to see again in this life.

The young female sword cultivator from the Eyebrow Mountain Sword Sect, gripped the writing brush-shaped paperweight at her waist with one hand and formed a sword seal with the other, speaking telepathically with a group of friends, “He is a deeply hidden sword cultivator. The opponent’s method of isolating heaven and earth just now is very likely the Thunder Pool Sword Array, which is Sword Immortal Liu of Dique Immortal Mountain’s best skill. The talisman technique from before was a smokescreen used by this person.”

The Plum Blossom Hermitage Immortal, who had a treasure-spitting little sable perched on her shoulder, paled slightly and could not help but tremble as she asked, “Should I activate the Mirror Flower Water Moon to prevent this person from acting recklessly and killing people at will?”

The man from Lotus Flower City sighed, “Absolutely do not add fuel to the fire; we can only wait and see. Have you forgotten? Sword Immortals are the least concerned about rules and taboos when they kill people.”

The female cultivator from Plum Blossom Hermitage softly said, “This is near the Confucian Temple; even a Sword Immortal wouldn’t dare to kill people casually, right?”
The man sighed, and patiently explained, “When a Sword Immortal wields their flying sword, of course they can sever a head with a single strike, but they can also choose not to pursue such immediate results. They could simply leave behind a few wisps of sword Qi, hidden within a cultivator’s meridians. It appears to be a minor injury, but it’s actually a vicious method of severing the cultivator’s Bridge of Transcendence. Moreover, once the sword Qi infiltrates the soul, even if only slightly, it’s enough to ruin any hope of future cultivation, even if the Bridge remains intact.”

A Golden Core Sword Cultivator from the Eyebrow Mountain Sword Sect nodded. “It does indeed resemble the sword array of Immortal Liu Zhou.”

Liu Zhou excelled at using his flying sword, the Golden Spike, to create a Lightning Pool Forbidden Ground. A Qi Refiner trapped within would be suppressed by the sword Qi of the heavens and earth. A Qi Refiner already found it exceedingly difficult to face a Sword Cultivator of comparable realm, and with the addition of an array and restriction, the disparity only widened.

Could this “young” Sword Immortal be from the same lineage as Immortal Liu Zhou, who was fond of playing chess? Or perhaps a reclusive patriarch from some immortal mountain who disliked showing their face?

If that were the case, then everything would make sense.

The subtle changes in everyone’s expressions did not escape Chen Ping An’s notice.

Often, a person’s eyes, the subtle details on their face, the unspoken words, were closer to the truth than anything they might say aloud.

Chen Ping An glanced at an old man in the distance, with a refined and scholarly air. He seemed to be a guest elder of the Qiu family of Yu Prefecture, Flowing Sunset Continent. He sat beside two young men, admiring the scenery of the Mandarin Duck Isle. An open wooden box sat beside him, filled with carving knives of various styles. He was not fishing, but constantly carving jade, using the shallow relief technique of landscapes. After Chen Ping An created a small world of golden lightning pools with his sword Qi, the other cultivators, whether through their techniques or their intentions, were immediately dispersed upon contact with the sword Qi, and one by one they retreated, knowing their limitations. Only this old man was able to touch the lightning pool sword array without being repelled, and with a twist of his wrist, a slight movement of his carving knife, there was a hint of unraveling the array. However, with strength to spare, the old man quickly abandoned this “sword asking” gesture.

Sensing Chen Ping An’s gaze, the old man smiled slightly and said apologetically through mental transmission, “My attempt to break your array just now was a matter of habit. Please do not take it to heart, Sword Immortal. Afterwards, I will offer this landscape relief carving, which is nearing completion, as an apology.”

Chen Ping An replied mentally, “I cannot accept unearned rewards. You also need not overthink it, Master. A brief encounter amid the scenery, a slight carving of human sentiment, is best when it stops at the perfect moment.”

Walking the path of life, one doesn’t always need to take a step back. Sometimes, one only needs to take the initiative to step aside, and a single-plank bridge transforms into a broad road.

The old man was slightly surprised, and nodded with a smile. “I never imagined that the Sword Immortal was also a connoisseur of metal and stone carvings. A pleasure to meet you. I am Lin Qing, a disciple of Yang Xuan.”

Chen Ping An’s eyes lit up. He immediately changed his mind and said, “Then I shall accept Master Lin’s relief carving with a smile.”

He had not heard of Lin Qing, but the name Yang Xuan resonated like thunder in his ears. This man hailed from the Old Pit Blessed Land and liked to inscribe the character “璇” (Xuan) on his masterpieces, making them worth a thousand gold pieces.

Yang Xuan was to the Old Pit Blessed Land, under the jurisdiction of the Xuan Sect, what the Cao family, who served as architects for the Jiang clan’s workshops, were to the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land.

They both achieved mutual success.

The Cao family, generation after generation, built the eighteen scenic spots of the Cloud Grotto Blessed Land. Yang Xuan, through his own efforts, helped several unique jades from the Old Pit Blessed Land become essential items for the literati’s desk in the vast world.

The establishment of a mountain sect relied on the founder’s cultivation, realm, and connections.

However, the true foundation of a sect depended on having several treasure troves like Yang Xuan and the Cao family.

His own Fallen Mountain now had one and a half.

Pei Xiang, the fox lord of the Lotus Root Blessed Land, could only be considered half for the time being.

As for the “one,” that was of course the Law Enforcer, Chang Ming, who possessed divine powers.

Chen Ping An took the initiative to say, “If I have the opportunity, I hope to visit Master Yang and boldly ask for a few jade mountain carvings to ward off evil influences and protect the house.”

Because in the book of immortals purchased at the Upside-Down Mountain’s Lingzhi Shop, Chen Ping An had seen records of this Yang Xuan. Of course, the text was not extensive, but for a craftsman, it was a great honor.

In the “Records of Mountains and Seas,” which described the customs and landscapes of the vast world, there was a line: “Yang Xuan carves fox knob seals, the neck is slightly purple, an unparalleled divine product,” which made people yearn for it. The book also contained a magical imprint of Yang Xuan’s most famous small jade mountain carving, known as the Eighteen Grotto Heavens.

It was Yang Xuan’s most adept shallow relief carving, depicting a scene of streams and mountains, with high skies and sparse clouds, a hermit riding a donkey, a porter following behind, and a pavilion hidden among the verdant mountains. Upon closer inspection, the inscriptions beneath the eaves were meticulously detailed, and in the pavilion, a beautiful woman leaned against the railing, holding a silk fan, with a painting of a beauty on the fan. The beauty was dressing in front of a mirror, the mirror reflected the moon, the moon held the Cold Palace, and in the Cold Palace, there were still goddesses pounding silk…

Layer upon layer, hidden within each other, it was truly the pinnacle of intricate craftsmanship.

In truth, as long as it was an authentic work of Yang Xuan, it would be a huge profit no matter how high the price, once resold. Therefore, what the cultivators lacked was not money, but the connections to talk business face-to-face with Yang Xuan.

The talisman immortal who was about to merge with the stellar river and ascend to the Fourteenth Realm, known as One Ancestor Mountain, Three Sub-Sects, under whose jurisdiction was an upper-class blessed land, a small grotto heaven, and two middle-class blessed lands, with vast financial resources, was just one of them. Yang Xuan, though only a craftsman by birth and in the Nascent Soul realm, was said to be highly valued by Immortal Yu Xuan. Who would dare to force a sale on Yang Xuan? One might accidentally end up stuffed full of talismans.

Similarly, even among national masters who were chess candidates, there were strong and weak players. Then similarly, among those in the Ascension Realm, there were even more distinctions between strong and weak.

The talisman immortal, the Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Fire Dragon Real Person, were all recognized as old Ascension Realms, meaning both that they were old in age, but also that the depths of their Ascension Realm foundations were unfathomable.

Lin Qing was extremely surprised to hear this, but he still nodded with a smile, agreeing.

As a guest elder of the Qiu family of Yu Prefecture, the old man immediately warned the two Qiu family disciples, who “valued loyalty above all else,” through mental communication, “Divine Skill, Profound Achievement, do not act rashly. This person is definitely not some rebellious madman. He might have old grievances with the Nine Truths Immortal Hall. In short, we can simply observe from afar, and be careful not to speak carelessly.”

The old gentleman thought for a moment, then added, “This Sword Immortal, whose true age is unknown, greatly admires my teacher. Judging from his bearing, he is most likely from a prominent clan, just like the two young masters, so there is absolutely no need to antagonize him for the sake of a Nine Truths Immortal Hall with a mediocre reputation.”
Yu Yue and the Xie family lad exchanged a few words. Breaking his own rule, he acted as a messenger spirit and immediately said to the young Hidden Official, “That fellow on the ground is called Li Qingzhu. He loves eating crabs, hence the nickname ‘Li Hundred Crabs’. He’s one of the direct disciples of Yun Miao, the master of the Nine Truth Immortal Pavilion. Li Qingzhu’s cultivation talent is mediocre, but he knows how to brown-nose. He and his master are probably two of a kind, so he’s deeply favored, almost like a son. Like master, like disciple, rotten to the core.”

Chen Ping’an nodded and smiled, “I understand.”

Chen Ping’an gently kicked the hairpin-wearing guest’s head and chuckled, “Wake up, it’s not even dark yet, don’t sleep.”

The young man who had just skipped twice on the water slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the elusive green-robed man, his face turned pale. Using both hands and feet, he remained lying down, shuffling backward.

Indeed, this prodigy of the Central Earth Divine Continent was worried that if he got up, he’d just end up back down again. Might as well stay lying down, maybe he’d suffer less.

Oh, quite the actor.

Chen Ping’an saw through his sleeve’s subtle movement at a glance. He was using a unique secret technique to summon reinforcements.

He pretended not to notice, not stopping him at all.

Because Chen Ping’an wanted to see his next expression.

A belly full of bad ideas, constantly swirling, ultimately requires a wicked heart to support that boldness.

When that wicked heart is completely crushed, turning into a pool of bitter bile, the wicked will become much more honest.

Since he had already sent a message to his mentor, he must feel like everything was fine, so the hairpin-wearing young man sat up.

Li Qingzhu quickly regained his composure, his charm still present. He even had the leisure to adjust the plum blossom pinned in his hair.

He smoothed his robes. His injuries were severe, his vital energy was in chaotic disarray. Just healing and recuperation would be costly and laborious. It would take at least two or three years to fully recover. This fellow before him was truly hateful!

The man still smiled faintly, “Today’s humiliation will be repaid handsomely.”

Chen Ping’an reached out his hand, smiling, “Hand it over.”

The direct disciple of the Nine Truth Immortal Pavilion’s master was somewhat puzzled.

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “Talking about money hurts feelings, but we don’t have any relationship to hurt. Hurry up and give me the money. Paying a toll for safe passage is often paying for your life.”

The man’s eyes blazed, and he laughed loudly, “Buying my life?! Do you even know that my master is at the Mandarin Duck Isle right now! I’m afraid you’ll have the ability to take it, but not the ability to spend it.”

His courage was soaring. He slowly rose to his feet, patted the dust off his body with one hand, and extended the other, “Hand it over. It’s your turn.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Wearing flowers is fine, but wearing plum blossoms in your hair is a bit inappropriate. It easily invites bad luck.”

Li Qingzhu smiled faintly, “Very well, that’s a wise saying. I’ll be sure to pass it on to the Flower Goddess.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Looks like you haven’t learned your lesson, you can’t control your tongue. Remember to keep your word and convey that sentence to the Flower Goddess later.”

Li Qingzhu was fearless now, even if the Heavenly King came. He was in the right, after all. No matter how you sliced it, this guy was wantonly injuring people.

The mountain values intention over action?

Who did he think he was?

The Sage of Rites?!

He was just a kid in Gu Qingsong’s eyes. If he was so capable, why didn’t he try to curry favor with the Fire Dragon True Man? Why didn’t he buddy up with the great sword immortal?

Li Qingzhu turned his head to look at the red-clothed woman, then withdrew his gaze and grinned.

So what if he looked at her again? Come and get him. At this moment, there must be many experts on the Mandarin Duck Isle paying attention to this place. He dared him to continue committing violence in public.

Chen Ping’an used his mind to speak to him, “Do you know that Yun Miao is waiting on the shore of Mandarin Duck Isle, waiting for me to strike again before he shows himself? So as long as I stand still and chat with you, you can only stand here, embarrassing yourself? What’s the point of you saying or doing anything now?”

“Think about it again, even if Yun Miao helps you get your revenge later, so what? Li Hundred Crabs’ sideways stroll in Mandarin Duck Isle is still a mountain and water anecdote worth writing about. When the Wen Miao Mountain and Water Gazette is unsealed, will it spread throughout the Central Earth Divine Continent? I think it will.”

“Also, Brother Qingzhu, have you noticed that the female sword cultivator from the Eyebrow Mountain Sword Sect that you admire is growing further and further away from you from today onwards? Even the plum blossom hermitage fairy who originally admired you, her gaze has changed? Or, perhaps, your master Yun Miao, after returning to the Nine Truth Immortal Pavilion, will inevitably remember the beautiful scenery of skipping stones on Mandarin Duck Isle every time he sees you, his prized disciple?”

Li Qingzhu’s face was ashen.

The man then began to speak with a smile, “Guess if I’m saying these words to you alone in my mind, or if everyone can hear them?”

“Brother Qingzhu, oh Brother Qingzhu, what do you think I’m trying to do by letting you skip twice on the water? Naturally, I’m helping you become famous in the Wen Miao! After Gu Qingsong’s battle in Panxi County, you’re probably the most famous.”

“It’s okay, fame is nothing, mountain cultivators don’t feel the changing seasons, it’s normal to not leave the mountain for decades. Besides, your fellow disciples, who only know how to cultivate foolishly, will definitely comfort you a few words on the mountain.”

“Look, a Nine Truth Immortal Pavilion, both inside and outside the mountain, from your mentor to your fellow disciples. I’ve considered everything for you. I’ve even thought of two nicknames for you in the Mountain and Water Gazette, one is Li Water-Skipper, the other is Li Squint-Eye. So how can you be embarrassed to ask me for money? Shouldn’t you be giving me money as a reward for my gratitude?”

Li Qingzhu’s face was as white as snow, his lips trembled.

This time, he no longer had the courage to squint at the woman, and he didn’t even have the heart to exchange harsh words with the green-robed man before him.

These words.

They were like a sword cultivator delivering a sword strike, but continuing to question with the sword for ten years, a hundred years.

Because the real swordsman was precisely everyone familiar to Li Qingzhu.

Every now and then, someone would help Chen Ping’an deliver the sword and ask the questions.

“Just kidding with you, it’s really meaningless.”

Chen Ping’an kicked the fellow into the water again, this time with considerable force, like a chopstick tilted and inserted into the water, directly hitting the riverbed, “Go call your elders over.”

He wanted to learn about the Nine Truth Immortal Pavilion’s demeanor.

Those who aren’t true anglers can’t understand the beauty of this saying.

If the fish that comes ashore is too small, it will be released, and they’ll often say something like that. It’s as popular as “Baiting the water surface, the water level rises three feet.”
Chen Ping’an rubbed his chin. “This is no ordinary hard head. It didn’t even crack open.”

Li Baoping glanced at the Mandarin Duck Isle in the distance, in the middle of the water, and asked softly, “Little Martial Uncle?”

She sensed the anomaly over there.

What she meant was, did she need to call her elder brother over to help.

Chen Ping’an turned his head and smiled, “A trifle.”

Chen Ping’an’s meaning was even simpler. A trifle meant nothing at all. With Little Martial Uncle around, it was more than enough.

On the Mandarin Duck Isle, a man with an displeased expression, after receiving a message for help from his direct disciple, the immortal himself, stood by the water’s edge with his hands behind his back, but cast the “Palm Gazing Mountains and Rivers” divine ability, remotely observing the man in the green robe by the river.

Yun Miao, the master of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall, seeing that the man dared to injure someone again under his very nose, shouted angrily, “Bold thief!” These four words were like thunder on the river. The immortal then manifested a Dharma Image, wearing a snow-white robe, trailing behind him, like a white rainbow piercing the sun, with an imposing aura. In an instant, he flew above the river, looking down at the people by the river.

The immortal’s Dharma Image, towering high above, with a majestic aura, said in a deep voice, “Who are you, young man, daring to injure people indiscriminately in the sacred land of the Literary Temple without asking questions?!”

He had obviously not attended any Literary Temple meetings, otherwise he would not have uttered the phrase “Who are you, young man.”

Yu Yue was truly displeased.

*I* am a Jade Purity Sword Cultivator. If I don’t slay an immortal, should I slay a Jade Purity Qi Refiner instead? Is this bullying?

He didn’t recognize the little whelp floating in the water enjoying himself, but Yu Yue was no stranger to this Central Earth immortal who appeared so imposing. In fact, most of the peak cultivators, Ascendant Realm cultivators, and immortals of the Grand Azure World, as well as the Jade Purity Realm sword immortals, knew each other. They either relied on those Mountain and Water Gazettes. As long as the other party didn’t use illusionary arts, they could recognize each other at a glance. For example, this white-robed immortal, named Yun Miao, with the Daoist title Green Haze, also had a Daoist partner who had just entered the Immortal Realm. A mountain peak with a pair of immortal partners, so in recent years, the Nine Truths Immortal Hall had become increasingly arrogant.

Chen Ping’an dissuaded Yu Yue with a mental message, “Senior, please don’t draw your sword yet.”

He felt a little unaccustomed.

If it were on the Great Wall of Swords, the sword cultivators would have already started cheering and whistling, helping to draw swords? They would be too busy watching the show to drink.

Yu Yue immediately restrained his sword aura. “The Hidden Official is in charge, I’ll just watch for now. But if you need me to draw my sword later, don’t hesitate, just let me know, or give me a glance.”

Chen Ping’an folded his hands in his sleeves, looked up, and smiled, “My surname is Wu, given name Die. We’re not familiar, you can call me by my given name.”

It wasn’t that this immortal had a good temper, but in mountain battles, there must first be a moral high ground before one could strike a deadly blow.

The immortal’s Dharma Image reached out a large hand to grab the drowning chicken first.

Chen Ping’an sneered, “Did you ask if I agreed?”

He joined his index and middle fingers together to form a sword gesture, and cast a finger sword technique. A sword light appeared out of nowhere and slashed down, severing the arm of the immortal’s Dharma Image, along with a section of the river on the Mandarin Duck Isle.

Yun Miao was caught off guard, and the sword light was too swift. Fortunately, the Dharma Image’s jade-like arm, along with the white sleeves of the robe, quickly returned to normal.

Chen Ping’an smiled and sent a mental message to the people by the river.

The Yun Miao’s Immortal Dharma Image, sneered, “What overstepping actions did this disciple of mine commit? That required you to strike so heavily? Injuring his internal organs, and affecting six Natal Acupoints?! Striking twice, almost breaking his bridge to immortality. What family’s Sword Cultivator, dare to act so tyrannical?!”

The people by the river had strange expressions.

Even the young female cultivator from the Eyebrow Mountain Sword Sect, and the Plum Blossom Hermitage Fairy who had been trembling with fear earlier, felt like laughing at this moment, but they struggled to hold it back, not daring to show it.

Because before the Yun Miao Immortal from the Nine Truths Immortal Hall spoke, the green-robed sword immortal seemed to have foreseen it, and said a few words, saying that our immortal, after taking a sword strike, felt that he had encountered a tough opponent, and would definitely complain about his disciple first, in order to win over the onlookers on the Mandarin Duck Isle, and then ask about my Ancestral Master inheritance and mountain peak lineage, so as to decide whether to engage in a martial battle or a literary debate.

Yu Yue was deeply moved, the Hidden Official, who was praised so highly by Old Man Pu, was indeed well-deserved.

Yun Miao noticed the strange expressions of the people by the river, but he didn’t think much about it, and couldn’t afford to be distracted. The immortal’s Dharma Image, with one hand forming a talisman incantation, and the other hand forming a military incantation.

He summoned the river water, turning it into a cyan flood dragon, crashing towards the green robe by the river, while upstream, a half-descended, half-manifested golden deity general appeared, walking on the waves.

Chen Ping’an took a step forward, arriving at the heart of the river, sword energy pouring out, his figure as if standing in a round snow-white moon.

A round moon of sword energy collided with a water dragon, the astral winds stirred violently, the river water churned, setting off huge waves that crashed against the shore. The green-robed man, however, still had the strength to take care of the shore, gently shaking his sleeve, and shaking out a stream of talismans, lined up on the shore, like soldiers arrayed in battle, completely shattering those waves. The deity general held a long spear, dragging out extremely long golden lines of light, the streamers reaching seventy or eighty zhang. The long spear pierced through the sword energy moon, but the green-robed guest raised his arm, joined his index and middle fingers together, and gently resisted the tip of the spear.

The immortal’s Dharma Image raised one hand, actually creating fire dragons in the water. Several fire dragons revolved on the surface of the water, surrounding the green robe from afar, creating a unique formation like an alchemy furnace, refining him with true fire, the river water boiling, clouds and mist rising into the air.

Then he raised another palm and brought it down again, and a bronze round mirror appeared in the sky and on earth, shining in all directions, enveloping the green-robed guest within it.

Immortal Yun Miao then sacrificed a Natal Treasure. The Dharma Image held a huge white jade Ganoderma, and slammed it heavily towards the green-robed guest in the river.

The immortal’s methods were endless.

The battle was in full swing.

As for the young sword immortal who seemed to be at a disadvantage, and only had the power to parry, he was just guarding his own little territory, obediently enjoying the immortal divine abilities that made the onlookers dazzled.

By the Mandarin Duck Isle, Great Cultivators gathered, becoming more and more numerous, already more than the fingers on two hands, all watching the excitement of Ancestor Yun Miao fighting someone.

The Great Yong Dynasty had the custom of adorning the entire country with flowers, so they had an excellent relationship with the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land. And the Nine Truths Immortal Hall, located in the Great Yong Dynasty, although now a vassal of the Zhuolu Song Clan, was once a first-class immortal family force in the Central Earth Divine Continent during its most prosperous period. During that glorious period when the Nine Truths Immortal Hall was most glorious, the Zhuolu Song Clan would send their family disciples to the Nine Truths Immortal Hall to cultivate.
Five ancestral masters of the same lineage alive simultaneously, coupled with four enshrined guests, collectively possessing nine cultivators above the Fifth Realm.

At that time, one of the old ancestral masters was even at the Ascension Realm. Alas, he failed to take it a step further, regrettably meeting with the decline of Great Dao.

The ancestors were once prosperous indeed.

Even now, it cannot be considered a complete decline of the family fortune, with two immortals and five cultivators above the Fifth Realm, including the enshrined guests.

The lineage of the Nine Truth Immortal Hall is relatively complex, encompassing talisman Taoists, sword cultivators, strategists, and pure martial artists, offering diverse cultivation paths for disciples to choose from.

The Dao Companion of Ancestral Master Yun Miao possessed a fragmented small-cave heaven secret realm filled with wild winds, miasmic rain, and dense baleful aura, excelling at capturing and raising ghosts.

The immortal of Flowing Rosy Continent, Qin Zao, was idling around because his senior sister, Cong Qian, was still participating in discussions and had not yet returned.

Qin Zao inquired with doubt, “Where did this sword immortal come from? Yan, do you recognize him?”

Beside Qin Zao was the great cultivator Yan Ge of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, a figure of great renown, not only because he was an immortal but also due to the sensationalist reports of certain mountain and water gazettes, nauseating people to no end, such as “Have Wine Must-Go Yan Greasy Legs,” and “Soaring with Wine-Bargaining, Fighting Skills of Lesser Earth Immortal.”

Yan Ge shook his head, “Unfamiliar.”

A familiar cultivator nearby couldn’t help but ask, “Can a sword immortal’s physique be this resilient?”

Yan Ge frowned, “Surely, he’s not only a sword immortal but also a Distant Roaming Realm or Summit Realm martial artist?”

Qin Zao curled his lip, “Either he’s a reclusive immortal-realm sword cultivator, or there’s no explaining this.”

A flower deity of the Hundred Blossoms Blessed Land wore a troubled expression, harboring some resentment towards the young cultivator from the Nine Truth Immortal Hall. Mountain grudges of this kind should be settled by their own abilities; why involve her?

Moreover, for some unknown reason, this flower deity felt a sense of resonance with the Great Dao in that green-robed guest. This was even more illogical, as such mysterious attraction usually only occurred between her and the flower deity guests of her own domain. Could it be that the young sword immortal held within him poems about plum blossoms worthy of being recorded in history?

Qin Zao said, “I feel like something’s amiss.”

Yan Ge nodded, “That sword immortal seems to be…”

A cultivator beside him interjected, “Walking a fish?”

Yu Yue was not at all worried about the safety of the young Hidden Official.

Was he joking?

What kind of place was the Great Wall of Sword Qi?

Did he, a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator, need to worry about the Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi?

This old sword cultivator of the Flowing Rosy Continent was an old friend of Pu He, and moreover, they were confidants.

Otherwise, Yu Yue, as a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator, would not have been so kind as to invite him for a drink and endure a scolding without retort.

Many years ago, so long ago that it felt like a past life, when Yu Yue went to the Great Wall of Sword Qi to train, he was only a Golden Core Realm sword cultivator. He stayed there for three years and participated in one great battle.

He had seen many sword immortals of the Great Wall of Sword Qi on the road and on the battlefield, but he had never clinked glasses with one at a banquet, because there was no opportunity to sit at the same table with a sword immortal.

After all, the unwritten rules of the banquet table at the Great Wall of Sword Qi were quite numerous. Those with low realms and insufficient war merits, even if they were drinking with sword immortals, would not have the face to approach the table. Juniors toasting senior sword cultivators? The Great Wall of Sword Qi never had such customs. Especially foreign sword cultivators with little training experience, it was indeed difficult to integrate into that Great Wall of Sword Qi. Yu Yue’s experience there left him high-spirited when he arrived, but disillusioned when he returned. Back in the Flowing Rosy Continent, he disliked mentioning that he had been to the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Since going was like not going at all, what was the point of mentioning it?

However, Yu Yue’s friend, Pu He, was different. He went to the Great Wall of Sword Qi as a Jade Purity Realm.

Pu He had been the most renowned sword immortal in the Flowing Rosy Continent, but because of his extreme temperament, his sword strikes were driven by his moods. He was arrogant and went to the Great Wall of Sword Qi with the intention of “letting the Great Wall of Sword Qi know that Hao Ran’s swordsmanship was not inferior.”

As a result, Yu Yue soon received a laughable message through the Upside-Down Mountain’s Ape Rummaging Abode, saying that Pu He had offended the Great Sword Immortal Mi Hu and lost in a sword duel, and had to stay there for a hundred years to practice swordsmanship according to the bet, unable to return home for a long time. This allowed many cultivators on the Flowing Rosy Continent to breathe a sigh of relief. Yu Yue sent a few letters to comfort his friend, but Pu He never replied to any of them.

But in fact, even many native sword cultivators of the Great Wall of Sword Qi did not know the inside story of this matter. The person Pu He dueled was not the Great Sword Immortal Mi Hu, but the notoriously “flowery fists and fancy feet breaking flying swords”… Mi Yu.

Otherwise, there was nothing shameful in Pu He, a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator, losing a duel to Mi Hu, a peak sword cultivator candidate in the Immortal Realm. Pu He would not have been so distraught and practicing swordsmanship at the Great Wall of Sword Qi for over a hundred years. Given Mi Hu’s style, he was already a realm above his opponent and would not have agreed to such a one-sided duel, let alone make things difficult for a small Jade Purity Realm cultivator by making him stay at the Great Wall of Sword Qi for a hundred years.

Pu He privately complained endlessly, “Damn it, that bastard! Tricked me to come to the Great Wall of Sword Qi. Among the Jade Purity Realms, Mi Yu is the most useless. They say his breakthrough from Nascent Soul to Jade Purity was too bumpy, stumbling around and wasting countless years. He’s a laughingstock at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, so you go and duel with Mi Yu, it’s a sure win!”

When the duel ended, Pu He was half-killed by Mi Yu and carried to Sun Juyuan’s residence, where he lay in bed recovering. That bastard even had the nerve to bring wine to greet him, sighing and lamenting, deeply saddened. Pu He asked him what was going on, what about the sure win?!

As a result, Ah Liang looked innocent, turned around and blamed him. “I did say it was a sure thing, but I meant you were sure to lose, not sure to win. Brother Pu, you misunderstood. The useless Jade Purity Realm of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, in your hometown of Golden Armor Continent, is destined to be an invincible sword cultivator in the same realm!”

Finally, Ah Liang slapped his forehead, belatedly remembering something, and casually mentioned to Pu He that Mi Yu was very ruthless with his sword in his early years, when he was in the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Earth Immortal realms, and had earned the nickname “Mi Waist-Cut,” why? Because he liked to cut the demons in half with one sword!
Relying on the “seat-taking” gamble, which only cultivators above the Fifth Realm were qualified to participate in, A-Liang won a considerable sum for drinks. He vigorously promoted Pu He, claiming this fellow possessed remarkable swordsmanship, a peerless sword genius from Golden Armor Continent, with unparalleled talent, undefeated across the entire continent, a sure-fire Sword Immortal, capable of challenging even Mi Hu. To test his sword against Mi Yu? A waste of talent!

A hundred years. An entire century was what Pu He had to commit to Sword Qi Great Wall, as per his wager with Mi Yu.

Pu He had one redeeming quality: he accepted his losses without complaint, only blaming his own lackluster swordsmanship.

Initially, it was quite despairing; Sword Qi Great Wall was even worse than the desolate, barren land of Flowing Glow Continent. However, after drawing his sword countless times, he gradually grew accustomed to the atmosphere.

Over time, many familiar old faces passed away, and many unfamiliar young faces at the wine tables also departed in haste. It seemed Sword Qi Great Wall had ironically become a familiar home, while the distant homeland of Vast Expanse grew increasingly foreign.

As for later, when Mi Yu was tricked into a trap by Cui Dongshan on the city wall, utterly helpless against Zuo You’s close-quarters “sword-testing,” Mi Yu didn’t even entertain the thought of retaliating.

It wasn’t that Mi Yu was too weak, but that Zuo You was too strong.

After all, even Yue Qing, the would-be number one Sword Immortal, had no desire to fight Zuo You, yet he was forcibly challenged when Zuo You cleaved him off the city wall with a single strike.

Upon returning to his hometown, Yu Yue specifically sought out Pu He to inquire about that particular sword-testing.

Pu He merely commented that Mi Hu’s swordsmanship was passable.

The fallen Realm elder then added some rambling words, claiming that Mi Hu’s younger brother, a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator named Mi Yu, actually possessed decent swordsmanship, not as terrible as the rumors suggested. This fellow was from the Hidden Official Sword Cultivator lineage of the Summer Palace, and since he, the elder, was sworn brothers with the Hidden Official, Mi Yu should theoretically address him as a senior. He promised to introduce them sometime in the future…

Yu Yue had heard of Mi Yu, but not because of his “decent swordsmanship,” but rather the numerous romantic entanglements of this handsome Sword Immortal.

Yu Yue had some suspicions, but was interrupted by Pu He, who unleashed a torrent of insults, calling Mi Yu a useless piece of trash, giving him no opportunity to speak. Yu Yue didn’t dare to ask further.

Old Man Pu held considerable prestige in Flowing Glow Continent.

Yu Yue was also intimidated.

Just as Yu Yue was about to draw his sword, two figures descended from the sky: a young Confucian scholar holding a mountain-traveling staff, accompanied by an attendant in yellow robes.

Li Huai and Tender Daoist stood beside Li Baoping.

Li Huai looked bewildered. “Baoping, what’s going on?”

Li Baoping retorted, annoyed, “People are here; did you forget your eyes?”

Li Huai was long accustomed to this, pretending not to hear, and continued asking, “What’s the situation now? Do you need me to step in?”

Li Baoping shook her head. “Little Martial Uncle doesn’t need to help.”

Li Huai sneered. “Chen Ping’an doesn’t need to help; is that a reason for me to stand aside?”

Li Baoping turned her head.

Li Huai immediately changed his tune. “Of course it is!”

Never provoke Li Baoping.

While communicating with the former leader using sound transmission, Li Huai asked the Tender Daoist beside him telepathically, “If we join forces, can we beat that… I don’t know his realm or name, but the white-clothed guy who looks powerful?”

The Tender Daoist lamented, “Young Master, you can insult me however you like, but I won’t allow you to insult yourself!”

Li Huai was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

The Tender Daoist stated definitively, “As your personal attendant, defeating an Immortal is as easy as eating! Your question earlier was hurtful.”

The Ascended Realm cultivator suddenly changed his mind. “Not hurtful, it’s insulting to A-Liang.”

Li Huai didn’t mind the Tender Daoist taking advantage of A-Liang. He paused, swallowing, “An Immortal?”

The Tender Daoist was slightly embarrassed. “That fellow’s realm is a bit low.”

Li Huai tentatively asked, “Then shall we take him down? Tell me beforehand, can we do it or not? Don’t force yourself.”

The Tender Daoist’s eyes burned with fervor, rubbing his hands together. “Young Master, we’re all grown men; that’s a redundant question.”

With Old Master Li’s backing, he had Old Blind Man’s protection. Forget a showy Immortal tickling the Hidden Official, they could take on a whole bunch from Mandarin Duck Isle together.

Just then, Chen Ping’an’s telepathic voice rang, smiling at the three of them. “You don’t need to make a move.”

The Tender Daoist raged, “Chen Ping’an, who do you think you are?”

Li Huai also exclaimed angrily, “What the hell?”

The Tender Daoist reluctantly shut his mouth.

Above the water, Chen Ping’an smiled slightly and spoke two words.

“Bloom.”

Wu Shuangjiang could learn all things, and so could Chen Ping’an.

Hundreds of figures in blue robes scattered like sudden blooming flowers.

Like a blue lotus blooming between heaven and earth.

It was indeed a beautiful scene.

On the river, the single figure in blue at the center vanished, appearing behind the Immortal, Yun Miao’s true form, and gently twisting his neck with both hands.