If it were a life-or-death battle, no problem at all. But sparring with Cao Ci was just an exchange, making it somewhat inappropriate.

Cao Ci seemed to realize something and intended to stop.

The exchange had become meaningless, even dull.

Chen Pingan took a deep breath and asked, “How many self-created boxing techniques do you have?”

Cao Ci replied, “Less than thirty.”

Chen Pingan nodded, “That’s a bit few.”

Cao Ci inquired, “Looks like you’ll be more serious with your punches next?”

Chen Pingan, having temporarily found a way to suppress his cultivator’s state of mind, nodded spiritedly, “But let’s make this clear, don’t accidentally kill me. Other than that, do as you please. No matter how many techniques you use, how heavy your punches are, it’s fine.”

Before delivering his first punch, Cao Ci formally adopted a boxing stance.

His white robe fluttered, his sleeves swayed slightly, and his boxing intent was restrained to the extreme.

Yet around the Confucian Temple, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth began to disperse on its own accord.

Cao Ci smiled and said, “This punch is called ‘Dragon Walks the Drain,’ it’s not light.”

Chen Pingan said, “Just receiving a punch.”

Over at the pavilion, Xi Ping looked helpless and said to Liu Shiliu, “Junqian, you didn’t mention they’d be leaving the Merit Forest and fighting all the way to the Confucian Temple.”

Zuo You, who had been watching his little brother’s sparring, laughed, “Mr. Xi Ping is capable and should not find it a problem.”

Just now, Liu Shiliu had mentioned that, leaving aside the depth of boxing techniques and the level of boxing intent, Little Brother’s physique was actually superior.

As a result, the Old Scholar slapped them both on the head, “Little Brother is getting beaten, and you’re still laughing?!”

Liu Shiliu chuckled, “Not everyone can make Cao Ci unleash his full strength.”

Cao Ci removing his magical robe earlier was proof of that.

It meant that Cao Ci had developed a bit of competitive spirit.

The Old Scholar said, “To be honest, Hao Ran is fortunate to have Cao Ci.”

Fortunately, there was a Cao Ci in front, so his closed-door disciple, Chen Pingan, would walk even more resolutely on the path of martial arts.

Moreover, the higher this child Cao Ci climbed, no matter how high, the older generation like the Old Scholar would see it as a good thing.

Of course, the Old Scholar would have high expectations for his closed-door disciple, Chen Pingan, no matter how high. But in Chen Pingan’s competition with others, whether in reasoning or martial arts, one shouldn’t assume that the opponent was wrong or inferior, but rather that the opponent was right and even higher. Only then could the student, Chen Pingan, steadily improve, becoming even more correct and even higher. This was the Old Scholar’s true expectation for Chen Pingan.

The great Dao of the world was ultimately not the kind of petty squabble where one had to determine a winner.

Those who walked on the myriad great Daos, those who reasoned, were actually the true cultivators.

The more reasoning was argued and debated, the clearer it became. The more fists and feet were honed and refined, the steadier they became. The more the Dao Heart was tempered, the brighter it shone.

Xi Ping nodded, “As long as Chen Pingan can keep up with Cao Ci, even if he’s half a step behind, it’s not a problem. There’s still a chance.”

The two were only half a step apart now.

Despite Chen Pingan taking many punches during tonight’s exchange, the victory wasn’t too decisive. Firstly, Chen Pingan’s foundation in martial arts was built through constant sparring. Secondly, since both only sought victory and not death, this exchange, while involving full power, lacked the intent to kill. It wasn’t a truly uninhibited, unyielding, and unburdened exchange.

Liu Shiliu said, “The day both reach the level of ‘God,’ the distance between them might widen again. So, Little Brother must hone himself well at the first layer of Returning to Truth.”

Cao Ci’s ascent to the Mountain Peak Realm before reaching the Limit was perhaps a bit hasty due to the great battle in Floating Continent, but Chen Pingan, being in the Sword Qi Great Wall, should instead be more single-minded.

Now it was different again.

Cao Ci was too pure. Especially when his ambition arose, his subsequent practice of boxing would be terrifying.

Liu Shiliu wouldn’t harbor any prejudice against Cao Ci just because he was Chen Pingan’s senior brother. On the contrary, Liu Shiliu admired the momentum on Cao Ci. It was like explaining a principle to countless lands: “I will definitely be invincible in boxing.” Without belittling himself nor being complacent, this was simply a matter of course. Whether others acknowledged it or not was their business.