The suspended sword formation crashed to earth, demolishing the Ancestral Hall. Sword Qi rippled outwards, causing a surge of wind and churning clouds across the entirety of First Line Peak. Especially towards Sword Resting Pavilion, with its ancient, towering trees, the sword aura stirred a tempest, sending leaves swirling down like a premature, sorrowful autumn for the assembled direct disciples of True Sun Mountain. A heavy sense of foreboding hung in the air.

This time, no one dared to dismiss the young sword immortal from Fallen Peak as a madman spouting delirious nonsense.

Behind Sword Resting Pavilion stood an ancient paulownia tree, personally planted by the founding ancestor of True Sun Mountain. It had thrived for over two thousand years, its towering trunk piercing the clouds, causing an extraordinary rain of falling leaves.

Above the sword formation, Sect Leader Zhu Huang and the sword formation immortal had managed to protect only the spirit tablets, incense burners, and ancestral portraits within the Ancestral Hall. Everything else—the meticulously crafted, generationally-inherited chairs, the priceless immortal wood beams, the meticulously laid floor tiles far surpassing even imperial palace craftsmanship—seemed to have vanished like fleeting dreams, scattered with the dust.

This extralegal, unconventional gathering only excluded Tian Wan of Vermillion Peak and Wu Tijing, Sect Leader Zhu Huang’s closed-door disciple. Even Yu Lin of Rainfall Peak had arrived on his sword. After Zhu Huang proposed stripping Yuan Zhenye of his position, he immediately added, “I, Zhu Huang, in my capacity as the eighth mountain lord of True Sun Mountain, the first sect leader after its formal establishment, and a Jade Purity Realm sword cultivator, agree to this matter. All that is required from you is a nod or a shake of the head. No further words are necessary from anyone at today’s gathering.”

Following this, Xia Yuancui of Full Moon Peak was the first to concur. Law Enforcer Yan Chu hesitated for a long while, disregarding Tao Yanbo of Autumn Order Mountain’s unspoken pleas, and ultimately nodded in agreement. Those peaks and sword lineages closely aligned with Full Moon Peak and Water Dragon Peak, including Leng Qi of Jade Branch Peak, had little choice but to follow these high-ranking ancestral figures and distance themselves from the white-robed old ape.

The dozen or so enshrined elders and honored guests of True Sun Mountain nodded one after another after Zhu Huang, Xia Yuancui, and Yan Chu had voiced their opinions. Sacrificing Yuan Zhenye today was preferable to personally engaging in a full-blown conflict with Fallen Peak, risking irreparable damage to their cultivation foundation. Who would compensate them for that? The sheer power of that suspended sword formation, materialized from a single ray of golden light, was overwhelming. Even the shadows cast by the sword light upon the mountain sent shivers down their spines. Each of them carefully weighed the odds, realizing that being struck by those sword beams would be akin to slicing tofu.

If Zhu Huang had harbored a different intention, willing to rally the people’s hearts earlier, they wouldn’t have minded adding their own embellishments. As enshrined elders and honored guests, it was their duty to assist First Line Peak by unleashing some of their signature immortal techniques. But given Zhu Huang’s stance, no one was foolish enough to act impulsively, sacrificing their lives and future prospects to offer True Sun Mountain support in its time of need.

Conversely, the peak lords and sword immortals from several older peaks, including Cloud Dispelling Peak and Fluttering Peak, surprisingly shook their heads, rejecting Sect Leader Zhu Huang’s suggestion.

One old Golden Core elder even openly denounced Sect Leader Zhu Huang’s actions as foolishly destroying the work of generations, morally bankrupt, and devoid of righteousness. He argued that it would bring shame upon True Sun Mountain’s ancestral legacy. Instead of leading the charge to repel the invaders, he chose to be led by the nose, abandoning a meritorious mountain-protecting elder. Zhu Huang was unworthy of being a sword cultivator, let alone serving as the mountain lord. Therefore, the real issue to be discussed today was not whether Yuan Zhenye’s name should be stricken from the record, but whether Zhu Huang should continue to serve as sect leader…

Zhu Huang smiled and said, “As I said earlier, you only need to nod or shake your heads. No need to speak.”

As a result, the old Golden Core elder was immediately apprehended by the sword formation immortal, who simply reached out and captured him within his sleeve universe.

Liu Xianyang shifted his rear end, changed to another table, and continued to drink and watch the show.

A female ancestral figure turned to look at Liu Xianyang, glaring at him and saying, “Liu Xianyang, if you wanted to spar with Chen Ping’an, just spar! Why go to such elaborate lengths, acting so sinisterly, hiding behind the scenes and calling in favors, scheming against our True Sun Mountain? If you’re truly capable, then learn from Huang He of Wind and Thunder Garden, and fight your way from White Egret Ferry all the way to the sword peak. That’s the way a sword immortal acts!”

Instead of confronting her directly, Liu Xianyang nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at rice. “Yes, yes, yes, this older auntie is old, so everything you say is right. If there’s another chance in the future, I’ll definitely drag Chen Ping’an along for such a spar.”

Quarrels like this were commonplace in his hometown. Hidden dragons and crouching tigers abounded, and aside from the wealthy children of Fortune Luck Street and Peach Leaf Alley, such as Zhao Yao and Xie Ling, who might have been slightly less skilled, everyone else had grown up surrounded by such things. Every alley, beside the Locking Dragon Well, under the old locust tree, between the dragon kiln and the rice paddies, every door across from a wall, was an arena for honing verbal skills.

The female ancestral figure, wearing a golden silk crown and a verdant robe, was indeed infuriated by Liu Xianyang’s brazen words, and her body trembled with rage.

The white-robed old ape took a step forward, his expression calm. “There’s half an incense stick’s worth of time left. Continue chatting. I’ll go meet that upstart mud-legged fellow.”

Liu Xianyang raised his wine cup with one hand and gave a thumbs-up with the other. “Ancestor Yuan is invincible across the continent! He once exchanged blows with Song Changjing, kicked Cloud Piercing Mountain, and shattered countless ancestral homes! The Cao ancestral home in Mud Bottle Alley, the Yuan family’s in Second Son Alley, the Li family’s in the far west, the Xie family’s in Peach Leaf Alley, all were no match! Who dares to settle accounts with Mountain Moving Ancestor? Now that he’s broken through, dealing with Chen Ping’an will be a piece of cake!”

The ancestral figures of True Sun Mountain, along with the enshrined elders and honored guests, were all alarmed by these words.

Just which forces had this mountain-protecting elder offended during his travels in the Luminous Pearl Grotto-Heaven? No wonder Cao Jun, who claimed ancestry in Mud Bottle Alley, had challenged Jade Branch Peak and Sword Carrying Peak. And what about Cao Ping, the Great Li Patrol Envoy? The Yuan and Cao surnames originated from the Luminous Pearl Grotto-Heaven, with one as a scholar and the other as a warrior, complementing each other and helping the Great Li Song clan rise in the north, gaining a foothold to prevent being swallowed by the Lu Dynasty, ultimately leading to the current Great Li iron cavalry’s dominance over the land. This was a well-known fact throughout the continent.

Zhu Huang chuckled and said, “Sword Immortal Liu, please refrain from jesting.”

Of course, Liu Xianyang’s words were mostly nonsense, but everyone was suspicious and apprehensive at this moment. A few words were like pouring oil on fire, adding frost to snow. True Sun Mountain could not withstand such turmoil.
After Hushan Gongfeng (Mountain-Protecting Offering) Yuan Zhenye appeared, a Dharma image of an ancient ape manifested behind him. With a heavy stomp, he landed between the sword tip and the Sword-Stopping Pavilion. Simultaneously, he activated his innate divine ability of Moving Mountains, stepping down on the One-Line Peak, causing it to rumble and fall to the ground. The surrounding mountain and water aura instantly stabilized.

That little bastard from Mud Bottle Alley actually dared to cleave open the ancestral mountain and then use a sword to lift the One-Line Peak, raising the ancestral mountain several zhang off the ground.

This ability to step on mountains and take root, displayed such overbearing dominance that many Keqing Gongfeng (Guest Offerings) felt uneasy. Would they blindly follow the Bamboo Emperor? One wrong bet, and they might end up enemies with Yuan Zhenye. Even if the Bamboo Emperor tried to mediate, they would still be on Yuan Zhenye’s bad side.

The white-robed ape retracted the Dharma image behind him. His astral energy flowed like surging rivers, his sleeves billowed in the wind, and he snarled, “You upstart, die under my fist!”

Yuan Zhenye soared into the sky, leaping high, causing the mountain beneath his feet to tremble. His burly figure transformed into a streak of white light, arcing in the sky before diving straight towards the mountain gate.

Liu Xianyang stood up, adjusted his nose, and carried a pot of wine, arriving at the edge of the Sword-Tip Cliff. He squatted on a white jade railing, drinking and watching the battle.

An unparalleled fist aura, as sharp as immortal swords, lit up the sky, creating a lake-like depression where the figure in green stood outside the mountain gate.

At the Sword-Stopping Pavilion, the direct disciples of Zhengyang Mountain craned their necks, eager to see. When they saw Yuan Zhenye’s punch, they were all dizzy and shaken. Some young sword cultivators clenched their fists, cheering silently.

Many guests witnessing the ceremony were seeing Yuan Zhenye in action for the first time.

What a mountain-protecting offering! Truly deserving of the title! Yuan Zhenye’s punch was powerful enough to kill a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Perhaps even those physically resilient Remote Roaming martial artists would be torn apart and their flesh crushed by this punch.

But above the waterless “lake” outside the mountain gate, the figure in green remained motionless, suspended in the air with a smile. One hand was behind his back, and the other gently waved, dispersing the surrounding dust.

The white-robed ape landed at the mountain gate, glancing at the long sword stuck in the plaque above the gate. He turned his gaze to the green-robed sword immortal who had relied on luck to reach where he was today and asked, “Do you want me to leave you a complete corpse? Otherwise, your Motley Mountain trash might not be able to stop in time, and it will be difficult to collect your body afterward.”

Chen Ping’an said nothing, simply beckoning to the white-robed ape. Then he tilted his head slightly, pressed two fingers together, and gently tapped his neck, signaling Yuan Zhenye to strike there.

Yuan Zhenye narrowed his eyes. With a boom, the ground shuddered, and the mountain roots deep beneath the One-Line Peak trembled, causing ripples in the surrounding spiritual energy. If the confrontation was a landscape painting, then all the onlookers performing Palm-Gazing Mountain and River would notice the landscape shaking. The white-robed ape flashed, and in the next moment, the green-robed figure was violently swept away by a punch to the neck, instantly shifting dozens of zhang.

Chen Ping’an lightly shook his wrist, instantly stopping his momentum. He shook his neck, his eyes full of smiles, as if saying, “I let you try it. Don’t hold back; there’s no need to be polite with me.”

Even though sword cultivators were blessed to temper their flying swords while simultaneously nourishing their spirits and bodies, achieving twice the results with half the effort, allowing them to both break through all techniques with a single sword and possess bodies comparable to military cultivators and pure martial artists, could even a Jade Pure Realm sword immortal from Motley Mountain truly build their inner world as strong and indestructible as a city?

Only now did those who knew “Zheng Qian’s” identity begin to believe that she might truly be the young mountain lord’s first disciple.

And the white-robed ape truly displayed the demeanor of a mountain-top master. Each time he threw a punch, he did not press the attack, stopping as soon as the punch landed, as if deliberately giving the green-robed guest a chance to rest and catch his breath.

This mountain-protecting offering of the Upper Five Realms, blessed with luck, was undoubtedly a cultivator, but he was renowned throughout Treasure Bottle Continent for his martial arts skills.

The white-robed ape’s face was grim. “Dog bastard, you really won’t fight back?!”

The green-robed figure, not carrying a sword, remained silent.

Yuan Zhenye sneered, adopting an ancient boxing stance, slightly bending his knees and lowering his head, as if carrying a mountain on his back. As soon as he adopted the stance, a vision of devouring the world’s spiritual energy appeared. The normally conflicting spiritual energy and pure qi actually blended harmoniously, turning into a powerful fist intent. Furthermore, after opening his stance, the fist intent behind him condensed into mountains, like the Dharma images of enlightened cultivators. Beneath his feet, the fist aura flowed like a raging river, similar to the Daoist priests’ star-walking steps, creating a Dao-filled immortal landscape. Finally, the white-robed ape stood upon a brand new True Form Map of the Five Peaks of Treasure Bottle Continent. Before throwing his punch, the white-robed ape seemed like an ancient immortal, lifting a giant mountain and stepping on rivers.

Tempering the Moving Mountains divine ability, forging fist intent into mountains and rivers.

Chen Ping’an glanced at the half-baked True Form Map. It seemed this mountain-protecting offering had not been idle these past few years and had actually figured out some new tricks.

A mountain observer from Azure Mist Peak exclaimed, “Such boxing is truly the pinnacle of achievement, beyond human martial strength.”

Pei Qian glared at that person, almost unable to resist pressing down on his dog head like she did to the left guardian of Riding Dragon Lane, forcing him to open his dog eyes and see what real boxing was when her Shifu (Master) took action.

Everyone saw the burly old ape, with the aura of creating the world, smash a punch towards the young sword immortal’s head.

In an instant, the white-robed ape stood where the green-robed figure had been.

And the young mountain lord still did not fight back, allowing the punch to hit his forehead.

Was it because once the old ape threw this punch, it was destined to be unavoidable?

From Lake Above on One-Line Peak to the lush green Full Moon Peak, a long green line stretched in an instant.

Almost everyone’s gaze subconsciously turned to Full Moon Peak. The green-robed figure stood suspended in the air, but behind him, the wind swept through the mountain foot of the entire Full Moon Peak, and countless immortal trees were snapped. Some of the immortal residences that were caught in the crossfire were shattered like paper decorations by the fist intent.
The path of the Qing-clad Sword Immortal’s retreat carved a ravine several zhang deep into the earth between the twin peaks.

The white-robed old ape followed like a shadow, unleashing another fist. Radiant fist-force bloomed, a dazzling white light as large as a well opening, slamming directly forward.

This single punch utterly pierced the verdant-robed figure, originally backed against the green mountains, and bored clean through the entirety of Full Moon Peak!

Following the “mountain gate road” he had carved, Yuan Zhenye slightly expanded his boundless and robust fist intent. Countless rocks and stones shattered along the way, and with a final stomp that devastated even more cliff faces, obliterating a large section of inscribed tablets on the back of Full Moon Peak, his massive figure transformed into a rainbow streak, launching a punch that sent the small wretch, who was indeed determined not to retaliate, hurtling towards the Refreshing Lake nestled halfway up Autumn Command Peak.

The green-robed figure, struck by this heavy blow, retreated with incredible speed. However, as he neared the surface of the lake, he suddenly halted in mid-air, his toes gently touching the water’s surface, creating concentric ripples that spread outwards.

The green robe swayed, an immortal standing upon the water.

The entire lake beneath him instantly exploded, boiling water surging and creating towering waves. Mist billowed, and countless cultivators who were distantly watching the battle from nearby waterside pavilions were instantly drenched.

This breathtaking scene made Xia Yuancui’s eyelids twitch uncontrollably. “You two damned dogs, if you’re going to fight, find another place! Don’t ruin the Feng Shui of my mountain!”

The white-robed old ape unleashed a punch from directly above.

“Heard you little brat always liked praying to gods and Buddha, then obediently offer yourself to form a karmic bond with the water spirits!”

Chen Pingan simply raised his palm, casually blocking the punch.

As the Qing-clad Sword Immortal and the white-robed old ape descended, the water in Refreshing Lake was instantly emptied, rushing towards all directions, flooding down Full Moon Peak.

The mountain path of Full Moon Peak was as if a stream took the steps as the riverbed, gurgling soundly down towards the foot of the mountain.

The disciples of this peak near Refreshing Lake, and the cultivators who had come to observe the ceremony, scrambled, each using their own methods to resist the overwhelming waves that crashed down. The most troublesome aspect was the fist intent contained within the water, which, along with the lake water, blotted out the sky and was unstoppable. As a result, many cultivators’ spells were shattered, their natal treasures swayed like floating duckweed, and their Dao hearts were unstable, causing them to hastily retract their offerings.

Gods fighting, mortals suffering. Beneath the peak of the mountain, what difference was there between all the Qi Refinement cultivators who were not Earth Immortals and the common scholars in the towns below?

Everyone was shocked. The Mountain Moving Ancestor had served as a guardian for Righteous Sun Mountain for a thousand years, so his years spent cultivating in the mountains must have been even longer. If his Daoist magic and fist intent were this powerful, then it might make sense. But where did the cultivation of this young Sword Immortal from Fallen Phoenix Mountain come from, whose age was at best similar to Liu Xianyang’s?

The selection of young and substitute talents from Treasure Bottle Continent, Ma Kuxuan of True Martial Mountain’s cultivation foundation and talent, Jiang Yun and Liu Baqiao’s teachers, Xie Ling’s family and fortune, no matter how they rose to prominence, were ultimately traceable.

Not only was Refreshing Lake emptied, but even the mud at the bottom of the lake was dispersed, exposing the green stones of the Full Moon Peak’s mountain root beneath the water.

Water recedes, stones appear. This scene was created by a punch from the white ape and a block from the green-robed man, just one punch.

Chen Pingan stood on the slightly damp green stone, cracks constantly appearing beneath his feet. The bottom of Refreshing Lake resembled a spider web. Chen Pingan raised his hand, cast a water spell, and scooped water back into the lake.

The white-robed old ape stood on the shore, his expression normal.

After several punches, his pure true energy, enough to traverse mountains and rivers, was still not exhausted.

Xia Yuancui spoke in secret to several of her junior disciples, “Junior Nephew Tao, my Full Moon Peak only had some stones broken, but your Autumn Command Mountain’s Refreshing Lake has suffered such a calamity, and it won’t be easy to repair.”

Yan Chu said, “Yanbo, half of the half-incense stick’s time has passed again. Haven’t you made a decision yet? Actually, in my opinion, the overall situation is already set, and whether Autumn Command Mountain nods or shakes its head won’t change anything.”

The Law Enforcement Ancestor’s words were naturally well-intentioned, reminding the senior Tao, who was of the same generation, to at least preserve Autumn Command Mountain’s heroic spirit. It would sound better if it was spread out. Crossing the river and dismantling the bridge was Bamboo Emperor and First Line Peak’s idea, but Autumn Command Mountain was different, with a strong moral character, giving all the outsiders who remained at the peaks to watch the ceremony a chance to admire them.

For Yan Chu, it would be best if Tao Yanbo’s Autumn Command Mountain continued to pretend to be brave until the end. Managing all of Righteous Sun Mountain’s finances was more powerful than him, a Law Enforcement Ancestor from Water Dragon Peak. What if Water Dragon Peak and Autumn Command Mountain could switch positions from now on?

Bamboo Emperor looked displeased and said in a deep voice, “Now that things have come to this, stop scheming for your own small gains.”

The so-called incense stick’s time to ask for the sword,

Was just a fabrication by Chen Pingan. Rather, it was roughly the time limit for the Sword Top Immortal beside Bamboo Emperor to maintain his current realm.

Could this fellow be the worm in Righteous Sun Mountain’s stomach? Why does he know everything so clearly?

Therefore, what Bamboo Emperor truly feared deep down was not the Sword Immortal, nor the Mountain Master, but this mind that was everywhere concealed.

Inside Refreshing Lake, after Chen Pingan used his spell to scoop water back into the lake, the water level was shallow and crystal clear.

Chen Pingan finally spoke, smiling and asking, “It was understandable to be constrained in the small town back then, but why are you still acting like a woman even on your own turf? Are you afraid of killing me?”

Because Yuan Zhenye was ultimately still a Qi Refinement cultivator. Therefore, within the Luminous Pearl Grotto-heaven in the past, the higher the realm, the more suppression there was. Everywhere was suppressed by the Great Dao. Even each breath would involve the flow of Qi Luck in a small Grotto-heaven. If he was not careful, Yuan Zhenye would lose a great deal of his Daoist cultivation, ultimately delaying his breakthrough. With Yuan Zhenye’s status, he naturally knew that even the ten-thousand-year-old dragon in the Yellow Court, even the dragon spirit cultivating in the Qiantang River Feng Shui cave in the southeastern region, had a chance to become the first Jade Purity realm mountain and river spirit in Treasure Bottle Continent.

It was estimated that this Mountain Guardian had already considered the upper five realms as his own possession at that time, and was determined to contend for “first place”, in order to gather the Qi Luck of a continent in his body. Therefore, at most, he met the disguised Prince Song Changjing at the Kiln Affairs Supervisory Office, and couldn’t help but exchange punches with him, thinking of using his fists to help hone his own Daoist magic, so as to go further.

Yuan Zhenye sneered, “I’ve seen people seeking death, but I’ve never seen anyone so determined to die. Your Grandpa Yuan will satisfy you today!”
The elderly white-robed ape’s face now bore a distinct simian aspect, his head and face instantly sprouting dense fur, like countless silver threads fluttering in the wind.

With a swift lunge, the old ape swept his leg, striking the figure in azure robes in the ribs, sending him hurtling out of Autumn Order Peak and towards a nearby Jade Branch Peak.

The force of the kick unleashed a chaotic torrent of energy, like a thunderclap detonated in a confined space. Autumn Order Peak shuddered, radiating outwards like a cavalry charge. Mountains crumbled, vegetation turned to dust, mansions exploded, and even the clouds beyond Autumn Order Peak were skewed, as if pulled towards Jade Branch Peak.

From beginning to end, the azure-robed Sword Immortal, true to his word, never retaliated. He merely touched down lightly, his toes landing on a Immortal Mansion roof, a ancient tree branch, and the tip of a green bamboo stalk before coming to a halt.

Mi, the second-in-command of Falling Mountain who was responsible for guarding Jade Branch Peak, hastily retracted the radiant sword energy that filled the sky.

The white-robed ape crashed into the bamboo grove, causing countless emerald hues to erupt within Jade Branch Peak. Hundreds of thousands of green bamboo stalks shot out of the ground, flying haphazardly.

However, Yuan Zhenye’s punch was lightning fast, visible to only a few. Most could only vaguely make out a white rainbow figure, unstoppable within the verdant thicket, its fist intent tearing apart the heavens and the earth. As for the azure robes, they vanished without a trace.

The next moment, a streak of azure traced a long arc out of Jade Branch Peak, bypassing a Cloud-Parting Peak and passing over a small tributary mountain. The white-robed ape, shrinking the world with his stride, abruptly manifested his true form, a massive hand sweeping out, severing the entire azure mountaintop. The mountain, like a flying sword, crashed towards the azure-robed figure. The latter casually waved his sleeve, causing the mountaintop to disintegrate into a rain of rubble and flying stones. Using the momentum, the azure figure flew towards Rain Foot Peak, a dozen miles away, with even greater speed. The ape’s true form followed closely, slamming a shoulder into Rain Foot Peak, causing another section of the peak to crumble, hurtling towards Chen Ping An.

At the same time, the ape’s true form stomped a foot into the ground, sinking deep, and with a light shout, flicked the tip of his foot, severing the roots of a small mountaintop and launching it into the air. Together with the section of Rain Foot Peak, they crashed towards the azure-robed Sword Immortal.

The berserk Mountain-Moving Old Ape then uprooted two more tributary mountain peaks, one in each hand, and hurled them towards the reckless little brat.

The ape’s towering true form spanned mountains and rivers with a single step, his foot landing atop the shattered peak of a once-great Southern Kingdom mountain, his eyes fixed ahead.

Chen Ping An joined two fingers to form a sword, cleaving Rain Foot Peak in two. With a wave of his left sleeve, he returned the mountaintop to its original position. Then, with two light taps of his fingers, he actually froze the two tributary mountains in mid-air.

The figure in azure robes slowly descended upon Azure Mist Peak.

Pei Qian hurriedly landed, standing beside her master, as it would be impolite otherwise.

Chen Ping An smiled, “It’s nothing. The old beast didn’t eat enough today, his punches are weak. As long as we keep our distance, his mountain-throwing is as flimsy as willow catkins, far weaker than our Little Rice Grain throwing melon seeds.”

The black-clad girl couldn’t stop laughing at his words, hugging her Mountain-Walking Staff, hurriedly raising both hands to cover her mouth, her faint eyebrows and narrowed eyes revealing her great delight.

She wasn’t that formidable at all. The Benefactor Mountain Master was just talking nonsense. No one should believe him! But if they insisted on believing, there was no way for her to stop them!

Cui Dongshan chuckled, “The Right Protector hasn’t even had to lift a finger today, and her fame has already spread far and wide.”

Little Rice Grain giggled, “Empty fame, all empty fame.”

Chen Ping An then spoke to Pei Qian in his heart, “Keep an eye on First Line Peak. If anyone dares to show their face, send them back.”

Pei Qian nodded, “Understood.”

Chen Ping An lightly tapped the ground, his figure instantly leaving Azure Mist Peak, without a sound. Compared to the white-robed ape’s literal mountain-moving strength, he displayed no imposing aura whatsoever.

The figure in azure robes swept past the two mountains that seemed to be frozen in place, dragging them along, facing off against the old ape’s true form, his foot resting on a mountain range, from afar.

The remaining half-incense stick of time was about to end.

Chen Ping An laughed inwardly, “Rest assured, someone from First Line Peak will definitely make a move, at the very least Tao Zi will. I knew she was exceptionally clever since the first time I saw her on Fortune Luck Street. But Old Ancestor Yuan, if you continue to rampage across the mountains and rivers with such invincible force, how will she be able to stand up for you? Three punches, the final three punches, Old Ancestor Yuan, consider carefully whether you want outsiders to watch the spectacle, or experts to understand the intricacies. I am fine with either.”

After speaking, he dragged the two mountains and threw them back, one to serve as the mountaintop for Cloud-Parting Peak’s tributary mountain, and the other as the summit for Rain Foot Peak.

The white-robed ape abruptly retracted his true form, standing on a mountaintop. The old ape took a deep breath. With this common act, gusts of strong mountain winds rose between the peaks. Gale-force winds blew, clouds surged, cliffs crumbled, and trees broke. Standing atop the peak, Yuan Zhenye surveyed his surroundings, a thousand miles of mountains and rivers prostrating beneath his feet. In his view, only the figure in azure robes was an utter eyesore.

Just as that mud-stained mongrel from Mud Bottle Lane had said, he probably had three more punches left.

Yuan Zhenye’s Taoist arts and fist intent merged, as if thousands of years of cultivation served as the heavens, and thousands of years of accumulated fist intent served as the earth, with his small human body serving as a bridge of longevity, uniting the two and ultimately reaching the profound realm of the union of heaven and earth.

At the height of his life’s ambition, the first punch he would deliver would be an exchange of life for life, equivalent to a peak punch from a martial artist at the pinnacle realm.

A mere mud-legged peasant should wallow in the mud for the rest of his life. Fortuitously gaining power, but failing to cherish it, not understanding the logic of obediently hiding away to enjoy it, and daring to flaunt his wealth in Righteous Sun Mountain, then he would crush him to pieces with one punch, sending him plummeting back to the mortal world. He would suffer an even worse fate than that Full Moon Peak female cultivator whose bones were exposed to the wind and lightning in Thunderclap Garden Square by Li Tuanjing.

If there were any unforeseen circumstances, there would be a second punch to entertain the guest, equivalent to the full force strike of a celestial immortal sword cultivator.

The final punch? Sword Immortals, Mountain Masters, all could go die!

On First Line Peak, Tao Yanbo’s face was full of fatigue. The peaks’ sword cultivators, plus the enshrined guests and retainers, totaled nearly fifty, but only a handful of seven or eight Righteous Sun Mountain sword cultivators were shaking their heads.

The rest were nodding, agreeing to the Bamboo Emperor’s proposal.

According to the Ancestral Hall rules, from this moment on, Yuan Zhenye was no longer the Righteous Sun Mountain’s Mountain-Protecting Enshrinement.
The Bamboo Emperor intoned, “Yuan Zhenye, cease your resistance. Though you are no longer a registered celestial master of Righteous Yang Mountain, I am willing to plead with Fallen Phoenix Mountain. No matter the cost to Righteous Yang Mountain, we can ensure your safe passage out of our territory today, after which, I implore you to leave Treasure Bottle Continent.”

Simultaneously, the Bamboo Emperor transmitted a message to the azure-robed sword immortal, “Mountain Lord Chen, should Yuan Zhenye venture out to sea and attempt to travel to other continents, I will personally lead Xia Yuancui and Yan Chu, coordinating with Fallen Phoenix Mountain, to jointly eliminate this fiend!”

Chen Ping’an remained impassive, merely narrowing his eyes with a smile, neither refusing nor agreeing.

Yuan Zhenye was equally unmoved. The white-robed old ape turned his head towards the sword-crowned peak, his aged simian face utterly devoid of expression.

Perhaps it was a profound despair that surpassed all grief, or perhaps the mountain-moving patriarch, burdened with the fate of an entire continent, possessed an unwavering confidence and hidden strategies to reverse the situation.

What the white-robed old ape saw and pondered was the ancient wutong tree in the mountains this year, which had shed its leaves before autumn even arrived.

In years past, the blooming and withering of flowers, the greening and yellowing of leaves, had gone undisturbed, save for the swishing sound of brooms sweeping the ground.

Yuan Zhenye shattered the entire mountain peak with a single stomp, his aura surging like a rainbow, as he charged towards the azure-robed figure suspended high above.

His complete fist intent seemed to tower even higher than the mountains themselves.

As the punch was unleashed, it was as if a thunderous pool had cracked open and erupted.

Almost everyone instinctively looked upwards, only to witness the azure-robed guest being struck by the punch and vanishing without a trace in an instant.

Yuan Zhenye, the one who had thrown the punch, was instead forced to slide backwards dozens of feet. His sleeves were torn to shreds, and his two muscular arms became a horrifying mess of blood and exposed bones. Then, the white-robed old ape suddenly soared higher, roaring as he delivered a second punch towards the heavens.

Across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, only thunder reverberated continuously, with no sign of the azure-robed figure.

The thunderous roars seemed to explode right next to their ears, forcing many cultivators with insufficient cultivation levels to cover their ears, desperately circulating their spiritual energy to protect their Dao hearts.

The earth immortal cultivators who remained on the various peaks to observe the ceremony swiftly cast spells and divine arts to assist the suffering cultivators beside them, dissipating the rain-like ripples of Daoist fist intent.

Yuan Zhenye stood with his hands behind his back, the bones of his fists exposed. His eardrums were shattered, his hair disheveled, and the snow-white strands at his temples were stained crimson with blood flowing from his ears, sticking together.

From Sword Rest Pavilion on One Thread Peak, a young female sword cultivator cried out, “Grandpa Yuan, I will aid you!”

A beautiful woman clad in purple seemed to disregard life and death, and alone, she prepared to ride her sword towards the sky.

However, just as she had risen a dozen feet into the air, a young woman with her hair in twin buns arrived on the wind, reaching out to grab her by the neck, yanking her violently off her sword, and tossing her back onto the plaza of Sword Rest Pavilion. Stunned and battered, Tao Zi was about to sheathe her sword when the female martial artist seized the blade, twisting it gently, and plunged the broken sword into the ground beside Tao Zi.

The cultivators watching the ceremony had learned their lesson. No longer picking up sesame seeds while losing watermelons, they glanced briefly at the activity near Sword Rest Pavilion before continuing to look upwards with the white-robed old ape.

The man had taken two punches and still hadn’t retaliated.

He hadn’t died?

The answer was obvious. Not only had the fellow not died, but he was unharmed, unscathed.

In the sky, the azure-robed figure appeared to be strolling leisurely, descending the steps.

The azure-robed guest stopped, lifting his foot and gently setting it down, then twisting his toes as if to say, “Crushing you, Yuan Zhenye, is as easy as crushing an ant.”

Yuan Zhenye’s eyes widened, his fists, now revealing only bare bones, clenched tightly as he roared towards the heavens, “Who exactly are you?!”

He absolutely refused to believe that the azure-robed guest who had descended from the sky could be the mud-stained, cunning whelp from back then!

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “The former kiln worker from Mud Bottle Alley, now the Mountain Lord of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, isn’t that still Chen Ping’an? Who else could it be?”

Chen Ping’an raised his hands, and in his palms, a sun and a moon materialized and floated respectively.

The great sun shone brightly and purely, while the moon glowed softly and translucently.

The sun rose and the moon fell, the sun set and the moon ascended, cycling endlessly, forming a solemn golden circle, like a divine being’s path of travel across the heavens and earth.

Chen Ping’an then rotated his wrists, and the natal stars of the Five Elements manifested, their colorful lights circling slowly around the sun and moon.

Sun, moon, and stars, as if receiving a divine edict, revolved around him. The sun and moon hung together, and the Milky Way stretched across the sky, following their prescribed paths, suspended and flowing.

After that, images of mountains and rivers appeared: Treasure Bottle Continent, Willow Leaf Continent, Northern Ju Lu Continent, faintly visible, some painted in vibrant colors, others sketched in simple lines. One by one, the mountain and river deities, their eyes dotted with spirit, flashed across the paintings, among them even the Inverted Mountain that had already journeyed far beyond the azure skies.

In an instant, the azure-robed figure stood at the center, a god among men.

Even Jiang Shangzhen was somewhat shaken, unable to resist asking, “Old Brother Cui, what kind of swordsmanship is this?!”

Cui Dongshan smiled, “Of course it’s swordsmanship, but it can also be considered a fist technique created by the master. Fists and swords are the same, no need to separate them. A pure martial artist, for ten thousand years, his qi is the strongest in the world, reaching the peak.”

Cui Dongshan waved his snow-white sleeves, “He is my master, after all, nothing to be surprised about.”

Otherwise, how could the master close the martial arts distance with that Cao Ci?

It was relying on this unprecedented tenth-realm Qi flourish.

Pei Qian was radiant with joy. See, she was still the smartest, after all. Master could teach fist techniques, but he absolutely couldn’t feed them.

The extraterrestrial demon disguised as Shi Rou couldn’t help but repeat his old trick, raising his arm and shouting, “Old Ancestor of the Hidden Official is invincible in martial arts, his swordsmanship is unmatched! To hell with White Jade City’s true invincibility! Dao the Second can be your second for a thousand years, ten thousand years…”

However, this white-haired child possessing Shi Rou at least remembered to cast a spell to isolate the heavens and earth, preventing his words from leaking out. It was a pity, he felt that it wasn’t fulfilling enough. After all, the Old Ancestor of the Hidden Official couldn’t hear his loyal words.

She Yue watched the moon for a while, holding her breath and staring intently. Finally, she sighed. Although that guy had returned half of the Moon Essence to the blacksmith shop, probably out of consideration for Liu Xianyang, this young Hidden Official was black-hearted and black-handed. What were the brains of scholars thinking? Learning whatever they encountered. Did she have to go back to town and attend school for a few days?

She Yue asked, “Will this old ape run away?”

Ning Yao shook her head, “No, his body and mind are both dead.”
Over by the ferry, Yu Huiting felt a sense of awe and murmured, “No wonder he could become an Invisible Official on the Great Wall of Sword Qi.”

Wei Jin said, “Yuan Zhenye is about to unleash his trump card.”

Yu Huiting asked curiously, “Uncle Wei, what do you mean?”

Wei Jin remained silent. Couldn’t she figure it out herself? Even if she couldn’t guess the truth, she could simply wait a moment, and the answer would naturally reveal itself. What was the point of asking?

Yu Huiting mistakenly thought that Uncle Wei was pondering something and pressed, “Uncle Wei, is it that the Mountain-Protecting Guardian is about to unleash an even more ferocious and domineering punch, willing to trade his life?”

Wei Jin didn’t even bother to turn his head to look at her. He rarely put on the airs of a senior in the sect, and said calmly, “I heard that your experience down the mountain was quite good, with a good reputation among the border troops of Great Li. Don’t be complacent, avoid arrogance and impetuosity. After returning to Wind and Snow Temple, put more effort into cultivating your mind.”

His implied meaning was actually to remind her to use her brain more when cultivating in the mountains.

Yu Huiting didn’t think so much. She only thought that Wei Jin, the most unapproachable person on the Divine Stage, was taking the rare initiative to care for someone, and her face immediately bloomed with a smile.

Wei Jin knew that he had spoken in vain.

Yuan Zhenye stepped on the void and once again manifested his gigantic true form as a Mountain Mover. His pair of pale golden eyes stared intently at the former ant high above.

He had rivers of fortune, refined over time, flowing within the bones and blood vessels that served as their riverbeds. This was the protection of the Great Dao bestowed upon the first Mountain and River spirit to reach the Upper Five Realms within the continent.

Chen Ping’an also had a pair of golden eyes, but they were far richer and purer than Yuan Zhenye’s. He sneered, “What, do I have to say that I’m a Zhuyan, so you can acknowledge your ancestors?”

Yuan Zhenye said fiercely, “Keep laughing, you mongrel. After one punch, we’ll all be destroyed! Remember to find a good place to be reborn in your next life…”

Chen Ping’an crooked his finger, “Come on, I beg you to kill me.”

Half an incense stick has passed. I can give you the chance for one more punch.

Cui Dongshan endured it, but in the end, couldn’t help it and burst into laughter.

Jiang Shangzhen was also helpless. When competing in the consumption of fortune and the suppression of the Great Dao, don’t find their young Mountain Master, who was being targeted everywhere by both the Vast and Wild Worlds.

As for the old Mountain Mover’s nonsense, there was no need to quibble over it. Anyway, he would soon be silenced completely.

Jiang Shangzhen asked in his heart, “The suppression from the two worlds is clearly still there. Why does it seem not so obvious anymore? Did he find some way to break it?”

Cui Dongshan revealed the secret with one sentence, “Master just truly understood a Buddhist saying: ‘To cross over all living beings, is actually to be crossed over by all living beings.’ Therefore, he was able to seize the opportunity to enter a certain realm, where confusion is always present in the law, and opportunities are everywhere, the law is unobstructed. Master first had this heart, and then this realm.”

Jiang Shangzhen nodded, “Impressive, impressive.”

However, Jiang Shangzhen was very clear that Cui Dongshan was just making it sound easy. What Chen Ping’an was truly doing was definitely a torment of both body and mind.

Cui Dongshan rolled his eyes, “Nonsense.”

Over at the Sword Peak, Liu Xianyang shook the empty wine pot in his hand and casually tossed it over the white jade railing. He held his head with both hands. Past grudges were now all gone.

Outside the Bamboo Lodge on Fallen Phoenix Mountain, the Mirror Flower, Water Moon of Upright Sun Mountain was no longer there, but it didn’t matter. There were still First Seat Zhou’s methods.

Cao Qinglang and the others each held a handful of melon seeds. They were all left behind by Little Millet before going down the mountain, and Sister Warm Tree had kindly helped to pass them on. Everyone had a share.

Wei Bo left Piyi Mountain and quietly appeared here. Cui Wei, a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator, who was also concealing his presence, also appeared and greeted softly, “Mountain Lord Wei.”

Wei Bo smiled and nodded, “Thank you for your trouble.”

Cui Wei was speechless for a moment.

What trouble was it for a nominal guardian of the Ancestral Hall of Azure Peak to watch over his own mountain?

Wei Bo seemed to feel that what he said was a bit inappropriate and mocked himself, “This habit has to be changed.”

When he previously patrolled the junction of the Three Rivers, in the bookstore of Red Candle Town, the Water God Li Jin had even joked that he was the Mountain Lord of Treasure Bottle Continent and the Mountain God of Azure Peak.

Wei Bo thought it made a lot of sense. Water God Li’s words were very humorous. Who was the official superior, and who was the subordinate in the jurisdiction? So he took dozens of books from the bookstore without paying.

On the table, the little incense doll from the City God Temple of the state capital, who had just come to Fallen Phoenix Mountain to report for duty today, was diligently responsible for collecting the melon seed shells and piling them up into a mountain.

Seeing Mountain Lord Wei, and without Chen Lingjun protecting him, the little guy who had helped Mountain Lord Wei make that nickname famous in all directions quickly squatted behind the “small mountain.” If I can’t see Wei Night Wanderer, Wei Night Wanderer can’t see me.

Within a thousand miles of Upright Sun Mountain’s private mountains and rivers, after Yuan Zhenye revealed his true form, even commoners could look up and see the enormous figure of the Mountain-Protecting Guardian.

As for those cultivators watching the ceremony, they really couldn’t understand how that green-shirted Sword Immortal from Fallen Phoenix Mountain was able to endure punch after punch under the hands of that old ape.

Ancestor Xia Yuancui suddenly said in her heart, “Nephew, your choice seems ruthless, but is actually wise. If it were me to decide, I might not be able to be as decisive as you.”

In any case, with Qiu Lingshan out of the competition for the position of Sect Master of the Lower Sect, the direct descendant Sword Cultivator of Full Moon Peak had a greater hope of taking on this burden.

Yan Chu nodded, “Choosing the lesser of two evils. Looking back now, the Sect Master’s actions were not at all hesitant, which is truly admirable.”

Only Tao Yanbo was stunned and speechless. From now on, how should his Qiu Lingshan conduct itself? Among the peaks of Upright Sun Mountain, where hearts were falling apart, was there still a place for the lineage of Qiu Lingshan’s Sword Cultivators?

No longer a Mountain-Protecting Guardian, Yuan Zhenye, in his true form as a white ape, delivered a punch of his life’s highest Taoist magic and most peak fist intent towards the top of his head.

Before the old ape threw the punch, he laughed loudly, “Death is death. Don’t even think about making this old man beg for mercy from you, you lowly cur.”

How the victory or defeat would play out within half an incense stick of ceaseless punches, how could Yuan Zhenye be truly unaware?

When Yuan Zhenye delivered that punch, a golden ripple appeared in the sky, rapidly spreading in all directions. The entire territory of Upright Sun Mountain seemed to be slowly swept over by a layer of magnificent golden waves.

The old ape’s arm that delivered the punch crumbled like a mountain collapsing, scattering the torrential rain everywhere.

The old ape remained in the sky, maintaining the posture of delivering the punch with unwavering determination, but the small world within a few miles around that green shirt remained in order, with the sun, moon, and stars in place, and the Great Dao flowing in endless cycles.
The old ape, missing an arm, leaned its shoulder slightly, just against the edge of that small world. Where the Great Dao clashed, starlight scattered, and fiery rain filled the sky, an incomparably magnificent scene.

Chen Pingan said, “Then, let me have a go.”

The celestial phenomenon abruptly subsided. A tenth-realm martial artist, returning to the true first layer, his fist art was swordplay, resembling a sword technique from ten thousand years ago descending upon the world.

A massive vortex appeared in the firmament. A golden sword light, as if traversing the river of time for millennia, pierced through the air and struck the crown of the old ape’s true form, sending Yuan Zhenye crashing down onto the ground of Zheng Yang Mountain, headfirst, landing squarely on the Immortal Carrying Sword Peak.

The sword light fell straight down, lingering and unyielding, like an invisible golden longsword connecting heaven and earth, piercing through the old ape’s head and then diagonally into the ground.

Yuan Zhenye lay prostrate on the ground, roaring incessantly, his hands propping himself up, trying desperately to lift his head and struggle to rise. Then, that figure in the green shirt stood bolt upright, directly upon its head, instantly causing Yuan Zhenye’s face to droop, forced to cling to the Carrying Sword Peak.

Chen Pingan raised his arm high, his palm gathering five thunders, like the condensation of heavenly tribulation. He pressed down with a swift motion, striking Yuan Zhenye’s neck.

Then, he reached out with his left arm, and the longsword Night Wanderer, from the archway of the peak’s mountain gate, transformed into a rainbow, arriving in the hand of the green-clad figure. He dragged the sword, slowly passing it across the old ape’s neck, the sword light gently slicing through.

Finally, in this manner, he severed Yuan Zhenye’s massive head, then let it roll down to the foot of the mountain.

From within his sleeve, talismans flew out continuously, like a long river, utterly shattering Yuan Zhenye’s headless body.

The head at the foot of the mountain, its eyes still fixed intently on the figure in green on the summit, the pupils gradually dilating, whether unresigned to death or still harboring unfulfilled desires, unwilling to close at all.

Chen Pingan nodded to it.

For some reason, Yuan Zhenye seemed to understand the meaning of the former youth from Mud Bottle Alley. It nodded slightly, finally closing its eyes, making the same choice as Situ Wenying, the female cultivator ghost of Full Moon Peak, choosing to leave all of its remaining jade purity realm Dao rhyme and remaining fortune, gifting it to this Zheng Yang Mountain.

The old ape, which could have chosen to shatter its golden core and nascent soul earlier, had only one thought in its last moments, as if pleading with the person on the summit, “I beg you, don’t kill Tao Zi!”

And that figure in green seemed to have foreseen it, the meaning of the nod at that time being, “I am not you.”

Yuan Zhenye’s soul dissipated. Vaguely visible was a white-robed old man, stooped, standing beside the head at the foot of the mountain. His last words in this life were to raise his head and look at the young man, asking in his heart, “Who exactly is the one who killed me?”

Chen Pingan did not answer, only waved his sleeve, dispersing its soul.

Night Wanderer returned to its sheath, carried on his back.

He lifted a foot and stomped heavily on the ground, splitting the entire mountaintop beneath his feet into four or five pieces.

The world would no longer have an Immortal Carrying Sword Peak, only a green-clad sword-carrying traveler.

When the Great Dao prevails, a candle-lit night traveler is not afraid of encountering ghosts. It is the ghosts who should fear people.

Except for the crowd from Fallen Phoenix Mountain who were there to witness the spectacle.

All the sword immortals and disciples of Zheng Yang Mountain, as well as all the guests who remained on the new and old peaks, felt a strange sense of suffocation at this moment.

It was as if each person had a green-clad sword immortal from Fallen Phoenix Mountain standing beside them.

That figure in green, riding the wind, arrived at the Sword Summit, where the ancestral hall had been destroyed.

Zhu Huang, as the sect master of Zheng Yang Mountain, immediately cupped his fist in salute and said, “Zheng Yang Mountain’s Zhu Huang pays respects to Mountain Lord Chen.”

Liu Xianyang rolled his eyes, made eye contact with Chen Pingan, and then rode the wind away, looking around. Spotting the round-faced girl standing in the reed marshes, he immediately scurried over to White Egret Ford.

Chen Pingan looked around, said nothing more, followed Liu Xianyang, riding the wind, leaving. During that time, he turned his head and smiled brightly towards White Egret Ford, then came to the white-clothed boy and the black-clothed little girl, rubbed Xiaomili’s head, and said softly, “Let’s go home.”