The hall loomed, and Chen Ping’an, conscripted by Ning Yao’s sudden whim, approached a chair. He didn’t sit, instead, his hand gently rested on the carved wooden frame.

Cao Gun was about to speak, but Xuan Can interjected, offering the Hidden Official a hurried explanation of their predicament.

Song Gaoyuan chuckled, a nostalgic warmth flooding him, reminiscent of days at the Summer Palace.

There was no denying it; the young Hidden Official’s arrival had eased their burden considerably.

Chen Ping’an listened to the summary, then smiled with dawning comprehension. “This affair,” he declared, “is a tangled web, a matter of questionable justice. One could claim you’ve been wronged, or not. The blade that pierced Wang Jia was wielded by a retainer of my Falling Mountain. She overheard Wang Jia and the Golden Jade Emperor, fueled by wine, uttering words she deemed disrespectful. Her temper, alas, is as prickly as a mountain rose, and she holds her position with undue pride. Thus, she acted impulsively, dealing a clandestine blow, and spawning this…misunderstanding.”

Cao Gun, seizing his moment, chuckled, “What a stir we’ve caused, troubling the Hidden Official.”

Even Xuan Can, for all his sycophancy, couldn’t bring himself to such blatant flattery. He opted for a different tack. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the esteemed Void Monarch, for it is through him that we are graced with the Hidden Official’s presence.”

Song Gaoyuan gazed around, a disorienting sense of déjà vu washing over him, as familiar faces flickered in his mind’s eye.

The Ascendant cultivator remained pinned to the wall, back turned, his expression a mystery.

Ning Yao knew Chen Ping’an well. His verbose explanation was a clear sign that reconciliation was far from achieved. Had he intended to forgive, he would have already commanded her to withdraw the twelve sword intents impaling Wang Jia’s vital energy.

Xie Songhua, puzzled, sent a thought to Ning Yao: “You’ve grown so formidable? Is it the burden of being the World’s First that makes you so exceptionally strong?”

Their last encounter had seen Ning Yao as a nascent soul sword cultivator. While news of Ascension City and the Fivefold Heavens had reached every mountain peak, it was common knowledge that she had shattered every barrier, ascending to the pinnacle as a rightfully acclaimed Ascendant.

Song Pin brought two fingers together, lightly touching the hilt of the longsword “Soaring Wind” that rested behind his shoulder. “Difficult to say,” he replied.

In truth, she was the first to sense Ning Yao’s presence, thanks to her sword’s connection to the Soaring Wind Continent’s fate. A subtle dance of dominance played between them.

Only Ascendants had such varying degrees of power. The “weak” Ascendants, like Nan Guangzhao, humbled at the Twin Ducks Shore by the Young Taoist and beheaded by the Executioner Hao Su at his own doorstep, served as grim examples.

Strong Ascendants, on the other hand, could be further divided. Sword cultivators, upon reaching the Ascendant realm, were invariably strong, without exception in ten thousand years.

The second category included those who soared above their peers in their cultivation journey, leaving contemporaries far behind, such as Wei She of Snowdrift Continent and Zhao Tianlai of Dragon Tiger Mountain. These Ascendants were bestowed with a laudatory title: Fourteenth Realm Candidates.

Chen Chun’an, the erudite scholar of Southern Saha Continent, who carried the sun and moon on his shoulders, was also among this elite.

Between Nan Guangzhao and the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Masters lay those “average” Ascendant Qi cultivators, like Du Mao and Xun Yuan of Tung Leaf Continent and Wan Yan the Elder of Golden Armor Continent. They were not weak, but their strength was measurable, far removed from the likes of the Fire Dragon True Man.

The new Ascendant of Soaring Wind Continent, known as the Void Monarch, belonged in the same “generation” as Nan Guangzhao.

Chen Ping’an, however, possessed a more nuanced understanding. Nan Guangzhao’s power was not as pathetic as many believed. While he would undoubtedly lose to the Young Taoist, he wouldn’t have been so utterly crushed had he truly fought to the death. Moreover, Hao Su had meticulously prepared a series of trump cards. It was baffling that a seasoned Ascendant, within his own domain, could be decapitated, thus cementing Nan Guangzhao’s reputation as a weakling, but the dead could not speak in their own defense.

Killing an Ascendant sword cultivator was no easy feat, yet such killers had the power to surpass even a qi cultivator of their level.

Chen Ping’an, hands tucked into his sleeves, leaned against the chair, smiling. “Void Monarch, there’s no need to play coy. You feign ignorance with great effort, and we feign ignorance of your charade with equal strain. Let us not mistake each other for fools.”

Wang Jia, upon hearing this, seemed to weigh his options. Employing some mystical art, he materialized a second body, even with his original form and spirits pinned by sword energy. This new form turned to face the assembled sword cultivators, a middle-aged man with a golden crown adorned with over two thousand pearls and miniature jade trees, each bearing a tiny golden crow.

Wang Jia, his composure unwavering, spoke, “Now that we’ve cleared up this misunderstanding, shall we call a truce?”

Born into a humble family, he eschewed labor, preferring the company of friends, embracing a chivalrous spirit and soaring ambition. Legend held that upon his birth, a passing geomancer saw regal energies suffusing his thatched hut, foretelling that the child would rise to nobility, possessing the countenance of a demi-emperor.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “And if I refuse?”

Wang Jia countered, “You dare not kill me, so what is the point of detaining me?”

Chen Ping’an offered a seemingly unrelated response. “I overheard my retainer claiming that you predicted I would become the Grand Tutor of Great Li, and that my ascension would mark the beginning of its downfall. You deemed me a soft-hearted man, capable of dealing with mountain cultivators but incapable of waging war against the nations south of the Great Ravine. My compassion for the common folk would shackle Great Li’s iron steeds and turn them into useless nags.”

“Indeed, I said as much.”

Wang Jia readily admitted it. “Since the Hidden Official admits his retainer struck the first blow, while I merely offered commentary from afar, what is there to deny?”

Song Pin frowned, while Pu He questioned, “Could this be true?”

These foreign sword cultivators, hardened by countless battles, were accustomed to the Summer Palace’s strategic brilliance. They had never considered such a possibility.

Situ Jiyu cursed under his breath. “Damn it, if this keeps up, we’ll never get a chance to kill him!”

Chen Ping’an abruptly straightened, clapping his hands in amusement. “Void Monarch, you are a kindred spirit! This matter has troubled my Daoist heart for far too long.”

Wang Jia faltered, taken aback, but quickly recovered. He gazed out of the hall, speaking as if to himself. “My Soaring Wind Continent, a land of beauty and strategic importance, a gilded paradise, now destined for ruin.”

“As a mere Immortal realm cultivator, I had to avoid a predestined calamity to ascend, and could not perform such a magnificent act, certainly not learning from True Man Yu’s intercontinental aid. My reason? I was loath to perish, earning only a fleeting reputation, soon forgotten by all!”

“So, I shirked battle and hid in seclusion. What of it? What can you do? I’ll go so far to say that, the Ascendants of Flowing Glow Continent, are they not all ‘Wang Jia of Soaring Wind Continent’?”

“Now, free from calamity, I am Ascended. Kill me? Do you, Hidden Official Chen Ping’an, imagine yourself to be the Executioner Hao Su, free to act on whim? Would you abandon Falling Mountain, forsake the Azure Peace Sword Sect, leave the dwindling flame of your legacy untended? You dare not kill me. And would Ning Yao? The World’s First, a fearsome title, an enviable realm! But here in Soaring Wind Continent, she is at odds with Song Pin’s ‘Soaring Wind’ sword. Let her wait and see how often she can return to Great World, how long she can linger.”

Pu He exclaimed, taken aback. The man’s shamelessness was astonishing. No wonder he had reached the Ascendant realm, while he, Pu He, had fallen!

Song Pin suddenly spoke. “Let the debt of Wang Jia’s death fall upon me. I will bear the consequences before the Confucian Temple. My reason is simple: he is an Ascendant who seeks to become the continent’s foremost Immortal Master, while my Soaring Wind sword requires the continent’s energy to thrive. This is a matter of life and death. As for fate and destiny, I leave that to you, Hidden Official and Ning Yao.”

Xie Songhua said, “Count me in. I’ll help Song Pin share the burden. But in return, Ning Yao must promise to hide me in the Fivefold Heavens.”

Wang Jia shook his head, a humorless laugh escaping him. “Are you women mad? Why are you so hell-bent on killing me?”

Yu Yue said with a sigh, “We sword cultivators act not on mere impulse. Let us not invite unnecessary trouble.”

Pu He gave a thumbs-up. “Old timer, in your whole life, you’ve said nothing so wise. I am impressed. From now on, if I ever curse you again, feel free to retort.”

Wang Jia produced a scroll with a white jade axle from his sleeve, unfurling it before him. It was a landscape painting of verdant mountains and winding paths, teeming with tiny figures seeking Immortals. Wang Jia plucked the figures from the scroll like peanuts, chewing them slowly, replenishing his strength. The continuous damage from Ning Yao’s sword energy was gradually being countered. With newfound vitality, Wang Jia smiled. “I know you’re not bluffing. You’re capable of it. But you’ve miscalculated. Do you truly believe this young Hidden Official would allow you to pay such a price? That is not the way of Chen Ping’an.”

Song Pin, weary of the dialogue, prepared to draw “Soaring Wind.” But Chen Ping’an raised a hand, subtly pressing the sword back into its sheath.

Wang Jia burped, then rolled up the scroll with a mysterious background. “Reflect on today’s misunderstanding. From the moment I left my residence and entered this hall, what have I done? Dare Chen Ping’an, merely because of a few harsh words or the thinly veiled thoughts Cao Gun exposed, summarily execute a local Ascendant of Great World? That would not be worthy of a closed door disciple of the Sage of Literature.”

“Must I be so blunt for you to understand? Wang Jia of Soaring Wind Continent, while contributing nothing to this land, has committed no wrong against Great World.”

“Honestly, I admire you sword cultivators, but I see nothing special in you besides your killing prowess.”

“Let’s be frank, shall we? I’ll be honest with you. I, too, am a sword cultivator. Yet I will never set foot in the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Ning Yao glanced at Chen Ping’an, who seemed lost in thought.

And so, she did not draw her blade.

Even though Wang Jia had revealed himself as a sword cultivator.

Ning Yao, who now slayed even a Fourteenth Realm candidate ghost, could kill an Ascendant swordsman more easily.

The difference between a Fourteenth Realm candidate and a genuine Fourteenth Realm, though separated by a mere step, remained an insurmountable chasm.

One who had not crossed it could not fathom its wondrous mysteries.

Take the matter of perspective, for example: a mortal man who looks up at the moon can only see a blurry orb, but a Qi cultivator can faintly make out mountains and valleys. A terrestrial Immortal, on a clear night, can discern the outlines of palaces. Those in the upper five realms, by focusing their minds, can see the moon unaffected by its phases, regardless of waxing or waning. But when they attain Ascension, a glance reveals the massive moon as if within reach. Its ancient palaces and mountain ranges are visible with breathtaking clarity.

Yet, upon reaching harmony and becoming a Fourteenth Realm cultivator, a path unique to oneself would be forged in heaven and earth.

A dream interpreter could see all the dreams of humanity. One who mastered the Dao of love could see countless threads of fate hanging in the air.

Chen Ping’an’s eyes gleamed with sudden understanding. “Void Monarch, are you acquainted with Tian Wan of Jade Bottle Continent, Lou Miao of Northern Coarse Filter Continent, or Han Yushu of Tung Leaf Continent? Have you conducted business together?”

Wang Jia did not bother to reply. What nonsense was this?

Chen Ping’an pressed on. “Void Monarch, you claim to be a sword cultivator? What’s to stop anyone from making that claim? If I had met you sooner, why would I have endured such hardship within the Sword Qi Great Wall to become one?”

Wang Jia was about to speak.

Chen Ping’an waved his hand. “Scheming and deceiving, who doesn’t know how to do that? My friend, I’m an old hand at this game. The sum of Cao Gaoyuan and others years of experience could not compare to mine.”

Ning Yao, who seemed to be resting, rolled her eyes.

Cao Gun and Xuan Can exchanged glances. How had young Song Gaoyuan earned the honor of being mentioned alongside “others”?

But the newly minted moniker “kindred spirit” was pleasing to the ear. If Wang Xinshui were present, he would surely declare, “The Hidden Official has but to act, to show his worth!”

“In theory, the matters of mountain and mundane were tied to judgements of merit and deed and had never been clearly settled. But I once heard a somewhat forced argument when traveling the rivers and lakes, that one should not consider past sins, only whether the present is righteous or evil.”

After a moment of silence, Chen Ping’an instinctively patted the chair frame, then shifted his gaze toward Situ Jiyu and Pu He, smiling. “Having heard the Void Monarch’s earnest words, do you feel anger mingled with understanding? He’s merely a pragmatic villain, not a truly heinous one?”

Situ Jiyu nodded. The logic held, but even if Wang Jia were spared today, his disciples would bear watching during their travels.

Pu He rubbed his palms together, saying, “I understand, but I’m itching for a fight.”

Chen Ping’an then looked at Cao Gun and the others. “This trap is cunning, perfectly timed, designed specifically for the clever.”

“Wang Jia seeks something irrational that appears reasonable.”

“If not for the presence of Sword Immortals Xie Songhua and Song Pin, Wang Jia might not have taken this risk. While you may be clever, your golden core realm places a limit. Your swordsmanship falls short.”

Hearing this, Cao Gun asked, “Does Wang Jia seek his own demise?”

Xuan Can wondered, “Even if we fell into his trap, killing an Immortal would be easy enough, but slaying an Ascendant seems far beyond our reach.”

Song Gaoyuan explained, “Indeed, it is difficult, but not impossible. Xie Songhua strikes first, Song Pin follows with Soaring Wind, and with the addition of Pu He and others, we might have a sliver of hope.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Precisely. Wang Jia desires that sliver of possibility, the cumulative effect of your determined strikes. Had Ning Yao not appeared, he would have employed more rhetoric, leading you by the nose. A fight would have broken out, or, worse, if any of the children that have been taking lessons at this time were hurt, both sides would be embroiled in an endless conflict, achieving Wang Jia’s purpose.”

“He is no sword cultivator. He only claimed it after realizing something was amiss, recognizing that the Hidden Official of Summer Palace, who had established his legacy, was truly worthy of his reputation, broad-minded and generous, an ancient wind who would allow the dust to settle. Compared to other young men”

Ning Yao coughed here, reminding someone that they had a reunion.

Chen Ping’an could only restrain the full scope of his ability and the feeling of being back in the Summer Palace.

“In short, Wang Jia sought to provoke me, Ning Yao, and all of you. He may not truly be an Ascendant, but merely a convincing imposter.”

“Right, Kindred Spirit?”

Wang Jia shook his head, scoffing. “Preposterous! Chen, shall I unleash my natal flying sword?”

Cao Gun chuckled. “Why are you so agitated, Kindred Spirit? If you’re a sword cultivator, so be it. We’re all sword cultivators here.”

Xuan Can interjected. “Your accent betrays you, Cao Gun. You can’t even curse properly.”

Song Gaoyuan smiled. “Not cursing, merely imitating the Hidden Official. Alas, my talent and skill fall short. I haven’t grasped the essence.”

Ning Yao rubbed her temples, regretting her decision not to stop Chen Ping’an.

Although she bore the title of Hidden Official in Ascension City, she had never visited Chen Ping’an’s Summer Palace. Although she had heard stories about the atmosphere of the place, she never had experienced it first hand until today.

Chen Ping’an walked around the chair, clasped his hands in his sleeves, and began to pace. “I once visited the Yin Yang Family of the Central Earth Continent and became very fond of them. There I asked a crucial question to patriarch of the Lu Family, Lu Tiange. I asked him if the rise of this mine in Soaring Wind Continent was due to something left behind in the world by the barbaric Wenhai, Lu Tiange, much kinder than Kindred Spirit, did not hesitate to say so. He put forth a lot of effort, specifically closing himself to perform a divination, of course it could be because I brought two ascendant sword retainers or the fact I was in a rush to continue the trip. When Lu Tiange emerged, his mental state was weak, stating that the weather patterns in Soaring Wind Continent were extremely chaotic due to the fact Bai Ye challenged the Eight Kings of the continent and as a result the continent was broken and the geography always changing made it hard to predict. Even though he lost a century worth of strength, he was able to figure out a few things. Even if the barbaric Wenhai had indeed planted the seed, it would have no malicious intent. The weather would change and it was hard to tell.”

“I read the files of Summer Palace and Confucian Temple, and I can say that my knowledge of the ascendant realm surpasses most.”

Chen Ping’an paused, turning to face the illusory swordsman. “Wang Jia, you seek to draw a sword from a sword immortal to break free of your calamity and truly become ascended.”

Wang Jia fell silent.

Words were useless.

The green-clad traveler was far superior in realm, vision, strategy, and deception compared to the others.

“The cunning Wenhai had two goals with this mine in Soaring Wind Continent, One was to have two places to attack Jade Bottle Continent from. The beast could kill their way north to fight Northern Coarse Filter Continent. But Soaring Wind Continent and Golden Armor Continent were hard to attack.”

“The second was to take my Third Continent Sage. However, he also wanted to get at me and Ning Yao.”

“He need someone to murder with the blade. It would be to eye catching to let a great demon stay there. It would be to hard to miss. What would work is a coward immortal.”

“Before I came here I made over a dozen assumptions but in my mind none of them worked. However, the moment I saw you, I understood.”

“Because you need a sword to ascend you needed to break out of your calamity. That moment would be the time for you to open the formatiom. It takes a crazy person to take advantage of all the destruction.”

Those in the Summer Palace were used to great scenes.

The rest of the swordsman started sweating as they listened to the tale.

Wang Jia lamented “What wrong have I done?”

Chen Ping’an laughed “Do you know the problem with smart people? They always make a mistake.”

Wang Jia sighed, “Chen Pingan you’ve won I won’t do any of this. I agree, I am not a sword fighter and I do seek to do this. However, I do not wish to see any distruction of the continent.

“The HELL I’m doing so well that Chen wont let me win and just like it is now. The worst case is that HELL Chen gets killed by HELL

Chen PINGAN This is it, I can be a bad cop at any time.”

Wang Jia in the end gave up, and decided that if he wanted to survive he had to come clean.

He found Chen looking at him with pity

Then Chen asked him “Jade, Wangjia, maybe you just can’t understand that you think your someone else? Immortal, Wangjia, are you real?”

Wang Jia was frightened as he could no longer hear the voices and he was falling over something.

The best thing that happened was the opening of the gates and as time passed.

He had to go where he was and there were problems.

They were trying to steal from the people who were poor and had to do something.

They were told to get away and they had to stay here.

People from all over the world decided to go here to take part in it.

Chen Pingan said “You will only become an eternal corpse.”

“As long as there is a scheme that lets it be.”

“When I came in I told people not to hide as they are just hurting themselves.”

“Are you fine with me? I am really happy to see you go.”

“I have been having fun and not taking down the bad guys. If I can just get one person”

Those in the Summer Palace agreed and they sent out the people they were asked to send out.

“It will be done for you! Is there anything else?”

“You are not a great group. Is there any way you can find someone to help you? Who are you?”

The true body of Wang Jia turned to ashes and disappeared

Before Ning threw her final strike, he shook his head and told Chen everything

Ning placed her sword away and turned back “What did he tell you?”

Chen said “Not you, I am not bad.”

Ning stayed “Well then?”

It was for her and she smiled.

Chen rubbed his face and said “There were a lot of things. He knew about them.”

“Now just to guess”

Chen said, “Did you want to hit Wang Jia or tell him the truth?”

Ning said “What is that thing?”

Chen said “If you are near people it is so easy to do.”

Ning said “I have turned to my 14 realm you can get a piece of me as well. Does that sound good?”

Chen said what I was doing

Things would become much better

Chen could tell that her thoughts would become something more and then laughed

Chen raised his head and had a drink it was easy to stop as you only needed to drink the last part of the water.