Here’s a rewritten version of the content, aiming for a more formal and fantastical tone:

Beneath the vaulted skies of the Inner World, Chen Ping’an led the Primordial Strategist, offering a brief greeting to Yu Shiwu and outlining the dire circumstances. Yu Shiwu, ever acquiescent, readily agreed, his fate sealed to the whims of heaven.

A voice, laced with amusement, broke the silence. “Chen the Sword Immortal, your candor is commendable. Do you not fear inviting a fox into the henhouse, that this nascent world’s fortunes might be plundered? Perhaps you conceal places of darkness, veiled behind illusory tricks?”

Chen Ping’an remained silent, his gaze unwavering.

The man swept his eyes across the fantastical landscapes, each a delicate, gilded cage. “Such are the conceits of these modern cultivators. They squander lifetimes, trading the grand for the trivial. ‘Dao’ is forgotten, while they tinker endlessly with mere ‘Arts.’ Small wonder they dare call themselves Earthly Immortals upon achieving a Golden Core.”

Chen Ping’an offered no retort, a silent observer in his own domain.

“Tell me,” the man’s voice cut through the stillness, “do you know how to breathe true, Daotouched life into those paper effigies of yours?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head, a shadow of trepidation crossing his face. “I dare not attempt it so lightly.”

“A soft heart ill becomes the hand that guides,” the man countered. “To sit at the head of the table is to forsake the illusion of universal benevolence. Else you risk saving one, only to doom ten thousand. The hearts of men, flawed by the mortal coil, hold scales of their own. Set aside notions of right and wrong. Innate nature, though, tends to be uniform – prone to sorrow, a source of regret. Heed this, a veteran’s counsel; do not dismiss it lightly.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, his gaze solemn. “I shall remember these words.”

“I am, by nature, a reserved soul, seldom given to idle chatter,” the man said.

He flexed his arm, joints creaking softly. To slay a Blue Firmament Dao Official of the Fourteenth Tier is no small task. “Yet, hearing you favor lengthy, homiletic discourses – like an old crone’s bandages – I thought to indulge your preference.”

“As you wish,” Chen Ping’an replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

The man’s gaze sharpened. “Is it knowledge of my identity, my station, that inspires such caution, such patience?”

“Tis human nature,” Chen Ping’an replied. “Of a hundred souls, I am but one among ninety-nine.”

The man nodded. “Only the lone exception possesses heroic spirit, unfettered by such scruples. I have known many such Daoists of various lineages.”

Chen Ping’an added, “I possess the patience to hear any speak.”

The man rested his hand on the alabaster bridge’s railing. “The venerable Bixiao sends tidings.”

“I am all ears,” Chen Ping’an replied with curiosity.

“In times of little import, sermons are seen as mere folly, born of misplaced courage. But when one stands at the summit, such pronouncements breed irritation, tinged with the stench of ill-gotten gain. The venerable Bixiao bids you think deeply, lest you be led by the nose by the very precepts you espouse.”

“I take note,” Chen Ping’an said.

The man chuckled. “Only take note, not assimilate? The Sword Immortal’s words imply acceptance of the goodwill, but not the truth behind it? Fear not, I am but a messenger. I will not carry tales to Bixiao, lest I mar my reputation.”

Chen Ping’an’s response seemed oblique. “Now, I understand a measure of the force that once united the world beneath your banner.”

The man threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Flattery, however artful, is never ill-received. Your skill in conversation is, indeed, unique.”

“The hero of yore should not dwell on past glories. Talk of ‘honorable defeat’ stings more than praise. In conversation with Bixiao, that fetid, bovine Daoist declared that though my mastery of Dao and martial arts were considerable, my true talent lies in conjuring illusions, a master artificer! Such pronouncements ought have closed the meeting in good spirit, with suitable warmth between host and guest, but no – the old fool insisted on a needless flourish.”

“Pity those who starved, chasing dreams of a feast.”

Yu Shiwu, arriving at that moment, beheld the towering man, his mirth echoing across the landscape. Dread gripped his heart. He, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, stood before the legendary “Head of the Family” of the Three Teachings. His Dao Heart, normally a bastion of calm, churned within him. Struggle as he might, he could not quell the turmoil. Mere proximity threatened to tear his soul from his body.

The man seemed surprised. “I lost the wager, enduring a forced Dissolution. My old friend claimed my head; the rest was divided among four nameless fools, yielding five portions of Martial Fortune. You alone bear three? And yet, you are so frail of body and spirit, blown hither and thither like a leaf in the wind? Had that new Fourteenth Tier from the Azure Firmament possessed two more portions, my visit to this mountain would not have been so simple.”

Chen Ping’an now understood. The demise of that as-yet unnamed Fourteenth Tier, sought and slain by the Primordial Strategist, was driven by more than mere insolence.

The man shook his head. “Your cultivation has adequate roots, but your heart is too fragile. You would prostrate yourself before the first sign of doom. A man capable of bearing a hundred-weight cannot lift it.”

Yu Shiwu could only offer a wry smile. The Primordial Ancestor echoed Chen Ping’an’s own sentiments.

“In grit and spirit, you do not equal Chen Ping’an,” the man declared.

Yu Shiwu was speechless. Chen Ping’an, in turn, was resigned.

Veneration was due; the man had endured a millennium of imprisonment, only recently released. Much could be forgiven.

As agreed, the Primordial Strategist would reclaim his three portions of Martial Fortune from Yu Shiwu, but without harming his soul or memories. The body was to be spared as well, if possible. If not, no protest would be made.

The man smiled. “Young Yu Shiwu, is it? This will cause some small measure of pain. Can you endure it?”

Yu Shiwu’s scalp prickled with apprehension. He looked, unconsciously, to Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an was filled with a sense of helplessness. *What can I do? Can I bear this for you?*

The man clicked his tongue in amusement. “So delicate. I worry that Yu Shiwu’s Daos might crumble at the pain. I possess a mystical Art, called Bridging, which may transfer a portion of the sensation to another. Given that you, Chen the Sword Immortal, are of the Immortal Tier, and he is but Nascent Soul, you could shoulder two-thirds of the experience.”

Chen Ping’an was aghast. *Can the whispers of my heart be heard here, in my very Inner World?*

Yu Shiwu, however, offered profuse thanks, leaving the Sword Immortal no room for refusal. “I am eternally grateful!”

Chen Ping’an stared at Yu Shiwu, his lips barely moving.

Yu Shiwu understood. *He is cursing me. Best I feign ignorance.*

The man raised his hand, beckoning with two fingers, and drew a golden strand, thick as a thumb, from Yu Shiwu’s brow. With a flick of his wrist, he cast it toward Chen Ping’an. “Are you both prepared?”

Yu Shiwu, despite his trepidation, performed the Steps of Yu, invoking arcane incantations, his mind fixed, marshaling his spiritual energy to protect his vital organs.

Chen Ping’an shifted his weight, adopting a martial stance, his eyes closing as he steeled himself.

But nothing happened. Yu Shiwu dared not speak, but Chen Ping’an broke the silence. “What do you await?”

The man bellowed with laughter, striding forward to stand before Yu Shiwu. He swung his foot with earth-shattering force, striking Yu Shiwu at the waist, severing him in two.

Then, with his hand a blade, he beheaded Yu Shiwu.

With a wave of his hand, Yu Shiwu’s head hurtled into the river beyond the bridge.

The man seized the headless body by the shoulders, tearing off both arms.

Though Yu Shiwu had endured forced Dissolution, his head floated serenely on the water, impervious to the depths.

*Huh? I feel no pain? This ‘Bridging’ spell? A wonder beyond words!*

The man’s Yang Spirit, a mere ten feet tall, shimmered with condensed power, an ultimate embodiment of attainment.

The golden form consumed Yu Shiwu’s torso and limbs, devouring every scrap of flesh and bone, leaving nothing wasted.

Rising, the man wiped his mouth, his Yang Spirit returning to its corporeal form. A golden halo burst forth, the two incomplete crescents now joined, their gap closed by the recently absorbed pieces.

Throughout the five lands, the heavens reverberated. Millennia of silence gave way to thunderous echoes.

Chen Ping’an’s Inner World could scarcely withstand the cataclysmic force. Countless barriers shattered like fragile porcelain. The azure skies exploded, the golden earth cracked into a spiderweb of fissures. Rivers shifted course, mountains crumbled, and the sea surged inward. Scarcely warmed sheets of Wutong leaf turned to dust.

A few paces from the source, Chen Ping’an’s eardrums were shattered, blood trickling from his eyes. His skin peeled away. Had he not invoked his true form, it would have been he, and not Yu Shiwu, who would have suffered the loss of his Dao.

The man smiled blithely. “Unstable foundations demand radical solutions: tear it all down and rebuild. Only those who can destroy and recreate are true heroes.”

Chen Ping’an, gritting his teeth, rasped, “You’ll pay dearly for this damage!”

The man ignored him, summoning Yu Shiwu’s head back onto the bridge. The collapsed lower half of his body rose again, and from his neck emerged golden strands, weaving together a form. Limbs and organs regenerated; the bones sprouted flesh anew, an act of celestial alchemy. A heart, pure gold, pulsed with the lifeblood of the Dao.

The man chuckled. “For shepherding my Martial Fortune these years, you merit reward. Since fortune does not favor the warrior, accept this gift of celestial favor.”

Seeing Chen’s woeful state, Yu Shiwu felt unease. The man scoffed, sensing his thoughts. “Can you refuse a gift from me? Try it. Reach the Upper Five Tiers, then try to cast it out. If you succeed, I will acknowledge your skill.”

The man glanced at Chen Ping’an. “Were you but a warrior, your reward would be twice that of Yu Shiwu’s. Should you be a Daoist as well, I would impart a few Daoist Arts. But as a ‘Scholar’… that remains to be seen. Who would not seek to be the virtuous, rewarded for their virtue? Having taken on this task, you must accept the consequences. You who claim to be a scholar, who deigns to reason with heaven and earth, must pay the price.”

Chen Ping’an was silent, exhaling deeply. His eyes turned to gold, a sign of the growing dominance of the Divine.

The world around them took on a golden hue, a transformation toward the Dao.

The man was unfazed. In the ancient times, he had witnessed greater spectacles than this.

With a flick of the wrist, a weapon appeared in his hand.

As it did, a Night-Sailing Ship suddenly sank, the world turning from paper to stone.

The Lotus Shrine, constructed deep beneath the waters of the Azure Firmament, was placed there by the Dao Ancestor to subdue Martial Fortune with the power of the rivers, and to seal within it a divine weapon, the spear known as “Breaker of Arrays”.

The man stamped his foot and raised his arm, the spearhead pointed at Chen Ping’an’s golden eyes. “Now, manifest a form nearing the Perfect Dao. For this is the moment I have awaited! To slay a new Fourteenth Tier is but a warm-up. You are the one I truly seek. The half of One from Fallen Mountain!”

“From the moment I set foot here, the River of Time has flowed backwards, now stagnating within a watery vortex. I would see who can save you; who dares!”

To reverse time’s flow, even for a Dao Ancestor outside of the Azure Firmament, is limited to a single continent with few strong cultivators. Yet for the newly reborn strategist, to briefly walk alongside a Sword Immortal within a reversed River of Time, is no problem.

“Once the shrine is restored, I will seal the gates and strike. I will ascend, retaking Heaven itself. Those Dao Ancestors will repay old debts, and I, a heretic, will slay Zhou Mi!”

As the Primordial Strategist spoke, Chen Ping’an’s Inner World was cleaved again, forming a realm of raging fire. “He who crafts cages, becomes a caged bird.”

Of the Seven Celestial Luminaries, the Strategist was imprisoned in the Martian star, “Great Fire,” forever fixed in the eyes of earthly astronomers. For a thousand years, astronomers gazed upon the heavens, seeing omens of war. Emperors issued edicts of contrition, acknowledging their own failings as rulers, as if acknowledging they are “bastard sons” and “unworthy of their position.”

The Primordial Strategist smiled. “The art of war lies in seizing the mind, not the city. And here, it is most fitting.”

The spear pierced Chen Ping’an’s robes, striking his heart. The force propelled the spear onwards, the point emerging from his back.

The man twisted his wrist, shattering the heart within, and mocked, “Your mind clouded, you believe I should not have acted with such haste? I will, as thanks for your politeness, impart a truth that countless cultivators have paid with their lives for: Some things defy reason. To seek reason is, itself, unreasonable.”

Chen Ping’an remained motionless, staring at the ancient runes along the spear shaft, as if reading a complete Daoist scripture.

The man clicked his tongue in wonder. “Truly, you are a heartless spirit, elevated. Unless I shatter your golden body, sunder your Dao, sever the flow of worship, you remain unscathed. With two seamless life-bound swords, how have you become such a monster? Were I to grant you more power, unleash you, what chaos would you wreak? Small wonder that Zou Zi wishes your utter ruin.”

The man’s gaze was complex. “Chen Ping’an, you know too well how to preserve yourself.”

Yu Shiwu, biting his lip, tried to intervene.

The man glanced at him, and Yu Shiwu dissolved to ash, scattering in the wind.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, a spark ignited. Yu Shiwu reformed on the riverbank, rushing once more toward the bridge. Again, his soul scattered, only to reassemble. He continued his futile assault.

Chen Ping’an shook his head, urging him to cease his efforts and safeguard himself.

Among the imprisoned demon cultivators, only Xiao Xing dared approach. A finger-flick from the man reduced him to bloody fragments.

The sword cultivator Dou Kou and the female cultivator Xian Zao watched from the stairs to the Godly Altar. Given their circumstances, and their connection to the Hidden Officer, their discretion in the face of calamity was understandable.

The woman named Yu Qing sought to contact the young Daoist with the lotus crown, but in vain. She remained aloof, watching from the riverbank.

As the Strategist sealed the heavens, Liu Xianyang’s voice could be heard bellowing angrily from outside, addressing the Strategist by name. “Jiang She, do you take me for dead?! Desist at once!”

Chen Ping’an tried to warn him with a silent utterance, but it materialized and broke into golden light.

The man smiled unconcerned. “Young Liu, a sword cultivator threatens others by threatening their spouses? How unbecoming!”

Liu Xianyang retorted, “You dog! Is that how you treat a guest? Have some shame! This grandpa is not one for study, and my temper’s foul. You kill Chen Ping’an, and I will kill your wife!”

The man was not fearful. His spouse was no weakling. She was not strong, but her skill in survival was unparalleled.

The fact was that Bai Jing and Xiao Mo knew all of what was happening there. How could a mere Daoist of Earthly status know so much?

Xiao Mo must be a pawn, and Bai Jing must follow the pawn. And so, the two swordsmen formed an array, hiding the truth from Jiang She.

“He’s made some good friends.”

Jiang She smiled wryly. “Perhaps you should go and study, and let him focus on sword practice.”

The strategist rubbed his chin. Liu Xianyang’s youth and recklessness could be excused, but the actions of Bai Jing and Xiao Mo indicated deeper secrets.

At the Rainbow Hall in Spirit Creek City, Bai Jing looked awkward, seemingly caught between worlds. She tugged at her fur hat, pretending to know nothing at all.

Moments before, Liu Xianyang had suddenly erupted in rage. Drawing his sword, he placed it on the woman’s shoulder and snarled, “Jiang She seeks death, and I cannot yet break his array. I will take your head as a stepping stone!”

Xiao Mo, impassive, began gathering her strength.

A million years, what’s changed?

Xie Gou turned his back to them, muttering to himself.

The woman showed no fear, but smiled. “Upon the heights, small details can mean disaster. Liu Sword Immortal, when you lop off my head, ensure you do not lose my flower hairpins. It is a token of my love for him.”

Liu Xianyang grinned. “We will not speak ill of the dead.”

The killing intent was real.

“How would you know of Jiang She’s name?” The woman asked. “It is forbidden on all the worlds.”

Liu Xianyang replied. “We all have secrets in our pockets. I know that you have the ability to come back after death, which I would hate to chase.”

The woman feigned shock. “You know of my tricks? Is it perhaps that your master is one of the Sages, or one of the Little Sages?”

“Our world is not yours,” he said. “You can learn a lot about the mysteries of this world. As for sword fighting, I learned it myself.”

“The old dog speaks true, do not let your guard down,” Xie Gou said from beyond.

“We’re all friends,” Xie Gou said.

“As long as Bai Jing does not interfere, then we can continue to be friends.”

The woman lost her previous demeanor. “I miss the old days,” she said.

A million years ago, scholars and Daoists from all walks of life would travel the roads, and carry with them the Daos. It was a world where right and wrong were defined by your power.

In these lands, people often fought just because they didn’t like each other, but others would risk it all to help each other.

Jiang She then returned the spear to its place, and shook away the residual power. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jiang She, but my Dao is known as the Original Spirit. My wife is known as Wu Yan, and her Dao is known as Land Immortal. And finally, she and Bai Jing are dear friends, who met due to a similarity between their Daos.”

Chen Ping’an’s breast wound healed, and stared at the man. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chen Ping’an from the lands of Dalee Longquan, with my Dao taking root in Fallen Mountain, I was also known as Cao Mo, Dou Yi, and Chen Hauran, while my Dao has yet to find a name.”

Jiang She looked at him with surprise. Was it some part of a spirit?

He looked at an alcove. “Two secrets, where even the resting places of the dead have been revealed. And here, we found a Daoist. Loyal to his masters.”

Chen leaned back, and held his fist. “The instincts tell me not to risk everything.”

“It is important not to use a dull knife against a rabbit. The ancestors would be very powerful.”

“Dao is what defines you here. It is the soul of the world. I think it’s time we put our feelings on the table.”

Finally, the woman returned her luck and cheered.

The great hall had a statue of the strategist, and a candle that burned for a million years.

The gods are powerful.

Bai Qing did not reveal to Liu what the old daoist had back in the olden days, as that was due to the burning of incense.

What’s left in these lands, the incense is only burned for oneself. How can that form incense?

It was for this very reason, that the relationship between the temple and Jinag She was weird.

This was designed as a damn to stop the flood.

Two of the heavens would not allow the great leader to take advantage of this.

The leader in White Jade Capital had no intentions to stop this.

Knowing he was on his land, the leader didn’t show his face.

If he had, those worlds that stood in front of the emperor would have found a seat in heaven.

The man was laughing at Chen. “Why would you dare offend him?”

Chen simply said, “It’s wrong to interfere from the outside.”

Jiang laughed. “We shall await it.”

Chen asked. “Will we not take care of things here?”

Jiang rebutted. “It is the duty for the guest. I am the guest, and you are the keeper, do you expect the guest to clean for you?”

Chen said. “That does make sense.”

Jiang waved. “Less talking and more walking, and more business to discuss.”

It seems this first patriarch was intent on resolving Chen’s death as a simple “out with the old, in with the new”.

Jiang waved a sleeve, and then Xiao woke up. Chen shook his head to her, and asked “Do you want Yu Qing?”

With Chen’s words, a grain of sand was created, and it was returned to the cleaner room.

Jiang and Chen returned to their allies and called out that they were safe.

The wife laughed, and poked at the sword tips. “Liu Sword Immortal?”

As the sword was returned, Liu clasped a fist. “So sorry, older sister.”

The wife asked, “You really can break the path to hell?”

Liu responded, “I was bullshitting, just ignore what I said!”

“He can follow the way back to the start, but it won’t be of use. All the deaths he has been unable to do over and over.” Xie said.

Liu was scared.

Xie let out a sigh of relief and said, “That’s thanks to our leader for helping me take over.”

Xiao looked at him with a smile. “Let’s sit at our master’s place?”

Xie started looking for excuses.

However, Liu said, “I’ll let you all get busy.”

Xie got the message and said, “Xiao, I’m clear…”

Xiao sighed.

The wife smiled and decided she would help.

Jiang then asked. “Can Dao be borrowed, and can the heart be borrowed?”

Chen was not happy with his mood and said, “I apologize, senior, I will rest now.”

Jiang tapped his seat and said, “Chen Qing is out to get you. It seems we offended him!”

Bi Xiao knows what’s up.

Chen said, “It is the duty of those who would fight for the heavens, there’s no way out.”

Jinag shook. “You’re just underestimating the man’s heart.”

“Really, Chen, are you so blind?”

“And that’s why I thought about those words?”

Chen nodded. “Those words fit just as well as a drinking cup.”

A cup without a heart, is like a story.

Jinag had many friends in his life, including Bi Xiao, with whom he would talk about the ways of the world. After visiting Laobao Beach, it’s said that Jiang then left Bi Xiao with a great message, with Xiao saying that you will die one day, so who’s stopping you?

The wife made her way over, while Liu walked by side.

Xie then looked for a sand place to eat.

Chen asked, “What were you here to talk about?”

Jiang then smiled.

Wu said, “Is it you that will tell it, or me!?”

Jiang looked at her awkwardly.

He knew that he had to reveal this.

Xiao said. “If you don’t want to talk, don’t.

Jiang was at a lost.

Liu then came over. “Okay, I got this. Jian and Wu have a daughter, and they treated her well, and she’s a Dao apprentice, a genius of her time, but she’s stuck. That’s why they trusted Bai to take care of her.”

The wife was happy to listen, as the sword was the path forward.

Chen asked. “Did something happen?”

Bai might have been the first cultivator in the road to heaven, was she lost?

Xiao shook her head, “The accident was not a part of the ascension, but rather the battle that happened behind it. Bai was injured and lost the Dao. The monk was the only one who could save her.”

Jiang said. “Luckily some of the old demons died earlier, the monk used his body to get back some power. Well, one of those dead lives now has the Dao to the top, which they stole. Now it seems he is living well!”

The wife said, “The path to heaven was lost, but the monk gave up a chance at heaven in order to save his daughter. I have some power.”

Chen then frowned and said, “Was it then that the daughter became Pei Qian?”

Jiang then had a face of concern.

The wife then said, “By Bi’s word, our daughter’s soul was protected by the words of one of the Great Saints. He told us that if we came back and saw each other, they might fight. As such, the old scholar was looking out for us!”

“Mr. Chen, should we call her over?”

Chen was frowning.

Liu had seen this before, and he knew something had gone wrong.

His wife explained, “We were afraid to see her, so we made sure to prepare an opening speech. We don’t want anything to go wrong.”

Chen nodded as he stood up.

The wife was sad, as if the couple abandoned their daughter. But there was nothing she could do.

Chen didn’t know what to say.

“That is not true!” Liu said.

Chen looked at him and was shocked.

Liu then laughed. “Chen’s mood is off, but I recommend you two do not play smart. If you don’t open up today, you’ll regret it!”

Jiang took a deep breath and said. “We made her evil at the gate to heaven, so we could send her up to the heavens. With my death and Bai’s power, my daughter had to give up the possibility of turning back, however this was not free. The great path was damaged, and it was the fate of my daughter.”

Chen tilted up and said. “What is small or big, what does it matter if the path to heaven has long gone!”

“You can say there are two daughters, and they are not connected. If they are joined, they would become one.”

Jiang then nodded and said, “Now we have two daughters.”

His wife said, “We love both daughters.”

Chen then tightened the seat he was holding and said, “She’s not trash, she’s someone important. She’s not an orphan, because she met me, the master.”

The wife and Jiang wanted to say something, but didn’t know what to say.

Chen then looked up.

Jiang was quiet.

Chen was silent for a moment and said, “Let me think about how I should talk to Pei. I hope to have an answer by the time we land.”

Jiang nodded. “Thank you, thank you!”

The wife bowed. “Thank you!”

After a short amount of time, everyone left the room, with Liu finding Xiao. “What are you eating?”

Chen sat in the room alone, looking out the window.

If Pei was their daughter, that would be good.

Chen would be happy with that.

Chen was shaking his head.

He once promised that he would speak to Pei fairly and truthfully.

So how was he to do this?

Pei had a good memory. Pei and Chen were one of those families that remembered everything.

“Dad, if I leave, will there be someone as good as you?”

That’s what the swordsman said, she would like to be a father.

It’s just that the old girl said she would have children in the future.

“A few days ago, I thought about riding a horse and going all over. But it’s too expensive!”

Then the old lady sighed. “Now I have to travel.”

He laughed it off. “Didn’t you meet me in Jiang Hu?”

One was large and one was small.

“But I don’t want to meet you!”

It was time to drink, it’s time to go home.

At the top of his voice, he could hear something.

It was that a scholar had arrived and was looking for a seat. “Just some rice and soup!”

Chen could then see the old scholar. “Dad, what are you doing?”