The Sage of Rites was indeed a divine being!

He stood upon two talisman mountains, his Dharma body suddenly towering at least twice its original size. His feet moved the mountains as if he wore them as boots, walking with them. He turned to the side, leaving the golden mirror formed from his natal characters in place, like a soft yet resilient wall, continuing to obstruct the ferry’s path. Then, the Sage of Rites rammed his back against the desolate world, and the Scripture River behind him was like a newly laid track, diverting from the original azure path. The Sage of Rites leaned back, his feet rising and heavily stomping into the void, his Dharma body tilting further and further backward, gradually shifting the “ferry’s” direction, pushing the entire desolate world into the Scripture River waterway. The back of the Sage of Rites’ massive Dharma body rubbed against the desolate world, creating a dazzling display of iridescent light.

Of the ancient great demons who had come to watch the spectacle, only Li Gou and the Nameless One remained.

The Nameless One couldn’t help but take out his wine gourd again, taking a hearty gulp. He laughed heartily, “No need to doubt it, the invincible one from White Jade Capital, no matter how invincible, definitely can’t beat the Little Master.”

Li Gou said, “Is there anything to be happy about?”

The Nameless One nodded, “Of course there is! This shows that after ten thousand years, no matter how many geniuses and techniques there are, they still can’t surpass the heights of our generation’s Great Dao.”

Li Gou said, “You can’t calculate it like that. The Little Master has studied countless techniques in these ten thousand years.”

The Nameless One’s expression turned strange. After holding back for a long time, he couldn’t help but raise his hand and pat the head of the double-pupiled youth, “Do you know why you couldn’t get along with those human cultivators and scholars back then?”

Li Gou said, “I don’t know how to talk.”

The short, sturdy man laughed, “You knew it all along.”

This man, without a name or surname, or even a true demon name, had a good relationship with Mister of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis back then, and could be considered half a friend, half a drinking buddy.

Perhaps due to his naturally carefree nature, he had few friends, but also few enemies. Unlike Bai Jing, who would eliminate anyone she had a feud with, the short, sturdy man’s few actions were all for the sake of friends, such as Li Gou beside him, whose killing power was far inferior to his defense.

Therefore, the man regretted the sword cultivator Liu Cha, who had failed to return to the desolate land, otherwise he would have become a new drinking buddy.

Bai Jing laughed so hard that her mouth couldn’t close. Although she hadn’t seen Hu Tu’s fate with her own eyes, she could guess the general situation. Then, she pretended to be sad, and said in a tone of heartfelt sympathy, “Heartbreaking, it’s heartbreaking! Hu Tu, you’re so muddled!”

The man chuckled and raised the wine gourd in his hand towards Bai Jing.

When did Bai Jing become so fond of making sarcastic remarks?

Bai Jing rolled her eyes, waved her hand, indicating that they weren’t familiar and that he shouldn’t try to get close to her, as her Little Mo was very jealous.

If Little Mo misunderstood her, she would chop him.

But if he was willing to give her the wine gourd in his hand, they could become sworn siblings.

This short, sturdy man enjoyed listening to the sound of the wine sloshing inside the gourd in between sips of fine wine.

This wine gourd in his hand was actually one of the “ancestors” of the later-generation dimensional storage treasures. Besides its commemorative significance, it was not of very high grade because it was only a semi-finished product.

The dimensional storage treasures and spatial items that Earth Immortals almost all possessed now were first forged and refined by Lan Qi, one of the Ten Heroes of the world.

Just the appearance of these kinds of items had an immeasurable impact on the overall landscape of the cultivation world, and even greatly increased the chances of success in the battle of human cultivators ascending to the heavens.

The man took a sip of wine, wiped his mouth, and for no reason, he thought of one of his few good friends, Mister of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis, and his drunken words back then.

“Let those Taoists who shouldn’t be forgotten be remembered by later generations for a long time, even if it’s been a thousand or ten thousand years, even if it’s only remembered by one or a few people.”

Behind the Sage of Rites, Mister of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis finally truly acted.

He offered a stack of talismans, with only two types of major talismans. With water talismans, he cut open a river of time on the desolate world’s forward path, interrupting the mutual attraction between this ferry and the original azure path. Then, with mountain talismans, he erected walls on both sides of the desolate world and the Scripture River, as if building long dikes on both sides of the riverbed, so that this ferry could seemingly fall “downward” but actually move upwards.

At the same time, Mister of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis began to display his natal divine power, driving the earth and mountains of the desolate world.

However, he was immediately blocked by Gui Ke. The earth and mountains that were ordered to move by this “young” cultivator could only be limited to the areas around the strongholds of the Vast Sky World.

On the highest peak of one of the mountains in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there was a hunchbacked old man with empty eyes. This blind man, who didn’t even have a watch dog by his side, stood alone on the cliff, rubbing his sunken cheeks, seemingly hesitating about something.

His good disciple, who was both a door opener and a door closer, seemed to be just a worthy man of the academy now.

But the bookworms in the Confucian Temple were very inflexible. They had said that it wouldn’t happen again, so it seemed that it was impossible to help his disciple become a gentleman by accumulating a new merit.

And what was the point of him wanting a few strokes on the merit book of the Confucian Temple? After thinking about it, the old blind man didn’t think it was interesting, so he turned and walked towards his residence. He passed Li Huai’s room, stopped, and pushed open the door. He saw a few pots of wine and a stack of books on the table, probably prepared for his master to read and drink.

While Yu Xuan was driving the Scripture River that was like lichen spread in the air, he wasn’t idle. This great cultivator, who exclusively occupied the word “talisman,” had a whimsical idea and great courage. He was actually trying to draw more talismans on the path of the Scripture River to twist a part of the river of time, hoping to open a door with it, helping the ferry to move further away from the destined azure path. Unexpectedly, before the door could be opened, only a threshold stacked with layers of talismans appeared, and it had already been washed away by the tide of energy. Yu Xuan had no choice but to give up reluctantly, and quickly calculated in his mind that the approach was right, but the preparation was insufficient and too hasty. If he had enough time and could refine a huge number of talismans, he might be able to build two doors in the outer void and the Vast Sky World, with the ferry entering through one door and instantly exiting through the second door, like those return to ruins passages connecting the two worlds…

Lü Yan shook his head and smiled, “Daoist Yu’s idea is good, but it’s very difficult to accomplish.”

Yu Xuan chuckled.
If we were discussing any other lineage of Daoist arts, I would gladly elaborate, but debating the Way of Talismans with a Pure Yang cultivator is truly fruitless.

Though the power to command the earth’s veins was largely nullified by the desolate sundial…

Beyond the two great talismans he had invoked, the esteemed San Shan Jiu Hou possessed a hidden marvel. He raised his hands, as if folding paper.

He actually folded the River of Time behind the Rite Saint, along with the four corners of the heavens and earth, and then gently set this “kite” upon the River of Talismans.

This heaven-defying maneuver was like tying a knot in a piece of clothing, drawing all the warp and weft threads towards that single point.

He then folded a long stretch of the azure Dao trajectory behind the desolate world into another kite.

Finally, these two talisman kites, like fish traps with their openings facing each other, gradually closed, ensnaring a massive fish.

This was the “Quansheng” talisman, conceived over an eternity, yet unleashed for the first time.

If San Shan Jiu Hou’s visit to Azure City in Jade Capital allowed Kou Ming to learn from the senior, ultimately birthing several great talismans, including the Three Mountains Talisman…

Then San Shan Jiu Hou had also gained insights from this amicable discourse, such as the “Quan” talisman, designed specifically to suppress, dismantle, and shatter the “small worlds” of powerful cultivators.

The Pure Yang Daoist smiled knowingly. Surely Daoist Lu of Jade Capital had lent a hand. He must have playfully interrupted San Shan Jiu Hou and Headmaster Kou’s discussion.

Enlightened ones shed their skin like snakes, forgetting form and breaking free from shackles. Cultivation is often about discarding the boat after crossing the river, abandoning the trap after catching the fish, and pulling up the ladder after reaching the roof. Such actions are neither good nor evil, neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy.

However, the foundational meaning of San Shan Jiu Hou’s great talisman was groundbreaking. It was like an elder reminding later generations of cultivators not to forget their roots. Or perhaps…

It simply pierced the veil, directly informing those so-called mountain-peak cultivators that the so-called enlightened ones of today were far from truly achieving the Great Dao.

Yu Xuan’s eyes widened. “Talismans can be used like this?”

Wouldn’t all the world’s grand formations and small worlds become utterly useless before this talisman?

Seeing this scene, Lü Yan carefully observed it, seemingly gaining insights that would benefit his swordsmanship.

A woman in colorful garments appeared beside San Shan Jiu Hou. Her attire fluttered, and her immense form was as large as a suspended moon. Her golden eyes, unlike the cold gaze of gods, were gentle and kind, extremely human-like.

She was the true spirit of all talismans in the world, her status and identity in the Way of Talismans like the “ancestor coin” of those divine currencies.

This was likely the root cause of Yu Xuan’s inability to attain the fourteenth realm solely through physical talismans.

Even if he refined tens of millions of talismans, Yu Xuan could not prove the Dao through this path.

Because a predecessor had already blocked the way. For an ascension realm cultivator, the most terrifying thing was to walk a single-plank bridge where someone was already waiting on the other side.

For example, Bai Ye, Su Zi, and Liu Qi could not attain the fourteenth realm through literary fortune. Sun Huaizhong of the Xuan Du Temple and Xiao Mo were one step too late. Wu Zhou and Li Gou had to change course.

This talisman spirit, born from the manifestation of the Great Dao, stood at the end of the River of Talismans. Her massive Dharma body faced the Rite Saint and San Shan Jiu Hou.

The womanly talisman spirit moved backward, like planting rice seedlings.

Each “green seedling” planted in the water field was a countless number of talismans she scattered into the void beyond the heavens.

Clearly, she intended to pave a new “azure path” so that the ferry of the desolate world could follow this trajectory and gradually distance itself from the vast world.

Zheng Juzhong, however, shook his head.

Li Xisheng inquired with a mental voice, “Mr. Zheng, is there something wrong?”

Zheng Juzhong smiled, “Even if the entire established azure path is altered, it’s still futile if a truly Dao-aligned new trajectory isn’t created. No matter how profound San Shan Jiu Hou’s Daoist arts are, his ability to replicate all methods and encompass all things with talismans is insufficient to support the entire Great Dao cycle of a world. Furthermore, the fact that the senior doesn’t often venture into the desolate land makes this path, though slightly superior to the initial rise of a great demon, less sturdy.”

“Assuming Zhou Mi has no further moves, don’t forget that there’s more than just Zhou Mi in the new heavenly court. Therefore, even with a roughly compliant new path, it’s not foolproof.”

Li Xisheng continued to ask, “What would Mr. Zheng do?”

According to Zheng Juzhong, even if the Rite Saint and San Shan Jiu Hou joined forces, along with their superimposed formations, there seemed to be no foolproof plan.

Zheng Juzhong shook his head and smiled, “It can’t be me.”

While a superimposed formation had yet to truly touch the desolate world, Chen Ping’an tried to replicate the temporarily unnamed great talisman in his mind, but to no avail.

He could only capture its form, not its essence. As soon as the framework of the talisman was erected, it would soon falter and collapse in an instant. Several attempts all ended with the same bleak result.

It was like having too little capital, trying to use a yellow talisman paper of the crudest material to bear the true meaning of a supreme Daoist scripture. Of course, it wouldn’t work.

Furthermore, Chen Ping’an’s Well Moon Sword, having been enhanced with six hundred gold essence coins, had its quality improved and could be called “Well Opening Moon.” It was a pity that the seven hundred thousand plus flying swords were all used to set up the formation, leaving him with no spare hands…

…for a little help.

Chen Ping’an immediately asked with a mental voice, “Xiao Mo, if I construct the framework of this talisman, can you fill in the veins with sword intent?”

Xiao Mo shook his head, “I’m an outsider to the talisman business. I can’t help. A slight difference can lead to a great error. Even if I returned to the vast world and could calm down to repeatedly deduce it in the dojo, I estimate that it would only waste the young master’s precious cultivation time.”

Glancing at Bai Jing, Xiao Mo reluctantly said, “Perhaps it would be better to have Bai Jing as the young master’s helper.”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to give up.

The young cultivator instantly entered the superimposed formation. “Mountain Master Chen, I’ll temporarily preside over this grand formation. You prepare that final move.”

Besides relying on the superimposed formation to completely turn the desolate world’s bow and force it onto a talisman spirit’s laid “right path,” the young Hidden Official also needed to unleash a crucial blocking sword. Each step was interconnected, and none could be missing.

Chen Ping’an nodded.
The esteemed Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou inquired, “Do you know how to unleash your sword?”

Chen Pingan replied, “This junior can barely manage.”

Upon hearing this, Zheng Juzhong’s smile turned playful.

Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou clearly sensed Zheng Juzhong’s unusual reaction and asked telepathically, “Does Mr. Zheng have something to say?”

Zheng Juzhong chuckled, “Nothing to say.”

Originally, the stacked formation was merely akin to a floating duckweed on the vast talisman river.

However, after Chen Pingan relinquished control over the formation’s operation, Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou, seated at its core, instantly manifested a talismanic avatar no less imposing than the Sage of Rituals. The entire stacked formation expanded exponentially, yet without diluting the potency of each minor true trace dojo; their density remained undiminished.

Bai Jing grinned, letting out a “Ha!” of appreciation, and offered an unbiased and fair assessment: “A master’s touch reveals itself at once.”

Chen Pingan paid no heed, instead dispersing his mind from his true body, gazing afar at the borders of the Sword Cage Heaven and Earth. There, he beheld Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou’s avatar composed of countless talismans, a spectacle of majestic grandeur. Its bones were formed from accumulated “mountain” characters, countless dragon veins snaked across thousands of miles, and veins were gathered from the “water” characters. Within could be seen waterways of every major river in all of history. Atop the neck was a head, within which the scene resembled a constellation of radiant stars, yet distinct from the river of stars where Fu Yu Xuan resides. It seemed to be composed of countless unknown constellations spiraling in accumulation.

The greatness of the Dao defied comprehension and exceeded imagination.

Given the gravity of the situation, the young cultivator felt compelled to remind Chen Pingan once more, “I am merely administering the formation. You are the formation itself. I can only assist in mitigating the impact of the Wilderness World upon the stacked formation. When you truly reach your limit, do not struggle to persevere. Simply recall your two flying swords, conserve your remaining strength, and ensure you can deliver that one sword.”

In Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou’s view, Chen Pingan was both the origin and the weakness of this grand stacked formation.

However, he could not demand perfection from a young Qi Refiner who was barely approaching middle age and had practiced cultivation for less than thirty years.

Frankly speaking, even with the high standards of Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou, Chen Pingan had already achieved something remarkable.

In truth, the previous calculations with the Sage of Rituals, as well as the eight other candidates from the Great Domain similar to Chen Pingan, including three sword cultivators such as Qi Jinglong from the Taihui Sword Sect of the Northern Entirety Continent.

Whether it was a collaborative effort of several individuals or nine people, the various combination options exceeded a hundred.

The final conclusion was to choose Chen Pingan alone.

It was not one of the options with high risks and high rewards, but a relatively “safe” choice.

Chen Pingan nodded. “I will not bite off more than I can chew. I will definitely act within my capabilities.”

The young cultivator produced two purplish-green talismans from his sleeve and handed them to Chen Pingan, explaining their purpose. “One is to anchor the soul, and the other is to stabilize the physical body. You can use them simultaneously, but only as a last resort. Be mindful of the timing, and do not act impulsively. If you use these two talismans too early, your true body and soul will be like a pillar rooted in the middle of a flood. It will be like a pure martial artist subjected to a immobilization spell, unable to retaliate. You only need to look at Hu Tu to understand what will happen to you then. It would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a stone. Therefore, it is best to use them to recuperate and stabilize your Dao Heart and physical body after dismantling the stacked formation, so that your soul does not dissipate from your true body and damage the foundation of your Great Dao.”

Chen Pingan carefully stowed away the two priceless life-saving talismans. If they were misused, they could become death warrants.

The entire Wilderness World sailed within the talisman river. The Sage of Rituals’ avatar had shifted from a position with his back against the “ferry” to pushing the stern with both hands.

The entire back of the Sage of Rituals’ avatar had been worn away by the Wilderness Great Dao into a patch of dark nothingness. Such visible Great Dao attrition was immeasurable. It would likely fill any Ascension Realm or even Fourteenth Realm cultivator with despair.

Two paper-folded chancel talismans from Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou, along with the golden mirror formed from the Sage’s natal characters, ensured that this ferry continued to sail within the talisman river.

The talismanic spirit, acting as a “maidservant” to Mr. Sanshan Jiuhou, was laying out a new path at the end of the talisman river, having already constructed a talismanic path stretching hundreds of thousands of miles in the Outer Heavens.

The new path deviated from the green path, creating a clearly visible arc.

And Chen Pingan’s stacked formation was located just outside the apex of the arc.

It was like a heavily armored infantry formation resisting a charge from an elite cavalry force.

After the “ferry” collided, it instantly tore a hole in the Cage Bird Heaven and Earth and then slowly embedded itself within the stacked formation.

A series of ear-piercing sounds, like blades slowly slicing through glass, resounded in the Outer Heavens.

Even outsiders like Wuming Shi and Li Gou, who were merely observing from afar, felt their scalps tingle.

Wuming Shi quickly downed a mouthful of wine to calm his nerves, shuddered, and tsked. “Just watching it makes me feel pain. I can’t imagine what it’s like for those who are bearing the brunt of it.”

Li Gou glanced at the young Hidden Official, whose figure was as small as a mustard seed. He sat cross-legged on the “firmament” of the sword formation heaven and earth, his expression temporarily unreadable. He was concentrating his mind and holding his breath, remaining as immovable as a mountain.

Wuming Shi laughed. “He doesn’t even furrow his brows. For someone so young, he’s quite a man. It seems that our Hidden Official Chen’s martial artist physique is very solid. I wonder who taught him such remarkable fist techniques.”

Although both were standing and talking without experiencing the pain, Wuming Shi’s words were much more pleasing to the ear than Hu Tu’s.

Fu Yu Xuan and the Pure Yang Daoist, stationed within the sun and moon of the minor world, began to mend the hole, preventing the bow from breaking through more barriers too quickly.

A Wilderness World and a stacked formation, like two rogue pills in the talisman river, the former rolling swiftly, the latter standing still, with a vast difference in size. The area where the two met was like two millstones grinding against each other.

Zheng Juzhong nodded slightly. The tenacity of the stacked formation was better than expected.

In fact, the Confucian Temple must have prepared for the worst-case scenario, which was that their party in the Outer Heavens would fail to stop this ferry, and the two worlds would ultimately collide.

Then the Great Domain’s choice for the point of impact would be very interesting. Zheng Juzhong guessed that the Confucian Temple’s choice would be… the Central Earth Confucian Temple.

At that time, the person who would replace Chen Pingan in this position would be the classical scholar Xi Ping, whose presence in the Confucian Temple territory was equivalent to that of a Fourteenth Realm cultivator.

The Great Domain, the Central Earth Confucian Temple.
A wizened old scholar, his beard a tangled mess of worry, stood atop the pavilion steps, unable to bear the sight of the otherworldly chaos any longer. He hastily averted his gaze, turning to a fellow Confucian, “Brother Xiping, it is said that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring. How can we repay a spring with only a drop? We must not, by any means, do so!”

The scholar, Xiping, replied with resignation, “Such matters are judged by the Wen Temple itself.”

In truth, Chen Ping’an had not yet sought recourse from the Wen Temple.

The old scholar bristled at this, stamping his foot. “Focusing only on the deed, ignoring the heart… how can the world be filled with sages if we do so? Especially you and I, we are both men of letters!”

Xiping grew even more helpless. “You know my situation. I cannot allow personal feelings to interfere; I must act according to the rules.”

Bound by his position, Xiping could not discuss private matters with anyone. Though within the Wen Temple, he did not participate in its deliberations.

The old scholar didn’t actually expect anything from Xiping, but sought only a distraction, a few idle words to keep himself from acting like an ignorant fool.

Entering the pavilion, he had barely sat down before leaping up again as if scalded, restraining himself from approaching the edge, craning his neck to peer outside.

Still, he was like an ant scurrying in circles on a hot pan.

The old scholar began to mutter and ramble, like a drunkard at a table speaking nonsense.

“To have read a hundred million volumes of sages’ words, yet produce only a turd… Common folk, when they relieve themselves, can still fertilize the land. But a scholar with a crooked heart, his waste isn’t even worth a dog’s attention.”

Occasionally, a beautiful thing, a hardworking soul, could soften even the hardest heart.

For a cultivator, the extension of life, its length and quality, lies in the depth of the mark left upon the world.

Xiping sat silently, listening, accustomed to such outbursts.

A layered formation was beginning to crumble, broken flying swords raining down upon the world like a torrential downpour.

Yu Xuan’s Fill-Gold Peak had completely vanished, and Zheng Juzhong’s Glazed Pavilion was also collapsing, exploding in a dazzling display of shimmering light.

A desolate world, by the smallest of margins, adjusted its course, slowly shifting towards the path laid out by the talisman spirits.

The visage of the Rite Sage extended a hand, mitigating some of the force of the impact. The side of the visage that was pressed against the “ferry” wall was worn away, a large portion vanishing.

Chen Ping’an remained still, eyes closed, suspended in the air, one hand pressed against his abdomen, palm facing upwards, the other hand clenched into a fist, resting on his knee. His bones resonated with the clang of metal, emitting streams of golden fire.

The Three Mountains Nine Marquis, who were maintaining the great formation, felt slightly relieved, constantly adjusting its subtle aspects, no longer constrained as before, and able to unleash its power to a greater extent.

This was because the young Hidden Official had taken an unexpected action. His true form was like a mountain, yet his soul, like a thousand flowers blooming within, was burning, transforming into streams of fire flowing down the mountain. Fortunately, these diverging streams, besides forming deep pools and ponds at the foot of the mountain, then converged into a river encircling it. Following this, a significant portion of the dried-up streams began to ascend, flowing against gravity, returning to the various “qi residences” within the mountain. Ultimately, this fiery human form achieved a state of stability, becoming a well-ordered self-circulation.

The Seventy-Two Fortunes Formation, one of the layered formations, was also buckling under the strain. The seventy-two seals, serving as the formation’s core, were successively shattering.

The Pure Yang Daoist held up a great sun with one hand, thrusting it forward with force. Then, joining two fingers into a sword gesture, he commanded the longsword behind him. A legal sword emerged from its sheath with a ringing sound like a dragon’s roar, transforming into a twisted rope, as if tethering the sun. Lu Yan twisted his body, swung his arm, and directly dragged the rising sun, tracing a massive arc, hurling it towards the huge gap in the caged bird world, which was being crushed by the ferry. This divine power, combining both Daoist techniques and swordsmanship, was perfectly timed. The fiercely rising sun transformed mid-flight into a golden dharma robe spread wide. Thereafter, a long sword-rope, as if linking a thousand brilliant suns, stacked layer upon layer, ascending to the sky, transforming into Dharma robes one after another, hindering the desolate world’s encroachment.

To cooperate with the “heavenly position” of this great sun, Yu Xuan manipulated the moon in the Yin-Yang Formation to fall to earth.

Lu Yan turned to look at Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an straightened his back slightly, saying telepathically, “It’s nothing major.”

Lu Yan and Yu Xuan’s maneuver alone was equivalent to stretching Chen Ping’an’s celestial and terrestrial souls into a taut line, like a single log propping up the tottering world of the caged bird.

Zheng Juzhong flicked his sleeve, condensing the originally shattered Glazed Pavilion into an unknown talisman resembling a “seal,” affixing it to the gate opened in the firmament.

At the same time, a sunken blood groove appeared on Chen Ping’an’s forehead.

Evidently, Zheng Juzhong was the least concerned of all the allies about whether Chen Ping’an was alright or not.

Li Xisheng then joined two fingers, moved his feet in a dance across the sky, drawing a talisman on the earth as if filling in a chasm. The blood groove on Chen Ping’an’s forehead instantly vanished.

Seemingly receiving secret instructions from the Three Mountains Nine Marquis, Bai Jing hesitated for a moment, glanced at the mountain master, who nodded slightly. She then stepped on a lunar month grid in the layered formation and offered a sword to the sky. Thousands of rainbow-like sword lights shot upwards, like countless electric lights connecting two seas of clouds. The sword lights darted wildly through the caged bird world like electric snakes, simultaneously forming a thunder pool hundreds of miles “above” the desolate world, slowly pushing the ferry’s prow toward the path created by the talisman spirits.

Perhaps, to some great cultivators in the desolate world who looked up at the sky, it was a heavenly tribulation thunder pool for immortals seeking ascension, its divine might vast and mighty, but destined never to fall.

Chen Ping’an slightly twisted his wrist, producing the two talismans from his sleeves, merging them into the backs of his left and right hands respectively.

What is this?

Logically, Chen Ping’an should have been able to persist for at least a quarter of an incense stick’s time, or at most, a full incense stick’s time.

Xiao Mo was unable to stop him, and Bai Jing also appeared momentarily dazed. Was their Chen Mountain Master about to resort to desperate measures?

He simply released the right hand clenching his knee, the fingers forming a grasping gesture as if holding a sword hilt.

The left hand, pressed against his abdomen with the palm facing upwards, reversed its position, also forming a grasping gesture, but as if grasping the sword’s edge, slowly moving it from right to left.
A singular, refined golden radiance bloomed between Heaven and Earth.

Not only did the seventy-odd myriad swords within the Cage Bird World tremble in unison,

but even the Pure Yang Daoist’s Dharma sword, transformed into a rope capable of tethering the sun, experienced a degree of quivering, resonating as if encountering a kindred spirit, its voice trembling with excitement.

The wandering electric serpents formed by Bai Jing’s sword light, hanging down between the sky and earth, fell uniformly to one side as if mountain trees were swept by a gale.

Half a Sword Qi Great Wall, a sword in hand.

From the distant reaches beyond the heavens, a young Daoist wearing a lotus crown shrank his shoulders, reaching out a hand to touch his neck.

At this moment, the Sage of Rites was the first to narrow his eyes, gazing into the distance.

A moment later, a slender black line snaked its way closer, a path of fiery red beneath it.

Lu Chen, who had been furtively hiding behind the celestial canopy of his own world, watching the spectacle, suddenly widened his eyes and clapped his palm with a fist. “Coming early is not as good as coming at the right time! A feast for the eyes!”

Realizing the situation was unfavorable, the Nameless One immediately grabbed Li Gou’s shoulder and, exerting all his strength,遁入 vanished into an inconspicuous crevice of the Grand Void.

Yu Xuan said in a deep voice, “It seems to be the Ancient Teng Serpent that wanders the depths of the Grand Void.”

Zheng Juzhong exchanged a few words of telepathic communication with the Sage of Rites and the Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis.

The Sage of Rites nodded lightly. Although the Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis looked puzzled, he still commanded the talisman spirit woman to return to his sleeve.

In the blink of an eye, the Ancient Teng Serpent revealed its immensity.

The entire Desolate Wilderness World, small as a pearl, was swallowed whole into its belly. With a slight shake of its head, it smashed open the stacked array. Its colossal body crushed the newly paved road laid out with such painstaking effort by the talisman spirit. With a flick of its tail, it spat out the pearl, and with a nudge of its head, the Desolate Wilderness World was switched to a brand-new “azure path,” as if predetermined. The Teng Serpent’s form then sank into the Grand Void, disappearing without a trace.

One could faintly see, atop the Teng Serpent’s head, a “Lu Fayan” who was nothing more than an empty husk, devoid of consciousness.

On the path traveled by the Teng Serpent, the heavy Daoist imprints of the scorching flames lingered, refusing to dissipate.

Lü Yan, compressing mountains and rivers with a single step, arrived at the roadside. Kneeling down, he pinched a bit of ash between his fingers. This enlightened True Man, whose Daoist title was “Pure Yang,” couldn’t help but sigh. He raised his head, gazing into the distance. “Can even the Great Dao be burned?”

Chen Ping’an was sent tumbling backward by the collision, rolling all the way. The left-handed sword that was about to be formed gradually dissipated. Finally, he supported himself on the ground with his right hand, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood.

Li Xisheng sighed. Today, they had only temporarily resolved the immediate crisis. In the future, every ten years, the two mutually attracted worlds would experience a collision.

If the Ancient Teng Serpent had not come to interfere, the Sage of Rites might have been able to accomplish everything in one fell swoop, or, of course, the Vast Expanse World might have suffered heavy casualties. Because there were too many unknown variables, any deduction was meaningless.

The Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis returned the great array to Chen Ping’an.

The stacked array transformed into the Cage Bird and Well Moon flying swords, instantly entering Chen Ping’an’s brow.

The Sage of Rites’ expression remained as usual as he cupped his hands, thanking everyone. “Thank you for your hard work.”

In the end, they had gained an extra decade.

Apart from the Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis, who remained motionless, the other cultivators returned the greeting.

Chen Ping’an also tried to stand up, but the Sage of Rites reached out and gently pressed down, smiling. “Take good care of your injuries.”

Xiao Mo came to Chen Ping’an’s side, helping her young master up.

Chen Ping’an reached out to wipe the blood from his face. Fortunately, he had not “again” regressed in his cultivation realm.

The Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis frowned slightly, asking telepathically, “Chen Ping’an, why did you use those two talismans in advance?”

Chen Ping’an remained silent.

Zheng Juzhong felt a slight regret.

If Chen Ping’an had resolutely slashed his sword toward the Desolate Wilderness, he, Zheng Juzhong, would definitely have been the first to follow, adding fuel to the fire.

Presumably, Xiao Mo and Bai Jing, two Ascended Realm sword cultivators, would not have been idle, and could all be considered icing on the cake.

Li Xisheng would have been forced to protect Chen Ping’an’s Dao, and Pure Yang Lü Yan would also have continued to draw his sword, blocking Bai Ze or the Desolate Wilderness’s Sundial…

Yu Xuan, seeing the “standoff” between the two parties, one asking and the other not answering, couldn’t help but sigh that youth was truly good.

The Sage of Rites smiled and patted the young cultivator’s arm, saying, “Putting myself in your shoes, I wouldn’t indulge anyone either.”

In a Grand Void crevice that resembled a vortex in the river of time, even Li Gou, known for his perpetually expressionless face, couldn’t help but find it amusing.

It turned out that the Nameless One had been burned to a crisp by an inexplicably diverging fiery path. The short, stocky man, unable to avoid it, shook his head, and clumps of charred hair fell like rustling leaves.

Li Gou suppressed his laughter, raising his chin and curiously asking, “Have you offended that one before?”

He didn’t dare to call that figure by name casually.

The Nameless One said dejectedly, “How is that possible? I’ve only seen him from afar a few times, and I’ve been busy trying to hide! How would I dare to provoke him proactively?”

In the later years of the ancient era, and before the Ascension War, who dared to challenge those supreme celestial deities, except for those few among the Ten Heroes of the World?

The Sage of Rites took his leave first, seemingly to chase after the Ancient Teng Serpent controlled by the puppet “Lu Fayan.”

Li Xisheng looked at the City Lord of White Emperor City, who had been relaxed and at ease from beginning to end, and asked with a smile, “Master Zheng, why not today? Shall we play a game of chess?”

Zheng Juzhong smiled. “It would be better to wait until after the Three Sects Debate. At that time, I will be waiting for Sect Leader Kou’s visit to White Emperor City.”

If they were to play chess now, no matter how many games, the victory would ultimately be unearned.

Li Xisheng nodded. “Then I shall respectfully comply.”

*True beings are in harmony with all things, their traces unseen by us mortals.*

It should be known that this phrase of lavish praise was spoken by Lu Chen himself.

Yu Xuan cast a sidelong glance at Zheng Juzhong. The old True Man stroked his beard in silence. Strange, how could the two of you have a personal feud?

Yu Xuan’s attitude toward Zheng Juzhong was always one of respect and distance.

Being friends was out of the question, let alone becoming enemies.

Afterward, Li Xisheng traveled together with the Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis, tracing the origin of the azure path taken by the rising great demon.

Yu Xuan then invited his Pure Yang Daoist friend to drink at the place where he merged with the Dao.

Because Yu Xuan had been busy merging with the Dao in the Milky Way outside the heavens, the Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis had rarely shown his face proactively.

Therefore, Yu Xuan had learned a brand-new “story.” In a thousand or several thousand years, when it was brought out to bask in the sun, it would be the kind of old anecdote that people would talk about with great relish.

Earlier, five sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall, holding Three Mountains Talismans, had traversed the mountains and rivers of the Desolate Wilderness World.

Because soon after Chen Ping’an and the others had burned incense and paid their “respects,” wisps of blue smoke had risen again, in front of the Lord of Three Mountains and Nine Marquis.

The second group, the number of incense offerings was not that great, only nine people, but the incense was equally abundant and the atmosphere was extremely grand.
Cao Ci, Yuan Pang, two direct disciples of Zheng Juzhong from White Emperor City. One opened the door, one closed it, followed by Fu Jin and Gu Can. Then came the young Chun Qing from the Azure God Mountain lineage of the Bamboo Sea Grotto-Heaven, a Taoist priest from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master’s Mansion, a monk from the Broken Mountain Temple of the Central Earth, and Xu Bai, hailing from the ancestral home of the Strategists. In short, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and the Military—the Three Teachings and the Military—were all represented.

Within such a short span, two groups of people bearing the Three Mountains Talismans, traversing rivers and mountains with incense offerings, appeared one after another. Moreover, they were all young, exceptionally young, each possessing potential for great Dao achievements, worthy of anticipation and high hopes.

Even Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquis was slightly surprised, a rare smile gracing his face.

Unlike many great cultivators, he valued the future, especially the future of others.

Past glories, no matter how magnificent, were ultimately history. The future, however, held infinite possibilities.

Like a book, forever twisting and turning, surprising the reader.

As for the content already memorized, no matter how stunning the people and events, one would at most flip back and reread it a few times. But memories and nostalgia easily made those within the book feel sorrowful.

Some words were better left unsaid.

Yu Xuan and Chen Ping’an, that young man, had virtually no connection at that time.

Just because “Zheng Qian,” Chen Ping’an’s first disciple, that decisive and sincere little girl, had left a deep impression on the old True Man during the Golden Armor Continent battlefield, he developed a favorable impression of the young Hidden Official he had never met. Like master, like disciple, right? Either the upper beam is crooked and the lower beam is askew, or the student surpasses the master.

Therefore, Yu Xuan smiled meaningfully, saying that the two incense offerings were thanks to that little friend Chen.

The young cultivator hesitated slightly, then nodded. He reluctantly acknowledged Yu Xuan’s statement.

It wasn’t that Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquis was arrogant, stingy with praise, but because Yu Xuan had said something weighty and significant to him earlier.

Hence, his nod was equivalent to giving a forced answer.

It turned out that Yu Xuan had previously asked if promising talents should be eliminated.

After that, Chen Ping’an borrowed mountains and rivers from various powers to mend the continental flaw in Tongye Continent, acting as “I am the host.” Why were there only minor conflicts, and the overall situation still went smoothly? Because Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquis nodded in the extraterrestrial starry sky.

Chen Ping’an thus received an official decree. It was like a local official, a regional governor, receiving a document issued by the imperial court, making his actions justified. Of course, even if Mr. Three Mountains and Nine Marquis didn’t nod, Chen Ping’an could still mend the continental flaw, but the final result wouldn’t be as good.

Such a rare opportunity to enjoy the scenery outside the heavens was not to be missed, so Chen Ping’an slowly returned to the Vast Expanse with Xiao Mo and Bai Jing, riding the wind.

And Chen Ping’an’s last remaining wisp of primordial spirit, after going against the river of time for ten thousand years with the swordsman, saw a scene.

That made Chen Ping’an stare blankly for a long, long time.

The setting sun melted gold, the evening clouds formed a jade disc.

Atop a mountain, the night was deep, surrounding a bonfire.

Besides the Ten Heroes of the World and the four candidates, there were other figures.