A Daoist adept, a Sword Immortal, their mere words seemed capable of instantly annihilating heaven and earth.

Xiao Pu, silent as a cicada in winter, was now utterly certain. The desperate struggle at the Ma Manor had not been a clash of Jade Purity cultivators against Jade Purity cultivators, with added martial arts facing off against supernatural powers.

It had been Immortals against Immortals.

Regarding the price Chen Ping’an and the White Jade Capital’s Head Instructor Lu had paid for borrowing realms and Daoist arts, Xiao Pu and Senior Brother Liu had made their own estimations. Even if Chen Ping’an was a Peak Martial Artist, she still believed his cultivation would plummet to the Cave Heaven Realm in one fell swoop. However, Senior Brother Liu argued that Chen Ping’an’s martial body was extraordinary. In that Tongye Continent, he had ascended to the Peak of Qi Vigor through the mightiest feats and amassed martial fortune, granting him a chance to halt the decline, stopping at the Golden Core Realm.

Liu Taozhi could only smooth things over, explaining, “The Cleansers of Injustice who were banished by Cui Chan were merely from our Western Mountain Sword Hermit lineage. It has nothing to do with Qin Buyi and Xiao Pu’s lineage. Their comings and goings in the Precious Bottle Continent are not bound by the Dali Dynasty’s rules. If not for the Western Mountain Sword Hermit and Cherry Green Robe lineages needing to obey the Main Hall’s orders, requiring someone to take turns protecting Senior Uncle Cheng’s Dao, I, Liu, would not have set foot on the Precious Bottle Continent again.”

Chen Ping’an corrected with a smile, “It was merely escorting them out of the territory, not banishment. Senior Brother Cui was quite courteous to the Western Mountain Sword Hermit lineage.”

Xiao Pu, with her forthright personality, couldn’t stand such veiled sarcasm. She almost added fuel to the fire, asking, “How could the Dali Dynasty, with only half a continent remaining, manage matters in the south?”

Liu Taozhi first reminded Xiao Pu to safeguard her Dao Heart and not stray from the path through a mental message. He then continued to explain, “Xiao Pu underwent a perilous closed-door cultivation to break through from the Nascent Soul Realm. Her inner demons manifested in the form of a Chen surname man from a past life. Later, during an assassination attempt, Xiao Pu’s body was shattered by a Sword Immortal in the Qu City region. She ultimately failed to escape that ordeal, resulting in her becoming a ghost. Therefore, she is somewhat distraught upon meeting Sword Immortal Chen today.”

Her inner demon was a man with the surname Chen, and the one who shattered her true form was also a Chen surname Sword Immortal. Now, she had to deal with someone surnamed Chen again. The feeling was truly unpleasant.

Mentioned of her sad past, the woman in the green dress snorted coldly. The past was the past, but for Xiao Pu, with her stubborn nature, each event was as vivid as if it had just occurred.

Xiao Pu then appeared despondent. Common sayings of the streets always included the phrase, “I swear not to be human if I don’t avenge this.” However, she was already a ghost, yet still unable to seek revenge. To say they were irreconcilable enemies was not wrong.

She was a ghost, while her enemy was still a living person. The realms of the living and the dead were indeed distinct. However, she still walked in broad daylight, while he had long hidden elsewhere. Xiao Pu had crossed boundaries several times, exchanging merits with the Main Hall for two or three pieces of information, using Yin virtue to obtain “travel permits”. Unfortunately, she tirelessly sought him but never found him. In this sense, it was indeed a literal “irreconcilable hatred.”

Chen Ping’an had only taken a trip to the Jade Proclamation Kingdom and already avenged his great feud. What about her? Was this a case of people comparing themselves to others only to die of envy, or ghosts comparing themselves to people only to die of resentment?

Chen Ping’an said, “Daoist cultivators and the Sword Cultivator Chen Ping’an can understand, but Junior Brother Cui Chan and the new Dali National Preceptor will not accept it.”

He glanced at Xiao Pu from the Cherry Green Robe lineage.

Even a Minister of Justice of a kingdom refused it. Did they want him to be a magistrate? After failing to persuade and invite, they still felt he was unappreciative and didn’t give them face. Whose face was so big?

A female Ghost Immortal, Xiao Pu was also a top assassin from the Cherry Green Robe lineage. She should have possessed a Dao Heart as firm as iron, unyielding as a mountain, not as fragile as a piece of paper, swaying in the wind.

Xiao Pu remained silent. It was only because Senior Brother Liu had reminded her through a mental message that if she continued to speak recklessly, Liu Taozhi would invoke the Main Hall’s rules.

In fact, there were two other reasons that Liu Taozhi did not voice.

The young Sword Immortal before them, whose Daoist aura was so dense that it almost formed a world of its own, was undeniably vigorous in spirit. Therefore, his Yang Qi was pure and blazing like fire, moving with his Qi, flowing like water, ascending to his eyes and becoming their brilliance.

Therefore, to a ghost, even if he stood still, it would be equivalent to a sword duel. He, Liu Taozhi, was in the Immortal Realm and had diligently cultivated the art of nourishing Qi in the Daoist tradition, so he could remain calm. Xiao Pu was only in the Jade Purity Realm and could easily be led by Chen Ping’an’s Daoist aura and state of mind. At this moment, the situation was quite profound. When the ghost Xiao Pu saw Chen Ping’an, it was as if she was involuntarily holding a mirror to reflect herself. Even more profound was that Chen Ping’an, the “person in the mirror,” seemed to be able to influence Xiao Pu’s state of mind, making her unable to restrain herself, like a puppet on strings.

Moreover, Xiao Pu was the Cleanser of Injustice who had the most entanglement with Chen Ping’an, without exception.

Liu Taozhi and Qin Buyi saw Chen Ping’an more as the young Hidden Official and the disciple of the Literary Saint. Therefore, when they met, they could be straightforward and discuss matters objectively.

Only Xiao Pu was different. She had witnessed many of Chen Ping’an’s past deeds when he was young. Therefore, she found it most difficult to remain calm. Of course, Chen Ping’an was still young.

However, Liu Taozhi believed that Chen Ping’an had already figured out these two reasons. Whether he said them out loud or not made no difference.

Liu Taozhi said, “The position of leader of Xiao Pu’s lineage has been vacant for a long time. For hundreds of years, Xiao Pu has been busy, traversing three continents. Especially during that great war, she took the initiative to go to the Tongye Continent to accumulate external merits in order to fill the vacancy. After Qin Buyi stepped down, the Cherry Green Robe lineage has not produced a figure with both virtue and Daoist merit to win over the masses. About a hundred years ago, the Main Hall established a new rule for the Cherry Green Robe: the one with the highest merits will be appointed as the leader, the one with the highest realm will serve as the enforcer, and the one with the thickest Daoist power will serve as the evangelist, responsible for finding immortal seedlings.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. If fairness resided in the hearts of the people, the merits one deserved should not be ignored.

He looked at Xiao Pu again.

Since this woman in the green dress was one of the three candidates for the leader of the Cherry Green Robe lineage, were the realms of the other two candidates remarkably high?

Xiao Pu looked at him.

Had he seen through the mountain and water restrictions she had carefully arranged to disguise her true appearance? Could it be that he, like that young prodigy who had long coveted Gongsun Lingling, wasn’t fond of slender young women but preferred plump women of age? No wonder he didn’t fancy the stunning beauty Sui Jingcheng back then? Was it a matter of preference?

Chen Ping’an smiled.

First there was Gao Zhu’s “excessive indulgence in wine and women”, and now the green-robed woman’s “preference”? Were their eyes grown on their arses?
Feeling that the atmosphere was too tense and there was no need to strain their relationship, Liu Taozhi laughed, “Since we didn’t reach an agreement with State Preceptor Chen, and Yuan Chao Xian from Huzhou is already here at Chongyang Temple, then all subsequent matters of the sect will be handled by Xiao Pu. The main altar won’t be able to find fault with that. I’m happy to be idle, relieved of my burden, and will try my luck in other continents. Honestly, State Preceptor Chen, the Song family of Dali might not be better than us at helping Fallen Mountain select seedling land and martial arts prodigies. After all, the Dali Dynasty can only search for talents in Baoping Continent and Tongye Continent, but we can diligently work for a supreme guest of a main altar for twenty years throughout the Eight Continents of the Vastness. When Fallen Mountain reopens after closing, the number of registered disciples will probably only be more than that of a lower sect…”

Chen Pingan waved his hand and smiled, “Being busy has its merits, and being lazy has its leisure. Senior Liu, you don’t need to persuade me any further.”

One doesn’t strike a smiling face, and excessive courtesy doesn’t offend. Chen Pingan pondered for a moment and said, “From now on, whether the Hidden Sword lineage of West Mountain secretly protects the Dao for their elders here, or goes to a place outside of Huzhou in Dali to enlighten people and return to the mountain, to glorify their sect, there will be no problem. However, let me say this upfront, I will report and record this matter with the Dali Dynasty.”

Liu Taozhi, Xiao Pu, and Jun Qing are all virtuous individuals. I regard you as upright gentlemen with the integrity of the bright moon and gentle breeze. Don’t think of me and the Dali Dynasty as fools.

Liu Taozhi understood the implied meaning and immediately nodded, “If we have conflicts with the Embroidered Uniform Envoys of the Dali Ministry of Justice because of some cultivation genius, members of the Hidden Sword lineage of West Mountain will voluntarily step back and choose another place to select disciples.”

This is probably reciprocity, a gift in return.

Noticing Chen Pingan’s gaze wandering over her again, Xiao Pu had no choice but to add, “I haven’t become the head of the Cherry Blossom Green-Clad Main Altar yet, so I can’t guarantee anything. However, I will send a letter to the main altar and suggest that we take the initiative to give way when encountering the Dali Ministry of Justice’s offering and Embroidered Uniform Envoys who are out and about. However, whether this will succeed or not still needs to be discussed and decided by the main altar. My word doesn’t count.”

Chen Pingan nodded and smiled, “The beginning of a business is not in money and goods, but in good faith.”

However, Xiao Pu couldn’t help but feel uneasy. This wasn’t the first or second time that this person didn’t look at her face but insisted on looking at her figure.

A man looks at a woman, not at her face but at her breasts, not at her eyebrows but at her waist and hips. Does he really have the same tastes as that Jiang scoundrel?

What Chen Pingan was truly interested in, of course, wasn’t what Xiao Pu was misunderstanding.

It was the Daoist robe on this woman in green, which had multiple spell restrictions applied to it. It seemed to be a mountain treasure that was at least a half-immortal artifact, and might even reach the level of a celestial artifact.

Moreover, the more Chen Pingan looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. It turned out that earlier, in the Hehuan Mountain region, the True Man Cheng Qian, who looked like a child, had a Daoist robe on him with magnificent aura, a treasure passed down through generations by the Golden Citadel Sect, inherited from a discarded disciple of Heavenly Lord Cao Rong. It was essentially a “wordless Daoist book.” It could help Cheng Qian open the passage to the netherworld and, to some extent, ignore the restrictions separating yin and yang. He could pass through the Gates of Hell and walk on the Yellow Springs Road as a living person in the yang world. However, how far he could walk in the underworld probably depended on the amount of his merit and the strength of his Daoist power.

However, the robe on the woman in green was different from Cheng Qian’s Daoist robe. It wasn’t just that its grade was higher, but that it had the celestial phenomena of the sun and moon and the five stars of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. There was a difference between left-handed and right-handed rotation. Cheng Qian’s Daoist robe was left-handed, while the robe worn by the woman in green was right-handed. This was correct.

True Man Cheng Qian was a living person, while Xiao Pu was a ghost. They needed the opposite rotation to reverse yin and yang and ultimately converge on the same path, each relying on it to walk the path of the underworld.

Liu Taozhi said with a mental voice, “Xiao Pu, State Preceptor Chen can hear our mental voices, like right now. As for thoughts beyond mental voices, I don’t know if State Preceptor Chen can see through them. It’s hard to say.”

Xiao Pu’s Dao heart trembled, and her face turned ugly. She was more horrified than surprised.

Chen Pingan smiled slightly, “My realm is low, it’s just that we’re close to each other, and ‘near the water tower, one gets the moon first,’ so I can barely hear the vague mental voices. As for thoughts, how hidden are they? I can’t see through them. I can only guess blindly, and I might not guess correctly.”

Liu Taozhi laughed, “State Preceptor Chen is indeed treating people with sincerity.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “I guess that wasn’t a sarcastic remark?”

Xiao Pu sighed faintly. Not to mention anyone else, she felt that in her life, anyone with the surname Chen was difficult to provoke.

Did this old woman owe you people with the surname Chen in her past life?

Chen Pingan cupped his hands, “We’ll meet again. Next time, we’ll drink.”

Liu Taozhi cupped his hands, “Next time we meet, it will probably be in another continent. We’ll both be in a foreign land. At that time, I’ll have to taste the Blue God Mountain wine of the second shopkeeper to see if it’s real or not.”

Chen Pingan smiled without answering.

Last time at the Wenmiao discussion, the Lady of Blue God Mountain in the Bamboo Sea Cave Heaven didn’t say anything. It doesn’t matter what you outsiders say is real or fake.

Liu Taozhi was about to return to the stone platform, finish his lessons, and then leave Chongyang Temple and leave Baoping Continent.

As the figure in a green shirt took his first step to turn around, in an instant, the woman in green, who had been lamenting her fate, seemed to have had her body occupied. Xiao Pu’s soul, along with the celestial artifact-grade Daoist robe, suddenly transformed, like a piece of clothing being washed by a woman by the stream, wrung dry of the water, and twisted into a section like a long rope, resembling a short spear or a cyan longsword. It shot straight towards the young Sword Immortal State Preceptor Chen’s back.

The phenomenon occurred too quickly, silently and without warning. Liu Taozhi had just tapped his toes and floated into the air above the giant rock. Relying on the assassin’s instinct, he felt that something was wrong. Liu Taozhi suddenly turned his head and saw that this ghost immortal was dumbfounded on the spot. Even with a Dao heart as firm as his, he was destined to be unable to stop it. However, Liu Taozhi didn’t just sit idly by and allow the situation to worsen. He wanted to grab “Xiao Pu’s” soul back and fix it in place, even if this would tear her soul and the Daoist robe apart, damaging the foundation of her Dao. It was better than “Xiao Pu” making another move, going insane, and having a suicidal confrontation with that Chen Sword Immortal.

In a trance, Liu Taozhi felt that the heavenly gates and earth axes were turning together, and the scene in his eyes changed again and again, as if someone was holding his head and staring at the dozens of painting scrolls on the table…

Finally, Liu Taozhi found himself in a vast and boundless void, with a colorful and dazzling Milky Way, glittering stars, and a golden long bridge spanning the void realm.
Xiao Pu’s soul, combined with the power of that azure-skirted figure, delivered an assassination with unstoppable momentum. Liu Taozhi frantically performed hand seals, attempting to employ the Auxiliary Sword Technique, but found herself utterly incapable of restraining Xiao Pu’s spiritual essence even in the slightest.

She could only watch helplessly as that wisp of azure, with a single surge of energy, shattered those delicate, paper-thin illusory realms, producing a series of subtle, silk-rending sounds.

Subsequently, it relentlessly breached the dense sword formations, talisman arrays, and lightning arrangements that the opponent had hastily erected. Like the fist intent of a divinely protected being, it pierced through several layers of magical robes, with a point indistinguishable as either spear or sword, it struck Chen Ping’an’s back, piercing straight through!

“Xiao Pu,” still not satisfied, clearly intended to press the advantage, utterly destroying this young Sword Immortal’s physical form, and then pulverizing his soul, not merely causing a fall in cultivation, but ensuring his utter annihilation!

Perhaps it was the resilience of Chen Ping’an’s physique and spirit, coupled with the presence of the “Caged Bird” and “Moon in the Well,” that exceeded the assassin’s expectations.

Within the boundless void, the assassin sighed softly, lamenting a failed attempt. Was it really this difficult to kill even a mere Immortal?

If he only wounded but failed to kill, even if Chen Ping’an’s injuries were severe, even if he fell to the level of a mortal, it would be meaningless.

He knew this man’s Dao Age was not high, yet he was proving difficult to kill. He simply hadn’t anticipated it would be this difficult.

Truly, it was the will of Heaven.

Was there truly no shortcut on the path to the Fourteenth Realm?

Since the first strike had failed, he had no choice but to retreat.

Liu Taozhi seemed to be drowning once more, her breath catching in her throat.

The scene in the painting receded like the tide.

At the same moment, deep within Xiao Pu’s soul, a “guest,” a mustard-seed mind, exploded, scattering like a wisp of azure smoke, claimed by another.

The previous invocation of a slender river of time was this person’s path of sorcery.

Indeed, nothing in this world could better erase Dao traces and destroy evidence.

That being let out a surprised “Eh,” filled with astonishment. Unexpectedly, that young Hidden Official had stood his ground, unmoving, choosing to endure injury rather than be swept away by the river of time, to follow the flowing water back to the “original spot” where he, Xiao Pu, and Liu Taozhi had been a moment before. He had chosen to simultaneously refine a segment of time water and a stretch of the Yellow Springs road.

Chen Ping’an spoke in a hoarse voice, addressing him from afar, “Wait for me.”

Everything returned to normal. Outside the Chongyang Temple pavilion, Xiao Pu’s face was deathly pale, as if she had just awakened from a nightmare, her mind a complete mess.

Liu Taozhi’s mood was incredibly heavy. If Chen Ping’an’s earlier questioning could be somewhat smoothed over, how could she account for what had just happened?

At the very least, this would be seen as the Cherry Blossom Green Robe lineage and the West Mountain Sword Hidden lineage bearing a grudge, attempting to assassinate the Great Li’s National Preceptor. At worst, it would be seen as the Vindication Sect’s three lineages colluding with the Wilderness!

Chen Ping’an, the target of the assassination, on the other hand, turned around, his expression calm and collected.

He had thought he would inexplicably suffer a strike from the Azure Billow World’s Wu Continent.

He never expected that a ghost would strike first, intent only on killing. What could it possibly gain?

Years ago, atop the city walls, when Chen Ping’an had just taken on the mantle of Hidden Official, a native Sword Cultivator of the Great Wall of Sword Intent had also launched a sudden, unprovoked assassination attempt.

Having learned his lesson once, Chen Ping’an would not make the same mistake twice. That was why he had come to Chongyang Temple for a second visit prepared, wearing multiple layers of magical robes and military-grade armor.

Vigilance for a thousand days was the key, practice makes perfect.

He had even prepared to receive a sword strike from that Fourteenth Realm female cultivator, a sword delivered across the entire Azure Billow World from Wu Continent. If he couldn’t withstand this, which was less than a Fourteenth Realm attack, he might as well hide in the Fallen Phoenix Mountain or simply move to the Wenmiao’s Merit Forest to read books.

Therefore, while Liu Taozhi and Xiao Pu felt deeply shaken by this unexpected assault, Chen Ping’an, the one being assassinated, was actually quite alright.

Why had Chen Ping’an repeatedly scrutinized the magical robes on Xiao Pu’s person?

Despite his “opportunistic” nature, Chen Ping’an was very particular about propriety. He wouldn’t repeatedly stare at a woman without good reason.

Generally speaking, if a newly ascended Fourteenth Realm cultivator from the Wilderness wanted to unleash a spell and run, they would first have to pass the barrier of the Sage of Rites and the Wenmiao. It wasn’t entirely impossible, but highly unlikely, because the Sage of Rites was out there, watching the “Azure Path.” Therefore, after much deliberation, Chen Ping’an was most worried about a sneaky “detour,” such as a great cultivator using some Yin-Yang route to assassinate him.

That was why Chen Ping’an had paid so much attention to the azure-skirted woman’s robe, being careful and cautious.

Xiao Pu naturally had no way to defend herself. She had wanted to speak several times, but swallowed her words back down.

Liu Taozhi was equally helpless. How was she supposed to explain this to Chen Ping’an, to the Wenmiao of the Central Earth Continent?

The assassin, regardless of how it had possessed Xiao Pu, was of an unfathomable realm and possessed secret methods beyond comprehension.

Was it a master technique from a peak Ascension Realm cultivator?

No, it had reached a state of perfection, only half a step away from a higher realm?

Was it a “Fourteenth Realm candidate” deliberately targeting Chen Ping’an, a carefully plotted, clandestine assassination?!

Chen Ping’an had indeed sustained considerable injuries from his battle with Ma Kuxuan.

This attack was like adding frost to snow, making his injuries even more severe.

Chen Ping’an coughed a few times, raising his fist to his lips to cover his mouth, paused for a moment to rest, then withdrew his hand into his sleeve, and said with a smile, “It’s nothing.”

He added another sentence to ease the atmosphere, “Senior Liu, there’s really no need to overthink this.”

Liu Taozhi laughed bitterly. He considered *this* nothing?!

Even Xiao Pu, upon hearing this, wanted to give the man a thumbs up. A man of such magnanimity, the Hidden Official was truly a hero!

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment, and explained, “Liu Taozhi, Xiao Pu, you really don’t need to feel guilty. I should even thank Xiao Pu for taking a hit meant for a friend.”

Otherwise, would it have been Zeng Ye from the Book Stream Lake? Or the female ghost Xue Ruyi within the capital?

Chen Ping’an had already roughly figured out the thread of events. He looked at the azure-skirted woman and smiled, “However, Xiao Pu should also thank me once, for avoiding a disaster of swords and spears. The flaw in her Dao Heart is now gone, perfectly offsetting the situation. There’s no need for any pretense or thanks between us.”

“A cultivator, relying on external objects, acting impulsively, risking crossing the boundaries of Yin and Yang to seek out clues to enemies in the Underworld, cannot do so repeatedly.”

“One who walks by the river often gets their shoes wet. If you walk the night path too much, it’s not good. Wanting revenge doesn’t mean you should give the enemy your head.”

“If I’m not mistaken, the Chen-named enemy you’ve been desperately seeking has either attached himself to this ghost in the Underworld long ago, or has been… consumed by it completely.”
Perhaps those apparitions in the mortal realm are like mountain passes and ferry crossings, providing passage for its “flights”.

Is the name “Chen Pingan” akin to a tavern’s blue banner at a celestial ferry, advertising its presence?

Xiao Pu patiently and attentively listened to the young man’s instructions, showing no sign of annoyance.

She had never been so humble, not even when she was with her most respected senior sister, Qin Buyi.

Knowing that Senior Brother Liu was here to protect her, was the thought that she had rushed from the Northern Ju Luzhou to the Azure Vessel Continent, to the capital of the Jade Edict Kingdom, to witness Chen Pingan’s revenge against the Ma family of Black Gauze Street, truly her own? A most bewitching happenstance!

At this moment, Xiao Pu felt a great weight lifted from her heart, and her Dao heart became clearer.

Seeing that she didn’t react, Chen Pingan had to remind her, “Xiao Pu, just to be safe, it’s best to have your robe re-forged by the Main Hall to be absolutely sure.”

Xiao Pu belatedly realized the danger. She quickly grabbed a corner of her robe, tore it off, and, not daring to keep it in her possession, handed it to Liu Taozhi, who quickly stowed it away in his sleeve. Liu Taozhi dared not be careless, employing several methods of warding off evil.

She was still dressed as a woman in a green dress. Perhaps because the illusion technique was linked to the robe, her face and figure had changed, now possessing a full, curvaceous beauty.

The scene of the young man and woman in the pavilion, just inches apart, had long been obscured by a thick fog, making it impossible to see clearly.

Chen Pingan, however, understood.

This was such a hot potato, yet Liu Taozhi accepted it without hesitation, and the Sword Immortal didn’t even seem to consider it for a moment. This showed that the three branches of the Vindicators were truly close-knit, acting with boldness and integrity.

Any lingering resentment in Chen Pingan’s heart vanished.

He had previously been polite in saying he didn’t mind; now, he truly didn’t mind.

This was what it meant to treat people with sincerity and to be true to one’s word.

Liu Taozhi seemed to sense Chen Pingan’s test, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

On the wall of the Chongyang Temple stood a young woman with her hair tied in a bun.

It was Pei Qian, who had rushed here from the City God Temple in the capital.

Chen Pingan smiled and nodded after hearing the contents of Pei Qian’s secret message, “A twist of fate, a lucky coincidence.”

It turned out that the highest-ranking City God in the Azure Heaven, Zhou Fangyu, was coincidentally making a private visit to the Azure Vessel Continent with General Fan.

As a result, an evil spirit from the underworld committed a heinous act right under their noses, forcing City God Zhou to immediately return to the City God Temple in the Central Earth Continent, brandish a meritorious divine artifact forged by a Sage and sanctified by the Most Holy Teacher, and personally make a trip to Fengdu. Before leaving, City God Zhou asked Pei Qian to convey his apologies to her master and, as an exception, revealed a secret of heaven. According to Zhou Fangyu’s deduction, this evil spirit, who had been blocked outside the Fourteenth Realm for many years, wanted to kill Chen Pingan, the last Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Intent, and, in doing so, represent all the demon race spirits who had died in battle on the Great Wall of Sword Intent from the impartial Heavenly Dao, as if to “vindicate” them. By doing this, it would earn a large amount of Yin virtue to use as capital for reaching the Fourteenth Realm. With this “travel money,” it would be able to take another step on the path of ghosts.

As for the identity of the evil spirit, it was not appropriate to reveal it for the time being. However, the Netherworld Fengdu and the mortal City God Temple guaranteed that they would provide an explanation.

Earlier, a majestic voice, as loud as thunder, had echoed throughout the vast territory of the underworld, a place beyond Fengdu’s jurisdiction.

“I will eliminate a demon for the world and forcefully slay the living mortal, Chen Pingan!”

Before the countless trillions of ghosts in the underworld could recover, the sound gradually faded.

Subsequently, countless walking ghosts, who had once been cultivators of the barbaric demon race, looked up and around, clamoring and seething, waiting for good news.

Waiting in vain, they didn’t know if Chen Pingan had been killed or not. Under the scolding and whipping of the underworld runners, they had to continue on their way with their heads down.

As for that Fourteenth Realm contender ghost, it had used several life-saving methods that greatly damaged its Dao, abandoning its Dao arena and fleeing again and again, disappearing without a trace from then on.

Zhou Fangyu revealed his towering dharma body, raising one arm and holding a divine artifact as if holding a blazing sun, clearing the way with boundless light, melting endless darkness, leading the four divine generals, including Gan, Liu, Fan, and Xie, and several Yama Kings from a certain hall in Fengdu, to the arena abandoned by the evil spirit.

Pei Qian asked worriedly, “Master, are you alright?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “This little injury is just a drizzle. Your master isn’t going to be writhing on the ground in pain, losing his composure as a master.”

Pei Qian grinned.

Chen Pingan bid farewell to Liu Taozhi and the others, shrinking the earth to an inch, arriving at the wall, and then leaping down from the wall with Pei Qian, heading towards the small residence.

Liu Taozhi, in the guise of a burly Daoist, returned to the stone platform. Xiao Pu, not wanting her two junior disciples to see her true appearance, re-cast the illusion technique and sat on the edge of the stone platform.

Liu Taozhi smiled, “Why not say a few heartfelt words, why be so argumentative, making every word sound unpleasant to him?”

Xiao Pu’s personality could be understood simply by knowing that she was close friends with Zhu Quan of the Hemp Robe Sect and Xie Songhua of the Snowy Continent for many years.

“I’m thin-skinned; I can’t learn Zhu Quan and Xie Songhua’s crude language.”

Xiao Pu said unhappily, “Besides, men and women are different. If Senior Brother Liu expresses his admiration for the young Hidden Official, that’s a mutual appreciation between men. As a woman, I want to avoid him misunderstanding and thinking I’m interested in him.”

Liu Taozhi asked a good question, “Interested?”

Xiao Pu seemingly answered irrelevantly, smiling sweetly, “Meaningless.”

Liu Taozhi laughed heartily.

Over at the pavilion, the two children were both surprised that their master had such genuine emotions. It was as if hell had frozen over.

Xiao Pu asked, “He clearly approves of our principles. Being a distinguished Honorary Guest of the Main Hall is a pie in the sky, so why does he refuse? He’s the only one who has truly learned the essence of the meritorious learning passed down by Embroidery Tiger and can be considered its heir. It’s normal for a closed-door disciple of the Literary Sage’s lineage not to want to join us, but why does he still refuse now that he’s the Grand Tutor of the Great Li?”

Liu Taozhi said, “Mr. Chen has already provided the answer.”

Xiao Pu raised an eyebrow, “How so?”

Liu Taozhi smiled, “How did he evaluate Cui Cheng?”

Xiao Pu suddenly understood. So that’s how it was.

Boxing techniques cannot overstep propriety, grander than learning.

Applying it to Chen Pingan, all the layers of identity are not as great as being a pure swordsman?
Liu Taozhi said, “Moreover, Chen Sword Immortal’s situation is special now. Sword cultivation is his top priority, allowing no slackening for even a moment. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even refused the invitation from the Confucian Temple. Outsiders may see his rise to Immortality in his early forties as a meteoric ascent, a speed fast enough, but he himself might not think so, perhaps even considering it too slow? Some old grudges, shrouded in mist to the outside world, remain unclear, but we, the injustice rectifiers, know the general outline.”

“Life is sustained by practicing boxing, leading to a unexpected turn of events, extending the bridge of longevity. He finally became a sword cultivator in the Sword Qi Great Wall. Now that he has returned to the Vast Expanse alive, there is hope for him to reach the pinnacle, and he has glimpsed the path forward. He truly shouldn’t be distracted and needs to be single-minded, with no other concerns.”

“After countless hardships, seeking the highest peak, all he desires is to surpass Cao Ci in boxing and defeat a certain individual in swordsmanship. The former, success or failure, doesn’t matter so much. The latter, however, must be achieved.”

Hearing this, Xiao Pu gently stroked her blue dress and murmured, “No matter how talented or clever he is, how can he possibly defeat that one?”

Liu Taozhi smiled, “He shouldn’t rely too much on external objects, nor should he dwell too much on other people’s affairs.”

Xiao Pu remained silent, giving her a coquettish glare.

Chen Ping An walked down the street with Pei Qian. After only a few steps, he suddenly understood something. The mugwort plant hanging at the entrance of the house, Lu Chen had gifted it to the female ghost Xue Ruyi, but it could also be indirectly passed on to “Cheng Fengxuan,” who was supposed to become the Dao propagator of “White Cloud”? It could even be used to block the transboundary sneak attack of that Ascension Realm ghost? With Lu Chen’s seemingly understated gesture, wouldn’t Chen Ping An have to accept three favors from him, the Sect Master Lu, once he understood the implications?

It seems that the art of calculation and deduction, which he previously resisted in his heart, must indeed be learned.

As Chen Ping An retrieved a hidden sword talisman left in the Chongyang Temple, this talisman was named “Ripple,” so even the slightest disturbance could be recorded by the talisman in detail.

It was one of the many talismans that Chen Ping An had casually drawn when he was temporarily borrowing power from Lu Chen.

This talisman was not small, and the threshold for using it was very high. It required an Immortal to activate it and stick it somewhere, waiting for the prey to come.

Previously, it was like lifting a stone to drop it on his own feet. Chen Ping An drew a box full of talismans and secretly hid them. However, due to returning the Fourteenth Realm Daoist techniques, his cultivation level dropped to the Nascent Soul stage, and he could no longer use any of them.

Now that his cultivation level is high again, his confidence is sufficient. Whether he uses them himself, sells them for profit, or gives them as gifts, it’s all up to him.

And inside that box, there was also a stack of large talismans that only Ascension Realm cultivators could use.

Pei Qian said, “They’ve returned.”

Chen Ping An smiled, “You don’t need to follow me. Activate the Three Mountains Talisman and go back to the Great Waterway in Tongye Continent to attend to your important matters. There’s no need to worry about Master.”

Pei Qian remained silent.

After thinking it over, Chen Ping An could only come up with a clumsy reason, seemingly saying casually, “Unless it’s a Boundary Realm deity on the first level, you can’t be of great help to Master. So, when you get to Tongye Continent, in addition to handling routine affairs, you can’t slack off on boxing practice. Don’t become arrogant and complacent just because you think it’s not difficult to reach the Return to Purity stage. You’re only at the Qi Strengthening first level, while Master has already returned to the Return to Purity stage, and Cao Ci has even reached the divine.”

Pei Qian nodded, “Don’t worry, Master, I will work hard.”

Chen Ping An immediately regretted it, feeling very sorry, and immediately changed his tone, “But you don’t need to work too hard either.”

Pei Qian didn’t say anything, just pursed her lips, gently furrowing her slender willow eyebrows.

Chen Ping An curled his finger and gently flicked a chestnut on Pei Qian’s head, saying softly, “You need to walk your own path, a path that belongs to Pei Qian. In the future, when you speak and act, don’t always think about whether Master will hear and see it, and whether he will think you’re wrong. You were doing very well before Master came back, so there’s no reason why you should become so constrained now that Master is back. It’s as if Pei Qian is deliberately avoiding that Zheng Qian, and Zheng Qian is avoiding her master. That’s not good.”

Pei Qian was still sullen and silent.

Chen Ping An put his hands in his sleeves, almost wanting to slap himself in the face. He shouldn’t have mentioned Cao Ci or reaching the divine. No, this debt has to be charged to Cao Ci’s head, no, his face.

Pei Qian took out a Three Mountains Talisman from her sleeve, suddenly quickened her pace, walked ahead of her master, and then turned around and walked backward, grinning and saying, “Master, I’m leaving now, see you later!”

Chen Ping An nodded, his eyes gentle, and made a gesture of sticking a talisman to his forehead.

Pei Qian blushed, activated the Three Mountains Talisman, visualized the two continents and three mountains, Azalea Mountain in the Southern Mountain Range of Treasure Bottle Continent, Clear Realm Mountain in the Northern Continent of Tongye, and a certain mountain near the Cloud Cliff Kingdom in the central part of the Great Waterway. Her figure flashed and disappeared, fluttered several times, and soon appeared on a mountain peak across the continent.

Chen Ping An walked towards the house.

Indeed, as Liu Taozhi said.

On the path of martial arts, wanting to stand shoulder to shoulder with Cao Ci, and then surpass him, is of course one of Chen Ping An’s two greatest aspirations in this life, but the final result is far less important than the process.

Someday in the future, if he can really win against Cao Ci in boxing, that would be a pleasant surprise. If he loses, it doesn’t seem like he’ll lose face… anyway, Cao Ci can win my boxing, and it won’t stop me from punching Cao Ci in the face.

As for sword cultivation… the process is important, but the result is even more important.

A sword capable of facing one person is enough.

For example, if that person is Yu Dou.