Master Yu stood silent for a spell, curiosity etched upon his brow. “Can you truly command the very flow of time within this realm?” he inquired.

Chen Ping’an offered no reply. In that instant, a spectacle unfolded before Master Yu’s very eyes. The fierce blizzard abruptly ceased, and in its wake, spring bloomed with vibrant blossoms and soaring kites danced in the gentle breeze. Hordes of youthful merrymakers frolicked along the riverbanks. Torrential rains came, and the river swelled in summer fury. Then, under the luminescent gaze of a moonlit night, the waters stilled to a mirror finish, reflecting the heavens above. A solitary ferryman, seemingly a celestial being in disguise, slender as a lonely bamboo stalk, glided across the river on a leaf-like boat, his white robes billowing like clouds. Autumn winds then swept in, and villagers noisily carted bamboo cages containing men and women to the river’s edge. Finally, winter’s icy grip returned, blanketing the world in a thick mantle of snow. To Master Yu, the observer, the passage of seasons and their accompanying customs resembled the rapid turning of pages in an ancient tome. Throughout this surreal display, he keenly felt the shifting temperatures and changing seasons. Yet, as Master Yu was about to concede that Chen Ping’an indeed possessed command over time’s relentless current, the latter raised his hand and snapped his fingers before Master Yu’s gaze. “Have you heard of being blinded by a single leaf?” Chen Ping’an inquired with a sly grin.

Instantly, Master Yu found himself plunged into an abyssal darkness, as if ensnared within the folds of a night without stars. Chen Ping’an chuckled, “A single leaf can obscure the sight, but it can also reveal wondrous visions. It merely requires the artisan’s touch to etch a microcosm upon its surface. Wouldn’t manipulating your perception be far more efficient than painstakingly crafting an immaculate world from scratch?”

As skepticism wrestled with wonder within Master Yu’s heart, Chen Ping’an whisked him back to their “original” location. He then reached out and caught a falling snowflake, musing, “During the recent convocation at the Wen Temple, I had the pleasure of walking a while with Master Zheng near a crossing. He spoke a peculiar phrase that I still struggle to believe. He claimed, ‘I once witnessed two snowflakes that were utterly identical.'”

Master Yu bent down and gathered a few thin stones from the riverbank, tossing them upon the water’s surface. The stones skipped, leaving a trail of unconnected ripples that bloomed and faded like fleeting flowers.

Then, from the depths of the river, a vision emerged – a maiden wreathed in mist, her garments green and her hair adorned with a yellow crown, standing with regal grace. “He who can guess my name,” she declared, “shall be welcomed into the Water Palace as my consort.”

Master Yu glanced at Chen Ping’an, silently questioning the charade. *A riddle?* Chen Ping’an chuckled, offering a cryptic clue, “Born of water, she attains celestial grace; green sleeves, golden crown, she wears with pride. I cannot reveal more.”

The water spirit gazed at Master Yu, her eyes brimming with hope, but his mind remained as unyielding as a knot of ancient wood. After a moment’s pause, she sighed wistfully, “A water sprite emerges from the depths, in green sleeves and a golden crown. Alas, fate has deemed us unsuited, noble sir. Farewell, until we meet again.”

Seeking to salvage his pride, Master Yu pointed towards the Chen Mountain Lord beside him, “Why bestow such favor upon me and not upon my esteemed friend?”

She replied with a coy smile, “I am one who judges by appearances.”

Master Yu burst into laughter, while Chen Ping’an maintained an unperturbed demeanor.

As the water spirit retreated into the river, Chen Ping’an teased, “You would do well to delve into the ancient texts, Master Yu. You’ve missed a rare opportunity for love.”

“When will you restore my true form and power?” Master Yu pressed.

He was fairly certain that his current guise was a rare form of “astral projection,” while his true body was being held captive somewhere by Chen Ping’an, under some unknown magical suppression.

The restoration of his memories felt like… an empty vessel, like an empty water jar, being filled with water from a neighboring container.

Chen Ping’an grinned, “Patience, my friend. Haste makes waste. Think of me as a pawnshop owner.”

*A pawnshop?*

Upon further reflection, the analogy was apt.

“Then let us exchange roles,” Master Yu retorted, “Let’s see how you fare in my shoes.”

Chen Ping’an merely smiled and turned to regard him.

Master Yu was taken aback.

*Could it be?*

*Am I, Yu Shiwu, actually Chen Ping’an, and is Chen Ping’an, the one standing before me, my true self?*

Chen Ping’an clapped Master Yu on the shoulder, suppressing a laugh. “Do not fret. I am not yet blessed with Master Zheng’s abilities.”

Master Yu felt a surge of unease. Though he yearned to embrace the present, the sights and wonders he had witnessed were so bizarre, so alien, that even the phrase “a new world of sights” fell short. Moreover, this perpetual state of limbo left him feeling untethered and adrift. Chen Ping’an offered reassurance, “Fear not, I will not tarry here long. I shall guide you to a few more places. Should you decide to join forces and embark on an extraordinary venture, I shall depart from this land.” Upon hearing this, Master Yu inquired, “And if I persistently refuse?” Chen Ping’an chuckled in response, “As I have said, haste makes waste. These words apply to me as well.” Master Yu sighed, realizing Chen Ping’an intended to wear him down.

Soon after, Master Yu beheld a painting. Within its frame, a youthful scholar, residing in a temple lodging while pursuing his studies, pored over his books late into the night. Exhausted, he succumbed to slumber at his desk. His thoughts, like wisps of smoke, curled upward, revealing the contents of his dream upon the canvas. In it, the scholar dreamt of a maiden of surpassing beauty, singing a melodious tune while brandishing clacking castanets. Exotic flowers and plants flourished amidst the rocks by the house, while a donkey drank from a trough. A towering tree stood nearby, its boughs cradling a crescent moon. Within the moon, as small as a mustard seed, stood the Jade Palace of the heavens, immaculate and pure. A celestial maiden sat before a mirror, attending to her toilette. The mirror reflected not only her face, but also an image of the scholar sleeping at his desk, resembling the endless loop of a three-move ko in a game of chess.

Chen Ping’an explained, “The chess masters here need only consult the thousands of existing game records to make their moves. They can simply follow the script, like copying words from a book. Different players are provided with different skill level playbooks. If you do not enter the game and play yourself, you could watch for years without seeing a flaw. The chess games often seen played at street side stands are Xiangqi or Chinese chess games that all follow the same moves. They may seem hard to play at first, but the formula is easy to reproduce. Ultimately, these methods are nothing more than following paths tread by others, taking shortcuts and exploiting tricks. There is no real creativity.”

Master Yu frowned, “What if I entered the illusion unaware, but harbored doubts, and was also a master of chess?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Then you would never have entered this realm in the first place. You might instead stumble upon a land where the game of chess had yet to be invented. If you possessed the inclination, you could become the founding father of the art, perhaps allaying your suspicions.”

Master Yu shook his head, “A single stroke of the pen, misplaced, can lead to boundless misinterpretations.”

Chen Ping’an quipped, “When imitating a stele rubbing, do you emulate the brushstrokes or the carving tool?”

Master Yu changed the subject. “Is it that the quality of these illusory realms is limited by the depth of your true self? That the deer-riding immortal and the water sprite represent the pinnacle of your abilities? That the sum total of all the truths contained within these realms, including myself and the former inhabitants of these immortal abodes, cannot exceed the amount of spiritual energy you possess? Could I then assume that we, as individuals, and the entire collection of mountains, rivers, and myriad things are, in essence, equivalent to you?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “Both yes and no.”

As if seizing upon an inspiration, Master Yu pressed on, “Are these elaborate machinations merely akin to a low-grade blessed land, crafted by your hand?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Wait and see.”

The common, the mundane, the royal, the otherworldly. Like an architect mastering his craft, progressing from the simple to the complex.

Yet, if his skill were to end here, it would amount to no more than a flawless, low-grade blessed land, something that cultivators would scarcely deem a work of “creation.”

And so, Master Yu was soon confronted with a majestic mountain peak, the very source of the world’s dragon veins. There, a bare-chested old man, his face obscured by swirling mists, lay with a bulbous belly, snoring thunderously. With each exhalation, he expelled brilliant, multicolored treasures, which streaked across the sky like shooting stars, scattering in all directions.

Master Yu stared in awe, exclaiming, “If this is not an illusion, then this realm is at least the equal of a mid-grade blessed land! Where do you acquire such a vast reservoir of spiritual energy?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Truth be told, my Fallen Mountain is not without its resources.”

After all, his journey to the heavens in the company of the Sage of Rituals had yielded considerable gains.

Out of the blue, Master Yu blurted out, “If… and I mean if… you were to gather all the golden body fragments scattered throughout the world, wouldn’t you be able to…?”

Realizing the absurdity of his thoughts, Master Yu shook his head. Were he to succeed, Chen Ping’an could rebuild the Celestial Court of millennia past!

To his surprise, Chen Ping’an replied, “I have considered it, but only in passing. Not only is the endeavor exceedingly difficult, doomed to fail, but I also fear the possibility of being trapped in a never-ending cycle, much like that three-move ko. So, I extinguished that unseemly idea before it could take root.”

Master Yu clutched his head.

Chen Ping’an continued, “Do those who never question the reality of the world inhabit a truer world? Do those who persistently question the reality of the world inhabit a false one?”

“Of all those I know, there are two who most desire to know the truth about ‘me’.”

“Lu Chen and Zheng Juzhong.”

“There are also two who are most qualified to provide the answer.”

“The Buddha and the Taoist Ancestor.”

Hearing this, Master Yu cautiously inquired, “What of the Sage of Ultimate Truth?”

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment, then replied, “It seems that he is unconcerned with such matters.”

Master Yu remained silent for a long while, finally opening his heart for the first time. “I have long known my ultimate fate.”

Ten thousand years ago, a joint execution had burdened Yu Shiwu with a crushing karma. Even for a gifted cultivator, this was a source of immense suffering. It was like a mortal scholar preparing for rain by buying an umbrella. Yu Shiwu had to find a way to prevent the rain from falling at all, which was impossible. As a result, he treated worldly affairs with indifference. He was like the widowed innkeeper from a past illusion, who cared not whether her fate was good or ill. Thinking of her, he thought of himself, and of the tattered canvas flapping in the wind outside her inn.

Was all of this some sort of veiled prophecy from Chen Ping’an? A form of fortune-telling?

As if divining his thoughts, Chen Ping’an said, “This is akin to divining your own fate, and then simply waiting for it to unfold? Do you know what meaning ordinary people find in fortune-telling? If the results are favorable, they march forward without hesitation. If the results are unfavorable, they change their course, reflect upon their actions, and seek to escape their habits. Thus, cultivation does not merely take place in the mountains. Where there is no karmic connection, there is no union. How to transform ill-fated relationships into auspicious ones, how a creditor may burn a debt note, and how a debtor may settle his accounts – this is the cultivation of all.”

Hearing these words, the sorrow on Master Yu’s face began to fade.

Chen Ping’an continued, “I must also ask you a question: Should this life repay the debts of the past? Does this world need to take responsibility for the next?”

Master Yu was lost for words.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “There was another question I wished to ask, but it can wait. Answer the first question, and then we shall see.”

Master Yu’s head swam, and he waved his hand. “Ask no more! Take me elsewhere, I implore you.”

Achieving immortality was no easy task, and a scenic haven for cultivation – one with a long history of celestial dwelling – required the confluence of heaven, earth, and humanity.

The mountains must be beautiful, their veins of energy flowing unimpeded. The spiritual energy must be pure and abundant. And so, they arrived at a celestial dwelling, a woman’s boudoir? Cultivators would often meditate on futons, burn incense, or light talismans – all commonplace tools for tracking time during cultivation, to assist in determining the cycle of Qi and to see where it is along its journey. However, the room’s decorations leaned toward the more feminine. Empty, presumably the female cultivator was temporarily away. Based on the mountain gate and carvings, Master Yu surmised that this was the Qinwang Mountain’s Flower Peak.

The scene resembled an ultimate stopping point.

Master Yu inquired, “Is this one of the models or paradigms you have crafted for celestial beings?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “The decorations are more numerous than those found in the dwellings of most female cultivators, somewhat cluttered, but in keeping with her current status, age, and state of mind.”

“Seventeen years of age. Prior to ascending the mountain, she was born into an aristocratic family. After ascending, she was pampered by her elders, and often descended to the world for experience, she had plenty of money to spend. To put it simply, when she went to a market shop, she would buy everything without blinking.”

“She often laments that her skin is too dark, her eyebrows too thick, and her face not oval enough. However, the mountains have their own rules and practices, which differ from the worldly concept of ‘disfigurement.’ One of her senior sisters warned her never to alter her face. Weak mortals and martial artists often disperse their spiritual energy by speaking, while cultivators are already blessed with good fortune, and should never alter their faces. Long-term, the act is doomed to be a losing proposition.”

Master Yu picked up a seed-jade carved box, resting on the vanity. The carving was clean, the craftsmanship exquisite. “Where did you learn how to make such things in this place?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “You ask a crucial question, a testament to your worldly wisdom. It is more than a matter of humility to claim that you are unversed in worldly affairs.”

Master Yu said, “Thanks to you, I have wandered through the ages here. No matter how indifferent I may be, some things are hard to forget.”

On the painting table sat a screen with a sandalwood frame, as well as a pair of white porcelain lion incense burners. By the window, three porcelain pots containing narcissus plants sat side by side.

The items were truly dazzling.

Master Yu’s gaze swept across the room. “Do they all have a story?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Each has its own story. Valuable antiques place great emphasis on provenance. Without a history, they are not as valuable. For example, the ‘Beauty of the Jade Hall’ burner on the table, also known as the ‘Phoenix Eye’ burner, bears the inscription ‘Lady Jiang.’ It was bestowed upon the founding emperor’s National Academy by the first chancellor, and has been passed down through generations of her family. There is also her fan with jade ribs, a gift from her sect. One side of the ribs is carved with eighteen lifelike arhats, while the other side reads, ‘Peaches bear fruit once every three thousand years; a stroke of the brush can cause flowers to bloom instantly. I have eaten the peaches there; I am still intoxicated.’ The ribs are signed ‘Shoumei’ and ‘Mengji,’ who are among the country’s foremost bamboo carvers. The most valuable item of all is the bronze mirror she bought from a roadside stand last year. The engraving says Wushan. However, it is a dangerous object. Someday, she will learn that the mirror is a secret place, a secret, mysterious, and dangerous space.”

Master Yu was impressed.

“However, the one that took the most thought was this.”

Chen Ping’an tossed a picture book to Master Yu, who opened it to find that each page depicted the same beautiful woman, but with different styles of makeup, hair ornaments, and clothing.

Master Yu laughed, while Chen Ping’an said solemnly, “Clothing, food, shelter, and transportation – clothing comes first. It must not be taken lightly.”

Overwhelmed by the heavy scent of perfumes, Master Yu closed the book and looked out the window. He said, “Chen Ping’an, if I had known this, I would have never crossed you.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “Overstating things a bit.”

Chen Ping’an picked up the book that Master Yu had put down, and asked casually, “Is there something that you are proud of?”

Master Yu shook his head. “As you know, I don’t take cultivation seriously. I have no interest in doing anything. The True Martial Mountain has its own legacy, I am not tasked with responsibility. Without hope or ambition, what satisfaction could I get? What about you, Chen Ping’an?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “As a young man, buying any book without seeing the price. And also, being able to face powerful people calmly.”

Master Yu nodded, “Being cheap with what is necessary, but being generous with what is not – a pleasant thing.”

As if remembering something, Master Yu smiled slyly, “There is a rumor that young Hidden Official dressed up as a woman to cheat his enemies?”

Chen Ping’an did not even deny the rumor, saying, “The people of Jianghu do not pay attention to such things.”

He remembered that it was Lu Zhi who revealed this at Sword Qi Great Wall? Bad news travels fast?

In order to negate the effect of this rumor, Chen Ping’an thought about it.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Where did you hear this rumor? Whose message is so accurate?”

Master Yu would not stupidly reveal the source of the message. “Are you planning to cover it up? Or just murder me?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “Don’t have to go that far.”

Master Yu stopped smiling, and said, “I have decided. I trust you to let me cultivate here. I’ll make an oath?”

Chen Ping’an shook his hand, “Some people’s vows are worthless. Others’ words are more valuable. You belong to the latter.”

Master Yu’s expression relaxed, letting the light shine in his eyes. He said, “I can trust myself, but not fully you. You must swear.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled. Then he spoke: “Let me make things clear. Hiding here will not solve everything, it only buys time. One, I will try to prevent you from dying. This means I must prevent others from killing you and returning your place, whether by murder, by suppression, by some unknown means, all to prevent you from returning to your peak. This is what I can do. Two, if that person comes for you, I can only negotiate, ask them to let you keep your memory.”

In an ancient execution, the founding founder of the military family was killed, his body was sliced into five parts, his soul imprisoned for ten thousand years. Military arts in this world came from him.

According to what Chen Ping’an learned, there was one piece of this luck hidden in the Lotus Shrine underwater in Qingming, there was one piece inherited in Yu Shiwu’s family, there was one piece given by Cui Chan, and then one piece in Western Buddha. Once the demons conquer the world, Cui Chan will do anything, including bringing the leader of the military arts into the world to act as an alliance with them.

Once the leader comes into the world, helping the haoran world would be no less than Baize helping the demons.

Yu Shiwu said, “I know. These pieces of luck are hidden in the depth of my soul, hard to find. I don’t expect to keep my soul whole. I would like to keep my memory. For example, I’m used to being like this.”

Chen Ping’an said, “That makes things much easier.”

Yu Shiwu asked, “Since this is a fair trade, what do you want?”

Chen Ping’an said, “I need you to do two things. One, you must work with two other cultivators to make this world perfect.”

Yu Shiwu nodded. “That sounds like fun. What’s the second thing?”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Do you know how to fight?”

Yu Shiwu said, “Before I knew the truth, I didn’t want to. After, I was afraid.”

Chen Ping’an said, “You don’t want to fight for it, do you?”

Yu Shiwu asked, “If it was you, you’d fight?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t answer, leading Yu Shiwu to the blue river. He called the two ladies over. “Let me introduce you. This is Yu Shiwu. These are Xiao Xing and Yu Qing. I will open up the restraints now. You may visit these illusory worlds freely.”

In this way, Five Elements has Three.

Yu Qing was numb, walking like a zombie. Xiao Xing was hot eyed.

Chen Ping’an removed the light of time from Yu Qing, allowing Yu Qing to breathe clearly. Xiao Xing wanted to help her, but was rejected. Xiao Xing laughed, asking for credit to Chen Ping’an and Yu Shiwu, saying that she knew Yu Qing wanted to be a sword cultivator, so she made her a sword called Poison… Yu Shiwu was in pain, thinking that he would have to spend his days with them?

Chen Ping’an gave them golden leaves, “It is where to find a world, and it is also a key.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Find your blindspots, and ask around. Study hard. You must cooperate.”

If a person’s memory is where all the emotions are kept.

Then each line on these leaves holds thousands of stories of joy and sorrow.

————

On the wall of Sword Qi Great Wall.

Ma Kuxuan walked slowly in the snow. “Here’s a rare chance. Is there anything you want to ask? Frankly, you don’t know much. I know more.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Why don’t you use thunder magic? It would be easier.”

Chen Ping’an knew that the old driver in the city knew he would bet on Ma Kuxuan the most. It was clear that Ma Kuxuan was a thunder god.

Ma Kuxuan said, “With my origins, do I need thunder magic? Only the Dragon and Tiger Mountain doesn’t know what I can do. The truth is, I wouldn’t mind helping them. If I did, Five Thunder Magic could improve.”

Chen Ping’an was speechless.

Ma Kuxuan laughed. “I beat you.”

Waving his sleeves, Ma Kuxuan brushed away the snow to reveal gold and silver threads. The gold threads were fixed, representing cause and effect. The silver threads were the thoughts in mind, the impressions made in person. They could travel through space and time. Every understanding, every connection would pull on these threads. The cultivators’ minds and martial artists’ sounds both came from here, born from gods talking to each other from afar.

If every star in the sky was a god that died and floated in time. Then the talks between the gods are something the fourteenth level cannot achieve.

Ma Kuxuan said, “About the Reverberator coming to Treasure Bottle, it can be seen as Zhou Mi asking me to come. But I rejected. Zhou Mi knew I wasn’t going to help, so he didn’t force me.”

Chen Ping’an was born with problems, first being guided by Qi Jinchun, then guided by Cui Chan, then Liu Shiliu teaching him boxing, and then Zuo You teaching him swords. Now, the old scholar protected him, as if guarding a chick. Who else got this treatment?

The observers would say that if they got the young Hidden Official’s luck, they would have already ascended.

Ma Kuxuan said, “Qi Jinchun told you the best way for you. I wanted to scold you when you said, ‘I will listen to everyone’.”

Ma Kuxuan asked, “Are you returning to the upper levels using this method?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “No.”

It was harder, meant suffering.

Ma Kuxuan looked at Chen Ping’an, confirming that he wasn’t lying.

Qi Jinchun merged the spiritual luck of the cave, becoming one with the heavens.

It was like a letter Qi Jinchun sent to the future, a silent will. But as Zhou Mi said, Qi Jinchun’s choice was not the best.

Qi Jinchun had good reason to make this choice.

But Chen Ping’an still decided to find his own path, creating a new way.

Seeing that Ma Kuxuan was not speaking, having lost his interest, Chen Ping’an said, “You’re just trying to talk to me. I know you want me to speak.”

Ma Kuxuan admitted it, laughing. “I know you know. I am curious, when did you realize?”

The saints’ words held power, and in the mountains, there was something more mysterious, spiritual inspiration.

Because this imaginary world was destined to be false, Chen Ping’an needed something more real to avoid being taken by it.

For example, words.

The questions and answers create a rope.

In their hometown, old people would say they were getting like a Buddha.

And to describe someone innocent, they would say they’re an angel from heaven.

The world saw Ma Kuxuan as a genius, so he put in no effort, allowing him to be special.

But in fact, Ma Kuxuan did not waste any of his talents. He waited for Chen Ping’an for a long time.

Previously, he had invited Tong Wenchang to his courtyard, helping him introduce the female ghost Xue Ruyi, testing Chen Ping’an’s vision of the illusion.

The two compatriots were not to be trifled with.

Chen Ping’an asked with a smile, “Want to talk some more?”

Ma Kuxuan said, “No, that’s enough.”

Except for wordless flying swords, it was not clear if Chen Ping’an could use martial arts or skills here.

Wasn’t it said that the Last Hidden Official did not have a high level, but had many skills? Didn’t Chen Ping’an want to use his martial arts to fight Ma Kuxuan?

Let’s give it a try.

Ma Kuxuan tapped his neck lightly, squinting his eyes, “I have enough words, but you are going to be hungry.”

Chen Ping’an said, “What is not yours, you cannot keep. You must spit it out.”

Ma Kuxuan stood in place, calling Chen Ping’an over with a beckoning finger. “The immortal Yun Miao of the Nine Truth Immortal Hall would have to call me grandfather. I will not move…”

By some magical power, Ma Kuxuan entered into emptiness, like a ship.

The next moment, it was as if Ma Kuxuan was hit with a hammer. He started vomiting.

This was both swords and boxing.

It was called “Torrent.”

The “blood” that Ma Kuxuan vomited was broken golden words.

Then, Ma Kuxuan was grabbed by the face and shoulder, his neck snapped.

The “corpse” fell.

Chen Ping’an stood there, looking elsewhere, flicking his sleeves to send the golden light scattering.

If Ma Kuxuan was defeated so easily, he wouldn’t be Ma Kuxuan.

Squatting on the wall, Ma Kuxuan looked at that body with pity.

Chen Ping’an, I have a student that has a grudge against you. You will not be able to guess who he is and how he will hurt you.

If you cannot become a fifteenth level cultivator, you will never know who he is, or how many times he will get revenge.

Ma Kuxuan jumped down, stretching his limbs. “Now that I’m warmed up, I can get down to business.”

What happened next would have Chen Ping’an cursing.

It turned out that Ma Kuxuan had conjured up a Zhou Mi, afraid that all hell would break loose.

————

At the Immortal Abode, Chen Ping’an led Yu Shiwu up the steps.

Yu Shiwu noticed Chen Ping’an frowning then relaxing. He asked, “What’s going on?”

Chen Ping’an stopped, sitting down on the steps. “Nothing, it’s just that the demons are getting stronger.”

Yu Shiwu sat down next to him, “Someone at True Martial Mountain once told me that I should have some sort of imagined enemy.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “That makes sense.”

He could guess who it was.

It was Ma Kuxuan’s bodyguard, who had been to Lvzhu cave and had met him several times.

Yu Shiwu asked, “Do you have one too?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Of course, I’m going to trade blows with someone.”

That was Swordsman Pei Min.

Chen Ping’an said, “There must be an exchange of gifts.”

Chen Ping’an held Sword Cage.

If Chen Ping’an had enough, he would be able to split time and space infinitely.

If Chen Ping’an wanted, he could make it so that the ants could not be caught by Yu Shiwu.

Yu Shiwu said, “You still haven’t told me what the second thing is.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Borrow you to catch Cao Ci.”

Yu Shiwu asked, “What do you mean?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Practice boxing.”

Yu Shiwu was stunned, speechless.

Chen Ping’an removed the glamour, revealing Yu Shiwu’s real self.

It turned out that many of others’ unintentional words were all listened to intentionally.

Yu Shiwu looked complicated. “Is it to deal with Ma Kuxuan?”

Having 3 of the leader’s fortunes meant nothing to Yu Shiwu, but it was a lot to Chen Ping’an.

Could it be that he would step straight into the stopped level?

Those who have equal abilities can’t just be named next to each other, such as Nan Shouchen Bei Hidden Officer, or Bai Yi Cao Qingchan Chen.

Chen Ping’an looked far away, shaking his head. “Not at all.”

The Chen Ping’an in his sight dropped all pretense, and said, “What do you think? So many people talking to us, we took them as non intentional, but they are actually not.”

“They are all planned and all intentional.”

That all said, Yu Shiwu smiled and asked, “Are you going to use this to defeat Ma Kuxuan?”

Those who are burdened with the three martial fortunes from the origin of the military family, were naturally useless for cultivators like Yu Shiwu. But what if one of them became a martial arts grandmaster, like Chen Ping’an?

Would that equal them moving past one or two stages of martial arts, helping them reach the ultimate stopped stage?

The world says that some things are equal to each other. Chen Ping’an knows people who are like this, such as Nan Shouchen and Bei Hidden Officer on the battlefields, or Bai Yi Cao and Qing Shan Chen, who are on the path of martial arts.

Chen Ping’an looked up and shook his head. “There’s no need for that at all.”