The martial arts bout between An and Jiang She resulted in a chaotic interweaving of fist intent, sword qi, and martial destiny between heaven and earth. When Wu Shuangjiang stepped down, further changes occurred. More than a hundred magic treasures shattered as if they were worthless, transforming a previously barren ancient battlefield ruin into a place where spiritual energy was as thick as mercury, visible to the naked eye.

Cui Dongshan’s ancient Shu Marsh ruin, Jiang Shangzhen’s Willow Shade domain, and several connected hidden pocket dimensions were all violently impacted by this chaos, becoming visible. This caused the entire layered formation to tremble, like a small boat adrift in turbulent waves, or a bird flapping its wings in a celestial gale.

Jiang Shangzhen, who had to constantly pour money into maintaining the formation, cursed with a laugh, “Just watching a fight costs a fortune! What the hell!”

Cui Dongshan’s expression was serious; for once, he didn’t echo a single word. He flicked his sleeves, and two golden lights shot out from each, along with a river of white talismans flying towards the boundary where the layered formation met the heavens. One gold, one white, they stitched up the cracks appearing in the formation, their light shimmering like gold and silver mendings on a porcelain bowl.

Having collected those three portions of martial destiny, Jiang She recovered to the peak of the Eleventh Realm of Martial Arts. Although his Yin Spirit had not yet returned, preventing him from reaching the perfection of the Fourteenth Realm, Jiang She still had strength to spare against the constantly changing spells and divine abilities of Wu Shuangjiang. He carefully surveyed the battlefield “map,” finding that neither time nor terrain favored him. Yet, this Founding Ancestor of the Military Family showed no trace of fatigue; instead, his aura surged, and his golden armor shone brilliantly, illuminating the ancient battlefield ruin as if it were a realm of gold.

One had to admit that while some were born to read, Jiang She was born for the battlefield.

Wu Shuangjiang was clearly willing to pay any price, even damaging his foundational Great Dao, to drag Jiang She down with him.

In this battle, two armies faced each other, deployed and arrayed, pitting elite against elite. Their respective casualties were clear, and they wore down each other’s Military Family Dao power.

Since the battlefield was within Zheng Juzhong’s belly, any shattered magic treasures or consumed spiritual energy were all kept within, the “fat water” not flowing outside.

It was like a gambling table with a very simple game: whoever had one more copper coin won. The game continued until one side lost everything, and the other took all.

Evidently, Wu Shuangjiang’s multicolored armor Dharma Manifestation’s Dao power was decaying faster; the full moon treasure-like image behind the Dharma Manifestation was already dim and lusterless.

As for Jiang She’s Dharma Manifestation, although the golden armor was covered in rust, like countless tear stains,

Each time Jiang She thrust his spear to break the formation, the golden armor clanged, and the rust flaked away. Although the golden armor was slightly thinner, the gold inside remained flawless and pure.

Jiang Shangzhen, filled with worry, asked through spiritual transmission, “If his Yin Spirit returns and Jiang She’s Fourteenth Realm becomes perfect, how can we fight?”

Cui Dongshan replied, “Those three portions of martial destiny are a lesson learned. Even if the Yin Spirit returns? Does Jiang She dare to accept it? Isn’t he afraid of being manipulated again, attracting those three newly suppressed portions of martial destiny, and having them take over?”

That female Grandmaster, the Yin Spirit “Xie Shiji,” who had reached the peak of God Arrival, was still in the Wild Desolation.

Over at Luopo Mountain, after parting ways with Liu Xiang and reminding Zhou Hu a few things, Zheng Juzhong left the territory of Bottle-Neck Continent and went directly to find Xie Shiji.

Jiang Shangzhen asked in confusion, “After the Yin Spirit has been out for so long, having its own complete life and memories, can it still willingly return?”

Cui Dongshan wasn’t sure either. He said, “Logically, when the Yin Spirit meets the true body, the former becomes powerless, without a doubt, automatically recognizing its master and unable to feel any desire to resist. But Jiang She’s Yin Spirit cannot be measured by ordinary standards; after all, it is a God Arrival Martial Artist.”

Jiang Shangzhen said with a bitter smile, “We won’t end up just being spectators from beginning to end, will we?”

Before coming, An had reminded them through spiritual transmission that if they were on the battlefield, they should be prepared to become ghosts.

Because the Great Dao lives of both sides could be Dao-transformed into a portion of the vitality of heaven and earth.

Jiang Shangzhen still came.

Cui Dongshan said, “Either Old Zheng is unreliable and we are completely useless, becoming what Jiang She calls the cats and dogs who came to the table to eat, ultimately being treated by Jiang She as a tolerable portion of Great Dao resources. Or Old Zheng withstands Jiang She’s desperate attack, and we two good-for-nothings become useful, extremely useful, at the critical moment. Maybe we are the decisive factor in ending the battle.”

Jiang Shangzhen held his long sword. “Cui Dongshan, how come it sounds like our two brothers are both pathetic and tragic?”

Cui Dongshan’s eyes were resolute. “So, if we are lucky enough to leave this place alive, you need to earn more money, and I need to cultivate properly.”

They didn’t want to encounter similar things again and still be just spectators, watching from the sidelines, becoming moldy all over.

The full moon treasure-like image behind Wu Shuangjiang, symbolizing his foundational Great Dao, began to shatter, gradually becoming a crescent moon.

Jiang She’s spear struck the neck of Wu Shuangjiang’s Dharma Manifestation. He suddenly increased the force, hoisting it high, the spear tip slightly penetrating the head.

The moon phase treasure wheel finally couldn’t hold on and completely dispersed. Wu Shuangjiang’s Dharma Manifestation, clad in multicolored armor, instantly turned gray.

The sight was gruesome. Jiang Shangzhen’s Dao heart trembled; how breathtaking was the battle between Fourteenth Realm cultivators.

Jiang She twisted his wrist, shook the long spear, and flung the “corpse” away.

Jiang She turned his head to look elsewhere, but not at Zheng Juzhong. It was at a brand new Dharma Manifestation of Wu Shuangjiang that appeared out of thin air.

If the previous Dharma Manifestation in military attire and multicolored armor was clearly related to the Military Family’s Great Dao, then this Dharma Manifestation before him was somewhat… delicate.

“Wu Shuangjiang” had a handsome face, disheveled hair, a white robe with wide sleeves, and bare feet suspended in the air. Colorful ribbons wrapped around his arms fluttered in the air.

Jiang She slightly frowned. This fellow was so difficult to deal with. Could it be that Wu Shuangjiang’s Fourteenth Realm truly walked two converged Dao paths simultaneously?

The two black and white rainbow lights entwined around the Dharma Manifestation’s arms were the Great Dao manifestations of Jiang She’s Yin Spirit and Yang Spirit.

Jiang She’s eyes were burning. This was good. If the opponent was weak, it was meaningless. Against such a strong enemy, with endless methods and countless magic treasures, just shatter them all. If there were a few more Great Dao lives, just finish them off.

Jiang Shangzhen asked softly, “Wu Palace Master paid such a high price, how much of his Dao cultivation did he force Jiang She to lose?”

Cui Dongshan said, “Probably less than thirty percent, at least twenty percent is guaranteed.”

Jiang Shangzhen was speechless upon hearing this and patted his forehead with the flat of his sword.

Moreover, having been punished for ten thousand years on that “mountain peak,” Jiang She hadn’t been idle; he had already refined a Fire Star into his Natal Object.

Cui Dongshan suddenly looked up. Good heavens, Jiang She wasn’t giving Wu Shuangjiang any chance to exchange Dao cultivation?!

Jiang She wanted to reclaim the terrain advantage and completely break this ruin of heaven and earth, which he called the “embryo of Dao upon Dao”?

First, there were unusual phenomena in the martial temples of various countries in the Vast Profundity, causing great consternation among the Nine Continents’ courts, who sent inquiries like snowflakes to the Central Plains Literature Temple and the Military Family Ancestral Court. Next, it was the turn of all the Qi Refiners in the human world’s Bureaus of Astronomy to have their Dao hearts almost collapse. With such celestial anomalies and the Fire Star starting to deviate from its orbit, could it be that another great calamity was approaching the human world?

One Zheng Juzhong, using Sleeve Universe, took Xie Shiji to that Fire Star beyond the heavens, occupying the magpie’s nest and slowing the star’s descent.

Another Zheng Juzhong, who had forcibly dragged the entire Night Voyage Ship to the ruin of Jincui City in the Wild Desolation, pointed at the celestial night sky seven times.

Zheng Juzhong, located within “his own” belly, raised his arm, and seven-colored light appeared, with white clouds rising, vaguely revealing a miniature city.

A lonely city amidst colorful clouds.

Zheng Juzhong finally made his move.

In his hand was a White Emperor City that had been refined, disassembled, and reshaped.

Zheng Juzhong casually tossed this object towards Jiang She.

Jiang She seemed to hesitate for the first time, but in the end, he said nothing.

Zheng Juzhong glanced at An; An’s expression was placid.

Zheng Juzhong smiled and nodded. Last time at Sword Qi Great Wall, he gave up the siege of Lu Chen, which was acceptable.

But this time, if he let Jiang She go again, then he would seriously consider Jiang She’s suggestion.

Jiang Shangzhen didn’t dare to breathe heavily.

Cui Dongshan’s expression was unusually solemn.

This was the number one figure of the Demonic Dao who had come here with Wu Shuangjiang.

From beginning to end, Zheng Juzhong said very little and made no movement.

Until this moment, Zheng Juzhong smiled and said, “Either I don’t come, or if I do, it means Jiang She’s fate is sealed.”

I’m not reasoning with you.

Nor am I saying harsh words to you.

I am simply stating the facts to you.

Jiang She found himself inside White Emperor City, on a white jade square. Engraved on the ground was a celestial map of the Big Dipper plus two auxiliary stars.

And there was An, a sword wielder, far away in the New Heavenly Court.

He hadn’t even brought out that brand new Natal Flying Sword.

An stood still, but the Big Dipper formation on the ground began to rotate on its own, causing Jiang She to stand on an auxiliary star.

With his Great Dao suppressed by the entire White Emperor City, and inexplicably in the middle of a Big Dipper formation, Jiang She wanted to move but couldn’t lift his feet, as if a mortal had been subjected to a body-fixing spell. Jiang She wasn’t flustered; he calmly observed the situation and laughed, “This is the move you and Zheng Juzhong have been plotting for a long time? Then I still say the same thing. You are not the Fourteenth Realm Fire Dragon True Man, so you cannot successfully fire the kiln, unless he is willing to lend you his Dao arts for a while, which is clearly not the case. You are even less like the Mr. San Shan Jiu Hou; if the heat is not right, you can only pretend to be a ghost.”

Earlier, Jiang She had asked An if he dared to engage in a straightforward martial arts contest.

At that time, An had only made a sarcastic remark, but as he spoke, a floating rough white porcelain bowl appeared in his hand. He used a drop of his natal blood to form seven tiny fly-head characters inside the crystal clear white bowl.

The seven characters in the bowl were “Jiang She,” “Primordial Spirit,” “Military Family,” and “Martial.”

He was mimicking Jiang She, the Founding Ancestor of the Military Family, and creating a Natal Porcelain of him.

An flicked his sleeve, and now the Big Dipper in White Emperor City displayed these seven characters.

Jiang She laughed dryly. “You kid, you do listen to advice.”

It turned out that An, being half of the human world’s number one, had indeed set up a Ziwei Enclosure formation, directly opposite the Big Dipper formation, standing in the center.

Or to be precise, the Big Dipper formation was originally part of the Ziwei Enclosure.

At the same time, the Big Dipper constellation map continuously rotated, and the immobile Jiang She stepped on each of those stars.

Jiang She narrowed his eyes, feeling a prickling sensation on his back, his mind greatly shocked.

It was as if this Founding Ancestor of the Military Family had sensed some unseen targeting.

This battle was a contest between old and new Dao, fighting within the same house, dividing the Military Family’s qi fortune.

Their collective action was to slay Jiang She. Wu Shuangjiang would usurp his position, An would seize his reputation, and Zheng Juzhong would gain his substance.

An said calmly, “Jiang She, take the sword.”

The Big Dipper formation, the handle of the Dipper pointed directly at Jiang She.

Wu Shuangjiang looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, “The Qi Refiners in the human world’s Bureaus of Astronomy will truly have their Dao hearts shattered one by one now.”

First, the Fire Star shifted, and then the Big Dipper, as if connected by a golden thread. Without a doubt, that was sword light.

How should the historians of the various human world countries write about this?

Cui Dongshan was the first to guess the truth, but he still couldn’t believe it, repeatedly murmuring, “How is this possible, how is this possible.”

Wu Shuangjiang smiled and said, “I actually don’t know about this either. You’ll have to ask Mr. Zheng.”

Zheng Juzhong just said, “I went to Dragon Elephant Sword Sect and saw Lu Zhi.”

Cui Dongshan asked, “And then?”

Zheng Juzhong said, “And then your Master, drawing upon the Big Dipper from beyond the heavens, is passing the sword to Jiang She, who has returned to the human world.”

Cui Dongshan fell backward onto the ground, but quickly sprang up with a carp jump and said, “Chief Zhou, we have work to do!”

Zheng Juzhong said, “No hurry.”

Earlier, when he took Zheng Qingjia to Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, Zheng Juzhong secretly met with Lu Zhi and had a secret conversation.

He went straight to the point. Zheng Juzhong said, “I’m here to make two requests on behalf of two people.”

“Of course, you can refuse both.”

“Before that, there’s something I need to discuss with you. After we talk, I will have received the answer, and Lu Zhi will need to forget the contents of this conversation.”

Hearing this, Lu Zhi didn’t hesitate at all and nodded. “Speak.”

Zheng Juzhong slowly said, “One is to request Lu Zhi on behalf of Cui Chan to go to the Azure Nether World, to receive a Daoist ordination and refine swords in White Jade Capital. In the future, when An challenges White Jade Capital with his sword, you will need to persuade Haosu to defect from White Jade Capital together.”

Lu Zhi was furious upon hearing this and almost blurted out, “Is that embroidered tiger’s brain broken?”

If it was just following the Hidden Official across the world to challenge White Jade Capital together, Lu Zhi wouldn’t hesitate much. As for receiving a Daoist ordination and becoming a Daoist, defecting from White Jade Capital, and even colluding with the penal official Haosu, what did he take Lu Zhi for? Did Cui Chan only know how to play such scheming tricks?

Zheng Juzhong smiled and said, “Find it difficult? There’s something even more difficult to come.”

Lu Zhi said, “Anyway, the first thing is absolutely impossible. For the second thing, you speak, and I will listen.”

Zheng Juzhong said, “An wants something from you. Note, it’s ‘wants,’ not ‘borrows’.”

Lu Zhi was completely bewildered.

Zheng Juzhong’s words were shocking. “An needs the flying sword ‘Big Dipper’ to deal with certain powerful enemies on the Dao. As for who they are, it’s hard to say for now.”

Lu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and said, “No problem.”

Zheng Juzhong wasn’t surprised either, but he reminded her again, “Think carefully. There’s no regretting this. To be honest, it involves a great deal, and as an intermediary, I cannot allow you to regret it. To be honest, I don’t want to see a Lu Zhi who is clear about her grudges and open and aboveboard disappear from the world and be replaced by a resentful woman who is sadly lost in thought and full of unspoken grievances, complaining all day long about why there’s no后悔药 (regret medicine) in the world to eat.”

Stripping out a Natal Flying Sword “Big Dipper” had both advantages and disadvantages for Lu Zhi. The advantage was reaching the Ascension Realm faster, but proving the Dao and ascending was already within Lu Zhi’s grasp, so this advantage was negligible. The disadvantage was that Lu Zhi’s future Great Dao achievements would be much lower.

After all, whether one can converge with the Dao, and even after converging with the Dao, there are still strengths and weaknesses within the Fourteenth Realm. Therefore, Lu Zhi giving away this sword had far more disadvantages than advantages.

Lu Zhi’s eyes were clear, and her tone remained calm. She said, “Mr. Zheng needs not say more, and Lu Zhi need not think more.”

Zheng Juzhong said, “Sword cultivators are truly pure.”

Lu Zhi asked, “I also have a question.”

“Ask.”

“Was this the instruction of his senior brother Cui Chan, or An’s own idea?”

“The latter.”

Lu Zhi’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. This was the Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall!

As the last Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall, if he only acted this way after being reminded by his senior brother Cui Chan, it would have disappointed her.

Lu Zhi asked, “Should I strip the flying sword now?”

Zheng Juzhong shook his head. “Because Lu Chen might come here, wait until he has seen you.”

So the matter of Lu Zhi stripping the flying sword and An taking the sword would have to wait.

After all, the initial intention of the young Hidden Official was to prepare for challenging White Jade Capital in the future, or to prevent attacks from Fourteenth Realm cultivators like Wuzhou.

Therefore, when Zheng Juzhong was with Lu Chen, he mentioned that Jiang She was taking the calamity for their White Jade Capital.

At Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, Lu Chen had said two sentences to Lu Zhi, with hidden meanings and implications.

“Lord Zheng has been here?”

“It’s necessary to see the young Hidden Official with one’s own eyes before making a decision.”

Returning from the sea, Lu Zhi was in a good mood on her way up the mountain, having accepted an initial disciple.

Cheng Sancai asked through spiritual transmission, “Master, I heard from Old Gu that you have a Natal Flying Sword, which is very powerful.”

Lu Zhi smiled and said, “Before, I had no opportunity to bring out my sword to kill demons and engrave characters, so I didn’t even know how powerful this flying sword was and how great its killing power was.”

Cheng Sancai asked, “What about now?”

Lu Zhi said, “It’s even less clear.”

Cheng Sancai was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Lu Zhi said, “It’s already been given away.”

Cheng Sancai was shocked. “A Natal Flying Sword can be given away? Master is willing to give it away?!”

Lu Zhi smiled and said, “It depends on who it is.”

Cheng Sancai’s expression was complex, with a look of fear. She said, “I understand. It’s him.”

Outside “White Emperor City,” Wu Shuangjiang asked curiously, “Even if Xiao Mo stripped out his flying sword and gifted it to Chai Wu, and An could observe and learn a thing or two. Later, observing the Lotus Pond blessed land and witnessing the birth of the first batch of sword cultivators there was also beneficial. But Lu Zhi’s flying sword is extraordinary after all. After An obtains it, can he truly refine it successfully?”

If it were against an Ascension Realm cultivator, or even some newly emerged Fourteenth Realm cultivators after a heavy rain, Wu Shuangjiang wouldn’t have asked this question.

After all, the opponent was Jiang She.

Even if everything was left to An to preside over White Emperor City, which was equivalent to Zheng Juzhong temporarily lending his Dao arts to An, and then passing this sword from beyond the heavens, the question was, could he truly array and slay him?

The Big Dipper dictates death!

Even if An, as the Hidden Official, had seen life and death countless times on the battlefield of Sword Qi Great Wall.

Even if An led the sword cultivators, opened Mount Tuoyue with his sword, and personally killed the great demon culprit.

Wu Shuangjiang still felt it wasn’t enough, far from enough.

Zheng Juzhong said, “During that secluded cultivation at Mount Fuyao, An and Yu Xuan had a casual chat on the peak of Jiling Peak, discussing the different levels of aspirations for breaking through the realm. Yu Xuan asked if there was a sixth level, and An didn’t tell the truth at the time. In fact, there was not only a sixth level, but also a seventh level of intention, which was to truly refine the flying sword ‘Big Dipper’.” (Note 1: Chapter 1077, “Hometown, Other Place, Wine Place, Heart Place”)

Wu Shuangjiang suddenly understood and said with emotion, “How many versions of himself does An have to kill, how many Ans have to die, to successfully refine the flying sword? Curious, extremely curious.”

Zheng Juzhong didn’t provide an answer.

During that seclusion, An faced his own “inner demons.”

Corpses piled up like mountains and hung upside down.

Millions of “An” skeletal remains fell one after another, like a heavy snowfall.

Within the entire White Emperor City, there were countless invisible threads,貫穿 (貫穿, meaning penetrating or running through) Jiang She’s Dharma Manifestation’s body.

Wu Shuangjiang no longer held back and released the remaining hundreds of thousands of talismans together, paving a blue Dao trajectory for opening the way.

The “Tian Quan,” which seemed the dimmest in the human world, suddenly became brilliant, and sword light pierced through the boundless void of the Vast Profundity.

Sword light came from beyond the heavens to the human world.

A single sword pierced the heavy night sky.

Jiang She had nowhere to hide. Seeing that beam of light arrive in the human world, he took a deep breath, and the martial artist assumed his stance, throwing a punch towards the heavens.

His Dharma Manifestation’s body broke through the White Emperor City’s restrictions, like a giant standing on a high platform. A massive fist intent collided with the sword light, shattering.

The second sword was delivered from the brightest Yu Heng. Sword light erupted from Tian Shu, following closely behind, sword after sword.

Jiang She was instantly engulfed by that sword light.

One Dharma Manifestation began to bend at the knees, becoming hunched over. Cracks began to appear in the golden armor, which finally shattered like porcelain.

The rich Dao power carried by the majestic Dharma Manifestation, along with the flesh, tendons, and bones of the true body, dispersed together. The Founding Ancestor of the Military Family would never kneel. Jiang She would never prostrate himself before anyone and not rise.

The characters “Jiang She,” “Primordial Spirit,” and so on, shattered in sequence. Jiang She stood straight, always standing, emaciated.

Two beams of sword light, originating from the two auxiliary stars, converged into a single line, and the sword light directly fell into White Emperor City.

In the human world, Jiang She was arrayed and slain.

In the heavens, the tall sword wielder with a female appearance, except for a pair of pure golden eyes that remained, his face changed, actually turning into An.

In the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains of the Wild Desolation, Zhi Ci ascended, filling the vacant position after the dispersion of the Three Teachings Ancestral Masters.

An ascension platform not connected to the earth. The handsome Daoist Zhi Ci, with wide sleeves fluttering, began his ascent to heaven.

In the westernmost part of the New Heavenly Court, the Buddha took off his kasaya and cast it out. The ruins of the old Heavenly Court, with its infinite domain, were actually supported by a single “Immeasurable” golden lotus.

The golden light of the lotus flowed, creating a golden circle of light that enveloped the entire New Heavenly Court.

In the south, the Most Holy Sage raised his arm, as if a scholar had dipped his finger and turned a page. A book suddenly appeared in the Literature Temple of the Central Plains in the Vast Profundity world. The words of all the printed books in the several worlds for ten thousand years, as well as the content that had been recited aloud, began to fly out from the pages of this book, thus building a bridge of characters between heaven and earth.

This string of characters drew an arc within the golden circle of light.

In the east, the young-looking Daoist stood up from his cushion, extended his arm, and his Daoist robe gently vibrated. With a void grasp of his five fingers, a spot of pure white light appeared in his palm. In an instant, the Dao gave birth to one. This spot of light extended into a slender beam of sword light, which was immediately followed by a second beam of light, perfectly symmetrical to it, a third, hundreds of thousands, billions, almost infinite in number…

The young Daoist’s other hand showed the same magnificent sight, except that all the light was black.

A mass of black as ink and the pure white sphere of light together formed a yin-yang diagram.

The Great Dao creates yin and yang.

As if in the primeval chaos when heaven and earth were first created, Zhou Mi saw a beam of world-opening sword light coming towards him.