The sun bled crimson across the Great River, swallowed by the encroaching black. As it fell, the moon ascended, bathing the myriad peaks in ethereal, silvery light.

Silence reigned. Within the crumbling temple, the only sound was the occasional crackle and pop of the dying fire. All eyes turned towards the weathered figure standing just beyond the threshold, a man in his thirties, bearing the unmistakable air of one acquainted with books – a serene, almost detached composure.

Qing Rang held his tongue, while Xian Zao stood frozen, ashen-faced. Seeing her terror, Qing Rang, who had held a sliver of doubt, now knew the truth. The man before them was akin to a clay idol, once worshipped and fed with incense, now stepping from its niche to walk among them.

Strange, the reverence for the young Hidden Official was far greater, and more genuine, in the desolate wastes of the Barbaric Lands than in the civilized lands of the Verdant Domain. There, the people merely heard tales; here, every demon who had survived the great war had witnessed his deeds firsthand.

“A thousand suns rise and fall, a thousand times his name is called.” It was no exaggeration.

To reach the Verdant Domain, one had to pass through the ‘Great Gate’ hewn into the mountain. Every demon raising its gaze would see it, and the flash of his scarlet robes.

Moreover, this man, this Chen, had once slain a Jade Purity Realm demon who dared fly over his city walls. Not slain, but…ripped apart. And then flung the corpse back over the ramparts.

Such acts were commonplace among the Barbaric Lands’ own demons – a victor tearing apart and devouring the vanquished was merely pragmatic. But that a disciple of a Sage from the Verdant Domain would stoop to such barbarity… that was something novel.

Thus, the cultivators of the Verdant Domain could never truly understand the complex emotions swirling within the heart of the golden-feathered city’s Fairy Qingjia as she crossed the archway into Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

The Hidden Official, an outsider. Ningo’s beloved. Slayer of Transcendents. He who challenged an entire Jia Shen Battle Array. The last carver of the Sword Qi Great Wall. The man Chen Qingdu trusted with a heavy burden.

Silence hung thick within the temple, yet the scholar outside showed no haste to cross the threshold.

The woman with the blade felt her muscles coil. She drew a deep breath, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, her gaze fixed on the seemingly harmless scholar before her. “How did the Hidden Official find us?” she asked, her voice sharp and direct.

She was known as Dou Kou, a proud member of Mount Tuoyue’s Hundred Sword Immortals. Her long sojourn in a foreign land had given her tongue the cadence of the Willow Leaf Continent.

Xian Zao’s face was a mask of despair, as if struck by lightning. Yet Qing Rang remained relaxed, showing no sign of impending doom. As for the two hapless natives of the Willow Leaf Continent, they were utterly bewildered. Was this bookish stranger a notorious bandit? Or a spoiled brat with powerful kin?

Chen Ping An replied, his voice resonant with the purest tongue of the Barbaric Lands, “Do not the books tell of a humble scholar, seeking fortune in the capital, finding shelter in a forgotten shrine, and discovering love? Such a thing is not planned, but woven of chance.”

The voluptuous woman chuckled, amused by his words. He stood there, silhouetted by the pale moon, a simple green bamboo staff supporting his weight.

Chen Ping An turned his gaze to the sword-bearing woman, called Dou Kou. “A young talent of Mount Tuoyue’s Hundred Sword Immortals, and ranked highly besides. Yet I saw you not amidst the throng upon the city walls. Why is that?”

These promising sword cultivators of the Barbaric Lands had all, at some point, practiced upon the walls, their sojourn a testament to their skill. During those times, many would seek to ‘gaze upon’ the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall, calling themselves the ‘gatekeepers’.

“He is the protector of our home. Chen, the Hidden Official, is a good man.”

The woman replied, her voice steady, “I kept my distance. My nature is solitary. I care not for crowds. My sword is neither masterful nor inept. My rank is neither high nor low. Even had we met, it is unlikely I would have been granted the chance to speak with the Hidden Official.”

It was the truth.

Others served as ‘guards’ on their section of the wall. Liu Bai, a direct disciple of Zhou Mi, was quiet by nature. But Li Zhen, the closest student of the Grand Ancestor of Tuoyue Mountain, possessed a vile tongue, its venom growing sharper each day, learned from an unknown master. He would sneer at any who sought the Hidden Official’s attention, uttering words to the effect of, “You are not worthy to speak to the Hidden Official!” And then there was the old Dragon Lord’s grey robe. Unless one possessed strong backing, none dared to defy him.

Qing Rang chewed his venison, looking weary. “With the Hidden Official’s current fortune, he should not have found me. Was I betrayed by one of these women?”

Chen Ping An evaded the question. “So, you are a diviner as well? A reader of fortunes? Were we simply hawking our wares side by side, we could perhaps have tested our skills, each trying to steal the other’s customers.”

This was the man who, with his own strength, had nearly sabotaged the Willow Leaf Continent’s plans to open the Great River. Countless divine coins – Valley Rain coins – had been invested by Fallen Phoenix Mountain, the Green Plume Sword Sect, and other forces. Wei Wenlong and Master Zhong had calculated that, due to this man’s repeated interference, the delays and political machinations had cost them between three and four thousand Valley Rain coins.

Nearly a score of Fifth Stratum cultivators, including Mi Yu and Huang Ting, along with the Dragon Gate Celestial Lord of Iron Tree Mountain, had been sent to find him. Yet they had failed to capture this Golden Core Realm cultivator.

Earlier, in Xuan Du, they had failed to trace him, using the fragmented talismans that Cui Dongshan had brought back to Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Only Liu Xianyang, in his dreams, could land a blow upon him. Yet even that did not grievously wound him.

A Golden Core Realm talisman master from the Barbaric Lands – what a great stir he had caused!

Only now did Chen Ping An finally meet Qing Rang, and he did not even know if it was his true name.

A thorough search of the books within his sea of thought – from the secret archives of the Summer Palace to the records of the Middle Kingdom Temple and the Great Li Dynasty – yielded nothing concerning “Qing Rang.”

Was he merely a rising star, known only within the Barbaric Lands?

So many years after the war, the cultivators of various continents continued to scour the Willow Leaf Continent. It was a wonder that this man, so steeped in sin, could still be alive.

“Qing Rang,” Chen Ping An inquired, “do you have a renowned master? Or are you a great demon in disguise? Of course, you need not answer.”

“Answer? Why not? It would be my honor to speak with the Hidden Official.”

The man wiped his greasy hands. “As it happens, Hidden Official, I am but an ant. Had anyone stepped on me, they would have soiled their boots.”

Still squatting, his face illuminated by the fire, he spread his hands to warm them. “If the Hidden Official can accomplish great things in the Barbaric Lands, then surely I can manage a small task in the Verdant Domain.”

The always taciturn young cultivator looked no longer wooden, but animated. “So, we meet at last. Am I to be skinned, flayed, drunk and devoured?”

Chen Ping An shook his head, a smile playing on his lips. “My tastes are not so crude.”

Xian Zao, her voice trembling, dared to ask, “May I humbly inquire as to the Hidden Official’s current stratum?”

“My stratum is not high,” Chen Ping An said, smiling. “I failed to vanquish Fei Fei at the Dragging Falls River. However, even if I were at the very lowest, slaughtering a Golden Core cultivator would be child’s play.”

Xian Zao shuddered.

Qing Rang was more perceptive. “By the standards of the Sword Qi Great Wall, he is a true Sword Immortal.”

Xian Zao let out a groan, resigned to her fate. What else could she do? Even if she mirrored the Hidden Official’s words and assumed he was only a Land Immortal, could she hope to escape?

This man was known on the battlefield for his ruthlessness and cunning. In a battle between equals, his chances of victory were high. Years ago, the Jia Shen Battle Array had laid a careful trap, their geniuses seeking to end his life. Had Fei Ran not intervened, some would have perished.

Chen Ping An asked, “Fairy Xian Zao, do you have a twin sister? One who manages the Willow Branch Ministry, who goes by the name of Yin Su? Why did you not return home with her, hide in the Frosty Moon City, and continue managing your own Snowfrost Ministry? You could have lived a life of ease and glory.”

The Frosty Moon City was one of Fei Fei’s three Sect-Headquarters, each led by talented Land Immortal female cultivators.

Compared to the Jia Shen Battle Array’s ‘nobles’ of great birth, talent, and support, these women were insignificant figures.

Although Fairy Xian Zao and her sister, Yin Su, were both sword cultivators, the bar for joining Mount Tuoyue’s Hundred Sword Immortals was too high.

Chen Ping An asked Qing Rang, “With your talent, there is no reason for you to risk your life so brazenly. The allure of wealth and fortune does not suit someone like you.”

When Qing Rang remained silent, Chen Ping An pressed on, “Is it a vendetta? Do you harbor a grudge, one that cannot wait? Must it be settled here, on the Willow Leaf Continent?”

The other two women glanced at Qing Rang.

He was indeed strange. They had never heard of him before encountering him on the Willow Leaf Continent. Now, they were not just looking at him with new eyes, but the longer they spent time with him, the more they found Qing Rang to be unfathomable. Given one hundred years, or even several centuries, his achievements would be limitless.

There was no good reason to fight to the death in the Willow Leaf Continent, especially if it was solely to target Chen Ping An and the Green Plume Sword Sect.

To say that one would accrue military merits on this continent and return home to earn the favor of a Seat Demon Lord was a blatant lie.

One had to live in order to return home.

With Qing Rang’s talent and cunning, he did not need such superficial gains, especially if he could lose his life in pursuit of them.

After a moment of silence, Qing Rang spoke, “There is indeed a grievance, but it is not large. Nor do I blame the Hidden Official for his ruthlessness. We were born in different camps, and each must fulfill his duty.”

A friend, an elder, who had led him down the path of cultivation, had been slain by Chen Ping An.

He was in the Jade Purity Realm. Although their difference in status and stratum had been immense, he had selflessly imparted his knowledge and skills to Qing Rang, still claiming he was not worthy to be Qing Rang’s teacher. He had vowed to find Qing Rang a true master, one no less capable than Zhu Xie or Shi Er Tan, because Qing Rang’s talent was so great, a lesser master would be a waste, especially if he attracted attention. Without the protection of a Rising Ascendant or a great Sect, he could be killed as soon as he left the mountain.

The memory caused Qing Rang to slow down, savoring his venison.

Chen Ping An murmured to himself, “Bodhisattvas and Sages fear the cause; mortals fear the effect.”

Qing Rang nodded. “I never understood that. It was only when I came to the Willow Leaf Continent and read their books that I truly grasped it.”

Chen Ping An was forthright. “Xiao Xing, hidden in the Lotus Root Blessed Land, saw you, Dou Kou, and remembers you well. That means I have seen you as well.”

The Hidden Official’s next words sent a shiver down Xian Zao’s spine. “So, I have been ‘concerned’ about Fairy Dou Kou these past few days.”

Qing Rang sighed. As he had expected, he had been implicated by this woman. Though he did not blame her too much. But it was only Xian Zao was nothing but an obstacle.

Dou Kou felt a chill, yet remained puzzled. What did it matter if she had been seen? The mountains were filled with magic. Was this some sort of divine power?

Xiao Xing, of the Barbaric Lands’ Guiyou Battle Array, had been severely wounded by Ningo on the Sword Qi Great Wall. She had traveled with Dou Kou when she first landed on the Willow Leaf Continent, journeying together. When Xiao Xing fell into Chen Ping An’s hands, her memories had been searched, resulting in an unprecedented ‘mountain search’. The images in Xiao Xing’s eyes, including Dou Kou, had become a vivid portrait in Chen Ping An’s heart.

When they reunited at the Sword Qi Great Wall, Liu Xianyang had selflessly taught Chen Ping An the Dreamwalking Sword Art, a treasure passed down through his lineage. Liu Xianyang was always generous with his friends.

However, Chen Ping An could not learn it then. The Sword Art’s barrier was too high. Even now, with his current stratum, he could only claim to have grasped a superficial understanding.

Yet Chen Ping An had restrained himself, refusing to strike rashly, lest he alert the wily talisman master who might be traveling with Dou Kou. A hasty move could be a setback.

His choice had been vindicated.

He had waited for an opportunity, for her to doze off and dream. But cultivators rarely dreamt. So, Chen Ping An had patiently waited.

This divine power could be called Dream Journey Through Others’ Dreams. Chen Ping An and Liu Xianyang had taken different paths to master the same sword art.

Xiao Xing knew she could not defeat Ningo or Chen Ping An. She wanted to create a plague that would sweep through the Blessed Land.

The burden for this would fall on Chen Ping An, the Blessed Land’s ‘landlord’.

She had opened a bookstore, hired scribes, and sold erotic books at a loss. She had also hidden several corpses of plague gods.

Tens of thousands of books had been sold, read by even more viewers. If a plague broke out, it would spread like wildfire.

Had they been of the same stratum, Qing Rang would have succeeded in the Willow Leaf Continent, and Xiao Xing could have succeeded in the Lotus Root Blessed Land.

But realms were built by skill. One could not simply lower one’s stratum for the sake of fairness.

Moreover, Chen Ping An had lowered his realm more than a few times.

The couple who had been resting here were utterly bewildered.

Hidden Official, Frosty Moon City, Verdant Domain, Barbaric Lands – they were only simple folk, trying to make a living. They did not understand. But they knew the two sides were enemies.

The scholar had come to collect a debt.

The man carefully composed himself, and asked, “Elders, could you let us leave first, so we do not delay your business?”

Xian Zao scoffed. “Leave? Where would you go? The entire mountain is trapped in an array. Even if you had a hundred years, you would still be walking in circles.”

The man whined, “Your immortal fight is your own. Why drag us, common folk with a little martial skill, into it?”

The woman subtly adjusted her neckline, revealing a glimpse of skin.

Qing Rang chuckled. “Perhaps it is punishment for not choosing a better place to misbehave.”

Xian Zao, her voice a barely audible whisper, asked, “Why has he not attacked yet?”

They had ruined Chen Ping An’s plans on the Willow Leaf Continent, so they should be meeting each other with blood in their eyes. Why was he being so patient? It was not like the Hidden Official at all.

Regardless of how politely Chen Ping An was addressing them, he was not one to be trifled with.

He was known for his ruthlessness, his trickery, and his ability to win even battles with other equal combatants.

Having fallen into the Hidden Official’s hands, she knew what awaited her.

But Chen Ping An hadn’t moved a muscle, and it wasn’t that he was interested in her beauty.

Dou Kou spoke, “If he found our trail, he would have rushed here immediately, and cast a net to confirm our identities and ensure none of us escaped. I wonder how many arrays he has laid inside and outside this mountain before revealing himself?”

Qing Rang’s answer might be closer to the truth, “You are merely the spoils. Chen Ping An is after me. To ensure he captures me, he must take extra precautions.”

Xian Zao asked, “Why do you call him by his name?”

Qing Rang wanted to curse. Chen Ping An was right there! What difference did it make if you said his name or not?

As the talisman master said, Chen Ping An was truly after Qing Rang, the talented student that even Yu Xuandu praised. Dou Kou and Xian Zao were merely bonuses.

Qing Rang continued, “Because the Hidden Official suspects my true body is not here. He is searching for clues elsewhere.”

Hearing this, Dou Kou and Xian Zao wanted to curse. They had been brought here, but his true body was hidden elsewhere?

Chen Ping An sighed. “It was difficult to find you.”

“I am in a critical stage of cultivation. But thankfully, I searched the world and found you right here.”

Chen Ping An smiled. “I also wish to experience your escape techniques.”

When a cultivator descends the mountain, whether it is for earthly experience, to find immortals, search for treasures, or save people, they would meet opponents, or blocked by enemies. They would need to learn the means to escape with their lives.

As Guo Zhujiu had said, “If you meet a powerful enemy, do not panic. Run!”

While Sleeve Universe was a power that everyone in the Jade Purity Realm needed to learn, the Mountain and River View in Palm was an ability that the Nascent Soul Realm needed to learn.

Grasping a means of self-preservation was an indispensable part of the path to becoming a cultivator.

Throughout the ages, cultivators had researched countless bizarre escape techniques. The Five Elements Escape was a large category. Whether it was entering the earth or parting the waters, or temporarily turning incorporeal, or using one’s destiny-bonded magic item, or creating a cloud of smoke, these were all methods that each house would learn.

And there were more unbelievable secret techniques, such as “Instant Corpse Dissolution”, but this was bound to result in heavy losses to one’s attainment.

There were still those that connected to the Underworld, or those that connected the Yin and Yang. The land officials of the Yin-Yang family could visit several City God Temples based on their stratum.

In the end, the most superior escape technique was one that ignored arrays, or those that ignored the restrictions of the heavens and the earth.

Chen Ping An had already learned the techniques that Xiao Xing knew. And Chen Ping An wanted Dou Kou and Xian Zao to have as many techniques as possible.

Escape techniques had always been Chen Ping An’s weakness. His talisman that contracted space had only been used by Chen Ping An, who had used it offensively.

It had been said that he had focused too much on offence, and that his mastery over escape was lacking, leaving him with a limp. Which was why Chen Ping An was repeatedly honing the Sword Escape technique.

Chen Ping An stepped over the threshold, and began to get to the main point, looking at Xian Zao. “I heard you liked running around and killing for credit, and your reputation is not small. Are you trying to gain favor from Shi Er Tan? You have a large appetite, daring to steal Grand Ancestor Fei Fei’s man?”

“Shi Er Tan, I remember. One of my defeated foes. Among all the talents in the Jia Shen Battle Array, he wasn’t one of the brightest.”

Xian Zao had nothing to say, and Dou Kou felt that Chen Ping An’s words were arrogant, but fitting.

“I am in need of a magic item, so your destiny-bonded flying sword, no matter its name or capabilities, will be mine from today.”

Chen Ping An did not leave out the sword cultivator, Dou Kou. “There is a large difference between the correctness and the evilness of people and objects, and the key is who is using it. I have a bad habit of teaching people, and I will teach you well. From today, remember to open your eyes wide.”

Chen Ping An looked towards Qing Rang. “How about your talisman technique for escaping death?”

Qing Rang laughed. “It’s a self-made talisman, temporarily named Kite. Whether or not one affixes a speck of one’s spirit to it is up for discussion.”

Chen Ping An had an epiphany. It was like flying a few kites, and Qing Rang’s true body was holding the strings. When the time came, he would just release them?

No wonder even Yu Xuandu could not track him down. It was as difficult as trying to catch the wind.

Chen Ping An had mentioned the word “fortune teller” intentionally.

He looked not only at one’s physical appearance, but also their bones. Apart from one’s fortune, he could also see that of a country and a continent.

Apart from his true calling, which was a talisman master, this Qing Rang was also well-versed in geomancy and face reading.

Qing Rang admitted, “If we were to set up fortune telling booths side-by-side, the Hidden Official’s business might not be as good as mine.”

Chen Ping An laughed, and asked, “How so?”

Qing Rang replied, “The Hidden Official is determined to repair the Willow Leaf Continent, which clashes with the remaining Barbaric intent. I, being of the demon race, was in a situation that was the opposite of the Hidden Official’s, which is why I dared to act.”

“Whether it is building a Lower Sect, or driving a nail into the Willow Leaf Continent, or the opening of the Great River, these all require you to sacrifice your own and the Sect’s fortune. This is a war of fortune that you cannot avoid. You need to slowly consume the Barbaric fortune of the Willow Leaf Continent. But this is not enough, which is why you came up with another plan, to have a massive river take away the remaining Barbaric fortune, and the Sea Lord of the East Sea happened to be a true dragon, so she could absorb the Barbaric fortune, which would be great for her Dao. Others would not be able to take it, but Wang Zhu could handle it, so you could help your neighbor advance further, merging with the East Sea’s ‘water fortune’, and enter the 14th realm. And if Wang Zhu merges before that, it could also consolidate her realm. Which is why Wang Zhu is willing to invest so heavily in the Willow Leaf Continent, so it could have another Great River. She is not simply after the East Sea’s water fortune, but the Barbaric fortune, which no amount of money can buy.”

Qing Rang laughed, and added, “But there has to be a prerequisite that you two sever ties. Otherwise, she would be implicated by you, and unable to get what she wants.”

Chen Ping An nodded. “We severed ties at the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Qing Rang continued, “To plan so far ahead, and to have the burden on your shoulders, and not be understood, and be mistaken for greed and fame, is indeed difficult.”

Many of the cultivators of the Willow Leaf Continent are saying that Fallen Phoenix Mountain, which is in the northern continent, is ambitious, and having been the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall, he wants to continue being an official when he returns, and will replace the weakened Willow Leaf Sect, to become the leader of the mountain, opening up the Great River, managing the various forces, and creating a reputation, all while earning a fortune.

A sword cultivator who is only 50 wants to be the ‘lord of two continents’.

Chen Ping An nodded, and squatted beside the fire. “I didn’t expect to meet another kindred spirit.”

As Qing Rang had said, the Green Plume Sword Sect had chosen the Willow Leaf Continent, a form of Dao cultivation.

The Green Plume Sword Sect was a Sword Dao Sect. If it lost, the Lower Sect would wither. But that was fine. A sword cultivator had to face trials.

Which was why Chen Ping An did not care that his student was poaching talents, and letting Cui Dongshan act freely, because Cui Dongshan was having a difficult time as the one in charge of the Lower Sect.

Since you acknowledge me as your teacher, then don’t complain to others. The teacher understands.

This was why Chen Ping An had initially wanted Cao Qinglang to take charge of the Lower Sect, but had accepted Cui Dongshan’s offer to act as a temporary Sect Leader.

The word ‘temporary’ meant that Cui Dongshan was leading the entire Lower Sect, and facing this formless ‘tribulation’.

And this was why Cui Dongshan emphasized many times how he could be considered to be half a Sword Immortal.

It was not that Cui Dongshan wanted to curry favor with his teacher. But to remind Chen Ping An.

That either Cui Dongshan should be the Sect Leader of the Green Plume Sword Sect, or the teacher would have to do it himself.

Chief Mi had seen through Sect Leader Cui’s identity as half a sword cultivator.

Beside the fire, the two sides were up close.

Qing Rang asked, smiling, “The Hidden Official still cannot find my true body?”

Chen Ping An replied, “A whole Willow Leaf Continent, how would I find you?”

Qing Rang nodded. “It is indeed hard.”

Chen Ping An warmed himself by the fire, and said, “I will tell you something, so you can brag to your friends in the future.”

Qing Rang replied, “I am all ears.”

Chen Ping An smiled. “To find your true body, I paid a heavy price.”

Qing Rang waited for him to continue.

Chen Ping An rubbed his hands. “I made a deal with the Cave Lord of Azure Sky, and the old master of the Dao Gazing Hall of the East Sea. The old master helped me to find this place. To use a Land Immortal to search a continent, and to surpass your fortune, you can imagine how hard it was. But I cannot let you continue to act however you please.”

Who was the true host of the Willow Leaf Continent?

Zhou Mi had visited the Demon Suppression Tower, and met Qing Tong.

But this Barbaric literary man would not stir the pot and do anything that might hurt the Cave Lord of Azure Sky. Zhou Mi would not do anything superfluous.

Similarly, the old blind man was in the Barbaric Mountain Range, but Zhou Mi had never gone there, as there was nothing to discuss.

The Barbaric Lands and the Sword Qi Great Wall were of the same mind on this matter, just as Chen Qingdu had brought Ningo to see the old blind man, and was fine with a conclusion that said neither could do anything to help.

Zhou Mi did not think that the old blind man would stand on the Barbaric side, or fight in the Verdant Domain, or fight Bai Ye. This sort of thing would never happen.

And the most important reason was that both of these 14th Realm cultivators were capable fighters.

First, Xiao Xing’s scheme, then Qing Rang’s plot, and then a 14th realm cultivator who was trying to kill him.

It was vexing.

Qing Rang was silent.

Dou Kou and Xian Zao had complicated feelings.

Chen Ping An laughed. “That’s not all. Earlier, I asked the old Daoist at Fallen Phoenix Mountain to look at your broken talisman.”

Qing Rang’s face grew darker.

Chen Ping An continued, “Your true body must be having a hard time as well.”

Qing Rang looked up, frowning.

Is he trying to ruin my Dao?

Chen Ping An smiled. “Right, the founder of the Jade Talisman Palace, Daoist Yan?”

The sword cultivator, Dou Kou, was heavy-hearted, and Xian Zao thought that it was possible. If Qing Rang was a puppet of the master of talismans, and was trying to reach the Dao, it would explain things.

Qing Rang scoffed, and refused to believe it.

Chen Ping An laughed. “You always thought that you earned everything with your own hands, but you are actually connected to the old Ascended, ‘Cloud Depth’. Which makes you different from Chen Ping An. Qing Rang, you must have mixed feelings right now?”

Qing Rang threw away the bone, which had no venison left. “I shouldn’t have provoked the Hidden Official so early.”

He meant that he should have waited until his stratum was higher, at least in the Upper Five, before he had provoked Chen Ping An.

Chen Ping An reached into the fire, and produced a spark.

“Qing Rang” exploded.

Normally, a Golden Core cultivator self-destructing would have caused a huge explosion. But the explosion was contained.

Chen Ping An waved his sleeve, and scattered the ashes. Snapping his fingers, the spark entered Xian Zao’s glabella.

Her small world instantly erupted, and millions of fire serpents flew out.

Yu Xuandu had said that in the beginning, you want to learn everything. But once you reach the peak, everything seems useless.

That was the basis of the Dao, finding a path that nobody had taken.

Chen Ping An smiled. “Qing Rang, let’s see who is better, the thief or the watcher. You can hide for decades.”

Dou Kou did not look at Xian Zao, and asked, “Qing Rang isn’t a clone of Yan Shi?”

Chen Ping An waved his hand, and put Xian Zao’s empty shell into his sleeve, and said, “One who bullies will not get a good death, and one who likes to compete will meet his match. How do you want to die?”

Dou Kou did not answer, and instead asked, “Isn’t it a pity to burn her clean? There are many techniques at the Frosty Moon City’s Ancestral Hall.”

Chen Ping An said, “The tides rise and fall many times, but you don’t remember. That’s called making the most of what you have.”

Dou Kou laughed. “An object?”

Chen Ping An replied, “Or a person? You aren’t worthy.”

Chen Ping An clapped his hands.

A dozen ‘Dou Kou’ merged.

They all had one thing in common, their destiny-bonded flying sword had been taken.

Chen Ping An muttered, “I have a flying sword, which I have had for a long time, and never understood. Like how a Daoist has a mountain, only to find out it was lacking a sword to open the mountain. The Dao is mysterious.”

In a flash, Dou Kou was in a Secret Realm, and found herself on a white jade bridge, and countless swords were hung on the side of the road.

Xiao Xing had been waiting for her, wiping her tears, excited. “I finally found you.”

Yu Shiwu leaned against the bridge. “You don’t have to introduce yourselves. There is a lot of time, and we will get to know each other.”

Life here was too boring, and even someone like Yu Shiwu had come to look at a ‘fresh face’.

Chen Ping An sat on the ground, leaning against his book box, and looked at the couple. “Do you know your names?”

The woman did not dare to say anything, and the man said, “Dogs.”

Chen Ping An was silent.

The man asked, “What is your plan for us?”

Chen Ping An asked, “What’s wrong with you? You are a villain, and it feels like you have killed dozens of people. You have been a mountain hermit for dozens of years, and you have never killed anyone?”

The man was confused, but said, “I pass out at the sight of blood. I don’t dare to kill people unless I have to.”

He had killed people before, when faced with a life and death situation. But why did the Elder say he had never killed anyone?

Chen Ping An raised his chin at the woman, and told the man, “Even though you two met by chance, and are a temporary couple, she has treated you well, so you should treat her well. Find a place to live a peaceful life, and stay out of trouble.”

The woman was a female ghost, and had been an adulteress, and was drowned to death. So who had gotten the short end of the stick?

The man was confused. How had she treated him well?

Chen Ping An drank some wine, and picked up the last piece of venison, and laughed, “Since you are timid, live a long life. There is no need to seek immortality.”

The man could only nod.

Chen Ping An chewed on the venison, and asked, “Have you heard the name ‘Chen Ping An’ before?”

The man and the woman looked at each other. What if they answered wrong?

The man thought for a moment, and whispered, “I am ashamed and embarrassed, I have never heard of such a person.”

The woman smiled.

Chen Ping An laughed, and asked, “Do you not read the papers?”

The man said, “I don’t spend money on that.”

The woman jabbed the man with her elbow.

Chen Ping An said, “You have to read more.”

The woman said, “I have read a few books.”

Chen Ping An replied, “If you have, it is a waste of money.”

The woman looked awkward.

The man tried his best not to laugh.

Chen Ping An was in thought. Back then, the Lotus Root Blessed Land had been split into four, and became paintings.

So Chen Ping An wanted to combine the Blessed Lands, and restore the souls of those who lived there.

The old master had agreed to the deal that Chen Ping An had been thinking about for a long time.

Since Chen Ping An had come here personally, he did not hurry to return.

Turning to look outside the temple.

Life is full of joy and sorrow.

Far away from the world, what is the purpose of cultivation, but to kill the thief in the mountains.

To kill the thief, you must start at the throat.

Chen Ping An stared blankly, collecting his thoughts, and standing up. “I ate your venison for free, thank you. I will take my leave.”

The man and the woman stood up, saying auspicious words. The man added that every word was worth ten years of reading.

The scholar walked into the night, and left the mountain alone.