Without the meddling of the vengeful bride ghost, Chen Ping An and his companions made smooth progress.

A path, wide enough for two carriages side-by-side, led from the mountain hollow to the estate. Though overgrown with weeds, glistening with morning dew, it was still a vast improvement over Chen Ping An having to hack a path with his narrow sabre talisman after escaping the road to the Yellow Springs.

The man the bride ghost had called a “Land Immortal” had joined their group without a word. This sword cultivator from the Wind and Snow Temple, a being of the Immortal Terrace realm, led a white donkey with one hand, while the other rested on the hilt of his sword, eyes closed, mind wandering afar.

If the gap between the lower five and middle five realms was a chasm, then the divide between the tenth and eleventh realms was a true abyss. Even a tenth-realm cultivator, a pillar of a dynasty in the mortal world, might sit in desolate isolation for decades, even a century. When, at last, they sensed the crucial moment of “motion arising from stillness,” they would descend from their blessed lands and mountain abodes, only to find their efforts futile, returning to their mountains to continue their silent contemplation.

Wei Jin quietly ended his Wind and Snow Temple’s unique breathing technique, opened his eyes, and turned to observe the children familiar with Ah Liang. However, the white-robed swordsman’s thoughts were preoccupied with the Wind and Snow Temple’s rituals. He had been unable to break through his current realm for many years, and had not visited his master’s grave to offer wine. Furthermore, after hearing Ah Liang’s so-called insignificant stories, Wei Jin was filled with anticipation for the Inverted Mountain where the two worlds met, and with awe for the Great Wall where every head was a sword cultivator.

Wei Jin sighed, feeling unsatisfied.

If his physical body had been completely solidified earlier, perfectly synchronized with his sword intent, reaching a state of natural harmony beneath the “Exquisite Scenery, Noble Demeanor” plaque, then his sword draw would have been flawless. The Mo family wanderer blocking his path would have felt more than just the inch of blade he revealed; at least half the blade should have left its scabbard.

Li Huai watched the wandering gaze of the white-robed immortal with curiosity, tinged with regret. If Ah Liang were here, Li Huai would love to pat him on the shoulder, tell him this was a true sword master, that Ah Liang was still lacking and needed to learn. Look at Wei Jin’s entrance – the man had barely arrived, yet his sword aura was already present, his white robes surrounded by sword energy, making that evil ghost woman cry for her parents! Could such an earth-shattering entrance compare to Ah Liang wearing a bamboo hat and leading a donkey along the riverbank?

After noticing Wei Jin observing them, and sensing the Wind and Snow Temple sword cultivator’s absentmindedness, Lin Shouyi subtly adjusted his book case, contemplating his own cultivation.

Having witnessed the unfathomable magical powers of the bride ghost, and the breathtaking sword skill sparring between the two sword cultivators, Lin Shouyi felt a heavy weight in his heart. The road ahead was long and arduous, his current cultivation wasn’t even enough to fill someone’s teeth.

Wei Jin withdrew his scattered gaze, stopped walking, and pulled out a jade token from his sleeve, radiating a warm, sheep-fat luster. He frankly said, “I can’t accompany you all the way to the Great Li’s Wild Husband Pass. I need to go to the Carp Pearl Grotto-Heaven immediately, to hone my swords, ‘High Candle’ and my Natal Flying Sword, on the Dragon-Slaying Platform, preparing for the Inverted Mountain Heart. Because Senior Ah Liang said that traversing the Inverted Mountain to reach that place is currently in the midst of a once-in-a-century war, and I cannot miss it.”

Seeing that no one in the group took the jade token, Wei Jin patiently explained, “Although you have a formidable Yin Spirit protecting you, to prevent unforeseen circumstances, like today’s incident, I will give you this jade token. This is the Wind and Snow Temple’s and True Martial Mountain’s unique ‘Mountain Temple Peace Token.’ In case of danger, the holder only needs to infuse it with true energy, speak to it, and release it; it will then fly towards the Mountain Temple and send a request for help to its sect.”

Seeing that no one still accepted the significant jade token, Wei Jin didn’t blame these children for their ignorance. Instead, he smiled and said, “If you feel that my company to Wild Husband Pass would be more secure than holding a small jade token, I certainly wouldn’t shirk responsibility. I’m just discussing it with you, the final decision is up to you.”

Chen Ping An spoke, “Sword Immortal Senior can go to Dragon Spring County to find the Dragon-Slaying Platform to sharpen your swords. We’ll accept this jade token. We already have Yin Spirit Senior escorting us on this journey to Wild Husband Pass, plus the Great Li Dynasty promised us before, which is why those three appeared beside the ghost bride. Although they were a little late, at least they proved that they keep their word, somewhat.”

Chen Ping An paused, seriously saying, “I believe such a major incident as today won’t happen again and again.”

He took the token and handed it to Lin Shouyi, whispering, “Remember to keep it safe, it’s best not to put it in the book case; it’s too far away, it’ll be inconvenient to retrieve in an emergency.”

Lin Shouyi nodded slightly, softly saying, “I know, I’ll hide it in my sleeve, along with the remaining two talismans.”

Wei Jin smiled knowingly, a little surprised by the grass-shoe boy’s understanding. In fact, Wei Jin had been wondering why this person made the decisions in the group. Earlier, on the street in front of the ghost bride’s estate, Wei Jin had already seen that the boy named Lin Shouyi had set foot on the Bridge of Longevity realm. His Qi Sea was vibrant, vast, and stable, a rare talent for cultivation. How could such a proud and aloof boy be willing to take a backseat? And the key was, the boy himself didn’t seem to think anything was amiss?

As for the youngest, chubby-faced fellow, being assigned by Ah Liang to take care of the white donkey was a great fortune. No matter what, Wei Jin would give Li Huai a farewell gift. Wei Jin had traveled the countries alone for so many years, unburdened and unattached. He had acquired many fortuitous encounters and treasures, scattering most of them to people he deemed destined. The ones that remained were naturally the most important.

Moreover, when Wei Jin illuminated the other boy with his pure sword heart, sweeping away the fog deliberately placed there, he discovered that Li Huai’s innate talent was even better than Lin Shouyi’s, a top-tier talent coveted by the ancestors of the mountain temple’s military strategists.

In the eyes of sword immortal Wei Jin, the little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket, surrounded by a white mist, asked, “This token, if we encounter today’s situation, will it really fly out? If we encounter the previous road to the Yellow Springs, and the veil of night that Senior you broke open with your flying sword, will it be blocked?”

Wei Jin laughed heartily, “Rest assured, even a tenth-realm cultivator’s Saint Domain cannot trap it. This thing is extremely fast, far surpassing sword flight. During its flight, any Wind and Snow Temple cultivator traveling down the mountain, as long as they can sense its presence, will use secret techniques to draw it to their side, and are often willing to offer assistance, so most of the time, they can resolve the crisis without the need for the sect’s backup.”

The little girl nodded, “I understand. The jade token itself is like a passport. If it’s an opponent that even Yin Spirit Senior can’t defeat, their identity must be extraordinary. With their age and experience, they would recognize this Wind and Snow Temple peace token at a glance, and would certainly be wary of Sword Immortal Senior and your sect. So, even if the jade token can’t reach the Wind and Snow Temple in time, just presenting the jade token is already a deterrent, equivalent to advising the other party not to provoke the Wind and Snow Temple.”

Wei Jin was stunned, amazed by the little girl’s precociousness and clarity. Looking at the serious and earnest little girl, he suddenly felt a surge of joy, naturally feeling close and amiable.

In the end, Wei Jin inadvertently glanced at the grass-shoe boy again, wondering if he was the leader of the three children simply because he was older?

Wei Jin shifted his gaze, looking at Li Huai, the child who had helped him take care of the donkey along the way. After some consideration, he flicked his wrist, and a row of mud figurines appeared in his palm, only half a finger tall. There was a sword-wielding swordsman, a dust-brushing Taoist, an armored general, a crane-riding woman, and a gong-beating night watchman, five in total.

Wei Jin handed them to Li Huai, “These five clay figures are considered half-dead objects, combining the profound knowledge of the Yin-Yang School, the Mo family’s puppetry, and the Taoist talisman lineage. I don’t understand the mysteries, I only know that if you nurture them properly, allowing them to familiarize themselves with your aura, they might come to life one day. Afterwards, you need to constantly feed them the essence of the five elements, such as fire spirit and water essence. Their highest cultivation is limited by their small bodies’ Qi Sea, meridians, etc., and is at most equivalent to a seventh or eighth-realm cultivator…”

At this point, Wei Jin realized he had spoken out of turn and stopped talking, only smiling at Li Huai.

The child didn’t forget to turn to Chen Ping An, who quickly nodded. Li Huai then grabbed the five clay figures, thinking that with the painted wooden puppet living in the bookcase on his back, he already had six minions!

Wei Jin flipped onto the donkey, “Then I’ll take my leave, I hope you have a smooth journey.”

Although Wei Jin was naturally magnanimous and chivalrous, he wasn’t the kind of benevolent child. On the path of cultivation, the Great Dao was long and boundless. Brief encounters and fleeting connections made it difficult to know whether the karma forged was benevolent or malevolent. Without the right timing and appropriate balance of karma, given Wei Jin’s current thick aura and the unpredictable will of heaven, the person who received Wei Jin’s gift, if their own fortune wasn’t strong enough, who knew if they would be harmed in return, dying prematurely?

Why were those on the mountains so cautious when accepting disciples? Many trials and tests would last for years, even decades.

Wei Jin believed that these children, who had been traveling with Ah Liang, were certainly not simple.

As for who was Ah Liang’s most cared for, most valued, and most hopeful person, it might be Li Huai, who had a great background and deep fortune, it might be the inherently likeable little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket, or it might be Lin Shouyi, who had a firm Dao heart. All three children were possible, or perhaps each occupied one aspect.

It was just that Wei Jin’s trip to the Inverted Mountain was urgent, otherwise he would miss the magnificent peak battle. Otherwise, he really wanted to personally accompany this group of children to the Wild Husband Pass on the border.

As a sword cultivator aspiring to reach the pinnacle of the sword path, how could he miss that once-in-a-century grand occasion?

Chen Ping An subconsciously clasped his fist in return, but the first time he clasped his fist in salute on the Embroidery River ferry, it was habitually with his left hand covering his right hand. Now, seeing that the Wind and Snow Temple’s Wei Jin and the young sword guest both had their right hand covering their left hand, Chen Ping An felt a little awkward, afraid that he didn’t understand the etiquette and rules, and quickly changed the position of his left and right hands.

Wei Jin noticed this detail and, after seeing the grass-shoe boy’s embarrassment, couldn’t help but smile. He bent down and patted the back of his old partner, “Let’s go.”

The white donkey stepped forward with happy hooves, took a few steps, then suddenly turned around, ran towards Chen Ping An, nuzzled the boy’s cheek, and then carried its long-lost master on its journey.

Along the way, it was said that Li Huai took care of the white donkey, but how could Li Huai, such a fellow, have this patience and perseverance? Wasn’t it Chen Ping An who silently helped with feeding, snorting, and chasing away mosquitoes?

Chen Ping An smiled and waved goodbye to the donkey.

The white-robed sword cultivator smiled wryly, leaning back, undulating with the donkey’s hooves.

Alright, so it turned out that this Land Immortal was less popular than his old partner.

The world was lonely, desolate, and barren.

Between heaven and earth, there seemed to be only a wall of unknown length and height.

Even from hundreds of miles south, looking from afar, one could still clearly see the eighteen large characters carved with sword energy.

This showed how large the characters were, and how high the wall was.

Dao Law, Righteousness, Western Heaven.

Sword Qi Endures, Thunder Pond Holy Land.

Qi, Dong, Chen.

Hundreds of miles south of the Great Wall, a horn sound, as if to shatter the dome of this world, suddenly sounded.

Countless black shadows, densely packed together, gathered with the sound of the horn. Little by little, lights lit up, eventually connecting into a whole. If one stood at a high place in the north and looked far away, it would be a brilliant sea of fire.

Above the city wall, a voice of ancient age followed with solemn authority, “Draw Swords!”

Standing on the city wall, which had stood here for ten thousand years, stretching for tens of thousands of miles.

In an instant.

Hundreds of thousands of flying swords left the city wall at the same time, flying towards the south, their sword Qi radiant.

It was like a flood breaking its banks and pouring out.

Of all the wonders under heaven, nothing surpassed this.