Ah Liang’s visit was fleeting, a whirlwind of arrival and departure. Chen Pingan didn’t feel that Ah Liang had been knocked from his pedestal; instead, he found this version of Ah Liang particularly dashing.

However, Chen Pingan still felt a pang of regret, having yet to witness Ah Liang draw his sword in battle.

Drawing his gaze back, Chen Pingan uncorked the “Jiang Hu” sword-nourishing gourd and took a gentle sip. He couldn’t help but murmur, “After a million punches, it’s time to buckle down and practice swordsmanship.”

Carefully reseating the gourd, Chen Pingan cast aside his earlier restraint, took a deep breath, and with a wide smile, began to practice the Sword Hearth Stance with unrestrained freedom.

Magnificent Sword Immortals swept through the skies above the small town, riding the wind and soaring through the air, observing the wild gusts above and the ebb and flow of the tides below. The old Master Cui unleashed a fist, shaking mountains and rivers. Sword Immortal Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple, his sword arrived before his person, illuminating the heavens and earth with radiant light…

If good things were manifested in others, then after admiration, one should strive to learn. Whether one could master them or not, one could only know after making an effort.

A simple matter.

Having waited for an extended period without the anticipated arrival and coupled with the earlier intense tremors, which caused widespread anxiety on the Kun vessel, Chun Shui feared that something untoward had befallen the viewing platform. Braving the risk of offending a distinguished guest, she passed through the study and arrived near the threshold, discovering that the cultivator who was on good terms with the Great Li North Mountain Deity had vanished without a trace. Chun Shui couldn’t help but grumble inwardly, “This fellow is truly elusive, appearing and disappearing like a phantom.”

Noticing that Chen Pingan seemed to be cultivating, Chun Shui hastily turned around in silence, returning to the main hall, consciously softening her footsteps.

Disturbing the cultivation of a Qi Refiner or a pure martial artist was a grave taboo, both in the mountains and below.

The secluded retreats of the Great Continent’s high-level Qi Refiners were always the paramount events for their entire sects. A century ago, the Da Jiao Mountain had encountered a colossal mishap. A “young” elder at the ninth realm, attempting to break through the tenth realm bottleneck during secluded cultivation, was compromised due to a moment of carelessness by the Da Jiao Mountain or, perhaps, due to the enemy’s superior cunning. An adversary infiltrated the mountain and ruined the foundation of his Great Dao, condemning him to stagnate in the Golden Core realm for the rest of his life. Not long after, his state of mind deteriorated, leading to a complete collapse. A formerly well-regarded elder of the sect became incredibly tyrannical, frequently abusing and killing concubines and maids. He even crippled a promising disciple in the Sea Gazing Realm, nearly severing his Bridge of Longevity. In the end, the Master of Discipline, who had always held him in high regard and treated him like her own, had no choice but to personally intervene, imprisoning him in the rear mountain jail.

Then, the Master of Discipline, who hadn’t descended the mountain in a century, made a sensational decision. She went to the ancestral hall to retrieve the founding ancestor’s sword, then descended the mountain, invaded her enemy’s sect, and unleashed a bloody massacre, personally slaying her foe. After a bout of wild laughter, she returned severely wounded. Within a year of returning to the sect, she passed away.

Regarding this matter, especially the Master of Discipline’s vengeance, whether it was worthwhile or not, Da Jiao Mountain disciples only dared to discuss in private. However, her heroic spirit was admired even by sects outside of Da Jiao Mountain, who felt it was very much in the style of the sect’s founding ancestor. From then on, they showed more goodwill towards the Da Jiao Mountain, which had already had the word “Sect” removed from its name.

Manager Ma, who was in charge of all matters concerning the Heavenly Rooms, was a plump old man with various colored jade rings on his fingers. He needed to personally explain the unusual movements of the Kun vessel to each of the distinguished guests in each room, assuring them that it was not an attack but merely the Kun fish engaging in a rare moment of playfulness, an event that occurred only once in a century.

As for the guests in the other rooms, the Da Jiao Mountain didn’t bother wasting words explaining anything.

Qiu Shi opened the door. After hearing that Chen Pingan was cultivating on the viewing platform, the smiling Manager Ma asked the girl to relay a message: just don’t forget about it later.

Standing at the door, Manager Ma’s gaze passed over the young girl’s slender shoulders and focused on her more voluptuous sister, Chun Shui, standing gracefully by the table. Even from this angle, he could appreciate the curvature of the girl’s hips. The old man reluctantly averted his gaze and joked, “Qiu Shi, you should eat more. You’re too thin. It’s not good for a girl to be too skinny. If you’re worried about expenses, it’s fine. This old brother Ma has some spare change. Just come to me and don’t be shy with your old brother Ma, understand?”

Qiu Shi agreed with a smile.

After she closed the door and sat down next to her sister, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes and said, “What an old lecher! He just stares at you once, and it feels like a slug is crawling on the back of your hand, slimy and disgusting! ‘Old brother Ma’, my foot! Sister, I really want to punch his dog eyes blind.”

Chun Shui playfully teased, “You’re just beautiful, and you don’t even let others take a look? You’re being a Miss High and Mighty. Do you really think of yourself as a celestial maiden from a cultivation sect? I wonder if Immortal Qiu Shi and that Immortal Liu from the Yellow Millet Pavilion on the ship are close friends? Can you help me introduce us?”

Qiu Shi glared at her, indignantly saying, “Sister, how can you make fun of me like that!”

Chun Shui suddenly said, “That Young Master Chen from Great Li’s Dragon Spring seems to be an easy person to talk to.”

Qiu Shi blinked her watery eyes and asked, “What, you wouldn’t really want to offer yourself up, would you? He’s still a kid, sister. Are you interested?”

Chun Shui helplessly said, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Qiu Shi giggled, “I know, I know. You like that Immortal Han from our Da Jiao Mountain, right? Of course, the headmaster’s direct disciple, talented and handsome, and friendly to everyone. Both times he went down the mountain to temper himself, he made quite a name for himself. At the Da Jiao Mountain festival every three years, the way you look at him sparring with others, tsk tsk, it’s like a spring breeze blowing and melting the snow…”

Chun Shui leaned forward, inadvertently pressing an astonishing curve into the edge of the table with her chest. She reached out and flicked her sister’s forehead. “You’re in the Second Realm, and I’m in the Second Realm. The two of us combined aren’t as high a realm as him. Three years ago, he was already in the Cave Realm. Maybe when we go back this time, he’ll be in the Sea Gazing Realm.”

Qiu Shi laughed and grabbed her sister’s hand, imitating Manager Ma’s tone and manner, saying lewdly, “Oh, Miss Chun Shui, your little hands are so fair, so naturally beautiful. Other people’s celestial maidens, their ten fingers never touch spring water all year round, and they’re not even as beautiful as you…”

Chun Shui covered her mouth and giggled with one hand, while the other was held tightly by her sister.

The mountain road was difficult, but there were always some happy things, such as the two sisters depending on each other for life, living a largely peaceful and carefree life since childhood, and in their free time, secretly thinking about some lofty people and things.
Chen Ping’an had already reached the threshold connecting the study and the main hall. Seeing the heartwarming scene, he didn’t want to intrude and quietly retreated to the viewing platform.

From beginning to end, not a sound was made. The two second-realm Qi refining sisters were completely oblivious.

Chen Ping’an simply practiced his walking stance on the viewing platform.

He had set a goal for himself: a million punches. However, it wasn’t just throwing a single punch that counted, but a complete six-step walking stance.

If he only sought speed, it might not be within reach, but during this journey south, if he could spend half a day, roughly six hours, diligently practicing his walking stance, plus the times accumulated during his travels in the Great Sui Dynasty, it would probably take another two and a half years.

However, Chen Ping’an had now shifted to seeking slowness. After breaking through the sixth pause of Ah Liang’s eighteen pauses technique, the landscape was completely different from the first six. Afterwards, it was like flowing river water, slow and profound, not allowing Chen Ping’an to act recklessly. Moreover, the saying “haste makes waste” had appeared many times in books, and Chen Ping’an dared not take it lightly.

So, as expected, he probably wouldn’t be able to complete his goal of a million punches before reaching the Upside-Down Mountain.

This left Chen Ping’an feeling somewhat helpless.

He had originally hoped that the next time they met, he would have accomplished at least one thing.

Chen Ping’an’s walking stance now had a natural, effortless feel to it. Even if he was thinking about other things, it didn’t hinder the tempering of his body and the nourishing of his spirit.

Practicing punches was like reading books.

“Read ten thousand books and write like a god.” The principles in books were indeed the teachings of sages, and they were true.

While taking a short break, Chen Ping’an leaned on the railing and looked out at the sea of clouds. As the sun set, the clouds seemed to be covered in a layer of gold, shimmering and spectacular, making people feel refreshed. Earlier, when the two young women introduced the various parts of the house, the sea of clouds in Chen Ping’an’s eyes looked like large white cotton balls, with two distinct layers, and the Kun vessel sailing through them, as if the sky was not high and the ground was not far away, which was quite interesting.

Chen Ping’an slowly withdrew his gaze. The building he was in was the tallest, with the other buildings much shorter. On the viewing platforms of some of the buildings, there were sparsely scattered Qi refiners also admiring the evening clouds and sea, and outside the high buildings, within the tall, sturdy railings, there were even more people strolling, with some children running around under the care of their elders, making bursts of joyful laughter.

Then Chen Ping’an saw a figure from behind. With his current eyesight, he could clearly see that the person had a package slung across his back, and underneath the package was a wooden sword. He was wearing an old Taoist robe, his hair was in a bun held by a wooden hairpin. The young man slowly turned sideways, overlooking the land, and raised his hand to shield his eyes, with a dazed expression.

Although there was an invisible array protecting the land on the Kun fish’s back, and the railings emitted subtle, imperceptible ripples, there was still a breeze blowing. The plain-looking young Taoist’s lips were chapped, and the wind fluttered his temples gently.

Also carrying a wooden sword on his back.

The mud-bottle lane youth, standing on the high viewing platform, staying in a top-tier room, listening to the maids tell stories of Jade Purity Immortals, on this smallest piece of land in the vast world, there were probably many small sects’ Qi refiners, especially wild cultivators struggling in the mountains and lakes, like rootless duckweed, drifting with the tide, who might never know what the Upper Five Realms were in their entire lives.

And the young Taoist, who knows not from whence he came, was silently standing by the lowest railing, hungry and considering the remaining money in his pouch, whether it would be enough to last until he disembarked at South Stream Country.

Chen Ping’an retreated a few steps and continued to practice his punches.

Leisurely and carefree, his fist intent was ancient and simple.

Chen Ping’an continued to practice his punches and walking stance on the viewing platform, until the night was deep, and the stars were sparse under the moon.

When he finally returned to the main hall, he found the maid Qiu Shi dozing off at the table, while Chun Shui sat quietly by her side, smiling and looking towards the study. After meeting Chen Ping’an’s eyes, she quickly reached out to tap her sister’s shoulder, but Chen Ping’an waved his hand to indicate that it was okay. Chun Shui hesitated for a moment, but still woke Qiu Shi up. After the girl woke up, she quickly turned her head away and wiped her mouth, so as not to show an unsightly appearance in front of the guest.

The rules of the Kun vessel were very flexible towards the friends of the Great Li Northern Mountain Righteous God, but they were not at all lenient towards maids like them.

Chen Ping’an sat down at the table, picked up a green, succulent fresh fruit from the porcelain basin, similar to an unripe tangerine, but very sweet when peeled and eaten. Then, he handed one to each of them. Chun Shui wanted to refuse, unwilling to accept it. Seeing this, Qiu Shi had no choice but to refuse as well. But Chen Ping’an forcibly placed them on the table in front of them, and they no longer insisted. After all, such a Evergreen Citrus, a special product of Fresh Herb Mountain in Ju-lu Continent, was worth a full ten days of hard work for them to cultivate Qi when consumed.

Cultivation has no shortcuts, that was said for genius Qi refiners, to warn them not to be arrogant and impatient, to be down-to-earth, and to ascend step by step.

However, cultivation was clearly full of shortcuts everywhere, that was the common knowledge of all wild cultivators, scattered cultivators, and ordinary outer disciples of immortal families. As long as you had money, eating was cultivation. If you had a family background and talent, living in a blessed land with abundant spiritual energy that “came uninvited,” sleeping was cultivation.

Just like Chun Shui and Qiu Shi, the salary they painstakingly saved up each month was either exchanged for spiritual fruits similar to the Evergreen Citrus or low-grade elixirs, each mouthful eaten with bitterness in their hearts, or they took a longer-term view, year after year, working diligently to cultivate Qi while racking their brains, emptying their savings, gritting their teeth, and steeling themselves to purchase a handy magic tool for themselves. And it would never be a magic weapon that promoted killing, first because they definitely couldn’t afford it, and second because it was meaningless, but rather a spiritual tool that could cleanse turbid Qi. Little by little, the genius Qi refiners soared up the mountain in one breath, breaking through realms every now and then, which was enviable. But they climbed up step by step, belonging to the role of only envying others, exclaiming a few times, and then continuing to bury their heads in bitter cultivation.

But after seeing the magnificent scenery above, who would want to be a wealthy man or a capable woman at the foot of the mountain?
Of course, some Qi Refinement cultivators, utterly disheartened, would indeed descend the mountain. And some of them did manage to thrive and prosper in the mortal world. It was akin to successful scholars in the secular imperial examinations. Compared to those mountain cultivators who were neither high enough nor low enough, the former, concerned only with a life free from pressure, were indeed more comfortable. For instance, after descending the mountain, they might be recruited by the imperial court or local government, find a scenic spot to become a local tyrant, or serve as a guest elder, offering protection to wealthy families in big cities. These were certainly not bad options.

However, these seemingly glorious and prestigious cultivators were, in the end, still failures. They were no better than scholars who, failing the imperial examinations, retreated to the mountains and forests.

Chunshui delicately chewed on a Longevity Orange, slightly lost in thought. Her poise was no less refined than that of a young lady from a scholarly family, unlike her sister Qiushi, who was cheerfully thinking only of eating as much as she could, believing it foolish not to take advantage of a good deal.

Chen Ping’an finished eating first and noticed Qiushi staring eagerly at the orange peels on the table. He asked, “Are orange peels useful for something?”

Qiushi replied casually, “Young Master Chen, when stir-frying dishes, tearing a few pieces of orange peel and adding them can make them incredibly fragrant!”

Chen Ping’an’s eyes lit up. He thought, “I like this! My culinary skills are really not bad. Back then, when traveling to the Great Sui, it was just a matter of being a skilled cook without ingredients. Otherwise, why would Li Baoping and the others have been so constantly longing for the old Vice Minister’s family banquets, even when drinking fish soup, they were so listless?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, picked up two oranges, and handed them to Chunshui and Qiushi. “You eat the oranges, but remember to save the peels for me.”

Chunshui and Qiushi exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand the connection. Could it be that this young man, who possessed the Kun Vessel’s Celestial Grade jade pendant, had become so preoccupied with trivial matters that he enjoyed personally cooking? Did he no longer heed the Confucian sages’ teachings that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen? Chen Ping’an didn’t care about other people’s opinions. He collected the three sets of orange peels, put them in his sleeve, not daring to store them in the fifteen-square-inch treasure, and then urged the sisters to eat quickly.

Since the honored guest was being so “unceremonious,” even Chunshui, while eating the Longevity Orange, felt less burdened, not to mention her sister Qiushi, who was habitually carefree.

Chen Ping’an smiled slightly.

Suddenly, Chunshui felt a warm sensation in her heart.

“So that’s how it is,” she thought.

“He’s a young man as gentle and warming as the spring breeze.”

Finally, Chen Ping’an, with his sleeves full of orange peels, went to the bedroom to sleep. The two maids rested in the side room of the study. They would be at his beck and call as soon as Chen Ping’an rang the silver bell at the head of the bed. Moreover, that string of bells was no ordinary object. If any unclean or evil winds infiltrated the room, the bells would ring on their own.

Only then did Chen Ping’an take off the sword box containing the instruments for subduing demons and place it inside the bed against the wall. He lay straight on the bed, which was so comfortable that it made him uneasy. However, one hand remained resting on the sword box. Then, he consciously slowed his breathing, using the breathing technique taught by Old Yang.

In fact, the two flying swords within the Sword Nurturing Gourd, First Day and Fifteenth Day, had both awakened and developed intelligence. Even if Chen Ping’an slept soundly, they, who did not need sleep, could still fend off enemies on their own in case of danger. However, Chen Ping’an still didn’t dare to sleep too deeply. He slept lightly until dawn. When Chunshui tiptoed up, dressed, and gently opened her door, Chen Ping’an immediately opened his eyes.

Because Chen Ping’an had long discovered that there was a subtle difference in the footsteps of Chunshui and Qiushi.

When traveling, one could never be too careful.

The maid Chunshui did not knock on the door to wake Chen Ping’an but tidied up the house methodically outside.

It wasn’t until Qiushi got up and her footsteps sounded that Chen Ping’an stopped practicing the Sword Furnace Standing Posture, put on his straw sandals, and took a few steps down from the bed. He silently retreated to the edge of the bed, slightly increased the force of his steps, and walked towards the door. After opening the door, Chunshui, who had changed into a new set of clothes today, gave a graceful bow. As she slightly turned, her clothes became even more fitted to her curvaceous figure, causing Chen Ping’an to be momentarily stunned and blush slightly. Fortunately, his skin was dark, so it wasn’t too noticeable. It wasn’t that he had any lecherous thoughts, but he just thought that Miss Chunshui’s outfit, as beautiful as it was, seemed to be made of brocade, but it accentuated her figure too much…

At that moment, Chen Ping’an secretly resolved that if he ever found a wife in the future, she couldn’t wear anything like this when going out. It would be too disadvantageous.

Chunshui asked Qiushi to bring the food box from the kitchen, which should be breakfast. She then asked Chen Ping’an if he wanted to go out for a walk today. She took the opportunity to introduce some of the attractions on the ferry, the Kun Vessel. She deliberately glossed over the rouge and powder establishments on the Kun fish’s back, which almost every intercontinental ferry had. Apart from that, there were various shops, restaurants, gambling dens, weapon shops, and communication stations for flying swords, a wide array of things, one could say it was small but complete. Chen Ping’an was amazed, not much different from his hometown.

The three of them ate a hearty breakfast together. Chen Ping’an still didn’t plan to go out and wander around, feeling that in addition to practicing his fist techniques, he could stay in the study to read books.

Of course, Chunshui and Qiushi had no objections to this. However, Qiushi was still somewhat disappointed. In fact, if the room’s guest made purchases on the Kun Vessel, they would receive a reward. In the history of the trade on Mount Dazhao’s Kun Vessel, there had once been an astounding event. A maid became rich overnight because of it. The guest she was taking care of at the time was staying in a lower-class room, but she still did her best, being meticulous and thoughtful, without the slightest neglect. In the end, she never imagined that the inconspicuous young man was actually the sole heir of a top-tier Immortal clan, sent out to gain experience. On the day before disembarking, he took the maid past shop after shop. Without even entering, he bought all the goods from all the shops on the first-class Kun Vessel in one go, without even batting an eye. The commissions alone were an astronomical sum of wealth.

This was probably the impermanence of life, yet there was always a silver lining.

Chen Ping’an thus lived a dull and boring life. Chunshui remained the same, while Qiushi became somewhat bored. This young master was truly uninteresting. Every day, he either walked through strange fist forms on the observation deck, back and forth, lightly and slowly, without any momentum, making her drowsy, or he stood there facing the distant sea of clouds, or the sunrise and sunset, without moving, able to stand for an hour without shifting his feet.
At most, he would read and practice calligraphy in the study. At first, Qiu Shi would help grind the ink, but after watching Chen Ping’an’s rigid and stilted handwriting for too long, she simply lost interest. On the other hand, her elder sister, Chun Shui, always stood beside the young man. Occasionally, when her legs grew tired, she would sit not far from the desk. Qiu Shi would secretly tease her sister about this, saying it was like “a beauty adding fragrance to the ink, her delicate hands grinding,” and that in tales of talented scholars and beautiful women, they would eventually fall in love and share a quilt. This made Chun Shui laugh and pinch her fiercely.

Every time Chen Ping’an ate, he would ask which dynasty’s territory the Kun vessel was above that day. He would also ask Chun Shui and Qiu Shi to describe the customs and traditions of those dynasties. After their detailed explanations, he realized that even though Treasure Bottle Continent was the smallest of the Nine Continents of the Grand Azure World, it still felt as though there were countless kingdoms. Just the surnames of the emperors alone encompassed all the surnames in the “Hundred Family Surnames” book.

The Southern Stream Kingdom was located in the central part of Treasure Bottle Continent, not far from the Lakeside Academy, one of the seventy-two Confucian academies.

Speaking of Confucian academies and institutes, Chen Ping’an curiously asked why Treasure Bottle Continent only had two, including Cliff Academy.

Qiu Shi burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. Pointing at the bewildered young man, she revealed the secret, “Because your Treasure Bottle Continent is too small! Our Juhu Continent has six, not to mention the vast Central Earth Continent.”

Chun Shui quietly glared at her younger sister, but Qiu Shi still couldn’t help but laugh, “Young Master Chen’s question is indeed amusing.”

Chen Ping’an sat behind the desk, scratching his head.

So the Grand Azure World was so vast.

One day, after Chen Ping’an finished his stance training on the viewing platform, he aimlessly watched the clouds drift and gather. Suddenly, he saw the young Daoist with the wooden sword again.

Chun Shui came to Chen Ping’an’s side and followed his gaze, saying softly, “Judging by the style of his Daoist robes, he should be a Daoist from the Zhang family of Dragon Tiger Mountain in Central Earth Continent. However, that Daoist by the railing is definitely an outer disciple; otherwise, he wouldn’t be dressed like that.”

Chun Shui had originally wanted to say, “otherwise, he wouldn’t be so shabby and down on his luck,” but the words caught in her throat.

Having spent the last ten days together, the distinguished guest in the Heaven-Class room, Young Master Chen, was actually quite impoverished. Moreover, Chun Shui was certain that the young man came from a genuinely poor background, not one of those “traveling incognito, wandering the world” wealthy scions. An air of wealth and nobility needed to be cultivated through constant exposure. Besides, the young man had never pretended to be wealthy. This early-maturing maidservant didn’t show much on her face, but deep down, she felt a sense of indescribable disappointment.

She continued with a smile, “There’s a popular saying that has spread throughout the Grand Azure World, both on the mountains and below: ‘Wherever demons and monsters wreak havoc, there will surely be a peach wood Zhang Celestial Master.'”

Chen Ping’an nodded in acknowledgement.

As if compelled by fate, the down-on-his-luck Daoist with the peach wood sword turned his head and looked up.

Looking towards the scenery above, the young Daoist with meager cultivation vaguely saw the wooden sword youth and the enchanting maidservant beside him. He felt lost and dejected.

Poor and hungry.