Chen Ping’an had seen many good-looking people of his age. His neighbor Song Jixin in Mud Bottle Alley, Zhao Yao and Lin Shouyi who once studied with Mr. Qi in the school, and the androgynous red-dressed man on Guihua Island, the Prince of Great Sui Gao Xuan, but none of them were as handsome as this young man in the Yellow Millet Wine Shop.

After writing on the wall, the man held the wine jar and sat at the next table, asked for two large white bowls, and called Xu Jia to drink together. Xu Jia, who knew the price of Yellow Millet Wine best, didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. He opened the mud seal, helped pour the wine, clinked bowls and drank, looking very happy. The old shopkeeper’s smile also increased a bit, but the caged bird, facing away from the sunny young man, looked sickly.

The young man took the initiative to raise his wine bowl to Chen Ping’an and smiled, “My name is Cao Ci, from the Great End Dynasty of the Central Earth.”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to pick up his wine bowl and replied, “My name is Chen Ping’an, from the Great Li Dynasty of Treasure Bottle Continent.”

Cao Ci nodded, his eyes full of appreciation, “Your foundation in the Martial Dao Third Realm is very solid.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t know how to answer, so he silently took a sip of wine, feeling that something was a bit strange.

After thinking for a long time, he finally figured out the aftertaste. It turned out that this young man from the Central Earth Divine Continent, whether in manner or tone, didn’t seem like a person of his age. Instead, he was very much like the barefoot old man in the bamboo building on Fallen Mountain. However, the young man lacked the condescending arrogance of the Elder Cui. On the contrary, the young man named Cao Ci spoke calmly, but even if the two were just chatting casually, Chen Ping’an would feel an invisible pressure.

Cao Ci had no effect on Ning Yao. She was just a little unhappy that an eyesore had appeared out of nowhere, and she lost much of her interest in drinking.

After Chen Ping’an hastily drank half a jar of Yellow Millet Wine, she pulled Chen Ping’an towards the door of the wine shop.

As Chen Ping’an was about to leave the wine shop, Cao Ci smiled and called out to Chen Ping’an, “The Miss Ning you like is very good. The only downside is that after meeting many times, she doesn’t remember my name.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “I think it’s even better.”

Cao Ci laughed heartily, raising a wine bowl in one hand and waving goodbye to Chen Ping’an with the other, his smile sincere, “Chen Ping’an, three days later, start striving to become the strongest Fourth Realm in the world.”

It was another sentence that would seem very strange if chewed on a little.

Chen Ping’an cupped his hands in greeting, didn’t say much, turned his head and followed Ning Yao away from this small Yellow Millet Blessed Land.

Inside the wine shop, Xu Jia asked in confusion, “You like Miss Ning?”

Cao Ci smiled and waved his hand, “I like my master, who is invincible in my heart, I like the Empress, who has two small dimples when she smiles, I like Miss Ning, who doesn’t take me seriously, but none of them are the kind you think, the love between a man and a woman, it hinders cultivation too much.”

Cao Ci took a sip of wine and sighed, “I really can’t imagine what I’ll be like when I like a girl in the future.”

Xu Jia said “Oh.” He believed whatever Cao Ci said. Then the shop assistant’s face was full of joy, and he changed the subject, “Judging by your tone, you’re about to enter the Fifth Realm?”

Cao Ci nodded, “After enduring in Sword Qi Great Wall for so long, it’s time to break through.”

Xu Jia grinned and said, “If you were in your hometown, I guess you’d be in the Seventh Realm by now.”

Before Cao Ci could speak, Xu Jia immediately added, “And before the Seventh Realm, you’ll be the strongest Fourth Realm, Fifth Realm, Sixth Realm!”

Xu Jia was even happier than Cao Ci himself when he talked about this, “The old shopkeeper said that your current Fourth Realm is the strongest Fourth Realm in history, not the number one among the current Fourth Realm martial artists, it can be called unprecedented, is it true?”

Cao Ci said helplessly, “Unprecedented, I can probably confirm, but as for unsurpassed, I’m just a pure martial artist, and I can’t predict the martial fortunes of the world for the next hundred or thousand years.”

Xu Jia laughed heartily, “Cao Ci! If I can’t help but go to see Miss Da someday, I will definitely go to the Great End Dynasty to find you to play.”

Cao Ci nodded, “Then I’ll prepare fine wine early.”

Xu Jia suddenly lowered his voice and pleaded, “Cao Ci, why don’t we have a fight, and then you deliberately lose to me, so that after I leave Upside Down Mountain, I can tell people everywhere that I beat Cao Ci. Think about it, ten years later, a hundred years later, when you are invincible in the world, and even beat Dao Lao Er of the Azure Underworld into a ‘true enemy’ from a ‘truly invincible’ one, I will become the only person who has ever beaten you, Cao Ci. At that time, the whole world will definitely ask who this guy is, maybe Miss Da will look at me with admiration.”

Cao Ci smiled and narrowed his eyes, holding a bowl in one hand, and gently patted his head with the other, “Okay, you, Xu Jia, beat me, Cao Ci. After leaving Upside Down Mountain, just tell people that.”

Xu Jia was a little guilty, “You don’t care now, but won’t you regret it in the future?”

Cao Ci drank the wine in his bowl, turned his head, and waved to the old shopkeeper, “Old Lu, are you willing to give me a jar of wine to drink? I already regret it now. Without wine in my belly, I can’t suppress that regret. If I drink another jar of Forget Worry Wine, I won’t regret it for at least a hundred years!”

Xu Jia looked at the old shopkeeper pitifully.

The old man smiled, “Xu Jia, go and bring a jar of wine for Cao Ci. Also, remember to think about the shopkeeper’s kindness more often in the future, don’t secretly scold me for being stingy all day long, or complain that I won’t let you venture into the world.”

Xu Jia went to carry the wine with great joy.

Cao Ci only had the last bowl of wine left. While waiting for the new wine to be served, he held the wine bowl and stood under the wall, his gaze wandering. It had been nearly three years since he first drank wine. Many new words had been added to the wall. Finally, Cao Ci looked down at the three words in the lower corner, written in a proper but rigid way, and asked curiously, “Old Lu, the words left by that Chen Ping’an on the wall, are they ‘Sword Qi Long’ (Sword Qi Endures)?”

The old man asked, “What’s wrong? Is this kid very simple?”

Cao Ci squatted down, holding the large white bowl and taking a small sip of wine, his eyes indifferent, “He might be the strongest Third Realm after me.”

The old man felt a little regretful. The caged martial sparrow, which determines the length of a pure martial artist’s martial luck, has a time limit. It’s not that after writing the words, the martial sparrow can fly out of the cage at any time and peck it out. As a result, Chen Ping’an wrote the words at the beginning and end of this pair of master and disciple. During this period of time, there was no need to expect the martial sparrow to leave the cage.

It didn’t have the courage.

Cao Ci and Xu Jia drank half a jar of Forget Worry Wine together.

Xu Jia’s alcohol tolerance was not good. The more he drank, the more drunk he became. In the end, he fell asleep on the wine table.
Cao Ci was the type who became more lucid the more he drank, his eyes shining.

Suddenly, Cao Ci said, “If it weren’t for my master coming to fetch me, I would really want to visit that world south of the Great Wall of Sword Qi. In forty or fifty years at most, I’d dare to go toe-to-toe with those dozen or so Great Demons. Before that, it would inevitably be a series of exhilarating life-and-death battles.”

The old man chuckled, “Do you believe that the moment you step off the city wall, you’ll die?”

Cao Ci sighed.

The logic was simple, and the old man made it clear with a single remark.

It was highly likely that Cao Ci had already entered the sights of the apex Great Demons, someone they were determined to eliminate. They would not give him forty or fifty years, not even a single day.

Cao Ci said helplessly, “Then I’ll obediently return to the Central Earth Divine Continent.”

The old man said, seemingly unintentionally, “One Dong family ancestor, who slaughtered his way through the Savage Desolate World and ultimately emerged as a legend, is enough for the Great Wall of Sword Qi, and there will only be one. If the demon race raises another tiger to create problems for themselves, nurturing a Cao Ci who has the potential to reach the eleventh realm of martial arts, I think they can just commit suicide.”

Cao Ci hummed in agreement, “I have to ask my master if he has truly reached the eleventh realm. I hope he hasn’t…”

The old man jokingly said, “You, as a disciple, are too ungrateful, aren’t you? Why don’t you think about your master’s kindness? In this aspect, you, Cao Ci, are behaving almost as badly as Xu Jia. It’s not good. You’re Cao Ci, how can you be so ordinary?”

Cao Ci shook his head, raised his arm, extended his palm above his head, and swept it across the space above the wine table. His voice was soft, but his eyes were resolute, “Now, my master’s martial arts are already so high, almost comparable to those true pinnacle existences… So, if it’s not the eleventh realm, then my master, or me in the future, wouldn’t that be…”

The old man smiled, “You can wait and see.”

Cao Ci turned to look at the old man, “There are too few kind-hearted seniors like you.”

The old man mocked himself, “That’s because this old wreck has already resigned himself to fate.”

Cao Ci sat silently at the wine table. Xu Jia was snoring loudly, and the old man had disappeared, gone somewhere else. The Yellow Millet Blessed Land was naturally a bit larger than imagined, not just this little wine shop, but it was indeed in disrepair. If not for one of the founding fathers of the Hundred Schools of Thought diligently maintaining it, it would have long been similar to the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, completely losing the title of “Cave Heaven Blessed Land.”

What are the saints of the Three Teachings and the Hundred Schools of Thought busy with every day?

How did the Ten Great Cave Heavens, Thirty-Six Minor Cave Heavens, and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands come about?

After the Li Zhu Cave Heaven of Treasure Bottle Continent shattered, were there really only thirty-five cave heavens left?

In fact, many of the saints of the Magnificent World need to explore territory and expand the territory of the Magnificent World.

In this respect, the Taoist saints of the Azure Sky World are different. They mainly pursue the height of the White Jade City, layer upon layer, constantly upwards.

And the Buddhist world seeks the vastness of Buddhist teachings, past, present, and future, to allow people to live without doubts and without attachments.

Of course, the Confucianists of the Magnificent World, in addition to opening up new cave heavens and blessed lands, and educating the people, also need to keep an eye on the demon race of the Savage Desolate World.

The other two worlds are just as busy.

The Taoist leader, Lu Chen, stirs up trouble and lays out schemes in the Magnificent World.

Does the Confucian sub-sage not accept disciples and spread his teachings in the Azure Sky World?

Inside the wine shop, even without anyone to chat with or wine to drink, Cao Ci’s state of mind was still stable, just sitting there.

It’s hard to imagine a martial artist finding breaking through realms boring, and preferring to suppress their cultivation.

When the old shopkeeper returned, he asked with a smile, “Cao Ci, besides reaching the peak of martial arts, don’t you want anything else in this life?”

Cao Ci smiled, “What do you think I would want?”

The old man teased, “Then you’re not as good as my Xu Jia and that Great Li youth.”

Cao Ci nodded.

Finally, the white-robed youth walked out of the wine shop. He didn’t go to find his master, who was staying in the private residence of a large family in the Upside Down Mountain, but went straight to the foot of Solitary Peak Mountain. Near the entrance to the plaza, both the little Taoist and the sword-holding man greeted the youth. Cao Ci stopped and chatted with them for a long time before entering the mirrored portal. When he arrived on the other side, the old sword cultivator, who was immersed in refining his natal sword, and the Daoist nun who wore a dharma blade, also greeted him with a smile. Cao Ci stopped again and chatted with them for a long time.

Talking about Daoist principles, swordsmanship, and the world.

Cao Ci could talk about anything with anyone.

It had been like this for the past few years.

And those already successful and famous seniors, whether they were reclusive hermits or rising sword immortals, would often benefit greatly. Some would even feel ashamed in front of a martial artist in the fourth realm.

Cao Ci.

Cao Ci of the Central Earth Divine Continent.

His family background was ordinary, his ancestors were farmers for generations, and they couldn’t even be considered a small wealthy family. A war razed their idyllic paradise to the ground, and they began to drift along with the refugees, experiencing separation and death every day.

Then, he was seen by a tall woman riding a horse alone in the martial world, who took him as her disciple.

The woman held him in her arms, and in the snowy night, they rode a fine steed together. She smiled at the child, who was no more than seven or eight years old, “Cao Ci, from now on, you are Pei Bei’s only disciple.”

Cao Ci slowly walked through the city north of the Great Wall of Sword Qi. If he met acquaintances along the way, he would chat with them. If no one greeted him, he would occasionally stop, look up at the drifting kites, the high-rising eaves, or the faded colorful door gods pasted on the doors.

He finally slowly walked onto the city wall and returned to the small thatched hut behind the old thatched hut. If he was bored, he would pick up a few books, read a few pages, and then put them down. He walked out of the hut and walked seven or eight li on the ramparts before finding Grandpa Chen, who was standing on the city wall looking south.

The white-robed youth lightly leaped onto the city wall.

One old and one young, both silent.

After leaving the shop, Ning Yao asked for the location of the Crane Inn and walked with Chen Ping An towards Catch and Release Ferry.

As a result, at the alleyway where the inn was located, Chen Ping An encountered Madam Gui, who looked anxious, and Jin Su, who was sulking.

Seeing the unharmed Chen Ping An, Madam Gui was relieved. She didn’t say anything harsh, nor did she ask Chen Ping An why he was late in returning. She simply greeted the “Miss Ning” that Chen Ping An had mentioned and returned to Guitang Island at Catch and Release Ferry. She was overwhelmed with business and was very troubled by the matter of Young Master Jiang of the Jade Gui Sect.
Jin Su, originally intending to grumble about being reprimanded by her master because of this fellow, found herself speechless upon meeting the jade-robed, sword-bearing maiden named Ning. Her composed demeanor and undisguised sharpness left Jin Su feeling rather timid.

Instead of staying at the small alley inn, Ning Yao, upon learning of their plans to visit attractions like Reclining Deer Cliff on Upside-Down Mountain, declared she had never been either and would join them.

Although inwardly uneasy, Jin Su, unwilling to appear cowardly, took the initiative to strike up a conversation, chatting with the seemingly unapproachable “Miss Ning.”

Ning Yao wasn’t arrogant, merely laconic. If someone like Jin Su, neither friend nor foe, addressed her, she would respond, albeit with extreme brevity.

Eventually, Jin Su found herself at a loss for how to interact with her and fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Deep down, however, Jin Su’s mind was in turmoil.

This young Miss Ning claimed to be from the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Outsiders could enter the Great Wall of Sword Qi with mere coin, but for a sword cultivator from the Great Wall of Sword Qi to enter Upside-Down Mountain, even a sword immortal with stellar battle merits would supposedly find it difficult.

No wonder Jin Su was lost in contemplation. In truth, her thoughts weren’t far off; the surname “Ning” was playing a significant role.

However, Jin Su only guessed half the truth.

Madam Gui was unwilling to divulge the many secrets of the Great Wall of Sword Qi to her prized disciple. Thus, Jin Su only vaguely knew about the previous earth-shattering Battle of Thirteen. Even with the maiden’s surname being Ning, she dared only assume that she was one of the direct descendants of the Ning family from the Great Wall of Sword Qi, possibly on a family mission.

The reason Jin Su didn’t dare lean towards the most exaggerated “truth” was simple: Chen Ping An was with them.

Due to Ning Yao’s presence, Reclining Deer Cliff, Incense Offering Pavilion, and Thunder Marsh Platform – the three scenic spots – were all visited with Jin Su feeling constrained and ill at ease, the experience bland and unfulfilling.

Jin Su, after all, came from Guihua Lane. Not only did she possess excellent aptitude for cultivation, but she also had a clever and perceptive mind. Therefore, she often deliberately created distance, allowing Chen Ping An and the taciturn Miss Ning to be alone. With Chen Ping An, Ning Yao would say whatever came to mind.

Chen Ping An wasn’t particularly interested in the ever-shifting tides of dynastic changes, the grand schemes of the world, or the rise and fall of the human race.

In fact, he neither understood nor wished to understand.

But when Ning Yao spoke of these things, he willingly remembered them, holding them close to his heart.

Jin Su found it rather strange that such a aloof young woman would be willing to talk so much with the silent and reticent Chen Ping An.

During their visit to Thunder Marsh Platform with other tourists, an old Daoist priest holding a golden and silver whisk appeared on the steps. He smiled at Ning Yao and said, “My master has instructed that if Miss Ning has any needs while on Upside-Down Mountain, she may voice them. Even visiting the Solitary Peak to see the Three Clarities Bells is permissible.”

Ning Yao naturally turned to look at Chen Ping An. He shook his head slightly, and she in turn shook her head and replied, “We won’t be going to Solitary Peak Mountain.”

The old Daoist priest smiled. “Then I won’t disturb you further. If anything arises, Miss Ning can simply notify Upside-Down Mountain through any Daoist.”

Ning Yao didn’t particularly want to respond, but upon seeing Chen Ping An cupping his fist in thanks to the old Daoist priest, she nodded and said two words: “Very well.”

Jin Su murmured, “Dragon-Slaying True Lord?”

The old Daoist priest, who was already about to leave Thunder Marsh Platform, heard her clearly. As the third-in-command of Upside-Down Mountain, his mastery of Daoist arts was legendary throughout the Southern Suo Po Continent. He turned back and asked with a smile, “Does this maiden have any questions?”

Startled, Jin Su paled and quickly shook her head. “I have no questions. It’s just that this junior is overly admiring of the True Lord and couldn’t help but speak out. Please forgive me, True Lord.”

The old Daoist priest chuckled heartily. “I’m not so overbearing. Besides, there’s no rule in Upside-Down Mountain that says one will be punished for directly addressing me by my Daoist title.”

The old Daoist priest vanished in a flash.

Jin Su swallowed hard.

This old deity from the upper five realms of Upside-Down Mountain, known throughout the world for slaying the Flood Dragon of the South Sea, had just stood before her and chatted with her?

The Dragon-Slaying True Lord’s eleventh-realm cultivation was definitely enough to crush most Jade Pure realm Qi refiners.

No one doubted that the title of Celestial Sovereign was within the old Daoist priest’s grasp.

Finally, as the three returned to the Crane Pavilion Inn, it was Ning Yao who initiated conversation, engaging Jin Su in a Q&A, with the latter speaking less.

Ning Yao was in good spirits. Earlier, at the foot of Reclining Deer Cliff, Chen Ping An had bought a pair of small magical artifacts from a stall – yin-yang fish designs.

Upon arriving at the Crane Pavilion Inn, the stern young innkeeper declared that they were fully booked. Ning Yao, without a word, produced a Grain Rain Coin and placed it on the counter, asking if it was enough.

The young innkeeper’s eyelids twitched. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Ping An quickly retrieved the Grain Rain Coin and smiled at the young innkeeper. “Miss Ning is a friend of ours, innkeeper. Could you make an exception?”

The young innkeeper smiled. “I would like to make an exception, but I can’t just drive away other guests, can I? Would the Crane Pavilion Inn still have any reputation? How would I do business in the future?”

Ning Yao stated bluntly, “Then I’ll stay at another inn.”

Chen Ping An took a deep breath, pulled out another Grain Rain Coin, and gently placed it on the counter. “Could you please discuss it with the guests, innkeeper?”

The young innkeeper smiled slightly and pocketed the Grain Rain Coin. “Very well, sir. Please wait.”

Chen Ping An returned the original Grain Rain Coin to Ning Yao. She asked, “What is this for?”

Chen Ping An smiled. “I’m treating you to a stay at the inn.”

Ning Yao shook the Grain Rain Coin in her palm, weighing it, and said helplessly, “It’s so hard for you to earn a Grain Rain Coin. But in our Great Wall of Sword Qi, this thing isn’t worth much. You’re putting on a brave face, which is pointless. What does it matter if we stay at another inn? Isn’t one place to stay as good as another? I’m not as delicate as you think.”

Chen Ping An reached out his hand and smiled. “Then give me back the Grain Rain Coin?”

Ning Yao rolled her eyes at him and decisively pocketed the Grain Rain Coin, gloating, “You just wait and feel the pain.”

In the end, the Crane Pavilion Inn vacated its largest room, which had a private courtyard just outside the side door of a study. Chen Ping An thought it was excellent.

Ning Yao didn’t have much of a reaction.
Before the young innkeeper finally departed, he placed the Grain Rain Coin on the table with a smile, right in front of the three of them. “After some pondering, I realized this coin might be a bit too hot to handle. I wouldn’t dare accept it. As for the young lady’s stay here, just like Young Master Chen, I’ll simply keep a running tab and settle the bill with Guihua Island later.”

Chen Ping’an was utterly bewildered.

Jin Su offered a look of gratitude.

Chen Ping’an sat at the table, about to reach for the Grain Rain Coin, but Ning Yao swiftly pressed his hand down, then pocketed the coin herself.

Seeing Chen Ping’an’s blank expression, Ning Yao raised an eyebrow slightly, as if in challenge. Chen Ping’an simply chuckled, pretending nothing had happened.

Jin Su, understanding the situation, excused herself and left.

Once the door was closed, Chen Ping’an eagerly produced all of his belongings and treasures, laying them out on the table one by one.

Even Ning Yao was somewhat astonished, exclaiming, “Chen Ping’an, you’re quite something! How did you go from a Sudhana to a wealth-attracting prodigy? Are *you* the fake Chen Ping’an, perhaps?”

Chen Ping’an mimicked Ning Yao’s posture, leaning back and crossing his arms.

The young man’s face was filled with pride.

This is the present day of Upside-Down Mountain.

There is a Ning Yao unlike any before, and a Chen Ping’an equally transformed.

Until the two wonderfully met and reunited.