Amidst the mountains and forests, the autumn wind carried a chilling air.

No wonder Cui Dongshan said, “Murder and plunder brings a golden belt.”

Chen Ping’an felt a heavy weight in his heart. This ambush reminded him of the one in the Shuishui Kingdom’s forests, where the assassins from Mailou and the Grandmaster Lin Gushan of Caiyi Kingdom had joined forces, a truly insidious alliance. If not for the Sword Immortal Su Lang of the Azure Bamboo Sect switching sides at the last moment, it would have been hard to say who would have lived and who would have died.

On this journey north, Chen Ping’an had been exceptionally cautious. He frequently ascended to high places to survey the surroundings, and even when strolling through the markets and alleys with Lu Tai, he remained vigilant for any signs of being followed. The fact that this group had not revealed a single clue spoke volumes. They were acting with meticulous intent, and wouldn’t have exposed themselves without confidence in their plan.

With the battle imminent, Lu Tai seemed a bit apprehensive. “Chen Ping’an, you really are only a Fourth Realm martial artist, aren’t you?”

Chen Ping’an was taken aback, unsure why he was asked that. He nodded, saying, “Of course, it’s true.”

Lu Tai looked sheepish, confessing honestly, “I thought you were actually in the Fifth Realm, just deliberately hiding your strength from me. That would be normal, everyone has a few tricks up their sleeve when traveling the world. So I exaggerated my own realm a little too. Actually, I’m not a Dragon Gate realm cultivator, but a Sixth Realm, Sea-Gazing realm cultivator.”

Chen Ping’an glared at him. “You’re still playing tricks at a time like this?! Are you trying to die?”

Lu Tai, feeling guilty, didn’t retort, but grumbled silently to himself.

Lu Tai tapped his toes, causing the high branches to sway. He ascended towards the treetop, appearing relaxed, but that was far from the truth. He had closed his bamboo fan and was lightly tapping it against his palm.

Lu Tai was, after all, a Sea-Gazing realm Qi Refiner with a rich family heritage and a vast collection of books. He enjoyed dabbling in various arts and techniques, resulting in a diverse but not particularly refined skillset. However, this “diverse but not refined” nature was only in comparison to cultivation geniuses with his background and aptitude. Compared to those who relied on fragmented secret scrolls and were fortunate enough to reach the Middle Five Realms, Lu Tai was far superior in both insight and skill. However, whether he could translate these advantages into an absolute advantage in combat was uncertain.

Those wild cultivators who risked their lives for a living, even if they weren’t outright desperados, would act differently from pampered disciples of established sects when cornered or tempted by sufficient rewards. They were fierce, cunning, and willing to trade injuries for death.

Chen Ping’an quietly asked, “Do you need me to stall for time while you investigate their backgrounds? I don’t have enough experience fighting Qi Refiners, and we’re not familiar with each other, so I might hinder you.”

Lu Tai replied with a mental voice, “Good.”

Straightforward and decisive.

Lu Tai, perhaps afraid that Chen Ping’an would think he was standing by idly, added, “As soon as I discover anything, I’ll immediately tell you about the origins of their techniques and how to defend against and counter them.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, taking out a Square-Inch Talisman from his sleeve for emergencies.

Chen Ping’an said, “A battle to the death is no trifling matter.”

Lu Tai smiled. “Understood.”

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath.

Back when I, Chen Ping’an, hadn’t even started practicing martial arts, I was still able to nearly kill Cai Jinjian and Fu Nanhua in the alleys, simply by relying on the rules and terrain of the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven.

Why can’t others kill Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai?

Chen Ping’an remained standing on the branch, even though it made him an easy target. However, it provided a wide field of vision. In a confrontation, it was always better to know yourself and your enemy. Taking some risks to get a glimpse of the overall situation was better than blindly rushing in.

This group of bandits, who had been plotting since the Fuzhi Sect’s Hantian Street, did not appear in a cluster. They came in twos and threes, but even the visible number was over ten.

Jackals surrounded them.

Chen Ping’an said in a low voice, “Who goes there?”

No one answered.

The gods of the mountains seeking wealth over a thousand miles were not street thugs. Street brawls would last for hours only for it to never escalate into a fight.

Often, a seemingly bold declaration of one’s name would reveal one’s signature skills and the sect’s trump cards.

Those who loudly announce their techniques before attacking were just asking for trouble.

Those with bad luck might even be courting death.

For example, the flying sword “Aftermath” of the Golden Core Sword Cultivator of Osmanthus Island immediately suggested a sword with Yin and Water properties.

Therefore, using techniques and treasures full of Yang energy could often exert greater power.

Imagine if the Golden Core of Osmanthus Island met an enemy on a narrow road. Would he voluntarily tell his mortal enemy about the name of his flying sword, “Aftermath”?

Even though Chen Ping’an had never seen Lu Tai’s two flying swords, he could roughly deduce that they were the kind that focused on lethality at a single point based on their names: Needlepoint and Wheat-Tip.

Lu Tai silently told Chen Ping’an the current situation with a mental voice.

Among the enemy ranks, the person standing next to the burly man wielding an iron whip, directly in front of Chen Ping’an, was someone to be especially wary of.

This person was clearly a sword master who took a unorthodox path. He was not a Qi Refiner, but also not quite a pure martial artist. Although they did not have natal flying swords, like a showy swordsman. They specialized in manipulating Qi with swords. It wasn’t the sword manipulation of a sword cultivator, but the sword master’s strikes would make others think it was a flying sword.

As for the burly iron whip wielding man, it was hard to determine whether he was a Qi Refiner following a side path of the military school or a pure martial artist, but the latter was more likely.

The burly man had bulging muscles and was nearly nine feet tall, radiating a menacing aura. He held a pair of whips and looked up at Chen Ping’an through the sparse branches, sneering, “Good kid, you’re really slippery. Your footsteps varied in depth at Fuzhi Sect and on the way to the Xingzhi Pavilion, almost making me misjudge you as a Third Realm martial artist. Only after we left Hanging Silk Mountain for a few hundred miles did we notice your footprints, so light and even. Ignoring your cultivation, just this cunning caution…”

The burly man raised his left iron whip, grinning savagely. “Is worthy of me shattering your skull with a single blow!”

He spoke in the common tongue of Tongye Continent.

Lu Tai was no longer the effeminate dandy who liked rouge and powder, nor the charming son of a noble family. He quickly and concisely told Chen Ping’an about the origins of their mortal enemies.
To the southeast, there’s a Taoist who employs talismans and seals. Most likely, he couldn’t recruit any true military strategists, so he settled for using talisman-armored soldiers as assault infantry. If he adds one or two Moist mechanisms automatons, our effectiveness in slaying enemies with flying swords will be greatly diminished, because both of these inanimate objects have their weaknesses, but they are difficult to overcome. One has an impenetrable talisman core, and the other has a hard-to-find central mechanism.

I just don’t know if this Taoist has any talismans specifically designed to counter sword cultivators and their natal flying swords. It’s unlikely, as usually only Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators can afford those few precious talismans that target sword cultivators. But if our luck is bad, you never know. For example, there are two high-grade talismans called “Sword Sheath” and “Mountain Seal” that are specifically designed to deal with the elusive natal flying swords, causing them to fall into a trap and be temporarily sealed.

If a sword cultivator loses their natal flying sword, even for a brief moment, their combat power will plummet.

Therefore, our greatest reliance, the four flying swords combined, needs to be wary of this point. Even if we have to unleash them to kill enemies, we must always pay attention to the subtle movements of the talisman Taoist’s sleeves.

To the southwest, there’s a Qi cultivator who studies wood-based techniques. He’s probably the one who concealed all traces. He most likely raises flower sprites and tree demons. Remember to be careful of grass, trees, and vines, because they are inconspicuous but even more insidious and difficult to deal with than a swordsman’s flying sword.

Chen Ping An silently noted everything in his mind while keeping an eye on the burly man and the swordsman. His peripheral vision was focused on the talisman Taoist. He sneered, “Since my friend and I dared to shout on Heavenly Street in Fuzhi Sect, spending so much money in front of everyone, we weren’t worried about attracting jealous people.”

The burly man laughed gleefully, “Little brat, don’t try to deceive me with words. Two outsiders who can’t even speak the Tongye Continent dialect fluently, so what if you come from a sect? So what if you have a celestial master? Is that so impressive?”

The swordsman beside the hulking man was a slender man in black robes with a pale face and sunken eyes. He had an gloomy air about him and smiled, “Of course it’s impressive, but unfortunately, his reach falls short.”

The burly man burst into laughter, and the swordsman also smiled knowingly.

The two, being familiar with each other, looked up at the higher platform. The middle-aged swordsman asked, “Watching you two lovebirds being all lovey-dovey has filled me with resentment. You’re responsible for that. If you’re smart, you might be able to save your little life.”

Lu Tai ignored the man’s provocation, his expression calm, and continued to explain the situation to Chen Ping An.

Behind us, to the north, there’s a Yin-Yang geomancer setting up a formation. There are also a young boy and girl nearby, probably his prized disciples. In fact, this geomancer is the most troublesome.

Chen Ping An, I’ll kill him first if I get the chance.

The reason they’re not in a rush to attack is that they’re waiting for the geomancer to complete this half-baked Mountain-Moving Formation. Don’t worry, I’ll find the right opportunity to strike and won’t let the three of them succeed. But before I act, you must divert their attention, even if it’s just to distract them slightly, that will be enough.

Chen Ping An nodded silently.

Lu Tai continued to reveal the secrets.

In addition to the geomancer and his two disciples, there’s also a heretical cultivator, neither man nor ghost, with extremely heavy heretical energy. These types of Qi cultivators wander around mass graves and cemeteries all year round, imprisoning wandering souls in spiritual implements, recruiting them for their own use, and raising fierce ghosts through the method of nurturing insects.

Further behind us, on the left and right sides, there are two people standing there, just to hold the line. If we escape, they will intercept us.

From this, we can deduce that the main force of the enemy camp is in the south.

Seeing that Lu Tai was unmoved, the middle-aged swordsman felt annoyed in addition to his resentment. He grinned wickedly, “Have you two gotten to first base yet?”

Chen Ping An didn’t understand at all and just assumed that the swordsman was speaking some mountain slang or some strange words that didn’t need to be paid attention to.

But he sensed a rare hint of anger in Lu Tai’s face.

So Lu Tai stopped communicating with Chen Ping An telepathically. He changed his mind and stared intently at the middle-aged swordsman, his face gloomy, and said, “Chen Ping An, this disaster was caused by me. You just go north, and I’ll deal with them myself.”

Chen Ping An asked, “Can you kill them all alone and escape safely?”

Lu Tai didn’t speak.

Chen Ping An said irritably, “Do you like dying without a burial so much that people can’t even find your grave?”

Lu Tai spat a few times and laughed, “Don’t curse me.”

Chen Ping An stood still, not moving an inch. After a while, he finally replied to Lu Tai, “Then stop talking nonsense and kill more people.”

Lu Tai suddenly transmitted a thought to Chen Ping An, “Move!”

Chen Ping An hesitated for almost no time.

He manipulated the Square-Inch Talisman from the original Dan script in his sleeve.

It flashed and disappeared.

The middle-aged swordsman in black robes and wide sleeves felt his heartstrings tighten, knowing that something bad was about to happen.

Fortunately, the burly man had already taken a step forward, blocking the swordsman, and fiercely smashed a whip into the air in front of him. “Interesting!”

Chen Ping An, who suddenly appeared in front of the two, not only didn’t avoid the sharp edge, deliberately dodging the menacing iron whip, but was even more determined to engage in close combat. However, he also made a slight tilt of his head and a crouching motion, using the long sword “Changqi” on his back to withstand the iron whip, and smashed a Godly Pestle Fist at the burly man’s chest.

One punch arrives, then ten punches will arrive, then a hundred punches will arrive.

If my will is strong enough, and my fists accumulate, even if you are the legendary Grand Dao Golden Immortal with an indestructible body, I will shatter you!

The middle-aged swordsman only experienced a moment of absentmindedness, and soon a streak of cyan light flew out from his sleeve.

The burly man spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered back five or six steps, waving his iron whip in front of him, making it impenetrable, while desperately shouting, “Protect the geomancer!”

Almost at the same time, Chen Ping An’s mind moved, and he silently recited, “Fifteen.”

Inside the sword-nurturing gourd at his waist, a wisp of verdant and faint sword rainbow instantly shot out.

The talisman Taoist smiled coldly, “So he really is a sword cultivator.”

The burly man only felt a tearing pain in his left shoulder, his mind shaken. How could it be so fast?!

In the gap between landing a punch and delivering the third Godly Pestle Fist driven by fist intent.

Fifteen, having just left the sword-nurturing gourd not long ago, only made a “ding” sound, barely intercepting the cyan sword light from the middle-aged swordsman’s sleeve, when it was shrouded by a talisman emitting red light, crashing around everywhere, hitting the walls.
The swordsman’s expression was ruthless. With a flick of his wide sleeve, another “flying sword” shot forth.

Chen Pingan continued to ignore the swordsman’s skillful sword manipulation, appearing almost like a specter behind the burly man. He delivered a solid third fist to the center of the man’s back.

The forceful fist energy directly penetrated the man’s heart.

The fourth fist pressed down and shifted to the right, landing squarely on the giant’s spine.

Meanwhile, the Taoist used an exceptionally precious and secret talisman to ensnare “First,” which had once again severed the swordsman’s emerald radiance.

The old Taoist’s face was ashen, his eyelids twitching. His heart ached with the loss. It felt as though his very lifeblood was being drained. This little bastard actually possessed two flying swords?!

Could the vermilion gourd hanging at the young man’s waist be a sword-nurturing gourd?

The thought ignited a fervent gleam in the old Taoist’s eyes. Excellent, excellent!

The two trump cards he sacrificed were worth it! As long as he succeeded, the gain would be immense!

The burly man’s thick protective Qi had already shattered and dissipated after the third fist. Thus, Chen Pingan’s fourth strike landed squarely on the spine.

A series of faint cracking sounds echoed. While others might disregard it, the hulking man was terrified out of his wits.

Another fist, and his spine would truly be shattered!

No longer daring to hold back, the man stomped heavily on the ground, grasping his right wrist with his left hand. He then formed a two-fingered gesture with his right hand, adopting a posture reminiscent of a lion or tiger shaking its shoulders. In an instant, his eyes turned snow-white, and his Qi, blood, muscles, and bones surged with raw power…

Like a divine being descended to earth.

Yet, Chen Pingan’s fifth fist sent him flying like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground.

However, Chen Pingan was not unscathed. He endured a blow from the strong man’s iron whip on his back. Although it landed on his “Long Qi,” four or five points of force still seeped into his body.

Afterwards, First and Fifteenth were restrained by the talisman Taoist using secret techniques, temporarily unable to escape. To successfully deliver the fifth fist, a “god pounding the drum” strike, he had endured another sword ray from the middle-aged swordsman, piercing through his shoulder and leaving him drenched in blood.

Despite this, Chen Pingan’s aura did not diminish but instead surged. The cohesion of his soul and the intensity of his fist intent were almost visible to the naked eye. There was no hint of a desperate struggle; on the contrary, his power continued to explode.

Like the sun rising in the East, destined to hang high in the midday sky.

He couldn’t help but grin.

What did such minor injuries matter?