Perhaps sensing a ripple in Chen Pingan’s state of mind, Mao Xiaodong didn’t summon him to the study. Instead, he chose a quiet, book-free night to stroll with Chen Pingan around the academy.

Mao Xiaodong was always like this, whether in his conduct, his teaching, or his mentorship. He adhered to one principle: the knowledge he imparted, the principles he espoused, were merely suggestions for the academy students, and for his junior brother Chen Pingan. Listen to them, consider them, for they may not be suitable for you. But at the very least, they can broaden your horizons.

And so, Chen Pingan walked with Mao Xiaodong past the Ancestral Hall, where portraits of the three Sages hung, the library, where faint candlelight flickered, and the student dorms, filled with snores and mumbling dreams.

Finally, they reached the summit of Donghua Mountain, overlooking the nightscape of the Great Sui capital.

In the wealthy districts, lights blazed, stretching out in a boundless expanse, so bright you could almost hear the singing and dancing even from this distance.

In the poor districts, moonlight offered solace, and life went on with its daily grind.

Chen Pingan suddenly spoke, “Mountain Master Mao, I’ve thought it through. Refining the five Natal Objects, gathering the five elements, is meant to rebuild the Bridge of Longevity. But I still want to focus on practicing my boxing. Boxing is like swordsmanship anyway. As for whether I can nurture my own Natal Flying Sword and become a swordsman, I won’t worry about that for now. So, besides the key acupoints that might be suitable for placing the five elemental objects, I will continue to let the pure Martial Artist Qi within me roam freely.”

Mao Xiaodong nodded. “This plan is feasible, I think. As for whether the result is good or bad, don’t ask about the harvest yet, just focus on the cultivation.”

Chen Pingan hummed in agreement.

Mao Xiaodong hadn’t fully explained his reasoning. The reason he approved of Chen Pingan’s decision to only open five mansions and dedicate the remaining territory to pure Martial Artist Qi was because it wasn’t a dead end.

The human body is a microcosm, and it has its own blessed lands and grotto heavens. Before the Golden Core, all acupoints and mansions, no matter how well cultivated, are merely within the scope of blessed lands. Only when a Golden Core is formed can one truly begin to grasp the mystery of the grotto heavens. An ancient Daoist text had revealed this heavenly secret long ago: “Mountain caves connect to the heavens, piercing through mountains, echoing each other, the Qi of Heaven and Earth merging into one.”

“Only those who have formed a Golden Core can be considered one of us.”

The reason this phrase became so popular throughout the land, revered by all Qi cultivators, was because it had its roots.

Mao Xiaodong didn’t say it because Chen Pingan would eventually reach that point as long as he continued to move forward. To speak of it too early, suddenly presenting a beautiful vision, could shake Chen Pingan’s hard-won composure.

Passing on knowledge and imparting wisdom is never easy, so one must be cautious. Carving jade requires removing impurities with each stroke, without harming the foundation. How difficult is that? How can one not deliberate again and again?

Furthermore, isn’t Chen Pingan doing the same with that girl named Pei Qian?

It’s just that Chen Pingan might not realize it yet.

Mao Xiaodong said softly, “Regarding Master’s idea of inherent evil in human nature, we disciples each had our own understanding in our early years. Some denied themselves as Master faded, changing their ways. Some hesitated, doubting themselves. Some sought fame and fortune with it, flaunting their uniqueness, claiming to go against the grain, refusing to conform, inheriting Master’s legacy. All these things, the human heart is fickle. Our branch of scholarship, which is almost extinct, is already a chaotic scene of all kinds of beings. Imagine the disciples of the Sage of Rites and the Second Sage, whose students are truly all over the world, how complex it would be.”

Mao Xiaodong gently patted Chen Pingan’s shoulder. “The road is long and the task is heavy.”

Chen Pingan smiled wryly, “I only have two shoulders.”

Mao Xiaodong laughed. “I’m just watching someone carry a load without feeling the weight, and complaining the tide is too small from the shore.”

Chen Pingan smiled knowingly. The first half of the sentence was an old saying from his hometown.

Tonight, Pei Qian and Li Huai hid outside the small courtyard. They agreed to put on black masks and pretend to be assassins, sneaking in to “assassinate” Cui Dongshan, who liked to sleep in the green bamboo corridor.

They couldn’t have read so many martial arts novels for nothing; they had to put them to use!

Pei Qian generously lent a bamboo sword to Li Huai.

They discussed it thoroughly at Li Huai’s residence, deciding that they couldn’t go through the courtyard gate, but instead had to climb over the wall. Only then would they show the demeanor of experts and the dangers of the martial world.

Liu Guan and Ma Lian wanted to join, serving as vanguards for Princess Pei Qian. Unfortunately, Pei Qian righteously and decisively refused, saying that they were only novice swordsmen, unskilled, and couldn’t kill the great demon; they would only be courting death.

The two came to a quiet path outside the courtyard wall. Still using the same method as before, Pei Qian first leaped onto the wall, then threw the walking stick, which had rendered great service, to Li Huai, who stood below with longing eyes.

Li Huai didn’t make any mistakes jumping onto the wall. Pei Qian cast an admiring look at him, and Li Huai puffed out his chest, combing his hair like someone he knew.

But when they landed, Pei Qian was as silent as a cat, while Li Huai made quite a bit of noise.

Pei Qian angrily said, “Li Huai, what’s wrong with you? Such a loud noise, are you beating a drum? That’s called fighting on the battlefield, not a secret assassination of a great demon deep in the enemy’s lair. Do it again!”

Li Huai admitted his fault and didn’t retort, asking softly, “How do we leave the courtyard to go outside then?”

Pei Qian glared. “Go through the main gate. Anyway, this attempt has already failed.”

The two left through the courtyard gate, which wasn’t locked in the first place, and returned to the path outside the courtyard wall.

Cui Dongshan, lying in the corridor, rolled his eyes.

Pei Qian held the walking stick, reciting an opening line, “I am a ruthless and cruel martial artist.”

Li Huai imitated her, “I am a merciless assassin, I kill without blinking an eye, I stir up bloody storms in the martial world…”

Pei Qian was somewhat dissatisfied. “Why are you babbling so much? It weakens the momentum. Look at those famous heroes in the books, their nicknames are only four or five words at most. Any more, and it’s ridiculous!”

Li Huai thought it made sense, pretending to wear a bamboo hat, imitating someone he knew by reaching up to adjust it, and holding the bamboo sword at his waist. “I am a merciless assassin and swordsman.”

The two climbed onto the wall one after the other. This time, neither of them made a mistake when landing.

Then Pei Qian and Li Huai did a somersault one after the other in the courtyard.
This was a “premeditated” scheme between the two of them. Otherwise, rushing straight up the steps for a direct assault with a bamboo blade and sword against Cui Dongshan would be far too dull for their tastes.

After tumbling to their feet, they tiptoed and crouched, each reaching for their bamboo weapons. Just as Pei Qian was about to strike down the infamous “Grand Devil” of the Jianghu, Li Huai blurted out, “Suffer death, you fiend!”

Pei Qian abruptly stopped, turning to glare at Li Huai, who was instantly dumbfounded. “What?”

Pei Qian questioned, “Aren’t you supposed to be a shadow assassin, leaving no trace? Why are you shouting before you kill someone?”

Li Huai suddenly understood.

Pei Qian stamped her foot. “Now we have to start over!”

Li Huai was full of apologies.

Both of them utterly disregarded the “Grand Devil.”

They rushed towards the courtyard gate once more.

Cui Dongshan sat up, sighing helplessly, “This Grand Devil awaiting his doom is more exhausted than you two.”

Outside the courtyard, Pei Qian lectured, “Li Huai, if you mess around again, I won’t take you on my Jianghu adventures anymore.”

Li Huai guaranteed, “I definitely won’t make any more mistakes!”

Pei Qian suddenly asked, “I’m just a disciple by name now, my status in the gang is even lower than yours. After this earth-shattering feat, do you think Sister Bao Ping will promote me to a minor division leader?”

Li Huai nodded. “Definitely! If Li Bao Ping doesn’t know how to reward and punish fairly, it’s okay, I can yield the position to you. I’ll just be a deputy.”

Pei Qian said in an old-fashioned manner, “I never thought you, Li Huai, despite your mediocre martial skills, are a truly chivalrous and warm-hearted hero.”

Li Huai retorted, “Assassin, swordsman!”

As a result, they each received a flick to the forehead. “It’s so late, why aren’t you sleeping? What are you doing here?”

As soon as Pei Qian saw it was Chen Ping An, she immediately kicked Li Huai. Li Huai declared with heroic spirit, “I invited Pei Qian to join me in eliminating evil and assassinating the Grand Devil Cui Dongshan.”

Chen Ping An smiled. “Alright, leave the Grand Devil to the peerless martial arts master. You two aren’t skilled enough yet, wait a while.”

Pei Qian took back the bamboo sword from Li Huai and went to sleep in the side room of the courtyard. She had been sleeping in the schoolhouse with Li Bao Ping before, but tonight was an exception.

Chen Ping An led Li Huai back to the schoolhouse.

They encountered a patrolling teacher from the academy, who happened to be familiar, none other than the gatekeeper surnamed Liang, an unknown Nascent Soul cultivator. Chen Ping An then excused Li Huai, finding a reason to avoid punishment.

The old teacher was easygoing and didn’t mind at all, instead pulling Chen Ping An aside for a brief chat.

Li Huai felt particularly proud, wishing everyone in the entire academy could see this scene and envy him for having such a friend.

After Chen Ping An bid farewell to the old teacher, he patted Li Huai’s head and said something Li Huai didn’t understand at the time, “I can do this, but you can’t think you can do it often.”

Li Huai said, “Don’t worry, I will study hard in the future.”

Chen Ping An then said, “Whether studying is good or not, whether you have comprehension or not, that’s one thing. The attitude towards studying is largely different from the achievement of studying, it often seems more important on the path of life. So when you are young, working hard to learn is never a bad thing. Even if you don’t study anymore, don’t deal with sages and books, when you go to do other things you like, you will get used to working hard.”

Li Huai seemed to understand.

Chen Ping An drew a line in front of him as he walked. “For example, this is a line in our life’s path, the cause and effect, all our mentality, state of mind, principles, and understanding will unconsciously lean towards this line. Except for the academy teachers and instructors, most people will one day, ostensibly, grow further and further away from studying, books, and the principles of sages, but our attitude towards life, the thread, may have long existed, and the rest of our life will proceed according to this thread, even without us knowing it. But the influence of this line on us will accompany us for life.”

Then Chen Ping An drew a circle around the beginning of that line. “I’ve walked a long way, met many people, and I also understand your temperament, so I can intercede with the old teacher, so that you won’t be punished for violating the curfew tonight, but you can’t do it yourself, because your freedom now… is much smaller than mine, you can’t fight against ‘rules’ yet, because you don’t understand the real rules.”

Li Huai stared blankly at Chen Ping An, suddenly with a crying face. “I don’t really understand what you are saying, I can only barely remember it. Chen Ping An, why do I feel like you are about to leave the academy? It sounds like you are giving a last message?”

The two had already reached near Li Huai’s schoolhouse. Chen Ping An kicked Li Huai in the butt and laughed angrily, “Get lost.”

Li Huai rubbed his butt and walked to the schoolhouse door, turning his head to look back.

Chen Ping An was still standing there, waving to him.

It was always like this.

Chen Ping An returned to Cui Dongshan’s courtyard. Lin Shouyi and Xie Xie were both cultivating.

Once cultivators embark on the path of cultivation, before reaching the Golden Core Earth Immortal stage, they often cultivate day and night.

Cultivators cannot constantly sever worldly ties and purify desires.

Chen Ping An sighed softly.

He began to practice the Heaven and Earth Stance, walking upside down in the courtyard.

Nourishing the five internal organs, meridians, and bones with a pure breath of true qi.

Legend has it that after reaching the seventh Golden Body Realm of a martial artist, the flow of qi reaches nine, achieving the excellent state of no air entering or exiting the nose.

Upon reaching the tenth realm of a martial artist, which is the final stage of that realm of the elderly man surnamed Cui, Li Er, and Song Changjing, one can truly form a small world, as if an ancient deity has descended into the mortal realm.

Those who are skilled in using qi can breathe on water, causing the river water to flow backwards, breathe on water, burning lakes and boiling seas. They can also be in the midst of a great epidemic without being infected, and ten thousand evils cannot invade.

This is the principle.

Chen Ping An suddenly remembered the trip to Upside-Down Mountain, where he encountered a tall woman on the street.

At that time, Chen Ping An had shallow eyes and could not see too many tricks. Looking back now, she was very likely a tenth-realm martial artist!

Martial artist unites with the Dao, heaven and earth become one.

Cui Dongshan was not in the courtyard.

He appeared on the peak of East Flower Mountain.

Standing with Mao Xiaodong.

Cui Dongshan said some impolite words, “In terms of teaching and imparting knowledge, you are far inferior to Qi Jingchun. You are only patching up the walls and windows of the house, while Qi Jingchun is helping students and disciples build houses.”

Mao Xiaodong rarely argued with Cui Dongshan.
Cui Dongshan said slowly, “Zhao Yao has been pampered since childhood, is intelligent and gentle. He needs to be taught to give up some things, to understand the hardships of this world, so that he truly knows the value of what he has learned and what he possesses. Song Jixin appears arrogant and sharp, but is actually insecure and timid. He must be strengthened with Legalist knowledge close to Confucianism, so that his heart becomes strong and disciplined. In governing a country, he must abandon petty cleverness and embrace great wisdom, neither deviating too far from Confucianism nor straying from the right path. As for my teacher, he is used to having nothing, and his heart is extremely hard, but he also has nothing to rely on. He needs to learn to pick up some things, then constantly read and understand people, and then treat the principles he constantly figures out as ballast stones for a small boat crossing the sea of suffering. This is called teaching students according to their aptitude, and educating all without discrimination.”

Mao Xiaodong finally spoke, “I am not as good as Qi Jingchun, I do not deny it, but that is not the reason why I am inferior to you, Cui Chan.”

Cui Dongshan laughed, “Comparing me to such a worthless person, aren’t you, Mountain Master Mao, ashamed?”

Mao Xiaodong twitched the corner of his mouth, disdaining to speak.

Cui Dongshan said with a smile, “When will you officially step into the Upper Five Realms? I’ll prepare a congratulatory gift for you then.”

Mao Xiaodong was unwilling to answer this question, and his mood was heavy, “Will there be a big problem on the Sword Qi Great Wall? The various schools of thought are so active now, betting on the secular dynasties of the Nine Continents, which greatly violates common sense. I feel like…”

Mao Xiaodong stopped speaking.

Cui Dongshan sighed, “The Vast Sky believes that those criminals resisting the demons is something our Nine Continents take for granted and the duty of sword cultivators, but as for the truth and the result, let’s wait and see.”

Mao Xiaodong turned to look at him.

Cui Dongshan looked into the distance, “Putting yourself in their shoes, if you were a remnant of the demon race left behind in the Vast Sky, wouldn’t you want to return to your roots? If you were a descendant of the criminals imprisoned, wouldn’t you want to turn around and talk to the Vast Sky… to say what you’ve been holding back for countless years?”

Mao Xiaodong frowned, “There are always three Sage Sects sitting on the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Cui Dongshan laughed, “Not to mention a desolate world, even half of one, as long as they are willing to twist into a rope, willing to pay any price, to take down a Sword Qi Great Wall, and then eat a few continents of the Vast Sky, is it difficult?”

Mao Xiaodong said, “I don’t think it’s easy.”

Cui Dongshan did not deny it, but simply said, “Read more history books, and you will know the answer.”

Mao Xiaodong hesitated for a moment, “South Po Suo Continent, which is closest to the Upside-Down Mountain, has a Chen Chun’an who carries the sun and moon on his shoulders!”

Cui Dongshan slowly said, “There are also some people in history who die early and are remembered for a thousand years, while those who die late are infamous for ten thousand years.”

Mao Xiaodong was about to say something more, but Cui Dongshan had already turned his head and smiled at him, “I’m just talking nonsense here, are you taking it seriously?”

Mao Xiaodong said, “If it turns out that you are talking nonsense, I’ll treat you to a drink then.”

Cui Dongshan laughed, “No wonder you are a scholar about to enter the Jade Pure Realm, your cultivation is high, and your tolerance has also increased.”

Mao Xiaodong looked around.

The Vast Sky, with its vast territory, naturally has wars and chaos in various continents, but generally it is like the capital of the Sui Dynasty, full of singing and dancing. Children only see in books the rivers of blood and the starving people, while adults are haggling over firewood, rice, oil, and salt every day. Scholars who study hard are thinking about becoming a farmer in the morning and entering the emperor’s court in the evening. Many literati who have already become officials, even if they have been changed beyond recognition in the officialdom, may still feel ashamed of the teachings of the sages when they flip through books in the dead of night, yearning for the lofty mountains, bright moon, and clear sky.

Cui Dongshan looked at this disciple of the Literary Sage lineage that he had always looked down upon, suddenly stood on tiptoe and patted Mao Xiaodong’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, the Vast Sky still has people like my teacher and your junior brother after all. Besides, there’s still some time, for example, Little Treasure Bottle, Li Huai, Lin Shouyi, they will all grow up. By the way, what was that saying?”

Mao Xiaodong said a famous saying of his teacher, “The student surpasses the teacher.”

Cui Dongshan coughed, “To tell you the truth, I contributed greatly to the Old Scholar being able to say that sentence. Let me tell you the interesting story behind it. At that time, I was passing a dye house with the Old Scholar when we met a graceful and delicate young lady…”

Mao Xiaodong grabbed Cui Dongshan’s shoulder, threw him off the top of Donghua Mountain with force, and cursed, “You little bastard, you’re addicted to talking nonsense?”

Desolate World, three moons hanging in the air.

A huge abyss in the shape of an ancient well.

Praised as the Hall of Valor by this world.

Legend has it that this place was once the battlefield of an ancient era, where a powerful demon ancestor fought a roaming little Daoist riding an ox.

This world describes that battle as magnificent, but only a handful of great demons know the truth. In fact, the battle was real, but it was not between the great demon and the Daoist who came here on a blue ox. Instead, it was a more distant and tragic battle. It was just that at that time, a great demon with extremely high seniority climbed for thousands of years, finally able to break free from the shackles, endured many hardships to climb out of the bottom of the well, and was lightly pressed back into the well by the Daoist standing at the mouth of the well with a single finger.

Now, above the four walls of this “well,” there are huge seats arranged in a circle.

There are fourteen in total, with uneven seat heights.

There is a broken, upside-down mountain like a high platform, and there are jade buildings that seem to be part of the legendary ancient heavenly court, and there are also huge corpses floating in the endless void.

There is a magnificent bone throne made of piled up white bones. A white bone demon, as white as jade, is holding a cup and drinking, lightly twisting a head under his feet.

There is a pillar a thousand feet high, engraved with ancient runes, standing in the void, with a scarlet serpent coiled around it, and dim dragon pearls slowly rotating.

A piece of broken gray robe, empty and floating in the wind.

A burly figure wearing golden armor and a mask has golden light constantly flowing out from the gaps in the armor, like a ball of scorching sun imprisoned in a deep well.
A woman, adorned with an emperor’s crown and an ink-black dragon robe, possessed a human head and a serpentine body, her long tail trailing straight into the abyss. Countless ethereal maidens, each the size of a grain of rice compared to her immense form, cradled lutes. Multicolored ribbons spiraled around their graceful figures, numbering in the hundreds. The woman, bored, rested her cheek upon her hand and extended two fingers, nonchalantly popping the lute maidens like bubbles.

A Taoist, clad in a snow-white robe, his face obscured, stood three hundred zhang tall. Yet, even among the other “neighbors” upon their thrones, he seemed insignificant, save for the crescent moon that hovered behind him.

A burly giant, bare-chested and possessing three heads and six arms, sat cross-legged upon a futon made of stacked golden books. A startling wound marked his chest, a testament to a sword strike delivered by the eldest sword immortal of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

None of the assembled great demons had participated in that earth-shattering battle at the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The vast majority of these hidden entities had been awakened from an endless slumber.

A small number, already renowned for millennia, had always remained aloof, coldly observing the conflict at the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The two great demons who once visited the Old Blind Man in the Ten Thousand Mountains were not even qualified to have a seat here.

Fourteen seats encircled a suspended stone in the very center.

As an old man slowly materialized in the middle, two more ancient great demons hastily appeared, seemingly unwilling to appear after the old man.

The old man surveyed the assembly.

One seat remained vacant, with only a single blade resting there.

That seat belonged to the newest arrival in this abyss’s hall of heroes, and was also the third-highest throne, after the old man’s.

The old man said nothing.

In this wild and untamed land, genuine strength was revered above all else.

The blade’s owner had secretly engaged in two life-and-death battles with A Liang of the Sword Qi Great Wall, yet they had also called each other brother while drinking. He had even, on a whim, traveled to the Ten Thousand Mountains to help the Old Blind Man move mountains.

In the seat second only to the old man, a “middle-aged man” dressed in a scholar’s robe sat upright, not revealing his true demonic form, appearing as small as a mustard seed.

His position was even higher than the blade’s.

Including the Confucian demon, all the assembled great demons rose to their feet, showing respect to the old man.

The old man spoke, “No need to wait for him, let the discussion begin.”

Only then did the demons slowly sit down.

The old man looked at the Confucian demon, “Whatever you say next, everyone here will do. If anyone disagrees, I will persuade them. If anyone agrees, afterwards…”

The Confucian demon smiled and added, “They’ll outwardly comply but inwardly defy.”

The old man nodded, “Then I’ll personally have a chat with him.”

In the wildlands, a burly man walked with a boy who looked like a sword-carrying page trailing behind him.

The man was clean and neatly dressed, while the staggering boy behind him was ragged. The boy’s eyes were mismatched, making him a target for mockery in this land, labelled as a mongrel.

In this barren, miasma-ridden expanse, to walk around in human form was a symbol of immense strength.

This man had fought with A Liang and also drunk with him. The boy was strapped with a Mo family contraption called a “sword rack.” Filled with longswords, it made the boy’s back resemble a peacock’s tail.

In the Grand Azure World, Cao Ci of the Great Duan Dynasty in the Central Continent, was pulled by his friend Liu Youzhou to travel. Cao Ci never went to martial temples, only literary ones.

He exterminated demons and vanquished evil along the way with his bare hands, crushing Golden Core heretics. Liu Youzhou only needed to watch the show and applaud.

Cao Ci, who had reached the fifth realm upon passing through the gate between the Sword Qi Great Wall and the Upside-Down Mountain, quietly reached the sixth realm while practicing martial arts in a small country in the Central Continent, as usual.

A vast and mighty martial fortune, dissipated in all directions, almost causing a nearby martial temple to collapse. The martial fortune continued to flow like a flood, actually greatly strengthening this country’s martial prowess.

In the Azure Billow World, a scarred youth, filled with sorrow and indignation, climbed a mountain to beat the heavenly drum.

After a moment of silence, a young Taoist with a lotus crown on his head appeared beside the youth, smiling, and accepted him as a disciple on behalf of his master.

The five cities and twelve towers of the White Jade Capital, up and down, trembled.

From then on, the Taoist Ancestor had one more closed-door disciple.

In the Treasure Bottle Continent, at the Cliff Academy of the Great Sui Dynasty.

Pei Qian and Li Baoping, two little girls, sat on a high branch at the top of the mountain, watching the foot of the tree together.

Chen Ping’an was practicing martial arts.

First set a small goal, like 1 second: