The city隍廟 gate creaked open.

This Sui駕 city隍廟, aside from that city隍爺 already mired in a mud bodhisattva crossing a river situation, had mobilized all its forces. The civil and military judges, along with the various Yin冥 ghost officials, stood cautiously within the gate.

Although the entire Sui駕 city could be considered their own territory, with a certain amount of destiny protecting them, standing within the city隍廟, filled with the thick scent of incense, was undoubtedly more reassuring.

Chen Ping An looked towards the gate.

After the tragic event of the past, the city隍爺 had chosen to kill one and release one. Therefore, the Jailer General should be new, while the chief officer of the Yin Yang Division, the head of the city隍六司, remained the old one.

Chen Ping An held his sword in hand and glanced down at the gourd for nurturing swords, “After I have drawn my sword twice, tonight, you may do as you please.”

Chen Ping An raised his head and looked at the city隍廟 gate, “Which of you is the chief officer of the Yin Yang Division of the Sui駕 city隍廟?”

The civil and military judges, the Night Patrol Gods, the Jailer General, and the other officials did not hesitate in the slightest. They all quickly looked towards a middle-aged Confucian-like official.

The ritual system for the Yin冥 official robes of the large and small city隍 temples in the world was roughly the same as that of the Yang間 imperial court. Except for the patterns on the official badges, which could not be arbitrarily changed, there were slight differences from continent to continent. In the North俱蘆洲 region, the official robes were mostly black and white, and each wore a bronze seal engraved with their respective official positions at their waists.

He took a trembling step forward, his eyes darting about, suppressing the fear in his heart. He bowed and cupped his hands, saying, “Sword Immortal visits the city隍廟 at night, we have failed to welcome you from afar. May I ask what matter the Sword Immortal seeks me for?”

The benevolent do not come, and the coming ones are not benevolent. Not only did he understand this simple principle, but all his colleagues did as well. Otherwise, they would not have appeared together.

In the next moment, that Sword Immortal in green robes was already standing within the city隍廟, with the Yin Yang Division chief officer standing dumbfounded behind him.

Even the civil and military judges, even though the man had already broken into the city隍廟, still symbolically moved aside, as if clearing a path, and then looked at their colleague one by one.

They saw a straight, slender golden line appearing on the forehead of the Yin Yang Division chief officer, extending downwards.

In an instant, a golden body shattered into dust.

Even the martial judge in the city隍廟, who was best at suppressing fierce ghosts, and the newly appointed Jailer General, who liked to venture out of the city to hunt down wandering souls, did not see clearly how the other party drew his sword, or when he drew it.

For a time, all the city隍廟 officials looked pale.

Miserable.

Truly, a wandering Sword Immortal from a distant land!

It was said that the actions of Sword Immortals were the most bizarre and tyrannical, and could never be judged by ordinary standards.

The city隍爺 statue enshrined in the back hall of the city隍廟, with a faint golden light swirling around it, walked out as an elderly official with a refined demeanor. He passed through the front hall building without any hindrance and floated to the steps of the front hall. After standing still, he pointed a finger and sternly said, “You are a sword cultivator, so you can arbitrarily kill Yin冥 officials appointed by a country’s emperor and sealed with the imperial jade seal?!”

Chen Ping An raised his head and looked towards the thick black mist shrouded over Sui駕 city, the Yin煞 aura, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.

It was somewhat similar to the half-immortal soldier cloud sea of the Fu family in Old Dragon City, except that the latter was invisible to Qi refiners below the Earth Immortal level, while in this Sui駕 city of Silver Screen Kingdom, even ordinary people could see it, except for cultivators.

Chen Ping An said, “I will try my best to block the heavenly tribulation for you. How will you thank me?”

The city隍爺 was first shocked and stunned, and then overjoyed in his heart, “Really? The Sword Immortal is not joking?”

The young Sword Immortal in green robes nodded.

The city隍爺 felt that there was truly no end to the road, and a new village appeared after the willow trees and bright flowers! The city隍爺 said loudly, “As long as the Sword Immortal can protect my city隍廟 from harm, the Sword Immortal can ask for anything. I will let the Sword Immortal take the treasures of one prefecture. If the Sword Immortal finds it troublesome, just say the word, and the city隍廟, from top to bottom, will offer them with both hands, without the slightest hesitation…”

A golden light cleaved down from the sky.

The many Yin冥 officials of the city隍廟 were terrified, their golden bodies unstable. They saw that the city隍爺, who had been high above for countless years, was just like his Yin Yang Division colleague before, first a golden light appeared on his forehead, and then a straight line slowly spread downwards.

As expected of a city隍爺 who had enjoyed incense offerings for many years, a thick golden body infused with countless incense essences did not collapse on the spot. Not only that, but the city隍爺 was still able to raise his hands and press them firmly against both sides of his head, wailing, “Are you crazy? If I die, the heavenly tribulation will descend immediately. Do you want to resist the heavenly tribulation with your own strength? If I don’t die, you and I can join forces to resist the heavenly tribulation and overcome the tribulation together. You madman! You will not have a good end!”

Chen Ping An’s gaze passed over the city隍爺 and looked towards the majestic statue on the altar of the front hall, which also enjoyed the incense offerings of a prefecture but was silent and without divine light.

He wondered if they were birds of a feather, and if they knew that disaster was imminent, they had withdrawn a bit of divinity from this city隍廟 statue.

Chen Ping An said, “Sorry, I forgot to say just now, you need to thank me with your death.”

The city隍爺 pressed his hands tightly against his head. From all directions, incense, regardless of whether it was pure or mixed with evil intentions, as long as it was the incense of those who offered it, regardless of the purity of their thoughts, had long been detained by him within the city隍廟. As for whether this was like drinking poison to quench thirst, he couldn’t care less. As long as he increased his cultivation a little, the possibility of preserving his golden body after the heavenly tribulation landed would be increased by a sliver. As for whether the city隍廟 would be destroyed, whether those auxiliary ghost officials would have insufficient cultivation and be implicated, or even the lives of the people of the prefecture, this city隍爺 had completely stopped caring from the first day that his “merit was greatly deficient and his golden body was decaying.” To this end, he had specially invited a group of cultivators with whom he had family ties to go to the capital, carrying heavy gifts, to persuade the Ministry of Rites and the Directorate of Astronomy to persuade the emperor of Silver Screen Kingdom to order the imperial court to suppress the news and not allow the people of Sui駕 city and the prefecture to scatter and flee, otherwise it would be the worst outcome for the country’s feng shui and the local city隍, both suffering losses. During this period, the descendants of that recipient in the capital, especially the current head of the family, still knew the importance of the matter, so they put in a lot of effort, using the connections and favors accumulated by generations in the officialdom to help the city隍廟 ease the situation and beg for mercy. This finally allowed the city隍爺 to see a glimmer of hope.

Sacrifice one prefecture to protect the golden body.

Heaven and earth punish those who do not act for themselves!

Moreover, as the city隍爺 of a prefecture, I am a golden body deity who views the kings and nobles of the mortal world as short-lived seedlings!
The City God pressed his hands to his head, his gaze lowered slightly. Although the golden thread’s descent had slowed, it showed no sign of stopping. A deep terror gripped the City God’s heart, and a hint of pleading entered his voice, “Why is this happening? Why can’t so much incense stop it? Sword Immortal, esteemed Sword Immortal…”

Standing atop the steps, the City God no longer possessed any of his usual overbearing manner. He begged, “Esteemed Sword Immortal, I beseech you to spare me! Is there anything in this world that cannot be negotiated?”

The City God dared not point above his head, “Esteemed Sword Immortal, please look up! Without me, this City God Temple cannot control the incense of this temple, or wield the fortune of this land to resist the heavenly tribulation. Esteemed Sword Immortal, are you truly unafraid of diminishing your hard-earned cultivation on your own?”

The registrar, nearly scared out of his wits, initially found it inconceivable. But upon further thought, it dawned on him, only deepening his despair.

This out-of-town Sword Immortal, with nothing better to do, had come to shoulder the heavenly tribulation. Why would he bother with gains and losses? If he cared about that, why would he even enter the City God Temple?

Wasn’t the City God always teaching his subordinates to be steady in times of crisis, to avoid mistakes in haste? It seemed that when the moment truly arrived, he was no different.

However, the City God Temple registrar felt a bitter sadness in his heart. He was no longer a bystander, with no jokes to watch. For centuries, these guardian deities of the land, seated high above, had watched the pious men and women who came to burn incense in the temple. So many kinds of people, foolish and stubborn lovers, lazy young men who prayed for constant fortune, wicked women who yearned to find a loving husband, children whose elders were gravely ill, unwilling to spend money on treatment but coming here to burn incense and make wishes, ruthless bandits who thought that entering the temple, spending more silver, and burning handfuls of incense could eliminate disaster and sin. So many things, countless, they had seen enough human comedies to become numb. Now, the karmic retribution had arrived, and it was the turn of these Qi cultivators to watch the City God Temple’s farce?

Chen Pingan ignored the City God. He simply inserted the Sword Immortal into the ground and slowly rolled up his sleeves. Unlike at Azure Billows Lake, this time his left sleeve was also rolled up, revealing the walnut bracelet.

As for the three talismans obtained from the Valley of Ghouls, they were casually placed askew on his belt. The Jade Purity Brightness Talisman, already activated, and the remaining two Cloud Citadel Cut & Survey Talisman, and Azure Cloud Palace Talisman.

Having done all this, Chen Pingan finally looked at the City God, whose golden eyes were trending towards ink black.

He thought of the Rouge County City God Pavilion in Splendor Garb Kingdom. As expected. Only, that Golden City God, Shen Wen, had been schemed against and framed by mountain cultivators. This one before him was self-inflicted. The difference between mud and clouds.

Chen Pingan instantly arrived at the top of the steps, leaning on his sword with one hand, standing beside the City God, who was like a martial artist suffering a Qi deviation. The two stood side by side, but facing completely opposite directions.

The azure-robed swordsman faced the front hall, where a hollow deity statue sat woodenly high above. The City God, his golden body facing the temple door, facing the common people, had a golden thread descending on him.

Striving to maintain his golden body from shattering was already the best the City God could do. Even with the culprit who had drawn his sword against him standing beside him, the City God had no time to spare.

The golden thread on the City God’s body began to expand continuously, like a flood bursting its banks. A small stream could no longer contain it.

He suddenly laughed, “What a Sword Immortal! You’ve also come for that treasure manifesting in this world, haven’t you?”

Knowing his death was certain, the City God suddenly laughed heartily, then said in a low voice, “What a pity! Otherwise, even if I, this small county City God, were to die and have my Dao extinguished, I could have dragged a whole bunch of mountain immortals down with me as burial companions! Wouldn’t that be delightful?”

Chen Pingan suddenly reached out a hand, covering the City God’s face, then slowly hooked his fingers like claws, saying, “What face do you still have to look at the world of men?”

The City God’s golden body shattered with a resounding crash, and the front hall of the City God Temple was as if a large cloud of gold powder was sprinkled out.

With a clink, an object landed crisply.

It was a piece of rusted golden body fragment, not small, larger than the combined sizes of those two River Gods of Azure Billows Lake.

Chen Pingan was about to shatter it with the tip of the Sword Immortal, when the sword gourd at his waist shot out the long unseen First, a white rainbow sword light, piercing into the rusted golden body fragment. The flying sword First and the golden body fragment disappeared into the ground together.

As the City God Temple’s golden body shattered, above Suijia City, peals of heavenly thunder immediately thundered, far louder than ordinary thunder, almost like firecrackers exploding in one’s ear, causing countless residents of Suijia City to awaken from their deep sleep in fright.

Black clouds churned, as if dark dragons were swimming in the sea of clouds together. Not only that, the sea of clouds began to slowly descend.

First, the sounds of thunder woke up the households in some of the city’s neighborhoods, and they began to light their lamps.

The wealthy families, in particular, hung up lanterns.

In the prosperous county city, scattered sparks of light gradually connected, and the sound of children crying rose and fell.

Finally, those Qi cultivators who had quietly entered Suijia City were all stunned, and after their initial panic, they began to curse. How could they have imagined that the treasure had not yet truly appeared, and the damned heavenly tribulation had already descended ahead of schedule?

There was a great deal to this.

The world’s naturally born treasures of heaven and earth possess innate spirituality, making them extremely difficult for Qi cultivators to capture and seize. The Yellow Halberd City Lord had once brushed shoulders with a strange treasure, simply because that immortal treasure’s flight speed was too astonishing.

There was a rumor on the mountains that the Suijia City treasure was of extremely high rank, the condensed and nurtured literary fortune of a county for a thousand years. Not only that, it was said that Suijia City had, from the beginning of its construction, a military Immortal Armament deeply buried underground. Ultimately, the two merged, becoming a human treasure that combined both literary and martial fortunes, both offensive and defensive. Whoever obtained it could rise to the heavens in a single step, becoming a mountain peak cultivator. Therefore, the two top immortal families, Yellow Halberd City and Precious Niche Immortal Realm, had dispatched forces together, determined to obtain this treasure. If Yellow Halberd City succeeded, it would truly secure its position at the top of the ten-plus kingdoms, leaving Precious Niche Immortal Realm far behind. If Precious Niche Immortal Realm seized it, its power could surpass Yellow Halberd City.

At that haunted house in Suijia City.

The old man sat on the ridge of a nearby roof, somewhat annoyed by the little monkey on his shoulder, who just wouldn’t quiet down, and threw it away fiercely.

Those local cultivator cubs in the city, with their low and even lower realms, had already sensed that the situation was bad and began to flee, some running, some flying, all leaving Suijia.
They dared not covet that extraordinary treasure. Most were merely vassal sects affiliated with Yellow Halberd City and Jade Grotto Immortal Realm, roped in to bolster numbers. Still, they’d provide some assistance in a real fight.

The old man was similarly troubled. The situation had become quite thorny.

That young sword immortal was indeed addled; the Four Unruly Spirits of the Mountain lived up to their reputation. His worldly sojourn was solely for his own pleasure!

Could he simply block the karmic entanglement that brought on the Heavenly Tribulation? Even if he wisely retreated halfway through, saving his own skin, he’d still be covered in unnecessary muck!

Suddenly, the old man said, “Hussy, I’m in a foul mood. Don’t provoke me.”

Standing on the upturned eaves of the roof was a woman in a simple wooden hairpin and cloth dress. Her features were plain, but an ordinary townswoman couldn’t possibly stand so steadily on such a precarious perch.

The woman covered her mouth and giggled. “You speak to an Empress Consort like that? How bold!”

The old man grumbled, “You and I both deserve to die a hundred times over for ruining the master’s long-laid plans. Especially in this kind of awkward, near-success scenario, the master will be even more enraged.”

The woman waved her hand. “Although I don’t know why that treasure suddenly calmed down, allowing the Heavenly Tribulation to erode its innate quality without attempting to escape, it will still be forced to reveal itself when the tribulation lands. Yellow Halberd City and Jade Grotto Immortal Realm have already wisely retreated, either seeking refuge in the Azure Reed Lake Dragon Palace or hiding in the distant Black Glaze Mountain. Wouldn’t it be better for us to gain the upper hand then?”

Here, the woman’s expression became serious. “You and I have worked together for so many years; allow me to ask a presumptuous, personal question. Why is the master unwilling to act personally? With the master’s heaven-piercing cultivation, even though the undertaking left him severely depleted, necessitating seclusion, it’s been centuries! He should have recovered to his peak. If the master came, wouldn’t that treasure be his for the taking? Who would dare stand in his way, those wastes like Fan Weiran?”

The old man sneered, “You know nothing. Can these treasures of merit be forcefully seized with just high cultivation? Moreover, the higher the master’s cultivation, being neither a pure martial artist nor a strategist, the more he becomes a target in this domain. This Heavenly Tribulation has eyes! Even if he endures it, the loss of so much cultivation – can you compensate? Even if you add the entire Silver Screen Kingdom’s paltry treasure hoard, you couldn’t afford it! A joke!”

The woman didn’t take offense at the old man’s derision. She turned and gazed at the City God Temple, frowning. “Judging by the situation, we need to temporarily leave Suijia City. If we’re too close, won’t we be the ones holding up the sky when it falls? Acting as a lightning rod for this Heavenly Tribulation? If we’re far away, once the tribulation passes, the treasure will definitely reveal itself to escape this defiled land. Yellow Halberd City and Jade Grotto Immortal Realm won’t be slow to act then. We two have no problem facing Ye Han and Fan Weiran alone, but they’re surrounded by so many wastes. Too many ants can kill an elephant.”

The old man smiled, pointing to the small monkey that had climbed back onto the roof, baring its fangs at the City God Temple. “You’ve been dealing with so-called emperors, generals, dragon sons, and grandsons for so many years; your eyesight is getting worse. Didn’t you see? This is a treasure-devouring monkey, a descendant of an ancient, rare species that the master bought for a fortune! I’m afraid the amount of immortal money spent would terrify you. With it, we can swallow the treasure into its belly. So, things aren’t as troublesome as you think. But if you’re incompetent and get entangled by Ye Han or Fan Weiran, let me be clear: I’ll only take the monkey and leave. As for whether you, the vixen, can continue to enjoy your earthly riches and use the dragon aura of that kingdom to sculpt your fur, you’re on your own.”

How many times had this vixen played the role of Empress Consort?

The old man thought to himself.

The woman sighed and looked up at the slowly descending dark clouds, her eyes filled with apprehension. “Won’t the master’s nemesis interfere? Are there really only Ye Han and Fan Weiran, two Golden Core cultivators?”

The old man shook his head. “Since they drew a clear line back then, each minding their own business, taking what they needed, there shouldn’t be any surprises. Those at the master’s level value promises more than we frogs at the bottom of the well. Before I left, the master spoke frankly: If you and I can’t handle two paper-mâché Golden Cores, don’t bother coming back. Just find a place and bash your head against something.”

The woman nodded, then her naturally charming eyes revealed a burning desire. “That’s a fine sword! Definitely a magical treasure! Even those Earth Immortal sword cultivators outside would be tempted!”

The old man laughed. “Even a blind man on the street could see that. Did you need to say it? What, are you tempted? Then go snatch it.”

The woman turned her head and cast a flirtatious glance. “Old thing, stop talking nonsense. If we’re going to snatch it, it has to be after that fellow overestimates himself and gets half-killed by the Heavenly Tribulation.”

The old man tutted. “Long time no see, but you’ve improved your cultivation. For a woman to captivate hearts and minds with just her eyes, without relying on her face, that’s quite a skill. After it’s done, shall we frolic together? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and it’s been centuries since we siblings last met!”

The woman tapped her toes, laughing merrily, her voice like tinkling silver bells, leaving lingering echoes as she departed. “Old thing, if we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late. Let’s leave Suijia City first. Once we’ve accomplished this great task for the master, I’m yours to command.”

The old man grabbed the little monkey, placed it on his shoulder, and flew out of the city with the woman.

Both naturally suppressed their cultivation. Otherwise, they’d attract the attention of Ye Han and Fan Weiran, creating unnecessary complications. Although most of these fellows were only good at bullying those weaker than themselves, this was still a large territory, spanning over ten kingdoms. Every century, one or two exceptionally talented individuals would emerge, not to be underestimated. Even though he and the woman always spoke of the likes of Ye Han and Fan Weiran with contempt, when actually fighting those cultivators, they had to be careful.

The two successively flew over the city walls of Suijia City.

On the city walls, there were still many Qi Refinement cultivators who weren’t afraid of death, probably thinking that being away from Suijia City would reduce the danger. They were pretending to be calm and collected, pontificating about the situation.

Among them was one who had been arranged by his sect to…
Near the City God Temple, the young cultivator who ran the incense shop, having concealed his identity for years, was now, after finally restoring his true self, cursing with particular vigor. He claimed that the young man who looked like a sword cultivator was either addled or donkey-brained. Upon arriving at the City God Temple, he was clearly a newcomer, unfamiliar with everything. Without a word, he slew the Yin-Yang Recorder, a ghost official. Upon entering the temple, he reveled in showing off his power, even drawing his sword against the City God himself. Unfortunately, after that, the City God Temple closed its doors, obscuring the scene within.

A nearby cultivator chuckled, saying that this fellow clearly felt he couldn’t obtain the strange treasure, so he simply ensured that no one else could either. His intentions were malicious and deserving of death! Once the tribulations settled and the sword cultivator, if he were lucky enough to survive, emerged, they would have to learn from him.

An old man with a small monkey perched on his shoulder drifted from behind a wall, finding it all quite amusing. The more of these foolishly wicked individuals, the better.

Likewise, more of the pedantic scholars, like the Prefect, were needed to support the former.

Otherwise, if the world were full of clever people, how could they, along with the seductive fox spirits in the Silver Screen Kingdom’s palace, and their fellow cultivators, continue to exploit all the advantages in the world?

Inside the City God Temple.

Chu Yi, carrying the piece of the rusted golden statue, tunneled underground and quickly reappeared, using a swirling white rainbow to slay most of the Civil and Military Judges, Clerks of the Six Offices, Day and Night Patrol Deities, and Shackles Generals.

In the end, only the Civil Judge of the City God Temple, the newly appointed Shackles General, and a few low-ranking ghost officials remained.

Fifteen, residing within the Sword-Nurturing Gourd, did not make an appearance this time.

Chen Ping’an waved his sleeve, gathering the pale gold or pure silver fragments of the golden statue into his hand and placing them into his miniature realm.

Chen Ping’an then continued to look up at the black sea of clouds, now less than three hundred zhang above the ground of Sui Jia City.

After pondering, he pinched out a golden Barrier-Breaking Talisman, one that hadn’t been completely burned away on Azure Canopy Lake. Afterward, he would try the Jade Clarity Light Talisman.

Tonight, the first line of defense against the tribulations would naturally rely on his own abilities. As for what followed, he would no longer be so particular.

Chu Yi continued to patrol restlessly within the entire City God Temple, the sound of it tearing through the air echoing.

Chen Ping’an turned his head, looking at the City God Temple’s auxiliary ghost officials who didn’t dare to move. He merely glanced at them.

Righteous and loyal, with compassion for the common people, acting on behalf of Heaven, eliminating evil and suppressing wickedness?

Chu Yi, who had seemed ready to spare the remaining underworld ghost servants, suddenly struck, a streak of white rainbow sword light piercing through several ghost officials of the City God Temple’s Punishment and Longevity Offices, instantly causing them to dissipate.

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath and turned his head, no longer looking at these ghost officials who consumed incense offerings alongside the City God. “Still not leaving? Do you want to stay in the City God Temple and endure the tribulations with me?”

They scattered in all directions, seeking to get as far away from the City God Temple as possible, and even better, to leave Sui Jia City.

A middle-aged man with a full beard actually walked into the City God Temple. He had previously spat on the ground near the entrance. Entering the main hall, he saw the young sword immortal with bated breath. The man hesitated for a moment before asking in a booming voice, “What are you doing? Officially, as the local city god of the prefecture, I shouldn’t advise you to leave. Naturally, the fewer people who die among the prefecture’s populace, the better. But privately, I still hope you won’t wade into these muddy waters. It’s not that I look down on your abilities as a sword immortal, but the tribulations are the most entangling thing. It’s not that you endure it, and then everything is fine. Since you’re already a sword immortal, don’t you understand the intricacies involved? Cultivation isn’t easy, why bother?”

Chen Ping’an turned around and asked, “You’re from the Fire God Shrine?”

The man nodded, “I must have committed great sins in my past life. Even after death, I still have to be the god of the Fire God Shrine. I haven’t had a single comfortable day in the last few hundred years.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “When the current Prefect was a child, were you the one who protected him and sent him out of Sui Jia City?”

The man grinned, “If you had asked me this question when the City God was alive, even if you beat me to death again, I would never have dared to admit it.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “You can leave. No need to persuade me. Anyway, I reckon that once the tribulations fall, you, as the city god of Sui Jia City who can’t move, will die before me.”

The man said nonchalantly, “It doesn’t matter. Only after becoming a local god do you understand what real living death is. Half-dead is worse than being completely dead. I’ll just take my small stool to the roof of the Fire God Shrine and, before I die, open my eyes wide and get a good look at the legendary style of a sword immortal.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

The man turned to leave, but at the doorway, he suddenly turned back and asked, “I, as a local god, haven’t been able to do anything useful. You, the sword immortal, are clearly a straight shooter… a good person. You don’t blame me, don’t take it out on me?”

Chen Ping’an asked in return, “Let’s not talk about who I am or what my cultivation level is. Just consider this world. Do people really have the energy and inclination to blame a good person for not being good enough, for not expecting them to stand up and kill bad people, when they aren’t even willing to scold the bad people a few times?”

The man laughed heartily and strode away, “Of course, good people, good ghosts, and good gods are all easy to bully! You, the foreign sword immortal, your question is truly naive!”

As he crossed the threshold, he clasped his hands together and raised them high above his head, shaking them heavily a few times. Then he strode away, the booming voice of the bearded god resounding through the night, “If you weren’t a fool, you wouldn’t have entered this rat’s nest of a City God Temple. Sword immortal, don’t die! There are already too few good people with some ability in this damned world! If you act impulsively and really die in this worthless, broken place, I’m going to curse you harshly later!!”

Chen Ping’an threw the golden Barrier-Breaking Talisman toward the oppressive black clouds, tentatively testing the depths of the tribulations.

The talisman blasted a huge golden hole, the size of the City God Temple, at the bottom of the sea of clouds.

However, the sea of clouds churned and quickly closed.

Chen Ping’an had previously glanced at it, and the sea of clouds was extremely thick. The talisman showed no signs of penetrating to the top of the clouds.

Chen Ping’an took a deep breath.

He rested his hands on his sword and looked up at the sky.

Within a hundred zhang, he could deliver the first sword strike.

However, after a distance of two hundred zhang, he could throw a punch first.

After the anomalies appeared in the City God Temple.

Fan Weiran, who had settled in Sui Jia City, decisively led the cultivators from the Precious Citadel Immortal Realm and had people remind Yi.
Accompanied by her own sect’s Qi Refinement cultivators, they hurried to leave Suijia City, heading towards Azure Canopy Lake. After all, that Lake Sovereign owed Fan Weiran a considerable favor. She reckoned that after Azure Canopy Lake suffered a significant blow to its vitality, he wouldn’t dare to let his thieving eyes wander as he did at the night banquet. This allowed Yan Qing to use the excuse of visiting the water god temple of the Algae Creek Lord to leave the dragon palace banquet, with the approval of her ancestor, Fan Weiran. After that, troubles arose one after another. Since arriving in Suijia City, Yan Qing had been somewhat uneasy, and not just Fan Weiran, but even Yan Qing’s junior apprentice-kin could see it.

Fan Weiran’s bone-deep hatred for that young Sword Immortal intensified. How dare he ruin her Yan’s Dao heart! She had already been chosen by that Immortal as one of the candidates for the future leader of the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm and the mountain immortals of the surrounding dozen kingdoms. Once Yan Qing finally stood out, the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm could then obtain another Immortal Dao technique.

The Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm and Yellow Axe City, for so many years, had merely been secretly chosen as two pawns raising fish in the ponds of the dozen kingdoms.

The so-called life-and-death struggles, like fire and water, but how many cultivators had truly died between the two sides? Not many. And those who died were mostly those whose cultivation seemed passable but were hopeless on the path to the Great Dao. More who died were actually cultivators from the vassal sects.

Why hadn’t a Golden Body Realm martial artist appeared in the Jianghu of the dozen kingdoms for two hundred years? The last one was jointly killed by her junior sister and Ye Han back then.

Now, those Sixth Realm martial artists who flaunted their power in the mortal dynasties, the so-called Grandmasters of Martial Arts, the so-called Number One in Swordsmanship and Number One in Fist Technique, which one of them wasn’t enjoying life in peace, their bodies decaying and on the verge of death?

Fan Weiran turned her head to look at Yan Qing by her side, smiling slightly. She clearly knew why her junior sister had to kill that Golden Body Realm martial artist back then. After all, only one person from each side in the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm and Yellow Axe City had been able to learn this great secret through the ages. As for the other mountain strongholds, they had no chance or qualification to meet that Immortal.

As for that inexplicable, newly arrived Sword Immortal, it would be best if he was killed by the Heavenly Tribulation by chance in that City God Temple. That would be letting him off easy. Otherwise, if he was seriously injured and captured by her, Fan Weiran, then Yin Hou’s Azure Canopy Lake Pointing Lamp would be nothing compared to the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm’s unique secret art of the Ancestral Hall.

The Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm and its affiliated sects were headed in the same direction, rushing towards Azure Canopy Lake. However, those who could not fly could only rely on their two legs to travel on the ground, and the worst-off could only ride horses out of the city.

After Fan Weiran left Suijia City on the wind, she suddenly asked, “Didn’t those low-ranking military strategists from the Ghost Axe Palace leave the city with us?”

Beside the old woman, a junior cultivator of her own sect, who was secretly living in the city as a staff member of the current prefect of the county, respectfully replied, “Reporting to Ancestor, after receiving my message at an inn, for some reason they did not set off immediately, claiming they needed to handle some urgent matters. I dared not linger and left first. I later discovered that their group left Suijia City in a different direction. For now, it’s unknown if they will go to Azure Canopy Lake to join us.”

Fan Weiran’s anger surged, her face full of murderous intent. She asked again, “What about that guy named Du Yu? Have you seen him?”

The old cultivator said, “I saw him together at the inn. He was indeed as rumored, smiling cheekily and acting improperly, a hopeless character.”

The commotion at Azure Canopy Lake that night was great, but no cultivators in Suijia City dared to approach and watch the battle. When immortals at the level of the Azure Canopy Lake Sovereign fought, no one would appreciate you cheering them on. A casual wave of their sleeves or a slap would turn you into dust and ashes. Moreover, Immortal Treasures and Immortal Techniques were not mindful of those near, and going to the gates of hell to walk around was just an unnecessary death.

Therefore, the old cultivator asked in confusion, “Why is Ancestor asking about this person specifically?”

Fan Weiran’s face was gloomy, and she didn’t reveal the secret, merely coldly laughing, “I’ll settle the score with this bastard later!”

The prerequisite was, of course, that the outsider Sword Immortal surnamed Chen was dead, or had lost most of his life in Suijia City.

While flying on the wind, Yan Qing glanced back at the blurred outline of Suijia City.

Faintly visible, a golden talisman exploded at the bottom of the Heavenly Tribulation cloud sea.

Yan Qing sighed softly in her heart.

Such a scheming young Sword Immortal was actually a fool.

Further away from Suijia City than Azure Canopy Lake was the summit of Black Glaze Mountain. In a slightly crude mountain-top viewing pavilion stood a slender middle-aged man, dressed plainly like a prosperous household in the marketplace, with the only adornment on his body being a jade pendant hanging from his waist.

The man stretched out his finger, gently caressing the seal script on the jade pendant, deep in thought.

The handsome young He Lu sat to the side, took off the yellowed bamboo flute, and was gently wiping this beloved magical instrument with a rare silk woven by immortals.

The middle-aged man simply looked towards Suijia City. The incomparably thick black clouds slowly descended, as if the entire sky was drooping down to the mortal realm. Looking out, one could not see the top of the cloud sea at all.

A white-haired old man sitting cross-legged chuckled, “Heaven and earth are inexplicably connected, this is the great tribulation of the mortal realm. City Lord, after this Heavenly Tribulation lands, I don’t think the mountain and water formation of this Black Glaze Mountain can be preserved. That Fan old hag is truly a shrewd calculator, hooking up with Yin Hou of Azure Canopy Lake. In this matter, she has taken the lead compared to us, who could only choose Black Glaze Mountain and spend our own money to create the formation.”

The white-haired old man kept rubbing his legs, bitterly saying, “I really don’t know what that outsider Sword Immortal was thinking. Even if he wanted to snatch food from the mouths of tigers from both us and the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm, he should have at least waited until the rare treasure appeared, shouldn’t he? But if he really killed the City God, this Heavenly Tribulation is going to come after him. What the hell is he trying to do? City Lord, I’m not very bright, can you explain it to me? I get anxious when I encounter something I can’t figure out, and when I see a beautiful woman who’s too hot to handle.”

Standing in the pavilion was the City Lord of Yellow Axe City, Ye Han.

Ye Han said, “An outsider Sword Immortal barging in to stir things up, the chess game is still the same chess game, the situation hasn’t changed much. The unexpected consequences brought about by this person’s cultivation will be almost completely wiped out by the Heavenly Tribulation. What I’m worried about isn’t this person, nor the Treasure Grotto Immortal Realm and Fan Weiran, but several others who are also outsiders. Compared to this person’s actions…”
“A straightforward sword immortal is far more secretive. For now, I only know that fox spirit from the Silver Screen Kingdom is one of them.”

Upon hearing about the fox spirit, the white-haired old man immediately became interested. “The emperors of the Silver Screen Kingdom come and go, but the empress remains steadfast. Haha, that’s truly amusing. So, she’s also from another land. I was wondering, how could our ten-odd kingdoms nurture a five-tailed celestial fox?”

Ye Han shook his head. “She hides it well, but she’s actually a six-tailed golden core realm fox demon. This information was obtained by Yellow Axe City in exchange for the life of a Dragon Gate realm cultivator.”

The white-haired old man clicked his tongue. “Then I’ll have to avoid her in the future. Damn, a golden core realm! Isn’t that the same as you, City Lord?!”

He Lu merely polished his bamboo flute, showing no interest in these secrets that were already considered top-level matters on the mountain.

Ye Han shook his head. “Even among cultivators of the same realm, there are vast differences. Fox demons are naturally gifted at bewitching mortals, but they’ve never been good at actual combat. I don’t think she could defeat Fan Weiran. However, since she’s from another land, she must have some special magical treasures. If I were to fight her or Fan Weiran in a one-on-one duel, my chances of winning wouldn’t be great, let alone killing her.”

Ye Han turned his head and smiled. “If there’s an opportunity, that sword the outsider is carrying, if it’s truly a magical treasure, I can try to barter for it afterward and give it to you.”

The white-haired old man was bewildered. “City Lord, how would we barter for it? And here, what do you need to bargain for?”

Ye Han shook his head. “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t ask.”

Hearing the promise from the City Lord of Yellow Axe City, He Lu’s eyes lit up. Suddenly, the handsome youth glanced towards Accompaniment City, his gaze as bright as a trimmed lamp wick.

Ye Han shook his head. “Don’t even think about it. Not even I dare to have any unnecessary thoughts.”

Ye Han’s expression turned serious, and he spoke with ripples of spiritual essence, “He Lu, with the great battle imminent, I must remind you of a few things. Although your aptitude and fortune are slightly better than Yan Qing’s, allowing you to follow me to the immortal abode to pay respects to the immortal, even though the immortal didn’t show himself and only had someone receive us, it’s already a great honor. You’ve already surpassed Yan Qing. But on this mountain, those who travel a hundred miles often falter at ninety. The difference of one realm is like the difference between clouds and mud. Even the small attendant in that immortal abode dared to be disrespectful to me, relying on that immortal’s backing. That exotic treasure has already revealed its origin to you, it’s a nascent sword embryo. Sword embryos in this world are divided into those born for it, and those artificially made. The former determines from birth whether one can become a sword immortal, one in ten thousand. The latter is even more miraculous, it can allow a Qi cultivator who isn’t a sword embryo to become a sword immortal. Such a rare treasure, even if I, Ye Han, were to snatch it without anyone knowing, and give it to you, ask yourself honestly, He Lu, can you accept it and protect it?”

He Lu carefully put away his bamboo flute, stood up, and said respectfully, “Disciple understands!”

Outside Accompaniment City, on a mountain to the north.

The man wearing the divine dew-collecting armor, turned to look back at the City God Temple.

Du Yu didn’t understand, he just couldn’t understand.

Why would that senior who was so adept at calculating gains and losses and manipulating hearts be so impulsive?

How could the lives of tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of ordinary people be compared to a sword immortal’s cultivation and life?!

Even if that senior were standing in front of him right now, Du Yu would dare to shout out these rebellious words, even if he were slapped half to death or imprisoned in a cage again, Du Yu would still ask.

On this night.

The sea of clouds sank, as if heaven and earth were colliding.

Except for the cultivators at Cangyun Lake Dragon Palace and the Black Glaze Mountain pavilion, who, at the cost paid by Fan Weiran and Ye Han, could use their divine powers to see the final scene, all the other Qi cultivators who scattered like birds and beasts saw less than the ordinary people in Accompaniment City who were destined to live mundane lives.

But even Fan Weiran and Yan Qing, Ye Han and He Lu, could only see the narrow space a hundred feet above the ground and a hundred feet below the clouds.

There was a green-robed figure controlling a sword, continuously throwing punches.

As the sea of clouds slowly sank to a hundred feet above Accompaniment City.

Fan Weiran and Ye Han withdrew their divine powers almost simultaneously, their faces slightly pale.

The final scene was a golden sword light rising from the mortal realm, as if from south to north, instantly cutting open the entire sea of clouds.

After that, only the sound of thunder echoed across the region, with sword light lingering in the sea of clouds, mixed with fleeting flashes of talisman treasures.

When the world finally fell silent, the sea of clouds surrounding Accompaniment City slowly dissipated.

In the government prison within Accompaniment City, a strange sword light, darker than the night, burst out of the ground, drawing an extremely long black line towards the sky, and then flew away.

Ye Han at the Black Glaze Mountain pavilion and Fan Weiran at the Cangyun Lake Dragon Palace once again acted in unison, issuing orders to compete for the exotic treasure that had finally been born.

Hundreds and thousands of cultivators from various registered sects, rogue cultivators seeking opportunities, and martial artists attached to Qi cultivators, emerged like bamboo shoots after rain, chasing after the black line.

Then, after flying a hundred miles, the black line was suddenly swallowed by a small monkey, and an old man hid it in his sleeve and began to flee.

A chase and chaotic battle ensued.

Only an inconspicuous Ghost Axe Palace cultivator rushed towards Accompaniment City.

The entire Accompaniment City, including the city walls, all buildings taller than seventy feet had been flattened as if by a single stroke.

The man in the snow-white armor leaped onto the city wall, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not immediately enter the city. He walked along the city wall, and as far as he could see, the City God Temple seemed to have been reduced to ruins, and the high-rise buildings of many wealthy families had collapsed on the ground. Inside Accompaniment City, it was noisy and chaotic, mixed with countless shouts and cries, rising and falling. Almost every household had lit a lamp. Perhaps since the first day of Accompaniment City’s construction, there had never been a night when both rich and poor families had lit lamps at the same time, able to illuminate the city as brightly as day.

Du Yu gritted his teeth, dared not to fly, put away the Sweet Dew Armor, put the armor pills into his sleeve, and then secretly jumped off the wall. He didn’t dare to walk the main streets, but instead chose the alleys of the city.