A cultivator disdains uncertainty.

Lin Junbi especially abhorred unexpected incidents occurring near him.

Yan Lv, Zhu Mei, and Jiang Guancheng, accompanied by Bian Jing, departing for the wine shop three days prior, was not an accident, but a deliberate arrangement of his.

Yan Lv’s ancestor possessed connections with Bamboo Sea Grotto-Heaven. Yan Lv himself, with a smile concealing daggers, leaned towards the sinister, skilled at instigating conflict. Zhu Mei’s grand-uncle’s innate sword embryo was shattered by a sword immortal in his youth. She herself was deeply influenced by the teachings of the Quasi-Sage lineage, fond of championing justice, and candid to a fault. Jiang Guancheng, impulsive by nature, had been suppressing himself on this southward journey to Inverted Mountain. With these three present at the wine shop, he feared neither Chen Ping’an’s inaction nor his restraint. Even if Chen Ping’an disappointed him, revealing a rash temperament, fond of flaunting his cultivation, scarcely better than Jiang Guancheng, there was still Senior Brother Bian Jing to ensure his safety. Moreover, should Chen Ping’an act excessively, he would incur the enmity of many.

Thus, witnessing Zhu Mei and others, their countenances filled with shame, and the haughty Yan Lv, appearing somewhat uneasy, outside the pavilion of the local Sword Immortal Sun Juyuan’s residence, Lin Junbi felt no anger. He knew that pieces on his chessboard should be treated with care. This was the unequivocal advice given to him by his tutor and Daoist instructor, the Grand Preceptor of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, on the first day he was taught to play chess. Namely, that men and chess pieces differed fundamentally. Men possessed lives to live, great Daos to pursue, and a whole host of human emotions and desires. To treat them solely as inanimate objects, to manipulate them at will, was to hasten one’s own demise.

In fact, throughout the southward journey, Lin Junbi had treated Yan Lv and the others with genuine candor and respect, setting aside this particular scheme. Whether they sought his guidance on governance, swordsmanship, or the art of chess, Lin Junbi shared his knowledge without reservation.

On this southward journey, Lin Junbi had diligently studied the prodigies from the Eight Continents beyond the Central Continent, especially those with exceptionally distinct personalities, such as Lin Su from the Northern Majestic Continent, Liu Youzhou from the Snowy Continent, and Ma Kuxuan from the Treasure Bottle Continent. Each possessed merits worthy of emulation, and observing their lives could serve to temper his own Dao heart.

But at this moment, Lin Junbi felt somewhat caught off guard, as if he were the sole player on a chessboard, unable to borrow any techniques, or seize any advantage. He and his natal flying sword were the only ones confronting this perilous situation.

Earlier, within Sun Juyuan’s mansion, Lin Junbi had frankly told Bian Jing that he did not wish to confront Chen Ping’an so soon, as he truly lacked the odds of victory. After all, he was not yet fifteen years of age.

If that was his assessment of Chen Ping’an, his assessment of Ning Yao was even more so. Lin Junbi’s confidence stemmed from the comparison between his future self, ten years hence, and the Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao of today. Or rather, between the Lin Junbi of today, and the Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao of ten years prior.

This was the second of the Grand Preceptor’s teachings: those who compete with others in strength and spirit, and refuse to concede, are prone to an early death.

Lin Junbi’s mind raced, hoping to devise an all-encompassing plan to extricate himself from this predicament.

As to why Lin Junbi harbored such animosity or, rather, lingering thoughts towards Chen Ping’an, it was undoubtedly a ripple effect from that debate regarding the merits of the “Three Teachings and Four Schools”. Students of Confucianism hold the heavens, the sovereign, parents, and teachers in the highest regard. In the path of cultivation, the teacher-student relationship is often the closest, exerting the longest-lasting and most profound influence. Lin Junbi was no exception. Once one pledged allegiance to a particular branch of scholarship, one often inherited the past grievances as well. His teacher and that Old Scholar held deep-seated grudges. The Shao Yuan Dynasty had been the earliest and most zealous of the Central Continent dynasties in proscribing the books and teachings of the Sage of Literature. Yet, in private discussions about the Old Scholar, the Grand Preceptor, who had once been poised to ascend to the positions of Vice-Chief Sacrificant and Chief Sacrificant of the Academy, and Vice-Leader of the Temple of Literature, displayed little animosity or resentment. If one disregarded the man’s character and focused solely on his scholarship, the Grand Preceptor actually admired him quite a bit, which only served to exacerbate Lin Junbi’s displeasure.

After Ning Yao uttered those words, she fell silent.

To her, Lin Junbi’s choice was simple: sheath his sword and admit defeat, or draw his sword and lose, suffering more pain.

Thus, Ning Yao could not fathom what there was to ponder.

Ning Yao disliked this youth. Apart from his inability to control his gaze and his awkwardness in speech, she also disliked his excessive calculation and lack of purity. A sword cultivator honing his sword should advance without hesitation. To deliberately suppress his cultivation was to show a complete lack of respect for his natal flying sword. If the various schools of thought, within the Three Teachings and Hundred Schools, harbored criticisms and objections towards sword cultivators and their flying swords, one could understand it as a difference in philosophies. Why, then, would the sword cultivator himself be unwilling to offer a little sincerity? Therefore, if the opponent drew his sword and lost, Ning Yao intended to utter only one sentence: “Of all the myriad divine arts in the world, none is as direct as the flying sword.” If he admitted defeat without drawing his sword, then there would be no need to say anything further.

In truth, aside from Lin Junbi’s current predicament, Yan Lv, who stood locked in a staredown not far away, was also in a very awkward position.

As for Liu Tiefu, the second-in-command guard of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, a Dragon Gate realm sword cultivator, he was far from awkward. On the contrary, he was quite delighted. The reason was simple: he proclaimed himself the foremost admirer of Ning Yao at the Great Wall of Sword Qi. He had grown up in the back alleys, but he possessed a thick skin. In the beginning, he had spared no effort in trying to ingratiate himself into the Ning family, such as becoming an unofficial disciple of Nalan Yexing, like Cui Wei, or attempting to work as a handyman at the Ning residence, perhaps as a doorman or guard. However, every time he encountered Ning Yao on the street, Liu Tiefu would flush crimson, lower his head, and scurry away, all in one fluid motion. He would gaze upon Ning Yao from afar, feeling content with just a glimpse. He claimed that being too close to Ning Yao made him turn pale and sweat profusely, making him afraid of annoying her.

Therefore, Liu Tiefu loudly told Yan Lv that they could spar after things settled down over there.

As for whether Yan Lv understood his dialect, Liu Tiefu didn’t care. In any case, he had already squatted down, gazing at the Young Lady Ning from afar, waving a few times, probably wanting the young man with the blue robes and white jade hairpin beside Young Lady Ning to kindly move aside so that he would not obstruct his admiration of Young Lady Ning.
Liu Tiehu was quite impressed with the outlander Chen Ping’an. Even though Chen Ping’an had defeated Qi Shou and Pang Yuanji, Liu Tiehu still felt he wasn’t worthy of Miss Ning. But since Miss Ning liked him, he had to put up with it. He couldn’t do anything else; he couldn’t beat Chen Ping’an. So, he found an opportunity to go to the liquor shop, drank some wine, carved his name on a jade pendant, and secretly wrote a sentence on the back: “Miss Ning, I’m heartbroken that you’ve found someone.” The second time Liu Tiehu went to the shop, he saw Chen Ping’an standing at the entrance, smiling and beckoning him. “Let’s chat,” Chen Ping’an said. Without a word, Liu Tiehu ran for his life. He only dared to inquire through others whether his jade pendant had been discarded. Learning it hadn’t, he felt that Chen Ping’an was not so bad after all.

The man Miss Ning fancied couldn’t be petty or malicious.

One after another, sword immortals rushed from the city walls, landing on the rooftops of mansions lining both sides of the street.

Moreover, in the sky between the Sword Qi Great Wall and the city, more sword immortals were constantly arriving on their swords.

Lin Junbi looked calm, cupping his fist towards Ning Yao. “In my youth, I was ignorant and offended you. Lin Junbi concedes.”

Bian Jing breathed a sigh of relief. Not drawing his sword was the right choice. If he had, Bian Jing would have worried that Lin Junbi, the future pillar of the Shaoyuan Dynasty’s sword path, would suffer a sword heart collapse in a foreign land. Then, the National Preceptor wouldn’t have let Bian Jing off easily. Unlike Lin Junbi’s meticulous considerations, Bian Jing didn’t overthink. He only chose one or two threads to see through. For example, there was a saying on the Sword Qi Great Wall: Ning Yao was one type of sword cultivator, and all others were another. Furthermore, Ning Yao had participated in many battles outside the city and traveled the Vast Expanse alone at a young age. Ning Yao was definitely not the type of frog in a well with exceptional talent. Therefore, Ning Yao’s words implied she was confident of victory; her words were her sword.

So, Bian Jing didn’t need to delve into what flying sword Ning Yao wielded, how strong its killing power was, what divine abilities she possessed, or what her cultivation realm was.

There was no need.

Ning Yao said, “Then what is the point of you coming to the Sword Qi Great Wall to practice your sword?”

Lin Junbi smiled faintly. “No need for Sister Ning to worry. Junbi has his own path to walk.”

Ning Yao frowned. “Take back those words.”

Lin Junbi said helplessly, “Has the Sword Qi Great Wall become a place where outsiders need to be so cautious? Would I need to be apprehensive every time I draw my sword in the future?”

Ning Yao turned to look at Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Don’t mind my opinion. Ning Yao is Ning Yao.”

Bian Jing took a step forward.

He couldn’t just stand by and watch Lin Junbi become incoherent. He was still a young man, and his so-called composure was mostly from being influenced by the National Preceptor over the years. He was merely imitating, not having grasped the essence. Moreover, the pressure from so many sword immortals watching was too much for Lin Junbi. Yan Lv and Zhu Mei couldn’t see it, but Bian Jing was clear that Lin Junbi was almost at his limit. Those who think too much tend to act recklessly once they make a move. Before leaving the Shaoyuan Dynasty, the National Preceptor had specifically asked Bian Jing, his half-disciple, to stop his junior brother Lin Junbi at a crucial moment. The goal was to help Lin Junbi win in life by “losing” in a way that wouldn’t damage the foundations of his cultivation.

In the National Preceptor’s eyes, his prized disciple Lin Junbi had come to the Sword Qi Great Wall not to practice his sword but primarily to cultivate his mind. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter much where Lin Junbi, an unparalleled innate sword embryo, cultivated his sword—on a peak far from the mundane world, in the muddy marketplace, or in the imperial court. The problem was that Lin Junbi was too arrogant without realizing it. This was an extreme. Junbi’s sword skills would inevitably improve further, so there was no need to rush. But Junbi’s temperament needed to lean towards moderation, avoiding another extreme, or his dao heart would be clouded and his sword heart shattered, leading to great calamity.

Bian Jing was even a little jealous of Lin Junbi for being worthy of the National Preceptor’s careful guidance on his path of cultivation.

Chen Ping’an wore a smile. Almost simultaneously, he took a step forward with Bian Jing, smiling at this fellow daoist who was good at pretending. Unfortunately, the other party had only reached the level of pretending to be a son, not even a grandson; he was still lacking. Earlier, during the conflict at the liquor shop, this brother’s performance was too obvious, not natural enough. At the very least, the panic and seeming belated flurry in his expression and eyes weren’t skillful or natural enough; it was overdone.

At least it didn’t work on Chen Ping’an.

Ning Yao said, “You might think that the outsider’s three trials are us bullying others, but that’s not the case. It’s a form of respect from us sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall. What does it matter if you don’t pass the three trials or lose all three matches? Daring to come to the Sword Qi Great Wall to train and daring to glance at the desolate world from the city walls is enough to prove your identity as a sword cultivator. But since you’ve put so much thought into this, devising rules and scheming against the Sword Qi Great Wall, that’s fine too. In battlefield combat, succeeding in scheming against your opponent is your ability, Lin Junbi. After all, sword cultivators speak with their swords. Winning is winning.”

The watching sword immortals nodded in agreement, most with knowing smiles.

Almost all of the local sword immortals had been young once and had personally guarded the three trials.

On the other hand, some of the younger sword cultivators looked at each other, realizing only after Ning Yao’s words that they were so noble and virtuous? But that wasn’t right. Their original intention was to beat those outsiders until they were covered in dirt, wasn’t it? Like Qi Shou and his group, plus Pang Yuanji, who was only supposed to be joining in the fun, joining forces to beat that Second Shopkeeper—they had all initially taken it as a joke. As for the fact that the black-hearted, stingy Second Shopkeeper ended up winning, that was another matter. But now that she said it, Ning Yao wasn’t wrong. The Sword Qi Great Wall had no prejudice against true experts, no matter where they came from in the Vast Expanse, and they were more or less willing to offer some genuine respect.

Sword immortals included the damnable A Liang and Zuo You, whose sword skills were unparalleled, as well as the elegant Wei Jin from the small Azure Bottle Continent.

Among the younger generation, there was first the otherworldly Cao Ci, and then the shameless Chen Ping’an.

Lin Junbi took a deep breath. “Do you really want me to draw my sword and fight to the death before you’ll be satisfied?”

“Those words earlier were just polite. I want you to draw your sword simply because I find you unpleasant.”

Ning Yao said, “Since you said you were young and ignorant, then I’ll suppress my cultivation to an even lower level than yours. If you still don’t dare to draw your sword, how will you ever dare to draw your sword against Gao Youqing?”

At this point, Ning Yao turned to look at the teary-eyed girl standing between Gao Yehou and Pang Yuanji. “Why are you crying? Go home and cry.”
Gao Youqing’s face was already free of tears, but she still hastily wiped her cheeks, visibly shaken.

Bian Jing instantly realized the gravity of the situation and was about to act, but a single glance from Chen Ping’an caused him to hesitate for a fleeting moment.

Lin Junbi felt as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss.

On the street, from the doorways to the rooftops, a flash of sword light erupted everywhere. In an instant, Lin Junbi felt as if he were trapped within a colossal sword formation.

Dozens of flying swords, seemingly imbued with the spirit of Upper Fifth Realm Sword Immortals and Earthly Immortals, surrounded the young Lin Junbi. The purity of their sword intent and the intensity of their killing aura were undeniably genuine.

Each flying sword hovering around Lin Junbi pointed its tip at a different, but crucial, acupoint essential to his cultivation.

However, this wasn’t the most terrifying thing for Lin Junbi.

The most despairing sight for the young man was the flying sword hovering a mere ten feet in front of him, its tip aimed directly at his brow.

Lin Junbi’s natal sword was named “Slay Dragon.”

And the one before him was precisely “Slay Dragon.”

Lin Junbi’s natal sword naturally resided within his natal acupoint. The sword before him was obviously a replica, yet apart from the lack of mental connection, its aura, sword energy, and divine essence were virtually identical to his own natal sword. Lin Junbi even suspected that this replica, which shouldn’t even exist in this world, might actually possess the innate divine power of the true Slay Dragon.

It wasn’t just Lin Junbi; even Chen Ping’an realized at that moment why Ning Yao had once casually remarked, “Realm means little to me.”

It was a pity Ning Yao never enjoyed discussing her cultivation with Chen Ping’an.

She would more often listen patiently to his trivial ramblings, or swat away his surreptitious attempts to hold her hand.

After Lin Junbi’s greatest despair came an even greater despair.

If Ning Yao summoning so many unfathomable flying swords, especially one that could mimic his own natal sword, and using dozens of offensive flying swords to trap him was already earth-shattering, then Ning Yao’s creation of a miniature world with dozens more swords intertwined, suppressing her realm to the Viewing Sea level, was beyond comprehension. She was indeed at the Viewing Sea Realm, but what kind of Viewing Sea Realm was this?

Even for Bian Jing, a cultivator at the Golden Core bottleneck, would it be easy to break through such a miniature world with his flying swords?

Ning Yao said calmly, “Draw your sword.”

Lin Junbi was dazed and did not draw his sword. He asked in a trembling voice, “Why can swordplay be so refined and profound?”

Ning Yao replied, “All arts and techniques originate from swordplay, don’t you know that? You don’t think Sword Immortals of the Great Wall of Swords only use their swords to smash enemies on the battlefield, do you?”

Ning Yao looked at the young man and shook her head, dismissing the flying swords and the miniature world around her.

The dozens of flying swords surrounding Lin Junbi vanished.

Bian Jing cried out softly, “Don’t!”

Bian Jing lunged forward, disregarding the need to conceal his true cultivation, to stop Lin Junbi from recklessly summoning his natal sword.

Chen Ping’an, aware of the young man’s sinister intentions, remained still, hands tucked into his sleeves, content to leave the battle to Ning Yao.

Ning Yao was not only the most talented among her peers, but also had amassed significant combat experience and meritorious service in battles beyond the city walls.

A small, exquisite sword formation materialized before Ning Yao, its golden light capturing and restraining the Slay Dragon sword that Lin Junbi had suddenly summoned.

Not only that.

The dozens of flying swords that had flashed around Lin Junbi earlier shot forward like a volley of arrows, simultaneously piercing dozens of acupoints in Lin Junbi’s body. Then, they abruptly halted, their tips pointing outwards and hilts facing the young man. Among them was the replica of Slay Dragon, which flashed past Lin Junbi’s brow and hovered ten feet behind him, its tip condensing a drop of blood.

Lin Junbi was covered in blood and tottering.

Lin Junbi’s eyes were fixed on Ning Yao, who seemed to have already become a Sword Immortal.

The young man, who was bound to lose and should have conceded, suddenly had two golden gleams ignite in the depths of his eyes.

They were two natal swords, hidden and nurtured within his eyes for years, indicating that Lin Junbi, like Qi Shou, possessed three innate flying swords.

However, the dozens of suspended flying swords, which had only inflicted light injuries on the young man, drew arcs of various colored sword lights, converging their tips before Lin Junbi’s eyes.

Lin Junbi remained motionless.

The young man’s nascent soul separated from his body, taking a few steps sideways, holding a long sword, ready to attack Ning Yao.

Ning Yao also remained still. Her nascent soul, ethereal as a celestial being, held a semi-immortal weapon that had long been refined as her natal treasure. Without even glancing at Lin Junbi’s nascent soul, she held her sword in one hand, its tip already pressed against the young man’s forehead.

Ning Yao’s true form slowly said, “Restraining myself from killing you is harder than killing you at will. So cherish your life.”

Only at this moment did Lin Junbi realize what the National Preceptor meant by the disparity between geniuses.

Lin Junbi was covered in blood, his eyes dim, and his heart as withered as wood.

Bian Jing, to show his sincerity, didn’t rush. He walked to Lin Junbi’s side, placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder, and said in a deep voice, “Chess games cannot be without victory and defeat!”

Lin Junbi’s eyes regained some of their former brightness.

A watching Sword Immortal laughed, “Too unfulfilling. Even with suppressed cultivation, that girl Ning still held back significantly.”

A fellow Sword Immortal said, “That’s enough. At the age of that brain-damaged kid, we’d probably be even worse.”

Sword Immortal Tao Wen suddenly blurted out, “Probably drank too much of Chen Ping’an’s wine.”

Many Sword Immortals and sword cultivators nodded in agreement.

An Immortal Realm old Sword Immortal laughed, “Girl Ning, my ‘Horizontal Star Dipper’ replica isn’t good enough, still lacking in some fire, huh? What, looking down on my natal sword?”

An old Sword Immortal watching from his mansion on Taixiang Street scoffed, “Your broken sword was no good to begin with. Every time it goes to battle, it’s a mess of looking out for the head but not the tail. What’s the point of replicating it well?”

Liu Tiefu wiped his eyes, filled with excitement. As expected of the girl Ning he only dared to admire from afar, she was too powerful.
Chen Ping’an, hands tucked into his sleeves, spoke pointedly to Lin Junbi, “Victory or defeat is but a trifle to you, and face is only slightly more important. Besides, you’re getting the chance to have my Ning Yao draw her sword, how much can you really lose? So stop putting on an act with me. Accept the good fortune with a smile, cherish it, and go home and secretly rejoice. Otherwise, I might just get impolite with you.”

Then, Chen Ping’an said to Bian Jing with a smile, “You worried about him for nothing.”

Lin Junbi acted as if he hadn’t heard a word. His yin spirit sheathed its sword and returned to his body. He cupped his fist in a bow and said, “Thank you, Senior Ning, for the guidance in swordsmanship. Junbi will never forget it in this lifetime.”

Ning Yao retrieved her sword-wielding yin spirit and said, “Suit yourself. Anyway, I won’t remember who you are.”

Then, Ning Yao looked towards Yan Lu and Liu Tiefu on the street, frowning, “Still watching the show?”

Liu Tiefu leaped up, exclaiming to himself, ‘Good heavens, Miss Ning actually looked at me! I’m nervous, really nervous.’

Yan Lu, on the other hand, felt that this fight, whether he fought it or not, seemed to lack any real interest. Winning would be unfulfilling, and losing would be humiliating. He figured that no matter how fiercely they fought next, few people would bother to watch.

Seeing the woman sheathe her sword, the sword immortals had already formed groups and flown away on their swords. These high and mighty divine figures seemed quite merry as they departed.

Lin Junbi turned and left, staggering slightly.

The opponent’s sword strike hadn’t damaged the foundation of his cultivation, only his appearance was a bit miserable.

As for the victory or defeat, just as that fellow had said, Ning Yao proved that her swordplay was indeed too high, which in turn did not harm Lin Junbi’s Dao heart too much. Influence there would certainly be, and for the next few years, Lin Junbi’s sword heart would likely be shrouded in gloom, as if an invisible mountain was suppressing his heart lake. However, Lin Junbi believed he could dispel the gloom and move the mountain. Only Chen Ping’an’s words from outside the battle had truly disgusted him! They left Lin Junbi feeling suffocated with resentment.

Bian Jing was the first to reach Lin Junbi’s side.

Lin Junbi’s face was pale, but he chuckled softly, “I’m fine. I can afford to lose.”

Bian Jing turned to look at the blue-robed youth who looked so deserving of a beating. He felt something odd. This Chen Ping’an’s ‘beat-me’ aura was different from that of Cao Ci in white robes.

Cao Ci’s martial arts were magnificent. Approaching him was like looking up at a towering mountain. Therefore, even without Cao Ci speaking, he gave others the illusion of ‘you really can’t beat me, I advise you not to try.’ Chen Ping’an, on the other hand, seemed to have the words ‘You can definitely beat me, why don’t you give it a try’ written on his forehead.

Bian Jing couldn’t help but sigh. Had he encountered a predecessor who had attained enlightenment?

As Lin Junbi and Bian Jing left, Jiang Guancheng and the others followed.

Lin Junbi didn’t forget to nod to a Golden Core sword cultivator, who returned the gesture.

Zhu Mei still didn’t want to leave, so five or six people stayed with her.

After all, there were still two more trials to pass.

Zhu Mei felt strange. She had only seen Ning Yao draw her sword once, and an overwhelming admiration had arisen within her. But why would Ning Yao be fond of the man by her side? In matters of love, how could the Ning Fairy be so clueless?

Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao walked together towards Yan Zhuo and the others.

After Ning Yao appeared, no one dared to cheer or boo or whistle along the way.

No wonder the Sword Qi Great Wall had a saying:

What happens when Ning Yao draws her sword? Being one realm higher is useless.

This made Chen Ping’an feel both happy and aggrieved. Why was he the only one so disliked? So many bastards, drinking at the dinner table or squatting by the roadside eating pickles, had no qualms about calling him brother.

Diezhang, full of energy, whispered something to Ning Yao.

Chen Ping’an rubbed his chin with his palm and turned to ask Fan Dache, “Dache.”

Fan Dache was a little flustered, “What is it now?”

Chen Ping’an asked sincerely, “What do you think of me as a person?”

Fan Dache carefully glanced at Ning Yao beside him and nodded vigorously, “Very good!”

Chen Ping’an humbly asked for guidance, “Are there any areas that need improvement? I like it best when people tell me my shortcomings frankly.”

Fan Dache shook his head, “No!”

Ning Yao smiled and nodded from the side.

Fan Dache almost burst into tears. It turned out that if he hadn’t said something good, Miss Ning would really have taken it to heart.

Miss Ning, you didn’t seem like this kind of person before.

On the street.

Yan Lu and Liu Tiefu began their second trial.

Compared to Lin Junbi and Gao Youqing’s, two Seas Gazing Realm cultivators, instant victory and defeat, the two fought back and forth, with techniques emerging one after another.

Chen Ping’an watched with focused concentration.

Chen Sanqiu wondered, “Is it necessary to watch the battle so carefully?”

Chen Ping’an nodded, carefully studying the complex trajectories of the two flying swords, and smiled, “Apart from you friends, I regard everyone else as a deadly enemy.”

Fan Dache hesitated and tentatively asked, “Do I count as a friend?”

Chen Ping’an subconsciously retracted his gaze and looked at Fan Dache, “Of course.”

Fan Dache mustered his courage and said, “Friends are friends, but still not as good as Sanqiu and them, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t need to deliberately look at me when you talk to me.”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but pause for a moment, not denying it, and smiled, “Why are you such a sentimental guy?”

Except for Ning Yao, everyone laughed and looked at Chen Ping’an.

Fan Dache quietly took a step, his smile forced, and gently nudged Chen Sanqiu with his elbow, “Five snowflakes coins for a pot of wine, I understand.”

Chen Sanqiu said angrily, “You understand my ass.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly said, “Dache, from now on, go to Ning’s residence with Sanqiu often. We’ll take turns sparring with you. Remember, if you really break through, go to the wine shop and drink and howl a few times. That pot of wine worth five snowflake coins will be my congratulatory drink.”

Fan Dache was stunned and didn’t speak.

Chen Sanqiu stepped on Fan Dache’s foot, and Fan Dache finally came back to his senses, gave an “mm” sound, and said no problem.

As Chen Ping’an had expected, Yan Lu narrowly won the second trial.

Liu Tiefu didn’t lose too badly.

Boos arose from both sides of the street. Liu Tiefu, with his thick skin, grinned, cupped his fists, and smiled to thank the sword immortals for watching.

For the third trial, Situ Weiran was in charge of defending the checkpoint.
The opponent was a Golden Core Sword Cultivator named Jin Zhenmeng. Having just broken through and ascended to the rank of Earth Immortal Sword Cultivator not long ago, in his early thirties, he was also a highly renowned prodigy of the Shaoyuan Dynasty. However, this southward journey, far from his homeland, had seen all his brilliance overshadowed by the sword dao talents of Lin Junbi and Yan Lv, as well as the illustrious family backgrounds of Zhu Mei and Jiang Guancheng. Furthermore, Jin Zhenmeng himself wasn’t the type of sword cultivator who enjoyed aggressively pushing himself to the forefront. This time, participating in the three trials, even knowing he was merely a “discarded pawn” of Lin Junbi’s grand strategy, he harbored little resentment. To be able to exchange sword techniques with peers from the Great Wall of Swords, with true geniuses, was a fortunate experience for Jin Zhenmeng, the eldest among the traveling group. Accompanying the youthful geniuses southward to Inverted Peak Mountain, residing in the Plum Blossom Courtyard, and now arriving at the Sword Immortal Sun’s residence, Jin Zhenmeng obediently followed Lin Junbi’s arrangements, while secretly harboring numerous personal plans, all related to the sword.

Therefore, this trial, although the outcome was practically predetermined, resembled a proper and formal sword debate.

Situ Weiran also didn’t deliberately seek a swift victory, treating the spar as a form of cultivation experience.

Thus, after an incense stick’s worth of time, Jin Zhenmeng sheathed his sword and conceded defeat. The usually proud and arrogant Situ Weiran even managed a rare smile, returning the courtesy after sheathing her sword.

In reality, speaking only of the three trials, Lin Junbi’s side had achieved a resounding victory.

However, as matters stood, nobody on Lin Junbi’s side felt they had gained even the slightest advantage.

With the conclusion of the three trials, the sword cultivators who had been spectating on the streets dispersed.

Many went directly to Diezhang’s tavern. Having witnessed an extra performance, today’s side dishes would be particularly delectable, far superior to those plates of overly salty preserved vegetables. Though, now that there was a bowl of complimentary clear broth noodles available, they could tolerate the second shopkeeper’s attitude.

Ning Yao didn’t join the boisterous crowd at the tavern, stating that she needed to return and cultivate. She only reminded Chen Pingan to drink less, as he was injured.

Yan Zhuo inquired, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Pingan replied with a mental whisper, smiling, “I’ve been refining my natal treasure these past few days, and encountered a little trouble.”

Yan Zhuo didn’t ask further.

Chen Sanqiu also remained silent.

Earlier, there seemed to have been some unusual phenomenon occurring at the Ning residence. Unbeknownst to ordinary Sword Immortals, it had actually alarmed the Ancestor Chen Xi. Chen Sanqiu, who had been practicing his swordsmanship at the time, was completely bewildered as to why the Ancestor would appear. The Ancestor merely smiled and said to Chen Sanqiu, “The old monk dozing on the meditation cushion atop the city wall for many years, he will likely open his eyes to look now.”