Qi Jinglong stood up and said with a smile, “Liu Jinglong from the Taiwei Sword Sect, greetings, Miss Ning.”

Ning Yao smiled, “It’s a pleasure to meet Mr. Liu.”

Bai Shou reached out and knocked away the Five Finger Mountain that Chen Pingan had placed on his head, utterly confused. The address was a bit intriguing.

Chen Pingan folded his hands in his sleeves, smiling along.

As for the pot of wine on the long bench, before folding his hands, he had already secretly extended a finger and pushed it towards Bai Shou. This master and disciple, both tipplers, it wasn’t good, he needed to advise them.

Ning Yao sat beside Chen Pingan.

Bai Shou sat down next to Qi Jinglong, not forgetting to grab the pot of wine when he got up.

Ning Yao took the initiative to speak, “I traveled to the Northern Ju Continent in my early years, but I never visited the Taiwei Sword Sect, mostly wandering at the foot of the mountains.”

Qi Jinglong nodded, “In the future, you can return to the Northern Ju Continent with Chen Pingan. The scenery of Pianran Peak is quite good.”

Ning Yao shook her head, “It will be difficult in the near future.”

Qi Jinglong said, “Indeed.”

Ning Yao was silent for a moment, then turned to look at the white-haired youth.

Bai Shou immediately sat up straight, instinctively.

Ning Yao said, “Since you are Mr. Liu’s only disciple, why not practice swordsmanship properly?”

Although there was the word “why” in her words, it wasn’t a questioning tone.

Bai Shou, like a student encountering a teacher checking homework, said nervously, “Sister Ning, I will work hard!”

Ning Yao said, “When a sword cultivator practices the sword, they must ask their true heart. Asking the sword, is when one is completely puzzled, and then silently asks the heavens and earth with the sword, demanding that the great Dao of heaven and earth, must answer, even if it doesn’t want to.”

The youth was so aggrieved that he didn’t dare to show it on his face, and could only nod vigorously like a chick pecking rice.

However, Sister Ning’s words were truly heroic. After listening to Sister Ning’s teachings, he wanted to drink some wine. After drinking the wine, he would definitely practice swordsmanship properly.

Qi Jinglong didn’t think there was anything wrong with Ning Yao’s words.

If someone else had said it, it might have been inappropriate, but in the Sword Qi Great Wall, Ning Yao guiding others in swordsmanship was no different from a sword immortal imparting knowledge. Moreover, the reason why Ning Yao was willing to say this was naturally not because Ning Yao was confirming rumors, but simply because the person sitting across from her was Chen Pingan’s friend, and the friend’s disciple, and because both sides were sword cultivators.

Ning Yao got up to take her leave, “I’m going back to seclusion.”

Qi Jinglong rose and said, “I’ve disturbed Miss Ning’s seclusion.”

Ning Yao said to Chen Pingan, “There are some treasured wines at home, just ask Grandpa Nalan.”

Qi Jinglong was stunned and explained, “Miss Ning, I don’t drink alcohol.”

Ning Yao smiled, “Mr. Liu, no need to be polite. Even if the Ning residence doesn’t have enough wine, the Sword Qi Great Wall has nothing but swordsmen and plenty of wine.”

Chen Pingan deeply agreed and nodded, “Yes, yes.”

He secretly gave Ning Yao a thumbs up.

In fact, in the travelogue written by Chen Pingan himself, it was written whether Qi Jinglong liked to drink or not. Ning Yao naturally knew it clearly.

As soon as Ning Yao left.

Bai Shou was relieved, leaning back on the railing, his eyes resentful, “Chen Pingan, aren’t you afraid of Sister Ning? I’m almost scared to death. I wasn’t this nervous even when I met the Sect Leader before.”

Chen Pingan said with a smile, “Afraid of what? What’s a grown man doing, being afraid of his own wife?”

Qi Jinglong suddenly turned to look at the connection between the corridor and the Dragon Slaying Cliff.

Chen Pingan immediately tensed up, stretched his neck and looked over, but there was no sign of Ning Yao, and then he scolded with a smile, “Qi Jinglong, good fellow, you’ve become an Upper Five Realms sword immortal, haven’t learned more truth, but have more deviousness!”

Qi Jinglong smiled, “Tell me honestly, in this Sword Qi Great Wall, how many people now think I’m a drunkard? Think slowly, speak carefully.”

Chen Pingan asked, “Look at how long I’ve been in the Sword Qi Great Wall, how busy I am every day, I have to practice diligently, right? And I often go to the city wall to practice swordsmanship with my senior brother, and I often accidentally have to lie in bed for ten days and a half months, and every day I have to spend a full ten hours refining Qi, so the Qi refiner has broken through the realm again, a Fifth Realm cultivator, in the Sword Qi Great Wall full of sword immortals, do I have the face to go out and wander around often? You ask yourself, how many people can I meet this year?”

Qi Jinglong said, “Explaining so much?”

Chen Pingan was speechless, it was a bit of an overreaction.

Qi Jinglong stood up and smiled, “I’ve long admired the Ning residence’s Dragon Slaying Platform and Mustard Seed Small World. I’ve already seen the Dragon Slaying Platform, let’s go down and take a look at the training ground.”

Bai Shou asked in confusion, “When did you see the Dragon Slaying Platform, where is it?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “You have a puppy’s head for nothing, where are your dog eyes?”

Bai Shou said angrily, “For Sister Ning’s sake, I won’t argue with you!”

Chen Pingan stomped his foot, “Lower your dog head, and open your dog eyes wide.”

Bai Shou was stunned, “The entire hill under the pavilion is the Dragon Slaying Platform?!”

Chen Pingan had already accompanied Qi Jinglong down the Dragon Slaying Cliff, heading towards that Mustard Seed Small World.

Bai Shou didn’t follow to join the fun. What Mustard Seed Small World, where is it more interesting than the Dragon Slaying Platform for the youth. At first, near the Armory, he only heard that there was a very large Dragon Slaying Platform here, but at that time, the limit of the youth’s imagination was about the size of a table, never did he imagine it would be the size of a house! At this moment, Bai Shou was lying on the ground, sticking his butt up, reaching out and stroking the ground, then turning his head, bending his fingers, and gently tapping, listening to the sound, but there was no movement at all. Bai Shou wiped the ground with his wrist and exclaimed, “Goodness, Sister Ning’s family is really rich!”

Walking in the Mustard Seed Small World with Chen Pingan, Qi Jinglong said, “I heard a lot about your deeds in the Armory. The title of Second Shopkeeper, not to mention the Sword Qi Great Wall, I’ve even heard about it in Chunfan Studio.”

Chen Pingan said helplessly, “Good deeds don’t leave a name, bad deeds travel a thousand miles.”

Qi Jinglong said, “Speaking here?”

Chen Pingan said, “Ordinary words, no need to be discreet.”

With Nalan Yexing helping to keep an eye on things, coupled with the fact that both sides were in the Mustard Seed Small World, even if there were sword immortals spying, they would have to weigh the combined killing power of the three forces.

In addition to Nalan Yexing, the Ning residence’s sword immortal whose realm had fallen but still retained his Jade Purity state, Qi Jinglong himself was a Jade Purity Realm sword immortal, and behind him were Sect Leader Han Huaizi and female sword immortal Li Cai, or rather, the entire Northern Ju Continent. As for Chen Pingan, there was a senior brother Zuo You sitting in town on the city wall, which was enough.
Qi Jinglong finally said, “You’ve done all three things very well. Learning that costs nothing, the kind you can pick up off the ground, is often ignored, and even if picked up, it isn’t cherished.”

Chen Ping’an looked serious and said, “Continue. You, an outsider to the Great Wall of Sword Qi, can help me analyze things better.”

Qi Jinglong slowly said, “Opening a wine shop, selling immortal wine, the key lies in the couplets and horizontal inscriptions, as well as those seemingly insignificant plaques on the walls inside the shop, where everyone writes their name and thoughts.”

“As for the silk shop, from the ‘Hundred Sword Immortals’ Seal Collection’ to the ‘Two Hundred Sword Immortals’ Seal Collection,’ and then to the folding fans.”

“And the storytellers at the street corners, sharing melon seeds and snacks with the children.”

After Qi Jinglong finished talking about the three things, he began to draw a conclusion. “The cultivators with the thickest foundations but also the poorest pockets in the world are sword cultivators. To nurture their swords, they fill this bottomless pit by selling everything they own, emptying their family fortunes. If they happen to have some spare money here on the Great Wall of Sword Qi, men will inevitably spend it on drinking and gambling. Female sword cultivators have relatively less to do, so they simply buy objects that catch their eye based on their preferences. However, they often don’t feel that spending money in this way is something worth mentioning. Cheap Bamboo Sea Grotto Heaven wine, or rather, Azure God Mountain wine, can usually entice people to drink once or twice, but it can’t necessarily retain them as regulars, making it difficult to compete with the larger taverns for returning customers. But regardless of the initial intention, as long as they hang a plaque on the wall, they will have a small, negligible concern in their heart, seemingly light, but in reality, it isn’t. Especially those sword immortals with different personalities, using sword qi as their brush, how could their strokes be light? The many words on the plaques are hardly unintentional. Some sword immortals and sword cultivators are clearly giving their last words to this world.”

“If it were me, Qi Jinglong, going to that wine shop to drink, even if the tables and chairs were old and the wine was crude, even if I were eating free plain noodles and pickles, or even squatting by the roadside to drink, those who truly kept me company would be the ambitions of those hundred-odd sword immortals and sword cultivators, the essence of their lifelong sword intent, a kind of drunken truth-telling, hoping that one day in the future, descendants could open those plaques and know that there were once sages who came to this world and drew their swords.”

“Of course, with the wine shop, as long as business is good, you, the second shopkeeper, can hear the most stories of the Great Wall of Sword Qi in the most natural and inconspicuous way, allowing you to understand the complex chessboard that is the Great Wall of Sword Qi at an extremely rapid pace.”

Chen Ping’an nodded and said, “Besides that, it’s also about helping Ning Yao’s friend, who is now also my friend, Miss Diezhang, attract business. That was the earliest intention. Subsequent ideas arose gradually. The initial intention and the schemes are actually very close, almost as soon as one thought arises, it gives birth to others.”

Qi Jinglong laughed, “To be able to speak so frankly, if you become a sword cultivator in the future, with a sword heart that walks on a clear and bright path, it would be enough to have you hang as a venerated guest in my Taihui Sword Sect.”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Didn’t you try to persuade Sect Leader Han?”

Qi Jinglong said with a bitter smile, “I tried, and all I got was a scolding. What else could I do? Actually, I didn’t want to persuade him myself. It was Ancestor Huangtong who persuaded me to persuade the Sect Leader. I couldn’t refuse a request from an elder.”

Earlier, Qi Jinglong had forgotten the pot of wine on the long chair, and Chen Ping’an had helped him carry it. Now it came in handy, and he handed it over. “According to the saying here, ‘Sword Immortals don’t drink wine, Nascent Souls take a stroll.’ Hurry up and drink. You might accidentally and secretly break through another realm and become an Immortal as well. Then, relying on your young age, have Sect Leader Han suppress his realm and spar with you. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to beat Sect Leader Han back to the Northern Great Continent?”

Qi Jinglong took the pot of wine but didn’t drink, not wanting to pick up on that topic at all. He continued the previous topic, “Seals are originally scholarly objects on a scholar’s desk, most suited to one’s own knowledge and true nature. In the vast world, scholars at most borrow the hands of others, hiring masters at great expense to carve inscriptions and side inscriptions. They rarely entrust the seals and inscriptions to others at the same time. Therefore, your two hundred seals, regardless of anything else, first the ‘Hundred Sword Immortals’ Seal Collection,’ then the ‘Two Hundred Sword Immortals’ Seal Collection,’ whether people like to look at them or not, whether they like to buy them or not, actually tests their eye for them the most. So you put a lot of thought into it. But without the many rumors and anecdotes from the wine shop to pave the way, allowing you to have a direction and carefully ponder the thoughts of so many sword immortals and earthly immortal sword cultivators, especially their life paths, you would never have been able to achieve this result, to be eagerly awaited for the next seal like you are now, even if the inscription doesn’t match their heart. It will still be emptied out. Because everyone knows that the seals in that silk shop are not expensive. Buying ten seals, as long as you sell one, you can make a profit. So when you were binding the first ‘Two Hundred Sword Immortals’ Seal Collection’ into a book, you would actually be worried, worried that seals were just a small business on the Great Wall of Sword Qi, and once there was a third batch of seals, causing this object to become widespread, it might even affect all the effort that went into the previous ‘Two Hundred Sword Immortals’ Seal Collection.’ Therefore, you didn’t follow one path to the end, exhausting your mind and energy to fully carve the next hundred seals. Instead, you took a different approach and turned to selling folding fans. The text content on the fan surfaces is more free and casual. This is similar to a ‘second-rate authentic work.’ It can not only attract female buyers, but it can also, in turn, allow buyers who have collected seals to compare them slightly, and they will feel that the seals they bought earlier are worth buying and collecting.”

Chen Ping’an said, “What you say is not wrong. And there’s another point. The reason I turned to making folding fans was also to try to hide my intentions as much as possible, so as not to be easily seen through by the sword immortals, who would think that this person has too much cunning and become displeased. But if it comes to this point and is still seen through, it doesn’t matter anymore. Anyway, there’s no need to strive for perfection in everything. In the end, some sword immortals who come to their senses must be given the chance to laugh and scold me, ‘You slippery kid.’ Why can I not mind? Because I hope that the people who get all my seals and folding fans are not targeting that small group of sword immortal seniors who are the most insightful and have enough life experience from the beginning. Of course, among these people, if anyone sees through the truth but doesn’t reveal it, and is even willing to accept a seal that catches their eye, I will respect them even more from the bottom of my heart. If I have the opportunity, I will also say to their face, ‘It is disrespectful of this junior to peddle knowledge through the method of selling cheaply.'”

Qi Jinglong nodded and said, “Well-considered and appropriate response.”
Chen Pingan clapped Qi Jinglong heavily on the shoulder, “Worthy of someone who has been to my dilapidated Falling Mountain! Didn’t go for nothing! That little rascal Bai Shou is hopeless, his comprehension is too poor, he only learned a little bit of superficial knowledge. His earlier words were so awkwardly transitioned, it was practically a hindrance.”

Qi Jinglong, uncharacteristically, took a sip of wine on his own initiative, looking in the direction of the wine shop. Over there, besides sword cultivators and wine, there were also the humble lanes of Yanchi Lane and Lingxi Lane, and many children who were tired of seeing the demeanor of sword immortals their whole lives, yet knew nothing of the local customs of the vast world. Qi Jinglong wiped his mouth and said in a deep voice, “Without decades, or even hundreds of years of effort, what you’re doing won’t be very meaningful.”

Chen Pingan was silent for a long time, and finally said, “If I don’t do something, I feel uneasy. It’s as simple as that, I didn’t think too much about it.”

Qi Jinglong raised his wine pot, seemingly wanting to clink it against Chen Pingan’s, like they would with wine bowls, and drink heartily.

But Chen Pingan laughed in anger, “This old man used all eighteen martial arts skills at the wine shop, and spent a lot of effort to barely get two pots of wine. One pot was for you, and the other was snatched away by Bai Shou. Do you really think I’m a god, with such great abilities, that I can get three pots of wine in one go?!”

Qi Jinglong oh-ed once and stopped drinking.

Qi Jinglong asked, “I heard you say earlier that you wanted to send a letter to have Pei Qian come to the Sword Qi Great Wall. What about Chen Nuan Shu and Zhou Mi Li? If you’re not letting the two little girls come, did you explain it properly in the letter? You should know that your first disciple’s personality is such that she will treat that family letter like an imperial decree, and at the same time, she won’t forget to show off to her two friends.”

Chen Pingan smiled, “Of course. This is not a small matter.”

Qi Jinglong nodded, “That’s good.”

Chen Pingan led Qi Jinglong out of the mustard seed small world, “I’ll show you something.”

Bai Shou had already walked down Dragon Slaying Cliff, circling the small mountain several times. He felt that such a large Dragon Slaying Platform required him to ask someone to help him paint a scroll. One painting standing at the foot of the mountain, another sitting in the pavilion. When he returned to the Taihui Sword Sect and Pianran Peak, once the scroll was unfurled, wouldn’t the heads of those beside him gasp and their eyes widen in shock, all because of the soaring sect reputation of Bai Shou, the great sword immortal? Therefore, relying on the Liu family wasn’t going to work out, he still had to rely on his own efforts, relying more on his brother Chen Pingan, that was more reliable.

Bai Shou saw two guys, both dressed in blue robes, walking out of the martial arts field, so he followed them to Chen Pingan’s residence.

Bai Shou saw the pitiful little house, and a feeling of sorrow welled up in his heart. He comforted Chen Pingan, “Good brother, you’ve suffered.”

Chen Pingan raised his leg.

Bai Shou ran far away.

Feeling a little embarrassed, the youth slowly walked into the house, picked a chair that was already placed under the eaves in the courtyard, and sat there like a lord.

Thinking that a black charcoal debt-paying girl might pop up one day, Bai Shou cherished his current leisurely time.

The Liu family was clearly discussing serious matters with his brother, not the kind of idle chatter, the youth had that much discernment, so he wouldn’t interfere.

Chen Pingan led Qi Jinglong into the厢房 (xiāngfáng – side room) with two tables. On one table, there were jade bamboo fan bones that hadn’t been completely polished, and many blank fan surfaces, as well as several plain seals without inscriptions. Many papers were covered with dense, small characters, all drafts about the inscriptions and fan surface content.

On the adjacent table was a map of the terrain and orientation of all the dragon kilns in Longquan County, Dali.

Currently, many areas in Longquan County, such as Old Porcelain Mountain, Divine Immortal Tomb, and those dragon kiln entrances, were still shrouded in clouds and mist. Even if one passed above them on a celestial ferry, it was still impossible to see the full picture.

Qi Jinglong stood beside the table, gently placed the wine pot on it, and looked down. All the dragon kiln entrances were not haphazardly arranged, but formed a curved, long line. Outside this long line, at a slight distance, was a small circle. Qi Jinglong pointed to this place and asked, “Is it the iron-chained well in the small town?”

Chen Pingan nodded.

Qi Jinglong stared for a moment, and said, “Dragon holding a pearl soaring to the heavens.”

Chen Pingan exclaimed, “Good eyes!”

Qi Jinglong said indifferently, “I know a little about talismans and formations. My eyesight is a little better than yours, it’s not surprising.”

Chen Pingan clicked his tongue, “Speaking of how amazing you are in such an understatement, I’ve learned something.”

Qi Jinglong looked solemn, reached out and gently stroked the map, squinting his eyes, “Even just looking at this map, you can still feel a rush of resentment and murderous intent. It seems that when the last true dragon died, it must have wanted to turn the world upside down.”

Chen Pingan put his hands in his sleeves, bent over and leaned on the table.
Qi Jinglong gazed upon each name of the dragon kilns, one hand behind his back, the other gently stroking each kiln. “As expected, they are built upon the remains of a true dragon, each kiln mouth crafted from the vital acupoints along its spine. Hence, each natal porcelain forged here inherently carries a unique divine power. ‘The dragon bears nine sons, each different’ – many common sayings passed down through generations hold profound wisdom. Earlier, I strolled through Dragon Spring Town, visited the arch bridge, and the sword shop built by the Sage Ruan Qiong beside the Dragon Whisker River. Those seemingly unremarkable seven wells, besides containing the Sevenfold Liberation and bearing some Buddhist karma, in truth, echo this true dragon’s remains from afar, forming a ‘争珠’ (contending for the pearl) formation. Of course, the true intent isn’t to actually seize the ‘骊珠’ (Black Dragon Pearl), but rather to suppress and ward off evil. And it’s not that simple. Originally, it was a formation of ‘Heaven opposing Heaven’, but when the Black Dragon Pearl Grotto Heaven fell to the mortal realm, bordering the Great Li’s territory, it cleverly reversed, instantly transforming into a ‘Terrain opposing Terrain’ formation. Moreover, with the addition of several western mountains chosen by the Dragon Spring Sword Sect as the formation eyes, it openly and righteously drew fortune into the seven wells, ultimately forming the ‘Tiankui Tianyue, Zuo Fu You Bi’ (Stars of Guidance and Assistance) alignment, causing a vast amount of mountain and river Qi to flow back to the Ancestral Hall on Divine Splendor Mountain. The very placement of these dragon kilns, in fact, clashes with much of the current geomancy and dragon vein seeking practices of today’s world, yet it somehow manages to suppress the geographical principles with heavenly law, a truly earth-shattering feat! For instance, the Wen Chang (Culture Flourishing) Kiln and the neighboring Wu Long (Martial Prospering) Kiln, according to the meridian and latitude principles revered by Yin-Yang masters in the current world, should be slightly adjusted on your map. The Wen Chang Kiln should be moved down half an inch, or the Wu Long Kiln shifted an inch to the right, to achieve the current era’s balance of culture and martial arts. But doing so would miss the point entirely. No, shifting one point affects the whole body. It must be that the other kilns are interlocked with these two. Is it this Rushing Cloud Kiln? No, it must be the Arch Bi (Jade Disc) Kiln that is the key. Alas, when I traveled here before, my observation was too superficial, not keen enough. I should have flown to the clouds high above, looked down from above, and observed more closely…”

Chen Ping’an, of course, understood every word Qi Jinglong spoke, but the meaning behind them was beyond his grasp. He simply wore a smiling expression, letting Qi Jinglong speak his mind, and he would simply listen, vowing not to utter a single word more.

Qi Jinglong suddenly turned his head and asked, “Your exact birth date and time? Otherwise, this game of chess is too difficult for me at the moment. The board is too large, the principles too profound. Using you as an entry point, I might have a chance to break the deadlock.”

Chen Ping’an placed a handful of melon seeds on the table, scavenged as usual, and shook his head.

Qi Jinglong frowned. “You’re already plotting to break the deadlock, why not allow me to help you? If I were still a nascent soul sword cultivator, that would be fine, but having ascended to the Upper Five Realms, the chances of accidents are greatly reduced.”

Chen Ping’an cracked a melon seed and smiled, “Can’t be helped. Annoying, isn’t it?”

Qi Jinglong wasn’t angry. He sat down on the chair and continued to stare at the magnificent miniature Ascending Dragon Diagram, occasionally making hand seals while flipping through the two books on the table.

While reading, Qi Jinglong casually asked, “The matter of sending the letter?”

Chen Ping’an said, “All settled.”

Qi Jinglong didn’t ask further.

Chen Ping’an was simply busy cracking melon seeds, truly idle.

Later, he simply went to the next table, picked up a brush, and began to write on a fan, writing the phrase, “Eight winds cannot move me; the banner moves, but the mind does not.”

After thinking for a moment, he added a line of smaller, mosquito-like calligraphy, a comment-like annotation: “All matters that pass through the heart are returned to Heaven and Earth; all things that enter the eye become mine.”

Holding the fan, he gently blew on the ink, Chen Ping’an nodded. Good characters. The distance from the legendary Sage of Calligraphy had shrunk from ten thousand steps to roughly nine thousand nine hundred and something steps.

Qi Jinglong turned around and asked, “Do you know the Miss Lu of Water Scripture Mountain?”

Chen Ping’an asked in confusion, “The esteemed Immortal Lu of Water Scripture Mountain? Of course, I know of her, but she wouldn’t know of me. Why are you asking about this? What, she came to the Upside-Down Mountain with you? Not bad, sincerity can move mountains! I think you should just agree to her advances. She’s already over a hundred years old; being a bachelor all this time isn’t a good thing. Here on the Sword Qi Great Wall, even drunkards and gamblers look down on bachelors.”

Qi Jinglong explained, “She didn’t come with me. I just happened to meet her on the Upside-Down Mountain, and then we came to the Sword Qi Great Wall together.”

Chen Ping’an held a brush in one hand, swapped out a fresh fan, and planned to rummage through the little ink he had left in his belly. To be honest, with all the seals and folding fans, Chen Ping’an’s half-bucket of ink wasn’t enough to splash around. He raised one hand, too lazy to talk nonsense with Qi Jinglong, “Think things through first, then come talk to me about this.”

Qi Jinglong seemed to have suddenly realized something and nodded, saying, “Then what should I do now?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t even turn his head, just burying himself in writing on the fan, saying casually, “What can you do? Just let your emotions develop, but keep within the bounds of propriety. If the lady wants to see you, then see her. Don’t keep a straight face. She likes you, it’s not like you owe her money. After seeing her a few times, even if you don’t want to actively seek her out to avoid misunderstandings, that’s fine. But when the time comes to part ways, no matter who leaves the Sword Qi Great Wall first, you should take the initiative to find her once and bid her farewell. Anyway, you don’t have a woman you admire right now. You can actually be more unrestrained. If you’re always so reserved, she’s easily going to overthink things.”

Qi Jinglong suddenly felt enlightened.

The writing Chen Ping’an was doing now wasn’t as proper as the previous fan. It was intentionally given a more frivolous air. After all, it was an item placed in a silk shop. Being too proper wouldn’t be pleasing, might not even sell. So he wrote a line: “The person I think of, a handsome young master, is the world’s best summer breeze.”

Qi Jinglong glanced at the inscription on the fan, somewhat speechless.

He really hoped he could take back most of the good things he had said earlier. This guy, who had been a peddler all the way from the Northern Ju Continent, clearly hadn’t stopped thinking about earning money!

Many thoughts and ideas in the world are connected by a single thread, giving rise to endless creativity. Chen Ping’an quickly inscribed another fan: “This place has never known summer heat since ancient times, for the sword Qi has already dispelled it.”

Satisfied with this sentence, Chen Ping’an picked up a carved seal, opened the seal box, and gently stamped it below the line of poetry. The seal text was “Golden Breeze and Jade Dew, Spring Grass and Azure Mountains, both are mutually fitting.”

In this way, whether women or men buy the folding fan, it is suitable.
Qi Jinglong chuckled, “You painstakingly cultivate your heart, and conveniently run a calculating business like Baofu House. You truly never engage in unprofitable endeavors.”

Chen Pingan smiled amiably, “Don’t stand there making sarcastic remarks; you might be punished. I’ll wager with you that Fairy Lu will gift you a seal or folding fan inscribed by me, what do you say?”

Qi Jinglong stood up, “I’ll take my leave first. I still need to go to the city wall to instruct the disciples of the Taihui Sword Sect in swordsmanship.”

Chen Pingan didn’t try to detain him. Together, they stepped over the threshold. Baishou was still sitting on the chair. Upon seeing Chen Pingan, he raised the wine gourd in his hand. Chen Pingan smiled, “If Pei Qian arrives early, she might encounter you. I’ll help you put in a good word with her.”

Baishou scoffed, “It’s not like I can’t truly defeat her now. It’s just that she’s young, started practicing martial arts late, and is a young woman. How could I possibly use my full strength? Even if I win, so what? Either way, it would look like I lost. That’s why I’m unwilling to have a second martial arts contest.”

Chen Pingan coldly said, “Speak properly.”

Baishou immediately stood up, scurrying to Chen Pingan’s side, offering the wine gourd with both hands. “Good brother, please persuade Pei Qian not to engage in martial arts; it harms the harmony.”

Chen Pingan took the wine gourd and slapped the youth on the head. “Whether in the armory or on the city wall, practice your sword more and talk less. That mouth of yours is prone to attracting the flying swords of sword immortals.”

Baishou angrily said, “Chen Pingan, show me some respect! Don’t be disrespectful, and mind your manners!”

Chen Pingan smiled, “If you dare call me ‘brother’ in front of Pei Qian, I’ll acknowledge you as my brother. What do you say?”

Baishou weighed the pros and cons. “Being brothers, or not, let’s do it after Pei Qian leaves.”

Chen Pingan mocked, “Look at your cowardly appearance.”

Baishou put his hands together in a sword gesture, looking up at the sky. “A true man stands tall between heaven and earth, and doesn’t engage in petty squabbles with young women.”

Chen Pingan smiled and ruffled the youth’s head.

It was good to have him by Qi Jinglong’s side; otherwise, the master and disciple would both be silent gourds, which wouldn’t be good.

Chen Pingan escorted Qi Jinglong to the entrance of the Ning Residence. After Baishou quickly walked down the steps, he shook his shoulders, gloating, “The fist questioning is coming! You get a punch, I get a punch!”

Chen Pingan helplessly said, “Not going to manage him?”

So Qi Jinglong said to Baishou, “These blunt truths can be kept in your heart.”

Qi Jinglong turned around, bowing in farewell to Nalan Yexing who stood nearby.

Baishou saw this and had no choice but to stand far away, joining the person surnamed Liu in bowing and clasping his hands.

The master and disciple left the city, heading towards the armory.

Chen Pingan and Nalan Yexing walked side by side. The old man smiled, “Before Miss closed herself off, she asked me to pass on a message to her son-in-law: two words, ‘Don’t lose.'”

Chen Pingan felt relieved, whispering, “Then I know how to measure the weight of my blows.”

Chen Pingan was clear about the height of his and Yu Juanfu’s sixth-realm bottleneck. Before arriving at Lion Peak and receiving punches from Uncle Li, Yu Juanfu was indeed higher. However, when he broke through the bottleneck and ascended to the Golden Body realm, he had already surpassed Yu Juanfu’s sixth-realm martial arts by a level.

Leaving aside Cao Ci, whom Chen Pingan was quietly pursuing, among the rest of the pure martial artists, as long as it was a contest between equals, Chen Pingan didn’t want to lose, nor could he lose.

As for Cao Ci, even if he lost three more matches in the future, or even thirty, as long as Cao Ci was willing to throw punches, Chen Pingan would continue to punch without stopping, and his spirit would never fall in the slightest.

What my heart yearns for is Master Qi’s knowledge, Cui Cheng’s fist intent, and the great freedom of the strong that A-Liang once spoke of. Therefore, on the great path, there is no opponent in my heart, only Chen Pingan versus Chen Pingan.

Nalan Yexing was slightly surprised, turning his head to look.

Chen Pingan smiled and nodded, full of spirit and brimming with fist intent.

As a result, Chen Pingan lay in bed for a full half month afterwards.

Then, on the city wall, the woman with her hair tied in a bun munched on a flatbread. She had already sent word to the city, clearly stating her wish to spar with Chen Pingan in three matches. As a result, through some back channels, she heard that the Ning Residence’s second manager had been feigning illness and hadn’t shown his face for half a month. She was shocked. Could there really be such a shameless pure martial artist under heaven?

Could it be that Cao Ci had said the wrong thing back then, or misjudged the person? Otherwise, how could Cao Ci have said that among the martial artists of similar age, it was only he, Cao Ci, walking alone in front, with Chen Pingan closely following behind, and everyone else, including Yu Juanfu, making up the rest?

The key was that Cao Ci had always been extremely serious when he spoke, never saying a single good word more than necessary, nor a single bad word more than necessary. At most, out of fear that Yu Juanfu’s spirit would be damaged, Cao Ci reluctantly said an extra word, as a reminder to Yu Juanfu.

“Chen Pingan’s resilience is especially strong, and his martial arts path will be extremely steady and grounded. As long as you lose to him once today, it is highly likely that you will lose every time thereafter. Perhaps I am no exception. Therefore, on the path of martial arts, there will be no opportunity for Chen Pingan to reach my side.”

Yu Juanfu suddenly stood up. Chen Pingan, of all people, deserved to be viewed so highly by Cao Ci?!

Clearly, a martial artist of the same generation had openly issued a challenge, yet he refused to throw a punch. Was he saving it to eat?!

Could it be that he was afraid of my Yu Juanfu’s family background? Was a pure martial artist going to be so restrained just because of that?

Yu Juanfu finished eating the flatbread, stowed her water bottle in her pack, and instead of carrying it on her back, asked the sword immortal Kuxia to look after it. She ran alone towards the north side of the city wall, leaping up and finally stepping out onto the edge of the wall, planting her feet on the city wall and running wildly towards the earth.

When she was dozens of feet above the ground, she kicked off the wall heavily, shooting out like an arrow, landing gracefully and heading all the way towards the city, her momentum like a rainbow.

It’s unknown which sword immortal leaked the secret first, but before the female martial artist even entered the city, business had already boomed in the various gambling houses, big and small, in the city’s different streets and alleys. Everyone was as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood. Compared to the bets placed at the Mirage Market, which were only aimed at earning money to support flying swords, the current bets, even though the money involved was less, made people even more excited, as if it were New Year’s. Phrases like “Bets closed,” “Bet big, win big,” “Earn a small wife in one stroke,” and all sorts of other wagers rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere. There were even some unscrupulous bookmakers who allowed bets on whether the second manager would strike up a relationship with the Yu-named woman after winning the match, making eyes at each other and feeling a sense of mutual appreciation, only for Ning Yao to beat him up for not hiding his male intentions well enough.
As for the details of that Yu Juanfu, they had long been thoroughly investigated by the idle gamblers of the Sword Qi Great Wall. In short, she was not someone to be trifled with, especially with that unscrupulous Second Shopkeeper. A pure fist-to-fist exchange would eliminate many underhanded tactics, so the majority of people still bet that Chen Pingan would steadily win the first match, with the key to big or small winnings lying in how many dozens of punches it would take. However, some experienced gamblers were constantly wary, wondering if the Second Shopkeeper would bet on his own loss. Wouldn’t that mean he’d single-handedly sweep the entire Sword Qi Great Wall? Was there any need to doubt it? Even a random child on the street would think the Second Shopkeeper was fully capable of doing it.

After entering the city, Yu Juanfu slowed her pace and steadied her steps as she approached Ning Mansion Street.

As a result, when she reached the street, she found it lined with people, all staring at her.

Yu Juanfu was puzzled. Was a sparring match between two pure martial artists enough to attract so many sword cultivators to watch?

Sword Immortal Ku Xia had told her some things, mostly helping her review Chen Pingan’s previous four battles on the street, as well as some rumors.

Sword Immortal Ku Xia was not one for idle chatter, and always strived to make every word count when speaking to Yu Juanfu. Therefore, Yu Juanfu had heard some scandalous gossip from a young female sword cultivator named Zhu Mei.

Yu Juanfu continued forward, stopping at the gate of Ning Mansion. Just as she was about to speak, a burst of loud laughter erupted.

Yu Juanfu frowned.

She looked around, and then realized that almost everyone was looking at a wall she had just passed. Perched there were a fat man, a wiry youth, a one-armed woman, a handsome young man, and a young man in a green robe who was whispering to someone.

The young man slowly stood up and smiled, “I am Chen Pingan, the one who will exchange blows with Miss Yu.”

A surge of anger welled up in Yu Juanfu.

Was he making a fool of her, Yu Juanfu?!

Why were these sword cultivators all cooperating with him? Had they all deliberately avoided looking at this Chen Pingan earlier?

Chen Pingan walked alone into the street, standing twenty paces away from Yu Juanfu. He clasped one hand behind his back, extended the other palm, and gently lowered it twice while smiling at Yu Juanfu.

In an instant, Yu Juanfu’s mind condensed into a mustard seed, devoid of all distractions. Her fist intent flowed through her entire body, circulating continuously like a river. She nodded to the young martial artist in the green robe and white jade hairpin, who resembled a scholar.

This guy at least had some martial spirit.

Chen Pingan asked, “Does the exchange of blows need to be many?”

Yu Juanfu said in a deep voice, “For this first match, shall we each give our all and exchange one punch?”

Chen Pingan smiled, “You strike first. If I withstand it, I’ll return a punch. If I can’t, then I naturally lose. Then we repeat this process. Whoever falls and cannot get up loses.”

Yu Juanfu said straightforwardly, “Agreed! We’ll have the second match in half a month, provided you’ve recovered from your injuries.”

This was a punch he had brought upon himself.

As soon as these words were spoken, whistles erupted.

Clearly, the Yu family girl was a little unhappy about waiting for the Second Shopkeeper for half a month.

That wasn’t all. A little girl was running wildly across the rooftops of the residences, banging a gong loudly, “Future master, I snuck out to cheer you on! This gong sounds really loud! My dad will probably come to catch me soon. I’ll bang it for as long as I can!”

Yan Pangzi leaned his head back and bumped it against the wall. Couldn’t this girl, Lu Duan, stop banging the gong when she was talking? Many lower-realm sword cultivators who were there for the fun couldn’t hear what she was saying.

Chen Pingan turned to look at Guo Zhujiu and nodded with a smile.

In an instant.

Yu Juanfu’s fist aura surged.

A sword immortal who was destined to win a lot of money in this gambling game, was drinking Bamboo Sea Grotto Heaven wine and sitting on the wall, watched the confrontation on the street. He lowered his head, letting the girl who was shouting, “Great Sword Immortal Tao Wen, make way!” step over him with a tap of her toes.

After one punch.

Even many Earth Immortal sword cultivators who had previously underestimated Yu Juanfu frowned.

This little girl’s punch was heavy.

Chen Pingan, who had been standing still, was struck directly in the chest and flew backward, crashing into the end of the street.

A great wind and thunder stirred on the street. Apart from those unwavering Nascent Soul sword cultivators, even Golden Core sword cultivators had to use their sword qi to resist the dispersing fist intent.

Chen Pingan lay on the ground for a moment, then sat up, using his thumb to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was swaying, but he still stood up.

Many sword cultivators shouted that it was over, that the Second Shopkeeper was too arrogant and would definitely lose.

These people had obviously bet that the Second Shopkeeper would beat Yu Juanfu half to death in a few punches, and they were also regulars at the wine shop, so they had great trust in the Second Shopkeeper’s character.

But contrary to everyone’s expectations, including Chen Pingan’s, Yu Juanfu turned and left, saying loudly, “I concede the first match. Half a month later, the second exchange will have no such restrictions. You can strike as you please.”

The Second Shopkeeper, who had never lost a deal, immediately abandoned any pretense of holding back and shouted loudly, “Let’s continue the second match now, what do you say?”

Yu Juanfu stopped and turned her head, “Is this what you consider an exchange of blows between martial artists? This kind of scene?”

Chen Pingan turned his head and spat out a mouthful of blood, nodded, and said in a deep voice, “Then let’s go to the city walls now.”

Yu Juanfu could say such words, so she deserved some respect.

How should a pure martial artist respect an opponent? Naturally, only with a fist.

Yu Juanfu looked at Chen Pingan’s eyes, as well as the restrained and contained fist stance and intent within him, especially the fleeting pure aura. Back at the ancient battlefield ruins of Golden Armor Continent, she had punched Cao Ci thousands and thousands of times, so it was both familiar and unfamiliar. Sure enough, the two were very similar, yet very different!

“Chen Pingan, whether you believe it or not, I have no personal grudge against you, I am simply here to exchange blows. But we both know that without a fight to the death, there will only be victory or defeat. A light touch that doesn’t hurt either side is meaningless for both of our fist techniques and martial arts.”

Yu Juanfu asked, “So, can we ignore the Sword Qi Great Wall’s guarding rules, and besides not fighting to the death, even if we shatter each other’s martial arts prospects, we will have no regrets?!”
Chen Ping’an slowly rolled up his sleeves, his eyes narrowing. “Once we reach the city wall, you can ask Sword Immortal Ku Xia if he dares to guarantee it on behalf of the Yu family ancestor and Zhou Shenzhi. Yu Juanfu, we are pure martial artists. It’s not that I only focus on throwing punches and ignore the world and others. Even if there is such a punch, it definitely isn’t one that today’s Yu Juanfu can deliver. To speak weighty words, one must possess a grand martial intent.”

Yu Juanfu remained silent.

Chen Ping’an shook his arms, his sleeves unfurling, and smiled slightly. “Only the final bout remains. I await it anytime, anywhere.”

Guo Zhujiu, perched atop a wall, had forgotten to beat the gong. She raised her elbow to wipe sweat from her brow, then vigorously shook the mallet in her hand, exclaiming, “Too strong, my master is too strong! He doesn’t even need to use a single move to defeat the enemy with words, disrupting their Dao heart. So this is the true pinnacle of martial arts, the zenith of the Great Dao! Amazing, I’ve found an amazing master…”

Then, the little girl was dragged home by Sword Immortal Guo Jia, ears in tow.

Chen Ping’an sighed inwardly.

As expected, Yu Juanfu, who had initially intended to leave, said, “The second match hasn’t been fought yet; there’s no rush for the third.”

Chen Ping’an was about to speak.

Those gamblers, along with the big and small bookmakers, who were almost completely dumbfounded, had already helped the Second Shopkeeper agree. If they missed a match for no reason, how much money would they lose?

Inside the Dragon-Slaying Cliff pavilion, Ning Yao frowned and said, “Granny Bai, why must my man help her ‘feed the fist’? Agreeing to fight one match is already more than enough, right?”

The old woman reached out and grasped her young lady’s hand, gently patting it, and softly chuckled, “What does it matter? In the young master’s eyes, there is only his Miss Ning.”

The corners of Ning Yao’s mouth turned up, but she suddenly said, exasperated, “Granny Bai, did that fellow arrange this with you beforehand?”

The old woman mimicked her young lady’s way of speaking with the young master, and replied with a smile, “How could that be?”

Ning Yao stood up and went into seclusion again.

Her seclusions and departures seemed casual.

But the old woman knew very well that such was truly the case.

The young lady’s current seclusion sought a great deal.

Because she was Ning Yao, the sole and unparalleled entity of Sword Qi Great Wall for millennia.

Today, Chen Sanqiu and the others were tacitly in agreement not to enter the Ning residence.

After the gate closed, Chen Ping’an covered his mouth with his hand. When he opened his palm, he frowned.

It seemed that in the second fist exchange above the city, setting aside the successful start with the God-Man Drumming technique, he had to strive to end it within a hundred blows. Otherwise, the further it was prolonged, the smaller his chances of victory.

Nalan Yexing said, “This young girl’s boxing technique has grasped the essence; it is not to be underestimated.”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “However, she will still lose, even if she is destined to be an extremely fast pure martial artist, even if I am not allowed to use the Earth-Shrinking Talisman at that time.”

After Chen Ping’an entered the Golden Core realm, especially after undergoing the tempering of various battles at Sword Qi Great Wall, he had never fully exerted himself to run. Therefore, even Chen Ping’an himself was curious as to how fast he could actually “walk”.

Then, Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “It’s just that after today, even if I win the two matches afterward, there will be a saying in Sword Qi Great Wall about ‘Chen Ping’an being knocked down with one punch’.”

Nalan Yexing shook his head.

Chen Ping’an asked, puzzled, “Won’t there be?”

Nalan Yexing chuckled. “Chen Ping’an standing still, the Second Shopkeeper knocked down with one punch.”

Chen Ping’an stopped in his tracks, turned around, and ran toward the gate, turning his head to smile. “Grandpa Nalan, in case Ning Yao asks, just say I was dragged away to drink.”

No, he had to hurry to the wine shop and suppress this unhealthy trend.

Returning to the city wall, Yu Juanfu sat cross-legged, deep in thought.

Sword Immortal Ku Xia asked, “Will you still lose the second match?”

Yu Juanfu nodded. “As long as he hits me with that punch he used against Qi Shou, it will be as good as deciding the outcome. I am thinking about how to break it, but it seems difficult. My current punches and movements are still not fast enough.”

Sword Immortal Ku Xia no longer spoke.

Yu Juanfu said, “You heard what that person said, Senior, didn’t you?”

Sword Immortal Ku Xia nodded. Of course, he had not only used his supernatural powers to oversee the battlefield from afar but had also personally gone to the city, only without revealing himself.

Yu Juanfu said, “I have actually already lost the second match.”

Ku Xia asked, puzzled, “How do you explain that?”

Yu Juanfu raised his eyes and looked at that city. “Even in Sword Qi Great Wall, with his elder brothers nearby, he can still be responsible for his words, without asking his attendants for approval. I dare say that his attendants won’t even watch the match. I can’t do that. For example, Senior doesn’t trust me and will quietly leave the city wall to prevent me from having any accidents. If something really happens to me, my ancestor and Old Sword Immortal Zhou will certainly disregard my promise and retaliate sooner or later. At the very least, they will harbor some resentment. Even if they don’t act for the time being, the Great Dao is long, and the path of life is far. If they have the opportunity in the future, they will still kick me when I’m down or even directly attack. Because in their eyes, I am still a junior. But that Chen Ping’an, even in the minds of Great Sword Immortals and everyone else around him, is already qualified to speak some ‘weighty words’.”

Sword Immortal Ku Xia was even more puzzled. “Although the reasoning is indeed so, shouldn’t pure martial artists purely determine the outcome with fist techniques?”

Yu Juanfu shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Cao Ci said that as long as one can reach the tenth realm, then the foundation of the first layer of vigor can often determine whether a martial artist can reach the legendary eleventh realm in this life. Entering that realm of return too early is by no means a good thing. Cao Ci has been pondering this vigor realm for many years, considering how to lay the foundation. Therefore, he chose a very interesting option.”

Even Sword Immortal Ku Xia, who was unwilling to pay attention to worldly disputes, was curious. “What interesting choice did Cao Ci make?”

Yu Juanfu placed his fists on his knees. “The Three Teachings, the various schools of thought, Cao Ci is studying them all now. That’s why he went to that ancient battlefield site to study the true meanings of the statues of gods and integrate them into his fist techniques one by one.”

Sword Immortal Ku Xia shook his head. “A madman.”
Yu Juanfu raised an arm, pointing a finger towards the city, “That Chen Ping’an, he’s also quite peculiar. Perhaps it’s just my misperception, although he didn’t throw a single punch on the streets today, I still feel that he and Cao Ci, while seemingly on the same path, are actually headed in diametrically opposed directions, each going to the furthest possible extreme.”

Sword Immortal Ku Xia laughed, “Could it be you’re overthinking things?”

Yu Juanfu’s expression was complicated as he said, “I hope so! And yet, I also hope not!”

On the city side.

Chen Ping’an walked towards the wine shop, only to discover that Qi Jinglong and Bai Shou were at a table with two women. Only Qi Jinglong was eating Yangchun noodles, seemingly in low spirits.

Qi Jinglong looked up, “Thanks for helping me make a name for myself, Second Shopkeeper.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled and turned to look at the Water Mirror Mountain fairy, Lu.

Qi Jinglong hesitated for a moment, then said, “It’s all a trivial matter.”