Only his voice was heard, but his person remained unseen.

Liu Bai, ever vigilant, surveilling the surrounding battlefield, swiftly communicated through mental resonance, “This matter arose suddenly. There are no Sword Immortals available for immediate aid. We must make haste and conclude this battle quickly.”

This female cultivator, hailing from the same Zhou Mi lineage as Sword Immortal Shou Chen, had long served as the deputy to Head Official Mu Ji within the Jia Shen battle tent, yet had never drawn her sword until now.

Young Master Tan was the first to unleash his Natal Sword, which skimmed along the ground, tracing a shimmering, lasting trail of sword light around the edge of the massive pit.

“We must force him to reveal himself!”

Tan, with twin swords hanging at his waist, pressed his hands upon the hilts, focusing his gaze upon the dust-laden bottom of the pit. The swirling dust could not obscure a sword cultivator’s vision entirely, but it was unclear what kind of advanced obfuscation technique his foe was using. They were unable to pinpoint the young Hidden Official’s location. However, Chen Ping’an had not left this place, Tan believed. He exchanged thoughts with his companions mentally, “Regardless, since my eyes cannot find him, I will venture into the pit directly. I won’t give him a chance to heal. Zhu Qie, be mindful of any movements from the earth below. Liu Bai, be ready to intercept and slay Chen Ping’an with your sword.”

With a leap, Tan descended, his Natal Sword “Armored Cavalry” clearing the way. The sword light dissipated, and a multitude of fully armored iron steeds, numbering in the thousands, materialized on the pit’s edge, densely packed and meticulously arranged. Each steed, though only the size of a palm, was as deadly as a flying sword. An instant later, countless miniature iron cavalry charged down the pit’s slope, like a tidal wave crashing into a gully.

The flying sword “Armored Cavalry” took the vanguard position with a full-force assault, best suited for probing the subtle traps laid by the young Hidden Official.

If Tan were a sword cultivator of the Sword Qi Great Wall, based solely on this Natal Sword’s battlefield prowess, he would at least be rated as a “B” grade by the Hidden Official lineage, on par with Yue Qing’s Hundred-Zhang Spring, Yun Que’s Soaring Sparrow, and Qi Shou’s Leaping Pearls. If this Natal Sword possessed even more profound mysteries, it might even rival Wu Chengpei’s “Sweet Dew.”

Zhu Qie, as Liu Cha’s foremost disciple, was, if Liu Cha hadn’t taken in a group of honorary disciples during this battle, his sole direct descendant.

However, since the start of the conflict, Zhu Qie had remained inactive, even more enigmatic than the female cultivator Liu Bai. Beyond his widely known master, Zhu Qie’s other flying swords, Natal abilities, and cultivation style were all unknown. He carried a massive sword rack on his back, and at this moment, six longswords detached from it. They encircled the pit, then reversed their points, plunging into the earth, forming an array deep underground. This would deny the injured young Hidden Official any chance of escaping the encirclement. Even if he could break through the sword array, he would leave a trace, inviting the swift interception of formidable flying swords – and more than one at that.

Yu Si wore a black robe, his hair tied back with a strip of snow-white silk, a dashing and elegant young master.

With a thought, several pieces of broken weaponry on the nearby ground were launched into the distance in different directions, eventually falling to the ground without the slightest ripple or tremor. This meant there were no arrays or traps in place. Logically, from the moment Chen Ping’an fought Hou Kuimen, who acted as bait, to the final possession of Hou Kuimen by the Throne Realm demon with a “fishing rod,” leveraging the power of martial fortune in a desperate attempt to drag Chen Ping’an down with him, Chen Ping’an had been facing one unexpected event after another. Even if he was wearing the immortal-grade magic robe “Golden Delight,” he would have lost several layers of skin, if not met his demise.

But Yu Si still felt uneasy.

Li Zhen had crouched down, picked up a pinch of soil, and gently rubbed it between his fingers. The dust scattered, carrying a trace of sword intent. Li Zhen looked around and smiled, “As expected, there’s something strange going on. It’s a forbidden zone, similar to a Minor Heaven. He didn’t use this ability when he fought me last time. Good, very good, now I can accept my defeat.”

When the dust drifted more than ten zhang away, it ignited like a lamp wick, instantly turning to ashes.

Yu Si once again manipulated some of the crashed weapons and the demon clan’s remains, sending them flying into the distance.

As expected, they were stopped as if hitting a wall and fell to the ground.

The young Hidden Official was both a sword cultivator and a pure martial artist, making him particularly difficult to kill. Even if he exhausted his pure vital energy, he could switch to controlling swords to kill. When his spiritual energy needed replenishing, he would switch to using his fists as a martial artist. Martial artist’s vital energy and sword cultivator’s spiritual energy alternated, providing a never-ending cycle. Therefore, in the second battle outside the city, after the Jia Shen battle tent tallied the combat merits of both sides, due to the fact that he had participated in the entire battle from beginning to end, accumulating small advantages, the young Hidden Official’s military merits topped the list of sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall who had fought outside the city. Of course, this was also related to the fact that Sword Immortals needed to guard the golden river, and the Sword Immortals stationed on the city walls either guarded a certain area or supported the younger sword cultivators. Sword Immortals rarely had the opportunity to actually draw their swords.

During that battle, the young Hidden Official had been constantly concealing his identity, changing his aura, using a variety of tactics. This was completely different from the first battle outside the city, where Ning Yao protected him, allowing him to openly charge into battle as a pure martial artist. The second time he went to the battlefield, he was more like an assassin picking up scraps. Only when absolutely necessary would he kill enemies with his fists and swords. Therefore, in the major military camps of the Wildlands, this outsider from the Sword Qi Great Wall had earned himself a new nickname: “South Shou Chen, North Hidden Official.”

Finding Chen Ping’an on the battlefield was already difficult; injuring him was even more so. Even if they were willing to exchange injuries or even sacrifice their lives, his retreats and escapes were incredibly decisive. The key was that Chen Ping’an’s sustained combat ability was too astonishing. Therefore, compared to the Sword Immortals of the Sword Qi Great Wall, who fought with great might and devastating power, the young Hidden Official was the most disgusting opponent on the battlefield.

“Good heavens, I almost fell for it. Everyone, my apologies. It was my mistake earlier.”

Yu Si was inwardly annoyed. He reached out and touched his sword, condensing his sword intent into a tangible form. Wisps of snow-white sword qi wrapped around his arm and the hilt, radiating a chilling aura. The entire scabbard was covered in a thin layer of frost. “However, this shows that he’s seriously injured. Otherwise, if Li Zhen hadn’t done this, our Hidden Official friend would have continued to hide. As compensation, I’ll be the last to draw my sword!”

Those who were not members of the Jia Shen battle tent would surely find Yu Si’s statement to be utterly incomprehensible.

Zhu Qie frowned and asked, “Li Zhen, where did this Minor Heaven come from? Did he borrow it from a Sage? Can Minor Heavens even be borrowed?”
Among the assembled cultivators, Li Zhen was undoubtedly the most familiar with this minor world.

Li Zhen had already begun pacing, as leisurely as when he first sparred with Chen Ping’an, placing a mountain treasure every few steps. As the closed-door disciple of Tuoyue Mountain, he was not lacking in magical artifacts.

Furthermore, Li Zhen’s mastery of formations was exceedingly high.

He did not trust the underground sword array of the bamboo container; he had to personally set up another formation to be at ease. It would both prevent Chen Ping’an from breaking free and slightly hinder any Sword Immortals attempting a rescue.

Li Zhen chuckled, “Who knows how this came to be? The most pressing matter is determining the mysteries of this minor world. Is it capable of helping Chen Ping’an elevate his cultivation by a realm? Or is it a desolate land deliberately targeting Qi refiners? Or perhaps it is merely a smokescreen to delay the battle, allowing the Sword Immortals to rendezvous with Chen Ping’an in time?”

Yu Si had already been investigating, with fragmented limbs and corpses flying around him, colliding with the invisible walls. Yu Si glanced at the large pit, the dust long since dispelled, but the scene at the bottom was still obscured by a white fog. “Aside from the restrictions that isolate heaven and earth, the depths of the pit remain difficult to ascertain. There doesn’t seem to be anything strange around us. How about we just use our swords to break open this minor world?”

Li Zhen shook his head, squatted down, and placed the last of his talismans into the earth, replying in a mental voice, “It’s pointless. Chen Ping’an wouldn’t mind us leaving. Don’t forget our objective: to besiege and kill Chen Ping’an. I already tested it with flying sand and have an answer. As you suspected, Chen Ping’an is indeed heavily injured. Using this minor world to mystify things, ultimately, he is trying to buy time. Let’s see how Tan’s sword attack fares first.”

Yu Si was quite helpless.

They were in an encirclement, yet they couldn’t find their target. It was rather frustrating.

Within the great pit, the armored cavalry army had colorful pennants attached to their spears and halberds.

These colorful banners and tassels were two of Tan’s Natal Mystical Abilities.

Refining a flying sword required numerous rare and precious materials, the most important of which was the mountain root soil from the Five Great Mountains of the Wildlands. This was not merely for the “armored cavalry army” manifested by the flying sword to put on a show.

Tan’s mind wavered, and upon refocusing, he found himself suspended above a sea of clouds, with several mountain peaks vaguely visible, rising above the clouds like islands.

The world was vast.

Tan immediately ceased his wind-riding technique, hovering in the air, looking down upon the earth. It seemed like a battlefield, with iron cavalry charging in disarray, like headless flies. The terrain defied all logic, with many cavalry units that were originally far apart suddenly colliding with each other.

Within his field of vision, a formation of emerald-green cavalry crushed against a formation of scarlet-banner cavalry.

However, Tan did not recall his Natal Flying Sword “Armored Cavalry.” As long as the cavalry trampled upon the earth, even within this illusionary minor world, all the armored cavalry with pennant-adorned spears and halberds would remain unscathed. In fact, the battlefield was like this: the iron cavalry was constantly shattered and continuously regenerated, tirelessly charging again and again. Tan quickly discovered the secret of this battlefield. It was like pages of thin paper, folded with exquisite skill beyond human perception by someone behind the scenes. Thus, the cavalry’s marching routes were entirely under the opponent’s control.

Tan realized that his words and thoughts could no longer be communicated to Zhuqie and the others. Trapped in this predicament, the young man’s Sword Heart remained clear. He drew his twin swords and vanished in a flash.

After the first sword disappeared, a web of lightning intertwined across the sky, surging wildly and constantly unfolding breathtaking scenes.

The second sword transformed into a rainbow, traveling far away, attempting to discern the size of this minor world.

Tan reached out to grab his second sword, which should have been thousands of feet away, but it was instead stabbing directly at his back, only to be caught by the young man.

Tan coldly sneered, “Hiding sneakily and relying on mere flashy tricks? Do you intend to wear me down with this?”

Atop a mountain peak, a mustard-seed-sized figure suddenly grew as large as a mountain. The towering figure in azure robes carried a sword case on his back.

A Dharma Idol stood tall on the mountain peak.

It was as if a person were standing on a roadside pebble.

Chen Ping’an smiled, looking down at the sword-wielding young man. He raised one hand, and a jade bamboo folding fan, a gift from his students, appeared. He swiftly struck down with it, causing the surrounding sea of clouds to be stirred by the immense power, rolling like boiling water, with the faint sound of thunder.

Tan remained motionless, allowing the large fan to strike him head-on, ultimately passing right through him.

Tan coldly laughed, “Your true form is indeed heavily injured, and you can only rely on illusions to stall for time.”

Chen Ping’an raised another hand, a Dharma Seal resting in his palm. He flipped his hand over, and the great seal, like a mountain, once again met Tan.

Tan swung his sword, cleaving the mountain seal in two, without the slightest ripple of Qi. Only the sword light remained.

It was just another illusion, manifested from intention.

Tan shook his long sword and beckoned to the young Hidden Official who was putting on an act.

The “Chen Ping’an” smiled slightly and produced a golden talisman. Because the talisman held by the Dharma Idol appeared immense in the eyes of the young Tan, the talisman, with its golden thunder pool as the talisman’s heart, surged with an imposing aura and drifted towards the young sword cultivator.

At the same time, Chen Ping’an’s Dharma Idol lightly raised its left hand, and a mountain range on the ground was directly severed at its roots, rising upwards in coordination with the golden talisman enveloping Tan, slamming towards the latter.

The Hidden Official’s moves were indeed genuine this time!

Tan, with a sudden flash of inspiration, leaned back abruptly, pinched his fingers in a hand seal, and the magical robe he wore emitted a dazzling seven-colored light, revealing celestial musicians with flowing ribbons, their figures extremely small and adorable, instantly guarding all of the young man’s Natal Apertures.

Tan rode his sword away from the original location. When he came to a halt, a golden-bodied Dharma Idol also appeared behind the young man, a heavenly maiden of exquisite beauty, gently bending over, her hands holding the young man’s body.

A long string of blood beads slowly seeped out from Tan’s neck.

The long sword beneath the young man’s feet trembled slowly, as if suppressed by the Great Dao of heaven and earth.

The golden-bodied Dharma Idol of the goddess protecting the young man also began to show signs of peeling away, inch by inch, the flawless golden body rapidly corroding.
Tan held his sword, gently wiping the blood from his neck.

This was clearly a “lawless land” designed for all Qi Refiners.

He had almost lost his head to that fellow’s blade.

The youth finally experienced the feelings of those who faced the young Hidden Official.

Illusory and real, true and false, all testing the heart, all schemes.

On the Sword Qi Great Wall, Wei Jin asked the Old Sword Immortal, “Do you really not need me to relieve the siege?”

Chen Qingdu smiled, “Relieve the siege? Relieve who’s siege, Chen Ping’an, or you, Wei Jin? Do you think the other side has no hidden cards? Just those five excellent sword immortal seedlings, who will be responsible for escorting them away? If any one of them dies, Jiazi Account will be heartbroken.”

Wei Jin said, “With Lu Zhi helping to hold the line, I can give it a try.”

Chen Qingdu shook his head. “Just wait. Whoever strikes later has the advantage.”

Chen Qingdu gazed at the many demon clan military tents in the south. Fourteen Throne Great Demons, even Zhou Mi taking action would be fine, but Liu Cha alone was a problem. If he had a reason to draw his sword, the Sword Qi Great Wall would be in trouble.

For example, if a direct disciple whom Liu Cha had high hopes for died.

At that time, it would be inconvenient for him, Chen Qingdu, to draw his sword.

Then who would stop him? Dong Sangeng was tied down on the golden river side. Lu Zhi? Far from enough. Even with the old deaf jailer, who would also have a reason to draw his sword, it still wouldn’t be enough.

Extremely far from Tan, at the foot of a mountain, Chen Ping’an, who had instantly returned, stood on a relatively slender “mountain range”.

Beneath Chen Ping’an’s feet was the corpse of Hou Kuimen, who had revealed his true demon form after death. As for the black armor, the purple-gold crown, and the two feathers, they had been damaged but not shattered after the previous collision. According to common sense, the scraps would have been picked up long ago and stored by the Hidden Official, but this time Chen Ping’an did not collect them all. He only put the feathers into Yan Ming’s “borrowed” inch-square object, and even emptied the previously stored items in the inch-square object.

As for Hou Kuimen’s armor and purple-gold crown, Chen Ping’an had used the mountain-moving technique to place them far away from Hou Kuimen’s corpse.

Chen Ping’an was severely injured at the moment, his face pale. Even his entire right arm was out of control, trembling slightly, which was extremely rare for Chen Ping’an.

Hou Kuimen’s previous move was too vicious. Chen Ping’an had taken a full-force punch from a tenth-realm martial artist. If he hadn’t dodged slightly, Hou Kuimen would have pierced his heart on the spot with that punch.

If it were in a martial arts arena, surviving a punch from a peak tenth-realm expert would be a great experience. But now, he seemed to be playing the young sword cultivator in the palm of his hand, but in fact, Chen Ping’an still could not escape the encirclement, which was an extremely bad experience.

Failing to hit that young sword cultivator with one blow just now also left Chen Ping’an extremely helpless. If his physique were at its peak, that talented sword cultivator’s head should be in his inch-square object at this moment.

However, the longer this youth was restrained here, unable to forcibly break through the small world, the more Chen Ping’an could recover.

Chen Ping’an looked at the young man’s posture of being sheltered in the hands of the deity, and did not withdraw his gaze for a long time.

Tan did not look at the mountain peak’s Dharma form, which was pretending to be closing its eyes to rest.

The youth stared intently at a wisp of remaining aura in the distance. Although he could not clearly see the scene at the foot of the mountain, he could be sure that the young Hidden Official’s true body was hidden there.

The mountain peak’s majestic Dharma form opened its eyes, made a sword gesture with its fingers, and a series of huge flying swords flew out from the sword box behind it, breaking through the air towards Tan.

The Le Ji Dharma form, protecting the youth’s figure with its hands, spun around, its back facing the flying swords as large as immortal ferries.

Tan gritted his teeth and vomited blood.

The sword interwoven with electric light suddenly hovered in the heaven and earth, and a wisp of sword light bloomed between the tip and the hilt, shooting straight towards the sky and the earth respectively.

Chen Ping’an used the divine power of arbitrarily folding the mountains and rivers of heaven and earth to try to change the trajectory of the two sword lights. Once the route was slightly changed and the sword light was no longer on a straight line, Chen Ping’an could prevent the young sword cultivator from using it to examine the boundaries of heaven and earth.

Unexpectedly, the youth directly detonated the sword, and the sword light suddenly expanded, as if a pillar had been erected between heaven and earth.

That sword was actually Tan’s second natal flying sword.

At the same time, the natal flying sword “Jiaqi,” formed from the iron cavalry army into a sword, returned to Tan’s acupoint.

The celestial maiden Dharma form joined her hands, protecting Tan, who did not hesitate to destroy a flying sword, and flew towards the sword light at lightning speed, obviously intending to use the path-opening sword light as a retreat.

The mountain peak Dharma form raised one hand, the palm pointing to the hole in the sky broken by Tan’s youthful sword light, and the other palm was placed on the mountain peak, to mend the large pit on the ground broken by the youth.

Although Chen Ping’an’s Dharma form’s palms did not actually touch the sword light, they were constantly being worn away.

Chen Ping’an divided the small world into three layers, from the inside to the outside, to protect his true body, then open the gate restriction, with a half-baked Dharma form manifest in the world, specifically targeting the first young sword cultivator who fell into the trap, and the last layer was the thinnest, responsible for the illusion for the other four talented sword cultivators.

What he sought was to recover as much as possible while defeating each of them, injuring if he could, killing if he could, in short, killing one was a profit.

However, at present, it seemed that killing that youth alone would not be easy, and it was very likely that he would have to put away the outermost third layer of heaven and earth and consolidate the second layer to kill the youth.

Chen Ping’an was still unwilling to show all the divine powers of his two natal flying swords too early.

However, depending on the circumstances, the youth’s choice was unexpected, and Chen Ping’an could only choose the lesser of two evils, killing one person first.

When Tan was willing to destroy a natal flying sword as the price, and also forced to leave this place.

A sword light had already broken through the sky of the second layer of the small world.

Chen Ping’an held a short knife in both hands, about to intercept and kill the youth, but suddenly his mind moved slightly, and he stopped.

At this moment, the inch-square object in Chen Ping’an’s sleeve vibrated violently, without warning.

Not only that, the armor and purple-gold crown that Chen Ping’an had thrown away in the distance exploded at the same time.

A foreign sword light like a crescent moon hanging in the air cut through the barriers of the two layers of heaven and earth, and just struck the place where the treasure armor was shattered.
Chen Ping’an, however, gazed towards another point, where the Purple-Gold Crown had self-destructed, revealing an extremely minute trace of a flying sword. There was no eye-catching sword light, not a wisp of sword energy, nor any ripple of fluctuation.

Had he not been situated within his own dominion, Chen Ping’an would have been utterly oblivious.

Yet, when Chen Ping’an attempted to trace the trajectory of that flying sword, he found not a single clue.

Presiding over this small world was akin to a sage, whose every thought could command a panoramic view of mountains and rivers, leaving nothing unseen.

This caused Chen Ping’an to regard the nameless flying sword with heightened vigilance, far surpassing the significance of the sword that breached the barrier. The former was simply a more exaggerated version of Qi Shou’s flying sword, “Heartstring.” Were they to confront each other on the battlefield, being targeted by that flying sword would undoubtedly prove exceptionally troublesome. If it was neither Yu Si, nor Li Zhen, nor the bamboo chest who had already unleashed a fierce sword, then it must be the female sword cultivator whom the youth addressed as Liubai.

No wonder the youth reminded Liubai to pay attention to intercepting him. Liubai’s natal flying sword was of a similar vein to Xie Songhua, the female sword immortal from the Northern Ju Lu Continent who had once fought alongside him.

Skilled in nurturing sword intent, her strikes were lightning-fast, lethally potent, seeking a swift and decisive kill.

Chen Ping’an abandoned his intention to slay the youth. Given the shifting circumstances, with the youth heavily injured, his presence on the battlefield could still prove invaluable.

The youth was expendable, but the female sword cultivator was a certain kill.

Li Zhen instantly arrived at Liubai’s side, following the traces of sword intent left by the bamboo chest’s strike that breached the small world’s barrier. After a moment’s calculation, Li Zhen immediately revealed the truth, “Our earlier telepathic conversation was likely overheard by Chen Ping’an. This small world is either borrowed by him, or it is his own.”

Liubai suddenly warned, “It’s Yu Si who was left above!”

Even as Liubai spoke, the youth Tan, protected by the bamboo chest, and Liubai, guarded by Li Zhen, originally separated by a great distance and suspended above the sea of clouds, now inexplicably found themselves standing at the bottom of a large pit, merely a few feet apart.

During this brief interval, the four most outstanding young sword cultivators of the Barbaric World felt as though a gentle breeze had brushed past them. It was the subtle trail of the three layered small worlds shifting.

In a fleeting instant, they reverted to their original positions, the two groups of four sword cultivators, separated by the vast sea of clouds.

The bamboo chest declared, “Li Zhen, stop holding back! Create an even larger small world outside the formation, and then constantly shrink it!”

Li Zhen nodded, offering seven natal treasures that had just been refined. Suddenly ascending into the sky, they ultimately hung suspended like stars, interconnected by threads. Then, they echoed the earth formation previously laid down by Li Zhen. The world, originally plunged into deep twilight during daylight, returned to clarity in the next instant.

Li Zhen’s figure gradually dissipated, his soul splitting into seven directions, as he reminded the bamboo chest and others, “At most, within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I can reveal Chen Ping’an’s small world in its original form, but during this time, I will be temporarily unable to wield my sword.”

A contest of the great Dao erupted between the two small worlds, causing the heavens and earth to tremble. The scenery in the eyes of the several sword cultivators was distorted and unsettled, like a scroll spread out upon a desk, violently shaken by someone holding one end of the roller.

The longswords on the sword rack behind the bamboo chest incessantly flew away, trailing behind them rainbow lights. All the cloud seas and mountains within the small world were destroyed by the longswords, and outside the sword lights, sword energies bloomed.

Some mountains and rivers in the “ruined lands” that the flying swords passed through had just barely begun to regenerate illusions, when they were once again smashed to pieces by the residual sword energies.

The bamboo chest seemed to want to fill the entire small world with endless sword intent, so that even if Chen Ping’an was a sage in this place, he would only have a foothold, and it would be difficult for him to move his body at will.

The sword rack behind him was now empty of longswords.

The bamboo chest, holding a longsword, landed on the earth, and with the tip of the sword against the ground, the blade slowly sank into the earth, ripples spreading out in circles, scattering in all directions at an extremely fast speed.

Within the ripples on the ground, droplets of water condensed from pure sword intent rose, following the circular ripples constantly, forming a curtain of rain suspended above the earth.

Evidently, the bamboo chest was unwilling to wait for Li Zhen.

The youth Tan sat cross-legged, and Liubai had replaced Li Zhen, standing beside Tan to protect the formation.

Yu Si, who had previously promised that he would be the last to unsheath his sword.

His battered figure, covered in blood, slid out from the sea of clouds, as if he had been kicked in the abdomen, and then forcibly breached the barrier of the heaven and earth, finally crashing not far from Liubai.

Liubai directly offered her natal flying sword, reputed to be the fastest in the world, which pierced straight through the back of that “Yu Si.”

Tan also once again offered that divine goddess dharma idol of unusual origin, suspended behind himself and Liubai, protecting one person with one hand.

This ancient musician’s dharma idol was not like ordinary ones, it was as agile as a living person. Earlier, when she had used her back to withstand the flying sword from the green-clad guest on the mountain peak, there had even been some slight changes in her expression.

At this moment, as she lowered her head to stare at her master, she was filled with amiability.

That “Yu Si” came and went in a hurry.

The bamboo chest wielded a longsword at the entrance that had been opened earlier, a flash of sword light, and then it disappeared.

Within the innermost small world, Chen Ping’an reached out and covered the ribs pierced by the flying sword, smiling wryly.

What a Liubai.

Originally, as long as she had shown a little restraint, even if she was cautious and ruthless enough, according to Chen Ping’an’s expectations, lightly injuring “Yu Si” to determine whether he was real or fake, then a distance of ten or so feet would have been enough for Chen Ping’an, who had resisted a sword, to get close. Once he got close, whether he killed her or the youth, there would have been a great opportunity.

He never thought that Liubai’s natal flying sword would directly go for “Yu Si’s” core qi palace, the foundation of all sword cultivators, so Chen Ping’an had to slightly change his posture, and decisively retreat at the cost of a minor injury.

It was a case of trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used as bait.

As for the bamboo chest’s longsword that followed, it was not difficult for Chen Ping’an to dodge, and he soon “politely sent it away.”

And within Chen Ping’an’s small world, Yu Si’s situation was even worse than Tan’s had been earlier.

Because Chen Ping’an, whose physique was gradually recovering, no longer took any fancy actions, and within the small world, there were flying swords everywhere.

The contents of the secret files from the Jiashen Camp regarding the sword cultivator Yu Si and the Summer Resort Palace were more detailed than those for the bamboo chest and Liubai.

His natal flying sword was “Waterfall.”

After Yu Si offered his flying sword, it was as if it was cold and freezing, and he just happened to be wearing a fur coat.

So even though he was besieged by those crisscrossing, rampaging flying swords, he was still able to persevere.
If Liu Bai and Yu Si had switched positions, Liu Bai would have surely perished.

Chen Pingan’s two Natal Swords’ inherent abilities perfectly countered and suppressed Liu Bai’s peculiar flying sword.

Alas, such a “favorable what-if” was not to be. Today’s battle was rife with unfavorable accidents and contingencies.

The martial artist Hou Kui was targeted by three supreme treasures that had been tampered with, the young swordsman acted decisively, and the female Liu Bai was ruthless towards a comrade-in-arms…

As for the ability to fold mountains and rivers like paper within his own small world, it originated from an inspiration Chen Pingan had when he witnessed Mao Fuzi trapped in a formation anomaly in the Great Sui capital.

It was a pity that Chen Pingan had not yet mastered it, otherwise Li Zhen and Zhu Qie’s forceful breaking of the formation would have taken far less than an incense stick’s time. This was because the flying sword “Caged Bird” was not a lifeless landscape formation. It differed from the holy man seated in academies, Daoist temples, or battlefield ruins. The latter’s seated landscape was almost fixed, but Chen Pingan’s, relying on the Caged Bird, made every place he walked a world of its own. Similarly, it was due to Chen Pingan’s position as Hidden Official, preventing him from truly focusing on cultivating the Dao and refining his swords. Otherwise, this layered division of worlds within worlds would be even more seamless and watertight.

The ways of the world were always like this; one could never exhaust all the advantages and benefits.

If he hadn’t become the Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, Chen Pingan would never have been able to refine these two Natal Swords that were “in harmony with the Great Dao” of the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Yu Si could ensure temporary survival, but he was definitely not having an easy time.

Besides using flying swords to kill enemies, the young Hidden Official also relied on pure martial artist punches, wielding two sabers, appearing and disappearing unpredictably, in this impossible land that suppressed the enemy’s flying swords and allowed his own to flow more smoothly.

A large chunk of flesh was sliced off Yu Si’s cheek by Chen Pingan’s blade, and his body was covered in wounds.

Fortunately, no sword energy lingered in critical Qi reservoirs, nor did fist force agitate the acupoints. Yu Si was, after all, a swordsman’s physique, and had not suffered any fatal injuries.

However, it was a world of difference from Yu Si’s elegant and handsome appearance when he first appeared.

A sudden sword, piercing through the sky.

The longsword was sent out of this pocket dimension, and Zhu Qie located this place through the remaining wisps of sword intent.

Chen Pingan’s figure vanished, manipulating the pocket dimension, he had been waiting for this sword, which was why he deliberately left that trace of sword intent.

Liu Bai’s Natal Sword was difficult to track, but these traces of sword intent in Zhu Qie’s case were like fireflies in the night sky, close at hand, in Chen Pingan’s eyes.

Chen Pingan couldn’t touch Yu Si, who was protected by the waterfall of sword qi, so he reversed the dimensions, placing Yu Si, who was busy fending off over a hundred flying swords of “Moon in the Well,” directly in the path of that sword light’s strike.

Zhu Qie spoke in his heart, “Yu Si!”

Zhu Qie did not say more, so there was no question of divulging secrets.

It was all about tacit understanding.

Yu Si did not disappoint Zhu Qie, reaching out to grab that sword light.

The sword light bent like a rope. Zhu Qie, manipulating his thoughts and sword intent, suddenly yanked, trying to drag Yu Si, who was clutching the sword light tightly, out of the small pocket dimension that felt like a large prison.

To prevent Chen Pingan from taking the opportunity to act, and to avoid failing to rescue Yu Si and instead being ambushed by Chen Pingan on the predictable retreat route, Liu Bai, without needing Zhu Qie to remind him, released his Natal Sword, which seemed to not exist in the world.

When Zhu Qie launched his sword, he was standing on the shoulder of that goddess’s dharma image.

Chen Pingan sighed softly, allowing Zhu Qie to rescue Yu Si. Originally, he was going to kill the teenager, and both could have been done without interfering with each other.

You save your people, I kill your people, fairness in transactions.

Since Zhu Qie had anticipated this, he could only settle for second best.

The flying swords Chu Yi and Shi Wu, which had traveled thousands of miles with Chen Pingan, finally appeared simultaneously.

Then, behind the goddess, a more towering and immense green-robed dharma image suddenly appeared, its hands interlocked into a fist, smashing down on her head.

Zhu Qie, holding his sword, swept it towards the sky.

The crescent sword light reappeared out of thin air, directly severing the clenched hands of Chen Pingan’s dharma image.

Since the weaknesses among the besieged swordsmen could not be killed,

Then give the opponent a surprise and kill the strongest one.

Chen Pingan forcibly changed the thickness of the world, placing himself within the folded mountains and rivers. Faster than the pine needles coughing thunder and the earth-shrinking talisman, he instantly arrived behind Zhu Qie.

Zhu Qie was punched in the back, falling from the goddess’s shoulder and crashing into the distant earth.

Chen Pingan was stabbed in the abdomen by Zhu Qie’s backhand sword. Zhu Qie could have dodged, but didn’t, making it clear that he wanted to exchange injuries with Chen Pingan.

Chu Yi and Shi Wu had collided with Liu Bai’s Natal Sword countless times.

Not only that, two rivers of talismans, shimmering with golden light, appeared in the sky, rushing towards Yu Si with a mighty force.

Even though Zhu Qie had been punched away, he still manipulated that sword light, drawing a large arc in the air, trying to pull Yu Si towards himself.

Liu Bai, on the other hand, grabbed Tan by the shoulders and continued to control his Natal Sword to block Chu Yi and Shi Wu. He himself took Tan and flew away on his sword, never giving Chen Pingan the chance to engage in close combat.

As expected, the young Hidden Official followed Yu Si.

Yu Si roared, “Liu Bai!”

The female swordsman’s mind went blank. Instinctively, she threw away the teenager Tan in her hands. She was about to destroy her golden core and then control her Natal Sword to stab herself in the heart, hoping to kill herself first and then kill the young Hidden Official.

But the other party grabbed her neck with his fingers, pulling her back, away from the spot. Then Chen Pingan twisted hard, directly snapping Liu Bai’s neck.

Then another punch struck Liu Bai’s spine heavily, the fist force vibrating and seeping into her body, shattering Liu Bai’s aura and affecting her mind, forcing that Natal Sword to pause slightly after flying past its original trajectory.

Chen Pingan was about to follow up with another punch, trying to shatter Liu Bai’s entire back, not only to shatter her entire spine and golden core on the spot, but also to completely break her bridge to immortality.

Unexpectedly, Chen Pingan’s forehead felt like it had been struck by a heavy hammer, and his figure was forced to disappear.

Although Liu Bai’s physical body was destroyed, she barely managed to protect half of the fundamental Dao. But if she ever wanted to enter the upper five realms, especially the Immortal realm, her hopes were slim, as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Chen Pingan quickly glanced at the woman’s head.

It was the teenager who had secretly left a talisman on the woman.
To unleash that life-saving talisman, the youth had already been grievously wounded. Coughing up blood, his face stained crimson, and his vision blurred, he still desperately beckoned. He used the tattered talisman to envelop the woman’s golden core and soul, taking them into his sleeve. Having done all this, he was on the verge of collapsing, barely maintaining a sliver of clarity in his mind. The youth reached out again, determined to retrieve Liu Bai’s discarded body.

Unexpectedly, beams of light, whether starlight or sword light, descended from the heavens, encompassing the bamboo container, Yu Si, Tan, and Liu Bai’s lifeless form.

Chen Pingan narrowly avoided Liu Bai’s share, but within his own miniature world, there was no escape. He was struck by the second beam of light.

As for Liu Bai’s discarded body, it was utterly obliterated by the light.

Chen Pingan was sent crashing to the ground, staggering in mid-air. He somersaulted, dodging another light beam that doggedly pursued him, then folded the mountains and rivers, instantly teleporting hundreds of feet away.

Li Zhen hovered in the sky, a primordial god who had traversed the river of time, his hands supporting the Big Dipper, which should have been suspended in the night sky.

The stars slowly shifted, and within the miniature world, the seasons transitioned in rapid succession: spring thunder, summer heat, autumn chill, and heavy snow. The Great Dao operated like a grinding mill, crushing all things.

During this time, the countless sword energies laid down by the bamboo container grew ever sharper. In the space between heaven and earth, droplets of sword intent coalesced into a surging river of sword energy, expanding its territory ceaselessly, a flood threatening to engulf everything.

Chen Pingan either had to retract the life-bound divine ability of his flying sword, “Caged Bird,” or be forced into a grueling battle of attrition with Li Zhen, a contest of pure divine will.

Chen Pingan’s figure appeared and disappeared repeatedly within the miniature world.

With a sliding step, Chen Pingan moved ten feet and instantly came to a halt.

The Caged Bird, manifested as a miniature world, condensed into a single sword and plunged back into his life-bound aperture.

The miniature world vanished.

Chen Pingan stood on the slope of a large pit, while Li Zhen hovered above it, only a dozen feet away. The bamboo container, with its sword rack on its back, was located at the center of the pit. Yu Si, supporting Tan, stood at the edge of the pit.

The sword formation that the bamboo container had buried underground was about to activate.

The world shifted once more.

This time, the miniature world was far smaller and more confined than before.

Only a few dozen square miles in area.

The landscape was filled with eerie tombs, surrounded by weeping willows.

Was this the true state of mind of the young Hidden Official?

The bamboo container, usually as still as water, revealed a rare hint of anger.

Yu Si, using the flying sword “Waterfall” to protect herself and Tan, gritted her teeth, filled with resentment.

Was this Chen Pingan so difficult to kill?!

Li Zhen casually raised a hand, able to touch the sky, and chuckled, “The most life-cherishing Hidden Official, are you really planning to not even run this time?”

At most, Chen Pingan could kill Tan, taking what remained of his life, and perhaps Yu Si.

As for Li Zhen himself and the bamboo container, in this chaotic and messy encirclement, they didn’t lack the killing power of flying swords, but rather the ability to fully commit to a strike.

Chen Pingan, surrounded, swayed on his feet. Having used the Caged Bird twice and faced five enemies alone, his martial artist’s physique, repeatedly strained, his cultivator’s spiritual energy, supporting two life-bound flying swords, and even his very spirit, were all reaching their limits.

Li Zhen shook his head, his eyes filled with pity. “Draining the pond to catch the fish is a path to self-destruction.”

Chen Pingan heavily clapped his palms together and smiled faintly, “I’ll send you all off on your way, may you rest in peace.”

From all directions, from the boundaries of the square world, countless flying swords, “Moon in the Well,” emerged, slowly advancing towards the four sword cultivators.

Another unreasonable life-bound flying sword!

Terror filled Li Zhen’s heart.

Was this madman really going to trade his life for theirs?

The bamboo container frowned. Did this young Hidden Official not want to be killed by a flying sword at the last moment? Was that why he chose to kill one more person?

A moment later.

Chen Pingan fell backward.

Both the Caged Bird and the Moon in the Well instantly returned to their apertures.

Realizing the truth, Li Zhen couldn’t help but curse.

It turned out that the place where Chen Pingan had fallen backward was at the foot of the Sword Qi Great Wall!

This meant that Li Zhen and everyone else had been tricked by this damned young Hidden Official.

Fighting them with two life-bound flying swords was a facade; folding the mountains and rivers and changing the battlefield was the real goal.

But what followed was a series of events that were a huge surprise to both the Wilderness and the Sword Qi Great Wall.

First, a Throne Realm demon hidden on the battlefield revealed itself. With a sweep of its sleeve, it took the already attacking bamboo container, the retreating Li Zhen, and the others into its sleeve dimension. At the same time, it flicked its finger.

Wei Jin, the sword immortal from the Wind and Snow Temple, struck down the demon’s magic aimed at Chen Pingan with a single sword strike.

Lu Zhi was about to leave the city wall.

A burly man with a beard, carrying a sword and wearing a saber, directly used his fists to repel two sword immortals from the Sword Qi River and arrived on the battlefield near the Sword Qi Great Wall. He reached out and pressed his hand on the hilt of his saber, looking up at the female sword immortal, Lu Zhi.

As long as Lu Zhi didn’t draw her sword, he wouldn’t draw his saber.

But this wasn’t the biggest surprise.

Chen Qingdu looked up and smiled.

The gray-robed old man from the Jiazi Camp stepped out of his tent, seemingly wanting to witness a certain scene.

In the shared sky of the Wilderness and the Sword Qi Great Wall.

A rainbow light as large as a mountain smashed through the grand barrier of the entire world and landed directly on the battlefield, not near the Sword Qi Great Wall, but instead in the heart of the demon army north of the Golden River.

Over a vast battlefield of hundreds of square miles, the ground instantly cracked, throwing countless demons into the air, causing widespread death and destruction.

A man who had come from beyond the heavens slightly bent his knees, stood on the battlefield, raised his hands, pressed them against his forehead, and slowly smoothed his hair back.

The man straightened his back, looked around at the surrounding demons, and laughed loudly, “You are already surrounded by me.”