First, the young True Dragon revealed its true form, voluntarily leaving the Dragon Ascension Platform to engage in a fierce battle at sea. It clashed with the great demon consort, Crimson Consort, whose Great Dao was in conflict, resulting in a dragon-serpent struggle that could shift seas. Subsequently, Cui Chan’s twelve flying swords from the Jade Capital rushed to the battlefield to relieve the young dragon. Then, Yuan Shou struck the True Dragon’s head with a staff, followed by shattering the Old Dragon City’s Feng Shui formation, smashing it towards the princely residence. Finally, Xu Ruo, a wandering swordsman of the Mohist school, blocked the remaining force of the great demon Yuan Shou’s staff with more than half of his unsheathed sword.

At the Old Dragon City battlefield, the demon army continued to land and attack the city, and cultivators from Treasure Bottle Continent continued to perish.

After the battles on the mountain peaks, the Savage Desolate World instantly laid out long bridges and divine path steles, along with giant silk ribbons stretched open. Great demons transported mountains, refined into miniature objects from the Tong Ye Continent, and hurled them into the sea. Using their divine abilities, they suddenly erected them from the sea, with mountain peaks piercing into the seabed near the mainland of Old Dragon City, suspended in the sea, constructing flat sea battlefields, with vast seas of clouds spreading above the sea surface, like white clouds filling mountain valleys.

Crimson Consort was in much better condition than the young True Dragon, who could only lie on the Dragon Ascension Platform to recover. Receiving a secret order from Jia Zi Camp, she waited for a moment. Then, countless massive ice cones appeared out of thin air along an east-west line on the sea surface where she stood, tilting towards Old Dragon City, which had been blocking the way for a long time. The ice cones were arranged in order, like tens of thousands of catapults.

Within these ice cones, there were a dozen demon cultivators seemingly in slumber, imprisoned in ice cages. Most were plague gods, with two passersby.

In addition, a large number of demon cultivators were on top of the ice cones holding the plague gods and passersby, sparing no expense to frantically carve talismans, lest they anger the volatile Crimson Consort, who would freeze them to death on the spot and throw them into Old Dragon City. The two successive River Swaying Sovereigns of the Savage Desolate World, in truth, the former River Swaying Sovereign was somewhat more gentle in temperament. These throne demons, how good could their temper be? Except for Liu Cha, who liked to call himself a swordsman and wandered the world, and the reclusive Zhou, the gentleman of the literary sea, most were exceptions.

Crimson Consort turned her head and smiled enchantingly, gently calling out “Young Master” in her mind.

A sword cultivator youth dressed in black robes, with a snow-white silk ribbon tying his hair, was Yu Si of Jia Shen Camp. He hurriedly arrived at the rear of the battlefield and found Crimson Consort.

Yu Si was still worried about her safety, even though she was a throne demon of the Savage Desolate World.

Yu Si asked, “Are you alright?”

Crimson Consort shook her head, “That little one is very tender, relying on some True Dragon fortune and a bit of vast and righteous water fortune for protection. It only has some physical toughness, but it’s not yet formidable. Its innate water techniques are still not refined. Even if it succeeds in becoming a Dragon God, it won’t even reach the Ascension Realm. Not much skill, but a big temper. This battle won’t give that little one many opportunities. Before that old woman, Yang Zhi, I’ll quickly devour her. Then I can accompany Young Master to the seaside of the Central Earth Divine Continent to relax, and it would be permissible.”

Only with Young Master Yu Si was Crimson Consort willing to speak so much.

White Glaze, the throne demon of withered bones, had secretly rushed to Golden Armor Continent after the end of the Tong Ye Continent war.

Zhong Kui, the gentleman of Tong Ye Continent, had previously prevented White Glaze from fully displaying her abilities. This Zhong Kui and Jiang Shangzhen were the two who most deserved to die but hadn’t.

As for the others, they had already received secret orders from Gentleman Zhou. She was unable to extricate herself from the Old Dragon City battlefield, and besides, she wasn’t willing to join that huge commotion.

After all, this time, the entire Floating Cloud Continent was used as a hunting ground to encircle and kill Bai Ye, who had killed throne demons with three swords. Although the situation was now reversed, with them holding all the advantages of timing, location, and personnel, Bai Ye was still Bai Ye after all.

Yu Si sighed softly, “Wooden Clog has already received Gentleman Zhou’s bestowed surname and given name, Zhou Qinggao.”

Crimson Consort smiled and comforted him, “Even becoming Gentleman Zhou’s closed-door disciple is still not as noble as Young Master’s status.”

Yu Si shook his head; it was always difficult to talk to her.

Crimson Consort knew that her Young Master was more concerned about the direction of the battlefield, so she thoughtfully displayed the divine ability of “Viewing Mountains and Rivers in the Palm,” allowing Yu Si to clearly see the battlefield dynamics of Old Dragon City.

On the Old Dragon City side, the first counterattack by cultivators in the past ten days unfolded, with a grand momentum. There were more than three hundred Qi Refiners who rushed out of one of the three main gates, heading towards the sea.

Yu Si was stunned, “Great Li is very pragmatic, not like the personality of that vassal king Song Mu. Logically speaking, he wouldn’t do this out of spite.”

Once the Treasure Bottle Continent cultivators left the Old Dragon City Feng Shui formation, especially when they left the land and were on the sea, they would lose the protection of the other two major formations.

Crimson Consort smiled and explained, “It’s another strange technique from the Vast and Righteous World. They’re all paper puppets, with no killing power, just used to scare people.”

Yu Si nodded, “That’s a unique divine ability of the cultivator, after all, they can write out all kinds of human mountains and rivers with a brush. It’s not surprising to carve out hundreds of Qi Refiners to confuse the enemy. I heard Liu Bai mention it in Jia Shen Camp before, and I was very curious, wanting to personally travel to the White Paper Blessed Land one day. But Old Dragon City’s actions aren’t just to scare people, Song Mu is indeed more thrifty and resourceful, no wonder Cui Chan dared to put him in Old Dragon City.”

Just as Yu Si thought, the batch of white paper cultivators who went out to fight was used by Old Dragon City to trick the demon cultivators’ techniques and lure out some deeply hidden offensive magic treasures. Even consuming some of the spiritual energy of the demon earth immortal cultivators was a good thing. Soon, Great Li cultivators responsible for supervising and inspecting the battlefield would record all the details in detail. On the battlefield, Old Dragon City did not let go of any small gain.

Large and small measures like this, fresh tricks every day, were being used by both sides.

Zhou Mi never personally directed or gave orders to the various military camps on the battlefield, and neither did Cui Chan, allowing the vassal king Song Mu to be fully responsible for the affairs of Old Dragon City.

As for personally throwing themselves into the battlefield, that was even more out of the question. One careless move could really lead to death.

And Zhou Mi’s and Cui Chan’s rare actions were themselves a kind of…

The old monk said, “Such secret treasures may not even be recorded by Great Li…”

Speaking of this, the old monk was at a loss for words. With that embroidered tiger calculating heaven and earth and scheming against people’s hearts, it was really hard to say.

Of course, the old monk had not seen the “white eyes” endorsement on the last flower-and-bird scroll, but was just speculating according to common sense.
Cao Rong chuckled, “My so-called ‘half-senior brother’ is currently in Old Dragon City, reminiscing with Madam Gui. As his junior brother, I wouldn’t want to embarrass him.”

The old monk’s face cleared. “The old boatman from Guihua Island of the Fan family often passes by Jiao Dragon Gulch.”

Cao Rong nodded.

The reason he was called a “half-senior brother” was that their master had never officially acknowledged him as a direct disciple.

However, back when their master traveled the world by sea, the old boatman was responsible for rowing the boat. Having journeyed with their master, he had at least earned some credit for his hard work. Therefore, all the direct disciples recognized the old boatman as their senior brother.

Senior Brother Old Boatman had many aliases, one of the most famous being Gu Qingsong. He was renowned throughout the Central Earth Divine Continent as “Feigning Ease,” a compliment laced with irony, for his infamous stubbornness.

Regardless of who he fought, no matter the difference in their cultivation level, or how formidable the opponent’s background, Gu Qingsong never flinched. Though he rarely won, he always managed to survive. He had provoked the likes of A Liang, the City Lord of White Emperor City, and the Fire Dragon Real Person. Eventually, he left the land once more, returning to the sea as an old oarsman, supposedly because he couldn’t afford to provoke any more trouble, lest the younger generation be unable to catch up.

With Cao Rong’s protection of the formation, Old Dragon City and the princely residence were safe.

Song Mu, in the council hall, suddenly recalled something and sternly reminded everyone, “All cultivators who died outside Old Dragon City, even if they left their assigned battlefield without permission, even if they accidentally violated the rules, their deaths in battle are still deaths in battle! Remind all supervising cultivators that these Qi Refinement cultivators’ military merits in the Dali Ministry of War and Ministry of Justice records must not be discounted in any way!”

A clerical secretary said, “This violates the rules established by the National Preceptor.”

Song Mu turned and glared at him. “In Old Dragon City, what I say goes! You just do as you’re told. If the National Preceptor wants to hold the princely residence accountable, tell him to come to Old Dragon City and find Song Mu!”

The clerical secretary’s eyes gleamed. He cupped his fist and said, “Understood!”

This young official from Yichi Alley, with the surname of a Dali pillar of state, wholeheartedly approved of Song Mu’s status as a prince for the first time.

A young gentleman from the Sui Dynasty Cliffside Academy guarded the rear of one of the massive breaches in Old Dragon City’s grand formation. He had divided the area into three warfronts, illustrating the sheer size of the opening. Besides assisting the Dali accompanying cultivators in deploying troops, the gentleman would unleash his power whenever enough spiritual energy had accumulated.

This time, the young gentleman’s words became law as he silently recited, “Azure Cavalry arrayed, three million strong.”

The so-called “Azure Cavalry” were actually willow branches.

Massed together densely, they looked impressive.

They were adequate for killing the non-cultivating demon races sent as cannon fodder, but their main purpose was to slow down the advance of the demon army.

A nonchalant sage, Zhou Ju, from the Lakeside Academy, had managed to regain his gentleman status a few years ago. However, due to his considerable merits on the Old Dragon City battlefield, he lost his gentleman title again at the academy, reverting back to a sage. When would this rise and fall ever end?

Zhou Ju had already attacked several times before, even more outrageously than the Cliffside Academy’s gentleman. He was now squatting beside the Cliffside Academy’s gentleman, munching on immortal coins with a crisp crunch, savoring them as if they were delicacies.

A young accompanying cultivator from the Wind and Snow Temple’s military faction was responsible for protecting this frail academy gentleman. Simply put, if the latter was caught in a perilous situation, his job was to shout, “Protect the gentleman!”

His figure flashed, and near the breach, there was a demon race lass wearing a loose black robe. Her spells and divine abilities were quite bizarre. Her body instantly transformed into millions of birds, actually killing off all the willow branch Azure Cavalry. Zhou Ju wanted to meet her! He wanted to find an opportunity to wring her head off and then tell her she was a beauty born for greatness.

On another battlefield, the situation was even more precarious. Even with the North Ju Luzhou sword immortal holding the line, dangers still arose constantly. The beasts from the Barren Lands swarmed through the breach like locusts.

All the cultivators in Old Dragon City had to admit that these demon races were truly unafraid of death.

The demon race cultivators also competed with Old Dragon City in using suicide tactics, exchanging deadly favors.

Initially, the front-line cultivators in Old Dragon City suffered heavy losses, until a clerical secretary from the princely residence frantically searched through numerous files and secret records. Finally, in a relatively new but unsourced book, he barely identified the “Nightmare” and “Face Stealer” identities of that group of demon race suicide soldiers. Only then did the princely residence immediately come up with countermeasures, sending flying sword messages to all sword cultivators, informing them to seek out clues of these two strange cultivators, thereby reversing the tide of battle.

A small Thunder Pool appeared out of thin air in the sky above the battlefield. Within a radius of tens of miles, lightning crackled, with bolts of electricity resembling white dragons and five-colored thunderbolts resembling colorful snakes, darting about unpredictably, whipping the earth.

A demon race cultivator with sleeves of red and black, respectively controlling a fire dragon and a water蛟, charged toward the breach.

Outside this breach, on the distant sea, a great demon appeared for the first time. It was a gold-armored divine general, riding a horse and holding a spear, dashing across the waves towards Old Dragon City.

Although it was not a powerful great demon at the peak of its cultivation, this rider had been quite prominent on the Sword Qi Great Wall battlefield in the past. Its golden armor was extremely difficult to break, so much so that it had once been listed as a “must-kill” target by the Hidden Official lineage of the Summer Retreat Palace.

If this rider was so formidable on the Sword Qi Great Wall, what would it be like in this Old Dragon City?

There was a Daoist talisman sect real person, not high in cultivation, stuck at the Golden Core bottleneck, but proficient in the art of writing talismans. Currently, he was cooperating with a great scholar from the academy who could speak with heavenly decree.

Above the South Sea, strokes and strokes of ink formed words. They were the writings of sages.

There was a female demon race sword cultivator who was one of the Hundred Sword Immortals of Mount Tuoyue. Young and beautiful, her forehead and cheeks still bore some features of her demon race true form. She actually advanced faster than that gold-armored divine general.

She didn’t control a sword. Each time she jumped, a level of white jade steps would automatically appear beneath her feet. The precious light behind her was like a lunar halo, shattered by flying swords or spells from Old Dragon City, turning into a broken mirror, only to instantly reassemble. She had cultivated in the Sword Qi Great Wall guarded by the Dragon Lord for several years, obtaining a sword intent of “Burning Flower,” a flying sword of “Broken Mirror,” and a natal divine ability of “Reunion.” Her flying sword and physique were both like this, making it difficult to die. Of course, one would still die on such a battlefield, but as a sword cultivator, how could one become a sword immortal if one was afraid of battle?

Besides, having fought on the Sword Qi Great Wall battlefield for several years, she really didn’t think she would die in such a small place.

In the future, going to the gate of the Central Earth Confucian Temple, presenting her sword and dying again would be barely acceptable!
A reclusive Earth Immortal cultivator from Old Dragon City, concealing his true strength, suddenly erupted, laying waste to a large number of enemies. Just as he was about to achieve his long-sought goal, having accumulated enough battle merits to leave the battlefield and return to his sect in the heartland of a province to resume his role as an esteemed ancestor, a figure rose from the pile of corpses behind him. It was a familiar face, a cultivator from Treasure Bottle洲, yet this “ally” viciously clawed out his heart, devouring it and his golden core, chewing with savage gusto, before collapsing like a puppet, blood still staining his maw.

Nearby, an old sword cultivator of the Nascent Soul stage, a true Sword Immortal senior of Treasure Bottle洲, unable to find the true form of the lurking demon, resorted to the next best thing. He unleashed his natal sword “”, encircling the pile of corpses in a grand halo of sword light. Then, the sword light crashed down, shattering most of the corpses, leaving few whole.

Unexpectedly, the puppet, still animated, suddenly fled into the distance. The old sword cultivator’s flying sword followed swiftly.

Even more shockingly, the corpse of the cultivator whose chest had been torn open, fled in the opposite direction, even faster than the puppet. At the same time, the original puppet’s body went limp, about to fall into the sea.

In the blink of an eye, the old sword cultivator was clearly caught off guard. Instinctively, he slightly restrained his sword intent, merely cleaving the puppet in two before immediately retrieving his flying sword, turning to slay the heartless corpse. He was certain that the beast’s true form resided within it. The sword light blazed, his aura like a rainbow.

Li Cai was speechless.

*What is this flowery show all about?*

Even though this female Sword Immortal from another realm was already exhausted, she still managed to unleash her flying sword, completely obliterating the puppet that had just been cut in half, along with the Earth Immortal demon soul that had been hiding within the skin of the human cultivator.

Glancing at the old fellow, Li Cai was too weary to speak. She needed to return to Old Dragon City and drink a few jugs of good wine to invigorate herself. She would first have a good, long sleep, and then fight again.

As for that sword cultivator, who looked ancient, judging by his Nascent Soul aura, he was a newcomer. But his ordinary golden core had clearly been polished for many years.

*How is his battlefield experience so pitifully green?*

*He seems to be an “old Sword Immortal” from the Righteous Sun Mountain?*

*Good heavens.*

In terms of perception, understanding of the situation, and decisiveness in striking, he was far inferior to even her astute disciple Chen Li, let alone that little girl Gao Youqing.

However, the old Righteous Sun Mountain sword cultivator was already offering a respectful bow to the famed female Sword Immortal of North Ju洲.

“As expected of Sect Leader Li of Floating Duckweed Sword Lake! Both continents know of the Sword Immortal’s…”

“Good Sword Immortal! Your swordsmanship is truly exquisite, and your natal flying sword never misses, always resulting in great victories!”

“If I could visit the ancestral hall of Righteous Sun Mountain in the future, I would offer half the respect due to a disciple of the mountain and humbly seek instruction from Sect Leader Li on the Dao of the Sword.”

Li Cai almost rolled her eyes in response. She barely restrained herself, unwilling to say anything further, for one shouldn’t strike a smiling face.

*If you showed that expression on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and anyone saw it, not to mention the Hidden Official, even our own Little Hidden Official would be rolling on the ground with laughter.*

The Sword Qi Great Wall was full of oddities. One of the less noticeable ones was that the young Hidden Official seemed particularly eager to deal with the Mountain-Moving demons on the battlefield.

Li Cai had once inquired privately, wondering if he had some great feud with that Yuan Shou. Was it because his cultivation was insufficient that he had to vent his anger on Yuan Shou’s disciples and grandchildren?

At the time, Chen Ping’an gave Li Cai a reason that she dismissed as a joke, saying, “The first time Ning Yao and I risked our lives to fight together, we still couldn’t gain any advantage.”

Li Cai merely wondered if Yuan Shou had ever attacked Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao, or if he had encountered a Mountain-Moving Ascension Stage demon on the battlefield, but had not fought to a earth-shattering conclusion? Like the young Hidden Official sparring with Fei Ran, and then quickly passing each other by?

Li Cai rode her sword back to the inner city of Old Dragon City to drink. In truth, her sword-riding posture was already swaying, as if the woman was already drunk.

*To hell with the Immortal Realm. It’s truly hopeless now. I’ve ruined the last chance I had. Who can I blame but myself? I’ll blame the wine.*

Meanwhile, Wang Zhu, still not on the Dragon Ascending Platform on the Old Dragon City battlefield, had recovered somewhat and was able to sit up. The magical robe she wore, an ancient dragon robe style, differed greatly from the dragon robes of later emperors.

It was once the Semi-Immortal Treasure Cloud Sea above Old Dragon City, and fused with the remains of a river god to become a true Immortal Treasure.

The yellow-clad boy sitting in a daze at the bottom of the stairs suddenly stood up, his face stern. “Ma Kuxuan, halt!”

Besides Ma Kuxuan, with a cat perched on his shoulder, there was also his personal maid, Shu Dian, and a direct disciple that Ma Kuxuan had taken in recent years, whom he had named Wang Zu (Forget Ancestor).

The yellow-clad boy was particularly displeased with this name. *Forget Ancestor? Isn’t that a homophone for one of my master’s assumed names, “Wang Zhu”?*

Ma Kuxuan smiled and asked, “Little lizard, back in Mud Lane you could only scurry around on the ground. Now that you can finally speak, cherish it. Don’t be so eager to die.”

The yellow-clad boy said, “One must consider the owner before striking the dog.”

Ma Kuxuan looked at the four-legged lizard with horns on its forehead from the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven of the past.

The latter took a step back, his heel bumping against the stairs.

Sitting on the stairs, even to the point of infighting, was a considerable joke in the eyes of both the Grand Azure World and the Wildlands World.

But the Jade Regulations Sect had been the butt of jokes ever since the death of its reviver, Du Mao. One might as well get used to it.

The old man was unlike many other old cultivators of the Jade Regulations Sect. He wasn’t particularly afraid of death. His cultivation bottleneck was difficult to break through, his skin was decaying, and his soul was like a candle flickering in the wind.

Since he wasn’t even afraid of death, then he had to do something even less afraid of, such as leaving behind some true “legacy” for the Jade Regulations Sect.

Those young people behind him were it.

But for them to live, he had to first draw a clear line.

If the Wildlands World won in the future, conquering the entire Grand Azure World,

then these children would still have a chance to return to the mountains and atone for their sins. At the very least, they could quietly cultivate in the Tung Leaf Sect and live peacefully in the mountains. The demons of the Wildlands World revered the strong. As long as their cultivation was high, the world would be their oyster. Perhaps they would even be freer than they were in the Grand Azure World.
However, if the Wilderness world loses and retreats south of the Great Wall of Sword Qi to that land of barbarians, you will still have choices to make then.

I, the oldest ancestor of the Tongye Sect’s Ancestral Hall, a dying old man, can only do this much for those ancestral portraits.

These young people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sect’s honor must not die, not even one of them.

Yugui Sect in the southern Tongye Continent, which hadn’t been the leading immortal family for many years, has already lost its Law Enforcement Ancestor in battle. Even that adorable little Liu girl, later Hua Mao, has fallen.

Even if the Ancestral Hall still exists in the future, how many people will scold me? Won’t it be lonely? I, Jiang Shangzhen, will be lonely to death.

A figure suddenly appeared, enduring a magical attack from a soaring realm great demon lying in wait, and crashed heavily into the sect’s last mountain and river formation. He stood up and dashed towards Nine Yi Peak.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one is living there temporarily, it’s a good place to practice.

Jiang Shangzhen spat out a mouthful of blood, “Bring me my sword to entertain our guest!”

Nine Yi Peak collapsed and shattered, eventually revealing countless chess pieces, nine sword formations, and nine flying swords.

Old Xun, and you other old ancestors who have consumed more incense ash than I have, don’t blame me for being a spendthrift. The old ones are dying off left and right, and our young ones can’t hold on any longer!

Treasure Bottle Continent.

Sword Immortal Wei Jin of the Wind and Snow Temple, along with Bai Chang, the foremost sword cultivator in the northern Luzhou continent, and He Xiaoliang, the sect leader of Qingliang Sect, were heading towards the western mountain range.

As for He Xiaoliang’s quasi-senior apprentice, the old ferryman, he had already bid farewell and gone to Old Dragon City alone.

Under the instructions and arrangements of the Great Li Dynasty, they reported, “Senior Xun has departed.”

Old Gang Leader Gao Mian took a large gulp of wine, “That one-foot spear, not very skilled, but with a lot of courage, and a little bad luck, what else could have happened.”

The old man remained silent for a long time, then raised his wine pot and poured wine towards the south, murmuring, “Brother, your Tongye Continent one-foot spear has never been tough in front of me, the Jade-Faced Young Master. Never thought you’d die so valiantly. If I had known, I would have given you a few more smiles and said a few more kind words back then.”

Great Li Capital.

The Mo family from the Central Earth, who entered the game even earlier than the Merchant family, with both their main line and branch families wagering on the Treasure Bottle Continent, were still building mountain-crossing ships and sword boats for the Great Li Dynasty.

The Great Li Dynasty was skilled at making money, and so was Master Fan.

The Great Li Minister of Revenue, who was once known as the best good fellow and was ridiculed as a pushover that everyone dared to squeeze, had now become the most ill-tempered official in the Great Li court. He dared to scold even the Minister of War. Judging by the looks of it, he not only dared to scold the Minister of Works, whom he regarded as an enemy, but even dared to hit him. Every time he met the Minister of Works, who held the same rank as him, to discuss matters, he would first give him a tongue-lashing, and then, after the discussion, he would scold him again. However, the latter often got up and quickly left.

The six ministries of the Great Li Capital, which were originally on the same street, had already temporarily opened up a large area of land, gathering all the government offices together in close proximity, linking them together. Officials from various departments, as long as they were on official business, could come and go without hindrance.

Liu Qingfeng and Guan Yiran, who were once fellow river construction officials, could now meet frequently again. As the direct descendant of Old Master Guan, Guan Yiran was only filling a vacancy in the Ministry of Revenue. He hadn’t been promoted, and according to the rules of the Great Li court, it didn’t even count as a promotion in name only. Therefore, a large number of civil and military officials were fighting for justice for Guan.

Liu Qingfeng, who came from a vassal state as a civil official, had already been promoted to the Right Vice Minister of Works. However, Guan Yiran, who came from the Great Li Guan family and was both a military cultivator, was only filling a vacancy in the Ministry of Revenue. Not only that, but it seemed that as soon as Old Minister Guan left, Guan Yiran had deliberately severed all ties with the Ministry of Personnel. Over the years, he never took the initiative to visit those uncles and elders who held important positions in the Ministry of Personnel, not even his grandfathers. Guan Yiran was very arrogant and still didn’t go to greet them. It was said that an old Vice Minister who had left the Ministry of Personnel more than twenty years ago, and had served as a Minister in another department for three years before retiring, had always regarded Guan Yiran as his own grandson. After retiring and living idly at home in the capital for many years, Guan Yiran, this unconscionable little bastard, still didn’t visit him. The old man was so angry that he pounded the floor with his crutch at his own gate on the second day of the first month of last year, waiting for a long time, but he still didn’t see that young man who liked to laugh and never behaved seriously. The old man cursed Guan Yiran as a worthless thing, a little bastard without a conscience.

When the old man turned around, he blamed Old Minister Guan for being too cruel, really too cruel. How could he bully his own child like this?

In Yichi Lane, an old man who had retired from officialdom for many years had been busy taking care of his grandchildren in recent years. Anyway, the younger generation in his family were doing pretty well and were not disgracing the family. Walking in Yichi Lane and Chier Street, he didn’t have to lower his head and hunch his shoulders.

Today, the old man was taking a walk in the garden with his grandson. The child, who had just started learning to read with a tutor, suddenly said to the old man in a childish voice, “Grandpa, we have so many mountain immortals, and the beasts of the Wilderness World have so many great demons. Can’t the two sides just have the immortals fight in the sky? After the fighting in the sky is over, then fight on the ground. When the fighting starts, I’m too weak to help. Isn’t the Ministry of Revenue short of money? I’ll donate all my lucky money. Doesn’t my dad often get scolded by the officials of the Ministry of Revenue? If I give them money, they’ll be too embarrassed to scold my dad again, right? It’s twenty taels of silver!”

There was too much knowledge and too much to learn in this. The old man could only pick out some things that the child could understand, “Fighting a war is not a game. Not only can’t our immortals on the mountain be afraid of death, but those down the mountain can’t be afraid either. No one can be afraid of death. Otherwise, there will be a second Tongye Continent. Then we’ll have to move.”

It might really be moving, bringing some belongings and some books of sages. But it might also be moving heads.

But what was the point of saying the last sentence to a child? Not to mention that the child would be scared, wouldn’t he himself be scared every time he thought of the worst outcome? Did he need to drink a few sips of old wine to calm his nerves?

Now, the Great Li allows officials to resign, taking half of their property to the government. As for the remaining half, if it’s enough to pay for a cross-continental ship, they can go north to the Northern Luzhou Continent to take refuge. The Great Li will never stop them. If they don’t have enough money, they can borrow it. Officials from the Ministry of Revenue and accompanying military cultivators will personally come to check all the books. Anyone who dares to conceal or underreport more than 10% of their true property will have all of their property confiscated. Regardless of age, the entire family will be exiled. Now is the time when the Great Li needs money and people.
In the Bottle Continent, those areas temporarily spared by the flames of war are under strict martial law. In the Jianghu and among the common folk, anyone who privately instigates armed conflicts involving more than ten people will be executed without question, regardless of the reasons behind the conflict. Cultivators who cause unrest in any region will be executed.

For disturbances among the common people that do not involve cultivators or demons, local government officials will be held accountable and punished. Furthermore, the Minister of Justice of the affiliated kingdom will be escorted in shackles to the nearest of the Five Sacred Mountains or the mountain of the Crown Prince.

As for any battles involving cultivators and demons, all immortal abodes, based on their respective sects and immortal residences, will be divided into three tiers, from low to high, governing areas of 300, 1000, and 3000 *li* respectively. Whether they witness the unrest or not, if they fail to apprehend or execute the culprits on the spot, they will be held accountable and punished. If they fear being caught in the crossfire, they should disperse all registered immortals on the mountain to monitor the surroundings day and night! If they can’t even maintain stability around their own mountain, what use are they, having avoided fighting on the battlefield? Such mountain deities are better off being abolished.

All wandering cultivators in the continent’s mountains and marshes can obtain a patrol token engraved by the Dali Ministry of Justice from the Five Sacred Mountains, the Mountain Gods of the Crown Prince, and the Ministries of Rites of various affiliated kingdoms. Regardless of their cultivation level, with this jade token, they can travel freely within their respective jurisdictions, supplementing the registered immortals in identifying problems. Any captures will be rewarded with immortal coins. As long as they accumulate enough credit on the secret register, they can exchange it for military merits of Dali. They will then be free to obtain a position in the Ministry of Rites of an affiliated kingdom or retire to the Northern Ju Lu Continent.

Wandering cultivators who are unwilling to go to the battlefield will not be forced by Dali’s iron cavalry or local vassal states.

However, any Mountain and Water Gods who dare to abandon their posts will be held accountable, from the vassal monarch to the entire Ministry of Rites.

Registered immortals on the mountain who privately manipulate matters and remove names from the register will, once verified by Dali and its affiliated kingdoms, have the ancestral hall of the entire mountain held accountable. The Law Enforcement Patriarch will be executed, and all other cultivators will be exiled to the Southern Sacred Mountain region.

Signed, Song He, Emperor of Dali.

The minor court assembly had just ended, and he hastily closed his eyes to rest in the Imperial Study. He would soon have to receive waves of ministers from the Six Ministries, each with important matters requiring his final decision before issuing decrees to the court and the public.

Song He recalled the words of Cui Chan, his teacher and national advisor.

“The seeming inhumanity and harsh treatment of vassal states by Dali’s Cui Chan today are meant so that His Majesty can later make slight adjustments, relaxing policies to win the hearts and minds of the Dali Song clan’s people in the future.

We can’t let His Majesty lose at least half a continent’s land and still not get a few good words in the history books of various countries.

Inside and outside the books, there will be nothing but praise, so rest assured.”

In the Affiliated Kingdom of Colorful Garments, near Rouge County…

What was once a ghostly haunted house filled with Yin energy is now a place of scenic beauty and an immortal’s residence.

She reached out and tugged at his sleeve, gently shaking her head, unable to voice her selfish desires, unable to articulate the principles she knew were wrong.

But she just didn’t want him to go to Old Dragon City.

He comforted her, “Is my husband’s cultivation enough? Not even enough to fill the gaps between a Great Demon’s teeth! I’m just going to do odd jobs, help out where I can, for peace of mind. How could I bear to go and not return, leaving you alone? I will come back, for sure.”

Only then did she nod, gently holding his hand. Anyway, not nodding wouldn’t stop her husband.

In a small vassal state fortunate enough to be located in the heart of Bottle Continent, an old scholar who had closed his doors to guests for many years actually went out to bask in the sun today.

However, the usually refined old man was cursing and scolding, saying that the tyrannical and oppressive rule had reached such a point! Those who have brought about the destruction of my homeland’s rivers and mountains are not far from their own downfall.

A group of street ruffians and rogues passed by. The leader asked a dog-legged strategist who had attended school for a few years, “What’s Old Scholar Jiang saying? He rarely comes out, what’s with him acting like his precious son got beat up?” The young man who had received some education whispered, “The old scholar is scolding the Dali barbarians for interfering too much, for liking to kill people at the drop of a hat.” The young man who had asked the question wondered, “Is there any truth to what he’s saying?” The young man, who had read some books but couldn’t really be considered a scholar, seemed unsure, saying, “Maybe so. Our Scholar Jiang is very learned.”

Thinking of this, the young man looked at the back of the Jiang Scholar as he turned around.

The old scholar was very learned, but that son of his really was no good. He liked to gamble, and when he owed money, he would play dead. Once, the gambling den got really angry, beat him up, and tied him up. It was he who helped plead for him and pay off the gambling debts because one of Scholar Jiang’s students happened to be his schoolteacher. He couldn’t get an education, but he still respected that schoolteacher very much. He scolded and hit him a lot when he was young, and he was quite resentful, hating that he interfered too much. But as he got older, he felt more and more sorry for that teacher. So, he also respected the teacher of the scholar. But that son of Jiang Scholar was really no good. He had helped him out of kindness, but later he became dependent on him.

The leader of the ruffians finally nodded to himself and said, “That’s right. Now, when we walk on the street, those dog-officials who used to call us brothers and drink with us now look at us like we’re thieves. It’s really stifling.”

Golden Armor Continent.

Yu Xuan was located high in the sky above the continent. This area should have been the seat of a sage enshrined in the Confucian Temple.

As for the local Ascendant Realm old cultivator beneath his feet, Wan Yan Old Jing, even though he was an Ascendant Realm, he was like an old man in the streets, aging and watching the passage of time little by little, dying of old age. He was even worse off than the old man in the streets.

Wan Yan Old Jing, as the number one cultivator in Golden Armor Continent, had a long-standing reputation. It was just that he had been in closed-door cultivation for five hundred years before emerging. Almost every century, rumors circulated throughout the continent that the founding patriarch was about to break through his bottleneck and resonate with the heavens and earth. But after so many times, no one paid much attention to it. Following Fire Dragon True Person from the Northern Ju Lu Continent, Chen Chun’an from the Southern Po Suo Continent, and Liu the God of Wealth from the Ai Ai Continent, Wan Yan Old Jing of this Golden Armor Continent was once the Ascendant Realm cultivator in the Vast World who had the most hope of being considered one of the top ten cultivators in the Central Earth Divine Continent.

As for why he didn’t go to the home battlefield where the outcome was originally uncertain to find the Great Demon of the Desolate World and have a sensational mutually assured destruction, or crush the demon army in one fell swoop, but instead wantonly killed the home’s Upper Fifth Realm cultivators, heaven only knows.
Was it because the Great Dao had been severed, and both divine souls and physical forms had decayed beyond repair, leaving him only to await death, leading to a collapse of his Dao Heart and the intrusion of inner demons, inviting some extraterrestrial celestial demons to seize control of his mind?

Was it due to the immense constraint of the Central Earth Confucian Temple, against which he had long harbored resentment and grievances? Or was it some kind of old feud from who knows how many years ago? Anyway, it was destined to become an eternally unsolvable, truthless mystery.

Yu Xuan didn’t bother to get to the bottom of it. That Wan Yan old geezer was a stubborn old codger anyway, and the animosity between them was no small matter.

If it weren’t for the Confucian Temple’s infuriatingly rigid rules, Yu Xuan would have crossed the continent to visit Golden Armor Isle long ago. He likes seclusion, does he? Then he should just stay put!

Yu Xuan lowered his head and glanced at the north-central part of Golden Armor Isle, sighing with emotion. A good Jia Sheng, a masterful scheme! When scholars turn wicked, it’s truly terrifying.

The Moon in the Water, Flowers in the Mirror of Tong Leaf Isle allowed those outside the immortal abodes of several “Sect”-level sects in the north-central part of Golden Armor Isle to see clearly. What a spectacle of the myriad beings of Tong Leaf Isle!

Yu Xuan, upon descending to the mortal realm, dared not wander far with his Yin Spirit. In this Golden Armor Isle, where most of the land had reverted to a desolate wilderness, would he be courting death?

So what if Yu Xuan knew a few minor tricks of the talismanic arts and was one of the Central Earth Ten?

That Jia Sheng even wants to kill Bai Ye!

The Central Earth Divine Continent, occupying half the land of the Great Bright World, had the renowned Central Earth Ten.

The most triumphant man in the mortal realm, the Poet Immortal Bai Ye. One of a kind.

The remaining nine were roughly divided into three tiers. This might not be accurate, but it was the most widely circulated ranking.

The Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain. A pillar of the military strategists of the world. The Talisman Master Yu Xuan.

Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City, the Female Martial God Pei Bei, a great demon who founded a sect.

The Grand Master of the Mohists, hailed as a unique existence capable of besieging a city single-handedly. It was rumored that unless one of the Ten was stationed there, any “Sect”-level immortal family could be utterly destroyed in an instant.

The Old Sword Immortal Zhou Shenzhi.

Huai Yin.

This list naturally bypassed the Central Earth Confucian Temple.

Besides, there were the Great Bright World Ten. It was just that busybodies were arguing endlessly, annoyingly so, and even Yu Xuan found it too boring.

The Supreme Sage, the Sage of Rites, the Second Sage. Bai Ye. The Old Abbot of the Eastern Sea Temple of Observation. The Grand Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

These few were the ones that Grand cultivators like the Talisman Master Yu Xuan relatively recognized.

Beyond these, it was all rise and fall, coming and going. There were countless opinions about the Ten, plus candidates, each with their own selfish motives and preferences. For example, the Second Sage’s lineage, the swordsman A Liang. His sword intent was at its peak, his swordplay was superb, and his strikes were the most majestic. Or the Second Disciple of the Literary Sage, Zuo You. His swordsmanship was unparalleled.

Yu Xuan realized that the great demon in the Ascension Realm had already fled, and the two young martial artists were fine. Yu Xuan was a little worried. Was he really going to make a wasted trip and return to the Central Earth Divine Continent empty-handed? Killing or seriously injuring a great demon in the Ascension Realm outside the Fourteen Thrones would ease his conscience a little. As for Fuyu Continent, Yu Xuan was truly reluctant to wade into those muddy waters. The water was too deep.

“I, Yu Xuan, am also a bit short, you know.”

Yu Xuan was hesitant, so he decided to chat with the two young martial artists to ease his mind.

Unexpectedly, Cao Ci gave a polite bow with a smile and then took his leave, looking quite composed?

The little girl with the slightly dark skin and pretty features was more courteous, offering a bow of thanks and not leaving immediately.

Yu Xuan couldn’t help but look south.

Fuyu Continent was ultimately no longer part of the Great Bright World, but had become part of the desolate wilderness.

“You, Bai Ye, may not care whether you are in the Great Bright World or not, but those six beasts are trampling on your own land.”

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Array in Treasure Bottle Continent seemed illusory and useless, but its most profound aspect was imperceptible to ordinary people. How could you, Bai Ye, not know?

One tenth of celestial fortune.

A rise here, a fall there.

Treasure Bottle Continent cultivators, in a mortal battle with no chance of victory, gained one tenth more chance of winning out of thin air. Was it important?

When evenly matched, fifty-fifty becomes a sixty percent chance of winning? Was it crucial?

Ninety percent chance of winning becoming a hundred percent? Shouldn’t the demon cultivators opposing them tremble with fear?

Bai Ye dropping his sword in Fuyu Continent was tantamount to choosing to face a siege alone.

However, the number and realm of the great demons besieging Bai Ye would probably surprise even Bai Ye himself.

But for Bai Ye, surprises were just surprises. It didn’t prevent him from drawing his sword.

The old man Huai was very fond of taking advantage and seeking fame, so he went to South Jambudvipa Continent, where Chen Chunan was stationed.

What about Zhou Shenzhi, that grumpy old man, leaving the Central Earth Divine Continent to rush to Fuyu Continent? Heroic? Very heroic! Killing demons in the coastal mountains and caves of Fuyu Continent, was it satisfying? Very satisfying! So what then? Nothing. One of the Central Earth Ten, gone just like that.

For nothing, he let that calculating Huai move from tenth place to ninth.

When Zhou Shenzhi was alive, he said, “As long as I’m alive, I’ll hold onto the ninth spot. I wouldn’t even want eighth place. I want that calculating Huai to be at the bottom forever, to shit and piss on his head.”

Six great demons, huh?

What if there was a seventh?

Bullshit what if, there definitely will be!

At the northern ferry of Tong Leaf Isle, Zhou Mi silently calculated with his fingers.

Fuyu Continent.

A good name. Just right for Bai Ye.

Liu Cha would be the seventh.

Liu Cha was indeed on his way to Fuyu Continent, and he did not deliberately conceal his sword aura. Within the sight of the cultivators on the peaks of South Jambudvipa Continent, he directly transformed into a sword light and traveled far away.

Mr. Zhou had previously given this bearded wanderer of the desolate wilderness two choices. Either cooperate with the Dragon Lord and kill a junior at the Sword Qi Great Wall. Or, in Fuyu Continent, see Bai Ye off on his final journey.

A swordsman seeing off a swordsman.

It was better than Bai Ye dying miserably under spells and divine powers, better to die in a more fitting way.

“If you like to be the first bird out of the nest, then kill it.”

Zhou Shenzhi was just the first. The crazy Ascension Realm Wan Yan old geezer was the other extreme.

Indeed, as the Great Ancestor of Mount Tuoyue had said earlier, in the ruins of Upside Down Mountain, he proclaimed to the world, “You of the Great Bright World have not been free for long!”
Who dares to constrain the unburdened Daoists upon the mountain peaks? Why, it is none other than the Confucian rules and regulations, most loathsome in that the higher one’s cultivation, the greater the shackles. Even a Celestial Ascendant, when leaving their native continent, must first seek permission from the Sages enshrined within the Literary Temple that guards the celestial canopy. Only with their blessing can they embark on intercontinental travels. Would such a restriction exist even in the Azure Canopy World, where Daoism reigns supreme? Yet, it is the Radiant World, where a hundred schools of thought contend, that uses such rules to bind immortals and Ascendants.

Liu Cha chose the second option.

His lack of exertion in the Wildlands was out of respect for Chen Qingdu and his sword cultivators. He could hardly arrive in the Radiant World, inquire about Chen Chun’an’s sword, and still refrain from drawing his blade.

Bai Ye, like A Liang, was whom Liu Cha most desired to test his sword against.

If he could not duel him alone, so be it. Liu Cha might wish for it, but ultimately, he could not make it so.

Before departing, Mister Zhou spoke two sentences. The first, “I trouble you, Mister Liu, to remember the location of your homeland.”

The second, “Mount Moon-Bearing invites Liu Cha to draw his sword.”

Beyond this, Mister Zhou was also subtly scheming against Chen Chun’an and the entirety of South娑婆洲.

Zhou Shenzhi’s death and dissipation allowed the Wildlands to seize the Floating Clouds Continent and the Paulownia Leaf Continent.

Only South娑婆洲, closest to the Inverted Mountain and the Sword Qi Great Wall, remained with little engagement and minimal damage.

If Bai Ye were to die on the Floating Clouds Continent…

Then what of the Pure Confucian, Chen Chun’an?

South娑婆洲 currently had the Ancestor of the Huai Family leading reinforcements, and Lu Zhi, one of the ten peak sword immortals of the Sword Qi Great Wall, to oversee the situation.

Chen Chun’an was enjoying his leisure, a Radiant Confucian sitting firmly on his fishing platform.

Zhou Mi ceased his mental calculations, lightly dusted his sleeves, and smiled at Cui Chan, “Once Zuo You has driven back Xiao Xun with his sword, I will, as a student, strike down half of your life, before heading to the Floating Clouds Continent.”

Cui Chan remained silent.

It was something that Zuo You would do. And if Zuo You didn’t, the Old Scholar would force him to lower his head and draw his sword.

Cui Chan’s gaze drifted south of Zhou Mi.

Soon, a towering tree and a majestic Stronghold Tower would rise there.

The Old Scholar had gifted something, which Liu Sixteen helped to deliver to the Paulownia Leaf Continent.

The Daoist Temple of Observation, the Paulownia Leaf Continent, the Paulownia Tree.

You scheme your schemes, I scheme mine.

I, Cui Chan, care not for those you plot against. Not even the life or death of Bai Ye, let alone the fate of the Old Scholar and Zuo You, matters to me. How much less could I care about Chen Chun’an, who comes from the lineage of a Sub-Sage.

Who is there that I, Cui Chan, need to worry about?

But my own petty schemes, a return courtesy, will test whether you, Jia Sheng, dare to ignore it, whether you are even capable of ignoring it.

On the three battlefronts of a single continent, people were dying. Yet the Grand Tutor of the Great Li Dynasty remained calm, merely piloting the White Jade City and using his flying sword to slay great demons, while explaining the profound tenets of the Hundred Schools of Thought to the Confucian scholars.

While preoccupied with mental calculations, he still found time to answer the questions of the Confucian scholars. One impassioned scholar from Lakeside Academy, for some reason, brought up the matter of universal love without national boundaries.

Cui Chan said plainly, “To hell with no national boundaries.”

The entire place fell silent.

These words were not spoken by Cui Dongshan, but by the Grand Tutor, Cui Chan.

On the Floating Clouds Continent, Bai Ye, sword in hand, departed from a secluded academy far from the battlefields, where he had been listening to an old teacher, with a heavy local accent, impart knowledge and dispel doubts to the children.

Bai Ye surveyed his surroundings, a faint smile on his face.

He wondered if the plum blossoms in his hometown were still as white as snow.

So, after his parents had departed, it was called distant travels.

As a scholar, Bai Ye, he had no regrets in this life, no regrets towards the Radiant World.

Then, Bai Ye would take his leave.