The eighty-some Sages and Rectors of the academies and academies were to attend an internal discussion within the Confucian Temple.

Except for a small group of outsiders who continued to participate in this discussion, the rest were temporarily not allowed to leave and needed to remain in Panxi County and other places, awaiting specific arrangements from the Confucian Temple.

This small-scale discussion had been reduced by half, but there were more than a dozen new faces that were not eye-catching, mostly young people, such as a young celestial master from Dragon Tiger Mountain and Lin Junbi from the Shao Yuan Dynasty.

Chen Ping’an was nowhere to be seen. The four sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall who participated in the discussion were all present.

Still a bit far from the Confucian Temple gate, perhaps intentionally arranged by the Sage of Rites, after all, three discussions in a row were needed, giving people a chance to catch their breath and chat on the way, so as not to be so tense.

A Liang regretted deeply, looking at Zuo You and Qi Tingji beside him with a look of disgust, complaining endlessly, “I’m different from you two. Can’t you treat me as half a Fourteenth Realm?”

Lu Zhi sneered: “When I break through, I’ll treat it as a celebration of your fall.”

A Liang stroked his chin, slowly nodding, “One up and one down, seems like no loss.”

Lu Zhi’s face was cold, and she threw a fierce punch, knocking A Liang spinning out. When he staggered to his feet, the man had already taken off the Confucian robe he was wearing.

Without this great Dao suppression, the next step was A Liang’s world. Anyway, the Sages were not around, so he needed to take on the responsibility without hesitation.

A Liang ran back to Lu Zhi’s side with a flippant air, and asked in a low voice, “Where’s Junqian?”

Zuo You shook his head and said, “He was absent from the second discussion.”

A Liang was envious, “He also made a name for himself.”

A Liang immediately scolded: “How audacious! Trying to gain attention with such clumsy tricks, shameless!”

Liu Shiliu and Junqian were both pseudonyms before they became disciples. Before becoming part of the Yasheng lineage, they had entered the mountains with Bai Ye to seek immortality for many years.

Liu, an ideographic character. Belongs to metal, representing killing. The sixteenth day of each month is called Jiji. There is a saying among the common folk that the moon is fullest on the sixteenth day.

Including the Quick Snow Post, many rare calligraphy works in history have had the flower signature of Junqian.

And Liu Shiliu, born of spirits and monsters, as one of the oldest cultivators in the world, is actually familiar with Bai Ze, the Old Blind Man, the Old Taoist Master of the East Sea, and the Mountain-Moving Ancestor whose real name is Zhu Yan.

So, when it comes to seniority and status, once the Confucian lineage is put aside, Liu Shiliu rarely needs to call anyone “senior,” and even in that desolate world, there are still a considerable number of descendants.

Therefore, in the second discussion, where the two worlds were facing each other remotely, it was inappropriate for Liu Shiliu to appear.

A Liang looked around, rubbed his chin, “The people the Confucian Temple called this time are a bit interesting. The head of the main altar Confucian Temple, and one branch leader from each of the other continents? Waiting for the alliance leader to command the heroes, and with a single order, we’ll have to start hacking people separately?”

This discussion was to take place inside the Confucian Temple.

When the doors were closed, everyone would be family, all from the Confucian Temple.

So, since they were all family, no one should speak like outsiders.

If at the beginning of the discussion, everyone had not been able to figure out the true attitude of the Confucian Temple,

Then now, after two discussions, even the slow-witted should have understood.

From the Sage of Rites to the Yasheng, the Sage of Literature, and the three Cult Leaders of the Confucian Temple, as well as Fu Sheng and other old gentlemen, from internal discussions in the square to confrontation with the wilderness, things were very different.

For example, in this discussion, except for Song Changjing of the Dali Dynasty in the Treasure Bottle Continent, the other nine emperors were not qualified to appear.

Whatever the Confucian Temple said, they should do it.

They should just wait for the news honestly.

Before leaving earlier, Elder Han had made it clear that today’s discussion should not involve saying a single word that should not be said, and they should just do their job.

Elder Dong took the lead, followed by eight people.

The Fire Dragon True Man from Beiju Luzhou, Song Changjing from Bao Ping Continent, Chen Chunhua from Nan Posuo Continent, Liu Jubao from Aiai Continent, Liu Tui from Fuyao Continent, Cong Qian from Liuxia Continent, and Wei Ying from Tongye Continent.

But how was it that the Gold Armor Continent was represented by the National Preceptor Chao Pu of the Shao Yuan Dynasty?

In addition, Elder Han was accompanied by the old ancestors of the Military School, Jiang and Wei.

The Mojia grandmaster. The old ancestor of the Strategists, Master Fan of the Merchants.

The Ancestor of the Medicine School. The old Ancestor of the Artisan School. In addition, there was even an old Ancestor of the Novelists from White Paper Paradise.

Moreover, the Diviners were especially proud, with three old Ancestors appearing together.

Yu Xuan, the Great Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Su Zi, Liu Qi, and the timid Madame Dan from Lushuikeng.

Zheng Juzhong from White Emperor City. Pei Bei from the Great Duan Dynasty, Cao Ci. Zhang Tiaoxia. Huai Yin. Yu Panshui. Guo Outing from Iron Tree Mountain, a man of few words.

Including the Jiang family of Yunlin from the Treasure Bottle Continent, there were also several long-standing aristocratic families, the Fan family of Zhongtu Xuanfish, the Song family of Zhuolu, the Xu family of Maoling in Fufeng, and the Xie family of Mishan.

With money, power, books, and people.

Each and every one of them was a first-class family in the Vast Sky.

A Liang stared fiercely at those old Ancestors of the Diviners, gnashing his teeth. When he was studying at home as a child, he had suffered a lot from divination, the books weren’t thick, but they were all heavenly books!

He would add these three names to the old scholar’s list.

When an old Ancestor turned to look over, A Liang immediately smiled brightly and waved vigorously.

The old Ancestor nodded with a smile, but wondered in his heart, when did this A Liang become so familiar with him?

A group of young people, including Xu Bai, Lin Junbi, and the young celestial master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, gradually gathered together.

All of them had the honorary title of Military Secretary of the Confucian Temple.

These young geniuses were closest to A Liang and the four sword cultivators.

A Liang rubbed his chin, secretly pointed to Chao Pu, and whispered, “Zuo You?”

Zuo You glanced at Chao Pu and said, “He has scholarly disputes with the Master.”

A Liang continued to fuel the fire, “But what about Jiang Longxiang, who wrote the ‘Joyful Pavilion Chess Manual’? Can you tolerate it? I can’t. Dammit, a lousy chess player, and he dares to compete in Aotou Mountain, and he supposedly raises a white crane, which he carries around all year round, with the demeanor of a hermit, unparalleled in the Vast Sky.”

Zuo You hesitated for a moment, and said, “Master told me to be generous.”

If Master hadn’t said that, he would have sent him west on a crane.

Back then, the Master’s accompanying worship status was reduced again and again, so much so that even the statue was moved out of the Confucian Temple, and the scholars of the Shao Yuan Dynasty were the most vocal, moving the statue at every turn, and Jiang Longxiang was the mastermind behind it.
A Liang sighed helplessly, “Are you daft? The old scholar was clearly speaking with hidden meaning! He’s telling you to make sure your violence doesn’t expose anything and, more importantly, don’t kill anyone.”

Zuo You started to seriously contemplate the matter.

A Liang was thoroughly pleased.

*Indeed, I am the brilliant strategist of the Literary Saint lineage!*

From the ranks of Confucian sages and academy deans, a tall, elderly man approached Zuo You and bowed, “Senior Brother Zuo.”

Zuo You nodded.

Mao Xiaodong straightened up, unwilling to leave but unsure of what to say, so he silently followed in Zuo You’s footsteps.

Zuo You said, “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself regarding the shift in literary tradition. It should have happened a century ago. Xiaodong, your nature is good, but your scholarly aptitude is average. Moreover, Mister’s teachings are profound and shouldn’t be imitated blindly. Since you now have the opportunity to temper your knowledge with two different schools of thought, cherish it.”

Mao Xiaodong respectfully nodded, “Senior Brother’s instruction is well taken.”

If Cui Dongshan saw this, he’d be hopping mad! Mao Xiaodong was never this well-behaved around Cui Dongshan.

Back when he studied within the Literary Saint’s lineage, Mao Xiaodong was naturally upright and argumentative. Zuo You, though more knowledgeable, wasn’t skilled at articulating his thoughts. Many principles were clear to him but difficult to explain. Mao Xiaodong, being stubborn, would drone on endlessly, repeating the same unyielding arguments. Zuo You would often resort to silencing him with a physical rebuke.

A Liang put on a serious face, “Xiaodong, are you still hale and hearty? You must hold on until the Grand Master of the Rite Records Academy retires! If it’s too much, I have a few jars of medicinal wine I’ve kept hidden for years, gifts from my early visits to the Herb Paradise. Take them and replenish your vitality. Remember to have a conscience! When you become the Grand Master, speak up for your brother A Liang!”

The officialdom had its rules, and the mountains had theirs. Like rats on the ground and birds in the sky, each had its own path.

The Confucian Temple also had its own path of advancement: worthy men, virtuous scholars, sages in attendance, academy deans, preceptors, and grand masters.

Mao Xiaodong remained silent, simply following Zuo You.

Zuo You frowned, “Why are you following us? Are you a swordsman?”

Mao Xiaodong’s face flushed, and he immediately took his leave.

Not far away, the young Celestial Master, with a mischievous grin, turned sideways, never breaking his stride, and made a Daoist salute to A Liang, “A Liang, when are you coming to my home again? I can help you carry wine; we can split the profits fifty-fifty.”

A thief within the family is hard to guard against!

A Liang spat, “Who are you? Don’t try to get familiar with me. I’ve never been to Dragon Tiger Mountain and have no connection with your Celestial Master’s Residence.”

The young Celestial Master then looked at Zuo You, having already received A Liang’s unspoken reply: if fifty-fifty wasn’t possible, he could consider eighty-twenty.

This noble figure, named Zhao Yaoguang, was over a hundred years old. So, when A Liang first roamed the Celestial Master’s Residence under the cover of darkness, the young Celestial Master was still a snot-nosed brat. He would stay up late, wielding a small wooden sword he’d carved himself, intending to subdue demons and catch ghosts. He then met A Liang, who claimed to be the Daoist partner of the Ten-Tailed Celestial Fox “Lianzhen,” and they instantly hit it off. They became kindred spirits, with the child carrying A Liang’s baggage and helping him navigate. They wandered around, reaping rewards along the way. The little Daoist’s sleeves were stuffed full.

A Liang spun a yarn, claiming to have once been a poor scholar, unlucky in life and without hope of fame. Disheartened, he met the lady Lianzhen, and they fell in love at first sight.

The child was initially somewhat doubtful, feeling that his own beautiful fox spirit wouldn’t possibly fancy such a disheveled man, who had not a hint of handsomeness to him.

A Liang patiently explained to the child that in his younger days, before his current withered state, he had a face like powdered jade and eyes like bright stars. Moreover, he was well-read and refined. Which fox spirit in the world wouldn’t be drawn to such a talented but unappreciated scholar? So, when he and the lady Lianzhen first met in the mountains, it was like a meeting of gold and jade in the autumn breeze. She instantly fell deeply in love with him. It was a match made in heaven.

But because of her identity, the lady Lianzhen had been forcibly taken away by the Celestial Master of your residence! A Liang had endured countless hardships, for the sake of love, traveling to the ends of the earth and across countless mountains and rivers, just to see the lady Lianzhen again, even if it cost him his life.

The child’s eyes shone as he listened, filled with indignation for A Liang. *Surely, his old ancestor was being unreasonable, tearing apart such a devoted couple, a match made in heaven! How heartless!*

While vigorously wiping his nose, he smeared the snot on the man’s shoulder and said, “Brother A Liang, wait here. I’ll definitely deliver your love letter to the fox spirit and make sure you two are reunited!”

As for A Liang’s statement that the greatest desire in life was no different between man and woman and that the difference between romance and vulgarity lay in the intention, the child didn’t quite understand. He only felt that it made sense and that only a scholar could articulate it. Even with the countless books in his Celestial Master’s Residence, he had never heard such a saying.

As for Zhao Yaoguang’s eventual fate that day, of course, he received a thorough beating, without a doubt. The child howled and cried but refused to admit his mistake.

At the time, the Celestial Fox Lianzhen held the “love letter” that the Grand Celestial Master had returned to her. After receiving the news from Yaoguang, she didn’t dare open it herself, fearing that some powerful expert had infiltrated Dragon Tiger Mountain and was causing trouble for the Celestial Master’s Residence. Naturally, it needed to be immediately handed over to the Grand Celestial Master. When she opened it, she couldn’t help but laugh and cry.

“Lady Lianzhen, our child is simple and honest. He’s a rare talent for cultivation, one in a century! The ancestral graves of Dragon Tiger Mountain are smoking! Treasure him, treasure him!”

And the naive child, after being beaten, was still filled with righteous indignation. While sobbing, he urged the fox spirit to meet A Liang and not let him be sad anymore.

As for the Grand Celestial Master Zhao Tianlai, he didn’t stop Zhao Yaoguang’s parents from beating the mischievous child, but he wasn’t angry at all.

Instead, from that day on, Zhao Tianlai personally taught the child Daoist arts, guiding him through bottlenecks and dispelling the mists of the Dao.
As for the esteemed Left and Right Sword Immortal, within the Heavenly Master’s Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain, they were a delicate subject, a taboo of sorts. The Daoists of the mansion didn’t speak of them often, yet all were aware of their significance. The reasons were twofold: first, a Sword Immortal prodigy, destined for greatness, had his Dao prematurely cut short by Right’s blade. Second, a female Daoist of high standing within the Heavenly Master’s Mansion held a peculiar affection for Right, a sentiment that the entire mansion was keenly aware of.

Zhao Yaoguang sincerely wished to invite Master Right to the Heavenly Master’s Mansion as a guest.

Right, without batting an eye, calmly inquired, “To seek a contest of swords?”

The young Heavenly Master, who had prepared a whole slew of pleasantries, immediately fell silent.

With A Liang, that irreverent rogue, one could exchange jests and banter without reservation, but with Right, the pinnacle of the Great Way of the Sword, Master Right, the Great Sword Immortal Right… one had to choose one’s words with utmost care.

A young prodigy from the Suspended Fish Fan clan of the Central Earth, lamented in a mental whisper to his companion, “Alas, we didn’t get to see the Hidden Official this time.”

Lin Junbi replied in a mental voice, “There should be another opportunity.”

The young man chuckled, “Junbi, at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, you broke through three realms while intoxicated. Why haven’t I heard of this before?”

Lin Junbi was inwardly surprised. His mind raced before he replied with a smile, “Over there, Sword cultivators achieving breakthroughs are commonplace, nothing to be proud of.”

Lin Junbi rarely mentioned his experiences at the Great Wall of Sword Qi, even to his close friend, this disciple of the Fan clan. He only spoke of matters “compelled by friendship, too important to keep silent,” and even in those seemingly casual conversations, every word was carefully measured, meticulously crafted, and pre-planned by Lin Junbi.

In truth, Lin Junbi had always been the meticulous Lin Junbi.

Perhaps only within that summer palace did Lin Junbi truly display his youthful nature.

Because as a Sword cultivator of the Hidden Official lineage, those were true companions, life-and-death friends beyond the realm of personal gain.

At first, Lin Junbi had to adapt, to fit in with the local customs. Later, it came naturally, an effortless transformation that made one forget the line between life and death.

The young man quickly added, “Junbi, my Grandfather just told me this in secret. Consider it as if you never heard it.”

Lin Junbi nodded, “Prudence in speech and action, let us encourage each other.”

Lin Junbi also spoke sparingly, adding leisurely, “When I return to the Hidden Official, I’ll help you procure a jar of genuine, authentic Qing Shen Mountain wine.”

One shouldn’t be too reserved. In friendships, a balance is needed. Honest friends are necessary, but so are those who tease and jest.

The Fan prodigy, named Qingrun, his eyes lit up. “How wonderful! By the way, Junbi, if I’m not mistaken, the Hidden Official must be a man of great talent and refined elegance, yes? Should I arrange a feast at the Mandarin Duck Isle? Otherwise, I’d be too embarrassed to visit the Hidden Official empty-handed. I wouldn’t dare offer ordinary, vulgar women, but the talismanic beauties in my study, you’ve seen them. Would the Hidden Official find them distasteful?”

Fan Qingrun was a notorious womanizer. His study was named “Form and Shadow,” and he had a penchant for calligraphy, painting, bamboo, and rocks. He styled himself “Flower Farmer” and “Lyricist of Apricot Blossoms and Spring Rain.”

Many of his sentimental poems were widely circulated in the Central Earth Continent, such as “The maidservant urging more wine, the zither never ceasing.” And “A beautiful maiden sitting beneath the moon, fine wine paired with flowers.”

He was obsessed with inscriptions, having carved no less than a thousand seals. He proclaimed his life’s purpose to be “music, chess, calligraphy, painting, fine wine, and beautiful women.”

Lin Junbi smiled, “The Hidden Official is easy to get along with, don’t be nervous. As for the talismanic beauties, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. You understand, it’s all your own intention.”

Despite appearing frivolous, Fan Qingrun possessed exceptional talent for worldly affairs. He was secretly managing half the Fan clan’s businesses, keeping them well-organized and profitable without a hint of vulgarity, a truly remarkable feat.

Otherwise, Lin Junbi wouldn’t have befriended him.

Fan Qingrun understood perfectly, “Understood, understood.”

Lin Junbi patted Fan Qingrun on the shoulder, his face filled with smiles and encouragement. In his heart, he murmured, “May you fare well, Brother Fan.”

After the meeting concluded, Liu Jubao and Yu Panshui each received a secret message from Zheng Juzhong, appearing in their sleeves out of thin air. Zheng Juzhong claimed it was a compensation from Embroidery Tiger, to be taken out after the meeting.

Yu Panshui felt uneasy, fearing that opening the message would allow Zheng Juzhong to possess him. That fiend of the Demonic Path was capable of anything.

Liu Jubao asked with a smile, “Does Master Zheng have arrangements in the Wild Desolate Land as well?”

Zheng Juzhong smiled, “Indeed.”

Liu Jubao was determined to get to the bottom of it. “When did Master Zheng go there?”

Zheng Juzhong gave an answer that made Yu Panshui tremble.

“I’ve been there three times in the last hundred years. Which time are you asking about?”

Liu Jubao asked no further questions.

Yu Panshui, a fan of Go, was reminded of a saying.

Imagine Zheng Juzhong, Cui Chan, and Qi Jingchun discussing matters.

It would probably go like this: “Like this? Unsuitable. How about this instead?” “Acceptable.” “Agreed.” “Then it is settled.”

And just like that, they would finish discussing an matter.

If an outsider overheard, they would either not understand or pretend to understand. In any case, they would not understand.

Chao Pu.

About to step down as the Imperial Preceptor of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, heading to the Golden Armor Continent.

This Confucian of the Asian Sage lineage did not seek advancement within the Confucian Temple, never pursuing the position of Academy Head, and only held the title of a Worthy, not even a Confucian Gentleman.

Yet his soul had been roaming for over a hundred years, managing an immortal mountain peak across the continents.

Wei Ying still seemed somewhat isolated.

However, compared to when he first arrived for the meeting, he, the “desolate” Sect Master of the Jade Tablet Sect, had at least been approached by a few people for casual conversation.

Wei Ying didn’t care about these things.

He was only concerned about one thing: how the Confucian Temple would deal with the Tongye Sect north of his hometown.

From the perspective of the Jade Tablet Sect Master, he naturally wished for the Tongye Sect to close its doors for a thousand years, the former leader of the Tongye Continent’s immortals, with no chance of rising again.

But from the perspective of a Tongye Continent cultivator, Wei Ying sincerely believed that the young people of the Tongye Sect deserved bright futures.

The Jade Tablet Sect was not big enough.

One should look at the entire continent. Therefore, Wei Ying intended to help the Tongye Sect.

To re-establish the closed-door policy of the Tongye Continent. The Jade Tablet Sect alone could not achieve this. As for how to open the doors after closing them, and how to interact with the other eight continents of the Vast Expanse, the Jade Tablet Sect would decide.

This was a difficult task.
However, if the first step is never taken, the difficulty will persist, and the situation in Tongye Continent will become increasingly precarious.

On the Qushan Ferry side, the Sword Immortal Xu Xie, a guest elder of the Liu Clan of Aiai Continent, alone poses a tremendous threat. Not to mention the penetration of Bao Ping Continent and Beiju Luzhou, which is unstoppable, with almost every dynasty beneath the mountains of Tongye Continent reduced to a “dependency.”

If the mountains and rivers of a continent could manifest as a certain Dao Heart, then the reconstruction of the shattered landscape of Tongye Continent, both above and below the mountains, would actually be a complete and utter disintegration.

Most of Tongye Continent would become a Tongye Continent for outsiders.

Wei Ying would never allow her homeland to become a “blessed land” in the eyes of cultivators from other continents, left to be carved up and exploited at will.

Near the gate of the Wen Temple, a Confucian scholar in a green robe, with a gentle expression, stood at the foot of the steps, welcoming everyone.

This was Jing Sheng Xiping, a scholar responsible for opening and closing the gates of both the Wen Temple and the Merit Forest.

He was not a cultivator, but rather a being born from the condensation of the Grand Virtue of the literary tradition, a manifestation of the Great Dao.

A’Liang, ever the familiar brand, waved enthusiastically, laughing and saying, “Brother Xiping, long time no see!”

Actually, it hadn’t been that long.

The scholar smiled and replied, “Seeing me often is easy.”

As long as A’Liang was locked up in the Merit Forest, he could see him every day.

By the riverbank.

The Quasi-Sage produced a scroll. Once unfurled, a Mount Tuoyue appeared out of thin air by the riverbank, almost tangible, approaching reality.

This was because the Quasi-Sage had personally traversed Mount Tuoyue through the Western Buddhist Kingdom.

A’Liang, on the other hand, had passed through Mount Tuoyue to reach the Western Buddhist Kingdom, where he had slashed countless vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts, diminishing his Great Dao significantly, resulting in his fall from the Fourteenth Realm.

After appearing on Mount Tuoyue, the Quasi-Sage shattered most of the mountain’s protective barriers before heading to the Sword Qi Great Wall. However, Chen Ping’an was no longer on the wall at that time, having been thrown by Cui Chan into the Creation Grotto on Luhu Island.

Thus, it was the Quasi-Sage who witnessed the final moments of Hao Ran’s Embroidered Tiger. It seemed that Cui Chan had been waiting for the Quasi-Sage’s arrival.

The two sat on the wall and discussed Dao, reminiscing about the Three-Four Debate of years past.

The Sage of Rites and Bai Ze remained by the riverbank, neither stepping onto Mount Tuoyue. The white-clad woman also had no interest in Mount Tuoyue and simply chatted with the Sage of Rites and Bai Ze by the river.

After ten thousand years.

This could perhaps be considered the most literal “reminiscence” in the world.

She joked, “Bai Ze, why don’t you just have a fight with the Little Master here? If you win, the Wen Temple won’t attack the Barbaric Desolation. If you lose, you can continue your secluded contemplation.”

Bai Ze shook his head.

The matter of the Ancient Heavenly Court Ruins was a matter for several realms, so Bai Ze was willing to appear here.

However, if the Wen Temple launched a large-scale attack on the Barbaric Desolation, then this time, he would not stand idly by.

If it were really that simple, that a fight could determine the ownership of two realms without harming those above and below the mountains, Bai Ze wouldn’t mind making a move.

On Mount Tuoyue, the Fourteenth Realm cultivators began their ascent.

Yu Dou directly stepped onto the summit in one stride.

Lu Chen was chatting with the Dragon Slayer, but the latter didn’t give him a pleasant look.

Wu Shuangjiang raised a hand, and a miniature mountain, constructed from gold, silver, black, and white, appeared in his palm, seemingly “disintegrating” Mount Tuoyue piece by piece.

The Old Scholar walked at the back with Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an inquired in a mental voice, “Teacher, could you please ask the Sage of Rites why the Fifth Continent is named the Five-Colored Continent? Is there anything special about it? Is it similar to my hometown of Lizhu Grotto Heaven, with five opportunities for Dao attainment hidden within this Five-Colored Continent? Or perhaps five supreme treasures?”

Chen Ping’an’s cultivation path was relatively diverse, but he was utterly clueless when it came to deduction, perhaps on par with Jiang Shangzhen.

The Old Scholar sighed. “When Bai Ye and I stabilized the world back then, I did catch glimpses of some clues, but they might not be the true veins of the Great Dao. Some opportunities are relatively obvious, such as Bai Ye’s hermitage in that world, which is one of them. As for the Sage of Rites, it’s difficult to extract anything from him. Naming it the Five-Colored Continent was originally the Sage of Rites’ own idea, so he definitely knows the inside story. Unfortunately, the Sage of Rites is great in every way, but he’s just too stubborn. Once he’s made up his mind, not even ten old masters from the Guandao Sect could dissuade him.”

The Old Scholar suddenly said, “You might have a chance if you ask the Sage of Rites. It’s more reliable than if your teacher asks.”

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “The Sage of Rites seems to have anticipated this long ago, and he already reminded me, implying that I shouldn’t overthink it.”

The Old Scholar whispered, “Don’t be afraid. The Sage of Rites is just scaring you. You’re a junior, and you’ve made great contributions. It doesn’t hurt to complain a bit. The Sage of Rites has good manners and won’t get angry. Besides, the Immortal Sister has also made a great contribution recently. Even the Old Blind Man can see it. People have a sense of fairness.”

Chen Ping’an nodded vigorously. “Teacher is right. The Sage of Rites’ implication might even be a hint, right?”

The Old Scholar clapped his hands together. “See, didn’t we clarify the complex reasoning with a little chat?!”

Chen Ping’an felt reassured. Regardless of whether it succeeded or not, he would at least go and plead with the Sage of Rites after descending the mountain. If the Five-Colored Continent really contained five opportunities for the Great Dao, waiting for various factions to compete for them, wouldn’t it be reasonable for him to help Ascension City find one of them early, follow the clues, and seize it before others? Besides, the Fifth Continent was found and opened up by the Confucian Wen Temple, and Ascension City was family from Hao Ran, so one’s own fertile water shouldn’t flow into others’ fields. One opportunity was not enough, two wouldn’t be too many, and three wouldn’t be too excessive!

The Old Scholar began to explain in detail to his closed-door disciple the Sage of Rites’ temperament, which pitfalls to avoid stepping into to prevent backfiring, and which topics could be discussed more, even if the Sage of Rites frowned, to not be intimidated. The Sage of Rites had many rules, but he was not rigid.

Chen Ping’an listened attentively, memorizing everything in his heart, and tentatively asked, “Teacher, the Sage of Rites can’t hear our conversation, right?”

The Old Scholar patted his chest and guaranteed, “Put your heart at ease. He’s not like that Shenqing Monk. The Sage of Rites values rules and etiquette the most.”

The old monk walking in front chanted a Buddhist prayer again.

By the riverbank.

The Sage of Rites stretched out his finger and rubbed his brow.

Two cunning fellows.

Bai Ze smiled. “Senior’s eye for talent is very good.”

He was referring to the young man, and the series of subtle shifts in his state of mind the moment he saw the Sword Master and Sword Servant.

Some people’s hearts are good at deceiving themselves, such as unconsciously hoping that the Sword Master and Sword Servant are one and the same. Other people’s hearts are utterly disappointed, insatiably greedy, and become anxious when dropping from first place in the world to second.

And deities watching people’s hearts is an innate ability. The smallness of a mustard seed is as large as Mount Sumeru.
This sword-wielder likely doesn’t care whether the chosen one is good or evil. However, a sword-wielder who has been dormant for ten thousand years, regardless of their initial motive, will ultimately value the chosen “sword-wielder’s” pureness of heart. The river of time will flow and scatter, the sun, moon, stars, and even the Great Dao will shift and deviate from their paths. If Chen Ping’an originally believed it was a sword spirit, but then experiences any straying of his heart due to the sudden appearance of a sword master, the consequences would be unimaginable.

What she needs is a sword-wielder who can guard their original heart.

Just as the boy back then could “kill” the sword spirit in his heart with Ning Yao, today’s young sword cultivator can “kill” the sword master with the sword spirit.

She needs this unwavering thread of ten thousand years to keep ascending, gradually reaching the summit, and ultimately ascending to the heavens.

She said, “Someone else helped choose him. I was just bored at the time.”

Wu Shuangjiang’s four immortal swords are all imitations.

In fact, the earliest four immortal swords were also imitations.

Ten thousand years ago, she separated a portion of her divinity and refined it into a long sword, becoming the first sword spirit in the world, to wield the sword in her stead.

Having already reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, further progress was impossible, making repeated sword strikes on the battlefield meaningless.

The later four immortal swords – Daozang, Taibai, Wanfa, and Tianzhen – were never fully refined by cultivators, meaning the cultivator remained distinct from the sword spirit.

The Tianzhen sword spirit takes the form of a young girl, while the Wanfa sword spirit manifests as a young Daoist. In truth, they are both manifestations of a part of the immortal sword master’s mind, while also retaining more of their original intelligence from their birth.

The terrifying aspect of divine spirits and divinity is that divinity can completely overwrite another divinity, without causing any ripples.

And these ripples could become a heart demon for future cultivators. Even the smallest obsession of ordinary people will be noticed by the Western Buddhist Kingdom.

It is said that the amount of memories a person retains is the measure of their true lifespan.

And Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City is feared because this demonic giant is skilled at altering a Qi Refinement cultivator’s memories, doing so flawlessly, creating perfect illusions.

She laughed, “You might think I was testing Chen Ping’an earlier, but I wasn’t. I just found him interesting and wanted to tease him.”

Because she believes in him.

She said, “The former Chen Ping’an wasn’t so sullen. He was quite interesting.”

A silent and taciturn person is not necessarily uninteresting.

For example, a straw-sandaled boy carrying a basket, sneaking across a stone arch bridge, was very interesting.

It seems that the world has made the boy less interesting.

She placed her palm against the sword hilt and glanced at the Second Sect Leader of Jade Capital on the summit of Mount Tuoyue.

Truly invincible?

Self-proclaimed?

Even Chen Qingdu doesn’t have that much nerve.

Li Sheng smiled faintly, “He is quite deserving of a beating.”

Deserving of a beating he may be.

But one must admit that Yu Dou’s Daoist techniques and swordsmanship are both very high.

If they were to fight with all their might, Li Sheng would lose in the Azure Billow World. Yu Dou would lose in the Vastness World.

As for the Outer Heavens, there is no advantage of time and place. As for who would win, unfortunately there seems to be no opportunity to determine the outcome.

However, Li Sheng feels that his chances of winning are still higher. Being conservative, he gives himself a seventy percent chance of victory.

After all, Yu Dou is younger in matters of fighting and is his junior. Losing to him wouldn’t be anything to be ashamed of.

Li Sheng looked around and lowered his head to look at the River of Time, where the golden light was gradually dissipating.

Bai Ze suddenly felt a shock in his heart and looked at this little Confucian scholar.

Because, being on the riverbank and closest to Li Sheng, Bai Ze faintly sensed a trace of something.

Li Sheng nodded and said telepathically, “It is a great test for all Fourteenth Realm cultivators. As for Chen Ping’an, he can temporarily stay out of it. Or, you could say, he has already passed this great test.”

The examiner is the Three Teachings Founder, who has not yet appeared.

Li Sheng is merely the one distributing the test papers.

Li Sheng said, “Does Senior really want to strike at Mount Tuoyue? It is not necessary.”

She turned her head to look at Chen Ping’an, who was climbing the mountain, narrowed her eyes with a smile, and slowly said, “I listen to my master. He is the sword-wielder now.”