The Whirlpool Isle. Two Ascendants clashed, a fierce battle unfolding.

This fight was a bewildering spectacle, unlike the carefully considered moves of seasoned immortals dwelling on mountain peaks. Instead, it resembled two chivalrous youths from the marketplace, meeting on a narrow path, their eyes locking in mutual annoyance, unwilling to yield until one was knocked down.

Heaven and earth were shrouded in a murky gloom, as if the great sun in the sky had been devoured whole by the yellow-robed elder. Only the swirling vortices remained, like the divine eyes of deities, making this small world all the more eerie and unsettling.

Even the great cultivators, including the stern Qin Zao, felt a tremor of unease. How could such peak Ascendant realms exist, unseen and unheard of until now? What “tender Daoist”? Qin Zao was certain that this untamed elder was no high-ranking master from the Central Earth Divine Continent.

The higher the cultivation realm of the observers on the Whirlpool Isle, the clearer they could sense the grandeur of the Great Dao’s workings.

The Whirlpool Isle had become like a drained pond, its fish stranded on the shore. Each breath taken by a cultivator consumed the spiritual energy of their own inner world.

Immortals above the Fifth Realm were less concerned, but it was a torment for those below, who had come to the isle with their sect elders. Even with the elders protecting them, isolating small pockets of heaven and earth with supreme techniques, or using their sect’s treasures to shield them, the younger cultivators were still terrified that the sky would collapse. Their faces were pale, their bodies unsteady. Many had already been ordered by their masters to sit down and meditate, using their sect’s secret Daoist formulas to resist the invisible pressure of the Great Dao.

Nan Guangzhao had long since summoned his natal treasure, a rare and ancient ancestral shrine, the embodiment of the arcane art of forging mountains into shrines. Nan Guangzhao himself stood at the shrine’s gate, wearing a “Old Dragon” robe of immortal artifact grade. Spiritual energy surged, water energy undulated, creating trails of seven-colored glaze, each one the manifestation of a river’s Great Dao.

Nan Guangzhao’s true form was hidden within the shrine, which in turn was located between the eyebrows of his Dharma idol, like a red date mark.

Nan Guangzhao focused his mind, controlling the Dharma idol to engage in a deadly clash with the shockingly powerful Ascendant.

A “clash” it might be called, but it was entirely one-sided. Nan Guangzhao could only desperately defend and frantically flee.

From within the vortices, an arm would frequently emerge, wielding a massive Dharma blade. With a single swing, countless sparks would erupt from Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma idol, scattering like rain.

All the Middle Fifth Realm cultivators watching from the Whirlpool Isle, without the protection of their elders, had activated their life-saving techniques or summoned protective treasures. Tiny specks of light, the size of mustard seeds, flickered erratically in the dark, windswept world.

Some Upper Fifth Realm cultivators were forced to protect the unrelated Lower Fifth Realm cultivators nearby, preventing them from collapsing mentally, their souls leaving their bodies, instantly turning into wandering spirits. Fortunately, the scattered remnants of the battle’s energies were dispelled by great cultivators like Qin Zao and Yu Yue.

The outcome of the battle was obvious to anyone with eyes.

Qin Zao saw through the origins of the mountain shrine and water robe immortal artifacts, saying, “So Nan Guangzhao truly succeeded in refining half of a broken blessed land’s famous mountains and rivers. Otherwise, that water robe could never have reached the immortal artifact grade.”

The forging of each immortal artifact was akin to a cultivator possessing a relatively complete Great Dao. The true benefit was not the nurturing of the artifact owner’s soul; for great cultivators who could possess immortal artifacts, that was not a significant gain. The key was that the artifact itself was in harmony with the Great Dao, containing hidden mysteries, recognized by heaven and earth. Each immortal artifact was a kind of “Dao attainment,” paving a shortcut to the peak for those who cultivated.

Qin Zao asked in puzzlement, “Back then, that immense upheaval, to Liu Tui, an outsider, was just cultivating at home when disaster struck. Everyone knew he was an innocent victim, yet even he was questioned by the Confucian Temple, and had much sect merit erased. But I never heard of Nan Guangzhao being involved. I only knew that he sold the broken blessed land for money. Tian Ni, is there something more to this?”

Tian Ni, extremely well-informed about mountain affairs and managing one of the Central Earth Divine Continent’s most influential mountain and water gazettes, quickly flipped through the old records. He shook his head, saying, “The Confucian Temple tightly controls this matter, not allowing outsiders to investigate. I only know that the nameless swordsman, when he ‘ascended’ from the blessed land to the vastness beyond, caused his homeland to be coveted by various forces. The swordsman himself quickly disappeared. It seems even the Confucian Temple couldn’t find him. As to whether he was silenced or escaped, it’s hard to say.”

After the blessed land of Floating Cloud Continent shattered, the living beings within were devastated, corpses strewn everywhere, mountains and rivers broken and scattered like willows. Several masterminds behind the scenes each gained something, reaping the benefits. Some obtained treasures, some earned money, each seizing their own opportunities. However, one of them, a mountain peak ghost cultivator rumored to be the chief culprit of the disaster, once a leading figure on the continent alongside Liu Tui, was detained by the Confucian Temple in the Merit Forest, never to be heard from again. The others also seemed unable to hold onto their wealth, and their ends were not good. Decades later, one of the Floating Cloud Continent immortals inexplicably died violently, his head cut off by a sword, his corpse discarded separately at the mountain gate’s archway and on the ancestral hall’s roof.

Who would have thought that Nan Guangzhao, who had no apparent connection to the destroyed blessed land of Floating Cloud Continent, would ultimately benefit the most?

The former Floating Cloud Continent was somewhat similar to Tung Leaf Continent, with a mountain structure of two opposing sects. Liu Tui’s Heavenly Ballad Township and the ghost cultivator Yang Qiangu’s Back Mountain both had an Ascendant guarding their mountain.

But the “Back Mountain,” with its strange sect name, was unpopular both on the mountain and below, because of its many ghost cultivators, especially in the ancestral hall, where half were ghostly cultivators. Therefore, its reputation was still inferior to Liu Tui’s Heavenly Ballad Township. When Yang Qiangu was detained in the Merit Forest, the Back Mountain’s position in Floating Cloud Continent plummeted further. Finally, it was destroyed by the White Jade Barbarian Throne breaking its mountain protection array, and thus perished.
A ghost cultivator sect, infamous and reviled, unexpectedly refused the enticements of the great demon Bai Ying. The vast majority fought to their deaths, leaving less than one in ten surviving. Only a contingent of young, direct disciples who had retreated early from Fufeng Continent were able to return from the Central Earth after the war’s end. Gathering the scattered remnants, who were in a worse state than stray dogs, they began the arduous task of rebuilding their sect. Their plight was far more difficult than those sects like Tianyao Village and Lotus City, which at least had ancestral halls intact.

Rumor had it that the City Lord of White Emperor City, after appearing in Fufeng Continent, showed particular favor to the returning disciples of the Back Mountain Sect. He even remarked to the handful of young ghost cultivators, “Humans are not as good as ghosts. What’s wrong with having more ghosts in the Back Mountain?”

Furthermore, the reckless prodigy of White Emperor City, Gu Can, had been exceptionally appointed as the first enshrined guardian of the “new” Back Mountain.

Suddenly, a brand new vortex appeared in the sky. From it emerged a large, jade-white hand, brutally seizing Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma Avatar by the head. With a heavy press, it slammed the avatar down. In the distance, an old man in yellow robes swept across with a blade, the light of which seemed to carve a silver river in the sky, cleaving Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma Avatar in two. From the avatar’s brow, where the mountain shrine resided, and from the Ascension Realm old cultivator’s true form robes, two ribbons, long as waterfalls, emerged. These intertwined, ultimately becoming a belt, stitching the severed Dharma Avatar back together.

Nan Guangzhao finally showed a hint of panic. If it were an ordinary Sword Immortal, the lingering sword qi wouldn’t prevent the Dharma Avatar from healing itself. Why would he need to expend his hard-earned cultivation, using ribbons crafted from rivers to create a “cover-up” belt?

Nan Guangzhao could only say in his heart, “Fellow Daoist, I concede.”

Unexpectedly, the old man in yellow seemed to ignore him completely. He stepped forward, twisting his wrist, and with another distant slash of his long blade, clearly intending to cleave Nan Guangzhao’s avatar in half from top to bottom.

Having just dodged that unparalleled blade light, a hand wielding a blade shot out swiftly from another vortex, stabbing into Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma Avatar from the back, piercing through his chest. The blade flicked, its tip tilting slightly, directly lifting the avatar high. Another arm tightly gripped the avatar’s neck, violently dragging Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma Avatar backward. Most of the blade had already pierced through Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma Avatar.

The entire chest of Nan Guangzhao’s Dharma Avatar was now crisscrossed with black-gold threads, like a spiderweb spreading rapidly, devouring the avatar’s spiritual essence. Even the Daoist truths contained within the avatar were being absorbed and stolen by these strange threads. The owner of the Dharma blade stepped out from the vortex, his towering form as black as ink, with only a pair of snow-white eyes, interwoven with lightning. He released the blade hilt, extending a hand, his fingers like hooks, grasping one side of Nan Guangzhao’s avatar’s head, ripping off a large piece of “snow-white” flesh, throwing it into his mouth, chewing with relish, enjoying the feast.

Nan Guangzhao, a dignified Ascension Realm cultivator, a renowned old celestial from the Central Earth, was like a mad dog biting someone, refusing to let go, and wanting to take away a large chunk of flesh.

At the same time, from another vortex, a golden spear was thrown out swiftly, piercing through both Dharma Avatars, friend and foe alike, pinning them heavily in the void.

In this world, lights flashed in all directions. From each vortex, weapons flashed and disappeared, cutting through the sky, stabbing directly at the entangled parties, one weapon after another skewering both avatars’ bodies.

It resembled a “flower patch.”

The old man in yellow casually unleashed a blade strike, this being his answer.

He cleaved the two imprisoned Dharma Avatars in half on the spot, from shoulder to ribs.

Nan Guangzhao had to continue to control the water-robe ribbons, laboriously stitching up the avatar’s wounds.

This scene made all the watching cultivators tremble.

This young Daoist, appearing out of nowhere, was truly ruthless, even cutting himself.

The old man in yellow then slammed the bottom of his sheathed blade onto the ground, sending out ripples of golden light from the space where the sheath touched the void. Golden flowers, unseen in any books, seemed to emerge suddenly from the water, graceful and elegant, swaying gently.

This young Daoist’s face was contorted. Concede? In his homeland, he had personally slain countless heroes and villains. The demon cultivators within his belly had never uttered the word “concede.”

With thousands of years of cultivation experience, he had encountered no less than twenty Ascension Realm great demons that he couldn’t handle. If he couldn’t win, they would all flee directly, and if they couldn’t escape, they would die. And weren’t they all hundreds of times more troublesome than this unknown fellow? He had finally caught a good opponent with a high enough realm but was actually useless. Once this opportunity was gone, there would be no more. If he didn’t know how to cherish it today, wouldn’t he be struck by lightning?!

If the Old Blind Man heard about it, with his petty and narrow-minded nature, wouldn’t he skin him alive?

In the sky of the small world, golden clouds slowly gathered, thunder rumbling, terrifying and frightening.

Even Xianzao and the other immortals felt that if they continued to fight like this, their situation would become precarious.

Perhaps the entire Mandarin Duck Isle, a large island, would be wiped out by that Daoist spell.

At the entrance of the ancestral shrine in the avatar’s brow, Nan Guangzhao’s true form was bleeding from all seven orifices, in a terrible state. The “Dragon King” water-robe, which he had painstakingly upgraded to immortal weapon grade, was stained with large patches of crimson. Clearly, Nan Guangzhao had damaged the very foundation of his Dao. He didn’t even have time to clean up the mess, and angrily roared, “Young Daoist! Do you really want to perish with me?!”

However, Nan Guangzhao’s inner thoughts were more “tactful”. He tried to calm himself, tentatively asking, “Fellow Daoist, why don’t we stop here? The Yunmiao matter will not only be dropped, but I will also make amends afterward. Everything is negotiable.”

The old man in yellow sneered. Today, he had truly broadened his horizons. Concession failed, so now he wanted to talk about money?

In the barbaric world, there were no such tricks. Before fighting, they didn’t pay much attention to the so-called bonds of friendship, nor to the portraits and great achievements in the ancestral hall. After fighting, there was even less reason to beg for mercy. If you were unlucky and your skills were inferior, you would obediently accept death!

If admitting defeat worked? Would he need to be a watchdog in the Ten Thousand Mountains?

Everyone heard the old man in yellow laugh loudly, “The fight has only just begun. You clearly have so many tricks up your sleeve, planning to hide them and take them to the grave? Why not take them out and show them off? What, looking down on this young Daoist?”

Raising the snow-white blade intertwined with lightning in his right hand, he lightly wiped it with his left hand, conjuring a ball of lightning in his palm, throwing it into his mouth, chewing it as if it were a side dish. The young Daoist sneered, “This is my territory, not a place for people to watch a show. Why don’t you create a world and change the location to fight, and let’s quickly decide life and death.”
Here in the vicinity of the Confucian Temple, everyone’s sparring is actually constrained. Previously, in the duel between Chen Pingan and the immortal Yun Miao, both sides had to exercise restraint and measure their actions carefully to avoid harming innocent bystanders, as they had to consider the safety of the many cultivators in the Mandarin Duck Islet.

In the history of the Central Earth Divine Continent, there was an incident where two sword immortals engaged in a sudden, life-or-death struggle. Within a hundred miles radius, countless sword lights flashed, and more than a hundred cultivators were unable to escape. In the end, they were all skewered like candied hawthorns by the fierce sword lights unleashed by the two combatants. When the two sword lights dissipated, the souls of the innocent cultivators were utterly shattered.

One of them, originally holding a high position as a law-enforcement elder in a sect’s immortal abode, was removed from the sect’s records and became a wandering wild cultivator. This person was none other than Si Tu Jiyu, the Golden Armor Continent sword immortal who was touring the Central Earth. Later, Si Tu Jiyu simply went to the Great Wall of Swords.

Nan Guangzhao continued mentally, “Young Daoist, we have no grievances, why must we fight to the death? Continuing this fight will do neither of us any good.”

Little did Nan Guangzhao realize that this yellow-robed old man, back in his homeland, was accustomed to settling disputes with deadly force. He also never expected the young Daoist to attack so fiercely, simply because he had been stifled for too long and was full of pent-up anger.

The young Daoist sneered, “You’re whining like a woman! I’ll beat you half to death first, then go deal with that white-clad little whelp.”

The young Daoist didn’t think he could completely kill the Ascension Realm opponent before him; knocking him down a realm would be good enough.

As his young master’s old servant, Old Li, would say, one should leave a margin for maneuver, for opportunities may arise again in the future.

According to the young Daoist’s previous fighting style, he wouldn’t waste a single word. He would kill, devour, and be done with it.

But after leaving the Savage Desolate World, he had been traveling, eating well, sleeping soundly, and often seeing Li Huai reading some tattered wuxia novels. The famous martial artists and chivalrous heroes in those stories always talked a lot during their spars, because according to Li Huai, the combatants were worried that the spectators would get bored. If the two sides fought silently, it wouldn’t be exciting enough, and there would be less cheering. The young Daoist found this to be quite reasonable after hearing it.

Nan Guangzhao’s face darkened, and he stopped communicating mentally, uttering a harsh threat, “Young Daoist, don’t push your luck!”

The young Daoist was greatly startled. Could it be that this guy was secretly powerful?

He was momentarily unsure, but then he thought, to hell with it! How powerful could an old turtle who wasn’t even qualified to participate in the Confucian Temple discussions be?

Did he think he was Dong Sangeng or A Liang?

That A Liang, back then, just because he was bored, casually injured a passing sword cultivator with a paw strike, without even shattering his natal sword. It was just a bit of fun. After all, his Hundred Thousand Mountains and the Great Wall of Swords didn’t interfere with each other. As a result, A Liang chased after him and hacked at him for thousands of miles in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, until even the Old Blind Man couldn’t stand it anymore and intervened, taking eighteen consecutive sword strikes from A Liang.

The woman from the Immortal Xia Zhu Clan glanced at the blue-robed sword immortal hovering in the wind, then looked away and asked the handsome young master of the Dense Cloud Xie Clan, who was rapidly flipping through a collection of poems, in a soft voice, “Xie Yuan, how old do you think this person is?”

Xie Yuan was busy searching for inspiration in his beloved poetry collection. The art of composing poems was all about learning from others. Interrupted in his poetic mood by the woman, he sighed, looked up at the yellow-robed old man in the distance, and casually said, “He must be several thousand years old.”

The woman scoffed, “I’m not talking about him!”

Xie Yuan was taken aback, then laughed and said, “You’re talking about that blue-robed sword immortal who cultivates in both sword and thunder techniques? If I had to guess, he’s at most a hundred years old, similar to the ‘Sword Immortal Xu Jun’ from the Golden Armor Continent. They are both sword dao prodigies born in response to the times in our vast world, but this one is even younger.”

The old sword cultivator Yu Yue rolled his eyes, feeling憋屈 but not wanting to directly tell Xie Yuan the truth. This blue-robed sword cultivator was the Hidden Official that you, you little rascal, are always thinking about, the one you, Xie Yuan, say you would “bow and pay respects to three times” upon meeting.

The most powerful clans in the vast world, especially those involved in intercontinental ferries to the Inverted Mountain and trade with the Great Wall of Swords, had some understanding of the young Hidden Official who had once appeared in the Spring Banner Chamber’s discussion hall, but their knowledge was limited and superficial. This was because the Great Wall of Swords was very strict about information. For example, the Dense Cloud Xie Clan of the Snowy Continent could only learn, through various mountain channels, especially because of their generations-long good relationship and continuous intermarriage with the Liu Clan, that the last Hidden Official, who replaced Xiao Xun, was very good at business and had a very imposing presence. When he first appeared on the Inverted Mountain, he was accompanied by a large group of native and foreign sword immortals – more than a dozen sword immortals with real combat experience!

Li Baoping was originally worried that Li Huai might be affected by the mountain peak battle, but Li Huai was as if nothing was happening, standing steadily in place, mumbling to himself.

It’s over. Losing is fine; at worst, he’d drag the young Daoist away and run. If that didn’t work, he could just hide behind Chen Pingan, and everything would be fine.

But if they won, he wouldn’t just be hindering Chen Pingan, wouldn’t the young Daoist be making enemies on the mountain? And he would be implicated and targeted. In the martial world, one can be a thief for a thousand days, but one can’t guard against thieves for a thousand days.

So Li Huai tentatively asked mentally, “Young Daoist Brother, can we admit defeat? Otherwise, I’ll be worried every day when I travel the world, afraid of getting ambushed.”

The young Daoist was struck by lightning, but he hardened his heart and pretended not to hear Li Da Ye’s hint.

His fight hadn’t even warmed up his hands!

The young Daoist’s movements became fiercer, slashing out with his saber, like thunder.

He was forcing the Ascension Realm cultivator to either kneel and kowtow, showing sincerity in admitting defeat, or simply go to the other party’s small world for a hearty battle.

Thinking again, the young Daoist seemed to have suffered another tribulation. Damn it, in his small world, he and Li Huai could say whatever they wanted, of course. But how could Li Huai ignore the multiple restrictions of heaven and earth and talk to him?

The Old Master is indeed the Old Master.

Could it be some secret technique taught by the Old Blind Man? But Li Huai clearly said that he hadn’t learned a single move from the Old Blind Man.

Seeing that the young Daoist hadn’t heard his words, Li Huai had to turn to Li Baoping and ask, “Baoping, what should we do?”
Li Baoping said, “This senior will restrain himself. As for what happens afterward, you don’t need to overthink it. The senior will handle it properly.”

Li Huai grinned, relieved, and added a self-justifying reason, “Besides, isn’t there Chen Ping’an? Should I be afraid of trouble? Trouble should fear me!”

In truth, many of Li Huai’s thoughts had been different from ordinary people since he was a child.

For example, when Li Baoping threw his trousers onto a tree branch, the wailing Li Huai wasn’t worried about losing face or being laughed at by Shi Chunjia with her pigtails. Instead, he worried about the new trousers, which were worth a lot. If he couldn’t wear them home, his mother would be heartbroken, and might twist his arm. Otherwise, not wearing trousers wasn’t a big deal, it was quite cool. But being pinched hurt! Even if his mother bought him new trousers later, there wouldn’t be any money for chicken drumsticks. Look at his sister Li Liu, already so skinny and not very pretty. How would she marry in the future? So that pair of trousers hanging high in the tree couldn’t be lost.

Another example was Old Man Yang, who gave him some yellowed books that were inconspicuous in the bulging package. The covers and first few pages seemed to have been torn off. Inside, there were many mountain techniques with lots of rules: don’t learn this, don’t do that, this technique damages the Dao of Heaven, that divine power will be suppressed by the Great Dao… What was the point of learning any of it? So, after some picking and choosing, Li Huai learned the Art of the Heart’s Voice. That was good, with no nonsense, and it was practical.

Old Man Yang left Li Huai a letter, which explained some things.

For example, it told him where to find an old scholar in the future and casually learn a few talisman skills from that senior. That person had traveled to the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, stayed there for many years, and often drank with his father. Having a skill is better than having more money in your pocket, it’s always more stable…

Just like the elders at home, their nagging is annoying at times, but when they stop nagging, one becomes sad.

Nan Guangzhao’s mood at this moment was terrible, much like how his junior, Yun Miao, regarded him, seeing him as a jinx who only brought trouble.

He couldn’t reason with that young Daoist, who seemed determined to make him fall in realm before he would stop. Nan Guangzhao had no choice but to use his trump card, directly offering up a Lesser Grotto-Heaven that he had completely refined.

The young Daoist laughed and sheathed his long saber, tossing it into his sleeve dimension. “Finally, some bearing of a Flying Ascendant!”

Li Huai hurriedly said, “Be careful!”

The young Daoist glanced back at the scholar-robed youth on the shore, stunned. This kid, does he genuinely care about the life and death of a watchdog? What’s the point? He couldn’t figure it out.

The young Daoist shook his head, deciding not to think about it if he couldn’t understand. In this regard, he was similar to Li Huai. No wonder the two of them got along without awkwardness.

As the figures of the two Flying Ascendants vanished, the Mandarin Duck Isle instantly became clear and bright, and the great sun reappeared.

Almost all cultivators felt relieved, and most Qi Refiners, escorted by their teachers, hurriedly flew away from the Mandarin Duck Isle, a place of great turmoil.

There had been two fights in a row, first a Sword Immortal and an Immortal, then two Flying Ascendants. They’d had their fill of spectating.

Besides, who knew if Nan Guangzhao’s Lesser Grotto-Heaven would collapse on the spot?

The Immortal Yun Miao was definitely the most downcast cultivator.

He couldn’t leave, and not far away was the green-shirted Sword Immortal, smiling with his hands in his sleeves.

Nan Guangzhao, who had always been half a talisman for the Nine Truths Immortal Hall, seemed useless now. Who could have expected a peak Flying Ascendant to stir things up?

According to common sense, the strongest among the Flying Ascendants have all gone to the Confucian Temple. Nan Guangzhao, a Flying Ascendant left out in the cold by the Confucian Temple, should have been invincible.

But that Zhuolu Songzi was currently participating in discussions at the Confucian Temple. How would things end today?

Many cultivators in the Central Earth were of extremely high realms, choosing a blessed grotto-heaven in the mountains for secluded cultivation, seeking longevity in solitude. However, their fighting skills didn’t match their realms.

Yun Miao was secretly plotting, full of confidence, and deep down, he looked down on those few old, Flying Ascendants with decaying souls and dwindling energy, old turtles that had lived for thousands of years.

Even though he still held a flying sword captive, Chen Ping’an was the one who seemed to hold Yun Miao’s vital lifeline.

Chen Ping’an inexplicably recalled his senior brother Zuo You’s words.

He said that Sword Questioning was a very simple matter, it was just that you delivered one more sword than your opponent.

For example, if a sword was delivered and the opponent died, the Sword Questioning ended. If both sides delivered swords, the final sword being the one you delivered, then of course you won.

At that time, Chen Ping’an had just finished a “Sword Questioning.”

His senior brother had remained motionless from beginning to end, while his junior brother was half-dead, lying on the city wall.

Chen Ping’an boldly said, “Senior Brother makes it sound easy.”

In any case, sword practice was over, and Senior Brother couldn’t punish him further. As for whether he would suffer in the next sword practice, he would worry about that later.

Zuo You didn’t get angry, but said, “Practicing the sword, pursuing knowledge, and conducting oneself in the world all require achieving ease and simplicity.”

Chen Ping’an obediently lay on the ground, not daring to push his luck, and asked a question he had been curious about for a long time: “How does Senior Brother practice the sword?”

In fact, in the Sword Qi Great Wall, probably everyone except the Great Sword Immortal was interested in asking this question.

Zuo You said, “Before going to sea, I learned the Straight-Line Sword Art. After a few years at sea, I learned the Curved-Line. Since two sword art veins have been formed, then before I came to the Sword Qi Great Wall, it wasn’t called practicing the sword, it was just sharpening it.”

After a slight pause, Zuo You added, “Nothing interesting. That’s why I wanted to come here and see.”

Chen Ping’an quickly sat up and asked, “And then? Did Senior Brother learn a new sword art vein?”

Zuo You didn’t directly give an answer, but said, “Breaking through the realm was originally not difficult, but after coming here, I discovered that no matter how many lines there are, they still don’t form a world, and the curved line is still not perfect, so Harmonizing with the Dao is not easy.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t quite understand his senior brother’s hidden meaning at the time.

He only understood one thing: his senior brother could have had the hope of breaking through the realm in the Sword Qi Great Wall, but suddenly his vision became higher, and the bottleneck became bigger than the sky.
Until Chen Ping’an encountered Pei Min, and then Wu Shuangjiang, especially today when the Immortal Yun Miao unleashed the “Rain Pavilion” and “Fire Furnace,” two swords poised to strike. Being targeted by those sword tips, Chen Ping’an felt a sudden chill down his spine, as if a sword’s edge was inches away, ready to slice through his robes, flesh, and soul, a single strike severing all.

Only then did Chen Ping’an truly understand the meaning behind his senior brother Zuo You’s words from years ago.

Simply put, once senior brother Zuo You achieved the fourteenth realm of Dao Integration, wherever he stood, within a few miles, or even a hundred miles, there would be several, dozens, or perhaps even hundreds of Zuo Yous simultaneously delivering a sword strike, as a form of Sword Inquiry.

This, perhaps, is the ultimate realm pursued by all sword cultivators.

All matters, settled with a single sword.

Senior brother’s realm is something that cannot be learned.

Because it requires the purest heart of a sword cultivator.

Chen Ping’an smiled and reminded the Immortal Yun Miao, “Both the Young Daoist and I are what Brother Qingzhu calls ‘outsiders.’ Ancestor Yun Miao can use this opportunity to rally your friends, inciting the Zhongtu cultivators’ shared animosity, perhaps resolving this predicament.”

Yun Miao’s composure was excellent, treating it as wind passing his ears.

But if this azure-robed Sword Immortal hadn’t pointed it out, Yun Miao would have genuinely sought an opportunity to accomplish this.

Yun Miao’s apprehension towards this man grew.

Pointlessly provoking a Sword Immortal was already troublesome, but if this Sword Immortal was also deeply cunning, skilled in calculation, and acted insidiously?

Would the Plum Master and Orchid Immortal of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall, especially those direct descendants of the Ancestral Hall, still dare to descend the mountain for training in the future? If the sect’s cultivators were to step out, take a ferry, or ride the wind, only to be struck by a flying sword, even if the Sword Immortal didn’t kill, only sought to injure, wouldn’t the Nine Truths Immortal Hall eventually be equivalent to being sealed off?

Yun Miao heard that man’s voice echoing in his mind again, causing the Immortal’s head to ache.

“Earlier, on the shore of Mandarin Duck Isle, I had the honor of chatting with the two Grand Cultivators, Qin Zao and Yan Ge. However, the two seniors were filled with righteous indignation, vehemently rebuking me. The Nine Truths Immortal Hall has such good relations on the mountain, it makes me somewhat regret having blown this misunderstanding with Ancestor Yun Miao so out of proportion.”

Yun Miao sneered inwardly. Yan the lackey? Filled with righteous indignation? He probably couldn’t wait to curry favor with you, the Sword Immortal, right? Qin Zao, on the other hand, was one who loved to watch the excitement, probably willing to lend a hand, but not genuinely wanting to help the Nine Truths Immortal Hall escape its predicament, merely fanning the flames, fearing not that the mess would be too big. Anyway, no matter how big the mess, Qin Zao wouldn’t have to clean it up.

Yun Miao asked in a deep voice, “Who exactly are you? Why are you determined to be irreconcilable with the Nine Truths Immortal Hall?!”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Irreconcilable? I wouldn’t say that. As for me, I’m a wild cultivator, what can I do in Zhongtu Divine Continent? Having come to this Mandarin Duck Isle, what can I do, at most just fish. If Brother Qingzhu hadn’t provoked me, how could I have possibly become involved with a great Zhongtu sect like the Nine Truths Immortal Hall?”

Yun Miao’s heartstrings tightened.

A wild cultivator.

Where do all wild cultivators in the world yearn for the most? Naturally, the White Emperor City amidst the colorful clouds.

So, upon hearing this man mention the words “wild cultivator,” Yun Miao would naturally think in that direction.

Chen Ping’an said out of the blue, “Ancestor Yun Miao, would you say we’re like a flood washing into the Dragon King’s temple?”

Yun Miao’s mind was shaken.

Could it be that this man’s actions today were secretly instructed by that person?! Was the White Emperor City using this opportunity to put pressure on the Nine Truths Immortal Hall?

At the same time, Chen Ping’an was distracted, chatting with the old sword cultivator on the shore.

Because the chief guest elder of the Secret Cloud Xie Clan had just taken the initiative to ask something, which left Chen Ping’an feeling both amused and helpless.

“Hidden Official, my few direct disciples are all failures, the highest realm is only a Nascent Soul whose soul is already decaying, useless. The rest are the same, unable to shoulder great responsibilities, so… could you possibly…?”

Seeing that the Hidden Official didn’t answer, Yu Yue became somewhat anxious, no longer speaking indirectly, but getting straight to the point, “I will definitely impart my sword techniques without reservation, sell everything I own to help my disciples nurture their flying swords. If I don’t cultivate an Upper Five Realms Sword Immortal in the future… you can just come to my door to demand retribution!”

Yu Yue was genuinely envious.

His old friend, Pu He, had struck gold, actually taking in a pair of sword immortal embryos from the Great Wall of Swords as direct disciples, a young boy named Ye Du, and a young girl named Xue Zhou. The little girl’s sword cultivation aptitude could be described as astonishing. The young boy’s aptitude was even better, especially his manner of speaking… truly remarkable.

Birds of a feather flock together. Pu He was extremely fond of that young disciple, even happier than if he had a son late in life.

Not only Pu He, but he heard that Song Pin of Golden Armor Isle, Xie Zhi of Soaring Cloud Isle, Xie Songhua of Snowy Isle, all these wandering sword immortals of the Great Wall of Swords had all taken sword immortal embryos from the Great Wall of Swords as direct disciples, and judging from Pu He’s tone, it seemed to be all meticulously arranged by the Hidden Official. Then that’s how it is, Pu He went to the Great Wall of Swords in the Jade Purity Realm and got two disciples. He himself had also gone, back when he was in the Golden Core Realm, so let’s cut it in half, the Hidden Official would give him one disciple?

Chen Ping’an said helplessly, “If Senior had spoken earlier, I could indeed have helped. But bringing it up now is a bit late. However, if Senior is willing to wait, you can wait until the Fifth World opens again. When the time comes to travel to Ascension City, I can have people start helping Senior pick out disciples a few years earlier. As long as there is a true connection to the Dao, Senior can take them away from Ascension City.”

Yu Yue listened with a heavy heart, “That’s going to be many years.”

Chen Ping’an thought of his own mountain, which did indeed have nine sword immortal embryos, but most of them already had arrangements.

However, thinking of two of the children, Chen Ping’an pondered slightly and said, “If Senior has time, you can take a trip to Fallen Mountain in Treasure Bottle Continent. There are two children on my mountain who might be willing to follow Senior to practice swordsmanship. I only dare to say it’s possible, I can’t guarantee anything here, it still depends on Senior’s eye and the two children’s own thoughts. Whether it succeeds or not, Senior can go to Fallen Mountain and give it a try first.”

Yu Yue was overjoyed, “Sure, why wouldn’t it work? Traveling to the Hidden Official’s hometown, even if I don’t get a disciple, is still a wonderful thing.”

Yu Yue suddenly asked again, “Hidden Official, can I ask for another favor?”

It was really difficult to say, but the opportunity was rare, so the old sword cultivator only spoke halfway, and started to be indirect again.
Chen Ping’an smiled, “Senior is willing to be an offering, a guest elder, whether recorded or unrecorded, there’s absolutely no problem. I couldn’t ask for more. It’s just that the matter of salary in Immortal Coins is truly non-negotiable. My dilapidated Falling Mountain has only just joined the ranks of Sect-level mountain gates for a few days, and doesn’t have many coins in its pockets.”

Yu Yue laughed loudly, “Then I’ll spend money to buy a guest elder position from Hidden Official, as for offering, let’s forget about it. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t have the face. After all, I can’t often stay in Treasure Bottle Continent. Being a recorded guest elder, if there’s really something, a flying sword letter to the Mi Clan Xie family will do. I’ll be eating and drinking over there more often in the future, guaranteeing I’ll be there whenever called. Hidden Official, you can rest assured that me being a guest elder is definitely a worthwhile deal. There can’t be many people in Treasure Bottle Continent who recognize Yu Yue. I’ll strike with my sword, then run away, leaving no traces whatsoever, ensuring that the things Hidden Official entrusts me with will be done cleanly and beautifully!”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said alright.

Yu Yue only felt refreshed, it was settled. He had become a guest elder, and there was hope for becoming a personal disciple.

Chen Ping’an glanced at that Xie Clan disciple, remembering some things.

The two sword immortals of Aihai Continent, Zhang Shao and Li Ding, travelled together to the Sword Qi Great Wall, and ultimately went to a foreign land, never returning home.

Including Xie Songhua, they all bloomed outside the wall better than inside. The three sword immortals, regardless of gender, seemed to have no fondness for the customs of their hometown, Aihai Continent, without exception, and were unwilling to cultivate in their hometown, let alone establish a sect.

It seemed that Aihai Continent could never keep a sword immortal.

Therefore, for foreign sword immortals, as long as they were willing to be associated with Aihai Continent, it was a large sum of Immortal Coins.

For example, Yu Yue was affiliated with two offerings and three guest elder positions, of course not all in Aihai Continent, but also in Central Earth Divine Continent and his hometown, Flowing Rosy Continent. He got these coins lying down.

It was normal to be looked down upon by his old friend, Pu He.

It was just that Old Man Pu’s words were indeed too harsh, what “not eating the hot meal at home, and running outside to eat sh*t”?

Liu, the God of Wealth, had once taken the lead in secretly discussing with the Fire Dragon True Man on behalf of Aihai Continent, hoping to spend money to buy back the word “North” from Northern Ju Reed Continent. It wasn’t that Liu Jubao had too much money to spend, but that it involved the matter of sword path luck.

Chen Ping’an was the first to gaze into the distance at a certain place.

Even earlier than immortals like Yun Miao and Qin Zao to shift his gaze.

Ripples appeared in the sky, and an old man in yellow robes strode out, clutching the neck of a Ascended Realm cultivator in his hand, dragging him like a dead dog.

The old man in yellow robes casually threw the dying Nan Guangzhao into the river near the Mandarin Duck Islet, laughing loudly, “Skill so bad.”

Yun Miao’s eyelids twitched, and he actively released the five-colored rope that bound the flying sword, communicating mentally, “How to compensate?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Since you might be half family, then accompany me to continue acting in a play?”

Yun Miao said, “I’d like to hear the details.”

Yun Miao was certain that this person must have a deep connection with that person from White Emperor City.

They were too similar.

That person suddenly changed his tune and said, “I’ve never actually met City Lord Zheng, Ancestor Yun Miao is probably mistaken.”

Yun Miao’s mind was at ease.

Not only were his words and actions alike,

But his spirit was also similar!

The young Daoist gracefully landed on the shore, during which he made eye contact with the old boatman whom he recognized in the distance, and they both saw admiration in each other’s eyes.

Wild Lands, Peach Pavilion, Haoran, Gu Qingsong.

Fellow heroes on the path, it was inevitable to feel sympathy for each other on the lonely road.

The commotion on Mandarin Duck Islet was too great, so the figure in pink robes, who had been idling in the house in Pan Shui County, felt that this was a god-given opportunity. Therefore, Liu Chicheng was too lazy to display any palm-viewing mountain and river divine powers. With his senior brother around, where couldn’t he go?

So he half-dragged, half-pulled Chai Bofu to join in the fun, but saw Chen Ping’an in the distance. Liu Chicheng was originally quite happy, but upon closer inspection, there was also a woman in red on the shore. Liu Chicheng hurriedly stopped his wind-riding, and exchanged a look with that Long Bo younger brother, both seeing the word “retreat!” in each other’s eyes.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ping’an had already greeted with a smile, “Brother Liu, what a coincidence?”

Liu Chicheng patted Chai Bofu on the shoulder.

Chai Bofu nodded, tilted his head, and immediately fainted from serious injuries.

Liu Chicheng was caught off guard, better a dead friend than a poor Daoist? Not even bothering to help Chai Bofu, Liu Chicheng let the Long Bo younger brother fall straight to the ground, smiling brightly, and waved his hand loudly, “Long time no see!”

Yun Miao looked at that gaudy pink Daoist robe, and then at that green-robed figure who kept saying he had nothing to do with White Emperor City.

Yun Miao suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and said respectfully to the Sword Immortal, “Greetings, Mister Zheng.”

Chen Ping’an said, “What is all this nonsense?”

No matter how daring he was, he wouldn’t impersonate the City Lord of White Emperor City under Zheng Juzhong’s nose.

Yun Miao said in a trembling voice, “This junior understands.”