As the ferry neared Parrot Isle, Chen Pingan turned to look at the young Daoist, currently engaged in a heated debate with Liu Chicheng, and asked, “I heard senior is acquainted with Golden Emerald City?”

Golden Emerald City was renowned throughout the Wildlands for the supreme artistry of its robe crafting. Even the demon king Yang Zhi’s ink-black dragon robe utilized Golden Emerald City’s unique Yin-Yang waterway separation technique.

Relying on a Golden Emerald City robe that Chen Pingan obtained and passed on to Mi Yu, the Variegated Finch Estate’s wealth surged. This allowed the previously obscure Variegated Finch Estate to aspire to become a first-rate Immortal Mansion in the Northern Entire Reed Continent. The Great Li Dynasty alone, through the mediation of Wei Shanjun of Cloud-Draped Mountain, ordered over a thousand robes from the Variegated Finch Estate to be bestowed upon the mountain and water deities, city gods, and civil and military temples throughout the dynasty. This earned the Variegated Finch Estate’s female cultivators the nickname of “Weaving Maidens,” as sewing and refining robes had become an integral part of their cultivation.

Falling Torrent Mountain also profited handsomely from its agreed-upon revenue sharing with the Variegated Finch Estate. Every five years, a substantial sum of Grain Rain money would flow into their coffers, meticulously recorded and stored by Wei Wenlong.

Each time Wu Qun, the Law Enforcer of the Variegated Finch Estate, went to Cow Horn Mountain Ferry to deliver the money, she walked the ferry route with trepidation, fearing encounters with Upper Five Realms rogue cultivators. Once aboard the Hemp Robe Sect’s intercontinental ferry, she felt somewhat safer. However, the journey from the Variegated Finch Estate to Skeletal Beach was particularly nerve-wracking, as her only protection was “Golden Core Sword Cultivator Yu Mi.” Several times, Wu Qun repeatedly inquired whether they truly didn’t need the Hemp Robe Sect’s assistance. Since Falling Torrent Mountain had a good relationship with the Hemp Robe Sect, hiring them to escort her to the Variegated Finch Estate for a fee wouldn’t be excessive, right? Mi Yu, however, dismissed the idea as a waste of money, arguing against squandering the Mountain Lord’s favor with the Hemp Robe Sect, insisting that he was sufficient.

Wu Qun couldn’t help but ask the man, who looked like an Upper Five Realms cultivator but was only at the Golden Core stage, who would be responsible if the money was stolen en route.

Mi Yu replied with a smile, “If the money is lost, it’s my fault.”

A handsome man, even when boasting, was disarming, even if one didn’t like it.

Wu Qun was left with no choice. The money belonged to Falling Torrent Mountain, and if they weren’t concerned, why should she be worried?

Fortunately, her several trips to deliver money to Falling Torrent Mountain were uneventful. After all, the Hemp Robe Sect’s ferry and the Great Li Northern Mountain’s Cloud-Draped Mountain served as protective talismans.

As for the Sword Qi Great Wall and the Middle Five Realms’ Mi Lanyao and Upper Five Realms’ Mi Embroidery, they were distant legends. The man before her, named Yu Mi, hailed from Falling Torrent Mountain – two entirely unrelated matters.

Chen Pingan was well aware that the robe that had become the Variegated Finch Estate’s greatest treasure trove and Falling Torrent Mountain’s most significant “windfall” was of a grade similar to the lowest divine armor among the strategists’ armor pellets, the Dew-Receiving Armor. It could be improved further, which would naturally require seeking guidance from Golden Emerald City in the Wildlands to advance their crafting techniques.

However, Golden Emerald City cultivators had never crossed the Sword Qi Great Wall into the Verdant Azure World. In a small booklet that he had asked someone to deliver to the Great Li Dynasty, Chen Pingan had reminded them to seize Golden Emerald City-produced robes on the battlefield whenever possible, disassemble them to extract more arcane restrictions, and, ideally, capture Golden Emerald City cultivators, the higher their cultivation, the better.

The young Daoist appeared alarmed and quickly denied, “Not familiar! It’s been hundreds, even thousands of years since we last interacted. How could we be familiar? When every Golden Core female cultivator in Golden Emerald City held their opening ceremony, even when the City Lord ascended to immortality three centuries ago, Yang Zhi went to personally observe the ceremony. Have you ever heard of Peach Pavilion showing up to offer congratulations? No such thing!”

Chen Pingan nodded with a smile, “I see. The secret records in the Summer Retreat Palace don’t say that, but I must have been mistaken. I’ll take another look and see if I misunderstood senior.”

The young Daoist wore an expression of frustration.

The heroic spirit he had earned from the Ascension Realm Nan Guangzhao had been returned to this black-hearted Hidden Official.

The young Daoist quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind and tentatively asked, “Does the Hidden Official have a feud with Golden Emerald City? Golden Emerald City cultivators have never invaded the Verdant Azure World.”

Chen Pingan shook his head, “Neither publicly nor privately, I have no grudges. I’ve simply always admired Golden Emerald City’s robe crafting techniques.”

In fact, on the carriage that traveled north to the Sword Qi Great Wall back then, among the group of demon race female cultivators, there was both a family junior of the Great Demon Guanxiang and a female cultivator from Golden Emerald City, whose robe was particularly eye-catching.

The young Daoist suddenly understood, “That’s right. I heard the Hidden Official always wears a lot of layers when going to the battlefield.”

Chen Pingan hesitated for a moment and said in a hushed tone, “If senior can provide enough Golden Emerald City crafting secrets, I can offer half a share of the profits.”

The young Daoist raised his hand and wiped his mouth, thinking, “Hidden Official, you truly know how to crack a joke. I almost laughed my teeth out.”

And only half a share of the profits? Does this kid think he’s giving alms to beggars? Fifty percent would be more like it.

Chen Pingan continued, “The Confucian Temple, besides mass-producing certain types of strategist armor pellets, may also create three to five types of standardized robes. Because it’s still about quantity, the quality doesn’t need to be too high, similar to the clothing workshops of the Sword Qi Great Wall in the early days. In the Northern Entire Reed Continent, there’s a Variegated Finch Estate that has a chance to take one of those spots. Daoist Friend, I know you’re not short of money, but clean, steady, and long-term wealth is most valuable. I believe senior understands this principle better than I do. Moreover, earning money through the Confucian Temple is still somewhat meritorious. Even if senior is upright and doesn’t want that merit, the Confucian Temple will likely remember the favor.”

Peach Pavilion in the Wildlands certainly wasn’t short of money. He was at the peak of the Ascension Realm and didn’t lack cultivation. So, what did the “Verdant Azure young Daoist” lack? Nothing more than peace of mind in the Verdant Azure World.

Ultimately, Tao Ting was afraid that, as an outsider in the Confucian Temple, he would be treated unfairly, and that the Confucian Temple would favor Verdant Azure Great Cultivators in matters that could be interpreted in different ways.

Therefore, the young Hidden Official was helping the young Daoist pave a winding path for seeking favor. A long journey shows sincerity, and the year will be easier to get through.
The young Daoist’s expression turned solemn, and he slowly transmitted a message with his heart: “That Jade Green City is a place that shuns worldly conflict, and I’m not just making things up. As for the city lord, Yuan Hu, she detests fighting and killing even more, which is also the truth. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have adopted the Daoist name ‘Five-Petal Scribe’. The Summer Abode must have detailed records of this. So, Venerable Hidden Official, is there a possibility…?”

He left the words hanging, not fully articulated.

Chen Ping’an understood and smiled slightly: “I cannot make any promises now, or else, not only would Senior not believe me, but I myself would feel insincere. However, Senior is helping Jade Green City secure an escape route. If the worst comes to pass, whether City Lord Yuan Hu chooses to take that path is her own decision. Senior has already been extremely gracious and mindful of past ties.”

The young Daoist pondered for a moment and said, “I’ll have to inform Li Huai’s master later. This matter is too significant for me to act on my own.”

In reality, what was there to tell? Would the old blind man even care about such trivial matters? It was merely that Tao Ting felt that he had been led by the nose by the young Hidden Official throughout their conversation, making him lose face.

Chen Ping’an nodded, “Senior is of advanced age, and your ways of dealing with the world are seasoned and prudent.”

The young Daoist recalled something and cautiously asked, “Venerable Hidden Official, back then, when I secretly slipped out of the Ten Thousand Mountains to congratulate Yuan Hu on her breakthrough, how did the Summer Abode discover it? I remember being extremely careful on that trip, and I shouldn’t have been detected.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “I didn’t write anything. I was just making things up.”

The secret archives of the Summer Abode only mentioned that Tao Ting of the Ten Thousand Mountains had a good relationship with Yuan Hu of Jade Green City. Furthermore, the previous Hidden Official, Xiao Xun, had scrawled a note with crooked handwriting: “Undoubtedly lovers.”

The young Daoist’s smile became awkward.

Was it better to believe or not? It seemed neither was good.

Chen Ping’an was silent for a moment, then asked with a puzzled expression, “Senior has no objections to the half-share of the profits? Actually, I was hoping that Senior would ask for a full share.”

Just as the young Daoist was about to speak, Chen Ping’an sincerely exclaimed, “To think that Senior is so generous and magnanimous, not mentioning this matter at all. I admire you. This lofty demeanor is rarely seen in the Grand Azure.”

What could the young Daoist do but stroke his beard and smile, cursing inwardly.

However, upon further reflection, the young Daoist felt that he wasn’t at a loss after all, but had made a great profit. Of course, the young man beside him would only profit even more.

After holding it in for a long time, the young Daoist transmitted a message with his heart, “Doing business with the Hidden Official is indeed refreshing.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and smiled, “I am far inferior to Senior. It’s because Senior is not a businessman at all that you can be so composed and at ease in your dealings.”

These words were genuine.

The young Daoist truly felt refreshed this time.

The ferry arranged by the Confucian Temple moved slowly, unable to pick up speed. Along the way, several ferries that had departed later to Parrot Isle’s Baggage Shop had already arrived at the dock earlier. These were all private ferries from the mountains, but as they passed, they intentionally or unintentionally altered their course, choosing to steer clear. Clearly, they had a great psychological aversion to that cyan-clad swordsman with the terrible temper, and the “young Daoist” with an even worse one. No one wanted to be the next Immortal Yun Miao or Ascendant Realm Nan Guangzhao. Perhaps a single glance would offend them, and their ferry would be struck by a sword?

Only a private ferry of the Qiu Clan from Willow Haze Continent’s Yu Prefecture didn’t distance itself but approached instead. Chen Ping’an proactively clasped his fist and bowed in salute to that ferry.

Lin Qing, who was a retainer of the Qiu Clan, tossed an object towards the cyan-clad figure on the opposite ferry. It was the newly carved landscape bas-relief seal. The old man smiled in a mental transmission, “Welcome, Sword Immortal, to be a guest at the Old Pit Blessed Land.”

Chen Ping’an reached out and caught the seal, clasped his fist again, and smiled, “I will definitely go. Besides seeking guidance from Master Lin on epigraphy, and shamelessly asking for a few volumes of Jade Xuan Studio’s seal imprints, I must also have a peerless Yu Prefecture hotpot before I leave. The seal imprints must be bought with money, but if the hotpot doesn’t live up to its reputation and disappoints me, don’t expect me to pay a single copper coin. I might not even go to Yu Prefecture in the future.”

Lin Qing smiled, “No problem at all.”

The two ferries parted ways.

Lin Qing told the Qiu brothers about the swordsman wanting to eat hotpot. Qiu Shengong and Qiu Xuanji, the brilliant talents of the Yu Prefecture Qiu Clan, smiled at each other. Yu Prefecture’s defining characteristic was its hotpot, which kept people coming back.

Qiu Shengong asked, “Master Lin, is this unknown swordsman deliberately using Yu Prefecture hotpot to get closer to us, or is he a true gourmet?”

Lin Qing smiled, “Does a swordsman who doesn’t even regard Yun Miao need to deliberately curry favor with the Yu Prefecture Qiu Clan? Don’t forget that the Nine Truths Immortal Pavilion’s patron is Song Zi of Zhuolu, who is currently discussing matters in the Confucian Temple. Did you see him being polite?”

Qiu Xuanji laughed, “That’s great. The old ancestor was right. Most outsiders who like our Yu Prefecture hotpot aren’t bad people and are worth befriending.”

Chen Ping’an examined the well-crafted Old Pit Field Yellow seal. It was extremely heavy in the hand. For mountain immortals and refined scholars who appreciated such items, an ounce of Field Yellow was worth an ounce of Valley Rain money, and it was priceless.

The inscription read: “West of the Golden Heavens, where the sun sets, Immortals drunk on wine, emerge from the Moon’s depths. Flying swords like rainbows, kick South Dipper to open earth veins, turn palms to illuminate the Northern Dipper’s celestial gates.” The bottom inscription: “Once saw cyan robes.”

Chen Ping’an was immediately captivated and felt the seal become even heavier in his hand.

The ferry docked at Parrot Isle. Someone was already waiting there, a group of young boys and girls, all carrying swords, several of the eighteen Sword Disciples of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect.

After Chen Ping’an and his group disembarked, one of the girls mustered her courage and stepped out of the group alone, blocking the path.

Madam Tuoyan, a retainer of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect, pretended not to recognize this girl who had exceptional talent in swordsmanship. Within the sect, she was the boldest and spoke most freely with her master, Qi Tingji. Lu Zhi had high hopes for this girl.

Chen Ping’an stopped and asked, “You are?”

The girl blushed slightly, “I am a disciple of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect. My name is Wu Manyan.”

Chen Ping’an nodded lightly, indicating that he understood. And then?

He waited for the following explanation.

The girl instantly turned red, fearing that this Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Intent, Mr. Chen in her heart, would misunderstand her name, and quickly added, “It’s the Yan of ‘hundred flowers vying for beauty’, the Yan of ‘beautiful and ugly’.”

Chen Ping’an had no choice but to nod again. He did recognize the character.
As soon as she spoke, she regretted it. Had she just delivered the most awkward opening line imaginable? Where had her carefully crafted speech gone? She couldn’t remember a single word.

Seeing that the maiden neither spoke nor yielded, Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “Do you need something from me?”

The maiden’s forehead was beaded with fine sweat, and she shook her head vigorously, “No!”

But she didn’t move an inch.

In truth, the short walk here had exhausted all of the maiden’s courage. Even as her mind urged her to step aside and not delay the Honorable Hidden Official’s important business, she found herself completely unable to move. The young woman’s mind went blank, and she felt her life was over. The Honorable Hidden Official would surely see her as an ignorant, impolite, and unattractive person. She would obediently stay in the sect, practicing her swordsmanship for decades, even a century, hidden away on the mountain, never venturing out. Her life, apart from swordsmanship, would be meaningless.

Chen Ping’an showed no sign of impatience, merely smiling gently, “Practice your sword diligently.”

Wu Manyan finally snapped out of it, her smile more like a grimace. She sniffled, stepped aside, and mumbled, “Yes.”

Chen Ping’an, also feeling rather awkward, forced himself to say one more thing to the young woman, “You can always seek guidance on swordsmanship from your Mister Lu.”

Wu Manyan tilted her head slightly, still not daring to look at his warm, smiling face. She hummed in agreement.

Madam Tuoyan sighed softly in her heart, “Such a foolish girl.” At this moment, the maiden resembled a passing cloud settling on her face, her fair cheeks like the morning glow.

Fortunately, a young man came to the rescue, voicing his thoughts to the young Hidden Official: “My name is He Qiusheng. When I reach the Upper Five Realms, I will challenge the Honorable Hidden Official to a duel!”

Chen Ping’an turned to look at the vigorous, sword-bearing youth and nodded with a smile, “Agreed.”

It seemed his affinity with the younger generation was not bad.

After the two groups parted ways.

Wu Manyan wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked the youth, “What did you say to Mister Chen just now?”

He Qiusheng replied, “We agreed that when I become a Jade Purity realm cultivator, we’ll have a duel.”

Wu Manyan looked puzzled, “By the time you slowly reach the Upper Five Realms, shouldn’t Mister Chen be at the Fourteenth realm? What’s the point of fighting, of challenging him?”

The youth looked heartbroken, “Senior Sister!”

*Senior Sister, just because I like you doesn’t mean you can bully me like this.*

Wu Manyan tossed her head, her ponytail swaying slightly. She looked at the departing blue-robed figure and suddenly felt that practicing swordsmanship on the mountain was extremely interesting.

Before reaching the Parcel Repository on Parrot Isle, Chen Ping’an stopped and turned his head, looking towards a distant high place. Two sword lights dispersed, each heading to a different location.

One of the sword lights, was it heading towards Parrot Isle itself?

Chen Ping’an was a little puzzled. Why were Senior Brother Zuo You drawing their swords? Who were they challenging, and it seemed to be two people? One towards Parrot Isle, the other towards Panxi County.

Chen Ping’an personally saw the sword light brought by the sword sheath, landing not far away.

As for ordinary cultivators, with insufficient cultivation, they would instinctively close their eyes or simply turn their heads to avoid it, not daring to look at the dazzling sword light.

Parrot Isle itself did not change much, but the river water around the island suddenly became shallower, making the original small Parrot Isle appear as if the water had receded, exposing a great deal of its mountain roots and earth veins.

All the cultivators who had just arrived from Mandarin Duck Bank were complaining endlessly. What was happening today? Were they running into fights wherever they went?

The young Daoist patted the shoulder of his friend beside him, “Fellow Daoist Liu, this is all thanks to you.”

Wherever Pavilion Master Liu goes, turmoil is sure to follow.

Liu Chicheng smiled, “You’re welcome.”

In a mansion on Parrot Isle, Feng Xuetao, a great cultivator of the Ascended Realm with the Daoist name Qingmi, was in conference with several mountain friends. These so-called friends were actually like Yan Dagoutui beside Nan Guangzhao—eloquent and knew how to please. They were discussing how to expand their influence in Tongye Continent. In their conversation, apart from the Liu clan of Aiai Continent, which they needed to treat with some courtesy, other sects like the Jade Gui Sect were not worth mentioning.

Meanwhile, on the Panxi County side, Jing Hao, a great cultivator from Liuxia Continent with the Daoist name Qinggong Taibao and the leader of a sect, was in a similar situation. However, compared to the wild-born Feng Xuetao, he had more attendants around him, twenty-odd people, laughing and talking with the Old Sect Leader Jing, who was sitting in the main seat. Earlier, everyone had been dismissive of the Mountain and River Pavilion Master of Mandarin Duck Bank, the sword cultivator who was the head of the four troublesome ghosts of the mountain. Some people said that even with his skill, he would only dare to match wrists with Yun Miao. If he dared to come here, he wouldn’t even be able to enter the gate.

A drawn longsword pierced through the mansion’s landscape restrictions, hanging in the courtyard, its tip pointing towards the mountain heroes inside the house.

Jing Hao stopped his wine cup, narrowed his eyes, and looked at the longsword outside, finding it unfamiliar. Which rule-breaking sword cultivator was it?

Someone inside began to rise and curse, coming to the door, “Which blind fool dares to disturb Old Jing’s elegant drinking?”

A figure floated into the courtyard, gently grasped the longsword, and said indifferently, “Zuo You.”

The person at the door looked as if someone had grabbed their throat, their face pale, unable to utter another word.

Zuo You said, “I’m looking for Jing Hao. Unnecessary personnel may leave.”

Zuo You glanced at the one at the door, “You may stay.”

That person was in a dilemma, wanting to say to the Great Sword Immortal Zuo, “Don’t do this, I can actually leave, the first to leave.”

Everyone here, even if they hadn’t seen Zuo You, had certainly heard of Zuo You’s great name.

The person outside was praised as the highest in the Haoran’s swordsmanship, and was recognized as the most bad-tempered scholar of Confucianism, without any exceptions.

Jing Hao stood up, twisted the wine cup in his hand, and smiled, “Mister Zuo, since you and I haven’t met before, then you’re not here for a drink. But to say you’ve come to challenge Jing Hao to a duel, it doesn’t seem likely, does it?”

Zuo You said, “After the duel, whether I drink or challenge again, it’s all up to you.”

Too lazy to continue the nonsense.

Zuo You took a step forward, wielded his sword casually, and delivered the first sword to the Qinggong Taibao, who was known as “Eighty Arts and Great Daos all reaching the summit.”

The person at the door, and the people inside, all used their family’s best escape techniques, frantically fleeing from both sides of this place of trouble, a dazzling array of magic and divine powers, momentarily dizzying.

But only that person at the door suddenly stopped at the top of the wall, because the surroundings were like a cage, all sword energy, creating a solemn world.
Having casually delivered that sword strike, Left turned without looking back and said to the man, “Won’t you admit your mistake before leaving?”

The man immediately clasped his fist in a bow, head lowered, and said, “It was my fault!”

In an instant, that Jade Purity Realm cultivator was swept up by a cage of sword qi, slammed heavily onto a rooftop hundreds of zhang outside Pan Shui County. Fortunately, only his Dharma robes were tattered. After getting up, the man still offered a distant bow of gratitude before fleeing.

Jing Hao tossed out the wine cup in his hand, and the cup transformed into a miniature mountain peak, its image exuding tremendous power. The wine within transformed into a jade-green river, encircling the mountain like a sash. Simultaneously, a small world of a hundred li of mountains and rivers appeared between him and Left.

With a lift of his hand, he displayed the profound Dao of Sleeve Universe.

Yet, it was all cleaved open by a single sword strike. In the blink of an eye, the sword qi traversed the hundred li distance.

Jing Hao extended two fingers, pinching a unique azure talisman.

It barely managed to negate that slender sword qi. The priceless talisman in the hands of this Qing Palace Grand Protector was also drained of its spiritual energy by the remaining sword qi, rapidly burning to ashes. The small talisman possessed the splendor of a starry river.

One could only wonder how many percent of his swordsmanship Left had used in that casual strike.

Holding his sword, Left stepped across the threshold and reminded, “Unfold your Heavenly Domain.”

Jing Hao had no choice but to obey, as if compelled, and reluctantly summoned several interconnected minor Heavenly Domains.

A moment later, this renowned Qing Palace Grand Protector, seated within his own Heavenly Domain, unleashed all eighty of his grand arts. Yet Left merely delivered a sword strike each time, either shattering one or several of Jing Hao’s techniques.

As for Jing Hao’s endless stream of techniques, even those that managed to slip through the net of sword light were utterly unable to approach Left. Any that dared to near him would shatter on their own.

Ultimately, Left seemed to be following his junior brother’s words: fighting isn’t complicated, just deliver more sword strikes.

Truly just delivering more sword strikes, Left walked out of the house, sword in hand. He departed, riding the wind, and intercepted a nascent immortal realm cultivator who was fleeing at the first sign of trouble, asking, “Where are you going? Shall I give you a ride?”

Feng Xuetao didn’t stop, his speed increasing to that of lightning, and replied loudly, “I wouldn’t dare trouble Grandmaster Left.”

Left just happened to keep pace with the true form of that Grand Daoist Qingmi, saying, “You can trouble me.”