The seasons in the original Magnificent Heaven and the Wild Lands were completely opposite, with day and night reversed, summer here and winter there. But now that the two lands were increasingly connected, the celestial phenomena had some deviations.

Chen Pingan took out a jug of rice wine from his own shop, keenly sensing the subtle flow of the world’s atmosphere. It seemed like it was about to snow. He turned and glanced at the city wall on his right, a place of Dao Integration, but empty.

If he stayed here for a few more days, it would be a man and half a city, meeting again in the snowy season.

Drinking his wine, he inexplicably remembered Cui Dongshan’s jest: in some people’s eyes, the world is an empty city.

Chen Pingan once again looked into the distance, even knowing it was futile, he couldn’t help but look a few more times.

He wondered how A Liang’s swordplay was going, and whether his senior brothers Zuo You had arrived on the battlefield.

In a hinterland of the Wild Lands.

In truth, the entire expanse of mountains and rivers had become a battlefield.

A perilous siege involving two cultivators at the fourteenth realm, yet the besieged one held all the advantages.

A fire dragon, formed of sword intent, hung high in the sky, circling and coiling like a snake, its firelight illuminating thousands of miles around, as if plunging the area into a furnace.

In this Wild Lands, it was truly a grand manifestation of dragon and serpent energy.

On the ground, a lustrous golden mirror rippled, with millions of characters floating within, each character resembling a ferry crossing.

One man’s sword Dao manifested, his vital energy overflowing, the sky suspended with fire, the earth laid with water.

Xin Zhuang hated this ruthless A Liang with a passion. She directly unleashed a treasure of Mount Tuoyue, an ancient calligraphic sword scripture called “Green Snake in a Box,” a consumable immortal weapon.

With one hand forming a hand seal and the other holding the scroll, she unfurled the painting, and in an instant, three thousand green-robed sword cultivators emerged, riding their swords, a vast and mighty force, their sword formation like a flood, surging towards A Liang.

In this majestic world, a man of no great stature held two swords, his movements swift as lightning. He repeatedly stepped on the character ferries. Each leap was equivalent to the Land-Shrinking skill of a Flying Ascension stage cultivator. Weaving and dodging, his swords dragged countless streams of light of two colors across the air, slashing at the sword cultivator puppets that sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain.

Within the sword formation, the necks and waists of all the sword cultivator puppets were marked by the seemingly chaotic A Liang’s slashing, two-colored sword light, heads rolling or bodies severed.

A Liang, head down and rushing forward, would occasionally twist his body on a whim, unleashing a sweeping sword that would tear dozens of sword cultivators into pieces with brilliant sword light.

His swordplay was casual, seemingly without rhyme or reason, yet possessed a flowing Dao intent.

The final result of the battle was an overwhelming massacre.

Three thousand talisman puppets, equivalent to middle fifth-realm sword cultivators, were not enough for one man to kill.

The young women of the Sword Qi Great Wall mostly couldn’t understand why the older women liked such a slovenly man, not tall, glib-tongued, and of terrible character, with not a trace of handsomeness. So why did they like A Liang?

Most of the women who had already married would smile without answering. Only the more patient ones would say something similar: You’ll know the answer when you get to the battlefield.

At the same time, Rou Yi removed the lotus crown from her head. This Dao crown was a masterpiece by the old king Huang Luan, modeled after the lotus crown of Lu Chen, the Third Master of White Jade Capital. Rou Yi held the crown and gently tossed it into the air.

One by one, the lotus petals detached, each petal transforming into an enlightened Daoist of White Jade Capital upon landing, eight in total, each occupying a position, stepping on a trigram.

However, being a replica, these Daoist masters could only last for the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

But an incense stick was enough to change the course of the battle. Those sword cultivator puppets that A Liang had freely slaughtered were swept into the death gates of the eight trigrams, and then re-emerged from the life gates, forming their sword formation once more.

The Great Dao was mysterious, entering death and emerging into life.

Taking advantage of the damned dog’s temporary entrapment, Zhu Yan revealed his true form, wielding a long staff. Each time he moved mountains and shifted stones, he was as fast as a giant flying sword, all heading towards that figure.

This Ancestor of Moving Mountains also raised his other hand, using his innate ability, his arms like whips, lashing at the mountains, his fingers like ropes, binding and moving ten thousand rocks, like a combined siege by thousands of catapults.

Zhu Yan laughed loudly, “A Liang, Grandpa is putting on such a show for you, how will you thank me after you die?”

There was also the Wild Lands’ great demon Guan Xiang, known for his diverse magic, whose supernatural powers were vast. At his fingertips, there were ghostly soldiers passing, mountains splitting and walls cracking. With his breathing, clouds gathered and dispersed, black smoke billowing, the Yin energy extremely dense.

Guan Xiang didn’t like to shout as much as the Ancestor of Moving Mountains, and he even had a somewhat solemn expression, glancing at the vortex phenomenon in the sky, like an invisible long sword hanging overhead. Deep down, A Liang’s natal flying sword seemed more like a god traveling far beyond the heavens.

Xin Zhuang didn’t need to control the scroll in her hand, letting it hover in front of her. She looked at the sky and the earth, “What’s the point of A Liang creating this world-altering phenomenon?”

Shou Chen gave the answer: “To make the fight look better. In his words, if no one is watching and cheering during a fight, it’s too lonely.”

During his chaotic slashing, A Liang glanced at the two swords in his hand, and they couldn’t hold on any longer. The two swords lightly tapped each other, like countless times at the Sword Qi Great Wall, clinking bowls at the dinner table.

The two swords broke into four pieces, heading in the four directions of the world.

As for those green-robed sword cultivator puppets, those mountains and rocks flying like swords, they were all illusions, even weaker than paper in front of his swords.

It wasn’t that the great demons of the Wild Lands were weak, that their spells and supernatural powers were paper-thin, or that their immortal weapons were fragile. On the contrary, in terms of individual killing power, Flying Ascension stage cultivators of the Magnificent Heaven were generally weaker than those of the Wild Lands. It was just that the one being besieged today was too exceptional.
Of course, regardless of the world, anyone who reaches the peak of the Ascension Realm, especially those who aspire to the Fourteenth Realm of Dao Integration, are all exceptionally difficult mountain-peak experts. For example, the old monarchs of the Savage Desolate World, such as the Lotus Convent Abbess who died at the hands of Dong Sangeng, were extremely formidable in both physique and Dao techniques. In fact, none of the old monarchs were pushovers. However, their opponents included not only the Sword Qi Great Wall but also Bai Ye, and even Zhou Mi, a member of their own ranks from the Literary Sea.

In the Grand Azure World, apart from the talisman master Yu Xuan of the Central Earth Divine Continent and the Great Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, there were only a handful of Grand Dao cultivators in the other eight continents who deserved the title of “peak.” They were all undisputed leaders of their respective continents, such as Chen Chun’an of South Po Suo Continent, who carried the sun and moon on his shoulders, and the Fire Dragon True Man of North Ju Lu Continent, who excelled in both fire and water techniques. Moreover, the Fire Dragon True Man had served as the honorary Great Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain for many years, so his mastery of thunder techniques was self-evident. Then there was Liu Jubao of the Snowy Continent, who was the most unassuming and rarely engaged in combat, preferring to simply hurl magical treasures.

Ah Liang used his broken sword to draw forth four rivers of sword intent, creating a celestial water well, with all four waters converging.

Ah Liang then drew two more longswords from his waist.

“Good thing I borrowed quite a few swords this time upon returning to the Grand Azure.”

The eight Daoist immortals created from lotus coronets suddenly looked up, only to see a water wall thousands of feet high, surging towards them, formed from the man’s sword intent.

A streak of sharp sword light pierced through this wall of sword intent, wielded by the great sword immortal Zhang Lu.

The reflections of two natal flying swords, shattered and fragmented.

The combination of two natal divine abilities allowed Zhang Lu’s nascent soul to transform into his opponent, growing stronger with the opponent’s strength, possessing a comparable killing power to a formidable enemy for a short period.

During the Thirteen Duel between the Sword Qi Great Wall and the Savage Desolate World, Zhang Lu’s opponent was originally predicted to be the Ascension Realm great demon Chong Guang. Therefore, Zhang Lu initially intended to exchange his life for his opponent’s. Zhang Lu was indifferent to this, and during the council on the city wall, he only asked one thing: Could the rules be changed so that if he killed an Ascension Realm great demon and died in battle, his friends could help him engrave words on the city wall?

That friend was Ah Liang.

In fact, Zhang Lu’s flying sword divine ability was the reason why Lu Zhi was able to pursue Liu Cha. She was willing to trade her life for injuries, to hold Liu Cha back. This holding back was both about preventing Liu Cha from reaching Fuyu Continent, and about preventing a sword cultivator from reaching the pinnacle of the sword Dao.

And Liu Cha, after slaying Bai Ye with his sword, still had to go to the Central Earth Literary Shrine to leave his sword light.

Ah Liang, wielding swords in both hands, without hesitation, launched a flurry of close-quarters attacks against his former friend, Zhang Lu.

Longswords clashed, sword light erupted, and countless sparks flew.

Zhang Lu said, “To the death?”

Ah Liang laughed loudly, “That depends on you!”

Zhang Lu was suddenly knocked out of the battlefield by a little girl with pigtails.

The Fourteenth Realm sword cultivator, Xiao Xun.

Xiao Xun waved her hand, “Zhang Lu, don’t rush to your death.”

Xiao Xun looked at the man who had also stopped his sword, and said, “Ah Liang, I’m now a realm higher than you and in the Savage Desolate World. What kind of fight would be fair?”

Ah Liang remained silent, simply looking at the former Hidden Official who never seemed to grow up.

Xiao Xun looked at this somewhat unfamiliar man, feeling a rare pang of sadness.

If it were the past, Ah Liang would have jokingly said, “It would be fair if you stood still and let me cut you.”

But not anymore.

Only a narrow encounter with no more wine to share remained.

The Savage Desolate Ancestor, Chu Sheng, with his newly ascended power, leaned on his crutches, silently operating a grand divine ability, shifting stars and changing constellations.

Naturally, it was aimed at Ah Liang’s natal flying sword.

Fei Ran quipped, “It seems we still can’t deal with Ah Liang for now. Our coordination isn’t as good as the Heavenly Stems.”

Chu Sheng chuckled, “A blank sheet of paper is easiest to write on, even a child can scribble on it. A painting covered in inscriptions and seals, like covered in psoriasis, is difficult to add to. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.”

The old man, with a calm expression, watched the battle from afar, as if delivering a final verdict, casually saying, “Actually, it’s fine. Since Ah Liang has fallen in realm, he’s only nearly invincible. So what? He’s not truly invincible.”

Fei Ran sighed.

Regardless of where they were, the Sage of Rites, Bai Ze who had returned to the Savage Desolate World, Dao Lao Er in the Azure Void World, and the Old Blind Man in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

It wasn’t about limitless killing power, but a kind of self-preservation, like being in an invincible position.

Fei Ran squatted down and rubbed his cheeks. “It seems that after the Grand Ancestor scattered his Dao, it’s still very difficult for us to produce new Fourteenth Realm cultivators.”

The old man sighed deeply, “Because we already have Bai Ze, the stinky bull-nosed Daoist from the Eastern Sea Observatory. Even though he’s not in the Savage Desolate World, he still has a great impact on us.”

Saying this, the old man raised his eyebrows, annoyed, “Taking up space and not doing anything!”

The old man thought to himself, “Plus, Zhou Mi only takes and doesn’t give. Lu Fayan, and the likes of Yao Jia and Huang Luan, this group of old monarchs, are essentially still around. Then there’s Xiao Xun, Liu Shiliu from the Literary Sage’s lineage, the true dragon in Treasure Bottle Continent, and the Literary Shrine has also appointed that fat woman from the Green Water Pit as the Lord of Land Water Transportation. Plus, your Ascension Realms and Shou Chen’s, and Zhou Qinggao’s one-step ascent. Fei Ran, count it yourself, how can we have one or two more Fourteenth Realm cultivators?”

Fei Ran said, “Even so, the Savage Desolate’s aura is still slightly smaller than expected.”

The old man sneered, “Most likely because of the White Emperor City Lord.”

Fei Ran understood immediately, surprised, “Did he reach the Fourteenth Realm in the Savage Desolate World?”

Chu Sheng nodded, “Close enough. People like that are the most troublesome. We just don’t know what his Dao Integration opportunity is.”

Fei Ran smiled, “That’s right. We can’t only allow Liu Cha to reach the Fourteenth Realm in the Grand Azure World, and not allow others to do the same on our side.”

The old man was filled with regret, “Unfortunately, that Ascension Realm ghost was discovered by Ning Yao ahead of time. Otherwise, with one less Ruin Return passage, the Grand Azure World’s advance wouldn’t be so rampant.”

Fei Ran turned his head, surprised, “Zuo You is heading south, so quickly?”

Chu Sheng said, “Expected. Unless…”

The old man didn’t finish his sentence. Fei Ran knew what he meant: unless Zuo You temporarily broke through and reached the Fourteenth Realm as a true sword cultivator!
Liu Bai inquired, “What exactly is the natal divine ability of A Liang’s flying sword?”

The old man shook his head, “Unknown.”

Fei Ran smiled, “Then it truly is a tremendous trouble, fortunately still within rough expectations.”

The old man glanced at Liu Bai, “Little girl, what you should really be asking is, what is A Liang’s natal character.”

Liu Bai was stunned.

The old man said, “Little girl, you can go and rendezvous with the Heavenly Stems Nine. Without you, even if they manage to hold back that Ascension Realm cultivator, they won’t be able to kill him.”

Liu Bai turned to look at Fei Ran, who nodded with a smile.

However, Fei Ran added a word of caution, “Remember to pay attention to the northward route. Don’t accidentally get killed by Zuo You along the way.”

Liu Bai nodded and departed alone, riding the wind away from the mountaintop battlefield where she couldn’t intervene.

Fei Ran sighed, “Zuo You’s southward speed is even faster. If it were me, just the journey here would deplete my battle prowess.”

The old man laughed, “Then we’ll avoid their sharpness for now, and leave the battlefield to Shou Chen and Xin Zhuang.”

Xiao Xun suddenly turned his head to look north, pondered briefly, and vanished in a flash.

On the edge of the northern battlefield, the Old Ancestor of Moving Mountains abruptly turned around.

A beam of sword light instantly pierced the shoulder of the Zhu Yan’s true form.

Seemingly unwilling to entangle with the Zhu Yan at all, the sword light did not linger, heading straight for A Liang.

A figure in scholar’s robes suddenly halted beside A Liang.

Side by side, one facing north, the other facing south.

There were no more enemies.

Zuo You calmly asked, “How is it?”

A Liang, wielding his sword with both hands, flicked his wrist, creating a sword flourish, and nodded, “Exhilarating.”

Zuo You glanced at the Yin-Yang fish formation in the distance, frowning slightly.

A Liang smiled, “What do you know, helping out only made things worse. This formation of Mount Tuoyue is clearly aimed at our joint forces, one absorbing sword intent, the other absorbing sword qi, then mutually canceling each other out within the formation. It might even help the Barbarian Desolate World nurture a new fourteenth realm swordsman.”

Xin Zhuang actually smiled charmingly and performed a curtsy towards Zuo You.

The grand formation beneath her feet, jointly presided over by her and Shou Chen, had truly activated, frantically engulfing Zuo You’s southward sword qi and A Liang’s sword intent within these tens of thousands of miles of mountains and rivers.

Zuo You said expressionlessly, “Easily solved.”

Xin Zhuang immediately tensed up.

A Liang chuckled in exasperation, “What I hate most about you is this. When I seriously talk about things, everyone thinks I’m bragging, but when you say something, everyone believes it.”

For example, back then, the mud-legged boy had even asked him with utmost sincerity if he could beat Zhu He.

How was he supposed to answer that? If he said he could, would that give him face?

Despite what he said, he still did what needed to be done.

As for what to do, it was simple, A Liang and Zuo You stood shoulder to shoulder.

The highest master of sword intent in the world simply unleashed his sword intent without restraint.

The highest master of swordsmanship in the mortal realm completely released his sword qi.

And so, the Yin-Yang diagram was shattered, collapsing on the spot.

A Liang didn’t think he had done anything particularly great, he just looked up at the sky, at the flying sword that belonged to him.

The flying sword that had journeyed far beyond the heavens for many years, named Drunkard.

Since ancient sages have all died, how can one not be lonely?

Leaving behind only the people of today, to drink all the fine wine.

The most gratifying thing about his second return to the Great Wall of Swords was that Chen Ping An had become the Hidden Official, and that he and Ning Yatou were getting close. Furthermore, Chen Ping An was even more like a scholar than he was, with a good reputation in the Great Wall of Swords. The drunkards, the bachelors, the women with children, they truly regarded Chen Ping An as a scholar. And that kid hadn’t condemned all the Confucian Temple’s honored sages of the Yasheng lineage because of the life-and-death catastrophe in Old Dragon City back then.

All sword cultivators of the Vast Lands should return home as soon as possible.

Whether sword cultivators of the Great Wall of Swords had such thoughts in their hearts made all the difference, and whether they said such things even more so.

Cultivators of the Vast Lands would never know how heavy the words on the No Business sign of the Wine Shop were.

A Liang took a deep breath.

Then he would fight well, fight to his heart’s content, without leaving any regrets!

Flying sword, Drunkard.

The natal divine ability, just three words: All Dead.

Sword cultivator and sword, sword cultivator and enemy.

Zuo You looked around, his thumb pressed against the hilt, slowly pushing the sword out of its sheath, “Tell me, who shall we kill first.”

The group of pedigree immortals who had suffered at Chen Ping An’s hands earlier, before leaving the ruins of the Great Wall of Swords, actually chose to take a trip to the city wall first, and seemed to be looking for the Hidden Official.

Cao Jun marveled, “Chen Ping An, you can even make the people you beat up actively come and apologize before daring to return home. You’re quite impressive as the Hidden Official. If I had come here earlier, I would have gotten an official position.”

Chen Ping An paid no mind to Cao Jun’s strange words.

Jia Xuan, the second-ranked guest elder of Youxian Pavilion, and Zhu Yuan, the female patriarch of Sibiqu Hongxing Mountain, had both regained consciousness and brought their juniors to see Chen Ping An. And judging by their demeanor, they didn’t seem to be here to interrogate him, but rather to apologize.

Wei Jin tore him down, “You can’t, you can’t get into the Summer Palace.”

The sword cultivator lineage of the Summer Palace had several out-of-towners who were all young sword cultivators with good minds.

Lin Junbi had already become the national teacher of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, Deng Liang traveled the Five Colored World and served as the chief offering of the Ascension City. In addition, Song Gaoyuan of Deer Horn Palace, Cao Gun of Liuxia Continent, and Xuan Shen of Jinjia Continent were all extremely intelligent young sword cultivators.

As Cao Jun expected, Jia Xuan and Zhu Yuan took the lead in offering greetings and apologies, all with downcast eyes. Especially the young man and woman whose faces were badly injured, having received instructions from their elders before coming, now lowered their heads, without a trace of arrogance.

Chen Ping An turned to look at them, without speaking, but glanced at a young man, then turned back, took a sip of wine, and faced the vast mountains and rivers to the south, as if a vast aura crashed straight into his chest, making the wine difficult to swallow.

The young man suddenly took a step forward, “I have something to say to the Hidden Official.”

Jia Xuan’s expression changed slightly, he grabbed the young man’s sleeve and gently pulled him back, sternly saying, “Jin Suan, don’t be rude!”

Zhu Yuan also reminded him telepathically, “Jin Suan, do not act rashly here, lest you bring trouble to Youxian Pavilion.”

Once a junior’s ignorant words caused the Hidden Official to be angered and implicate their sect, how could little Sibiwi Hongxing Mountain withstand a few sword strikes?
The figure in azure robes, his back still to the crowd, finally spoke, “Tell me, strive to explain the principle you wish to convey in a single sentence.”

Jin Suan, a young cultivator from the Azure Wanderer Pavilion, broke free from Jia Xuan’s grip, first offering a respectful bow, then straightening his back and raising his head, fearlessly proclaiming, “The Sage said, ‘To punish without teaching is to increase punishments, yet evil will not be overcome.’ Does Honorable Official agree?”

Chen Ping’an smiled knowingly and nodded, “Very well, you may elaborate.”

The youth’s words were drawn from Mister’s “Essays on Wealth and Prosperity”. It was perfectly fitting that this young man should use the sage’s teachings to reason with a closed-door disciple of the Confucian Sage lineage.

This mirrored Chen Ping’an’s previous instruction to the Impatiens Flower Deity of Hundred Flowers Blessed Land near the Mandarin Duck Isle of the Wen Temple, teaching her a clever strategy to reason with that disciple of Su Shi.

Jin Suan took another step forward and continued, “Therefore, punishing without teaching is not the way of a Confucian!”

Chen Ping’an nodded with a smile, “Reasonable. But how do you prove that this principle truly applies to today’s events?”

Jin Suan said in a low voice, “None of us knew beforehand that you were the Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Your two instances of dissuasion and obstruction, to be fair, would not have been taken seriously by anyone else. If this doesn’t count as punishing without teaching, what does?”

Patiently listening to the youth’s explanation, Chen Ping’an said, “Add a word, ‘too.’ ‘Wouldn’t be taken *too* seriously,’ is more precise. Otherwise, the conversation, meant to be a discussion of principles, could easily devolve into an argument.”

The youth was stunned. He had imagined countless scenarios, such as being beaten severely or even slapped off the city wall, but he had never anticipated that the Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall would not take offense at his impudence, but instead quibble over a single missing word.

Jin Suan asked in confusion, “Does Honorable Official acknowledge the principle I’ve stated?”

Chen Ping’an turned around, resumed his cross-legged position, and shook his head. “I do not acknowledge it, I am simply allowing you to finish stating your principle. I am willing to listen.”

Jia Xuan warned the youth telepathically, “Jin Suan, know when to stop! If you dare say another word, I will report this matter to the Pavilion Lord and the Law Enforcer upon my return to the Azure Wanderer Pavilion. Be careful your status as a direct disciple is not revoked!”

However, Jin Suan disregarded the threat of a second-seat guest elder, staring fixedly at the azure-robed back.

“To give a few simple examples, a floor tile from the forbidden grounds of a royal tomb in a mundane dynasty, a dead branch from a celestial family’s blessed grotto, or soil near a commoner’s grave – they are all worth some money.”

Chen Ping’an said calmly, “Even if unguarded, are we free to pick them up as we please?”

The sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall throughout the ages had no tombs.

Then what constitutes a sword cultivator’s tomb? Perhaps it is the battlefield, this Sword Qi Great Wall beneath everyone’s feet.

Ascending the wall is like visiting a grave. Every sword strike is like offering incense, a sacrifice to the ancestors.

Jin Suan was stunned, but remained silent.

Chen Ping’an said, “Lost your tongue?”

Jin Suan forced himself to say, “There’s some merit to what you say.”

Chen Ping’an then continued, “If we’re being fair, what you should truly be arguing with me about is not whether I should have acted, but whether I should have acted so harshly, correct?”

If Jia Xuan and Zhu Yuan hadn’t been of insufficient cultivation, they wouldn’t have had such an easy time on the plank road where the words were carved. They certainly wouldn’t have recovered so quickly; the two earth immortals would have been carried by their juniors directly to the ferry.

Jin Suan immediately nodded and said, “Honorable Official’s actions were far too heavy-handed! Moreover, Honorable Official could have announced his identity before acting.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and said to the youth, “The sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall do not possess such good tempers. What is the greatest principle on this Sword Qi Great Wall? Didn’t your teachers instruct you? If I were not a Confucian of the Wen Sage lineage, but merely a pure sword cultivator, even without being a Hidden Official, you would have lost at least one arm today.”

Like Liu Jinglong. If he were merely a sword cultivator of the Taihui Sword Sect, he would have already challenged the Locking Cloud Sect. But as the sect master of the Taihui Sword Sect, Liu Jinglong could endure, even had to tolerate the Locking Cloud Sect’s preposterous claims.

Cao Jun said with a grin, “Sword Immortal Wei, did the Hidden Official act too harshly?”

Wei Jin smiled and said, “For the registered immortals of the mountains, being beaten so badly that they lose face is much heavier than losing a bit of immortal money.”

Chen Ping’an reminded him, “Cao Jun, this is not the time for casual jokes. Stop stoking the fire.”

Cao Jun continued drinking, silently remembering the names of the Azure Wanderer Pavilion and the Red Apricot Mountain of the Si River. He would have to visit them when he traveled to the Central Earth Continent in the future.

Asking a last-generation Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall to announce his name? Do you think you are demon kings of the Wild Desolate World?

Chen Ping’an shook his wine flask, still with his back to the group of registered immortals with their varied thoughts. “The propriety of the Great Bright World and the logic of the Sword Qi Great Wall, you may not be able to comprehend. Then let me tell you about your immediate self-interests.”

“Wei Jin and Cao Jun are both outsiders, and both are sword immortals with casual temperaments who dislike meddling. But what about Qi Tingji, Lu Zhi, and the eighteen sword heirs of the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect? What if you were to encounter them? Do you really think that the sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall are all dead in the Great Bright World? If, by some chance, your heads were chopped off, and if you were lucky enough to keep them, who would you go to reason with? Would you go to the patriarchs of your Azure Wanderer Pavilion and Si River, or would you go complain to Mister He? Don’t you understand the importance of careful navigation in strange waters? Could it be that because you are registered immortals in the Central Earth Continent, you think you can walk sideways?”

Taking advantage of Ning Yao’s absence, Cao Jun asked cautiously telepathically, “Wei Jin, are we being targeted?”

Wei Jin replied, “Obviously.”

Cao Jun’s head felt as big as a winnowing basket. “We are a guest elder of Falling Mountain’s main sect and an offering of the branch sect. Will Chen Ping’an give us the cold shoulder in the future?”

Wei Jin smiled and said, “I often play the sucker, spending money to buy wine, so I should be fine. As for you, it’s hard to say.”

Chen Ping’an said coldly, “Don’t you teach such a simple principle as ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do,’ Master Jia and Master Zhu? Or do you simply spout countless empty platitudes that are carried away by the wind, never applied to actual situations? Oh, I forgot, you are protectors, not teachers. Have I wronged you?”
Jia Xuan and Zhu Yuan’s expressions were extremely unsightly, yet both felt even more apprehension in their hearts. As expected, it was right to stop Jin Suan from speaking. In all likelihood, their respective sects had already been resented by this Hidden Official. As for what was right or wrong, naturally, whoever had superior swordsmanship and Daoist magic had the say. To be said to have failed in protecting the Dao by this young Hidden Official, yet their own cultivation hadn’t been delayed. Hadn’t they cultivated to the Earth Immortal realm? That Chen Ping’an could have today’s good fortune, becoming this last Hidden Official, who knew what opportunities he had grasped along the way. A swordsman in his forties, joining the ranks of the top ten young people in several realms, he certainly had the ability, but who would believe it wasn’t due to extraordinary luck?

Chen Ping’an turned around, looking at that pure martial artist, “Senior, you took that piece of gravel, right?”

“I absolutely cannot bear the title ‘Senior’.”

The burly man immediately clasped his fists, appearing flustered, and said, “I took the gravel.”

Chen Ping’an raised his hand, returning the salute with a smile, “Respect is due to those of greater age. Besides, Senior acts with utmost discretion, possessing a benevolent heart. You are a seasoned veteran.”

Chen Ping’an’s gaze shifted, looking at the youth, “Today, you ventured into danger, proactively facing me, whose identity is known. Was it to seek fame and fortune amidst the danger? To gamble for a reputation of not fearing the powerful, to exchange it for benefits in your hometown? Or was it purely to seek reason, to demand justice?”

Jin Suan hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping.

He had his own calculations. He was very clear about the temperament and preferences of the old ancestors of his own Youxian Pavilion, their views on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and their evaluation of the Confucian Sage lineage. Therefore, deep down, he looked down on Jia Xuan, this so-called chief guest minister of the sect, and Zhu Yuan of Hongxing Mountain, who was old, long-haired, and short-sighted.

However, at this moment, the youth dared not meet the gaze of that azure-robed swordsman.

“If it’s only the former, isn’t that underestimating the minds of others? Wouldn’t that be overestimating my magnanimity?”

Fine beads of sweat began to appear on Jin Suan’s forehead.

“If it’s both, then what is the order of priority? How significant are their respective intentions?”

“Even if there is self-interest first, or even only self-interest, can reason still be discussed?”

Chen Ping’an finally answered himself, “I think not necessarily.”

Cao Jun asked, “Can reason be discussed in this way?”

Seemingly progressing step by step, yet circling around. Both discussing reason and questioning the heart.

Wei Jin gazed into the distance, the wind blowing his temples, one hand pressing on his sword hilt, and smiled, “If not discussing reason in this way, how should reason be discussed?”

Chen Ping’an, unrestrained by thoughts, spoke his mind frankly.

“The sages’ principles in books are not for temporary quick fixes or emergency aids. It’s also difficult to use them as a last resort in certain moments. It may even make you feel unfree.”

“Then, what’s the point of reading and writing? To have less戾qi (negative energy), to have more patience in dealing with the world, to gradually widen the path under your feet, and to walk more steadily and calmly in the world.”

“Mountain cultivators, cultivating to prove longevity, year after year, meditating and breathing every day, often for several hours, without the slightest mistake, can endure all this. Yet, they can’t endure a few polite words when dealing with people, can’t endure the peace and calmness when discussing reason with others? What kind of logic is this? Who will explain it to me? If you can convince me, in the future, not to mention casually picking up gravel and taking it back to your hometown, I guarantee the Sword Qi Great Wall won’t care, the Confucian Temple won’t care either. You can even inform me, and I can personally help, offering it with both hands.”

“So-called reason is not a skill to rely on, it may not be effective everywhere, but as time goes on, the more you see the value of learning.”

“Buddhism speaks of the Saha world. The two words ‘Saha’ mean ‘endurable’. It’s not that people grind ink, but ink grinds people. To endure heaven’s磨 (tribulation) is to be a hero.”

“The mortal world is full of煩惱 (worries) like dust. The heart is like a bright mirror, do not let it be defiled by dust. Whether it is the Buddhist teaching of liberation, or the hero’s unyielding will, both can be encouraged together.”

“Not retreating. Not retreating in position. A hero’s footing is firm. I know who I am. Not retreating in action. Though millions stand in my way, I shall go. I know what to do. Not retreating in heart. In turbulent times, jade and stone are shattered together, etiquette and music collapse, and everyone is uneasy. Among ten thousand mountains, there must be a main peak. In the tide of material desires, there must be a pillar. I am here, so my heart is here. My heart is there, so my body is there.”

A group of谱牒 (pedigree) immortals listened in dismay. Was this young Hidden Official going mad? Or was he just full and trying to preach and teach them?

And the azure-robed, sword-bearing Hidden Official, when he began to fall silent, seemed to enter a meditative state, like an old monk in meditation, or a celestial being practicing the fast of the heart.

Cao Jun hesitated for a moment and asked, “What’s wrong with Chen Ping’an? Something’s strange.”

Wei Jin was silent for a moment, sighed, and replied, “It’s similar to a kind of proving of the Dao,打殺 (defeating) various other people’s mindsets, to strengthen his own kind of mindset. So, Chen Ping’an, from the beginning, apart from being a little interested in that youth, didn’t think the others were worth him saying half a sentence more. Seemingly he said a lot to outsiders, but it was just Chen Ping’an’s self-talk, self-verifying his thoughts.”

Old Master He interjected for no reason, “Saying 打殺 (defeating) is a bit inappropriate. Changing it to ‘negation of negation is affirmation’ is more accurate.”

Cao Jun didn’t care how this Sacrificial Sage heard his thoughts, and took the opportunity to ask He Shou curiously, “胡思亂想 (speculating wildly),神游萬里 (roaming the world in thought),想東想西 (thinking about this and that),自說自話 (talking to oneself), then what exactly is Chen Ping’an seeking? Isn’t he a swordsman and a pure martial artist? He’s not trying to go to the Confucian Temple to eat cold pig head meat, is he?”

Old Master He said, “Probably trying to find a great road for himself.”

Cao Jun asked, “Is Chen Ping’an planning to become an immortal?”

Old Master He laughed. Wei Jin said that Cao Jun really couldn’t enter the Summer Palace.

Earlier, two sword lights from the south seemed to have agreed beforehand, lighting up almost simultaneously from Bingzhu and Zouma Ferry, rushing to the Sword Qi Great Wall’s city wall.

After that, several sword lights followed, but compared to the speed of the two sword immortals, they were too slow.

The first to appear was the young-faced and extremely handsome old sword immortal, Qi Tingji, and the slender but ordinary-looking Lu Zhi.

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes.

Qi Tingji glanced at those guilty cultivators and asked with a smile, “What’s going on?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “They wanted to take some gravel from the city wall back, but I stopped them and gave them a lecture.”

Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi almost simultaneously looked at Wei Jin and Cao Jun. As for that group of pedigree immortals who had their nerves stretched tight, they didn’t even bother to glance at them.

Wei Jin was completely unaware, not caring.
Cao Jun, a mere sword cultivator of the nascent soul realm, simply lacked such courage and mettle.

As for Qi Tingji, the head of the Qi family of the Sword Qi Great Wall, his swordsmanship was evident in the inscriptions he left on the city walls.

And Lu Zhi was a woman who dared to single-handedly intercept Liu Cha, who was being pursued to the Ascending Continent.

Standing beside Chen Ping An, Qi Tingji glanced at the departing figures and chuckled, “Young people will inevitably make mistakes; they can be more careful in their next life.”

Lu Zhi wasted no words, directly looking up at the Confucian Sage He Shou, who was presiding over the celestial canopy. If Qi Tingji made a move to kill someone, she would be responsible for blocking He Shou.

Jia Xuan and Zhu Yuan, who had not gone far, instantly felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, unable to move a single step.

They felt that taking another step would be equivalent to seeking a sword duel with those two sword immortals.

Chen Ping An stood with his hands in his sleeves, shaking his head. “I have already spoken reason.”

Qi Tingji smiled, “Then it is as the Hidden Official says.”

Lu Zhi held a deep grudge against the Hidden Official, coldly retorting, “You are the most eloquent, but once you’ve chopped them down, they can’t reason anymore, can they?”

Chen Ping An simply tossed her a jar of Hundred Flower Brew.

Lu Zhi caught the brew, squatted on the city wall, and tilted her head back to drink the fine wine.

Cao Jun felt his scalp tingle.

Sword Immortals like Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi truly disdained to deliberately utter harsh words or make alarmist remarks.

Perhaps giving a prior warning before striking would be considered giving face?

Chen Ping An, using heart-to-heart transmission, said to the group that was standing rooted to the spot, “Don’t stand there like fools; quickly be on your way.”

They were all granted a reprieve and flew away from the city wall.

Chen Ping An raised his arm, handed Qi Tingji a jar of wine, and casually asked, “How many troops from the Great Li border army have arrived at the Sunken Ruins?”

Qi Tingji bent down to take the wine jar, thought for a moment, and simply sat down cross-legged, saying, “Currently, there are 360,000, including 20,000 heavy cavalry, 200,000 light cavalry, and relatively few infantry. As for the number of accompanying cultivators, Great Li has not publicly disclosed it.”

Chen Ping An was surprised, “Already so many?”

In the Barbaric World battlefield, it was difficult to sustain the war through war. Once the battle lines were stretched, the consumption of military supplies would be incalculable. Fortunately, the spatial items of the mountain cultivators would be extensively “leased” by the Literary Temple and the major dynasties, but the exact numbers were unknown.

Qi Tingji said, “I heard that more will arrive successively. The number of Great Li border troops is now second only to the Central Earth Cheng Guan Dynasty because Great Li was the first to mobilize, and the operation of sword vessels, mountain ferries, and intercontinental ferries is very smooth. Among the ten great dynasties of the Grand Azure World, several, even if they are complaining bitterly, still have to increase their troops. As for whether there is any situation of padding the numbers, drawing so-called elites from their respective vassal states, only the Literary Temple knows best.”

Chen Ping An curiously asked, “Where is Cao Ci now?”

Qi Tingji smiled, “He arrived at the Scar of the Sunken Ruins with Liu Wealth God’s beloved son, but I heard that he soon went on a journey with his friends. Cao Ci, Fu Jin, Yuan Pang, Chun Qing, Yu Juanfu, Gu Can, are all young people. Liu Youzhou didn’t go with them but stayed with Huai Qian, probably acting as a charitable benefactor again.”

A humorous saying circulated among the mountain cultivators, wishing to meet Liu Youzhou and claim to be long-lost brothers, then go home together to see Liu Jubao and call him “Father” together.

As for female cultivators, marrying Liu Youzhou would suffice, and they could also call him “Father.”

Qi Tingji raised his wine jar and lightly clinked it against Chen Ping An’s wine gourd. “In addition, those secretly protecting these young people, as far as I know, include Han QiaoSe of White Emperor City and a guest elder of Bamboo Sea Grotto Heaven, whose origins are unknown and unfathomable.”

Then Qi Tingji gave the young Hidden Official an explanation, “Anyway, when we went south earlier, you reminded us not to be a hindrance.”

Asking Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi not to be a hindrance.

There were indeed not many people in the human world who could say such things to an old sword immortal who had left inscriptions on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Cao Jun looked on with envy.

Chen Ping An was truly thriving in the Sword Qi Great Wall. In the past, he only had a vague concept of the Hidden Official, but now, having personally witnessed Chen Ping An’s interactions with Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi, he truly understood the weight of the title “Hidden Official.”

In this Sword Qi Great Wall, not to mention Wei Jin would naturally become different, even figures like Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi had to regard Chen Ping An as an equal.

Feng Xuetao, whose daoist title was Qing Mi, an ascended cultivator from the wild, did not escape the battlefield in a straight line but chose to return to the Sword Qi Great Wall by a detour. On the way back, Feng Xuetao paid close attention to the mountains and rivers he passed through, even carefully drawing maps of the terrain.

Seeing this, A Liang showed a kind smile, saying that Brother Qing Mi would definitely get along with his Hidden Official friend and must visit Fallen Phoenix Mountain when he had the chance to return to the Grand Azure World. He could use A Liang’s name, and whether it was Chen Ping An or the Northern Peak Mountain Lord Wei, they would definitely treat Brother Qing Mi with good wine.

Feng Xuetao planned to visit the nearest Sunken Ruins Scar on his way north to hand over these maps to the demonic tycoon of White Emperor City.

He suddenly stopped.

Nine demon cultivators appeared out of nowhere, all looking young and not very high in cultivation, but they made Feng Xuetao feel as if he was facing a formidable enemy. It was a long-lost sense of crisis, not the suffocating feeling he felt facing A Liang and Zuo You, but a subtle and uncomfortable feeling.

Feng Xuetao only recognized one of them, Zhuqie, with a sword rack on his back, a jade purity realm sword cultivator, said to be Liu Cha’s first disciple.

A young man held a mask, his face full of smiles. His two large sleeves hung down straight, and his hands were not visible.

He wore a snow-white magic robe, with cloud patterns flowing like water, and a narrow sword was hanging at his waist, the scabbard being slender and extremely long.

A young woman had a golden earring, its light soft and bright, dividing the sides of her cheeks into light and shadow.

A burly man wore a pair of axes at his waist and held a lantern.

A pair of young demon cultivators, looking like siblings, stood side by side. The man carried a bamboo pole, with a gourd hanging on it.

The woman spun a dagger in one hand, carrying a giant bow on her back.

A child-like figure had a plain cotton bag hanging at his waist.

A woman with a graceful figure and alluring curves had already covered her face with a mask, her appearance hidden. A zither bag was slung across her back, and perhaps because she had covered her face with a mask, there was a strange phenomenon behind her, with countless suspended corpses of those who had been hanged.
The handsome youth, a scimitar hanging from his waist, spoke first, his words surprisingly fluent in the refined language of the Central Earth, “Hey, do you recognize Chen Yin-guan?”

He wanted to seize the opportunity, while that woman Liu Bai wasn’t around, to ask a few more questions about the young Yin-guan.

Otherwise, that old crone had a terrible temper, and would explode the moment she heard that name, not in a superficial fit of pique, but by secretly holding a grudge.

The child with the appearance of a toddler patted the pouch at his waist and asked with a grin, “The Liu Clan of Ai’ai Continent, the God of Wealth family, how rich are they really? Is it true that every servant in the family has rice bowls and chamber pots made of silver taels?”

Feng Xuetao could roughly discern the cultivation levels of these demon cultivators, the highest being no more than Jade Purity Realm. They actually wanted to ambush a Soaring Ascension Realm cultivator?

But for some reason, Feng Xuetao’s intuition told him that one wrong move and he could very well lose his life here.

Just then, a voice suddenly resounded in his mind, “Fear not, Qing Mi Daoist friend, with this Fallen True Lord here, I guarantee your safety.”

The peak of Mount Sui.

The old scholar closed his book and smiled, “Time flies like an arrow. The ten-thousand-year period has arrived in the blink of an eye. As Su Shi said, ‘The body is like a transient inn, where is my home?'”

The Azure Abyss.

Lu Chen leaned on the white jade railing, “We two junior brothers are inferior to our senior brother in every aspect; he is the closest to Master.”

Dao the Second said with displeasure, “When are you finally going to the Outer Heavens?!”

Lu Chen sighed, complaining, “Let the great problems be solved by the great figures.”

A young Daoist acolyte suddenly appeared at the highest point of White Jade Capital, calling out two names, “Yu Dou, Lu Chen.”

Yu Dou made a Daoist greeting, “Master.”

Lu Chen jumped off the railing and followed his senior brother’s example, offering a rare, proper Daoist greeting.

The young Daoist priest, who rarely left the Lotus Cave Heaven, didn’t say anything, but simply looked up at the Outer Heavens.

Somewhere in the Outer Heavens, a woman in white held a bright red sphere between her fingers.

If one were to observe this scene from a great distance, they would realize that it was an ancient star.

The young Daoist priest said, “I need to ride my ox on a long journey to the Outer Heavens. Lu Chen, you don’t need to go.”

Lu Chen nodded, “Disciple respectfully obeys Master’s decree.”

The Great Wall of Swords.

Chen Ping’an went alone to the city head where he had achieved Harmony with the Dao. As soon as he sat down, he saw a head pop out, beaming with a smile, “Haha, surprising, isn’t it?”

Chen Ping’an directly raised his palm, summoning the Five Thunders Gathering, and smashed it on the lotus-crowned Daoist’s face, sending him flying from the city head.

Finally, Chen Ping’an sat on the city head with his hands in his sleeves. The Daoist swam back to the city head, eventually landing to the side, wiping his face with his Daoist robe sleeve.

Chen Ping’an asked, “What are you doing here?”

Lu Chen said with a smile, “Just joining in the fun.”

A middle-aged monk, not far from the city head, suddenly chanted a Buddhist prayer.

Lu Chen immediately got up and slipped away.

Chen Ping’an turned his head, his face blank, slowly stood up, put his hands together, and bowed his head in greeting.

The middle-aged monk returned the greeting, said nothing, and soon quietly departed.

In the Great Li Capital, the old immortal master Liu Jia stood at the entrance of the alley, blocking an old scholar’s path once more.