Upon a mountain peak in the desolate heartland, stood two human sword cultivators.

In less than half an incense stick’s time, the City of White Blossoms, a place of bone-piled forests, became a bygone page of history, destined to fade into forgotten annals with the passage of years.

Under Qi Tingji’s command, four golden-armored divine figures, each a thousand zhang tall, stood at the cardinal directions of the City of White Blossoms, forming a net-like formation to prevent any large escapees from slipping away.

In addition, various phenomena manifested. Thunder erupted from the white clouds, the moon rose upon the azure waves. Hundreds and thousands of majestic golden lightning bolts descended upon the world, as if the Thunder God himself were wantonly lashing the earth. Mountains and rivers shattered, the earth heaved and buckled, ferreting out the demon clans hidden in caves and secret passages. A dozen or so ink dragons swayed and roamed in the air, devouring those wind-riding demon cultivators, chewing with loud smacking sounds like a string of firecrackers.

Let it not be forgotten that sword cultivators are also Qi Refiners. Aside from their natal flying swords, they also possess all sorts of Greater Refined and Lesser Refined natal treasures.

All these were mere trifles displayed by Qi Tingji. Setting aside his identity as a sword cultivator and his natal flying sword, Qi Tingji could be regarded as an Ascension Realm cultivator with immense destructive power.

In any other realm, a cultivator possessing such magical means would be considered a talent who could astound the ages. However, in the Great Wall of Swords, Qi Tingji was deemed by the Old Sword Immortal as unsettled, with flashy and impractical techniques, drifting further and further away from the essence of purity… In short, he could never earn a kind word.

This was only when Chen Qingdu was in a good mood that he would deign to instruct others a few times. More often than not, Chen Qingdu would not bother to say a single word. The higher the realm of the sword cultivator, the less they liked to chat. On the other hand, children, in groups, would go to play near the city walls. Passing by the thatched hut, they might even exchange a few words with the Old Sword Immortal.

Once, a child was flying a kite, and the string broke, causing it to fall onto the roof of the hut. Daring not to ask the Old Sword Immortal for it, and even less daring to climb onto the roof, he went home crestfallen. Unexpectedly, as soon as he reached his doorstep, he found his parents standing there with joyous expressions, his father holding the kite that seemed to have grown legs and run back home. The child learned that the Old Sword Immortal had casually thrown it back. In his childhood and adolescence, this small matter was the greatest topic of conversation. Later, when this child became a sword cultivator, he became like a kite with a broken string before even reaching old age, his life a trifle, casually discarded on the battlefield.

Lu Zhi had previously taken two longswords with the most affinity from her sword box: Autumn Water and Chisel Aperture. Holding the swords in both hands, combined with her natal flying sword, “Embrace Simplicity,” she slew a Jade Purity Realm demon cultivator, seemingly the law enforcer of the Ancestral Hall of the City of White Blossoms. Lu Zhi had spent a little bit of effort in the previous battle. In addition, there were a handful of unremarkable Earth Immortal cultivators. As for the demon cultivators below the Earth Immortal Realm, she did not remember them, nor did she need to.

The demon cultivators struck by the longsword Autumn Water experienced a sudden deluge within their natal acupoints, where spiritual energy was accumulated, flooding a large expanse of their Qi palace, utterly unreasonable. If cut by Chisel Aperture, the mountains and rivers within the demon’s inner world would also suffer. Chisel Aperture innately possessed a pure sword intent, which, combined with Lu Zhi’s vast sword aura, was like a feng shui master skilled in finding dragon veins and acupoints leading the way. The sword aura was like iron cavalry charging into battle, shattering every mountain range in its wake.

Lu Zhi put away her flying sword “Embrace Simplicity,” returning it to its abode for nurturing. As for the other sword, Northern Dipper, she was refining it with a Sword Washing Talisman.

Her natal flying sword, “Embrace Simplicity,” possessed two natal divine abilities. One of these abilities allowed the flying sword to imprison a cultivator’s shadow, instantly damaging their Yin spirit. The Yin spirit’s reflection was like a piece of black cloth nailed to the spot by the flying sword. If the cultivator shifted their position, they could only tear their own Yin spirit. At the same time, as long as the cultivator was unwilling to part with their Yin spirit and was not decisive enough, they would immediately face the flying sword’s second ability, which could be described as “exhausting the subtle and unraveling the intricate,” able to severely injure the Yang spirit’s external manifestation with pure sword intent. Whether it was the Yin spirit or the Yang spirit, both involved a cultivator’s fundamental path. The flying sword’s ability was like an embrace, following like a shadow on the battlefield.

Therefore, in a previous battlefield of a sect, Lu Zhi twisted her wrist, and the longsword Autumn Water unleashed a sword flourish. The sword light was as bright as an autumn rainbow, illuminating all directions, and the cultivator’s reflection instantly appeared.

Qi Tingji said solemnly, “The Old Sword Immortal asked you to refine your sword in White Jade Capital not without reason. It is not only because the second sword, ‘Northern Dipper,’ is compatible with the Great Dao of White Jade Capital. I suspect that the flying sword ‘Embrace Simplicity’ has the opportunity to possess a third natal divine ability. In addition, you are not quite the same as Chen Xi and me. We are more or less stuck in terms of opening up our blessed abodes, finding it difficult to take another step forward. But your microcosm within your body is different. There are still too many possibilities.”

Lu Zhi listened absentmindedly, not because she couldn’t tell what was good or bad, but because she simply wasn’t interested.

Her aloof nature was both innate and influenced by the refinement of her two natal flying swords, making her unusually detached.

At this moment, Lu Zhi’s mind was still on the sword-containing sword box. The other six Daoist swords, including You Fu and Engrave Purpose, each possessed some kind of supreme secret technique. Lu Zhi thought that if they could all return alive, she would find Chen Ping’an in private to discuss something. It would be easier to deal with the Third Headmaster of White Jade Capital when he came to the Dragon Elephant Sword Sect to collect debts in the future. Return the sword? The sword that the Hidden Official borrowed from you? What does that have to do with me, Lu Zhi?

Seeing Lu Zhi ignore him, Qi Tingji did not try to persuade her further. After all, she was a woman that even the Old Sword Immortal couldn’t persuade.

Lu Zhi’s microcosm within her body was like having thousands of miles of land, but only a few houses. Saying she was rich was true, like owning ten thousand acres of fertile land, but saying she was poor was also true, as only a pitiful one-third of an acre was truly cultivated. Because, besides her two natal flying swords, her Greater Refined natal treasures were only a paltry three. For any cultivator above the Fifth Realm, this was a shockingly meager number.

Lu Zhi used all three treasures to assist her cultivation, helping to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth more quickly, and nourishing her three souls and seven spirits. Her means of attack were still only her two natal flying swords.

The body of a cultivator, though small, resembles the world. The mountains, rivers, and territories are vast and boundless. What truly belongs to “oneself” is using the spiritual energy of heaven and earth as the source of water, irrigating the mountains, rivers, and lands. The so-called path of cultivation is like tilling the fields, opening up residences, connecting them into a vast expanse, becoming a majestic city. Multiple cities form a country, and the cultivator is like the ruler of a country. Ultimately, “attaining the Dao” is like becoming the sovereign ruler of the microcosm within one’s body.
However, for each individual Qi cultivator, the exploration of the miniature world within their bodies, the construction of their inner alchemical chambers, are limited by their own innate talents. They all face bottlenecks. At most, when their realms are higher, and they no longer lack immortal coins and rare treasures, they begin to replace their old, natal treasures without regard to cost. Therefore, every peak Ascension Realm cultivator must pursue that ethereal Fourteenth Realm.

Great cultivators like Qi Tingji have immortal coins, spiritual Qi, and magical treasures readily available. Unfortunately, all physical objects in the world have become mere external possessions. Insatiable greed only becomes a burden; adding even a fraction more would be going too far.

Qi Tingji smiled, “It hasn’t even been half an incense stick’s time yet. If you’re not in a hurry to go to the next market town, we can chat for a few more words.”

In his hand appeared a tattered, deep azure Daoist robe, the relic of that immortal sect leader, named Azure Pupil, a half-immortal artifact. It just costs a bit to repair, Lu Zhi’s swordplay was too ruthless.

This Azure Pupil robe should be recorded in the Summer Palace, because the cultivators of White Flower City had often gone to the Sword Qi Great Wall battlefield in history. That immortal realm cultivator, who was the sect leader, ran the fastest today, but was still stopped by Qi Tingji and forcibly sent on his “spiritual disintegration” journey. However, the opponent used a natal escape technique, but with his nascent soul severed, it’s unlikely he could even retain a Jade Purity realm.

In addition, there were several demon cores, one Jade Purity realm and several Earth Immortal realm, all stripped from the corpses by Qi Tingji. He held them in his palm, slowly rotating.

Qi Tingji was just treating it as sightseeing.

Which sword cultivator at the Sword Qi Great Wall who deserves the title of Sword Immortal didn’t emerge from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood? How many of them are normal people?

Lu Zhi glanced at those demon cores, her expression dimming.

She remembered a female sword cultivator who recorded military merits early in her career. Her realm wasn’t high, just a mediocre Golden Core realm. She wasn’t skilled in combat. Lu Zhi didn’t actually know her name, only that she was a gentle woman with decent looks. She was just unknown why she was never married. Her appearance couldn’t compare to Zhou Cheng, but she was definitely prettier than Lu Zhi.

This woman, whose name Lu Zhi didn’t even know, would work with others to record, verify, and file military merits after each battle. When she saw those female sword cultivators leaving the battlefield, she would smile very… beautifully.

Lu Zhi’s memory of the woman’s face had even become vague. Only her smile seemed impossible to forget, no matter how hard she tried.

A Golden Core realm female sword cultivator, unskilled in combat, yet she still chose to go to the battlefield. Between life and death, she didn’t choose the latter, and follow the Ascending City to a foreign land. Instead, she flew her sword to the city wall, probably because she felt that since the Sword Qi Great Wall was destined to fall, and there was no longer a homeland in this world, there was no need for her to record military merits.

It wasn’t a big deal, not a particularly important woman.

Lu Zhi hadn’t even felt this unwilling to let go when her friend Zhou Cheng left. It was simply a baffling thing.

But it seemed that only now, when Lu Zhi remembered this ordinary woman at the Sword Qi Great Wall, did she realize that the Sword Qi Great Wall seemed to be truly gone.

Lu Zhi felt somewhat annoyed, her face cold as she looked around. There were no more demons to kill.

Damn it, if only she could cut them down again from the beginning.

As for the owner of that Jade Purity realm demon core, he was now swaying unsteadily, trembling as he stood beside this Old Sword Immortal with the inscription. His three souls and seven spirits were enveloped in a cage of fierce sword Qi, his soul suffering torment. At this moment, he was worried that this “Qi the Road-Sender” of the Sword Qi Great Wall would go back on his word and send him on his way.

It turned out that Qi Tingji, who was responsible for catching the fish that escaped the net, had not only set up formations with his techniques, but had also sent his nascent soul on a long journey. On the way, he casually grabbed a White Flower City offering who had failed to escape, the very Jade Purity cultivator whose soul was currently being detained. He promised to spare his life, and asked him about the locations of several secret vaults in White Flower City. Then, he had him lead the way to search, without him needing to be ingratiating. As for how to open the layers of mountain and water restrictions, Qi Tingji directly opened the way with sword Qi.

Generally, immortal sect forces with the character “Sect” in their names often have three burrows for the cunning hare. They would divide their cultivation manuals, immortal coins, magical treasures, and spiritual instruments among various locations. Of course, this was limited to “generally”. Sects like the Jade Clarity Palace of the Vast World, the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master’s Office, and Zheng Juzhong’s White Emperor City naturally didn’t bother with such things.

Since he had agreed with Chen Ping’an to half an incense stick’s time, Qi Tingji didn’t continue to loot. Digging three feet into the ground was more the expertise of the Hidden Official.

However, Qi Tingji didn’t waste anything within sight. Those broken magical treasures and spiritual instruments, scattered on the ground by Lu Zhi’s swords, were diverse and varied. Although the price of mountain treasures after they were broken was vastly different from before, not being so valuable didn’t mean they weren’t valuable at all.

There were also the true bodies of many demon cultivators who had been killed, as well as some heroic spirits and white bone corpses, all of which were collected by Qi Tingji into his sleeve.

Dragon Elephant Sword Sect had been established not long ago, and everything required money. He hadn’t expected that passing by White Flower City today, he would piece together, little by little, a very considerable sum of immortal coins.

That Jade Purity realm cultivator, whose soul was detained, mustered his courage and asked softly, “Old Sword Immortal Qi, are your words trustworthy? I am willing to serve you!”

Qi Tingji smiled and said nothing.

He wouldn’t consider being a servant; Dragon Spring Sword Sect only accepted sword cultivators.

Seeing that the Old Sword Immortal didn’t respond, he immediately felt disheartened and said in a trembling voice, “It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t count, can you just give me a quick death?”

Qi Tingji smiled, “Have you ever been to the Sword Qi Great Wall in this life?”

He was overjoyed and immediately replied, “I have never been there. I can swear to the heavens that I have never been an enemy of the sword cultivators. The journey is long, my realm is low, how dare I go to the Sword Qi Great Wall to seek death…”

Qi Tingji nodded, “Then reincarnate into a good family in the next life and go see the scenery there.”

With a wave of his sleeve, his soul vanished into ashes.

Now many peak cultivators in the Vast World may know about the existence of that ‘Bi Hundred Sword Immortal Catalog’, but before the ‘Bi Hundred Sword Immortal Catalog’, there was actually an earlier, crudely printed ‘Hundred Sword Immortal Catalog’ at the Sword Qi Great Wall.
During his leisure, Qi Tingji had also flipped through them, but he had no interest in secretly purchasing those seals. In the old Sword Immortal’s eyes, the Hidden Official’s carving skills were too rough, not yet truly entering the hall of fame, and not yet considered a master of epigraphy. However, there was a line of inscription on the side of the seal album that Qi Tingji found quite appealing.

“There are no scenic mountains and rivers, yet it is the highest city in the human world.”

Lu Zhi said, “Did you make a lot of money this time?”

Their group appeared at this mountain gate in haste, so that the Immortal Realm demon was unable to first make a trip to the treasury. It is said that man dies for wealth and birds die for food, but when it comes to life and death, there is nothing to hesitate. Cultivators, whether they are registered Immortal Masters or wild cultivators in the mountains, all understand this simple principle. A mountain god dying in a pile of money is the most aggrieved.

“Adding up everything, it’s indeed a lot. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we made a fortune. After all, it’s the foundation of a sect. Even without those three Sword Cleansing Talismans, it’s still very profitable.”

Qi Tingji smiled and said, “Didn’t those gamblers at the Sword Qi Great Wall say it long ago? Partnering with the Hidden Official is hard to lose money; you can make money while lying down.”

Lu Zhi reminded him, “Chen Ping’an is a meticulous accountant.”

Qi Tingji nodded and said, “Later, let’s count the gains from traveling to White Flower City and give the Hidden Official… 40%?”

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhi said, “40%? He didn’t contribute anything. Giving him 20% is generous enough.”

Qi Tingji was gratified and said, “He’s finally acting like a Chief Guest Elder.”

Lu Zhi said, “This robe is good; it’s mine. I can give it to that little girl Wu Manyan later.”

Qi Tingji took out the Azure-Eyed Dharma Robe from his sleeve and tossed it to Lu Zhi.

Lu Zhi took it and shook the robe gently, surprised, “It seems like this business of dividing spoils on the spot can be addictive.”

Qi Tingji nodded and said, “I just realized that too.”

Lu Zhi curled her lips. Sword cultivators at the Sword Qi Great Wall never had this habit. Was it a bad habit cultivated by the Hidden Official?

Afterward, the two of them went together to a mountain market under the Three Mountain Talismans. Ning Yao had already left this ancient battlefield relic. It seemed that after delivering the sword, she no longer cared about the remaining sword qi. As a result, the battlefield relic was still full of sword light, wantonly strangling those scattered Yin Soldiers and ghosts.

After offering incense, Qi Tingji smiled softly, “It’s hard to imagine how we Ascended Realm cultivators, who are still considered capable, would behave in this world if there were no restraints.”

The existence of the three Patriarchs of the Three Teachings, in the vast river of time, is as if three people are sitting across the ford, iron chains blocking the river.

These three don’t need to say or do anything; their existence itself is a tremendous deterrent.

Even in this desolate world, known for its chaotic ways, there is still Mount Tuoyue. Otherwise, just the Moving Mountain Ancestor Zhu Yan, joining forces with the former Lord of the Yeyue River, Yang Zhi, and if they could also bring in an old King’s Seat demon, they could run rampant in the world. It is estimated that in the end, the total of less than twenty Fourteenth Realm and Ascended Realm peak demons would divide the world, temporarily stop fighting, and then continue to kill until only the last small group of Fourteenth Realm remained.

Qi Tingji took out a banner and threw it into the center of the ancient battlefield. It suddenly stood up, like opening a large gate. Soon, tens of thousands of Yin Soldiers with chaotic intelligence gathered from all directions, as if they had received a decree, like armies sounding the retreat, frantically pouring into the banner. Furthermore, the banner itself, between a Grotto-Heaven and a Blessed Land, is a Senluo Dojo suitable for ghosts to cultivate in. Naturally, some local Earth Immortal heroic spirits and ghost generals, who originally occupied a part of the ruins, were unwilling to live under someone else’s roof and lose their freedom. One by one, they hid their auras, trying to hide.

As a result, Qi Tingji selected one of his many natal objects and sacrificed it. A golden bamboo whip, containing the true meaning of thunder, landed near the banner. The bamboo whip took root as soon as it landed. In the blink of an eye, a golden bamboo forest appeared on the ancient battlefield, spanning hundreds of miles. The entire earth was intertwined with lightning, and the bamboo forest continued to spread through the bamboo whips under the earth. Grains of golden light flickered, all of them golden bamboo shoots, sprouting out of the earth extremely fast, continuing to turn into new bamboo trees. The bamboo forest shone with golden light, each bamboo leaf containing a rhythm of thunder magic, so that under the earth and bamboo forest, a thunder pool was opened.

Whether it was the Grand Dao thunder magic or the bamboo whip material itself, both inherently suppressed ghosts.

In the end, only four paths leading to the banner were left in the ruins; ghosts had no other way to go.

Lu Zhi looked at the soul-summoning banner in the distance and asked doubtfully, “You can do this too?”

Qi Tingji explained with a smile, “In the past, on the battlefields of the Sword Qi Great Wall, we would be targeted every time we delivered a sword, so of course we couldn’t leisurely display these flashy means.”

In short, countless spells and divine powers are not as good as a flash of sword light.

If a mountain sword cultivator is proficient in side-door ways outside of swordsmanship, they would be suspected of not focusing on their proper profession, similar to a scholar being good at blacksmithing and chopping wood.

Lu Zhi had nothing to do for the time being, so she took out the other two swords from her sword box. “Cicada Armor” turned out to be a rare corpse of an Ascended Realm cultivator from Jade Capital, which could be used as a Dharma robe similar to a soldier’s armor, allowing the cultivator to master two extremely superior secret arts of Jade Capital, one offensive and one defensive, as if without a teacher. However, Lu Zhi found it extremely awkward and threw the sword back into the sword box.

On the other hand, with the “Southern Darkness” in hand, she could gain an odd formation. Lu Zhi found herself standing in the center of a celestial pool, seemingly only a few steps away from Qi Tingji, but in reality, thousands of miles apart, suitable for dealing with those bottom-of-the-box heavy offensive treasures, and of course, it could also be used to deal with the flying swords of enemy sword cultivators.

As for the “Free Blade,” it was also ingenious. With Lu Zhi holding the long sword, a phantom spirit in the form of a fish-dragon appeared beside her. This azure fish hovered and swam around Lu Zhi.

Lu Zhi thought it looked quite pleasing to the eye, so she didn’t withdraw this Free Blade long sword.

Moreover, after holding the Southern Darkness and the Free Blade in each hand, Lu Zhi was soon surprised again. It turned out that the azure fish wagging its head and tail beside her could draw real water energy from the celestial pool under her feet, which was originally a virtual illusion, to strengthen itself.

Lu Zhi said, “Lu Chen’s Daoist magic is a bit interesting.”

Qi Tingji said helplessly, “He is, after all, a Third Headmaster of Jade Capital.”
Lu Zhi said, “There’s no help for it. Lu Chen by Chen Ping’an’s side is like a…just a shop assistant, a errand boy. It’s hard for me to associate him with a fourteenth-realm great cultivator.”

Qi Tingji chuckled silently.

Lu Zhi stopped chatting idly and, taking advantage of the remaining time, began to refine her sword. To be precise, she was refining the Sword Cleansing Talisman from Jade Hub City.

As expected of a famous talisman that shook the Azure Billow Heaven, the threshold for drawing it was extremely high, but refining it was quick for outsiders.

If Lu Zhi used all three priceless Sword Cleansing Talismans to hone the edge of her flying sword “Northern Dipper,” the results would be remarkable. Lu Zhi estimated that the sharpness of the flying sword could increase by ten percent.

The Sword Cleansing Talisman saved Lu Zhi at least nearly sixty years of cultivation time. These sixty years were not the constantly flowing sixty years of age, but rather referred to the time a swordsman devoted himself to cultivation and concentrated on refining his sword. The so-called decades or centuries of cultivation by cultivators were all achieved through holding their breath, breathing, meditating in seclusion, and painstakingly polishing their spirit and energy. This was the “true age” of a cultivator; otherwise, it was just a “nominal age” spent in vain.

Therefore, ten percent was truly a lot. In the path of refining flying swords, the last ten miles are the hardest part of a hundred-mile journey. Especially for Lu Zhi’s “Northern Dipper,” even if it was only a hair’s breadth away from perfection, it would still be difficult to kill a Great Demon of the Ascension Realm with one sword. But once she crossed that threshold, then Lu Zhi’s flying sword’s killing power would be among the most outstanding in the ten thousand-year history of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

As long as the quality of the flying sword Northern Dipper was refined to a flawless state of transformation, assuming she successfully entered the Ascension Realm in the future, it would mean that if outsiders wanted to kill Lu Zhi, they would have to join forces with two Ascension Realm cultivators and obediently offer up two lives.

Qi Tingji was very clear about one thing: the Old Sword Immortal didn’t have much hope for him and Chen Xi to reach the fourteenth realm, but he was very optimistic about Lu Zhi, who had been unable to break through the Immortal Realm bottleneck for a long time, as well as the Great Sword Immortal Mi Hu, and Chou Miao, who later went to the Summer Palace. As for Ning Yao, what expectations were there? In the Old Sword Immortal’s view, it was a foregone conclusion.

Lu Zhi raised her head and said for no reason, “Actually, that one, if you put aside right and wrong, is quite remarkable.”

She was talking about Zhou Mi, who was known as the Literary Sea of the Wilderness and the Old Sly Fox of Tongtian.

Admiration was admiration, of course, but it wouldn’t stop Lu Zhi from killing Zhou Mi on the battlefield if she could, without the slightest hesitation.

Qi Tingji said, “Lu Zhi, the reason I wanted to break my oath and rush to the Fifth Heaven was because I harbored a fluke, trying to use the Great Dao fortune of seizing the number one person in the world to help me break through that great bottleneck. Because I hoped to use this to tell the Old Sword Immortal a fact: Chen Qingdu was wrong about Qi Tingji.”

Lu Zhi was not good at communicating with people, and in fact, Qi Tingji disliked heart-to-heart talks even more. Today’s words were truly unprecedented.

Lu Zhi opened her eyes. She never spoke ambiguously. “The Old Sword Immortal is no longer here, so why are you still arguing with him? Besides, even if the Old Sword Immortal were alive and saw you reach the fourteenth realm in the Five Colors Heaven, he would only be more disappointed and despise Qi Tingji even more.”

Qi Tingji was a little sentimental. “I wish there was still a chance for him to be disappointed.”

Nowadays, the young swordsmen of Ascension City have a very different and complex attitude toward the departure of the Old Sword Immortal than the old folks like Qi Tingji.

Qi Tingji suddenly laughed in anger, “In the future, the Ascension City will be talking about our Hidden Official Chen, whether it’s praise or scolding. Just thinking about this makes me unhappy.”

Lu Zhi advised, “You’re the Sect Master, so be more magnanimous.”

Qi Tingji sighed, “I advise you not to advise people in the future.”

Lu Zhi smiled and said, “I’m the most obedient.”

Before them was a wild and desolate mountain called Green Peak.

The first Three Mountains Talismans held by the four swordsmen, the three Mountain City docks, were White Flower City, the Ancient Battlefield Ruins, and Green Peak.

After Ning Yao burned incense and paid respects to the Three Mountains Nine Marquis at the foot of the mountain, she did not rush to the next Mountain City, but instead went up the steps along the incense-burning path.

This mountain has an extraordinary status. It is one of the few famous mountains in the Wildlands, with a rare number of Deputy Storage Mountains in double digits. As for the name of the mountain, “Green Peak,” it is even more unique.

Inside the main hall of the Mountain God Shrine, the colored clay statue rippled with golden light, and an old man walked out, holding a string of wooden prayer beads, like a vegetarian Buddhist. He had a simple and ancient appearance, with the bones of a wild crane, like the rough bark of an old pine tree by a stream.

This Great Mountain Peak Mountain God, named Biwu, had a natural phenomenon, with double pupils of eight colors, wearing a crimson robe and disheveled hair, stepping on a pair of grass-woven cloud-stepping shoes.

Sensing the sword energy, Mountain God Biwu hurriedly went out to greet the guest, looking at the female swordsman with a look of shock: “Ning Yao?!”

Ning Yao nodded. “It’s nothing, I’m just taking a stroll.”

Biwu’s first thought was whether the vastness of the world had already reached his own mountain gate. He laughed at himself, how could it advance so quickly? Besides, if even Green Peak couldn’t be defended, it would mean that at least half of the Wildlands belonged to the Central Earth Confucian Temple.

Biwu cupped his fists and said, “Mountain God Biwu greets Sword Immortal Ning.”

Seeing this Ascension Realm Great Mountain God, especially the string of prayer beads in his hand, Ning Yao knew why Green Peak was safe and sound.

After thinking about it, Ning Yao only vaguely remembered Biwu’s Daoist name, realm, and a treasure of the Immortal Family of the immortal weapon grade, the Lightning Chariot. The mystery of the chariot lies in the inscription “Thunder and Fire Commander.”

In addition, this Mountain God was a devout Buddhist, building a Manjusri Temple that resembled a “family temple.”

She didn’t know much else. Presumably, Chen Ping’an would know everything about it.

Hearing Ning Yao’s polite words, Biwu smiled bitterly, not worried about his own safety. In his own territory, even facing an Ascension Realm swordsman, he was not without the power to fight back. No matter how small the chance of winning, he was safe. After weighing the situation, his mountain had never had any grudges with the Sword Qi Great Wall. But Ning Yao couldn’t have come here alone, could she?

Biwu tentatively asked, “Is Hidden Official traveling with Sword Immortal Ning?”

Ning Yao remained silent.

Biwu hesitated for a moment, then closed his mouth and swallowed some words that seemed to be trying to get close.

The Sword Qi Great Wall and the Wildlands have been deadly enemies for ten thousand years. When the two sides meet, there’s no need for “a disagreement.” When they see each other, they just kill each other without a reason.
Ning Yao, after ascending the mountain for a moment, inquired, “Does the Mountain Lord recognize him?”

Bi Wu, the Mountain Lord who had been accompanying her, chuckled, “How could a reclusive creature who never leaves his mountain recognize the Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi? It’s just that a few years ago, a friend of mine, born from the aquatic tribes of the Great Swamp, made a special trip to the ruins of Upside-Down Mountain to admire the scenery. He happened to see the Hidden Official standing on the cliffside and sketched a portrait. After my friend returned home, he passed by this place and gifted the painting to me.”

Ning Yao stated, “He was here a moment ago, but you didn’t notice.”

Bi Wu, not at all feeling that Ning Yao was exaggerating, couldn’t help but exclaim, “I didn’t expect the Hidden Official’s Taoist arts to be so profound. Truly, a master conceals their abilities.”

Ning Yao reminded, “Let’s pretend we were never here.”

Bi Wu nodded, understanding implicitly, “Today, the mountain remains as uneventful as ever, idly watching the clouds drift and the flowers bloom and fall.”

Noticing that Ning Yao seemed about to depart, Mountain Lord Bi Wu tentatively asked, “The Sword Immortal Ning, won’t you take a look at the painting?”

Ning Yao, as she journeyed afar with her talisman, questioned, “Why look at a painting when the living person isn’t worth seeing?”

Mountain Lord Bi Wu was momentarily speechless.

Confirming that Ning Yao had traveled far away, Bi Wu took a step, shrinking the mountains and rivers, and arrived at a refined residence. Two enchanting mountain spirits, dressed in goose-yellow and tender-green gowns respectively, greeted the Mountain Lord with a graceful curtsy. Opening the door, Bi Wu stepped over the threshold. On the desk lay a scroll. Unfurling it, one could see the figure depicted was none other than the last Hidden Official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Adorned in a vibrant crimson Daoist robe, the man stood on the city wall cliff, his face blurred, hands clasped within his sleeves, a narrow blade tucked under his arm, gazing down upon the land.

The Cloud-Pattern Dynasty’s Jade Tablet City had been established for over twelve hundred years, though the emperor’s surname had changed several times. In any case, the dynasty name remained unchanged; whoever sat on the dragon throne held little significance here.

In the Barren World, any mortal dynasty that had lasted for over a thousand years was definitely more troublesome than a mountain sect of the same age.

And the capital of such a dynasty was no different from the ancestral hall of a mountain sect.

Yet, at this moment, in the highest building of the palace, in the corridor beneath the eaves of the top floor, stood an uninvited outsider.

The man in the cyan Daoist robe, with one hand clenched into a fist and the other behind his back, strolled as if in his own courtyard.

He stopped, looking up at the eaves, which were adorned with strings of bells. Within each bell hung two miniature short swords, separated by a tiny gap. The slightest breeze would cause them to clink together.

According to the records of the Summer Retreat Palace, the Emperor within the city had missed the great battle due to years of seclusion, paying a substantial “Grain Rain money” to Mount Tuoyue.

Furthermore, the Cloud-Pattern Dynasty maintained decent relations with two Old Throne Great Demons, the Yellow Luan and the Lotus Hermitage Master. Otherwise, a mere Immortal Realm cultivator could never protect the Cloud-Pattern Dynasty.

Fortunately, even though the Yellow Luan and the Lotus Hermitage Master were now deceased, it seemed this Emperor had just broken through, becoming a newly ascended Ascension Realm Grand cultivator.

A robust man in a dragon robe appeared out of thin air within the corridor, his voice deep, “Honored guest, forgive my tardiness in welcoming you. But shouldn’t the esteemed Daoist friend have announced their arrival? I could have prepared a feast to receive you and wash away the dust of your journey.”

Beside him was a slender female attendant, her cheeks painted with gold dust, wielding a waist saber, and in fact, a genuine Tenth Realm martial artist.

Her eyebrows naturally connected, and her ears were thin and exceptionally long – what ancient books called a “Heavenly Person’s countenance.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “You don’t need to trouble yourself with hospitality. It’s no trouble at all; you just need to lend me that sword array. A mere flick of the wrist.”

This Emperor of the Cloud-Pattern Dynasty, who went by the assumed name Ye Pu, had two Daoist titles. Previously, it was “Breaking Lotus,” but after reaching the Ascension Realm, he gave himself a more imposing one, calling himself “Unrivaled.”

As for the female martial artist beside Ye Pu, named Bai Ren, she was a notoriously obsessed martial artist, now over a hundred years old, but with an ageless appearance. She had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, the “Stopping Realm” at the age of fifty.

Jade Tablet City had activated a capital defense formation, resembling a Glazed Realm. The capital seemed to be immersed in a stagnant river of time, everywhere radiating with vibrant colors. All cultivators within the city chose to remain in place, afraid to act rashly. Firstly, those below the Upper Five Realms, even Earth Immortals, would find it difficult to move freely. Secondly, this was a sign of a great enemy at hand; who dared to be insolent?

Ye Pu had naturally recognized the other party’s identity, but his intuition told him that pretending not to know might be better.

As for how a Jade Purity Realm swordsman on the city walls had transformed into an enlightened being at the very least of the Ascension Realm, Ye Pu wasn’t curious. In the Barren World, on the path of cultivation, all processes were illusions. Only the result mattered. The pursuit of cultivation was nothing more than a simple truth: how one lived, and how long one could live. Once a conflict arose, or if one found someone blocking their path, how the other died, and how quickly they died.

Ye Pu heard the other party’s outrageous jest, “The Hidden Official lives up to his reputation, quite the conversationalist, even more humorous than the rumors suggest.”

The woman twitched her lips and reached for the hilt of her saber.

This female martial artist stared intently at the man who had changed into a Daoist robe, recognizing him. How could she not recognize him? Portraits of this fellow were probably found in at least half the mountain peaks in the Barren World these days. Especially after the talks between Mount Tuoyue and the Central Earth Literary Temple broke down, this young but renowned Hidden Official became even more famous. Though he was from the Vast Land, he was momentarily unmatched in the Barren World, to the point where it seemed a Qi Refiner who didn’t know the name “Chen Ping’an” was as good as not cultivating at all.

In the past century, some Great Wall of Sword Qi dog, their names had only circulated in the mountain sects above the mid-level, but now there was this last Hidden Official.

Chen Ping’an looked at the female martial artist, “Planning to try?”

Within the Daoist crown atop Chen Ping’an’s head, in a Lotus Dojo that even Ye Pu couldn’t discern, Lu Chen practiced boxing and walking stances, glancing sideways at the ignorant woman, clicking his tongue in wonder, “Eager to make a move, truly eager to make a move.”

Ye Pu spoke to stop the woman beside him, “Bai Ren, do not be rude.”

Bai Ren squinted and smiled, “I think it’s worth a try, provided the Hidden Official is willing to only use the fists of a pure martial artist.”

“Very well.”

As Chen Ping’an spoke, he stepped forward, bringing his two fingers together, seemingly lightly touching Bai Ren’s forehead. The female martial artist flew backward, smashing through the railing behind her and directly falling out of Jade Tablet City in a straight line.

Ye Pu, caught in a battle of conscience, rapidly weighed the pros and cons and chose not to intervene.
The entire capital city, a seemingly immutable glazed fortress, was disrupted by a single, sharp impact, instantly creating a fissure. Cracks then spiderwebbed outwards, until the Jade Edition City appeared to be caught in a brilliant, torrential downpour of light.

An array that even a sword cultivator of the Immortal Realm couldn’t cleave in two with a single strike was shattered with such effortless ease, as if by a casual fingertip.

Was it a fist technique? It didn’t seem like it.

The most alarming aspect was that the young swordsman before him didn’t appear to be deliberately employing any swordplay at all.

Ye Pu finally began to question whether the Chen Ping’an before him was truly just the gatekeeper from the Great Wall of Swords.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Ye Pu, if I were to retrieve the sword myself from the tower, it wouldn’t be ‘borrowing’; it would be ‘stealing’.”

Ye Pu forced a bitter smile. “Is there really a difference?”

“I’ll count to a few dozen, and then the Jade Edition City will likely be gone.”

Chen Ping’an held out a hand, clearly urging Ye Pu to hurry. “You should be thankful the Jade Edition City isn’t the Immortal Hairpin City, or it would already be history.”

Immortal Hairpin City was known as the tallest city in the desolate lands.

It was conveniently located near the last of the Three Mountains Talisman’s mountain markets.

Ye Pu sighed inwardly. The Emperor of the Cloud Pattern Dynasty truly possessed the heart of a peerless strategist. He actually took the initiative to open the restrictions, operated a secret technique, and removed eighteen layers of mountain and river enchantments. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a red coral brush rest, which had been suspended in mid-air within the tower. The flying swords of the sword array settled upon it like brushes in a rack.

Ye Pu gently pushed the coral brush rest toward the strange Daoist disguised as an Emissary, smiling faintly. “I hope ‘Daoist Chen’ can safely leave the desolate lands.”

Chen Ping’an took the brush rest and the flying swords into his sleeve. “Then I’ll take your well wishes. As a return gift, I’ll give you a piece of advice: I hope the Jade Edition City is sturdy enough, and your Ascendant Realm is stable enough.”

After confirming that the uninvited guest had left the Jade Edition City, Ye Pu didn’t rush to find White Edge, the esteemed Empress. Instead, he released his divine sense and began to count silently in his heart.

“That won’t kill you, will it?”

The brush rest was an immortal artifact, and if combined with the simultaneous explosion of half of the flying swords, even a Peak Ascendant Realm cultivator would suffer serious injuries. After the opponent was wounded, Ye Pu only needed to follow the commotion to retrieve at least half of the flying swords and eliminate a powerful enemy at the summit.

But when Ye Pu finished counting, he was dumbfounded. Why had he lost the connection to the sword array?!

Was it just… gone?

Within his Daoist temple, Lu Chen curled his sleeves and continued his walking meditation, chuckling. “To flaunt array mastery under my nose is amusing, utterly adorable.”

After offering incense at the second mountain market, Chen Ping’an immediately headed toward the Immortal Hairpin City.

Legend had it that this lofty city was formed from the Daoist hairpin of the first cultivator in existence.

However, its claim as the greatest city in the desolate lands was also largely due to its high elevation.

Ning Yao arrived at the immortal ferry outside the Jade Edition City, strolled along the water, and then continued to the next location.

But when Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi arrived, a voice inexplicably appeared in the depths of their minds, as if waiting for them: “Hack away at that Jade Edition City; half an incense stick isn’t enough, make it a full incense stick’s worth.”

Chen Ping’an was a hundred miles outside Immortal Hairpin City, atop a hill of modest size. Its inclusion in the Avoid-the-Heat Palace’s records was, of course, due to the nearby towering city.

After offering incense, Chen Ping’an folded his hands in his sleeves, squatted down, and extended a hand from his sleeve, pinching a handful of soil, clenching it in his palm, and gently rubbing it.

Lu Chen asked curiously, “At the Jade Edition City, why were you so restrained even when you finally made a move?”

Lu Chen had held nothing back in lending Chen Ping’an his Fourteenth Realm Daoist techniques. In this desolate world filled with enemies, a casual wave of the hand could unleash a celestial tribulation-level spell, with no exaggeration. Yet, whether in White Flower City or Jade Edition City, Chen Ping’an had been very restrained. What was even stranger was that every time Chen Ping’an acted, it was a rare opportunity for a grand Daoist experience. Today’s tempering of Daoist techniques would serve as stepping stones on the path to future heights, ensuring Chen Ping’an could ascend more quickly. Both parties shared a tacit understanding: Chen Ping’an knew that Lu Chen would never interfere or plant any traps in this matter.

“I’m used to going out three realms below; now, suddenly being three realms above, I’m a little unaccustomed.”

Chen Ping’an released his hand, letting the soil fall to the ground, and said softly, “So, I’ve been reminding myself of a principle along the way: it’s easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.”

Lu Chen nodded and asked curiously, “Have you decided on the route for the final Three Mountains Talisman?”

Lu Chen pulled out the hand-copied Yellow Court Scripture from his sleeve, which was divided into Inner, Outer, and Middle sections. Lu Chen, Lady Wei, and a Daoist from White Jade Capital whose name contained the character “Zhi” each possessed one copy.

Chen Ping’an hummed in agreement. “Wine Spring Sect, the River of Uncertainty.”

The cultivators of the Wine Spring Sect were only good at one thing: brewing fine wine. Many desolate land grand demons, including Old Throne Cutting Rhyme and Looking Up, all took good care of this sect.

As for the River of Uncertainty, it belonged to the E Luo River domain. Passing through both places, the final sword delivery point would naturally be Mount Holding-the-Moon.

Chen Ping’an asked, “Do you have confidence?”

Lu Chen looked up at the moon. “About sixty percent.”

Of the desolate lands’ three moons, two had once had owners: the deceased Lotus Hermit and She Yue, who was currently raising a flock of ducks by the Dragon Beard River. Only the central moon had remained unclaimed for thousands of years. Peak Grand cultivators of the desolate lands could freely travel there if they had the ability, but building cultivation sites on Mount Holding-the-Moon was forbidden.

Lu Chen pointed to the central white jade disc and asked, “Why not try this moon?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head. “Something I have no confidence in.”

Lu Chen deduced for a moment and said, “There’s still a thirty percent chance.”

Chen Ping’an laughed. “Isn’t that the same as having no confidence?”

The Jailer Hao Su, after Chen Ping’an decided to change the route, had secretly “ascended” on his own using a Moon-Running Talisman from Lu Chen.

Ultimately, Hao Su would be waiting there to receive Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi.

As the poet wrote, “To see a thousand miles further, one must climb to a higher floor.”

For cultivators, “To see the world’s towers, one must be in the bright moon.”

Chen Ping’an’s plan was to leave the desolate lands with only one moon.

Chen Ping’an clapped his hands, slowly stood up, and took out a pot of wine, the Green God Mountain liquor from his own wine shop, and took a sip.
Chen Ping’an raised the back of his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth, asking, “The Three Souls and Seven Spirits, it seems the Seven Spirits aren’t all that learned. However, I saw in the Confucian Temple that the Three Souls originally had a concept of Heaven, Earth, and Man?”

Lu Chen ceased his fist practice, sat cross-legged, and placed his hands on his abdomen, saying, “The destination of the Three Souls is where the greatest knowledge lies. The Heavenly Soul goes to the Heavenly Prison. Isn’t there a saying, ‘the soul flies beyond the heavens’? Now you know where the extraterrestrial demons come from, right? As for the Earthly Soul, it emphasizes the cycle of karma, so it returns to places like the Netherworld and Fengdu. As for those wandering, lonely spirits who still linger in the mortal realm after death, those are actually the Human Souls. The Seven Spirits uniquely follow this soul. The common folk’s saying of ‘soul scattered and spirits dispersed’ is exactly this. It has a subtle and great connection to our surnames, the true names of demons, and the guiding force of the Great Dao. Folk sayings passed down through generations, like ‘a wandering soul’, ‘breath hanging by a thread’, or ‘one’s allotted lifespan is exhausted,’ have actually revealed the secrets of heaven, just expressed somewhat vaguely.”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Lu Chen smiled and asked, “You sent Hao Su into that bright moon, and it seems no one, including him, asks why.”

Chen Ping’an answered indirectly, “For example, there’s a truth that’s been told for ten thousand years. If it were you, would you believe it?”

That truth is very simple: I am a Sword Cultivator of the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Lu Chen looked enlightened, clapped his hands, and laughed, “Excellent words!”

Chen Ping’an took a large gulp of wine, put away the wine gourd, took a deep breath, narrowed his eyes, and stared intently at that Immortal Hairpin City.

Lu Chen asked, “Next, shall we first pay a visit and exchange pleasantries with the master of the city?”

In the next moment, Chen Ping’an tapped his toe, and a mountain peak beneath his feet instantly collapsed into dust. The Great Dao manifested a towering Dharma Idol of a fourteenth realm Grand Cultivator. He stomped down with one foot, swung his arm, and directly smashed a fist onto that tall city.