(This chapter doesn’t count as the 7th update; there will be another update on the 7th.)

After the upper half of Immortal Hairpin City was swatted away, thousands of fireflies lit up simultaneously – the silhouettes of cultivators escaping the city by riding the wind.

Lu Chen glanced at the ethereal, colorful scene, a beautiful and magnificent sight, but alas, it was a sign of the tree falling and the monkeys scattering. From now on, the Wildlands would no longer have the tallest city.

Painstakingly gathering sand into a mountain, only to have it dispersed by flowing water in a single morning – fleeting glory is always battered by wind and rain. But today, Immortal Hairpin City was forcibly broken and hammered apart by the young Hidden Official with pure martial prowess.

Lu Chen retracted his gaze and reminded, “We should probably stop here; getting too entangled here will hinder the drawing of the sword.”

Chen Ping’an carried the true name of a great demon, aligning with the Sword Qi Great Wall, and was already suppressed by the Wildlands’ Great Dao. Lu Chen’s journey was not easy, as he needed to help Chen Ping’an constantly evolve his Daoist techniques to resolve that ethereal and ubiquitous suppression. Otherwise, three Moon-Chasing Talismans could be summoned at will – different from the Three Mountains Talisman, the Moon-Chasing Talisman was Lu Chen’s creation. The Third Master of the Sect, having nothing to do in the Azure Heavens, would feel bored in White Jade Capital and venture alone into the void, drinking under the bright moon.

Unlike the Wildlands, the other realms’ moons were undoubtedly forbidden zones. Even if a cultivator’s own cultivation level was enough to support a journey, ascending to the moon would be a grave violation. In the Azure Heavens, a Grand cultivator attempted to defy the rules and explore the ancient Moon Palace ruins, but Yu Dou noticed the anomaly in White Jade Capital and remotely struck a sword down upon the world, directly dropping the cultivator from ascension to Jade Purity. The cultivator could only return to his sect, drowning his sorrows in wine under the moon of his own blessed land, proclaiming, “Does Old Second dare to interfere again? I’m drinking on my own territory; come and meddle if you dare!” As a result, Yu Dou delivered another sword, splitting that blessed land’s moon in two. In the end, none of the hundreds of Daoist officials in the sect dared to beat the heavenly drum to complain, becoming a laughingstock.

Chen Ping’an’s Daoist Dharma Idol finally stopped, glancing at the scattered traces of cultivators fleeing, “It seems like the deputy city lord, Silver Deer, isn’t among them. I can’t sense this demon’s aura within that half of the city either. Can you find him?”

Lu Chen smiled, “He’s probably hiding using some secret technique. No risk, no reward. The core of Immortal Hairpin City’s Great Dao is rooted here. As long as you don’t destroy that Daoist hairpin, this Silver Deer immortal can take the opportunity to fill the city lord’s vacancy and have a chance to rise again. With its cultivation aptitude, reaching the Ascension realm isn’t extravagant – though it would be an empty shell, no better than its master, an embarrassment to the Wildlands’ great demons. No wonder Xuanpu never dared to show its face at the Sword Qi Great Wall. Later, when we enter that half of the city, I’ll use my calculations to see if I can find any clues.”

Speaking of this, Lu Chen rarely showed a solemn expression, “Allow me to say a few more words; whatever you do, do not break that hairpin. Its former owner performed great service for our humankind. According to the old almanac, it belongs to someone with merit on the Dao and good deeds in the world, whose accomplishments are fulfilled. So it is best to avoid provoking it.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Then we’ll stop at the right moment and not waste time here.”

Lu Chen sighed, “To break Immortal Hairpin City with bare fists is one thing; to have Immortal Hairpin City’s own cultivators dismantle their ancestral hall, in my opinion, is a grand feat.”

收起八千丈高的道人法相，與常人等高，陳平安再次變成那個道冠青袍的模樣，仰頭望向那個順眼多了的“仙簪城”，微笑道：“不過是個知其所以然。”

Dismissing the 8,000-foot-tall Daoist Dharma Idol, returning to normal height, Chen Ping’an transformed back into the Daoist-crowned, green-robed figure, looking up at the much more pleasing “Immortal Hairpin City” and smiling, “It’s just understanding the reason why.”

The reasoning was very simple, just like ordinary families who were not wealthy but liked to do charity, it was difficult to understand why some wealthy families who owned mountains of gold and silver were even more stingy than themselves, why wealth was so difficult to part with. In fact, it was just not seeing through a line of reasoning. Some money that came from unorthodox ways, how could one expect it to leave through the front door? Just like an ordinary teacher, it was difficult to truly do only ask for cultivation and not ask for harvest, cultivators also found it difficult to truly do only ask for the cause and not seek the result.

Lu Chen was moved, bringing two fingers together, drawing a straight vertical line, and then next to the line, drawing a cicada, like a cicada perched on a tree.

A cicada on paper, chirping endlessly in the autumn wind, zhi-la zhi-la…

Lu Chen then raised his hands, using his fingers to draw a frame, putting this painting into his sleeve, “This trip was not in vain.”

Lu Chen stretched his palm over his forehead, looking around, and asked, “Ning Yao and the others haven’t arrived yet, what do you say? Go find that Silver Deer and exchange a few pleasantries?”

Anyway, this was the last Mountain Market, without the time limit of only being able to stay for an incense stick’s time. After Ning Yao and the three others arrived here to meet, then Lu Chen could give out the final Three Mountains Talisman. The three Mountain Markets were the Wine Spring Sect, the Nameless River in the Yieluo River, and Tuoyue Mountain.

If he wasn’t in a hurry to go to Tuoyue Mountain, Chen Ping’an wouldn’t mind staying in place and waiting for the rabbit in Immortal Hairpin City.

If you added the Execution Official Hao Su, their group of travelers would be a Fourteenth Realm, three Ascension Realm sword cultivators, and a Immortal Realm sword cultivator whose killing power could be regarded as Ascension Realm.

What’s more, the top combat power of a Wildlands was likely mostly already in the battlefield where Ah Liang and the senior brother were.

Who would come to help? If they didn’t dare to come, Chen Ping’an would want to lend some courage to those new and old throne great demons.

Lu Chen smiled, “This immortal Silver Deer, the ability to pack up his belongings and hide his tracks are both amazing. This half of Immortal Hairpin City didn’t even leave you any valuable goods.”

In fact, this was being too clever for his own good, very unwise. What’s more, inside and outside Immortal Hairpin City at this moment, there was more than one young Hidden Official who wanted Silver Deer’s life.

Chen Ping’an said in a deep voice, “That blessed land, take it away if you can, if you can’t, even if you dig three feet into the ground, even if I completely smash Immortal Hairpin City, I will find it.”

Lu Chen said with a wry smile, “Me?”

It’s not us.

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Even if it’s a profit-sharing for doing business together, Sect Leader Lu has done a lot of hard work along the way, if it’s always just giving and not getting, I will have to look down on myself.”

Lu Chen’s eyes lit up, “If I really get it, I won’t take it to the Azure Heavens, I’ll give it to the Confucian Temple, in exchange for three opportunities to visit.”

The half of Immortal Hairpin City, hundreds of miles away, was like a cultivator lying dead on the ground.
But in an instant, the ruined city, shaped like a mountain range in its prostration, actually rose again towards the sky, trying to return to its original position and rejoin its lower half.

However, Chen Ping An crushed it with a single stomp, instantly sending it crashing back to earth, using his Fourteenth Realm Daoist magic to forcefully suppress the inherent connection of the hairpin.

At the same time, Chen Ping An, dressed in Daoist attire, raised his hand and drew a talisman in front of the Immortal Hairpin City – in reality, he simply wrote the character “山” (mountain).

Meanwhile, Chen Ping An in azure robes, employing his Natal Treasure, the Water Seal, drew a water talisman in the air, following closely behind. Mountain and water relied on each other, yet remained distinct.

The azure-robed Chen Ping An made a trip to the alchemy chamber built atop Mount Xuanpu, employing the divine power of “Sleeve Universe,” taking not only the three alchemy furnaces but also hundreds of jars and bottles from the shelves, all into his sleeve. He also collected the wooden shelves where the pills were stored, discovering that the wood was of excellent quality, an unknown Immortal wood. He then dismantled the house beams and pillars made of trees several arm spans around, taking them as well. Finally, he noticed that the golden floor tiles were also quite special. He crouched down and pried open a tile, discovering that each one had the year, supervisor, and craftsman’s name inscribed on the bottom. With a flick of his sleeve, he took all two thousand-plus golden bricks.

Finally, Chen Ping An looked at the “bare walls” of the big house, empty of everything. He originally intended to carry the good deed through to the end, but upon further thought, he felt it was best to leave some leeway.

Chen Ping An, in azure robes with a sword on his back, returned to the Ancestral Hall, which could now be called a ruin.

The founding ancestor of Immortal Hairpin City seemed not to have chosen a Daoist title for herself, possessing only a name: Gui Lingxiang. She was the female cultivator depicted in the central hanging portrait, considered the second owner of that ancient Daoist hairpin.

As for the Supreme Ancestor, the Immortal Silver Deer, her Daoist title was Qion Gou, none other than the wily old hag who acted decisively when things went wrong. She discarded a treasure-grade whisk rather than allow all the golden sesame oil to be scattered, lest it pave an extremely conspicuous golden path on her journey back to the netherworld. In fact, she also betrayed a direct disciple to protect herself, the burly elder with the Daoist title of Wu Ti. To ensure that the Fourteenth Realm great cultivator didn’t target her with all his strength, she hindered Wu Ti’s spell when grasping the painting from the void, preventing the latter from imitating her.

Wu Ti now stood at the edge of the Ancestral Hall ruins. The old cultivator wore a black robe, his beard and hair like spears, clutching two scrolls in his hand. The portrait had of course been destroyed, otherwise, Wu Ti wouldn’t have had a good time if the handle fell into the hands of the azure-robed guest before him.

Since the other party could casually leave it here before, naturally, they had the confidence to retrieve it at will.

The style of the Great Wilderness Demon clan was often so direct, with no roundabout ways once they had decided on something.

Therefore, Wu Ti didn’t hesitate at all. In less than half an incense stick’s time, he had killed Xuanpu, his beloved disciple to whom he had handed over Immortal Hairpin City. Indeed, Xuanpu had never been good at fighting since he was a child.

While he could still linger in the mortal realm for a while, Wu Ti, after getting rid of Xuanpu, had already scattered his divine sense, wanting to find Xuanpu’s direct descendant, the next candidate for the city lord of Immortal Hairpin City, even more than the unidentified azure-robed guest. The matter of Descent could only be passed down orally from generation to generation between the city lords and their successors, a closely guarded secret. The paths of the netherworld and the mortal realm were different, and returning between Yin and Yang was subject to many rules.

Although the painting had been destroyed, Wu Ti still intended to kill that great-grand-disciple out of caution, cutting off the roots. The Daoist lineage and incense offerings of Immortal Hairpin City were nowhere near as precious as his own Daoist life.

Earlier, one of Wu Ti’s incarnations had casually grabbed a registered cultivator of Immortal Hairpin City, asking about the identity and Daoist title of Silver Deer. Then, he casually broke the neck of that Golden Core Realm grand-disciple and devoured their demon core in one gulp. These incorrigible wretches deserved to have the ancestral estate ruined. They were lucky if dying once was the end of it. Wu Ti had many means to make cultivators wish they were dead.

The problem was that the current Immortal Hairpin City had changed greatly, and Wu Ti was unable to find the hiding place of that great-grand-disciple for a while.

Chen Ping An smiled and asked, “Are you looking for Silver Deer to eliminate future troubles? To prevent this future city lord from re-drawing the portrait and performing another incense Descent, respectfully welcoming the ancestor to descend to the mortal realm?”

Wu Ti glanced at the long sword that had never been drawn, sneering, “What do I have to worry about from a useless grand-disciple who only knows how to frolic on women’s bellies? I’m only worried that you’ll be waiting by the side then.”

Chen Ping An shook his head and said, “You’re overthinking it. I’ll be leaving Immortal Hairpin City soon.”

“Immortal Hairpin City? What kind of Immortal Hairpin City is there now?”

Wu Ti scoffed, “Anyway, it’s none of my business anymore.”

A mountain talisman was pasted on half the city, causing the high city to sink continuously, connecting with the mountain roots. And here, after casting a water talisman, there were signs of heavy snow. It was believed that a blizzard would soon arrive. Once the hairpin was overly infused with mountain and water Qi, later cultivators would have to separate the already fused mountain and water talismans, which would feel like flaying and tendon-severing for mortals or soul splitting for cultivators. Unless the Fourteenth Realm great cultivator who was proficient in talisman Daoism really left immediately, and then another great cultivator of equal realm immediately came, at the cost of consuming their own Daoist cultivation, to help Immortal Hairpin City peel off the cocoon, it might be possible to roughly restore it to its original state. However, that was definitely a pipe dream. Were there many Fourteenth Realm great cultivators in this world now?

The old cultivator looked back at the place where the portrait of the founding ancestor used to hang, feeling a rare bit of sadness.

He didn’t have a good impression of his master Qion Gou. He wasn’t surprised or even angry that she had done such a thing. Only his feelings for the female ancestor Gui Lingxiang were very different. Even Wu Ti, a heroic demon with the nature of a hegemon, even after being accustomed to violent acts in his lifetime, felt saddened to think that the ancestor’s family business would fall into the hands of a bunch of trash like them. In his life, Wu Ti had never encountered another cultivator as detached from the world as Gui Lingxiang, except for ancestor Gui Lingxiang.

Thinking back, when she was still alive, Wu Ti was just a young cultivator who had just stepped into cultivation. On the day Wu Ti successfully transformed, his master didn’t care at all, only tossing a spirit tool to the disciple kneeling on the ground with a cold expression. Instead, the female ancestor specifically found him. She lowered her head, bent over, smiled, patted the young man’s head, and looked gentle.
Gentle,” he spoke only three words, acknowledging the figure as a person.

The green-robed swordsman and the Daoist dharma image merged as one.

Chen Pingan transformed anew, appearing with a lotus coronet upon his head, and a celadon gauze Daoist robe draped over his shoulders, a sword strapped to his back.

Lu Chen tsked, “These mountain peak cultivators of the Wildlands are truly ruthless when they set their minds to it, a sight to behold, leaving me utterly ashamed of my own shortcomings.”

The celestial clans atop the mountains each possess unique and profound methods for inviting deities and channeling their essence.

The Lu Clan descendants, year after year in the ancestral hall, burn incense for millennia, yet could never once successfully summon Lu Chen.

Hence, the Yin-Yang Lu Clan of the Central Continent held a lasting grudge against this ancestor who never shielded his family.

They truly ought to be dragged here, those disciples and grandchildren, to properly witness what kind of ancestor they had, what was there to complain about? They should be burning offerings of the finest incense!

Chen Pingan reminded, “Search for Silver Deer.”

Lu Chen sat cross-legged within the lotus dojo, calculating with his fingers, and smiled, “Already searching. Wait a moment, and we can give Fellow Daoist Wuti quite a scare.”

Only then did Chen Pingan reach out and seize the fallen horsetail whisk, inscribing upon it in the two ancient seal script characters of insect and bird, “拂尘” (Fuchen), akin to the mountain peak named Green Peak from before.

The wooden handle presented a quaint, crimson-violet hue, adorned with a small golden ring suspending the horsetail whisk. The whisk’s strands were snow-white, exceedingly fine, of an unknown material. Chen Pingan grasped a handful of strands, approximately three thousand six hundred in number.

This object had accompanied Qionge in the netherworld for many years, yet did not absorb a single trace of yin energy. Was it that the old crone was never able to refine it into a natal treasure?

Lu Chen laughed, “That old crone’s true form is a mosquito. How could she refine this whisk? However, using it to bolster her existence is indeed ingenious, no wonder she could evade the gaze of the netherworld ghost officials for thousands of years.”

Lu Chen sighed, “Ancient Yaoguang, nurturing all creation. Gui Lingxiang had the right intentions, pity she was burdened with such profligate offspring.”

Gui Lingxiang, the founding patriarch of Celestial Hairpin City, possessed exceptional talent for cultivation, yet she had no ambition. It seemed her lifelong cultivation was solely to bring Celestial Hairpin City closer to the heavens.

It was not until the second generation city lord, the old crone Qionge who retreated to the netherworld at the first sign of trouble, that relations began with Wildlands major sects like Crescent Moon Mountain. But Qionge still scrupulously obeyed her master’s orders, refraining from touching the ancestral blessed land containing a fallen star. It was only when Celestial Hairpin City was passed on to Wuti that change began, largely due to Wuti’s selfish desires, to benefit his own cultivation and break through the immortal realm bottleneck faster, he began forging weapons and selling them to mountain sects, amassing vast wealth. When Xuanpu took over Celestial Hairpin City, things were completely different. A blessed land named Yaoguang by the founder Gui Lingxiang was exploited and managed to the fullest extent, beginning trade with various dynasties. Most despicably, Xuanpu was fond of selling magical treasures and weapons to neighboring kingdoms at the same time. However, Xuanpu single-handedly cemented Celestial Hairpin City’s detached status in the Wildlands.

Wuti finally asked the question that burned in his mind, “Who are you?”

The last time he appeared, Wuti had joined forces with his master Qionge to deal with the overbearing Mountain Moving Ancestor, barely escaping with a combination of fighting, pleading, and bribery.

Therefore, Wuti was completely ignorant of the current situation in the Wildlands.

Chen Pingan smiled, “The final Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

“No wonder.”

Wuti nodded, “Then you are even more formidable than Xiao Xun back then.”

This Ascension Realm ghost quickly added, “But Xiao Xun was quite young then.”

Chen Pingan smiled.

Wuti couldn’t resist asking, “How long have you been cultivating? I knew you didn’t look like a true Daoist. Since you’re a native swordsman from the Sword Qi Great Wall, you surely don’t have that rule of monks not speaking their names, and Daoists not speaking their lifespans.”

Chen Pingan said, “Less than a thousand years.”

Wuti praised without end, giving the junior cultivator a thumbs up, sincerely saying, “A prodigy of heaven.”

The Wildlands acknowledged nothing but realms.

Chen Pingan said, “Just past forty.”

Wuti was stunned, then waved his hand, “There’s a limit to how far you can stretch a joke.”

In the desolate and silent netherworld, finding a living person to chat with was harder than ascending to heaven. Moreover, any ghost wandering there, regardless of its realm, absolutely did not want to encounter a living person. Human cultivators who could traverse the netherworld underworld were not to be trifled with. Each one was more troublesome than the last.

Wuti still failed to locate Silver Deer, and could only resign himself to fate, praying that the re-transmitted disciple did not know the ancestral hall’s descending essence method. Otherwise, no matter how amicable their conversation seemed at the moment, Wuti could guarantee that if given the chance, they would instantly clash, leading to a life-or-death struggle. The old cultivator glanced north, “Right, one last question, how is Dong Sangeng doing?”

Arriving as a Golden Core, departing as an Ascension.

This was an unprecedented feat in the ten-thousand-year history of the Sword Qi Great Wall. A Golden Core swordsman treated the Wildlands as his sword-honing ground. Not only did he return alive to the Sword Qi Great Wall, but Dong Sangeng also brought back the head of an Ascension Realm great demon!

Chen Pingan pointed to the sky, “Don’t you feel something is missing?”

Wuti glanced at the sky and realized that there were only two bright moons.

That damned Dong Sangeng was definitely capable of such a thing.

Behind Wuti, in the ruins of the ancestral hall, was the true form of the Ascension Realm cultivator Xuanpu, a crimson-black serpent.

The Summer Retreat Palace had no records of this matter. It was the Third Headmaster of White Jade Capital who possessed extensive knowledge and revealed the secret to Chen Pingan, “Ancient Xuan Serpent, body like a long rope, suspended in the sky, the Great Dao boundless, connecting heaven and earth.”

“So this old senior Xuanpu, and the incense offerings of Celestial Hairpin City, are naturally aligned with the Great Dao. Being the city lord is his inescapable duty! Xuanpu, Xuanpu, he truly transformed Celestial Hairpin City into a place of scenic beauty. The Daoist title is fitting, much better than Ye Pu’s pretentious ‘Solitary Step’, who knew Xuanpu was such an honest fellow.”

Chen Pingan asked in his mind, “Isn’t Xuanpu’s true form a little short?”

Although coiled in circles in the ruins of the ancestral hall, it was at most only a thousand zhang long.

According to the agreement, any great demon slain in the Wildlands, Chen Pingan would hand over to the punishment official, Hao Su.
Lu Chen chuckled, “The vital essence is lost, devoured to satiety by Wu Ti. What remains is merely this physical husk, a shell in name only, much like a snake’s molted skin. However, Wu Ti is shrewd enough not to break our agreement; it promised to leave you with a demon core from an Ascendant Realm demon.”

Chen Ping’an was rather puzzled. With a flick of his sleeve, he stowed the dark serpent away into his pouch, unable to resist asking, “Can Wu Ti’s gains in the Yang realm be used to nourish its true form in the Yin realm? Its false existence should have no path to follow. Could it be that Wu Ti is not bound by the Great Dao’s rules of separation between the realms of the living and the dead?”

Lu Chen replied with a cheerful smile, “Heaven never seals off all paths; there’s always a hidden way.”

Seeing that Wu Ti’s form was already flickering, showing signs of dissipating, Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “As a ghost immortal on the path of the netherworld, have you ever heard of a Haoran cultivator named Zhong Kui?”

Wu Ti’s heartstrings tightened, revealing a subtle change in expression that even a seasoned old ghost of the Ascendant Realm couldn’t conceal.

It was clear that Wu Ti had not only heard of Zhong Kui, but the name was etched deeply into its memory.

Wu Ti, no longer bothering to salvage or conceal anything, curled its lip and said directly, “In our domain, that name rings like thunder.”

Chen Ping’an smiled faintly, “Have you ever crossed paths with Zhong Kui?”

Wu Ti sneered, “If I had, would I still be here, chatting idly with the Hidden Official?”

From beginning to end, Wu Ti avoided uttering the name “Zhong Kui.”

According to Lu Chen, Earth Immortals are half-celestial beings, refining their forms to dwell in the world, attaining immortality. Ghost cultivators achieving Dao, known as ghost immortals, are considered inferior, beings who have abandoned their Yang spirit, leaving only their Yin spirit. They still haven’t proven the Great Dao, thus their divine image is unclear, their names absent from the Three Mountains, and though they escape reincarnation, they cannot ascend to the Green Registers, wandering aimlessly, never finding their final rest. Especially those ghost immortals who choose to remain on the path of the netherworld are seen as rebellious individuals, prime targets for capture by ghost messengers and judges patrolling the boundaries of the netherworld. Chen Ping’an knew all of this before, but Lu Chen calling them foolishly stubborn beings sounded rather strange. Lu Chen kept the origins of the Great Dao vague, only saying it was the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis Gentleman whom they burn incense to respect. He rarely reveals himself, or else any transgression of celestial law by ghost immortals would be met with instant execution. Why?

The Three Mountains and Nine Marquis Gentleman had long ago erected a monument in a place of cultivation, proclaiming to the netherworld: In the Peaceful Universe, foolish stubbornness is cut down.

Before Wu Ti’s form dissipated, it said, “I hope we never meet again.”

Chen Ping’an, holding his horsetail whisk, swayed it gently and smiled, “Fate will decide.”

Once Wu Ti had completely vanished, Lu Chen leaned over the lotus petals, staring fixedly at the horsetail whisk in Chen Ping’an’s hand, and said, “This poor Daoist is willing to purchase this item for a hefty price.”

Chen Ping’an stowed the horsetail whisk into his sleeve, “Easy to discuss. As long as the price is right, we can talk.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen flipped over, lying down in the Daoist temple, crossing his legs, indicating that there was no deal to be made.

Chen Ping’an reminded him, “Don’t forget about the newly appointed city lord.”

Lu Chen replied, “Coming, coming.”

That immortal Silver Deer was yanked out from a secret mountain-water realm and slammed heavily onto the ancestral hall ruins.

Silver Deer saw the Daoist with his hands in his sleeves, smiling, and said, “Come, continue to open the doors to welcome guests.”

In the first mountain market of this Three Mountains Talisman, in the Cloud Pattern Dynasty, Lu Zhi heard that she could stay here for a full incense stick’s worth of time, and her eyes immediately sparkled, staring fixedly at the Jade Tablet City, which had lost one of its sword formations.

Lu Zhi, holding her twin swords, Southern Darkness and Ease, her sword intent manifesting two different phenomena, stood in the center of the Celestial Pool, with a blue fish swimming in the void. “Then it’s the old rules: I’ll be responsible for drawing my sword and cutting people, you block the roads and find money. We each take forty percent, leaving two percent for Chen Ping’an.”

Qi Tingji smiled and nodded.

When did it become “the old rules”?

However, when the two of them flew into the city on their swords, unhindered and unobstructed, without even activating the city’s protective formation, Qi Tingji was greatly surprised.

Wasn’t there a Ye Pu who had just entered the Ascendant Realm? And there seemed to be a woman who was a martial artist at the Acumen Realm.

Lu Zhi said, “Could it be that Chen Ping’an only left us scraps?”

Qi Tingji smiled, “Surely not.”

In fact, Ye Pu had already taken White Blade far away from Jade Tablet City, taking with him all sorts of treasures, anything that was easy to carry, and fleeing in panic.

The mountain market located between Jade Tablet City and Immortal Hairpin City was a place called Spring Brook Mountain, where the spring mountains were lush and green, the spring waters flowed, with a saying that peach and plum trees marry the spring breeze.

Ning Yao stayed here for a long time, strolling along the way, as if determined to use up a full incense stick’s worth of time. Similar to the previous Majestic Mountain, as long as no one provoked her, she was simply here to tour the scenery. Finally, Ning Yao stopped by a stream and saw a Buddhist saying on the inscription: “Facing the white blade, it is like cutting the spring breeze.”

Ning Yao was stunned for a long time, then turned back and saw Qi Tingji and Lu Zhi, finding that Lu Zhi seemed to be in a good mood, showing a rare smile.

Ning Yao waited for the two of them to offer incense before going together to Immortal Hairpin City.

Appearing in the Immortal Hairpin City territory, Qi Tingji reached out and rubbed his brow, “I knew that this would be the outcome, but seeing it with my own eyes, I still…”

Lu Zhi nodded, “Indeed, when it comes to picking up money, the two of us aren’t enough combined. We’re really just picking up leftovers.”

By the time they arrived at the ancestral hall ruins of Immortal Hairpin City, Chen Ping’an had already dealt with the immortal Silver Deer, who had only been city lord for a short time, and obtained the Jade Radiance Blessed Land.

Handing Ning Yao and the others the last Three Mountains Talisman, Chen Ping’an smiled, “I might be lazy and find a place in the Spirit Spring Sect to have a drink. After you’re done here, you can wait for me near the River of Uncertainty.”

Ning Yao nodded and took the talisman to travel far away.

Back in the Sword Qi Great Wall, she had developed the habit of letting Chen Ping’an drink alone.

Lu Zhi asked, “Are there any more leftovers to pick up here?”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Of course. Although there’s no time limit, you should still try to set off within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.”

Qi Tingji said, “Lu Zhi, how about we split up?”

Lu Zhi said, “Your cultivation level is higher, so travel a little further and go to the Half-broken Immortal Hairpin City.”

Qi Tingji turned into a rainbow of sword light in an instant, heading towards that place.

Chen Ping’an teased, “Not bad, so familiar with the route?”

Lu Zhi grinned, “Who wouldn’t be attentive when it comes to bending over to pick up money? Only a fool wouldn’t.”

Three Three Mountains Talismans were almost equivalent to traveling half the Savage World.
White Flower City, site of an ancient battlefield, lofty mountains and green hills.

Jade Plate City of the Cloud Pattern Dynasty, Spring Creek Mountain, Immortal Hairpin City.

Wine Spring Sect, River of Unrest, Moon Bearing Mountain.

It seems that Chen Ping’an is intentionally or unintentionally relaxing a certain heartstring, with measured looseness. Each Mountain Talisman contains a mountain city, just for relaxation, to take in the scenery.

Near the Wine Spring Sect’s mountain city, after Ning Yao paid her respects with incense, she continued her travels with the talisman.

Chen Ping’an lifted his eyes and gazed into the distance, finding a large city built near the Wine Spring Sect’s gate. Though separated by over a thousand *li* of mountains and rivers, he could almost smell the fragrance of wine emanating from there.

Chen Ping’an habitually squatted down, took a pinch of earth, and lightly rubbed it between his fingers, laughing, “A Liang once said that the Wilderness World also has chivalry, and that among the demon cultivators, there are heroes who are more human than humans. He specifically mentioned the wine here, saying that if he ever had the chance to travel to the heart of the Wilderness, he would definitely come here for a drink.”

Lu Chen smiled, “There are no small matters in the world, the true spirits of heaven and earth, who dares to belittle them? The so-called mountain people are nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs, they don’t bark when people come, and they won’t leave even if you hit them with a stick.”

Afterward, Chen Ping’an concealed his aura, taking a single step to shrink a thousand *li* of earth veins, arriving at the city right under the nose of the Wine Spring Sect. He randomly chose a wine shop in an alley, which was doing brisk business. However, the Wine Spring Sect cultivators were known for disliking fighting. Moreover, in matters of fighting, they were indeed no match for other cultivators. The sect master was an old Immortal realm cultivator who had been unable to break through for a long time. When he occasionally went out, he adhered to one principle: give out wine as soon as you meet someone.

Within the city, there were many demon cultivators, and Chen Ping’an did not appear out of place. Moreover, he had cast an illusion, intentionally concealing his longsword Night Wanderer and his Daoist coronet.

Chen Ping’an ordered three jars of the shop’s signature brew and a few dishes to accompany the wine from the wine shopkeeper. He found a table and sat down alone, poured a bowl of wine, raised the white bowl, lowered his head to sniff, and narrowed his eyes. It was truly good wine. The key was that it was cheap, a bargain. Just one snowflake coin could take away three jars.

Lu Chen tentatively asked, “Can I appear and drink a bowl?”

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Lu Chen then appeared in the wine shop as a mustard seed of the mind, no different from the young Daoist who used to run a stall in the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven, still with his poor and shabby air.

Moreover, there were several cultivators in the wine shop, but they were completely unaware of Lu Chen’s sudden appearance. To be precise, it was as if this young Daoist had been in the wine shop all along.

Two demon cultivators whose forms were not yet fully refined wanted to share the table. Lu Chen slapped the table with his palm, “Does this Daoist look like the kind who would drink at the same table as others?”

Chen Ping’an was too lazy to bother with these things. He asked the wine shop for another bowl, poured a bowl of wine for Lu Chen, and asked with a smile, “What is the most heartbreaking thing to steal?”

Lu Chen sat cross-legged on the long bench, raised the wine bowl with both hands, took a sip of wine, his face filled with a look of intoxication, and shook his head, “Of course, it’s stealing wine to drink.”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but recall the events of his hometown in those years. This Third Headmaster of White Jade Capital, under the guise of reading palms for people, had often taken advantage of the women of the small town.

The old folk don’t concern themselves with worldly affairs, but rejoice that the fields are gradually ready for plowing.

In the old days, the Li Zhu Grotto-Heaven was filled with the wealth of flowers and the spirit of plants.

Both sides had their own thoughts, just silently drinking wine.

Chen Ping’an drank a bowl of wine, and Lu Chen’s wine bowl was almost empty, so he poured two more bowls.

Lu Chen said a thank you, glanced at the sky, and slowly said, “Hao Su is also a pitiful person.”

Chen Ping’an remained noncommittal.

Lu Chen said, “Of course, pitiful people must have hateful aspects. However, the most hateful thing is that all the hatred in the world added together seems to be less than Hao Su’s own hatred for himself. In this way, the dead knot becomes truly unsolvable.”

In those days, he was a spirited and overbearing youth.

Hao Su once vowed to open up a true path to heaven for the people of his hometown world, wielding his sword.

Unexpectedly, in the end, this man was just sitting alone within the prison of the Sword Qi Great Wall, bearing the title of Warden, drinking alone, the years passing by, only seeing the full moon a few more times.

Warden Hao Su, one of his natal flying swords, was named *Chan Juan*. A thousand *li* share the same moon, frost on the earth in the human world.

In his hometown, a medium blessed land located in Floating Cloud Continent, a Golden Core cultivator was already a bottleneck on the Great Dao, yet Hao Su had directly ascended to the Nascent Soul stage.

Therefore, in his hometown world, as long as Hao Su was willing, if he wasn’t in a hurry to leave, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to single-handedly cut his way through the world. Even if there were signs in the blessed land that there was a heaven beyond heaven and people beyond people, the spirited young Hao Su was still bold and unrestrained, believing that his swordsmanship was definitely not inferior to those so-called outsiders.

And the reason why Hao Su’s ascent from the blessed land caused such a stir, attracting the covetous gazes of many Vast Sky Immortals, was precisely because the natal divine ability of Hao Su’s natal flying sword was too “flaunting,” drawing moonlight to descend upon the human world.

The cultivators above the fifth realm in a continent all perceived that phenomenon because, in broad daylight, a beam of incomparably brilliant moonlight actually descended. Otherwise, the “ascension” of a blessed land cultivator to the Vast Sky World, even a native cultivator of a high-grade blessed land, would not have caused such conspicuous signs or auspicious omens of heavenly resonance, let alone be immediately pinpointed by a great cultivator.

This was also why Hao Su, after hiding in the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land for many years, had quietly left the Central Earth Divine Continent to rush to the Sword Qi Great Wall. In fact, Hao Su really wanted to go to the Wilderness World, to occupy one of the moons and take the opportunity to refine his natal flying sword, which was naturally compatible with his Great Dao. As for the matter of killing demons, this most unworthy Warden in the history of the Sword Qi Great Wall had never been interested.

All he thought about was revenge.

Many times, just one carelessness will teach people to drink a lifetime of sullen wine, unable to drown or resist the word “regret”.

Chen Ping’an, while drinking wine, said without reason, “One who is inwardly complete in virtue does not outwardly display their actions.”

Lu Chen smiled knowingly, “The Dao is not in the five forms or the physical body, this is one of the essential points of the Inner Chapter, The Sign of Complete Virtue. Chen Ping’an, you’re quite something, secretly admiring my learning. There’s no need to hide it.”

Chen Ping’an raised his wine bowl towards Lu Chen, and Lu Chen quickly raised his buttocks, touching his bowl lightly against his.
Afterward, Chen Ping’an slowly said, “During my travels in Beiming Continent in the past, I encountered things I didn’t understand at the time. For instance, some monks in temples seemed far removed from Buddhist teachings despite their years of vegetarianism and chanting. They vied for fame and fortune, bribing officials to secure residence in grand temples and acquire more titles. Fellow disciples within the same temple would remain estranged until death. I witnessed and heard these things firsthand, and even the local populace held them in low regard, yet they still burned incense.”

“It wasn’t until later that I read a certain passage in a book that made many things click. Perhaps true cultivators—and I don’t mean those registered celestial masters, but rather those who genuinely dwell among mortals, having nothing to do with celestial arts—cultivation is truly just about cultivating the heart, without exerting force. I think, for example, if I were a mortal scholar who frequently visited temples to burn incense every month on the first and fifteenth, year after year, and then one day I encountered a monk on the road, his pace gentle, his expression serene, you couldn’t discern the depth of his Buddhist practice or the height of his knowledge. He would lower his head, clasp his hands in greeting, and then we would pass each other by. Perhaps the next time we met, we wouldn’t even remember having seen each other before. He would pass away, attain enlightenment, leave, and we would simply continue burning incense.”

“I once took Xiao Mili to a temple to burn incense and felt like we’d gone the wrong way, so I asked a monk for directions. The monk said we were mistaken and pointed us in the right direction before turning and going his own way. At the time, Xiao Mili complained a bit, saying he didn’t even bother to lead us part of the way. I didn’t say anything then, but I thought to myself that if I were the one giving directions, I might ask if they needed company. Looking back, perhaps it was I who lacked the so-called wisdom root of Buddhism.”

Lu Chen didn’t interrupt, simply listening to Chen Ping’an’s soliloquy.

In truth, as long as Chen Ping’an didn’t deliberately conceal it, Lu Chen could hear and see his innermost thoughts, words, and mental images more clearly than anyone else.

For example, right now, Chen Ping’an was just drinking, no longer speaking, but Lu Chen seemed to see a series of landscape paintings unfolding: near Lotus Flower Blessed Land, there was a Mind Aspect Temple, within which was an elderly abbot who didn’t like to speak profound Buddhist teachings, but only ordinary words. There was a disciple who was to inherit the abbot’s position, and a lazy but kind-hearted young novice… In Azure Phoenix Country of Precious Bottle Continent, there was a White Cloud Temple with a middle-aged abbot who loved to read to the point of harming his eyesight, and a young Daoist acolyte who swept the courtyard every day, worrying about firewood, rice, oil, and salt. Because the branches of the trees in the temple often snagged kites, the parents of the children would block the entrance and scold, but even with the scolding, it seemed no real harmony was broken…

Lu Chen softly said, “The ancients said that the task of proofreading books is like sweeping fallen leaves, the more you sweep, the more there are.”

Chen Ping’an had unknowingly finished the wine in his bowl. He glanced at Lu Chen, who smiled and said, “I have more, so no need to pour me wine.”

“We may not believe in Buddhism or Daoism, we may not burn incense or worship Bodhisattvas, but we should believe in everything that can bring peace to our hearts.”

“Buddhist scriptures clearly tell the world that worshipping the Buddha is worshipping oneself, because the mind is the Buddha, all beings possess Buddha-nature, the Buddha is the enlightened one, and humans are Buddhas yet to be awakened.”

“I understand the principle, but I just can’t do it. I feel like I’m asking the Buddha and Bodhisattvas for something, I’m making wishes.”

After saying these words, Chen Ping’an stopped speaking, and even stopped his mental wanderings. He took a deep breath, finished the third bowl of wine in one gulp, and put the remaining two jars of wine into his sleeve.

Lu Chen said, “Leaving now?”

In truth, he was a little panicked at this moment, feeling that after Chen Ping’an said all these heartfelt words, he might do something near that ever-changing river.

Chen Ping’an nodded.

Lu Chen blinked, his face full of curiosity, and asked, “Why not try to drag that bright moon towards the Vast Expanse or even the Five Colors World? That’s called keeping the good fortune within the family. Why give such a great benefit to your Azure Vault World for nothing?”

Chen Ping’an glanced at him. “Sect Leader Lu is asking the obvious question, which is meaningless. Remember to calculate the wine money for me later.”

If he could successfully drag a bright moon, he could deprive the Barren World of a share of celestial fortune.

He could find a place for Hao Su to cultivate. Lu Chen was originally the guide for Hao Su to go to the Azure Vault World.

At the same time, it would be Chen Ping’an returning a favor to the Dao Ancestor.

As for how the Azure Vault World and White Jade Capital would place this extra moon, Chen Ping’an wouldn’t care.

Moreover, when he traveled to the Azure Vault World in the future, this merit would reduce the pressure of the Great Dao, even if he carried the true name of a great demon.

It could also disrupt the Heavenly Order of the Barren World from the Azure Vault World.

Five benefits in one fell swoop.

Don’t look at this Third Master of White Jade Capital, who has been wearing a resentful expression and complaining all the way, as if he’s been led by the nose by Chen Ping’an, but this Third Master of White Jade Capital is the real master of doing business.

Lu Chen returned to the Lotus Flower Dojo, and Chen Ping’an once again used the talisman for distant travel.

Perhaps due to the Great Dao’s affinity for water, Chen Ping’an felt a surge of water energy.

This Ever-Changing River, which was tens of miles wide, was only one of the hundreds of tributaries of the Flowing Down River.

Chen Ping’an offered incense.

Once again, a Daoist Dharma Idol appeared, but it was not eight thousand zhang tall, but nine thousand zhang. The Dharma Idol stepped out, stepping into the Ever-Changing River, stirring up monstrous waves. The Dharma Idol grew another thousand zhang taller.

The ten thousand zhang Dharma Idol stood between heaven and earth, raised its palm, and with a grasp, directly pulled the Ever-Changing River from the earth. Then, it pulled up one tributary of the Flowing Down River after another from the distance.

Chen Ping’an simply lifted up more than three hundred rivers, twisting them into a long rope of water energy. Finally, the ten thousand zhang Dharma Idol leaned backward, shrinking mountains and rivers for tens of thousands of miles, to the point that the entire Flowing Down River left its riverbed, the great water suspended in the air, pulled away in a tug-of-war.