Chen Ping’an stood on the strand of spider silk that bridged the two bright moons, stepping back before plummeting straight down, chasing after the ancient great demon who had proactively retreated from the battlefield.

At the same time, he reached out and tugged, gathering the strand of spider silk, which its master hadn’t had time to retrieve, into his sleeve. With Lu Chen around, there was no need to worry about any repercussions.

Chen Ping’an glanced at the doorway. Just beyond it lay the Azure Vault World, a place brimming with Daoist energy and boundless phenomena, where a large group of peak Daoists seemed to be gathering.

Bai Ze and the Sage of Rites, once comrades in arms and kindred spirits of millennia standing, now showed no mercy in their respective actions, both vying for the moon about to be moved out of the Wilderness World. One blocked the four sword cultivators who were collectively dragging the moon, while the other blocked Bai Ze’s obstruction, leading to a chaotic battle that disrupted the very heavens.

Both had been Great Daoists of the Fourteenth Realm millennia ago and had deliberately chosen to forgo the Fifteenth Realm for the sake of their respective Great Daos.

One manifested a white-robed Dharma Body, ancient and desolate, while the other manifested a Confucian-robed Dharma Body, filled with righteous aura.

Each thread of latitude and longitude on the Sage of Rites’ Confucian robe represented a “rule” of the Vast Expanse World.

Upon closer inspection, the “Bai Ze Dharma Body” was formed by the gathering of countless true names of the demon race.

Therefore, each time the Dharma Bodies shattered, it was a veritable earth-shattering event, a clash of the Great Daos.

Lu Chen finally seized a fleeting opportunity, plucked a page of Daoist scripture from his sleeve, chanted an incantation, and then tossed out a self-created talisman wreathed in purple aura. Through the doorway connecting the two worlds, he sent it to Jade Capital to report the good news to his Second Brother, urging him to lead Jade Capital cultivators to receive the moon as soon as possible, securing it early. Then, he would immediately close the door, otherwise, if Bai Ze went berserk and directly shifted the battlefield to the Azure Vault World, shattering the moon with a single punch, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Given Bai Ze’s realm and cultivation, even in the Azure Vault World, his senior brother Yu Dou, even if he wore his Dharma Robe and wielded his immortal sword, would be destined to fail in keeping him there. Firstly, the Great Dao suppression exerted by the Sage of Rites in the Azure Vault World would be unimaginable, even more pronounced than if the Supreme Sage had gone there. Secondly, Lu Chen knew his senior brother’s temper best; he would absolutely refuse to join forces with anyone against an enemy. Especially considering Bai Ze’s method of Dao harmonization, whether injured severely or not made little difference. As long as Bai Ze returned to the Wilderness World, given his true body’s resilience and his profound understanding of the world’s many Daoist arts, he would quickly recover his battle strength.

After all, not just anyone could guide Scarlet Consort in the art of water manipulation.

The withered old man who had awakened from his deep slumber at the bottom of the Moon Palace ruins transformed into the appearance of a middle-aged man in just a few breaths during his descent, and was still in a mystical state akin to the Daoist concept of returning to one’s origins. Undoubtedly, he would soon transform into a youthful appearance, and this change was not a mere illusion but an unstoppable manifestation of the Great Dao.

This peak Ascension Realm great demon plummeted straight towards the earth.

Unexpectedly, he was pursued by that fellow wearing a lotus crown.

The great demon, with a long sword wrapped around his back, felt a slight stirring in his heart. After quickly weighing the pros and cons, he abandoned the impulse to draw his sword and strike.

With only a few dozen yards separating them, two beams of sword energy simultaneously crashed into the barren earth, creating a thunderous roar.

The great demon asked in ancient Wilderness tongue, “Aren’t you going to help that little scholar?”

Unexpectedly, the human cultivator replied with a perfectly fluent ancient Wilderness tongue, smiling, “Didn’t you refrain from aiding Mr. Bai?”

The peak great demon, now in his youth, was slightly surprised, “Could it be that I misjudged you? Are you not human?”

What young human cultivator would be idle enough to delve into ancient Wilderness languages?

Furthermore, there was indeed a faint, ethereal, familiar aura about this cultivator.

Seeing the man smile without speaking, the ancient great demon asked, “Why are you following me?”

The man was honest, “To see if I can take advantage of your unstable realm, before you truly return to your peak, and find an opportunity to eliminate you.”

A net hung in the void, giving rise to a hundred billion strands of killing intent.

Most suitable for those battlefields where one holds a geographical advantage. As long as a lair is built deep underground in advance, capable of “obstructing small insects from flying,” this Ascension Realm great demon is simply the most terrifying formation master for lower-to-mid-level Fifth Realm human cultivators who deliver themselves into his web, as well as mountain armies like the Iron Cavalry of Great Li.

What’s more, this ancient great demon is also a peak sword cultivator carrying a certain or even several ancient Sword Daos.

The great demon chuckled in spite of himself.

Are young cultivators nowadays all so advanced in their realms, so short-tempered, and so direct in their speech?

Compared to the previous few, this sword cultivator was even stranger, if only regarding age. The mountain and river phenomena within his microcosm, calculated by “years of age,” were clearly less than fifty, but if calculated by a certain age-ring shaped by the river of time, this sword cultivator was still not old, but had at least three hundred years of cultivation. However, occasionally, he would reveal a Dao age of four or five thousand years.

Looking at the young sword cultivator with his hands clasped in his sleeves, the great demon sneered, “Don’t try to bluff me here. If you truly had the ability, with a fifty percent chance of success, you would have already drawn your sword.”

Chen Ping’an smiled, “Then shall we try?”

For no reason, the great demon thought of his Dao companion, that little vixen, who drew her sword with such ruthlessness.

Perhaps it’s better not to try.

There’s no need.

The real reason was that the fellow had intentionally or unintentionally glanced at the ground, as if he had seen through his intentions. Once his feet touched the ground, he would create a heaven-and-earth formation, a net spread across the sky and ground.

Within his own territory, he could call for a few helpers and fight a Fourteenth Realm cultivator. Even if the odds were not in his favor, he would strip off a layer of their skin, such as notifying Mount Supporting Moon…

Damn it, where did Mount Supporting Moon go?

Could it be that the Vast Expanse World has already advanced to Mount Supporting Moon?

Looking around, the human’s troop deployments didn’t seem like it at all.

The great demon instantly felt a chill in his heart, quickly weighing the pros and cons. It would be more prudent to first gather the demon kin and monstrous creatures of his former six caves, eat and drink to his fill, restore his peak, and then seek a sword duel with the human. He just didn’t know, after ten thousand years, whether his disciples and grandchildren had branched out in the Wilderness World.

Why had so many unexpected things happened since Bai Ze awakened him this time? Would it ever end?

The great demon looked quite helpless and became even more determined to restrain his temper, resolving to avoid trouble as much as possible. So, he said straightforwardly, “Tell me, what would it take for us to go our separate ways?”
The concept of “face” truly holds little importance.

Back then, arcane arts descended like rain upon the mortal realm. Whether it was the demon race or the human race, only those who obtained great fortune could ascend mountains and cultivate.

Yet, compared to Bai Ze, Rising Sun, and their cohort of demon cultivators, it was a latecomer to cultivation, and its aptitude was ordinary. The chance to practice swordsmanship was something it had begged and pleaded for, prostrating itself before a supreme being.

Lu Chen sensed a change in Chen Pingan’s state of mind and felt compelled to warn him, “Don’t actually start fighting. With the Rite Master here fighting Bai Ze, you’ll be at a disadvantage.”

Chen Pingan replied in his heart, “I know my limits.”

Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Pingan smiled and said, “That sword in your hand looks quite good.”

Previously, the essence of a round, pure moonlight had been condensed into a longsword by this peak Great Demon, using a secret technique.

The Great Demon twirled the sword behind him, causing moonlight to shimmer, “Say the word, and I’ll give it to you.”

Chen Pingan extended a hand from his sleeve, not to receive the sword, but to grasp the Night Wanderer behind his back.

The Great Demon nodded, finding it interesting.

Then, they both unleashed their swords with all their might, exchanging a single, decisive blow.

Each retreated several miles. The longsword in the Great Demon’s hand instantly shattered, transforming into a vast expanse of dense moonlight, as thick as liquid mercury.

The Great Demon’s form dissipated. A gigantic pit suddenly appeared on the earth. The demon race’s “young swordsman,” having returned to the mortal realm from the ruins of the moon, slightly bent his knee, straightened his back, and looked up at the human swordsman who hadn’t pursued him, as if to deeply engrave that face into his memory.

Chen Pingan waved his sleeve, collecting the moonlight into his pouch.

A flash of sword light, and he departed for the ruins of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The moment Chen Pingan’s feet touched the top of the wall, Lu Chen leaned back, lying within the lotus dojo. The Third Sect Leader of Jade Capital felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. “This poor Daoist no longer has to be on tenterhooks!”

It was more than just a year feeling like a day; it was like accomplishing a millennium’s worth of deeds in a single day.

He Shou descended from the sky, still adhering to the rules, hovering outside the wall, his feet not touching the ground. The old master carefully took out that ancient divine weapon, only daring to hold it loosely, never actually gripping the narrow blade. He gently pushed it towards the young Hidden Official, who had returned to the wall, covered in dust from his journey. “This blade is a weapon left behind after the Old Sword Immortal killed the god ‘Executioner’ with a single strike. The Old Sword Immortal instructed me to pass this blade on to you as a wedding gift for you and Sword Immortal Ning.”

Lu Chen, within the lotus dojo within his Daoist coronet, craned his neck, widened his eyes, and carefully examined the legendary weapon. This was undoubtedly a “divine weapon,” with a higher rank than even later-generation spiritual immortal weapons. It didn’t require refinement. As long as one could gain its recognition as its master, one could obtain one or even several primordial divine abilities.

He Shou reminded, “Hidden Official, be careful. This blade is extremely difficult to control.”

The narrow blade, named Slay Reckoning, exchanged from the extra-terrestrial demons, was once used on the Dragon Execution Platform.

Across the wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall, the two blades faced each other, signifying the difference between lord and subject.

The ancient high-ranking god, the Executioner, had said when he manifested, “Those fortunate enough to see this blade are unfortunate.”

Chen Pingan nodded, still unhesitatingly reaching out and grasping the hilt of the sheatheless long knife, with no oddity whatsoever. It was utterly docile.

The old master He Shou was quite ashamed. It was one thing for this divine spirit blade to not show any haughtiness when held by Chen Qingdu, but he didn’t expect it to be this…easy for the young Hidden Official to take over.

One had to know that during the period he temporarily managed this weapon, it had taken considerable effort just to suppress the many abnormalities caused by its pure divinity.

Lu Chen sighed inwardly.

It wasn’t just because Chen Pingan was related to that “One,” but also because the young Hidden Official was an End Realm martial artist, and possessed a mysterious and profound Dao resonance.

The entire Azure Billow Heaven, painstakingly collected, searched everywhere, not only from the shattered secret realms in the long rivers of time, but even as grand cultivators traveled beyond the heavens, using stars as ferry crossings, shifting stars and changing constellations, for a total of only eighteen divine weapon remnants. Among them, only two could be considered by Lu Chen to be of equal rank. One was in the Azure Cloud Pavilion of Jade Capital, sealed for thousands of years, a suit of armor, said to be one of the three forgeries of the armor worn by the Armored One.

And these three forgeries, in turn, gave rise to the three types of military armor pellets forged by later generations of military strategists, Meridian Armor, Golden Crow Armor, and Divine Nectar Armor. The Nectar Armor had eight “founding works” forged in one go. Among them, the broken and heavily restricted “Western Peak” was a bargain that Chen Pingan found in the Spirit Herb Chamber. The others were respectively Buddha Land, Flower Bud, Mountain Spirit, Water Immortal, Rainbow Clothes, and Cloud Sea, but most had been destroyed.

Back then, Lu Chen had originally planned to steal the armor from the Azure Cloud Pavilion and give it to his junior brother, but he failed, and was stopped by the pavilion lord, who then complained to his senior brother, Yu Dou.

Yu Dou wasn’t worried about this treasure, but believed that his junior brother was currently too low in cultivation and couldn’t control this treasure for the time being. At least he had to reach the immortal realm to offset the remaining divinity.

The other divine weapon was outside Jade Capital, in the hands of that Fourteenth Realm old woman with a terrible temper, which allowed the female Daoist to gain a “creator” divine ability, allowing her to forge half-immortal weapons and even immortal weapons on her own.

The other sixteen divine weapons were not held by the twelve high-ranking gods, and their rank was lower. One of them was Wu Shuangjiang’s narrow blade, Slay Reckoning, of the Year-end Palace. As a result, it was transferred to the Sword Qi Great Wall and obtained by Chen Pingan.

These types of divine weapons also had a strange feature: pure martial artists would find them very easy to use, with almost no aftereffects. On the other hand, Qi cultivators had to be extremely careful when holding treasures. Even if they were successfully refined by cultivators, they were still prone to rebellion. In the Azure Billow Heaven, there have been more than a dozen tragic events of this kind in history. The Dao heart of the cultivator was infiltrated and subtly changed without them realizing it, leading to drastic changes in personality.

The most tragic time was when a Ascending Realm grand cultivator, as if he had gone mad with cultivation, almost broke through the outer heaven barrier with his divine weapon, piercing the sky. It was the Great Sect Leader of Jade Capital who personally stepped in to patch up that huge hole, and stopped his junior brother Yu Dou, who was planning to travel far with his sword and chop off the cultivator’s head. He personally led the cultivator, who had almost made a big mistake, back to Jade Capital, followed him for hundreds of years, and finally restored his normal Dao heart. He even served as the lord of a city in Jade Capital.

And this Daoist official of Jade Capital was the previous city lord of the Divine Firmament City, and also the Daoist saint sitting in the sky above the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Therefore, White Jade Capital has been constantly monitoring the whereabouts and appearances of every divine weapon.

Chen Pingan suddenly asked via voice transmission, “That Dew Armor that Lingzhi Emporium in Upside-down Mountain couldn’t sell back then, was it intentionally leaked to me? Whose handiwork was it, Daoist Er? Doesn’t seem like it. Was it Zou Zi?”

Lu Chen sat upright in the Daoist courtyard, forming a hand seal, adopting a contemplative and silent posture.

Chen Pingan immediately understood. It was this guy who was always full and had nothing better to do.

Taking out the narrow saber, Zhan Kan, and adding the “Executioner,” Chen Pingan superimposed the two narrow sabers and hung them at his waist.

Squatting down, Chen Pingan gently retrieved the two wine gourds, two urns of ashes, one in each hand, suspending them outside the city wall. The wine gourds touched the wall lightly, and with a soft tap, both shattered, scattering with the wind.

Returning home.

After a long silence, Chen Pingan stood up and proactively smiled at He Shou, “Master He can just land on the city wall. The specific route for this journey to the depths of the desolate lands, we in Sword Qi Great Wall still need to report and record with the Literary Temple.”

He Shou nodded with a smile, grateful that this disciple of the Literary Sage was so understanding. Otherwise, he would have found it truly difficult to open his mouth. As the accompanying Sage enshrined here, inquiring about matters with five sword cultivators was reasonable, but not necessarily agreeable. But since Chen Pingan was willing to proactively mention it as the young Hidden Official, there was no problem whatsoever.

He Shou immediately called for a Confucian gentleman, and the two landed on the city wall together. The latter bowed to the young Hidden Official to express his gratitude.

Chen Pingan went straight to the point, “On this trip, we went to White Flower City in the desolate lands, the ancient battlefield ruins named ‘Dragon Pool,’ Great Mountain Green Mountain, Jade Tablet City of the Cloud Pattern Dynasty, Spring Stream Mountain, Hairpin City, Wine Spring Sect, Yiluo River, and Supporting Moon Mountain. A total of nine places.”

Chen Pingan raised his head, “If we add the bright moon ‘Radiant Color,’ that makes ten places.”

The Confucian gentleman had already taken out his brush and ink, recording each address one by one, increasingly shocked as he listened. Apart from Spring Stream Mountain, which was relatively unfamiliar, the gentleman was very familiar with the rest of the locations.

Especially Hairpin City, Yiluo River, and Supporting Moon Mountain… besides shocking the gentleman, they also felt absurd. If it weren’t for the fact that the person before him was the Last Generation Hidden Official of Sword Qi Great Wall, he would have couldn’t help but question the truth. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to believe it, but it was simply too unbelievable, making it hard to credit.

White Flower City, a desolate sect’s main mountain gate, was destroyed. Apart from the Immortal Realm sect master, who barely escaped with his life at the cost of losing his Yin spirit, the rest, an Upper Fifth Realm Law Enforcer and a terrestrial immortal demon cultivator, all perished.

After that, the Dragon Pool ancient battlefield was swept clean by sword light.

However, Chen Pingan did not forget to mention that the Literary Temple would still need to inquire about the specific war merits of these two places from Qi Tingji and the others afterward.

Old Master He sat cross-legged, squinting and stroking his beard with a smile, feeling utterly satisfied.

Hidden Official Chen Pingan, Ning Yao, Qi Tingji, Lu Zhi, and Execution Official Hao Su.

When these five Sword Qi Great Wall sword cultivators traveled together, they charged straight in like this, unstoppable.

Afterward, the young Hidden Official mentioned that Hairpin City, known as the tallest city in the world, was broken into two halves, and the Ancestral Hall was shattered.

Hearing this, He Shou laughed heartily.

The gentleman responsible for taking notes was stunned in place, to the point that he dared not write for a moment, and had to ask, “Hidden Official, Hairpin City was broken into two halves? May I ask a side question, how was it broken?”

Chen Pingan sat cross-legged, his fists originally lightly clenched, resting on his knees. Now, he smiled and raised his hands slightly.

The Confucian gentleman understood.

“The current city lord, the ascended old cultivator Xuanpu, is dead.”

Chen Pingan said, “Killed by Execution Official Hao Su.”

This ascended realm great demon, whose true form was an ancient black serpent, even had its demon core preserved.

Generally, being able to achieve this level in a one-on-one fight could only happen in a situation of overwhelming disparity in strength, where one side instantly killed the other, such as with an instantaneous flying sword strike.

Chen Pingan gave this war merit to Execution Official Hao Su according to the agreement, crediting it to his name, helping Hao Su atone for his crimes, fulfill his agreement with the Literary Temple of the Central Earth, and gain the freedom to travel to the Azure Heavens.

For Chen Pingan, Hao Su going to the Azure Heavens, ultimately bearing the title of Last Generation Execution Official, was a good thing. Yan Ming, Dong Huafu, and the other traveling sword cultivators were temporarily not at a high level, especially before reaching the Upper Fifth Realm. They needed a senior from their own side to protect them.

Moreover, Hao Su was the most nostalgic person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so obsessed with his hometown’s “Spirit of Refreshment Blessed Land,” as if his life’s sword practice was only for revenge.

Chen Pingan added, “Execution Official will hand over Xuanpu’s true form along with the demon core to the Literary Temple for verification.”

He Shou marveled, “What an Execution Official, silent until he makes a stunning move, making a great contribution for our Vast Land! If I have the chance, I must sincerely apologize to Hao Su. I had heard earlier that this man had beheaded Nan Guangzhao, which was nothing much, just repaying hatred with hatred. At the time, I just felt that a Sword Qi Great Wall Execution Official didn’t draw his sword even half a time during that battle, not even as good as an old deaf demon from a monster race. Only after returning to the Vast Land did he start acting fiercely, really not worthy of the title ‘Execution Official.’ So at the time, I suggested to Ritual Sage to throw this transgressive Hao Su into the Merit Forest, to accompany Liu Cha. One would be responsible for fishing, and the other for making a fire to cook. They would be better than immortal couples. Now it seems that I misunderstood Hao Su.”

Chen Pingan glanced at the moon, which was getting closer and closer to the gate, and said, “Hao Su may not personally hand over Xuanpu’s true form. He may ask Sect Master Qi to transfer it. I hope the Literary Temple will be accommodating.”

He Shou nodded, “These are all minor matters. I can agree to it here.”

Chen Pingan nodded lightly, then continued, “I also worked with Master Lu of White Jade Capital in Hairpin City to accomplish another matter, which was to take the Yao Guang Blessed Land into our possession. Master Lu will hand over the ‘Yao Guang Blessed Land’ to the Literary Temple before returning to the Azure Heavens, in exchange for three opportunities to return to the Vast Land in the future.”

In addition, Chen Pingan only briefly explained some of the processes, so that the Literary Temple could find opportunities to verify them.

Named “Yao Guang Blessed Land” by the founding master of Hairpin City, Gui Lingxiang, it was actually the root of Hairpin City being known as the “World’s Arsenal” by the desolate lands.

Without this superior blessed land, Hairpin City would be completely deprived of its source of weapon forging.
The Celestial Master Lu no longer cared about those invaluable Three Mountains Talismans, Moon-Soaring Talismans, and Sword-Cleansing Talismans.

“These are mere trinkets,” he thought. “As a cultivator who claims to be a humble Daoist daily, why fuss over these meager treasures of heaven and earth, these immortal coins?”

He Shouchou cleared his throat and gently patted the arm of the gentleman holding the brush, speaking with earnest sincerity, “The collaborative effort between the Hidden Official and Celestial Master Lu in obtaining the ‘Jade Splendor Blessed Land’ must be documented with utmost honesty regarding the division of labor and significance.”

The gentleman immediately grasped the meaning, his brush dancing across the parchment, weaving a tale of seamless logic and airtight completeness.

Lu Chen didn’t mind this at all, though he couldn’t quite understand it. According to the intelligence from White Jade Capital, this Master He was a notoriously inflexible old fogey, practically a “pedantic scholar” in the eyes of many.

Chen Ping’an glossed over the battle at the曳落 River, simply stating that it was a tug-of-war where he forcibly seized thirty percent of the water fortune from the former queen consort.

Chen Ping’an inquired, “Master He, do you enjoy wine?”

He Shouchou chuckled, “Does the Hidden Official not know of this?”

Chen Ping’an paused, somewhat bewildered. “Why would I need to know that?”

He Shouchou laughed heartily and extended his hand. “This old man has abstained from wine for many years, but today, I shall make an exception.”

This old master could drink, but he truly disliked it. Even the Old Tutor couldn’t persuade him to indulge back in the day.

What truly pleased He Shouchou was the fact that this last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall was utterly ignorant of trivial matters concerning the so-called attendant sages who “ate cold pork head.”

This implied that this young Hidden Official, whose relationship with the Wen Temple was so delicate that no one truly considered him a Confucian scholar, held an attitude towards the Wen Temple, especially the lineage of the Second Sage, that, if not exactly friendly, was at least not resentful. Otherwise, given Chen Ping’an’s style during his tenure as the young Hidden Official, he would have thoroughly investigated the background of every academy, school, and sage mountain leader.

Chen Ping’an smiled and presented the seasoned old master with a flask of wine from his own wine shop, the Green Divinity Mountain brew.

Lu Chen asked telepathically, “What about that senior?”

Earlier, during their moonward journey with the talismans, the long sword that had arrived from beyond the heavens had vanished without a trace, even Lu Chen had lost track of it.

Chen Ping’an replied in his mind, offering a non-answer, “Didn’t I say before that that connection of the mind had already been severed by Senior Brother Cui?”

Lu Chen then inquired, “Where is the other you in Treasure Bottle Continent?”

Chen Ping’an responded, “He’s already home, just arrived at Riding Dragon Lane. While his cultivation is still present, he’s going to ascertain whether Celestial Master Lu left any hidden schemes within Shi Rou.”

Lu Chen lamented, “I am not a person who harbors malice. Besides, are you not well aware of how skilled your student is in matters of the soul?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “It is always wise to be cautious.”

In Riding Dragon Lane, there were two shops, one named Caotou (Grass Head) and the other Yasui (Suppress Evil).

Caotou, a wild vegetable commonly found in Chen Ping’an’s hometown, also known as golden flower vegetable. According to ancient texts, its seedlings flourished in the second month, blooming with tiny yellow flowers in summer and autumn, with leaves shaped like inverted hearts and spiral-shaped seeds.

As for Yasui, the term held even more auspicious connotations, a homophone for suppressing evil, signifying peace under heaven, dispelling misfortune, and ensuring safety.

This was one of the reasons Chen Ping’an had purchased the two shops without hesitation. Of course, the more significant reason was that it allowed him to own two properties for a modest price.

Lu Chen tentatively suggested, “For the upcoming battle at Toriyama Mountain, how about I explain the details? You can take a breather and prepare for the cultivation drop.”

Having spent many years peddling his wares in the Azure Billow Grotto-Heaven, Lu Chen believed he had a way with words.

Chen Ping’an nodded.

A strand of Lu Chen’s mind detached from the lotus dojo, squatted beside Chen Ping’an, and waved at the two men opposite.

He Shouchou smiled and rose, ensuring the proper etiquette was observed, and bowed to the Third Celestial Master of White Jade Capital.

The Confucian gentleman appeared as if facing a great enemy, immediately standing up and bowing along with He Shouchou.

Lu Chen returned the courtesy with a Daoist obeisance.

Chen Ping’an excused himself to the two men, saying that he was going to catch up with some acquaintances at the adjacent city wall and would return soon.

He left Lu Chen to take on the role of a storyteller.

When He Shouchou learned that Chen Ping’an had opened mountains with his sword over three thousand times, finally personally slaying a pinnacle Ascendant Realm demon, who was none other than the chief disciple of Toriyama Mountain’s patriarch…

The gentleman seemed to be numb, while Master He was dumbfounded, speechless for a long time. He tilted his head back and drained the flask of wine, wiped his mouth, and turned to look outside the city.

Chen Qingdu’s last wisp of soul had slain the “Executioner,” a high-ranking deity.

It was undeniable that the Sword Qi Great Wall was no more.

But there were still Sword Qi Great Wall sword cultivators.

Following Chen Qingdu’s sword strike, Chen Ping’an questioned Toriyama Mountain with his sword, slaying an Ascendant Realm demon. Moreover, according to Celestial Master Lu, that demonic culprit was also a sword cultivator.

Lu Chen squatted there, imitating the young Hidden Official by clasping his hands in his sleeves, and chuckled, “If we add Li Zhen, then it seems the chief disciple and the closed-door disciple of Toriyama Mountain’s patriarch have both died by Chen Ping’an’s sword.”

Moreover, in the Toriyama Mountain battle, there were three immortal realm demons, and naturally, even more Jade Purity Realm and Earth Immortal demon cultivators.

However, one of the Immortal Realm demons was killed by a nascent soul realm cultivator.

Lu Chen extracted fragments of that Time Immemorial Scroll, turning the “images” of those demonic cultivators into hanging portraits.

However, Lu Chen knew Chen Ping’an’s plan, so he distributed all the merits except those related to the chief demon to Qi Tingji’s Dragon Elephant Sword Sect and Ning Yao’s Ascendant City.

These astonishing merits would be meticulously recorded by the Central Earth Wen Temple.

Chen Ping’an first went near the group led by Ma Kuxuan and Yu Shiwu.

Yu Shiwu cupped his fist and smiled, “Greetings, Mountain Master Chen.”

Aside from Yu Shiwu, there was no other reaction.

Ma Kuxuan’s chief disciple and maid did not dare to speak.

As for Ma Kuxuan’s closed-door disciple, he was still confirming the identity of the “Daoist” before him.

Chen Ping’an cupped his fist in return to Yu Shiwu.

Just as Ma Kuxuan had said, Chen Ping’an harbored a deep sense of wariness towards this man ever since their first meeting at the Great River Shrine.
Just a quick interruption, the reading app I’ve been using lately has a vast collection of books, covering everything, and updates are lightning fast!

A youth with a wood-chopping knife hanging at his waist suddenly stepped forward and asked, “Mountain Lord Chen, is Falling Mountain still accepting disciples?”

He was promptly kicked in the rear by Ma Kuixuan, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt. The youth, however, didn’t seem to mind. He lightly touched the ground with a palm, flipped over gracefully, and landed on his feet.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “Not accepting disciples for the time being.”

The youth, not willing to give up, asked, “Then, could you at least reserve a spot for me?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head.

Ma Kuixuan reached out and pressed down on his disciple’s head, grinning. “A person rarely pays attention to their own shadow. But since he’s already been kicked, it’s no big deal. Folks on the mountain are solitary figures anyway; these are all trivial matters that don’t matter in the slightest.”

Chen Ping’an frowned slightly, seemingly unable to decipher Ma Kuixuan’s intentions. He didn’t respond, but instead turned to Yu Shiwu and asked, “Where are you headed next?”

Yu Shiwu chuckled. “We plan to first visit the towering city built by the Mohist Grand Master.”

Afterward, Chen Ping’an went to stand beside Wei Jin and Cao Jun.

Wei Jin used a secret voice transmission to tell him about the matter concerning the predecessor Zong Yuan.

Chen Ping’an’s expression became grave, and he nodded. “Fortunately, you managed to obtain those few strands of sword intent. Otherwise, it would have been extremely troublesome, exceedingly troublesome!”

Wei Jin inquired, “Did you change your mind midway and not go to that battlefield?”

Chen Ping’an hummed in agreement. “I was constantly taking detours, and in the end, I took a trip to Mount Tuoyue.”

Wei Jin pointed to the large moon in the sky and asked with a smile, “And the result was causing such a commotion?”

Chen Ping’an responded with a knowing smile.

Cao Jun abruptly asked, “Mountain Lord Chen, be honest with me, if I had come to the Sword Qi Great Wall earlier, would I have been able to enter the Summer Palace?”

Chen Ping’an was somewhat surprised, unsure why Cao Jun was asking this. After considering it, he decided to be honest and give an answer. “Your temperament is too impulsive; you wouldn’t have been able to enter.”

It wasn’t that Cao Jun lacked the intelligence, but rather that during those years, the Summer Palace, which directed the war, had one principle in mind when deploying troops: to strive for the greatest merit with the least casualties, to prolong the war as long as possible, to drag it out for as many days as they could. If it were a balanced battlefield, Cao Jun’s unconventional personality would likely have achieved something. However, compared to Lin Junbi and Xuan Can, Cao Jun was definitely inferior in some aspects.

After returning home, Chen Ping’an specifically asked Wei Xian about the personalities and leadership styles of the young generals Liu Xunmei and his fellow villager Cao Jun. This was because Wei Xian and Cao Jun had both followed Liu Xunmei in the Dali army, relying on him for their positions. Although both had the titles of attached cultivators, they had in fact led battalions of cavalry under Liu Xunmei, showing that Liu Xunmei trusted them with positions. Regarding his colleague Cao Jun, Wei Xian described him as being skilled at “hiding a foot under a skirt,” which roughly meant that there were both good and bad aspects. The positive interpretation was that he used unconventional tactics, while the negative one was that his moves were insidious. In order to gain military merits, he would go to any length, though Cao Jun himself would lead by example.

Cao Jun asked, “Did you get into a fight with a soaring realm great demon on Mount Tuoyue?”

Chen Ping’an ignored Cao Jun’s attempt to start a conversation and instead took out two jars of wine, handing one to Wei Jin.

Cao Jun reached out his hand. “Mountain Lord Chen, don’t be biased.”

Chen Ping’an used his elbow to knock away Cao Jun’s hand and asked Wei Jin, “Have you heard of the demon sword cultivator, Hui Ting, from the Red Leaf Sword Sect?”

Wei Jin nodded. “Of course. But it seems like he didn’t show up during the last war. It’s said that he was recuperating from a drop in his cultivation realm within the sect.”

Chen Ping’an extended his thumb, wiped the corner of his mouth, and laughed. “I happened to kill him off.”

Wei Jin didn’t say much, raising his jar and clinking it lightly against Chen Ping’an’s.

Only the sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall knew how deserving of death that demon sword cultivator was.

Wei Jin asked with a smile, “Did you ‘know when to stop’ on this trip as well?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “It was alright. I snatched a few things along the way, a small harvest.”

Wei Jin joked, “If I were the grand ancestor of Mount Tuoyue, I would definitely regret saying those words.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Absolutely.”

Cao Jun felt helpless, unable to interject or say anything. What Red Leaf Sword Sect? He had never even heard of it. And what was the meaning of “know when to stop”? What was the barbarian grand ancestor talking about with Chen Ping’an?

In the capital of the Cloud Pattern Dynasty, Chen Ping’an obtained a set of sword formations for the city’s defensive formation core from Emperor Ye Pu, who went by the title “Unrivaled.” This set of sword formations consisted of twelve miniature flying swords, placed like brush rests on a red coral brush holder. So, in truth, it was two immortal artifacts.

At that time, Ye Pu was full of confidence, thinking he could trick Chen Ping’an. However, he had miscalculated, as he never expected that the “Fellow Daoist Chen,” who wore a lotus crown and a cyan gauze Daoist robe but pretended to be an “Hidden Official”, was not only actually Chen Ping’an, but also had the Third Headmaster of Jade Capital accompanying him. He was able to dismantle the formation. In the end, it was like throwing a meat bun to a dog; it was gone without a trace.

Previously, Lu Chen had said that the family members of the master of the Linglang Pavilion, one of the five cities and twelve towers of Jade Capital, mostly had the suffix “Zhi” in their names. If Chen Ping’an was willing to part with this coral brush holder, the price could be doubled from its actual value.

The suffix “Zhi”…

The Yao family, a frontier army family of the Great Spring Dynasty, Yao Jinzhi, Yao Xianzhi, Yao Lingzhi, all had the suffix “Zhi”.

As for the old woman of the Immortal Hairpin City, the soaring realm ghost demon with the Daoist name Qiongou, she was the founder of Xuanpu and the master of Wuti. Her true form was actually a mosquito.

She was forced to leave behind an unknown horsetail whisk, which was undoubtedly a top-grade immortal artifact. The two characters “拂尘” (fuchen, horsetail whisk) were engraved in insect-bird seal script. Furthermore, anyone who dared to use such a name shouldn’t be underestimated, such as the Tongye Sect of Tongye Continent and the Great Mountain Green Peaks of the barbaric world.

The horsetail whisk had a scarlet-purple wooden handle and more than 3,600 snow-white silk strands of unknown material, with a small golden ring attached to the whisk head.

Qiongou had possessed this item for two thousand years, yet she had never managed to refine it into her natal artifact. Furthermore, it didn’t bear any of the turbid Yin energy from the underworld road.

Adding to that 30% of the power of the River of Falling Stars and the pure moonlight from the bright moon, this trip had indeed yielded quite a harvest.

After drinking the wine, Chen Ping’an stood up and said, “You may need to evacuate from the city wall for a moment later.”

Wei Jin suddenly looked up.

Chen Ping’an said, “It’s a pity that the cultivation realm is borrowed.”

Wei Jin laughed in exasperation. “Why doesn’t Headmaster Lu lend me his cultivation realm? Even if he lent it to Wei Jin, what’s the big deal? Maybe the barbarians would inscribe it on me instead.”
Chen Pingan smiled at Cao Jun, “Look, our great Sword Immortal Wei can enter the Summer Palace.”

With a flicker, he vanished and returned to the city wall where Lu Chen and He Shou were.

The recording of battle merits was over, and He Shou had been waiting for a long time.

Chen Pingan cupped his fist and said, “I trouble you, Elder He, to have everyone evacuate that half of the city wall.”

He Shou agreed with a smile. Before leaving, he hesitated, and the old scholar actually cupped his fist at Chen Pingan.

It was as if on this city wall, one who was temporarily not a Confucian disciple, and one who was not a sage enshrined in the Confucian Temple, were more like encountering each other in the martial world.

After He Shou and that gentleman left.

Chen Pingan stood on the city wall, looking up at the moon in the sky.

Han Qiao Se, through the place where the Returning Ruins Sun fell, returned to the Vast Expanse. Following her senior brother’s decree, she truly went to White Emperor City to study, especially to read a few more books on military strategy.

That ancient great demon that had returned to the human world, after confirming that no one was following, swaggered and traveled far away on the wind, and then saw a tall woman in white.

Chen Pingan tapped his toes and leaped down from the city wall.

Chen Pingan stood on the earth, facing that tall city wall, and said, “I trouble Sect Leader Lu to show himself for a moment.”

Lu Chen was puzzled, and joked, “Could it be the matter of engraving characters, that requires this poor Daoist to do it? That would be a bit embarrassing.”

Chen Pingan remained silent.

Lu Chen did not continue to joke, and from the Lotus Daoist Temple, dispersed a mustard seed of his mind, appearing next to Chen Pingan in the form of the Third Headmaster of Jade White Capital.

Lu Chen could not guess Chen Pingan’s intentions.

On this trip, he had traveled and labored with five sword cultivators, and ultimately Chen Pingan had successfully slain the ancestral mountain of the Wildlands with his sword.

If the Old Ancestor of Dragging Moon Mountain had made the Great Wall of Swords a thing of the past, then Chen Pingan had made Dragging Moon Mountain a thing of the past as well.

Furthermore, the Dragging Moon plan was about to be completed.

As for dividing the spoils, the matter of sitting and sharing the loot, it was not his turn, Lu Chen. However, all losses could be ignored. Adding a bright moon “radiance” to the Azure Underworld, the Dao revenue was immeasurable. Lu Chen had already made up his mind that this poor Daoist’s merits were complete, and after returning to Jade White Capital, even the Second Senior Brother would have to squeeze out a smile and give himself a thumbs up, and it had to be with both hands, or this matter was not over.

How could he still have the nerve to complain that his junior brother had been slack and lazy in the previous hundred years? He had not only made up for the last hundred years, but had even earned the merits for the next hundred years in advance.

Besides, the sword box on Lu Zhi’s back, this poor Daoist was lending it, not giving it away.

Chen Pingan took off the lotus crown and returned it to Lu Chen, and the azure gauze Daoist robe on his body also dissipated on its own. Then, he put away the two narrow sabers stacked at his waist.

He faced the Great Wall of Swords with only his green shirt and sword on his back.

Daoist teachings, Vast Expanse, Western Paradise.

Sword Qi Endures, Thunder Pool Forbidden Ground.

Qi, Dong, Chen. Meng.

A total of eighteen characters on the two sections of the city wall.

One side was engraved with Daoist teachings, Vast Expanse, Western Paradise. Thunder Pool Forbidden Ground.

The other side was Sword Qi Endures. Qi, Dong, Chen, Meng.

The old scholar He Shou began to drive people away.

Everyone had to evacuate the city wall immediately.

Wei Jin and Cao Jun had already left on their own. Ma Kuxuan, Yu Shiwu and his party had also flown south on the wind. The remaining hundred or so foreign cultivators who had come here to travel could only leave one after another.

Chen Pingan said, “On this trip to the Wildlands’ interior, the Dao Protector accompanying the Hidden Official Chen Pingan was the Vast Expanse Lu Chen.”

On the battlefield of the Great Wall of Swords, there were two types of Dao Protectors. One was a sword attendant from a family’s offerings or escorts, similar to the Grand Sword Immortal Li Tuimi of the Yan family, and Nalan Yexing of the Ning manor. The term “sword attendant” had no derogatory meaning of “attendant” at all.

The other was a sword cultivator with a higher realm, responsible for protecting sword cultivators with lower realms, so that the latter would not die prematurely in battle, hence the name “Sword Master.”

Therefore, the “attendant” in “sword attendant” meant both walking the Great Dao together and protecting the younger generation. The “master” in “sword master” meant that each time a sword was passed, it was both saving a life and imparting knowledge.

Lu Chen rarely showed a solemn expression, “Vast Expanse Lu Chen, is honored to accompany you.”

Duckweed has no roots and floats, drifting in the water without sinking.

Ten thousand years of criminal sword cultivators, like duckweed drifting between heaven and earth, die without a grave.

Only Sword Qi Endures.

And the natal flying sword of the Old Sword Immortal Chen Qingdu was named Duckweed.

The Great Wall of Swords that had stood for ten thousand years, the last Hidden Official of Sword Qi Endures.

They looked at each other silently.

The green-shirted sword cultivator, holding a long sword, roamed the night, remotely engraving characters at the highest point of the half of the city wall with fierce sword qi.

The sword master who engraved the character “Duckweed” was Chen Pingan.