On the谪仙 Peak of Immortal Capital Mountain, at the Flower-Sweeping Terrace.

Pei Qian and Xue Huai, about to exchange blows, stood ten zhang apart.

Beside Chen Ping’an, Cui Dongshan held his hands behind his head, ready to applaud and cheer for his Eldest Martial Sister. Xiao Mo wasn’t present, having gone to Luobao Shoal, busy constructing a thatched hut beside the Green-Clad River. Xiao Mo wasn’t particularly interested in pugilistic exchanges, simply saying, “Guests are guests, Young Master and Miss Pei, please be gentle with your fists, lest you injure the harmony.”

Anyway, it was all flattery in disguise.

“You can actually bring yourself to do this?”

Chen Ping’an, arms crossed, leaned against the railing, his face stern as he spoke through heart-speech, “Tell me, how do you plan to explain things to Yu Jin later?”

Taking Xiao Mo with you on such a long trip, what mischief could you possibly be up to?

Cui Dongshan looked embarrassed, and without using heart-speech, muttered softly, “As expected, Eldest Martial Sister is always on Master’s side, utterly unreliable, not even a bit surprising.”

Excellent, Eldest Martial Sister hadn’t heard a thing.

This meant that Pei Qian had truly achieved a state of single-mindedness, a martial artist’s mindset, the so-called “Ten Directions, I am the Center, Heaven and Earth follow my Fist.”

Truly achieving “The Fist follows me.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “You’re wronging Pei Qian this time, it has nothing to do with her. If you don’t believe me, after the exchange, ask her yourself if she leaked any information.”

Cui Dongshan immediately said, “Master, about this matter, please, please don’t tell Eldest Martial Sister! I barely managed to balance the merits and demerits in that ‘Sin’ ledger!”

Chen Ping’an let out a surprised “Oh?”, genuinely curious, and immediately asked through heart-speech, “Dongshan, you’re only on the ‘Sin’ ledger? Tell me in detail, who were the people before you? Old Cook, Wei Hailiang, those few must be at the top, and probably Zhong Kui, whom she knew early on after leaving Lotus Root Paradise, couldn’t escape either. Plus our Grand Mountain Ruler Wei, Shi Rou, Chen Lingjun?”

Only the ‘Jia’ ledger, Chen Ping’an didn’t need to guess, it was undoubtedly himself, his own Master.

Cui Dongshan shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum, “I won’t say, I won’t say even if you beat me to death. If Eldest Martial Sister finds out, it won’t just be adding a single stroke to the ledger, it’ll be opening a whole new one.”

Chen Ping’an nodded, not forcing the issue.

Cui Dongshan suddenly perked up, intending to redeem himself with his Master, turning sideways, and like a thief, pulled a booklet from his sleeve, spat on his thumb, and was about to flip through the pages and read out good news, “Master, this time venturing out to sea to visit immortals, Student and Xiao Mo…”

Chen Ping’an immediately raised a hand, “Hold it, I don’t know anything, and I don’t want to know anything. I don’t interfere with the specific affairs of your Lower Sect.”

Cui Dongshan clutched his chest, his eyes glazed over, his lips trembling as he said, “‘You’? Master, these words are extremely harsh, chilling the hearts of all the soldiers of the Lower Sect.”

Chen Ping’an ignored him, turning a deaf ear. Don’t even think about dragging me into this, Master can’t afford to lose face.

Cui Dongshan suddenly said, “A few treasures of literary luck and water luck are suitable to be taken out separately and given to Nuan Shu and Xiao Mi Li as gifts. Anyway, Student has already made up his mind, even if Zhong Kui helps Yu Jin collect debts, the other treasures are fine, at most we can just return them, and treat ourselves and Xiao Mo as free escorts, but these few, I definitely won’t admit to owing them, even if things get out of hand, and Zhong Kui turns his elbow outwards, and doesn’t hesitate to bring out Master to scare people, Student will at most just compensate with money, but these seven or eight treasures, I really like them all, it’s hard to choose…”

Before Cui Dongshan could finish speaking, Chen Ping’an slapped him on the head, and with lightning speed, snatched the booklet from Cui Dongshan’s hand and tucked it into his blue robe sleeve.

Chen Ping’an said through heart-speech, “I’ll deal with Zhong Kui’s side. Yu Jin is up to you… and Xiao Mo, you two go and interact with this senior.”

Cui Dongshan suddenly clenched his fist, raised it high, success.

Chen Ping’an then added, “Kindly reminding” his student, lest he be “youthfully exuberant” and make mistakes, being inconsiderate, “Remember next time you see the enraged Senior Yu Jin, you and Xiao Mo, be kind and gentle, a little spit is nothing, you still have to calmly discuss things with him, don’t take advantage of your strength to bully others, and definitely don’t be a big shop bullying customers, if the deal doesn’t go through, maintain benevolence and righteousness, the green mountains remain unchanged, the green waters flow forever, where in life do we not meet, we’ll meet again someday, you two will have plenty of opportunities to meet Senior Yu Jin in the future, is that right?”

Cui Dongshan nodded like a chicken pecking rice, understood, understood.

In the future, he would often have to hit up fatty Gu Su for some… no, it was reminiscing about old times!

Chen Ping’an started to change the subject, “How many moves do you think this exchange will last?”

Cui Dongshan smiled, “That depends on Eldest Martial Sister’s sincerity.”

Xue Huai, a martial artist from Pu Mountain and a proud disciple of Ye Yunyun, as an old scholar in the Distant Wander realm, has a rather good foundation, definitely not a bamboo and paper creation.

Chen Ping’an lightly tapped his toe, asking, “Later, I will also be exchanging blows with Mountain Master Ye. Can this Flower-Sweeping Terrace withstand the fists and feet of two Boundary-Breaking martial artists?”

Cui Dongshan laughed, “Even if it’s broken, it doesn’t matter. The repairs won’t take more than a few days. Student guarantees it will be restored to its original state by the time of the Spring Festival.”

Chen Ping’an remained noncommittal.

Ye Yunyun, Qiu Du, and Hu Chuling, the three guests of Immortal Capital Mountain, stood together.

The old woman asked through heart-speech, “Did Mountain Master Ye already know the identity of Sword Immortal Chen?”

Ye Yunyun smiled and nodded, “I was planning to give you a surprise.”

The old woman, feeling as if she had escaped death, had a complex expression, muttering, “It’s indeed a huge surprise.”

At the old Dragon Palace site, she was almost scared to death by this Sword Immortal Chen, working together with the True Dragon King Zhu. Fortunately, it was a false alarm, and compared to expectations, there was an unexpected delight of a bountiful harvest.

If Mountain Master Chen hadn’t been so meticulous, silently following along the way, her trip to the Dragon Palace would have been doomed to endless troubles and would not have been worth the gains. Once King Zhu caught a hold of a weakness, it wouldn’t have been as easy and pleasant as returning the “stolen goods.”

Just judging from the temper that King Zhu displayed before Chen Ping’an showed up, it wasn’t good.

A little further away from Chen Ping’an and the others, Sui Youbian stood with her disciples Cheng Chaolu and the sword cultivator Yu Xiehui.

Before the exchange, Cui Dongshan had found Sui Youbian first, saying that he needed to borrow a place from her. Of course, Sui Youbian had no reason to refuse.
Cheng Chaolu whispered, “Master, is Senior Sister Pei going to engage in a martial duel, a literary duel, or just stand face-to-face and exchange a handshake with that old scholar?”

Sui Youbian couldn’t help but laugh, “Read less of those unreliable pulp novels. This kind of mountaintop boxing match is different from the brawls down in the valleys.”

In the center of the martial arts field, as both sides were about to exchange blows, Pei Qian glanced at her master out of the corner of her eye.

Chen Ping’an nodded, indicating to his first disciple that she didn’t need to suppress her cultivation realm too much, but should treat the opponent with sincerity.

Then, he subtly raised a hand, making an eight gesture, then quickly flipped his palm over.

Pei Qian understood immediately.

Eighth Realm, ten punches.

On Pei Qian’s side, Chen Ping’an had only taught her boxing and sparred with her twice. Especially the first time he taught her, the experience, whether in terms of process or result, was better left unmentioned.

Having become accustomed to being a hands-off master, Chen Ping’an had never truly witnessed Pei Qian’s full strength. It was impossible for him not to be curious.

Chen Ping’an only knew that at the Leigong Temple in Aiai Island, Pei Qian had exchanged blows with the mountain-peak realm Liu Suiyu. Afterward, in Jinjia Island, Pei Qian had also been on the battlefield with Cao Ci and Yu Juanfu.

And Chen Ping’an knew Yu Juanfu’s martial arts aptitude, methods, and temperament inside and out.

Just take the Divine Figure Drumming stance. The first time it was interrupted was by Yu Juanfu.

Sui Youbian had a smile on her face, unable to superimpose the image of Pei Qian in front of her with the image of the little coal ball from back then.

The young woman before her, with her hair in a bun, a smooth forehead, a beautiful face, and a slender figure, especially her composed demeanor, was worthy of the title of Grandmaster.

It was hard to imagine that such a woman, as a child, was lazy, cunning, vindictive, full of schemes, afraid of hardship, fond of taking small advantages, with a wild imagination, and strange, nonsensical language…

Xue Huai held one hand behind his back and extended the other forward. “Xue Huai of Pushan, I request your guidance.”

Pei Qian cupped her fist in return, her voice clear and her expression calm. “Pei Qian of Luopo Mountain, forgive my offense.”

Just those words, that grandmasterly demeanor, filled Chen Ping’an with mixed emotions.

He wanted a drink.

Cheng Chaolu widened her eyes, her heart racing. Senior Sister Pei truly possessed the legendary grandmasterly bearing. Her own flurry of wild punches in the Cloud Grotto was truly… embarrassing to recall! Damn it, it was all that morally dubious You Qi’s fault for making her look bad. In the future, when she had mastered her fist techniques, she would find an opportunity to visit him at White Dragon Cave. Yes, she needed to learn from Lord Hidden Official and be steady. She needed to be able to fight and be able to run away after the fight. Then, she would call on Bai Xuan, who was “invincible in one-on-one fights,” to join her.

Xue Huai suddenly asked with a smile, “During this exchange, can Grandmaster Pei suppress her cultivation by one and a half realms?”

The old scholar was not embarrassed to bring this up.

Zheng Qingming and Zheng Saqian, the “Scatter Money Zheng,” from the Dali Capital battlefield, were famous throughout the other continents for their fierce punches and their ability to quickly resolve life-and-death battles with their opponents.

Especially after Xue Huai had personally witnessed Pei Qian uproot the giant rock in the river and then, relying on her own strength, move it over the sea of clouds to Mount Xiandu, a journey of a thousand miles, Xue Huai knew he could never accomplish such a feat.

If she didn’t suppress her cultivation at all, he might not be able to withstand ten punches. Then, the so-called exchange would be one-sided. Pei Qian would simply deliver punches, and he could only withstand a few before falling to the ground. Then, there would be no way to achieve the original intention of mutual learning and improving martial arts. Xue Huai wasn’t afraid of losing, but he was afraid of losing meaninglessly.

Moreover, although it was called an exchange, Xue Huai knew very well that it was more like a “handicap game” on a chessboard. Although it wasn’t a top-level player deliberately feeding moves to a lower-level player, it was close to it.

In essence, Xue Huai now regarded himself as half a junior martial artist in the face of Pei Qian.

Ye Yunyun was well aware of the subtle changes in her direct disciple’s mental journey. She wouldn’t be disappointed in Xue Huai. A pure martial artist…

Pei Qian, who had originally planned to suppress her realm to the Distant Wanderer realm, immediately turned to look at her master. She needed her master to make the decision on this matter.

If Huang Yiyun wasn’t about to exchange blows with her master next, the person Pei Qian really wanted to exchange blows with was Ye Yunyun, whom she had “met and befriended” at Huanghe Islet, rather than Xue Huai.

She had no animosity with the agreeable old scholar.

If she really had the opportunity to exchange blows with Huang Yiyun, since both sides were at the first level of the nascent realm, they could unleash their full power and deliver punches with all their might.

It wouldn’t be strange if martial artists in the same realm bumped and bruised each other during an exchange. It wouldn’t be considered a personal vendetta.

Chen Ping’an nodded, indicating that Pei Qian should suppress her cultivation by one realm.

Ye Yunyun and Xue Huai still didn’t know that Pei Qian had already reached the Nascent realm.

That was understandable. How long had it been since they parted ways in the Cloud Grotto?

The exchange began.

According to established martial world rules, in a sparring match without a life-and-death contract, where martial artists only sought to determine who was superior, the higher-ranked fighter would make the first move.

The ground of Sweeping Flower Terrace trembled slightly. Xue Huai had already closed in on Pei Qian. He didn’t hold back at all with his first punch. The intent of the punch surged, like a waterfall cascading down, but instead of a vertical scroll, it was a horizontal one.

Xue Huai had once used his own aptitude and great comprehension to integrate the six ancestral immortal paintings of Pushan, creating a set of fist techniques. He extracted the most exquisite parts from each immortal painting and refined them into a punch. Once the first punch was delivered, the subsequent five moves would be continuous and seamless, with the momentum of a river flowing into the sea.

Pei Qian didn’t retreat but advanced. She raised her elbow and directly blocked Xue Huai’s punch.

Compared to the Iron Cavalry Ramming Formation stance that she had been accustomed to since she was a child, the punch before her was too slow and too weak. Was he batting cotton?

Pei Qian stood rooted to the spot, unmoved. She simply raised a hand, spread her five fingers, and was about to slap the old scholar in the face.

When she practiced boxing as a child, the old man had used this move countless times to make the little coal ball “bounce” on the bamboo floor.
More cutting remarks would follow, similar to “fond of crawling on the ground.” But the old man’s boxing lessons weren’t just that; Little Black Charcoal would be instantly kicked in the chest or forehead, slamming into the corner of the wall, writhing in pain as if her heart, liver, and guts were churning. Then, she’d receive more commentary from the old man: “So you like being a doormat? Just like your master, your martial arts aptitude is too poor, and you’re lazy with your training. What a promising future! Just stick close to Little Warm Tree every day, or you’ll end up standing with that good-for-nothing master of yours, staring at each other with wide eyes. One has ‘useless’ written on his forehead, the other ‘thing’. A fitting end to your master-disciple relationship.”

Of course, during these verbal assaults, the old man wouldn’t be idle, never giving Pei Qian a chance to catch her breath, either stepping on a few of her fingers or her entire forehead, constantly increasing the pressure.

At this moment, Xue Huai leaned back slightly, his arm sweeping horizontally like splitting wood to make a zither body, with immense power and a great surge of fist aura, whistling like the wind.

Simultaneously, Xue Huai kicked out fiercely, the tip of his foot like a sharp blade, as fast as an arrow, aiming for Pei Qian’s waist and ribs.

Pei Qian used her arm to block at her shoulder, then suddenly raised her leg, twisting her ankle, cleverly kicking Xue Huai, simultaneously blocking Xue Huai’s fist and foot.

Finally ceasing to stand still, she moved several steps horizontally. In that instant, it seemed Xue Huai had been waiting for Pei Qian to move. The old master’s footsteps were like an immortal treading the stars, in accordance with the principles of heaven, shrinking mountains and rivers within a small space. His fist intent reached its peak, and the speed of his pure true energy was almost twice as fast as before. At this moment, Xue Huai’s aura was no less than that of a ninth-realm martial artist. Countless cyan and purple fist auras emerged behind him, making Xue Huai look like an eight-armed deity. Taking a large step forward, he unleashed a punch that scattered into countless fists, all striking at Pei Qian simultaneously.

On the Flower Sweeping Terrace, Xue Huai’s fist intent was as solid as substance, his aura rapidly dissipating in all directions.

Cui Dongshan waved his snow-white sleeves, guiding them one by one outside the Immortal Banishing Peak, crushing countless passing clouds.

Cui Dongshan chuckled in his mind, “Senior Sister really knows how to handle things.”

If Pei Qian hadn’t subtly held back, she could have easily endured one of Xue Huai’s attacks and simply slapped him hard on the forehead, knocking him unconscious in a ditch.

Cui Dongshan carefully asked, “Teacher, do you think Senior Sister is being presumptuous?”

Chen Pingan shook his head and smiled, “How could that be? She’s not sparring with Mountain Master Ye. When exchanging blows with Master Xue, she still needs to show some courtesy.”

In fact, Chen Pingan had already seen that it wasn’t just because he, the master, was watching that Pei Qian was holding back. There was a bigger reason: when Pei Qian threw a punch, if she wanted her fist intent to be truly perfect, she would habitually strike with ruthless force. Simply put, Pei Qian was more suited for fighting to the death without holding back, not for sparring where she needed to stop short.

That was why Pei Qian’s asking for instruction from Liu Suiyu of the Thunder God Temple at the peak of the mountain, and her four consecutive spars with Cao Ci on the capital city wall of the Great End Dynasty, were Pei Qian’s real displays of skill.

To put it bluntly, Xue Huai of Mount Pu was still too low in realm. Even facing a Pei Qian who had suppressed her cultivation, he still couldn’t be a touchstone.

Cui Dongshan carefully said, “Senior Sister probably wants Xue Huai to throw a few more punches.”

Chen Pingan scoffed and laughed, “Alright, after my sparring match is over, I’ll have to thank her properly.”

Ye Yunyun hesitated for a moment but couldn’t help but use sound transmission to ask Chen Pingan curiously, “How do you usually teach boxing?”

Chen Pingan couldn’t say that he, the master, hadn’t actually taught his eldest disciple boxing. He had to use a vague reply, “A clumsy method, teach a lot, diligence compensates for clumsiness. When helping with sparring, I try to bear the pain of seeing my disciple get hit.”

Six moves had passed.

Xue Huai still hadn’t gained a significant advantage.

Six moves of fist intent as one could actually be counted as just one punch.

Xue Huai certainly wouldn’t be foolish enough to bring it up himself.

Pei Qian stood on the white jade railing, using her thumb to gently wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Xue Huai’s last move was a bit strange. His fists and feet had clearly missed, yet he was able to create something out of nothing. Pei Qian almost couldn’t dodge it and could only turn her head at the last moment, but was still grazed on the cheek by that fist aura.

Even Sui Youbian, who now had the foundation of a golden body martial artist, needed to concentrate and squint to see the moves clearly.

It wasn’t considered cheating by Xue Huai.

Because Xue Huai hadn’t used any Qi Refiner methods. The eight-armed deity protecting the old man was not a golden body dharma form.

The Pu Mountain boxing method of Tongye Continent, the stance principles derived from immortal diagrams, was indeed remarkable, not just fancy moves.

As for the two sword immortal seedlings, Cheng Chaolu and Yu Xiehui, they were just watching the spectacle. In a flash, Xue Huai disappeared. Then, in the blink of an eye, they saw the Confucian scholar dragging out a series of illusory cyan figures, as if many Xue Huis were standing in the Flower Sweeping Terrace arena at the same time, dazzling the two swordsmen.

Xue Huai felt slightly relieved. Although he could see that Pei Qian was intentionally holding back a bit, at least the strength difference between the two in the same realm wasn’t too great.

It seemed like ten punches, even twenty punches, were possible.

Xue Huai didn’t rest at all. With a flash of his figure, he once again closed in on Pei Qian, the speed of his pure true energy circulating faster within his body.

This time, Xue Huai chose to break up all six moves, scrambling the order of the punches.

In the martial world, fists fear youth and vigor. In master-level exchanges, fists fear old age the most.

Once the opponent gradually becomes familiar with the trump card moves, their power will be greatly reduced.

After the seventh punch, Xue Huai suddenly used a boxing method from outside Pu Mountain, learned from an old senior he had encountered in the martial world when he was young.

But Pei Qian easily received the punch, not caught off guard because of it. Xue Huai’s eighth punch seemed to show weakness, pretending to be exhausted and about to change his pure true energy. Pei Qian didn’t take the bait, rashly closing in for a close-quarters battle.

For the ninth punch, Xue Huai gathered everything he had learned in his life into one punch, yet to be named, wanting to wait until he reached the ninth realm before deciding. Xue Huai regarded it as the most proud punch of his life.

The last time Martial Saint Wu Shu visited Pu Mountain, upon seeing this punch, the number one martial artist of Tongye Continent, who never liked to be polite with others, gave it a high evaluation, saying, “It rises above boxing principles and approaches laws.”

The punch came out like a dragon, with a majestic fist intent blooming, as if a flood had submerged the entire Flower Sweeping Terrace, to the point of having the atmosphere of a small world of Qi Refiners.

Since Xue Huai had already delivered nine punches.
Pei Qian ceased her arduous suppression of her fist intent.

The young female martial artist instantly adopted a stance, flowing smoothly. The fist intent within her didn’t continue to surge outward, but instead, seemed to retract into a tiny mustard seed. Simultaneously, the vast fist intent of the Sweeping Flower Platform, which had seemed to blot out the sky, retreated on its own accord, like a water spirit belonging to a terrestrial dragon, upon seeing a true dragon in the heavens. It came like a flood and retreated like the tide. Conversely, Pei Qian’s mustard-seed fist intent was like a bright moon rising from the sea.

With this fist, it was as if a divine decree had been issued, summoning a moon across the heavens.

Pei Qian stamped her foot, and the Sweeping Flower Platform on the mountain peak remained unchanged. However, below the谪仙 Peak outside the platform, birds scattered from the branches, and dust billowed throughout the mountains.

One fist, one person, in a straight line.

Xue Huai felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He mustered all his strength to keep his eyes open, to not retreat, to not dodge, knowing it was unavoidable.

Ye Yunyun narrowed her eyes and asked Chen Ping’an, “Is this fist a secret technique of the Fallen Mountain?”

Chen Ping’an, with his hands in his sleeves, leaned lazily against the railing and shook his head with a faint smile. “No, no one taught her. It’s a fist technique Pei Qian created herself.”

The fist stopped a foot away from Xue Huai’s face. Pei Qian suddenly retracted her fist, took three steps back, hesitated, but ultimately said nothing more. She clasped her fist and said, “I concede.”

Xue Huai waited until his vision cleared and felt a lingering fear. He was drenched in sweat as if he had just returned from the gates of hell. He took a deep breath, retreated five steps, clasped his fist in return, and said in a deep voice, “I have learned!”

Cui Dongshan hastily asked in his mind, “Senior Sister, when did you secretly create a new fist technique? You didn’t even give me a heads-up, you scared this junior brother!”

Pei Qian replied, “Just recently.”

It was during the journey with her master on the Wind Kite ferry to Tongye Continent. One night, standing alone at the bow, Pei Qian looked at the moon over the sea, seemingly within reach but actually distant, and was inspired to create this brand new fist.

Ye Yunyun straightened her back slightly. Next, it would be her turn to exchange blows with Chen Ping’an.

After Xue Huai came to her side, Ye Yunyun asked, “When you break through to the ninth realm next year, will you dare to exchange fists with Pei Qian a second time?”

Xue Huai laughed heartily, “Why wouldn’t I dare?! Master, your question makes no sense.”

Ye Yunyun nodded approvingly. “Very good! You can lose a fight, but you cannot lose your spirit. A martial artist of Pushan should possess this heart and this state of mind.”

Pei Qian came to her master’s side, looking a little shy and habitually scratching her head.

Chen Ping’an smiled. “Especially that last fist, the aura was quite impressive.”

Cheng Chaolu and Yu Xiehui became even more radiant. Finally, it was the Hidden Official’s turn to make his move!

Chen Ping’an suddenly turned to look at Ye Yunyun in yellow and asked with a smile, “Mountain Master Ye, do you mind if I use a weapon that suits me?”

Ye Yunyun smiled and shook her head, “Not at all.”

Martial artists sparring don’t always insist on fighting barehanded. For example, the Martial Saint Wu Shu would habitually use his sword or wooden spear. If he used nothing, it would indicate a vast difference in realms, the opponent not even worthy of Wu Shu suppressing his cultivation.

Chen Ping’an smiled and reached out to Pei Qian. “Master needs to borrow something from you, that trophy you obtained on the Golden Armor Continent battlefield, the one Senior Fu Yuqian gave you.”

Although Pei Qian was extremely surprised, her expression remained calm, because she had never seen her master demonstrate any spear techniques.

Pei Qian took out a long spear from the “Small Grotto Heaven” that Master Mo had given her. Both ends of the spearhead had been broken off by her.

In recent years, she would occasionally take out this long spear and secretly practice a spear technique derived from that Mad Demon Swordplay. It was just something to do when she was bored.

Chen Ping’an reached out and grasped the middle of the long spear. He slowly walked to the center of the Sweeping Flower Platform, weighing the spear and repeatedly twisting his wrist, creating arcs. The long spear drew circles.

It wasn’t exactly suitable.

But it was suitable enough.

The long spear was as easy to control as an arm.

Chen Ping’an glanced at his eldest disciple and suppressed a smile, as if saying, “Watch carefully, see how much of the essence of spearplay you can learn.”

Because of the existence of Zhou Shouxi, Chen Ping’an was actually quite familiar with Wu Shu, who could be honored as a “Martial Saint” in Tongye Continent.

Moreover, the martial arts of the world are like a vast river, ultimately all converging to the one and only path. Practicing fist is still practicing the sword, how can fist techniques not be spearplay?

Pei Qian was so intelligent that she immediately understood. She turned and glared at Cui Dongshan, angrily saying, “Big White Goose, did you tell Master that I secretly practiced spear techniques?!”

Cui Dongshan looked blank, dumbfounded. He was being suspected of this? Was their fellow disciple friendship so fragile? Cui Dongshan quickly raised two fingers and said with a resentful look, “I can swear to heaven, this is absolutely not true! Senior Sister, I’m truly wronged! Heaven have mercy, I’m not the kind of person who likes to talk behind people’s backs.”

Pei Qian leaned against the railing, too lazy to waste words with the Big White Goose. She began to concentrate, thinking that she must carefully observe her master’s sparring match. Before, at Zhengyang Mountain, when he exchanged blows with that mountain-moving old ape, her master had not used his full strength at all.

Clad in a long green gown, he stood in the arena.

It wasn’t a long spear in the traditional sense, so it had neither tassels nor ferrule.

Ye Yunyun, in a yellow dress, followed closely behind, standing in opposition.

Both were peak martial artists, and coincidentally, both were currently at the first layer of Qi Prosperity.

According to etiquette, they announced their names.

“Pushan Yun Caotang, Ye Yunyun!”

“Luo Po Shan Bamboo Building, Chen Ping’an.”

Pei Qian grinned.

The yellow-clad one was going to suffer.

If she remembered correctly, it was the first time Master had added “Bamboo Building” to his self-introduction.

Outsiders certainly wouldn’t understand the mystery behind it, only the pure martial artists of their Luo Po Shan would understand the weight of it.

In an instant.

The two peak martial artists, both extremely young in their respective continents, moved almost simultaneously.

Chen Ping’an held the end of the long spear, the spear thrusting in a straight line, with infinite divine transformations. In a flash, he shook out a dazzling spear flower.

The yellow-clad figure seemed to be a line faster than the green-clad one, already avoiding the rain-like spear flower. The green-clad one stepped aside, braced the long spear, and pressed it down, causing the extremely sturdy long spear to remain straight, only bending into a strange arc near the tip, just hitting the shoulder of the yellow-clad Ye Yunyun.

Ye Yunyun bent her waist, twisting her body, rotating her figure, as fast as lightning. She slapped the long spear, and at the same time, leaned forward slightly, already arriving in front of the green-clad figure, delivering a knee strike.
Chen Ping’an merely employed the six-step walking stance from the Mountain-Shaking Fist manual, shifting his body, making only slight adjustments to his route. The two seemed to have a tacit understanding, exchanging positions. Chen Ping’an turned and thrust his spear, still a straightforward attack, yet Ye Yunyun stood upon the spearhead, as light as a dragonfly skimming the water, stepping onto the shaft and delivering a diagonal kick towards the blue-robed figure’s head.

Chen Ping’an leaned back, withdrawing several zhang while dragging the spear with one hand. Suddenly, he spun around, the spear following his movement, and he slashed the spear towards the yellow-robed Yunyun’s waist.

Ye Yunyun vanished from mid-air. The spear missed, but the formidable qi emanating from the spear struck upwards, cleaving the clouds above in two, accompanied by a muffled thunderous roar.

A spear came crashing down directly from above.

Ye Yunyun tilted her body aside, the spear nearly touching her before landing. However, mere inches above the platform, the spear halted, suspended in mid-air. Yet, the ground was still affected by the abundant qi, instantly cracking open into a trench.

The speed at which the two moved was so swift, like a whirlwind, that even Sui Youbian strained his eyes and still couldn’t capture the complete picture. Even Xue Huai could only grasp the general idea.

Xue Huai reckoned that if he were to take even a single blow from either of them, seemingly a light and casual move, the contest would end immediately. His Distant Roaming Realm physique would be utterly vulnerable against the weight of their spear techniques and fist attacks.

Ye Yunyun’s figure was graceful as she exchanged blows with the blue-robed figure, her movements unpredictable, like a painting of a lofty person reciting poetry, her fists emerging like dragons, flowing like water.

She seemed to be gaining the upper hand.

A punch that should have landed on the opponent’s chin was evaded by the blue-robed figure with a mere sidestep, the spear resting on his shoulder like a mountain pole.

The blue-robed figure’s shoulder tilted slightly, the spear shaft rolling a bit, and Ye Yunyun instantly retreated more than ten zhang, dodging the blow.

Chen Ping’an retracted his fingers, almost touching Ye Yunyun’s brow. He then returned to wielding the spear with both hands, drawing arcs repeatedly, as if intentionally utilizing his reach advantage.

The shimmering light trails left by the spear tip on the platform formed circles overlapping or intersecting, creating a dazzling display.

Ye Yunyun remained composed, skillfully executing the sixty-odd stances and fist techniques derived from the six Immortal Pu Shan paintings. Compared to her disciple Xue Huai’s best efforts, the difference between master and disciple was like comparing clouds and mud.

As for the blue-robed figure, his attacks were about three out of ten, while defense accounted for the remaining seven. However, each of the Mountain Master Chen’s offensive moves, especially the few times he used the collapsing spear technique, made Xue Huai almost believe that Wu Shu was wielding the spear.

This was because Wu Shu’s only direct disciple, Guo Bailu, a remarkably talented young martial artist, had a private contest with Xue Huai. Although Xue Huai was one realm higher, he could only claim a slight victory.

Moreover, Xue Huai knew that his opponent had held back, not fully displaying his trump card. Of course, Xue Huai, without the pressure, had also not exerted his full strength.

Through the sparring match with Guo Bailu, Xue Huai had glimpsed some of the subtle and unique aspects of Wu Shu’s spear style.

Now, observing Mountain Master Chen’s spearplay, he felt that although the two’s moves were vastly different, their spirit was similar.

In the martial arts world, there was a saying: “a month for the saber, a year for the staff, a lifetime for the spear.” If one disregarded the self-aggrandizement of certain spear masters,

It was no wonder that Mountain Master Chen had used the word “handy” when speaking to his master earlier.

A spear thrust fiercely towards the yellow-robed Yunyun’s neck.

The spear tip missed.

Subsequently, the spear tip aimed directly at her face several times, but each time, it missed.

From beginning to end, the yellow-robed Yunyun maintained a calm and indifferent expression. Finally, she reached out and grabbed the spear tip, pulling it towards herself, and then delivering a kick.

The simple action of pulling and kicking employed two secret techniques passed down orally among the successive mountain lords of Pu Shan, one fist technique called “Dao Ancestor Leading the Ox,” and the other called “Water God Backing the Mountain.”

The kick was like striking a bell, sending Chen Ping’an flying backward. However, the spear tip also carved a deep, bone-deep gash in Ye Yunyun’s palm.

Like a shadow, Ye Yunyun swept her leg, aiming for Chen Ping’an’s temple.

In haste, Chen Ping’an could only raise a palm to defend, blocking his ear. A loud thud followed, and the blue-robed figure flew several zhang, stopping only by using the spear tip to brace himself against the railing of the platform and stepping on the ground.

Ye Yunyun quickly replenished her martial artist’s true qi, instantly becoming full of spirit. Her surging fist intent even hinted at a breakthrough.

It was like a drunkard greedily gulping down a jar of fine wine, still not satisfied.

Xue Huai, watching from the side, looked at Mountain Master Chen, who had endured two kicks and still hadn’t fallen.

The old scholar suddenly had a thought: “Stealing” fist techniques?

The same Pu Shan fist technique, even the same principles, would result in a vast difference if executed by Xue Huai compared to his master, the yellow-robed Yunyun.

His master had once spoken of the subtle aura of a Martial Artist at the Qi Flourishing Stage, and it seemed that any peak grandmaster who reached the Stop Realm could “learn” fist techniques simply by “watching” them.

But Xue Huai immediately dismissed the idea, realizing it was far from being the case and that he had jumped to conclusions.

This Mountain Master Chen was a gentleman.

Although he had not interacted much with this young Hidden Official, Xue Huai was confident in his judgment and ability to discern character.

Otherwise, he could not have taught a disciple like Pei Qian, whose “fist techniques are upright and conduct courteous.”

Moreover, at a certain level of martial arts, one could not simply pick up any technique and use it.

Conflicting principles and clashing techniques were major taboos in martial arts.

Those exquisite fist techniques originating from other schools were not gold and silver that could be spent as soon as they entered one’s pocket.

Some techniques were like cavalry charges, while others were like infantry formations. Furthermore, the strength and gentleness, speed, weight, and principles of the fist techniques, whether fierce and domineering or calm and peaceful, made it extremely difficult for a martial arts grandmaster to reconcile them. Greedily taking too much could not only lead to indigestion but also affect the circulation of one’s pure qi.

It was like the Martial Saint Wu Shu of his own Tongye Continent, who supposedly gathered the strengths of all schools and successfully forged all the world’s spear techniques into one. Could it really be as rumored: “Only my family exists, and there are no more spear techniques in the world”?

Without Mister by his side, Cui Dongshan no longer put on airs as the Lower Sect Sect Master. He had already sat on the railing, leaning back, and secretly glanced at Xue Huai, who was focused on watching the battle. He then secretly complained: “Eldest Senior Sister, if I were Scholar Xue, I would definitely suspect that Mister is secretly learning Pu Shan fist techniques.”

Pei Qian retorted crossly, “That’s just human nature. Don’t try to stir up trouble here.”
The White Goose slapped the railing heavily with its wing. “Eldest Sister has truly cultivated her heart to completion, her breadth of mind is like the ocean, her bearing like a mountain! Little Brother should feel ashamed of himself!”

Pei Qian chuckled, “Enough is enough, alright?”

Next, Ye Yunyun, having replenished her pure Qi, unleashed the ancestral boxing techniques of Pushan, along with some self-created moves, on the Flower Sweeping Platform with all her might, a truly exhilarating display.

Even Sui Youbian, being a woman herself, was somewhat mesmerized. This Yellow-Clad Yun of Tongye Continent was indeed a great beauty whose temperament and appearance complemented each other perfectly.

During the exchange, Chen Ping’an’s most advantageous move was a full-circle sweep of his spear, striking Yellow-Clad Yun’s abdomen, almost sending her sliding across the ground. However, she quickly steadied herself by striking the ground with her elbow and rose to her feet.

She swiftly retaliated, striking the spear shaft with a fist, causing it to bend into a crescent shape, then slamming into Chen Ping’an’s chest.

This boxing exchange, in general, ended in a draw.

Ye Yunyun’s punches were sometimes like pounding silk, sometimes like cascading waterfalls.

Her hand delivered punches as if a celestial being was plucking strings on a zither, her fingers subtly manipulating the fist energy with the speed of flying swords.

Her movements were accompanied by flowing Qi and swirling mist, as if she were using the ‘shrinking the land’ technique of a Qi Refiner, bringing mountains and rivers closer.

Eventually, Chen Ping’an traded a punch for Ye Yunyun’s punch and kick.

Afterwards, they both stood their ground and replenished their pure Qi.

However, Xue Huai felt no ease at all.

Because even though his master had delivered an extra kick, the distance they both retreated was roughly the same.

This meant that Chen Shanzhu’s body as an End-Realm Martial Artist was actually a cut above his master’s.

Pei Qian felt somewhat guilty, but she couldn’t interrupt her master’s boxing exchange.

It was like when she was a child watching Old Wei play chess with Little White, embodying the principle of a true gentleman remaining silent while observing a game.

A martial artist’s boxing exchange should not be interrupted by outsiders.

It was a great taboo.

Chen Ping’an gently tossed the spear back to Pei Qian.

It was like the opening move in a game of Go.

The practice was over.

Chen Ping’an seemed to see through Ye Yunyun’s thoughts and smiled, “Cao Ci is not as… weak as Mountain Master Ye imagines.”

Ye Yunyun smiled, “I know you didn’t go all out.”

After a pause, Ye Yunyun didn’t simply state her name and throw a punch like before. This time, she took a step back and adopted Pushan’s rooted stance, “I am the same.”

Seeing this, Xue Huai’s expression turned solemn.

If they continued fighting, regardless of who won or lost, one of them would suffer serious injuries.

Chen Ping’an smiled knowingly.

He gently rolled up one sleeve.

Then he lightly wiped his arm with his palm, as if wiping away something.

Layer upon layer of certain talismans on his left arm were erased by Chen Ping’an’s hand.

He rolled up the other sleeve and did the same.

Finally, with a flick of his toes, Chen Ping’an shattered three “Half-Pound of True Qi” talismans each on his legs from the knees down to the ankles.

Pei Qian was stunned.

She truly didn’t know about this.

She elbowed the White Goose beside her. The White Goose raised both wings, gathered Qi in its dantian, then instantly failed, baring its teeth and muttering incoherently, “Eldest Sister, Heaven and Earth are my witnesses! If I knew the truth and deliberately didn’t tell you, I’ll never be your Little Brother again! You can just call me Eldest Brother!”

As the person facing Chen Ping’an in the boxing exchange, Ye Yunyun could most directly feel the suffocating pressure.

In the end, only one thought remained in her mind.

Inhuman.

Although Ye Yunyun had never formally exchanged blows with Wu Shu, the Martial Saint of Tongye Continent, every time they met, Wu Shu would bring her an immense pressure. Wu Shu emanated a natural sense of vigorous vitality and robust physique, even causing the surrounding martial artists to feel dwarfed.

Facing Wu Shu had already made Ye Yunyun feel extremely bad, like a weak girl venturing out alone at night and encountering a burly man in an alley, regardless of whether the man had malicious intentions, the girl would feel uneasy.

But at this moment, Ye Yunyun felt a despair that contradicted her nature, shamed her martial arts, and insulted the Yuncao Hall name…

It was as if a voice was constantly echoing in her heart.

Don’t exchange blows! Do not exchange blows! You will lose, you will die!

And this kind of suffocation and despair, which a pure martial artist should never have, was making Ye Yunyun, an End-Realm Grandmaster, almost enraged.

No wonder Jiang Shangzhen had advised her not to exchange blows with this person.

With such a mindset, how could she be the fist that secures a continent? How could she help Yuncao Hall ascend to the ranks of the great sects of Haoran?

Chen Ping’an acutely sensed the change in Ye Yunyun’s state of mind and suddenly shouted with his heart voice, “Ye Yunyun!”

Ye Yunyun’s scattered gaze and mind, as if suddenly hearing a clap of spring thunder, involuntarily gathered slightly.

Then, she subconsciously reined in her mind. In that instant, Ye Yunyun’s state of mind became clear, as if the great world outside and the small world within were all empty.

Chen Ping’an slowed down his punches, simply standing in place.

After a moment, Ye Yunyun withdrew all her thoughts from that profound realm. After emptiness, there were mountains and rivers stretching ten thousand miles, like a scroll unfolding.

Memorable people and events were like colorful paintings, relatively vague memories of life were like meticulously crafted line drawings, and those things that she thought she had long forgotten, but were actually sealed away, were like bold and freehand ink paintings, lacking in detail, but capturing the essence…

In that instant, Ye Yunyun felt as if she were a deity, suspended in the air, high in the heavens, overlooking the mountains and rivers of the earth.

Was this the Returning to Truth of the Second Layer of the End Realm?!

Chen Ping’an continued to speak with his heart voice, “No need to rush the exchange, you can wait a moment.”

Ye Yunyun’s eyes were exceptionally bright. She put away the ancient Pushan boxing stance, took a step back, and bowed again, silently thanking the green-robed guest who still felt “inhuman” to her. But now, there was no despair in her heart. She was silent for a moment, then smiled like a flower, saying, “Be careful!”

Chen Ping’an asked, “Are you sure?”

His intention was to ask Mountain Master Ye if she was sure she didn’t need to stabilize her Returning to Truth realm further?

After all, she could only be considered half a Returning to Truth at the moment.

But Ye Yunyun had already adopted a boxing stance, and even showed signs of… letting him attack first?

So, Chen Ping’an disappeared from the spot.
Since this Yellow-Robed Yun, wished to use his, Chen Ping’an’s, cultivation realm to roughly gauge the strength and depth of Cao Ci’s martial arts…

No problem.

Chen Ping’an still chose to hold back twenty percent of his power, exactly as he had when exchanging blows with Cao Ci in the Hall of Merit.

At that time, Cao Ci had also held back twenty percent.

In an instant, Yellow-Robed Yun lost all sensation, as if… the world no longer held a glimpse of azure robes.

Following this, her head tilted to one side, and Chen Ping’an slapped the side of her head, pushing her hard.

Ye Yunyun’s body seemed to suddenly be laid horizontally in the air.

A figure in azure robes shifted its stance, raising an arm high before swinging down a fist.

Yellow-Robed Yun was struck in the waist by the fist, her entire body slamming to the ground with a thunderous crash.

Cui Dongshan gasped, turning his head away from the scene.

Fortunately, Chen Ping’an swiftly extended his instep, slightly slowing the speed of her fall, before immediately taking several steps back.

On the Sweeping Flower Terrace, besides Cui Dongshan and his disciple Pei Qian, likely no one else witnessed this action.

Ye Yunyun remained “horizontally prone” on the ground, and seemed a bit… dazed.

Chen Ping’an once more spread his sleeves, cupping his fists in salute, saying, “I concede.”

Ye Yunyun staggered to her feet, forcefully suppressing the tumultuous upheaval within her miniature world, and desperately trying to stabilize the chaotic spiritual energy that had suffered collateral damage. Her expression was complex as she returned the salute, forcing a bitter smile, “I concede.”

The same words, “I concede,” held entirely different meanings.

For a time, the entire Sweeping Flower Terrace fell silent, following the quietude of the two who had exchanged blows.

Ye Yunyun forced down a mouthful of blood, her pale complexion slightly improving, before asking through a mental transmission, “Is it truly impossible to win if one is at the same cultivation level as you and Cao Ci?”

Chen Ping’an replied, “Sparring with me is one thing, but exchanging blows with Cao Ci is undoubtedly a lost cause.”

Ye Yunyun fell silent once more.

Chen Ping’an felt somewhat awkward.

At this moment, any polite platitudes seemed inappropriate.

Cui Dongshan watched with some concern, worried that this Mountain Lord Ye, who had originally intended to become a nominal guest elder of his Immortal Capital Mountain, might be scared away by the master’s sparring.

Ye Yunyun finally asked, “I’ve heard about the Liu Clan’s ‘Unlosable Game’ in the Azure-White Continent. Is Cao Ci truly so invincible?”

As for the “Azure-White Dispute” in the Hall of Merit, which had shaken the world, Ye Yunyun knew the general details through the mountain and river gazette.

Chen Ping’an said, “Cao Ci is indeed formidable, but there isn’t absolutely no chance.”

Ye Yunyun cupped her fists and smiled, “Farewell.”

Chen Ping’an was taken aback.

Cui Dongshan’s gaze was filled with sorrow. Look, Master, look at what you’ve done! Mountain Lord Ye isn’t planning on attending the sect celebration anymore.

Ye Yunyun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, saying helplessly, “Going to recuperate.”

Ye Yunyun only took Xue Huai towards Secret Snow Peak, walking steadily without riding the wind.

Only after walking some distance, once they had left the Sweeping Flower Terrace and the Banished Immortal Peak, in a mountain path flanked by cliffs on both sides, Yellow-Robed Yun stopped. Standing on the bluestone steps, she supported herself against the cliff wall with one hand, and used the other to support her waist. Even a female martial artist at the peak of the Essence Realm grimaced in pain from the slight rub.

The disciple Xue Huai didn’t dare breathe loudly, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead, pretending not to see anything. The old scholar thoughtfully quickened his pace, silently walking ahead.

Xue Huai slowed his steps, having already walked more than a dozen steps, before stopping in place, his back to his master.

Ye Yunyun ascended the steps. “The saying ‘Martial arts of a continent, fists originate from Pu Mountain,’ don’t take it seriously. I can’t control what outsiders say, but from now on, any disciple of Cloud Grass Hall who dares to say such a thing to my face…”

Just speaking those words tugged at the wound in her waist, and sweat beaded on Ye Yunyun’s forehead. She ceased speaking further.

Xue Huai felt that pretending to be a mute all this time was inappropriate, so he braced himself and said, “The Left Great Sword Immortal, senior brother of this Sword Immortal Chen, in his early years also twisted the meaning of ‘sword immortal embryo,’ originally the greatest compliment for sword cultivators in the Central Earth Divine Continent, into a form of insult.”

Ye Yunyun scoffed, “You might as well have said nothing!”

Xue Huai could only silently continue on his way.

Back at the Sweeping Flower Terrace, Pei Qian was radiant, even more delighted than if she herself had won the exchange.

Chen Ping’an smiled, saying nothing. What seemed to be a peak exchange with Yellow-Robed Yun was, in reality, still only halfway up the mountain compared to “someone’s certain fist.”