At the ancestral mountain of Little Dragon Pool, the dragon vein formed a shape resembling a scepter of wishes.

Beneath an ancient pine, Si Tu Mengjing, seemingly certain Chen Pingan would arrive, closed his eyes to cultivate his spirit, patiently awaiting the young Hidden Official’s visit to Little Dragon Pool.

Huang Ting, feeling somewhat bored, summoned Linghu Jiaoyu to keep her company and chat. However, with Dragon Beard Immortal Monarch, her grand-uncle master of the Supreme Mystery Sect, present, the maiden dared not act recklessly. No matter what Huang Ting asked, she would only nod or shake her head, never daring to disturb the esteemed ancestral master’s quiet cultivation.

As a cultivator of the lower mountain, she was, of course, intimately familiar with all sorts of wondrous events, immortal traces, and anecdotes of her own Supreme Dragon Pool.

The stories about this Dragon Beard Immortal Monarch were endless. He was a friend of the old Sword Immortal Zhou Shenzhi, one of the Ten Men of Central Earth from the past. He had attended the Green God Mountain banquet at the Bamboo Sea Grotto-Heaven. A Flower Goddess, a Master of Fate from Hundred Flowers Blessed Land, was his close confidante. He traveled to the Upside-Down Mountain and had a much-lauded discussion on the Dao amidst a snowy night at the Arrest-Release Pavilion with a Daoist master who held a dragon-whisker duster and whose grandmaster was the invincible master of White Jade Capital. He lodged at the Water Crystal Palace, one of the four private residences on Upside-Down Mountain, and was rumored to be quite close to Cloud Sign Immortal Maiden of the Rain Dragon Sect. He was also a dear friend to the ascended cultivator who called himself “Master of Thirty-Seven Peaks” on Snowy Continent, despite their vast difference in cultivation realms at the beginning of their relationship. The old immortal fondly addressed him as “Little Dragon Beard Friend” …

Until Si Tu Mengjing circulated his spiritual energy, completing a minor circulation, and opened his eyes. He looked kindly at the young maiden and proactively said, “Fu Shu, would you be willing to accompany me to the Great Dragon Pool? My junior brother Xuan Zhong plans to accept disciples recently. If you are willing, I can help recommend you.”

A cultivator’s mountain Dao name was like a childhood name; for an elder to address them this way was, of course, a sign of recognition and affection.

Linghu Jiaoyu quickly stood up. The maiden naturally did not want to go to the Great Dragon Pool, but she dared not voice her true feelings, and she became somewhat uneasy.

Si Tu Mengjing smiled and gestured downwards with his hand twice. “Don’t be nervous. If you don’t want to go, then don’t. If you ever want to travel to the Central Earth Divine Continent in the future, you can send a flying sword message to Cloud Abode Mansion of the Great Dragon Pool beforehand.”

Cloud Abode Mansion was precisely the mountain Dao field of this Dragon Beard Immortal Monarch.

In the maiden’s appearance, one could vaguely see the shadow of someone, similar yet not quite.

Linghu Jiaoyu hurriedly bowed her head in thanks.

The Central Earth Immortal suddenly stood up and said, “Si Tu Mengjing, a cultivator of the Great Dragon Pool, greets Mountain Lord Chen.”

A green-robed swordsman floated down to the cliffside and smiled, “Chen Pingan of Fallen Phoenix Mountain greets Dragon Beard Immortal Monarch.”

Behind him followed a yellow-hatted, green-shoed attendant, his green bamboo staff gently tapping the ground.

Si Tu Mengjing had only recently received a mountain-and-water missive from the Great Dragon Pool, penned by the Mountain and Sea Sect.

Ceramic Tile Continent was far too isolated. It used to be arrogant, thinking there were no great continents outside of Central Earth Divine Continent. Now, however, it had neither the will nor the ability to pay attention to the grand trends of the world.

The content of the missive caused even an Immortal to feel bewildered and incredulous.

Linghu Jiaoyu stood up with her ancestral master, feeling somewhat confused. Fallen Phoenix Mountain? Mountain Lord Chen?

Why had she never seen or heard of this before? She was probably just ignorant.

A stone table, four stools.

The Dragon Beard Immortal Monarch, temporarily acting as host, Sister Huang Ting, and two guests.

Linghu Jiaoyu was about to move, to give her seat to the attendant of that Mountain Lord Chen.

However, the young man holding the green bamboo staff, standing behind the green-robed swordsman in a long gown and cloth shoes, smiled at her at this moment. “Miss Linghu, please remain seated.”

Si Tu Mengjing extended a hand toward Chen Pingan, his other hand supporting his sleeve. “Please sit.”

After Chen Pingan sat down, he asked with a smile, “I wonder, Immortal Monarch Dragon Beard, what instructions do you have for seeking me out?”

Si Tu Mengjing smiled noncommittally, thinking he certainly lived up to his reputation as a scholar who most resembled the Old Scholar in terms of audacity.

The Central Earth Immortal had a lean face and a beautiful beard, resembling a poor scholar who had retired to the mountains.

The Great Dragon Pool in Central Earth Divine Continent, even with two Immortals sitting at its helm and with daily wealth pouring in, was still only a second-rate sect. This stemmed from the unimaginable vastness of Central Earth Divine Continent. In the other eight continents, a sect with one Immortal was already an undisputed “top” sect or Immortal residence. However, in Central Earth Divine Continent, whether a second-rate sect could ascend to the first tier depended on an insurmountable chasm: whether it had an Ascended Realm cultivator!

Si Tu Mengjing was unwilling to beat around the bush and went straight to the point. “I believe Mountain Lord Chen is already quite familiar with our Little Dragon Pool. Furthermore, you clearly heard what Huang Ting and I were talking about earlier. May I ask, Mountain Lord Chen, what guidance do you have for me?”

Chen Pingan, however, gave an irrelevant answer. “If I remember correctly, your Great Dragon Pool of Central Earth, including this lower mountain, has not had a new Jade Pure cultivator in over two hundred years.”

Currently, the Great Dragon Pool only had one Jade Pure Realm cultivator, namely the Great Dragon Pool’s Law Enforcer, whose Dao name was “Xuan Zhong”. He was the sect master and Si Tu Mengjing’s junior brother.

Moreover, there were only some older “Old Nascent Souls,” such as Lin Huizhi of the lower mountain.

Quan Qingqiu was still slightly better and possessed remarkable talent, with the potential to enter the upper five realms. It was believed that this was the dilemma faced by the Great Dragon Pool sect master and the ancestral hall.

Given Si Tu Mengjing’s character, he would definitely not take on the role of sect master. The Law Enforcer Xuan Zhong had a naturally volatile temper and was even less suitable to succeed as sect master.

So, once the sect master passed away, one day departing from this world through dissolution, what would happen to the Great Dragon Pool’s three-thousand-year-old lineage? Where would the sect’s cultivators go? How would it maintain its position in Central Earth?

They couldn’t possibly let a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator serve as sect master, right? Wouldn’t that be a ridiculous joke?

Si Tu Mengjing nodded. “One who does not plan for the future will find trouble at their doorstep.”

Chen Pingan smiled. “Fortunately, even if there is a period of stagnation, as long as Immortal Monarch Dragon Beard is around, it will still be better than those Immortal residences that have had the ‘sect’ character removed from their name. At most, it would just be a matter of losing face and being laughed at by the outside world.”

The age of a sect’s Daoist lineage was divided into real years and nominal years, depending on whether it had a Jade Pure Realm cultivator.

The Confucian Temple would grant a three-hundred-year grace period. If a sect did not have a Jade Pure cultivator within three hundred years, it would have its ‘sect’ title removed according to the rules.

However, even if the old sect master of the Great Dragon Pool dissolved, with Si Tu Mengjing, this young Immortal, and his junior brother Xuan Zhong, it would not fall to the point of calculating “nominal years” in any case.

Linghu Jiaoyu had actually been listening intently all along. Seemingly sitting upright and not looking around, she actually plucked up her courage and secretly glanced at the green-robed guest next to her with the corner of her eye.
This young mountain master, with his smiling face and casual words, especially that final remark about “being laughed at by outsiders,” really…begged for a beating.

Huang Ting looked at the fellow sitting with his legs crossed, so leisurely and carefree.

She couldn’t help but sigh. If she had good fortune, this guy was just plain tough.

Back in the Lotus Blessed Land, Chen Pingan only possessed a sliver of cultivation, yet he managed to break through the encirclement by himself.

Leaving aside the “invincible” Ding Ying, Zhou Fei and Lu Fang were no pushovers either.

Huang Ting had secretly traveled to Ascension City in the Five Colored World. The swordsmen there, whenever they mentioned the last hidden official of the Great Wall of Sword Qi at the drinking table, would always express their opinions clearly, without any neutral “whatever” attitude.

Chen Pingan glanced at the chess game on the table and said casually, “So, if Immortal Lord Dragon Beard were to truly steel his heart and purge his sect, removing two Nascent Soul cultivators from Little Dragon Pool at once would be far too damaging to their vitality. It would gladden enemies and pain allies. Carelessly, it might even lead to the sect losing this foothold in another continent. I believe that’s why Immortal Lord Dragon Beard has hesitated to act. Not being the mountain master of Great Dragon Pool already fills him with guilt towards the past patriarchs. If he were to personally destroy the foundation of his sect, who wouldn’t be distressed?”

Situ Mengjing remained silent.

Chen Pingan raised his sleeve, extended a hand, and with two fingers, as if plucking something, produced a jet-black chess piece from thin air. He gently placed it on the chessboard, and in an instant, the board was swept by wind and clouds, the atmosphere turbulent. All the previous pieces trembled as if a small-scale blessed land was experiencing a dragon stirring the waters and overturning the seas.

Changing hands, he pinched a snow-white chess piece and placed it on the board again. In an instant, the previous chaos dissipated, and all the pieces stabilized, as if returning to a clear and bright world. Chen Pingan said to himself, “Good words always make people uncomfortable. Principles that make people feel at ease are often not principles at all.”

In Merit Forest, Chen Pingan had read countless books. Besides, there was also the widely knowledgeable Mister Xiping, whom he could ask anything.

Therefore, he knew the Jade Regulations Sect, the Paulownia Leaf Sect, and the Myriad Jade Sect of the Three Mountains Blessed Land as well as he knew the back of his hand. He was familiar with Great Dragon Pool, the sect that loomed over Little Dragon Pool.

Many young enshrined elders in Great Dragon Pool’s ancestral hall were unaware of the sect’s secrets and the unspeakable merits and demerits of past patriarchs, but Chen Pingan knew them all.

Situ Mengjing lowered his head, narrowed his eyes, and stared at the chess game on the table, saying slowly, “An exquisite chess game. Even if my master and Han Jiangshu were present to continue this game, neither could find a solution.”

Situ Mengjing raised his head and smiled, “Mountain Master Chen truly deserves to be National Preceptor Cui’s junior brother, equally skilled in the art of chess.”

Life is like a star, each with its own value. Heaven gave me life, where is my destiny?

Tonight, the moon and stars were sparse. After this young sword immortal placed his piece, Situ Mengjing, as an immortal, strained his eyes and could only vaguely see two slender “starlight” beams, as if receiving an order, being guided down from the heavens and landing on the chessboard.

This meant that Chen Pingan’s two exquisite moves not only aligned with the “Heavenly Will” of the Great Dao, but also completely overwhelmed the previous endgame.

Xiao Mo stood expressionlessly behind his young master.

Actually, one day on Secret Snow Peak, Sect Master Cui learned of this chess game and took out two jars of chess pieces, asking Mister to set up the game. As a result, Sect Master Cui glanced at the endgame, put away all the black and white pieces, and replayed the game piece by piece, constantly removing them, as if witnessing the two immortals’ pine-tree duel. Sect Master Cui cursed them as idiots and trash for playing such ugly chess, embarrassing and laughable. In the end, he helped to play out the two moves that Chen Pingan played today.

Situ Mengjing asked in confusion, “Is Mountain Master Chen also a qi-gazer?”

Swordsman, pure martial artist, talisman cultivator…

Chen Pingan smiled and asked, “Is it possible?”

Situ Mengjing sighed and asked directly, “How are you certain that Lin Huizhi and Quan Qingqiu betrayed the Great Way?”

Linghu Jiaoyu’s face instantly turned pale.

Chen Pingan smiled, “Then I’ll just speak freely?”

Situ Mengjing smiled, “Then I’ll just listen freely.”

Chen Pingan stood up and looked at the wild garden that Quan Qingqiu had painstakingly created, saying softly, “Immortal Lord Dragon Beard will soon know the answer.”

Situ Mengjing suddenly said, “Let me remind Mountain Master Chen in advance that the final decision on how to deal with traitors, whether to kill or imprison, is the sole concern of Great Dragon Pool, and no outside interference is needed.”

The last time Chen Pingan visited Mind Tip Peak and reunited with Huang Ting here, Situ Mengjing sensed a killing intent when they stayed in the thatched hut for a while.

It was like a straight line, a sword light, sweeping across Little Dragon Pool. It even made Situ Mengjing feel a chilling sensation in his Dao heart for a moment.

Chen Pingan turned his head, smiled, and looked at Situ Mengjing without saying anything.

Xiao Mo smiled and said, “Since your Great Dragon Pool doesn’t know how to do things properly, then don’t teach my young master how to do things.”

Chen Pingan said, “You can’t say that. It’s originally a family matter for Great Dragon Pool. As outsiders, we’re already very honored to be able to help a little.”

Xiao Mo nodded, “Young master is always right.”

Situ Mengjing didn’t find it funny at all. Feeling heavy-hearted, he slowly stood up and said, “If you can help us solve this huge hidden danger, Great Dragon Pool will surely repay you generously.”

Chen Pingan moved to the edge of the cliff, extended a hand, and pressed his palm against one of the two stacked narrow sabers at his waist, facing the wild garden that wasn’t far away.

The mountain breeze gently ruffled his hair. Chen Pingan smiled and said, “Everything is negotiable, so everything is easy to say.”

In today’s Great Way, only a handful of people probably understand one truth.

Chen Pingan, the mountain master of Fallen Phoenix Mountain.

Xiao Mo, a registered offering of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, a Peak Ascension Realm swordsman.

Chief Offering Jiang Shangzhen, an immortal.

Lower Sect Master Cui Dongshan, an immortal.

Fallen Phoenix Mountain Law Enforcer Chang Ming, who can be considered an immortal.

A certain odd-job disciple in the New Year’s Lucky Money Shop in Riding Dragon Lane, an extradimensional demon, Ascension Realm.

Lower Sect Chief Offering, Mi Yu, a Jade Purity Realm swordsman.

Fallen Phoenix Mountain Head Butler Zhu Lian, a Peak Mountain Realm martial artist.

Founding Disciple Pei Qian, a Boundary Realm martial artist.
Qi cultivators below the Jade Purity Realm, pure martial artists below the Summit Realm, and even the nominal guest elders of both the Upper and Lower Sects—it seemed unnecessary to mention them.

Beyond the Divine Continent of the Central Earth, a combined force of sword light and fist force could sweep across half a continent.

Just like…

In the past, the Great Li Dynasty considered one kingdom to be one continent.

Now, Chen Ping’an seemed to be considered as half a continent all by himself.

Chen Ping’an said, “I’ll trouble Immortal Dragon Beard to summon Quan Qingqiu and Chief Zhang.”

Soon, Quan Qingqiu and Zhang Liuzhu hastily arrived, riding the wind.

Quan Qingqiu didn’t recognize the cyan-robed swordsman who appeared to be of considerable importance.

However, the moment Chief Zhang saw the back of the cyan robe, his scalp tingled, and his Daoist heart, usually as calm as water, churned wildly.

Chen Ping’an turned his head and smiled. “Chief Zhang, long time no see.”

Zhang Liuzhu looked tense, involuntarily swallowing a mouthful of saliva, unsure of how to respond.

In truth, it hadn’t been “long.” Only a few days had passed since their separation at the Taiping Mountain ruins.

Previously, the old Nascent Soul and that Dai Yuan, a Golden Core cultivator who served as an inside advisor to the Yu Dynasty, shared both fortune and misfortune. They watched the illusory spectacles together and drank fine wine. That Dai Yuan, despite his low cultivation level, was quite capable. He managed to summon a group of graceful and beautiful fairies, some from his own sect and others from different mountains. They addressed the old Nascent Soul as “Brother Zhang” and “Immortal Zhang,” making his bones feel as though they were melting. It wasn’t that he hadn’t seen such a gathering of beauties before, but a group of singing and dancing maidens, all registered female cultivators, was unprecedented!

In the end, they became brothers in adversity. The ruthless cyan-robed sword immortal before them used a vicious secret technique to strip and imprison their souls. Zhang Liuzhu and Dai Yuan became door gods at the foot of Taiping Mountain ruins. The experience was so bitter and unbearable that he didn’t even want to think about it. As a result, after returning alive to Little Dragon Pool and resuming his position as chief guest elder, he greeted everyone with a smile, because the old Nascent Soul reminded himself daily to cherish his current immortal life.

Back at the entrance, Jiang Shangzhen took away a piece of black stone of unknown material from Zhang Liuzhu, which was like paying a ransom to get rid of those two plagues.

Even now, the old Nascent Soul, who came from humble beginnings as a rogue cultivator, didn’t know that the unremarkable stone he had occasionally obtained in the past was actually one of the ancient “Rippling Jade Heaps.”

If he had known its origins, he could have sold it for at least three hundred Valley Rain Coins to someone who knew its worth in the Divine Continent of the Central Earth! Unfortunately, for many years, Zhang Liuzhu had only used it to view the illusory spectacles of a continent, squandering a treasure.

Chen Ping’an shifted his gaze and looked at the “young” Nascent Soul with a fishing rod hanging from his waist, and asked with a smile, “Are you called Quan Qingqiu? A good surname, an even better name.”

Quan Qingqiu glanced at his grand-uncle, who showed no intention of offering any guidance. He could only cautiously say, “I am indeed Quan Qingqiu. May I ask who this senior is?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “A foreigner. You wouldn’t know even if I told you. I once met a cultivator with the same name as you. Separated by a fence, we hit it off and chatted happily. That ‘Qingqiu’ fellow is like chopsticks unable to drink soup or a spoon unable to eat noodles, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.”

In Old Deaf’s prison, there was once a jailed Great Demon of the Immortal Realm named Qingqiu, whose true form was a loach, one of the four fiends of the Ye Luo River.

Quan Qingqiu was completely bewildered. A foreigner dared to act mysteriously in front of his grand-uncle. What exactly did he want?

Chen Ping’an asked, “Regarding that wild garden, putting aside those who haven’t yet successfully taken human form, have you investigated the identities and backgrounds of the seventy-six demon race cultivators?”

The wild garden occupied an area of dozens of square miles, confining all those demons, almost all cultivators below the fifth realm.

Chief Guest Elder Zhang Liuzhu was in overall charge, but the one truly responsible for the specific affairs was an old Golden Core cultivator from Little Dragon Pool, as well as a guest elder recruited in recent years, a pure martial artist who was originally a general from a fallen kingdom, in the Golden Body Realm. His country was destroyed, and there was no hope of restoration, so he harbored intense killing intent towards these remnants of the demon race.

The cultivators of Little Dragon Pool carefully crafted a talisman formation to create a landscape barrier to prevent the demon race cultivators from escaping. Above the formation boundary, there were also dozens of demon-revealing mirrors made by the mirror craftsmen of Little Dragon Pool. Inside the wild garden, in the central area, there was a small mountain with a broad view. At the summit, a temporary residence was built, where the martial artist named Cheng Mi often stayed. Quan Qingqiu and Zhang Liuzhu would occasionally reside there as well. Foreign tourists could travel through the wild garden on several talisman boats.

Quan Qingqiu couldn’t help but glance at his grand-uncle again, but unfortunately, Situ Mengjing still didn’t offer any guidance. Quan Qingqiu felt some anger in his heart. Did this guy really think he had taken over the nest and become the master of the house?

However, Quan Qingqiu still tried to answer in a calm tone, “We have thoroughly verified everything. Through the demons’ mutual verification of each other’s identities, we know clearly which mountain or sect they came from and which desolate army camp they belonged to. Everything is recorded in detail, without any errors. Taking this opportunity, we have also helped the academy find a lot of hidden information.”

With only one Dragon Gate Realm demon and a few Cave Dwelling Realm beasts, what errors could there be? Quan Qingqiu could kill all the demons in the wild garden with one hand if he wanted to.

Chen Ping’an took a step, shrinking the mountains and rivers, and directly arrived above the wild garden.

In the moonlight, a cyan-robed figure hovered in the wind, gently tapping the hilt of the narrow blade, Zhan Kan, with his hand, his gaze lowered, overlooking the earth.

Xiao Mo didn’t follow Chen Ping’an to the wild garden, but upon receiving instructions through heart-sense, stood on the cliffside, watching her young master’s immortal demeanor. Xiao Mo looked forward to traveling the vast bright moon with her young master in the future.

In the ancient times, when the sky was high and the earth was vast, there were countless strange sights. For example, the golden crows of the Sun Palace descended to the crimson tower, and the emperor’s sons rode the wind down to the emerald peaks.

These were all scenes Xiao Mo had witnessed with her own eyes.

Even the magnificent battle of water and fire.

The bright moon melted, mountains crumbled, great rivers dried up, the sea began to burn, and the scorching sun began to freeze.

Without needing to hold any talisman credentials, the cyan robe passed through the formation restrictions as easily as if there were no one there, landing on the plaza outside the mountain-top residence.

Zhang Liuzhu hesitated for a moment, communicated with Immortal Dragon Beard through heart-sense, and upon receiving permission, immediately rode the wind to the wild garden residence.

A burly man who was practicing stances in the plaza stopped, his face displeased, and he asked in a deep voice, “Who comes here? State your name!”

The uninvited guest said, “My surname is Chen, my given name is Ping’an. I come from Immortal Capital Mountain, and I have met General Cheng.”
The warrior glanced at the stacked knives at the man’s waist, his brow relaxing slightly. He softened his tone and asked, “Do you possess a token from Little Dragon Pool?”

Zhang Liuzhu hurried to the plaza, anxiously saying, “Steward Cheng, you mustn’t be rude to Mountain Master Chen. He is a distinguished guest of our Little Dragon Pool.”

Chen Ping’an chuckled, “Where’s the rudeness? It’s just duty, checking identities. Chief Zhang, friends are friends, but I still have to say, you can’t turn your back on your own people.”

Zhang Liuzhu immediately bowed and nodded, “Mountain Master Chen’s teachings will be kept in mind.”

*This old man* came from the wild cultivation path, what are you talking about face? Who is it that has no shame?

Cheng Mi was used to this. He neither liked nor disliked the old Nascent Soul, Water Immortal. He was just the best of a bad bunch. At Little Dragon Pool, he was someone you could at least have a few drinks and chat with. Cheng Mi had nothing to say to the eternally frosty Mountain Master Lin Huizhi or the snobbish Quan Qingqiu. He guessed they wouldn’t bother talking to him either, a Gold Body Realm cultivator with a weak physique, not worth much spirit money on the mountain.

Chen Ping’an slowly drew his saber.

A slender saber, Zhan Kan, its blade revealed. Cool as water, reflecting moonlight, incomparably clear.

Wearing a green robe, he didn’t straighten his back when he drew the saber. Instead, he hunched over slightly.

An extraordinarily ancient and profound aura instantly permeated and enveloped the entire Wild Garden landscape.

Like the Dao of Heaven descending to earth.

Those demons that had not yet fully taken form, as if seeing the initial existence of their own bloodlines, returned to their ancestors, involuntarily prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling.

Even the demon cultivators within Wild Garden, even if they did not recognize the green-robed figure, recognized the famous slender saber, known throughout the Barbarian World’s war camps.

It was that… freak from the Sword Qi Great Wall!

His face and figure were blurred, standing alone on the city wall, leaning on his saber.

Only his scarlet mage robes had been replaced by a green robe.

Chen Ping’an narrowed his eyes, looking in one direction, “Found you.”

Truly good at hiding, choosing to hide here, a clever idea.

Otherwise, with just his few Wind and Rain Talismans, he might not have found a single clue.

But he had Little Mo by his side.

He summoned a Bird in a Cage.

Chen Ping’an took another step, pressing down on the head of the “Lower Five Realms demon cultivator.” He slowly drew the slender saber across his neck, severing his head.

At the same time, he had already captured the soul of this demon, squeezing it into a ball in his palm, casually tossing it to Little Mo, who stood on the edge of the Mind Cliff.

Little Mo took it into a natal flying sword, and after a moment, communicated with his young master via the Heart Sound.

Besides Quan Qingqiu, there was indeed a Lin Huizhi.

This demon cultivator’s realm was not high, only a Nascent Soul, but he was one of the relatively core figures in a certain Barbarian World war camp, thanks to a good master.

He had suffered damage to his Dao heart and a damaged true form in a great battle at Old Dragon City, returning to the vicinity of Little Dragon Pool to recuperate, ultimately failing to evacuate Tongye Continent in time.

Even those demons imprisoned here, still wild and untamed, dared not approach the last Hidden Officer who had defended half of the Sword Qi Great Wall with invincible might.

After all, those who had confronted him those years were none other than the Sword Immortal Dragon Sovereign, one of the old monarchs.

Chen Ping’an sheathed his saber and returned to the plaza outside the mountain-top mansion, smiling and asking, “General Cheng, would you be willing to move to my mountain? There are many martial artists there, no shortage of sparring opportunities. Little Dragon Pool owes me a favor, they won’t stop you.”

Cheng Mi grinned and shook his head, “It’s good here. Watching those beasts locked in cages every day keeps me from thinking I’m still dreaming.”

In the Literary Temple, an outspoken official; on the battlefield, a trusted general.

Born into a noble family, he joined the army young, abandoning his pen for the sword, spending decades in military campaigns, dealing with wind, sand, and horse manure.

The capital of his homeland was once hailed by a continent’s immortals as Moonless City.

Because since its founding, there had been no curfew. The lights were always on, so a moon seemed superfluous.

He wanted to leave but could not, a short trip became a long one. He wanted to return but could not, a foreign land became home.

But besides missing his family and comrades, Cheng Mi’s thoughts were now most often drawn to a fly-infested restaurant he frequented back home.

A bowl of mixed noodles, sprinkled with minced garlic, a handful of dried chili, drizzled with hot oil, *tsk tsk*.

Chen Ping’an smiled and bid farewell.

Cheng Mi clasped his fist heavily, his expression solemn.

Zhang Liuzhu did not immediately follow Chen Ping’an away from Wild Garden.

Allow me to take a moment to calm down before I can move.

After regaining some composure, the old Nascent Soul stroked his beard and smiled, “Cheng Mi, do you want to know who that was?”

Cheng Mi chuckled, leaving a single sentence before continuing his boxing practice.

“To have met a gentleman is enough.”

Zhang Liuzhu was speechless. Don’t let Cheng Mi’s rough appearance fool you, he actually had some knowledge in his belly.

Cheng Mi suddenly stopped his fist posture and asked, “Earlier, those demon cultivators seemed to be saying the same word in Barbarian World bird language. What did it mean?”

Zhang Liuzhu joked, “Animal babble, how would I understand it? It would be strange if I did.”

Chen Ping’an returned to the pine trees below As-You-Wish Peak.

Situ Mengjing had already communicated with the cultivator who called himself Little Mo. A determined immortal, relieved but also a bit melancholic.

Situ Mengjing sighed heavily, adjusted his robes, and bowed to Chen Ping’an, “I thank Hidden Officer on behalf of Great Dragon Pool.”

After straightening up, Situ Mengjing smiled, “I have a distant relative who returned to the Great World, and once took a trip to Great Dragon Pool. He has great respect for Hidden Officer, and hopes that Hidden Officer will look him up for a drink when you pass through Flowing Haze Continent.”

Chen Ping’an smiled without speaking.

He knew who Situ Mengjing was talking about, a foreign sword cultivator from Flowing Haze Continent, Situ Jiyu, a Jade Purity Realm cultivator.

He was a regular at his wine shop, very familiar. His alcohol tolerance was poor, and his behavior when drunk was even worse. When he got drunk while pickling vegetables for drinking, he liked to put his arm around his shoulder and ask if he would take concubines, if he dared. He also said that his family was famous for its beauty…

Go to Flowing Haze Continent and drink with him? It would be polite enough not to chop up Situ Jiyu.

Chen Ping’an directly took Little Mo and returned to Immortal Capital Mountain.
Previously, Xiao Mo escorted Guo Ran and the others to the Immortal Capital Mountain region before bidding farewell. His figure transformed into a streak of sword light, vanishing into the void in the blink of an eye.

Guo Ran himself was an immortal, having cultivated within a grand sect like Iron Tree Mountain. Though not fond of traveling afar, due to his master being bound by a certain promise, mighty cultivators would proactively visit Iron Tree Mountain. Thus, Guo Ran had witnessed the demeanor of cultivators from the peaks of various continents without ever having to leave his abode. For instance, the Fire Dragon True Man, renowned as “Number One in Fire Arts and Second in Thunder Arts Under Heaven,” once displayed his rare water-based divine abilities after a bout of drunken revelry.

Because his master, Guo Outing, was defeated in a contest of swordsmanship, losing to that Chen surnamed swordsman who slayed flood dragons wherever they were found, Guo Ran, as the close disciple, possessed a deep understanding of sword cultivators.

Legend had it that in ancient times, the brilliance of a sword cultivator’s sword light could rival the sun and moon.

Tan Yingzhou inquired, “Master, what is it?”

Guo Ran smiled, “That Mister Xiao Mo is likely a Grand Sword Immortal.”

Zheng Youqian grinned, “Junior Martial Uncle Yin Guan, his companions are all Sword Immortals, nothing strange about it.”

Tan Yingzhou crossed her arms and chuckled, “So you understand now?”

Zheng Youqian felt somewhat helpless. As soon as his Junior Martial Uncle left, she reverted to this attitude.

At the nearly completed ferry crossing, they spotted a white-robed youth, seemingly supervising the construction, and a slender young woman.

Zheng Youqian called out, “Senior Martial Brother Cui, Senior Martial Sister Pei.”

Although his master was Junior Martial Uncle’s senior brother, he had joined the sect later, so addressing them as Senior Martial Brother and Senior Martial Sister was undoubtedly correct.

He wasn’t foolish. He was well-versed in social etiquette; it was all clearly written in books.

Pei Qian smiled and nodded, “A good name.”

Cui Dongshan said with a smile, “Youqian, the next time you see us, remember to call out to Senior Martial Sister Pei first, then Senior Martial Brother Cui.”

Since he was going to be marked down regardless, he might as well initiate it himself.

Tan Yingzhou asked curiously, “Are you Zheng Qian?”

Perhaps realizing her lack of courtesy, the young girl quickly added, “Grandmaster Zheng!”

Pei Qian said with a smile, “Just call me Sister Pei.”

Zheng Youqian explained to his two fellow disciples, “On the way here, we happened to encounter Junior Martial Uncle. Junior Martial Uncle said he was going to Little Dragon Pool to chop… seek enlightenment through swordsmanship. I think he’ll be back soon.”

Tan Yingzhou glared, “Yin Guan didn’t say it like that! He only said he was going to visit friends! Stop embellishing things here!”

Zheng Youqian sighed. Junior Martial Uncle was *his* Junior Martial Uncle, not hers… oh well, it’s always best not to argue with women.

Two streaks of sword light left the vicinity of Little Dragon Pool, heading south into the night.

Sword light accompanied the moon’s brilliance, several stars adorned their chests, and ten thousand peaks lay beneath their feet.