Chapter 22: Pairing Off
This batch of bizarre and strange beings each sat within their own small heavenly realms, and waves of vast Dao energy blotted out the sky and covered the earth, tightly encircling the entire Great Li capital city.
With just a few of them, they already exerted a suffocating pressure like a great army pressing on the border.
The woman in the green skirt, who had been the first to arrive in this mortal world, looked around. She sensed that on this small landmass, there were five mountain peaks, each shrouded in mist and glowing with five different kinds of light, forming a single combined formation.
She thought for a moment. It seemed to carry a hint of the Great Sacred Mountain True Form Diagram.
She remembered that back in the day, there were just two draft sketches of talisman diagrams, and the number of high mountains had been either three or five. They had discussed it, but unfortunately, no final conclusion had been reached.
It seemed the Five Phases theory derived from Yin and Yang had flourished in later ages. She couldn't help but sigh with emotion. What was once a single sprout of spring grass had now grown into a vast, lush prairie of ceaselessly flowing Dao. The wisdom and ingenuity of later generations of Dao-seekers truly could not be underestimated.
The White Bone Daoist felt slightly uncomfortable and grew a bit irritable. Having had his incarnation shattered by a single punch from a martial artist, he had already lost face. He waved the wide sleeve of his purple robe, sending the Northern Sacred Mountain Dao energy that had swept in from Precious Bottle Continent flying back. In an instant, the sea of clouds surged and roiled, like the ebb and flow of a suspended ocean.
By this sleeve technique of the White Bone Daoist, countless clouds densely clustered around a single mountain peak. A cloud-covered mountain was like a divine general clad in snow-white armor.
The White Bone Daoist looked at the mountain peak. Standing there was a mountain god with golden rings hanging from his ears, hiding inside a turtle shell. With the support of the formation, he had some level of Dao cultivation. The Daoist laughed and gave a few reminders, "Little fellow, if you make any more provocative moves like that, this one will take it as you seeking the Dao. According to the old rules, that would mean you and I have drawn the line. The one with the higher Dao lives, the one with the lower Dao dies! The Dao companions and Dharma heirs on the sidelines can only watch this dharma combat and absolutely must not interfere."
Wei Bo smiled and said, "You have your rules, and I have my duties."
The White Bone Daoist had wanted to make a few more jests, but found himself already locked onto by that fellow surnamed Chen. He didn't dare to be careless and immediately stopped talking.
That punch earlier—was it a full-force strike, or had he deliberately held back?
Chen Ping'an had rolled up his sleeves. He said, "Since you've all come with such high spirits, it wouldn't be right to let you leave disappointed. I'll give you the time it takes to burn one stick of incense to remain within the borders of Great Li. Matters in the sky will be settled in the sky.
"Let me remind you: if anyone dares to disturb the mortals within the city or take a single life, not only will I kill that person, but none of you bystanders will be allowed to leave either."
There was no need to deliver them to the Confucian Temple's Forest of Merit; Great Li already had a prison just waiting for them.
He figured Yuan Huajing's eyes must be red by now.
Upon hearing this, the White Bone Daoist shook his head repeatedly. If he deliberately killed a few ants and "implicated" several allies, wouldn't this brat end up surrounded and beaten? This kind of reckless fool who protects his head but not his tail was undoubtedly seeking his own death!
This reminded him of many old acquaintances from the mortal world back in the day. Those with better talents, more opportunities, and long-term power all seemed to end up not knowing their place. They met their end midway on the path. Small calamities were easy to pass, but great calamities were inescapable. Apart from himself, how many people could still remember their Daoist names or their deeds?
He flicked his sleeve and pointed a finger at that tiny figure like a mustard seed. "Before the Heaven-Earth Passage, such a boastful tone from a toad trying to swallow the sun and moon would have counted as real skill on your part. This one would have tolerated you, even actively avoided you. But what kind of situation is this now, Chen Ping'an? Don't you have a clue in your own heart? Still putting on false pretenses, making me look down on the nature of mortal Dao-seekers. If you're like this, then the Dao-seekers on the ground are even worse. Is the mortal world so unbearable? Pitiful, pitiful. When there are no heroes, a mere commoner gains fame. Lamentable and deplorable."
"No wonder Zhou Mi couldn't get anything done in the Wildlands. If he could lose to a shoddy piece of goods like you, he can't be that strong."
"Forget it, forget it. Let this one take the trouble to reorganize, personally change heaven and earth, and restore the proper order to this world."
On the corridor of the National Preceptor's residence, Song Yunjian was not relaxed. Although he presided over the three grand formations of the capital, he had to both protect the entire city and apply a concealment technique. This manifestation of Great Li's national fortune, whose Dao name was Yingning, was truly a mute swallowing bitter herbs—he couldn't speak of his suffering. Of course, Chen Ping'an, the new National Preceptor, had it hard. But the problem was that he, Song Yunjian, also had it quite tough! In just a few days, he had witnessed scenes that many old ascenders wouldn't see in a lifetime. First, the disturbance caused by the Fourteen Realm ghost Xian, then the Heaven-Earth Passage, and now today!
Thankfully, the National Preceptor had used some secret method to obscure the heavenly omens in advance. The common people of Great Li's capital only saw a heavy rain.
Song Yunjian quietly lifted his dry tobacco pipe in his hand. It was an absolutely ordinary object. But could the National Preceptor actually have such divine power?
Once it was confirmed that this batch of ancient beings were enemies, not friends, a big fight was inevitable.
Song Yunjian sighed. His Dao heart fluctuated, a mix of emotions that could all be summed up in one sentence: What the hell, this is exciting!
Yuan Huajing and several other Earth Branch cultivators currently staying in the capital had gathered together. But for some reason, even though they had gathered and come to Great Li together, which was more formidable than Xian landing on Precious Bottle Continent alone, the situation in the Great Li capital was now even more perilous. The National Preceptor didn't even bother to inform them of a single word. It was as if he was silently saying: just watch the show.
Indeed, as the National Preceptor had guessed, Sword Immortal Yuan's eyes were burning with fervor, and his mood was even more exaggerated than the surging sea of clouds over the Northern Sacred Mountain region. But Sword Immortal Yuan had thunder in his heart while appearing calm as a still lake. Even if knowing Xian's Dao foundation could accomplish something, Yuan Huajing couldn't bring himself to do it. But this arrogant White Bone Daoist, who had come to Great Li's capital with such ferocity, was clearly targeting the National Preceptor. If he could pick up the scraps and refine him into a puppet, wouldn't that be perfect?!
That settled it. Secluding himself to break through to the Jade Pu realm needed more urgent attention.
It seemed that the half-immortal weapon and two Dharma treasures in Great Li's two secret treasuries were worth asking for. He could exchange them for battle merits and purchase them, not taking advantage of Great Li's court or the National Preceptor. If the price was too high, he could just owe a debt of battle merits to Zhou Haijing, Lu Hui, and the others.
The White Bone Daoist looked down at the blue-clad martial artist who had thrown a punch and then stopped. He suddenly clapped his hands and laughed heartily, "I see! The junior is outwardly tough but inwardly weak—an empty city stratagem!"
Chen Ping'an showed extreme patience. Only at this moment did he smile and say, "Are you done? The time of one incense stick is the time you all share together."
Cao Ci looked at this Chen Ping'an and found him somewhat unfamiliar. Although he had many identities and heavy shackles of fame and profit, at this moment, in his blue gown with bare feet suspended in the air, he was so at ease living in this world.
Xu Xie suppressed a laugh and communicated to Cao Ci with his mind, "Now I know why the Confucian Temple in the Central Plains wanted to seal the news."
Cao Ci said, "This White Bone Daoist needs to be careful."
Earlier, when the White Bone Daoist looked at the mountains and rivers of the mortal world, his "gaze" was completely different from that of the Qingqiu Fox Clan.
The latter was one of surprise, of astonishment, with a joyful heart.
The White Bone Daoist's gaze was like that of a ruthless local tyrant or evil gentry who rarely went out for a walk and was appraising the growth of someone else's crops.
As for his claim of calling himself "This One", it touched a taboo—one that could be minor or major.
High above the clouds and rain curtains in the blue sky, a single line.
The White Bone Daoist's Dao heart shook. He raised his hand and shook his sleeve. A purple Dharma robe suddenly became as vast as a lake, concealing his true form within it.
Bang.
A punch was unavoidable. The fist aura collided with the Dharma robe, sounding like a great bell, like a specific word chanted during a Buddhist or Daoist temple's daily recitations.
The White Bone Daoist, along with his purple Dharma robe, began to spin, retreating over a thousand zhang. It was like a purple lake had countless whirlpools.
Chen Ping'an, one hand behind his back, had only thrown that one punch and didn't pursue. He sneered, "Don't you know the principle of valuing time like gold? So much useless blather!"
True, to beings like these, time itself was the least valuable thing, even the thing they most detested. Pursuers of immortality and eternity were instead imprisoned by that very eternity.
Pinching a hand seal to steady his spirit, the White Bone Daoist, spinning dozens of times in the air in an instant while soaring backwards, his purple Dharma robe's edges fluttering noisily. Compared to the enormous robe, this ancient Daoist's skeletal frame was as small as a grain of sand.
A skeleton covered in countless cracks creaked. Threads and strands of golden light connected like a million fleeing snakes. The skeleton's physique was restored to its original state in an instant. The Dao will and spiritual energy that had been dispersed by the punch attached themselves back to the purple robe, returning to their original positions. The speed of their outward splashing retreat was fast, but the speed of their return to over seven hundred golden energy apertures was even faster.
Although this White Bone Daoist's face had no eyeballs, flesh, sinews, or blood, onlookers could clearly feel his emotional changes.
He had to admit, that was a good punch.
This was the overwhelming power of a god of the physical body, the unreasonableness of the legendary Eleventh Realm of martial arts.
The key point was that the fist aura of this punch had used the true meaning of the Dao that imitated the rotation of the Heavenly Dao, thus forcing even the White Bone Daoist and his Dharma robe to follow in a rightward spin!
Another line of fist aura came head-on, with a piercing sound like a blunt tool grinding against a glass surface.
The White Bone Daoist and his robe shifted to a leftward spin, continuously tilting, rising, and retreating. The skeleton was instantly reduced to powder, and the vast, fluttering purple robe was riddled with tens of thousands of large and small holes.
Restored to his original appearance again, the White Bone Daoist was about to say a few words, willing to sincerely praise his opponent's boxing technique as divine...
The next moment, another unremarkable punch. The thick fist aura combined both left and right spins. The result of this clash of Dao was the instant tearing of the White Bone Daoist and his purple robe into two halves.
Perhaps throwing this third punch was indeed not a relaxed and effortless feat. The blue figure drifted down and landed on the head of that enormous fox, choosing a decent foothold.
Her face was full of aggression. She shook her head vigorously. "Surnamed Chen, get off!"
Chen Ping'an stomped his foot, pressing her head down, causing it to collide again with the top of the outer city wall.
Song Yunjian, who was presiding over the formation, also lost his balance. Oh, National Preceptor Chen, that stomp was unnecessary!
Chen Ping'an was still furious. He stomped on the fox's head again. "Damn it! Using a honey trap on me? You picked the right person."
She couldn't speak, and it was difficult to voice her thoughts through her mind. She had to use her innate divine ability to convey her intentions. Normally, this method was her specialty for seducing and inciting ancient earth immortals, capable of silently planting a "love seed" in their Dao hearts.
"Chen Ping'an, if you humiliate me like this again, I will abandon my Dao and life, and we will fight to the death!"
Chen Ping'an was about to stomp again, using a "beheading technique" to chop off her head.
Then he suddenly remembered something related to a conversation with Xu Xie. He lifted his foot and stepped sideways, leaving her head and landing on the wall.
And he even had the nerve to politely apologize to her.
She was probably dizzy from the two stomps. For a moment, she was confused, not knowing whether to accept the apology or curse him back.
Song Yunjian's vision blurred. With one hand holding someone's dry tobacco pipe and the other supporting a corridor pillar, he silently complained in his heart.
Chen Ping'an squinted at the sky. The true name of this great demon, the former master of Qingqiu, was recorded by Nian Xin the seamstress. Unfortunately, that White Bone Daoist, who was good at showing weakness, wasn't recorded. Even more unfortunately, he hadn't learned martial arts, otherwise it would have been simpler.
On a snow-white high platform, that ancient shaman with a painted face wept incessantly, staring fixedly at the human man in blue robes. It seemed he had finally confirmed the truth. His expression was desolate. He reached out to grab his face, his fingers hooked like claws, tearing his face into bloody messes. He choked out painfully, "Now it's not, before it wasn't, at the time of the Heaven-Earth Passage, neither of you were..."
He prostrated himself on the ground, as if using a devout posture to kneel and question heaven and earth. Soon, a pool of blood formed on the high platform, mixing with the colors. He roared in an ancient language, "I ask, where is the true god?! Where is the Heavenly Duke?!"
The woman in the green skirt sighed. This Dao companion, who had no other thoughts but sought only to "see the One single-mindedly", might have been better off not coming at all.
In the private Dao field of Fuyao Lu, separated by a single door, the summer cicadas chirped outside, their sound gathering like a tide. Inside, the Great Void was boundless, the starry river brilliant. Xie Gou sat cross-legged on a cushion, eyes closed, hands forming hand seals.
Three layers of scenery.
The sable-hatted girl who cultivated her sword and nourished her qi with the heart-fasting technique, attending to both protecting the Dao without error.
Behind her stood a woman in flowing white robes with clear, bright eyes, watching Ding the Daoist, whose "self-reflection is the universe."
Behind her was the demonic true form of the sword cultivator Bai Jing.
Xie Gou abruptly opened her eyes, instantaneously merging her incarnation, Dharma body, and true form. Her figure flitted out of the house. She raised her hand and summoned the green bamboo staff leaning against the wall outside the corridor, grabbing it in her hand. Her form turned into a rainbow, opened the Dao field's prohibition and then closed it. Xie Gou mentally spoke a few words to Xiao Mo, who was in seclusion within the gray mountain snail-shell Dao field: Don't give up halfway. I'll go meet two old acquaintances. Trust me... She quickly turned her head and glanced towards Huaying Peak. Her expression changed instantly, and she bellowed, Vice Chief Gan, time to work! Follow me out of the mountain to slay demons and eliminate evils!
Old Deafie grimaced, instructed those Dao seekers a few words, saying that when he returned, he would check their qi cultivation progress. He quickly walked out of the teaching hall, transformed into a sword light, and followed Chief Xie as she rushed to the Great Li capital.
Xie Gou kept one hand tucked in her sleeve, holding a short sword reversed.
She pinched a Three Mountain Talisman, shrinking the earth to reach the top of the capital's outer wall. She appeared gracefully. With one hand in her sleeve and the other on her hip, she looked at the enormous head of that vixen. "Aiyo, fellow Daoist, how did your forehead get so swollen?"
This former Qingqiu master, whose Dao age was over a thousand years greater than Bai Jing's, was also extremely surprised. She confirmed the true identity of the sable-hatted girl. She didn't seem particularly hostile at the sight of an old enemy. She was just inwardly wondering, why was Bai Jing, who should be raising havoc in the Wildlands and arbitrarily usurping others' Dao names, acting here in a land ruled by scholars?
On the city wall and outside the city wall, they stared at each other, each harboring their own thoughts.
"What a miserable slut."
"Why is Bai Jing so weak now?"
"Strike while the iron is hot! Kill it! Then gobble up its true form. Now that my realm is low and my appetite is small, I can definitely have a full meal. Maybe I can even raise two realms directly? Chewing up Liu Laocheng wouldn't be right, but chewing this one shouldn't be a problem. The mountain lord probably won't stop me. Paste a whole pile of self-made Three Mountain Talismans on its true form, teleport it to the Fuyao Lu Dao field. Whoa, even the impoverished landlord has surplus grain now!"
"I have a chance to sleep with her! I just happen to be short of a maidservant. Heaven helps me!"
Her eyes were seductive. Even on a fox face, one could feel a springtime allure. She slowly spoke, "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, we haven't met in ten thousand years. I've missed you."
Among the beauties under heaven, if the appearance was fixed, no matter how breathtaking the looks, it was impossible to make everyone infatuated. But this former Qingqiu master's face, figure, and bearing, when seen by others, varied from person to person. Thus, she could arouse the greatest lust in a Daoist's heart.
How many successful ancient earth immortals had she planted with love seeds, trapped in love nets, tumbling in the sea of desire without realizing it? They leaked their primordial spirits, freely giving her Dao nourishment, leaving only empty shells, which were then subjected to her color-refining techniques, eventually becoming her obedient servants.
In the ancient Qingqiu territory, the fox clan was inherently weak. Learning the Dao couldn't be done quickly, they weren't good at fighting. Many powerful beings who coveted their beauty, wanted to take them as slaves, refine them as cauldrons, and then discard them like worn-out shoes—it was this former Qingqiu master who gathered the clan, established a Dao lineage and incense offerings, and single-handedly protected them for thousands of years, maintaining the lineage unbroken.
Thus, the fox clan never hated the ancient gods, but they bore a boundless hatred for the Dao seekers on the earth.
How many Daoists in the ancient lands had refined dozens or hundreds of fox lives into cauldrons to achieve earth immortality and open cave heavens?
After the former Qingqiu master attained ascension, she began to roam the mortal world. During that time, she encountered many earth immortals with sufficient killing power but deficient Dao hearts, and even two ascenders—one injured, one dead. In the end, she still succeeded with them. There were a few exceptions. One of them was the sword cultivator Bai Jing, who had not yet ascended at the time. They each used their methods, tangled in a dharma battle, but ultimately Bai Jing managed to escape, denying her the chance for a romantic encounter. Even now, she still felt quite regretful about it.
Xie Gou tugged at her sable hat. Even though her current realm was much lower than this vixen's, she still stared straight back, smiling and communicating mentally, "Sister A'zi, you're so capable. Why don't you go sleep with our mountain lord?"
A'zi wasn't a real name, just the childhood nickname of this fox clan's founding ancestor. Very few ancient Daoists knew this "boudoir name".
Chen Ping'an, also standing on the city wall, glanced sideways.
Xie Gou immediately showed a face full of regret, then spoke with righteousness and sternness, "Wicked woman, disturbing my Dao heart again! This chief will never share the same sky with you!"
The White Bone Daoist, who had been torn apart by the punch, gathered and appeared again. Catching sight of the sable-hatted girl on the city wall, he was instantly shocked.
How was Bai Jing, that fierce woman, also here? And it seemed she was allied with that surnamed Chen? Could they be Dao companions?
Five had come. One had appeared and inexplicably turned into ashes drifting across the mortal world, simply throwing his halberd into the sea and leaving.
Of the remaining four, the leading woman in the green skirt hadn't said a word from start to finish. The former Qingqiu master, who had revealed her true form and was circling the capital, had her true name exposed by Chen Ping'an and suffered some hardship. And that ancient great shaman with the painted face seemed to have gone mad.
Only the White Bone Daoist in his purple robe had already started sparring with Chen Ping'an.
Xie Gou pointed at the fox head that was level with the city wall. "Mountain lord, she is the founding ancestor of all fox clans under heaven."
"It seems she has tasted the flavor of the Fourteenth Realm. But after suffering punishment for many years and returning to the mortal world, she has now fallen in realm. Her true power, however, lies not in her own Dao strength or those illusionary attack methods, but in her group of obedient servants. They are neither human, ghost, god, nor immortal, each utterly loyal, willing to sacrifice their lives, driven by her. I don't know how many puppet servants she has under her skirt."
"As a rogue cultivator, in terms of battle achievements, this woman isn't too far behind me. Mountain lord, don't be careless. Don't let her fool you. She has many crooked ways. It's easy to fall for her tricks."
Saying this, Xie Gou activated her sword heart. She put her two fingers together and lightly twisted them a few times. Wisps of pink Dao energy were gathered and entwined around her fingers. Xie Gou sneered, "Thanks to fellow Daoist Yingning activating the grand formation, blocking these refined essences of love and desire from seeping into the city. Otherwise, next year, there would be tens of thousands of extra newborn babies in the Great Li capital."
Chen Ping'an squinted and asked, "Can she then follow up and influence the life paths of these children?"
Xie Gou thought about it seriously and shook her head, "No, she can't control that. It's like rogue cultivators on the robbery path: they only care about killing, not burying. As for making men and women take off their clothes, arch their backs, and have babies—she just fans the flames, arousing the lustful hearts of Daoists and mortals. She seems to have known about the power of 'Heaven's Disgust' very, very early on, so she acts with some restraint. No wonder this vixen and slut looked at everyone with contempt back in the day. She must have already seen through some secrets of the heavenly mechanism."
Chen Ping'an nodded.
Xie Gou then pointed at the White Bone Daoist, who was deep in thought. "As for this bag of bones, his Dao age is much younger."
"He seems to be a junior on the path. Back when dharma techniques rained down like rain, there were some scraps and leftovers that no one picked up. He secretly scavenged quite a few inconspicuous divine abilities. He was quite clever, deliberately not seeking famous mountains, great rivers, or vast marshes to open Dao fields. In a spiritually barren area, he secretly opened a private Dao field, cultivated cautiously, and never went out to show off his methods. He just stubbornly buried his head in hard training. I guess he finally felt confident enough to protect himself, so he went out to flaunt his wealth. When he appeared in the world, he was already at the Earth Immortal Perfection realm. His killing power and Dao conduct were passable. He called himself some kind of Dharma Lord or something. I don't remember clearly."
"When I was pursuing Xiao Mo back then, I stopped at the edge of the Falling Treasure Shoal territory. I just watched from afar as Fellow Daoist Bixiao and Xiao Mo brewed wine. When they chatted about Daoists outside, I caught a few words. There was a long list of dozens of Dao names. Of course, I only remembered the interesting ones I was interested in. As for this guy's Dao name, it probably wasn't pleasant, so I didn't bother to remember. But since Fellow Daoist Bixiao mentioned it, he couldn't have been too weak."
"Later, during the campaign to ascend to heaven, he probably cherished his life and was afraid of death, so he shrunk back again. He didn't show his face. How he ended up coming here with that vixen to cause trouble and show off in front of the mountain lord, I really can't figure out."
Having his roots exposed by Bai Jing all at once, the White Bone Daoist roughly calculated and determined that Bai Jing and that guy were not Dao companions. He sneered, "This one hid away to avoid calamity, sparing himself the pain of turning to ashes after the calamity. That's much more comfortable than running out to be someone's slave or servant."
Unexpectedly, the sable-hatted girl wasn't angry at all. Instead, she sighed, waved her hand, and said, "Wrong, wrong. This is called being an official."
The White Bone Daoist and the others each had their own methods of extracting the mindless thoughts of sentient beings from the mortal world. They had already inspected the complex thoughts of the millions of mortals in the city, plus a handful of refiners. So the White Bone Daoist understood what Bai Jing meant by "being an official".
The White Bone Daoist thought to himself, "Could it be that the sword cultivator Bai Jing was poisoned, possessed, or else that before the Heaven-Earth Passage, that surnamed Chen used an ancient divine method to suppress her true spirit, forcing Bai Jing to feign allegiance and acknowledge him as her master?"
He weighed the pros and cons, believing his calculations were flawless. He mentally communicated, "Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, this one can rescue you from your predicament today. You only need to become my Dao companion. This one has sat in meditation and sought the Dao for many years, deducing several color-refining dual-sleeve methods that point directly to the Great Dao. If we join hands, you will surely return to ascension, and this one can return to the Fourteenth Realm..."
Xie Gou flew into a rage. She pulled the short sword from her sleeve, pointing the tip directly at that bag of bones. She cursed loudly, "I'll fuck your mother!"
The White Bone Daoist pretended to be angry, cursing back that she was an ungrateful thing. But inwardly, he nodded to himself. Cooperating with this act would make that surnamed Chen see things through a fog. Fellow Daoist Bai Jing's Dao power had greatly diminished, but her style was still as impressive as ever...
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment but couldn't bring himself to say that it was a good thing Xiao Mo wasn't here.
Xie Gou held the short sword in one hand. Who to slash? Who to slash? She rubbed her sable hat vigorously, furious. Infuriated. She could only guarantee that she would throw a single sword strike. She had come with the single-minded intention of slaying the vixen and settling old grudges. Good heavens, old hatred not yet dispelled, new grievances added.
That enormous fox lazily lifted a claw, scratching some marks on the wall with its tip. It squinted at Bai Jing's short sword that had left its sleeve, slightly tilting its head. It laughed, "Falling into my hands, you all deserve to die. But you, Bai Jing, act solely on personal likes and dislikes, always taking without giving up. Back then, I advised you to practice dual cultivation with me, promising you a great fortune, but you didn't believe me. Now that your realm has dropped, you must be suffering the bitterness of Heaven's Disgust, right?"
"Fellow Daoist Bai Jing, what I practice is ruling the world with the Dao. Bai Jing, what you do is all selfishness. It's only because your talent was too good, truly too good, that you were given leniency, becoming someone outside the Heavenly Duke's judgment. The high-ranking gods of the ancient heavenly court wanted to see you, to practice immortal magic, and see how high you could eventually reach. That's all. But you, you transformed into a female form and insisted on walking the path of the male earth immortal's ascension platform. If not for the Green Boy Heavenly Lord taking pity on you, you should have been annihilated back then."
"Sister Bai Jing, no matter how many great feats Mountain Lord Chen has accomplished, now he's just a pure martial artist. At most, he's the National Preceptor of Great Li. Even if he is sincere, how much can he help you? Even if Bai Jing luckily returns to ascension, what about the Fourteenth Realm? Still like looking at flowers through a mist, fishing for the moon in water. But I am an ascender who fell from the Fourteenth Realm..."
Xie Gou sighed. She actually put away her short sword and said pitifully, "Mountain lord, I have the heart to kill the enemy but not the strength. My Dao heart is about to collapse."
Chen Ping'an suppressed a smile and nodded. "Alright. I, as your mountain lord, will help you vent both your angers."
The White Bone Daoist, suspended high in the air, suddenly turned his head to look at one spot. His spiritual sense was extremely sharp. He now glanced towards a mountain peak in the north. Where his gaze reached, layers of clouds dissipated on their own. Along the way, the prohibitions of many immortal mansion Dao fields were shaken to the point of collapse. With just this glance, without using any spell, he caused chaos in many small sects' Dao fields, making them mistakenly believe that some enemy was attacking their ancestral hall.
Finally, the White Bone Daoist caught sight of the one who was causing the disturbance. It was a sword cultivator, with a low realm, not even an Earth Immortal. Yet he could make him feel a prickling sensation on his back? How was that possible?
On youyi Peak, Liu Xianyang clicked his tongue. "Chen Ping'an, this troublemaker."
This White Bone Daoist, he happened to know his roots, because he had once seen him in a dharma battle.
His newlywed wife, She Yue, had already styled her hair into a married woman's bun. She gently reminded, "Husband, an ascender who fell from the Fourteenth Realm should not be regarded as an ordinary powerful ascender."
Hearing that cloying title, She Yue rolled her eyes. There was no help for it; it was household law. Liu Xianyang said that newlyweds, being a match made in heaven, needed to be somewhat affectionate in their words.
Liu Xianyang nodded. "Wife, I understand."
She Yue said helplessly, "Can we change the household rules?"
Because the White Bone Daoist's gaze had fallen on youyi Peak. Who knew how many peak-level cultivators were watching and listening.
Liu Xianyang indeed wasn't boasting. Not only did he know the Dao name of the White Bone Daoist, he also knew his dharma technique style. Roughly, there were three Dao lineages, imitating respectively the ancient heavenly court's Jade Pivot Bureau's Judgment Department, the Ninefold Cloud Pavilion's True Word Office's "rhythm," and some department of the Plague Ministry. Hence, he called himself the "Dharma Lord of Three Offices." Of course, he only dared to proclaim this Dao name after the campaign to ascend to heaven ended and the divine path collapsed.
The reason Liu Xianyang took a few more looks at the White Bone Daoist was simply to deepen the "impression" of the sword strike he was about to deliver.
A sword strike from a glance was not as smooth as one from a deeper memory.
The White Bone Daoist was also unafraid of being surrounded by heroes all around. Allies? Didn't he also have them?!
He glanced at the woman in the green skirt and said loudly, "Fellow Daoist, according to our agreement, I have already seen the benefactor who triggered the Heaven-Earth Passage and helped us escape. I paid him respect. I did so. I didn't fight and kill that surnamed Chen. I followed the agreement: first courtesy, then force. I spoke some friendly words. So whatever I do next, you can't meddle."
The tails of the fox lord under heaven swayed slightly. This fellow talked too much. It seemed being imprisoned for so long had really suffocated him.
She looked at the various fresh sights inside the city with a gaze as tender as if seeing a lover. This was the brand-new mortal world. So rich and varied, so lively and peaceful, this new world!
Why were there no members of my fox clan? Why was there not a single fox?!
She was instantly enraged, but then caught sight of Bai Jing with the short sword hidden in her sleeve. Thinking of the man beside her, she could only look resentful and suppress her anger.
As for the White Bone Daoist's verbal probe, the woman in the green skirt simply ignored him.
The White Bone Daoist only thought she was the taciturn type who wouldn't waste a word on anyone. He looked down at the city wall below, which was like a small brick. "Chen Ping'an, I plan to find a vast territory and establish a sect as its founder. You are a hero who has contributed unparalleled achievements. Are you willing to join me in this grand undertaking? Rest assured, I always trust those I employ. With your previous accomplishments, if you know the times and are willing to follow me, I will appoint you as the deputy founder!"
So this was official appointment and promise?
Xie Gou grinned. She wasn't that angry anymore. When she later refined his bones, she would use fewer torturous methods. She gave a thumbs-up to this Dharma Lord of Three Offices. "Good eye, and bold. You picked our mountain lord on the first try."
While observing Chen Ping'an's expression changes and qi flow, the White Bone Daoist couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked, "Bai Jing, has your Great Dao really been damaged so badly that you've stooped to guarding a cave dwelling for a later-generation Daoist?"
But his greatest doubt wasn't here. It was that since this surnamed Chen had such great merit in the mortal world, why was there no sign of the Dao protecting him at this moment?
Was he really just a pure martial artist who had taken Jiang She's old dead-end path?
If Bai Jing was too weak and her future Dao achievements limited, the matter of becoming Dao companions could be forgotten. First, kill that brat. There might be an enormous invisible merit to be had. Then chew up Bai Jing's true form to greatly nourish his own Dao!
It would be a worthy death for the sword cultivator Bai Jing, better than barely surviving in this world. Bai Jing should thank him for this kindness.
Chen Ping'an lightly tapped his toe, his form rising.
He looked at the White Bone Daoist's exceptionally wide Dharma robe. So that's it. The celestial punishment on the ghost Xian still had a bit of residue that needed cleaning up.
Chen Ping'an muttered to himself, "That being the case, your time is up. Death on the spot, body destroyed and Dao extinguished."
Xu Xie couldn't help but laugh. The Hidden Officer's way of speaking was indeed amusing.
Cao Ci was silent. In comparison, when he exchanged punches, at least there weren't these strange comments.
The White Bone Daoist sneered, "Surnamed Chen, I let you throw a few punches, and you really think you're Jiang She the commoner?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "The martial path of the mortal world always rises step by step, climbing higher step by step. How could it be that after ten thousand years, it's worse than before?"
Cao Ci nodded slightly.
The White Bone Daoist waved his hand. "What big talk! Open your eyes and look, boy. Now the highest mountain in your mortal world—is it higher than the endless peaks from ten thousand years ago?!"
The highest mountain on Precious Bottle Continent was Cloud-covered Mountain.
Wei Bo smiled. The other four divine lords were "united in their hatred of the enemy." Especially Northern Sacred Lord Jin Qing, who even mentally comforted the Night Wandering Divine Lord, saying that the White Bone Daoist's words were harsh, but Cloud-covered Mountain was still the highest peak on Precious Bottle Continent. It wouldn't shrink half an inch because of harsh words... Wei Bo mentally replied something. Jin Qing said, "Eh? Why are you cursing, Lord Wei? That's returning good for evil."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Reasonable."
But he quickly added two sentences. "Whether the mountains are high or low, what does it have to do with you?"
"Haven't you, the self-proclaimed Dharma Lord of Three Offices, always been crawling on the ground and sneaking breaths?"
Upon hearing this, the White Bone Daoist was vaguely angry. This speech was too penetrating. If it spread widely, it could easily ruin his grand enterprise.
At this moment, the woman in the green skirt indifferently responded to the White Bone Daoist's earlier words. "The previous agreement is completely void."
Out of that cage, the so-called alliance was null and void. Among this group of Daoists, there was originally neither friendship nor enmity. For example, if you, this Dharma Lord of Three Offices, insist on killing me, you are free to do so. If I am killed by your skill, it's simply because my Dao power is insufficient. I have no complaints.
She was also carefully examining the varied mind-phenomena of a Great Li capital, like a prairie. Bit by bit. On the whole, had the human world and human hearts become better? Or was it that on the entire Precious Bottle Continent, only here had this "lofty spirit"?
Xie Gou's eyes sparkled. That familiar flavor. That was right.
Everyone on the path, what unity was there? It was all scheming, mutual killing, each relying on their own skills. The last one standing devoured everything!
Even though the woman in the green skirt turned her back on him, the White Bone Daoist still looked around proudly. "Fine. I won't waste a word with you. I'll experience the highest point of mortal martial arts. Show me where it's high!"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Exactly. The time of one incense stick is up."
A female sword immortal wearing a bamboo-silk, bean-green Dharma robe had also arrived at the capital city's outskirts, near the Azure Mystic Cave of the Ape Trample Boardwalk.
She stood at the cliff for a moment, feeling helpless. She had planned to enter the Great Li capital a day early, take a casual stroll, and escort the Great Li Emperor to Northern Juzhou tomorrow. But she hadn't expected to encounter this standoff. Although she had already broken through to the Immortal realm, she couldn't even enter the Great Li capital.
Bai Jing had given her a large stack of imitation Three Mountain Talismans and a hand-drawn map of Precious Bottle Continent's mountains and rivers for visualizing the Three Mountains, which saved her a lot of trouble visiting famous mountains. Among the drawings and annotations for the Great Li capital area was the Azure Mystic Cave.
Although Zhusu gazed into the distance, worried about the situation there, half her mind was on guard against the two men standing on the neighboring mountain peak.
Coming from the Sword Wall, a native sword cultivator, she was all too clear about the simple truth that one had to stay alive to throw a sword strike in support.
Xu Xie mentally laughed and said, "I'm Xu Xie. This one beside me is Cao Ci. We're both acquainted with your Chen Hidden Officer."
Zhusu's eyes lit up instantly. She turned her head to look. "You're Cao Ci?"
She had clearly overlooked the "Sword Immortal Lord Xu," about whom she had heard some tales.
Xu Xie was helpless, but it was understandable. His few deeds on the Sword Wall amounted to nothing.
Cao Ci cupped his hands. "Junior Cao Ci pays respects to Elder."
Zhusu smiled. "I'm Zhusu. I'm from the private swords. I was hiding in the Wildlands, so during the siege of our homeland, I achieved nothing, established no merits."
Cao Ci cupped his hands again, smiling. "Greetings, Sword Immortal Zhusu."
He had spent several years on the Sword Wall and was well aware of the meaning and weight of the term "private sword."
Especially for a sword cultivator like Zhusu, who had ventured alone into the heart of the Wildlands—going there was almost equivalent to dying in a foreign land.
Even staying on the Sword Wall was waiting for death, but at least when one died in battle, one was surrounded by friends and family. A private sword, however, was utterly alone, destined to leave home alone and die alone at the hands of the yao.
On the snow-white high platform, that ancient shaman staggered to his feet, somewhat awkwardly cupped his hands, and said hoarsely, "That martial artist, I'll take your punch."
Chen Ping'an's form vanished instantly. A patch of blue abruptly appeared at that snowy boundary. Simple and unadorned, the most straightforward exchange of one punch each. Neither offered any defensive posture. The ancient great shaman's punch slammed into the blue shirt's chest. The blue-clad man's fist exploded against the great shaman's neck.
On the high platform, the gale-force wind shook violently. Rings of sharp light scattered like blades. The woman in the green skirt's robes fluttered wildly. The White Bone Daoist's purple robe rippled like tidal water. Even the former Qingqiu master had to raise a fox tail to heavily sweep away the thick fist aura, bouncing it into the sky, where it turned into a series of muffled thunderclaps.
At that moment, in the Luopo Mountain territory, a sword light suddenly flared.
The sword cultivator spoke in an ancient language to ensure the recipient understood the sword.
"Dharma Lord of Three Offices, is it not? Eager to die, you'll get your wish."
As he spoke, this sword light instantly traversed countless green mountains, clear waters, cities, and towns.
Since both had fallen from the Fourteenth Realm, neither would have an advantage over the other.
Hearing this voice, the White Bone Daoist's heart shook violently. Bitter, bitter! How was he also here?!
Seeing that brilliant sword light, the fox clan master was also shocked. A severely fallen Bai Jing was one thing, but how was he also in this realm?
At the same time, Xie Gou formed hand seals, activating several divine abilities like overlapping formations. She leaped high, her form disappearing in an instant. That short sword was already thrust into the giant fox's head. She quickly withdrew it and thrust it in again even faster, changing positions at a speed that was dizzying. But the bizarre part was that she wasn't sliding down the head and neck towards the back. Instead, she stabbed upward here, stabbed downward there, with absolutely no discernible pattern. The entire long river of time seemed to be nothing but a fiction. The sable-hatted girl instantly stabbed that vixen over a hundred times.
The woman in the green skirt looked around. The sky was high, the earth vast. Blue sky, white clouds, yellow earth. It truly felt like a different world. Three thousand dust realms, a hundred thousand springs in an instant.