Chapter 364: A Dead End Situation

Chapter 364: A Dead End Situation

(A 1000-word chapter.)

In the Great Cold season, birds flew fiercely.

By the Ascending Dragon Platform, the sound of wind howled like the nagging of a shrew.

Inside the inner city of Old Dragon City, several carriages were parked at the street corner outside the Dust Pharmacy.

With a single order from the Fu Clan, the entire city was placed under martial law. They not only forbade mountain and wild cultivators and common folk from going outside the city to the Ascending Dragon Platform to watch the battle, but also strictly prohibited anyone within the city, except the six great surnames, from gathering on the streets in groups. Of course, some highly connected young masters from prominent families could borrow a family token from one of the six hereditary surnames, hang it at their waist, and move freely between the Ascending Dragon Platform and the inner city. There was naturally considerable resentment within Old Dragon City, but hindered by the Fu Clan's current overwhelming prestige, and the Fu Clan having already communicated early on with the main family heads outside the six surnames, there were no major incidents. Occasional frictions within Old Dragon City were instantly suppressed, like small ripples. Some prickly young masters who thought highly of themselves were blocked back to their mansions by Fu Clan cultivators wearing the Old Dragon Bestows Rain pendants at their waists, and inevitably got scolded bloody by their elders who arrived upon hearing the news, being told off for not valuing their lives.

At the Dust Pharmacy, after drinking the rice porridge brewed by Zhu Lian, everyone was ready to set off, poised to strike, and would soon head to that Ascending Dragon Platform.

Zheng Dafeng was the first to walk out of the main house, puffing on a pipe by the door for a few moments, though he didn't show any particular signs of nervousness. However, compared to his previous slovenly appearance, today he had changed into a slightly old but clean blue long gown.

Zhu Lian and Pei Qian cleared the bowls, chopsticks, and dishes from the table.

Sui Youbian, dressed in white, carried the Devoted Heart Sword, whose rank had been increasing after "devouring countless hearts." She stood under the eaves, a warrior at the seventh level golden body realm, her bearing outstanding, looking like a celestial being.

Lu Baixiang still wore his Confucian scholar's robes. He no longer fiddled with a few chess pieces in his palm, but instead wore the narrow saber 'Snowstop' at his waist. The original owner of this saber was not only an Infant Soul Earth Immortal of Taiping Mountain, renowned for slaying demons and monsters with an excellent reputation, but also a major figure from the demon clan, with hidden threads and clues stretching far and wide. A jade token from the direct lineage of the ancestral hall had once caused Chen Ping'an to be surrounded and killed in a broken temple.

Wei Xian's outfit today was the most eye-catching. He had asked Chen Ping'an whether wearing a dragon robe in Old Dragon City would be against the law. Chen Ping'an laughed and said, "Even if you wear the Empress's phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, no one would care." So Wei Xian put on that dragon robe brought out from the scroll painting—the court attire of the founding emperor of the Southern Garden Kingdom. Hidden in his sleeve was that Armorer's A-Grade Pill, West Peak, one of the ancestral armors of the Divine Man's Dew Armor.

Zhu Lian, who looked like a cook, wiped the water stains from his hands as he walked out of the kitchen, followed by Pei Qian, who seemed to be in a bad mood all day today.

Chen Ping'an today was still wearing that dharma robe Gold Nectar, with a jade hairpin of ordinary material in his hair bun, a cinnabar red gourd at his waist, and on the other side hung a plain white jade token that no one had ever seen before.

The jade token had only been retrieved by Chen Ping'an from an air mansion that once harbored "an extremely tiny wisp of sword qi," belonging to what Fan Junmao called 'minor refining.' It was still only visible, not usable.

Its existence was itself a longing.

To put it precisely, it was one of Chen Ping'an's few obsessions, this mud-legged fellow.

Avenge his parents. Promise Ning Yao to become a great sword immortal. The sixty-year appointment with Sword Sister. One day, to stand tall and say one sentence to the four worlds.

Chen Ping'an today had changed into a new pair of boots, secretly brought to him earlier by Pei Qian. Before dawn, Pei Qian had gotten up in the dark, come to Chen Ping'an's bedding spot at the front of the pharmacy, holding a pair of boots. Chen Ping'an curiously asked where she got them. Pei Qian said that time at the inn, she had borrowed a few taels of silver from Jiu Niang and the others, right? Besides buying food at Fox Village, the main expense was these boots. She had wanted to give them to Chen Ping'an long ago, but then the people from Fox Village came to scold her, and Chen Ping'an wanted to drive her away, leaving her alone at the inn. She got angry and buried them. Later, Chen Ping'an changed his mind and took her along on the road to Mirage City. She secretly dug them out at night, while Zhong Kui watched the fun beside her and said something about a cenotaph. She carried them all the way to the Mirage City ferry, the Qingjing Mountain Immortal's ferry, and then to Old Dragon City, always afraid that the cenotaph matter would make Chen Ping'an angry. She felt guilty like a thief, so she never dared to take them out.

At that time, the big one and the small one—the big one sat on the bedding and started putting on the boots, somewhat happy, though he didn't praise the skinny little girl much. But the words he wanted to say were probably in his young face and those clear eyes.

The little one crouched beside him and asked, "Do they fit?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "They fit."

But after putting on the boots, Chen Ping'an stood up, jumped twice, and then turned his face away, refusing to acknowledge her. He told Pei Qian and the Zhao Yin Spirit to stay at the Dust Pharmacy and not follow to the Ascending Dragon Platform. He said that later the Yin Spirit would also leave the pharmacy at some point, and Pei Qian shouldn't be afraid; as long as she didn't leave the pharmacy on her own, there would be no danger.

Pei Qian, of course, wasn't happy. She had been diligently practicing that Mad Demon Sword Art every day. But seeing Chen Ping'an's serious tone, she hung her head and said, "Oh."

At this moment, Chen Ping'an looked at Zheng Dafeng and asked with a smile, "So, shall we set off?"

Zheng Dafeng took a deep drag on his pipe, tucked the stem into his waistband, and strode into the courtyard. "Let's go!"

The group left the Dust Pharmacy, walking through the alley.

They got into the carriages sent by the Fan Clan. Fan Er and the old sword cultivator Ma Zhi were not there. Fan Er had come to the pharmacy once before, and the two of them sat on the roof drinking wine. Chen Ping'an had told him not to appear near the pharmacy on this Great Cold day. Fan Er said he understood the gravity of the matter and wouldn't act willfully.

Pei Qian sat on a small bench at the entrance of the Dust Pharmacy, head bowed, arms hugging her knees.

Under her feet was the Traveling Mountain Staff that had been with her day and night for a long time, which she pressed under her sole, gently rolling it back and forth.

Leaning against the threshold was an oil-paper umbrella, placed at an angle. This was Chen Ping'an's requirement—even in the Dust Pharmacy, she should keep the umbrella nearby.

The Zhao Yin Spirit had not yet moved. Zheng Dafeng only needed to snap his pipe stem, and it could appear beside him. Appearing too early at the Ascending Dragon Platform might cause them to have countermeasures ready in advance, which would be disadvantageous. Near the Ascending Dragon Platform, the saying "crouching tiger, hidden dragon" was apt. Those qualified to stand there were all lofty divine beings and extraordinary individuals of Old Dragon City, none of whom were less than cultivators or masters supported by the five great surnames.

That Yin Spirit stood beside the charcoal-black little girl and asked, "Worried about Chen Ping'an?"

Pei Qian said softly, "My dad is that powerful."

The Zhao Yin Spirit, who had come from that small temple in Li Zhu Cave Heaven, laughed. "Powerful, sure, but also a bit foolish. This clearly isn't his business, yet he insists on wading into muddy waters."

Pei Qian, for the first time, didn't jump up and curse. She muttered to herself, "Isn't that just it? Otherwise, why would he keep me around? I'm a loss-making good, you know. My dad is so rich, yet he's still a miser. He never spends money lavishly. He'd rather split a single copper coin into eight pieces."

The more she talked, the more worried she became. Pei Qian straightened up, pulled out that yellow paper talisman from her sleeve, slapped it onto her forehead with a crack, raised her head, puffed out her cheeks, and blew, making the Pagoda Suppressing Demon Talisman flutter lightly.

Three carriages drove from the inner city to the outer city.

Zheng Dafeng sat alone in the foremost carriage, meditating with closed eyes. The fist intent he had been trying to suppress was showing signs of overflowing. With each bump of the carriage, his qi and energy fluctuated unsteadily, but it would quickly surge back into his body with each breath he took.

A peak ninth-level warrior certainly had his own bearing.

Chen Ping'an should have been sitting with Zhu Lian, the henchman who liked to call himself 'old servant,' but Sui Youbian beat him to it. Zhu Lian was perceptive enough to laugh and go sit in the same carriage as Wei Xian and Lu Baixiang.

Inside the carriage, they sat facing each other.

Sui Youbian asked, "You think highly of Lu Baixiang because he was the first to leak the heavenly secret and say that certain sentence? You're so dissatisfied with me because you detected that trace of murderous intent I revealed toward you back at the border inn?"

Chen Ping'an countered, "The old Taoist said that after you all came out of the scroll painting, you would definitely be loyal to me. Did he tamper with your minds?"

Chen Ping'an answered himself, "But I keep feeling it's not like that. Not just that time you leaked murderous intent toward me—all four of you, in my eyes, have always been living dead people. Being human means the heart wavers. No matter how still the water, no matter how calm the well, on the path of cultivation, no one dares claim they never change their original intention. So I'm very curious: why did that old Taoist dare to say I could use you with confidence?"

Sui Youbian countered as well, "You don't trust... that Heavenly Lord of our Lotus Flower Blessed Land?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "In this matter, I trust the old Taoist."

Sui Youbian reached out and brushed the scabbard of the Devoted Heart Sword lying horizontally across her knees. "The four of us, besides each receiving one sentence, actually share another sentence known to all four... Wei Xian is hard to say; he never chats privately with us three, so at least I, Lu Baixiang, and Zhu Lian know this sentence."

Chen Ping'an asked, "Can you tell me?"

Sui Youbian smiled bitterly. "Actually, it doesn't matter if I say it. It is: 'The one who personally kills Chen Ping'an shall obtain the only free self.' So if you had summoned me out of the scroll first, I would have tried to kill you, no matter what. As for why Wei Xian, who was the first to leave the scroll, didn't make a move on you, not even killing intent, I can't understand. After the battle at the inn, when you summoned the other three at once, it became a mutual checkmate. None of us wanted someone else to succeed and become that 'only one.'"

Chen Ping'an frowned. "But outside the broken temple, Wei Xian said that if I die, you all die. Isn't that contradictory?"

Sui Youbian laughed. "Either Wei Xian lied about half of it, or the Heavenly Lord calculated that you would summon Wei Xian first and deliberately didn't tell him that sentence. Regardless of Wei Xian's situation, at least I, Lu Baixiang, and Zhu Lian would never allow one of the other two to kill you. Whoever dares to kill you secretly would become the primary target of the remaining two. Regardless of whether Wei Xian's sentence is true or false, none of us are willing to lose... freedom. You've been the number one under heaven in Lotus Flower Blessed Land; you should know that for people like us, freedom is by no means an optional pursuit."

Chen Ping'an didn't say much about Sui Youbian's so-called 'freedom.' He simply sighed, "No wonder it's said that human calculations can't match heaven's calculations; heaven's calculations have already figured out the human heart."

Chen Ping'an quickly negated this concluding statement. "It's not necessarily true in every case, for everyone."

Sui Youbian smiled and asked, "Even if we survive this time, young master, you're still at a huge loss. Is it worth it?"

In this world, the heavens were too vast, the mountains too high. Cultivators were too far removed from the mundane world. Too many things and people weren't worth it.

Chen Ping'an said nothing. He closed his eyes and began practicing the Sword Furnace Standing Pole technique.

The three carriages drove out of the outer city, heading toward the Ascending Dragon Platform.

----

Fu Qi began his solitary ascent of the Ascending Dragon Platform, climbing the steps one by one.

The Fu Clan's Infant Soul ancestor did not show himself. Fu Qi's eldest son, Fu Donghai; eldest daughter, Fu Chunhua; the "bridegroom" Fu Nanhua, who had married the direct daughter of the Yunlin Jiang Clan; the old dragon city's number one golden core, Chu Yang, who had built a thatched hut here for cultivation; and a group of honored guests and retainer cultivators—all stood at the foot of the Ascending Dragon Platform.

Chu Yang's expression was cold. After his battle with Zheng Dafeng, he had turned disaster into blessing, breaking through a major bottleneck to become an Infant Soul immortal. But today, before Fu Qi ascended the platform, the old cultivator had frankly stated that regardless of victory or defeat, he would no longer interfere in this mess. His last exception—leaving his seaside hut to go to the Fu Clan to stop Zheng Dafeng—had already fulfilled the utmost duty of a Fu Clan retainer. Fu Qi had no objection to this, smilingly saying that Old Chu could henceforth just watch the tides rise and fall at the sea, with no more worldly disputes disturbing his quiet cultivation.

Fu Donghai's face was expressionless, betraying no joy or sorrow.

He had thought that at the height of Fu Nanhua's pride, his scheme to harm Zheng Dafeng would earn him a modest merit for the Fu Clan, allowing him to suppress his younger brother Fu Nanhua's momentum.

Little did he expect things would turn out like this. The city lord father, Fu Qi, hadn't even shown his face after Zheng Dafeng came to their door and severely injured him. There was no punishment, no consolation. It was as if his eldest son was already dead to him. That was what infuriated Fu Donghai the most. Fu Qi, as the Fu Clan head and bearing the title of Old Dragon City lord, had always been "extremely easy to deal with" in clan affairs and Old Dragon City's layout—for instance, he never suppressed the rise of other great surnames, and he was exceptionally generous to those useless parasites in the clan who couldn't cultivate. But when Fu Qi was not easy to deal with, even direct descendants like Fu Donghai and Fu Chunhua felt a chill.

Fu Chunhua looked up at the tall figure ascending step by step, her expression dazed.

She still remembered the scene when her father had taken her to find Zheng Dafeng. It hadn't been a pleasant talk, nor an unpleasant parting. It was more like a divergence of paths and goals. Roughly from that day on, they had simply kept their distance, neither interfering with the other.

But Fu Donghai's minor scheme this time had stirred up such a storm. Fu Chunhua, as a half-outsider, saw things more clearly than the anxious Fu Donghai. In fact, her father Fu Qi wasn't angry at Fu Donghai's self-importance this time; he was vaguely pleased. It was like a fool who wasn't expected to accomplish anything accidentally did something that greatly helped the clever ones who had been waiting for a long time but couldn't enter the game.

Fu Nanhua, the youngest son of Fu Qi, who had always held the title of "young city lord," was the most bored.

Zheng Dafeng dying on the Ascending Dragon Platform was a foregone conclusion.

As for that Jiang direct daughter, she had indeed made a grand entry and married formally. But after entering the bridal chamber, they had an open and honest discussion. Fu Nanhua felt he could accept it. Her appearance surprised him; she wasn't the bloated and ugly creature rumored. In fact, she was even more beautiful than the Osmanthus Island Golden Millet he had once liked. But Fu Nanhua had no intentions. At that time in the bridal chamber, besides the Jiang direct daughter, who had long shed her wedding gown for ordinary clothes, there stood a teaching matron behind her.

An Infant Soul sword cultivator with seniority, supported by the Jiang Clan.

Fu Nanhua dared not act rashly. He had only glanced at the Jiang direct daughter, his own wife, and earned a sharp glare from that teaching matron. Couldn't provoke, could only avoid. After that, Fu Nanhua stopped making a fool of himself. Aside from some necessary face-saving gestures, he seldom went to seek trouble from her and the old matron. And the woman kept her word; even when Fu Nanhua went out with friends to drink and visit brothels, she paid the bill.

Fu Nanhua thought this married life was excellent. He should be content.

He had only married the identity of a Jiang direct daughter anyway. As for a woman of her beauty, if one was willing to spend lavishly in Old Dragon City, a few could still be found.

The Ding Clan stood in the center, with the Fang and Hou Clans on either side.

But today, Du Yan, the Ding Clan's "son-in-law" of great origin from Indus Leaf Sect, did not appear.

It was better that he didn't show up. The heads of these three allied surnames of Old Dragon City could chat more easily, without constantly gauging the thoughts of that Indus Leaf Sect direct descendant, afraid of saying the wrong thing and inviting disaster.

After all, an immortal sect that could be named after an entire continent had such deep foundations that even the combined wealth of all the great clans of wealthy Vase Continent's Old Dragon City couldn't match it. Moreover, these so-called "merchant descendants," sneered at as profit-seekers, had always been a scattered mess.

Vase Continent was already the smallest of the nine continents, and Indus Leaf Sect was the largest immortal sect in the southern Indus Leaf Continent.

The arm couldn't twist the thigh. The Fang and Hou Clans secretly rejoiced that the honorable Du Yan was merely a man married to a woman surnamed Ding, protecting the Ding Clan, rather than his legendary ancestor behind him having taken an interest in Old Dragon City.

The Fang Clan was in the worst situation now. Zheng Dafeng had nearly punched a hole through their mansion.

But today, the Fang Clan young master who was the culprit was strutting around with no sign of defeat, chatting loudly with a crony from the Hou Clan.

How could he not feel elated? That lunatic surnamed Zheng would soon be beaten to death on the Ascending Dragon Platform. He had already prepared a large sum of silver. Once back in the city, he would throw a grand banquet. All those women who had worked as clerks at the Dust Pharmacy, regardless of age or appearance, would be thrown into the lowest brothels in Old Dragon City as prostitutes. You, Zheng Dafeng, made such a big fuss over a worthless slut, didn't you? Regret it now?

The Sun and Fan Clans were far from both the Fu Clan and the Ding-Fang-Hou group.

Moreover, very few members of these two clans had come to watch this spectacle.

Sun Clan head Sun Jiashu did not appear. The Fan Clan only sent an old man who managed the ancestral hall's incense, along with a few relatively talented collateral descendants.

When the three carriages came into view.

The Old Dragon City surname groups, each standing separately, made no noise, didn't point fingers. Even that Fang Clan young master, so certain Zheng Dafeng would die on the Ascending Dragon Platform, held his breath and restrained his smile.

Regardless of temperament or character.

Those who could stand here today more or less represented their family's face. Few were truly fools.

Like this observation of the battle—why hadn't any family had earth immortals summon magical treasures, pavilions, towers, or small ferries to ascend into the air for a comfortable bird's-eye view of the battlefield? Instead, they obediently stood at the base of the Ascending Dragon Platform, watching the battle only through various "flowers in a mirror, moon on the water" techniques of mountain magic?

No one had even dared to propose such a thing.

That was the immense prestige the Fu Clan had accumulated over thousands of years, and the survival wisdom these merchant families of Old Dragon City possessed.

Three carriages slowly stopped near the Ascending Dragon Platform.

The Fu Clan members exchanged meaningful glances. No one would step forward to provoke Zheng Dafeng's group. It might get them killed, and it would lose face for the Fu Clan. The Fu Clan themselves would think such a death not worth it—don't waste the clan's silver.

Zheng Dafeng ascended the high platform alone.

There were no parting words with Chen Ping'an and the others. He simply strode upward.

Chen Ping'an scanned the surroundings once, quickly withdrew his gaze, and simply looked up at the steps leading upward.

In the distance, Fu Nanhua stared at this fellow, greatly surprised. That dark, skinny youth from Mud Vase Alley really had good fortune. After leaving Li Zhu Cave Heaven, in just a few years, he had such confidence. Not only did he not avoid Fu Nanhua and Old Dragon City, but he had charged in to stir things up. Moreover, among the congratulatory party from last time, Cai Jinjian of Cloud Mist Mountain, who should have been dead, had not only left Li Zhu Cave Heaven alive and returned to Cloud Mist Mountain, but her cultivation had advanced instead of retreating. And when she saw him that day, her attitude was also worth pondering.

After Zheng Dafeng entered the highest point of the Ascending Dragon Platform.

Chen Ping'an's gaze shifted higher, to a sea of clouds above. From the ground within Old Dragon City's territory, it was invisible. Only by taking a ferry and looking down from above could one see that magnificent scene.

According to Zheng Dafeng, this sea of clouds was the true foundation of the Fu Clan's millennia-long dominance in Old Dragon City.

Its historical origin could be traced back to the last true dragon's landing on Vase Continent.

After that came the underground Dragon Path, the bloody slaughter in Li Zhu Cave Heaven where great cultivators fell like rain, the crab-topped memorial archway and that town, the well, the snowy night, the freezing girl who collapsed at the doorstep of Chen Ping'an's ancestral home in Mud Vase Alley, and Chen Ping'an's chance rescue—but she went next door and became Song Jixin's maidservant.

The old Taoist from the East Sea had walked with Chen Ping'an through Lotus Flower Blessed Land for who knows how many years, tens of thousands of miles. During that time, the old Taoist said: "All things in the world have threads that can be observed; all people's thoughts and actions have traces that can be followed."

But these were major matters Chen Ping'an couldn't delve into for now.

Above everyone's heads, above the vast sea of clouds, lay a woman in green robes. She stared blankly at the dome canopy sheltering all living creatures. If only she could see farther.

But even if she could see, what then? Secular dynasties—the nation broken, mountains and rivers remain; the city in spring, grass and trees grow deep. She, Sun Jiashu in Old Dragon City below, that woman he had met once by Dragon Whisker River, perhaps a few others—they could not.

As for the little girl who had previously walked onto the Ascending Dragon Platform, wanting to seize the sea of clouds, she should be trying to repair and complete that dragon robe forged by the Fu Clan. Then there was hope to elevate the semi-immortal weapon, the old dragon robe, into a true immortal weapon.

This made Fan Junmao very concerned.

The struggle for the Great Way was more perilous than matters of life and death.

For her, dying once meant nothing.

As long as the incense of the Great Way didn't die out, naturally she could come again.

So the old man at Yang's Shop was the only one who couldn't die. As long as the old man could still puff clouds and blow mist over there, the Fan Junmao she clung to in this life, Li Er's daughter Li Liu, all the chosen figures of the old man, could have their bodies perish but their Dao not vanish.

As for in this world, besides the old man, whom did Fan Junmao fear?

The answer was no one.

Even if the Three Religions' Patriarchs, who had walked to the very end of the path, came to Old Dragon City in person, with greater divine powers than the old man now, and reduced her to true ashes in the snap of a finger, she would only feel deep hatred, not a shred of awe.

In this regard, Fan Junmao and Zhi Gui, who had ascended the high platform, were opposite in their Great Ways, yet similar in temperament.

She suddenly sat up, looked at Fu Qi on the Ascending Dragon Platform, puzzled.

Zheng Dafeng had already reached the top.

Fu Qi was on full alert.

Today, the Infant Soul ancestor held a semi-immortal weapon, but Fu Qi didn't borrow it. He didn't wear the old dragon robe either. Nor did he bring out the semi-immortal weapon protecting the Fu Clan ancestral hall.

Fu Qi could no longer control the sea of clouds above.

So today, Fu Qi only brought that semi-immortal weapon purchased from another continent—an ownerless flying sword left behind by a deceased sword immortal.

Fan Junmao felt something was wrong, terribly wrong.

She slapped the sea of clouds beneath her. The clouds, avoiding the Ascending Dragon Platform, suddenly descended, instantly enveloping the entire Old Dragon City. At the same time, Fan Junmao bit her finger and drew a talisman on her hand—a long-lost ancient talisman. The Divine Man's Palm Viewing Mountains and Rivers technique of today's qi cultivators was merely a counterfeit derived from this talisman. After drawing the talisman, relying on the sea of clouds permeating Old Dragon City, Fan Junmao, her face slightly pale, pressed her palms together, then instantly spread her arms. Between her hands, a series of images flashed by in an instant. Fan Junmao watched those images before her like a galloping horse viewing flowers.

The Fu Clan ancestral hall, the Sun Clan ancestral residence, the Dust Pharmacy—all flashed past.

When the image finally froze on an old man on a city wall in the outer city, this small Landscape Diagram shattered with a bang.

On Fan Junmao's talisman-drawing palm, the skin had split open. Forcibly swallowing a mouthful of heart-blood, she lost the usual ten-plus years of cultivation of an ordinary Infant Soul earth immortal. Fan Junmao's expression was gloomy; she didn't care at all about that bit of cultivation loss. Good heavens! A dragon crossing the river of at least the twelfth-level immortal realm!

Could it be that old freak from Indus Leaf Sect?

Since she had become sentient, always broad-minded, Fan Junmao finally grew somewhat heavy-hearted.

If Zheng Dafeng died on the Ascending Dragon Platform, she would think it was due to inferior skill, over and done. No one to blame.

But if he managed to walk down alive, only to be inexplicably killed by an "outsider," she wouldn't feel right!

This Old Dragon City had been her territory since ancient times!

But for a disagreeable Zheng Dafeng, was it worth abandoning this lifetime's "Fan Junmao"?

She leaned back, weighing the pros and cons. There were only cons, no pros. So she closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. At least she wouldn't go watch Zheng Dafeng's joke. It was no joke at all.

The entire Ascending Dragon Platform began to tremble violently.

The waters of the East Sea and South Sea in this area of Vase Continent surged and crashed against the shore, but were pressed back by earth immortals displaying their various abilities.

Not far from that isolated island ferry, on the sea surface, a little Taoist boy stood on a huge golden-yellow gourd bobbing unsteadily, his face full of smiles.

The Wutong Umbrella had shielded the heavenly secrets, so it could protect him and also block any deduction or rescue by the people behind you, Chen Ping'an.

Blessings and calamities have no gate; they are summoned by man alone.

You, Chen Ping'an, are in for it this time. You've provoked the only person on Indus Leaf Continent you shouldn't have. Otherwise, Jade Gui Sect, Fuji Sect, and Taiping Mountain, even Indus Leaf Sect except for this person—you, Chen Ping'an, would be fine with those. In same-realm fights, you do have some skill, you can hold your own. Even golden core and Infant Soul, the so-called terrestrial immortals in the secular world, you could fight. If it's higher, the fifth-level Jade Abyss realm, they might not be willing to bully a young pure warrior. Higher still, the immortal realm, they might see some of your secrets and also be unwilling to tear face.

But unfortunately.

This person who descended the mountain from Indus Leaf Sect this time.

Was the most unscrupulous.

Inopportunely, this unscrupulous old freak was also the second-ranked person on the mountain of the entire Indus Leaf Continent.

After all, Indus Leaf Continent also had his family's Observing Dao Temple.

So no matter how much you, Chen Ping'an, plotted and schemed, sparing no expense in your foundations, painstakingly arranging to protect that Zheng Dafeng, in the end, it would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing. You might even die here.

Not bad. He would collect your corpse and bring it back to the temple, obediently becoming nourishment for Lotus Flower Blessed Land.

Standing on that huge golden-yellow Sword Nurturing Gourd, the little Taoist boy swayed, gloating: "The show is about to begin. Little Vase Continent is in for some suffering."

Less than half an hour passed.

The Ascending Dragon Platform fell completely silent.

And the final result was unbelievable.

The one who walked down the Ascending Dragon Platform was that Zheng Dafeng. The key was that he was clean, with no sign of severe or fatal injuries.

Fu Donghai and Fu Chunhua's minds churned violently. They absolutely refused to believe what their eyes saw.

Had their father Fu Qi died?

That wasn't entirely bad!

The two exchanged a knowing glance.

Fu Nanhua looked calm, a smile on his face. His mind stirred. Hearing that secret voice on his heart lake, Fu Nanhua turned his palm slightly, making a barely noticeable small gesture.

Over at the Ding Clan side, an old retainer stepped forward and whispered to the Ding Clan head. The latter quickly went to whisper to the heads of the Fang and Hou Clans. Their expressions varied, but in the end, they nodded.

Fu Nanhua's small gesture was like a stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples.

Zheng Dafeng, after descending the Ascending Dragon Platform, said nothing. Chen Ping'an accompanied Zheng Dafeng into a carriage.

Zheng Dafeng's face instantly turned the color of gold paper. He said hoarsely, "Fu Qi admitted defeat halfway through the fight. He simply didn't want any face at all. Fu Qi wasn't willing to fight to the death with me. He didn't give me that one chance to break through the ninth-level bottleneck and step into the tenth level all at once. He didn't put all his assets on the line either; he just traded injuries with me. So on the way back to the pharmacy in the inner city, there will definitely be great danger. Chen Ping'an, you decide now! Do you get off halfway, or follow me back to the pharmacy?"

Chen Ping'an said indifferently, "Fu Qi doesn't want face. I do."

Zheng Dafeng tilted his head, wiping the blood flowing from his ear with his hand, and laughed, "Do you believe that yourself? If you cared about face, would you hang around that tree stump early every morning for a few coppers, pick up letters, and run around town?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I earned that money with peace of mind."

Zheng Dafeng smiled bitterly. "What, do I have to beg you before you'll leave?"

Chen Ping'an said, "Begging won't help either."

Zheng Dafeng leaned back. "What the hell are you after, then?"

Chen Ping'an hesitated. "Last time I broke through a realm in Old Dragon City, there was something strange, but it wasn't obvious. This time, after I went to Lotus Flower Blessed Land and came back to Old Dragon City, somehow my intuition told me that in my heart-well, a vicious flood dragon is swimming and lifting its head. If I choose to leave, it might break free and fully emerge. This is probably the inevitable tribulation of my defying heaven and rebuilding the Longevity Bridge. I suspect that when I crossed that stone arch bridge, I thought I was being accepted by this world. That was an illusion. It wasn't a good thing. I've already been targeted by the Grand Pure World. If I run today, I'll be running for the rest of my life."

This, Zheng Dafeng believed.

But he knew deep down that this was still Chen Ping'an's "excuse," though the words were absolutely true.

Zheng Dafeng cursed, "Then don't die here because of me! Choose someone else, okay? Don't make me, Zheng Dafeng, feel indebted. Go find Li Er, who thinks so highly of you, or your good buddy Liu Xianyang..."

Chen Ping'an pointed at Zheng Dafeng's eyes. "Your eye sockets are bleeding. Wipe them properly. You're not handsome to begin with. That girl would like you? Her taste is really not great. If she were still alive and saw you like this, she probably wouldn't like you anymore."

Zheng Dafeng laughed and lightly kicked at Chen Ping'an, who casually slapped his foot away.

The three carriages headed for Old Dragon City.

The three coachmen were all Fan Clan death warriors, looking calm.

After driving a dozen li, two Fang Clan retainers appeared on the road—the only remaining seventh-level warrior and a golden core cultivator.

Zheng Dafeng wanted to get off the carriage, but Chen Ping'an stopped him.

Sui Youbian was the first to step out of the carriage. Lu Baixiang followed behind her, but for now, Sui Youbian alone would handle the two of them. Lu Baixiang followed the two carriages as they moved slowly, ready to support her at any time.

One carriage stopped in its tracks.

Then, Hou Clan retainers blocked the way.

Zhu Lian jumped out of the carriage.

Another Fan Clan carriage stopped.

Wei Xian walked on foot, following the last carriage carrying Chen Ping'an and Zheng Dafeng.

Further behind, Ding Clan retainers appeared.

Wei Xian, wearing a dragon robe and clad in the Sweet Dew Armor, stopped. The carriage continued on.

Zheng Dafeng shook his head. "It's the Fu Clan's intention. This is completely beyond our earlier expectations. The battle on the Ascending Dragon Platform turned out better than anticipated, but coming down from the platform is far worse than the worst result. The Fu Clan didn't even take the face of the Yunlin Jiang Clan seriously. What's going on?"

As they neared the eastern gate of Old Dragon City's outer city, Chen Ping'an lifted the curtain and glanced out. "This means that the fifth-level cultivator I said was hiding behind the scenes has appeared. And it's unlikely to be just Jade Abyss realm. Even if it's the eleventh level, he's most likely a sword cultivator. That's why even the Yunlin Jiang Clan has to endure. But the truly worst case is that the great cultivator waiting for us was involved in the scheme of the Jiang direct daughter's marriage to Old Dragon City very early on. Killing you, Zheng Dafeng, is just a casual act—a small bonus in a big business deal. As for the Fan Clan, they've probably been sidelined and are about to face a round of liquidation. Whether Fan Junmao acts or not, the Fan Clan is already on the brink of annihilation."

Zheng Dafeng said self-deprecatingly, "So it seems I, Zheng Dafeng, have no place to die. It depends on whether that waiting great cultivator gives me the chance to break into the tenth level."

The carriage slowly came to a halt.

Chen Ping'an lifted the curtain, looked up at the top of the city wall, and said softly, "That might be quite difficult."

Zheng Dafeng and Chen Ping'an stood side by side on the main road into the city. On top of the city wall stood three people: an unremarkable old man, the Indus Leaf Sect direct descendant Du Yan, and his wife from the Ding Clan.

Du Yan, elegant and handsome, said with a light laugh, "Old Ancestor, you personally taking action—isn't that too bullying?"

The old man smiled. "If I don't bully people with my realm and cultivation, then why bother with arduous cultivation? Besides, did my current realm fall from the sky? Didn't I earn it through countless battles, risking death at every turn, bit by bit accumulating my assets?"

Du Yan smiled and nodded. "The Old Ancestor's instruction is correct."

Du Yan hesitated. "That fellow named Chen Ping'an?"

The old man laughed. "I've heard of this young man's name. Before, that useless trash of our sect borrowed a sect heavy treasure, but in the end, a sword cultivator got there first, killed the great demon of the Fuji Sect, and let Jiang Shangzhen reap a huge benefit. I know that sword cultivator's reputation. He's formidable—Zuo You, a disciple of the Sage of Literature. In the first hundred years, he shattered the sword hearts of many excellent sword embryos from various continents, like Cao Jun of the Bodhi Continent, who was unmatched for a time. Later, the Old Scholar imprisoned himself in the Merit Forest of the Academy, and Zuo You disappeared. His swordsmanship is very advanced. When Zuo You was at sea, he asked about the name Chen Ping'an. So Chen Ping'an must have a deep connection with the Sage of Literature's lineage."

Du Yan listened, his scalp tingling.

For one of his clan's founding ancestors to call someone "formidable" and "very advanced" one after another—what kind of outstanding sword immortal would that be? As for "Sage of Literature," "Old Scholar," "deep connection," these made Du Yan feel that Chen Ping'an would get off safely this time. But that Zheng Dafeng would certainly die.

Unexpectedly, the old man continued, "Otherwise, why do you think I brought that ferry? I'm waiting for that Zuo You. I'm not afraid of him coming; I'm afraid he won't come and I'll have brought out my lifebound treasure for nothing."

Du Yan was stirred, made a bow, and said, "The Old Ancestor is divine and martial in spirit. Your vision is unparalleled in all of Indus Leaf Continent!"

The old man snorted. "Don't speak such useless nonsense. If you have the ability, reach my height yourself. Let your own descendants and later sect disciples flatter you like that."

Du Yan said nervously, "I dare not hope for such."

The old man shook his head. "So you're also a useless piece of trash, just lucky enough to inherit my surname."

Du Yan was not at all dejected; instead, he laughed happily. "Luck is also a skill."

The old man nodded for the first time. "That's true."

The old man took a step.

In an instant, he appeared directly in front of Zheng Dafeng, just two or three steps away, almost face to face. Because he wasn't tall, the old man had to look up slightly at this heavily injured ninth-level warrior. He asked with a smile, "I heard you're the gatekeeper of Li Zhu Cave Heaven, running errands for that strange old man. I wonder if he'd have the guts to leave that cage and come after me if I beat you to death?"

Zheng Dafeng was unmoved.

He simply threw a punch.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, took the punch, sliding back several steps, but his posture was unshaken.

In contrast, Zheng Dafeng's abdomen was pierced by a small boat-shaped object as long as two arms.

The old man habitually extended his thumb, wiping a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Is that all the strength you have? I'm not a pure warrior. Don't people say a qi cultivator's physique is made of paper? I see that's not entirely true."

The old man flicked his finger, flicking away that drop of blood. Then he pointed at Zheng Dafeng's abdomen. "This isn't a sword cultivator's lifebound flying sword. In this life, I hate sword cultivators the most. They love to show off, especially sword immortals, looking down on everyone. I wish I could gouge out their eyes and shove them up their asses. But by the time I could do such things, I had to abide by the rules of this world. A big cage—I can't easily leave my mountain peak. Isn't that hateful?"

Speaking thus, the old man glanced sideways at the sky dome.

Zheng Dafeng stomped the ground and threw another punch at the old man.

The old man sidestepped, grabbed Zheng Dafeng's head with one hand, and shoved him backward.

Zheng Dafeng flew back over a hundred zhang, the small boat-like object still firmly lodged in his abdomen. He fell into a pool of blood, struggling to get up again and again, only to fall back each time.

The old man turned to look at Chen Ping'an and asked, "Can you summon Zuo You?"

Without waiting for any answer from the young man, he flicked his sleeve.

A figure in white flew backward, but twirled lightly in the air and landed gracefully. He stomped heavily into the ground to stop his retreat, his sleeves fluttering.

The old man was slightly surprised. "Better than I thought. You have the potential not to be a waste. Not bad, not bad. Too bad you don't have the surname Du. Dying is a pity... not!"

The old man raised a hand and pressed down lightly.

A golden palm as large as a mountain peak directly broke through the sea of clouds above Old Dragon City, bearing down on Chen Ping'an's head like an entire mountain.

Chen Ping'an threw a punch upwards with the Cloud Steam Great Marsh technique.

Within a radius of a hundred zhang, dust flew skyward, blotting out the sun.

From the huge pit, Chen Ping'an slowly walked up the slope and reappeared in the old man's view.

The old man looked around, nodded, and said as if in sudden realization, "It seems that Zuo You is not your protector after all. Naturally, he won't be coming..."

As he spoke, Chen Ping'an, whose dharma robe Gold Nectar had been beaten to reveal its golden true form, seemed to be grabbed around the waist by an invisible giant hand. He flew up into the air, drew an arc, and crashed into the old city wall behind the old man.

The old man shook his head. "Even a good sapling, if he's not even at the fifth level, isn't he still a waste?"

Without even looking at the wall behind him, the old man extended his arm and gently flicked his finger.

At the spot where Chen Ping'an had crashed into the wall, a huge web of cracks appeared. After the old man's flick, Chen Ping'an, already deeply embedded in the wall, directly blasted through the entire wall and fell into the outer city.

The old man scratched his head and waited for a moment. The world was exceptionally still.

Zheng Dafeng crouched on the ground, raising his head. The old man laughed. "You can try to snap that old pipe stem. I'm very curious whether that old man will come to save you himself or use some petty tricks."

Zheng Dafeng spat blood and said with difficulty, "Killing me alone is enough."

The old man shook his head. "If that old man from Li Zhu Cave Heaven stood before me and said that, I might consider it."

The old man frowned and turned his head.

That young man was actually forcing himself to reappear in the gaping hole in the city wall, holding something like a pellet in his hand.

A teaching matron's expression darkened. "It's a fifth-level demon core. If it's refined and detonated, the entire eastern part of Old Dragon City would be destroyed."

Fu Nanhua burst out laughing. "This person would never do such a thing!"

The teaching matron's expression turned strange. She glanced at Fu Nanhua, who said softly, "People like him are that foolish."

Sun Jiashu sighed. Chen Ping'an indeed wouldn't do that.

He had just taken a step when the Infant Soul ancestor grabbed his shoulder firmly. "You can't be the one to stand out now. Otherwise, all the Sun Clan's plans will go to waste."

Sun Jiashu struggled, but was still held tightly by the old man. "You can be willful in other things, but not in this. This isn't just your matter, Sun Jiashu."

Sun Jiashu still wanted to speak, but was directly knocked unconscious by the Sun Clan ancestor.

Chen Ping'an sat on the edge of the broken city wall, opened his palm. "I use this demon core to buy Zheng Dafeng's life."

Although quite far away, the old man still heard clearly. "Since when is a ninth-level warrior's life worth so much?"

After a moment of thought, the old man smiled and nodded. "But there are fewer ninth-level warriors than twelfth-level demon cores. I agree."

He reached out and snatched the twelfth-level demon core into his possession. Then he said coldly, "I'll leave Zheng Dafeng's life to you. But as for this young man's martial realm, don't bother keeping it."

With that, the old man stomped his foot.

A series of cracking sounds came from Zheng Dafeng's spine as he struggled desperately to rise.

A ninth-level warrior collapsed to the ground like a man without bones.

The old man looked at the young man. "Well, now what will you use to buy your own life? Remember, it has to be more precious than a twelfth-level great demon's core."

The young man sat cross-legged, a bloody mess, his face already unrecognizable.

The old man laughed. "Everyone says I have a bad temper. I'll make an exception today. I'll wait for you a bit."

This unremarkable-looking founding ancestor of Indus Leaf Sect possessed a lifebound immortal treasure named the Sword-Swallowing Boat.

The complete corpse of an ancient giant Treasure-Swallowing Whale, after six hundred full years, was refined into this. During those six hundred years, Indus Leaf Sect had poured out all its human and material resources, betting everything.

The only time Indus Leaf Sect was overshadowed by the Jade Gui Sect from the south was during those bleak years. First, the sect master of the founding ancestor's lineage died in an incident during a distant journey to the Central Divine Continent. The sect lost its immortal realm presence, leaving a gap. Then, Indus Leaf Sect emptied its coffers for the Du Clan ancestor. After the old cultivator refined his lifebound immortal treasure, he went into seclusion for several hundred years.

But when this old man emerged from seclusion, the first thing he did was take that "ferry giant boat" to the Jade Gui Sect's mountain top, challenge a Jade Abyss realm sword immortal, fight to the death, and directly beat that sword immortal to death, even swallowing the sword cultivator's lifebound flying sword.

If he could swallow a sword immortal's flying sword, what in the world couldn't he eat?

The old man waited a moment, then asked, "Have you decided?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I have nothing left."

The old man asked with a smile, "The sword-nurturing gourd at your waist has a decent quality. And that jade token—it's quite old. Actually, it's a Closest Thing? Too bad, together they still can't buy your life. Besides, when you die, those things will be mine anyway."

Chen Ping'an lowered his head, patted the Sword Nurturing Gourd, forced a smile, and said someone else's words, "This life is over as it is. If you can run, run."

Then, trembling, he reached out his left hand, covered in blood, and yanked the jade token from his waist. He gripped it tightly in his palm, intending to crush this Closest Thing that he had only managed to retrieve from his acupoint through bitter refinement.

There was only one thought in his mind: No matter what, he couldn't leave this thing for others to touch.

The Closest Thing remained unharmed.

Chen Ping'an was full of guilt. But in the end, he felt somewhat aggrieved.

Chen Ping'an, who never blamed heaven or others.

Felt somewhat aggrieved.

He raised his arm gripping the jade token, holding it before his eyes. Tears mixed with blood, but he didn't want the world to see this scene.

Chen Ping'an lowered his hands, slowly closed his eyes, raised his head high, and glanced southward. "I have a sword... I can move mountains, I can overturn seas..."

The founding ancestor of Indus Leaf Sect snorted. "What's this? Last words? Shouldn't you be cursing me for being a bully?"

He then commanded his lifebound immortal treasure, "One sword" piercing the young man's abdomen at the city gate.

For some reason, the jade token shattered.

The old man frowned slightly, but only regretted the loss of a Closest Thing.

----

At the summit of Sui Mountain, an Old Scholar who had been sitting atop a stone tablet, stubbornly contending with a golden-armored deity, had been silently deducing the heavens and earth. His expression changed dramatically. He stood up and said with rare solemnity, "Big fellow, help me cleave through the barrier between the two continents. Don't ask why, hurry!"

The golden-armored Sui Mountain God, who had been leaning on a sword stuck in the ground, found this strange. He nodded without asking anything, manifested his towering golden-body dharma form, and slashed with his sword, directly splitting open a boundless void like a river of time.

The Old Scholar shot into it.

The gap closed.

The qi and luck of the Central Divine Continent's Central Peak, Sui Mountain, shook violently.

----

Between heaven and earth, someone seemed to have heard that sentence from Old Dragon City. She responded gently, "I'm coming."

----

Within the broken and fallen Li Zhu Cave Heaven, the entire thousand-li small world began to shake violently.

Ruan Qiong's face was ashen as he desperately suppressed this utterly insane chaos of qi and luck.

At a large area of Dragon-Slaying Platform stone cliffs.

A tall white figure shot out.

She carried two snow-white sleeves and soared straight up.

At the dome of this Grand Pure World, she paused for an instant, then glanced at the southernmost tip of Vase Continent's territory.

Her figure vanished like a sword.

Wherever her white figure passed, across the entire Vase Continent, during the Great Cold season, peals of thunder rang out.