Chapter 637: Travelers Far from Home Are All Dandelions

Chapter 637: Travelers Far from Home Are All Dandelions

Chen Ping'an dared to show himself not only because he stood beside Lu Zhi, one of the top ten Sword Immortals of the Sword Qi Great Wall, but more importantly because Chen Chun'an would be present.

If it were a battle between those of similar realms, a Great Sword Immortal excelled at killing but was not necessarily skilled at saving others.

Earlier on the city wall, during that assassination attempt, Mi Yu had done his utmost to block the sword immortal Lie Ji, who was of the same realm and cultivation, yet Mi Yu was still a hair's breadth too slow.

But with Chen Chun'an present, there was certainly nothing to worry about.

After Chen Chun'an spoke, he gave that Flying Ascension realm great demon not a single chance to utter half a sentence of nonsense before heaven and earth had already transformed.

Chen Ping'an's mind trembled in an instant, his entire being seemingly manifesting an infinitely large dharma appearance, abruptly "ascending" to the highest point of the heavenly canopy, enough to overlook the entire map of the Haoran World. But before Chen Ping'an could take a brief look, in the blink of an eye, that colossal dharma appearance was forcibly condensed into a speck of mind-stuff smaller than a mote of dust, returning to the earth and, moreover, diving into an infinitesimally small place where even the lines of a palm were mountains and rivers.

By the time Chen Ping'an fully came to his senses, he turned his head to look back, and a Daoist verse naturally surfaced in his mind: "The Dao as a thing is vague and indefinite. In the deepest obscurity, it unites with true emptiness; the Great Void is it."

It turned out that behind Chen Ping'an was suspended a huge sphere, snow-white and radiant, shimmering with luster, with faintly visible pavilions, towers, and a large osmanthus tree—it was the bright moon with osmanthus planted in its midst.

Comparing Chen Ping'an to this object behind him, their sizes were like a grain of rice to a white bowl.

Chen Ping'an withdrew his gaze and looked out. As far as the eye could see, there was only the great sun suspended in the void, even more immense, entirely golden-yellow, with nothing else.

This great sun continuously emitted strands of golden light, arising and perishing erratically, at extremely high speed.

There was also a black dot and a blot of ink, wandering and wavering.

Countless slender, snow-white beams of light flashed by, capable of severing those golden threads on the spot.

This should be Lu Zhi battling that Flying Ascension realm great demon "Border".

Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, intending to sit cross-legged, immerse his mind, and then summon his own natal flying sword, which he had yet to name. Using a small world to confront a small world, he hoped to gain a few more insights into the operations of the Great Dao within this small world.

But unexpectedly, a hand pressed down on his shoulder, and a voice said with a smile, "Some studies, if encountered too early, are instead not beneficial. It's not that I fear you stealing the knowledge, but because the divine ability of one of your natal flying swords is not close in the Great Dao to this technique of mine."

Chen Ping'an abandoned the thought, turned around, and respectfully made a bowing salute to the elder in Confucian robes.

Chen Chun'an nodded and smiled, saying, "I'll just take it as a junior Confucian scholar paying respects to an elder, not as a closed-door disciple of the Literary Sage lineage coming to question the Dao with my Yasheng lineage. So I won't return the bow."

Chen Ping'an rose, sweating with shame, and said, "I only dare to seek instruction, not to question the Dao."

Chen Chun'an waved his hand, "Since we both share the surname Chen, we share a common origin but diverge in branches. The same goes for surnames and scholarly lineages. Moreover, regarding the matter of the scholar tree in Lizhu Cave Heaven, the Yingyin Chen clan of the Poshuo Continent owes you a favor. That's why I brought you in to observe the battle from afar. If you can grasp a bit of the elegance of the sword immortals, that is your own ability. I am not on guard against Chen Ping'an of Big Li Longquan County, but I am on guard against that old scholar and the proud disciples he has taught. Is it 'just as expected'?"

Chen Ping'an grew even more ashamed.

Chen Chun'an reached out and grabbed, pulling the Jade Pu realm sword immortal Mi Yu from outside that world into the world within.

Chen Ping'an then reminded, "Can't see clearly? Why not silently recite the tenets of the teachings of that elder in your heart; perhaps your vision will become clearer."

Chen Ping'an began to silently recite in his heart.

Chen Ping'an was completely focused, unconsciously sitting cross-legged, his fists gently placed on his knees.

Sitting, he felt the boundless ancient meaning, coming from afar within the rising of the sun and the setting of the moon.

Chen Chun'an sat upright in the void, and at the points in the old scholar's teachings that resonated with him, he smiled faintly.

Not only could Chen Chun'an hear Chen Ping'an's silent words if he wished, but even Chen Ping'an's thoughts and intentions could be examined at will.

Afterward, Xie Songhua and Shao Yunyan, having received flying sword transmissions, rode their swords with extreme speed, like wind and lightning, breaking through countless waves of water and clouds of mist. They found the landscape grotto "Earthen Basin" ferry boat and were successively "invited" by Chen Chun'an into this sun-moon world.

The three Jade Pu realm sword immortals who arrived one after another reacted identically—they had no intention of drawing their swords. For now, they each occupied a side, providing support for Lu Zhi.

Mi Yu was quite proper, his eyes fixed on the battlefield. He didn't intervene to avoid making things worse. As long as Lu Zhi wasn't at a disadvantage, he would never strike.

Shao Yunyan, the second to arrive and worthy of being the master of the Spring Banner Studio, actually began refining his sword directly, using the abundant solar essence and lunar essence within the world.

Xie Songhua, who entered this sun-moon world last, clearly had a more leisurely disposition compared to Mi Yu and Shao Yunyan. After entering, she glanced at the battlefield, deemed her help unnecessary, and began to ride her sword on a casual tour.

Seeing the small reveals the big. This demonstrated their vastly different sword immortal temperaments: Mi Yu appeared carefree but was actually the most restrained; Shao Yunyan was the most pragmatic and adept at calculation; Xie Songhua had the purest and freest heart.

Chen Chun'an said, "The truth has emerged. That Flying Ascension realm great demon lost its true body. The physique of this 'Border' was used as a yang spirit external body for dwelling. The method by which the great demon's yin spirit concealed itself within is a unique divine ability. That's why it dared to go to the Sword Qi Great Wall. If this person didn't stand on the city wall, even Chen Qingdu couldn't have detected it. How did you discover it?"

Chen Ping'an said softly, "I gambled three times in a row. First, I gambled on whether to leave the Summer Retreat Palace and follow a certain ferry boat away from Inverted Mountain. Then I gambled on which of those ferry boats had the highest probability. Finally, I gambled on whether you, Elder, would consider my actions frivolous and be willing to take the trouble to come personally from the South Poshuo Continent. If you hadn't come, even if I had won the first two gambles, it would still have been a wasted trip."

Chen Chun'an smiled and said, "Then explain in detail. Don't feel embarrassed just because it involves the word 'gambling'. In the affairs of this world, speaking well and correctly is one difficulty, but making it easy for outsiders to learn, making it amiable to see and feasible to ponder, is even more difficult."

Chen Ping'an was about to speak.

That Flying Ascension realm great demon, enduring a blow from Lu Zhi's sword, broke through the air and charged directly toward Chen Chun'an and Chen Ping'an.

Its dharma appearance was as enormous as a mountain bearing down.

But the world's sage, Chen Chun'an, didn't even glance at it. He simply extended a hand and slapped that half-baked Flying Ascension realm being, whose true body was unknown, back into the battlefield. Not only that, but its colossal body was smashed, sinking into the golden great sun, immersed in a vast golden molten furnace. Even though the great demon roared in anger, rose from the ground, and swept out for thousands of feet, it was still entangled by those golden threads and dragged back to the "earth".

Lu Zhi also didn't take the opportunity to strike; she merely watched coldly, allowing the great demon to break free before resuming the battle.

Chen Chun'an paid this no mind.

The old Confucian merely wore a slight smile, listening to the young man detail the merits of his three gambles.

Upon returning to the Summer Retreat Palace on the Sword Qi Great Wall, he had tossed a Minor Summer coin, guessing heads or tails, to decide whether to follow the "Earthen Basin" ferry boat away from Inverted Mountain.

Heads meant he would do it; tails meant he would stay in the Summer Retreat Palace and wait for the other side to make the first move.

Before this, Chen Ping'an had sent his yin spirit out of his body and simultaneously used a crude Samatha-Vipashyana divine ability to discard a certain thought. The result was that the Minor Summer coin landed on heads.

According to his original plan, he should have stayed in the Summer Retreat Palace.

After hesitating for a while, he reached out, pressed the coin, and had Guo Zhujiu guess heads or tails. Ultimately, Chen Ping'an chose to leave the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Hearing this, Chen Chun'an smiled slightly. "At first, you wanted to use this to determine whether your luck was good or bad? If lucky, you would need to beware of the moon waning after reaching fullness. If unlucky, unable to guess or bet correctly, there would instead be hope that the extreme misfortune might reverse into good fortune?"

Chen Ping'an nodded. "Exactly. I still don't like doing losing business. Not making a profit is fine, but I really can't take a loss."

Chen Chun'an said with a smile, "Continue."

Chen Ping'an had again sought out the current steward of Inverted Mountain, a Daoist True Lord he had met once before. Before leaving, his senior brother Zuo You had mentioned that after he had made his move in the Dragon Rift, this person had collected quite a lot of dragon whiskers, benefiting the most. He told his junior brother to go to him for one matter—it wouldn't be difficult. If the man refused, Chen Ping'an should just let him know that his senior brother would turn around and go to Inverted Mountain to reason with him.

Furthermore, with the spies that the Sword Qi Great Wall and Cui Dongshan had placed within Inverted Mountain, by the time the last cross-continent ferry boat left the Spring Banner Studio, Chen Ping'an had already obtained the complete passenger manifest for all departing boats.

Before quietly returning to the Spring Banner Studio at Inverted Mountain, Chen Ping'an first summoned Lin Junbi, Xuanshen, and several others from the Hidden Official lineage who were skilled in layout and breaking through situations—chess grandmasters—to help him screen out the ten ferry boats most likely to cause an accident.

Wu Qiu, Tang Feiqian, Jiang Gaotai of the Aiai Continent "Southern Winnowing Fan", Bai Xi of the Fuyang Continent "Earthen Basin", Dai Hao of the Aiai Continent "Supreme Broth", Liu Shen of the immortal island "Rainbow Garments", Liu Yu of the Liuxia Continent "Wild Bell", one each from the South Poshuo Continent and the North Julu Continent, plus the Ding family's ferry boat from Old Dragon City.

The biggest suspect might also be the one with the least suspicion.

In truth, from the very beginning, Chen Ping'an, Lin Junbi, and the others hadn't necessarily thought that the Landscape Grotto's Earthen Basin ferry boat was definitely the interior agent of the Barren Wasteland World within the Haoran World.

Besides selecting these ten ferry boats, there were also thirty-two suspicious passengers.

Chen Chun'an asked, "This person, 'Border', was cautious. He probably shouldn't have been among them."

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, "Indeed, he wasn't on the list beforehand. According to the original files, Border, a sword cultivator from the Shao Yuan Dynasty in the Middle Earth Divine Continent, stayed for a while at the Plum Garden after leaving the Sword Qi Great Wall before departing Inverted Mountain. However, he didn't leave with Yan Lü and Jiang Guancheng; instead, he chose to travel alone to the Fuyang Continent. In fact, the first ferry boat Sword Immortal Lu Zhi and I caught up to was Mi Yu's 'Rainbow Garments'. After some investigation and finding nothing, we then followed the Earthen Basin ferry boat. After boarding midway, I used the most foolish method—walking around and counting heads—and discovered there was one extra person. But even so, I still couldn't definitively say that a great demon was hiding on the boat, let alone that the Landscape Grotto had long since colluded with the Barren Wasteland World."

Chen Chun'an nodded, then asked with a smile, "Not boarding in the direction of Sword Immortal Xie? You're quite confident about Baoping Continent and North Julu Continent?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head and replied, "I believed that a great demon's brain would be smart enough not to alert the enemy by adding an unnecessary flourish to the favorable situation in Tongye Continent, which was bought with the lives of two great demons."

Chen Chun'an said again, "So you weren't worried I'd be angry for making the trip in vain. You wanted to talk to me about Tongye Continent all along? As expected, your business dealings are never a loss."

Chen Ping'an said, "I earnestly ask you, Elder, to trust the judgment of Baoping Continent once. The real gamble is the one Baoping Continent took first and biggest!"

Chen Chun'an was silent for a moment, then nodded with a gratified smile. "Good."

Mi Yu was still pretending to hold the line for Lu Zhi. The great sun hung in the void, and it seemed to be right at hand. The mere scorching heat of it was already enough to make Mi Yu restless and agitated.

Shao Yunyan, "emboldened by his success," scooped up a handful of the splashing golden magma. Not daring to let it actually touch his skin, he held it cupped in his palm, then carefully tilted his hand to pour it over his natal flying sword.

Xie Songhua, carrying her bamboo box on her back, called out loudly, "Elder Chen, could you give me some solar essence and lunar essence? The kind I don't have to return!"

Chen Chun'an looked up and smiled. "Sword Immortal Xie, help yourself."

Chen Chun'an glanced at the idle Mi Yu and smiled. "Sword Immortal Mi, may I borrow your sword for a moment?"

Mi Yu immediately took off his sword.

Chen Chun'an reached out his hand, and the sword flew into his grasp. He drew the blade from its scabbard, lifted his sleeve, and shook out a thick, water-like moonlight. "This lunar essence was obtained from the Barren Wasteland World."

The old man pressed his index and middle fingers together and slowly traced them along the blade, creating a barely visible groove. The thick moonlight flowed along his fingers, pouring into the groove.

Mi Yu's mind reeled; he was almost moved to tears, and it was absolutely sincere.

Not only would his sword's grade inevitably skyrocket, but the most important thing was that the refined Confucian Chen Chun'an had personally taken action to help him refine his sword! That Shao Yunyan, with his sneaky, hit-and-miss sword refining—could he compare? That Xie Songhua, who openly begged for solar and lunar essence—could she compare?

Chen Ping'an glanced at Mi Yu.

The latter immediately understood. I know, I know.

All this was thanks to the Lord Hidden Official. Mi Yu was most grateful and nostalgic; heaven and earth were his witnesses!

After Chen Chun'an finished refining the sword with the moonlight, he sheathed it.

The sword vanished in an instant, returning to Mi Yu's side.

Mi Yu made a bowing salute and cupped his fists. "Mi Yu thanks the Refined Confucian Old Sage."

Chen Chun'an nodded and smiled, then said to Chen Ping'an, "This matter was handled extremely well, but it is ultimately not the act of a gentleman."

Chen Ping'an said, "I am not even a Worthy yet, let alone a gentleman."

Chen Chun'an smiled and said, "Just like your teacher. He loves to use titles as excuses. 'I've never been a Worthy in my life, never a gentleman,' he'd say. 'You forced the title of sage on me. Did you ask if I was willing? I'm terrified of being a sage! What more do you want from me?'"

Chen Ping'an was silent.

Since he had acknowledged his teacher, he should maintain his dignity.

Chen Chun'an said with emotion, "In Confucian scholarship, moderation and harmony are the way to illuminate virtue."

The old man looked into the distance, silent for a long time, then slowly said, "A Worthy's thoughts should be meticulous. A gentleman's words should be precise and detailed."

Chen Ping'an, moved by the sentiment, blurted out, "Cultivating power, each punch and each sword must not miss its mark, occupying the principle of righteousness. Cultivating the mind, only seek the great in the void and high places, and question the original heart in the minute details."

The old man made no comment on these words.

The next moment, Chen Ping'an was back in his room on the ferry boat.

He had been cast out of that world by Chen Chun'an.

Bai Xi was still standing there.

Heaven and earth were vast. Where could he, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, run? Even without any obstruction, would he be allowed to abandon the boat and hide in the endless sea? Or would he desperately try to flee to the Landscape Grotto on the Fuyang Continent?

One Lord Hidden Official, four sword immortals—and especially with the addition of Chen Chun'an, the foremost expert of the South Poshuo Continent.

Bai Xi felt that even if he were on the Sword Qi Great Wall and had already fled into the midst of the Barren Wasteland World's army, he still might not survive.

Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "Boat Master Bai, how much time has passed?"

Bai Xi's answer was not to the question. The first words he said upon seeing the young Lord Hidden Official were, "Lord Hidden Official, I am willing to make amends through meritorious service! I will do anything to live! My clan's ancestor colluded with the demon clan—I will testify for you, Lord Hidden Official! I know the Landscape Grotto's assets best; all of them can be used to fund the Sword Qi Great Wall..."

Chen Ping'an sat down lightly, interrupting him, and said with a smile, "All grievances can be settled with a single immortal coin. Sit down and talk. What's the rush? How to make amends, no need to rush. And don't even think about taking me hostage, gambling on the off chance that the Lord Hidden Official's realm isn't high. That's not something to rush into either."

Bai Xi was drenched in sweat. His movements were stiff, his expression dazed, and he collapsed into a chair.

"Boat Master Bai, this is going too far."

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "When it comes to putting on an act, you and I are fellow travelers. Unfortunately, you may be older in years, but your cultivation isn't high. When it comes to the blackness of your heart, your realm, your resources—you can compare anything, but don't compare this with me."

Bai Xi suddenly stood up. His chair flew backward. The dignified Nascent Soul cultivator retreated several steps, fell to his knees, and began kowtowing. "Lord Hidden Official, save me!"

Because the young Lord Hidden Official was no longer alone; standing behind him was the Jade Pu realm sword immortal Mi Yu, who had appeared out of thin air.

Chen Ping'an poured himself a cup of tea and asked with a smile, "Your Sumeru objects, your Cunxi measures—personal ones, sect ones—bring them all out. And remember to open them. If your sincerity is sufficient, I don't mind letting you turn misfortune into fortune and take the top seat in the Landscape Grotto. As for my realm and my background, you're probably still in a daze about them, but you should know what kind of person I am. I love maximizing profits. This is your last chance. Cherish it well."

Half a cup of tea later.

On the table in front of the young Lord Hidden Official lay an antique inkstone in the shape of "sea houses adding chips"—the Landscape Grotto's Cunxi measure—and a rather heavily made-up round fan, which was the boat manager's personal Sumeru object. Both contained a considerable number of good things and immortal coins.

Some of the Landscape Grotto's secrets were also revealed by Bai Xi, though not everything came out like beans from a bamboo tube.

Bai Xi wasn't stupid.

Chen Ping'an was even less so.

Chen Ping'an took out a folding fan made of jade bamboo and gently fanned himself. At the same time, he had Mi Yu put away the Cunxi measure and Sumeru object. If there were any killing intent hidden within, the Great Sword Immortal Mi could handle it. Even if he couldn't quite manage it, he couldn't let a Lord Hidden Official of the Lower Five Realms bear the burden.

Then Chen Ping'an leaned back and turned his head. "What are you waiting for? Kill him. Are you going to keep him for wine or a snack?"

Both Bai Xi and Mi Yu were stunned.

Then the world changed again, subtly.

Mi Yu swung his sword down. It was very smooth, almost the same as when he was on the Sword Qi Great Wall. There was none of the suppressing aura of a small world. In contrast, the old Nascent Soul cultivator was slightly hindered.

This combination of fast and slow, coupled with the vast difference between a Jade Pu realm sword immortal and a Nascent Soul Qi refiner, made the outcome a foregone conclusion.

Mi Yu's sword cleaved the Nascent Soul Bai Xi's body in two. Not only that, but it also split his golden core and his Nascent Soul in half.

But just as Mi Yu was about to deliver another strike, the young Lord Hidden Official intervened. Using a secret technique he had acquired from his transaction with Liu Zhimao at Book Teahouse Lake, he detained the remnants of the other's soul, gathered them together, and held them in his palm. He said with a smile, "Beg me to save you, and I will save you. Happy or not? How will you thank me?"

The agonized soul, restraining itself from wailing, said in a trembling voice, "Lord Hidden Official, just say the word, just make your demands..."

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "I told you to be sincere. You didn't listen. Look at the result. Not good, was it? I'll give you one more chance. Tell me the Landscape Grotto's truly unspeakable secrets, and you can live. Your realm was too high; I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you be the next patriarch of the Landscape Grotto. Now it's perfect—your realm is ruined. From now on, every time you see me, you'll have to make up for it with immortal coins."

The soul no longer dared to conceal anything. It told, one by one, the hidden deeds of the Landscape Grotto's ancestor, and how the Landscape Grotto was famous for having "three cunning rabbit holes, treasures scattered in four directions."

"Die to repay me."

Chen Ping'an nodded, closed his five fingers, and crushed the extremely weak soul with fist energy. Then he closed his folding fan, gently waved it to disperse the ethereal ash of the soul, pressed the fan to his chest, and said with a mischievous grin, "Unexpected, isn't it?"

Mi Yu was no longer surprised.

Chen Ping'an stood up, put away his fan, and asked, "How much longer will Lu Zhi need to kill that unworthy Flying Ascension realm great demon? And is there a possibility of finding out about the great demon's true body?"

Mi Yu looked troubled.

Who was he going to ask? Lu Zhi? When had she ever deigned to speak to him? Chen Chun'an? Mi Yu didn't even have the face to do that.

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Great Sword Immortal Mi, please, use your brain for once!"

Mi Yu was rather aggrieved.

Then Mi Yu, more curious than anything, looked around. He noticed some clues. No matter how much of a useless pretty face an Upper Five Realm sword cultivator was, he was still a sword immortal with some insight.

This was our Lord Hidden Official's natal flying sword?!

Chen Ping'an withdrew his natal flying sword and walked over to the window.

Mi Yu sheathed his sword and stood guard.

A sun-moon world. A female Great Sword Immortal, Lu Zhi, battling that Flying Ascension realm great demon, turning heaven and earth upside down.

A small world within a lark cage. Mi Yu drew his sword and killed the Nascent Soul Bai Xi, whose soul was then detained by Chen Ping'an's secret art and crushed by his fist energy.

All the other Qi refiners on this Earthen Basin ferry boat remained completely unaware of anything unusual.

Afterward.

The Earthen Basin ferry boat continued on its way unharmed, heading for the Landscape Grotto on the Fuyang Continent.

It was just short one sneaky Flying Ascension realm great demon and one dead boat master, Bai Xi.

It had gained one Lu Zhi. Chen Chun'an had not accompanied them but had given Lu Zhi a Confucian jade pendant.

Shao Yunyan was also there, tasked with helping Lu Zhi clean up the mess in the Landscape Grotto.

A mess it was, but there were indeed a lot of immortal coins.

Sword Immortal Shao's Spring Banner Studio was, nominally, entitled to a ten percent share.

But now the entire Spring Banner Studio was the "private property" of the Lord Hidden Official lineage of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Shao Yunyan didn't even understand what the meaning of a ten percent share was.

The specific steps for dealing with the Landscape Grotto had all been clearly explained to Lu Zhi and Shao Yunyan by Chen Ping'an.

Lu Zhi listened absent-mindedly. Since Shao Yunyan was there, she could go to the Fuyang Continent and have a short seclusion.

As for Xie Songhua, she was to return to Jiang Gaotai's Southern Winnowing Fan ferry boat and travel together to the Aiai Continent.

Before parting, the young Lord Hidden Official couldn't help but natter on again about those two little children. Xie Songhua became furious and asked him if those two kids were their daughters or something.

The young Lord Hidden Official finally shut up.

He didn't like these matters of scheming against people's hearts, nor was he good at them.

Chen Ping'an and Mi Yu returned to Inverted Mountain together on a talisman boat.

Chen Ping'an stood at the bow of the boat and glanced back at Mi Yu.

Mi Yu, who was lazily sitting at the stern, immediately felt uncomfortable. What now? Was another heavy burden about to fall on his shoulders?

Bring it on! If I, the Great Sword Immortal Mi, so much as furrow my brow, then I'm not the pillar of the Lord Hidden Official lineage!

Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Running around this way and that, Sword Immortal Shao got a ten percent share of the Landscape Grotto. Sword Immortal Xie repaid a favor. Great Sword Immortal Lu gained some benefit for her sword path plus that Flying Ascension demon core. Our Sword Immortal Mi got his sword's grade upgraded. The Cunxi measure and Sumeru object are also public gains for our Lord Hidden Official lineage. It seems I'm the only one who traveled ten thousand miles and got nothing?"

Mi Yu said seriously, "Lord Hidden Official, you orchestrated the whole thing. Killing the Flying Ascension realm great demon is your credit, and you deserve it. There's no doubt..."

Chen Ping'an interrupted Mi Yu's words with a chuckle. "With your sycophantic skills, you wouldn't even qualify as a registered disciple in the mountain sect back in my hometown, let alone a worshipper."

Mi Yu was heartbroken.

This was never his forte. His Dao had always been about winning the hearts of beautiful women with genuine sincerity.

But Mi Yu quickly tried to remedy the situation, saying, "If I ever go there, Lord Hidden Official, just leave all the visiting immortal sisters to me for hosting. If there's even the slightest slip-up, you can hold me accountable."

Chen Ping'an gave an icy smile. "Get lost. The reputation of my mountain sect is already mysterious enough. Even I, the mountain master, can't seem to turn it around. Add you to the mix, and our name will be mud all over the world."

Mi Yu was extremely wronged.

Mi Yu hesitated for a moment, then asked curiously, "Lord Hidden Official, why didn't you accept the demon core Lu Zhi offered? She really didn't want to keep it. According to the merit calculation of the Lord Hidden Official lineage, you should have received that item."

Chen Ping'an sat down, looking out at the vast, boundless vista of blue waves stretching for ten thousand miles, and said, "I did accept it, actually. I just asked Lu Zhi to deliver it to a friend on the South Poshuo Continent."

Mi Yu let out an "Oh," and then belatedly realized—obtaining a Flying Ascension realm great demon's demon core was about the same as getting a Flying Ascension realm grand cultivator's crystalline golden body, wasn't it?

And this was called "getting nothing"?

Chen Ping'an tapped his palm with his closed fan and turned his head with a smile. "Hmm?"

Mi Yu immediately sighed with emotion. "Lord Hidden Official, you have clean hands and a pure heart, truly an immortal among men! In all the romances of talented scholars and beauties, and in all the strange tales of gods and monsters in the Haoran World, the title 'Banished Immortal' should be replaced with 'Chen Ping'an'!"

Mi Yu felt he was getting the hang of it. Although he still didn't dare to spar with the Lord Hidden Official's personal disciple Guo Zhujiu, he felt he had now achieved a certain level of skill when it came to flattery, at least on par with Gu Jianlong and Wang Xinshui in this matter.

Chen Ping'an turned back around, continuing to look ahead. He was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "Mi Yu, I'm very glad that we could go from being strangers to becoming friends."

Mi Yu was stunned for a long time, then finally nodded and said, "It is an honor to have met Chen Ping'an."

After a moment, Chen Ping'an said, "As a parting gift, that folding fan you gave to that Middle Earth Nascent Soul female cultivator—what did you inscribe on it?"

Mi Yu's smile turned somewhat awkward. "These are trivial matters of romance, not fit to be spoken of. They would only make you laugh, Lord Hidden Official. Let's not mention them."

But Chen Ping'an insisted, "Tell me."

When it came to dealing with women, Mi Yu's cultivation realm could be said to be lofty and reaching to the clouds.

Mi Yu hesitated. "Are you sure you want me to embarrass myself?"

After all, before this young Lord Hidden Official became the Lord Hidden Official, he was the Second Shopkeeper. With the Hundred Sword Immortal Seal Inscriptions and the Two Hundred Sword Immortal Seal Inscriptions, and so many fan face inscriptions, Mi Yu was arguably the sword immortal on the entire Sword Qi Great Wall who had studied them most diligently. There was a lot of knowledge and many tricks involved, especially the fan faces that women liked. Mi Yu had inquired about them one by one, copied them onto paper, studied them all, and repeatedly pondered them. He felt he had profited greatly.

Deep down, Mi Yu actually felt that his own fan face inscriptions were at least seventy or eighty percent as good as the Second Shopkeeper's.

Since there were no outsiders on the boat now, they might as well discuss Dao techniques. Bringing it up wouldn't be too shameful.

On one side of the fan was written: "Cherish the one before you, but catch the scent of the green plum. Thin, therefore should be thin for this; shy, also for the one you blush for."

On the other side was written: "Think of you when walking, think of you when sitting. Cannot walk, cannot sit at ease. Think of you but cannot see you. Encounter wine, just laugh it off. How long is life?"

After hearing this, Chen Ping'an was silent for a long time.

Finally, he couldn't help but curse, "Get off the boat and ride your sword!"

It was because Chen Ping'an felt that in this lifetime, on the path of love between men and women—a path that values talent the most and doesn't concern itself with cultivation—he was destined not even to see the back of Mi Yu.

Having suffered this undeserved calamity, the Great Sword Immortal Mi had to stand up resentfully, obediently leave the talisman boat, and travel not far away on his sword.

——

Arriving at Inverted Mountain, they first made a trip to the Spring Banner Studio. The most special thing about this residence among the four private estates was that the entire Spring Banner Studio was a refined object. From the start of its construction, Shao Yunyan had installed an enormous number of formation talismans. As a result, the Spring Banner Studio had never truly taken root in this, the largest mountain character seal between heaven and earth. In contrast, the Ape Trampling Estate, which cost more, had no such consideration. As for the Plum Garden, it was even less likely to be refined.

Shao Yunyan handed the central device of the great formation to Chen Ping'an.

After confirming some details, Chen Ping'an left the Spring Banner Studio with Mi Yu.

Yan Ming and Nalan Caihuan stayed in the residence, responsible for receiving the managers of the ferry boats from the other eight continents that were successively docking.

Mi Yu would also stay, but he still needed to escort Chen Ping'an to the gate connecting the two great worlds. He asked curiously, "Why don't you ever take that old gate closer to the Spring Banner Studio? Senior Zhang Lu, who guards over there, and that little Daoist boy who likes to read—they're both quite interesting."

Chen Ping'an just hummed in acknowledgment, saying nothing.

Mi Yu had only asked casually and didn't bother to think much about it.

After seeing the Lord Hidden Official to the gate, Mi Yu needed to return to the Spring Banner Studio. There were several female boat masters or boat cultivators he knew from before, but unfortunately, those were all the kind of regretful relationships that had fate but no destiny.

Chen Ping'an entered the main hall of the Summer Retreat Palace. Everyone looked up.

Guo Zhujiu was the first to speak. "Master, how many Flying Ascension realm great demons did you kill on this trip?"

Chen Ping'an was a bit tired, so he sat down on the threshold. "Just one."

Guo Zhujiu blinked. "There really was one? Master, I don't know what to say next!"

Sword Immortal Chou Miao looked at Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an nodded and smiled. "There really was."

Chou Miao cupped his fists but said nothing.

The first batch of three sword cultivators who went to the city wall to draw their swords—Chou Miao, Dong Bude, and Deng Liang—had already returned.

Because Mi Yu had been taken to the Spring Banner Studio by Chen Ping'an, currently only Pang Yuanji and Lin Junbi had gone there to draw their swords.

Chen Ping'an said, "It's not as comfortable here as it is elsewhere. I'll slack off and rest for a while. You all go ahead with your business."

The people in the room then went about their own tasks.

Even Guo Zhujiu restrained herself and didn't get up to chat with her master.

Nowadays, the Lord Hidden Official lineage had gradually formed several small factions.

Lin Junbi and Pang Yuanji were quite compatible. Pang Yuanji's spirit wasn't high these days. Aside from doing his work, he would occasionally play a game of chess with Lin Junbi, which was more like seeking advice.

Pang Yuanji learned chess quickly. Outside the chessboard, Lin Junbi was growing extremely fast. Everyone else in the Lord Hidden Official lineage saw it and took note of it.

The outlander sword cultivator Song Gaoyuan got along well with Luo Zhenyi, Xu Ning, and Chang Taiqing.

Deng Liang liked to chat with Dong Bude every now and then. Anyone with eyes knew what this loose cultivator-turned-sect-registered-master Nascent Soul sword cultivator was after.

But it was also obvious to everyone that Dong Bude had no interest in Deng Liang.

Privately, Chen Ping'an had once joked with Deng Liang, saying, "I'm Chen Sanqiu's good brother. If you keep this up, I'll pull Chen Sanqiu into the Lord Hidden Official lineage."

Deng Liang laughed heartily and said, "No problem. I'm a Nascent Soul sword cultivator. That Young Master Chen is still stuck at the Golden Core bottleneck. As long as the Lord Hidden Official doesn't take sides, I guarantee he'll come in standing up and go out lying flat."

Then Deng Liang added, "Even leaving aside realms, if we're just talking about drinking, Young Master Chen is no match for me either."

Gu Jianlong, Wang Xinshui, Cao Gun, and Xuan Can became something like the four great guardians, advancing and retreating together, very tacit, and they liked to follow Guo Zhujiu's lead. Whenever Guo Zhujiu used the sect's signature techniques, the other four would immediately follow suit.

To put it bluntly, these four young people were the ones closest to the Lord Hidden Official and also the ones who could be shameless.

Today was an exception. The merit of killing a hidden Flying Ascension realm great demon was too earth-shattering, so even Gu Jianlong and the three others dared not speak.

Lin Junbi and Xuan Can were both Go masters and often played together.

Chen Ping'an would also help Xuan Can to strategize. Xuan Can was stupid and never learned his lesson. Every time he listened to the Lord Hidden Official's advice, he would suffer a crushing defeat.

Guo Zhujiu would complain that Xuan Can couldn't keep up with her master's thoughts, wasting every one of her master's golden words that could have secured a victory.

Gu Jianlong and Wang Xinshui didn't understand Go and liked to make noise. One was responsible for cheering for Xuan Can, and the other was responsible for nagging Lin Junbi, which they euphemistically called "psychological warfare."

Pang Yuanji would often find a quiet corner in the Summer Retreat Palace to be alone with his thoughts.

Chou Miao would instruct Deng Liang, Song Gaoyuan, and all the other younger generations in swordsmanship. As long as someone was willing to ask, Chou Miao, who was already a sword immortal, was willing to explain carefully.

Dong Bude would occasionally drag Luo Zhenyi aside to talk about women's private matters. Luo Zhenyi, who originally liked to keep a stern face all day, now had a little more feminine gentleness in her brows and eyes.

Guo Zhujiu was the one without a faction. She could ask Sword Immortal Chou Miao about swordsmanship, chat nonsense with Pang Yuanji, and even liked to squeeze in between Dong Bude and Luo Zhenyi. The little girl would force herself into the conversations of the two old maids of the Sword Qi Great Wall, and naturally, every time, she would end up knocking her head—either on the table or on the wall. It was always like that, without exception.

Chen Ping'an felt these were all good things.

A person's state of mind cannot be constantly tense. It must have periods of relaxation and tension to be sustainable.

In the Lord Hidden Official lineage, while everyone performed their own duties, they also complemented each other, filling in gaps and learning from each other's strengths. It could already be considered orderly and on the right track.

Chen Ping'an could not expect these sword cultivators to do better. But even as he thought this in his heart, as the Lord Hidden Official, at certain times, he still had to play the villain.

When it came to the skill of speaking with innuendo and using beautiful words to convey harsh, sarcastic content, Chen Ping'an was the true master. Gu Jianlong, an expert in this area, admitted he was far inferior.

Of course, the prerequisite was that the words hit the mark. Simply being sarcastic would only be counterproductive.

Chen Ping'an remembered something. He tossed the Cunxi measure and Sumeru object he had obtained from the Landscape Grotto's Earthen Basin ferry boat to Guo Zhujiu, who was responsible for compiling records, and said with a laugh, "This is extra income."

Then Chen Ping'an recounted the detailed process of this trip. What couldn't be said, he glossed over. For example, how he had extracted so many internal secrets of the Landscape Grotto from that Nascent Soul boat master, and how he had managed to kill him while preserving the inkstone and the fan, and especially how he had come to know the methods to open them.

Guo Zhujiu cleared her desk. The little girl's eyes were shining. She spat on her hand, rubbed her palms together, then twisted her two fingers, muttering "let's get to work, let's get to work" before starting to inventory the immortal treasures and the large pile of immortal coins inside the Cunxi measure and Sumeru object.

Dong Bude laughed and said, "Lord Hidden Official, be honest with us. Do you have a lifebound object called a 'Treasure Bowl'?"

The last time she returned to the Summer Retreat Palace, she had brought back over a hundred and ten immortal treasures from the Spring Banner Studio.

This time, after leaving Inverted Mountain, she had brought back these two mountain treasures again, plus the considerable wealth they contained.

Guo Zhujiu didn't even look up, just snorted, "It's just that my master is too righteous. He deliberately restrains his divine abilities. Otherwise, he could make a trip to the South Poshuo Continent today and another to the Middle Earth Divine Continent tomorrow, and he'd have mountains of gold and silver moved here."

Chen Ping'an said with a laugh, "I couldn't bring back mountains of gold and silver, but I did bring you a worthless snowball. You finish your work first, and later we can build a couple of small snowmen."

Chen Ping'an took a large snowball out of his own Sumeru object.

Elsewhere on the Sword Qi Great Wall, snowballs wouldn't last long, but in the Summer Retreat Palace, as long as they were placed under that big tree, they could probably be kept for a few days even without doing anything.

Guo Zhujiu was overjoyed. "Master, you're giving me a gift again?! It's a pity the senior sister can't see this; otherwise, she'd want to trade being the junior sister for being the senior sister!"

Chen Ping'an's expression was gentle, and he smiled, "Take it easy. Your senior sister holds grudges. She won't even let me, her master, see her little ledger."

Guo Zhujiu sat in her seat, swaying her shoulders left and right, imitating the senior sister. She was incredibly happy today, so much so that for the first time, she didn't know what to say.

Her little gong and drum weren't within reach either. What a pity.

Then everyone in the room saw the young Lord Hidden Official sitting on the threshold, hunched over, his back to them. In this hot summer weather, in this coolest of all places, the Summer Retreat Palace, he started building a small snowman.

Chen Ping'an suddenly spoke up. "Regarding the matter of the Flying Ascension realm great demon 'Border', don't hold any grudges against Lin Junbi. He has nothing to do with it. The other side schemed for a long time to become Lin Junbi's senior brother, and their plans were considerable."

Chou Miao smiled and said, "We were all waiting for you to say that, Lord Hidden Official."

Sure enough, many people breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Ping'an added, "Oh, by the way, there's no share for our Lord Hidden Official lineage from this Landscape Grotto's family treasures."

A chorus of boos erupted.

Guo Zhujiu slapped the table with both hands and yelled, "How dare you! Such insolence!" She was the only one protecting the Lord Hidden Official.

Gu Jianlong and Wang Xinshui made the most noise, whistling heartily.

Even Luo Zhenyi joined Dong Bude in complaining.

Xuan Can and Cao Gun sighed in despair, saying there was no way to live this miserable, penny-pinching life anymore.

Chen Ping'an laughed heartily and said, "Now it's really gone."

Guo Zhujiu said gloatingly, "Such little brains you all have, so very dim."

Chen Ping'an beckoned. "Come take a look at the little snowman your master built."

Guo Zhujiu jumped up, quickly slung her small bamboo box onto her back, strutted across the threshold, and plopped down. She stared blankly for a long time before asking timidly, "Master, who is this? It's my senior sister, right?"

The little snowman had two crooked bamboo leaves stuck into its big head, was standing on one leg like a golden rooster, and holding a bamboo branch in its hand. It looked utterly foolish and not pretty at all.

Chen Ping'an said with a gentle smile, "It's for you. Put it on your desk."

Guo Zhujiu furrowed her brows, pretending to be deep in thought.

She turned her head and glanced at Dong Bude. The latter raised one hand and gently pressed it on the table.

Guo Zhujiu had no choice but to hold the little snowman and silently return to her seat. Obediently following her master's orders, she put the little snowman on her desk, then moved it around until it was facing away from her and toward Dong Bude.

Chen Ping'an clapped his hands and stood up.

He thought of those two children who had been taken to the Aiai Continent by Xie Songhua. In the future, Wei Jin, Shao Yunyan, and all the other sword immortals returning home from the Sword Qi Great Wall would each take away one or two sword cultivator seeds, who were still very young and at a low realm.

Dandelions, following the wind to foreign lands.

He hoped that these children of the Sword Qi Great Wall would, in the future, each become a Liu Xianyang or a Chen Ping'an, leaving their hometown of Lizhu Cave Heaven to journey far and wide. They might even live better lives and achieve more.