# Chapter 666: On the Shoulders and in the Heart
The moonlight shows no preference for rich or poor; moonlight visits homes without knocking, going to both Yuhu Street and Yanchi Lane.
The great sun expels evil spirits, especially the winter warmth like a cotton-padded jacket—Yanchi Lane wears it, and Yuhu Street wears it too.
Chen Ping'an sat alone all night in the pavilion on Dragon-Slaying Cliff. In the end, he didn't have the courage to knock on Ning Yao's courtyard gate. To hell with "wine gives a coward courage"—it was useless as hell.
When the sun was three poles high, Chen Ping'an rode his sword out of the city again, heading for the Summer Resort. The native sword cultivators like Chou Miao and Dong Bude had all left except for Pang Yuanji. The foreign sword cultivators like Deng Liang, except for Lin Junbi, had all gone to pay respects to senior sword immortals from their hometowns or catch up with old friends. So in the end, only Lin Junbi and Pang Yuanji were left playing a game of Go. Chen Ping'an watched without speaking. Lin Junbi's skill was a notch above Pang Yuanji's; the outcome was beyond doubt. After watching for a while, Chen Ping'an went to the archives to browse. Then Lin Junbi came running to say that the great sword immortal Mi Hu had specifically requested to see the Hidden Official. However, this great sword immortal was still following the rules—he hadn't entered the building.
Chen Ping'an told Lin Junbi to continue his game and went to the main entrance himself. There he met Mi Hu, the older brother of Mi Yu, the pillar of the Hidden Official lineage, and the newest and youngest immortal realm on the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Chen Ping'an clasped his fists and smiled. "A rare guest."
Mi Hu didn't bother with pleasantries. "Let's talk while we walk."
The two walked side by side. Mi Hu got straight to the point. "Chen Ping'an, I came to ask a favor today. It's both official business and a personal matter."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Speak freely."
Mi Hu said, "I hope that with my battle merits, after the war ends, my brother—who is currently on Daoxuan Mountain—can go wherever he wants. For example, to your Haoran World."
Chen Ping'an said, "Your battle merits should be enough. But Mi Yu is still a Jade Purity sword immortal. According to unwritten rules, every sword immortal's departure or stay requires a nod from the great old sword immortal. Only after passing through that formality can our Hidden Official lineage stamp it as official. Then no outsider can gossip."
Mi Hu said, "The great old sword immortal has already nodded."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Since the great old sword immortal has agreed, Great Sword Immortal Mi actually didn't need to consult me. Mi Yu's way out is assured. In the Haoran World, an exceptionally precious sword immortal can go anywhere. If he wishes, he'll be a guest of honor whether on the mountains in the immortal ancestor halls or below in the imperial golden halls of dynasties."
Mi Hu said, "If my brother has no one to look after him in that foreign land, I still won't be at ease. The way of cultivation on the mountains of the Haoran World is not the same as our sword practice on the Sword Qi Great Wall. I've never been there myself, but I know exactly how it is—scheming and backstabbing, smoke and mirrors, a complete den of swindlers. Mi Yu's ability to deal with women is fine, but once he gets into some damn Dao dispute with cultivators, my brother has a simple mind—he'll suffer greatly."
Chen Ping'an understood the intention of this immortal realm great sword immortal: he wanted Chen Ping'an, a foreigner from the Haoran World, to pay more attention.
But regarding some matters—like the agreement with the great old sword immortal, and his own future situation—Chen Ping'an couldn't reveal heavenly secrets prematurely. So he had to first formulate his words.
As for whether Mi Hu's words carried insinuations against the Hidden Official himself, Chen Ping'an, being magnanimous, let it pass like wind in his ears.
Mi Hu said, "As long as you nod, I'll reward you heavily. When it comes to business, I trust the Second Shopkeeper."
He was misunderstood.
But Chen Ping'an didn't explain. "Forget the heavy reward. In these two years in the Hidden Official lineage, Mi Yu has accumulated quite a few battle merits. You don't need to pay extra. But whether this matter succeeds or not, besides our private agreement, what Mi Yu himself thinks is actually the key."
Mi Hu frowned. "With the Hidden Official's ties of incense and fire on the Sword Qi Great Wall, even if my brother refuses to leave, you could just find a few sword immortals to knock him out and take him to the Haoran World."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Once in the Haoran World, if Mi Yu can't resolve his heart knot, it will be very troublesome on his path of cultivation. Cultivating there, with the identity of a sword immortal from the Sword Qi Great Wall, there won't be many accidents—but if there are, they'll be big ones."
Mi Hu said resolutely, "Living is greater than heaven. One more day alive counts as one day. Besides, don't underestimate my brother's Dao heart. It's not as fragile as you think."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's true."
Chen Ping'an said, "Then let Mi Yu go to the Northern Ju Luzhou, to the Taihui Sword Sect, or to Li Cai Sword Immortal's Floating Lotus Sword Lake. Both places need a sword immortal patron, and he won't need to fight much. As for which place specifically, let Mi Yu choose for himself."
Mi Hu asked doubtfully, "Why not your mountain?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I have a pile of old debts on my back. Even if Mi Yu leaves Daoxuan Mountain and comes to Fallen Mountain, he won't have a few days of peace. There's no need."
Mi Hu insisted, "Then let Mi Yu go to your Fallen Mountain as a patron—the kind that offers incense, worships the portrait, and has his name recorded in the register."
Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Great Sword Immortal Mi, you're a straightforward person, so I'll speak plainly with you. If this were just a business deal, only a fool would refuse a sword immortal patron. I'm treating your brother as a friend, which is why I don't want him wading into the muddy waters of Baoping Zhou. In Northern Ju Luzhou, which has the most ties of incense and fire with the Sword Qi Great Wall, Mi Yu's identity is the best protective amulet. No other eight continents offer this benefit."
Mi Hu said, "You're hemming and hawing like a woman. Mi Yu goes to Fallen Mountain in Baoping Zhou, no more nonsense—you and I have agreed!"
Trying to reason with you, Great Sword Immortal Mi Hu, and you call me names?
Chen Ping'an was about to say a few "balanced and harmonious" words when unexpectedly, Mi Hu, this great sword immortal, looked gloomy and spoke in a low voice, "That brother of mine always feels it's him who's lost face for me. But has he ever thought—if it weren't for me, this brother who happened to have decent talent for sword practice, the only thing I'm good at in this life being sword practice—then he's already become a Jade Purity sword immortal. How could he lose face? How could the entire Sword Qi Great Wall laugh at him? So who owes whom—can't he figure that out? In this life, Mi Hu only hates that my sword Dao realm isn't high enough, that even reaching the immortal realm was a struggle. I've never been able to stop people from laughing at Mi Yu."
Chen Ping'an took down the sword-nurturing gourd at his waist, took a sip of wine, and gently advised, "It's better to say these heartfelt words to Mi Yu in person."
Mi Hu shook his head. "Forget it. Heartfelt words should stay in the heart. When I actually see him face to face, I can't say them."
With the matter having come this far, Chen Ping'an didn't press further.
Mi Hu suddenly started cursing loudly. "A bunch of drunken old bachelors who don't even know what a woman tastes like—they have the nerve to laugh at my brother. Laugh at him? They look like they've been run over by cart wheels. Can they compare to my brother? These poor bastards can't take their eyes off a woman's big chest and big hips..."
Chen Ping'an turned to look at Mi Hu.
Are you, Mi Hu, in any position to talk about others?
Mi Hu, being a great sword immortal, immediately understood the young Hidden Official's look. He changed his tune. "Some people aren't bachelors but are worse than bachelors. Before I came, I heard that someone went drinking with A Liang at Miss Xie's tavern and didn't pay. I also heard that after Miss Xie opened for business today, her eyes were smiling and she looked radiant—like a different person."
Chen Ping'an returned a smile, pretending not to understand, and silently pulled out a small ledger in his heart, recording this debt under the name of Mi Yu, brother of this Great Sword Immortal Mi. Damn it, he had to send a letter to Fallen Mountain, making Mi Yu toil away at the Mirror Flowers Water Moon shows on the mountain for a whole year—he wouldn't be released until he earned a huge sum of Grain Rain coins.
The two walked near a sword immortal's private residence called the Celestial Elm Pavilion. This was the house with the unusual foundation, whose former owner, a sword immortal, had refined a piece of the Luminous Moon Flying Immortal Poetry Plaque. But the residence had been abandoned for years. Most of the sword immortal dwellings outside the city walls of the Sword Qi Great Wall were like this—after the sword immortal died, if their direct disciples also died in battle and the incense fire was completely severed, the place became ownerless. The Hidden Official lineage would reclaim it according to regulations, renting or transferring it to new sword immortals.
For example, the Taihui Sword Sect's Armory Residence had been obtained through battle merits. When the female sword immortal Li Cai arrived at the Sword Qi Great Wall, she first rented a sword immortal's abandoned residence, the Ten Thousand Ravines Residence. But then she coveted the nearby Cloud-Pausing Pavilion, which was carved entirely from a single piece of immortal jade, and wanted to buy it at a sky-high price. However, the Summer Resort initially didn't nod—after all, it wasn't according to rules. This made Li Cai so angry that she sent a flying sword message to the young Hidden Official, cursing Chen Ping'an out thoroughly.
Later, when the war situation became urgent and immortal money was in short supply, Chen Ping'an sent Dong Bude to inform her that if she doubled the price, she could buy the entire Cloud-Pausing Pavilion.
Later, when the Osmanthus Island ferry boat arrived at Daoxuan Mountain, among the cargo were boxes of Snow Blossom coins shipped by the Jiang Clan of the Jade Gui Sect.
Mi Hu stopped because someone was landing on a sword in the distance, apparently coming to find the young Hidden Official beside him.
That sword immortal from the Central Earth, Kuxia, with his bitter face.
Mi Hu spoke with his heart voice, "Chen Ping'an, I entrust today's matter to your care."
Chen Ping'an replied, "I'll do my best."
Having received the commitment, Mi Hu glanced at that Kuxia sword immortal, tossed a sword-nurturing gourd to Chen Ping'an, said "Made by ancient methods, rank acceptable," then directly rode his sword up into the sky, heading far off to the city walls.
Chen Ping'an held the sword-nurturing gourd with its icy, glutinous texture. He temporarily pocketed it, planning to transfer it to Mi Yu later.
Kuxia Sword Immortal came to Chen Ping'an's side, his face showing difficulty, making his bitter expression even more pronounced.
Chen Ping'an hung both sword-nurturing gourds at his waist—double happiness—and asked this sword immortal of the Shao Yuan Dynasty with a smile, "Is it about Lin Junbi leaving?"
Kuxia nodded. "I know it's ill-timed. So within half a month, a cross-continent ferry boat from the Central Earth Divine Continent will make some gesture to the Summer Resort—a small token of our Shao Yuan Dynasty's appreciation."
Chen Ping'an felt somewhat helpless.
Sword Immortal Kuxia was truly an honest man, through and through.
To be honest, if Lin Junbi hadn't chosen to stay in the Hidden Official lineage, he could have left the Sword Qi Great Wall long ago.
If Lin Junbi wanted to leave, any sword cultivator of the Summer Resort would consider it only right.
But with Kuxia Sword Immortal saying it like this, it seemed that Lin Junbi's departure would make him an ungrateful person. As a result, the national preceptor of the Shao Yuan Dynasty, Lin Junbi's Dao teacher, had to spend money to avoid disaster, exchanging valuables for Lin Junbi's return home.
However, Chen Ping'an accepted the heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and immortal money from the Shao Yuan Dynasty with a clear conscience—the more, the better.
So Chen Ping'an didn't bully the honest man too much. He directly said to go to the Summer Resort and call Lin Junbi out to meet Kuxia Sword Immortal.
But Kuxia didn't move. He looked at the gate of the Celestial Elm Pavilion and asked, "Hidden Official, do you know the origin of this house's name?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Not very clear."
In fact, in his years as Hidden Official, Chen Ping'an enjoyed browsing through the numerous dusty secret archives of the Summer Resort as a way to relax amidst his busy schedule.
The previous owner who renamed the private residence to Celestial Elm Pavilion was a woman—a local sword immortal on the Sword Qi Great Wall who had an unusual literati temperament. Like Guo Jia, she enjoyed planting immortal flowers. She once commissioned Daoxuan Mountain to buy a single elm tree from Fuyao Continent. She transplanted it into her small courtyard, and suddenly it burst forth with a bloom that rose above the rooftops. The sword immortal was overjoyed and changed the residence's name. But after the sword immortal died, with no disciples, the house remained untended for years. The Celestial Elm Pavilion had its own layer of immortal restrictions, so outsiders wouldn't trespass. Whether the scenery inside now was withered or lush, blooming or fading, no one knew.
Kuxia said, "When I first toured the Sword Qi Great Wall with a close friend, my friend admired one of this sword immortal's disciples. But the rules couldn't be changed, so they couldn't become Dao companions."
Chen Ping'an said, "If your friend had stayed, wouldn't they have become a loving couple?"
Kuxia's bitter face became even bitterer. He sighed emotionally, "How many sword cultivators from our Haoran World can be carefree mountain wild cultivators unattached to anything? Even if they start that way—like Deng Liang of the Aiai Continent—in the end, they'll be taken in by a major sect's ancestral hall. Besides, my friend was a registered immortal master who had been held in high regard since childhood. The teacher's kindness was heavy—how could it be easily severed? And in that sect, there were elders my friend extremely revered."
Chen Ping'an said, "Hard to have both."
Kuxia Sword Immortal turned his head and said, "So my friend and I both admire the Hidden Official greatly."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Sword Immortal Kuxia, since you can't lie, don't lie."
There was no "friend," and there was no sword immortal's disciple.
It was clearly Kuxia himself, and clearly the female sword immortal.
Kuxia Sword Immortal said helplessly, "When I escorted them to Southern Bodhisattva Continent, everyone along the way urged me—Yu Juanfu, Jin Zhenmeng, Zhu Mei, these juniors all urged me—as if I had done something so extraordinary. I really felt guilty in my heart, not worthy of their admiration."
Chen Ping'an said, "If Sword Immortal Kuxia had spoken openly, do you believe that Yu Juanfu and Zhu Mei would only respect the senior even more?"
Kuxia Sword Immortal was first bewildered, then suddenly enlightened, and finally somewhat relieved. "Better not speak openly. Better not. As an elder, talking about these romantic matters with juniors isn't appropriate."
Chen Ping'an asked a question, "The owner of the Celestial Elm Pavilion died in battle back then while accumulating battle merits. Don't you resent the great old sword immortal? Don't you resent this Sword Qi Great Wall?"
Kuxia Sword Immortal shook his head. "Without the soil and water of the Sword Qi Great Wall, would I have met her like this?"
This was Kuxia Sword Immortal's true heart. He didn't hate the Sword Qi Great Wall. If he hated anyone, it was his own cowardice.
Chen Ping'an nodded.
First Lin Junbi, then Kuxia Sword Immortal—his impression of the Shao Yuan Dynasty improved somewhat.
Yesterday, A Liang unveiled a riddle. Today, Kuxia Sword Immortal unraveled another mystery.
Kuxia Sword Immortal suddenly asked, "Hidden Official, didn't you say you weren't familiar with this place at all?"
Chen Ping'an said seriously, "I said 'not very clear.' As for the Celestial Elm Pavilion, which is right under the Summer Resort's nose, as the Hidden Official, it's part of my duty to know a little something about it."
Kuxia Sword Immortal was left with nothing to say.
If he were dealing with scholars from the Yasheng lineage, it certainly wouldn't be like this.
Leading Kuxia Sword Immortal back to the Summer Resort, Chen Ping'an called out. The white-robed youth Lin Junbi drifted out of the main gate, exuding an immortal aura.
Seeing Kuxia Sword Immortal, Lin Junbi immediately understood the purpose. He clasped his fists silently to Chen Ping'an.
At this moment, leaving the Summer Resort and the Sword Qi Great Wall, shedding the burden of the Hidden Official lineage's sword cultivators—it would inevitably carry some suspicion of desertion, like Deng Liang, Cao Gun, and others would have that psychological burden. But Lin Junbi absolutely wouldn't have such thoughts.
Chen Ping'an patted Lin Junbi's shoulder. "Good parting isn't easy. Take care."
Lin Junbi straightened his back, still clasping his fists. "In the time spent by the Hidden Official's side, I've learned a great deal and benefited immensely. Junbi will remember it in his heart. The gentleman is devoted to fundamentals; once the fundamentals are established, the Dao arises!"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Less polite words, more practical deeds. As for that early agreement, I'll definitely help you fulfill it."
Lin Junbi immediately understood and said with utmost sincerity, "The Hidden Official is skilled in Go. That Go board and bowls shall remain at the Summer Resort."
Chen Ping'an slapped Lin Junbi's shoulder heavily and said with a smile, "It seems Junbi has learned some real skill."
Kuxia Sword Immortal felt relieved.
He had earlier worried that because of the Shao Yuan Dynasty's national preceptor and those young sword cultivators, the young Hidden Official would deliberately make things difficult for Lin Junbi.
It seemed he had been measuring a gentleman's heart with a petty man's yardstick.
Kuxia Sword Immortal took out a sealed letter and handed it to Lin Junbi. He said to the youth, "Junbi, barring any surprises, you'll leave tomorrow. You'll just catch a returning cross-continent ferry from Southern Bodhisattva Continent. Your master just sent a flying sword message to the Spring Canopy Studio on Daoxuan Mountain not long ago, entrusting me to give this to you."
Lin Junbi would definitely stay at the Summer Resort today. Otherwise, in Sword Immortal Sun Juyuan's compound in the city, there were no acquaintances. Besides, Sun Sword Immortal now had a very poor impression of the Shao Yuan Dynasty's young sword cultivators, especially after the border incident. Lin Junbi wouldn't go to court trouble.
Moreover, Lin Junbi had good relationships with all the sword cultivators of the Hidden Official lineage, especially with the cheerful Cao Gun and Xuan Shen—their friendship was now extremely close.
Guo Zhujiu kept urging the three of them to cut a chicken's head and burn yellow paper. The little girl said she had already prepared everything—everything was ready, only waiting for them to kowtow!
Kuxia Sword Immortal took his leave. Before departing, he exhorted Lin Junbi to be extra careful on this journey home.
Kuxia Sword Immortal didn't return directly to the city walls. Instead, he strolled to the Celestial Elm Pavilion.
The bitter-faced old man looked at the residence, his expression dazed, then a smile appeared on his face.
---
Lin Junbi returned to the Summer Resort and continued the unfinished game with Pang Yuanji, the outcome already clear.
Pang Yuanji smiled. "Is this our last game?"
Lin Junbi asked, "Then you want me to let you win once?"
Pang Yuanji said, "Let the Hidden Official play for me, and there won't be any need to let me win."
Chen Ping'an stood to the side with his hands in his sleeves, watching the game. He said grumpily, "I've never lost a game when playing seriously."
Pang Yuanji asked, "How many games have you played?"
Chen Ping'an looked askance. "None of your business?"
Pang Yuanji gently placed the chess piece in his hand back into the bowl. "Remainder."
Lin Junbi's eyes lit up. "Not bad."
Chen Ping'an also breathed a sigh of relief. He took down the sword-nurturing gourd Mi Hu had given him and studied it carefully. For now, he was still its owner, after all.
On the bottom of the sword-nurturing gourd, two characters were engraved: "Hao Liang."
The material of the sword-nurturing gourd was unknown. What did a great sword immortal mean by "rank acceptable"—just how acceptable?
Pang Yuanji turned his head and said, "If I remember correctly, Mi Hu picked it up from the corpse of a Nascent Soul realm demonic beast on the battlefield in his early years. After obtaining it, Mi Hu never let anyone examine it. What rank—hard to say."
Chen Ping'an stared at the gourd in his hand, practically pressing his face against it. He said offhandedly, "I won't say how good a good thing is, but whether something is good or not—I can tell just by weighing it in my hand. You wouldn't understand. It's a great art that depends on talent."
Pang Yuanji didn't want to take the bait. He changed the subject. "Back when the five of them encircled you, how did you survive? Even Sword Immortal Chou Miao said he might not have been able to escape that situation."
Bamboo Box, Li Zhen, Yu Si, Mo Tan, Liu Bai.
Five top geniuses encircling him, with a throne-ranked great demonic beast setting the stage beforehand.
So the curious on the Sword Qi Great Wall wouldn't be limited to just Pang Yuanji.
Regarding many matters concerning the young Hidden Official, if you only knew the gist, even if you saw with your own eyes and heard with your own ears, you might as well know nothing.
For example, now everyone guessed that Chen Ping'an's lifebound flying sword should be able to isolate a small world. But even a small world had its own three, six, nine grades, each with different divine powers.
Chen Ping'an put away the sword-nurturing gourd and reattached it to his waist. After Lin Junbi put away the chess pieces, Chen Ping'an stored them in his dimensional item.
Chen Ping'an didn't go into the specific process. He only told Pang Yuanji and Lin Junbi about the five opponents' flying swords and methods.
If they needed to fight shoulder to shoulder in battle outside the city, Chen Ping'an wouldn't mind sharing more insider details. Since there was no need, saying more was useless.
After all, being open and honest with someone doesn't mean baring your heart and lungs at every moment. If one party pours out their heart and the other fails to catch it properly, it hurts both sides.
Lin Junbi asked, "So in that case, Liu Bai's lifebound flying sword was the most dangerous?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "If you ever encounter this person in the future, you must be extra careful. Once she breaks into the upper five realms, that lifebound flying sword will be the most deadly—a real trouble."
If that encirclement had purely relied on killing power, a few Chen Ping'ans would have been done for there.
Having said this, Chen Ping'an smiled. "But we're bound not to encounter her for now. So that deal of mine—I didn't make much profit, but I didn't lose too much either."
Lin Junbi sighed emotionally. "Such a bizarre and uncanny flying sword—I've never heard of it before. At most, I knew that some sword immortals' lifebound flying swords were extremely fine—but nothing as exaggerated as Liu Bai's."
Chen Ping'an said, "The great thousand worlds are full of wonders."
With the ability to shrink the earth and mountains, Chen Ping'an directly went from the Summer Resort to the Avoid Cold Resort.
There, he didn't see the white old woman teaching boxing but instead an unexpected yet understandable uninvited guest.
It was Guo Zhujiu, carrying her bamboo basket. Instead of staying at home, she had run to the Avoid Cold Resort early in the morning. Now she was on the training grounds, surrounded by a circle of martial arts seedlings, telling the story of that thrilling encirclement.
Guo Zhujiu hadn't seen that battle herself. Chen Ping'an had been recuperating at the Ning residence earlier and hadn't said a word to her. So she was completely making things up—pure fabrication.
But Chen Ping'an didn't stop her. He sat in the distance on the corridor railing, letting his disciple act as a storyteller.
Putting aside boxing techniques, when it came to "storytelling," Guo Zhujiu had received the true inheritance.
Guo Zhujiu stood on one leg, her face solemn. "The situation was dire—five sword cultivators who had killed their eyes red, their five high-rank lifebound flying swords—at least as tall as two Yuan Zaohuas stacked together—came flying in unison. Were you scared? Don't say you weren't—even I was afraid! Think about it—Li Zhen was the closed-door disciple of Support Moon Mountain, Bamboo Box was Liu Cha's first disciple, and Liu Bai was the direct disciple of the cunning old fox Zhou Mi. What backing! What background! As for Yu Si and Mo Tan, since they could be in the Jia Shen Legion, they weren't simple either. Otherwise, how could they, such young age, have already entered the Hundred Sword Immortals of the Barren Wasteland World? But it's nothing! Nothing at all! My master was calm in the face of danger, and did this move. The momentum was very scary. You're considered martial artists now—you should know that every fist posture of a great martial arts grandmaster is deeply significant..."
Chen Ping'an really couldn't listen anymore. Besides, his disciple's posture had absolutely no style of a lofty master or grandmaster.
He quickly got up, stepped onto the training grounds in one move, and coughed to remind this disciple who was doing more harm than good that she could wrap it up.
Guo Zhujiu turned her head and saw her master. Worried that her master, being too high-minded and virtuous, wouldn't let her say a few fair words, she became anxious. She didn't change her posture and, rattling off like beans poured from a bamboo tube, added several hundred characters of the subsequent battle progress at lightning speed.
Chen Ping'an walked to Guo Zhujiu's side and pressed his hand on her head.
Guo Zhujiu made a qi-sinking-to-dantian posture. "I won't say anymore, won't say anymore. Anyway, I can only describe ten-thousandth of my master's fist style at best. What a pity, what a pity."
That child named Jiang Yun had his arms crossed over his chest. "Chen Ping'an, Sister Guo said you punched and 'cracked' that female sword cultivator Liu Bai—is that true? What's wrong with you? Five sword cultivators, four of them male, and you didn't hit them—you had to pick on the woman. Are you just picking the soft persimmon to squeeze?"
Having said this, Jiang Yun smirked, raising his brows repeatedly. "Squeezing the soft persimmon—where did you aim that punch? I heard that the battlefield was very strange at the time—couldn't see clearly, like a quilt was thrown over it. Outsiders couldn't tell who was lying under the quilt..."
Guo Zhujiu shook her head, her eyes full of pity. "Jiang Yun, the feud between us is set."
Jiang Yun, who feared nothing, for once showed some urgency. "Sister Guo, don't—we're sworn brother and sister. Don't let an outsider damage our harmony. Even if we do fall out, please don't come beating gongs and drums outside my window..."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Alright, start boxing. Guo Zhujiu, watch from the side."
Guo Zhujiu obeyed her master's order and went to stand aside.
Chen Ping'an often came here to feed punches to these children for an hour.
So-called feeding punches meant the children just had to throw punches at him without caring about any techniques.
Jiang Yun glanced at the Hidden Official. "You look pretty injured—I'm afraid I'll knock you down with one punch. Take it easy, don't be stubborn. You haven't seen me for a few days—you don't know, but my boxing is now greatly accomplished. I can't control my strength. One punch and the sky will shatter and the earth will crack."
Chen Ping'an looked at this child with the best martial arts talent and an even more astonishing gift for boasting.
Jiang Yun immediately stepped back several paces, pulled open his boxing stance to face the enemy, stamped his foot, retreated and then advanced, leaping high, and came directly before the young Hidden Official with a punch.
With one hand behind his back, Chen Ping'an tilted his head, used one hand to press Jiang Yun's head, gave a gentle push, and the latter crashed heavily to the ground, rolling several times before getting up.
After Jiang Yun's initial punch, the tomboy named Yuan Zaohua followed closely. From behind the young Hidden Official, she swept a leg. Chen Ping'an sidestepped, dropped an elbow, slamming the girl to the ground, then kicked her in the head. The entire girl slid backward instantly.
Chen Ping'an's feeding punches naturally required suppression of his realm, and he never missed.
According to the agreement, once Chen Ping'an was hit by a single punch, these children would have graduated and could each go home.
A child was caught by Chen Ping'an's hand on the shoulder, gently pushed, and crashed into another child behind him. Both flew backward together.
A child who got close to Chen Ping'an had his face seized by five fingers. With a twist of the wrist, his feet lifted off the ground, and he was flung horizontally away.
"Form follows intention freely, qi sinks to the dantian, intent permeates the whole body. We martial artists, between heaven and earth, punch as fast as flying swords, fist intent not inferior to sword immortals."
Chen Ping'an walked slowly, leisurely as if strolling in a courtyard. He punched a child on the neck, knocking his head sideways. Chen Ping'an turned his fist into a palm, palm facing down, the back of his hand striking that child's shoulder. The child staggered and fell. Chen Ping'an lightly lifted his foot, the inch-force of fist intent seeping through the bottom of his cloth shoe, kicking away a child who was still trying to throw a crooked punch amidst the panic. At the same time, he blocked another child's punch. The latter planted his feet in a line and delivered a splitting punch.
"Just as force is fierce and irresistible, when the punch stops, think of stopping. When fist intent transforms and becomes fine as needles, when the punch advances, think of advancing."
Chen Ping'an shifted his step and sidestepped. He punched the back of another child's head. The child fell flat on his face, hitting the training ground floor, blood streaming from his nose.
A child changed his trajectory several times, his rear elbow overlapping forward, his palm flipping extremely fast. Coordinating with six-step standing stake practice, he approached Chen Ping'an with great speed. His boxing technique already had a bit of momentum.
Still, Chen Ping'an countered elbow with elbow, palm with palm. In a dazzling series of moves and countermoves, he pushed the child back to his original spot.
Jiang Yun sneaked a kick at Chen Ping'an but was hit first by Chen Ping'an's kick to the chest. Lying on the ground, Jiang Yun was about to curse Chen Ping'an for taking advantage of his height when he saw that the young Hidden Official had kicked while leaning back. Jiang Yun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, slapped the ground with his palm, flipped, and got up.
All the children who got close were casually beaten back by Chen Ping'an. One was sent rolling on the ground by a brutal elbow to the heart. Another was knocked flying by a shoulder strike from Chen Ping'an. When he got up, he felt like most of his body had come apart, but he still gritted his teeth and rose. In general, punches would inevitably be a beat slower. But not only them—all the children training here, including Jiang Yun, kept in mind a saying of the young Hidden Official: if a martial artist's body is injured and even the fist intent is damaged, then you're seeking death. If you can punch faster even when injured, then you're a martial artist who has entered the door.
Yuan Zaohua's footwork shot out like an arrow.
A child swung his arms wide, enraged, and threw a punch.
Some of the familiar children coordinated with each other, seeking only for one punch to land on Chen Ping'an's body.
One by one, the children came close and were beaten back. The injuries were not severe, but they were certainly not comfortable.
Chen Ping'an kept walking slowly. "If the fist intent isn't alive, even if you can forget life and death in your boxing techniques, you're still dead."
Chen Ping'an slightly bent his knees, his hands suddenly stopped at the chin of a child who had leaped high, gently supporting him. The latter flew backward more than ten zhang. "Fists rise from low ground. Even the best boxing techniques and legwork—if you're not stable on your feet, don't even talk about leaving the ground."
After an incense stick's time, most of the children lay on the ground. Only a few could sit up; not a single one was standing.
Chen Ping'an stood in place and said, "Continue. Your fists and feet can be slow, but your intent must be heavier. Otherwise, I won't be polite."
The children almost all staggered to their feet at the same time.
Over by the corridor, A Liang and the old woman sat and stood respectively, watching Chen Ping'an teach boxing.
A Liang said softly with a smile, "Fist techniques are solid—that's not hard. But solid and also good-looking—that's very hard. Once he gets to the Haoran World and throws a punch, he'll be in a garden of a hundred flowers."
The old woman smiled. "The young master's boxing techniques are indeed outstanding. His punches match his appearance. It's normal for him to attract girls' attention. Anyway, the young master won't respond. His character is even more reassuring."
A Liang laughed. "So this kid has no flaws?"
The old woman thought for a moment, then shook her head.
A Liang looked at those children and sighed emotionally. "Bearing a load on the shoulders—it's just tiring. Bearing a load in the heart—when will it ever end?"
The old woman agreed deeply and said softly, "That's the young master's only flaw."
Another incense stick later, all the children were lying on the ground this time.
One sharp-eyed child, lying on his stomach, happened to catch sight of A Liang over by the corridor and guessed his identity. Soon, one after another, the children started whispering to each other, grinning and wincing.
Chen Ping'an turned his head and smiled. "A Liang, want to teach boxing next?"
A Liang was eager to try.
His boxing technique was still quite decent.
With one hand on the railing, he landed elegantly, took a deep breath, shook his shoulders, shouted once, then moved in a straight line between the corridor and the training grounds. He performed a set of boxing moves he considered smooth as flowing water, also showing off his footwork.
Jiang Yun hopped up, his face unusually serious. "Chen Ping'an, let's continue. You teach the boxing."
The other children also nodded one after another.
A Liang stood in place, rubbing his chin. This shouldn't be.
My boxing is both good-looking and solid—Dao Lord Number Two has suffered greatly from it.
Guo Zhujiu softly comforted him. "Senior A Liang, your sword technique is already so high. It's no shame that your boxing is inferior to my master's."
A Liang asked, "You could tell my boxing isn't high?"
Guo Zhujiu shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum.
A Liang probed further, "Was it not good-looking?"
Guo Zhujiu let out a mournful sigh. "Senior A Liang, do you want the truth or a lie?"
A Liang said, "The lie!"
Guo Zhujiu immediately became radiant. This was the way to chat with Senior A Liang—exciting and not hurting feelings, no risk of getting a knuckle rap from her master. So she raised both thumbs and praised loudly, "Senior's boxing technique—how remarkable, how remarkable! As good-looking as Senior's face!"
A Liang didn't mind at all. It was still pleasant to hear. So he smiled and asked, "Zhujiu, want to learn sword techniques? Uncle A Liang isn't bragging—my boxing might not be as good-looking as your master's, but this sword art... tsk tsk tsk."
Guo Zhujiu shook her head. "Not learning."
A Liang asked, "Why?"
The little girl paced in place, her shoulders swaying, her little bamboo basket bobbing up and down. "I only have one master."