Chapter 696: Breaking Through Doesn't Need Waiting
The cool wind had grown harsh, the clouds hung low as if threatening snow, and a lone figure leaned against the edge of the heavens, in a precarious and perilous place.
Unable to travel to a foreign land, even less able to return home. What a pitiful lost dog.
Liubai looked at the distant figure on the opposite city wall. When her eyesight could no longer follow him, she withdrew her gaze.
She only hated that her own cultivation level was too low, and she could not personally slay that mortal enemy, the young Hidden Official.
Liubai, a Sword Immortal seed of the Jia Shen Ledger, was a prized disciple of Zhou Mi of the "World's Literary Sea." But in that battle where they were destined to surround and kill, the Jia Shen Ledger, which possessed five Sword Immortal seeds and had been highly anticipated, greatly disappointed the Barren Wilderness World. Among them, Liubai suffered the worst fate. Chen Ping'an had brutally twisted her neck. If not for her soul being desperately gathered and retrieved by someone, she would have had to use her life-bound lamp afterward. Even if she could reshape her body and re-nurture a life-bound flying sword, she would have been stuck at the Nascent Soul stage. Now, although Liubai's ranking among the Hundred Sword Immortals of Tuoyue Mountain had plummeted to fifty-ninth, and she was no longer a guaranteed Great Sword Immortal talent, there was still a chance for her to reach the Jade Gem stage in the future.
Liubai chose to cultivate in the position closest to the Dragon Lord. So every time Li Zhen came here to provoke Chen Ping'an, Liubai saw and heard everything.
After half of the Sword Qi Great Wall was taken into the Barren Wilderness World, among the Hundred Sword Immortals of Tuoyue Mountain, except for more than a dozen sword cultivators, including Shouchen, Feiran, and Zhuqie, who had already gone to the Haoran World, the rest were nurturing their flying swords on the city wall.
The Dragon Lord suddenly spoke, "If from now on you practice the sword only to personally slay Chen Ping'an, to be honest, you will never accomplish it. Chen Ping'an will either be killed by my sword because he cannot hold half the city wall, or he will use some inexplicable method to escape far away. Even if you manage to follow him, it will only be to have your neck twisted off by him again. And when he strikes, it will only be easier than the last time he killed you."
Liubai's expression was complex. "Senior Dragon Lord, is there no third possibility?"
The Dragon Lord shook his head.
Liubai said, "Then I will watch with my own eyes as he dies beneath Senior Dragon Lord's sword."
The Dragon Lord said, "Shouldn't you be worried about your own situation right now? Unable to break through to the next stage, unable to grasp a wisp of ancient sword intent, just sitting here in vain? Watching Chen Ping'an break through again and again? What I said earlier was not a joke. If those who are fortunate enough to ascend the city wall to practice the sword end up as waste who can grasp nothing, then they don't need to go to the Haoran World and embarrass themselves. By then, Shouchen won't be able to protect you, and your master will be too lazy to guide you on your path, because you sought death yourself."
Liubai rose and bowed, "Thank you for the guidance, Senior."
Then Liubai asked the question she was most curious about, "Senior Dragon Lord, since he has unified his Dao with half of the Sword Qi Great Wall, why can't he even grasp a wisp of sword intent? Is it simply impossible? Otherwise, given his temperament, he would only be frantically seizing sword intent."
The Dragon Lord smiled. "Regarding this matter, I am also somewhat puzzled. If you have the opportunity, ask your master, whose scholarship is as vast as the sea. If you get an answer that can enlighten me, I will guide you in the art of the sword."
The Dragon Lord suddenly thrust out a sword, shattering a torrential fist intent that cascaded like a waterfall from the opposite side.
It was that young Hidden Official, with nothing better to do, wanting to throw a punch at the passing army of great demons.
Liubai bit her lip.
That punch from Chen Ping'an, although Senior Dragon Lord's sword strike seemed effortless, as if he casually shredded the fist intent, it was still the strike of a Throne-level Sword Immortal.
On the opposite cliff, still that eye-catching bright red robe, forming a stark contrast with the gray robe of Senior Dragon Lord. After breaking into the Mountain Summit stage, even Liubai, who hated him to the bone, had to admit that he had the aura of a fist towering over the heavens. Not to mention that he was also a sword cultivator, wielding two flying swords with extremely bizarre innate divine abilities. How could she kill him? In fact, deep down, if it weren't for Senior Dragon Lord guarding this side and keeping a close eye on Chen Ping'an, Liubai knew that cultivating the sword here would likely mean instant death.
But she was cultivating here at her master's behest. Her master said that her future inner demon for reaching the Jade Gem stage would definitely be Chen Ping'an. If she wanted to successfully break through, she needed to prepare early and cultivate her mind well.
Liubai forcefully suppressed the ripples in her heart lake and asked, "Senior Dragon Lord, since both his punches and sword strikes are destined to be in vain, why does he still come here to wander so often?"
Liubai had done extensive research on that young Hidden Official. She had specifically asked Mujie, the leader of the Jia Shen Ledger, and her senior brother Shouchen, to obtain a detailed secret file on Chen Ping'an from the Jia Zi Ledger. This outsider at the Sword Qi Great Wall had an extremely meticulous mind, was extremely utilitarian in his actions, and was especially skilled at trading wounds for lives in actual combat. He was definitely not someone who liked to put on airs and show off.
The Dragon Lord smiled. "Because that mad dog doesn't want to truly become a mad dog."
Liubai was puzzled but didn't ask further. She sat down again to nurture her sword intent.
Chen Ping'an's punch failed, and his figure instantly vanished, traveling far away in an instant. As if bored, he came here to relax and just say hello to the Dragon Lord.
Chen Ping'an stood on a section of the city wall, leaning on his saber.
He looked up at the sky. Although his vision was blurry, relying on the borrowed Jade Gem stage cultivation, he had a clear perception of the flow of heaven and earth. He knew it was going to snow.
Chen Ping'an was indeed looking forward to this snow. Once it snowed, he wouldn't be too lonely. He could build a long row of snowmen.
Then, when viewed from afar, they would look like birds perched one after another on a low branch.
Earlier, Chen Ping'an had broken through to the Cave Dwelling stage in prison, becoming a Mid-Five Realm Immortal.
Breaking into the Mid-Five Realm was like crossing a heavenly moat. After that, the stages of Sea Observation, Dragon Gate, and Golden Core formation were like splitting bamboo.
Because for these three barriers, except for the special mystery of Golden Core formation, the previous two stages of Sea Observation and Dragon Gate only required effort in opening acupoints.
Previously, Shuangjiang had offered to buy her life with ten Xiao Shu coins in exchange for a chance to leave the prison. At first, Chen Ping'an's purpose was to have Shuangjiang secretly protect Ning Yao, and to pave the way for the wandering sword cultivators in the Fifth World, to prevent Qi Shou from becoming too powerful. Because Qi Shou's appointment as the new Punishment Official was personally chosen by the Old Sword Immortal. Actually, Chen Ping'an had initially wanted Qi Shou to become the Hidden Official, and then have sword cultivators from the old Hidden Official lineage, like Dong Bude and Xu Ning, sideline him. He would then rekindle the life-bound lamp in Gao Ye's hands. As Chen Xi gradually grew in the next life, even if Qi Shou were to become a legitimate Hidden Official by then, he would be unable to cause any major trouble.
Because from the very beginning, Chen Ping'an had never intended for Ning Yao to become the second Old Sword Immortal. The next leader would be Chen Xi, the reincarnated head of the Chen clan.
But since the Old Sword Immortal had chosen Qi Shou as the Punishment Official, Chen Ping'an also had a way to deal with it. In the Fifth World, initially the Punishment Official lineage seemed powerful, overwhelming the Hidden Official and Gao Ye's lineages. However, in the future, the rule that non-sword cultivators and non-martial artists could not join the Punishment Official lineage was a killer move, and an open conspiracy. With the loss of a Sword Qi Great Wall, sword cultivators would inevitably become fewer. Even if pure martial artists increased, and the Punishment Official lineage seemed still powerful, having Nianxin as the second-in-command to secretly check Qi Shou meant that the Punishment Official lineage itself would split into two major factions. Jiang Yun, Yuan Zhaohua, and that group of martial artist seeds would inevitably be the first to seize a share of heaven's martial fortune in the Fifth World. And this group of children, compared to the Hidden Official lineage, had the deepest ties of incense friendship.
But if Qi Shou truly had the ability to make Nianxin and that group of children switch sides, then it would be Qi Shou who would overpower Chen Xi and hold all the power. If he had that kind of temperament and skill, Chen Ping'an wouldn't mind a power-hungry Qi Shou being responsible for expanding the territory. But if he couldn't even make the Punishment Official lineage submit and integrate, then what qualification did Qi Shou have to lead the sword cultivators and stand tall in that new world?
In the end, Chen Ping'an wasn't deliberately targeting Qi Shou, nor did he have any personal grudge against him. He wasn't deliberately suppressing Qi Shou. Rather, he was worried that Qi Shou would act too extremely, causing the sword cultivators to waste many favorable opportunities in the Fifth World. As cultivators from the three worlds gradually entered, the city might become a target for everyone, surrounded by enemies.
But he never expected that doing business with Shuangjiang would bring unexpected surprises. Only now did Chen Ping'an realize that that transaction might have been the best deal of his life since he became a itinerant merchant.
For example, the narrow saber Kankan in his hand, once the execution weapon of the ancient Dragon-Slaying Platform, could help him absorb the world's spiritual energy faster.
Shuangjiang had also explained in detail the secret cultivation matters of the Cave Dwelling, Sea Observation, and Dragon Gate stages, as well as the methods of combining Major and Medium Refining items. For example, refining a replica of the Jade Capital as a Major Refining sword to assist the life-bound object could refine the five elemental energies spontaneously generated within the human body's minor world. Also, how to Medium Refine the Sword Immortal Banner at the peak of the Mountain Shrine. After reaching the Dragon Gate stage, the two short swords engraved with "River" and "Lake" respectively could be Medium Refined into the flood dragons within the "Dragon Pond" Water Mansion.
Especially since Shuangjiang had also helped identify six life-bound acupoints that served as "Mountains of the Reserve Prince." Chen Ping'an only needed to follow the steps to "open the mountain and establish the mansion."
After unifying his Dao with half of the Sword Qi Great Wall, and with his pseudo-Jade Gem stage, he could look down on cultivation matters and grasp the essentials, allowing him to proceed without hindrance.
Regarding becoming a Golden Core cultivator, and whether to push through the Golden Core bottleneck and strive to become a Nascent Soul sword cultivator, Chen Ping'an had certainly considered it.
In the end, he chose to shatter his Golden Core. The reason was simple: on the half of the Sword Qi Great Wall where he now was, under Li Zhen's orders, the military command had decreed that all demons were forbidden from flying across the territory. Throughout the year, even birds were hard to find. It was truly a desolate sight. If Li Zhen still had some minor schemes, then the Dragon Lord's methods were truly ruthless. Outside the half of the Sword Qi Great Wall where Chen Ping'an was, the Dragon Lord seemed to have used a great divine ability of illusion. Except for the sun and moon, all mountains and rivers were blurred.
So on this city wall, with vast and boundless heaven and earth, Chen Ping'an was truly alone. He had a Far Wandering stage fist and a pseudo-Jade Gem sword cultivation realm, but no opponent. Therefore, whether or not he became a Nascent Soul sword cultivator, whose combat power would skyrocket, was not very meaningful.
Additionally, as the old saying goes, there is rarely a good thing in the world where one only enjoys blessings without suffering hardships.
At present, Chen Ping'an was in an extremely mysterious state. It was like returning to his early days as a kiln apprentice, when his mind and eyes were quick, but his hands were slow.
As if every thought had already traveled dozens of miles of mountains and rivers, but when it came to actual hands and feet, it was extremely slow, infinitely slower than his thoughts. His feet could only take one step, and his hands could only be raised slightly.
Chen Ping'an could only watch helplessly as he moved like a stumbling old man. Thus, the cage was not only that Chen Ping'an could never leave the Sword Qi Great Wall, or risk immediate death by the Dragon Lord's sword, but also that his own martial artist physique was a prison that caused him immense suffering.
For Chen Ping'an at this moment, the saying "a day feels like a year" was no exaggeration.
Only one situation could help Chen Ping'an recover and become adept: on the half of the Sword Qi Great Wall, with his pseudo-Jade Gem cultivation, he could continuously shrink the earth and traverse mountains, his form following his thoughts instantly, frantically dashing around. But this state, which seemed like the carefree wind-riding of an immortal, had severe aftereffects. It caused Chen Ping'an's soul and body to drift further and further apart, becoming more and more "distant," and made his state of mind and his physical body, this paradise-like minor world, increasingly disconnected.
The Great Ancestor of Tuoyue Mountain, when he stopped Xiao Xun from throwing a punch earlier, clearly had a purpose. He had long seen through Chen Ping'an's predicament.
Without external force helping Chen Ping'an temper his physique, not only would he be unable to step into the Mountain Summit stage through fist practice, even stabilizing the Far Wandering stage would be extremely difficult.
What frustrated Chen Ping'an most was that after unifying his Dao, he had completely lost the possibility of sinking his mind into stillness and forgetting his physical form. An old monk in deep meditation, a Daoist practitioner in a state of sitting oblivion — Chen Ping'an had tried both, and they were utterly useless. He had even used his half-baked Bone Contemplation method, exhausting all his means, but it was still ineffective. Even if he wanted to be lazy and not practice qi, he couldn't; otherwise, he would have nothing to do at all.
Li Zhen was indeed not good at fighting, but his mind was quite sharp. Combined with the Dragon Lord's methods, over time, Chen Ping'an might become the first pure martial artist in history to drop in realm without being severely wounded.
Two dull knives were cutting at him: one on his martial physique, the other on the half of the Sword Qi Great Wall. The Hundred Sword Immortals of Tuoyue Mountain behind the Dragon Lord were all genius sword cultivators without exception. They nurtured their flying swords, honed their sword intent, continuously gaining recognition from the ancient sword intent, gradually drawing away the fortune of the sword path. The more they gained, the more Chen Ping'an lost. It was another slow torture on his state of mind, as if he could only wait for death.
For this situation, even though Chen Ping'an had prepared early, having started walking slowly alone in the Summer Resort long ago, human calculations ultimately cannot match heaven's calculations. He had still underestimated the consequences of unifying his Dao with the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Like a lonely ghost, drifting erratically on half of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Ultimately, he could not solve the real problem, and it would even gradually harm his martial physique.
But once he stopped or sat down, even though Chen Ping'an loved to review and analyze, with thirty years of time, no matter how many mountains and rivers he had crossed, how many events he had experienced, how many stories he had seen, how many times could he repeatedly scrutinize the details and ponder the threads? The words he had carved on bamboo slips had been recited over and over. Chen Ping'an had once tried to take out his Close-at-Hand object and take out some items to relieve boredom, like counting immortal money, but he almost had his Close-at-Hand object shattered by the Dragon Lord's sword.
Besides cultivation, there was only cultivation.
Otherwise, staying like this for just a year on the city wall, to Chen Ping'an, felt like a leisurely and slow sixty-year cycle. One year like this, what about five, ten, a hundred, a thousand years?
He would go mad.
Chen Ping'an could only concentrate his mind, focus on cultivation, and break through quickly. But after forming his Golden Core, the seemingly not-so-distant Nascent Soul stage, just one step away from becoming a Sword Immortal, suddenly made it hard for him to feel at ease. Especially once he reached the Nascent Soul bottleneck, Chen Ping'an, who had seemed calm and composed before the outer celestial demon Shuangjiang, was actually deeply wary.
The experience of Liu Laocheng at Shujian Lake, the birth of Shuangjiang itself, and the outer celestial demons in the distance.
All made Chen Ping'an deeply anxious. Ultimately, Chen Ping'an truly wasn't afraid of suffering any hardship; he was most afraid of himself.
So Chen Ping'an began to take risks. Having barely cultivated into a Golden Core cultivator, he shattered his Golden Core!
After all, a person can't just scare, suffocate, or bore himself to death.
Having shattered a golden literary gallbladder before, shattering a Golden Core was nothing.
Once the Golden Core shattered, thoughts and the like didn't matter. His martial physique was forced to suffer, going through self-refinement, like the Great Dao's operation not being controlled by humans.
But every time he blew up his own Golden Core, the agony was like having taken a heavy punch from Senior Cui on the bamboo tower in Luopo Mountain in his early years. And he could neither faint nor die; he just had to endure it bit by bit, each day feeling like a year.
Earlier, he had shattered it twelve times in a row. Chen Ping'an had gritted his teeth and endured what felt like more than ten years. But after successfully breaking into the Mountain Summit stage, shattering the Golden Core three more times was much more bearable.
Thinking of that prolonged pain of a shattered Golden Core and a withered body, he now muttered to himself, "This is really enjoying blessings now."
Chen Ping'an suddenly cursed.
It turned out that the Dragon Lord had struck with his sword, disrupting the weather patterns over half of the Sword Qi Great Wall. The snow was definitely not coming.
Chen Ping'an sat down, spread his hand, raised it high, and performed the Five Thunder Seal, smashing it toward the outside of the city again and again.
Then he stood up and began to perform the Six-Step Stance. Since he couldn't be fast anyway, slow was fine. He wanted to see just how slow it could get. He was just competing with himself.
Chen Ping'an inexplicably remembered the boxing technique taught by Zhang Shanfeng back then. So he began to imitate it, whether it looked similar or not. It was just a small way to pass the time. While nurturing his Golden Core, he practiced boxing. He would practice a million more damn punches.
Not only that, Chen Ping'an planned to slowly walk from one end of the city wall to that cliff.
When Chen Ping'an finally arrived at the cliff, he retracted his boxing stance, looked at the gently fluttering gray robe, and asked, "How is the Rain Dragon Sect?"
The Dragon Lord said hoarsely, "With such a good mind, why ask knowingly? Bored?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Since we both have nothing to do, how about chatting about some harmless old history?"
The Dragon Lord said nothing more.
Li Zhen leisurely flew his sword to the cliff, landing gracefully. Unlike before, when he would stand casually anywhere on the cliff, this time he chose to stand a bit to the side of the Dragon Lord, a full smile on his face.
Chen Ping'an put his hands in his sleeves and smiled. "Are you a dog? Your nose is so sharp. Unfortunately, there's no shit on the soles of my feet. Go look under Senior Dragon Lord's robe; maybe you'll find a feast."
Li Zhen waved his hand, grinning cheekily, "Hidden Official, don't be so quick with your tongue. It's a bit low-class. I don't mind. The reason I came today is to tell you three good news. Liubai has obtained a strand of sword intent from the Zhou Cheng lineage. Yunsize has obtained a strand of sword intent from Wu Chengpei. And I've also had a little harvest. Ah, making a fortune off the dead, to be honest, it still stings my conscience a bit."
For these opportunities, Chen Ping'an's heart lake was not really stirred.
A sword cultivator is a sword cultivator, the purest-hearted wanderer in the world.
Li Zhen asked, "Hidden Official, guess which fallen Sword Immortal's sword intent I obtained? Take a guess. Only died a few years ago, a Great Sword Immortal."
Li Zhen summoned his flying sword, and with a slight movement of his mind, a sea of clouds gathered outside the city wall.
Chen Ping'an's face darkened. He gripped the narrow saber in his hand, held back, and then finally burst out cursing. Then, his expression suddenly changed, and he smiled lazily, "Satisfied? Happy?"
Li Zhen asked, "How did you figure it out?"
Yao Chongdao's life-bound flying sword had the divine ability to connect clouds and seas.
Of course, Li Zhen had asked the Sword Immortals on the city wall to help deliberately annoy Chen Ping'an.
The ranking of the Hundred Sword Immortals of Tuoyue Mountain was not based on cultivation level. It included both young sword cultivators at the Cave Dwelling stage and long-established Great Sword Immortals like Shouchen.
Chen Ping'an curled his lip. "I can think with my knee more effectively than you can with your brain. You, Li Zhen, with all your half-bucket of bad water, what ability do you have? Come at me. I won't use my sword. I won't bully you with my Jade Gem stage. I'll even suppress myself to the Far Wandering stage. How about that? If you're not confident, that's fine. I'll even let you add Liubai. Since the bottleneck to her Upper Five Realm is definitely me, this is the perfect chance for her to cut off her inner demon. According to that mountain-and-water travelogue I wrote, I'm most tender and protective towards women. Last time, accidentally twisting her neck was my fault."
Liubai just sat and nurtured her sword, seemingly ignoring the conversation.
The two sides of the Sword Qi Great Wall were almost like two different worlds. So Chen Ping'an might not be able to perceive Liubai's heart lake, but Li Zhen knew that Liubai was not as calm as she appeared.
Li Zhen asked, "Over in the Haoran World, did anyone tell you that you would definitely become another extreme version of Chen Ping'an? If so, I definitely want to be friends with him, because he spoke my mind."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "There is. Fu Nanhua of Qingfeng City."
There really was, but of course it wasn't some Fu Nanhua of Qingfeng City. It was Li Baozhen.
Li Zhen sneered. "Qingfeng City's surname is Xu. Old Dragon City does have Fu as a surname."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "You think better with your ass than with your brain. You should switch from now on. And remember to change the tool you use for eating as well."
Teasing Li Zhen was one of the few relatively pleasant little things to do. As for whether Li Zhen minded, Chen Ping'an wasn't really his ancestor, so he didn't care.
Li Zhen didn't want to argue about this kind of thing with that person. He smiled slightly. "Even if you manage to escape back to the Haoran World by some stroke of luck, and even if your luck is even better, the last Hidden Official in the history of the Sword Qi Great Wall—what he did—is already widely known. But what is the true impression of you, Chen Ping'an, in the hearts of mountain cultivators? No matter how many hundreds or thousands of years pass, no matter how many good deeds you do, no matter how long you play the good guy, ‘Good Man Chen’ will always be a hypocrite from the Wen Sheng lineage."
Chen Ping'an held back a laugh.
Li Zhen frowned. "Is it funny?"
Chen Ping'an looked at the Dragon Lord. "Senior Dragon Lord, please explain to this little fool."
The Dragon Lord smiled. "He was raised being cursed as a ‘lowly wretch from Clay Bottle Alley,’ so why would he care about this? The Wen Sheng lineage has so little incense fire, just a few people. Who cares? Cui Chan? Zuo You?"
Chen Ping'an smiled at Li Zhen. "I'll teach you one last lesson. The good deeds a hypocrite does are still good deeds. No matter how many guilt-free acts a petty villain does, he's still a petty villain. You can't be a good hypocrite, and you're not capable of being a petty villain. And you still have the face to question my conscience? Are you worthy?"
Chen Ping'an reached out his hand toward Li Zhen and then gently made a fist. "Even if we're not real grandfather and grandson, we still need to settle accounts clearly. When I teach you a lesson, remember to repay me with your life in the future."
If not for the Dragon Lord sitting on the opposite city wall, and only those worthless Hundred Sword Immortals of Tuoyue Mountain cultivating there, Chen Ping'an would have charged over long ago.
Li Zhen tilted his head, stretched out his neck, pointed, and smiled. "Chop here?"
Chen Ping'an reached out and grabbed the Kankan saber that was resting on the city wall far away. He summoned it to his hand. The scabbard remained in place. The drawn narrow saber flew over like a long rainbow.
Chen Ping'an slashed with the saber.
Li Zhen mistakenly thought the Dragon Lord would block it, so he didn't dodge. The result was that he instantly lost a precious protective treasure. Li Zhen crashed heavily more than ten zhang away, covered in blood. He sat on the ground, "Dragon Lord!"
The Dragon Lord struck out with his sword and "killed" Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an's form reappeared in place.
Every time the Dragon Lord struck, it was far too precise. It was of no benefit to Chen Ping'an's physique.
Li Zhen stood up, shook the blood off his robe, his face pale and his eyes dark. He laughed, "Chen Ping'an, Luopo Mountain, right? Wait until I break through. Then I'll go to Treasure Bottle Continent. I'll help you kill all your enemies. As for those close to you, I'll be sure to ‘get close’ to them myself."
A Nascent Soul dharma apparition suddenly appeared behind Chen Ping'an. "Does breaking through need waiting?"
Li Zhen rapidly retreated backward, like a startled bird.
The Dragon Lord sighed helplessly. "It's fake. He's at the Jade Gem stage now. Is it hard for him to conjure a dharma apparition?"
Actually, Li Zhen was fine, at most startled. But Liubai began to tremble slightly, as if she had seen her own inner demon in advance.
Chen Ping'an turned and left, laughing loudly.
---
In the Shao Yuan Dynasty, at the State Preceptor's Mansion.
A white-clad youth, Lin Junbi, had taken off his boots and was sitting alone on the corridor, playing through a chess manual. After returning home, Lin Junbi had been living in seclusion under the guise of closed-door cultivation. His master had also been helping him refuse visitors.
Everything after Lin Junbi's return had happened exactly as Master Cui and the young Hidden Official had predicted.
He was no longer just the literary disciple of the Shao Yuan Dynasty's State Preceptor, no longer just the number one young genius of the Shao Yuan Dynasty. Instead, he was regarded by the academies and schools of the entire Central Continent as a true seed of scholarship.
Among his fellow sword cultivators, Jiang Guancheng had originally wanted to widely publicize Lin Junbi's heroic achievements at the Sword Qi Great Wall in the capital. But no sooner had he started than, after a drinking party, he was called to his father's study that very night. His father, face ashen, scolded him harshly, asking if he wanted to be removed from the family genealogy and expelled from the sect's ancestral hall. His father didn't explain the reason. In the end, Jiang Guancheng still didn't understand what he had done wrong. He had clearly been trying to do a good deed. Why was it almost like a capital offense? His father only said one sentence: that Yan Lu was even more of a lackey to Lin Junbi than he was, and had Yan Lu said half a word more than necessary?
Today, there were visitors: Jin Zhenmeng and Zhu Mei.
Zhu Mei had been saved by Jin Zhenmeng on a foreign battlefield, and Lin Junbi had also saved her.
This was no longer just sharing hardships; it was a true life-for-life bond of incense friendship.
During that journey, Zhu Mei's impression of Lin Junbi had gone from good to excellent.
There was certainly no romantic involvement between them. But precisely because of this, with Zhu Mei's heartfelt perception of Lin Junbi, in the eyes of certain important figures, some rumors about Lin Junbi were all the more credible.
When Lin Junbi received the news, he glanced at his boots but didn't put them on. He was about to walk barefoot down the steps to the courtyard gate. But after a moment's hesitation, he put his boots back on. Then he just stood at the foot of the steps. When the two appeared at the gate, he smiled warmly, "Rare guests, rare guests."
Lin Junbi reached out his hand to Jin Zhenmeng. "As agreed, bring out the good wine."
Jin Zhenmeng, who was usually serious, actually teased him, "You're an Earth Immortal-level sword cultivator at the Golden Core bottleneck. It's an honor for me, a senior, to come visit you. You should be the one bringing out the good wine."
Lin Junbi nodded. "I have wine, I have wine. The same honest Mute Lake Wine, unique and no other brand!"
Zhu Mei was very happy. They were all fellow townspeople from the Shao Yuan Dynasty. But compared to their journey to the Sword Qi Great Wall, their relationship was now worlds apart, completely different.
So Zhu Mei also joked, "Junbi, that girl Sister Yu introduced you to, how is her Go skill? Is she good-looking? Did you forget to look at her because you were trying to win the game, or did you lose because you were too busy looking at her?"
Lin Junbi smiled. "Her Go skill is decent. She's prettier than you."
Zhu Mei gave a thumbs up. "Brother Junbi, an honest man!"
Zhu Mei, Lin Junbi, and Jin Zhenmeng sat down in the corridor. Zhu Mei looked around. "The scenery here is really nice. It's suitable for cultivating the mind."
Lin Junbi pointed to a person-high feng shui stone enveloped in mist. "This stone, which was pulled up from the bottom of the Mirage Lake, nearly emptied my master's pockets."
Lin Junbi's master was the State Preceptor of the sixth-largest dynasty in the Haoran World. He had once had significant grievances with the Wen Sheng lineage.
And a few scholars from the Shao Yuan Dynasty had once traveled far to the location of the Confucian Temple and personally smashed the Wen Sheng statue that had already been removed from the temple. After returning home, their official careers were smooth and they advanced rapidly. But when they tried to present their name cards to the State Preceptor's Mansion several times, they were never received. However, they were personally instructed in Go by the renowned national player, Master Xilu, who had written the "Kuaiziting Go Manual."
Jin Zhenmeng took the jug of wine that Lin Junbi had brought back from the Sword Qi Great Wall, took a sip, and then said softly, "Even though I've been back home for so long, I still often feel like another world. Every time I wake up startled, my flying sword is already summoned by my side. As a result, my sword practice is progressing extremely slowly, and it's hard to break through the bottleneck. I've let down that ancient sword intent I obtained from the city wall."
Among this group of talented sword cultivators from the Shao Yuan Dynasty, not many had obtained sword intent at the Sword Qi Great Wall. Jin Zhenmeng obtained a strand, Yan Lu also obtained a strand, but Zhu Mei didn't have that luck. However, Lin Junbi alone had obtained three strands. This was because Lin Junbi had later joined the Summer Resort as a sword cultivator of the Hidden Official lineage, and he didn't have many opportunities to go out and fight. Otherwise, he might have obtained another strand of pure sword intent.
Zhu Mei blushed a little. "I'm fine. I just occasionally have nightmares that wake me up. Later, my family bought me some clear-minded and calming mountain-and-water incense, so I rarely have nightmares anymore."
Lin Junbi took a sip of wine and said, "The reason I'm pretending to be in seclusion here is nothing more than a way to passively gain fame. It's rather dull. But to be honest, I really don't dare to go back to the Sword Qi Great Wall to fight."
Jin Zhenmeng breathed a sigh of relief. This trip hadn't been in vain. Lin Junbi was still the Lin Junbi in his heart. This wine was enjoyable. Jin Zhenmeng tilted his head and drank a large gulp, wiped his mouth, and laughed, "It's a pity Yu Juanfu went to Fuyao Continent. Otherwise, we had agreed to come see you together."
Zhu Mei said in a low voice, "That Huai Qian, who always loves to smile and be cheerful, seems to have followed my inxi to a place called Mountain-and-Water Cave in Fuyao Continent."
Lin Junbi was the first outsider sword cultivator to leave the Summer Resort.
Deng Liang, Cao Gun, and Xuanshen all left the Sword Qi Great Wall later than he did.
But he didn't know if they had followed their fellow Sword Immortal seniors back from Daoxuan Mountain when they returned home, and whether they had brought one or two Sword Immortal seeds from the Sword Qi Great Wall with them.
Unfortunately, every outsider Sword Immortal, after returning to the Haoran World, had made no moves or statements, just like Lin Junbi himself. They chose not to say a single word about the war at the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Lin Junbi scattered his thoughts, deliberately imitating Zhu Mei's low voice, "That famous Huai Qian, what does he really look like? Does he catch your eye?"
Zhu Mei shook the wine jug and grinned, "Having seen too much of Lin Junbi, when I look at other men, their looks are just average."
Lin Junbi laughed. "Say that after you've seen Cao Ci."
Zhu Mei was indeed not humble. She greatly regretted it, "What a pity I didn't get to see him. In the future, I must drag inxi along to the Great Duan Dynasty. First, I'll see that White-Clad Cao Ci, and then I'll see the Battle God Pei!"
Jin Zhenmeng suddenly looked a bit embarrassed. After hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help but ask with his heart voice, "Junbi, do you know where Situ Weiran went? Was it the Fifth World? If you can say, then say. But if it involves the secrets of the Summer Resort, pretend I didn't ask."
Lin Junbi shook his head. "Regarding Situ Weiran's whereabouts, I'm really not sure. But I can try to ask for you. Not long ago, my master mentioned something. Chen Sanqiu and Diezhang are currently in Central Continent, having just visited the Book of Rites Academy."
Jin Zhenmeng raised his wine jug to Lin Junbi in thanks.
Zhu Mei said, "Junbi, what about your Hidden Official? The celestial phenomenon during his martial arts breakthrough was too loud. It was said to be aimed at the old site of Daoxuan Mountain. So there are many rumors now. Some say that with the two worlds now connected, it's becoming more difficult for martial artists to break through with the strongest method. Isn't Chen Ping'an a pure martial artist? Could it be him? But that doesn't make sense. The Sword Qi Great Wall has already been breached."
Lin Junbi was silent for a long time, then shook his head. "I don't know."
---
Above the central region of Tongye Continent, on a priceless Liuxia Treasure Boat, there sat a hardworking Jiang clan Nascent Soul-level retainer and two extraordinarily beautiful women.
At the other end of the treasure boat lay a black-clad man of indeterminate age, named Cao Jun, rumored to have been a military attaché cultivator in Great Li for many years.
The two women were Sui Youbian, who had rushed from the True Realm Sect of Shujian Lake to Tongye Continent, holding a small oil-paper umbrella with a wutong handle. And there was Ya'er, who had served as Jiang Shangzhen's maidservant for many years.
This was the entrance to a Lotus Root Blessed Land.
The wutong umbrella had been personally handed over to Sui Youbian by Cui Dongshan, along with a secret letter for her to deliver to Jiang Shangzhen.
Beside Sui Youbian was Ya'er, the woman who had once been by the side of the demon lord Ding Ying in the Lotus Root Blessed Land. She had left the blessed land together with "Zhou Fei" when he "ascended."
Back then, Zhou Shi, the Flower-Wearing Scholar of the Spring Tide Palace, and Lu Fang, the "Sword Immortal" of the Bird-Surveying Peak, had hastily left the capital of Nanyuan Kingdom upon hearing the Heavenly Drum sound, to avoid being hunted down and killed by Chen Ping'an, who had been exiled as a celestial being. But for some unknown reason, although the Spring Tide Palace and Bird-Surveying Peak still existed, Zhou Shi and Lu Fang were no longer in the blessed land.
Ya'er had already returned to the old site several times before. But due to her duties, she still had to leave often, accompanying the Jiang clan retainer and Sui Youbian to open the blessed land's restrictions and accept refugees.
There was actually one other fellow villager who had returned to the old Lotus Root Blessed Land with her: Wei Xian, the founding emperor of the Nanyuan Kingdom. He was now in the capital and had not left since.
Also there were two martial artists from the Daquan Dynasty of Tongye Continent: a young cripple who was very good at reading people, and an old hunched-back man who was as unyielding as a block of wood, nicknamed Third Master.
And that carefree sword cultivator, with a long and a short sword hanging at his waist, and a pair of peach-blossom eyes that looked feminine. In Ya'er's view, this fellow named Cao Jun had a decent appearance, but his mouth was too sharp. He came from South Pósuō Zhōu, but his ancestral home was actually the Bead Grotto Heaven in Treasure Bottle Continent. He kept saying, "My family's ancestral house is in Clay Bottle Alley." Ya'er couldn't understand what there was to brag about about growing up in Clay Bottle Alley. She had only heard that Ma Kuxuan of the True Martial Mountain came from Apricot Blossom Alley in the Bead Grotto Heaven.
She had once plucked up the courage to ask Wei Xian about it, but got no answer.
To Ya'er, Wei Xian and Sui Youbian were truly "ancient people," the number one under heaven in the history of the Lotus Root Blessed Land. So even though she had been by Jiang Shangzhen's side for many years, she still couldn't help but feel a sense of awe towards them.
The first time their group arrived at the Lotus Root Blessed Land, they followed Wei Xian to the capital of the Nanyuan Kingdom.
One could imagine the eerie atmosphere at that time.
An emperor who had died who knows how many years ago directly entered the main hall, squatted beside the dragon throne, and started knocking and tapping, with his back to his two descendants who were many generations removed.
The refugees had been divided into two groups by Jiang Shangzhen and settled in the Lotus Root Blessed Land.
Wei Xian, Sui Youbian, Ya'er, Cao Jun, and a strange yin spirit secretly protecting Cao Jun. Plus those two negligible people from Daquan.
In addition, a batch of Jiang clan disciples helped keep an eye on the two large waves of refugees pouring into the Lotus Root Blessed Land.
One wave was composed of commoners from the foothills who were frantically migrating north. The other wave was mountain cultivators and their disciples and families.
For the former, entering the blessed land for refuge cost not a single copper coin.
The latter had it rough. If they wanted to avoid traveling across continents and seas to Treasure Bottle Continent and risk dying on the way, they had to pay. A large sum of immortal money. It was calculated per person and per cultivation level. Low-Five Realm cultivators each had to pay one Xiao Shu coin. Mid-Five Realm Immortals each had to pay one Guyu coin. If they had no money, they had to borrow. If they had no money, they were out. If they dared to force their way into the blessed land, they would first be beaten half to death by the Yu Gui Sect and Jiang clan retainers and then thrown far away. According to Jiang Shangzhen's instructions, this toll was a genuine life-saving fee. Could a Daoist immortal on a mountain not be worth a Xiao Shu coin or a Guyu coin?
But if they were Nascent Soul cultivators, no matter how much money they offered, the blessed land would not accept them.
Furthermore, high-ranking officials, generals, ministers, and prime ministers from the secular dynasties who wanted to enter the blessed land for refuge each had their own price. They had to pay, and the price was calculated according to their official rank. If they had no immortal money, they could borrow from their mountain immortal friends. If they couldn't borrow, they could use their worldly possessions to pay. Among the Jiang clan disciples were appraisers. Antiques, curiosities, heirloom paintings and calligraphy, palace treasures—all counted as money. If someone hid their identity too egregiously—for example, claiming to be from a well-to-do common family when they were clearly a dragon's descendant or an imperial scion—they would be thrown out of the blessed land once found out. Of course, half their belongings would be confiscated. After all, they had taken a tour of the blessed land and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Did they think it was free?
In two remote, desolate areas of that Lotus Root Blessed Land, Jiang Shangzhen had long marked out two large territories. They were far apart, and he had two retainers from the Yu Gui Sect and Jiang clan respectively mark out mountains and rivers, set up restrictions, and try to isolate the heaven and earth as much as possible. This was to prevent the blessed land's spiritual energy from being absorbed by the outsider cultivators, and to minimize the influence of the blessed land's fortune on the commoners entering it. Although they couldn't completely block the flow of fate and spiritual energy, with the mountain-and-water restrictions, the worst-case scenario envisioned by Wei Bo and Mi Yu was avoided by a wide margin.
Among them, the Nanyuan Kingdom secretly mobilized a fine cavalry unit of over ten thousand men, responsible for patrolling the borders. Wei Xian personally led the army, but his external identity was only that of a newly appointed general.
Not all cultivators were happy to learn that the "ants" from the foothills didn't have to pay a single coin to enter the blessed land. Some started to cause trouble.
The most chilling thing about Jiang Shangzhen was that he took the money but didn't announce the rules beforehand. It was only after the two Nascent Soul retainers and a group of Jiang clan disciples had killed a large number of cultivators that he began to announce two rules, euphemistically called "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Rule one: Any cultivator who enters the blessed land and survives must cherish his life. Don't wander around. It could be fatal. Anyone who dares to cross the border without authorization and have conflict with the local people, regardless of the reason, will be executed on the spot.
Rule two: Anyone who curses me, Jiang Shangzhen, your lifesaver, is repaying kindness with enmity. Such ingratitude will also result in death.
The last rule, which wasn't really a rule: If you want revenge, come to the Yu Gui Sect and find me, Jiang Shangzhen. Please do.
Now, this small wutong umbrella actually contained over a million refugees who had fled their homes.
The number of cultivators was relatively small. Including hangers-on who followed the cultivators, there were only about six thousand in total.
In this process, the nuances of human heart—how to choose between human lives and immortal money, how to differentiate between close and distant—were fully revealed.
Regardless, Jiang Shangzhen's actions had saved people. The number was even thirty thousand more than Cui Dongshan had expected in his secret letter. Not only that, but Jiang Shangzhen had used the "toll for the rich to help the poor" method to ensure that the Lotus Root Blessed Land, a mid-grade blessed land, did not drop to a low-grade blessed land. Instead, after refining that batch of immortal money, even from a purely business perspective, after deducting the cost of the Jiang clan's mountain-and-water restrictions, the blessed land's spiritual energy would increase by one-tenth.
Besides, Jiang Shangzhen didn't really care about business. Having too much money was a headache. His fun was only in making money.
As for those secular nobles hiding among the mountain cultivators, after moving, they proved to be truly rich. Many of the great families from the foothills were not inferior in wealth to a certain Golden Core Earth Immortal. Moreover, Jiang Shangzhen was extremely clever at making money, with a wide variety of methods. After settling in the Lotus Root Blessed Land, they could continue to live in luxury. Did they want to stay in immortal mansions? Did they want to eat exotic delicacies every day? Were they worthy of their noble status? How about a few singing and dancing paper-talisman beauties to relieve boredom?
This was the main source of income for the Lotus Root Blessed Land. This group paid willingly.
On the Liuxia Treasure Boat, Ya'er said, "Sister Sui, once we make one more circuit to the northern ferry, you can return to Treasure Bottle Continent with the wutong umbrella."
Sui Youbian nodded.
At the stern of the boat, Cao Jun came over and said, "Anyway, things are pretty much done. I won't go to the ferry. Don't worry about me."
Sui Youbian said, "As you wish."
Cao Jun stepped off the Liuxia Boat in one stride, flying through the wind. His general direction seemed to be Tongye Sect.
The reason Cao Jun hadn't directly returned to Treasure Bottle Continent, but instead chose to part ways with Wei Xian and Sui Youbian and go to Tongye Sect alone, was to find the culprit who had shattered his sword heart.
If it weren't for that Zuo You, Cao Jun, as the foremost Sword Immortal seed of South Pósuō Zhōu, would never have been stuck at the Golden Core bottleneck!
Cao Jun's heart lake had once been a scene of magnificent grandeur.
After his sword heart was destroyed, Cao Jun quickly became a laughingstock across the continent. He became depressed and didn't care about anything anymore, wandering the Jianghu incognito. A younger sword cultivator who had surpassed him once joked, "That Zuo You is indeed a scholar. He even knows to leave withered lotus leaves to listen to the rain."
This was said to Cao Jun's face.
At the time, Cao Jun had heard it, nodded with a smile, and agreed.
By the thatched hut by the river at Tongye Sect, Cao Jun saw the man who was said to have just returned from sheathing his sword at sea.
It was rumored that the entire northwestern coastline had been smashed to pieces by Zuo You and an unknown little girl.
Fortunately, as long as half of Tongye Continent had not sunk into the sea, the Three Walls and Four Symbols Grand Formation would still exist.
Cao Jun looked at the man and said with a smile, "Great Sword Immortal Zuo, an honor to meet you."
Zuo You asked, "You are?"
Cao Jun was speechless.
You motherfucker. Back then, you shattered my sword heart, and now you don't remember who I am?
Cao Jun said, "Cao Jun, a sword cultivator from South Pósuō Zhōu."
Zuo You thought for a moment, remembered, and asked, "Something on your mind?"
Cao Jun said solemnly, "Zuo You, don't die. I still want to challenge you with my sword in the future."
Zuo You glanced at Cao Jun and asked two questions: "Do you dare to stay here? Do you want to return to South Pósuō Zhōu as a Sword Immortal?"
Cao Jun hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Why wouldn't I dare? Why wouldn't I want to?"
Zuo You nodded. "Then stay. At least you're starting to look like a sword cultivator."
Cao Jun ground his teeth. He endured it for a long time but couldn't take it anymore. He roared angrily, "Zuo You! Don't always put on that calm and carefree look! You've ruined me!"
Zuo You had two more questions: "Relying on not being injured to challenge me to a sword duel? If I stand still and you keep striking, who dies first?"
Cao Jun turned and went elsewhere—out of sight, out of mind.
Just then, Wang Shizi and Yu Xin came flying on their swords to ask something of Senior Zuo.
They had some guesses about the identity of that sword cultivator from South Pósuō Zhōu.
Yu Xin whispered, "Since he can challenge Senior Zuo to a sword duel, he should be an Upper Five Realm Sword Immortal, right?"
Wang Shizi nodded. "Logically, yes. But he doesn't look like it. Maybe that senior is concealing his Sword Immortal aura. After all, not just any sword cultivator dares to challenge Senior Zuo. Generally, even Jade Gem stage cultivators wouldn't dare. At least Immortal stage, or a Great Sword Immortal who is a candidate for the top ten at the Sword Qi Great Wall, wouldn't easily dare to strike."
Over the years, Cao Jun had cultivated his mind well. He had barely managed not to get angered to death by Zuo You, but these two bastards almost succeeded.
However, when Cao Jun turned to look at the two, he still smiled slightly.
Sword Immortals my ass.
After Cao Jun left, Wang Shizi told Senior Zuo their business. After getting an answer, he was about to leave immediately. But seeing that Yu Xin was still standing there, Wang Shizi thought there might be something else and stayed.
Yu Xin glanced at him. Wang Shizi smiled back out of politeness.
Yu Xin glared bashfully and immediately flew away on her sword. Wang Shizi could only follow, baffled.
Zuo You looked at the somewhat strange pair and smiled knowingly. Probably a fairy couple?
---
On Luopo Mountain, a new ancient well had been moved from the town and temporarily placed by the small pond behind the bamboo tower.
Mi Yu stood by the well. Little Mi Li was lying on the well edge, shouting inside, "Hello, hello, hello? Anyone there? Can you hear me? My name is Zhou Mi Li, I'm super brave Zhou Mi Li. I'm the Right Protector and Vice Chief! I'm the Mute Lake Monster! Can't hear clearly, is that it? Then let me say it again..."
Wei Bo said softly, "Cui Dongshan only said this is the reward given by the Great Li Dynasty for dissolving the contract. It's barely considered a minor grotto-heaven. When that wutong umbrella returns to Luopo Mountain, I'll try to see if I can connect the grotto-heaven and the blessed land. But it's unlikely. I'm just going to try."
Mi Yu smiled. "Anyway, it's still a good thing."
Then Mi Yu said with his heart voice, "As for that malicious mountain-and-water travelogue, Mountain Lord Wei, please keep an eye on it. Don't let it fall into the wrong hands and be brought to Luopo Mountain. If Nuan Shu and Mi Li see it, those two girls will be crying their eyes out. If I'm there and can't stop them, I might have to go out and kill someone."
Wei Bo nodded. "Of course."
Mi Yu said, "But as for Pei Qian, there's probably no way."
Wei Bo said, "With Li Huai by Pei Qian's side, it shouldn't be a big problem."
---
In the capital of the Nanyuan Kingdom, near the White Cloud Temple.
A handsome white-clad youth, holding a mountain-traveling staff in one hand and leading a child in the other, strode into the hut where the Chicken Soup Monk was.
The old monk smiled and asked, "Why are you entering the house without taking off your boots?"
Cui Dongshan sat cross-legged, his fists clenched and resting on his knees, his body leaning slightly forward. He laughed, "I'm not wearing boots. Did you see any?"
The old monk said softly, "The first thought is shallow. The second thought is deep. The third thought sees the bottom of the depths. This thought, deepening, may see the human heart, but may not see the original mind."
Cui Dongshan flicked his sleeve and raised his hand. In his hand were three incense sticks.
When one asks a high monk about the Dharma, if the listener obtains the Dharma, it is a great ritual of three incense sticks and nine bows. If one gains nothing and nothing suits him, then not a single incense stick is lit.
Cui Dongshan smiled. "Using the method of contemplating a head phrase, using the methods of tapping and chanting, and using the method of silent illumination—these are useless on me."
The old monk nodded. "You say this, and you have your reasons."
Cui Dongshan laughed heartily, lit the three incense sticks, let go of his hand, and let them hang in the air. In an instant, the room was filled with spiraling blue smoke.
This old monk in front of him was well-versed in the core principles of various Buddhist lineages. If not for the current situation, Cui Dongshan would have been happy to chat with him for a few days.
The old monk looked at the child and nodded. "It's acceptable."
Cui Dongshan put his palms together and bowed in Buddhist greeting.
The old monk returned the bow.
Cui Dongshan reached out his hand. The old monk took out a silver coin and placed it in the youth's hand. "Take it."
---
After wandering through the Naihe Pass market outside the Ghost Valley, Pei Qian and Li Huai continued on their way, accompanied by the silent Golden Core female immortal, Wei Taizhen.
There were many places to go: Golden Duo Temple, Mute Lake, Huaihuang Kingdom, Baoxiang Kingdom. And there were many people to visit along the way.
Wei Taizhen didn't really understand why they insisted on traveling on foot through the mountains and rivers. Walking from Skeletons Beach to Spring Dew Garden was no short distance.
But she truly dared not say a single word.
That day, they left the official road, took a small path into a deep mountain forest, and finally followed a small path marked by obvious scratches on the ground to quickly ascend the mountain. Pei Qian gently swung her mountain-traveling staff. "The mountain lord and the great tiger suddenly appear, not blocking my way in the deep mountains. The wind is high and the moon is dark, gloomy and cold. Travelers in all directions turn back! What to do?!"
Li Huai interjected, "Quickly scram!"
"Oh, that rhymes."
"Too kind, too kind."
Pei Qian suddenly stopped talking, lightly leaped onto a high branch, looked up at the path ahead, and then floated back down. "There are people ahead, but they look like a group of scholars. Their footsteps don't seem like martial artists, nor are they any mountain spirits or goblins."
Li Huai said, "So they're just like us—not much money and can't afford immortal ferry boats."
Pei Qian stopped again, listened intently.
Wei Taizhen was puzzled. Then she was shocked. Pei Qian had sensed the faint movement on the mountain faster than she had?
Although Wei Taizhen didn't take her own Golden Core stage very seriously and always thought of herself as a fox spirit with a poor background, the keen perception of a Golden Core cultivator was still not something an ordinary martial artist could match. It was very unreasonable. But then Wei Taizhen thought, maybe the lack of reason was exactly the reason. If she hadn't been surprised by Pei Qian and Li Huai after spending so much time with them, that would have been the real surprise.
Pei Qian said to Li Huai, "There's a woodcutter cutting trees on the mountain top. He doesn't know there are people below. As the big trees slide down the path, they'll hurt the people ahead. You two be careful and get to the sides."
Pei Qian first looked back at the path they had come from, confirming no one was there. Then she slightly bent her waist, touched the ground with her toes, and moved like thunder but soundlessly. She quickly arrived more than ten steps in front of the group of scholars. Standing sideways, she faced a tree trunk sliding down the mountain at high speed. She extended her toes, lifted the trunk high, and let it fall onto the path behind the scholars. At the same time, she gently flicked her wrist so that the trunk wouldn't crash to the ground with a thunderous noise, bounce too much, and lose its value. She used her fist intent to gently support the trunk, let it land softly, and continued sliding downward. Then, trunk after trunk came down. Pei Qian lifted them all one by one and gently set them down.
When the last trunk reached Pei Qian, she lifted it with her toes, did a backflip in the air, stood on the trunk, and landed together on the path. In an instant, she disappeared from sight.
That group of scholars, who seemed to have just circled the gates of hell, were all dumbfounded, staring at each other.
Overjoyed at their narrow escape, they were then completely confused. That young woman—how did she fly away without even giving them a chance to thank her?
Pei Qian stood on the trunk, slid all the way to where Li Huai and Wei Taizhen were, lightly stamped her foot to stop the trunk, and seeing that Li Huai and Wei Taizhen were stunned, she asked, "Continue on the road."
Pei Qian jumped off the trunk, silently said "Off you go," and gently pushed the trunk with her staff. The trunk continued sliding down the path. Then she led them to take a different path up the mountain, not really wanting to face that group of scholars.
Li Huai always followed Pei Qian's lead and walked beside her.
Wei Taizhen couldn't help but ask, "Miss Pei, what stage is your martial arts?"
Pei Qian turned her head and smiled. "A hundred thousand miles behind my master. I'm only at the sixth stage now."
---
On the city wall of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Chen Ping'an continued his Six-Step Stance. His movements were extremely slow, his punches extremely slow.
Suddenly, something came to mind, and he smiled slightly.
He wondered if his eldest disciple had reached the fifth stage yet.