Chapter 793: Very Embroidered Tiger
At the waterside of Yuanyang Islet, after Yunmiao's true body had its neck twisted by that azure-clad figure, it actually dissipated on the spot, transforming into a dark purple talisman with platinum-white characters, slowly drifting down.
Chen Ping'an reached out and pinched that rare life-saving substitute talisman between his fingers. Purple and white colors, with treasure light flowing. Chen Ping'an did not put it into his sleeve; instead, he gently flicked his wrist and used his martial artist's gang qi to shatter it.
He looked around but temporarily saw no trace of Yunmiao.
It seemed this Middle Earth celestial didn't have great fighting skills but was quite adept at escaping.
His offensive methods were weaker than Han Yushu, the celestial from Wanyao Sect.
At the battlefield on the distant river surface, Chen Ping'an's newly learned technique "Flower Blooming" from Wu Shuangjiang was more a superficial resemblance, with only a three or four out of ten in spirit. However, Chen Ping'an used ground-shrinking talismans, so each azure-clad "petal" that bloomed like a lotus flower was actually a ground-shrinking talisman, functioning as temporary ferry points, allowing Chen Ping'an to freely reverse the landscape and change positions.
Thus, on the river surface of Yuanyang Islet, seventy or eighty azure-clad figures standing on the water were quite a spectacle.
Each young sword immortal had flying eyebrows, wearing azure robes and cloth shoes, with wide sleeves fluttering, appearing free-spirited and romantic.
As for the celestial Yunmiao, who had suffered a major loss, he had already withdrawn his dharma manifestation after sacrificing the substitute talisman and was hiding somewhere unknown.
But he certainly hadn't gone far.
The yellow paper talismans Chen Ping'an had shaken out from one sleeve earlier were all shattered by the crashing waves. Each talisman disintegrated, spiritual light flowing out and spreading everywhere, wisps of spiritual energy seemingly pulling out a fishing net. The fish to be caught was that celestial.
This method of casting a wide net with a large number of talismans to inspect the subtle details of a battlefield was something Chen Ping'an had used many times on the Sword Qi Great Wall battlefield and was quite skilled at.
Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes.
Found him.
With a slight movement of his mind, a sword light shot out fiercely.
It crossed over ten miles of water from the shore of Yuanyang Islet.
Where the sword light pointed was the hiding place of Yunmiao's true body. After the celestial had fled far from Yuanyang Islet, he had used a concealment technique, but the traces of talisman spiritual energy "taking detours" revealed Yunmiao's location.
A white-robed celestial appeared on the river surface, holding a white jade ganoderma in one hand, fully displaying the bearing of an immortal. In the other hand, he held a snow-white bronze mirror. The mirror's surface suddenly brightened like daytime, light radiating in all directions. In front of the treasure mirror, circles of ancient mirror inscriptions were manifested as layers of landscape restrictions through the unique secret method of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall. The innermost layer had purple characters starting with "Holding the mirror, purple and clear" and ending with "Slaying all essences", the beginning and end connecting like a coiled dragon. In the middle, red runes, three fire dragons spinning rapidly, each holding a treasure bead. The outermost circle of ancient mirror inscriptions was a rain-praying technique carved on the mountain gate of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall. A layer of treasure light halo was as large as a well mouth.
The sword light from Yuanyang Islet came in a straight line and arrived in an instant. Celestial Yunmiao raised his arm high, silently reciting the technique in his heart, and faced the enemy with the treasure mirror.
The first layer of inscription restrictions on the treasure mirror shattered instantly. Yunmiao frowned slightly and looked closely—it was indeed a natal flying sword, completely white in color.
The three fire dragons in the second circle continued to spin rapidly in a circle, and a crack suddenly appeared on the treasure bead held by one of the fire dragons.
But after breaking through the first layer of landscape restrictions, the forward momentum of that flying sword finally slowed down a bit. Yunmiao felt a little relieved.
Hiding behind the light of the treasure mirror, Yunmiao gently exhaled a breath. Purple smoke rose and condensed into a five-colored rope, a treasure phenomenon appearing and disappearing in a flash.
This was one of the foundations of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall on the mountains—a hereditary divine ability called "Heavenly Rope Binding Ghosts and Gods", also known as "Sword-Catching Technique". Yunmiao's master, the Flying Ascension realm patriarch who had made a name across Middle Earth, had contributed greatly with this technique, which had caused many unruly sword immortals to suffer.
When that flying sword came to a complete halt, or when the other party tried to withdraw it realizing the situation was unfavorable, Yunmiao would let this bold sword cultivator taste the flavor of having his flying sword captured and his soul refined and sword heart shattered.
Yunmiao always felt that those dozens of azure-clad figures behind him would be troublesome, so he had a yin spirit wearing a military golden crow armor travel out. It took the white jade ganoderma and turned around. The yin spirit, holding the ganoderma, lightly pointed at the river. The river water surged, presenting a magnificent phenomenon of a dragon drawing water. The white jade ganoderma developed a cyan mark. The golden-armored Yunmiao yin spirit then used the ganoderma to point at those azure-clad figures. In an instant, the sky darkened, black clouds gathered, and within a dozen miles centered on Yunmiao's yin spirit, day turned to night.
On the river surface, it seemed like ghost soldiers were passing. A cavalry of heroic spirits and ghosts appeared, all condensed from water fortune, wearing cyan armor, treading waves downstream. The killing aura was fierce, and the momentum was like thunder.
Although it was an army of yin soldiers rich in water fortune, its atmosphere was not filthy, after all, the Nine Truths Immortal Hall was a famous immortal sect, not some unscrupulous evil cult.
The treasure beads held by the three fire dragons had all shattered, and only the last layer of landscape restrictions remained on the treasure mirror. But instead of holding the mirror with one hand, Yunmiao put both hands behind his back, appearing very calm and composed, as if certain that the flying sword was spent and couldn't break through the immortal weapon restrictions of this Nine Truths Immortal Hall mountain-guarding treasure.
The white-robed celestial, wearing a high crown, his temples flying, had a clear and strange Taoist aura.
Just in terms of appearance, it was indeed excellent.
No wonder the Qi Refiners of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall were often called hermits of the mountains by many landscape gazettes. Since the Nine Truths Immortal Hall planted many ancient plum trees and had many orchids on the mountain, male Qi Refiners were also often called Plum Immortals, and females were called Orchid Masters.
Chen Ping'an glanced at the yin soldiers charging on the river.
Yin spirit traveling out—he was a bit envious.
Chen Ping'an silently recited in his heart, "Flowers bloom again."
The eighty-one azure-clad figures each split into three.
With a great river as the battlefield, the two armies faced each other, but the forces on both sides were quite unequal.
On the shore of Yuanyang Islet, not far from that azure-clad sword immortal, three great mountain cultivators from Liuxia Continent, including the celestial Qizao, stood side by side.
To be honest, all three were quite surprised by his appearance here. Qizao was the first to move, choosing to stay a dozen feet away from that man.
At this moment, Qizao looked at that elusive azure-clad sword immortal and said with a smile through heart communication to his two friends, "This fight is going to make Yunmiao hurt plenty."
Yan nodded seriously. "This talisman is precious; he will indeed feel the pain. In ordinary fights, even against a fellow celestial, Yunmiao wouldn't have to resort to this talisman."
That was a mountain-suppressing great talisman from the Nine Truths Immortal Hall's ancestral hall, called the Purple Ganoderma White Crane Escape Talisman.
It was said that when the immortal hall's old founder reached the Flying Ascension realm and left seclusion, a Taoist ancestor of the talisman lineage gave it as a congratulatory gift during the mountain-climbing celebration. After the Flying Ascension founder died, the talisman was passed down.
Qizao asked, "Daoist Tianni, have you discerned the roots of this sword immortal's cultivation?"
The old cultivator called Tianni shook his head. "I can't tell. His physique is just too tough, truly troublesome."
When mountain cultivators fought sword cultivators or pure martial artists one-on-one, they mostly relied on endless techniques and methods, using a slow and steady approach to gradually accumulate advantages.
Offensive treasures, defensive divine abilities, concealment methods, and mysterious escape techniques—none could be lacking.
Chen Ping'an turned his head to look at the three and smiled. "Fun to watch?"
Qizao smiled slightly and pretended not to hear.
Sword immortals all had bad tempers; just ignore them.
Otherwise, would he, Qizao, have to step in? Two celestials fighting one sword immortal? Even if they won, the reputation would be bad. Losing would be even worse—a lifetime of fame ruined at once.
Yan nodded in greeting to the sword immortal.
There was no need to offend a sword immortal with such a poor grasp of priorities for the sake of an average acquaintance like Yunmiao.
The azure-clad sword immortal's true body remained standing in place, raising both hands and placing them in front of him, lightly tapping the backs of his hands together, his demeanor very casual.
Just as Yunmiao was about to manifest his dharma manifestation again—he couldn't let that azure-clad sword immortal act like an outsider in a Dharma sparring match with just one flying sword and some strange clones—he suddenly felt his heartstrings tighten and quickly stepped into the Big Dipper footwork.
He sacrificed another natal treasure, a volume of Divine Thunder Jade Book from the Nine Truths Immortal Hall.
Stepping on the Seven Stars, moving the spirit and flying immortal, arriving together at the Jade Capital. Divine Thunder Jade Book, clouds rise on the upper scene, dwelling forever in the Purple Court.
Under Yunmiao's feet on the river surface, layers of purple vapor emerged, revealing a jade-white immortal book, causing the entire river surface for over a hundred zhang to suddenly sink, water rushing toward both banks.
In an instant, Yunmiao's true body achieved a mysterious "Water Cloud Body" state.
A silent flying sword passed through one side of Yunmiao's true body's neck.
This strange, emerald-green flying sword only trailed a bit of green sword light through Yunmiao's "Water Cloud Body" neck before vanishing again.
In Yunmiao's eyes, at his heart center, and at various crucial acupoints, the emerald-green flying sword shuttled back and forth. Soon, countless streams of sword light fireflies had completely entangled a celestial's Water Cloud Body.
Yunmiao still didn't dare to casually use that "five-colored rope".
Because the first flying sword seemed to have been hiding its ability all along. Guided by the sword immortal's mind, a surge of spirit and energy suddenly swelled, directly breaking through the final restriction.
The flying sword struck the mirror surface.
First came a clear, melodious *ding-dong* sound, echoing across both shores.
Then came a sound like a nail slowly scraping across a bluestone slab, making people instinctively feel uneasy.
Yunmiao raised one hand and lightly supported the mirror surface.
The flying sword struck with extraordinary force, causing Yunmiao and his mirror to slide several zhang backward on the water surface.
Yunmiao sneered inwardly. The next time the flying sword struck the mirror, the mirror surface showed ripples like water waves, and the flying sword was instantly trapped within those ripples.
Yunmiao finally sacrificed that five-colored rope. Like an ancient vine entangling a tree, it bound the flying sword.
The Qi Refiners of the world had racked their brains to restrain sword cultivators.
Even the talisman master Xuan, when traveling down the mountain in his youth, had to carefully refine several hundred sword-binding talismans for self-protection before he was willing to leave.
Here at Yuanyang Islet, Chen Ping'an's figure suddenly disappeared.
The two celestials and one Jade Pure cultivator felt a sudden relief from pressure. Tianni, the imperial cult master of the Great Duan Dynasty, couldn't help but sigh, "Being around a sword immortal always feels like you might inexplicably get a sword stuck in you. It's really uncomfortable."
Qizao looked toward that battlefield, enjoying the spectacle, gloating, "Now that Yunmiao has even used the Water Cloud Body, next should it be the Water Essence Realm?"
Yan said, "That would mean a mortal enemy, tearing all pretense apart."
Tianni nodded. "I hear the Qi Refiners of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall don't have big hearts."
Yan smiled and asked, "Who told you that?"
Tianni smiled back. "A Liang."
Yan's face darkened.
Tianni suddenly said, "Over at Aotou Mountain, there seems to be a senior who had a close relationship with Yunmiao's teacher?"
Qizao laughed. "It won't blow up that much."
That was a Flying Ascension realm great cultivator who didn't like going down the mountain, named Nan Guangzhao, Daoist name Tianqu.
In the mountain world, friends of Flying Ascension cultivators were often also Flying Ascension cultivators.
Nan Guangzhao and the Flying Ascension ancestor of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall were close friends.
After all, this was the Confucian Temple territory, and a Flying Ascension great cultivator had many rules, so he wouldn't act lightly.
Moreover, this Middle Earth Flying Ascension cultivator had missed the previous great war, supposedly because he was in seclusion and had only come out two or three years ago. So, like Celestial Qizao, he wasn't invited to this Confucian Temple council. But even without an invitation, Nan Guangzhao had still quietly taken a ferry, hidden himself well, and arrived earlier, staying low-key. He only went to Aotou Mountain to watch a game of go with an old friend, Fu Jin. From start to finish, Nan Guangzhao didn't attend the banquets hosted by Lady Qingshen Mountain and the Flower Master of the Hundred Flowers Blessed Land. Whether he wasn't invited or turned them down privately was unknown.
Chen Ping'an "appeared" on the river as one of the azure-clad figures, and said the words "flower falls" with a smile. The figures that had been charging head-on into the yin soldiers gathered around him.
An azure-clad figure, treading on the water, opened his fist posture and threw a punch, using the iron cavalry wedge formation to open the way, asking a celestial with his fist.
Celestial Yunmiao's golden-armored yin spirit, holding the white jade ganoderma, smashed heavily toward that... fist-throwing martial artist.
Chen Ping'an lightly touched his toe, twisted his body, dodging the golden-armored yin spirit. Behind him, the river surface was smashed by the white jade ganoderma, as if a "water well" a hundred zhang deep had exploded on the riverbed, and a whirlpool immediately appeared on the surface.
Yunmiao's expression was grave. As Qizao had expected, unwilling to let the azure-clad sword immortal, who had suddenly become a pure martial artist, get close, he had no choice but to use a trump card divine ability.
A Water Essence Realm microcosm appeared.
But after the azure-clad figure threw his punch, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, disappearing without a trace on the river surface.
Yunmiao breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue dealing with the snow-white flying sword restrained by the five-colored rope—capturing the sword and then refining it, using the mountain gate's secret method to viciously refine the sword immortal's soul, which would definitely damage the other's fundamental Dao path.
Unexpectedly, the microcosm that had just formed shattered like a glass lamp.
Yunmiao's mind was greatly shaken. He only knew that a Water Essence Realm had been smashed apart by sword qi and a thunder technique working together.
But Yunmiao couldn't understand it. Both flying swords were outside the Water Essence Realm—could this sword cultivator have a third flying sword?
An azure-clad figure hovered high in the sky, holding a Dharma seal in his hand. Five thunders were gathered within, infinite Dao intent, grand and righteous.
Yunmiao's eyelids twitched slightly.
This guy had turned into a Taoist master again? Could he be a Yellow-Purple noble from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion?
Yunmiao's face was ashen. A crystalline immortal pavilion, the manifestation of his Dao, hovered in his palm. He clenched his hand and withdrew it, while quickly gathering the residual Dao rhyme of the shattered Water Essence Realm. Fortunately, it hadn't damaged the foundation of this natal treasure.
A thunder technique descended from the sky, a five-colored pillar as large as a mountain peak.
Yunmiao pressed his two fingers together and lightly lifted them. The treasure mirror lay horizontally, suspended above his head.
A round mirror like a moon stopping in the sky.
The one above, holding a Dharma seal, continuously sent down thunder techniques like rain falling on the mortal world.
The celestial's treasure mirror shone brightly, and the golden-armored yin spirit that had traveled out had already returned to the true body. Yunmiao gently waved the white jade ganoderma, driving cyan flood dragons condensed from river water to charge upward. The entire river was filled with visions of cyan dragons emerging from the water, rising up and flying off, competing with the falling thunder techniques in quantity of condensed spiritual energy and level of Dao technique.
The flying sword restrained by the treasure mirror and the five-colored rope was also shaken by the flying sword and thunder techniques, showing signs of loosening. Yunmiao could only temporarily trap the flying sword; there was no chance to refine it and damage the sword cultivator's mind.
As for that troublesome emerald-green flying sword, it tirelessly went east and west, darted up and down, trailing countless threads of sword light, poking the white-robed celestial until he became a green man.
Chen Ping'an glanced at the celestial on the ground and understood in his heart.
"Bamboo is dense but does not block the flowing water; the mountain is high but does not hinder the white clouds from flying."
This was probably the fundamental Dao intent of Yunmiao's "Water Cloud Body".
Unfortunately, he wasn't Wu Shuangjiang, who could "dissolve" this technique with a single glance. And Flying Sword Fifteen, no matter how many trajectories it took, was indeed like a person passing through clouds and water—the clouds and water gathered and dispersed without a trace—so this Nine Truths Immortal Hall divine ability was hard to learn in both form and spirit.
But if Chen Ping'an was willing to sacrifice the Sparrow in the Cage and the Moon in the Well, Yunmiao's Water Cloud Body certainly wouldn't be so indestructible.
As long as there were enough flying swords, even a dense bamboo forest like a river dike could still be broken by a single sword.
As for the Five Thunder Dharma Seal in Chen Ping'an's hands, which was appearing in the Haoran world for the first time, it was the Full Moon Seal, only missing the "heavenly inscription". Aside from the earthly inscription, the four sides of the seal were engraved with a total of thirty-six deity images. Now that Chen Ping'an had stopped caring about losing some spiritual energy and had broken through to the Jade Pure realm, his spiritual energy reserves were vast. He no longer had to be as embarrassed as a mid-fifth-realm Qi Refiner, always in a situation where a clever woman couldn't cook without rice.
Thus, around the azure-clad figure, the atmosphere was magnificent, with astonishing illusions: thunder gods beating drums, lightning mothers flashing lightning, wind dukes breathing clouds, rain masters sending rain, and heavenly beings and divine officials each with solemn treasures.
Numerous mixed divine abilities and techniques, filled with a surging thunder technique Dao intent, smashed the water-attribute flood dragons that rose into the sky one by one.
Not only that, but the yin soldiers that Yunmiao had released on the river surface were naturally suppressed by the thunder technique. Almost without Chen Ping'an needing to guide them with his mind, and with minimal spiritual energy consumption, they spontaneously evolved into a golden thunder pool within a golden cloud sea. First, they broke through the dark clouds, restoring daylight to the dozen or so miles of Yuanyang Islet that had become dark, and then hundreds of thunderbolts lashed down at the yin soldiers on the river, like golden dragon whiskers falling from the sky to the mortal world.
This was why Qi Refiners' cultivation valued the phrase "alignment with the Dao" above all else. If one's own Dao suppressed the opponent, even the same technique would achieve twice the result with half the effort.
Back on the riverbank, Lin Qing, the old guest who was skilled in gold and jade seal carving, exclaimed, "What a fine gathering of five thunders, ten thousand techniques in one mountain, the true orthodox under heaven."
The Plum Blossom Nunnery immortal said timidly, "Can we really not start a mirror flower water moon broadcast?"
The thunder techniques were so dazzling, stirring the heart. Such a beautiful immortal duel should be shared rather than enjoyed alone.
The female sword cultivator from Mount Meishan Sword Sect said helplessly, "Don't act rashly. Sword immortals' tempers are unpredictable, and they hate audiences making noise the most."
The young master of the Mi Cloud Xie Clan had already stood up, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp of green bamboo wine, murmuring, "I need to compose a poem. I must compose a poem."
Li Huai clicked his tongue in amazement. "Li Baoping, has Chen Ping'an become this fierce?"
Li Baoping's eyes sparkled with spirit, and she smiled. "He's my junior uncle."
Li Huai was willing to lower himself by a generation and said to the tender Daoist beside him through heart communication, "Chen Ping'an is actually my junior uncle."
The tender Daoist smiled all over his face, but inside he was deeply worried. Damn it, doesn't that lower my generation again?
This yellow-robed old man looked around. Hell, where was a Flying Ascension realm cultivator? The young Hidden Official was showing off like this today, and no hero had come to suppress his arrogance? If a Flying Ascension realm cultivator came, he could spar with him. Whether this newly acquired name of "Tender Daoist" could become famous in the Haoran world depended on whether the heavens gave him an opportunity today.
Up on Yuanyang Islet, a celestial master who had a good relationship with the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion was even more astonished and uncertain. "A sword cultivator, talisman master, thunder technique user... is that Little Heavenly Master Zhao Yaoguang?"
His friend beside him shook his head. "Little Heavenly Master is currently at the Confucian Temple council. Besides, Zhao Yaoguang cannot be a pure martial artist."
"That fist posture earlier looked astonishing. What martial realm is that? Far Traveling, Mountain Summit?"
"Hard to say. But if I stood still, I definitely couldn't take that punch."
"Could he really kill Patriarch Yunmiao by accident?"
"Yunmiao's celestial realm has been carefully polished for centuries. He can't be that weak. Let's just watch. I believe Yunmiao still has a backup plan in reserve. Otherwise, after this fight, the Nine Truths Immortal Hall's reputation will be thoroughly ruined."
Yunmiao shook the wide sleeves of his Dharma robe and scattered a large handful of palm-sized gold coins.
Over a hundred beams of golden light shot into the sky. Golden lines condensed and did not disperse. At the same time, Yunmiao took a breath and executed a technique from the Nine Truths Immortal Hall's ancestral hall, half-Daoist and half-military. He stored the spirit within and illuminated it, refining the so-called "Ten Inner Generals" within the body—including eyes, ears, nose, liver, spleen—into Outer Generals, manifesting them as ten Thunder Department generals, standing in solemn formation outside. To cultivate this divine ability, Yunmiao had once spent over a hundred years seeking thunderclouds, swallowing thunder and lightning. Eventually, he entered an ancient secret realm known as Thunder Marsh Forbidden Land, performed thunder techniques there, and quietly cultivated for decades.
Yunmiao intended to use thunder techniques to question thunder techniques.
With ten Thunder Department Lords, they would contend for supremacy with the thirty-six generals from the Thunder Department led by the Dharma seal.
On the river and in the sky, the two opposing sides were each surrounded by solemn thunder techniques.
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Under the illumination of golden rays, the entire Yuanyang Islet area seemed to glow with gold, as if a golden thunder pool had appeared out of nowhere.
People from Aotou Mountain, Yingwu Islet, and Panshui County must have sensed the commotion here and were already on their way.
They would all be curious: who dared to fight at Yuanyang Islet during the crucial time of the Confucian Temple council?
Yunmiao drew a palm talisman with his finger on his palm, lightly clenched it, then suddenly released it. Thunder boomed.
Chen Ping'an casually waved his sleeve and shattered a nearby thunder technique.
Yunmiao continued drawing talismans, clenching his fist and releasing it again. The celestial's hands were full of thunder.
Chen Ping'an gently pushed the Five Thunder Dharma Seal slightly higher into the air, letting it operate on its own Dao. He pressed two fingers together and lightly swiped, cutting through a thunder technique from Yunmiao in front of him.
The discussion at Yuanyang Islet grew louder. Someone got anxious. "Damn it, where the hell did this guy come from? Is he a martial grandmaster or a troublesome sword immortal?!"
If they put themselves in Yunmiao's shoes, without the Water Cloud Body, they would have been stabbed to death by the flying sword. If he got close, without the Purple Ganoderma White Crane Escape Talisman, his neck would have been twisted. Then what about his golden core, nascent soul, yin spirit—could he just chase them down and shatter them with a few punches?
Yunmiao's string of immortal techniques looked smooth and elegant, but he knew his own pain. In mountain fights, the spiritual energy consumed and the wear and tear on treasures were huge piles of immortal money, and more importantly, the depletion of his own and his sect's reserves. Why did mountain Qi Refiners hate sword cultivators and pure martial artists so much? When one asked a question with a sword or with a fist, the person being asked often had no chance to polish their Dao.
Yunmiao activated another divine ability.
He formed hand seals with both hands, stepped on the Big Dipper, and the jade book at his feet shone brightly, transforming into a dojo altar platform. Finally, behind Yunmiao appeared a towering pavilion with a golden plaque inscribed with the words "Rain Pavilion".
Inside stood a celestial with a hazy figure and blurry face.
Around the pavilion, heaven and earth dimmed, and heavy rain poured.
Yunmiao held a long sword in one hand and a rainbow talisman in the other, his expression solemn. He silently recited an ancient incantation: "White clouds arise as a base, mist descends, first obscure the sun and moon, then transform heaven and earth, mountains give life, waters surge, the four seas and five sacred peaks, obey the decree of the Master of Three Mountains and Nine Dukes. At the mountain peak, command the spirits, at the seabed, slay the flood dragon. With one sword, the head falls, delivered to the Western White Boy. Decree!"
The celestial figure remained motionless, but a flying sword appeared in front of him.
Back at Yuanyang Islet, Qizao twisted his wrist, producing a green bamboo flute, lightly tapping his palm. He smiled and said, "It looks like Yunmiao is really going to risk his life."
They had to be careful not to become collateral damage.
This move by Yunmiao was something none of them had ever heard of. Could it be the trump card that the Nine Truths Immortal Hall kept at the bottom of their coffin?
Tianni said, "A dignified celestial, in a sparring match, being trampled on? Anyone would be upset."
Yan raised his head to look at that huge pavilion, especially the misty "celestial" inside. It was a bit startling. "Is this... some kind of deity?"
Qizao said with a grin, "Who knows? With a Flying Ascension realm Dao instructor, of course he's generous."
Though Qizao spoke with a smile, he was also quite surprised. He instinctively felt that this "divine being" with an indistinct face was only stopping by that Rain Pavilion, not from the lineage of ancient water gods.
Sure enough.
Another celestial mansion pavilion appeared beside Yunmiao, this one with a plaque inscribed with "Fire Furnace". Another celestial sat inside, with a similar Dao aura.
The celestials inside the two buildings each held a sword.
Chen Ping'an focused his gaze.
He felt something was off.
It was like that time at the Flying Eagle Fort in Tongye Continent, when he met that man as he left—he couldn't recognize his face, but he felt somehow familiar.
Of course, that didn't mean the two "divine beings" in the pavilions were that man. Rather, it reminded Chen Ping'an of an old man whose name he didn't know. He had been very close to Old Man Yao but wasn't a kiln worker. He had a good relationship with Liu Xianyang. When Chen Ping'an was a kiln apprentice, he never spoke a word to that old man. He only heard Liu Xianyang mention that when Old Man Yao was watching the kiln fire, the two old men often chatted together. After the old man passed away, Old Man Yao had handled the funeral arrangements, very simple.
Just as Chen Ping'an was about to sacrifice the Sparrow in the Cage, he turned his head.
An old man, flying through the wind to arrive above Yuanyang Islet, paused in midair and sneered, "A mere Jade Pure sword cultivator dares to act rashly at an important place like the Confucian Temple?"
The old cultivator spoke to Yunmiao through heart communication: "Yunmiao! Have you gone mad? Quickly withdraw this technique!"
It was the Flying Ascension realm great cultivator, Nan Guangzhao.
If this secret technique of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall reached its peak state, five sword-wielding divine beings would appear. Once a cultivator sacrificed it, it was equivalent to having five Flying Ascension sword cultivators assist, each delivering a full-strength sword strike.
Unfortunately, in the hands of his old friend from the Nine Truths Immortal Hall, after spending countless heavenly treasures and immortal money, only three edicts—Water, Fire, and Wood—could be refined, greatly reducing the offensive power. After Yunmiao inherited the lineage, he could only add one more Earth edict.
The key was that this great formation only had one chance to be used. If there were no outsiders, Nan Guangzhao might have sworn at Yunmiao outright: "Use it and it's wasted, and you'd waste it on a Jade Pure sword cultivator?"
Whether Yunmiao was bluffing or truly determined to behead that person with his sword, or using this to signal his intentions to Nan Guangzhao to ask for help, Nan Guangzhao didn't want to think about it now. After all, Yunmiao was the only direct disciple of his old friend. He couldn't ignore it.
Yunmiao hesitated for a moment but ultimately obeyed Nan Guangzhao and withdrew the half-executed technique.
He felt relieved.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Patriarch Yunmiao's method of summoning reinforcements is truly eye-opening."
Yunmiao said nothing, still carefully operating the treasure mirror to prevent this desperate man from making a last-ditch move.
If he wanted to spar with words, let him spar with Nan Guangzhao.
He had come, finally come, a Flying Ascension cultivator had arrived!
The Tender Daoist rubbed his hands together impatiently, his eyes gleaming with eagerness, but he still asked carefully, "Young master?"
Li Huai asked, "Baoping?"
This was probably a case of one thing subduing another.
Li Baoping thought for a moment. "Under the premise of self-protection, we can block him for a bit."
Li Huai nodded and said to the yellow-robed old man, who was itching for action, "Be careful. If you lose, just concede quickly. Nothing shameful about it."
The Tender Daoist wiped his mouth. "Easy, easy."
Before Chen Ping'an could say anything, the Tender Daoist laughed loudly, shouted at the top of his lungs, "The Tender Daoist is coming!", and transformed into a rainbow, flying straight toward the Flying Ascension cultivator at Yuanyang Islet.
The entire Yuanyang Islet was swept by fierce gales. Thunders rumbled in the sky, strange phenomena appeared, like heavenly eyes opening, crisscrossing, with huge tilted whirlpools appearing.
The immense pressure filling the heavens and earth made all Qi Refiners below the upper fifth realm feel almost suffocated. Even celestials like Qizao found it hard to breathe.
Li Huai rubbed his chin. This old buddy had been hiding his true colors, after all.
How could he have shown no hint of the bearing of a Flying Ascension master to Old Blind Man and A Liang?
Li Baoping asked, "Didn't you know Taoting's cultivation level?"
Li Huai said, "I knew, but I just didn't think much about it."
Otherwise, if he thought too much, how could he still act tough around home?
Chen Ping'an put away the Five Thunder Dharma Seal.
Yunmiao then took the opportunity to withdraw most of his treasures and divine abilities, though he still maintained a Water Cloud Body state.
As for the flying sword restrained by the five-colored rope, Yunmiao found it a bit hot to handle. Give it back? Keep it?
When Nan Guangzhao appeared just now, there had been no such problem. Now, Yunmiao felt anxious, sensing trouble.
After all, Nan Guangzhao was his teacher's friend, not an ancestor of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall.
But that Flying Ascension cultivator with such a formidable reputation, calling himself "Tender Daoist"—who knew if he was a senior in the sword immortal's sect?
Chen Ping'an smiled through his heart communication. "Let's finish the fight over at Yuanyang Islet first, then we can continue. So keep the flying sword for now. Otherwise, if you return it to me now, I'll have to give it back to you for fairness, and you'll sacrifice this rope again. How troublesome, and in the eyes of outsiders, it will be a laughingstock—like children playing house."
Yunmiao was furious.
Half hatred for this sword immortal's sarcastic tone, half hatred for his direct disciple Li Qingzhu for provoking trouble. Useless thing, all he did was cause trouble without any merit!
As if reading the celestial's mind, Chen Ping'an smiled and said, "Don't blame Brother Qingzhu. If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be twisted. If the family didn't teach him well, don't blame the junior for causing trouble outside. When you have to help clean up the mess, don't complain that the shit is hard to eat."
Yunmiao snorted coldly.
The man continued, "Don't worry. As long as your ending is miserable enough, many spectators will only blame me, without caring about the order of events or asking about the rights and wrongs."
And these "aftermaths" were exactly the result Chen Ping'an wanted most.
While chatting casually with the white-robed celestial, Chen Ping'an kept an eye on the battle of gods over at Yuanyang Islet.
He was very surprised.
Surprised at the unworthiness of one Flying Ascension cultivator's reputation, and even more surprised at the combat power of that "Tender Daoist", who might be on par with Old Deafly from the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Soon, the outcome was decided.
In less than half an incense stick, at the "entrance" of a whirlpool, the yellow-robed old man grinned, his figure slightly hunched, slowly sheathing a longsword woven from lightning.
After consecutively cutting down Nan Guangzhao's dharma manifestation and true body, the nameless Flying Ascension cultivator's Dharma robe now had a diagonal gash, and his true body was bleeding profusely.
Nan Guangzhao's face was full of unconcealable shock.
Although he had been constrained by being near the Confucian Temple and hadn't dared to go all out, he never imagined that after one careless moment, he would be completely at a disadvantage.
The Tender Daoist sheathed half of the longsword and asked with a smile, "What do you say? I've given you an out. Either obediently concede to save your life, or we can make a verbal life-or-death contract?"
Nan Guangzhao's face was uncertain.
How should he handle this? Should he really fight a full battle? Fighting was definitely a loss, but he couldn't just slink back to Aotou Mountain in disgrace, could he?
The Tender Daoist gave a contemptuous laugh. "No need to struggle. If I don't cut a few pounds of flesh off you, I won't have the face to see my young master."
For the cultivators at Yuanyang Islet, the process of the suspended great sun—from initial loss to eclipse and finally totality—happened in just an instant.
The heavens and earth went dark.
Several hundred Qi Refiners were all inside the yellow-robed old man's microcosm.
A grand feat of stealing the sky and replacing the sun.
Li Baoping suddenly said regretfully, "We shouldn't have helped. I've made things worse for my junior uncle!"
Li Huai's heart tightened.
Li Baoping said, "Blame me, it has nothing to do with you."
Li Huai said, "Oh."
Chen Ping'an smiled through heart communication to them, "It's fine."
---
Earlier, at the Confucian Temple, the scriptures scholar Xiping, standing at the entrance, had said something to A Liang.
A Liang relayed it to a few beside him.
Zuo You sat upright, his expression as usual, showing no change.
Qi Tingji laughed. "Yunmiao? The master of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall, if I remember correctly, is in the Celestial realm. When did the Hidden Official become able to fight a celestial?"
He remembered that when the younger ten of several worlds were being selected, Chen Ping'an was still just a nascent soul sword cultivator and a mountain summit realm martial artist.
Lu Zhi said, "Did he fall off a cliff and find martial arts secrets?"
A Liang asked with confusion, "Sister Lu, are you serious or joking?"
A Liang then turned his head to look at Zuo You, who was meditating with eyes closed. "Aren't you really going to do something about it? If you think fighting a celestial is boring, let me handle it."
Zuo You opened his eyes and looked at the famous "son of Zhuolu Song". "The Nine Truths Immortal Hall and the Great Yong Dynasty don't have legs."
The Nine Truths Immortal Hall was now a subsidiary mountain of the Song clan.
Adding the suffix "son" after a surname wasn't easy.
Besides Chen Ping'an by the river, there was another person within a forbidden microcosm near the Confucian Temple.
Combined with the riverbank council, Chen Ping'an was split into three—it was as if his true body carried a sword and climbed Tuoyue Mountain, his yin spirit traveled out, and his yang spirit's external form went to fish by the river at Yuanyang Islet.
As for why the Ritual Sage was doing this, Chen Ping'an didn't think much about it.
After being bound to the Sword Qi Great Wall, such common practices for earthly immortals had become luxuries.
Chen Ping'an found that this place was somewhat similar to the three "workshops" on the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Currently, Chen Ping'an stood at the entrance of one of a long row of houses. Inside were over a dozen Qi Refiners from various schools of thought, casting an organic puppet.
On the tables inside the house were stacks of drawings, and piles of heavenly treasures were scattered around.
It was a division of labor and collaboration among Qi Refiners from a hundred schools: casting, refining, superimposing, talismans, mechanisms—small but complete in all functions.
A war was merely about materials, money, and people. Tactics, strategy, and popular sentiment.
The Ritual Sage saying he wanted to fight was the greatest strategy. But in addition, countless details needed to be accumulated to help the Haoran world turn advantage into victory.
An old cultivator looked up at Chen Ping'an at the entrance, his expression displeased. "What are you doing here?"
He recognized this young man as the Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall. But even if his status was transcendent, he could sit, stand, or lie down at the Confucian Temple council—just don't come here to meddle.
Chen Ping'an had to say, "Just looking around."
He couldn't very well admit that the Ritual Sage had thrown him here.
The old cultivator sneered. "Skilled in calculation? Good at mechanisms? From the artisan lineage?"
A string of questions.
Chen Ping'an just shook his head and said, "I'm just looking."
He was indeed curious.
The old man seemed to find it funny. "So what else can you do?"
Chen Ping'an smiled and nodded. "Can't do much. I just guarantee I won't disturb you masters at work."
When outside, there were two titles that, even if not flattering, wouldn't annoy people.
One was "sir". One was "master".
If he encountered someone who seemed like a scholar, he called them "sir". If he encountered a craftsman, he called them "master".
The old man probably thought it was rude to hit a smiling face, and since this kid was sensible, he shouldn't keep belittling him.
Chen Ping'an was quite used to this and didn't feel humiliated at all.
He lightly stepped over the threshold, put his hands in his sleeves, and soon stopped, carefully examining everything inside.
Chen Ping'an liked the atmosphere here. Because it brought a long-lost familiar feeling, reminiscent of the dragon kiln opening when he was young. Everyone was silent, each attending to their duties. All the words that needed to be said were in their hands.
It was like a summer palace that might not welcome the visit of a certain great sword immortal. It had nothing to do with the sword cultivator's realm or swordsmanship—it was just a matter of specialization.
In Chunfan Studio, Yan Ming, Nalan Caihuan, and Wei Wenlong were busy with accounts every day. As for the big shot of the Summer Palace, the Great Sword Immortal Mi was there. Why was his desk near the gate? Of course, he was just acting as a doorman, going through the motions. Mi Yu was broad-minded, and every day he could have a little drink, flip through some miscellaneous books, and pass the time leisurely.
Every skill was its own small world.
An old master who fired porcelain in the dragon kiln certainly wasn't as wealthy as the big families on Fortune Street or Peach Leaf Lane. But if the wealthy households of the town wanted to buy porcelain and went to the kiln to pick "seconds", they'd better not put on airs of wealth. They'd obediently bring a few jugs of fine wine, put down the wine, and speak, and they'd have to add the suffix "master" after the surname every time.
Chen Ping'an stood in place, quietly being a wallflower for about an incense stick of time, not saying a word, then left silently.
The old cultivator glanced at the doorway and felt that this young Hidden Official was quite disciplined.
At another place, Chen Ping'an found a group inside who seemed to be skilled in the art of long and short strategies.
At another, the walls were hung with landscape maps. Qi Refiners were meticulously painting scrolls by comparing the Confucian Temple's secret records. They were disassembling the geography of the Wildlands on paper.
At another, Chen Ping'an lingered for a long time. The Qi Refiners inside had excellent temperaments. Although they didn't recognize Chen Ping'an's identity as the Hidden Official like the previous artisan patriarch, they all smiled.
It turned out to be the School of Calculation. Distinguished from the School of Commerce, they were forming their own lineage. They were calculating the accounts for several cross-continent ferries.
At Aotou Mountain, in the mansion where Liu Jubao was staying, this god of wealth from the Ai'ai Continent was performing "holding the view of mountains and rivers". A landscape scroll appeared in the hall.
His wife had already gone to occupy herself, because she heard that at Yingwu Islet there was a "bundle-making shop". But the woman called her son to join her. Liu Youzhou was unwilling to follow, and the woman was heartbroken. However, thinking of those familiar women on the mountain who would shop with her at the bundle shop, and how they would often spot items they liked but had to weigh their purses—if they could afford it, they gritted their teeth; if they liked it but couldn't afford it, they pretended not to like it—when the woman thought of all that, she immediately became happy.
Besides Liu Youzhou, there were two other Liu clan offering ministers: Pei Axiang from the Thunder God Temple and Liu Suiyu.
There were also two outsiders: Yu Panshui and the young emperor of the Xuanmi Dynasty, Yuan Zhou.
The young emperor was full of spirit. "This Hidden Official has such a violent temper. I like him very much!"
High skill, great fame, short temper—he picks a fight with a celestial and just goes for it.
Liu Youzhou chuckled. "That painting in my study at home must be worth a lot more now."
Liu Suiyu sat lazily in a chair, propping her chin with one hand, and said in wonder, "So he is Pei Qian's master."
Pei Axiang looked at the fist posture of the iron cavalry wedge formation in the scroll and said with confusion, "He's suppressing his realm quite a bit. Is it too bold to fight to the death with a celestial?"
Liu Jubao said softly with a smile, "Fatty Yu, does it look familiar?"
Yu Panshui nodded, pulling at his beard and squinting. "The technique is very Embroidered Tiger."
---
At the riverbank, the old scholar didn't continue climbing the mountain. Instead, he let Chen Ping'an continue to the summit while he returned alone to the riverbank.
The old scholar was deeply worried. After hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help asking, "Really not possible?"
The Ritual Sage nodded. After splitting Chen Ping'an into three, he had already verified one thing beyond doubt. He said to the old scholar, "In the early years at the Book and Bamboo Lake, Chen Ping'an shattered his golden literary courage. The aftereffects were too great. It wasn't simply a matter of losing one of the five-element type natal objects. Combined with his later binding to the Sword Qi Great Wall, besides having no yin spirit or yang spirit, he is also destined never to refine a natal word."
The Ritual Sage paused for a moment, glanced at the young man walking at the end on Tuoyue Mountain, and said, "It's a great pity."
The old scholar couldn't say a word for a long time. Finally, he just lightly stamped his foot, and the old man could only sigh deeply. "That little snot who knows his mistakes but won't change them, oh."
The Ritual Sage said, "Ultimately, wasn't it Cui Chan's deliberate design?"
The old scholar squatted down, staring blankly, silent for a long time. He nodded. "Actually, I blame myself more."
The Ritual Sage said, "It's not all bad. As his teacher, you don't need to blame yourself too much."
Bai Ze laughed. "All aspirations are bright; there are many paths."
Panshui County.
Earlier, Zheng Juzhong had split his attention and come here not long ago. Then Fu Jin came over to the house and played go with Gu Can.
Gu Can's go skills were average, so Fu Jin played moves commensurate with Gu Can's level.
Zheng Juzhong sat in the host seat, uninterested in the game, picking up a few books placed by Gu Can's hand.
In White Emperor City and Fuyao Continent, while cultivating, Gu Can had been reading works from a hundred schools and many anthologies, and he read even more miscellaneous books.
For example, the two books currently in Zheng Juzhong's hands—one was a green-grid manuscript on estimating labor costs for building large ships, and the other was a manuscript on cheating in civil service exams, with characters as small as ants, dense but not tight, and spaced elegantly.
These books, let alone mountain cultivators, even Confucian scholars from academies down the mountain wouldn't touch.
As for Chen Ping'an appearing from nowhere at Yuanyang Islet, Zheng Juzhong was actually quite surprised. So while flipping through the books, he waved his sleeve and brought up a mountains-and-rivers scroll.
The game hadn't reached the midgame when Gu Can directly conceded.
Fu Jin nodded.
On the scroll, everyone's heart-to-heart words were clearly audible.
Both Gu Can and Fu Jin were used to this.
Chen Ping'an's conversations with Yu Yue and Lin Qing were heard by these people from White Emperor City.
Fu Jin smiled. "This Hidden Official is indeed very good with words."
Zheng Juzhong put down the book and laughed. "Only when one's scholarship is deep enough can affirming another's words carry sincerity. Even your denials will have weight. Otherwise, no matter how loud your voices are—whether harsh and fierce or obsequious and fawning—all are lighter than a feather. Fu Jin, you can no longer learn this; you're too old. Gu Can, you're learning it well enough."
Zheng Juzhong suddenly asked, "Why is he doing this?"
Fu Jin said, "This Hidden Official is drawing a line for himself."
He was deliberately emphasizing his identity as a sword cultivator, keeping some distance from the Wen Sheng lineage.
Gu Can lowered his head, looking at the sparse board.
Zheng Juzhong nodded. "Someone had already begun laying the groundwork."
The mastermind probably would have spent three to five years making Chen Ping'an "come to light" in the Haoran world. They wanted to shape this last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall into a person of flawless achievements. From a poor background in a humble alley, taught by Qi Jingchun of the Li Zhu Cave Heaven, Qi Jingchun taking him as a disciple on behalf of his teacher, traveling thousands of miles, lofty aspirations, nature and morality not inferior to an accompanying sage, accomplishments and merits being the best among the younger generation. A young cultivator just over forty, lacking only a statue in the Confucian Temple, needing to be revered by ten thousand.
Han Qiaose turned around at the doorway and asked, "What if there had been no such opportunity like Li Qingzhu or Yunmiao?"
Gu Can picked up two Go pieces, clenched them in his palm until they creaked, and laughed. "Far away in the horizon, near at hand before the eyes."
Chen Ping'an would definitely come to do business with their master, the City Lord of White Emperor City, in front of them.
Whether at Yuanyang Islet, Panshui County, or Wenjin Ferry, there would definitely be some kind of storm.
Fu Jin said, "Chen Ping'an only needs to give people one impression. Let them know that he is actually..."
Han Qiaose, sitting on the doorstep, casually finished the sentence. "A person whose temper isn't actually that good?"
Fu Jin shook his head. "Still a young man."
Young and reckless, young and hot-headed.
Han Qiaose understood.
Sword cultivator, Hidden Official, Realm of Cessation martial artist, mountain lord of the Lowly Mountain Sect, Confucian disciple, orthodox lineage of the literary tradition, Dao partner of Ning Yao... all these identities and titles were secondary.
Because he was young, if his scholarship was insufficient, he could study; if his cultivation was insufficient, he could still read more sage books.
Han Qiaose said, "Surely there are still people who can figure this out."
Fu Jin said, "Anyone with a clear mind can."
Han Qiaose rolled her eyes and continued applying blush.
Gu Can said, "He's not guarding against these people knowing; he's guarding against others' 'thinking they know'."
Fu Jin chuckled. "So that Yu Yue, if he had helped with his sword, all of Chen Ping'an's plans would have been wasted."
Han Qiaose glanced at this Young White Emperor. When he smiled, he really was quite handsome.
Fu Jin continued, "There are indeed many people and things that mean well but cause harm."
Because once Yu Yue had drawn his sword, the identity of the Hidden Official would have overshadowed the impression of a "young man".
A young Hidden Official, half the sword cultivators of the Sword Qi Great Wall, returning to his homeland, could get a sword cultivator he just met to help draw his sword—that would certainly attract envy, hatred, and nitpicking. That would of course run counter to Chen Ping'an's original intention.
Gu Can suddenly looked up.
Zheng Juzhong smiled. "Finally, recognizing it belatedly."
Li Qingzhu of the Nine Truths Immortal Hall was afflicted by a heart demon.
His original heart remained, but a seed-sized thought would suddenly grow large.
The Nine Truths Immortal Hall was one of the immortal sects that had "besieged" White Emperor City back then. As for the Flying Ascension cultivator's death—of course it was Zheng Juzhong's behind-the-scenes handiwork, just repaying in kind.
Zheng Juzhong picked up a Go piece, placed it on the board, and said casually, "Yunmiao's Dao partner counts as your senior sister, but she was an unofficial entry. Otherwise, with her talent, she wouldn't have reached the Celestial realm."
Gu Can asked, "Does Chen Ping'an know?"
Zheng Juzhong smiled. "What do you think? I just gave him a good enough reason to come visit."
Gu Can said nothing more. Fu Jin was also silent.
Zheng Juzhong said to Fu Jin, "I'll continue the game for Gu Can."
Fu Jin shook his head. "A sure loss. No."
Zheng Juzhong didn't insist, so he started playing against himself, dropping pieces rapidly on the board, continuing the game between Gu Can and Fu Jin.
On the path of life, for many spectators, it was just playing through a game record, applying a bit of powder.
Gu Can suddenly said, "Actually, Chen Ping'an is more suited for White Emperor City."
Zheng Juzhong laughed. "Everywhere is White Emperor City; it's all suitable. When life reaches the point where the water ends, that's exactly when the moon reaches the center of the sky."