Chapter 945: Such Protection of the Dao

Chapter 945: Such Protection of the Dao

The Supreme Sage leaned on the railing, gazing into the distance, and let out a soft sigh of emotion.

What defines a hero? There are always a few things that no one else in the world can do, but I can.

What defines a sage? There are always a few things that everyone in the world can do, but I cannot.

Chen Ping'an broke into a cold sweat. "I'm still far from that."

Lü Yan chuckled. "The Supreme Sage wasn't talking about you."

Chen Ping'an was not embarrassed. "That doesn't stop this junior from yearning for it in his heart."

Lü Yan felt a sudden urge to share a drink with the Literary Sage, whose fame he had long heard but whom he had never had the chance to meet.

What kind of scholar could raise such disciples as Cui Chan, Zuo You, Liu Shiliu, Qi Jingchun, and Chen Ping'an?

Qingtong rarely saw the young Hidden Official put on the spot, and the corners of his mouth curled upward, but he quickly suppressed it. After all, he was now half an ally on the same boat as Chen Ping'an.

At this point, even if he were truly appointed as a nominal guest elder of Xiandu Mountain, there would be no issue whatsoever.

Take building a book workshop for woodblock printing, for example—spending less than two Grain Rain coins would earn a fortune in merit. Such a thing had never even crossed his mind.

But by now, Qingtong had confirmed one thing: this Chen Ping'an was definitely not Zheng Juzhong.

Because just now, Qingtong had secretly asked the Supreme Sage through heart voice.

At that time, the Supreme Sage's tone had been quite helpless. "Brother Qingtong, your idea is very... unconstrained. No matter how bold Zheng Juzhong is, or how novel Cui Chan's thoughts may be—one who had not yet entered the Fourteen Realm, whether deliberately or unintentionally, and the other being the shameless Embroidery Tiger of Hao Ran—they wouldn't dare toy with the rules of the Confucian Temple or the Dao traditions of their lineage."

After that, the group took a slight detour and arrived outside a tall building named "Stop War Tower" by Qingtong. Inside were stored tens of thousands of weapons, both from the mountains and from the secular world. They were not judged by rank or quality, but solely by whether they caught Qingtong's eye.

The Supreme Sage stood outside the door again, examined the building for a moment, and then said to Chen Ping'an, "By the way, Xiao Mo thought of a path to enter the Fourteen Realm as a pure sword cultivator, but unfortunately, someone else had already beaten him to it. I stopped him, and it almost turned into a long-distance sword challenge."

Chen Ping'an turned to look at Xiao Mo, whose face showed a hint of embarrassment.

Could it be that he had thought of the same thing as Fellow Daoist Sun?

Xiao Mo said with sincere eyes, "Staying by the young master's side, I've been influenced by what I've seen and heard, and I've started to imitate the young master in thinking about things. Only then did I realize I had wasted ten thousand years."

If I had met the young master a hundred years earlier, I might have had to challenge Fellow Daoist Sun of Xuandu Temple to a sword duel instead.

The Supreme Sage praised, "Xiao Mo is truly magnanimous."

Xiao Mo shook his head. "The young master is like jade before me; Xiao Mo dare not accept such praise."

Lü Yan couldn't help but smile. It seemed that besides the Literary Sage, Xiandu Mountain and Luopo Mountain were also places he needed to visit separately.

But if nothing unexpected happened, the "himself" in the present should have already visited both places.

However, this Pure Yang Daoist's knowledge of "future events" had a certain lag.

The Supreme Sage looked at the bright moon on the wutong branch and said inexplicably, "Missing you is like a crescent moon, rounding night by night."

This was originally a line from the Book of One Hundred Swordsmen's Seals, and later it seemed to have been used by a certain female sword cultivator from the Sword Qi Great Wall on a token, which she gave to the young Hidden Official.

A graceful lady is a gentleman's good match—and vice versa. Both are human nature.

Lü Yan stroked his beard and laughed. "A divine line indeed."

There are countless poems and lyrics in the world, and discussions of the moon have long become cliché. It's hard to come up with fresh phrasing.

The Supreme Sage asked, "Did you copy that from some miscellaneous book?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I didn't copy it. I came up with it myself."

Lü Yan smiled. "It's good, but scholarly research isn't like writing poetry or lyrics. A heap of brilliant ideas is not as good as a single cautionary saying. It shouldn't be too ethereal and immortal, nor too romantic and lingering, nor lacking in boldness and generosity. Even if I saw Bai Ye, Suzi Liuqi, and that old soldier from Shandong, I would still hold this view."

The Supreme Sage said, "It's fine. True temperament is the essence of a real man."

Since the topic of scholarly research came up, the Supreme Sage asked, "When you reunited with your senior brother Zuo You on the Sword Qi Great Wall, did he impart all his sword techniques to you?"

"Senior Brother Zuo has always taught me sword techniques, but he was even more concerned with my scholarly research. Roughly half and half."

Chen Ping'an nodded, his face full of resignation. "Anyway... he wasn't satisfied with either my sword practice or my studies."

And it definitely wasn't that Senior Brother Zuo did it intentionally. He genuinely didn't think much of me. If the Master hadn't gone to the Sword Qi Great Wall, I suspect that even at the very end, Senior Brother would still have found me annoying just by looking at me.

It was only when he was around Pei Qian and Cao Qinglang that Senior Brother Zuo had a smile on his face.

The Supreme Sage nodded. "Zuo You has a pretty good temper."

As for the Embroidery Tiger Cui Chan, that goes without saying. And when Qi Jingchun was young, how good could he have been? As for Liu Shiliu, if he really had a good temper, would he have provoked the Buddha to intervene personally back in the day?

Hearing this assessment, Chen Ping'an felt it was hard to explain.

Back then, practicing swordsmanship on the city wall had been no small hardship.

Every time Ning Yao saw the miserable state he was in after leaving the city wall, she would frown.

Although Senior Brother Zuo's words weren't as... straightforward as those of Senior Cui during the boxing lessons in the bamboo tower on the second floor back then, the effect was the same—they still pierced the heart.

The Supreme Sage said, "That senior brother of yours, Zuo You, is not a bookworm who knows nothing of worldly affairs. He had you study those one hundred and seventy-three questions by the riverbank. Do you now understand his good intentions, now that you've returned home and met the old scholar of Shujian Lake again in the imitation Jade Capital?"

Chen Ping'an nodded.

Although the Literary Sage's lineage had few disciples, the old scholar's direct disciples, even counting his secondary disciples, were not many.

This was an extremely rare phenomenon among the many Dao traditions of the Confucian Temple.

In fact, the outside world was more shocked by the deeds of the Literary Sage's direct disciples, and they had always overlooked a certain "small matter": that the direct disciples of the Literary Sage's lineage always regarded scholarly cultivation, or cultivation of the heart, as the foremost priority at all times.

Take Zuo You, the second disciple of the Literary Sage who later turned to swordsmanship. As he increasingly challenged others to sword duels, he gradually came to be recognized as the number one swordsman in the world.

Many titles in the world are often undeserved, but when it comes to swordsmanship, it's no joke.

So much so that when Zuo You once went overseas to seek out Pei Min for a sword challenge, Pei Min—one of the Three Wonders of Hao Ran and an undeniable senior in the mountains—had to avoid facing this "bookworm" because he had touched the threshold of the Fourteen Realm and was close with Zouzi. Hence, there was no need for the outside world to argue about the title of "swordsmanship."

But on the Sword Qi Great Wall, when it came to this junior disciple, aside from teaching swordsmanship, Zuo You's greater intention was to make sure that Chen Ping'an, who was "miscellaneous without specialization and neglecting his proper work," truly put serious effort into his scholarly studies.

As for Chen Ping'an himself, deep down, he had always harbored a considerable regret and disappointment over his brother Cui Chan's definitive statement: "Don't even think about establishing your words."

That was why he placed such high hopes on his proud student Cao Qinglang. When Cao Qinglang became the second-ranked scholar of the Great Li Dynasty, both Chen Ping'an, the teacher, and the teacher's teacher were so genuinely delighted.

Even with his first disciple, Pei Qian, the first thing Chen Ping'an had her do was copy books.

There was no room for negotiation. He didn't even demand that she be very serious—he just needed her handwriting to be neat. And he never stopped her from complaining or grumbling.

When has studying ever not been hard in this world?

In their hometown town, Pei Qian had even attended a school.

So much so that before the little dark-skinned girl Pei Qian became the later female grandmaster "Zheng Qian," when she was still on Luopo Mountain and Riding Dragon Alley, before she set out on her travels, she would often say to Nuan Shu and Xiao Mili, "Alas, I'm not just someone who can copy books anymore. I'm a proper student who has attended school. Alas, that gives me an extra identity that even my master doesn't have. How troubling! When Master comes home, he'll probably give me a few knuckle raps."

Every time, Nuan Shu would just smile and nod silently. And Xiao Mili, who waited at the school gate every day for Pei Qian to finish class, would be even more supportive. "Amazing! I'm so envious."

"Do you want to come to school with me?"

"No need, no need. It's fine if the Left Protector and I just crouch outside the school gate and listen to you all study."

The Supreme Sage laughed. "Pure Yang Fellow Daoist, after being called 'Ancestor Lü' by someone, didn't you think of showing off a sword technique to make the younger generation truly admire you? You know, this young man's senior brother has very high swordsmanship."

Lü Yan said helplessly, "It's not that someone lacks admiration or conviction."

He regretted ever telling the Supreme Sage about that trial.

Xiao Mo immediately said, "My young master is sincere and never utters a single polite word in front of the mountain seniors. But as a sword cultivator, I dare not say I disagree, but I inevitably harbor some doubts."

Chen Ping'an clasped his hands in his sleeves, his eyes fixed on his nose and his nose fixed on his heart. To be honest, he was certainly curious about this Pure Yang Daoist's Dao methods and swordsmanship.

He had only heard a few words from Cui Dongshan before, but for a senior who could make even Cui Dongshan spare no words of praise, there was no need to doubt his profound Dao methods and high swordsmanship.

So Chen Ping'an's only curiosity was how profound Lü Yan's Dao methods were and how high his swordsmanship was.

Lü Yan smiled, joined his two fingers together, and the longsword on his back clanged as it unsheathed, instantly darting to the central area of the square outside the tower.

The sword pointed to the sky, the hilt touched the ground.

Qingtong simply stared blankly at the point of the sword, but Chen Ping'an and Xiao Mo almost simultaneously stared at the hilt pressing against the ground.

This was the "heaven and earth difference" between being a sword cultivator or not.

In an instant, the unsheathed sword, motionless, began to multiply into hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of swords.

Chen Ping'an discerned some clues. The swords did not reach ten thousand; exactly one was missing, clearly intentionally taking the Pure Yang number "nine."

Xiao Mo narrowed his eyes and silently recited. "Heaven, earth, and the four directions are called Yu; past and present are called Zhou."

It turned out that on the square, with the sword hilt as the center, a dense sphere of swords had appeared, crowded together.

But the wonder went far beyond the "present" number of swords. That would be underestimating the sword formation personally created by Ancestor Lü.

Because those swords were overlapping, but not limited to overlapping. It seemed that Lü Yan had extracted and borrowed from the river of time?

Thus, although there seemed to be only 9,999 swords, each was one of nearly ten thousand sword formations?

Therefore, the swords interwove, the light twisted, and many swords and sword lights presented postures like dragons and snakes swimming, not in a straight line.

This was because Lü Yan had deliberately removed the concealment to demonstrate the sword technique, allowing Xiao Mo to see the traces at a glance. In a chance encounter, if a sword cultivator challenged and the Pure Yang Daoist unleashed this sword, the sword light would flash, and the sword would have already been struck. Even Xiao Mo, at the peak of the Flying Ascension Realm, admitted he would be caught off guard. He wondered how long Lü Yan's sword technique could sustain itself with his own heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, and how many sword formations he could rebuild.

Xiao Mo reminded via heart voice: "The Pure Yang Daoist has intentionally opened up the circulation routes of sword qi within his own small heavenly and human realm."

This was essentially a supreme sword manual.

If the posture of the longsword on the square represented the sword technique, then Lü Yan's sword Dao could be divided into two types. One was the Dao of the method—the manifestation of Lü Yan's exquisite sword technique on the great path, the aura, the principles. The other was the Dao of the path—the complex routes of sword qi moving within the small heavenly and human realm, like a person walking. Generally, such "paths," resembling sword manual diagrams, were secret arts not to be passed on, only orally transmitted to close disciples.

Chen Ping'an said, "I can only see seventy to eighty percent clearly."

Xiao Mo said, "I'll record it in a book for the young master later."

The Supreme Sage explained with a smile, "This sword technique simultaneously involves the Daoist 'Yin and Yang' and the Buddhist 'infinite,' and finally incorporates sections of water from the river of time. So when the sword is thrust forth, it comes from the downstream of the river of time—a sword against the current from the past—and also from the upstream—a sword from the future. As for how long this sword technique of Pure Yang Fellow Daoist can last, I can't tell."

With one sword thrust, there is no escape.

Therefore, the one being challenged has no choice but to receive the sword.

Because there are such unreasonable sword cultivators in the world who can break ten thousand methods with one sword, it's not just a matter for later cultivators. Ten thousand years ago, the Daoists of the mortal world had already devised countermeasures. Items like sword-locking talismans were ultimately minor arts. The true comprehensive solution was still formations. Even sword cultivators themselves had not strayed far from this path. Things counteract things in a cycle.

Lü Yan turned to look at Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an nodded slightly.

Only then did Lü Yan sheathe his sword and say to Xiao Mo with a smile, "In terms of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, I am far inferior to Bai Ye."

If this were in the Barren Wilderness World, hearing such words, Xiao Mo wouldn't have thought much about it. True or false, a fight would tell.

But since it was in the Hao Ran World, Xiao Mo didn't need to challenge. He had a rough idea. Since Lü Yan was willing to bring up the most prideful man in the world, rather than someone else, it meant the gap was not large.

"Is that just one move you showed?"

The Supreme Sage said, "Huh? Has Pure Yang Fellow Daoist exhausted his skills, or is he being ungenerous? If it's the former, it's forgivable. If it's the latter, then he's not acting like a real man. We in Hao Ran always say that good things come in pairs. Since Pure Yang Fellow Daoist is a Daoist, it would be even better to make it a trinity of heaven, earth, and man. Two yin and yang, four symbols—not too many..."

Lü Yan shook his head and laughed. "Allow me to hide my shortcomings."

The Supreme Sage burst out laughing. "Concealing your skills is just concealing your skills. You make it sound so nice."

With the Supreme Sage and a peak Flying Ascension sword cultivator present, Lü Yan couldn't show off ordinary sword techniques. The ones he considered noteworthy had a high entry threshold for learning swordsmanship, especially the method of rotating the golden core. Unless Lü Yan first transmitted the Dao to Chen Ping'an, who could then truly practice the sword, Chen Ping'an would only be copying the form and losing the spirit.

The Supreme Sage said via heart voice, "Pure Yang Fellow Daoist, given Chen Ping'an's character, if he learns the sword techniques of the Pure Yang lineage, when he encounters your disciples in the future, he will surely impart everything in return for kindness, right?"

Lü Yan replied helplessly, "Don't tell me the Supreme Sage has forgotten that I have no disciples at present."

The Supreme Sage asked doubtfully, "Having traveled for many years in the Green Curtain World, and having visited the Jade Capital of the White Jade Pavilion three times, if you have no formal disciples who have received the heart transmission of the Dao, do you not even have a single nominal disciple?"

Lü Yan shook his head. "Never had any."

The Supreme Sage laughed angrily. "It's not like you're looking for a Dao partner. Why be so picky?"

Lü Yan smiled. "The fate hasn't come yet; it can't be forced. When it comes to taking disciples, I can learn more from the Literary Sage."

Lü Yan suddenly said via heart voice, "Supreme Sage, weren't you also a swordsman in your early years?"

The Supreme Sage sighed. "Let's just say that in terms of the height of the sword Dao, over the past ten thousand years, the position has risen very little. But sword techniques, sword arts, sword moves—over these ten thousand years, they have indeed become increasingly higher, visibly so. If I were to show off a sword technique, and in the eyes of Chen Ping'an, who is accustomed to the world's first-class sword techniques, I got a review of 'it's just so-so,' about the same as his senior brother Zuo You, wouldn't that be a complete mess? From then on, whenever Chen Ping'an passes through various Confucian Temples and sees that portrait hanging in the middle, wouldn't he laugh every time?"

Lü Yan smiled. "Is that really so?"

The Supreme Sage dismissed it with a laugh.

After that, the Supreme Sage led the group to the tallest building, which bore a horizontal plaque inscribed "Demon Subduing Tower," written by the Rite Sage himself.

This was also the only reason why Zhou Mi of the literary sea, when he came here, could have broken the tower's restrictions but chose not to occupy it.

The Supreme Sage asked, "Chen Ping'an, if you were to replace Feiran as the Lord of the Barren Wilderness, do you have a plan that could, to the greatest extent, severely wound the foundation of the Rite Sage's great path?"

Chen Ping'an's face was stunned.

What kind of question was that?

In Chen Ping'an's mind, the Rite Sage of Hao Ran was invincible.

He had never thought about such a problem, because he subconsciously felt that the Rite Sage would always be invincible. Especially after the Three Ancestors scattered their Daos, and the Great Archivist of the White Jade Pavilion had yet to merge the roots of the Three Teachings' learning to attain enlightenment and merge with the Dao, Yu Dou, the second-oldest of the Dao, would still be a veritable second-oldest. If both sides left their respective worlds and chose to fight in the outer heavens, Chen Ping'an believed the Rite Sage's chances of victory would be greater.

The Supreme Sage clasped his hands behind his back, looked up at the plaque, and said slowly, "Think carefully. This is a big question. Don't forget that your senior brother, Mao Xiaodong, is now the Scribe of the Rites Study Palace."

"Supreme Sage, any hints?"

"Yes, I've already given them."

Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and said quietly, "Two boats colliding."

Lü Yan nodded slightly.

Xiao Mo glanced at Qingtong sideways. Fortunately, this guy didn't understand either.

Chen Ping'an's face turned grave, and he said solemnly, "If we treat each world as a ferryboat traveling through the void..."

"Then once these two ferryboats collide, the two worlds of Hao Ran and Barren Wilderness will no longer just have chaotic time—their geography will interweave."

The Barren Wilderness World would not be without losses; there would be severe aftereffects. For one thing, once the two worlds touched, the situation would reverse. The entire Hao Ran World would become like a weapons workshop running at full speed. Whether in terms of manpower, resources, or the hearts of the people below and the Dao hearts of those in the mountains, everything would be consolidated into a single rope. The immense foundation of Hao Ran World, working day and night, would be transformed into two words: "war." For the Barren Wilderness World on the defensive, that extra passage would mean losing a piece of territory—perhaps equivalent to the Hao Ran World directly losing a continent like Tongye Continent in the early days. It would indeed be adding frost to snow.

But for Zhou Mi of the literary sea, as long as he could suppress the Rite Sage after the Three Ancestors scattered their Daos, Zhou Mi would gain an extra chance. Once he could fully refine the ruins of the ancient heavenly court and carry out the "world" affair, the resistance he faced would decrease.

At the same time, because Bai Ze's method of merging with the Dao was too bizarre, if the two worlds were linked, the great war would only become more brutal. Then Bai Ze's realm and cultivation, especially his killing power, would "be forced" to rise.

Without regard for the sentient beings of the Barren Wilderness World, weakening the Rite Sage and strengthening Bai Ze—Zhou Mi would use this to buy time.

"If I were to choose the bow of the ship, or rather the spearhead aimed at the Hao Ran World and the Rite Sage, my first choice would be... the former Tuoyue Mountain."

No wonder Feiran had "hollowed out" Tuoyue Mountain early on, leaving only the eldest disciple of the Tuoyue Mountain Grand Ancestor, the prime culprit, to guard the mountain alone.

"Second, the Immortal Hairpin City."

No wonder that "fake Daoist" Xian Wei had a seemingly fated "chance encounter" with him in the Great Li capital. Although Chen Ping'an had cut Immortal Hairpin City in two, wasn't that an accidental act that indirectly protected the ten-thousand-year incense of the "Dao Hairpin lineage"?

"After that, it would be the Five Mountains of the Barren Wilderness World, like that Azure Mountain."

The Supreme Sage nodded. "Then do you think Feiran will do it?"

Chen Ping'an replied, "He probably doesn't want to, but he dare not not do it, and he must do it."

Feiran had great respect for the Rite Sage of Hao Ran. But in his position, as the newest Lord of the Barren Wilderness, he was still unable to escape the shadow of Zhou Mi of the literary sea.

Once the two boats collided, that would be the beginning of the conspiracy against the Rite Sage. And that was just the beginning.

Just like in the Green Curtain World, where there had long been resentment against Yu Dou for ruling the world from the White Jade Pavilion for a hundred years at a time, it had been building up.

Similarly, in the Hao Ran World, not everyone was truly convinced by the Rite Sage's rules. Take, for example, the fact that none of the founding masters of the Hundred Schools could enter the Fourteen Realm and had to expend part of their cultivation in the outer heavens. Although this was to resist the continuous attacks of the outer heavenly gods and protect the Hao Ran World, how could there be no resentment? Even if those founding masters understood the Rite Sage's difficulties and hardships, what about the many cultivators of the Hundred Schools? For them, cultivation was like being a pure martial artist—a dead end. How could they be content?

"Isn't this a case of 'you, the Rite Sage, banishing all other schools and achieving the Dao alone'?"

The Supreme Sage murmured to himself, "I wonder how many people think this way."

Xiao Mo's face darkened. "If anyone dares to think that way, and if I, a Confucian scholar of the temple, knew about it, I would kill every one of them and be done with it."

The Supreme Sage burst out laughing. "That's why I say you swordsmen are born for the battlefield, but not for managing people and affairs."

If the Confucian Temple was the head of the Hao Ran World, then domestic trivialities, feathers and garlic skins, the back of the hand and the palm—all were difficult matters that tested a person.

Why were those "scholars" from ten thousand years ago so heroic in spirit, while scholars after ten thousand years were mostly sour and pedantic, with few pure Confucians? Even those learned and erudite Confucians seemed to lack a bit of heroic spirit? The Daoist scholars had many sages but few.

Although Chen Ping'an appeared calm, the Supreme Sage patted the young Hidden Official on the shoulder. "Our little Master has long been accustomed to it. If one day you can have a private talk with him and hear a single word of complaint from him, that would be your skill. Try it; you must try it. Because in ten thousand years, I have never heard half a word of grumbling from him."

Lü Yan smiled and asked, "Chen Ping'an, you wouldn't really trace that account back to the Supreme Sage and the Second Sage, would you?"

Chen Ping'an said helplessly, "Of course not. There's nothing wrong with my head. I believe in the original intention of the Second Sage."

"The future is unknowable. Even the Three Ancestors wouldn't dare say for certain how the future will be. They can only try their best to push the world in a good general direction. That's the first point."

Lü Yan took down the gourd dipper hanging from his waist, took a sip of wine, and said, "If one doesn't make a necessary break or cut, then it becomes a situation where everyone in the world is wrong, as if there is no person who is right and no thing that is right. That's the second point."

Lü Yan looked at Xiao Mo and Qingtong and asked with a smile, "Wouldn't many people get stuck on this point, feel aggrieved, and truly believe the fault lies with the Supreme Sage and the Second Sage, or at least that they should bear some blame?"

Xiao Mo hesitated for a moment. "There probably would be."

Qingtong said, "Many."

Lü Yan nodded. "The world is not that good."

Chen Ping'an said, "But the world is not that bad either."

Lü Yan stroked his beard and smiled. "That's why we need to cultivate the Dao."

The "cultivate the Dao" that the Pure Yang Daoist meant here was no longer limited to the cultivation of cultivators.

He was referring to something else—the world formed by the gathering of human hearts. There are those willing to pave roads and build bridges, to repair the paths.

The Supreme Sage laughed. "Chen Ping'an, now that you've realized it belatedly, do you still need to ask me that question?"

As the executor, or a key "chess piece," if Chen Ping'an gave up the choice to surround and kill Lu Chen, would his senior brother Cui Chan be disappointed?

Chen Ping'an nodded silently.

Although he had an answer in his heart, since the Supreme Sage was by his side, it was only a matter of a word to verify what he thought.

According to the Supreme Sage's reminder, as the junior disciple, Chen Ping'an had already, invisibly, helped the Rite Sage and the entire Hao Ran World eliminate part of the "heavenly calamity."

Even if the day of the two boats colliding came, because Tuoyue Mountain and Immortal Hairpin City were no longer there, Zhou Mi would have to take a slight detour to ascend. A deviation of one or two steps in his route might mean reducing casualties in the Hao Ran mortal world by tens of millions.

This meant that the Hao Ran World and the Confucian Temple in the Central Earth would have to acknowledge this debt.

At the same time, Cui Chan seemed to be telling a truth to the Dao Ancestor.

"Dao Ancestor, before you scatter your Dao, there's no need for any extra moves."

"Just take care of your affairs in heaven before you go. As for the worldly affairs after you're gone, just watch from the sidelines."

A young sword cultivator like Chen Ping'an, at his age of forty, still had the courage to challenge the White Jade Pavilion as a pure sword cultivator.

Let those juniors in the Dao Ancestor's eyes take up the sword in a fair fight, each relying on their own abilities, and live or die by their own means.

Thus weakening Zhou Mi's potential future "world" actions, preserving more of the Confucian Temple's foundation, and sharing the burden on the Rite Sage's shoulders, while reminding the Dao Ancestor not to protect the White Jade Pavilion too much, nor to deliberately target the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Three birds with one stone.

The Supreme Sage smiled. "What kind of person is Cui Chan? He surely knew long ago what choice you would make. Although this move may not align with his Embroidery Tiger's philosophy of practical achievement..."

"But you are not Cui Chan's student or disciple; you are his junior brother."

"So, isn't this a joint... sword challenge between the first disciple of the Literary Sage's lineage and the junior brother?"

Together with Qi Jingchun, they had fought the Barren Wilderness World and Zhou Mi of the literary sea, and now he was starting with you, Chen Ping'an, first scheming against Lu Chen, then targeting the White Jade Pavilion?

The Supreme Sage continued, "Don't forget, even leaving aside the final outcome, and putting aside what would happen if Zheng Juzhong and Wu Shuangjiang acted together, once you swordsmen chose to draw your swords, do you think whether the encirclement succeeded or not mattered at that time? Even if the encirclement and killing of Lu Chen failed, it would still have far-reaching consequences. Because the most crucial point is that you sword cultivators from the Sword Qi Great Wall, once you form a grudge with someone, have an exceptionally good memory."

Qi Tingji was a sword immortal who had carved words on the city wall. Ning Yao was the Lord of the Five Colors World. Lu Zhi had a promising great path. The Executioner Hao Su would definitely not go to the Green Curtain World.

For the future Green Curtain World, this meant external troubles on top of internal strife.

If that battle had occurred, Lu Zhi, who already had a poor impression of the Hao Ran World, would, when the door to the Five Colors World opened again, surely choose to go to Feisheng City and refine her lifebound sword "Big Dipper" there. The Executioner Hao Su would likely accompany her. After exacting vengeance on that Central Earth Flying Ascension cultivator, having avenged her great hatred, Hao Su, who felt somewhat guilty about her "Executioner" identity, would repay kindness with kindness and enmity with enmity. Moreover, for a sword cultivator like Hao Su, challenging the White Jade Pavilion was itself a considerable temptation.

The sword cultivators of Beiju Continent had once made the cross-continent journey to the Aiai Continent.

Thus, the sword cultivators of the Five Colors World could also make the cross-world journey to the Green Curtain World.

Before that, what would become of those Dao officers from the White Jade Pavilion who had already migrated to the Five Colors World?

And the layout of the White Jade Pavilion in the Five Colors World was almost one of Yu Dou's great paths.

This was not just Cui Chan scheming against the Green Curtain World. The future trend of the Five Colors World was also casually included by the Embroidery Tiger.

Thus, it should have been four birds with one stone.

But since Chen Ping'an chose to give up the encirclement of Lu Chen, it was only three birds with one stone.

Not necessarily.

The Supreme Sage smiled slightly. "Even if you didn't act according to the plan, at the same time, Cui Chan would make the Chen Ping'an of Mud Bottle Alley, who voluntarily gave up that choice, even more unable to let it go. In this lifetime of cultivation, before taking revenge, how could he, how would he dare, how could he slack off even for a moment?"

In a daze, Chen Ping'an seemed to have unlocked certain seals and just recalled some past events.

That time when they reunited on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The young Hidden Official, looking like a ghost, lay on the ground, watching the wind and snow in the night sky, and couldn't help complaining.

After their conversation, Chen Ping'an only remembered that he had drawn his narrow saber, cut the ground, and stood up. But it turned out that wasn't the case. Had his senior brother altered his memory? Or had he split the river of time into two, meeting two Cui Chans? In the end, had his senior brother sealed away the scene from one of the tributaries of the river of time using some secret method?

Because what Chen Ping'an now recalled was on the city wall. Senior Brother Cui Chan's expression was calm. He bent down, lowered his head, and extended a hand to pull him up.

Finally, Cui Chan sat on the wall, his fists loosely clenched, placed gently on his knees, staring into the distance.

Chen Ping'an sat beside him, turning his head to look at that... old Confucian scholar with white hair.

"One reminder: don't look at me with that kind of eyes."

"All the things I, Cui Chan, do—whether the world understands them or not is their business. It has nothing to do with me."

"The reason you are an exception, and I give you this extra reminder, is because you are Master's last disciple. So you must understand. Even if you don't understand today, you must pretend to understand."

Chen Ping'an said bitterly, "I thought you would say 'You must understand in the future too.'"

Cui Chan smiled slightly. "Future? What kind of future? Ten thousand years, a thousand years, a hundred years, ten years? Or the day after tomorrow? Tomorrow?"

Chen Ping'an couldn't give an answer. He didn't make promises about things he couldn't do, and he always kept the promises he made.

So Chen Ping'an just explained, "I was just curious. Was Senior Brother Cui as a young man like Cui Dongshan?"

Cui Chan shook his head, squinted, and smiled, speaking softly. "Youth... that's a very long time ago. I thought less than him back then, and I wasn't as... mischievous."

Chen Ping'an was silent for a long time, then asked softly, "Won't you go see Master?"

Cui Chan clenched his fists on his knees, saying nothing, giving no answer.

That seemed to be the answer.

Master was wrong first, but Master was still Master. That's why Cui Chan had addressed Chen Ping'an as "you are Master's last disciple."

It seemed to simultaneously answer another question from Chen Ping'an.

But if Master didn't come to see me, I won't go to see Master.

The world doesn't understand me—that has nothing to do with me, Cui Chan. But if Master doesn't understand me, the student has no complaints, but I have resentment in my heart.

In this moment, the old Confucian scholar seemed to be the young man of the past, sulking with his Master.

This was all Chen Ping'an could remember.

There must have been some more conversation, but he couldn't recall it.

"Are there things in heaven and earth better than hatred and anger to make a person grit their teeth and move forward?"

The Supreme Sage pointed to the canopy of heaven. "Ten thousand years ago, we walked up step by step like this."

Then, as the former first disciple of the Literary Sage, Cui Chan wanted Chen Ping'an of the Literary Sage's lineage not only to stop at challenging the White Jade Pavilion, but to walk the path of ascending to heaven once more.

A new person walking an old path is to bring forth the new from the old.

With me, Cui Chan, protecting the Dao, even if you know, don't try to stop me, or face the consequences.

The Supreme Sage smiled. "Pure Yang Fellow Daoist, would you be willing to have your Dao protected like this?"

Lü Yan shook his head and laughed. "No, no, no. If I had such a senior brother when I was young, my Dao heart would have been shattered several times over."

The Supreme Sage asked, "Regardless, Cui Chan didn't discuss a single word with you. Do you have any resentment?"

"Of course I do. But our reunions and partings were too hurried; it seems I forgot to mention it. However..."

Chen Ping'an stared blankly into space, paused for a moment, then said softly, "Always being placed with hope by others makes me feel less alone."