Chapter 1184: Wins and Losses

A vast expanse of water. Clouds rolled and unfurled with extreme speed, occasionally tearing open several holes in the sea of clouds, creating a colossal white sieve. Golden sunlight streamed through this sieve, casting pillars of light upon the sea surface, stirring up countless golden dust motes. Amidst this, muffled thunder rumbled. Such astonishing celestial phenomena caused everyone on the several island immortal abodes thousands of miles away to feel their Dao hearts stagnate, their breathing constricted, and their moods naturally extremely irritable. Unable to continue their cultivation lessons, they all retreated from their training grounds and went to places on the islands with broad vistas, wanting to see what strange occurrences were happening. Unfortunately, the distance was too great, and the Dao power of the several patriarchs was insufficient to offer one or two reliable conjectures.

It was like a common marketplace in the first lunar month, where a neighbor suddenly set off firecrackers in the middle of the night. The crucial point was that they didn't finish them all at once. They set off a few strings, stopped, and then set off a few more. This was too irritating, were they determined to disturb someone's peaceful sleep?

Initially, the cultivators mistakenly believed it was an ancient turtle-dragon that had gained sentience, flipping over and sinking several islands, or perhaps a passing sea-serpent about to undergo tribulation, performing a shedding of skin and ascending to a new realm, causing these disturbances by rubbing its massive body against island cliffs and colliding with underwater mountain ranges.

Later, they discovered that the dazzling spectacle in that distant water area was more likely the result of a large group of peak cultivators unleashing their divine abilities and engaging in a massive battle, capable of collectively creating such an unrecorded and unprecedented legendary scene.

Just as speculations abounded, the expressions of those old patriarchs changed. They immediately ordered their disciples to remain silent and offered a distant incantation of respect to a passing "Green Sea Tide Peak" that sped past like the wind. On that tide peak, armor and weapons reflected the sunlight, glinting brightly.

The masters of the several island sects all lowered their gazes respectfully and declared loudly that their respective sects welcomed the passage of the East Sea Water Mansion's Forbidden Guards.

Times were different now. The vast water regions of the Four Seas, once ungoverned, now each had a nominal master.

In the East Sea, it was the true dragon Wang Zhu, who was canonized by the Confucian Temple and served as the Water Sovereign. Her divine position was exalted, and her power was immense.

She became the ruler of this boundless sea region. Fortunately, this East Sea Water Sovereign seemed close to the Daoists. In governing the cultivators in her jurisdiction, she advocated for effortless governance and treated everyone equally. After taking office, there were no signs of her building mansions or amassing wealth. Instead, she established a relaxed rule of once-every-thirty-year tributes and audiences with the various underwater water immortal Daoist abodes and island sects. As for the type, quantity, and total value of the tribute, the Water Mansion officials gave no hints, only saying it was "as you please."

Upon hearing that they could pay tribute "as they please," the immortal abodes felt uneasy. If they were truly casual, would the Water Mansion then teach them the meaning of "taking it to heart"?

It was an eye-opener. The young men and women on the islands were radiant. Their years of cultivation, day after day, year after year, were truly lonely and monotonous. Whether it was the strange phenomenon in the distant sea area or the colorful, armor-clad, and weapon-wielding spectacle on the tide peak, who wouldn't love to watch?

It turned out that a crack force from the East Sea Water Mansion was heading towards that water area with great fanfare and a formidable display of power. A divine general several feet tall held a talisman and was ordered to mobilize the water veins, controlling the green waves to form a tide peak, like a general's reviewing stand or a training ground. Carriages were piled upon it, and banners fluttered. Hundreds of elite water-dwelling soldiers in armor stood ready. A martial general blew a conch shell, and Yellow-Turbaned Strongmen beat drums as they marched.

They wondered what kind of deities dared to stir up trouble in their jurisdiction and create such a large commotion. For both public and private reasons, they had to go there and investigate. Such audacity surely called for their apprehension and bringing to justice, to let the Hao Ran land know the rules of the East Sea Water Sovereign's Mansion. Not just anyone could run wild here.

In the center was a resplendent and extremely spacious carriage, its sides draped with emerald green gauze screens. Inside, a beautiful woman in a brocade robe sat cross-legged, holding an ancient bronze mirror, dressing her hair.

An incense burner with a long history, resembling three mountains, was placed on a table in front of her, emitting swirling smoke. Upon closer inspection, a grand cultivator would marvel at the profound mystery of this "water incense," which could display different scenes of various water regions.

By the beautiful woman's hand was a box filled with shimmering emerald green beads. These were the "incense materials" formed by the condensation of local water veins and offered as tribute to the Water Mansion. By picking up a single water bead and throwing it into the incense burner to burn, the scene of that place would appear.

The incense burner was an ancient artifact, and the method of burning water incense was also an ancient, long-lost technique.

On either side knelt a row of palace maids of outstanding appearance. All of them were drowned fishermen's daughters or female cultivators who had died unjustly at sea.

As soon as she arrived at the East Sea Water Mansion, the first decree she sought from the Water Sovereign was to conduct a grand selection of "beauties" from all sects and schools, allowing them to freely leave their former affiliations and serve in the Water Mansion, providing them with a livelihood. If they had a beloved betrothed but were prevented from being together, or if someone interfered and ruined their marriage, she would preside over the matter. Thus, in the recent period within the East Sea Water Mansion's jurisdiction, there had been a constant stream of weddings, filled with joy.

She was probably one of the only two people in the Water Mansion who knew the truth, but she didn't reveal it, allowing her generals and soldiers to go there and show off their power.

This beautiful woman was none other than the golden carp who had escaped from the Central Earth Grand Shu Dynasty and returned to the East Sea.

She followed Wang Zhu to the Water Mansion. The first thing she did was quietly travel the Four Seas, recruiting soldiers and horses everywhere, and gathering her old subordinates. Unfortunately, most of the Daoist lineages were either in decline or hidden. Only two familiar faces remained among the disciples and grand-disciples of her old friends. In the blink of an eye, three thousand years had passed, and the former power of the East Sea water race had withered to this extent, making her deeply melancholic. However, she had at least added some manpower for Princess Wang Zhu.

There was a "retinue" with ambition undimmed by time, who tentatively used his spiritual sense to ask the golden carp, "Master Jin, are we planning to accumulate provisions and delay claiming the throne, just waiting until our forces are strong and the time is right, then uniting our will to attack the land and break through the Confucian Temple?"

This great general of the Water Mansion, who was guarding the carriage and stepped on a mystical cloud head praised by immortals as "Douluo Cotton," was a rugged-looking, burly cultivator with a full beard, sleeves patterned with python scales, white armor, and colorful robes. He had one hand on his sword and his eyes glinted with golden light.

The golden carp was surprised and said, "Three thousand years haven't been seen, and I didn't expect the reckless Daoist who only knew how to roar and charge into battle back then has learned military strategy and become a master?"

Upon receiving Master Jin's praise, the martial general looked quite pleased and laughed heartily, "Not at all, Master Jin overpraises. Your subordinate is just slightly versed in military strategy, and is not worthy of the title of master yet."

The golden carp's tone was playful, "Luo Xiu, do you know the identities of those two rule-breaking individuals?"

The reckless Daoist shook his head, "Reporting to Master Jin, how would your subordinate know these flowery fists and embroidered legs? I'm not afraid of Master Jin laughing, but in recent years, I've been severely ostracized by the fat aunt from the neighboring Green Water Pit and haven't been able to get ahead no matter what. I could only hide in my cave dwelling with a few disciples, acting like a coward."

"According to three consecutive intelligence reports, the ones fighting over there seem to be two martial artists with considerable fist and kick skills. The patrol officials and soldiers actually didn't dare to get too close, giving a bunch of excuses, like the fist intent being as thick as mercury. Master Jin, listen, is that human talk? They are all good-for-nothings who don't put in any effort. I will definitely sort them out later."

"By the way, Master Jin, it seems our Water Sovereign just made a trip to the border area of the Bottle Continent coast and snatched a very powerful treasure from an unidentified skeleton Daoist?"

The golden carp stretched, yawned, and lightly hummed in agreement.

She didn't elaborate on the truth to this notoriously reckless man, lest his big mouth spread it everywhere.

He was temporarily in charge of the East Sea Water Mansion's patrol department. In addition, he led a separate elite forbidden guard responsible for the security of the Water Mansion's important areas. Leaving aside intelligence, just speaking of loyalty, ordinary officials would speak of it or write it in essays, but the reckless Daoist had it truly engraved on his Dao heart.

As this green water tide peak got closer to the battlefield, it was still about seven to eight hundred miles away, but they could already feel gusts of wind carrying astonishingly pure fist intent. The large banner pole bent and creaked. The faces of the generals and soldiers standing at the front of the tide peak felt like being scraped by a knife. The armor of several water-dwelling martial generals, who looked like captains, even sparked.

The reckless Daoist was deeply shocked. He raised his hand to shield his eyebrows and gazed intently into the distance. Upon closer inspection, he was greatly startled. How could the scene, which should have been crystal clear, be so blurry?

The reckless Daoist no longer dared to be careless. He immediately coordinated with a Natal Water Dao Art, reached out and took some splashing seawater into his palm, and then performed the divine ability of "Gazing at Mountains and Rivers in the Palm." Only then did he manage to see a little more clearly this training ground that occupied a thousand miles and was still moving. He saw that the two martial artists fighting fiercely inside, one in green and one in white, looked quite young. When did such invincible martial artists appear in a small Bottle Continent? After some thought, among the four grandmasters of the Bottle Continent's martial arts rankings, Duke Huai Song Changjing had gone to the Barbarian Desolation battlefield, Pei Qian and Zhou Haijing were women, and Yu Hong was an old man...

And that famous young Hidden Official, didn't they all say he liked to wear a bright red Dharma robe year-round on a section of the Sword Qi Great Wall?

The golden carp picked up a long coral as red as blood, leaned forward, lightly lifted the green gauze screen, and said indifferently, "Stop the carriage."

The tide peak immediately stopped. The reckless Daoist was already standing in front of the carriage, gripping the hilt of his sword. His expression became serious. "Master Jin, those two look like exceptionally powerful and arrogant martial artists. If Master Jin wants to capture them, your subordinate fears it will be a great disappointment and boldly advise Master Jin that we can only outsmart them, not defeat them by force."

The golden carp exclaimed in surprise, "The reckless Daoist has become so cautious?"

This reckless Daoist was a massive swamp python from the ancient Shu Kingdom who entered the sea through a water channel, with a great Dao foundation.

Back then, he followed her in an attempt to attack the Central Earth Divine Continent. The reckless Daoist Luo Xiu was at the peak of the Jade Pure Realm. Three thousand years had passed, and he had only just managed to reach the Immortal Realm. The Daoist abode he built at the bottom of the sea was the ruins of an ancient True Person's alchemical creation of Water Pills, with the plaque "Flying Immortal View." The cave dwelling was winding and deep, easy to defend and difficult to attack. As for the cunning of this reckless Daoist, there was none.

After watching the commotion over there for a moment from a distance, the reckless Daoist felt uneasy and said with an awkward expression, "Master Jin, looking at their strength, they are truly overwhelmingly powerful and invincible. Your subordinate estimates that even outsmarting them will not work."

The golden carp extended a finger as white as jade and scratched her forehead. The reckless Daoist had such a temper, it was hard to scold him for anything.

This simpleton had used the "avoidance technique" for three thousand years. He neither sought power and influence nor colluded with the Green Water Pit. He was also unwilling to establish a sect and occupy a territory. He just took in over a dozen close disciples, and the master and disciples patiently hid within the Water Mansion, staying out of worldly affairs and focusing on cultivating their spiritual energy and achieving truth.

Evidently, he had misunderstood. The reckless Daoist hardened his heart and said with a solemn expression, "If Master Jin has the intention to recruit them, your subordinate is also willing to take the lead and meet them."

As long as Master Jin returned to the East Sea, these old guys would have a backbone.

Water Sovereign Wang Zhu was, of course, of unparalleled noble status, but what could this reckless Daoist covet from her?

Master Jin was good in countless ways, but one good point was the best: she never tricked or plotted against them in the slightest. Recalling those years, whenever they returned from a great victory, at the celebration banquet, any benefits gained were shared among everyone. Master Jin would at most pick some of the leftovers, just for show. She would always raise a wine bowl and invite everyone to drink it to the fullest.

Don't talk to me about empty principles, about Water Sovereign or not Water Sovereign, true dragon or not true dragon. This life, I only recognize Master Jin!

The golden carp's Dao power was naturally the highest, and she saw the training session relatively most clearly. She absently replied to the reckless Daoist, "Never mind, if you charge over, you'll just be sending your head as a gift."

The reckless Daoist looked chagrined.

The golden carp was silent for a long time.

The tide peak had already deployed layers of formations, like a central pillar, forcibly separating the surging tides on both sides. Surrounding it, waves and billows surged. Everyone standing on the tide peak and following the reckless Daoist was naturally skilled in water techniques. Seeing such a dangerous scene, they also worried about being "drowned." The contents of the patrol department's reports were not false. It was indeed difficult to get close, and it had nothing to do with being brave or timid.

The reckless Daoist said softly, "Your subordinate only wants to follow Master Jin, drink from large bowls and eat large pieces of meat."

The golden carp self-deprecatingly said, "I've disappointed you."

The reckless Daoist was lost in thought, suddenly becoming sad and choked up, "What tribulation did Master Jin suffer to be so down and out? Now, even wine and meat cannot be afforded?"

Could it be, as the military texts say, that Master Jin's merits were so high that they overshadowed the ruler, and she was suspected by the Water Sovereign?

The golden carp rubbed her forehead.

The reckless Daoist raised his voice and said, "Come to my place, come to my place! Your subordinate will empty the Water Mansion today and move the children to another place to establish a Daoist abode. The Water Mansion will be given to Master Jin. Don't despise it and make Master Jin suffer."

Nearby, the reckless Daoist's several close disciples who had also been promoted were as simple-minded as their master. They simply felt an additional sense of honor. Only the only third-generation disciple of Flying Immortal View, a young Golden Core with a short Daoist age, had different thoughts. The golden carp looked at her a few more times, seeing if she could be well cultivated and if the reckless Daoist's lineage could be greatly promoted.

The divine female officials and officials of the various departments of the East Sea Water Mansion inside and outside the carriages looked at each other, each with their own thoughts and subtle expressions.

This was because, according to previous Water Mansion intelligence reports, the reckless Daoist who occupied the ruins of Flying Immortal View was a stubborn and gloomy character who only relied on his seniority and formidable water techniques. His actions were extremely arrogant, and he had repeatedly refused to meet with Water Mansion envoys, even if they held the jade slips of a high-ranking Water Mansion official. He simply claimed to be in seclusion and not receiving visitors.

Among Wang Zhu's several trusted retainers, the Jade Daoist Huang Man was also an Immortal. Although he would certainly be at a disadvantage fighting the reckless Daoist in the water, just as Cui Dongshan said, Huang Man had many tricks up his sleeve and was not afraid of the reckless Daoist having the geographical advantage. Moreover, there was Xi Man, a ninth-realm martial artist, holding down the fort, so Huang Man had the idea of capturing the reckless Daoist and sweeping through Flying Immortal View.

However, Water Sovereign Wang Zhu didn't care about these matters and didn't order the two of them to lead tens of thousands of water-dwelling soldiers to "knock on the door."

At this moment, more anomalies occurred.

The white-clothed young man was punched by the bare-chested man and smashed towards the tide peak. His body was like a mangonel bolt hitting the green wave.

The white-clothed young man, with his back pressed against the "cliff," lightly tapped the tide peak with his elbow and returned to the battlefield on the wind. He didn't forget to turn his head and apologize to the reckless Daoist and the others, "Offense."

The reckless Daoist nodded in greeting to the back of the white-clothed young man, not lacking in courtesy, and politely said, "No matter."

He was just poorly informed and too lazy to bother with the disputes outside the Daoist abode, but he wasn't a fool. He had already recognized the identity of this young grandmaster, Cao Ci, who had never lost a fist fight.

The reckless Daoist thought again, his Dao heart shaken. Could the person who was sparring with Cao Ci, regardless of the outcome of this sparring match, the barefoot man whose appearance and demeanor were far inferior to Cao Ci, be that...

The reckless Daoist felt increasingly uneasy the more he thought about it, and his heart was filled with indignation. Although he and his disciples no longer concerned themselves with worldly affairs, he was still a Daoist immortal occupying an ancient immortal trace. Coupled with the fact that Mrs. Dan Dan from the Green Water Pit had rolled onto the land and the appearance of Ruxu channels and the grandeur of water gods escorting cargo, he had heard more or less about some mountain and water stories. For example, those ferry managers and ship owners who had been to the Spring Banner斋 at Reversed Mountain in the past years, each of them spoke mysteriously. Didn't they all say that the last Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall was radiant and handsome, with a countenance as bright as the clear moon, often quick-witted, and full of wit and humor? He was indeed a rare handsome man in the human world, with an otherworldly appearance, almost like someone from an immortal painting?

How black-hearted must one be to utter such shameless nonsense?! As expected, the cultivators on the shore were all dogs who spoke with their eyes wide open.

The golden carp handed the slender coral branch to a crane-cloaked maid to roll up the curtain. She simply indulged her eyes, Tsk, she was a little covetous of his body.

She was amazed. Cao Ci was indeed invincible in his fist techniques.

Only to see Chen Ping'an grabbed by the ankle by Cao Ci, swung around, and in turn, thrown heavily towards the green wave tide peak.

His body shot towards the carriage like a mangonel bolt, carrying formidable and unmatched fist intent, so much so that he needed to circulate his true qi and slow down several times in mid-air to avoid directly shattering the tide peak.

With his back to the carriage, the reckless Daoist, and the others, he landed on the tide peak, his body staggering. The barefoot man continuously retreated and slid through the gaps in the ranks of the armored soldiers, like a fish weaving through water. Even though this person had restrained his fist intent to the extreme, the iron armor of the Water Mansion elites still clanged.

And those Water Mansion generals and soldiers in heavy armor were like they had been subjected to a stillness technique. They were all immobile, their spiritual energy frozen as if frozen, making it difficult to even speak.

This fellow retreated until he was near the carriage before finally stopping.

Even the reckless Daoist, who was as high as the Immortal Realm, remained motionless, maintaining the posture of tucking one hand into his sleeve to perform an incantation and resting the other hand on his sword, not daring to make any rash moves for fear of being misunderstood as challenging to a fist fight or a sword fight.

All the female officials of the Water Mansion turned pale, except for the golden carp inside the carriage who was not at all surprised, but merely covered her mouth and laughed娇笑不止, her eyes like silk, "General Chen, what a coincidence, we meet again. Why are you causing such a commotion? Are you perhaps afraid that I won't hear it and won't immediately rush over here to serve you diligently?"

Chen Ping'an just looked straight ahead. He and Cao Ci in the distance had just exchanged a pure breath of true qi. He smiled, "It is indeed a coincidence. A single duckweed returns to the great sea. Where in life do we not meet?"

The wrist of the maid in the carriage who was holding the coral branch to roll up the curtain, as white as mutton fat jade, trembled slightly, and the green gauze curtain fluttered accordingly.

The reckless Daoist looked at the back of the strong man, feeling relieved. Thankfully, this Hidden Official was an old acquaintance of Master Jin.

If one's Dao power was sufficiently profound, they would be able to keenly detect faint marks behind the man, like countless carved inscriptions on a cliff.

This strange scene made this reckless Daoist, who had also seen great storms, incredibly shocked in his Dao heart.

The ancient and vast auras crisscrossing the man's body seemed to have been suppressed, subdued, and overcome by his strength alone.

Manly!

Recalling those chaotic and hard-to-distinguish rumors and stories, the reckless Daoist immediately changed sides. Cao Ci's martial arts were invincible, but they would only make the reckless Daoist keep a respectful distance. This fellow, however, was more to his liking, and he wanted to invite him for a face-to-face drink of fine wine.

This person was like the Great Ancestor of Mount Tuo Yue, a true ancestor of ten thousand demons, possessing pure divinity, seated on a throne, looking down at the ants of the Barbarian Desolation.

Like a wild beast emerging from the infinite mist, its body immense, half-god and half-human, shaking the earth, step by step, it walked from ten thousand years ago to ten thousand years later.

Chen Ping'an was about to move, but the reckless Daoist mustered his courage and quickly introduced himself, "Hidden Official, my name is Luo Xiu, Daoist name reckless Daoist, a pleasure to meet you."

Chen Ping'an turned his head and glanced at him, nodding, "A pleasure to meet you."

He then lifted his gaze slightly, looking towards the golden carp in the carriage. Chen Ping'an smiled and reminded, "The difference between a curtain's width and a hair's breadth is just one word. Fellow Daoist Jinli, take care."

The maid on the carriage who was rolling up the curtain was so scared that she let go. The golden carp reached out and caught the coral branch, smiling sweetly, "Understood."

Recruiting soldiers and horses to enrich the foundation of the East Sea Water Mansion. The same thing could be loyal assistance to Water Sovereign Wang Zhu, vying for the top position among the Four Sea Water Mansions, or it could be the golden carp's selfish motives, plotting rebellion.

Even the Cave Master of Bixiao had appeared in Hao Ran, so the golden carp knew that the general trend was gone, and she could no longer instigate Princess Wang Zhu to plot further.

The golden carp knew well that the presence of the Cave Master of Bixiao was not to help the Hidden Official Chen and the National Master Chen, or to settle old scores with the skeleton Daoist.

Rather, the old Daoist personally verified something: the Hao Ran world, which had suffered greatly from war, had entered an era of peace and prosperity from a chaotic era.

Since the time, location, and circumstances were all favorable, why should she hope to reverse the general trend with her own strength? It was better to take a step back and use the rules of Hao Ran and the rules of the Confucian Temple, with the help of Princess Wang Zhu, to legitimately seek a proper welfare for all flood dragon descendants and countless water-dwelling beings in the world.

With a shift in her Dao heart, the world was like a new world. The golden carp joked, "Reckless Daoist, if we raise the banner of rebellion and attack the land again in the future, and the Hidden Official stands on the shore, blocking the path of us rebels, will you still dare to charge into battle?"

The reckless Daoist had two heads aching. He turned and looked at the carriage, his eyes filled with doubt. Shouldn't such a life-threatening question be asked in private? For what reason did Master Jin want him to die on the spot?

The Hidden Official's fist and foot skills might not be able to defeat Cao Ci, but killing a reckless Daoist was as easy as lifting a hand, wasn't it?

Chen Ping'an had thought that the reckless Daoist was a cunning person similar to the fat man Yu Jin, with deep scheming and cautious steps, a chaotic hero who was extremely patient and took advantage of opportunities to rise. Now, he realized he had misunderstood. This fellow was genuinely reckless.

The golden carp reaffirmed the reckless Daoist's will and laughed, "There's no need to rebel. You and I will each do our best to assist the Water Sovereign and strive for peace in the East Sea jurisdiction."

Chen Ping'an said, "Please withdraw five hundred miles."

The reckless Daoist glanced at Master Jin, received her unspoken instruction, and immediately raised his arm, "Generals, listen to my order! Immediately withdraw six hundred miles, then sound the drums to call back the troops and return to the mansion."

The golden carp was overjoyed. Oh, he really knew military strategy.

Chen Ping'an tapped his toe, leaped out of the tide peak, and with a wave of his hand, smiled, "Temporarily borrowing your precious swords for a while."

There was no need for the reckless Daoist's subordinates to use water techniques to control the green waves. This general-reviewing stand moved backward on its own for over five hundred miles.

Fifty to sixty long swords clanged out of their scabbards, like flying swords in the sky, their tips following his figure towards Cao Ci.

Chen Ping'an casually grasped a long sword in his hand. It happened to be the reckless Daoist's inscribed "Shang Xiao" sword.

Having entered the Eleventh Realm, many martial artists' "standard practices" became outdated. Chen Ping'an understood why Jiang She used that spear.

Barehanded, he was naturally far superior to a Martial Limit, but if he used one or two handy weapons, it turned out to be even more useful.

He also incidentally understood "Master Lin" from the Qing Ming Heaven. Why he clearly had a sword but didn't use it. It turned out he was waiting to enter the Eleventh Realm.

On Cao Ci's side, seeing Chen Ping'an use sword techniques, he also looked around, reached into the depths of the nearby seabed, and casually grabbed a rusted ancient spear. He wiped away the rust with his hand, and then gently flicked his wrist. Fist intent flowed like water waves on the spear, and it instantly became as bright as new.

Chen Ping'an held the long sword and charged forward on the wind. A Water Mansion standard long sword beside him, of ordinary quality, was merely a mountain spirit weapon. It suddenly disappeared, leaving a sharp sword light, and a piercing roar immediately shook the sea.

The sword light was like a dragon leaping through waves, directly charging towards Cao Ci. The flying sword was extremely fast, approaching the white-clothed spear in an instant, just like a Jianghu martial artist's direct throw.

Vaguely visible, the flying sword was shattered by a flick of the spear, and a slightly delayed string of thunder rumbled in the high sky. The thick sea of clouds was torn open again, and more golden light spilled onto the sea surface.

Subsequently, one after another "flying swords," guided by fist intent, turned into a line of sword light and went straight forward.

It was a martial artist's technique, yet it had the wonderful divine meaning of "flying sword flying a thousand miles to take a head."

The reckless Daoist was shocked and said, "Master Jin, what kind of technique is this Hidden Official using? Is it still within the scope of martial arts? Or is it... cheating after getting mad, using Sword Immortal techniques?"

He was not a sword cultivator, and his sword was merely for decoration. Otherwise, if someone casually took his sword, wouldn't he fight to the death? At the very least, he should curse a few times and mutter to himself.

The golden carp's understanding was clearly more profound. She said, "It's purely a martial artist's technique, without using any spells or divine abilities."

The reckless Daoist became even more curious and asked, "Master Jin, how does this move of the Hidden Official's compare to the full power of a sword cultivator of what realm? Immortal? It can't be Ascension, can it?"

The golden carp smiled lazily and said, "Hard to say. I'm also curious. Why don't you go and take a flying sword with your physical body, then you'll know who is stronger or weaker."

The reckless Daoist smiled awkwardly, "Not necessary, truly not necessary. Anyway, Master Jin is his friend, so I'll ask him later when I get the chance."

Hearing "friend" made her uncomfortable. The golden carp said irritably, "Friend? What kind of friend? Would I have that deadly question and answer with this National Master Chen? If I answered incorrectly, do you think he would board the carriage and casually take my head? At this point, you should be holding my head and crying loudly."

The golden carp placed the coral branch, which served as a curtain rod, on the table and lowered the green gauze curtain again.

The reckless Daoist said softly, "The head on my shoulder will roll to the ground even sooner than Master Jin's."

The golden carp was so amused that she laughed and said, "Thank you for your auspicious words."

The reckless Daoist quickly waved his hand, "Master Jin, it's a good time, a crucial moment for Dao hearts to be invigorated and to show our skills. Let's not say anything unlucky."

Hidden Official, Mr. Chen, Sword Immortal Chen, National Master Chen... Different titles probably meant different mindsets.

For example, sword cultivators from Northern Reed Continent who had been to the Sword Qi Great Wall and those who unfortunately hadn't, would both call him Hidden Official when facing Chen Ping'an.

Furthermore, native demon races from the Hao Ran world also habitually called him Hidden Official, didn't they? As for the Barbarian Desolation, there's probably no doubt that the most famous person now is not even the co-ruler of the world, Fei Ran, nor those new and old demon kings, but this "gatekeeping" last Hidden Official.

Thinking about it, just meeting that Hidden Official once, the reckless Daoist felt like he had survived a catastrophe and was full of emotion, "Can a martial artist who walked a dead end road also be so profound and divine?"

The golden carp smiled and said, "Otherwise, what did you think?"

The reckless Daoist re-controlled the Douluo Cotton cloud and stood respectfully beside the carriage. As for the sword, he would consider it a gift. What borrowing? Facing Cao Ci, even a semi-immortal weapon like "Shang Xiao," no matter how refined and tough, would probably not escape the fate of breaking and shattering. Oh well, it's just external possessions. Moreover, when this sparring match becomes known throughout the world in the future, at banquets, he can also ask his new and old friends, "Did you know who the Hidden Official borrowed the sword from back then?"

Thinking of this, the reckless Daoist couldn't help but chuckle and patted the empty scabbard at his waist with his palm, saying, "You weren't disgraced."

On the other side of the carriage, there were also a pair of young people like a perfect match, accompanying the journey.

The golden carp said, "Yuguo, Qingqiu, you two master and disciple come to the carriage for a chat."

The "young man" with a snake-like hairdo, named Yuguo, was actually six hundred years old in terms of Daoist age. He was the reckless Daoist's youngest disciple. He had more than a dozen senior brothers and sisters before him, but he was the only one who took a disciple, to whom he bestowed the Daoist name "Qingqiu," making her the reckless Daoist's only grand-disciple.

What a handsome young man on the Green Sea Water Road, with fair skin. A graceful young gentleman, more beautiful than a fifteen-year-old girl.

The reckless Daoist had always been proud of this young disciple. With Yuguo's appearance and skin, would he ever lack a Dao companion? He would only be spoilt for choice!

And that grand-disciple also dressed as a man. When out and about, she could always win a few compliments like "Precious sword, pearl robe, beautiful young man."

The reckless Daoist immediately instructed them, "You are fortunate enough to board the carriage and speak to Master Jin face-to-face. Don't lose composure, and remember to speak properly."

The master and disciple took the order, sat respectfully and attentively opposite the legendary Master Jin across the table.

The golden carp smiled and said, "Yuguo, Qingqiu, tell me, why did National Master Chen borrow those long swords that are actually redundant?"

Yuguo thought seriously for a moment and replied, "National Master Chen is a Great Sword Immortal and his martial arts are divine. He can integrate sword Dao and martial Dao, giving him an extra chance of winning against Cao Ci."

The girl with the Daoist name Qingqiu lowered her eyes and said softly, "Master Jin, my master and I have the same view."

The golden carp smiled and said, "Qingqiu, there are no outsiders here, speak your true thoughts. Don't treat me as a fool like your grand-master and master."

The girl knelt on the ground, her hands clasped on her knees. She lowered her head even more, her expression fearful, and said with a trembling voice, "Dare not deceive the wise Master Jin. Those are the honest thoughts of your slave."

The golden carp raised one hand and gently waved the smoke from the incense burner towards the master and disciple, saying with a smile, "Little girl is not honest. If you continue to prevaricate and try to get away with it, be careful, I will make your master use the family rules and dissect your chest to see your 'true heart'."

"Lift your head, I'll give you one more chance."

"If you miss it, you'll have to be reborn in your next life to see us again."

The girl slowly raised her head, her eyes clear and bright, without any fear. She no longer hid her abilities and said, "Cultivators on the shore always like to say that people group together and things gather by kind. National Master Chen doesn't trust Master Jin, who returned to the East Sea, nor does he trust my grand-master. That's why he did it casually, intending to see the cultivation path of the reckless Daoist."

The golden carp nodded with a smile and said, "Continue."

The girl said, "Since the reckless Daoist has returned this time and is following Master Jin again, openly wearing a sword, let's first see if the reckless Daoist is a hidden Immortal Realm sword cultivator. If he is a sword cultivator, it means that in the life-and-death battle on the shore three thousand years ago, the reckless Daoist who charged at the forefront was not honest. National Master Chen is reminding Master Jin to be careful of his so-called confidantes."

"Assuming that Grand-master is truly a hidden sword cultivator, and National Master Chen forcefully borrows his sword, Grand-master would have two states of mind. If he is completely indifferent, then he is not a pure sword cultivator who cherishes his sword as much as his life. If he cares but pretends to be indifferent on his face, he is even more insidious. Regardless of the state of mind, I believe that when National Master Chen 'returns the sword,' it will be the time for the reckless Daoist of the East Sea to meet his end."

"At that time, Master Jin will also not gain anything and will definitely have old scores settled. It's even possible that the entire East Sea Water Mansion will be implicated. As for me, my master, and my senior brothers, none of us will be able to escape. We will all be thoroughly inspected by people sent by National Master Chen, our memories searched, our authenticity verified, and it will be confirmed whether we colluded with the Barbarian Desolation demons in the early years."

The golden carp's smile seemed amiable, and her tone was gentle, "Careful thoughts. This lineage from the old site of Flying Immortal View has finally produced a talent."

The reckless Daoist outside the carriage was stunned and speechless. My grand-disciple, so clever?

The reckless Daoist was overjoyed and complacent. Wasn't this like having his ancestral grave smoke and finding a treasure?! However, the reckless Daoist thought again. He couldn't say it was his ancestral grave, as his own ancestor was still alive.

The reckless Daoist's mood at this moment was like a common family on the shore, who had farmed for generations, finally having a studious seed with hope of passing the imperial examinations.

Inside the carriage, sitting beside his disciple, the Nascent Soul Realm "young man" Yuguo, who had been a master and taught the Dao for many years, frowned and was in a melancholy mood.

The girl clenched her fists and placed them on her knees, looking directly at Master Jin, "Grand-master and the others always say that Master Jin is a world-class hero, sincere to others, and not bothered by trifles. However, I think Master Jin is as meticulous as a hair and his calculations are flawless."

Yuguo whispered, "Qingqiu, that's enough. Don't make a fuss about something Master Jin hasn't asked."

His direct disciple, in addition to the Daoist name Qingqiu, was also given a surname, Lu, by her master. So the girl's name was Lu Qingqiu.

The meaning was simple. The two generations above her, firstly, the Grand-master reckless Daoist came from a great marsh on the land. Secondly, they all hoped that she would be able to reach the land in the future and bring the ancient Daoist lineage of Flying Immortal View, which had been submerged at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years, back to light and flourish, thus repaying the great kindness of the unknown ancient immortal who "left a Daoist abode as a gift to those destined in later generations."

The girl insisted on her opinion, pretending not to understand her master's kind reminder. She continued, "Master Jin and that Hidden Official are the same kind of people. I can also be considered somewhat related to Master Jin, so we all don't trust human hearts."

"In the Flying Immortal View lineage at the bottom of the sea, Grand-master is an ancient True Person with a childlike heart, which is why he was able to enter that Daoist temple with heavy restrictions."

My master and senior brothers are all honest seekers of the Dao, so they are unwilling to get involved in external conflicts and killings. They always feel that human hearts are not what they used to be and just go with the flow, which is not the duty of a Daoist. As for me, this third-generation disciple, I am more clever than wise, one generation worse than the last."

Speaking of this, the girl's eyes were resolute, "I'm not afraid either. Lu Qingqiu has a clear conscience. If Flying Immortal View wants to gain a foothold on the land in the future, it cannot rely solely on sincerity. The cultivators on the shore are cunning and ever-changing. I am absolutely unwilling to see Grand-master and Master constantly hit walls, be at a loss, feel frustrated, and return to the sea disheartened."

The reckless Daoist looked ashamed. His own foresight as a grand-master was not as good as a grand-disciple's.

Yuguo thought for a moment and said, "Master Jin, Qingqiu is loose-mouthed. Please don't blame her. If you must blame someone, blame me for being irresponsible as a teacher."

The golden carp ignored him and just asked curiously, "How is it?"

Near the carriage, a warm voice sounded, "Good."

The reckless Daoist was greatly alarmed. Where was the Hidden Official hiding? Wasn't he fighting Cao Ci? The commotion on the distant sea was clear evidence.

How could the girl have anticipated such a thing? Her face instantly flushed red.

Then the voice, like continuous water veins, gently lingered around the carriage, leaving a message of high expectations.

"In the future, when the recorded cultivators of the Flying Immortal View lineage reach the land and wish to bring glory to their sect and revitalize their Daoist abode, they should go to the National Master's Mansion in the Grand Li Kingdom of Bottle Continent and find the National Master."

The golden carp stood up, smiling brightly, and gave a deep bow, "On behalf of the three generations of Daoist seekers of the Flying Immortal View lineage, I thank Mr. Chen for your kindness."

Do not just wish for the strong to constantly mend human hearts, making them like dragging an empty boat called "the human world," pulling the world upward together.

Occasionally, they must also actively offer sincere goodwill with a pure and indomitable Dao heart, echoing it with mountains and waters. The strong follow the strong, protecting the weak, and ascend together!

Outside the main hall of the East Sea Water Mansion, Wang Zhu, dressed in a dragon robe ceremonial gown, stood on the top step, holding an inkstone.

She used the inkstone refined from Jizushan stone to hold a drop of sweet dew, and snatched the purple Dharma robe from the skeleton Daoist. The weak spirits of countless ancient flood dragon descendants found a place to rest. Wang Zhu returned to the Water Mansion and did not hesitate to dismantle the Immortal Realm Dharma robe, directly releasing them to find their own way and future. They could attach a true spirit to a water-dwelling creature in the sea and re-cultivate after opening their orifices and taking form, or they could choose to stay in the East Sea Water Mansion. Wang Zhu would help them find a talisman Dharma body to temporarily reside in. If they no longer longed for the human world, they could drift with the water, lighting a lamp in the river of time for future generations, like countless lotus lamps.

Below the imperial steps, over a dozen Water Mansion goddesses were responsible for recording. Those who chose to stay gathered around them as dots of light.

Wang Zhu did not go to watch the peak sparring of the Eleventh Realm martial artists. Jinli said that it was best for her to lead the army on patrol under the banner of the Water Mansion, so that she could display her might to the immortal abodes and sects along the way and deter petty individuals. Wang Zhu was not interested in these mundane affairs and let Jinli do as she pleased.

Leaving the main hall and walking through the corridors, Wang Zhu was idle. Along the way, the armored forbidden guards and martial artists all gave her a sharp salute, the Water Mansion officials bowed and addressed her as Water Sovereign, or the delicate palace maids knelt and kowtowed with a muffled sound. Wang Zhu absentmindedly went through the motions. These were all troublesome rules newly established after Jinli came to the Water Mansion. Wang Zhu strolled aimlessly but also felt bored. It was truly dull.

As for the whereabouts of the great halberd, where it fell into the sea, because it was undoubtedly within the East Sea jurisdiction, the other three Great Sea Water Sovereigns could not mess with this matter.

Before leaving, Jinli asked Princess Wang Zhu how to handle it, and whether she should take advantage of being nearby and bring it back to the Water Mansion? This would save the cultivators who rushed there upon hearing the news from intriguing against each other, perhaps even fighting to the death, with their brains splattering everywhere.

Wang Zhu only said that such divine artifacts had been obtained by those with affinity since ancient times. Their Water Mansion did not need to compete for treasures. They would secretly send enshrined experts to supervise. If any Water Mansion official dared to seek this object on their own, even at the cost of the lives of foreign cultivators, they would be executed immediately.

Jinli was well-versed in worldly affairs and was not heartbroken, only saying that Princess Wang Zhu was righteous and flattered her profusely.

Wang Zhu finally added a few sentences, "If a Earth Immortal obtains the treasure, the Water Mansion will escort them out of the territory."

"If a grand cultivator takes it by force and kills indiscriminately, you should first intercept them from leaving the territory and then inform me."

"Below the Earth Immortal, whether they are documented or rogue cultivators, they are allowed to hide in the East Sea waters for a period of time. During this time, if they die violently without reason, I will not hold others accountable, only you."

Jinli asked with a smile, "What if they are willing to voluntarily sell this divine weapon to our Water Mansion in exchange for a large amount of immortal currency or some precious Daoist scriptures?"

Wang Zhu said indifferently, "Then buy it with a heavy sum. Why are you being vague? If they are worried about any accidents, after the money and goods are exchanged, they suspect that the Water Mansion has malicious intentions and secretly mobilizes 'rogue cultivators' to kill them and steal their wealth, and then the Water Mansion will 'act impartially' and avenge them. You can directly grant them official positions and titles, giving them a Water Mansion official status that is recognized by the Central Earth Confucian Temple. Even if they don't trust you and me, they can always trust the methods of the Confucianism and the Confucian Temple nowadays."

Jinli was full of praise upon hearing this, "Princess Wang Zhu is becoming more and more experienced."

Wang Zhu sneered, "I have been trapped in the Iron Lock Well for many years. I have seen no shortage of human hearts. I was just too lazy to use my brain to do things back then."

At that time, Jinli pretended to be heartbroken and said, "Exactly, exactly, Princess Wang Zhu has been suffering in a remote corner."

Wang Zhu folded her arms inside her sleeves and yawned. Hah, clumsy acting.

At this time, a palace maid came to report that a guest was seeking an audience, Qiu Du, the enshrined expert of the Green Grass Sword Sect in Tongye Continent.

If it were in her earlier temper, Wang Zhu would have told her, an old subordinate of the land dragon palace, to scram immediately.

Wang Zhu instructed the palace maid to lead Qiu Du to meet her here. Given the difference in status, reminiscing about the past was meaningless, but talking about something new was always possible.

The old woman Qiu Du came here privately to seek an audience with the East Sea Water Sovereign to obtain a precious spot for passing through the great waterways of Tongye Continent in the future.

The great waterways connected to the sea. Whether Water Sovereign Wang Zhu allowed someone to pass or not was all her decision, wasn't it?

Wang Zhu immediately became interested, her expression playful. She jokingly asked, "You are an enshrined expert with a seat in the Green Grass Sword Sect Ancestral Hall. In such matters, you don't ask him, but come to me instead?"

Qiu Du said softly, "Mountain Master Chen's actions are fair, always upright, and he always prioritizes the overall situation. He will certainly not abuse his power for personal gain and break the rules."

Wang Zhu looked at the old woman for a moment, remaining silent.

Qiu Du's back felt cold. This was the situation for Daoists with flood dragon lineage when facing the true dragon Wang Zhu, completely devoid of any boldness.

Wang Zhu sneered, "You don't have the guts to talk about any business with me. Tell me, who gave you this bad idea, Cui Dongshan?"

Qiu Du recalled Sect Master Cui's "excellent strategy"... "If you are exposed on the spot, just sell the Sect Master."

The old woman bit the bullet and nodded, "It was indeed at the instruction of Sect Master Cui that this old servant dared to come here to seek an audience with the Water Sovereign and speak such unpleasant nonsense."

Wang Zhu's face darkened slightly with anger and she said, "Get back to your Green Grass Sword Sect."

The old woman instinctively lowered her head and bent her waist, retreating several steps, then suddenly stopped. She mustered her courage and said, "Sect Master Cui also instructed me to say that his junior brother Cao is the definite candidate for the next Sect Master, so he, the first Sect Master, must plan ahead for a mountain protection enshrined who is close to the great Dao of water for his junior brother."

Wang Zhu hesitated, "You return to Tongye Continent first. As for the outcome of this matter, you wait for notification in the mountains."

The old woman repeatedly expressed her gratitude, bowing and backing away, not daring to linger for another moment.

Another high-ranking female official of the Water Mansion came to report that the Water Sovereigns of the other three seas had jointly visited the border, asking if they could enter to observe the sparring, saying that they had already obtained permission from the Central Earth Confucian Temple to cross the sea.

Wang Zhu was furious and said chillingly, "Tell all of them to scram! Remember, tell them this sentence exactly as it is."

At the boundary of the East Sea, the three Water Sovereigns stood side by side. From the mouth of the goddess from the East Sea Water Mansion who had returned to deliver the message, they heard the exact words of Water Sovereign Wang Zhu. They seemed to have expected it and were not embarrassed or angry. One of the male Water Sovereigns simply thanked the goddess from the East Sea's Protocol Department, who was trembling and carefully observing their expressions, and said she had worked hard.

He smiled and asked, "How is it? I told you not to make a fuss and just sneak over to watch the sparring."

Mrs. Dan Dan from the Green Water Pit was the most promoted, becoming the master in charge of the land's water transport. In addition, the Water Sovereigns of the Four Seas, whose territories were vast and even surpassed the territory of the Central Earth Divine Continent, included the South Sea Water Sovereign Li Yehou, whose divine title was "Bright Moon." The West Sea "Green Yuan" Water Sovereign Liu Rouxi, and the North Sea Water Sovereign Wei Tianting, whose divine title was "Prosperity."

Liu Rouxi asked, "What should we do now?"

Li Yehou smiled and said, "What else can we do? Return to our respective homes. We can't go against the decree and harm our colleagues' harmony, can we?"

Wei Tianting suppressed a laugh, "If not, we can detour to my side's border between the two seas to watch the battle. Even if we can't see clearly, it's better than standing here doing nothing."

Li Yehou shook his head, "If so, we'll owe the Confucian Temple a favor again. Let's forget it."

Liu Rouxi was reluctant. He looked into the distance at that area of the East Sea and said with great regret, "The sparring of an Eleventh Realm martial artist is a once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity after all. If we miss this grand event today, who knows how long we will have to wait for the next time. Although Divine Lord Bright Moon is not going, I will detour to the West Sea."

Li Yehou reminded him, "This peak sparring between the green and white sides, given their martial arts realms, should have lasted longer, but precisely because more and more people like us are watching from the sidelines, it is estimated that it will end soon. Water Sovereign Green Yuan, you should not make a wasted trip."

Liu Rouxi said helplessly, "Wang Zhu's temper."

Although Li Yehou knew it well, he did not say it explicitly. It wasn't just about that colleague's bad temper.

On the gradually calming sea surface, two martial artists sat cross-legged on the mirror-like green waves, two contemporaries in the boundless sea and sky.

The bare-chested one reached out and covered his waist. There was a shocking bleeding hole, where he had been pierced by a spear and even stirred by his opponent. If he hadn't severed the spear with one hand and then been lifted up by the opponent's spear body, alas, his heart and a large part of his body would have been torn apart on the spot.

He smiled, bathed in blood, with countless cracks on his body. He reached out and scooped up water to wash away the blood, not caring about his injuries, but complaining, "You're really going for the kill."

The ragged white-clothed man sat beside him. For some reason, he was just silent and didn't speak.

Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment. Although he was extremely unwilling, he still had to admit, "I lost."

He had lost five sparring matches, the fifth one.

This was also one of the reasons why he was not in a hurry to return to the National Master's Mansion to recover from his injuries.

However, in the latter half of the sparring, Cao Ci did indeed have killing intent. Of course, it was the same for both sides. If they didn't spar like this, it wouldn't be exciting.

By the end of the fight, even the gentlemanly Cao Ci seemed to have a competitive spirit.

I, Cao Ci, can lose to anyone, but I cannot lose to this scoundrel Chen Ping'an, who has no martial virtue to speak of.

Chen Ping'an coughed a few times and covered his mouth with his hand. Blood seeped through his fingers and was casually thrown into the sea by him.

The "Shang Xiao" long sword had been thrown back to the reckless Daoist by Chen Ping'an.

Moreover, Chen Ping'an's hair bun was still intact. Throughout this fight, his hair had not become dishevelled.

Chen Ping'an clenched his fists and placed them on his knees, looking into the distance. He smiled, "It's okay, there's still the sixth round, right, Cao Ci?"

Cao Ci remained silent, just turned his head away and spat out a mouthful of blood.

He reached out and rubbed his cheek, then turned his head again. He didn't know if he had spat out another mouthful of blood or just spat.

Cao Ci simply remained silent.

Chen Ping'an laughed and cursed, "Cao, I'm talking to you. You're the one who won the fight, yet you're still pretending to be deaf and mute with me?"

Cao Ci just raised his hand and gently rubbed his cheek and forehead with his palm, wiping away the constantly flowing nosebleed.

Perhaps he was truly angry, Cao Ci suddenly delivered a sneak attack punch, which Chen Ping'an blocked with a laugh, "Where's your martial virtue?"

Both fell silent.

In the world, it seemed there was only the sound of the sea tide, speaking to itself.

As martial artists of the same age, it seemed they were both each other's formidable opponents and bosom friends.

Perhaps only they could truly understand.

"Cao Ci, you must live a long time. On the path of martial arts, I don't want to be too lonely."

"Good. I'll say it here today. You, Chen Ping'an, will always be second."

"Haha, I couldn't ask for anything better!"