Chapter 276: Between the Strongest

Chapter 276: Between the Strongest

Chen Ping'an had seen many good-looking people the same age as him — his neighbor Song Jixin in Clay Vase Alley, Mr. Qi's students Zhao Yao and Lin Shouyi in the private school, the androgynous young man dressed as a female on Osmanthus Island, and Prince Gao Xuan from Great Sui Nation. However, none of them were as good-looking as this young boy in the wine shop.

After writing on the tall wall, the young boy carried a jar of wine over and sat down on the neighboring table. He asked for two large white bowls, and he invited Xu Jia over to drink with him. Xu Jia was well aware of how expensive the golden millet wine was, yet he didn't feel like this was inappropriate at all. He cracked open the clay seal and helped pour some wine for both of them. They then touched bowls and drank in a hearty manner. They seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

At the same time, the old shopkeeper also seemed to be smiling a bit more. However, the pitiful caged oriole stood with its back facing the radiant young boy, appearing feeble and sickly.

The handsome young boy raised his wine bowl at Chen Ping'an and said with a smile, "I'm Cao Ci from Middle Earth Divine Continent's Great Duan Empire."

Chen Ping'an had no option but to raise his wine bowl and reply, "I'm Chen Ping'an from Eastern Treasured Vial Continent's Great Li Empire."

Cao Ci nodded in acknowledgment, and there was clear praise in his eyes as he said, "Your foundation for the third tier of martial arts is quite good."

Chen Ping'an didn't know how to respond, so he could only drink a sip of wine in silence. He couldn't help but feel that something was off.

After mulling over this for a long time, he finally discovered why their exchange had appeared so strange. As it turned out, neither the attitude nor tone of the handsome young boy from Middle Earth Divine Continent matched with his status as someone of the same age. Instead, his attitude and tone had appeared more similar to the barefoot old man in the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain.

However, the handsome young boy wasn't as domineering and forceful as Cui Chan's grandfather. Quite the contrary, in fact, Cao Ci had spoken in a calm and amiable manner. Even so, Chen Ping'an had still felt a formless pressure even when they were talking about trivial matters.

Ning Yao didn't pay much heed to Cao Ci. However, she was quite unhappy about this eyesore suddenly popping up from out of nowhere. His arrival severely dampened her interest in drinking for much longer.

After quickly finishing the half a jar of golden millet wine with Chen Ping'an, she immediately stood up and dragged Chen Ping'an toward the exit.

Just as Chen Ping'an was about to leave the wine shop, Cao Ci smiled and shouted, "The girl you like is very good. However, one bad thing about her is that she still can't remember my name after coming across me so many times."

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, "I say that's even better."

Cao Ci laughed heartily, raising his wine bowl with one hand and waving goodbye to Chen Ping'an with his other. His smile was sincere as he said, "Chen Ping'an, we'll compete to become the strongest fourth tier martial artist in three day's time."

This was another remark that seemed a little strange.

Chen Ping'an cupped his fists and didn't say anything else. He then turned around and left the small Golden Millet Blessed Land with Ning Yao.

Inside the wine shop, Xu Jia asked in bewilderment, "You like Ning Yao?"

Cao Ci shook his hand with a smile and replied, "I like my master, who's invincible in my mind. I like the empress, who has small dimples on her cheeks when she smiles. I like Ning Yao, who doesn't care at all about me. However, unlike what you're thinking, I don't like them in a romantic sense. Romantic relationships severely inhibit cultivation."

He took a swig of wine and sighed. "I genuinely can't imagine myself falling for a girl in the future."

"Oh, okay," Xu Jia replied with a nod. He believed whatever Cao Ci said. However, excitement quickly spread across the young shop attendant's face, and he changed the topic and asked, "Judging from what you said just then, you're about to advance to the fifth tier?"

Cao Ci nodded and replied, "I've stayed at the Sword Qi Great Wall for so long already, so it's about time for me to advance."

Xu Jia grinned and remarked, "If you were still in your hometown, I suppose you would have advanced to the seventh tier already."

Before Cao Ci could say anything, Xu Jia immediately added, "And before reaching the seventh tier, you would have become the strongest fourth tier, fifth tier, and sixth tier martial artist!"

When it came to discussing this, Xu Jia was even more elated than Cao Ci himself. "The old shopkeeper told me that your current fourth tier cultivation base is the strongest fourth tier in the history of the world, not just the strongest among the current fourth tier martial artists. It can be said that your fourth tier cultivation base is without precedent and without rival in the future. Is that true?"

Cao Ci was slightly exasperated as he replied, "I can probably confirm that it's without precedent. However, to say that it's without rival in the future... I'm just a pure martial artist, so I naturally can't divine the martial fortune of the world for the next several hundred to a thousand years."

Xu Jia laughed loudly and exclaimed, "Cao Ci! If I can't help myself and venture out to look for Young Mistress in the future, I'll definitely travel to the Great Duan Empire to visit you as well."

Cao Ci nodded and replied, "Then I'll prepare some fine wine for you."

Xu Jia suddenly lowered his voice and begged, "Cao Ci, how about we have a fight where you lose to me on purpose? That way, I can tell others that I defeated Cao Ci when I leave Stalactite Mountain in the future. Just think about it. You'll be invincible in ten years or a hundred, and you might even beat up True Invincible, the Daoist second disciple in the Heavenly World, and turn him into Fake Invincible. At that time, I would be the only person who ever defeated you, Cao Ci. Thanks to this, the entire world will definitely ask about who I am. Perhaps Young Mistress will also be impressed and look at me with new eyes."

Cao Ci smiled with squinted eyes, raising his wine bowl with one hand and lightly patting his head with the other. "Alright, you've defeated me now, Xu Jia. When you leave Stalactite Mountain, feel free to tell others that you've defeated me."

Xu Jia felt a little guilty, and he asked, "You might be fine with this now, but will you go back on your word in the future?"

Cao Ci drank the wine in his bowl before turning around and waving a hand at the old shopkeeper. "Old Lü, are you willing to give me a jar of wine for free? I feel a sense of regret now, and without some wine in my stomach, I can't suppress that feeling of regret no matter what. If I drink another jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine, I can be free of regret for at least a hundred years!"

Xu Jia looked at the old shopkeeper with a pitiful expression.

The old shopkeeper smiled and replied, "Xu Jia, bring a jar of wine over for Cao Ci. Also, remember to keep in mind the shopkeeper's kindness in the future. Don't secretly grumble about me being miserly all the time, and don't blame me for not allowing you to travel around the cultivation world."

Xu Jia giddily ran away to grab a jar of wine. nove(l)bi(n.)com

Cao Ci only had a single bowl of wine remaining. While waiting for the new jar of wine to arrive, he took his bowl of wine and walked over to the tall wall. His eyes swam over the wall. Three years had already passed since his first taste of wine, and many new lines had already appeared on the wall. In the end, Cao Ci's gaze settled on three characters in the bottom corner of the wall. The characters were proper yet rigid, and Cao Ci asked in curiosity, "Old Lü, are these the characters that Chen Ping'an wrote on the wall? Lasting Sword Qi?"

"What's wrong? You think that boy is truly exceptional?" the old shopkeeper asked.

Cao Ci squatted down and drank a small sip of wine. There was indifference in his eyes as he replied, "He might be the strongest third tier martial artist, the one who inherited the position I vacated when I broke through."

Hearing this, the old shopkeeper thought it was a shame. The caged oriole could only determine a pure martial artist's martial fortune during a limited period of time. Indeed, after a person wrote on the wall, it wasn't like the oriole could fly out of its cage whenever it wanted to grab their martial fortune with its beak.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping'an had coincidentally visited and written on the wall after the female imperial preceptor and before the handsome young boy. Sandwiched between the two of them, the old shopkeeper didn't need to dream about the oriole leaving its cage to do anything for him.

He didn't have the courage.

Cao Ci and Xu Jia finished another jar of Forgetting Sorrow Wine, drinking half a jar each.

However, Xu Jia couldn't hold his alcohol, so he got drunker and drunker. In the end, he passed out drunk on the table.

Meanwhile, Cao Ci was the type of person who would become increasingly awake and aware as they drank. His eyes were bright and piercing.

"If it weren't for Master coming here to pick me up, I genuinely wanted to venture to the world to the south of the Sword Qi Great Wall. In forty or fifty years at most, I would dare to battle against those dozen or so great demons. Before that, though, there will definitely be many hearty and satisfying life-and-death challenges," Cao Ci suddenly remarked.

The old shopkeeper smiled and said, "Do you believe me when I say that you'll immediately die after leaving the city wall?"

Cao Ci sighed in response.

The reason for this was very simple, and the old shopkeeper had precisely gotten through to him.

It was very likely that Cao Ci had already attracted the attention of those top-notch great demons. In other words, he belonged to the list of people they would definitely kill on sight. Forget about giving him forty or fifty years to develop, he'd be lucky if they gave him forty or fifty seconds.

"Then I'll just return to Middle Earth Divine Continent," Cao Ci said in resignation.

Whether purposely or not, the old shopkeeper mused, "The old ancestor of the Dong Clan left a path of destruction in his wake in the Savage World, and he eventually shot to fame at the Sword Qi Great Wall. However, one such person is enough. Moreover, only one such person can exist. If the demon tribe allows the rise of another deadly opponent like him — say, a Cao Ci who has the potential to reach the 11th tier of martial arts — then they might as well kill themselves out of shame."

"Mhm, I need to ask Master if she's advanced to the 11th tier yet. I hope she hasn't..." Cao Ci said.

However, Jin Su's guess was only half correct.

Lady Gui wasn't willing to delve deep into the many secrets of the Sword Qi Great Wall with her prized disciple, so Jin Su was only roughly aware of the 13 soul-stirring battles that had taken place back then. Even though the young girl beside her had the surname Ning, Jin Su only dared to regard her as a direct descendant of the Sword Qi Great Wall's Ning Clan. She had most likely traveled here to complete an important mission for her clan.

Jin Su didn't dare to consider the most outrageous "reality," and the reason for this was very simple. This was because Chen Ping'an was with her.

Due to Ning Yao's presence, Jin Su felt extremely restricted and hesitant as she walked around Milu Cliff, the Incense Offering Tower, and the Lightning Lake Platform. She felt very uncomfortable, and this made her entire experience in the three famous scenic spots dull and uninspiring.

However, Jin Su was an osmanthus girl, after all, so not only was her cultivation aptitude very good, but her emotional intelligence was very high as well. Thus, there were many times when she would purposely wander away from Chen Ping'an and the untalkative young girl, allowing them to enjoy each other's company and chat about whatever they wanted.

Chen Ping'an wasn't too interested in those epic stories about changing empires, shifting worldly momentum, and the rise and fall of humanity.

In fact, he didn't understand these things, and he didn't want to understand them either.

However, since Ning Yao was telling him about these matters, he was willing to remember them and commit everything to memory.

Jin Su found it slightly strange why such a cold and aloof girl was willing to open up and talk so much with a taciturn person like Chen Ping'an.

During their visits to the scenic spots, the three of them walked with other visitors and climbed the Lightning Lake Platform together. While standing there, an old Daoist priest with a golden fly-whisk and a silver fly-whisk suddenly appeared on a step and smiled at Ning Yao, saying, "My teacher has issued an order. If Miss Ning needs anything while staying in Stalactite Mountain, then you're free to raise a request. Even if you ask to visit the Bells of the Three Pure Ones on top of Lone Peak, that will still be allowed."

Ning Yao naturally looked over to Chen Ping'an. Chen Ping'an shook his head slightly, so Ning Yao shook her head as well and said, "We won't go to Lone Peak."

The old Daoist priest smiled and said, "Then I won't bother you any longer. If Miss Ning needs anything, then just get a Daoist priest to inform Stalactite Mountain."

Ning Yao initially didn't want to respond. However, when she saw Chen Ping'an cupping his fists to thank the old Daoist priest, she also nodded and replied, "Okay."

"The Flood Dragon True Lord?" Jin Su murmured.

The old Daoist priest was about to leave the Lightning Lake Platform. As the third-in-command in Stalactite Mountain, his profound Dao power was incredibly well known even in Southern Whirl Continent. Thus, he could clearly hear the thoughts in people's minds, to say nothing of their murmuring. He smiled and asked, "Is anything the matter, Young Miss?"

Jin Su instantly became pale with fright. She hurriedly shook her head and replied, "No, there's nothing wrong at all. I simply admire you too much, so I couldn't help but murmur your title. Please forgive me, True Lord."

The old Daoist priest laughed heartily and said, "I'm nowhere near that domineering. Moreover, there isn't any rule in Stalactite Mountain that prohibits others from calling my title, much less punishment for them."

The old Daoist priest vanished in a flash.

Jin Su gulped with lingering fear.

This Upper Five Tier immortal in Stalactite Mountain was a Daoist True Lord who had gained renown through slaying flood dragons in the South Sea. Yet, he had stood in front of her just like that and even conversed with her?

The Flood Dragon True Lord's 11th tier cultivation base could definitely crush the large majority of Unpolished Jade Tier[1] Qi refiners in the world.

No one doubted that the title of Heavenly Lord was already within the old Daoist priest's grasp.

When the three of them walked back to Stork Inn, it was surprisingly Ning Yao who started to talk with Jin Su. She asked questions while Jin Su answered, and it was actually the latter who spoke less this time.

Ning Yao was in a fairly good mood. Just then, she and Chen Ping'an had bought a pair of exquisite spirit tools from a stall at the foot of Milu Cliff. The spirit tools were shaped like the two halves of a yin-yang diagram.

When they arrived at Stork Inn, the poker-faced young innkeeper informed them that the inn was already full. Without a second word, Ning Yao directly took out a grain rain coin and placed it on the front desk, asking if this was enough.

The eyelids of the young inn manager quivered, and he was just about to say something in response. However, Chen Ping'an had already snatched the grain rain coin away and said with a smile, "Ning Yao is our friend, so can you work something out for us, mister innkeeper?"

The innkeeper smiled and replied, "I wish I could work something out for you. However, it's not like I can kick other guests out, can I? Stork Inn has a reputation to maintain, after all, and we still need to do business in the future."

"Then I'll stay in another inn," Ning Yao said bluntly.

Chen Ping'an took a deep breath and took out another grain rain coin from his own pockets. He gently placed it on the table and said, "Inn Manager, can we please discuss this a bit more?"

The young inn manager smiled faintly and accepted the grain rain coin. "No worries, please give me a moment."

Chen Ping'an returned the other grain rain coin to Ning Yao. However, she looked at him and asked, "What are you doing?"

Chen Ping'an smiled and replied, "I'm inviting you to stay at the inn."

Ning Yao moved her hand up and down and weighed the grain rain coin in her palm. There was a hint of exasperation in her voice as she said, "It's so difficult for you to earn a grain rain coin, yet these things aren't worth very much over at the Sword Qi Great Wall. This is called trying to act generously at your own cost — this is very boring. What's wrong with staying at a different inn? Staying anywhere is the same. I'm not as fussy as you think."

Chen Ping'an extended a hand and chuckled, "Then return the grain rain coin to me?"

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and resolutely put the grain rain coin away. "Just wait to feel anguish," she gloated.

In the end, Stork Inn managed to clear out the largest room for them. It was a private courtyard located outside the side door of some study. Chen Ping'an was very satisfied with this.

Ning Yao didn't think anything about it.

Before leaving them, the young inn manager smiled at the three of them and placed the grain rain coin on the table, saying, "I mulled over things for a bit, and I feel like this coin might be too hot for my hands. I don't dare to accept it. This Young Miss can stay here in the same way as Young Master Chen. I'll record the cost on the tab and ask Osmanthus Island for payment later."

Chen Ping'an had no idea what was going on.

Jin Su looked at the inn manager with gratitude in her eyes.

Chen Ping'an sat down beside the table and was just about to grab the grain rain coin. However, Ning Yao immediately placed her hand over it and took it away.

She glanced at the confused Chen Ping'an and raised her eyebrows as if challenging him. Chen Ping'an smiled and pretended that nothing had happened.

Jin Su perceptively bade farewell and took her leave.

After closing the door, Chen Ping'an immediately took out all of his treasures and belongings and placed them on the table.

Ning Yao was slightly astonished, and she sighed with emotion. "Chen Ping'an, how impressive of you. You're quite good at making money now, and you've gone from a charity to a money-maker? You're the fake one, right?"

Chen Ping'an copied Ning Yao, leaning back slightly and crossing his arms.

There was a smug expression on his face.

Today on Stalactite Mountain...

...There was a side of Ning Yao never seen before, and there was a side of Chen Ping'an never seen before.

It was truly a beautiful reunion between the two of them.

1. 11th tier ☜