Unsheathed

Chen Ping'an traveled to Cyan Gorge Island hurriedly, and he also departed Cyan Gorge Island hurriedly.

In reality, it would have made little difference to the situation regardless of whether Gu Can decided to leave or stay. In fact, Chen Ping'an was also unable to have any big impact at this moment. There were many things going on in the background, from the proclamation of the Great Li Empire's Su Gaoshan, to the sudden change sweeping through Bamboo Scroll Lake, and then to the schemes of the cultivators in Palace Willow Island. As long as Chen Ping'an was unwilling to leave the central region of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, it would make no difference at all where Gu Can decided to stay.

However, Gu Can choosing to remain at Cyan Gorge Island to protect the Spring Courtyard Mansion of his own will was naturally the best outcome.

Chen Ping'an left on his boat.

He returned to Green Parasol City and walked ashore. He had rowed past Hibiscus Mountain, and the ancestral hall over there had already been dismantled. Flames had burst into the sky when the fire dragon had soared into the world back then, and the might of the flames had been no weaker than the tumultuous waves summoned by Gu Can's small catfish.

Those in Bamboo Scroll Lake who possessed a high cultivation base and had been keeping an eye on Gu Can had all mistakenly thought that the fire dragon was the nemesis to Gu Can's Great Dao. As such, its appearance would definitely lead to an explosive battle between fire and water. To their surprise, however, the outsiders who were rumored to be sticky rod officials from the Great Li Empire had actually chosen to relent and leave.

Even so, everyone had still been treated to a delightful show afterward, with the mysterious young lady in azure joining forces with a strange young boy with a birthmark on his glabella and killing a ninth tier sword cultivator from the Luminous Vermilion Empire. Not only had the sword cultivator's physical body been reduced to nothing but mere food, but it was even said that his nascent soul had been captured and detained as well. In other words, the two "elderly cultivators" who had "disguised" themselves as a young boy and a young lady had held back significantly during their battle with the ninth tier sword cultivator. This was a terrifying revelation.

Defeating an earth immortal and killing an earth immortal were two completely different matters. The gulf between them was like the gulf between heaven and earth.

Chen Ping'an retrieved his horse from the inn after returning to Green Parasol City, and he visited the shop in the small alley again to buy a few more steamed meat buns with thin skin and scrumptious fillings. After eating his fill, he set off for the southeastern border of the Stone Brush Nation that connected the ravaged nation to the Plum Glaze Nation. The border pass in this region was called Staying Pass, and this was a fairly renowned location in the history books.

There were all kinds of stories regarding Staying Pass, with some saying that it was here where the founding emperor of the Luminous Vermilion Empire had successfully secured the services of a strategist from an impoverished clan, a strategist who had famously helped him establish his nation.

Some said that the strongest Nascent Tier sword cultivator in the history of the Luminous Vermilion Empire had felt strong despair after failing to comprehend Dao here, and he was ultimately unable to advance to the Upper Five Tiers. In the end, he had used his intense sword qi to carve the character "Staying" onto the cliff face before passing away in regret.