Chen Ping'an had already stayed at Paddling Island for close to ten days, asking Li Yuan to help him complete two tasks during this time. Apart from the gold edict ceremony for the birthday of the Water Official Great Emperor, Chen Ping'an had also asked Li Yuan to help him deliver a letter to Downtrodden Mountain.0

Chen Ping'an was unable to guess this person's identity. He had the appearance of a young man, yet he looked utterly exhausted and lacking in spirit, seemingly as if he had reached a barrier in cultivation. Chen Ping'an had observed this lack of spirit and this type of gradual decay of the soul in old cultivators who were resigned to the fact that they would never attain the Great Dao. Moreover, Li Yuan would never enter the island of his own accord unless he noticed changes in the protection formation of Paddling Island.0

There was one thing that caused Chen Ping'an to feel increasingly confused. Just what had Li Liu's cultivation looked like in the Northern Complete Reed Continent over the past few years? However, he was unable to find a single record or mention in the many newspapers from the mountains.2

Chen Ping'an ceaselessly refined the spiritual energy of the mountains and waters while he stayed at Paddling Island, stabilizing and expanding two critical acupoints of his water palace. He would occasionally focus his mind to perform internal observations and patrols as well, watching that burst of sword qi ferociously attacking the barrier like an army of heavy cavalry charging at an enemy formation. There were also First and Fifteenth sharpening their tips on...2