Unsheathed

Walking through the desolate mountains where foxes and rabbits thrived, the man with the sword strapped to his back suddenly stopped in front of a tombstone. He walked up beside the tombstone which stood in front of a small dirt mound and squatted down next to it, removing the weeds that were growing around it and revealing its true appearance.

The characters on it had already become fuzzy, and only less than half of it could still be deciphered. The man sighed and said, “The Divine Dao is collapsing, and the Ritual and Music System is flourishing. The battle between the hundred schools of thought is about to begin.”

When the man stood up, he saw that his disciple who was still yet to become a formal disciple of True Martial Mountain facing the direction that they had come from. Blood was seeping from Ma Kuxuan’s mouth, ears, and nose, causing his tanned face to appear especially wicked and terrifying. He used his forearm to roughly wipe his blood away before continuing to stare in that direction.

“Ma Kuxuan, according to the excuse you gave me before, you wanted to head over there because of that young girl from the outside world. You told me that she teamed up with the prince and eunuch from Great Sui Nation and used her flying sword to kill your first master. You told me that this left a knot in your heart, so you needed to find her to exact revenge. I felt like your request was reasonable, so I didn’t stop you from going. I allowed you to take control of your own life and death. After all, being able to encounter such Dao enemies is both a danger and an opportunity for us cultivators and martial

The man’s voice became solemn, and he showed no signs of being lenient on his disciple just because he was talented. “However, you targeted the young boy from Clay Vase Alley instead. Why? I already told you before that Militarian cultivators from True Martial Mountain, especially swordsmen, definitely shouldn’t attack and kill innocent people for no reason!”

Ma Kuxuan sidestepped the question, and he instead replied with a question of his own, asking, “Are Militarians most able to ignore karma and preordained fate?”

The man nodded and replied, “Casting one’s gaze through several thousand years of history, those who are able to use their own strength to turn the tides of a time are indeed mostly Militarian Sages. I’m not saying this on purpose simply because I’m a Militarian as well.”

The man kept his gaze on Ma Kuxuan, not planning to let him shrug off his question.

If Ma Kuxuan were a bloodthirsty person who enjoyed preying on the weak, why would he accept such a disciple for True Martial Mountain?

In mortal empires, Militarians relied on fighting on the battlefields to raise their cultivation base. This was a dangerous method that kept them on a tightrope between life and death. Once they lost control of their true selves, it would be extremely easy for them to fall into demonic ways. At that time, just how easy would it be for these martial artists who held profound military power to massacre cities and destroy nations?

Confucianism and Militarianism were the two towering pillars that held up the mortal empires and ensured peace. If a revered and powerful Militarian went down the wrong path, then the higher their cultivation base and the higher their position, the more damage they would be able to inflict on a mortal empire. There were many bloody lessons recorded in the history books.

Just how difficult was it to win over public opinion? And just how easy was it to lose public opinion? Even though this was a remark made by a Confucian Sage, there was no shortage of Militarians who had earnestly studied Confucian teachings. They all deeply agreed with this remark.

Perhaps Ma Kuxuan noticed the increasingly heavy atmosphere. However, he wasn’t in a hurry to explain himself, and he lightly cupped an ear with his hand. This strained his wound, and it instantly caused him to suck in a deep breath and grimace in pain. He relaxed for a moment before putting his hand down and looking at the puddle of blood on his palm.

Only at this moment did he say, “He’s called Chen Ping’an, and his father died when he was still very young. Before he passed away, that man was a famous potter in the small town. He was extremely good at his craft, and he was also a very honest person. However, he suddenly died one day, and his corpse was never found either.

“Even though my grandma never admitted to it, I can still clearly remember the booming thunder and pouring rain from that night. I was woken up by the thunder, and I discovered that my grandma wasn’t by my side. When I opened the door a little, I saw my father stealthily running over with delight and fear on his face. That was a very strange expression. My mother kept patting him on the back, and she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face. She was truly beside herself with delight.”

Ma Kuxuan unconsciously frowned as he tried to recall that bleak memory, and he continued, “Only my grandma remained silent, and she didn’t look too happy either. Not only that, but she even scolded my father angrily, saying, ‘Do you think she’ll marry you just because her husband died? Why don’t you take a piss and use it as a mirror to look at yourself?! The Chen Clan from Clay Vase Alley has only had a single child for many generations, so aren’t you afraid of pushing all three of them to death? When this branch of the Chen Clan vanishes because of you, aren’t you afraid that their Ancestral Yin God will look for you to seek revenge? Taking 10,000 steps back, are you truly not aware of that woman’s personality? Are you not aware that she’ll never remarry?’

“My father wore a sheepish grin at that time, and he probably thought that he had committed to it already and was soon about to obtain his reward. So, he didn’t pretend to be remorseful or sorry. In the end, my grandma pointed at my mother and viciously scolded her. However, my mother doesn’t have a good temper either, so the two of them almost got into a fight in the main hall.

“My father is the type of person who’s fond of the new and tired of the old, so everyone in the neighborhood disliked him at the time. He naturally helped my mother instead of my grandma, and in the end, my grandma sat down on the floor and beat her chest in grief. She lamented to that plaque as she cried, and she said that the Ma Clan had accepted a huge troublemaker in my mother into the clan. She cursed them and said that they would die in discontent and regret.”

After listening to Ma Kuxuan’s explanation, the man asked, “You want to collect the intangible karma from their evil deeds for yourself? You wish for your father and grandma to eventually die in peace?”

Ma Kuxuan grinned and said, “I truly don’t have any feelings toward my father and mother. However, I can’t help but worry about my grandma. She’s not willing to come to True Martial Mountain with me, and she said that she definitely has to be buried next to Grandpa when she passes away. So, if she goes to the distant True Martial Mountain, she’ll definitely have to burden me with a trip back to the small town in the future. Moreover, she heard others say that one would have to traverse a difficult Yang Path after they died, and she certainly didn’t want to experience this after experiencing so many hardships while still alive.”

“That’s understandable,” the man said. “However, you’re still in the wrong. Only this once and never again, understood?”

Ma Kuxuan pursed his lips, a cold expression on his face. He didn’t shake his head and talk back, but he didn’t nod and agree either.

The man smiled and poured more salt on Ma Kuxuan’s wounds, saying, “How did it feel to be held down and beaten by someone the same age as you?”

“If Chen Ping’an hadn’t pulled out a fucking dagger, how could I have lost to him?!” Ma Kuxuan replied indignantly. “From the beginning to the end, I only used 70% of my strength! If I wasn’t trying to toy with him…”

The man chuckled in ridicule and said, “Toy with him? Spare me! Was your plan not to kill him with 70% of your strength so that the young girl would underestimate you? And then you could kill her as well afterward, hitting two birds with one stone? Quite ambitious of you!”

Ma Kuxuan’s face flushed slightly red. However, he remained stubborn, and he said in anger, “Just whose master are you?!”

The man roared with laughter.

The two of them set off again, heading toward the small town.

“Compared to Sun Scorch Mountain, is True Martial Mountain taller or shorter?” Ma Kuxuan asked.

The man smiled and replied, “Do you want to hear the truth or the lie?”

Ma Kuxuan raised a brow and said, “What’s the lie?”

“They’re around the same,” the man replied.

Ma Kuxuan sighed in grief, and he felt like he was truly unfortunate when it came to meeting new people. His first master had mysteriously died in Dragon Riding Alley, while his second master wasn’t very powerful, yet had a whole heap of rules.

The man smiled and continued, “On the surface, Sun Scorch Mountain is one of the fundamental sects of Sword Dao. However, in the minds of cultivators from Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, its status is far inferior to that of its nemesis, Wind Lightning Field. As a result, Sun Scorch Mountain isn’t regarded as a first-rate sect. Of course, this is only a false appearance, and in reality, Sun Scorch Mountain has an incredibly strong foundation. It was only because of that conflict that they seem weaker than they are.

“At that time, there was a swordsman from Wind Lightning Field whose skill with the sword far exceeded the others in his generation. He was far too dazzling, and his brilliance forced Sun Scorch Mountain to endure hundreds of years of humiliation…”

“No matter how much you talk up Sun Scorch Mountain, that still won’t change the fact that True Martial Mountain is inferior to them!” Ma Kuxuan snapped.

The man chuckled and said, “Ma Kuxuan, you’re mistaken. The gulf between Sun Scorch Mountain and True Martial Mountain is approximately the size of another Sun Scorch Mountain.”

Ma Kuxuan faltered upon hearing this, but he quickly understood the meaning behind these words. He immediately smiled and said, “That’s more like it!”

“The sect is the sect, and you are you,” the man reminded the young boy.

Ma Kuxuan chuckled and said, “You’re also mistaken! What I mean is, since True Martial Mountain is so tall, it will be much easier for me to find people to spar with when I become more powerful in the future! At the very least, I won’t be surrounded by a bunch of weaklings and fools!”

The man smiled in reply, saying, “Will these words be more persuasive if they’re spoken by that young boy from Clay Vase Alley?”

“Just what kind of master are you?” Ma Kuxuan said in anger. “Be careful that I won’t exact revenge for you if you’re killed in the future!”

The man reached behind himself and patted the scabbard of his sword, saying with a faint smile, “Apart from this sword, I have no other relatives. If I’m killed, what’s the point of seeking revenge for me?”

“Isn’t there still True Martial Mountain?” Ma Kuxuan asked with a puzzled expression.

“True Martial Mountain is different from the other sects in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. You’ll understand when you get there,” the man said.

The tiger talisman hanging by his waist shuddered softly. The man held his hand over it for a brief moment before saying in a solemn voice, “Hurry, we need to return to the small town! We Militarian cultivators are able to seek fortune and avoid calamity, and we’re also able to predict the near future. This is almost instinct for us.”

Ma Kuxuan rolled his eyes and said, “Even if the small town has descended into absolute chaos, with the outsiders and the residents fighting until a sea of blood forms, what has that got to do with me? Let me get this straight. I can agree to not kill innocent people, but I definitely won’t go out of my way to help others either.”

The man wore a solemn expression as he grabbed Ma Kuxuan’s shoulder and commanded, “Don’t speak! Hold your breath!”

The two of them disappeared with a flash before immediately reappearing almost 50 meters away. This process repeated again and again, and their disappearing and reappearing motion appeared much like the stones that Ma Kuxuan skipped across the creek.

————

Apart from being grazed on the back by the stone thrown by Ma Kuxuan, Chen Ping’an hadn’t actually suffered too many injuries. However, this definitely didn’t mean that he felt fine and dandy at this moment. The most troublesome wound was still the one on his left palm, especially since he had slowed down its healing by submerging it in water while wading through the creek to collect snake gall pebbles and catch fish. Exchanging that punch with Ma Kuxuan just then had further exacerbated the problem.

When Chen Ping’an removed the cotton strips, the only thing he could do was retrieve a porcelain bottle from the pouch on his waist and ingest its contents. This was naturally herbal medicine he had brewed according to the prescription that he had obtained from the Yang Family’s medicine shop all those years ago. Its only effect was to suppress pain.

After taking back her ancient-looking skirt dagger, Ning Yao sliced a large strip of cloth from her sleeve and cut it into strips. After wrapping them around Chen Ping’an’s wound, she asked the young boy who was drenched in a cold sweat, “Is the folk medicine from the Yang Family’s medicine shop really effective?”

Chen Ping’an lightly waved his left hand and squeezed out a smile, saying, “It’s very useful. I was genuinely in pain just then, and I’ve only experienced such agonizing pain two times before.”

“Even the bones in your hand were visible! How could you not be in pain?!” Ning Yao scolded. “Do you think you’ve attained the Vajra Body of Buddhist Arhats? Or perhaps the Untainted Physiques of Daoist True Lords? Who forced you to act brave? Who forced you to fight Ma Kuxuan one-on-one? Didn’t he want a duel? Sure thing! He can fight the two of us by himself! What’s wrong with that? Even I don’t find that embarrassing, yet you’ve become addicted to playing the hero, haven’t you? I know, why don’t you challenge the old ape from Sun Scorch Mountain to a one-on-one battle as well? And I’ll even continue to clap and cheer for you!”

Chen Ping’an was just about to interject and explain his reasoning to her.

However, Ning Yao immediately glared at him, so he could only nod and say, “Yes, you’re right, Ning Yao.”

Ning Yao shot a sideways glance at him, saying, “Your mind doesn’t agree with your mouth. You think I don’t know?”

Chen Ping’an chuckled upon hearing this. Meanwhile, his gaze remained fixed on the skirt dagger in her hands. At first glance, this skirt dagger appeared small and adorable. Upon closer inspection, however, one would realize that it was razor-sharp and cold.

Chen Ping’an felt like this skirt dagger was the complete opposite of its owner.

Ning Yao told Chen Ping’an to raise his right arm, and she gently placed the skirt dagger back into the saber scabbard that was tied to his arm. “Don’t push your luck! And don’t have any ulterior thoughts about this dagger!” she said in warning.

“Ning Yao, you’re overthinking things,” Chen Ping’an replied in exasperation.

Ning Yao suddenly pointed at the statue of the Daoist Enforcer with broken arms and said, “Do you know what stone that ink-black statue base is cut and made from?”

Chen Ping’an nodded and replied, “Of course I know! Ning Yao, you’ve asked the right person! If we follow the creek and venture deeper into the mountains — I estimate that we’ll need to walk for at least half a day — we’ll arrive in front of a black stone cliff that’s entirely made from this kind of stone. It’s extremely solid, and even striking it with a hammer won’t cause any damage to it. That’s to say nothing of striking it with a hatchet or something.

“There are also several grooves in the cliff face, and the stone is at a fairly large angle inside these grooves. They’re not smooth or even either. Every time Old Man Yao and I walked past this place, he would get me to sharpen the hatchets on the cliff face. And let me tell you, the hatchets would truly become glistening after a good sharpening! They would appear completely different from before.”

Ning Yao pinched her brows, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry. “Using it to sharpen hatchets for hacking trees and chopping firewood…”

Chen Ping’an’s eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, “It’s valuable?!”

“No matter how valuable it is, are you able to obtain even a small piece of stone from that large cliff face?” Ning Yao said with a huff. “I’m telling you, even ordinary immortals can’t do that! Of course, that’s unless they’re a powerful sword immortal who’s also willing to sacrifice a Divine Weapon. If that’s the case, they might be able to hack off two slabs of stone that each measure approximately nine meters in length. Sword immortals also have a special name for these slabs of stone — Dragon Slaying Platform. Each slab will be worth as much as an entire city.”

Chen Ping’an fell into deep thought.

Ning Yao’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she said, “Isn’t there a ready-made sword whetstone under the feet of that Daoist Enforcer statue? It’s fairly big, and it looks like we can cleave it into two slabs of Dragon Slaying Platform.”

It was as if someone had lit a flame under Chen Ping’an’s bottom, and he hurriedly said, “Ning Yao, we definitely can’t break it off and take it home! That Daoist Enforcer has already suffered enough, so if we steal its base as well…”

Ning Yao suddenly stood up, humphing coldly and saying, “Steal?! Am I that kind of person?”

Chen Ping’an followed Ning Yao as she walked up to the statue of the Daoist Enforcer. Standing before the colorful statue, Ning Yao took a step forward before placing her hands on her scabbards in a gallant manner. She then looked up and shouted, “I’m Ning Yao! If you’re willing to give me your one-meter-wide base today, I’ll repay you 100-fold or even 1000-fold when I become a sword immortal in the future!”

Chen Ping’an’s jaws dropped. Would this really work?

Sure enough, the statue remained silent and unmoving.

However, Ning Yao didn’t give up, and she continued, “So you’re not willing to give it to me? Then what about lending it to me? That should be fine, right? I’ll make sure to return it to you.”

Ning Yao didn’t forget to turn to Chen Ping’an, blinking and saying, “I’m borrowing it, not stealing it, understand?”

Chen Ping’an furiously shook his head, replying with a sincere expression, “I don’t understand!”

Just as Ning Yao was about to explain the huge difference between the concepts of “stealing” and “borrowing” to the stubborn Chen Ping’an, she suddenly heard him shout, “Be careful!”

As he shouted this, he had already dashed forward to drag Ning Yao behind him.

As it turned out, the statue which had been lashed by the elements for hundreds upon thousands of years had finally reached the end of its life at this moment. It fell forward and crashed to the ground, disintegrating into pieces. It shattered very comprehensively, and there was not a single piece of it that was still identifiable. In fact, even its head and large beard disintegrated into dust.

From the earth it had been sculpted, and to the earth it now returned.

Its journey in this world had come to an end.

Even more mysterious than this was the fact that the height of the statue was far greater than the distance between the two youths and the statue. Logically speaking, this should have resulted in Chen Ping’an and Ning Yao being flattened by the collapsing statue. At the very least, they should have been brutally struck. Interestingly, however, the remains of the collapsed statue only reached as far as the two youths’ feet.

The well-traveled Ning Yao gulped when she saw this, feeling a little guilty. Looking down at the remains by her feet, she mumbled, “How stingy of you. Just say no if you don’t want to lend it to me. Is there really a need to sacrifice yourself to attempt to kill me?”

Chen Ping’an suddenly shook his head, saying, “This is called a Nodding Bodhisattva. It agreed to your request.”

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Chen Ping’an, Ning Yao looked at the remains of the statue in front of them before looking further away at the lonely slab of black Dragon Slaying Platform. In the end, she turned to Chen Ping’an and asked in an uncertain voice, “Are you sure?”

“I’m certain!” Chen Ping’an replied with a smile.

Ning Yao believed him, with not even a shred of doubt remaining in her mind.

Even she didn’t know why this was.

Afterward, Ning Yao followed Chen Ping’an’s guidance and swept the scattered remains of the statue into a pit that they had dug. They then covered it with a layer of dirt.

Chen Ping’an lowered his head and quietly chanted, “May you rest in peace, no matter whether you’re a human or a god.”

Ning Yao also lowered her head and quietly said, “Rest in peace.”

After doing all this, Ning Yao asked in curiosity, “Chen Ping’an, is this a custom of the small town? Is this something passed down by your ancestors?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “No, it’s not. It’s just something that I came up with.”

Ning Yao raised an eyebrow.

Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “Ning Yao, don’t you feel very at ease after doing this?”

Ning Yao shook her head and replied, “No.”

Chen Ping’an scratched his head. He looked at the black statue base and asked, “That’s called a Dragon Slaying Platform?”

“Mhm. Martial artists might refer to them as saber whetstones or sword whetstones, and only swordsmen will refer to them as Dragon Slaying Platforms,” Ning Yao replied.

She turned around to gaze toward the southwest, and she appeared to be in a trance as she said softly, “The people in my hometown also referred to them as sword whetstones. Everyone owned a piece, be it big or small. Usually, it would only be the size of a fist. However, there are some swordsmen whose clans have declined and whose cultivation bases are low, so their sword whetstones are only the size of a thumb. Even so, they still value it more than their own lives. My family also has a sword whetstone, a very big piece…”

“How big?” Chen Ping’an asked softly.

“Even bigger than your house in Clay Vase Alley,” Ning Yao murmured in reply.

Chen Ping’an was astounded. An expression of envy then spread across his face, and he said, “Ning Yao, your family is so rich! Moreover, since the sword whetstone is so large, you don’t need to worry about others stealing it either. How nice is that? Unlike me. After working hard to earn some money, I feel worried no matter where I hide it.”

Ning Yao had been feeling slightly sad thinking about her hometown just then, but her sadness instantly vanished at this moment, and she said with a smile, “Let’s split this sword whetstone into two and take half each!”

Chen Ping’an waved his hands and said, “What would I need it for? I do have a machete at home, but that won’t require such a valuable piece of saber whetstone. My heart will ache each time I use it, so what’s the point? Ning Yao, I reckon you should just take the entire thing. Oh, that’s right, didn’t you want to ask Master Ruan to forge a sword for you? You can use the other half of the saber whetstone to pay for that…”

“Chen Ping’an, are you genuinely stupid, or are you scatterbrained?” Ning Yao said in exasperation.

Chen Ping’an pondered this for a moment before smiling and saying, “Ning Yao, just pretend that I’m a foolishly kind person.”

Ning Yao suddenly pointed at Chen Ping’an, a look of realization on her face. She smiled with squinted eyes and said, “Chen Ping’an, be honest with me. Do you have ulterior motives? Are you thinking that everything will still be yours after you make me your wife? How very calculating of you! Very impressive!”

Chen Ping’an grimaced, and he was truly on the verge of tears at this moment.

What was the phrase that Song Jixin said before? He who has a mind to beat his dog will easily find his stick?

Ning Yao roared with laughter and exclaimed, “I’m just joking! Look at how terrified you became!”

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but sigh. His mind was truly feeling a little tired at this moment…

Ning Yao’s expression suddenly became serious, and she said, “Be careful! My flying sword is already returning!”

Chen Ping’an suddenly became tense, and it was as if he were facing a great enemy.