Unsheathed

In a desolate area outside the small town, a flying sword was hovering in midair like an obedient child standing before their elder. It was as if it were standing there with its head lowered and its hands clasped behind its back.

There was a slightly disheveled middle-aged scholar standing in front of the sword, and both of his sideburns had already become as white as frost. If Zhao Yao or Song Jixin were present, they would discover that their master’s hair had grayed significantly in just a mere 10 days.

The flying sword was pointing at the silent Bai Yuan, the Mountain-moving Ape from Sun Scorch Mountain. He was radiating with an irascible aura at this moment, and it was as if he were about to leap into a life-and-death battle at any moment.

He couldn’t suppress his displeasure anymore, and he asked in a solemn voice, “Why did you allow the deity from True Martial Mountain to go just then? Yet, you stopped me from going? Mr. Qi, are you being too biased?”

Asking such a question to Qi Jingchun’s face was naturally very disrespectful. However, Bai Yuan didn’t feel like he was doing anything wrong at all. Even though True Martial Mountain was a sacred land for Militarians on the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, the disciples there all acted independently, so their sense of companionship wasn’t especially strong. When it came to the powerful cultivators and martial artists, it more so seemed like they were disciples in name only. The rules of True Martial Mountain were also renowned for being broad but hollow, so there wasn’t any real sense of constraint either. That being the case, what kind of cohesive power would True Martial Mountain have?

Qi Jingchun’s face was filled with exhaustion, and he turned to the flying sword and said, “You can return now; your master is safe.”

The flying sword happily bounced in the air, feeling as if it had been granted freedom. It then turned around and soared into the distance.

Bai Yuan felt like he understood the situation, and this caused him to become even more enraged. “Sure enough, that young girl is your disciple, Qi Jingchun! If you’re coveting the Liu Clan’s sword scripture, you can be frank and admit it to me! As long as it doesn’t end up in Wind Lightning Field’s hands, I don’t care if your secret disciple takes it or not. However, you insist on being so secretive. What, you want to reap all the benefits for yourself, yet you want to maintain your reputation as a noble scholar at the same time? You reap the benefits, yet I have to sacrifice my reputation?!”

If Bai Yuan’s disrespectful question had been as a result of his anger just then, his words of humiliation right now were undoubtedly a sign that he was no longer going to play nice with Qi Jingchun.

Qi Jingchun’s expression remained unchanging, and he said slowly, “As the Confucian disciple who’s been responsible for overlooking the geomantic fortunes of this realm for 60 years, there are some things that I do need to explain to you. Firstly, I have no relationship with that young girl, and I simply appreciate her talent. The plaque that reads ‘unmatched aura’ contains a portion of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent’s Sword Dao Aura, and when Ning Yao stood under the plaque, the characters inscribed on it automatically resonated with her.

“However, it was a shame that her sword wasn’t of sufficient quality to house the aura possessed by those characters. Thus, I gave her a helping hand and placed two of the characters in her sword. That’s my only relationship with her. Your assumption that she’s a secret disciple of mine isn’t correct.”

Qi Jingchun smiled in a self-deprecating manner and continued, “As the person overlooking this place, if I were truly shameless enough to steal from what’s been entrusted to me, do you really think anyone would be able to find out? What you’re worried about is nothing more than a mere sword scripture that can kill someone in their dreams. Do I, Qi Jingchun, need to scheme for 60 years to obtain it?”

Bai Yuan was a high-ranking member of Sun Scorch Mountain, and he had seen far too many long-term conspiracies and plots. He had more so experienced the power and might of many sanctimonious immortals. As such, how could he be willing to easily believe Qi Jingchun’s words? However, his tone became far calmer than before, and he sneered, “Oh? So you’re saying that I’m projecting?”

Qi Jingchun glanced at Bai Yuan and said, “My reason for allowing the person from True Martial Mountain to pass while obstructing you a little was actually very simple. Many people joke that there are two types of ‘true’ people in True Martial Mountain — true noble people and true despicable people. Regarding the Militarian swordsman from True Martial Mountain, I can trust every single word that he says.

“However, you’re different. You severely wounded Liu Xianyang, destroying his path to attain the Great Dao. Yet, at the same time, you purposely left him alive to avoid being kicked out of this realm by me. A person like you…”

Qi Jingchun chuckled when he said this, and he corrected himself by remarking, “Oh, I almost forgot! You’re not a person.”

Bai Yuan squinted his eyes, and he clenched his fists so tight that the cracking of his joints could be heard.

If it were a mortal enemy from Wind Lightning Field or some other enemy of Sun Scorch Mountain taunting him and saying that he wasn’t a person, Bai Yuan wouldn’t take this to heart at all. However, Qi Jingchun had uttered these words in a calm and gentle manner, and this caused Bai Yuan to mysteriously feel a great sense of humiliation.

Qi Jingchun paid no attention to Bai Yuan’s unbridled fury, and he continued, “Obstructing you was for the good of Sun Scorch Mountain. Ning Yao was about to summon her bonded weapon. As someone from Sun Scorch Mountain who’s interacted with sword qi and sword intent for 1000 years, are you telling me that you were unable to sense that pressure?”

“That little girl was merely putting in a last-ditch struggle. Mr. Qi, are you really trying to frighten me using that measly mystical ability?”

Bai Yuan roared with laughter, and he feigned sudden realization as he said, “I’ve heard others say that your master lost his integrity in his final years, and this resulted in him dropping in status time and time again. In the end, not only was his statue removed from the temple, but it was even smashed into pieces by the others. I didn’t believe this at the time, thinking that the mighty Fourth Sage of Confucianism was someone who could say a few words even if he came across the legendary Dao Ancestor or Buddha.

“As things stand right now, it seems like the Confucian branch of your master to you is going to die out in just two generations! The teachings of virtuous men will last but five generations — who said this? Yet, why is your branch so exceptionally pathetic? Perhaps the rumors about your master in some of the academies were true? Perhaps he wasn’t a mighty Sage of Confucianism, but instead a one-in-1000-year fraud?”

Qi Jingchun frowned slightly, but he didn’t interrupt Bai Yuan’s rambling. He quietly listened to everything the Mountain-moving Ape had to say.

Bai Yuan roared with wanton laughter, and he took a step forward before pointing at the scholar who was receiving a brutal scolding. With a wicked smile on his face, he sneered, “Qi Jingchun, isn’t the Confucian Sect most loyal to abiding by the rules and etiquette? I’m acting within the rules right now, so what can you do about me?!”

Qi Jingchun sighed softly as he turned around to look at the small town. He then turned back to Bai Yuan and asked, “Have you finished speaking?”

Bai Yuan faltered upon hearing this. He looked Qi Jingchun up and down before putting down his finger and huffing, “How boring. Even clay statues of Bodhisattvas have a temper, yet who knew that scholars are even more calm and composed? You scholars don’t talk back when you’re cursed, so I wonder if you also won’t strike back when you’re attacked?”

Qi Jingchun smiled and said, “You can give it a try.”

Bai Yuan was seemingly tempted to take up this offer, but in the end, he ultimately didn’t lash out.

“Qi Jingchun, do you insist on blocking me?” Bai Yuan asked.

“If I don’t, the consequences will be so great that even Sun Scorch Mountain can’t shoulder it,” Qi Jingchun replied.

“Truly?” Bai Yuan asked in a solemn voice.

Qi Jingchun didn’t play any mind games, nor did he step aside to allow Bai Yuan to pass. Instead, he patiently nodded and replied, “Truly.”

Bai Yuan stroked his chin in thought. In the end, he glanced at someplace far behind Qi Jingchun and humphed, “Those two kids can count themselves lucky. Pass them this message: Don’t let me see you in the future! Or else…”

Bai Yuan turned around and strode away. With his back to Qi Jingchun, the old ape suddenly lifted a hand and stuck up his thumb.

However, he slowly rotated his hand until his thumb faced downward.

Qi Jingchun looked up at the hazy and overcast sky. Rain was about to fall.

A voice suddenly traveled over from the small town and sounded in his ears, and this was a request from the Militarian swordsman from True Martial Mountain. He wished for Qi Jingchun to give him some leniency and allow him to summon an honored deity from True Martial Mountain. Qi Jingchun nodded and said, “Permission granted.”

Right after Qi Jingchun said this…

If someone coincidentally looked up at this moment, they would see a speck of light suddenly appear in the sky before instantly shooting down into the small town and leaving a thin trail of golden light behind it.

“Mr. Qi?”

A young boy called out behind Qi Jingchun.

Qi Jingchun turned around, and he saw a young boy and a young girl running toward him.

He couldn’t help but sigh with emotion upon seeing Ning Yao, the girl in green from the outside world. Zhao Yao had fallen in love with her at first sight, and Mr. Qi had given him a warning at that time, saying that Ning Yao was like a scabbardless sword that could easily hurt others. However, Zhao Yao didn’t have any understanding of emotions, so he was unable to understand the deeper meaning behind these words. As a result, he was unable to rid himself of his feelings toward Ning Yao. Even so, Qi Jingchun still felt like it would be unsuitable for him to speak too frankly and say that the young girl had a mind that aspired to Dao. This was a most unemotional mind.

Calling her unemotional was definitely not derogatory in any way, and instead, this was a complimentary remark of high praise.

Of the many types of love expressed in the world, the love between a man and a woman was only one of them.

In the mortal world, the love between a man and a woman could perhaps move one to tears. Perhaps such a feeling of love could also spur a man or woman to sacrifice themself for their lover. For cultivators, however, things would be far more complicated.

Qi Jingchun’s smile became a lot more natural when he saw the young boy in straw sandals. His voice was gentle as he teased, “You fought several battles, and each one was more earth-shattering than the last.”

Chen Ping’an was slightly embarrassed.

“There are two things that I need to tell you,” Qi Jingchun said frankly. “The first thing is that the Mountain-moving Ape from Sun Scorch Mountain has retreated. He’s going to leave the small town very soon.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t hesitate at all, and he directly asked, “The old ape’s going to leave from the east gate?”

Qi Jingchun raised a hand and gestured for Chen Ping’an to calm down, saying with a smile, “Let me finish first. Liu Xianyang managed to pull through.”

Chen Ping’an immediately became tense, and he carefully asked, “Mr. Qi, are you saying that Liu Xianyang won’t die?”

Qi Jingchun nodded and replied, “Someone offered their help, so Liu Xianyang isn’t in danger of dying anymore. This is certain. However, the bad news is that he’s severely wounded, so he might not be able to move freely in the future.”

A grin spread across Chen Ping’an’s face.

Like a bow left at full draw, Chen Ping’an had been feeling extremely tense these past few days. He hadn’t been able to relax for even a second. After hearing that Liu Xianyang would live, however, he immediately relaxed and fell backward, falling unconscious.

Ning Yao hurriedly caught his falling body.

“Cai Jinjian forcefully opened Chen Ping’an’s acupoints and also smashed the doorway to his mind. As a result, his energy and vitality have been leaking this entire time. Yet, Liu Xianyang was coincidentally hurt at this time as well, and this pushed him to draw on his potential with no regard for anything else. Since Chen Ping’an was already in a dire state, he decided that it wouldn’t make much difference if his situation worsened even more. Initially, he could have lived for half a year more. Now, however, he can most likely only live for 10 days at most,” Qi Jingchun explained.

This implied that Chen Ping’an had been sacrificing his lifespan when he had run across the rooftops, waded through the creek, and escaped through the mountains. Not only that, but Chen Ping’an had been completely aware of this as well.

“Mr. Qi, just tell me how to save Chen Ping’an!” Ning Yao said.

Qi Jingchun sighed in his mind.

This was the mysterious nature of one’s Dao Heart.

Ning Yao didn’t feel no emotion toward Chen Ping’an, or else she wouldn’t have accompanied him all this time.

When ordinary people heard this terrifying news, they would definitely feel a sense of panic, grief, and sympathy. The only difference would be the severity of these feelings and the length of time that they experienced them.

However, Ning Yao was different. She didn’t experience any of these feelings.

Instead, she jumped directly to the “outcome” that she desired the most — how could she save Chen Ping’an?

In the world of cultivation, cultivating one’s strength was something tangible and easily seen. As long as one cultivated in earnest and continued to advance, the only difference between them and others would be the size of their footsteps. However, cultivating the mind was far more mystical and intangible. Paths and opportunities existed around every corner, and it was as if each of these different methods could allow one to achieve ultimate success. At the same time, however, it seemed like each and every one of these different methods was a heretical method that no one could offer guidance on.

When it came to cultivating the mind, those with a Dao Heart — a mind that aspired to Dao — would be able to progress in leaps and bounds. They would be able to reach the heavens in a single step.

This was also why Ning Yao was able to confidently look at Chen Ping’an with pure eyes and boldly ask him whether he liked her or not.

Qi Jingchun’s expression became increasingly solemn as he recalled the young Daoist priest with the lotus hat.

Ning Yao squatted down and gently placed Chen Ping’an on her back. At the same time, she asked, “Mr. Qi, are you going to answer my question? However, let me say this first. I feel like the old shopkeeper in the Yang Family’s medicine shop is quite mediocre when it comes to treating others. However, Chen Ping’an knows an elder from the shop who’s quite capable and impressive.”

Looking at Ning Yao’s serious expression, Qi Jingchun asked a strange question, “What matter in the world is the most challenging and heaven-defying?”

“A single person with a single sword killing all demons!” Ning Yao loudly proclaimed without any hesitation.

Qi Jingchun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It’s cultivation,” he corrected with slight exasperation.

Ning Yao carefully mulled over this for a moment before saying, “It’s actually the same.”

Qi Jingchun pointed at where she and Chen Ping’an had been standing just then before pointing at another location. “The Sword Furnace can nurture one’s body, while Eternity can strengthen one’s spirit. To Chen Ping’an, however, these things can at most only maintain an equilibrium. If he’s lucky, there might be some slight surplus. When he wakes up, help me pass on this message: When you practice the fist technique in the future, you definitely have to give your full effort, if for nothing else but to stay alive.”

Ning Yao breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, she wasn’t feeling much better than Chen Ping’an at this moment, and it was only because her physique and cultivation base were far superior that she was able to maintain her consciousness. “Mr. Qi, so should I bring Chen Ping’an to Clay Vase Alley to recuperate now? Or should I bring him to visit Liu Xianyang first?”

“Either option is fine,” Qi Jingchun replied with a smile.

Ning Yao thought about this for a moment before saying, “Chen Ping’an will definitely want to see Liu Xianyang when he opens his eyes, so I’ll go to Master Ruan’s place first.”

Qi Jingchun nodded and said, “I’ll accompany you two for a little while.”

He and Ning Yao walked side-by-side.

A gentle spring breeze brushed over them, with the scholar walking with his hands clasped behind his back and the young girl walking with a young boy resting on her back.

After walking for a while, Ning Yao suddenly asked, “Mr. Qi, as the current owner of this realm, have you seized the opportunity to take a few talented disciples?”

Qi Jingchun smiled and shook his head, replying, “No, I only took a scholarly attendant who can’t really be regarded as a disciple. I decided against taking disciples in order to avoid suspicion before, but looking back at it now, I did indeed let many good talents slip out of my hands.”

“Mr. Qi, are you all-knowing in this place?” Ning Yao asked.

“If I want to know something, then I’ll be able to know it,” Qi Jingchun replied with a smile. “However, what I know won’t necessarily be the truth. After all, an iota of difference for some things can lead to a misunderstanding of severe proportions.”

There was something else that Qi Jingchun didn’t say. That was, after leaving the small town, he had already lost his mystical ability to “reflect all matter of heaven and earth in his heart”.

This was because someone had taken away that regal tablet, something that one of the Second Sages of Confucianism had left in the small town. The regal tablet had also been one of the main components of the spell formation in the small town.

Ning Yao hesitated for a moment, but she ultimately couldn’t suppress her curiosity, and she asked, “Mr. Qi, what’s your current cultivation base? Have you reached the Upper Five Tiers yet? Also, are you genuinely in this realm? Of course, you don’t have to answer my questions if you don’t want to. I’m just asking out of curiosity.”

Sure enough, Qi Jingchun didn’t answer her questions.

Ning Yao rolled her eyes and didn’t ask anything else.

Qi Jingchun slowed down, whether unconsciously or not, and he turned around to look beside him.

The young boy blinked his eyes.

The middle-aged man also blinked his eyes.

Qi Jingchun gave a knowing smile, and he imperceptibly picked up his pace again.

A noble man would always seek to help others.

After accompanying them for a long time, Qi Jingchun stopped and said with a smile, “I’ll see you off here.”

The middle-aged scholar stood there, silent as he watched the gradually disappearing Ning Yao and Chen Ping’an.

He took a step forward, and he instantly arrived next to the Dragon Slaying Platform.

Confucian Sages all had a kindred character that was extremely powerful.

No matter who it was, as long as they wrote, used, or spoke this character, they would increase the cultivation of the relevant Sage by a small sliver. However, just like how dripping water could penetrate stone, this would all add up.

Qi Jingchun was an exception.

He had not one kindred character, but two.

Moreover, the significance of these characters was extremely great, and the level of them was also extremely profound.

Tranquil — Tranquil mind begets enlightenment.

Spring — The world welcomes spring.

It was exactly because of this that he had been banished to this small world that was completely detached from the outside world.

Even though Qi Jingchun was only one of the mountain masters of the three schools and 72 academies, he was indeed someone who couldn’t be viewed through normal lenses.

The seemingly useless scholar who had refused to offer any reaction in the face of Bai Yuan’s continual provocation and humiliation shut his eyes and quietly contemplated the third stroke of the character “Tranquil” in his mind. He then extended two fingers and made a gentle downward slicing motion in the air.

The near-indestructible Dragon Slaying Platform was instantly cut into two.

With a flick of his sleeve, one half of the neatly cut Dragon Slaying Platform landed in Ruan Qiong’s blacksmith shop, while the other half appeared in a small residence in Clay Vase Alley.

After doing this, Qi Jingchun fell into deep thought, just like a go player would when contemplating their next move. It started to rain, and the light drizzle eventually transformed into a huge downpour that was accompanied by flashing lightning and booming thunder. However, Qi Jingchun remained standing there, lost in thought.

As someone who was viewed as a teacher by the residents of the small town, Qi Jingchun was thinking about his own teacher at this moment.