Unsheathed

In front of the residence with the plaque “Beautiful Water Noble Wind”…

Perhaps feeling that death was imminent, the blind old Daoist priest suddenly went mad and started to utter nonsensical gibberish.

Inside his sleeves, Lin Shouyi held a talisman in each hand — the Pearl Within a Plate and Fiery Rain. He would try his best, but the rest would be up to the will of the heavens.

Beside him, Chen Ping’an was silently controlling the wandering dragon-like wisp of Qi in his body. He visited his two acupoints to confirm that the wisps of sword qi were still present and undisturbed.

How did he confirm this? This was actually very simple. As long as the fiery dragon that brought a warm and fuzzy feeling to his meridians didn’t dare to stop in front of those acupoints, then it would signify that the two wisps of “extremely, extremely small” sword qi were definitely still present.

This time, Chen Ping’an felt like a single wisp of sword qi wouldn’t necessarily be enough to kill that female ghost in the wedding dress.

If that were the case, then he would unleash both wisps of sword qi!

His heart would definitely ache afterward, but this was definitely?better than dying.

However, Chen Ping’an’s heart was in fact already aching in pain before he had even used a single wisp of sword qi.

Thus, the miserly young boy’s expression appeared slightly stiff. There was also a strong sense of killing intent.

Li Huai suddenly discovered that the white donkey next to him was forcefully stomping the ground again and again. Compared to its irritation and unease in the morning, the white donkey was seemingly a little happy and delighted at this moment.

Even when the female ghost appeared on top of the steps in front of the residence, the white donkey still only slowed down its stomping very slightly.

The female ghost glanced down at her bright red wedding dress, which was damaged and ripped in several areas. She suppressed her boiling rage and turned to look at the young children in front of her. She then gracefully hovered down.

Turning slightly and performing a curtsy, the female ghost said in a soft and gentle?voice, “Welcome to my residence, esteemed guests. You can call me Lady Chu. It’s a shame that my husband is still yet to return from his distant journey, so I have no option but to come out and host you myself.”

————

Inside the small bamboo forest in Go Table Mountain that was concealed by a formation, Wei Bo, who had seized the opportunity to recover his status as a mountain god, gazed at the mountainous pile of cut bamboo in front of him. These were the stalks of bamboo that A’Liang had felled with a single slash. Even though Wei Bo had obtained far more than he had lost during all this commotion, personally seeing these stalks of lush green bamboo that had drawn spiritual energy from Go Table Mountain for thousands of years lying there was still like looking at a beautiful woman who had been hacked apart at the waist. He couldn’t help but sigh.

Wei Bo was already using the power of illusion of his pale gold earring, and others would still be unable to detect him even if he revealed his true body in his territory. This was the same case even for the black python. He started to lightly snap his fingers, and the stalks of bamboo on the ground started to disappear one by one.

After collecting all of it, Wei Bo left the bamboo forest and saw the black python trembling and lying coiled up nearby. There was a young swordsman standing there with his sword hanging horizontally behind his waist. Beside him, there was a “familiar acquaintance” tilting his head up and gulping down wine. This was the powerful cultivator from the Great Li Empire who A’Liang had sent flying back to Go Table Mountain while soaring to the capital. Wei Bo only knew that his surname was?Liu. In the end, he had been carried away by that swordsman.

Wei Bo had a slightly puzzled expression. The man had been on the brink of death not long ago, yet in such a short time, he had already recovered and was up and about again, even though he still appeared slightly sluggish. However, even those who practiced top-notch physique-refining secret techniques wouldn’t be able to recover so quickly and so comprehensively.

Of course, it was indeed the case that those who reached the last two tiers of the Middle Five Tiers would all have their own secret abilities and trump cards. Thus, Wei Bo naturally wouldn’t question him about this. Buddhist monks wouldn’t discuss surnames, and Daoist priests wouldn’t discuss lifespans — this was something that everyone knew.

After wiping the wine from the corners of his mouth, the strong and burly man said in a deep voice, “Old mountain lord of Go Table Mountain, my name is Liu Yu. Even though I don’t especially like you, I’ll definitely repay you for saving my life in the future. If you have any urgent requests, then just crush this message talisman. If I’m not occupied with the tasks assigned by the imperial court, then I’ll definitely come over to help you even if I’m in the southernmost Old Dragon City of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.”

The burly man casually tossed Wei Bo a beautiful white jade tablet. After catching it, Wei Bo chuckled, “Frank in terms of what you like and detest, open and upright in manner, and in possession of this Peace and Safety Tablet that’s unique to Militarian sects and temples. Liu Yu, are you a cultivator from Wind Snow Temple or True Martial Mountain?”

“Is that any of your business?” the burly man humphed coldly.

Having just returned from the Embroidered Flower River, the young swordsman smiled and said, “Liu Yu is a typical sharp-tongued but soft-hearted person. Please don’t mind him.”

Wei Bo hurriedly waved his hands and replied, “I wouldn’t dare.”

The swordsman casually rested his elbows on his longsword and said with a warm smile, “There’s coincidentally some?impromptu matter that I have to deal with in Dragon Spring County. If you don’t mind, then do you want to leave the mountain with us? Even though I already notified County Magistrate Wu Yuan beforehand, meaning that there shouldn’t be any issues, what I’m afraid of is the potential for things to go awry. After all, not only is a geomantic official from the Ministry?of Astronomy in Downtrodden Mountain now, but there are also many external forces there. After just improving the relationship between you and the Great Li Empire slightly, I definitely don’t wish to see things fall apart again.”

“Judging from the commotion of the battle not long ago, it can’t be that a formal god of the Five Mountains has been killed, right?” Wei Bo replied in a seemingly casual manner. “What, can I also seize this opportunity to grab a small slice of the cake? Could it be that this so-called impromptu matter that you speak of genuinely has something to do with me?”

The rough and reckless-looking?Liu Yu squinted his eyes.

However, the young swordsman remained calm and relaxed as he chuckled, “Rest assured, I definitely won’t kick others to the curb when they’ve outlived their usefulness. Regarding the eventual outcome of this trip to Dragon Spring County, it’s all up to what you, Wei Bo, desire. The imperial court of the Great Li Empire definitely won’t force others to do something that they’re unwilling to do. As for the specifics of this matter… To tell you the truth, I’m not too sure about it either. I only know that the emperor attached great importance to this matter after hearing about it. In the end, he specifically reminded us to ‘treat them with courtesy’.”

Wei Bo sighed and said, “I’ve always had a stinky temperament where I’m easily persuaded by reason but can’t be cowed by force. Since you’re asking me like this, how can I possibly refuse? I’m truly afraid of you people.”

“Shouldn’t you yield to neither persuasion nor force?” Liu Yu sneered.

“Thank you for the praise, thank you,” Wei Bo said with a smile.

The young swordsman glanced at the obedient and docile black python and said in amusement, “Your vision is fairly impressive. ?However, remember not to cause any trouble when you go to Downtrodden Mountain in the future. There’s a member of your species residing in the lake of a nearby mountain, so even if you two fight in the future, it’s best that you don’t affect any of the mortals in that area. Apart from this, there’s nothing else that’s worth looking out for. Since you’re a mountain spirit of the Great Li Empire now, you at least don’t need to worry about being casually hunted and killed by the passing cultivators anymore.”

The black python earnestly nodded in reply. After ingesting the snake gall pebbles from Jewel Small World, its body had surprisingly shrunk in size instead of growing any larger. However, its four dragon-like claws had become even thicker than before, and the ink-black scales covering its body had also become increasingly bright and lustrous. At the same time, a thin golden line that was difficult to notice had also appeared on its abdomen.

Because there was still no one residing between here and Dragon Spring County, there was no need for them to rest in the mornings and travel at night even though they were bringing the black python with them.

When they arrived at the Iron Talisman River, the black python carefully slid into the water after receiving permission from the young swordsman. Even though it was extremely delighted, it still did its best to suppress its instinct — it didn’t dare to wantonly twist its body and slap the river water. The three people stood on the black python’s back, and it was as if they were passengers on a boat as they casually glided north along the Iron Talisman River.

Wei Bo frowned and lightly flicked his sleeves. He then scooped some water into his hand and swished it around as if he were trying to determine its weight. There was surprise in his voice as he exclaimed, “I’m aware that the Iron Talisman was elevated from a river to a great river. But…?”

The young swordsman explained the situation to him, saying, “After successfully?fusing into the Iron Talisman River, the river goddess here encountered another rare opportunity. This caught the attention of a geomantic official, who hurriedly reported the situation to the imperial court. The emperor was delighted, and he promoted the river one more level after having promoted it twice already .”

Wei Bo gently moved his hand around, causing the river water in his palm to slowly spin in circles. He clucked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “Then hasn’t this fortunate person who became the new river goddess of Iron Talisman River already reached the highest level in the mortal Mountain and River Genealogical Records? Interesting, how very interesting…

“In just a few days, she’s already completed the journey that takes her colleagues many hundreds or even thousands of years. Such talent and fortune is?simply astonishing — this is a destiny granted by the heavens! Most importantly, the promotion of this river goddess seemingly hasn’t resulted in an encroachment?on the fortune of the other waterways. I have to say that the Great Li Empire is truly quite fortunate.”

The young swordsman’s expression finally became serious for the first time, and he asked, “Wei Bo, are you sure that her promotion hasn’t encroached?on the fortunes of the other mountains and rivers? Are you sure that her fortunes have all come from the initially small Iron Talisman River?”

Wei Bo smiled and remained silent.

Once the formal god of the Northern Mountain of Divine Water Nation, his observations were naturally keen and not something that the geomantic officials from the Ministry?of Astronomy could compare to. Indeed, these geomantic officials could only be regarded as “amateurs among experts”.

Due to the battle with A’liang?not long ago, the mountains and rivers in the Great Li Empire were ebbing and flowing in their fortunes, causing the fortunes of the empire to also waver. At the same time, three of the five formal gods of the Five Mountains had also been severely wounded, so the matters pertaining to the other mountains and rivers could only be managed by the geomantic officials for the moment.

“Wei Bo, I’m sure that this information alone can reap you rich rewards from the imperial court,” the young swordsman said in a solemn voice.

Wei Bo looked up, and the gentle breeze brushed against his face. At this moment, the already ethereal-looking “young man” appeared even more like a transcendent immortal. His gaze was gentle, and he asked with a faint smile, “Can I swap it for a small fated opportunity? For example, creating a smoother path to immortality for a new disciple in the Palace of Eternal Spring for the next hundred years? This is a disciple who already has the talent to reach the Middle Five Tiers.”

“This isn’t difficult,” the young swordsman replied with a smile.

“I feel guilt toward the Liu Clan of Divine Water Nation…” Wei Bo murmured softly.

“How many years ago was that? Even mountain gods and river gods who enjoy lifespans as long as empires aren’t as foolishly sentimental at you,” Liu Yu grumbled in impatience. “When empires collapse, it’s already a huge fortune if your gold statue doesn’t crumble along with it. If you’re able to serve the new empire and continue to enjoy incense and offerings, then that’s an even greater fortune than?one can only dream of. Even if you’re indebted to the Liu Clan of Divine Water Nation, that was already something from several hundred years ago. Regardless of whether they deserved to die or not, all of them had already died. So why the hell are you still acting so melodramatic?!”

Wei Bo completely ignored him. The only thing that reverberated in his ears was the gentle lapping of the river water.

“Stubborn fool! And to think that I actually owe you a favor… Ah, such a great misfortune!” the staunch Liu Yu fumed.

The young swordsman laughed heartily and said, “Bad fate is still fate. You two should just accept this and endure it.”

“I wonder if Old Lantern will clash with Lady Chu in his trip down south,” Liu Yu remarked casually. “If they get into a fight, I’d wager that Old Lantern will come out worse for wear.”

The young swordsman shook his head and said, “I hope everything goes smoothly without trouble. Lady Chu is extremely important to the Great Li Empire. Moreover, she’s also the type of resolute person who would choose to fight to the death without any hesitation if things truly came to that. If you weren’t severely wounded, and if that woman hadn’t needed to return to the Palace of Eternal Spring so urgently to pick up Her Majesty, then I wouldn’t have asked Palace Minister Han to accept the task of escorting them down south. Palace Minister Han is amiable on the outside and firm on the inside, and his temper is actually even worse than yours.”

Liu Yu roared with laughter and said, “No worries, I’m sure everything is fine. As long as there aren’t any elegant and talented scholars in the group, then Lady Chu naturally won’t take a fancy to them. In fact, if Old Lantern were 30 or 40 years younger, then he might have genuinely been kept in her residence to act as her husband.”

“If you’re so brave, then why don’t you repeat this in front of Lady Chu?” the young swordsman teased.

“If she dares to leave her territory, then I’ll dare to repeat this in front of her,” Liu Yu chuckled.

The young swordsman sighed with emotion and commented, “Sages are referred to as sages because they possess their own small world. When they reside in this small world, they can enjoy all of opportune?time, geographical advantage, and popular support.”

“It’s a shame that you’re a swordsman, Master,” Liu Yu said with pity. “Such powers can’t be achieved by swordsmen. Otherwise, if your offensive ability and ability to kill is unrivaled, and you also enjoy the defenses of a sage’s small world, then…”

The young swordsman raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “I already have a sword, so is this not enough?”

Only at this moment did the ordinary-looking swordsman give one a dazzling and almost blinding feeling.

There was a forced smile on Liu Yu’s face.

Wei Bo suddenly stood up straight and looked into the distance, only to see a woman sitting on the branch of a willow tree that was horizontally extended above the river. She was dressed in azure robes, and there was a face?armor concealing her appearance.

Her hair was long and a rare pale gold color, and it extended all the way to the surface of the Iron Talisman River where?it gently undulated with the water.

For some reason, Wei Bo recalled a popular line from a poem.

Entering the water, the willow flowers undulate like duckweed.

When the young swordsman saw the woman, he quietly explained, “She’s the river goddess of the Iron Talisman River. She’s only just formed her godly body, and the imperial court is still yet to construct a river god shrine for her. As such, her spirit is still slightly unstable.”

Without turning around, Wei Bo asked, “What’s her name?”

“This little lady’s name is as good as can be — Yang Hua, as in water element willow!” Liu Yu humphed coldly. “She’s enjoyed heaven-rivaling fortune this entire time, fortune that’s enough to make others go green with envy. She was born in the countryside, and after being chosen by a geomantic official for her impressive aptitude, she further received recognition from the renowned Daoist sword ‘Talisman’ in the capital. And now, she’s even been promoted to a lofty river goddess with few peers. With her good fortune, is she not going to ascend to the heavens in the future?”

Wei Bo’s expression returned to normal, and he sat down on the black python’s back and observed, “Oh, so she has the aptitude of a rain goddess. No wonder her journey has been as smooth-sailing as wind and water. With such a powerful neighbor who I’ll see all the time, heaven knows whether this will be a good or a bad thing.”

Even though the young swordsman found this comment slightly strange, he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly he found strange about it.

However, to display the aptitude?of a rain goddess was indeed a rare, once-in-a-century event.

Riding on the back of the black python, Wei Bo and the others glided past the flowing willow tree. The river goddess Yang Hua paid no heed to them.

In Divine Water Nation of yore, poets were abundant and especially renowned for creating poems of farewell. Once sung and passed on by the women in the brothels, these poems would often shoot to fame and quickly sweep through the entire continent.

In these poems, poplar flowers were equivalent to willow flowers.

However, just like the rough and burly Liu Yu had said, these things were all ancient history.

If Wei Bo didn’t explain this, who would care? Even if he did explain it, who would be willing to listen?

Only Confucian sages had once left an annotation — Poplar, that from which willows sprout.

————

Wei Bo suddenly turned around, yet the river goddess Yang Hua was already nowhere to be seen.

At this moment, in someplace even further south than Go Table Mountain, a large red lantern slowly rose into the sky.

The young swordsman placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and said with a grim expression, “By the looks of it, I need to personally take a trip down south.”

However, right at this moment…

In some majestic mountain on the border of the Great Li Empire, a dash of white shot out from the mountaintop and rapidly flew toward the north. Like a brilliant comet, an extremely long streak of snow-white light trailed behind it.

This was actually the sword qi of a flying sword!

Moreover, the owner of the flying sword was nowhere to be seen.

The sword qi was both long and weighty.

After a while, the sword landed not far away from the banks of the Embroidered Flower River.

Shattering the formation that was almost as powerful as a sage’s handiwork with a single thrust, the sword landed precisely in front of a white donkey.

1. This means not asking disrespectful questions that invade other people’s privacy.

2. The phrase used for willow flowers (杨花) corresponds to Yang Hua’s name. This line also symbolizes people who are being toyed with by destiny, where their fate is undulating and uncertain.

3. This description (水性杨花) originates from?A Dream in Red Mansions, and is actually used to describe women with loose morals. Water element refers to the fact that a person has a disposition as changeable as water. Liu Yu is most likely being sarcastic.

4. The term for poplar flowers corresponds to Yang Hua’s name. See?the below footnote.

5. This is technically incorrect nowadays, but in Ancient China, the term for poplar also encapsulated willows. Thus, the terms poplar flower (杨花) and willow flower/catkin (柳花/絮) were used interchangeably. In fact, poplar and willow were also used as a single term (杨柳) to refer to willows.