Unsheathed

Li Baoping was already longing for the arrival of such a day, and not only was she not fearful in the slightest, she was full of childish optimism and anticipation for the day that her junior uncle would be able to whiz around on top of a flying sword, arriving by her side from the farthest corners of the world before declaring to everyone that he was her junior uncle.

As for the peril that would come from the arrival of such a day, Li Baoping wasn’t considering that at all. After all, no matter how intelligent she was, there was no way that she could imagine just how sinister and terrible human nature could be. Even if she were to rack her little brain with all her might, it was simply impossible for her to conceive all of the perils that were lurking in the shadows that she was yet to explore.

Being the naive little girl that she was, she had chosen to place all of her trust and belief in a single person.

The old scholar who was sleeping soundly on Chen Ping’an’s back had chosen to reveal those secrets precisely because he cherished this rare and precious childish naivety that Li Baoping possessed.

“Junior Uncle, if you run into someone that you can’t beat in a fight or in an argument, make sure to run away,” Li Baoping urged in a gentle voice.

“I will, as long as you don’t think it’s too embarrassing for me to run away like a coward,” Chen Ping’an chuckled.

After that, Chen Ping’an took Li Baoping to a few shops and bought brand new boots for all three children, but refrained from buying a pair for himself, not because he was that stingy, but instead because they simply didn’t feel right on his feet. When he was trying out the boots, they felt extremely unnatural, to the point that he almost didn’t even know how to walk anymore.

Aside from that, he also bought each of the three children two sets of new clothes. Chen Ping’an would’ve been lying if he said that all this spending didn’t pain him at all, but this was a necessary expenditure.

Once again, Li Baoping chose a bright red garment for himself, not just because it gave her a cheery and festive appearance. Chen Ping’an had heard her complain quite some time ago that a traveling Daoist priest had once passed through Fortune Street several years ago and read the fortunes of Li Baoping and her siblings.

While examining Li Baoping’s eight characters, he had mentioned that it was best for her to wear red clothing as that could ward off evil and protect her from sinister forces. Li Baoping was spoiled to no end by her elders, who were willing to comply with her every demand, but this matter had always been non-negotiable.

The more Li Baoping grew up, the more frustrated she became by this, but she still did as she was told. Last time at the relay station in Red Candle Town, she had received three letters from her family, namely from her father and her two brothers, and all three of them contained a reminder for her not to pick out clothes of any other color just for a change of scenery.

Li Baoping would often grumble to Chen Ping’an in private that if she ever saw that no-good Daoist priest again, she would be sure to give him a vicious beating.

As the two of them were visiting the shops, the old scholar was still sound asleep, so Chen Ping’an could only continue to carry him on his back. Thankfully, the old scholar wasn’t very heavy at all, weighing less than 50 kilograms by Chen Ping’an’s estimates. He had no idea how such a light old man could fit so much knowledge in his stomach.

On the way back to the Autumn Reed Inn, Li Baoping’s bookcase was stuffed full of the things that they had just purchased. During the course of this long journey, she had become thinner, and her complexion had darkened, but she had also become hardier and full of exuberance and vigor, so Chen Ping’an wasn’t concerned that the additional weight would be too much for her to bear.

Upon arriving at the Flowing Cloud Water Alley, they were greeted by the same mystical sight of cloud and mist. Even though Chen Ping’an had already seen it many times, he still couldn’t help but be amazed and perplexed by this inexplicable sight.

The illustrations on the Mountain Scouring Album gifted to them by the blind old Daoist priest were also quite strange and wondrous, but seeing those illustrations didn’t have quite the same impact as directly experiencing an inexplicable phenomenon in person.

As they arrived at the entrance of the inn, where the two colorful door gods were engraved on the gate, the old scholar suddenly woke up, and in the instant that his feet landed on the ground, his luggage immediately appeared on his back.

He was holding a silver ingot in his hand as he turned to the pair of surprised children and said with a smile, “All good things must come to an end. I still have many places to go, and I must continue westward on my journey, so this is where we part ways. Chen Ping’an, whether that half of Cui Chan is good or evil has already been largely decided.

“It’s not completely set in stone, but there’s not much ambiguity left. From now on, I leave him to you. When it comes to educating someone, teaching by example is more important than preaching through words, and that’s why I decided to leave him with you.”

Li Baoping’s brows furrowed slightly as she said, “Cui Chan is a really, really bad person! Why are you always trying to protect him, Scholarly Sage?”

A resigned look appeared on the old scholar’s face as he explained with a patient smile, “I have no other choice. I’ve already lifted the restrictions on him, so if you still think that he deserves to be killed next time, then do what you need to do and don’t worry about what I think.

“I’m going so far to protect him because I failed in educating him properly, and that’s the main reason why he strayed down the wrong path. Hence, I don’t want to completely renounce him and give him the false impression that I made a very rushed and arbitrary decision.”

A weary look appeared on the old scholar’s face as he continued, “At the time, I truly didn’t have the time and energy to spare. There was a battle that I had to win, so I didn’t have the time to explain to him the reasons behind my teachings. I was unable to guide him down the right path, and that’s what’s resulted in everything that happened thereafter.

“In a fit of rage and frustration, he decided to turn his back on my teachings altogether, leaving a huge mess behind, and Ma Zhan was one of the victims of all of this. If he were to take firm and solid steps down the new path that he has taken, there is indeed hope that he will benefit the world for countless years to come.

“Perhaps he would even be able to expand the teaching of Confucianism. All of this is too complex for me to explain to you right now, but you’ll perhaps come into contact with things like this if you manage to reach sufficiently lofty heights in the future. When that time comes, don’t do what I did.

“Take your time to think, and don’t be in a hurry to make decisions. You must be patient, particularly to those close to you. Do not make blind and hasty decisions. Otherwise, the outcome will be negative for everyone.”

The old scholar reached out with a wizened hand to pat Chen Ping’an’s head as he spoke, then patted Li Baoping’s little head as well as he said, “Don’t always think about growing up so quickly. Once you’re all grown-up, you’ll find that there are more and more things that you’ll be forced to do, and there will be very few friends who will always remain by your side.

“When it comes to clothes and shoes, the newer, the better, but when it comes to friends, the older, the better. However, as people get old, there will eventually come a day when they pass away.”

“Lin Shouyi told me that those cultivating immortals can live for 100 years, or even 1,000 years if they can make sufficient progress in their cultivation!” Li Baoping said.

The old scholar smiled as he asked, “And what happens after 100 years or 1,000 years?”

“I’ll be dead?” Li Baoping asked in an uncertain voice.

The old scholar couldn’t help but burst into laughter at her unintentionally humorous response, and he said, “You’re such a good little girl, Baoping. If there ever comes a day when you’re no longer of this world, your friends will be extremely sad. I will be so distraught that I’ll be bawling my eyes out, and I won’t even be able to drink any wine.”

An enlightened look appeared on Li Baoping’s face as she nodded in response. “You’re right, that’s why everyone has to live!”

The old scholar offered his silver ingot to Chen Ping’an, who scrutinized it with a suspicious expression as he asked, “This isn’t a bug silver, is it? Cui Chan has one of those.”

The old scholar shook his head with a smile as he chuckled, “Only Cui Chan as a boy would find a little trinket like that interesting. The old Cui Chan wouldn’t even bother to take a glance at such a thing. This thing may look like a silver ingot, but in reality, it’s an ownerless sword billet, one that’s of a far higher caliber than the one in Cui Chan’s pocket treasure.

“The most important aspect of this sword billet is that it has very deep historical roots. If you ever get the chance, you have to pay the Middle Earth Divine Continent a visit and take this thing to Tassel Mountain. Perhaps you’ll even be treated to some delicious wine by a certain person. The floral fruit wine of Tassel Mountain is the best in the world, and even an immortal would get drunk on it!”

Chen Ping’an accepted the silver ingot, and the old scholar jibed, “What’s this? You weren’t willing to become my disciple before, and you insisted on turning me down no matter what I said. Why are you accepting this thing so easily now?”

A slightly awkward look appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face as he replied, “I feel like it would be hurtful to you if I continued to refuse.”

“It’s because this thing looks like a silver ingot, Scholarly Sage! How could Junior Uncle not like something that looks like silver?” Li Baoping whispered to the old scholar, and she immediately received a flick to the forehead from Chen Ping’an.

Li Baoping clutched at her forehead with her hands and didn’t dare to say anything further.

The old scholar burst into laughter as he said, “Don’t call me Scholarly Sage next time we meet, little Baoping. You are Qi Jingchun’s disciple, while I am Qi Jingchun’s teacher, so what should you call me?”

Li Baoping faltered slightly upon hearing this. “Grandteacher? Grandmaster?”

The old scholar nodded with a pleased smile. “That’s it! You can call me either one of those, just pick whichever one you like.”

Li Baoping hurriedly extended a deep bow, but she forgot that her bookcase was heavier than before, and as a result, her center of gravity was tipped forward, almost causing her to fall face-first onto the ground. Thankfully, Chen Ping’an reacted in time and caught her before she could fall.

The old scholar remained standing still on the spot, accepting this bow from Li Baoping in a calm and justified manner.

After adjusting the luggage on his back slightly, the old scholar heaved a faint sigh as he said, “The sword billet’s name is ‘Little Capital’. Don’t have any qualms about accepting it. The karma and fate attached to the sword billet have already been completely severed, and as for how you can use it, that’s very simple.

“As long as you treat it earnestly, everything will come naturally, and it’ll automatically accept you as its master. If you don’t treat it earnestly, it won’t awaken even if you hold onto it for 10,000 years, and it’ll be no more valuable than a piece of scrap metal.”

Chen Ping’an carefully stowed the sword billet away, and the old scholar nodded as he declared, “I’m going now.”

He then turned to depart, but Li Baoping called out to stop him. “Grandteacher!”

“What is it, little Baoping?” the old scholar asked as he turned to her with a smile.

Li Baoping pointed up at the sky as she said, “Aren’t you going somewhere very far away, Grandteacher? Why aren’t you flying up into the sky and suddenly disappearing like ‘whoosh’!”

The old scholar was very amused to hear this, and sure enough, he really did vanish on the spot in the next instant.

Chen Ping’an and Li Baoping raised their heads to look up at the sky in unison, but the old scholar was already nowhere to be seen.

In reality, he hadn’t gone very far at all. At this moment, he was situated on the end of the Flowing Cloud Water Alley that was closest to the street, and he took a glance in the direction of the Autumn Reed Inn before slowly departing.

————

Inside the courtyard, the tall woman was seated on a stone bench, looking up at the sky with a gentle smile on her face.

Yu Lu and Xie Xie were situated right next to her in the same courtyard, but they were completely oblivious to her presence. Whenever she appeared, she would conceal her own aura so that Yu Lu and Xie Xie weren’t able to see, hear, or sense her.

Li Baoping went to her room to organize her new belongings, while Chen Ping’an sat down beside the sword spirit.

The tall woman swept a hand through the air, and the old sword billet that had been hanging under that bridge for countless years appeared in her grasp. “Seeing as there’s been a change in circumstances, I’ll have to make some adjustments to my own plans accordingly.

“Our 100-year agreement will remain unchanged, but from now on, I’m going to speed up in the sharpening of the sword billet, striving to restore it most of the way back to its original state within 60 years. This means that the chunk of Dragon Slaying Platform that you’re carrying won’t be enough. In fact, it won’t be anywhere near enough.”

Chen Ping’an was very perplexed to hear this. If he recalled correctly, he had taken that small chunk of Dragon Slaying Platform that had suddenly appeared in his yard to the blacksmith forge.

A faint smile appeared on the tall woman’s face as she said, “Do you still recall that time that you had a dream of falling into the creek along with the basket on your back while sitting on the bridge? I already took away that chunk of Dragon Slaying Platform during that time, and what you thought was the chunk of Dragon Slaying Platform was nothing more than an ordinary rock that I had cast an illusion onto.

“Well, I suppose it’s not exactly accurate to call it an ordinary rock. Instead, it was a snake gall pebble of the highest caliber, one that’s sufficient to turn a small reptile into a… a large reptile? In order to shorten 100 years to 60, I’ll have to at least use up that large chunk of Dragon Slaying Platform in the mountains.

“Perhaps I won’t have to use up the entire cliff, but I’ll definitely be using most of it. Having said that, that’s not something you have to worry about. I have ways to keep everyone oblivious to the fact that I’m using the Dragon Slaying Platform, and if worse comes to worst, I’ll just have to toss those Militarian cultivators of Wind Snow Temple and True Martial Mountain a few secret scriptures as compensation.

“Not only will they not feel like they’ve been hard done by, I’d say there’s a decent chance that they’ll burst into tears from elation!”

Chen Ping’an felt as if he were listening to a fictional story, and he had no response for what he was hearing.

The tall woman extended a hand up toward the sky, and that pristine white lotus leaf appeared in her grasp. “Due to the involvement of that impoverished scholar and the fact that that sword of yours is a little out of the ordinary, this lotus leaf isn’t going to be able to last much longer, and that’s one of the reasons why I’m in such a hurry to get back.

“The other reason is that the scholar promised me that you won’t be implicated by the matters concerning Cui Chan. He’ll make a trip to the Yingyin Chen Clan first, and after reasoning with them, he’ll go to the west. Hence, from now on, just do as he says and focus your efforts solely on taking those children to the academy in Great Sui Nation.

“With Cui Chan and the sixth-tier martial artist, Yu Lu, accompanying us, I’m sure that even if you run out of sword qi, you’ll be able to deal with any perils that come your way.”

Her brows then furrowed slightly with concern as she continued, “However, once we get to the academy in Great Sui Nation, I’ll have to remain there for the next 60 years and I won’t be able to leave during that time. Otherwise, all of my prior efforts could go to waste. You have to ensure that you don’t die and that you continue to make steady progress in your cultivation, and that’s going to be a little difficult.”

“A’Liang once told me that once someone reaches the third tier, regardless of whether they’re a martial artist or a qi refiner, they’ll be ready to attempt a solo trip across a nation,” Chen Ping’an said. “As long as they don’t go out seeking death, they should be fine under most circumstances.

“At the fifth or sixth tier, one would be able to explore half of an entire continent, as long as they don’t take undue risks and venture into the notoriously perilous areas, or try to play the hero and go after evil entities. As long as one refrains from doing these things, they should be able to survive just fine.

“However, if one encounters some type of unforeseen disaster that results in their death, then they can only blame their bad luck. Given the terrible luck that led to their demise, even if they had stayed home the entire time, they wouldn’t have been safe anyway, so it wouldn’t have mattered if they had stayed home or decided to go out on an adventure.”

The sword spirit nodded with a pleased expression as she said, “I’m glad that you think this way. This is how things should be. If you’re always hesitant and timid, there’s no way you’ll ever be able to make any substantial progress in cultivation.”

An intrigued look then suddenly appeared on her face, and her eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, “I’m already about to leave now, so why is it that you still haven’t asked me how you can ensure your own survival?

“Our lives are intertwined together, so aren’t you curious about why I haven’t helped you mend your bridge of immortality so that you can embark on the path of cultivation? Surely this isn’t too much for you to ask no matter what perspective you’re looking at this from.”

“I did think about asking these questions last night before I went to bed, but I held my tongue in the end,” Chen Ping’an admitted in a truthful manner.

“Why is that?” the sword spirit asked.

A serious look appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face as he replied, “It’s not that I’m too embarrassed to ask. This is something that concerns my survival, so no matter how embarrassed I may feel, there’s no way I would refrain from asking those questions if I deemed it necessary.

“The reason why I chose no to ask is that I’ve always believed in Old Man Yao’s teachings. He was half a master to me during my days as a pottery firing apprentice, and he once said to me…”

The sword spirit cut off Chen Ping’an as she nodded and said, “I know what you’re going to say. I saw and heard what he said in that recollection of yours, and it’s indeed a very interesting quote.”

She then became a little worked up as she rose to her feet and continued, “Do you know why there is a concept of ‘seeing through facades’ among you humans? This is a real concept, but among mortals, it’s something that is intertwined with fate, so even if they change their name, that’s all encompassed within the overarching rules, so it’s largely inconsequential.

“However, anything that concerns one’s bridge of immortality or alters the many acupoints in one’s body is a matter of great importance. Cultivation in itself is something that goes against the natural order to begin with. To put it in more harshly, cultivating is something that defies the Heavenly Dao.

“When qi refiners speak of Dao attainment, they’re trying to prove that their Great Dao can make the Heavenly Dao bow its head. The heavens want me to go through the natural cycle of birth, aging, illness, and death, yet I’m going to defy that by attaining an immortal body that’ll grant me eternal freedom.

“Essentially, you’re forcing the gods to bend to your will and acknowledge your immortality, so that’s obviously going to be an extremely difficult endeavor. If it were easy to construct a bridge of immortality, then countless cultivating clans would be filled with immortal descendants.

“The meridians, acupoints, and bloodlines of humans are some of the most profound things under the heavens. When it comes to the concepts of the inner and outer large and small worlds championed in Daoism, the small world here refers to the human body, implying that one’s body is a natural blessed paradise, while the bridge of immortality is the bridge that connects the two worlds.

“Hence, attaining immortality is truly as difficult as ascending to the heavens. It’s not entirely impossible, but the price that must be paid in order to accomplish this goal is one that’s extremely steep. One must be at an extremely lofty cultivation base before they can construct a bridge of immortality, and they must be cultivators of certain schools of thought, such as Naturalism or Medicinism.

“This is one of the reasons why these teachings have managed to remain standing to this day, even though its followers aren’t very competent in battle.”

A hint of disappointment appeared in Chen Ping’an’s eyes, but to the sword spirit’s relief, he wasn’t displaying any dejection or pessimism after hearing all of this. A faint smile appeared on her face as she continued, “The most important thing for you at the moment is to refine your body and build a good foundation.

“That is something that will only benefit you down the line. Otherwise, it would be extremely embarrassing for you if you can’t even pick up the sword after I’ve finished sharpening it. Don’t think to yourself that picking up the sword will be an easy task. Inside that impoverished scholar’s scroll, he gave you the illusion that you were a 10th tier cultivator.

“The physical constitution of the average ninth tier cultivator may not necessarily be able to compare with that of a pure martial artist of the fifth or sixth tier, but for cultivators who aim to reach the 10th tier, not a single one of them would be so foolish as to neglect their physical refinement.

“In fact, the vast majority of them will become even more diligent in bodily refinement than pure martial artists, slowly and meticulously refining their bodies and souls, unwilling to tolerate even the slightest flaw or imperfection. This is why all of the 10th tier qi refiners in this world are as advanced in age as the old turtles lurking on the lakebeds.”

Chen Ping’an made sure to commit all of this firmly to his memory.

The sword spirit stood in the courtyard as she smiled and continued, “You have to wait for me for 60 years, little Ping’an. You better make sure that you haven’t turned into an unsightly old man by then. If you do, I may have to revoke our agreement and refuse to recognize you as my master!”

Chen Ping’an rose to his feet and was just about to say something when the sword spirit approached him while extending a hand, as if she wanted to strike palms with him to seal their agreement.

Chen Ping’an hurriedly raised his hand as well, but ultimately, their hands passed each other by in the air.

As it turned out, the sword spirit had already vanished from the spot, departing without any warning.

Chen Ping’an sat back down on his original spot, then suddenly slapped a hand to his own forehead. He had just recalled that he had forgotten to ask the sword spirit and the Scholarly Sage what that little girl in gold in the locust wood sword was supposed to be!