Unsheathed

A small pond was newly dug out behind the bamboo building in Downtrodden Mountain, and the water was extremely limpid and housed no fish. The pond was empty, and it was unknown what purpose it would serve. Wei Bo would often squat down in front of the pond, and he could stare at it for one entire hour at a time.

He even asked the little boy in azure and the little girl in pink to diligently look after this small pond for the next half a year, telling them not to let outsiders approach it. Perhaps Wei Bo didn’t completely trust the two little children with this task, so he even asked the black python that now had a golden line on its belly to move out from its nest and keep guard near the bamboo building.

After Chen Ping’an left Downtrodden Mountain, there was no one left for the little boy in azure to compare himself to. Spring was also settling in, causing the weather to gradually become warmer. Because of this, the little boy in azure slowly started to slack off. The little girl in pink reminded him about this two times, but the little boy in azure asserted that this was called maintaining an equilibrium and combining rest with cultivation. This was called accumulating his cultivation and suddenly soaring to great heights one day. This definitely wasn’t a case of giving up and becoming lazy.

Wei Bo came to the bamboo building again today, and the little boy in azure giddily followed behind him. No matter how much the little boy had questioned Wei Bo before, the mountain god would simply tell him to wait and see. Wei Bo was unwilling to reveal the truth to him. This caused the little boy in azure to feel extremely curious, and it was as if there were an unscratchable itch in his mind. In fact, he felt an urge to assume his true form and dive into the pond to make heads or tails of the situation.

However, he was afraid of Wei Bo’s position and power as well as this formal god’s sinister habit of hiding blades behind his smiles. With this in mind, the water snake from the Imperial River forcefully suppressed his curiosity, lest his situation deteriorate while he was living under Wei Bo’s influence.

Just like always, Wei Bo squatted down in front of the small pond and carefully observed the delicate flow of the water. The water appeared still, yet this couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, the root of Downtrodden Mountain’s fortune didn’t lie in the mountain god temple at the peak of the mountain. Instead, the root of the mountain fortune was at the bamboo building, while the root of the water fortune was in the small pond in front of him.

Mountain God Song Yuzhang was already on bad terms with the formal god of the Great Li Empire’s Northern Mountain, and he was also a loyal minister both during life and after death. Thus, loyal to the Great Li Empire’s Imperial Song Clan as he was, he reported this secret information to the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Astronomy. However, he was simply told to remain tight-lipped and not to leak this secret.

Since this was an order from the imperial court of the Great Li Empire, Song Yuzhang didn’t try to pursue the matter any further. In terms of his cultivation base being restricted because of this, leaving him unable to exercise full control over Downtrodden Mountain, Song Yuzhang viewed this very lightly.

However, it could be said that Song Yuzhang’s relationship with his superior, Wei Bo, was becoming worse and worse.

The little boy in azure also squatted down beside the small pond. In fact, he had no idea where the limpid water in the pond had been collected from. However, since Wei Bo was the formal god of the Great Li Empire’s Northern Mountain, he could naturally move mountains and transport water inside his territory with ease.

The little boy in azure eagerly stared at the limpid water, feeling frustrated at the fact that he was unable to discover any clues or traces. He failed to notice that Wei Bo, who was squatting beside him, had a tense expression even though he was in his own territory. There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and it was as if there were a mountain weighing down on his shoulder. He couldn’t stand up even if he wanted to.

Time flowed like water, and the little boy in azure eventually yawned in boredom. Only at this moment did he notice the stranger standing beside Wei Bo. This person was standing with his back bent and his hands clasped behind his back, and there was a smile on his face as he looked at the small pond. He was dressed in Daoist robes, and there was a lotus flower hat on his head. He looked young, and he appeared fairly handsome as well. However, his smile seemed a little improper.

He looked like someone who would use the excuse of reading palm patterns for others to improperly touch the hands of young women. If this were in the past, and if they were near the Imperial River, then the little boy in azure’s short temper would have definitely led him to confront the young Daoist priest and tell him to piss off as far away as possible. Now that he had experienced so many things in Dragon Spring Prefecture, however, he was much more reserved than before.

However, he quickly remembered that he was standing next to the lofty formal god of the Northern Mountain, and there was also an utterly terrifying superior grandmaster at the pinnacle of martial arts in the bamboo building as well. That being the case, what did he need to be afraid of?

The little boy in azure hurriedly stood up before clearing his throat and saying, “Oi, oi, oi, the Daoist priest over there, how can you be so disrespectful? How can you barge over without greeting us first? Do you know who my master, Chen Ping’an, is? He’s the owner of this entire mountain! Moreover, there’s also an extremely aggressive black python staying near the bamboo building, and it absolutely loves to eat people. You should thank me that you’re still alive because I’m the one who earnestly persuades it to give up meat every day. Otherwise, hmph, hmph!”

The little boy in azure crossed his arms and turned his nose to the air.

He roared with laughter in his mind.

Wahahaha, I’ve been holding back for so long, and I’ve finally come across a mere mortal who I can scold! What a rare occasion!

With this in mind, the little boy in azure became increasingly fond of the young Daoist priest. In fact, he felt an urge to become brothers with him.

“Is that so? Then it’s thanks to you that I was able to escape a calamity,” the young Daoist priest said with a dazzling smile. He hurriedly thanked the little boy in azure.

In the eyes of the little boy, this young Daoist priest’s actions and demeanor were far more sincere than Wei Bo’s cold and menacing smile that hid daggers behind it. However, the little boy in azure had been screwed over far too many times in this dogshit Dragon Spring Prefecture. Once bitten, twice shy, so the little boy couldn’t help but feel like every person was potentially a supreme cultivator. As such, he carefully looked the young Daoist priest up and down again.

After confirming that he didn’t have the aura of a Qi refiner, the little boy in azure felt so moved that he almost shed tears of joy. He swaggered over, and he jumped up to pat the young Daoist priest on the shoulder. “There’s no need to thank me. Before leaving Downtrodden Mountain, Master Chen Ping’an told me that I needed to assume responsibility when he was away. As the host, how can I allow you, my guest, to suffer from fright?”

The barefoot old man saw this sight from the window on the second floor of the bamboo building, and he chuckled, “If you’re so capable, why don’t you pat the young Daoist priest on the shoulder again?”

The little boy in azure immediately became alert. He looked up at the young Daoist priest, and he then glanced up at the crazy old man who was standing at the window on the second floor. Finally taking a glance at the lotus flower hat on the young Daoist priest’s head, he asked in an uncertain voice, “Let’s be open and honest with each other. Are you a 10th tier Spiritual Master from the Daoist Sect, or are you an 11th tier or 12th tier Heavenly Lord?”

The young Daoist priest smiled and shook his head, replying, “I’m neither.”

The little boy in azure was slightly skeptical, and he said in a low voice, “My dear friend, as members of the cultivation world, we should all stick to the principle of sincerity when we deal with others, regardless of our seniority or cultivation base. You can’t lie to me, okay?”

The young Daoist priest nodded and said, “I’m genuinely telling the truth.”

Even if the little boy in azure couldn’t defeat those under the 10th tier, wasn’t there still Wei Bo and the crazy old man in Downtrodden Mountain? Thus, it would truly be pathetic if he still remained timid and cowardly!

The little boy in azure rapidly considered these things in his mind, and he felt like he was already standing in a position of certain victory. A smile instantly spread across his face, and he jumped up and patted the young Daoist priest on the shoulder again. “I can see that you’re talented, so don’t be disheartened. It’s only the Nascent Tier of Daoism, so you still have some hope of reaching it as long as you work hard for a few hundred years.

“If you’re truly unable to reach it and get picked on by others in the future, then just tell them my name and say that you’re acquainted with… the white water snake from the Imperial River or the little dragon king from Downtrodden Mountain. How do these two nicknames sound? One’s carefree, while one’s impressive…”

The barefoot old man roared with wanton laughter. He raised his thumb at the little boy in azure and remarked, “I’m impressed, little water snake. If you don’t die today, then you’ll be able to brag about this for the rest of your life!”

The little boy in azure gulped upon hearing this. His eyes darted around, and he coughed before hanging his head and preparing to step back in retreat. “Oh, it’s time to cultivate. I definitely can’t miss my cultivation session today.”

The young Daoist priest smiled and nodded, saying in a gentle voice, “Yes, that’s right, one definitely can’t slack off when it comes to cultivation. Come on, let’s go. I have some shallow knowledge about cultivation, so I can answer your questions and help you clear up your doubts.”

The little boy in azure’s vision suddenly became hazy. When things cleared up again, he suddenly discovered that there was someone standing beside him. This wasn’t strange. However, what was strange was the fact that there was also someone squatting down beside Wei Bo. Not only that, but there was even someone standing opposite the crazy old man on the second floor of the bamboo building. In fact, there was also a person furtively glancing over while standing behind the silly girl who was secretly poking her head out from behind the bamboo building.

All of these people were identical to the young Daoist priest with the lotus flower hat!

The little boy in azure closed his eyes and pretended to be blind as he felt his way forward. “I can’t see anything, I can’t see anything at all. I’m walking around in a dream, just walking around in a dream…”

Standing behind the bamboo building, the little girl in pink blinked her large and watery eyes. Unlike the disrespectful little boy in azure, she was more curious than she was afraid. The young Daoist priest standing behind her had his hands tucked in his opposite sleeves. As he looked at the talismanic characters appearing on the bamboo wall, he clicked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “These characters are indeed as interesting as always. As expected of the person who helped… Haha, these divine secrets can’t be revealed.”

Standing on the second floor of the bamboo building, the young Daoist priest leaned against the window sill and asked with a smile, “I’ve heard that you want to fight?”

The barefoot old man bowed in respect according to Confucian tradition, and he then paid his respects as a scholar from the Cui Clan. After standing up straight, he took two steps back and clasped his hands in respect as a martial artist. He no longer appeared respectful or fearful, and there was fervor in his eyes as he said, “Please enlighten me a little, Branch Master Lu!”

The young Daoist priest pretended to be relieved, and he laughed loudly and replied, “Yes, that’s no problem at all, as long as it’s only a little. If you asked for a lot, then I would have truly been in a pinch. After all, I’m in Majestic World, so it’s as if my two legs are wading through mud. I can’t walk too quickly, and I can’t jump too high either.”

Next to the small pond, the young Daoist priest squatting beside Wei Bo asked, “Great Mountain God Wei, can you tell me about the origin of this water? Can you tell me about the origin of that golden lotus seed growing in the pond?”

Wei Bo was still unable to stand up, so he could only smile bitterly and reply, “Branch Master Lu, this is 15,000 liters of spring water that I secretly ordered someone to collect before Divine Water Nation was destroyed. As for that golden lotus seed, it’s an old antique from the imperial treasure treasury of Divine Water Nation. Even the imperial family and the Ministry of Astronomy were unable to explain the use of this lotus seed back then, and they simply treated it as a precious heirloom that they continued to pass down.

“While I was fleeing after the destruction of Divine Water Nation, I coincidentally came across this lotus seed in Go Table Mountain. After that, it became my possession. I’m wondering whether the spring water can nurture this golden lotus seed and allow it to bloom into that golden-purple lotus that is rumored to only exist in the Lotus Flower World.”

Because Wei Bo was the formal god of the Northern Mountain, the owner of all of the mountain ranges in this region, his fate was thus directly linked to these mountains. However, this geographical advantage would sometimes transform into a natural catastrophe instead. It would become a huge burden for the formal god.

When the young Daoist priest wearing the lotus flower hat appeared beside him, Wei Bo was immediately suppressed and no longer able to move. Even though the young Daoist priest was only stepping on Downtrodden Mountain, he was essentially stepping on the head of Wei Bo as well.

If the young Daoist priest stomped on Downtrodden Mountain with his foot, then the gold statue of Wei Bo on the peak of Cloud Drape Mountain would immediately lose half an arm.

The young Daoist priest shook his head and corrected, “Golden-purple lotus flowers aren’t unique to the Lotus Flower World. There are three incredibly high-quality golden-purple lotus flowers in the Heavenly Master Residence of the Middle Earth Divine Continent’s Mount Longhu. They’re growing fairly well, and they’re already more than 30 meters tall.”

Wei Bo was rendered speechless.

The young Daoist priest was none other than Lu Chen, the third disciple of the Dao Ancestor whose Daoist Sect was dominant in Heavenly World.

The Daoist Sect in Heavenly World was split into three teachings, and the branch masters of these teachings all enjoyed transcendent standings in the world. Their statuses were equivalent to Majestic World’s Etiquette Sage, Second Sage, and Scholarly Sage.

Lu Chen smacked the little boy in azure’s head and said with a faint smile, “Okay, stop trying to play blind and dumb. If I truly wanted to harm you, do you really think this would help?”

Even until now, the little boy in azure was still in the dark about Lu Chen’s true identity. However, judging by the young Daoist priest’s mystical abilities — which he had used in front of Wei Bo and the crazy old man, no less — the little boy in azure was well aware that he had come across a supremely powerful person. Moreover, it was extremely likely that this young Daoist priest was more powerful than anyone he had ever come across before.

This clone of Lu Chen accompanied the little boy in azure to the cliff and asked with a smile, “Have you heard the story of covering one’s ear to steal the bell before?”

The little boy in azure wiped the sweat from his forehead and sniffled, “Yes…”

“What did you think about it? Tell me the truth,” Lu Chen said.

The little boy in azure sobbed and replied, “I simply found it amusing.”

“You’re worthy of being taught,” Lu Chen remarked in emotion.

The little boy in azure suddenly squatted down and wrapped his arms around the head. He dazedly looked into the distance, and he had a pitiful expression as if his life was empty and devoid of all meaning.

He missed Chen Ping’an at this moment. If his master were present, then he would feel slightly more at ease even if his master’s cultivation base was completely negligible.

A rare expression of benevolence appeared on Lu Chen’s face. He turned around and looked down at the dazed little boy, and he asked in a soft voice, “Little water snake, do you want to come to Heavenly World with me?”

The little boy looked up, and his tear-stained face was scrunched into a frown. His bottom lip was downturned, and he replied in a pitiful voice, “If I say no, will you lift your foot and crush my head into pieces?”

“Of course not,” Lu Chen shook his head and said with a smile. “I’ll simply confiscate this small pond. After all, both the spring water and the golden lotus seed can be considered things that I left in this world. By taking it away, I’m essentially taking a huge fated opportunity away from Chen Ping’an. Don’t you always claim to be a hero and a brave person? After sponging off Chen Ping’an so much, are you not going to show some loyalty toward him? Are you not going to do a little something for him?”

The little boy in azure slowly shook his head. Tears clouded his vision, and he said, “Chen Ping’an won’t blame me even if I’m disloyal one or two times.”

Lu Chen raised a hand to his forehead. He was also powerless against such a stupid little fool. So be it. The fate between them was yet to mature, so he would just leave things at this first.

He sighed and told the little boy in azure, “When you see Chen Ping’an, tell him that he owes me a favor regarding this small pond. He needs to return this favor in the future. As for you, you can head to the large waterway that runs through Complete Reed Continent from east to west when you’re entering the river to become a flood dragon. If you can make it past half of the waterway, then that can be considered a success. When that time comes, you can ask Chen Ping’an to protect you and act as your guard. Mhm, this is the favor that he needs to return to me.”

“Why are you treating me so well, Immortal Elder?” the little boy in azure asked in hesitation.

Lu Chen saw right through the little boy in azure, and he huffed, “Firstly, I’m not your long-lost father or old ancestor. Secondly, I’m not interested in your flood dragon skin after you successfully transform into a flood dragon. Thirdly, I’m only providing you with guidance this one time because of your peculiar background. However, I might ask you if you want to come to Heavenly World with me again in the future.”

After saying this, this clone of Lu Chen vanished in a flash.

The little boy in azure stood up and looked around. He found that the young Daoist priest standing behind the silly girl and squatting beside Wei Bo had also vanished without a trace.

A smile instantly broke through his tears, and he swaggered over to the little girl in pink who was standing behind the bamboo building. His voice was filled with arrogance as he announced, “Silly girl, do you know? The old immortal praised me for having immense talent, and he almost fell to his knees to beg me to become his disciple. He even said that he would bring me to some Heavenly World or whatnot to live in luxury!

“But just who am I? Since I’ve acknowledged Chen Ping’an as my master, I naturally have to uphold the justice and righteousness of the cultivation world, don’t I? So, I rejected his offer without a shred of hesitation. Heh, you didn’t see his expression back then. There were tears glistening in his eyes.

“Ah… What a pity. The old immortal was so sincere, but who can he blame for Chen Ping’an being so fortunate and taking me as a young scholarly attendant first? It’s also my fault for being so loyal! Oh, that’s right. Silly girl, what did the old immortal say to you?”

The little girl in pink raised a hand that was glowing with golden radiance, and she replied in an awkward voice, “The old immortal discussed some calligraphy rules with me, and in the end, he said that you would definitely spew nonsense. So, he asked me to reward you with a slap in his stead.”

There was a crisp and sweet-sounding smack.

The little boy in azure was brutally struck by the glowing golden palm, and he spun several times in the air before finally slamming into the ground. He remained lying there, and he decided to feign death.

Wei Bo was filled with worry as he stood beside the small pond and gazed toward the second floor of the tranquil bamboo building.