Unsheathed

It was common practice to rest and recuperate after a grueling battle. Chu Hao’s army no longer posed any threat, and Song Fengshan was looking after the villa, so Song Yushao wasn’t in a hurry to get back. Instead, he was going to wait for Chu Hao to regain consciousness so that he could ask him some questions.

Once a pure martial artist reached a certain cultivation base, a period of rest would be all that was required to return to peak condition as long as they didn’t suffer any substantial injuries. The duration of this period varied from person to person.

For those who were at the “Martial God Tier” — in actuality, the Vajra Body Tier, the Wing Formation Tier, and the Mountain Summit Tier, it was said that they could complete a breathing cycle in the blink of an eye, doing so with such speed and efficiency that it was virtually instantaneous, so there was no weakness to be exploited.

If Song Yushao had been at one of those three tiers, then the Green Bamboo Sword Immortal’s plan of waiting for him to breathe out before striking would’ve been impossible to execute. It was also because of this that there had always been a saying in the central region of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent — a martial god was always at their peak up to the moment they met their demise.

However, Song Yushao had only heard stories about the so-called Martial God Tier, and while Chen Ping’an was more familiar with those tiers, even he didn’t know much more about them.

Right at this moment, Song Yushao noticed that Chen Ping’an wasn’t looking quite right. Theoretically speaking, once a martial artist left the battlefield, their condition should’ve been steadily recovering, yet Chen Ping’an was still looking quite weary. With that in mind, Song Yushao stopped in his tracks and asked, “Be honest with me, have you suffered internal injuries?”

Before answering the question, Chen Ping’an first took a glance at Chu Hao. His breathing was slow and even, and didn’t appear to have awakened, but Chen Ping’an wasn’t fooled.

Back when he was exploring the mountains and wilderness with Liu Xianyang in his younger days, he would often catch snakes, and all he would have to do was shake a snake around a little to loosen up all of its joints. He did the same thing here with Chu Hao, knocking him out again with a flick of his wrist.

Chu Hao thought that he had been putting on an impeccable act, and he let loose an anguished howl internally as he lost consciousness once again. He could only lament his own misfortune at having run into such a callous and unreasonable sword immortal.

Only after Chu Hao was knocked out again did Chen Ping’an explain to Song Yushao, “I’m not a swordsman, so controlling the two flying swords is very taxing on me mentally. Even though they can fight on their own after leaving the Sword Nurturing Gourd, some of my attention is required to support them, acting as a scabbard in a way.

“Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to stay for too long outside of my acupoint or my Sword Nurturing Gourd. On top of that, I also had to use a few inch movement talismans in a short time, and my breath was too rushed, so I’m not feeling too great. Having said that, it’s not a big problem, and as long as I don’t have to fight again anytime soon, I can slowly recover through my breathing technique.”

Song Yushao was relieved to hear this. Strolling through the shade and sunlight in the forest, the old sword saint was looking very relaxed and carefree, not just because the knot in his heart that had plagued him for years had been untied, but also because he had made a young friend to whom he could entrust his own life.

In the process, his faith and hope in the world had been reignited. Even if so many things had changed, there were still things in this world that were worth living for.

All of a sudden, a smile appeared on his face as he said, “Chen Ping’an, with a Sword Nurturing Gourd in your possession, you have an advantage over other swordsmen in that you won’t have to use up resources to repair your bonded flying swords after each usage. Having said that, I still owe you a great debt. I wasn’t expecting Chu Hao to recruit Pine Stream Nation’s Green Bamboo Sword Immortal to help him bring me down.

“If it wasn’t for your help, I would’ve definitely met my demise back there, so once we return to the villa, I’ll give you all of the light snow coins in our villa’s possession as repayment. It’s not much, we’ve only managed to save up fewer than 2,000 light snow coins over the years, and Fengshan spent half of it to purchase Vast Water, so I only have about 800 or 900 light snow coins to give you.”

Song Yushao was getting a little embarrassed as he spoke, and a self-deprecating face appeared on his face as he sighed, “To think that my life would only be worth less than 1,000 light snow coins.”

Chen Ping’an considered the proposal for a moment, then nodded as he said, “I’ll only take 300 coins, Senior Song. There’s no need to give all of it to me, I’m sure Song Fengshan will have uses for light snow coins in the future.”

Inside the pocket treasure that was Fifteenth, there was the batch of snowflake coins that the little boy in azure had spent to purchase those ordinary snake gall pebbles, and also eight lesser heat coins that were even more valuable than snowflake coins, so it was already quite a large sum of wealth, and normally, Chen Ping’an would’ve turned down the offer without a second thought.

However, under Wei Bo’s introduction, Chen Ping’an had personally witnessed the scenes that unfolded in Cloth Wrapper Shop on Ox Horn Mountain, and he was worried that if he didn’t have enough money in his possession, then he could miss out on something that caught his eye once he reached the ferry station.

Chen Ping’an decision to accept the offer, but also not fully accept it, was rather surprising to Song Yushao, and an amused look appeared on his face as he chuckled, “Do you know what people of the older generation would say to that?

“They would say that discussions about money would only hurt our brotherly bond. If you see me as a brother and a friend, then don’t try to argue this matter any further. Otherwise, we may not even be able to remain as friends anymore!”

Chen Ping’an shook his head in response. “Owing someone a favor is more painful than owing someone money. At the very least, that’s how I feel.”

Song Yushao was much in agreement with this statement, and he nodded in response. “That’s a sentiment that I share, and it should be a universal one.”

A gentle breeze was blowing through the forest, causing the leaves and branches to rustle audibly.

Song Yushao was concerned about Chen Ping’an’s condition, so he wasn’t walking very quickly. On top of that, he was feeling quite relaxed, having already achieved his objective of capturing Chu Hao, so he was in the mood to be appreciating the passing scenery.

As he did so, he requested Chen Ping’an not to knock out Chu Hao again the next time he woke up as he had some questions for the general. Chen Ping’an naturally agreed to this request. Having already determined Chu Hao’s approximate cultivation base, Chen Ping’an knew that the general posed no threat to him.

He didn’t want to have to carry Chu Hao on his back, but it was also rather cumbersome to be constantly dragging him around by the scruff of his neck, so in the end, he simply decided to drag Chu Hao along by one leg, much like an old janitor dragging around a broom.

————

The Green Bamboo Sword Immortal wasn’t worried that Song Yushao and Chen Ping’an would come after him, and he was returning to the city along the official road at a leisurely pace. All of a sudden, he turned his gaze to the forest in the distance, and stopped in his tracks before grabbing onto the length of bamboo strapped to his waist. An acquaintance of his slowly emerged from the forest.

It was an old man with a very angular face that gave him a rather menacing appearance. The sword strapped to his waist was in a scabbard wrapped in a layer of green threads of unknown material, and it was far longer than the average longsword, so it was very attention-grabbing.

The Green Bamboo Sword Immortal stepped off the official road and made his way toward the elderly swordsman from Ancient Elm Nation, who he had met on several past occasions, and the two of them stopped in unison around twenty meters away from each other.

“It’s been about five or six years since we last parted ways by that river, right, Su Lang?” the old swordsman asked with a smile.

“What do you want, Lin Gushan? If you have something to say, then hurry up. I’m not in a very good mood right now,” the Green Bamboo Sword Immortal said in a cold voice.

The old swordsman wasn’t bothered by Su Lang’s hostile demeanor, and he cut straight to the chase, revealing, “I was entrusted by the imperial preceptor with the task of intercepting and killing Chen Ping’an. I faced him in battle once in the past, and he killed both the scorpion lady and a Qi refiner who was an imperial guest elder.

“Right now, only the master of the Case Purchasing Pagoda and myself are left, but we’re not willing to give up just yet. I’m sure both Song Yushao and Chen Ping’an would’ve been worn out somewhat by the battle that just took place, and I was thinking that perhaps we could join forces to hunt those two down together. If we succeed, you can do with Song Yushao as you please, while we take Case Purchasing Pagoda back to Ancient Elm Nation.”

Su Lang took a glance at the forest in the distance, then asked, “Will we be able to make it in time? What are our chances of success?”

“The owner of the Case Purchasing Pagoda specializes in assassination, and he’ll strike first, harassing Song Yushao and Chen Ping’an to slow them down. As for what our chances of success are, that’s not something that I can say for sure. Even if the three of us join forces, I can’t say with confidence how many of us will survive to the end.”

“If you had tried to placate me by telling me that we had great chances, then I would’ve refused right away,” Su Lang said with a smile.

“Does that mean you agree?” Lin Gushan asked.

Su Lang nodded in response. “You go and help the owner of the Case Purchasing Pagoda, I’ll turn back right now to find Chu Hao’s deputy and those two Qi refiner guest elders of Water Combing Nation. As long as the two of you can delay Song Yushao and Chen Ping’an, I can ensure that our chances of success will be improved.”

Lin Gushan was a little hesitant to accept this arrangement.

Su Lang smiled as he said, “We’re only deciding to work together on a spur of the moment basis, so I understand that you don’t fully trust me. However, I’m sure you understand how much of a temptation it is for a swordsman of Pine Stream Nation like myself to be able to personally claim the head of Water Combing Nation’s old sword saint.”

A cold smile appeared on Lin Gushan’s face as he scoffed, “Are you planning to claim the head of Ancient Elm Nation’s sword paragon as well while you’re at it? Wouldn’t it be nothing short of ideal if you could reign supreme as the sole dominant force out of all of the swordsmen in the entire region?”

Su Lang pinched a stray strand of hair between two of his fingers while tapping the length of green bamboo strapped to his waist with a finger of his other hand, and he declared in a nonchalant fashion, “I’m going to be honest, I’ve never seen you as a threat.”

Lin Gushan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What an impudent little rascal you are!”

“The truth is often harsh and difficult to stomach,” Su Lang replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Lin Gushan was silent for a moment, then said, “In any case, Song Yushao and Chen Ping’an are our common enemies, so the owner of the Case Purchasing Pagoda and I will be awaiting your reinforcements.

“If you fail to follow through, I wouldn’t dare to say whether the owner of the Case Purchasing Pagoda would come after you for revenge, but I, for one, will be sure to demand an explanation from your Pine Stream Nation’s imperial family!”

Su Lang merely extended a hand forward in response, gesturing for Lin Gushan go on ahead.

With that, Lin Gushan departed, while Su Lang returned to the official road.

Along the way, Su Lang suddenly stopped in his tracks as he had spotted a beautiful young woman in a yellow and pink dress, standing in the middle of the road like an immaculate celestial maiden.

Su Lang slowly continued onward, while the young woman pulled a secret letter out of her sleeve. The letter was enclosed in a red wax seal, a precautionary measure taken by the sender to prevent the one tasked with delivering the letter from opening it.

The young woman smiled as she said, “Song Fengshan asked me to pass this letter onto you. He says that there’s a proposal in this letter, and that if you agree to it, then just give me a nod. Song Fengshan promises that you’ll be the sole sword immortal for the next 60 years in all of the dozen or so nations in the region, and that your position will be unchallenged during that time.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Su Lang pulled out a pair of white silken gloves out of his sleeve, then put them on as he beckoned to the young woman and said, “Toss the letter to me.”

The young woman was none other than the mama of the ancient temple, one of the four evil spirits, and she had left Sword Water Villa to keep an eye on Song Yushao in case of any unforeseen mishaps, but the more important task assigned to her was to personally deliver this letter to Su Lang.

As it turned out, the vastly renowned Green Bamboo Sword Immortal had imperial blood in his veins, but his bloodline wasn’t very pure, so he had no chance of becoming heir to the emperor of Pine Stream Nation.

Su Lang carefully removed the wax seal, then opened the envelope, and after quickly scanning over the contents of the letter, a faint smile appeared on his face. With a flick of his wrist, he tore the secret letter to shreds, then removed his gloves and stowed them back up his sleeve as he nodded and said, “You can go and report back to Song Fengshan now.

“I can see that Sword Water Villa is being very sincere, and I’m more than happy to reciprocate this sincerity. Tell Song Fengshan that he’ll soon be receiving a piece of good news related to the old sword saint, and that I hope that he can follow through on the promises that he made in this letter.”

The young woman immediately extended an elegant curtsey, and she smiled as she said, “Song Fengshan can be rather cold and unfriendly, but he’s still a very reliable and dependable man, and he’s even more seasoned and calculating than old demons like us who have lived for centuries.

“Hence, you can rest assured and place your trust in him. In the near future, you’ll be the undisputed ruler of the cultivation world in all of the dozen or so nations in this region, and it’ll be a position no less prestigious than emperor of any nation.”

“I certainly hope so,” Su Lang replied with a smile.

“If you ever need someone to warm your bed, just send me a message, and I’ll be at your service at any time you wish!” the young woman said as she gave Su Lang a seductive look, following which her body disintegrated into a plume of smoke that rose up into the sky and quickly vanished out of sight, leaving behind only a peal of tinkling laughter.

Su Lang continued onward while weighing up his options.

Should he aim for short-term gains and claim the reward that was virtually already in his grasp, or should he join forces with Song Fengshan so that he could be elevated to the pinnacle of the cultivation world? Was a bird in the hand truly worth two in the bush here?

All of a sudden, Su Lang burst into laughter as he recalled a rather amusing proposal on the secret letter. Song Fengshan had promised him that roughly once every decade, they would stage an epic act in which the two of them would face off against one another in a battle of the titans.

Song Fengshan was going to inherit the title of sword saint of Sword Water Villa, while Su Lang had sole claim over the title of sword immortal, and the two of them would engage in a so-called battle to the death. In reality, it was nothing more than a ruse. Song Fengshan had even picked out three candidate locations for these battles to take place.

For the first battle, Song Fengshan would issue a challenge to him, and the battle would take place atop the main hall of Pine Stream Nation’s imperial palace. In that battle, Su Lang was scripted to emerge with a crushing victory.

The second battle would take place atop Sword Water Villa’s waterfall, and Song Fengshan would come out slightly on top. The third battle would be waged in the unmarked graveyards of Colorful Garment Nation’s Blusher Prefecture, and Su Lang would be the victor.

Su Lang found this to be very amusing, so he decided to reciprocate the olive branch extended by Song Fengshan by presenting him with the heads of Ancient Elm Nation’s sword paragon and the owner of the Case Purchasing Pagoda.

It didn’t take long before Su Lang spotted Chu Hao’s army in the distance, but he was still mulling over all the machinations that Song Fengshan had meticulously woven as he murmured to himself, “So young, yet already so cunning…”

In the end, he refrained from returning to Chu Hao’s army. Instead, he suddenly veered off the official road and darted into the forest on his own.

It was still going to be a three-on-two battle, but it was going to be him, Song Yushao, and Chen Ping’an up against Lin Gushan and the owner of the Case Purchasing Pagoda.

Upon entering the forest, Su Lang intentionally slowed down as he chuckled to himself, “What a perilous place this world is.”