Unsheathed

A splendid residence was located in a mountain pass, and it remained brightly lit and boisterous as the wedding banquet lasted through the night and well into the next day.

The mountain god was dressed in a long golden robe, appearing dignified and mighty as he sat in the seat of the host. Meanwhile, his newly-wed wife leaned against him in a loving manner.

The skeletal sword practitioner seemed to enjoy a very lofty status in the mountain god’s residence. However, it was a shame that it was nothing more than bones, so it naturally couldn’t feast on any food or wine. It simply stood beside a tall pillar in the great hall the entire time.

While enjoying some beautiful wine, the mountain god glanced up at the sky before secretly giving a look to the skeletal sword practitioner. The latter nodded in acknowledgment and left the great hall.

The mighty mountain god then chuckled coldly and announced, “The wedding wine has already been served and enjoyed, so it’s now time for the punishment wine to be served and drunk. I’ve always treated my friends with generosity and kindness, yet many among you actually dared to join forces with some lowly water demons and illegal temples, yearning to attack my residence. Do you truly think that I’m oblivious to all of this?”

The large doors of the great hall slammed shut with a boom.

The mountain god turned around and smiled warmly at his wife, patting the back of her ice-cold hand and comforting her. “Don’t be scared.”

He smiled apologetically before sighing with emotion, “It’s my fault for treating you so shabbily this time. To have our wedding reduced to this kind of rabble… Sigh…”

The woman wasn’t afraid of her mountain god husband, and she teased, “Perhaps you want me to marry you again? Just remember to treat me better in the next one hundred and next one thousand years.”

The mountain god laughed heartily. To have a kind and beautiful wife like this… What else could he ask for?

Apart from the skeletal sword practitioner leading a group of elites from the mountain god’s residence, another group of elites were also resting and waiting to jump into action in someplace else. The majority of them were surprisingly Qi refiners.

The two groups of elites converged, and before leaving the mountain god’s residence that was still enjoying song and wine just then, they cut off and massacred the small army attempting to charge into the mountain god’s residence at dawn. At the same time, many officials and ghost attendants who had seemingly been drunk and incapacitated in the great hall immediately sat up straight, their gazes intense and fierce as they drew weapons from under the tables.

Not only were there undulating mountain ranges located to the north of Northern Jin Nation’s border, but there was even a gigantic lake that was widely known as the Four Hundred Kilometer Lake. A huge island was in the middle of this lake, and an illegal temple not recognized by the imperial court was located on this island. However, this illegal temple was very large in scale, and enjoyed a huge number of visitors and incense.

A great demon in the lake had appointed itself water god, and the imperial court of Northern Jin Nation was unable to punish it in any practical way. They had no option but to let it be. For the past two hundred years, the water god temple and the mountain god temple had viewed each other as arch-enemies, with many conflicts and skirmishes breaking out between the two parties. However, neither side had the ability to leave their own territory and comprehensively destroy the other.

This was a legitimate battle between mountain and water.

The victor would definitely shatter their opponent’s godly body and annihilate their godly temple. In other words, the loser would be executed and stripped of the ability to even reincarnate following the destruction of their godly body.

There were two main battles—one against those insincere friends inside Jin Huang’s residence, and one against his arch-enemy’s army in the mountain pass. Both battles exploded into action at almost exactly the same time.

With Commandery Governor Jin Huang personally leading the battle inside the main hall, there were some who immediately changed their tune and fell to their knees, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness. There were spots of conflict here and there, yet it was extremely evident that the battle was completely one-sided.

Meanwhile, a man wearing a dark green robe and dressed in a suit of golden armor commanded an army of hundreds of spirits and beasts from the lake as he engaged in an earth-shaking battle with the elites from the mountain god’s residence in the mountain pass.

The skeletal sword practitioner wielding a rusty sword had been a seventh tier martial artist before passing away, and his soul had gathered together instead of dispersing after his death. Even though his combat power was no longer as great as it had been at his peak, he was still brimming with killing intent as he cut through the enemy army like through butter.

The water god stood on a large chariot pulled by sea dragons and winged horses, and he held an iron spear decorated with simple but ancient-looking characters. This was an immortal treasure from the bottom of the lake.

He had acted wantonly and pillaged numerous forces throughout the past several hundred years, so his cultivation base was higher than that of the mountain god, even though he had formed his godly body hundreds of years later and wasn’t recognized as an official water god by the imperial court.

This time, he had gone as far as to gather an army of mountain spirits and beasts to launch an attack during the mountain god’s wedding. He had bribed them with immense wealth, and their overall strength was confidently superior to their opponent’s. Only then did he dare to leave the large lake and lead his army onshore. He was hellbent on destroying Jin Huang’s residence.

This was a battle between the Great Dao of the mountain god and the water god, so the final outcome would be determined by whose Dao foundation was loftier and whose planning was more meticulous and far-sighted.

Chen Ping’an woke Pei Qian up very early in the morning, and the two of them ate some dry rations for breakfast before quickly setting off again. They purposely detoured around Jin Huang’s mountain god residence.

With a swift stride, Chen Ping’an lunged onto a tall branch and peered into the distance. There was a solemn expression on his face.

That was a wedding banquet for a mountain god, so why was such a bloody battle taking place instead?

On the battlefield several kilometers away, the man dressed in golden armor unleashed a mystical ability and caused water to flood the ground. He stood on the back of a gigantic azure fish with an iron spear in his hand.

The skeletal sword practitioner had lost an arm. He fought with ferocity and bravery, and secretly joined forces with those Qi refiners, but he was still at a disadvantage against this great demon who could summon wind and rain as well as his many subordinates. However, Jin Huang’s army enjoyed a geographical advantage, so the casualties on both sides were equally severe.

A man wearing a golden robe exited the main hall where the outcome of the battle was already set in stone. He grew explosively as he strode forward, with his height reaching six meters, nine meters, fifteen meters, and finally thirty meters by the time he arrived outside the mountain pass. His body was dazzling gold, and he easily strode past the intense battlefield and threw a vicious punch at the azure fish spirit’s head.

Chen Ping’an retracted his gaze and nimbly jumped to the ground. “Let’s go,” he said in a solemn voice.

“I feel like I’m hearing thunder,” Pei Qian said in a hesitant voice. “There’s a loud rumble next to my ears.”

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment before retrieving a Treasure Pagoda Demon-Suppressing Talisman that he had drawn some time ago. He held it between two fingers and gently stuck it onto Pei Qian’s forehead, shifting it slightly to the right so that it wouldn’t cover her vision.

“Focus on walking. The talisman won’t fall off, but don’t try to pull it off either,” Chen Ping’an warned. “With the talisman on your forehead, ordinary spirits and ghosts will automatically retreat even if they see you.”

However, it was also at this moment that a deafening bellow boomed over from the battlefield.

Pei Qian shuddered in fright, and a miserable expression appeared on her face as her legs turned into jelly. “I’m scared. My legs aren’t listening to me anymore. I can’t walk,” she said in a quivering voice.

She was genuinely afraid of those mountain ghosts and spirits that seemed like they would feast on human flesh. She wasn’t putting on a show for Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an felt slightly helpless, so he retrieved a Yang Energy Illumination Talisman and told Pei Qian to hold it in her hands. “Both of these talismans are immortal matters that can definitely protect you.”

Pei Qian glanced at the swaying Treasure Pagoda Demon-Suppressing Talisman in front of her eyes before looking down at the Yang Energy Illumination Talisman in her hand. She sniffed and said in a sobbing voice, “Maybe give me another one? So I can hold one in each hand?”

Chen Ping’an had no option but to give her another Yang Energy Illumination Talisman. Pei Qian held a talisman in each hand, yet she still swayed from side to side as she took two small steps. It was clear that she was deeply terrified, so much so that she could barely summon the strength to walk.

“The two talismans in your hands are worth many silver coins. Remember to hold them tight. The talisman on your forehead is worth even more, and it’s valuable enough to casually buy a huge residence in the capital of Southern Garden Nation. If you’re able to walk by yourself and keep up with me, then I can consider giving one of these talismans to you,” Chen Ping’an said.

The skinny little girl was on the verge of tears, and her small and tanned face was completely scrunched up in a frown as she asked in an aggrieved voice, “For real?”

Chen Ping’an nodded in response.

Pei Qian took a deep breath and instantly dashed forward. Her arms were outstretched, and it was as if she were carrying water on a pole as she tightly gripped the two Yang Energy Illumination Talisman in her hands. There was also the Demon-suppressing Talisman on her forehead, and this made her appear as comical as could be.

After running a short distance, she discovered that Chen Ping’an was no longer beside her, so she immediately turned around and sobbed, “Hurry up and run! If they catch us, they’ll definitely eat you, the meatier person, first…”

Chen Ping’an slapped his forehead before silently running over.

Alrighty then, the name Pei Qian wasn’t a joke at all…[1]

The skinny little girl didn’t dare to slack off this time, and she was as swift as the wind as she ran. She didn’t grumble about being tired either.

Chen Ping’an retrieved Deep Infatuation and hung it on his hip opposite to the Sword Nurturing Gourd.

He also had a luggage sack slung diagonally across his shoulder and a fishing rod in his hand, yet he matched Pei Qian’s pace and remained by her side the entire time.

In reality, Chen Ping’an wasn’t worried about their safety at all. There wouldn’t be any danger as long as they didn’t venture into the center of the battlefield.

Pei Qian’s footsteps were hurried, and her speed would vary greatly as she fled. However, she consumed all of her energy and smarts in order to flee for her life, and she was surprisingly able to run more than two kilometers in a single go. One needed to realize just how difficult it was to traverse mountain paths. It was far more difficult than navigating through towns and cities.

She didn’t stop afterward, and she continued to walk forward without Chen Ping’an needing to urge her on. When she caught her breath, however, she immediately started to sprint forward again. This cycle repeated itself again and again.

This caused Chen Ping’an—who was secretly observing Pei Qian the entire time—to feel surprised and dazed for a very long time.

He had to admit that her martial arts talent was truly impressive.

This wasn’t the judgment of the young boy Chen Ping’an from Jewel Small World. Rather, it was the judgment of fifth tier martial artist Chen Ping’an after he had killed Ding Ying in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land.

However, cultivation didn’t depend solely on aptitude and talent. Take, for example, Ruan Qiong’s attitude toward Chen Ping’an: one wouldn’t teach a single technique or a single principle if the potential student was someone with a different Dao. Such people couldn’t become master and disciple.

Even in the martial arts school in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land’s Champion Scholar Alley, the old master refused to teach profound fist techniques to his pupils if they didn’t possess high enough martial virtue. He would only teach them just enough so that they could make a living. This was the case even though he wasn’t a powerful martial artist to begin with.

Similarly, Chen Ping’an had no intention of teaching Pei Qian even a sliver of his fist techniques.

If a person’s moral character couldn’t keep up with their strength, then what else could they do but bully the weak and commit crimes once they learned powerful fist techniques and cultivated lofty Dao power? Such people would simply decide the life and death of others on a whim.

Indeed, Yu Zhenyi had wanted to kill Chen Ping’an after being called a shorty. He was a mighty elite standing at a lofty height, so a single snap of his fingers or a single flick of his sleeves would mean a huge matter of life and death for ordinary mortals outside the mountains.

Human strength had its limit, however, and this couldn’t be changed regardless of how talented Pei Qian was. She was only a nine-year-old child, after all, and she was still very skinny and frail. She was utterly exhausted after running three to four kilometers, unable to take even a single step forward.

She stood on the spot and started to wail in grief and desperation, with tears clouding her vision as she looked at Chen Ping’an and his white robes. Her first thought was that Chen Ping’an would definitely abandon her and leave her to fend for herself.

She was judging him according to her own values.

By now, she was unable to speak, but it was clear that she was deeply afraid Chen Ping’an would just walk away and abandon her.

Chen Ping’an squatted down beside her, and Pei Qian immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. Chen Ping’an stood up, and Pei Qian’s face was filled with tears as she rested on his back.

Chen Ping’an slowly walked along the small path through the mountain forest, saying in a soft voice, “I won’t abandon you as long as you don’t misbehave and do bad things.”

The skinny little girl furiously nodded in understanding. She regained some courage now that she didn’t need to run anymore, and also appeared slightly less pale than before as she sobbed, “Okay! I’ll become a big goodie starting from today onward!”

After saying this, Pei Qian pressed her entire face against Chen Ping’an’s shoulder and furiously dragged it back and forth twice, finally wiping all of the snot and tears from her face.

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but grimace.

Seizing this opportunity when Pei Qian had her guard down, Chen Ping’an smiled and asked, “You always think that I should give you money simply because I’m rich. Why is this? What does my wealth have to do with you? Do I have to give you a copper coin simply because I possess a mountain of gold and silver?”

Pei Qian didn’t need to think before directly replying, “Of course! Why won’t you give me anything? Aren’t you a good person? Even if you give me dozens of taels of silver, isn’t that just a few strands of hair from your head? I know you’re a good person, so good people should naturally do good things!”

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment before rewording his question and asking, “If you become very rich one day, and if I become dirt poor at the same time, will you casually give silver to me for no good reason?”

Pei Qian fell silent.

You should thank me if I don’t smash your head in with a silver ingot. And then I’ll take that silver home! It’ll all be mine! I won’t even bury your corpse!

However, she naturally didn’t dare to voice these thoughts to Chen Ping’an.

After thinking for a while, Pei Qian finally came to a realization. It was very unlikely that she would obtain any silver from Chen Ping’an.

Where had all of his annoying reasonings and principles come from? Had they truly come from the books? She felt like every single character in the books was quite annoying.

The two of them fell silent.

After silently lying on Chen Ping’an’s warm back for a long time, Pei Qian finally asked in a quiet voice, “You’re a good person, so are all of the good people in the world just like you? Is that how it is?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t reply.

The astonishing sound of a humongous being thundering across the earth traveled over from a patch of the mountain forest not far away from where they were. They could hear the sound of trees being snapped and obliterated one after another.

The being was directly charging toward Chen Ping’an and Pei Qian—an azure buffalo that had lost one of its horns. It was covered in blood, and its back was riddled with gaping wounds. The beast was an entire head taller than grown men even as it stood on all fours, and it looked at Chen Ping’an and bellowed in human tongue, “Fuck off to the side!”

Chen Ping’an had already predicted that the buffalo would charge over in this direction. It was also because of this that he stopped in his tracks. Even though the buffalo was radiating with a murderous aura and was riddled with countless souls of wronged victims from previous battles, Chen Ping’an didn’t plan to interfere and block its path.

However, the ferocious buffalo with bloodshot eyes surprisingly changed its direction and crashed toward the eyesore standing on the small mountain path.

The buffalo was already at its limit, but ordinary mortals would still face certain death if they were to be struck by its charging body.

Chen Ping’an reached back and grabbed the Treasure Pagoda Demon-Suppressing Talisman from Pei Qian’s forehead before tossing it toward that bloodthirsty buffalo.

Afterward, he instantly unsheathed his blade.

He launched a single slash.

The azure buffalo was suppressed and slowed down by the Demon-Suppressing Talisman, and was just about to change its direction and avoid the young boy after realizing that he was no simple pushover. However, the sword strike had already struck its head.

There was a tearing sound as the buffalo with bell-sized eyes was directly cleaved into two.

Chen Ping’an sheathed his sword and summoned the Demon-Suppressing Talisman back to his hand. The talisman had little spiritual energy remaining, so Chen Ping’an placed it inside his sleeve.

He didn’t so much as glance at the two halves of the buffalo’s corpse as he continued forward with Pei Qian on his back.

Commandery Governor Jin Huang rapidly sprinted over from the distance, also riddled with wounds. He hurriedly stopped in his tracks near the water god’s corpse. He held the great demon’s iron spear in his hand, and couldn’t help but gulp with a stunned expression on his face.

However, he didn’t feel much fear, and instead felt a sincere sense of respect. A solemn expression appeared on his face as he cupped his fists and said, “I bid my respectful farewells, esteemed immortal.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t stop, and he simply turned his head and waved with a smile at that mountain god radiating with a righteous aura. “There’s no need to thank me; it didn’t take much effort. If you hold a banquet like that in the future, remember not to invite any random person. Even though your intentions are good, unexpected accidents are the most frightening thing on the path of cultivation. In any case, I’ll definitely visit your residence and ask for a cup of wine if I pass by again in the future.”

Fortune and misfortune appeared to exist on two extremes, yet it was often the case that they were only separated by a few simple actions.

“I humbly accept your teachings,” the mountain god said in slight embarrassment.

Chen Ping’an carried Pei Qian for another five or so kilometers before putting her down. One tall and one short, the two of them stood there and looked at each other.

There was a baffled expression on Pei Qian’s face as she started to play dumb again.

Chen Ping’an held his hand out.

Pei Qian scrunched her small face up and slapped the two Yang Energy Illumination Talismans into Chen Ping’an’s hand. “Can’t you give me a single one? I ran so far along the mountain path, and I only stopped because I couldn’t run anymore.”

Chen Ping’an slowly walked forward and replied, “Then aim to do even better in the future.”

The skinny little girl nodded as she silently walked beside him.

You have a heart of stone… A good person? Ptui! It’s my fault for being blind.

Chen Ping’an twisted her ear and scolded, “It’s not good to speak ill of others in your mind all the time.”

Pei Qian stood on her tippy-toes and yelped in pain, exclaiming, “I don’t dare to do this anymore, honest!”

Only then did Chen Ping’an let go.

However, only a brief moment passed before Chen Ping’an twisted her ear again.

The rims of Pei Qian’s eyes became red as she promised, “I truly don’t dare to do this anymore!”

After taking another dozen or so steps, Chen Ping’an was just about to reach over and twist her ear again. However, Pei Qian immediately sat down on the ground and started to bawl.

Chen Ping’an continued to walk forward by himself.

Upon seeing that Chen Ping’an wasn’t going to stop, Pei Qian hurriedly stopped crying and jumped to her feet, appearing extremely timid as she walked forward. In order to stop herself from cursing Chen Ping’an in her mind, she had no option but to figure out a method to control her thoughts. In the end, she found that the only useful method was to recite the contents of those books. This was truly a miserable fate.

Chen Ping’an paid no more attention to her.

They continued to trek through the boundless and gloomy mountain forest.

Chen Ping’an became increasingly silent as he recalled that mountain seal…

1. Reminder that Pei Qian (裴钱) is a homonym with 赔钱, which literally means losing money. ☜