Unsheathed

The Yao Clan conducted itself in an old-fashioned manner, and there were some members of the convoy waiting for Chen Ping’an at the relay station. Zhu Lian was among them, and the young scout, Yao Xianzhi, had also stubbornly insisted on staying back.

Chen Ping’an apologized to the two veteran soldiers from the Yao Clan who were also waiting for him. The veteran soldiers laughed heartily, and one of them hurriedly shook his hands and said there was no need for Chen Ping’an to be so polite. After all, the relationship between them was much closer than this, so there was no need for Chen Ping’an to thank them for waiting.

Meanwhile, Yao Xianzhi looked at Chen Ping’an as if he were looking at a general who had just returned after completing great feats on the battlefield. This left Chen Ping’an slightly mystified.

The six of them mounted their horses and set off, traveling swiftly to catch up with the main group. Pei Qian was riding the same horse with Chen Ping’an, which made the little girl extremely happy. Old General Yao Zhen had instructed the main group to travel slowly, so it wasn’t long before Chen Ping’an and the others saw them in the distance.

After resting and recuperating for a while, and thanks to the precious medicines given to him by one of the princes, Yao Zhen had almost made a full recovery from the wounds he had suffered at the hands of the two assassins already. They were also traveling slower than usual today, so Yao Zhen left his carriage and started to travel on horseback after obtaining Yao Jinzhi’s consent. He was an old man who had spent more than half his life battling on horseback, after all. He had become accustomed to rapid long-distance marches at a very young age, so he wouldn’t fall off his horse even if he fell asleep.

Yao Zhen rode alongside Chen Ping’an, enjoying the relaxing scenery together as he chatted with his young benefactor. Chen Ping’an told him about Burial River’s water god temple, and Yao Zhen was clearly in a good mood and full of vigor as he laughed heartily.

Chen Ping’an asked Yao Zhen if he could help him obtain a geomancy map of Burial River from the officials, and the old general agreed to his request without asking a single question.

Pei Qian had already been shooed off into a carriage by Chen Ping’an, and she once again ended up in the same carriage as Sui Youbian. The latter was sitting cross-legged and resting her mind with her eyes closed. Her sword was placed horizontally across her knees, making her aura appear stern and forbidding.

Pei Qian had never liked this ice-cold woman, especially since Sui Youbian always had an aloof expression as if everyone owed her dozens of taels of silver. Who was this stinky expression for? She needed to be careful or else she might become an ugly old lady in no time!

Before boarding the carriage, Pei Qian had asked Chen Ping’an for the brush and paper that the young maidservant from Green Roving Residence had given her. At this moment, she sat in the corner and paid no attention to Sui Youbian as she opened her cotton luggage sack and carefully placed her belongings inside.

Afterward, she pulled a book that was full of wrinkles and creases from the bottom of the sack before taking a glance at the pair of boots nearby. This was a new pair of boots that they had purchased not long ago, yet it was already caked in mud due to their travels. She stuck her tongue out and hurriedly put her luggage sack away, not daring to let other people see its contents.

Leaning back and lying down, Pei Qian held the old and damaged book with both hands and raised it high into the air. After flipping through it again and again for a long time, she eventually placed the book on her face and fell fast asleep.

Before falling asleep, Pei Qian had thought about what Chen Ping’an had said to her not long ago, telling her to study diligently in the future. She shouldn’t spend all of her energy on simply memorizing the books. Pei Qian had contemplated this for a moment, but she was truly far too tired today. That being the case, she would start studying diligently from tomorrow onward. She would definitely start from tomorrow!

However, she had quickly recalled another saying: After tomorrow is another tomorrow, so just how many tomorrows are there?[1] With this in mind, the little girl had been so amused and delighted that she had almost laughed out loud.

Thus, the little girl enjoyed a particularly sweet and comfortable nap today.

Sui Youbian opened her narrow peach blossom eyes and exhaled lightly. However, she quickly raised her palm to gently shatter her exhaled aura in an instant.

Apart from the taciturn Wei Xian, the first one to be awakened, the three other martial artists had all walked out from their picture scrolls and arrived in Majestic World on the same day.

Zhu Lian was practicing fist techniques that belonged to external martial arts, and he would only go from external to internal after reaching the pinnacle of martial arts. Otherwise, this martial arts maniac who had been killed by Ding Ying wouldn’t have tried to kill the nine other superior grandmasters of his generation.

During that brutal battle, the most terrifying thing about Zhu Lian was his ability to become stronger and deadlier the more wounded he was. Even though fortune had favored Ding Ying and allowed him to emerge the final victor, even granting him that silver-colored lotus flower hat, Ding Ying had never mentioned his battle with Zhu Lian in the capital of Southern Garden Nation to anyone else. He hadn’t mentioned it even after gaining the title of strongest in the world. Indeed, it was very likely that there were many untold secrets about their battle.

Lu Baixiang was extremely talented, and he could learn things very quickly and very well. Thus, his martial arts cultivation had advanced in leaps and bounds. He was quite similar to Ding Ying, someone who had inherited the title of strongest in the world after him in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land.

However, Lu Baixiang’s ambitions hadn’t been as insane and pure as Ding Ying’s. Thus, he had remained single and alone, and he had enjoyed traveling around the world. Hence, he had fallen into a trap and been encircled by his foes. After that battle, even the grandmasters who had participated in the bloody conflict and suffered a significant drop in their cultivation bases had felt a hint of respect and admiration toward Lu Baixiang in the depths of their hearts.

Moreover, another aspect of that battle had never been made public to the cultivation world. During that intense conflict, the two people who had fought with the most ferocity were actually celestial maidens from renowned forces who had harbored romantic feelings for Lu Baixiang. They had most likely fought with the intention of dying for love.

Wei Xian’s martial arts aptitude was the rarest, and he was born to oppose entire armies by himself. He was extremely good at breaking through encirclements and formations on his own, and he would charge forward with might and gusto even if there were hundreds of thousands of enemies in his way. Of all the historical records and interesting legends about the founding emperor of Southern Garden Nation, whether official or unofficial, there was almost no mention of him fighting against anyone one-on-one.

As for Sui Youbian, she was surprisingly similar to cultivators in Majestic World regardless of whether it was her aptitude or disposition. She didn’t seem like a pure martial artist who dreamed of advancing to the End Tier.

Even though Sui Youbian had remained cooped up inside carriages and inns recently, her gaze was most certainly not lingering on the mortal world. Instead, it was looking up at the sky.

She was experimenting with an unconventional sword technique right now, and this technique could only be viewed as a pipe dream in the context of the Lotus Flower Blessed Land that was lacking in spiritual energy. In Majestic World, however, it possessed immense potential.

She had reached a stage similar to that of martial artists “filling in the sea,”[2] yet her situation was slightly different in the sense that she needed to accumulate energy between her waist and ribs to create a sword furnace and nurture her sword qi. This sword qi was an imitation of the True Qi channeled by pure martial artists, and it would also swim around her body like a fire dragon patrolling its territory.

Once Sui Youbian succeeded, she would be refining not just her physique and spirit, but also refining a wisp of sword qi into a sword billet. Not only that, but her sword billet would almost be identical to that of sword cultivators’ bonded flying swords.

However, Sui Youbian was yet to interact with any information about sword cultivators in Majestic World. She had no chance to interact with their theory and cultivation techniques at this moment. Thus, one could imagine just how talented Sui Youbian was when it came to cultivating the sword.

During the past few days, she had only heard some private chatter between the border soldiers of the Yao Clan. Many of them had discussed the incredible feats of Chen Ping’an, the Yao Clan’s benefactor, and some of the conversations had centered around his demeanor as a sword cultivator while fighting against the two assassins who had targeted Yao Zhen. They had mentioned the formidable destructive power and elusive nature of his flying swords, and this had caused Sui Youbian to feel a deep sense of yearning.

This was what she desired. The Lotus Flower Blessed Land was far too small, so small that it was unable to accommodate her sword. However, this world was large enough. There would definitely come a day when she would soar to the apex of this world to unleash a formidable sword strike!

Sui Youbian closed her eyes again.

She definitely wouldn’t lose to anyone when it came to cultivation. Her opponents had never been Wei Xian and the others.

There was the clip-clop of marching hooves outside the carriage as the convoy of the Yao Clan traveled through the flourishing Great Quan Empire. Many village children stopped to look at them, and the adults in the country towns weren’t afraid of them either. Instead, there was only curiosity in their eyes.

Chen Ping’an observed the common residents of the Great Quan Empire as he traveled through the nation on horseback.

Back then, he had crossed the border during a snowstorm while accompanied by the little boy in azure and the little girl in pink. They had come across a group of elite scouts from the Great Li Empire incredibly capable and well-drilled, and the scouts had smiled and suggested that they head to a nearby beacon tower to weather the snowstorm after seeing their passports and travel documents.

Chen Ping’an didn’t have a particularly good impression of the emperor of the Great Li Empire, Song Changjing, or his past neighbor, Song Jixin. It was because of his chance encounter with the elite scouts on the border of the Great Li Empire that he wasn’t prejudiced against the empire itself.

Dusk arrived, and the convoy settled down in a large relay station near a provincial city. The relay station was rather refined, and even had a small garden filled with lush green bamboo.

Later in the night, Yao Zhen personally visited Chen Ping’an’s room to bring him the geomancy map that he had requested. Chen Ping’an was carefully examining the jade slip that the water goddess had given him at this moment, while Pei Qian was sitting on the opposite end of the table and yawning again and again.

There was a Treasure Pagoda Demon-Suppressing Talisman stuck on Pei Qian’s forehead, and the skinny little girl’s explanation was that she had heard people say that female ghosts were more prone to appearing in bamboo forests. When the wind whooshed past, she always had a nagging feeling that there were female ghosts hovering back and forth in the bamboo forest outside.

When Yao Zhen knocked on the door, Pei Qian immediately ran over to answer. Upon seeing the little girl, the old general asked her why there was a talisman plastered on her forehead. After hearing the explanation, he immediately burst into loud laughter and promised that there was nothing to worry about. Even if ghosts and spirits were truly hiding in the bamboo forest, the young men from the Yao Clan were all soldiers who were brimming with yang energy. As such, it was really the ghosts and spirits that needed to be afraid of them instead.

“Oh, okay,” Pei Qian responded.

She plucked the talisman from her forehead and placed it on the table, after which she returned to her room to sleep.

Yao Zhen motioned for Chen Ping’an to sit down to chat.

Chen Ping’an naturally needed to thank Yao Zhen for obtaining the official geomancy map for him. The imperial court strictly forbade the distribution of such maps to the public, and the control of these maps was even stricter than the control of weapons like bows and crossbows.

Yao Zhen chuckled and said, “It’s nothing too difficult. The governor agreed to my request quite readily. He doesn’t need to worry too much about these matters after climbing to the position of provincial governor. You don’t need to feel like you owe me a huge favor either.

“Actually, Governor Liu was quite reserved and uneasy when he first saw me. However, this is completely understandable because one of his relatives works in the Ministry of War. In other words, I have some influence over him, in a sense. You should have seen his face when I asked him for an official geomancy map—it was filled with relief.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “Then if you pardon my rudeness, I’ll take that map now.”

Yao Zhen pointed at Chen Ping’an and shook his head. “Ah, I truly don’t understand you. You became involved in two life-and-death battles for the sake of the Yao Clan, and just how resolute were you during those times? So how are you so stubborn and pedantic about rules and etiquette when it comes to ordinary everyday interactions? Why are you so unnecessarily polite?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t know how to respond.

Yao Zhen lowered his voice and continued, “My grandson, Yao Xianzhi, was too embarrassed to ask this himself, so he requested that I ask you. Can you give him some guidance regarding martial arts?”

Chen Ping’an carefully contemplated this for a moment before replying, “I’ll naturally be okay with this if it’s just some casual sparring. If Yao Xianzhi is determined to make some real progress, however, then I suggest that he looks for Wei Xian instead. I can ask Wei Xian to give him some pointers.”

“That young lad wants to have a casual spar with you,” Yao Zhen replied with a serious expression.

“Then I’ll give him some time tomorrow,” Chen Ping’an said in slight helplessness.

Yao Zhen stroked his beard and chuckled. “And I’ll also get him to look for Wei Xian after having a casual spar with you.”

“I’ll give Wei Xian a heads up later. Anyhow, I can accept this geomancy map without any guilt now. After all, even money can’t buy guidance from martial arts elites like us.”

Yao Zhen smacked the table and laughed heartily. “That’s the way to go! Now you’re showing some of that youthful shamelessness, just like I used to. No wonder we get along so well!”

Chen Ping’an shook his head with a wry smile.

Yao Zhen came with a beaming smile and also left with a beaming smile.

Chen Ping’an spread the geomancy across the table before retrieving the water seal from his pocket treasure. After lightly breathing on the seal, he earnestly stamped it on the water god temple and Green Roving Residence. Then, he put the water seal and geomancy map away.

Chen Ping’an continued to examine the dense rows of small characters on the jade slip that was only the size of a palm. There were a whopping five thousand characters inscribed on both sides of the jade slip, with an immortal tool refinement mantra inscribed on the front side and the water goddess’ notes and insights inscribed on the backside.

Even though this was only a tool refinement mantra on the surface, its contents actually pertained to the Great Dao of the Five Elements. The mantra was clear and concise, and its core principle was deep and profound. Because the water goddess had comprehended this mantra from a rain-paying tablet, she had decided to use the water element of the Five Elements to roughly expound on the mantra.

Of the five internal organs, it was the kidneys that corresponded to water. Of the five facial features, it was the ears; of the five senses, it was sound; of the five fingers, it was the pinky; of the five fluids, it was saliva; of the five sounds, it was Yu [3]; of the five emotions, it was fear; of the five worships, it was the well; of the numerous deities, it was the Black Tortoise of the North.

The mantra was clear and straightforward, and the water goddess had inscribed clear explanations regarding the relevant acupoints and refinement methods on the back side of the jade slip. It could be said that the water goddess had inscribed everything she knew onto the jade slip. In fact, she had even detailed the ability of this immortal mantra to refine incense offerings and one’s gold statue, clearly explaining everything to Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an was stirred by what he read. Only at this moment did he realize the profound significance of the phrase “a drop of water from a golden bottle” inscribed on the stone tablet. It referred to the fact that after achieving great mastery of this immortal mantra, one could essentially melt their Golden Core into water essence and have this water essence nurture their bodies.

Meanwhile, the phrase “weaving through the sky like fabric being made” referred to the method through which the “relay stations” of one’s meridians could be linked together, thereby allowing the meridians to work in concert with each other.

Regarding the phrase “transforming into the coolness of the four heavens, the scorching heat is swept away,” the four heavens pertained to Heavenly World controlled by the Daoist Sect. There were four floors in the White Jade Capital that could help cultivators suppress their internal demons through four different Daoist techniques.

These weren’t heretical techniques, but rather the most orthodox techniques of the Daoist Sect. Indeed, suppressing one’s internal demons using these techniques was a smooth-sailing process that all Nascent Tier cultivators dreamed of experiencing.

The earth immortals at the peak of the mountains wouldn’t necessarily succeed, but they would essentially be constructing four heavenly bridges and giving themselves four chances to guarantee that they wouldn’t wander down heretical paths by accident. In fact, they would even have the opportunity to backtrack and return to a past state. In addition to all this, the earth immortals could also nurture their physiques and souls. Who wouldn’t covet such a profound fated opportunity?

It was no wonder that the water goddess had boldly claimed that this immortal mantra could refine all matter. At the same time, she had also speculated that this immortal mantra was a priceless treasure accessible by only the leader of an immortal force.

Chen Ping’an closed his eyes and silently recited the five thousand characters in his mind. He decided that he wouldn’t carelessly take the jade slip out for no reason in the future.

For some unknown reason, Chen Ping’an felt a cool sensation wash over his body as he held the jade slip in his hand. He felt extremely comfortable, and the wounds that he had suffered during the battle in the border inn started to heal at an incredible speed.

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes wide upon noticing these mystical effects. However, he was unable to identify the type of rare jade that the jade slip was made of. He would ask Wei Bo when he returned to Downtrodden Mountain.

Past midnight, a cloud of water vapor suddenly suffused through the relay station, shrouding everything in a sheet of white mist. Yin Miaofeng and Shao Yuanran were forced to stop their meditation and breathing techniques. They left their rooms at the same time and walked toward the garden.

Chen Ping’an also stopped his session of standing meditation, opening his window and jumping out of his room.

A short time later, the members of the Yao Clan quickly woke up and got dressed following a series of urgent warnings from the accompanying cultivators. The veteran soldiers also put on their armor and grabbed their weapons, standing ready to fight at any moment.

It was pitch-black inside Zhu Lian’s room, yet the hunchbacked old man was actually walking in circles around the table the entire time. He remained silent, and there were very particular reasons for his gait.

Sui Youbian was sitting cross-legged on her bed, and she opened her eyes before closing them again.

Wei Xian’s body was extremely straight as he lay in bed, and his hands were clenched into fists and resting on his abdomen. He was completely unmoving.

Lu Baixiang walked over to the window before coming to a stop.

Inside the bamboo forest, Yin Miaofeng and Shao Yuanran breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the uninvited guest.

Daoist Preserving Innocence Yin Miaofeng smiled and cupped his fists in congratulations, saying, “Congratulations on your advance, Miss Water Goddess!”

The person standing in front of them was none other than the short water goddess who was dressed in incredibly beautiful clothes. She had just arrived here after hurriedly making her way over from Green Roving Residence.

From today onward, even the temple master of the Golden Summit Daoist Temple could no longer look down on the water goddess thanks to her explosive rise in cultivation. One had to realize that she now possessed power rivaling that of Nascent Tier earth immortals in the jurisdiction of Burial River and especially near Green Roving Residence and the water god temple.

The water goddess smiled and replied, “I was a very impolite host when the two of you visited my Green Roving Residence last time. Apart from coming here for a private matter, I also want to invite Spiritual Master Yin to my residence in the near future. I need to apologize to Spiritual Master Yin and Spiritual Master Little Shao for my rudeness last time.”

Yin Miaofeng couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

Firstly, the water goddess’ cultivation base was far superior to before. Even though she had traveled all the way to this relay station, she could still be considered a pseudo-Nascent tier elite.

Secondly, Green Roving Residence had already forged a relationship with Zhong Kui, a quasi-sage. Thus, the Confucian academy could only acknowledge the water goddess’ position even if they chose to completely ignore the Imperial Liu Clan of the Great Quan Empire.

Thirdly, everyone in the top echelon of the Great Quan Empire was well aware of the water goddess’ hot temper, so how could Yin Miaofeng—a measly Dragon Gate Tier guest elder of the Imperial Liu Clan—not feel delighted and flattered now that the water goddess was willing to apologize and invite him to her Green Roving Residence?

Even the proud and haughty Shao Yuanran had a wide and sincere smile on his face.

Chen Ping’an walked over to the master and disciple and greeted them first before turning his attention to the water goddess of Burial River.

Yin Miaofeng and Shao Yuanran perceptively took this cue and bid farewell. At the same time, they also informed the veteran soldiers of the Yao Clan and the accompanying cultivators that there was no cause for alarm. While explaining this, Yin Miaofeng subtly revealed the identity of the water goddess.

Yao Zhen smiled at the water goddess and cupped his fists in respect from far away.

He had heard many legends and stories about the water goddess of Burial River even when he had lived in the border regions. Moreover, the water goddess’ temperament and manner of doing things were naturally to his taste.

The water goddess also cupped her fists in respect, but the people standing nearby didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry upon hearing her response. “Old General, you definitely have to visit my Green Roving Residence for a drink when you retire of old age and return to the border region in the future. There will be enough to drink!”

Yao Xianzhi and Yao Lingzhi rolled their eyes in unison.

Yao Jinzhi was wearing her veiled hat again, and she appeared slim and graceful as she stood beside Yao Zhen.

In the end, the water goddess flicked her wrist and retrieved a pot of wine from thin air. She tossed the pot of wine to Chen Ping’an and explained using her mind’s voice, “Remember to take care of the jade slip and keep it safe. The jade slip itself is also a valuable treasure, or else it would have been blasted to smithereens by those characters pertaining to the Great Dao.”

After saying this, the water goddess no longer concealed her voice, allowing everyone in the surroundings to hear what she was saying. She appeared especially casual and bold as she laughed heartily and said, “I kept mulling over this while I was hurrying over to the relay station, and I almost felt an urge to repay your gratitude with my body. However, I was thankfully able to rein myself in.

“I drank almost half of this pot of wine when hurrying over, just trying to muster up some courage. Even so, I’m still too cowardly to utter those embarrassing words. Chen Ping’an, are you disappointed that you’ve lost such a beautiful and refined wife? Haha, well I’ve coincidentally got half a pot of beautiful wine remaining for you! Here, take it, you can drink this to wash away your sorrows!

This water goddess…

She came in a hurry, and she also left in a hurry.

Standing there with half a pot of wine in his hand, Chen Ping’an felt like it would be wrong to drink the wine, yet it would also be wrong to not drink the wine.

There was a gloating smile on Yao Zhen’s face.

After being transfixed with shock for a moment, Yao Xianzhi extended both his hands and gave Chen Ping’an two massive thumbs up.

Pei Qian was groggy and half-asleep as she stood in the distance.

Chen Ping’an put on a stern expression and led Pei Qian back to her room.

When parting ways, Chen Ping’an warned in a solemn voice, “If you come across a girl with the surname Ning in the future, remember not to mention the events of tonight!”

Pei Qian blinked a few times and asked, “What if—and I’m saying what if—I accidentally slip up?”

“Then after I’ve been beaten half-dead, I’ll make sure to beat you half-dead… Do you understand?!” Chen Ping’an replied with a grave expression.

“I understand!” Pei Qian immediately answered in a loud voice. “I’ve read some books, so I’m filled with unyielding loyalty now! I won’t say anything even if I’m beaten to death!”

They both returned to their own rooms.

Chen Ping’an wiped the sweat from his forehead. In the end, he couldn’t help but break into laughter.

He didn’t continue to practice standing meditation, and instead rested his arms and head on the table before retrieving that small saber whetstone. There was the beautiful inscription of the character “Innocent” on the Dragon Slaying Platform, and there was also the adorable inscription of the characters “Ning Yao.”

Ning Yao, I’m doing very well.

I’ve traveled to many places on this trip, and I’ve come across many people and many things.

I miss you a little… No, I miss you a lot.

1. This saying (明日复明日、明日何其多) warns people against procrastination and urges them to cherish their time because life is only limited. It is a line from Qian Fu’s poem, Song of Tomorrow. ☜

2. There is no context about this at all. ☜

3. Yu (羽) is a note in the Chinese pentatonic scale. ☜