Unsheathed

According to the traditions of the small town from the Jewel Small World, every family needed to place their brooms upside down on the first day of the New Year. One shouldn’t embark on distant travel either.

Chen Ping’an asked Ma Duyi to guide Zeng Ye in his cultivation. The three of them had become quite familiar with each other after traveling together for the past while, so after some consideration, Chen Ping’an had decided to hand the paper recording the secret ghost cultivation technique to Ma Duyi at the end of last year. She was free to read and practice this technique, and she could ask Zeng Ye if she had any questions. They were both cultivators, but the difference in their aptitude was clear at a single glance. Ma Duyi had started practicing the secret technique later than Zeng Ye, yet she was able to overtake him in no time. Barely a month had passed, yet she was already giving him advice and helping him through roadblocks.

Thankfully, Zeng Ye was accustomed to this situation and didn’t see anything wrong with it. Not only was he not deflated, dejected, or jealous, but he even became increasingly earnest in cultivation, striving to make up for his shortcomings through hard work.

Chen Ping’an was quite happy about this. Being able to accept fate but also daring to challenge fate was a very valuable trait for cultivators to have. As long as Zeng Ye persisted, it wouldn’t be a wild wish for him to become a late bloomer and achieve great success later in life.

Chen Ping’an was sun basking in the quiet and deserted courtyard of the inn today, and he opened up the bookcase that had been dropped by the fleeing convoy, recording each book that was inside. He thought to himself that if the opportunity arose in the future, he would ask Zeng Ye to return these books to their original owners. The stamps in the books all contained two stamps with the characters “Flowing Water Staying Clouds” and “Rugged Old Man,” so it most probably wouldn’t be too difficult for Zeng Ye to follow these clues and find the scholarly clan that had fled south.

Noon arrived, and Chen Ping’an received another messenger flying sword from Cyan Gorge Island, with the letter saying that there was a messenger flying sword from the Great Li Empire’s Dragon Spring Prefecture waiting for him at Bamboo Scroll Lake. Because he wasn’t present, the messenger flying sword could only be temporarily placed in Cyan Gorge Island’s sword chamber. Liu Zhimao asked Chen Ping’an what he should do, and Chen Ping’an replied with the address of his current resting, asking Island Master Liu to personally travel over to deliver the messenger flying sword.

Liu Zhimao arrived at the inn in the provincial city on the same night, personally handing to Chen Ping’an the messenger flying sword that had come from the formal god of the Great Li Empire’s Northern Mountain.

Chen Ping’an didn’t open the messenger flying sword from Cloud Drape Mountain in front of Liu Zhimao. The island master was a Nascent Tier earth immortal with the potential to reach the Upper Five Tiers, and he was also skilled in a huge number of mystical abilities. The two of them were only allies due to mutual benefits, and the relationship between them wasn’t so good that they could treat each other as trustworthy friends.

They sat opposite each other in a room in the inn.

Liu Zhimao didn’t beat around the bush, saying frankly, “I’ve secretly undone the restrictions on Vermilion Chord Residence’s Hong Su already according to the suggestions you made prior to your departure. However, I didn’t send her to Palace Willow Island to show goodwill to Liu Laocheng. Liu Laocheng is also allied with Mr. Chen right now, and even though the friend of a friend isn’t always a friend, the relationship between Cyan Gorge Island and Palace Willow Island has already thawed somewhat thanks to Mr. Chen.

“Tan Yuanyi especially paid a visit to Cyan Gorge Island, and it’s clear that he’s already feeling a growing sense of respect for Mr. Chen. Thus, I personally came here not only to deliver the messenger flying sword from the Great Li Empire to Mr. Chen, but also to give you a small present. Please don’t refuse the present, Mr. Chen, just treat this as a New Year’s gift from Cyan Gorge Island. This has always been a tradition of Cyan Gorge Island, with each guest elder receiving a present in the first month of the New Year.”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “I’m well aware of all the rules and traditions in Cyan Gorge Island, be they old or new, major or minor. As such, I would have spoken up and reminded Island Master Liu even if you didn’t bring me a present.”

Liu Zhimao retrieved a walnut bracelet that looked slightly loose, appearing as if it had been neglected for many years and was now missing almost half of the walnut beads. There were only eight walnut beads engraved with the images of rain gods, lightning gods, and other deities remaining, with each as big as a thumb. The walnut beads radiated with an ancient aura, and each of the portraits of the primordial deities was spirited and lifelike.

Liu Zhimao smiled faintly and explained, “You simply need to remove a bead and throw it to the ground to summon either wind, rain, lightning, fire, or some other power. The might released by a ruptured walnut bead will be equivalent to the full power strike of an ordinary Golden Core Tier earth immortal. However, the walnut beads will be destroyed after use, so this immortal treasure can’t be regarded as a very good one. Even so, Mr. Chen is wounded right now, so it’s not ideal for you to clash with others too often. In this sense, this treasure is indeed very suitable for Mr. Chen.”

Chen Ping’an accepted the walnut bracelet and carefully put it in his sleeve, saying in gratitude, “That’s indeed the case. Thank you for your kindness, Island Master Liu.”

Liu Zhimao smiled faintly and continued, “Three things took place recently that shocked the Luminous Vermilion Empire as well as all of its vassal states. Firstly, the ninth tier sword cultivator who was hiding in Bamboo Scroll Lake was chased more than five hundred kilometers away by a young woman in green and a young man in white, and in the end, they worked together to kill the powerful sword cultivator.

“The young woman in green was none other than the nameless cultivator who had destroyed the ancestral hall of Hibiscus Mountain during the meeting between island masters on Palace Willow Island, and it’s rumored that she’s actually a sticky rod official of the Great Li Empire. As for the young man in white who suddenly appeared from out of nowhere, he possessed extraordinary Dao power and owned a myriad of immortal treasures. He appeared calm and leisurely while chasing his foe, while on the other hand, the ninth tier sword cultivator appeared extremely disheveled in comparison.”

Liu Zhimao smiled and looked at Chen Ping’an after saying this.

“What did Oriole Island say?” Chen Ping’an asked.

“The earth immortal couple from Oriole Island immediately paid a visit to Tan Yuanyi after hearing the news, asking him for protection. It can be said that they’ve comprehensively sided with the Great Li Empire,” Liu Zhimao replied.

“This is good news,” Chen Ping’an said with a nod.

“Secondly, Great General Su Gaoshan announced that he would breach the capital of the Stone Brush Nation before the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth,” Liu Zhimao continued. “He further said that those who are unwilling to accompany the Imperial Han Clan of the Stone Brush Nation in death simply need to plaster the door gods of the Great Li Empire’s Cao Clan and Yuan Clan to their front doors before this date. This only applies to the families and clans with officials and nobles, and they can avoid any conflict if they comply with this. When the heavy cavalry of the Great Li Empire breaches the capital, those who refuse to comply will all be viewed as remnant evil on the side of the Imperial Han Clan.

“As for the ordinary residents of the capital, they simply need to put up the door gods of the Great Li Empire within three days of the capital falling to avoid being viewed as enemies. Those who don’t have the door gods of the Great Li Empire displayed on their front doors after this date will be remembered and punished in the future.”

“To strategize first, and to attack the psyche of the enemy,” Chen Ping’an commented softly.

There was a look of amusement in Liu Zhimao’s eyes as he continued, “As for the third matter, it would have been regarded as quite significant if the world were enjoying peace and prosperity right now. However, it’s nowhere near as eye-catching in the current climate. Prince Han Jingxin, the most pampered son of the Stone Brush Nation’s emperor, was violently killed in a desolate rural area. His corpse was incomplete, and Guest Elder Zeng of the imperial family was nowhere to be found. Hu Han, the number one martial artist of the Stone Brush Nation, was also found beheaded.

“It’s rumored that Xu Mao, the Lance-Wielding Poet, offered the heads of Prince Han Jingxin and Hu Han as pledges of loyalty to General Su Gaoshan of the Great Li Empire on a windy and snowy night. Following this, he was promoted to the position of imperial general, a fourth-rank position in the imperial court of the Great Li Empire. It’s not an exaggeration to say that he ascended to the heavens in a single step. In any case, it seems truly difficult to obtain military merit in the army of the Great Li Empire nowadays.”

Liu Zhimao retrieved two wine bowls and placed them on the table. Chen Ping’an smiled and grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd, upon which Liu Zhimao tactfully put away one of the wine bowls. He clearly knew that Chen Ping’an wouldn’t use his wine bowl, but he needed to at least follow the rules of the drinking table. Chen Ping’an poured a bowl of wine for Liu Zhimao before drinking from the Sword Nurturing Gourd himself.

After taking a swig of wine, Chen Ping’an said slowly, “There’s no need to be suspicious, Island Master Liu, I was the one who killed them both. As for their heads being hacked off, that was the doing of Xu Mao. I didn’t kill Xu Mao, and Xu Mao became the scapegoat for me. We both obtained what we wanted.”

“Just as I thought.”

Liu Zhimao laughed heartily and continued, “The Stone Brush Nation isn’t big, but it isn’t exactly small either. To charge directly onto the tip of Mr. Chen’s sword, it has to be said that Han Jingxin was fated never to become emperor. Truth be told, however, the emperor of the Stone Brush Nation had the highest hopes for Han Jingxin out of all of his sons. Han Jingxin was the shrewdest and most calculating among the princes, and his fated opportunities were initially very good as well. However, it was a shame that he insisted on seeking death. Nothing could have saved him.”

“Island Master Liu, there’s one matter that I haven’t been able to understand this entire time. The Luminous Vermilion Empire has many vassal states, of which the Stone Brush Nation is one, but why are all of them choosing to oppose the Great Li Empire with their entire might?” Chen Ping’an asked.

“As vassal states to a powerful empire in the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, it doesn’t make sense for them to be so stubborn and loyal, and it’s abnormal for the opposition voices in the imperial courts to be so muted. Starting from the Yellow Court Nation, a vassal state of the Great Sui Nation, to the entire northern region of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent lying to the north of Lake View Academy…”

Chen Ping’an tapped the table with his fingers and continued, “Only this matter doesn’t make any sense.”

Liu Zhimao hesitated for a moment before drinking a sip of wine and explaining slowly, “The Hundred Schools of Thought each have their own wagers. Even though the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent is small, the Imperial Song Clan of the Great Li Empire was able to obtain the support of the main Mohist branch, the Naturalists, the Militarians from True Martial Mountain, and so on.

“Since these forces chose the Great Li Empire, it’s not surprising that other main branches and side branches of the Hundred Schools of Thought have chosen to support the Luminous Vermilion Empire, the most powerful empire in the central region of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. According to my limited knowledge, the Agriculturalists, the Medicinists, the Commercialists, and the Diplomatists are all providing strong support to the Luminous Vermilion Empire.

“The Luminous Vermilion Empire is brimming with sword cultivators, and it can be said that the fortune of the empire is flourishing right now. They also have a close relationship with Lake View Academy, so it’s completely understandable that the heavy cavalry of the Great Li Empire is currently stuck here.”

Chen Ping’an came to a sudden realization, and he raised his Sword Nurturing Gourd following which Liu Zhimao also raised his wine bowl, with the two of them drinking together.

Liu Zhimao was dressed in white, with his clothes seemingly simple as if he were an impoverished hermit living in the mountains. Looking carefully, however, he radiated with an impressive immortal aura.

Chen Ping’an suddenly sighed with emotion and remarked, “Before I knew it, I almost forgot that Island Master Liu is also a Nascent Tier cultivator.”

Liu Zhimao drank slowly and leisurely, looking out the window at the thick snow on the roof ridges as he smiled faintly and replied, “Before I knew it, I also almost forgot that Mr. Chen was born and raised in Clay Vase Alley.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly leaned forward, holding out his Sword Nurturing Gourd and causing Liu Zhimao to falter for a moment. However, Liu Zhimao quickly came to his senses and lightly clinked his wine bowl with Chen Ping’an’s wine gourd.

Chen Ping’an took a large and satisfying swig of wine, with his expression serious as he said, “I was wrong before. The two of us are indeed fifty percent like-minded with each other. This has got nothing to do with whether we’re friends or foes.”

Liu Zhimao retracted his wine bowl, looking to be in no hurry to drink as he looked intently at the young man in azure cotton robes. Chen Ping’an was becoming increasingly haggard, and only his eyes which had been extremely bright and limpid before were becoming deeper and deeper. However, they weren’t becoming dark and murky, nor were they becoming sinister and calculating.

Liu Zhimao downed the remaining wine in his bowl before standing up and saying, “I won’t stay any longer and delay Mr. Chen from attending to proper matters. If the situation in Bamboo Scroll Lake can be improved, the two of us don’t need to dream about becoming friends in the future, but we can at least hope to sit down together and drink wine when we meet again. We can drink and chat to our heart’s content before bidding farewell. We can then do the same when we next meet again. That’s all there is to it.”

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “We already bade farewell at Bamboo Scroll Lake, and once Island Master Liu advances to the Upper Five Tiers and enters that vastly different world, it’s likely that Island Master Liu won’t be in the mood to entertain such matters anymore.”

“Mr. Chen’s cultivation of the mind is progressing in leaps and bounds, so at that time, it’s entirely possible that Mr. Chen won’t possess the same mental state as today either,” Liu Zhimao chuckled in reply.

“What a like-minded person,” the two of them remarked in unison.