Unsheathed

After a brief silence, Cui Chan’s grandfather asked, “Do you know why I struck you into that stream in front of Ruan Xiu?”

Chen Ping’an shook his head in response.

“Ruan Xiu paid a visit to Bamboo Scroll Lake with some sticky rod officials some years ago. You know that, right?” Cui Chan’s grandfather asked.

“I do. In fact, we almost met there,” Chen Ping’an replied with a nod.

“Did you know that while she was there, she killed a boy that the Great Li Empire had been determined to secure?” Cui Chan’s grandfather scoffed. “Even she isn’t aware that that boy had been chosen by Song Changjing to be his disciple. Back on Hibiscus Mountain, the situation had already been completely clarified.

“The Golden Core Tier earth immortal that had taken the boy away was already dead, the ancestral hall on Hibiscus Mountain had been demolished, and all of the vagrant cultivators on the mountain were dead, while all of the Great Li Empire’s sticky rod officials were completely unscathed, so why do you think they were unable to bring back that boy, who should’ve had a bright future ahead in the Great Li Empire?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t know the answer to that question, and he fell into deep thought.

“The boy that caught Song Changjing’s eye was naturally an extremely rare and endowed martial arts prodigy,” Cui Chan’s grandfather continued. “The sticky rod officials of the Great Li Empire were able to find him because a breakthrough that he had made some years ago had triggered phenomena in several martial sage temples, even though he had only been a martial artist of the Lower Three Tiers at the time.

“Martial fortune had always served as the foundation of the Great Li Empire, so this had been a matter of great national importance. Even though Ruan Xiu helped the sticky rod officials track down three sticky rod official candidates as compensation, she’s still somewhat indebted to Song Changjing.”

“Does this have something to do with me?” Chen Ping’an asked in a puzzled manner.

Cui Chan’s grandfather threw another punch at him, hoping to knock some intelligence into that dull brain of his.

Chen Ping’an had already anticipated that a punch was coming, and he took several steps back in retreat, carrying out his six-step walking meditation in reverse as if it were second nature to him.

Cui Chan’s grandfather took a moment to compose himself, and only then did he suppress the urge to throw another punch as he explained, “You only want to become the strongest, and you had no interest in fighting over martial fortune, but does Ruan Xiu think that way? All of the foolish women under the heavens who fall in love are always looking out for the men of their hearts, doing everything in their power to do what they think is best for them.

“From Ruan Xiu’s perspective, that boy was around your age and was fighting against you for martial fortune, which entailed a clash of Great Daos. Hence, she viewed him as a threat to you and killed him for your sake!”

A dejected look appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face upon hearing this.

Cui Chan’s grandfather stood with one hand clasped behind his back while stroking the railing with the other as he continued, “I’m not trying to play matchmaker, I just want you to understand that when rejecting a girl, you have to at least know exactly what she has done for you. If you know everything and still decide to reject her, and you articulate everything to her clearly, then you will not be at fault.

“Instead, you will have done a good thing and taken the responsibility to be expected of a man, and the girl should feel fortunate to have fallen for someone like you. However, if you don’t know anything, yet still think that you can reject her with a clear conscience, then you are nothing more than a fool, do you understand?”

“I do,” Chen Ping’an replied with a nod.

“Then what are you going to do?” Cui Chan’s grandfather asked.

“I don’t know,” Chen Ping’an replied.

Cui Chan’s grandfather raised an eyebrow, and Chen Ping’an immediately fled for his life upon seeing this, vaulting over the railing to escape from the bamboo building.

However, as opposed to flying away from the bamboo building, he plummeted to the ground, then immediately used an Inch Movement Talisman while patting his Sword Nurturing Gourd, releasing First and Fifteenth to protect his back.

After that, he released Sword Immortal from its scabbard before stomping a foot heavily down onto the ground, launching himself up into the air before landing atop Sword Immortal with unerring accuracy. Instead of rising up into the sky, where he would be an easy target, he raced through the forest just barely above the ground, zigzagging back and forth at an incredible speed.

Clearly, this was a carefully orchestrated escape plan that had been thoroughly thought out.

Cui Chan’s grandfather didn’t bother to lash out after him. Instead, he chuckled, “If you were half as good at dealing with relationships as you were at running away, Ruan Qiong would most likely gladly accept you as his son-in-law!”

————

On the cusp of daybreak, Chen Ping’an was sitting alone on the stone steps near the summit of Downtrodden Mountain.

Zhu Lian sat down on the step beside Chen Ping’an’s feet, reeking of wine as he turned to him with a smile and remarked, “How unfortunate that you have a home, but cannot return to it.”

“I brought this upon myself, so I can’t blame anyone else,” Chen Ping’an sighed.

“It’s almost daybreak. If you’re not sleepy, how about we pay a visit to the new prefectural city together?” Zhu Lian proposed. “We can go pick up the girl that’s technically half a disciple of our Downtrodden Mountain. To tell you the truth, given my hideous appearance, it took a great deal of convincing for her seniors to believe that I’m actually from Downtrodden Mountain.

“However, they’ve still requested to see the owner of Downtrodden Mountain. Otherwise, they wouldn’t dare to simply let their young mistress leave home to enter the mountains, so I’ll have to trouble you to personally make an appearance, Young Master.”

“That’s fine,” Chen Ping’an replied with a smile and a nod. “We’ll be passing by Cool Wind Mountain in the north on the way, and we can pay a visit to Dong Shuijing’s wonton shop before we travel to the new prefectural city.”

“We can also pay a visit to the ancestral mountain of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect along the way while we’re at it,” Zhu Lian suggested with a smile.

Chen Ping’an aimed a light kick at him, and Zhu Lian took the kick without evasion before groaning, “Oh, my poor back!”

Chen Ping’an rose to his feet, then let loose a loud whistle, and Qu Huang quickly trotted over to his side.

As opposed to riding Qu Huang, he guided it by the reins as he slowly made his way down the mountain.

He was already accustomed to traveling everywhere with Qu Huang, so he often dragged it around even when he didn’t require a steed to ride.

“Has Zheng Dafeng gone to sleep?” Chen Ping’an asked.

“I’d say most likely not. I lent him a brilliant book, and I’d say he’s most likely reading it in bed right as we speak,” Zhu Lian chuckled as he rubbed his hands together.

Chen Ping’an’s expression darkened slightly, and he regretted raising the question.

He hurriedly changed the subject as he asked, “What’s the name of the girl in the prefectural city?”

“Cen Yuanji,” Zhu Lian replied.

“That’s a rather strange name,” Chen Ping’an remarked.

“She’s a fine young woman, very tall and slender. She’s a lot taller than even me, and she appears rather thin and frail, but upon closer inspection, you’ll find that she’s very proportionate and has meat in all the right places, especially those long legs of hers…”

“Are you choosing a disciple for Downtrodden Mountain or picking a wife for yourself?” Chen Ping’an interjected in an exasperated manner.

“I would take her for my wife, but I lack the vigor,” Zhu Lian sighed.

“How could that possibly be true when you’re a Far Roaming Tier martial artist?” Chen Ping’an countered with a roll of his eyes.

“In that case, I may possess the vigor of a young man many decades my junior, but I’m too pure of heart to do anything. Does that sound better?” Zhu Lian amended.

“Make sure you and Zheng Dafeng don’t scare her once she arrives on Downtrodden Mountain,” Chen Ping’an sighed.

“Of course not, Young Master. Brother Dafeng and I are both among the best men under the heavens!” Zhu Lian replied with a smile.

Chen Ping’an stopped in his tracks, then handed his minimization treasure to Zhu Lian as he said, “I’ll go to prefectural city on my own to pick her up. I still remember the address. Give that minimization treasure to Zheng Dafeng.

“He knows what needs to be done to open a mountain, and he was the one who gave it to me to begin with, but I haven’t yet refined it. It contains some wine, some copybooks, and many small antiques. As for where these things should be placed and buried, you’re the expert, so I trust you to carry out this task with Zheng Dafeng.”

Zhu Lian accepted the white jade tablet minimization treasure, then turned to scale the mountain, but before he left, he said, “There’s no need to hurry back with Cen Yuanji, Young Master. It’s a fine day for sightseeing, so take it slow and appreciate the passing scenery. Just be careful you’re not misunderstood by Master Ruan.”

Chen Ping’an was just about to invite Zhu Lian to accompany him to the Dragon Spring Prefectural City, but the old man was already gone like a wisp of smoke.

Chen Ping’an made his way down the mountain with a concerned look on his face.

He traveled through the mountains with Qu Huang, and it was a far smoother journey than back when he had traveled through the mountains with Old Man Yao. With the exceptions of the more bumpy and perilous paths that Chen Ping’an had intentionally taken, the journey was very smooth, and different paths presented different pieces of scenery to behold.

At around dusk, Chen Ping’an reached the wonton shop halfway up Cool Wind Mountain with Qu Huang in tow, and he was greeted outside the shop by Dong Shuijing, who had grown far taller since they last met.

Dong Shuijing greeted him with a smile, and as opposed to striking up any small talk, he merely told Chen Ping’an to wait, while he entered the kitchen to personally cook up a large bowl of wontons, which he then brought out and set down onto the table for Chen Ping’an to enjoy.

After eating his first wonton, Chen Ping’an smiled as he said, “My only hope now is that the flavor of these wontons never changes. Otherwise, with no one tending to the fields anymore, fewer and fewer familiar faces left in the small town, and tall buildings being constructed everywhere, there will be barely anything left in this place that remains familiar to me.”

Dong Shuijing merely smiled and offered no response.

Aside from Mr. Qi, Li Er and Chen Ping’an were among a small handful of people who truly had any respect for Dong Shuijing during his formative years.

Back when Chen Ping’an had decided to travel to the Great Sui Nation with Lin Shouyi, Dong Shuijing had chosen to stay behind, relinquishing the opportunity to study in Mountain Cliff Academy, so Chen Ping’an should’ve been closer with Lin Shouyi, but when it came to Dong Shuijing, he remained as genuine and earnest as ever.

He didn’t try too hard to become close with Dong Shuijing, nor had he tried to distance himself from Dong Shuijing or look down on him for his past decision.

This was a very rare bond, and Dong Shuijing knew to cherish it.

Just like his previous visit, Chen Ping’an chatted with Dong Shuijing about how the children at Mountain Cliff Academy were doing, as well as some of the interesting and noteworthy stories from his long journey.

In response, Dong Shuijing told Chen Ping’an about some of the recent stories from Cool Wind Mountain and the Dragon Spring Prefectural City, all over a hearty bowl of wontons.

After hearing that Chen Ping’an was planning to visit the prefectural city, and that this was going to be his first-ever trip there, Dong Shuijing decided to close his shop a little earlier than normal to accompany him.

However, he then thought of the temple worshippers that were potentially going to travel down the mountain at night, and he decided to give the keys of the shop to an employee. Only after that did he depart from Cool Wind Mountain with Chen Ping’an to travel to the prefectural city. The prefectural city was brightly lit as usual, presenting a prosperous sight to behold from afar.

Dong Shuijing asked Chen Ping’an about the Great Li Empire’s southward expansion and the situation in the central region of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, and Chen Ping’an answered his questions one by one.

“There are always many business opportunities in the wake of great turmoil. It’s just a pity that I don’t have much money, and I don’t have any connections in the Great Li Empire’s military. Otherwise, I would really be tempted to make a trip down south,” Dong Shuijing mused.

“I have a friend called Guan Yiran over in Bamboo Scroll Lake. Right now, he’s a general, and he’s a fine young man. I’ll write him a letter to introduce the two of you to one another, and I’m pretty confident you two will get along really well,” Chen Ping’an said.

“That would be great!” Dong Shuijing replied in a direct and straightforward manner. “If I really do make a killing in the south, I’ll give you 10% of my earnings.”

“Sounds good,” Chen Ping’an replied with a nod.

“I was worried you would refuse,” Dong Shuijing said with a smile.

Chen Ping’an also smiled as he replied, “I would only refuse if you weren’t my friend.”

Dong Shuijing hesitated momentarily, then said, “If it’s possible, I want to take part in the operation of the immortal ferry station left behind by the Cloth Wrapper Shop on Ox Horn Mountain. As for how much dividends I receive, that’s entirely up to you, and you can make it as low as you like.

“I’m not after the money, I only want to hear the news brought to the ferry station by all of the passengers coming and going from there. You can rest assured that I’ll look after the ferry station diligently and ensure its smooth operation to the best of my abilities.

“If you have an estimate of how much revenue the ferry station will make, you can tell me, and I’ll only manage the ferry station if I can exceed those projections. If not, then I won’t bring up this matter again, and you don’t have to feel guilty at all.”

Chen Ping’an considered the proposal momentarily, then replied, “Alright, I’ll discuss this matter with some of my people, then give you an estimate. We’re doing business here, so I’m not going to do anything above and beyond for you.”

“You’ve already done more than enough for me,” Dong Shuijing said with a smile.

Chen Ping’an was silent for a moment, then handed Dong Shuijing a flagon of the precious wine that he had been keeping in his pocket treasure.

He also removed the Sword Nurturing Gourd from his waist, and the two of them began drinking together as he said, “Honestly, I was a little disappointed that you chose not to come to Mountain Cliff Academy. I felt like we were the most alike in that we both came from impoverished backgrounds, and I never had the chance to study, so I was a little angry that you chose to remain in the small town.

“Of course, that was very unreasonable of me, and looking back now, you’ve done very well for yourself. That’s why I now have the chance to say this to you. Otherwise, I’d have to keep these words bottled up indefinitely.”

Dong Shuijing took a sip of wine, then said, “I know what I’m good at. I may not be the worst student, but I definitely wouldn’t be able to compare with Lin Shouyi, so I knew that it was better to play to my own strengths.”

“Both of you are completely head over heels for Li Huai’s sister,” Chen Ping’an chuckled.

Dong Shuijing’s cheeks were slightly flushed, and it was unclear whether this was from the wine that he had drunk or for some other reason.

After taking a large swig of wine, Dong Shuijing said, “There’s one area that I’ll definitely be better than Lin Shouyi in. If Li Liu chooses someone outside of the two of us someday, Lin Shouyi will definitely be furious, but I won’t.

“As long as Li Liu is living a good life, I’ll still be happy… somewhat. Of course, I won’t be too happy. I’m not going to lie to you that I’ll be over the moon even if Li Liu chooses someone that’s not me, but I’m confident that I’ll at least be able to take it better than Lin Shouyi.”

Chen Ping’an nodded in response.

“This must be really expensive, right?” Dong Shuijing asked as he gestured to the wine flagon in his hand.

“It’s definitely not cheap,” Chen Ping’an replied with a smile.

Dong Shuijing took another small sip, then exclaimed, “It tastes even better now that you say that.”

“That sounds like something I would say,” Chen Ping’an chuckled.

The two of them continued chatting as they made their way northward on foot.

Upon reaching the southern gate of the Dragon Spring Prefectural City, the two of them encountered guards that were checking travel documents. Chen Ping’an had brought his travel documents, but to his surprise, Dong Shuijing merely pulled out his travel documents as a customary gesture, and the guards didn’t even glance at them before letting them through following a brief conversation with Dong Shuijing.

Chen Ping’an didn’t remark on this matter.

Clearly, Dong Shuijing was doing better than he had imagined.