Unsheathed

Ding Tong was gripping the railing of the ship tightly with his hands, and he had no idea how he had ended up here.

“Am I about to die?” he asked in a daze.

Chen Ping’an pulled out his folding fan, then tapped it over the length of the railing, stretching his arm out to as far as he could reach.

Ding Tong turned to look at the people on the second-floor observation deck. Wei Bai of the Iron Warship Residence, Celestial Maiden Qingqing of the Spring Dew Garden, the hideous old woman, and the official immortals who had previously accepted him as one of their own, even though he was a martial artist. At the moment, every single one of them was looking at him with cold expressions.

There were also some onlookers on the first floor. Someone flashed him a mocking grin, while someone else gave him a thumbs-up.

A look of despair appeared on Ding Tong’s face as he looked down at the sea of clouds beneath his feet.

Chen Ping’an raised a hand, and a streak of golden sword light shot out through the window before rising up into the sky.

“Do you know why I haven’t made a move on you all this time, even though you’re the main perpetrator and I could crush you like an ant, yet I decided to kill that Vajra Body Tier martial artist when he could’ve easily remained uninvolved in all of this?” he asked with a smile.

“No,” Ding Tong replied in a strained voice with a shake of his head.

Chen Ping’an cast his gaze into the distance as he explained, “A casual act of evil from a seventh tier martial artist will have a far more severe impact on the world around them than an act of evil committed by a fifth tier martial artist with all their might. In the eyes of the weak, you are all almighty deities who can decide the fates of others.

“That old man declared that there was no bad blood between the two of us, so he would be sure to spare my life, yet his first punch was already fully intended to be a killing blow. However, that was not unacceptable to me, so I allowed him a second punch, yet he insisted on cutting his own life short with his third punch. As for you, you have to thank that young man up there.

“If he hadn’t stopped you from jumping down to challenge me, then you would’ve died in that old man’s place. Objectively speaking, your actions are not punishable by death, not to mention Gao Cheng has intentionally left behind a bit of suspense to annoy me. I’ll just treat your actions as the demented actions of a man who was influenced by certain mystical abilities, just as I had been some years ago.

“Principles are not things that can only be espoused by the weak when lamenting their misfortune to others, nor are they things that can be spoken after kneeling and kowtowing.”

Ding Tong’s mind was completely blank, and he was barely even registering Chen Ping’an’s words. Instead, he was wondering if he should wait for the flying sword to fall and take his life, or if he should grant himself a more dignified death by jumping down from the ship and experiencing what it was like to be a Far Roaming Tier cultivator for a few seconds before he fell to his demise.

Chen Ping’an didn’t speak any further.

You people are just like those horseback warriors who rode up those mountains to their deaths. Along the way, they wouldn’t hesitate to barge into a few perceived eyesores and send them flying to their deaths. There are countless obscure wildernesses on the path of life, all of which are great places to commit acts of evil away from the scrutiny of others.

There are countless such people everywhere, whether that be in the mortal world, the martial arts world, the officialdoms, or the cultivation world. Their parents and teachers behaved this way, and their descendants will also be the same. It truly is a vicious cycle.

Why was the little girl in the Golden Bell Monastery of the Locust Flower Nation so dejected and disappointed? It was because if Chen Ping’an’s true identity and cultivation base were set aside, then the words and actions that he had intentionally displayed would’ve been completely identical to that of those horseback ruffians.

What hurt her the most wasn’t Chen Ping’an’s dullness and pedantry. Instead, it was the attitude that he had displayed when he had uttered the words “are you going to compensate me if I’m knocked unconscious and my bookcase is stolen?” In her eyes, she had treated the world and everyone around her with kindness, yet not only had that kindness not been reciprocated, it had been met with hostility from Chen Ping’an.

However, what was so good and virtuous about her was that even though she had been hurt so deeply, she still felt genuine concern for that foolish and hurtful scholar. Chen Ping’an was not able to do the same, so in his eyes, she was a far more virtuous person than him and was far more worthy of being called a good person.

Chen Ping’an remained silent as he awaited the return of the Flax Robe Sect cultivators while simultaneously listening to the voice of his own heart.

Chen Ping’an pressed the tip of his folding fan against his own heart as he mused to himself, “I was caught off guard this time, but what does that have to do with the Flax Robe Sect? Even I know that it’s not like me to blame the Flax Robe Sect for something like this. I’ve grown accustomed to seeing through the tricks of those beneath me, so now that Gao Cheng has shown himself to be slightly outside of my control, I immediately feel resentful and frustrated.

“If this is how I’m going to be, then I won’t make it very far at all in my cultivation, both of power and of the heart. If I can’t even get over something like this, then I should just resign myself to be a swordsman and wave goodbye to my dreams of ever becoming a sword immortal.”

Zhu Quan told him through her mind’s lake to meet her deep within the sea of clouds. If they were to isolate the area around the ship into a small world once again, then its mortal passengers were undoubtedly going to suffer. Once he left the ship, all he would have to do was travel southward five kilometers to reach her.

Chen Ping’an rose to his feet before taking a stride forward, and a streak of golden sword light descended from the heavens, drawing to a halt right beneath his foot. In the blink of an eye, both he and the sword had vanished into thin air.

Within the sea of clouds, the three Flax Robe Sect patriarchs had been joined by an elderly Daoist priest dressed in a Daoist robe the style of which had never been seen before, indicating that he wasn’t in any of the three branches, nor was he a Daoist priest from the Heavenly Master Residence of Mount Longhu.

Right as Chen Ping’an arrived on the scene atop his flying sword, a middle-aged Daoist priest also broke through the clouds, approaching from afar as he shrank the space beneath his feet, covering several kilometers of distance with just two steps.

“The formation is complete. If Gao Cheng dares to spy on us using some observation mystical ability, then he’s going to suffer a little for it.”

There was a slightly awkward look on Zhu Quan’s face, but she still took accountability and said, “It’s my fault that I wasn’t able to detect any traces of Gao Cheng lingering in that martial artist.”

The old Daoist priest hesitated momentarily, but he chose not to speak after receiving a head shake from one of the Flax Robe Sect patriarchs standing beside him.

Chen Ping’an shook his head as he said, “I was the one who lost to Gao Cheng and was tricked by him. No one else is to blame.”

Zhu Quan was still holding Zhou Mili in her arms, and at this point, the latter had already fallen asleep.

Zhu Quan remained as open and candid as ever as she revealed, “Even after we left, we’d been keeping an eye on the ship just in case we missed something, and sure enough, we did. Hence, we overheard your conversation with Gao Cheng. After he left that martial artist’s body, a wisp of smoke came out of this little girl’s mouth, just like with that martial artist.

“We presume that Gao Cheng must’ve tampered with the turtle jelly. Thankfully, this time, I can assure you that the most Gao Cheng can do right now is observe us from Skeleton Wall City, and at the very least, he no longer has any tricks concealed in this little girl.”

“For one person, you’ve completely disregarded the entirety of the Skeleton Shoal and the southern region of the Complete Reed Continent. If you had weighed up your options carefully before making this decision, then I, as an outsider, wouldn’t have been in a place to say anything, yet you’ve gone and done it without any hesitation,” the middle-aged Daoist priest said.

He spoke in a neutral and aloof tone, yet he somehow came across as mocking and derisive.

“You’re not very well-versed with Daoist teachings, are you?”

With just a single sentence, Chen Ping’an was almost able to disturb the middle-aged Daoist priest’s mental state.

“If you’re so sentimental and empathetic that you’re willing to hand over such a precious treasure just for a little water monster that you picked up on a whim, then all evil-doers would be eagerly lining up to meet you!” the middle-aged Daoist priest scoffed.

Chen Ping’an pulled out his folding fan, then gently tapped it against his own head as he asked, “Is your cultivation base superior to Du Mao’s?”

“I don’t know exactly what happened back then, but given that your cultivation base would’ve only been inferior to what it is now at the time, the only way you could’ve possibly survived a battle against an Ascension Tier cultivator would’ve been by relying on that secret backer of yours,” the middle-aged Daoist priest sneered. “No wonder you dared to threaten Gao Cheng and proclaim that you’ll travel to Skeleton Wall City to give him a nasty surprise. Do you need me to send a message to him via flying sword?”

“My backer wouldn’t even bother to spare a glance at someone as pathetic as you. How does that make you feel?” Chen Ping’an asked with a smug smile.

The middle-aged Daoist priest’s expression instantly darkened slightly, but a carefree smile then appeared on his face as he replied, “It doesn’t make me feel anything, I just don’t like the look of you. You’re a half-baked swordsman who Gao Cheng sees as someone very similar to himself, yet you have quite the powerful backer.

“On top of that, you’re very wise and calculating for someone so young, and Gao Cheng has always been an exceptional judge of character. If word were to spread that you had an amicable conversation with Gao Cheng, during which he finished an entire flagon of wine that you gave him, then you’ll surely become a household name in all of the cultivating sects of the Northern Complete Reed Continent overnight.”

Chen Ping’an tapped his folding fan against the palm of his hand as he said, “You can be quiet now. I only granted you the honor of speaking to me in light of your ties with Sect Leader Zhu, but you’ve used up your quota and no longer have the privilege of speaking to me.”

“Care for a spar?” the middle-aged Daoist priest challenged. “Don’t you think you’re a big shot? Why not put your money where your mouth is.”

“Seeing as your master treated me to that cup of thousand-year-old peach syrup tea, I’ll say one more thing to you,” Chen Ping’an said.

The middle-aged Daoist priest waited for a moment, but Chen Ping’an remained silent as he gazed upon him with a sympathetic expression.

Only then did the Daoist priest realize that Chen Ping’an had just said the “one more thing” that he proclaimed he would say.

Zhu Quan was feeling a little concerned.

She was truly worried that the two of them would get into a fight at this rate. If that were to happen, it wouldn’t be like her to remain a passive bystander, but which side was she supposed to help? Alternatively, would she have to play the role of mediator?

“Perhaps she could put an end to their fight by beating them up herself. After all, everyone knew that she was a far better fighter than mediator, so they would just interpret that as her way of mediation.

“Don’t worry, this is a good thing for both Chen Ping’an and this disciple of mine,” the elderly Daoist priest said.

Zhu Quan heaved a faint sigh, then said, “Chen Ping’an, seeing as you’ve already figured it out, I won’t bother with any introductions. Both of these exalted Daoist masters come from the Small Mystery Capital Temple of the Malicious Ghost Valley.

“I was the one who invited them to come here. As you’re aware, our Flax Robe Sect is not short on capable fighters, but when it comes to dealing with powerful spirits like Gao Cheng, we require the assistance of these Daoist masters.”

Chen Ping’an nodded in response.

According to what Jiang Shangzhen had told him, the elderly Daoist priest from the Small Mystery Capital Temple was most likely Yang Ningxing’s temporary Dao guardian.

He was the abbot of the Small Mystery Capital Temple, and he had stayed for an entire night on the cliff by the suspension bridge for fear that Chen Ping’an would kill Yang Ningxing.

As for that cup of thousand-year-old peach syrup tea delivered to him by that deity clad in golden armor, Chen Ping’an didn’t know if that given to him by the old abbot on a whim or if were a form of hospitality similar to what had been displayed by Gao Cheng. At the moment, he knew far too little about the Small Mystery Capital Temple to be able to make an educated guess about the old abbot’s true intentions.

Chen Ping’an took a glance at the sound-asleep Zhou Mili in Zhu Quan’s arms, then said, “I’ll have to trouble you to do me a favor, Sect Leader Zhu, not because I don’t trust the Flax Robe Sect and the Small Mystery Capital Temple, but instead because I don’t trust Gao Cheng.

“Once you deliver this girl to the Dragon Spring Prefecture, please request Wei Bo of Cloud Drape Mountain to help me find someone by the name of Cui Dongshan. Tell him that I want Cui Dongshan to return to Downtrodden Mountain right away and examine the girl’s soul.”

Chen Ping’an had full trust in the cultivators of the Flax Robe Sect, but he really didn’t have much trust in the abbot of the Small Mystery Capital Temple and his foolish and short-tempered Nascent Tier disciple.

The middle-aged Daoist priest’s brows furrowed slightly.

He had heard of Wei Bo. As the Northern Mountain God of the Great Li Empire, he was on the cusp of reaching the Unpolished Jade Tier, and there were already some phenomena arising within the territory of the Northern Mountain, heralding his imminent breakthrough.

Zhu Quan had a very straightforward personality, and she asked in a direct manner, “Is this Cui Dongshan capable?”

“He’s the most capable person I know in this regard,” Chen Ping’an replied.

The old abbot smiled as he said, “You can never be too careful. I can only say that I’ve done my best and have failed to detect anything amiss in this little girl. However, if something has slipped my notice, then the consequences could be catastrophic. Hence, it can never be a bad idea to have her examined by an extra pair of eyes.”

“I’m glad you’re so open-minded, esteemed abbot,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

The old abbot smiled and offered no response.

Seeing as the conversation was wrapping up, Zhu Quan said, “Please go ahead, Abbot. I’m going to stay for a bit and discuss some private matters with Chen Ping’an.”

The middle-aged Daoist priest withdrew the formation, and even though he and Chen Ping’an didn’t see eye to eye, the latter had to admit that his eyes had been opened to the profundity and venom of the mystical abilities used by powerful cultivators.

Prior to this, he had never known that one ran the risk of incurring harm upon oneself just by using an observation ability to spy on others.

With that, the two Daoist priests of the Small Mystery Capital Temple departed with the other two Flax Robe Sect patriarchs.

Zhu Quan cut straight to the chase as she said, “The abbot’s eldest disciple has always been one to make abrasive remarks, and I’ve been itching to beat him up for a very long time. As you saw, his personality isn’t that great, but he’s very capable in battle, and he’s mastered the majority of the Small Mystery Capital Temple’s most powerful mystical abilities.

“You can just ignore him for now, and once you attain the power to do so, come back and beat him to within an inch of his life.”

Chen Ping’an put away his folding fan and flew over to Zhu Quan’s side atop his flying sword, then reached out to take Zhou Mili from her.

Zhu Quan handed her off to Chen Ping’an as she jibed, “How does a man like you know how to cradle a child? Did you learn from Jiang Shangzhen? Are you hoping that you’ll be able to pick up some girls by making it appear as if you’re good with children?”

Chen Ping’an sat down with his legs crossed as he cradled the still sound-asleep Zhou Mili in his arms.

There was a faint smile on his face, but a hint of melancholy in his eyes as he said, “When I was a child, I had to cradle and babysit other children every day.”

Zhu Quan took a glance at Chen Ping’an, and it seemed that he was telling the truth.

She sat down on the sea of clouds, and in a rare display of timidity, she wanted to say something, but was rather hesitant.

Chen Ping’an was still looking down at Zhou Mili, but he seemed to have somehow gleaned Zhu Quan’s thoughts, and he said, “I’ve always felt like you’re the smartest person in the entire Skeleton Shoal, Sect Leader Zhu. It’s just you can’t be bothered to think and do things.”

Zhu Quan nodded as she replied, “I believe you. Having said that, I would say that I’m quite familiar with you at this point, yet even I find myself doubting the authenticity of the words that you spoke to Gao Cheng. By extension, I can’t help but wonder if you were being genuine with the old abbot and his disciple.”

“I was being genuine and earnest at the very beginning,” Chen Ping’an revealed. “I was already prepared for the worst-case scenario. If I had failed to protect this girl, and she died on the ship, then I would have to avenge her. It’s as simple as that. As for the rest, it was just a process of prodding and probing each other, with both of us trying to catch a deeper glimpse into the heart of the other.

“Gao Cheng is also concerned, so he watched me the entire way, only to discover that I intentionally showed him everything that he saw. He’s already lost twice, and he’s afraid that if he loses a third time, then he won’t even have the will to fight for Little Capital anymore. Essentially, it was all just a mental tug of war.”

Chen Ping’an tapped the knuckles of his fingers against his Sword Nurturing Gourd as if he were knocking on a door, and First flew out from within before hovering right beside his shoulder, putting on a rare display of tame obedience.

“Gao Cheng was naturally also telling the truth in some parts,” Chen Ping’an said. “For example, he was being truthful when he remarked on how similar we were. Both of us had to gamble over and over again to slowly straighten our backs, which had previously been crushed under such immense weight that they were on the verge of snapping.

“From there, we ascended higher and higher. You have a great deal of respect for Gao Cheng, but that doesn’t hamper your ability to kill him without any hesitation, and you feel as if you owe me a massive favor just because I was able to make him expend a soul and a mortal form. Similarly, I regard Gao Cheng as a sworn enemy, but that doesn’t hamper my ability to see and acknowledge his various strengths.”

“That’s the right way to look at things,” Zhu Quan said. “Everything needs to be broken down into its constituent parts and looked at through an objective lens. There are many secrets of our sect that would be inappropriate for me to reveal to an outsider like you, but I can tell you that Gao Cheng is a very difficult opponent to deal with.

“Even if I were to completely erase Gao Cheng from existence someday and smash Skeleton Wall City to bits, I would be sure to bring out a flagon of fine wine and pay homage to the footsoldier Gao Cheng of old, then pay homage to Skeleton Wall City Lord Gao Cheng, then finally pay homage to Gao Cheng for honing the Dao Heart of our Flax Robe Sect.”

“For some reason, there are always people who feel like it’s necessary to be hostile to all evil-doers, and that this is a heroic and virtuous quality,” Chen Ping’an remarked. “Just as there are many people who like to look outward when it’s time to look inward, only to look inward when it’s time to look outward.”

Zhu Quan was silent for a moment, then slapped a hand heavily down onto Chen Ping’an’s shoulder as she demanded, “Give me some wine! I want two flagons, one more than you gave to Gao Cheng! Once I’ve had some wine, I’ll be able to espouse some exquisite rhetoric that’ll have you gawking at me in admiration!”

Chen Ping’an pulled out two flagons of wine and handed them to Zhu Quan, then cautioned, “Make sure to dissipate the aroma of wine as you’re drinking. Otherwise, the smell could wake her up, and as soon as she sees me, she’ll start begging to stay with me again. She’s been yearning for my wine for quite some time now.

“Also, you can tell her about the turtle jelly if you want. Just be direct and straightforward with her. She’s actually a very brave girl, and that heart of hers can’t conceal any evil thoughts or intentions.”

Zhu Quan finished all of the wine in the flagon in one go, leaving not even a single drop behind.

However, the way she had tipped her head back to drink was far from efficient, and she had to have leaked at least 20% of the wine.

“You really have to change this wine-drinking habit of yours, Sect Leader Zhu. You’re almost spilling more than you drink!” Chen Ping’an said in an exasperated manner.

“You already gave me the wine, so it’s mine to drink however I want!” Zhu Quan countered.

Chen Ping’an cast his gaze into the distance as he smiled and said, “You make a great friend, Sect Leader Zhu, but if you were someone’s business partner, that person would wish they never knew you.”

A serious look appeared on Zhu Quan’s face as she said, “The true strength of a cultivator doesn’t lie in how harmoniously they can coexist with this world. Instead, it’s dependent on how much they’ve changed the world around them outside of their pursuit for the Great Dao.

“Perhaps it’s a bit of a cold admission to make, but regardless of whether the outcome is good or bad and their intentions were good or evil, as long as they’ve drastically changed the world around them, they are strong. That is something that we must concede.”

“One can only be considered truly strong if they still dare to challenge such people even after acknowledging their strength,” Chen Ping’an replied with a nod.

Zhu Quan also nodded in response, then removed the clay seal on a new flagon of wine, and this time, she was far less wasteful, only taking small sips of wine at a time. It wasn’t that her personality had changed, this was simply how she had always been.

When there was an abundance of wine, she would throw her head back to drink and throw caution to the wind, but when there was only a little wine, she would drink in a much slower and more meticulous fashion.

Chen Ping’an turned to Zhu Quan with a smile as he said, “A student of mine once said something very similar to what you said just now. He said that the true strength of a nation lies in their ability to fix mistakes, not their ability to conceal mistakes.”

“I don’t keep up with the affairs of the mortal world,” Zhu Quan said with a smile. “Dealing with the Malicious Ghost Valley and Gao Cheng is already enough to keep my hands full for a lifetime. Having said that, in the future, Du Wensi and Pang Lanxi will be sure to surpass me in this regard, so you can look forward to that.”

Zhu Quan heaved a long sigh, then said, “There are some things that don’t quite feel appropriate to say, but they’ll weigh on me if I don’t say them, so I’m just going to get it off my chest. If I keep it to myself, I’ll have to suffer alone, so I’d rather have you suffer with me. You said you were going to give Skeleton Wall City a nasty surprise.

“You said that at the beginning, so I take it to be true. I can’t figure out how you would go about doing that, but I don’t really care. Setting aside everything else, you’re quite a reliable kid, and you can be ruthless to others, but you’re most ruthless to yourself. Given that preface, you really can’t blame that Small Mystery Capital Temple Daoist priest for worrying that you’ll become a second Gao Cheng or forge an alliance with him.”

“That’s an understandable point of view, but it’s not one that I accept,” Chen Ping’an replied with a nod.

“Back when Gao Cheng brought up the turtle jelly to try and extort you into handing over your flying sword, you really were fooled by him, weren’t you?” Zhu Quan asked.

Chen Ping’an nodded in response without any hesitation.

“I was. Hence, from now on, I’m going to be more mindful of the potential tricks an Unpolished Jade Tier cultivator can play outside of battle.”

“In that case, did you really decide in an instant to sacrifice First in order to save the girl?” Zhu Quan asked.

Chen Ping’an nodded once again as he replied, “I did. If the girl dies, where would I go to find her? Even if Gao Cheng hadn’t been lying to me, and he really did possess the ability to seize First on the spot and transport it directly to Skeleton Wall City, so what?

“You know, I really wanted Gao Cheng to take First at the time. That way, I’d be able to do something that I’ve never had the chance to do over the years, but at the same time, it’s something that everyone really likes to do and regards as completely justified.”

Chen Ping’an gently passed Zhou Mili back to Zhu Quan, then slowly rose to his feet before flicking his wrists, upon which his sleeves quickly rolled up on their own.

He stood atop Sword Immortal above the sea of clouds with an intense look in his eyes as he said, “If Gao Cheng had managed to take First, then he would’ve driven me into a corner and left me with no other choice. I would be placed in a very interesting situation then. What do you think I would do then? Take a guess, Sect Leader Zhu.”

Zhu Quan held Zhou Mili in her arms as she also rose to her feet, then smiled as she conceded, “I have no idea.”

“First, I would call upon a man by the name of Li Er. He’s a tenth tier martial artist, and I would redeem a favor that he owes me by requesting him to come to the Skeleton Shoal. I would also instruct my student, who’s only a Nascent Tier cultivator for now, to also come to the Skeleton Shoal to assist his teacher. I would go and beg for help, something that I’ve never done before!

“I would implore an old martial artist who’s also at the pinnacle of the tenth tier to leave his bamboo building and stand up for me, someone who’s technically half a disciple of his. Seeing as I’m already begging for help, I may as well completely set my pride aside and go all the way.

“As my final ally, I would call upon a swordsman by the name of Zuo You. I would tell him that his junior brother is about to die and implore him to save me! When that time comes, I’m sure Gao Cheng will have his hands full!”

Zhu Quan was the leader of the Flax Robe Sect, someone who dared to challenge even the likes of Gao Cheng, yet in this instant, she felt a hint of fear.

She could sense a pure aura rising up from Chen Ping’an’s body, one that had nothing to do with good or evil.

Chen Ping’an raised a hand up high, then stomped a foot down forcefully, causing Sword Immortal to plummet down into the clouds below as he continued, “If Gao Cheng still manages to survive even after all that, or it’s revealed that he has an Ascension Tier backer or two, then I’ll leave it at that, and I won’t beg anyone else for help.”

His voice trailed off here as he burst into laughter, and in the end, he seemed to murmur to himself, “I have a sword that will be with me through thick and thin.”

Sword Immortal was just about to fly back up to him, but for some reason, it didn’t dare to approach him, lingering far away on the edge of the sea of clouds.

After his laughter died down, tears suddenly began to flow down Chen Ping’an’s face as he lowered his head to look down at his rolled-up sleeves. He slowly raised his left hand, then grabbed tightly onto his right sleeve as he choked through his tears, “Mr. Qi died for me, so I am the one who can least afford to disappoint him. How could I do this? Anyone can do this, but not me, not Chen Ping’an of Clay Vase Alley.”