Unsheathed

Daoist Master Sun seemed rather intrigued by Chen Ping’an, and he smiled as he mused, “Your mental state is even shoddier and more dilapidated than your barely mended bridge of immortality. Are you really a Qi refiner aiming for immortality? I don’t mean to talk down to you just because my cultivation base is superior to yours, but you truly are a complete mess!

“You possess a Great Dao, but there are far too many divergent paths branching away from it, making for an exceptionally arduous and confounding journey ahead. If you keep walking down this path, even if you become a sword immortal of the Majestic World, it’ll be very difficult for you to sever the threads of karma with your sword. Instead, the threads will only become more tangled and chaotic the more you try.”

“I’ll just have to take things one step at a time,” Chen Ping’an replied with a wry smile.

“You don’t think it’s unfair?” Daoist Master Sun asked.

Chen Ping’an considered the question for a moment, then replied, “I think these hardships are only to be expected.”

Daoist Master Sun nodded in response, then casually swept a sleeve through the air.

The cloud and mist around him instantly became scattered and chaotic, then gradually fell still again, following which he asked, “Has the state of the world changed?”

Chen Ping’an remained silent as he carefully pondered the deep meaning behind the question.

Daoist Master Sun stomped a foot down, causing the earth to tremble as he asked, “You must be thinking that the state of the world has surely changed at least a little by now, right?”

Chen Ping’an thought back to what Daoist Master Sun had said earlier about how the world could naturally correct certain things on its own, and he asked, “Then what should we do?”

The principles that Daoist Master Sun was espousing actually went against the fundamental ideas that Chen Ping’an had firmly believed in, but he still wanted to ask more questions and hear what Daoist Master Sun had to say.

“That’s correct!” Daoist Master Sun praised with a pleased nod.

Chen Ping’an was perplexed. He had no idea what he had gotten correct.

However, Daoist Master Sun offered no explanation as he continued, “You’re not going to ask who was the one that managed to kill my junior brother?”

“I wouldn’t dare to ask, and even if you told me, I wouldn’t dare to listen,” Chen Ping’an replied with a shake of his head.

“Very good,” Daoist Master Sun praised with a nod. “If you’re not going to ask me anything, then it’s my turn to ask you something: what does it mean to be careful as a cultivator?”

This time, Chen Ping’an didn’t hesitate at all as he replied, “It means to harbor a sense of awe and veneration to the world and to regard oneself as one’s greatest enemy.”

“Well, you’ve certainly covered all of your bases!” Daoist Master Sun chuckled. “You’ve addressed both the greater world around you and the small world that is yourself. Who taught you such a broad principle?”

“I figured it out myself,” Chen Ping’an replied. “Just as you said, principles that are too broad lose all meaning. There are many small things that support this principle that I don’t do well enough.”

Daoist Master Sun couldn’t help but be reminded of his junior brother.

Back then, his junior brother had very similar ideas to Chen Ping’an. He always said that the Great Dao was too vast and broad, and that particular attention had to be paid to the minor details. Otherwise, as the state of the world changed over time, not only would the foundation of one’s Great Dao begin to waver, even the White Jade Capital would eventually collapse, and the loftier it was constructed, the more catastrophic its collapse would be.

“No one was particularly opposed to his view of the world, so that was never a problem. The issue Daoist Master Sun’s junior brother was that he was a key figure in the sword immortal branch, but he had gone out of his way to stick his nose into many things that he had no business getting involved in. Outside of all of the monumental feats that he had achieved, there was one relatively minor thing that he had also been doing on the side.

“The great demon that enjoyed refining mountains had actually become host to a heavenly demon, but was completely oblivious to it himself. Daoist Master Sun’s junior brother had attempted to get rid of the heavenly demon, but in doing so, he had drawn the ire of a certain short-tempered individual from the White Jade Capital, ultimately leading to his demise.

Then there was Song Maolu, the final disciple that his junior brother had taken under his wing. Even in the eyes of Daoist Master Sun, Song Maolu had been an outstanding prodigy, and he had founded a Daoist branch similar to Mount Longhu of the Middle Earth Divine Continent. However, he had also ultimately suffered a rather unfortunate fate.

In contrast, Song Maolu’s disciples had all been doing quite well at the time that Daoist Master Sun left the Heavenly World, and they had managed to continue the lineage of the Daoist branch.

In the Heavenly World, the three branch masters of the White Jade Capital under the Dao Ancestor took turns overseeing the White Jade Capital, and it was often the case that the world was most stable and peaceful when the Dao Ancestor’s eldest disciple was in charge.

Whenever Lu Chen was given that responsibility, the Heavenly World would become a very chaotic place, but one that was thriving with vitality.

As for whenever the Daoist second disciple was in charge, there would always be a huge number of casualties among the Upper Five Tier cultivators of the world, not just outside of the White Jade Capital, but within it as well.

Daoist Master Sun scanned his gaze over his surroundings, then extended a hand to draw out a tiny green flame from the glabellas of everyone around him.

He then smiled as he said, “There are certain things that you would be better off not knowing about. I have erased everyone’s memories from the moment Huai Qian began seeking his demise. I’m going to leave some treasures and fated opportunities behind for all of you, and that’s likely going to be a double-edged sword.

“It’ll be a blessing, for sure, but there’s also a very good chance that it’ll spark another round of conflict. Are you going to intervene to try and mitigate the conflict.”

“There’s no need for my intervention,” Chen Ping’an replied with a shake of his head. “I’m just going to be a passive observer.”

Daoist Master Sun nodded in response, and the tattered book on the ground drifted over Chen Ping’an as he said, “In that case, take this opportunity to further observe the hearts of those around you. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. In the hands of someone else, this book wouldn’t be worth much at all, but it’ll be very useful for you.”

Chen Ping’an tucked the book up his sleeve as he expressed his gratitude.

“There is no one more qualified to speak on those pursuing the Great Dao than a Daoist,” Daoist Master Sun said with a smile. “The Great Dao is a vast and complex thing, young man. It’ll be worth your while to observe and learn from it as much as possible.”

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

“So what are your plans now? Are you going to continue your treasure-hunting journey?” Daoist Master Sun asked with a smile.

“I think I’ll pass for now,” Chen Ping’an replied with an awkward expression.

Huai Qian had encountered Daoist Master Sun on this occasion, and there was no telling who Chen Ping’an could encounter next time.

“There’s no need to overthink things after I leave,” Daoist Master Sun continued. “Just do whatever you believe should be done. Everyone has entered this place to fight for fated opportunities at their own risk, so it’s up to them to bear the consequences.”

Chen Ping’an began to consider how he wanted to wrap things up here, but he was rather perplexed by Daoist Master Sun as the latter continued to observe him with a smile, as if he were expecting something from him.

In the end, Daoist Master Sun repeated in a joking tone, “Looks like your determination to pursue the Great Dao is still lacking, Fellow Cultivator Chen.”

Chen Ping’an was instantly enlightened, and he replied, “The path ahead is long and arduous.”

Daoist Master Sun stroked his beard with a smile and a nod, looking very pleased.

“In a few more minutes’ time, the flow of time in this small world will return to normal.”

Daoist Master Sun drew Di Yuanfeng and Zhan Qing into the world within his sleeve, then raced away as a streak of light.

As soon as the streak of light that was Daoist Master Sun crashed into the heavens of the small world, a huge hole was instantly blasted into the sky, and the hole slowly expanded as the surrounding restrictions dissipated. However, after the streak of white light left the small world, everything returned to normal in the blink of an eye.

Chen Ping’an stared after Daoist Master Sun for a moment, then immediately turned and ran.

With a conflict imminent, he decided that it was best to get far away from this place.

As for the treasure-bearing bags on the ground, he didn’t even bother to spare them a glance, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to return for them once everything was said and done.

Several minutes was more than enough for Chen Ping’an to flee the scene, and as the flow of time returned to normal, he couldn’t help but wonder where Huang Shi and Jin Shan were.

While rushing away from the mountain summit, he stopped by the caisson ceiling to discover that it was still situated where it had always been, and it was still abundant with spiritual energy. Unfortunately, it was yet another treasure that he wouldn’t be able to take away with him.

Actually, who says I can’t take this with me? The restrictions in this small world are already gone, so it’s not out of the question. It’s just going to take a bit of effort.

With that in mind, he quickly dug up the soil around the millstone-sized caisson ceiling before pulling it out of the ground and rushing away with it on his back. Prior to doing so, he made sure to plaster a Stele Carrying Talisman to his forehead.

A vertically adhered talisman could obstruct one’s view, so it was much better to plaster a talisman horizontally across one’s forehead.

This was a nugget of wisdom that he had learned from Pei Qian.

High up in the sky of the Majestic World, Daoist Master Sun turned back to take a glance at the small world below, then chuckled, “He really doesn’t leave anything behind.”

Standing beside him was an old Confucian scholar with a golden jade tablet hanging from his waist, and he said, “You may leave now.”

“In that case, open the door,” Daoist Master Sun replied with a smile.

Somewhere in the Northern Pavilion Nation, Huan Yun, Sun Qing, and Bai Bi were the first to return to their senses, and they all looked around in a momentary daze before hurriedly examining their bonded items while stabilizing the spiritual energy in their key acupoints.

Sun Qing immediately tucked the badge up her sleeve, and with Liu Guibao still in a daze, Sun Qing took that Dao book from her for temporary safekeeping.

She had lost all memory of what had just transpired, but these treasures were there for the taking. If she didn’t even dare to claim these treasures that were dangling right before her, then she may as well retire as a cultivator.

“It seems like we’ve somehow already left the immortal abode,” Huan Yun mused with tightly furrowed brows.

At the same time, he was stunned to discover that his pocket treasure, which had previously been loaded with spoils, had almost been completely emptied!

Meanwhile, Liu Guibao was searching for Huai Qian, but the latter was obviously nowhere to be seen.

She couldn’t help but grit her teeth in resentment at the thought of how he had deceived her this entire time.

Bai Bi was also looking around with a confused expression, wondering where Zhan Qing had gone.

Out of everyone, Liu Guibao was the first to discover the bags laying on the ground, and she immediately identified them as fated opportunities to be fought over.

However, in the next instant, Bai Bi had also caught sight of those bags, while Gao Ling had only just returned to his senses.

Liu Guibao teamed up with Sun Qing, while Bai Bi joined forces with Gao Ling, and each of them secured a hefty bag that was filled with treasures from the immortal abode.

Both sides were quite apprehensive of one another, so no conflict broke out.

As for the final bag, that was left to the Dragon Gate Tier vagrant cultivator and the martial arts master to fight over. Both of them sprang onto the bag at once, instantly tearing it into two, and the treasures inside spilled all over the ground. There were over ten treasures in total, and each of them grabbed a few, while the rest were claimed by Huan Yun, Sun Qing, and Bai Bi. It seemed that everyone was content to split the treasures peacefully and avoid a conflict.

Everyone else who was fortunate enough to have survived to this point immediately fled the scene. This foray into the immortal abode had been a far more perilous trip than they had bargained for, and they were all eager to flee while they still could.

After claiming his share of the bags of treasures, Huan Yun immediately flew up into the air while a stream of talismans shot out of each of his sleeves. He was simultaneously examining his surroundings while also verifying the safety of Shen Zhenze’s two direct disciples.

On top of that, once the Dragon Gate Tier guest elder of Cloudtop City noticed that the surrounding restrictions had been undone, he would be sure to flee with that white jade brush pocket treasure, and he presumably wouldn’t be returning to the Sacred Lotus Nation or Cloudtop City before he reached at least the Golden Core Tier.

Thankfully, Huan Yun was able to quickly locate Shen Zhenze’s direct disciples several kilometers away, and both of them were unharmed.

At the same time, a flying sword talisman that had already raced to several dozen kilometers away was abruptly shattered by someone.

Huan Yun sneered as he immediately set off in that direction, and in the end, he was able to intercept the guest elder with ease.

“You’re going to kill me, is that it?!” Guest Elder Xu yelled in an enraged manner.

“No, I’m going to take you back to Cloudtop City and have you face City Lord Shen Zhenze,” Huan Yun replied.

The old guest elder raised the pocket treasure, which was clutched tightly in his hand, and he threatened, “I’m going to destroy this thing if you come any closer!”

“Both the Dao robe and that of immortal remains are very sturdy objects, so there’s a very good chance that they’ll remain unscathed even if you detonate the pocket treasure,” Huan Yun said in an indifferent manner. “However, if you do that, then I’ll kill you on the spot. After that, I’ll just have to go and see Shen Zhenze on my own and explain to him what happened.”

“I’m not going back to Cloudtop City with you, Huan Yun!” the old guest elder said with a hint of finality in his voice. “I know what Shen Zhenze is like. If I fall into his hands, I’ll be subjected to a fate worse than death!”

“Then why did you do all of this?” Huan Yun snapped. “If you hadn’t allowed your greed to get the better of you, then you would be greeted with a hero’s welcome upon your return to Cloudtop City!”

“I can hand over this pocket treasure to you, but in return, you have to give me all of your Land-Shortening Talismans,” the old guest elder negotiated. “Also, you have to tell Shen Zhenze and his two disciples that you’ve already killed me.”

“I can do that,” Huan Yun replied without any hesitation, then pulled out a stack of talismans before fanning them out slightly for the old guest elder to see.

All of them were Land-Shortening Talismans, and there were even two golden talismans among them.

“This is your last chance,” Huan Yun warned. “If you dare to try any funny business, then I won’t hesitate to put an end to your life!”

Huan Yun tossed his talismans forward in the very same instant that the guest elder released the pocket treasure, and as soon as the guest elder caught the talismans, he immediately used up one of the golden ones, transporting himself to several dozen kilometers away in the blink of an eye.

Huan Yun heaved a faint sigh, then made his way to Shen Zhenze’s two direct disciples and handed the pocket treasure over to them.

At the same time, he honored his agreement with Guest Elder Xu, informing the two disciples that the old guest elder was already dead.

The young man carefully accepted the pocket treasure with trembling hands, then tucked it up his sleeve before extending a grateful bow toward Huan Yun with tears streaming down his face.

“How could we ever repay you, Senior Huan? You have saved our lives and recovered our lost treasures! Words cannot express my gratitude!”