Unsheathed

An old Daoist priest and a young Daoist priest spent two snowflake coins at one end of the long stone arch bridge, each receiving an immortal mandarin wood tablet.

“Master, is your concealment technique effective or not?” Zhang Shanfeng asked in a soft voice. “Why do I feel like a lot of people are still looking at us? In any case, us hailing from Ground Lying Peak isn’t an embarrassing matter, and when I was traveling around the world back then, not a single person could tell I was from Ground Lying Peak. In fact, no one mistakenly thought I was from Peach Mountain, the Secret Profound Mountain, or the other mountains of my senior brothers either. Following Master’s instructions, I only told people that I was an external Heavenly Master from the Middle Earth Divine Continent’s Mount Longhu.”

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon smiled faintly and replied, “That’s presumably because the mountains of your senior brothers aren’t very famous.”

Zhang Shanfeng sighed and said, “I feel like my senior brothers have fairly lofty Dao power.”

“You climb the mountains slowly each time, and descend the mountains in reluctance and discomfort. Yet, you’re still able to appraise the Dao power of your senior brothers?” Spiritual Master Fire Dragon asked with a smile.

Zhang Shanfeng nodded in earnest, lowering his voice and replying, “I’ve heard the juniors in the mountains mention this a few times, saying that the senior brothers and senior sisters who are able to establish their own mountains all possess terrifyingly high cultivation bases.”

“How high?” Spiritual Master Fire Dragon asked with a chuckle.

Zhang Shanfeng shook his head and replied, “There isn’t a consensus regarding this. Some say they’re Golden Core Tier earth immortals, while some say they’re at least Dragon Gate Tier immortals.”

He paused for a moment before continuing in a solemn voice, “Master, even though we’re not allowed to casually talk about cultivation bases at Ground Lying Peak, the juniors are still young, so they’re only having casual conversations about this due to their innocence. Master isn’t allowed to take this too seriously and scold them when he gets back. Otherwise, how can I continue to cultivate at Ground Lying Peak in the future? Won’t the juniors all criticize me behind my back, saying that their junior uncle is a senior who likes to gossip and spread rumors?”

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon smiled and nodded in response.

Zhang Shanfeng was still worried, so he pressed, “You need to give me a firm response, Master. Otherwise, I’ll still feel unconvinced.”

He couldn’t help but feel anxious. Ever since he was old enough to remember things, he had only seen his master get angry one time.

Back then, for some unknown reason, a senior brother who was strong enough to leave Ground Lying Peak and establish his own mountain had gotten into an argument with another senior brother who was still cultivating at Ground Lying Peak. Perhaps they had failed to work through their differences through reason alone, so the senior brother who had established his own mountain had ended up making a remark about his higher cultivation base.

In reality, the senior brother who had still been cultivating at Ground Lying Peak hadn’t thought much about this remark at all. Unexpectedly, however, their master who had already been sleeping for two or three years had suddenly stood up from amid the large pile of snow atop the mountain peak, shaking off the snow on his body and leaving Ground Lying Peak in a flash.

Zhang Shanfeng had still been a young child at the time, and he had been busy partaking in a snow fight with several other young Daoist priests the same age as him. They had exchanged glances with each other following their master’s departure, after which they had continued to have fun. After all, their master’s presence or absence wouldn’t delay their games and enjoyment, especially since snow was very rare on Ground Lying Peak. Indeed, it could only snow when their master was asleep, so the young Daoist priests would be even happier about this than the New Year.

Only afterward had Zhang Shanfeng heard about his senior brother, who had uttered a single wrong remark, being expelled from the immortal force on the same day. That senior brother had kneeled for an entire month near the perimeter of Ground Lying Peak, also kowtowing for one entire month. Even so, their master still hadn’t changed his mind. The other senior brothers had all gathered at Ground Lying Peak, but no one had dared to say anything, all standing there as if they had made mistakes equally as serious as that expelled disciple.

Perhaps because Zhang Shanfeng was the youngest disciple at the time, he was the only one who had dared to ask about this matter, especially since he was very curious about why their master had become so angry.

After all of the other disciples left Ground Lying Peak, Spiritual Master Fire Dragon had said two things to Zhang Shanfeng.

“There is no such thing as an unintentional remark in this world, only intentional remarks that have accidentally been spoken aloud.

“This doesn’t matter for those outside the mountains, but it’s a fatal flaw for those in the mountains: Either a cultivator will lose their own life one day, or they’ll cause the deaths of even more mortals outside the mountains.”

Zhang Shanfeng had still wanted to plead for his senior brother, but Spiritual Master Fire Dragon had simply shaken his head and patted the little Daoist priest’s head, saying that the matter was already closed. Since his senior brother had finished his journey in the mountains, it was better that he focused on cultivating his heart outside the mountains.

Back to the present, the old spiritual master stood on the stone arch bridge and had no choice but to promise, “Alright, I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear anything.”

As they walked along the long bridge, Zhang Shanfeng noticed a clever-looking young man in yellow standing not far in front of them with an adrift expression, seemingly looking at him and his master. The young man then turned around and ran away, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

“Master, what’s this all about?” Zhang Shanfeng asked in puzzlement.

“We’ve come across each other and had some interactions before,” Spiritual Master Fire Dragon replied with a smile.

Meanwhile, cold sweat had formed on Li Yuan’s forehead as he continued to furiously sprint away. Come across each other? Come across his fucking ass! He was the lofty water official of the Plenty River, yet Spiritual Master Fire Dragon had used a water-element immortal technique to suppress him at the bottom of the large river for an entire month back then.

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon furrowed his brows and looked back.

Behind them was Sect Leader Sun Jie, who was also using a concealment technique.

Sun Jie mustered his courage and quickly walked forward. He had no other option. If this old spiritual master were truly just passing by the Water Dragon Sect, then so be it if he didn’t show himself after receiving the spiritual master’s instructions. However, the old spiritual master was clearly heading to the Dragon Palace Small World, so it would be incompatible with etiquette for Sun Jie to stay at the ancestral hall. Even if Sun Jie were directly scolded by the old spiritual master, that would still be better than the Water Dragon Sect going against etiquette and showing disrespect.

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon wasn’t very happy about having to socialize with more people, but Sun Jie was the sect leader of the Water Dragon Sect, after all, so he naturally couldn’t reciprocate Sun Jie’s smile with violence. With this in mind, he smiled and said, “I’m here to sightsee with my disciple.”

At the same time, he used his mind’s lake to clearly tell Sun Jie, “Sect Leader Sun, this disciple of mine isn’t very familiar with the matters in the mountains, so please help me conceal these matters from him.”

Sun Jie instantly understood, and he bowed and greeted with a smile, “My respects to Spiritual Master.”

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.

Zhang Shanfeng was at a complete loss, not even knowing how to respectfully address the sect leader. In the end, he could only bow and say, “Junior Zhang Shanfeng pays his respects to Senior.”

Sun Jie hurriedly returned the gesture.

This young Daoist priest was Spiritual Master Fire Dragon’s direct disciple, after all, so he was worthy of an individual greeting from the sect leader of the Water Dragon Sect.

This caused Zhang Shanfeng to feel slightly flustered, and the young Daoist priest immediately responded with another bow.

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon felt slightly exasperated.

Sun Jie felt like things were becoming slightly farcical, so he pushed aside the pedantic matters of etiquette and said that he was going to accompany the spiritual master for a short while.

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon almost always traveled alone when he left the mountains to wander around the world, seldom ever bringing any disciples with him. Regardless of whether it was the Profound Dawn Primordial Lord, who had unfortunately passed away, or those founding disciples of the Peach Mountain Branch, the Secret Profound Branch, or the other branches, it was said that none of these impressively powerful disciples had ever traveled around the world with the old spiritual master who was extremely fond of sleeping.

In reality, Spiritual Master Fire Dragon had only sought out Zhang Shanfeng during the second half of the young Daoist priest’s multi-year journey, when he had already traveled south to another continent. Afterward, they had traveled around the Middle Earth Divine Continent and the Southern Whirl Continent together. Before that, Zhang Shanfeng had traveled by himself for a long time, even if this meant camping in the wilderness and suffering from starvation. He had described this as tempering his Dao power, but in reality, he had endured all kinds of hardships and sorrows.

Sun Jie accompanied Spiritual Master Fire Dragon and Zhang Shanfeng to the restaurant on the bridge before bidding farewell and taking his leave.

As they walked, it was Zhang Shanfeng who had chatted with Sun Jie the entire time, most likely afraid that his master was poor at handling these kinds of interactions.

It was only when Sun Jie was about to turn around and leave that Spiritual Master Fire Dragon finally opened his mouth and said, “I’ll help put in a word to Li Yuan for you.”

Sun Jie was just about to bow in gratitude.

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon waved a hand and said, “There’s no need to thank me.”

After the relatively respectful senior walked far away, Zhang Shanfeng asked in a quiet voice, “Why did you ignore him the entire time, Master?”

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon smiled and replied, “He’s not a friend, so there wasn’t anything to chat about with him. Friends aren’t made through casual chatter either.”

There was a look of reminiscence on Spiritual Master Fire Dragon’s face. Did he not have any friends? Of course he had friends, and quite a lot of friends at that. However, it was a shame that these people were no longer in the world.

After living for too long, it was as if he could only bid farewell to his friends, one after another. He could bid farewell to some of them in person, but unfortunately, not all of them.

No matter what, he would feel mournful regardless of whether it was the former or the latter.

This had nothing to do with the level of his Dao power.

Thus, it was very good that this disciple of his could become acquainted with Chen Ping’an, who liked to speak reason, and Xu Yuanxia, who liked to write travel journals.

It was even better that both Zhang Shanfeng and Chen Ping’an sincerely respected that big-bearded martial artist.

With minds alike and hardships tackled together, even drinking water could feel better than drinking wine.

There existed some enviable brotherhoods where blades would be hidden behind the veil of brotherly affection.

On the flipside, there existed some seemingly ordinary relationships where friends would arrive with helping hands during times of dire need. After providing help, they would cup their fists and bid farewell, saying that their help was only a minor matter.

There were still seventeen kilometers until they arrived at the city gates leading to the Plenty River Summer Residence, and Zhang Shanfeng asked, “Master, how did you calculate the location of Chen Ping’an?”

“This was a very difficult matter,” Spiritual Master Fire Dragon replied. “However, there’s a very strong link between you and Chen Ping’an, for example, that Heavenly Master Seal and the ancient sword that you’re currently carrying on your back. Both of these items were obtained by Chen Ping’an first, after which he gifted these fated opportunities to you. It’s thanks to this that I was able to track down his location. Moreover, Chen Ping’an is coincidentally in the Northern Complete Reed Continent as well. Otherwise, it would have been even harder for me to calculate his position if he were in some other continent.”

In reality, there was another secret that Spiritual Master Fire Dragon didn’t explain to Zhang Shanfeng. During their encounter with Chen Ping’an in an alley of that small village in the southeastern region of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, Spiritual Master Fire Dragon had given Chen Ping’an a greeting gift, helping to slightly stabilize that child’s future journey on the path of martial arts. However, Spiritual Master Fire Dragon didn’t mention this matter because this small gift wasn’t something that was worth discussing.

When they arrived at the entrance of the small world and heard that they needed to pay two lesser heat coins to enter, Zhang Shanfeng immediately felt like the Water Dragon Sect was quite dirty and ruthless.

He gritted his teeth and hesitantly retrieved two lesser heat coins from his sleeve, handing them to the gatekeeper from the Water Dragon Sect.

Zhang Shanfeng ran his hand across one of the door studs on the large red gates as he entered, not forgetting to turn around and say to the old spiritual master, “Master, do you want to touch them as well? Chen Ping’an told me about some customs of different areas before, and one custom mentioned that climbing the city walls can shoo away all kinds of sickness, while touching the door studs of city gates can chase away filth and bad luck.”[1]

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon smiled and shook his head, saying, “I’ll pass.”

After walking through the city gate and seeing the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine jade white steps, Zhang Shanfeng instantly remarked with emotion, “Impressive, how truly magnificent. As expected of a sect-level immortal force!”

In comparison, Ground Lying Peak only had a small and winding mountain path snaking up the mountain, with weeds decorating the path and wild fruits aplenty. Before leaving the mountain to travel around the outside world, Zhang Shanfeng had often scoured the mountain with a large group of little Daoist priests, returning with bountiful yields of wild fruits each time.

Upon arriving at the mountain peak and seeing the sixteen dragon walls underfoot, Zhang Shanfeng became increasingly convinced that the Water Dragon Sect was incredibly wealthy. Thinking that he had contributed at least two lesser heat coins to the immortal aura of the Water Dragon Sect, Zhang Shanfeng couldn’t help but feel a little happy.

Spiritual Master Fire Dragon smiled and asked, “Do you feel like these extravagant mountains still can’t compare to our own ordinary mountain?”

Zhang Shanfeng nodded and replied, “Of course. We’ll return home after we meet Chen Ping’an!”

The sixteen snow-white flood dragons soared into the sea of clouds, making their way toward the Dragon Palace Small World.

1. A door stud is an ornamental metal stud, often used in traditional Chinese doors to signify status or rank. ☜