Unsheathed

Chen Ping’an walked a circle around the perimeter of Paddling Island before returning to his room in the residence. He sat down on the cushion and started to meditate, slowly refining the spiritual energy contained inside his wood residence.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was the most valuable immortal currency for cultivators.

He could treat this as another method of earning money.

Regarding how to absorb the most spiritual energy while waiting for Secret Profound Peak’s Yuan Lingdian to visit Paddling Island, Chen Ping’an set aside twelve hours a day to refine Qi. Apart from this, he naturally didn’t forget to draw talismans as well.

Chen Ping’an didn’t cultivate so much that he forgot to eat and drink, and he only cultivated for exactly twelve hours each day.

A skinny middle-aged Daoist priest visited Paddling Island one day, not arriving on a talismanic boat and instead descending through the sea of clouds.

The Daoist priest smiled faintly as he looked at Chen Ping’an, who had walked outside to welcome his guest.

The Daoist priest bowed and said, “I’m Secret Profound Peak’s Yuan Lingdian, Zhang Shanfeng’s Fifth Senior Brother. Young Master Chen can refer to me as Yuan Zhixuan.”[1]

Chen Ping’an hurriedly cupped his fists in response. He naturally wouldn’t refer to the middle-aged Daoist priest as Yuan Zhixuan, and he instead referred to him as Senior Yuan.

Chen Ping’an led the Daoist immortal, who didn’t look old but was actually very senior and possessed very lofty Dao power, to his temporary residence.

Zhang Shanfeng was unaware of the true power of the immortal force that he belonged to, whereas Chen Ping’an knew quite a bit more. Before traveling to the Northern Complete Reed Continent, Wei Bo had roughly recounted to him many interesting stories relating to Ground Lying Peak. These weren’t big secrets, and anyone who put in some work could gather this information as well. Of course, it was still very difficult for small and ordinary immortal forces to read news about Ground Lying Peak and its Daoist priests in the immortal newspapers.

Indeed, the disciples at Ground Lying Peak and the disciples who were able to establish their own mountains weren’t the type of cultivators who liked to deliberately show off and seek attention. This mighty Daoist priest from Secret Profound Peak didn’t possess the highest cultivation base among Spiritual Master Fire Dragon’s disciples, but in the Northern Complete Reed Continent, he was publicly regarded as an Unpolished Jade Tier Daoist immortal who could be treated as an Immortal Tier Daoist immortal.

After handing the six hundred grain rain coins to Chen Ping’an, Yuan Lingdian extended an invitation to him to visit Ground Lying Peak and Secret Profound Peak in the future. He didn’t make any further small talk after this.

It wasn’t that this immortal from Secret Profound Peak was arrogant and haughty, looking down on the third tier Chen Ping’an, but there was indeed nothing for the two of them to talk about.

Thus, he came in a hurry and also left in a hurry.

Chen Ping’an saw Yuan Lingdian off to the dock of Paddling Island.

Yuan Lingdian smiled and said, “Young Master Chen, I need to thank you for looking after Shanfeng this entire time.”

“You’re too kind. I didn’t do much,” Chen Ping’an replied.

“I don’t care whether I’m too kind or not.” Yuan Lingdian smiled and retrieved a peach wood box from his sleeve, continuing, “There’s a replica sword forged by Hatred Sword Mountain in this box. I’ll be happy as long as Young Master Chen isn’t dissatisfied with this small gift.”

Chen Ping’an was slightly stunned.

However, this didn’t stop him from accepting the gift.

Feigning politeness with these lofty immortals would be very stupid, no?

Yuan Lingdian transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the distance.

Chen Ping’an remained standing in the same spot with the peach wood box in his hand.

He thought to himself that when he purchased replica swords from Hatred Sword Mountain in the future, he would have to purchase at least two, even if they were slightly more expensive.

Chen Ping’an had more than one hundred usable grain rain coins in his possession right now, so his confidence was as high as it could be.

Regarding Downtrodden Mountain’s debt, that was a headache for Zhu Lian to deal with first.

As for the remaining five hundred grain rain coins, it wasn’t that Chen Ping’an didn’t trust Li Yuan with delivering them to Downtrodden Mountain, but he was truly unwilling to trouble the water official too much. There needed to be a limit on how much he commanded someone around.

Thus, he would leave this matter for when he visited Lion Peak.

It was approaching the end of winter.

Chen Ping’an left Paddling Island.

He had already written a letter addressed to Lion Peak and placed it on the table. At the same time, he placed Li Liu’s “Three Feet Sweet Rain” hornless dragon jade tablet on top of the letter.

Chen Ping’an had initially planned to ask the Southern Fragrance Water Palace’s Water Goddess Shen Lin to help deliver the letter and the jade tablet, but after some consideration, he eventually decided to ask Water Official Li Yuan to help him for the third time.

In any case, he had clearly explained some of these matters in the letter.

As for the jade tablet engraved with the ancient seal-script characters, “Mountains Green Rain Like Mist,” he naturally needed to return this to Li Yuan.

In the beginning, Li Yuan had refused to accept and look after the “Three Feet Sweet Rain” jade tablet, no matter what, coming up with a mountain of righteous excuses.

It had taken Chen Ping’an a lot of effort to persuade Li Yuan, promising that he would help explain things to Miss Li if she reprimanded him for his actions.

Only then did Li Yuan feel slightly more at ease.

Since Li Liu was willing to refer to this young man as Mr. Chen, and since Mr. Chen was willing to vouch for him, there most likely wouldn’t be any major issue with looking after the “Three Feet Sweet Rain” jade tablet.

Before leaving, Chen Ping’an had also asked Li Yuan to help him bid farewell to the Southern Fragrance Water Palace. The water official had already gritted his teeth and mustered his courage to accept such a hugely difficult task, so something as simple as passing along a farewell was naturally no problem at all.

Li Yuan insisted on seeing Chen Ping’an off to the other end of the bridge beyond the Dragon Palace Small World.

Chen Ping’an continued his journey along the Plenty River after returning the immortal mandarin wood tablet with the character “Rest.”

He was dressed in azure robes, carrying a bamboo bookcase, and holding a hiking pole.

Sword Immortal and the Sword Nurturing Gourd were temporarily placed inside his bamboo bookcase.

Li Yuan didn’t leave the bridge; instead watching the young man disappear toward the west.

He then returned to Paddling Island, not daring to even touch the hornless dragon jade tablet as he carefully and quickly pulled the letter out from underneath, after which he hurriedly delivered it to Lion Peak as quickly as he could.

Ten days later, Li Liu returned to the Dragon Palace Small World, properly looking at the extremely apprehensive Water Official Li Yuan with a smile in a very rare scene. She said that he had finally done something slightly meritorious.

Li Yuan almost went weak at the knees and fell to the ground upon hearing this, and for the first time in his life, he felt like there were tears brimming in his eyes.

Li Liu grabbed the hornless dragon jade tablet and casually tossed it to Li Yuan, instructing the water official of the Plenty River to place it in the middle shrine. There, it could help gather the essence of the incense offerings.

Li Yuan prostrated himself and expressed gratitude in a quivering voice.

However, Li Liu had already left for the Southern Fragrance Water Palace.

Shen Lin prostrated herself and broke down in sobs when she saw Li Liu.

Li Liu made a grabbing motion, directly extracting the water goddess’ godly body and placing her hand on its head. The tens of millions of fine fractures on the godly body immediately started to knit together and heal.

Li Liu dropped her wrist slightly, causing the godly body to fall back inside Shen Lin’s physical body.

She then sat down on a bench in the pavilion.

Shen Lin remained prostrated the entire time, not even daring to lift her head.

“You’ve worked hard. If everything goes well, you can assume the position of the Plenty River’s Spirit Origin Lord in the future,” Li Liu said.

“This servant doesn’t dare to have such fanciful dreams!” Shen Lin replied in a quivering voice. “This servant is already more than satisfied with serving as the water goddess of the Southern Fragrance Water Palace for the next one thousand years.”

Li Liu furrowed her brows. “Hmm?”

Shen Lin didn’t dare to disobey her anymore, immediately kowtowing heavily and exclaiming, “As you command!”

Li Liu stood up and instantly vanished without a trace.

Shen Lin remained prostrated and unmoving for a very long time.

Only when Li Yuan swaggered into the summer palace and arrived at the pavilion did she slowly stand up. It was as if she were living a different life.

With the “Three Feet Sweet Rain” jade tablet hanging by his waist, Li Yuan’s footsteps were light and nimble as he puffed his chest out and walked into the pavilion. He made a face at the seemingly dispirited water goddess and pointed at the jade tablet beside his waist.

Take a look. What’s this?

Shen Lin paid no heed to Li Yuan’s gesture, hesitating for a moment before sitting down on a bench with a dazed expression and murmuring, “Li Yuan, I might become the Spirit Origin Lord of the Plenty River in the future. Can you believe this?”

It was as if Li Yuan were struck in the head by Spiritual Master Fire Dragon’s lightning technique, stunned into silence for a long time before grabbing his head and wailing in grief. He fell backward onto the ground and lay there, chaotically swinging his arms and legs around as he wailed, “Why wasn’t it me? We’ve already gone several thousand years without a Spirit Origin Lord, so why wasn’t I, the hard-working Li Yuan, appointed as the lord of the Plenty River?”

Even though Shen Lin had only revealed this secret due to her jumbled mental state right now, she didn’t regret revealing this information to Water Official Li Yuan. After all, he would learn of this matter sooner or later. Rather than trying to conceal it and keep it a secret, causing Li Yuan to suffer an even bigger breakdown in the future, she was better off being forthright and telling him straight away.

Otherwise, the knots in their hearts would grow even bigger.

Li Yuan became stiff like a corpse.

Shen Lin felt slightly exasperated.

Li Yuan sniffed, with some semblance of life returning to his face as he said in a stifled voice, “Lady Shen, congratulations on being promoted to the position of Spirit Origin Lord.”

Shen Lin smiled and said, “You should cut down on teasing and fooling around with the female officials here when you wander around the Southern Fragrance Water Palace in the future.”

Li Yuan started to kick his legs around again, loudly yammering, “No, I absolutely refuse!”

Li Yuan finally stopped his petulance, saying in a pitiful voice, “I’m going to beg the old spiritual master to sell me a large pot of regret pills. I might as well stuff myself full until I die.”

“The official recognition of the Plenty River isn’t set in stone yet,” Shen Lin said in a soft voice.

Li Yuan turned his head, furiously rubbing it against the ground with a demented expression as he wailed in grief, “Keep rubbing salt into my wounds, why don’t you?”

Shen Lin became adrift at this moment, feeling thankful to Spiritual Master Fire Dragon and also feeling thankful to that polite and courteous young man.

Li Yuan suddenly jumped up, surprisingly shooting through the sky of the Dragon Palace Small World and entering the Plenty River, giving chase to that unconscionable Mr. Chen.

On the bank of the Plenty River, Chen Ping’an was cupping some water and washing his face.

A head suddenly poked out from the water, so silent that Chen Ping’an almost threw a punch at it.

Only after seeing it was Li Yuan did Chen Ping’an retract his fist intent that had instantly surged forth like a flood, asking with a smile, “What brings you here?”

Li Yuan stepped ashore and asked with a smile, “Are you tired, Mr. Chen? Do you need help carrying your bamboo bookcase? Do you need a massage?”

Chen Ping’an’s skin crawled, and he replied with a bitter smile, “What in the world is the matter?”

Li Yuan squatted down and hugged Chen Ping’an’s leg, wailing in desperation, “Does Mr. Chen need any water elixirs? If so, then I have two bottles that are nothing more than burdens weighing me down…”

Did Water Official Li still require any fucking face? No, he was going to trample on his face and become absolutely shameless today!

Shen Lin could become a Spirit Origin Lord, but according to the regulations of the Plenty River, there could still be the appointment of a Dragon Pavilion Lord. Even though the Dragon Pavilion Lord would be of a slightly inferior rank, they wouldn’t actually fall under the jurisdiction of the Spirit Origin Lord. Rather, it was simply the case that the marine region managed by the Dragon Pavilion Lord would be slightly smaller than that managed by the Spirit Origin Lord. With one managing the east and one managing the west, the two wouldn’t interfere with each other as they managed the Plenty River together.

Chen Ping’an had no option but to squat down and say in exasperation, “I’m going to leave if you keep acting like this.”

Li Yuan let go of his leg and sat down, asking in a quiet voice, “Mr. Chen, do you actually know who she is?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “What you know, I definitely don’t know. I simply know that Miss Li is from my hometown and is the older sister of a certain little troublemaker.”

In reality, Chen Ping’an was yet to guess Li Yuan’s identity.

As for the Southern Fragrance Water Palace’s standing in the Dragon Palace Small World, Chen Ping’an wasn’t willing to delve into this matter. He was only able to vaguely guess that Lady Shen most likely had a unique standing among the many water gods of the Dragon Palace Small World. After all, she was the water goddess of a water palace.

Li Yuan didn’t dare to reveal anything.

He didn’t want to go for wool and come back shorn, even losing the hornless dragon jade tablet that he had just obtained for the middle shrine.

Li Yuan cut a dejected figure.

Chen Ping’an could only sit down beside him, still carrying the bamboo bookcase on his back as he asked in a soft voice, “Is there anything I can help with? Why don’t you tell me? I’ll do my best to help as long as the requests are reasonable.”

It was Li Yuan’s turn to be rendered speechless.

Truth be told, he had only acted out of the ordinary and left the territory of the Water Dragon Sect due to how dissatisfied and upset he felt.

He wasn’t genuinely fighting for the position of the Plenty River’s Dragon Pavilion Lord. This was because Li Yuan was well aware of the fact that on the path of life, those whom he brushed past could be caught up to, but the matters that he let slip couldn’t be chased again.

Even so, Li Yuan wasn’t willing to give up without a fight, feeling like he could still make one final attempt. Thus, he blinked his eyes and tried his best to put on a sincere smile as he asked, “Mr. Chen, do you accept my gift of two bottles of water elixirs?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and shook his head.

“I knew it,” Li Yuan lamented with a sullen expression.

Chen Ping’an retrieved two pots of wine, a pot of Midnight Wine that he had purchased on the long stone arch bridge and a pot of rice wine.

It was an old habit of Chen Ping’an’s to purchase immortal wine wherever he went.

Li Yuan accepted the pot of Midnight Wine and immediately started to gulp it down.

Chen Ping’an hadn’t drunk any wine during his time in the Dragon Palace Small World, and only now did he take small sips of the rice wine from his hometown in silence.

Li Yuan recalled a matter, something that he had started earlier, but had abandoned halfway. He had felt like it was too pretentious before, so he hadn’t gone through with completing the task.

This pertained to the mandarin wood tablet with the character “Rest.” He had asked the Water Dragon Sect for one, but he had felt too embarrassed to give it to Chen Ping’an, lest the young man suspect that he had ulterior motives.

After drinking Chen Ping’an’s Midnight Wine, however, he tossed the mandarin wood tablet to him with a chuckle and said, “Treat this as payment for the wine.”

Chen Ping’an caught the tablet and said with a smile, “Thanks.”

Li Yuan seemingly gave up on pursuing any benefits, having understood the current state of affairs. He stood up and said, “I’m off now. I’ll go home to cry by myself.”

Chen Ping’an also stood up, cupping his fists and saying, “Mountains tall and rivers long, till we meet again in the future.”

Li Yuan faltered for a moment before nodding in response. He sniffed and remarked in a moping voice, “My heart at a loss as I return, countless green mountains and rivers thundering against the skies.”[2]

Chen Ping’an also faltered upon hearing this. Were they having a battle of poems? Perhaps Chen Ping’an was bad at composing poems, but he could easily recite the poems that he had read for an entire day and night with Li Yuan.

“What are you staring at?” Li Yuan asked in an aggrieved voice.

Chen Ping’an took a sip of wine. He was most likely overthinking things.

Li Yuan leaped toward the Plenty River, but he didn’t dive inside and travel underwater. Instead, he twisted and turned and traveled in circles above the water as he returned to his residence. From time to time, some big fish would be lightly kicked more than a dozen meters into the air before dazedly splashing back down into the river.

Chen Ping’an retracted his gaze, finding this slightly amusing. He started to anticipate Chen Lingjun roaming the large rivers in the future. It was very likely that he would get along well with Li Yuan.

Afterward, Chen Ping’an didn’t experience any more hiccups as he traveled along the bank of the Plenty River. There were some minor encounters and experiences along the way.

He had come across a large ship docked on the bank of the Plenty River one night, with a light lit in a room on the second level. And thus, Chen Ping’an had witnessed a noble woman removing her own head and placing it on the table, using an ivory hairbrush to gently comb her silky hair.

As if detecting Chen Ping’an’s gaze, she leaned over slightly and allowed her head to glance outside the window. She appeared embarrassed after seeing the young man in azure, and she put down her hairbrush and placed her head back on her neck. She didn’t dare to catch the gaze of the young man standing on the opposite bank, and she curtsied in a graceful manner with her pearl hairpin tilted at a slight angle.

Chen Ping’an smiled in response.

Hearing the sobs of an infant, the noble woman immediately walked to the room next door in a brisk manner.

Chen Ping’an continued on his journey.

Not only did the large ship not have the gloomy aura of sinister ghosts, but it surprisingly had a wisp of scholarly fortune lingering around it.

When traveling past a village located near the river, Chen Ping’an came across a mentally challenged young child from the village. He gently patted the young child’s back. There always seemed to be one such pitiful person in the mortal villages of the world.

Night arrived, and Chen Ping’an secretly visited the ancestral hall of the village to offer incense, after which he stood beside the skywell for a night, listening to some “family gossip” and doing a few minor things. He only left after the sun rose again.

He bade farewell to another winter and welcomed in another spring.

Before he knew it, Chen Ping’an had already arrived at the end of the great river, where it flowed into the sea.

He had camped in the wilderness during the previous New Year’s Eve.

There was a large city where the river flowed into the sea, and Chen Ping’an stood in front of a stall in the city, watching a customer ask the stallkeeper whether his mandarins were sweet.

The stall keeper chuckled and replied, “You’ll only buy them if I say no, so the answer is no, they’re not sweet.”

Chen Ping’an felt like a wandering merchant could only be regarded as established if they were this firm and unyielding. Thus, he purchased half a kilogram of mandarins from the stallkeeper, placing all but one inside his bamboo case. He then walked along the streets and alleys, planning to make his way to the Lightning God Manor’s immortal ferry station at Infant Mountain after he left the city and witnessed the scenery of the great river entering the sea. There, he would take an immortal ship to Lion Peak.

Holding the mandarin in his hand and slowly walking along the streets, Chen Ping’an suddenly stopped and turned around, looking toward a certain alley.

Walking along the alley was a Daoist nun and a young man.

Their ages were similar, but their statuses couldn’t be further apart. One was a sect leader, while the other was the direct disciple of a sect’s chief guest elder.

The young man had felt slightly puzzled in the beginning, not sure about why Sect Leader He had suddenly adjusted their route and decided to visit this city that was filled with a mortal aura. Now, he finally understood the reason.

She was waiting for someone.

An impoverished and despondent traveling scholar?

Chen Ping’an didn’t turn around and walk away; instead, he walked directly toward the small alley.

He Xiaoliang’s expression was calm and composed as she greeted with a smile, “Long time no see, Chen Ping’an.”

Chen Ping’an stopped at the entrance of the small alley, smiling faintly and saying, “The longer we don’t see each other, the better.”

The young man standing behind his sect leader immediately narrowed his eyes, with a hint of killing intent flashing through them even though he didn’t open his mouth to say anything.

“You especially came here to look for me again?” Chen Ping’an asked.

There was a complicated look in He Xiaoliang’s eyes as she shook her head and replied, “Not specially. I was coincidentally passing by, so I decided to come here to meet you.”

The young man felt like his entire world was collapsing. How could he still feel any killing intent at this moment? His Dao Heart was almost about to shatter into a million pieces.

In his eyes, there only seemed to be a single step between him and the godly Sect Leader He, but in reality, the gulf between them was like the gulf between heaven and earth. He couldn’t bring himself to develop any impure thoughts. Moreover, Sect Leader He was aloof to even Xu Xuan, and when had she ever been impressed by any man in the world?

Looking at the young man in azure standing in front of her, He Xiaoliang felt slightly adrift in a rare and uncharacteristic display.

In her impressions, it was as if Chen Ping’an should have always been a tanned young boy wearing a pair of straw sandals, with his eyes bright but limpid.

He shouldn’t be like the person standing before her.

1. Zhixuan (指玄) literally corresponds to the name Secret Profound Peak (指玄峰). ☜

2. This is a line from Su Shi’s poem, 慈湖夹阻风. ☜