Unsheathed

“Jin Su from the Osmanthus Island isn’t with you this time?” the innkeeper jibed. “Nowadays, the people from your Eastern Treasured Vial Continent have become a lot more self-important. So how about it, Young Master Chen? Would you like to choose one of the premium rooms to look after my business?”

“I’ll just take the same room as last time,” Chen Ping’an said with a shake of his head.

The innkeeper shook his head in disappointment, then fished a key out of the drawer as he tossed it at Chen Ping’an and advised, “You really have to change your ways and become less of a stingy miser, Chen Ping’an. Otherwise, you won’t amount to anything!”

Chen Ping’an was in no hurry to go to his room. Instead, he leaned against the counter and looked out at the familiar alley as he scoffed, “I’m just a Lower Five Tiers Qi refiner, how much money could I possibly have?”

The innkeeper counted the years off on his fingers, then jibed, “It’s been almost ten years since we last met, yet you haven’t earned any money, nor have you made any progress in your cultivation. Can I ask what you’ve been doing all this time since leaving Stalactite Mountain, Young Master Chen?”

“Just wandering around, mostly,” Chen Ping’an replied with a smile.

“No wonder you’re still staying in my shoddy little inn,” the innkeeper sighed with a shake of his head. “You got me all excited for nothing.”

Chen Ping’an pulled out two flagons of wine, then offered one of them to the innkeeper as he said, “This is wine from my hometown.”

The innkeeper opened the flagon before taking a whiff, then exclaimed, “This is just ordinary rice wine! I can’t believe you’re not ashamed to be offering this to others!”

“What’s the point in drinking the immortal wine on Stalactite Mountain? This is the stuff that has true character,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

The innkeeper didn’t disagree with this sentiment, and the two of them began drinking together. Chen Ping’an asked about the current situation on Stalactite Mountain, in response to which the innkeeper told him that not much had changed aside from the fact that the Great Heavenly Lord of Lone Peak had joined forces with two sword immortals to establish a gate to the Sword Qi Great Wall, serving as another pathway for those doing business.

In the wake of the two horrific battles that had taken place over the span of no more than ten years, the original mirror gate alone was no longer sufficient for transporting resources. Furthermore, there were now stricter regulations, and tourism had already become completely prohibited.

Hence, it had become very difficult for sightseers to visit the Sword Qi Great Wall unless they had some special privileges or connections. It was no longer just a matter of money. A major mishap had previously occurred due to the lack of regulation on who was permitted to access the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Stalactite Mountain had kept the exact details strictly confidential, so no one knew exactly what had transpired, but it had definitely been a significant incident. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been such a swift and forceful reaction.

Even an unprecedented nightly curfew had been enforced, and within the span of a single day, the waist badges of all cultivators on Stalactite Mountain had been examined, including even the four major private residences. As a result of this, another conflict had arisen, and overall, it had been quite a tumultuous time.

Chen Ping’an asked the innkeeper roughly when the third battle was going to begin, to which the innkeeper jokingly replied that this was a question even the heavens couldn’t answer.

Finally, the innkeeper took a sip of wine, then sighed, “Stalactite Mountain is really not a peaceful place right now.”

The circumstances surrounding the previous two battles had been very strange. They had been just as brutal as past battles, but they had taken place in a very short timeframe, and as a result, both sides had suffered mass casualties at a far faster rate than normal. In particular, the demon tribe had paid a much greater price than in past battles.

In the past, battles often raged on and off for two to three decades, yet the past two battles had both wrapped up in just ten years. That sword immortal that had once been one of the figureheads of the swordsmen of the Northern Complete Reed Continent had perished during the second battle.

“How is it any less peaceful than usual? Hasn’t it already been this way for ten thousand years now?” Chen Ping’an asked.

“I can’t argue with that,” the innkeeper chuckled.

The two of them gently touched their flagons to one another, then finished the remaining wine within.

Chen Ping’an made his way to his room, which was still exactly as he remembered it from last time.

He didn’t have any belongings to set down, so after sitting quietly for a moment, he left the inn and the alley to make his way to Lone Peak.

There remained only a single gatekeeper, namely the little Daoist priest, who had a childlike appearance but was actually a very senior figure. He was reading as usual, and due to the fact that almost no one passed through this place in the wake of the strict rules that had been enforced, more and more children from Stalactite Mountain had come to play here.

Just like in the past, whenever one of them approached the young Daoist priest, they would be flung up into the air before drifting away. Some of the more naughty children intentionally did this over and over again as a fun activity, rushing back to the young Daoist priest as soon as they landed on the ground, but the young Daoist priest didn’t really care and merely humored them until they grew weary.

Chen Ping’an made his way around Lone Peak to the back of the mountain. According to the innkeeper of the Stork Inn, the sword-hugging middle-aged man who had once taught him that item refinement mantra was still serving out his punishment, except he had been moved and was currently overseeing the gate at the back of the mountain.

Following Chen Ping’an’s departure, the young Daoist priest abruptly raised his head to stare at Chen Ping’an’s parting figure with a peculiar look on his childlike face.

Before long, Chen Ping’an caught sight of the sword-hugging man, who was taking a nap while seated atop a stone pillar at the entrance.

In contrast to the front entrance of Lone Peak, which had only the young Daoist priest overseeing those entering and exiting Stalactite Mountain and the Sword Qi Great Wall, the same responsibility was delegated to two people at the rear entrance.

The sword-hugging man was stationed at the back, responsible for keeping an eye on all those returning to Stalactite Mountain from the Sword Qi Great Wall, while another elderly Daoist priest from Stalactite Mountain was situated at the front.

The street was packed with horses and carriages, all of which were traveling toward the Sword Qi Great Wall, but the gatekeeper wasn’t the familiar old Daoist priest who had refined the only demon-binding chain under the heavens to have been fashioned out of the whiskers of a flood dragon.

Chen Ping’an remained silent as he stood beside the stone pillar with his hands tucked up their opposite sleeves. It was much quieter here, where there were barely any people around.

Around fifteen minutes later, the sword-hugging man opened his eyes as he jibed, “It seems like you’re not very fond of Little Ning at all, kid. Not only have you left her here for all these years, even now that you’ve returned, you don’t appear to be in a hurry to see her again.”

Chen Ping’an was immensely relieved, and he cupped his fist in a respectful salute as he greeted, “You look like you haven’t aged a single day, Senior.”

“I have two pieces of news for you, one good and one bad. Which one would you like to hear first?” the sword-hugging man asked.

“I’ll hear the bad news first,” Chen Ping’an replied.

“That’s a terrible choice!” the man scoffed in disdain. “I’ll tell you the good news first.”

“Alright, whatever you say, Senior,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

The man remained seated atop the stone pillar with his legs crossed, looking down at Chen Ping’an as he said, “The good news is that Little Ning was able to survive both of the previous battles, and her cultivation base has also grown quite a bit. From what I’ve heard, she’s also grown into a very beautiful young woman. It’s not strange at all that you like her, but it’s downright preposterous that she reciprocates your feelings!”

Chen Ping’an remained silent, waiting for the man to continue.

A look of schadenfreude appeared on the man’s face as he continued, “The bad news is that there are currently some very strict rules in place, and many rule-breakers have had to pay with their lives. If you don’t have some powerful connections, you won’t even be able to enter the Sword Qi Great Wall at all. Don’t expect me to make an exception and send out a flying sword letter for you.

If I do that, I won’t even be able to keep this job! You can’t go in, and no one on the inside can pull any strings to help you, so just stay here to keep me company. I’ve been dying to have someone to chat with, and while you’re here, you can fetch some wine and snacks for both of us. What do you say? Doesn’t that sound like a great time?”

“Right now, who on Stalactite Mountain can grant me permission to enter the Sword Qi Great Wall?” Chen Ping’an asked.

The man pointed a finger behind himself as he replied, “The Great Heavenly Lord on Stalactite Mountain obviously has the authority.”

Chen Ping’an was at a loss for words.

The Great Heavenly Lord in question had once waged a fierce battle against Zuo You on the sea, so there was no way he would be willing to help. In fact, Chen Ping’an could count his blessings as long as the Great Heavenly Lord didn’t try to sabotage him.

“That Daoist priest who looks like a kid works as well, but he’s got a bit of a strange personality, and you’re not going to be able to appeal to him through reason or emotion,” the sword-hugging man continued. “There’s also the guy with the golden demon-binding chain. Aside from that, you’ll probably only have some luck if you’re willing to spend a bunch of money.

“For example, if someone from the Ape Rub Residence is willing to pay for you, but that won’t just be a matter of lesser heat coins. On top of that, you’ll be taking a risk as you’ll be breaking the rules, so you could spend a ton of money, only to be barred from entry anyway, or worse.”

Chen Ping’an fell silent.

The man chuckled. “I advise you not to get any funny ideas. Those merchant convoys are able to access the Sword Qi Great Wall, but even if they take your money and agree to pass on a message for you, there’s no way they’ll actually do anything, so it’ll only be a waste of money for you.

“As for the Osmanthus Island of the Fan Clan, they don’t have anyone who can even set foot on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and if they try something sneaky, the consequences of being caught will be far too much for them to bear. Not only will a lot of people die, but the entire Osmanthus Island will also most likely be struck down.”

“I’ve already arrived on Stalactite Mountain, so there’s no way I can turn back without going to the Sword Qi Great Wall,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

“Oh? You sure talk big for a mere fourth tier Qi refiner,” the man said with a chuckle.

“I’m also a seventh tier martial artist, aren’t I?” Chen Ping’an grinned. “Why don’t you just add my tiers together and count me as an eleventh tier cultivator?”

“I can’t say much else has changed about you, but you’ve certainly become a lot more shameless since we last met,” the man scoffed. “I bet you must’ve swindled a bunch of naive girls during your travels!”

“Please don’t make jokes like that, Senior!” Chen Ping’an urged as his expression instantly darkened.

The man chuckled again. “Don’t worry, I can tell if you’re innocent or guilty.”

With a flick of his wrist, Chen Ping’an produced a flagon of immortal wine, but right as the sword-hugging man was about to grab it out of his hand, he stowed it away again like lightning with a smile on his face.

The man rubbed his chin as he complained, “That was very hurtful of you, Chen Ping’an.”

“All I ask is that you point out a clear path for me, Senior,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

The man looked around momentarily, then said in a quiet voice, “Go and take a stroll for now. I’ll try and think of a way for you.”

Chen Ping’an immediately obliged, nodding in response before turning to leave.

The man was furious as he yelled, “You’re just gonna leave? How’re you gonna expect me to work for you without any compensation? At least toss me a flagon of wine first as a gesture of goodwill!”

Chen Ping’an didn’t even turn around as he waved farewell with his back to the sword-hugging man.

From there, he made a trip to the Ganoderma Inn, where he purchased a white jade tablet that he had already taken an interest in on his previous visit. The jade tablet bore no inscriptions, but it was still selling for an incredibly steep price purely because of its precious material. A wide smile instantly appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face when he discovered that it still hadn’t been purchased by anyone else.

Bartering was strictly refused in the Ganoderma Inn, so Chen Ping’an paid the twenty grain rain coins and carefully stowed the jade tablet away. After leaving the Ganoderma Inn, he looked up at the bright sun in the sky, and his mood was lifted a little, even though he was still unable to get to the Sword Qi Great Wall for now.

After that, he made his way to the Sword Reverence Pagoda. He walked along slowly, taking in the sights and scenes like a tourist visiting the pagoda for the first time. Finally, he stood for some time in front of a pair of portraits before silently departing.

Upon returning to the Stork Inn, Chen Ping’an pulled out the jade tablet that he had just purchased, then pulled out an ordinary jade tablet that he had previously used for engraving practice. Looking at the inscriptions on the practice jade tablet for reference, he took a deep breath to heighten his focus, then began gently engraving the new jade tablet while using Fifteenth as his tool of choice.

Late that night, Chen Ping’an finally completed the inscriptions on both sides of the jade tablet, and he blew on it briefly, then gently wiped it down with his hand before tucking it up his sleeve.

From there, he left the inn and returned to the sword-hugging man.

The sword immortal was standing beside the stone pillar with his sword in his arms, and he smiled as he said, “Once again, I have good news and bad news. Which one would you like to hear?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t bother to say anything as he tossed out eight flagons of osmanthus wine that he had already prepared in advance in his minimization treasure. The flagons of wine landed atop the stone pillar in an orderly fashion, and all of them had been given to Chen Ping’an by Fan Er when he boarded the Mountain and Sea Turtle.

A slightly awkward look appeared on the man’s face as he said, “The good news is that I’ve decided to take you to the Sword Qi Great Wall. As for the bad news, I don’t quite know how to put it. You know me, I’m a sensitive guy, and I get easily embarrassed.”

“As long as it doesn’t delay me from going to the Sword Qi Great Wall, I’m ready to hear whatever bad news you have for me, Senior,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

The man nodded in response, then instantly arrived by Chen Ping’an’s side and grabbed him by the shoulder before hurling him toward the entrance.

“The bad news is that you gave me all this fine wine for nothing!” He chortled. “You must be a fool! Did you really think you’d be barred from entry by all those rules when you’ve already arrived on Stalactite Mountain? I was just messing with you!”

Chen Ping’an heaved a resigned sigh but offered no response as he stepped through the mirror entrance, vanishing from the spot in a flash.

The man drew a flagon of wine into his grasp from afar, then took a large swig as he chuckled, “You’ve grown a little, but you’re still a naïve and tender child next to me!”

***

Beside one of the gates of the Sword Qi Great Wall, an elderly Daoist nun of the Daoist Saber Room opened her eyes as she smiled and remarked, “You’re not a swordsman, yet you carry such a fine sword on your back. Could it be that you come from one of the prominent clans on the Middle Earth Divine Continent?

“Your cultivation base is nothing special, but you possess an exceptional foundation. Looks like my assumption may be correct. Now that I think about it, even the average earth immortal wouldn’t have made as steady a landing as you just did. Have you been here before?”

As opposed to answering any of those questions, Chen Ping’an raised one of his own. “Are you Liu Boqi’s mistress, Senior?”

The Daoist nun nodded in confirmation.

“You know that deranged disciple of mine?” the Daoist nun asked, following which a look of realization instantly appeared on her face. “Ah, you’re the guy called Chen Ping’an from the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, right?”

“How do you know my name, Senior?” Chen Ping’an asked in a puzzled manner.

“That’s a bit of a foolish question,” the Daoist nun said with a meaningful smile.

The gatekeeper sword immortal standing at the other side of the gate gave a cold harrumph as he scoffed, “To think that you’re still a Lower Five Tiers cultivator at your age. If you ask me, Little Ning’s derangement goes far beyond Liu Boqi’s!”

Chen Ping’an’s smile remained unchanged, brushing off the scathing remarks without any reaction.

In other matters, Chen Ping’an naturally harbored a great deal of respect for these seniors, but when it came to his relationship with Ning Yao, they could all go and kick rocks as far as he was concerned!

***

Inside the city, Chen Ping’an arrived at the entrance of an auspicious manor residence before gently knocking on the door, intentionally ignoring the row of heads peeking out from above the wall.

He was familiar with all of them, but he hadn’t spoken to them much during his previous visit.

The door slowly swung open.

“Who’re you?” she asked.

Chen Ping’an wound his arms around her and replied, “Chen Ping’an of the Majestic World has come to see Ning Yao.”