Unsheathed

After the sparring match concluded, Ning Yao made her way onto the sparring platform and began pointing out some of the smaller flaws that she had spotted during the battle.

The two of them listened intently, neither of them embarrassed by the prospect of receiving instruction in swordsmanship from their friend. It had long been made clear to every prodigy of their generation that Ning Yao was different from them, and this all stemmed from a joking remark that the old great sword immortal had once made.

He said that there were two types of young prodigies on the Sword Qi Great Wall: one was Ning Yao, and the other was everyone else. Even if they didn’t like it, there was nothing they could do because it wasn’t like they could beat her in a fight.

However, the old great sword immortal had also said something similar to Ning Yao, except it was pertaining to the martial artists of the Majestic World, as opposed to the young swordsmen of the Sword Qi Great Wall.

According to him, the young martial artists of the Majestic World could also be split up into two similar categories.

However, Ning Yao was unconvinced and directly rebuked him, telling him that he was wrong. She told him that she was unable to prove it for the moment, but someday, someone would prove her point for her.

This refutation seemed to have been exactly what the old man had been waiting for, and at the time, he hadn’t told her that she was wrong, nor had he conceded that she was right. Instead, he merely said that they would just have to wait and see.

In reality, Ning Yao had immediately begun regretting her remarks as soon as they slipped out of her mouth. She had only said what she did because she wanted to stand up for Chen Ping’an, and she hadn’t anticipated that the old great sword immortal would take her seriously.

Ning Yao had no intention of telling Chen Ping’an about this exchange. Otherwise, given his personality, he would undoubtedly take it seriously as well.

Back in the Jewel Small World, she had set him a completely arbitrary target, telling him to complete a million repetitions of his six-step walking meditation before he moved onto anything else. To her exasperation and bewilderment, the next time they met on Stalactite Mountain, he told her that he was only several tens of thousands of repetitions away from a million.

At the time, Ning Yao was almost unable to suppress the urge to punch him in the head to see if there was actually a brain in that thick skull of his.

Could he not tell that she had only said that as a joke to placate him? From that point onward, she felt like she had to constantly tread on eggshells when speaking to him in case he took another one of her joking remarks seriously.

Yan Zhuo crouched down beside Chen Ping’an, then said in a quiet voice, “Young Master Chen, I’ve invented a set of fist techniques of my own. Can I demonstrate them for you for some guidance?”

“Sure, go ahead,” Chen Ping’an replied with a smile.

Yan Zhuo immediately sprang to his feet, then performed a set of unsightly fist techniques that made Chen Sanqiu’s eyes sting.

Dong Huafu and Die Zhang clearly didn’t think highly of Yan Zhuo’s fist techniques, either, and both of them hurriedly looked away, worried that they would go blind if they stared for even a moment too long.

To their surprise, not only did Chen Ping’an watch the entire demonstration from start to finish, he did so with an approving smile, feeling as if these fist techniques were very similar in nature to Pei Qian’s Deranged Demon Sword Techniques.

“What do you think, Young Master Chen?” Yan Zhuo asked, his eyes glowing with excitement.

“You certainly possess a lot of aura and flair,” Chen Ping’an praised with a smile and a nod. “In fact, I’d go as far as to say that your aura is unassailable, and in a battle between master martial artists, aura is key, so you’re already halfway to becoming a martial arts master yourself.”

Chen Sanqiu’s hand almost slipped as he sharpened his swords, and a familiar sense of absurdity welled up in his heart.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Chen Ping’an had learned his martial arts from A’Liang. The problem with that theory was that while A’Liang was an exceptional swordsman and also well-versed in a diverse range of mystical abilities, he had never proclaimed himself to be an expert martial artist.

“How about a sparring match, Young Master Chen?” Yan Zhuo proposed with a smile.

Chen Ping’an took a glance at Ning Yao, but she refused to meet his gaze.

After some thought, he replied, “I’ll pass.”

Yan Zhuo’s smile faded as he did away with his usual joking demeanor, and he said in a serious voice, “Chen Ping’an, unless you remain in the Ning Manor for the entire duration of your stay and don’t go anywhere, you’re not going to be able to avoid a fight or two.

“Over the past three days, not only has that scoundrel, Qi Shou, taken an interest in you, but even Pang Yuanji and Gao Yehou have been prowling as well. Those two may not harbor any ill will toward you, but at the very least, they’re very curious about you.”

“I see,” Chen Ping’an said.

Out of the younger generation of the Sword Qi Great Wall, Ning Yao was naturally on a level of her own, but according to Bai Lianshuang and Nalan Yexing, all of the young sword prodigies could roughly be split up into three categories. Pang Yuanji, Qi Shou, and Gao Yehou were the three most exceptional talents, deemed to possess the potential to become great sword immortals.

Just because they possessed this potential didn’t mean that they would actually be able to fulfill it, but at the very least, the three of them undoubtedly outshone everyone else in terms of cultivation base and aptitude.

Among those three, Gao Yehou came from a very humble background, just like Die Zhang. However, since then, he had enjoyed a meteoric rise and had married a young mistress from one of the top clans on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Qi Shou came from the Qi Clan, while Pang Yuanji was considered to be a flawless young man with no faults to speak of. He was born into a middle-class family, but as soon as he was delivered, a breathtaking phenomenon instantly followed. Ever since he was a child, he had been cultivating under the erratic Lord Hidden Official, so he was technically half a disciple of hers.

Pang Yuanji was also on very familiar terms with the sages of the Three Teachings stationed on the Sword Qi Great Wall, and he often went to them to learn and ask questions.

Hence, if Qi Shou were considered the best fit for Ning Yao in terms of status, then Pang Yuanji was the best fit for Ning Yao purely in terms of personal qualities.

The category below those three was the one that Dong Huafu and the others fell into.

While the third and final category of prodigies were outshone by their more talented peers, this certainly didn’t mean that they were anywhere near mediocrity. In fact, if they were to appear on the Northern Complete Reed Continent, all of the continent’s top sects would be fighting tooth and nail against each other to recruit these prodigies.

However, on the Sword Qi Great Wall, the term “prodigy” didn’t mean much. Only prodigies who lived for long enough could be truly considered prodigies.

“If you can’t even defeat me, then as soon as you step outside, you’ll only be able to win a single battle at most,” Yan Zhuo continued. “To be honest, I don’t consider you a friend, and I could hardly care less if you were embarrassed as soon as you set foot outside the Ning Manor, but I’m a friend of Ning Yao’s, and I don’t want to see the man chosen by her being trampled into the dirt.

“If that happens, maybe Ning Yao won’t care, and you can hardly be faulted, but I think I can speak on behalf of Dong Huafu, Die Zhang, and Chen Sanqiu when I say that we’ll be too embarrassed to even show our faces on the streets. You said you owe us your gratitude for staying by Ning Yao’s side for ten years.

“I don’t know what the others think, but I, for one, haven’t accepted your gratitude. If you can beat me, then I’ll accept it. Even if you beat me to a pulp, that’s fine. I can take it. In fact, the more easily you can crush me, the happier I’ll be for Ning Yao. Does that make you upset?”

“Not at all,” Chen Ping’an replied with a shake of his head.

“Then what are you still standing there for?” Yan Zhuo yelled. “Come! All those people outside are waiting for you!”

“There’s no hurry,” Chen Ping’an said with a shake of his head. “I’m going to make a trip outside first. If you still want to spar with me when I come back, then I’m happy to oblige.”

Yan Zhuo was just about to erupt into a furious tirade, but he didn’t want to insult Chen Ping’an in front of Ning Yao, so he reined in his temper as he snapped, “What the hell is wrong with you? Listen to me! You fight me first, and we’ll pretend that our sparring match ended in a tie with both of us sustaining injuries, then…”

All of a sudden, Yan Zhuo’s voice became caught in his throat.

Chen Ping’an had appeared directly before him without any warning, his hands still tucked up their opposite sleeves as he asked in an indifferent manner, “Why should I pretend to have sustained injuries? To avoid having to fight? I’ve fought quite a few battles on my way to the Sword Qi Great Wall, three more won’t hurt.”

“How did you do that?” Yan Zhuo asked in a quiet voice. “Are all pure martial artists this fast? Let’s put some distance between each other and try that again. I was too angry just now, so I wasn’t paying attention!”

Chen Ping’an pulled a talisman out of his sleeve as he smiled and explained, “I used a Land-Shortening Talisman. It can help us pure martial artists instantly cover long distances.”

A look of realization appeared on Yan Zhuo’s face.

Chen Ping’an stowed the talisman away.

However, Yan Zhuo quickly realized that he had been duped, and he yelled, “Who the hell are you trying to fool, Chen Ping’an?! You just showed me the talisman, so you didn’t even use it!”

“Don’t forget that I have two hands,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

He then turned to Die Zhang with an apologetic expression as he said, “I meant no offense to you, Die Zhang.”

“None taken,” Die Zhang replied with a smile and a shake of her head. “I’m not so petty that I would get offended by something so trivial. There’s no need to tiptoe around the fact that I’m missing an arm.

“In fact, I don’t really mind even if you make jokes about it at my expense. Big Sister Ning once jokingly asked me what I would do if I fell in love with a man, and he tried to embrace me. I’ve been thinking about this problem myself. What would be the best way to return his embrace with just one arm?”

Ning Yao hurriedly squeezed Die Zhang’s cheeks together to shut her up, while Dong Huafu looked on in amazement. It was quite an eye-opening experience to learn that even Ning Yao would talk about such things.

Ning Yao turned an inquisitive gaze to Chen Ping’an, and the latter gave her a smile and a nod.

Only then did she turn to the others and say, “Let’s go find a place to drink somewhere near Die Zhang’s shop.”

Even as they left the Ning Manor, Ning Yao was still silently reprimanding Die Zhang with her eyes, while Die Zhang apologized profusely, but the grin on her face clearly showed that there wasn’t much sincerity behind her apologies.

Dong Huafu trailed along at the back of the group, already accustomed to his position there.

Meanwhile, Chen Sanqiu and Yan Zhuo were standing on either side of Chen Ping’an like a pair of bodyguards, and Yan Zhuo whispered, “With the speed that you showed earlier and your power as a Vajra Body Tier martial artist, you may be able to win your first two battles with some luck. Rest assured, if you lose your third battle, I’ll personally carry you back to the Ning Manor on my back!”

“Don’t listen to him,” Chen Sanqiu scoffed. “An outsider like you is definitely going to be challenged, but there are rules in place to ensure that your challengers don’t go too far. Your cultivation foundation definitely isn’t going to be harmed, and it’s not like anyone has a vendetta against you, so no one’s going to go out of their way to try and hurt you.”

There were several groups of young swordsmen gathered outside the Ning Manor, but none of them said anything as Ning Yao and her group stepped out into the open.

From there, the group made its way to Die Zhang’s shop, but before they could get there, they passed through a street that was almost entirely deserted. The street was lined with wine shops, and there were many people who had already gathered at the wine shops in advance, eager to see the show. Most of them were drinking in silence, but there was a sense of palpable anticipation in the air.

A young man with a longsword hanging from his waist was already standing in the middle of the street, and he slowly stepped forward.

Ning Yao only took a brief glance at him before returning her attention to her conversation with Die Zhang.

“That’s Ren Yi,” Yan Zhuo informed. “He’s a Dragon Gate Tier swordsman, and his bonded flying sword is called…”

“Knowing his name and cultivation base is already enough,” Chen Ping’an interrupted. “Otherwise, I’d be gaining an unfair advantage.”

“Ren Yi really is living up to his reputation as Qi Shou’s number one lackey,” Chen Sanqiu scoffed. “He’s like an aggressive guard dog, biting whoever his master tells him to bite.”

Ren Yi drew to a halt around fifty meters away, then challenged, “Care for a spar, Chen Ping’an?”

Chen Ping’an took a few steps forward as he asked, “What if I say no?”

Ren Yi placed a hand on the hilt of his sword as he sneered, “If you refuse, then that means you’re scared, and there’s no need to draw my sword against a coward.”

All of a sudden, everyone saw a blur flash past their eyes, and only after it had sped past did a belated thump ring out from the ground.

The entire street shuddered, and many of the Lower Five Tiers swordsmen present began swearing loudly as the cups and bowls of wine on their tables had been jolted up into the air, causing much of the wine within to spill out.

As for the Middle Five Tiers swordsmen, most of them were keeping their bowls and cups rooted to their tables with their sword qi, and their attention remained focused on the two combatants.

There were also some Upper Five Tiers sword immortals present, and they largely ignored the spilled wine and clattering cups and bowls.

Ren Yi was astonished to discover that his opponent had appeared directly in front of him. Chen Ping’an had one hand clasped behind his back, while his other hand was firmly gripping Ren Yi’s arm, preventing the latter from being able to draw his sword.

There was a smile on his face as he mused, “Having no need to draw your sword and being unable to draw your sword are two entirely different concepts.”

All of a sudden, Chen Ping’an vanished from the spot in a wraith-like fashion to evade a flying sword, only to instantly reappear before Ren Yi, once again gripping onto the latter’s arm to prevent him from drawing his sword.

After several repetitions of this, Ren Yi decided to change tack, rising up into the air so that he could open up some distance between himself and his opponent, thereby allowing him to attack as he pleased from his aerial vantage point.

However, even though his bonded flying sword was renowned for its speed, it wasn’t even able to graze Chen Ping’an’s robe.

As soon as Ren Yi rose up into the air to enact his new strategy, his opponent’s hand appeared on his shoulder, firmly pressing him back down to earth.

“Aren’t swordsmen supposed to be particularly adept in close-quarters combat?” Chen Ping’an asked, but Ren Yi refused to be distracted.

The chopsticks of the wine shops that lined the streets flew out of their holders at his behest, and he planned to use them as makeshift flying swords. Given the sheer number of these “flying swords,” there was surely no way that Chen Ping’an could continue to evade them all.

Meanwhile, his actual flying sword returned to his side, circling around him in a defensive manner as he sprang back in retreat. At this point, he had already completely given up on trying to use his flying sword to strike his opponent.

However, he knew that what he was doing was only delaying the inevitable, and his only hope now was to be able to save some face and suffer a less humiliating loss. At this point, Chen Ping’an could’ve already easily ended the battle with a punch, but clearly, he wanted to toy with his opponent to pile on the embarrassment.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping’an appeared right beside Ren Yi, then plucked the latter’s flying sword out of mid-air between his thumb and index finger. After that, he pressed a hand against Ren Yi’s head and shoved him into a nearby wine shop.

He did so with just enough force to send Ren Yi stumbling, but not so much force that his momentum would cause him to knock over the street-side tables. After Ren Yi had a chance to steady himself, Chen Ping’an casually tossed his flying sword back to him.

Furious and utterly humiliated, Ren Yi flew away without a word.

Following his departure, a handsome, white-robed young man stood up from a wine shop.

Unlike Ren Yi, he wasn’t carrying a sword, and he made his way onto the street as he accused, “How dare a mere martial artist like yourself try to humiliate the swordsmen of our Sword Qi Great Wall? Looks like you need to be taught a lesson in respect!”

Countless flying swords appeared around the young man as he spoke, and there were even more flying swords lining up on the street behind him, resembling a battalion of miniature aerial soldiers waiting to be deployed.

There was definitely only a single bonded flying sword among them, but it was going to be extremely difficult to pinpoint.

What was most troublesome about this new challenger was that he could substitute his flying swords at will, so essentially, every single flying sword could be his bonded flying sword at any given moment.

Yan Zhuo was just about to “strike up a conversation” with Chen Sanqiu so that he could tip Chen Ping’an off and provide him with some information about his new opponent, but Ning Yao had already raised a hand to stop him, so he could only remain silent.

Chen Ping’an cast his gaze directly forward at the oncoming torrent of flying swords.

He sidestepped his way into a nearby wine shop, but as soon as he did so, around a dozen flying swords split off from the main cluster before racing into the wine shop to intercept him. Chen Ping’an ducked and weaved his way through the oncoming flying swords as he sprang back and forth from one wine shop to another, while the patrons of the wine shops yelled in displeasure.

All the while, Chen Ping’an was steadily closing the distance between himself and his opponent.

All of a sudden, Chen Ping’an stepped out onto the street, then began sprinting forward with a great deal of urgency, doing away with his previously casual and lazy demeanor.

The white-robed young man was a Golden Core Tier swordsman, and his brows furrowed slightly upon seeing this. However, a faint smile then appeared on his face as he made a hand seal.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Ping’an pounced onto his opponent before throwing an almighty punch, but his fist only shattered an afterimage of the white-robed young man, while his true body appeared within the sword formation further down the street, looking very graceful and composed.

Many of the little girls and young women spectating the battle were gazing upon him with looks of admiration in their eyes, and it was clear who they were hoping would come out on top in this battle.

However, it seemed like Chen Ping’an was only just beginning to display his true speed, and he had already turned into an indistinct blur in the eyes of all of the spectating swordsmen below the Golden Core Tier.

“His flying sword is not fast enough. It’s his loss,” a young man in a set of coarse linen clothes remarked.

Drinking at the same table was a one-eyed man with a big beard, and he nodded in agreement as he raised his wine bowl to take a sip.

Within mere moments, the white-robed young man had already been scattered before reappearing several times in succession, but it seemed that his efforts were futile, and the gap between him and Chen Ping’an was being steadily closed.

Finally, he was caught, with Chen Ping’an pressing a hand into his face, but instead of shoving him like he had done with Ren Yi, Chen Ping’an slammed him into the ground, smashing a huge crater into the street as he said, “What’s worthy of respect is the Sword Qi Great Wall itself, not you or any of its inhabitants. If you want respect from me, then you’ll have to earn it.”

With that, Chen Ping’an stood up straight again as he looked around and asked, “Who’s next? If you’re going to challenge me, make sure your flying sword is fast enough. Otherwise, no matter how many you have, it won’t do you any good.”

The entire street was completely silent.

Chen Ping’an’s eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, “I’ve heard that someone by the name of Qi Shou has had his eyes on my Ning Yao and her Dragon Slaying Platform for quite some time. I hope your flying sword is fast enough.”

Ning Yao was just about to speak, but Chen Ping’an somehow knew that she was going to speak even without turning to look at her, and he merely lifted a hand before giving her a reassuring wave.

Ning Yao fell silent.

“Even I’m tempted to challenge him now, let alone Qi Shou,” the young man in the coarse linen clothes chuckled.

Chen Ping’an turned to the young man with a smile as he said, “I’d welcome a challenge from you, Pang Yuanji.”

“I’m worried that I’ll kill you,” Pang Yuanji said in a serious manner.

“Likewise,” Chen Ping’an replied.