Martial Cultivator

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord said helplessly, “The ancestral teachings of Myriad Heaven Palace also state that under no circumstances must the sect be drawn into such dangerous circumstances. This matter truly is...”

Chen Chao asked, “Is Palace Lord afraid that Myriad Heaven Palace will cease to exist?”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord did not answer. This was a matter understood without needing to be said aloud.

Chen Chao said, “But is Palace Lord aware that if one day Great Liang perishes, how well off could the cultivators of the Myriad Heaven Palace be?”

“The principle of the lips perishing and the teeth growing cold - even a three-year-old child would know. There’s no point in this official repeating it again now.”

Chen Chao looked calmly at the Myriad Heaven Palace Lord before him, but what he truly thought in his heart was another matter entirely.

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord remained silent.

Even though he understood many of these principles, he was still deeply conflicted. This was not a minor matter, but a truly significant one that could influence the future of Myriad Heaven Palace for many years. Things were never simple.

Chen Chao spoke softly, “This official has no intention of forcing Palace Lord. This official’s intentions have already been made clear. If the Myriad Heaven Palace is willing to stand by Great Liang’s side, the imperial court naturally will not simply stand idly by.”

What cultivators needed were naturally cultivation resources. Even a major sect like Myriad Heaven Palace did not possess everything; many things still required help from outsiders.

Chen Chao had already investigated. Many of the things that Great Liang controlled were exactly what the Myriad Heaven Palace needed.

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord shook his head. “It’s not about these things.”

Chen Chao said nothing, merely repeating, “Palace Lord may think it over again. Think more. This official is not in a hurry. Once Palace Lord has made a decision, just send word.”

Matters regarding Myriad Heaven Palace could not be rushed, they needed to be approached gradually and methodically.

This truth, Chen Chao understood well.

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord nodded. “This penniless daoist will give it serious thought.

“Since that’s the case, this official will not linger any longer. I shall now return to the Divine Capital.”

Chen Chao cupped his hands in farewell.

“Junior Brother Li, see Lord Warden Commander off on this penniless daoist’s behalf.”

The Myriad Heaven Palace Lord glanced at his junior brother.

Li Yu smiled and said, “Then allow this penniless daoist to send Lord Warden Commander off.”

Li Yu smiled and said, “Then allow this humble daoist to escort Lord Warden Commander for a stretch.”

The two of them soon reached the mountain pass gates, slowly descending along the mountain path. After pondering for a while, Li Yu finally said softly, “Senior Brother Palace Lord has too much on his mind. Many matters cannot be decided by a single person.”

Chen Chao nodded. Naturally, he could understand this. Countless people’s hopes rested upon the Myriad Heaven Palace Lord’s shoulders, so of course any decision must be made with great caution.

Li Yu nodded and smiled. “It’s enough that Lord Warden Commander understands. This penniless daoist was most worried that you’d leave Mount Xi in anger.”

Chen Chao turned to look at the daoist beside him and said with a smile, “With Daoist Li’s warm and amiable demeanor, who could possibly walk down the mountain with anger?”

Li Yu gave a daoist’s bow, his smile calm and composed.

Chen Chao said, “As for Zhu Xia, I won’t go bid farewell. Daoist Li, could you help me pass on a message?”

Li Yu smiled bitterly, “Junior Sister’s temper is likely to be troublesome.”

Chen Chao also felt a bit helpless.

Coming up the mountain this time, he had failed to persuade the Myriad Heaven Palace, which was not a big deal in itself. But hurting Zhu Xia was truly against Chen Chao’s original intentions.

“Young girls’ feelings are one of the most troublesome matters under heaven, all the more so when the girl in question is someone like Junior Sister.”

Li Yu looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then complained in a low voice, “Does Lord Warden Commander not know how to feign affection?”

Chen Chao widened his eyes at Li Yu.

Li Yu’s old face flushed slightly with embarrassment.

Chen Chao lamented with vicissitudes of emotion, “Looks like Daoist Li had quite a few stories in your youth.”

Li Yu coughed a few times, unclear whether he was hiding something.

Chen Chao suddenly asked, “Daoist Li, earlier you said you could inscribe characters on this stone, is that true?”

Li Yu had originally been lost in thought, his mind wandering beyond the heavens. When he heard Chen Chao speak, he finally returned to himself and asked, “Lord Warden Commander, what words do you wish to inscribe?”

Chen Chao didn’t reply. He simply continued down the path, quickly selecting a blank slab of azure stone. Drawing Cloud Mud, he channeled his qi and began carving.

As stone debris scattered, four characters gradually emerged:

”Dao has its anchor.”

After carving the words, Chen Chao sheathed his saber and stood in the middle of the mountain path, while Li Yu stood there staring blankly at the inscription.

“Daoist Li, mountains and rivers always meet again - until next time.”

Chen Chao spoke cheerfully, preparing to leave Mount Xi.

”Chen Chao!”

Suddenly, a voice sounded out on the mountain path. That voice was crisp and clear, one could tell immediately it belonged to a young girl.

Zhu Xia had appeared on the mountain path at some point in time. Staring at the departing Chen Chao, she said angrily, “Chen Chao, you’re leaving without even saying goodbye to me?!”

Chen Chao gave a bitter smile, unsure how to respond.

The corners of Zhu Xia’s mouth twitched, then quickly brightened, her eyes shining as she declared, “Chen Chao, whether you like me or not doesn’t matter, what matters is that I like you! This has nothing to do with whether you like me!”

As she spoke, her emotions surged visibly. She was like a summer flower, blooming with intense brilliance.

Even in the depths of winter.

Chen Chao did not know what to say.

While Li Yu had already extended his hand and given his little junior sister a big thumbs-up.

Little Junior Sister, truly a heroine among women!

......

......

Around the end of the year, the Divine Capital was bustling with festivity. At this time every year, the common folk reunited with their families, with laughter and joy echoing through every household. Yet in the imperial court, an unusual calm had settled.

Ever since a court official submitted a report criticizing Chen Chao last year, and since the day Chen Chao left the Divine Capital, the Imperial Study had been flooded with reports, falling like snowflakes.

At first, His Highness the Crown Prince could still suppress things. But as more and more officials joined the petition, and even resorted to blocking the palace gates once more, his initial ability to hold firm began to falter. As time passed and the situation escalated, matters soon spiraled beyond the Crown Prince’s ability to contain.

Court officials, along with many respected scholars, spent their days in the Divine Capital listing Chen Chao’s alleged crimes. Many within the court had grown dissatisfied with this newly appointed Lord Warden Commander, fearing that this young martial artist would one day bring ruin to the Great Liang Dynasty.

His Highness the Crown Prince was unable to make a decisive judgment, so many officials decided to rally public opinion, seeking to involve the common folk in condemning Chen Chao. But in truth, the effect was minimal. To the people, this young Warden Commander whom the officials reviled was, in fact, the very one they admired most.

Still, a small number of worried citizens joined in. That group began to grow; what started as mere gatherings had now turned into public marches.

Many scholars, holding prepared manuscripts, strode through the long streets while loudly reciting the crimes Chen Chao had allegedly committed since becoming Warden Commander.

“Warden Commander Chen Chao, favored by imperial grace and appointed Lord Warden Commander of Great Liang, has shown no intention of serving the nation. Instead, he acts recklessly, arrogantly, with no regard for the state or His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“This man bears the blood of the imperial Chen bloodline, yet has no thought for preserving its legacy. Can one truly believe he acts without selfish motive?”

“This man even harmed his elder brother. Such a person cannot be trusted, he should have been stripped of office long ago, never to be employed again!”

The scholars were worked into a frenzy, as if Chen Chao were truly a monstrous villain, guilty of every imaginable crime.

”Rubbish!”

”Without the Lord Warden Commander, can everyone still straighten your spines?!”

A voice suddenly rang out from the crowd. It came from a butcher, cleaver in hand, glaring at the scholars before him. Waving the bloodstained blade, he shouted, “Everyone, don’t listen to their nonsense! Lord Warden Commander is a great man! Without him, we’d all be kneeling!”

His outburst prompted many in the crowd to nod quietly. They all remembered what had happened with that Daoist Zhenye. If not for Chen Chao, the daoist might have gotten away with murder and continued acting with impunity. If that had happened, they truly would have had to live their lives kneeling.

One of the scholars turned livid with anger and rebuked him harshly, “What do you know? Chen Chao kills only because he enjoys it. Have you not heard how he casually annihilates entire sects?”

As the scholar spoke, the crowd wavered once more. Indeed, there had been rumors that the Lord Warden Commander had ordered the destruction of the Glaze Temple, a major sect with deep ties to the Infatuation Daoist Temple. If the foreign lands chose to retaliate against Great Liang, their days of peace might very well be numbered.

In an instant, anxiety spread among the common people again.

......

......

Not far from the scene, a carriage was quietly parked in a small alley beside the crowd. Inside sat an old man, leisurely brewing tea.

The iron kettle before him was bubbling and steaming, soft clouds of vapor rising from its spout.

He tossed in a pinch of tea leaves, then shook his head and murmured, “The heat’s still not quite right.”