Martial Cultivator

“Do you really understand?”

Aunt Gan looked at this young man who was so easy to talk to with a trace of suspicion.

Chen Chao said, “When arguing, first think about whether you can live without the other person. If you really can’t, admit fault first, and then reason things out slowly afterward?”

Aunt Gan gave him a look of approval, then frowned and said, “What do you mean, ‘first think about whether you can live without them’?”

Chen Chao rephrased, “Think first about how good the other person has been to you.”

Only then did Aunt Gan nod and smile, “When you get married someday, make sure to send me an invitation. Don’t look down on me, I really do want to see it.”

Chen Chao nodded, “Definitely.”

After saying all that, Aunt Gan finally mounted her horse with satisfaction and waved goodbye to Chen Chao.

Chen Chao stood where he was to see them off, his face full of smiles.

Only when Aunt Gan’s group had completely disappeared from sight did he walk over to the carriage and climb aboard.

Xie Nandu asked, “You seem to like her a lot.”

Chen Chao nodded and said, “I don’t know why, but something about her feels like Aunt.”

Xie Nandu gave a soft “mm.” From a certain perspective, it was indeed quite similar.

But comparing Aunt Gan to the mother of the nation still felt a bit different.

Chen Chao picked up the reins and smiled, “Anyway, the result turned out well, it’s already quite good. But I guess in the future, when people come to Straw Sandal Market, they won’t think of that Daoist Straw Sandal first, they’ll think of me.”

Xie Nandu smiled thoughtfully and said, “Infamous reputation.”

Chen Chao burst into loud laughter, completely unconcerned. Reputation and such things had never mattered much to him. No matter what others said about him, he truly never cared that deeply.

......

......

The carriage gradually moved farther away from Xinliu Prefecture. Since Chen Chao did not mention returning, Xie Nandu also did not bring it up.

From the time they met until now, this pair had not actually spent that many days together. Most of the time, Xie Nandu had been busy handling affairs at the academy, while Chen Chao was constantly on the move. Across this vast land and countless places, he had gone to many. Though he had not set foot in every part of the Nine Provinces of Great Liang, he would certainly spend far more time outside than in the Divine Capital.

Now, the two of them finally had a moment alone together. By this point, both felt a bit reluctant to part.

The carriage moved slowly along the official road. Chen Chao was softly recounting various things he had seen and experienced while away. Many of these he had written to Xie Nandu about in his letters, but no matter how detailed the writing, it still was not as interesting as hearing it in person.

Suddenly, Xie Nandu asked, “Back when you killed someone in Tianqing County, how were you so sure I’d find a way to save you?”

She had indeed been a bit surprised when she received that letter from Wei Prefecture.

Chen Chao smiled and said, “Because of all the things you didn’t need to say but still insisted on saying.”

Xie Nandu smiled silently. She naturally knew what Chen Chao was referring to.

Then Chen Chao suddenly remembered something and said with a laugh, “Back then, on the road to the Divine Capital, I was writing you a letter, and Song Lian asked who it was for. I said it was for the girl who liked me. At the time, they all thought I was talking nonsense. See? Didn’t I have foresight?”

Xie Nandu said calmly, “After all this time, you’re still as shameless as ever.”

Chen Chao smiled slightly.

After a pause, Chen Chao suddenly said softly, “Once you head to the Northern Frontier, there might not be war right away, but once it starts, I might not be able to rush over immediately. You have to take care of yourself...”

Perhaps because Chen Chao knew the parting was imminent, there was a touch of melancholy in his tone.

Xie Nandu replied calmly, “It’s not like I’ll be charging into battle myself. What’s there to worry about?”

Chen Chao gave a bitter smile. “Once the war breaks out, both sides will naturally target the key figures. You may not have set foot on a battlefield yet, but I know that once you do, it won’t take long for the demon race to start fearing you. And then, who knows how many of them will want to kill you.”

Xie Nandu did not refute him, because it was the truth. She understood that herself, so there was nothing to argue.

Chen Chao said, “Even though Sword Immortal Liu is over there, and the Dean too, there will always be things they overlook. I really don’t want to look up at the sky and see the stars. There’s nothing nice about them.”

Xie Nandu teased him, “Even if I became one of those stars, you still wouldn’t look?”

Chen Chao brought the carriage to a stop and said, “Don’t say such things.”

Xie Nandu stepped out of the carriage, looked at the young man, and said softly, “Chen Chao, how did you become like this too?”

Chen Chao did not speak.

Xie Nandu asked, “Do you know what we’re going to do?”

Chen Chao nodded. Of course he knew what they were going to do.

Xie Nandu said, “Since that’s the case, what’s so unacceptable about dying for it?”

Chen Chao furrowed his brows but still said nothing.

Xie Nandu reached out, gently smoothed the young man’s brows, and then rubbed his head.

In the distance, the sound of hooves could already be heard. A squad of armored cavalry was galloping along the official road.

Chen Chao glanced toward them, knowing the frontier army had sent someone to escort Xie Nandu.

Xie Nandu shook her head and said, “We agreed I’d go alone.”

Chen Chao replied, “This time, I make the call.”

Xie Nandu frowned, “The last time?”

Chen Chao shook his head. “No.”

Xie Nandu smiled and said, “You’re very stubborn sometimes.”

Chen Chao did not answer that, but looked at her and said, “Don’t leave me.”

......

......

The carriage slowly continued its journey north. But the one driving it was no longer the young man in black. Chen Chao stood where he was, silently watching the carriage recede into the distance.

In the end, this young martial artist just grasped the hilt of the saber at his waist.

Then he turned around and began slowly heading south.

But after a few steps, this young martial artist could not help turning back for one last look. When he truly could not see the carriage anymore, he smiled, took out a flask of alcohol, and took a sip.

Afterward, Chen Chao went south. He did not immediately leave Xinliu Prefecture but made a trip to Xuanling Commandery to take a look at the current scenery of Xuanling Commandery.

Back then, when the Great Liang Emperor was ambushed here, there had been a grand daoist sage, an old sword immortal at half-step great sword immortal realm, and two Nepenthe cultivators. Yet, none of them managed to make the Great Liang Emperor, who had fought bitterly against the Demon Emperor, remain behind forever.

Later, few people actually knew that the Great Liang Emperor had met once with the Infatuation Daoist Temple Master.

That encounter was never mentioned by the Great Liang Emperor to anyone else, but he did tell Chen Chao. At the time, the Great Liang Emperor himself was not confident he could win against that Infatuation Daoist Temple Master.

After all, both old and new injuries weighed upon him.

At that time, Chen Chao had asked his uncle curiously: could it be that the Infatuation Daoist Temple Master could not see through that?

After all, by that point, the Infatuation Daoist Temple Master had long since been a grand daoist sage.

The Great Liang Emperor had only smiled and said that of course he could see through it, but he did not dare to try, because he was not 100% certain that he could make this number one martial artist in the world remain behind forever.

The Great Liang Emperor had said at that point in time, the worst outcome he could imagine then was mutual destruction.

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