Martial Cultivator

Yun Jianyue walked down from the stone bridge and came to the edge of the stream, standing not far from Chen Chao’s side. He glanced at the densely packed scars on the young man’s body, looking somewhat dazed and lost in thought.

Most people in the world thought that this young martial artist who had suddenly risen to prominence, was too monstrous. But in fact, just by looking at the various scars on this young man’s body, one would probably take back that opinion.

Everyone in this world who managed to rise to the top had never done so easily.

Yun Jianyue stared at the scar near Chen Chao’s chest and narrowed his eyes, saying, “Was that from a flying sword that pierced through?” ”You were quite lucky. A bit more and that sword would have pierced your heart.”

Before Chen Chao could speak, Yun Jianyue asked curiously again, “But I really want to know, which sword immortal left that scar?”

Though Chen Chao was young, he had long since surpassed the realm of the young generation. Among the sword immortals of this world, without that ’great’ character in front, it would be difficult to leave any mark on his body.

But if it were a great sword immortal, given Chen Chao’s current condition, he likely would not have escaped that strike either. However, there were not many great sword immortals in the world, and there was no reason for Chen Chao to have run into one now.

“Not one of those who came to kill me.” Chen Chao put on his black robe. Yun Jianyue’s gaze made him feel a bit uncomfortable. Being looked at by another man like that, he was not used to it.

“Then it was the one who dealt you the serious injury.”

Yun Jianyue nodded, then asked, “A young person?”

Chen Chao nodded his head.

Yun Jianyue said in surprise, “Is there still a young sword immortal in this world who could make you suffer such a setback? Could it be Yu Xiyi? But you guys...”

Chen Chao did not bother hiding it and said plainly, “It was the demon race princess, Autumn. I don’t know where she got her luck from, she has a flying sword that insists on following her. I fought her once and almost lost my life.”

Yun Jianyue frowned, “So you killed her?”

Chen Chao shook his head.

Yun Jianyue was not surprised. He had fought Autumn once and naturally knew how terrifying the demon race princess was. Among the current younger generation, he believed that if he were to go all out, there were only two or three people who could survive a battle with him. But when it came to Autumn and Chen Chao, Yun Jianyue felt that if they truly fought to the death, he might not necessarily win.

“That demon race princess is indeed terrifying, but if you had killed her, you’d truly be famous across the world.”

Yun Jianyue said with a smile, a hint of teasing in his tone.

Chen Chao let out a sigh. Things like this were not as easy as they sounded.

“Walk together for a bit?”

Yun Jianyue looked at Chen Chao and smiled, “You’re heading back to the Divine Capital anyway, and I’m going south to the Myriad Heaven Palace. Same direction.”

Chen Chao did not reply right away. He naturally knew Yun Jianyue’s invitation was not so simple. The young temple master of Infatuation Daoist Temple had come to find him this time mostly because he did not want to see him die at someone else’s hands.

Chen Chao thought about it and did not refuse Yun Jianyue’s goodwill.

The two returned to the stone bridge, then began heading south together.

Now, as these two young men with great authority traveled south, they did not make any show of it at all. Yun Jianyue’s attire as an ordinary daoist, and Chen Chao’s black robe, were not particularly eye-catching.

Yun Jianyue asked slowly, “I heard you’ve been to the Myriad Heaven Palace once before. What’s that place like?”

“What do you mean?”

Chen Chao carried a wine jug, took a few sips himself, and then asked, “You mean compared to the Infatuation Daoist Temple?”

Yun Jianyue said nothing.

“If that’s the question, then you’re asking the wrong person. I’ve never been to Infatuation Daoist Temple, so I don’t know what it’s like there. Can’t compare. But just looking at the people, the daoists of the Myriad Heaven Palace probably have a lot less inner strife than your Infatuation Daoist Temple. They’re more natural.”

“Natural?”

”Dao is natural.”

Yun Jianyue asked curiously, “Even a martial artist like you knows Dao is natural?”

Chen Chao squinted and smiled, “Just a feeling. But the things on you are quite similar to theirs. Maybe you should’ve cultivated at the Myriad Heaven Palace instead of the Infatuation Daoist Temple.”

Yun Jianyue smiled, “But I’m already the temple master of Infatuation Daoist Temple.”

Chen Chao clicked his tongue, “Then you’re really amazing.”

Yun Jianyue did not mind at all and even followed along, “All thanks to the strong support of you, Lord Warden Commander. Otherwise, how could I have gotten this position?”

The corners of Chen Chao’s mouth twitched, and he said calmly, “No need to thank me.”

Yun Jianyue asked with a smile, “I heard your reputation lately hasn’t been too great?”

Chen Chao shot back, “When has my reputation ever been good?”

Yun Jianyue did not answer this time. What Chen Chao said was indeed the truth. Ever since he had come into their view, his reputation had never really been good. But now it was different, Chen Chao held a high position, and his reputation was still terrible.

Yun Jianyue laughed, “Maybe I should keep an eye on the Divine Capital, send out a few spies. Who knows, maybe one day someone will poison your food, and you’ll die without anyone knowing why.”

Chen Chao laughed heartily. After a moment, he looked at Yun Jianyue seriously, “I didn’t expect someone like you to actually make jokes.”

Yun Jianyue said nothing.

He was well-liked within Infatuation Daoist Temple. Among the younger generation of disciples, they respected and treated this member of the Twin Pillars of Daoism with great kindness. But Yun Jianyue knew very well that if one were to speak of like-minded friends, he truly had none.

Instead, it was this young martial artist before him, though each of them had their own thoughts and ways, in some respects, the two of them could genuinely become friends.

The kind called confidants.

“Yun Jianyue, your problem is that you think too much and act too little, always hesitating. That’s why you live such a joyless life.”

The two of them walked out of the town. Chen Chao casually bought two sugar figures, chewed on one himself, and handed the other to Yun Jianyue. Yun Jianyue just looked at the butterfly-shaped sugar figure and did not bite into it for a long time.

”What about you? Are you truly living happily?”

Yun Jianyue shook his head. “I doubt it. You’ve done so much, and you’re still facing suspicion and slander. Can you really not care?”

Chen Chao chewed the sugar figure, tasting its sweetness, and smiled. “Sweet or bitter, I know it myself. Don’t worry about me. Just remember, if you dare have any thoughts about Great Liang, I’ll bring my saber to the Infatuation Daoist Temple and tear down that broken temple of yours.”

“The Infatuation Daoist Temple isn’t so easy to demolish.”

Yun Jianyue glanced at Chen Chao and bit into the sugar figure. He truly disliked this cloyingly sweet thing. Having cultivated since childhood, he ate plainly, usually just white porridge, and had not eaten such things in a long time.

Chen Chao glanced at Yun Jianyue and said to himself, “Anyway, all these years, everyone told me this thing couldn’t be done, that thing couldn’t be done. But the things I needed to do, I still accomplished them.”

Yun Jianyue raised his eyebrows. “Chen Chao, has anyone ever told you that you really are a reckless brute?”

Chen Chao replied calmly, “Yun Jianyue, has anyone ever told you you’re terrible at conversation?”

Yun Jianyue smiled slightly and said nothing.

......

......

The two walked all the way out of Xinliu Prefecture and finally parted at a ferry crossing in Changping Prefecture. Yun Jianyue had to rush to Myriad Heaven Palace, while Chen Chao was returning to the Divine Capital.

Yun Jianyue looked at the three characters beside the ferry landing: Qingbai Crossing.

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and smiled as he said, “The words ’pure and honest’ suit you, but that’s not what those characters mean.”[1. Pure and honest can be qingbai.]

Yun Jianyue looked at the ferry boat still some distance away and said with a smile, “I wouldn’t say I’ve lived purely either. I’ve conspired with you, if the daoist world knew, I’d be spat on by countless people.”

Chen Chao snapped, “What do you mean conspired with me? Can’t you say anything that sounds better?”

Yun Jianyue changed the subject and said, “Along this journey, I sensed killing intent four or five times. But perhaps because they saw me, they retreated. Between the two of us, we’re probably already considered partners in crime.”

Chen Chao did not respond, only silently cursing in his heart. This guy was supposedly a daoist sage, but there was not a single nice word out of his mouth.

“Then how about we have a fight right here?”

Chen Chao said irritably, “Save me from your constant nagging.”

Yun Jianyue shook his head. “I just walked the road with you. If they didn’t attack, that’s on them. If they really wanted to kill you, I might not have helped. They didn’t act, how can I be blamed?”

Chen Chao had nothing to say and could only give a thumbs-up to this young daoist, expressing his admiration.

When it came to talking nonsense, it seemed like Yun Jianyue was no slouch either.

Yun Jianyue accepted the praise without shame.

The ferry had come close. Yun Jianyue said softly, “Be careful. The road ahead might be even more dangerous.”

Chen Chao raised an eyebrow. “Can’t it be that I’m just baiting?”

Yun Jianyue frowned. “Planning to use this as a pretext to destroy which sect?”

The things Chen Chao had done in recent years had left the foreign lands both furious and fearful. After all, quite a few sects and lineages had already been destroyed by the new Lord Warden Commander of Great Liang.

“They were people who deserved to die anyway. Is it important?”

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes. “That Glaze Temple, for example, after all the heinous things they’ve done, being wiped out by me is hardly unjust.”

Yun Jianyue thought for a moment, then said calmly, “That’s true.”

After those words, Yun Jianyue said no more and boarded the ferry to leave. Chen Chao stood at the riverbank to see him off.

Once the ferry disappeared from view, Chen Chao slowly walked along the riverbank.

The Divine Capital was now less than a thousand miles away. He had already traveled most of the road, but this final stretch of a thousand miles, Chen Chao realized it was the most testing.

He could have easily sent a message to the Divine Capital earlier and had people come escort him. Not to mention anything else, just Song Lian and Chen Wannian, those two Nepenthe martial artists, could have served as his guards. But Chen Chao did not do that.

There was no need.

He was the Lord Warden Commander of Great Liang. Walking on Great Liang’s land, if someone could still kill him, that would be the biggest joke in the world.

If anyone wanted to kill him, they could come. But they should be ready to be killed by him first.

He had a saber at his waist. That was enough.

About two hundred miles later, Chen Chao clearly felt the surge of qi around him. He stopped on his own and spoke with a smile, “Since you all come to die, then come on out. Must this official invite you all one by one?”

The surrounding qi surged. Several figures slowly appeared.

Chen Chao’s black robe billowed in the wind.

This place was still eight hundred miles from the Divine Capital.

The young martial artist killed for eight hundred miles.

Blood stained for eight hundred miles.