Martial Cultivator

Before nightfall, the tall and short pair of master and disciple easily found a fairly spacious inn. Spaciousness was secondary, the main point was that the price was affordable. Not only affordable, but the innkeeper was also a charming, well-preserved beauty. Seeing the two of them enter, she was very enthusiastic. After arranging their room, she even sent over a plate of snacks, a dish of crispy fried pork. Chen Chao took a bite and found it quite good.

He Liang, on the other hand, politely thanked the waiter, which prompted the waiter to remark that he really looked like a scholar.

After pushing open the window, Chen Chao glanced outside the inn and discovered that after nightfall there was no curfew in the commandery city. Instead, a whole street of stalls had been set up.

Chen Chao’s interest immediately piqued, Chen Chao led He Liang out of the inn to stroll along the street.

In his entire life, He Liang had only traveled far from home twice. The first time was from that small town to the Divine Capital. The second was this journey.

But the first journey had been far more perilous. He had traveled alone from Qingshan Prefecture all the way to the Divine Capital. For a young boy to arrive safely had been a matter of extremely good fortune.

But this time, the sights he had witnessed were far more magnificent. After all, not everyone in the world could see a martial artist at the very end of Nepenthe unleash his full power.

The master and disciple found a stall selling noodles. After sitting down, they ordered two bowls of sour soup noodles.

When the steaming bowls were brought over, Chen Chao’s appetite was immediately stirred. He took chopsticks from a bamboo holder, stirred the pickled bamboo shoots floating on top to mix them evenly, then picked up a mouthful of noodles and took a bite. Nodding in satisfaction, he could not help praising, “This stuff is cheap and filling, far better than the skills of those imperial chefs in the palace.”

The meal he had eaten in the palace before the new year had been not only desolate in atmosphere, but also burdened with tedious ceremony. Some dishes that were delicious when eaten hot had gone cold after the full sequence of procedures, and once cold, the flavor changed.

Besides that, in Chen Chao’s view, the imperial chefs’ skills were really not that impressive.

But when Chen Chao casually made that remark, a diner at the neighboring table looked up in their direction. After lowering his head again, he began chatting with the person beside him. His voice was not loud, and outsiders would have found it hard to hear, but the gist was that this fellow was bragging without reason - saying it was better than imperial chefs’ cooking, as if he had actually eaten what the emperor himself ate.

Chen Chao and He Liang were both martial artists, one at the end of Nepenthe, and although the other’s cultivation realm was low, at such close distance, they naturally heard the diner’s words clearly.

He Liang glanced at his master. Chen Chao’s old face reddened slightly, and he gave an awkward smile.

He Liang suddenly recalled that earlier at the mountain gate of Mountains and Rivers Sect, it had been much the same. It seemed that in this world, even when you spoke the truth, many people would simply laugh it off.

He did not know why.

Chen Chao seemed to see straight through his disciple’s thoughts and said with a smile, “The reason is simple. First, it’s a matter of experience. If you’ve never climbed that mountain, then whatever lies beyond it exists only in your imagination. No matter what others say, it doesn’t count. Second, it’s that they’re unwilling to believe it. Why unwilling? It’s like, I can’t marry a pretty wife, then you shouldn’t be able to marry one either. So when you say you’ve eaten an imperial banquet at the palace, their first reaction is, ‘Why should you?’ And then they arrive at the conclusion that you must be bragging. It can’t possibly be anything else.”

Chen Chao glanced at He Liang and said with a grin, “Especially you. In the future, once you’ve gained some reputation, and with a temperament as gentle as yours, if you go out and tell people, ‘I am He Liang,’ eight times out of ten no one will believe you.”

For someone like He Liang, even if the entire world one day spread word that he was exceptionally honest, chances were that when he himself said he was He Liang, few would believe it.

Chen Chao rather wanted to stand as a bystander and see how He Liang would handle that moment.

But to witness such a scene would likely be many years in the future.

He Liang chuckled. “Then I won’t be like you, Master.”

Chen Chao gave a smile that was not a smile, “Oh? You’re saying your master has a bad temper?”

He Liang hurriedly lowered his head and focused on eating his noodles, pretending not to have heard.

Chen Chao did not press the matter and likewise concentrated on finishing his bowl.

After eating, the two of them patted their stomachs. They did not intend to return to the inn immediately but strolled along the street instead - what the common folk called walking off a meal.

On the long street with few pedestrians, it was fortunate that nearly every household had hung lanterns before their doors. Otherwise, there would have been hardly any light along the way.

Chen Chao glanced at a wooden plaque written in black ink hanging on a nearby residence gate and suddenly asked, “Little He, if one day I arranged some official duty for you, what would you most like to do?”

As the boy grew older and his cultivation realm rose higher, if he was willing, he would naturally be able to take on responsibilities.

He Liang scratched his head. “Before, I wanted to go north to kill demons and avenge my dad. But after traveling with you this time, Master, I feel that there are already many people who want to do that. I’d rather do something else, something no one is doing.”

Chen Chao smiled. “Such as?”

He Liang answered earnestly, “For example, whether the court’s pensions actually reach the people who are supposed to receive them. Whether widows and orphans are being bullied. All sorts of things like that, I’d want to watch over them and manage that.”

Chen Chao smiled faintly. “Those are matters for scholars to handle.”

“But among them there are many corrupt officials. Why is that, Master?”

He Liang looked up at Chen Chao.

Chen Chao smiled. “You could say some scholars have read so many books that all of it ended up in a dog’s belly. But to put it more carefully, everyone has selfish motives, it’s not limited to scholars.”

He Liang gave a soft “Mm.” He understood that much.

The two of them walked on at an unhurried pace. When they saw a peddler carrying goods on a shoulder pole, He Liang went over to browse. After picking through the items for a while, he bought a pretty bead. It wasn’t any kind of gemstone, but the asking price wasn’t low. He Liang honestly paid it anyway.

Chen Chao did not interfere. He Liang carried quite a few Great Liang general currency. For cultivators, aside from skygold coins, ordinary coins were truly not worth much.

When He Liang returned with the bead, Chen Chao only needed a glance to tell the boy had overpaid. Still, he said nothing and merely asked, “A gift for your Little Junior Sister?”

He Liang shook his head. “For Senior Brother and Little Junior Sister, and including Mistress, I still need to think carefully about their gifts. This one is for the innkeeper.”

Chen Chao raised a brow. “Why buy her a gift? You like her?”

Chen Chao arched his eyebrows. The innkeeper wasn’t that old, and she maintained herself well. Calling her a graceful woman past her prime would not be unfair. The problem was, how old were you, and you’re already skipping all the winding paths and going straight to the end?

Chen Chao suddenly recalled that old man he had once met, who had spoken some so-called profound truth - that women were better when they were older.

They knew how to care for people.

But that latter half was Chen Chao’s own addition.

But the innkeeper was still far too old for He Liang.

Chen Chao looked at He Liang very seriously and shook his head. “Little He, you can’t handle that.”

He Liang froze, then lowered his head to look at his own hands.

Chen Chao was startled. Had this brat really awakened to such matters?

He Liang then said, “Then Master, you do it.”

Chen Chao’s face stiffened. “What nonsense are you talking about? Is your master that kind of person?”

He Liang raised the bead, looking puzzled. “Didn’t you say you were going to deliver it personally?”

Chen Chao fell silent. Indeed, he was overthinking it.

He Liang continued on his own, “I was thinking, didn’t the innkeeper give us some snacks earlier? If I buy a small gift in return, that’s called repaying a peach with a plum, right?”

Chen Chao let out an “Oh,” his old face reddening once more. In the end, it was he, the master, who had overthought things. What a sin, what a sin.

But suddenly feeling playful, Chen Chao raised his brows and asked, “Little He, tell me, what kind of girl do you like?”

He Liang shook his head. His mind was entirely on cultivation. He had never thought about such things.

Chen Chao could only probe more specifically. “Do you like someone like your Mistress?”

He Liang frowned and glanced at his master, answering cautiously, “Mistress is of course very good. But she’s so intelligent, she definitely wouldn’t like someone like me. I’m so dull. If I liked a woman as clever as Mistress, I’d surely be looked down upon by her.”

Chen Chao blinked. His objective achieved, he smiled. “Got it. You don’t like your Mistress. Next time we meet, I’ll tell her exactly that.”

He Liang froze and hurriedly said, “That’s not what I meant, Master!”

Chen Chao ignored his explanation and continued on his own, “Anyway, that’s what you said. That’s what I heard. When the time comes, I’ll tell your Mistress. Let’s see whether she believes you or believes me.”

He Liang scratched his head, then suddenly grinned. “Then so be it. Mistress has a good temper anyway. Even if she misunderstands once, it probably won’t matter.”

Chen Chao clicked his tongue. “Little He, turns out you’re not stupid after all.”

He Liang replied matter-of-factly, “Of course not. Most of the time, I’m actually quite smart.”

......

......

By the time they returned to the inn, it was already late. Yet the innkeeper had not gone to sleep. She was at the counter, sipping wine from a small bowl in slow mouthfuls. He Liang hurried forward to present the bead. After weighing it in her hand, the innkeeper gave a bright smile that seemed almost too radiant for her age and thanked him warmly, even asking whether he wanted to join her for a drink.

He Liang shook his head. After informing his master, he went upstairs on his own and sat down to cultivate with closed eyes.

Chen Chao walked to the counter, sniffed the fragrance of the wine, and asked with a smile, “How about a bowl for me?”

The innkeeper glanced at him and poured him a bowl, casually remarking with a smile, “You’ve raised your son quite well, sir.”

Chen Chao nearly spat out his mouthful of wine. He looked at her somewhat resentfully. “Do I look that old?”

The innkeeper arched a brow. “Do you really think you’re still young? Why not use the alcohol as a mirror and take a look at yourself?”

Chen Chao actually lowered his head to examine his reflection in the wine bowl. Aside from a bit of stubble, his bearing was still quite impressive.

He rubbed his chin, then took a sip and smacked his lips, shaking his head. “Average.”

The innkeeper said irritably, “It’s free alcohol and you’re still so picky. What, are you expecting to drink what the emperor drinks?”

Chen Chao shook his head solemnly. “That stuff isn’t good either.”

That truly made the innkeeper laugh in exasperation. “Alright, alright, you’ve seen the grand world, and now you’re saying even the emperor’s wine isn’t good. Why don’t you go ahead and say you’re that Lord Warden Commander?”

Chen Chao smiled. “Maybe I really am. Why don’t you take a closer look, innkeeper?”