Unsheathed

A man and a woman made their way into Clay Vase Alley. The man was quite young with a tall hat on his head and a green jade pendant hanging from his waist, looking even more like a wealthy young master than the young men from the affluent Lu Clan. As for the woman, it was difficult to discern her age. At first glance, she had delicate skin and a tapered chin that resembled stalactites hanging down from the edges of rooves during winter, but upon closer inspection, she had the mature charm of a middle-aged woman.

Her phoenix eyes, her seductive figure, everything about her from head to toe gave off a sense of unadulterated promiscuity, and her hips twisted from side to side as she walked, giving off a sense of allure that was completely absent in the other women of the town.

The woman was looking left and right with curiosity brimming in her eyes, and she even reached out to touch the earthen walls, but was unable to find anything special about them. A curious look appeared on her face as she asked, “Fu Nanhua, is this place really one of the hidden blessed paradises that you were talking about? Why is it that this alley was never specially annotated on the map given to me by our patriarch before I set off on this journey?”

The young man gave a response, but not to the questions that he was asked. “How are you going to repay me if you come across an unexpected prize here?”

The woman turned to the side, interlacing her fingers as she clasped her hands behind her back, pushing forward and further accentuating her already voluptuous chest as she put on a gentle smile and replied, half in jest, “I’ll let you do whatever you want to me. How about that?”

The young man didn’t think that she would be so bold and blatant in her reply, and he was left at a loss for how to respond. Furthermore, they had come here under the guise of visiting family and friends, but in reality, the fate and fortune of his entire clan for the next few centuries, perhaps even the next millennium, hinged upon this trip. With that in mind, he definitely didn’t dare to engage in a frivolous relationship with this woman while under the scrutiny of the entire town.

Hence, he quickly changed the subject, pointing deeper into the alley as he smiled and said, “While it’s true that we’re friends, friendship and business don’t mix, so I must reiterate something. According to our pre-established agreement, there are two households of interest on this Clay Vase Alley, one of which is a master and his maidservant, while the other one is a mother and her son.

“I can let you choose one of the two, and in exchange, each year, you’ll be giving our Old Dragon City 10 pieces of Cloud Root Stones, the specialty product of your Dawn Cloud Mountain. Do you agree to those terms, Celestial Maiden Cai?”

“Of course,” the woman replied with a nod and a seductive smile.

The young man slowly strode forward as he continued, “From now on, if you obtain any items of interest in this place outside of our clan’s projections, those items must be presented to our patriarchs on both sides for appraisal to determine a fair price. After that, your Dawn Cloud Mountain will offer up Cloud Root Stones equivalent to half the value of those items. Do you have any objections to this, Cai Jinjian?

“In other words, what I’m saying is that after you agree to this proposal and obtain what you came here to acquire, are you certain that you’ll be able to convince the patriarchs of Dawn Cloud Mountain to agree to the terms of this bet?”

All of a sudden, a solemn and serious look appeared on the woman’s face, and it was as if she had turned into a completely different person. The change in demeanor was extremely abrupt, and she resembled a regal empress as she said in an implacable manner, “I’m certain I can!”

The young man’s eyes narrowed slightly as a serious look also appeared on his face, and he stopped in his tracks to look directly at Cai Jinjian. “Let me make this clear: you and I are forming a collaborative relationship here for mutual benefit, not because of anything like love at first sight or any personal reasons.

“Instead, it’s on the basis of the mutual favor that our seniors and ancestors of Old Dragon City and Dawn Cloud Mountain have worked hard to accumulate and maintain over the course of several centuries. If we screw this up and draw the ire of those old geezers, not only will we be unable to handle the consequences, the same will apply even to our parents and our masters!”

Cai Jinjian smiled as she replied, “That’s why during our time in this town, we have to work together with solidarity and be completely open and candid with one another, right?”

Despite the dark and dingy setting of the alley that they were in, Fu Nanhua’s handsome looks weren’t diminished in the slightest, and he also smiled as he said, “In addition to that…”

He turned around to take a look behind him, then withdrew his gaze and lowered his voice as he continued, “We also have to be wary of those two. They’re not from any well-established and reputable sects like Sun Scorch Mountain, and I’ve heard that they’re extremely erratic and don’t like to play by the rules.”

Cai Jinjian narrowed her eyes, and even though she wasn’t speaking, her expressive eyes were doing the talking for her, as if they were saying “that’s why I chose you!”

Fu Nanhua continued in a low voice, “Let’s go. There may be a Sage controlling this place to balance out all forces, but it’s still best to be careful so that we don’t end up meeting an unexpected demise in a place like this. In any case, whether we’ll be able to soar to greater heights will hinge on the success of this trip.”

Elsewhere, Fu Nanhua was an extremely renowned prodigy, and his heart was becoming more and more resolute as he spoke.

The Great Dao is there for my taking, and I’ll eliminate anyone who dares to get in my way, even if they are immortals or gods!

He cast his gaze deeper into the alley, and he spotted a thin young boy approaching them from afar.

This was their second encounter.

Fu Nanhua and Can Jinjian continued onward at a leisurely pace, resembling a godly couple who were taking a vacation in the mortal realm.

Cai Jinjian also spotted the young boy, and she remarked with an intrigued expression, “This is already the second time we’ve run into him. Could it be that he’s also…”

Even though her voice trailed off before she finished her sentence, Fu Nanhua knew what she wanted to say, and an amused look appeared on his face as he scoffed, “Let’s be realistic here, Celestial Maiden Cai. There are over 600 households here, and if we count the servants of the 10 affluent clans as well, that amounts to a population of close to 5,000 people.

“No matter how remarkable this town is for producing prodigies, all of the top prodigies with exceptional aptitude have already been split up and taken by the almighty figures above us. We’re only able to pick up some scraps because, for some reason or another, those almighty figures have intentionally left some for us.”

A self-deprecating smile also appeared on Cai Jinjian’s face, and she felt rather embarrassed for her own naive optimism.

After a brief hesitation, she said, “I don’t know what your seniors told you, but my father told me that after entering this place, if I encounter anyone that strikes me with a sense of foreboding, I must actively avoid them, and avoid provoking them at all costs. This may only be a small town, but it’s like a small puddle that appears to be innocuous from the outside, but actually holds unfathomably deep water.

“Those who strike us with a sense of foreboding are most likely going to be our opponents that we’ll be competing with in our search for treasures in this town. As for those who evoke a sense of affinity within us, those are people who are most likely blessed with fortune and can potentially present opportunities for us to further ourselves.

“All we have to do is refrain from killing people as much as possible and avoid breaking those old rules that are set in stone. Aside from that, we can do whatever we please, whether that be swindling others out of their treasures, or simply taking them by force.”

All of a sudden, her brows furrowed slightly as she continued, “By the way, why didn’t you let me bring along someone from the local Zhao Clan? I did study the dialect spoken in this area prior to coming here, but…”

Fu Nanhua shook his head as he interjected, “All of the prominent clans here have always had some type of secret avenues through which they’re connected to the outside. They’re able to transmit some trivial information to the outside world right under the noses of the Sages without being regarded as having broken any rules, and they’ve built up quite a strong foundation here over the generations.

“Compared with the true backers of those clans, our Old Dragon City and Dawn Cloud Mountain are slightly inferior. On top of that, it’s best to avoid recruiting the assistance of others as much as possible. The more people get involved in this, the more likely it is that something unexpected will happen, and that could foil our plans. If you don’t want to speak, then I’ll do so in your stead.”

Cai Jinjian smiled as she replied, “It’s fine, the dialect is just a little unfamiliar to me. I’m not so pampered that I need someone else to speak for me.”

Fu Nanhua gave a faint smile in response, and Cai Jinjian didn’t say anything further.

Ultimately, they were just temporary allies, so they weren’t all that close with one another.

Besides, in the eyes of ambitious individuals pursuing the Great Dao, even close familial bonds were nothing more than trivial relationships.

Fu Nanhua was speaking in a refined and regal manner, as if he were the young master of an extremely well-off clan.

There was actually a very simple reason behind why he was willing to disclose a closely guarded secret and reveal the cultivation method taught to him in private by his father to Cai Jinjian.

In contrast with the other two people that they had previously been traveling with, namely a slow and prudent middle-aged man, and the cold and forbidding young woman in black, Fu Nanhua had decided that he was going to kill Cai Jinjian from the moment he set foot into the town.

Fu Nanhua unconsciously gripped onto the green jade pendant hanging from his waist, something that he always kept by his side.

Cai Jinjian closed her eyes in contemplation, then reopened them a moment later as she decided, “I’ll choose Gu Can.”

“Alright, then it’s settled,” Fu Nanhua replied as he raised an eyebrow.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping’an had made his way to the entrance of his courtyard, and he was just about to step inside when Fu Nanhua and Cai Jinjian hurriedly approached him.

The former smiled as he said, “We meet again! What a coincidence.”

Chen Ping’an turned around upon hearing the voice behind him, and he nodded in response as he asked, “Can I help you with something?”

Fu Nanhua was very fluent in the dialect used in the small town, and he said, “This place is called Clay Vase Alley, right? I wanted to ask you if there’s someone by the name of Song Jixin living here, and also a child by the name of Gu Can. I’m from the capital, and my parents are family friends of Song Jixin’s father.

“This here is Cai Jinjian, and she’s a relative of Gu Can’s mother, which is why we were traveling together. What a coincidence it is that both of the people that we’re looking for are living in the same alley! Everything’s so conveniently put together that it almost feels like the storyline of a novel!”

Fu Nanhua wore a calm and friendly smile on his face as he spoke, and even though he was speaking to a lowly young boy like Chen Ping’an, he still went out of his way to bend over slightly so that his face was level with Chen Ping’an’s, rather than towering over and looking down on him. It was a very natural and thoughtful gesture that didn’t arouse any suspicions that he could be up to no good, and it presented him as a kind and modest gentleman.

A bashful smile appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face as he replied, “It really is quite the coincidence.”

Fu Nanhua’s smile widened even further as he asked in a gentle voice, “May I ask where those two are living on this alley?”

To his surprise, Chen Ping’an shook his head as he replied, “I was an apprentice at a dragon kiln until just recently, so I was living outside the town for many years and only just moved back. Hence, I’m not very familiar with my neighbors on this alley. Perhaps you should ask someone else.”

Fu Nanhua’s smile remained unchanged, and he didn’t immediately offer a response, seemingly pausing to consider how best to proceed.

Cai Jinjian smiled as she interjected, “Lying is not a good habit, little boy. Do you think we look like bad people? Setting that aside, what mischief could we possibly be up to under broad daylight?”

Chen Ping’an blinked innocently as he replied, “But I really don’t know.”

Cai Jinjian reverted back to her normal dialect as she turned to Fu Nanhua and asked, “Could it be that this boy wants to be compensated?”

“It doesn’t look like it,” Fu Nanhua replied.

A hint of extremely well-concealed agitation flashed through Cai Jinjian’s eyes as she said, “If worse comes to worst, we’ll just have to knock on the door of every household here. We’ll be able to find the people we’re looking for eventually.”

Fu Nanhua waved a hand at her to dismiss this idea, then patiently turned back to Chen Ping’an as he offered, “How about this? If you help us out, I’ll give you something.”

Chen Ping’an scratched his head as he looked back at Fu Nanhua with a pair of clear and innocent eyes.

All of a sudden, Fu Nanhua abruptly stood up straight again.

He had spotted a scholarly young boy squatting on top of a wall not far away from them, and the boy was observing them while perched on his vantage point.

Beside the young boy stood a girl of around the same age. Only the top half of her face was visible, but it could be seen that she had a very clean and elegant appearance, with a pair of delicate eyebrows.

In that instant, Fu Nanhua was convinced that this young boy was the person that he was looking for.

The boy stood up as he asked in a loud voice, “Are you looking for someone?”

Fu Nanhua and Cai Jinjian were forced to raise their heads to look up at him, and the former replied, “That’s right, I’m looking for you, and my companion here is looking for Gu Can. Can you help us?”

“Do you know me?” the boy asked with furrowed brows.

Fu Nanhua smiled as he replied, “Of course not, but I’m familiar with Master Song, who’s currently working in the Ministry of Rites.”

Song Jixin didn’t waste any more time with small talk as he asked, “I can help you find that snotty brat, Gu Can, but what’s in it for me?”

Fu Nanhua immediately removed the green jade pendant hanging from his waist, then tossed it at Song Jixin. “You can have this.”

Song Jixin was rather taken aback as he caught the jade pendant, but his expression remained unchanged as he turned to Zhi Gui and instructed, “Go take them to Gu Can.”

Zhi Gui nodded in response and emerged from the courtyard. Standing on the narrow street outside, it was as if her very presence alone was enough to illuminate the entirety of Clay Vase Alley.

Fu Nanhua turned to Chen Ping’an as he smiled and said, “I’ll leave you with a parting message, little boy: even the rain that falls from the heavens can’t nurture a plant without a root.”

He then made his way over to Zhi Gui, but Cai Jinjian remained standing in front of Chen Ping’an, looking down at him with an amused expression as she asked, “Do you know what that means?”

For some reason, she was suddenly struck by the urge to tease the young boy, and before Chen Ping’an had a chance to reply, she chuckled, “He was telling you that you just missed out on a huge opportunity. If he were willing to spare even a bit of the dirt scraped out from under his fingernails and give it to you, you would be able to live in comfort and excess for the rest of your life here.

“Fortunately for you, you’re probably never going to find out exactly what it is that you missed out on today. I suppose that’s the only silver lining on the cloud. Otherwise, you’d be kicking yourself with remorse!”

Fu Nanhua could hear what she was saying, and he felt like her words were completely wasted on the young boy who clearly had no idea what she was talking about.

Compared with the people in the town, those on the outside resided in a completely different world, and the gulf between them was wider than the distance between heaven and earth.

Cai Jinjian continued to look at Chen Ping’an as she strode backward, re-emphasizing as she approached Zhi Gui, “Even the rain that falls from the heavens can’t nurture a plant without a root. Make sure you don’t forget that saying.”

Chen Ping’an’s expression remained unchanged this entire time, but he suddenly exclaimed, “Look out behind you…”

Cai Jinjian’s entire body abruptly stiffened.

“There’s dog shit,” Chen Ping’an finished.