Unsheathed

The scenery on Eastern Splendor Mountain was exceptional, and even after close to two hours of exploration, they had only made it down to around halfway up the mountain. After lunch, two of the academy’s teachers paid a visit to Lin Shouyi’s dormitory, and just like the teacher who had led Li Huai’s parents and sister here, these teachers were also very friendly and amicable, much to the relief of Li Huai’s mother.

In her eyes, Qi Jingchun had only been an impoverished scholar teaching at a small place like their town. He was certainly a very friendly and approachable man, but now that they were in Great Sui Nation’s capital city, surely the scholars here were going to be a bit more hostile.

She knew her son’s personality better than anyone else, and she was truly afraid that Li Huai would be viewed as nothing more than a troublemaker with no talent for learning, receiving scoldings and beatings every single day. Just that thought alone was enough to break her heart.

While Li Huai and his family were chatting with the two teachers, Lin Shouyi was seated off to the side in silence.

After enduring such an arduous journey, Li Huai’s personality had changed drastically, and he had become far more mature and reserved.

As for Li Liu, she was just as quiet and demure as before, and it was as if her personality would never change, even in 10,000 years. She had a pair of particularly beautiful eyes, and Lin Shouyi never grew sick of them. Of course, he only ever looked at them in secret.

Li Huai’s mother was putting on a far more pleasant and docile display than her usual self, speaking in a quiet and friendly manner, and she was looking quite uneasy, not even appearing as composed and poised as her daughter. This was one of the reasons why Lin Shouyi liked Li Liu.

Even though Li Liu had never been to school, she would often go to the school back in the town to pick up Li Huai after his lessons, and even when meeting Qi Jingchun, she would maintain a demeanor that was neither humble nor arrogant. There was an innate sense of graciousness and intelligence about her whenever she interacted with anyone or anything, and she was always polite and pleasant to everyone.

This gave Lin Shouyi a strange feeling that he was both very close to her, but also very distant. However, even when she was actually very distant, in a place where he couldn’t see her, he would still feel as if she were standing directly in his heart.

Lin Shouyi had always been infatuated with her, and even just sneaking furtive glances at her here instilled him with a sense of calmness and serenity.

He had seen a great deal of beautiful scenery along his journey, but even the best scenery under the heavens was missing something without her presence.

As for Li Er, he was polite and respectful to the extreme to the two teachers, looking as if he would act as their personal servant had that been appropriate. His back remained bowed the entire time that he was talking to them, and he wasn’t very tall to begin with, so he appeared even shorter, putting on an even sorrier display than his overawed and uneasy wife.

He was constantly telling Li Huai to offer food to his teachers, but the problem was that even though the two teachers weren’t of a particularly lofty status in the academy, no mediocre scholars would’ve been selected to serve as teachers at Mountain Cliff Academy.

According to the teachings of Confucianism, one should strive to eat food of the highest possible quality, prepared as meticulously as possible, so the two teachers weren’t necessarily fond of the food on the table. They would eat some out of politeness, but they didn’t want to eat anymore beyond that.

In the past, Li Huai would’ve felt embarrassed if he had seen his father like this, but that wasn’t the case this time.

His father was indeed far from a brilliant man, but he had given everything that he could to Li Huai, so no matter what his father did, Li Huai no longer felt embarrassed by him.

Chen Ping’an didn’t like to make much small talk with Li Huai and Lin Shouyi, but he had taught the former some similar principles. Initially, Li Huai hadn’t thought much of Chen Ping’an’s teachings, but over the course of the eventful and tumultuous journey they had taken, he had begun to understand the value of what Chen Ping’an had taught him.

A’Liang had also once told him in private that if a wealthy person were to casually give him 1,000 taels of silver, while Chen Ping’an only gave him 10 taels of silver, there was naturally a vast disparity in the monetary amount being offered, but it was important to consider who had the kinder intentions.

If Li Huai were to feel more thankful for the former, then this would indicate that he still hadn’t grown up, which wasn’t really a problem. However, if he were to completely disregard the latter, then that would indicate that he was an ungrateful fool.

All of a sudden, a hint of sorrow welled up in Li Huai’s heart as he watched his father trying to tend to the every need of the two teachers, so he told his father to take a rest.

Initially, Li Er felt as if that would be a sign of disrespect to the teachers, but after seeing the look in his son’s eyes, he realized that this was not the case, so he merely backed away with a smile. He wanted to crouch down onto his haunches, but he felt like that would be too vulgar a gesture, so he hurriedly stood up straight again after sinking halfway into a squat.

Li Huai turned around so that his back was facing his teachers as he made a face at his father, and a bashful smile appeared on Li Er’s face as he rubbed his hands together. He had been quite nervous in the face of the two teachers, but he was feeling much better now.

After a short conversation, the two teachers departed to prepare for their lessons in the afternoon, and they were escorted out of the room by Li Huai’s family and Lin Shouyi.

Li Huai also had lessons in the afternoon, but he wanted to stay with his parents on this day, and he promised them that he would work even harder in his studies starting from the next day. He told them that books and knowledge didn’t have feet, so they couldn’t run away, and as long as he studied hard, he would always be able to catch up.

However, his parents were only going to be staying at the academy for a few days, so he had to spend as much time with them as possible.

Li Huai’s mother was completely dumbstruck by such a mature and sensible display from her son, and looking at the earnest look on his face, she immediately burst into tears on the spot. After that, she began punching and kicking her husband, complaining about his insistence on going somewhere so far away and leaving their son here to suffer on his own.

Of course, Li Er merely took the beating in silence as usual.

Lin Shouyi mustered up some courage and quietly asked Li Liu whether she wanted to go and take a look at the scripture library, telling him that it held the most abundant collection of books in the entire Great Sui Nation.

Li Liu shook her head and turned down the offer with a smile, telling Lin Shouyi that she wanted to spend time with her brother.

After that, Li Huai played around the entire afternoon at the place where Li Huai’s parents were staying, not forgetting to bring along his bookcase with him. He put on a mysterious expression as he pulled out the painted wooden doll, telling them that it was a precious treasure that had been a part of his cherished collection for a very long time.

He then adopted a pained expression as he offered it to his sister. Of course, Li Liu refused the offer, only playing with it for a short while before returning it to Li Huai. Li Huai asked her if she really didn’t want it, and Li Liu nodded in response. Li Huai was rather perplexed by her refusal, telling her that she simply didn’t know a good thing when she saw it.

In response, Li Liu merely patted her brother on the head.

Lin Shouyi didn’t want to spoil their family reunion with his presence, so he went to the scripture library to read, but he was unable to process what he was reading no matter how much he tried, so in the end, he merely sat at the window, waiting for the sun to set.

As dusk was approaching, Li Huai suddenly said that he wanted to speak to his father in private. Li Huai’s mother asked him why he couldn’t say what he wanted to say while she was around, asking him whether he had found a wife for his father in addition to a bunch of husbands for his sister.

Li Huai had jokingly responded that his father had fallen into a hole that he would never be able to climb out of, in response to which his mother threatened to give him a beating with an amused expression. After Li Huai and his father left the room, she finally had some time alone to herself, and tears began to flow down her face.

Li Liu had quite a gentle and delicate appearance, but she wasn’t the type to easily get emotional. However, she was still feeling a little sad at the sight of her mother’s sullen display.

Neither of them were idiots, and they knew that there was no way that Li Huai would’ve become so mature so quickly without having undergone a great deal of hardships. However, they simply didn’t want to discuss such an unhappy subject.

Li Huai led his father out of the room, and there was a small lake nearby. The two of them slowly walked along the small path beside the lake, and Li Huai asked, “Father, is this Eastern Splendor Mountain as big as the mountains that you visited back home?”

“It’s bigger than some, but smaller than others,” Li Er replied with a smile, providing a response that was just as boring as his personality.

Li Huai rolled his eyes, then crouched down beside the lake and picked up a rock before throwing it into the water. “Father, I think you’re already a great man just for how good you are to my mother.”

Li Er wasn’t good with words, and he didn’t know how to respond.

Li Huai lowered his voice as he continued, “You’re very good to me as well, so I’m sorry for how I treated you in the past.”

Li Er crouched down as he replied in a gentle voice, “There’s never a need for a son to apologize to his father.”

A sullen look then appeared on his face as he continued, “I feel really uneasy after hearing that from you.”

Li Huai grinned as he turned to his father and asked, “Father, am I a coward because I take after you or my mother? You dare to venture into the mountains on your own, but I don’t dare to do that. Back when I was with Chen Ping’an, I didn’t think much of this. I was used to staying at home, where everyone spoiled me, and I took it for granted, thinking that it was normal for people to be good to me.

“However, I realized that this isn’t the case at all, and that there are tons of bad people out in the world. Chen Ping’an doesn’t like to speak much, but he has a personality like yours, and when he’s good to someone, he wants to give them every good thing that he has. Instead of putting his effort and energy into words, he dedicates everything to his actions and doesn’t demand anything in return…”

Li Huai was beginning to feel a little sad as he continued, “The only time that he did something good for himself was when he got himself a set of new clothes and shoes when he agreed to come into the academy with us, but unfortunately, he left in secret before that. I really miss him.”

Li Er reached out a large and coarse hand and gently placed it onto Li Huai’s head. “My son has grown up.”

Li Huai slapped his father’s hand away as he protested, “No I haven’t! I was already seven years old when I left home, and it’s still not the end of the year yet, so I’m still seven years old.”

Li Er folded his hands over his own belly as he crouched down and looked out at the lake. An absentminded look appeared in his eyes as he said in a guilty voice, “Your father’s useless man, Huai’er. I wasn’t able to give the three of you a good life, and I’m looked down on by everyone, so you were picked on in school as well. Whenever I think of that, I feel…”

Li Huai waved a hand to cut his father off, then put on a mature facade as he said, “Father, you’re already a grown man, why are you still saying useless things like this?”

He then fell silent for a moment as he hung his head and said, “Just now, when I saw how you were sucking up to those teachers, it felt really bad for me.”

These were words that came straight from Li Huai’s heart, and Li Er couldn’t help but rub his own cheeks vigorously upon hearing this, feeling as if he didn’t deserve such a thoughtful child.

Li Huai then rose to his feet with a smile as he said, “Make sure you take my mother and my sister to explore Great Sui Nation’s capital city during your time here. Even if you can’t afford to buy anything, at least let them have a look at the things that they like, and I’ll buy them all for you once I become an accomplished scholar and start making money for myself.

“Let’s go back now. Given how uneasy Mother tends to become when she leaves home, she’s definitely going to grow concerned if we’re away from her for too long.”

An earnest look then appeared on Li Huai’s face as he said, “Father, you have to be good to my mother. Given her personality, she can say some pretty hurtful things sometimes, but what can you do? As a man, you have to be more tolerant of her.”

Li Er nodded vigorously in response, then rose to his feet, telling Li Huai that he wanted to stay here on his own to look at the scenery for a while longer.

Thus, Li Huai skipped away on his own in a carefree manner, sloppily performing the walking meditation that he had learned from Chen Ping’an.

All of a sudden, Li Er called out after him.

Li Huai turned around with a puzzled expression and asked, “What is it, Father? Are you looking for a lavatory?”

Li Er gave him a thumbs-up as he praised, “You’re a fantastic kid!”

“I don’t need you to tell me that!”

Li Huai rolled his eyes at his father before running away.

————

Following Li Huai’s departure, Li Er flexed his wrists from side to side as he glanced at his surroundings as he yelled, “Cui Chan, show yourself!”

Cui Chan slowly emerged from behind a large tree as he greeted with a sheepish smile, “Welcome, Master Li Er. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Let me make this clear in advance: right now, I’m Cui Dongshan, not the imperial preceptor of the Great Li Empire. Also, I’m technically half a senior brother of your son’s, so you can’t just give me a beating for no reason.”

Li Er looked at Cui Chan in an expressionless manner as he demanded, “In that case, tell me what happened, and make sure you don’t skip any details. Also, I can’t guarantee that I won’t beat you to death.”

Cui Chan carefully sized up Li Er, the almighty martial artist who had almost beaten Song Changjing to death, and a series of complex emotions welled up in his heart as he sighed, “Allow me tell you the full story.”

Back in Jewel Small World, an epic battle for the ages had taken place between two martial artists at the pinnacle of the ninth tier. Following the battle, Song Changjing successfully made a breakthrough, becoming a legendary 10th tier martial artist, only the second End Tier Superior Grandmaster of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent.

What was most remarkable about Song Changjing was his young age, and it was no exaggeration to say that he was shining as brightly as the sun in the sky. However, no one in the outside world knew just how Song Changjing was able to break through this all-important bottleneck while still below 40 years of age.

Each breakthrough for a martial artist past the seventh tier was an extremely perilous hurdle of life and death, and almost all of those breakthroughs took place in dire situations. This was already common knowledge among martial artists, and it meant that the opponent that one fought to make their breakthrough had to have at least been on par with them in power.

So why was it that Song Changjing had ascended to the 10th tier, but Li Er hadn’t, even though he had clearly held the upper hand throughout the battle? Why was it that Old Man Yang had determined that he could make a deal with Song Changjing from the very beginning?

A battle between a pair of pure martial artists at the pinnacle of the ninth tier had to have been an earth-shattering affair, and it wasn’t a battle that simply could simply be drawn to a conclusion at any moment that the combatants desired. Given Old Man Yang’s cautious personality, why was it that he had taken this risk?

One had to realize that if Li Er had beaten Song Changjing to death, then he and Old Man Yang would’ve been regarded as sworn enemies of the Great Li Empire, so why had he taken this risk just to force this breakthrough catalyst upon Song Changjing?

This was something that Cui Dongshan had always been quite perplexed about, and only after witnessing Li Er in person did he begin to understand Old Man Yang’s reasons.

Li Er’s foundation as a ninth tier martial artist was even stronger and more solid than Song Changjing’s!

Hence, Li Er had to endure more hardships in order to reach the 10th tier, but if he were to successfully make the breakthrough, then no matter how prodigiously talented Song Changjing wa, in a battle of life and death, he would, in all likelihood, still be defeated by Li Er, someone that virtually no one on the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent had ever heard of!

Cui Dongshan gave Li Er a recount of all of the recent events that had taken place, and Li Er’s expression remained completely unchanged the entire time.

Cui Dongshan smiled as he continued, “Great Sui Nation is a powerful empire that is not to be looked down on, so don’t go doing anything reckless. Besides, I’ve already exacted some vengeance for the children by teaching that Cai Jingshen a lesson, so the rest of their education will be smooth sailing from here. Under my watchful eye, I’ll make sure no further trouble befalls them.”

It appeared that Cui Dongshan was trying to dissuade Li Er from taking any extreme actions, but in reality, he was goading him to do the exact opposite. “Having said that, Li Huai’s three dorm mates have apologized to him and returned his stolen stuff, but the seniors of their clans still haven’t said anything up to this point, so that’s a little concerning. If you really want to go after someone, you could go to them and teach them the flaws in their ways.”

Li Er took a glance at Cui Dongshan, and the latter hurriedly raised both hands as he declared with an indignant expression, “None of this has anything to do with me! Even if it does, then it only has something to do with the imperial preceptor of the Great Li Empire.

I’m guessing that you came to Great Sui Nation’s capital city under orders from him and Old Man Yang, so I’m in a more pitiful situation than anyone! My soul has been split apart, and I may even have to contend with myself in the future. Is that not an extremely tragic fate? How could you bear to attack me when I’m already in such a sorry state?”

Li Er had no patience for Cui Dongshan’s ramblings, and he snapped, “Don’t try to guilt trip me! I don’t care what your plans are. As long as you don’t do anything that harms the interests of myself and my family, I couldn’t care less about what you’re plotting! But right now, my son is being bullied to such an extent that he doesn’t even dare to say anything to his own parents!”

Li Er spat viciously onto the ground as he spoke, and a cold smile appeared on his face as he concluded, “I may just have to tip Great Sui Nation on its head for that!”

Cui Dongshan immediately felt a chill run down his spine.

Not only was Li Er a pure martial artist at the pinnacle of the ninth tier, he had the unique advantage of growing up his entire life in Jewel Small World. Even if he were to stand still and allow a 10th tier cultivator to attack him without retaliation, the cultivator would most likely exhaust themselves to death before they could inflict any substantial injuries onto Li Er.

With that, Li Er turned and began to make his way up toward the mountain summit.

Cui Dongshan hurriedly followed along behind him as he asked with a curious expression, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the mountain top so I can spot Great Sui Nation’s imperial palace, and after I make a trip there, I’m going to come back and teach that Cai Jingshen a lesson,” Li Er replied.

Damn… He makes it sound like he’s going to the lavatory, then coming back to wash his hands!