Unsheathed

Wei Bo brought Chen Ping’an to Parasol Tree Mountain to take a look. Even if one only stopped at the foot of the mountain to look up into the distance, it was still a magnificent sight that would make one marvel in wonder. This was because the mountain peak of this entire undulating mountain range had been sliced flat.

When the black python carried them up to the level peak that was swirling with dust, someone told them that this level peak had an area of around two to three kilometers in radius. In the future, this peak would become a ferry station. However, this was different from the ferry stations of the mortal world, where only small ships would be used to ferry people across waterways. In the cultivation world, these ferry stations would be boarding points for ships that took people across seas — seas of clouds. Regarding what these so-called ships were, Wei Bo purposely didn’t tell Chen Ping’an.

After passing Parasol Tree Mountain, they were already getting quite close to Divine Elegance Mountain. There were only two mountains left between them and their destination, Chen Ping’an’s Treasured Scripture Mountain and a cultivator from Southern Stream Nation’s Ox Horn Mountain. Ox Horn Mountain wasn’t tall, and its appearance was especially gentle and solid. One after another, many structures snaked from the foot of the mountain all the way to the peak of the mountain.

Wei Bo jumped down from the black python’s back and told Chen Ping’an to come down as well. He then ordered the black python to stay at the foot of the mountain and not move around.

There was an archway here, and there were three dazzling golden characters on the plaque that hung across it — “Cloth Wrapper Shop”.

Wei Bo was an insider expert, and he explained as he walked, “This place is a pawnshop, and it’s also an antique shop at the same time. All kinds of strange and wonderful things can be found here, and anything can be sold or purchased. Once a deal is made, money will be given using one hand, and the goods will be accepted using the other. The earliest founder of this place was an impoverished vagrant cultivator, and all he had with him was a cloth wrapper that was filled with a pile of crappy trinkets. He ran around everywhere to buy and sell things, and he made a living off the difference that he earned.

“After becoming successful, he decided to simply name this place the Cloth Wrapper Shop. Ox Horn Mountain is one of his branch shops, and each of the buildings here sells a different type of antique and curio. Most of the buildings have already finished construction, but only a small number of goods have been transported over and put inside them. They’re most likely waiting for the ferry station on Parasol Tree Mountain to finish construction before transporting more of the goods over.”

Everyone in Ox Horn Mountain treated the white-clothed Wei Bo with utmost respect, regardless of whether it was the manager of Cloth Wrapper Shop or the itinerant cultivators and vagrant cultivators who were here to visit. Wei Bo was imminently about to become a formal god of the Northern Mountain, so it was only natural that the cultivators here were so polite and respectful toward him that they were almost bordering on being obsequious.

As a result, their journey up the mountain was extremely smooth sailing. In fact, Cloth Wrapper Shop even sent a woman with a graceful demeanor over to bring them around and explain to them the different buildings and curios being sold.

This was an eye-opening experience for Chen Ping’an. Inside the “Single Piece Building”, there was a unique type of green poem jar that was inscribed with articles from the Daoist classics. There were seven of them in total, and the tallest of them was approximately half a person tall. Meanwhile, the shortest of them were also as tall as an arm was long. It was said that these jars were filled with water, and this water had all been obtained from the 100 most famous springs in the world. The spring water was as limpid as jade and flowed as smoothly as light, and it was most suitable for making tea to entertain guests.

“People can go one day without food, but they can’t go one day without water. Water is the essence of food, so the mortal notion of so-called conformance to local customs regards the act of drinking water as number one.

“Our Cloth Wrapper Shop has special cultivators who precisely measure the quality of spring water in the different regions. Using silver square containers and a small scale, these cultivators weigh the water to determine their qualities. Only spring water that possesses all three qualities of lightness, clearness, and sweetness can be stored inside these green poem jars. I don’t dare to call this nectar or jade-like liquid, but I can guarantee that this water is brimming with spiritual energy. Each scoop of water is of high quality and won’t mix itself with the mundane.”

Even though the woman wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful, her voice was warm and gentle and as silvery as the trickling of a mountain spring.

Inside the “Spectacular Building”, they immediately saw a set of painted screens that were as tall as a human. There were 12 stunningly beautiful women painted on these screens, and each of these women was the most beautiful in their state or nation. They were illustrated by a masterful painter, and what was even more peculiar about them was the fact that the women appeared as lively and realistic as could be. Some were playing instruments with their heads lowered and their sleeves flowing like water, some of them were resting their cheeks on their hands and gazing over, and some of them were holding fans and appearing as innocent and beautiful as could be.

Looking over, these screens were filled with stunning beauties that each had their own unique draw. This was an indescribably beautiful sight.

There was also a set of screens that was decorated with the 24 solar terms, with the “Awakening of Insects” painting showing a scene with rumbling thunder and flashing lightning. Meanwhile, the “Clear and Bright” painting showed a scene with drizzling rain, the “Mid-Autumn” painting showed a scene with a bright and brilliant full moon hanging in the sky, and so on and so forth.

There were all kinds of remarkable and ingenious paintings, and those who laid eyes on them couldn’t help but slap their legs and exclaim in wonderment.

Because Wei Bo was present, the woman made an exception and took them on a tour around Cloth Wrapper Shop’s private garden. While they walked around, they saw Agrarian cultivators tending to the fields with all kinds of strange and wonderful plants in their arms. Apart from allowing Cloth Wrapper Shop to sell expensive flowers and plants, maintaining this kind of garden would also allow them to retain the fortune of the land. At the same time, this kind of garden was also pleasing to both the eye and the mind. As such, immortal forces all viewed these kinds of gardens in high regard.

After taking a tour around Cloth Wrapper Shop and seeing all kinds of unfathomable things, Chen Ping’an finally understood what it meant to be truly wealthy.

The woman who had never revealed her name from the beginning to the end thanked them and bid them farewell. After descending the mountain and exiting through the archway, Wei Bo first told Chen Ping’an to turn around to look at Ox Horn Mountain. He then snapped his fingers in front of the young boy’s eyes and chuckled, “Take another look. Has anything changed?”

Chen Ping’an looked over, only to discover that Ox Horn Mountain was now enveloped in a layer of azure-gray mist. From time to time, he could also see arcs of snow-white lightning flashing amid this mist.

“This is a so-called mountain protection formation. The formation used by Ox Horn Mountain is derived from the famous ‘Misty Cloud Dream Marsh’[1]. It was initially a landscape painting by a Confucian sage, but after continuous analysis and refinement by later generations, it eventually became a formation painting. Apart from being a defensive formation, this ‘Misty Cloud Dream Marsh’ can also manipulate feng shui to resist evil and filth, transforming polluted air into clean air.”

“How impressive,” Chen Ping’an sighed with emotion.

“Do you suddenly feel like you’re too poor?” Wei Bo asked with a smile.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and replied, “I don’t feel poor. However, I feel like I’m not wealthy anymore.”

Wei Bo laughed heartily upon hearing this. The four of them climbed onto the black python’s back again, and they continued their journey to Divine Elegance Mountain.

Wei Bo told Chen Ping’an that it was indeed the case that gold and silver were sometimes used when making transactions in the cultivation world. However, it was often the case that this was nothing more than a number. After all, using physical gold and silver would be far too much of a hassle unless both parties owned a rare and precious pocket treasure. For example, what would one do if an immortal treasure was worth 800,000 taels of gold? If this was translated into silver, then the number would be even more insane. Thus, trade between large cultivation sects would be performed using special “money”.

After a short while, they were able to see Divine Elegance Mountain from up close.

This mountain was far too tall.

If it weren’t for Cloud Drape Mountain, this mountain would be regarded as the tallest and most beautiful mountain near the small town. In fact, it was magnificent enough to surpass all of the other mountains.

“Is Ruan Xiu in the mountain?” Chen Ping’an asked.

“No, she isn’t,” Wei Bo replied with a shake of his head.

There was a steep mountain face on one side of Divine Elegance Mountain, and hidden behind the sea of rolling clouds, there were four gigantic characters engraved on this face — “Heaven Creates Divine Elegance”.

Unless one could fly, it was very likely that even Qi refiners couldn’t see the true appearance of this mountain when they gazed up.

However, because of the rules that Master Ruan had created before, no cultivator was allowed to fly inside Dragon Spring Prefecture without prior permission. This created many unnecessary difficulties for Qi refiners in the area. Thus, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that there was a mountain of complaints.

Back then, when the large group of sword cultivators had flown south over Eastern Treasured Vial Continent in a magnificent display, they had still lowered their height while passing over the small town. They had done so in order to express their goodwill.

Apart from expressing their approval of Blacksmith Ruan Qiong, they were more importantly respecting one of the most important aspects of this Majestic World — rules.

This had formlessly increased Ruan Qiong’s power and influence, as there had been more than one terrestrial sword immortal in that group of sword cultivators who were heading to Stalactite Mountain. As a result, Ruan Qiong’s standing in the Great Li Empire also rose to a new height. Some already quiet complaints comprehensively disappeared for good.

In this world, one could naturally enjoy freedom and leisure once one became an immortal. One could ignore many of the mortal rules and etiquette.

However, one couldn’t forget that there still existed the three schools and 72 academies of Confucianism, as well as the nine majestic Mighty Suppressing Pagodas.

Mountains, seas, spirits, demons, sword immortals, and so on — there wasn’t anything that the nine Mighty Suppressing Pagodas couldn’t suppress.

Ruan Qiong had created those rules by himself, and he was only a cultivator who had left Wind Snow Temple. He wasn’t a Confucian disciple. However, since his rules had resonated with the grander rules and adhered to the Great Dao of Confucianism, the ruling power of Confucianism had acted to support him as well. In the end, this had helped Ruan Qiong’s minor rule become a formless deterrence. This was a complementary relationship in which both sides could benefit.

These were the grand rules of heaven and earth that the Etiquette Sage had personally established at the time.

These were invisible and intangible rules, yet these were rules that were ubiquitous and omnipresent.

Wei Bo didn’t order the black python to go up the mountain, and he instead ordered it to turn around and return the same way that they had come. He then sat down down cross-legged and sighed with emotion, “Just like this place, all the different nations and empires have myriad forces that have innumerable immortal abodes. Numerous factions and sects establish themselves on mountains and act as mountain elders, or establish themselves in seas and act as dragon kings. Some rulers view these forces as defensive assets to their empires, while some emperors view these forces as separatist forces who listen to orders but still maintain independence.

“The latter are viewed as local rulers with different surnames, and their recalcitrant nature renders the imperial leadership ineffective. However, because these forces are too powerful, some rulers have no option but to accept them and show courtesy toward them. In any case, it’s ultimately thanks to the Etiquette Sage that the mortal empires and immortal forces have been able to maintain relative peace with each other.”

Chen Ping’an sat down next to Wei Bo and said softly, “These matters are far too distant from me.”

Wei Bo smiled and replied, “If you say they’re distant, then they can be very distant. If you say they’re close, however, then they can also be very close.”

Chen Ping’an gazed back at Divine Elegance Mountain and murmured, “Is that so?”

————

On Clay Vase Alley, there was a young girl in green standing outside Chen Ping’an’s ancestral home. Looking at the tightly shut courtyard gate, she took a few glances at the couplets and door gods before turning around to leave.

However, three women quickly walked over, and they brought with them two little children who were around 10 years old. After seeing the young girl, they smiled and said, “Oh, Xiuxiu is also here.”

Ruan Xiu completely ignored them. In fact, she was feeling slightly annoyed.

The mortal women didn’t think much about this. Even though they didn’t know what kind of divine immortal the young girl’s father was, they could roughly guess that Master Ruan was definitely an extremely powerful person. There were many mysterious rumors floating around, and it was claimed that even the county magistrate could only enjoy an equal standing with that middle-aged man. The women didn’t dismiss this completely, but they were only willing to believe it with a healthy dose of skepticism.

However, after interacting with Ruan Xiu many times in the pastry shop and Burclover shop on Dragon Riding Alley, their initial unease and apprehension gradually disappeared. The women felt completely at ease now, and they didn’t feel like Ruan Xiu had the temperament of a wealthy young lady. It was just that she didn’t smile much.

Ruan Xiu wanted this interaction to be the same as before, where she would tolerate the women and not say anything. However, she was finally unable to stop herself today, and she looked at them and said coldly, “So be it if you people don’t pay when grabbing things from the shops. I can hide this from Chen Ping’an and pay out of my own pockets for you. Yet, you’re still coming over to Chen Ping’an’s house to cause trouble?”

“Oh, my dear Xiuxiu, do you not know about our relationship with Little Ping’an? We were extremely close with his mother when we were young, so when Little Ping’an’s parents passed away, not to mention anything else, which of us didn’t donate money and manpower to hold funerals for them? Afterward, Little Ping’an was all lonely and helpless. If it weren’t for us good-hearted neighbors helping him, that little child would have starved to death long ago. How could he have lived to enjoy this wealthy life…?”

“That’s right, that’s right. When Little Ping’an sees me, he still needs to call me Second Aunt! When he came to my house for free meals back at that time, I would always be reluctant to eat the meat and fish by myself. In fact, I was even reluctant to feed it to my child. Instead, I would give all of it to Little Ping’an. This type of kindness is simply priceless. Now that Little Ping’an has struck it rich, I’ve heard that he not only has these two large shops, but he also seems to have several large mountains. That being the case, he can’t kick us to the curb after we’ve outlived our usefulness, right? Is he not going to remember our kindness and show us some gratitude? How heartless would one have to be to do that?”

“Xiuxiu, we know that you’re from a wealthy family, so all of us treat you with kindness and respect. You can’t deny this, right? However, you genuinely don’t understand the hardships that poor families like us face. We need to send our children to school, and the situation in the dragon kilns is also less than ideal. Things are truly difficult for us. In any case, we’re not asking Little Ping’an for tens of thousands of taels of silver, are we? Isn’t it New Year right now? Xiuxiu, tell me from your conscience, is it wrong for these children to ask their Big Brother Ping’an for a few dozen taels of silver as some lucky money?”

Ruan Xiu’s expression was cold, and she directly replied, “I think it’s very wrong.”

An awkward atmosphere instantly fell over the small alley.

One of the women slapped her thighs and said, “Xiuxiu, you can’t speak like this. When Little Ping’an left the small town last time, didn’t you ask someone to give us some thank-you gifts? We won’t go against our conscience and deny this. Yes, we did indeed accept some of those gifts. However, none of those things could be exchanged for copper coins! We’re all poor people, so if we can’t afford rice and food, how can we survive? Forget about us adults, but what about our children? They’re still so young! Xiuxiu, look at how thin my son’s arms are. He’s no better off than Little Ping’an was back then. Can you bear to see this?”

Ruan Xiu nodded with a stern expression and replied, “Yes, I can bear to see this.”

The three women were stunned into silence.

One of the women eventually came to her senses, and she said in a soft voice, “Let’s not talk with her anymore. Let’s go and look for Chen Ping’an instead. If he still has the nerve to be a cheapskate and turn down our request, then we’ll hit him where it hurts and see whether he still cares about his reputation.”

The two other women nodded in agreement. This method would definitely be effective. There was an exuberant expression on one of the women’s faces as she lowered her voice and chuckled, “Chen Ping’an is most afraid of other people speaking ill of his parents, so this will definitely be the most effective method.”

“Piss off!”

Ruan Xiu raised a hand and pointed at the other end of Clay Vase Alley. With her face expressionless, she continued, “Otherwise, I’ll beat all of you to death.”

1. This references a poem by Meng Haoran, a major Tang dynasty poet, and a somewhat older contemporary of Wang Wei, Li Bai, and Du Fu. The lake mentioned in the poem is Dongting Lake. ☜