Unsheathed

After submitting the entrance fee, Chen Ping’an and Sun Jiashu passed through a tunnel that seemed to stretch on for an eternity before they finally entered the city. From there, Sun Jiashu led Chen Ping’an onto a spacious horse-drawn carriage. The carriage was a little larger than the average carriage, while the horses were also more well-trained than normal, but aside from that, there was nothing to suggest that the carriage belonged to a wealthy clan.

The coach driver was a serious-looking old man, and only after Chen Ping’an entered the carriage did he come to discover that there was more than met the eye. Inside the carriage were four white cushions, and there was a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf fully stacked with books situated against the wall across the carriage’s curtain.

There was also a copper incense burner in the carriage releasing faint wisps of fragrant purple smoke. Chen Ping’an and Sun Jiashu sat down across from each other, and Chen Ping’an was feeling rather uncomfortable, fearing that his straw sandals would dirty the carriage’s pristine interior.

Sun Jiashu took a glance at Chen Ping’an’s straw sandals, and a faint smile appeared on his face as he said, “Back when I was a little boy, my grandfather took me to travel everywhere in accordance with a tradition that’s been passed down in our clan for generations. Before I turned eighteen, I went to a new place virtually every year. I’ve worked as a shop employee, a fisherman, a farmer, a steward…

“All types of jobs were thrown my way. During those years, I also learned to weave straw sandals, but mine are very shoddy, they’re nowhere near as sturdy as yours.”

Sun Jiashu sat atop one of the cushions in the carriage with his legs crossed, and even though he was sitting in a very upright manner, he still exuded a casual air of comfort. He smiled and asked, “Would you care to take a guess at which piece of farm work I dreaded the most back then?”

Chen Ping’an wasn’t a clairvoyant or a mind-reader, so he was naturally unable to guess the answer to that question. Furthermore, in his eyes, Sun Jiashu was a very strange person. Even though they had only just met, the more time they spent together, the murkier his impression of Sun Jiashu became.

Sun Jiashu smiled as he continued, “It was collecting mulberry leaves. I would toil away for hours to collect a full basket of leaves, only for my grandfather to gently press down onto the leaves, and an entire basket of leaves would instantly be reduced to only half full. I would fill the basket again, only for another gentle press to erase hours of hard work, and this cycle of repetition was one that filled me with despair.

“On top of that, each time I went up into the mountains, my legs would be cut up by all of the abrasive weeds and shrubs, creating a bunch of tiny gashes that would sting intensely when I began to sweat. In contrast, I much prefer being latched onto by leeches while planting rice shoots in the rice paddy fields. My grandfather was a heavy smoker, and those leeches would fall off as soon as they were burned by my grandfather’s pipe.”

Chen Ping’an was very familiar with these struggles himself, and he replied, “Back home, those leeches were a real problem for me as I didn’t want to have to use any salt or vinegar on them. It would always take me a lot of time and effort to pull them out, and by the end, my legs would always be bleeding.

“Thankfully, there’s a type of grass that we call ‘green maidens’ that grows by the rice paddy fields, and they’re really good for stopping bleeding. I haven’t seen them anywhere after leaving my hometown.”

Sun Jiashu smiled as he nodded in response. “Those who live in true poverty are often a bit rougher around the edges, but they also have a higher capacity for suffering. No matter how many of these jobs were assigned to me, at my core, I’m still a complacent young master from a wealthy clan, so I still can’t compare with someone like you.

“When I first started traveling with my grandfather, I would constantly throw tantrums and demand to be taken back home. Thinking back now, if I were to have a grandson like myself, I definitely wouldn’t be able to treat him with the same degree of patience that my grandfather afforded me.”

“If such a day really does come, perhaps you’ll be different. Perhaps your personality will have mellowed out by then,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

Sun Jiashu was slightly taken aback, and nodded in response. “Perhaps so.”

One of them was a man who owned the entire street outside of Old Dragon City, while the other was a boy who had supposedly passed up things that were worth even more than the entire Old Dragon City, yet they were discussing these trivialities as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

The carriage continued onward in a smooth and stable fashion, and even though smoke had been rising up from the incense burner this entire time, the carriage didn’t become filled with smoke. Instead, there was only a subtle and refreshing fragrance in the air.

“With all of those shops that you have to manage, surely you’re losing a ton of money by coming out all this way to meet me. You could’ve just sent someone else,” Chen Ping’an said.

Sun Jiashu shook his head in response. “Earning money is one thing, but how one spends their money is an entirely different matter. When I’m doing business, I have to be extremely meticulous, down to every last copper coin, and I do work my backside off to earn money, but why do I do this? It’s precisely so that I don’t have to be stingy and pedantic when it comes to making friends.”

“That makes a lot of sense!” Chen Ping’an said with an enlightened expression, and he had to fight back the urge to pull out one of the small bamboo slips in his pocket treasure and engrave what Sun Jiashu had just said upon it.

Over the rest of the journey, the two of them thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. Sun Jiashu told Chen Ping’an many stories from his past, and Chen Ping’an had always been a very good listener. As more time passed, his impression of Sun Jiashu began to clarify again, and he determined that Sun Jiashu was a very rich yet easygoing person.

Sun Jiashu never bragged about his wealth, nor did he feign excessive modesty to try and make others feel less intimidated. Instead, he acknowledged that he had more privileged financial circumstances than the vast majority of people, yet he still treated others as equals in spite of that.

Chen Ping’an felt like this was what all wealthy people should aspire to be like.

Some time later, the carriage arrived somewhere in the countryside. The street had turned into a dirt road, so the carriage was trundling along in a rather bumpy fashion. Sun Jiashu could see that Chen Ping’an was a little perplexed by this, so he smiled and pulled up the curtain to reveal a large thicket of lush and vibrant reeds outside.

As the carriage continued onward, a meadow of rapeseed flowers came into view, presenting a very pleasant sight to behold. The flowering period of rapeseed flowers should’ve already passed by long ago, but Chen Ping’an merely presumed that this was because the natural conditions in Old Dragon City were different from those of his hometown.

“These are the ancestral grounds of our Sun Clan, and we’ve always tried to preserve its original appearance as much as possible so that we don’t disrupt the ancestral feng shui, as well as to pay homage to our ancestors,” Sun Jiashu explained. “Whenever our Sun Clan receives esteemed guests such as powerful cultivators or high-ranking officials and emperors, we always take them to the Sun Manor in the inner city.

“It’s a very opulent place that’s not inferior to the Fu Clan’s Old Dragon Manor. However, when it comes to my true friends, I like to bring them here. Our Sun Clan’s ancestral residence is a few kilometers up ahead. It’s not a very large place, but it’s very close to a river, so it’s great for fishing. I hope you’ll like it.”

“Of course I will, how could I not?” Chen Ping’an replied with a bright smile.

Sun Jiashu also smiled as he proposed, “How about we walk the rest of the way there?”

Chen Ping’an naturally raised no objections to this, and thus, the two of them got out of the carriage and began to walk to Sun Clan’s ancestral residence. On the way there, Sun Jiashu told Chen Ping’an some more things about these ancestral grounds, casually mentioning that the Su Clan owned the entire area in a radius of several dozen kilometers, encompassing six villages that contained around 2,000 households.

Whatever these households produced, such as silk threads and tea leaves, were all purchased by the Sun Clan at slightly higher than market price, so all of the village’s residents had decent incomes and led secure and happy lives. This gave Chen Ping’an a clearer understanding of the enormity of Old Dragon City and the generosity of the Sun Clan.

As the outlines of the Sun Clan’s ancestral residence cme into view, Chen Ping’an asked, “Is there an intercontinental ship from Old Dragon City to Stalactite Mountain?”

Sun Jiashu nodded in response. “There is. Old Dragon City is the largest business hub on the entire Eastern Treasured Vial Continent, so there are ships leading to any place where money can be made.

“However, not everyone has the wherewithal to earn money from the Sword Qi Great Wall. Even when it comes to the Fu Clan, our Sun Clan, and the other major clans of Old Dragon City, a great deal of care has to be taken when doing business with the people at the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

A reminiscent look appeared in Sun Jiashu’s eyes as he continued, “Over the course of the past few thousand years, all of the five major clans with the exception of our Sun Clan have already changed many times, and the majority fell due to their certain matters related to Stalactite Mountain.

“The few major crises that our Sun Clan went through were also all related to the Sword Qi Great Wall. Right now, there are only six ships in Old Dragon City that can travel to Stalactite Mountain, two of which are owned by the Fu Clan. The six ships are all massive, able to hold over 2,000 passengers per trip.

“The Fu Clan’s ships are a Treasure Swallowing Whale and a floating mountain crafted by master Mohist artisans, and the latter is known as a miniature Stalactite Mountain.”

A hint of self-deprecation surfaced in Sun Jiashu’s eyes as he spoke, but a smile then appeared on his face as he continued, “By the way, the Fu Clan and our five major clans of Old Dragon City are all followers of Commercialism of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Hence, the figures revered in our clans are different from the Confucian sages being worshiped in Confucian temples.

“However, even now, Commercialism still isn’t considered to be an official teaching. I heard that a very long time ago, a sage from one of the Confucian schools ranked quite highly in the Confucian temples once denounced Commercialism by comparing it to a dish of dog meat, which is considered to be unfit for presentation in a meal.

“This may sound like quite a scathing assessment, but it’s actually quite a flattering one, given some of the other remarks that have been directed at Commercialism. We’re known as filthy merchants who reek of the stench of money and disgraces to the Hundred Schools of Thought.

“Merchants are denounced as universally unscrupulous scoundrels who would gladly sell even their mothers for the right price, and as far as some people are concerned, Commercialism is the worst thing to have ever blighted this world. This is why even though there are so many followers of Commercialism in this world, you’ll never see any being officially endorsed by any of the empires.”

When it came to these matters related to the inner workings of the Hundred Schools of Thought, all Chen Ping’an could do was listen, and he didn’t dare to raise any opinions of his own.

Upon reaching the Sun Clan’s ancestral residence, which was quite a small place, the two of them were not greeted by any beautiful maidservants. Instead, there were only around a dozen elderly men and women looking after the residence. Sun Jiashu treated Chen Ping’an to a meal that was nowhere near lavish, but nor could it be considered crude and unsightly.

All of the ingredients were in season and had been sourced from near the residence, and the main dish was a seafood soup. However, Chen Ping’an was accustomed to eating dishes made from freshwater ingredients, so he wasn’t all that fond of the soup. Sun Jiashu didn’t encourage him to eat more soup, instead merely telling Chen Ping’an to eat whatever he pleased.

After the meal, the two of them went on a stroll on the bank of the river outside the residence, and Chen Ping’an asked, “Young Master Sun, have you heard of a place called the Dust Medicinal Shop in Old Dragon City?”

Sun Jiashu thought about it momentarily, then replied, “I haven’t, but I can track it down for you very quickly.”

Chen Ping’an gave a grateful response, to which Sun Jiashu waved a dismissive hand with a smile, indicating that Chen Ping’an didn’t have to be so polite.

He then bent down to pick up a flat and smooth rock before hurling it over the water at a low trajectory, skipping it toward the other bank.

On the other side of the river was a rapeseed blossom field that shimmered like a field of gold under the light of the sun.

Chen Ping’an had already set his belongings down in the room that he was staying in, but of course, he was still carrying the Sword Nurturing Gourd and the sword case with him. He removed the gourd from his waist before taking a swig of wine while looking out at the calm river, looking much like a relaxed and serene old man.

Sun Jiashu stopped in his tracks as he said, “By my estimates, there should be three ships setting off Stalactite Mountain soon, while the other three ships are still yet to return. One of those is our Sun Clan’s Mountain and Sea Turtle, while the other two are the Fu Clan’s Treasure Swallowing Whale and the Fan Clan’s Osmanthus Island.

“From a safety perspective, I advise you to pick the Treasure Swallowing Whale. Over the past decade, the climate in the intercontinental channel to Stalactite Mountain has been very hostile, and our Mountain and Sea Turtle is not as safe or stable as the Treasure Swallowing Whale. In fact, even Osmanthus Island is superior in that regard.

“No matter how mild and docile the Mountain and Sea Turtle is, it’s still a living creature, and the Kun ship incident that took place in the central region of Eastern Treasured Vial Continent is an example of how traveling on a living vessel can go wrong. In contrast, the Treasure Swallowing Whale can swim through the deep sea, so it’s not exposed to the elements at all.

“Additionally, that channel is a well-established one, and the Fu Clan has already determined the best route to avoid all of the great demons in the sea. Having said that, if you’re looking for comfort and affordability, then look no further than our Mountain and Sea Turtle. I can’t guarantee that the trip will be particularly enjoyable, but at the very least, you won’t have to worry about food or shelter on our Mountain and Sea Turtle.”

Chen Ping’an hesitated momentarily, then replied, “I’m definitely not going to choose the Treasure Swallowing Whale, so it’ll have to be either the Mountain and Sea Turtle or Osmanthus Island.”

“Why is that?” Sun Jiashu asked with a surprised expression.

A slightly embarrassed look appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face as he replied, “Back in my hometown, I almost killed Fu Nanhua, so there’s no way I would dare to travel on one of their ships.”

Sun Jiashu clasped a hand firmly down onto Chen Ping’an’s shoulder as he exclaimed, “Chen Ping’an, I’ve met many young and courageous heroes, but none as bold as you are!”

Chen Ping’an heaved a faint sigh upon hearing this. It was clear from what Sun Jiashu had just said that Fu Nanhua was not someone that he should have messed with.

Sun Jiashu was holding back the urge to laugh, but ultimately, he was unable to do so. “There’s more than one potential heir to the position of city lord of Old Dragon City, and there are also quite a few people eligible to inherit that Old Dragon Robe, but everyone knows that Fu Nanhua is the one that City Lord Fu Qi holds in the highest regard, and one of the patriarchs of the Fu Clan, who holds a pseudo-celestial tool, is Fu Nanhua’s master.

“Having said that, that patriarch has been in seclusion for the past few years, and it’s said that he’s attempting a breakthrough to the Upper Five Tiers. Hence, Fu Nanhua has the best chance out of anyone to become the next city lord. With all of that, I am truly impressed, Chen Ping’an. If word were to spread that you had almost killed Fu Nanhua, then I guarantee you that you’ll be a household name across half the continent within a month!”

“I’d rather not have such a reputation,” Chen Ping’an replied with a resigned expression.

Sun Jiashu was chortling with mirth as he continued, “I’ve met Fu Nanhua on many past occasions, and I would even say that we’re decently close friends. Of course, Liu Baqiao is a far dearer friend to me than Fu Nanhua.

“The fact that my first response to hearing about Fu Nanhua’s misfortune is to laugh is a clear indication that I’m not a good person, so you better be careful around me, Chen Ping’an. If you decide to become my friend, make sure you keep your wits about you and don’t go spilling your guts too soon.”

“To be honest, I don’t know Liu Baqiao very well. In fact, we’ve only met twice in total,” Chen Ping’an admitted.