Unsheathed

The fortress stood tall amid the mountains and waters, and if one didn’t look carefully, one would easily miss the ancient talismans written in red ink and stuck high up on the left and right sides of the city gate. Chen Ping’an’s eyesight was very good to begin with, and he also had a habit of carefully observing everything, so he immediately discovered the two inconspicuous talismans.

He turned his head to glance at Lu Tai, yet he saw that the handsome young man was still busy chatting about the cultivation world of Agarwood Nation with Huan Shu. Thus, Chen Ping’an silently committed these talismans to memory.

There were all kinds of talismans in the world, with the branches and factions also being numerous and complicated. However, only three branches had the right to be regarded as authentic.

Mount Longhu’s Heavenly Master Residence in Middle Earth Divine Continent was one, while the Spirit Treasure Faction in Southern Whirl Continent was another. The final one was Parasol Leaf Sect in Parasol Leaf Continent, the continent where Chen Ping’an was standing right now.

Administrator He Ya arranged a small courtyard in the east of the Flying Eagle Fortress for Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai, the two uninvited guests. He Ya personally led them to this courtyard.

Before bidding farewell to them, the siblings Huan Chang and Huan Shu told Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai to relax and rest up today. There would be a welcome banquet in the main building tomorrow, and they hoped Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai could both attend.

The main bluestone road through the center of the Flying Eagle Fortress led directly to the main building. Meanwhile, the other streets and alleys were crisscrossing and intertwining. The dirt road alleys made Chen Ping’an feel as if he had returned to Clay Vase Alley and Apricot Blossom Alley in his hometown.

The residents of these streets and alleys were all people who had lived in the Flying Eagle Fortress for many generations. However, the alleys here were much cleaner and tidier compared to Clay Vase Alley which was filled with chicken droppings and dog feces.

There were peach trees and peach blossoms in almost every house, and the boisterous little children were either running back and forth and performing mock battles with bamboo swords and wooden sabers, or they were riding bamboo stick horses and shouting go, go, go.

The little children weren’t afraid of He Ya, the old administrator of the fortress, and they simply stopped and greeted him as “Mr. He” when they came across him. They would cup their hands and bow in a proper-looking manner before quickly running off again. The laughter of children rang through the streets and alleys.

After helping Chen Ping’an and Lu Tai settle down in the small courtyard, the bookish old administrator quickly returned to the top level of the main building to seek an audience with Huan Yang, the lord of the Flying Eagle Fortress.

Huan Yang was a handsome man with a jade-like appearance. Even though he was no longer young, with his sideburns already graying, this actually helped to accentuate Huan Yang’s elegant demeanor. At the end of the day, one would always be right as long as they were good-looking. This was the same for both males and females. On the other hand, one would always be wrong if they were the opposite of good-looking.

Sitting on a simple and ancient-looking arhat bed, Huan Yang raised a hand and gestured for He Ya to sit down beside him. The old administrator looked down at his muddy boots before shaking his head with a smile. He then carried a chair over to sit down beside the arhat bed.

Huan Yang frowned and asked, “Uncle He, why did you bring two outsiders into the Flying Eagle Fortress? Are they related to the esteemed immortals from the mountains to the west?”

“It’s hard to say right now,” He Ya replied with a helpless expression. “Things had already settled down when we arrived, and it was very likely that those immortals and demons retreated after their battle ended. I secretly ordered two people to stay back to search for any clues, yet they were unable to discover anything useful. The victorious party probably used some immortal secret technique to wipe away all traces.”

Huan Yang smiled wryly and said, “In fact, it would be quite good if those two people are genuinely immortals from the legends. Through my relationships, I asked someone to head out to invite an esteemed immortal to the fortress. However, they’re already one month later than planned.

“I ordered someone to send a secret letter to ask why the esteemed immortal is taking so long, and it was only now that I received a reply from a good friend in the capital. My friend reprimanded me sternly in the letter, saying that it’s only natural for paramount immortals from the mountains to be enigmatic and elusive. Even the generals and ministers in the capital find it very difficult to seek an audience with him.

“In other words, it was already immensely fortunate that the immortal eventually accepted his request and agreed to help us. If we push our luck any further, we should be wary of transforming this immense fortune into a disastrous misfortune.”

There was deep anxiety on Huan Yang’s face as he asked in a quiet voice, “Uncle He, you’re an experienced member of the cultivation world, and you’re also aware of some things from the mountains, so how do you suggest we deal with this matter? Are we really going to keep waiting like this?

“Strange occurrences have been popping up in the fortress one after another these past few years, so it will genuinely be very difficult to keep things under control if one or two more strange things happen. At that time, people will definitely be filled with unease and fear. What should we do?”

“Your friend is correct, Lord Huan,” He Ya replied in a firm voice. “Immortals from the mountains are completely focused on pursuing Dao, and this causes their temperament to become unpredictable and enigmatic. Ordinary people like us are completely unable to understand their thoughts. As such, we have no option but to obediently wait.”

Huan Yang sighed and grabbed a pot of wine, drinking a small sip of millet wine fermented by the Flying Eagle Fortress. “Then we’ll keep waiting. However, the Flying Eagle Fortress truly can’t hold on for much longer. Otherwise, how could I have asked you to take such a big risk and enter the mountain forest, hoping that we could actively seek help from those Qi refiners or whatnot?

“I initially wanted to try our luck and see if we could come across some powerful person skilled in immortal techniques. That way, we could have made some desperate attempts to solve the problems plaguing the Flying Eagle Fortress. It would be worth it even if we spent all of our wealth.”

He Ya hesitated for a moment, taking a while to choose his words before replying carefully, “Even though those two people are young, I only invited them into the Flying Eagle Fortress because I feel like they genuinely might be immortal disciples from some immortal force in the mountains. Perhaps they’re traveling through the cultivation world to hone their skills and temper their cultivation.

“While returning to the fortress, I carefully observed their breathing, footsteps, and expressions. The young boy in white who has a sword on his back is most likely a subordinate. On the other hand, the young man clearly isn’t some ordinary mortal. His aura and disposition are far too good, genuinely far too good.”

Huan Yang stroked his beard and smiled, remarking, “No wonder Little Shu was sticking to him the entire time. By the looks of it, she took a liking to him straight away. Very well, her judgment is quite good. As expected of my daughter.”

The appearance of the handsome young man in azure brought up many old memories for Administrator He. He smiled and said, “When traveling through the cultivation world with the previous fortress lord all those years back, I only came across a measly two or three people who possessed such impressive disposition.

“One of them was Commissioner Liu, the current commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs in the capital. He was only a profligate young master back then, and he indulged himself in both women and wine. However, it was clear that he kept his aura and essence hidden within. Indeed, he was simply tarnishing his own image to trick the world.

“The second person was Dou Zizhi during his early days. He had only just entered the cultivation world, yet he was already radiating with an intense and vigorous aura. However, few people were optimistic about Dou Zizhi’s future back then, and they simply treated him as nothing more than an ordinary prodigy. They didn’t regard him as anything special.

“Yet, the old fortress lord said at the time that Dou Zizhi would enjoy great renown in the cultivation world of Agarwood Nation for at least 30 years. The old fortress lord’s astute judgment was truly something else.

“As for the final person, I don’t know his name and I don’t know his background either. I climbed up a mountain with the old fortress lord to enjoy the sunrise, yet we discovered a man in white sitting there and meditating when we reached the peak of the mountain.

“When he saw us, he smiled and nodded in greeting before standing up and disappearing in a flash. There was no trace of him to be found. You have to remember that we were standing on the peak of a mountain more than 3000 meters tall. Apart from traveling away on the wind or flying away on a sword, how else could he have left the mountain?”

The old man sighed as he spoke, yet his face was glowing with spirit and vigor.

After saying all of this, however, he couldn’t help but feel slightly dejected.

The cultivation world that they belonged to was vast and filled with a myriad of factions and forces. There was the struggle between good and evil, the fame and glory that came with life and death, the deep bonds between cultivators, and everything else in between. All of this belonged to the cultivation world.

In the end, however, perhaps the cultivation world was only a small puddle in the eyes of some people?

These people simply needed to raise their feet a little if they wanted to step over this small puddle. If they were too lazy, however, then they would simply step down and cause a large splash, perhaps sending huge shockwaves through the entire cultivation world…

Huan Yang was very interested in this, and the old administrator’s recollection swept away much of the accumulated worry in his mind. “Uncle He, why didn’t you tell me about these things before?” he asked with a smile.

“Why would I talk about these things?” the old administrator replied with a self-ridiculing expression. “A true elite doesn’t boast about past glories. In any case, I’ve never been an elite for a single day of my life. The old fortress lord who shattered the statue of a Daoist enforcer with a single slash was a true elite.

“As for me, I’m simply someone who helped carry luggage for the old fortress lord and someone who helps look after horses for you, the current fortress lord. I’ll try to live for a few more years in the future and help arrange a wedding for the young fortress lord as well. I’ll have no more regrets after that.”

Huan Yang sighed with emotion and asked, “Can immortals truly attain Dao and achieve immortality?”

“You can pose this question again when that immortal recommended by your friend arrives,” the old administrator replied with a chuckle.

————

Lu Tai was quite satisfied with the small courtyard they were staying in. It was located at the end of a small alley where things were calm and quiet. The walls of the courtyard were also decorated with climbing figs.

Lu Tai then looked up and smiled as he waved a hand toward the eaves in the distance. Near the ridge of the roof, a subordinate of the Flying Eagle Fortress panted heavily before bending down and jumping off the roof. He quickly ran away to report the situation to the old administrator.

The handsome young man had already detected his presence, so it was very likely that he would be suspected of harboring ill intentions if he stayed for any longer. At that time, it was very likely that everything would go pear-shaped.

Chen Ping’an sat down on a stone chair and said quietly, “This place feels a little strange.”

Lu Tai wasn’t worried by Chen Ping’an’s comment, and he casually said, “Rest assured, I was simply looking for a comfortable place to rest. I definitely won’t cause any trouble. I can’t be bothered dealing with anything that happens outside this small courtyard given that the matter doesn’t charge over and provoke me.”

Chen Ping’an recalled the two ancient talismans stuck outside the large gate of the Flying Eagle Fortress, so he raised a finger and drew the talismans in the air, asking, “Do you know what talismans these are?”

Lu Tai went inside the building to look for a tea set. Since they were living in this fortress, it was best that they adhere to the customs of this place. Neither of them had any bags or luggage on them, so it naturally wouldn’t be good for them to casually retrieve items from thin air. Lu Tai didn’t need to look around for too long before he found a tea set. Afterward, he grabbed a small bucket and prepared to head out, telling Chen Ping’an that he was going to draw water.

They had walked past a well just then, and Lu Tai remarked that this well was quite interesting. Generally speaking, well water was the most inferior choice when it came to brewing tea. However, the water from this well was of extremely good quality, so Lu Tai said that perhaps he might be given a pleasant surprise.

In terms of Chen Ping’an’s question about the talismans, Lu Tai’s reply was very direct. Was he knowledgeable enough to recognize all of the talismans in the world? The stroke patterns of the two talismans on the gate were unfamiliar to Lu Tai, but he said that they might be the work of someone from a heretical branch of Parasol Leaf Continent’s talismanic force.

In any case, the core of the talismans was quite inferior, and the spiritual energy of the talismans had already dissipated long ago. Lu Tai said that only brutish idiots like those in the Flying Eagle Fortress would foolishly treat these talismans as treasures. Perhaps they were hoping for peace.

Chen Ping’an had a vague feeling that there was a faint yin energy lingering over the Flying Eagle Fortress and unwilling to disperse. However, it wasn’t worth a mention compared to the churning black smoke filled with soaring murderous aura that the demonic cultivator had unleashed after crushing his clay pot.

After a while, Lu Tai returned with an empty bucket.

“What’s wrong? The well water isn’t suitable for brewing tea?” Chen Ping’an asked.

Lu Tai pursed his lips and replied, “Someone has clearly tampered with the feng shui of the Flying Eagle Fortress. The well water has a very dense yin energy. To say nothing of brewing tea, even using this water to cook will cause issues for mortal humans in the long term if their yang energy isn’t abundant enough. However, the issues won’t be too severe. I surmise that a lot more girls have been born in the past ten to twenty years, a lot more than boys. If this continues, then the Flying Eagle Fortress will end up in a state where yin energy is dominant and yang energy is inferior.”

Chen Ping’an frowned and remained silent.

“You’re not going to deal with this matter?” Lu Tai asked with a smile.

Chen Ping’an shot a glance at him and replied, “Disregarding any potential grudges they have in the cultivation world, we’re completely unaware of whether trying to solve this problem is saving them or harming them.”

“Your reply puts my mind at ease,” Lu Tai said with a smile. “I was afraid that blood would rush to your head and cause you to immediately draw your saber for the sake of justice and righteousness.”

“I don’t have a saber,” Chen Ping’an retorted with a huff.

Lu Tai tossed the bucket aside and clasped his hands behind his back. He then looked Chen Ping’an up and down with an amused expression and clicked his tongue in wonder, remarking, “Oh, Chen Ping’an, how impressive! You even know how to joke now!”

Chen Ping’an dismissed this with a smile.

He started to practice the six-step walking meditation in the courtyard.

Lu Tai sat down on the steps and glanced up at the sky. Gently rocking his bamboo folding fan, he said, “It’s about to rain.”

Night fell, and it wasn’t long before a downpour arrived as predicted.

The pitter-pattering rain landed on the stone table in the courtyard, the small alley, and the heaven and earth around the fortress.

Chen Ping’an didn’t need to worry about the biting cold thanks to his Dao robe, Golden Sweet Wine. In fact, he didn’t even need to worry about his clothes becoming wet, so he continued to practice fist techniques in the courtyard. In any case, Chen Ping’an was intoxicated by the feeling of his punches blasting apart the falling drops of rain.

Meanwhile, Lu Tai had already gone inside to shelter from the rain. Even though the autumn wind and autumn rain caused the temperature to drop, the handsome young man was still sitting there and rocking his bamboo folding fan as always. He was either zoning out, or he would occasionally glance at Chen Ping’an practicing his fist techniques.

Lu Tai saw Chen Ping’an go from practicing fist techniques to practicing sword techniques. However, Chen Ping’an was still feigning holding a sword in his hand in a very strange manner.

Lu Tai smiled and said, “In the past, people always viewed rain as a union between heaven and earth and a state of mutual harmony between yin and yang. This is truly interesting. Indeed, I wonder how people in the future will view us?”

Chen Ping’an didn’t respond. Lu Tai always made strange and mysterious remarks like this, so there was no need to pay any heed to him.

Later at night, Lu Tai put his light out and went to sleep.

As always, Chen Ping’an burned the midnight oil and continued to read. He was flipping through the Mountain and Sea Chronicle.

Heavy rain continued to thunder outside his window. It was very rare to see such heavy rain.

Chen Ping’an’s ears pricked up slightly, and he could vaguely hear the joyful laughter of children echoing down the small alley and rushing past the courtyard.

After a while, Chen Ping’an had just flipped over to a new page when he heard the soft weeping of a woman traveling over from outside.

Chen Ping’an was completely unfazed. Afterward, the sound of a coughing old man gradually faded into the distance.

One had to realize that this small courtyard was located at the end of a small alley — it was located at a dead end.

Chen Ping’an closed the book in his hands and grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd from the table, sipping wine as he walked out of his room. He opened the door, and it was as if the torrential downpour tearing through heaven and earth suddenly transformed into flowing blood.

However, everything returned to normal after Chen Ping’an blinked his eyes once. There was nothing peculiar apart from the frigid air and the permeating water vapor around the small courtyard.

Chen Ping’an grabbed a chair and sat outside his room, releasing a slight amount of his aura. His pure and soft-concealed fist intent slowly circulated around his body, keeping the lashing rain several meters from his body.

The sound of knocking came over from the courtyard door.

Chen Ping’an was just about to stand up and walk over to open the door.

However, the knocking suddenly stopped at this exact moment.

After experiencing this two to three times, Chen Ping’an decided to ignore the knocking altogether, starting to practice standing meditation instead.

The downpour gradually calmed down after fifteen minutes, transforming into a pitter-pattering drizzle.

The harrowing sound of fingernails scraping across a hard surface traveled over from the courtyard door.

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes and sighed. He pinched a yellow paper Treasure Pagoda Demon-suppressing Talisman from his sleeve before standing up and slowly walking to the courtyard door.

Like a brilliant sun tearing through the night sky, the yellow paper talisman between his fingers shone with a dazzling golden radiance.

However, Lu Tai suddenly opened his door and said through a yawn, “Hurry up and put that away. Otherwise, you might accidentally frighten those ghosts to death.”

Chen Ping’an ignored Lu Tai’s lame humor.

He was just about to open the courtyard door and toss the yellow paper talisman into the small alley. He would do this before caring about anything else.

“Don’t act rashly and alert our opponent,” Lu Tai warned.

Chen Ping’an thought for a moment before continuing to the courtyard door. After pulling back the bolt and opening the door, he saw that there was clearly no one in the small and muddy alley that was permeating with eerie yin energy. However, he could hear quiet chatter floating around the surroundings, and he could even see footprints of varying depths and sizes appearing along the muddy alley.

Chen Ping’an leaned over and stuck the yellow paper talisman onto the courtyard door.

Before closing the courtyard door and going back inside, he glanced around and saw two people braving the rain and walking through the small alley in the distance, one adult and one child. They were both wearing coarse white clothes, and the child didn’t turn his body as he twisted his head 180 degrees to face Chen Ping’an. He grinned and gave a silent laugh.