Unsheathed

Chapter 299: The World Is Very Uninteresting; You Shouldn’t Have Come

Chen Ping’an’s eleventh punch was incredibly quick.

The truly powerful nature of the Deity Drumming Technique’s fist intent was the fact that it could stack together as long as one’s physique and soul were strong enough to withstand the agonizing pain caused by the Qi furiously flowing inside one’s body. If one successfully managed to throw punch after punch, then one could genuinely shake mountains and annihilate cities. This wasn’t an exaggeration!

Chen Ping’an’s punch caused the house-sized mountain to retreat a dozen or so meters into the air.

Without saying a single word, Chen Ping’an immediately stomped his foot again and threw another punch.

The expression on the old man wearing the tall hat became slightly solemn, and he no longer focused on trying to toy with the young boy anymore. Instead, he silently recited a mantra as he held two fingers together, making four consecutive swiping motions near his hat decorated with the true appearances of the Five Mountains.

Even though this would expend a significant amount of his spiritual energy and cause his tall hat to temporarily lose its powers as well, the old man was determined to go all out and kill this irritating young boy in a single blow.

As an itinerant cultivator with no powerful backer and no habit of seeking help from others, this tall hat was the old man’s only immortal treasure. He had obtained it from a secret realm, and he had suddenly lashed out to kill his companion when dividing spoils in order to guarantee that this immortal treasure became his. He had killed his good friend who had gone through thick and thin with him.

Before dying, his good friend had begged him to take care of his descendants and guarantee that they enjoyed one hundred years of mortal glory and riches. The old man had nodded and agreed, yet he had immediately used some technique to silently and completely eliminate the clan of one hundred or so people.

Even when the old man was chased for five thousand kilometers by the young Golden Core Tier cultivator from Peace and Tranquility Mountain, his extremely valuable Five Mountains Hat had still remained intact and only suffered some minor damage. Moreover, it had already returned to its peak state after being repaired for one hundred years.

However, it was a shame that the old man still couldn’t find the origin of the true appearances of the Five Mountains illustrated on his hat even after scouring through countless books and records. Because of this, the old man could only use half of the power of the immortal treasure. This was truly a great shame. Otherwise, it was difficult to say who would have hunted whom when he came across that young bastard from Peace and Tranquility Mountain back then.

Two mountains were stacked together as they crashed down as quickly as lightning.

Chen Ping’an’s rapid thirteenth punch only managed to push the Eastern Mountain, the mountain at the bottom, three or so meters into the air.

The next mountain quickly crashed down.

Would the weight of the mountain gain an advantage, or would the young boy’s fist techniques prove more invincible?

The old man’s Five Mountains Hat had already lost its luster, no longer echoing with the rustling of pine trees and the calls of cranes.

Chen Ping’an’s Qi and blood were churning, and he was yet to show signs of becoming exhausted. However, he didn’t want to be trapped by the three plummeting mountains. After all, who knew what other secret techniques the old man had up his sleeves?

Seizing the opportunity when the Deity Drumming Technique could rest but not be cut off, Chen Ping’an prepared to retreat from the martial arts training ground and choose a new location for their battle. He would then hurriedly throw the fourteenth punch.

Chen Ping’an had already prepared an Inch Movement Talisman, yet he was astonished to discover that standing in the shadows of the mountains was akin to standing in Lu Tai’s so-called land without Dao, one that restricted the immortal techniques of all outsiders. His Inch Movement Talismans had helped him immensely in many past battles, yet they surprisingly remained unresponsive at this moment.

Left with no other option, Chen Ping’an could only summon First and Fifteenth from his Sword Nurturing Gourd and have them shoot into the sea of dark clouds.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping’an was forced to throw his fourteenth punch, causing the plummeting mountain to falter slightly. He then charged forward, attempting to leave the shadows of the mountains.

The old man wearing the tall hat roared with laughter and exclaimed, “Trying to flee?!”

He pressed down with his palm, causing a fourth mountain to crash down.

There were now four mountains stacked together and rumbling loudly as they crashed down toward Chen Ping’an. Moreover, the martial arts training ground that had now become the foot of the mountains was being suppressed by boundless spiritual energy, causing Chen Ping’an’s movements to slow down.

The mountains were finally able to suppress the young boy wearing a golden robe and unleashing astonishingly powerful fist techniques.

The old man wearing the tall hat was slightly astonished after succeeding, and he remarked, “Since when have pure martial artists been able to summon bonded flying swords as well?”

Flowing water often existed together with tall mountains.

Upon detecting the presence of the two flying swords piercing through the air, the old man plucked two rivers from his Five Mountains Hat. One was murky and yellow, while one was green and limpid. After materializing, both rivers appeared as slender as a woman’s waist. The two rivers flowed around the old man’s red straw mat, blocking the swift and fierce attacks from the two flying swords again and again. Water splashed into the surroundings, causing the two rivers to continually shrink in size.

However, the old man wearing the tall hat was still more focused on the martial arts training ground.

Right now, the sea of dark clouds was only a measly sixty meters from the ground.

The old man’s red straw mat was almost about to touch the peak of the fourth mountain, and this caused his vision to be partially obstructed. The old man wearing the tall hat extended a finger and tapped his glabella, silently mouthing the word “open” at the same time.

His eyes instantly became pitch-black. Like the clouds and mists of nighttime dissipating, the true appearance of the bright moon then appeared in his eyes, allowing heaven and earth to become clear again. The old man’s vision successfully penetrated through the four stacked mountains, allowing him to see the figure of the young boy wearing the golden robe.

What a sly brat! You’re just like a slippery loach! You’re still trying to sneak away?!

Chen Ping’an first lowered his head and bent his back slightly, carrying the mountains on his shoulders as he charged forward. As the mountains continued to descend, Chen Ping’an eventually bent down even further as he sprinted forward.

Meanwhile, the power of his golden robe astonished the old man, forcefully winning valuable time for him at this critical moment. It allowed Chen Ping’an to roll forward and avoid the fate of being crushed into minced meat by the four stacked mountains when the mountains were just four feet from the surface of the martial arts training ground.

The old man wearing the tall hat chuckled coldly in his mind. The demonic forces would always be one step ahead. He had been waiting for this moment when the young boy would mistakenly believe that he had managed to successfully flee.

The fifth mountain was yet to crash down, and this was none other than the most venerated Central Mountain. One could vaguely make out the steepness of this mountain when one gazed upon the projection of its true appearance.

That the young boy was able to resist the crushing power of four large mountains was already far beyond the old man’s expectations. He had initially thought that three stacked mountains would be enough to crush the young boy to death.

Indeed, the young boy’s fist technique that could seemingly stack its might without limit was truly very strange!

If he could obtain the secret scripture detailing this fist technique after he killed the young boy, it was entirely possible that it would be no inferior to the golden robe.

“Go!” the old man roared.

The Central Mountain crashed down toward the rolling Chen Ping’an.

At the same time, the four other mountains started to separate, keeping the Central Mountain as the middle point as they landed in the surroundings and took root. Some crushed the buildings in the martial arts training ground, some knocked down tall walls, some landed in streets beyond the martial arts training ground, and some pulverized private courtyards neighboring the martial arts training ground.

The Five Mountains would form a large and natural formation once the four mountains took root and the Central Mountain solidified its position.

As if linked to the mind of the young boy facing imminent death, the two flying swords above the sea of dark clouds became increasingly ferocious as they attacked the true intent of the two rivers.

The old man wearing the tall hat laughed heartily and said, “Oh my, I’m seriously scared of you two little things. Very well, then I’ll play a game of hide-and-seek with you. Let’s see how the two of you will react once your master dies.”

The old man reached out with both hands and grabbed two sheets of dark clouds and mist. He then clapped his hands together, vanishing amid the large expanse of billowing clouds and mist.

Trapped by the Five Mountains, Chen Ping’an was already walking on a tightrope between life and death.

Even though First and Fifteenth were brimming with majestic sword qi, they were still helpless against the old man who had decided to go into hiding. They could only attack and reduce the volume of the pitch-black clouds.

Meanwhile, Chen Ping’an had already unleashed the demon-binding chain forged from the two whiskers of the elderly golden flood dragon. The demon-binding chain was a dazzling golden color, and it immediately grew in size until it looked like a golden flood dragon lying coiled on the Central Mountain.

It forcefully dragged the mountain a dozen or so meters into the air, preventing it from crashing down and making contact with the ground. This temporarily prevented the Five Mountains from completing their formation as well. However, even though the demon-binding chain continued to shrink, causing shattered rocks to continually fly from the Central Mountain, the Central Mountain still maintained its momentum and slowly descended toward the ground.

At this moment, the sea of dark clouds was just thirty meters above the ground of the Flying Eagle Fortress.

If someone were to stand on the observation deck of the main building and gaze into the distance, it would seem as if they were standing on the peak of a large mountain that towered thousands of meters above the ground. This was a magnificent scene with howling winds and rolling clouds.

————

Inside the main building of the Flying Eagle Fortress, the man holding the fly-whisk and restricted from using any immortal techniques was exhausted but still forced to flee for his life as he was chased by Lu Tai’s large and small bonded flying swords.

The members of the Flying Eagle Fortress’ Huan Clan were able to witness the truly spectacular techniques of an immortal from the mountains.

While rejoicing at their fortune of being saved by the handsome young man, the members of the Huan Clan couldn’t help but feel a slight sense of despair as well. Martial artists from the cultivation world were truly insignificant compared to such profoundly powerful immortals from the mountains.

Lu Tai didn’t stand there idly and let his two extremely high-grade bonded flying swords, Needle Tip and Wheat Awn, slowly exhaust the Sea Observation Tier cultivator to death. Instead, he retrieved numerous immortal treasures and tools from his colorful ribbon, many of which he had obtained during his travels.

When his bonded flying swords slashed a gap in the cage trapping the man with the fly-whisk, Lu Tai would seize the opportunity to launch vicious attacks at his opponent. This was naturally a painful and perilous situation for the Sea Observation Tier cultivator.

The tall immortal in white tried to plead his case first, trying his hardest to persuade Lu Tai to stop such that they could sit down and discuss things in an amicable manner. If Lu Tai were willing to stop, then he was willing to hand over all of his wealth and even allow Lu Tai to put restrictions on his soul.

However, upon realizing that Lu Tai wouldn’t budge, the tall immortal in white who only had the handle of his fly-whisk remaining started to threaten Lu Tai in a menacing manner, claiming that he would destroy Lu Tai’s two flying swords when he died. He also promised to wound Lu Tai’s soul, making it so that the handsome young man would find it incredibly difficult to advance his cultivation in the future.

Leaning on the chair of the fortress lord’s wife, Lu Tai rocked his bamboo folding fan and paid no heed to the threats of the disheveled Sea Observation Tier cultivator. He had already forced the door of the large hall open, so the ominous scenes bearing down on the Flying Eagle Fortress were clear for all to see.

A sea of murky darkness blotted out heaven and earth.

It was very likely that the hundreds of residents in the Flying Eagle Fortress would never forget these scenes for the rest of their lives. This sense of fear and helplessness would be deeply ingrained in their minds.

Moreover, the influence of today’s events was bound to be profound and long-lasting. If these people survived, it was destined that stories of this calamity would be passed down from generation to generation. When immortals from the mountains fought, it was mortals from outside the mountains who would suffer.

If all of the nine continents in Majestic World were as lawless and unrestricted as this region, then utter chaos and calamity would have already swept through the world long ago.

It was in order to prevent this outcome that the three schools and seventy-two academies of Confucianism had been founded.

The purpose of these Confucian schools and academies was to prevent immortals from the mountains from lashing out in wanton rage and shattering mountains and rivers as they pleased, or even going as far as to casually destroy mortal cities on a whim.

After all, immortals from the mountains also originated from the mortal world outside the mountains.

If the mortal world were destroyed, then how could the mountains still exist?

With this as the bottom line, the division between virtue and sin, good and evil was thus formed.

Some Qi refiners pursued the longevity and freedom of the Great Dao. Since they were already standing atop the mountains, what did it matter whether the world prospered or burned?

However, there were also some cultivators who were either pure and free from desire, uninterested in worldly matters, or strictly adhered to the rules. Some cultivators were willing to limit their own freedom for the sake of bringing peace to the mortal world. These cultivators didn’t pursue absolute freedom.

All kinds of people existed in the world, each with their own aspirations and needs. The notions of right and wrong were also like a tangled web.

This was because far too many people only spoke reason and principles to constrain others. They didn’t use the same reason and principles to constrain themselves.

This was the same both in the mountains and outside the mountains.

As a descendant of the Lu Clan and as a disciple of the School of Naturalists, Lu Tai had an even deeper understanding of human nature.

Moreover, both his personal status and his status in his clan were very peculiar. This wasn’t simply because he could casually nurture and wield two bonded flying swords even though he wasn’t a sword cultivator. In fact, this wasn’t because he had somehow obtained his mysterious and colorful ribbon when playing in his clan’s ancestral hall during his childhood either.

Instead, Lu Tai’s existence was somewhat of a taboo in Middle Earth Divine Continent’s Lu Clan. To those taciturn and aged elders in the Lu Clan, the existence of this junior was far too awkward.

At the same time, however, Lu Tai was also incredibly outstanding and eye-catching. It was as if he were born in harmony with Dao. There was almost no precedent in history, so the Lu Clan’s attitude toward Lu Tai had always been extremely vague and ambiguous.

The sages had a saying—rulers transformed like tigers, commoners followed the flow, and noble people transformed like leopards.[1]

Lu Tai’s physical body was much like an immortal treasure. In fact, it was even more mystical than the immortal body that Chen Ping’an’s so-called disciple, the young Cui Chan, had stolen in the past.

Lu Tai observed the sea of dark clouds in the sky and searched for the best moment to strike.

However, he had already concealed the scenes inside the hall of the main building from the outside world, so it would be unfathomably difficult for the man with the fly-whisk to send a message to his master.

“I’ve made up my mind, Esteemed Immortal,” the fortress lord’s wife said in a soft voice.

“What’s your decision?” Lu Tai looked down and asked in slight puzzlement.

There was a tragic yet determined look in the woman’s eyes as she placed her hand on her heart and asked, “Can he live?”

The woman wasn’t a cultivator, yet the abnormality in her heart had already existed for several years. She was no fool either, so the sudden calamity befalling the Flying Eagle Fortress and the conversation between Lu Tai and the tall immortal in white had allowed her to join the dots together. She had roughly guessed the truth already.

Lu Tai shook his head and replied, “The baby is innately opposed to the Great Dao, with its nature one of violence and bloodthirst. Even if you sacrifice yourself to keep the baby alive, it will still grow up as a deadly threat in the future. At that time, the measly Flying Eagle Fortress won’t even have the right to sacrifice itself to destroy the baby. Instead, it’s extremely likely that the entire Agarwood Nation will need to be sacrificed…”

The woman sobbed in grief and begged, “But I want my baby to live. I can feel its existence, and it’s just like my own son or daughter…”

Lu Tai wasn’t moved by the woman’s motherly affection, nor did he view her request in disdain. Instead, he smiled calmly and revealed the truth to the pitiable woman, explaining, “Then are you aware that the baby has already gained sentience and intelligence? And it’s because of this that it’s purposely conveying false emotions to you? In fact, it will even rely on its instincts to subtly affect the emotions of you, its host. Otherwise, why have you never explained this matter to your husband even though you’re clearly aware of the abnormal changes taking place in your body?”

The woman forcefully clutched her heart with one hand and hurriedly covered her mouth with her other hand. There was a pained expression on her face, and she seemed at a complete loss as she shook her head at Lu Tai.

The woman silently endured a heart-wrenching pain as she looked at Lu Tai with a pleading expression in her eyes.

Lu Tai sighed and asked, “Why are you going to such pains? Are you truly willing to abandon and sacrifice the hundreds of lives in the Flying Eagle Fortress? Just think about it, there’s your husband Huan Yang, your children Huan Chang and Huan Shu, and also the fortress that has given birth to you and raised you. Are you going to abandon all of them? Abandon them simply for the sake of this unborn baby, one that’s filthy and sinister before it’s even born?”

The woman simply sobbed and shook her head. She lowered her hand, and blood immediately started to gush from her mouth, pitch-black like ink. This was extremely uncanny and terrifying.

However, the woman no longer cared about her dignified bearing as the wife of the fortress lord, with her mind unclear and her vision unfocused as she begged Lu Tai, saying, “Please let my baby live, Esteemed Immortal, I’m begging you. What did my baby do wrong? Right now, my baby has only harmed a single person, me, its mother. However, I don’t blame my baby, I don’t blame it at all.

“Esteemed Immortal, you can educate my baby in the future and teach it to do good. You can guide it in the right direction and prevent it from walking down sinister paths. Esteemed Immortal, your Dao power is profound and your abilities are omnipotent, so you can definitely succeed in teaching my baby. My baby will definitely become a good person…”

The woman was like a fractured porcelain vase on the verge of collapse. As her heart continued to violently shudder, she finally shattered once and for all, unable to endure the punishment any longer.

However, her eyes remained firmly fixed on Lu Tai’s face.

Lu Tai smiled faintly and nodded, replying, “Alright, your baby can live.”

Only after hearing this did the woman’s mouth twitch, with her eyes also closing slowly. However, black blood continued to trickle and gurgle from her eyes in a ghastly manner. As it turned out, the rims of her eyes had also shattered, causing her eyeballs to fall onto her dress and eventually roll onto the ground, finally stopping behind her chair.

The large hall was deathly silent. No one dared to say anything, and only Fortress Lord Huan Yang, who was bound to his chair with his five senses sealed, felt uncontrollable rage toward his wife, his closest family and companion. The rims of his eyes were bright red.

How can she be so selfish?!

She was definitely possessed by a ghost! She definitely fell to demonic ways!

Her death was completely deserved! She deserves to die with that little bastard, that piece of freak in her heart!

Lu Tai walked over to the woman who was already dead, bending down and gazing at her heart which was completely drenched in blood, murmuring, “Your mother sacrificed so much for you, and she gave her everything for you, even abandoning her conscience as a human. Yet, what about you? Why are you still furiously feeding on the spiritual energy and soul of her corpse? You already tortured her so much while she was alive, yet you’re still unwilling to afford her a moment of peace even after she’s passed away now?”

The chaotically undulating chest of the woman suddenly became still at this moment. It was as if one could hear the soft bawling of a baby arriving in the world, just like any other ordinary baby.

The sound of crying had arrived.

“It’s too late.”

Lu Tai suddenly thrust his bamboo fan forward, piercing the woman’s heart and pinning her to the chair. His face was expressionless as he said, “The world is very uninteresting; you shouldn’t have come.”

An ear-piercing scream suddenly rang through the large hall, extinguishing the candles and causing the large columns to crack in unison.

Everyone was filled with extreme fury and grief.

Only Huan Yang felt a huge sense of relief. However, his feeling of relief quickly transformed into one of despondence. His eyes were vacant as he dazedly stared at the chair beside him.

His wife, his childhood sweetheart, that warm and gentle woman, had died a very ugly death.

However, the enraged man didn’t know that tears were already streaming down his face.

1. This is a saying from the Classic of Changes, an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Rulers are compared to tigers because they need to have clear plans and ideals when performing reforms, just like the stripes of tigers becoming more clear as they grow up. Meanwhile, commoners are unable to make huge waves, so they can only go with the flow when reforms take place. Finally, noble people are compared to leopards because leopards are ugly during infancy but magnificent when grown up. This symbolizes the fact that noble people might be born in poor conditions, but their hard work and moral growth will allow them to become more powerful and magnificent just like leopards. However, noble people (leopards) are ultimately not as powerful as rulers (tigers), so their role is to assist rulers in properly implementing reforms. ☜