Unsheathed

The old steward led the way for the esteemed water goddess and the seemingly even more esteemed guest to the guest hall.

Chen Ping’an walked next to Zhong Kui and observed the scenery in Green Roving Residence. There was a lively and vivid painting of the water god temple and Burial River on some spirit wall, and the wafting smoke in the painting drifted around the wall. Not only that, but he could also hear the gushing sound of the churning river.

Apart from Zhong Kui, the water goddess was the only person who could see Chen Ping’an was actually just a yin soul. The two Daoist priests had failed to notice this. Of course, this was partly because the water god temple and Green Roving Residence were both part of the water goddess’ territory.

As for the river demon and the water ghosts, the former had chosen to travel along Burial River to advance its cultivation, and it had already come close to rivaling the water goddess in power, especially when it was in the Burial River. As a result, this river demon was also able to see through Chen Ping’an. Meanwhile, the latter were like drunkards who had smelled the fragrance of wine. It was because of this that they were innately drawn to Chen Ping’an.

They arrived at a large hall where the candles were as thick as arms. The water goddess’ bowl of stir-fried eel noodles was still sitting on the table.

Chen Ping’an was rendered speechless with shock when he saw the so-called bowl.

Meanwhile, Zhong Kui was completely unfazed as he sat down and said to the water goddess with a smile, “I want some stir-fried eel noodles as well. I don’t need such a big bowl, just a small plate will do.”

The water goddess nodded in acknowledgment before turning to Chen Ping’an and asking, “Do you want a midnight snack as well?”

Unlike yang souls, which were essentially a second body for cultivators, yin souls couldn’t eat the delicacies of the world. Instead, yin souls could only absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to nurture themselves.

Chen Ping’an smiled and shook his head, saying that he didn’t need anything.

A water goddess and a noble scholar sat at the same table, both enjoying their own servings of stir-fried eel noodles.

Zhong Kui’s voice sounded in Chen Ping’an’s mind, saying, “This water goddess is extremely skilled at refining weapons. I’m not sure how, but she managed to obtain an ancient inheritance. The rain-praying poem from that stone tablet is actually a mantra used to refine the weapons.

“I’ve heard that this is a very high-grade mantra, the fundamental mantra that some immortal at the Upper Five Tiers used to attain the Dao. As a result, some people covet this mantra and care about it immensely. However, they can only take things slowly due to their position and reputation.”

Just like Zhong Kui had said, the water goddess of Burial River had refined nine weapons in total. Two of them reached the level of immortal treasures, and all were powerful weapons that had allowed her to comfortably suppress the river demon during the past two hundred years. Three of them had been destroyed during their fights, but this didn’t deter her; she still had plenty.

When women in the world left home to go on an outing, they would change their makeup and change their clothes depending on their mood. When the water goddess of Burial River left home to patrol her territory, however, she would switch her weapons depending on her mood.

After finally finishing her large bowl of stir-fried eel noodles, the water goddess placed all her cards on the table and spoke frankly to Zhong Kui. “Please be honest with me, Noble Scholar. Will Great Subduing Academy find an excuse to destroy my Green Roving Residence if I insist on asking for a Confucian classic written by the Scholarly Sage? Or will the academy purposely make things difficult for the Great Quan Empire, ensuring that the empire is eventually destroyed by Northern Jin Nation and Southern Qi Nation?”

Chen Ping’an looked at the water goddess with newfound respect.

Zhong Kui smiled and shook his head. “Great Subduing Academy won’t stoop to such low and barbaric deeds. At most, Green Roving Residence will be ruining its own future potential. It will no longer have the opportunity to be promoted to Green Roving Palace regardless of how many significant contributions you or the Great Quan Empire make.

“There’s one thing that you need to keep in mind. No matter the reason, whether you feel like this current offer for promotion is undeserved or whether you genuinely admire the principles expounded by the Scholarly Sage, the fact remains unchanged that you’ve rejected the goodwill of Great Subduing Academy. Thus, the academy will record this matter and place it in the archives.

“Even if you bring fortune and prosperity to the common people in the future, your Green Roving Residence will still maintain the same status as always. It won’t receive a promotion. If you feel like the academy is being unfair at that time, then why not think about the choices that you made today?”

The water goddess nodded and replied, “I’ll remember this. I definitely won’t blame Great Subduing Academy in the future. In any case, I’m the one who has offended the might and dignity of Great Subduing Academy.”

“Oh, so you also know this, huh?” Zhong Kui said with a cold chuckle.

A measly water goddess and her residence actually daring to refuse the edict of Great Subduing Academy… Was this not a huge joke in the eyes of the three other Confucian academies in Parasol Leaf Continent?

Truth be told, Zhong Kui was facing immense pressure and taking a huge risk by offering these seemingly casual conclusions.

Scholars cared most about their face, so they might not become too angry if they were forced to suffer a huge loss in secret. However, they would most likely pick up their brushes and write essays to kill if they were humiliated in public.

Because of this, Zhong Kui’s words tonight were the biggest shield for Green Roving Residence and the water god temple of Burial River. After all, he had stated that Great Subduing Academy wouldn’t stoop so low as to find excuses to destroy these places.

Moreover, there was no doubt that Zhong Kui was going to become the next mountain master of Great Subduing Academy. In fact, some people even claimed that Zhong Kui had a chance to become the mountain master of a Confucian school.

The water goddess smiled awkwardly and asked, “Do you want another bowl of noodles?”

Zhong Kui clicked his tongue in wonder and remarked, “Using one bowl of noodles to save Green Roving Residence and using another bowl of noodles to save the Great Quan Empire? Miss Water Goddess, what a brilliant plan you’ve cooked up!”

Even though he said this, Zhong Kui still accepted the offer for another bowl of noodles, because the noodles were truly delicious. The water goddess instructed her subordinates to bring two pots of fine wine, and the fragrance of this wine was far superior to most of the wines that Chen Ping’an had enjoyed before.

Disregarding the Forgetting Sorrow Wine from Stalactite Mountain, perhaps only the osmanthus wine from Osmanthus Island was able to rival this wine. However, as a yin soul, Chen Ping’an was able to enjoy neither the noodles nor the wine.

Before drinking, the water goddess had explicitly reminded everyone that they shouldn’t drink too much of this one-hundred-year-old wine. Each person should only drink three bowls at most. Otherwise, even gods and immortals would become drunk.

And thus, Chen Ping’an saw the two of them drinking four large bowls of wine each, completely emptying the pots in front of them. Afterward, the water goddess even instructed her subordinates to bring another pot of wine over.

This allowed Chen Ping’an to witness the terrible behavior of these two drunkards after they became inebriated.

Zhong Kui started to wail in grief as he called Jiu Niang’s name.

As for the water goddess, she started to speak very loudly, occasionally smacking the table to boost her might. She lifted a leg and placed her foot on the chair before pointing at herself with her thumb and asking Zhong Kui, whom she had just become brothers with, “What does one rely on when traveling through the cultivation world?!”

Zhong Kui was still mumbling about Jiu Niang.

The water goddess answered her own question, exclaiming, “Having a backbone! One has to stand up straight and have a strong fist! One has to be honest and forthright when they speak and act! Brother Zhong Kui, I feel like you’re a decent and responsible person, and you also seem very manly! That’s why I’ve agreed to become brothers with you. Just give me a yell if you need any help in the future!”

Chen Ping’an was feeling quite bored as he sat beside them.

He thought to himself that if the little boy in azure were present, he would definitely pat his chest in a deafening manner and exclaim that friendship and loyalty were the most important things.

Zhong Kui raised his hand and pointed at the seat opposite him, yet his finger somehow ended up missing the water goddess completely. His eyes were drunken and bleary as he replied, “Isn’t traveling through the cultivation world something for martial artists to worry about? As a water goddess… No, on second thought, it seems the most authentic and legitimate for water gods to talk about traveling through the cultivation world.[1] Alright then, let’s pretend that you’re correct. However, having a backbone isn’t enough to feed oneself…”

The water goddess raised an eyebrow and took a large swig of wine before slurring, “I always have food to eat! I always eat until I’m stuffed! There’s braised snake meat, there’s stir-fried eel noodles, and there’s much more. I’ve heard that my chef used to work in the imperial kitchen and cook for the emperor. His cooking skills are top-notch, so… having a backbone is still important!”

Zhong Kui shook his head and replied, “You can have your backbone, but what has that got to do with me? I only want Jiu Niang…”

Chen Ping’an stood up, planning to walk to the door of the hall to enjoy the scenery.

He wasn’t able to drink the beautiful wine in front of him, so sitting here and looking at it was a truly frustrating feeling.

Zhong Kui suddenly sat up straight at this moment, shaking his azure robe and dispersing the strong smell of wine.

Meanwhile, the water goddess’ head smashed into the table with a loud thump. She then cocked her head to the side and fell deep asleep.

Chen Ping’an turned around and looked back and saw the back of a man dressed in Confucian robes.

Zhong Kui bowed and cupped his hands in respect, saying, “Student Zhong Kui pays his respects to Teacher.”

The man’s voice was deep and resonant, and he said slowly, “An external disciple of the Planchette Writing Sect inadvertently exposed a huge calamity not long ago. This news was delivered to the academy, but the perpetrator noticed something amiss before we could finish our planning and preparations.

“The perpetrator is a great demon at the Upper Five Tiers, and almost half of the Planchette Writing Sect has been destroyed by it. Of the two Unpolished Jade Tier cultivators in the Planchette Writing Sect, one is dead while the other is wounded. The great demon was also severely wounded, and it attempted to flee toward the West Sea. Fortunately, it was blocked by the sect master of Peace and Tranquility Mountain.

“However, more than half of the demons who were suppressed in the well of Peace and Tranquility Mountain for thousands of years surprisingly escaped at that exact moment. The entire central region of Parasol Leaf Continent is embroiled in chaos right now.”

Zhong Kui asked solemnly, “Teacher, what should I do?”

The man chuckled coldly. “Certainly not drink wine to wash away your sorrows this late into the night.”

Zhong Kui lowered his head and said, “I understand my mistake.”

The man in Confucian robes sighed.”Set off for Peace and Tranquility Mountain before morning arrives. When you get there, you and all of the disciples from the academy need to heed the instructions of the Daoist priests from Peace and Tranquility Mountain. You’re not allowed to use your position in the academy to act as you please. Do you understand?!”

“I understand.”

He wanted to say something else, yet he couldn’t help but hesitate.

His teacher shook his head and added, “Only cultivators at the Upper Five Tiers have the right to hunt down that great demon.”

Zhong Kui remained silent.

In the end, his teacher said, “Zhong Kui, you need to act carefully. Anyone might die due to this calamity, and even I’m not an exception.”

Zhong Kui nodded in response. However, he suddenly recalled something at this moment, and he asked, “Fox Town?”

The Confucian sage hesitated for a moment before replying, “You can put this matter aside first.”

There was a complicated expression in Zhong Kui’s eyes.

However, the Confucian sage’s Dao Manifestation had already vanished from Green Roving Residence.

Chen Ping’an was transfixed with shock as he stood near the door.

The Planchette Writing Sect and Peace and Tranquility Mountain…

Both of these were sects in Parasol Leaf Continent that Chen Ping’an was coincidentally familiar with. This was especially the case since that celestial maiden from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land’s Mirror Heart Hall was actually Huang Ting, a Daoist nun from Peace and Tranquility Mountain.

The most unfathomable thing was that the great demon had actually caused the immortal couple from Planchette Writing Sect to suffer such a tragic fate, with one dead and one wounded.

Zhong Kui stood up and looked at Chen Ping’an.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Ping’an asked.

“I have an unreasonable request for you,” Zhong Kui replied with a bitter smile.

Chen Ping’an immediately understood Zhong Kui’s intention, and he asked, “You want the Wind and Snow Awl?”

However, he immediately shook his head in response.

There was a dejected expression on Zhong Kui’s face, but he knew that this was only reasonable.

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “I can’t give it to you, but I can lend it to you.”

“Really?!” Zhong Kui asked in surprise. “You need to consider this carefully. The struggle against the demons will be incredibly dangerous, so much so that even my teacher is at risk of dying, to say nothing of me. Aren’t you afraid that your Wind and Snow Awl might be destroyed in battle if you give it to me? Aren’t you afraid that I won’t repay the debt even if I don’t die?”

Chen Ping’an blinked and raised four fingers.

Zhong Kui laughed and said, “I understand, ask my own conscience.”

Chen Ping’an suddenly thought of something, and he asked, “Do you want my physical body to come to Green Roving Residence? Traveling 150 kilometers along Burial River will take me quite a while. How about you directly go to the relay station by the river to retrieve the Wind and Snow Awl?”

Zhong Kui pondered for a moment before replying, “You can ask the water goddess to bring your physical body over; it will be very quick. I’m saying this because there are a few things that I need to do in Green Roving Residence, and it won’t be suitable to do these things in front of outsiders.”

Zhong Kui walked over to the table as he spoke, and he tapped the table with his fingers and continued, “Miss Water Goddess, are you still pretending to be asleep?”

The water goddess smiled and sat up, leaving the table before replying, “I’ll head over to bring his physical body over straight away. Can I ask Young Master’s physical body to jump into Burial River after I count to ten?”

While she counted, the water goddess dashed over to Burial River near her Green Roving Residence to “fish” Chen Ping’an from the water. This was her unique mystical power as the deity of the river.

When she counted to ten, Chen Ping’an smacked his forehead in helplessness.

A short moment later, the water goddess brought Chen Ping’an’s physical body to Green Roving Residence. In addition to him, however, there was also a skinny little girl soaking wet.

Zhong Kui laughed heartily upon seeing this.

“How should my yin soul return?” Chen Ping’an asked.

Zhong Kui flicked his sleeve, summoning a gust of gentle wind that lightly pushed Chen Ping’an’s yin soul back into his body. “You shouldn’t allow your yin soul to carelessly wander around at night unless you possess a yang soul to protect it,” Zhong Kui warned.

Chen Ping’an exhaled a long breath before retrieving the Wind and Snow Awl from his pocket treasure and handing it to Zhong Kui.

Zhong Kui accepted the Wind and Snow Awl and asked, “How should I return it to you in the future?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and replied, “You can send it to Chen Ping’an from Dragon Spring Prefecture’s Downtrodden Mountain in Eastern Treasured Vial Continent’s Great Li Empire.”

Zhong Kui nodded in acknowledgment, yet his expression became stranger and stranger.

In the end, he couldn’t help but ask, “Wait… you’re actually acquainted with Mr. Qi from Mountain Cliff Academy then? I know quite a few things about Jewel Small World.”

Chen Ping’an didn’t nod or shake his head.

The water goddess hurriedly drank some wine to suppress her astonishment. Only then did she ask in a careful voice, “Then are you familiar with Mr. Qi’s teacher?”

Chen Ping’an scratched his head and grabbed his Sword Nurturing Gourd to drink some wine.

It was that very old scholar who had taught him how to drink, wasn’t it?

Back then, the young boy carried a drunk old scholar on his back, and the old scholar furiously slapped his head and exclaimed, “Failing to be unrestrained is failing to make the most of your youth. You definitely have to drink!”

1. There is a pun here, where the cultivation world a.k.a. the jianghu (江湖) literally means rivers and lakes in Chinese. ☜