Unsheathed

Approximately one hour after Cui Dongshan left, an ordinary-looking man ran to the immortal inn to look for Chen Ping’an. After finding the young man, he retrieved a Peace and Safety Tablet that only spies from immortal forces in the Great Li Empire could possess.

Chen Ping’an’s expression remained calm, yet his mind was almost about to explode with vigilance and apprehension. One had to realize that the so-called jade tablet from the ancestral hall of Peace and Tranquility Mountain had caused him to suffer greatly in the Parasol Leaf Continent. As a result, it was only normal that he was feeling extremely alert and skeptical at this moment. Moreover, both tablets had the word “peace” on them, so Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but feel even more apprehensive.

This person was a spy from the Great Li Empire who had infiltrated the Azure Phoenix Nation and lay low for many years, and cultivators who could disguise themselves and accept missions like this were all required to possess three qualities.

Firstly, they needed to possess sufficient skills, have the ability to kill people, and have the ability to flee. Secondly, they needed to possess mental fortitude, be able to endure loneliness, and remain committed to their initial goals. They needed to show unwavering loyalty to the Great Li Empire for several years or even several decades. Lastly, they needed to be exceptionally good at reading people’s emotions. Otherwise, they would be nothing more than useless Go pieces that couldn’t bring about any change.

The ordinary-looking man naturally possessed all of these qualities, so he immediately noticed the subtle change in Chen Ping’an’s aura. However, these things were unrelated to him. He was openly visiting Hundred Flower Garden right now, so it was inevitable that he would have to deal with many issues once he completed his task here and left. There was nothing he could do about this. The person who had given him this task was far too paramount.

After entering this prefectural city located right under the nose of the emperor of the Azure Phoenix Nation, that esteemed person had directly come over to look for him. Not only that, but he had even showed a top-grade Embroidered Tiger Weapon Talisman, something that gave him the ability to command all of the spies of the Great Li Empire.

In the beginning, the intelligence agency of the Great Li Empire had been composed of three factions. There was the Cattle and Horse Pen controlled by Imperial Preceptor Cui Chan, the Copper Person Dew-Holding Platform controlled by Song Changjing, and the Green Ripple Pavilion controlled by an imperial concubine.

Each faction had looked after its own region, yet the imperial concubine who had controlled the Green Ripple Pavilion had suddenly retreated from the imperial court of the Great Li Empire several years ago and gone to an immortal mountain neighboring the capital to cultivate in a thatched cottage. Because of this, Imperial Preceptor Cui Chan had gained control of the Green Ripple Pavilion.

Afterward, under the instruction of the emperor, even Song Changjing’s Copper Person Dew-Holding Platform had been handed to the imperial preceptor to manage. Thus, Embroidered Tiger Cui Chan had complete control of the empire’s intelligence agencies now.

Having not spoken it for a long time, the ordinary-looking man was finally able to use the official dialect of the Great Li Empire again, using it to report matters to the esteemed young man.

As it turned out, the yellow earth bull hiding outside the prefectural city had decided to embark on a long journey with Cui Dongshan. Cui Dongshan would give the Sea Observation Tier demon a fated opportunity, allowing it to smoothly form a golden core. The probability of success was extremely high.

Chen Ping’an breathed a soft sigh of relief and asked, “Dare I ask, what grade is the Peace and Safety Tablet in your hand?”

The ordinary-looking man didn’t hesitate at all and replied honestly, “It’s a second-rank tablet, Young Master. I’m ashamed and uneasy to be in possession of such a high-grade tablet.”

In reality, the grade of one’s Peace and Safety Tablet was a rather major secret. However, the ordinary-looking man didn’t dare to keep this a secret after Chen Ping’an specifically asked about it. After all, the person with the Embroidered Tiger Weapon Talisman had instructed him to answer all questions.

The ordinary-looking man stood up and respectfully retrieved a pouch of coins, saying, “The esteemed lord also asked me to hand this pouch to you, Young Master. He said that it’s some tuition fee.”

Chen Ping’an stood up to accept the pouch of… copper coins. He didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, and he put the pouch of coins on the table before cupping his fists at the spy from the Great Li Empire and saying, “Thank you for coming here. I hope that it won’t bring you too many troubles.”

A faint smile appeared on the face of the ordinary-looking man. In fact, these words were enough for him. He was a spy willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of the Great Li Empire, so competing tasks like this were simply part of his responsibilities. He cupped his fists in respect and replied, “You’re being too polite, Young Master.”

After the ordinary-looking man left, Chen Ping’an opened up the cloth pouch and poured out the copper coins. There was a small pile of coins, and Chen Ping’an had no idea what Cui Dongshan was trying to play at. Was this truly nothing more than some tuition fee?

“Seriously, how can Cui Dongshan do something like this,” Pei Qian grumbled. “Even if he doesn’t give you a pouch of lesser heat coins, he should at least give you snowflake coins, right? As your disciple, how can he be so stingy?”

However, Chen Ping’an’s mood became slightly better when he confirmed that there was genuinely nothing special about the copper coins and the money pouch. After hesitating for a moment, he didn’t place the copper coins in his minimization treasure, which had a larger storage space, but inside Fifteenth, his flying sword and pocket treasure.

Chen Ping’an smiled and patted Pei Qian’s head, and the tanned little girl smiled widely in response.

Her eyes were also squinted, making her look like a little cat.

Afterward, Pei Qian started to transcribe texts, writing each character and each stroke with great care. This was a case of habit becoming nature, and she would now feel extremely strange and uncomfortable if she didn’t transcribe texts for a day.

Chen Ping’an walked around the table and practiced fist stances from the Mountain Shaking Guide, fist stances that the guide claimed could make heaven and earth flip upside down. No matter how strange these stances were, people would eventually get accustomed to them after seeing them day after day for a long time.

Night arrived, and Zhu Lian visited Chen Ping’an’s room where he saw Pei Qian sitting by the table and holding the martial arts novel which he had given her. While reading, she used her other hand to emulate the lame techniques that were described in the novel, hee-hawing as she did so.

Chen Ping’an sat down, and in front of him was a Legalist classic which he was yet to close and put away. Zhu Lian smiled and remarked, “Young Master, you are truly diligent and hardworking no matter what the task is. Nothing in the world is too difficult if you put your mind to it—this old saying is seemingly a perfect description for Young Master.”

Even though the four people from the picture scrolls each had their own thoughts and plans when walking out of the picture scrolls—in fact, this was still the case even today—they had indeed fought side-by-side and overcome many perilous dangers while traveling together from the Great Quan Empire all the way to the Azure Phoenix Nation of the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. Yet, in the span of just one day, Sui Youbian, Lu Baixiang, and Wei Xian had all decided to leave to embark on their own journeys. In the end, only the hunchbacked Zhu Lian remained. Thus, disregarding the thoughts and plans of the four martial artists from the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, Chen Ping’an would most certainly be lying to himself if he said that he didn’t feel any sadness about these partings.

And thereupon, Chen Ping’an retrieved two pots of osmanthus wine to enjoy together with Zhu Lian.

Zhu Lian smiled and asked, “Young Master, after all this time, why are you still not asking me how I managed to take two large strides on the path of the Martial Dao?”

If this were before Cui Dongshan had reviewed the so-called game of Go beyond Go with him, Chen Ping’an might have pondered on this and debated whether he should ask Zhu Lian about it. Or perhaps it was the effects of the osmanthus wine affecting his mood, with Chen Ping’an now unwilling to delve into these matters. He smiled and replied, “Who doesn’t have some private thoughts and secrets that they’re unwilling to reveal to others? This is very normal, and I’m also no different in this sense. It’s okay to hide these things as long as one doesn’t intend to harm others. Perhaps… these things will be the same as the osmanthus wine in our hands. They might become more and more fragrant as time goes on.”

Zhu Lian shook the pot of osmanthus wine in his hand and said with a grin, “Young Master, since you are willing to give me this pot of wine, then I’m also willing to explain the situation as we drink to our heart’s content. Whether it’s aged wine or new wine, it’s still wine at the end of the day. Young Master, then let’s have a drink first?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and clinked pots with Zhu Lian, after which they each drank a large mouthful of wine. Pei Qian was drooling, especially since she had tasted osmanthus wine before. During the New Year’s Eve dinner at Old Dragon City’s Dust Medicinal Shop, Chen Ping’an had poured her a small cup of this deliciously sweet osmanthus wine.

Zhu Lian wiped his mouth and asked, “Young Master, do you still remember Old Man Xun?”

Chen Ping’an nodded in response.

Zhu Lian smiled and continued, “After I broke through the significant barrier of the sixth tier and advanced to the seventh tier, it wasn’t long before Sui Youbian advanced to the seventh tier as well. These breakthroughs were very natural, and you wouldn’t have found them strange at all.

“Afterward, however, I secretly advanced to the eighth tier, the Far Roaming Tier. There were many factors that led to this result, from Zheng Dafeng sparring with me, my death in Old Dragon City, and the guidance and eventual help from Senior Xun, to my martial arts path being completely different from that of Sui Youbian and the others. Each factor was intricately linked to the other, and each was necessary for me to achieve my advance.

“I’m not trying to boast, but even though I comprehended my Martial Dao in a small place like the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, its essence can actually be summarized as such: accumulation before gradual release. I’m confident that my Martial Dao isn’t mediocre even in the Majestic World, where there are countless prodigies and a large number of immortals soaring through the skies.

“Let me display a fist technique. Young Master, tell me if you notice anything special.”

Zhu Lian placed his pot of osmanthus wine on the table and stood up with a smile, walking over to the empty space between the door and the table. He was called a martial arts maniac, yet he was short and hunchbacked, and his fist intent seemed sloppy and feeble.

While displaying his fist technique, he actually started to curl up even more, whether it was his hands, feet, back, shoulders, or hips. This looked extremely awkward, and Pei Qian felt like Zhu Lian was becoming increasingly small as she looked at him. However, compared to his normally relaxed and lazy aura, the strength and fist intent of the hunchbacked old man seemed to erupt outward as he curled up.

This was the form of an ape.

Zhu Lian twisted his body, and his footwork appeared extremely strange as he threw seemingly casual punches. His body was curled up, yet his fist intent would surge outward in a ferocious manner during the brief moments when he suddenly relaxed and uncurled his body.

Pei Qian felt like she had seen this somewhere before.

Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but exclaim in praise in his mind. This Martial Arts Maniac was truly a talented martial artist, as expected of the person who had held the title of strongest in the world in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land before Ding Ying. After going through many life-and-death situations together, Chen Ping’an was increasingly convinced that Zhu Lian would be the final person standing if the four martial artists from the picture scrolls were at the same cultivation base and forced to fight each other to the death.

Daoist Nun Huang Ting from Peace and Tranquility Mountain had taught Pei Qian the White Ape Sword-Carrying Technique and the White Ape Saber-Wielding Technique in the garden of the medicinal shop back then, and Zhu Lian had surprisingly observed this and transformed the sword intent and saber intent into his own fist intent.

Of course, this was helped by the fact that those in a favorable position would enjoy the greatest benefits. Compared to Sui Youbian and the others, Zhu Lian’s fist technique and Martial Dao were the most closely aligned with the essence of Huang Ting’s sword technique and saber technique.

Even so, it was incredible that Zhu Lian managed to emulate the form and essence of these techniques so well after taking just a few glances at Huang Ting’s demonstrations. Not only that, but he had even managed to incorporate it into his own fist intent. Seeing this, Chen Ping’an couldn’t help but be impressed by Zhu Lian’s observation skills and cultivation talent.

Zhu Lian stopped his movements and chuckled, “Young Master is very astute.”

Pei Qian was quite impressed by Zhu Lian’s comment.

Old cook, don’t take things too far, okay? How can you flatter someone in such an obsequious manner? Master hasn’t even uttered a single word yet!

Zhu Lian smiled before putting on a serious expression in a rare display, saying slowly, “This path is similar to how Sui Youbian attempted to ascend with her sword—a tragic outcome is inevitable. Back in the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, it was already proven that this path would lead to a dead end. Thus, I didn’t hear the explosion of spring thunder even until the day of my death. However, there doesn’t exist an insurmountable barrier in Young Master’s home world.”

“At the end of the day, this is because you, Zhu Lian, are standing at a lofty height and are able to see far enough into the distance,” Chen Ping’an praised in a sincere voice.

However, his tone suddenly became anxious as he asked, “But you’ve advanced two tiers in a row so quickly, so has this affected the stability of your seventh-tier cultivation base?”

Zhu Lian sighed and replied with a nod, “Compared to the strength and stability of my sixth-tier cultivation base, the strength and stability of my seventh-tier cultivation base is indeed very ordinary.”

Zhu Lian drank a sip of wine before continuing, “However, there’s nothing I can do about this. Senior Xun revealed a secret to me, saying that if all of the seemingly prodigious martial artists in the Eastern Treasured Vial Continent continued to dilly-dally for too long, then this continent would eventually become a land of grief for all pure martial artists at the seventh and eighth tier. These martial artists would no longer have the ability to advance in their lifetime.

“Because of this, I want to progress quicker and take some larger strides, seizing the opportunity to advance to the ninth tier as quickly as possible. I’ll reserve a spot for myself before considering anything else. Even if I’m a weak ninth-rank Go master, advancing to the ninth rank is still better than remaining at the eighth rank for the rest of my life.”

Chen Ping’an pondered on this for a moment. While visiting the martial sage temple in the county city before, Cui Dongshan had used a mystical ability to manifest the martial fortune of the Azure Phoenix Nation. Thus, Zhu Lian’s explanation wasn’t without reason. Moreover, he was already well aware of the hidden danger. If he advanced to the ninth tier one day, it was extremely likely that the dead end of his martial arts journey would be just that, the ninth tier. He would no longer have an opportunity to reach the true End Tier.

In addition to this, there was still a notion of strong and weak even among the small number of ninth tier martial artists, and unlike games of Go between fellow ninth rank Go masters, it was very unlikely that one could use ingenious immortal techniques to make up for their weakness and turn the tables. Weaker ninth tier martial artists were doomed to death if they came across stronger ninth tier martial artists.

According to Zheng Dafeng’s explanation, if it weren’t for Old Man Yang’s secret instructions back then, Li Er could have beaten Song Changjing to death before the latter left the Jewel Small World. This was the case even though both of them had been at the ninth tier of martial arts.

“First come, first served, and a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush—this is indeed a reasonable path to walk,” Chen Ping’an remarked.

Zhu Lian smiled and said, “I naturally yearn to reach the legendary tenth tier, but I don’t dare to underestimate the ninth tier either. Back at the Dust Medicinal Shop, Zheng Dafeng faced the four of us together when he sparred with us and helped us train. At that time, which of us didn’t feel stifled and irritated? However, we had no option but to concede that we were weaker. The four of us are humble enough to admit this. Otherwise, Zheng Dafeng would have looked down on the Lotus Flower Blessed Land, and you might have looked down on it too.”

Chen Ping’an sighed with emotion and said, “I can also be regarded as half a resident of the Lotus Flower Blessed Land. After all, I stayed in the blessed land for a long time, almost as long as the four of your ages combined. However, similar to what you mentioned just then, my strides were too quick and too large, so I wasn’t able to fully appreciate the flow of time.”

“Young Master, you’re a blessed prodigy who enjoys immense fortune, so it’s only natural that you enjoy such fated opportunities…” Zhu Lian began.

Pei Qian suddenly flared up in anger and exclaimed, “Absolute bullshit!”

Zhu Lian was taken aback, but an amused smile quickly spread across his face. Oh? By the looks of it, this tanned little girl had become far firmer than before. However, he noticed something strange about Pei Qian’s expression, and she seemed to be much more serious than normal.

Chen Ping’an was also slightly astonished, but he knew that Zhu Lian wouldn’t become too angry because of these matters. Thus, Chen Ping’an didn’t dwell on why Pei Qian had suddenly flared up in anger.